•
Page 4
Communication Briefings
'Walk the talk'
Test Yourself'
I f you preach teamwork, do you w o r k well w i t h others? I f you ask your people to take risks, does your behavior match your words? I f you recommend lifelong learning, do you attend s e m i n a r s and keep up i n your field? Managers who fail to practice w h a t they preach lack credibility. Others won't follow their advice. Put this reminder on your office w a l l : "Walk the T a l k . " Source: Hie Answers Are on the Office Wall. by Paul B. Thornton. Monochrome Press, P.O. Box 424, Exeter. N H 03833. -
i
survey tips
When conducting w r i t t e n surveys: • L i m i t t h e number of f i l l - i n - t h e blank questions. You'll increase your response. A surveyor doubled the n u m ber of responses by c u t t i n g the number of fill-in-the-biank questions from h a l f to only two of 30 questions. • When s u r v e y i n g about a product or service, ask respondents w h a t they liked most about the product or service. I t not only helps you continue to emphasize things that people like, but it provides m a r k e t i n g managers w i t h possible testimonials. Source: The Quantum PC Report for CPAs. Quantum Professional Publishing, 700 Larkspur L a n d i n g Circle, Ste. 199, Larkspur, CA 94939.
Use your brain to cut stress Relieve stress by u n d e r s t a n d i n g which brain hemisphere is stressed. I f you feel depressed or emotionally overwrought, your stress is i n the r i g h t hemisphere—the creative, emotional, holistic side. What to do: Switch to your matter-offact left hemisphere by doing m a t h , w r i t i n g factual prose or organizing. The emotional right brain w i l l calm down. I f you feel time-stressed and overburdened, the left hemisphere is involved. Switch to your right brain by singing or playing a sport. Source: Wellspring Seminars, 355 Park Ave., Newmarket, ON L3Y 1V4.
Ideas that work
Volume XX. Number
Detect the misused words The sentences below c o n t a i n words t h a t are often misused. See how m a n v you can detect and change. L B i l l was adverse to the p r o g r a m for awhile. 2. Jane was reticent to seek a raise. 3. Please take this memo to Ms. Herman. 4. The boss i n f e r r e d from t h e l e t t e r t h a t the project had been f i n i s h e d . 5. I was peaked by his hostile comments. 6. Would i t be possible for you and I to go to the picnic?
7. Jane d i s l i k e d her supervisor and flouted his orders. A n s w e r s : 1. Change "'adverse" to "averse" and " a w h i l e " to "a w h i l e " (two words). 2. Change ' ' r e t i c e n t " to " r e l u c t a n t . " 3. Sentence is correct. 4. Sentence is correct. 5. Change "peaked" to " p i q u e d . " 6. Change "for y o u a n d I " to "for y o u a n d me." 7. Sentence is correct. Source: Glossary of Misused Words & Phrases, from the editors of Communication Briefings, 1101 King Street, Ste. 110, Alexandria, VA 22314, (800) 888-2084.
Presenting
Becoming a better speaker I f you're not accustomed to public speaking or you need to help someone improve his or her speaking efforts, these observations and suggestions m i g h t help:
• Most people should speak a b i t louder t h a n n o r m a l and use larger gestures t h a n t h e y feel o r i g i n a l l y comfortable w i t h , according to Ted Fuller of C o m m u n i s p o n d . • Invest quite a bit of t i m e i n analyzing the audience. Be sure to tell t h a t audience something i t doesn't know. • Avoid r e a d i n g a speech w i t h eyes glued to the lectern. I f you w a n t to read to people, j u s t remember your parents read to you to p u t you to sleep. W o r k from an outline and t r u s t yourself.
• Communications consultant Brent Filson suggests t h a t speakers move away from the lectern. E s t a b l i s h i n g r a p p o r t w i t h the audience is v i t a l .
• B e r t Decker, a u t h o r of You've Got to Be Believed to Be Heard, strongly urges t h a t speakers videotape t h e i r rehearsals to s t r e n g t h e n t h e effort.
• S p e n d five or six seconds looking a t each person i n t h e audience. Shorter times can make y o u look like a "scared r a b b i t . " • P a u s e instead of i n f l i c t i n g "urns" and "ahs" on the audience. Source: Investor's 831-2525.
Business
Daily
(800)
Technology
Computer Security Tips These precautions can help protect the data i n y o u r office computers:
vent anyone from v i e w i n g t h e i r i n f o r m a t i o n w h e n they leave t h e i r desks.
• G i v e all employees a password. Tell t h e m they may not share t h e i r passwords w i t h a n y o n e — i n or outside the o r g a n i z a t i o n . Discourage t h e m from recording the passwords i n w r i t ing. B u t i f they feel they have to, t e l l t h e m they m u s t keep the r e m i n d e r where no one w i l l find i t .
• I n s i s t that employees log off the
• S u p p l y employees w i t h password-protected screen savers to pre-
n e t w o r k and s h u t d o w n t h e i r computers at l u n c h t i m e and at the end o f the day to avoid u n a u t h o r i z e d use.
• P r e v e n t possible file corruption by not a l l o w i n g employees to i n s t a l l their o w n software on office computers. Source: Nation's Business, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 1615 H St. NW, Washington, DC 20062. www.briefings.com