e-tip no. 84 – better communicating

As you know, if you do the same thing you tend to get the same results.  And this is true with communications.

We all have a preferred method of communicating, whether by talking, face to face or over the phone, via email, texting, filtering calls, writing letters/memos and generally this works.  However, sometimes the person we are communicating to has their own preferred method, and this may not be the same as yours.  In this case, your message may lose something in translation.

After all, the quality of your communication can be judged by the response you get: if you don’t get the expected response, change how you communicate the message: it’s your responsibility to ensure the other person understands, not theirs.

And there are all manner of ways of changing how you communicate something, and common ones are metaphors, analagies, big picture, fine detail (there are 14 in all).

Today’s experiment

• Firstly notice how others communicate with you, and respond with the same method.  So, if they telephone you, telephone them.
• If you’re not getting the response you want (or any response), have a go with some of these:

• If you text, call instead
• If you email, call instead
• If you email, write a letter
• If you call, arrange to meet
• If you normally meet, text or email

And notice the difference in your communicating and the response.  And if one way doesn’t get the result you want, go with another, until you do.

Even just using a different way will break the pattern and the normally automatic response in the other person.

Anthony

Copyright Anthony Davis 2007.  All right reserved.