Leap Year, February 29th, only comes around once every four years. It's a special occasion, but so is your communication with others. Every single time you communicate with someone, it's a special occasion because it's a time when you will either connect with and share something special with someone or a time when you will offend and build a wall between someone and yourself.
If you take time to look at and consider carefully each and every time you communicate with someone...if you think of it as a special occasion, I think it will be easier for you to remember to make sure you do so effectively and in grace. To that end, I have provided links to some of my most important communication articles to start you off with this year.
Why Communication Skills Are So Important:
"Communication is a word you’ve probably heard since you were young, but I’ll bet you can’t define it. Some people think communication is talking, conversation, making a speech or persuading someone of something. Others think it’s manners, etiquette or social graces....Everyone learns to talk. Very few learn to communicate effectively. It isn’t because it’s a set of skills only important for lawyers and politicians. It’s because society fully understands when communication is done badly, but does not understand that the reason behind the conflicts, divorce, lost job opportunities, and failed businesses is most often an inability to effectively express the vision." -Click the above link to read the entire article.
Communication Technology Doesn’t Replace Communication Skill!
"Did you know that 87% of what you do all day is communication related? Or that only 43% of people surveyed said they are effective communicators? Effective communication is a dying art. Know how I know? Call any company and see how fast you can reach a live body. When you get one, how often are you frustrated with the customer service you receive?" -Click the above link to read the entire article.
Top 10 Reasons to Improve Your Communication Skills
"Studies show that effective communicators do better in school, have deeper relationships, longer marriages, are more successful, make more money and are generally happier than their less articulate counterparts. The Lord felt communication skills so important for our lives that He mentions communication skills literally HUNDREDS of times in His Word." -Click the above link to read the entire article.
What Most People Don't Realize About Communication Skills:
Influence of Texting on Communication Skills
"Nd U 2 gt rpt 2me by fri5. Bob. Can you imagine receiving this email from a high level manager at a major corporation? What would you think of the company who sent this to you, their customer? If you think this is a an exaggeration, guess again! Many researchers believe that texting and email have contributed to the drastic decrease in effective communication skills of this generation. In this article, I am going to cover how texting and email have caused our skills to deteriorate even in the corporate world, how laziness has helped to increase miscommunication, how the impersonal nature of technological communication has increased rudeness and aggression, and hampered our friendships and other social skills. Lastly, I’m going to share some tips that will help you and your children avoid these pitfalls increasing your chances of success in your personal and professional life." -Click the above link to read the entire article.
Are We Just Too Broke to Pay Attention?
"Life’s busy in the 21st Century, but if we all take just a few moments to really read or listen to the other party, we might actually save ourselves a great deal of time and frustration. Read those emails carefully before you reply. Actively listen to the speaker before you respond. Move that milk carton just a smidge! You just might answer your own question…before you spend endless nanoseconds to ask it!" -Click the above link to read the entire article.
How Important is Face-to-Face Communication in the Computer Age?
"This is the Information Age where instead of walking down the street to talk to a neighbor, we email them. In order not to spend a half an hour chatting with a chatty friend, we text them. In lieu of spending time with extended family, we catch up with them on Facebook. How important is face to face or at least voice to voice communication in the Computer Age? Are our relationships missing something? Have we “technologized” ourselves into a nameless, faceless communication pattern that leaves our relationships lacking? I think we have!" -Click the above link to read the entire article.
Relationships are All About Communication!
"Good relationships rely on effective communication skills. It’s a huge part of our friendships, our parenting and our professional life. Studies have shown that effective communicators have better relationships, closer friendships, make more money and are generally happier people. Why? Because effective communicators have the ability to relate with others, the confidence to express their needs/desires and possess the ability to persuade others to adopt or otherwise act on their ideas." -Click the above link to read the entire article.
Make sure to look before you leap into your communication to make sure you are the most effective in your relationships. You'll find more of my most popular articles here!
And don't forget that today is the last day to get our Valentine Special Package that helps you gain confidence and comfort in sharing your faith and speaking in grace.