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The Secret of Acknowledgments
Have you ever noticed how you like talking to some people, but hate talking to others? Do you wish people would confide in you or felt more comfortable talking to you? If so, you'll like this simple, yet powerful, communication secret.
You probably know that to really communicate with people, you need to carefully listen. But what do you do after you listen? How do you let the person know you heard what he or she said? "Acknowledgment: Something said or done to inform another that his statement or action has been noted, understood and received. 'Very good,' 'Okay,' and other such phrases are intended to inform another who has spoken or acted that his statement or action has been accepted."
"Acknowledgment itself does not necessarily imply an approval or disapproval or any other thing beyond the knowledge that an action or statement has been observed and is received." -- L. Ron Hubbard
An acknowledgment can be a nod or a smile, a 'thank you' or an 'okay.' It lets the person know that you received his or her communication.
For example, if I ask you for the time and you reply, 'It's nine o'clock,' how would you know I received your answer if I don't give you some acknowledgment? You would not know if you have been heard.
10 Acknowledgment Tips
1. Some people do not talk at all. At some point, they may have tried to express themselves and were ignored. They have given up the idea that anyone listens to them.
2. Other people talk all the time as they get the idea no one hears them. They are still trying to get through. If someone would acknowledge them, they would relax.
3. When employers give their staff members a good acknowledgment for completing their work, the staff members feel proud and satisfied.
"Boss, I finished that project ahead of schedule and under budget!"
"Good job!"
If the boss does not acknowledge the project completion, the employee will either repeat the statement or give up and lose interest in talking to the boss.
4. Employees who are not acknowledged often demand more pay because pay is another type of acknowledgment. Without any acknowledgments, an employee will eventually give up and find a boss who appreciates the employee's hard work.
5. Bosses and parents need acknowledgment as well.
"Could you clean up this area before you leave?"
Silence.
"I said, clean up this area before you leave."
Blank face.
"DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME? I SAID CLEAN UP THE AREA BEFORE YOU LEAVE! GOT IT?"
6. If you forget to thank people for their gifts, you eventually get no gifts. If you never respond to personal letters, no one will write to you. If you never return telephone calls, your phone eventually goes silent.
7. Acknowledging email communication is also important. With filters, spam and viruses in the system, you might not know your message gets through if the person does not write back, "Thanks for the note."
8. Children who are not acknowledged get upset and demand more attention. You see kids like this in stores. "Mommy? Watch this! Mommy? Watch me! Mommy? Look at me! Mommy? Mommy?" Parents who acknowledge their children have calmer, more confident children.
9. Dogs and cats are happier when you acknowledge their efforts to please you. Ignore them and they might cause problems.
10. When people do not acknowledge you, you repeat yourself. You start to nod. You talk louder.
You try acknowledging yourself. You get angry or yell.
Finally, you might decide "to heck with it" and stop talking.
How to Give Great Acknowledgments
Skilled use of acknowledgments can seem magical. You can encourage conversation, end conversation, make people feel understood and more.
To properly acknowledge someone, pay attention and wait until the person is finished. Then indicate you received and understood the message. "Okay," "Thanks," "Good," "All right," "I got that," "No problem," "Makes sense," "Sure thing," "Fine," "Roger" or whatever else you want to say.
If you also make sure the person heard your acknowledgment, the communication is complete.
Give it a try!
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