Browse Communication Skills and Training

Have you ever had one of those days when you hit all the green lights? When progress seemed effortless? When you were simply unstoppable? Sometimes it helps to slow down.

There is often a disconnect between what we say and what people understand. Part of the reason is perspective. Your perspective of an issue and that of your associate, colleague, boss, or junior may not be the same. Everyone’s perception of any issue is tainted by their own social status, educational background, religious orientation, experience, and even emotions. With so many variables at play, you will need to recognize the barriers to communication before you can implem

Honor the commitments you made with your audience, and you will keep your credibility. FIRST: Honor your commitment to stay on topic. Assume that you are speaking at a high school commencement. Traditionally, the administrators expect you and other commencement speakers to congratulate the students for what they have achieved, honor the parents who have supported them, thank the faculty, and assure the graduates they are well prepared for personal, social, and professional success.

How high are your standards of English? When I joined the British High Commission I was to be introduced to the High Commissioner’s wife. We had a lengthy conversation and during that introductio I used the word ‘can.’ We had a good laugh when she suggested my usage was Singlish. I took to heart what she said, so I was quite amused to see an English teacher writing to the local Singapore press to say that it is perfectly acceptable now to use the word ‘can.’ ACCEPTABLE OR NOT?r

Have you wondered about what LinkedIn can do for you as a powerful lead generator? One of the most important things you need to do is create a profile that will entice people to your services or products. A boring, resume-looking profile will not do the trick. Furthermore, your profile must be complete. If you go to a networking event and someone later looks you up on LinkedIn (and they will!), what will they see? Here are some tips to help you create a LinkedIn profile that will generate sales leads:

It is a well known fact, that relationships lose their fire after a while. The romantic moments, the butterflies in the stomach, the obsessive thinking about the love object, all those exciting feelings that make you feel alive slowly dim down with time. Like a campfire that runs out of wood. ...

Fire Proof Yourself: How to be a survivor and not a layoff statistic By Marsha Petrie Sue, MBA, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) Marsha@MarshaPetrieSue.com The U.S. job losses accelerated the last two months, pushing the unemployment rate to 14-year highs in October, a government report ...

Women are an integral part of the business world today. Poised, authoritative and confident most women feel they have to sacrifice likeability for authority. If you have to list three major traits of any successful business communicator, they would be credibility, likeability and authority – not necessarily in this order. rnWith women, the likeability factor is high, which often creates a positive first impression and thereby gives them an edge over their male counterparts.

The job market is tough and if you’ve been unemployed for a while or looking to get into a whole new career area, it may be necessary to trade in the chronological resume for one that focuses on all of your awesome skills and experiences rather than previous job titles. A good example: when I worked in staffing, a farmer who was in his mid-40’s (I’m guessing) came in asking me if there was any hope for him getting into the business world after a life of farming.

GET NO RESPECT? TRY THIS UNUSUAL APPROACHnnLike the late Rodney Dangerfield, you may sometimes find that you "don't get no respect." In Rodney's comedy routine, disrespect was amusing. But in real life it fills us with indignation.nnOur typical response is sarcasm or avoidance. Has such a reaction EVER made a difference in getting more respect from others? I doubt it.nnToday I'm going to show you a better way to deal with disrespectful people who irk you, frustrate you, and d

I love publicity and promotion. I must have been born with a gleam in my eye instead of a loud cry! I know I “conned” a teacher or two along the way. I continue to think “PR” everyday in my own speaking, training and coaching business. I learned well from peers in my non-profit and corporate public relations positions, including 11 years at AT&T. In meetings when people share their Verbal Business Card, elevator pitch or recent successes, my mind hears promotional possibilities.

I challenge you to a moment of honesty. How many productive work hours do you have on an average day? Productive work hours are ones spent moving your business forward. If you are typical, you are very BUSY all day. But much of that busy-ness is unfocused, personal, or simply wasting time. An average person may only spend 2-3 hours per day on productive work on a regular basis. Did you know that an extra 20 minutes of productive time per day would mean an extra 10 work days on an annual basis? An extra hour per day adds 6 work weeks to your year!

