In this episode, hosts Merv Jersak and Tim Jerome share personal stories that highlight the importance of oral communication, such as understanding body language, being curious, and asking questions. Merv recounts his journey from a struggling presenter to a competent speaker through experiences and joining Toastmasters. They also delve into the nuances of using humor appropriately in professional settings and the significance of always being prepared for impromptu communication moments with clients and executives. The episode underlines the critical role of effective oral communication in project management and sets the stage for next week's focus on written communication.

Main Take-Aways

Stories are powerful teachers. Today’s story lessons are about enhancing your oral communication skills:

• use casual conversation, reading body language, and asking questions to break through to the real issues
• get formal training in enhancing your public speaking skills
• employ active listening, patience, and putting yourself in your customer’s situation to truly understand the problem at large
• develop a sense of humor and use it judiciously to set a more friendly tone on the project
• remember that you are always “on stage”
• prepare, practice, be concise, and use humor to enhance your engagement with the project teans

Show Notes

Today’s Project Managers Coffee Chat: Leadership Lessons from the Trenches Regarding Oral Communication

00:27 Talk Story Day: introducing real life examples of the power of oral communication

00:52 Tim presents lessons from the field as a data center transformation expert; how reverting to casual conversation, reading body language, and asking strategic questions led to an understanding of the real problem to be solved and additional business.

03:45 Merv shares a lesson from an embarrassing oral presentation experience and how he used that experience to seek out the training he needed to become a better presenter.

06:38 Tim recounts the time where he worked in a technical pharmaceutical environment to solve a prohibitively expensive problem through the art of oral communication; namely, active listening, learning the industry terminology, patience, and seeing the issue from the client’s perspective.

09:44 Merv provides an example of when using humor in project leadership, not only cemented a strong relationship with his project sponsor, but set a more relaxed tone on the project as a whole. But he cautions that you must be judicious and balanced in when and how to use humor.

11:35 Merv adds a story where his use of humor was misunderstood by his client and required additional effort to restore a relationship.

12:42 Tim tells of a time when he “tripped up” and reminds you that as a project leader you are always “on stage.” Without thinking of what the downstream consequences might be, he offered advice to his client sponsor that cost the jobs of one-third of the organization’s employees. Although not responsible for this outcome, you can extrapolate from this experience that our communications have consequences.

16:17 Merv gives one of his favorite project experiences showing the importance of preparation, practice, conciseness, and humor when leading teams.

18:11 Summing up the information Merv and Tim have provided in these last five podcast episodes for new, and seasoned, project leaders on the value of mastering the art of oral communication. Preparing for the next five episodes on the importance of continuously improving your written communication.