May 19

How to Maximise your Active Listening Skills

Uncategorized No Comments »

Listening is probably the most crucial element of business communication yet so often it is sorely neglected. The ability to focus fully on another person and pay complete attention to what is being said appears to be a dying art. It is often said that at best we retain only between 20 and 50% of what we hear and so in a business context where we are expected to absorb and act on large quantities of information it is essential that we listen as fully as possible – and we need people know that we have been listening and that they have been heard.

Businessman Pali Rao i How to Maximise your Active Listening Skills

© istockphoto.com/Pali Rao

So what does it mean to listen actively? These simple strategies below should help you to become a more effective listener and communicator.

  • Avoid distractions and focus on the speaker – it is all too easy to find ourselves not only thinking about something else but actively fiddling with our smartphones or listening to another conversation while someone is talking to us. As well as risking not capturing all the information, consider the image this portrays to the speaker
  • ‘Listen’ to the non-verbal as well as verbal signals – in addition to the words themselves, a key part of any message is the non-verbal signals you receive from the speaker. Pay attention to posture, eye contact and gestures to get a deeper understanding of the message they are trying to convey
  • Use non-verbal communication to show you are listening – as well as interpreting others’ non-verbal cues, try to ensure that you make good eye contact, keep your posture alert and use appropriate gestures such as nodding to demonstrate that you are listening
  • Avoid the temptation to interject or interrupt – let the other person finish before jumping in with questions or giving your own version of events. Silence is a powerful tool so use it well.
  • Ask good questions – when the speaker has finished ask open questions to elicit any further information or clarification you need
  • Paraphrase and summarise to make sure that you have heard and understood correctly – it is very easy to make assumptions, miss key elements or misinterpret messages so check back in with the speaker to check that you have understood correctly. Without patronising, it can be helpful to recap on what you have understood and summarise the main messages.

We should all place greater importance on active listening as it shows respect, helps build relationships and avoids wasting time due to misunderstandings or mis-placed assumptions.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2013

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Apr 03

Managing Conflict in the Workplace

Communication Skills No Comments »

The first thing to understand is that conflict in the workplace is a reality. We can either live with it, ignore it or deal with it. We are often faced with conflict from early on in our careers but managing conflict is a key skill for effective management and can make the difference between a successful or unsuccessful manager. How a manager chooses to handle conflict defines their capability as a leader. A true leader recognises, understands and manages conflict. Avoiding it is not an option as it will not go away; instead it will only escalate.

Businessmen viewed from top sjlocke i Managing Conflict in the Workplace

© istockphoto.com/Sjlocke

To recognise and manage conflict, we need to understand:

1. Its causes
2. Its dangers
3. How to deal with it
4. Benefits of dealing with it

The causes can be as varied as the types of people working in an organisation. The causes range from competition, manipulative individuals, bruised egos, jealousy, blame games, unfair handling by superiors, to simply miscommunication and misunderstandings.

The dangers are infighting among staff, a loss of morale and loyalty to the employer, a destructive work atmosphere, anger and gossip among staff, barriers between individuals and teams, power struggle, non-co-operation, and worst of all, a high attrition rate, particularly of efficient and effective staff.

Ways of managing conflict can differ according to the nature of the conflict as well as the personality types involved. These are some general tips that can be useful in most cases.

  • First of all, if you are a manager dealing with conflict you should never be seen as subjective or having favourites. You must be seen as fair and consistent.
  • Always have a clearly defined code of conduct with an understanding that breaking this will not be tolerated.
  • Conflict should always be recognised, understood and dealt with at the earliest. It will not resolve by itself.
  • The benefits to each individual of co-operation and a conflict-free workplace with a healthy team spirit must be made absolutely clear. Effective communication and rapport building is the key.
  • As a manager you should know how to separate the person from the problem. In other words, deal with the behaviour and the situation without attacking the identity of the individual. This way it doesn’t become personal and there is a better chance of the employee listening with an open mind.
  • Invest in staff-development training in team management, emotional intelligence, communication skills including non-verbal, mediation and counselling skills, cultural awareness in global organisations, and leadership skills
  • Finally, anyone facing conflict should choose their battles. Know when to come down firmly and when to hold back so that you are not perceived as unfair and dictatorial.

