Talk Internal Communication

Responses from over 600 presentation recipients highlights the top five things that people find most annoying when watching presentations.  They are: The speaker read the slides to us – 73.8% Full sentences instead of bullet points – 51.6% The text was so small I couldn’t read it – 48.1% Slides hard to see because of color choice – 34.0% Overly complex diagrams or charts – 26.0% For full details of the survey results check out  http://www.thinkoutsidetheslide.com/articles/annoying_powerpoint_survey_2011.htm

In an article, "Why concrete language communicates truth ," the author states that when you speak and write using unambiguous language, people will believe you. Choosing words that reinforce the concrete nature of your statement make it more credible . Here are some examples: 1. Be specific with nouns.. Instead of "cars," say "Thunderbird" and instead of "breakfast," say "steak and eggs." Use more action verbs. Use fewer adjectives and adverbs, and stick to concrete nouns and verbs. You won't sound as if you're exaggerating and your credibility will shine through. 2. Avoid ambiguity. Read your lines aloud to a friend this will help you will hear the words that may confuse confusion for your audience. Aim to use simple, universal terms. 3. Use concrete verbs: Use solid, concrete and unambiguous verbs for example verbs like 'count' and 'write'. Avoid verbs that are less clear such as 'help' and...

The man who started Apple computer in a garage died just two months after resigning as CEO. Not surprisingly, #RIPSteveJobs became an immediate trending topic on Twitter. Many tweeted quotes from Jobs, such as “Stay hungry. Stay foolish" and "Your time is limited so don't waste it living someone else's life." Both are taken from Jobs’ 2005 commencement address at Stanford. For those who haven't heard Jobs' Stanford address you can check it out on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=D1R-jKKp3NA# !

Has an employee ever come to you with a problem to which you helpfully answer, , “If I were you, I would…” You may feel satisfied that you have helped but you may well be storing up trouble for yourself.  The reality is that when this employee came to you they had a problem. You helpfully took ownership of that problem and relieved your employee of responsibility for solving the problem themselves. As a manager this type of action trains your staff to come to you with their problems instead of trying to resolve the issues themselves. This can lead to you becoming embroiled in office politics taking you away from your role as a leader. Beware! The key is to actively listen and allow staff to think through, analyse and arrive at solutions themselves. 

Employee’s emotions and motivation change on a daily basis but according to recent Harvard research there is one tool that motivates employees more than anything else. Can you guess what it is? It’s not clear goals, it’s not incentives, it’s not even recognition for good work. According to lead researcher, Teresa Amible the biggest improvement in motivation will be seen if you focus first on helping your employees make progress. The researchers have named this phenomenon the progress principle and the implications of it for managers are laid out in the book The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work . The research, which took over ten years to complete, explains that while recognition and providing financial incentives for a job well done are still important, there are two questions above all else that help managers motivate their employees. The questions are: “What can I do to help my team make progress in their work today?” “What is g...

You can view all my recommendations for communication books on  http://www.delicious.com/laoise.omurchu .

Discussions about ‘values’ are now jostling with ‘risk’ in board rooms. ‘Authenticity’, ‘engagement’, ‘culture’ and ‘passion’ are starting to define the ‘corporate soul’ and ‘true north’ of organisations. Echo Research and the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) have partnered to produce a report that aims to provide a better understanding of the drivers of success in the field of corporate sustainability and responsibility. The report is entitled A World in Trust - International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) www.iblf.org/~/media/Files/.../World-in-trust-IBLF-Echo_Research.ashx