In a previous entry, we looked at how our culture typically shames and criticizes people. It is for this reason that some of us resort to putting on acts to get people to like us. Aside from feeling like we have to be the perfect human specimen, we are also often ashamed to admit our […]
Author Archive | speakingthatconnects
Strike a Pose for a More Confident You!
By speakingthatconnects in Blog, Networking, Non-verbal Communication, Presentation Skills, Relationships
Non-verbal cues are an integral factor in effective communication. For example, when we coach presenters, we recommend they begin by standing perfectly still. Not only do speakers look more professional and in control, but the pause helps to calm them and get their bearings at the outset. We also coach clients to be sure to […]
Sales in All Situations
When most of us think of sales, we think of a formal pitch like the one Don Draper offers in this clip from Mad Men. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suRDUFpsHus] While Draper gives an excellent sales presentation, “selling” situations manifest in numerous ways outside of formal business. Leading sales expert Daniel Pink, author of To Sell Is Human: The […]
The Courage to Be Yourself
In the last blog, we covered methods to resolve conflict. One of them was vulnerability… revealing more of who you are and how you feel so others may understand you and your point of view. Let’s examine vulnerability more closely. University of Houston professor Brené Brown, a leading expert in the power of emotional vulnerability, […]
Communication Advice for Relationship Conflicts
Isn’t it a wonder that we can communicate at all? First, we think about what we want to say. Then, we say something that is an echo of our thoughts. The receiver hears what they think we are communicating. Finally, laughingly, they interpret what they think they heard us say. All of this happens in […]
The Power of Powerless Communication
Susan Cain, author of QUIET: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, recently wrote a very interesting piece for The Huffington Post on “powerless communication”. We at Speaking that Connects frequently stress the immense power of communication, so how exactly can it be powerless? It is really a matter of whether […]
Mind Reading for Beginners (Sort Of)
While reading The Wichita Eagle’s “Next Element helps groups with conflict, communication”, which discusses a unique Kansas-based corporate consulting agency, one particular passage stood out, “Partner Nate Regier said that he could tell within 15 minutes at a company staff meeting whether there is a problem, what it is, and how deep it is just […]
Applying Communication Lessons from the Living Room to the Boardroom
There are many similarities between the family and the workplace. For one, both involve groups of people brought together by circumstance, not necessarily by choice. Both also have structures and power dynamics that set the tone for the group as a whole. In a nuclear family, parents usually have the leadership role, much like managers […]
Communication Lessons from The Office
The American version of The Office came to an end one week ago today. While the series often contained farcical situations, it also taught valuable workplace lessons. With the series’ end came a number of articles illustrating these lessons, including “The Office” Finale: Series Offers Workplace Lessons for Students from the USA Today website. While […]
The Taxing State of the Current Election
Tax Day has come and gone, and most of us can now breathe a sigh of relief as the hard part is finally over. While some still await their refunds, the media has showcased a bit of tax drama surrounding the upcoming presidential election. The following example illustrates how communicating only information can result in […]