Communication Articles

Business » Communication | By Suzanne Holman @ Thursday, 19th July 2007 @ 6:18 PM

Of course you want to have a positive outcome to an important discussion! But sometimes it just doesn't happen and you're not sure why. Let's look at five possible ways you may have been jeopardizing the success of a conversation. Each of these can have a huge impact on how the communication will develop. CANCEL THE APPOINTMENT AT THE LAST MINUTE What better way is there to show that you don't value the meeting you've scheduled? Setting a ... more...

Business » Communication | By David Burch @ Wednesday, 11th July 2007 @ 3:33 PM

According to Wikipedia, the primary benefit of a knowledge base is to provide a means to discover solutions to problems that have known solutions which can be re-applied by others, less experienced in the problem area. There are great knowledgebase products, but most require the investment of a lot of time and money. Most companies adopt one of two approaches. The first approach is to document everything in Microsoft Office files and file them away on a shared drive. The other approach is... more...

Business » Communication | By Saleem Rana @ Wednesday, 11th July 2007 @ 12:08 AM

Today's business writing style is less formal and far better. Clarity and brevity must take priority in our fast-paced, information-overloaded world. Remember the old days when people wrote to impress others rather than to communicate with them? Many writers used formal language and multi-syllable words that no one ever said out loud, like "notwithstanding" and "heretofore". Now only Lawyers talk like that. Here are five tips for better b... more...

Business » Communication | By Suzanne Holman @ Tuesday, 10th July 2007 @ 9:18 PM

I just heard an amusing story that illustrates how a lack of communication can create some real problems. A photographer for CNN was assigned to cover southern California's wildfires last year. He wanted pictures of the heroic work the firefighters were doing as they battled the blazes. When the photographer arrived on the scene, he realized that the smoke was so thick it would seriously impede, or even make impossible, his getting good photographs from the ground level. He requeste... more...

Business » Communication | By Faye B. Roberts @ Thursday, 5th July 2007 @ 3:39 PM

Throughout history, great speakers have effected the lives of millions of people. Today, throughout North America, motivational speakers inspire students to stay in school, say no to drugs, become leaders, and prepare for life after graduation. Adults are inspired by motivational speakers to follow their dreams, achieve their goals, or better their lives. Among other things motivational speakers help people succeed in their business, improve their relationships, develop a positive attit... more...

Business » Communication | By Darryl Rosen @ Wednesday, 4th July 2007 @ 5:09 PM

Mornings don't always go smoothly in my house. Our older children, Josh and Danny, are never particularly thrilled about making their beds, a task they liken to going to the dentist. One morning, after noticing that Danny had done a superbly sloppy job with his bed, he and I had the following conversation. Daddy: "Danny, I think we can do a better job with the bed." Danny: "No I can't. This is the way I always do it." With that, Danny made a beeline fo... more...

Business » Communication | By John Khu @ Tuesday, 3rd July 2007 @ 3:21 PM

In the age to steaming gadgets that govern your business it gets necessary to use the right way to communicate in business, that is, proper business communication. Today we send fewer letters than we used to do earlier but the speed and low cost of email has pushed the letter to extinction. A primary role of emails, memos, letters, reports and proposals is to maintain good, relevant and timely follow of information within an organization and with its external publics. It plays a key role ... more...

Business » Communication | By Suzanne Holman @ Tuesday, 3rd July 2007 @ 12:54 PM

Do you wonder whether your audience actually reads what you write? How often do you glance at an article title or first sentence and just skip reading it? Or read something very quickly just to get to the bottom line? We have become a scanning society. With the abundance of information in hard copy as well as on the web, taking time to read something thoroughly doesn't happen often. No matter how many good things we have to say, if we don't present it properly, it will be o... more...

Business » Communication | By David Little @ Thursday, 28th June 2007 @ 3:00 PM

I can't get a simple song I learned so many years ago at Boy Scout camp out of my mind: "Be, be, be prepared, the motto of the Boy Scouts; Be, be, be prepared, the motto of the Scouts...." Professional communicators responsible for creating content for digital signage networks and private TV channels should take note of that admonition. Being prepared for predictable emergency contingencies could mean the difference between safety, injury or even death. While some eme... more...

Business » Communication | By Peter Murphy @ Tuesday, 26th June 2007 @ 3:57 PM

What makes difficult conversations difficult? Difficult conversations arise in our daily lives. What makes them difficult is that they tend to be the most emotional ones. Emotions make us feel awkward and out of place. They make us feel very uncomfortable. We are very concerned with how our words will affect the person that we are speaking to. It is basically because we do not know how to approach a particular topic with someone. Realizing that helps you see the first step you need to ta... more...

