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By
Michael
Angier
"Not all of
us are going to be great orators and writers, but being able to
articulate our ideas intelligently is critical to our success."
The two most
powerful words in any language are "yes" and "no." They're often the
first words we learn. They are powerful because they are clear.
"Words,"
Rudyard Kipling once said, "are the most powerful drugs used by
mankind."
I agree. And
using the "right" words, the words that express exactly what we want
to say, is the key to effective communication.
Words stir
emotion and move people to action.
People like
Martin Luther King, John Kennedy, Winston Churchill, Mother Teresa
and Abraham Lincoln were not given to vague, sloppy language. They
didn't use fluffy jargon.
Their
language was specific. It conveyed their convictions and their
feelings.
The English
language contains more words than any other … over 600,000. German,
a distant second, has only about half that number. We certainly have
no shortage of explicit words. And yet, we seem to lack precise,
powerful, clear communication.
In the midst
of the information age, and with all the tools we have to enhance
communication, we still misunderstand one another far more than is
necessary.
We
experience it all the time … the missed appointment, the job that
needs to be re- done, the hurt feelings … all because what was said
was not clearly understood.
A number of
studies have revealed that a person's vocabulary has more to do with
income and position than almost anything else. It has been
documented that presidents of companies have a better vocabulary
than vice presidents and vice presidents have better vocabularies
than mid-level managers.
It seems to
hold true right down the line.
The ability
to communicate well translates directly into income and
responsibility.
One of the
first steps we can take to improve our ability to communicate is
simply to be clear on what it is we want to say. What result do we
intend? What is the essence of what we want to communicate? It may
seem ridiculous to offer this as a first step, but often we start to
say some¬¬thing without being clear ourselves on what our intentions
are.
Ambiguity
and lazy language make poor use of our minds because our minds deal
best with specifics. If you give yourself a specific objective and
articulate it with precise words, the goal is already half
accomplished.
There is
something magical about a keen intention matched with clear
communication.
Perhaps they
are the same thing.
I once heard
someone say that if a man can't write his idea on the back of a
business card, his idea isn't clearly enough defined. I think
there's something to that.
It's true
for organizations, also. An organization with a clear purpose and
unclouded objectives will never be mediocre. This clarity is the
beginning of excellence.
It's rare
for people to just say yes or no. We seem to need to qualify our
responses to the point that we dilute and weaken our meanings.
Try just
saying yes or no without qualifying or explaining. It's not easy,
but it's so powerful.
Most of us
have had the thrill of finding the perfect word or words to say
exactly what we want. We know how to do it, but we're lazy.
We've formed
bad habits. Good communication takes conscious effort. It takes
intention.
It takes
practice. It is, however, worth it.
When you're
about to start a meeting or begin a conversation with someone, ask
yourself, "What do I want to say? What specific outcome do I want?
How can I make myself easily understood?"
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About the
author: Michael Angier, founder of SuccessNet.org, recently released
the New SuccessNet Resource Book … The Top Must-Have Tools,
Products, Services and Resources for Running Your Business
Effectively
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Say Yes or No