By Pamela Jett, CSP

Interruptions happen about seventy-three times a day!  They can eat up more than 2 hours of the work day.  And, the result is a cost to U.S. businesses of an estimated $588 billion a year.

How would you like you and your team to better manage interruptions so that they don™t take such a terrible toll every day?  During Pamela™s informative 60 minute teleseminar learn how to communicate more effectively and either prevent interruptions or minimize the negative impact of interruptions.

• Discover the key role communication plays in keeping time wasting interruptions at bay.
• Learn how to let others know that œnow is not a good time without appearing disinterested or uncooperative.
• Master the œacknowledge and reschedule technique to stay on task while still being a team-player.
• Enhance your ability to get things done by communicating effectively and manage interruptions with tact and finesse.

Pamela I want to let you know how much we here at the International Monetary Fund enjoyed your teleseminar.  Your presentation was crisp, clear and strong–a real inspiration for how we all need to be communicating! – Paula D., PhD

Learn how to manage interruptions with tact and finesse and watch your productivity soar!  Register for Pamela™s 60 minute teleseminar here (March 8, 2010 noon pacific time.)

]]> http://www.jettct.com/blog/communicate-and-minimize-the-havoc-of-interruptions/feed/ 0 http://www.jettct.com/blog/how-to-improve-communication/ http://www.jettct.com/blog/how-to-improve-communication/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:06:59 +0000 pamela http://www.jettct.com/blog/?p=91

by Pamela Jett, CSP

In a busy work environment it can be very easy to get  caught up in managing a multitude of tasks, meeting tight deadlines, coping with constant change, and being asked to do more with less.  In that environment, it can be very easy to forget to use remarkable communication.  Here are a few quick tips to keep you focused on using remarkable communication even in the midst of chaos:

1.  Focus on making one change at a time. If you are looking to make remarkable communication one of your personal and professional hallmarks, pick one thing to work on and stay focused on mastering that change.  For example commit to replacing the words “idea” and “suggestion” with more powerful words such as “solution” or “plan.”  For more ideas of small changes in communication that can make a big difference, click here .

2.  Teach someone else. When you learn a remarkable communication tool, share it with someone else.  I often have great conversations  about communication with a friend, Charlotte, who is committed to self-improvement. Charlotte is an active blogger and she often shares what she has learned during our conversations with others through her blog and by teaching it to her family.  This reinforces her commitment to practicing the technique because she has declared herself publicly.  (Read Charlotte’s fantastic blog here.)

3. Recruit a colleague. If you decide to make a change in your communication, recruit someone who knows you well to support you in your efforts.  They can applaud you when you succeed and keep you on track when it is easy to lose focus.

Communication is the most important skill we possess.  Make a commitment to enhancing your communication and hence your credibility and professionalism, even in the midst of the pressing daily grind.

Pamela Jett is a communication skills expert who is committed to sharing remarkable communication tools that create remarkable results.  For more information on bringing Pamela to your meeting or event, click here or call Aimee at 866.726.5388.

Want to learn remarkable communication tools without even leaving your desk?  Attend Pamela’s next teleseminar!

By Pamela Jett, CSP

In previous blog posts I’ve shared the power of vision boards.  And, I have even shared pictures of my vision boards.  I firmly believe that if you post a “vision” of what you want your life to look like, the goals you want to achieve, and the areas of life that you want to improve you greatly increase the likelihood that you will achieve those goals and objectives.  So, I was thrilled to see this commercial as I watched the Olympics tonight.  Enjoy and congratulations Julia!

Click here to view the embedded video.

By Pamela Jett, CSP

I am a huge “Olympic Geek” – particularly the Winter Olympics (OK, I confess, I am not really a huge fan of curling, but just about everything else has me glued to the television.)  This weekend I watched Apolo Anton Ohno win a  silver medal in Men’s Short Track (speed-skating).  Short track is very exciting to watch because all sorts of things can happen in a very short amount of time and the medal race was no exception.  Ohno was sitting in fourth place behind 3 Korean skaters who were pulling away from the pack during the last moments of the race.  All of a sudden, one of the Korean skaters attempted to improve his position.  The result – two Korean skaters slammed into the wall and Ohno, because of positioning, won a silver medal – just like that.

In many ways, success in short track is all about strategy and positioning.  According to his coach, while “Ohno may not have the power to simply blow by someone on the final turn, he™s much more aware of positioning, angles and setting up his opponents for the pass.”  It’s all about positioning.

The same thing goes with career success.  It’s all about positioning.  Are you using your powerful communication skills to take advantage of opportunities?  Are you communicating in a powerful, professional fashion?  Do you use confident language and avoid disclaimers and minimizers which can make you look weak?  Are you positioning yourself in such a way that when opportunities arise for advancement your name is at the top of your leader’s list?

