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reportonbusiness.com: Harvey Schachter's guide on how to handle everything from overflowing e-mail to meeting overload
Consultant Bruno Kahne uses deaf people to help his clients learn to listen better. 'When they interact with one another, deaf people act in ways that let them communicate more rapidly and accurately than hearing people. Some of these behaviours are simple and obvious, but it's remarkable how often hearing people do the opposite,' he writes in Strategy + Business. Here's how to improve your 'hearing' - and listening:
Look people in the eye
In one of his early conversations with a deaf person, he was struck by something the young person had "said" and started to write it down in a notebook.
Suddenly the atmosphere changed and when he looked up she was frowning. When he asked what had happened, she replied through the translator that he had been very rude, cutting conversation when he stopped looking in her eyes. He apologized, but explained he had written it down to remember what she had said.
Her lesson to him was that you don't remember by writing: "Since I don't write, I'm more present in the interaction and can concentrate more. And the more I do it, the better I remember it."
Don't interrupt
Deaf people follow a strict protocol in which only one person signs at the same time. If another person tries to interrupt, the others in the group shake their right hand to signal to wait until the "speaker" is finished.
"This approach to communication, which at first feels slow, is in fact extremely efficient because there is much less misunderstanding to explain or recover from," he notes.
By communicating sequentially, the deaf person ensures he understands the other person before trying to be understood. Consensus and agreement arrive more quickly than during the overlapping conversations we are normally accustomed to.
Speak simply
Deaf people are direct, to the extent that sign language is sometimes misconstrued as blunt to the point of rudeness. It's not; it's just explicit.
The deaf tend not to hide behind soft or diplomatic language, hoping the listener will discern what they "really" mean. They also express their feelings more clearly than hearing people do, using their whole bodies.
Stay focused
The deaf cut themselves off from any distractions. They don't multitask, to the point that when presented with a new workflow chart by Mr. Kahne, one individual asked whether the group should first read and then discuss, or first discuss and then read.
"Doing both at the same time was impossible to them - and of course, despite what we try to do, it is also impossible for us," he points out.
When you don't understand, ask
Since sign language is constantly evolving, new signs constantly appear. Deaf people feel completely at ease saying, "I don't know," or, "I don't understand." Hearing people need to learn to be as open about when they aren't understanding technical jargon or complicated matters. At the end of a meeting, consider asking each person, individually, if he or she needs clarification on anything.
VACATION: REMEMBER TO REJUVENATE
As we anticipate our summer vacations, we instinctively anticipate rejuvenation. But it's important to remember refreshing is the purpose. "Whether a seven-minute power nap or a seven-day cruise, recognize that rejuvenation is a goal," consultant Kevin Eikenberry writes in his Unleash Your Potential newsletter. "On the cruise, that might mean one less late night or a bit more exercise. It might mean a bit less stress over the details of your 'perfect vacation' and a bit more time for serendipity."
He urges you to remember that you are more than your body. Rejuvenation is about refreshing your mind and soul as well as your body, so pick out activities and approaches that accomplish both. Also, remember what works for you, be it exercise, time at the spa, a stack of good books, or conversation with stimulating friends.
His final point: Don't wait for once a year to rejuvenate. Consider what you can do right now, be it a walk, shooting some baskets, knitting, or reading a book.
SALES: THE TOP 10 QUALIFICATION QUESTIONS TO CLOSE SALES FASTER
Many times, you're seated across from a hot prospect knowing you're close to a sale, but you flounder. Marketing consultant Jay Lipe says the reason is you're not asking the right qualifying questions to bring the prospect to a sale. Here's his list of the top 10 questions:
Which specific need(s) do you have that our product/service addresses?
How will our product or service make your life better?
How much have you budgeted for this purchase?
When do you plan to purchase a product or service like ours?
Who will be involved in the purchase decision?
Which other products or services are you looking at?
Which ones do you favour?
Why do you favour them?
Who has the budget or spending authority to implement the decision?
Which decision makers have your salespeople called on?
POWER POINTS
Shorten that to-do list
If your to-do list is too long, break it down. Create a shorter list of three to five of the most important items. For individual task, list just the first thing you must do to get started, which makes it easier to get going.
Source: Jim Estill's Time
Leadership blog
Get ready to engage
Retailer J. C. Penney's internal research shows that stores with top quartile scores for employee engagement generate about 10 per cent more in sales per square foot than average, and 36 per cent greater operating income than similar-sized stores in the lowest quartile.
Source: Chief Executive
Meet outside the meeting
If you arrive at a meeting room and another group is still inside, use the time waiting to start building consensus on important issues with people arriving for your meeting.
Source: Productivity Café
Life at the top ...
It used to be thought that ads on the Web should be placed "above the fold" - on the first page, toward the top of the screen, before the viewer scrolled down. But Web designers Fluidesign points out that visitors intent on the content overlook those ads. Instead, place them next to the content or between action points like commenting or sharing links, where the visitor subconsciously sees them and may be looking for something to do next.
Source: Fluidesign blog
Hello, have a doughnut
Cxtex has new employees cart around doughnuts the first Friday of each month as a way to encourage the new folks to meet everyone.
Source: The Hump Day
Humor-Gram
A mighty mouse
Tech columnist Joel Bruckenstein likes the Microsoft Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000, a single device that gives you both a mouse for your laptop and a cordless presenter for any presentation you make on the road. It saves you carrying both a mouse and presenter, and associated batteries, and having to search for USB ports for both.
