Debunking the myth that all conflict is bad

Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.” Matthew 5:25

Nobody likes conflict.  It’s always uncomfortable, often frustrating, mostly intimidating and almost never easy, but it isn’t always bad.  In fact, it can actually make things better than they were before the conflict arose.  You probably think my trolley has derailed, but stick with me a few minutes as I share the five ways in which conflict can be a good thing.

1. Clear the air of misunderstandings

Conflicts rarely arise from perfectly contented parties.  Conflict usually means that at least one of the participants is unhappy about something.  This unhappiness usually doesn’t resolve itself.  It takes a discussion which often becomes a conflict in order to bring it out into the open where it has a chance to be resolved.  Conflict can be a good thing if it is handled correctly because it has the ability to clear the air of the underlying issues allowing the parties involved to resolve their differences amicably.

2. Increase honesty in a relationship

Even if a disagreement isn’t an important issue in a relationship, a slight disagreement kept in secret has a way of festering causing an air of dishonesty in a relationship that can create other problems later on.  A discussion of an ongoing issue may bring an honesty to the relationship that may build a trust that might not have been there had the discussion not taken place.

3. Make friendships closer

Honesty builds trust and trust is what relationships need to weather the storms.  All relationships will have storms, but those who are equipped to handle them will come through it even stronger.  Relationships that are devoid of honesty and trust will have a much more difficult time doing so.

4. You might learn something

Conflicts have several underlying unanswered questions at their heart.  Bringing these questions out in the open allows the free flow of information as communication is in its purest form.  This is where listening affords us the ability to learn something about the other person or his views that will help us better understand him or the world around us.

5. Better relations with customers

Not only do our personal relationships benefit from some conflict (resolution), but our business relationships do as well.  I worked in customer service with two large companies when I was young.  I served 7 years.  Got off for good behavior.  But seriously, I learned one very important thing from all the complaints I handled over those years.  Conflict is an opportunity.   Handled correctly, conflict can result in a customer so satisfied with your company that he is more loyal now than he would have been had he never had a conflict to be resolved.  Without the conflict, Mr. Customer might have thought the company offered a decent product at a reasonable price.  After having Sally Sunshine handle his customer service complaint, he could be so incredibly impressed that he recommends ABC Company to everyone he knows.

Conflicts don’t always work out this way, but they are opportunities to better our relationships.  If we think of conflict this way, we are less likely to be intimidated by them and more likely to resolve them in a way that, at the very least, is less painful and frustrating than we had first expected and, at best, increases our blessings through closer relationships in our personal and professional lives.

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JoJo Tabares is the author of Say What You Mean: Avoiding, Reducing and Resolving Conflicts.  She holds a degree in Speech Communication, but it is her humorous approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian speaker and writer.  Her articles appear in publications such as Crosswalk.com, DrLaura.com, Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula.  For more information on her Christian-based communication studies, audio classes and webinars for the whole family, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com, subscribe to her newsletter and join her on Facebook!

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The Persuasion Myth

Since we spent the entire month of August discussing shyness, I want to spend a little time this month discussing the other side of that coin.  Last week, I talked about The Assertiveness Myth.  This week, I’d like to talk about the myth that every good communicator can always convince the other person of anything.

The problem with this myth is three-fold:

1. It puts  a great deal of pressure on the communicator.

If you think you will be able to convince everyone, you’ll be a very stressed and frustrated communicator.

2. It puts a great deal of pressure on the one he’s trying to convince.

As we discovered in last week’s article, assertiveness isn’t the answer to every issue.  However, what you also need to know is that it can be a big detriment.  You know this to be true because you have often felt pushed into a corner when someone harped on something too long.  You dug in your heels and were even more determined to stand your ground the longer Mr. Assertiveness talked. Why is this so bad?

Because what happens after someone has tried to be assertive too long?  Does the other person just go back to treating Mr. Assertiveness the way he always has or does he try to steer clear of that topic?  Avoid him altogether?  React with immediate and violent negativity any time anyone attempts to have a similar discussion with him?

