Clear Communication Skills Blog
Chris Farmer's Leadership and Management Training Blog
Welcome - the purpose of the blog page is to provide you with a never ending source of valuable, practical and entertaining information designed to help you get the best performance from yourself and others.
In these blogs you will find all the information you need to make faster progress in less time and effort. Here you will find all the information you need to achieve your goals. In addition to helping yourself to achieve your goals, you can use the same information to help others to achieve their goals.
Clear Communication Skills Blogs
Communication is essential because, in order to succeed, you need to gain the willing cooperation of others. In order to gain to that, you need to communicate effectively. Effective communication is CLEAR communication.
Clear communication occurs when your words convey only ONE meaning.
UNCLEAR communication occurs when your words convey multiple meanings.
When your words convey multiple meanings, you are creating the conditions for chaos, since each person who hears your message, interprets it differently.
When the team hears an unclear, indistinct or vague communication, each member acts according to their own interpretation; and the net result is chaos.
If you want to be a good communicator then you need to think, write and speak in clear and unambiguous terms.
In order to clarify your meaning, you need to master four skills.
- How to use specific rather than vague terms
- Giving definitions for all your major terms
- Defining your terms numerically
- Defining your terms by using visual images
You need to avoid using words and phrases that are too abstract; and that mean something different to each member of the group. For example, if I said, “Go out and do the RIGHT THING!”. The term, Right Thing means something different to each person.
And in the same way, if a person says, “Our Tax system must be fair”, the meaning of the word “Fair” means something different for everyone who hears it.
Therefore, you need to be ready, willing and able to define and specify every term that is capable of misunderstanding. Because the following law is true.
Whatever can be misunderstood, will be misunderstood.
And your task as a communicator is to transfer knowledge without misunderstanding.
Clear Communication Skills Blogs
Investigative Vs Ordinary Conversations
23 April 2024
Conducting investigations entails the skill of adeptly gathering and analysing information to unearth facts, resolve issues, and arrive at informed decisions. It's imperative for professionals to master the art of framing conversations accurately.
Continue Reading >How to be an Effective Communicator
2 January 2024
Effective communication ensures clear understanding. Misunderstandings, confusion, and errors arise when we fail to convey our message accurately. We look at the ways to make ourselves more clearly understood.
Continue Reading >Mastering the Art of Conversing Knowledgeably on Unfamiliar Topics
24 October 2023
Learn to discuss unfamiliar topics adeptly with a five-step approach, avoiding uninformed statements while engaging in knowledgeable conversations.
Continue Reading >Six Step Formula for Investigative Interviews
7 February 2023
Managers are often required to conduct interviews to obtain information that may be needed as evidence in court. Therefore it is essential that interviews are professionally conducted.
Continue Reading >How to Overcome the 6 Barriers of Communication
10 January 2023
Barriers of communication come in two forms: mental and physical. We examine how can we overcome these barriers to achieve successful communication.
Continue Reading >What is the Conversation Cycle?
22 November 2022
Conversations involve the sharing of information, ideas and opinions. Each person in the conversation must have the opportunity to inform, invite, listen and acknowledge to complete the conversation cycle.
Continue Reading >How to Politely Say 'No' to your Boss
25 October 2022
Learning to say 'no' is an important skill that many people find hard to do. This can cause stress and anxiety and failure to do their jobs effectively. Learn how and when to say 'no' to your boss.
Continue Reading >How to Start a Presentation
12 July 2022
The start of your presentation sets the terms for the rest of the performance. If you start well, then you will probably succeed. Here are some useful tips for getting your presentation off to a good start.
Continue Reading >Virtual Presenting Skills
8 March 2022
With more presentations than ever being held online, Presenters have had to adjust their presentation styles in order to keep and maintain the interest of their virtual audience. Join us for our FREE webinar on Virtual Presenting Skills.
Continue Reading >Presentation Skills for Nervous People
4 January 2022
Many people find making presentations nerve-wracking. But there is a success formula for making effective presentations, which can help even the most nervous speaker. Find out how you can be more confident and take advantage of FREE training today.
