Archive for June, 2009
What an Employee Gains from Presentation Skills Training
Posted by: | CommentsThere are many coaching and consulting sessions being offered online on presentations skills training. These training sessions are designed to improve an employee’s ability at public speaking and conducting presentations during corporate and marketing conventions. The change doesn’t happen overnight, but there are certain improvements in your communication skills which you may hope to gain.
An overview
During these training sessions, an employee goes through detailed tutorials on specific subject matters divided into modules. These include an in-depth study on the types of communication which could either be verbal or non-verbal and formal or informal. These are followed by a study and application of skills which an individual needs to develop in order to use all forms of communication well.
One on one
An effective presentation skills training should have instructors going on one-on-one sessions with each candidate before the term ends. Due to individual differences, the problem of one may not be the problem of all. The weakness to overcome in one could be the fear of public speaking, while it may be posture and delivery in another. Going one-on-one also helps develop trust and openness. It facilitates the exchange of problems and solutions between the instructor and the candidate. It removes barriers like self-consciousness, shame, and low self-esteem. It helps develop rapport and confidence in facing a fellow individual before engaging a bigger crowd.
Total development
The complete development of the individual should be the emphasis of an effective presentation skills training. It should not only address the problems or areas or weakness, but it should also shape and reinforce the strengths which an employee already possesses.
On verbal skills, one module should deal with a person’s speech pattern which includes the voice, tone, volume, and especially the content of his or her speech. It should pay attention to habits and mannerisms which get in the way of communicating fluidly. On the written side, another module should help analyze a person’s skill in grammar and composition. Both modules should help broaden an employee’s horizons by encouraging him or her to read, write and research.
Manner of dressing, grooming, and posture are important concerns especially in the corporate world. A certain code is usually observed in corporate dressing, and the do’s and don’t are taught and reminded to candidates. The attire should always be appropriate and respectful to the occasion and to the audience. Body language and postural problems like slouching, fidgeting, or habitual scratching can be corrected through constant practice, instructions and tips.
Exercises are given to develop the employee’s ability to deliver a public speech, organize a presentation, and handle a question-and-answer forum. The individual learns to ask appropriate questions and rephrase questions or statements to make them better understood. Workshops are interactive media which are conducted to evaluate how the individual has learned to react to situations given the lessons on communication and the skills needed to apply them. They help assess situations which could happen in the workplace.
Once an individual’s strengths and weaknesses have been developed and the barriers to effective communication skills removed, employers and companies are also set to gain through better presentations during seminars and trainings in the workplace.
Types of Communication Which Promote Interaction…
Posted by: | CommentsTypes of Communication Which Promote Interaction
The true test of effective commcommunication skill> is when a dynamic interaction happens between two or more people. A relationship evolves when communication happens. Communication is an exchange of ideas, beliefs and emotions, and this exchange flows in a two-way process.
Verbalize it well
People communicate with each other through oral and written means. You can be effective in verbalizing your ideas if you convey them precisely and clearly in words and in writing. Use words which are short, simple, and easy to understand. Remember that the goals of all types of communication is to express, not to impress, so try to stay away from useless jargon.
Above all, what captures and keeps the attention of your audience is the content of what you’re saying and the manner in which you deliver your message. Adjust your tone to the occasion. Keep your tone formal yet genial if it’s a business or corporate gathering, and be warm and conversational if it’s casual talk. Modulate your voice so that it’s not too loud or shrill for comfort. Even if you get carried away by the passion in your emotions or the excitement in your speech, try to control your speed and make occasional pauses. Pause, if not for emphasis, then to allow the other party a chance to speak and you to listen in return. The same applies to the exchange of letter, emails, and other correspondence.
Learn to listen
Most of those who know a lot of things have been good listeners and observers. There is quite a difference between being knowledgeable and educated enough to share as many words as you can from being a learned man who knows when to speak and when to shut up and listen. Other people have their say in the world, too. If you try hard enough to listen, you not only hear what the other person is saying in words but also what he or she is trying to convey in actions and behavior. A closed or slammed door means what it says. A handshake seals the deal. An affectionate hug deserves more hugs back. Some types of communication are hard to read, and it takes a person of good perception and awareness to be able to correctly see through the needs and emotions behind the body language. This is how interaction happens with or without words through verbal and non-verbal means, respectively.
