Is There DUST in Your Communication?
Communication is the life-blood of human society.
It drives business and enables socialization.
Great communication makes us feel connected and positive.
Poor communication experiences can be frustrating, humiliating, annoying and expensive.
One of the things that really gums up a potential conversation, meeting, or negotiation is a layer of DUST.
This is my abbreviation for the personalities that make it hard for the rest of us to send and receive messages effectively.
You might be a DUSTy communicator if you are: Determined to show how much smarter you are than everyone else Unwilling to fully listen to anyone Snarky and rude in your feedback and comments Totally committed to never changing your mind about anything The person, who derails your meeting with a lecture about their area of expertise, while ignoring your deadline, is a DUSTy communicator.
You might be DUSTy if you find you are composing your response in your mind instead of listening to what someone is trying to say to you.
Someone who uses condescension and rudeness when constructive criticism or silence would be better is surly DUSTy.
And people who start sentences with "You're wasting your time telling me...
" are notifying you and the world they are DUSTy (and proud of it).
It's almost impossible to rehabilitate a DUSTy communicator; it's the kind of change that has to come from within.
However, if you honestly feel you see some of these signs in your own communication style there is hope...
you can do better.
Specific strategies you can use to get rid of DUST in your career and organization: - Participate in communication training and make sure you encourage a culture of lifelong learning.
- Refuse to tolerate rude, abusive, condescending language and behavior in your circle of influence.
If you are in a position of management make sure there are consequences for poor communication.
If you do not intervene now there will most likely be "bottom line" consequences later in lost business or misused staffing hours.
- Practice attentive listening as often as possible.
If you are raising children, training employees, mentoring students or in any other position of leadership make listening for understanding an often discussed and utilized skill.
- Avoid the temptation to equate things like formal education, position or raw intelligence with personal value.
It's this mistake that allows some people to feel they are smarter or better than others and prevents true participation in dialogue.
Don't let a layer of DUST ruin your next presentation, conversation or negotiation.
It drives business and enables socialization.
Great communication makes us feel connected and positive.
Poor communication experiences can be frustrating, humiliating, annoying and expensive.
One of the things that really gums up a potential conversation, meeting, or negotiation is a layer of DUST.
This is my abbreviation for the personalities that make it hard for the rest of us to send and receive messages effectively.
You might be a DUSTy communicator if you are: Determined to show how much smarter you are than everyone else Unwilling to fully listen to anyone Snarky and rude in your feedback and comments Totally committed to never changing your mind about anything The person, who derails your meeting with a lecture about their area of expertise, while ignoring your deadline, is a DUSTy communicator.
You might be DUSTy if you find you are composing your response in your mind instead of listening to what someone is trying to say to you.
Someone who uses condescension and rudeness when constructive criticism or silence would be better is surly DUSTy.
And people who start sentences with "You're wasting your time telling me...
" are notifying you and the world they are DUSTy (and proud of it).
It's almost impossible to rehabilitate a DUSTy communicator; it's the kind of change that has to come from within.
However, if you honestly feel you see some of these signs in your own communication style there is hope...
you can do better.
Specific strategies you can use to get rid of DUST in your career and organization: - Participate in communication training and make sure you encourage a culture of lifelong learning.
- Refuse to tolerate rude, abusive, condescending language and behavior in your circle of influence.
If you are in a position of management make sure there are consequences for poor communication.
If you do not intervene now there will most likely be "bottom line" consequences later in lost business or misused staffing hours.
- Practice attentive listening as often as possible.
If you are raising children, training employees, mentoring students or in any other position of leadership make listening for understanding an often discussed and utilized skill.
- Avoid the temptation to equate things like formal education, position or raw intelligence with personal value.
It's this mistake that allows some people to feel they are smarter or better than others and prevents true participation in dialogue.
Don't let a layer of DUST ruin your next presentation, conversation or negotiation.
Source...