The Most Important Question

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The Most Important Question

There is a question that everyone should be prepared to ask.

It is, "When you say that, what do you MEAN, specifically?"

If you say, "I believe in a fair wage, for everyone", then the people should reply, "What do you mean by a "fair wage?"

If you write, "Sam, when you come to the meeting, please ensure you bring with you all the relevant papers".

Then Sam is bound to wonder, "When he says, relevant papers, what does he mean, specifically?"

Stand ready to answer the question, or better still, pre-empt the question, by supplying the additional detail that will remedy any confusion or ambiguity.

Go through your message and identify any words or phrases that have the potential to be misunderstood or mis-represented and then either, reword your message, or elaborate upon your exact meaning.

Failure to properly explain your exact meaning will lead to painful consequences.

If you fail to explain your ideas properly you run the risk of:

• Being misunderstood.
• Being misrepresented.
• Losing your credibility as a knowledgeable person.
• Losing your power to persuade people.

Be ready to ASK the same question.

"When you say that, what do you mean specifically".

When listening to others, don't guess at their meaning.

Don't assume they mean what you think they mean.

If you are not sure about the exact meaning, then ask them to elucidate!

About the Author: Chris Farmer

Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years’ experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.

Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.

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Further Reading in Communication - Clear Communication

• Training to Improve Your Communication Skills
  People do make judgements of you, based on your appearance and what you say. In order to give the right impression, try some new ways to improve your communication skills. You will improve your confidence and gain respect in the process.
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• Communication skills - Accurate language
  Communication skills - Accurate language Many people have trouble expressing themselves. They say: "I know what I mean but I can't explain it!" But you need to be able to express yourself with both clarity and accuracy. Here is a rule that will help you to get better results. Clarity is...
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• Communication Skills Training: Objective and Subjective Language
  Objective and Subjective Language It is important to distinguish between two kinds of language: Objective language and subjective language. Every day you experience your "personal experience". You have to experience YOUR experience of an event. But isn't it true that YOUR experience of an event, may be very different to the...
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• What is the Conversation Cycle?
  Conversations involve the sharing of information, ideas and opinions. Each person in the conversation must have the opportunity to inform, invite, listen and acknowledge to complete the conversation cycle.
  Read Article >
• The Six Barriers of Successful Communication
  In order to be successful, we need to be able to communicate well with others. There are many barriers that can cause breakdowns in communication, which you need to be aware of and deal with effectively.
  Read Article >

Looking for Communication Skills Training?

If you're looking to develop your Clear Communication Skills, you may find this Communication Skills Training Course beneficial:

Open Training Course Pricing and Availability

Next Open Course Starts in 3 days, London - Central, places available Book Now >