Receive and respond
Once you have received a message, the cycle is completed and interaction happens when you send back a response. The reply may be favorable or not to the sender, but any response is better than no reaction at all. It may come in brief forms like a verbal yes or no and a simple nod or pat on the back which is already understandable and meaningful to the other person. It may also come in the form of an endless exchange of stories and narrations on a variety of topics you both understand and enjoy. This is when interactions are at their best.
Communication skills are much like relationships. They are interpersonal in nature, they need to be developed and enhanced, and they reward you with very satisfying outcomes if you make them a priority in your life.
Growing in Relationship Communication
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Relationships are definitely forged and based on communication. A person’s communication skills can ultimately affect all the relationships that he has. The quality of such relationships may vary depending on how a person communicates with every person that he has a partnership with. Thus said, to make relationship become successful, one must be a master of his own communication means.
relationship communication is a rather fancy way of identifying a form of communication, since communication, in its very essence, is a form of relationship. Relationships are rather difficult to talk about, because people have a subjective way of defining relationships often with postmodern thoughts in mind. In any way, this is the outline of communication modes that you and your partner in use in your relationship.
When speaking of relationship communication, intimate relationships are what most often come to mind. This is because when intimate relationships fail, most people get broken inside. When scrutinized with a keen eye, one factor that comprises a failed relationship is an ineffective communication of thoughts and messages.
In relationships, a lot of nonverbal communication takes place. When expressing love and affection, partners hug and kiss each other along with sweet nothings. On the other side, violence can take place if one partner fails at some point, thereby expressing anger or some other negative emotion.
Such a negative emotion can confuse a person, that’s why he may tend to act irrationally when confronted with such. Feelings of fear, insecurity, jealousy, and loneliness may rise every now and then. Before communicating such emotions, dissect yourself first by finding the reasons on why you are harboring such a feeling. Do not put the blame to anyone and find out the rationality behind this. This way, you could be at a better standing when talking these things over with your partner.
A lot of people ask for the components of a successful relationship. The list may go on and on from trust, to love, to care, to commitment, and so on. The list may never end, but undoubtedly, communication is always a part of each mentioned factor. To do each and every abstraction means communicating it to your partner. That’s why open communication is very crucial for any relationship to work out.
It is also important to realize that feelings and emotions are important communication skills factors. If something feels wrong, talk to your partner about it. There is nothing wrong with settling personal issues, just as long as you don’t brood over them for an extended period of time. It is true that most people do not like feelings as subjects of conversations, but if there’s a need for it, there’s no problem in doing so. More often than not, resolutions are gathered when such things are talked over. Do not force issues though because timing is also critical when such matters are to be discussed.
Besides, words alone cannot truly express what you really feel. If you cannot find the right words, then perhaps you can convey a message by crying. Means of communication may vary from relationship to relationship. It is just up to you and your partner to find out the best means that could work for your relationship.
A person with very good communication skills may be able to handle a lot of things, including but not limited to organization management, information dissemination, expression of personal thoughts and emotions, and handling relationships. There is still so much to talk about communication as far as relationships are concerned, just keep in mind to express when you feel like there’s a need to do so.
Nonverbal Communication as a Major Component of Communication
Posted by: | CommentsMost people think that words constitute majority of communication. There is thus a tendency to focus more on these in improving one’s communication skills. On the contrary, only 7% of communication is composed of words, where the remaining 93% is nonverbal element.
Nonverbal communication, or NVC, is a wordless process of communication. In dividing the mentioned 93%, 38% is made up of the tone of voice, while the remaining 55% includes body language, facial expressions, and gestures. Even other objects such as clothes, hairstyle, and symbols can become media of NVC for delivering certain messages.
Speech alone has its own share of nonverbal elements, such as emotions, intonation, rhythm, stress, speaking style, and voice quality. These make up what is known as paralanguage. Written communication too has its own nonverbal rudiments, and examples of these are style of handwriting, spaces between words, and even emoticons.
