Business Communication

IET MANAGEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY SERIES 24
The Art of
Successful Business
Communication
Other volumes in this series:
Volume 15 Forecasting for technologists and engineers: a practical guide for better
decisions B.C. Twiss
Volume 17 How to communicate in business D.J. Silk
Volume 18 Designing businesses: how to develop and lead a high technology company
G. Young
Volume 19 Continuing professional development: a practical approach J. Lorriman
Volume 20 Skills development for engineers: innovative model for advanced learning in
the workplace K.L. Hoag
Volume 21 Developing effective engineering leadership R.E. Morrison and C.W. Ericsson
Volume 22 Intellectual property rights for engineers, 2nd edition V. Irish
Volume 23 Demystifying marketing: a guide to the fundamentals for engineers P. Forsyth
The Art of
Successful Business
Communication
Patrick Forsyth
with Frances Kay
The Institution of Engineering and Technology
Published by The Institution of Engineering and Technology, London, United Kingdom
2008 The Institution of Engineering and Technology
First published 2008
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Convention. All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research
or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and
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this work are correct, all parties must rely upon their own skill and judgement when
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asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this product is available from the British Library
ISBN 978-0-86341-907-2
Typeset in India by Newgen Imaging Systems (P) Ltd, Chennai
Printed in the UK by Athenaeum Press Ltd, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear
One should not aim at being possible to understand, but at being impossible to
misunderstand.
Quintillian, Romanrhetorician
Contents
Preface xiii
1 Communication: its nature, scope and purpose 1
1.1 A commonthread 1
1.2 Thespecial ingredient 2
1.3 Themanagement dimension 2
1.4 Thenatureof communication 3
1.4.1 Negativeeffects 3
1.4.2 Positiveimpact 4
1.5 Thebonusof messageplusmethod 6
1.5.1 Themessage 6
1.5.2 Themethod 6
1.5.3 Themessenger 6
1.6 Seekingafter excellence 7
1.7 Summary 8
2 What makes for effective communication 11
2.1 Thedifficultiesof makingcommunicationeffective 12
2.1.1 Inherent problems 12
2.2 Aidstoeffectivecommunication 14
2.2.1 TheWhat about me? factor 14
2.2.2 TheThatslogical factor 15
2.2.3 TheI canrelatetothat factor 15
2.2.4 TheAgainandagain factor 16
2.3 Positioningyour communication 16
2.4 Projectingtheright impression 17
2.5 Amplifyingcommunications 18
2.6 Summary 20
3 Prerequisites for success: preparation and listening 21
3.1 A fundamental truth 21
3.2 Listening 21
3.3 Preparation: amomentsthought 22
3.4 Settingobjectives 23
3.5 Decidingthemessage 24
viii The art of successful business communication
3.6 Puttingit together 24
3.6.1 Stage1: Listing 25
3.6.2 Stage2: Sorting 25
3.6.3 Stage3: Arranging 25
3.6.4 Stage4: Reviewing 26
3.6.5 Stage5: Preparethemessage 26
3.6.6 Stage6: A final check 26
3.7 Summary 27
4 Being persuasive: getting agreement from others 29
4.1 Thelogistics 29
4.2 Dountoothers 30
4.2.1 Others feelings 30
4.2.2 What otherswant 31
4.2.3 Howdecisionsaremade 32
4.3 Thethinkinginvolved 33
4.4 Your manner 34
4.5 Makingapersuasivecase 35
4.5.1 First impressionslast 36
4.5.2 Findingout 36
4.5.3 Thepower of persuasion 37
4.6 Feedback 40
4.7 Securingagreement 40
4.8 Anticipatingobjections 41
4.9 Optionsfor handling 41
4.10 Excuses 42
4.11 Reachingaconclusion 43
4.12 What next? follow-upaction 43
4.13 Summary 44
5 Meetings: making them work 45
5.1 Theyhavetheir uses 45
5.2 Unnecessarycosts 46
5.3 Beforemeetingstakeplace 46
5.3.1 Theagenda 47
5.4 Theroleof leadingameeting 48
5.4.1 Themeetingleadersresponsibilities 49
5.4.2 Theconduct of themeeting 50
5.5 Theindividual attendeesresponsibility 53
5.5.1 Maximizingtheeffectivenessof individual
participation 54
5.5.2 Well-handleddiscussion 55
5.6 After themeeting 56
5.6.1 Areminutesnecessary? 56
5.7 Summary 57
List of contents ix
6 Presentations: speaking successfully on your feet 59
6.1 Theimportanceof presentations 59
6.2 A significant opportunity 60
6.3 Thehazardsof beingonyour feet 60
6.4 Presenters nightmares 61
6.4.1 Butterfliesinthestomach 61
6.4.2 A drymouth 61
6.4.3 Not knowingwhat todowithyour hands 61
6.4.4 Not knowinghowloudtospeak 62
6.4.5 A hostilereaction 62
6.4.6 Not havingsufficient material 62
6.4.7 Havingtoomuchmaterial 62
6.4.8 Losingyour place 62
6.4.9 Dryingup 62
6.4.10 Misjudgingthetiming 62
6.5 Preparingtopresent 63
6.5.1 Donot trytoreadverbatim 63
6.5.2 Your audience 64
6.5.3 Clear purpose 65
6.5.4 Howthegroupseesapresenter 65
6.5.5 Howyouseetheaudience 65
6.5.6 Beforeyouspeak 66
6.6 Thestructureof apresentation 67
6.6.1 Thebeginning 67
6.6.2 Themiddle 69
6.6.3 Theend 72
6.7 Speakersnotes 73
6.7.1 Theformat of notes 74
6.8 Visual aids 76
6.8.1 Themost important visual aid 76
6.8.2 General principlesof usingvisual aids 77
6.8.3 Usinganoverheadprojector 77
6.8.4 Bewaregremlins 78
6.8.5 Anythingandeverything 79
6.9 Summary 79
7 Negotiation: making the best deal 81
7.1 A meanstoanend 81
7.2 A changingworld 82
7.3 A special formof communication 82
7.4 Theapplicationof negotiation 83
7.5 Thenatureof negotiation 83
7.6 Threekeyfactors 84
7.6.1 Information 84
7.6.2 Time 84
7.6.3 Power 85
x The art of successful business communication
7.7 A constructiveprocess 85
7.8 Theprocessof makingtheright deal 86
7.9 First thingsfirst 87
7.10 Thecoreelement 88
7.11 Techniquestoaddpower 90
7.12 Thetacticsof negotiating: keytechniques 90
7.13 Interpersonal behaviour 92
7.14 Keepingontrack 93
7.14.1 Questioning 93
7.14.2 Listening 94
7.15 Thescopeof negotiation 95
7.15.1 Checklist 1: Summarizingtheprinciples 95
7.15.2 Checklist 2: Summarizingthetactics 96
7.16 Summary 97
8 Telephone communication: its special nature 99
8.1 Thenatureof voice-onlycommunication 99
8.2 Aninherent fragility 100
8.3 Anopportunity 101
8.4 Theswitchboard 101
8.5 Takingacall 103
8.6 Projectingthepersonal/corporatepersonality 105
8.6.1 Internal image 105
8.6.2 External image 105
8.7 A telephonehandshake 106
8.8 Makingthevoiceworkfor you 106
8.9 A wrongimpression 107
8.10 Voiceandmanner 107
8.10.1 Speakslightlymoreslowlythannormal 107
8.10.2 Makeinflectionworkfor you 108
8.10.3 Smile 108
8.10.4 Get theemphasisright 108
8.10.5 Ensureclarity 108
8.10.6 Bepositive 109
8.10.7 Beconcise 109
8.10.8 Avoidjargon 109
8.10.9 Bedescriptive 109
8.10.10 Usegestures 110
8.10.11 Adopt theright tone 110
8.10.12 Soundyourself 110
8.11 Useof language 110
8.12 Listening 111
8.13 Creatingadialogue 111
8.14 Projectingtheright image 112
8.15 Summary 112
List of contents xi
9 The nature of the written word 113
9.1 A fragileprocess 113
9.2 A major opportunity 114
9.3 What makesgoodbusinesswriting? 114
9.3.1 Serious, andveryserious 115
9.4 Whyarewewriting? 116
9.4.1 Reader expectations 116
9.4.2 Reader preference 116
9.4.3 Thereaders perspective 117
9.5 Powerful habits 118
9.6 Earningareading 118
9.6.1 Therewardsof excellence 118
9.7 A significant opportunity 119
9.8 Summary 119
10 The writing process: what to say and how to say it 121
10.1 Thedifferencelanguagemakes 121
10.1.1 Understandable 121
10.1.2 Readable 123
10.1.3 Straightforward 123
10.1.4 Natural 123
10.2 Readers dislikes 124
10.3 Thewritersapproach 125
10.4 Theuseof language 125
10.5 Makinglanguageworkfor you 126
10.6 Mistakestoavoid 127
10.6.1 Blandness 127
10.6.2 Office-speak 128
10.6.3 Languageof fashion 128
10.6.4 Mistakespeoplehate 129
10.6.5 Clichs 129
10.7 Followingtherules 129
10.8 Personal style 130
10.9 Summary 131
11 The different forms of written communication 133
11.1 Writeright 133
11.2 First principles 133
11.2.1 Example 133
11.3 Letterswithspecificintention 134
11.3.1 Example 135
11.4 Reports 137
11.5 Formatsdemandingspecial approaches 138
11.6 Summary 139
xii The art of successful business communication
12 The ubiquitous email: dos and donts 141
12.1 Email versussnail mail 141
12.2 Email possibledisadvantages? 142
12.3 Somebasicguidelines 142
12.4 Time-wastingemails 145
12.5 Digital signaturesandother securitydevices 146
12.6 Viruses 146
12.7 Email-speak theroleof language 147
12.8 J argon, initialismsandacronyms 148
12.9 Attachments 148
12.10 Hyperlinks 149
12.11 Stayingorganized 149
12.12 Summary 150
13 Dealing with numbers 153
13.1 Thenatureof numbersandnumber blindness 153
13.2 Actiontohelp 153
13.3 Methodsof presentingnumbersclearly 154
13.3.1 Graphsandcharts 154
13.4 Language 158
13.5 Summary 160
Afterword 161
Index 163
Preface
Weall communicate, muchof thetime, andtheworkplaceisnoexception. Often, all
goeswell. Often, wehardlythinkaboutit. Indeed, howdifficultisittosay, Whattime
doyoucall this? tothepostmanor ask for asalaryincrease, makeapresentationto
theboardor writeareportthatwill actuallybereadandinfluenceadecisiontowards
theoneyouwant made?
Well, leavingasidethepostman, theanswer maybenotonlythatsuchthingscan
bedifficult, butalsothatwhentheyarepoorlyexecutedproblemsarenotfar behind.
In most workplaces you do not haveto eavesdrop for long to hear theimmediate
resultsof poor communication:
But I thought yousaid
Youshouldhavesaid
What!?
Similarly, failing to get your point across at a meeting or making a lacklustre
presentationcanchangethecourseof subsequent events toyour detriment.
Therearedifficulties: forinstance, thosemakingapoorpresentationoftencitelack
of timeto prepareas anexcuse. Moreoftenthansomerecognizablefault destroy-
ing or diluting theeffectiveness of communications, it is lack of any thought that
jeopardizes it. It is assumed all will be well and no great thought or preparation
occurs.
This is dangerous, because the fact is that communication is often not easy;
indeed ahost of factors combineto makeit moredifficult. Here, in apublication
madeavailableby theInstitutionof EngineeringandTechnology, afurther factor is
relevant. If straightforward communicationcanbeproblematical, howmuchmore
soisthatthecasewhentechnicalitiesareinvolved especiallywhencommunication
isdirectedfromspecialisttolayman. Asanillustration, thinkaboutthis: howquickly
andeasilycouldyoutell someonewhodoesnt knowhowtotieanecktie? And, no,
youcannot demonstrate wordsonly!
This book addresses theseproblems: what makes communication difficult and
howtoovercomethosedifficulties; howtodeal withspecificmodesof communication
(for instance, makingapresentationor puttingsomethinginwriting); and, overall, it
highlightstheopportunities that goodcommunicationproduces. Twofurther things.
First, thereisalogictothebook, andthecontent of earlychaptersmayenhancethe
readingof asubsequent oneon, say, negotiation, but chaptersonindividual methods
makesenseintheirownright; indeed, somepointsarerepeatedtoensurethis. Second,
thebookisintendedtobeuseful whatever rolesomeonemayhave. So, for example,
thechapter on meetings addresses both thosewho attend themand thosewho run
xiv The art of successful business communication
them. Similarly, skippingonechapter that is not relevant to youwill not affect the
overall continuity. The good communicator can influence things, swing opinions,
persuadeandbuildtheir ownimageandreputationintheprocess communicating
is acareer skill (influencinghowyoufareintheworkplace) as well as anecessary
workone.
Thereisaneedtotakeitseriously, but, thatsaid, theprocessisessentiallycommon
senseandwithoutadoubtthethinkingreadingthisbookcanpromptwill makeitmore
likelythatyouwill communicateeffectivelyandachievewhatyouwantthroughyour
communications.
PatrickForsyth
Touchstone Training & Consultancy
28 Saltcote Maltings
Maldon
Essex CM9 4QP
Chapter 1
Communication: its natur e, scope
and pur pose
1.1 A common thr ead
Leavingother specialist business skills ononesidefor themoment only because
what theyaremayvarysomewhat for peopleindifferent roles consider what links
somanyaspectsof what goesoninthebusinessworld. Thecommonthreadis, ina
word, communication.
Communi cati on: the passing on to another person (or people) of a specific
messagebywhatever method. Inabusinesscontext it shouldbeassumedthat
clarityisalwaysintendedandthat messageshavespecificpurposes.
Almosteverythingonemightlistinthesamebreathasthewordbusi ness involves,
or isaformof, communication. Theimplicationisclear: tobeeffectiveinbusiness,
someonemustbeagoodcommunicator. ToquoteLordGormley: Youimpressfolks
thatlittlebitmorewithwhatyouresayingif yousayitnicely. Peopledonthearyour
ideasif youjust standthereshoutingout words.
Itisatruismtosay, certainlyof executiveandmanagerial roles, that: If youcannot
communicateclearly youcannot operateinbusiness effectively. Not all peopleare
goodcommunicators, of course. Somemayadmitit, butmuddlethroughsomehow,
perhapsfeelingother characteristicsaremoreimportant, or makeupfor shortfallsin
communication. Perhaps an alternativemaximis abetter starting point for abook
suchasthis.
Goodcommunicationcanmakesuccessmorecertainandmakeyoumorelikely
toachieveexcellenceinjobandcareer.
Andthatisthethemeof thisbook. Itisnotitstasktoreviewall theskillsinvolved
inbusiness, nor toinvestigatedeeplythetechnical factorsthattheymay, necessarily,
needtoincorporate. For example, indealingwithpeople, suchspecialist mattersas
employment legislationandunionizationmay beoccasionally important; specialist
knowledgeandskillsof all sortsmaybementionedorimpliedhere, butthebookdoes
notsetouttocoversuchmattersindetail. Thisisnottonegatetheimportanceof such
2 The ar t of successful busi ness communi cati on
areas, but theintentionistofollowthecommontheme, tofocusonthespecificpart
communicationplayswithinthebusinessprocessandreviewinwhat ways(a) what
isdone, and(b) how it isdonecanhelptheprocess.
1.2 T he special ingr edient
Most economies aroundtheworldhavebeenthroughdifficult, or at least different
andunpredictable, times in recent years; indeedgettingback to normal does not
seeman option for which it is worth waiting. It is axiomatic that peoplebear the
bruntof anycommercial or organizational challenge. Theymustcopewithdeclining
markets, ever moreficklecustomers, financial andcorporateupheaval andamore
dynamicbusinessenvironmentthanhasever existedinthepast. TheIT (information
technology) revolution, totakeoneexample, isevidenceenoughof therateof change
everyoneinbusinessmust contendwithdaily, perhapsespeciallymanagers. It isnot
justdoomandgloomthatcreateproblems. Positivedevelopments, too forexample,
asacompanylaunchesanewproduct ontoagrowingmarket areequallylikelyto
producechallenges. Of course, whensuccessisachieved, many thingsinfluenceit.
Some, suchassheer hardwork or persistence, arelikely tobeasimportant asmore
technical or innovativeones.
Butwhenpushcomestoshoveitispeopl ewhocreatesuccess. Andmanagershave
thejobof leadingandsupervisingtheir people. Takepeopleout of theorganization
and there is little, if anything, left. Similarly, take the communication out of the
operationof abusinessandtheorganizationceasestoexist inanymeaningful way.
If peoplemakeadifference, then communications excellenceis apart of how
thingsaremadetowork well. It maynot beareal magicformula(if onlyareal one
didexist!), but attentiontoit cancertainlyproduceimprovedresults.
1.3 T he management dimension
J obs in business vary. Business encompasses thosewho maintain asituation, who
keepadepartment or sectionnot simplytickingover but performingefficientlyand
productively, butperhapswithnopressingneedtodeveloporinnovate. Italsoincludes
those whose job is inherently better described as concerned with the initiation of
things, withinnovation, changeandcreativity. Whatever thespectruminvolved, and
itshouldbesaidthatcopingwithorinitiatingchangeaffectsmoreandmoremanagers,
everyoneisdependentonotherpeople ontheteamthatworksforthemorwithwhich
theywork. Other people couldbesecretariesor assistants, adepartment of twenty
peopleor awholeorganization. Now, makenomistake, businessisdemandingand
multifaceted. To be effective, it needs the application of consideration, time and
effort.
Goodcommunicationcannotchangethisfact, butitcanraisethechancesthatwhat
isdoneworkswell. Forjustawhile, letmefocusonthejobof thosewhomanageother
people(thoughthebook isaimedequally at thosewhodonot doso). For instance,
Communi cati on: i ts nature, scope and pur pose 3
thebest managers treat their teamlikeroyalty. They arethemost important people
in their lives. They work at helping themsucceed. In simpleterms, and assuming
they havetheability todothejob, ideally what isrequiredisthecreationof ateam
whowork:
efficiently
effectively
reliably
consistently
productively.
Ideally it is also necessary for peopleto befocused on thejob and to havean
appropriatedegreeof self-sufficiency(empowered wasthewordthatenjoyedavogue
for awhile) so that themanager canmanagefromadistance. If goodperformance
is achievedonly by watchingpeopleevery stepof theway, this is time-consuming
andhardlyreflectseffectiveteamperformance. A goodteamisquickonitsfeet asit
were, andthattooisacharacteristicbroughtoutbygoodmanagement. Eveninother
relationships, wheredirect reportingrelationshipsarenot involved, communication
canoil thewheelsandmakethingsrunsmoothly.
1.4 T he natur e of communication
Communicationisinherent totheconduct of businessandbusinesses. Whether you
want to prompt a specific action, instigate discussion or idea generation, change
attitudesor gothroughspecific communicationsprocessessuchasappraisal, say, it
all startswithcommunication andgoodcommunicationcanensureor enhanceall
theseprocesses. But it maystoptheretoo. Sofirst let usconsider theproblemspoor
communicationcancreate.
1.4.1 Negati ve effects
Thelist of ways inwhichpoor, or ill-judged, communicationmight havenegative
impact islegion. Theevidenceof poor communicationisall aroundusinmost (all?)
organizations. Walk through the typical office and you will hear the likes of the
followingfloatingintheair:
I thought youmeant
But yousaidto
No, what I meant tosaywas
Whydidnt yousaythat inthefirst place?
Sometimessuchconversationsdonogreatharm, atleastnotbeyondamomentary
hiatus while something is sorted out, perhaps in an additional phrase or two. On
other occasionsmoreharmisdone: incorrect actionistaken; timeiswasted; money
is spent unnecessarily; and deadlines are missed. The effect can be external, too,
resulting in upset, inconvenienced or for mer customers, for example. There is a
dilution of effectiveness at work here, the dangers of which will be readily clear
(welook at exactly why this sort of thinghappens andhowto avoidit inthenext
chapter).
All thismay comefromabrief, but ill-thought-out, fewwordsof conversation.
Or muchmoretimeandeffortmaybeinvolved. Someonemight, for example, spend
hours writing along, detailed report only to find that it was unnecessary, and that
theinstructions givenhadmeant somethingelse. This is somethingthat is not just
anexampleof wasteandinefficiency, but canbepersonally demoralizingto those
involvedaswell.
Considersomeexamplesbeforemovingon. Thefollowingall showhowparticular
taskswithinanorganizationareaffectedbycommunicationsfailure.
Recr ui tment and sel ecti on can beachore. It is, however, avital task because
havingtheright peopleinplaceis adifferentiatingfactor for any organization.
Yet oneill-prepared interview, maybejust afewquestions asked in thewrong
way (or not asked at all), and the result the right candidate missed or the
wrongoneappointed mayproduceconsequencesthat must belivedwithfor a
considerabletime.
Appr ai sal isanother major interviewingtaskwithsimilar potential for problems.
Again, suchameetingisnot theeasiest thingtoconduct, andif communications
breakdownthenmaybeanemployeewhoshouldbenurturedforthefuturebenefit
of thefirmisfoundtobeleavinginsixmonths time.
Ti me off: here is something much smaller-scale. A member of staff asks for
timeoff (let us assumefor what is agoodreason). Pressureof themoment and
lookingaheadpromptsanoffhand, negativeanswer, andmotivation aswell as
productivity isimmediatelyaffectedandtakestimetorepair.
Thedesirability of avoidingsuchinstancesasthosecitedabove, largeor small,
will beclear. But thereverseof all thisisperhapswherethefocusmust lie. It isnot
enoughtoavoidbreakdownsincommunicationandget thecommunicationright: it
is important to get themost fromthesituationby executingthecommunicationas
well aspossible.
1.4.2 Posi ti ve i mpact
The clarity of any message clearly has an effect on what occurs after it is deliv-
ered. Potential problems havealready beenhintedat. At best, poor communication
produces confusion; at worst, it fails to get done whatever should be done.
Conversely, ensuring that amessageis clear and unambiguous can result in posi-
tiveaction. Exactlywhat shouldget donegetsdone. Suchcommunicationisdirectly
ableto:
prompt or speedupaction;
improveefficiency;
increaseproductivity;
stimulatecreativity.
Indeed it will act as a spur to whatever action is required. This may literally
beanaction; for instance, somemanagement communicationis inthenatureof an
instruction. But it mayalsobedesignedfor other purposes, say, to:
inform;
instruct;
motivate;
changeopinions;
prompt debateor discussion;
stimulatethegenerationof ideas;
buildonprior contactsor thinking.
Suchalist coulddoubtlessbeextendedandmakesthepoint that thereisagreat
deal hangingonanycommunicationbetweenmanagement andstaff andaroundthe
organizationthat it is worthgettingit right if suchintentions areto beachievedas
youwish. Aswewill see, communicationcanbeaproblem; itsverynaturecaneasily
produceconfusion. Chapter 2 investigates something of thepsychology involved,
what causescommunicationsbreakdownsandwhat helpsprevent them. Here, even
asmall examplemakes apoint: thereis all thedifferencebetweenaskingsomeone
to get someinformationout immediately (what is immediately, exactly as soon
as possible?) andsayingthat it must go to someoneby email beforethreeoclock
thisafternoon. Thissort of precisionisjust oneof thewaysinwhichaccuracy can
beachievedandresultintheappropriateoutcomebeingensuredjustthatmuchmore
certainly. Specificexamplesof howactivitycanbepositivelyaffectedbygoodcom-
munications appear below. Thefollowingreflect topics other thanthosementioned
inanegativelight above(althougheachhastheir positiveside).
Tr ai ni ng canbeveryvaluable(andI saythisnotjustbecauseI undertaketraining
work!). Butthisisnotalwaysthecase: abriefingmeetingwheretimeisskimped
andneedswronglyidentifiedcanresultinamemberof staff attendingacoursethat
theydonotenjoy, fromwhichneither theynor theorganizationgainsbenefitand
whichsourstheviewof trainingforthefuture. Goodpre-course(andpost-course,
for that matter) communicationcanenhancethetrainingexperience, changinga
plannedcourseattendancefromsomethingviewedasanawkwardbreakinother
worktosomethingthat islookedforwardto, workedat open-mindedlyandfrom
whichsomeonedrawsreal benefit.
I ncenti ves are designed to prompt additional effort and make targeted results
morelikely to beachieved. Incentiveschemes arenot auniversal panacea, yet
canbeveryworthwhileintherightcontext. Yetmorethanonehasfailedbecause
managersfail tocheckor listenandendupinstigatingaschemewithnoappeal to
thepeopleit isintendedtoinfluence(sometimesperhapstheawardsarepicked
solely because they appeal to the manager!). Discussion beforehand can help
deviseanappropriatescheme; clear communicationof thewhysandwherefores
of it canensureit hitsthespot andworkswell.
Rumour and bad news is another danger area. Leaveit alone, do nothing and
it will goaway is sometimes themost temptingattitudetoadopt. This is more
becausedealingwithit is awkwardrather thanbecauseof areal belief that this
will work. However, clear, positivecommunicationpowerfully put over, at the
right time, can stop arumour dead in its tracks and get motivation heading in
theright directionagain.
1.5 T he bonus of message plus method
Communicationinvolvesthreeelements: themessage, thedeliverymethodusedand
themessenger. All areimportant.
1.5.1 The message
Theclarityof anymessageclearlyhasaneffectontheresultsitisintendedtoachieve.
Butthemessagealoneisnotthesoleinfluenceonhowitisreceived. Howweensure
that messages are put across in the right way constitutes much of the content of
thisbook.
1.5.2 The method
Themethodmatters, too. Therearethingsthat arebest doneat ameeting; inaletter,
memo, faxor email; onetoone; onthetelephone; or inamomentastwopeoplepass
inacorridor. Yeteachmethodisasunsuitablefor somethingsasitisrightfor others.
Fewwouldappreciatebeingfiredbyemail. Well, fewarelikelytoappreciatebeing
firedhowever themessageisdelivered, but thepoint isthat themethodcanmakeit
worse. Onemight saythesameof thereverse: beingpromotedsurelydeservessome
discussionandasenseof occasion; that too might seeminappropriately handledif
anemail, say, was thesolemeans of communication. Combinations canbeusedin
different ways. A promotionmight bediscussed, confirmationsent as anemail (to
delay thegood news not at all), discussion might then again follow and awritten
confirmation aletter or memo completeandconfirmthedetail.
In every circumstance one of the things that deserve thought is the choice of
method. Thismeansaconcentrationontherecipientandtheresult. Itmaybequicker
and easier just to lift a telephone, but other ways may have more lasting impact
andpower. Consider howmuchstronger theeffect isof receivingathank-youletter
comparedwithaquicktelephonecall.
Of course, itishorsesfor courses. Everymethodhasitsplacebuteachisbestfor
someapplicationsandlessgoodfor others.
1.5.3 The messenger
What cantheindividual bringtobear onall this?
1.5.3.1 T he power of positive image
The view people hold of an individual will also have an impact on the way their
communications areregardedandindeedactedupon. Thereasons why someoneis
regardedasthey are, by their immediatecolleaguesor staff andothers, arenot easy
totiedown. Many factorsareat work here: someonesnatureandpersonality; their
competence, expertiseandexperience; all aspectsof theirmanagementstyle; and, not
least, howsuccessful they areandwhat resultsthey achieve. Eventheir appearance
playsapart.
Certainly, animportant element istheir wholecommunicationsstyleandability.
A manager, say, whonever hastimefor anyone, especiallyfor consultation, who
conductstheir relationshipsthroughminimal, monosyllabicdialogueandterse, one-
linememos, will rarelyendearthemselvestoothers. Norwill thepersonwhowaffles,
never expressesareal opinionnor voicesaclear statement.
It may beno fault of themessages themselves, but such signals can dilutethe
goodimpressionorgoodinfluencethatsuchpeoplewouldotherwisemakeonothers.
Andthisisanaspect of imagebuildingthat canbecompoundedby lack of skillsin
particularareasof communicationsmethod. Hereismeantsuchthingsasthemanager
whocollectsareputationfor beingineffectiveat suchthingsashandlingameeting,
makingapresentationor writingareport. It is difficult for peopletotakeonboard
eventhemost sensiblemessagewhenit isburiedinadensereport notableonly for
its length, profusionof gobbledegook andoffice-speak andconvolutedstructure.
Similarly, peoplearevery harshabout certainmethods. They arenot likely to say,
Whatexcellentideas! Whatapitytheywerentbetter presented! Theyaremoreapt
tosay, What arottenpresentation! I bet theideaswerent uptomuch, either.
Theconverseof thisisalsotrue. Goodcommunicatorsareinherentlymorelikely
to be held in respect. What they say is, almost automatically, treated with more
respect thanwhat others, lessadept or careful inthisrespect, say. Recipientspickup
confidenceandcompetenceincommunicating. Theyaremorelikelytopayattention,
think about andgivereal considerationtomessagesthey seeaswell conceivedand
well directed, and this will directly help the results of those who are seen in this
positivelight.
This is an effect that operates actively. In other words, people look at those
communicatingwiththemandactivelyseek tousetheir styleandapproachtoassist
inthejudgementstheymakeaboutthecontentof messages. If youdoubtthishappens,
think of what occurs whenevenappearancecontributes somethingvery specific to
meaning. If avoicesays, Excuseme asyouwalkdownthestreet, thenyourreaction
surelytakesimmediateaccountof thefactif youturntoseethatauniformedpoliceman
saidit.
The moral here is to act to ensure that you develop and use communications
skillsinawaythat gainsthiseffect, evenif it meanssometimesoperatingwithmore
confidencethanyoumayfeel.
1.6 Seeking after excellence
In many aspects of business today, just achieving an adequateperformanceis not
enough. Competitivepressures havenever beengreater andthis has aready paral-
lel withnoncommercial-sector organizations. A university, for example, hasjust as
manypressuresarisingfromthefinancial sideof itsoperationasacompanydoesin
seekingprofitability; indeed, someof itsactivitiesmayoperateonastraightcommer-
cial basis. Similar thingscouldbesaidaboutother kindsof organizations, fromchar-
itiestogovernment departments. Asstandardsimprove indesign, quality, service,
whatever thenthebroader markethastokeepupandtheeffortneededtostayahead
increases. Excellencemust besought asstandardtohaveanyhopeof competing.
All thisputspeopleonthespotandcertainlyextendsthechallengeof manyajob.
Incustomerservice, whencompetitionwasless, apleasantmannerandreasonable
efficiencyshoneout. Now, thosedealingwithcustomers, onthetelephone, say, must
offer product knowledge, adviceandservicelinkedtoveryspecificstandards. They
maywell berequiredtoanswer thetelephonepromptly, sendsalesmaterial toarrive
thefollowingday, etc. andstill do so inaway that customers findspontaneous,
courteous, informedandspecific, whilethey operatecomplex computer equipment
and see to the necessary documentation as they go. This is no easy task. Nor is
that of managing a section working in this way. Such a manager may need skills
of administration, of computer systems, of marketing and customer care, coupled
withdetailedknowledgeof theproductandcustomers. But, whatever elseisneeded,
people-management skillscertainlyare andalsothecommunicationskillsthat are
aninherent part of them.
A l ai ssez-fai re approach, one primarily allowing staff to work out their own
methods and respond to theinherent customer pressureas they think fit, may not
maximizeeffectiveness; thoughit maysuperficiallyseemaneasier wayof working
for themanager intheshort term.
Achieving excellent performance takes some real working at. Of course, the
effectscanbeworthwhile asaboveintermsof customersatisfactionandthusfuture
sales but thiseffectively squeezesalarger management jobintothesameamount
of time. Thistooisaproblem, withpeopleinmanycompaniesreportingthatthereis
moreandmoretodointhetimeavailable, andsometimeswithfewer peopleontheir
teamthaninthepast.
Thereisnoroomforerrorsincommunicationtobeallowedtoreduceeffectiveness
insuchcircumstances; andeveryreasontousecommunicationitself toenhanceteam
effectivenessinanywayitcan. Goodcommunicationisaresourcetobemaximized.
1.7 Summar y
So, communicationdirectly affectsperformance. Thereisevery reasontomakethe
bestof it. Inabusylifemanycommunicationerrors, inadequaciesoromissionsoccur
not as aresult of lack of knowledgeor understanding, but as aresult of alack of
thought. Matters areskimped. Memos or reports aresent without being given the
benefit of proper preparation. Meetings arerunadhoc, without clear objectives or
agendas. Andthingsaresaidonthespurof themomentthatpeoplelivetoregret. Much
of theproblemistime. Other pressuresseemtointerveneandrushingsomethingelse
isseenasa maybeunfortunate necessity. Yet sortingout what occursif thingsgo
wrongtakestimetoo sometimesmorethancanbesavedbyrushing.
Of coursecommunicatingwell takestime. Butthereisnoneedforittotakemuch
morethanitwouldtocommunicatel ess well. Whatismore, anysmall amountof extra
timesospent canbeeasily justifiedinterms of theimpact it has ontheindividual,
thosearoundthemandtheorganizationasawhole.
Communicating effectively with people means understanding and thinking of
bothwhatmakescommunicationworkandhowothersviewandrespondtothewhole
process. It is tothelatter that weturninthenext chapter. Meantimethekey issues
hereare:
never tounderestimatethepower of communicationsfor goodor ill;
torealizethateveryonehasapersonal responsibilityfor communicatingwell and
that mistakesor excellencebytheindividual canhavewideimpact;
to seecommunications as somethingneedingstudy andcareandto beactively
workedat(itisall tooeasytoassumecommunicationsarestraightforward, forget
toengagethebrain andsuffer theconsequences).
Chapter 2
W hat makes for effective communication
Onceinawhileitisworthgoingbacktobasics. Thinkforamoment. Thinkagainabout
howyouwouldexplaintosomeonehowyoutieanecktie(without demonstrating).
Howmany times haveyouheardsomeoneinyour officesay somethinglike, But
I thought you said in the past week? What is the difference between saying
something is quite nice and is rather nice? And would you find anything that
warrantedonlyeither descriptiontheleast bit interesting?
Makenomistake: communicationcanbedifficult.
Haveyoueverycomeoutof ameetingorputthetelephonedownonsomeoneand
saidtoyourself, Whatsthematter withthat idiot? They dont seemtounderstand
anythi ng?And, if so, diditcrossyour mindafterwardsthatmaybethedifficultywas
thatyouwerenotexplainingmattersaswell asyoucould?No?Shouldithavedone?
Why, whenyouget awrongnumber, isit never engaged? Sorry, I digress enough
questions.
Makeno mistake: theresponsibility for making communication work lies pri-
marilywiththecommunicator. So, nosurprise, theresponsibilityfor gettingthrough
to people, for making things clear and ensuring understanding is, simply, yours.
Consider twoimportant rules.
Thefirst ruleabout communicationis: never assume any ki nd of communi cati on
i s si mpl e. Most of thetimewespendinour offices is takenupwithcommuni-
catinginoneway or another. It is easy to takeit for granted. Occasionally, we
arenot as preciseas wemight be, but never mind: wemuddlethroughandno
great harmis done. Except that occasionally it is. Somecommunicationbreak-
downsbecomeout-and-out derailments. Often, wherethereismuchhangingon
it, communications must begot exactly right andthepenalties for not so doing
rangefromminor disgruntlement to, at worst, major disruptionto productivity,
efficiencyor qualityof work.
Sothesecondrule, whichis that ever yone needs to take responsi bi l i ty for thei r
own communi cati on, to tackleit inasufficiently consideredmanner to makeit
work effectively, must make particular sense for all those whose job involves
managingor liaisingwithpeople.
To set thescenefor everything that follows wewill now consider certain key
influencesonwhether communicationworkseffectivelyor not, andthenhowtoget
over thedifficulties they present. This provides apractical basis for actionfor any
kindof communication.
2.1 T he difficulties of making communication effective
If therearedifficulties, andtheresurely are, it isnot becauseother people, or work
colleaguesor whoever, areespeciallyperverse. Communicationis, infact, i nherentl y
di ffi cul t. Let usconsider why.
2.1.1 I nherent probl ems
In communicating with people, what you do is essentially apart of theprocess of
makinganorganizationwork. Insodoing, your intentionsareclear; it isnecessary
tomakesurepeople:
hear what yousay, andthuslisten;
understand, anddosoaccurately;
agree, certainlywithmost of it;
takeactioninresponse(thoughtheactionmaysimplybetodecidetotakenote).
Suchactioncouldbeawholerangeof things, beit agreeingtospendmoretime
onsomething, attendameetingor followspecificinstructions.
Consider theareasaboveinturn:
2.1.1.1 Fir st obj ective: to ensur e people hear /listen (or r ead)
Heredifficultiesincludethefollowing.
Peoplecannotorwill notconcentrateforlongperiodsof time, sothisfactmustbe
accommodatedby theway wecommunicate. Longmonologuesareout; written
communicationshouldhaveplentyof breaks, headingsandfreshstarts(whichis
why thedesignof thisbook isasit is); andtwo-way conversationmust beused
toprevent peoplethinkingtheyarepinneddownandhavetolistentosomething
interminable.
Peoplepay less attention to thoseelements of acommunication that appear to
themunimportant, so creatingtheright emphasis, to ensurethat key points are
not missed, isakeyresponsibilityof thecommunicator.
Inother wordsyouhavetoworkatmakingsureyouareheard toearnahearing.
2.1.1.2 Second obj ective: to ensur e accur ate under standing occur s
Difficultieshereincludethefollowing.
People make assumptions based on their past exper ience: Soyoumust make
sure you relate to just that. If you wrongly assume certain experience exists,
your message will not make much sense. (Imagine trying to teach someone
to drive if they had never sat in a car: Press your foot on the accelerator.
Whatsthat?)
Other peoples j ar gon is often not under stood: Sothink very carefully about
theamount youuseandwithwhom. J argonis professional slang andcreates
auseful shorthandamongpeopleintheknow, for example, inoneorganization
What makes for effecti ve communi cati on 13
or oneindustry, but dilutesamessageif usedinappropriately. For instance, used
in away that assumes agreater competencethan actually exists it will hinder
understanding(andremember that peopledo not liketo soundstupidandmay
well bereluctanttosay, I dontunderstand somethingthatcanapplywhatever
thereasonfor alackof understanding).
T hingshear d but not seen ar e mor e easily misunder stood: Thus, anythingthat
canbeshownmaybeuseful; so, too, isamessagethatpaintsapicture inwords.
Assumptions ar e often dr awn befor e a speaker finishes: The listener is, in
fact, sayingto themselves, ImsureI canseewherethis is going andtheir
mindreducesitslisteningconcentration, focusinginsteadonplanningthepersons
ownnext comment. This, too, needsaccommodatingand, whereapoint iskey,
feedback can be sought to ensure that concentration has not faltered and the
messagereallyhasgot through.
2.1.1.3 T hir d obj ective: to pr ompt action
Andtodosodespitethefollowing.
I t is difficult to change peoples habits: Recognizing this is the first step to
achievingit; astronger casemayneedmakingthanwouldbethecaseif thiswere
nottrue. Italsomeansthatcaremustbetakentolinkpastandfuture: forexample,
not saying, That was wrongandthis is better but, rather, That was finethen,
butthiswill bebetterinfuture (andexplaininghowchangedcircumstancesmake
thisso). Anyphraseologythat castsdoubt onsomeonesearlier decisionsshould
beavoidedwherever possible.
T her e may be fear of taking action: Will it work? What will peoplethink?
What will mycolleaguesthink? What aretheconsequencesof itsnot working
out? Andthis risk avoidanceis anatural feeling; recognizingthis andoffering
appropriatereassurancearevital.
M any people ar e simply r eluctant to make pr ompt decisions: Theymayneed
real helpfromyouanditisamistaketoassumethatlayingoutanirresistiblecase
andjust waitingfor thecommitment isall thereistoit.
Inaddition, youneedonemoreobjective.
2.1.1.4 Four th obj ective: to stimulate feedback
Thedifficultiesherearethese.
Some(all?) peoplesometimesdeliberatelyhidetheir reaction. Someflushingout
andreadingbetweenthelinesmaybenecessary.
Appearances can bedeceptive. For example, phrases such as trust me areas
oftenawarningsignasacomment tobewelcomed somecareisnecessary.
Thenet effect of all this is rather liketryingto get aclear viewthroughafog.
Communication goes to and fro, but between theparties involved lies afilter: not
all of themessagemay get through, somemay beblocked, somemay bewarped
or let through only with pieces missing. In part, the remedy to all this is simply
watchfulness. If youappreciatethedifficulties, youcanadjust your communications
stylealittletocompensate, andachievebetter understandingasaresult.
Thefigurebelowillustratesthis.
ENVIRONMENT
MESSAGE
METHODS USED
Communicators'
and receivers'
filters of
background
language,
beliefs,
prejudice etc.
Communicates messages by
speaking, showing feeling,
smell, taste
Receives messages by
sound, sight, feel,
smell, taste
Onemoral issurelyclear: communicationislikelytobebetterforsomeplanning.
This may beonly afewseconds thought theold premiseof engaging thebrain
beforethemouth(or writingarm) throughtomakingsomenotesbeforeyoudrafta
memoor report, or evensittingdownwithacolleaguefor awhiletothrashthrough
thebest waytoapproachsomething.
Wehavealready seensomepossibleantidotestotheinherent difficultieswithin
thelast few paragraphs, but arethereany principles that run parallel and provide
mechanisms tobalancethedifficulty andmakematters easier? Luckily, theanswer
isthat yes, thereare.
2.2 Aids to effective communication
Goodcommunicationis, inpart, amatter of attentiontodetail. J ust usingoneword
insteadof another canmakeaslightdifference. Actually, justusingonewordinstead
of another canmakeasi gni fi cant difference(as yousee!). Andthereareplenty of
other factorsthatcontribute, manyof whichareexploredasthisbookcontinues. But
therearealsocertainoverall factorsthat areof major influence, andthat canbeused
toconditionyour communications.
Four factorsarekey. Well lookat eachinturn.
2.2.1 The What about me? factor
Anymessageismorelikelytobelistenedtoandacceptedif howit affectspeopleis
spelt out. Whatever theeffect, inwhatever way(andit maybeways), peoplewant
toknow, Whats init for me? andHowwill it hurt me? Peopleareinterestedin
boththepotential positiveandnegativeeffects. Tell someonethat youhaveanew
computerizedreportingsystemandthey may well think theworst. Certainly, their
reactionisunlikelytobesimply, Goodfor you: itismorelikelytobe, Soundslike
thatll becomplicated or Bet thatll haveteethingtroubles or takeupmoretime.
Tell themthey aregoingtofindit faster andeasier tosubmit returnsusingthenew
system. Add that it is already drawing good reactions in another department, and
youspell out themessageandwhat theeffectsonthemwill betogether, rather than
leavingthemwaryor askingquestions.
Whatever yousay, bear inmindthat peopleviewit inthiskindof way; buildin
theanswers, andyouavert their potential suspicionandmakethemmorelikely to
want totakethemessageonboard.
2.2.2 The Thats l ogi cal factor
Thesequenceandstructureof communicationareveryimportant. If peopleknowwhat
it is, understandwhyit waschosenandbelieveit will work for them, thentheywill
paymoreattention. Conversely, if it isunclear or illogical, thentheyworryabout it,
andthistakestheirmindoff listening. Somethinglikethisbookprovidesanexample:
it might be possible to have a chapter investigating the fundamental principles of
communicationas Chapter 12, andareasonfor it; but I doubt it. Certainly, readers
wouldqueryit andlookfor agoodreason.
Informationisrememberedandusedinanorder youonlyhavetotrysayingyour
owntelephonenumberasquicklybackwardsasyoudoforwardstodemonstratethis
soyour selectionof asensibleorder for communicationwill makesensetopeople,
and, again, theywill warmtothemessage. Usinganappropriatesequencehelpsgain
understandingandmakes it easier for peopletoretainanduseinformation; as with
muchof what issaidhere, thisisespeciallytruefor atechnicallyorientedmessage.
Telling people about this is called si gnposti ng: flagging in advance either the
content or natureof what iscomingnext; oneimportant formof thisisdescribinga
brief agendafor what follows.
Signposting is avery useful device. Say, Let megiveyou somedetails about
what thereorganizationis, whenthechangeswill comeintoeffect andhowwewill
gain fromit and, provided that makes senseto your listener, they will want to
hear what comes next. So tell themabout thereorganization andthen moveon. It
is almost impossibleto overusesignposting. It can lead into amessage, giving an
overview, andalsoseparatelyleadintosubsectionsof thatmessage. Sometimesitcan
bestrengthenedby explainingwhy theorder has beenchosen: Lets go throughit
chronologically perhapsI couldspell out
Whatever youhaveto say, think about what yousay first, second, thirdandso
onandmaketheorder youchooseanappropriatesequencefor whomever youare
communicatingwith.
2.2.3 The I can rel ate to that factor
Imagineadescription: It wasawonderful sunset. What doesit makeyouthinkof?
Well, asunset, youmay say. But howdo youdo this? Yourecall sunsets youhave
seeninthepast andwhat youimaginedrawsonthat memory, conjuringupwhat is
probablyacompositebasedonmanymemories. Becauseit isreasonabletoassume
that youhaveseenasunset, andenjoyedtheexperienceinthepast, I canbefairly
certainthat abrief descriptionwill put what I want intoyour mind.
Itis, infact, almostimpossiblenottoallowrelatedthingstocomeintoyour mind
asyoutakeinamessage. (Tryitnow anddo not thinkaboutalong, cool refreshing
drink. See?) Thisfact about thewaythehumanmindworksmust beallowedfor and
usedtopromoteclear understanding.
Ontheother hand, if youwereaskedto call to mind, say, thehouseinwhichI
liveandyet I describeit toyounot at all, thenthisisimpossible at least unlessyou
havebeenthereor discussedthematter withmepreviously. All youcandoisguess,
wildly perhaps, that, All authorsliveingarrets or All authorsarerichandlivein
mansions (wrongonbothcounts!).
So, withthis factor also inherent to communication, it is useful to try to judge
carefullypeoplesprior experience; or, indeed, toaskabout it if youhavenot known
themfor longandyouareunsureof their past experience. Youmay also refer to it
withphraseslinkingwhat youaresayingtotheexperienceof theother person for
example, saying things such as this is like, you will remember , do you
knowso andso?, this is similar, but all designedto helpthelistener grasp
what youaresayingmoreeasilyandmoreaccurately.
Bewareof gettingat cross purposes becauseyouthink someonehas aframeof
referenceforsomethingthattheydonot; linktothei r experienceanduseittoreinforce
your message.
2.2.4 The Agai n and agai n factor
Repetitionisafundamental helptograspingapoint. Repetitionisafundamental help
to Sorry. It is true, but it does not imply just sayingthesamething, inthesame
words, repeatedly. Repetitiontakesanumber of forms:
thingsrepeated i n di fferent ways (or atdifferentstagesof thesameconversation);
points madein more than one manner : for example, being spoken and written
down;
usingsummar i es or checkl i sts torecapkeypoints;
reminders over a per i od of ti me (maybe varying the method, phone, email or
meeting).
Thiscanbeoverdone(perhapsasintheintroductiontothispoint above), but it
isalsoagenuinelyvaluableaidtogettingthemessageacross, especiallywhenused
withtheother factors nowmentioned. Peoplereally aremorelikely to retainwhat
theytakeinmorethanonce. Enoughrepetition.
2.3 Positioning your communication
Sofar inthischapter theprinciplesoutlinedhavebeengeneral; theycanbeuseful in
anycommunication. Butexactlywhomyoucommunicatewithisimportant. Consider
staff, reporting to a manager, as a special category. If you want people to work
willingly, happily and efficiently for you, one useful approach to any staff com-
munication is to remember not to allow your communication styleto becometoo
introspective if you want to influencethem, relateto themin away that makes
them theimportant ones. Althoughyouspeakfor theorganization, staff membersdo
not appreciatean unrelieved cataloguethat focuses predominantly on your sideof
things:
theorganizationis
wehavetomakesure
I will beableto
our serviceinthetechnical fieldis
mycolleaguesinresearch
our organizationhas
and so on. Any such phrases can be turned round to focus on the people
thus: Youwill findthischangegivesyou; Youwill receive; Youcanexpect
that
A slight mixture is, of course, necessary, but a predominantly introspective
approach always seems somewhat relentless. And it is moredifficult when phras-
ingthings that way roundfor youto giveareal senseof tailoringwhat yousay to
theindividual: introspectivestatementssoundverygeneral. Usingthewordsyou and
your s (andsimilar) atthestartof amessageusuallyworkswell, andoncethisstartis
madeit isdifficult for youtomakewhat yousaysoundintrospective.
