
Are you sending and receiving accurately?
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Regardless of the size of your organization – whether it's a large corporation, a small company, or even a home-based business – you need good communication skills if you want to succeed.
With more than 75 individual articles, this communication mini-site teaches you these skills.
We start by looking at the core ideas behind successful communication, and we offer a brief quiz that helps you evaluate your current skills.
We follow by looking at how you can plan an impressive communication, and we then explore how you can communicate successfully in the many different situations that you'll encounter in the workplace.
Use the "Browse by Category" box to target specific communication skills, or look through the list below to find interesting topics. Enjoy using Mind Tools!
Quiz: How Good Are Your Communication Skills?
Speaking, Listening, Writing and Reading Effectively
Communications Planning
Getting the Right Message Over, in the Right Way
Monroe's Motivated Sequence
Perfecting the Call to Act
The Rhetorical Triangle
Making Your Writing Credible, Appealing and Logical
The 7 Cs of Communication
A Checklist for Clear Communication
The Communication Cycle
Six Steps to Better Communication
Jargon Busting
Communicating Without Creating Barriers
Creating a Value Proposition
Communicating the Benefits of Your Product, Service or Idea, Simply and Clearly
Business Story-Telling
Using Stories to Inspire
Chunking
Grouping Information So It's More Easily Understood
Questioning Techniques
Asking Questions Effectively
Developing Surveys
Asking the Right Questions the Right Way
Keep It Simple
Avoiding Confusion and Complexity
Body Language
Understanding Non-Verbal Communication
Mehrabian's Communication Model
Learning to Communicate Clearly
Neuro-Linguistic Programming
Achieving Excellence in Communication
Assertiveness
Getting What You Want or Need by Working WITH People, Not Against Them
Developing "Character"
Learning How to Stand Your Ground
Active Listening
Hear What People Are Really Saying
Empathic Listening
Going Beyond Active Listening
Thinking On Your Feet
Staying Cool and Confident Under Pressure
Using the Phone Effectively
Etiquette and Best Practices
Working with the Media
How to Make a Good Impression
Sales Skills for Non-Salespeople
Using "Consultative Selling" to Pitch Your Idea or Product
Consultative Selling
Meeting the Needs of Your Potential Client
Giving Feedback
Keeping Team Member Performance High, and Well-Integrated
Getting Feedback
Taking Responsibility for Your Performance
Giving Praise
Recognizing Good Work
360-Degree Feedback
Encouraging Teamwork and Improving Performance (Sometimes!)
Feedback Matrix
Using Feedback Constructively
The Losada Ratio
Balancing Positive and Negative Interactions
Managing Complaints and Feedback
Improving the Way That You Do Things
Stop - Keep Doing - Start
Simple Questions for Improving Performance
The Situation – Behavior – Impact Feedback Tool
Learn how to deliver focused feedback.
Running Effective Meetings
Establishing an Objective and Sticking to It
Writing Meeting Notes
Creating Effective, Actionable Records
Running Teleconferences
Chairing Effective Phone Meetings
Planning a Workshop
Organizing and Running a Successful Event
Planning an "Away Day"
Getting the Most From Your Off-Site Meeting
Ice Breakers
Easing Group Contribution
The Role of a Facilitator
Guiding an Event Through to a Successful Conclusion
Dialogue Mapping
Bringing Order to Chaotic Meetings
Managing Conflict in Meetings
Handling Disagreements On the Spot
Company Town Hall Meetings
Communicating to a Large Audience
How Good Are Your Presentation Skills?
Understanding Your Impact
Better Public Speaking
Becoming a Confident, Compelling Speaker
Delivering Great Presentations
Communicating Effectively With the Right Delivery, Content and Slides
Creating Effective Presentation Visuals
Connecting People With Your Message
Speaking to an Audience
Communicate Complex Ideas Successfully
Managing Presentation Nerves
Coping With the Fear Within
Crafting an Elevator Pitch
Introducing Your Company Quickly and Compellingly
Writing Skills
Getting Your Written Message Across Clearly
Writing Effective Emails
Making Sure Your Messages Get Read and Acted Upon
Writing Reports
Using the Business Report Format
Charts and Graphs
Choosing the Right Format
AIDA: Attention-Interest-Desire-Action
Inspiring Action With Your Writing
Using Twitter for Work
Using Social Media Effectively
Using LinkedIn Effectively
Growing Your Professional Network
Using Instant Messaging (IM) Effectively
Dos and Don'ts for Quick Communication
Win-Win Negotiation
Finding a Fair Compromise
Integrative Negotiation
Negotiating a "Win-Win" Solution
Lewicki and Hiam's Negotiation Matrix
Choosing the Best Bargaining Strategy
Distributive Bargaining
Negotiating When You Can't Both Win
"Yes" to the Person, "No" to the Task
Asserting Yourself While Maintaining Relationships
Powers of Persuasion
Understanding the Dos and Don’ts of Persuading
The Persuasion Tools Model
Finding the Right Negotiation Style
The Influence Model
Using Reciprocity to Gain Influence
Cialdini's Six Principles of Influence
Convincing Others to Say "Yes"
Minority Influence Strategy
Changing People's Minds... Despite the Odds
Transactional Analysis
Learning the Secret Games People Play
Role Playing
Preparing for Difficult Conversations and Situations
Delivering Bad News
Communicating Well Under Pressure
Opening Closed Minds
Getting Past an Initial "No"
How to Handle Criticism
Accepting Feedback with Good Grace
Dealing with Unfair Criticism
Responding Calmly and Rationally to Unwarranted Criticism
Conflict Resolution
Resolving Conflict Rationally and Effectively
Communicating in a Crisis
Don't Shut Down Communication
Letting People Go
Terminating Employment Honestly, Respectfully and With Dignity
Dealing with Unhappy Customers
Turning a Challenge Into an Opportunity
Bell and Hart's Eight Causes of Conflict
Understanding the Causes of Workplace Tension
Dealing with Unreasonable Requests
Asserting Yourself Effectively
Confidentiality in the Workplace
Understanding Your Obligations
Working With People You Don't Like
Improving Bad Working Relationships
The Johari Window
Using Self-Discovery and Communication to Build Trust
Perceptual Positions
Seeing Other Points of View
Concept Attainment
Reaching a Shared Understanding of Important Ideas
The Betari Box
Linking Attitude and Behavior
Empathy at Work
Developing Skills to Understand Other People
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