ADHD in the Workplace and Communication Challenges

Do you struggle with ADHD at work and notice you have some communication challenges, or do you have employees with ADHD?

Here are some common challenges relating to communication experienced by adults (including professionals) who have ADHD.

The first is impaired executive functioning: the ability to plan and implement actions. This ability, found in the frontal lobe, allows people to prioritize and

handle complex actions, such as scheduling and much more. More information can be found at http://www.help4adhd.org/living/workplace/wwk16.

Corporate speech pathologists and others now work with people who have difficulty with executive functioning. For example, if getting out of the house on time is the issue, clients can be taught how to develop a more effective schedule and consider the most common reasons they can side-tracked or delayed.

Distractibility, due to noises or visual stimuli, is another issue, and can affect planning and implementing. What distractions can you eliminate or cover up, with a white noise machine or headphones, for example?

Speech rates can be rapid in some people, to the point where others have difficulty understanding them. Some medications also increase speech rate as a side effect, so if your speech rate changes significantly during the day, check the side effects of any medication you are on. If you think the medication is causing the rapid rate of speech, talk to your physician.

Other speech and language issues may co-exist, but not be directly caused by ADHD. For example, central auditory processing impairments may  make understanding messages more difficult even though there is no hearing loss.

Pragmatics, or social language skills, such as knowing how to engage in small talk, start a conversation or end one, may also be difficult for some people.

Business Speech Improvement provides intensive, customized coaching  on communication improvement in the workplace. E-books are available as well. Great speech makes business sense!

Rate of speech: Going Too Fast Actually Takes Longer

Two salespeople left me messages today, ones that I actually wanted to hear. Both sounded like they are experienced salespeople, but clearly neither one had considered a problem with their verbal image.

When they left me voice mail messages, they said their telephone numbers at a very fast rate.

It takes longer to write down a telephone number than to say it. People can talk faster than they can write.

When leaving a telephone number for someone else, write it on paper or in the air as you speak; this will give you the correct rate of speech. If you go very fast, because clearly you know your own telephone number, your listener may have to replay the message repeatedly to make sure he has it written down correctly. This is not good for your verbal image; it also is not good for a possible sale!

Yes, many of us have caller ID, but sometimes we want to called at a different telephone number, such as a cell phone number, an 800 number if it's a business incoming call, or some other phone number.

Saying your telephone number clearly and slowly is crucial - even if you are in a hurry.

Do you normally speak quickly? Business Speech Improvement offers an e-book of practical tips:  How to Speak Slowly in Six Steps.      Speech rate coaching for speedy speakers who want to slow down and need help is also available.

Speech rate: How fast is "too fast"?

Speedy speakers, seeking to justify their rapid rates, ask how fast they should speak; many want an exact number of words per minute (wpm). Unfortunately, it isn't that easy.

Speech rates differ in various parts of a country and in different situations.

Many people naturally speak faster when they are nervous, although often they can learn not to do this. People in some cultures, such as New York City, speak more quickly. Some people speak fast before they believe their listeners do not have much time to listen to them; one professional told me that in his culture, it was considered impressive to speak fast, especially when speaking of technical matters to someone from another professional background.

In the United States, the average rate of speech in conversation is 110 - 150 words per minute (wpm). However, no-one walks around with a device to measure words per minute in conversation. ( Such a device has yet to be invented.)

In neurologuistic programming (NLP), people are taught to speak at the rate their conversational partners speak. In other words, if the person to whom you are speaking is a very slow talker, you should speak at approximately that rate of speech, especially if you are trying to educate or sell her something. If you are trying to educate him or her on something that is complex, slow down even more (and use pictures when appropriate).

If your speaking partner is a fast speaker, you should come close to matching that rate of speech. Many people are most comfortable with those who are similar, and a similarity can include the rate of speech.

For everyday speech, talk at the rate that enables people to understand you.

Yes, it may be slower than you would like, but you will only have to say your message once, which saves time.

There are exceptions to this rate. If you are speaking to someone who has a hearing impairment, is very young or a senior citizen, slow down a little more. He or she may need a little more time to process your message. Do not speak louder, just slower.

Are you having difficulty slowing your rate of speech down to a reasonable level, consistently? Do people frequently tell you to slow down? Think about when this happens, or if it happens in a particular place or situation.

Business Speech Improvement has two ways to help you with more techniques. First, we offer intensive speech rate coaching. Second, for those who are unable to attend that, How to Speak Slower in Six Steps is a concise e-book with strategies to help.

Your rate of speech: why "too fast" actually takes longer

Your rate of speech: why "too fast" actually takes longer

The physician was speaking to the patient, explaining why he had made a certain diagnosis.

The patient merely stared, baffled. He knew the physician was speaking English; he was talking so quickly, though, and using so many new words that the patient had no idea what the doctor was saying.

Finally, the doctor paused, and the confused patient timidly said, "Could you say that in plain English?"

