The Sweeney Agency Speaker News
Improve how you communicate at work
October 5, 2010
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In this edition of The Sweeney Agency Speaker News, three great speakers share brilliant ideas on how we can improve communication at work. Remember,
"Communication works for those who work at it." ~ John Powell |
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Christine Cashen: The Good Stuff
1. All Hail E-Mail
One of the best ways to communicate is via e-mail. It's the best because it is fast, easy and immediate. It's also one of the worst, because it may not be communicating what you think! Have you ever gotten a message from someone who ruffled your feathers so much that you crack your knuckles before pounding out a response on the keyboard? STOP! It's better to wait 24 hours before sending that message or even better, pick up the phone and call.
2. E-mail Overload
Don't you get irritated when people "Reply to All' unnecessarily. There's nothing more frustrating than going to your In Box to find a message that says, "Thanks," or "You're Welcome." Actually, there is something more frustrating: the endless-cycle-reply-to-all e-mail extravaganza where people write, "Stop replying to all!" Don't add to the chaos. Write back to the person directly. We all get way too many irrelevant messages as it is, so think really hard before clicking, "Reply to All."
3. Communicate for Creativity
Most brainstorming sessions are brain drizzles. Put the storm back into brainstorming! Creativity hates stress. The best ideas come when your mind is relaxed. So get your team laughing, joking and NOT judging. There is a direct link between the "A-HA" moment, when a great idea lands in your brain and the "HA-HA" of laughter. So have fun with brainstorming. Caffeine, funny hats and clown noses really do work. And often the best ideas come when piggybacking on someone else's ridiculous one. So ONE MORE TIME: ABSOLUTELY NO PREMATURE JUDGING of ideas. Judging stops the creative flow in a heartbeat. There are three times to judge an idea: Now, Later and Never.
More great ideas from Christine Cashen... |
David Stillman: When Generations Collide
What a difference a generation makes! The events and conditions that influence each generation create lasting impressions that shape the ways we communicate. Let's think about how Traditionalists (born prior to 1946), Baby Boomers (1946-64), Generation Xers (1965-81), and Millennials (1982-2000) collide around the topic of sharing information.
1. Traditionalists
For those strong, silent traditionalists, information traveled from the top-down. Information was on a "need to know" basis and for them, "no news was good news."
2. Baby Boomers
Boomers had 80 million cohorts competing with them for that next promotion so they needed information about how they were doing, preferably presented formally and with plenty of documentation.
3. Generation Xers
When skeptical Gen Xers came along they preferred direct, unfiltered access to information. None of that Baby Boomer 'politically-correct' style for them. They wanted honest communication all the time-and could you please just get to the point?
4. Millenials
Today's new hires, the Millennials, have been great communicators since birth. We talk to them about absolutely everything and technology has made it easier than ever for them to communicate on a grand scale, even across the globe. So collaborative Millennials prefer the approach of, "Hey, let's all talk about it!"
Once you understand that the four generations might have different expectations around what's effective interaction at work, you can interpret people's needs and flex your own style more effectively.
Check out David Stillman's full bio and speaking video...
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Beth Terry: 101 Ways to Make Your Life Easier
You spend the majority of your life with them, at least for a year or two, maybe longer. You see them five and six days a week, 51 weeks out of the year. You know their kids' names, their struggles with their spouses and teenagers, and you see them at their best and worst.
Who are these people? Your co-workers, bosses, and staff. You may or may not socialize with them, but these people are familiar. And there is the problem.
Communication at work is tricky. We need to get work done. We are paid to keep our promises to our clients and produce results. The closer we are with our fellow workers, the higher the risk we will cross a line. Communication troubles in the workplace start when we are too casual, or take our colleagues for granted. These five rules will keep you out of most difficult situations:
1. Be respectful at all times. Respect your co-workers, respect your boss, and respect the customer. Remembering this will help you keep a snarky comment to yourself on a bad day.
2. Avoid being part of the gossip mill. In a room with three people, human nature dictates two will be talking about the third. You don't have to participate. Most gossip is speculation; it usually is hurtful; and it will come back to bite you.
3. Peo ple can't read your mind. Think about the information others will need to comply with your requests. Be clear in your requests, and leave the door open for them to ask questions. Take responsibility for making sure they understand your desired outcomes. Be appreciative when they give you what you need. Gratitude is an excellent grease for the wheels of productivity.
4. Understand the WIIFM Rule. In order to motivate someone to step away from their own long list of work, they need to understand "What's In It For Me?" After you have described your desired outcome, let them know how they will benefit from this. Be appreciative again of their willingness to help.
5. People can't hear you with their shoulders over their ears. If you put people on the defensive, and they feel they are being attacked, you are talking to a wall. They go deaf, because their brains are processing your attack, not your request. "Why is he/she saying that to me?" "That's not fair!" "Everybody else is doing it, why me?" When those questions are rattling around in your colleague's head, you are losing. Keep in mind that all of you are at work for one specific purpose: to work. Don't let your rusty or too-casual communication skills get in the way of your success.
See Beth Terry's full bio and video here...
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