15 Principles of Effective Communication

1. Listen First, Then Ask More Questions – especially when you think you understand, ask another to clarify.
2. Never Let Them Guess – make everything clear, over-communicate expectations, overstate actions, and always focus on next steps.
3. Be Proactive, Tell Before They Ask – if they need to ask for an update, we need to be more proactive.
4. Make It Easy For Them – make it simple, make it standard, repeat often.
5. Always Follow-up – do not wait for them, keep all stakeholders up to date.
6. Take Your Time – respond fast but don’t rush the answer, slow is fast, fast is slow.
7. Stay Relevant – stay on topic, focus on what needs to be solved.
8. Schedule Routine Client Communications – YES!
9. Consider Their Comfort Zone – the more you think about them, the fewer errors will be made.
10. Add a Personal Touch to Your Client Communications – be professional but still be a human.
11. Push Back (The Right Way) – our clients trust us for our expertise and care, show them you are an expert and care about their success by helping them avoid disasters.
12. Self-Correct – own your mistake: fix, apologize, keep going.
13. Speak Their Language – use their words.
14. Be Clear, Be Concise – short as possible and long as needed.
15. Answer Then Teach – when responding to a question, most of the time: give the answer then explain, not the other way around. Teach after they feel they have been heard. (Unless you need to ask clarification questions)

We don’t always need to be right, just when it counts. It counts when the emotions and feelings of those we have stewardship over are involved.

One second of truth is more valuable than an hour of lies.

One day of service is more valuable than a year of selfishness.

A life made up of the wrong type of compromise is no life at all. When you compromise your values, your principles, and your faith, you are not living anymore. Compromise your ego, your pride, your need to be right, your greed, your vainglory… those are compromises that make a great life!

The cost is of knowledge is high. Yet, it is always worth the trouble since the price of ignorance is double.

Sometimes we all need to think about the person for a minute. Actually, we always need to think about the other person. Often, that is hard to do when we are so consumed with our own desires and failures. Focus on helping others and your own problems shrink.

Everyone has a different perspective, even when on common ground. We need to embrace those differences so we all can move to the higher ground together.

If your job is to lead, then lead. Don’t abdicate your main responsibility because you are better at something else. Nothing is more important. The best leaders focus on leading.

To build trust, have more genuine conversations. To build trust create environments where everyone can focus on their reality while shooting for their potential.

Every defeat can be used as a way to improve. All defeat is a sign that something went wrong. The smart ones learn the lesson being taught and make necessary changes. Every failure is an experience that can be used for your gain if you are willing to be humble, willing to learn, and willing to take action.