Marion's Communication Tips

What Communication Skills do YOU Want to Hone in 2012?

It's hard to believe that we'll soon be saying goodbye to 2011. It's a time of reflection, hope, celebration of past accomplishments and planning for future ones.

One of the things I'm most grateful for is my valued MarionSpeaks community (you're a part of that!). Every week, as I write my "Marion's Communication Tips", I think about how I could help you with your communication challenges in the workplace. The last few weeks, I've been busy putting together a surprise. I'll tell you more about that soon.

For now, let me share with you some of the top communication challenges you've told me throughout the year that are causing you headache, or that you would simply like to improve. Drumroll please ...

TOP DOZEN COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES:

1. How to engage your employees
2. How to raise your profile (and add value) in the workplace
3. How to communicate at your next job interview
4. How to deal with different communication styles (i.e., difficult people)
5. How to prepare and present presentations that POP!
6. How to assert yourself
7. How to appear confident (even when you don't feel it)
8. How to apply winning strategies at work ... and life
9. How to read and use body language
10. How to face your chicken within (burst through your fears)
11. How to deal with uncertainties life rolls in your direction
12. How to mix 'n mingle at biz social events

Perhaps you see yourself in the list above. Or maybe you actually contacted me sometime in the past year with questions on one of these subjects. Either way, you and your MarionSpeaks community members have all told me that these are your burning communication issues that are holding you back.

I've been working on some solutions that I'll be sharing with you in the next week or so. Stay tuned (I'm so excited, I'm practically busting! Can't wait to share with you what I've come up with).

Identifying the areas you'd like to work on is the first big step to growing that skill. A clue of what areas may be worth your attention is given by the list above. Read that list and discover what subjects attract you? What do you find yourself drawn to? What is of greatest interest? Our brains naturally look for answers and are sensitized to finding solutions. What you're drawn to in the "Top Twelve" list, may be an indication of something worth pursuing.

Whatever your communication challenges may be, know that you're not alone. I speak to over a thousand people every year, and one thing I've learned is that we all have communication challenges. Over the next year, I look forward to sharing with you some of the solutions I've developed, so that your 2012 will be the best communication year yet!

Here's to a wonderful 2012 full of constructive and useful communication! Here's to better communication, better business, better life. Happy 2012 everyone!

Comments about this article? Go one and post them below. I'd love to hear from you. Share your thoughts with the MarionSpeaks community and read what others are thinking too.

Until next time, here's to ...
Better communication, Better business, Better life,
Marion Grobb Finkelstein
COMMUNICATION CATALYST
Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author
www.MarionSpeaks.com
Marion@MarionSpeaks.com
www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks  

© 2011 Marion Grobb Finkelstein
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communication specialist, author, professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to improve morale, confidence and productivity by changing how they communicate. Chat with her at www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks and sign up for her FREE weekly "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com

'Tis the Season of Reaching Out

Merry Christmas to all! Chappy Chanukah! Seasons Greetings! Happy holidays! Whatever you call it, 'tis the season of giving.

You probably have many opportunities every day to give, to show by your communications that you are responding and reaching out, reciprocating or initiating communication. Do you grab those opportunities as often as you could? If not, you may be missing chances to build relationships.

Just this past week, life presented several opportunities to me to connect with others. I'm sharing these with you because you may also have similar opportunities:

• attending seasonal gatherings (clients' Christmas parties)
• picking up the phone and calling clients to say "thank you" for their emails (hi Tina!)
• sharing coffee with a colleague to personally give her a "thank you" gift for referring business to me (hey Janet)
  
• calling a client who had gone silent on me to ask her opinion about the session I gave
• proactively providing a client with a post-session report on feedback received
• spending a coffee break on the phone with a colleague I've wanted to chat with for a while (hi Mark)
  
• sending a client a bonus service just to say "thanks"
  
• having lunch with a colleague I haven't seen in several months
  

What are the ways that YOU could reach out, especially during this holiday season? What are YOU doing to connect with others? What tips would you like to share that have catapulted your connections? I'd love to hear from you and promise that I will share all tips received.

Who is it that you've wanted to connect with? This is a wonderful season to do exactly that. I find I'm busy, busy, busy ... and it's because I've spent a good deal of time and effort nurturing relationships.

I learned many years ago that people do business with people they like - and to like you, they need to get to know you. Give them that chance by reaching out..

I especially want to thank YOU for your responses to my articles and weekly posts. If you've taken the time at any point during the year to communicate directly with me, that action alone makes you exceptional. And it's that very action that will set you apart from your competition.