Consultant Bruno Kahne uses deaf people to help his clients learn to listen better. 'When they interact with one another, deaf people act in ways that let them communicate more rapidly and accurately than hearing people. Some of these behaviours are simple and obvious, but it's remarkable how often hearing people do the opposite,' he writes in Strategy + Business. Here's how to improve your 'hearing' - and listening:
Look people in the eye
In one of his early conversations with a deaf person, he was struck by something the young person had "said" and started to write it down in a notebook.
Suddenly the atmosphere changed and when he looked up she was frowning. When he asked what had happened, she replied through the translator that he had been very rude, cutting conversation when he stopped looking in her eyes. He apologized, but explained he had written it down to remember what she had said.
Her lesson to him was that you don't remember by writing: "Since I don't write, I'm more present in the interaction and can concentrate more. And the more I do it, the better I remember it."
Don't interrupt
Deaf people follow a strict protocol in which only one person signs at the same time. If another person tries to interrupt, the others in the group shake their right hand to signal to wait until the "speaker" is finished.
"This approach to communication, which at first feels slow, is in fact extremely efficient because there is much less misunderstanding to explain or recover from," he notes.
By communicating sequentially, the deaf person ensures he understands the other person before trying to be understood. Consensus and agreement arrive more quickly than during the overlapping conversations we are normally accustomed to.
Speak simply
Deaf people are direct, to the extent that sign language is sometimes misconstrued as blunt to the point of rudeness. It's not; it's just explicit.
The deaf tend not to hide behind soft or diplomatic language, hoping the listener will discern what they "really" mean. They also express their feelings more clearly than hearing people do, using their whole bodies.
Stay focused
The deaf cut themselves off from any distractions. They don't multitask, to the point that when presented with a new workflow chart by Mr. Kahne, one individual asked whether the group should first read and then discuss, or first discuss and then read.
"Doing both at the same time was impossible to them - and of course, despite what we try to do, it is also impossible for us," he points out.
When you don't understand, ask
Since sign language is constantly evolving, new signs constantly appear. Deaf people feel completely at ease saying, "I don't know," or, "I don't understand." Hearing people need to learn to be as open about when they aren't understanding technical jargon or complicated matters. At the end of a meeting, consider asking each person, individually, if he or she needs clarification on anything.
VACATION: REMEMBER TO REJUVENATE
As we anticipate our summer vacations, we instinctively anticipate rejuvenation. But it's important to remember refreshing is the purpose. "Whether a seven-minute power nap or a seven-day cruise, recognize that rejuvenation is a goal," consultant Kevin Eikenberry writes in his Unleash Your Potential newsletter. "On the cruise, that might mean one less late night or a bit more exercise. It might mean a bit less stress over the details of your 'perfect vacation' and a bit more time for serendipity."
He urges you to remember that you are more than your body. Rejuvenation is about refreshing your mind and soul as well as your body, so pick out activities and approaches that accomplish both. Also, remember what works for you, be it exercise, time at the spa, a stack of good books, or conversation with stimulating friends.
His final point: Don't wait for once a year to rejuvenate. Consider what you can do right now, be it a walk, shooting some baskets, knitting, or reading a book.
SALES: THE TOP 10 QUALIFICATION QUESTIONS TO CLOSE SALES FASTER
Many times, you're seated across from a hot prospect knowing you're close to a sale, but you flounder. Marketing consultant Jay Lipe says the reason is you're not asking the right qualifying questions to bring the prospect to a sale. Here's his list of the top 10 questions:
Which specific need(s) do you have that our product/service addresses?
How will our product or service make your life better?
How much have you budgeted for this purchase?
When do you plan to purchase a product or service like ours?
Who will be involved in the purchase decision?
Which other products or services are you looking at?
Which ones do you favour?
Why do you favour them?
Who has the budget or spending authority to implement the decision?
Which decision makers have your salespeople called on?
POWER POINTS
Shorten that to-do list
If your to-do list is too long, break it down. Create a shorter list of three to five of the most important items. For individual task, list just the first thing you must do to get started, which makes it easier to get going.
Source: Jim Estill's Time
Leadership blog
Get ready to engage
Retailer J. C. Penney's internal research shows that stores with top quartile scores for employee engagement generate about 10 per cent more in sales per square foot than average, and 36 per cent greater operating income than similar-sized stores in the lowest quartile.
Source: Chief Executive
Meet outside the meeting
If you arrive at a meeting room and another group is still inside, use the time waiting to start building consensus on important issues with people arriving for your meeting.
Source: Productivity Café
Life at the top ...
It used to be thought that ads on the Web should be placed "above the fold" - on the first page, toward the top of the screen, before the viewer scrolled down. But Web designers Fluidesign points out that visitors intent on the content overlook those ads. Instead, place them next to the content or between action points like commenting or sharing links, where the visitor subconsciously sees them and may be looking for something to do next.
Source: Fluidesign blog
Hello, have a doughnut
Cxtex has new employees cart around doughnuts the first Friday of each month as a way to encourage the new folks to meet everyone.
Source: The Hump Day
Humor-Gram
A mighty mouse
Tech columnist Joel Bruckenstein likes the Microsoft Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000, a single device that gives you both a mouse for your laptop and a cordless presenter for any presentation you make on the road. It saves you carrying both a mouse and presenter, and associated batteries, and having to search for USB ports for both.
