October 2008

Don't Count Your Words, Make Your Words Count

People often ask me if I will ever write another book. My standard response is, "Only if I have something amazing and worthwhile to say in a way that hasn't been thought of before." That's a tall order in a world that bombards us with information—little of which is important, some of which is mediocre and most of which is quite pointless.

The same can be said for our daily conversations. Without a doubt, most of the barriers to peak performance that I observe are related to the way we communicate with each other. One of the biggest mistakes: thinking that because you talk the most, spout off the greatest number of ideas or always get the last word means you win the communications game. But actually, you lose, because eventually people will feel overwhelmed, tune you out, or worse, begin to resent you because you are not respecting their time, their feelings or their opinions.

If you were a fly on the wall of most offices or in most meetings, you'd see a lot more being accomplished if people would do one thing: shut up! Silence is powerful beyond words. It shows that you're listening. It shows that you are thoughtful. It shows that you're not just flying by the seat of your pants.

When you measure your words, your words have greater impact. They speak volumes about your level of professionalism and focus. If you are the type of communicator who believes that less is more, when you do speak, you will be much more likely to be heard.

Put It into Practice:

For one day, let the following criteria be your guide—and observe how it affects your life experience and changes the way people relate to you. If it's working for you, repeat the exercise until it becomes a habit.

"Before you speak, ask yourself: is it kind, is it necessary, is it true, does it improve the silence?"
—Shirdi Sai Baba, Indian Saint

Perform at Your Peak:

To experience how these and other communication strategies can improve performance within your organization, sign on for A Recipe for Results or Collaboration Exploration.

Ovations Inc. takes corporate teams out of the office to experience activities such as cooking, Pilates, golf and scavenger hunts. Teams focus on various areas of peak performance and apply the learnings back to the work environment. Contact us to find out how can help take your team to the top.

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