No matter how hard one tries not to communicate, this is very impossible. One may argue that he would not speak so as not to communicate, but nonverbal communication can take place even in silence. It is even the first form of communication that a person develops at infancy. As time moves on, a child learns to polish his NVC skills, which are often learned through imitation of what he sees around.
Nonverbal communication is put into use for a number of reasons. First, words are not enough to express what you mean. This single limitation is apparent when one is a describing a thing or giving a direction. The nonverbal elements stress what you want to imply, thus making your delivery of message more powerful and effective.
When speaking of emotions, NVC can send complex thoughts more thoroughly than words. In fact, there are some emotions where it is impossible to merely communicate by merely using words. Researchers have even proven that more feelings are effectively sent and received by using nonverbal signals. Indeed, one must mix verbal and nonverbal elements in order to achieve an effective way of communication.
Perhaps the most common types of nonverbal signals are gestures. The movements of limbs, the flicking of fingers, the nod of the head, the raising of eyebrows and the darting of eyes from one spot to another are examples of such cues. In fact, these are becoming harder and harder to control as there are hundreds and thousands of bodily movements with a distinct message to be relayed. Besides, communicating becomes more vivid with gestures, and body movements cannot hide the real message that is intended to be sent.
Facial expressions are yet another set of gestures that may or may not be intended. This can be faked, but some body parts can betray you, such as the look of your eyes. It is true then that the eyes mirrors your soul’s content, that’s why it is urged to maintain eye contact for a more effective communication.
Distance is also a nonverbal cue, and it is even subdivided into types to distinguish your relationship to the person you are communicating with. The closer you are to a person, the more likely it is that you would be touching that person, which channels yet another set of messages to a person.
There are still a myriad of nonverbal messages that can be effectively relayed which can be another subject of writing. The prevalence of these must not be ignored, since these are the purest messages that can be inadvertently conveyed. Thus, it can be said that your communication skills can be affected by unspoken truths.
Perking Up Your Interpersonal Skills
Posted by: | CommentsCommunication is usually seen as an exchange between two persons to relay and receive messages. Good communication skills are needed to make this exchange an effective one. When one is in the process of constructing his thoughts into words and then putting them in his mouth to be brought to the receptor’s ears, there are certain factors that can greatly affect the message delivered. These are mental and communication patterns that one employs to attain a particular effect.
Such patterns are what you call interpersonal skills. Put plainly, this is how one can relate to others. These are important in an organizational point of view because these can reflect a person’s ability to interact with others. These skills may also be needed in different scenarios, may it be a formal setting or a casual one.
Having positive interpersonal skills instead of the negative ones can help a person by having better socialization with others. In most cases, these can bring about comfortable conversations with others. If one is good at relating with others in a difficult situation, he does not let his emotions take over. Instead, his feelings are controlled, allowing him to react professionally in such a case. Thus, the whole organization also benefits by the minimal occurrence of conflicts.
Its importance can also be stressed at how people can see and perceive a person, which could ultimately affect everyday living and future goals. It is then more essential to be able to deal effectively with the people you are surrounded with than merely having great ideas alone. Fortunately though, one cannot be doomed for being unskilled in relating interpersonally. One can always have room for improvement, as they always say.
To start improving communication skills, one has to be friendly when around other people. Smile as often as you could. This brings about a good aura, and people like to surround themselves with positive energy. There are very few people who spend their time with others who wallow in misery, so practice smiling a lot. Using humor will prove to be an effective tool as well.
In addition, appreciating the little things that others do for you will also help. Find little word that can encourage, praise, thank, and welcome people. Make an effort to let people know that they are greatly appreciated. Don’t forget to pay attention to them as well and keep an eye contact when communicating. You might be very busy and all, but you can still return attention with active listening.
Furthermore, it would also be a good thing to be that person who brings everyone together. This would create a harmonious environment where people are motivated enough not to make conflicts with others and not to talk behind each others’ backs. It would also bring about a sense of trust and confidence with each other.
With this, you should also communicate what you have to say clearly. Avoid being obscure to avoid misunderstandings. Speaking of communicating effectively, you also have to be empathic. This can be achieved by keeping in touch with both your emotions and others as well. This way, you would be in a better position to understand what is going on with others.
