| At the end of any given conversation, whether | | | | action, follow it up with justifications. Often, but |
| it's with co-workers, employees, or customers, do | | | | not always, ask for feedback on the idea and |
| you ever find yourself asking the following | | | | allow for brainstorming. Summarize all decisions |
| questions: | | | | and each person's role with dated, specific, and |
| - "How many times do I have to tell them how | | | | measurable commitments. |
| it's done?" | | | | 3. Take a presentation skills class |
| - "Why are there so many misunderstandings?" | | | | By brushing up on your speaking skills, you can |
| - "Doesn't anyone ever listen to me?" | | | | "even the playing field" with those successful but |
| If so, you're not alone. In companies across the | | | | less talented colleagues who got where they are |
| nation, communication breakdown is one of the | | | | because of their excellent oratory skills. Most |
| main challenges managers deal with on a daily | | | | accomplished speakers take a class or review a |
| basis. As a result, they spend time restating their | | | | book on presentation skills every few years to |
| objectives to the same people over and over | | | | become more confident, persuasive, and |
| again, only to have the intended message still get | | | | effective. |
| altered or confused. Depending on the situation, | | | | 4. Keep your tone neutral |
| communication breakdown can have severe | | | | During every conversation, speak to others as |
| consequences--everything from lost sales and | | | | you want them to speak to you. Avoid sarcasm |
| profits to high employee turnover rates. | | | | and other hostile behaviors. When you routinely |
| The warning signs of communication breakdown | | | | humiliate, berate, or poke fun at others, they |
| include the listener losing interest before you're | | | | won't listen to much of what you say or go the |
| finished speaking, your being unable to get the | | | | extra mile for you. Speak loud enough so that no |
| floor at meetings, and doing all the talking during a | | | | one must strain to hear you, and speak with |
| conversation when you want feedback. If any of | | | | authority, so you'll be perceived as more credible. |
| these things routinely happen to you during | | | | As far as what to say, always remember to |
| conversations, your communication efforts are | | | | praise in public and criticize in private, each time |
| not effective or efficient. | | | | addressing the behavior itself and not the person's |
| Traditionally, most business leaders have spent | | | | personality. |
| their time attempting to change the way others | | | | 5. Reduce your speaking accent |
| listen. This is an exercise in futility because the | | | | When listening to someone who has a thick |
| only element in any interaction you can change is | | | | accent, people routinely miss 10-30 percent of |
| your part of it. Those professionals who are | | | | what is said. If you are completely fluent in English |
| motivated to adjust their speaking in order to get | | | | but still have people asking you to repeat |
| people to listen, develop better relations with | | | | yourself, taking a presentation skills class that |
| staff, investors and customers. The result will be | | | | focuses on accent reduction is a wise career |
| fewer misunderstandings and more success in the | | | | move. It's your job as the speaker to be a clear |
| business. By making the following adjustments to | | | | communicator, especially since others won't work |
| your conversations, you too can experience the | | | | to understand you. Additionally, listeners can |
| satisfying results of positive communication. | | | | become embarrassed when they have to |
| 1. Stop talking | | | | continually ask you to repeat yourself. Instead, |
| When someone talks incessantly, the listener | | | | very often they'll nod and smile, and then ask |
| naturally wants to tune out. Listening is an energy | | | | each other afterward, "What are we supposed to |
| draining process, so forcing people to listen for | | | | do?" But there is no reason to lose your accent |
| long periods of time can wear them out. To | | | | entirely, as a charming accent differentiates you |
| motivate others, especially if you are the boss or | | | | from the group and is part of your persona. |
| key figure in a negotiation, be quiet and listen to | | | | However, with information and videotaped training, |
| others in order to discover what they are thinking. | | | | even a couple of days of coaching can improve |
| Stop talking long enough to capture the entire | | | | comprehension by 80 percent. |
| essence of what the other person is saying. | | | | Being an effective communicator is the best way |
| Listen for the value the other person wants to | | | | to get others to listen to what you say. Since |
| add and incorporate that into your response. | | | | few people enjoy repeating themselves multiple |
| 2. Get to the point | | | | times or the resulting consequences of not getting |
| Effective communicators don't beat around the | | | | important messages understood, improve your |
| bush. They make their points clearly and | | | | communication skills so that listening is not a |
| accurately. To do so, start with a single sentence | | | | burden for others. The result will be that listeners |
| that notes your positive intent. Next, state the | | | | will hear and comprehend you each time you |
| overall goal. Once you make your suggestion for | | | | speak. |