3. It doesn’t take into account the will of the listener.

Why can’t even a great communicator convince everyone all the time?  Because communication is a two way street.  Not only does it require one person effective in getting his or her point across the way in which it was intended, but it also requires that the other person accept it.

Effective communication is the act of transfering information in a way that the other person understands what you are saying.  Persuasion is quite another thing.  You can explain to me why you believe tree trunks are blue or that rocks are squishy.  Though you may make a logical case, I probably won’t accept your conclusion.

A good communicator can always express himself well and that will go a long way in persuasion, but the other person holds all the cards afterward. It’s up to them to either accept or reject what you have presented.

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The Assertiveness Myth

All this month, we’ve been talking about shyness.  On the flip side of shyness is assertiveness, but it’s not all it’s cracked up to be either.  Check out this article, The Assertiveness Myth:

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” -2 Timothy 1:7

In the 70’s and 80’s there was a fashion trend (a fad) in communication.  Assertiveness Training was all the rage.  It presumed that most people were shy and needed to assert themselves in order to take their rightful place in a conversation and get their point across.  It was believed that charisma and persuasion were the solution to everything from winning arguments to getting ahead in your career.  It’s motto was speak loudly and carry a large attitude.

In its heyday, the lesson of 2 Timothy 1:7 was badly distorted by this movement.  People were encouraged to disregard respect for others in favor of some rather obnoxious behavoirs like repeatedly demanding something until the other person acquiesced.  Assertiveness gave way to outright aggression in the name of self-esteem.  Many touting Assertiveness Training all but convinced us that you could have no self-esteem unless your point of view was accepted or at least persuasively put forth.

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” Ephesians 4:29

This new found assertiveness-turned-aggression was wreaking havoc on relationships.  Even those with a naturally bold personality found that this new brand of assertiveness came off as just plain rude.  For one thing, being assertive is not the same thing as being aggressive.  Assertiveness without grace or respect is rude and in the wrong circumstances is ineffective or even counterproductive.

The line between being assertive and being aggressive was virtually erased by this training.  Let’s go back to basics for a minute.  Assertiveness, as defined by Merriam Webster, means “disposed to or characterized by bold or confident statements and behavior.”  Aggressiveness is defined as “marked by combative readiness.”  The Lord tells us to be bold for He has not given us a spirit of fear, but He also clearly implores us to be respectful and gracious when communicating with others.

There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.” Proverbs 12:18

Another problem with this variety of “assertiveness” is that it isn’t well suited to all situations.  There is a time and a place for assertiveness.  While it’s important to speak up for what is right, it is equally as important to do so at the right time and in grace.  Your mother was right!  Manners are vitally important.  You do catch more bees with honey than you do with vinegar so it’s important to wait our turn to speak instead of insisting upon equal time.  It is often necessary to hold our tongue when it isn’t the time or place for a particular discussion.  Further, it’s sometimes beneficial to lose the battle in order to win the war.  Speaking up is an important part of communicating and learning to do that effectively doesn’t always require assertiveness as much as it does grace, respect and a bit of training.  Sometimes the situation requires finesse, understanding, love, respect, logic, explanation, rapport or support.

Even a place where aggressive communication used to be the norm is no longer considered appropriate or effective.  Conventional thinking about both leadership and parenting styles have also changed in recent times.  It’s no longer fashionable for a leader to bark out orders and the face of leadership has changed to a more relational style.  Children usually respond better when parents explain their reasoning, allow for discussion and let their children know they were heard.   “Because I said so” and “do as I say, not as I do” never really worked well.   Parents need to be an example for kids not just an authority.  Respect on both sides of the parenting aisle goes a long way to a healthy family dynamic.

Assertiveness, even if it isn’t aggressive, is not the answer to every conversation.  Persuasion isn’t always necessary or effective.  Effective communication is so much more complex than this.  Every person is unique, every encounter presents a unique situation and each calls for a different approach.  Making friends and making a speech are not interchangeable, therefore, they each require a different set of communication techniques where assertiveness may or may not be appropriate.

