DON'T think of a green elephant….

I want you to think of a Blue Daisy but when I say: “don’t think of a green elephant” what are you thinking of?  

I’ve been running my own marketing business for 7 years now, and held senior marketing positions for 8 years before that and I am a subscriber to Socrates’ statement: “As for me, all I know is that I know nothing”. I believe that inspiration and knowledge can come from ANYWHERE. 

A perfect example of this earlier this week during a parenting class I attended.  We were discussing the best ways to communicate effectively with autistic children and one of the key techniques we explored is the use of explicit and positive speech.  

In other words, tell them what TO do, not what NOT to do (and be very clear). So:

• Don’t run. becomes. Walk.
• Don’t shout. becomes. Speak quietly.
• Tidy up your toys. becomes. Put your toys into the toy box.

This isn’t the first time I’ve discovered a “communicate with children” approach that translates perfectly into effective communication with EVERYONE.  

So next time you are penning a letter or asking someone to do something, take a moment to decide what you want the person to do, and ask them (clearly and concisely) to do it!