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Archive for November, 2011

Refresh your email manners

Posted by Ben Decker   |   November 18th, 2011   |   3 Comments   |  Tweet This

Hey, it’s pretty remarkable we have email etiquette at all. This medium has only been widely used for 15 years or so, and many of us weren’t given any formal instruction. With that in mind, let’s refresh our manners.

(I’m skipping the obvious ones like use spell check, avoid !!!!???? and frequent :) ;) :( , and let’s not forget that while neon green is your fave color, I can’t read pages of it.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use the subject line.

  • “Project X” as a subject doesn’t mean much to me, or anyone else. If I’m juggling other tasks, I won’t stop what I’m doing and open it. Try something along these lines instead: “Need input on Project X by 4pm” or “FYI – Update on Project X.”
  • We have a client that developed company-wide subject codes: IO (Information Only) and AR (Action Required). A subject might be, “IO – Proposal Progress Report.” Something to think about.
  • Instead of “RE: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Office Holiday Party,” consider updating the subject line. After so many iterations, often the content has changed, so go in and change the title.

Bring the main point up front.

  • If you’re writing to ask for more budget, begin by stating that your email is regarding your need for additional budget. Then go in to the necessary back info. We often feel like we need to make a case before making the ask, but guess what? If you don’t hit that point up front, it may not be read at all. Many of us read emails on our smart phones and won’t scroll far enough down.
  • If it’s a lengthy email, do an executive summary at the top, and then go in to the detail below. Start off with the point of the email, the action that needs to be taken, and the benefit to the reader if that action is taken.

Mind the reply-all.

  • You’ve heard it, but somehow this tool is continuously abused.
  • Does every single person on this chain still need to be, after several iterations? Perhaps just two of you have participated in the conversation, and it’s no longer relevant to others. If so, yank everyone else off the To/CC: lines.
  • Was the email asking for one specific answer from you, like an RSVP? A reply solely to the author would be more appropriate (though I’m sure everyone’s thrilled you’re participating in White Elephant this year).

Use URGENT (and caps, for that matter) sparingly.

  • You may think that everything you do is incredibly urgent, but if you flag it all that way, it loses any zing. Use urgent flagging in your email client sparingly, if at all.
  • CAPS ARE TYPICALLY INTERPRETED AS YELLING. IT REMINDS ME OF AUSTIN POWERS NOT CONTROLLING THE VOLUME OF HIS VOICE. USE CAPS WITH ACRONYMS, BUT NOT ENTIRE SENTENCES.

Deadline? Be specific.

  • “Need your responses by end of day.” At least you’re putting a specific action step in your email, good job! But take it a step further and specify a time. EOD is different for most everyone — my end of day may be 6pm, but perhaps someone else’s is 11:59pm.

Look in your outbox and check out the last few emails you’ve sent. What tweaks can you make to be more effective by next week? What are some of your email etiquette pet peeves so we all can share what to avoid?


Categories: Communication Skills
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What happened, Rick?

Posted by Ben Decker   |   November 11th, 2011   |   8 Comments   |  Tweet This

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yup, we have to talk about it.

At one point or another, everyone blanks when speaking. It could happen in a formal presentation or in a conversation at your kitchen table. But the skilled know how to roll with it. Rick Perry proved that he’s not the most skilled communicator in the pack with his snafu at the Republican Debate (you’ve seen the clip undoubtedly, but just in case, see below!).

First, I felt sorry for the guy, considering we all make mistakes. But then I got to thinking about job interviews. Rick Perry is interviewing for the heaviest job our country has to offer – and against a cast of nominee characters that keep us guessing.

If you or I were sitting in a job interview and asked our top three goals for the position, we’d be expected to rattle them off, no problem. Down to us and a few other qualified candidates, if we blanked, we’d likely be cut. That’s why we’re vilifying Perry – not only did he blank (which yeah, happens), but he didn’t know how to prevent it or handle it once it happened.

Here are some teaching points so you don’t become the next viral joke.

1. Be prepared, properly.

  • Around 00:47 in the clip, you can see Perry scrambling on his lectern for notes. Sure he had some papers up there, but clearly, he didn’t have easy-to-read, big bold talking points ready at glance. He may have been prepared, but he wasn’t prepared for a mind blank.
  • Even when you’ve rehearsed and know your content, bring up notes in case (we recommend against written out speeches and tons of bullet points in favor of our Decker Grid — 1-3 trigger words on post-its to jog your memory)

2. Being extemporaneous and authentic is NOT the same as shooting from the hip.

  • Perry tends to have an, “I’m just going to shoot from the hip and wing it” style (which, maybe his communications staff has encouraged because it makes him accessible). But he has gotten himself in trouble when winging it, and appears a bit like a loose cannon.
  • You may get away with winging it occasionally, but you’ll usually come off as scattered and unfocused. At least organize your thoughts beforehand with a pen and post-its (there are insurmountable reasons why this is better than bullets in a Word doc). Bring those notes with you and speak extemporaneously about previously-planned points.

3. Take the content seriously but yourself lightly.

  • Perry almost got away with making his snafu a joke, but toward the end of that painful minute, he turned on the defensive. His oops had a tone of, “Yeah, so I forgot. So what? Let’s move on,” instead of some roll off the back, even self-deprecating humor.
  • We all make mistakes, so when it happens, keep it light. “Gosh, I’m having one of those days, I’ll take a look and get back to you on it.” Or, “Ron Paul’s cologne is clouding my head up here! Please give me a second to collect myself and I’ll grab that answer for you.”

Please share any of your tips for getting over a mind blank or other snafus you’ve experienced!


Categories: Leadership and Communications
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Hook your audience

Posted by Ben Decker   |   November 4th, 2011   |   6 Comments   |  Tweet This

“I’m here today to talk to you about standardization.”

That’s the way a Silicon Valley engineer in our training program COULD have started his presentation about the need to standardize. Instead, he took a different route.

“As I was doing some research for this presentation, I read that the city of Baltimore burnt to the ground in 1904. The tragedy is, it didn’t have to.

Firefighters from nearby DC, New York, and Virginia all responded, but weren’t able to help because their hose couplings wouldn’t fit on the Baltimore hydrants – no standard had yet been set. The firefighters helplessly watched as the city burned.

Like Baltimore, our organization will suffer if we don’t standardize our processes.”

A year later, I remember this story and it’s tie to standardization. Considering I see hundreds of presentations, that’s saying something!

It’s so easy to fall in to the rut of starting with, “I’m here to talk to you about [insert topic here]…” or “Thanks so much for being here, I know you’re all busy, so I really appreciate your time.” By the time you’re done with a Lovely-Bunch-of-Words opening like those, guess what? You’ve likely lost your audience. They’re thinking about their next meeting, to-do list, evening’s plans.

Hook them in with a SHARP to grab attention from the very start, and tie it to the point of your presentation. Meaning utilize any one or more of these:

  • Stories
  • Humor
  • Analogies
  • References & Quotes
  • Pictures & Visuals

Dive right in with something memorable instead of diluting your opener. What’s your story or client example? Can you think of an analogy that will help bring your idea or product to light? Audience members are often very visual, so are there any images you could use to make a strong opening point?

Again, a year later, I remember the engineer’s point about needing to standardize because of the story he told at the beginning. Can your audience remember something as vividly from the presentation you gave.. say, last week?

Please share some of your SHARPs and how you prepare your openers!


Categories: Communication Skills, SHARPs and Stories
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