Transcript Secrets of Great Communication

Secrets of Great
Communication
GROWTH PLANNING EXEC COACHING STAFF ENGAGEMENT MANAGING CHANGE
PEOPLE ORGANISATION AND DEVELOPMENT INTERIM MANAGEMENT
Who are you?
Who is the best
communicator in the
world?
You are!!!
Benefits of Good Communication
• If you communicate well:
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Increased team work
Clearly understood goals
Early sight of problems & pitfalls
Culture of openness, become a beacon
Respect of others
Enhanced relationships at work and home
Secrets of Great Communication
• Secret No. 1
– We’re all born with the ability to be great communicators
• Secret No. 2
– We can all be great sales people
• Secret No. 3
– We are all be great in teams
• Secret No. 4
– Meetings don’t have to be a waste of time!
Secret No. 1
We’re all great
communicators
Our communications tool kit
• Core communication skills
– ‘What’ we do
• Managing our communications
– ‘How’ we do it
• Awareness of others’ needs
– ‘Whom’ we do it for
Core communications
skills
What are our core
communications skills?
Core communications skills: what
are they?
• Listening
• Talking (pace, tone and volume)
• Questioning
• Body language
• Sincerity
• Congruence
But it takes practice
It takes two, Baby!
Are you a talker or a listener?
Talking & Listening
• Talking
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Relax & breathe deeply
Match pace, tone and volume
Pause appropriately
Chunk your words up
• Active Listening
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Demonstrates understanding
Nodding
“I understand.”
“So what you’re really saying is…”
Some potentially destructive things to say
/ do…
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“And your point is?”
“Whatever!”
“Talk to the hand!”
Interrupting
Talking for the sake of it
Do you have any personal bug bears?
The question is…
• Open and closed questions
• Types of question:
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Seeking information
Identifying a problem
Clarifying what somebody wants
Securing commitment to act
Ensuring the right outcome
Body language
(Albert Mehrabian)
Body language tips
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Match (don’t copy!) your audience
Practise:
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Handshake
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Eye contact
Be aware of:
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Personal space / touching
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Pointing
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Crossing arms
Definite no nos:
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Yawning
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Feet on desk!
Yours sincerely…
Congruence
Managing our
communications
Managing our communications
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Planning and preparation
Negotiating
Giving feedback
Appearance
Cultural awareness
Planning and preparation
• Know your objective
– What outcome are you seeking?
• Consider your audience
– What will they be looking for?
– How will they be feeling?
• Take time to prepare well
– Appropriate not excessive
• Contingency plans
Negotiating
• Assertive not aggressive
• Aim to build long-term
relationships
• Positive ending to the exchange
Giving Constructive Feedback
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Make it constructive or don’t make it at all
Describe what you’ve seen, don’t judge
Focus on the behaviour, not the person
Strike a balance
– ‘Feedback sandwich’
• Keep it short and sweet
Appearance
•What you wear
•How you stand / sit
•Cleanliness
•Culturally appropriate
Awareness of
others’ needs
Awareness of others’ needs
• Establishing rapport
• Showing empathy
• Be aware of people’s
communication preferences
• Avoid being an energy sapper –
control your emotions
• Give thanks
• Telling stories – be an
entertainer
Establishing rapport
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Share confidences
Say ‘thank you’
Mirror body language
Match tone, pace, volume
Encourage, coach & support
Praise loudly, blame softly
Showing empathy
• Put yourself in their shoes – what are
their key issues?
• How are they feeling about it?
• Use suitable body language & words /
phrases
Communication preferences
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F2F
Telephone
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Etc., etc., etc…
What happens when we don’t
take account of people’s
communication preferences?
Fired by Facebook
Secret No. 2
We can all be great
sales people
How do customers buy?
A customer:
1. Recognises the need
2. Searches for information
3. Evaluates alternatives
4. Purchases
5. Stresses about whether it was the right
decision!
I think I might have a problem
• Establish rapport
– Client-centred
vocabulary, e.g. profit or
surplus?
• Ask open questions
– Distinguish symptoms
from causes
How could I solve this problem?
• Brochure, web site
• Factual responses to questions
• Help line
• Follow-up ‘phone calls to answer queries
or clarify what your product can do
• Features and benefits
What’s the best way to solve my
problem?
• Evaluation of alternatives
• Benefits, specific and detailed
• Fire the imagination
– Imagine what it would be like if…
• Demonstrate credibility
– Use examples, tell knowledgeable stories about how your
product has solved their problem
– Be realistic about your product
Let’s get on with solving this problem
• People buy people
– Build the relationship using your core skills
– Meet their values
• Have you answered all their questions?
• Call to action – ask for the sale
• Make it easy to purchase
– Communication preferences
Did I make the right decision?
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Post-purchase anxiety
Follow-up
Check whether any questions
Provide information on post-sale support
Keep in touch
Secret No. 3
We’re all great in
teams
A simple process to build buy-in
• Engagement workshop:
– 2 – 4 hours
– Share the challenge / objective
– Where are we now?
– Where do we want to get to?
– Selected team of staff, suppliers, customers,
partners
Where are we now?
• Balanced view – good and bad
• Agree on what’s going well
– Use this to motivate
• What are the critical issues and
concerns?
– Use this to explain why change is needed
Where do we want to get to?
• How is our strategy affected by the changes needed?
• How do our products, services, finances and markets
need to change?
• What do staff need to do differently to make the
changes a success?
• How will all of the above changes sort out the issues
and concerns?
Tips on building buy-in
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Listen
Show that you value all ideas
Steal and build
Refrain from judging people
Encourage solutions, not just issues
Encourage quiet members to participate
See it from their point of view
Recognise that everyone has something to contribute
Secret No. 4
Meetings don’t have
to be a waste of time!
What are the ingredients
of successful meetings?
The ingredients of marvellous meetings
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Clear objectives and structure
Right people
Roles
Ground rules & behaviours
Format
Notes / actions
The secret’s in the prep…
• Plan and prepare
– Objectives
– Agenda
• Circulate in advance
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Chair person
Note-taker
Start and end time
Why A.O.B.?
Get the format right
• Suitable format
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Board room
Standing
Theatre
Cabaret
• Choose your seat and that of others tactically!
• Fixed timings
Good meeting behaviours
• Set the ground rules
– ‘silence is agreement’
– One at once
– Chair person is the referee
• Stick to the point
• Short and sweet
– Fixed timings
• Encourage participation
• Be flexible in your style
Secrets… what secrets?
1. We’re all great communicators
2. We can all sell
3. We can all be great at team work
4. Meetings are a great way to get
things done
Who are Business Doctors?
• Planning your growth
• Helping you develop as a leader /
manager
• Organising, motivating and developing
your staff
• Getting hands-on to help you make the
changes happen
Q?