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JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication, but it is her humorous approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian speaker and writer.  Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula.  You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com.  For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication skills for the whole family, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com

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Today is Be An Angel Day

Today is Be An Angel Day and the perfect time to talk about grace.  Here’s a short article I wrote a while back.  We can be an angel to those we meet by following this advice today and always.

Let Your Speech Be Always With Grace

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Colossians 4:6

God knows the heart of every man and in that heart is a different way of looking at the world. We may not always be able to see things as others do, but we have one powerful verse that tells us what we can do to be effective when we communicate with every man. God tells us to let our speech be always with grace. Giving grace allows us to forgive and forget a wrong, a word spoken in haste, a misunderstanding, a poor choice of words on someone else’s part.

How many times have we said (or wanted to say) something harsh to someone because we thought they “done us wrong” only later to find out it was a misunderstanding on our part? Weren’t you glad you didn’t? Or didn’t you wish you had shown them grace?

The Lord tells us that our communication default mode should be grace. Grace-filled communication allows us to share our hearts with other hearts that we don’t totally understand. Being gracious, even when we don’t feel it is justified, allows us to reach out, to lift up, to support, to share our hearts, to educate, to inform and to save face.

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Myth that God will always give you the words you need

One of the excuses I hear for why people choose not to study communication skills is that the Lord will give us the words we need when we need them. In other words, God will speak through all of us and, presumably, in every situation. There is some scriptural precedent for this. Here are a few instances where the Lord tells us that some people were given the words needed in a particular situation.

But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.” Matthew 10:19

Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.” Jeremiah 1:9

However, if we take a closer look, we will find a few problems with thinking that we don’t need knowledge in order to speak eloquently, persuasively and effectively.

1. This doesn’t necessarily apply to all of us or to all situations.

In Matthew 10:19, Jesus was talking to his disciples as they were going to be brought before governors and kings for his sake. Jeremiah 1:9 also speaks of a specific person in a particular situation.

It doesn’t say that everyone will speak this way. It also doesn’t say that these people will speak God’s perfect words all the time. Remember, too, that the disciples were learning from Jesus before they were ever sent out to speak for Him.

God doesn’t always give us the perfect words, does He? How many times have you been misunderstood? How many times have you said something that was incorrect? How many times have you not been sure of what to say? How many times have you said something that hurt someone?

2. Consider what the Lord says about gaining wisdom or knowledge.

Gaining wisdom and knowledge isn’t unnecessary or unbiblical. In fact, God tells us that there is more to knowledge than just knowing our Bibles. He says fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” –Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!” -Psalm 111:10

God’s Word tells us to gain wisdom.

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” –Proverbs 4:7

3. We don’t apply the same thinking to other knowledge.

If the Lord intended for us to gain all our wisdom and knowledge from the Bible, we would have no need of schools or institutions of higher learning. If God intended for us to be fed by Him everything we needed to know to live in this world, we wouldn’t need to learn a trade. We wouldn’t read books on business, personal development, or even devotionals.

4. Consider how many times God warns us about our communication.

The Bible warns us to speak in grace, about being careful not to offend our brothers, and cautions us about our lips, mouths, tongues and words hundreds and hundreds of times.

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” -Colossians 4:6

An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of the citadel.” Proverbs 18:19

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” Proverbs 25:11

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” -Proverbs 18:21

I do believe that God may call to mind a scripture as we are talking to someone, but God asks us to prepare for our encounters.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” 1Peter 3:15

Just as we prepare for our jobs, we should also prepare to communicate with others. I believe the Lord is pretty big on preparation. He prepares a woman’s body for children and He prepared the disciples for ministry.

Consider the story/joke about the man sitting on the roof of his house during a flood waiting for God to rescue him. He let the boat and a helecopter go by because he was waiting on God. When he died, he asked God why He didn’t save him from the flood. God said he sent him a boat and a helicopter!  LOL  In the same way, we need to use what God provides to prepare us to speak eloquently, persuasively and effectively.

