clarity Archives - Dennis E. Gilbert

17
May 21
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Conversation Clarity Might Be About Facts

Tags : clarity conversations facts opinions

Have you ever wondered about conversation clarity? What makes your conversations clearer with more appropriate meaning?

When someone suggests that they have the best cell phone, they had dinner at the best restaurant, or the best place to vacation is at the beach, are they facts?

It is true for technology recommendations as well as just about anything you do. People often tend to talk about their opinions while they are being very compelling and stating them as though they are facts.

When you are trying to help someone consider options or find the best restaurant are your opinions useful?

Conversation Clarity

Certainly, to some degree opinions carry some value. When many people have the same opinion, it may start to illustrate a trend that this is getting close to the facts.

Yet, every day someone will jump on board with an idea just because it is popular. Untested or unproven they often don’t want to be wrong so they’ll follow the popularity trail.

This can become a problem in the workplace.

John is always late for the meeting.

Samantha never gets here on time.

Robert always takes Jennifer’s side on important decisions.

Always and never? Are these facts or just opinionated speech?

There is a sharp contrast between, the pizza shop around the corner has the best pizza, and, Thomas never arrives on time.

In some cases, people are trying to be helpful. They are attempting to provide useful information. In other cases, the information may be manipulative, deceptive, and defamatory.

Providing more clarity in conversations may be mostly about removing opinions.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

03
Sep 20
-

Problem Statements Create More Clarity

Tags : clarity goals objectives problems root cause

The biggest problem with problems is a lack of clarity. The unknowns cause hesitation, confusion, and weaken commitment. Are you using problem statements?

People often attempt to define problems by reporting a symptom.

I can’t connect to the internet.

I have to lose some weight.

My car won’t start.

All of these sound like problems, yet they are not getting to the root cause. When we aren’t at the root, the next move is unclear, and often the problem doesn’t get solved.

What is worse, is that an assumed solution to a symptom allows the problem to happen again. Over and over.

Symptom statements differ from problem statements. And, yes, we may often use a symptom statement to lead us to the problem.

It’s important to recognize that there are differences.

Problem Statements and Clarity

When you lack clarity with the problem definition, the goal is unlikely to be achieved.

You can’t fix it or achieve it if you don’t appropriately define it.

You probably won’t increase sales by stating that sales numbers are too low. Stating that you want or need a new job won’t make one magically appear.

Many people get stuck, they become stalled and are very frustrated because the change they seek is not happening. It may all be the result of not being clear about the problem.

When you start forward motion with a good problem statement and you are able to identify and label the root cause, you’re on your way.

Are you growing tired of lingering problems?

Perhaps you aren’t clear about what they are.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

06
Feb 20
-

Clear Focus, Do You Have It or Need It?

Tags : clarity focus opportunities scattered

People often suggest the importance of focus. Yet, in many cases our efforts are more scattered. Do you have a clear focus?

Focus may be more than just concentration. It may be more than suggesting that the prize is right around the corner, more than when the number of pieces expected is realized, and greater than the goal that was suggested last week.

Your vision may be about focus, yet, people often find themselves wondering if their focus is appropriate.

Scattered Approaches

We can do many things in a scattered approach. Commonly, people believe that when they attack many things, they’ll get more done and success will be theirs. In contrary, they often come to realize that while pursing many things, they’ve failed to do anything.

We see it in marketing and advertising. We have an entire world of opportunity through social media. It seems the approach sometimes is to just spread the word. We have world-of-mouth, instead of just the old, word-of-mouth.

The thought is more people seeing our offerings will make more people connect. Yet, this is only true if it is of value or interest to them.

We see it in our workplace. People striving to get ahead. They want to make a difference for their career, increase their opportunities, and find greater success. Their plan? Try to do lots and lots of things, something will help me get discovered. The scattered result is that nothing sticks.

Clear Focus

Seth Godin, offers an interesting question, “Which is closer, the sun or Buffalo, NY?”

No matter where you live, Buffalo, NY is closer. It is a fact, a guarantee. Yet everyone living outside of Buffalo cannot see it. A quick glance to an unclouded sky during daylight hours and you’ll be able to spot the sun.

Offering ice to the Eskimo, milk to a dairy farmer, or steel toed work boots to a ballet dancer may not get you the results you are hoping for. Just because you can see them doesn’t mean it’s a good venture.

Focus will yield more than scattered chances.

It’s true for whatever you’re selling.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

06
Mar 19
-

In The Workplace Does Louder Make It Better?

Tags : clarity communication louder meetings volume

Turn up the volume! That may be what we want when we listen to a song we love. In our workplaces, or in society, does louder make it better?

You must wonder, “Why do people get louder?” We notice it with the cell phone talker, in the drive through lane, or whenever verbal information seems just a little unclear.

Getting Louder

Angry people do it, someone with a point that they believe was not heard.

Distance makes people do it, down the hall is different from in the cubicle area built for two.

Impatience can cause people to do it, and they’ll likely get faster too.

We can even do it when we type. “PLEASE come to my office NOW.”

When there is confusion, our assumption is that volume will make a difference. Then we do what comes naturally. We turn it up.

It seems that it is easier to gain attention when we get louder. The question is, “Does louder make it better?”

Certainly, in some cases, it does make it better. When we turn up the television or our car radio, it may allow us to hear more clearly. The pitch, tone, or the speed of delivery doesn’t change, just the volume.

Interpersonal communication may be different.

Is Louder Better?

In our personal verbal communication typically, volume isn’t the only adjustment. Angry means we’ll talk faster. May we use different words to convey meaning. Does this improve the communication?

The lesson with louder is that it doesn’t mean you’ll always be heard. It certainly doesn’t mean that what you’re trying to communicate is more valuable or clearer. It may create attention, but noise doesn’t imply clarity.

Being heard often comes with more clarity not volume.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Tag Archives: clarity

May 21

-

Conversation Clarity Might Be About Facts

Conversation Clarity

Sep 20

-

Problem Statements Create More Clarity

Problem Statements and Clarity

Feb 20

-

Clear Focus, Do You Have It or Need It?

Scattered Approaches

Clear Focus

Mar 19

-

In The Workplace Does Louder Make It Better?

Getting Louder

Is Louder Better?

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