ARTICLE
TEXT:
"WHO'S
LISTENING?
Good question.
What
do Sir Michael Parkinson and Sir David Frost have to offer
those in business, marketing and sales? In a word, lots.
Both
are consummate interviewers whose selective use and economy
of words ensures and facilitates expansive responses. The
more words offered in responses to good questions the better
the prospects of insights and identification of key factors
which influence perceptions, preferences, buying patterns,
purchase decisions and satisfaction.
Sadly,
it has become increasingly conspicuous in recent times that
the ability of business owners, marketers, sales people
and service providers to ‘communicate' at large and to elicit
meaningful responses in particular have declined dramatically.
Some
will contend that the trend is a consequence of ever increasing
use of the electronic and social media in which brevity
is often seen as a virtue. SMS texts by their very nature
are limited to a maximum 144 characters. That is clearly
insufficient for many to project the very nature of their
character.
Many
contracts, deals, sales and opportunities are lost because
of misunderstandings or simply a failure to understand.
It is an expensive lesson to learn. One should seldom economise
on or avoid communication with stakeholders at large-current,
prospective and past clients in particular.
TWO
WAY COMMUNICATION
The
spoken word is an optimal communication medium because the
receivers are able to identify, analyse and respond to key
nuances, which are often not conspicuous in emails and text
messages. These nuances add meaning to the phrase: “to express
oneself”.
Moreover,
agreements and common understandings are usually concluded
faster and more efficiently with the spoken word.
Productivity
is constantly enhanced when emails, text messages and letters
elicit responses on the telephone and in person.
We
do live and operate in a world of multichannels. Each is
and should be both recognised and used as complementary
conveyers of communication.
“NO”
OR “YES” ARE SELDOM ANSWERS AT ALL
Monosyllabic
answers should be contained to distracted adolescents in
the back seat of a motor vehicle and to males who are transfixed
on the telecasts of sporting events!
The
timeless art of interviewing, negotiating, marketing, selling
and customer service excellence is to engage in compelling
and responsive discourse which avoids “yes” and “no” as
sole and definitive answers.... until the time arrives to
conclude the deal.
Raconteur
Michael Parkinson readily and expansively nominates as his
worst professional interview experience an encounter with
Academy Award winning actress Jodie Foster. Try as he might,
he was unable to have the interviewee expand beyond simple
one word answers.
Notwithstanding
his experience and expertise in the craft of structuring
questions which avoid “yes” or “no” answers he met his match
with a person whose skills centre on communications.
It
was a poor experience for the interviewer, the interviewee
and, above all, the viewing audience. It should also serve
as a lesson for all.
COMMUNICATION
SKILLS
In
essence, excellence in communications has three essential
phases, being...
•
Listen
•
Speak
•
Listen
The
sequence and balance of the clearly verbal communication
process detailed above is about right. We need to listen
and take in more than we expel.
I
am sure that Parkinson and Frost would demur to a preference
of a 5:1 ratio. That is, to listen, receive and analyse
five times more than the amount one expresses. It is a skill,
reinforced by discipline, practice and preparation.
FIRST
LESSON
Remember,
yes and no are not possible answers to questions which focus
on the key issues of: -
•
Who?
•
What?
•
Where?
•
When?
•
How?
•
Why?
The
final issue of why should be utilised astutely and repetitively.
It provides answers and expressions which are typically
invaluable and insightful.
