Someone says, “I’m thirsty.” What does this mean to you? Is this simply nice to know information or do you hear beyond the words and understand that they are probably asking you to get them something to drink. If you felt that this was simply nice to know, this is called explicit listening. You have
In medicine, prescription without diagnosis is malpractice. That clearly makes sense and I am hopeful that most doctors follow that sequence. However, why does it seem that other professions don’t follow the same maxim? Like most guys, I love electronics. To me, technology is fun and exciting and it can be like a puzzle. If
Ever had someone say to you, “keep up the good work” and you felt anything but encouraged or inspired? This is not at all uncommon, especially if your relationship with the person offering this insightful feedback is a bit strained. The relationship we have definitely impacts how we will interpret all the messages that come
While in San Juan, I worked with someone who was the Strategic Sales Director for a well-known advertising agency in NY. And we got talking about the importance of framing in communication. And he shared a strategy the used consistently with his clients to make sure that they bought the campaign that he wanted them
I often hear managers lament that their teams are, “so lazy” or that their employees are “out the door at 5 pm.” These managers are struggling with a common workplace problem, a lack of commitment. When I ask more about the teams, I usually hear about micro-managing and a tightly controlled environment and then I
The purpose of any communication falls into one of two categories: to inform or call to action. When people talk to each other, it’s either to share information or to ask someone to do something. When there is a call to action, it can either be through a direct request or it can be implied.