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December 2, 2014
How to Have a Healthy Conversation
Connecting with others is the lifeblood of getting work done.
With the well-warranted national conversation on good health, it’s time we talk about another area where health is important – our own conversations.
We’ve got obesity on the national scale and bloated conversations in the workplace.
We’ve got fillers in our food and fillers in our conversations.
We seek workarounds to what we know contributes to good health (exercise, anyone?) like we seek shortcuts when we converse and omit details required for...Continue reading
By Sherri PetroPosted in Professional Development on December 2, 2014
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September 26, 2014
CHUNKING - Grouping Information for Clear Communication
Communication is not just about getting someone to hear or remember something.
Communication is not just about getting someone to hear or remember something, it is about helping him or her make sense of it and take action!
Think about the amount of information you have to process each day — reports, meetings, one on ones, emails and more! Some information is easy to understand and retain; some is not. The difference is in how the information is presented.
Grouping information so that your audience easily understands you is known as...Continue reading
By Jayne JenkinsPosted in Communication Skills on September 26, 2014
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June 12, 2014
Lost in Translation, Again!
3 Things You Can Do to Get Your Message Understood
Lost in Translation? A great phrase. It means that words, once translated, can lose the original intent of their meaning. Or for those who loved the movie, it is the name of the insightful and curiosity-piquing film by Sofia Coppola released over a decade ago. Either way, people, we have something to talk about. We’re missing something in our communication.
In the movie, Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson play mismatched souls who keep running into each other...Continue reading
By Sherri PetroPosted in Communication Skills on June 12, 2014
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April 22, 2014
Snarky, Snappy & Sarcastic
Dealing with the Rude Co-worker
No, Snarky, Snappy and Sarcastic are not the names of three additional dwarfs. If they were, I think Snow White would not have been so optimistic! Ever been in a great mood only to have a rude remark waylay your cheery disposition? What to do? What to do? This is not to be confused with the seriously detrimental effects of bullying on employees’ psyche and health. I’m talking about the under-one’s-breath-day-ruiner, the run-in you wish you had NOT...Continue reading
By Sherri PetroPosted in Communication Skills on April 22, 2014
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March 3, 2014
Two Surefire Ways to Bring Your Next Presentation to Life
Are your presentations boring?
For some reason, whenever we stand-up to make a presentation, many of us become our sternest selves. We’d be no more likely to break into a spontaneous smile than we would be to turn a quick pirouette. The same logic applies directly to the words being spoken from our unsmiling lips. Those words tend to be stripped-down minimal phrases. They are as focused as possible and as few as necessary, as we aim to deliver a professional business case.
I’m not sure exactly where it is...Continue reading
By Peter PaskalePosted in Communication Skills on March 3, 2014
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February 24, 2014
Dealing with People Not Like Us-It’s Difficult!
3 things to do differently to make progress with “difficult” people.
It seems to happen in a lot of workplaces. Someone is difficult. It can be a client, peer or (gulp) your boss. Or it could be that incommunicative guy in the mailroom, the gossipy sales person, the surly receptionist or the aggressive fill-in-the-blank that puts a crimp in your day.
Might be that new Gen Y that asks too many questions, texts too much and talks too little. ENTITLEMENT! Could be the very direct Gen X who leaves the desk at 5 PM with work still to be done. UNCOMMITTED! ...Continue reading
By Sherri PetroPosted in Communication Skills on February 24, 2014
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February 3, 2014
3 Communication Practices That Will Enrich Your Life
These few skills are the ones that we should practice everyday.
Just as high quality ingredients make every recipe more nutritious and delicious, a specific set of healthy communication practices can make every relationship more nourishing and life affirming. Read on to learn more about foundational communication practices that will enrich your life.
“Assertiveness for Women.” “Powerful Speech.” “Being Charismatic!” The list of self-help communication titles is endless. And it is true that to be a very competent...Continue reading
By Claire LaughlinPosted in Communication Skills on February 3, 2014
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January 19, 2014
Hey, Hot Head, Don't Say It!
5 Steps to Better Emotional Intelligence
You know you want to. In fact you're dying to pop off some expletives that would make Mom turn ten shades of red. Whether you receive news about a coming reorganization, unrealistic client deadline or one of your peers being absent AGAIN, you've been triggered. Whatever you're thinking at this exact moment, don't say it. And, please, please, please don't e-mail it or text it either. Easy up on that trigger finger, pard’ner.
The news you received is out of your...Continue reading
By Sherri PetroPosted in Communication Skills on January 19, 2014
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January 5, 2014
Talk to Me In Pictures
Learn to Connect with Younger Bosses, Employees & Customers
Quick. Think fast. What’s your first thought when I say “workplace communication?”
Did you think of written communication like texts, emails, memos, policies or reports? Did you think of verbal communication like phone calls, meetings, one-on-ones or the grape vine? Perhaps workplace miscommunication -- a conflict, a rant or your boss’ nonverbals during your last interaction – popped into your mind.
I’d wager that if I ask...Continue reading
By Sherri PetroPosted in Communication Skills on January 5, 2014
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September 22, 2013
React or Respond? For Goodness Sake, Choose Respond!
Four Components of "Whole Communication"
Instructions to create messages that destroy value: Open mouth, insert foot. Instructions to create positive messages that create value: Open mind, open mouth.
I know the former sounds familiar to you. Have you ever thought about the latter? That’s the difference between REACTING and RESPONDING. Responding takes a little time to plan and process, reacting takes no time at all. Just feel free to pop off! I’d be realistic and reduce my...Continue reading
By Sherri PetroPosted in Communication Skills on September 22, 2013
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