LESSON 7 - HOW TO GET YOUR POINT ACROSS THROUGH THE ART OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Introduction:  Getting your point across clearly and concisely

There are many ways to communicate.  To name a few, it can be a verbal one-on-one, a simple hallway conversation, leading a team meeting, writing processes and procedures, giving presentations, creating reports for review, talking on the phone, instant messaging, blogging, and corresponding via e-mail.  Good communication skills are essential for effectively managing others, as well as working with your co-managers and upper management.  The better the communicator, the better chance for management success.  There are many chances each day to either succeed or fail just by the way you communicate to others.

One of the main reasons why people leave companies is due to poor communication from their supervisors and managers.  Poor communication leads to poor productivity, confusion, conflict, and redundancy.  Even worse, when a major change is happening within the company, such as merging with another company, poor communication leads to high anxiety and poor morale. 

You need to be able to clearly communicate all of the goals, plans and changes.  Communication may be the single most important skill of a manager.  You can't be a leader if you can't communicate your vision.  You can't motivate people if they can't understand what you want.  If you think about it, all that has been taught up to this point relies on your ability to communicate in a way that they truly hear and understand just what it is your saying. 

Being able to communicate effectively is not a skill everyone possesses, but can be improved through practice.  Strive to be a great communicator.  This lesson will cover ways to effectively communicate including business writing, communicating verbally, handling meetings, giving presentations, and dealing with change.  Communicating clearly and concisely is a great opportunity for you to show off your management skills, and build respect as a leader.

Business Writing

Like everything, once you get used to doing something a couple of times, the easier it gets.  The same holds true for writing e-mails, processes, procedures, or any type of written communication associated with company business.  A blank piece of paper, Word doc, spreadsheet, PowerPoint, or e-mail can seem daunting at first.  The hardest part is that first word or data entry.  Once you get started, however, the words or figures will start flowing.  You will be able to type out your thoughts and get your point across.  You might run into a dry spell and have to take a break, however, it is imperative to never give up until it is completed.

The purpose of business writing is to share or request information.  The information must be complete, concise, and accurate.   The information needs to be written in a way the reader can easily understand.  This holds true whether it is something you’re asking them to do, or what it is you need from them.

Correct use of grammar and spelling is essential.  The good news is you can use spell-checks to check your spelling or go to a site like www.dictionary.com.  You can even easily find words you can substitute with another through a site like www.thesaurus.com.  However, when it comes to grammar, it’s not quite as easy to check for grammatical inaccuracies as spelling inaccuracies.  If you are uncomfortable with your use of grammar in written communications, you should find some books on grammar, or take a basic course as soon as possible.  That should be a priority.  You will be judged on the way you write, and you will lose respect if your grammar skills are that of a 5^th grader.

When it is an informal subject, most likely through e-mail, write like you are talking to the person.  See and imagine the conversation in your mind.  You can even act out the conversation verbally, but quietly so no one thinks you’re talking to yourself...  If you use hard words and phrases, it will look like you are trying too hard.  Just be yourself.

When it is a formal subject, like an important process, then you need to keep it formal.  Pretend you are describing how to do the tasks in a classroom environment and document as such.  Try to imagine the person who will be following this process, and how it would best read for them.  Determine if it should be a step-by-step process or a flowchart process.  Just remember, “less is more” in most circumstances.  If you are too wordy, people will lose interest and not fully comprehend what it is you are trying to say.  You might need to write a couple of drafts until you get it just right.  A good idea is to have someone who you trust and understands the tasks at hand to review the process before you send it out to everyone.

You have to carefully judge the situation and the importance of each type of message you are communicating.  Here are 5 steps you should follow:

1. What type of information will you convey? Is it a simple FYI or difficult multi-level process, etc.  You need to organize and separate the different kinds of possible materials.  Here are five examples,

·         Message - is basically just a simple object of communication.  Mostly a communication of thoughts and ideas via e-mail or instant message.

·         Policy - describes a management decision (what should be done).  When writing a policy, keep the following in mind:

a.      Write a title in six words or less

b.      Describe:

                                                                                                  i.      Who is (or is not) covered?

                                                                                                 ii.      Where does (or doesn’t) the policy apply?

                                                                                               iii.      When does (or doesn’t) the policy come into effect?

c.      List management decisions and any exceptions (E.g. Management has decided that…).

d.      The name, and if possible the signature, of the person who will authorize the policy.

·         Process - is any series of actions or operations viewed as a whole, with a start and a finish.  In some cases a process might not have steps, it may simply be a continuum.

·         Procedure - lists steps needed to complete an action in chronological order that involves two or more people (who does what and when).  An action includes all the steps a team must take to finish a particular work or reach a goal.  Every action begins with a trigger that tells the first team member to go, and a target that tells the last team member to stop.

·         Task - outlines in order the steps one person takes to complete a procedure (how to do it).  The key to this definition is one person.  If the work remains in the hands of just one person for more than 5 or 6 steps, it’s a task, not a procedure.  A task can be thought of as a procedure for one.

2. Think about what you want them to hear, then what you are going to say.  Make sure you consider who will be reading this information and just what it will take to make sure they understand the point you are trying to get across.  Make sure to use words you think they will understand. 

3. Who will be the recipients of the information?  For example, is this a quick FYI to one of your employees that can be generalized, or a memo to the president that needs to be spot on?  You need to tailor the text based on who will be reading the information. 

4. Create the message, process, procedure, or other form of written communication.  When your thoughts are flowing quickly, write them out as fast as possible and do not worry about the spelling or grammar.  You can come back to edit.  When your thoughts are flowing, you will be able to get exactly what it is you want to say, and in the best way for your audience to understand.  However, be aware of the length.  Use enough words to make your meaning clear, but don't use unnecessary words to show off your writing skills.  Business writing needs to be clear and concise, no one has time to read any more than necessary.  On the other hand, don't make the piece too short.  Write enough so that your meaning is clear and won't be misunderstood.  Also, do not blind them with science.  If you feel your audience does not know all of the acronyms or jargon, make sure to break it down so they understand the meanings.  For example, you can use an acronym with its meaning once, and from that point on use only the acronym.

5. Proofread and edit before you send it out.  All it takes is one sloppy or poorly written document or e-mail for people to lose respect and not take you as seriously.  Always re-read what you wrote to make sure all the words in your head made it correctly onto the document.  Be sure to check for:

·         Spelling and grammatical errors.

·         Look for omitted words.

