Posted on May 31, 2011 by Chris The purpose of developing effective communication skills both at home and in the

workplace is not always immediately obvious to many people. Most individuals fail to understand the important role of communication in developing healthy relationships, and further fail to recognize their communication shortcomings. Many people would not know how to improve even if they did understand their communication weaknesses. The development of effective communication skills requires understanding the variety of ways that humans send and receive messages. Effective communication skills can be improved and enhanced over time following a thorough personal evaluation. The process requires an open mind, and a willingness to make a diligent effort to practice and force change. The development of these skills can begin with something as simple as focusing on speaking slower with purer, cleaner pronunciation. Of course its important to remember that strong communication is a two-way process and practicing active listening techniques is equally as important as effectively conveying a message The demonstration of effective communication skills can play an integral role in securing an exciting and rewarding new position in the workplace. Being an effective communicator is typically indicative of a greater propensity for strong leadership and management skills. The capability to accurately and efficiently convey a grander concept or idea lies at the heart of what organizations are seeking in their senior business managers and team leaders. Furthermore, practiced effective communication skills are often important in meeting new people and making friends, both in the workplace and away from it. Strong communication allows you to build healthy interpersonal relationships that are built on a foundation of trust, mutual knowledge and understanding, empathy, and respect. These same interaction skills are a significant component of meeting a new mate and building a connection with them. Relationships where both members are strong and open communicators have shown to be healthier, longer-lasting ones. Both sides of a relationship can use effective communication skills to not only express their thoughts and feelings, but to also actively and meaningfully listen to what the other has to say. By using strong communication skills individuals can diminish or eliminate ambiguity in their messages and in turn reduce the opportunities for arguments or disagreements stemming from misunderstandings.
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Types of Effective Communication

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Chris Communication is a means of understanding: understanding your thoughts and ideas, and understanding the thoughts and ideas of others. Effective communication skills are about more than simply sharing words or exchanging gestures. Communication is the foundation of learning about those around us, and ultimately, learning about ourselves in return. In order to fully communicate you must have some level of understanding of other people, other ways of thinking, and other perspectives on the world. Communication is about coming together on something, showing where you are, where others are and meeting somewhere else. You may think that you have all the best ideas in the world, but they are only truly the best if they stand up in the face of criticism and are tempered in the fires of co-operation. The development of effective

communication skills requires understanding the many types of communication that interpersonal interaction relies upon. There are many forms and types of communication that we use to let another know what we mean, and receive the ideas being conveyed to us. Being receptive to others is a key element in all forms of communication. It is truly a two-way street. The method of communication thought of most immediately is probably verbal communication, the use of language to convey an idea, and this is frequently used due to the depth and complexity of universalized languages. Verbal communication uses commonly known words to express thoughts and ideas, in order for those ideas to be communicable. Verbal communication is perhaps the most widely used form of communication for that reason; very specific ideas can be very quickly transmitted to others without too much confusion. It is generally the best method of communication when users share a common language, and when accent or colloquialism (expressions, slang and ways of speaking) do not interfere. There are several forms of verbal communication (verbal communication not meaning spoken word but rather method of communication relying upon words): Oral communication, written communication, and sign languages. Oral communication is widely used though success can be dependent upon the relative skill of the speaker; oration has been taught as a skill since ancient times. Various forms of subtext exist in verbal communication: tone, diction, pitch, volume, and inflection all affect what is to be understood from what is being said. Written communication is dependent upon the education of both the reader and the education and skill of the writer. There also exists a wide variety of short hands, forms of written communication which may or may not be widely understood, a common modern example of this is the language which is prevalent in instant messages by phone or online. Sign language generally relies upon words (expressed as gestures) to convey ideas. It is important to distinguish this from body language which can be quite subjective, because sign language has a specific set of symbols and syntax that is standardized across the practitioners of a certain subset of sign language. As verbal communication forms rely upon commonly known go betweens for common understanding, so too does non-verbal communication. Whereas verbal communication uses words as these bridges, non-verbal communication uses emotions or context or innate knowledge to bridge human understanding. Some of the most commonly thought of forms of non-verbal communication include, body language, posture, facial expressions and gestures. These are commonly used though not in place of verbal communication, but rather to help provide context or subtext to underline verbal communication. These have been recognized as essentially important as a part of verbal communication. Other forms of non-verbal communication may not spring immediately to mind, but visual communication, in the form of graphics, pictures, murals, images are omnipresent in our society. Without verbal communication these forms may not be able to convey the precise concepts which are often necessary in day-today communications, however these forms are much more likely to tell you the truth it is much harder to lie with your eyes, than it is to lie with your words. Like the expressions says: a picture is worth a thousand words.
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The Role of Effective Business Communication Skills

