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The Professional Communications Toolkit
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The Professional Communications Toolkit



December 2006 | 304 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc

CourseSmart

The Professional Communications Toolkit presents a compelling new vision of communication that offers little-known and amazingly effective techniques for the novice speaker and stage-savvy pro. Author D. Joel Whalen provides practical, research-based tools that apply to all professional communication, including engaging in one-on-one conversations, speaking at small staff meetings, and delivering a keynote address to a ballroom full of people.

Key Features

• Provides a dynamic modern approach: Includes a vivid conceptualization of the exact nature of business communication-what it is and how to do it well in the 21st Century.

• Avoids academic tone and jargon: Written to be accessible and make the material come alive for students.

• Offers a chapter on visual tools for communication: Step-by-step instructions are given for building high-impact PowerPoint slides, mastering e-mail communication, and leaving clear voice mail messages.

• Enhances discussion of managing speech anxiety: The causes, symptoms, and methods for managing anxiety, including mind-body techniques, are thoroughly examined.

• Includes a special article on performance anxiety: A contribution from Corey Goldstein, M.D., a nationally recognized expert on performance anxiety, offers additional help and techniques for managing debilitating anxiety.

Intended Audience

Designed for professional communicators or anyone looking to communicate professionally, this book is also an excellent text for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses such as Business Communication, Speech, Presentations, and Principles of Communication in the departments of management, marketing, communications, social work-administration, and public administration.


 
Preface
Why Communication Is Import

 
Little Help From Science

 
So You Think You're Not Understood?

 
Acknowledgments

 
 
Chapter 1: Effective Communication: 'It's Not About You'
What Kind of Communication Do You Need?

 
'Checklist Communication'--Best Done Quickly

 
'Convincing Communication'--Requires More Preparation

 
Dominant and Subordinate Roles

 
Simultaneous Feedback

 
How the Message You Send Gets Meaning

 
Leadership: Communicating Your Vision

 
Seek to Share Understanding

 
'Felt Sense': Your Body Knows

 
Monkey See, Monkey Communicate--'Mirror Neurons'

 
Chapter 1 Summary

 
Key Ideas

 
 
Chapter 2: Message Strategies - What to Speak and What to Write: 'Attitude in 90% of Speaking'
Power of Speaking: Oral Communication

 
The Essence of Communication: Meaning

 
Poor Communication Teaching

 
Before You Speak, Set Your Attitude

 
Speaking Delivers Less Content

 
Nonverbal Communication

 
When You Talk, You Show How You Feel

 
During Great Communication, You Disappear

 
Here's What Great Attitude Feels Like

 
Most Motivating Emotion = Enthusiasm

 
Communication Toolbox

 
Telephone and Voicemail Techniques

 
First Rule: You're Introducing--Ask for Permission to Speak

 
Telephone: Your've Lost 55 Percent of Your Ability to Create Meaning

 
Visualize Your Listener--Imagine Your Unseen Listener

 
When to Leave Your Name and Number

 
Chapter 2 Summary

 
Key Ideas

 
'Communicator's Checklist'

 
 
Chapter 3: The Power and Limitations of Speaking
Miscommunication Is Common

 
What to Write/What to Say?

 
The Power of Speaking

 
What Was Rememered and What Was Forgotten

 
Your "Self" Was Formed Over Time

 
Some Brain Patterns Are On-Board at Birth

 
Brain Programmed Through Sensory Information

 
Secret Behind Using Sense Memory

 
Sensory Preference--'Different Senses for Different People'

 
Symbols

 
The Basic Element of Communication: The Sign

 
Theatre of the Mind

 
Types of Symbols

 
Denotative Symbols

 
Connotative Symbols

 
Persuasive Messages Contain Both Denotative and Connotative Symbols

 
Contextual Meaning

 
Color

 
Lines

 
Space

 
Subtle Symbols: Power and Confidence

 
Touch

 
Smells

 
Emotions and Fear

 
Persuading Angry People

 
Handling Angry Supervisors and Customers

 
Using Fear to Persuade

 
Fear Messages Can Backfire--Watch Out: "Fear Appeals Must Be Handled Carefully'

 
'Buyers' Four Big Fears'

 
The Professional Loser

 
Persuasion Ethics

 
Chapter 3 Summary

 
Key Ideas

 
'Communicator's Checklist'

 
 
Chapter 4: When You're Afraid to Communicate: 'Understanding Anxiety and Fear'
Why Must You Manage Your Speech Anxiety?

