What Leaders Need To Know About Theory Based Communication
Keywords: Communication, leadership, theory, sales, marketing, direct, sales
Leadership, sales, marketing, training, mentoring -they all demand communication skills. Understand a few communication theories and you can greatly improve these skills.
While I would like to give you simple pat answers, life is not always simple. Some of the most abundant oil wells require deep drilling. I say that so that you will not check out on reading something that can make a dynamic difference in your business. It will require some deep mental drilling. Hopefully we will be drilling and not boring. (Pun intended.)
I am going to talk about communication theories. I have discovered how important it is to have a basic understanding of communication theories in my work as a communication and e-learning professional and consultant.
If you want to communicate more effectively, base your communication on some of these theories. Understanding just a few theories is one of the most effective ways to improve your communication and marketing skills.
Definition of theory
What definition of theory will I use? Theory: It is a pattern of study that has been developed over time and contains a testable body of information or principles that guide activities. It is a systematic model that explains interactions in a way that helps you predict the future.
When you communicate as leader in business, education, church or marketing, you want to use proven patterns that have a history of success, don’t you? It makes sense to have principles that have been tested and proven to be good guides?
What theory is not
The theories I refer to are not abstract speculation that some John Doe dreamed up in the middle of the night because he had too much pizza before bed. Sometimes the term theory is used in this way.
Some people call speculation theory. Used that way theory is the opposite of fact. That is not the theory you need, although you probably know leaders that operate on those kinds of theories.
Sometime methods and accepted traditional models are defined as theory, such as music theory. It is closer to the definition — but not quite close enough.
The power of theory
The power of theory (the first definition) is when it can be adapted to guide your activities. You use the theory to plan; then you implement the plan; you check the results, and make adjustments to your understanding of the theory and do it again. That is the kind of theory that turbo-charges your thinking.
So the short definition for the kind of theory I reference here is: a systematic model that explains interactions in such a way that it helps you predict the future.
Theories are everywhere. Here are three ways a theory can serve you if you are a leader.
1. It allows you to learn from genius
The kind of theories I defined have been developed out of careful research and study, sometimes a lifetime of it. Because they have been developed by scholars and preserved in their writings, you can read and learn from past genius.
For example there have been heavily researched theories regarding face-saving. Face saving is the action designed not to cause the other person embarrassment. Theories related to face-saving indicate that persons who come from more collectivistic cultures engage in high face saving.
Conversely, people from more individualistic cultures tend to speak more directly and with less concern about helping the other party save face. This launches us into the next way theories help communicators and leaders.
2. Theory provides a basis for analysis you might otherwise miss
In the example of face-saving theory, I mentioned collectivistic cultures. Collective cultures are cultures with high interdependence. Examples of collectivistic cultures might include some Asian and Hispanic cultures.
Let speculate and say you are an individualist and you invite a Latin American you just met to a social event. This person says they will come. If you understand face-saving you will quickly analyze the situation and understand that the invitee may intend to come.
However, you also realize the invitee may be helping you save face, not wanting to embarrass you by refusing your hospitality. This leads to the third way a theory may serve you.
3. Theory provides a big-picture vantage point
Using the example above you know about face-saving, so you overtly provide a way in the conversation for the person to gracefully decline. Or perhaps it means you are a little slower to brand the persons as “not keeping their word” when in their culture “yes” means “I would like to” rather than a definite, “I am coming”.
Understanding the theory could help you understand the situation from a higher cultural view point rather than a personal view point. This keeps you from wasting emotional energy because you take it personally and are angry, hurt, or disappointed.
There are other ways that theories can help us understand our interactions. They can give us consistency in the way we mentally process interactions; they provide a common language and understanding of what may be occurring; and, they provide a point from which to develop new theories as the old are applied to new situations.
Know that the example above is only one example. Watch for upcoming articles on theories that you as a leader will want to know and apply. In the meantime, do a web search combining theory with words like, communication or leadership.
Practice looking at situations through the lens of some good theories and it will make you a better leader in religious, direct marketing, educational, training, and sales organizations. Theories give insight. Use them.
Rick Hubbard has B.A. in Organizational Communication and a M.A. in e-Learning/Instructional System Design. He works in instructional technology at a Florida university and does consulting in both communication and instructional design. www.ALeadershipRevolution.com
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Holidays Keep Your Heart Ticking And Good For Your Looks Too! (1)
It has even shown that those overworking themselves age quicker and appear older than those do make time for a holiday. Wrinkles appear far more quickly on people who are more stressed.
