How Can You Excel at Communication? Use Storytelling.

Ronald Reagan was not always effective and persuasive. Winston Churchill fainted the first time he addressed the House of Commons.  Just like you and me these 20^th century icons had to learn how to assure that their audience received their message.

How Can You Excel at Communication?   
Use Storytelling.If you want to get the attention of an audience and hold their attention then tell a story.
Storytelling is the most powerful means of communication known to man because it’s personal and memorable.  Storytelling was critical before people could read and write. It is still runs deep in our DNA.  (To be continued.)

(Your most important job in life is communication.  However, most messages fail to achieve their intended objective.  People walk away from conversations, meetings dismiss and groups disperse, without being impacted by the message.  Your use of these principles will govern how well your message is received.  Follow them and achieve your desired result of - message received and understood.) 

How Can You Excel at Communication? Choose the Right Format. (Part 2)

Ronald Reagan was not always effective and persuasive. Winston Churchill fainted the first time he addressed the House of Commons.  Just like you and me these 20^th century icons had to learn how to assure that their audience received their message.

How Can You Excel at Communication?   
Choose the Right Format. (Part 2)
It is best to communicate in writing when you have a complicated mater to present, when the audience will need time for evaluation, when you are setting policy, or when an in-person meeting is impossible. (To be continued.)

 
(Your most important job in life is communication.  However, most messages fail to achieve their intended objective.  People walk away from conversations, meetings dismiss and groups disperse, without being impacted by the message.  Your use of these principles will govern how well your message is received.  Follow them and achieve your desired result of - message received and understood.) 

How Can You Excel at Communication? Choose the Right Format. (Part 1)

Ronald Reagan was not always effective and persuasive. Winston Churchill fainted the first time he addressed the House of Commons.  Just like you and me these 20^th century icons had to learn how to assure that their audience received their message.

How Can You Excel at Communication?  
Choose the Right Format. (Part 1)
It is best to communicate in-person when you are trying to persuade, when you want an immediate indication of response, when you are praising performance or when dealing with a matter of discipline.   (To be continued.)

(Your most important job in life is communication.  However, most messages fail to achieve their intended objective.  People walk away from conversations, meetings dismiss and groups disperse, without being impacted by the message.  Your use of these principles will govern how well your message is received.  Follow them and achieve your desired result of - message received and understood.) 

How Can You Excel at Communication? Use Simple Language. (Part 2)

Ronald Reagan was not always effective and persuasive. Winston Churchill fainted the first time he addressed the House of Commons.  Just like you and me these 20^th century icons had to learn how to assure that their audience received their message.

How Can You Excel at Communication?   
Use Simple Language.  (Part 2)
Big words are out. All great speeches, advertisements and modern persuasive writing use common everyday language.  An audience adores someone who can make something complicated seem very simple. Get to the main point fast.  If you don’t, you’ll loose your audience.  (To be continued.)

(Your most important job in life is communication.  However, most messages fail to achieve their intended objective.  People walk away from conversations, meetings dismiss and groups disperse, without being impacted by the message.  Your use of these principles will govern how well your message is received.  Follow them and achieve your desired result of - message received and understood.) 

How Can You Excel at Communication? Use Simple Language. (Part 1)

Ronald Reagan was not always effective and persuasive. Winston Churchill fainted the first time he addressed the House of Commons.  Just like you and me these 20^th century icons had to learn how to assure that their audience received their message.

How Can You Excel at Communication?   
Use Simple Language.  (Part 1)
Why do we use big words?  Do they make us feel smart?  Do they cover-up insecurity?  Whatever the reason, using complicated language to demonstrate competence is our enemy.  It is a certain way to loose the audience’s attention. (To be continued.)

(Your most important job in life is communication.  However, most messages fail to achieve their intended objective.  People walk away from conversations, meetings dismiss and groups disperse, without being impacted by the message.  Your use of these principles will govern how well your message is received.  Follow them and achieve your desired result of - message received and understood.) 

