A CIO's Guide to Communication Basics

CIO —

By Deborah Gilberg

Imagine sitting in the doctor’s office, waiting to hear about the results of a recent test. The doctor enters and says, “It appears you have a hiatal hernia which may or may not be accompanied by Gastroesophogeal Reflux Disease, or GERD. Not everyone with a hiatal hernia has GERD, which left untreated, can lead to more serious conditions including Barrett’s esophagus, strictures or even esophageal cancer ...”

You have lost track of what he is saying, and only the word cancer sinks in. Did he say cancer? Your heart rate quickens, your stomach tightens, and you feel a cold sweat emerge. You are no longer listening to the doctor, who continues to ramble. Your head spins, and you wonder if you just might faint.

The truth is, the doctor is describing some potential causes and complications of heartburn. He is giving you a lot of information, but as he indicates initially, he doesn’t really know whether it will be applicable or not. He is simply giving you the complete picture—keeping you informed, right? He is doing his job, right? He is communicating, right?

Communication has become a complex concept in our modern, high-tech workplace. We have communication procedures, protocols and programs; communication systems, glitches and failures. But the bottom line is that communication is only as good as its outcomes. In the scenario above, if the patient faints, that is the outcome. And was that what the doctor intended?

Good communication habits help leaders get the outcomes they desire. They are assets in many aspects of life, at work, at home or in the community. Developing good communication habits takes some conscious attention, but once they become familiar, can be the secret to improving relationships, increasing productivity and advancing careers. Understanding and practicing good communication habits creates a foundation for the kind of credible and dynamic leadership sought by most organizations. Here are some basics:

1. Close the Gap Between Your Intentions and Your Behavior.
There is a general rule: We measure ourselves by our intentions; others measure us by our behavior. In most cases, we are the only ones who know what we intend. Others see only what we do. It is also very common for others to infer what our intentions are, and often they infer the worst (“He meant to do that!”). Many of us are unconscious of gaps between our good intentions and our behavior. The physician in the example above had good intentions about informing his patient. But the patient will probably judge him on the belief that what he said made him faint, perhaps inferring a lack of concern on the part of the doctor for the fear felt by the patient.

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