The benefits of managing conflict effectively are just as numerous: high staff morale, high productivity resulting in financial gain, healthy work environment, effective team work saving time and stress, and loyalty to the employer resulting in staff retention to mention just a few. Effective and transformational leaders can even cherish the challenge of resolving conflict and take credit for a creative, productive workplace.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2013

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Mar 07

How to Negotiate with your Boss

Communication Skills 2 Comments »

When we think about our negotiation skills we tend to focus on negotiating externally with clients, suppliers and partners. However, one of the most challenging types of negotiation we face in the workplace is when we have to negotiate with our boss. This can be anything from a formal salary negotiation through to requesting extended annual leave or flexible working hours or renegotiating a deadline. The relationship with your manager is probably the most important professional relationship you have and the way in which you influence and negotiate with them can have a lasting impact on your career.

Meeting Neustockimages i How to Negotiate with your Boss

© istockphoto.com/Neustockimages

First of all, get your timing right. Approach your boss when you know the time is right for them but also try to ensure that your conversation coincides with a successful project that you have completed or a recent situation where you have gone the extra mile.

Be prepared and make sure you have done your research before you start negotiating. If you are negotiating a salary increase then have examples of what people in similar roles are earning and of what other organisations pay for your expertise.

Keep control of your emotions – be as neutral as possible and stick to the issues themselves rather than your reactions or feelings. Try not to show how much it matters to you as this could potentially weaken your position.

Support your arguments with concrete facts and examples – rather than talking in general terms about your experience, expertise or longevity with the company quote specific examples of where you have added value or delivered success.

Put yourself in your boss’s shoes and try to demonstrate how your expectations could be mutually beneficial. For example, if you are asking for flexible working you can explain how you will be able to give extra time to the business and work more effectively. Show that you have something valuable to give and that by accommodating your request your boss will also be in a better position.

Be clear on your bottom line – Before you start your conversation you should be clear in your own mind how far you are prepared to compromise and what you need to achieve. Know your BATNA (Best Alternative to Negotiated Agreement). This is your fallback position if you fail to reach an agreement. So for example, if your boss refuses the salary increase you request, your BATNA might be that you need to have an enhanced commission scheme or that you are given training in the skills you require for your next promotion.

Make sure you have a summary of what has been agreed. Either ask your boss to send an email confirming the outcomes of your conversation or send an email yourself outlining your request and the agreed response or time lines to respond.

As with all types of communication, preparation, clarity and empathy are crucial to ensure that negotiation brings about positive outcomes. Negotiating can be a particularly challenging form of communication as it potentially leads to conflict and when you are negotiating with your boss there is an obvious power gap before you even start. However, influencing and negotiating are essential skills for growing your career and improve your opportunities.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2013

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Mar 04

How better business writing can help your career

Business Writing Skills, Communication Skills, Uncategorized, Writing Skills No Comments »

“Number of applications for this position: 100+.” This is something you commonly read on popular online job portals these days. So whether you are actively looking for a job or are considering a step up in your career, the ability to sell and market yourself effectively is more important than ever in these tough economic times. Written documents like your CV or covering letter still play a crucial part in this process, because they are often the first sight a recruiter or potential employer has of you. Improving your business writing skills will significantly contribute to making yourself positively stand out from the crowd of other applicants.

Business Woman on laptop 2 quavondo i How better business writing can help your career

© istockphoto.com/quavondo

What is more, social media platforms have added a whole new dimension to the range of information about you that is available to recruiters and employers. However, they offer you additional opportunities to market yourself effectively and can help to enhance your chances, provided that your profile and all activities that are linked to it such as group memberships, posts and discussions represent you in a professional way. A sloppily scribbled post or discussion comment will not show you in a good light but a well written and structured profile can be a stepping stone to new career opportunities.
So how do the general principles of good business writing apply to writing applications and to creating a professional online profile?

1. Consider what your reader requires
The purpose of your application documents and online profile is to provide an overview of your relevant qualifications and skills. Your application documents should clearly match the requirements given in the job specification, so that recruiters and potential employers can quickly check whether you ‘tick all the boxes’. Reading time for each document is limited, as it is not unusual to receive a huge number of applications.

When writing your online profile think about what key skills and qualifications are crucial for the industry or organisation you wish to work in and highlight these. A catchy summary containing relevant key terms will help to attract the right people to your profile.

