Hints and Tips: Survive in the Work Place Part Two

It’s good to talk
People like it when you take time to call. A five minute phone call can do the work of several emails because you can hear someone’s tone of voice and gauge reaction.

Plan to talk
Just because the phone is an informal medium you can still plan an agenda of the points you need to cover and decide what information you need from the other person.

Be polite
If your mobile rings during a land-line call, forward it to voicemail. Taking the call is equivalent to looking over someone’s shoulder while they are talking with you.

Record it
When you’ve had an important call, commit to paper what’s been said and agreed.



Writing a one page overview
An executive summary is all most people want or have time to read to make an informed decision or take action. Get the main message into the headline and then cover:

Background
State the problem or issue, it’s scene and context. Brevity and clarity are the keys to success.

Proposal
State your proposal concisely and follow it with supporting points and benefits. Less is best. Include contrary points such as risks and deal with them.

Support
Why is your proposal the right one?

Actions
Ask the reader to do something based on your proposal. Define next and future steps.



Ignore them and they’ll go away
Letting emails sink to the bottom of the pile and not answering them doesn’t meant they’ll become irrelevant. Don’t be labeled as unresponsive.

Receipts
Annoying, aren’t they? Why ask for them? They say nothing other than that the note has been opened. If you must check that someone gets something, give them a call.

Rules
Try to reply as soon as you read an email, otherwise you’ll need to read it again at the time you do reply. Always read and re-read what you’ve written before you send it.

Get out more
If you want to interact with others in the real world, turn your PC off, get your jacket on and get out there.



Structure
Tell the audience what you are going to present to them, present it and at the end, remind them what you’ve presented.

Who is doing the talking?
You are – not the slides. No amount of information on your slides will communicate your message for you.

Handouts
If you’ve a lot of information for your audience to read, send it in advance of the presentation or provide it as a handout.

Language
There are two types of English used in business – plain and jargon. Make sure you only use the first in your speech and slides and everyone will leave happier and the wiser.



Let people know what the meeting is about
An agenda lets people know what to expect, provides an order for dealing with issues and gives people opportunity to consider discussion points.

Only invite people who need to be there
It’s easier to get a positive outcome if the right people attend a meeting. Meetings are like church services, once you’re in one, you can’t stand up and walk out.

Introduce everybody to everyone else
Ensure there’s an introduction and warm up at the beginning unless everyone really does know everyone else.

Agree who does what and when
Never finish a meeting without getting closure on who’s going to do what and when they’re going to do it by.



Listen and learn
People often think networking is about talking at people. It’s not, the secret is to listen.

Can you help?
The quickest way to get other people to help you is to see whether you can do something for them.

Matchmaking
Often the best service you can provide to someone is not to help them directly but put them in touch with someone who can.

Keep in touch
There’s no point in making the effort to get to know someone if you don’t then maintain the relationship. All it takes is a quick chat on the phone or an occasional lunch.

To see a full list of Elaine Ford's features follow the link below to her first article and scroll to the end:

Hints and Tips: Thinking of Changing Job?