KO#3
Welcome to the 3rd issue of the Knockout Your Sunday Scaries Newsletter, an every-other-week newsletter by me, Kristy Olinger, with a focus on workplace communication and self-development. I’m glad you’re here. Was this forwarded to you? Get yours: Subscribe here
Sunday, February 11, 2024
Hi there,
Normally I leverage my every day interactions to notice communication pain points and create videos for you with solutions. This happens almost real time and you’re seeing a video just minutes after I record it. I’ve loved this approach but find that when things get busy for me I go dark on social, which then reduces my frequency further because your comments and reactions fuel both my motivation and creative energy. It’s time to give batching a try (which means to create a several videos at once, and then distribute them over time). I asked you in Instagram stories what communication topics you need help with and you all provided a TON of great ideas for future videos. I’m excited to do my first big batch next weekend.
Within your ideas was a fairly strong theme. The need to speak clearly. One of the best tools to improve clarity is to use a storytelling framework. This helps you to give information in a logical order, making it easier for the other person to follow. Here are a couple of frameworks to consider trying.
Situation - What is the background and context?
Task - What was the business problem to be solved?
Action - What action did you take?
Result - What was the result of that action?
This is a popular technique for answering interview questions that also serves well to provide an overview at the conclusion of a work project. I could not for the life of me find the original creator - if you know, 📬 reply and let me know.
What? Descriptive. An objective review of the situation.
So what? Interpretive. An exploration of the implications
Now what? Action oriented. Describe what’s next.
This framework is most commonly attributed to Rolfe et al. in 2001, but you may also see Terri Burton, Dorothy Strachan, or Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandles credited with its development.
Hit reply and say ‘hi’ - wether you’re an OG subscriber or just stumbled across this, I would love to hear from you. What do YOU want from a newsletter like this? How can I help you banish your Sunday scaries? Let me know.
Content Round Up - In Case You Missed It
Even if you’re following me on social media, the algorithm may or may not put my video in your feed. Here is what has launched over the last 2 weeks, in case you missed it.
Is Your Message Getting Through? - PODCAST EPISODE
"The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" according to George Bernard Shaw. In this episode, I cover the communication cycle and the different blockers that can prevent your message from getting through to your intended recipient.
How Much Information to Share in a Discussion - VIDEO
Knowing how much detail to share is highly dependent on the specific context. It’s an advanced communication skill that is best learned through experience. In this video, I provide a specific example and some considerations that help you think through what level of detail makes sense.
Pitfalls of Giving Advice - VIDEO
When you give advice that’s not solicited, it can be received as condescending or judgmental. This video gives you a script to prime the other person and help them to be more receptive to your input.
What I’m Reading Unshrinking: How to Face Fatfobia, by Kate Manne
This book is mixes personal stories and empirical research to make a compelling case for facing fatfobia. The most interesting fact I’ve learned so far is that your weight is about as heritable as your height. It would feel silly to suggest that someone take actions to be shorter or taller than they are… yet we expect that people should and can change their body size with the right diet and exercise. The author, Kate Manne, will be a guest of The Opposite of Small Talk podcast this spring. Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so that you don’t miss this episode.
Miscellany: noun, a group or collection of different items; a mixture.
Tuesday, February 13th is Galentine’s Day
What is Galentine’s Day you ask? It’s a global holiday celebrating female friendship that was established in a TV writers room and introduced to the world in 2010 in this episode of the American sit com Parks & Rec. It’s like Valentines day, with your gals. Meriam-Webster took notice and Galentine’s Day was added to the dictionary in 2012.
Why Meetings Suck and How to Fix Them
Last newsletter I told you about the book Glad We Met by Steven G. Rogelberg. This week I’m sharing his interview with Adam Grant on the podcast Work Life. The episode is called Why Meetings Suck and How to Fix Them. That’s a fire title right there. Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
You made it to the end! Congrats & thanks. ❤️ Have a great two weeks.
Stay Curious,
Kristy
P.S. If you want more communication strategies but you would rather listen than read, try this Spotify playlist of the workplace communication episodes of The Opposite of Small Talk. The most popular episode in this series is #121. How to Sound More Interesting (and Confident).
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