Hello, my friend! How are you? If you're out of time or "in a rush", go to the last paragraph of this text for a fast answer.

In times of immediate responses and connection 24 hours a day, talking about long-term transformation is a risk! But… we believe you can (and must!) dream big, and make a daily effort to get better every day. This is our mission - seeing you speaking English and being a Leader wherever you go. "The 5 Essential People Skills" was written by Dale Carnegie and its goal is to improve your people skills. In other words, to improve your relationships at work and at home.

In the last article we learned how to ask questions skillfully (check this article + video if you haven't done it yet). Now we start talking about ways to improve your communication. "Constantly evolving new technologies such as email, voicemail, text messaging, and cell phones have hugely increased the pace and efficiency of business contact, but they've also expanded the possibilities for mistakes and misunderstandings. Having said that, how can we avoid trouble?

Dale Carnegie says effective communication takes some planning. "As a leader, you need to strike a balance between friendly communication and efficient, assertive sharing of information". The author tells us to start by making sure our message is understood. Second step is understanding the message we're receiving. Delivering and receiving the words well.

Articulate your message so it becomes clear and understood. Pay attention when people are talking to you so you can get what they expect. The third and last step is: maintain control of the conversation. "Make sure the necessary points are addressed, and pertinent questions are effectively addressed". What have you been willing to say? Take this approach and let us know the outcome. See you next class!