Today, more than ever, deals are sealed at the dining table. If we are not comfortable doing business over a meal, we may be losing business. Strength and making tough decisions ARE compatible with good manners. Many executives and managers are well-educated, but not in social skills. We might not be remembered for good manners but we will be for bad, so strive for etiquette that stands above the rest. At business meals, it’s about BUSINESS. Remember WHY you are there.

By Jeff Davidson Each day when you compose your to-do list, and begin merrily proceeding down the list, do you take into account what is likely to occur in the course of a day? No matter how well we compose our to-do lists, and how productive we are in handling the products and tasks on the list, within the course of a day, invariably, unexpected obligations and other developments arise that are going to throw us off.

No matter which type of setting you are in, be it a professional or personal relationship, it would have started with small talk. If you would not take the initiative to talk with somebody, your social circle would not widen and your business opportunities will be limited to those who you already know. This is the reason why you need to learn how to make small talk so that you will be able to connect with other people in any social setting. However, making small talk is not

Internet usage is a very important part of German citizens’daily lives. Users expect to access the Internet freely, securely, and quickly. A German VPN achieves all three of these goals. The full benefits of VPN service include: Worldwide Access to Websites Many Internet users rely on an ISP (Internet Service Provider) to navigate online. An ISP assigns each device an IP address, which acts as a location-based indicator of the particular connection. It is typical for a coun

If you need free 42 inch LCD TV and also looking for a new handset then I can give you a amazing idea which will save lots of your hard earned money. I will suggest you to buy your handset online where you will find a wide series of handsets of all mobile phone brands such as HTC, Blackberry, Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Apple, Acer, Motorola and many more. In online portals all the mobile phones are available with many mobile phone deals such as contract, pay as you go and

LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT! I am sure you have heard this many times: life is what you make it. Definitely your input and your outlook shape the life that materializes. So whether you totally believe this statement or not, you can make a great impact on the direction of your life. TRULY LIVING. FIVE WAYS TO LIVE MORE 1. Think about what you like to do. Implement plans to do more of what you like. 2. What would you like to be? Think of ways you could do what you like or something that is similar or has elements of it.

The Sensing and Intuition scale represents the greatest potential for communication differences between people, since it really influences one’s worldview. And, when you remember that Sensing and Intuition are the two preferences for the cycle of behavior that has to do with Gathering INFORMATION it’s easy to understand why the potential for confusion and chaos exists in giving communication when you don’t understand and recognize someone’s preference.

When corporations or celebrities make a major gaff, many individuals assume they call the spin doctor to clean up the mess. While there are a few bad apples in every industry, a true professional lives by 4 key words to maintain ethics in their public relations practice. These are the inalienable rules of engagement and must never be compromised no matter how big the project or how important the client. Accuracy. We all want to please the crowd and give them what they want to hear, but in the end, as

The Enneagram is one of the many personality profiling systems in the world today. However, its origins remain relatively unclear. There are groups of people who believe that the Enneagram first originated in the 10th or 11th century among the Sufi, which is a mystical sect of Islam. There are also others who believe that the Enneagram existed much earlier, back in 2500 B.C. in Babylon, the middle east of today. Regardless of when the Enneagram was created, it still remains a very accurate tool to profile people today, simply because human nature has not really changed all these years.

3 Ways to “Get Over It!” The issue of negative body image seems to be, quite frankly, beaten to death. Resurrected, and beaten again. Everywhere we look, we see headlines condemning the media for creating this obsession with our bodies, and yet, the headlines themselves are developed from the same source that put the retouched photos, and deathly thin models in the spotlight in the first place.

I often liken the exhilarating state of 'falling in love' to Guy Fawkes Night. It's a night with lots of excitement created by fire-works of such beauty that take your breath away and make your heart beat faster. The instant attraction to another person causes reason and rhyme to vanish whilst ...

5 Steps to Get You Feeling Like a Rock Star in Your Video and Media Opportunities What’s the number one reason people hesitate on moving forward in the use of video or other visual media in their business? I’ve found it to be nearly always fear of some form. Ranging from absolute paralyzing terror of the lens to negative self-talk and overall-fish out of water feeling, fear can cost you! Here are five easy rules to get over it!

