|
Quote of the month: "Always do your best. What you plant now,
you will harvest later." Og Mandino
Being a Great Communicator
Source: Communication
Briefings ideas that work
Some estimates say that 85% of business success depends on effective
communication. In Nido R. Qubein’s How
to be a Successful Communicator, you’ll find lots of ideas that will
help you and your organization at or above the 85% mark. Some of Qubein’s
quotes:
- Choose short and strong Anglo-Saxon terms over the scholarly and lofty
Latin. Examples: think, talk and work with your hands versus
cogitate, converse and perform manual labor.
- Don’t overlook the power of letters to employees’ home. Reasons:
They get them when they’ll likely have more time to digest them. And
it makes it easier for them to share information with their families.
This approach works especially well with letters of praise.
- Know the difference between giving instruction and giving information.
The first limits employee response. The second expands it. Moral:
Top-down communication should empower, not control.
- Get your points across with assertive but polite "I" messages, not
commands. Example: Say, "I would like you to make these changes
in the letter," not, "You must make these changes in the letter."
- Encourage employee feedback by allowing them to suggest improvements
and ask questions anonymously. Reason: This frees them from the
restraints that go with more open forms of communication. To let them
know you’re reading their suggestions, respond through a regular column
in your in-house publication or by e-mail.
- Respond to others’ ideas with "igniter," not "squelcher" phrases.
Examples: "That’s great. How can we do it?" not "We’ve never
done it that way." "How can I help you?" not, "Why start anything now?"
- Try this to get meeting "clams" to open up: Poise a marker over a
blank flip chart and ask, "Who would like to start?" The blank page
will work like a vacuum waiting to be filled. Note: "Clams" may
fear taking part less if your back is turned to the group when you do
this.
- Answer these questions to help determine if you’ll be communicating
with the right audience when you want to persuade others to support
you: "What do you want to do?" "Who can help you get it done?" "Who
would want to help you get it done?" "Why should an audience listen
to you?" "How accessible is this audience?"
Source: How
to be a Great Communicator, Nido R. Qubein, John Wiley & Sons Inc.,
605 3rd Ave., New York, NY 10158
|