How do effective communicators share ideas and feelings that might be at odds with what someone else is feeling, thinking, or doing without making them feel coerced or pressured? How do effective listeners receive ideas without thinking they are being controlled or manipulated? Listed below are a few best practices to consider.
When people ask for assistance, resources, or information, our response often reveals our attitude. Especially telling is when we respond without thought.
In their defense, they are often smart and experienced. They know a lot about what works and what doesn’t. But how much joy is it to always be told what to do? How demotivating is it to rarely use your own ideas or perform tasks the way you would like to do them?
Do you think talking versus asking and listening is an important distinction? Does it really matter if someone likes to do most of the talking? If the answer isn’t clear, here are a few circumstances to consider:
Guess what improvement area people want help with most often? Communications. Why? Great communicators are the best leaders. They are the most influential and persuasive. They build the highest performing organizations. They make the most money.
