Help others see beauty through your communication.

In my last several blogs, I have focused on the importance of improving your verbal and non-verbal communication to effectively interact with your clients or audience to build relationships and to be viewed as a strategic partner or trusted adviser. There are many factors at play in effective communication. It is often less about what you say, and more about how you say it, that has the most impact. I encourage you to follow the link to a video that reveals how powerful, and potentially life impacting, your words and message can be:
http://www.youtube.co/watch_popup?v=Hzgzim5m7oU&vq=medium
Remember, communication is a two-way exercise. Without knowing something about your readers, clients or audience, you’ll rarely get your ideas to have impact. As in the video, you will realize that connecting with people’s emotions often depends on adding subtle and more personal dynamics to your presentation or communication. Once passers-by became aware of their reality and good fortune, it motivated them to show empathy and compassion for another person. Consider this as an example of the importance of the way you communicate through your actions and words and the messages you send to the world.
Your written communication can also have a huge impact on your success. If you’re writing a memo to colleagues consider how they’ll interpret what you’re saying based on their level or position within the organization. If you’re responding to a client’s request for proposal, address every need outlined in the RFP but also think about the client’s culture, values and aspirations so that you may be able to engage them at a deeper and more personal level. Make your message accessible, persuasive and even compelling to the reader.
Consider that when communicating, people’s perceptions and personal filters, assumptions, judgments and beliefs can distort or even become a barrier to what they actually hear. Ensure your verbal and non-verbal signals are aligned and always communicate to reach your client’s head, heart and gut.

The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. – Hans Hofmann