·         Reduce the use of long words.  Try to use one and two syllable words.  Overuse of long words will cause many readers to miss the point.

·         Make sure sentences do not run too long.  Two 16-word sentences let readers grasp more than a single 32-word sentence.

·         The subheading or subject line should say something of relative importance regarding the main point of the subject.  This will give an indication of what is to follow in the paragraph, e-mail, etc.  The subheading or subject line does not have to contain 100% of the subject, but it should contain more than just one generic word.  A generic subheading or subject line can mean anything and does not set up the subject to follow.

·         Try to use fewer words with active subjects and verbs.  Active verbs, when the subject of the sentence is the doer of the action, cuts the length and keeps the readers awake.  Try not to use passive verbs, especially when writing processes and procedures.  You should write it as “who does what.”  If you use passive verbs, the readers won't know who's responsible.  For example:

§         Active: The data technician fixed the widget.

§         Passive: The widget was fixed. [Who fixed the widget is not named]

·         Stay away from vague modifiers; they will just create unanswered questions.  This is especially true when writing processes and procedures.  Readers want clear directions, not words like “appropriate, proper, relevant, timely, or normal.”  For example, a statement like “forward to the proper or appropriate department in a timely fashion” does not state the department in which to forward, not to mention in what timeframe (is it 2 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours?).

·         Don’t try to cram everything onto one page.  A full page of crammed text overwhelms the eyes.  It’s ok to have plenty of white space.  Besides, it also gives space for notes, etc.

·         Try not to have long paragraphs.  There is a certain visual and mental effort required to read them.  Three short paragraphs are easier to read than one long paragraph.

·         When writing processes or procedures, try to keep the width of the page to around 40 characters.  Readers tend to grasp information when reading narrower columns.

·         When writing directions, always list the steps in chronological order.

·         Look for missing words at the end of a sentence.

·         Look for improper use of heterographics like to, too, two, and there, their, they’re.  Also your and you’re.

Try to edit as much as you can while you are proofreading.  After you are done proofreading, make one more read for any additional editing.  This holds true whether it is just a short e-mail to a long and involved process.  You will also find that auto spell checks will sometimes make corrections that were not part of your intentions. 

Here are a couple of key points to keep in mind when writing e-mails, processes, etc:

• DO NOT CAPITALIZE ALL OF THE WORDS WHEN WRITING AN E-MAIL OR PROCESS, ETC.  It is not easy to read and it looks like you are yelling out the words (unless that is the intention, which is considered rude when meant in a negative way).  Only use all capitals in a title.
• Don’t come across like you are hostile in your writing.  This especially holds true for sending or answering heated e-mails. 
• Before you hit the send button when creating or replying to an aggravated type of e-mail, take at least a 5-minute break before hitting send.  When you come back, re-read both the original e-mail and your response.  Chances are you will re-write your response in a much more controlled and professional manner.  You will get your point across more effectively if you keep it professional at all times.
• Respond to e-mails in a timely fashion, but as previously stated, be careful not to send a heated e-mail without taking the time to cool down a bit.  The quicker you respond, the more professional you will look.  Just like you like to get an immediate answer to your questions, so do your colleagues, employees, boss and most importantly, your customers.
• Create an e-mail signature that has your name, title, company name, address, phone number, e-mail address and website.  This should be set up as the default on all created e-mails.  Here is an example:

John Smith

Manager, Customer Support

Sample Corp.

123 Main Street

City, State, Zip

555-555-5555

jsmith@samplecorpemail.example

www.samplecorpwebsite.example

• When an e-mail is informal, ending the message with a simple “Thanks” with your name directly underneath is acceptable.  If it is more of a formal message, you can use something like “Regards” or “Kind Regards” with your name directly underneath.
• When writing to your boss or upper management, always keep it professional.  Address them with respect at all times, no matter how informal the organization functions.  This does not mean that you can’t add some humor when the time is right.  The main point is to always show respect.

Communicating Verbally

Interpersonal communication, either face-to-face or over the phone, is the most frequent communication methods most people use at work.  This could be communicating with your employees, co-managers, other department personnel, your boss, upper-management, and customers.  How you handle yourself during these conversations are important in how you are looked at as a manager and leader.  You can also usually get what you want by communicating correctly. 

Here are nineteen valuable tips to incorporate into your management and leadership interpersonal communication skills.  Even though some of these tips were mentioned in lesson 1 regarding leadership, they are worth mentioning again as they directly pertain to verbal communication:

1.      Have an “open door” policy.  Your employees need to know that they can talk to you at any time.  You need to have this open door policy no matter the person or issue.  Whenever an employee approaches you, you always have to be ready to feel sympathetic and show you care.  Here are some points to keep in mind when you are approached by an employee:

·         Listen to what they need from you, and show them that you are willing to help.  It might be about money, a conflict with another employee, or a personal issue. 

·         No matter the situation, make sure they know you are listening and fully comprehending the conversation. 

·         If you are in the middle of something important or on your way to a meeting, politely let them know that you have another appointment and re-schedule a time to resume the conversation.   If it is an urgent matter, if possible drop all that you are doing and give your full-undivided attention.  If you have to cancel the meeting due to the serious nature of the situation, people will understand, and in fact admire your decision.

·         You don’t necessarily need to come up with any magic solution at the time during the discussion, just make sure you get back with them as soon as possible with some kind of an idea on how to improve the situation. 

·         Even if the answer is not what they want to hear, they will at least know you tried and took there concerns seriously. 

·         Most of the time when employees are expressing concerns, it is just an opportunity to let them vent.  You will however come out looking good as you did not shrug it off or made them feel stupid for talking to you in the first place. 

·         Do not work on e-mail or answer a call unless absolutely necessary.  If you need to interrupt them, make sure you let them know the urgency of the immediate situation.  You can ask if they would like to wait a few minutes, or come back in 15 minutes or so. 

·         If this person is a constant bother to you by continually complaining, then you will at one point need to make sure that you let them know that these continuous problems need to stop.  You will have to draw the line at some point.  You might suggest a meeting with human resources, which might scare them off in presenting future complaints, as they will be seen as a complainer.

2.      Be flexible and approachable.  Being laid back and approachable, while at the same time showing you have a desired commitment to achieve results, is truly a successful combination.  Employees will want to communicate with you.  Here are some points to keep in mind to show your approachability:

·         Do not come across like an unreasonable, mean, or sarcastic person.  Intimidation might seem like it gives you more power, but it backfires most of the time.  You will lose respect.  People will pretend to like you, but secretly they will hate you and will leave the first chance they can get.

