Cool Hand Luke & 3 Tips For Improving Communication

Cool Hand Luke, the classic movie from 1967, I still love it! Rent it if you get a chance, or download it. A classic quote from the movie, "what we've got here is a failure to communicate" as Paul Newman is beaten down.

A failure to communicate occurs every day, everywhere, by people just like you and me. Effective communication needs to be worked at, practiced and must continually evolve to bring all of us to a place where we communicate properly. For an ADD'er, communication offers other challenges. Here are a few of my thoughts in tips, which I have found to be very helpful practices in the process of improving my communication:

Learn From Others - If you watch other effective communicators, you will pick up some great stuff you can put into practice. Last week I observed a coach at my son's hockey clinic, a leader in a business meeting and a comedian on a talk show. All three offered me some great ways of communicating that I will utilize.

Write Down Thoughts - Capture your thoughts on what you would like to communicate and how you want to deliver the message. If you have the time to do this before a response or statement, it allows you to give some extra time to creating a very concise and effect communication. It's good practice.

Talk to People Randomly - If you are standing at the grocery checkout, in a line up to see a movie, in an elevator or anywhere else in public, try striking up conversation with a stranger. Focus on a clear, loose and fun communication and test yourself. It's a great exercise in opening up dialogue, making people comfortable and breaking down some barriers to nervousness about talking.

After all that, you might enjoy the part of Cool Hand Luke where Lucille washers her car too!!