COMMUNICATIONS BASIC -- KEEP THE MIC ON

You’ve seen it a hundred times before. The speaker steps to the microphone and taps it. “Testing. Testing. One, two, three, four. Can you hear me?” The speaker knows that, to be heard, the mic has to be working properly; if it isn’t the message is garbled, incomprehensible and frustrating to the audience.

The basic rule of communication is that the message shared must be received and understood; otherwise, it is miscommunication … or is that missed communication? And who is accountable for this? You, the communicator.

So, keep the MIC on. And here, MIC means, Make It Clear. This applies to both written and verbal communication.

I had just begun a job as an auditor when my manager came to me with a report I had prepared the previous day. It required me to hand-write certain figures. “What’s this number?” he asked. I had to scratch my head. It was either a 2 or 7; maybe a 9! “If you can’t read it, how can anyone else!” he said. I never made that mistake again.

Fundamental to any hand written communication is legibility. How is your penmanship? Can the words be easily read or do they look like “chicken scratching” on the paper? If you have problems reading it, what about those to whom the writing is sent? Take time; slow down; practice your penmanship if necessary. Save the fancy scrawl for your signature and make sure what you write can be read.

I went from the south to a college north of New York City and one coed especially had fun with my drawl, asking me to say ‘dawg’ and “tallk’ for her amusement. But to show me she was still my friend, she asked me to go to a party with her. However, she was from a part of New England where they drop their r’s and I was certain she was asking me to go with her to the “potty”!

Be careful with your accent—and yes, you do have one! In our mobile society you will find yourself working with people from all over the country and the world. How’s your pronunciation; your grammar; what about the idioms you use? You need to be aware of your listeners; how will they hear what you are saying? Again, it may require some practice, but never forget: communication is your responsibility.

So, Make It Clear. Is the MIC on?


By: Joe Fairchild