A good leader makes sure he communicates clearly to his team what needs to be done and by when.

What happens if you have a boss that doesn't know how to communicate?

That's a huge problem. One of the main qualities of a good manager, is the ability to communicate clearly to his team what needs to be done and by when. It’s your duty to make sure they understand exactly what they need to do and have the tools to do it.

Many people don't know how to communicate because they weren't taught or didn't learn by themselves. I’m not talking only about the managers; but people in general. We all have that friend that gives us 100 details when he tells a story. That’s a waste of time. Learn how to communicate succinctly and clear. If people will want to know more, they will ask questions.

 

At work is especially important to know what you need to do, what you need to delegate and what you need help with in order to do your job. To make sure you know these things, someone needs to train you. If they do a good job explaining clearly what needs to be done, then you will have no problems at that job, in theory. There are always things that happen, whether you like it or not.

When it’s your turn to communicate with a colleague or the manager, you need to be very specific in expressing what you need, so he understands exactly what you mean. It will take some time until you use precise language and that’s ok. It’s a learning process and in the long run it’s going to be worth it. Read, practice, say the sentence in your head before saying it out loud and see what words express the best what you want to say. Writing helps as well.

Back to the main subject, toxic work environment. You will be surprised, but with the right words and actions you can change  a lot of things. You can influence some of the people around you and make the best of your situation. Saying the right words, helps reframe your mind and see things from a different perspective. This will be useful when you’re dealing with difficult situations and/or people at work.