Communication Archives

Are First Impressions Accurate?—More Than You Think

Are first impressions accurate? How much can you tell about a person’s character based on a first impression? They say that first impressions can be deceiving. However, although first impressions are based on a very small segment of information, they can also be incredibly accurate, even more so than “second,” “third,” or even “fourth” ones. Keep reading to learn about the power of first impressions, and why they are often more accurate than people think.

Motivation Barriers and How to Overcome Them

What are motivation barriers? How do you discuss motivation barriers? Can they be overcome? When somebody fails to meet expectations—whether that be at work, in a personal relationship, or with family—it’s often due to a motivational barrier. Motivational barriers can often be overcome by providing the person with consequences and disciplinary actions if they continue to resist improvement. Keep reading to find out how to discuss motivation barriers and overcome them.

Crucial Accountability: The Key to a Strong Relationship

What is the meaning of crucial accountability? How does accountability improve relationships? Crucial Accountability is a book written by communication and management experts. It explores how an accountability discussion can save a relationship when someone has behaved in a way that is hurtful or disappointing. Keep reading for more about Crucial Accountability and the ability to solve problems by holding others accountable.

How to Create an Effective Follow-Up Plan

Do you always follow up after having an important discussion? What is the most effective follow-up strategy? The book Crucial Accountability teaches that an effective follow-up strategy is just as important as having an accountability conversation. If you don’t follow up with an action plan after a difficult conversation, then you will lose any progress you’ve made. Learn how to follow up and create a follow-up plan below.

How to Start a Difficult Conversation

Do you know how to start a difficult conversation? Where do you begin? How do you make the conversation go smoothly? According to the authors of Crucial Accountability, establishing mutual respect and a shared purpose are the keys to learning how to start a difficult conversation. There are three steps you should take to avoid overwhelming the other person. Read more to learn how to start a difficult conversation.

Predicting Divorce: Signs to Look Out For

Is it possible to predict divorce? What are the most telling signs the relationship won’t last? The signs of an impending divorce are often evident from casual interactions of partners, even at the beginning of a relationship. Psychologist John Gottman has identified these signs by conducting observations of interactions of couples, predicting divorce with impressive accuracy. Here’s what he found.

Facial Microexpressions: What Are They?

What are microexpressions? Can facial microexpressions be detected by the naked eye? We can get better at understanding others, and consequently make more accurate judgments about them, by practicing reading people’s microexpressions—facial expressions that last for only a fraction of a second. Microexpressions are almost imperceptible to an untrained, naked eye, but with training, you can become better at detecting them. Let’s take a closer look at how we “thin-slice” people, or make judgments about them by reading (or failing to read) their microexpressions.

What Is Great Customer Service? The 2 Key Elements

What is great customer service? What should you do to encourage effective customer service in your business? A customer’s emotional experience can determine whether or not they will return to your business. In Delivering Happiness, Zappos’s former CEO Tony Hsieh describes the importance of great customer service and how his employees achieved it. Learn more about what great customer service is and the steps you can take to ensure your customer will have a positive experience.

How to Practice Clarity in Writing

Do you want to achieve clarity in your writing? What is the key to writing clearly? Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, politics or humor, sportswriting or essays, clarity in writing is extremely important. If your writing isn’t clear, you won’t be able to properly convey your point. Here’s how to write more clearly.

The 5-Step Guide to Simple Writing

Do people find your writing too complex or cluttered? Why is simplicity important in writing? Simple writing is easy for anybody to understand. There’s no need to use a thesaurus to find bigger words, to fluff up your language, or to beat around the bush. The best way to convey your message in writing is to use simple language. Here are some tips for writing simply and clearly.