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How to Talk So People Will Listen
At the end of any given conversation, whether it’s with co-workers, employees, or customers, do you ever find yourself asking the following questions:- “How many times do I have to tell them how it’s done?”- “Why are there so many misunderstandings?”- “Doesn’t anyone ever listen to me?”If so, you’re not alone. In companies across the nation, communication breakdown is oneof the main challenges managers deal with on a daily basis. As a result, they spend timerestating their objectives to the same people over and over again, only to have theintended message still get altered or confused. Depending on the situation,communication breakdown can have severe consequences—everything from lost salesand profits to high employee turnover rates.The warning signs of communication breakdown include the listener losing interest before you’re finished speaking, your being unable to get the floor at meetings, and doingall the talking during a conversation when you want feedback. If any of these thingsroutinely happen to you during conversations, your communication efforts are noteffective or efficient.Traditionally, most business leaders have spent their time attempting to change the wayothers listen. This is an exercise in futility because the only element in any interactionyou can change is your part of it. Those professionals who are motivated to adjust their speaking in order to get people to listen, develop better relations with staff, investors andcustomers. The result will be fewer misunderstandings and more success in the business.By making the following adjustments to your conversations, you too can experience thesatisfying results of positive communication.
1. Stop talking
When someone talks incessantly, the listener naturally wants to tune out. Listening is anenergy draining process, so forcing people to listen for long periods of time can wear them out. To motivate others, especially if you are the boss or key figure in a negotiation, be quiet and listen to others in order to discover what they are thinking. Stop talking longenough to capture the entire essence of what the other person is saying. Listen for thevalue the other person wants to add and incorporate that into your response.
2. Get to the point
Effective communicators don’t beat around the bush. They make their points clearly andaccurately. To do so, start with a single sentence that notes your positive intent. Next,state the overall goal. Once you make your suggestion for action, follow it up with justifications. Often, but not always, ask for feedback on the idea and allow for brainstorming. Summarize all decisions and each person’s role with dated, specific, andmeasurable commitments.
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