Continue Reading >Ten Top Tips for Sending Professional Calendar Meeting Invites
12 October 2021
To ensure your meetings are well attended and productive, you need to ensure that your meeting invitations are professional. These tips will help you to clearly communicate the purpose of the meeting and help attendees prepare.
Continue Reading >Learn to Spot Logical Lies
10 August 2021
Don't let your thoughts and actions be governed by logical fallacies. Some people may use them to mislead you, or as a simple mistake. Learn to identify them so that you can be prepared to spot them.
Continue Reading >Six Body Language Tips for Virtual Meetings
2 March 2021
Discover 6 top tips for online body language with expert trainer Chris Farmer. Anyone can learn these simple techniques to get more from Zoom and Teams meetings.
Continue Reading >Why is Communication Skills Training Important?
4 August 2020
Good communication is a key skill needed by people in every organisation to build good staff rapport and avoid misunderstandings. By attending communication skills training you become aware of what areas you could develop.
Continue Reading >What are the Factors of Effective Communication?
31 July 2020
Being able to communicate effectively is vital to achieving your goals, as well as fostering good working relationships with colleagues. Great communication at work will benefit the sharing of creative ideas and problem solving.
Continue Reading >16 Ways you can Use Questions
12 June 2020
Asking questions is the key to good communication. Take a look at the ways in which you can use questions to promote discussion, direct a conversation, inspire positivity and much more.
Continue Reading >Think Before you Speak
28 April 2020
Did you see the upset that Donald Trump caused last week with his ill-thought-out words about COVID-19, in front of the world's media? This is a great example of why you should always think before you speak.
Continue Reading >Delivering Effective Customer Service
3 March 2020
Customers are more demanding and less tolerant of poor service than they used to be. Therefore, it is essential that your organisation gives customer service great importance, and that staff are suitably trained in the key customer service skills.
Continue Reading >Do you Make Any of These Communication Mistakes?
7 February 2020
Good communication is important in all aspects of our lives. There are some common mistakes people make when communicating, which can affect how they are perceived. Take a look at these common mistakes and see if you can improve on any of them.
Continue Reading >The Most Important Question
15 November 2019
Many people speak in vague terms, or they don’t make themselves clear, so don't be afraid to ask them for clarification. It is dangerous to guess their meaning; ask the all important question before jumping to conclusions.
Continue Reading >The Six Barriers of Successful Communication
5 November 2019
In order to be successful, we need to be able to communicate well with others. There are many barriers that can cause breakdowns in communication, which you need to be aware of and deal with effectively.
Continue Reading >Six Top Tips to Improve your Communication
20 September 2019
Don't be misunderstood! Make it your mission today to improve your communication skills with your colleagues and friends. Here are our top tips to help you achieve this.
Continue Reading >Communication Mistakes
10 September 2019
We are all aware of the importance of good communication in business, between colleagues as well as with clients. Take a look as these common communication mistakes and see if you need to correct any that you make.
Continue Reading >The Secrets of Effective Communication
16 July 2019
Words have great power. They can conjure up images in the minds of your listener. Think about the language you use in order to avoid any misunderstanding. In business, using the correct words can make or break a sale.
Continue Reading >Communication Skills: Abc Principle
2 July 2019
Making sure that people understand your message is important, and there are three ways you can make this happen: By being accurate, being brief and being clear. We call this the ABC principle.
Continue Reading >How Language Causes Confusion
29 May 2019
Ambiguity in business can be damaging both for your reputation and your finances. To avoid potential confusion when communicating with colleagues and customers, take a look at these five ways where ambiguous language should be avoided.
Continue Reading >The Importance of Business Communication Skills
17 May 2019
If you want to succeed in business, being a good communicator is essential. Not only do you need to communicate to others what, why and how a goal is to be achieved, you need to listen to feedback received in order to make adaptive changes.
Continue Reading >How to Prevent Misunderstandings
2 April 2019
Not everyone is on the same wavelength as you, and therefore misunderstandings can occur when you speak to people. Whether your message is complex or your audience reluctant to listen, read our great tips to prevent misunderstandings happening.
