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Celebrate Effective Communications Month in June!
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EVERY month should be Effective Communications Month. Yet, there is one special month actually designated as such.
The month is June.
Help celebrate Effective Communications Month by following these tips. Spread clear communications around the world—or at least throughout your workplace or organization, and family—by printing this page of communications tips and distributing it.(1)
 ** BONUS OFFER for June **
Purchase any two educational tools, and my gift to you is a “Stuff for Busy People: Proven Techniques You Can Use to Be an Effective Communicator” pocket reference book.
ISBN #1-932197-20-6.
A $ 9.99 value to communicate my appreciation to you.
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Ten Tips to Clear Communications
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These tips are from the pocket reference book Stuff for Busy People: Proven Techniques You Can Use to Be An Effective Communicator, by Sylvia Henderson. Available from www.SpringboardTraining.com — Educational Tools.
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(1) Kick the “but…” “Yes, but…” cancels the positive
and alerts the listener to be wary of what comes next.
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(2) Keep your hand away from your mouth. Words sound
muddled and muffled when you cover your mouth and
impede airflow.
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(3) Pause after commas, colons, semi-colons, and periods
in sentences.
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(4) Be silent after you ask a question. Allow the other
person time to answer.
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(5) Seek to understand by asking the speaker to tell you more.
This encourages more information and clarifies the message.
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(6) Focus completely on the person who is speaking—
without doodling, writing, typing on a keyboard, or
watching something else.
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(7) Make yourself approachable. Smile. Make eye contact.
Act “naturally” rather than stiffly or exaggeratedly.
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(8) Give a firm, dry, warm handshake. Shake two or three
times, then relax your grip and gently pull your hand away
to end the handshake.
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(9) When writing an emotional electronic note, write to the
object of your emotions and then send it to yourself.
You get a second chance to cut-and-paste or edit before
you actually send the note.
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(10) End sentences with periods on a down note
End questions with question marks on up notes. Ending
statements on up notes sounds like you are uncertain about
(questioning) your statements, causing the listener to doubt
you or your information.
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(Bonus Tip!)
Study everything you can on being an effective communicator. Seek resources in the library, online, in books and magazines, and by listening to newscasters and interviewers. Most importantly, practice the skills you learn so that communicating clearly is a part of your life “best practices”.
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What is Effective Communications Month?
The most important cog in the wheel of interpersonal relationships is communication. Active listening, verbal, paralanguage, body language, and written communication skills are the essence of how humans relate to each other personally and professionally. This month is dedicated to learning how to, improving upon, and committing to communicating more effectively in our lives.
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Find additional resources to help you communicate more clearly in our Educational Tools catalog.
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Want more? The following resources provide even more to help you be a clear communicator.
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(1) Note: Please refrain from copying these tips into your own newsletter. Print this page and distribute it in its entirety. If you need to use just one or two thoughts from the page, request permission using the e-mail address below, and be sure to include the following byline. Thank you.
(c) Sylvia Henderson. Springboard Training. All rights reserved.
For tools, programs, and information on being a better communicator, demonstrating professionalism, positive work ethics, and effective leadership, contact Sylvia@SpringboardTraining.com.
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