Communications (by Duc Luu, Feb 11, 2000.)

"What's the best thing that's ever happened to you today?"
A few months ago, I had a chance to attend a two-day-session class called Management Skill Development which was required for all GTE employees. The class purpose was to develop interpersonal skill among people in workgroup environment.
The instructor himself was excellent. With a strong psychology background and a broad-traveled experience across the world, he surely had something valuable to offer.
The instructor spent briefly thirty minutes on the first hour to talk about the 'attitude' subject. The tone of one's voice, the way one speaks, and words that one uses could dramatically change others' attitude toward things, according to the instructor.
"Instead of asking someone with a normal-tone question such as "What's up?" or "How's it going?"; try to say "What is the best thing that's ever happened to you today?", said the instructor. "You would be surpised how the conversation would be changed into a positive direction,", he added.
That pick-up line, "What is the best thing that's ever happened to you today?", later became the homework for the day.
On the next day, as one had expected, the instructor scanned through the class and pointed at a fellow co-worker, John, and asked if he had done the homework.
"Well John,", he paused for a moment, "Did you have a chance to ask the question?", asked the instructor.
"Yes, indeed!", replied John.
"Well, then what did they say? and how did they react?", continued the instrtuctor.
"The friend of mine was surpised at first," said John, "but laughed afterward. He later understood what I was trying to do and became appreciative for that." said John. "We had a very good conversation after that." concluded John.
"And they will only get better, and better, and better each time you use it. said the instructor.
On the second day of the class, the instructor introduced, as one would call it, the "Open communication" where people would make it comfrotable enough for others to open up and respond easily and friendly.
Crafting words carefully, using friendly tone during the conversation, adding a little smile at the end of each sentence, and so on, are just a few tricks that never hurt but only help motivate and engage others during the communications process.
As the instructor insisted, instead of asking others "How's work today?"; one could always ask, "What is the best thing that's ever happened to you today?". It would be surprised to see how much that tone would change someone's attitude and atmotsphere throughout the conversation as time goes on.
It sure is worth a try

Duc Luu