Saying Something Important? Three Questions to Ask Yourself First - Baldoni On... - The Diigo Meta page

• 27 Mar 07
  

  Wisely

  communication

  • People forget what you say, but they remember how you made them feel.
  • It is often not that senior leaders are being arrogant, it is that they are so pressed for time that they forget to iterate a message more than once and even more they forget to listen to the feedback. Yet communication is vital. A recent survey from the Ken Blanchard Group stated that more than three quarters of all employees feel their managers fail to set clear goals and objectives. Is it any wonder then that so many initiatives fail, or worse, are dead on arrival to anyone more than two levels down from the CEO? There are ways, of course, to make communication a priority and in the process sharpen your messages so they resonate clearly. Toward that end, here are three important questions to ask before you give a speech, or make an important announcement.
  • Paul Hersey, the originator of Situation Leadership, says never use a dime word when a nickel one will do. That’s a variant on an old adage, but what Hersey means is that you put yourself on the same level with your audience. Never speak down to them. Putting on airs is a sure way to turn people off. At the same time, get to the point.

  1 more annotation...

Would you like to comment?

Join Diigo for a free account, or sign in if you are already a member.