Effective communication is the key to become a successful manager. Most managers and employees are still learning how to develop effective communication so that they can get their point across to their target audience. According to studies, the average manager spends at least 80% of his or her time communicating. According to statistics, that time is spent as follows: 10% writing, 15% reading, 25% listening, and 30% speaking. Here are some helpful tips for a manger to become a successful communicator.

• Be Crystal Clear Make your message clear to your audience: It should be customized to your audience. Addressing top management is different than addressing a specific department or all employees. You can send a message to the IT department full of technical jargon, but this message will not be understood if you send it to marketing. Your message should be simple and should become simpler as the audience becomes more diverse.
• How You Say It Counts The language used to transfer your views and ideas to your audience must be simple and understandable. Word choice, sentence structure and organization of the information must flow and make sense to your intended audience. Ideas should flow in some sequential order. Discuss the simpler issues first which will lead to your intended message.
• Actions Speak Louder Than Words The message you are trying to communicate should be in line with what is actually happening at the workplace. The common complaint by employees is that management does not really understand how things are done "in the field". This shows that some messages do not really get through. First follow the message yourself and let others follow your example.
• Significance of Your Message Always makes it clear to the audience why a particular message is important to the organization and its people. Provide background information, which contributes, to a great extent, to the importance of a message. The more you explain, the more likely it will be effective. Not only will the message be important but employees will believe it is important.
• Avoid mistakes Making too many mistakes in messages will invite too many questions from your audience. Take care of mistakes.
• Be transparent Achieving transparency in the workplace and throughout your communication with your employees is key to a healthy corporate culture. Always try to be honest and direct with your employees. Work on making them part of the decision-making process to eliminate a grapevine environment, where information spreads between employees through rumors and gossip and, in most cases, lacks truth.
• Channels Different audiences should be addressed through the most appropriate channel for that specific audience. Single communication channels usually have a low success rate. Reinforce messages through various channels such as written (emails, memos, newsletters), and verbal communication (staff meetings, seminars). Find out which communication channel works best with each group.
• Communicate continuously Communication must be continuous. Messages require repetition to penetrate the minds of employees who are busy with their own priorities. Continuous communication creates a closer work environment between and among employees at all levels.