“Some Proven Ways to Promote the Exchange of Ideas” by Steve Kaye

In: James W. Cortada and John A. Woods (editors).  The Knowledge Management Yearbook 2000-2001. Butterworth-Heinemann, 2000. pp. 391-398

Summarized by: Caloy Macabunga
30 August 2001
Summary:

Proven Techniques in Effective Communication

Listen to Understand

Effective communication occurs when each party conveys ideas so they are accurately understood.

  1. Decide that you want to hear what the speaker has to say
  2. Collect data on all channels
  3. Ignore everything else
  4. Remove the filters
  5. Process the information as you hear it
  6. Check to see that you understood what you heard


Assist the Speaker

Listening can be easier to the listener if s/he will help the speaker express his/her ideas and this may require active participation in their conversation.

  1. Appear pleasant
    • convey acceptance to the speaker for this will build trust which in effect help the speaker in expressing his/her ideas
  2. Act pleasant
    • offer genuine encouragement to the speaker and show appreciation  for the person’s ideas
    • avoid negative statements which in a way will caution him/her from opening his/her thoughts
  3. Ask questions
    • this shows an interest to the speaker’s ideas
    • questions may also be used to direct and guide the conversation to areas where you want information
    • make sure you ask positive, high-value questions that shall obtain answers that will lead to useful results
    • when preparing questions, consider the results wanted and then plan them that shall open a dialogue that will uncover that result
  4. Accept questions
    • treat the speaker with courtesy and respect, i.e. some may throw question which you may seem dumb.
    • ask questions to verify if one has fully understood the extent, basis, or reason of a question
  5. Treat others with respect


Adjust Your Focus

Effective leaders make appropriate changes in their communication style to enhance the listener’s ability to understand what they are saying.

Perceiving the listeners preferred focus:

  1. Determine and then match the other person’s focus.  Major possibilities of emphasis
    • Results, goals, actions, progress, and control
    • Ideas, fun, possibilities, approval, and people
    • Teamwork, cooperation, feelings, service and people
    • Precision, quality, information, details, and control
  2. Mirror the person’s behavior
    • This helps establish rapport because people accept and trust others who behave like they do


Treat Machines Differently

Most businesspeople has heavily relied on machines (voice mailing system) to help them “simplify and complicated their ability to communicate”

  1. Make it easy to reply
    • For the receiver to immediately know who, where, what and how to reply
  2. Help others leave messages
    • Make it easy for somebody leaving a message to do his stuff
  3. Overcome voice mail systems
    • Get away of the voice mail system
  4. Practice professional courtesy
    • Make return calls to the messages left in your voice mail
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