Speed Reading, Public Speaking & More

Good skills are essential, and they start with listening. The ability to interact with people in meaningful ways on a daily basis is essential to the long-term relationships we want to build with our customers and to the impressions they will have of us. Most of us can instantly improve our skills in communication simply by listening more and speaking less. 

One thing to avoid is the need for having to be right all the time. Many people make this mistake and in their desire to always be right, they inhibit constructive communication and prevent relationships from developing. Your goal is to communicate better, not to try to win every discussion or treat every conversation as if it’s a contest with a winner and a loser. 

You also must communicate both your needs and goals to other people so that everyone can benefit from this knowledge. People want to know why they are being asked to do things. They want to feel they are part of the process. So don’t let things fester. Confront problems immediately because if they aren’t attended to and dealt with, they invariably get worse. The key is not to burn bridges. It is far more important to create allies, not enemies. This is especially important in the workplace. 

 When working for a company whose goal is to delight their client base by providing quality products and excellent customer service – then what’s truly important to remember is that you are in your customer’s business! Take the time and define your value to customers, not in terms of product, but in terms of results produced by our products and services. See how you can be responsive to their needs!  See your role as being a customer advocate and seek to anticipate and embrace changes that your customers will make when working with you and your organization. Be mindful of the messages you send out to those you come in contact with! 

Being responsive calls for an ongoing evaluation of the following:

>>    Are you always aware of how you are representing yourself?  Be consistently aware of your voice tone, facial expressions, and other body language. 

>>     Are you eager to help others?  People who don’t care keep others waiting. In customer situations, show that you care by being on time every time and by approaching or calling in a timely fashion.

>>    Do you have a positive outlook?  This includes your outlook about your job and the company with whom you are currently employed with – as well as the future. The truth is if you have a negative attitude about these things, it will be obvious to customers and those with whom you work. 

 >>   Do you strive to be the best you can be?  In this quality-oriented world, your attitude must be to continually provide the best service you can. Second rate quality won’t get you success. Strive for continuous improvement!