how to communicate in a beyond busy world

Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iteration Officer, SpeakStrong Please share freely with credit.

How to Communicate in a Beyond-Busy World

Cutting through the commotion

for purpose, clarity, connection and results


In this webinar you will discover:

1. What going on? How busy-ness has changed the way people communicate.

2. What six assumptions you can no longer make in a beyond-busy world.

3. One very counter-intuitive tip that will increase the effectiveness of your communication.

4. What you can do up front to minimize the fall-out from "gotta-go-communication"

5. Where you need to be assertive and where you need to cut people some slack in this busy new world.

6. The top ten PowerPhrases you can use to cut through the noise of your busy-ness world.


Menlo Software Plans a 40 Hour Week: Tangibly

The cards are proportional to the job estimate. If a card won’t fit into the “scheduling game board”, it won’t make the project board for that week.Photos courtesy of Menlo Software


What is the “first casualty”…

Of war…• Truth• Innocence• The feminine

Of busy-ness…• Clarity?• Connection?• Efficiency?• Quality?• Grace?


Grace means…

• Kindness• Eloquence• Wholeness• Flow• Room for surprise and serendipity• Purpose and alignment• The grace of God


It’s not the world it used to be

Beyond-Busy People can seem:• Rude• Dismissive• Forgetful• Flaky • Not so bright• Superficial• Unreliable


What to do?

1. Drop judgments and assumptions

2. Make communication agreements up front

3. Make every interaction count

4. Go and see – walk in their shoes

5. Visual controls and mistake-proofing

6. Address busy-ness challenges

7. Be willing to squeak

8. Use PowerPhrases

9. Overcome your own BB habits and get it right and complete the first time

10. Recalibrate relationships


1. DROP judgments and assumptions, like…

1. People are being rude 2. If someone doesn’t get back to you, they’re not

interested and are blowing you off3. When you finally get a window of time, jump

through it with everything you've got4. People know how busy they are and commit

accordingly5. Because you told someone something, they know

it.


2. What you can do up front:Make communication agreements

• Acknowledge the busy-ness and agree to behaviors you both can count on– Response time– Codes– Ways to reach when urgent– Keeping posted about commitment changes

• If people don’t honor agreements, revise them to ones they can


3. Make every interaction count

• Prepare• A modified handle it once rule• Flow matters most: Keep the flow going• Move the discussion forward as much as

practical with each interaction


4. Go and see – walk in their shoes

• Get a picture of the demands on their time• See for yourself what they respond to

– Observe in-person if possible– Ask if in-person isn’t possible


5. Create Obviousness:Visual controls and mistake-proofing


6. Address busy-ness challenges

• Talk about how you talk• Cite specific examples of what’s not

working and tie it to the busy-ness• Invite their input about how to overcome

the challenges• Talk about what you want more than what

you don’t want


7. Be willing to squeak

• Some people live reactively – responding to the loudest squeakers

• A PowerPhrase is as strong as it needs to be and no stronger. So is a squeak.

• You can squeak in the most delightful ways• Let them know what your options are if they

don’t respond. – “If I don’t get a session description by this afternoon,

I’ll make one up for you.”


8. Use PowerPhrases

• Simplify. Break your communication into understandable, digestible parts.

• Clarify. Be concrete. Relate ideas to experience and action so no one has to guess how to apply your thoughts.

• Lead. Indicate a next step Make it easy to respond.• Disclose. Speak your deepest truth.• Talk it and walk it. Follow through consistently. • Connect. Be graceful, personal and relational.


9. Overcome your own BB habits

• Think longer term• Be realistic in your own commitments• Balance urgency with importance• Allow a LITTLE extra time for misunderstandings

and interesting possibilities to surface• Take the time for clarity up front• Add titles (subject line), bullets, numbers and action-

steps• Be flexible enough to adapt to the busy-ness


When to assert

• When you’re as clear as you can be and you're not getting through

• When the confusion and lack of clarity affects you in ways they need to know about

• When you have ideas that can help• When it’s about to become a deal breaker -

show your power before you use it


When to flow with it

• When it’s clear the demands on others have them totally maxed

• When it’s clearly a learning curve• When you believe they’re aware and doing all then

can to improve• When there’s competitive advantage to flowing with it• When it’s an isolated incident• When you know there’s a problem but need more

clarity before you open your mouth


10. Recalibrate relationships

Rework your relationships and expectations so you’re not depending on non-communicators

– While I love our time together it seems difficult for you to schedule ahead. Let’s just make same-day plans so cancellation won’t be an issue.

– With your schedule, you don’t need any pressure from me to deliver anything. Let’s refigure how we work together so you can contribute your expertise without pressure.


It’s counterintuitive, but true…

Slow down to speed up


Top Ten PowerPhrases

1. We’re both too busy to baby-sit each other’s projects, so let’s make commitments we can count on

2. I’d rather know now if you might not be able to follow through than find out later

3. I know you’re busy, so I’m calling to remind you

4. If we take the time for clarity now, it will save us lots of time later

5. To make sure I’ve been clear, can you tell me how you plan to proceed?


Top Ten PowerPhrases

6. Just making sure you’re on track for Monday.

7. I just need a short answer

8. Can I count on some response from you for every communication within 24 hours?

9. You’ve had to cancel so many times, I suggest we wait to schedule again until things settle down for you.

10. I’ve been in your office and I know how many things compete for your attention. It’s hard to get your full attention when I need it. Any suggestions for me?


Shine…

• Realize that you, no matter what your challenges and flaws may be, are a beacon to the world.

Isha Lerner

NO matter how busy you are,

there’s always time to shine.

how to communicate in a beyond busy world

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chief iteration officer

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