The doctor had to start over and explain it again. Have you ever had an experience like that?

People speak quickly for many reasons. For some, it's a cultural habit. For others, they presume the person to whom they are speaking is in a hurry, may be a supervisor, or otherwise has little time to listen. Some people speak fast because they assume that this makes them sound more knowledgeable, especially to people from other professional backgrounds.

Other  people talk rapidly because of time pressure to get to the next meeting or client/patient. Many people say routine things fast, such as telephone greetings, because they say them so often and don't realize how they sound to the listener. Lastly, there are some people who speak fast, realize it, and don't know

how to slow down. (A few of them are genuinely unable to slow down on their own, due to neurological disorders.)

If your rate of speech (or that of your employee) is fast, think about which of the above reasons applies to you. Speaking fast often means either the listener asks you to repeat yourself, or he does not understand you but does not bother asking you to clarify. In that case, your message is lost.

There are a number of techniques that you can use to slow your rate of speech down. To begin with, after realizing why you speak too fast, then think about when you talk rapidly. Is it during a certain event, such as when you give presentations, or when you speak to your supervisor? Is it all the time, or just when you answer the telephone? Are you able to slow down at all when you try?

Business Speech Improvement offers individual coaching and also an ebook, How to Speak Slower in 6 Simple Steps (scroll down for this).

Your message is worth communicating clearly! Get some help  today!

While you are here, check out the many archived blog posts on communication!

Speech training: what to ask

As a speech coach, one of the most common questions I get asked is, "Can speech training really help? When I talk to prospective clients at conferences, or on the telephone, they seem to focus on how I talk, not what I am saying."

Speech coaching with a motivated learner and an expert coach can make a real difference, based on my experience, if the learner is willing to continue practicing the newly learned skills.

When building trust with a listener, for any reason, it helps to emphasize the ways people are alike, and clear communication makes this easier. Maybe both of you like a certain sport, or a particular city or industry. Possibly the two of you are in the same company or are solving the same problem.

If your listener can understand how you are speaking, he can then focus on your message. Make this as easy as possible for your listener.

How do you determine an excellent speech coach? Look for someone who has considerable experience and qualifications in coaching corporate clients or individual adults. Ask about the class size, and how much feedback you will get from the instructor. Is the course customized for you to your specific needs, or does the entire class learn the same lesson even if some of them don't need it? Will you have time to get help saying specific words that are hard for you, such as peoples' names, processes or products you sell?

How many hours of instruction is the course? Is it done in an intensive manner, of 1 - 3 days long, or in 1-2 hourly sessions a week?  Intensive training offers faster results, less travel time, less time to forget what was learned before building on that skill, and may keep motivation higher. It should include some type of follow-up plan for skill maintenance.

 If the presenter is a speech-language pathologist, is not licensed in your state (which you should ask) and is offering speech coaching online, be cautious if she does not ask your state of residence. In at least one state, such coaching by speech-language pathologists who are not licensed there is illegal.

Speech coaches often specialize in the services they provide. Accent modification, presentation skills,
speech rate, executive communication skills, diction improvement,  sales communication skills  and more may be available.

If you need the coaching, but can't afford it, can't get to it,  or don't have time for it, are e-books with helpful tips available as an alternative? Although not as effective as regular coaching, they can offer some helpful information.

Business Speech Improvement offers intensive training in all of the skills mentioned above. It is located in Durham, NC (USA).

Rate of speech: strategies to slow down

Many people are told that they speak too fast and should slow down.  Often they don't realize they are speaking so quickly, and deny it. They also don't realize they are omitting certain sounds in words, or even entire syllables, are repeating some syllables, and speak in sudden bursts of several quick words.

They may have been told to slow down, and did it - for a short time - to please someone else. Then they were back to speaking quickly again.

This type of speech pattern is called cluttering. It is a fluency disorder. It can easily affect social and career relationships.

There are a number of self-help strategies such speakers can try.  The first is having someone record the person speaking and also reading aloud. Then listen to this with someone else and notice the patterns. Awareness of the problem and being willing to work on it are crucial.

Are entire syllables or individual sounds being omitted, such as street becoming seat?  Are there short bursts of speed? Does the speaker realize he or she is going fast when speaking?

Many times people confuse the generic "mumbling" with cluttering. Cluttering has a specific set of symptoms, while mumbling can be any time a person does not speak clearly (or a person with a hearing loss does not understand easily and blames it on "mumbling").

One clutterer reported what it felt like, and how she improved her speech. To read her story, click here.

The cause of cluttering right now is under investigation. Some studies point to possible brain structure differences and also genetics as possible causes.

The speaker should also list the impact of the problem on his or her life. Who has trouble understanding the person? Is this affecting personal relationships, work, or hobbies? How?
The speaker must recognize there is a problem and be willing to work on it before any help can be effective.

Business Speech Improvement offers intensive coaching on speech rate.  An e-book, called How to Speak Slower in Six Simple Steps. is also available.

