Increase your Productivity through Clear Communication
When we’re faced with something we think is a waste of time, we have a tendency to grumble, moan and halfheartedly do the work. The gap between our declared aims and real ones, between our real feelings and our forced participation, leads to insincere speech and actions. It effects our productivity.
Communicating in clear language can change everyone’s behavior and eliminate insincerity and increase productivity. Here are five things you should keep in mind when you’re faced with a task you don’t want to do:
- Yes means 100% commitment. Once you say yes, you are required to act professionally and engage 100% in the task as if nothing in the world is more important or more interesting.
- Negotiate prior to saying yes. Try something like: “This is the second weekend in a row that I will be in the office, can we agree that the next two weekends I will not be available?” Ask for a joint review of the value of this additional weekend effort mid next week. This will help you assess if it was really necessary, if it could have been planned better, of if you could have just said no.
- Yes is very powerful. When people know that anytime you say yes, you’re all in, it empowers you to communicate and act with real intention and clarity. It makes everyone engage in your concerns with greater commitment. They know if they satisfy your concerns and needs, when you say yes, you’re 100% in.
- Stay focused. Practice staying focused on action, positive intent, expressing concerns, and reluctance in professional terms and a conversational manner. Even the President of the United States has to say yes to meetings, events and speeches he would dearly love to miss.
- Push Back. Say no clearly with a brief and clear explanation. When asked, “Can you do these two things for me by the end of the day?” Push back. “No sorry, I really have to complete this project by the deadline.” Negotiate again. “I really have to complete this project by the deadline. I can do it first thing tomorrow.” This will become an ‘all in yes’ if negotiation for tomorrow is accepted.
Our roles in life as partner, parent, colleague, boss, and friend lead to a constant effort of balancing our ‘yeas’ and ‘nays’. Communicate with clarity and care and you will be able to have ‘yeas’ you can live with and ‘nays’ they can live with.