 
If You Never Get Communication Anxiety, You're a Rare Bird

 
Communication Anxiety: Silent Enemy of Success

 
Americans' Greatest Phopias

 
When It's Your Turn to Speak, Do You Get These Symptoms?

 
When You'll Get It

 
Strategies When You're Not a 'Master of the Message'

 
Communication Toolbox

 
The Thinking Person's Approach: Understanding the Psychophysiology of Anxiety

 
Anxiety Manufacturing Plant: Your Brain Stem

 
Chapter 4 Summanry

 
Key Ideas

 
'Communicator's Checklist'

 
 
Chapter 5: Managing Communication Anxiety: 'Action Steps You Can Take'
Action Steps You Can Take

 
Some Anxiety Is Good

 
Decide: Is It Fear or Excitement?

 
Don't Try to Be Cool--You Won't Look Confident

 
Idle Your Engine

 
Be Here Now

 
'Square Breathing'

 
'Calm Down Breathing'

 
Stretch Away Your Tension

 
How to Build a List of 'Personal Power Thoughts'

 
Taking Control of Persistent Fears

 
False Alarms Go Off in Your Head

 
Your Brain Stem Is Obsessed With Fear

 
The Deer-in-the-Headlights Look

 
Communication Toolbox

 
Dealing With Balnking Out

 
Two Different Speed Zones--Yours and the Audience's

 
Blanking Out Under Pressure

 
Know More About How Your Mind Works: 'Attribution of Cause'

 
How to Use the Power of Attribution Theory to Manage Speech Anxiety

 
Seven Keys to Managing: Communication Anxiety

 
Advanced Fear Management

 
Getting More Help

 
Medical Management by Corey Goldstein, M.D.

 
What to Do When communication Anxiety is Overwhelming

 
Non-pill Relief

 
A Pill May Help

 
Medications That Ease Communication Anxiety

 
Help Is Available

 
Chapter 5 Summary

 
Key Ideas

 
'Communicator's Checklist'

 
 
Chapter 6: Making People Believe You: 'Persuasive Communication'
First, People Must Believe You--Managing Your Credibility

 
Source Credibility

 
You've Got to Answer Your Listeners' Unasked Questions

 
Credibility and the Team Player

 
Ancient Greeks' Secrets of Credibility

 
'Three Pillars of Credibility': Expertise, Trustworthiness, and Goodwill

 
The Four Component of Credibility

 
Fluid presentation--Another Type of Dynamism

 
Credibility From the Audience's Eyes

 
Attribution Theory and Credibility

 
Put Your Credibility to Work

 
Credibility Builders: Some Tricks of the Trade

 
'Wingman' Technique

 
'Wingman' in the Sales Call

 
You're a Product

 
'Wingman' in Job Interviews

 
The Single Most Effective Political commercial

 
Warning: High Credibility Can Backfire on the Professional

 
When High Credibility Can Kill You

 
Credibility and the Business Professional

 
Chapter 6 summary

 
Key Ideas

 
'Communicator's Checklist'

 
 
Chapter 7: Message Packaging - Strategies for Formatting Presentations: 'How You Say It'
Opening the Presentation

 
The 'Question Opening'

 
'Einstein's Time Shift'

 
The Power of Brainwashing

 
How to Structure Your Presentation With Questions

 
A Classic Presentation Format--'Tell'Em'

 
The 'Cold Closing'

 
No 'Thank You' Allowed

 
Warning: Don't Ask for Questions

 
A Perfect Strategy: The 'Nichols's Two-Things' Presentation

 
Write Your Presentation in Five Minutes

 
The Final Format--Presenting as a Tem Member

 
Benefits of Team Presentations

 
Specialty Roles

 
The 'Hand-Off'

 
'Wingman' in Team Presentations

 
Communication Toolbox

 
'Communicator's Checklist'

 
Opening the Presentation

 
The 'Question Opening'--Four Steps

 
Checklist for Successfully Executing the 'Question Opening'

 
'Cold Closing' Checklist

 
Specialist Checklist

 
Chapter 7 Summary

 
Key Ideas

 
 
Chapter 8: Message Delivery - 'Performing the Presentation'
You're in Showbiz--Entertain 'Em

