Good communication has always mattered. But the environment in which we communicate has become considerably more complicated.
A conversation might begin in a meeting room, continue on Teams, involve colleagues joining remotely, move into email and increasingly include information created or summarised by AI.
The technology has changed. The fundamentals of effective human communication haven't.
At Huthwaite, decades of behavioural research have shown us that skilled communication isn't simply about being articulate or confident. What matters is the behaviours people use during an interaction: how they seek information, put forward ideas, react to other people's contributions, test understanding and build on what others say.
So whether you're leading a hybrid meeting, influencing a stakeholder or simply trying to get a decision made, here are ten practical ways to communicate more effectively.
1. Start with the outcome, not the meeting
Before sending an invitation, ask one simple question: What needs to be different as a result of this conversation?
Perhaps you need a decision. Perhaps you're trying to explore a problem, generate ideas, gain commitment or resolve a disagreement. Those are very different purposes and require different conversations.
If you're simply passing on information, a meeting may not be necessary at all. An email, Teams update, shared document or recorded update could do the job better.
A clear purpose also makes it much easier for participants to understand what is expected of them.
Try this: Complete the sentence "By the end of this conversation, we need to..." before you invite anybody.
2. Choose the channel to fit the conversation
Not every communication needs to happen synchronously.
Use written communication when people primarily need information. Use real-time conversation when you need interaction, exploration, judgement or commitment. And think particularly carefully about sensitive or complex subjects.
A beautifully written Teams message isn't necessarily a good substitute for a ten-minute human conversation. The smartest communicators aren't the people who hold the best meetings. They're often the people who know when not to hold one.
3. Make your structure visible
It is much harder for people to follow a wandering conversation when they're joining remotely or moving between screens. So signpost.
- "There are three things we need to decide."
- "Before we move on, can I summarise where we've got to?"
- "We've discussed the problem. Let's now look at the options."
This isn't unnecessary formality. It helps people understand where the conversation is going and gives everyone a better opportunity to contribute.
Summarising is particularly powerful because it allows you to check that shared airtime has actually resulted in shared understanding.
4. Ask more, assume less
One of the easiest communication traps is believing we've understood what somebody means before we've really explored it. Questions slow down assumption, so instead of immediately advocating your own position, seek information:
- "What concerns you most about that?"
- "What would a successful outcome look like?"
- "What's making this difficult?"
Then test your understanding before moving on. This becomes even more important in hybrid communication because we have fewer contextual clues available to us.
5. Don't mistake silence for agreement
Someone who doesn't react isn't necessarily agreeing with you. They may be thinking. They may have disengaged. They may disagree but be reluctant to interrupt. Or the dynamics of the meeting may simply make it difficult for them to contribute.
Huthwaite's behavioural work describes this phenomenon in terms of low reacting: a shortage of visible or verbal response to ideas and suggestions. Don't guess what silence means. Ask.
- "Sarah, what's your reaction to that?"
- "We've heard one view. Does anyone see this differently?"
The point isn't to force participation. It's to avoid interpreting an absence of reaction as evidence of consensus.
6. React before you respond
Much poor communication isn't caused by people failing to express themselves. It's caused by people failing to respond constructively to what somebody else has just said.
When people feel challenged, conversations can quickly move towards what Huthwaite calls Defend/Attack behaviour, where positions become stronger and discussion more emotionally charged.
The alternative is deceptively simple: listen, acknowledge the contribution and explore it before immediately countering it. Instead of: "No, that isn't going to work" try: "I understand why you'd favour that option. Can we explore what happens if..."
Small behavioural differences can completely change the trajectory of a conversation.
7. Make it easier for people to enter the conversation
Hybrid meetings have an invisible hierarchy. Someone sitting in the room can make a small gesture, lean forward or catch somebody's eye to indicate that they want to speak. A remote participant doesn't always have those advantages.
Good communicators therefore make their contribution explicit. One useful technique is behaviour labelling, where you briefly signal what you're about to do:
- "Can I ask a question?"
- "I'd like to build on that."
- "Can I test my understanding?"
For in-person or online meetings, It remains useful precisely because it makes conversational intention clearer.
8. Lose the irritating language
Some expressions add almost nothing to a conversation and can unintentionally create resistance.
- "To be honest..."
- "With all due respect..."
- "I'm only saying..."
- "Obviously..."
They can make people question what came before, sound patronising or weaken the point you're about to make. Say what you mean clearly and respectfully.
9. Use AI to remove communication work, not human communication
AI can increasingly summarise information, prepare material and support knowledge work. Microsoft's 2026 Work Trend Index describes a workplace in which work is increasingly organised across people, agents and connected systems.
That makes an important distinction even more valuable. AI can help prepare for a conversation but it doesn't remove the need to communicate well during it. Judgement, listening, questioning, challenging constructively, building trust and gaining commitment remain fundamentally human parts of working together.
The opportunity isn't to automate every interaction, it's to spend less time producing and processing information and more time having the conversations that actually require people.
10. Measure communication by what happens next
A polished presentation isn't necessarily effective communication. Neither is a meeting in which everybody spoke. The real test is what the interaction achieved.
- Was the problem better understood?
- Did people's thinking change?
- Was a decision made?
- Did somebody commit to an action?
- Was disagreement surfaced and resolved rather than politely buried?
Effective communication is ultimately about behaviour and outcomes rather than simply transmitting information. Before ending an important interaction, therefore, establish three things:
- What have we agreed?
- What happens next?
- Who owns it?
Because a conversation that everyone enjoyed but nobody acts on probably wasn't particularly effective.
Effective communication is still a human advantage
The workplace will continue to change. AI will take on more tasks. Communication channels will keep multiplying. Some interactions will become faster and more automated. That doesn't reduce the importance of human communication. It arguably makes the quality of the interactions that remain even more important.Technology can improve the channel. Behaviour improves the conversation.
And behaviour can be observed, practised and changed.
FAQs
What are effective communication skills?
Effective communication combines clear expression with behaviours such as questioning, listening, seeking information, testing understanding, building on ideas, summarising and responding constructively.
How can I communicate better in hybrid meetings?
Start with a clear purpose, make the structure of the conversation explicit, actively bring different voices into the discussion, check understanding and don't interpret silence as agreement.
Is virtual communication different from face-to-face communication?
The underlying behavioural principles remain relevant, but remote interaction can reduce some of the visual and contextual information people use naturally in a room. That makes clarity, signposting, questioning and checking reactions particularly important.
Can AI improve workplace communication?
AI can support tasks surrounding communication, such as organising information and preparing material. But effective interpersonal communication still depends on human behaviours including judgement, listening, questioning and constructive response. Microsoft's 2026 Work Trend Index similarly places increased emphasis on human judgement as AI takes on more execution.
Download the whitepaper to learn:
- Break down complex messages and maintain focus
- get your point across using behaviour labelling
- determine if a video call is the best option for your meeting.
