Improve Your Communication Skills (Creating Success)

✍ Scribed by Alan Barker

• Publisher: Kogan Page
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 160
• Edition: 2nd
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Communicate in a professional manner in any situation. Whether you're making a sales pitch or addressing a large audience, there are ways to get your message across clearly and effectively every time. Using everyday language, Alan Barker shows how to achieve verbal, vocal and visual success in seven easy steps. Practical pointers, examples and templates are included for all forms of communication, including writing for the web, public speaking, conducting interviews and even casual conversation.

✦ Table of Contents

Contents......Page 5
About this book......Page 7
What is communication?......Page 9
The three levels of understanding......Page 10
Conversation: the heart ofcommunication......Page 16
What is a conversation?......Page 18
Putting conversations in context......Page 20
Working out the relationship......Page 22
Setting a structure......Page 27
Managing behaviour......Page 29
Seven ways to improve your conversations......Page 32
1. Clarify your objective......Page 33
2. Structure your thinking......Page 34
3. Manage your time......Page 41
4. Find common ground......Page 43
5. Move beyond argument......Page 44
6. Summarise often......Page 47
7. Use visuals......Page 48
The skills of enquiry......Page 52
Paying attention......Page 53
Treating the speaker as an equal......Page 57
Cultivating ease......Page 58
Encouraging......Page 59
Asking quality questions......Page 60
Rationing information......Page 62
Character, logic and passion......Page 64
What’s the big idea?......Page 67
Arranging your ideas......Page 71
Expressing your ideas......Page 75
Remembering your ideas......Page 77
Delivering effectively......Page 78
When is an interview not aninterview?......Page 80
Preparing for the interview......Page 81
Structuring the interview......Page 83
Types of interview......Page 84
Making a presentation......Page 102
Putting yourself on show......Page 104
Preparing for the presentation......Page 105
Managing the material......Page 106
Defining your objective......Page 107
Controlling the audience......Page 119
Looking after yourself......Page 121
Answering questions......Page 122
Writing for results......Page 124
Making reading easier......Page 125
Writing step by step......Page 126
Designing the document......Page 127
Writing a first draft......Page 140
Editing the draft......Page 142
Writing for the web......Page 148