Isn’t It Time You Bring Communication to the Forefront of Your Life?

Dear Human Communicators,


How successful would you be personally and professionally if you had a personal Communication Advisor?

Isn’t It Time You Bring Communication to the Forefront of Your Life?


Dear PS: Conversations about Communication™

Welcome to the 4th edition of Dear PS! For over 20 years, I have committed myself to understanding both the art and science of communication in an effort to understand humanities greatest gift of connection and creativity. This newsletter provides the opportunity to share years of discovery and application. Please do not take this gift lightly. Your happiness, your success, your relationships depend on your ability to understand and use the tool of communication to create the life you want to live. Blog us, we would love to hear from you! This month, we highlight Small Group Communication; you know family, team, association, group... We all can learn to get along once we understand the vast importance of the role of perception as we make room for other realities. Want to change the world you're living in? Your communication effectiveness holds THE key!

The Art and Science of Communication: Tools for Effective Communication in the Workplace (ASC) is flying off the shelves of all the major bookstores into the hands of interested readers already sharing this important work with others. Our global society is desperate for people willing to increase their abilities to communicate, inspire and impact the world with words of healing ....we are here Pass It On!

Welcome to our new “Dear PS Blog”. Send Your Comments!!!
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Small Group Communication Tips

Dear PS,

Q: Can you help me understand why I always seem to be so uncomfortable in group discussions? I just
clam up and wish I could disappear!
A: This is a common issue for many individuals. This is an important fact because those other 3 or more
individuals in the group are probably feeling the same way and faking their way through or
withdrawing just like you. Where does the discomfort come from? Basically, it is an unhealthy
obsession with “self”. Not as in positive self-esteem but as in low self-worth and an unhealthy focus on
your imagined shortcomings. Remember the phrase “you take you wherever you go”? Well, what is
your self-talk saying to you and how is it building or destroying your ability to be heard? Another issue
may be your lack of communication repertoire. What do you have to say? Focus on your issues of self-
worth and improve, increase your communication repertoire for greater communication opportunities.
Chapter 1, 4 and 5 of the ASC guidebook shed further light on this concern. Your VOICE is just as
important and worthy as the next....know it – speak it!
Q: I am a team leader at work and it is one of the most challenging positions I have ever had! The team
members are so diverse from their ideologies to their backgrounds. I am having trouble getting everyone
on the same page.
A: Welcome to the 21st century of diversity in the workplace. Increasingly, team leaders must become
culturally competent to manage diverse groups and points of view. There are many factors to leading in
the global marketplace. But a few important factors include: (1) how competent are you to lead the team
in terms of knowledge and desired outcomes, (2) what is your background working with individuals
who may bring to the table differing perspectives and worldview, (3) do you understand the important
difference between task and maintenance leadership skills, (4) what type is your leadership style and is
this group prepared for it and lastly, (5) how passionate are you about the mission? Answering these
questions will enable you to understand the amount of work that needs to be a part of your leadership
reasearch. Individuals will follow a leader who knows where he/she is going and passionate about what
ALL his/her members have to offer.

Q: I don’t understand why we have such a hard time working together in groups in the U.S. Other
countries such as China seem to be surpassing us in collective innovation and production. Does our
communication style offer any insight?

A: This is a great question that strikes at the heart of how we see ourselves. There are many ways to
approach this issue depending on who is answering the question, but I would like to offer one issue that
many feel greatly impacts this issue – “individualism versus collectivism”. We live in a “hyper-
individualistic” culture that places less value on the we than on the me. This affects every aspect of our
society. It breeds competition versus cooperation at every level of our culture. Just look around. You
want my definition of a good team? “A great team is comprised of members who contribute their
individual best for the collective good.”

PS. Have a wonderful day. It’s always your choice!
And that’s my word!
Pass It On!

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