Business » Communication | By Peter Murphy @ Tuesday, 26th June 2007 @ 3:56 PM

Good conversation starters put people at ease immediately. That is how all good conversations start - when people feel comfortable and relaxed. To start a conversation like that is a skill - and you can learn it. Starting a conversation is often the most difficult part of all. Once you are over the first few sentences, the talk usually flows. But how can you get the conversation started? Ideally, find a subject that interests the person you are talking to. That means they will want... more...

Business » Communication | By Peter Murphy @ Tuesday, 26th June 2007 @ 3:07 PM

What makes for good topics of conversation? Well, this depends on why you want to have the conversation. But the basic rule is that conversations need to be a two-way process. Pick topics that everyone involved in the conversation is interested in. That way, everyone can feel comfortable and involved and the conversation should flow freely. The depth of conversation depends on how well you know the other people you are talking to. A first meeting is probably not a good time to bare your s... more...

Business » Communication | By Peter Murphy @ Tuesday, 26th June 2007 @ 2:51 PM

Funny conversation starters can be a risky business, but they can also add interest and sparkle to your conversations. People like, listen to and trust people who make them laugh. Get your conversation off to a great start by making people laugh straight away. Humor is personal, though, so if you can, get an idea of the sense of humor of the person you are talking to first. Does he or she tell jokes? Do they add a funny angle to their stories? Adding humor to your conversations is ... more...

Business » Communication | By Samantha Cannell @ Wednesday, 20th June 2007 @ 2:11 AM

It is estimated that eighty percent of callers hang up when they hear a voicemail message. Will they call back... of course they won't. For very small business operators it is impossible to answer the phone all of the time. What happens when you attend a networking event or are meeting a client? Of course that all important prospective client calls and hears your voicemail message. Will they be in the twenty percent that leave a message or in the eighty percent that hang up. If they are... more...

Business » Communication | By Amy Nutt @ Tuesday, 19th June 2007 @ 12:01 PM

Two areas of my life that are getting increased attention are golf and proposal writing. Now, the growing numbers of golfers-male and female-is understandable given the social and competitive aspects of the game and the Tiger Woods/Annika Sorenstam phenomenon. But why is proposal writing receiving more attention? Simple-it is the lifeblood of any flourishing organization. In today's marketplace, there are now numerous suppliers able to offer similar products/services. Therefore, purc... more...

Business » Communication | By Gail Solish @ Monday, 11th June 2007 @ 3:32 PM

You have just been promoted at work and you are excited and proud because you have been working towards this for a long time. At the same time, you are nervous about all the changes this will bring. Change is defined as the "act, process or result of altering, transforming or modifying something." We all know change is inevitable and even though we may not like it, accept that it is part of life. Some changes we know are coming and we prepare for them. The change of seasons,... more...

Business » Communication | By David Little @ Thursday, 7th June 2007 @ 1:39 PM

There can hardly be a driver in America who hasn't been cruising down the highway when the regular programming on the radio is interrupted for a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. A brief warning that a test is about to occur is followed by a burst of tones that sounds like it's coming from a dial-up computer modem followed by a reminder that what was just aired was a test. Or, perhaps you live a tornado-prone section of the country like I do. If so, we probably share this ... more...

Business » Communication | By John Khu @ Tuesday, 5th June 2007 @ 1:34 AM

Today's organizations must contend with increasingly complex communications environments that feature a wide array of communications methods. Employees, business partners, and customers communicate with one another through infinite combinations of phones, voice messaging, e-mail, fax, mobile clients, rich-media conferencing and other communication gadgets. One thing that is very important is proper communication. Whether you use the age-old snail mail or an email, the key to success lies in... more...

Business » Communication | By Suzanne Holman @ Tuesday, 29th May 2007 @ 1:42 AM

How often do you hold your tongue and not speak the truth of what you are thinking? What do you love doing that you haven't done in a long time? Does your creativity get shoved into the box of what you think will please others? If so, you may be letting your fear of criticism rule your life. This is one of the key sources of struggle people face. It is easy to try to please everyone all the time. We tend to moderate our words, our actions, and look over our ... more...

Business » Communication | By Amy Nutt @ Saturday, 19th May 2007 @ 5:08 PM

Technology has become a part of almost every aspect of the workforce. Many industries and organization are now reaping the benefits of its many uses, and the education system is no exception. Communications servers are now making it easier than ever for school officials to notify parents of a child's absence, for parents to notify the school of a child's absence, and for teachers to offer information and assistance concerning various homework assignments. Through the use of a ... more...