Key Messages
The Bullseye Principle: A Guide To Better Communication In The Workplace
Communication is one of the most important aspects of success, so it’s essential to be able to communicate effectively and confidently.
That’s why G.
Riley Mills and David Lewis created the Bullseye Principle– a framework for better communication designed to help you create stronger teams and make meetings more productive.
The method focuses on understanding why meetings don’t have to Suck – by utilizing George Clooney’s branding theory and learning from notable leaders such as Trump and Obama, you’ll become better at telling stories like those greats while having the confidence to lead like them.
With The Bullseye Principle, you can feel comfortable communicating with clarity in any situation.
The Most Important Consideration For Effective Communication Is Achieving Specific Objectives
When we communicate, we have a specific objective in mind.
Whether it’s trying to get our teenage son to understand why it’s important not to play ball in the house, or getting an employee to be punctual, our goal is ultimately to persuade and influence them.
It’s essential for communication to be effective and reach the desired outcome – much like an archer aiming for the bullseye.
If you don’t hit that target, your message won’t have the intended effect.
Therefore, it’s up to us as communicators to make sure we hone our skills so that we can accurately reach that goal each time.
Unfortunately, many people fail at this; a 2014 Forbes study found that 71 percent of employees didn’t believe their bosses properly communicated what was expected of them, resulting in massive disengagement in both US (70%) and global (85%) employee populations!
Given these alarming figures, it’s critical that managers find ways of improving their communication skills so they can truly achieve specific objectives in the most effective manner possible.
How To Cultivate Your Personal Brand: Establishing Yourself As An Honest, Excited, And Engaged Communicator
If you want to be a top communicator, it’s important to cultivate a personal brand.
Aristotle’s philosophy of rhetoric suggests that in order for one to truly influence someone, it helps if they come off as honest and excited.
This means that communication isn’t only about what is said, but also how it lines up with who you are as a person.
People like Beyonce or George Clooney can illustrate this concept of personal branding best; companies pay them millions because their products become associated with the values and personas these influencers carry with them.
You don’t have to be famous, however, in order to create your own personal brand.
A simple exercise you can try is to write down three words that describe you then have someone else provide three words they would use to describe you.
Then compare and see what they have in common before listing core competencies, accomplishments and experiences, goals, and values.
Afterward, set a two-sentence personal branding statement – something that summarizes who you are and what type of value you bring to others.
Always keep your statement handy – whether by writing it on your computer or somewhere else where you’ll see it daily – so that your remain motivated and focused on developing and protecting your image!
The Power Of Togetherness: How Leaders Can Encourage Team Engagement And Productivity
True leaders always set the example and strive to cultivate a common sense of purpose among their team members.
This is key in ensuring that teams are engaged and productive, as research shows that teams with a strong sense of common purpose can be up to five times more productive than average teams.
This can be achieved through effective listening, responding and amplification strategies.
Barack Obama understood this when he first took office in 2009; two thirds of his staff were men and many women felt unrepresented, leading them to initiate an ‘amplification’ strategy.
Once Obama noticed this, he changed his staff numbers to a 50/50 split, tapping into new talent pools by responding to feedback from team members whose voices otherwise go unheard.
By listening and actively engaging with team members at all levels, today’s true leaders can build inspiring visions with strong foundations made up of passionate and motivated people.
Ultimately, fostering a shared purpose within any team provides meaningful rewards both for individual team members as well as the organisation itself.
The Power Of Storytelling: Why Stories Are Crucial To Effective Leadership
We’ve all been in a situation where, at a meeting, someone has presented us with a report full of stats and figure.
While you’ll remember some of it if you concentrate, a lot of it is likely to get lost on the way out.
But what if the same figures were presented as part of an interesting story instead? That would drastically change the amount of information you’re able to retain – up to 70%!
Storytelling has been around for thousands of years, as it’s an effective way to communicate messages and lessons.
Our brains are highly receptive to this style of communication, which makes stories emotionally prevalent.
It’s no wonder then that successful leaders often use stories to cleverly resolve conflicts and deliver their message efficiently.
The US Presidential election in 2016 provides one notable example: Donald Trump successfully used his background in reality TV to craft compelling narratives with clear villains and heroes.
His story provided both victims (blue-collar workers) and antagonists (China, Mexican immigrants, etc.), whilst offering Americans an opportunity for him to protect them from this threat and make America great again via building walls or tearing up unfair trade deals.
In contrast, Hillary Clinton’s pitch lacked visible opponents or protagonists – it featured unconnected streams of data which resulted in her loss against Trump due to its lack of memorability or persuasiveness compared with the President’s story-driven approach.
These findings prove that storytelling makes information more memorable and pitches more persuasive than merely relying on data alone.
Have A Clear Agenda, Facilitate Meetings Efficiently, And Provide A Summary Afterward For Better Meeting Outcomes
In the modern corporate world, meetings have become more and more commonplace.
Unfortunately, these essential business tools are often badly run which leads to frustration and disillusionment among employees.
The good news is that bad meetings don’t have to be a fact of life – leaders can make strides towards fixing the problem with proper planning and facilitation.
Making sure meetings stay on track requires careful planning from the leader beforehand.
You need to determine what you want to accomplish from the meeting, why it’s important, who needs to be involved, and how much time it will take.
Knowing exactly what you’re aiming for in your conversations will help ensure that employees don’t feel like they’ve wasted their time at the meeting.
Leaders also need to set an example when it comes to holding their team accountable during meetings.
If starting on time is a priority for most meetings, explain to team members why you expect them not to be late or checking their phones during discussions; this ensures that nobody wastes time chatting while others are waiting for them!
Furthermore, making sure follow-up roundups are recorded within 24-48 hours helps keep everyone informed and accountable after the meeting has finished.
By implementing a few small changes like this, leaders can work towards ensuring their meetings run smoothly and efficiently – keeping employee morale high while still getting everything done!
Asking Questions, In The Right Format And With Clear Purpose, Is An Effective Tool For Unlocking Information
Asking the right questions is essential to unlock vital information.
In any conversation, whether it’s in a meeting or a one-on-one, you need to know what kind of questions to ask.
That’s why it’s important to understand the three different types of questions: convergent, divergent, and rhetorical.
Conversation questions are close-ended, meaning they can only be answered with a “Yes,” “No,” or by stating specific information.
Examples might include “Where is your office located?” or “Can you have this report finished in three weeks?”
Divergent questions are open-ended and exploratory; they don’t just have one right answer, such as “How do you think we can finish this project by the deadline?.” Then there are rhetorical questions which sound like inquiries but are actually statements – they get listeners to relate the point being made back to their own lives – for example: “Who wouldn’t prefer working fewer hours for more money?
It’s good practice to organize your thoughts before asking someone a question and also to stay specific and concise.
Vague questions will not get you the information needed and long ones may confuse others.
With these tips in mind and followed correctly, you’re more likely to hit your communication target!
Wrap Up
In summary, The Bullseye Principle is all about effective communication.
Poor communication can lead to worker dissatisfaction, so it’s important to be clear on your objectives when communicating.
Additionally, leaders need to set an example and use stories to help communicate their message.
Employers should also pay attention to the organization of everyday tasks and ensure that plenty of questions get asked in order to hit the communication bullseye.
Lastly, it’s important for everyone to actively lean into feedback in order to develop better skills and become successful communicators.
Remember: no one is perfect, but by seeking out feedback and staying open minded we can all take our communication up a notch!
