Communication Excellence - 5 Quick Tips

Communication Tips

• How clear is the meaning of your message? Do you adequately explain the thinking behind what you are saying. A good start is… "I want to discuss xyz because…. etc. Let your motive be known very early on.

• How clear is your delivered message. Are the words you are using appropriate to the listener? Being clear to them requires simplicity and using words appropriate to the other party.

• What’s the attitude you are conveying and is it appropriate for the listener. Tone pitch and pace can convey as much as the words you are speaking, in fact often convey more than the mere words.

• Is your body language and gestures in in line with your words and your delivery? Make sure your stance and gestures show a relaxed, confident style. Be open in your stance and look at the other person in the appropriate manner.

• How succinct is your message? One of the most common complaints I hear is that many people waffle on or go round in circles rather than getting to the point. Short sweet and well considered sentences and words are best.

Richard Townsend

of

orglearn.org

Entrepreneurial Business Checklist

Today more than ever business success depends on two distinct and inherently different issues, those of efficiency and effectiveness. 

"Efficiency is concerned with product and service delivery, quality improvement and cost control, while effectiveness is more concerned with opportunity recognition, knowledge acquisition and creativity. The need to be more entrepreneurial cannot be argued however, what are the real differences between old style organisations and truly entrepreneurial organisations." orglearn

Quote: “doing things better V’s doing better things”. (unknown)

So is your organisation entrepreneurial by nature? The following table should provide some insights:

So how does your organisation rate? Is it set up to take advantage of an entrepreneurial future or is it locked in the past and strangled by a bureaucracy just struggling to maintain the status quo? 

The Three Sins of Poor Time Management

Failure to Delegate. Many business operators, or mangers for that matter, don't fully utilise their human capital. Actually I think the term "human capital" perhaps to change our attitude should be referred to and thought of as a pool of "human potential". The old problem of effectively delegating tasks still seems to be badly handled by many. Although initially time consuming, in the longer term delegating tasks will free up vast amounts of of time and create opportunities for other vital forward thinking to activities. Delegation of course will also allow for much more valuable engagement with colleagues and staff. More here if you want it: How to Delegate 

Poor Prioritisation. Anyone in business simply must prioritise their activities by separating things that have to get done from those that should be done, The problem of course is that often lots of tasks come up that are easy, particularly in the "should be done" pile and we are tempted to do what is easy rather than that which is important. Setting Priorities, more here if you want it: Setting Priorities See point 8

Lack of Streamlining. Great time management gains can be made by streamlining various aspects of daily workflow. Some formal review of 'standard' procedures needs to become a regular part of the work culture. Outside partners such as service providers, suppliers and customers can be enlisted to help with process improvement if you are not into a full blown total quality management approach. More on Management here, if you are interested: Management Short Course

Is the Need for Quality Being Overlooked

Some years back Total Quality Management (TQM) was a prevalent management objective.  Today it seems to have fallen out of favour and other issues seem to take precedent. 

Should we go back to basics and revisit the principles of TQM

What is "Quality"

Quality is physical or non-physical characteristic that constitutes the basic nature of a thing or is one of its distinguish features, ‘Webster's New World Dictionary’.

Quality is fitness for use, ‘Juran’.

Quality is conformance to requirements, ‘Crosby’.

Quality should be aimed at the needs of the customer, present and future, ‘Deming’.

Quality is the loss (from function variation and harmful effects) a product causes to society after being shipped, other than any losses caused by its intrinsic functions, ‘Taguchi’.

Quality is the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs, ‘International Standard Organization’.

Quality can be quantified as follows:

Q = P / E 

where, Q = quality, P = performance, E = expectations

If Q is greater than 1.0, then the customer has a good feeling about the product or service. Of course, the determination of P and E will most likely be based on the perception when the organisation determining performance and the customer determining expectations.

I must say I dealt with a few business lately where the quality of service if not the product has left me feeling less than happy as a customer.

So as I started perhaps its time for some businesses to re-visit these principle particularly those in the tach industry and those that primarily operate online.

Ric http://www.orglearn.org

The Secret to Dealing With Difficult People: It's About You - HBR

An excellent article! The Secret to Dealing With Difficult People: It's About You - Tony Schwartz - Harvard Business Review Well worth the read. Ric orglearn

orglearn rictownsend seventy thousend followers on Twitter

Website promotion and social media is an interesting mental challenge. The need to come up with fresh content continuously keeps our minds active. With recent "brain plasticity" discoveries perhaps it is a great activity for all us "older" folks.

I use a number of web vehicles to stay involved: a Career Success Advice blog and Career Advice on Twitter.

I also have a resume help page on my website www.orglearn.org at this link: resume sample which can contribute a few dollars for the effort.

If you are a retired manager and have something you can offer from your experience I would be happy to post what you have on a blog or as a guest contributor (with full credit to you) on my own blog.

Sample Resume | Resume Blank | Resume Form | Resume Examples | Resume Sample | Cover Letter
Fill in the free online blank resume form (positive statement examples), a handy self-analysis to evaluate the commercial realities of what you have to offer current or potential employers.

"Elearning" is a Misnomer - Eteaching it Maybe!

'Nothing is taught, everything is learnt'

To my way of thinking 'elearning' is not a correct term, nor perhaps is it much more than an inadequate substitute for "real training and learning as conducted by learning facilitators with line management backup".

I am not alone in this view...

"Elearning is a classic example of the readiness with which people are ready to disregard received wisdom. We know that the more contact we have with our teachers the better we learn. Just look at the concern surrounding growing classroom sizes. Equally important is the amount of contact students have with their peers. Learning in groups is not just socially more enjoyable, it is a proven source of motivation. Working towards a common goal, sharing tips on revision and simply offering encouragement: none of these factors should be overlooked." - Rob Chapman

Read the rest...

The elearning diet: Not recommended for long term results

Learning is linked to emotion - how do you inject emotion into so called 'elearning programs'?

Ric

www.orglearn.org

ANOTHER SALES QUESTIONING TIP…

TIP 4: Try to only ask questions that will get yes responses!!!!!

For example If you were in the training business and you asked a prospective participant of a training course, ‘have you filled out the nomination form I sent you yet’ (and they were not intending to come), you will evoke a NO response. Then if you follow with, ‘is the reason you’re not coming because you think the price is too expensive” you will most likely get another NO as few people will admit they cannot afford something. Then you might ask ‘if we offer a special discount’... NO, ‘will you change your mind if... NO’ and on it goes.

A more positive line of questioning would be...’Do you see improved effectiveness of your company as a key management responsibility’? The person you are talking to would have to be a very ‘hard nosed’ individual to say anything but YES (or a total idiot). Then perhaps, ‘do you, like most of us have a desire to get improved work results’… YES. ‘Are you as is the case with most successful managers often hampered by a lot to do and limited time’… YES. ’Do you think that a four hour time saving per week would benefit to you in your business’? Obviously… YES. Then…’if I could show you how this course can save you four hours a week or one day a fortnight, would you be interested in talking to me’? Once again you have a better chance for a YES and so it goes. If you start with a YES, you have more chance you have of finishing with a YES.


PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE IS VERY IMPORTANT...
PRODUCT OF THE PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE IS CRUCIAL

resume forms and management articles at www.orglearn.org