10 Tips for Communicating Effectively (Effective Communications Month is June!)

(From "Stuff for Busy People: Proven Techniques You Can Use to Be An Effective Communicator" pocket reference book by Sylvia Henderson.)

Here's a sample of the 91 tips I've written and published in the above Pocket Reference Book. Ordering instructions are at the end of this post should you so choose. Feel free to pass these tips around to those who can benefit from them!

1. Speech Patterns – Practice articulation by saying tongue twisters out loud. Here's one to try: The sixth sheik's sixth sheep's sick.
2. Your Voice As A Tool – Be silent after you ask a question. Allow the other person time to answer.
3. Empathize, Clarify and Understand – Paraphrase or summarize the message you hear by saying-in your own words-what you think you heard.
4. Active Listening – Nod your head and verbally acknowledge you are listening at appropriate intervals in the conversation.
5. Body Language – Honor others' personal space. 1.5 feet-to-4 feet is considered American culture's personal space.
6. Small Talk – Keep conversations high-level at first. Deep feelings and stories are inappropriate for first meetings.
7. Giving and Receiving Feedback – Make a request to initiate the feedback session. For example, "May I talk to you about…"
8. Conflict – Avoid exaggeration. Reveal feelings and situations directly and use facts instead of gossip.
9. Meetings – Participants. Decide who will benefit from, contribute to, or will make decisions about the meeting topics.
10. Written Communication – E-Mail. Copy-and-paste a note rather than "forward". You eliminate the long list of e-mail addresses and the system transmission information that accompanies forwarded notes.

To order any of the Pocket Reference Books by Sylvia Henderson, go to http://www.springboardtraining.com/products/invest-success .

While June (every year) is Effective Communications Month, make every day of the year a day for communicating effectively.