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Chris

Effective communication can be used in many different places and many different contexts. Effective communication skills can be used by both the sender and receiver during a communicative act. Any individual that undertakes the development of these skills through a dedicated improvement program will benefit, both at home and in the workplace. While effective communication between colleagues in the workplace is very important, other business-related communication is equally as important. Business communication skills are an essential part of successful business relations. Without effective communication skills even the best business ideas will fall by the wayside, their benefits not completely understood or appreciated, or not adequately carried to their full extent. Business communication skills are almost more important than their everyday counter parts, as in the business world you rarely get second chances and every interaction in each relationship carries the weight of the entire relationship. Each and every customer interaction, client presentation, formal press release, information conference and product seminar must be perfect. Mistakes are far less forgivable in the business world. It is vital to be extremely well polished in every aspect of your communication skill set. Business communications take one of two separate types: internal communication, the communication between members or bodies working inside the same company; and external, communication between members or bodies in separate companies, or with customers. All communication can be broken down into direct and indirect forms. There are a huge number of instances where effective business communication skills make or break a transaction or relationship: cold calls, advertising, seminars, conferences, contract negotiations, team management, all forms of negotiations, all interactions with customers, etc. They say its a dog-eat-dog world and that the business world today is cut-throat, and these may or may not be exaggerations, but the fact of the matter is that there is always going to be competition. So, in order to succeed you have to differentiate yourself from your competitors, if they cant send out coupons without typos or their customer service representatives mumble, or cant firmly shake a potential clients hand, then you will be the one that can. If they do all the right things in their communications, and you cant, do you really think youre going to win customers? Ineffective business communication skills look bad, look unprofessional and no matter how good your investment, or ideas, or recommendations may be, you are going to get brushed past for the shinier, the cleaner sounding, the clear and obvious, the more confident sounding option even if it doesnt stack up to yours. So much of human interaction is in the first impressions, what is the point of putting on a suit and tie if you are just going to yell stories about how drunk you got on the weekend, or stumble your way through a sales pitch, or stare past people and ignore what they have to say? Every time someone sees you, hears you, reads something you wrote, says something to you, they are testing you. Every test you take is a chance to fail, but only in passing all the tests will you pass the course.
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Knowing How To Improve Communication Skills

Posted on May 14, 2011 by Chris Developing effective communication skills is not the easiest of tasks, especially if you dont know how to improve communication skills in general. The improvement of existing interaction abilities and the development of effective communication skills are incredibly positive steps for any

individual. Progressing ones communication skills, both at home and at work, will have positive benefits including an increase in happiness and productivity Many people have a lot of difficulty improving their communication skills simply because human beings are creatures of habit. Communication skills are developed throughout our childhoods and into our adult lives. They are not developed or adjusted quickly; they are deeply ingrained into us. Making changes, even positive ones to our methods and modes of interaction require leaving our comfort zone, dropping our armor against the judgments of others. It requires that we lay down our arms and walk naked into the angry sea of life. It is a scary prospect. People are often reluctant to relinquish these tools and shields that have shielded them from being seen as what they fear people will see. At times people are hesitant to admit that they need help or that their skills require improvement, they say that the first step to solve a problem is admitting that you have one. The best start to developing effective communication skills is a thorough evaluation, first of the skills possessed and second of where improvement is needed and how to go about that improvement. This process is best done with another individual. As communication skills are developed starting at an early age sometimes people develop blind spots in their habits: an area or skill that they lack without realizing that they are lacking. Other times people develop certain skills at an earlier age and their personality grows around those communication skills to the point that using other skills is like being someone they are not. It is important not to get defensive about the process though. No one is trying to change who you are but rather just trying to give you more tools to express who you are. Improving your communication skills can make you a more likeable, well-rounded, emotionally stronger individual. Be wary of any cookie cutter-type templates for improvement or evaluation of communication skills, people can be very different from each other and their improvement process should reflect all of their idiosyncrasies and quirks. The final outcomes should all be similar, though, as a well-rounded set of communication skills should look nearly the same for everyone, the important differences com in the form of the road traveled. People learn in all sorts of different ways, and at different speeds, some people will have more to learn and some will have to practice their skills more to have them completely incorporated into their repertoire of effective communication skills. Furthermore, every individual will have different schedules and time frames into which this self-improvement must be worked. The process of improving communication skills is a self-improvement process and, as such, has inherent positive effects upon personality, mood, and life. Even the simplest of how to improve communication skills templates will show some favorable outcomes. The process for you could be as simple as: making a self-evaluation of the skills, not that you know, but that you use in regular human interaction; identifying problems or contradictions within your range of actions, words, tone, or grammar; finding situations in which you feel comfortable enough to make changes (such as with your closer friends or family); and implementing these new or unused skills. It can be advantageous to ask for feedback, if you are comfortable enough to do that, but if not make sure to thoroughly monitor yourself throughout the improvement process. As always, patience is vital. It may take a long time before you get to where you want your effective communication skills to be, but take your time. Anything worth doing is worth doing right, and communication should never be hurried. Always take the time to practice, re-read, spell-check, and edit.

