Tone and words: Use accurate language
Unexpected ways to increase your credibility include: Be willing to say “I don’t know,” when “I don’t know” is the honest answer. Express passion for your subject. Communicate with self-assurance: a firm handshake, direct eye contact (when culturally appropriate), and a confident (not arrogant) air.
Charles H. Green • The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook: A Comprehensive Toolkit for Leading with Trust
On Communication:
- Answer the question
- Answer first , then explain
- Be concrete
- When questions should be answered by a date
- Who questions should be answered by a name
- How much/many questions should be answered by a number. Dates, dollars, percentages. Define your units.
- Avoid weasel words ( should, could, might, etc.)
- Own your problems. Don’t be def
Ian McAllister • Operator’s Manual
How you say what you say has everything to do with the way it’s received and how it makes people feel as a result. Will you conclude with an encouraging tone? Will you close with urgency by creating a crisis moment and calling people to a decision? Will your tone be confrontational? This is not to be glossed over.