1. Common communication mistakes to avoid
Common Communication Mistakes
1. Being too vague
You need to be clear about what is happening, or what needs to be done.
2. Being too long-winded
Everyone is so busy these days. It is important to get straight to the point, without being rude or careless of other people’s feelings if you have to deliver any bad news.
3. Not being honest
When things get tough, you might feel tempted to lie or fib to spare someone’s feelings. However, as a leader, you need to be a person of integrity. Say what you mean and mean what you say, and you will serve as an excellent role model in your company.
4. Choosing the wrong method of communication
It is important to choose the best method for communicating depending on what needs to be conveyed. For example, if you have to discuss an important new initiative for the company, you should not just do it in passing as an “Oh by the way” but rather, invite the required personnel to a meeting about it.
Once everyone who has been invited is assembled, it will be time to tell everyone what is going to be happening. In this way, they won’t mishear things or hear things “on the grapevine”.
5. Remember to listen as well as speak
At the meeting, allow staff the opportunity to ask questions. You may be the leader, but effective communication is always a two-way street.
6. Don’t rely on email too heavily
Email is a great way to communicate, but it is not suitable all the time. Sometimes it is better to have a face-to-face meeting than to send an email. A private conversation can remain private. An email can be hacked, or shared all over the internet.
Face-to-face discussions can also eliminate the need for a lot of typing back and forth if things need to be clarified. In addition, tone of voice is not always conveyed in an email, which means that sometimes things can be misunderstood, or feelings can be hurt.
2. Why do you need to address people by name?
Face-to-Face Communication
When you’re speaking to people face to face, it is important to use their name. It makes them feel that they are getting your full attention. It also shows that you don’t just treat everyone like a number. Learning people’s names quickly shows that you care about others and have a sharp eye for detail.
If you have trouble remembering people’s names, consider creating a little cheat sheet for yourself about your most important business contacts, so you can remember who is who in each department or each outside company you work with regularly.
If you hold large meetings with your staff, once everyone is settled in (and if it is appropriate), ask everyone to go around the table to introduce themselves quickly; their name, department and role. Make a seating chart as they speak. Then you can put face to name, and vice versa if you have to ask anyone a direct question.
Business Cards
Business cards may seem old-fashioned, but they can be an invaluable piece of paper when you are outside the office. Always carry some with you and collect them from others if possible. When you get one, write down in a few words what the conversation was about and what action items might have come out of the conversation, such as needing to send a catalog or ringing them later in the week to check on availability for a meeting.
Having the full name on the card will help you remember the name more easily than if it came to you via a hurried introduction. If they don’t have a business card, give them yours, with the same sort of note on it to help them remember you.
Email Communication
There is nothing that looks more spammy than a bulk email with no name on it. All the formal emails you send should address a person specifically by name. Busy business people are always getting proposals from people who want to do business with them. However, 99% of those proposals go in the trash because they are not personalized.
If you do have to send a “cold call” type of email, try to get as much information as possible beforehand. A little research can go a long way towards opening the door to new business relationships if you take the time to get the name right.
Learn others’ names and you will soon become more of a people person in your business.
3. The importance of body language in your communications
Paying attention to your body language is essential when communicating face to face with potential business partners and your own staff. Body language basically describes your posture, facial expressions and movement. Each of these can indicate unconscious messages which might not match up with the verbal communication you are trying to undertake, and therefore undermine your success. A mismatch might make you seem unapproachable or even dishonest.
There are several body language habits which are extremely negative and should be avoided. Here are a few of them:
1. Crossing your arms in front of your chest
This looks defensive and keeps people away from you. You can be seen as uninterested, especially if you look away. It might also be construed as you being angry.
2. Putting your hands on your hips
This makes you look bossy and aggressive.
3. Looking away from someone
This could be considered a sign of lack of interest, boredom, embarrassment, that you have something to hide, that you are not paying attention, or that you are lying. Try to face the person you are speaking to head-on, or only slightly turned to one side. If you get embarrassed about looking people in the eye because you are shy, focus on the area between their eyebrows, or the top of their head if you are standing and they are sitting.
4. Fiddling with something or fidgeting
When you are talking, try not to fiddle with anything like a pen or the clicker of a pen, your computer mouse, and so on. Try not to fidget either, such as drumming your fingers, tapping and so on. All of these are a sign of disinterest and perhaps even impatience or annoyance.