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Improving Effective Workplace Communication

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Chris Taking the time and energy to develop effective communication skills is definitely a rewarding experience if undertaken with full dedication. The benefits of improving your communication skills will be found both at home and in the workplace. A great key to successful and rewarding employment is developing effective communication in the workplace. It helps you get the job, helps you keep the job, and most importantly helps you enjoy the job. Good workplace communication is the difference between awkward water cooler conversations and going out for drinks after work with a new friend, between those people you avoid running into in the halls and someone you have a new story to tell. Great workplace communication means never having to be told something twice, never having to repeat yourself, breezing through that interaction with those troublesome clientele or customers. using Effective communication skills in your workplace may begin you on a path to a better position, better pay, better understanding of co-workers, more contentment in your current work, and it all may begin with a single, simple step. Improving communication skills is simple, but requires both effort and time. To start with, simply make more eye contact, use good posture, and ask questions. These things can be done right away and can markedly improve your communication. The hallmarks of great communication are much more in depth, and may take practice, studying, or heightened self-awareness to enact. Do not despair, there is hope. Improving communication skills is a gradual process, but one which quickly reaps rewards; other people will notice right away and begin to more positively respond to your improved demeanor and your relationships will thank you. Another positive aspect to developing effective communication skills is the countless situations and opportunities that you will be granted on a daily basis, not only will all of your normal interactions become chances to practice new techniques and learn more, but your improved communication skills will create better relationships that will foster longer interactions that offer more opportunity to practice. It is like a snowball rolling down hill; it picks up mass and speed as it goes, ever growing. Think about it, who are you most likely to look forward to bumping into, working with, or even spending time with after work: the open, and friendly person who listens when you talk, and looks you in the eye; or the person who wont look at you, mumbles to themselves under their breath, and never takes the time to let you finish a sentence? Workplace communication makes your job much easier, and sometimes even enjoyable. It is said that there is one of those people at every job, but what if there didnt have to be? You have the power to change anyone into a more competent, enjoyable and helpful co-worker; all that is required of you to re-shape your co-workers is communication skills. Effective communication in the workplace also has considerable benefits for the organization as they see an increased in productivity and efficiency. Taking the time to develop effective communication skills may not be like switching on a light, but it is like rolling a log downhill, once you are started it is not easy to stop, and why would you want to?
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Effective Communication Skills and Technology

