Sep 14

Communication Resolves Conflicts

Communication Skills No Comments »

An interesting discussion on Radio 4’s Word of Mouth recently examined how our language use and communication style can help us to diffuse potentially challenging situations and resolve conflict. An expert panel discussed a range of conflict situations from the workplace through to hostage negotiations and marriage guidance and agreed that while these are all very different contexts the same principles apply to ensuring a satisfactory resolution to the conflict. What is clear is that they way we use both verbal and non-verbal communication in conflictive situations can make all the difference to our impact on the other party and how the situation is resolved.

Businessman Pali Rao i Communication Resolves Conflicts

© istockphoto.com/Pali Rao

Here are some key pointers when you find yourself in a conflictive situation in the workplace:
  • It may be a cliché but try to separate the person from the problem and to describe behaviours rather than label people. So, for example, rather than saying ‘you made me feel like I hadn’t done a good job’ it is better to say ‘I didn’t receive any feedback so  I thought I hadn’t done a good job.’
  • While telling someone to calm down is not helpful try to use language to lower the temperature and make a connection with the other person
  • Use language to demonstrate that what matters to the other person also matters to you and that you can empathise with their position.
  • Listen carefully and repeat back the other person’s key concerns to show that you have understood
  • Be aware of how you use body language and your tone of voice – softer intonation patterns can help to moderate difficult messages. And be particularly aware when using ‘device-lead communication’ that you do not have the benefit of non-verbal communication and are more likely to be misconstrued
  • Avoid the temptation to make digs or bring up previous conflicts – you might momentarily feel like you have the upper hand but making the other person feel small will not give you any long term benefits

Managing conflict in the workplace can be one of the most challenging aspects of our professional lives and requires a complex set of communication skills. Many organisations run Conflict Management or broader communications skills training programmes such as Communicating with Impact equip their employees with the awareness and skills to manage conflict more effectively and even turn it to their advantage.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2012

Tagged with: • • •
Sep 11

The Art of Pausing

Communication Skills No Comments »

When we consider how we communicate it is all too easy to focus only on the words we use and the content we want to convey rather than the overall impact of our communication. Perhaps just as important is what isn’t said and the space between the words – the all too often neglected art of pausing. We are often in such a hurry to make our point, to get it all out, to make a good impression that we don’t take the time to consider the quality of our interaction or to reflect on what is being said. What is more, we often feel uncomfortable with silence and rush to fill it rather than giving the listener the chance to absorb what we have said and make sense of the message. Many of us are also guilty of thinking about what we want to say next rather than really listening to the other person so that rather than pausing to digest what has been said we jump straight in regardless.
Meeting Neustockimages i The Art of Pausing

© istockphoto.com/Neustockimages

 

Perhaps we should all challenge ourselves to feel more comfortable pausing – whether after speaking, before responding or even before hitting the send button. We probably won’t miss our turn or lose the opportunity to convey what we want to say but we might find that the quality of the communication improves as everyone involved has the opportunity to savour the meaning and reflect on what has been said.

If you really want to communicate with impact, you should seriously consider mastering the art of pausing and battle the urge to fill every silence. If you are giving a presentation or speaking at a formal meeting, remember to pause, and maybe even smile, after each of your main points. This will give more weight to your message and will allow your audience time to consider and really understand what you have said. When you are communicating one-to-one try pausing more frequently and you will find you come across more assertively and feel calmer particularly during potentially sensitive conversations. And finally, when you are communicating by email, always, always pause and pause again before you hit the send button.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2012

Tagged with: • • •
Feb 02

What’s in an Acronym?

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

If someone asked you for a document ASAP, sent you one FYI or offered you some TLC you would most probably understand them. If they asked for the document by COB (close of business) or EOD (end of day) you might be less sure. Asked for the MO (Modus Operandi), would you know how to respond?

woman typing Dmitriy Shironosov i What’s in an Acronym?

© istockphoto.com/Dmitriy Shironosov

The Evening Standard has recently commented on the ubiquitous use of acronyms and the way in which they can confuse and exclude those who aren’t ‘in the know’. The writer was particularly aggravated by the use of acronyms in popular culture, citing her confusion at popular reality TV programmes, TOWIE, DOI and IACGMOOH. Look them up if you’re not sure!

For acronyms to be effective they should act as shorthand and speed up the exchange of information. With our ever faster pace of life together with the increased use of social media, particularly Twitter where the number of characters per message is limited to 140, it is not surprising that we have seen a multiplication of the number of acronyms used in every day language.

