Fast Talker? It’s Not Okay

Judith — Tue, 01 May 2012 06:33:11 +0000

It is not okay to be a fast talker. The more you work at pausing and breathing, the more knowledgeable and confident you will appear to the person on the other end of the line.

Do people ask you to repeat a lot? Do they tell you to slow down? If so, you are a fast talker. It might be alright to be a fast talker at home or with friends and family, but it is definitely not okay on the job, especially if your primary communication with others is over the phone as an inside sales or customer service representative.

The problems with being a fast talker are many. People may think you are trying to “pull something over on them” or to commit to something they shouldn’t. It annoys them when they don’t have time to process the information you are giving them, and thus, it may cause them to end the call abruptly. Since they probably weren’t able to take notes or compare what you have said to what others have said, they also can’t verbalize their questions or objections. Without time to understand and voice their concerns, listeners hesitate to move forward on a decision or make a purchase.

Talking fast also causes articulation to be sloppy. The person’s lips, teeth and tongue cannot get into the right position to say the word correctly. What starts to happen is four syllable words are said in two or endings are dropped. People may incorrectly think you have said something you didn’t. Additionally, lots of filler words materialize, and, thus, you will sound ill-informed and not confident. Finally, if you have an accent and your pace is quick, listeners may interrupt you often, causing you to lose your concentration. It will make listening and speaking a real chore for both parties.

If you are a fast talker, do not despair. You can slow down by pausing and taking a breath at the end of a thought or idea or where you want to highlight a point. The idea of pausing and breathing may sound simple, but it is harder than you think. At the beginning, it can feel like a lifetime to pause for even half a second.

Voicemail can be a big help. By replaying voicemails before sending them, you can monitor your speed. If you hear a number of filler words (“um,”, “ ah,” “ like,” and “ you know”) or if words are not clearly pronounced, you aren’t pausing long enough. Another suggestion is to tape yourself reading something out loud, perhaps a business journal or product update and practice pausing and breathing between points for one to three seconds until it becomes second nature. Finally, try reading children’s stories out loud. A fairy tale or nursery rhyme requires the speaker to pause frequently in order to bring the appropriate emotion into the voice.

It is not okay to be a fast talker. The more you work at pausing and breathing, the more knowledgeable and confident you will appear to the person on the other end of the line. Consider how great it would feel if someone described you as precise and thoughtful, instead of as a fast talker.

Question: We’re interested in your reaction to this article. What works in your organization to put a smile back on people’s faces?

To add your comments click on the “Comment” link below the article title or add your comments in the “Your Comment” box below, if it is present. Any questions will be answered by Judy.

Impact Communications, Inc. consults with individuals and businesses to improve their presentation and telephone communication skills. It is not what you know but how you communicate it that makes a difference. When you have to have impact, phone (847) 438-4480 or visit our web site, www.ImpactCommunicationsInc.com.

What’s Your Objective?

Judith — Tue, 01 May 2012 06:31:35 +0000

True professionals always keep their focus on the prize. It helps you stay on message. You, too, will achieve better results if you ultimately know what you want your listeners to think or do differently.

Just as competitive athletes visualize the outcome of their performance before the game begins, it makes a lot of sense for you to do the same thing. Never go into a meeting with only a vague idea of what you want to accomplish. Know ahead what you want people to think or do differently after your meeting. Being unfocused wastes time and leads to disappointing results. With clarity about your objective, you can align your goals and discussion points with what is important to them.

A good starting point is first identify what your listeners are currently thinking or doing and then next, what you want them to change, either start or stop doing. Is it an attitude, a specific behavior? For example, maybe your audience is currently thinking we tried this before and it didn’t work. It is foolish to do it again. After the presentation, you want them to see this is not the same plan. It is different and they need to embrace it.

Your objective should be framed from the perspective of your listeners, not you. An objective structured from your perspective suggests that the message is all about you, not them. “I want to give an update on a project.” “I want to share the month end financials.” “I want to go over why the problem occurred and how I have fixed it.” The reality is people only care about themselves and how your information can help them. Always think from the perspective of what you want or need from your listeners. If your answer is nothing, it’s just for me to give an update; it’s an invitation for people to tune out. If you share the quarterly results, what should listeners do concerning these results? Should they continue funding the project, approve your recommendations, or delay a marketing campaign? Knowing what you want will help you include or exclude certain information.

