Tag Archives: communication

Common Mistake in Email Communication!

Email subject lines make all the difference in getting your email read by someone else.  If you want your colleague, boss or customer to read your email sooner than later you must write a subject line that catches their attention and personalizes it as well.  This is the most common mistake I see in emails.   Yes, I know that it’s easier to just jot a quick response to someone – not change the subject line – and then hit the submit button.  But don’t be surprised if then the other person doesn’t get around to reading your email for days thinking that it is old news.

I’m sure I’m not unique when I start my work day out with rapidly scan my incoming emails for those that are first priority.  A quick glance at the subject lines alert me to those that need my attention first and then those that are less urgent and can wait a bit. Sometimes there are red flags but I don’t find those as helpful as a personal note from someone I know.  The subject lines give me a quick and easy way to sort through the flood of emails – on the bottom of the pile goes those emails that were forwarded and that have old subject lines.  And I’m pretty ruthless about deleting all misc. and junk emails – I just have to delete, delete and delete or I will be buried within two days.

Hidden in the Email

But sometimes I’m wrong!  I’ll click on an email a couple of days later to discover that it actually had something really important in it and that someone needed me to take some immediate action.  I never knew it was a priority because there was no indication in the subject line.  Then I feel like I’m playing catch up – or worse – I may have totally missed out on a great training, coaching or networking opportunity.  And it’s a bit awkward to suggest that if only the sender had written what they needed in the subject line I could have gotten back to them much sooner.

3 Quick Tips to Get Your Email Read

So here are three quick tips to make sure your email gets read.  First, change the subject line to say exactly what you need from your reader.  Second, add your first name so they know who is writing them.  And third, you can ask a question to make sure you get a response.  An example for an email regarding an upcoming meeting could be “Mtg. Wed. Sept 7th/Can You Attend?/Kit”.  And a little bit of humor is perfectly okay as well – we want the reader to always respond positively to seeing our name in their email in-box!

 

Posted in Communication Tips, Inspirational Leadership, Personal Development, Your Time & Energy | Tagged | Leave a comment

Password is a Great Challenge in Communication!

Communication never gets easier with a rollicking group of family and friends playing Password.  We pulled out our old, old game during a recent week at a lakeside cabin in Maine.  This is our favorite game to play during long summer evenings especially if  we have several generations playing at the same time.  First, this game is so old that usually no one has ever heard of it.  Second, it is so simple that all of us can get it – or so we think.  It’s kind of like Charades or Pictionary without any drawing or acting.

Divide up into teams (mix the generations to make it funnier) and then one person from each team lines up in front of the fireplace.  They are secretly given the same word from the moderator “hubby Wally”. Taking turns they are allowed to give their team members one word with the hope that their team will spontaneously guess the secret word.  The trick is to communicate with your team mates using skillful word associations and context.


Understanding Each Other’s Meaning

You won’t think it would be so difficult but understanding what someone else is saying depends on not only on the actual words being said but more importantly   with the context and association the words bring to mind.  Interesting, it’s very frequently why we have disconnects in communication.  Someone says “That’s not what I said” and the other person says “Oh, but that’s what I thought you meant”.  Each thinks they heard it right.

As I  watch our team members laugh as they struggle to guess the words I’m struck with how quickly word associations happen.  Our brains connect words with meaning almost instantaneously.  And we’re so tempted to shout out that first association as our buddy Cedric repeatedly did.  Sometimes those associations are right on and sometimes they are way off the mark.

As Leaders – Are We Talking About the Same Thing?

If you are in any kind of leadership position, realizing the power of word association is very helpful.  You may think you’re being very clear in your communication only to be surprised that your direct reports or a colleague assumed something quite different.  In most cases, it’s perfectly understandable because we hear what makes sense to us – in our own context.  So a wise leader always double checks to make sure that everyone heard the same thing.  And if you have any doubts about how complex communication is – especially between generations – just bring out that game of Password!

 

Posted in And a Bit More, Communication Tips, Inspirational Leadership, Personal Development, Your Time & Energy | Tagged | Leave a comment

Polish Up Your First Impression!

Are you getting a bit sloppy?  Are you taking your professional image more for granted these days?  It’s easy to do when you have been in business or at the same job for a number of years.  But it is a mistake.  First impressions make a difference each and every time.  And it’s not just how we dress but how we shake hands; introduce others, our eye contact and how we listen and engage others in conversation.  Our body language sends a powerful message to others and signals them as to whether they can trust us, like us and ultimately if they should do business with us.

