Solutions: A DRI Consulting Newsletter

Issue 2 January 2007 (Page 2)

Tips

10 Tips for Effective Communication

  1. Understand your own biases and prejudices.
  2. Use neutral language. Avoid value-laden words.
  3. Be aware of stereotypes and the words associated with them. Avoid using these associations in communication.
  4. Be conscious of non-verbals and the message they communicate.
  5. Motivate your audience to pay attention.
  6. Ask and explain the background information necessary to understanding the situation.
  7. Be careful that your appearance is not distracting or offensive.
  8. Avoid interruptions and distractions caused by the environment.
  9. Organize your ideas carefully.
  10. Develop active listening skills.

Recommended Reading:

The Leadership Challenge by James Kouzes & Barry Posner

Inspirational and practical, The Leadership Challenge addresses how ordinary people achieve excellent leadership standards. In their revised edition, Kouzes and Posner offer sound advice to corporate leaders and entrepreneurs, managers and employees, and aspiring leaders in retail, manufacturing, government, community, church and school settings. Drawing on interviews and a questionnaire survey of more than 3000 leaders, the authors identify five fundamental practices of exemplary leadership: challenge the status quo, inspire a shared vision, enable others to act, model the way forward by setting an example, and tap individuals' inner drives by linking rewards and performance. Kouzes and Posner also reflect on the challenges of shrinking work forces, rising cynicism, and expanded telecommunications. They add-on an appendix, which includes a Leadership Practices Inventory as well as a tool for assessing leadership behavior.

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Client Story:

The Client Situation:

A public organization recognized a need for leadership development among some of its executives and managers. To maximize the leadership potential of these qualified individuals who had much technical expertise, the organization was interested in having the employees' interpersonal skills, work personality, and leadership characteristics both assessed and addressed.

The Solution:

DRI consultants collaborated closely with the organization to first assess the participants’ work personality profile, and then develop an action plan with them to strengthen their strengths and address their developmental areas. The process included:

The Outcome:

Lasting nine months, DRI Consultants gave participants feedback on a number of topics, including conflict management, giving effective feedback, effective listening and communication skills, and work family balance. The implementation of the leadership development program increased job efficiency and aided employees' transition from technical to leadership positions. The participants reported increased self-awareness, improved client relations, and heightened productivity in the workplace.