2.4 Pr oj ecting the r ight impr ession
Havingmadeapoint about not soundingtoointrospective, I havetosaythat, onthe
other hand, youdo needto beconcernedabout theimageyouput across, because
thereisagooddeal moretoit thansimplysoundingor appearingpleasant.
Somefactors arelargely common. Youwill probably want toincludeaneedto
appear:
efficient;
approachable;
knowledgeable(inwhatever wayscircumstancesdictate);
well organized;
reliable;
consistent;
interestedinyour staff;
confident;
expert (andabletooffer soundadvice).
For example, peopleliketofeel theyareworkingfor someonecompetent, some-
onethey canrespect. Fair enough. But thethingto noteis that thereis afair-sized
list of characteristics that areworthgettingover, andall of themareelements that
canbeacti vel y addedtothemix, asit were. Youcani ntend toproject animageof,
say, confidenceandmakeit morethanyoufeel, or of fairness whenyouwant it to
beabsolutely clear that this is what you arebeing. Projecting theright mix and
balance of characteristicstocreatetherightimageisimportant. Thereissomecom-
plexityinvolvedhereandthusit isanother aspect of thewholeprocessthat deserves
someactiveconsideration. Anyone, whatever their role, canusefully think through
themost suitableprofilefor theminthisway.
Inaddition, youmust oftenhaveaclear visionof thekindof way youwant to
projecttheorganizationyourepresentandthedepartmentor functionyouarein, and
project that too. Thisisespeciallyimportant whenyouaredealingwithpeoplewith
whomyouhavelessthanday-to-daycontact, thoseinotherdepartments, forinstance.
Consider whether youshouldput over anappearanceof:
innovation;
longexperienceandsubstance;
technical competence;
havingaveryhumanface;
confidence.
Again, you must decide the list that suits you, and emphasize your intended
characteristics as appropriateto createthetotal picturethat is right for whomever
you communicatewith. This is often no morethan just aslight exaggeration of a
characteristic, but canstill beimportant.
Inall thesecases, different levelsandtypesof personwill needdifferent points
emphasizingindifferent ways. For example, somepeoplemay warmto anexperi-
encedmanager withapparentconcernfor their staff. If so, thenanyqualitiescreating
thatimpressioncanusefullybestressed. Othersmayseekmoreweight, soastylewith
moretellinginvolvedmakessensefor them, andyouwill needtoprojectappropriate
clout tomakeit stick.
Individually, all thefactors mentioned in this chapter arestraightforward. Any
complexity inmakingcommunicationwork comesfromtheneedtoconcentrateon
manythingsatonce. Here, habitcanquicklycometoourassistance. Thereisadanger
inthis, too, however. Unlessyoumaintainaconsciousoverview, itiseasytoslipinto
badhabitsor, bybeingunthinking andmakingnodecisionrather thanmakingthe
wrongdecision allowthefinetuningthat makesfor goodcommunicationtogoby
default. Remember, just awordor twocanmakeadifference. A completemessage
deliveredinaninadequatemanner maycausechaos.
Two other key factors have not yet been given sufficient weight. As we
communicatewehavetoworkat what occursinbothdirections.
2.5 Amplifying communications
Oneor twoaddedfactorsareworthconsideration. Clearly, listeningisvital, but it is
not enoughjust tosaythat. Youneedtomakelisteninganother acti ve process. This
involvescareandconcentration.
Listeninghas to makeadifferenceto aconversation. Aboveall, adaptinghow
youproceedinthelightof theinformationother peoplegiveiskey, andanimportant
element of this is bei ng percei ved to do so. Fewthings endear youto other people
quitesomuchasbeingagoodlistener. Itisafactorthatneedsonlyalittlethoughtand
canquickly becomeahabit, onethat isimportant throughout thepieceaswemove
onandwereturntoit inthenext chapter.
Beforemovingonletsconsider somecomment onatechniquethat iscommon
inprovidingassistancewithmany of theformsof communicationwewill goonto
reviewinsucceedingchapters: that of questioningtechniques.
Manycommunicationssituationsneedtobeclarifiedbytheaskingof questions.
Unlessyouknowthefacts, unlessyouknowwhat peoplethink and, most important
of all, unless you know why things areas they are, taking theprocess on may be
difficult or impossible. Howdoyouresolveadisputeif youdonot reallyunderstand
why peopleareat loggerheads? Howdo you persuadepeopleto action when you
donot knowhowtheyviewtheareainwhichyouwant themtoget involved? How
do you motivateif you do not know what is important to peopleor what worries
them? Theanswer ineverysuchcasemight bestatedaswithdifficulty. Questions
createinvolvement, theyget peopletalkingandtheanswerstheyprompt providethe
foundationfor muchof what makescommunicationsuccessful.
But questioningismorethanjust blurtingout thefirst thingthat comestomind:
Whydoyousaythat? Evenasimplephrasemaycarryovertonesandpeoplewonder
if youaresuggestingthey shouldnot havesaidthat, or if youseeno relevancefor
thepoint made. In addition, many questions can easily beambiguous. It is all too
easytoasksomethingthat, onlybecauseitislooselyphrased, promptsanunintended
response. Ask, Howlongwill that take? andthereply may simply beNot long.
Ask, Will youfinishthat beforeI havetogotothemeetingat elevenoclock? and,
if your purposewastobeabletopreparefor themeetingaccordingly, thenyouare
muchmorelikelytobeabletodecideexactlywhat todo.
Beyond simple clarity, you need to consider and use three distinctly different
kindsof question.
1. Closed questions: Theseprompt rapidyes or no answers, andareuseful both
asastartingpoint (they canalsobemadeeasy toanswer tohelpeasesomeone
intothequestioningprocess) andtogainrapidconfirmationof something. Too
manyclosedquestionsontheother handcreateavirtual monologueinwhichthe
questioner seems to bedoingmost of thetalking, andthis canbeannoyingor
unsatisfyingtotheother person
2. Open questions: Thesearephrasedsothattheycannotbeansweredwithasimple
yesornoandtypicallybeginwithwordssuchaswhat, where, why, how, who and
when andphrasessuchasTell meabout Suchquestionsget peopletalking,
they involvethemandthey likethefeel they givetoaconversation. Prompting
afuller answer andencouragingpeopletoexplainmeans they alsoproducefar
moreinformationthanfromclosedquestions
3. Pr obing questions: Theseareaseriesof linkedquestionsdesignedtopursuea
point: thus, asecondquestionthat says, What elseisimportant about ? or a
phraselikeTell memoreabout getspeopletofill out apictureandcanthus
producebothmoredetail andthewhy thatliesbeyondmoresuperficial answers.
Manyacommunicationismadetosucceedbythesimpleprerequisiteof startingit
withsomequestions. Itisimportanttogivesufficienttimetothequestioningprocess
whenfindingoutisnecessary. Itmayalsobeimportanttogivetheclearimpressionto
other peoplethat sufficient timeisbeinggiventosomething. Thismayindicate, say,
theimportancewithwhichsomethingisregarded; andthereversemaygivethewrong
impression sayof lackof concern. Bothmaybeimportant. Thisissomethingthatit
maysometimesbeuseful tospell outwith, say, I wanttogothroughthisthoroughly.
I cantakeanhour or sonowandif that proves inadequatewecancomeback toit.
Letsseehowweget on.
2.6 Summar y
Twoapproachesareessential toeverythinginbusinesscommunication:
1. thatyourecognizetheinherentproblemsthatexistandmakecommunicationless
certain(anddonot assumetheprocessisstraightforward);
2. that you recognizealso that your communication needs actively to aimto get
over (or at least minimize) theseproblemsandact accordingly.
Unless this is accommodated, adding the further techniques involved in any
particular formof communicationisgoingtoalloweffectivenesstobediluted.
Chapter 3
Pr er equisites for success: pr epar ation
and listening
3.1 A fundamental tr uth
Enough has been said about the difficulties of communicating effectively to
demonstratethat anythingandeverythingthat helpsit gowell isworthconsidering.
Herewegofurther andconsider elementsthat areabsolutefundamentalstogetting
it right. Muchof what is saidhereis generic: it helps any communication. Beyond
that, thereisanecessity toadopt specific approachestospecific tasks; sowritinga
report, for instance, hassomeuniqueelementstoit.
Note: This chapter is thus linked strongly to others and it may beworthwhile
referringbacktoit asyoureadother partsof thisbook; thisissuggestedinavariety
of specificplacesthroughout thebook.
3.2 L istening
Thismaybeanobviousone, but it standssomereal consideration.
Donot lookback, but canyouremember what particular kindof communication
was mentioned as an example in the first paragraph of this chapter? Or can you
describeeither of thetwosummary pointsat theendof thelast chapter? If not (and
behonest), thenconsider that theprincipleissimilar without concentrationwedo
not takeineverydetail of what wearereading, or hearing.
Thekeything, then, istoregardlisteningasanacti ve process. Itissomethingwe
all needto work at. What does this mean? Therearewhat areperhaps asurprising
numberof waysinwhichwecanfocusandimproveourlistening andtheretentionof
information, includingdetailscrucial tounderstanding, thatitenables. Theseinclude
theneedtodothefollowing.
Want tolisten: Thisiseasyonceyourealizehowuseful itistothecommunication
process.
L ook like a good listener : Peoplewill appreciateit and, if they seethey have
your attentionandfeedback, will bemoreforthcoming.
Under stand: It isnot just thewordsbut themeaningthat liesbehindthemthat
youmust note.
React: Let people see that you have heard, understood and are interested.
Nods, small gesturesandsignsandcommentswill encouragetheother persons
confidenceandparticipation right?
Stop talking: Other thansmall acknowledgements, youcannot talk andlistenat
thesametime. Donot interrupt.
Use empathy: Put yourself intheother personsshoesandmakesureyoureally
appreciatetheir point of view.
Check: If necessary, ask questions promptly to clarify matters as theconversa-
tionproceeds. Anunderstandingbasedevenpartlyonguessesor assumptionsis
dangerous. But ask questions diplomatically; avoidsaying, Youdidnt explain
that properly.
Remain unemotional: Toomuchthinkingahead HowevercanI overcomethat
point? candistract you.
Concentr ate: Allownothingtodistract you.
L ook at the other per son: Nothing is read morerapidly as uninterest than an
inadequatefocusof attention goodeyecontact isessential (innegotiating, for
instance, lackof it will alwaysbereadasdeviousness).
Note par ticular ly key points: Edit what youhear so that youcanbetter retain
keypointsmanageably.
Avoid per sonalities: Do not let your viewof someoneas apersondistract you
fromthemessage, or fromdealingwiththemif that isnecessary.
Do not lose your self in subsequent ar guments: Somethinkingaheadmay be
useful; toomuchandyousuddenlymayfindyouhavemissedsomething.
Avoid negatives: To beginwithclear signs of disagreement (evenadismissive
look) canmaketheother personclamupanddestroythedialogue.
M ake notes: Donottrustyourmemory, and, if itispolitetodoso, askpermission
beforewritingtheir commentsdown.
Makenomistake, if youlisten real l y listen theneverythingthat followswill
bealittleeasier andmorecertain.
3.3 Pr epar ation: a moments thought
We should not think that having to prepare implies some sort of weakness. For
instance, the born public speaker, effortlessly sailing through a presentation, is
probably abletogivethis impressiononly becausethey arewell prepared. It needs
doing; thejobis to makesureit is well doneandis also doneproductively good
preparationshouldsavetimeoverall.
Whether youareto writeareport, makeapresentationor undertakesomething
simpler, suchaswritinganemail or aletter, theprocessisessentially similar. What
doeschangeisthecomplexityandthetimethatpreparationtakes. Inordertodescribe
an approach and make it seemreal, the following relates primarily to making a
presentation: oftensomethingwrittenlinkstosomethingpresentedand, whatever is
done, the key approaches al ways appl y.
Prerequi si tes for success: prepar ati on and l i steni ng 23
3.4 Setting obj ectives
Whateveryoumayneedtocommunicateandhoweveritistobedone, itspurposemust
beclear. Youmustbeabletoanswerthequestion, Whyamdoingthis? Andsetouta
purpose, onethatalwaysneedstoinvolveyouandtherecipientsof your messageand
describeswhat effect youaimtohaveonthem. Remember that communicationcan
havemanyoverall intentions(toinform, motivateandmore describedinChapter1),
andthatthesearenotmutuallyexclusive. Themoredifferentintentionsthereare, the
morepreparationmust ensureall will befulfilled.
Objectives neednot only to beclear, but spelt out insufficient detail (certainly
inyour ownmindandsometimes for others). They must act as agenuineguideto
whatyouwill do. Theyalsoneedtoreflectnotjustwhatyouwant, buttheaudiences
viewalso.
Often a much-quoted acronymcan provide a good guide here: SMART. This
standsfor:
Specific
M easurable
Achievable
Realistic
T imed
As an example, you might regard objectives linked to your reading a latter
chapter onpresentations astoachievethefollowing.
Enable you to ensure your presentations come over in future in a way that
audienceswill seeasappropriateandinformative(speci fi c).
Ensure(measur abl e) actiontakes placeafterwards (hereyoumight link to any
appropriate measure: fromagreements or actions that group members take or
commit tothevolumeof applausereceived!).
Beright for you: sufficient, understandableinformationinmanageableformthat
reallyallowsyoutochangeandimprovewhatyoudolater (anachi evabl e result).
Bereal i sti c, that is desirable henceashort text (if it took youseveral days to
readtheeffort might provegreater thananybenefit comingfromdoingso).
Provideti mi ng alwaysagoodfactor toincludeinanyobjective. Whenareyou
goingto finishreadingthis chapter? Whenis your next presentation? Howfar
aheadof it shouldyouprepare?
So, ask yourself whether youareclear inthis respect beforeyouevenbeginto
prepare. If you knowwhy thepresentation must bemade, and what you intend to
achi eve thenyouarewell onthewaytosuccess. Timespentsortingthis, andmaking
sureyouhaveaclear visionof whattheobjectivesare, istimewell spent. Itmaytake
onlyafewmoments, but isstill worthdoing. Or it mayneedmorethought andtake
moretime. So beit. It is still worthdoingand, inany case, may well savetimeon
later stagesof preparation.
Withyour purposeclear, andaconstant eye, asit were, ontheaudience, youcan
begintoassembleyour message.
3.5 Deciding the message
Thereis moreto this thansimply bangingdownthepoints insequence, something
that was hinted at early in this chapter. A moresystematic approach is necessary;
indeed, amoresystematicapproachcanquicklybecomeahabitof preparinginaway
that promptlyandcertainlyenablesyoutodeliver what youwant.
The following provides a full description of a tried and tested approach. This
describesthefullest degreeof preparationnecessary, but it isimportant tostressthat
thisisnot offeredassomethingthat must befollowedslavishly. Theimportant thing
istofind, experimentwithandrefineandthenuseamethodthatsuitsyou. Inaddition,
practiceandexperience, or other factorssuchasfamiliarity withyour chosentopic,
may well allow you to adopt a shorthand version of these approaches, which is
quicker, but still doesfor youthetotal jobthat isnecessaryat thisstage.
Thereisaneedheretotakeonepoint at atime(if onlybecausethereisnoother
waytoproceed).
First, asix-stageapproachmajorsonhelpingsort out what the message i s to be,
what you need to say in our presentational example(and what you should not say
also). Herealsoweinvestigatemoreabouthow youwill putthemessageacross. Both
linktothestructureinvolved: whatcomesfirst, secondandthirdandwhatconstitutes
thebeginning, themiddleandtheending.
Thereis something of thechicken and egg here. Does preparation or structure
logicallycomefirst? Bothareimportant, bothareinterrelated. Thesequencechosen
hereworks well andis intendedto showyouhowto put apresentationtogether as
it would need to bedonein areal-lifesituation. Thedetails and thesequencecan
equallyapplytosomethingsuchaswritingareportor proposal, andinlesselaborate
formtomuchelsebesides. So, ontothedetail of assemblingthemessage.
3.6 Putting it together
It isnot necessaryonlytoengagethebrainbeforethemouth, but alsovital tothink
through, in advance, what apresentation must contain and not contain, for that
matter. Thefollowingprocessof thinkingthroughandpreparationisrecommended
solelybyitspracticalityandcanbeadaptedtocopewithanysort of presentation, of
anylengthor complexityandof anypurpose.
Many communications fail or their effectiveness is dilutedbecausepreparation
isskimped. Acceptingthat preparationtakestimeandbuildingthisintothebusiness
of theworkplaceis thefirst stepto beingagoodcommunicator. Inthelongrun, it
saves time, in part on theold premisethat, whilethereis never timeto do things
properly, therealwayshastobetimemadeavailabletosort out anymesscausedby
their inadequacies.
Therearesix stages (described, in part, by continuing to usethepresentations
example). Theverybest wayof linkingtheprinciplesdescribedheretoreal lifeisto
gothroughthemwithsomepersonal project, suchasapresentationyoumust make,
inmindandlinkthistotheapproachthat follows.
3.6.1 Stage 1: Li sti ng
Forget about everythingsuchassequence, structureandarrangement, andjust con-
centrateonandlist inshort note(or keyword) form every significant point that
thepresentation might usefully contain. Giveyourself plenty of space(something
larger than thestandard A4 sheet is often useful: it lets you seeeverything at one
glance). Set downthepointsastheyoccur toyou, almost at randomacrossthepage.
Forsomethingsimplethismightresultonlyinadozenwords, oritmightbefarmore.
Youwill findthat this is agoodthought prompter. It enables youto fill out the
pictureas onethought leads to another, with thefreestyleapproach removing the
needtopauseandtry tolink points or worry about sequence. Withthis done and
withsomemessages it may only takeashort time youhaveafull pictureof the
possibilitiesfor themessageinfrontof youandyoucanmoveontothesecondstage.
3.6.2 Stage 2: Sor ti ng
Now, youcanreviewwhat youhavenoteddownandbegintobringsomeorder toit,
deciding:
what comesfirst, secondandsoon;
what logicallylinkstogether, andhow;
what providesevidence, exampleor illustrationtothepoints.
At thesametime, youcan andprobablywill addsomeadditional thingsand
havesecondthoughtsabout other items, whichyouwill delete, aswell asamending
thewordingalittleif necessaryYouneedtobear inmindherewhat kindof duration
(or length) isindicated, andwhat will beacceptable.
This stage can often be completed in a short time by simply annotating and
amendingthefirst-stagedocument. Usingasecondcolour makesthisquickandeasy,
asdolinklines, arrowsandother enhancementsof theoriginal notes.
At thesametime, youcanbegintocatchany moredetailedelement that comes
tomindasyougothrough(includingwaysof presentingaswell ascontent), noting
what it isat morelengthonthepageor alongside.
3.6.3 Stage 3: Ar r angi ng
Sometimes, at theendof Stage2, youhaveanotethat issufficientlyclear andfrom
whichyoucanworkdirectlyinfinalizingmatters. If itcanbenefitfromclarification,
however, it maybeworthrewritingit asaneat list; or thiscouldbethestagewhere
youtypeit andput it onscreenif youareworkingthat way andwant tobeableto
print somethingout induecourse.
Final revisionispossibleasyoudothis. Certainly youshouldbeleft withalist
reflectingthecontent, emphasis, level of detail andsoonthatyoufeel isappropriate.
You may well find you arepruning abit to makethings moremanageableat this
stage, rather thansearchingfor morecontentsandadditional pointstomake.
3.6.4 Stage 4: Revi ewi ng
Thismaybeunnecessary. Sufficient thought mayhavebeenbrought tobear through
earlier stages. However, for somethingparticularly complex or important (or both)
it maybeworthrunningafinal ruleover what younowhavedown. Sleeponit first
perhaps certainly avoidfinalizingmattersfor amoment if youhavegot tooclose
toit. It iseasytofindyoucannot seethewoodfor thetrees.
Makeany final amendmentstothelist (if thisisonscreenit isasimplematter)
andusethisasyour final routemap aspreparationcontinues.
3.6.5 Stage 5: Prepare the message
Inourexamplethiswouldbespeakers notes(seemoreabouttheseintheappropriate
chapter). If thejobweretowritesomething, thenthisiswhereyouactuallywriteit.
Nowyoucanturnyour firmintentionsaboutcontentintosomethingrepresentingnot
only what will besaid, but also how youwill put it over. Oneof thevirtues of the
procedureadvocatedhereis that it stops youtryingto think about what to say and
howtosayit at thesametime; it ismucheasier totaketheminturn. Thisfifthstage
must bedonecarefully, thoughtheearlier work will havehelpedto makeit easier
andquicker toget thenecessarydetail down.
Hereareacoupleof tips.
If possible, choose the r i ght moment. Thereseemtobetimes whenwords flow
moreeasilythanothers(andit mayhelpliterallytotalk it throughtoyourself as
yougothroughthisstage). Certainly, interruptionscandisrupttheflowandmake
theprocesstakemuchlonger, asyourecapandrestart againandagain. Theright
time, uninterruptedtimeinacomfortableenvironment all help.
Keep goi ng. By this I meando not pauseandagonizeover aphrase, aheading
or someother detail. Youcanalwayscomebacktothat; indeed, it maybeeasier
to completelater. If youkeepgoingyoumaintaintheflow, allowingconsistent
thinkingto carry youthroughthestructureto theendso that youcansee the
overall shapeof it. Onceyouhavethemaindetail down, thenyoucangobackand
fine-tune, addingany final thoughtstocompletethepicture. Thepreciseformat
of notescanbeveryhelpful, somethingthat isinvestigatedlater.
3.6.6 Stage 6: A fi nal check
Afinal look(perhapsafterabreak)isalwaysvaluable. Thisisalsothetimetoconsider
rehearsal: eithertalkingitthroughtoyourself, ataperecorderorafriendorcolleague;
or goingthroughafull-scaledressrehearsal.
Thereafter, depending on thenatureof thepresentation, it may beuseful or
necessary tospendmoretime, either inrevisionor just readingover what youplan
to do. You should not overdo revision at this stage, however; therecomes atime
simply to becontent that youhaveit right andstick withit. If preparingawritten
document, it is herethat any necessary editingtakes place. Andtherewill besome
editing few, if anypeople, writewithout theneedtofine-tunethetext toproducea
final version.
Thiswholepreparationprocessisimportant andnot tobeskimped. Preparation
does get easier, however. You will find that, with practice, you begin to produce
material thatneedslessamendmentandthatbothgettingitdownandthesubsequent
revisionbegintotakelesstime.
At theend of theday, as has been said, you need to find your own version of
theprocedures set out here. A systematic approach helps, but theintention is not
to overengineer the process. What matters is that you are comfortable with your
chosenapproach that it worksfor you. If thisisthecase, then, providedit remains
consciouslydesignedtoachievewhatisnecessary, itwill becomeahabit. Itwill need
lessthinkingabout, yetstill acttoguaranteethatyouturnoutsomethingthatyouare
content withandmeetstheneeds whatever theymaybe.
3.7 Summar y
Preparationisavital part of communicating. At itssimplest it ismerelyamoments
constructivethought. Moreoftenmoreisnecessary. Thekeyissuesare:
alwaystoprecedeanythinkingbydevisingaclear objective;
topreparemessageswithaclear ideaof what intentionstheyreflect (informing,
persuading, etc.);
tothink mattersthroughsystematically andseparatedecidingwhat youwill say
(or put over inwhatever way), fromhow youwill put thingsandthustheprecise
languageyouwill use;
togivethisprocesssufficient timeand, if possible, buildinsomepausessothat
youdonot becomeunabletoseethewoodfor thetrees;
tobepreparedtofine-tunethemessagetoget it right.
Chapter 4
Being per suasive: getting agr eement
fr om other s
Communication, asthereisadanger of overstating, isnot easy. Difficultiesabound
whenwearesimply tryingto impart informationanddo it clearly; it is evenmore
difficult if youintendtopersuadesomeonetodosomethingthat youwant, andthat
perhapstheydonot, at least at first.
Althoughitwassaidearlierthattherearenomagicformulae, itisnotexaggerating
tosuggest that preparationcomesclose. Certainly, thepersonwhorunsringsaround
othersasit wereisprobablynot inherentlypersuasive morelikelytheyunderstand
howthissort of communicationworksanddotheir homework.
Remember that preparation does a number of things. Not least, the thinking
involvedmakesexecutingcommunicationeasier itprovidesaroutemap toguide
youthroughwhat needstobedone.
Whileavoiding unduerepetition, and coupling that to recommending that you
check carefullythefull implicationsof preparinginthepreviouschapter, it isworth
highlightingthefour keystagesthat must begonethrough:
1. setti ng obj ecti ves (SMART objectives);
2. checki ng the facts (ensuringyouhavethefactstohand, whether about thetopic
of your plannedpersuasion, thepeopleyouintendtopersuadeor whatever else);
3. pl anni ng the meeti ng (so that you are able to go through things as closely as
possibleto what youconsider theideal way, without makingother peoplefeel
theyarebeingleddictatorially);
4. backi ng up what you wi l l say (assemblingtheelementsof thecaseyouwill make).
Withthisthinkingdone, youarereadytocommunicate. Youknow:
preciselywhat youareaimingat;
howyouintendtogoabout presentingyour case;
somethingabout theother person andthereforetheir likelyreactions;
what youwill usetoexemplifyyour case;
what problemsmayoccur and, broadly, howyouwill deal withthem.
4.1 T he logistics
It mayalsobeimportant tothinkabout certainother matters. For example, howlong
areyoulikelytohave?Itisnogoodplanningablindinglyconvincingcasethattakes
half anhour to deliver, if yourealistically will haveonly half that time. Or where
will you be? Will there be roomfor you to lay all the materials you plan to use
out on thetable? Note: if you haveto deal other than faceto face, remember that
othertechniquesmaybeinvolved, forexamplewritingoron-your-feet presentation,
and that this can add an additional dimension to theprocess that also needs some
thought.
You can never know, of course, exactly howthings will go and your planning
must not act as a straitjacket, but allow you to retain an inherent flexibility. But
havingall this clear inyour mindwill certainly help; what is more, it adds another
important element to theequation andto your chances of gettingyour ownway:
confidence. If youareclear inyour ownmindof thepathahead, andhavetomake
less of it up as you go along, then what you will do will be easier and more
certain.
4.2 Do unto other s
Preparationmaynot beamagicformulathat guaranteessuccess, but it will certainly
help. So too does the approach described next. The key premise is absurdly
simple.
Youaremorelikely to bepersuasiveif youapproachtheprocess as something
that relates as muchto what other peopl e want andhowthey think as to what you
wanttodoyourself. Indeed, thisperspectivemustunderlieeverythingyoudo, sothe
startingpoint istothinkthroughhowbeingpersuadedlooksfromtheother persons
point of view.
Therearethreeaspects to other peoples views that need to beconsidered and
thenborneinmind: (1) howtheyfeel, (2) what theywant and(3) howtheygoabout
makingadecisiontoagreetoact, or not.
4.2.1 Other s feel i ngs
Mostoften, peoplerecognizeveryquicklywhentheyareinasituationwheresomeone
istryingtopersuadethemof something. Their instinctivereactionmaybetodislike
theideaof it: Imnot being madeto do anything. However, oncethey begin to
appreciatewhatisbeingaskedof them, their feelingsmaybepositiveor negative, or
indeedamixtureof both. Positivereactions areclearly easier todeal with, andcan
workfor us.
Inanobviouscase persuadingsomeonetodosomethingtheywill clearlyfind
beneficial they may start to seeit as agood ideaalmost at once. So, amanager
saying to someonethat they want to discuss somechanges to their work portfolio
that will maketheir lifeeasier andput theminlinefor asalary increasewill likely
findthemall ears. This does not meanthat they will not beonthelookout incase
what isbeingsuggestedisnot 100per cent good, but essentially their thinkingwill
tendto bepositive. Inthis case, theremay well beno difficult implications for the
persondoingthepersuading, otherthantoaimtobuildonthegoodwill thatisalready
startingtoexist.
Bei ng per suasi ve: getti ng agreement from other s 31
But the opposite may, perhaps more often, be the case. A variety of negative
feelingsmay arise, immediately or asyouget intomakingyour case, andif sothen
youneedto besensitiveto what is happeningandseek to positionwhat youdo in
light of it.
Thefollowingsets out someexamples of howpeoplemight feel andwhat they
might think.
I nsecur e: Thissoundscomplicated, I amnot sureI will knowhowtodecideor
what viewtotake.
T hr eatened: Thingsarebeingtakenoutof myhands. I shoulddecidethis, notbe
pushedintosomethingbysomeoneelse.
Out of contr ol: If I makethewrongdecisionI may beintrouble. Any decision
involvestakingariskandthingscouldbackfireonme.
Wor r ied: Youresuggestingchanges does that imply I was at fault before? I
dont likethat implication.
Exposed: Thisdiscussionisgettingawkward. Imbeingaskedtoreveal factsor
feelingsthat I wouldrather not discuss.
I gnor ant: Youreusingyourgreaterknowledgetoputmeonthespot. I dontfeel
confident inarguingthepoint, thoughI amnot convinced.
Confused: I ought tounderstand, but yourenot makingthingsclear or letting
meget anyclarification.
Sceptical: Youmakeitsoundgoodbut, then, itswhatyou want. Maybethecase
isnot asstrongasit seems.
M isunder stood: I dont believethecaseyoumaketakesmy point of viewinto
account itsall right for youbut not for me.
Suspicious: Peoplewithsomethingtosell alwaysexaggerateandareinterested
onlyinwhat theywant Imnot goingtobecaught out bythis.
A moments thought quickly suggests all suchfeelings areunderstandable, but
if theyareoverlooked if yougoaheadasif your messageshouldbereceivedwith
openarmswheninfactsuchreactionsexist youwill hitproblems. If thoughtssuch
asthisare inpeoplesminds, thentheyact tocloudtheissueandmaymakeit more
difficulttoseethelogicof somethingyouaresuggesting. Itisnotenoughtobeclear
or topresentwhatseemstoyouanobviouslystrongcase theother personmustsee
it assomethingwithwhichtheycanwillinglygoalong.
4.2.2 What other s want
Whatpeoplewantmayvaryenormously, of course. Itwill relatebacktotheirsituation,
views, experienceandprejudices. It may reflect deep-seated, long-heldviewsor be
moretopical andtransient or both. Sometimesyouknowinadvancewhat people
want. On other occasions it comes out in thecourseof conversation, or you need
to ferret it out as yougo along. It canbecomplicated withanumber of different
wants involvedtogether (someof which may becontradictory) andthus needs
somethoughttokeepitinmind. Butunderstandingandrespondingtopeoplesdesires
areanimportant part of beingpersuasive.
Panel 4.1 Example
A simpleexamplewill makewhatisinvolvedhereclearer (thiswill bereferred
to throughout this chapter). Imagine you have to make some sort of formal
presentationjointlywithacolleagueatwork. Youwanttopersuadethemtoset
asidesufficient time, inadvance, torehearsethepresentationtogether tomake
sureit goeswell. What might theywant? Maybethefollowing.
1. M ake sur e it goes well: Asyoudo, but maybetheyaremoreconfident of
makingit gowell thanyouare.
2. M inimize time spent in pr epar ation: Likeyouagain, nodoubt, but per-
hapsthisblindsthemtotheneedfor rehearsal, whichthey might seeasa
sledgehammer tocrackanut.
3. L eave pr epar ation to the last minute: Maybebecauseother tasks have
greater short-termurgency, or seemtohave.
4. Outshine you on the day: Theymight bemoreintent onscoringpersonal
pointswithsomeone, thanonmakingtheoverall event gowell.
Theseareexamples only, many feelings might beinvolved depending on
thenatureof thepresentation, howimportant it isandhowthey feel about it.
Onething is clear however: such wants makeadifferenceto thelikelihood
of your gettingagreement. Eveninasimpleexamplelikethis theindividual
viewpointsareclear: (1) youbothwantittogowell, buttakedifferingviewsof
whatisnecessarytomakethishappen; (2) ingeneral youwantthesamething,
but woulddefinetheamount of timethat constitutestheminimumdifferently;
(3) hereyoudiffer; and(4) thereareverypersonal wantsthat are, toadegree,
outsideof themainobjectiveinvolved: thatof makingyour presentationswork
seamlesslytogether.
There is a need to balance the differing viewpoints if agreement is to be
forthcoming. If youarethepersuader, youfeel your viewpoint isright or at
least themost appropriateoption. Howdoyoumovethemtowardsit?Clearly,
doingsoinvolvestheir adjustingtheir intentions. Youdonot havetopersuade
themtochangetheir viewscompletely. For instance, theymayalwaysseeitas
easier todowhatever preparationis involvedat thelast minute, but may still
agreetoset atimewhenyouwant or compromisemay oftenbeinvolved
somewherebetweenyour twoviews.
4.2.3 How deci si ons are made
A gooddefinitionof sellingisthesimplestatement that sellingishel pi ng peopl e to
buy. Similarly, whateverthecommitmentisyouarelookingtosecure, anypersuasive
processof obtainingit isbest viewedasonethat assi sts peopl e to make a deci si on,
andthat, at thesametime, encouragesthemtomakeit infavour of whatever option
youaresuggesting. Inapurchasingsituationthechoicesinvolvecompetition: if you
arebuying a washing machine, say, then you may find yourself having to decide
whether topurchasetheHoover, theIndesit, theBoschor whatever (aswell asdecide
wheretobuyitfromandwhattopay). Inother situations, choiceisalwaysinvolved.
Inthepresentationexampleusedearlier, choiceisakeyelement. Your imagined
colleague will decide between rehearsing and not rehearsing; between rehearsing
earlier and rehearsing later; between doing so in away that helps themand doing
so inaway that helps bothof you andso on. Doingnothingmay seem, inmany
circumstances, anattractiveoptionandneedsasmucharguingagainst asanyother.
Itfollowsthat, if aprocessof decision-makingisinherentlyinvolved, youshould
not fight against it. Theintentionshouldbetohel p it. Persuasivecommunicationis
not somethingyoudi rect at other peopl e. It issomethingyouengage i n wi th them.
Thedifferenceiscrucial, andanythingthat leadsyoutoseeit asaone-wayprocess
islikelytoendupmakingthetask youseek toaccomplishmoredifficult. Sofar, so
good, but howexactlydopeoplemakedecisions?
Theanswer canbesummedupsuccinctly, people:
consider theopti ons;
consider theadvantages and di sadvantages of each;
wei gh up theoverall wayinwhichtheycompare;
select what seemstobe, onbalance, thebest cour se of acti on totake.
This does not meanfindingandselectinganoptionwithno downsides; realis-
tically this may simply not bepossible. It means assessingthings andselectingan
acceptableoption, onewheretheplusesoutweightheminuses. Theanalogyof abal-
anceor weighingscalesisagoodonetokeepinmind. Imagineasetof old-fashioned
scaleswithacontainer oneachside. Onecontainsavariety of plussigns, theother
minuses. Thesignsareof different sizesbecausesomeelementsof theargument are
moreimportant thanothers they weighmoreheavily onthescales. Additionally,
somesignsrepresenttangiblematters. Othersaremoresubjective, justas, inthepre-
sentationexampleabove, achievingtheright result fromit (saygettingagreement to
a10per cent increaseonabudget) istangible. But anindividualsdesiretoincrease
theirstatuswithinanorganizationthroughthewaytheyareperceivedasapresenteris
i ntangi bl e. Intangiblesomepointsmaybe, buttheycanstill beapowerful component
of anycase.
A final pointcompletesthepicturehere: somedecisionsaremoreimportantthan
othersandthereforemaybeseentowarrantmorethought. Whereadecisionisof this
sort, peoplemayactivelywantittobeconsi dered. Theywanttofeel thattheprocess
of making it has been sensibleand thorough (and thereforetheir decision is more
likelytobeagoodone); andtheymaywant other people(their manager, say) tofeel
thesame. Ineither case, thisfeelingmaylengthentheprocessof persuadingthem.
4.3 T he thinking involved
Thisweighing-scalesanalogyisworthkeepinginmind. It canact asapractical tool,
helping you envisagewhat is going on during what is intended to beapersuasive
conversation. Beyondthat, it helpsstructuretheprocessif youalsohaveaclear idea
of thesequenceof thinkinginvolvedinthisweighing-upprocess.
Psychologists have studied the process. One such way of looking at it is to
think of peoplemoving through several stages, as it weresaying thefollowing to
themselves.
I matter most. Whatever youwant metodo, I expect youtoworryabout howI
feel about it, respect meandconsider myneeds.
W hat ar e the mer itsand implicationsof the case you make? Tell mewhatyou
suggest andwhy it makes sense(thepluses) andwhether it has any snags (the
minuses) sothat I canweighit up; bearinginmindthat few, if any, propositions
areperfect.
How will it wor k? Heretheyadditionallywant toassessthedetailsnot somuch
about thepropositionbut about theareasassociatedwithit. For instance, inthe
presentationexample: Doesrehearsal meanI havetogiveyouawrittennoteof
whatI will say? atime-consumingchoreandthusseenasnegative. Conversely,
if thisisunnecessary, thenthat fact maygoontheplussideof thebalance.
W hat do I do? Inother words what action exactly is nownecessary? This
tooformspart of thebalance. If somethingearly oninthisbook persuadedyou
that it might helpyou, youmayhavebought it. Indoingsoyourecognized(and
accepted) thatyouwouldhavetoreaditandthatthiswouldtakealittletime. The
action reading isinherent inthepropositionand, if youwerenot preparedto
takeit on, might havechangedyour decision.
It is after this thinking is complete that people will feel they have sufficient
evidenceonwhichtomakeadecision. Theyhavethebalanceinmind, andtheycan
compareitwiththatof anyother options(and, remember, somechoicesarecloserun
withoneoptiononlyjustcomingoutaheadof others). Thentheycandecide, andfeel
theyhavemadeasensibledecisiononaconsideredbasis.
This thinking process is largely universal. It may happen very quickly and be
almost instantaneous the snap judgement. Or it may take longer, and that may
sometimesindicatedaysor weeks(or longer!) rather thanminutesor hours. But it is
alwaysinevidence. Sothereisalwaysmeritinsettingoutyour caseinawaythatsits
comfortablyalongsideit. Hencehel pi ng the deci si on-maki ng process.
Beforewemoveon to howto orchestratetheactual communication andmake
it persuasive, thereis oneother factor that also needs to bedeployedinaway that
respectstheother person.
4.4 Your manner
Your communicationstyleno doubt reflects your personality. Certainly thereis no
intentionhereto suggest that youforget or disguisethat andadopt somecontrived
manner inthebelief that thiswill makeyoumorepersuasive; it will not.
Ontheother handyoudo needto think about howyoucomeover. Will it help
your case to be seen to be: knowledgeable, expert, caring, friendly, responsive,
adaptable, secure, well organized, efficient, forward-thinking, confident, interested
(particularly in theother person or thetopic of discussion), respectful, consistent,
reliableor whatever?(Andwhat doyounot want toappear?) Isit important that you
displayanattentiontodetail, arespectfortheotherpersonstimeorthatyoulookthe
part insomeway? Many factorsmight beinvolvedandsuchalist coulddoubtless
beextended.
Thepoint isnot onlythat therearemanysuchfactorsthat canbelisted, but also
that they areal l opti ons. Youcanel ect tocomeover as, say, confident or expert (to
somedegreeevenif youarenot!). Youcanemphasizefactors that areimportant to
theother person; indeedyouneedtoanticipatewhatthesewill be. If theywanttodot
every i andcrossevery t , sobeit; youneedtobecomethesort of personwhodoes
just that if it will allowyoutoget your ownwayintheend.
This is not socontrived, just anexaggeratedversionof what wedoall thetime
aswecommunicatewithdifferent kindsof people for exampleat oppositeendsof
theorganizational hierarchy. Again, alittlethoughtaheadof actuallycommunicating
canallowyoutopitchthingsintheright kindof way, sothat your manner enhances
thechancesof gettingyour ownwayrather thannegatingthem.
Twofactorsareespeciallyimportant here.
1. Pr oj ection: This word is used to encapsulate your approach, personality,
authority, clout andthewholewayinwhichyoucomeover.
2. Empathy: This is theability to seethings fromother peoples points of view.
Morethanthat, itistheabilitytobe seen toseethingsfromother peoplespoints
of view.
Theseact together. Too much projection and you comeover as dictatorial and
aggressive. Too little empathy and you seeminsensitive and uncaring. You need
to deploy both, and they go well together. Sufficient empathy softens what might
otherwisebeseenasatoopowerful approach, andmakesthenet effect acceptable.
Thismaynecessitateonlyafewwordsbeingchanged, withanunacceptableI think
youshoulddothis beingreplacedby somethinglikeGiventhat youfeel timingis
soimportant, youmaywant todothis.
At this point, well preparedandwithacloseeyeonhowtheother personwill
consider your suggestion, andinwhatwaytheywill goaboutcomingtoadecisionto
goalongwithitornot, wecanturntohowtostructureandputoverapersuasivecase.
4.5 M aking a per suasive case
Your communication may take various forms, but let us consider the ubiquitous
meeting. Thismaybeformal, withtwopeople(or more) sittingcomfortablyaround
adesk, or happenonthemove(walkingfromtheofficeto thepubfor lunch) and
sometimes it will occur inmoredifficult circumstances (adiscussion, onyour feet,
in afactory with noisy machinery clattering in thebackground). In every casethe
objectiveisthesame: tocreateaconsideredmessagethatactspersuasivelytoprompt
someonetotakewhatever actionyouseek.
Inorder tobeabletoproceedonaconsideredbasis, youneedtodrawonaclear
viewof whatishappeningduringsuchameeting. Wewill dissecttheprocesstotease
out thekeyissues.
4.5.1 Fi r st i mpressi ons l ast
Themanner you adopt and thepreparation you havedonewill both contributeto
your making agood start. So too will your attitudeat thebeginning. You need to
takecharge. Viewit asyour meeting. Makeit onethat youwill direct. Thisneednot
imply anaggressivestance. J ust as agoodchairpersonmay not speak first, loudest
or longest, youcanbeinchargewithout makingtheother personfeel overpowered.
So, taketheinitiativeandaimtor un thekindof meetingyou want yetthattheother
personwill findappropriateor like.
Thefirst task is to get their attention, to makethemconcentrateontheissueat
hand. Youwill never persuadeanybodyof anythingif theyarenot concentratingon,
and thus appreciating, what is involved. Imaginewhat they arethinking Is this
goingtobeinteresting, useful or awasteof goodtime? andaimtomakesurethat
their first reactionisasyouwouldwant it. Perhapssomethinglike, Thisseemsasif
it will beuseful. Sofar, sogood. Letsseewhat theyhavetosay.
Tocreatethisimpressionit helpsif you:
appear well organizedandprepared;
suggest andagreeanagendathat makessensetoyouboth;
makeclear howlongthesessionwill last;
get downtobusinesspromptly.
Overall, if inthefirst moments youshowinterest intheother personandmake
it clear that they are important to the proceedings, this will certainly help. Even
somethingas simpleas alittleflattery may help: Someof your goodorganization
wouldhelphere, J ohn, canyousparetenminutestogothrough? Of course, not
everyoneissusceptibletothissort of thing holdon: if youjust said, Thatsright
toyourself, youhaveshownhowuseful thiscanbe!
4.5.2 Fi ndi ng out
Withthemeetingunder way, thenext stageistofindout somethingabout theother
personsperspectiveonthematter.
Suchfindingout isachievedbyaskingquestions andl i steni ng totheanswers;
hereagainyoucanusefullyrefer toearlier sections.
Questioning: What to ask and how to put it may need some thought as you
prepare. Youneedtophrasequestionsclearlyanditisuseful tousethreelevelsof
questioning(that iscl osed questions, open questionsandprobi ng questions). To
extendtheexample: askyourcolleagueif thereshouldbeapresentationrehearsal
andtheyes-or-noanswer tellsyoulittle. Followupayesanswer byaskingwhy
theythinkitisnecessary(anopenquestion)andyouwill learnmore Imreallya
bitnervousaboutthewholething andmorequestionscanthenfill inthedetail.
Panel 4.2 Example (continued)
Returningtotheexampleof apresentationrehearsal, it maybeuseful toknow
whether your colleague:
wantstorehearse;
needstodoso;
seesit asbeingdoneat anyparticular moment;
envisagesit astakingaparticular amount of time
and what they believe the presentation should achieve and how it might
be done, and so on. Having some knowledge of this kind of thinking, and
perhapsof their presentational abilities, showsyousomethingabout thejobof
persuasiontobedone. This may rangefromamajor battle(they donot want
todoit at all), toanear-meetingof minds(youbothseetheneed, but youare
goingtohavetopersuadethemtogiveuplonger for it thantheyenvisage).
It isimportant herethat peopleappreciatewhat ishappening. Clever questioning
may provideyouwithauseful picture, but this needs tobeseentobethecase.
Youwill persuademorecertainly if theother personknows that youunderstand
their position.
L istening: Sounds obvious (but the details of making it work are set out in
Chapter 3). Certainly, you should make no mistake: finding out can give you
informationthatbecomesthebasisof successful persuasion. So, if theotherparty
letsslipthat their bosshassaidthishadbetter gowell, thenlater youmight use
that as part of your argument: Givenwhat your boss saidabout it, perhaps the
timewespendbeforehandcouldbealittlelonger.
Next, withsomeinformationtohandyoucanbegintoput over your case.
4.5.3 The power of per suasi on
The dictionary says of the word persuasion: to cause (a person) to believe or do
somethingby reasoningwiththem. Fine, but thequestionis how to do this. To be
persuasive, acasemust beunder standabl e, attr acti ve andcredi bl e. Consider these
inturn.
4.5.3.1 Cr eating under standing
A gooddeal hasbeensaidinother chaptersabout theneedfor clear communication.
Thepoint hereismorethansimply avoidingmisunderstandings. Peoplelikeclarity
of explanation and easeof understanding. Spending fiveminutes going round the
houses about something, only to havelight dawnat thelast moment inaway that
getsthepersonthinking, Whyever didntyousaythattobeginwith?, hardlybuilds
your credibility.
Whenpeoplefindsomethingtheyexpect tobedifficult tounderstandeasy, they
like it. A powerful description, especially one that puts things in terms the other
personcanidentify with, canstrengthenacasedisproportionately. Careis sensible
here. Avoidinappropriateuseof jargon: itisuseful shorthandonlywhenbothparties
havethesamelevel of understandingof theterminologyinvolved. Youonlyhaveto
thinkabout computerstoobservetheproblem. So, always:
thi nk about explanationsanddescriptions, trythemout andbesuretheywork;
aimtomakewhat yousayi mmedi atel y and easi l y under stood;
be thorough and preci se, telling people enough detail to make the point and
emphasizingthemost relevant points;
match the l evel of techni cal i ty youusewiththeotherperson(andavoidorexplain
jargonif it might confuse).
Thisisanareawhereyoucanscoresomepoints. Think about thestructureand
sequenceof whatyousayandhowitbreaksdownintosubsections. Presentalogical
andorganizedcaseandsignal what youaimtodoinadvance: It may beeasiest if
wegothroughthisinstages. Letsconsider thetimingfirst, thenthecosts, andthen
howweneedtoorganizeimplementation. If suchastartgetspeoplenodding That
seemssensible thenyouwill carry themwithyoutothenext stage. Useasmany
layersof thisasarenecessarytokeepthingsclear. Forexample, intheaboveexample
youmightadd, Timingimplieswhenwewill dothingsandhowlongitwill take. Lets
discussdurationfirst, andthenitshouldbeeasier toseewhenthingscanbefittedin.
Alreadywhatyouachieveinthisrespectcanbegintoputsomeconvincingpluses
onthepositivesideof your balance.
4.5.3.2 M aking the case attr active
Thispart of theargument hastoset out thecoreplusesof thecase, paintingapicture
of why agreement should follow. You get your own way when people see what
somethingdoesfor, ormeansto, them. Howthisisdoneislargelyaquestionof giving
theargumentafocusof what, insalesjargon, arecalledbenefi ts, rather thanfeatures.
Benefi ts arewhat somethingdoesfor or meanstosomeone.
Features aresimplyfactual pointsabout it.
Thespellchecker onacomputer is afeature. Beingabletoproduceanaccurate
manuscriptquicklyandeasily, thetimeandeffortsavedandtheavoidanceof material
beingreturnedfor correction(byaboss, say, or customer) areall benefits. Theyare
thingsthefeature thespellchecker allowstohappenforme. Featuresacttoproduce
benefits.
