If you have 3 minutes, I’ll share 3 powerful communication skills from my recent podcast on Thrive Loud with Lou Diamond.

1. Just don’t try this skill at home

Lou Diamond: You’re trying to eliminate certain words in the English vocabulary. Can you share with the listeners what these words are?

Greg Alcorn: I am working very hard right now on eliminating four words from my vocabulary.

No, so, try and just.

For example, I went to see a friend in the hospital a couple of weeks ago.  I said, you know, I’m not going to say hi, just wanted to drop by. And what do I do. I walked in the door and I said it. “I just want to start by…” Diminishing the reason I was there.

Lou Diamond: Why is so a word we want to eliminate?

Greg Alcorn: It comes across as an interrogation when done too many times.

2. Yes, this skill is positively helpful

Greg Alcorn: Listen for things that are negative and strive to turn them into a positive.

For example, when asked “what are your hours?” A negative way of saying this is “we close at five.” Instead, say “we’re open ‘til five.”

At the end of every conversation we used to say, “is there anything else we can do for you today?” What’s the answer to that one? Our favorite two letter word. No.

Instead ask “has this been helpful?” And you get a yes.

Lou Diamond: These are the super skills. I love it.

3.   My Old-School Steps to Fixing Stress 

Greg Alcorn: I practiced this four step process a couple of days ago when we had a stressful situation with one of our clients and it was wearing on me personally. I had four things I do for that.

That first part is think about it. I created an awareness that I am not being productive. I am moping around. This is not good. So let me think about this for a little bit. So that’s one.

The second thing is write it down. I’m a writer. I mean like pen and paper. I’m a nonlinear thinker. I’ve taken a lot of psychological tests that tell me who I am. I do better when I can a long hand write stuff and point. I write down all the scenarios that are out there for me. Then I go to my trusted sources. I’ve got seven VPs. The average length of time they’ve been with me is 12 years. And I can go to them.

I’m cool with wearing my emotions on my on my sleeve and being able to talk it through. So that’s the third one.

And then the fourth one is as you said we are not try people, we are do people. Go out and do something.

Lou Diamond: I love it by the way. And kudos to you for coming up with them. You like things in fours and sevens.

If you found these ideas helpful, invest 29 mins in the full episode, head over to Thrive Loud and check it out.