The British are sometimes thought of as being stuffy and proper. It's all a part of being veddy British. Recently, they took great steps toward being less stuffy and more understandable when the British government told their local authorities to stop using management buzzwords like "synergy", "stakeholders", or "sustainable communities". Hooray!
Saying that these terms confuse people and prevent residents from understanding what local governments do, they sent out a list of 100 "non-words" that officials should avoid using if they want to be understood. And they told their officials to not "hide behind impenetrable jargon or phrases."
In the segment of your "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar where you learn about the Content of your message, you're cautioned against using lingo or jargon, and even against using "pop talk", trying to sound "hip" or "cool". Particularly when you're addressing a large audience, there's no guarantee that everyone will understand the same technical terms, the same specialized language unique to a certain area of interest or expertise, or the latest street slang. In order to communicate effectively, use only words, terms and phrases that you know will mean something to your receiver(s).
As they used to say in Britain, but don't anymore, it gives empowerment to the synergies of your communication dyads.
Call or E-mail today to schedule a "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar for your group or business, 913-631-2985, bkthrucomm@aol.com.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The Main Problem
At the National Eligibility Workers Conference in Anaheim last week, a woman asked about the subject of my workshops. When told that they were about communicating effectively, she thought for a bit then said, "If you can get people to actually listen, then you can communicate effectively. That's the hard part, nobody listens anymore." She's right. Mignon McLaughlin summed it up very nicely when she said, "Nobody listens to anyone anymore. Try it for a while, and you'll see why."
In this age of blogs, personal web pages, cell phone cameras and more, people really seem to be talking about themselves. In focusing on being a "sender" all of the time, they are losing the ability to be a "receiver".
This is one of the toughest filters you and your message need to overcome in order to reach people today. You can have as little as three seconds to make an impact with your message. That's why it so critical to practice what you learn in your "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar. That's how you can break through all of those other messages, interest your receivers in actually listening to you since you're focusing your message on them, and continue to reach people with your message. It is simple, but it isn't always easy. And it is more critical today than ever before.
Glad I was listening when she made that comment in Anaheim.
Call or E-mail today to schedule a "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar for your group or business, 913-631-2985, bkthrucomm@aol.com.
In this age of blogs, personal web pages, cell phone cameras and more, people really seem to be talking about themselves. In focusing on being a "sender" all of the time, they are losing the ability to be a "receiver".
This is one of the toughest filters you and your message need to overcome in order to reach people today. You can have as little as three seconds to make an impact with your message. That's why it so critical to practice what you learn in your "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar. That's how you can break through all of those other messages, interest your receivers in actually listening to you since you're focusing your message on them, and continue to reach people with your message. It is simple, but it isn't always easy. And it is more critical today than ever before.
Glad I was listening when she made that comment in Anaheim.
Call or E-mail today to schedule a "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar for your group or business, 913-631-2985, bkthrucomm@aol.com.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The words you choose and use...
One of the anchors for the Olympic television coverage spoke of a team "throwing down the gantlet" in their competition. The word he used is pronounced "GANT-let", rhyming with "can't let". He was correct. Most would say "gauntlet" instead of "gantlet". Each is correct. But, if you say "gantlet", someone is likely to correct your pronunciation.
The same is true if you describe one of the things you do well as being your "fort". Most would instead say "FOUR-tay", and may try to correct your pronunciation. However, in this case, they would be wrong. The French word "fort" means "something that you do well" or "a strong point". The Italian word "forte" instead means "something that you do loudly".
The problem comes from people hearing someone else use a word or phrase that they think makes that person sound intelligent, cool, or knowledgeable. So, they start using the word or phrase themselves. This is how non-words like "irregardless" get into common usage. Someone says it, someone else hears it and starts using it, and it spreads like a virus.
One of the keys to you communicating effectively is to be careful that you don't fall into those traps. Before you start using a new word or phrase, find out what it really means and how it should be correctly used. It may seem trivial and unnecessary, but anything you can do to make it easier for the other person to understand what you're talking about is in your best interests.
Call or E-mail today to schedule a "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar for your group or business, 913-631-2985, bkthrucomm@aol.com.
The same is true if you describe one of the things you do well as being your "fort". Most would instead say "FOUR-tay", and may try to correct your pronunciation. However, in this case, they would be wrong. The French word "fort" means "something that you do well" or "a strong point". The Italian word "forte" instead means "something that you do loudly".
The problem comes from people hearing someone else use a word or phrase that they think makes that person sound intelligent, cool, or knowledgeable. So, they start using the word or phrase themselves. This is how non-words like "irregardless" get into common usage. Someone says it, someone else hears it and starts using it, and it spreads like a virus.
One of the keys to you communicating effectively is to be careful that you don't fall into those traps. Before you start using a new word or phrase, find out what it really means and how it should be correctly used. It may seem trivial and unnecessary, but anything you can do to make it easier for the other person to understand what you're talking about is in your best interests.
