Effective communication for Accountants 会计师有效沟通
There’s one thing that makes every relationship work – it doesn’t matter whether that relationship is romantic, with a peer or in business – that thing is communication. In all relationships, ineffective or poor communication can be extremely frustrating and it is often a source of conflict. The four main types of communication vital in the office are internally within your business, externally with clients, orally and in writing. 有一件事能让每一段关系都发挥作用——不管这段关系是浪漫的，还是同龄人的关系，还是商业上的关系——那就是沟通。在所有的人际关系中，无效的或糟糕的沟通可能会让人非常沮丧，而且往往是冲突的根源。在办公室里至关重要的四种主要沟通方式是在公司内部、与客户外部、口头和书面沟通。
An inability to clearly express thoughts, ideas and demands can lead to employees not performing well or in accordance with a company’s demands. Such a situation may take place when an employee is not truly aware of what is requested of them. A good style of communication and a positive approach can ensure that employees and managers understand each other and are more effective at the workplace. 不能清晰地表达思想、想法和需求可能会导致员工表现不佳或不符合公司的要求。这种情况可能发生在员工没有真正意识到他们被要求做什么。良好的沟通风格和积极的方法可以确保员工和经理相互理解，在工作中更有效率。
It is very important for communication to be ‘two-way’ – employees should not only listen, but always have a chance, and be encouraged to ask questions, discuss, express own ideas. Feedback mechanisms and sharing best practices internally should also be an integral part of organisational performance and performance management systems in particular. 沟通是“双向的”，这非常重要——员工不仅要倾听，而且要有机会，以及要被鼓励提问、讨论、表达自己的想法。反馈机制和内部分享最佳实践也应该是组织绩效和绩效管理系统的一个组成部分。
When communicating internally, try to be concise and clear and explain your goals and objectives very precisely. Don’t try to bluff or make false claims. Failure to fulfil those claims could earn you or your company a bad reputation. 在进行内部沟通时，尽量简明扼要，并准确地解释你的目标。不要虚张声势或做出虚假的声明。不履行这些要求可能会给你或你的公司带来坏名声。
Being able to communicate effectively with clients is an ever increasingly essential requirement. The communication process with them should start immediately in order to learn what the client wants and expects and to also learn more about their business – and the need for communication will continue throughout every phase. 能够有效地与客户沟通是一个越来越重要的要求。与他们的沟通过程应该立即开始，以便了解客户的需求和期望，并对他们的业务有更多的了解——在每个阶段都需要继续进行沟通。
Taking the time up front to communicate with the client will build a solid foundation, save time and avoid potential miscommunication later. It is a good idea to have some sort of intake process to go through with clients to make sure important points are not missed. 提前花时间与客户沟通，可以打下坚实的基础，节省时间，避免日后可能出现的沟通不畅。与客户进行一些沟通是一个好主意，以确保不会漏掉重要的内容。
In addition, it’s also helpful to have a method or system for client communication beyond that point. Simply responding to emails or phone calls as they come in with no records may not be the most productive of systems, particularly when working with several clients at a time. At a minimum, create and retain email folders to keep track of messages to and from specific clients. 此外，拥有用于客户端通信的方法或系统也很有帮助。简单地在没有记录的情况下回复邮件或电话可能不是最高效的系统，特别是在同时处理多个客户时。至少，创建并保留电子邮件文件夹，以跟踪来自特定客户的消息。
One of the biggest frustrations for clients is talking to them with terms and phrases that they don’t understand, so avoid using technical terms and jargon that is likely to lose or confuse them (or at the very least, explain what the terms mean). 对客户来说，最大的挫折之一是用他们不懂的术语和短语与他们交谈，因此避免使用可能会丢失或混淆他们的技术术语和行话（或者至少解释一下这些术语的含义）。
One thing that can really help communication is using real examples. Explaining options over the phone or through email can be challenging and ineffective. By using examples, things can become clearer for clients and enable a more accurate and informed response. 有一件事能真正帮助沟通，那就是使用真实的例子。通过电话或电子邮件解释选项可能很有挑战性，而且效果不佳。通过使用示例，客户可以更清楚地了解情况，并能够做出更准确和更知情的响应。
While communicating with clients, whether face to face, on the telephone or by email, remember to always stay professional. Clients are paying for professional services and they will expect to conduct business in a professional manner. That’s not to say you can’t get to know your clients on a more personal level, but remember that what you say and write can impact the client relationship. 在与客户沟通时，无论是面对面、电话还是电子邮件，都要记住保持专业。客户为专业服务付费，他们希望以专业的方式开展业务。这并不是说你不能更深入地了解你的客户，而是要记住你所说的和所写的会影响到客户关系。