2. Be clear and concise.
To cater for the specific needs of your reader, you have to master the art of short and succinct writing. Waffling and lack of focus in your covering letter and/or CV are likely to have an impact on whether your application lands on the right pile regardless of your skills and experience. It is not easy to cram a lot of relevant information into a short paragraph, but the harder you work on writing succinctly the easier and quicker it will be for your reader to grasp the relevant information. And you will also demonstrate your writing skills.

3. Put some thought into structure and layout
Structure also contributes to clarity and conciseness and the information you give about your experience, skills and qualifications needs to be connected and arranged in a logical way. You might think that the chronological order of your work experience or education dictates the structure of your CV. However, depending on the job description and employer, it does make sense to reconsider your structure. For instance, if you are applying for a job where international experience is crucial, highlight yours separately under a clear heading. This helps the reader to spot this information at one glance instead of having to skim read your whole CV.

4. Show, don’t tell
Provide evidence of your skills and give concrete examples. Use numbers and figures if you can to back up your arguments. For example, if you highlight your leadership qualities not only give the number of people in your team, but also say what they achieved under your management. Even if you cannot provide exact figures, it is still better to state that your implementation of an induction plan contributed to more effective training of new employees than simply mentioning that you implemented one. This clearly demonstrates how employers will profit from hiring you and how you can add value to their organisation.

5. Aim for perfection
Your CV and covering letter are not only a summary of your skills and qualifications, they also convey a first impression of the quality of your work. If, for example, you claim in your covering letter that you have a keen eye for detail, but have typos or punctuation mistakes in your documents, you are clearly undermining your credibility. Your application documents are your ultimate selling tool and therefore need to be impeccable. Therefore, ask someone who is proficient with grammar and punctuation to proofread your documents. A spell checker will not discover unclear formulations and you are likely to become ‘blind’ to your own mistakes after having read your own writing repeatedly.

6. Keep them up-to-date
Information stagnates quickly in the digital age. Three months may not seem like a long period of time but on a job portal a CV uploaded three months ago is likely to go unnoticed due to the huge amount of more recently uploaded applications from other job seekers. It is important not only to keep your documents themselves up to date but also to keep them fresh in the search cycle. You can keep your online profile current and up-to-date on social media platforms by posting interesting and relevant articles or by initiating and taking part in discussions. However, always remember to check what you post carefully to avoid creating a negative impression.

Never underestimate the time and effort it takes to create professional and well written application documents or maintain a dynamic online profile. However, the time and effort you spend investing in your business writing can make all the difference in helping you to land your dream job.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2013

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Feb 01

How to Write Winning Business Proposals

Business Writing Skills, Writing Skills No Comments »

In the current economic climate it is more important than ever that organisations increase their win-rate and sell more products and services to more clients. Often, one of the first steps towards making a new sale is writing an effective proposal. This is your opportunity to showcase not only your products and services but also the professionalism, credibility and effectiveness of your organisation and it warrants spending considerable time and effort making sure you ‘hit the spot’ and give your organisation the best chance of winning new business.

Business Meeting 12LajosRepasi i Copy How to Write Winning Business Proposals

© istockphoto.com/LajosRepasi

Follow our five step plan for writing winning business proposals and you should see an increase in the success rate of your bids and proposals.

1. Know your buyer: More important than anything else, make sure you have an in-depth understanding of your customer and before you even start writing be clear about what they require and what will be the winning factors for them. Hopefully you will have already had the opportunity to speak with them before getting started on your proposal but if not, ask for a few minutes on the phone or email a list of questions. And it goes without saying that you should do your own research on the client organisation; see if they have appeared in the news recently and familiarise yourself with their website so that you understand their brand ethos and values as well as practicalities such as locations, range of services and key personnel.

2. Focus on your solution: The majority of readers will be most interested in what you can do for them, how you propose to deliver your solution and how much it will cost so make sure this information is clearly defined and forms the core of your proposal. Show them that you understand their challenges and can offer a targeted solution. Make sure you explicitly highlight the benefits of your solution and if appropriate illustrate with samples or extracts.

3. Demonstrate your credibility: Potential customers will be more convinced of the value of your products and services if you can give concrete examples of how other similar organisations have benefitted from your services. If the competition has bought then they should be buying too!

4. Speak your buyer’s language: As a general rule of thumb, use every day language that is easy to understand yet persuasive. Your reader is more likely to be won over by clear and simple language rather than complex structure or impenetrable terminology. Unless of course you know that your proposal will be read by technical experts in which case your proposal should use the language they understand. This is with the proviso that many proposals are read by multiple readers who may not all share the same level of technical expertise.

