These BLOGS are sponsored by my businesses.
Misty Hollow Digital Images were
launched on September 26, 2012.
“Crop Circles’ Web Site” where all
my images are available.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* *
Avoiding Dead Air Time – from John
Maxwell –
(see Source)
Connecting is the leadership ability to identify with and relate to people in such a way that it increases your influence with them. Connecting demands constant attention on the part of the leader so that people stay tuned in to the vision, values, and priorities of the organization. The trick is to keep the connection going no matter what transpires.
Connecting is the leadership ability to identify with and relate to people in such a way that it increases your influence with them. Connecting demands constant attention on the part of the leader so that people stay tuned in to the vision, values, and priorities of the organization. The trick is to keep the connection going no matter what transpires.
KEEPING OTHERS TUNED IN
Before baseball
games were televised, radio stations across the country competed against one
another for market shares of the listening audience. Watching the game on-site
from the grandstands, a correspondent hammered out its happenings in Morse code
and sent real-time updates via telegraph to radio stations across the country.
At the receiving end, a telegraph operator translated the encoded reports for a
broadcaster, who then announced the play-by-play action as if watching the game
live.
One young announcer
faced a sticky situation when his telegraph machine momentarily malfunctioned
during the middle of a ballgame between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis
Cardinals. Knowing his listeners would switch to another radio station if he
stopped broadcasting, the young man improvised to buy time. He acted as if the
current batter was fouling off pitch after pitch after pitch. He described one
foul ball as nearly being a home run—flying over the fence only a foot wide of
fair territory. He elaborately fabricated another story about two boys tussling
over a foul ball hit into their section of the stands. After ad-libbing for a
few minutes, the announcer started to sweat. He knew the charade would have to
end soon. Just as he was on the verge of confessing to having lost
communications, the telegraph wire came back to life. Relieved, the young
broadcaster resumed the broadcast—finally able to relay the game’s actual
proceedings.
The quick-witted
young announcer was none other than Ronald Reagan, future president of the
United States. Reagan’s aptitude for connecting with audiences garnered him the
nickname of The Great Communicator. This simple illustration from his days as a
radio broadcaster is packed with insights on connecting with people.
1) Be Creative
Ronald Reagan
cleverly used his imagination to keep his audience tuned in to the broadcast of
the ballgame. He found an inventive solution to an unforeseen difficulty.
Communication without creativity quickly ends in disconnection. As a leader,
your challenge is not merely to disseminate information but to capture the
imagination of your people.
2) Tell Stories
Foul ball. Another
foul ball. Yet another foul ball. That was the basic content of Reagan’s
improvised announcing. However, Reagan succeeded in extending the radio
broadcast because he turned each pretend foul ball into a colorful story. A
player narrowly missed a home run, two kids got in a scuffle fighting over a
souvenir, etc.
Packing information
in a story extends its shelf life. In other words, principles fade but stories
stick. If you want people to remember what you say, convey it in a narrative
way.
3) Give Frequent Updates
The worst outcome
for any radio network is to have dead air time. People listen long when all
they hear is silence. Reagan knew that to keep his audience engaged he had to
give frequent updates.
In any workplace,
people want to be in the loop. They like to be informed about what is expected
of them, about how they are performing, and about any changes on the horizon.
When they feel stonewalled by leadership, or simply neglected by those in
charge, they rapidly lose motivation.
4) Don’t Be Afraid of Repetition
Ronald Reagan
described one foul ball after another while waiting for an incoming telegraph
with news about the baseball game. He was not reluctant to repeat the same
thing again and again. As leaders, we get in such a hurry to push forward that
we sometimes forget that it’s okay restate our vision. Indeed, repeating it is
never a waste of time. On the contrary, retelling the vision is crucial because
1) your organization experiences turnover and newcomers need to know the
vision, 2) people are easily lose sight of the big picture, and 3) an enlivened
vision energizes an organization.
Thought to Ponder
Who is the best
connector/communicator you know? What specific qualities make him or her so
captivating?
~ Murray Lincoln ~
For your inspection
Digital Image from Misty Hollow
To help me promote my Web Site
please copy this URL address and email to someone today http://www.murraylincoln.com/ and http://mistyhollow-digitalimages.blogspot.ca/
No comments:
Post a Comment