Ability #7 of 10
The Ability to Communicate
Attracting and retaining great employees BEGINS with interviewing well. There are 10 abilities we believe every organization in every industry should be seeking out in their future employees. Today we're discussing how to discover an employee's ability to communicate.
3 Reasons the Ability to Communicate Matters
Generational Preferences for Methods of Communication: Boomers rely heavily on non-verbal cues, tone, pace, facial expression, so they favor face-to-face talks or phone calls, and often feel like they're missing something over email or text (hence the classic “I emailed you, then walked down the hall to tell you.”) GenXers and elder Millennials favor email for maximum efficiency, autonomy, and a paper trail. Younger Millennials and most of Gen Z prefer texting and instant messaging (Teams, Slack) — they may forget their license, but never their phone. Tools like GroupMe and Remind see strong, low-cost engagement from these generations.
Generational Preferences for Formality: Boomers and Gen X often link informal writing — emojis, “lol,” missing punctuation — to how professional or respectful they perceive someone to be. Since roughly 93% of meaning is communicated non-verbally, mismatched formality (in writing or in body language) can undercut a message regardless of intent. As more Millennials and Gen Z move into decision-making roles this will likely relax, but for now, formality still plays a real role in advancement.
People Who Can't Communicate Well Are Still Communicating: Communication theorist Paul Watzlawick's core idea: “one cannot not communicate.” A co-worker asleep at the meeting table has already told you something, whether they meant to or not. Since we're always sending signals, it's worth polishing the ones we send on purpose — and hiring people willing to do the same.
2 Tips for HR Professionals
Training, Training, Training: Don't assume someone with a specialized degree or subject-matter expertise automatically communicates well — often, the people most confident in their communication skills need the most work. Make sure communication has a real place in onboarding training.
Automation & Flexibility Are Key: Insisting everyone communicate through a single channel isn't working the way it used to — some employees genuinely never check email or voicemail. Consider automating messages across the channels your team actually uses (text, app notifications, etc.) rather than hoping everyone adapts to one method. The extra setup is worth avoiding the chaos of people simply not getting the message.
Ask the Right Questions: Interview Questions
- If you needed a co-worker to complete a task quickly, which method would you use to reach them — walk to their office, call a meeting, send a memo, call, email, IM, or text?
- If you had to give your team bad news, which method would you naturally use?
- How often do you prefer feedback, and in what form?
- When you're frustrated about something, how do you communicate that with co-workers and managers?
- How do you prefer to receive company news — paper newsletter, memo, meeting, e-newsletter, email, intranet, or website?
- How do you deal with someone you feel is being passive-aggressive toward you?
- Under a lot of stress, does your communication with co-workers increase or decrease? Would you like that to change?
- What steps are you taking to improve your own communication skills — books, podcasts, seminars, conventions?
- Do you consider yourself good at negotiating or compromise? Why or why not?
- Tell me about a time you had to “brag” on yourself to establish credibility. What did you do?
Great communication isn't about making everyone communicate YOUR way. It's about understanding your audience, adapting your approach, and making sure the message actually gets through. And when you're hiring, finding someone who's willing to do that can make all the difference!
Stay tuned for next week as we dive into Ability #8 of The 10 Abilities! We're getting closer to the finish line, and you won't want to miss what's next.
Talk Soon,
Kristin
