Category: communicating

Using Social Media to Be Appreciative

social media
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Social media has invaded everyone’s lives. People are willing to share many aspects of their lives on social media, from cute pictures of their cats, to what they had for breakfast. While not everyone appreciates these constant updates, when used correctly, social media can be a great way to show the world all the small things that you appreciate.

If you have never used Pinterest before, start setting up boards about your favourite items. It could be songs of your favourite bands. If you have great recipes that you have tried in your past, create a board for that. You can even set up some of your boards as group boards. You then invite others to post on your boards. The advantage of this is you can find ideas of what others enjoy. You can control who is allowed to join to prevent spammers from infiltrating your boards.

If you insist on posting every meal on social media, consider using Twitter to do this. It’s a more forgiving platform as the messages pass through quickly and only contain a small number of characters. Your friends on Facebook are probably not as receptive. Now you know.

While it’s great to show your appreciation for the small things using social media, make sure you have the rights to post what you post. People and companies take copyright infringement seriously and posting any picture on a whim can get you into serious trouble. The fines can be hefty, and there have been instances of criminal actions taken against perpetrators. If you search on Google for images and you don’t know whether it’s okay to use them, likely it’s not. Don’t take this issue lightly.

You also want to make sure you have permission to post pictures of people. If they are people you know, you can simply ask them with a verbal confirmation. If you wish to post people you don’t know, make sure you get a signed release that it’s okay to use their image. Never use people’s images in a negative light. You wouldn’t want them doing that to you so they won’t appreciate it either.

Be respectful of what you post on social media. Some media channels may allow you to post inappropriate material, such as nude pictures, etc. However, just because the particular channel allows it doesn’t mean you should engage in the practice. If it’s not something you are willing to show to your mother than that is probably a good indication it should not go onto social media.

To your success

Michael W

Michael W

P.S. If you are looking for a confidence program that can help you with your self development. Send me an email at michael@youaresuccesslifecoach.com to request a copy of my “Maximum Confidence Transformation Package”. Afterwards we can arrange a discovery telephone call to discuss the package and how you can benefit further from developing your confidence level.

Feature photo used under CCO and available at https://pixabay.com/en/mobile-phone-smartphone-keyboard-1917737/

Being A Better Communicator

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How to Be a Better Communicator

 

 

better communicatingCommunication is the key when it comes to anything that involves collaboration. Since humans are a social species, communication is involved in nearly everything you do.

Some people are born with the natural ability to communicate well, while others may struggle with it. No matter what category you fall into, it’s likely that you can benefit from paying attention to improving your communication skills.

Why Better Communication Helps You

Did you know that most businesses consider your communication skills to be the most important characteristic about you? This means that you could have top-notch knowledge and job skills but still fail to land a job if you’re lacking in the communication department.

Communication is certainly not only important when it comes to your work life, but it’s also vital in having a successful home life as well. Couples and family members that are good communicators lead happier lives overall.

Proper communication will prevent misunderstandings and save you time so you won’t have to go back and explain yourself again and again. You know you’ve gained good communication skills when you can communicate your thoughts effectively with as few words as necessary!

How To Improve Communication With Others

Communication is a two way street. This means that you could have excellent skills, but if the recipient is lacking, then you may not be understood. This is why it’s important not only to develop our speaking skills, but our listening skills, too.

Since you can’t affect the skill level of others, the only thing you can do is strengthen your own communication skills. Besides, when you’re an excellent communicator, more people will understand you, everything around you will run more efficiently, and you’ll more often get what you want!

Try these strategies to improve your communication skills:

  1. Avoid arguing. If you run into a snag in a conversation and it starts to morph into an argument, step back and realize what’s going on. It’s easy to get swept up into the blame game, but ultimately it’s not important who’s at fault. What’s important is the mutual understanding of the issue at hand and a desire for a solution that benefits everyone.
  1. Don’t be afraid to compromise. You may be tempted to try and “win” but that’s not the best way to reach a mutual agreement. You may be happier with getting your way, but it may come at the expense of the other person, which can cause further issues. Find a good compromise that you both can willingly accept.
  1. Work on listening. Your listening skills are even more important than your speaking skills. After all, how will you know what you should say – and when – if you haven’t effectively listened? Listen more than you speak and you’ll gain a profound wisdom of others, too!
  1. Keep your focus. Communication will get overly complicated if you worry about too many issues at once. Avoid bringing up the past or other issues and, instead, focus on the one topic at hand.
  1. Stay calm and take responsibility. Adopt a calm and cool manner of handling situations. When things remain low key, it’s easier to communicate and get your point across. This also means that you need to take responsibility for what you say. Don’t be afraid to admit mistakes when you’re wrong.

Becoming a better communicator doesn’t happen overnight. But if you keep practicing and tweaking your skills, you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish.

To your success

Michael W

Michael W