·         Humble yourself, but with honor, and you will get the best out of your staff, which will only make your job easier. 

·         Be nice, open to new ideas (even if you know within the first few seconds that it will never work), and show flexibility.  Even the smallest gesture will look big in your employee’s eyes.  Remember the old saying, “You catch more fly’s with honey than with vinegar.”  You will get more out of your employees just by communicating nicely.

3.      Be open and honest.  Be yourself and act genuine.  Don’t play the role like you are the superior manager, but always maintain a professional persona.  Let your employees know what’s going on inside your head.  People deal with situations, good or bad, when they feel you are being honest in a professional, yet personable way.  People also trust those who are open and honest with them.  You should encourage input and opinions, and be open for debate.

4.      Be absolutely clear when speaking and giving directions.  Don’t try and blind people with science by using acronyms they do not know, or use confusing jargon.  It will just make it look like you are trying to show off.  Your goal is to de-mystify, not mystify.  Mistakes from your employees could be because you did not provide the clear direction needed.  Your goal, when communicating, is to simply make sure everyone understands the subject at hand, and understands exactly what it is you’re saying.  Speak in brief simple terms. They just might finally understand something they always wanted to know, but were afraid to ask…

5.      Listen more than talk.  You’ll earn a great deal of respect and credibility by actively listening.  Let them share their passion first, and then you can interject when the time is right.  Show them you're interested in what they have to say by using positive body language. Asking short questions about the subject, and letting them answer at great length, also shows that you are interested in their comments.

6.      Listen with your full attention.  Know exactly what your employees need from you.  If you can help fix the situation and give advise, do so.  There might be times, however, when the employee just needs a listening ear.  Your best approach is to listen deeply, ask questions for clarification to make sure you understand the situation, and then ask the person what they would like from you.  Most of the time they realize there is nothing you can do, but they are just happy to get it off of their chest.  They will most likely thank you for listening.

7.      Now make sure your employees listen to you.  If they are not listening, and do not hear what you are saying, they will not follow. If they are not following, then you are not leading.  You need to establish the fact that when you talk, you expect their full-undivided attention.  If you are losing their attention, stop what you are doing or saying, and let them know you need them to focus on what is being said or shown.  It doesn’t have to be awkward, just say it as a matter of fact, in a normal tone of voice, and get back to business.  Once it has been established that you will not tolerate being ignored, it will stop happening.

8.      Be straightforward and always look them straight in the eyes. People like an honest answer from someone they trust (even when you do not know the answer).  This goes for dealing with your employees to dealing with upper management.

9.      Use the art of persuasion.  Although you might have effective open communication with your team, you still might find yourself needing to sell the new task or project.  You will need to know what makes your team tick in order to know how to best persuade them that the new project is a good thing.  Use your charm and positive personality to help communicate the need to meet new goals. 

10.  Always bite your tongue, before you say something you might regret.  All of the respect you have gained can be lost in a single word you say.  Think about what you are going to say before you say it, especially if it is during a heated conversation.

11.  Be able to take criticism.  Your actions when being criticized tell a lot about your strength in management.  If they are good points, be sure to acknowledge and address them in a professional, and even thankful manner.  If they are bad points, be sure to calmly state your objections and ensure them that you will take their suggestions into consideration.  Make sure you do not come across as sounding sarcastic.

12.  Don’t be Defensive.  You should not take a suggestion you do not like, or performance related comment, too personally.  Calmly reply, without excuses, that you will look into the suggestion, or how you can improve the performance related issues.  This is not to say that you should not debate a point, just don’t be defensive.

13.  Don’t lose your temper.  When you lose your temper, you lose respect.  You can show that you are serious about something by being a little more stern and direct, but never blow your top.  Have an indicator of sorts to trigger the moment you are ready to explode.  It will be your “negative reaction” alert.  Also, try to stay away from using foul language.  You rarely see a truly respected leader cussing.

14.  Actions speak louder than words.  Even though this is a non-verbal way of communicating, it still is quite powerful.  A smile with no words can go a long ways.  Unfortunately so can actions like burrowing your eyes, frowning, breathing a sign of disgust, crossing your arms in a defiant manner, closing your eyes while shaking your head, shoulders slumped, fidgeting, and little to no eye contact.  Even the way you sit can say a lot about you.  Be careful, as these actions, even if unintentional, can be demoralizing.  The same holds true with your employees’ non-verbal behavior.  You should analyze and react as needed.  Don’t be afraid to follow you gut instinct based on suspicious non-verbal actions.

15.  Continuously talk to, and get along with, your fellow managers.  Building respect and a rapport with your fellow management team members will help build your reputation among the other departments.  You can also learn some valuable information, or at least let them think you are on the same wavelength.  They will feel that it was a good decision made by the company to hire you as manager.

16.  Telephone etiquette.  First off, make sure you answer your calls and do not be known as a screener.  Secondly, make sure you return calls as soon as possible.  You need to be sure your voice sounds warm and friendly.  Even when you are in a bad mood, try to have a pleasant tone.  Unless the person knows you extremely well, how you talk on the phone can create a bad impression.  Try not to come across too harsh and overly confident, however, try not to be too sweet and insecure.  Some ways to monitor your telephone technique is to pretend a camera is filming your every emotion.  This will keep you in check.  Also, try to have a smile on your voice and pretend you are actually talking to them as if they were in your office.

17.  The hallway conversation.  It is amazing how many quick impromptu meetings happen when passing someone in the hallway or meeting them in the break room.  These quick chats can be productive, however, sometimes what is said can be considered a concrete decision, even if you thought it was just conversation.  This is also the usual time gossip happens.  Do your best not to gossip while still maintaining an approachable persona.  Just use quick comebacks like, “That’s interesting, I sure hope it all works out,” and then quickly move on to another subject. 

18.  Use your sense of humor.  Don’t come across too serious and unfriendly.  Just because you are a manager does not mean you no longer have a personality.  Pick the right times to let your guard down and tell funny stories or a joke or two.  Also laugh at stories and jokes told to you.  People trust a person who has both a serious, yet funny side to them.  Quickly try to tap into your memory of any stories, trivial tidbits, or quick one-liners that are relevant to the conversation at hand.  Don’t be shy, as part of being a manager is being a people person.  Humor can help relieve tension and keep things into perspective.  Just be careful not to come across as too sarcastic or say anything that can offend or be considered unethical.  Also, don’t come across like a clown or be too goofy.  You will lose respect that way.

