Archive for persuasive speaking
Leadership–10 Qualities for Success
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Leadership requires far more than a list of 10 qualities but for the sake of space and feedback I’ve listed a few I don’t usually see mentioned.
It goes without saying that the broad category of communication skills is a quality I believe every leader needs to succeed so I’ve chosen not to put it on my list. I consider communication skills to include speaking, presenting, selling and persuading. I did, however, include listening on my list simply because some things require emphasis.
Here’s my list:
1. Listening--and being able to ask “is there anything more?”
2. Empathy–and having a deep understanding of priorities (using the 10,10,10 method)
3. Inspiring–and developing an environment that supports motivated people
4. Courage–and the conviction to carry out intentions and tough decisions
5. Clarity of intention–and the insight to question your motives
6. Servant Leadership–and the wisdom to know what that means
7. Humor–and humility, they often travel hand-in-hand
8. Vision–and the ability to enroll your team in the journey
9. Vitality–even the physically incapacitated can possess the extraordinary mental vigor to lead
10.Confidence–not arrogance but faith in your abilities to lead
and 10+ Trustworthiness and Moral Fortitude
Your thoughts?
Successful Communication Equals Business Success
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How successful you are at communicating determines the degree to which you will be successful in business. Giving instructions, conducting interviews, presentations or selling all involve communication. Where do you stand?
“The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives.”
Tony Robbins said that and he was right. The good news is that communication skills can always improved. Start by evaluating your current ability.
Here are a 5 ways to determine how successful you are at expressing yourself:
Ask for and listen to feedback. Most people are fearful of doing this. Few people like to hear the unvarnished truth about how well they come across to others. Yet, this may be the key to unlocking your business growth. Ask people you trust to give you an honest response. Ask a mix of family, friends and business associates to get a better profile. Then listen, really listen. Decide what might be true and choose to make some changes. Be open to the information and thank them for their honesty.
What kind of clients do you have? Are you working with people you enjoy and respect? Do they express themselves well? Do they recommend you to others?
Would you want to associate with you? What message do you send to others about the people you socialize and do business with? Do you have a variety of associations? “You can’t fly with eagles if you’re hanging out with turkeys,” is a saying that holds a lot of truth. Take a critical look at your relationships and ask yourself if you need to make some changes.
How careful are you about your written or viral communications? Have you gotten lax about grammar and spelling? Do you speak or write in “text?” Do your articles, reports or books have numerous errors that erode your credibility?
How well do you follow-up? This is a big one. Success in personal and business relationships has everything to do with how well you follow-up. I’m including the courtesy of responding to an RSVP on an invitation. Failure to respond affects business—it doesn’t matter if it’s a wedding or a business function—the consequence is far reaching. If this were the benchmark for successful communication most people would be in trouble. On the business side, customer dissatisfaction is overwhelmingly about the lack of follow-up.
Take an honest look at these questions. Choose one you know you can change immediately and implement it now.
Leave me you thoughts. What burning question do you have about communicating in business?
Communicating at Work – Negotiating and Persuasive Conversations
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Negotiate anything, anytime.
Negotiations and persuasive communication are the skills most requested by business professionals. Communicating in the workplace requires tact, awareness, timing and the right words.
Here are three more key elements for successful negotiating and persuasive conversations:
1. Keep control of your emotions.
Negotiations trigger your emotions when you fail to realize that you are an adult speaking to another adult. Too frequently people fall into the “child-to-adult” role where pleading replaces negotiating. If you find that your emotions are surfacing excuse yourself from the situation rather than blundering ahead while blubbering. Get a hold of yourself–you’re an adult.
2. Know what you want–specifically.
Don’t leave the details of your request up to someone else. I once negotiated the terms of my firing. (Yes, everything is negotiable!) I was young and caught off guard (most people are) and found myself losing control. (see #1 above) I stated that I wanted further discussion but that I needed to leave the building for a short time. This gave me time to make decisions about what would serve me best in the next few weeks. I came back and asked for 1.) an office 2.) in another building where I could make calls 3.) a receptionist that would receive and forward my calls without comment and 4.) at least 3 weeks to conduct my job search. I don’t know where I got the nerve to ask for this but I felt the firing was unjustified. I got everything. And I got a job with a 43% increase within a week. Know what you want.
3. Know who you are talking to.
Will you be speaking to a dominant personality with a tendency toward angry outbursts? Or will you be lucky enough to be engaging a logical person or someone with high empathy? Tailor your communication to the behavior type you’ll be persuading or negotiating with.
Negotiating is a learned skill necessary for business success. Invest some time to learn the language and you’ll begin to feel at ease in any persuasive conversation.
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