1-08

Products by

Susan Fee

Susan Fee: Communication Tip Sheet
January 2008 Edition

In This Issue

News & Notes: Objects May Be Larger Than They Appear

Manager's Tip Sheet: Giving High Fives

Personal Tip Sheet: Captivating Elevator Speeches

Difficult Conversations: My Boss Ignores Me

...................................

News & Notes: Objects May Be Larger Than They Appear

Each month, my daughter receives a magazine called Highlights. As soon as it arrives in the mailbox, she races to get it and turns immediately to a feature called “Find the Hidden Object,” in which you must find certain objects hidden in a picture.

Upon first glance, the picture appears to be hiding nothing. But, the directions say there are at least ten items, so she keeps looking. It’s not until she looks past the obvious that a different vision appears. Suddenly, the hidden objects seem to jump off the page.

This New Year, I want to challenge you to find the hidden objects in your life and relationships. At first glance, the situation may appear to be static, stuck, or void of possibility. Close your eyes for a moment. When you open them, force yourself to look beyond the obvious. That may mean you need to talk less, or find the courage to say something when you had remained silent. You may need to rebuild broken relationships or branch out to start new ones.

Whatever it is, exposing what was previously hidden is a journey worth taking!

Until next month,

Susan Fee

Manager's Tip Sheet: Giving High Fives

Last month, I had the great pleasure of working with the staff of Independence Township Parks and Recreation in Michigan. I was so impressed with a tradition that director Michael Turk started that I asked his permission to share it with you.

He starts his monthly staff meetings by giving “high fives.” Here are the steps he follows.

1. Distribute five pieces of paper to each staff member. Each person is to write down the names of five different people that they feel deserved to be recognized that month and why.

2. Gather all the entries into a container and mix them up. Pass the container around and each person takes out five pieces of paper. Each person takes a turn reading out loud the five “high fives” they pulled out. (Since they have been mixed up, sometimes a person gets to read about himself!) As each person finishes reading, the slips of paper are put back in the container.

3. Once all the compliments have been read, the paper is mixed up one more time and three names are randomly drawn to receive small prizes.

Mike told me that he’s started every staff meeting this way for years because it sets such a positive tone. From what I saw, it works! So, let me take a moment to give Mike Turk a high five for sharing a great idea and inspiring others to do the same.

Personal Tip Sheet: Capitivating Elevator Speeches

Imagine you step into an elevator with a key decision-maker. As the doors close he or she turns to you and asks, “What do you do?” You have the rest of the ride, approximately 15-30 seconds to make your pitch. Can you succinctly communicate the benefits of you, your company, or your product?

Those thirty seconds could change your life! You never know when you’ll get that golden opportunity, but what’s for certain is that if you’re not prepared, you’ll blow it. You need an elevator speech. Dianna Booher, author of Speak With Confidence (McGraw-Hill, 2002) offers these six guidelines to make sure it’s captivating:

Speak in benefits. People don’t care what you do, they care what you can do for them. Job titles and business cards don’t convey this. How can you solve someone’s problem or help increase business?

Add credibility. Mention respected clients who have used your services such as, “I just wrapped up a project with X that increased their business 20 percent.”

End with an opening. Close your pitch with an open-ended question that will engage the listener in continued dialogue such as, “How could your last event have been improved?” Listen for the problem, and match it with a solution.

Be quotable. Make the speech memorable enough to be passed along to others who may be interested.

Keep it informal. Be careful that your delivery doesn’t come off as a sales pitch. Imagine talking to a good friend and keep it down-to-earth.

Skip industry jargon. Speak in common terms that anyone can understand. If you only have thirty seconds, you don’t want to clutter it with fancy jargon that your listener may not understand. Remember, you want your message to be repeatable, so keep it simple.

Turn your elevator speech into a presentation with Susan’s coaching!

Difficult Conversations: My Boss Ignores Me

Q: My boss keeps his head in the sand when it comes to addressing big problems. I bring them to his attention all the time, but he flat out ignores me. What else can I say?

A: Your boss could be in denial, but there’s also a chance he’s tuning out your complaints. Listening to problems can get old. Instead, bring him solutions. When you notice a situation that could be improved, first think about how it could be done. Then approach him by saying, “I’ve noticed a decline in productivity and I’d like to discuss three possible solutions. Is now a good time?” In addition to encouraging positive change, you’ll be building your reputation as a problem-solver rather than a complainer.

Submit your difficult questions to Susan_Fee@msn.com. If your question is chosen for publication, you’ll receive a complimentary copy of Dealing With Difficult People.

Interested in booking training or coaching? Let me know how I can help, Susan_Fee@msn.com.

Susan Fee is a licensed counselor, business and personal coach, and college adjunct faculty member. She is the author of Positive First Impressions, Dealing with Difficult People, Building Resiliency, Secrets of Successful Presentations, and the college survival guide, My Roommate Is Driving Me Crazy! (Adams Media). She can be reached through her Web site at www.susanfee.com or by email at Susan_Fee@msn.com.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, 2008