19.  Keep your boss in the loop at all times.  You might be known as a manager who communicates well with their department; however, you also have to continually communicate with your boss.  Give them the answer before they have to ask the question.  Keep them updated, even if it is just a quick stop into their office.  A couple of “quick and to the point” words can go a long way.  It will make your boss feel comfortable that everything is under control, which will give you more job security.  

For more communication tips on how to motivate, provide feedback, evaluate, and hold difficult conversations, see lessons 3 and 5.

Holding a Meeting

Part of being a manager is holding meetings.  One thing that is for certain, you need to be prepared.  The meetings can be anything from a quick follow up with a couple of employees, to a formal PowerPoint presentation to upper management.  Meetings can be very productive, but they can also be a waste of time.  You need to make the right decision when and when not to hold a meeting.  You may find that you can accomplish the meeting goals with just an e-mail or quick conference call.

Even though meetings are extremely important, ineffective meetings not only stops normal everyday workflow for little gain, it also affects employee morale.  You need to know what to do before, during, and after a meeting to produce results.

If you are holding a meeting, here are 17 fundamental techniques to follow:

1. Send out a meeting request.  This is normally done through Outlook or whatever e-mail exchange server you are using.  Think about who needs to attend, and who might want to attend (you can cc those people).  If some key players are not able to make the requested time, set up another time that works best for everyone.  You should create your own group contacts so you do not have to enter in everyone’s name, if it is a meeting with more than just a few people.  For example, you should have a Tier 1 contact list that contains only the Tier 1 technicians and their supervisor.  Here are three items that should be on each meeting request:

·         State the purpose.  Put the reason for the meeting in the message heading.  For example, “This meeting is to review the new product release.”  People want to be able to see at a glance just what the meeting is all about and why they should be there.

·         Prepare an agenda.  Don’t just wing it.  You need to put the topics you want to talk about in bullet point format.  Make sure you thought each topic through, and have done the groundwork to determine the facts, issues, and the presentation possibilities.  Make sure to have the topics and goals clearly written out so that the participants know what will be discussed, and are well prepared to review.  You also need to be 100% ready to discuss any issues surrounding the meeting along with all the needed material.

·         Set a timeframe.  Most meetings should run from ½ hour to 1 hour.  You might also want to set a timeframe around each item on the agenda.

2. Send out any meeting material at least two days prior to the meeting.  This includes documents, PowerPoint’s, charts, graphs, and any other reading material.  This will give people a heads up on what will be reviewed, and give them time to be well prepared for the meeting.  If possible, send out this material at the same time you send out the meeting request.
3. Make copies for everyone.  You should print out enough copies of the agenda and meeting materials, and have them ready to pass out before the meeting even starts.  Be sure to make use of this material.  This should be the same material as what you previously sent out for pre-review.
4. Begin the meeting on time.  Do not be late to your own meeting, and if you are waiting on participants, wait no longer than 5 minutes.  They will get the point and be early for the next meeting.  If you always wait for all participants, then there will always be delays.
5. Set up the ground rules (also known as “Norms”).  One of the biggest problems in meetings is the use of laptops to check e-mail, getting calls on cell phones, conflict between employees when discussing a certain topic, people who want to take over the meeting, and people who just want to do the time and get out as soon as possible.  Politely let everyone know that you will need their full-undivided attention, and that they should turn off all electronic gadgets.  You should also state that you expect everyone to act professionally, and that you expect everyone to participate equally.
6. Get to the point.  The purpose of the meeting is to achieve a result of some sort, whether it is informational, discussing new goals, or going over a new process, etc.  After the usual two or three minute pleasantries, it’s time to get down to business.  Don’t be embarrassed by stopping the chitchat and get straight to item one.  You will show strong leadership skills if you use your time effectively.  It will generate more enthusiasm and a feeling of accomplishment.  Be an effective facilitator by keeping the participants on track to accomplish the goals of the meeting.

7. Make sure you prioritize the meeting subjects.  If you have ten topics to discuss, do not put the most important ones at the bottom of the list. 

8. Follow the agenda and check off each item once discussed.  This will show everyone that you are serious about each topic, when it is time to move on, and that you are in full control.

9. Take notes throughout the meeting.  Be sure you have a pen and notepad by your side and take plenty of notes.  This will not only ensure you will cover all the important points, it shows others how serious you are, which will give them confidence that their points are well taken.  If possible, try to have someone in the group take notes for you, especially if you are in more of a presentation type of mode.

10. It's easy to get off topic.  Try to stay focused and stick to the meeting agenda.  Sometimes it’s all right to go off topic if it relates to the subject at hand, but in most cases, even though the topic being discussed is interesting, it does not relate to the meeting agenda.  You should offer to set up another meeting to discuss the other topic if it is important, but turn everyone’s attention back to your meeting as soon as possible.  A common phrase to use when you want to steer the meeting back to the agenda is, “We can take that off-line if you would like to discuss further.”  If there are too many conversations going on at once, find the one that is the most important and ask them to share the information being discussed, it might be very interesting and everyone should be aware of the topic.  You can also calmly let the people who are in other conversations to please rejoin the group discussion.  You can say to the participants, “With too many conversations going at once, some very good ideas might be lost.”

11. Get the quiet people to talk more, and the dominant people to talk less.  More often than not, you will have one or two individuals who will continually share their views over each and every statement you make.  Sometimes people are afraid to say a word because the dominant person, who might have more knowledge and certainly more confidence, intimidates them.  You will always have the monopolizers, avid talkers, devil’s advocates, cynics, yes men, chicken-little's, joker's, and angry people.  Do your best to bring everyone into the conversation and keep it on an even playing field.  Carefully interrupt the dominant person and ask someone else in the room for their opinion on the subject.  The more you know the characters in your company, the better prepared you will be able to handle them.

12. Get them to listen without saying a word.  Sometimes just the right look will get people to pay attention to you.  Things like raising your eyebrows, giving them a steady stare, or even just stop talking in mid sentence will help get their attention and focus back onto you.  This usually happens when there are too many conversations going on at once. 

13. Look for signs of when you’ve talked long enough.   You will be able to tell when the group is starting to fidget, look at their watches or clock, or when it is obvious someone else wants to speak.  You want to be known as a person who gives a good meeting, and not a meeting hog. 

