‘Communication Tip of the Week’
The One Magic Power Phrase that Never Fails to Defuse Emotionally Charged or Difficult Customers
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
NEW AUDIO PODCAST: If you deal with emotionally charged or difficult people at work, you need power phrases to help you navigate through those difficult professional communication situations. Power phrases such as the one in today’s virtual on-site professional communication training podcast helps you immediately increase your communication power, deal with difficult people, and communicate with confidence, power and finesse. Click here to go to our podcast page and listen to today’s professional communication podcast.
The 4-Step “Disengage to Stop the Rage” Process for De-Stressing at Work
Tuesday, February 9th, 2010
NEW AUDIO PODCAST: HELP ME DAN! I get WAAAY to stressed out at work. My customers make me crazy… ANSWER: There’s a reason why Zebras don’t get ulcers. Their brains stop releasing stress hormones as soon as the stress factor is gone (according to Robert Zapolsky, author of Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers). Our brains, however, keep releasing stress hormones and toxic chemicals long after the stress factor has left us. This is why we need a systematic approach to “disengaging” from stressful people and situations. This 4-step process is the best I have found. Remember to get the accompanying quick-reference card in our customer resources section of the library. Click here to listen to the podcast.
The 1 Interview Question Job-Seekers Must Ask Every Time
Saturday, January 30th, 2010
NEW PODCAST/AUDIO: Above all else, your professional communication skills will land or lose you the job you seek. This is why the first thing you do while seeking a job is hone your interviewing skills. Access to effective professional communication training has never been easier. In today’s communication training podcast, Dan gives you the one question (and the number-one question) that anyone who’s looking for a job must ask in the interview. Increase your chances of landing that job by listening to this quick and powerful podcast. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO DAN’S COMMUNICATION TRAINING PODCAST. Click here for the accompanying PDF.
5 Communication Tactics for Landing That Job
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Communication training isn’t just for those in the workplace. It’s for everybody, and without it, you may never land that job in the first place. The article I am suggesting contains five communication tactics–though they are not necessarily called that by name–that will make you shine during the interview. (more…)
10 POWER PHRASES YOUR CHILDREN SHOULD HEAR YOU SAY OFTEN
Monday, December 28th, 2009
Use these phrases constantly. You can’t say them enough. Say them to your kids right now as soon as you finish reading this, and never stop saying them.
Communication skills are not just about business. The most important place you can exhibit effective communication skills is at home. Here are some power phrases you can use at home in abundance. Use them all the time, every day.
1. “I love you so much–no matter what–always.”
2. “You can always count on me.”
3. “You’re beautiful just the way you are.”
4. “Your job is to dream as big as you can. My job is to help you achieve your dreams. I’ll do my job if you do yours.”
5. “You can do it. You can do anything.” (more…)
2 Steps to Get Anyone to Tell You What They Really Think–Getting Honest Feedback Made Easy
Monday, December 21st, 2009
Whether you’re involved in professional communication training workshops, or just attempting to develop your own interpersonal communication skills, learning how to get honest feedback from others should always be included in your agenda. This issue frequently comes up when I’m delivering on-site communication training seminars, so I thought I’d give you a quick tip you can immediately use.
It’s difficult enough getting honest feedback from most people, but if the person from whom you’re trying to get the honest feedback likes or even loves you, it can be nearly impossible if you aren’t using the right communication technique. The next time you are looking to get honest feedback from someone, try this simple two-step process:
Step 1: Ask for the feedback. For example, “Tell me what you think about this report/this chili/that presentation I just gave.”
Let the person given an opinion. Most people want to tell you things that make you feel good. Let them. Receive it. Say thank you. Then they’ll be satisfied that they were able to tell you what they think you wanted to hear in the first place.
Step 2: Ask a “What would it take…” question. (more…)
Use the “Preemptive Strike” to Soften The Blow
Saturday, December 5th, 2009
If you’re in customer service, you know that there are some messages you have to regularly deliver that you know will upset people. Part of professional communication training is learning how to tell a customer something they don’t want to hear without making the customer unnecessarily upset or angry. If you have the opportunity to provide just five minutes of on-site communication training per week to your group, quick and easy communication tactics like this one can make all the difference.
The “Preemptive Strike” is easy; all you have to to is tell the customer that you are aware that you are about to make them upset or angry. This might sound strange, and as a communication trainer, I can tell you that every time I teach this tactic in my seminars or workshops, some people look at me as though I’m demented, but try this tactic out, and you’ll see how well it works.
The basic premise is that we all appreciate it when people treat us as if we are real, live human beings with feelings, and we appreciate it when people address those feelings. Meaning, let’s say you have been on hold with your light company for 15 minutes, and then you finally get a customer service representative with undeveloped skills who tells you something such as, “Oh, you’ll have to call this other number.” (more…)
Perfect Script for Impromptu Public Speaking
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
Have you ever been asked to speak in public? How did it make you feel? How about speaking in public with no warning? Even easier, huh?
What are we so afraid of? Well, many things, but the vision that people tend to have is, Oh my gosh. What if I get up and my mind goes blank?
That’s OK. Even if your mind goes blank, wouldn’t it be nice to know that you are always able to go on because you have a tactical verbal pattern in your communication arsenal? Today I’m going to give you that tactical verbal pattern. (more…)
The Hamburger: “When you___, I feel___, because___.”
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
There are times when another person says or does something that is so outrageous that our natural reaction is to abruptly and rudely leave the room and maybe tell them off on our way out the door. Instead of stooping to that level of communication, the savvy communicator delivers a hamburger instead.
The Hamburger. Let’s talk about that. We all have people in our lives that do things that aggravate us. We might tell them over and over how we feel about their behavior, and yet the behavior persists. For example, perhaps your boss has a habit of interrupting you and you’ve told him or her many times how much this bothers you. What do you do?
Remember it is your job to state the message so that the other person hears it. Remember also that what you say and what is heard could be two different things. We’ve all had situations where we have called someone on his or her behavior over and over again but the behavior continues until there is some sort of miraculous breakthrough. At that point the other person finally seems to hear it and that person says, “Why haven’t you told me this before?” And we say, (more…)
How to Deliver Constructive Criticism
Monday, November 9th, 2009
When it comes to professional communication skills, most people have trouble with the whole, “constructive criticism,” thing.
If you want to be a truly polished, savvy communicator at work, this is one communication skill you must develop (especially if you’re dealing with difficult people, or negativity in the workplace). You can develop this skill with just one quick tactic–the Criticize with Compliments tactic. Of course there are many different ways we can criticize people effectively and constructively. This is just one. Make sure to register with us or subscribe to our RSS feed for more.
Here’s how it goes:
Step 1- Figure out what the person did or does well, and takes pride in. Then determine the specific thing you need to criticize (just one thing at a time). Remember these for step 2. (more…)
