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Unit 3: Conversation Building




          7.   Visualise:  Visualisation  is  a  technique  that  can  enhance  listening:  a  picture  is  worth  a   notes
               thousand words. One way to use visualisation is to visualise what you are being told.
               Some people are more visual than others. If visualisation is more a chore than a help, you
               may not be a visual person. But anything new takes some adjustment and might take a few
               tries before feeling natural.
          8.   Remember Names: The first step in remembering names is deciding that they are important
               to remember. Listen when you’re told about someone prior to introductions. Repeat the
               names when you are introduced. Make associations to remember names.
          9.   Question:  Going  into  a  listening  situation  with  questions  in  your  mind  will  help  you
               remember and, often, put information into the framework of your existing knowledge.
               Listen to body language and be quick to clarify assumptions if you are unsure or are getting
               a negative message. Observe. Listen. Ask.
          10.   Be Aware: We must be aware of the speaker, aware of verbal and non-verbal cues, and
               aware of our own listening strengths and challenges.

          11.   Have a Positive Attitude: Attitudes drive behavior. Your body language is a result of your
               mental attitude. By choosing your attitude you get in that mood and send out a message
               that everyone understands, consciously or unconsciously.
               “Almost always, you have a choice as to what attitude to adopt. There is nothing in any
               normal work situation that dictates you must react one way or another. If you feel angry
               about  something  that  happens,  for  instance,  that’s  how  you  choose  to  feel.  Nothing  in
               the event itself makes it absolutely necessary for you to feel that way. It is your choice.
               And since you do have a choice, most of the time you’ll be better off if you choose to react
               in a positive rather than a negative way.”
               It is not what happens to you that counts. It is how you react to what happens to you,
               especially when you have unexpected problems of any kind.
          12.   Try to be a Leader: A leader creates the environment that determines people’s moods at the
               office and their mood, in turn, affects their productivity and level of engagement.

               When we move the curtain a bit, we can see clearly that a leader’s bad mood is a source of
               Infection – an emotional contagion that eventually spreads across people to entire units.
               We can learn a thing or two from leadership in the military. Imagine the effect on troop
               morale and energy that an “overwhelmed,” “anxious,” “worried” or “irate” leader would
               have.

               Take a hard look at your behavior in meetings, which are often “cauldrons of emotion.” Do
               you model the way by setting a positive tone right from the start? Or do you impose your
               own “pace” based on how you feel at the moment? Aim for a calm, relaxed mood and a
               consistent, positive approach.
               One of the central objectives of a leader is to make others aware of the greatness that lies in
               them. Be known in your organization as someone who is always on the lookout for what is
               right with people. It engenders good will and is good for business.
               Do you have a good reading of the climate of your unit or organization? Can you accurately
               sense what the emotional atmosphere is? Is it upbeat? Is it energized? Is it down or dejected?
               Do people seem slightly apprehensive and somewhat cautious in your presence? Can you
               ask a trusted acolyte if the atmosphere changes when you are away?
               If  you  are  an  emergent  leader,  and  working  on  having  a  pleasant  personality  is  not  a
               priority  for  you,  consider  putting  some  effort  into  cultivating  this  prized  quality.  It  is
               almost  impossible  to  have  executive  presence  without  it.  Be  cooperative,  for  example,
               sharing ideas and shortcuts. This is another example of how mood affects productivity.





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