Favorite Communication Traits
A get together to talk about positively memorable communication experiences
Communication experiences impact people. Those experiences can be respected, liked and wanted or they can be clunky, poor or be found offensive.
Communication Intelligence magazine asked which experiences have been their favorites and why specifically did they impact them in an excellent manner.
People were happy to respond and go into depth about what which practices that they give “A” grades.
Here are just the highlights:
1.
“The ability to ask questions directly relates to my favorite communication trait which is: listening. To me this stands out because when most people are trying to have a say or make a point, a listener is a master observer,” Bridget Aileen Sicsko says.
“They are taking in different perspectives, experiences and stories to understand the group, the room or the situation even better. And then from that place, they are able to create their own perspective,” she says. “There is something extremely powerful about being able to sit back, listen and then formulate an opinion. In today's day and age, I think it should be highly revered.”
2.
“Active listening is a communication trait that helps to truly hear and understand what others say while gaining insights into their needs and avoiding miscommunication, Michael Podolsky says.
That is essential, he adds, because “when a company knows how to listen to its customers, they are more likely to meet customer needs, resolve issues and achieve customer satisfaction.”
The opposite is problematic because “when customer service agents lack listening skills,” Podolsky warns, “it becomes difficult for a business to build communication and loyalty with customers.”
3.
“I have a friend and client who does something simple and powerful,” B. Andrew Plant says. “He thanks me when I send an invoice, for me or for a vendor. It's good basic business to acknowledge such and in doing so with thanks, (he) sets such a great tone of appreciating a valued business partner.”
This goes deeper for Plant.
“His thankful acknowledgements are really part of a larger pattern about which he is consistent: Acknowledging receipt of a communication,” he says.
4.
“Although it's an old classic, I love playing devil's advocate to help flesh out both practical sides of an argument,” Guna Kakulapati says. “When those who support you the most play the role of your competition or critic, they help fortify and prepare you for genuine experiences and adversity.”
This is not only valuable, it’s necessary, he has come to learn.
“In business circles, especially in specific sectors like mine, you’ll often come across people pleasers who don’t want to rock the boat instead of being instigators,” he says. “Perhaps, some are too self-conscious, protective or timid but the instigators stand out and make fair points to help strengthen your argument or positioning.”
This Ray Dalio-like radical candor is a difference maker and risk management.
“In business, we don't hide from harsh realities,” Kakulapati says. “We should welcome criticism from friends and colleagues or we won't be well-prepared to face it in the market.”
5.
“One of the most straightforward but shocking moments with a colleague that caught me off guard was their answer to my asking how they were. They said, ‘Terrible. I’m tired and grumpy,’ and I was too flabbergasted to respond,” Michael Green says. “It’s so easy to fall into the groove of communicating with colleagues and employees or even friends but this conversation felt fresh and authentic.”
He elaborates on what made this experience one he came to respect.
“Something about injecting authentic feelings and experiences into small talk has such richness and depth that most automatic conversations inherently lack,” he says.
“Having my expectations flipped about how a conversation should go made an impression on me that was more engaging and connective than the usual ‘I’m fine. You?’ I remember this moment sometimes when colleagues ask how I’m doing and I always think twice now about how to respond.”
6.
“Reframing is so powerful because it flips many of our enculturated or internal expectations on their head,” Kevin Miller says. “Seeing things from novel angles is invaluable in the business world.
7.
“Whenever we share a piece of information, especially with verbal communication, the aim is for the listener to be able to summarize what we've said in 2-3 main ideas after listening to us just once,” Ziza Natur says.
“It’s our responsibility as speakers, trainers, facilitators and influencers to connect the dots for our audience and give them the structure needed for fast implementation,” she says.
“I’ve witnessed plenty of valuable and useful information wasted because of how it was delivered,” Natur says point blank. “It felt heavy, exhausting and I had to review it 2-3 times and connect the dots before even creating a roadmap towards implementation.”
8.
“My best friend of over forty years had one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever heard,” Richard A. Smith says. “If you own up to your flaws and mistakes, no one can use them against you. If you are transparent, you have nothing to fear.”
This is a golden practice to Smith because, as he says, “This advice encapsulates all the communication principles I find most valuable and coach my clients on: Humility, trust, candor and grace.”
9.
“When it comes to communicating with clients and team members, our favorite trait is a willingness to collaborate,” Maya Molony says. “This includes the ability to not only listen but also respond with understanding and insight.”
Connectedness, she has experienced, is an energy source, not a drain.
“We don’t like working in silos, but rather as an interwoven team — exchanging regular back and forth and being open to feedback,” Molony says.
“We’ve found that the best work we’ve done has often been a result of effective collaboration between team members and our clients and these successful projects couldn’t have happened without everyone involved approaching all communication with a collaborative mindset.”
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