Begin your objective with a verb. The Team should:

• Understand how this plan differs from the old plan

• Embrace the plan

• Adjust targets and goals by beginning of the new quarter

Question: Think about your last presentation? Did you begin knowing your end game? Why or why not? We’re interested in your reaction to this article. What else have you found helpful when you have prepared for a large group presentation?

Do Your Customers Hate You?

Judith — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 14:00:57 +0000

It shouldn’t be a crapshoot to get a good rep on the phone. Basic customer service skills are more essential today than ever before. Please, please, please take the time to hire good people and train them well.

There are a lot of reasons why I hate calling Customer Support. It doesn’t matter what company. The issues remain the same. If I had a wish list, these are the things I would like to see changed- immediately!

The first thing that bugs me is long waits with a message saying, “Your call is valuable to us. The approximate wait time is 22 minutes.” If I was a valued customer, the wait time would be minimal. Worse yet is the recorded message that says, “All of our representatives are currently taking calls, please contact our website at….” There is no option to speak to a live person, apparently ever.

When I do make contact with a rep, I need to be able to understand the person. If the person speaks too quickly or if the person has an accent that makes me focus on what they just said versus what they are currently saying, I get seriously frustrated. It certainly seems to be the responsibility of the call center to insure that everyone on the phone can be understood-all the time, not just when someone is watching them. People like me take notes. We write things down. Speaking too quickly or in a manner that I can’t follow makes me hang up and redial or worse yet, just give up.

Reps who can’t answer my questions waste my time. My expectation is that the rep will know the particulars about their product or service without having to place me on hold or connect me to someone else. Answers like, “I don’t think it is possible” or “I am not really sure about that” simply are not acceptable. Could somebody please educate these people! Would it be too much for them to learn one or two new products each month? Would it be too much for supervisors to quiz their reps periodically on product knowledge?

I don’t like reps with an attitude either. Hey, sometimes I am upset, and there may be a good reason for it. Telling me, “Don’t take it out on me” or “Just calm down,” only adds to my annoyance. How about taking ownership? If a shipment was late, broken or incomplete, it may have cost me money or jeopardized my relationship with a client. A sincere apology goes a long way with me. An artificial one gets my dander up. In a recent interaction with a support center, a rep said, “Hey that is just the way it is. Take it or leave it!” You can imagine what I did.

My final pet peeve is the rep who sounds bored and disinterested. Granted I may be the 40th caller of the day, but I like to feel that the rep on the other end of the line likes his or her job and likes people. From the initial “hello,” I want to feel that the rep cares and is interested in resolving my issue. The good reps always sound friendly.

Question: Tell us how the call center in your company is improving how customer support is helping your customers. We’re interested in your reaction to this article.

How Strong is Your Core?

Judith — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 14:00:36 +0000

If you want to win at communicating, you must practice the seven core skills we have identified until you don’t even think about them. You just do them naturally. As your proficiency increases, so will your effectiveness as a speaker.

Every athlete knows that if you want to perform well, you have to have a strong core. They also know that the time to strengthen their core is not while running a marathon or playing 18 holes of golf. It needs to happen long before and gradually over time. The same is true for a presenter. You have to have a strong core.

Your core consists of seven key skills. The critical skills you need to internalize and get into your “muscle mind” before an important event or presentation are eye contact, posture, pausing, gestures, facial expression, vocal infection and movement.

Eye Contact

Eye contact is a key skill for building trust and credibility. With solid eye contact you instantly appear transparent and confident. You project sincerity and demonstrate respect. However, remember that being nervous can cause your eyes to shift and dart. There is a big difference between glancing at someone and really connecting with them. Not only will poor eye contact make you appear unsure, but it may also result in you and your message being dismissed. Practice sustaining eye contact by finishing a complete thought or sentence with one person at a time when you are with friends or family in social situations.

