How a message is delivered and how a message is received can be two completely different stories. Communication is an art that needs to be practised and cultivated. Here’s a sneak peak at an interview between Dale Beaumont and Shane Toohey on communicating effectively.
Shane created a business consultancy called Peak Teams. Together with his business partner, Ian Schubach, Shane developed a patent-pending technology that simulates adventure environments to create unique and powerful learning programs on leadership, teamwork and change. Peak Teams works with some of the biggest and best-known companies in the world.
What are your tips on how to communicate a message more effectively?
- Clarity – is about being very clear on what your message is and why it is important. If you are not clear in your communication you cannot convey a sense of purpose to people.
- Brevity – this means being brief with your message. A short, concise message holds people’s attention and achieves maximum impact. Most people talk for too long.
- Consistency – is about making sure you deliver the same message, in the same way, every time. Lack of consistency in communication causes people to lose their trust and respect for you.
- Repetition – is required to make people remember your message over time. Far too many executives launch a grand new plan with a single announcement. There are millions of new pieces of information given to people every day over the internet, in newspapers, company intranets and so on. If you fail to constantly repeat your message, your audience will forget what you say and lose the importance of what you are trying to achieve.
- Flexibility – means adapting your delivery style to suit the different needs of the audiences you have. For example, it may be acceptable to communicate with a 21-year-old via text message, but if you tried that with a 55-year-old your message might not be so well received (or even be received at all). Flexibility is also required to address different personality types, such as introverts and extroverts. You may need to speak more and ask more questions of introverted people to check that they understand you, as opposed to the extroverts who will probably want you to speak less and listen to them more.
- Alignment – is about making sure that your message is relevant to you, your audience and the situation. Is the message aligned to your business goals and objectives? Is your message aligned to your family’s values? Is the message aligned to what people expect of you in your role? Is your message aligned to what you expect of your team’s behaviour and performance?
For more of this interview and on tips for an effective communication check out “Secrets of Inspiring Leaders Exposed!“