5. Appeal to all their senses: We don’t all necessarily process information in the same way and successful proposals reflect this by displaying information and using language that appeals to different processing styles – or to all the senses. Make sure that your proposal is visually attractive using graphics, images and colour as appropriate. Include statistics and other data for the more analytical thinkers among your decision makers. And finally use a variety of language that will appear to auditory (harmonise, resonate, clearly express) and kinaesthetic (energise, solid foundations, concrete examples) styles as well as more logical approaches.

Effective Proposal Writing can be challenging but combine these steps with the core principles of good business writing such concise style or thorough proof-reading and you should see an improvement your win rate.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2013

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Jan 10

A blog on a blog: Tips for successful blog writing

Business Writing Skills, Communication Skills, Writing Skills No Comments »

How difficult can it be to write a blog post? If a teenager can do it, you can too… right? Well writing a blog post isn’t problematic at all, but writing a good blog that adds value to your organisation can be slightly trickier.

Every self-respecting business has a blog nowadays; however, they are not all effective. Yes, your blog needs to be informative but also engaging, relevant, interesting and this is just for starters.

Computer Keyboard Sykono i1 A blog on a blog: Tips for successful blog writing

© istockphoto.com/Sykono

Get your blog some serious traffic by following these simple tips:

  • DO have a topic that will be interesting to visitors to your site as well as relevant to what you do. However, any link to your products or services needs to be subtle
  • DO make sure you have an eye catching title to get interest
  • DO dare to be different and don’t be afraid to go against the norm. Coming up with something original will set you apart from your competition
  • DO mention your products or services in the blog if appropriate and use relevant key words but be sure not to overdo it
  • DO use humour and don’t take yourself too seriously; writing about your own experiences will let you project your own opinions in a friendly manner
  • DO offer your reader practical tips, instructions or advice as these are known to be the best traffic generators
  • DO remember when people read blogs they rarely read them thoroughly. Blogs are often skim read so make sure yours is simple enough to follow
  • DO NOT write more than 400-800 words; short articles written regularly are more effective than longer articles written once in a blue moon
  • DO NOT write about the competition; your blog is about you and your product
  • DO NOT make promises you cannot keep; remember your blog is linked to you or your company
  • Finally, one of the most important tips is to promote your blog. It doesn’t matter how amazing your information may be if you don’t get it read it is of no use to you

Blog writing is an art and a skill just like any other type of business writing and needs the right structure, language and messaging. Blogs can be hugely powerful in the world of online marketing and can pay dividends. Ultimately the purpose of your blog is to get as much traffic and discussion as possible. Following these tips will enhance the success of your blog. Always remember your blog needs more than just information, it needs to captivate your audience, facilitate your product and get people thinking.

Happy blogging!

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2013

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Dec 20

Proofreading Tips for Perfect Copy

Business Writing Skills, Communication Skills, Email Writing Skills, Legal Writing Skills, Report Writing Skills, Writing Skills No Comments »

A lack of time is a very easy excuse for sloppy written work and poor attention to detail. Particularly when we are publishing online whether via blogs, online discussion groups or social media such as LinkedIn or Twitter, we need to be quick but we also need to be accurate as our writing is hopefully being read by hundreds or even thousands of visitors – some of who could be prospective customers.

 

Writing Dmitriy Shironosov i4 Proofreading Tips for Perfect Copy

© istockphoto.com/Dmitriy Shironosov

1. The first step is simple – if you know your writing is prone to errors then you need to spend more time proofreading and make sure that you are completely focused while you do your proofreading

2. Then, if you can, try and take some time out between reading and proofreading, even if it’s only ten minutes or so to make a phone call or have a cup of coffee

3. Don’t rely on the spell-checker. It will pick up some but not necessarily all of your mistakes. It definitely will not spot any mistakes with homophones, i.e. words that are pronounced the same but spelt differently. It is all too easy to type their instead of there or your instead of you’re

4. If you have written anything more than a short paragraph, print out your text. It is much easier to spot errors on the page than on the screen and far less tiring on your eyes as well

5. Read what you have written aloud. You will hear any obvious mistakes such as repeated or missing words but any clumsy expressions or overly long sentences will also stand out more

