So far, we have discussed how to communicate one-on-one and how to make memorable presentations. But did you know that about 30 percent of your one-on-one communications are via telephone? Let’s look at how you can maximize your telephone conversations.
I’m talking about live conversations. So, just as you might make an appointment to talk in person with a customer, you should make an appointment for a telephone conversation with that same customer if you expect to be on the phone for awhile. For your lengthier calls, prepare a list to ensure that you cover all the points you intend.
Let’s assume that you are talking and you suddenly are disconnected. If you called, then it is your responsibility to redial. If someone walks into your office while you are on the phone, motion them out of the doorway, or into a seat, but don’t interrupt your phone conversation.
When you mistakenly take a phone call for which you are not prepared, spend a few minutes on the phone as a courtesy and then reschedule it for a later date.
What should you do if you pick up your phone and find an extremely angry coworker or client on the line? Quietly listen. If you try to explain the situation and find the individual is still upset, you might want to suggest that you need more information and then set up a phone meeting. If the anger disintegrates into abusiveness, don’t respond. Just calmly say, “For the moment, I don’t think we have all the facts to resolve this. I will call you tomorrow after I have done more research.” End the conversation. Call back the next day—by then, the individual will be able to speak calmly.
I hope I have convinced you just how important your communication ability is to your position.
The SEER Technique If you want to be heard when you reply to a question, try the SEER technique. This technique ensures that your replies are clear, concise, and memorable. Begin with a one-sentence Summary in which you describe your position. Next, Elaborate on that answer with details like who, when, where, why, how, and how much. Follow this up with an Example to go from the abstract or conceptual to the concrete. End with a Restatement of your Summary. Try this technique—it works.
Tips Be clear in your mind what you want to say before you open your mouth.
Come prepared with a list of questions for meetings in which you expect to get a major project assignment from your manager. Try to cover the who, what, where, what, and why—particularly the why.
Flow Chart Your Communication This technique is designed to determine if you are guilty of regularly interrupting individuals. By making tally marks on a plain, white piece of paper and counting these after five or ten minutes, you can determine the frequency with which you cut others off. You might even create a form that tallies interruptions by both you and the other person. Divide a piece of paper into two parts, one half interruptions by you, the other half interruptions by the other party. You can draw two circles on each side, to represent you and the other party. As the conversation goes on, note those times you interrupt the individual and also the number of times you are interrupted. Once the meeting is done, review the findings. The more interruptions you record on your side of the paper, the more evidence you have of a problem in communicating. You may also want to record awkward periods of silence because they, too, represent communication problems.