 
Power of Selective Attention

 
Fight Back--Work to Refresh Their Attention Frequently

 
Before You Are Introduced, See If Your Audience Has a Pulse

 
Prepare for the Disaster That Will Never Come

 
Let Your Body Speak for You

 
Projecting Your Attitude to Your Audience

 
Take Charge of the Room

 
Business Presentations Are Not Storytelling

 
Business Presentations Versus Social Presentations

 
Presenting PowerPoint Slides

 
'Turn, Touch, & Tell'

 
Presenting Graphs

 
Communication Toolbox

 
Ten Tips and Rules for Persuasive Presentations

 
Handling the Audience's Questions

 
Voice Control

 
Chapter 8 Summary

 
Key Ideas

 
'Communicator's Checklist'

 
 
Chapter 9: Writing E-mails and Memos With High Communication Factor
Busy People Scan

 
Stop Sending Out Rough Drafts

 
Advantage to Written Communication

 
Three Ideas to Get Your E-mails and Memos Read

 
Idea One--Use Typeface and White Space

 
Why People Like Sans Serif

 
Pick Proportional Type

 
Don't Use Reverse Typeface

 
White Space Directs the Eye

 
Idea Two-Prep Your Reader's Brain

 
Bullets--When Should You Use Bullets?

 
Bullet FAQs

 
Communication Toolbox

 
E-mail Techniques

 
Starting Your E-mail--What to Write First

 
Subject Lines

 
Essential Elements

 
Idea Three--Motivate Your Reader to Read

 
Memo Writing Rules

 
Writing With High Communication Factor

 
Common Grammatical Errors

 
Editing Tips

 
Writing of Motivation Sentence

 
Chapter 9 Summary

 
Key Ideas

 
'Communicator's Checklist'

 
 
Chapter 10: Communicating With Tables, Graphs, and Charts: 'Your Visual Toolbox'
Tables

 
Graphs--Pictures, Not Words

 
How to Make Tables and Graphs

 
Making Pretty Pie Charts

 
Making Highly Readable Graphs

 
Graph Building Techniques

 
To 3-D or Not to 3-D? That Is the Question

 
Graphs That Deceive

 
Models--Perceptual Maps

 
Choose Your Software Carefully

 
Chapter 10 Summary

 
Key Ideas

 
'Communicator's Checklist'

 
 
Chapter 11: Maximum PowerPoint
Type Size

 
Typestyle

 
Kepp Punctuation to a Minimum

 
How Much Information to Put on a Slide

 
Communicating With Color

 
Presenting With Visuals

 
When to Hand Out Materials

 
Sample Presentation Visuals

 
Bullets Are Great--Use Them

 
Chapter 11 Summary

 
Key Ideas

 
'Communicator's Checklist'

 
Demonstration PowerPoint Slide Editing

 
Text Slides

 
On Graphs

 
Appendix: If You'd Like to Learn More

 
Recommended Reading

 
Take These Training Courses

 
 
References
 
Index
 
About the Authors

Wonderful text!

Professor Carrie Perry
Communication, Brandman University
September 29, 2013
Key features
  • Manage nervousness—When the message is important, everyone gets nervous. Communication anxiety can keep you from communicating well, or communicating at all (not speaking up). Professional Communication Handbook gives proven anxiety management methods, including mind-body techniques. You'll understand the biochemical forces that drive anxiety and how to manage it when your communication counts.  
  • For some, the mind-body techniques in Professional Communication Handbook are not enough. These readers will find additional help in a special article by Corey Goldstein, M.D., a nationally recognized expert on performance anxiety. They will learn about the latest, quick-acting, short-term medication available to manage the debilitating anxiety they feel before high-pressure meetings, such as a proposal presentation, critical job interview, or speech.  
  • Master voicemail—Get called back faster. Leave clear messages that people will act on using the same techniques as broadcasters.  
  • Use visual tools—Quickly build tables, charts, and graphs. Maximize your PowerPoint presentations. Design slides using the same techniques advertising people use to make eye-grabbing ads.  
  • Be understood—At their core, everyone knows they are not understood. Whalen shows you why your communication breaks down and what you can do about it.  
  • Master e-mail—Know what to say and what to write. Decode the common mistake: People send e-mail when they should have phoned, or they speak when they should have written. You'll see how to analyze your message and decide what to say and what to write. Your message will get through as you intended.  
  • Speak to maximize your credibility—Get trust and understanding. Top professional communicators share one trait: People believe them and understand what they say. You can be believed and understood too. Joel will show you how.  

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