Over this past weekend, visiting with family friends, I noticed my friend David’s 10-year old son, Carter, immersed in his iPad during the entire afternoon’s get-together. Carter sat in the living room surrounded by guests but in his own separate world playing games on his device, never really interacting with the group. In an attempt to engage him, I presented him with a good-natured challenge - for every thirty minutes he did not engage with his technology, I’d give h

Career Advice-- by Rosa Chillisr July 26, 2016 The Benefits of Hope and Optimism “Hope is being able to see that there is more light despite all of the darkness.”—Desmond Tutu Hope is more than mere desire and better than mere expectation. Hope is indispensable if you want to endure a difficult situation without giving up or sinking into deep depression. Hope is strengthening in that despite difficult circumstances you wait patiently the hoped for thing.

I learned more from failure tha I learned from successr I learned more no thank you, so much more than yesr I learned to be willing to lead with my chin, And if I were willing to lose I could win -Barry Manilow It is hard for me to believe I am citing Barry Manilow for my blog, but I absolutely love this quote. It reminds me of one of my greatest failures.

INTANGIBLES: What are they? Intangibles are things that you can’t see, or touch. What do they mean to you? Are they real? Is the wind real? Is the wind tangible? Is God real to you, can you touch him? Are your thoughts real, your feelings your emotions. What about pain or your ...

Enjoy the positive rapport and results that come from these easy and effective tips when working with exte al (and internal) customers: • Check your body language, words and voice. Your non-verbal signals tell the real story of how you feel. Ensure that if your words are positve, the body and facial expressions are too. Tight fists or angry eyes with positive words will tell the listener that the message is not sincere or truthful. • Shift your concentration and put the spotlight on the customer. This is a powerful way to break down barriers and gain cooperation.r

Communication that successfully engages and focuses the workforce means getting off your soapbox so you are accessible. This means interaction and conversation – not unapproachable dissertation. Nineteenth century communication methods such as lecturing, impersonal written missives and top down delivered information result in workforces disengaging, productivity dropping, reduced performance and limited profitability. Engaging everyone at all levels of the business through c

If you are a shy or nervous person by nature, than simple conversations can often be arduous, excruciating affairs, with all of your fears and anxieties plaguing your thoughts and actions. But never fear, there is a simple remedy for you to defeat these fears and anxieties - building for yourself a basic foundation of good conversation skills. Once you improve your conversation skills, you will gain confidence and watch the shyness and nervousness melt away. RELAX The easies

We don’t usually connect “kindness” and “boundary setting.” At least, I didn’t, for many years. I imagined that kindness is about listening with empathy, responding with compassion, treating others with dignity, doing random (and not so random) acts of kindness, and the like. What did this have ...

I wish I knew what the teacher was thinking when she decided to have one of her students stand in front of the room and then asked each of his classmates to tell him what they did not like about him. I wonder what her intent was when she then had each student vote as to whether he should be in ...

The rise of giant corporations led to the atomization and specialization of work, resulting in workers being disconnected from both the final product and the purpose of their work. There was no line of sight to the client, and without that, it was impossible to know what clients actually needed, or what would delight them. In a prior age, work, products, and customers were interconnected, and businesses, customers, and communities all benefited from a mutual understanding of the meaning of work. Work put people first, rather than things.

by Jeff Davidson Everyone I know from college age on up maintains some form of a to-do list. And why not? Without writing down the things we want or need to complete, it is awfully hard to proceed throughout the day. Yet, in recent years, the unrelenting burden of handling an ever-growing array of items that populate our to-do list is wearing on career professionals everywhere.

Do you wonder how to write an interesting blog post? It includes following some simple steps. When you make things simple, your market can understand them easier. Write About Their Interestsr Writing blogs can be easy when you first know your audience. Once you identify your audience, have a casual conversation with them through the content you write. In your content, share something that informs your niche to help them either achieve a goal, solve a problem or live a dream. How to Write An Interesting Blog Post Suppose your ideal niche prospect is: 1. a married woman

Ask for that Raise! For nine years Jeff worked for company G as an engineer. Flying airplanes was his first love. His job came in a close second place. That changed when Jeff met Judy. Their relationship quickly turned serious and they married. When Jeff and Judy sat down to do financial planning as a couple, Judy learned Jeff’s salary was surprisingly low. With a human resource background, Judy knew the salary range for Jeff’s type of work, and what his credentials were wo

