Your job demands questions to accomplish the following: Questions for inquiry or fact-finding: getting the facts to solve problems or make decisions. Questions for confirmation: confirm facts previously gathered or conclusions made. Rhetorical questions: evoke introspection and contemplation. Each purpose […]
If clarity of communication is a problem, then the secret to improving your communication may be to spend more time planning what you will say before putting words to paper. Before beginning to write, if you don’t do so already, […]
The best reports are accurate, brief, and clear. If the report is for a specific person, always take into consideration what that person finds useful. Some people want details, others prefer highlights and will ask for more information only if […]
It’s very easy to get caught up in your e-mail, checking almost every few minutes to see if you have another e-mail message. But that is a terrible waste of time. Better to check your e-mail only twice a day, […]
Here are some rules to sending effective e-mail messages: Keep messages clear but concise. To help recipients prioritize e-mail, highlight at the top of the message whether your e-mail requires any type of action—for instance, "Action required." Make certain that […]
At the very least, before you begin preparing your speech, ask yourself the following questions: What exactly am I supposed to speak on? Will my audience expect me to provide the facts and figures or just an overview? How long […]
Before you enter into any negotiation, you need to be sure of why you are doing so. What specific conditions do you want to exist when an agreement is reached? Will you accept less? What is the absolute minimum you […]
Giving work to an employee is delegation, one of the hardest tasks for some managers. Part of the problem is due to a reluctance to relinquish control of anything they’re working on. Many managers operate on the basic assumption that […]
Before giving any directions, you need to plan: What you want as the end result of the communication. Set objectives. Who should receive the directions. How you will give the instructions so they will be best understood. That means you […]
Thirty percent of communications via phone are true communications—that is, live communications. The remaining 70 percent of the time in which the phone is used, it is to send voicemail. Here are some tips for using live phone calls: Make […]
Not only should you know what it is that you want but you also have to visualize it in terms of the other person’s needs. Consider the implications of your idea. When you present it, be as specific as you […]
Studies have shown that typically we remember only about 30 percent of what we hear. The effective listener will try to improve on this percentage. The techniques for doing so include the following: Practice active listening. Prompt further information. Beware […]
The best way to handle the problem is to interrupt the person who has interrupted you. Then, in a calm voice, you should ask, "Please wait until I finish my thought." In group discussions, the perpetrator of the bad habit […]
When you think of the grapevine, you think of gossip, mostly bad news about the organization. Whether you like it or not, a grapevine will exist in your company. You can’t eliminate it but you can limit its potential for […]
Surprise. The best way to generate a flood of ideas or information about problems from your employees is to ask them. Beg your people for suggestions if you have to. Make your desire for employee suggestions well known in your […]
The worst thing you can do when confronted with an angry employee is to try to "smooth over" the anger or simply tell the person to "calm down." That may cause a momentary lull, but it won’t help to solve […]
When the bad news will be a shock to the person or persons you have to tell, you may want to forewarn them. Start by saying, "I’m going to have to give you some bad news." Such an outright statement […]
You can soften your rejection of a request by using the "sandwich approach"; that is, put the "no" part of your response between two neutral or positive statements. The first comment paraphrases the request, demonstrating that you have heard it. […]
Verbal communication accounts for only about 7 percent of the meaning others will extract from your words. More important is the 38 percent accounted for by intonation, inflection, pitch, emphasis, speed, and volume, and the remaining 55 percent accounted for […]
To communicate effectively in person or in writing, your communications should be clear, complete, and as short as possible. To be clear, complete, and brief, first think about what action you want the receiver to take. Next, list all the […]