One way to use great communication to position yourself for success is to send regular “I’m great up-dates.”  These are brief e-mail reminders  you send to your leader about once every quarter which highlight your contributions to your organization’s success.  This is not done to brag, simply to keep your leader in the loop.  Sending an “I’m great up-date” not only displays confidence, it is a proactive step to let your leader know how valuable you are.  It makes it easier for them as well.  When review time comes around they can use your “I’m great up-dates” to help them write a great appraisal.  For more on leveraging your “I’m great up-date” and communicating with confidence, listen to my “Mind Your Own Business” audio CD program available at my success store.

If you’ve successfully used an “I’m great up-date”, I would love to hear about it.  Leave a comment, tweet this blog, forward it to your friends and let me know what you think.  And remember, use powerful communication to position yourself for success. Take a lesson from short track, it is all about positioning.

By Pamela Jett, CSP

It is a myth that good work gets rewarded.  The reality is that good work alone is not enough to experience success.  Several years ago a participant in one of my workshops shared the following:

Pamela, I work so very hard.  I am always on time.  I don’t waste time chatting and gossiping.  I come in, I get to my desk, and I get to work.  The numbers prove that I get more work done than any of my colleagues.  They seem to waste time going to lunch with people, participating in extra activities, and, in general, seem to brag about what they get done.  I am frustrated because others seem to be getting promoted and I, the top producer, am stuck – it’s not fair.

While I could understand this person’s frustration, it was also clearly evident that she bought into the myth that good work alone is enough to get ahead.  The reality is that while good work is a first step towards getting attention, authority, and opportunities, good work must be leveraged with good career management communication skills.

Top notch professionals recognize that it is their responsibility to “mind their own business.”  They recognize that it is not their leader’s responsibility to know and track how valuable they are, it is their responsibility to communicate their worth and value.   They use powerful communication skills to leverage their contributions and increase the likelihood that this good work gets noticed.

One simple way to communicate your value is to replace the words “idea” and “suggestion” with more powerful words such as “solution” or “plan”.  People will pay more attention to a “solution” than they will to an “idea” or a suggestion. This is a small change that can make a big difference.  And, if you really want to communicate your value, make sure you put your contributions in writing (even if you present them to a group).  This increases the likelihood that you will get the credit you deserve when your solution yields great results.  Additionally, people will take you more seriously simply because you took the time to put your contribution in writing.

If you are looking for more powerful communication tools to “get noticed” and “get ahead”, join me on February 4, 2010 at noon PST for a powerful one-hour teleseminar to help you “Mind Your Own Business.”  Can’t join the live event?  If you register, you will receive a download to listen to at your convenience.  Register here: https://secure.confertel.net/tsregister.asp?program=Jett2010 An audio CD version is also available at http://www.jettct.com/success-store

If you have a great suggestion on how to “Mind Your Own Business” that you believe will help others experience career success, please leave a comment.  I would love your suggestions!

By Pamela Jett, CSP

I had a conversation recently with a good friend of mine who is parenting a fantastic 16 year old son.  He is a great kid, a stellar student, a gifted athlete, and well liked by his peers.  He does, however, pressure himself to be a “superstar” at everything and sometimes that self-imposed pressure creates nerves or jitters, especially on the basketball court.

In a well meaning attempt to ease the pressure her son has imposed on himself, my friend tries to remind him that “it is just a game.”  After she shared this with me, I asked her “are you open to some feedback?”  (Unsolicited advice is the worst kind, in my opinion.  So, I wanted her permission or “buy in” before sharing my thoughts.)  Here is the gist of what I shared with her.

The word “just” is a minimizer.  For example, “I’m just an administrative assistant”  sounds weak and self-demeaning.  Whereas “I’m an administrative assistant” sounds confident and capable.  I was concerned that by telling her amazing son that it is “just a game” she would be unwittingly sending a message to him that basketball isn’t very important, ought not to matter, and that she as a parent doesn’t place a lot of value on something that he clearly deems important.  For her son, such a message could be devastating.  She agreed and together we worked to craft a message that would still honor the importance basketball holds for him while not adding pressure to perform or succeed.

It’s “just” a word – right?  It’s just one small word that can completely change the tone of a message. Words matter and the words we choose to use and the words we choose to lose can make all the difference to our career (and our parenting) success.  I challenge you to monitor your use of the word “just.”  Use it sparingly.  Use it wisely.  Consider if using “just” adds to your credibility or detracts from it.  Ask yourself if using “just” might send a belitting or demeaning mesage (albeit unitention as in the case of my friend.)  Using “just” is a habit we can break.

If you have situations where you have found “just” to be a minimizer, please share them with me.  Post a comment, subscribe to this blog, and share with your friends and colleagues.

