Archive for the ‘Communication’ Category

Achieve True Connection By Listening

ListeningIf you are to make a list of the country’s most influential people, who would you include?  For sure, President Obama would make that list.  So would Warren Buffett and perhaps Steve Jobs.  You could argue that Sarah Palin to be on it depending on whether you’re a fan or not.  Now there’s one name that you may or may not have considered:  Oprah Winfrey.

Her success was hugely attributed to her ability to talk.  But Oprah did more of her share of listening.  The application of her ability to listen is obvious on her television show  She is constantly observing and listening to find issues to address on the air.  When she brings experts, celebrities, and authors on her show, she genuinely listens to what they have to say.  Oprah’s listening ability has rewarded her with incredible success and influence.

To improve your listening, consider the following:

Be an Effective Communicator

Okay, “communication” is a very broad topic – impossible to cover in depth in a few paragraphs. But there are several proven and practical strategies you can immediately apply to enhance your overall effectiveness:

Use Less Words

After writing a correspondence, presentation script, web copy, blog, etc, edit it with a goal of eliminating 20-30% of the words. It’s easy to find unnecessary words if you take time to really look.

Use Visuals

Be a creative communicator by using props, pictures, stories, etc. to convey your message.

Watch Your Language

Try to avoid acronyms, jargon, technical terms, ambiguous words (a little, a lot, very, really, etc.).  Don’t use words that the entire audience may not understand or often have different meanings to different people.

Avoid Rambling

Narrow your communications down to no more than three key points.  Most people have short attention spans.  Make sure you convey your message succinctly and clearly.

“How well we communicate is determined not by how well we say things, but how well we are understood.” – Andrew Grove

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