Thesequencehereis important. J ust tell peopleeverything about asuggestion
intermsof itsfeaturesandtheir responsemay well betosay (or think), Sowhat?
Start by discoveringwhat they want, thenshowthemthat what youaresuggesting
providesthat andthenthefeaturemayreinforcetheargument.
Panel 4.3 Example (continued)
Letsreturnagaintotheexample. Say, A rehearsal will takeonlyanhour (the
durationisafeature) andit mayleavesomeonecoldor get themsaying, How
long? inhorror at what theyseeasalongtime. Get themagreeing(a) that the
presentationmust gowell (Yes, it must), (b) that thereisagreat deal togain
fromit (Right!), and(c) that thereis apossibility of two presenters falling
over eachothers feet unless thereis arehearsal (Couldbe), thentalkingof
theabilityof therehearsal toincreasethechancesof success (whichiswhat
it will doandisthereforeabenefi t) makesmuchbetter sense.
Theprincipledescribedhereisimportant. Bythinkingabout theelementsof the
caseinthiswayand, asyoudoso, addingtoeachpointthethought, whichmeans
that , youcanteaseout themost powerful description. Thisisashort chapter (its
beingshort is afeature), whi ch means that it does not containmany words; whi ch
means that it does not taketoo long to read; whi ch means that you can apply any
lessons youlearnfromit fast; whi ch means that youmay beableto get your way
aboutsomethingyouhavetodiscusstomorrow. All thisanalysismovesthecasemore
andmoretowardssomethi ng i t wi l l do for you (abenefit). If youwereaddressingan
individual andknewthey wantedtoraisethematter of their salary beingincreased
tomorrow, thenthecasecanbepersonalizedandthebenefitdescribedmadespecific.
Thetask isthereforetomakeaclear case, toemphasizeaspectsof thecasethat
haveapositiveeffect ontheother personandtomakesuretherearesufficient, and
sufficientlypowerful, plusestoadduptoanagreeableproposition.
Butthereisafurther elementtomakingapersuasivecase. Itneedstobecredi bl e.
4.5.3.3 Adding cr edibility
Becauseof theinherent suspicionthat tendstoexist whensellingor persuasionisin
evidence, peoplesreactiontoyour sayingthat somethingisagoodcourseof action
toadoptmaysimplybetosay, Youwoul d saythat, wouldntyou? Yoursay-soisnot
enough. Theywantmore. Credibilityisaddedtoyourcasebyyourofferingevidence,
other thanyour opinion, that thecasereally is sound. Thesalespersonsellingacar
whosays, TheAutomobileAssociationtestresultsshowitdoes45milesper gallon
isputtingareliablesourceaheadof thefigurethey want toquote, andboostingthe
weight it addstotheargument.
Suchcredibilitycanbeaddedinmanyways, for exampleby:
quotingpast exper i ence: Theproject approachisverylike___, andthat worked
well;
involving thesuppor t of other s (aperson or organization): Thetraining man-
ager saysarehearsal wouldbeuseful (whentheother partyrespectstheperson
referredto);
quotingmeasurement of resul ts: 50per cent of thesekinds of presentationend
without securingagreement; letsmakethisoneof thesuccessful ones;
mentioninganyguar antees, tests or standards that aremet;
invokingquanti ty that rei nforces the case: Several departments work this way
already; Hundredsof peopleuseit.
It isworththinkingbothabout theneedfor proof andhowstrongthat needmay
be, andthuswhat evidencecanbeusedinsupport of your argument beforeexposing
anycasetoothers.
A final pointhere: rememberthatapersonsperspectiveonsomethingmaynotbe
solelytheir own. Someonemayreact withtheir employer or department, their boss,
their family, or their staff inmind. Equally, they may react positively for reasonsof
commongood, becausetheir helpingyouwill helpmakethedepartment youboth
work for more efficient perhaps; or, very personally, they want to be seen to be
involvedinsomething, or youpromisethemadrinkinthepub.
4.6 Feedback
At thispoint arrangingyour messagetoensureit combinesbeingunderstandable,
attractiveandconvincing youmay feel youaremakingapowerful case, but it is
dangeroustoassumeso. Youneedsomefeedback, andthusitisimportanttoinclude
obtainingit inyour approach. It isvery easy tofindthat your confidenceinawell-
plannedargument makesyouforgeaheadwithout pause, onlytofindlater that they
werewithyouonlyuptothemoment yousaid, Right, letsmakeastart!
Feedbackcanbeobtainedintwomainways.
(i) Obser vation: Look andlisten. Dothey look interestedor arethey tappingtheir
fingers impatiently, eager to butt in, or gazingout of thewindowinboredom?
Do they sound interested? Watch for remarks such as, Thats interesting, I
see andFine andfor phrasesthat imply agreement, e.g. OK, Shouldwork
andWhynot?
(ii) Ask questions: Tocheck understanding, e.g. Isthat clear?, Sofar, sogood?
To check their appreciation of benefits: Do you agree that would simplify
things? To check their reaction to features: How does an hours meeting
sound? Or to check their perspective: You did say it would be best for you
beforethe10th?
Responsesof all sortswill clarifythepictureasyougo, helpingyouadjust your
approach if necessary, and allowing you to focus on thoseareas that appear most
readilytoact asfoundationsof agreement.
Sofar, sogood. If youmakeapowerful caseyoumightmovestraighttoagreement.
Might. Moreoftenpeoplehave, inpartatleast, negativeresponses theyseeabalance
withsomeminusesaswell aspluses. Andmaybetheyseetoomanyminusestoallow
agreement. They object, inprincipleor toparticulars; they confirmtheoldrulethat
thereisalwaysabut.
4.7 Secur ing agr eement
Thebetter you present your case and thebetter it is directed towards theperson
in question reflecting their situation, needs and views, thefewer obj ecti ons you
are likely to get, such as any reservations, either in someones mind or voiced,
that add weight to the negative side of the decision-making balance and thus
may lead to persuasion failing. So, although you are almost always going to get
some, thefirst strategy is to reducethemby presentingacasethat is ontarget in
thisway.
4.8 Anticipating obj ections
Thesecondpointtobear inmindisthatoftenitisnotdifficulttoanticipatethenature
of objections. If youknowyourfellowpresenterinourexampleisbusy, perhapswith
amajor project withpressingdeadlines, thenit shouldnot besurprisingif their first
responseistofindthetimearehearsal will takeunacceptable. Anticipationdoesnot
mean that objections then becomeeasy to deal with, but at least you havetimeto
consider howbest tohandlethem.
That said, sometimes the way in which routine objections come up surprises.
Something you expect to be a major issue fails to materialize, something minor
assumesgiant proportionsor somethingcomesuplatewhenyouexpect it early on;
or viceversa.
Whatever objectionsmaybeabout, theyneedhandling. Ignored, unexplainedor
allowedtoretainamajor roleinthebalance, theycanpushthetotal balanceintothe
negative andtheresult isthat youfail toget agreement.
4.9 Options for handling
Thefirst thingabout objectionsistorecognizethat theyarelikelytooccur andtake
apositiveviewof them. Think of themfromtheother persons point of viewfor a
moment. Theyaretryingtoassessyour proposition weighingitup andtheythink
therearesnags. Theywant youtotakeanypoint theyraiseseriously, not toreject it
out of hand, whichwill seemunreasonable.
Soconsider someinitial factorsasrules.
Regardobjectionsasasignof interest(afterall, whywouldanyonebothertoraise
issuesabout somethingtheyhadalreadydecidedtoreject?).
Anticipateand, perhaps, pre-empt them(especiallyregularlyraisedissues).
Never allowarguments todevelop(especially not of theyes, it is; no, its not
variety).
Remember that awell-handledobjectionmaystrengthenyour case.
Thusthefirstresponsetoanobjectionbeingvoicedshouldbenotaviolentdenial,
butanacknowledgement. Thismaybeonlyafewwords Thatscertainlysomething
weneedtoconsider; Fair point, let meshowyouhowweget over that but it is
animportant preliminary. It actsto:
indicatethat youbelievethereisapoint tobeanswered;
showyouarenot goingtoargueunconstructively;
makeit clear that your responseislikelytobeconsideredandserious;
giveyouamoment tothink(whichyoumayneed!);
clarifywhatisreallymeant(if itisnotclear whatisbeingsaid, or why, aquestion
maybeavaluablepreliminarytoanswering).
A well-handledacknowledgement setsupthesituation, allowingyoutoproceed
withtheother personpayingattentionandpreparedtolisten. But youcannot leave
thingshanginglong: youneedtomoveontoananswer. Thewaysinwhichnegative
factorscanbehandledaremechanistically straightforward. Thereareonly four dif-
ferent options, though all of themmay need to be used in concert with stressing,
or stressing again, things on the plus side of the balance. The four options are
these.
1. Remove them: Thefirst optionistoremovetheobjection, topersuadetheper-
sonthat it is not actually anegativefactor. Oftenobjections ariseout of sheer
confusion. For example, if it issaid, I dont havetimefor afull rehearsal! this
may bebasedonanoverestimateof howlongit will take. Tell themthat what
youhaveinmindis anhour or so, andnot thewholemorningthey envisaged,
andtheobjectionevaporates.
2. Reduce them: Youcanact toshowthat, althoughthereisanegativeelement to
thecase, itisaminor matter: Gettingthispresentationrightissoimportant. Itll
takeamoment, certainly, but surelyanhour or soisworthwhile.
3. Tur n them into a plus: Hereyou takewhat seems likeanegativefactor and
showthat it is, infact, theopposite: Rehearsal seemselaborateanditll takean
hour or so, but webothhavetodosomeindividual preparation. Rehearsal will
halvethat timeandensurethepresentationgoeswell.
4. Agr ee: Thelast option, andonethat thefacts sometimes makenecessary, is to
agreethat anobjectionraisedisasnag: Youreright: it i s time-consuming, but
thispresentationhastogowell andtheresnoother option.
Because the options for dealing with the matter are only four, the process is
manageableandit shouldnot bedifficult tokeepinmindduringaconversationand
decide, assomethingisraised, howtoproceed.
In every casekeep thevision of thewholebalancein mind. Thejob is not to
removeeverysingleminusfromthenegativeside(theremaywell be somesnagsand
thisissimplynot possible): it istopreservetheoverall configurationof thebalance
youhavecreatedintheother personsmind.
4.10 Excuses
Let usbehonest, sometimespeopledisguisetheir reasonsfor not actingaswewish.
They say, Itll taketoo long or Thecosts too great or whatever when they are
simplybeingstubborn. Inthiscaseyouneedtotrytorecognizewhatisanexcuseand
what isnot. A longjustificationof timeor cost will achievenothingif that isonlya
disguisefor thereal reason. For example, sayyour fellowpresenter saidtheydidnot
likethethought of presentingwithyou. Maybewhat theyaresayingisthat theyare
notveryconfidentof their presentational skillsanddonotwantyoutowitnessthem.
Suspect somethinglikethisisgoingonandtheonlywayforwardistoaskques-
tions, and perhaps to drivethings out in theopen: Behonest, thats not really an
issue. Whydoyoureal l y object?
4.11 Reaching a conclusion
Onceyour caseisexplainedandall objectionshavebeenraisedanddealt with, what
next?It iseasytoleavethingswithout gettingadecision. Hasthat givenyouall the
informationyouneedtomakeadecision? ispolite, butmayjustpromptsomeoneto
agreethat it has, andtrytodroptheconversationfor themoment. Youhavetocl ose,
i.e. activelyask for someonesagreementinorder toobtainacommitmentor prompt
anactionandleadtowardsaconclusionof theconversation. If youhavemadeagood
case, thisisnot somuchpart of thepersuasion. Rather, it isonly aimingtoconvert
interestandagreementintoaction. Yousimplyneedtoask, andthereareavarietyof
waysof doingthis.
J ust ask(Shall weput atimeinour diary?).
Tell them. Youmay not havetheauthority to instruct them, but makeit sound
likeanorder (Put somethinginyour diary).
Suggest why it isagoodideatocommit nowrather thanlater (Letsset adate
now, whilewecanfindamutuallyconvenient timethat doesnt disrupt anything
elsetoomuch).
Suggest why it is abadideatoleaveit (Unless weset adatenow, well never
findaconvenient time).
Suggest alternatives, positivealternatives whereagreement to either onegives
youyour ownway (So, shall weclear anhour for this or makeit two?). And
repeat asnecessary(So, anhour it is, then. Thisweekor next?).
Assume agreement and phrase the request accordingly (Fine, we seemto be
agreed. Letsget our diariesout andscheduleatime).
Sometimes, after what hasbeenalong, complex discussion, it may beuseful to
summarizeasyouconclude, touchingoncemoreonthemainadvantagesof theaction
towhichyouseekagreement.
4.12 W hat next? follow-up action
At this point youmay get agreement. Or not. Weall needtoberealistic about this.
Nooneal ways getstheir ownway. Whatyouwantisagoodstrikerateasitwere, and
goingabout it theright way helps achievethis. But thereareother considerations.
Youneedtodothefollowing.
Deal with indecision: If someonesaystheywanttothinkaboutit, alwaysagree:
OK, its animportant decision, I canseeyouwant to besure. But thentry to
findoutwhythisisnecessary: Butarethereanyparticular thingsyourenotsure
about? Oftensomethingwill beidentified, maybeseveral areas(trytogetalist),
inwhichcaseassumetheconversationwill continue, revisit theseareasandthen
moveback toaskingfor acommitment asif therehadbeennohitch. Oftenthis
will thenget adecision.
Follow up per sistently: If thingshavetoconcludeonaleaveit withme basis,
agreethetiming, keep theinitiative: Right, Ill giveyou acall on Friday and
well try tofinalizethingsthen. Alwaystakethefollow-upactionasplanned
andgoondoingitaslongasnecessary. Takeall delaysatfacevalue. If asecretary
sayssomeoneisinameeting, assumetheyare, andmoveon: Whenwouldbea
goodtimetocontactthemtomorrow? Givingupcansimplyseeagreementgoing
bydefault for nogoodreasonother thanyour lackof persistence.
4.13 Summar y
Thosemost likely to get their ownway do not chargeat theprocess likebulls at a
gate. They treat peoplewith respect, trying to understand their point of view and
usingthat intheargument. Theymaybeassertive, persistent andthorough, but they
arenotaggressive(thatmayworkonceor twice, butislikelytocauseresentmentand
makethingsmoredifficult inthelongterm).
Theygoaboutthingsinasystematicway, afterspendingsometimepreparing, and
arepatient yet insistent. Peoplemayagreetothingsfor all sortsof reasons. But what
persuadesmostreadilyisareasonedcase, somethingdesignedtomaketheparticular
individual (orindividuals) respondpositivelybecauseitisdesignedtopersuadethem.
Tomakeit dosoyouwill:
beprepared;
act withconsciousnessof thepsychologyinvolved;
get off toagoodstart;
askquestionstoestablishothers needsor interest intheissues;
structureyour approacharoundtheother person;
takeonepoint at atime;
proceedinalogical order;
talkbenefits: tell themwhat your propositionwill dofor, or meanto, them;
alwaysbeclear anddescriptive;
provideproof tobackupyour argument if necessary;
checkprogressbyobtainingfeedbackandkeepingtheconversationtwo-way;
ensurethat youappear (better still are!) confident about thewholeexchange.
Practicemakes perfect, though persuasion is as much an art as ascience. But,
given that, the techniques certainly help and understanding themis the first step
towardsdrawingonthemanddeployingthemappropriatelytohelpyougetyour way
moreoftenandmorecertainly.
Chapter 5
M eetings: making them wor k
It wasJ .K. Galbraithwhosaid, Meetingsareindispensablewhenyoudont want to
do anything. Thenit is saidthat theideal meetinginvolves two people withone
absent.
If thereis onething in business lifethat is a mixed blessing, then it is surely
meetings; and technical peoplearelikely to havelittlepatiencewith them. Yet so
much timeis spent in them(and that means they cost), and they are an important
part of organizational communications, consultation, debateand decision-making.
Weall need them. Or certainly weneed someof them. But wemust get themost
fromthem, andwedonot needtoomany, or thosethat arelonger thannecessaryor,
aboveall, thosethat areunconstructive. What ismore, good, effectivemeetingsdo
not just happen. If it isassumedthat somedeeplawof meetingsmeansyoumust put
upwiththebadonesinorder toget anoccasional goodonethrownin, thennothing
will bedoneto createacultureof effectivemeetings. Everyoneinanorganization
needstoworkactivelyat it. Everybodysroleisimportant, whether theyarerunning
ameetingor attendingone.
5.1 T hey have their uses
Whateverthemeeting, largeorsmall, formal orinformal, longorshort, if itisplanned,
consideredandconductedwithaneyeonhowit canbemadeto go well, it canbe
madetowork.
Ashasbeensaid, weall needsomemeetings, andtheir roleandimportancecan
vary. Meetingsaresimplyaformof communication; theycan:
inform;
analyseandsolveproblems;
discussandexchangeviews;
inspireandmotivate;
counsel andreconcileconflict;
obtainopinionandfeedback;
persuade;
trainanddevelop;
reinforcethestatusquo;
instigatechangeinknowledge, skillsor attitudes.
Youcannodoubtaddtothelist, andwill recognizemeetingsthataimtodoseveral
of thesethings. Thekeyroleissurelymost oftentoprompt change(thereisnopoint
inhavingameetingif everythingisgoingtoremainthesame), andfor thattohappen
decisionsmust bemade. Andtodothat any meetinghastobeconstructiveandput
peopleinapositionwheregooddecisionscanprompt appropriateaction.
It isalsoworthnotingthat goodmeetingsarenot just useful: most peoplewant
meetings. Havingtoofewcanbeasbigamistakeashavingtoomany. Whydopeople
want them? For variousreasons, theybelievemeetings:
keeppeopleinformedanduptodate;
provideachancetobeheard;
createinvolvement withothers;
areuseful social gatherings;
allowcross-functional contact;
providepersonal visibilityandpublic-relationsopportunitiesfor theindividual;
canbroadenexperienceandprompt learning.
And more. And they are right. Meetings are potentially useful. Indeed, the
progress of an organization can, in a sense, be certain only if meetings are held
andif thosemeetingsdogowell.
5.2 Unnecessar y costs
Ontheother hand, poor meetings canbecostly; andwhy is it that insomeorgani-
zationssuchmeetingsarejust put upwith, withpeopleoftenexitingthemmuttering
Whatawasteof time! yetnothingisbeingdoneaboutit?Thedangershereinclude
meetingsthat:
wastetime;
wastemoney;
divert attentionsothat moreimportant taskssuffer;
slowprogressanddelayaction;
aredivisive;
lower morale;
areaplatformfor thetalkativeanddisruptive;
breedofficepolitics;
createmuddle, at worst chaos.
So, what peoplecould bedoing if they werenot in ameeting must always be
consideredandnooneinanorganizationshouldtakemeetings lightly Its just a
meeting. Theyneedtobeproductiveanduseful.
5.3 Befor e meetings take place
If ameetingistobetruly successful, thenensuringsuchsuccesscannot start asthe
meetingstarts theI think wereall here, what shall wedeal withfirst? school of
Meeti ngs: maki ng them wor k 47
meetingorganization. Makingit work starts before themeeting sometimes some
timebefore.
First, asksomebasicquestions. For exampleconsider thefollowing.
Isameetingreallynecessary?
Shouldit bearegular meeting? (Think very carefully about thisone, for oncea
meetingisdesignatedastheweekly(monthlyorwhatever)such-and-suchmeeting
it canbecomearoutinethat is difficult to break, andthis is anespecially easy
waytowastetime.)
Whoshouldattend? (Andwhoshouldnot?)
If youareclear intheserespects, thenyoucanproceedtothosemattersthatmust
beconsideredaheadof themeeting. Theseincludethefollowing.
Setting an agenda: This is very important; no meeting will go as well if you
simplymakeupthecontent asyouget under way(notifytheagendainadvance
andgivegoodnoticeof contributionsrequiredfromothers)
Timing: Setastarttimeandafinishingtime, thenyoucanjudgethewayitistobe
conductedalongsidethedurationandevenput someroughtimingtoindividual
itemstobedealt with. Respect thetimingtoo: start ontimeandtrytostick with
thedurationplanned.
Obj ectives: Alwayssetaclear objectivesothatyoucananswer thequestionwhy
ameetingisbeingheld(andtheanswer shouldnever be because i t i s a month
si nce the l ast one! ).
Pr epar ing your self: Readall necessary papers, check all necessary details and
think about howyouwill handlebothyour owncontributionandthoseof other
people.
I nsisting other s pr epar e also: Thismay meaninstillinghabits(if youpauseto
gothroughsomethingthatshouldhavebeenstudiedbeforethemeeting, thenyou
showthat readingbeforehandisnot reallynecessary).
People: Whoshouldbethere(or not) andwhat rolesindividualsshouldhave.
Envir onment: A meetingwill go muchmoresmoothly if peopleattendingare
comfortableandif therearenointerruptions(soorganizeswitchingthecoffeepot
onandthephonesoff beforeyoustart).
5.3.1 The agenda
Mostof thepointsabovearecommon-senseones. Itis, however, worthexpandingon
thekeyissueof theagenda thatisthedocumentsettingouttopicsfordiscussionata
meeting, thesequenceinwhichtheywill bedealtwithandadministrativeinformation
suchastimingandlocation.
Every meetingneedsanagenda. Inmost casesthisneedstobeinwritingandis
best circulatedingoodtimeaheadof themeeting; it is intendedto helpshapeand
control themeetingthat follows. It shouldachievethefollowing.
Specifyanyformalities(must suchthingsasapologiesfor absencebenoted, for
instance?).
Pickupandlinkpointsfromanypreviousmeeting(s) toensurecontinuity.
Givepeopletheopportunitytomakeagendasuggestions.
Specifywhowill leador contributeoneachitem.
Helpindividualspreparefor their participation.
List and order the items for discussion or review. This is something that may
needtorepresent thelogical order of thetopics, thedifficultytheypose, thetime
they will likely occupy, andparticipants views. Somecompromiseis normally
necessaryhere.
Deal withadministration: whenandwherethemeetingwill beheldandanyother
arrangementsthat needtobenotedinadvance.
Onceadraftagendaisprepared, itshouldbecheckedagainstanypractical issues
before being circulated. For instance, will the meeting it suggests fit in the time
available, istheretimefor anynecessarypreparation, will oneitemoverpower others
(necessitatingtwomeetingsperhaps)? Andsoon.
Then, at theappointed hour, someonemust takechargeand makethemeeting
gowell.
5.4 T he r ole of leading a meeting
Evenasimplemeetingneedssomeoneinthechair. Thatdoesnot implythatwhoever
is inthechair shouldbemost senior, shoulddo most of thetalkingor evenlead
thetalking, or that theyneedtobeformallycalledChairperson but theyshouldbe
responsiblefor di recti ng themeeting.
Aneffectivelyconductedchairingrolecanensureawell-directedmeeting, which,
inturn, canmean:
themeetingwill better focus on i ts obj ecti ves;
discussioncanbekept more constr ucti ve;
athorough revi ew canbeassuredbeforewhatmayotherwisebeadhocdecisions
aretaken;
all sidesof theargument or casecanberefl ected and bal anced;
proceedingscanbekeptbusi nessl i ke and l ess argumentati ve (evenwhendealing
withcontentiousissues).
Aswesee, all theresultsof effectivechairingarepositiveandlikelytohelpmake
for aneffectivemeeting. Put succinctly, agoodchairpersonwill leadthemeeting,
handlethediscussionandacttoseethatobjectivesaremet, promptly, efficientlyand
effectivelyandwithout wastingtime.
Someof what must bedoneissimpleandmuchiscommonsense; thewhol e of
theroleisimportant. Wewill start byreferringtotwokeyrulesthat anychairperson
must stick to(andthat any groupof peoplemeetingshouldrespect). They are, very
simply:
1. onlyonepersonmaytalkat atime;
2. thechairpersondecideswho(shouldthisbenecessary).
Alreadythisshouldbegintomakeyouthinkaboutthequalitiesof thepersonwho
will makeagoodchairperson. Therightchoicemustbemade: thepersoninthechair
must beabletoexecutetheir task effectively, must berespectedby theparticipants
(whomust accept first that achairpersonis necessary). Thenext fewpoints set out
what thechair must do.
5.4.1 The meeti ng l eader s responsi bi l i ti es
Thelist that follows illustrates therangeand natureof thetasks involved. It also
shows clearly that there are skills involved, perhaps skills that must be studied,
learnedandpractised. Whoever is leadingthemeetingmust beableto achievethe
following.
Command the respect of thoseattending (and, if they do not knowthem, then
suchrespect must bewonrapidlybythewaytheyareseentooperate).
Do thei r homewor k andcomeprepared, i.e. havingreadanyrelevant documents
andtakenanyother actionnecessarytohelpthemtakecharge. Theyshouldalso
encourageotherstodothesame, asgoodpreparationmakesfor moreconsidered
andsuccinct contributionstothemeeting.
Be on ti me.
Star t on ti me.
Ensure any admi ni str ati ve matter s are organi zed and will be taken care of
appropriately(e.g. refreshments, takingminutes).
Start onther i ght note andleadintotheagenda.
I ntroduce peopl e if necessary (andcertainly knowwhoswho namecardscan
helpeveryoneat somemeetings).
Set, andkeep, ther ul es.
Control the di scussi on, anddo so in light of thedifferent kinds of peoplewho
maybepresent: thetalkative, thestrident etc.
Encour age contr i buti ons whereappropriateor necessary.
Ask questi ons toclarifywherenecessary. Itisimportanttoqueryanythingunclear
anddosoatonce. Thiscansavetimeandargument, whereas, if themeetingruns
onwithsomethingbeingmisinterpreted, itwill becomeamuddleandtakelonger
toreachanyconclusion.
Ensureeveryonehas thei r say.
Act tokeepthediscussionto the poi nt.
Li sten (as in LISTEN): if thechair has missed things, then thechances of the
meetingproceedingsmoothly arelowandit may deteriorateinto But yousaid
arguments).
Watch the cl ock. Remindotherstodothesameandmanagethetimingandtime
pressure.
Summar i ze, clearlyandsuccinctly; somethingthatmustusuallybedoneregularly.
Copewithupsets, outburstsandemotion.
Providethefi nal word summarizingandbringingmatterstoaconclusion. Sim-
ilarly, link toanyfinal administrativedetail, suchassettingthedatefor thenext
actionor further meeting.
See(afterwards) toanyfol l ow-up acti on. Thismaybeespeciallyimportantwhen
thereisaseriesof meetings, becausepeoplemaypromisesomethingat oneand
turnupat thenext havingdonelittleor nothing.
Andall thismust bedonewithpatience, goodwill, goodhumour andrespect for
bothall thosepresent (andmaybeothers) andfor theobjectivesof themeeting.
5.4.2 The conduct of the meeti ng
Nowlet usturntoanumber of pointsworthinvestigatinginmoredetail.
5.4.2.1 Get off to a good star t
Thebest meetingsstart well, continuewell andendwell. A goodstart helpsset the
scene, andthis too is theresponsibility of whoever is inthechair. It works best to
start themeetinginawaythat:
ispositive;
makesitspurpose(andprocedure) clear;
establishesthechairsauthorityandright tobeincharge;
createstherightatmosphere(whichmaydiffer if itistopromptcreativethinking
or, say, detailedanalysisof figures);
generatesinterest andenthusiasmfor what istocome(yes, evenif it isseenasa
tediousregular review);
isimmediatelyperceivedasbusinesslike.
It mayalsohelpif thechair involvesothersearlyon, rather thanbeginningwith
alengthymonologue whichtakesustothenext point.
5.4.2.2 Pr ompt discussion
Of course, therearemeetingswhereprompti ng contributionsistheleast of theprob-
lems, but wherecontributions arewantedfromever yone (or why arethey there?),
not just afew. So, toensureyouget adequateandrepresentativediscussionandthat
subsequentdecisionsaremadeonall theappropriatefactsandinformation, youmay
needtoprompt discussion.
For example, sometimestherearespecificreasonswhymeetingparticipantshold
back, for example:
fear of rejection;
pressureof other, moresenior or morepowerful, people;
lackof preparation;
incompleteunderstandingof what hasgonebefore.
Or, indeed, it may simply bealack of encouragement tomakecontributions. A
goodchairpersonwill askforviewsanddosoinawaythatpromptsopen, considered
comments.
But notethat it is sometimes easy to skewcomments (wittingly or not) by the
toneormannerwithwhichcommentsarecalledfor. Forinstance, aseniormanageris
unlikelytoencouragecreativesuggestionsif theyfieldtheir ownthought first: Im
surethisisanexcellent idea what doyouthink? So, donot lead.
Theothertrickistoensureyouhavethemeasureof differentindividuals, drawing
in, say, themorereticentandactingtokeeptheoverbearingincheck. Andremember
that peoplemayhaveavarietyof motivesfor thelinetheytakeat meetings, sosome
will bemorebusinesslikethanothers.
Muchcomment-promptingwill comethroughquestionsandthewaythisisdone
isimportant.
Questionsmust of coursebeclear. Remember alsothat therearetwomainkinds
of question, openandclosed, withopenquestionsmorelikely toprompt discussion
(see4.5.2inChapter 4). Thecircumstanceswill affect howquestionsarebest asked.
Discussioncanbepromptedaroundthemeetingusingmorecomplexmeans, primarily
inthefollowingsixways.
1. Over head questions: Theseareput tothemeetingasawhole, left for whoever
picksthemupandareuseful for startingdiscussion.
2. Over head/dir ected: Theseareputtothewholemeeting(asin1above)andeither
followedimmediatelybythesamequestiontoanindividual, or after apauseas
away of overcominglack of response: Now, what doweall think about this?
[Pause] David?
3. Dir ect to an individual: Direct toanindividual without preliminaries; useful to
get anindividual reactionor checkunderstanding.
4. Rhetor ical: A questiondemandingnoanswer canstill beagoodwaytomakea
pointorpromptthinkingandthechairpersoncanprovidearesponseif theywish.
Useful?
5. Redir ected: This presents a question asked of the chair straight back to the
meetingeither as anoverheador direct question: Goodquestion. What do we
all think? David?
6. Development question: Thisreallygetsdiscussiongoing. Itbuildsontheanswer
toanearlier questionandmovesitroundthemeeting: So, Marythinksitll take
toolong. Arethereanyother problems?
Promptingdiscussionisasimportantascontrol. Itistheonlywayof makingsure
themeetingiswell balancedandtakesinall requiredpointsof view. If decisionsare
madein theabsenceof this, someonemay beback to you later saying something
like, Thisisnotreallyacceptable. Mydepartmentnever reallygotachancetomake
their case.
Becauseof thisitmaysometimesbenecessarytopersevereinorder togetall the
desiredcomment themeetingneeds. Wayshavetobefoundtoachievethis; hereare
twoexamples.
Ask again: Assimpleasthat. Rephrasethequestion(perhapsit wasnot under-
stoodoriginally) andensurethepointisclear andthatpeopleknowacommenti s
required.
Use silence: Thetroubleis that silencecan beembarrassing. But even ashort
silence to make it clear you will wait for an answer may be sufficient to get
someone speaking. So do not rush on; after all, maybe the point deserves a
momentsthought.
5.4.2.3 Concentr ate
A goodseriousmeetingdemandsconcentration. Itisthejobof whoeverisinthechair
toassist achievingthisinthemandinothers. Bewareinterruptions! Organizetodeal
withmessages, mobiletelephonesor simplytherefreshmentsarrivingmid-meeting,
asall will delayproceedingsandensureconcentrationislost.
It helps, therefore, if:
rulesarelaiddownabout messages;
breaksareorganized(for longer sessions) sothatpeopleknowhowtheycandeal
withmessagesetc., andaresufficient tomaintainconcentration;
refreshmentsareorganizedinadvance(or after themeeting);
othersoutsidethemeeting(includingswitchboardoperatorsandsecretaries) are
briefedastohowmattersshouldbehandled(it isasbadfor akeycustomer, say,
to betold, Sorry, theyreinameeting as it is for ameetingto beinterrupted,
perhapsworse, sodecidingtheprioritiesisimportant);
in the case of unforeseen interruptions, you do not compete with themwhile
peoplesattentioniselsewhere: wait, deal withthem, andthencontinue, recapping
if necessary.
Concentration is vital, and, of course needs to be focused on the right things
withinthemeeting. Donotbesidetracked; bewareof digressions; bewareof running
ameetingwithinameeting true, sometimes youwi l l unearthseparateissues that
areworthnotingtopursueor investigateonsomeother occasion, sonotethembut
donot let yourself becomedistractedbythem.
5.4.2.4 Keep or der
Sometimes eventhebest-plannedandbest-organizedmeetinggets out of hand. So
hereit isworthnotingsomefurther keyrulesfor thechair.
Never get upset or emotional yourself.
Pick ononeelement of what isbeingexpressedandtry toisolateanddeal with
that without heat andtoreducetheoverall temperature.
Agree(at least with thesentiments) beforeregrouping: Youreright, this i s a
damneddifficult issue, andemotionsareboundtorunhigh. Nowletstakeone
thingat atime.
If theseapproaches do not work youmay haveto takemoredrastic action, for
example:
call for afewminutes completesilencebeforeattemptingtomoveon;
call ashort break, andinsist it betakenwithout discussioncontinuing;
put theproblemitemononesideuntil later (thoughbesuretospecify howand
whenit will bedealt withandthenmakesureyoudowhat wasagreed);
abandonthemeetinguntil another time.
Thislastoptionisclearlyalastresort, butultimatelymaybebetter thanallowing
disorder tocontinue. Usuallyafirmstandmadeassoonasanysort of unrest occurs
will meet theproblemheadonanddeal withit. Whatever happens, asit saysinThe
Hi tchhi ker s Gui de to the Gal axy, Dont panic!
It wouldbewrongto givetheimpressionthat chairingmeetings is all drama
although, if discussionnever got heated, what wouldthat signify? Solet usendthis
sectionwithsomethingmoreconstructive.
5.4.2.5 Spar king cr eativity
Itissaidthatmanagersarenotpaidtohaveall thegoodideasthatareneededtokeep
theirdepartmentorwhateverrunningeffectively, buttheyare paidtomake sure there
are suffi ci ent i deas to keep i t ahead. Asaresult, manymeetingsneedtobecreative.
Two heads really canbebetter thanone; yet also newideas canprompt anegative
cycleall too easily. Suchdiscussions canspiral into atit-for-tat of Your ideas no
good or My ideasbetter scoringpointstakingprecedenceover givingthenew
thinkingachance.
Thistooissomethingthechair hastodeal with, fosteringcreativethinkingand
open-mindednessandensuringthatinstantnegativereactionsarenottheorder of the
day. Thechairpersonmust, therefore:
activelystimulatecreati ve thi nki ng (sayingthisispart of themeetingandruling
against instant rejectionof ideaswithout consideration);
contribute new i deas themselves or steer the discussion in new or unusual
directions;
findnew ways of lookingat things;
consider novel approaches andgivethemachance;
aimtosol ve probl ems, not treadfamiliar pathways.
Somegroups who meet regularly get better andbetter at this, but this does not
usuallyhappenspontaneously. Moreoftenitistheresultof someoneputtingtogether
therightteamandpromptingthemtothinkalongcertainlinesand, aboveall, remain
alwaysopenminded.
5.5 T he individual attendees r esponsibility
It is certainly vital for ameeting to bewell led, but everyoneattending must play
their part. Anyone, aheadof attendinganymeeting, shouldaskthemselves:
1. What canI contributeandhow?
2. What canI get fromthemeeting?
This may leadinto somepreparatory actionto get upto speedontheissues or
whatever. Never just walkintoameetingresolvingonlytosee what happens.
It is saidthat youget out of things what youput in, andthis is certainly trueof
meetings. Thekey things that makefor effectiveparticipation in meetings arethe
following.
Sound pr epar ation: Youhaveto knowwhat is to bediscussed, beready for it
andhavedoneyour homework.
Effective communication: Youhavetojudgewell whatyouwanttosayandhow
youwant tosayit.
Well-handled discussion: Youhavenotonlytobereadytomakeplannedcontri-
butions, but alsotothinkquicklyinorder torespondtothehurly-burlyof debate
(or argument!). Bothmaybenecessarytomakeyour case.
One thing that is worth bearing in mind is that a meeting is a public forum;
youareonshow. Theremay bepeopleunknowntoyou, senior peopleor important
people, andappearanceisafactor. I wouldnot presumetotell youhowtodress, but
youdoneedtoappear organizedandasif youhavesomeclout. If yourushinlate,
unkempt, and clutching acollapsing pileof papers you will certainly not givethe
right impression. Enoughsaid. Insomeforums, seatingmay beimportant, too, and
youneedtoavoidbeingsqueezedintosomecorner barelyvisibletothechair.
5.5.1 Maxi mi zi ng the effecti veness of i ndi vi dual par ti ci pati on
Nowlet ustakethethreekeyissuesinturn.
5.5.1.1 Sound pr epar ation
Preparationhasalreadybeenmentionedasaprerequisitetosuccess; meetingsareno
exception. Specificallyhere, youneedtodothefollowing.
Read ever ything necessar y in advance: Thismay includepast minutes, agen-
dasanddocumentsof all sorts, somecirculatedinadvance, otherssimply good
background. Sometimesother researchmaybenecessary.
Annotate any r elevant documents and make your own notes on them: It is
essential tobeabletocheckfactsfastduringameeting, rather thanfumblingand
beginninglamely, I knowitsheresomewhere.
Note who else will attend: Aretheyalliesor not, andisanyliaisonuseful before
themeetingstarts?
Plan questions: Consider what youwill ask andof whom, andwhenandhow
youwill put it.
Pr epar e any for mal contr ibution: Think through things much as you would
plan a presentation; certainly, do not assume an informal meeting makes this
unnecessary.
Bringnotesthatanyof theabovecreatestothemeetingandkeepthemaccessible.
Remember thatmeetingsaremixedineverysense: people, ideas, motivations even
themost sensibleideamayneedsellingand, asmeetingscansometimesbedaunting
occasions, preparation helps reduce any nerves you may feel and prevent stage
fright.
5.5.1.2 Effective communication
All thebasicrulesapply. Herewereviewsomefactorsspecifictomeetings. So
Stick to the r ules: Do not monopolize the conversation, constantly interrupt,
become emotional or argumentative, make it difficult to keep to time, appear
unprepared, undisciplinedor atroublemaker andsticktothepoint.
Br eak the r ules: On the other hand, there is roomfor more dramatic impact
(thoughasanexception), soyoumightwant ver y careful l y tostage: adramatic
outburst (afist banged on thetable, for instance), adisplay of emotion, some
humour or apparent temper evenanorganizedinterruptionhasbeenknownto
createadvantage
Stick tothe str uctur e: Communicateinanorganizedfashion: introducewhatyou
want tosay; set out theissues(maybecosts, timing, staffing, whatever), putting
pointsforandagainstanddealingwithbothmainissuesandotherimplications; be
preparedtodebatepointsandanswer questions; andsummarizeandpull together
your argument.
Get your facts r ight: Much time is wasted in meetings because of imprecise
information (back to preparation and checking). Worse, oneincorrect fact can
cast doubt on everything you say. So, ensure you are: explicit (stating things
plainlyandnot obscuringthemwithirrelevances), accurateandprecise(picking
just theright informationtomakeyour point).
Always obser ve other s: Watch reactions, listen to everything and try to put
yourself inothers shoes. For instance, if someoneseems negativeask yourself
whythat might be.
Inaddition(andseeChapter 4for this), remember that makinganycasesuccess-
fully demands that you makeit understandable, attractiveand credible; it is often
necessaryat meetingsnot just totell peoplesomething, but tosell it tothem.
5.5.2 Wel l -handl ed di scussi on
Muchhereisdependent onthechair, but anindividual caninfluencethingstoo. You
will findyouareabletoperformbest if you:
remai n al er t and concentrate on everything that goes on (not appearing to be
uninterestedinpartsof themeetingevenif theyareof lessimportancetoyou);
l i sten somethingnowstressedmorethanonce;
keep thi nki ng youmayhavetofine-tuneeverythingyouplannedinthelight of
events;
remaincal m and col l ected, whatever theprovocation, andsticktoyour gunsina
businesslikemanner.
Whatabouttiming?Youneedtothinkaboutwhen exactlytospeak: makeapoint
tooearly, andit maybeforgottenbytheendof themeeting; leaveit toolateandthe
endof themeetingmaycomebeforeyouhaveachancetohaveyour say. So
Donot plananinput that will fit intoonlyonespot. Remainflexible.
Consider your comments, beforeandduringameeting, incontext of what others
aresayingor might say.
Playtoyour strengths: areyoubetter at introducingsomethingor addingweight
toacasesomeoneelseinitiates?Maybeyouhavetoworkinconcertwithothers.
Announceintentions: for example, saying, I havesomethoughtsonthecostsof
this; maybeI canreserveawordfor whenwediscussItem3.
Resolvenever to leaveameetingsayingto yourself. If only Idsaid Start
thinkingaheadtoyour next onenow.
5.6 After the meeting
Thekeythingafterameetingisthattheactionsdecideduponshouldbeimplemented
asintendedandontime; itisthatwhichultimatelymakesameetingworthwhile. This
mayinvolveanythingfromasmall pieceof informationbeingpassedon, totheimple-
mentationof amajor project. Whatever it is, however, it maywell needprompting.
5.6.1 Are mi nutes necessar y?
Wedonot want morepaperwork inanorganizationthanisnecessary, sosometimes
minutesarenotnecessary. Butsometimeswrittenfollow-upisnecessary, thoughthis
mayrangefromasimplewrittennotetofull-blownminutes, sothatthereisanaction
reminder andarecord. Threekeyreasonsmakeminutesnecessary. Minutesprovide:
1. aprompt to acti on, remindingthosewhohavetakenon, or beengiven, tasksthat
theyshoulddothem, anddothemontime moresowhenseveral peoplemust
liaisetoinstigateaction;
2. atangi bl e l i nk tofollow-updiscussionsor afurther meeting; thiscanhelpensure
that pointsarereportedor takenfurther theclassicMattersarising itemfrom
minutes;
3. arecord of whathasoccurredandparticularlyof whatdecisionshavebeenmade
andwhat actiondecidedupon; somerecords clearly needkeepinglonger than
others, andthisisdependent onthetopicandimport of what wasthesubject of
themeeting.
So, minutesaretobepreparedonly whennecessary, not asaroutine, andwhen
theyarenecessarytheymust beclear. So, minutes, or anykindof actionnote, must
bekept practical andshouldbe:
Accur ate: This may seemobvious, but careis necessary, as it is important if
argumentsaretobepreventedinfuture.
Obj ective: Thejobof theminutewriteristoreportwhathappened, notembellish
it, especiallynot withtheir ownview.
Succinct: Unless they are manageable, minutes are likely to remain unread
brief, but incorporatingall theessentials, istherule.
Under standable: Always important (as has beenmentionedmorethanoncein
thisbook).
Businesslike: Their keypurposeistospell out what actionisexpected, by whom
andwhen. Thesekeypointsshouldbehighlighted insomewayinthedocument.
So, minutesmust: beattractiveandeasytoread; deal withformalities(apologies,
minutes of thelast meeting, matters arising, etc.); list theessenceof thediscussion
andoutcomes; becirculatedpromptlyandregardedasimportant documents.
Meetingsneednot beaquestionof slavishly followingrules. Whoever isinthe
chair canbeascreativeasthey wish, findingwaystobringameetingtolife, while
ensuringthat it iseffectiveandbusinesslike.
For example, some make a point of switching fromthe traditional format of
endi ng with theubiquitous Any other business (AOB), which too often sees the
meeting nosedive into a mess of bits and pieces, gripes and irrelevances, leaving
people irritated when they should be saying, That was a useful session. Better,
perhaps, tostar t withAOB: achairpersonsaying, Letstaketenminutesbeforewe
really get startedtodeal withany peripheral pointsandget thoseout of theway so
that wecanconcentrateonthemainbusiness isoftenappreciated andcreatesthe
opportunitytofinishwithout irritation.
5.7 Summar y
It isvital that meetingsbeviewedseriously; it isnever just ameeting. Amongthe
keyissuesare:
schedulingonlynecessarymeetings(andneverlettingthembecomeanunthinking
routine; especiallyregular meetings);
never skimpingpreparation: meetingsneedaclear purpose, anorganizedagenda
that respects the timings, and adequate time and instructions for everyone
attendingtoget themselvesreadyfor theevent;
effectivecontrol afirmandthoroughpersoninthechair andeveryonebehaving
inanorderlyway;
participation itissurelyimportantthatif everyoneattendingispresentfor good
reasontheir viewshouldbeheard(part of thechairpersonstaskistoensurethis
happensandtosummarizeanddistil thecontributions);
that meetingsleadtodecisionandaction, sominutesandfollow-upactionmust
bepunctiliouslyorganized.
Overall, meetingsmustbeconstructive. If theyaretheywill bestimulating(well,
morestimulatingthanbadly executedones noonepretendsall meetingsarefun).
Goodmeetings certainly do not just happen, but they canbemade to happen, and
whentheyarethebenefitscanbeconsiderable.
Onelast thing, somethingthat canbeusefullymadeintoarule: al ways fi ni sh on
a hi gh note.
Chapter 6
Pr esentations: speaking successfully
on your feet
How do you feel if you know you have to make a presentation? Confident?
Apprehensive? Terrified? If it is apprehensive or even terrified, relax you are
normal. Most peopleshareyour feelingstosomeextent.
Infact, psychologiststell usthatfeelingsaboutpresentingor publicspeakingare
almost whollynegative. What theycall self-talk prior tohavingtospeak inpublic
consistsof acatalogueof intimationsof disaster. Wesaytoourselvesthingssuchas,
I cant doit; Imnot ready; Theaudiencewill hateit (or turnagainst you); Ill
dryup; I wont havesufficient material; I dont knowhowtoput it; Ill losemy
place; and, at worst, Ill die.
Whatismore, if youstandupunpreparedandignorantof howtogoaboutit, your
presentationmaywell beadisaster. But it neednot be. Withsomeknowledge, some
practiceandhavingthought it through, thereis noreasononearthwhy youshould
notmakeagoodjobof it. Herewereviewjusthowtogoaboutit; but, beforeturning
tothat, first consider thenatureof presentations.
6.1 T he impor tance of pr esentations
Presentationsareimportant.Therecanbeagreat deal hangingonthem adecision,
anagreement, asale andtheycanaffect financial resultsandreputationstoo.
All sortsof thingscanbeinvolved. Presentationsmaybenecessary:
at aninternal meeting;
externally, todistributorsor customers, perhaps;
toacommittee(or board);
at aconferenceor businessevent;
at a social event (anything fromsomething in a business context, such as a
retirement party, toawedding).
Andtherearemore, of course. Youmay haveto speak to peopleyouknow, or
those you do not know; to more senior people, difficult people or those who are
younger or older than you. You may need to speak to ten, twenty or two hundred
people; or more.
All events and all groups exhibit onesimilar characteristic: they judgeyou by
howyoupresent. Anexamplemakesthisclear. Imaginethat youhavetoannounce
somepolicychange. Let usassumeit issomethingeminentlysensiblethat shouldbe
acceptedwithout trouble. But start, Nowumwhat I want tosayiswell, that
is, basically andyoumaybewell onthewaytogettingeventhemost innocuous
messagerejected.
Itisafactof lifethatsomethingpoorlypresentedcanbepoorlyreceived, despite
thesenseof itscontent. Peopledonot think, What anexcellent idea! What ashame
it wasnt put over better! They think, What arotten presentation! I bet theideas
wererotten, too.
6.2 A significant oppor tunity
It ispreciselybecauseof thisthat presentationscreateareal opportunity. If youcan
do themwell (andyoucan), youwill positively differentiateyourself fromothers,
who, fromignoranceor lackof care, doanundistinguishedor poor job.
Itisworthquotinghereaphraseusedinatrainingfilmaboutmakingpresentations,
whereacharacterdescribespresentationsasbeingthebusinessequivalentof anopen
goal. Well put! This is not overstating thepoint and puts it in amemorableway
(I quotefromtheexcellent filmI Wasnt Prepared for That, producedbyVideoArts
Limited).
So, motivationshouldnot beindoubt here. Therearefewbusiness skills more
worthmasteringthanthat of presentation. Without it, younot onlyfeel exposed, you
are exposed. Thetroubleis thegrounddoes not mercifully openupandallowyou
todisappear alongwithyour embarrassment. It ismorelikelythat theresult ismuch
morereal no agreement, no commitment or theboss sayingominously, Seeme
afterwards.
