Get Great Copy
April 14, 2009
Copyright 2009 Jan O'Daniel
Monthly tips, insights and how-tos for better communication and great copy.
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WORD COUNT: 1,097 words
ESTIMATED READING TIME: 3.5 minutes
This is the quarterly ezine version of my Get Great Copy monthly e-newsletter.
Next month, I'll be back with a shortcut, tip or insight you can read in less than
2 minutes.
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THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORS - PART 1
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This year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Stephen R. Covey's
famous self-help book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.
The book, which has sold more than 20 million copies, has been called the
most influential business book of the 20th century. It stayed on the
New York Times bestseller list for five years and has been credited with
changing the lives of multitudes of people.
So in honor of the book's milestone anniversary and its common-sense
principles, I'm offering my take on the Seven Habits (as they relate to
effective communication, of course).
I'll discuss the first four habits this month and continue next month
with the remaining three habits.
HABIT 1: BE PROACTIVE
Like life, relationships and so many other things, effective communication
doesn't just "happen" by accident. It takes focused energy, thoughtful word
choice and leveraging the proper communication vehicle to send, receive
and understand a message. Choose to make better communication a part
of your life and work.
How to incorporate it:
Proactive communicators work at tailoring their message for relevance,
refining it for understanding and improving their communication delivery.
Begin by recognizing your areas of strength and opportunity. Then take
a small improvement step each day, such as instituting a three-count
silence after someone else stops talking and before you start; paying
careful attention to not repeat yourself to make your point; or using
Twitter to practice concise writing and thinking. Also, consider enrolling
in a writing workshop; hiring a communication coach; implementing
new-to-you techniques from books and blogs; and soliciting constructive
criticism from your boss, peers or others whom you respect.
HABIT 2: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND
Know what you want to say and what point you're trying to make before
you communicate it. Begin with the End in Mind means to make a
conscious effort to visualize what you're trying to communicate and
how you'd like it to be received. It means spending time collecting your
thoughts before delivering your message.
How to incorporate it:
One of the best ways to do this is to create what I call "one sentence
to clarity." It means stepping back, either literally or figuratively, from
the words to create a single-topic sentence that quickly, clearly and
succinctly explains what you're trying to communicate. Create a
headline, if you will, that will help you keep your message and thoughts
on track and, consequently, make it easier for your listener or reader to
understand. For example, my one sentence to clarity for this ezine might
be: "Give my readers practical steps for better communication based on
Stephen Covey's Seven Habits book."
HABIT 3: PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST
This, says Covey, is where Habit 1 and Habit 2 come together. For
effective communication, Habit 3 is focusing on the highest priorities
-- both yours and your listener/reader. Decide what is most important
to communicate and spend your time saying only what needs to be said.
How to incorporate it:
Create a down-and-dirty outline by jotting down a few bullet points that
relate to your topic. (Hint: Your topic is your one sentence to clarity from
Habit 2.) If you're having a conversation, obviously you won't want to stop
and create a written outline, but you can make a quick mental note of the
three most important details. Share only what's necessary at the time.
Think you need to share more? Choose wisely or else you may become
like the person who focuses on the most minute, irrelevant detail, such as,
"There was this time I was at the store. Was it Kroger? No, it must have been
Giant Eagle. No, no, it was Meijer. No, wait a minute, I'm pretty sure it was
Kroger ..." Nip off-topic thinking, speaking and writing in the bud. Focus
instead on the top three, highest priority points. Your listeners/readers
will thank you.
HABIT 4: THINK WIN-WIN
Covey says win-win is "a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks
mutual benefit." In the case of effective communication, that means keeping
the other person in mind. Note that the habit says speak to the mutual benefit.
That's what writers call the "what" and the "so what." What do you want to say?
And so what does it mean to your audience?
How to incorporate it:
Communicating your point fearlessly but with consideration takes practice.
Find someone you admire who does it well and become a student of their
communication habits. Also, always put yourself in the other person's shoes.
Take a moment to consider an alternate angle, an unarticulated need or an
opposing viewpoint. Make a list of win-win words and phrases that are mutually
respectful. If you look closely you'll see that I use words like "many" and "some"
instead of "all" or "none." Sometimes it just takes softening the tone, swapping
exclusive words for inclusive ones, or leading with a more benefit-driven message.
Questions or comments about my version of the 7 Habits? Email me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_A7eW2lILc 
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