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Clarify your communication
Posted by Chris on 17/06/2009
Four ways to clarify your communication Clear communication is essential to your organisation. Communication is the transfer of information.
Mis-communication causes a loss of information.
Mis-communication will cause you to lose. How can you gain greater accuracy in communication? 1.Focus on delivering an affirmative message
Say what you want
Telling people what you do not want is only useful if it is immediately followed by an accurate description of what you do want.
Saying only what you do not want leaves completely open the alternative. If you want to stop something, what do you want to start to take its place? State the affirmative. 2 Clarify key terms
Some of your words are key terms.
They are the central themes of your message. Specify more exactly all key noun phrases such as:
• People,
• Management,
• Operations,
• Sales,
• Customers. Specify what and whom you are talking about exactly. Clarify global concepts such as:
• Unacceptable
• Attitude
• Unprofessional
• Opportunity,
• Unfair
• Rude, Clarify your abstract terms by setting clear definitions around ambiguous concepts
3 Clarify Rules and limits
Rules and limits are often flagged up by words like :
• Should,
• Shouldn’t,
• Must,
• Can’t - “ I can’t do it”
• Have to,
• Impossible
These words put the limits of current thinking.
They should be periodically tested to see if they are accurate.
Ask
• “ But what if…..?”
• “Is anything stopping us from….?”
• What would happen if we didn’t?
Identify the reasons behind your limits and rules.
Ensure they are thought through by asking yourself the implications of breaking the rule.
4 Clarify “universals”
Words like:
• All,
• Every,
• Never Imply a generalisation or supposed universal truth.
For example:
(All) Women are physically weaker than men.
Is a generalisation that is often false in the specific case.
So check out presupposition and generalisations
Ask, “Is this always, typically or sometimes true?” Clarify your assertions by indication the level of generalisation
Give evidence to back up assertions Clarify comparisons Comparison words are words like:
• Better
• Worse • Faster
• Slower • Bigger
• Smaller What are you comparing this to?
For example “My car is better, faster, easier to handle and more efficient.”
Than what, specifically? For example
Premise “The results are better this year”
Clarifying question “Compared against what?
• Our last years result?
• The industry average?
• The expected result? Until the comparison has both compared elements specified, the statement is almost meaningless. Clarify your comparisons by giving at least two indices.
Summary:
Remember: Clear communication is essential to your organisation..
Communication is the transfer of information.
Mis-communication causes a loss of information
1 Focus on delivering a positive message
2 Clarify key terms
3 Clarify Rules and limits
4 Clarify “universals”
Do these four things and you will:
• Write
• Speak
• and think
With greater clarity.
For more information about effective communication skills training vistit the Corporate Coach Group website
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