As workplace communicators, we obviously spend a lot of time each day communicating verbally. Therefore, we spend a lot of time listening … or should.
Problem is, we don’t listen very well. Especially those of us Type A Driver Entrepreneurs. Sound familiar? We regularly fall victim to one or more of these seven Barriers to Listening:
What kind of first impression do your customers and prospects get of your business when they get your Voice Mail greeting? Is it enthusiastic and professional? More important, is it concise and helpful? Or, does you greeting sound more like this one?
A business reporter asked me about Social Media and how the using it, texting and email negatively impact sales professionals’ ability to communicate face-to-face. My response … for your reading pleasure:
Many business professionals diligently attempt to practice the ‘Golden Rule’ at work that we all learned as youngsters. A workplace communication version of that philosophy would be ’Communicate with other people the way you want them to communicate with you.’ While a nice warm and fuzzy concept, a quick reality check indicates two serious flaws in the logic: the ‘Golden Rule’ assumes everyone is the same and that everyone is the same as you.
Savvy business leaders treat workshops, seminars and conferences as valuable resources that come with a huge cost of time and money. So, as with any business resource, make sure you use Learning Events effectively and efficiently:
No matter what you do at work, you spend a lot of time communicating – writing, reading, talking, listening. So, in addition to your job title and responsibilities, you are a Workplace Communicator as well. Major blunders in that process are usually the opposite or absence of these Best Practices:
‘Good in a Room – how to sell yourself and your ideas and win over any audience’, by Stephanie Palmer, Tantor Media, Inc., 2008. A most interesting take on high stakes pitches and meetings from a former Hollywood studio executive who listened to a lot of pitches in a lot of meetings.
Some of my most loyal readers are job seekers who have heard me speak at one of the three non-profit job seeker groups I support in NE OH. So, I thought you might find this piece interesting and potentially helpful. And please share it with anyone you know who is in a search or planning a career change.
Let’s see what some contemporary American experts think about the Art of Conversation: ‘You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.’ – Dale Carnegie, writer, lecturer and self-improvement expert. ‘Most people do not listen … Read more
I Don’t Get … why some people think it’s a good idea to memorize a typical workplace presentation. Some authors even suggest it. Allow me my monthly rant in response.