However, if we move to a professional setting, this increased use of acronyms can pose a number of problems. Firstly, what might seem a fun and friendly way of communicating between friends and personal contacts does not always convey a professional image in the workplace. Professional emails should be friendly but not overly informal. You might think that using acronyms such as LOL, TGIF or BFN help to build relationships but be aware that they might not create the right impression, particularly if your contact doesn’t know what they actually stand for.

Secondly, many professions or organisations create their own set of acronyms, all very useful for regular users but liable to baffle or perplex anyone from outside. Confusion grows even more when one acronym represents different expressions in different professions. CAT for example can signify Civil Air Transport, Cultural Awareness Training or Computer Assisted Training to name but a few. This can leave the bewildered newcomer or outsider confused and unsure whether to risk looking foolish and ask for an explanation or to remain in the dark.

Many organisations have now created their own in-house style guide to provide consistent guidelines to employees producing written communication. These style guides often include advice on when and how to use acronyms appropriately. However, the best advice is to use your common sense and if in any doubt spell it out in full. Why risk appearing smug and alienating your reader when a few more characters will make your message clear.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2012

Tagged with: • • • •
Sep 05

Communicating from the Top-down

Communication Skills No Comments »

The Evening Standard has recently identified good communication skills as essential for ensuring managers are not seen as ‘horrible bosses’. The article is clearly very light-hearted but it highlights important messages to all managers about the importance of creating excellent professional relationships and developing an authentic and credible communication style.

Businessmen viewed from top sjlocke i Communicating from the Top down

© istockphoto.com/ Sean Locke

Successful senior managers and leaders develop their communication skills not only to inform and instruct but to inspire and engage with their staff. If leaders want to ensure that the operational, behavioural and strategic changes they envisage are implemented they need to ensure that they communicate these messages clearly and appropriately through the right channels to the right people at the right time. They need to be sure that their non-verbal communication matches the words they use or if they communicate by email that their tone of voice has the right balance of credibility and approachability.

When good leaders communicate they put themselves in the shoes of employees and think about how they can encourage their staff to engage with and believe in their messages – and in turn, engage with the organisation. Engaging and empathetic communication from the top is more likely to inspire loyalty and to motivate employees to work better and harder for their organisation

Good leaders are also good listeners and are conscious that communication is a two way process. They are able to ask the right questions and they value and give credit to the fact that many of their staff may have expertise that they do not share or solve problems where they have struggled.

Creating the right impact as a leader or senior manager is about much more than being liked or something ‘touchy feely’ but it is also about ensuring the credibility not only of the individual but also the organisation they represent. Good communication skills are not a ‘nice to have’ but an essential set of tools for any leader managing teams, projects or campaigns. Leaders or senior managers who have risen through the ranks more for their technical than their interpersonal skills will benefit from targeted communication skills training programmes that will enable them to become more aware of their own communication style and develop skills to create more positive impact on those they are leading.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

Tagged with: • • • • •
Apr 01

Keep it Plain

Business Writing Skills, Communication Skills, Email Writing Skills, Writing Skills 1 Comment »

Why is it that so many of us prefer to use four or five words when often a couple or even one will do? Are we communicating to impress or do we want to convey a clear and digestible message to our audience? Even during every day work place communication, in emails or during informal meetings it is commonplace to hear an indigestible mixture of cliché, business speak, foreignisms and long-winded expressions. Overuse of this kind of language can give the impression that you are pompous and self-important.

Business Writing Viorika Prikhodko i1 Keep it Plain

© istockphoto.com/ Viorika Prikhodko

If you keep your language clean and simple, nobody is going to think that you are inarticulate. They are more likely to welcome your plain and natural approach to communication.

Below are just a few examples of expressions that can and should be replaced with much simpler equivalents.

At the current time – this may sound more important than ‘now’ but really now is all you are trying to say

Large in size – an office is large, a handbag is small. It is not necessary to explain that large and small are defining size. We know this.

Null and void – we can say that the contract is null or the contract is void but we don’t need to say both as they mean more or less the same thing.

Advance warning- can a warning ever be anything but advance?

The above mentioned – if you are referencing something you have already mentioned just use ‘this’. ‘This document’ is preferable to ‘the above mentioned document’.

Head up – is there any difference between heading a department and heading up a department? If you agree that there isn’t then one word is better than two.

Sui generis – try not to use Latin or other foreign language expressions as you may risk making your reader feel ignorant if they do not understand. If you want to say something is one of a kind then say so.

At the end of the day – we don’t really mean ‘at the end of the day’ but ‘in the end’ or’ eventually’. This expression is so ubiquitous that it has become clichéd.

