Easter and Passover, and communicative responsibility

It's almost time for Easter and Passover, two holy days for millions. If you will be gathering with family and friends for a special Easter dinner or Passover seder, are you able to start a conversation and make small talk with others there? Are you comfortable asking others questions and showing an interest in them, or do you expect them to do that so you can talk only about yourself? Communicative responsibility is taking responsibility for helping to keep the conversation going. Whether you are the host or the guest, you show an interest in others. You may start a conversation with someone who looks lost or is very shy, ask your host or hostess how you can help with the party, ask someone else a question about his family, work or hobbies, or simply ask someone else to tell you more about whatever she is discussing. Maybe starting a conversation with a stranger is hard for you. Before you go to the event, think of 5 questions you could ask him. For example, ask how he knows the host, or how long he has lived in the community. Do you need more tips? Small Talk: Connecting with Others is a concise e-book with many practical ways to start a conversation, keep it going, and end it graciously. You deserve to be more comfortable talking with others; this e-book is easy to read and gives tips that are easy to apply! Get it today! (Hurry, Passover and Easter are almost here!)

Is it Match Day for you?

Across the globe, thousands of would-be medical residents in American hospitals are eagerly awaiting the results of Match Day. This is the day when they find out if they have been accepted for a residency program and the hospital to which they have been matched. Match Day, as it is called, can occur at various times in February and March, depending on the specialty area. However, for many people, Match Day is March 15th. It is an honor to be accepted for a residency program. Once accepted, however, many new residents, and their families, want to know more about American culture. What are aspects of American life that are different from their native lands? Coming to the USA: American Cultural Differences is an e-book that answers actual questions asked by many new residents in the USA. How do Americans tell time? What is insurance and why is it important here? What are appropriate telephone manners in the USA? How do Americans use a mailbox? What are our holidays, and how is a holiday different from a vacation? Before you come to the USA, learn about our culture from Coming to the USA: American Cultural Differences. (It's at the bottom of the page.) Be prepared for this great opportunity!

Small talk: a lot of blarney?

Blarney is a word that can mean flattery or nonsense, or in other words, flattery that is nonsense. A person who does this a lot is said to be "full of blarney". Small talk, on the other hand, is talking with a stranger in the hopes of either passing time or, more likely, making a connection between the two people. Flattery or nonsense are rarely involved. However, with St. Patrick's Day coming up, here are some tips on making small talk anyway. If you are in the midst of a conversation with a stranger and want to prolong it, a way to do this is to ask him or her to tell you more about the subject under discussion. If appropriate, ask a question, to show you are interested. If you want to leave the conversation, and only two of you are talking, give a reason so you have a stronger exit line. "It's been nice talking to you, but I need to go (to meet more people, to go out with my friend, etc)." If you want to connect with the person some other time, you could give him your business card, or simply write your e-mail or telephone number on a scrap of paper. "Small Talk:Connecting with Others" is a concise e-book that offers tips on starting, continuing and ending a conversation graciously. Small talk has big value; learn how to do it today!

Leadership development and executive communication

This year, reportedly 40% of American workers are planning to leave their jobs, often because they dislike how their boss treats them. Are you one of them? Such a "brain drain" has dire effects on a company's profits, as it can be expensive to recruit, hire and train a new worker. In addition, the productivity of new workers is usually lower for a while. A smart solution would be to spend time, effort and funds on training supervisors to be more effective communicators. For many supervisors, a simple e-book just released, called "Executive Communication Strategies" would provide many strategies they could use. This concise new e-book offers many easy tips. Special ones include a list of questions smart leaders use when considering new ideas, professional listening strategies, conflict resolution suggestions, explanations of why many people do not speak at meetings (and what a wise leader could do about this), and even tips on how to let employees know you appreciate them. (After all, how did you feel the last time your manager told you what a great job you were doing? (If your manager has never told you this, do you want your employees to feel as unappreciated as you feel?) The basics of training strategies for adults, improving communication at meetings and much more are included. "Executive Communication Strategies" could be included in a leadership development seminar, an MBA course on leadership, or in private Mastermind groups to share new techniques. Great communication matters! Business Speech Improvement provides intensive coaching and e-books on many aspects of communication. Visit us today!