Check Your Communication Skills

Use this check list to assess your communication skills.

Focus

* Do you pay complete attention to others when they are speaking? (A wandering focus discourages open communication.)

* Do you manage your thoughts during a conversation, focusing them on understanding what the other person is saying? (Effective listening requires more concentration than any other form of communication. If you are thinking about anything other than what the person is saying, you are defeating your ability to understand.)

* Do you postpone preparing your reply until after you have heard everything the other person has to say? (Thinking about what you plan to say while the other person is speaking prevents you from understanding what that person is saying.)

* Do you ignore distractions, such as other people, ambient noise, and the surroundings? (Attending to distractions makes you appear uninterested, unfocused, and rude.)

* Do you make eye contact during a conversation? (Watching a person's face shows that you are paying attention. You also gather nonverbal messages, which can convey most of the important information being conveyed to you.)

Environment

* Do you convey confidence, courage, and strength during your conversations? (A pleasant manner will encourage people to trust you and tell you more. Negative behavior conveys weakness, insecurity, and fear.)

* Do you react calmly to bad news? (Anger will frighten people into avoiding you.)

* Do you encourage others to speak freely? (Appearing interested, asking questions, and treating others with respect will facilitate open communication.)

* Do you use a diplomatic, positive vocabulary? (Talking about what you want is more forceful than talking about what you don't want, won't do, or can't do. This means that in most cases you would delete the word "not" from what you say.)

* Do you seek solutions? (Seeking approval, culprits, or excuses, discourages communication.)

Clarity

* Do you stick to the subject? (Introducing new unrelated issues will confuse the other person and degrade the quality of your conversation.)

* Do you maintain a "you" focus? (Speak in terms of what the other person needs, wants, and understands because that will enhance the impact of what you say.)

* Do you avoid games? (Asking trick questions, setting traps, and making others look bad will cause people to avoid you.)

* Do you use a linear, logical approach to explaining things? (Make it easy for others to understand you because it's more efficient.)

* Do you use common terms? (Avoid jargon and flowery speech because these impress only the person using them.)

IAF Certified Professional Facilitator and author Steve Kaye works with leaders who want to be more effective. His innovative workshops have informed and inspired people nationwide. His facilitation produces results that people will support. Call 714-528-1300 or visit his web site for over 100 pages of valuable ideas. Sign up for his free newsletter at http://www.stevekaye.com

---

Five Essential Hiring Practices

Recruiting and hiring are often done in haste, leaving the... Read More

Success in Business Means Managing Negative Emotions

You may have the MBA but if an internal critic... Read More

Designing Your Healthy Administration - A Management Overview

Management or Leadership?Simply stated, management ensures that things get done,... Read More

Are Your Meetings Smart?

Soon after I finished a brief seminar on how to... Read More

Using, Choosing, and Using an educational consultant

IntroductionThe aim of this document is to provide advice and... Read More

Recruitment - Pick People Who Think

Old style management doesn't encourage personal mind control, employees aren't... Read More

Growing Profits is Easy!

Everyone involved in running a business from the smallest start-up... Read More

The Walmart Cult

The CultBecoming a part of the Cult, consists of being... Read More

Tales From the Corporate Frontlines: Managerial Influence

This article relates to the Manager/Supervisor competency, commonly evaluated in... Read More

10 Resolutions For The New Year!!

Each year many people create a list of resolutions designed... Read More

Transparency: A Key To Your Effectiveness

Last month I talked about the Skilled Facilitator principle of... Read More

The Importance of Business Goals

For you to get where you want to go, there... Read More

Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Providing Career Opportunity

This article relates to the Career Opportunity competency, commonly evaluated... Read More

Which ITIL Process Should We Implement First?

The following question is usually debated a lot amongst IT... Read More

Warning! Meeting In Progress; May Be Hazardous To Your Career

There ought to be a sign posted on every closed... Read More

Action Learning: Its More Than OJT

For centuries companies have used on-the-job training (OJT). OJT works... Read More

Status Quo Pep Talks That Can Threaten Your Leadership

Organizations live and die by results. Yet most organizations get... Read More

Five Habits of Highly Effective Conflict Resolvers

Steven Covey had the right idea. There are discreet skills... Read More

Employees - Treat Them the Way They Expect to be Treated

When you have to deal with one of your team... Read More

Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Finding The Perfect Balance

This article relates to the Work/Life Balance competency, which investigates... Read More

How to Set Up a Conference Call

The methods in which you set up a conference call... Read More

Better Manager Skills - How to Learn

When you first take over a department, expectations are usually... Read More

Real Costs in Distribution and What it Means To Your Company

Ever feel that all the lawyers in thh Country need... Read More

Time Management - How to Have Productive Meetings

One of the greatest time wasters of all are unnecessary... Read More

Preparing a Budget

Ok, you say, I know I need a budget, but... Read More

Optimizing Your Cash Flow With Proper Accounts Receivable Management

Businesses miss on growth opportunities and even close their doors... Read More

Dividing The Loot

It is when the going gets better, that the going... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Directors, Consultants and Managers

Creativity and Innovation is essential for competitive advantage, yet the... Read More

Quick Tip - Effective Meetings Earn a Profit

Most people treat meetings as a free resource that can... Read More

Time Management Tip: Stop Micro-Managing Employees

If I was a fly on the wall what would... Read More

Communication Mix-Up

My friend Delia is the owner of a small private... Read More

How Businesses Can Stop Wallowing in Bad Debt and Prevent It in the Future

"Become the Squeaky Wheel", a new book just published, explains... Read More

Don?t Forget Where You Came from - Why the Past is Important in Implementing Business Change

Much of the literature and advice on implementing business change... Read More