Watch Others at a Networking Event

Try this . . . at your next networking event stand back and just watch the folks in the room.  Watch for those that others seem to gravitate toward.  There is an energy, an enthusiasm and a synergy in the conversation.  What is that individual doing that is obviously appealing to others?  What can you learn from them?  My guess is that folks would say they feel comfortable and acknowledged – in other words – they feel connected and “safe” to just be themselves.

Wow, now that is a gift!  To be able to create that sense of positive feeling with others (and with strangers too)  is pretty impressive.  Is it hard to do?  No, not really if you are willing to honestly assess your weak spots and then actively take action to smooth out the rough edges if you’ve gotten a bit sloppy over the years.

Making That First Impression Count

During my 6 1/2 years of living in Norway (my husband was assigned to NATO), we attended many international dinner parties and social events.  I learned that I could find something in common with just about anyone even if they didn’t speak English well and I didn’t speak Norwegian, German etc.  It was a challenge at first but became a well-practiced skill and actually quite fun.  Here’s three of my favorite “lessons learned” on how to make a great first impression.

  • Practice how to meet someone gracefully – shaking hands, eye contact, remembering names.
  • Practice engaging a stranger in simple conversation – listen, ask questions, be interested.
  • Practice connecting with others by finding interests in common – “bridge topics” – pets, travel etc.

This is professional development that you can do on your own.  It’s all those basic manners that our mothers were always teaching us and that hopefully we’re passing on to our own kids.  Enjoy!

Posted in And a Bit More, Career Tips & Strategies, Inspirational Leadership, Personal Development | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Miscommunication: Hearing What We Want to Hear

Well it happened again.  I’m sitting in one sandwich shop and my college-age daughter is sitting in another one across town.  How did that happen?  We hear what we want to hear – it’s that simple. 

Assuming We Know

Our lunch disconnect was a classic example of the most common kind of miscommunication.  Two people thinking they understand the other one but actually only hearing what they want to hear – and then making an assumption that makes perfect sense to them. 

For example, I made the assumption that  “Of course, we’re going to meet here.  It’s closest to my work”.  But the daughter assumes “Of course, we’re going to meet here.  It’s closest to my errands”.  It happens so easily and we all do it.  And then there can be a chorus of “But you said.  No, I didn’t.  Yes, you did”. 

It’s only lunch today but in a work setting these kinds of miscommunication can have a more serious ripple effect.  As adults we can be quite stubborn and easily convinced that we are right – we understood perfectly well but it’s the other person that mixed it up once again.

Check and Double Check

So here’s what to do minimize these kinds of missed connections . . . pause for just a second and confirm (even with your teenager) that you both are really talking about the same thing.  Check and double check that you are both going to the same place, at the same time for the same purpose.  Sounds too simple?  It is simple but it will save you lots of time and aggravation.  You’ll also not miss out on lunch with your gorgeous daughter.  And those times will fly by . . . and back to college on the east coast she will go.

Posted in And a Bit More, Inspirational Leadership, Personal Development, Your Time & Energy | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

5 Generations at Work is Challenging!

It’s a challenge – working with people of all ages both in my regular training and coaching roles but also in my community volunteer work.  Each age group is really quite different – disconnects and miscommunication happen all the time.  We often don’t even realize that it’s a “generational thing”.  But it actually all makes sense if we take the time to understand & appreciate the differences (and gifts) that each generation brings to the workplace.

All Ages Volunteering at the Red Cross

I’ve had the great opportunity to design and deliver a leadership training course to the American Red Cross, Northern Nevada Chapter both in 2010 and again this year.  Tomorrow night’s materials will be fun – it’s all about how to work with volunteers of all five generations – common for the Red Cross.  Each generation has its own motivations for wanting to work with the Red Cross and each generation brings its own talents, strengths and gifts to their volunteer work.  But for new leaders it can be a stretch to know how to engage and motivate individuals who often are younger or older than themselves. 

A Great Book & Resource

Here is where I would start . . . pick up this brand new book written by a father-daughter team in a lively conversational style.  Generations, INC: From Boomers to Linksters – Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work, 2010, is packed with facts, historical research and practical, concrete suggestions for how to manage and work with each of the five generations.  It’s current and relevant to today’s work world and our families as well.  And it goes beyond just describing the generational differences (although I found that fasinating) to really teaching us as leaders how to bring out the best in this amazing diverse workforce.

Posted in Career Tips & Strategies, Inspirational Leadership, Navigating Change, Personal Development | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment