Communication part 2
Other
General
If you are trying to communicate a particular issue try pitching it at the lowest level of understanding so that all will understand.
Keep it free from jargon and speak in plain English.
If poor communication is passed on further the meaning can deteriorate even further.
Good listening skills are one of the best communication techniques to practice.
By keeping quiet you can find out a lot more than by interruptions.
Constant interruption will usually cause the individual to stop talking altogether.
Being quiet is not a negative trait but positive, because you choose to be quiet so that you can listen fully.
It is very easy to notice someone that is not taking in anything you say and is merely thinking of what he or she will say next.
Make sure you face people, can hear what they say and do not use any negative body language.
For example, don’t cross your arms in a defensive posture.
Nodding your head and keeping eye contact will help signify attention.
Beware of holding back secrets and avoid prejudices.
Once you have built up a reputation it is easy to destroy it. Many will not give you attention until you have proven your reputation whilst others may only listen until your reputation disappears.
Secrets are often held as a means of retaining power.
To release secrets requires trust and that takes time to build and can be founded in basic values.
When communicating a vision or anything else over a period of 15 minutes plus, try not to be monotonous.
If you have several good points to raise introduce these throughout the talk and end on a high note.
Peaks and troughs in a presentation create interest and maintain attention rather than having everything pitched at the same level.
Your voice
When your voice is strong and doesn’t falter you will sound more confident and hence gain more confidence.
Before you need to use your voice try singing out loud. Clearly, this must be done in private to avoid annoying people.
Doing this will help to keep your voice in good order so that it won’t falter when you need it.
Not only will singing improve your voice it will get you into a good frame of mind.
Once you begin to sing it will have the added advantage of making you want to keep on singing.
You will begin to feel better in yourself.
It’s pretty hard to sing and be sad at the same time.
What you hear is what you get?
Communication in terms of the meaning of what you wish to convey is by no means straight forward.
It is very easy to remove motivation by what you say and the way you say it.
In some circumstances belief in what is said will be very low if there is already little trust in the speaker.
This often happens when company CEOs are trying to mollify the workforce by telling them that all is well when it is obvious that the company is in trouble and job losses are imminent.
On other occasions it may be because of a lack of preparation of the speaker even if the intention of the words are sincere. If you don’t do your homework you will have your own doubts when you speak and won’t entirely believe you own words.
When you give a speech or talk rehearse what you are going to say. If necessary, present the final version to a neutral person for constructive feedback. Make sure that all of your facts have been checked.
If you can find out the facts by going to people then do so.
If you are proposing any change gauge the mood of the people and find like minded individuals that may support your ideas when you present them.
If the proposals are controversial you might want to tell the ideas to a chosen few who will spread the word first.
You can then gauge opinion a few weeks later before finally giving the presentation.
Consider what questions may be going through the mind of the audience and anticipate them.
Try to allay any fears in the way you present your information.
Consider the tone of your communication particularly in one to one situations.
It’s easy to be abrupt or angry when you are speaking to work colleagues or family members.
We wouldn’t be the same with strangers trying to communicate the same message.
When you give a presentation and you feel confident your body language tends to be better and reflects your inner belief in your own words.
Focus on the words
If you have to make a speech then it makes sense to practice.
At the same time you can write out a speech in a way that helps you focus on the key areas to give it more depth.
Each idea is given its own line.
For example, if we wrote a short speech as:
“In the coming year we have seen significant changes. We know that there is still a lot to do and so we want to tell you about our vision for the future. It involves gaining markets in the Far East whilst maintaining manufacturing at home. There are tremendous opportunities for the company and huge development chances for individuals.”
As one paragraph it looks rather bland and doesn’t easily distinguish the main points.
We can write the same thing in this format:
“In the coming year
we have seen significant changes.
We know that there is still a lot to do
and so we want to tell you about our vision for the future.
It involves gaining markets in the Far East
whilst maintaining manufacturing at home.
There are tremendous opportunities for the company
and huge development chances for individuals.”
This simple technique makes it a lost easier to focus on the key ideas when delivering the speech.
This will increase your motivation to communicate as your confidence rises.
Followers
Gaining followers requires a minimum standard in communication:
- Make sure your vision is painted with great enthusiasm, conviction and passion
- State how others can help you achieve that aim
- Show how the vision will be so much less without their personal help
- Indicate the benefits of reaching the vision
- Ask for input and ideas of your team
The greater your own conviction the more others will trust and have faith that the vision is not just a pipe dream.
Ownership of a vision is easier if you have an input into its planning.