Can You Say No?

Written by Arthur Cooper


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The list goes on and on.

If you let this constant barrage of requests get on top of you, you will be ground down underrepparttar weight of them. There will be no end to them. Your work and that of your department will suffer.

You must learn to say NO.

There is a limit to what any individual or team can accomplish in a given time and it is your job as manager to set that limit. It is up to you to stay in control. It is too easy to always say yes, especially to your boss.

Everyone admires a ‘can do’ attitude. Nobody likes someone to says ‘no’ to everything. But people also like to see results. They don’t want just promises. They want to seerepparttar 104477 job successfully completed. It is totally counterproductive to promise more than you can deliver. If you do, then eventually you won’t be asked any more. Your reputation and that of your team will be gone forever.

So, be realistic. Define your limits. Drawrepparttar 104478 line. Sort outrepparttar 104479 core tasks that you have to do at all costs and give them priority. Then see what else you can do. Stick to your decision. Explain why.

You will soon be seen to be a reliable operator. Others will trust your judgement. They will learn that when you say you will do a job you really will do it, and on time. And when you say that you cannot dorepparttar 104480 job they will accept your word, because they will know that you are not just making excuses.

Your reputation and that of your team will be established.

Arthur Cooper is a writer and publisher. For more of his articles go to: http://www.arthurcooper.com/ For articles ebooks and courses go to: http://www.barrel-publishing.com/


Write and Speak for the Ear

Written by Robert F. Abbott


Continued from page 1

You can also speak forrepparttar ear by using common words rather than jargon or technical words. Step back from your speech, after writing it, and ask yourself if you use words that a child will understand.

We also want vivid words, words that fire up our imagination, that paint new images onrepparttar 104476 canvases of readers' minds. Descriptive words that convey action and emotion, words that drive ideas into our heads.

Use active verbs and not passive verbs. Banish words like 'is', and 'are'. Also, check forrepparttar 104477 word 'being' and rewrite to get rid of it. Bring in verbs that do something.

Now that you've gotrepparttar 104478 words you want, put them into short sentences. One short sentence. Followed by another short sentence. But, every once in while add a longer sentence for variety and to reducerepparttar 104479 chances of boring your audience. And, keeprepparttar 104480 ideas simple within those long sentences.

I'm biased, I know. After spendingrepparttar 104481 better part of a decade writing and reading radio news copy, I think it's a good idea to write forrepparttar 104482 ear.

Try it for yourself. Write something, read it out loud, and ask yourself aboutrepparttar 104483 effect it's likely to have on readers. Re-write as necessary, and read it aloud again. Repeatrepparttar 104484 process a few times. Byrepparttar 104485 time you finish you should have a well-crafted piece of writing, even if no one ever reads it aloud or hears it spoken.

Robert F. Abbott writes and publishes Abbott's Communication Letter. Each week subscribers receive, at no charge, a new communication tip that helps them lead or manage more effectively. Click here for more information: http://www.CommunicationNewsletter.com

Robert F. Abbott writes and publishes Abbott's Communication Letter. Each week subscribers receive, at no charge, a new communication tip that helps them lead or manage more effectively. Click here for more information: http://www.CommunicationNewsletter.com


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