Use this season as a launch pad to connect with others. After all, 'tis the season. Here's to reaching out to others, to taking the initiative to connect ... and to all a good night.

Comments about this article? Go on and post them on my blog  below.

Until next time, here's to ...
Better communication, Better business, Better life,
Marion Grobb Finkelstein
COMMUNICATION CATALYST
Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author
www.MarionSpeaks.com
Marion@MarionSpeaks.com
www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks  

© 2011 Marion Grobb Finkelstein
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communication specialist, author, professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to improve morale, confidence and productivity by changing how they communicate. Chat with her at www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks and sign up for her FREE weekly "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com

Clean Up Your Image Have you purchased any of those web bargain coupons? They're all over the place -- WagJag, Daily Deals, Social Living and more. I've scooped many of them with great success ... and then, some that were less than shining successes, like the one I used this week. I had a wedding to attend, so I figured it was a perfect time to use my voucher for manicure and haircut that I'd purchased. I'd never gone to this place before, never even knew about it, so I arrived with no preconceptions. My first impression began from the moment I pulled up in front of the shop. It seemed like a nice enough place in a neighborhood that was being revitalized and soon becoming a trendy hot spot. It struck me that this hair salon had potential, yet had clearly not kept up with the times. Apart from being dated, the thing that struck me the most was its untidy appearance.  It wasn't dirty per se, just unkept. Hair clippings were left on the floor from the cut of a previous client. The storage area enroute to the bathroom was piled with dirty pails and clothes. The baseboards were scuffed, marked and in sorry need of a repaint. The tile floor sported dust that had been dragged in. The posters on the wall had been there for enough time that the thumbtacked corners were beginning to curl ever so slightly. These surroundings left me with a sense that the shop owner didn't really care, didn't take pride in his work, and didn't give a hoot about what his clients thought or needed. All this made me wonder if I could trust him with my business. Was he competent? Organized? Professional? Mmmm, I had to wonder. This image did not match the image I had in my mind of a well-run beauty shop. Now think about your workplace. What type of impression does it give? Do your work surroundings project the image that is consistent with your brand, the quality of your work, and what you want to be known for? Does it reflect a professional and organized approach, or are all your files or supplies sprawling across your desk in complete disarray? It might be "organized confusion" for you and give a completely different message to others. For your client, colleagues and bosses, it may be shouting, "WARNING: stay away! Disorganized person works here!". Nothing may be further than the truth. However, clues lead to conclusions and people may read these environmental surroundings as warnings that your work is out of control. Why risk it? Why not stack the deck in your favor and project the image that instills a sense of confidence in your abilities? You deserve no less. It might be unfair that the world judges books by their covers. Whether we like it or not, it's also the reality. When the image you project doesn't match what people expect, that gap between expectation and reality may not serve you well. It may be making it harder for you to get the recognition, the pet projects and the rewards that you deserve.   The good news is that there's one person and one person only who controls your workplace environment, and you'll find out who when you look in the mirror. You might not control the whole workplace -- you do control your piece of it. Put the control to work and project the image that you deserve. By the way ... the haircut and manicure was OK, not great. It pretty much matched the image of the boutique itself. And that, right there, is the whole point. Next time, I'll follow my gut and my impressions and just may walk away. Your clients may do the same based on the impression you give with your workplace. You have the ability to control the image your work space projects. Take a look around you right now and ask yourself honestly, is this the impression you want to make? Is it truly a reflection of your professionalism? If not, you can change it, starting today. You've worked hard to build a great reputation and give a good impression -- let your work space reflect that. Comments about this article? Blog them below -- everyone welcome! PS: have you signed up yet to receive my weekly "Marion's Communication Tips". Visit www.MarionSpeaks.com and fill in the webform, or just email me at Marion@MarionSpeaks.com with "sign me up" in the subject line. Until next time, here's to ... Better communication, Better business, Better life, Marion Grobb Finkelstein COMMUNICATION CATALYST Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author www.MarionSpeaks.com Marion@MarionSpeaks.com www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks   © 2011 Marion Grobb Finkelstein WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communication specialist, author, professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to improve morale, confidence and productivity by changing how they communicate. Chat with her at www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks and sign up for her FREE weekly "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com

Every week I receive emails, blog posts, Facebook posts asking me communication questions, and I feature some of them right here. See if you recognize yourself in this situation.

