Meet Simon Hall(Opens in a new window), the Course Lead for the University of Cambridge Online(Opens in a new window) course in Compelling Communication Skills(Opens in a new window). Simon Hall runs his own business communication agency, Creative Warehouse, and is a journalist, author and business coach.

In today’s digitally transformed workplaces, nailing powerful business communication skills and communicating ideas effectively is more critical than ever. Great business communication is the heartbeat of any organisation – keeping teams aligned, goals crystal clear and workplaces buzzing with ideas and creativity. In fact, in 2011, David Grossman reported that a survey of 400 big businesses found that around $62.4 million was lost each year due to poor communication to and between employees.

In other words, it pays to put some thought into effective communication.

Drawing on 25 years of experience as a BBC broadcaster and author, the powerhouse behind Cambridge Advance Online’s Compelling Communication Skills(Opens in a new window) course, Simon Hall(Opens in a new window) offers 10 game-changing tips for mastering business communication skills everyone needs to know.

Here’s how he breaks them down.

From Simon Hall: Why communication is important

You might have the best product, the smartest service, and the most inspiring vision, but if you can’t communicate them, you’ll get nowhere.

That’s the importance of presenting, storytelling and writing skills in business. And here are the top 10, taken from my work with companies, large and small, and hundreds of C-suite executives, middle managers, and early career professionals.

The first three are the foundations, then it’s four more advanced skills, and finally the trio of superpowers of effective business communication.

10 essential communication skills

1. Articulating ideas with clarity

If you’re not clear about what you’re trying to achieve, no one else will be either. And that means your message will be lost.

For example, would you be reading this article if it had begun:

I’ve worked with hundreds of business people who’ve joined my University of Cambridge Compelling Communication Skills course over the past year. They’re such a lovely group, and so diverse. We’ve had learners from every continent, bar Antarctica! It’s also interesting to note the differences in approach and appearance of business people, depending on their age and background. That extends to my work with start-ups and scale-ups, by the way. Anyhow, the point of this article is about the importance of communication skills in business, and I thought I might mention a little about the remarkable advances in online learning, as well…

Confused? Irritated? Less than inclined to keep reading?

I don’t blame you. But don’t worry, we’re back on track now. The point’s made: clarity of message is critical.

2. Simplicity

Protracted lexemes and elongated and claused meanderings, notwithstanding the incorporation of a peripatetic architecture, are coherently evident as the most opportune election in order to galvanise, is it not?

No. Wrong. Short words, not long. Brief sentences, not screen busters. Clear structures, not crossword clues. Those are the best ways to interest and impress. Forget what you learnt at college.

For effective business communication: simple isn’t stupid; simple is smart.

Read more on why simple messages are key to effective business communication here(Opens in a new window).

3. Brevity

Modern life is fast. People have neither the time nor the patience to digest vast tracts of information. Now that you’re clear on what you’re saying, keep your reports, briefings and presentations as short as possible for maximum impact however counterintuitive that may sound.

Not convinced? Then never forget a common abbreviation of contemporary life – TLDR: too long, didn’t read.

This article will be around 1,800 words long. It’ll take you about five minutes to read. For that investment, you’ll get 10 critical insights to help you communicate clearly for better business. Around just 30 seconds for each, in other words.

So brevity is possible, If you’re clear and simple in what you say.

Finally for our foundations of effective communication, here’s the slam dunk, poster child, killer case study.

It’s a world-beating business, cornering more than 90% of its market. It’s worth billions upon billions. You probably use it many times a day without noticing the brilliance of clarity, simplicity and brevity, all in one.

Think how complex and cluttered its home page could be, given all that tech. But no. Quite the opposite.

Cue drumroll and fanfare, it’s… Google!

4. Authenticity

Have you got a sense of my character from this article? Authoritative, I hope. But also warm, informal, energetic and entertaining?

So comes the critical question: has that helped to make the content more engaging?

I’m hoping the answer’s yes. A big yes, in fact. Which goes to show the importance of character in business communication.

Why do people want to live in a certain house? Because it’s got character. Why do they want to eat at a certain restaurant? Because it’s got character. Why do we speak fondly of certain people? Because they’re a character.

Why are Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill often held up as models of leadership? Much because of their very different, but still very powerful, characters.

Whether warm and witty, dry, driven or determined, whatever it may be, people relate to people. So forget dull old dispassionate neutrality. That’s yawnsome. Let your character roam free in your communication. It’s the first of our advanced skills of effective business communication, the sparkle to complement the substance.

5. Showing not telling

Have you noticed a trick I’ve been using throughout this article? Look back on the sections about clarity, simplicity and brevity.

I didn’t just tell you about their importance. I showed you. Whether first with my rambling and chaotic paragraph, then my protracted lexemes, and the Google case study.

Would you have read this article if it was by someone who told you they had a good knowledge of communication skills? Or because they lead a course in writing, public speaking and storytelling skills at the historic University of Cambridge? Who had various books on communication published? And who was a BBC TV news correspondent for 20 years?

Any bluffer can tell you how impressive they, their product or service is. But can they show you?