Posture

Posture signals that you are confident and open. It is important whether you are standing or sitting. Most of us remember the message our mothers preached when we were children, “Stand up straight.” “Sit up straight.” However, when we are nervous we quickly move to what feels comfortable. Sometimes, what is comfortable conveys the opposite of what we are trying to project. To practice good posture, balance your weight equally on both feet and let your hands rest at your sides in a neutral position if you are not using them to make a point. Practice this open posture while waiting in lines at the supermarket or theater.

Pausing

Pausing at the end of a sentence or thought for a breath will help you to think and to let your listeners digest your thoughts. However, while pausing makes perfect sense, it is very difficult for many of us. It may even seem counter-intuitive. Practice pausing by recording your voice. Before leaving a voicemail, play back the message to see if your sentences come to definite ends. Do this 4–5 times a day. If you hear non-words, um’s, ah’s, etc, you are undoubtedly not pausing enough. Keep practicing until you there are no filler words and the pacing is slow enough for your points to stand out.

Gestures

Gestures are a perfect way to emphasize an idea or thought. When we are relaxed, we automatically gesture. When we are nervous, we fidget or clasp our hands. The more you let energy out, the more your listeners can see the conviction you have for your topic. Get feedback from a colleague on whether your gestures come from the shoulder, versus the wrist or elbow. Ask the friend to notice if your gestures are repetitive. Obviously, variety keeps listeners engaged. Any distracting gestures will make people pay attention to your hands and not your words.

Facial Expression

Your Face speaks volumes. It lets listeners know how they should react to your topic. There is obligation when a speaker smiles. Listeners feel they should smile back. Also, when the speaker smiles, it relaxes others. Tension is reduced. It is never a good idea to have a poker face. Ask friends and family to give you feedback on how animated your face becomes when you are speaking. If you are one that doesn’t easily smile, consider wearing a rubber band around your index finger or wrist as a reminder.

Inflection

Listeners pay attention to speakers who have inflection in their voices. No one enjoys a speaker with a monotone voice. A voice with inflection has highs and lows; words are emphasized in each sentence. To check your voice for inflection, use your cell phone and record it or leave yourself a voice message. If your voice sounds flat, practice reading business materials out loud, emphasizing two or three words in each sentence. Tell a story to your preschoolers. Children demand that the storyteller be exciting.

Movement

Movement makes a speaker look confident, as long as the movement is purposeful. Swaying or a shifting is distracting. When the speaker direct points to individuals in the audience by moving in their direction, it is compelling. However, movement has to be prompted by the eyes of a listener. It is not natural to move away from someone or to move backwards while talking to them. To practice, the speaker first needs to move away from his laptop and his notes. Then, he or she needs to think that he has a very important message to share. Next, he must engage the eyes of someone in the audience, move in that direction and finish his thought.

Mohammad Ali, Michael Phelps, Patrick Kane and Phil Mickelson are well known athletes in their respective fields. Each one of them would stress the importance of a strong core to performance. If you want to win at communicating, you must practice the seven core skills we have identified until you don’t even think about them. You just do them naturally. As your proficiency increases, so will your effectiveness as a speaker.

Question: Think about a recent presentation and assess yourself on the seven all important delivery skills. How well have you internalized these? What goals have you set for yourself? Are you practicing getting better at these skills on a daily basis? We’re interested in your reaction to this article.

An American Accent — Here Are Some Good Resources

Judith — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 07:54:45 +0000

Acquiring an American accent takes real effort. Experts typically recommend a coach.

In one month, Impact Communications received 17 requests for help in achieving an American accent. We heard from actors and actresses living outside of the U.S. who want to expand their career options. We also heard from inside sales and call center representatives in India, the Philippines, and Europe, as well as business people in China, Japan and Korea.

Experts tell us acquiring an American accent is no small task. It is downright difficult. Three things need to be mastered:

Intonation
Liasons
Pronunication

The first and most important one is intonation. Intonation refers to the rise of fall of the voice to express different concepts or emotions. If English is not your first language, learning the intonation of American words to convey meaning and emotion can be vexing. In other languages, like Spanish or French, words are rearranged or the pitch is changed like in Chinese to show importance. In English, the word order is fixed.

