Improve your relationship and job success by using the articles in this section to build your communication skills.
While you are here be sure to check out our book, Conflict Prevention In the Workplace - Using Cooperative Communication, which outlines a number of specific and practical techniques to help you alter how you communicate so you reduce conflict, and build effective relationships. Click here for more information and free chapters.
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Principles of Credibility In Public Speaking |
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Written by Robert Bacal
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Wednesday, 10 March 2004 |
It doesn't matter who you are speaking to. Whether to a group of a thousand, a radio or television audience, or one person in the privacy of your office, much depends on your ability to come across in a credible and honest fashion. Good intentions are not enough. Many the honest, open speaker has created an impression of shiftiness and dishonesty due to a lack of understanding about how to structure content, and how to use language and speaking style to come across in a credible manner. In this column, taken from notes from our "Dealing With Hostile Groups" seminar, we provide some tips for you.
You can learn to improve and manage your presentations in situations where your audience is resistant or does not want to hear what you have to tell them. preview our Presenting To Resistant/Difficult Groups Help Card. |
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Boss Management - Get Your Ideas Across To The Boss |
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Written by Robert Bacal
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Monday, 08 March 2004 |
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My boss isn't particularly receptive to new ideas regarding how to improve things around here. I have tried to approach her several times with very practical improvement ideas, and one time she just seemed bored and uninterested, the other time she started shaking her head after the first sentence I said, and was very unhelpful. Many of us here want to make things better, but it's just like running into a brick wall. Is there way to make her listen? |
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How Attention Works For Audiences |
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Written by Robert Bacal
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Monday, 08 March 2004 |
You don't have to be a psychologist to understand how attention works, since the principles can be summarized quite easily. Once you know the basic principles, you can modify your presenting behaviour to ENHANCE interest and attention. We will get to the actual attention getting techniques later. Right now we need to understand the principles.
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Using Positive Language |
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Written by Robert Bacal
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Monday, 08 March 2004 |
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Language is an exceedingly powerful tool. Whether you communicate orally, or in written form, the way you express yourself will affect whether your message is received positively or negatively. Even when you are conveying unpleasant news, the impact can be softened by the use of what we call positive language. |
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Improving Your Listening Skills |
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Written by Robert Bacal
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Monday, 08 March 2004 |
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Whether you are an executive, manager or line employee, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to improve your listening skills. People who listen effectively are perceived as more helpful, more "in tune" and tend to exert more influence over others than those that are less effective listeners. Paradoxically, good listeners are listened to more than poor listeners. In this article, we are going to briefly discuss effective listening, and suggest an exercise you can use in the privacy of your own home to help you enhance your listening skills. Not only can you apply them at work, but in any relationship |
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Improve Communication By Eliminating Insinuation |
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Written by Robert Bacal
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Monday, 08 March 2004 |
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Insinuation isn't used only by managers. Many people use it rarely. Some people use it often. Each use of insinuation increases distrust, damages the work environment and has the potential to trigger very destructive conflict. |
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Communicating With The Boss |
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Written by Robert Bacal
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Monday, 08 March 2004 |
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We all work for someone, and we need to communicate effectively with the boss, for our own benefit and the benefit of the organization. Sometimes we need some information. Or we might want to offer a suggestion about how to improve something. Or we might have a request, and require approval. |
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Internal Communication Strategies - The Neglected Strategic Element |
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Written by Robert Bacal
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Monday, 08 March 2004 |
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The development of a strategic internal communication strategy, and it's implementation can provide a number of benefits to organizations. To achieve those benefits we need a coordinated, comprehensive, long term communication approach.
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Learning About Conversational Cons |
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Written by Robert Bacal
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Monday, 08 March 2004 |
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A good faith conversation occurs when both people act in ways that move the conversation to solving the problem being discussed, with a sincere desire to address THAT problem, and not other things. For example, in a conversation about taking out the garbage, a couple might work to decide who's responsibility it is, and how to make sure it gets done. Good faith conversations involve good listening, asking questions, and a legitimate desire to work together and not control or coerce the other person. |
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Applying Bacal's Law of Meaningless Utterances |
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Written by Robert Bacal
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Monday, 08 March 2004 |
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People say all sorts of things, and make all kinds of statements. Some of those are very meaningful, even profound and worth paying attention to. But a good percentage of what people say and write actually have no meaning whatsoever. Here's an example. Tom is known to champion various positions and he says: "I am strongly in favor of individual rights and people taking responsibility". |
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Communication Skills 
