Some people look for ways to disagree. They jump in to the conversation and respond to the speaker with, “Yes but…” Then they say something which often sidesteps the speaker’s point. One yes-but person said finding something to disagree with made her sound intelligent. Another said, yes-but was his way to join a conversation. When speakers are interrupted with yes-but, they often become defensive and repeat their point. This typically leads to an escalation of disagreeing and misunderstanding. Often a yes-but person can control a room full of people.Years ago, I was attending in a seminar where we had a yes-but participant. Frequently, he would find something to disagree...
In most social situations we see lots of smiles and hear lots of laughter.Often the smiling and laughing provide relief from the emotional pressures of daily routines and the challenges of interacting with others. Humour helps keep the situation in perspective.To communicate effectively with humour we use voice intonation, puns, rhymes, surprises, gentle teasing, eye-catching outfits, funny gestures, clever questions and insightful comments. Sometimes we organize fun activities.When we add humour to what we say, we increase cooperation and we ensure improvements in morale and teamwork. With humour we accept ourselves and accept others.Much of what...
In my communication seminars, I often ask participants if they feel they receive enough appreciation. They always answer “No.” When individuals feel unappreciated, their self-esteem goes down, their energy diminishes and their motivation to work well with others is lost. There are two ways to give appreciation, appreciating others for what they have done and appreciating others just for who they are. Giving appreciation to others can sometimes be difficult. Others are often embarrassed by kind words and sometimes they are suspicious of your hidden motivation. I remember one manager at a pharmaceutical company being surprised to learn that sending...