BLOG: Workplace Communication Skills

by Betty Lochner

Making Gratitude Your New Normal

Make gratitude the new normal in your life.

January can be a time of uncertainty, resolutions, frustration, maybe even depression, right? 

It's also an opportunity for a fresh start.  Let's focus on that!

One very powerful way to...

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How well do you communicate? | Assess your communication skills
Communication works for those who work at it. ~ John Powell

How well do you communicate?

Every contact we make involves communications skills - speaking and listening,  speech patterns, the words we use, the tone of our voice, our body...

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Using Emotional Intelligence to Improve Communication Skills

Last month I gave a presentation for the 11th Annual Washington State Government Lean Transformation Conference. I have attended and/or spoken at all of the conferences, and they are always a highlight of my professional development...

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How to Run Good Meetings: 7 Tips

Meetings only run well if they are facilitated well from start to finish.  Knowing how to run good meetings is a skill that anyone that is ever in charge of ANY kind of meeting facilitation.

Ever Been in Meeting Hell?

Haven't we...

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Simple Habits of a Confident Communicator

Becoming a more confident communicator is all about building good habits. Think about brushing your teeth. That’s a habit we learn at a very early age, and over time, it’s something we do without thinking every day. That’s the...

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Sorry, I Wasn’t Listening: 5 Ways to Model Better Listening Skills

I have a confession to make when it comes to listening skills. I’m an interrupter. When I already know what someone is trying to say, or I have a point to make, I just cut right in. I know I shouldn’t do it. I know it’s rude. It...

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Three Tips to Prevent Communication Conflicts

Do you want to learn to prevent communication conflicts before they happen? Well, who doesn’t?

Communication conflicts happen. Even with good intentions, misunderstandings occur, and we can find ourselves in the middle of difficult...

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10 Common Body Language Mistakes and How to Fix Them

If you’re like most people, then you are not as self-aware of your body language, and the unintentional messages you are sending, as you should be.

We often do a pretty good job at noticing other peoples’ unintentional signals but in...

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Mastering Micro-Connects for Better Communication
I can live one or two months on one good compliment. ~ Mark Twain

Communication Micro-Connects and Appreciation

News flash: We live in a culture that is appreciation deprived. Studies show that up to 70% of workers feel they are not regularly...

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Mindset Matters: Tips for a Mindset Make-Over

Our mindset matters. This year, I was uniquely reminded of that as we experienced what I refer to as the year of the “busted Christmas”. Our family celebration with our children and grandchildren was cancelled – first due...

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