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!@#$%^&*! HUH? WHAT DID YOU MEAN?
| Guest post by: Harvey Schiller |
Article Overview: How hard can it be to say what you mean? It sounds easy but in fact is quite challenging.
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Free Download - There Are No Silver Bullets By Harvey Schiller |
!@#$%^&*! HUH? WHAT DID YOU MEAN?
How hard can it be
to say what you mean? It sounds easy but
in fact is quite challenging. Why?
Well first of all,
what does “mean” really “mean”? There are at least three meanings: 1. what you
mean 2. what the listener thinks you mean and 3. the actual dictionary
definition. Good successful communication is getting the alignment between # 1
and # 2 above. One way to achieve that
alignment is to craft and think about the message from your listener’s
perspective. It is up to the speaker to
use the language that conveys the message and the meaning that is appropriate
to the listener. The listener shouldn’t
have to work so hard to be able to understand the message.
People however
forget about 75% of what they hear before they leave the room in which the
discussion takes place. So “telling” isn’t necessarily the most effective way
of getting the message across and clearly “telling” isn’t “teaching”.
The more effective
way to get the message across is to lead people to self-discovered conclusions
and directions by asking questions. You
can convey meaning more effectively and teach anybody anything by asking the
right questions. After all, when you tell
people something all they have to do is listen; when you ask questions, they
need to think. Asking questions let’s
you guide the thinking of others and the listener can use the words and jargon
meaningful and understandable to them.
That doesn’t mean
that every meeting is a series of questions.
What it does mean is that in order to ensure alignment between what you
mean and what the listener thinks you mean the speaker should use a mix of
“telling” and “asking”.
The mixing of
“telling” and “asking” takes more effort but when people figure out something
for themselves, it tends to be a lasting and much more rewarding experience.
Article Tags: asking, communication, corporate kinetics, jargon, listening, message, speaking, telling
Referred by: http://www.marshallnorthcott.com
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About the Author: Harvey Schiller RSS for Harvey's articles - Visit Harvey's website Harvey Schiller hschiller@corporatekinetics.ca http://www.corporatekinetics.ca Click here to visit Harvey's website   Try is a Weasel Word Hidden Opportunities in Economic Downturns TAKE SHAKE OR BREAK The Importance of Problem Solving 5S Applied to the CEO Role |
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