14. Know when to end the meeting.  If the meeting topics end before the allotted time, and if there is nothing more to discuss on the matter, then go ahead and finish the meeting.  If it is running late, try and wrap it up as soon as possible.  Quite often people have other meetings scheduled, or will take their lunch between your meeting and the next meeting they have scheduled.  So do your best to not go over the allotted time.

15. Before you end the meeting, make sure you have covered the important points.  Make sure all of the important items have been discussed, go over the action items, and make sure no one leaves confused.  Ask if anyone has any questions, and if so, repeat the question asked so that the person feels good that you understood what was being said, and that you shared it with everyone in case they did not hear it.

16. Send out an overview after the meeting.  Depending on the importance of the meeting, it is a good idea to send out a brief review or “Minutes” soon after the meeting to not only the attendees, but to all you think might be interested.  This should be done within a few hours of the meeting to keep up the enthusiasm.  People will address action items better and faster when it is still fresh in their memory.  The minutes should record who attended, what was discussed, any agreements that were reached, and any action items that were assigned. Distributing the minutes informs those not at the meeting of the progress that was made, and reminds everyone of their action items.

17. Create an action list and schedule a follow up meeting.  You will find that it is quite common to set up a follow-up meeting.  If so, set up the next meeting as soon as possible to keep up the enthusiasm.  This also gives true purpose to the original meeting.  This is why it is so important that everyone understood what the meeting was all about.  There should be no confusion on their given tasks.  Create a list of what is expected from either the group or individual, and send it out to the participants with the follow up meeting request, which is usually one week out.  You should include:

• The specific task.
• The name of the person who committed to “owning” the task.
• The due date of the task.

• An agreement about what constitutes completion of the task.
• True accountability for the task, and the expected deadline.  You need to make sure that they know you expect this.
  

Meetings, when done right and deemed necessary, are keys to department and company success.  A good idea is to have a regularly set meeting, even if they last only a few minutes.  That way people will be use to the routine and it won’t feel like all you do is set up meetings.  Here are a couple of ideas for regularly set meetings:

ü       Have a scheduled daily meeting, preferably in the morning around 9:00am or 10:00am, with key individuals such as SME’s, supervisors or leads of your department.  Keep it to around 15 minutes.  Set up a daily calendar event and send out an e-mail invite.  There should be no agenda, just basic open conversation.  These quick daily meetings help keep everyone on the same page.  You can discuss progress on projects, review assigned tasks, make sure any outstanding problems are resolved or being worked on, and cover the events and happenings within the company.  Your supervisors and/or leads can then relay pertinent information to the rest of the team.  If you were only managing a few people, then you would want to meet with the whole staff. 

ü       Have a scheduled monthly meeting with the entire staff of your department.  Always adhere to the schedule or it will not be taken seriously.  This would also be a perfect time to buy pizza, or sub sandwiches for the whole team.  You can make it a “lunch and learn” if desired.  Always stress the importance of communication and keep an open mind to all questions asked.  If you do not know the answer, don’t just make one up, let them know you will look into it and get back to them.  The important thing however is that you do indeed get back to them as soon as possible.  That builds respect and trust.  It also builds character and lets them know you truly do listen and care, even if you give them an answer that they do not like. 

ü       Have people want to go to your meetings.  Start it off with a joke or some topical humor.  Ask a non-work related question to get them relaxed and talking.  Keep the small talk to no more than one or two minutes.  This will help break the ice and create a comfortable atmosphere.  Also, do not make your meetings boring and predictable.  Break them up by sometimes using presentations or hand outs, sometimes just make it a verbal meeting, sometimes draw it up yourself on the whiteboard, sometimes have someone else run most of the meeting, sometimes change the location, sometimes bring in food, and sometimes bring in bottles of water or soda.  The goal is to be known as a person who really knows how to give a good meeting in everyway.

Participating in a Meeting

If you are participating in a meeting, here are 7 fundamental techniques to follow:

1. Show respect to the meeting holder.  Arrive on time; be well prepared with all meeting materials printed out, notes on the subject at hand, and a pen and notepad to take notes.

2. Do not state your opinion on every single topic.  Don’t share your opinions just for the sake of it.  You should not feel you always are expected to say something just because you are now in management.  Sometimes it is better to say nothing and show you are intrigued with the conversation by intently listening.  When the time is right, state your opinion.

3. Don’t be quiet throughout the entire meeting.  Sometimes you might feel left out due to quick conversational points being discussed, and you are not able to get a word in edge-wise.  What tends to happen is the longer you are quiet, the harder it will be to say something as the meeting progresses.  The people around you will almost forget you’re there.  The meeting might end and you did not say anything because you lost confidence in yourself.  You need to speak up early in the meeting to establish your presence.  State at least one opinion, as long as it is relative to the subject, early on in the meeting.  When there is something to say, be sure to say it.  Don’t hold back.  If the conversation is going to fast for you to jump in, just raise your hand up with a smile on your face and when noticed, state your opinion.  It will be a bit of a tension reliever…

4. Don’t rattle on.  State what you have to say in as few words as possible.  If you go on for too long, the point might be lost.  You don’t want the reputation as being the person “when asked the time, he builds you a watch.”

5. Do not say anything negative about anyone.  This includes your staff members, co-workers, and customers.  A slight joke might be all right, but never be slanderous or bad mouth anyone.

6. Don’t feel like you’re in a competition with your fellow co-managers.  Sure you want to make sure your boss or upper-management knows how talented you are, but at the same time saying less is sometimes more.  You will be seen as a mature leader if you do not squabble, play mind games, or obviously show you are trying too hard to get their attention.  Be calm, professional, and don’t let them see you sweat.

7. Don’t agree with someone just because you feel intimidated.  This includes your boss and upper management.  If you hold back an opinion, it could hurt the company.  You will kick yourself for not bringing it up in the first place.  Even worse, if you state your opinion after the fact, you will be looked at as spineless.  When you feel you should say something, even if your opinion is not taken into account, at least you gave your true thoughts on the subject.  Who knows, maybe your boss or upper-management is purposely testing to separate the followers who fly under the radar, with the leaders who have the courage to speak up.

Preparing & Delivering a Presentation

The same meeting management principles as previously described still apply when setting up a meeting presentation.  Giving a presentation, however, differs from moderating or leading a meeting.  Meetings alone can be a nervous enough experience, but when you have to actually give a presentation, you are presenting yourself as well as the subject at hand.  You do not want to come across as a dull and unimaginable person.  Even though you might know what you are talking about, the impression and perception you leave with a poor presentation will question your managerial capabilities.  It might not seem fair, but that is the way it is. 

