Communication Skills


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!

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Quiz: How Good Are Your Communication Skills?
Speaking, Listening, Writing and Reading Effectively

Planning and Structuring Your Communications

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

Communicating in Person

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

Feedback

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.

Meeting Communications

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

Presentations

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

Communicating in Writing

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

Negotiation, Persuasion and Influence

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

Difficult Communication Situations

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

Understanding Others Better

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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