Process your WORD mindfully!

As I finished the two-hour talk on the power of voice in Business Storytelling, for the batch of management students, I asked, “Any questions, before I conclude?” One of the participants very sweetly asked,” Yes Ma’am! When are you coming back?” I smiled & mumbled a “Thank you” but that stayed with me. That was a special moment for me that I still recall with fondness. How many times do we give positive feedback to someone while they are there with us? One of the biggest lessons I have learned is if you like something someone did or said, share positive feedback right there. You never know how would make them feel. You may never get a second chance.

Radio was another experience where I understood the power of words. It’s unbelievable how much of a connection is established with a voice that you listen to. The anonymity somewhere creates a very strong bond with the RJ. It’s a beautiful experience mutually because this is a bond that is established just by the way you speak. The vocabulary & tone are all that make the listener want to interact or switch off. I fondly recall the Thank you messages & calls from listeners for some quote or topic discussed while as an RJ.

I received a mail a few years back from a student whose college I had gone to for a talk. He wrote in to say how well settled he is & he was writing in to thank me, for the amazing session he was part of on confidence & personal branding. He went on to write to say that I had specifically told him he is very good with communication & he needed to speak up more often. Those words that he is "very good", made this shy & hesitant student start to explore what he could do. His mail was a “Thank You” note about an instance I do not have a concrete recall but changed his way of looking at himself.

Words and how you say them have a huge impact on the listener’s performance. Can you recall a teacher in school who told you are “Topper Material” & no one had said that before? How happy you felt and pushed yourself to prove her right? The words & how she said them, touched you very deeply for you to want to make her words come true. The process of pushing yourself to prove her right is the best chiseling process.

Words have such a powerful effect on the listener. It is very important for each of us to watch out for what we say. I so disagree with people who say, "Oh I cannot sugar quote, I am bluntly honest.” I think it is just a little care for what you choose to say at that moment that makes so much of a difference.

Loved this share by Simon Sinek on how being honest need not always hurt.

So time now to look at WORD as a process before you use it.

Wait: Being proactive helps you hold the emotions in place. Relationships invariably work well when there is a thought behind our choice of words. Do not rush into a conversation, Pause & then move in to say anything that will add value! “Speak only if it improves upon the silence.” – Mahatma Gandhi.

Observe. Research says 93% of our conversations are happening non-verbally. Observe the other person’s body language before giving any kind of feedback/reaction. Listen to what is not being said. Look for nonverbal cues. Richelle E. Goodrich says it well, “Few realize how loud their expressions really are. Be kind with what you wordlessly say.”

Reconfirm: Before you say anything always make yourself doubly sure that the facts are correct. Reconfirmation that’s why comes after Wait & Observe. Once you say the word, you are putting your credibility at stake. So open up wisely. ?Roy T. Bennett was spot on when he said, “Listen with curiosity. Speak with honesty. Act with integrity. The greatest problem with communication is we don’t listen to understand. We listen to reply. When we listen with curiosity, we don’t listen with the intent to reply. We listen for what’s behind the words.

?Deliver: Say what you think is right & needs to be heard. You can be honest. It is however important to know how to express yourself. The power of words is unimaginable that many a time, that’s exactly what they want to hear or sometimes needed to hear.

“You are master of what you say until you utter it, once you deliver it, you are its captive. Preserve your tongue as you do your gold and money. One word could bring disgrace and the termination of a bliss.”―?Ali Ibn Abi Talib A.S

For those wondering What to do with the ones who troll unnecessarily, and you are not sure how to deal with them? Here’s amazing food for thought. Wise words from Vinh Giang

#words #communication, #leadership

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?SELFI is a newsletter where I share my reflections on life. Moments where some simple elements stayed on to create a SELFI moment! Moments that force the?#voiceinme?to express. Do subscribe if you like what you read & do share it with anyone you think will benefit!

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