Message of the Day - Distilling Communication

Good Morning and Welcome New Recipients!

 

My most recent read is a book called ‘Saying The Right Thing: The Four Secrets of Powerful Communication’ by Raymond DiZazza (http://www.amazon.ca/Saying-Right-Thing-Business-Communication/dp/1570711410) where Raymond talks about how to improve communication by ensuring both the sender and the receiver understand what is being said. The book goes into ways to improve the clarity and understanding of the communication. The four secrets listed by the author are:

 

1. Focus on Your Message
2. Magnify the Listeners Attention
3. Penetrate Personal Barriers
4. Listen

 

Communication is the universal solvent. Communicating effectively is a way to success and happiness. Finding ways to fine tune your communication where you know that your message is being received as it was intended and that you understand the response to the message as it was intended is an ongoing challenge.

 

We as humans are very complex by design. We communicate in many different ways, often simultaneously, with words, vocal inflections, body language, action, inaction, and even the way we think. Understanding all of these facets of communication is much harder than learning Webster’s dictionary word for word. We learn to communicate more clearly through many different means. We study our subject matter so we know what we are talking about. We study who we are talking to better understand their different modes of communication. We try to understand how we communicate and the impact we have on others. The learning is continuous, which can be very intimidating.

 

Some ways to help improve the clarity of your communication, you can:

 

1. Make sure your message is clear. Mentally review what you want to say prior to saying it and be sure this is what you want to say. If you have time in advance, practice what you will say, to better prepare you for smoother delivery. A lot of times, we trip on our own words because we do not properly prepare ourselves.

 

2. Get your listener or audience’s attention. Be sure what you are saying is of interest to them, or appeals to them, and if necessary, ask for their attention prior to speaking. Getting undivided attention, which is often rare these days, does help a listener better hear and understand your message.

 

3. Be ready to reach your audience. Use analogies which bring the subject of what you are talking about into words that they understand. When I started working at e-STEEL, the bulk of the employees came from a steel background. I came from customer service. It was only when I mentioned my welding background with my customer service that they appreciated what I could contribute to the team. Call centers they did not know, steel they did, so I presented my message using that path.

 

4. Listen. (close your mouth, stop talking and open your ears) and listen, truly listen to those you wish to communicate with. This includes stopping your mind from coming up with the next retort while you are listening, because then you are not listening).

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Sanford Berenberg

Sanford@berenberg.net

http://www.berenberg.net

http://sanfordberenberg.blogspot.com/

502-533-9336

 

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