6. Presenting and speaking confidently

Presentation skills are critical for effective business communication. And one simple tip can transform yours from adequate, decent and okay towards the heights of excellence.

Turn your talk from a monologue to a dialogue.

Think back on the dullest presentations you’ve seen. What one factor unites them?

I bet it’s that the speaker droned on, and on, and on, and then on some more, without you having space to think, feel or react. But turn that bombardment of words into a conversation, and suddenly there’s a transformation.

How to do that? For some ideas, see a talk I gave to researchers at the Alzheimer’s Society, to help them present their work:

And here’s one other easy win to make your presentations far more effective. It’s so powerful you’ll wonder why you’ve never thought of it before:

I’ve also shared some helpful tips on conquering nerves when you’re public speaking here(Opens in a new window).

7. Writing effectively

Badly written reports, briefings, emails – even social media posts – can undermine credibility and sometimes cause severe reputational damage. So here’s a brief checklist for effective business writing: Clarity, brevity, simplicity and authenticity – kick it off, you won’t be surprised to read. But also remember:

• an interesting and informative title

• strong starts and emphatic endings

• a clear structure, which never diverges from the core narrative

• crisp sentences and short paragraphs

• no cliches, jargon, tech-talk, science-speak, wasted words or waffle

• an active, not passive voice (not that the passive voice should be replaced by the active!)

• an elegant layout, which makes reading easy.

Now check back on this article. Does it use these tricks? And how have they helped the reading experience?

8. Channelling your creativity

On to the moment you’ve been waiting for – the trio of superpowers for effective business communication.

In the era of AI, creativity can set you apart. By all means, use ChatGPT and Gemini, or any bot you want. But! In fact, but, but, but, for added emphasis:

Never overlook the unrivalled power of your wonderful, beautiful, creative mind.

For example, spin your thoughts back to 2001. Imagine you had created the iPod, and you were looking for a value proposition, a headline to sum up what you had to offer and entice the world.

Can you remember what Apple produced?

This is the gold standard of effective business communication. It came courtesy of pure human creativity, something I think – I hope – AI could never replicate:

iPod.

1,000 Songs in your pocket.

Notice also the simplicity, brevity and clarity, to complement the creativity. Now that’s what I call effective business communication.

9. Listening actively

How do you feel when you’ve got an urgent problem to resolve, and all you get on the phone is an automated answer saying how important your call is?

Or you’re trying to explain an idea to your boss, and they keep glancing at their phone?

Now imagine you doing that to a colleague, customer or even a potential partner. How would they be feeling?

Whereas, if you listen carefully, engage thoughtfully, and maintain eye contact…

That’s the importance of not just listening, but active listening, for effective business communication.

10. Storytelling

Finally, to the biggest, the best, by far the most important skill for effective business communication.

If you’ve got an important message, put it in the form of a story. Because, as I repeat endlessly when I’m teaching, writing or consulting: Facts fade, but stories stick.

For example, I could tell you that my course, Compelling Communication Skills(Opens in a new window) , has a transformative impact on learners. Or I could tell you this brief story:

Recently, Inga Vysniauskiene, a learner on a previous course, got in touch with some uplifting news. She wrote:

Dear Simon,

Here is a piece of news to bring a proud course leader’s smile to your face.

The power of language in women’s leadership – in New York, in July. Me. As a speaker…

But for the course and your extensive support and encouragement, I would have never had courage for this. 

Thank you!

Even better, she then got in touch to tell me how the event went:

Dear Simon,

After a loooong flight, am back from New York.

My presentation was outstanding (listeners’ words), followed by a round of applause.

I was so nervous but once I found myself in front of the audience, my speech started flowing smoothly and I loved it so much.

Elatedly happy,

Inga

Which is more effective? My bland statement about the power of the course? Or my story about Inga’s experience?

Read more about the power of storytelling here(Opens in a new window).

Elevating your communication skills

Mastering these 10 essential business communication skills will not only help to unlock the keys to professional and organisational success, it will also help you – and your business – to stand out from the crowd.

Enrol in Cambridge Advance Online’s Compelling Communication Skills(Opens in a new window) course today to hear more tips gleaned over Simon’s 25-year career as a communicator – and learn how to channel your own communication superpowers to become the effective business communicator you’ve always wanted to be.

Want to find out more about mastering the art of communication? Read a Q&A with Simon Hall and fellow course leader Dr Thomas Roulet here(Opens in a new window).

But don’t take their word for it! Hear from Gates Scholar and budding scientist Lisa Neidhart about the important lessons she took away from the Compelling Communication Skills course here(Opens in a new window).

Reference:

Dementia Researcher. (July 2023). ‘Are You Ready To Powerfully Present Your Project? Simon Hall Is Here To Help You Make An Impact.’ Online video clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DHtb9IXXFw

Grossman, D. (2011). ‘The Cost Of Poor Communications.’ Holmes Report, 16 Jul 2011. https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/the-cost-of-poor-communications(Opens in a new window) accessed 5 Sep 2024.

Simon. (June 2024). ‘How to deal with nerves, increase authority, and cut ums and errs in public speaking & presentations’. Online video clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceb449Hgcr4&t=8s