Archives for the 'Communications' Category
How to Write a Thank You Note [Ian's Messy Desk]
Posted in Communication Tuesday
I just returned home from a three–day business trip. Even though I was on the clock, I stayed with friends rather than in a hotel. To thank them, I wrote a short note in a card.
Writing a thank-you note does not have to be a complex process. I use a simple five-part [...]
3 Ways to Get Audience Feedback [Ian's Messy Desk]
Posted in Communication Tuesday
While the speaker may seem like the centre of attention, speeches and presentations are a two-way process. The speaker should always be looking for feedback, both during and after the presentation.
Here are three simple ways to get feedback from your audience:
Use eye contact as a tool for continuous feedback.
If you notice people [...]
How to Handle Questions When Giving a Speech [Ian's Messy Desk]
Posted in Communication Tuesday
I once attended a song-writing workshop. The presenter left lots of flexibility for questions throughout the sessions. There was one participant who monopolized the time by asking questions designed to highlight his self-perceived, “advanced” skills as a song writer.
The thing that stayed with me following the workshop was the grace with which the [...]
How to Connect With Your Audience [Ian's Messy Desk]
Posted in Communication Tuesday
Communication works best in an active, not a passive environment. If you want to get your message across to your audience members, you have to connect with them.
Interaction is a continuous way to get feedback on how well your content is understood. It also gives listeners a chance to contribute their experience to the [...]
A Writer’s Shortcut to Stronger Writing [Ian's Messy Desk]
Copyright © 1995 by C.J. Cherryh
Writerisms: overused and misused language. In more direct words: find ‘em, root ‘em out, and look at your prose without the underbrush.
am, is, are, was, were, being, be, been … combined with “by” or with “by … someone” implied but not stated. Such structures are passives. In general, [...]
How to Build Credibility While Giving a Speech [Ian's Messy Desk]
Posted in Communication Tuesday
You’ve signed on to be a conference presenter in your area of expertise. Eighty-four participants have looked at the blurb in the conference brochure and decided they’re interested in your subject matter.
They don’t know too much about you, but the blurb has brought them through the door. How do you hang on to their [...]
Advertising Gets a Hand from Handvertising [Ian's Messy Desk]
Have you ever been to an event where your admission cost allowed you to come and go through the course of the event? They stamp the back of your hand as proof of entry. Handvertising wants to use the back of the hand as advertising space.
Let’s say, for example, Coca Cola is sponsoring a local event. Rather than a [...]
Free Sample Thank You Note Book from Ultimate Resumes [Ian's Messy Desk]
Posted in Communication Tuesday
Liz Handlin’s Ultimate Resumes Blog is one of the regular reads in my Human Resources folder. Over the past few months, she has posted a few times on the importance of a thank you note as follow-up to a job interview.
In response to a lot of Google-driven interest, she has put together [...]
How to Give a Speech [Ian's Messy Desk]
Posted in Communication Tuesday
Okay. You’ve analyzed your audience. You have your speech prepared and practiced. Now comes the difficult part, standing in front of a room full of people and giving the speech.
Here are some tips to help with the delivery of your speech or presentation.
Be yourself; speak naturally.
Whatever your natural self is: formal, “laid [...]
A system to keep in touch with people [Ian's Messy Desk]
In the few months I’ve had a Facebook account, I have connected with a number of friends that I haven’t seen in years. As we re-connect, I wonder why I didn’t do a better job of staying in touch in the first place.
Ray Blake has written a post on keeping connected with people. He says,
People drift [...]