I can remember the many times I was sending a message to a group of
people and wondered why the entire group didn’t get it. Trying to swing
the tide for a group of people is difficult at times. Although more of an
investment needs to be made up front, I have found consistent success in
my ability to make a difference by working with one person at a time, or
with smaller groups of people. People learn in different ways, and at different
speeds. Although larger group lessons—especially business-specific
training—may save time, more difficult or complex messages may be
better suited for one-on-one situations or smaller groups.
Additionally, in meeting situations, there are a variety of personalities,
opinions, and experience levels. Not everyone in a room or a meeting
is going to agree with what is being said, interpret what is being said
the same way, or even engage in the same way. If you are trying to gain
mutual buy-in for a new proposal, for example, you can gain an advantage
in getting your points across more effectively if you have support
already in the room. You can prepare by having conversations ahead
of time with specific individuals. Even a quick conversation hitting key
points reduces the surprise factor and will engage that person more in the
conversation about the message you are trying to convey. If you feel there
is going to be contention, it is much easier with support already on your
side. Popular opinions grow when there is more support behind them.
Your invested time prior to the meeting will not be wasted time; in fact,
the invested time should make the meeting more efficient and effective by
minimizing the arguments and contrary dialogue. I am realistic enough
to know that the pre-meetings are not required for every meeting, but a
targeted approach for key circumstances will be beneficial when there is
a crucial message you want to convey.
I want to share a story about a message blossoming. I saw a résumé
on a central printer in our workspace that was not organized well and
contained multiple typographical errors. I decided to proactively contact
the person and provide them feedback. I had experience in this field and
wanted to make the story of her career stronger. I didn’t know the person,
but I wrote some notes and gave them to her manager to pass along. She
came to see me and we went over the suggestions. The final product was
excellent and one that made her burst with pride. She told some teammates
about our interaction. I soon had a few more résumé conversations
that turned into career direction conversations. I felt like a counselor, but
I was enjoying the interaction and felt like each conversation was a learning
experience for everyone. I was making a difference one person at a
time. I became driven to help the people I was working with succeed.
More often than not, they needed the little extra push to find their right
path. I was learning that a positive message gets used and passed on.
In another example, I was invited to a small gathering to help spark
interest in getting managers involved in developing themselves, developing
their people, and getting more involved in the community. I shared
many of my professional experiences, relating how my communication,
confidence, and overall growth improved when I began to take steps to
improve myself. I often mentioned Toastmasters as an opportunity for
others to improve their communication and leadership skills. A few
expressed interest in joining the group.
I was surprised when a senior leader whispered an invite to me to
teach her managers how to more effectively manage up. I took the invitation
and prepared an hour-long discussion. The small group interaction
went well. A manager in another department had heard about it from one
of the attendees and asked if I could teach his newer managers how to
communicate more effectively. The session was expanded to include how
to become more organized, how to network better, how to write résumés,
and how to navigate through their careers. We turned the interactions
into a monthly series, and the targeted audience was expanded to include
more tenured managers and people from outside that particular line of
business. Not one of these people reported to me, and not one of them
was obligated to listen. I was learning to adapt my messages based on the
audience, and was improving my ability to provide a message that people
could walk away with and spread to others.
The next time you are finding little success in having your message
absorbed, change your tack. You have important messages to send. Be
proactive, patient, and creative. Pull someone to the side and watch the
message spread.
Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):
- Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
- Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
- Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
- The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
- From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
- The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood
See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com
MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby