The Most Important Component In a Relationship

"90 percent of all management problems are caused by miscommunication."

                        --Dale Carnegie

Think about the relationships that are important to you:

?         Customers

?         Co-Workers on your level

?         Co-workers senior to you

?         Co workers junior to you

?         Personal

Are you satisfied with these relationships? Which ones would you like to improve?

You can’t improve a relationship if you are not effective at communicating. Everything else pales next to that.

Do you need to improve your listening skills?

Do you consider others’ communications preferences?

Do you attempt to provide communications that have value to the recipient, rather than value to yourself?

Do you understand how to create an effective e-mail campaign?

How are your e-mails to co-workers? Do they ramble on and on?

How are your presentation skills? If your first step in planning a presentation is to open up Powerpoint or Keynote, you may have a problem.

Think about the customer service implications here. How many complaints are created or become much worse because someone didn’t communicate in an accurate or timely fashion? “I drove all the way over here because you told me it would be ready today!”

“Well, I assumed you would….!”

How much anger is created when people perceive that your organization doesn’t listen? Or that you don’t?

Invest time in becoming a more effective communicator. You will eliminate more problems and become more persuasive and informative. Ultimately you will become more successful.

Perhaps Dale Carnegie exaggerated. Let’s say that only 50 percent of all management problems are caused by miscommunication. How great would your life be if you could eliminate half of your problems?

Regards,

Glenn

You can communicate more effectively with me by following me on Twitter. I’m txglennross.

PS: Approaching my twentieth wedding anniversary, I can tell you that if you substitute the word, "marital" for "management" in Dale’s quote, it will still be accurate.

Books I recommend:

How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie

7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

You Just Don’t Understand by Deborah Tannen

Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds (He also has a great blog.)

Slideology by Nancy Duarte

The Exceptional Presenter by Tim Kogel

The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs by Carmine Gallo (currently reading this. So far, very good.)

Guide To Effective Military Writing by William McIntosh (No, really. Google “BLUF” aka "Bottom Line Up Front"

I also recommend you join Toastmasters. Not only will your speaking skills grow, but it's a great place to meet people, increase your leadership skills, and learn more about a large variety of topics. I find many meetings not only motivational but fun.