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Advanced Communication Skills




                    Notes              As you communicate with other people, you make yourself more visible and let others
                                       know what you are doing and accomplishing. In particular, let your managers and other
                                       decision makers  know about your contributions  to the organization. Decisions  about
                                       raises, promotions, and other opportunities are often based on information that is gathered
                                       informally.
                                       Active listening requires your complete attention. Turn or lean towards the speaker and
                                       maintain eye contact while they are talking. Avoid distractions such as looking at your e-
                                       mail or checking the time. Pay attention to the nonverbal signals that the other person is
                                       sending. Figure outlines effective ways to listen to others within an organization.

                                       Use your body language to signal your interest and attention to the other person. Let them
                                       know you are paying attention by occasionally nodding your head, smiling, or making
                                       appropriate facial expressions. Keep your arms unfolded and your hands unclenched.
                                       Providing nonverbal feedback  doesn’t necessarily  mean that you agree with what the
                                       other person says, but does let them know you are actively listening.
                                       Persuasion is an emotional form of communication that others must be ready to receive.
                                       People who are upset, overwhelmed, or frustrated are not as open to persuasion. When
                                       speaking to a colleague or employer, make requests when you are both receptive and
                                       other pressing matters are not competing for attention.

                                       Salespeople frequently offer prospects refreshments, small gifts, or free samples early in
                                       the sales process. Offering something is a powerful way to start your communication. It
                                       sets a positive tone for the discussion and encourages the other person to reciprocate by
                                       offering  you something  in  return.  Simple  offers  can  also  include compliments  and
                                       information.
                                       Conflict develops when someone cannot achieve an objective—an external factor such as
                                       another person or event or an internal factor such as fear blocks the way to a goal.

                                       Before you can effectively deal with interpersonal  conflict, you  must understand the
                                       problem. Acknowledge the conflict using  neutral, objective  language. In a meeting or
                                       conversation, listen actively and  empatheti-cally and  then articulate the problem. You
                                       might need to repeat these steps more than once.
                                       Manage your schedule so that you arrive at meetings a few minutes early. You can then
                                       organize your thoughts and materials, relax, and mingle with the other participants as
                                       they arrive. Don’t disrupt a meeting by arriving late, rushing to your seat, and interrupting
                                       the proceedings. If a late arrival is unavoidable, let someone else know in advance so that
                                       the group does not wait for you to get started.

                                       Office politics is a regular part of the day-to-day culture of any business. When used to
                                       gain advantage at the expense  of others  or  the well-being of  the organization, office
                                       politics should be avoided. However, office politics can also be networking behavior that
                                       helps you fairly promote yourself and your career. Career experts believe that becoming
                                       involved with office politics  helps you  highlight your  skills, draw attention to  your
                                       accomplishments, and promote your success and upward progress.

                                   5.10 Keywords

                                   Conflict: It develops when  someone cannot achieve  an objective—an external factor such as
                                   another person or event or an internal factor such as fear blocks the way to a goal.
                                   Listening: Listening is one of the most important communication skills you can develop.






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