Liasons, the second factor, is the stringing of individual words together to indicate a complete thought. Words are not said separately in American English. They are strung together. It’s as if one word is attached to the beginning of the next. Ann Cook in her book, American Accent Training, calls it the hum of the whole sentence that only changes when you come to a comma or a period and maybe not even then.

Finally, Pronunciation refers to saying the word correctly. In American English, sounds are pronounced differently and require the lips, teeth and tongue to be in different positions than the way the syllables were learned in one’s native tongue. The [ae], [a] and [uh] are the most important and the most challenging for foreign speakers.

As you can see, acquiring an American accent takes real effort. Experts typically recommend a coach. Universities and ESL (English as a Second Language) Programs are great for helping an individual understand and remedy his own particular issues. Should you be interested in other sources, there are lots of options available through the web. In doing a “Google Search,” the following information was uncovered. (Click on the links below.)

Informative web sites:

www.americanaccent.com

www.languagequest.com

www.directenglish.com

www.englishonline.net

On-line group:

www.groups.yahoo.com/group/americanaccenttraining

Free diagnostic test that utilizes Barron’s ESL American Accent Training Principles available at:

www.americanaccent.com

Interesting books available from Amazon.com

American Accent Training by Ann Cook

NTC’s Dictionary of Everyday American English Expressions by Richard Spears, et al

Speak English Like an American by Amy Gillet

By checking the sources listed above, you should be on your way mastering an American accent successfully.

Question: We’re interested in your reaction to this article. What works in your organization to put a smile back on people’s faces?

Great Presentations are a Conversation

Judith — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 07:52:33 +0000

Audiences appreciate speakers who are relaxed and natural, who give the impression they are talking to friends, versus “Presenting.” Remember, great presentations are conversations others can continue.

Picture yourself attending a staff meeting. How happy are you when the host of the meeting drones on about the numbers or the specifications of a product. Most of us hate lectures. What we do like and appreciate is a great conversation. So how do you as a speaker turn something that seems like a formal presentation into a more relaxed conversation?

First, it can’t be one way. You need to plan for interaction with frequent check-ins with your audience. For example, you might say to your listeners, “Does that make sense? Do you all agree?” Instead of making a rhetorical statement where people simply nod or smile, ask open ended questions. “Charlie, I know you have had issues in past. Can you share what happened? Does anyone else have a comment?” Then, listen and build off of what is said. “Yes, that makes perfect sense. We definitely have to go to another supplier or we will be in a bind.” Think ahead of the questions you might ask that would spark discussion.

Secondly, speak the language of your listeners. Keep your focus on who is attending. Do what it takes to make everyone understand. Don’t think that big words make you look smarter. The simpler you speak, the more you insure that people will get your message. Kathy Sierra of the Head First Series says the simple approach actually allows you to go deeper with technical information than if you had used formal language. Acronyms or technical jargon may confuse people and prevent them from staying on point. I recently attended a meeting where the executive talked about his strategic glidepath. By the looks on people’s faces, he might have been speaking a foreign language. Additionally, if some attendees are people from other cultures, expressions commonly used in the U.S., may not be understood.

Thirdly, sneak in a story. People love stories as long as they can follow the point and it’s interesting. You might even include a video within your story. Get in and out of your story. A long story makes people forget the importance of your original idea or recommendation.

Show some enthusiasm. Someone once said good conversations are filled with verve and fire. Don’t hold back and worry about being “over the top.” Very few people are ever perceived as “out of control.” If you don’t sound interested or passionate, why should anybody else! Emphasize key words or phrases. Add some exaggerated pauses and strong gestures if you really want someone to get it.

Always be talking to someone. People who talk to their slides or notes definitely do not look like they are having a conversation. Talk to one person at a time and give each listener a piece of information. Notice their reaction before you continue. Are they nodding, smiling or frowning? Scanning the room will make listeners feel you are talking at them, but not to them.

When you present conversationally, Sierra says the brains of your listeners think they are in conversation and so they have to hold up their end of the conversation by paying attention. Audiences appreciate speakers who are relaxed and natural, who give the impression they are talking to friends, versus “Presenting.” Remember, great presentations are conversations others can continue.

Question: Think about your own presentation style. Is it conversational or more formal? Does your style change depending on your audience? We’re interested in your reaction to this article. What else have you found helpful when you have prepared for a large group presentation?

