Communication is fundamental. Poor communication cost businesses millions of dollars every day. How often do we lose business and at what cost because of misunderstood concepts or interpretations? Learning the art of persuasion from a sales or customer service perspective can be significant to gain and retain clients.
Did you know:
- Most conflicts involve communication problems
- Intercultural and gender communication is especially prone to errors
- There are many hidden costs of miscommunications
- Nonverbal cues are just as important-Body language
Over the years, I have been committed to learning communication and the impact it has on our lives both from a business and personal perspective.
I originally began this quest because my son and I were so similar in personality, that we would argue intensely, just as I had done with my father. Love each other dearly and were extremely close but never the less would still argue. I didn’t want to repeat the pattern with my children. Now over a decade later, I am continually amazed at how important communication is and the relevance of keeping it top of mind.
From a behavioral style point of view, learning the art of persuasion from a sales or customer service perspective and understanding how people interpret different conversations can be a significant difference to whether we gain and retain clients.
We now have four generations in the workforce. Each has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivational buttons. Learning how to communicate with different generations can eliminate many misunderstandings in the workplace and the world of business. It is important to have an awareness of the major influences in our history.
It is essential to be aware of cultural differences with the world becoming a much smaller place, specifically within the interactions of business. From one country to another, there are huge differences in cultural communications. Even in my own personal experience of emigrating from England to America, I have many amusing recollections of miscommunications and misunderstandings.
Becoming aware of the assumptions we make in understanding people, and heightening our listening skills, are key to increasing our performance.
Imagine your sales percentage increasing because you understood your prospects better. You wouldn’t have to work so hard to gain and retain business.
Think about the last person you might have had a misunderstanding or disagreement with. How could that have been different?
Wouldn’t the interaction and workplace be smoother if we all understood each other just a little bit more?
These are just a few of the many elements, the tip of the ice berg, layer upon layer of differences when considering communication and how people act and react. Communication is key.
Also just for fun, if you click on the link I will send you a complimentary clue sheet for the main behavioral styles, so that you can immediately start to identify your preferred style of communication.