Boots to Loafers, Finding Your New True North by John Phillips & Paul Falcone

Author:John Phillips & Paul Falcone [Phillips, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781628906950
Publisher: John W. Phillips
Published: 2013-12-24T23:00:00+00:00

In the private sector, there are some minor similarities to how communications are handled in the military. I like the old saying that Ronald Reagan had while he was president of the United States: stay fact based and tone neutral. It cannot be understated how important it is to stay fact based. If you have assumptions, state them upfront so that the person or group you are speaking to understands your approach. In a group setting in private-sector business, I have never heard anyone come right out and say something is broken or ever call out a particular person for doing something wrong. It just is not done. Most, if not all, of the communications that fall into this category are done behind closed doors. When it comes to delivery regarding poor performance of a group in the private sector, my approach is to rehearse what I will present to the group, keeping in mind who is in that group. It is important not to direct your briefing to any particular person, to speak in generalities, and most importantly, to have suggestions or recommendations on how to fix the problem. Be prepared to get into the details if asked, but do not pick on one person specifically. Reserve any by-name issues to one-on-one conversations with the leadership of the organization.

Your key take-aways regarding communication in private-sector companies should be to know your audience, always keep emotion out of the conversation, state the facts, stay away from assumptions that are unfounded, and stick to the point. Remember the old rule of holes—when you find yourself in one, stop digging! As you can see, there is a great deal to think about when transforming how you communicate with others outside the gate. If this is an area of weakness for you, find a local college offering a continuing education course on presentation skills or effective communications.

Seeking ways to sharpen your communication skills is important and must also include a focus on listening and nonverbal communication. I have been to meetings during which leaders have a lot to say that truly amounts to nothing more than listening to themselves talk. I walk away wondering what the hell just happened and have no idea what the intent of the meeting was or what was actually communicated—meaning the “corporate tap dance” just occurred. This can be frustrating when you have just exited a world where confusing messages might get someone hurt or killed, but keep in mind that communicating in the corporate world is usually not going to require a medic. Even so, remember that your listening skills and nonverbal language (i.e., gestures) are very important as well.

Listening is equally as valuable a skill as speaking. Let’s use an interview situation as an example. The interviewer will note whether you are making eye contact with him, nodding as a sign of understanding, leaning toward him, and not interrupting. These are all positive signs that you are listening. Additionally, if you repeat appropriate information back and

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