Communication Skills Tip: Building Cohesive Teams

When I was persuing an acting career, I spent a lot of time developing rapport amongst cast members. All good directors know that in order for a performance to be a success, the ensemble needs to act as a cohesive group. Actors will spend hours developing their improvisational skills. Improvisation in acting, however, does not mean being impulsive. It means being at the top of your game when it comes to being alert and ready to respond. It also means caring deeply about the group rather than just yourself. In business conversations, we so often focus on ourselves. "Is my point clear?" "Did I say enough?" "What else can I explain?" What would happen if we asked (as one of my partners, Lisa Parker says) other-focused questions instead, like: "Did I hear what she said accurately?" "Is he responding as though he understood my message?" "What can I add to her point?" By doing this, we have the opportunity to build business units that understand the true meaning of the expression: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. To be added to Lanartco's Communication Performance Tip of the Week, please connect to this link or send your email address to info@lanartco.com.