speaking

Erik Tyler | October 1, 2015 | 4 Comments

Communication Style: A Feedback Experiment

Today’s COMMUNICATION post – by Erik Tyler

I’d like to start with a question. But before I pose that question, I want to encourage you to actually answer it. From the very beginning here on asmithblog.com, I’ve been championing the importance of experimentation in the learning process. In short, those who are willing to engage and take risks will remember and grow. Those who feel that experimental learning is beneath them, or that it is a waste of time – well, they won’t remember or grow, at least not nearly to the degree as those who are willing to be participants in the process.

And now for that question:

How would you describe
your communication style
in three words or less?

How would you describe your communication style in three words or less? Share on X

Grab a piece of paper, a sticky note or your Notes app right now and jot down 1 – 3 separate words that you feel best describe your own communication style. As you assess yourself, determine to be neither unduly flattering nor modest. Being honest about both your strengths and weaknesses is essential to maximizing your potential.

Erik Tyler | August 20, 2015 | 10 Comments

Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me (Ask Instead) – Erik Tyler

You’ve been there. You’re leading a group. You’re meeting with a coworker, an employee, your boss, or maybe even your spouse. You feel like you are speaking clearly, but the crickets are chirping in the corner. You’re met with slack jaws, slightly glazed eyes – and silence.

Maybe you find yourself meeting with people to discuss action points that need to be put in motion after your meeting is done, whether as part of a project team, employee reviews or conflict resolution. And people are nodding in agreement. Perhaps you’ve fallen back on the old standby of asking people to “repeat back what I just told you,” and they did so verbatim. Then … nothing happens. Nothing changes. Yet, you’re positive they heard you. What happened?

Worse yet, maybe it’s not silence or inactivity that you’re finding to be the problem. On the contrary, you’re thinking you would welcome some silence, because it seems like too many meetings dissolve into debate, arguing, posturing, resistance, confusion or general chaos.

I’m hopeful that you will have some real “Aha!” moments during our next few minutes together. Let me also add that, while this blog is geared toward business communication, the principles and approaches we’ll discuss here apply to interpersonal communication anywhere : with students you teach; with your friends, your spouse, your kids. In short, they are “people practices” not merely “business practices.” And as such, you may find the greatest value comes in getting through to your teen son than your business associates.

Erik Tyler | August 13, 2015 | 4 Comments

How to Remember Things PART 4: Order – Erik Tyler

This is the final installment (for now) in our “How to Remember Things” series. If you’ve been keeping up along the way, I trust I have presented a compelling case for how valuable memory is to communication.

And if you’re just joining us, welcome! You may want to take the time to review the first three posts in the series, since they provide important foundational principles regarding how to remember things using the right (in both senses of the word) side of your brain, rather than the left. Here are the fast links to those earlier posts, for your convenience:

Part 1: How to Remember Tricky Spelling

Part 2: How to Remember Names and Faces

Part 3: How to Remember Facts and Vocabulary

Today, we’re going to learn how to remember information that must remain in a particular sequence in order to be valuable. In school, this took the form of remembering the presidents or the steps to solving long division problems. As adults, this becomes useful when you need a strategy for how to remember any new process at work. Leaders will also find it useful as a way to keep meeting or presentation points flowing without having to constantly refer to your notes (or lose your place in them).