5 Content Tips That Drive Action

Judith — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:12 +0000

Successful presenters are artists, masters of design. They carefully address each point covered in this article.

Convincing people to act on your ideas is an art. If you are one of the people who approach preparing content by opening PowerPoint, this newsletter is for you. What follows are five content tips that will help you to create high impact presentations. On the surface, they may seem too simplistic. The reality is that most people overlook these pointers and end up with content that is confusing or uninspiring.

Tip 1.

Take the time to know your audience. Don’t make the mistake of assuming they are just like you. People have different learning styles and clear preferences for the way information is presented to them. Begin by creating a list of all the people who will be attending your presentation. If possible, understand the personalities that you will be addressing. Know how they think. For example, are they more oriented to the big picture, processes, details or relationships? Learn ahead what they care about, what they might find objectionable or why they might resist your topic.

Tip 2.

Grab attention with a focused opening. You have two minutes to gain and hold the attention of your audience. If you waste time or begin without clarity of what you want listeners to think or do differently, you will lose your audience. They will begin to respond to email, even though supposedly listening to you. A study by the Institute of Psychiatry in London found that participants who were interrupted with emails performed worse on IQ tests than those who were under the influence of marijuana. Just imagine how receptive your audience will be if they are responding to email. Listeners only care about themselves and what you can do for them. Your opening statement should cover three things: what you know to be a problem or issue, what you want them to do or think after your presentation and why it will be a benefit for them to act on your recommendation. Hiding your “ask” to the end is a mistake. People listen better if you tell them up front these three key things. Your opening statement should be compelling and delivered in less than two minutes. Short sentences with strong verbs and adjectives will grab attention quickly.

Tip 3.

Present a simple, well supported argument. An audience has a limited processing capacity. Less is more! Researchers tell us that the most people can remember at a sitting are five key points. However, three really maximizes retention. While there may be a lot to say, consider your audience and what is critical for them at this particular moment. Discussing information they don’t care about is a waste of your time and theirs. Remember people are besieged by information. Additionally, today’s audiences are much more skeptical because they are used to people “spinning” a good tale. Be sure to support your data with metrics or analyses and explain where your information comes from. If your information solves a problem, your listeners will pay attention. If not, they won’t! In fact, Henry Boettinger in his book, Moving Mountains, says the only reason for the existence of a presentation is that it be an answer to a problem. Lastly, make sure one point logically leads to the next. Strategically, organize your content.

Tip 4.

Go for the heart. When people hold strong opposing attitudes, they “dig their heels in” and hold on to their old way of thinking. To overcome resistance, move them emotionally. Advertisers tell us that logic plays only a small role in changing attitudes. People are swayed by stories, examples and brief anecdotes because they can picture, and even feel, what you have said. Nobody remembers a bullet point list, but they will remember your story. The likelihood of listeners being persuaded improves dramatically when there is a high emotional component.

Tip 5.

Conclude on a strong note. It is easy to overlook the importance of a strong conclusion, especially if running out of time. Many presenters end on a limp note, by saying, “Thanks for your time” or by quickly showing the remaining slides in their deck. Your conclusion is the last thing people will remember. It is important for you to reinforce your point of view, the action you want people to take going forward and the benefits they will derive.

Successful presenters are artists, masters of design. They do not skip steps. They carefully address each of the areas covered in this newsletter. Save this newsletter to your desktop as a checklist.

Question: >Have you had presentations that were not successful? What have been the issues? We’re interested in your reaction to this article. We’re interested in your reaction to this article. What else have you found helpful when you have prepared for a large group presentation?

Make Your Difficult Callers Relax with the AAH Technique

Judith — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:03 +0000

When an issue is resolved, 70% of customers remain loyal. When the issue is resolved quickly and in a positive manner, 95% of the customers continue to do business with an organization.

Does this sound familiar? You pick up a call in cue in your normal professional manner and the caller on the other end of the line explodes. The person has been in cue for ten minutes, and when he does get a live person—you, he starts ranting and raving about his delivery problem, the second one he has had this month. It’s not your fault, but the customer takes it out on you. So the question is how to handle it. The solution is to just say AAH and to do it quickly!

