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LAP - Listen actively and compassionately. Activate detailed strategy. Process the experience.

A bit about our tried and true methodology to help clients build their communication toolkit…

Here at Duly Noted, we strongly encourage analogies. The reasoning for this is twofold: 1) our brains like analogies that help them build mental maps (schemas, for our psychology-minded folks) to store information and quickly access it for future use more easily, and 2) analogies are accessible by nature. They are a powerful linguistic tool that can take complex, unknown concepts and connect them to simple, already understood ones.

The analogy we use to describe our client-centered strategy is near and dear to our Marketing Director, Will, as the self-proclaimed biggest fan of Formula 1. We like to think of our clients as the drivers, their communication skills as the car, and we are the team, supporting them every step of the way.

Let's paint the picture for folks who don’t know F1 as well as Will. F1 drivers live constantly in the world of racing; if they aren’t in their car driving on the racetrack, they are in a simulator, training at the gym, or strategizing with their team. This is actually quite similar to how we live in a world that constantly demands we communicate - with maximum efficiency and accuracy.

If we are in a room with others, we are communicating in some form. Even when we are alone, we practice intrapersonal communication. We have so many opportunities to improve our communication skills that we may not even fully realize. The drive to fully realize our potential as communicators is where our F1 analogy comes in.

Being an excellent communicator is not just about knowing what to say when you’re in a pressure-filled situation like a driver on race day. It is also about knowing how to put your skills into practice as you communicate your way through each day. Just like an F1 driver, the best communicators treat every lap like it matters most.

Now, when we say “LAP” here at Duly Noted, we, of course, don’t mean around a racetrack; when we say LAP, we are talking about each opportunity you have to practice listening actively and compassionately, activate your detailed strategy, and process the experience. Working with our team will help you make the most out of every LAP.

In sessions, our lead consultant, Emily, uses and instructs clients on how to put LAP into practice. This approach aims to create and maintain a safe space for honesty, growth, and moments of reflection - all key factors in improving communication.

Let’s break down the components of LAP a bit deeper.

L - Listening actively and compassionately. An extraordinarily undervalued and overlooked part of communication is active listening. You may have heard of active listening before, but do you understand what it takes to listen actively, and can you do so? To listen actively for successful communication takes a deep understanding of the practice and discipline to train your mind to engage with others in this way. In addition to listening actively, at Duly Noted, we encourage clients to learn about listening compassionately. It is vital to think of becoming an expert listener as your first step to becoming a great communicator.

A - Activate detailed strategy. This is where you can harness the power of communication theory and science, putting it into practice to improve your communication skills. Working with Duly Noted will help you build your communication strategy toolkit and feel confident in your communication skills no matter the situation. It can be incredibly challenging to map a way forward in circumstances where you know there may be barriers to good communication; Emily will help you understand how to listen actively and then employ strategies from your communication toolbox of practical application for comm theory.

P - Process the experience. Listening and taking action using a good communication strategy is excellent work, but you won’t gain much if you don’t reflect on the experience. What about the first two steps worked? What can be improved? Taking time to process these critical questions helps us gain insight into our experiences. Retaining this information leads to the kind of self-awareness and progress it takes to build a robust toolkit for successful communication.

Duly Noted is here to be your pit crew. We want to help you build a garage full of the communication science and theory knowledge you need to transform your life and win every race. Engaging with our LAP strategy is just the beginning. Click here to get connected with our team today!