5. Frowning or shaking your head
Both of these discourage communication and basically shut down the conversation. A frown indicates anger or annoyance. Shaking your head conveys refusal or disagreement.
The Best Body Language
When speaking to people, try to have an open, neutral stance with your body facing them and your arms relaxed at your sides. When you are speaking or listening to someone, make sure you are looking straight at them. Don’t look down at your papers or your computer screen.
By giving people your full attention, communication can be much more effective and your body language will show you as open and receptive rather than closed off and reluctant to deal with people.
4. Be assertive not aggressive in your communication style
Being Aggressive Is Bad for Business
While it is true that no one wants to be a pushover in their business dealings, it is also true that no one wants to deal with a person that acts like a bull in a china shop.
People do business with people they like. Someone who seems to be too pushy or aggressive is not going to be a person that anyone wants to deal with very often. This being the case, if you are too aggressive in going after contracts, deals and partnerships, you could end up losing many of the opportunities that you are working so hard to secure.
Everyone Wins
The whole point of business dealings these days should be to create a win-win for everyone, not get your own way in every respect. If you are too aggressive, the other party might turn you down. Or, they might go ahead with the deal, but will feel but they have been taken advantage of in some way. This will cause resentment and make for a difficult working relationship.
A mutually beneficial deal in which everyone benefits equally may be hard, but it is worth the effort because that form of deal is much more likely to succeed, and could be the start of a prosperous long-term relationship that will last for many years to come.
Assertiveness versus Aggressiveness
Assertiveness is all about stating your needs, especially if someone is trying to push back and give you less than favorable terms in a deal. Assertiveness is also about communicating your ideas and sticking to your guns, even if other people are trying to shoot you down.
For example, you might be in a meeting where you are giving valuable feedback because you are certain the way your colleagues wish to do something is not going to work. They might dismiss your ideas out of hand, ignore you, or even attack you. Being assertive in this case means sticking to your guns, but with facts to back it. Once the others see it isn’t just an opinion you are offering, they will give you and your ideas more respect and consideration.
Now that we’ve gone over the difference between assertiveness and aggression, work on your assertiveness if needed, to become a better business leader.
5. Tips on how to ask for a favor
Asking for a Favor Is Not a Sign of Weakness or Failure
Asking someone for a favor will often go against the grain for many business leaders. Entrepreneurs are usually type-A personalities who are real go-getters and like to take the lead assertively, if not aggressively, in all areas of business. They may think it is a sign of weakness or failure to ask for a favor.
However, nobody really gets anywhere in business without getting help, at least from time to time. Most businesses need staff, partners, customers and/or vendors. The goal is to communicate effective with them and get along well for the sake of the business. If you have been in business for any length of time, you have probably been asked to do a favor for someone else.
If you’ve done the favor, there is nothing wrong with asking for one in return, provided it is reasonable and won’t represent a huge sacrifice for the other person. A favor of equal or lesser value than the favor you did them should not be a cause for concern.
If the favor is going to be a bigger one, be sure you are clear about why you need the favor and if necessary, how you would be prepared to pay them back. Most of the time they will not take you up on that part of the offer, but you should be sincere about it and prepared to follow through if they do.
It Feels Good to Do Favors
You may not like asking, but think about how good you feel when you do a favor for someone – especially if you have no real hope or even desire to be paid back. This demonstrates what is known as an abundant mindset. It encourages generosity, and “paying it forward”.
The Importance of Supportive Relationships
In business, as in our personal lives, it is important to have supportive relationships. Be choosy. Surround yourself and your business with people you can be sure have your back no matter what. If you have helped a person but discover that the person is not willing to reciprocate when the time comes, that person or business can go down to the bottom of your list of partners trustworthy enough to have dealings with.
Now that you know more about asking for favors from others, you will hopefully feel a bit less nervous or hesitant to do this when required, for the sake of your business.
6. Tips for giving bad news such as redundancy
No one ever likes to give bad news to others, but sometimes in business it is unavoidable. If you’re a manager or C-level executive, conveying bad news is unfortunately going to be all part of the job and not something you can duck responsibility for.
That being the case, it is important to practice this skill in such a way that any bad news will not have an excessively negative impact on your staff, colleagues, or business partners and vendors.
