BLOG ARTICLES BY AMY
Three Steps to a Great Conversation
Whether you’re in a job interview, meeting new people, or catching up with an old friend, a great conversation is more than just, “I talk, you listen. You talk, I listen.” The art of good conversation takes skill and practice. Here are three steps you can take toward becoming a great conversationalist. 1. Get to know […]
7 Rules for E-Mail Subject Lines
I’ve been on the road training for the past two weeks and will basically be gone for the next four weeks as well. Although I have e-mail access on my cell phone, I’m not always able to check it during the day and e-mails tend to pile up. Part of my sorting process is looking at who […]
10 Communication Tips in 10 Sentences
When writing this blog, I often get long-winded in my attempt to explain, define, provide examples, etc., so that people, “get it.” However, there is some communication advice that is so simple, so succinct, that it doesn’t require explanation. Here are 10 tips I’ve received over the years that can stand on their own. 1. […]
10 Tips for Improving Self-Esteem
When my college interpersonal communication class last met, we discussed the role of self-perception, in the communication process. Part of self-perception is self-esteem, which according to our class text is a person’s evaluation of his or her competence and personal worthiness. Although you’ve probably never thought about how your self-esteem affects your communication, it plays a role in every relationship […]
Make 2012 The Year You BECOME Organized
In preparing for our January “Lunch & Learn” workshop Get Organized Now: Organizing Techniques for Extraordinary Results, I had a thought, “Don’t most of us vow to ‘get’ organized every year?” And if so, why do we need to keep “getting” organized? I realized that what we really need to do is to BECOME organized! […]
Resolution for 2012: Eliminate These 5 Words From Our Vocabulary
Most people don’t like to make New Year’s Resolutions because they don’t last much past January 10th. However, this year, I’m making this one– to eliminate these words from my vocabulary. Any other offenders out there who would like to join me, come on! 1. Like– I’m not saying we should never use the word like, but […]
The Practical Communication Blog Will Return Jan. 3, 2011
Happy holidays and best wishes that 2012 will be the best new year ever for you and yours. If you’re new to the blog, please feel free to go back and review 2011’s posts using the achieve feature to the right. If not a subscriber– get the blog delivered directly to your email each week, […]
When Talk Turns to Money, Tread Lightly
I could blame it on tough financial times, but money has probably always been difficult for people to discuss. For most of us, how much we have, how we choose to spend it, and whether we’re having financial difficulties, are all very personal. Revealing this information can make us feel vulnerable to other people’s judgment […]
The Social Media Train: Get Onboard or Get Left Behind
Regardless of the size of your organization or the nature of your business, if you’re not on board the social media train, you’ll be left standing at the station as your competitors travel into the future. From sole proprietors to non-profits, for-profits, cities, counties, and even school booster clubs– organizations are taking advantage of the […]