The Power

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The Power Influence of Effective Communication
Skills

• Suzanne Guess
• 210 Communications
• www.210comm.net

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or
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Were Proud to Sever Our Clients!

• Subtitle
• Better Business Communication Can Save Your Neck

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Example 1

•  -----Original Message----- From Sent  
  Monday, February 27, 2006 1042 AM To     All
  Users Subject Snacks again
•         Hello  all                 Donato is
  supplying us with some free snacks again like
  Friday do to the problem with the cold snack
  machine. They are waiting for a computer chip
  from the machines company. So come enjoy a free
  snake on Rob. It is here know.
•        

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Todays Agenda

• Welcome
• Business Communication whats the point?
• A little theory goes a long way
• Positive emphasis curmudgeons not allowed
• You-attitude and other people
• Wrap up

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Business Communication Whats the Point?

• Provide information to the reader/listener
• Ensure the information is understood
• Build a good image of you, your project team,
  your department, your organization
• Reduce or eliminate further communication

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A Little Theory
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A Little More Theory
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Vicarious Demonstration
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The story

• Every year at State University, the eagles in
  front of the Psi Gamma fraternity house were
  mysteriously spray painted during the night.
  Whenever this happened, it cost the Psi Gams from
  75-100 to have the eagles cleaned. The Psi Gams
  complained to officials and were promised that if
  ever any students were caught painting the
  eagles, they would be expelled from school.

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What they said

• Every year the Phi Delt frat paints eagles white.
  It costs 75 and they complain about it.
• The eagle in the U.S. gets painted twice a year
  and it costs us 75,000.
• Every year fraternities at Iowa State University
  have a painting program that costs 75.

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More fun

• A university named Seigam spends 179 a year to
  support their bird program.
• At Iowa State University there is a frat that
  keeps painting these eagles. If it happens one
  more time they will get expelled. Then theyll
  buy prostitutes.
• A southern university fires some people because
  they surf too much.

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4 Keys to Creative Effective Communication

• 1. Identify your audience.
• What are the significant characteristics?
• 2. Establish your purpose.
• Inform? Persuade? Build/maintain the
  relationship?
• 3. Determine the style and tone.
• Formal? Informal? Demanding? Concerned?

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4 Keys, continued

• 4. Draft your message
• What do you want readers/listeners to do or
  decide?
• What information do they need to take action or
  make a decision?

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A Very Important Note

• The business world expects employees to
  concentrate on the positive
• Tone
• Language
• Attitude
• The business world also expects a focus on
  solutions, not problems.

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Positive Emphasis

• Is this glass
• half-empty, or
• half full?

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Positive EmphasisA Communication Style

• Focuses on the positive
• Helps build and maintain positive business
  relationships
• Using language ethically to express information
  in positive terms.

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Mastering Positive Emphasis

• 1. Avoid negative words
• Replace double negatives
• Never fail to proofread your e-mail before
  sending it.
• Always proofread your e-mail before sending it.
• Use the least negative term
• Because you failed to pay your bill, your account
  is delinquent.
• Your account is past due.

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Positive Emphasis, continued

• 2. Focus on the positive
• State information positively
• You coverage wont be effective until June 1.
• Your coverage will be effective June 1.
• Focus on options that remain
• You cant get a loan because you owe too much.
• You can get a loan with a co-signer.

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Positive Emphasis, continued

• 3. Use layout to de-emphasize negative info
  (written communications)
• Text elements emphasize information, so think
  about what youre highlighting
• State the bad news clearly and concisely.
• You cant use your debit card at an ATM unless
  you have a CIRRUS logo.
• You can use your CIRRUS debit card at any ATM
  that accepts the card.

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Your Turn!
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Example 2

• We want to help you avoid this situation in the
  future. Upon request, we can provide an
  illustration showing the premium payments
  necessary to continue this contract to maturity
  at our current interest rates. You can include
  that request with your payment.

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Possible Revision

• To help avoid this situation in the future, you
  can get an illustration showing the premium
  payments necessary to continue your policy to
  maturity at our current interest rates. To get
  this illustration, call Customer Service or
  include a request with your payment.

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You Attitude

• A style of communication that
• Looks at things from the audiences point of view
• Emphasizes what the audience wants to know
• Respects the audiences intelligence
• Demonstrates your concern for your audience

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Creating You Attitude

• 1. Talk about the reader/listener, not about
  yourself.
• Readers/listeners want to know how they benefit
  or are affected.
• 2. Be specific in your message.
• 3. Dont talk about feelings other than to offer
  sympathy or congratulations.
• Your feelings are irrelevant.

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Creating You Attitude, continued

• 4. In positive situations, use you more than
  I. Use we when it includes the reader.
• 5. In negative situations, avoid the word you.

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Your Turn!
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Example 3

• The valuable protection you are now receiving
  from policy XXX will end on XXX.
  Unfortunately this type of protection is no
  longer available to you. However, if you are
  interested in permanent health insurance and you
  qualify, we offer many plans you can choose from.

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Possible Revision

• The coverage you now how have with policy
  XXX will end on XXX. This type of
  coverage is no longer available after the
  termination date. If you are interested in
  permanent health insurance and you qualify,
  Company ABC offers many plans to choose from.
  Please call Customer Service for more
  information.

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Another Important Note

• Use you-attitude and positive emphasis in
  conjunction with each othernot either/or.

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A Few Final Thoughts

• Communication is a very powerful tool
• Impressions are formed by communication
• Bad news delivered poorly can have disastrous
  consequences
• Hostile, flaming messages rarely get positive
  results
• Burning bridges is b-a-d
• Control your emotions, because you can disagree
  without being disagreeable
• Words can burn or soothe.
• Choose them carefully.

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Wrap Up

• What are 3 things you learned today?
• What are 2 things youll try when you get back to
  your desk?
• What is 1 thing youll never forget?

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Contact Information

• Suzanne Guess
• 210 Communications
• 515.237.0681
• suzanne_at_210comm.net
• www.210comm.net
• sign up for our free newsletter Word Up!