Businesses built to last start with Structural Integrity STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY The Secret to Effective Communication P-Camp

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STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY The Secret to Effective Communication

P-Camp – March 15, 2008Joy Montgomery



Three Things That Get in the Way

• LISTENING – It isn’t always as easy as it seems.

• LANGUAGE – It has hidden minefields.

• REALITY & EXPECTATIONS – Your idea of reality and your expectations based on that reality might not match others’.



Listening: Stories

• Bumps and Cuts – Listening but not using what you heard.

• The Second Data Center – Listening but not thinking about what you heard.

• You’re Not at My Level – Not listening at all.



Listening: Lessons

• Summarize – Verify your “take” on the problem with others before you proceed.

• Get “Buy-In” – Get agreement about planned action, the solution.

• Take notes – Here’s a trick to make them more effective.



Listening: Discussion

• Do you think she’s listening to anyone?

• Are you sure that your listening is better?

• What is the value of daydreaming?



How Can You Listen More Effectively?

• Ask questions

• Take notes

• Connect to the concept with a story from your own experience

• Ask the speaker to restate difficult concepts



How Can You Encourage Feedback?

• Suggestions & awards program

• Quality teams

• Status meetings

• Ask questions



Language: Stories

• The Simple Typo – You wanna do what to vendors? or see what a “C” can do?

• What You Say Can Hurt You and Your Company – Hot buttons!

• Clear and Concise is the Key – Don’t take 20 minutes to say what you could say in 2.



Language: Lessons

• Spell check and proofread – Make sure you said what you meant to say!

• Keep Your Mind on the Goal – Make sure what you meant to say is worth saying.

• Don’t assume they heard what you meant for them to hear. – Make sure you verify it.



Language: Discussion

• What do you do to encourage participation?

• How important is teamwork?



How can you be sure you’re understood?

• Ask questions

• Get responses

• Get someone to summarize what you said.

• Summarize at the end and ask if there are any questions



How Can You Avoid Confusion?

• Stick with one topic at a time

• Don’t get sidetracked

• Use precise, universal terms

• Avoid “hot buttons”



Reality & Expectations: Stories

• Between the Lines – Reading attitude into emails

• The More the Merrier – System development by the numbers

• The Highwaymen – Shipping & Receiving at its worst



Reality & Expectations: Lessons

• Keep Your Eye on the Goal – Don’t sweat the small stuff!

• Make sure you’re speaking the same language – Got your Dictionary handy?

• Too rushed? – Here’s a handy trick for clear, concise presentations at the drop of a hat.



Reality & Expectations: Discussion

• How can you tell if you’re meeting expectations?

• Who defines expectations?



What If Things Take a Wrong Turn?

• Immediately clarify the topic

• Ask questions

• Confirm that you share a common goal

• Start over



Who defines quality in your area?

• Upper Management

• The Quality Assurance Manager

• Your Supervisor

• Your Customer



Thanks for coming!

Joy [email protected]

STRUCTURAL INTEGRITYThe Secret to Effective Communication

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Businesses built to last start with Structural Integrity STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY The Secret to Effective Communication P-Camp