What one word describes the values you parlay as a positive communicator? In a recent continual communication improvement Talk2Me© positive communication class I led, the 13 participants came up with these gems to mine…
1. DIRECT: There shouldn’t be any question or confusion about what the meeting was about.
2. CONSISTENT: You have to communicate with everyone, and give the same message to all the people you are speaking to.
3. IMPARTIAL: Be even-tempered with different types of people that will make your message “nothing personal.” Adapt your style to the person.
4. EMOTIONAL: Don’t be a nagging spouse or backseat driver. Get your point across any way you can that’s positive and effective.
5. FAIRLY. Treat everybody with respect, and find out what he or she need, and meet the need. Listen to problems and deal with problems the best you can.
6. TREAT PEOPLE THE SAME WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED.
7. BEING BRUTALLY HONEST. Saying what you see without mincing words or candy coat or beat around the bush or fluff up the pillow.
8. HONEST FEEDBACK: IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH DON’T ASK ME. If you don’t want the truth, don’t ask me. I tell you straightforward what the truth is and then I’ll take time to listen to them. You will know the problem and how to solve.
9. CARING DISCIPLINE/NEGATIVE. I focus on looking for the shortcomings and don’t pat enough people on the back. Crap runs downhill and falls on our shoulders to discipline. I don’t give enough pats on the back.
10. EVERYBODY LISTEN TO EVERYBODY. The key is listening and giving an honest answer as to what to do. Persuasion is a key to pull in the same direction.
11. DELEGATE AUTHORITY. Let go of needing to micromanage or control and trust your people to deliver instead of put up roadblocks.
12. TOUGH LOVE: SPOT PROBLEMS TO SOLVE. See the problems that require solving through “tough love.” It’s nothing personal, because I’ve got a job to do.
13. I’M NOT UPSET WITH THE ACTOR…I’M UPSET WITH THE ACT. Your goal is to improve performance through communication both complimentary and disciplinary. We remember the bad stuff and forget about the good stuff.
14. SHRINKS. You’re only as strong as your weakest link. 10% of workers are low achievers. The people that need education the most tell you what you and your company stand for.
15. WEAK LINKS. Each person has to understand how important contributions are to the entire organization.
16. DON’T BRING DOWN YOUR POSITIVE PEOPLE. Help up your peers who need a helping hand. Routines bring us good luck.
17. PERSONABLE. Get to know your employees a little bit but not a lot. When you sit them down to tell them what they’ve done wrong, the medicine goes down easier.
18. BE AN OPEN-MINDED COMMUNICATOR. Be open to meeting needs. It’s important to hear and understand needs and your communication lines will be open. You can get your point across but not communicate well.
19. SHOW A LITTLE CARING. Show a little caring and the barriers come down. Listening solves problems and issues. Come to achieve a common goal, and be successful.
20. YOU CAN HEAR SOMETHING YOU CAN IMPROVE ON. I will take the toothpick or tree out of my eye.
21. OUTGOING. Does that really apply to me? I’m the type of individual who likes to be involved. We see our employees more than family. There are power issues, family conflicts, and health issues. Some times you have an iron fist and sometimes you need to put the velvet glove on. You can learn something if you listen.
22. LISTEN FIRST–REACT LATER. That’s how you build relationships. We’re expected to deal with all problems, and can’t afford to build a brick wall up. Look to better the employee…better the circumstance.
23. BE DIRECT…BE DIRECT…BE DIRECT…BE DIRECT. Let people know how it is. Tell people what they’re doing wrong and give them the opportunity for improvement.
24. ADJUSTING. Not everyone responds the same but give each consistency and honesty, and spend some time training.
Do you parlay as a positive communicator? “Parlay” means “to make good use of an asset or advantage to obtain success.”
TO MAKE GOOD USE OF YOUR COMMUNICATION ASSETS
So I took a democratic group vote to answer this penetrating question: WHAT WILL YOU BE KNOWN FOR AS A GROUP OF GOOD COMMUNICATORS? Here is the tally to parlay:
1. HONEST
2. EFFECTIVE
3. BEING OPEN (TWO-WAY HIGHWAY)
4. ADJUSTING/FLEXIBLE
5. FAIR
WHAT TYPE OF COMMUNICATOR ARE YOU?
You get things done in a timely and effective manner, too, don’t you? What type of communicator are you when mood storms rage?
WHAT TYPE OF COMMUNICATOR AM I? TO BE AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR IN LIFE REQUIRES HONESTY, AND OPEN, TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION.
You said it!
WILL THE TALK TO ME© SYSTEM WORK FOR YOU?
In the words of one top executive of a major regional company which is based in Dayton, “…If we can’t communicate with each other, therein lies many of our problems. It’s all about the customer. Talk To Me© is a communication system that will give you the tools and strategies to communicate better with your peers, your subordinates, your customers, your families. You learn how to listen and how to talk more effectively. Talk To Me© is great, but you can’t really explain it….It just works! As you put the communication tools and strategies that you learn to good use, you set up the work climate for clear communication, thus setting yourself up for success.”