Call or E-mail today to schedule a "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar for your group or business, 913-631-2985, bkthrucomm@aol.com.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Alphabet Soup
A college student has run into a lot of acronyms and speech short cuts during her summer internship with the US Navy. A steady stream of CFAYs, COMFLEACTs, and HHGs, plus shopping at the BEX and living in the TPU are all a part of life in the military.
But, your line of work, your field of expertise, and even your area of interest or your hobby, each have the same sort of terms, abbreviations, and shorthands that can lead to the same type of confusion caused by acronyms in the military.
That’s why it’s so important to choose the words of your message, spoken or written, so carefully. Use only words, terms, and phrases that will mean something to your receiver. If everyone in your office is familiar with the same “lingo”, great. Use it. But, when communicating with those not in your office, for instance, speak THEIR language instead.
It’s all a part of putting the focus of your message on your receiver. And that’s what makes your messages "Break Through the Clutter" of everyday life.
Call or E-mail today to schedule a "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar for your group or business, 913-631-2985, bkthrucomm@aol.com.
But, your line of work, your field of expertise, and even your area of interest or your hobby, each have the same sort of terms, abbreviations, and shorthands that can lead to the same type of confusion caused by acronyms in the military.
That’s why it’s so important to choose the words of your message, spoken or written, so carefully. Use only words, terms, and phrases that will mean something to your receiver. If everyone in your office is familiar with the same “lingo”, great. Use it. But, when communicating with those not in your office, for instance, speak THEIR language instead.
It’s all a part of putting the focus of your message on your receiver. And that’s what makes your messages "Break Through the Clutter" of everyday life.
Call or E-mail today to schedule a "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar for your group or business, 913-631-2985, bkthrucomm@aol.com.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Campaign rhetoric
You can a learn a lot about making your message fit your audiences needs and wants by watching political campaigns such as the ones you’re being treated to now. Granted, candidates will tend to go overboard and will often say only what they feel their audience wants to hear. But, the same principals apply to you and your messages as apply to the typical campaign speech.
The difference is that, instead of just wanting people to like you, you are putting your message into a context and a form that means something to your receiver(s). You’re addressing their needs and wants, you’re capturing their imaginations, and you’re using terms, examples, and concepts that are familiar to them.
So, while you may not fake a Southern accent, appear somewhere in bib overalls or a factory workers’ jumpsuit, or kiss any babies to earn votes, you can learn a lot by deciphering ways in which the candidates tailor their messages to varied audiences. Watch, listen and learn.
Call or E-mail to schedule a "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar for your group or business, 913-631-2985, bkthrucomm@aol.com.
The difference is that, instead of just wanting people to like you, you are putting your message into a context and a form that means something to your receiver(s). You’re addressing their needs and wants, you’re capturing their imaginations, and you’re using terms, examples, and concepts that are familiar to them.
So, while you may not fake a Southern accent, appear somewhere in bib overalls or a factory workers’ jumpsuit, or kiss any babies to earn votes, you can learn a lot by deciphering ways in which the candidates tailor their messages to varied audiences. Watch, listen and learn.
Call or E-mail to schedule a "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar for your group or business, 913-631-2985, bkthrucomm@aol.com.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Company E-mail
It's very easy for you to quickly type a short E-mail letting everyone at work know that you're selling your son's trash bags for the football team, or your daughter's cookies for scouts, and make a low-pressure, "They're here if you want them", sales pitch to everyone at once.
But, a recent ruling from the National Labor Relations Board may have the unintended effect of making it forbidden for you to use your company's E-mail system for messages about personal solicitations like that.
It's not that the NLRB is anti-Band Candy. The ruling dealt with an E-mail about a union. But it could, in the future, be broadened to apply to any and all other solicitations, too.
Two things can help protect you here: one, check with your company's HR people to see if there are any restrictions BEFORE you send your message; and two, as you learn in your Break Through the Clutter Communication Seminar, use Brevity and Necessity as your guides on all E-mail. Send only what is needed, when it is needed. Instead of adding to coworkers' In Box clutter, walk around and make a more personal appeal to your potential customers. It's much more effective communication, and it will keep you from violating an E-mail policy that's going to be wide open to interpretation.
Call or E-mail today to schedule a "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar for your group or business, 913-631-2985, bkthrucomm@aol.com.
But, a recent ruling from the National Labor Relations Board may have the unintended effect of making it forbidden for you to use your company's E-mail system for messages about personal solicitations like that.
It's not that the NLRB is anti-Band Candy. The ruling dealt with an E-mail about a union. But it could, in the future, be broadened to apply to any and all other solicitations, too.
Two things can help protect you here: one, check with your company's HR people to see if there are any restrictions BEFORE you send your message; and two, as you learn in your Break Through the Clutter Communication Seminar, use Brevity and Necessity as your guides on all E-mail. Send only what is needed, when it is needed. Instead of adding to coworkers' In Box clutter, walk around and make a more personal appeal to your potential customers. It's much more effective communication, and it will keep you from violating an E-mail policy that's going to be wide open to interpretation.
Call or E-mail today to schedule a "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar for your group or business, 913-631-2985, bkthrucomm@aol.com.
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