6. If you have a reliable colleague, friend or family member who is good at proofreading then make the most of them. When we are checking our own work it can be difficult to see the wood for the trees. It is amazing how a fresh pair of eyes can spot things that have passed you by

7. Finally, make sure you proofread your document several times and each time check for a different issue. For example, the first time you check, make sure your spelling is correct, then check for grammar and then for repetition

Investing time and effort in improving your editing and proofreading skills is time well spent and the repercussions of not proofreading can be both costly and embarrassing.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2012

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Dec 04

Top Tips for Effective Business Writing

Business Writing Skills, Email Writing Skills, Report Writing Skills No Comments »

Organisations are producing an ever increasing volume of written communication in the form of emails, social media posts, guides and manuals, reports, proposals and so on and as a result individuals are now expected to digest huge amounts of written information.  As writers we need to support our readers and produce documents and correspondence that are attractive and easily digestible.  Following the tips below should help you on the right track to more effective business writing.

Business Writing Viorika Prikhodko i 300x200 Top Tips for Effective Business Writing

© istockphoto.com/Viorika Prikhodko

1. Be concise – only say what you need to say and no more. Cut out any repetition or redundant text and replace long complex words with shorter equivalents.

2. Write clearly – there is nothing worse than reaching the end of a sentence, paragraph or an entire document and having to go back to the beginning to try and make sense of it.

3. Ensure your writing is complete and your reader has all the information they require.

4. Correct writing is essential – it goes without saying that your writing will not be effective if it is peppered with grammatical or factual errors.

5. Make sure your writing is coherent. Ensure that there is a logical flow from each sentence and paragraph to the next. This will guide your reader and help them understand your thought processes.

6. Be consistent – make sure your use of spelling, language and punctuation are all consistent but also consider formatting and layout. Check that your headings, bullet points and fonts are all in line as not doing so risks presenting a messy-looking and unprofessional document.

7. Checking and double checking your writing is crucial – a quick glance is not usually enough and good writers spend time not only checking for inaccuracies but also for readability.

8. Finally don’t forget to be courteous to your reader. Respect their time by keeping your writing brief and gauge their level of understanding of the subject matter. Try to translate complex concepts into simple language for non-expert readers but avoid patronising more expert-audiences through spelling out unnecessary detail.

Effective Business Writing courses can help you to reinforce the 8 Cs of effective business writing throughout your writing process and enable you to ensure a better response from your readers.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2012

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Dec 03

The Seven Deadly Sins of Email Writing

Business Writing Skills, Email Writing Skills, Writing Skills No Comments »

If you asked a sample of employees in any office in any major city worldwide what infuriates them about modern email usage you would probably end up with a list at least several pages long. However, here are seven of the most common cardinal sins of email writing

Typing Dmitriy Shironosov i1 300x200 The Seven Deadly Sins of Email Writing

© istockphoto.com/ Dmitriy Shironosov
  1. Use the reply to all function at your peril – use this very sparingly if at all; think carefully whether all the original recipients need to receive your reply and if they don’t then remove them
  2. Never send non-business related updates or requests to company-wide distribution groups – think about the impression it gives to colleagues who don’t know  you very well or to senior managers each time you send an email about your lost glasses, biscuits you’d like to share or  your latest charity endeavour
  3. Never put someone in copy if you expect them to action your email – if you want someone to do something it is only courteous that you ask them directly and that you indicate that the email is for them by putting their name in the ‘To’ field
  4. Don’t send very large attachments, particularly to multiple participants.  You risk not only clogging up their inbox but also slowing down their system as the message downloads
  5. Don’t use an old thread to start a new topic of conversation – this is lazy and many people use the subject line to search for an email they need to reference and so having information about one client stored in an email thread about a completely different project will confuse and frustrate your reader
  6. Don’t add new recipients part way through a conversation.  If they need to be involved they should have been included from the beginning or otherwise have a separate conversation with this person
  7. Never forget to give your email a read through before you send it – spelling someone’s name incorrectly, getting a date wrong or not answering all the questions you have been asked will cause great frustration to your reader

So if you want to avoid being seen as an email sinner do your best to avoid committing these email crimes.  Following an email writing course can help enormously but even taking a few extra minutes to think about the impact of your email and then making the necessary changes will save you time in the long run and no doubt improve your business relationships.

 

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2012

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