Continue Reading >How to Communicate More Clearly
12 March 2019
Don't run the risk of being misunderstood. Improve your chances of success, in both your career and personal relationships, with these four simple but effective ways, to improve your communication technique.
Continue Reading >Improving Communication In the Workplace
5 March 2019
Managers are the key to successful communication and motivation in the workplace. They must ensure they give proper praise and appreciation, when due. And,if criticism is necessary, then it is vital that this is delivered in a constructive manner.
Continue Reading >Improving your Communication Skills
18 January 2019
Would you like to be a better communicator? Improve your communication skills with these simple, but effective, tips. Communication is not just what you say, it is learning how to be a better listener as well.
Continue Reading >Training to Improve your Communication Skills
27 November 2018
People do make judgements of you, based on your appearance and what you say. In order to give the right impression, try some new ways to improve your communication skills. You will improve your confidence and gain respect in the process.
Continue Reading >How to Improve the Way you Speak
9 November 2018
People judge your intelligence, ability and professionalism by the way you speak. Take a look at these ten ways to improve the way you speak.
Continue Reading >What are Good Communication Skills?
30 October 2018
In most areas of your life, the ability to communicate effectively is key to your success. Here are three tips to consider and put into practice today. Try our communication skills quiz to see where your strengths lie.
Continue Reading >Six Essential Business Communication Skills
5 October 2018
In order to do business you need to be able to communicate with potential clients. In this blog we examine the six essential communication skills you need in business. How many do you possess?
Continue Reading >What is a Good Communication Style?
24 August 2018
Having a good style of communication is a useful skill to master. People will stop and listen if you are a good communicator. Being credible and persuasive is vitally important as well, if you want to motivate people to take notice or action.
Continue Reading >How to be a Better Communicator
20 July 2018
Your work and personal relationships would benefit if you improved your style of communication. Please check out these four strategies you can use straight away, to be a better communicator and gain more co-operation from people around you.
Continue Reading >Communication Skills In Business
5 June 2018
Being able to give proper feedback relies on the ability to communicate effectively. Any criticism must be delivered in a constructive way, in order to give the receiver confidence and inspire them to improve.
Continue Reading >Four Steps to Improve your Communication Skills
22 May 2018
The ability to communicate well is a vital life skill. In business, being able to communicate your goals to others, clearly, logically and specifically is vital if you are are to succeed.
Continue Reading >Communication Skills: Clear, Rational and Positive
15 May 2018
Do people always understand what you mean, or do you leave ambiguities in your message? Empower yourself by making your communication clear, rational and positive, in order to engage people and get your ideas across and accepted.
Continue Reading >Communication Skills for Sales People
23 February 2018
Whether you need to sell your services or your products, the ability to persuade people to buy is vital to your success. The ability to sell is not a natural talent, it needs to be learned and practised until it becomes second nature.
Continue Reading >How to Give Feedback
12 February 2018
People are very quick to give negative feedback, but it is even more important to communicate positive feedback. Correctly given, positive feedback can be much more effective in getting people to change their behaviour or attitude.
Continue Reading >Tips to Improve your Communication Technique
30 January 2018
Communication skills are important in order for you to communicate your goals to other people. These six tips will help to improve your communication skills and lead to a greater success in achieving your goals.
Continue Reading >Top Tips to Effective Communication
5 December 2017
You would benefit if you improved your ability to communicate more effectively. See our top tips to improve your words, voice tone and body language. Improve your communication and improve your confidence.
Continue Reading >Communication: Negotiation Skills
7 November 2017
Every organisation has to trade successfully with others and being able to negotiate skillfully is vital to your success. Negotiation skills training will enable your team to agree the best possible outcome from any negotiation situation.
Continue Reading >How to be a Good Conversationalist
16 May 2017
Conversational skills are essential both in business and socially, so here are some top tips to becoming a good conversationalist.
Continue Reading >Make a Good First Impression
10 March 2017
First impressions really do count. When you meet someone you quickly decide whether you like them or not. And equally, other people will make a judgement about you. Here are some tips to help you make a positive first impression.
