Comments on: The Best, Yet Most Underutilized Tool for Communication There Is

By: Talking Story: Be unencumbered

Talking Story: Be unencumbered — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:46:07 +0000

This is the advice I find I’m giving to my own children these days, as two young adults forging their way in a world where a lot of the rules have changed, or are still in flux. It’s advice I’m newly taking for myself too. This is a day and time where …

By: Managing with Aloha Coaching

Managing with Aloha Coaching — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:15:06 +0000

Tuesday Essay #2: Ka lā hiki ola and Kēia Manawa

ALOHA ~ ~ ~ If you are just joining us, you might want to take a quick look at this month’s publishing schedule to get your bearings. Our value for the month of June is Ka lā hiki ola, the

By: Talking Story with Say Leadership Coaching

Talking Story with Say Leadership Coaching — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 16:36:10 +0000

From Book Yourself Solid: How to Talk About What You Do (a mini review)

Preface: In alignment with the “Less is More” coaching I have been learning from the Know Can Do! philosophy, this is a review of just one chapter of Michael Port’s Book Yourself Solid, and a contribution to Joyful Jubilant Learning’s

By: Rosa Say

Rosa Say — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:09:56 +0000

Aloha Linda, welcome to Talking Story, and thank you so much for sharing your comment with me – it’s so interesting! I wonder if this happens “more often with executives than any other group” because they are (supposedly) the more ‘seasoned’ ones who usually do have a longer history of getting bombarded with both business-speak and posturing by others among their ranks, building an almost cynical, *I need to cautiously question everything* kind of demeanor?
You are wise to value meaning getting conveyed over fancy broadcasting of the message however, and your keen perception with this will surely earn you a terrific reputation as a communicator.
Thank you so much for this food for thought you’ve added.

By: Linda

Linda — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:18:45 +0000

Hello Rosa,
I just recently discovered your postings. I agree completely about developing a common vocabulary among teams. I have also had some interesting, though unsettling experiences, where in using pretty common words the listener gets completely lost, and feels that they need the message translated for them. This seams to happen more often with executives than any other group. This has happened often enough that I actually have developed the habit of rethinking what I am going to say to use very small words. It can be frustrating for me, but I value my message being heard more then my desire to utilize the vocabulary I have. It never ceases to amaze me how limited ones “active” vocabulary can become.

By: Rosa Say

Rosa Say — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:58:23 +0000

Mahalo Dean, for sharing that observation, for I agree that there are different (and pretty intriguing) variables involved in our conversations.
On the exercise I have suggested, this is also about a *respectful kind of eavesdropping* too, a perking up of managers’ ears to help them discover just how much conversation is already going on in the workplace, and tapping in to the possible goldmine it represents.
And by the way, good job on your internal logging of yesterday’s lesson-learned! Now today can be Ka lā hiki ola for you – the dawning of a whole new day :)

By: Managing with Aloha Coaching

Managing with Aloha Coaching — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:35:46 +0000

The Vocabulary Landmines of Responsibility (and choosing Kuleana instead)

It was a while ago, yet I clearly remember something about my mood when I wrote the chapter on Kuleana for Managing with Aloha. I felt like a gleeful, one-woman wrecking ball in having the opportunity Kuleana gave me with

By: Dean Boyer

Dean Boyer — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:12:42 +0000

Rosa,
You are so right! I love words…and hate words. Leveling the playing field through definitions has helped me immensely when creating policy and procedure manuals. However, it is during conversations that I find myself being misunderstood because those involved are using their own set of definitions. Thank you for the listening assignment; I could have used that yesterday!