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JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication, but it is her humorous approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian speaker and writer.  Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula.  You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com.  For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication skills for the whole family, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com

 

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What is shyness?

I wrote this article several years ago, but shyness is such a powerful force in someone’s life, it’s worth repeating.  I’m talking about shyness all month leading up to this month’s webinar on the 28th. If you have a shy child, you need to be there!  Check it out here.

Spirit of Fear
By JoJo Tabares

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” -2 Timothy 1:7 KJV

Fear in speaking with others is timidity or what we call shyness.  According to Webster’s dictionary, shyness means “sensitive and hesitant in dealing with others”.  This is not the spirit of power that should be present inside the Christian for we know that with the Lord all things are possible and, if the Lord is for us, who can be against us?

Research shows that 87% of what we do all day is communication related.  Maybe that is why the Bible speaks about communication skills hundreds of times.  The Father gives each of us a mission in life and something to say that someone needs to hear.  He also tells us to go out and share the Good News.  God doesn’t say this lightly knowing that some are born with confidence and some are born with shyness!  He tells us this because He has put within each one of us the tools needed to stand up and share with His children each in our own way.

Many people mistakenly think that shyness is a character trait or a personality flaw.  It is not.  For the most part, it is the result of not being comfortable or experienced with certain aspects of communication for some period of time.  The longer a person has experienced himself as shy, the stronger its hold over him.  Communication is actually a set of skills that can be learned and must be practiced to reach mastery.  Anyone and everyone can learn them.  Not everyone will have the same aptitude, but all can learn to be comfortable and confident enough in order to complete the work the Lord has given them in their life!

The challenge is to find the appropriate key to unlock and let go of the shyness within.  I liken learning communication skills to swimming because the analogy is fairly accurate.  When teaching a young child to swim, a common technique is to throw them into the ocean or pool.  The child is supposed to use instincts to get to the other side as they are carefully watched over by their parent.  The idea is that when they get to the other side, they realize that they didn’t drown and actually accomplished the goal.  Unfortunately, that method works only about half the time!  The other half of the time it goes like this:  The child is petrified!  They are thrown into the water and panic sets in.  Instinctively they thrash about and somehow make it to the other side.  Instead of feeling relieved and excited that they accomplished their goal of swimming, they are now terrified of water and they vow never to do that again!

So it is with speech classes.  Some children run into my classes, sit in the front row and can’t wait to get up to speak!  The other half are kicked in by their parents, stand at the entrance wide-eyed resembling a deer in the headlights and sit down after some coaxing on my part.  What happens inside that first speech class is critical!  Will they feel comfortable enough to take more steps along the road to effective communication skills or will they grit their teeth and bear it making a solemn vow before God to avoid any further speaking opportunities that might come along?

The idea isn’t to get them through a speech class.  The goal is to create a more confident and powerful speaker who will have the spirit of power in the Lord!  To that end, I teach with humor.  It disarms the fear allowing them to forget that they expected it to be hard and scary.  I don’t throw them in the water.  Instead, I have them stick their big toe in, giving them a chance to acclimate their body to the water’s temperature.  This allows them to take baby steps further in the ocean we call communication.

Where did I get my training for this?  Some might think it was at California State University, Northridge where I got my degree in Speech Communication, but they would be wrong.  It was from a little girl who was terrified to speak- not only in public, but one on one.  It was that little girl who grew up lonely and afraid of so many things.  It was that painfully shy girl who missed out on so much.  She taught me a lot about what shy children need.  Many of my students thank me for the training she provided.  Her name?  JoJo.

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JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication, but it is her humorous approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian speaker and writer.  Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula.  You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com.  For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication skills for the whole family, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com

 

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What you may not have heard about the Phoenix Bible study case

One of my communication pet peeves is Selective Disclosure. I must admit I’m more likely to object when it is on the other side of the political agenda, but it can be damaging to the Christian conservative platform when it is practiced by us as well.  Then we are the ones looked upon with disdain.

