Spent a full day with teachers working on the I CAN PLAY attitude, Teamership, Leadership, and Influence. I have decided it all comes down to communication. Not just talking but the total communication process.
There are 3 keys to communication – Engage, get their attention – Influence, share the important facts – Add Value, help them understand the benefit to them.
Now that sounds simple. You might say communication is just talking, often about things that are not terribly important and that others do not want to hear. Exactly, so let’s adjust our thinking and make communication exciting. Become intentional in your communication, specifically the conversations you share with others. It might be difficult to totally transform so pick your spots.
Perhaps try it with your husband, wife, son or daughter. Or someone you work with. Here’s the routine. Engage someone by making sure you have their attention. How? On the television screen I used to say this simple phrase ..”WATCH THIS!” and then pause. It’s attention getting. The words attract attention but the pause, the silence, it captures them. It’s engaging.
Once engage, you have their attention, tell them the important information that they need to know and why they need to know it. Be specific and to the point, brief, in your sharing. Add energy and excitement. Influence them with the information and the process of receiving the information. Become an expert for the moment, passing along the information in a way that they enjoy listening.
You might think that what you have to share is not important. Then I suggest you just keep quite until you have something to say. Or perhaps go discover some new excitement in your life or ways to help others understand they can be better than they think they can be!
Finally, let them know how the information can benefit them. Add value to their lives! Display how listening to you can help them grow, understand, learn, and be better than they were before they encountered you. Make it an enjoyable experience listening to you. Be sure that what you say, and how you say it, adds values to them.
You might say ….”All I want to do is share some information with them. Gary, you’re trying to make it some grand event.”
That’s exactly what I am trying to do. And so can you. Try it! It will help in your leadership development.