Economic Woes
For example, when the recession hit in October 2008, many layoffs occurred. It was distressing for all concerned, but some companies handled it better than others. The principle was the same: in order for the company to stay in business, some cuts would have to be made. This would create a leaner, stronger enterprise that stood every chance of maintaining, or even improving, its current level of success – despite tough times.
It isn’t always easy to convey this, but it is essential both for those who are getting laid off and those who are staying. The people with the pink slips can’t be made to feel as though they are being pushed out because they are a failure, or it is something personal. In fact, that is dangerous territory because it could involve a lawsuit if something is expressed unskillfully during the course of breaking the bad news.
Future Directions
For those who are kept on, things can seem gloomy for different reasons. No one likes change. They might be dreading what the new company will be like. They could even fear it is the beginning of the end, and that what is really being conveyed is that the company is failing and going under completely. They will also be sorry to see friends and colleagues leave. In addition, they might be worried or upset about how their duties will be impacted. With so many people leaving, someone will have to take over the jobs they were doing.
For all these reasons, it is important to never spring bad news on your staff, colleagues or vendors. Give them time, if you can, to get used to the idea of changes coming soon. A whole team meeting can lay the framework for discussion, questions and planning for next steps.
This also ensures that everyone is on the same page, so that they are hearing the news directly from you and not getting it through gossip or whispering.
If you have trouble delivering bad news, consider practicing in front of a mirror, or with a loved one, until it becomes more comfortable and sincere sounding.
7. Tips for getting the most out of meetings
Meetings take place for all sorts of different reasons, so the first way to get the most out of any meeting is to decide what the goal of the meeting will be. Some business leaders like to have a regular weekly meeting in order to keep in touch with people and inform them of any major changes or things coming down the pipeline.
On the one hand, these meetings might seem like a waste of time because they are short and perhaps not much happens. On the other hand, they can be effective because staff can check in with each other regularly and this creates a more open atmosphere of communication. As long as you are not meeting just for the sake of a meeting, staff should not view these gatherings as a waste of time.
Set a Schedule and Agenda
Whenever you decide to host any sort of meeting, start with scheduling to determine if everyone will be available, or block off regular staff meeting times once a week or month. Once you’ve got a consensus on everyone coming, set an agenda. Email it to everyone, and ask if anyone has any items to add. Send the final agenda via email prior to the meeting. If any data is confidential, then print out copies and hand them out to attendees. Make sure you have enough to go around.
An agenda ensures everyone is on the same page and you don’t miss raising any important details you need to communicate. If it is a more important meeting about a particular topic, such as launching a new project, getting a progress report on a new initiative, or your latest sales figures, the agenda might be to review and discuss them. In this case, be sure to have copies of the most important materials organized prior to the meeting.
If you can email copies of the supporting material prior to the meeting, this will help people prepare for the meeting. If there is anything confidential you wouldn’t wish to share in an email, create a PowerPoint deck to show people and create a summary slide that reviews in broad strokes what will be discussed.
For important meetings, request that someone take minutes during the meeting. Minutes are a useful review of what has been discussed and can be very helpful if any important stakeholders were unable to attend the meeting, or had to leave early.
Running better meetings can help you run a better company with clearer communications.
8. Tips for getting the most out of a conference
You might participate in a conference from time to time. You might even decide to host one. Some people love business conferences; other people hate them. However, a business conference is a great place to connect with peers in your niche or industry and discover best practices, the latest trends, hottest new products, and more.
The Value of Conferences
Conferences can be very exciting for your business, for a number of reasons. The first is that many conferences offer educational seminars for attendees so they can learn from the guest speakers, who are usually experts in their field.
You can interact with them before and after their sessions. You can learn valuable nuggets of information during their presentation and get the edge over business leaders who haven’t attended. You can also meet like-minded professionals before and after the sessions, which will be a great opportunity for networking.
With a lot of like-minded professionals all in the same conference venue, it is possible to connect with a number of people and businesses you might be eager to meet, and forge partnerships if they are a good fit with your company. You can also check in with existing partners and vendors you don’t often see in person. You can organize a calendar of meetings, get together over coffee, or have lunch or dinner together.
Conference Booths
A conference booth is a significant commitment in terms of money and staffing, but it can boost the visibility of your business like never before. Many people attend conferences just to see what is new and who the big players are in relation to the topic of the conference.