Continue Reading >Define your Key Terms
21 February 2017
Do you want to be happy, wealthy or successful? How will you know when you have reached any of these goals, unless you you define your ideals?
Continue Reading >The Importance of Communication Skills
10 February 2017
Use these three simple tips, to make sure that you communicate your message to others, in such a way as to gain their co-operation and agreement.
Continue Reading >Better Work Relationships
24 January 2017
Developing your ability to create and maintain excellent relationships will help you enjoy more success in every aspect of your life.
Continue Reading >Gain Their Understanding and Agreement
8 November 2016
Communication is important because you need to gain the understanding, agreement and active cooperation of others. Without cooperation your progress will be limited.
Continue Reading >Notes on Winning by Arnold Schwarzenegger
8 August 2016
It's about living. Not just existing! Wise words from one of the most successful people in the world.
Continue Reading >Muhammad Ali: the Greatest Speaker In the World.
7 June 2016
Muhammad Ali was gifted. Gifted as a sportsman, as a speaker, as a writer, as a poet and as a politician.
Continue Reading >How to Ask the Right Questions - Good Communication Skills
31 May 2016
Good communication is not only about the proper presentation of ideas, it is also means developing the ability to ask the right questions.
Continue Reading >Success Through Communication
3 May 2016
The ability to communicate ideas to the rest of your team, is a vital skill for your organisation's success.
Continue Reading >Communication Skills: Clear Thinking
22 April 2016
One of the best ways to improve the clarity of your thinking is to get into the habit of differentiating between pairs of similar but opposing concepts.
Continue Reading >Why We Love Logic
5 April 2016
To be successful and achieve your goals, you must act on logic and be rational when dealing with people.
Continue Reading >How to Take Constructive Criticism
15 March 2016
Feedback is vital for personal and professional development. Learn how to take constructive criticism in your stride with Corporate Coach Group.
Continue Reading >Twelve Ways to Improve your Communication Skills
22 January 2016
Some people seem to have been born with the gift of the gab. Mastering communication skills is the key to your future success.
Continue Reading >Communication Skills Training: Objective and Subjective Language
24 July 2015Objective and Subjective Language It is important to distinguish between two kinds of language: Objective language and subjective language. Every day you experience your "personal experience". You have to experience YOUR experience of an event. But isn't it true that YOUR experience of an event, may be very different to the
Continue Reading >Eight Ways to Improve your Communication Skills
3 July 2015
Good communication skills are vital to successful relationships both in work and in your personal life. Here are eight ways to improve your communication skills.
Continue Reading >Clear Communication
5 May 2015Clear Communication How would you rate yourself as a clear communicator? Do people always understand your message? Or when you speak, do you suffer the problem of other people NOT properly understanding your exact meaning? You need to develop the skill of clear communication It is important that you do, because
Continue Reading >How to Improve the Way I Speak
13 November 2014How to improve the way I speak It is important to be able to speak and to write clearly. One of the biggest mistakes you can make, at work, is to use ambiguous language. It is especially naughty to give ambiguous instructions. An ambiguous instruction is any instruction that is so
Continue Reading >Three Ways to Improve your Communication Skills
19 April 2014How can you improve your communication skills? Communication is important to you because you use your communication to gain the cooperation of others. You need the cooperation of others: you need cooperation from your colleagues, your suppliers, your customers, and your family. If you cannot gain the cooperative assistance of others
Continue Reading >Communication Skills: Two Opposites
27 January 2014
Ambiguity and vagueness in language causes breakdown in communication and leads to misunderstanding and conflicts.
Continue Reading >Communication Skills Training (Advanced)
20 January 2014Recognising arbitrary statements Communication is a vital skill to master. You can define the term "Communication" as: "the transfer of information, from one mind to another." And you could define "excellent communication" as: The accurate transfer of information, from one mind to another, without error, omission, distortion". Excellent communication is no
Continue Reading >A Course on Clear, Confident Communication
8 January 2014A Course on Clear, Confident Communication Clear communication may be defined as the art of transferring an idea, or piece of information, from your mind, into the mind of another, without distortion, error, omission or misunderstanding: Meaning: the idea or piece of information, in the mind of the listener, at the
Continue Reading >How can I Make My Communications Skills Better?