If one starts doing the little practices mentioned, his interpersonal capacities will greatly improve, thus making a great leap toward better communication skills. So start early on for a better you and make the world a tad better place to work and live in.
The Benefits of Communications Training
Posted by: | CommentsBusiness organizations need individuals with very good communication skills. They even invest money for the training and further education of their employees as far as their skills are concerned. This is because successful business transactions can be attained through effective communication. The appropriate communication abilities may change from every scenario, hence it is essential to enhance and develop a person’s skills, depending on his role in a particular organization.
Communication is a vital skill that is very necessary in everyday situations. In the case of organizations, substrata are formed within the organizational structure. A well-founded organization thrives on the good interaction between and within each stratum, which aids in achieving the mission and vision of an organization. Leaders of organizations must consider the implementation of communications training in order to see how the members of the organization gauge as far as communication is concerned and related to the group interactions within the whole structure.
Communications training have different types that could assess, evaluate, and improve different skills that are necessary for effective delivery and reception of messages. These are the development of listening, public speaking, asserting, and influencing skills. Further skills that will be very useful for an organization are trainings in customer service, conflict response, facilitation, negotiation, and presentation. Written communication enhancements must also be considered, so trainings in business correspondence and technical writing are just as important as the others.
These trainings might seem like a lot, but its benefits reach far more than expected. This is the very reason why organizations must devote resources dedicated to such developments. In the business field, the communication and assertion skills developed from the trainings can assist in delivering the right message to the right person at the right time. This can bring about good management, solid relationships, and formation of new partnerships, which are all important in the expansion of a business network.
The trainings can also be of great significance to executive and corporate events, specifically in meetings. The facilitation and presentation skills that can be gathered from the trainings will come into play in meetings, since meetings are very important events wherein certain decisions are thought, discussed, debated, and finalized that could be very crucial to an organization’s growth and survival.
People who are trained in such may also enable themselves to employ effective communications despite stressful and pressure-driven environments. This is particularly important in coming up with solutions to resolve existing conflicts in the organization. In the field of sales and marketing, the enhanced public speaking skills can bring about better presentations and greater confidence as well.
When one undergoes trainings for the development of their communications skills, communication strategies can be formed, which can then be incorporated into organizational plans, and inevitably attain and maintain effective communication within the workplace, high productivity, excellent customer service, adaptability to changes, firm employee motivation, competent teams, and organizational unity. With this at hand, the goals of an organization are within reach, thanks to trainings dedicated to the foundation of effective communications within all the rungs of the organizational hierarchy.
Assertive Communication: Saying What You Need to Say
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communication skills are key to our day to day dealings with people. With them, we can either pass the day chatting away about anything under the sun or end up getting into a scrap over a few minor misunderstandings. The primary use of communication, however, is to pass along a message in order to influence those around us to see things our way. This is actually not as evil or insidious as it sounds, since influencing people is something that we do with every word we utter.
We cannot change the fact, however, that there are just some things we can say that can either offend or anger people. This is where an assertive touch to communication steps in.
What is assertive communication?
In a nutshell, communicating assertively allows a person to communicate his or her will, thoughts and requests in such an effective but inoffensive manner. The primary objective of such assertiveness is then to pass along a strong message directly and clearly while the receiver perceives the message in a positive light.
What benefits does it bring?
Some people clam up and maintain a placating and submissive style of communication in order not to get into conflict with other people. Others carelessly shoot their mouths off, saying whatever they want to say without concern about how the recipient accepts the message. These are the people who lack the communication skills to effectively get the message across to the other party.
Communicating assertively is the bridge between preventing conflict and saying what needs to be said. Words are spoken in such a manner that will provoke acceptance in the other party, not just blind obedience. Since the message was communicated with respect and strength, you can expect the other person to see things your way and accept that point of view openly and willingly.
How is it different from other types of communication?
Assertive communication is about blending respect with power together. You respect the recipient of the message, who will in turn respect the message you have to deliver. You also deliver the message in a powerful enough manner that the receiving party will be able to hear what you say clearly and effectively. This is the secret to communicating assertively, and will prove to be a reliable method of communication in the long run.