A booth will usually put you in the league of the big players. Anyone attending the conference who is exploring all it has to offer can come to connect with you and your staff. In turn, you can walk the floor and meet up with many like-minded people who will be a valuable source of information and get your creative juices flowing in many cases.
The larger companies in your industry will have bigger booths, and often offer special presentations you can attend so you can learn even more about your competition, or the latest technology that could affect your business.
Arranging Conferences
If you love attending conferences, you might consider arranging one for the same reason – to connect with thought leaders in your niche or industry. It can be a big undertaking, of course, but the results can put you front and center in your industry and position you as someone worth paying attention to.
If you aren’t making the most out of conferences, it might be time to reconsider your outlook on attending them, so you can use them as the golden opportunity for communication and business growth that they can be.
9. Tips for getting the most out of an interviewee
As a business leader, interviewing people will be an important part of your duties. However, interviewing candidates is a lot like detective work. You need to dig deep in order to discover whether or not that person is really the right fit for the job you are offering. And remember, you need to be a good fit for them as well.
1. Write a clear job description
Your first step is to write a clear job description. If it is a new post, think about all of the essential tasks in your business and any areas that need more help. Also, think about any new initiatives you might want to launch, but just don’t have the right trained personnel.
If the post is to fill an existing vacancy because someone is leaving, hopefully on good terms, ask them to write the job description to make sure nothing vital gets left out.
2. Understand what a typical day looks like
Once you have the description, review it to make sure you understand what a typical day looks like in that job. In this way, you will be able to determine if the interviewee will be able to manage, and will be genuinely interested in the work.
3. Review the resumes carefully
A lot of resumes will be padded and inflated. Choose the ones that are the most honest. You can use Google, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to learn more about the candidates to help with the weeding out process.
4. Prepare the questions carefully
Prepare a list of questions that you will expect every candidate to answer, so you can compare them side by side despite their different backgrounds.
5. Think beyond just skills
Your shortlist of candidates should all have the skills to do the job, so that should not be a real issue at the interview. Rather, you should be looking for whether or not you will be a good fit for each other. You want everyone to be happy, so taking a 360-degree view of the job, who they will have to work with, and who they are as a person will be important.
6. Give them a test
If the job requires any sort of technical skills, give them a test assignment to complete and see how they handle it. If this isn’t practical, give them a couple of hypothetical situations. In this way, the candidate can show off their thinking and reasoning skills, and these sorts of assignments can also help eliminate the ones with the inflated resumes.
7. Listen, don’t talk
This will give you a chance to weed out any bad fits, and let the best candidates shine.
Use these simple strategies to get the most out of each person you interview and see what a difference it makes to your hiring.
10. How to succeed in a job interview for a leadership role
Do Your Research
So, you want to be a C-level executive? Research the company and post as much as possible. Look on Glassdoor. Connect with anyone you might know in the company, or those who have worked there in the past. Decide if it is the kind of place you would like to work. Then apply.
Focus on Your Past Successes
If you are going for a C-level post, chances are you have been working for quite some time. Rework your resume and cover letter to highlight the past experience which is most relevant to the position you are applying for.
Don’t throw in the kitchen sink. However, don’t be too narrow either. Add a hint here and there about how versatile you can be. Read the job description carefully, highlighting the key words, and use those words in both the resume and letter.
Prepare Sample Questions
Try to anticipate what questions you may be asked. Practice quality responses to them. You should be prepared to answer the typical questions about leadership. These will include:
* What are your strengths?
* What are your weaknesses?
* How would you describe your management style?
* Why should we hire you?
* What salary are you looking for?
* Describe a project that succeeded/failed. What happened, and why?
If you can answer any of these smoothly, without squirming or acting nervous, you will be well ahead of the game compared to most candidates. Plus, for C-level posts, the hiring manager will be looking for a good communicator who can perform well under pressure, never letting anyone see them sweat. They are also looking for someone who can communicate their vision to staff, outside clients and more. Give brief examples that are to the point, and don’t babble just to fill the silence.
Create a Cheat Sheet
Memorize the most important dates and facts on your resume. Write down the most important ones on a small piece of paper you can hold in your hand. Don’t whip it out in the middle of the interview, though. Instead, use it as a “safety blanket” so you will feel less nervous.
Follow Up
Send a thank you letter or email. Good manners cost nothing. This will also set you apart from the average candidate.
Use this tip and you should soon get the executive post you’re aiming for.
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