I want to share with you a simple communication tool I like to use. It's called the self check communication checklist. The list has five things to keep in mind when speaking to people and when you're giving any type of direction. Number one, make sure you're focused. Focusing on something takes effort and energy. If you can take all your energy and focus on one thing, nothing would be too difficult for you to figure out.
You would be able to master all things if you can simply focus on just one at a time. Or at least that's just my opinion. Number two, make sure your brain isn't on autopilot. The mind has a tendency of selecting a certain amount of information to retain the For your attention is divided with other thoughts and you're not even actively listening to the other party anymore. This is what we refer to as daydreaming, you know, when your mind just kind of wanders off in the middle of class, while the teacher is giving a boring lecture. We've all done it.
All right, I'm guilty of that as well. Number three, make sure you clarify your expectations. Now, this is a big one. misfortune can come from miscommunication. And that simply means when you miss communicate, people usually misinterpret and things don't go as smoothly as you would like them to. As my sifu always says, slow, smooth and smooth is fast.
So take your time and learn to clarify what you're conveying to others. Number four, make sure you explain explain and show how you want something done. People tend to execute tasks and learn better with a proper example of what needs to be done. So don't just say it, live it, do it. I like to think if you want it done properly, then show me how to do it first. Number five, make sure you let the expectation be known upfront.
To avoid any confusion or misunderstanding, you should always let your people know what you expect of them. When you're giving orders and directives. When people know what your expectations are, it helps them accomplish a task more efficiently because they have a greater understanding of what's expected of them. Doing this right can save you time and money, as well as heartache and pain. So you can use this communication tool not only in your career professional life but even more so in your personal life. Parents, when you're speaking with your kids, you should always keep this checklist in the back of your mind.
If you use this tool right, it can improve the communication in any relationship.