Therearegoodreasons for havingfears; all caneither beovercomeor reduced
tostopthemoverpoweringyour abilitytowork successfully. It mayhelptothink of
thingsasabalance. Ononesidetherearethingsthatcan, unlessdealtwith, reduceyour
abilitytomakeagoodpresentation. Ontheother, therearetechniquesthatpositively
assist theprocess. Theright attentiontobothsidesimprovesyour capability.
Muchhereisaboutthepositivetechniques. Butletusstartwithalittlemoreabout
possibledifficulties, someof whichareinherenttotheprocess, andhowtoovercome
them if onlytoget thenegativesideout of thewayfirst.
6.3 T he hazar ds of being on your feet
Wecommunicatesomuchthatwetendtotakeitfor granted. Indeed, weregardmuch
of it aseasy, andpeoplemaywell sayof apresentationthat theyknowtheycouldso
easilygothroughthecontent if sittingcomfortablyoppositejust oneother person.
The first rule here is easy. Ease of communication should never be taken for
granted. As has beensaid, it needs thought, careandprecision, andthis is doubly
so when you present formally. With most presentations you get only one crack
at it, and often there is not the to-and-fro nature of conversation that establishes
understanding.
Presentati ons: speaki ng successful l y on your feet 61
Thismeansevery tiny detail matters. Presentationsareinherently fragile. Small
differences anill-chosenwordor phrase, ahesitation, amisplacedemphasis can
all tooeasilyact todilutetheimpact sought.
At least communicationsproblemsconstituteatangiblefactor. If youresolveto
takecare, your communicationwill bebetter andunderstandingmorecertain. You
canworkatgettingthisright. Manyof theelementsreviewedasthischaptercontinues
assist thisprocess, but what about lesstangiblefears?
6.4 Pr esenter s nightmar es
Whateveryou fearwill causemakingapresentationtobemoredifficult, itisprobable
thatother s thinkthesame. AskinggroupsonworkshopsI conductonthesubjectabout
their worriesusuallyproducesaverysimilar list of factors.
Thetopten, innoparticular order, areasfollows, listedherewithsomethoughts
about overcomingthem.
6.4.1 Butter fl i es i n the stomach
If youarenervous, thenyouarelikelytofeel nervous. Without someapprehension,
whichcanact tofocus youonthejobinhand, youwouldprobably not dosowell.
Muchof thisfeelingwill fadeasyouget under way(andknowingthisfrompractice
helps), but youcanhelptheprocessinanumber of ways, for instance:
taking some deep breaths before you start (nerves tend to make you breathe
moreshallowly andstarveyouof oxygen), andremember to breatheas yougo
along (running out of breath to thepoint of gasping is asurprisingly common
fault);
takingasi p of water just beforeyoustart;
not eati ng a heavy meal beforeapresentation;
not eati ng nothi ng (or elserumblesmayjointhebutterflies);
not taki ng al cohol (except possibly inextrememoderation) it really does not
help; at worst, it may persuadeyouthat youcandosomethingyoucannot, and
makemattersworseasthetruthdawns!
6.4.2 A dr y mouth
This is easily cured. Take a sip of water. Never attempt to speak without a glass
of water in front of you. Even if you do not touch it, knowing it is there is a
comfort. And beware of fashionable fizzy water, which can have distracting side
effects!
6.4.3 Not knowi ng what to do wi th your hands
Thebestsolutionistogivethemsomethingtodo holdthelecternor apencil, make
the occasional gesture but then forget about them. Thi nki ng about themas you
proceedwill makemattersworse.
6.4.4 Not knowi ng how l oud to speak
J ust imagine you are speaking to the furthest person in the room(if they were
the only one there you would have little problemjudging it); better still test it
beforehand.
6.4.5 A hosti l e reacti on
Thevast majorityof groupswant it togowell. Theyaredisposedtobeonyour side.
Theonly thingworsethanknowingthat youarenot presentingwell isbeinginthe
audience; thinkabout it.
6.4.6 Not havi ng suffi ci ent mater i al
This canberemovedcompletely as afear. If your presentationis well prepared(of
whichmoreanon) youwill know thereistheright amount.
6.4.7 Havi ng too much mater i al
Aspoint 6.4.6. Enoughsaidfor themoment.
6.4.8 Losi ng your pl ace
Alsotiedinwithpreparation(andsomethingelsewewill reviewindetail), yournotes
shouldbeorganizedspecifically so that it is unlikely that youwill loseyour place
(andsothat youcanfindit easilyshouldyoudoso).
6.4.9 Dr yi ng up
Why shouldthis happen? Dry mouth? Takeasipof water. Loseyour place? Orga-
nizeit so that this does not happen. Or is it just nerves? Well, someof thefactors
alreadymentionedwill help so, too, will preparation. And, if it doeshappen, often
it takesonly asecondtoresume: Therewasanother point here ah, yes, theques-
tions of Theproblemherecan bepsychological: it just feel s as if you paused
for ever.
6.4.10 Mi sj udgi ng the ti mi ng
Thisissomethingelsespeakers notescanhelpwithspecifically.
All thatisnecessaryforsomanysuchproblemsorthoughtsisapractical response,
somethingthat actscertainly toremoveor reducetheadverseeffect. Thinkingof it
thisway helpstoo. Try not toworry. Nodoomandgloom. It will bemorelikely to
gowell if youaresureitwill moresoif youworkatorganizingsothateveryfactor
helps.
Butfewpeoplecanspeakwithoutthought. ItwastheauthorMarkTwainwhosaid,
It usually takesmethreeweekstoprepareagoodimpromptuspeech. Preparation
iskeytosuccessandit istothat whichweturnnext.
6.5 Pr epar ing to pr esent
Imaginethat youhaveapresentationtomake. Maybeyouhaveonetobedonesoon
(if not, bear inmindthat thisisataskthat most organizational jobsdonot allowyou
toavoid). Fewpeoplewill simply donothingabout it until theday andthenget up
andspeak. Sowhat doyoudo? Let us address somedangers first toleadintowhat
isbest practicehere. What youmight doisthink of what youwant tosayfirst, then
think of what follows what youwill say second, thirdandsoon andthenwrite
it downverbatim. Then, perhapsafter somejudiciousamendment, youreadit tothe
groupyoumust address.
Wrong, wrongandwrongagain.
Thismaysoundlogical, but containstheseedsof disaster. Wewill pickupsome
alternativeapproachesaswecontinue. Asitisastraightforwardfactor toaddress, let
ustakethereadingaspect first.
6.5.1 Do not tr y to read ver bati m
Somepeoplethink, at least until theyhavemoreexperience, that havingeveryword
down on paper and reading themout acts as aformof security blanket. After all,
what cango wrongif youhaveeverything, right downto thelast comma, inblack
andwhiteinfront of you? Well, twothingsinparticular.
First, youwill findit isreallyverydifficult toreadanythingsmoothly, get all the
emphasisexactlywhereitneedstobe, anddosofluentlyandwithoutstumbling. The
actorswhorecordnovels, andotherbooks, asaudioworksdeservetheirpaycheques:
real skill isinvolvedhere.
Note: avoidatall coststheannoyingmannerismfavouredbymanypoliticiansof
readinglinebytheline(especiallyfromtheteleprompter) andignoringpunctuation,
so that all thepauses areat thelineend: Goodmorning, ladies andgentlemen.
I amheretodaytogiveyouaclear insight intoour policyon
Most peoplespeak verymuchbetter fromnotesthat areanabbreviationof what
theyintendtosay(wewill returntojust howmuchof anabbreviationandwhat you
shouldhaveinfront of youlater). If youdoubt this, just try it: readsomethingout
loudandseehowit sounds; better still, recordit andhear howit sounds.
Inaddition, certainlyinabusinesscontext, yourarelyneedtobeabletoguarantee
so exact a formof wording (there are exceptions, of course: a key definition or
descriptionmayneedtobeword-perfect). It isusuallymoreimportant toensurethat
theemphasis, variety andpaceareright andthat iswhat issodifficult toachieve
whenreading.
Second, preparationcannot bedoneinisolation. It links to two factors that are
keyinmakinganeffectivepresentation. Theseare:
purposeor objective why exactlyyouaremakingthepresentation;
theviewyoutakeof your audience.
As many wouldsay that theaudienceis thefirst key essential here, let us start
withthat.
6.5.2 Your audi ence
Everythingis easier withaclear viewof your audience. First, who arethey? They
maybepeopleyouknow, men/women, expertor inexperiencedaboutwhatever topic
youmust address; therearemany permutationshere. Most important, however, are
theaudi ences expectati ons: what dotheywant?
Put yourself intheir place. Facingapresentation, what do yousay to yourself?
Most peopleanticipateits impact on them: will this beinteresting, useful, longor
short; what will this person be like; will I want to listen to them; how will what
theyhavetosayhelpme?Again, thepermutationsaremany(thoughusuallynot too
complicated to think through), but bearing audienceviewpoint in mind is amajor
factor inensuringasuccessful outcome.
Specifically, anyaudiencewants youto:
knowyour stuff;
lookthepart;
respect them, acknowledgingtheir situationandtheir views;
discover linksbetweenwhat yousayandwhat theywant fromthetalk;
begivenanadequatemessage, sothattheyunderstandandcanweighupwhether
they agreewithwhat issaidor not (thisisespecially important if youaregoing
tosuggest or demandactionof them);
makeit right for them (for example, intermsof level of technicality);
holdtheir attentionandinterest throughout.
Itisequallyimportanttobearinmindwhataudiencesdo not want, whichincludes
not being:
confused;
blindedwithscience, technicalitiesor jargon;
lost inaconvolutedstructure(or becausethereisnone);
madetostruggletounderstandinappropriatelanguage;
madetostretchtorelatewhat issaidtotheir owncircumstances;
havingtolistentosomeonewho, bybeingill prepared, showsnorespect for the
group.
A good presenter will always haveempathy for thegroup they address; and it
must beevident tothem. Oftenthisissomethingguidedby prior knowledge. But it
can, of course, vary, andyoumaywell needtospeaktogroupsyoudonotknowwell.
Alwaysfindout what youcanandmakeuseof everythingyoudodiscover.
Someof what makes for theright approach hereis an amalgamof thevarious
techniqueswewill explorelater. Somerelatetoimmediatepractical factorsthatevery
presenter doeswell toremember. For example, whileI wouldnotpresumetotell you
howto dress for apresentation, it bears thinkingabout. Professionalismis, at least
inpart, inferredfromappearance. Personal organizationtoohasavisual importance.
Youmust not just bewell organized, youmust l ook well organized. Walkingtothe
front, howeverconfidently, islikelytobespoiledif youareclutchingabulgingfolder
spillingpapers inall directions, andstart by saying, ImsureI havethefirst slide
heresomewhere, accompaniedbyfevered, fumblingattemptstofindit.
6.5.3 Cl ear pur pose
Rarely, if ever, are people asked just to talk about something. The most crucial
questionany intendingpresenter canask themselvesissimply, Why isthispresen-
tationto bemade? If youcananswer that clearly, it will beeasier bothto prepare
andtopresent. Let usbeclear here: Obj ecti ves are not what you i ntend to say: they
refl ect what you i ntend to achieve.
Apologiesif thisseemsobvious, butI oftenobservepresentations(oftencarefully
preparedandbrought to trainingworkshops inthepresenters knowledgethat they
will besubject tocritique), whicharepoor almost solelybecausetheyhavenoclear
objectives. Theyrattlealongreasonablywell; but theydonot go anywhere.
Objectivesarethereforekey youcancheckbackfor detailsabout settingthem
elsewhere.
6.5.4 How the group sees a presenter
Anybusinesspresenter must direct thegroup, must beinchargeandmust therefore
lookthepart. Therearesomepeoplewhoholdthatthepresenter shouldalwayswear
asuit, or theequivalent intermsof formalityfor awoman. Certainly, appearancein
thissenseisimportant, thoughitshouldlinktothecultureandcircumstancesinwhich
thepresentationtakesplace. Similarly, youshouldnormally standupasopposedto
sitting(theremay besomesessionsthat canberunwhilesitting, but not many, and
thesearelessourconcernhere). Notonlydoesappearancediffer, butalsomostpeople
will actually performin adifferent and morestimulating manner when standing
it somehow gets theadrenalin flowing. If standing is thechosen option, stand up
straight, donot moveabout toomuch, andpresent anappearanceof purposefulness.
The speaker is the expert and is, or should be, in charge, so appearance is a
relevant factor.
6.5.5 How you see the audi ence
Howyouviewthegroupisnot, of course, simply avisual point: what isnecessary
is an under standi ng of thegroup, and theindividuals in it, and an appreciation of
their point of viewandtheir way of seeingthings. Presentations may well demand
decisionsof people: DoI agree?; CanI seetherelevanceof this?; Shall I agree
withthispoint? Soitisnecessarytounderstandthethinkingprocessthattakesplace
inthemindsof thoseinthegroupinsuchcircumstances. Thisisessentiallythesame
as was set out inChapter 4indiscussingpersuasivecommunication. This will not
berepeated here, but theessential approach stemming fromit is this: that anyone
makingapresentationmust not simply talk at their audience, but rather tailor their
approachbasedonanunder standi ng of the audi ences poi nt of vi ew.
Now, as weremember all this, oneof thedangers is at onceapparent. This is
that theother personspoint of viewcanbeneglected, or ignored, withthepresenter
focusingprimarily, or only, ontheir ownpoint of view. Youshouldensurethat you
donotbecomeintrospective, concernedwithyourownviewsorsituation, butinstead
useanddisplay enoughempathy tocomeover asbeingconstantly concernedabout
others views. Thissoundsobvious, butitisall tooeasytofindyour ownperspective
predominating, thus creating a dilution of effectiveness. Even the most important
messagehastoearnahearing, andthisisachievedprimarily throughconcentrating
onwhat is important to thegroup. Nervousness of theactual process of presenting
maycompoundthispotential danger.
Next weturntothestructureof thepresentationitself, andreviewhowonegoes
throughit.
Probably themost famous of all maxims about any kind of communication is
theoldsaying, Tell em, tell emandtell em. This canbestatedmoreclearly as
meaningthat youshouldtell peoplewhat youaregoingtotell them, tell them, and
thentell themwhat it wasyoutoldthem. Thissoundssilly, perhaps, but compareit
withsomethingalittledifferent: thewayagoodreport isset out, for instance. There
is anintroduction, whichsays what it is that follows; thereis themainbody of the
document, whichgoesprogressivelythroughthemessage; andthesummary, which,
well, summarizesor sayswhat hasbeencovered. Theideaisstraightforward, but, if
it isignored, messagesmaythengolargelytowaste.
So, practisingtosomedegreewhat wepreach, wewill split thepresentationinto
three sections, and look not only at how to make each effective, but also how to
ensurethat thethreetogether makeasatisfactory whole. First, afew morewords
about preparation.
6.5.6 Before you speak
Havingseentherearethreestages whichwereviewunder themorebusinesslike
headings of thebeginning, themiddleand theend westart with another factor,
whichiseither confusingor anexampleof anintriguingopening. Inanycase, it has
beenreferredtobefore: preparation. It isthat whichcreatesyour beginning, middle
andend, andeverythingelsealongtheway.
Here I wish unashamedly to emphasize the point. Preparation is important
remember Mark Twain. If hewashalf asgoodaspeaker ashewasawriter it makes
apoint. So, beforeweanalyseapresentation, weneedtothink about howyouput it
together.
6.5.6.1 Pr epar ation: key tasks
Thekeyissuesareasfollows.
Beabletoanswer thequestion, Whymustthispresentationbemade? Andhave
aclear purposeinmind, onethat reflectstheaudienceandtheeffect youwant to
haveonthem.
Decidewhat tosay(andwhat not tosay).
Arrangethingsinalogical order.
Think about how it will be put over (not just the pure content, but examples,
anecdotesandanyelementsof humour).
Preparesuitablenotes as anaide-mmoireto haveinfront of youas youspeak
(but not, ashasbeensaid, toreadverbatim).
Anticipatereactionsandquestionsandhowyouwill deal withthese.
All thismust bedonewithakeeneyeonhowlongthereisfor thepresentation
sothat what youpreparefits(youmay needtodecidethetime; or youmay betold
thedurationor havetoaskwhat issuitable).
6.5.6.2 A final check
A final look(perhapsafter abreakfollowingpreparation) isalwaysvaluable. Thisis
alsothetimetoconsider rehearsal: talkingit throughtoyourself, toataperecorder
or afriendor colleague, or goingthroughafull-scaledressrehearsal.
If youarespeakingaspartof ateam, al ways makesurethatspeakersgettogether
aheadof theeventtorehearse, or atleastdiscuss, bothanypossibleoverlapsandany
necessaryhandover betweenspeakers. Youareseekingtocreatewhat appearstothe
audiencetobeaseamlesstransitionbetweenseparatecontributors.
Ask: isthisthesort of event whererehearsal isnecessaryand, if so, howshould
it bedone? Simple, unequivocal answer: yes, it is exactly wheresuchis necessary
andthis is howshouldit bedone: inanutshell, thoroughly, sufficiently far ahead,
andtakingsufficient timefor it.
Thereafter, depending on thenatureof thepresentation, it may beuseful or
necessary tospendmoretime, either inrevisionor just readingover what youplan
todo. Youshouldnot overdorevisionat thisstage, however, becausetherecomesa
timesimplytobecontent youhaveit right andstickwithit.
Thiswholepreparationprocessisimportant andnot tobeskimped. Preparation
does get easier, however. You will find that, with practice, you begin to produce
material thatneedslessamendmentandthatbothgettingitdownandanysubsequent
revisionbegintotakelesstime.
At theend of theday, as has been said, you need to find your own version of
theproceduresset out here. A systematic approachhelps, but theintentionisnot to
overengineer theprocess. Whatmattersisthatyouarecomfortablewithyour chosen
approach, and that it works for you. If this is the case, then, provided it remains
consciouslydesignedtoachievewhatisnecessary, itwill becomeahabit. Itwill need
lessthinkingabout, yetstill acttoguaranteethatyouturnoutsomethingthatyouare
content meetstheneeds whatever theymaybe.
Weshall nowlook at thepresentationstageby stageandstart, withappropriate
logic, at thebeginning, andseehowyoucanget togripswiththat.
6.6 T he str uctur e of a pr esentation
6.6.1 The begi nni ng
Thebeginningisclearlyanimportant stage. Peopleareuncertain, theyaresayingto
themselves, Whatwill thisbelike?Will I finditinteresting/helpful? Theymayalso
havetheir mindsonother matters: Whatsgoingonback at theoffice, thejobI left
half finished? Howwill myassistant copewhenImaway, evenfor afewminutes?
This is particularly truewhen thepeoplein thegroupdo not knowyou, or do not
knowyouwell. They thenhavelittleor no previous experienceof what to expect,
andthiswill conditiontheir thinking(itisalsopossiblethatpreviousexperiencewill
makethemwary!). Withpeopleyouknowwell, thereis less of aproblem, but the
first momentsof anyspeechareneverthelessalwaysimportant.
Thebeginningisimportant not onlytotheparticipants, but alsotothepresenter.
Nothing settles thenerves and even themost experienced speakers usually have
afew qualms beforethey start better than making agood start. Remember, the
beginningis, necessarily, theintroduction; themainobjectiveisthereforetoset the
scene, statethetopic(andrationalefor it) clearly, andbegintodiscussthemeat of
thecontent. Inaddition, youhaveto obtainthegroups attention they will never
takethemessageonboardif theyarenot concentratingandtakinginwhat goeson
andcreatesomesort of rapport bothbetweenyouandthem, andaroundthegroup
themselves.
Let ustaketheseaspectsinturn.
6.6.1.1 Gaining attention
This is primarily achievedby your manner andby thestart youmake. Youhaveto
look the part; your manner has to say, Thisll be interesting. This person knows
what theyretalkingabout. A littlehasbeensaidabout suchfactorsasappearance,
standingupandso on. Sufficeit to say herethat, if your start appears hesitant, the
wrong impression will be given and, at worst, everything thereafter will be more
difficult. Moreimportant iswhat yousayfirst andhowit issaid.
Thereareanumber of typesof opening, eachpresentingarangeof opportunities
for differinglead-ins. Herearesomeexamples.
A question: It canberhetorical or otherwise, preferably somethingthat people
arelikelytorespondtopositively: Wouldyouwelcomeabetter wayto?
A quotation: Thismightbehumorousor makeapoint, whichmightbeaclassic,
or novel phrase; or itmightbesomethinginternal: Atthelastcompanymeeting,
theMDsaid
A stor y: Again, thiscouldbesomethingthatmakesapoint, relatestothesituation
or people, or drawsonacommonmemory: Weall remember thesituationat the
endof thelast financial year when
A factual statement: This could be striking, thought-provoking, challenging
or surprising: Doyourealizethat this company receives 120complaints every
workingday? (Thefactthatthisisalsoaquestionindicatesthatall thesemethods
andmorecanbelinked.)
A dr amatic statement: Thismightbeastorywithastartlingend. Or astatement
that surprises insomeway. For instance, once, talkingabout direct-mail adver-
tising, I startedby askingthegroupto count, out loudandinunison, fromone
toten. BetweentwoandthreeI bangedmyfist downonthetablesaying, Stop!
loudly. Andthat, I continued, ishowlongyourdirectmail hastocatchpeoples
attention twoandahalf seconds!
A histor ical fact: A referenceback toanevent that isacommonexperienceof
thegroupmight beinorder here: In2000, whencompany sales for what was
thenanewproduct werejust
A cur ious opening: Simply try astatement sufficiently oddfor peopleto wait
tofindwhat onearthit isall about: Consider theaardvark, andhowit sharesa
characteristic of someof our managers (Incaseyouwant alink, it is thick-
skinned.)
A checklist: Thisisperhapsagoodstartwhenplacingtheshoppinglist inmind
earlyonisimportant: Therearetenkeystagestotheprocesswewanttodiscuss,
first
Theremustbemoremethodsandcombinationsof methodsthatyoucanthinkof.
Whatever you choose, this element of thesession needs careful, and perhaps very
precise, preparation.
6.6.1.2 Cr eating r appor t
Atthesametime, youneedtoensurethatanappropriategroupfeelingisengendered.
Intermsof what yousay (participationalsohasarolehere), youmay want toset a
patternof we rather thanyouandus. Inother words, sayWeneedtoconsider
andnot Youmust If thisapproachisfollowed, amorecomfortableatmosphere
iscreated. Youmayadd discreetly acomplimentor two(Asexperiencedpeople,
youwill ), thoughwithoutoverboasting. And, aboveall, be enthusi asti c. Itissaid
that theonegoodaspect of lifethat isinfectiousisenthusiasm. Useit.
At thesametime, theopeningstages needto makeit absolutely clear what the
objectivesare, what will bedealt withandhowit will benefit thosepresent. It must
alsomoveusintothetopicinaconstructiveway.
This openingstageis thefirst Tell em fromTell em, tell emandtell em,
anddirectsitself at thefirst twostagesof thegroupsthinkingprocess.
6.6.2 The mi ddl e
Themiddleisthecoreof thesession. Theobjectivesareclear:
toput over thedetai l of themessage;
ensureacceptance of themessage;
maintainattenti on throughout theprocess.
Oneof theprincipleshereistotakeonepointatatime; weshall dojustthathere.
6.6.2.1 Putting over the content
Themaintrickhereistoadoptastructuredapproach. Makesureyouaredealingwith
pointsinalogical sequence, e.g. workingthroughaprocessinachronological order.
Andusewhat isreferredtoincommunicationsliteratureasfl aggi ng or si gnposti ng,
takingus straight back to thethreetell ems. You cannot say things likethis too
much: Therearethreekeypointshere: performance, methodandcost; letsdeal with
theminturn. First, performance Itgivesadvancewarningof whatiscoming. (This
appliestobothcontentandthenatureof whatisbeingsaid. SayingForexample is
asimpleformof signposting. Itmakesitclearwhatyouaredoingandmakesthepoint
alsothatyouarenotmovingontothenextcontentpointjustyet.) Puttingeverything
incontext, andrelatingit to aplannedsequence, keeps themessageorganizedand
improvesunderstanding.
This techniqueand theclarity it helps producegiveyou theoverall effect you
want. People must obviously understand what you are talking about. There is no
roomfor verbosity, for toomuchjargon, or for anythingthat cloudsunderstanding.
Oneprettygoodmeasureof thepresenteriswhenpeopleafterwardsfeel that, perhaps
for thefirsttime, theyreallyhavecometounderstandclearlysomethingthathasjust
beenexplained.
Youcannotrefer tomanual excavationdevices: inpresenting, aspadehastobe
calledaspade. What ismore, it has, asit were, tobeaninterestingspadeif it istobe
referredtoat all andif attentionistobemaintained.
6.6.2.2 M aintaining attention
Here again the principles are straightforward. Keep stressing to the audience the
relevanceof what isbeingdiscussed. For instance, donot just say that somematter
will beacost savingto theorganization, but stress personal benefits: will it make
somethingeasier, quicker or moresatisfyingtodo, perhaps?
Makesurethat thepresentationremainsvisuallyinterestingbyusingvisual aids
anddemonstrationswhereverpossible. Usedescriptions, too, thatincorporatestories,
oranecdotestomakethemessagelive. Youcannotmakeapresentationlivebyformal
content alone: youneedanoccasional anecdote, or somethinglessformal. It isgood
if youareablebothtoproceedthroughyour contentand, atthesametime, toremain
seeminglyflexible, apparentlydigressingandaddinginsomethinginteresting, apoint
thatexemplifiesormakessomethingmoreinterestingasyougo. Howdoyoudothis?
It isbacktopreparation.
Finally, continuetogenerateattentionthroughyour owninterestandenthusiasm.
6.6.2.3 Obtaining acceptance
Peoplewill implement only what they havecometobelieveisgoodsense. It isnot
enoughtohaveputthemessageoverandforittobeunderstood ithastobebel i eved.
Herewemust start bygoingbacktounder standi ng, andnotingthat nothingwill
betrulyacceptedunlessthisisachieved. Notethattosomeextentbetterunderstanding
ishelpedbythefollowing.
Using clear, pr ecise language: Thisislanguagethat isfamiliar tothosepresent,
andwhichdoesnot overusejargon.
M aking explanation clear : Makeno assumptions, useplenty of similes (you
cannot say Thisislike toooften), andwithsufficient detail toget thepoint
across. Onedanger hereisthat, inexplainingpointsthatyouknowwell, youstart
toabbreviate, allowingyour understandingtoblindyouastohowfar back it is
necessarytogowithpeoplefor whomthemessageisnew.
Demonstr ation: Thisaddsconsiderablytothechancesof understanding. Demon-
strations canbespecific: talk about products, for instance, andit may beworth
showingone. Inthiscase, thegoldenruleis(surprise, surprise!) preparation. Cred-
ibilityisimmediatelyatriskif somethingismentionedandneedsvisualizing, yet
cannotbe. Helpyouraudiencesimaginationandyourmessagewill gooverbetter.
Visual aids: Theseareapowerful tool tounderstanding. Astheoldsayinghasit,
A pictureis worthathousandwords. Graphs areanexcellent example. Many
peopleinstantlyunderstandapointfromaclear graphthatmightwell eludethem
inamassof figures. Visual aidsarecommentedonat theendof thissection.
Effectivenessisnot, however, justaquestionof understanding. Ashasbeensaid,
acceptanceisalsovital. Acceptanceishelpedby factorsalready mentioned(telling
peoplehowsomethingwill benefit them or othersthey areconcernedabout, such
astheir staff), andthemorespecificthislinkcanbemadethebetter theeffectwill be
ontheviewformed.
Inaddition, acceptancemaycomeonlyoncecredibilityhasbeenestablished, and
this, inturn, maydemandsomethingother thanyour saying, ineffect, Thisisright.
Credibility can be improved by such things as references and things other people
say. A description that shows how well an idea or systemhas worked in another
department, andsetsthisoutchapterandverse, maybeapowerful argument. Always
withreferences, thisisdependentonthesourceof thereferencebeingrespected. If the
other department isregardedinanegativeway, thentheir adoptingsomeprocessor
product mayberegardedbyothersasbeingaverygoodreasonnot tohaveanything
to do with it. References work best when the results of what is being quoted are
included, so that themessagesays they did this and so and so has occurred since,
withsufficient detailstomakeit interestingandcredible.
Finally, it is worth making the point that you will not always know whether
acceptanceof apointhasbeenachieved, unlessyoucheck. Peoplecannotbeexpected
tonodor speak out at every point, yet knowingthat youhaveachievedacceptance
may beimportant as you proceed. Questions to establish appropriatefeedback are
thereforeanecessarypartof thisprocess, andinsomepresentationsthismustbedone
asyouprogress. Itisalsoadvisabletokeepaneyeonthevisiblesigns, watching, for
instance, for puzzledlooks.
6.6.2.4 Handling obj ections
Thefirst aspect hereis theanticipation, indeedthepre-emption, of objections. On
occasionsit isclear that somesubject tobedealt withislikely, evenguaranteed, to
produceanegativereaction. If thereis aclear answer, thenit canbebuilt into the
presentation, avoidinganywasteof time. It maybeassimpleasacomment suchas,
Of course, thisneedstime, alwaysascarceresource, but, onceset-upisdone, time
will besaved frequently. It wouldthengoontoexplainhowthiswill happen.
Otherwise, if objections arevoiced andof courseonoccasionthey will be
thenasystematicprocedureisnecessaryif theyaretobedealt withsmoothly.
First, giveit amoment: tooglibananswer maybemistrustedor maketheques-
tioner feel or look silly. So, pauseandfor longenoughto giveyourself time
tothink (whichyoumight just need!), andgivetheimpressionof consideration. An
acknowledgement reinforces this Thats agoodpoint; Wemust certainly think
about that thoughbecareful of lettingsuchacomment becomeareflexandbeing
seenas such. Thenyoucananswer, witheither aconcentrationontheindividuals
point andperspective, or ageneral emphasis, whichismoreuseful tothegroupasa
whole; or both, inturn.
Veryimportantly, never, ever bluff. If youdonot knowtheanswer youmust say
so(nogroupexpectsyoutobeinfallible), thoughyoumaywell havetofindout the
answer later andreport back. Alternatively, doesanyoneelseknow? Similarly, even
when you can answer, thereis no harmin delaying areply: Thats agood point.
PerhapsI canpickit upincontext whenwedeal with
A final wordhere: bewareof digression. Itisgoodtoanswer anyancillarypoints
that comeup, but youcanstraytoofar. Part of thepresentersjobisthat of chairper-
son; everythingplannedfor thesessionhastobecovered, andbeforethescheduled
finishingtime. If, therefore, youhaveto drawacloseto alineof enquiry, andyou
may well havetodoso, makeit clear that timeis pressing. Donot ever let anyone
feel it wasasillypoint toraise.
After all this, whenwehavebeenthroughthesession, thetimecomestoclose.
6.6.3 The end
Always end on a high note. The group expect it, if only subconsciously. It is an
opportunity to build on past success during the session or, occasionally, to make
amendsfor anythingthat hasbeenlesssuccessful.
Thatapart, theendisapullingtogetherof theoverall messagethathasbeengiven.
However youfinally end, thereis oftenaneedtosummarizeinanorderly fashion.
Thismaywell belinkedtoanactionplanfor thefuture, sothat, inwrappingup, what
hasbeensaidisreviewed completingtheTell ems andacommitmentissought
astowhatshouldhappennext. Thisisimportant. Mostpeopleareunder pressurefor
timeand, whatever else, youhavealreadytakenupsomeof that. Theywill bebusier
after evenhalf anhour takentosit throughyour presentationthanwouldbethecase
if they hadnot attended, sothereis areal temptationtoput everythingononeside
andget back to work get back to normal. Yet this may bejust wherealittletime
needs to beput in to start to makesomechanges. Their having areal intention in
mindastheyleavethesessionisnotaguaranteethatactionwill flow, butitisastart.
Itmakesitthatmuchmorelikelythatsomethingwill happen, especiallyif follow-up
actionistakentoremindandseethematter through.
Aswiththebeginning, thereisthenaneedtofindawayof handling, inthiscase,
thefinal signing-off. Herearesomeexamplesof waystofinish.
A question: This couldleavethefinal messagehangingintheair, or makes it
morelikelythatpeoplewill goonthinkingabouttheissuesalittlelonger: I asked
aquestionat thestart of thesession; nowletsfinishwithanother
A quotation: This could encapsulate an important, or the last, point: Good
communicationisasstimulatingasblack coffee, andjust ashardtosleepafter
(AnneMorrowLindbergh, Americanaviator, author).
A stor y: This wouldbelonger thanthequotation, of course, but withthesame
sort of intention. If it is meant to amuse, besureit does; you haveno further
chanceat theendtoretrievethesituation. That said, I will resist thetemptation
togiveanexample, thoughastoryclosedoesnot implyonlyahumorousstory.
An alter native: ThismaybeassimpleasWill youdothisor not? or themore
complicatedoptionof aspelt-out planA, B or C?
I mmediate gain: This is an injunction to act linked to an advantageof doing
so now. Put this new systemin place and youll be saving time and money
tomorrow. More fiercely phrased, it is called a fear-based end: Unless you
ensure this systemis running you will not Although there is sometimes a
placefor thelatter, thepositiverouteisusuallybetter.
Just a good close: Alternatively, choosesomethingthat, whilenot linkedinex-
tricably to thetopic, just makes agoodclosingline; for example, ThemoreI
practise, themoregood luck I seemto have (which is attributed to just about
everyfamousgolfer thereis), isonethat might suit somethingwithatrainingor
instructional content.
However youdecidetowrapthings up, theendshouldbealogical conclusion,
rather thansomethingseparateaddedtotheend.
All of thisislargelycommontoanypresentation. Theimportanceof differentpre-
sentationsvaries, however. Somehavemorecomplexobjectivesthanothers. Insimple
terms, youmay want toinform, motivate, persuade, changeattitudes, demonstrate,
prompt actionandmore. Sometimesseveral of thesearekeytogether.
Consider anexample. Youwant peopleto understandandtakeonboarddoing
somethingdifferently. Youwant peoplenot just tosaythat theyunderstoodthepre-
sentationandperhapsevenenjoyedit: youwantthemtohavelearntfromit. Theways
inwhichpeoplelearnarethereforeimportant principlestokeepinmindthroughout.
It needs patienceas well as intellectual weight or clout. It needs sensitivity tothe
feedbackaswell astheabilitytocomethroughit. Aswithmanyskills, thedifficulty
islesswiththeindividual elements, mostof whicharestraightforwardandcommon-
sense, than with theorchestration of thewholeprocess. Many peoplein business
must beabletopresent effectively, toremainflexiblethroughout andwork withan
audiencerather thanjust talkat them.
Whateveritisyoudo, youmake i t happen. Thusyoumustpl an tomakeithappen.
Youcanrarely, if ever, just wingit: it needs careinpreparationandinexecution.
If it is givenappropriateconsideration, youcanmakeit go well. Thereareseveral
other thingstobear inmind, however, that will help.
6.7 Speaker s notes
For most people having somethi ng in front of them as they speak is essential.
The question is what formexactly should it take? Speakers notes have several
roles. They:
boost confi dence intheevent youmay not needeverythingthat is infront of
you, but knowingit isthereis, initself, useful;
act as a gui de towhat youwill sayandinwhat order;
assi st you to say it in thebest possibleway, producing theright variety, pace,
emphasis, etc. asyougoalong.
On theother hand, it must not act as a straitjacket and stifleall possibility of
flexibility. After all, what happens if your audiences interest suggests adigression
or theneedfor moredetail beforeproceeding? Or thereverse: if agreater level of
prior informationor experiencebecomesapparent, meaningthat youwant torecast
or abbreviatesomethingyouplantosay? Or what if, asyouget uptospeak for half
anhour, thepersoninthechair whispers, Canyoukeepit totwentyminutes?Were
runningabitbehind?Goodnotesshouldassistwiththeseandotherscenariosaswell.
Againthereisnointentionhereeithertobecomprehensiveortosuggestthatonly
oneway makes sense. Rather, I will set out what seemtomesomerules andsome
triedandtestedapproaches. But theintentionisnot tosuggest that youfollowwhat
ishereslavishly. Again, itisimportanttofindwhatsuitsyou, soyoumaywanttotry
someof theapproachesmentioned, but toamendor tailor themtosuit your kindof
presentationasexactlyaspossible.
Onepoint is worthmakingat theoutset: thereis advantageinadopting(if not
immediately) a consistent approach to how you work here. This can act to make
preparationmorecertain, andyouaremorelikelyalsotobecomequickerandquicker
at gettingyour preparationdoneif youdoso.
6.7.1 The for mat of notes
Thefollowingmight beadoptedasrules.
Legi bi l i ty isessential (youmustuseasufficientlylargetypeface, orwriting, avoid
addingtiny, untidyembellishmentsandremember that notesmust besuitableto
beusedstandingupandthereforeatagreater distancefromyour eyesthanif you
sat toreadthem).
Thematerials must bewel l chosen for you. Somepeoplefavour small cards,
otherslarger sheets. A standardA4ringbinder workswell (onewithapocket at
thefront may beuseful for ancillary items youmay want withyou). Whatever
youchoose, makesureitl i es fl at. Itiscertaintobedisconcertingif afoldedpage
turnsbackonitself especiallyif yourepeat awholesection. It canhappen!
Using onl y one si de of the paper allows spacefor amendment and addition if
necessary and/or makes the total package easier to follow (some people like
notes arranged with slides reproduced alongside to produce a comprehensive
double-pagespread).
Always page-number your mater i al (yes, one day, as sure as the sun rises in
themorning, youwill dropit). Somepeopleliketonumber thepagesinreverse
order 10, 9, 8, etc. whichgivessomeguidanceregardingtimeremaininguntil
theend. Decidewhich andstickwithonewaytoavoidconfusion.
Separ ate di fferent types of note: for examplewhat you i ntend to say and how
(emphasisetc.).
Usecol our and symbol s tohelpyoufindyour way, yet minimizewhat must be
noted.
Never put downverbatimwhat youwant tosay. Readingsomethingis difficult
andalwayssoundslessthanfresh. Thedetail onthespeakersnotesneedstobejust
sufficientforawell-preparedspeakertobeabletoworkfromitanddosocomfortably.
Consider thedevicesmentionedhere, andtrytobear inmindasyoudosotheeffect
thattheuseof asecond(or third?) colour whichcannotbereproducedhere would
haveon its easeof use. Somehighlighting is clearly moredramatic in fluorescent
yellow, for example.
Consider theseideas; thereshouldbethingshereyoucancopy or adapt, or that
prompt additional ideasthat suit you.
M ain divisions: Thepages imaginetheyareA4 aredivided(acolouredline
isbest) intosmaller segments, eachcreatingamanageableareaonwhichtheeye
canfocuswithease; thishelpsensurethatyoudonotloseyour place(effectively,
it producessomethingof theeffect of usingcardsrather thansheets).
Symbols: These save space and visually jump off the page, making sure you
do not miss them. It is best to avoid possible confusion by always using the
samesymbol torepresent thesamething andmaybealsotorestrict theoverall
number used, sinceaplethoraof themmightbecomedifficulttofollow. Usebold
explanationmarks, for example, or S1 (Slide1) toshowwhichslideisshown
where.
Columns: Theseseparatedifferentelementsof thenotes. Clearlytherearevarious
optionshereintermsof numbersof columnsandwhat goeswhere.
Space: Turningover takesonlyasecond(oftenyoucanendapagewhereaslight
pauseisnecessaryanyway), butitisalwaysbesttogiveyourself plentyof space,
not least tofacilitateamendmentsand, of course, toallowindividual elementsto
standout.
Emphasis: Thismust beasclear ascontent; again, asecondcolour helps.
Timing: An indication of timeelapsed (or still to go) can beincluded as little
or often as you find useful; remember that the audience love to have time
commitmentskept.
Options: Thistermisusedtodescribepointsincludedasaseparateelement and
suchcanbeparticularly useful. Options canbeaddedor omitteddependingon
suchfactors as timeandfeedback. They helpfine-tunethefinal delivery and
aregoodfor confidence, also. Theymight goinathirdright-handcolumn.
Note that points in the Options column are designed to be included or not,
dependingonthesituation. A planmight thusincludetenpointsunder optionswith
half of them(regardlessof which) makingyour total presentationuptotheplanned
duration. Thus, youcanextendor decreasetoorder andfluently work inadditional
material wheremoredetail (or anaside, or example) seemsappropriateontheday.
Goodpreparationandgoodnotesgotogether. If youarewell prepared, confident
inyour material andconfident alsothat youhaveareallyclear guideinfront of you,
thenyouarewell onthewaytomakingagoodpresentation.
A suggestionof thesort of planningsheet that might behelpful is inPanel 6.1.
This is designed to act as both a checklist and a way of setting out your first
thoughts.
Panel 6.1 Pr esentation planner
TOPI C or TI TLE
Duration(specifiedor estimated):
Myintentionsareto:
Myoverall objectivecanbesummedupas:
Summaryof mainpointstobemade:
STRUCTURE
Thelogicandsequenceusedwill be:
Thebeginning:
Thingstomakeclear:
Content:
Themiddle:
Theend:
Final sign-off:
Additional points:
Set out headingslikethese, withspacetomakenotes, andyouarewell onthe
waytoplanningagoodpresentation.
6.8 Visual aids
6.8.1 The most i mpor tant vi sual ai d
Perhapsthemostimportantvisual aidhasalreadybeenmentioned: itisyou. Numbers
of factors, suchassimplegestures(for example, ahandpointing), andmoredramatic
ones suchas bangingafist onthetable, whichmay bedescribedas flourishes, are
part of this, asisyour general manner andappearance.
Moretangibleformsof visual aidarealsoimportant. Suchthingsasslidesserve
several roles; theseinclude:
focusingattentionwithinthegroup;
helpingchangepace, addvariety, etc;
givingaliterallyvisual aspect tosomething;
actingassignpoststowherewithinthestructurethepresentationhasreached.
Theyalsohelpthepresenter, providingremindersover andabovespeakersnotes
onwhat comesnext.
Becareful. Visual aidsshouldsuppor t themessage, not leador takeit over. J ust
becauseslidesexist or areeasytooriginate, it doesnot meantheywill beright. You
needtostartbylookingatthemessage, atwhatyouaretryingtodo, andseewhatwill
helpput it over andhaveanadditiveeffect. They may makeapoint that isdifficult
or impossibletodescribe, inthewayagraphmight makeaninstant point that would
belost inamassof figures. Or youmayhaveaparticular reasontousethem: tohelp
get alargeamount of informationover morequickly, perhaps.
Thechecklist that followsdeals, briefly, withthevariousoptions, offersgeneral
guidanceonvisualsproduction, andsometipsonusingtheubiquitousOHP(overhead
projector) andPowerPoint.
6.8.2 Gener al pr i nci pl es of usi ng vi sual ai ds
Keepthecontent si mpl e.
Restr i ct theamount of informationandthenumber of words: usesinglewords
to give structure, headings, or short statements; avoid it looking cluttered or
complicated; usearunninglogo(e.g. themainheading/ topiconeachslide).
Use di agr ams, gr aphs, etc. where possible rather than too many figures; and
never readfiguresaloudwithout visual support.
Build in var i ety within theoverall theme, e.g. with colour or variations of the
formof aidused.
Emphasizethetheme and str ucture, e.g. regularlyusingasingleaidtorecapthe
agendaor objectives.
Ensurethecontent of thevisual matches the words spoken.
Makenecessar y and rel evant.
Ensureever ythi ng i s vi si bl e, askingyourself, Isitclear?Will itworkintheroom?
Doesit suit theequipment? (Colours, andtheright-sizedtypefacehelphere.)
Ensurethelayoutemphasi zes the meani ng youwant(andnotsomeminor detail).
Pickther i ght ai d for theright purpose.
6.8.3 Usi ng an over head proj ector
Givenhowthecomputer hasusurpedtheoverheadprojector, or OHP, spacewill not
betakenupherewithadvice; sufficetosaytheyneedtobeusedcarefullyand, if you
havetouseone, checkit out andpractise.
The ubiquitous Microsoft PowerPoint system(and, to be fair, other systems)
allowsyoutoprepareslidesonyour computer andproject themthroughaprojector
usingthecomputer tocontrol theshow. Sofar, sogood. It workswell andyouhave
theabilitytouseavarietyof layouts, colours, illustrationsandsoonat thetouchof
abutton.
Therearesomedangers (and many of thepoints madeabout using visual aids
applyequallyhere). First, donot let thetechnologycarryyouaway. Not everything
it will doisuseful certainlynot all ononeslideor eveninonepresentation andit
isacommonerror toallowtheeaseof preparationtoincreasetheamount onaslide
beyondthepoint whereit becomesclutteredanddifficult tofollow. Thismight also
leadyoutousetoomanyslides. Similarly, if youaregoingtouseitsvariousfeatures,
such as theability to strip in onelineand then another to makeup afull picture,
remember tokeepit manageable. Detailsherecanbeimportant: for instance, colour
choiceisprodigiousbut not all areequallysuitablefor makingthingsclear.
The second danger is simply the increased risk of technological complexity.
Sometimesitisasimpleerror. RecentlyI sawanimportantpresentationhavetopro-
ceedwithouttheplannedslidesbecausetheprojector(residentatthevenue) couldnot
beconnectedtothelaptopcomputer (whichhadbeenbrought tothevenue) because
the leads were incompatible. Sometimes, problems may be caused by something
buried in thesoftware. Again, not long ago I sat through apresentation that used
2030 slides and, each timetheslidewas changed, therewas an unplanned delay
of threeor four seconds. It was felt unwarrantedtostopandrisk tinkeringwiththe
equipment, but, long before the 45-minute presentation finished, everyone in the
groupfoundit disproportionatelymaddening.
Alwaysmakesure(check, check, check!) that everythingisgoingtowork. Run
off transparenciesthat canbeshownonanOHP intheevent that disaster strikes, if
thiswouldbeasensibleinsurance(or prepareapaper handoutcopy). Finally, follow
all theoverall rulesanddonot forget that youdonot havetohaveaslideonall the
time whenyouhavefinishedwithone, blankout thescreenuntil youarereadyfor
thenext.
Whatever youuse, remember totalk tothegroup, not tothevisual aid. Looking
atthescreentoomuchwhenslidesareusedisacommonfault. Makesurevisualsare
visible(donot get intheway yourself), explainthemor their purposeasnecessary,
mentionwhetherornotpeoplewill getapapercopyof themandstopthemdistracting
your audiencebyremovingthemassoonasyouarefinishedwiththem.
6.8.4 Beware greml i ns
Is this oneof Murphys Laws? Certainly, it is anaccuratemaximthat if something
cangowrongit will; andnowhereisthismoretruethanwithequipment.
Themoral: check, checkandcheckagain. Everything fromthespareOHPbulb
(do not eventhi nk about usinganoldmachinewithonly onebulb), to whichway
upthe35mmslidesaregoingtobe, eventowhether thepensfor theflipchart still
work isworthchecking.
Always double-check anythingwithwhichyouareunfamiliar, especially if, as
withamicrophoneforinstance, whatyoudoisgoingtobesignificantlydependenton
it. Andremember that, whilethesophisticationof equipment increasesall thetime,
sotoodothenumber of thingsthat canpotentiallygowrong.
Theconcept of contingency isworthathought: what doyoudoif disaster does
strike? Youhavebeenwarned.
6.8.5 Anythi ng and ever ythi ng
Finally, beinventive. Practically anythingcanact asavisual aid, fromanother per-
son (carefully briefed to play their part) to an exhibit of some sort. In a business
presentation, exhibits may be obvious items products, samples, posters, etc.
or may besomethingtotally unexpected. Engineers may well havethings to show,
rangingfrommereplanstoanactual itemthat isavital part of their presentation.
Likeall theskillsinvolvedinmakingpresentations, whilethebasicsgiveyoua
soundfoundation, theprocessissomethingthatcanbenefitfromalittleimagination.
6.9 Summar y
Thereisagooddeal of detail here, albeitmostlycommonsense. Itrepresentsalotto
keepinmindat onetime. Practiceandbuildinguptheright habitshelp. Overall, the
keyissuesare:
prepar ati on inall itsmanifestations thisissimplyamust;
balancingcontent andmanner itisasmuchhow yousaythingsaswhat yousay
that determinesthelevel of impact;
taking ti me you must allow yourself the opportunity to use techniques, not
simplyrushthroughthecontent toget it over;
vi sual ai ds theycanhelp(indeed, maybeexpected), buttheymustsupportwhat
issaidrather thanlead.
