COMMUNICATION…UP, DOWN & SIDEWAYS
By David Johns
“The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood.” This process is known as communicating and can be defined as passing information from one person to another. The intent is to provide and receive information from all parties to the process by connecting and relating to each other. Professionals at all levels communicate for a variety of reasons: to get things done, exchange information, reach decisions, achieve understanding and develop positive relationships.
Each time we interact with someone; we communicate and leave the moment with new information. Communication is dynamic, as it changes constantly and is on-going. All of us communicate with many people within any organization and outside the organization. The communication skills we demonstrate with our customers who are outside our organization are very important. Following are three key elements to developing and maintaining communication skills:
Communicating up – This allows us to adapt to the needs of the individual with whom we are communicating. It is important that we understand the process whereby we ask questions to learn what information the other party needs or is seeking. Understanding how to do this will improve our sales and customer service.
Communicating down – At first glance, this type of communicating might seem to be all one way. Conversely, it is an opportunity to coach, give feedback and delegate if the conversation is between team members of any organization, particularly a pawn store. Always be clear about the subject you are addressing and what you want to achieve by having the conversation. Explain how your want follow-up to take place by inviting the other party to send you an email or call you to check back in person at a specific time.
Communicating across/sideways – Often two individuals who are communicating with each other will inadvertently attempt to dominate the conversation. Effective communication following the across/sideways technique requires each participant to reach an understanding about the subject being discussed. Team Member Performance Reviews (One-On-Ones) are great examples of this communication process.
There is a great deal of research that points to a direct correlation between strong communication skills and improved productivity in the workplace. This results in fewer challenges and better relationships among Team Members and customers. How you communicate with others speaks volumes about how others see you and react to you. Ultimately, your communication skills will have a significant impact on the results you achieve and help ensure mutual understanding between you and others.
Clear communications at all levels in an organization will allow everyone to WIN! It will also provide a solid foundation for Exceptional Customer Service.
David Johns BIO
David has an extensive background in retail and human resources management at the national level as well as over thirty years’ experience in the pawn industry. He has been a presenter or keynote speaker at numerous international, national and regional retail and pawn conferences over past years. He is noted for his use of the TTS Questionnaire to evaluate work groups and the financial productivity of these groups. The selection and training techniques used by David are recognized as being among the most effective in the retail and pawn industries.
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