In life we have so much going on and are so busy that we fail to see the need or create the time to focus on improving our communication skills. We continue to do what comes easy and stay stuck in patterns that are not creating the results we want. This is not just our personal relationships; it is our business relationships and business connections, as well as the new clients we attract and the clients that we need to retain.
Let me ask you this: Are you ready to “Discover the Top 3 Foundational Factors to Achieve Better Communication and Teamwork?”
After 32 years of marriage and raising a family and over 30 years as an Entrepreneur, I have developed what I call foundational factors, because I feel that they are the foundation to improving our communication. When we improve our communication, other people feel respected, valued, and loved. We make them feel like they belong. Belonging is one of the essential categories in Maslow’s Hierarchy of basic needs.
Wouldn’t it make sense that when we work to incorporate this important need, that we would have improved success with our communication? Absolutely!
Let’s begin by breaking down the Top 3 Foundational Factors to achieve better Communication and Teamwork:
- Clear Communication
- Complete Connection
- Consistent Consideration
Most people feel that they are having Clear Communication when in fact they are not. What I have consistently found after mentoring and training hundreds of people is that quite often the breakdown comes from jumping to conclusions. We have unmet expectations and assume the other person should know what we feel or think. We judge them according to that criteria.
In the video I tell a story of my husband and I attending a conference and doing a simple little communication exercise. We completely failed at this exercise! It was interesting to see that even after tons of personal experience, many years together as extremely successful Entrepreneurs and having conquered many of life’s toughest challenges while maintaining a fantastic marriage and relationship, even threw head injuries, personality changes, cancer, suicide and death of loved ones.
We must let go of our jumping to conclusions, our assuming, our unmet expectations and our judgement. To have clear communication we must embrace speaking up, allowing others to speak, capitalizing on their strengths, abilities and talents, as well as learning better listening skills.
When we learn to value others for their strengths and abilities and we recognize them for it they immediately feel validated, valued and appreciated. They in turn feel that they can trust us and are more likely to open up and communicate better, thus clear communication.
Let’s talk about Complete Connection.
At a young age I was taught STOP, LOOK & LISTEN. For the most part this was for safety. But I want you to think about this. Don’t we need to really Stop, to assess the situation and then Look to see what is happening and Listen to others as they speak to master our communication? To make a complete connection with people we must master this.
Listening is a skill. It is proven that in our society, we are losing this skill. There are too many distractions with technology; we are too busy and overstimulated. Yet, people still have the need to be heard.
It is proven that in Communication only 7% is verbal. 38% is tone and inflection and 55% is in our body language. Are you aware of your Body Language? Are you open and approachable or closed off and stern? Are you welcoming and creating complete connections? My guess is that we can all improve in each of these areas. By improving them, we would thus have better relationships and that would result in better communication and teamwork.
Everyone wants to know,” What’s in it for me”, right? This has become a huge thing in our world right now. Have you ever considered, “What’s in it for THEM?”
- What’s in it for them to be in a relationship with you?
- What’s in it for them to do business with you?
- What’s in it for them to be your employee?
- What’s in it for them to be your joint venture partner?
- What’s in it for them to listen to you?
- What’s in it for them to be associated with you?
When we can raise the bar and show others through our communication and teamwork that it is a different experience working with us, it will attract more clients, retain more clients and employees. It creates our relationships to be lasting and meaningful. It improves marriage and your relationship with your children.
Our final factor is Consistent Consideration.
Last Saturday at noon, I was still in my pajamas, a serious case of bed head and yesterday’s mascara now much lower on my face. I was in my back office writing my book,” 7 Traits to Create All Things Possible”. It was the first Saturday I had not been out of town speaking or at other obligations in six weeks. When all of the sudden the doorbell rang. NOT the front doorbell, but the back doorbell! That meant someone was standing at the glass doors looking right into the kitchen which just happened to be the room next to me.
There was NO way out without being seen. I was the only one home! So, I did what any sane person would do, I stood up and peeked out the wood blinds to see if I knew who it was. Of course, I did not recognize the truck in my driveway. So I fluffed my bedhead and rubbed the mascara out from under my eyes and marched the door.
There stood a teenage girl with a plate of cookies. I opened the door and she said, “The youth group in our area is spreading the love today and we thought of you!” I immediately felt value, respect, recognized and that ahhhh moment!
How would this make you feel? Are you showing Consistent Consideration?
- How often are you making others feel that ahhhh moment?
- Are you doing things that are unexpected?
- Are you recognizing others and giving compliments?
- Do you consistently send Thank you cards or notes of appreciation?
- Are you giving others a pat on the back and noticing them for their good work?
- Are you good at managing expectations in your workplace and at home in your relationships?
These are just a few suggestions of how you could show Constant Consideration, and it will immediately add value to all relationships! I suggest you give it great emphasis and make it a habit that you consistently follow.
Watch my video. It is just eight minutes and will give you the emphasis you need to “Discover the Top 3 Foundational Factors to Achieve Better Communication and Teamwork!”
Thank you for being here. If you liked this, please Join me at www.AllThingsPossible.biz. Become part of our community. Book me to speak or just glean from the many powerful messages.