Toward better communications.If you suspect that your batting average batting average n. Baseball A measure of a batter's performance obtained by dividing the total of base hits by the number of times at bat, not including walks. Noun 1. in communications falls well below 1.000, here are some tips that may help you. Empathy empathy Ability to imagine oneself in another's place and understand the other's feelings, desires, ideas, and actions. The empathic actor or singer is one who genuinely feels the part he or she is performing. . Before you communicate something, try putting yourself in the listener's shoes. How is he likely to react to your message and what precautions precautions Infectious disease The constellation of activities intended to minimize exposure to an infectious agent; precautions imply that the isolation of an infected Pt is optional, but not mandatory. can you take to ensure that he understands it in the way you mean it? For example, you tell John Smith that he is wanted in the front office. His initial reaction may be, "I'm going to be raked rake 1 n. 1. A long-handled implement with a row of projecting teeth at its head, used especially to gather leaves or to loosen or smooth earth. 2. A device that resembles such an implement. v. over the coals by the boss." If this isn't the case, you should make that fact clear to him. There is frequently a wide gap between the manager's experience and that of the employee. Your job: bridge it. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Timing. If employees get the wrong impression from a communication, it may be virtually impossible to eradicate Eradicate To completely do away with something, eliminate it, end its existence. Mentioned in: Smallpox it--even with facts. The answer is to get the facts across before rumor RUMOR. A general public report of certain things, without any certainty as to their truth. 2. In general, rumor cannot be received in evidence, but when the question is whether such rumor existed, and not its truth or falsehood, then evidence of it may be given. or misunderstanding can distort your meaning. Credibility. Your words won't carry much weight with workers if they're skeptical of your sincerity in the first place. Your actions must support what you say. And should something happen that contradicts what you've told them, you owe them a full explanation. Simplicity. This is particularly important in written communications. Whether you are writing a memo, bulletin board announcement, letter for general circulation or directive, put it in the simplest, most direct language you know. Repetition often helps make a message stick in the mind. This is especially true of complicated or unfamiliar instructions. If a person misunderstands what you have said the first time, chances are he or she will catch on the second or third time around. Novelty. On the other hand, sometimes it pays to avoid repetition and instead seek new ways of saying things. Overly familiar phrases will be ignored by your people since they will believe they've heard it all before Heard It All Before was released by Jamie Cullum when he was without a record deal and copies are now highly sought after. Track listing
Of course, there are other factors involved in communicating effectively, but if you take the above to heart, you should find your batting average improving appreciably ap·pre·cia·ble adj. Possible to estimate, measure, or perceive: appreciable changes in temperature. See Synonyms at perceptible. . By Ted Pollock, Management Columnist TPoll1012@aol.com |
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