I’m sure you’ve heard about the Phoenix home Bible study that was shut down and its host jailed for a month and fined $12K.  While I do believe the issue started as discrimination against Christians, you may not have heard is the entire story.

Many other groups meet here in Phoenix and don’t get bothered, Bible studies included.  What happened here, I believe, was that they tried to comply, ran into a bigger issue and dug in their heels.

This was not a small home Bible study.  They actually built a church-like structure on their property in order to house (I think due to the city telling them that many people were a fire hazard) all the people who come each week. That structure looks like a church, acts like a church and may even be used on Sunday.  I’m not sure.

If you look at the video in that linked article from the first paragraph, you’ll see a very quick picture of the inside of the structure. It’s set up like a church with chairs and a stage-like area.

I believe that they were targeted because they were Christian, but prosecuted and jailed because they did a lot more than hold a Bible study in their home.  There are zoning laws about what you can have on your property.  I believe they were notified well in advance, but that they were tired of trying to comply and defiant because they were unfairly targeted in the first place.

I’ve found in my four years here in the Phoenix area, that Arizona has very few restrictive laws.  It’s one of the easiest states in which to homeschool and tends to intrude much less on its citizens’ rights than many other states.  In fact, there’s a church on practically every corner!

We need to be very careful to get all the facts before we decide to demonize the other side.  I’m the first one to report on Christian discrimination, but we need to get all the facts.  I don’t believe I have all the facts yet, but I am sure there is more to the story than I am hearing from news reports like this one.

Yes there are regular Tupperware and Bunko parties that are not held to the same standard, but there are many other Bible studies throughout Phoenix that are also not held to it.  However, I do think that if this had been a Mosque on private property, they might have been left alone.

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My Take on Harold Camping’s Apology

Harold Camping was in the news recently, but this time it wasn’t to predict the end of the world.  It was to apologize for doing so.  Here are a few excerpts from his letter and audio apology:

From his letter: “Family Radio has no interest in even considering another date,” his letter said. “We have learned the very painful lesson that all of creation is in God’s hands and he will end time in his time, not ours! We humbly recognize that God may not tell his people the date when Christ will return, any more than he tells anyone the date they will die physically.

From his audio apology: “Incidentally, I have been told that I said back in May that people who did not believe that May 21 should be the rapture date, probably had not been saved. I should not have said that, and I apologize for that. One thing we know for certain, is that God is merciful, merciful beyond anything that we would ever expect.

He seems sincere and repentive.  This is from his audio apology on the website: “Why didn’t Christ return on Oct. 21? It seems embarrassing for Family Radio. But God was in charge of everything. We came to that conclusion after quite careful study of the Bible. He allowed everything to happen the way it did without correction. He could have stopped everything if He had wanted to.”

First, I’d like to point out two things for us all to think about:

1. If he had actually done a careful study of the Bible, he’d have known that no one knows the hour. Even Jesus doesn’t know.  Only God knows. 

2. God allowed this to happen?  Why?  I think it’s two fold. God gives man free will and that means men will choose to be too free with their words. Sometimes we don’t think before we speak. Sometimes we don’t check things out well enough before we pass things along. And sometimes we don’t see the obvious.   Additionally, I believe God allows these things because it provides the perfect opportunity to talk to unblievers about the truth of the Gospel.

Secondly, I’d like to share that false doctrine may be damaging to an individual’s faith, but God always uses things for good. This was and still is an opportunity to discuss the Bible with unbelievers. I said it when Harold Camping’s most recent predictions hit the news. It’s a great opportunity to have a discussion with unbelievers about the Bible because THEY are talking about it.  They are asking questions.

Yes, it is important to make sure we don’t stumble believers and that we don’t cause an unbeliever to shut the door on what they think is rididculous.  However, if someone else does, it’s a fabulous opportunity to use.  God uses everything for good, we should to!

