A Communication Booster Shot

Alabama Nurse,  Dec 2003-Feb 2004  by Gaddis, Susanne

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Hitting The Nail on the Head

"When you have a hammer everything begins to look like a nail" - Wayne Springer

When I was young, in order to keep me busy, my Grandfather would often give me a hammer, a Mason jar full of nails, and hand-in-hand we would travel out back to the old tree stump; a perfect place to practice the art of hammering.

He taught me how to steady the nail by holding it between my thumb and my index finger. After the nail was perfectly aligned, Grandpa showed me the importance of giving the head of the nail a few small taps to start the process. After a few small taps, it was easy to see if the nail was going in straight, or if minor adjustments needed to be made in order to get the job done right.

Eager in my attempt to quickly use up all of the nails in the Mason jar, when Grandpa walked away, I can remember thinking, "I could be much more productive if I would just whack the nail hard." This action produced dismal results. The nail would go in crooked or worse yet, bend, leaving me to use the other end of the hammer to pull it out, discard it, grab a new nail and start again.

Little did I know I was learning a very important lesson about life, which is that sometimes we need to make sure that we take time to align our plan, before we proceed. By first taking things slow, and by not driving too hard, too fast, we are able to see when minor adjustments need to be made in order for us to reach our goal.

Driving nails with Grandpa also, taught me the importance of having a good mentor. We all benefit by haying a knowledgeable and caring person in our lives to help us discover the right way to do things.

So, in the long run, by taking thoughtful and well-planned steps with a solid mentor, we can shave years off a learning curve-and in the process - save our thumbs.

MAKE YOURSELF A BESTSELLER!

You are in your favorite bookstore and come upon a display of books - some bestsellers, some not. After reviewing the books you choose a bestseller in which to invest your money and time based on the look, feel, and testimonials on the book cover.

Now, ask yourself, are you a bestseller? Think of your attitude and personality as your book cover. What would your reviews say about you? Would they read: Wonderful . . . Superb or would they say something along the lines of A Rollicking Adventure . . . a Roller-Coaster Ride . . . Heart-Pounding . . . Keeps you Guessing till the Last Page!"?

Your attitude is your book cover! Although we've often heard, don't judge a book by its cover, we repeatedly do it anyway. The attitude you project to those around you is used to judge your character as a whole.

Both verbal and non-verbal behaviors play a part in how you're perceived by others.

Today, pay attention to the responses you receive from others. Notice their faces. Do they appear happy? Content? Or, energized to have spent time in your presence? If not, re-evaluate the cover you are presenting and begin making changes towards becoming a bestseller!

by Susanne Gaddis, PhD

The Communications Doctor

Susanne Gaddis, PhD, The Communications Doctor, is a communications expert who delivers quality communications and customer service training and for hospitals, health care organizations and associations. For a free information package, or to book Susanne for your next meeting call 919-933-3237 or visit www.CommunicationsDoctor.com.

Copyright Alabama State Nurses' Association Dec 2003-Feb 2004
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