The 4 P's of Persuasion

Employees should understand marketing methods. The 4 P's of Persuasion is a framework to formulate persuasive written messages in a sales pitch or when pitching an idea.

The 4 P's are a method of written communication in marketing, advertising and corporate communication. They are a persuasive technique that stresses some critical points; to generate convincing, forceful, powerful, seductive and strong messages.

It's a Thing! A Learning Organization!

"It's a thing" is a series that highlights concepts that employers and managers use and sometimes evaluate employees with that they may not be aware.

A learning organization is the business term given to a company that facilitates the learning of its members and continuously transforms itself.

Conversations are Crucial for Success

Three of the most requested topics for organizational training are communication, team building, and dealing with difficult people. All three require conversations, but few people understand the power of conversations.

Communication in the workplace continues to be a topic that everyone is interested in because it is vital for success. I recently wrote on the topic of having crucial conversations. This week, we look at "Conversational Intelligence." Everything begins with a conversation.

"To get to the next level of greatness depends on the quality of the culture, which depends on the quality of the relationships, which depends on the quality of the conversations.
Everything happens through conversation."

~Judith E. Glaser~

BR: 5 Gears: How to be Present and Productive When There is Never Enough Time

What would it be worth to your organization to find a way where employs could function together better, be more productive, and people could connect better?  àPriceless!!

Have you ever been focused on a major project or trying to beat a deadline when some one comes into your work space and wants to visit? Or have you been in a social environment and a fellow worker wants to talk shop? Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to get in sync with others at work? 

Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram wrote 5 Gears: How to be Present and Productive When There is Never Enough Time to shed light on workplace behavior that hinders a companies relationships and efficiency. This book has been called "a game changer" by many people. In fact, that was what I thought when I first heard about this book.

Crucial Conversations

Crucial Conversations are critical for the health of an organizational. 

You cannot fix what you don't talk about!

I have witnessed organizations where the atmosphere was full of toxic energy. Managers have disputes with other managers and subordinates, employees don't get along with management and conflict abounds. Often groups begin to form around individuals and sides are made. If issues surrounding the negativity are not discussed, they will continue to fester until an amputation or severing of the organization's members is necessary. 

TO AVOID CONFLICT IN ORGANIZATIONS, CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS ARE NECESSARY!

Nonverbal Cues Tell the Whole Story

Nonverbal communication is as important as verbal communication in delivering a message in the workplace.

The boss strolls through the office assessing their employees work space. They notice that one desk is rather messy and has a sign that reads "I'd rather be fishing," while the desk next to it is immaculately ordered and has a copy of the company mission statement prominently displayed. This alone does not reveal much about the employee, but taken with other nonverbal cues such as punctuality, attitude, and work quality, it gives an employer a load of information. 

A good employee makes sure that their nonverbal communication sends a positive message to their employer.

Nonverbal communication is simply defined as all the behaviors and cues that are not verbal. Almost all voluntary intentional acts or signals that are not words are consistently thought to communicate meaning. Sometimes these acts or signals support the verbal communication, but many times the nonverbal cues contradict verbal messages. Communication experts say that nonverbal cues are responsible for 60 to 93% of the meaning. Splitting the difference, we could safely say that approximately 75% of the communication that takes place in the workplace is nonverbal.

75% OF ALL COMMUNICATION IS NONVERBAL.

Barriers to Effective Communication

Why does good communication break down?

The previous blog lists the elements of the communication process (communicator, message, encoder, medium, receiver/decoder, feedback, and noise). This is about identifying hindrances to good communication or noise. If noise exists in any of the elements in any way complete clarity of meaning and understanding is lost. Management has a responsibility to develop effective communications. Communication breakdown will cause inefficiency for the employer, but it can cost the employee their job. There are several common barriers to effective communication.

LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

The two most obvious barriers to office communication are language and culture barriers. Both play important roles in today's diverse marketplace. Because they are obvious potential communication hindrances, most organizations pay close attention to these. Language and culture diversity is a powerful tool when the differences are worked out.

FRAME OF REFERENCE

Communication is the Key to Success!

Communication is the glue that holds organizations together.

Communication assists employees to accomplish personal and company goals, respond to organizational change, organize commercial activities, and participate in every relevant activity. As important as communication is, breakdowns in communication are pervasive.

"I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."

When communication is less than it should be, the organization will not be what it can be. Communication within a company is unavoidable, but effective communication is.

WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?