How Can You Excel at Communication? Balance What You Have to Say with What They Want to Hear. (Part 2)

Ronald Reagan was not always effective and persuasive. Winston Churchill fainted the first time he addressed the House of Commons.  Just like you and me these 20^th century icons had to learn how to assure that their audience received their message.

How Can You Excel at Communication?  
Balance What You Have to Say with What They Want to Hear.  (Part 2)
Your message will fail if you neglect to take into account the needs of the reader or listener.  Ask yourself: what are their needs and what is it that would make them more successful?  Put yourself in their shoes and consider: how does the message sound, what’s in it for them, how does it improve their life and how are they inspired?    

(To be continued.)

(Your most important job in life is communication.  However, most messages fail to achieve their intended objective.  People walk away from conversations, meetings dismiss and groups disperse, without being impacted by the message.  Your use of these principles will govern how well your message is received.  Follow them and achieve your desired result of - message received and understood.) 

How Can You Excel at Communication? Balance What You Have to Say with What They Want to Hear. (Part 1)

Ronald Reagan was not always effective and persuasive. Winston Churchill fainted the first time he addressed the House of Commons.  Just like you and me these 20^th century icons had to learn how to assure that their audience received their message.

How Can You Excel at Communication?   
Balance What You Have to Say with What They Want to Hear.  (Part 1)
Communication occurs when you balance what you want to say with what the audience wants to hear.   When we prepare for a one-on-one meeting, an address, or a written communication we tend to focus on what we want to say and what we want the receiver to do - to the exclusion of considering their needs.   (To be continued.)

(Your most important job in life is communication.  However, most messages fail to achieve their intended objective.  People walk away from conversations, meetings dismiss and groups disperse, without being impacted by the message.  Your use of these principles will govern how well your message is received.  Follow them and achieve your desired result of - message received and understood.) 

How Can You Excel at Communication? Know Your Audience. (Part 2)

Ronald Reagan was not always effective and persuasive. Winston Churchill fainted the first time he addressed the House of Commons.  Just like you and me these 20^th century icons had to learn how to assure that their audience received their message.

How Can You Excel at Communication? Know Your Audience. (Part 2)
Before we communicate we must do the work necessary to know our audience.  Test the water first by talking over your message with someone you trust.  They may have insight to some of the sensitivities of the audience.   Also, evaluate the best method of communicating whether in person, written, telephone or e-mail.  When in doubt, in-person is always preferred. (To be continued.)

(Your most important job in life is communication.  However, most messages fail to achieve their intended objective.  People walk away from conversations, meetings dismiss and groups disperse, without being impacted by the message.  Your use of these principles will govern how well your message is received.  Follow them and achieve your desired result of - message received and understood.) 

How Can You Excel at Communication? Know Your Audience.

Ronald Reagan was not always effective and persuasive. Winston Churchill fainted the first time he addressed the House of Commons.  Just like you and me these 20^th century icons had to learn how to assure that their audience received their message.

How Can You Excel at Communication? Know Your Audience. (Part 1)
Do you know your audience?  Really?  Who are the key people you want to persuade?  Have you had casual conversation to assess their temperature before rolling out your message? Have you investigated their needs?  Do you know the condition of their personal lives?  All of these questions and more are critical to being an effective communicator. (To be continued.)

(Your most important job in life is communication.  However, most messages fail to achieve their intended objective.  People walk away from conversations, meetings dismiss and groups disperse, without being impacted by the message.  Your use of these principles will govern how well your message is received.  Follow them and achieve your desired result of - message received and understood. )

Eight Attributes of a Great Leader # 8

Are you a Chairman, President, CEO, Pastor, department head or project leader?  If you are or aspire to be, there are several highly critical attributes of good leadership.  From my experience I have learned that great leaders possess eight qualities:

8. Establish the organizational culture.

Not unlike a parent, great leaders lead by example and establish the organization’s culture.  This includes how we treat coworkers, appropriate language, elimination of gossip, putting internal and external customers first, a serving state of mind, and appropriate attitudes in the work place.

Ok leader, how do you measure up against this standard?  If it is missing from your present management style, include it today and you’ll begin to see results tomorrow. (Conclusion)