1. Professional Communication 10 Rules For Disagreeing Agreeably

2. Tactful communication requires you to understand your message before attempting to express it to others. Establishing your overall goals helps ensure your communication is concise and appropriate. Avoid veering into side conversations and adding non-essential information. Preparing also helps alleviate nervousness and leads to greater focus when stating your views. Rule #1: Rule #1: Determine your objective before diving into communication.

3. Keep your professional status in mind whether communicating with parents, co-workers, principal, or paraprofessional. Anticipate audience reaction to your message before making statements or sending written correspondence. Consider asking for a second opinion from a trusted colleague before delivering messages to check the overall tone. This helps ensure your message can't be mistaken as being arrogant or condescending Rule #2: Rule #2: Consider your relationship to the audience. This helps you create messages that won't be considered offensive or disrespectful.

4. Maybe the person who made that outrageous generalization isn’t really insensitive. Maybe this person has had a painful experience that made him overreact. Rule #3: Rule #3: Give others the benefit of the doubt.

5. We must let him/her know we’ve heard them and we are genuinely trying to see things from their perspective. Rule #4: Rule #4: After giving someone the benefit of the doubt, listen to learn and truly understand why this person holds this belief.

6. Make a commitment to respond using “I” statements only. When we begin with “you” we come off as blaming and confrontational and immediately put the other person on the defensive. This reduces the chance of our point of view being heard. Rule #5 Rule #5: Always take responsibility for our own feelings, when disagreeing with someone.

7. Connect or “cushion” a different opinion, starting with “I hear what you’re saying” or “I appreciate your view on”. Again, begin with the word “I” and not “You said…” or it will sound confrontational. Rule #6: Rule #6: Use a cushion.

8. Once we have cushioned the other person’s opinion, use “and,” or pause and say nothing, following the cushion. Acknowledging the individual’s point of view and following it with a “but” or “however” erases the acknowledgement. Rule #7 Rule #7: Eliminate the words “but” or “however” from our vocabulary.

9. Your audience will evaluate your message and intentions based on your posturing as well as your actual word choice. Even the most tactfully written statement can repel an audience if you deliver it with a scowl. This applies even when your audience can't see you as your attitude can be recognized through your tone of voice over the phone. Rule #8: Rule #8: Stay in control of your body language.

10. Take time to reflect: What do I think? Why do I think it? What evidence do I have? Then speak: “One example is” “This shows that” “Therefore, I think” Rule #9: Rule #9: State our point of view or opinion with relevant and factual evidence. Keep our emotions out of the equation by using the following formula:

11. Your speech shouldn't sound robotic or overly technical It should not be filled with slang, curse words or improper grammar. Keep your business relationship separate from personal dealings. This applies even when you're familiar with your audience. Rule #10: Rule #10: Use appropriate terminology to demonstrate your professionalism and competence.

12. Your speech shouldn't sound robotic or overly technical It should not be filled with slang, curse words or improper grammar. Keep your business relationship separate from personal dealings. This applies even when you're familiar with your audience. Rule #10: Rule #10: Use appropriate terminology to demonstrate your professionalism and competence.

13. – To actively listen, focus on body language. – Keep the body open by uncrossing the arms, and always make good eye contact with whomever is speaking. – This shows the speaker that the listener is interested and engaged in the conversation. – Avoid fidgety behaviors and poor posture, as these may be construed as signs that the listener is bored or mentally preoccupied with other thoughts. Listening is a significant feature of effective communication

14. “We teach people how to treat us.” Phil McGraw “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Eleanor Roosevelt You cannot change others- You can only change yourself! 14 L Ideas

15. We cannot change others, only ourselves. REMEMBER