Team/Client/Vendor Communication

Today superior communication skills are a requirement as opposed to a luxury.  Communication is truly what makes the world go round.  Yet communication has been described as the number one problem in business and in life.

This is why, when Warren Buffet was a presenter at a Columbia University Town Hall meeting for students, he said that the lifetime value of the student who had posed a question to him would increase by 50% if he were able to add communication skills to his MBA from Columbia.  Truly amazing,  isn’t it,  that one skill set could add so much value to him and the companies that he would be employed by and/or own over his lifetime.

Clarity

What is so clear to one person is all too frequently unclear to the other person.  Often, we hear the statement, “He or she should know.”  Our question in return is “Why should they know?  Were they raised by your parents, did they go to your same schools, have your exact jobs?”  Since the answer is “Definitely not”, thinking about and planning for important conversations can make all the difference.  Group similar ideas and thoughts into one conversation whenever possible to save time,  as well as clarify important nuggets of thoughts that inform the listener in a more comprehensive manner to create better results.

Proactive

Sharing information after the fact frequently leads to wasted materials, supplies, time, effort, money and leads to so much frustration.  With planning it is not only possible, but can be expected that outcomes will improve and many dollars saved.

Open Ended Questions

This manner of asking questions engenders active involvement and understanding between parties.  It is the best way to identify problems, uncover underlying feelings, attitudes and needs while encouraging the sharing of valuable suggestions and solutions.

Empathy

Empathy is a basic human need.  We all appreciate it when people know where we are coming from and put themselves in our shoes so to speak.  This does not mean that you have to agree with the other person about everything, but rather to show you understand where they are mentally and emotionally and that you are willing to validate them as people.

Listening

Listening for the complete or total message is important.  You may have experienced the time when you caught part of what another person was saying only to find out that it led you in a totally incorrect direction.  Sometimes this just causes a lot of frustration.  Other times it can cost an individual a job and a company lost revenue and credibility.

Style Flexing

Understanding where a person is personality-wise can be enormously helpful in determining your approach to a conversation with a client, vendor or employee.  Just think.  You can style your proposal to not only fit a client’s service and financial needs but also to their personality,  which leads to increased understanding and better results.

All of these factors contribute to improved understanding, smother processes, less waste and so much more.

Success Stories

We frequently have clients tell us that learning about these different aspects of improved communication have been quite literally, life changing.