How do I learn to communicate assertively?
While a person can grasp the basics of the respect and power, it takes a lot of time and effort to be able to learn how to communicate assertively. The fine balance required is a difficult line to cross, and you could just end up looking fake and manipulative if you are unable to do apply that balance in a natural manner. As such, a skilled trainer in the art of assertiveness is your best bet to learning how to naturally communicate messages with both respect and power.
Remember that communicating assertively is an essential aspect of proper communication skills. Learn how to do so, and you will effectively influence those around you without necessarily having to subdue them with force.
Communication Skills Training: The Five Basic Pointers
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communication skills are an essential tool for us to interact with our social environment. Refining them would give us a serious advantage, from influencing others to our train of thought to imparting information in a quick and efficient manner. These skills, however, are not influenced by our words alone. At least five basic components define a person’s ability to communicate effectively.
As such, communication skills training focuses on these five basic components:
Content of message
This is perhaps the most obvious component of communication, since words and symbols generally have explicit meanings attached to them. The bulk of training then focuses on mastering the content of the message in order to both send and receive messages in an appropriate manner. It must be realized, however, that the content of the message is not the only factor that defines a person’s communication skills.
Method of delivery
The manner in which a message is delivered also augments the message that it contains. Spoken words have a very different impact when you compare them to written words. The various media of communication, from face-to-face communications to telephone conversations to online seminars, all present a message quite clearly, but the effects vary along with the way these messages are presented.
Context of situation
A message, no what it is or how it is delivered, will have a very different effect with the passage of time and space. A person has to take into consideration the environment when the message is delivered, as this environment may either improve the reaction to the message or twist it into some misunderstanding that will be very hard to clear up.
Nonverbal gestures
The mouth and the pen are not the only aspects considered in communication skills training. The movement of the body, from fumbling and fussing to minute muscle spasms and twitches, serves as an indicator of a person’s true intent. Few people are consciously aware of their nonverbal gestures, but these gestures will definitely be noticed and interpreted by the recipients.
Status of participants
Respect for participants in communications skills training, or any other training for that matter, is essential.Trainees may not be able to understand what is being said, as they are not yet aware of the content of the training. This may cause an inexperienced trainer to think that they are not interested in the information being passed to them. The trainer must adjust his or her approach when dealing with a diverse range of people.
It is worth noting that these five basic components of effective communication skills are not so easily mastered. It takes a great degree of training and experience to be able to fully comprehend these five components, and the only way to truly hone one’s mastery of them all is to either communicate extensively using trial and error or acquire the services of a professional trainer. The latter is a much more time and cost effective method of mastering these five components, and doing so will allow you to learn the ropes in a much more comprehensive and structured manner.
Matching Sales Team Requirements With Management Input
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In commercial terms we should seek to develop our teams in two specific areas i.e. Competence and Commitment.
Competence consists of the combination of knowledge and skills whilst Commitment is a combination of confidence and motivation.
The degree to which a person has achieved certain combinations of these factors can be defined as Development Levels. They represent the person’s development in the job.
The four development levels are:
Level 4: High Commitment & High Competence
Level 3: High Competence & Variable Commitment
Level 2: Some Competence & Low Commitment
Level 1: Low Competence & High Commitment
I realise that one or two additional levels could be added i.e. Some Competence & Variable Commitment etc. but as I have already stated, simplicity is essential
This grading is then translated into the style of management required to obtain the best results from each individual and forms the basis of the Controlled Management model that we devised in 1995 i.e.
Level 4: Delegating i.e. Low Supportive & Low Directive
Level 3: Directing i.e. Low Supportive & High Directive
Level 2: Supporting i.e. High Supportive & High Directive
Level 1: Coaching i.e. High Supportive & Low Directive
Whilst conducting this exercise you should consider taking the opportunity to not only classify the level at which you believe each member of the team is at right now but also where you feel they could get to in terms of their future potential and what needs to be done to get them there.