Posted on May 7, 2011 by Chris

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. George Bernard Shaw In the modern business world technology, and adaptation to new technologies, is becoming a prime requisite for success; while the old standard for good business practice, effective communication skills, is being left by the wayside. With the increasing use of email and other internet transactions, instant messaging, automated answering services, and automated ordering the chances to showcase good communication skills are diminishing; but rather than decrease the importance of effective communication it enhances the need to be able to establish and maintain a good relationship, personal or otherwise, because of the smaller window of opportunity. It is essential to realize that the judicious use of technology to streamline communication does not, in and of itself, denote good communication. Technology simply provides other mediums for communication, some of which are far inferior to the ideal: face to face conversation. I say inferior because there is less access to all of the available avenues of inter-personal communication. There is no verbal tone in text message. It can be hard to convey all the nuances of body language with smileys. All things considered it is, at times, not possible to meet peers, co-workers, friends, loved ones, or associates in person for every discussion, but any opportunity to meet with people, to build on your relationships, and to practice your effective communication skills should be jumped upon. Obviously technology is useful when these face to face communication opportunities are not possible, but all the standard rules of communication still apply, perhaps more so because it is easier to misunderstand someone when all you have is some words on a screen in front of you. Interpersonal communication is essential to building and maintaining relationships. Relationships are key in navigating the modern urban world. So many people trudge through life begrudging every other person as a mere obstacle, or a barrier to surpass; however if you realize that life and success are not measured in time, but rather in relationships, then every other person becomes an opportunity to improve yourself, your life, and your business. There are innumerable similes comparing relationships to gardens, paths, glass, jobs, and on ad nauseum. People say to make a relationship work you have to work at it. I say when you do it right, it isnt work at all. How does one do it right: Effective communication skills. Everyone knows the basics of good communication, and they may not even realize it. Think about how you act with your best friends, it is easy to get along with them, much easier than say that person in the next cubicle, or the office down the hall with the awkward sense of humor. Why is your relationship with your best friends so much smoother, easier? Without realizing it you use basic communication skills well with people you like and when discussing topics of interest to you. In order to begin learning effective communication skills you must identify and apply all the little things that you do right-and when you actually do them right-, and do them all the time. It is something that takes practice, but has so many rewards.
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The Importance of Effective Interpersonal Communication Skills

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Chris

Many people have asked how important effective interpersonal communication skills and all too often dismiss the need for developing strong communication capabilities. Almost all humans use their communication skills every single day and in most cases do not recognize some of the messages and signals they are sending. Examples of effective communication skills include maintaining eye contact with the person you are communicating with, controlling physical twitches such as fidgeting, and actively listening to the person or people you are communicating with. Actively listening includes asking many clarifying questions that both demonstrates you are listening and ensures that you entirely understand the message that is being conveyed to you. Interpersonal communication is an incredibly prevalent and important aspect of human interaction, and is a major factor in the development and maintenance of functioning and successful societies. We use interpersonal communication skills to interact with other specific people in our society, or how a society interacts in general. And how we relate to, understand, or empathize with them is very much dependent on how strong our interpersonal communication skills are. Academically, interpersonal communication is viewed as the interaction between a small number of individuals who are communicating directly, as opposed to an individual or group that is involved in a large, less-direct communicative action. The use of interpersonal communication skills are very much dependent on the context of the communicative act. For instance, the interpersonal skills we use when speaking to a close family member will differ from those tendencies weve developed for interacting with a stranger. Another example of varying context would be how communication differs when interacting with a colleague or a friend, versus interacting with a superior or person of power. In these cases, the context dictates whether the communication should be framed as formal or informal, and different interpersonal communication skills are used in each case. Effective interpersonal communication skills are important because many studies have shown that personal happiness and productivity is based on how we relate to and understand other individuals around us. Effective interpersonal communication in the home can help maintain a positive and strong relationship with loved ones, and studies have shown that fewer divorces occur in marriages where the two members have develop effective communication skills. On the other end of the spectrum, effective interpersonal skills in the workplace can lead to few misunderstandings, less need for clarification, and increased efficiency and productivity. There are many types and forms of effective interpersonal communication skills, some of which are subtle and less monitored, including body language and eye contact. The most used type of interaction is verbal communication, where the sender and receiver of information communicate using language. Humans predominantly communicate verbally using both oral and written language, such as speaking or writing. Another prevalent type of communication is non-verbal, which includes sighs, gasps, eye movement, and facial expressions.
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Current News: Effective Communication Skills