ALIGN

Instead of defending yourself or ignoring what the caller just said by asking for the account number or tracking information, etc, the first step should be to align with that customer by acknowledging the problem or the inconvenience caused by it. Usually, when the caller hears that you are apologetic, it is difficult for the person to continue in the same offensive manner. The trick is to make the acknowledgement statement very specific and very sincere. It cannot sound phony. It is not sufficient simply say to say “I’m sorry” or “OK” An acknowledgement has to be more detailed or explicit.

An example of a strong empathetic statement might be:

“First, I apologize that you had to wait in cue so long, especially when you have such a serious issue. I am also really sorry you had a delivery problem. You say it was the second one this month? That’s terrible. That has to be frustrating.

With a strong acknowledgement statement, the customer feels you get it. He feels you are on his side. Once that happens, he becomes receptive to solving the problem in a reasonable fashion.

Tone of voice is critical for the statement to be perceived in a positive manner. The voice has to sound warm. You cannot rush. Thus, between each statement, you should pause for a few seconds and take a breath. The more you pause, the more sincere your voice will be. The more you pause, the more the customer will hear your words.

ASK

Disgruntled customers like it when you seem to want to get to the bottom of their issue. After you have aligned with the caller, then begin to ask some questions about what happened. If you ask questions before acknowledging, customers do not believe you care. They feel you just want to get rid of them. As you ask questions, be sure not to interrupt. They need to get their story out. Also, be sure to summarize what you hear periodically so that they and you feel you have the facts straight.

If the issue is your customer’s fault or, for example, the delivery service’s issue, make sure to choose your words carefully. For example, if the problem is because the customer placed an order late or didn’t pay the extra charge to expedite shipping, do not become accusatory. Do not lay blame. Speak in the third person. Do not start a sentence with “you.”

For example, if the problem was the customer’s fault, you might say the following.

“It looks like the problem is due to the time the delivery was placed. The pick-up times are regulated by Federal Express. The order was placed according to the records in the system at 4:30. Our last pick-up of the day from Federal Express is at 3:30, and, I don’t see anything in the system that says the pick-up was expedited. But let’s see how we can fix this.”

HELP

Customers want their problem resolved quickly so they need to hear that you are going to help several times in the conversation.

For example, you might say. “I know this is upsetting and you need to have this resolved quickly. I am going to help you get that delivery as soon as possible.”

If the issue is your company’s problem, determine what you can do to fix the situation and then go above and beyond. For example, offer to overnight the goods at no charge or to credit the account. When the issue is the fault of the company, the customer looks for freebies. If you can offer to do something for nothing, customers will notice.

When an issue is resolved, 70% of customers remain loyal. When the issue is resolved quickly and in a positive manner, 95% of the customers continue to do business with an organization. Over time, they have a tendency to spend ten times the amount of the purchase that dissatisfied them, if they feel the service they have received has been exemplary. By saying AAH, you increase the chances of satisfying the upset consumer.

Question: We’re interested in your reaction to this article.

How to Hire Super Stars for Your Call Center

Judith — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:22:38 +0000

The voice is the customer service representative’s calling card. There are five qualities that you should notice in the voice.

Call centers are the heart and soul of an organization. Customers form an impression of you and your organization within seconds based on the person on the other end of the line. If the first impression of a call center representative is positive, customers will be pleased and continue to do business with you. Their trust level will increase, and over time, they will purchase additional products or services. Conversely, if the initial feeling is negative, customers will broadcast their displeasure. With so much at stake, it is critical that you hire those with star potential.

First and foremost, conduct a phone interview before bringing any candidate to the company for a face-to-face interview. This phone interview will allow you to do three things:

Listen to the person’s voice without paying attention to body language.
Ask the person some critical questions.
Role play a customer interaction.

