Greetings from my hotel room in New York City, early in the morning on December 29. My wife and children are sound asleep nearby and we are soon to be up and out the door for a day of holiday sightseeing. A visit to Radio City Music Hall and The Met are on the list for today.
But before we brave the cold and the crowds, I wanted to take a few moments to share a closing thought, and some gratitude, as we rapidly approach the end of 2022.
In the early days of The Latimer Group, when we talked about communication skills, we were usually referring to the “outbound” forms of communication… the messages we construct, the materials we create, and the language we use. Over time, that definition eventually expanded to include “inbound” communication skills, like listening and awareness… and that was an important expansion. Great communication skills have to include both the inbound and the outbound, because the inbound informs the outbound… or at least it should.
Now, as I reflect on the twenty years of our “Latimer journey” I am struck once again by the reminder that truly great communication skills are ultimately about the sum total of the way we make the people around us feel. Yes… great communication is about all of the inbound and outbound communication skills that we teach every day. But on a deeper level, the ultimate test of our communication skills are the answers to simple questions: How do we impact the people around us? Do we motivate them? Do we make them feel confident, respected, heard, trusted? Do we leave them feeling appreciated?
Or, do we leave them feeling something else?
My point here is that the it matters whether we got the outcome that we wanted. But that is not the only thing that matters. The ultimate test is how we impacted the people around us in the process. People will rarely remember exactly what we said. But they will always remember exactly how we made them feel. Don’t ever forget that.
That is what I am thinking about as I close out my year. And that is what I encourage you to think about as well.
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In closing, I would like to give thanks to the clients of The Latimer Group. Your trust in us makes all of this possible, and we spend our energy every day trying to live up to the faith you place in us.
I also would like to give thanks to my colleagues, past and present. We have been blessed to have many outstanding people on our team over the years. And I am grateful for each of them, every day.
And finally, and on the most personal of levels, I would like to give thanks for my wife, Emily and my two children, Zach and Kate. They make everything I do worthwhile, and give me purpose. (And, since they are now awake and stirring, and asking about breakfast, it is time for me to go.)
Enjoy the remainder of your holiday. Take a deep breath, love the people around you, and stay safe.
The Latimer Group looks forward to seeing you and supporting you in 2023 and beyond.
Sincerely,
Dean, on behalf of The Latimer Group
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Does your team:
– Overwhelm the audience with too much detail?
– Make things too complicated?
– Fail to ask for what they want or need?
Does your organization:
– Waste time because of poor internal communication?
– Take too long to make decisions?
– Struggle to clarify and frame discussions?
Do your leaders:
– Exhibit poor executive presence?
– Lean on incomplete communication skills?
– Fail to align the organization?
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