GOOD IDEAS FROM CAROL - 141

?My newsletter is a bit late in the day today because I’ve had some dental problems, resulting in a couple of sleepless nights, so I’m now catching up.?? Here are some thoughts on communicating such things:?

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GOOD IDEA 1

Send a holding message if you can’t respond to people quickly.?? I did one of those this morning.? I replied to an email saying ‘I’m not ignoring you, but had problems yesterday and have to go out now but will reply this afternoon’.? That way people know you’ve received their message and will respond when you can. ?And send your holding message as soon as possible.? If you are incapacitated you may not be able to communicate at all but, in that case, see whether it’s possible for someone else to deal with messages for you.? I had another example of this recently when someone ‘ignored’ a message I’d sent.? I’ve now found out from someone else that she was unwell and couldn’t focus on communicating with anyone, but I had wondered whether she was deliberately ignoring me.

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GOOD IDEA 2

Say as much or as little as is appropriate.?? You don’t need to go into minute detail about your problems – other people have their own and may not as be fascinated by yours as you are.? Equally, give them enough information to understand your situation.

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GOOD IDEA 3

If you are mentioning a health or other personal issue, be careful to reassure people that it’s not going to impact on your activities on an ongoing basis. ?Otherwise customers/clients/associates might take their business elsewhere

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GOOD IDEA 4

Before sending, read your messages as if you were the recipient and see what comes across to you – then amend if necessary. ?We often have only our own perception in our heads, but considering how other people might react is a great emotional intelligence skill. ?Put yourself in the other person’s ‘shoes’ before sending them something that might be ambiguous, inappropriate or unclear; it will pay off in the long run.

GOOD IDEA 5

Apparently the word ‘because’ is really useful.? A study showed that when people used it, others were more inclined to help.? Even to the extent that a queue of people at a photocopier let someone in front of them when he said ‘Would you mind if I go in front of you BECAUSE I need to make some photocopies’.?? Weird but apparently it works!

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More next week.

#EmotionalIntelligence #Communications #Because

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