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The degree of success a person will achieve depends on the skill he/she has to communicate.
Just the other day a friend told me, “Don’t send me text messages on the phone. I prefer you call.” I took a note of that. I have another friend, who says, “Any time you want to ‘talk’ to me, just send me an email.” People are different. Not everybody likes to communicate the same way. Here are the top tips in a nutshell for you.
General guidelines for Communication
1. Take genuine interest in the person you’re talking to. Ask people about themselves and they’ll talk for hours.
2. Make eye contact. It is the window to a person’s heart.
3. Master the art of listening.
4. Use body language. Researchers say 70% of what you communicate is in the body language.
5. Ask the other person’s opinion on the subject.
6. Speak in short intervals. Do not monopolize the conversation.
7. Be enthusiastic when you speak or listen to someone. Lean forward.
8. Be curious and show empathy.
9. Express your sense of humor and laugh at theirs (even if you’ve heard it before.)
10. Shut up. Harness the will to remain silent after you’ve asked a question.
Communicating by phone
1. Prepare before you call.
2. Smile and say something positive. It puts the person on the other side at ease.
3. Get personal. Give your name and ask for his/hers.
4. If you’re making the call ask permission, “Do you have a minute or five to talk?”
5. Know and state the purpose of the call. “…the reason I’m calling is …”
6. If you’re receiving the call, first, listen.
7. Agree as much as possible. Never argue.
8. Ask questions. Understand before you seek to be understood.
9. End conversation on an “up” note.
10. Speak clearly, slowly and repeat your phone number if you leave a voice mail.
Communicating by Email/Letters
1. Make the email subject line clear and interesting. Otherwise it may not get read.
2. Stick to the topic. Multiple themes and requests get ignored. Better to send multiple emails.
3. Reply to personal emails. It confirms to the sender that you’ve received it and eliminates misunderstanding.
4. Keep your inbox clean. Reply, forward or delete messages as quickly as possible.
5. Include the previous message when replying to questions for clarity.
6. Don’t send BCC email to people in CC.
7. Do not send email when you can communicate orally.
8. Ask for permission before putting them on mass mail list, and offer a way to “unsubscribe.”
9. If you are writing to a larger audience, pick one person you know and write to that person.
10. Add signature with your name and contact information.
Keep communicating!
See more Life Lessons at www.buildinternational.org
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