The good news is that with the right preparation, you will find that you will not only give a great presentation, but also truly impress your staff, boss, and upper management.  You might still be nervous, but at least in control.  The best defense against anxiety is knowledge, honesty, and full preparation.  When you present well, you will gain respect and be seen more authoritative.  Effective speaking and presentation capabilities can even lead to further promotion, as this is not a skill everyone possesses.

Here are 15 valuable tips to use when giving a presentation:

1. Be thoroughly prepared.  You will impress your audience with obvious preparation.  Know your subject well along with a message that is clearly stated.  If you have any doubts, seek advice.  There is nothing wrong with asking for some tips or help.

2. Think about the flow of the presentation, but not word-for-word.  You want to be fully prepared and confident on the key discussion points, but you should not have a word-for-word speech memorized.  If you rehearse your presentation too much, you will sound like a robot.  You need to know what you are going to say, just make sure it flows naturally. 

·         Have a strong opening and closing.  You want an eye-opener to grab their attention, and a grand slam to leave them with a good impression.

·         Have an introduction that will consist on what is going to be talked about, and a conclusion to review what had been discussed.

·         Create a list of key points.  If you are not using PowerPoint, be sure you have the main discussion points right in front of you so you do not forget any important topics.

·         Support your introduction with your slides or materials, and use the key points to transition from one point to the next.  Be sure your points flow and connect logically.

·         Summarize by asking if they have any questions.  This not only helps end the presentation, but also justifies the understanding on what has just been presented.

·         Now practice by visualizing yourself giving a great presentation.  You will naturally be unique; there is only one you.  Think about moments of possible applauding, your opening line, going through the slides or materials, questions that might be asked, how you will answer difficult questions, when to tell a joke along with hearing the laughter, and your closing comments. 

·         Perform a practice presentation, especially if using PowerPoint, by going through each topic or slide.  Use your notes or laptop to recite the presentation.  Look in the mirror or record yourself if you are unsure about your delivery.  There are speech-training organizations such as “Toastmasters” that can help build your public speaking confidence.  If you have time, it would be a good idea to look into a communication course of some sort.

3. If using PowerPoint… Keep the slides simple and don’t put too many words on them.  The object is for your audience to see, not read, the material.  You want big graphics with just a few important words.  This will make the presentation more interesting.  Your job is to talk about the meaning of the visual graphics.  It is strongly suggested to learn PowerPoint if you have not done so already.  Here are six points to keep in mind when creating a PowerPoint presentation:

·          “Title” page – This should contain the Title presentation name, Organization name, Company logo, and date.  You can add your name if you would like.  Try to have your company graphic somewhere in the background, just make sure the slide does not look too crowded.

·         “Agenda” page – List a few bullet points which will go over the main points that will be discussed.

·         “Objective” page – Create a short statement which gives the desired outcome of this presentation.

·          “Subject Body Matter” - Create a slide with a keyword or statement to discuss the main point.  Some ideas would be to state the problems, solutions, costs if applicable, and action items.  Your talking points from your main point should be presented one at a time, in bullet point form, each time you hit the space bar.  Keep your text simple.  The text on a slide is primarily there for you to key off as speaker.  Try to keep each bullet point to just one line, so that the text does not look too crowded.  Less is more when it comes to visual presentations.  Only use the extra features when necessary so you do not distract your audience from your main points.  Unlike the title page, the background should consist of very little graphics.  Be sure to use high contrast between background color and text color so people can clearly see the material.  The amount of slides you should use depends on the nature of the presentation.  If your presentation is to educate or sell, you should keep the number to around 5 or 6.   You should spend no more than 1 minute on your main point.  Try not to go over 2 or 3 minutes per additional bullet point.  If your presentation requires a lot of statistical data, you might need around 20 to 25 slides.   If this is the case, each main point and following bullet points should be no more than 1 or 2 minutes per slide.   Keep the total time in mind when creating your presentation.  You do not want to go too long or too short.  

·         “Summary” page – List the points of what was just discussed, along with the desired outcome.

·         “Questions?” page – This simple page would be at the very end of the presentation.  This is the time you ask the audience if they have any questions.  This is also the indicator that the presentation is about to end. 

4. If you are using a projector…   If you have never used a projector before, you should practice setting up and taking down the projector and laptop at least 5 times before you give your first presentation.  Your goal is to be able to do this with your eyes closed.  Have the PowerPoint file on your laptop desktop for easy access.  Pack up all equipment for easy set up and take down, and if possible have a spare projector lamp and cord.

5. Always have a backup plan…  Projectors might break down, your laptop might not boot up, or some other complex equipment will inevitably go wrong at the worst possible moment.  If this happens, most importantly keep calm.  Don’t lose your cool and be bumbling around trying to fix everything.  If you can show grace under pressure, you will be seen as an emotionally controlled manager.  Make sure to have a copy of the main talking points that you can discuss.  Just start back up verbally, instead of visually, where you left off.

6. Know your audience.  Think about what it will take to get them interested right from the beginning.  If it is an audience who is not technical, do not blind them with science.  If the audience is technically inclined, do not use meaningless eye candy graphics.  A good-looking presentation that has irrelevant meaning to the audience will be a waste of time.  A presentation to upper management would most likely be much different than a presentation to your front line staff.  If it were a mix from low end to high-end personnel, then you would need to mix up the presentation just right.

7. Know the true goal for the presentation.  You need to know exactly what it is you need to accomplish buy giving this presentation.  It is imperative you get your point across on your expectations, and if applicable, what upper management expects from you.

8. Look at the audience as a whole.  Don’t just single out one or two people.  Instead, try to make eye contact with numerous people throughout the room.  If you just look at a one or two people, not only will you make them nervous, you won’t be including the audience as a whole.  They might lose attention and feel like they are unimportant to the mission at hand.  A good tip is to find a couple of individuals on the right, center, and left that you can use as a target.  Try to spot these people out before you start the presentation.  They should also be located in the middle rows.  This will help you keep from just looking at the people in the front row.  While talking to them, swing your view from one person to the next casually and slowly.  Pause for a longer period while looking straight ahead.  Try not to stare.  Don’t feel like you have to always be looking around, just casually glance around the room.  Try to make them feel comfortable.   If you are giving a presentation to just a few people, then just be sure to give each person at least a couple of glances.