Posted on May 1, 2011 by Chris Effective communication is an unavoidable and incredibly important component of both a successful career and happy home-life. The development of effective communication skills has

been seriously effected over recent years by the increased prevalence of technological advances, the result of which is a decreased level of direct verbal and non-verbal communication between individuals. Universities and colleges throughout North America are ensuring that their students recognize and understand the importance of communication skills in their future careers and endeavors. In degree programs where communication skills are particularly important, such as teaching or business, schools are inviting communication experts and specialist into the classroom to discuss the techniques that can be used to enhance the public speaking, body language, and active listening skills of current students. These communication consultants are offering specially-designed communication seminars and exercises that seek to make students think hard about the messages they are communicating, intentionally or not, and focus on conveying wellthought messages. A recent government report expressed concern that the new generation of post-secondary students were suffering from a diminished grasp of vital communication skills, particular verbal communication abilities, due to new technological changes in the communication sphere. The internet, email, and mobile SMS-texting has significantly, and perhaps irreparably, altered the way many people communicate, and has resulted in a decreased need for direct interpersonal communication. This is especially true, the study says, for formal communication situations where professional and articulate message conveyance is paramount. Both the public and private sector fear that todays younger generation is increasingly ill-equipped to handle face-toface interpersonal interaction when the time comes in their future careers. This includes future job interviews, as well as workplace interaction with colleagues, clients, and other stakeholders. The recruitment departments of some international companies, as well as executive hiring services companies, have expressed an increased emphasis on evaluating candidates to ensure they possess an adequate proficiency in interpersonal and workplace communication. These organizations have expressed concerns mirroring those of the government studies, and have said that they have witnessed a deterioration in the communication skills of those individuals who come through their systems.
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The Roles and Types of Communication

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Chris Communication is defined as the sending of message between two or more parties. Human use communication skills every day, at home, in public, or in the workplace. Effective communication can be a source of happiness and productivity, and ultimately leads to misunderstandings between loved ones, strangers, business partners, and colleagues. When an individual decides to evaluate their communication skills and identify areas of weakness it is important to consider the many forms and types of communication. This diagnostic process and resulting improvement philosophy is an integral step in the development of effective communication skills. Recognizing and understanding the many ways in which humans communicate and interact is important in identifying areas that need improvement. People often forget the many ways that we transmit messages, often without knowing we are sending messages at all. We tend to focus on

the obvious, day-to-day forms of communication such as speaking and writing. These are the two most-common forms of verbal communication, which is defined as the use of language to communicate. Non-verbal communication involves the transmittance of a message without using language, such as hand gestures, physical touch, and body language. One of the most forgotten yet terribly important types of communication is eye contact: it demonstrates interest and confidence in the message being relayed. A component of developing effective communication skills is recognizing the context that communication is taking place in, and deciding whether formal or informal communication is appropriate. The advent of increasingly informal communication mediums, such as SMS-texting, have lead many communication academics to suggest the breakdown of formal interpersonal communication. Mastering the various forms and types of communication are key to developing effective communication skills at home and in the workplace. Traditionally the weakest form of communication for the average person has been the effective use of body language when communicating.
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Effective Communication Skills in Business

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Chris It is important that both individuals and organizations as a whole recognize the importance of effective communication skills. In both cases these skills can result in efficient transfer of information between multiple parties, and leads to healthier relationships and increased productivity. The communication skills and techniques we use at home with loved ones and in the workplace with colleagues can also be applied to other business-related situations. These interactions occur with other individuals including customers, suppliers, and financiers. Business communication skills are also used when interacting with representatives from other organizations, including competitors, trade associations, and government. Other examples of business communication include advertisements and public relations events, as well public speaking engagements by organization representatives. An important component of effective business communication skills is maintaining consistency and integrity in the organizations interaction with external stakeholders. Achieving this results in increased public credibility also. To achieve this most organizations develop and implement an organization communication policy that is instilled in employees, from the manufacturing/service floor to senior management, starting during the hiring process. Many organizations implement business communication training programs for their representatives, which can be conducted by external consultants or by internal representatives from human resources. The techniques and medium of modern business communication are always changing and updating, and effective training processes can play an important role in ensuring that an organization stays communication relevant. The Benefits of Developing Effective Business Communication Skills

1. A consistent, credible message and way-of-doing-business results in a positive organizational reputation that should ultimately result in improved sales and a stronger bottom line. 2. Building trust between the organization and vital stakeholders including customers, clients, suppliers, vendors, and partner businesses. In many industries, greater trust between the organization and customers, including end clients, results in increased sales. 3. Improved influencing skills during sales opportunities and financing meetings.
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