16 September 2013How can I improve my communications skills? To a certain degree, your success is linked to your ability to communicate. If your communication skills are strong and you can easily express every idea and piece of information that you have, then you will be more convincing and persuasive. If you are
Continue Reading >How to Improve your Communication Skills
31 August 2013How to Improve your Communication Skills You may have a need for training in the following specific areas of communication: Selling to the public. Communication of ideas (both to the public and to your colleagues). Handling difficult people and conflict situations. Answering difficult or critical questions. Building self-confidence as a communicator
Continue Reading >Communication Skills for Managers and Leaders
27 February 2013
Leaders and managers need to lead their teams in order to achieve the successful outcome of their vision for their organisation. One of the main ways in which they do this is through being great communicators.
Continue Reading >Communication Skills - Accurate Language
24 April 2012Communication skills - Accurate language Many people have trouble expressing themselves. They say: "I know what I mean but I can't explain it!" But you need to be able to express yourself with both clarity and accuracy. Here is a rule that will help you to get better results. Clarity is
Continue Reading >Management Training and Advanced Communication Skills
4 March 2012Management training and advanced communication skills Management training is about improving the performance of oneself and others. In order to do that, you need people to develop themselves. But asking a person to engage in an act of self-development means asking them to change; and many people don't like the idea
Continue Reading >How to Communicate Effectively
25 November 2011How to Communicate Effectively In order to do well, you will need the cooperation of others. You will need to gain the cooperation of many people, including: Your partner Your bank Your customers Your suppliers Your colleagues at work Failure to gain their cooperation will mean either: They won't help you
Continue Reading >Communication Skills for Trainers Or Presenters
10 November 2011Communication skills for trainers or presenters As a trainer or presenter: You have three major goals. To make your messages and material: 1. Informative 2. Enjoyable 3. Memorable Let us look at each in turn: Informative Your delegate must find your material informative. In order for that to happen, you must
Continue Reading >Good Communication
25 October 2011Good Communication At work, in order to become a more effective communicator, you need to develop three qualities: 1. Clarity: Everyone should be able to fully understand what you mean, even if they don't agree with you. Remember that misunderstandings will cause problems. Clarity is your main communication goal. 2. Rationality
Continue Reading >Advanced Communications Skills
17 May 2011Advanced Communications Skills Advanced Communications Skills - Choose your words carefully Mr Bond, they may be your last! It is possible to mess up BIG TIME, in the blink of an eye, by the clumsy use of language. Words have power. This power can make you more successful or it can
Continue Reading >Communication Methods
31 March 2011Methods of Communication Communications skills training is mostly concerned with the proper use of language. The degree of your communication skills and your use of language can even determine how successful you will be. Those people who are training their communications skills and therefore, can more effectively handle words do far
Continue Reading >Blog Categories
Accelerated Learning (6)
Accelerated learning techniques are special methods of organising information, so that you can more rapidly memorise and more accurately recall it on demand. Accelerated learning also includes mind mapping and creative thinking techniques.
Assertiveness (4)
Assertiveness is a both a communication style and a mind-set which, when combined, allows a people to express their meaning using just the amount of forcefulness, in relation to their body language, voice tone and spoken language.
Change Management (15)
Change management training is how to use the fact of continuous change, to work FOR you, rather than against you. It is a fact that all improvement implies change, but many people hate change. Change management is about training people to love change as a means of making the future better.
Coaching, Mentoring and Developing Staff (8)
There is a pressing need to develop the next generation of leaders, managers and technical experts. One way to develop staff is through coaching and mentoring. To be an effective coach and mentor is not an easy skill to master. These blogs discuss the skills of coaching, mentoring and staff development.
Communication - Clear Communication (77)
One to the most important facets of communication is clarity. Whenever you write or speak, your words should denote only one possible meaning. If your words can be properly interpreted in multiple ways, then you are creating the conditions for confusion, error and misunderstanding. These blogs discuss the nature of clear communication.
