In today’s podcast, hosts Merv Jersak and Tim Jerome provide insights relating to how we come across to others. They review effective communication strategies, handling criticism, managing rude individuals, and crafting a compelling pitch for senior executives. Emphasis is placed on the importance of clear messaging, emotional intelligence, and maintaining professional composure in challenging situations.

Main Take-Aways

Project managers must master the art of communicating orally:

• be aware of how you come across to others
• learn how to give and receive criticism/evaluation
• develop active listening skills
• learn how to handle rude individuals
• be prepared to engage senior executive with a practiced “elevator speech”

Show Notes

Today’s Project Managers Coffee Chat: Our Oral Communication Affects How We Are Perceived

 00:27 The Power of effective communication – the way you present your thoughts is the way you present yourself. How you do anything is how you do everything.

02:07 As a project manager, you’re always “on stage”.  You must be able to defend your positions while keeping your composure. Perception is reality; and therefore, how we come across in our oral communication is important.

04:16 You as project manager set the tone for all project conversations.

05:27 An important aspect of setting the conversation tone is in your ability to give and receive criticism (or better yet, evaluation).

08:17 Developing the skill of active listening when receiving criticism/evaluation. Learn to disarm the criticism by acknowledging areas you agree with.

11:12 Developing the skill of handling rude people in such a way as to facilitate productive communication.

16:50 An excellent opportunity in connecting with senior management is to develop an “elevator pitch” such that you can engage senior management in a professional, effective manner.

19:35 Conclusion and recap of this episode.