1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:17,239 Speaker 1: Today's tip, just like yesterday's, comes from the new book 4 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:21,920 Speaker 1: The Remix. In this book, workplace expert Lindsay Pollock give 5 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:26,800 Speaker 1: strategies for how wise managers can lead diverse teams. Today's 6 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 1: tip is to save ours and many headaches by becoming 7 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: what Pollock calls a communication chameleon. If you've ever felt 8 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: like you are communicating in a totally different language from 9 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 1: your colleagues, especially those of other generations, you are not alone, 10 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: she writes. Too many people believe that effective communication is 11 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:51,279 Speaker 1: about communicating the way you find easiest or best. Sometimes 12 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 1: that works, but what is more important is communicating in 13 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: the way that will best be understood by the person 14 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: you want to influence. She can and use no matter 15 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 1: what your role or job title. If you want to 16 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:08,800 Speaker 1: communicate across generations and all differences, you have to become 17 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: an expert on how to best communicate with the people 18 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 1: you want to communicate with. How do you do that? 19 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 1: It's quite simple. You ask. That's it, she writes. Here's 20 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 1: why asking is so wise. We can waste tons of 21 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 1: time and energy worrying about the best way to reach someone. 22 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: With a manager, we might wonder is it okay to 23 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:34,320 Speaker 1: call or drop by, or would the person really prefer 24 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:37,760 Speaker 1: an email? With a client. If a person doesn't respond 25 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 1: to an email quickly, we might wonder if everything is 26 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: okay and spend time brooding about this when the reality 27 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 1: is that the person is often on the road and 28 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: a quick text is the best way to get his 29 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: or her attention. Some people never check voicemail. You can 30 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 1: hate this all you want, but your unhappiness is unlikely 31 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 1: to reform the person's habits. So pollock reck Men's having 32 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: a conversation with anyone you communicate with regularly, ask these questions. 33 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: What is the best way to receive an answer from 34 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:13,639 Speaker 1: you quickly? By phone, by email, by instant message, by 35 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:17,640 Speaker 1: dropping by your desk? How do you give feedback? Should 36 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: you schedule a one on one? Should the person come 37 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: up with their own feedback and present it to you, 38 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: or do you like to start the conversation? Do you 39 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: like to give feedback on a regular basis or in 40 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:31,679 Speaker 1: a more ad hawkway. What are your email preferences and 41 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 1: pet peeves in general? Do you prefer shorter or longer emails, 42 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: full sentences or bullet points or emojis? Okay, how formal 43 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: are you? Do you mind quick texts with typos? Are 44 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,119 Speaker 1: you open to face timing, skyping or video conferencing when 45 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: not in the office. Finally, Pollock recommends asking about general 46 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: work habits because clashes and misunderstandings here can lead to 47 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: all sorts of woes. So you a morning person or 48 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:03,919 Speaker 1: should you be left alone until you've had your coffee? 49 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:06,360 Speaker 1: Do you like to work from home or do you 50 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 1: prefer to be in the office. Do you leave early 51 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: on Wednesdays to attend your kids taekwondo class? Do you 52 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: catch up and send a flurry of emails on Sunday nights? 53 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,079 Speaker 1: Does the person actually expect a response on Sunday nights 54 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: or is this solely about his or her own convenience. 55 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 1: Polic studies generations in the workplace, and she notes that 56 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 1: sometimes the stereotypes are true. Maybe a baby boomer employee 57 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 1: prefers the phone, but a millennial never thinks to use 58 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: the calling function on their phone first. But there are 59 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: plenty of texting baby boomers and maybe even millennials who 60 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: prefer formal in person scheduled appointments. Just as a chameleon 61 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 1: changes color based on surroundings, a communication chameleon uses the 62 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: method and style that the other person prefers. Now, perhaps 63 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 1: some people listening to this think, well, I shouldn't have 64 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: to do this. People should conform to me, and you 65 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: know many people will, especially if you're in charge. But 66 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: if it's just as easy to text versus email, and 67 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 1: you know the person you're reaching out to really prefers 68 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: one of these, it's a sign of respect and understanding 69 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: to choose the best one. It strengthens the relationship, and 70 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,719 Speaker 1: most of us are better off having people finding extra 71 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: reasons to like us versus annoying little reasons not to 72 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:25,039 Speaker 1: like us. So take some time today to ask the 73 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:28,160 Speaker 1: people you communicate with what they like and what they 74 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: don't and how they'd like to be reached. I promise 75 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 1: this little exercise will lead to huge payoffs in the future. 76 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 1: In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and 77 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, 78 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 79 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 80 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod. 81 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 1: That's B the number four, then Breakfast p o D. 82 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:10,160 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 83 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,599 Speaker 1: podcast at i heeart media dot com that Before Breakfast 84 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 1: is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, 85 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is 86 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:27,840 Speaker 1: a production of I heart Radio. 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