Communication - Listening Skills (5)
Communication includes the ability to attend to, understand and memorise what people say to you. Effective Listening is an active, not a passive process. These bloggs discuss what it takes to be a good listener.
Communication - Nonverbal Communication (8)
Communication includes a large visual component. How you appear, as you speak, makes a big difference to how your message is received. These blogs are about how to best use your body language. (Eye contact, posture, dress, hand and arm gestures, etc.)
Communication - Persuasive Communication (39)
Persuasion is the art of convincing others that your ideas are good, right, fair and practical, and in addition, persuasion includes motivating people to put your ideas into action. Persuasion is a key communication skill that everyone should study. These blogs discuss how to be more persuasive.
Communication - Written Communication (5)
A part of your communication is in the written form. Writing well is a skill that most people do not study, though it is of immense importance. These blogs discuss how you might improve your written communication.
Conflict Management and Handling Difficult People (28)
Conflict is inevitable, and when it occurs, you need to resolve it quickly and efficiently. Conflict management (and handling difficult people) is about managing your communication and your emotions, so that you arrive at a negotiated solution as quickly as possible. This series of blogs discusses the various ways you can best manage conflict.
Decision Making and Problem Solving (21)
Decision making is the skill of selecting the best option from many options. And problem solving is the skill at determining the causes and implications of a problem and finding efficient remedies. This series of blogs discusses the elements of effective decision making and problem solving.
Goal Setting (7)
Success is the achievement of a worthwhile goal. And therefore, the first step to achieving a goal is to set it. Goal setting is the starting point of all achievement and is one of the most important topics you could study. This series of blogs discuss the elements of goal setting.
Leadership and Management (143)
Leadership is the art of setting a clear goal and inspiring others to achieve it. Management is the art of organising resources so as to most efficiently achieve that goal. This series of blogs discuss the details of leadership and management.
Mental Health (12)
Mental health is the skill of managing your own mind so as to achieve mental stability and a high degree of rationality. Mental ill health is the opposite, mental instability and irrational actions. This series of blogs, discusses how you might manage your mind.
Motivation (32)
Motivation is an emotion that induces action. Without motivation, nobody would achieve anything of value. This series of blogs discusses the various ways you can motivate yourself and others.
Other (36)
Whilst interesting and informative in their own right, these blogs don't fit into a category.
People Management (11)
People management is a combination of skills including goal setting, communication, planning, handling conflict and motivation skills. This series of blogs discusses people management skills.
Personal Development (72)
The best investment you can make is in your own personal development. If you develop your skills, knowledge and experience, then you will maximise your potential to produce excellent results. This series of blogs looks at the details of personal development.
Personal Effectiveness (85)
You are not paid for how hard you work; you are paid for your effectiveness. It is possible to improve your effectiveness and get more valuable work done in less time and effort. This series of blogs discusses how you might improve your personal effectiveness and therefore speed up your rate of progress.
Positive Thinking (8)
The quality of your results is based upon the quality of your actions. And your actions are controlled by your thoughts. To simultaneously improve both your material results and your mental health, it is vital to develop the skills of positive thinking.
Stress Management (3)
Stress can be both good for you and bad for you. Good Stress triggers improvement. Bad stress grinds you down. Stress management is about using stress to help you to improve, and to avoid the negative effects of too much stress. These blogs discuss the various aspects of stress management.
Supervisory Management Skills (4)
Supervisory management skills are a combination of five major skill sets, setting goals, communication skills, planning, performance management and motivation. These blogs discuss the details of supervisory management skills.
Team Leadership (6)
For the most part, we all work in teams. Leading the team effectively can make all the difference to the performance of the team, as a whole. This series of blogs discuss the details of team leadership.
Teamwork (19)
Teams are often composed of people who have very different personalities and skills. In order to perform well, the members of the team must work well together and play to each other’s strengths. This series of blogs covers the importance of team work skills.
Time Management (16)
Time management is about prioritising, planning, organising and delegating, so that, at any moment, you are always adding the most value, and setting the conditions for your future success. This series of blogs investigates how you might better manage your time.