This document discusses effective communication and provides tips to improve communication. It outlines symptoms of poor communication like unnecessary work, low morale, and finger pointing. Reasons for poor communication are explored from a 50,000 foot level down to a 100 foot level. Ways to improve communication include listening, being respectful, focusing on specifics, and ensuring messages are concise, consistent and reach the intended audience through the proper channels. Generational differences in communication preferences are also reviewed. The overall message is that effective communication is important for organizational success and can be improved by understanding causes of issues and implementing strategies across multiple levels of an organization.

1. Getting to the Point
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TRAINING
G COFOID CONSULTANTS © 2018

2. Summary
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3. Getting to the Point
Training Series
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
G P COFOID

4. Effective
Communication
IMPROVING INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM PERFORMANCE

5. Overview
• Objectives
• Symptoms of Communication Problems
• Reasons for Poor Communication
• Prevention
• Addressing & Coaching
• Generational Differences
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6. Symptoms
• Symptoms of Poor Communication Include:
• Unnecessary work performed that’s not needed
• Poor relationships between departments/employees
• Low morale
• High absenteeism
• Low office energy – unwillingness to volunteer for projects
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7. Symptoms (cont’d)
• Symptoms of Poor Communication Include:
• Disrespect
• Ignoring or returning calls, emails late
• Back-and-forth emails in heated exchange over an issue
• Employees expressing irritation over the simplest of email messages
• Finger pointing – blaming others
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8. Symptoms (cont’d)
• Symptoms of Poor Communication Include:
• Mistrust about anything coming from management
• Unwillingness to serve on cross-functional teams
• Negativity
• Constant unawareness of major developments within the company or dept.
• High reliance on grapevine news
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9. Reasons for Poor Communication:
50,000 ft. Level
• Ill-suited culture
• Mixed messages from the top
• Inconsistent cultural norms established or enforced
• Inconsistent hiring practices according to the cultural paradigm
• Unclear Objectives –Vision
• Lack of Leadership
• NotWalking theTalk
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10. Reasons for Poor Communication:
10,000 ft. Level
• Lack of proper planning and analysis
• Lack of proactive management style
• Knee-jerk reactions to events
• Giving mixed messages - confusing explanations
• Afraid of sharing information
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11. Reasons for Poor Communication:
1,000 ft. Level
• PoorWriting andVerbal Skills
• Giving low priority to communication
• Inadequate tools for communicating
• Lack of software, hardware, Internet access, etc.
• Personality conflicts
• Not anticipating and addressing expected questions in message
• Not writing to the intended audience
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12. Reasons for Poor Communication:
100 ft. Level
• Lack of Proof-reading/checking
• Assuming others already know
• Poorly organized thoughts
• Not providing appropriate background or context
• Conflicting information within same document
• Mistakes in facts
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13. Causes
• Ego
• Belief that others won’t understand or don’t need to know
• Inability
• Don’t have the skill set to communicate as required for position
• Politics
• Company culture rewards those who hold knowledge; rewards individuality
rather than team or department success.
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14. Causes (cont’d)
• Geography
• Different languages, time zones, cultural norms, etc.
• Assumptions
• Misunderstanding – disconnect regarding priorities, objectives, urgency, etc.
• Personality Differences/Incompatibilities
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15. Differences in People
• Create Communication Breakdowns
• Preconceptions
• Assuming theWorst
• Misinterpreting Style Differences
• Generational Differences
• Differences in Life Experiences
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16. Basic DISC Quadrants
• D = Dominance
• I = Inspirational
• S = Supportive
• C = Cautious
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17. DISC Model
The DISC Model of Human Behavior
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18. Figure out how people “listen”
• Different People Learn Differently
• Modes of learning - understanding:
• Aural
• Visual
• Tactile
• Most common is visual
• This makes charts, graphs, pictures, videos most effective
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19. Without Good Communication
• End result can be:
• Dysfunctional organization
• Mistrusting workforce
• Negative attitudes
• High turnover of top performers
• Tuning out the message
• Conflict
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20. Good Communication involves:
• First listen
• Empathize
• Be sincere
• Focus on the positive
• 95% positive / 5% negative (Delivered) = 50% positive / 50% negative (Heard)
• Focus on specifics not generalizations – give examples
• Be respectful
• Give and take
• Be consistent – don’t waffle
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21. Ways to Improve
100 ft. Level
• Re-read communication a day after it’s drafted
• Re-read as if you know nothing about the subject
• Re-read for any misinterpretations
• Have someone else read the communication and give feedback
• Ensure the communication is timely
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22. Ways to improve
100 ft. (cont’d)
• Keep overall message short and concise
• Use simple words to convey your meaning
• Don’t include long explanations or other information not relevant to
your core message
• Ensure all information needed is attached or presented
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23. Ways to improve
1,000 ft.
• Use an appropriate vehicle for communicating to
your audience
• Ensure the proper audience is getting the
communication
• Arrange writing, speech training for staff in need
• Get the right software to communicate your
message – keep it simple!
• Consider questions or challenges that may be
raised by your message and address proactively
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24. Ways to improve
10,000 ft.
• Do your homework before you send out the message. Make sure you
have your facts correct and it’s consistent
• Reward managers who are proactive and line up a communication plan
in advance of a large project
• Create a communication plan for large projects and execute it timely
• Review other messages by managers/executives on the same topic to
ensure your message is consistent and not confusing or conflicting
• See sharing of information as a strength, not a weakness. Reward
others in your department who share and not horde information
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25. Ways to Improve
50,000 ft.
• Ensure the culture you want for the company supports
a communication style that will get the job done
• Be consistent when establishing or rewarding
behavior. Make sure it will facilitate and not block
communication up and down
• Hire people who share the value of sharing
information and teamwork
• Ensure the company’s vision is clear
• Make sure executives/mgrs. are walking the walk.
They are the role models for others in the company
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26. Other Ways to Improve
• Use diagrams
• Use pictures
• Use charts and graphs
• Over communicate
• If you see something relevant to someone else, forward it
• Copy all those who may need to know what you’re communicating
• Use multiple means of communicating – send an email and follow-up
with a group meeting.
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27. Generational Differences
DIFFERENT WAYS WE COMMUNICATE
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28. Ages
• Different generations communicate differently
• Baby Boomers - born 1946 - 1965
• Gen X – 1966-1980
• GenY Millennials – 1981-2000
• Gen Z – 2001 - present
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29. Modes of Communication
• Baby Boomers
• Like face-to-face or written communication
• Boomers like telephone calls, emails, and memos
• Gen Xers
• Like email and certain social media
• Gen Xers like Facebook,YouTube,Twitter , Skype,Texting
• Millennials
• Prefer social media and videos
• Millennials like Snapchat, Pinterest, Instagram, WhatsApp, &Texting
• Gen Zers
• Prefer instant social media and videos
• PreferYammer, Chatter, Slack – interoffice message sharing systems
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30. Multiple Channels
• Using multiple channels to reach employees
• Consider a combination of channels:
• Email broadcast
• Periodic Newsletter onYouTube
• Company Blog Page
• Internal Social Media SW
• Executive Announcements via Skype
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31. Other Considerations
COMMUNICATING
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32. Miscommunication
SPEAKING GREEK? SET THE BASELINE
• Agree to “give the other person the
benefit of the doubt”
• Review the problem communication
with an objective mind
• Clear up any misinterpretations
• Determine how the communication
might have been done differently
• Take solution and place in Learning
DB for others to learn
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33. Your
Communicating
Style
Can you change?
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34. G COFOID Consultants
WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/IN/GREGCOFOID
COFOIDG@GMAIL.COM
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