Today's Challenge - Smile

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We challenge you to make at least ten people smile today.

World Communications Week

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By Terry Orr

“Communication is the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information by speech, signals or writing.”

Means of communicating were rather simple when I was born: post cards; letters; telegraph; telephone, sign language; smoke signals (didn’t work to well in the city); radio and the beginning of television; of course – telewoman (big smile) and best means face-to-face.  Sixty some years later each has improved and digital communications is leading to way to new and improved means of communicating with others.

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Last year at this time - Cherie Burbach wrote in her article on World Communication Week: Communication problems can affect every area of our life, from our jobs to our friendships. You might think that "better communication" just means talking more, but the reason definition has to do with effectiveness. This includes listening, paying attention to non-verbal clues, and speaking clearly so that both your intent and message is obvious.

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While our tools and methods of communicating have vastly increased over the past few years – our ability to effectively communicate has become more challenging and often finding ourselves less effective.  While I am here sitting in Bob Evans finishing my breakfast writing this article and wondering just how we got ourselves into this rut of being poor communicators in general. Here are some thoughts to consider:

• Short Hand;
• Abbreviations
• Lack of understanding between generations;
• Lack of patience;
• Audiences have dramatically changed;
• We have gone from local to regional to national to global environments;and
• Diversity.

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Dennis Rivers at NewConverations.Net recently updated his “A Guide to Listening,, Self-expression, Creative Question Asking, Gratitude, and more” is available for free in PDF format and contains lots of good information. Dennis focuses on seven communication skills challenges and a brief description of each follows.

Communication Skills Challenge One: Deep Listening. Listen more carefully and responsively, acknowledging the feelings and wants that people express in word and mood. Actively acknowledging another person’s experience does not have to mean that you agree or approve.

Communication Skills Challenge Two: Explaining your conversational intent and inviting consent by using one of 30 basic conversational invitations such as, “Right now I would like to take a few minutes and ask you about… [subject].” The more involvement a conversation is going to require of the other person, the more you will benefit by sharing your conversational goal and inviting the conscious cooperation of your conversation partner.

Communication Skills Challenge Three: Expressing yourself more clearly and more completely how to express yourself in a way that gives your listeners the information they need to:

Understand (mentally reconstruct) your experiences more fully

Empathize with what you are experiencing.

One good way is to use “the five I-messages”: What/how I …

Observe;

Am feeling;

Because I interpret/evaluate/need, and now I;

Want to request; and

Envision/hope for from request.

Communication Skills Challenge Four: Translating your criticisms and complaints into requests for action and explaining the positive results of having your request granted. Do this for both your own complaints and the complaints that others bring to you.  Focusing on the positive outcome shows respect to the recipient of a request as having a positive contribution to make, and shifts focus from past mistakes to present and future successes.

Communication Skills Challenge Five: Asking questions more “open-endedly” and more creatively.

“How did you like that movie?” is an open-ended question that invites a wide range of answers. “Did you like it?” suggests only “yes” or “no” as answers and does not encourage discussion. Sincerely asked open-ended questions can open up our conversation partners.

Communication Skills Challenge Six: Thanking: Expressing more gratitude, appreciation, encouragement and delight in everyday life.  In a world full of problems, look for opportunities to give praise. Both at home & at work, it is the bond of appreciation that makes relationships strong enough to allow for problem-solving and differing needs.

Communication Skills Challenge Seven: Adopting the “living-as-continuous-learning” approach.  Make the practices described in challenges 1 through 6 important parts of your everyday living and learning. Pay attention to each conversation as an opportunity to grow in skill, awareness and compassion.  Work to redefine each of your “opponents” in life as a learning and problem-solving partner.  Assist the processes of change in your world by personally embodying the changes, virtues and styles of behavior you want to see in others.

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So let’s all take a few minutes, catch our collective breaths, reflect on the helpful ideas listed above and start working to communicate better in all areas of our lives.

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References and Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication

http://notesdesk.com/notes/business-communications/types-of-communication/

http://www.creativedisplaysnow.com/articles/history-of-communication-from-cave-drawings-to-the-web.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_communication

http://friendship.about.com/b/2011/11/03/november-1-7-is-world-communication-week.htm

http://newconversations.net/

Be Prepared

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By Terry Orr

Preparedness refers to the state of being prepared for specific or unpredictable events or situations. Preparedness is an important quality in achieving goals and in avoiding and mitigating negative outcomes. It is a major phase of emergency management, and is particularly valued in areas of competition such as sport and military science.

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September 2012 marks the ninth annual National Preparedness Month, sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the US Department of Homeland Security. One goal of Homeland Security is to educate the public about how to prepare for emergencies, including natural disasters, mass casualties, biological and chemical threats, radiation emergencies, and terrorist attacks.

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10 Ways YOU Can be Disaster Prepared (from Cal EMA)

1. Identify Your Risk
2. Create a Family Disaster Plan
3. Practice Your Disaster Plan
4. Build a Disaster Supply Kit for Your Home
5. Prepare Your Children
6. Don’t Forget Those with Special Needs
7. Learn CPR and First Aid
8. Eliminate Hazards in Your Home and Work Place
9. Understand Post 9/11 Risks
10. Get Involved, Volunteer

I really like how Cal EMA has layout getting prepared for disasters, especially item one, ‘identify your risk’. What are the hazards where you live or work? Find out what natural or human caused disasters pose a risk for you. Do you live near a flood plain, an earthquake fault, or in a high fire danger area? Are you prepared for an unexpected human-made disaster that can strike any time? Does your neighborhood or community have a disaster plan?

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Be sure to include the following items in your emergency plan:

• How each person will get out of the house, if needed;
• Where to meet if you must leave the house; and
• Contact information for reaching the designated out-of-area contact person.

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Emergency management, emergency preparedness, and disaster services are common throughout the United States—we take care of each other. By whatever name, these activities encompass mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery related to any kind of disaster, whether natural, technological, or national security. Emergency preparedness means being prepared for all kinds of emergencies, able to respond in time of crisis to save lives and property, and to help a community—or even a nation—return to normal life after a disaster occurs.

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Like a good scout – Be Prepared

References and links:

http://www.ready.gov

http://www.cdc.gov/features/beready/

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/preparedness/

http://www.citizencorps.gov/

http://www.calema.ca.gov/NewsandMedia/Pages/Preparedness-Month.aspx

http://www.emergencypreparednessdepot.net/

https://www.disability.gov/emergency_preparedness#map

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October is National Disabilities Awareness Month

By Akindman,

In 1945 Congress passed Public Law 176 where the first week of October would be recognized as “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” By 1988, Congress changed the timeframe to the entire month and the name to “National Disability Employment Awareness Month.” The 2011 theme: “Talent Has No Boundaries: Workforce Diversity INCLUDES Workers with Disabilities” represents that workers with disabilities are diversified and a vibrant talented work source (comments taken from the United States Department of Labor).

Nearly all persons with a disability have something the can contribute to organizations.  Given the opportunity and training they will give back more that the employers invest several times fold.  I was blessed with working with some of these people in my consultant days and to the individual – they excelled and set solid, ethical, and professional benchmarks for others to follow.

A few years ago, a friend of mine told me about a company in Hot Springs, Arkansas had a company where over 90% of his employees were disabled.  It was truly amazing when I got to see this team of people working and how well they worked together.  It is Win-Win-Win for the community, people and company.

So when you are looking for help, please consider interviewing a person with disabilities - you may just find that they are the right answer.  Thanks.