By Pamela Jett, CSP

As a communication skills expert, I am often asked what exactly does a communication skills speaker do?   The answer is fairly simple, I work with individuals, organizations, teams, associations, and groups to improve their productivity by improving communication.  I am fond of reminding people that “communication is like a thread which runs through a pearl necklace.  It is invisible.  Yet without it, everything would fall apart.”  I firmly believe that communication is the most important skill set any professional possesses.  Good communication (or poor communication) can make or break a career, a team, a family.  Most professionals agree that about 80% of problems at work result from poor communication and most individuals will admit that poor communication is the root cause of many relationship breakdowns.  We all know that communication matters!

However, while most of us are aware that good communication is vital to success, many of us choose to learn our communication skills through trial and error.  Essentially, we are enrolled in the “school of hard knocks” when it comes to improving our communication abilities.  And the “school of hard knocks” comes with a pretty hefty tuition bill:  lost credibility, damaged relationships, lost opportunities, and team dysfunction.  Savvy people recognize that while the “school of hard knocks” is a valid way to learn, it can be painful and they prefer to learn from the knowledge and expertise of others.  As a communication skills speaker, I provide an alternative to learning the hard way.

With workshops, training, keynote addresses, executive coaching, teleseminars, audio CDs and other delivery mechanisms, I teach individuals powerful tools for communication success.  I believe that “words matter” and that the words you choose to use and the words you choose to lose can make all the difference.  For example, I teach my clients to stop saying “don’t forget” and to start saying “please remember”.  You can read other blog posts here for more examples of the specific tools and techniques that I share.  I provide professionals with specific language patterns and templates they can use to communicate effectively in some of the most challenging situations.  With a focus on practical application (as opposed to theory – because while interesting, theory really doesn’t yield results), I provide individuals, teams, and leaders with the words to use so that we no longer lay awake at night wondering “how do I deal with that?”  or “what do I say”.

I enjoy being a communication skills speaker immensely.  It is very rewarding to have someone say to me “I tried your technique, and it worked!”  I would like to hear from you, so please post a comment.  Specifically, I would like to know what types of communication challenges do you face?  What types of conversations do you dread?  That way, I can post specific tools to address your specific needs.

By Pamela Jett, CSP

As promised in my my last blog, I’ve attached a picture of one of my vision boards for 2010.  It has been my practice for several years to create two vision boards; one for my personal life and one for my professional life.  The picture is of my personal vision board.

For 2010 I replaced last year’s theme of “joy, balance, and abundance” with a new theme of “clarity, action, and connection”.  It is my vision that 2010 will be year when I not only have a clear vision of what I want to do, but that I also focus on taking action with the end result being greater connection spiritually, socially, physically, and mentally.

It is not too late to create your own vision of what you want your life to be like in the up-coming year.  Creating a vision board not only helps you discover what you want your life to be like, it serves as a visual reminder all year long. There is no right or wrong way to create a vision board.  Many people use pictures from magazines and create a collage.  Others create a combination of words and pictures.  This year, my vision boards are completely free of pictures and just have key words and phrases arranged in a way that makes sense to me.  They are both hanging prominently in my office as I write this blog.

I would love to see your vision boards or learn what is working for you.  Leave a comment and let me know what your vision is for 2010.  I wish all my readers a very happy and prosperous new year!

By Pamela Jett, CSP

It’s that time of year again.  The time when most of us, myself included, engage in introspection, goal-setting, and making resolutions for the new year.  As I was watching the morning news today I noticed there were numerous segments focusing on creating a better physical self in 2010.  And while losing weight, getting in shape, and improving nutrition are certainly worthwhile goals (they are part of my vision for 2010), I also believe it is worthwhile to focus on the other parts of ourselves, specifically our heart and head.

So, while I certainly want to drop a few of the pounds I somehow managed to gather in 2009 (OK, it’s not a big mystery – I didn’t move enough to counter the calories), I also want to work on dropping some of the emotional weight I accumulated.  I am spending some time this week examining my heart to determine if there is any guilt, fear, or anger that might be weighing me down that I can process through and eliminate in 2010.

Just as many people resolve to begin more healthy habits such as healthier eating and a fitness regime, I want to examine my mental habits.  Where am I spending my time?  Am I engaging in any counter-productive habits (too much watching silly television shows when I could be feeding my brain interesting and useful information for example?) Are there time-wasting behaviors I can eliminate just like many of us eliminate junk food?  Can I replace these habits with new more mind-healthy behaviors?  Who am I spending my time with?  Are they people from whom I can learn and grow?  These are the types of questions I am asking myself this week.

What about you?  As you resolve to be a better version of yourself in 2010, I challenge you to not only focus on your physical self, but to focus on your “whole self”.  Look for ways to grow and improve physically, mentally, spiritually.  Once you have clarity on what you want to achieve, you can use the tried and true goal-setting techniques and vision board approaches.

I’ll spend this week in introspection and then I will create my vision boards for 2010.  I’ll blog about that process soon and post pictures as well.

I would love to know what heart and head resolutions you are making this new year.  Leave a comment and let me know.  Here’s to an abundant and prosperous 2010!

by Pamela Jett, CSP