Chapter 7
Negotiation: making the best deal
I sawAnnabel (agedsix) quotedontheInternet: If youwant ahamster, youstart
by asking for a pony. This sums up superbly the concept of negotiating, and in
thischapter wefocusspecificallyonthiskeycommunication. Thefollowingdefines
theprocessandreviewsbothstrategyandtactics, showinghowtoplanandconduct
successful negotiationsandsecurethedeal youwant
Negotiation, theprocessof makingadeal andagreeingthetermsonwhichit is
arranged, isanimportant, andubiquitous, businesscommunicationsskill. Annabel,
quoted above, says something that sums up much about the negotiation process.
Perhapsshehassomeinherent knowledgeor insight intotheprocessthat maystand
her ingoodsteadinlater life, becausenegotiation bargaining, toput it simply is
usedinsomanydifferent contextsinbothprivateandorganizational life.
It isessentiallyan i nter acti ve communi cati on ski l l , onethat must bedeployedin
many different circumstances andat every level of organizational life. It is aclose
partner of persuasiveskills; it isasmuchusedontheother sideof thesalesprocess,
in purchasing, and may need to beutilized in awidevariety of business dealings,
fromunionnegotiationtocorporatetakeover andmerger arrangements. Negotiation
skillsarenot onlynecessarytodeployindoingmanyjobssuccessfully, but arealso
amongthoseneededif someoneistobeseenasfully competent; excellinginthese
areasenhancesthelikelihoodof career success. Negotiationmay alsobeneededto
obtainthebest deal aremunerationpackage, for instance for yourself.
Good negotiators are in a strong position to make a good impression and a
gooddeal.
7.1 A means to an end
A greatdeal canberidingontheoutcomeof anegotiation. Successcanmakemoney,
savetimeorsecureyourfuture(andyourreputation). Tonegotiateanddososuccess-
fully istodeploy atechniquethat canwork positively for youinahost of different
ways. Theoverall deal youstrikemay bevital, andindividual elementsof it canbe
significant, perhaps very significant. For example, this book could not havebeen
writtenwithout agreeingadeadlinethat madeit possible.
Thetechniquesof negotiationaremanyandvaried. Itneedstherightapproach, the
rightattitudeandattentiontoamultitudeof detailsonthewaythrough. Likesomany
business skills, it cannot beappliedby rote: its usemust betailored intelligently
tailored to theindividual circumstances on acase-by-casebasis. It has elements
of beinganadversarial process about it andit needs handlingwithcare; individual
techniquesmaybecommonsenseinsomeways, but theyneeddeployingwithsome
sensitivity. Youcanas easily findthat someoneis runningrings aroundyouas that
youaretyingupthedeal of alifetime.
Inthischapter, negotiationisexplainedandinvestigated. Thewayitworksisspelt
outandtheprocessisillustratedinavarietyof waysandindifferentcontexts. Itshows
thatitisimportantnotonlytobeabletonegotiate, butalsotobeabletoplanandman-
agetheprocessinordertoincreasethelikelihoodof achievingtheoutcomeyouwant.
7.2 A changing wor ld
Itshouldbesaidearlyonthatnegotiationisafrontlineskill. Itputsthoseundertaking
it in an exposed position. It may involve people within the same organization or
outsideit; muchnegotiatingis traditionally betweensupplier andbuyer. Whatever
the precise purpose of negotiation, it is affected by the increasingly dynamic and
competitiveworldinwhichorganizationsoperate. For example, buyersnegotiating
arrangementswithsuppliershaveconsiderablepowerandthereisalwaysacompetitor
waitinginthewings to pick upthepieces if asupplier fails to makeadeal that is
acceptable. Suchcompetitivepressurealso exists internally withinanorganization
andcanaffect all sortsof negotiation.
However much it may be a skill that needs to be deployed widely around an
organization, andonethereforethat manypeopleshouldaimtohaveasatechnique
intheirarmoury, itiscertainlyoftenahigh-level one. Seniormanagementandleaders
of manykindsmustbegoodnegotiators. If theskill isonethatgoeswiththeterritory
for you, thenthereisreal danger infailingtogettogripswithit; andreal opportunity
for thosewhomakeit their stock-in-trade.
Negotiation is acomplex process. At least it is complex in thesensethat it is
aninteractiveprocess that involves amultitudeof techniques. Perhaps thegreatest
complexityisthatof orchestratingtheoverall process, managingitwithinthecontext
of ameeting. Thepurposeof negotiationis, however, clear.
7.3 A special for m of communication
Negotiationis aspecial formof communicationandis best definedinthat context.
Communication is thebasic process, theflow of information between peoplethat
informs, instructsandmore. Moreimportanthereisper suasi ve communi cati on. This
isdesignedtoproduceagreementandactioninanotherperson; assuch, thismayhave
awealthof applications, includingsellingwheretheagreement istobuysomething
(seeChapter 4).
Whenpersuasionhasworkedandagreementisthere, atleastinprinciple, negoti-
ationmaytakeover. It isconcernedwiththerelationshipbetweentwopartieswhere
theneedsof botharelargelyinbalance. It istheprocessof bargai ni ng that arranges
andagreesthebasisonwhichagreementwill beconcluded thetermsandconditions
under whichthedeal will bestruck.
Negoti ati on: maki ng the best deal 83
Consider two simple examples. In the classic case of wage bargaining, the
employerwantstoreachanagreement(tosecuretheworkforceandkeepthebusiness
running), andtheemployees want anagreement (so that theprocess of negotiating
is over, and they can get on with earning at anew, improved, rate). This question
of balancedefines theprocess. Inselling, thefirst stageis toget agreement from
thepoint of viewof theseller to get what they want but, beyondthat, negotiation
is what deci des the best deal . Thus, if you arebuying acar, say, then thethings
thatneedarrangementareall thosemakingupthepackage, whichgoesbeyondjust
thecar itself. Suchfactorsmayinclude: thefinance, discounts, extrastobeincluded
withthecar (air-conditioning, perhaps) that arenot standard, delivery, trade-inof an
existingvehicle. Theconversationwill revolvearoundapossiblepointof agreement,
fromastartingpoint i ni ti al stance totheultimatepoi nt of bal ance. Tobeclear:
theinitial stanceisthestartingpoint or first offer inanegotiation, onethat isalmost
always pitchedhigh, sometimes clearly unreasonably high; thepoint of balanceis
thepointwherethedeal canbeagreedbybothparties, thoughitmaynotreflectthe
best hopesof either.
7.4 T he application of negotiation
Theapplicationsof negotiationarewide; theyincludebeingused:
aspart of thesal es process (bybothbuyer andseller); dittopersuasion;
between individuals for pr i mar i l y per sonal reasons (e.g. negotiating a pay
increaseor remunerationpackageor discussing withyour bosswhenyoumight
goonholiday);
inwage bargai ni ng (as betweenanemployer organizationandaunionor staff
group);
inpol i ti cal ci rcl es (asintreatiesbetweengovernments);
i nter nati onal l y (either betweenindividualsor organizationsindifferentcountries
or literallyonaworldwidebasis liketherecenttalksaboutmeasurestocombat
global warming);
incor por ate affai r s (takeovers, mergersandavarietyof alliancesandcollabora-
tions, sought or forcedbycircumstances).
It often involves a financial element (though it may not) and can involvetwo
peopleorgroupsof peopleandtakeplaceateverylevel of anorganizational hierarchy.
Finally, itmaybemomentaryandminor If youcandeputizefor meattomorrows
meeting, I cangiveyoualittlelonger onthat deadlinewespokeabout but still
needgettingright.
7.5 T he natur e of negotiation
Negotiationischaracterizedbyvariousfactors.
It is ani nter acti ve and bal anced process andonewheretheoutcomemust, by
definition, beagreeableto bothparties (thoughthat does not meanbothparties
will necessarily regard theoutcomeas ideal); this is usually referred to as the
wi nwi n factor . Inwinwinnegotiationthebest negotiatingoutcomeis onein
whichbothparties aresatisfiedand, whilethey may not havewhat they would
regardas theideal best deal, they do haveanagreement withwhichthey can
feel comfortable, andonethat allowsagoodworkingrelationshiptocontinueif
necessary.
Anadver sar i al el ement isinherentwithintheprocess, aseachpartyviestogetthe
best deal that theycan. Keepinmindsayingssuchasthat of theauthor Ashleigh
Brilliant: I alwayswin. Youalwayslose. What couldbefairer thanthat? This
must bekept incheck, though: if it getsout of handnegotiationsmaydeteriorate
into slangingmatches withbothparties makingdemands to whichneither will
ever agree, sothat thewholeprocessisstillborn
A major part of theprocessof bargainingisoneof tr adi ng, inother wordsasthe
termsandconditionsarediscussed thevar i abl es, astheyarecalled theymust
betradedtocreateabalanceonabasisof, If I agreetothis, youwill needtolet
mehavethat. Moreof thislater.
A fair amount of gi ve and take isnecessary, andtheto-and-frodiscussiontakes
time; negotiationcannot berushed(this is particularly so insomecultures, for
exampleintheEast).
A r i tual el ement is involved, i.e. negotiationmust beseento havedonejustice
tothetaskit addresses; timeisoneelement of this, asareavarietyof procedural
matters.
7.6 T hr ee key factor s
Theprocessof negotiationinvolvesjugglingwiththreekeyfactors: i nfor mati on, ti me
andpower . Let usconsider theseinturn.
7.6.1 I nfor mati on
Theoldsayingthatinformationispower iscertainlytrueinnegotiation. Bothparties
wanttoknowasmuchaspossibleabouttheother: theperson(orpeople), theirneeds,
priorities, intention and approach. A better understanding on onesideor theother
allowsamoreaccuratedeploymentof theskillsandgivesthatsideanincontrovertible
advantage.
7.6.2 Ti me
Thisisalwaysapressure, andurgencyandspecificdeadlinesmaybeimposedonany
situation, oftencomingfromoutsidethecontrol of thepersonnegotiating.
Forexample, someonesbossmaybeimposingtighttiming(forreasonsexplained
or unexplained). Similarly, circumstancesmayaffect timing, for exampleintheway
thepublicationof acompanysannual accounts announcingrecordresults might
makeconcludingapay deal aheadof theannouncement apriority for management.
Ontheotherhand, timeandtimingaresomeof therawmaterialsof mostnegotiations
andit issaid, withsometruth, that therehasnot beenadeadlineinhistory that was
not negotiable.
7.6.3 Power
Manyfactorscanaddweight power totheabilitytonegotiate. Thephraseabout
havingsomeoneover abarrel picksupthispoint: it meanspower isverymuchon
oneside. Power stemsfromtwomainareas.
1. T he power of pr ecedent: Thisistheequivalentof theself-fulfillingprophecy
weknowsomething cannot bedonebecauseacertain past experiencetells us
so. Theresult?Weavoidevenraisinganissueandthepower movestotheother
side. Negotiationdemandsanopenmind, athoroughsearchfor everythingthat
might assist takingachanceor arisk is part of theprocess anddoingso and
addressingeverypossibilityregardlessof precedentgivesuspowerandimproves
thechancesof success.
2. T he power of legitimacy: This is power projectedby authority. Peoples atti-
tudeto what can benegotiated comes, in part, fromwhereand how they see
something originate. For example, even something as simple as a formor a
notice is often taken as gospel. Checking into a hotel, how many people do
other than fill in the complete registration form? Very few. Most take it as
a given that it must be done, yet, in my experience, if you ask, often a few
key details are sufficient. The point here is that the authority may be real or
it may beassumed or implied. In other words power is intentionally invested
in something to give it more power and make it weigh more heavily in the
balance. Thismaybeveryminor. Someonesays, Thatwouldbeagainstpolicy,
and suddenly someone else feels less able to challenge it. Even when both
parties understand this, the principle still adds an additional element to dis-
cussions that, all the time, must assess the real power being brought to the
tableas themeeting proceeds. Thus, acasehas legitimacy if is supported by
factual evidence; the better the evidence, the higher the legitimacy and the
stronger the case. Additionally, power comes fromthe legitimacy of factual
evidence.
7.7 A constr uctive pr ocess
Itisnowworthlookingatthingsfromtheothersideandconsideringwhatnegotiation
is not. It is not anargument. A complaint makes agoodexample. Say your fridge
is acting likeamicrowaveoven and you go into theshop that supplied it to state
your grievance. That isnot negotiating, either. It mayproduceanapology, but what
you want is action. Therearenumbers of things that couldbedone(rangingfrom
swappingitfor anewmachinetoday, noquestionsasked, togettingintouchwiththe
manufacturer, thelatter implyingadelayof indeterminatelength). Themixof action,
timing, recompense, etc. needsnegotiating.
So negotiation demands that proposals be made and discussed. In the simple
exampleabove, negotiation can fail not becauseit is donebadly but becauseit is
avoided and not done at all. The situation is then likely to turn acrimonious and
argument isall that ensues.
At theendof thedayall thepartiestonegotiationneedtounderstanditsnature.
Itmaybeadversarial, butweareaimingatamutuallyagreeableoutcome whathas
already beenreferredto as awi nwi n outcome. If oneparty goes headlongfor the
best deal regardless, thelikelihoodisthat they will pushtheother intoacorner and
that they will feel unabletoagreetoanything; thenegotiationstalls. If bothparties
accept that somecompromiseis necessary, then theoutcomeis likely to bebetter
for both.
Thus negotiationis about seekingcommonground, relatingto theother person
andtheir concerns, participatinginto-and-fro debate, but not insistingonatotally
rigid agenda. It means asking questions and l i steni ng to theanswers, disclosing
information(tosomeextent), openly statingapoint of view, buildingarelationship
andtreatingtheother personwithrespect.
Negotiationmustaimthroughoutatagreementandactivelyacttoavoidstalemate.
If persuasionanswers thequestion, Will this personagree? thennegotiationmust
addressthequestion, Onwhat basi s will thispersonagree?
Aboveall, understandingandutilizingnegotiationrequire:
abasisof sound, effectivecommuni cati on ski l l s(becausenegotiationisaspecialist
formof communication);
anunderstandingof therol e of negoti ati on (becauseit isalmost alwayspart of a
broader picture, for instanceonethat startswithpersuasion);
theability toorchestrateapl ethor a of techni ques andrelatewhat is donetothe
particular meetingandcircumstances (inother words this is not somethingthat
canbeappliedbyrote);
a sensi ti vi ty to the people involved, as what is done must be based on an
understandingof themandtheir needs.
Already weseethat negotiation, aspecialist formof personal communication,
andonethat oftengoeshandinhandwithselling, cansecureadeal, obtainthebest
financial outcomeandprovidethebasisof goodbusinessandpersonal relationships;
but it must bedoneright.
Next, weset out anoverviewof hownegotiationworks, andreviewthisintwo
mainsections: first lookingat theprocess, thenat thetacticsit involves.
7.8 T he pr ocess of making the r ight deal
Let us beclear: negotiationandpersuasionaredifferent things. They arecertainly
interrelated: successful persuasion gains agreement to action (to agreeapurchase,
perhaps); negotiationisconcernedwithidentifying, arrangingandagreeingtheterms
and conditions that accompany agreement. Thus, persuasion and agreement must
logicallycomefirst. Peopledonot wastetimenegotiatingabout somethingthat they
havenointerest in. That isnot tosaythat prior agreement isalwaysopenlystated. It
maywell not be, andinthiswaypersuasivecommunicationandnegotiationmerge,
withanimpreciselinebetweenthem.
Negotiationisaveryparticular process, characterizedinanumber of ways.
First, it iscomplex. Thecomplexitycomesfromtheneedtoorchestrateamany-
facetedprocessrather thanbecauseof anythingindividuallyintellectuallytaxing.
But youneedtobequick onyour feet as it weretokeepall thenecessary balls
in the air, and always see the broad picture while concentrating on individual
details.
Second, whilenegotiation is not to betreated as an argument (if it is, then an
impasseusuallyresults), iti s adversarial. Bothpartiesinvolvedwantthebestdeal
theycanobtain. Yet compromiseisessential: stick out for aperfect deal andthe
other partymaywalkaway; givewaytooeasilyandyoumaywell regret what is
thenagreed. Bothmustbesatisfiedwithwhattheydoagree(thewinwinoption).
Third, there is a ritual aspect to negotiation. It is a process that needs to be
gonethrough. It takestime. Thereisto-and-frodebate, andamutuallyagreeable
solutionneedstobeseentobebeingsought out, aswell asactuallytakingplace.
Too muchhaste, arushfor agreement or atake-it-or-leave-it approachcanfail
lessbecausethedeal it offersisunacceptable, morebecausetheother partydoes
notfeel thattheprocessisbeingtakenseriously. Peoplelookfor hiddenmeaning,
believethat something better must bepossibleand, again, theoutcomecan be
stalemate.
Becauseof thesefactorsthebest negotiatorsareat painstotakethebroadview,
to understandtheother persons point of viewandwhat they aretryingto achieve
andwhy. Becausetheprocessof negotiationdealswithacomplexmixof issuesand
motivations, thewaythisishandled, not least theconfidencewithwhichit isseento
behandled, isimportant. Thenegotiator whoseemsconfident, andhasanability to
deal withall theissueslogicallyandtomanagetheoverall processaswell aspicking
up the detail, commands respect. How do you get on top of it all to this extent?
Well, apart fromhavingaclear understandingof theprocess, thekeyispreparation.
It standsrepeating: successful negotiatingdoesnot just happen; it israrely possible
to wingit. Negotiationis not somethingmost of us canmakeupas wego along.
Remember thewell-knownsayingof AbrahamLincoln: If I hadninehours to cut
downatree, I wouldspendsixof themsharpeningmyaxe.
7.9 Fir st things fir st
Successful negotiationbeginswithpreparation. Therulehereissimple: doit! Prepa-
rationmay only beagrandtermfor theage-oldadvicethat it is best to engagethe
brainbeforethemouth, andit may takeonly afewminutes. Of course, at theother
endof thescaleit maymeansittingroundthetablewithafewcolleaguesthrashing
outexactlyhowtoproceedwithsomething. Whatever thenecessaryscale, theruleis
that it shouldalwayshappen.
It is particularly important to have clear obj ecti ves. That is, having a clear
specification the resul t you want fromthe negotiation spelt out: what it is, its
timing, etc.
If it is saidsimply that Wewant thebest deal possible, this provides nothing
tangible with which to work. There is all the difference in the world between an
author saying, Lets see if the publisher will pay me more for my next piece of
text and setting out to obtain a10 per cent increasein thefee. Planning should
bedesigned to producetheequivalent of aroutemap, something that helps shape
themeeting. Youknowyoucannot anticipateeverything. Withpeopleit is just not
possibleto predict exactly what will happen. Your plan should, however, provide
bothanideal routeforwardandabasisthatwill assistyouif thingsdonotgoexactly
toplan.
A final pointheremayalsoencourageyoutospendamomentinpreparation. You
neednot only tobeprepared, but alsotoappear well prepared. If it is obvious you
arenot, if itseemsyouareunfamiliar withtheissues andmoresoif thisisso then
it ismorelikelysomeonewill runringsroundyou.
Preparationisthefoundationtosuccessandinsuranceagainst beingoutclassed.
Bearingall thisinmind, itislogical thatthechoiceof whowill undertakenegoti-
ationinparticular circumstancescanalsobeimportant, just asit makesadifference
whowill dobest givenasalesrole, for instance.
7.10 T he cor e element
Thecoreof thenegotiationprocessrevolvesaroundwhat arecalledvar i abl es: those
factorsthat canbevariedandarrangedindifferent waystocreatedifferent potential
deals. Thus, innegotiatingprice, for example, thepriceitself isclearlyavariable, but
discussionmayinvolveassociatedmatterssuchaspaymentterms, extras(e.g. witha
product suchmight rangefromdeliverytoservicearrangementstocredit) andother
factorssuchastimingandstaffing; andmore.
Theoverall ruleshereinclude:
aiminghigh goingfor thebest deal possible;
discoveringthefull list of variablestheother personhasinmind;
treatingever ythi ng asapotential variable;
dealingwithdetail withinthetotal picture(rather thanonepointatatimewithout
referencetoothers).
Your useof thevariablesmust increasethepower fromwhichyoudeal. Youcan
usetheminvariousways. Youcanpromptattentionbyofferingreward: somethingyou
arepreparedtogive. Converselyyoucanofferpunishment: byflaggingyourintention
towithholdsomething. Your caseisstrengthened, givenpower or legitimacyinthe
jargon, by beinglinkedtoauthority or supportedby factual evidence. Similarly the
useof bogeys: that isredherrings, elementsthat areapparently asignificant part of
thenegotiation, whichareintroducedonlytodistract or confusetheissue. Theyare
peripheral factorsincludedonlytodistractor seeksympathy(e.g. statementssuchas
Thatsbeyondour control) aimingtostopquestioninginitstracksregardlessof its
truth, andthusactingtoaddpower.
Youhaveto rank thevariables, bothinpreparationandduringthenegotiation,
whenrealisticallysomefinetuningmaybenecessary. Therewill be, attheveryleast,
somethingsthat are:
essenti al : youcannot agreeanydeal without thesepointsbeingpart of it;
i deal : what youintendtoachieve(andthepriorities, becausetheremaybemore
of thesethanit isrealistictoachieve);
tr adabl e: inother words, thosethingsthat youarepreparedtogiveawaytohelp
createaworkabledeal.
Theconceptof tr adi ng var i abl es, theprocessof decidinghowfactorsaredecided
andagreedinrelationshiptoeachpartytothenegotiation, iskeytothewholeprocess
of negotiation. It isimportant never togiveanythingaway.
Concessi ons, avariablethat is offeredto theother party (usually inaway that
balancesthetotal picture) aspartof theto-and-froprocessof agreeingatotal arrange-
mentof variables, mustbetraded. For exampleanexternal consultantmightsay, We
cancertainly makesureall rail travel cost is second-class, but wedoneedtoadda
littletothefeesfor thetimetaken.
Overall, thevariablesareexactlythat: variable. Imagineabalance negotiating
parties are weighing up the deal they will, or hope to, get with each variable
representedby ablock shape. As thenegotiationproceeds, theshapeof each, and
thustheoverall balance, changesuntil eachsiderepresentswhatsomeonecanaccept,
withoneprobablyabetter deal thantheother.
Inthistrading, thevalueof everyconcessionmust bemaximizedwhenyougive
it, andminimizedwhenyouaccept it, so that thetradingdrives thebalanceinthe
directionyouwant. Thus, saying, I supposeI coulddothat, thoughitll makemore
work, but OK makesit seemthat what youareagreeingisworthmorethanperhaps
it actuallyis. However, saying, I wouldnever normallydothis impliesthat youare
makinganexceptionintheir favour. Similarly, saying, Well, I supposeif I dothat
youwontneedto amplifiestheeffectthattheconcessionseemstohaveforthem.
Clearly, the way such things are said, perhaps incorporating a degree of
exaggeration, inturnaffectstheir reception.
Itissimilarwithhowyouminimizetheotherparties concessions. Thesecanbe:
dismissed Fine, nownext ;
belittled Well, thatsasmall point out of theway;
amortized I supposethat savesalittleeachmonth;
takenfor granted I wouldcertainlyexpect that.
Infact, theycouldbetreatedinanywaytoreducetheminpower bythewaythey
areacceptedandreferredtoduringthediscussion.
So, thediscussion has to beplanned, directed and controlled. Theconfidence
displayedduringit is asignificant factor (andlinks back topreparation). Youmust
beclear about what youwant toachieve. If youutilizeevery possibleaspect of the
discussionandtreat everythingas avariable, anddeploy appropriatetechniques to
balancethewholepictureandarriveat whereyouwant tobe(or somewhereclose),
then you will be able to achieve a reasonable outcome. Remember the winwin
scenario. Thejobis not to takepeopleto thecleaners. If youarepreparedto agree
only somethingthat isweightedheavily inyour favour, thennegotiationmay break
downandnoagreementatall maybeconcluded. Sometimesyouneedtobeprepared
for this. Thereisoftenaminimumarrangement belowwhichyouareunpreparedto
go, andsometimeswalkingawayratherthanagreeingsomethingyouarenotprepared
tolivewithistheright decision.
Sometimes, evenif youhavesomeoneovertheproverbial barrel, awidelyskewed
deal isbest avoided. Youneedtothink long-term. What will screwingthemintothe
groundmakeyoulooklike?What arethefutureconsequencesof forcedagreement?
What may happennext timewhenyoudonot havequitesomuchstrengthtobring
totheparty?
7.11 Techniques to add power
Describing the process thus far has omitted one important aspect, and that is the
individual techniquesthat canbebrought tobear. A confident negotiator may usea
number of ploys to enhancewhat they do. Somearesimple for example, theuse
of silence, which many findembarrassing, to makeapoint or prompt acomment.
Toooftensomeonewill asksomethingsuchas, Howimportantisthistoyou? They
wait amoment and then continue, Well, Imsureit must bean important factor,
nowlets They producenoreal impact and, moreimportant, noinformationby
sodoing; indeedsilencemaybejoinedbyembarrassment. Wait. Youcanwaitalong
timeif necessary (count to yourself to try this you may well find that thepause
that worriesyouandmakesyoufeel youmust continuespeakingif they will not is
only afewseconds, but just seems long). But using really using silenceis one
particularlysignificant ployinnegotiating.
This kindof element negotiatingtricks of thetradeif youwill canenhance
theprocess, turningaroutinediscussioninto onethat moves purposefully towards
achievingyour objectives. It istothisweturnnext.
7.12 T he tactics of negotiating: key techniques
Next wereview ways of bringing control and power to what you do in aiming to
strikeadeal.
Thatnegotiationisacomplexprocess certainlyinthesensethattherearemany
things to work at together if you are to make it go well is clear. It was noted
earlier that at its coreit is anadversarial process, thoughbalanceis important and
theconcept of a winwin deal that both parties can walk away fromwith some
satisfactionisimportant. Muchof what must bedonerevolvesaroundthetradingof
variables aprocessof if youwill dothis, I will dothat whichmust takeplace
for anacceptablebalancetobereached. Suchisoftenpromptedbywhat-i f questi ons,
that is aspecific aspect of negotiation, theprocess whereadjustments aremadeby
makingsuggestionsthat offer newwaysof rebalancingmatters: What if I dothis
andyouthenaccept/dothat? Complexnegotiationsinvolveagooddeal of this.
Ontheway, techniquesandthecareful deploymentof variousbehavioural factors
(witheverythingassistedbyjudiciouspreparation) canmakeor breakyour success.
Withclear objectivesinmindandanoverall plan, youcanbegindiscussions. An
agendais sensiblefor any complex meeting. Thereis somemerit inbeingtheone
whosuggestsone, albeit assomethinghelpful tobothparties. If yousay something
like, Wemight findit best to followedbyanoutlineof howyouwant thingsto
run(thoughnot, of course, statingit ashelpful toyou), thissetsthescene, thoughit
mustbeborneinmindthatthishassomethingof thelayingall thecardsonthetable
feel toit, soyoumaywant tojudgeitsprecisionandcomprehensivenesscarefullyto
allowyousomeflexibility.
Withdiscussionsunder way, avarietyof techniquescanbeused. Nonemaybea
magicformula, but together theyaddsubstancetohowyouareabletowork. Being
preparedtoholdasilence(asmentionedearlier)isagoodexample. Othersuchdevices
include:
keepi ng tr ack: neverlosethethreadoryourgriponthecumulativedetails; ithelps
tosummarizeregularlyandtomakenotesasthemeetingprogresses;
bei ng seen to be reasonabl e: you can keep theperception of your attitudeand
of progress to datepositivesimply by thetoneof voiceandphrases youadopt:
Thatsagoodpoint goodidea, letsdothat, it shouldworkwell;
readi ng between the l i nes: nothingmaybequitewhat it seems or sounds and
youneedtowatchfordangerphrases fromtheotherside, e.g. Thatseverything
(meaning everything for now, but therearemoredemands to come); Right,
thatsgoodall round (andespeciallygoodfor me);
focusi ng on the ar r angements: if youwant adeal, thenyoumust proceedas if
therewerepotentiallyonetobehad; makingit soundasif youmaynot proceed
at all castsdoubt onthewholeprocess;
concentr ati ng: keepthinkingandruntheconversationtoallowthis, buildingin
pausesif necessary, e.g. say, Letmethinkaboutthat andpause, makeatelephone
call whatever. But never berushedaheadonanill-consideredbasis;
consi der i ng matter s i n the round throughout: becareful not togofor final agree-
ment onlytofindout that theother partyisstill introducingnewissues; thereis
aparticular danger inagreeingto parts of thepropositiononeby oneandthen
findingyouareleft withnothingtobargainwithtowardstheend;
al ways regardi ng ti mi ng as a var i abl e: deadlines, durationandeveryother aspect
of timearealmost alwaysnegotiable;
al ways questi oni ng what i s descr i bed as fi xed: what seemlikeconstraints can
oftenbemadeintovariablesandincludedinthetrading.
Anysuchlist(anditcouldwell beextended)quicklymakesthepointaboutthejug-
glingtrickthat negotiationusuallypresents. Theprinciplesareindividuallystraight-
forward, butthereareafairnumberof them, sotheorchestrationof thewholeprocess
needs skill and benefits frompractice. It is important, therefore, to keep control.
Containing emotions if necessary, and certainly remaining neutral, organized, not
beingrushedandbeingpreparedtoquestionmattersastheyareintroducedarevital.
Overall, youshouldaimtorunthekindof meetingyouwant, andcreateonethat
theother partywill seeasbusinesslikeandacceptable.
Thelist abovemakesclear boththecomplexitiesof negotiationandtheopportu-
nitypresentedbyattentiontodetail. Oneelementof techniqueoverlookedcanaffect
thingsdrastically. Consider abuying/purchasingsituation(particularly oneof some
complexity andhighvalue, suchas might takeplaceas aconstructionfirmsought
topurchasemachineryandparts). If either partyisdilatoryintakingnotes, thentwo
things could happen. First, they may miss somedetail and, proceeding without it,
makeless goodarrangements thanmight otherwisebethecase. Or, second, if they
check, theygetthedetail buttheotherpersonnowknowssomethingnewaboutthem
that they arenot concentratingor managingthedetail as well as they might and
thisalonemaygivethemaddedconfidenceandallowthemtoscorepointsthat they
wouldnot dootherwise.
It makesthepoint that akeywordtoapplytothenegotiationprocessisfr agi l e.
Details matter, of course, both ways, since one persons slip up is anothers
opportunity. The link here with preparation is again clear. Being well organized,
havingthought it throughandhavingahandleonhowyouwill orchestrateall the
different andoftendisparatefactors arecrucial. Andit is not only thedetails to be
negotiatedthat must beborneinmind: sotoomust theprocess. Inthe1970s, when
then (Tory) PrimeMinister Edward Heath was faced with a major miners strike,
herefusedto negotiate, makingatake-it-or-leave-it offer, whichinturncreatedill
feelingandextendedthestrike. Theunion, not unreasonably, simplydidnot believe
him that is not hownegotiationworks andconducteditself onthebasis that it
couldnot bethefinal offer. Result? Deadlock.
Negotiationworksbestbetweenprofessionals, whenbothpartiesaccepttheneed
for theprocessandtakeit seriously.
Remember thatanyconfidenceandprofessionalismyouprojectwill positionyou
as someoneto berespected, andthat in turn may prevent certain moreoutrageous
demands even being voiced. For instance, refusing to get hung up on something
(even though it is, for you, akey issue), but, rather, beingpreparedto bypass it
Toavoidgettingboggeddown, letsleavethat, itsnot soimportant; if wediscuss
so and so next wecan pick it up later can impress. And so too can remember-
ing to slot it in later, picking it up at an appropriatepoint (though theother party
may hope it has been forgotten) and dealing with it in a different way to avoid
stalemate.
7.13 I nter per sonal behaviour
Thethoughtsabove keepingcontrol, withemotionunderwrapsandsoon bringus
naturallytothebehavioural factorsinvolved. Again, therearemany, butthefollowing
areselectedtogiveafeel of howtheyaffect matters.
Disguised motivation: Considerspellingoutyourtruemeaningandaskingothers
todothesame. It ispossibletohavesomuchdoubleguessinggoingon Why
aretheyaskingthat? that nooneknowswhat ishappening.
Advance war ning: The above can be helped by what many refer to as clear
signposting, that is the technique of flagging ahead something of what is to
come, describingeither thetopicor thenatureof thenextcomment. For instance,
thislatter might beassimpleasstartingsomethingFor example, makingit
clear that it isoneamongseveral options. Thisisbest donepositively: It might
helpmeet thetimingconsiderationsif , sothat it isclear whyasuggestionis
beingmade. Negativesignsaheadof acounterargument areoftenjust acuefor
theother persontostoplisteningastheybegintomarshal their response: Imnot
lettingthemget awaywiththat, Ill suggest
Tacticsto disr upt: Itshouldberecognizedthatnotonlyisall fairinloveandwar,
but that negotiationcanberegardedas cominginto this category also. Some
manythingsaredonetothrowyou(andyoumaywanttoactsimilarly). Examples
includethrowingoutasmokescreenof manydemandswiththeintentionof getting
agreementtoonekeydemandhiddenamongothersthatare, infact, lessimportant.
Or theuseof flattery or coercion, anoutburst (contrived) of anger, disbelief or
outrage, pretendedmisunderstanding, playingfortime(orimposinganunrealistic
deadlineondiscussions), andmore.
Giving nothing away: Meant hereinthesenseof poker-playingimpassiveness.
If yousoundfirm, youmustlookfirm evenif youarewonderingwhatonearth
youcandonext. Thereisalinkherewithbodylanguage, which, whilesomething
of anuncertainscience, maybeworthalittlestudy.
On the other hand, rather than disrupting, some points need to be powerfully
madeand arein thenatureof attack. If this is thecase, then it is important not to
allowpeopletobeput ontheir guard. Thismaybeeasilydone, perhapsout of sheer
politeness, withacircumspect statement suchas, Look, Imsorry toinsist but this
really issomethingI must handlecarefully. Therearethingsabout whichwemust
bemuchmoredirect: It isimpossiblefor metogothat far. Full stop.
7.14 Keeping on tr ack
Negotiation is just a special form of communication. So all the rules of good
communicationapplyif negotiationistobesuccessful, andsomeof themarekey.
Takingtheneedfor clarity asread(if not alwaysfaultlessly achieved!), perhaps
twoarekey. Theygotogether andareaskingquestionsandlistening.
7.14.1 Questi oni ng
Successful negotiators never try toproceedonthebasis of hunchor assumption. If
somethingissaidthatmightbeambiguous, thentheycheckit. Whether itisbetter to
dothishead-onor obliquelyisaquestionfor individual circumstances, andbothwill
havetheir place. But, oneway or another, negotiationmust proceedonthebasisof
clear understanding.
Ask. Use open questions (i.e. those that cannot be answered yes or no), as
thesearemost oftenbest at obtaininginformationquicklyandprecisely. Get people
talking. Pursuetheir real meaningandfeelings, if necessary withaseries of linked
questions, andbuildwhat youdiscover intotheplanyouhavemade, adjustinghow
youimplement it andfine-tuningasyougo.
7.14.2 Li steni ng
This is equally important. Thegreat danger is toallowyour mindtowander, albeit
constructively, asyouthinkahead, wheninfactthisisnotuseful unlessyouhavefirst
pickedupevery detail andevery nuanceof what issaid. Thereisnoharminbeing
thought of assomeonewhomissesnothing, whether onor betweenthelines. People
aremorecareful if they think they arenegotiatingwith someonewho is confident
and professional. Listening seems obvious, yet needs working at, and because it
makesareal differencesomeconsiderationof howyoucanmakesureit iseffective
isworthwhile(seeChapter 6).
Asthevariablesarejuggledtoandfro, remember that therewill beanintention
behind everything said and done. If, early on, someonerepeatedly says that some
element of thediscussionisnot negotiable, it couldmeanjust that. Or it couldmean
they hopeto persuadeyou not to seek to useit as avariableeven in asmall way,
eventhoughthey wouldbepreparedto do so if pushed. If so, thenagoodtactic is
to leaveit ononeside, gainagreement onother issues andestablisharapport with
thembeforegoingbacktotestjusthowstrongtheresolveaboutitisinthefaceof an
attractiveagreement developing.
If someonereactswithshock, horror andsurprisetoasuggestion, youmayhave
genuinelytakenthemunawares. J ust aslikelytheyhopetoagreearapidconcession
ontheback of their exaggeratedresponse. If so, thenignoringthetenor of thefirst
response, andaskingfor amoreconsideredcommentmightprovideabetter basison
whichtomoveforward.
Suchploysandresponsesarethenutsandboltsof negotiating. Theirpermutations
arevirtually endless. But, whatever formthey take, they arebetter dealt withfrom
the firmfoundation of a considered understanding of the negotiation process and
howit works. For somepeopleinbusiness, oneaspect of theprofileof anindividual
may well be how they are seen as negotiators. Again, this can take many forms.
It might betheadmin department, seemingly with no feel for commercial details,
securinganespeciallykeendeal withasupplier. Itmightbethesalespersonboosting
profitabilitywithakeendeal. Or it might beanaccountant who, impressingaclient
withtheapparentlyeffortlessprofessionalismwithwhichtheystrikeadeal ontheir
behalf andintheir presence, raises their profilesufficiently to prompt theclient to
allowthemto act on their behalf again on other issues. In many different circum-
stances negotiation can achieve a variety of different things both corporate and
personal.
Overall, thekeythingstoremember arethat youmust:
cope wi th the compl exi ty andthismeanshavingasoundunderstandingof how
theprocessworks;
manage the di scussi on and this means taking timeto prepareand keeping a
steadyhandonthetiller asit werethroughout thediscussion;
focus on the other par ty throughout because everything about what you do
needs tobebasedonas goodanunderstandingof theother partys needs, style
andtacticsasyoucandiscover (bothbeforeandduringdiscussion).
7.15 T he scope of negotiation
Tonegotiatesuccessfully, youmustseetheprocessintheround, takeabroadviewand
continuetodosothroughout theprocess. Thismeansyoumust haveagoodgraspof
theprinciplesinvolved, for it isthat whichallowsyoutheopportunitytoorchestrate
and fine-tune the process as you proceed. Small adjustments as you progress can
makeall thedifference.
Negotiationisabigtopic, soherearetwochecklistsdesignedtoencapsulatethe
essentialsthat maketheprocessworkinpracticesomuchasspacepermits.
7.15.1 Checkl i st 1: Summar i zi ng the pr i nci pl es
1. Definition: negotiation is about bargaining to reach a mutually agreeable
outcome. Thisisthewinwinconcept.
2. Never neglect your preparation. Haveaclear planbut remainflexible.
3. Participantsmustregardeachotherasequals. Mutual respectisessential toboth
conduct andoutcome.
4. Thereis aneed to abideby therules. Negotiation is about discussion, rather
thandebate. Thereis littleplacefor overt one-upmanshipor domination, yet
eachmust fight their corner.
5. Put your cardsonthetable, at least onmajor issues. Donot pretendpowersor
stateintentionsthat areuntrue.
6. Patienceisakey characteristic of thegoodnegotiator. Takeyour time; donot
rushdiscussionor decision-making. Delayisbetter thanapoor outcome.
7. Empathyisvital. Put yourself intheothers shoes. Seethingsobjectivelyfrom
their point of view.
8. Stateclear objectives. Being open early on about overall intentions can save
gropinginthedark.
9. Avoidconfrontation. Donotgetintoacorner youcannotgetoutof. Avoidrows
andshowdowns, but standfirmandkeepcalm.
10. Treat disagreement carefully. Act as devils advocate, apparently looking at
thecasefromtheothersviewpoint, toavoidaconfrontational styleprompting
disagreement.
11. Deal withconcessionsprogressively. Whereconcessionshavetobemade, make
themunwillinglyandoneat atime andtradethem.
12. Donotletperfectionbetheenemyof thegood. Anoutcomethatis100per cent
what you want is rarely an option. Berealistic; do not wastetimeand effort
seekingsomethingout of reach.
13. Use openness but not comprehensively. Declaring your plans and intentions
may beuseful tothediscussion. Youmay want tokeephiddenthemotivation
behindthem.
14. Stick withyour objectives. Set your sightshighandsettleashighaspossible.
Knowwhentodropthewholethingratherthanagreeatotallyinappropriatedeal.
15. Keepupyour guard. Maintainyour stamina, bideyour time. Theother party
mayperseverefor hourstoseewhenyouwill crack.
16. Remain professional. For example, respect confidences that aregiven in the
courseof negotiations. Such consideration builds relationships and may help
younext time.
17. Never underestimatepeople. A velvet glovemaybedisguisinganironfist.
18. Endpositively. Neither party will get exactly what it wants, but, if thedeal is
agreeable, emphasizethisat theend.
7.15.2 Checkl i st 2: Summar i zi ng the tacti cs
Like any interactive skill, negotiating is dependent on a plethora of factors. The
followingarepickedtoprovideatoptenof thingslikelytobemostuseful. Youmight
liketocomposeyour ownlist, seehowitvaries, andmakesureitreflectsexactlythe
kindof negotiatingyoudoandthekindof peopleit pitsyouagainst.
1. Selecttherightstartingpoint. Your planshouldmakeiteasyfor youtotakethe
initiativeandquicklyget ontoyour agenda.
2. Aimhigh, thenthetradingmovesyoulessfar fromwhat youregardasagood
position.
3. Donot makeyour feelingsobvious. Thereisanelement of bluff. If your face
andbodylanguagesay, Thisisminor asyourespondtosomethingmajor you
will dobetter.
4. Usesilence. Somethingsdemandnoreactionat all.
5. Watch for early difficulty. Let arapport and momentumbuild up beforeyou
tacklecontentiousissues.
6. Do not exaggerate facts. They can be verified, and exaggeration causes
problemslater.
7. Communicateclearly. Remember theneedfor understandingasafoundationto
thewholeprocess.
8. Be seen to go with the other persons way of doing things, at least to some
degree, andparticularlyif youareontheir ground.
9. Donot pushtoohard. Thereisusuallyalinebeyondwhichtheoutcomeisnot
abetter deal, but completebreakdown.
10. Whennegotiationis finished, stop. Onceagreement is reached, clear, agreed
andperhapsnoted, moveontoother matters. Otherwisepeoplesay, Ivebeen
thinking andyouarebacktosquareone.
Theimportanceof different factors such as thesedepends on thenatureof the
negotiation. Somethingfull of complextechnical or financial detailsposesdifferent
problemsfromsomethingsimpler.
Finally, youshouldnoteafewthingstoavoid. Youwill onlyexcel if younever:
1. over react if responsesarenegative theother personisat painsnot tosayhow
excellent everypoint is;
2. allowyourself tobecomeoveremoti onal , unpl easant, provocati ve or i nsul ti ng
aplannedandcontrolleddisplayof emotionmaybeuseful, but youmust know
what youaredoing;
3. agreetosomethi ng you do not want inmanysituationsthereisaminimal deal,
whichyour planshouldidentify, belowwhichit isbetter towalkaway.
Sometimes, onekey factor influencesthingsdisproportionately. For example, a
sponsorshipdeal wasoncebeingnegotiatedbyafamousAmericansportsmanwitha
sports-clothingmanufacturer. Hisfacewouldbeusedinpromotion, hewouldmake
someappearancesandtheywouldpayhimwell duringtheperiodthatthedeal ran. He
wantedmoremoneythanthecompanywantedtopay. Theywantedanagreementfast
tousethearrangement inanewproduct launch, already scheduled. By agreeingto
themansfacebeingusedinthisone-off campaign, forareasonablefee, whileoverall
negotiationscontinued, thesportsmansagentputhiminaverystrongposition: asthe
launchbrokeandhisfaceappearedacrossthenation, thecompanyrealizedthat they
hadeither toagreetermsor toexplaintothepublic why hewasnolonger theface
of theproduct. Smart agent? Or perhaps alapseof concentrationby thecompany
peoplefrontingthenegotiation?Nomatter, theinteractionof timingandmoneywas
instrumental insettlingthedeal.
This kind of situation is just as common in less high-profile business situa-
tions. Again, it emphasizes the need for preparation and keeping track of things
asnegotiationproceeds, and, aboveall, doingsoinanorganizedway.
Everynegotiatingsituationyoufacecanteachyousomething: what workswell,
what should beavoided, what best fits your style. Thedetail is important. Some-
timeswhat makesthedifferencebetweensuccessandfailureissmall andseemingly
insignificant. Onephrase, evenonegesture, may makesuchadifference. If all the
detailsareright, thewholewill bemorelikelytoworkwell.
Negotiation, or rather well-handlednegotiation, canbevery useful. Whenpush
comes to shove, a considered and careful indeed, watchful approach, sys-
tematically applied, is probably best; and remember thesaying attributed to Lord
Hore-Belisha: When aman tells meheis going to put all his cards on thetable,
I always look uphis sleeve. This sentiment shouldberegardedas goodadviceby
anygoodnegotiator.
7.16 Summar y
Overall, thekeyissuesarethese.
Negotiationistheprocessof makingadeal andagreeingthetermsonwhichit is
arranged.
It involvesjugglinginformation, timeandpower.
Theprimaryaimisusuallyanagreement acceptabletobothparties.
Thekeyprocesswithinnegotiatingistradingvariables.
The nature of the process means that the details are important, and sound
preparationandcareful deploymentof themanytechniquesarewhatmakeitwork.
Chapter 8
Telephone communication: its special natur e
This chapter explores howtelephonecontact is, by its nature, different fromother
forms, such as face-to-face contact (when visual clues add to understanding). It
reviews thespecific, anddetailed, techniques neededtocreatefluent andfluiddia-
logueover thetelephoneand thespecific elements, such as switchboards, mobile
phonesandvoicemail, involved.
8.1 T he natur e of voice-only communication
Aswell aspromptingasmile, J amesThurberscomment, Well, if I calledthewrong
number, why did you answer the phone?, makes an immediate point. Telephone
communicationisnot likeanyother form.
Thefollowingissomethingyourecognizeinstantly: Er, yesHoldonSorry,
will you repeat that? Well, its a bit difficult, yknow. J ust a tick It is the
abominableno-manof thetelephone; it isthemoment when, evenafter only afew
words, youknow thecommunicationisgoingtobedifficult.
Yet thereverseis truetoo. Somepeople, alsowithinafewwords, createconfi-
dence. Theymakeyoufeel that all will bewell, that agoodstart hasbeenmadeand
get youlookingforwardtowhat comesnext.
Thetelephoneisubiquitousandhasbeenaroundalongtime. It nowcomesnot
only as asimplephone, but as part of aprofusion of electronic wizardry that can
storeinformation, carry out umpteen functions at onceand play you music if you
arekept waiting. It may bedigital, portableandlifemay beunimaginablewithout
it, but it shouldnot betakenfor granted. Goodtelephonecommunicationdoes not
justhappen. Itneedsthinkingabout. Itneedsplanning, andcommunicationbyphone
needsexecutingwithcare.
Why?Becauseitisapowerful medium. Thetelephonecancreateastrong, perhaps
lasting, impression anddosofor goodor ill. It cantypecast thespeaker andtheir
organizationasefficient, helpful, positiveandmore; orsetthemapartasanoffputting
signof anuncaringcorporatedinosaur. Thisispossibleat all levelsandinall ways:
theswitchboard, someonedealingwithacolleagueinanother department, external
contact withcustomers wewant to impress or suppliers onwhosegoodwill weare
dependent all suchcommunicationsareinfluencedby telephonemanner andthus
bytelephoneskill.
Hencethis chapter: thereareprinciples and techniques involved that, properly
deployed, can make this a major opportunity area for improved communications
and better image-building. If everyone in an organization has been well briefed,
understandsthedifferencethat canbemadeandusesthetechniquesconsciously to
create an impact that is appropriate, then the benefits can be considerable. Good
telephonetechniquecan:
createanappropriateandpositiveimage;
avoidcommunicationsbreakdown, andthusdelay, confusionandperhapswaste
of timeandmoney;
smooththewholecommunicationsprocessonwhichanyorganizationisdepen-
dent, internallyandexternally.
Particularlyit must achieveclarityandproject theright image.
8.2 An inher ent fr agility
Notonlyisitimportanttogettelephonecontactright. Indeed, thereismoretoitthan
asimpleresolveto speak carefully. Theprocess is inherently fragile: that is, small
differencesalongthewaycanmakeamajor differencetotheimpact.
Oneexample, which illustrates this point well, occurred whileI waited in the
receptionareaof acompany, havingarrivedafewminutesearlyfor ameeting. The
receptionistalsostaffedtheswitchboardanditquicklybecameapparentthatshewas
verybusy. Callscameinseeminglyeveryfewsecondsandwereclearlymostlyfrom
customers. The company had two separate departments that were predominantly
concerned with customer contact: asales office, which took orders, and an order-
processingdepartment, whichsawtothesubsequent details.
Theswitchboardoperator hadtodiscover, anddiscover fast, whichdepartmentto
put peoplethroughto. Shewasthereforerepeatedlyaskingcallers, Areyouplacing
an order or chasing an order? It worked. At least it gaveher theinformation she
neededtodirect thecall throughaccuratelytotheright department.
But did the company want every customer who telephoned to have it made
so clear that orders needed chasing? I think not. Yet this is not untypical. There
was efficiency at work here at one level, yet the total effect was wrong. Who
was at fault? Was it theswitchboard operator struggling to copewith thevolume
of calls? Or the manager supervising her? Or the sales or marketing department
(whichhasfinal responsibility for customers)? Theeffect of producingsimilar effi-
ciency, but coupledwiththeprojectionof apositivetone, wouldhavebeensomuch
better.
Certainlysuchthingsshouldnotgobydefault. Noorganizationcanaffordtohave
inappropriateactiontakensimply becauseno onehas thought about something, or
thought adequatelyabout it.
Attentiontodetail isimportanthere. Communicationisneverasstraightforwardas
wesometimesbelieve, andtheobviousvoice-onlynatureof telephonecommunication
compoundstheproblem. If somethinghitsthewrongnoteor issimplyunclear, then
wecannot seeapuzzledexpressionat theother endof thelineandmaynot soeasily
fine-tuneanapproachtocorrect mattersandmoveonpositively.
Tel ephone communi cati on: i ts speci al nature 101
Like any communication, telephone contact must have a clear purpose. It is
necessary tothink beforeliftingthetelephonetomakeacall perhaps toplanand
structurewhatwill bedone. Similarly, itisessential thattakingincomingcallsshould
not beviewedas beingentirely responsive. Youcannot just lift thephoneandsee
what happens. Weall needaclear ideaof purpose.
What isthecall for?
What arethecallersexpectations?
What arewetryingtoachieve?
What impressionshouldwegive?
How, exactly, mustthecall behandled: promptly(toprojectefficiency, corporate
or individual personality)?
What, asthereceiver isreplaced, shouldhavebeenachieved?
So, our objectivehereis to reviewtheprocess. To look at what can makethis
special kindof communicationwork for us, at thetechniquesinvolvedandtheskill
withwhichthetelephonemust behandled.
8.3 An oppor tunity
Observationandexperiencesuggestthat, despiteitsimportance, prevailingstandards
of telephonecommunicationarenot universally high. Thereareplenty of commu-
nications failures onthetelephone; andsometimes they constitutetotal derailment.
Whenever this is the case, there is an opportunity for those who get things right,
and thosewho excel. And hereit is onethat demands no great cost or complica-
tion, just attentionto detail, andtheappropriatedeployment of thekey techniques
involved.
The result can be powerful: callers including customers finding that their
expectationsarenotjustmet, butexceeded. Impressionscanbegiventhatactnotjust
tomakethecontact morepleasant andefficient, but alsotoenhanceimageandbuild
business.
So, next we review some essential principles of this special form of
communication.
8.4 T he switchboar d
Millions of times every day, telephones ring in offices all over the world. What
happensnext may beof littlesignificanceor of more, but it alwaysmatters. It may
beaone-off contact, or part of aseriesof contactsthat graduallyformaviewof the
organizationor personattheother end, buteverytimethatringingoccursitdemands
attention. Someonehastoanswer it, andthat someoneneedstodeploycertainskills
if thecontact istoworkandbesuccessful, asdoesthecaller.
Thefirst point of contact isoftenaswitchboardoperator. Actingasaninvisible
receptionist, theyset thescenefor theensuingcontact andmust dosoeffectively. To
beeffectivetheymust beorganized.
Theyneedtoknowwhichcallsgowhere, whodoeswhat, whobacksupwhomand
whereprioritieslie. Isitmoreimportanttoobtainanoutsidenumberforthemanaging
director or attendtoanincomingcustomer enquiry? They needtoknowsomething
about theoutsideworld, too. Who calls regularly? Whomdo they speak to? How
well dothey knowus? Dothey liketoberecognized? Operatingtheswitchboardis
norepetitive, parrot-like, function. It isimportant tosoundlivelyandinterestedand
toact promptlyandefficiently.
Thereisaneedfor:
answeringpromptl y;
providing afriendly greeting, such as Good morning; having this comefirst
avoidsanythingcrucial beingmissed, becauseit cantakethelistener amoment
totunein tothefirst wordsspokenandsomethingmaybemissed;
clearlyi denti fyi ng theorganizationreached;
offer i ng assi stance: HowmayI helpyou? (may isgrammaticallybetterthancan,
andsuchaphrasemust besaidcarefully to avoidaninsincerehave-a-nice-day
feel).
Assistancemust then beoffered in afriendly and understandablemanner. It is
useful tothink about thekindof questionthat will most easily identify whereacall
shouldgo Isthisafirstenquiry? andonceactionistakenitmustbeefficientand
accurate. Peopleresentholdingonforanage, unabletogetbacktotheswitchboardif
anextensionringsunanswered(thoughperhapsit shouldnot doso), andalternatives
mustbeofferedhelpfully CanI getthemtocall you?; Wouldyoulikemetofind
someoneelsewhocanhelp? if necessary. If therearedelays, tell peopleexactly
what is happeningandalways remember that waitingonthetelephoneseems very
muchlonger thanit is.
A goodswitchboardisareal assettoanyorganization, actingmomentbymoment
tobuildimageandsmoothcommunications.
Panel 8.1 A war ning
Ahead of the switchboard is increasingly arrayed an automated computer
systemtochannel calls. Whatof these?Manywouldsaysimply, Avoidthem,
believingthatthehumantouchisalwaysbetter. If theyarenecessary, however,
it must be ensured that they are logical and work efficiently. They should
offer a reasonable number of options (not too many so that going through
thembecomesinterminable), andthey shouldbeinasensibleorder, not least
allowing someonewho wants to get through and start areal conversation to
doso, bypassingtheautomatedsystemquickly.
Similarly, queuingsystemsshouldinvolveonlyareasonablewaitandplenty
of information Youaresecondinthequeue asyougoalong. Systemsthat
offer tocall youback(perfectlypossibletechnically) areappreciatedwhenthe
waitmaybelong. Thisisanareawheremanyfeel all thatisnecessarytoimprove
things is theapplication of somecommon sense. Certainly, overcomplicated
andobviouslyill-thought-out systemscancausedisproportionateannoyance.
Makingacall mayneedsomeplanning, but next welook at theneedtorespond
appropriatelywhenyour telephonerings.
8.5 Taking a call
When thephonerings you may not know who it is calling, so theresponsemust
alwaysassumethat howyouanswer matters. If most of your callsareinternal, you
may beabletobealittlemorerelaxed; if most arefromcustomers, youneedtoact
accordingly.
Thebasicrulesincludetheneedtocarryout thefollowing.
Answer promptl y.
I denti fy yourself. It may be sufficient to say your name, and a fully stated
namesoundsbest: PatrickForsyth. Or youmayprefer somethingmore: Good
morning, this is Patrick Forsyth. Or you may need something that includes a
departmental or functional description, such as, Good morning, sales office,
MaryBoltonspeaking. Thismay, inpart, beamatter of policyandconsistency
around adepartment and should link neatly to whatever aswitchboard says if
callsarecomingviait.
Hol d the phone proper l y. This may seemobvious, but it really does impede
hearingif thehandset istuckedunder thechinor pushedasideasyoureachfor
something. Youmust beclearly audible; hencetheheadsetsincreasingly issued
to many people working largely on the telephone and used universally in call
centres. Incidentally, suchoperations areimportant tothosecompanies that use
them, though problems can occur with therelationship between operating cost
andefficiency(demonstratedbythe notalwayssoefficient recentrelocations
of suchsectionstodevelopingcountriessuchasIndia).
Deci de whether to take the cal l or not. Some calls, say fromcustomers, may
always needto betakenat once. But thetelephoneis obtrusiveand, if youare
busyandacolleaguesimplywantsaworditmaybeacceptabletodelayit: Imjust
finishinganimportant draft; mayI call youback inhalf anhour? Alternatively,
thecall may need transferring something that must always beexplained and
handledpromptly.
Adopt anappropr i ate manner . Thisisnot aquestionof insincerityor acting, just
that wewant toemphasizecertaintraits morewithsomepeoplethanothers a
nicefriendly, but not overfamiliar, tonewithcustomers, say, andsoon.
Onceintothecall, speak cl ear l y (and a fr acti on sl ower than nor mal ). Certainly,
do not gabble, and try to keep your thoughts organized. It is difficult talking
instantly (becausethephonehas rung) and, as youcannot seetheother person,
thoughtscaneasilybecomejumbledasaresult.
It may helpto si gnpost to say somethingthat tells thecaller what is coming:
Right, you want an updateabout thenewbrochure-design project. Let mego
throughit: thekey things areprobably thecosts, thecopy andthedesign and
the timing. Now, first, costs This helps both parties, giving the caller the
opportunitytoamendthelist andgivingyoualist tokeepinmind(notedown?)
andworkthrough.
Alwaysl i sten careful l y. Itmaybeavoice-onlymedium, butitistwo-way. Donot
doall thetalking, andmakeitclear youarelisteningbyacknowledgingpointsas
theygoalongandmake notes as necessar y.
Be pol i te. Of course, there could just be times you need to shout at someone
(colleagues if not customers!), but moreusually it is important tomaintainrea-
sonablecourtesiesand, withvoiceonly, itcanbeeasytosound, say, abruptwhen
youaresimplytryingtobeprompt.
Beawareof pauses. If yousay, Holdonasec, Ill get thefile, remember that
thepauseseems long to theperson waiting. Sometimes, it is better to suggest
gettingeverythinginfrontof youandphoningback. Or youcansplitwhatwould
otherwiseseemalongpauseintotwo, shorter, pausesbysayingsomethinglike,
Right, Ivegot thefile, Ill just turnupthefigures youwant. Notethat this is
especiallyimportant whensomeoneisworkingwithacomputer infront of them
andtimetakentodosomethingonscreenneedsexplainingtoacaller toexplain
anotherwisemysteriousgapintheconversation(thisalsolinkstothenextpoint).
Havethe r i ght i nfor mati on to hand. Manycallsarerepetitiveinnature. Youcan
handlethemmoreefficiently if you anticipatewhat information is needed and
haveit tohand(andinaformthat isconvenient todeal withonthephone, e.g.
papersinringbinderslieflatanddonotneedahandtoholdthemopenwhenyou
arealreadytryingtoholdthehandset andwritenotes).
Becareful of names. Peoplearesensitiveabout their names. Get themright do
soearlyon. Askfor thespellingor howtopronouncethenameif necessary, and
usethemoccasionally during theconversation. It is annoying if, as an outside
caller, youareaskedyour nameby theswitchboard, asecretary andtheperson
whohandlesthecall andthen, fiveminuteslater, areaskedWhatwasyour name
again?
Technically, phonesystems arenowpretty goodbut if abad l i ne shouldreally
hinder communicationit maybebetter tocall again. Nowadaysthereisalsothe
problemof mobilephonesfadingawayor cuttingout asconditionsandperhaps
locationchange. Thus, it is goodpracticealways to say youareonamobileat
thestart of aconversationwhenthisisapossibility.
Finally, hang up l ast. Nowyou cannot both do this! But, with something like
acustomer call, it is fineto bethefirst to initiatetheend of thecall or to say
Goodbye not Bye-ee, incidentally but, if youput thephonedownlast, it
avoidsthecaller thinkingof somethingelsetheywanttosay, findingonlyadead
lineandfeelingtheyhavebeenleft toohastily.
Suchalistcouldbeextended, andextended, nodoubt; buttheabovecapturesthe
essentialsandleavesspaceinthissectionfor oneother important basicpoint.
8.6 Pr oj ecting the per sonal/cor por ate per sonality
Thereis moreto good telephonemanner than just being politeand saying Good
morning as if you mean it. The general tone you adopt sets the scene and gives
peopleaclear impressionof helpfulness, efficiencyor whatever. But therearemore
powerful influencesinvolvedhere.
People do not just take such communication at face value: they read between
the lines. They ask themselves questions and believe that what they hear tacitly
answersthem. Whohasnotbeensurprisedonmeetingsomeoneknownonlyover the
telephone, tofindtheyarenotatall asyouimagined?Yetsuchinitial viewscanseem
soclearlyright.
Peopleask, What kindof personisthis? WouldI liketoknowthem? What will
theybeliketodeal withinfuture? Iswhatishappeningsogoodthatwemakeanote
of their nameandresolvetoask for themspecificallynext time? Or istheprojected
imageoffputtinginsomeway: it is all too muchtrouble, it all takes aridiculously
longtime, andtheydonot seemtoknowor beabletodecideanything?
Both with internal and external contacts, thosewho know you and thosewho
do not, the way you come over is vital; it matters to you and it matters to your
organization. Consider theinternal, thenexternal, ramificationsinturn.
8.6.1 I nter nal i mage
Thisisnottheplaceforatreatiseonyourpersonal style; sufficetosaythatwhatyoudo
affectshowyouareseen. Itisthesameinother areas. For example, if someonelooks
amess, their desk looksasif abombhadhit it andtheyalwaysmisseverydeadline
theyareset, thentheymaynotseemthemostreliablechoiceforaninterestingproject
or for promotion.
J ustbecauseyouarenotvisiblewhenyouspeakonthetelephone, itdoesnotmean
youarenot sendingout signals. Youare. Andyouhavesomechoiceastowhat they
are. Doyouwant tocomeover asbright andefficient, or surlyandunhelpful? How
youact, whatyousayandthewayyouuseyourvoice all influencethisandareworth
considering. Deploytheappropriatesignsandyouwill feel thebenefit over time.
8.6.2 Exter nal i mage
Here the implications are more complex because people judge the organization
through anindividual. They may literally seethemas personifyingit. Actionhere
thusstartswithclarityof purpose. Howdoesyour organizationwanttobeseen?This
needsspellingout, notsimplyintermsof goodthings efficient, highquality, etc.
butintermsof valuesandfeelings. Areyouacaring, aninnovativeor anexceptional
organization? And, if so, inwhat way?
Thenyouneedtothinkabouthowthisstatementshouldbereflectedinthemanner
thatcomesover onthetelephone. For example, acaringcompany(inhealthcare, say,
or your own organization?) must surely have time for people, so unseemly haste
on thetelephonemight sit awkwardly with that image. Similarly, if your contacts
areall at ahighlevel, thensomevisiblerespect might beappropriate; whileother
businessrelationshipscometothriveonachattyinformality(whilealwaysremaining
efficient).
8.7 A telephone handshake
Overall, mostof usdonotliketodeal atarmslength. Weliketogettoknowpeople,
especially if wearetodeal withthemregularly. Onfirst meetingwearesometimes
conscious of adrawing together as webegin to get themeasureof people even
shakinghandsispart of sucharelationshipdeveloping.
Onthetelephoneit seemsthat thingsare, bydefinition, at armslength. Perhaps
it defines goodtelephonecontact well whenweareabletosay that thestyleof the
contactavoidsthisfeeling. Peoplewhomakeothersfeel theyknowsomethingabout
them, whocomeover aslikable andcertainlyeasyandpleasant todeal with and
who can, over time, createandmaintainreal relationships arealways apleasureto
speakwith, whoever instigatesthecontact.
Whatever rules, principlesor goodintentionstheremaybe, thewholeprocessof
telephonecommunicationisdependent ononething: thevoiceandhowit isused.
Panel 8.1 M essages
What wouldyouwant if youhadmissedacall whilereadingthis chapter? A
clear message, without adoubt. Messagesareimportant: just onelost message
cancausechaos. Theworldis full of peoplepuzzlingover tiny bits of paper
withindecipherablemessagesonthem: Brown(Browne?) rang toldhimyou
wouldcall.
Which Brown or Browne? What did hewant? How urgent was it? What
wasit about?Whendidthemessagecomein?Andwhotookit?A good, clear
messageformisessential preferablyimportant-looking(someorganizations
havecolouredmessageforms, oftenfull A4size, to standout), andcertainly
designedtotakeandrelaytoyouexactl y theinformationyou want(forinstance,
making a useful distinction between action taken and action promised).
Makesurewhatever youuseistailoredtoworkasyouwant.
8.8 M aking the voice wor k for you
Noneof thetechniques referred to so far will work well without consideration of
thatmostimportantelementof telephonemanner: thevoice. Notonlyisthevoicean
importantelement, butithastoactalone. Bydefinition, telephonecommunicationis
voice-only. Thismakesfor somedifficulty(remember thejobof describinganecktie
mentionedinthePrefaceandagaininChapter 2).
Thetelephoneis itself apt to makecommunicationmoredifficult thanit would
befaceto face. When wespeak on thetelephone, thetelephonedistorts thevoice
somewhat (moresoif thereisabadline), it seems toexaggeratetherateof speech
andit heightensthetone.
Basicsfirst: youmust talk directly intothemouthpieceinaclear, normal voice
(somewomenmayneedtopitchthevoicejustsomewhatlower thannormal toavoid
any squeakiness). It is surprising how many things can interfere with the simple
processof speakingintothemouthpiece, for example:
tryingtoholdafileopen;
tryingtowrite;
allowingothersintheofficetointerrupt;
eatingor smoking(thelatter nowbannedfromoffices).
All theabovehaveanadverseeffect; youmaybeabletoaddtothelist. Somejust
needavoiding: donoteator smokewhenonthetelephone. Othersneedorganization:
for example, information in a ring binder will lie flat and avoid the necessity of
tryingtoholdafileopen, writeand holdthehandset. All it takesisalittlethought
andorganizationtoprevent suchthingsdilutingtheeffectivenessof communication
just alittle.
8.9 A wr ong impr ession
Onemorepoint is worthnotingbeforeweget into thepositiveaspects, andthat is
the danger of humour or irony when you cannot visually judge the reaction. It is
not suggestedthat youbecomeexclusively po-faced, but youdoneedtobecareful.
Recallingthefaceof anaggrievedcustomer inatrainingfilmabout theuseof the
telephonesuggests anillustration. Someone(less organizedthanthey shouldbe) is
desperatelytryingtorecall anamegivenoverthetelephoneearlierintheconversation:
Rolls, isnt it? they say andarecorrected: Bentley. Anattempt at humour over
theconfusionof twonames, bothusedfor cars, thenclearlyfailsandmakesmatters
worse.
Be doubly careful about anything that might be inappropriate for someone of
different backgroundor ethnicorigin, or whodoesnot speakgoodEnglish.
8.10 Voice and manner
Heretoothedetailsmatter (anditmightbeworthremindingyourself howyousound
by recording your voice its not as you normally hear it). The following, in no
particular order of priority, areall important:
8.10.1 Speak sl i ghtl y more sl owl y than nor mal
Youdo not needto overdo this andslowdownso that youappear to behalf a-s-l-
e-e-p. But paceisimportant. A consideredpacewill bemorelikely toallowthings
to bemadeclear, andmisunderstandings avoided. It allows thelistener to keepup,
particularly, for example, whenit isclear theymaybewantingtomakeanote; slow
downespeciallyfor that.
Inaddition, toorapid-fireadelivery cansoundglibandpromotealack of trust.
Itisimportantnottosoundlikeadodgysecond-hand-car dealer, whowill alwaysgo
at aratethat precludes easy interruption. Also, rapidity canallowkey points to be
missed. As anexample, who has not hadamessageleft onanansweringmachine
sayingPleasering01621burble, burble? Thereisalessonhere.
8.10.2 Make i nfl ecti on wor k for you
Inflection is what makes, for example, a question mark stand out at the end of a
sentence, andalsowhatgivesvarietyandinteresttothewayyouspeak. Itisimportant
that intendedinflectionbenoticed.
8.10.3 Smi l e
You do not need to hold afixed grin, but, even though asmilecannot beseen, a
pleasant smileproduces apleasant toneand this does makefor theright sound.A
warmtoneof voiceproducesafeelingthat thespeaker ispleasant, efficient, helpful
and, most important, interestedinthepersonat theother end.
Therearemanysituations(withcustomers, forone)whenenthusiasmisimportant.
Thishastobeheard; andit isabout theonlygoodthinginlifethat iscontagious.
8.10.4 Get the emphasi s r i ght
It is necessary to get the emphasis right in terms of both words Thi s is really
important; or, Thisisreal l y i mpor tant andintermsof thepart of themessageto
whichthelistener must paymost attention.
For example, oftenwemay recall strugglingtonoteabarrageof detail coming
atusover thephone, whenthepersonconcernedsuddenlysayssomethinglike, The
details dont really matter; when you comethrough to us next timejust quotethe
followingreferenceThiswill getyouthroughatonce. Clearly, itwouldhavebeen
better tosaythat first another useful principle.
8.10.5 Ensure cl ar i ty
It isnogoodsoundingpleasant if what yousay cannot beunderstood. Beclear and
beparticularlycareful about: names, numbers(youdonot want toallow15per cent
discounttobeconfusedwith50percent, forinstance), andsoundsthatcanbedifficult
todistinguish: FsandSsfor instance. J ust good, thoughtful articulationhelpshere.
An important detail is worth emphasizing. Find a way of doing it that works.
For example, for apostcodeending7BB, it may bebest over thetelephoneto add
somethinglikeThatsB for butter, incaseP isheard instead.
Exercisesomecareif youhaveanaccent (say aregional accent). Youhaveno
reasontoapologizefor it, but mayneedtobear inmindthat someelementsof it will
not beas clear to others as they areto you. That said, though, someorganizations
favour thecharacter aregional accent lendstoatelephonetransaction, whichmight
otherwiseseemimpersonal. ThetelephonebankingorganizationFirst Direct isone
such.
8.10.6 Be posi ti ve
Thisisespecially important whereanimpressionof efficiency iskey. Avoidsaying
possibly, maybe andI think, whentheexpectationisthatyoushouldgivedefini-
tiveinformation: It is (But donot waffle. If youdonot know, sayso youcan
alwaysoffer toget backtopeople.)
8.10.7 Be conci se
Most of thepeopleyouwill speakwith, inabusinesscontext, expect andappreciate
it if youvaluetheir time. Thisespeciallymeansthat convoluteddescriptionsneedto
bethought about inadvance, andmadeconcise, yet precise.
Becareful withthesocial chat. It isoftenlikedbyregular contacts, but therecan
beathinlinebetweenitsbeingapleasuretohear youagain, anditsbecomingatime
waster.
8.10.8 Avoi d j argon
J argonisprofessional shorthand, andcanbeveryuseful initsplace. But youneed
to besureof what another person understands and select thelevel of jargon to be
usedaccordingly. Otherwise, youcanfindyouareblindingpeoplewithscience, as
it were, andsome not wantingtoappear foolishbyasking mayallowmeaningto
bediluted.
For example, bewareof company jargon(abbreviationsof adepartment, process
or person, perhaps) and of i ndustr y jargon (technical descriptions of products and
processes), andevenof gener al phr ases thatcontainanagreedinternal definitionthat
isnot immediatelyapparent toanoutsider: suchasgooddelivery. What is24-hour
service, other than not sufficiently well defined? You can probably think of many
moreexamples, somecloseto home. Remember, onthetelephone, youcannot see
signsof confusion.
8.10.9 Be descr i pti ve
Gooddescriptioncanaddpowerfully toany message. Thereis all thedifferencein
theworldbetweensayingthatsomethingissmoothassilk anddescribingitassort
of shiny. Thingsthat areinherentlydifficult todescribecancreatepowerful impact
if awell-thought-out descriptionsurprisesbyitseloquence.
This is especially trueof anything wherethephraseology is not just clear but
novel. For example, thesales executiveof ahotel arranging aroomfor atraining
sessiondescribedachosenlayout to me aU-shape as puttingeveryoneinthe
front row. Well said! Thatsjust what it is.
Conversely, beware of bland descriptions that impart minimal meaning. This
means no companys product is merely quite nice, and something that is user-
friendly nowadaysfailstodifferentiateitself fromanythingelse.
8.10.10 Use gestures
Yes, of course, they cannot beseen. But they may makeadifferenceto how you
sound, contributingto asuitableemphasis, for instance. Becareful, of course: you
havetohangontothephoneandnot knockeverythingoff thedesk! Somecallsmay
beeasier tomakestandingup. Really! Tryit. Thisappliestosuchthingsaschasing
adebtor or anythingneedingafair bit of assertivenesstobedisplayed. It createsan
antidotetotheSorrytoworryyou, but I wonder if perhaps approach.
8.10.11 Adopt the r i ght tone
Inmost circumstances youwant to befriendly without beingflippant; youwant to
soundcourteous (al ways withcustomers) andusually youwant to tailor your style
to thecircumstances, consciously decidingwhether to produceanoteof respect, a
feelingof attentiontodetail or whatever. Gettingthisright iswhat producesagood
telephonehandshake feeling.
8.10.12 Sound your sel f
Beyourself. Andcertainlyavoidadoptingaseparate, contrivedtelephonevoice; it
doesnot tendtoworkandisdifficult tosustain.
All of theabovearethings that can beconsciously varied. Some clarity, for
instance may needexperiment, rehearsal andpractice. But together they combine
toproduceasatisfactorymanner. Theeffectiscumulative, andthisworksbothways.
It means that any shortfalls begin to add up, eventually diluting theoverall power
of what isdone. Equally, thebetter youwork inall theseareas, themoretheeffects
combinetocreateasatisfactoryoverall impressionandstyle.
Howyour voicesoundsgoeslogicallywiththewayyouuselanguage, soweturn
next toafewpointsunder thisheading.
8.11 Use of language
Several of thepointsabovetouchonlanguageasmuchasvoice: descriptivenessfor
one. Thepoint has also already been madethat you should beyourself. So avoid
office-speak. A fewexamplesaresufficient tomakethepoint; donot say:
at thismoment intime whenyoumeannow;
duetothefact that (because);
I aminclinedtotheviewthat (I think).
Anddonot overdothewe whoisthiscorporatewe for goodness sake? Make
things personal I will ensurethat sounds totally committed. Refer to peopleby
name: MaryBrowninaccountswill ismuchbetter thanSomeonewill
Although grammatical perfection is not essential in conversation, it is good to
avoid those things that are wrong and irritate. For example, someone incorrectly
addingseveral additional comparativesorsuperlativestotheworduni que, andsaying
thingslikemoreunique or themost unique (andevenveryunique) will annoy,
andthereforebeinclinedtodetract fromanygoodsensebeingtalked.
Watch also for habits which can introduce an annoying or incorrect note: for
example, endingeveryother sentencewithright or OK, or startingwithasuper-
fluoususeof basically. Somehow, invoice-onlycommunication, thesethingsstand
out andaretobeavoided.
8.12 L istening
However well you speak and however well you get your point over, no telephone
conversationcanbeamonologue. Youneedtogeneratefeedbackandthefirststepto
thisis, notunnaturally, tolisten. Thereisanoldsayingthatpeoplehavetwoearsand
onemouthfor agoodreason. Certainly, weshouldalwaysremember thatlisteningis
just asimportant asspeaking.
Goodcommunicationdemands goodlisteningskills, andthis is especially vital
on thetelephone, when therearefewother signs. Not only does it giveyou more
information, but others likeit. But you need to work at it. Thedetails will not be
repeatedhere, butParagraph3.2inChapter3describeslisteningasanactiveprocess
andmaybeworthreferringbacktobeforewemoveon.
Certainly, goodlisteningskillsareasoundfoundationfor anysort of communi-
cation, andonthetelephonesomethinglikeadistractioncannotbeseenandmaynot
beappreciatedat theother end.
8.13 Cr eating a dialogue
Two-waycommunicationdoesnotdemandmerelytalkingoneatatimeandlistening
inbetween. Creatingadialogueissomethingyouneedtowork activelyat. Hereare
someexamplesof howthat might beachieved.
Talk with people, not at them: Itmayhelptoformamental pictureof theperson
attheother end. Certainly, treatingthemlikeadisembodiedvoicedoesnotcreate
theright impact.
M aintain a two-way flow: Donot interrupt. Makesurethat, if they aretalking
at somelength, they aresureyou arestill thereand listening: Right And
flagwhat youaregoingtodotomakeyour intentionsclear: Good, I havethose
details, nowperhapsI canjust set out
Donot j ump toconclusions: Thisshouldnotbedoneforwhateverreasons. Itmay
bethat youdoknowwhat iscoming, but if youmakeunwarrantedassumptions
it cancauseproblems.
Give the feeling that things ar e being well handled: Thedialogueshouldnot
just flow: it shouldactively appear tosort or deal withthingsasnecessary. The
wholemannerandstructureneedtogettothepointandclearlybedoingwhatever
isnecessarytosort something.
Thepeopleyouspeak to shouldfeel youwant to talk to them, that youwill let
themhavetheirsay, andthatyoulisten. Atthesametime, thereisanecessityinmany
conversations, frombothparties pointsof view, tokeepcallsshortandbusinesslike.
8.14 Pr oj ecting the r ight image
Everytimeyoupickupthetelephoneandspeak, someonewill formanimpressionof
youandthroughyouof thedepartment/organizationfor whichyouwork. Thisneeds
somethought. What doyouwant themtothink of you? Theanswer will dependon
thepersonandthecircumstances.
If youaretalkingtocustomers, thereisquitealistof characteristicsonedoubtless
wantstogetover: courtesy, promptness, expertise, efficiency, goodadviceandmany
more. Butasimilar situationinfactexistswhomever itisyouspeakto, whether they
areinternal or external.
Thiswastouchedonearlier, andthepointwill notberevisitedhere, excepttosay
that theonlychannel toexpresswhatever aspectsareimportant hereisthevoice.
So, withgeneral pointsabouthowyoucomeoverinmind, wecanperhapsendthis
chapter bymentioningthat thecontent andpurposeof telephonecallsrangewidely.
Thischapter dealswiththebasictechniquesandillustratesthesurprisingcomplexity
involved; itmayusefullybereadincontextwithothertopicsinthisbook. Forinstance,
youmay needto be, say, persuasive insuchcases theappropriatetechniques for
that needdeployingalongsidethosefor thetelephone.
Perhaps, the most important calls any organization gets are those from its
customers (though there may be people you want or need to regard as internal
customers). But all callshavetobehandledjust right if peoplearetobekept happy
andsatisfiedandtheir businessistobeconfirmedor continue.
8.15 Summar y
Overall thekeyissuesareto:
respect themedium voiceonlyrestrictswhat canbedone;
use the telephone in a considered (and sometimes prepared) way to avoid the
mouthrunningaheadof thethinking;
makesurethat voiceanduseof language theonlythingsthat canaffect clarity
andimage areusedtogoodeffect.
Chapter 9
T he natur e of the wr itten wor d
In a busy business life, writing anything can be a chore. There are surely more
importantthingstobedone: peopletomeet, decisionstobemade, actiontobetaken.
Yetall of thesethingsandmorecanbedependentonwrittencommunication. A letter
or memomay set upameeting; areport may present acaseandprompt adecision;
aproposal may act persuasively tomakesurecertainactionis takenor aparticular
optionisselected.
But readingbusinesspaperscanbeachorealso, andthey will not achievetheir
purposeunlesstheyarereadandunderstoodanddotheir jobwell enoughtoprompt
thereader toaction.
Businesswritingmust ear n areading.
You areprobably both a reader and a writer of business documents. Consider
writingwithyour readershat onfor amoment. Doyoureadeverythingthat crosses
yourdesk?Doyoureadeverywordof thethingsyoudoread?Doyoureadeverything
fromthefirst wordthroughinsequence, or doyoudipintothings?Almost certainly,
theanswersmakeit clear that not all writingistreatedequally. Somedocumentsare
morelikelytobereadthanothers. Of course, somesubjectsdemandyour attention.
Who ignores a personal note fromthe managing director? But the fact that some
thingshavetobereaddoesnot maketheir readinganyeasier or morepleasurable.
Goodwriting, whichmeans, not least, somethingthat iseasytoreadandunder-
stand, will alwaysbelikelytogetmoreattentionthansloppywriting. Yetweall know
that prevailingstandardsinthisareaarebynomeansuniversallygood.
Whyisthis? Maybeit iseducation or lackof it. Oftenschool assistslittlewith
thekindof writingwefindourselves havingto do onceweareinanorganization.
Maybeit is lack of feedback perhaps managers aretoo tolerant of what is put in
frontof them. If moreof itwererejectedandhadtoberewritten, thenmoreattention
might bebrought tobear onthetask.
Habitsareimportant here, too. Weall developastyleof writingandmayfindit
difficult toshift awayfromit. Worse, badhabitsmaybereinforcedbypractice. For
example, theubiquitousstandarddocumentcanoftenbeusedyear after year withno
onepreparedtosayscrapit, evenif theynoticehowinadequateit is.
9.1 A fr agile pr ocess
Wecan all recognizethereally bad report, without structureor style, but with an
excess of jargonandconvolutedsentences, whichprompts thethought, What is it
trying to say? But such documents do not have to be a complete mess to fail in
their purpose. They are inherently fragile. One wrongly chosen word may dilute
understandingor acttoremovewhatwouldotherwisebeapositiveimpressionmade.
Evensomethingassimpleasaspellingmistake and, no, computerspellcheckers
arenot infallible mayhaveanegativeeffect: I oncesawwork lost byaconsultant
whospelt thenameof acompany as di ar y rather thandai r y. As avery first ruleto
drumintoyour subconscious, check, checkandcheckagain.
(I treasurethecomputer manual that states, Theinformation presented in this
publicationhasbeencarefullyfor reliability. Nooneisinfallible, but I digress.)
Whether thecauseof adocument beingless goodthanit shouldbeis major or
minor, thedamageisthesame, andshowsthat thequalityof writingmatters.
9.2 A maj or oppor tunity
Whatever thereasonsfor poor writingmaybe, sufficetosaythat, if prevailingstan-
dardsarelow, thenthereisamajoropportunityhereforthosewhobetterthatstandard.
Moresoforthosewhoexcel. Baddocumentsmightjustcomebacktohauntyoulater.
So, business writing is a vital skill. There may be a great deal hanging on a
documents ability todothejobit is intendedtodo adecision, asale, afinancial
result, apersonal reputation. For thosewhocanacquiresoundskillsinthisarea, very
real opportunities exist. The more you have to write, and the more important the
documentsyoucreate, thenthetruer thisis. Quitesimply, if youwritewell, thenyou
aremorelikelytoachieveyour businessgoals.
This point cannot beoveremphasized. Onesheet of paper may not changethe
world, but well written it caninfluencemanyeventsinawaythat affectsresults
andthosedoingthewriting.
Andyoucan writewell. Wemaynot all aspiretoor succeedinwritingthegreat
novel, butmostpeoplecanlearntoturnoutgoodbusinesswriting. Writingthatiswell
tailoredtoitspurposeandlikelytocreatetheeffectitintends. Thischapterandthenext
tworeviewsomeof theapproachesthat canmakebusinesswritingeasier, quicker
aworthwhileendinitself and, most important, morelikelytoachieveitspurpose.
Good business writing need not bedifficult. It is askill that can bedeveloped
withstudy andpractice. Someeffort may beinvolved, andcertainly practicehelps,
but it couldbeworse. Somerset Maughamisquotedassaying, Therearethreerules
for writingthenovel. Unfortunately, nooneknowswhat theyare. Businesswriting
isnot sodependent oncreativity, thoughthisisinvolved, andit i s subject tocertain
rules. Rules, of course, aremadetobebroken. But they doact asuseful guidelines
andcanthereforebeahelp. Herewereviewhowtogoabout thewritingtaskand, in
part, whentofollowtherulesandwhentobreakthem.
9.3 W hat makes good business wr iting?
Despite predictions about the paperless office, offices seemas surrounded by
submergedin? paper asever. Indeed, asdocumentationisessentiallyonlyaformof
The nature of the wr i tten word 115
communication, thisislikelytoremainso. However acaseispresented, evenif there
isnopaper aswithsomethingsent viaemail, for example it hastobewritten.
With no communication, any organization is stifled. Without communication,
nothing much would happen. Communication good communication should oil
thewheels of organizational activity and facilitateaction. This is trueof even the
simplest memo, andiscertainly soof somethinglonger andmorecomplex, suchas
areport.
Communicationis inherently inclinedtobelessthanstraightforward. If this
istrueof tinycommunications, howmuchmorepotential for misunderstandingdoes
a25-pagereport present? And with written communication thedanger is that any
confusion lasts. There is not necessarily an immediate opportunity to check (the
writer mightbeahundredmilesaway), andamisunderstandingonPage3mayskew
thewholemessagetakenfromanentirereport.
9.3.1 Ser i ous, and ver y ser i ous
Once something is in writing, any error that causes misunderstanding is made
permanent, or at least set in place for a while. The dangers of ill-thought-out
writingvary.
I t may be wr ong, but still manage to convey its meaning: Inthebedroomsof
onehotel, for instance, thereisanoticesaying, Intheinterest of security, please
ensure that your bedroomdoor is fully closed when entering or leaving your
room. It mayamuse andbeagoodtrick if youcandoit but it will probably
beunderstood. No great harmdone, perhaps, thoughinaservicebusiness any
fault tendstohighlight thepossibilityof other, moreserious, faults.
I t may tr y too har d to please, ending up giving the wr ong impr ession: Inone
RenaissanceHotel therearesignsonthecoffeeshoptablesthatsay, COURTESY
OF CHOICE: The concept and symbol of Courtesy of Choice reflect the
centuries-oldphilosophy that acknowledges differences whileallowingthemto
exist together inharmony. Courtesy of Choice accommodatesthepreferences
of individuals by offeringbothsmokingandnon-smokingareas inthespirit of
conviviality andmutual respect. Anabsurdoverpolitenessjust endsupmaking
themessagesoundrude thisrestauranthasbothsmokingandnon-smokingareas
andif youfindyourself next toasmoker, tough. It doesmatter.
I t may be incompr ehensible: A press releaseis animportant pieceof writing.
One, quotedinthenational pressrecently, wassent out by theconsultinggroup
Accenture. The itemcommented that Accenture envisioned, A world where
economicactivityisubiquitous, unboundedbythetraditional definitionsof com-
merceanduniversal. Er, yes or, rather, no. Thenewspaper referrednot tothe
content of therelease, only to thefact that it contained astatement so wholly
gobbledegook astohavenomeaningat all. It issadwhenthewritingissobad
that it achieveslessthannothing.
Youcoulddoubtlessextendsuchalistof examplesextensively. Thepointhereis
clear: it isall tooeasy for thewrittenwordtofail. All theabovewereprobably the
subjectof somethoughtandchecking; butnotenough. Putpentopaper andyoustep
ontodangerousground.
So, thefirst requirement of goodbusinesswritingisclarity. A goodreport needs
thinking about if it is to be clear, and it should never be taken for granted that
understandingwill beautomaticallygeneratedbywhat wewrite.
Itismorelikelythatwewill givedueconsiderationtoclarity, andgivetheattention
itneedstoachievingit, if weareclear aboutthepurposeof anyreportwemaywrite.
9.4 W hy ar e we wr iting?
Exactlywhyanythingiswrittenisimportant. Thismayseemself-evident, yet many
reports, for instance, arenomorethansomethingabout their topic. Their purpose
is not clear. Without clear intentions thetendency is for thereport to ramble, to go
roundandroundandnot cometoanyclear conclusion.
Documents may bewrittenfor many reasons. For example, they may intendto
inform, motivateor persuade any of theintentionslistedearlier andoftenmore
thanoneintentionisaimedat, anddifferentmessagesoremphasisfordifferentpeople
addfurther complexity.
9.4.1 Reader expectati ons
If adocument is to bewell received, then it must meet certain expectations of its
readers. Before going into these, let us consider generally what conditions such
expectations. Psychologists talk about what they call cogni ti ve cost. This is best
explained by example. Imagine you want to programme the video recorder. You
want todosomethingthat isother thanroutine, soyouget out theinstructionbook.
Big mistake. You open it (try this, you can open it at random) and the two-page
spread shouts at you, This is going to bedifficult! Such adocument has what is
calledahi gh cogni ti ve cost, rather than appearinginviting; even acursory look is
offputting.
People are wary of this effect. They look at any document almost expecti ng
readingittobehardwork. If theydiscover itlookseasier andmoreinvitingthanthey
thought (alowcognitivecost), thentheyarelikelytoreadit withmoreenthusiasm.
What givespeoplethefeeling, bothat first glanceandastheyget further intoit, that
adocument isnot tobeavoidedonprinciple?Thisisspelt out inthenext paragraph.
9.4.2 Reader preference
Innoparticular order, thefollowingaresomeof thekeyfactorsreaderslike.
Br evity: Obviously, something shorter is likely to appear to be easier to read
thansomethinglong, but what really mattersisthat adocument shouldbeof an
appropriatelength for its topic and purpose. Perhaps thebest word to apply is
succi nct to thepoint, long enough to say what is necessary and no more. A
report maybetenpageslongor fifty, andstill qualifyfor thisdescription.
Succinctness: Thismakesclear that lengthisinextricably linkedtomessage. If
thereisarule, thenit istomakesomethinglongenoughtocarry themessage
thenstop.
Relevance: Thisgoeswiththefirsttwo. Nottoolong, coveringwhatisrequired,
andwithout irrelevant content or digression. (Note: comprehensivenessisnever
anobjective. If areport, say, touchedonabsolutelyeverything, itwouldcertainly
betoo long. In fact, you always haveto beselective. If you do not say every-
thing, theneverythingyoudo say is achoice youneedto makegoodcontent
choices.)
Clar ity: Readers must beableto understandit. Andthis applies innumbers of
ways. For example, it shouldbeclearly written(inthesenseof not beingcon-
voluted), anduseappropriatelanguage youshouldnot feel that, asanintended
reader, youhavetolookupeverysecondwordinadictionary.
Pr ecision: Sayingexactlywhatisnecessaryandnotconstantlydigressingwithout
purpose.
Our language : Inother words, usingalevel andstyleof languagethatislikely
tomakesensetotheaveragereader, andthatdisplaysevidenceof beingdesigned
todoso.
Simplicity: Avoidingunnecessarycomplexity.
Helpful str uctur e: Sothat it proceedslogicallythroughasequencethat isclear
andmakessenseasasensiblewayof dealingwiththemessage
Descr iptiveness: Of which moreanon. Here, sufficeit to say that if thereis a
needtopaint apictureit must bedoneinawaythat getsthat pictureover.
All thesehaveincommonthat theycanact tomakereadingeasier. Further, they
act cumulatively: that is, themorethingsareright ineachof theseways, theclearer
themeaningwill be. If theimpressionisgiventhat attentionhasacti vel y beengiven
tomakingthereaderstaskeasier, somuchthebetter.
Such factors areworth personalizing to thekind of peopleto whomyou must
write. Whether this is internal (colleagues, perhaps), or external (customers, say,
or collaborators), you need to beclear what your communications haveto do and
what kinds of expectations exist at theother end. For example, atechnical person
may have different expectations froma layman, and may be looking to check a
level of detail that must exist andbeclearly expressedfor areport tobeacceptable
tothem.
9.4.3 The reader s per specti ve
It followslogicallyfromwhat hasbeensaidinthischapter sofar that goodbusiness
writingmust reflect theneeds of thereader. Such writingcannot beundertaken in
avacuum. It is not simply anopportunity for thewriter to say things as they want.
Ultimately, onlyreaderscanjudgeadocument tobegood. Thustheir perspectiveis
thestartingpoint andasthewriter youneedtothinkabout whotheintendedreaders
are, howthey think, howthey viewthetopic of thereport, what their experienceto
dateis of theissues, andhowthey arelikely toreact towhat youhavetosay. This
factor linkstopreparation, whichisdealt withindepthseparately.
9.5 Power ful habits
Habit, andtheongoingpressureof business, cancombinetopushpeopleintowriting
on automatic pilot. Sometimes, if you critiquesomethingthat you wrote, or that
went out fromyour department, you can clearly see something that is wrong. A
sentencedoes not makesense, apoint fails to get across or adescriptionconfuses
rather thanclarifies. Usuallythereasonthishasoccurredisnot that thewriter really
thought thiswasthebest sentenceor phraseandgot it wrong. Rather, it wasbecause
therewasinadequatethought of anysort or noneat all.
Habits canbedifficult to break andtheendresult canbeaplethoraof material
movingaroundorganizationscouchedinakindof gobbledegook, or what somecall
office-speak.
9.6 Ear ning a r eading
Themoral hereis clear. Goodwritingdoes not just happen. It needs somethought
andsomeeffort (andsomestudy, withwhichthisbook aimstoassist). Theprocess
needstobeactively workedat if theresult isgoingtodothejobyouhaveinmind,
anddoit withsomecertainty.
But goodhabits areas powerful as bad. A shift fromoneto another is possible
andtherewardsinthiscasemakethegameverymuchworththecandle. Thinkwhat
goodwritingskillscanachieve.
9.6.1 The rewards of excel l ence
Consider the example of reports. They can influence action. But they also act to
create an image of the writer. Within an organization of any size, people interact
throughcommunication. They sendeachother memos, they sit inmeetings andon
committees, theychatastheypassonthestairs, orshareasandwichatlunchtime; and
all of thissendsout signals. It tellstheworld, or at least theorganization, something
aboutthem. Aretheyknowledgeable, competent, expert, easytodeal with, decisive?
Wouldyoutaketheir advice, followtheir leador support their cause?
All thedifferent waysinwhichpeopleinterrelateact together, cumulativelyand
progressively, tobuildupandmaintainanimageof eachindividual. Somewaysmay
play adisproportionatepart, andreport-writingis onesuch. Therearetwo reasons
whythiseffect isimportant.
Reports, unlikemoretransientmeansof communication, canlast. Theyarepassed
around, consideredandremainontherecord moresoif theyareaboutimportant
issues.
Becausenoteveryonecanwriteagoodreport, peoplecanbeimpressedbyaclear
abilitytomarshal anargument andput it over inwriting.
Thus, reportsrepresent anopportunity, or infact twoopportunities. Reports at
least, goodones canbeinstrumental inpromptingaction, actionyouwant, perhaps.
Theyarealsoimportanttoyour profile. Theysaysomethingaboutthekindof person
youareandhowyouaretoworkwith. Inasensetherearesituationswhereyouwant
tomakesurecertainpersonal qualitiesshinethrough. A casemaybesupportedbyits
beingclearthatitispresentedbysomeonewhogivesattentiontodetails, forinstance.
Inthelongerterm, theviewtakenof someonebytheirsuperiorsmaybeinfluenced
by their regularly readingwhat they regardas goodreports. So, next timeyouare
burningthemidnightoil togetsomeseeminglytediousreportfinalized, thinkof itas
thebusinessequivalent of anopengoal andremember, it couldliterallybeaffecting
your chancesof promotion!
9.7 A significant oppor tunity
Reports demanddetailedwork. Their preparationmay, onoccasion, seemtedious.
They certainly needadequatetimeset asidefor them. But, as theoldsayinghas it,
if ajobisworthdoing, it isworthdoingwell. It maytakenomoretimetopreparea
goodreportthanitdoestopreparealacklustreone. Sotoofor anydocument. Indeed,
thenext chapter contendsthat asystematicapproachcanspeedupyour writing.
If whatever youwriteisclear, focusedandset out soastoearnareading, thenit
ismorelikelytoachieveitspurpose; itisalsomorelikelytoactpositivelytoenhance
theprofileof thewriter. Boththeseresultsaresurelyworthwhile. Butthejobstill has
tobedone, thewordsstill havetobegot downonpaper, and, if youarefacedwith
ablank sheet (or, thesedays, screen), thiscanbeadauntingtask (writingabook of
thislengthcertainlyqualifiesmetosaythat!). Goaboutitintherightwayanditdoes
becomepossible.
9.8 Summar y
Remember, communicationhasinherent dangers; clear communicationneedsto
bewell considered.
Any document will achieveits purposeonly if thewriter is clear intheir mind
what theyareseekingtoachieve.
