Communicating with Impact
These
tips will help you be an effective communicator:
u Link
your ideas to the interests of the other person
u Be
sensitive to how the other person prefers to receive information
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Bottom line first
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Build a case and then give the result
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Details
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Overview only
u Be
sure you understand the other persons point of view
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Ask questions
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Consider history
u Recognize
their position even if you disagree and treat their position as valid
u Be
sure you know what you want out of the encounter
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Action from the other person
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Information from the other person
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No action but you want them to understand
information
u Use
multiple communication methods
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In some cases an e-mail before meeting with the
person will be helpful to allow the other person to think about the situation
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In some cases a follow up is needed
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Phone calls can be used for some discussions but in
other cases in-person discussions are best
u Be
flexible and prepared to change your approach if you get new information or
face resistance
u Consider
the environment for the discussion – the hallway may not be appropriate even if
you happen to see the other party
u Avoid
devaluing your message by using qualifiers such as “this may be off base but…”
or, “I’m sure you have more information but…”
u Use
examples to highlight points and make it relevant for the other person
u Use
non-inflammatory language
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Avoid saying “you always…” and instead say
“when…happens”
u Consider
using back channels to pre-sell ideas or gather additional information