Larson Institute of Self-Mastery Rotating Header Image

Communication

Do You Love to Gossip? Learn How to Stop It

May 18th, 2011
by Guest.
1 comment

GossipAuthor – Nelson Berry

Don’t you just love to gossip? For some reason it is very interesting and engaging to talk about other people’s lives. But then you also know that gossip is entirely wrong. It is completely unproductive and destructive. A lot of relationships have been severed just because of rumors.

How do you stop yourself from gossiping? Consider the following tips:

1. Keep yourself busy. Gossip often happens when you have nothing else better to do. You grab the mobile phone and talk about your other friends with someone. You go online and chat.

One of the best ways therefore to minimize being involved in rumors is to be very productive. When you have a lot of things to do, you won’t have more time for senseless things. Moreover, these activities can occupy your mind.

2. Consider your self-interests first. Before you think of others, think about yourself. Usually, you gossip about others simply because you couldn’t find something interesting about your own life. Perhaps it’s high time you pursue a hobby, take up a sport, or go back to school. Travel or spend more time doing missions and volunteer work. These activities boost self-awareness and self-esteem. Most of all, they inspire you to find more good things in life.

3. Cut back on your sources of gossip. Stop reading your friends’ blogs, watching television (more…)

How to Communicate Effectively: 10 Tips to Enhance Your Communication

May 11th, 2011
by Guest.
No comments yet

Guest author Liz Bostick

  • Be clear. What’s the purpose of your message? Think about what you want to say before you speak to avoid confusing yourself and your audience with irrelevant, tangential information. While also true for written communication, at least you can edit words in print. Unclear about your message or content? Write it down, and rewrite it until it resonates with what you want to communicate.
  • Be simple. Communicate your thoughts in simple language that your audience can understand and relate to. Speak as if you are talking to a friend. Substitute clear and modest language for complicated,esoteric language.
  • Be direct. If you want to communicate a meaningful message, be truthful and sincere. Straight forward communication lends credibility to your message and engages your listeners. Avoid using blunt or provocative statements that might be experienced by your audience as offensive or disrespectful.
  • Be observant. Communicating is an interactive experience. It includes body language and eye contact. Be mindful of your body language. Are you open and accessible? Do you make eye contact with your audience? Eye contact varies across cultures, but generally it lets the audience know that what you’re saying is relevant and meaningful to both of you. (more…)

Why Written Communication Skills Are Important

Apr 26th, 2011
by Guest.
No comments yet

Written CommunicationAuthor: Krystalina Soash

As a writer and public speaker, I often ask myself “What is the purpose of writing and speaking?” And I answer, “It is to communicate a point effectively”. So whether we speak, write a speech or memo, the whole purpose is to communicate effectively. Then we have to ask, “What is it that we are trying to communicate?” 

Following are some important points to keep in mind when attempting to communicate your point: 

  • State your most important point first. That is, what is the basis of your letter, memo, speech or email? State that point in the very beginning so your reader will know what to focus on.
  • When addressing your reader, think about your audience. Who are you actually directing your communication towards? Is it your “in group” that understands your lingo? Is it your professional comrade that understands your jargon? Be sure to only use terms and clichés that are understood by your professional insiders. (more…)

How to Improve Your Conversation Skills and Make Friends

Apr 8th, 2011
by Guest.
No comments yet

ConversataionGuest author Joshua Uebergang

If you are a shy or nervous person by nature, than simple conversations can often be arduous, excruciating affairs, with all of your fears and anxieties plaguing your thoughts and actions. But never fear, there is a simple remedy for you to defeat these fears and anxieties – building for yourself a basic foundation of good conversation skills. Once you improve your conversation skills, you will gain confidence and watch the shyness and nervousness melt away.

RELAX
The easiest way to keep from stumbling all over yourself in a conversation is to try to relax, stay calm, and quiet your racing mind. Become confident by breathing deliberately and slowly to establish a rhythm and you’ll soon be able to focus clearly on what you wish to say in conversation.

ASK MEANINGFUL OR CLARIFYING QUESTIONS
This is an important conversation skill. The ability to expand the discussion through insightful and engaged inquiries reveals to your counterpart that, not only are you paying attention and invested in the conversation, you are taking the time and effort to thoroughly think it through, and that you are willing to cover a particular thing from every possible angle. (more…)

Did You Say What I Heard?

Mar 25th, 2011
by Guest.
No comments yet

ConversationGuest author Rebecca Nagy

I was sitting across from some clients – the topic – “he doesn’t seem to listen to what I am saying”. As I watched the dynamic, I noticed that one of the group kept looking around the room, at his feet, picking imaginary lint off his pants – looking everywhere but at his co-worker. He wasn’t “hearing” what she was saying, he was searching for responses. In my over 20 years of counseling and coaching couples, individuals and groups, the first topic I always address is communication.

Whether you are communicating with a spouse, client or co-worker, the hearing mechanism is key to understanding what is actually being said.

There is a difference between listening and hearing. We “listen” to music – but when we are engaged in conversation we need to “hear” what the other person is saying.

The first key to really hearing someone is to connect to them by looking them straight in the eyes. This way you can get in tune with their body language, flashes of emotion and facial expression. You can also focus better on what is being said, versus what you think they are saying. We listen and hear through filters that are driven by past experiences and the emotional charge related to those experiences. (more…)

Page 2 of 212