The definitive playbook on effective workplace communication
The most powerful leaders know that "communication is as important as air." Ever since Aristotle realized that leaders must match their speech to their listeners' thinking styles, master communicators have led successfully by translating their ideas into effective words. Communication is critical to ensuring employee engagement and organizational success. Any leader or manager can master it - as long as he or she has the right tools!
That's where leadership communication experts Ethan Becker and Jon Wortmann come in. They've written the definitive playbook on expert corporate communication, MASTERING COMMUNICATION AT WORK (McGraw-Hill, August 2009). They've identified and defined six critical techniques of successful communication:
• Matching Your Listener's Tendency: Communicate with both inductive and deductive listeners
• Managing Your Ethos: Identify and maintain your credibility
• Speaking to Motivate: Use the Motivation Matrix to determine the factors that push and pull your team
• Framing: Choose the right language to direct your listeners' focus
• Validating: Affirm without patronizing - it's not as simple as saying "Good job"
• Adding Color: Master speed, volume, stress, and inflection to match what you say with how you say it
Becker and Wortmann then guide readers through 6 critical business "moments," when leaders can apply their masterful communication skills in the challenging situations they face each day:
Defensiveness
When: you need employees to work late; your organization is defensive; the room is angry
Meetings
When: there's a bully in the room; the boss cuts you off; someone shuts down
Hiring and interviews
When: you're hiring a new staff member; you're looking for a job
Delegation
When: you're delegating to an equal; you're delegating to someone who doesn't report to you
Criticism
When: performance reviews; criticizing your boss
Presentations
When: keynote presentations; all-company meetings; sales presentations
MASTERING COMMUNICATION AT WORK provides real-life stories from leaders at influential organizations including IBM, Google, EMI Music Publishing, the New York Giants, the Central Bank of Malaysia, Ameriprise Financial, the White House, Boston Scientific, and more. Useful assessment tools included in the book allow readers to measure the effectiveness of the skills they've learned as they journey down the path toward becoming master communicators.
THE AUTHORS:
Ethan Becker (Boston, MA) is president and senior coach/trainer for the Speech Improvement Company, Inc., the oldest communication coaching and training firm in America. He specializes in motivating teams, strengthening executive communication, controlling fear of speaking, and developing effectiveness in public presentations. He has worked with Harvard University, IBM, Boston Scientific, the New York Giants, the F.B.I., and clients in Malaysia, Japan, Australia, and Singapore.
For more information: http://www.speechimprovement.com/
Jon Wortmann (Vernon, CT) is an advisor and speaker on leadership, communication, and building trusted relationships. Trained at Harvard University, he has consulted with educational, nonprofit, startup, and Fortune 100 organizations. He is the principal at Muse Arts, LLC, a think tank and consultancy for leaders.
For more information: http://www.whyilead.org/
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