QUESTION: I received news today that I was hired at another company and am returning to my (original) field of Graphic Design. Would you possibly have any advice or feedback on how to make this transition as smooth as possible as I feel out of touch (and nervous) when dealing with lots of different people and working at a large company?
Signed, K

MARION'S ANSWER: Congratulations on the new job! So you've been working for a couple years as an admin assistant and now you're transitioning back into the graphic design area, which sounds like your passion. Moving from a small, family-run biz to a large organization is a big change. Here's a couple tips and reminders that will get you on your way.

1) The principles of communication remain the same. Whether you're talking to one person or a crowd of thousands, the process of communicating well remains the same -- target your message to the right people in a way that they'll see what's in it for them.

2) A large organization is comprised of individuals. Sometimes when we look at huge organizations, we are overwhelmed by the size. Instead of thinking of the organization as a huge intimidating force, step back and recognize that it's not "an organization" you'll be communicating with -- it's people. This leads me to my next point ...

3) Build strategic relationships. Figure out who it is that you need to understand and work with closely to get your job done, then build rapport and relationships with them. Some of this will be organic through the very process of working together. Some other relationships, you may need to actively nurture. If you can't directly reach a decision maker who is affecting your world, connect with someone who has his or her ear and is one of the decision maker's influencers.

4) Be aware of the new workplace "culture", and adapt your communication style to suit it. Companies and organizations have personalities too. One way that those personalities or "brands" are expressed is through the work culture. Is it formal or relaxed dress? Is it rigid or free flowing? Is it risk tolerant or risk adverse? Observe, ask and experience. Soon enough, you'll know what the culture is and how your special skills and talents and personality can contribute to that end. 

Have a comment on this article, or a communication question? Post it on my blog below ...

Until next time, here's to ...
Better communication, better biz, better life!
Marion Grobb Finkelstein
Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author
www.MarionSpeaks.com
Marion@MarionSpeaks.com
www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks  

© 2011 Marion Grobb Finkelstein
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communications expert, author, professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to increase morale, confidence and productivity by changing the way they communicate. Connect with her on Facebook www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks  or sign up for her FREE weekly e-newsletter "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com

I often get emails from people asking some excellent communication-related questions. Many of you are likely wondering the same things, so I'll be responding to these questions from time to time via my "Marion's Communication Tips" enewsletter. If you have a question or communication challenge you'd like to share, drop me a line at Marion@MarionSpeaks.com and you might be featured in a future edition. (PS: I use first names only and always ask permission to use your story first. I also may take a few editing liberties to shorten the text). And now, on to this week's question ...

QUESTION: "Marion, your recent newsletter about (the importance of) response times brought a flood of instances to mind where I was less than prompt getting back to clients. I met with a client the other day -- 10 days after our initial contact. Files just pile up, not to mention having to act as team lead and fill in extra shifts while co-workers were on holiday. I find myself having to make excuses for why I haven't contacted people sooner. I suppose the right thing to do would have been to take a few minutes to let her know I hadn't forgotten about her."
Signed, Overwhelmed in Edmonton  

MARION'S RESPONSE:
Dear Overwhelmed, you are not alone. It seems everyone these days is expected to do more with less. The proverbial "fat" has been cut so severely in some organizations, that the powers that be have succeeded in cutting into muscle. It's difficult to live in an environment of increasing expectations and reduced resources. And this type of workplace defintely puts a strain on how we communicate. Stress always does. So here's some tips:

• MANAGE EXPECTATIONS -- BEGIN WITH YOURS. You can only do what you can do. Even the most organized and productive person has a breaking point. Know what your boundaries are and when you're approaching them, then tell yourself it's OK to admit that you're human. Set challenging and reasonable goals for yourself and allow yourself some breathing and "contingency" room to get things done.
• MANAGE EXPECTATIONS -- THEIRS. Once you know what your timelines and boundaries are, communicate that to the person waiting for your response. They might not like being told that you'll be getting back to them next week instead of tomorrow. They might even be upset and disappointed. Even this is better than them thinking you're responding tomorrow and them getting more angry by the day when you don't respond for a week. As difficult as it may be, explain the reality. No communication at all is a void, and if you don't fill it with information and expectation, the client will fill it with anxiety, anger and disappointment. And those emotions destroy relationships ... and business.
• MEET EXPECTATIONS -- BOTH OF YOURS. Now that you've set the expectations, make sure you meet them. When you say you're going to do something, do it. It's as simple as that. That's how you build credibility and distinguish yourself from the competition. Much better to have a client, colleague, boss or employee dealing with a realistic expectation and you meeting it, than just thinking you're not responding at all. It lowers the stress for both of you.

