businessproductivity101
Business Productivity 101: Communications
Articulating your message
When composing a verbal or written communication always ask yourself three simple questions:
1) Have I clearly articulated my message?
2) Have I made clear what my expected response is? When you need a response by? (i.e. Make the email time bound)
3) How can I tailor my communication style to fit the audience I am delivering the message to (i.e. Evaluate how informal you should be, how to phrase the message, etc)
Proof Reading
When sending out any communication or deliverable the minimum number of times you proof read it should be equal to the number of levels above you in the hierarchy the most senior recipient is.
In other words, an email from two steps up the corporate ladder should be proof read at least twice and an email to a partner/executive at least four times.
Remember that having correct spelling and grammar is just the meeting of a standard - not an achievement. A polished communication counts for nothing but an unpolished one makes you look unprofessional and foolish.
This is part 2 of many of a series of posts regarding business productivity and common sense. This document was created by Stephen Duncan and myself at Accenture, Inc and was handed out to anyone we managed as "Rules of Engagement"
Business Productivity 101: Meeting and Presentation Preparation
Some people like to prepare formal agendas or complex presentations for meetings while others prefer to ‘wing it’. Your approach, as always, should be dictated by the demands of the situation, the audience, and your preferred style. However, in the event that you do go for the informal road always make sure to spend time ahead of the meeting shaping your key messages in your mind. Also, if you have certain questions to be answered or points that need agreement to in the meeting, be sure to put together a check list to ensure you don’t forget anything ‘in the moment’.
The best people I have ever worked with, have always spent the first few minutes of a meeting outlining two bits of information.
- Purpose - Outline to everyone attending what the purpose of the meeting is. e.g. To determine how to split tasks for developing a business case between team members.
- Objectives - Outline to everyone attending what the objectives of the meeting are. e.g. What sorts of decisions
need to be made? What is the meeting supposed to accomplish?.
And then they would spend the last few minutes summarizing the results of the meeting, and produce a list of actions items.
- Action Items - In Management, an action item is a documented event, task, activity, or action that needs to take place. Action items are discrete units that can be handled by a single person. To be really effective an action item must have an owner, be specific, and time bound. e.g. Bill will be responsible for the QA of the draft business case by Dec 1st..
If you are not leading a meeting, feel free to prompt the meeting facilitator to explain the purpose and the objectives and to ensure that everyone attending the meeting is clear on what actions items resulted from the meeting.
This is part 1 of many of a series of posts regarding business productivity and common sense. This document was created by Stephen Duncan and myself at Accenture, Inc and was handed out to anyone we managed as "Rules of Engagement"
