The birds and the bees and

the geese and the trees all

communicate better than

you!

At least, that’s what the odds are. They all spend their lives at communicating. You probably spend yours energizing your business, and not giving a whole lot of thought to keeping those around you informed or engaged in dialogue any more than you think you need to, right?

Ah, but energizing your communications is the highest form of energizing your business.

Well, even if this assessment is only partly right, it still means you are completely wrong. Sorry for the hard line here but I don’t imagine you’ll get much tough talk from those who work for you, or from your mother or your dog. And a good swift kick in the butt can sometimes get the head in gear if you know what I mean.

Are you communicating too little to your associates and staff? (Do they tilt their heads and squint a lot?) Or perhaps you tell them too much? (Do they nod politely and look at their watches a lot? Pull up the sidewalks and get outta Dodge if they start listening to their watches!)

Or do you communicate just the right amount? How can you know what the right amount is? (Do your people sit up or lean forward and ask questions? Do they take notes? Do they ask for examples? Do they repeat what you said to make sure they’ve got it right?

HA! Do YOU do these things?

How often do you engage those around you in real heart-to-heart business discussions? Do you directly ask for their opinions, and actually l~i~s~t~e~n to their responses?

Did you realize that MBWA (Management By Walking Around) is still considered the approach of preference for most successful owners, operators, managers, and virtually all entrepreneurial leaders? People like to have you visit their work sites and talk with them about what they’re doing.

When you can do this every day, you are helping ensure greater attention to detail and pride of workmanship. Plus you can leave when you want to, and it’s  good exercise. It will keep you in touch with what’s going on in your business day to day, and will even discourage time-wasting activities.

Have you thought lately about the direct relationship between taking your people into your confidence and the boost it gives their self-esteem to know that you (their surrogate parent) regard them highly enough to confide in them, to ask their opinions?

Did you know that every time you help boost an associate or employee’s self-esteem, you are also helping to build her or his self-confidence, and that — all by itself — can produce increases in both productivity and sales?

Like the most effective rewards, communications are best delivered frequently and in small energetic doses … “bursts,” if you will. Remember you want what you say to be contagious because motivated employees who feel they are making a worthwhile contribution will outperform your expectations (and your competitors!) every time.

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   Hal@Businessworks.US   931.854.0474

  Open Minds Open Doors 

   Thanks for your visit and make today a GREAT day for someone!