For the past month or so, I've been shopping for "just the right" couch. I finally found one last week. It was the right colour (well, OK, it's a tad darker than I'd like -- life is full of compromises, right?), the right size (maybe just a smidgen too large, though it still fits), the right price (hey, leather's expensive so a higher price is justifiable, isn't it?) ... and then the delivery date. What?! Eight to ten weeks? Are you kidding me?

At first, I couldn't believe the lengthy waiting period. We have already sold our old couches and are watching TV in the rec room downstairs while our upstairs family room is being renovated. As nostalgic as this "college dorm" look is, I wasn't planning on two and a half months of this. Then the salesman said something that made a lot of sense. He explained, "Most other furniture places will tell you they'll deliver in 6 to 8 weeks, but that's just not so. We tell people 8 to 10 weeks, because that's what it really is. And if you get it early, bonus."

He was absolutely right. Now I know that we'll be a couple months without our furniture and I'm planning on using that time to paint, refinish the floors, and choose accessories. In other words -- he communicated a realistic situation and managed my expectations. I, in turn, am grateful to him for being upfront. You can use this same technique with your clients and work mates. I think this approach sets that furniture company apart from many others. You can position yourself uniquely too, just by being upfront about managing expectations.

When you find yourself overwhelmed and simply unable to respond when you (or they) hoped, let the people know. You deserve to be relieved of undue stress and your client deserves an answer, if only to advise them when you'll respond in full. That's managing expectations, stress, and relationships. Allow yourself some breathing room and keep others up to date. Now, that's worth communicating.

WHERE ON EARTH IS MARION? In addition to communication coaching and consulting, here's where I'm presenting in the next few months. If you're attending, let me know! Or if I'm coming to your area and your organization is interested in receiving communication training, just drop me a line at Marion@MarionSpeaks.com :   June 8, 2011: OMSSA (Ottawa, Ont) June 15, 2011: Vitalize (Edmonton, Alberta) July 27: IAAP Education Forum and Annual Meeting (Montreal, Quebec)

Until next time, here's to ...
Better communication, Better business, Better life!
Marion Grobb Finkelstein
Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author

www.MarionSpeaks.com
Marion@MarionSpeaks.com
www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks  

© 2011 Marion Grobb Finkelstein
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communications expert, author, professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to improve their businesses and their lives by improving their communications. Chat with her Facebook www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks  or sign up for her FREE weekly e-newsletter "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com

How's your response rate these days? I mean, how long does it typically take for you to respond to an enquiry or request? It could be from your boss, employee, colleague or client -- and how long you take to respond is going to make a difference to your success rate and building relationships.
 
Jay Arthur, a fellow pro speaker (http://www.lean-six-sigma-money-belt.com), advised me that in the March 2011 HBR reports that sales could benefit from cutting response times. Companies spent $22.7 billion generating online sales leads in 2009. Companies that followed up within the hour were seven times more likely to qualify the lead than companies that followed up after an hour and 60 times more likely than companies that waited 24 hours.

How are most companies doing?

• 23% never responded at all
• 24% took more than 24 hours
• 16% responded in 1-24 hours
• 37% within the hour

In other words, two-thirds of companies are throwing away their investment (that’s $14.6 billion) by waiting too long to respond. Learn from what corporations are doing wrong. Wow, that's a lot of money. Clearly, response rates matter in business.

They also matter in terms of projecting yourself as a professional. How you treat others shouts volumes of how you value them. Non-response suggests that you don't value the person making the request. Nothing may be further from the truth -- you may simply be overwhelmed, be super busy, or the request may have gotten lost in cyberspace. The person waiting for the response doesn't know any of that. All they have to judge how you value them is the way in which you respond.

I worked with a client recently who dashed off an urgent note full of angst to his boss. When the boss responded immediately (within an hour or two) by phone call, requesting the employee to call back, this employee took over a day to respond. The boss did the right thing -- immediate response to an urgent request. The employee did not.

When you don't respond in a timely manner, especially to urgent requests, and especially those from superiors or clients with time-senstive issues, you disrespect them.

Now think about it -- is there anyone you need to respond to? If the answer is "yes", do it now.

cheers,
Marion

PS: if you're having difficulty coping with all the requests to communicate, I have some strategies that I share with my coaching clients -- the first of which is change your attitude and realize how your actions may be perceived. If you're interested in being coached, drop me a line.

