Dianna Booher's Blog, page 35

6 Things You Communicate Without Ever Opening Your Mouth

Privacy has become a hot issue on social media. People fear giving up too much information in their profiles, posts, pins, or tweets to strangers who might want to harm them or to advertisers who might want to nag them. But those things aside, your body language and actions may give away much more to your clients, coworkers, and friends than they’d ever discover on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Do you really want them to know these things?

I like you; I’m interested: Paul Ekman, a psyc...

Communicating Confidence Versus Arrogance

You’ve probably dealt with people whom you’ve wanted to whop upside the head because of their arrogant attitude. Yet some might argue that they’re simply confident in their job and “know what they know” and need you to understand they’re a credible source of information or help.

They’re wrong.

I don’t mean they’re wrong to be confident or wrong to establish credibility. In fact, feeling confident and being credible prove valuable characteristics.

But there’s no reason to confuse confidence...

6 Ways to Handle Your Email Faster

I knew we’d reached a crisis point when my octogenarian mom said to me a couple of years ago after dinner out, “I need to get home and do email.” What was once a productivity boost has become a bane for even the most ambitious achievers.

Here are a few best practices:

Forget the Once-Upon-a-Time Structure

Think first, then write. Summarize the situation, your opinion, or your “news” in your opening sentence. You’ll be surprised how many details will become totally unnecessary. (Such detail...

Can, Uh, You, Ah, Stop Using Word-Fillers?

I’m not being literal because some speakers weary their audiences with more than word fillers (like, so, right, basically, literally, absolutely, actually).

Some fill their spaces with only sounds (mmm, hmmm, ah, uh, ay) while others fill the pauses with entire phrases (“Follow me?” “Are you with me?” “You know.” “What I’m getting at…” “To be very clear…” “In my opinion…”)

These add nothing but length. In fact, they detract. If they work their way into your speech patterns too often, peopl...

Make Yourself Memorable: 6 Communication Can-Do’s

The desire to be memorable doesn’t necessarily represent ego. It might, sure. But helping your clients, coworkers, or even your friends keep you top of mind may be more about making decisions, winning contracts, getting votes, or even changing the other person’s own harmful habits. Whatever the specific situation, being memorable represents the first step in getting a message across. People are not likely to be influenced by a message they can’t even remember.

So to be memorable, master th...

Talk First; Think Later: A Growing Communication Trend?

Listening to the media grilling and public outcry after politicians of both parties open their mouths, I often think to myself: “How that’s working for you?” (By that, I’m referring to the habit of reactionary rather than intentional communication.)

Almost every day politicians are “walking something back”—something they said in the heat of the moment as an off-handed comment in a crowd, as a response to an interview question, or as a come-back to someone’s criticism or plea for help. And...

Following Up When People Fail to Do What They Say

The client doesn’t return your call. The doctor’s office forgets to call with the test results. A colleague never makes the introduction she promised. Your neighbor fails to return the item he borrowed. If it happens once, a gentle reminder works well with most people. But if these procrastinators have made empty promises a habit, then you’ll need to be more proactive in following up to get action.

Here’s how:

Congratulate Them

If you’re dealing with a prospect who has told you they would...

7 Hacks to Improve Your Writing

Not everyone wants to be a novelist. Most people would settle for writing a text message without the auto-correct feature turning an accurately spelled word into an amazingly stupid substitute. Here are a few hacks to help you write better emails, reports, proposals, or marketing copy:

Think First. Great writing flows from great thinking. Some people write as a method to think through a situation or decision. If that works for you, good. But don’t consider that email, proposal, or script...

Poor Communication by Doctors Causing Rising Health Care Costs

My sprightly 89-year-old dad had been walking two miles every day until his back began to bother him five months ago. Now, after seeing 3 back specialists, he’s bent over at about 30 degrees and using a cane. Two of the three physicians should be video recorded for training new interns in how NOT to communicate. No doubt, such communication problems lead to the rising healthcare costs that affect all consumers.

According to Laura Landro, managing editor for the Wall Street Journal and auth...

Avoid Communication Insults—Body Blows, No-Shows, Email Bombs, and Cyber-Punks

If you’ve been a victim of these communication insults, then you know a slap upside the head can feel softer than these blows to the heart. Offenders will not likely not improve their chances of making friends, motivating change, or moving up the food chain.

Still, some people fail to recognize the communication mayhem they create by habits that leave coworkers slighted, insulted, or vexed. So let me be more specific:

Cyber-Punks

These socialites insult with what they consider clever sarca...