9. Show your personality, don’t be stiff, and make them laugh.  Show your character and charisma when presenting.  Be passionate about the subject.  Move around a bit and show that you are relaxed.  It should not feel like a boring school lecture either. Tell stories that relate to what you are talking about.  Make them laugh to ease any tension.  This also helps them re-adjust to the serious material.

10. Talk with your audience, not down to them.  You want to hold the audiences interest, not yours.  You need to interact by creating a conversation.  Ask them questions and listen carefully when you’re asked a question.  Never cut them off, and make your answer brief. 

11. Be Flexible.  Stick to your main points, but be ready to adjust your presentation to the particular desires of your audience.  Gloss over minor points for which your audience has no interest.  Welcome questions and comments.

12. Try not to use “uhm” or “ah” words.  It becomes a distraction and people even play games by counting the number of times these useless words are said, which distracts them to listen to the topic at hand.

13. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.”  If your unsure about a question, just take a note and let them know you will get back to them with an answer.

14. Know when to end the presentation.  If you’re running behind, start to wrap it up as fast as possible.  Your employees and upper managements time is precious and you don’t want them looking at their watches.  If you feel like the meeting in not going the way you expected and you are getting sighs of boredom, you might want to skip the least important points and just focus on the remaining points.

15. People want you to succeed.  Just remember that you’re not giving a presentation to be judged for a score, it is to convey information.  If you have fun with presenting, the audience will leave happy.  You will get through it and will be admired for the ability to give such a presentation.

Communicating Change to your Employees

The saying, “The only constant is change,” particularly holds true to business management.  One of the key strengths of a great manager and leader is the ability to accept change and orders that come down from above, with enthusiasm and confidence, in which you then translate the directive with the same enthusiasm to your team.  Even if you are not worried about the changes taking place, that does not mean your staff isn’t concerned. They generally resist change because they do not know, or have a lack of knowledge, on what’s coming ahead.  It is also because of the way the change is communicated to them.  Constant clear communication throughout the change process is the key.  The change can be as major as a company takeover, or as simple as a small change in organizational structure.  Whatever the change, it needs to be clearly communicated to your staff to relieve any possible anxiety.  

You will most likely get some worrisome and sarcastic remarks from some of the team members, but that’s natural so don’t worry about it.  Don’t get angry about complaints, even though you may be angry about the change yourself.  They may just need to blow off some steam, and the best thing you can do is show that you do care and understand their frustrations.  You might want to share some of your own frustrations as well; as long as the main take away point is optimism for the future.  Your main concern is to make sure the change or transition goes smoothly and everyone knows the new objective.  Don’t wait for someone else to tell you what you should do.  Take the steps to prevent unwanted surprises, continually meet with your boss and staff to keep them updated, and don’t make or implement major changes until you have consulted with your staff.  If you show you are embracing the changes with optimism and leading by example, your staff will most likely follow with little to no reservations. 

You need to determine:

·         What is the reason for the change?

·         Why is there change?

·         What is the goal you or the company hopes to achieve?

·         Will it make your department or company more efficient?

·         Will there be a need for more resources?

·         Where is the change coming from, you or upper management?

·         Who will benefit from this change?

·         Who can be negatively affected by this change?

Your goal is to have your staff understand the need for the upcoming change.  Even if it is perceived as negative, it should still be perceived as a need for a change in direction, or even to keep the company afloat. 

Here are 12 points to keep in mind when dealing with change:

1. The key to a successful implementation of change is to communicate consistently and frequently.  Clearly communicate the vision, the mission, and the objectives.  Help people understand how these changes will affect them personally, and the steps taken to make sure the change is as seamless as possible.  The more information you give, the less uncertainty and anxiety there will be.  The less you share, the more misconceptions, which will most likely be more negative than positive.  Lack of communication is one of the biggest complaints employees have towards their manager.  Be known as the manager who over-communicates, rather than under-communicates.  This will also help build trust in you as a leader.
2. Communicate the reasons for the change so that everyone fully understands the need and purpose.  No matter how senseless a change might seem, there are reasons behind it, and it is your job to convey those reasons to your staff.  When they fully understand, they are more likely to make it work.

3. There may be times when you cannot, and should not, communicate any upcoming changes that are considered confidential.  However, if the event is not confidential, be sure to communicate all that is known about the changes as quickly as the information is available.

4. You can either talk to everyone at the same time, or each individually.  Here are some guidelines to follow:

a.     Communicate to everyone at the same time if:     

                                                              i.      It is necessary for everyone to hear the news at the same time.     

                                                             ii.      You want to get your employees involved to generate ideas and help in finding solutions to the change.  This is also a good way to create teamwork within the group. 

                                                           iii.      You want to briefly announce to everyone a major event and then immediately follow up with individual meetings.  

b.     Communicate to each person individually if:     

                                                              i.      You anticipate that it will cause a high degree of emotion, which can be counter-productive.     

                                                             ii.      The subject matter is sensitive and can be consider private or embarrassing.

                                                           iii.      The changes involve actions that should remain confidential.  It might be related to pay, classification, employment status, or downsizing.  

                                                          iv.      If you know there will be troublemakers in a full group setting that might make matters worse.  

5.      You can either verbally share the change information or write it out.  In most cases, it is a good idea to use both written and verbal communication.  A good rule of thumb would be, the more emotional the issue, the more it should be verbal rather than written.  You might also want to document the conversation with any expectations or concerns as a backup.  Here are some guidelines to follow for both verbal and written communication regarding change:

a.     Verbal communication is more appropriate when:  

                                                              i.      You know that they will not take the written message seriously, or will not fully understand its meaning. 

                                                             ii.      You want to grab their attention immediately, and not take the chance that they will automatically check to see if a message is waiting for them in their inbox.

                                                           iii.      Emotions are just too high.  Verbal communication provides chances for both you and the other person to let off steam and cool down.  They will then have a better chance at understanding the reasoning behind the change. 

                                                          iv.      You are looking for feedback visually and not by an e-mail response. 

                                                            v.      You need to convince or persuade the team to accept the change.  You will have a better chance at getting your point across verbally if it is asking for more of them to do.  

                                                          vi.      The details of the change are too complicated, and cannot be well expressed written on paper or in e-mail format.   

b.     Written communication is appropriate if:  

                                                              i.      The change is general enough and does not necessarily affect your department.

                                                             ii.      You need documentation of the communication for future reference.     