One Tough Mudder, by Doug Grady

Don’t you just love optimism? It’s a feeling that uplifts you, business colleagues, prospects and customers! In your business, being habitually optimistic sets a wonderful tone for your business activities. When you imagine that a good option exists for your life situations, you also can naturally improve your well-beingness. Feel Hopeful Deliberatelyr

Getting people to pay attention to what you say: ah, now that is a challenge every school teacher, advertiser, and director of marketing has been trying to figure out since the dawn of time. Anyone who has ever been in a position of authority will realize this can be difficult. So, if you are faced with this problem, what are some of the methods you can use to defeat the poor attention span of your audience? Well, first realize the root cause of the problem. In our modern, h

As we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s Day, let’s honor the power of his rhetoric and his movement by focusing on the five reasons his “I Have a Dream Speech” became history-changing. First: King’s life was consistent with his rhetoric. He did what he encouraged others to do. Surrounded by threats, bullied by hecklers and racist law officers, he endured arrest, followed Gandhi’s example of nonviolence, and ultimately gave his life in the advancement of civil rights.

Conflict prepares you for breakthroughs © 2009, Doug Davin and Diana Morris www.breakthroughskills.com We’ve all got preconceived ideas about what relationships “should be” like or how teams “ought to” work. These expectations can cause us a lot of grief as relationship after relationship seems to fall short. But as we’ve seen, conflicts at work are a given. There are no perfect teams, managers, or employees, and it’s not possible to have a job where people never frustrate of disappoint you.

Most human suffering can be explained with the breakdown of relationships between people. Conflicts between countries, childhood abuse, domestic violence, bullying, human trafficking, and work-place conflicts all have in common that on some level the relationships between people lacked ...

There is no doubt about it! How you see yourself and believe others see you determines how successful you will become. Sit back and relax, grab some coffee, and answer the following questions: • What messages do you give to your peers, superiors, friends and family? Are you projecting assertiveness or confusion? Excitement or indifference? • Do your body signals say you are ineffective or authoritative? • Are you confident in your social graces and in your personal and professional life? In male/female relationships? In your communication skills?

EASY PEASY For some there is no easy way to success – it requires learning from mistakes and is one of the best ways. Take Steve Jobs for example – he certainly had ups and downs before he met with meterioic success. Here are 10 points that help you have more success more easily. 1. ACTION Are you really taking action to move your dreams forward. Think of what actions you can take and do to get moving. Focus upon what the action will bring you. In other words, you need to think what this action will bring you. 2. NEWNESS

Lesso 6 Unleashing Your Why in Life By now, I’m sure you’re well on the way to finding or perhaps you have already found that spark inside your heart. That spark is what ignites that roaring fire of desire deep inside of you. I salute you! You’re doing something that most people never achieve. You’re discovering your ultimate Why in life. Writing your Why is a process, and you can rewrite it as many times as you need in the beginning phase. Every great accomplishment starts

Chetan Bhagat who has been applauded as one of the best-selling novelists in modern India. He isalso a former investment banker, a newspaper columnist, a motivational speaker and author of five black buster novels - Five Point Someone (2004), One Night @ the Call Center (2005), The 3 Mistakes of Life (2008), 2 States (2009) and Revolution 2020 (2011). The most remarkable thing about Chetan Bhagat’s writings is he focuses principally on the issues faced by contemporary India; in particular issues faced by the Indian youth.

Offices of all sizes require teamwork, and increasing office unity helps employees work more efficiently. While many business owners and managers appreciate the importance of teamwork, many don't know how to how to achieve this goal. Here are a few tips for increasing unity and teamwork in the office. Prioritize Communication Teamwork is based on communication, so invest in what is needed to get employees talking to each other throughout the day. Computer-based tools are espe

There have been many times in our lives when we have wanted to say something, but elected not to. Afterwards, we may wish we had and ponder why we didn’t. Sometimes, we remember when we said something and wish we hadn’t, or a time when we blurted something that was harsher than we meant it to be, or the other person was offended even though we were “diplomatic”. We feel like the other party will get mad. Or we don’t feel like it will help. Or we feel that the other person won’t understand. Or we feel they will say something that we don’t want to deal with.