So the next time a Harold Camping makes a mockery of Christianity, instead of getting upset, use it!  If you aren’t comfortable or don’t know how, check out Say What You Mean: Defending the Faith…and don’t forget to download your sample lesson at the bottom of the product page.

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World Handshake Day-Etiquette

Tomorrow is World Handshake Day and I thought this would be a good time to talk about what your handshake says about you, especially in a business setting.

Limp Handshake

A limp hand is never a good idea when it comes to business either for men or for women. Prospective employees with a weak handshake have not been  hired.  I even know of one or two employees who was fired after making a poor mpression on the owner or top level manager. 

Another kind of weak handshake that makes a poor impression is the shaking of fingers.  Shaking fingers may come off as condescending to women and is never appropriate for men.

Bone Crusher Handshake

A handshake should be a friendly or respectful greeting, not an arm wrestling championship. While you should return the grip in kind, you shouldn’t struggle for power.  Even if the other person’s grip is too strong, you should maintain a comfortable strong grip.

An uncomfortable handshake is never a pleasant experience for anyone. It’s bad form to crush ypur potential boss’ hand.  It may seem like overcompensating or showing off.  When done to a woman’s hand, it’s especially unwelcomed.

Handshake Tips

1. Before you shake hands, introduce yourself and keep eye contact.

2. Pump your hand only 2-3 times.  Less is more. 

3. Shake hands from your elbow not your shoulder. 

4. Don’t put your other hand on top; that comes off as weird with men and condescending with women.

5. End a handshake after 2-3 pumps or before the oral introduction ends.  Any longer and it gets awkward.

6. If the handshake is awkward, either because of you or the other party, it’s best to just move on.  Ask a quick question or make a comment to take the focus off the handshake. 

Rememeber that a handshake is a big part of your first impression, especially in a business setting.  Make the most of it. 

For more information on business communication, check out Say What You Mean When You’re in Business.  Be sure to download the sample lesson at the bottom of that page. 

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Radio has come a long way since 1922!

All this month, I’ve been writing about communication technology as we celebrate Effective Communications Month and tomorrow is the anniversary of the 1st presidential radio speech.  On June 14th, 1922, President Warren G. Harding, while addressing a crowd at the dedication of a memorial site for the composer of the “Star Spangled Banner,” Francis Scott Key, becomes the first president to have his voice transmitted by radio.

Technology has come a long way since then, and today, anyone can have a radio show expressing their political, religious or other views thanks to the communication technology called TalkShoe

If you’ve been a blog reader for a while, you might remember that I used to have a weekly internet radio show called Grace Talk Soup.  I loved the creativity of the weekly show, but when my cohost had to leave, I knew it was time to scale back and now I do a monthly audio seminar or panel instead. 

In fact, today at 2pm PST, I’m going to interview my good friend, Joan Rudder-Ward.  She’ll share her experiences with racism accusations she says illustrate that society has come to a point where we are so quick to call people racists that we may damage our relationships or miss out on some wonderful people along the way. Join us online: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736 or via phone: 724) 444-7444 Call ID: 19736  Catch it live or risk Gundar (The Technology Gremlin) not allowing me to archive the audio after the show. 

Whether you use TalkShoe, BlogTalkRadio or any number of other fabulous venues, anyone can start their own radio show.  Why would you want to? 

* Share your political beliefs and affect change.

* Share the Gospel or discuss important religious issues to serve the Lord.

* Share tips and teach a valuable skill or interest to others.

* Fellowship, entertain and have fun with like-minded people.

What’s the downside of having your own radio show so accessible?

Any time something is so easy any monkey can do it, you’re bound to find that several monkeys do.  There is a great deal of fabulous info on the internet and some really awful stuff as well.  The same is true of internet radio.  But on the whole, it’s a blessing to have this technology available to us even if it forces us to be more discerning.  And maybe that’s a really good thing anyway.  What say you?

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