Listen with Your Heart

One of the best ways to improve your listening skills is to truly listen to another with your whole heart.

Here are some tips on how to do this well:

1. Give the person talking your entire attention, regardless of what else might be going on around you.
2. Hang on the words of the other person as if he or she is the most important person in the world to you. (At that moment, the person speaking should be.)
3. Listen with your heart. Your ears will hear the words but your heart will hear the meaning.
4. Stay quiet, except to ask clarifying questions. Try not to inject your own thoughts - just let the other person speak.

You will be very surprised at both how hard this is and how rewarding it is!

Let me know how it goes!

the communication guru

Want to improve your presentations? Watch this!

This is one of the best presentations I've seen about how to improve your presentations. It is worth the time to watch the entire piece.

The presenter is Garr Reynolds. He is currently Associate Professor of Management at Kansai Gaidai University where he teaches Marketing, Global Marketing and Multimedia Presentation Design. Garr is active in the Japanese community and can often be found presenting on subjects concerning design, branding, and effective corporate communications.



the communication guru

"If I'd had a little more time, I would have written you a shorter letter."
Mark Twain (American author, humorist, satirist and lecturer)

Like I said in my last post, when it comes to effective writing, less is usually better. Take the time to write less...

the communication guru

To write better, write less...

One of the best lessons I ever learned about writing was to write less.

Sure, it is impressive when you read something beautifully written that uses rich, expressive and evocative language. However, in this modern age of little time and shrinking attention spans, simple is much better.

Simple writing is clear and has a greater chance of being noticed, read, understood and remembered. The more complex your message, the greater the chance that only part (often a very small part) will be read and processed by your reader.

Here's some advice to consider the next time you you need to write something:

1. Quickly write what you want to say. (Write it completely and don't edit as you go.)
2. Next, underline your key message. (There only should be one.)
3. Start subtracting many (or all) of the secondary messages. (Take out the fluff.)
4. Keep going until your key message stands alone.
5. Add any supporting sentences that are required, but only if they add to the clarity.
6. Consider removing most, if not all, of your adjectives.
7. Make final adjustments to your message until you are certain that it is clear and memorable.

Simple writing is clear writing. Go for it!

the communication guru

The Grace of Barack Obama's Victory Speech

The recent American election was a riveting event that garnered worldwide attention.

The months leading up to the election provided some of the best entertainment we had seen in years. Mud-slinging, accusations, gaffes, vicious commercials, mind-boggling choices, hilarious spoofs and SNL routines kept the world's eyes on this election, more so than any other in the past.

What's really interesting though is that this election was truly a battle between two good and worthy candidates. Still, with the intensity of the is contest, you might have expected the winner to step forward with pomp and circumstance, fireworks ripping the evening sky, fists pumped in the air, dancing a victory dance.

This is not what happened...

First -

John McCain delivered a very gracious concession speech. He spoke from his heart with honesty and sincerity. He took firm control of his audience and presented his support to the President-elect. He went back to who he really is - the man that originally appealed to American people. I think that, if he had run his campaign the way he delivered this speech, he would have been much more of a contender in this election. Here was the man, the hero and the leader. Unfortunately, he lost his connection to these things during the campaign and he lost the election as a result. Poor communication can really cost...

Second -

Barack Obama delivered his 'victory' speech. I'll never forget his face when he walked out to the podium - intelligent, sincere, humble and truly honoured. No fireworks, no fist-pumping. He walked out and all his expression said was "Thank you". Then he began to speak - from the depths of his heart. He expressed gratitude, he took control, he reached out to unite all Americans - whether they had voted for him or not. He did not rant like a cheerleader and whip people up - he focused on inspiration and teamwork. He delivered a truly great speech - a speech that was consistent with everything else he had said during his campaign. His communication style is that of a true leader - honest, consistent, galvanizing, clear, concise, motivating, sincere and heartfelt. He delivered his speech with grace. This is why so many people voted for him. Great communication can really win the game...

Even Obama's unspoken messages were strong - the humble facial expressions, the sincere wave, the open body language, the people he brought up on stage with him for recognition, his body contact with his family - everything was congruent with the words he spoke and the messages he conveyed. Truly magnificent to observe.

Watch the whole thing again here...




There is a lot to be learned from watching a great communicator in action. Keep your eye on Obama - this is a great opportunity to observe and learn from a master.

In the meantime - keep your communication sincere, honest, heartfelt and gracious. The benefits are great.

the communication guru