Here's an unlikely tip for effective communication: if you want to be heard more clearly in conversation: listen harder. Normal American conversational speech is about 125 words a minute. Normal comprehension, on the other hand, can occur at 400 to 500 words a minute. That means you are capable of listening at a rate four to five times faster than the other person can speak. Given the amount of unused ...

When we hear about successful people, we often imagine them as overnight successes who rose to fame and fortune in a short amount of time. However, the truth is that most successful individuals have worked hard for years to get where they are, and success is the result of a lot of hard work, determination, and dedication. It's important to recognize that the road to success is rarely a straight ...

Have you ever been in a meeting, virtual or face-to-face, and suddenly found yourself being put on the spot by a question or by being asked for your input? Is it just me, or does this invariably seem to happen during the 30 seconds you “space out” from time to time during meetings? Or with the recent rise in remote working, rather than being “spaced out”, you were distracted by ...

Being confident while delivering a presentation is an ability that many of us would love to have, but too often our nerves get in the way. While some people are truly born with confidence, it is something that the rest of us can learn. The best public speakers know how important confidence is for a successful presentation – and that it is as much about how you appear to your ...

You have likely heard the common expression, “Slow down to speed up.” It seems counterintuitive, however, if you pay close attention, I am sure you will find countless examples of this playing out in your day-to-day routines. I had an experience a couple of weeks ago that embodies why sometimes going slower will save you time. My wife, children, and I are going on a cruise this summer, and as ...

The prospect of advancing and becoming a leader in one’s field is what motivates many to continue honing their skills and taking on new projects. However, some people are simply born natural leaders, while others will need a bit of practice to develop their skillset. If you are willing to put in the work, there are ways that you can continue to develop your leadership skills and advance further in ...

It's okay to admit it, we've all been there before. You receive a message and instantly become upset, so you immediately respond without thinking twice. But then comes the regret. Sending a text, email, or making a phone call when you're upset is never a good idea. The emotions that we experience can cloud our judgment and lead to consequences that we may later regret. To avoid this situation, it's ...

As the world has shifted further away from more “traditional” methods of communication, such as phone calls and in-person meetings, writing skills have become increasingly important. In the business world, this means that employees and leaders alike must always be proficient, effective, and concise in their writing. Here are a few of the most common business writing mistakes that you should avoid in all of your written communication: Forgetting to ...