Nobody is suggesting that we should always communicate in words of one syllable or that we should always aim for the lowest common denominator. However, many organisations have realised the benefits of a plain English approach to communication. After all time is money and time lost on misunderstandings, misinterpretations or following the wrong instructions costs organisations millions each year.

As a result, many organisations have developed their own internal communication and style guidelines or provide employees with regular communication skills training workshops to help them consider and adjust the language they use, whether in written or spoken communication. Programmes such as Effective Business Writingor Communicating with Impact enable employees to communicate more effectively in plain and simple language.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

Tagged with: • • • •
Mar 15

Regional Accents – Help or Hindrance?

Communication Skills 1 Comment »

For many British celebrity actors and presenters, their dream is to make it on the other side of the Atlantic and find success on the big US networks or even make it in the movies. Cracking the American market is always a challenge but even more so for stars whose British regional accents may be less intelligible to audiences in the US.

Handshake Chris Schmidt i Regional Accents – Help or Hindrance?

© istockphoto.com/ Chris Schmidt

The BBC has recently highlighted the case of Cheryl Cole who is due to appear on the X Factor in the USA. She may look and act the part but if the American audience is unable to understand her comments to contestants she will not be successful. It is interesting that while the North East has been the chosen location for many British call centres due to the perceived attractiveness of the local accent, it is considered to be one of the more difficult British accents for American audiences to understand. Apparently, well known British TV presenters Ant and Dec needed interpreters during their short spell on US TV!

Nobody is suggesting that celebrities from the British regions should leave their local identity behind and attempt their own version of the ‘Queen’s English’. However, if they are set on global success, they need to consider how well their international audience will be able to understand them. It has been suggested that Cheryl Cole is taking lessons to improve the clarity of her speech, particularly her vowel sounds and vocabulary. Accent and speech training should not aim to eradicate Cheryl’s regional accent but should enable her to accommodate her accent to less familiar ears and help her to use other cues such as pacing, intonation, chunking and body language to help American viewers to understand her better.

It is just as true for business executives with strong regional accents as for glamorous celebrities that they may often need to moderate their natural speech when communicating with global counterparts. Talking on the phone to a worldwide customer base, presenting to potential clients in the US or managing a remote team all require speech patterns that are clear and easily understood. Many organisations invest in personalised speech and accent coaching or in training programmes to help when presenting to an international audience. This is not because they want to create a completely homogenous workforce who all speak with the same ‘received pronunciation’ but because they recognise the value of clear, intelligible communication that is easily understood by colleagues and counterparts around the world.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

Tagged with: • • • • •
Jan 28

The Secret to Public Speaking

Communication Skills No Comments »

A recent feature in The Guardian offered advice on the secrets of successful public speaking. Standing up and presenting to a large auditorium full of people who are all there to listen to what we have to say can be one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of our professional lives. There is something particularly intimidating about facing a huge sea of faces but it can be just as important that we get it right when presenting to smaller audiences. You may need to present your strategy to your senior management team, pitch for new business with a client or give a talk to new graduate trainees as part of their induction programme but these are all situations where you have a short amount of time to create impact.  So what can you do to speak with more credibility and conviction?

Meeting Neustockimages i The Secret to Public Speaking

© istockphoto.com/ Neustockimages

Confidence – Becoming a confident speaker can be easier said than done but remember that you are the expert and your audience have chosen to be there. They are normal people, just like you. If you suffer badly with nerves you can use breathing or relaxation techniques to prepare you for your big moment.

Know your audience – If you don’t already know your audience make sure you are in the room early to give you the opportunity to share a few words with some of them as they arrive. When you are preparing, try to think about your listeners’ expectations; consider what they need to know about the subject and how best to engage them.

Know your subject – Research your subject in as much depth as you can and make sure you have all your facts and examples at your fingertips. This will make you feel more confident and prepare you for unexpected questions.

Non-verbal communication – Being a good public speaker is not just about the words you use but also the non-verbal signals you convey. Pay attention to your posture, use of gestures and above all make eye contact with your audience

Slow down – While you may want to get it over as quickly as possible, take time to deliver your messages slowly and clearly and use pausing for emphasis, particularly after key points

Use humour – There is no better way of engaging your audience that making them smile. Particularly at the start of a presentation or speech, a funny story or anecdote can break the ice and win your listeners over. Do bear in mind humour doesn’t always translate so be conscious of the cultural make up of your audience.

Avoid ‘Death by PowerPoint’ – This doesn’t mean don’t use it but don’t let your slides become the main point of focus instead of you. A PowerPoint presentation should enhance and add value to your message rather than act as a crutch or script.

Be yourself – Above all communicate naturally as you would with people you know well and speak from your own experience. Speak from the heart and don’t use language that you wouldn’t normally use. Most people will engage with a speaker who seems human!