The voice is the customer service representative’s calling card. There are five qualities that you should notice in the voice. Your customers will notice them also, but on a subconscious level. As you listen to your candidate’s voice, rate each of the following qualities on a scale of 1–5, with five being the highest. The five critical qualities are:

Tone – Does the person’s voice sound friendly or sincere or does it sound bored, unsure, or strident? You should feel the warmth and enthusiasm in the voice immediately. If this ingredient is missing, take a pass on the candidate.
Volume – Is the person speaking too softly for the ordinary listener? If the majority of your callers are elderly or if they work in a noisy environment, volume is critical. A caller should not have strain to hear the rep, nor should the person have to ask the rep to speak up.
Speed – Is the person speaking so quickly that it would be difficult to take notes or to follow the explanation? If this quality is an issue, the rep will be kept on the phone a lot longer because callers will be asking the person to repeat. Additionally, they may ask to escalate the call, causing you personally problems down the road.
Clarity – Is the articulation or diction sharp? Is the rep saying all of the syllables in the word? Do endings fade? Are there lots of “ums” and “ahs.” If clarity is at risk, listeners will see the rep as unprofessional and not confident. They will also ask to speak to someone else or for information to be repeated, again lengthening the call. If English is the second language of the rep, listeners should not have to worry that they misheard.
Pitch – Is the voice too high or too low? If the voice is too high, credibility will be an issue. The rep may be seen as young or not confident. If the voice is too low, the rep can be seen as “grumpy.”

In addition to listening to the voice during a phone interview, ask the candidate some job- related questions and pay attention to the answers. Your overall impression should be that the candidate is well spoken and polished. Some possible questions are:

What is your perception of the job?
Why do you think you would be a good fit in our organization?
What are the steps you would take to calm an upset caller?
How do you personally want to be perceived on the phone?
How do you think you can convey a positive image?

If the candidate has performed well thus far, go further. Ask the person to describe a process or procedure. For example, what would be the steps the individual would take to buy a car or paint a room? Listen closely to how the person sequences ideas. Another possibility is to ask the person to role play a situation where you are an angry caller and see how well the candidate defuses the situation. Notice any negative or tentative language.

If the applicant performs well on the phone interview, your face-to-face interview will be a mere formality. Never pursue someone that caused you doubt. Trust your instincts.

Question: What leadership issues have you had with your global team? We’re interested in your reaction to this article. What works in your organization to put a smile back on people’s faces?

Making It Stick by Keeping It Simple

Judith — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:21:46 +0000

With a limited number of key points, listeners have a better chance of remembering what we have said, and they can accurately share that information with others who have decision-making power or with those who missed the presentation.

We speak to be understood, yet as Robert Greenleaf once said, “Many attempts to communicate are nullified by saying too much.” When asked about information overload in the House of Congress, Representative John Brockmann responded “Most houseplants in the U.S. are killed by over-watering.”

Business Professionals today attend meeting after meeting where they are barraged with information. At the end of their week, they may remember only a small portion of the information they were told. Experts agree that if you want your message to be understood, as well as remembered, it is important to make it simple. In fact, simplicity is the most powerful tool a communicator has.

As speakers, we know a lot about our topics, and our tendency is to want to share everything we have learned. Our assumption is that people will have the same fascination as we do. Dan and Chip Heath in their book, Made to Stick call our problem of “over-talking” the curse of the information era.

Too much information overwhelms listeners. Instead of persuading, it creates confusion and often delays decisions. Ideally, a speaker should think in terms of sharing three key points with an audience. Dan and Chip Heath suggest that a speaker focus on his core message and around that, pick the key points that will change the hearts and minds of the particular audience. Information that is interesting to us, but not to the audience, falls on deaf ears. Thus, to make your viewpoint stick, the audience needs to see that it connects to their world on a granular level. For each point that you include, ask yourself “What would this mean to them?” If the answer is “nothing,” it’s a good indication that you should disregard the point.

When you think about expressing your points, remember that we convey ideas through nouns and verbs. Starkly naked points can be riveting. Adjectives and adverbs often add clutter. Demystify your ideas by stating them clearly and simply. Do not bury your points in long sentences or over-connect your ideas with clauses.

As speakers, we are actually rehearsing our audience to spread the “good news.” With a limited number of key points, listeners have a better chance of remembering what we have said, and they can accurately share that information with others who have decision-making power or with those who missed the presentation. They leave energized versus frustrated or bored.

Question: How many points do you typically discuss in any meeting? We’re interested in your reaction to this article. What else have you found helpful when you have prepared for a large group presentation?