Communication Archives

Commander’s Intent: The Key to Effective Messaging

What is Commander’s Intent? How can using the commander’s intent principle help you communicate more effectively? The Army adopted the concept of “Commander’s Intent” in the 1980s. It refers to a concise statement that lays out the goal or intended outcome, allowing people to react to changing circumstances as they pursue a clear goal. You can use this concept to pinpoint the essence of a message that you want to communicate effectively to others. Read more to learn about Commander’s Intent and its application.

Powerless Communication: How to Win People Over

What are the benefits of powerless communication? How can being less assertive help you win people over? In his book Give and Take, Adam Grant discusses the benefits of powerless communication. Grant explains that while trying to present or sell an idea, showing some hesitancy, vulnerability, and warmth will cause your audience to trust you and be more receptive. Here is why you should drop your aggressive approach to persuasion and adopt some humility.

An Appeal to Emotion Can Make Your Message Stick

How can you effectively communicate your idea by including an appeal to emotion? How can you get people to care about your message? If you want people to hear your message and do something about it, you have to get them to care. An appeal to emotion—making people feel something—is key to making messages stick. Keep reading to learn effective ways to make an appeal to emotion.

How to Distill the Core Message of Your Idea

Do you have an idea in mind? What is the core message behind your idea? If you have an idea to communicate, you want it to be sticky: you want people to understand it, remember it, and pass it on. The key to doing this is twofold: identifying your core message and making it compelling. Here is how you can distill the core message of your idea and make it stick.

How to Build a Strong Teamwork Culture

How important is a teamwork culture in your organization? What are some things you can do to establish a strong culture of teamwork and cooperation? For organizations committed to a teamwork culture, hiring the right people and encouraging team spirit is key. According to Patrick Lencioni, the author of The Ideal Team Player, the key to developing a strong teamwork culture in an organization is to hire natural team players who possess the following three qualities: being humble, hungry, and smart. Besides helping individuals become humble, hungry, and smart, it’s important to embed these values in your company’s culture. Here

Techniques for Using Voice and Tone in Sales

What is Jordan Belfort’s advice on using voice and tone while making a sale? How can the right tone help you connect emotionally and increase the chance of a sale? In his sales book, Way of the Wolf, Jordan Belfort discusses voice and tone at length. He asserts that doing things like modulating your voice, using upspeak, sounding sympathetic, and more will help you connect with your prospect and increase the odds of closing a sale. Learn how to sell with your voice and tone below.

How to Apply the Playing to Win Framework

What is the Playing to Win Framework? How can you apply the Playing to Win strategy framework? The Playing to Win framework is a set of five choices that include having a winning aspiration, knowing where to play, knowing how to win, developing core capabilities, and fine-tuning your management systems. These choices help you win in the marketplace. You can only use the framework successfully after answering the five questions in the strategic choice cascade. Read on to learn how to implement the Playing to Win framework.

Questions in Sales: What to Ask Your Sales Prospects

What questions should you ask in sales? What is the point of asking questions in sales? There are two goals when questioning your prospects: determining their interest in your products, and learning about their problems and concerns. Each goal requires asking different questions. Keep reading for Jordan Belfort’s advice on what questions you should ask a prospect and why.

The Effects of Feeling Disconnected From People

What can happen when you are feeling disconnected from people? What can trigger such a disconnection from others? Feeling disconnected from people creates loneliness which can trigger the onset of depression. Humans evolved as social animals that banded together to survive—loneliness triggers fear of survival which leads to depression. Our modern society encourages independence and self-sufficiency, which is at odds with our evolutionary need for community. Read more about the dangers of feeling disconnected from people.

How Choice Overload and Ambiguity Thwart Change

What is choice overload? How does it impact our ability to change? Choice overload happens when people are overwhelmed with options. It can lead to decision paralysis—when we end up either doing nothing or doing the same thing every time. Ultimately, it makes change difficult. Too much ambiguity, just like too many options, can thwart change efforts. Keep reading to learn how to overcome choice overload and ambiguity in order to bring about change.