Public speaking courses can be a great way of developing and practising these techniques. A good starting point when preparing for public speaking is to consider your existing strengths so that you can build on them during your talk and to identify one or two things you will focus on doing better. And remember that being nervous is natural and many of your audience will have probably felt how you are feeling at some point in their lives.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

Tagged with: • • • • •
Jan 24

Business Email Etiquette 6| Getting the Subject Line Right

Email Writing Skills, Writing Skills 1 Comment »

Think about what draws you to a book, news article or webpage. Very often it’s the title or headline that grabs our attention and entices us to read more. Similarly, with business emails if you use a subject line that indicates why you are writing and that engages your reader your email is far more likely to be read sooner and, if required, acted upon. A meaningful subject line helps your reader to identify your topic, prioritise your email and find it quickly again at a later stage. A subject line that engages your reader will make it stand out; the reader will be more likely to read your email sooner and remember what it was about.

woman typing Dmitriy Shironosov i Business Email Etiquette 6| Getting the Subject Line Right

© istockphoto.com/ Dmitriy Shironosov

Following the tips below should help you use your subject line to maximum effect:

  • Never leave the subject line blank
  • Make your subject line specific using company or product names if appropriate
  • Give particular consideration to the first word in your subject line as this will determine how easy your email is to search for at a later stage
  • Help your reader to prioritise your email: only use the word urgent if it really is but “Action required” or “FYI only” can be helpful indicators in the subject line
  • If you write regular emails about a similar subject to the same regular contacts try to use a consistent format in your subject line
  • If you change the topic of your email but continue with an existing thread then change the subject line accordingly
  • Make it concise – it’s ok in your subject line to miss out articles, prepositions, etc.
  • Avoid using all capitals as your subject line – it’s important to grab attention but not to shout at your reader!

It is often the little things that can make all the difference when we communicate and the three or four words we choose for our subject line can help our reader to navigate their inbox. You can find a myriad of online resources and reference books to help you appreciate the intricacies of email correspondence or you can attend an email writing course and learn practical tips to improve your email etiquette.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

Tagged with: • • • • •
Tagged with: • • • • • •
Jan 05

Communication Skills Training for MPs’ Staff: a Worthwhile Investment or a Waste of Taxpayers’ Money?

Communication Skills No Comments »

The Daily Mail recently commented on the large amount of money spent by MPs on training their staff to communicate more effectively and has suggested that this is a waste of British taxpayers’ money and a poor use of government officials’ time. Polemic headlines such as these obviously grab the reader’s attention and sell newspapers but let’s look at this in more detail.

Businessmen viewed from top sjlocke i Communication Skills Training for MPs’ Staff: a Worthwhile Investment or a Waste of Taxpayers’ Money?

© istockphoto.com/ Sjlocke

In the current economic climate the government clearly needs more than ever to scrutinise very carefully how public money is spent and ensure excellent return on investment.

However, the case is strong for government officials to receive training to help them to carry out their roles more effectively and communicate appropriately with a diverse range of stakeholders from the general public to journalists and broadcasters to the business community. These officials support the MPs whom we have elected to represent us and run the country on our behalf. Why would we deny them the necessary skills to do this to the best of their abilities? Most of us working in the corporate sector would expect some investment in our learning and development to enable us to do our job as well as we can and should this not be the same for government officials? Should public sector workers be treated differently in these times of austerity and not receive any investment in their professional development? In these difficult economic times, when fewer staff mean that communication needs to be even more efficient and to the point, the need for well-trained public sector employees is more than justified.

MPs’ staff may have been hired for their research and analytical skills rather than their abilities to communicate and so it is not unreasonable for them to expect some support when asked to deliver tough messages to the media or to represent their MP at meetings with senior stakeholders. They will now undoubtedly be asked for the first time to negotiate firmly with other suppliers to reduce government spend elsewhere.

This type of business focused communication skills training programmes may be more expensive than a course down at the local college but will be much more targeted to professional needs and more likely to create greater impact for the individuals who attend. The key is to select the appropriate individuals for the appropriate training course rather than adopting a ‘sheep dip’ approach putting large numbers through training for the sake of training. Also important is to ensure that training programmes such as Influencing and Negotiating Skills or Communicating with Impact develop participants’ strategies to continue to develop their communication skills and techniques once they have completed the training.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

pixel Communication Skills Training for MPs’ Staff: a Worthwhile Investment or a Waste of Taxpayers’ Money?
Tagged with: • • • • •
preload preload preload
Allow Cookies?
Powered by Strategic Internet Consulting