Adapting to Business Communication

Dr. Michael Edmondson

Communication skills are a work in progress

Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it.

Salvador Dali

Quickly get to the point

If you can’t get your message across quickly, you aren’t going to get it across at all.

Rule #7 in Fast Company’s The Rules of Business

Decide what you want to say before you say it

Speak with clarity, conviction, and compassion.

Susan Scott, author Fierce Conversations

Communicate through repetition

The first time you say something, it’s heard. The second time, it’s recognized, and the

third time, it’s learned.William H. Rastetter, chairman, Biogen IDEC

Realize people will only remember three things

Three points is all anyone is going to remember. What is the take-away you want

to leave them with?Michael Sheehan, communications consultant

Leaders clarify through communication

Every leader needs to clearly explain the top three things the organization is working on.

If you can’t, you are not leading well.Jeffrey Immelt, chairman and CEO, General Electric

Be able to explain it to a five year old

Communication is most effective when it translates a complex idea in a simple way.

Mark Jarvis, senior vice president, Oracle

Choose quality of words over quantity

Give them quality. That’s the best kind of advertising.

Milton Hershey