1. Learn to make people laugh.
If people never laugh when you
speak, it is time to study the strategies of speakers who do make
people laugh. An easy strategy is to find funny anecdotes, stories, or
jokes and share them with others.
2. Touch people - physically.
A touch on the elbow or the shoulder
will often make someone's day! This is more important for people who feel
isolated, such as some senior citizens.
3. Tell everyone in your life
what they mean to you at least once a month.
Why express love and appreciation
sparingly?
4. Celebrate the small and
large victories of others.
When someone has a success, it's
time to literally ring the bells, make some noise, and get out of your
chair to acknowledge the "win." Use e-mail to send virtual flowers, virtual
champagne, or a musical animated greeting card.
5. Use words of affection
liberally.
"I care about you! I'm standing
with you! I want to see you succeed in this. I believe in you and I believe
in what you are doing."
6. Call your mother more often.
The same for Dad.
Tell them, "I love you." A couple
of minutes on your cell phone in the car can brighten up a senior citizen's
week!
7. Go out of your way to wish
a person a "happy birthday" whenever you hear a person mention that
they just had their birthday or that it is coming up.
Since it only comes once a year,
this often means a lot to a person.
8. Intersperse phrases like,
"You're right!" in your conversations.
This is especially useful when
someone is confronting you about something that has bothered them about
you.
9. Use the subject line of
outgoing e-mails to create suspense in your reader.
After they read your tantalizing
subject heading they usually have to wait a few seconds to get to your
message. They will feel entertained and more alert to receiving your message.
10. Point out, acknowledge,
and affirm the gifts and talents that you see in others.
Most people will be extremely
grateful for the encouragement and direction that this provides. "Your
administrative and organizational skills make a big difference to me and
to the company." It is easy to forget how valuable this can be to the recipient.
___________________________________________________________
About the Author
This piece was written by Dr.
Clare Albright, Clinical
Psychologist and Professional
Coach. These 10 Tips are from,
"85 Secrets for Improving Your
Communication Skills" by Dr.
Clare Albright, which can be
downloaded for only $5.77 via
http://www.ImprovingYourCommunicationSkills.com.