Speech rate and customer service training

An unfamiliar professional with a strong foreign accent recently called me. He spoke so quickly that his speech was very hard to understand. As a speech expert, I had to ask him to slow down and say each word clearly so I had any idea of why he was calling.

What can a person do to make his or her speech clearer? The first thing to do is to slow down your rate of speech. Simply speaking more slowly helps others understand you a little better. Certain groups of people understand speakers better when they speak more slowly.

To speak slower, remember what counts is what the listener understands, not how fast you can convey your message. After all, if you need to say it again, you have wasted time. If you really cannot slow down, get professional help from a corporate speech pathologist. There may be several reasons why some people cannot slow down on their own.

Second, say the final sounds in a phrase or sentence clearly. In the phrase, "It's the best!", pronounce the "t" correctly, as an example. If you use a script when speaking on the telephone, read it aloud for practice, saying the final sounds well.

Third, make sure you are pronouncing the longer words the way your listeners do, with stress on the correct syllable. Putting stress on the wrong syllable confuses listeners, and they need a few seconds to think about what was said. That means they miss the next comment you made.

Business Speech Improvement provides intensive training in verbal communication. Customized coaching and e-books are available!

How to assess your business communication skills

1. Actually listen to yourself talking. Is your telephone greeting automatically cheerful, clear and professional? Can every word be clearly understood by the listener? Do people often look puzzled, or ask you to repeat yourself?

2. When you meet a stranger at a gathering, do you know how to make small talk with him if you choose to do so?

3. How's your hearing? Three groups are most at risk - and one of them is a surprise to many employers. The three are older employees, starting in their late 50's, those exposed to loud noise, and...employees in their late teens and twenties who use earbuds while playing music too loudly. (Twenty percent of teens and those in their early twenties have some signs of hearing loss.) If in doubt, get your hearing acuity checked by a certified audiologist - and wear ear protection when exposed to loud noise (such as lawn mowers).

4. When you try to persuade someone, do you first think of his needs before you plan your reasoning? For example, does he need something done fast, accurately, at less cost, more conveniently or in a simpler manner?

5. If you are an executive, how are your skills in professional listening, delegating, employee retention, leading brain-storming sessions, making employees feel connected to the company and verbalizing ideas concisely?
Most of an executive's work involves professional-level communication skills; do yours need an upgrade?

Business Speech Improvement offers small group seminars, individual coaching, and coaching via telephone or Skype (in selected states only). For details, go here.

E-books on presentation skills, speaking slower, diction, American English pronunciation practice, making small talk,  executive communication skills, or communicating with someone with a hearing loss, click here.

Imagine yourself or your employees with better communication - and visit Business Speech Improvement today!

Improving Diction: Getting Your Message Across - the First Time

There are many causes for poor diction, such as speaking too fast, lack of self-confidence in certain situations, weakness or in-coordination of your mouth's muscles, to a hearing loss.
(If you don't hear clearly, you may not know you are not saying certain sounds.)

One tip you can try to improve your diction is to actually listen to yourself speak.
Record your speech when reading aloud, when talking to a friend, or even when describing your surroundings to yourself. Are there certain sounds you are not saying clearly? Do you speak too fast? Ask your friends or colleagues for advice about when you speak less clearly. If your diction has worsened significantly recently, check with your physician; it may be a sign of a neurological problem. For other speech impairments, you may want to have a speech evaluation from a speech pathologist.

General exercises to improve diction can be found in the e-book "Diction Makes A Difference". Intensive reading practice combined with audio files can be found in
"Learn to pronounce American English more clearly." Both can be gotten from http://businessspeechimprovement.com/enabler3/scripts/category.pl?EBooks.

Business Speech Improvement provides training in verbal communication skills.
Coaching and e-books from a corporate speech pathologist are available on many topics, including diction, accent modification, public speaking, executive communication, profession-specific communication and more!

Talking Too Fast

There has been considerable interest in the articles I have posted on my website, www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com, on learning to talk slower. There are many reasons people speak fast. Some people talk quickly due to diseases such as Parkinsonism or bi-polar disorder, or to taking certain medications. A specific type of speech therapy has been shown to be effective in many people with Parkinsonism, although it does not help everyone. If the problem is due to medications, check with your physician or other healthcare provider about whether a dose or the medication itself can be changed.

Other people have a speech problem called cluttering. They are often unaware of the fact that they speak fast. Some people speak rapidly due to cultural influences, or because they think others will not listen to them if they speak slower. Some feel a fast rate impresses listeners.

Listeners, however, often get frustrated by not being able to understand a speaker. They may ask for a repetition of the information, or just not bother.

Rapid rates of speech can often be controlled, using a variety of training techniques. It is a wonderful experience to hear a person's rate of speech decrease so he can be clearly understood! For the speaker, it can be a real confidence booster to know what he needs to do to increase his clarity.

If you have a speech rate problem, how does it make you feel? What helps you control it?