| Effective communication in business is not about | | | | thing-detachment, as if you really don't want to be |
| creating the perfect PowerPoint presentation. It's not | | | | there, listening to the other person, but you have to. |
| about writing the perfectly-pitched report. It's not even | | | | Passively standing kicks down the building bricks of |
| about assiduously alliterating {smile}.Sometimes | | | | trust, over time reducing your career reputation to |
| effectively communicating in business can hinge on | | | | rubble.Avoiding eye contact: Whilst too much staring at |
| something really simple-the habits you bring to your | | | | someone can cause discomfort, so can too little. By |
| interactions with others.As we all know, we all have | | | | not looking at your audience (of one of one thousand) |
| habitual behaviours that we carry around with us and | | | | in the eye, you come across as nervous and insincere. |
| use unconsciously. It could be the "um" you sandwich | | | | A reasonable period of eye contact is between 4 and |
| between every fourth word of your presentation. It | | | | 7 seconds at a time, per person, especially when you |
| could be the nervous 'fig-leaf' gestures of your hands. | | | | are talking to them.Playing with your hands: Wringing |
| It could be your constant swaying and looking away | | | | your hands, or playing 'fig leaf' is a sure way of |
| from your audience, as if you should be somewhere | | | | conveying insecurity about yourself or your message. |
| else far more important right at that moment.Whoever | | | | And recently I was reminded by my Toastmasters |
| you are, whilst you may know your facts inside-out, | | | | club colleagues of a habit of mine that I need to |
| whilst your work ethic is the standard by which others | | | | break-twisting my wedding ring around my finger when |
| are measured, if you don't recognise and work on your | | | | I present. My colleagues found themselves focusing |
| personal presentation habits you might eventually | | | | more on my ring-twiddling than my message.Speaking |
| destroy all that you have strived so hard to | | | | too softly: A habit that is a sure sign in the eyes of |
| achieve.Whatever your particular habit is, you can best | | | | others, that you are not confident about yourself, your |
| find out what it is by two great methods:1. Ask your | | | | message or your authority to deliver it. You come |
| colleagues what you do in face-to-face encounters | | | | across as near-invisible, weak and insubstantial, as well |
| that annoys them2. Have someone video a | | | | as make yourself difficult to be heard by those who |
| presentation to a group that you give.We all have a | | | | are hard of hearing. And as I get older, my hearing is |
| communication habit that works against us in some | | | | definately getting worse-a legacy of spending years in |
| small way. But the challenge we face is that, left | | | | front of PA stacks as a lighting manager for rock |
| unattended, they start adding up. The more you have, | | | | bands.Using qualifying words: This is quite possibly one |
| the more unprofessional you look.Here's eight | | | | of the worst habits anyone could have. Absolutely |
| interpersonal communication blunders that can wreck | | | | nearly everyone qualifies their words, and most often |
| your career over time:Owning a weak handshake: A | | | | the effect is to dilute the power and impact of your |
| weak handshake signals uncertainty, hesitation, a lack | | | | message. Seriously, using words such as "kind of", |
| of integrity, a lack of confidence and a lack of | | | | "sort of" and "maybe" make even the smartest of us |
| courage. It quite possibly also triggers subconscious | | | | appear unsure.If you are unsure if you have any or all |
| responses in the recipient that cause them to focus | | | | of these habits when you communicate in a business |
| more and for longer on your handshake than on your | | | | setting, or if you are unsure about how to rid yourself |
| message. To butcher Nike's slogan, "Just don't do | | | | of them, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can |
| it!"Displaying a nervous giggle: Just like a weak | | | | either point you in the direction of your nearest |
| handshake, the nervous giggle, in the eyes and mind of | | | | Toastmasters public speaking club (a fantastic |
| your audience, turns you into a child. No one seriously | | | | organisation geared specifically to help you become a |
| does business with a child.Over-using "I'm sorry": A | | | | powerful public speaker), or else I can offer alternative |
| 'killer' for undermining your authority, a phrase like, "I | | | | resources, including analysing your business |
| need your report on my desk by 5 o'clock, sorry" just | | | | communication performance and subsequently |
| knocks your professionalism, your communication and | | | | coaching you to greater heights.When you match |
| your career for six. You have no need to apologise if | | | | consumer psychology with effective communication |
| you are the boss or the client. There is a place for | | | | styles you get a powerful combination. Lee Hopkins |
| politeness in business, as there are for courtesy and | | | | can show you |
| humility. But in the shark-eat-shark world of nature and | | | | how to communicate better for better business |
| business, there is no room for the weak and mousy. | | | | results. At |
| Sorry to have to break that to you...Standing passively: | | | | you can find the |
| Crossed arms, crossed legs... they signal just one | | | | secrets to communication success. |