                                                           iii.      Your staff will be referring to details of the change at a later date.   

                                                          iv.      After you gave a verbal statement, you are following up with updated information.    

  

6. Let your staff ask questions and provide honest answers.  If you do not know the answer, it is better to say, “I don’t know, but I will find out as soon as possible.”  Be sure to always follow up.  Also, listen and don’t be defensive.  In most cases the change will be out of your control so do not take complaints personally.  Be sure you have said all what you have to say, and not end the conversation until you made the point perfectly clear.  Do not just state the change as fact, and then quickly flee the scene.

7. After you have communicated the upcoming changes to your department, if you feel that the information is very important, ask upper management to stop by and briefly talk with your staff members.  This should calm them down, and make them feel good, since upper management took the time to make sure everyone was on the same page.

8. Get involved and communicate right away before the rumor mill and grapevine starts to spread around.  The longer you wait, the more exaggerated the suspected change can get.

9. Sometimes change, which resulted in the loss of fellow employees, processes, or organizational structure, is very sad.  It should not be celebrated, and it is all right to mourn and recognize the loss.  It will make you look more human than just a manager who thinks about the numbers.  This will also help your staff accept and move on to a new adventure.

10. Don’t forget that you will not only be giving facts about the change, but watched carefully on how you act towards the change.  If you are saying one thing, but your actions are saying something else, your staff might come up with a different conclusion.  You might of thought that you conveyed the changes clearly, but then came to find out that they understood something completely different.  If you are too lackadaisical and show little concern, they will as well.  If you come off as intense and worried, so will they.  You need to act in a way that is relevant to the change.  Keep this in mind whenever you are communicating with your staff.   

11. Be sure to follow-up to make sure there are no problems related to the change.  Old habits can easily start to creep back into their former state, so it's necessary to stay on top of the situation until you are 100% confident that the change has taken place with no ill effects.

12. Don’t forget that change is stressful for everyone.  Just because they complied with little resistance does not mean you should take them for granted.  Make it a point to recognize employees for their effort and cooperation.

In every way, effective communication is your most important tool.  If you follow the points just given, you will be looked at as an effective communicator of change.  The only people who will not accept your statements will be those who are most likely unhappy with the present situation anyways.  If there are those who do resist or retaliate against change, they need to be dealt with before they influence the attitude and performance of their peers.  Do not permit any resistance to change or else you will be broadcasting the wrong message.   Use good judgment, be thoughtful and willing to listen to any of your employees concerns, but make sure they adapt to the change, as it is inevitable.

A short story about giving a presentation

John never gave a presentation before and was extremely nervous.  Sure he had been involved in many meetings, but to actually talk to upper management while using a laptop and projector was nerve racking.  When he gave the presentation, he was only halfway through the slides when the allotted time for the meeting was over.  He was stiff in his presentation, the slides had too much text and were hard to read, and he did not cover all of the main points.  John realized that he did not plan out the presentation as well as he should have.  He learned the hard way that he needed to make sure he timed his presentation, use quick bullet points instead of long sentences, and to be more relaxed.

The next time John was to give a presentation, he made sure the slides were quick and to the point, and that there was enough time to cover all of the material.  Unfortunately, John showed up to his own meeting just a few minutes before giving his presentation, and sure enough, this time the equipment was not working.  He tried to fix it by checking the connection from the laptop to the projector, and confirmed there was power, but still no luck.  He had some notes to go of off, but the presentation needed visuals and turned out to be ineffective.  He was also stressed due to the malfunction. 

From that point on John made it a point to arrive at least 15 minutes early to a presentation meeting, test all equipment, have short bullet points in the PowerPoint presentation in which to talk about, and just relax and be himself.  He also made it a point to be fully comfortable with setting up and tearing down all of the equipment, and practiced speaking about the main points of his presentation while going through each slide.  John is now considered a great presenter with excellent communication skills.

Epilogue:  The moral of the story is you need to be fully prepared in order to relax and be yourself.  If you approach the presentation as being too uptight, the presentation will come off as uneventful.  If your approach is lackadaisical, you will not be prepared to handle any problems that might appear.  By getting it just right, you will be able to have a successful presentation.  The key is to be fully prepared by creating the right presentation for the occasion, practice speaking about the main points (but not word-for-word), making sure everything is working (have spares if possible), and always have a backup plan.  Once all of this is in order, you can relax, be yourself, and present the meeting knowing you have everything under control, no matter what happens.

Quick Lesson Summary

• Business writing is an essential part of management.  You will be creating processes and procedures as well as constantly creating and responding to e-mail.  When it is an informal subject, most likely through e-mail, write like you are talking to the person.  When it is a formal subject, like an important process, keep it formal.  A good idea is to have someone who you trust and understands the tasks at hand to review the process before you send it out to everyone.  Know what type of information you will convey, think about what you want them to hear, what you are going to say, who will be the recipients of the information, create the written form of communication, and finally proofread and edit before you send it out.
• The way you verbally communicate with your employees, co-managers, your boss, upper-management and customers, can make you or break you.  This goes for face-to-face meetings, phone calls, and even hallway chats.  How you handle yourself during these types of conversations is how you are looked at as a manager and leader.  Being easily accessible and willing to talk to your employees about subjects related to work and home, with professionalism and compassion, is key. 
• Part of being a manager is holding and participating in meetings.  This is the best way you can get your point across and share visions and goals.  You need to be fully prepared, or else it can be a waste of time.  It is also important to determine if a meeting is really necessary.  Sometimes a quick memo or conference call could suffice.  Keep the meeting interesting and make sure you get them to listen to you.  It is suggested that you have daily or weekly meetings with key staff members, and weekly or monthly meetings with your whole staff.  Try not to go over the scheduled time and stick to the agenda.
• When giving presentations, you are presenting yourself as well as the subject at hand.  Even though you might know what you are talking about, the impression and perception you leave with a poor presentation will question your managerial capabilities.  Successful presenters are fully prepared and rehearse the main topics, but not word-for-word.  Create the right flow, know how much time you have, and know when to end.  Knowing PowerPoint and how to use a projector is strongly suggested.
• Change is inevitable, and the sooner you can accept and embrace the change, the sooner your employees will as well.  People resist change because they do not know, or have a lack of knowledge, on what’s coming ahead.  If you have constant clear communication throughout the change process, you will relieve any anxiety amongst your employees.  Know the times when you should talk to them verbally, in writing, or both.  Also know when to talk to them as a group, individually, or both.