Last week I offered the first five tips for being an excellent communicator as published in Pitch Pipe, the Sweet Adelines monthly magazine.

Here are the remaining five tips:

6. If your mind wanders, ask for repetition. Everyone gets distracted at times.

7. Repeat back what you heard and ask if that is correct.

8. Say it honestly, but with considerations for the listener's feelings. Be polite, respectful and sincere.

9. Pay attention to body language, in the speaker and in yourself. If there is a disconnect between the words being said and the body language, the body language usually wins.

10. Do not be invested in being right. Being right is not the point. If you must be right, you are not able to listen or communicate because you have set up a barrier already. If you are always right, it means the other person is always wrong.

Looking for a way to set yourself apart from the competition? The difference is in your ability to effectively listen.

Can you hear me now?

Deborah Chaddock Brown
Writer