Thereader ismoreimportant thanthewriter; writefor othersnot for yourself
Bewareoldhabitsandworktoestablishgoodones.
Writtendocumentsarepotentiallypowerful tools powerful inactionterms, and
powerful incontributingtopersonal profile.
Chapter 10
T he wr iting pr ocess: what to say
and how to say it
If you undertake to engender a totality of meaning which corresponds with the
cognitionof othersseekingtointakeacommunicationfromthecontentyoudisplayin
areport, thereisagreaterlikelihoodof subsequentactionbeingthatwhichyoudesire.
Youreright: that isnot agoodstart. If I want tosay, If youwritewell, people
will understandandbemorelikelytoreact asyouwish, thenI shouldsayjust that.
Butitmakesagoodpointwithwhichtostartthischapter. Languageandhowyouuse
it matter. Exactlyhowyouput thingshasadirect bearingonhowtheyarereceived;
andthat inturnhasadirect bearingonhowwell areport succeedsinitsobjectives.
10.1 T he differ ence language makes
It isclear languagethat makesadifference. But thisisaseriousunderstatement, for
languagecanmakeavery considerabledifference. Andit canmakeadifferencein
manydifferent ways, asthischapter will show.
Howyouneed towritemuststemasmuchasanythingfromtheviewyourintended
readers have of what they want to read. Or in some cases are prepared to read,
because behonest readingsomebusinessdocumentscanbesomethingof achore;
maybeevensomeof thoseyouwrite.
Considerfourbroadelementsfirst. Readerswantdocumentstobeunder standabl e,
readabl e, str ai ghtfor ward andnatur al . Let uslookat eachinturn.
10.1.1 Under standabl e
Clarity has been mentioned already. Its necessity may seemto go without saying,
thoughsome, atleast, of whatoneseesof prevailingstandardssuggeststheopposite.
It is all too easy to find everyday examples of wording that is less than clear. A
favouriteis asignyouseeinsomeshops: Ears pierced, whileyouwait. Thereis
someother way? Maybetherehasbeenanewtechnological development.
Clarity is assistedby many of theelements mentionedinthis chapter, but three
factorshelpimmensely.
1. Using the r ight wor ds: For example, areyouwritingabout recommendati ons
or opti ons, about obj ecti ves (desired results) or str ategi es (routes to achieving
objectives), andwhendoyouuseai ms or goal s?
2. Using the r ight phr ases: What is 24-hour service exactly, other than not
sufficiently specific? Ditto personal service. Is this just saying that people
doit? If so, it ishardly aglimpseof anythingbut theobvious. Perhapsit needs
expandingtoexplainthenature, andperhapsexcellence, of theparticular service
approach.
3. Selecting and ar r anging wor dsto ensur e your meaning isclear : Forexample,
saying, Atthisstage, thearrangementis impliesthatlateritwill besomething
elsewhenthismightnotbeintended. SayingAfterworkinglateintothenight, the
report will bewithyouthisafternoon, seemstoimply(becauseof thesequence
andarrangement of words) that it isthereport that wasworkinglate.
Evenchangingawordor twocanmakeadifference. Sayingsomethingisquite
nice issoblandthat, if appliedtosomethingthatishugelyenjoyable itunderstates
itsomuchastobealmostinsulting. Theemphasismaybeinadequatebutatleastthe
wordni ce makesitclear thatsomethingpositiveisbeingsaid. Blandnessiscertainly
to be avoided. It is unlikely to add power to your presentation, but choosing the
wrongwordisanother matter. That might confuse, upset or worse. Thefollowing
examplesaredesignedtoshowthedanger.
Conti nuous (unbroken or uninterrupted); conti nual (repeated or recurring).
A project might becontinuous (inprocess all thetime), but work onit is more
likelytobecontinual (unlessyounever sleep).
Areyouuni nterested inaproposal or di si nterested init? Thefirst implies you
areapathetic andcarenot either way; thelatter meansyouhavenothingtogain
fromit.
Similarly di ssati sfi ed and unsati sfi ed should not beconfused. Disappointed or
needingmoreof something, respectively.
Youmight want todosomethingexpedi ti ous (quick andefficient), but sayingit
is expedi ent might not beso well regarded, as it means only that something is
convenient (not alwaysagoodreasontodoanything).
For tui tous impliessomethinghappeningaccidentally; itdoesnotmeanfortunate.
If youareapr acti cal person, youareeffective; if somethingispr acti cabl e it is
merely possibletodo; andpr agmati c issomethingmeant tobeeffective(rather
thanproventobe).
Onewrong word may do damage. More, particularly when closely associated,
quicklycreatenonsense: Thispracticableapproachwill ensurethepracticableproject
will becontinuous; it isfortuitousthat I amuninterestedinit andI amsureI will not
beunsatisfiedtoseeit start.
Of course, noinaccurateuseof languagewill helpyouput amessageover well
evenif it onlyannoysrather thanconfuses: for example, sayingveryunique when
unique means unlike anything else and cannot be qualified in this way; writing
12noon whennoon tells youeverythingyouneedto know; or talkingabout an
ATM machine whentheM stands for machine (amachinemachine?). Thenwe
see the ubiquitous PIN number and HIV virus. Some care, maybe even some
checkingor study, maybeuseful.
The wr i ti ng process: what to say and how to say i t 123
10.1.2 Readabl e
Readability is difficult to define, but weall know it when weexperienceit. Your
writingmust flow. Onepoint must leadtoanother; thewritingmust striketheright
tone, injectalittlevariety; and, aboveall, theremustbealogical, andvisible, structure
tocarry themessagealong. As well as theshapediscussedintheprevious chapter,
thetechniqueof signposting brieflyflaggingwhatistocome helpsinapractical
sensetoget thereader understandingwheresomethingisgoing. It makesthemread
on, contentthatthedirectionissensible(thissectionstartsjustthatway, listingpoints
tocome, of whichreadable formsthesecondsubsection). It isdifficult tooveruse
signpostingandit canbeutilizedat several levelswithinthetext.
10.1.3 Str ai ghtfor ward
Inaword(or two) this means si mpl y put. Followthewell-knownacronymKISS
KeepIt Simple, Stupid. Thususethefollowing.
Shor t wor ds: Why elucidate somethingwhenyoucanexplain? Why reim-
bursements rather thanexpenses? Similarly, althoughexperiment andtest
do haveslightly different meanings, inageneral sensetest may bebetter; or
youcouldusetry.
Shor t phr ases: Do not say at this moment in time when you mean now,
or respectfully acknowledge something, asuggestion perhaps, when you can
simplysaythankyoufor
Shor t sentences: Having too many overlong sentences is a frequent
characteristicof businessreports. Short onesaregood. However, theyshouldbe
mixedinwithlonger ones, or readingbecomesrather liketheactionof amachine
gun. Many reports containsentences that areoverlong, oftenbecausethey mix
two rather different points. Break these into two and the overall readability
improves
Shor t par agr aphs: If thereareplenty of headings and bullet points it may be
difficulttogetthiswrong, butkeepaneyeonit. Frequentandappropriatebreaks
asthemessagebuildsupdomakefor easyreading.
10.1.4 Natur al
In the way that some people are said, disparagingly, to have a telephone voice,
so some write in an unnatural fashion. Such a style may just be old-fashioned or
bureaucratic. However, itcouldbemadeworsebyattemptstocreateself-importance,
or tomakeatopic seemweightier thanit is. J ust afewwords canchangethetone:
sayingthewriter mayeasilysoundpompous, for instance, especiallyif thereisno
reasonnot tosayI (or me).
The moral here is clear and provides a guideline for good writing. Business
documentsdoneedsomeformality, but theyare, after all, analternativetotalkingto
people. Theyshouldbeasclosetospeechasisreasonablypossible. Itisnotsuggested
thatyouoverdothis, either bybecomingtoochattyor bywriting, say, wont (which
youmight acceptably say), whenwill not isgenuinely moresuitable. However, if
youcomposewhat youwritemuchas youwouldsay it andthentightenit up, the
endresult is oftenbetter thanwhenyouset out to createsomethingthat is formal
businesswriting.
Thefour factorsabovehavewideinfluenceonwritingstyle, but theydonot act
alone. Other pointsareimportant, andlinktoreader expectations.
Writingneedstobebasedverymuchonwhat peoplesaytheywant inwhat they
read. J ust toheadlinethis(without repeatingdetail fromthelast chapter) thismeans:
brief, succinct, relevant, precise, clear, andinour language.
10.2 Reader s dislikes
Readersalsohavehopesthat what theymust readwill not beanyof these.
I ntr ospective: Itisappropriateinmostbusinessdocumentstousethewordyou
morethanI (or we, thecompany, thedepartment etc.). Thussaying, I will
circulatemoredetailed information soon may bebetter phrased as, You will
receivemoreinformation[fromme] soon. Moreso, perhaps, if youaddaphrase
suchas, so that youcanjudgefor yourselves. This approachis especially
important if thereispersuasioninvolved.
Talking down: As an expert, I can tell you this must be avoided; you must
never Bad start it sounds condescending. You arelikely to carry people
with you only if you avoidthis kindof thing. As aschools broadcast on radio
put it, Never talk downtopeople, never becondescending. Youdo know what
condescending means, dont you? Enoughsaid.
Biased: At least where it intends not to be. A manager writing something to
staff settingout whyhe/shethinkssomethingisagoodidea, andthenaskingfor
thestaffsviews, may prompt moreagreement thanisactually felt. If viewsare
wanted, thenitisbettersimplytosetsomethingoutandaskforcomment, without
expressingafirmpersonal viewinadvance.
Politically incor r ect: Thereisconsiderablesensitivityabout thisthesedaysthat
shouldbeneitherignorednorunderestimated. Asthereisstill nowordthatmeans
he or she, some contrivance may be necessary in this respect occasionally.
Similarly, choiceof words needs care. Onemight bepulled up thesedays for
using the expression manning the office. If you meant who was on duty at
what times, rather thananythingto do withrecruitment or selection(whichthe
usuallysuggestedalternativeof staffing seemstoimply), thismightseemsome-
what silly. But, if it matters, it matters, and, while the way you write should
not becomeawkward or contrived to accommodatesuch matters, somecareis
certainlynecessary.
There is a considerable amount to bear in mind here. The focus must be on
the reader throughout. However, you must not forget your own position as the
writer: there are things here also that must be incorporated into the way you
write.
10.3 T he wr iter s appr oach
Everyorganizationhasanimage. Theonlyquestioniswhether thisjust happens, for
goodorill, orif itisseenassomethingactivelytocreate, maintainandmakepositive.
Similarly, everyreportorproposal youwritesayssomethingaboutyou. Whetheryou
likeitornot, thisistrue. Anditmatters. Theprofilewittinglyorunwittinglypresented
may influencewhether peoplebelieve, trust or likeyou. It may influencehowthey
feel about your expertise, or whether they canseethemselvesagreeingwithyouor
doingbusiness withyou.
Your personal profileis not only aninfluenceinyour job, onethat links to the
objectivesyouhave, but it alsopotentially affectsyour career. Surely it isunavoid-
ablethat, giventheprofusionof paperwork inmost organizations, what youwrite
progressively typecastsyouintheeyesof others includingyour boss asthesort
of personwhoisgoingplaces, or not.
It bearsthinkingabout.
Certainly your prevailingstyle, andwhat aparticular document saysabout you,
areworththinkingabout. If thereisaninevitablesubtextof thissort, youcannotafford
toletitgobydefault; youneedtoinfluenceitconsciously. Startbyconsideringwhat
youwant peopletothink of you. Takeasimplepoint. Youwant tobethought of as
efficient. Then thestyleof thedocument surely says something about this. If it is
good, contains everythingthereader wants, andcertainly if it covers everythingit
saidit would, thenasenseof efficiencysurelyfollows.
Thesameappliestomanycharacteristics: beingseenasknowledgeable, experi-
enced, authoritativeandso on(aconcept coveredearlier andworthnotingherein
context). All suchcharacteristicsareworthconsideringtoascertainexactlyhowyou
achievetheeffect youwant. Suchimages arecumulative. They buildupover time
andcanassist intheestablishment andmaintenanceof relationships. Whether such
iswithacolleagueor customer, or concernedwithestablishingwiththebossthatyou
areagoodpersontowork with(aswell asgoodat your work), theinfluencecanbe
powerful.
Similarlyyoumighthaveinmindalistof characteristicsyouwantactivelytoavoid
seemingtoembrace. For exampleappearingdogmatic, patronizing, inflexible, old-
fashionedorwhateverinyourjobmightdoyoulittlegood. Someothercharacteristics
aresometimestobeemphasized, sometimesnot. Stubbornnessisagoodexample.
Suchimages arenot createdinaword. Thereis moreto appearinghonest than
writing, Let mebecompletelyhonest (whichmight actuallyjust ringalarmbells!).
Your intendedprofilewill come, inpart, fromspecificssuchaschoiceof words, but
alsofromthewholewayinwhichyouuselanguage. Soitistomoreabouttheuseof
languagethat wenowmoveon.
10.4 T he use of language
Howlanguageisusedmakesadifferencetoexactlyhowamessageisreceived. The
importance of using the right word has already been touched on, but the kind of
differencewearetalkingabout canbewell demonstratedbychangingnomorethan
oneword. For example, consider thefirstsentenceof thisparagraph: Howlanguage
is used makes adifferenceto exactly howamessageis received. Add oneword:
makesabi g differenceto
Nowlet usseewhat changingthat wordbig makes: it issurelyalittledifferent
to say: makes agreat difference And therearemany alternatives, all with
varyingmeaning: real , power ful , consi der abl e, vast, speci al , l arge, i mpor tant. You
candoubtlessthinkof more. Inthecontextof whatI amactuallysayinghere, power ful
isagoodword. Itisnotjustaquestionof howyouuselanguage, butwhatyouachieve
byyour useof it.
Note: nobusinesswritershouldbewithoutbothadictionaryandthesaurusbeside
their desk; thelatter isoftenthemoreuseful.
10.5 M aking language wor k for you
Often, businesswritingisalmostwhollywithoutadjectives. Yetsurelyoneof thefirst
purposesof languageistobedescr i pti ve. Most writingnecessitatestheneedtopaint
apicturetosomedegreeat least. Contrast twophrases: smoothassilk andsort of
shiny.
The first (used as a slogan by Thai Airways) conjures up a clear and precise
picture or certainly does for anyonewho has seen and touched silk. Thesecond
might meanalmost anything: deadwet fisharesort of shiny, but they arehardly to
becomparedto thetouchof silk. Further, anevenmoredescriptivephrasemay be
required: what about slippery as afreshly buttered icerink? Could anyonethink
thismeant other thanreal l y, real l y slippery?
Thequestion of expectation of complexity, and cognitivecost, was mentioned
earlier (seeSubsection 9.4.1 in Chapter 9), and to someextent it does not matter
whether something is short or long. Whatever it is, if it makes things effortlessly
clear, it is appreciated. And, if it is bothdescriptiveandmakes somethingeasier to
understand, readersaredoublyappreciative.
Clear description may need working at, but the effort is worthwhile. Trainers
often ask ameetingvenueto grouptheplaces in aU-shape. You can put people
inaU aroundaboardroom-styletable. But moreoftenit meansaU inthesenseof
anopenU, onethat gives thetrainer theability to standwi thi n theU to work with
delegates. Twodifferent layouts, whichbothdemandprecisedescription.
Description is important, but sometimes wewant morethan that. Wewant an
elementof somethingbeingdescriptive, andalsomemor abl e. Thisisachievedintwo
ways: first, bysomethingthatisdescriptiveyetunusual; second, whenitisdescriptive
andunexpected.
Letusreturntothevenuethemeaboveforamoment. Doyourememberthehotels
sales executivein Chapter 8 (see8.10.9) who described, as part of an explanation
about roomlayouts, aU-shapeas puttingeveryoneinthefront row? Heis being
descriptiveandmemorablebecause, whileclear, thisphraseisalsoanunusual way
of expressingit. Suchphrasesworkwell andareworthsearchingfor.
Asanexampleof thesecondroutetobeingmemorable, I will useadescription
I onceput inareport. Insummarizingaperceptionsurvey (researchingtheviews
customers andcontacts heldof aclient organization) I wantedto describehowthe
majorityof peoplereported. Theylikedthem, werewell disposedtowardsusingthem,
but alsofoundthemalittlebureaucratic, slowandlessefficient andinnovativethan
they would ideally like. I wrotethat they wereseen as being likeacomfortable,
but threadbare, old sofa, when people wanted themto be like a modern, leather
executivechair.
Thisisclearlydescriptive, butitgainedfrombeingnotjustunusual, butbybeing
really not the kind of phrase that is typically used in business writing. Its being
memorable was confirmed, because it rang bells and at subsequent meetings was
used by theorganizations own peopleto describethechanges that thereport had
highlightedasnecessary.
Thereareoccasionswherethiskindof approachworkswell, notleastinensuring
thatsomethingaboutthewriterisexpressedalongtheway. Somephrasesorpassages
may drawstrengthbecausethereader wouldnever feel it was quiteappropriateto
put it likethat themselves, yet findtheylikereadingit.
Another element youmaywish, onoccasion, toput intoyour writingisemoti on.
If youwant toseementhusiastic, interested, surprised whatever thismust show.
A dead, lacklustre style The results were not quite as expected, they showed
that isnot thesameasonethat characterizeswhat issaidwithemotion: You
will be surprised by the results, which showed that Both may be appropri-
ate on occasion, but the latter is sometimes avoided when it could add to the
senseandfeeling, andtheremight beoccasion to strengthen that: theresults will
amaze.
Considerthis. Howoftenwhenyouaresearchingfortherightphrasedoyoureject
somethingaseither not sufficiently formal (or conventional)? Behonest. Many are
onthebrink of puttingdownsomethingthat will bememorableor will addpower,
andthentheyplaysafeandopt for somethingelse. It maybeadequate, but it failsto
impress; andmaywell thenrepresent alost opportunity.
Next, welookat somethingstoavoid.
10.6 M istakes to avoid
Somethings may act to dilutethepower of your writing. They may or may not be
technically wrong, but they end up reducing your effectiveness and making your
objectiveslesscertaintobeachieved. Wewill lookat someexamples.
10.6.1 Bl andness
Watchout! As has beensaid, this is aregular trapfor thebusiness writer, but it is
worthemphasizinghere. Ithappensnotsomuchbecauseyouchoose thewrongthing
towrite, but becauseyouarewritingonautomatic pilot wi thout thought, or at least
muchthought, for thedetail andmakenoreal consciouschoice.
What doesit meantosaysomethingis:
qui te good (or bad);
r ather expensive;
ver y slowprogress?
What exactlyare:
anattr acti ve promotion asopposedtoaprofit-generatingone, perhaps; and
asl i ght delay for amoment or amonth?
All thesegiveonly avagueimpression. Ask yourself exactly what youwant to
express, andthenchooselanguagethat doesjust that.
10.6.2 Offi ce-speak
This is another all-too-common component of some business writing, much of it
passedonfromonepersonto another without comment or change. It may confuse
little, but adds little, too, other thananold-fashionedfeel. I amthinkingof phrases
suchas:
enclosedfor your per usal (evenenclosedfor your i nterest maybeunsuitable
youmayneedtotell themwhy it shouldbeof interest or enclosed alonemay
suffice);
werespectfullyacknowledgereceipt of (whynot say, Thankyoufor ?);
intheevent that (if issurelybetter);
veryhigh-speedoperation (fast, or statejust how fast);
conceptualized (thought).
Avoidsuchtriteapproachesliketheplague, andworktochangethehabit of any
pet phrasesyouuseall tooeasily, all toooften, andinappropriately.
10.6.3 Language of fashi on
Languageischangingall thetime. Newwordsandphrasesenter thelanguagealmost
daily, oftenfromAmericaandalsolinkedtotheuseof technology. Itisworthwatching
for thelifecycleof suchwordsbecause, if youareout of step, thenthey may fail to
dothejobyouwant. I noticethreestages:
1. whenitistoo ear l y tousethem(whentheywill either notbeunderstoodor seem
silly, or evenlooklikeafailedattempt at trendiness);
2. whentheywor k wel l ;
3. whentheir usebeginstodate andsoundwrong or i nadequate.
Examplesmaydatetoo, butletmetry. WhenBBCRadio4talksaboutanupcom-
ing event, thenfor somepeople, thisisinitsearlystageanddoesnot soundright at
all; forthcomingwill suit well for awhilelonger.
Ontheother hand, what didwesay beforewesaidmissionstatement? Thisis
certainly atermincurrent use. Most peopleinbusiness appreciateits meaningand
somehavemadegooduseof thethinkingthat goesintoproducingone.
What about awordor phrasethat ispast itsbest?Let mesuggest acommonone:
user-friendly. Whenfirst usedit wasnew, nicely descriptiveandquickly beganto
beuseful. Now with no singlegadget on theentireplanet not so described by its
makers, it hasbecomeweaktosaytheleast.
10.6.4 Mi stakes peopl e hate
Someerrors areactually well knowntomost people, yet they still slipthroughand
thereisacategory that simply sharesthefact that many peoplefindthemannoying
whentheyareonthereceivingend. A simpleexampleistheworduni que, whichis
so oftenusedwithanadjective. Uniquemeans that somethingis likenothingelse.
Nothingcanbever y uniqueor greatl y unique; eventhecompany whosebrochureI
sawwiththewordsveryunique occurringthreetimesinoneparagraphdoesnot in
facthaveaproductthatismorethanjustuniqueevenonce. Thinkof similarexamples
that annoyyouandavoidthemtoo.
Othershereincludethelikesof:
Different to (different from);
Lessthan, asinlessthantenpeople (less relatestoquantity, asinlesswater,
whereasfewer wouldbecorrect for number: fewer thantenpeople).
Another areafor careiswithunnecessaryapostrophes(si c), whichisbecoming
amodernplague.
10.6.5 Cl i chs
Thisisasomewhat difficult one. Anyoverusedphrasecanbecomecategorizedasa
clich. Yetaphrasesuchasputtingthecartbeforethehorse isnotonlywell known
butestablishesaninstantandprecisevision andcanthereforebeuseful. Inasense,
peopleliketoconjureupafamiliar imageandsosuchphrasesshouldnot al ways be
avoided, andreportsmaynotbetheplacefor creativealternativessuchasspreadthe
butter beforethejam.
10.7 Following the r ules
What about gr ammar , syntax and punctuati on? Of course they matter so does
spelling but spellcheckerslargely makeupfor any inadequaciesinthat areathese
days; thoughyouneedtocheque(si c) carefully, for thereareplenty of possibilities
for error that aspellchecker wouldnot pickup. But someof therulesaremadetobe
brokenandsomeof theoldrules areno longer regardedas rules, certainly not for
businesswriting.
Certainthingscanjar. Let ustakejust threeexamples.
Poor punctuation: Toolittleisexhaustingtoread, especiallycoupledwithlong
sentences. Toomuchbecomes affected-seemingandawkward. Certainrules do
matter here, but thesimplest guideisprobably breathing. Welearntopunctuate
speechlongbeforewewriteanything, soinwritingall that isreallynecessaryis
aconsciousinclusionof thepauses. Thelengthof pauseandthenatureof whatis
beingsaidindicatethelikelysolution. Insomewaystoomuchisbetter thannot
enough.
Tautology: Thisisunnecessaryrepetition, of whichaclassicexampleisI,myself,
personally. Thistypeof thingistobeavoided. Donotexportoverseas, simply
export; donot indulgeinforwardplanning, simplyplan.
Oxymor on: Thisisawordcombinationthat iscontradictory, may soundsilly
distinctlyfoggy orbeacurrentgoodwayof expressingsomething: deafening
silence. Somesentences cancausesimilar problems of contradiction: I never
makepredictions, andI never will.
Otherthingsarestill regardedasrulesbypurists, butworkwell inbusinesswriting
andarenowincurrent use. A goodexamplehereistherulestatingthat youshould
never begin a sentence with the words and or but. But you can. And it helps
producetighter writingandavoidsoverlongsentences. But or, rather, however it
alsomakesanother point; donot overusethissort of thing.
Another, similar, ruleisthatsentencescannotendwithapreposition. YetHeisa
personworthtalkingto reallydoessoundeasier ontheear thanHeisapersonwith
whomit isworthtalking. WinstonChurchill issaidtohaverespondedtocriticism
about this withthefamous line: This is atypeof arrant pedantry upwithwhichI
will not put.
Still other rulesmaybebrokenonlyoccasionally. Manyof ushavebeenbrought
upnever tosplit infinitives, andit thuscomesunder theannoyancecategorymost of
thetime. Thereareexceptionshowever: wouldthemost famousoneintheworld
Star Treks toboldlygowherenomanhasgonebefore reallybebetter astogo
boldly? I donot thinkso.
10.8 Per sonal style
Finally, most peoplehave, or develop, a way of writing that includes things they
simplylike. Whynot, indeed?Forexample, althoughtherulebooksnowsaytheyare
simplyalternatives, somepeoplethinkthattosayFirst, secondlyandthirdly
hasmuchmoreelegancethanbeginning: Firstly Thereasonfor thismattersless
thanachievinganeffect youfeel isright.
Itwouldbeaduller worldif weall dideverythingthesameway, andwritingisno
exception. Thereisnoharminusingsomethingsfor nobetter reasonthanthat you
likethem. It is likely toaddvariety toyour writing, andmakeit seemdistinctively
different fromthat of other people, whichmayitself beuseful.
Certainly, youshouldalways behappy that what youwritesounds right. So, to
quotethewriter Keith Waterhouse, If, after all this advice, asentencestill reads
awkwardly, thenwhat youhavethereisanawkwardsentence. Demolishit andstart
again.
However carefullyyoustrivetowriteclearlyandinawaythatcreatesanimpact,
there are certain special circumstances that will tax you still more. Prime among
theseiswhenareportisaproposal anditsmessageneedssettingoutpersuasivelyfor
prospectsor customers. Your internal communicationmayalsoneedtobepersuasive
at times.
10.9 Summar y
Overall, remember to:
makesurewhat youwriteisnot onlyreadable, but isdesignedfor itsreaders;
put clarityfirst; understandingisthefoundationof goodbusinesswriting;
influencethesubtext that providesanimageof you, andensureit worksasyou
want;
makelanguageworkfor you; bedescriptive, bememorable;
makeyour writingcorrect, but makeit individual.
Chapter 11
T he differ ent for ms of wr itten communication
11.1 W r ite r ight
Any written business document must stand up to analysis, and its only real test is
whether itsreader findsitdoesthejobitwasintendedtodo. Thismeansitmusthave
aclear purpose, andthat what it says, andhowit saysit, areunderstandable; indeed,
that it exhibitsanyother characteristicthat it needstomeet itsspecificintentionand
suchashasbeenset out inthelast chapter.
Inthischapter welookattheapproachnecessaryfor differenttypesof document.
It shouldbenotedat oncethat thereisnooneright waytowriteanything. A variety
of wordcombinationsandof stylecanbeappropriate, but therearesomethingsthat
mustbedoneinparticular waysandtherearecertainlythingstoavoid. Westartwith
somegeneral thoughts.
11.2 Fir st pr inciples
Itiseasiesttoanalysewritingthroughanexample, soletsstartwithatypical business
letter. Thisissomethingthat many of ushavereceived, usually addressedby name
andslippedunder thedoor togreet usasweriseonthelast day of astay inahotel.
Theexamplethat follows is areal one, thoughtheoriginators name(acity-centre
hotel) hasbeenremoved.
11.2.1 Exampl e
Dear Guest
Wewouldliketothankyoufor allowingustoserveyouhereatthe[Name] Hotel andhope
that youareenjoyingyour stay.
Our recordsshowthatyouarescheduledtodeparttoday, andwewishtopointoutthat
our checkout timeis12noon. Shouldyoubedepartingonalater flight, pleasecontact our
front desk associates who will behappy to assist you with alatecheckout. Also, please
let usknowif yourequiretransport totheairport sothat wecanreserveoneof our luxury
Mercedeslimousines.
Inorder to facilitateyour checkout for today, wewouldliketo takethis opportunity
to present you with a copy of your up-dated charges, so that you may review themat
your convenience. Shouldyoufindany irregularitiesor haveany questionsregardingthe
attachedcharges, pleasedonot hesitatetocontact us.
We wish you a pleasant onward journey today, and hope to have the privilege of
welcomingyoubacktothehotel againinthenear future.
Sincerelyyours,
[Name]
Front OfficeManager
Whatarewetomakeof suchaletter?Itis, necessarily, astandardoneusedmany
timeseachday. Itcametomynoticewhenitcameunder mydoor and, takingnoteof
thebit about latecheckouts will behappytoassist you I went toReception
totakeadvantage. Not onlywasI told, Sorry, weretoofull todothat today, but so
wereadozenotherpeopleduringthetenminutesI stoodatthedesk. So, thefirstthing
tosayisthattheletterissobadlyexpressedthatitdoesmoreharmthangood, causing
as muchdisappointment as satisfaction, becauseit says clearly that somethingwi l l
happen whenit shouldsayit may be possible.
It isalsovery old-fashionedwithrather pompous-soundingphrasessuchaswe
wishtopoint out that andwewouldliketotakethisopportunity, whensomething
shorter, morestraightforwardandbusinesslikewouldsurelybebetter. It almost sug-
gests that theaccount may bewrong(irregularities), andeverythingis expressed
froman introspectivepoint of view: we, we and we again leading into every
point. No, it isnot goodandyour ownanalysismaywell runlonger. Yet thisisvery
straightforwardandhardlytechnical.
At base, thekeyproblemisperhapsintention. Istheletter designed:
simplytoremindpeopletopaythebill;
tomakecheckout quicker or easier;
tosell atransport servicetotheairport;
to persuade people to come and stay again (and thus presumably give an
impressionof efficiencyandgoodservice); or
just tosayThankyou?
Becauseit mixes up all of theseto someextent, it fails to do justiceto any of
them. Forexample, nothingaboutthecheckoutprocedureisexplained, norarereasons
givenastowhysomeoneshouldstayagain. Yetthisissurelyastraightforwardletter;
perhapsthat iswhyit hasbeengiveninadequatethought.
11.3 L etter s with specific intention
Often, adocument hasavery specific purpose, andit must usetheway it iswritten
toachievethat aim. Therearepurposeswithout number. Herearesomethat areboth
important intheir ownright andmakegoodexamplesof anythingspecial needingto
beexecutedinawaythat reflectsitspurpose.
Againlets examineanexample, this timeof apersuasive sales letter. The
exampleisalettertoacustomer, butsimilarprincipleswill applywheneverpersuasion
isnecessary.
Salesletters, thosespecificallydesignedtobepersuasiverather thanjust admin-
istrativelyefficient, areakeyelement of writtencommunicationwithcustomers.
The di fferent for ms of wr i tten communi cati on 135
Whatever their purpose, all must haveaclear structure, must uselanguageto
makewhat theysayinterestingandcustomer-orientatedandaimtobepersuasive.
11.3.1 Exampl e
Theletter that followsisrespondingtoanenquiry. Theintentionheremust beclear.
Youcannot writealetter, or writemost of it, andthendecidehowtofinishit off and
whatactiontorequestfromthecustomer. Logically, youmustdecidewhatactionyou
want, andthenwritealetter that isdesignedtoprompt it.
Consider thefollowing, aletter receivedfollowingatelephonecall withahotel
about thepossibility of conductingatrainingseminar thereonaquoteddate(their
quotedcost isomitted).
Dear Mr Forsyth
Followingmytelephonecall withyouof yesterdayI wasdelightedtohear of your interest
inthe[Name] Hotel for aproposedmeetingandluncheonsometimeinthefuture.
I havepleasureinenclosingfor your perusal our banquetingbrochuretogether with
theroomplan and, as you can see, someof our rooms could provemost ideal for your
requirement.
At this stage, I wouldbemorethanhappy to offer youour delegaterateof [sum] to
includethefollowing:
morningcoffeewithbiscuits
3-courseluncheonwithcoffee
afternoonteaandbiscuits
flipchart, padsandpencils
roomhireandvisual aidequipment
serviceandtax
andI trust thismeetswithyour approval.
Shouldyouat anytimewishtovisit our facilitiesanddiscussyour particular require-
ments further, pleasedonot hesitatetocontact mebut, inthemeantime, if youhaveany
queriesontheabove, I wouldbeverypleasedtoanswer them.
Yourssincerely
Let usconsider that for amoment. It issadlynot sountypical instyle. Yet, while
nodoubtwell intentionedandpoliteandcontainingacertainamountof information,
it doesnot reallybegintosel l inanappropriatemanner. Nor doesit project auseful
image.
Let uslookat it again(fromthebeginning).
It links to the enquiry but has a weak, formulaic start (and no heading). The
enquirer does not want to know about their delight (of course they want the
business). Startingwithsomethingabout theclient wouldbebetter.
Theenquirer is not runningameetingandluncheon they explainedit was a
trainingsession sothisistheir terminology, not theclients.
Theeventisnotatsometimeinthefuture. Theenquirer quotedadate(thisand
thepoint abovetell usit isinall likelihoodastandardletter).
Next wehavemoreof their pleasure. They will bemoreinterestedinwhat the
brochurewill do for them, rather than what their sending it does for thehotel
(and, yes, peoplereallydousewordslikeper usal inwriting, thoughitseemsvery
old-fashionedtomost people andwhowouldsay it?).
Banquetingbrochure isjargon their terminologyagain(thoughitmaywell be
useful, andaroomplanisuseful).
Dothey haveasuitableroomor not? Thewordssomeof our roomscould are
unclear.
ThesectionaboutcostsstartswiththewordsAtthisstage. ButI amsuretheydo
not meantosay, wewill negotiatelater. Thephraseispadding, akintopeople
whostart everysentencewiththewordbasically.
Most will findthelist OK, but isit right toaskif it meetswithyour approval?
Peoplewhousehotelsnearlyalwayswant toseesomethinglikeameetingroom
in advance, so the text would be better to assume that and make arranging it
straightforward. Also, thewriter might better havemaintainedtheinitiativeand
saidtheywouldget intouch(theynever did, incidentally).
Suggesting there may be queries is again wrong. Why? Are they suggesting
theletter isinadequate? Talkingabout additional information wouldbewholly
different.
Thecumulativeeffectof theirdelightandpleasure fivereferences, if youinclude
I trustthismeetswithyour approval issomewhatover thetop. Theyaredoing
everything but touching their forelock, especially if thereareadditional things
that might bemoreusefullysaidinstead.
Youmay findother matters to comment onalso: thepunctuationis scarce, for
example. Certainlythenet effect doesnot standuptoanysort of analysis, bearingin
minditsintentionistoimpressapotential customer.
So, howmight it bebetter done? Analternative(andthereis, of course, nosuch
thingasacorrect version) isshownbelow.
Dear
Tr aining seminar : a venue to make your meeting wor k well
Your trainingseminar would, I amsure, gowell here. Let meexplainwhy. Fromhowyou
describetheevent, youneedabusinesslikeatmosphere, nodistractions, all thenecessary
equipment andeverythingthevenuedoestoworklikeclockwork.
Our [Name] roomis among a number regularly successfully used for this kind of
meeting. It is currently freeon thedays you mentioned: 3/4 J une. As an example, one
packagethat suitsmanyorganizersis:
morningtea/coffeewithbiscuits
3-courselunchwithtea/coffee
afternoontea/coffeewithbiscuits
pads, pencilsandanamecardfor eachparticipant
roomhire(includingtheuseof aflipchart andOHP)
at acost of [sum] per head, includingserviceandtax.
Alternatively, I wouldbepleasedtodiscussother options; our mainconcernistomeet
your specificneedsandget everydetail just right.
Youwill almostcertainlywanttoseetheroomI amsuggesting; I will plantotelephone
toset upaconvenient timefor youtocomeinandhavealook. Meantime, our meetings
brochureis enclosed(youwill seethe[Name] roomonPage4). This, andtheroomplan
withit, will enableyoutobegintoplanhowyour meetingcanworkhere.
Thankyoufor thinkingof us; I lookforwardtospeakingwithyouagainsoon.
Yourssincerely
Thisismuchmorecustomer-orientated. Ithasaheading, itstartswithastatement
almost any meeting organizer would identify with (and with theword your). Its
languageismuchmorebusinesslikeandyet closer towhat someonewouldsay, the
latter helpedbyexpressionssuchasgeteverydetail justright. Thewriter keepsthe
initiativeandsetsthescenefor follow-upaction(whilemakingthat soundhelpful to
thecustomerandrecognizingthattheyarelikelytowanttoinspectthehotel). Finally,
it remains courteous, andputtingthe(one) thank-youat theendmakes it standout
andallowsfor amuchlessformulaicbeginning. Better, I think.
11.4 Repor ts
Nowconsider somethingaboutlonger documents. First, thegreater thelengthand/or
complexity, themoreimportantitistopreparecarefullyinordertosetclearobjectives
andfocusappropriatelyonthereader. Beyondthat, anddetailswill not berepeated,
thelengthdemandsaclear structure.
Thesimpleststructureonecanimagineisabeginning, amiddleandanend. (The
exactroleof thesethreepartswascoveredinthecontextof presentationsandmaybe
worthlookingat againinChapter 6.) Indeedthisarrangement iswhat arepor t must
consistof, buttheargument or caseitpresentsmaybesomewhatmorecomplex. For
example, suchmayfall naturallyintofour parts:
1. settingout thesi tuati on;
2. describingthei mpl i cati ons;
3. reviewingthepossi bi l i ti es;
4. makingarecommendati on.
Thetwostructurescancoexist comfortably; theoverridingconsiderationislogic
andorganization.
Anexamplehelpstospell out thelogical wayanargument needstobepresented
if it is to begot over clearly. Imagineanorganizationwithcertaincommunication
problems; a report making suggestions to correct this might follow the following
broadsequence.
1. T he situation: This might refer toboththequantity andimportanceof written
communicationaround, andoutside, theorganization; alsotothefactthatwriting
skillswerepoor, andnostandardswereinoperation; nor hadany trainingever
been done to develop skills or link themto recognized models that would be
acceptablearoundtheorganization.
2. T he implications: Thesemightrangefromalossof productivity(becausedocu-
mentstooktoolongtocreateandconstantlyhadtobereferredbacktoclarify), to
inefficienciesor worseresultingfrommisunderstoodcommunications. It could
alsoincludedilutionor damagetoimagebecauseof poor documentscirculating
outsidetheorganization, perhapstocustomers.
3. T he possibilities: Here, as with any argument, theremight bemany possible
courses of action, all with their own mix of pros and cons. To continue the
example, it might rangefromlimiting report writing to asmall coregroup of
people, to reducing paperwork completely or setting up atraining programme
and subsequent monitoring system to ensure that some improvement take
place.
4. T he r ecommendation: Herethebest optionneeds to beset out. Or, insome
reports, anumberof optionsmustbereviewedfromwhichotherscanthenchoose.
Recommendationsneedtobespecific: addressingexactlywhat shouldbedone,
bywhom, when, alongsidesuchdetailsascost andlogistics.
Beforereadingon, youmightcross-checkwhetherthesefoursectiondescriptions
apply to any such documents you must write, or whether you can think of more
pertinent descriptionstodivideupany particular category of report withwhichyou
mayhavetodeal.
At all stages, generalizations should beavoided. Reports should contain facts,
evidenceandsufficient chapter andverse for thoseinreceipt of themtoseethem
asanappropriatebasisfor decisionor action.
Withtheoverall shapeof theargumentclearlyinmind, wecanlookinmoredetail
attheshapeof thereportitself. Thewayinwhichitflowsthroughfromthebeginning
totheendisintendedtocarrytheargument, makeit easytofollowandtoread, and
tomakeit interestingtoo, asisnecessary, alongtheway.
Twospecial featuresof reportsareuseful.
1. Appendix: Anappendixcanbeusedtoremovematerial fromthemaintext and
placeit at theendof areport (especiallydetailedor technical information). This
allowsthemaincontenttobereadwithoutdistractionandyetalsoallowsreaders
tocheckdetailsastheywish.
2. Executive summar y: Thisisasummaryintheconventional sensebut isput at
thebeginningof areport (rather thanat theend, asisaconventional summary)
toprovideanoverviewof whatfollows. Essentially, itactstosay, Whatfollows
isworthreading.
Similarly, alongdocumentmustlookright. Itneedsadequatespaceandheadings,
clear numberingandclear emphasis (this last onedeliveredby any graphic device,
beit italicsor boxedparagraphs).
11.5 For mats demanding special appr oaches
Certain documents need aspecial approach becauseof theway they areregarded
within the business world and how they are usually experienced. Where such a
formexists, it is worth following, not slavishly necessarily, but carefully. A press
releaseisagoodexampleof suchadocument (thoughspaceputsdetailsbeyondour
brief here).
As a final example, and a plea to approach business writing creatively and
sometimes actively avoid conventional language and approaches, consider the
following.
Sometimes something special is needed to jolt a reader into action. A second
or thirdcommunicationinasequenceaimingto chasesomethingdownis perhaps
difficultinthatyoumayfeel thatyour bestshothasbeensentandyouwonder, What
canI donext? Suchfollow-upcommunicationscan:
repeat key issues (but must find a different way to say at least some of their
message);
simplyremind(withstrongcontacts, thismaybeall that isnecessary);
offer different action(for instance, thefirst communicationto acustomer says,
Buyit; thesecondsays, Let usshowyouasample), or findsomemorenovel
wayof continuingthedialogue.
Thefollowingexampleisof thelast of these. It makesthepoint that sometimes
thereis littlenewleft to say, just Its meagain especially if theproposition is
good and the only reason for lack of confirmation is timing or distraction rather
than that someone is totally unconvinced. In which case the job is to continue to
maintaincontact, andultimatelytojogthemintoaction, whileappearingdistinctive
or memorableintheprocess.
After writing a short book for a specialist publisher, I was keen to undertake
another topic for theminthesameformat. Proposingtheideaprovokedagenerally
good reaction but no confirmation. I wrote and telephoned a number of times.
Nothing positive materialized always a delay or a put-off (you may know the
feeling!). Finally, whileafurther messageneeded to besent, all theconventional
possibilitiesseemedtobeexhausted. Finally, I sent thefollowingbrief message:
Str uggling author , patient, reliable(non-smoker), seeks commissiononbusiness topics.
Novel formats preferred, but anythingconsideredwithinreason. Ideally 100or sopages,
onatopiclikesalesexcellencesoundsgood; maybewithsomeillustrations. Deliveryof the
rightquantityof material ontime guaranteed. Contactmeattheaboveaddress/telephone
number or meet on neutral ground, carrying a copy of Publ i shi ng News and wearing a
carnation.
Despitesomehesitationas I wonderedwhether this was over thetop(it was to
someoneI hadonly met once), it wassent. Gratifyingly, theconfirmationcamethe
followingday (andyoucannowreadtheresult: The Sal es Excel l ence Pocketbook,
Management Pocketbooks).
Sometimes a slightly less conventional approach and some seemingly non-
business-writinglanguage works well. Youshouldnot reject anythingother than
theconventional approach; tryalittleexperiment andseewhat it candofor you.
11.6 Summar y
Writtencommunicationpresentsoneof thegreatest opportunitiestoshineasacom-
municator. This is becauseprevailingstandards arenot so good; many peoplefind
writingachoreandrespectanyonewhocandoitwell. Attheendof thisfinal chapter
about writing, onlythreepointswill beemphasized: whatever kindof document you
must create, always:
preparethoroughly, andset clear objectives, beforeyouput pentopaper as it
were;
writethroughout withafocusonthereader;
uselanguage, consciously, tomakewhat yousaypowerful.
Finally, let us givethelast wordto anespecially prolific author, Isaac Asimov
(who wrotenearly 500books, mainly scienceandsciencefiction). Askedwhat he
woulddoif toldheonly hadsix months tolive, heansweredsimply, Typefaster.
Clearly, hewassomeonewhoenjoyedwriting. But hisreplyisalsoagoodexample
of thepower of language. Think howmuchhisresponsesaysabout themanandhis
attitudetolife, hisworkandhisreaders; andinj ust two words.
Chapter 12
T he ubiquitous email: dos and don ts
Email is one of the quickest ways of communicating with other people, instantly
sending, asitdoes, letters, memos, picturesandsoundsfromonecomputertoanother
viatheInternetonaworldwidebasis(thereareinternal networks, too, inlarger orga-
nizations). Thetechnicalitiesdonotneedtoconcernushere, butthecommunications
implicationsdo somuchsothat theydeservetheir ownchapter.
Intheworkingenvironment, emailingisoftenusedasasubstitutefor other kinds
of communication, reducingtheneedfor face-to-facemeetings. Thiscanbeuseful: it
ispossibletoconduct meetings, correspondwiththewholeworldandusevoiceand
visual contact without leavingyour desk.
Buttheuseof email canbeoverdone, reducingpersonal contacttothedetrimentof
relationshipsandcollaboration. Itisimportanttohaveabalanceintermsof different
forms of contact. Somelargeorganizations haverules to stopany negativeeffects:
nointernal emailsaretobesent onaThursday, for instance.
Becauseemailing is rapid, it brings pressureon theindividual responsiblefor
creatingtheemailstoget it right first timeintermsof passingaclear message; there
isatendencytodashthemoff, whichmust beresisted.
Theattractivenessof emailingiswithoutdoubtitsspeed. Mail issentimmediately
youclick theSend button. Your messageshouldbereceivedvery quickly after it
is sent. The speed of any reply is dependent only on how often someone checks
their email inboxandreplies. Thefastto-and-fronatureof email communicationcan
prompt rapidactionandboost efficiency.
12.1 Email ver sus snail mail
Email canbe, indeedusuallyis, lessformal thanwritingaletter.
Letssaythisfirmlyandupfront. Thelevel of formalitymust beselectedwisely.
There are those to whomyou may write very informally (incorporating as many
abbreviations, grammatical shortcuts, minimal punctuationandbizarrespellings as
youwish) as l ong as your meani ng i s cl ear . Butothers(customers, seniorcolleagues)
mayresent thisor think worseof youfor it. Sometimes(usually?) anemail must be
aswell writtenasany important letter. It issafest toadopt afairly formal style, and
certainlyaclear one, anderr onthesideof morerather thanlessformalityif youare
unsure. Youhavebeenwarned! Proofreadingisasimportanthereaswithmanyother
documents.
Emails mainpurposeis not for lengthy communications, but usually for short,
direct information-giving or -gathering. Lengthy emails are difficult to read and
absorb on screen. For this and other reasons, other means of communication are
sometimesbetter selected(or anemail mayhaveahardcopysent on).
Whenreplyingto anemail, youdont haveto worry about findingthesenders
nameandaddressandjobtitle. Replyinginvolvesonlyclickingonabuttonandtheir
addressappearsonthetopleft-handboxof thereplypage. It ispossibletokeepthe
copyof their sentmessageonthepage, sothatyoucanrefer toitwhenreplying, and
theycanrefer toit whenreadingyour reply.
Asanexampleof whatispossible, acompanylocatedinWisconsin, USA,emailed
its serviceconsultants inCambridge, UK, about obtainingaspecific part for apro-
cessingmachine. TheUK officeemailedthemanufacturers inManila, Philippines,
for information. Theyrespondedbyemail withinminutes. Thereplywasthentrans-
mittedback totheUScompany. Total timetaken: 17minutestocircumnavigatethe
worldanddeliver what wasregardedasexceptional service.
12.2 Email possible disadvantages?
Email isnot universallywonderful, for several reasons.
Itisobviouslyimpossibletocommunicatewithsomeoneelectronicallyunlessthe
recipient hasacomputer set uptoreceiveemail.
Email agreement is just as legally binding as a formal document; treating it
otherwisecancauseproblems.
If technical problemsput your systemout of actionthiscancauseproblems; and
technical backup needs to bein place(it is not aquestion of i f it happens, but
when).
Most junk email or spam is just as irritatingas thejunk mail that arrives
throughtheletterbox. Theresponsibility rests withtheuser andit is sensibleto
reduceitsvolumebyhaving, andkeepinguptodate, softwarethat isolatesit.
Cautionshouldbeexercisedinopeningemails andattachments fromunknown
recipients, asviruses, Trojanhorsesandwormscaninvadethecomputer system
if careisnot taken; moreof thislater.
Already enough has been said about email for other problems to be appar-
ent. People sending personal messages can waste much time in an organization.
If this is done on a company heading or format, there may be legal implications
too: what happens, for instance, if something is libellous? Thus, organizations
needfirmpolicy andguidelines andeveryoneneeds to bedisciplinedinfollowing
therules.
