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Getting Your Ideas Heard—8 Steps for
Better Communication
Are you getting your ideas across? Whether we’re at home,
at work, or at play, our ability to communicate can be a key differentiator
in our success. Ironically, with all of the modes of communication
available to us today, we may be doing a poorer job of communicating
than ever.
Here are 8 steps you can take to improve your communication:
- Consider the audience. Who are you talking to and how will
they hear what you’re saying? If you’re working with
someone who is highly analytical, be sure to include data and facts
to support
your position. If you are working with someone who is very expressive,
be sure to include emotional angles to reinforce your point.
- Consider the venue. What is appropriate in one venue is not
appropriate in another. It can be completely appropriate to share
an elaborate,
detailed
story when you’re in front of an audience, but keep the information
to a minimum if you’re writing a memo.
- Communicate at an appropriate level. Street-slang is no more
appropriate in an office-setting than flip-flops. And remember
that just because your
company understands its own acronyms, doesn’t mean that your
customers or suppliers do. Be explicit.
- Consider the communication vehicle. An instant message can
be filled with acronyms such as LOL and OMG, but that is entirely
inappropriate
for business emails. When writing business email, attention to
grammar and punctuation are required to maintain respect from the
receiver.
- Consider how many translations are occurring. If your audience
includes people where English is a second language, make sure
your sentences are short, clear, and have a low probability of
misinterpretation.
Hint: it may be useful to ask someone who has spent time in the
U.S. to share with you how your communication is being received
in another
country.
- Maintain emotional control. Anger is rarely useful in a business
setting. Although it can initially be viewed as a quick wake-up
call, it is often remembered poorly and creates a potentially hostile
environment
for future interactions.
- Anticipate the timing. Not all information needs to be conveyed
immediately. Of course if there is danger or an emergency, then
the timing is now. But often times, the best time to share information
is when people are cool and receptive, particularly if you are
going
to share controversial information.
- Remember that communication is a two-way street. You are responsible
for
whether the person on the receiving end “gets it.” Your work
isn’t complete “ just because you conveyed your thought.” It
has to be received to complete the communication.
We continue to work and play at an extremely fast pace. Pausing
a moment to remember these tips will greatly enhance your success
in effectively expressing your ideas, and getting them accepted.
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