For my Canadian colleagues, this is the long Thanksgiving weekend. It's wonderful to take a moment to recognize all the things for which we are grateful, and there are so many. Besides friends, family, health and life, I am always thankful for great customer service. I was reminded of that just this past week

If you visited my website www.MarionSpeaks.com lately, you're likely aware that I've been having lots of technical difficulties. Links weren't working, pictures didn't apear as they should, text was changing color for some unknown reason, and I was getting emails from clients and colleagues alerting me to these facts. I was frustrated beyond belief, so did what most of us would do in that situation -- I called the help line. That's when the wheels fell off.

I was greeted by a soft-spoken gentleman named Jeff. I explained one problem and received a brief "uh huh". I went on to describe the next issue and then the next. All I heard was silence, so much so that I said, "Hello, are you still there?". I left that conversation feeling like I really hadn't been heard and was not confident that Jeff would be able to find a solution. This concern was confirmed when I received an email with the "work ticket" indicating "Low Priority". Clearly, in spite of my stating the urgency of this situation, Jeff didn't understand how fundamental my website was to clients visiting my site. Having just delivered a session to 200 people in Thunder Bay a few days before (special "hi" to my Stepping Stones colleagues!), I was understandably concerned that many people would be visiting my website and getting first impressions ... with links that didn't work. Turns out, I was right.

The very next day, I checked my website and none of the problems had been resolved. I called the help line again and spoke to Jeff's work mate named Jonathon. Jonathon at least punctuated his listening with "uh huh", "I see", and asked a few questions to demonstrate his active listening and understanding. He was doing well until the very end of the conversation when I said "goodbye" and he hung up without even responding. Who does that?! Apparently phone service people who don't realize what it feels like to be on the receiving end of such lack of communication.

ATTENTION TO anyone who speaks to clients on the phone (and isn't that all of us?). Perhaps you may not require verbalizing your thoughts and you may enjoy some time to process information and find a solution. That might be all find and good and work for you. However, in case you are not aware, here it is up straight -- it absolutely does not work for your client. To connect with your client, you need to evidence that you are actively engaged through audial clues.

When there's a live person on the other end of the phone who can't see your body language, you will connect by giving audial signs that you are actively engaged. If you choose not to do so, your client may mistakenly conclude that you are disconnected, not interested, or working on something else. That is the absolute worst way to respond and if it's your way, you would be well advised to change it. Here's how.

TIPS TO OFFERING GREAT PHONE SUPPORT:

• After the client speaks, say something. While you may be working away finding the answer for clients on the line, make sure they know what you're doing. Do not remain silent ... when you're on the phone, silence is anything but golden. Validate your client's position and frustration. "I can understand why you would say/think that" (even though they might be wrong, you can still see WHY they would logically conclude something). Agree with what you can such as, "Yes, you're right. This really is fundamental to your business and needs to be rated as 'urgent priority'". If you say nothing, the client has no way of knowing that you are actively engaged. Remaining silent is bad communication and a surefire way to disconnect.

• Smile. Although the client can't see your smile, they'll still hear it in your voice. Be friendly and reassure him or her. Your client is already frustrated with the technical issue, so don't let your silence add to that frustration. TIP: keep a mirror by your phone and when you're dealing with clients, look into it. If your face looks uptight, angry, disinterested, happy, engaged or smiling ... your voice will convey it. Make sure your face is saying what you want it to because only then wll your voice have the tone you hope to convey.

• Make it free for the client to call you. Although a 1-800 number is ideal, it's not always affordable for small businesses. If your organization doesn't offer one, be sensitive to the fact that the client is calling long distance and offer to hang up and call them right back so they incur no unnecessary charges.That starts your conversation off on the right foot and evidences from the very beginning that you routinely take the client's perspective into consideration. 

Silence may well be golden, but not when you're speaking to clients or colleagues on the phone. Remember, they can't see your visual clues, so compensate with lots of audial clues to ensure that you connect. Do this, and even though your silence won't be golden, your relationships will be.

NOTE: are you on Facebook yet? Jump in and stay connected at www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks   

Until next time, here's to
Positive communication,
Productive relationships,
Powerful results!

Marion Grobb Finkelstein
Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author
www.MarionSpeaks.com  
Marion@MarionSpeaks.com  
www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks 

© 2010 Marion Grobb Finkelstein

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communications expert, author, professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to improve their businesses and their lives by improving their communications. Chat with her Facebook www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks or sign up for her FREE weekly e-newsletter "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com.