12.3 Some basic guidelines
Ashasbeensaid, emailscanbemoreinformal thanlettersbut still certaincriteriaas
regardsstyleandcontentaresensible(again, anorganizationmaysetoutguidelines).
The ubi qui tous emai l : dos and donts 143
Giventhevolumeof emailspeoplereceive, youarecompetingfor attentionandmust
composeemailsthat areeffective. Anemail shouldbe:
br ief useplainwords;
dir ect clear presentation, noambiguity;
logical withaclear structure.
Whether emailsarebeingsent internallyor externally, asasubstitutefor aletter
or not, it isimportant toensuretheserulesareobserved. A clear headingwill make
its purposeapparent andit may also behelpful to flagany (real!) urgency andsay
whether, and perhaps when, areply is sought. Remember that email can, likeany
communication, havemanyintentions toinform, persuade, etc.
Before sending an email, considering the following will help ensure that it is
presentedeffectively.
1. W hat is the objective, or pur pose, of email? Doyouknowwhat youaretrying
toachieve? Istheemail arequest for information? Areyoucirculatingstandard
information? If theemail is aquick responseto aquery, makesurethat what
yousayiscorrect. If youareunsure, explainthat thisisanacknowledgement of
receipt, andyouwill comebacktothemassoonasyoucan. If youdonot know
what theobjectiveis, thinkcarefullybeforesendingyour communication.
2. W hat is the background to the issue? Isthereasonfor sendingtheemail some-
thingthat istodowithaprobleminaproject?Isthereanexplanation, excuseor
apologyrequired? Isit toelicit moreinformationor toprovidedetailedanswers
to aquery? For anemail to beclearly understood, theremust beareasonwhy
youaresendingit. If youdont know, checkbeforegoingintoprint.
3. W ho is the intended recipient? Will it reachthemdirect, or bereadbyanother
person? Email inboxesarenot necessarily openedonly by thepersonnamedin
theSendto box. Itispossiblethatcolleagueshaveaccesstoapersonsmailbox,
for examplewhensomeoneis sick or onholiday. It is important tobear this in
mindwhenwritingamessageincaseof problems.
4. W hat style ar eyou using? Howisitbeingpresented?Isthestylereallyinformal?
Areyoureplyingtoamessagethatwashalf encryptedwithlotsof missingcapital
letters, text-message-styleshortenedwords, emoticons, etc.? If so, that is fine.
Butthinkcarefullywhatimpressionthestyleof theemail givestosomeonewho
isopeningacommunicationfromyoufor thefirst time.
5. Choice of content. Whatistheemail sayingandisitbeingclearlycommunicated
without any vagueness andambiguity? If theemail covers complex matters, it
maybebettertoexplainthatadocumentfollows. Itisusuallyintendedforemails
tobereadquickly, andthecontent shouldreflect this.
6. I s a conclusion/recommendation/response r equir ed? If so, is this obvious? It
maybeclearest toplaceanyrequest for actionat theendof theemail. Also, by
sayingsomethinglike, It wouldbehelpful if youcouldbringthis information
withyouwhenwemeet at 4p.m., yougivetherecipient aclear messagethat
theyhaveuntil 4p.m. tocompletethetask. Finishingoff anemail withadirect
instruction, or repeatingthepurposeof themessage, will leavethereader inno
doubt about what your intentionis.
7. W hat, if any, attachments ar e being sent? Specifyanyattachmentsclearly. If a
deviceisusedtosquash informationtogether, tocompressit suchasazipping
program itisalwayshelpful toexplainwhichsystemyouuse. If theattachments
requirecertainsoftwaretoopenthem, explainwhatisneeded. Thisisparticularly
important wheregraphicsandimagesarebeingsent. Someof theseattachments
cantakeagestodownloadandit ishelpful tosayso.
Puttingyourself acrossappropriatelyinanemail isimportant, becauseitisinstant
andnonretrievable. Aswithother writtencommunication, thereisnotoneof voice,
facial expression, posture, body language or gestures to augment your message.
As email is a rapid and concise formof communication, the detail matters (see
Panel 12.1).
Panel 12.1 Getting the detail r ight
Thesearesomeof themost important pointsof detail toremember.
For mat: Useanappropriateformat or housestyle thisisoftenavailable
asatemplate. Makesureit matchesthestyleusedinthecompanysletters
andfaxesandcheckwhat other aspectsof layout areexpectedtoconform.
Typogr aphy/font: Most companies haveaprescribed font and stylebut
otherscanbechosenfromthedropdownlistbox. Thisoftenshowshowthe
font actually looks. Youcanalsoselect theoptiontopoint uptext inyour
email, usingdevicessuchasbold, underlineandi tal i c.
Subj ect: Writerreference, casenumberorprojectname. Thisisjustapolite
wayof ensuringthat therecipient cansavetimebyreadingwhat theemail
refersto. If youaresendinganemail tosomeoneabout aparticular matter,
it ishelpful if theyunderstandimmediatelywhat themessageisabout.
Salutation: Areyou on first-nameterms? Do you needto writein more
formal stylebecauseyouhavenot exchangedcorrespondencebefore? Do
youknowthenameof thepersontowhomyouarewriting, or wouldit be
animpersonal salutation?
Punctuation: Beware ambiguity. A missing comma or no full stop can
oftencauseconfusion. It may becool to losecapitals andmiss out dots
anddashes, but, if thereader is left puzzledby themeaning, youareless
likelytoget auseful exchangeof information.
L ine length: Short sentences and linelength makefor easier reading on
screen. This is explained in moredetail further on. Do not usecomplex
sentencesor syntax. Short andsweet isbest.
Par agr aphing: Options are usually available from the dropdown list,
includingheadings, bulletedandnumberedlists. A newparagraphshould
beintroducedwherethereisachangeof topicor subject, sothatthereader
isawarethat anewpoint isbeingintroduced.
Panel 12.1 Conti nued
Consistency: If theemail contains numbering, takecare. It is extremely
irritating if thenumbering changes in styleor is inconsistent. If you are
makinganumber of points, stick to a) b) c) or 1.i, 1.ii, 1.iii or whatever
styleor format youprefer.
Valediction: Unlikewithaformal letter, youdont havetosignoff Yours
faithfully or Yours sincerely; however, insomecases it may beappro-
priateto endwithaninformal send-off. Many peopleuseKindregards,
Manythanks andBest wishes, or, moreimpersonally, Yours.
W r iter details: Title, company. With emails it is possibleto set up as a
default asignature, whichappearsatthefootof themessage. Thisincludes
your nameandtitleaswell asdetailsof thecompanyyourepresent.
Contact details: Thesegowiththesignatureandshouldincludeanycon-
tact detailsnecessary, suchasthosethat appear onthecompanyletterhead
(telephoneandfaxnumbersetc.).
Attachments: Asmentionedbefore, theseshouldbeclearlydescribedand
mentionedinthetext. If theyareinadifferent format, suchasPDF filesor
zipped(compressed, sometimescalledstuffed), itisagoodideatoensure
beforehand that the recipients computer is able to receive these files in
readableform.
Note: While these are especially important in context of the special nature
of email, they overlapwiththegeneral principles of what makes any written
messageeffective. Theseweredealt withearlier.
12.4 Time-wasting emails
It is an intractable problem, but some points are worth noting. J unk emails are a
nuisanceandcanbetime-consuming. Emailsreceivedfromreputablebodiessending
legitimatecommercial email, as compared with illegal spammers, arewithin the
law. Themajority of illegal spamemails canbereadily identifiedfromtheaddress
and/or subject and immediately deleted without being opened. Ninety per cent of
spamcomesfromcountriessuchastheUSA andRussia.
Replyingtoillegal spamwill oftenmakethingsworse. Thespammer will know
that your email address is valid, will continue to use it and circulate it to other
spammers. Anti-spamfiltershavebeenmentionedandareincorporatedincorporate
IT systemsasstandard. They donot catcheverything, but they certainly reducethe
volumeof spamreachingemail inboxes.
Youcanblocksomeunwantedmessages. Theremaybeanumber of reasonswhy
emails needto beblockedfromparticular senders. J unk emails arejust oneof the
mainreasons; others includepeoplewithwhomyouno longer wishto correspond.
By setting up barriers supplied with your email package, you can block specific
email addresses. You can easily removeasender fromtheblocked-senders list by
selectingtheaddress andclickingtheRemove button. Whenasender is blocked,
their messagewill bedivertedstraight intotheDeletedItems folder. Donot forget
toemptythisfolderoften, otherwiseitcanbecomecloggedwithunwantedmessages.
Bewareof openingmessagesfromunidentifiablesources, particularlywithattach-
ments. Thesecancontainvirusesormicro-programsthatcanaccessyourinformation
andsendit toothers.
12.5 Digital signatur es and other secur ity devices
Several other thingsshouldbenotedwithregardtosecurity.
El ectroni c si gnaturesarebeingusedmorewidelyasmorepeoplesendinformation
byemail. Inaddition, itismoreimportantthanever thatemailscannotbereadby
anyoneotherthanyourrecipient. Byusingdigital IDsorsignaturesyoucanensure
that nooneispretendingtobeyou, andsendingfalseor misleadinginformation
under your name. Digital IDs in Outlook Express can prove your identity in
electronictransactions, rather likeproducingyour drivinglicencewhenyouneed
toprovewhoyouare. Digital IDs canbeusedtoencrypt (code) emails tokeep
thewrongpeoplefromreadingthem. Digital IDsareobtainedfromindependent
certification authorities whose websites contain a formthat, when completed,
contains your personal details andinstructions oninstallingthedigital ID. This
isusedtoidentifyemailsandensuresecurityof your messages.
Encr ypti on isaspecial waytosendsensitiveinformationbyemail. Itisaformof
electroniccode. Onecodeisusedtoencryptthemessageandanothercodeisused
todecrypt it. Onekeyisprivateandtheother ispublic. Thepublickeyispassed
towhoever needstouseit, whether theyaresendingthemessage(inwhichcase
theywoulduseit for encryption) or receivingthemessage(theywoulduseit for
decryption).
Records: Someemail systemsallowanotetobeshownwhenanemail hasbeen
sent, received, openedandreadby therecipient. Thiscanbeimportant insome
time-critical instances.
12.6 Vir uses
It isadvisablenot toopenemailsthat may containvi r uses. A virusisasmall piece
of code deliberately buried inside a program. Once the programis run the virus
spreadsandcandamagethedatainyour filesor eraseinformationontheharddrive.
Thousands of viruses exist and new ones are being invented every day. Anti vi r us
software that cansearchout anddestroyavirusisessential. Suchshouldbeupdated
onaregular basis.
Vi r us checker s shouldberunbeforeopeninganyemailswithattachments. Some
ISPs are now scanning emails on their way through and will inform the email
account holder if any possible problememails have been detected. You can then
makeaninformeddecisionastowhether youaregoingtoriskopeninguptheemail
or not.
Viruses are distributed over the Internet in a number of different ways, for
instance:
software downl oaded fromtheInternet itself may contain avirus; they can be
transmittedbyanemail attachment(itpaystobesuspiciousof anemail attachment
fromanunknownrecipient);
a macro vi r us is hidden inside a macro in a document, template or add-in; a
document withamacro virus cannot only infect your computer but also other
computersif youpassthedocument on.
Email files can become very important. Losing themcan be a disaster. It is
advisable, therefore, toback up your filesandcompany dataregul ar l y and often to
safeguardagainstsuchrisks. If passwordsareusedinyourcomputersystem, consider
changingthemonaregular basistostophackersandavoidmisappropriation.
Theremaybecompanyguidelinesaboutthis, indeedaboutbackingupthewhole
computer; but theresponsibilityislikelytobepersonal.
12.7 Email-speak the r ole of language
Wehavealreadytouchedonthelackof formalityof manyemail messages. Butclarity
isessential andmanymessagesmust look andsoundgood, sotoomuchinformality
isadanger. Sobear inmindthefollowing.
Spellcheck your emailswhen necessar y: Beawareof easilyconfusedwordsand
usethespellcheckwithcaution. For example, seehoweasilyasentencemeaning
is changedby thesubstitutionof thewordnow withnot, andviceversa. As
anexampleof thedangers, consider aletter saying, After further consideration
I have decided that your request for a salary increase of 10,000 per annum
will now be agreed. Try that sentence again inserting the word not instead
of now.
Similar ly, use gr ammar and language checks and such featur es as the
thesaur us: All helpproduceaneffectivemessage. Itispossibletoselectalterna-
tivewordsor phrasestoavoidconfusionwhenusingthegrammar-checktool.
Thereisagooddeal intheearlierchaptersaboutpurewritingskills, sosufficehere
tosay that suchthingsasthefollowingmaketheessentially simpleemail unwieldy
andlesslikelytodoagoodjob:
overcompl exi ty (fromtimetotime insteadof occasionally, itisnecessarythat
insteadof must);
tautol ogy or unnecessar y repeti ti on (new innovation, close proximity and
postponeuntil later);
unnecessar i l y l ong words (acquiesce insteadof comply, requirement instead
of need);
overlongsentences.
12.8 Jar gon, initialisms and acr onyms
Emails seemto attract abbreviations. Those containing jargon, text language and
acronyms(whereinitial lettersareusedtomakeupanother word) aremorelikelyto
beconfusing. However, becauseof emailsoverridinginformality, itisagoodideato
befamiliar withthosethatareuniversallyused. Therearemanyaroundandnewones
arespringingupdailyduetothepopularityof text-messaging. Hereisaselectionof
someof themorecommoninitialismsandacronymsthatyouarelikelytoseeinemails:
AFAI K asfar asI know
BCNU beseeingyou
BT W bytheway
CUL 8R seeyoulater
FYI for your information
T NX thanks
It would beagood ideato learn theseand any others that arecommonly used
withinyour company, professionor industrysector. Bewareof usingtheminemails
that arebeingsent externally, wheretherecipient may not understandthem. When
using acronyms or any abbreviations, do not assume others will understand; it is
courteoustousefull terminologyinparenthesisafterwards.
(TheresahandylittlebookonthemarketcalledThe Total TxtMSg Di cti onar y by
AndrewJ ohnandStephenBlake(Michael OMaraBooks, 2001), whichhasalot of
theseabbreviations, plusmanystandardonesandafewunusual emoticonsandtext
pictures.)
12.9 Attachments
Email ismadeinfinitelymoreuseful becausedocumentsandfilescanbeattachedto
emails. Attachmentscanincludeword-processeddocuments, images, soundor video
files. It isevenpossibletoemail computer programs.
Whenanattachment is sent, theemail programcopies thefilefromwhereit is
locatedandattachesit tothemessage. Imagefilescantakesometimetouploadand
download, soit isadvisabletokeepthesetoaminimumif speedisof theessence.
It may helptocompressfilesthat arebeingsent asemail attachments. Thiswill
reduce the upload time while transmitting the information. It also speeds up the
downloadtimeforyouif someonesendsyoualargefilethathasalreadybeenzipped.
WinZip and Stuffit are well-known programs and Microsoft Windows includes a
compressiontool initslater versions.
Theadvantagesof sendingdocumentsandfilesasattachmentsarethespeedand
efficiency of communications. Therecipient of thedocuments will beableto keep
theseonfileandcanedit, returnor forwardthemasnecessary.
If securityisanissue, anattachmentshouldbesentasaPDF (PortableDocument
Format) file. Thissystemgivesthecompiler theoptionof settingsecurityrestrictions
to prevent copying, editing or printing, or any combination of these, if desired. A
passwordcanbeset toprevent thedocument fromevenbeingviewedexcept bythe
intendedrecipient(s). Thesesettingsareflexibleand, dependingonhowthesecurity
isset, aPDF could, say, beprintedoff but not amended. Thisisverysafeandsecure
for sensitivematerial.
12.10 Hyper links
Insertinghyperlinks into email messages is particularly useful whensendinginfor-
mationto people. If youwant to alert your recipient to awebsiteor particular web
pagewithinasite, simplyinsert thehyper l i nk intotheemail message. Therecipient
thenclicks onthelink andopens thewebpage. Remember, though, that this takes
time, andsomepeoplemay not bother; informationsent inthis way to acustomer
asapart of atotal messagemight thusnever beseenanddilutethewholeeffect. It
isalsopossiblethat somerecipientsmayhaveset their email programsnot toaccept
HTML (hypertext markup language), so any web address in your email will bein
plain-textformandwill needtobecopiedandpastedintothebrowser for thewebsite
tobeaccessed. Again, thistakestime evenmoretimethanclickingonahyperlink.
It is, however, agoodwaytoenhancetechnical information.
12.11 Staying or ganized
Emails, becauseof their popularityandversatility, currentlythreatentoobliterateall
other formsof communication. It isvital tostayontopof them, so:
cl ear theinboxeveryday;
categor i ze itemsthat aretime-critical anditemsthat will requireworklater;
del ete anyemailsthat areirrelevant or unimportant;
unsubscribingfromemail listsassistscl ear i ng the cl utter inyour inbox;
copy your sel f (CC) or blind-copy(BCC) yourself amessagewhenrespondingto
emailsarrangingameetingor promisingaresponseor sendinginformation;
r ati on thereadingof emailsto, say, threetimesaday: earlymorning, middayand
endof day; readingmessages as soonas they flashonthescreencauses severe
interruptions;
del ete messages that youvedealt withandempty thedeletedfolder frequently
(unlessit isof sufficient importancetoarchive);
whenreplyingtomessageswhereyour reply isintegratedintotheoriginal text,
makesurethattheresponsesyouinsertareinadifferentcolour todrawattention
torevisionsandinsertions.
Make a list of things that make your emailing more effective and make these
pointsahabit. For instance, herearesomedontsandafewmoredos.
Don t sendemailsjust becausetheyareeasy.
Don t enter text INCAPITAL LETTERS. It istakenasshouting.
Don t usethemasasubstitutefor properlydelegatingatasktoanother.
Don t sendthemtodischargeyourself of responsibility.
Don t put somethinginanemail that isconfidential it canbeabused.
Don t forwardsomeonesemail without their permission.
Don t assumeyour recipient wantedit andisdesperatetoreceiveit.
Do think, andusethesendlater buttontoinject somethinkingtime.
Do beprecise toeliminatefollow-upphonecalls.
Do replypromptly. Becauseemail isquick, areplyisgenerallyexpected.
Do bepoliteandfriendly, but never assumefamiliaritywithjargon.
Do keepattachmentstoaminimum.
Do avoidgobbledegook.
12.12 Summar y
Overall, themessagehereis simple. Usetechnology whereit benefits you, but do
socarefully recognizeanydownsidesandmakesurethat attentiontodetail makes
what youdoeffective.
Withregardtoemail, remember that youcantell alot about apersonfromtheir
email exterior. Anemail canprovideawindowtosomeonesstatusintheworkplace,
workhabits, stresslevelsandeventheir personality.
Managerswhosendemailstendtousehigher-status techniques. They contain
agreater level of formalityandtone, andlack thedetail of alower-level member of
staff, andyouwill rarelyseecheesyquotes, smileyfaces(emoticons) or jokemails.
Emails are such a valuable communication tool for todays managers, but, if
abusedor usedcarelessly, they cancausetrouble. Insummary, hereareninebasic
tipsfor better email technique.
1. Use email as one channel of communication, but not the only one: This is
important, donot belazyjust becauseit isfast andeasy. Emailscandocument
discussionsandsendhigh-impact messagesaroundtheworldat theclick of a
mouse. Buttheycanalsomisleadmanagersintothinkingtheycancommunicate
with large groups of people solely through regular group emails. Use email
widelybut not asamanagement tool. It isnot possibletoreacheveryone, and
theimpersonal non-direct contact meansthat peoplefeel canfeel slightedby
thelossof thepersonal touch.
2. I t pays to keep it shor t and sweet: Emails that arelonger thanafull screen
tendnot tobereadstraightaway. They get left till later andoftennot until the
endof theday or thenext morning. It isimportant tojudgewhenit isright to
put down themouseand seek theperson out for aface-to-faceencounter, or
pickupthephoneandspeaktothem.
3. M essage clear ly cut out the codes: Email requires clarity of purpose. Be
sureyour messagecomesacrosswithout anydoubt or misunderstanding. Also,
it is important to besureto whomyour messageneeds to beaddressed, and
who needs acopy for information. Interms of actions andpriorities, uselists
or bullet pointsfor clarity. Responsebuttons(or similar) shouldbeusedif you
needtoseewhohasreceivedandreadyour message.
4. Encour age open communication when using email: Do this by requesting
thatpeoplerespondwithquestionsor queriesif theywish. Itshowsthatyouare
concernedandavailabletohelp.
5. Do not use emails to get mad with people: Far better tosaveanger for face-
to-faceencounters(wherefacial expressionandbody languagecanbeusedto
great effect) or over thephone, wheretoneof voicecan say alot. Sarcasm,
irony, criticismor venomis not appropriatewhensendingemails. They often
comeover far moreharshlythanintended.
6. Humour should be used with caution: By all means usewit andhumour to
lightenaheavyatmosphere, butemoticons, smileyfacesandjokemailsarenot
usuallyappropriateintheworkenvironment. If beingfacetiousisusual foryou,
it may makeit moredifficult tostrikeaseriousnotewhenyouneedto. Some
companiesbanjokeemails; theyaretoorisky. Toomanyjokeemailserodeyour
attemptstosendseriousones.
7. Suspend r eaction use the five-minute r ule: Itisoftenwisetodelaysending
ahastily writtenemail for fiveminutes (or more!) beforepressingthesend
button. If youareangryor upset whenyouwritesomething, it isagoodideato
takeabreak, gofor awalk or dosomethingelse, beforewriting. Otherwise, if
youdowritethemessageimmediately, onceyouhavecooledoff takeamoment
toreviewit beforesendingit out.
8. Set aside time to deal with emails: Because of the growing importance of
emailsintermsof modeof communication, youneedtomaketimetodeal with
them; if thisdemandsreconfiguringyour workingday, sobeit.
9. Take advantage of tools such as spellcheck and thesaur us: Toavoiderrors
andcomplicatedsentences, usethetoolsprovidedtoensureclarityof commu-
nication. If youareunsurewhether somethingworks, check or askafriendor
colleague.
10. Next time you send an email, double-check it against the pr inciples set out
in this chapter to make sur e it is effective: Alsodonot sendcopiestoall and
sundry this is aprimecauseof thefact that most peoplecomplainthat they
get toomanyemailsandthat manyareunnecessary.
Chapter 13
Dealing with number s
A commonelement of presentingtechnical information, andonethat makesagood
example, isthat of presentingnumbers, includingfinancial figures.
13.1 T he natur e of number s and number blindness
Numberscanconfuseorclarify. Thejobisnormallytomakesuretheydonotconfuse,
whentheyshouldmakethingsclear thoughperhapsitshouldbeacknowledgedthat
sometimes numbers arethrownaroundprecisely inorder to confuse. For example,
someoneinameetingmight rattlethroughamassof disparatecostingsinthehope
thatjusthowexpensiveaplaniswill notbedweltupon. Similarly, thecomplexityof
figures may beusedonagrander scale: inmarketing, peopletalk about confusion
pricing apricingstructureof suchcomplexitythatitmakesitdifficultforacustomer
to undertakecomparisonwithcompetitors (mobile-phonetariffs areanexampleof
thiswithwhichmanypeoplearefamiliar).
That said, the concentration in this chapter is on the positive, using numbers
effectively in the course of meetings and more routine corporate communication.
Thisisimportant becausemanypeople:
assumenumbers will confusethem, lack skills in numeracy (finding anything
frompercentagestobreak-evenanalysisdifficult) and, becausetheyswitchoff to
figures, theyneedtobemotivatedtoappreciatethem;
haveaparochial attitudeto figures, e.g. they cantakeinthings onthescaleof
their ownbankbalance, but corporatefiguresconfusebytheir sheer size;
areoverwhelmedbythesheervolumeof figures(imaginetheprofusionof figures
spilledout bymanyacomputer program).
Becauseof this, particular approachesarenecessary.
13.2 Action to help
Thepresentationof figuresthereforegenerallyneedstobewell consideredif it isto
enhanceamessage. Thefirst principlesarethese.
Sel ect what information is presented, focusing on key information and leaving
out anythingthat is unnecessary. This canmean, for instance, that information
needstobetailored; thedetailedchart includedinareport maybeinappropriate
to usefor other purposes and must beabbreviated. Many slides used as visual
aidsproveovercomplicatedif simplytakenfromapageinadocument, andsuch
seemsespeciallyprevalent initemsinvolvingfigures
Separ ate information, for exampleintoanappendi x toareport, sothat themain
messageincludesonlykeyfigures, andtheoverall flowof thecaseismaintained
whilemoredetailscanbeaccessedif required
Separ ate al so i nfor mati on from the cal cul ati ons that ar r i ve at i t. Thiscanbedone
usingappendicesor bysuchdevicesasboxedparagraphsinareport.
Sel ect the appropr i ate accur acy asyoupresentfigures. Sometimesaccuracyhelps
understanding, or is simply important, whileonother occasions it canconfuse,
andballparkfiguressuit better.
Repeat repetitionhelpsget any messageacross. Withnumbers, natural repeti-
tion for instance, goingthroughthemorally andissuingsomethinginwriting
aswell canmakeall thedifference.
Proofread numbers must becheckedperhaps evenmorecarefully thanwords
inwrittenmaterial; remember thatonefigurewronglytypedmightchangethings
radically, andfor theworse.
Sales figures may beup, but thereareavariety of ways to describethis, as we
canseebelow.
Sal es are up. Nodetail might benecessary.
Sal es are up about 10 per cent. A broadestimatemaybefine.
Sal es are up 10.25 per cent. Theprecisefiguremay beimportant; andnotethat
it is nonsenseto say, as is oftenheard, Sales areupabout 10.25% theword
about goesonlywithroundfiguresandestimatesor forecasts.
Sal es are up about 10,000. Thefinancial numbersmaybemoreimportant than
thepercentage(and can bepresented with thesamedifferent emphasis as just
describedfor percentages). Inaddition, what thefigures refer to must bemade
clear. For example, Sales of Product X areup10.25%for theperiodJ anuary
J une2005. Languagecan, of course, changeall suchstatements Salesareup
substantially maybe, ashere, just byaddingoneword.
13.3 M ethods of pr esenting number s clear ly
Therearetwomainpresentational waysof ensuringclarity.
13.3.1 Gr aphs and char ts
It is an old saying that a pictureis worth a thousand words; this principlerelates
directly to numbers of all sorts. A graph can convey an overall picture, one
immediatelyunderstood sometimesliterallyat aglance.
Often, two graphs work better thanonemorecomplex one, andof coursethey
must beset out tomaximizethevisibilityof theinformationtheydisplay. Thusthey
needto:
beanappropriatesize;
use different colours when possible and when this helps carefully chosen
colours, too, pickedtocontrast oneagainst theother;
Deal i ng wi th number s 155
besuitablyannotated, withthoughtbeinggiventowhattextappearsonthegraph
itself andwhat isseparate(inakeyat thefoot of thepage, perhaps);
workeffectively, orbeadaptedsotodo, if theyaretobeusedasvisual aids, when
legibilityisdoublyimportant.
Variouskindsof chart andgraphcanbeused. Theseincludethefollowing.
13.3.1.1 Tables
This termencompasses anything that sets out figures in columns; they can be of
varyingdegreesof complexity.
13.3.1.2 Bar char ts
The example makes the effect of this clear; scale can again be varied for
emphasis.
13.3.1.3 Pie char ts
Thisisanespeciallyvisual deviceandcanmakemanythingsmuchclearer than, say,
atableandcertainlyadescription.
13.3.1.4 Gr aphs
Theseareuseful toshowthedifferencesof quantitiesvaryingover time. Caremust
betakentoselect scalesthat givethepictureyouwant (therecanbealot of trickery
withthissort of graph somethingtobear inmindwhenyouareinterpretingthem
rather thanshowingthem).
13.3.1.5 Pr oj ect timetables
A
B
C 1 2 3 4 5
Time
1 2 3
Phase 1 2 3 4
A device to help people visualize the timescale of projects with multiple and
overlappingstages.
13.3.1.6 Flowchar ts
Theseseemmorecomplex andallowthepresentationof amorecomplex picture
useful whereinterrelationshipsareconcerned.
All these devices benefit frombeing kept as simple as possible. Complexity,
whichincludestryingtodemonstratetoomanydifferentthings(suchasoverall sales,
salesby product, profitability andbut youtakethepoint), canquickly drownout
clarity.
Note, too, that sometimes acompromiseis necessary herebetweentheperfec-
tion of alovingly createdgraphandthetime(andsometimescost) of producingit.
Despitethis, thegreatest danger isusingfew, or poorly executed, deviceswhenthe
informationtheypresent makestheir usenecessary. It canliterallybetruetosaythat
onegraphof somesort addedto, say, apresentationcanswinganargument or get
agreement toacase.
Thepower of suchdevicescanbeconsiderable. Oneexampleof minimal infor-
mationingraphicformissomethingI useonpresentations-skillscourses. Bylinking
anemptypiechart toquestions, andaddinginformationasdiscussionproceeds, first
thinkingcanbestimulated, theninformationrelayed, whichwill haveagoodchance
of beingretained.
Y
o
u
Visual
Aids
Thetwo segments aboveget peopleconsideringthecontributionof what someone
says inapresentationandhowthey express it inrelationto theamount that comes
over throughany slidesused. Thisisrelevant tothistopic and, incaseyouwonder,
the contribution of the presenter should be larger, as normally slides suppor t the
presentationrather thanlead.
13.4 L anguage
Certainfactorsareimportant here.
Pace: Inoral communicationyoumayneedtoslowdownabitwhendealingwith
numbersandbuildinmore, andlonger, pauses.
Signposting: This canfocus attentionandprompt concentration: Lets look at
thiscarefully it canbeconfusingandthedetailsareimportant.
Checks: Again, in conversation, an adequate number of instances of Is that
clear? andsimilar remarksor questionscanhelpensurepeoplekeepup.
Ar ticulation: Speak clearly. Numbers canbeconfusedandyoudo not want to
have someone thinking you offered, say, a 15 per cent discount, when it was
5per cent.
Pr ecision: Exactlytherightaccompanyingwordcanmakeadifference, ensuring
that figures aretakenexactly howthey shouldbe. For example, Notethat this
figureisanesti mate or Thisisthepositiontoday.
Nonsense: Some statements using numbers can be, in effect, nonsense. For
instance, youoftenhearadvertisementsonthetelevisionsayingthingslike, Now
morethan70percent Highpercentagesof somethinggoodmayautomatically
soundgood, butposethequestion, Comparedwithwhat? Itmaybeacompetitor,
or anearlier versionof theproduct; or it mayjust beunclear.
Another element that canhelpisthat of makingcomparisons. Thiscanbedone
invariousways. For example, manynumbers, not least financial ones, involvecom-
parisons with other periods of time(This is morethan last year) and with other
elements(Administrationcostsaredown, thoughcustomer-serviceratingsareup).
Similarly, comparisonscanbemadesimplytoaiddescription. Thisisespecially
helpful if figuresareverylargeorotherwisebeyondtheday-to-dayexperienceof those
for whomthenumbersarebeinglaidout. Oneaspect of thisissimplyinthewords,
describingwhatyouwantpeopletotakeonboardasaseriousshortfall inrevenue, say,
asakintothenational debtof mostof SouthAmerica. Theexaggerationisextreme
andeveryonerecognizesthat thisisdoneonlytohighlight theimportance, andsize,
of the figure being discussed. Alternatively, you may select a comparison that is
accurateandanimportantdetail of whatisbeingdescribed. Thusanofficeextension
might bedescribedasthesizeof atenniscourt, whenevenanaccuratenumber of
squaremetres (andthis may betheretoo) might fail to createaneasy-to-graspand
accuratepicture.
Thislinkstowhatiscalledamor ti zi ng, whichmeanstospreadafigureexpressing
it assmaller unitsthat aredivisionsof thewhole. For example, anannual cost of say
1,680canbedescribedas 140per month, only 140per month or not even
150per month.
As an example, consider a short case. A travel agent is essentially a service
and peoplebusiness. In oneparticular firm, with achain of some30 retail outlets
across several counties, competitionmeant thebusiness was laggingtargets. Good
marketconditionsmeantitwassomethingthatamoreactive, sales-orientedapproach
couldpotentiallycure. Initially, managementsapproachtotheproblemwastodraw
attentiontoitateverylevel. Memoswerecirculatedtoall staff. Thefigures thesales
revenueplannedfor thebusiness, theamount comingfromholidays, flights, etc.
weresubstantial ones; eventheshortfall wassomehundredsof thousandsof pounds.
Theresult? Well, certainly thesales graph did not rise. But, equally certainly,
moraledropped. Peoplewentfromfeelingtheyworkedfor asuccessful organization
tothinkingit was at worst foundering; andfeelingthat thefault was beinglaid
at their door. Thefigures meant littleto thekind of young peoplewho staffed the
counters they werejust unimaginably largenumbers to which they werewholly
unabletorelatepersonally.
With a sales conference coming, a different strategy was planned. The large
shortfall wasamortizedandpresentedasaseriesof smaller figures oneper branch.
Thesecatch-up figureswerelinkedtowhatneededtobesold, inadditiontonormal
business, inorder to catchupandhit thetarget. It amountedto just two additional
holidays(Mum, Dadand2.2children) perbranch, perweek. Thiswassomethingstaff
couldeasily relateto andwhichthey felt they couldactually achieve. Individual
targets, ongoing communication to report progress and some prizes for branches
hittingandbestingthesetargetsinanumber of wayscompletedthepicture.
Theresult this time? Thenumbers slowly climbed. Thegapclosed. Motivation
increasedwithsuccessinsight. Andadifficult year endedwiththecompanyhitting
theoriginal plannedtargets andmotivationreturned, continuingto runhighas a
real feelingof achievement wasfelt.
Thekeyherewasoneof communication. Thenumbersandthedifficultyof hitting
themdidnotchange. Theperceptionof theproblem, however, wasmademanageable,
personal and aboveall toseemachievable. Theresultsthenshowedthat success
waspossible. All thatwasnecessarywastopresentthefiguresintherightway one
that reflectedtherealitiesof thesituation.
Finally, asathought linkedtolanguage, consider twofurther factors.
In oral communication the tone of voice helps get things over do you, for
instance, wanta10per centincrease tosound goodor bad?Makesureitcomes
over asyouwish, andperhapspauseonit tolet it sinkin.
Inwrittenform, numbers, andthewordsthat accompanythem, canbepresented
withdifferentemphasistoo. Inbold type, ori tal i csperhaps, orinalargertypeface.
Thereisalsoadifferencebetweenwriting10%, 10percent, andtenpercent;
andmorevariationsarepossible.
13.5 Summar y
Numberscaneither enhancecommunicationor theycanconfuseand, atworst, result
inthewholecommunicationfallingonstonyground. Thekeytosuccessisto:
recognizetherol e and i mpor tance of numberswithinthemessage;
recognizethedi ffi cul ty somepeoplehavewithnumbers;
choose a method of communi cati on that highlights them appropriately, both
literally(e.g. boldtype) or byappropriateemphasis;
i l l ustr ate figureswherever possible, for instancewithgraphs;
beespeci al l y cl ear inwhatissaid(orwritten) usepowerful descriptionandtake
timefor matterstobeunderstood.
After wor d
Wecannot ensuresuccess, but wecandeserveit.
J ohnAdams(USpresident)
Thereisanoldsayingthat thereisnosuchthingasaminor detail, that all detailsare
major. Thisiscertainlytrueof communications. Success, or failure, mayoccur or
bemademoreorlesslikely bysmall changesand, if thesepageshavedemonstrated
anything, thenit issurelythat.
Toreturntoadangeridentifiedearlyon, thegreatestlikelihoodof communications
failurecomesnot frommajor errors, but rather frominattention, lack of preparation
andlackof thought, andanassumptionthattherewill benoproblemandthatyoucan
wingit. Rarely isthisso. Communication, especially of anythinginherently posing
aproblem(andtechnicalitiesmaywell bejust that), needsworkingat. But doingso
iseminentlyworthwhile.
Good, powerful communicationachievesthefollowing.
It makes thi ngs happen. It prompts discussion, considerationanddecision, and
mayhelpyouinfluenceeventsandget your ownway.
It i mpresses. Howyoucommunicateis akey part of your profile, and, if this is
positive, it toohelpsyouachievethingsbothinyour workandinyour career.
It must bemade to wor k. Thepenaltiesof failurearemanyandcanbeserious
but theopportunities, what was describedinChapter 6(6.2) as anopengoal,
areconsiderable, andoftenveryconsiderable. Noone however muchthefocus
of their jobis onother, moretechnical matters shouldignorethis area. It is a
keytomanysuccesses.
I ndex
acronymsinemails 148
action, responsetoeffective
communication 13
activelistening 1819
agendafor ameeting 478
antivirussoftware 146
appraisal, effectsof communicationsfailure 4
Asimov, Isaac 139
automatedcall channellingsystems 1023
automatedqueuingsystems 1023
backingupdata 147
businessletters 1337see al so writtenword
businesssuccess, roleof good
communication 2
businesswritingsee writtenword
chartsandgraphs, presentationof numbers
1548
Churchill, Winston 130
clichsinwriting 129
closedquestions 19
communication
andbusinesssuccess 2
definition 1
importanceinthebusinessprocess 12
negativeeffectsof poor communication
34
positiveimpactsof goodcommunication
46
roleinpursuit of excellent performance
78
suitabilityof thedeliverymethod 6
see al so effectivecommunication
communicationelements
appropriatedeliverymethod 6
message 6
presentationbythemessenger 67
communicationsfailure, consequences
34
competitivepressures, pursuit of excellent
performance 78
computer spellcheckers 114, 129, 147
customer service, pursuit of excellent
performance 8
deliverymethodfor communication,
suitability 6
digital signaturesfor email 146
effectivecommunication
activelistening 1819
aidstoeffectivecommunication
1416
avoidanintrospectiveapproach 1617
ensureaccurateunderstanding 1213
ensurethat peoplehear/listen
(or read) 12
explaintopeoplehowit will affect them
1415
inherent problems 1214
jargon 1213
linktopeoplesprior experience 1516
never assumeanycommunicationis
simple 11
personal responsibilityfor makingit
work 11
planning 14
positioningyour communication 1617
projectingtheright impression 1718
promptingaction 13
questioningtechnique 1920
repetition 16
sequenceandstructure 15
signpost what iscomingnext 15
stimulatingfeedback 13
tailor what yousaytotheindividual
1617
electronicsignaturesfor email 146
email 14151
acronyms 148
antivirussoftware 146
attachments 144, 145, 1489
backingupdata 147
basicguidelines 1425
basictipsfor better email technique
1501
beingorganizedandeffective 14950
communicationsimplications 1412
digital signatures 146
electronicsignatures 146
email-speak 147
encryption 146
hyperlinks 149
initialisms 148
jargon 148
junkemail (spam) 142, 1456
languageof emails 147
legal aspects 142
level of formality 141
organizational policyandguidelines
142
PDF fileattachments 145, 1489
pointsof detail toget right 1445
possibledisadvantages 142
recordsof email transactions 146
securitydevices 146
spellchecking 147
text language 148
time-wastingemails 142, 1456
versussnail mail 1412
viruscheckers 146
virustransmission 1467
empathy, inpersuasivecommunication 35
empowerment of teammembers 3
encryptionfor email 146
excellent performance, competitive
pressures 78
feedback, responsetoeffective
communication 13
financial figuressee numbers
Galbraith, J . K. 45
graphsandcharts, presentationof numbers
1548
Heath, Edward 92
hyperlinksinemails 149
I Wasnt Prepared for That (VideoArts
Limited) 60
incentives, importanceof clear
communication 5
initial stanceinnegotiation 83
initialismsinemails 148
introspectiveapproachtocommunication,
avoiding 1617
jargon 1213
inemails 148
junkemail (spam) 142, 1456
Lincoln, Abraham 87
listening
asanactiveprocess 212
duringnegotiation 94
telephonecommunications 111
management, communicationandteam
working 23
Maugham, Somerset 114
meetings 4557
after themeeting 567
agenda 478
anyother business(AOB) 57
avoidinginterruptions 52
beliefsabout meetings 46
conduct of themeeting 503, 57
considerationsbeforehand 468
decisionmaking 46
endingthemeeting 57
flexibleformat 57
gettingoff toagoodstart 50
individual preparationandparticipation
536
keepingorder 523
minutes 567
potential uses 456
promptingdiscussion 502
roleof leadingameeting 4853, 57
sparkingcreativity 53
unnecessarycosts 46
message
component of communication 6
decidingon 24
messenger, communicationstyleandability
67
minutesof meetings 567
I ndex 165
negotiation 8197
adversarial element 84, 87
applicationsof negotiation 83
asaconstructiveprocess 856
attentiontodetail 912
bargainingprocess 823
betweensuppliersandbuyers 82
bogeys 889
choiceof negotiator 88
clear objectives 88
competitivepressures 82
complexityof theprocess 87
compromise 87
concessions 89
coreof thenegotiationprocess 8890
deadlines 845
disruptivetactics 93
distinctionfrompersuasion 867
formof communication 823
frontlineskill 82
gettingthebest deal 83, 84
giveandtake 84
informationabout theother party 84
initial stance 83
interactiveandbalancedprocess 81, 834
interpersonal behaviour 923
keepingontrack 935
listening 94
long-termimplications 90
persuasivecommunicationasstartingpoint
823, 867
point of balance 83
power of legitimacy 85
power of precedent 85
preparation 878
principles(summarychecklist) 956
processof makingtheright deal 8690
questioning 934
ritual element 84, 87
scopeof negotiation 957
seekingcommonground 856
skillsof senior managementandleaders 82
skillsrequired 86
specificresult desired 88
tactics 903
tactics(summarychecklist) 96
tailoringtoindividual situations 812
techniquestoaddpower 902
thingstoavoid 967
threekeyfactors 845
timeandtimingpressures 845, 87
tradingthevariables 84, 8890
useof silence 90
useof variables 84, 8890
walkingaway 90
winwinscenario 84, 86, 90
numbers 15360
approachtopresentation 1534
assourceof confusion 153
chartsandgraphs 1548
confusionpricing 153
difficultiesthat somepeoplehave 153
graphsandcharts 1548
importancetothemessage 15860
languageusedwhenpresentingnumbers
15860
methodsof presentingnumbersclearly
1548
number blindness 153
objectivesfor apresentation 234
office-speak, avoiding 110, 118, 128
openquestions 19
oxymoron 130
PDF fileattachmentstoemails 145,
1489
persuasivecommunication 2944
anticipatingobjections 41
asstartingpoint for negotiation 823,
867
benefitsandfeatures 389
confidence 30
creatingunderstanding 378
credibility 3940
dealingwithindecision 434
definitionof persuasion 37
empathy 35
engagingwiththeother person 33
excusesfor not agreeing 423
first impressions 36
follow-upaction 434
helpingthedecision-makingprocess
324
howpeoplemakedecisions 324
howtheother personfeelsabout it 301
listeningtoresponses 37
locationissues 30
logisticsof thesituation 2930
makingapersuasivecase 3540
makingthecaseattractive 389
persuasivecommunication(cont.)
meeting 3540
negativefeelingsintheother person 31
objections 412
obtainfeedback 40
optionsfor handlingobjections 412
projection 35
questioningtheother person 367
reachingaconclusionandsummarising 43
reasonsfor objections 423
securingagreement 403
stagesof preparation 29
theother personspoint of view 304
thinkinginvolvedintheweighing-up
process 334
timeavailable 2930
weighinguptheoptions 334
what theother personwants 312
your manner of presentation 345
planning, for effectivecommunication 14
point of balanceinnegotiation 83
positioningyour communication 1617
positiveimage, power of 67
preparationfor apresentation 227
decidingonthemessage 24
objectives 234
puttingit together 247
stagesof construction 257
presentationdelivery
aidstounderstandingthemessage 701
beginning 679
checkingfor feedback 71
creatingrapport 69
credibility 71
ending 723
enthusiasm 69
flagging(signposting) 6970
gainingattention 689
handlingobjections 712
maintainingattention 70
middle 6972
obtainingacceptance 701
puttingover thecontent 6970
speakersnotes 736
visual aids 769
presentationof figuressee numbers
presentationpreparation 227
decidingonthemessage 24
objectives 234
puttingit together 247
stagesof construction 257
presentationstructure
beginning 679
end 723
middle 6972
presentations 5979
appearanceof thepresenter 65
audienceexpectations 64
butterfliesinthestomach 61
clear purpose 65
delivery 6773
drymouth 61
dryingup 62
empathywiththeaudience 64, 65
hazardsof beingonyour feet 601
hostilereaction 62
howthegroupseesthepresenter 65
importanceof 5960
insufficient material 62
keypreparationtasks 667
knowinghowloudtospeak 62
losingyour place 62
misjudgingthetiming 62
nervousness 61
objectives 65
opportunitiescreatedby 60
power of apositiveimage 67
preparingtopresent 637
presenters nightmares 612
problemswithreadingnotesverbatim 63
speakersnotes 63, 736
structureof thepresentation 6773
styleandimageof themessenger 67
understandingtheaudiencespoint of view
656
visual aids 769
what todowithyour hands 61
probingquestions 1920
projection, inpersuasivecommunication 35
publicspeakingsee presentations
questioningtechnique 1920
negotiation 934
persuasivecommunication 367
recruitment andselection, consequencesof
communicationsfailure 4
repetition, roleineffectivecommunication 16
report writing 1378see al so writtenword
rumour andbadnews, importanceof clear
communication 56
I ndex 167
salesletters 1347
signposting(flagging) what iscomingnext
15, 6970
SMART objectives 23
speakersnotes 63, 736
switchboard 1012
tautology 130
teamworking, importanceof good
communication 23
telephonecommunication 99112
automatedcall channelling
systems 1023
automatedqueuingsystems 1023
avoidingoffice-speak 110
clear purpose 101
creatingabadimpression 107
creatingadialogue 11112
dangersof humour or irony 107
fragilityof theprocess 1001
imageyouproject of your organization
1056, 112
imageyouproject of yourself 105, 112
listening 111
makingthevoiceworkfor you
10610
manner of speaking 10710
natureof voice-onlycommunication
99100
opportunityfor excellence 101
projectingthepersonal/corporate
personality 1056, 112
projectingtheright image 1056, 112
switchboard 1012
takingacall 1034
takingmessages 106
telephonehandshake 106
useof language 11011
text languageinemails 148
Thurber, J ames 99
timeoff requests, consequencesof
communicationsfailure 4
training, importanceof good
communication 5
Twain, Mark 62, 66
variablessee negotiation
viruscheckers 146
virustransmission 1467
visual aidsinpresentations 769
Waterhouse, Keith 130
winwinscenario, negotiation 84, 86, 90
writingprocess 12131
biasedwriting 124
blandness 122, 1278
clichs 129
computer spellchecker 129
descriptivelanguage 1267
emotioninwriting 127
fashionableor datedlanguage 1289
followingtherules 12930
grammar 129
imageprojectedbythewriter 125
inaccurateuseof language 1212
introspection 124
makinglanguageworkfor you 1267
memorablelanguage 1267
mistakespeoplehate 129
mistakestoavoid 1279
natural language 1223
office-speak 128
oxymoron 130
personal style 1301
politicallyincorrect language 124
punctuation 12930
readablelanguage(readability) 122
readers dislikes 124
straightforwardlanguage 122
syntax 129
talkingdowntothereader 124
tautology 130
understandablelanguage 1212
useof language 1256
usingtheright words 1212, 1256
writersapproach 125
writtenformsof communication, 13340
businessletters 1337
clarityof intention 1347
creativeapproaches 1389
follow-upcommunications 1389
formatsdemandingspecial approaches
1389
letterswithaspecificintention 1347
report writing 1378
salesletters 1347
writtenword 11319
badhabits 113, 118
clarityof meaning 11516
clear intentions 11617
cognitivecost tothereader 116
writtenword(cont.)
computer spellcheckers 114
damagecausedbypoor qualityof writing
11314, 11516
developingbusinesswritingskills 114
earningareading 113, 11819
lowstandards 113, 114
makingthereaderstaskeasier 11617
office-speak 118
opportunitiesfor goodbusinesswriting
114, 11819
personalizingtothereader 117
power of goodwriting 11819
reader expectations 116
reader preference 11617
reflectingthereadersperspective 117
report writing 11819
rewardsof goodwriting 114, 11819
writinghabits 118

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IET MANAGEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY SERIES 24

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