According to the authors of Business Communication: Strategies and Skills, approximately 75% of time is spent in verbal one-to-one exchanges. There are key components for effective good old‑fashioned face-to-face communication. 根据《商务沟通:策略与技巧》一书的作者，大约75%的时间花在一对一的口头交流上。有效的、老式的面对面交流有一些关键的组成部分。
Of course, grammar, perfect sentence formation, using powerful vocabulary, punch lines and pronunciation can be treated as the very heart of face-to-face communication, so always be careful to use the appropriate communication. There are other less obvious face-to-face issues to consider however. 当然，语法、完美的句子结构、强大的词汇、妙语和发音都是面对面交流的核心，所以一定要小心使用合适的交流方式。然而，还有其它不那么明显的面对面的问题需要考虑。
Body language is essential. Finger-pointing, fist-pounding, and making grandiose gestures are perceived as aggressive. On the other hand, smiling too much, speaking too softly, looking at the floor and wringing your hands can make you seem uncertain or indecisive, as can a lack of eye‑to‑eye contact – although too much can appear like staring. There is also the need to have self‑confidence while speaking and the content you are explaining should be clear and straight to the point. 肢体语言很重要。指手画脚、拳头重击以及做出夸张的手势都被认为是具有攻击性的。另一方面，笑得太多、说话声音太轻、盯着地板、扭着手会让你显得犹豫不决，缺乏眼神交流也会让你显得缺乏决断力——尽管过多的眼神交流会让人觉得你在盯着看。说话时也需要有自信，你所解释的内容应该清楚、直接。
Feedback and listening are also important. Feedback is a supportive process that should contribute to the reinforcement of on-going behaviour. It can also be a corrective process to induce change. Listening is the most difficult skill to learn and often considered a ‘natural’ ability. Listening requires hard work and participation by all involved. Approximately 40% of the workday may be spent listening. 反馈和倾听也很重要。反馈是一个支持性的过程，应该有助于加强持续的行为。它也可以是一个引起变化的纠正过程。倾听是最难学习的技能，通常被认为是一种“天生”的能力。倾听需要所有人的努力和参与。大约40%的工作日可能花在听上。
When you are communicating through the written word, it is easy to knock out a quick email or blast out a memo, but unfortunately, when we communicate too quickly with the written word, we run the risk of creating the wrong impression. 当你通过书面语进行交流时，很容易写出一封快速的电子邮件或一份备忘录，但不幸的是，当我们用书面语交流太快时，我们会冒着给人留下错误印象的风险。
There are several things to remember. First, know what you want to say before you say it. If you’re writing a longer memo or email (more than a paragraph or two) jot down an outline, even if it’s on a scrap of paper. This will keep you on subject and make sure you say what you actually want to say. Try to keep it simple and don’t get convoluted or use big words. Stick to the point to get the business dealt with. 有几件事要记住。首先，在你说之前知道你想说什么。如果你要写一份较长的备忘录或电子邮件（超过一两段），即使是在一张纸上，也要记下提纲。这会让你一直关注这个话题，并确保你说出了你真正想说的话。尽量保持简单，不要费解或用大词。坚持重点，把生意搞定。
Once you’ve written your communication, go back and re-read it. Does it give the right impression? Is there anything that others can read and misinterpret? If you’re not sure, have somebody else read it. Also do remember to check the spelling. Incorrect spelling looks very unprofessional. 一旦你写好了你的通讯，回去再看一遍。给人的印象对吗？有没有其他人可以阅读曲解的东西？如果你不确定，让别人读一下。还要记得检查拼写。拼写错误看起来很不专业。
Before sending the communication, look away for five minutes. Although this is good business practice for all communication, it is especially so for emails and letters created in response to someone else. Communication written in anger or haste is never a good idea because of the risk of misinterpretation and, additionally, is often less effective. 在发送信息之前，将目光移开五分钟。虽然这对于所有的交流都是很好的商业实践，但是对于回复别人的邮件和信件尤其如此。以愤怒或匆忙的方式书写的沟通从来都不是一个好主意，因为存在误解的风险，而且通常效果也不佳。
We are living in a world with millions of others and that means we’re going to be constantly required to communicate. Doing so effectively will allow more time to carry out the job in hand, rather than rectifying errors or misunderstandings. 我们生活在一个有数百万人的世界里，这意味着我们需要不断地交流。有效地去做会让你有更多的时间来完成手头的工作，而不是去纠正错误或误解。
