Getting and giving information is probably the competency required of leaders. If you cannot communcate effectively, then no other leadership skill will compensate for this lack. First and foremost, you must be able to exchange information effectively and accurately.
There are three distinct aspects to communication, or getting and getting information: Getting it, retrieving it and giving it.
Getting Information
When getting or receiving information, you may be watching for a variety of clues to gather meaning: not only verbal or written information, but nonverbal behvior as well. If you are not careful, facts will be forgotten or distorted. This is because both the individual sending and the person receiving the information may unintentionally obscure the message.
There are two ways you can insure that the information you receive will not be forgotten or distorted:
- Take note. Always write down key information received.
- Repeat back what you think you heard the person say.
While you may think you understand what you think you heard, you may in fact have gotten it totally wrong. Clarify and verify! In a communication exchange, the sender controls what and how is said, or the content of the message. The recipient controls what is heard and the feedback given.
Giving Information
When giving information, use all five senses whenever possible. In addition,
- Speak clearly.
- Use language that everyone understands.
- Vary your tone and pace.
- Move from the general to the specific.
- Use visuals
- Eyeball the listener.
0 comments:
Post a Comment