Communication Ideas Worth Sharing #1
Practical communication ideas that will spark insight and action
In this new ongoing series, I will share practical communication ideas from others.
I’ll be sourcing these ideas from books I’ve read, podcasts I’ve listened to, and conversations I’ve been a part of.
I hope these ideas will spark insight and action. Enjoy!
Today’s idea comes from Mark Goulston’s book, Just Listen.
The idea:
FTD Delivery (Chapter 6)
The problem it solves:
Many of us struggle with sincerity in our professional interactions — especially if we’re trying to sell our product or service or build rapport in a new professional relationship. We tend to act interested instead of being interested, and the person/people we’re interacting with can tell the difference.
How it works:
Two things must be true to demonstrate sincerity in your professional interactions: You need to…
Convince yourself that “there is something very interesting about the person, and be determined to discover it.”
Ask questions that allow the person/people to express how they feel, what they think, and what they did or would do (FTD - Feel, Think, Did/Do).
Mark writes,
I know that when people ask me questions that generate all three of these answers, I feel “known” by them in ways that I usually don’t if we’re talking exclusively about what we feel or what we think or what we did or would do. Much of who we are is composed of what we feel, think, and do, so when we’re in conversations where we get to express all three, we feel more satisfied.
How it might look in practice:
Example #1 - Imagine you’re talking to your new client, and you ask, “What’s a personal hobby you have outside of work?”
They respond, “I spend most of my free time working in my garden.”
To apply FTD Delivery, you might ask…
“What got you started in gardening?” (Did/Do)
“How do you feel when working out in your garden?” (Feel)
“What have you found really thrives in our area?” (Think)
“What’s it like when you see everything come into season?” (Feel)
“What does your daily routine look like with your garden?” (Did/Do)
“What’s the best way for someone to get started if they want to learn how to garden?“ (Think)
Your turn: Write down three of your own questions - Feel, Think, Did/Do.
Example #2 - Imagine you’re a high school coach. After practice, you notice one of your more outgoing athletes is slumped over on the bench in the locker room, not engaging with their teammates. After some of the other athletes leave, you sit next to the athlete and ask, “Hey Riley, you seem kind of down. What’s going on?”
Your athlete responds, “My parents told me last week that they’re getting divorced, and it’s really starting to sink in.”
To apply FTD Delivery, you might ask…
“What was it like for you to hear that?” (Feel)
“What do you think is going to change at home?” (Think)
“What have you been doing this past week to cope with the news?” (Did/Do)
“What do you think I or your teammates can do to support you?” (Think)
“How has it felt coming to practice this week since getting the news?” (Feel)
Your turn: Write down three of your own questions - Feel, Think, Did/Do.
Is FTD Delivery an idea you can use? If so, tell me about it in the comments 👇
If you enjoyed reading, please hit the ❤️ button and share it with another coach.
Until next time!
Jenny