The Catalan Language - A Languages Of The World Primer (2)
Of these Occitan and Catalan are probably the most mutually intelligible although many Castilian speakers have little difficulty understanding Catalan with the reverse almost invariably true. As with most romance languages there is a fair degree of mutual intelligibility with Italian, French and Portuguese but as accents and pronunciation vary dramatically from the Balearic islands to Andorra there is no hard and fast rule.
Improve Your Swing Or Lower Your Scores? (3)
Another double bogey on the next short par 3 with a poor chip that overshot the green, another in the water on the next and he was ready to listen to an overall approach to improving his game.
Mini Digital Camcorder - New Mobile Revolution That Fits Nicely Into Your Pocket (4)
The most beneficial part of it all is that regardless of how small the mini digital camcorder has become, the quality of the image has rarely if it all decreased, because of the introduction of superior compression technology which saves and stores the whole video into a smaller file size, but retains its quality of output.
The Real Secret To Enjoy Your Free Time Audio Books (5)
Ranju is assistant to Sheryl Wardle is an Owner of a Website related to Audio Books and she has been in internet market field from a long time. For more information im-listening-audio-books.com
Managing Your Small Business Without Credit (6)
For those of us that are relatively knowledgeable about Microsoft Excel and have a working understanding of macros and or formulas, you can create a simple spreadsheet that allows you the ability to project and manage the sources and uses of cash as it relates to your particular business.
Andorra Skiing More Affordable With Low Cost Airlines (7)
This means individuals don't have to fly out of their way and experience a stopover before they even board the actual plane that will take them where they want to go.
Do You Have An InfoProduct To Offer? (8)
It's like your business plan -- you need a firm foundation before you can build your future online success. Discover Kevin Sinclair's system for making profits regardless of whether anyone joins your network marketing business.
The Best Shopping Germany Has To Offer (9)
Some travelers might begin shopping Germany even before they arrive. They will want to find the best hotels to stay at that offer easy access to many locations that tourists are usually attracted to.
Student Loan Consolidation Info - It Is Your Responsibility To Borrow Responsibly (10)
Remember the more you borrow to finance your education, the higher each monthly payment will be once you have to start paying it back. Taking the time now to research your options for funding your college education could save you thousands of dollars once it's time to start making monthly payments on the loan.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
An Alternative Route To Education (1)
There are also other factors such as emotional rapport and familial support that can entirely make or break each child's motivation to learn. Compared to schools, the home is one of the most secure environments for the child to be in on a daily basis.
Finding Your Home Business Niche (2)
There are literally hundreds of lucrative home business ideas for you to choose from, which will suit every type of personality and all levels of financing. From selling information on the Internet as a infopreneur, to growing delicious gourmet mushrooms for sale to restaurants and catering companies; there is a pile of money to be made by filling a need, for these and a host of other necessary services.
Is A Home Business Right For You? (3)
Are you truly able to work independently? Do you have the drive; the tenacity, to persevere with your home based business? Will you be able to invest the necessary time to nurture it, to watch it grow and see it through, from germination to full, glorious bloom?
How To Stay Focused On Your Home Business Goals (4)
Therefore, wouldn't it make sense to stay focused on getting as much done in as short of a period as possible? Go to work to work and to make money.
How Hiring A Virtual Assistant Can Help You Earn More Money (5)
Hiring a virtual assistant is one of these times. It's going to cost you up front, but the rewards will be great, no doubt. First of all, hiring a virtual assistant will allow you to outsource the tasks you do not enjoy doing or have a hard time accomplishing.
Mortgage Predatory Lending And How To Avoid It (6)
The elderly seem especially vulnerable to those predators who use high-pressure sales tactics to sell home improvement projects or work and then finance them at very high interest rates. Lending predators are good at their work.
Integrated Circuits And How They Affect You (7)
This let smaller electronics be practical and possible, since you finally didn't need your own power plant to run advancing technologies. It was circuitry that held back further compression.
Do You Want The Extra Protection Package Sir? (8)
To answer these questions a number of factors must be taken into consideration and case studies looked at; it's a classic case of risk versus reward. For some who never use the car hire firm's optional insurance cover, money has been saved wholesale, although regular users know things can go wrong and the cover comes in handy sometimes.
Health Insurance Comparison - How To Find The Best Health Insurance (9)
The Internet is also one of the places that you will find these health insurance comparison companies in great quantity. Whether you see them on search engines using pay per click advertising or you see them on classified websites or even websites that you visit on a regular basis in their advertising such as an e-mail account, they are there to earn money but they can also be very helpful for you if you are trying to save money on your health insurance premiums.
How To Write An Effective Web Copy (10)
If not, they will only distract the visitor from reading your web copy. Too many images will slow down the time it takes for your visitor to load your site in their browser.
Permalink to What Leaders Need To Know About Theory Based Communication