Conversation is ...

Communication Success Tip for the Week: Conversation is learning something about somebody, blending personalities, getting the best out of people, creating an encouraging, productive atmosphere between two or more people. ... Fiona Wright For communication success tips, brought to your email inbox once a fortnight, subscribe to our ezine, visit

Structure your speech for Maximum Impact

“Tell them what you’re going to say. Say it. Then tell them what you said” And that is so true!! We have such short attention spans. And so do audiences. If we want to make a point that will stay with an audience after they leave the room, we have to repeat and reinforce it throughout the presentation. So …Your introduction should lead into the main point and give a short background for the points to follow …The body of the speech should present points that are pertinent and support the theme or premise support the points with examples, illustrations, etc. present original ideas or a new approach to familiar materials …The conclusion should: summarise the points and restate them briefly emphasise the theme or premise again make the purpose of the speech clear provide a strong finish for the speech … You have introduced your well defined theme, presented that theme, and repeated it to conclude. And you will have given your audience a great chance of remembering it. Book a workshop to further build your speaking skills. Visit

Club gives communication practice.

Communicators Logan City recommences for the 2005 year on 1st February, 2005. The theme is Kick Start 2005 and the programme includes an education on Motions, a skit and a Book Report, all evaluated, and Impromptu Issues. As usual, visitors are very welcome. For more information visit

Meeting Success Tip

Sit where you can be seen. Place yourself with the most powerful people, so you get the halo effect. If you are presenting, face them. Sit in the middle of the row, not the end, to maximise your contact with the other people at the meeting. At a table, sit the head of the table. These are external symbols of validation. Need skills to make your meetings more efficient and effective? Book a workshop or training session for your workplace or conference. Visit

Nine steps to Better Listening

We desperately need our listening skills - or we stand to waste time, misunderstand directions at work and at home, and sabotage our social lives. Make effective listening a habit. Start with these nine tips. 1. Make listening a two-way process – learn to clarify what you thought you heard. 2. Make an effort to have a positive attitude towards the speaker and subject, so that your prejudices don’t overwhelm your understanding. 3. Relax. But stay focussed. You sabotage your ability to listen if you are stressed, “on the run”, or nervous because of the status of the speaker. 4. Avoid completing sentences for someone you perceive as slow. 5. Personal anecdotes are, not a waste of time, but a way to understand the speaker’s perspective and therefore a way to more effectively decode their message 6. Don’t waste listening time preparing your reply. 7. Focus on the present moment, not the past or the future. 8. Keep judgements and conclusions until the end of the message. We are all blessed with two ears and one mouth – a constant reminder that we should listen twice as much as we talk! For more Communication success Tips, subscribe to our newsletter. Visit

Mt Gravatt club resumes meetings

ITC in the southern hemisphere is taking its summer break and will resume at the end of January, early February. Mt Gravatt Communicators resumes on 25th January and visitors are very welcome to attend what will probably be a light-hearted meeting to start the year. For more information visit

Research Used to Correct School Language

University researchers have helped West Australian teachers and school students tweak their talking skills to better suit modern life. For six months, a team of Edith Cowan University (ECU) researchers, Associate Professor Rhonda Oliver, Dr Yvonne Haig and Dr Judith Rochecouste, assisted 50 teachers to investigate the language skills of about 2500 of their students. ECU Media release, 13 October 2004 http://ecumediaqa.ids.ecu.edu.au/popups/mrPopup.asp?mrID=655 For workshops to develop your speaking and witing skills, visit