The areas that you should consider assessing regularly are:
Internal Sales Competence Areas
â?¢ Personal Organisation
â?¢ Communication
â?¢ Business Development
â?¢ Qualification
â?¢ interpersonal skills
â?¢ Integration Skills
â?¢ Resilience
â?¢ Pro-Activity
â?¢ Team Working
â?¢ Motivation
External Sales Competence Areas
â?¢ Planning
â?¢ Communication
â?¢ Presentation Skills
â?¢ Business Development
â?¢ Account Management
â?¢ Opportunity Assessment
â?¢ Negotiation Skills
â?¢ Attitude
â?¢ Team Membership
â?¢ Process & Methodology
â?¢ Pro-Activity
â?¢ Organisational Skills
Consultative Sales Competence Areas
â?¢ Organisational Skills
â?¢ Communication
â?¢ Presentation Skills
â?¢ Business Development
â?¢ Opportunity Assessment
â?¢ Interpersonal Skills
â?¢ Creative Thinking
â?¢ Critical Thinking
â?¢ People Awareness
â?¢ Integration Skills
â?¢ Resilience
â?¢ Strategic Approach
â?¢ Pro-Activity
â?¢ Negotiation Skills
â?¢ Key Account Management
â?¢ Team Membership
â?¢ Process & Methodology
I would also suggest that the following areas are critical to your own development and as a consequence, you might want to frequently stand back and benchmark your performance.
â?¢ Personal Organisation
â?¢ Internal & External Communication
â?¢ Creative Thinking
â?¢ Critical Thinking
â?¢ Resilience
â?¢ Pro-Activity
â?¢ People Awareness
â?¢ Organisational Skills
â?¢ Project Leadership
â?¢ Public Speaking & Presentation Skills
â?¢ Leadership
â?¢ Vision
â?¢ Motivational Management
â?¢ Delegation
In Summary:
The secret of designing a performance assessment programme, is to construct something that is as simple as possible to understand and implement, whilst retaining the means to benchmark performance as objectively as possible.
My own teams have become used to a quarterly QBR (Quarterly Business Review) where their performance against all of their targets – not just the financial ones is reviewed. The results from the four QBR meetings provide the foundation for the annual appraisal.
“What Should An Effective Quarterly Business Review Achieve?” follows.
The moral right of the author, Jonathan Farrington, has been asserted. All rights reserved. This publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system or otherwise, unless this notification of copyright is retained.
Jonathan Farrington
http://www.articlesbase.com/leadership-articles/matching-sales-team-requirements-with-management-input-54856.html
Basic Grammar and Usage Checker © – Can it Improve Your Writing?
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Basic Grammar and Usage Checker – do we really need it? Can it actually change our writing performance? Writing is being used daily by most of us for a wide range of assignments – finding new jobs, writing personal or business Emails, writing essays and articles etc. The following article will show you how you can easily transform your English writing accurate, rich and professional.
Some basics
Basic Grammar and Usage Checker helps on building, correct phrasing ,and rephrasing our English sentences so they become accurate, clean, and fluent. These solutions are based on a large database, similar to spell checkers, just that here they compare your writing to proper grammatical variations of your sentences. Sophisticated language processing solutions usually offer the following: editing and proofreading, checking on spelling and typos, and most importantly analyzing our grammar writing.
Main benefits
What is in it for us?
- Helping us to better achieve our writing goals.
- Providing extra capabilities which do not exist in conventional word processors.
- Improving our inter-personal communication.
Looking closer on this technology, we could easily find other advantages that aren’t mentioned here, as this advanced tool is constantly moving forward, bringing us fresh improvements and ideas that help us on improving our Grammar writing and proofreading skills.
Conclusion
Basic Grammar and Usage Checker technology provides the opportunity to improve our writing style, making it correct and fluent. Can this technology provide better results than a human proofreader? Probably not, but it helps with common grammar and punctuation proofreading. Although it brings many challenges to software developers, we can expect this solution to further develop itself, simply because writing is among the most significant tools that help us with many of our day-to-day assignments, whether at home, at school, or in the office.
Gil Lavitov
http://www.articlesbase.com/self-publishing-articles/basic-grammar-and-usage-checker–can-it-improve-your-writing-545318.html