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