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The Most Important Question

The Most Important Question

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

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

  • 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 >
  • How to Overcome the 6 Barriers of Communication
    Barriers of communication come in two forms: mental and physical. We examine how can we overcome these barriers to achieve successful communication.
    Read Article >
  • 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...
    Read Article >
  • Communication Skills: ABC Principle
    Making sure that people understand your message is important, and there are three ways you can make this happen: By being accurate, being brief and being clear. We call this the ABC principle.
    Read Article >
  • How to Politely Say 'No' to Your Boss
    Learning to say 'no' is an important skill that many people find hard to do. This can cause stress and anxiety and failure to do their jobs effectively. Learn how and when to say 'no' to your boss.
    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

22 October
Birmingham
£475 +VAT
4 November
Online - Teams
£475 +VAT
7 November
Manchester
£475 +VAT
13 November
London - Central
£475 +VAT
More dates and locations available
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