Communication Coach Blog
Hello fellow Communication Enthusiasts! I put together a mini-masterclass of the key communication skills for (new) managers on a new site (https://3vcoachric.com/) that I teach in my standard coaching program, so that anyone can have access to these tips. It is all on video, and comes with some bonuses too (like a free ebook). The first 2 parts are free, so you can watch over 15 minutes of precise communication tips when ready! If you want to carry on, then you can pay a small fee to get access to the rest of the course. Either way, take a peek at the promo video above, and if you’re interested, hit the website and get access to the first two parts now. Why wait? Your career won’t. 🙂 Thanks for your interest and do let me know what you think of the course.
Let’s talk Customer Service Experience! Join me Ric Phillips and Jason Agouris of iTristan Media Group as we delve deep into how we humans respond to customer experience, especially in a world of digital products for business. If you work in customer service, or run a small business, this video is for you, especially if you are (considering) using AI and chatbots to assist the customer experience.
YouTube Video: https://lnkd.in/gzQ6Z4RC
“How To Speak Bad English Perfectly” Interesting commentary on the business of ESL (English as a Second Language) including fixing ‘bad English’ grammar and pronunciation mistakes. Native English speakers are greatly outnumbered in the world, yet many non-natives are striving for ‘perfect’ English skills. I’ve always believed we can help ESL speakers speak ‘through’ or ‘with’ their accent, not reduce it completely. I also believe learning business focused idioms and slang will help speed up a learners’ comfort at the office (in addition to learning industry-specific vocabulary of course). Heather does not really agree with that last idea.
What do you think of her assumptions and suggestions?
I’d like to share Janson Chan’s TEDx Talk here. I had the pleasure to meet Janson and work with him on his public speaking and pitching skills through my work with YEDI (York Entrepreneurship Development Institute) and LaunchYU. Later when he was asked to speak at an Autism-focused TEDx conference, he reached out to me for additional coaching, and I was happy to help him with his talk. Here is the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0WcwrQ3-r0), and here’s his gracious testimonial:
“Ric understands the point of view of the audience and the speaker. He coached me to empower my stories, emotions, and passion into an effective speech to an audience of experts that has delivered results. He was able to understand my strengths and weaknesses as a speaker and tailored his approach to give me the confidence needed to perform, wherever the setting, from large events to smaller team meetings. Working with Ric I have been able to develop from a person who was terrified of public speaking to a person who delivered an effective TED talk to researchers and advocates. Ric has demonstrated the knowledge, expertise and persistence as an effective Communication Coach for any occasion.” Janson Chan, Executive Director of Autism Teenage Partnership (ATP), TEDx Speaker: “Building from Bullying”
Here’s another Maclean’s video interview where I am asked about the non-verbal communication of President Trump with others, including James Comey. It’s a quick analysis of Trump’s ‘aggressive’ off-balancing TrumpShake, his open arm and head nod gesture (including chin thrust) to James Comey, and Comey’s initial hesitations, uncomfortable hand-wringing gesture and his seemingly strong desire to not show rapport with Trump, and escape the scene ASAP. Enjoy!
Balanced Counter Shake
Everyone is talking about President Trump’s power handshakes, and today everyone is proud of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for not allowing Trump to bully-handshake him at their White house meeting yesterday. I was contacted yesterday myself by Maclean’s Magazine for an interview on my thoughts on their non-verbal communication. That short video can be seen here, but be advised the interview was done before the video was made, so my comments do not necessarily match up with the images shown.
Are handshakes such a big deal? Well, yes, they are. They show non-verbal communication intentions on dominance, control, balance and openness. They are worthy of a bit of study, and I will give some tips on what to do or not do when shaking hands, particularly at a political or business function.
To start, ‘medium’ is the rule to remember. Walk at a medium pace, speak with medium voice/volume, gesture and shake hands with medium speed. This shows you are calm and in control of yourself.
After a calm approach, you should make sure you are engaged in eye contact and then smile as you extend your hand. Maintain good posture as you approach and extend the hand. Don’t bend at the waist (unless in Asia or with Asian delegates) and don’t over-extend your arm so you appear too eager and/or off-balance. Introduce yourself (e.g. Hello – I’m Ric. Nice to meet you!) and connect hands (not fingers) evenly, palm to palm. Be ‘firm but fair’ to the other people in your networking circles! Never crush a hand and never offer a seemingly ‘broken wrist’ or ‘just-fingers’ weak handshake. Both hands should be level – do not twist the hands to either extreme side, if possible. I am not a fan of twisting someone’s hand so that my palm is up and they have ‘the upper hand’ now, or vice versa. Let’s start off on equal footing, shall we?
Pump your hands 2-4 times, gently and evenly, and repeat the person’s name after they introduce themselves to help you retain that new information if necessary. There is usually no need for extra tactics, like using your free hand to clasp the hands while shaking (the double) or patting the shoulder of the person you are engaging (the pat-down). In the North American culture these extras are not necessary, but if someone does that to you, it’s almost natural to return the favour, to even the score. Go ahead and do unto others as they do unto you.
Dominant people may want you to enter a room first and will gesture to let you go first, and may even lightly touch/pat your back, as a ‘guide’ through the doorway. It looks polite (and it technically is) but it also is another example of them ‘steering’ you somewhere and being in control because they can see you the whole time, and you need to ‘trust’ them when they’re behind you. In evolutionary terms, you never wanted a potential predator or someone you didn’t know/trust to be behind you where you’re vulnerable to blind attack.
Regardless of what is in their mind or their style of greeting, you should always aim for a balanced and equal meet to start the relationship on the right foot. Just don’t be surprised if others have favourite tactics they wish to use on you. Whether it is at a formal business meeting or at a relaxed social outing, learning how to hand shake with balance and confidence, and learning how to match the other person’s style is all good practice! Go ahead – put your best hand forward! 🙂
The importance of interpersonal skills in today’s tech-world cannot be underrated or undervalued, and that’s why I focused my recent TED Talk on them. Please take a moment to view and learn about “The Long Life of First Impressions”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuG-BHquAHU
If you like it, please ‘like’ it and share to your social networks, or directly on YouTube. Let’s spread the idea! Much appreciated!