21. Speak Your Best at All Times
When you are speaking, you are in control of the conversation—as long as you are saying something to which the listener is receptive. Delivery is an important part of speaking. How you say something—that is, the tone and timing of your message—is just as important as the words you choose.
Performance Prompts
Be clear and precise. Think about what you want to say before you open your mouth.
Speak effectively by stating exactly what you mean in a positive and assertive manner.
Be specific. Focus on communicating one idea at a time.
Make eye contact when you speak. Eye contact communicates confidence and honesty.
When speaking to new people, keep your emotions out of the conversation.
Assess your audience, and speak to their level of understanding.
Assess the situation before launching into a conversation. Now might not be a good time.
Make it a habit to never use profanity, jargon, slang, or clichés.
Return phone calls promptly. Be dependable.
When making a call, identify your company and your name before jumping into your conversation.
Erase the words I can’t from your vocabulary. Instead, stress what you can do.
When speaking to others, choose words and a tone that do not patronize listeners.
Vary your tone, pitch, and loudness. People are more likely to stay with a speaker whose voice is interesting to listen to.
When This Happens ...
You need to speak to a manager about a problem you had with one of her employees. As you walk into her cubicle, she is working on a project. She barely looks up as she mumbles, “Hi.” You begin explaining the problem you had with the way Ken handled a customer. Now, the customer is upset and wants a refund. She looks at you and says, “I don’t have time for this. Just deal with it.” This is not how you thought the conversation would go. This is not the first time Ken caused a customer problem, and you do not want to just deal with it.
Try This
This is clearly not the right time to talk to the manager about an employee problem. When you first saw that she was working on a project, you might have asked, “Is this a good time for us to talk?” That would have shown that you are considerate. Her answer will tell you if she is receptive. If not, schedule a time to get together.
Be a considerate communicator by learning good timing.