Communication skills have grown in
importance for accounting and finance
professionals, but workers may be on their own when it comes to developing this
expertise, a new survey shows. While 75 percent of CFOs say that verbal, written and
interpersonal skills are more valuable now
for accounting and finance professionals
than five years ago, only 37 percent of CFOs
say their firms provide formal training in this
area. The survey was developed by Accountemps, the world’s first and largest specialized staffing service for temporary
accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals, included responses from more than
1,400 CFOs from a random sample of U.S.
companies with more than 20 employees.
“Communication skills are a critical factor
in shaping your professional reputation,”
notes Tom May, branch manager of Accountemps in Cleveland. “It is important to
hone these skills because the way in which
you communicate speaks volumes not only
about your knowledge level and attention to
detail, but also your work ethic and ability to
be diplomatic, persuasive and tactful.”
Smart Business spoke with May about
how employees can obtain these coveted
skills, and how companies can help their
employees become better communicators.
While communication skills are valued, very
little training is provided by companies.
Why?
Soft-skills training varies significantly
from company to company. While some
companies may provide many types of
courses — from leadership seminars to
writing tutorials — others do not.
For some companies, providing communication training is something that gets relegated to the back burner. They would like to
offer it, but it often gets swept under the rug
due to the time and resources it entails to
provide the proper training. Companies find
it to be very worthwhile, however, when they
do have communication training in place.
What should companies do to decrease this
gap?
Of course, providing internal communication and soft-skills training opportunities
is one solution. But if it’s not feasible for a
company to develop its own program,
there are many other options.
Encourage staff to attend local workshops. Provide opportunities for staff to
develop their communication skills through
presentations and situations that involve
working with a team.
In hiring and promoting staff, look
carefully at communication skills. When
considering if someone is right for a
position, the manager should ask: How
does this person represent himself verbally and in writing? What impression
do others have of this person based on
his/her communication style? Can others learn from this person in terms of
how he/she communicates in difficult
situations?
What should employees be doing to make
themselves more marketable in regard to
communication skills?
- Observe others. In addition to traditional learning methods (like classes and
online tutorials), a good way to enhance
communication skills is by observing others. Take a close look at people in your
organization who present their thoughts well at meetings and can write detailed, yet
brief, e-mail messages. - Invite constructive criticism. Those
with whom you work closely will be able to
provide a more objective view of your
communication skills. Inform trusted coworkers of your desire to improve and ask
for suggestions to act upon. - Seek opportunities to improve. There
are a number of courses individuals can
take to heighten listening, negotiation and
public speaking abilities. Also, the capacity
to perform under pressure, make good
decisions in a time crunch and project a
professional image can be enhanced with
practice. - Give attention to the details. Make it
a habit to double-check your e-mails for
accuracy and clarity — a clean, error-free
e-mail speaks volumes about your attention to detail. - Be an active listener. The savviest
communicators do more listening than
speaking.
Are CFOs largely lacking in these skills
because they focus more on numbers?
It may not be that they’re lacking, but now
more than ever soft skills are important
across all industries and skill levels. The
workplace is increasingly team oriented. If
you can’t work well and communicate with
others, your options can be limited.
Executives rely on soft skills every day in
their interactions with staff, senior management and clients, so proficiency in all
types of communication is essential to success. Since senior-level responsibilities
include motivating and retaining employees, strong people skills are as vital as
financial expertise.
TOM MAY is the branch manager of Accountemps in Cleveland,
a company with more than 330 offices throughout North America,
Europe, Australia and New Zealand, which offers online job
search services at www.accountemps.com. Reach May at (440)
777-8367 or [email protected].
