Finding Penpal Friends And Its Communication

By AnsweringPhoneServices.com

In today's technical world, the Internet offers a wonderful option for finding penpals. Anyone can find a penpal in minutes over the Internet.

Before the advent of the internet many people worldwide would instant message each other in an entirely different way. They were penpal friends and although they shared much of the same information we do today with online buddies, their method of communication was significantly slower.

Penpal friends generally find one another through a service which can be either online or in a magazine. They list their interests, a brief description of themselves which includes gender and age and they are either matched with someone they will be compatible with or they choose their own pen friend.

Some penpal matching services are based on common goals or beliefs. The people joining want to find a friend they can write to who sees the world the same way they do.

Penpals can live thousands of miles apart and begin a dialogue which will include everything from family members to the political systems of their countries.

Having a Christian penpal can bring additional support and comfort into your life. Christian penpals will generally share the same interests and there is the common ground of Christ to begin to build a relationship upon.

Decades ago penpal friends were all the rage with teenagers. They would find a friend somewhere else in the world and then spend hours writing handwritten letters and mailing them via the post office to one another. In some cases it took weeks to get a reply but a big part of the experience was awaiting the letters.

Many penpals would include photographs of themselves so that the other person could get a better sense of who they were corresponding with. Gifts would even be exchanged even though the two people had never met one another. Their connection was real though and they enjoyed it very much.

It wasn't uncommon for people who wrote one another back and forth to continue the practice for years sharing milestones such as birthdays, graduations and even marriages.

Many penpal friends would talk on the telephone and eventually meet forging lifelong friendships. Today the experience is more high tech and the letters can be sent within seconds via email.

If you are looking to join a dynamic group of Christian individuals to chat with for support, dating, marriage, Christian penpal or simply for friendship purposes, you will want to check out the many Christian websites that offer Christian penpals and chat rooms. ChristiaNet.

It's easy for someone in Europe to send a note to someone in North America and receive a reply back within moments. The information sharing is quicker and although the letters are typed on a keyboard and read across a screen, the emotions born from that are real.

Penpals often care deeply for one another they laugh and cry with them. Share in the best moments of life and comfort them through the worst. The procedures may have changed over time, but pen friends still exist and people from one corner of the globe can meet and develop a friendship with someone thousands of miles away all through the use of the written word.

Get Free Web Content From ArticleBuilder.net

10 Ways to Empower Your Communication Here

By AnsweringPhoneServices.com

Tips! Must keep the business on track Small business plans make sure that all employees are pulling in the same direction, in keeping with the human, technological, physical, time and financial resources that the small business has at its disposal.

The Blarney Stone is a historical stone, or actually part of the Blarney Castle in Ireland where it was believed that kissing the stone can grant you the gift of gab. Yeah, it seems strange in this day and age, but who are we to question tradition? It's not like I'm saying that Santa Claus doesn't exist (OOPS!).

There is so much to know about communication conversation that anyone, even I, could ever realize. You can go though watching talk shows; radio programs; clubs dedicated to public speaking; ordinary conversations; certain rules still apply when it comes to interaction through words.

Business Cash Tips: Powerful Methods for Getting Business Cash Learn About Techniques, Strategies And Sources For Securing Cash And Business Loans Regardless Of Credit History.

It may sound tedious, I know, but even though it's your mouth that's doing the communication work, your brain works twice as hard to churn out a lot of things you know. So what better way to start learning to be an effective communication is to know the very person closest to you: yourself.

Wholesale Sources Business Pack.

1. What you know.

Communication education is all about learning the basics, but to be an effective speaker is to practice what you've learned. My stint as guest at every Toastmasters' meeting I go to taught me that we all have our limitations, but that doesn't mean we can't learn to keep up and share what we know.

Business Plan Software. Business Plan Template,first Time Internet Business Owner, Swot Analysis, Swot, Internet Marketing.

2. Listening.

It's just as important as asking questions. Sometimes listening to the sound of our own voice can teach us to be a little bit confident with ourselves and to say the things we believe in with conviction.

3. Humility

We all make communication mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our words, stutter, and probably mispronounce certain words even though we know what it means, but rarely use it only to impress listeners. So in a group, don't be afraid to ask if you're saying the right word properly and if they're unsure about it then make a joke out of it. I promise you it'll make everyone laugh and you can get away with it as well.

Buy Your Own Business With Very Little o Successful Entrepreneur Teaches YOU His Strategies and Techniques That Anyone Can Use To Create Residual Income and Wealth By Bu.

4. Eye Contact

There's a lot to say when it comes to directing your attention to your audience with an eye-catching gaze. It's important that you keep your focus when talking to a large group in a meeting or a gathering communication, even though he or she may be gorgeous.

Tips! With a home based network marketing business, taxes are on your side.

5. Kidding around

A little bit of humor can do wonders to lift the tension, or worse boredom when making your speech. That way, you'll get the attention of the majority of the crowd and they'll feel that you're just as approachable, and as human to those who listen.

Start Your Own Toner & Inkjet Business Learn how to start your own toner & inkjet business.

6. Be like the rest of them

Interaction is all about mingling with other people. You'll get a lot of ideas, as well as knowing what people make them as they are.

$$ Start a Consulting Business ! independent-
contractor-consulting legal forms .

7. Me, Myself, and I

Decorative Wall Painting Business.

Admit it, there are times you sing to yourself in the shower. I know I do! Listening to the sound of your own voice while you practice your communication speech in front of a mirror can help correct the stress areas of your pitch. And while you're at it you can spruce up as well.

8. With a smile

A smile says it all much like eye contact. There's no point on grimacing or frowning in a meeting or a gathering, unless it's a wake. You can better express what you're saying when you smile.

2007 Home Based Medical Billing Business Start Up Book The #1 Selling Medical Billing Book That Shows Exactly, Step-by-step How To Start A Medical Billing Business From Home.

9. A Role Model

There must be at least one or two people in your life you have listened to when they're communicate at a public gathering or maybe at church. Sure they read their lines, but taking a mental note of how they emphasize what they say can help you once you take center stage.

My Tax Tutor For Small Business Owners. What Every Small Business Owner Should Know About Their Taxes.

10. Preparation

Make the best out of preparation rather than just scribbling notes and often in a hurried panic. Some people like to write things down on index cards, while other resort to being a little more silly as they look at their notes written on the palm of their hand (not for clammy hands, please). Just be comfortable with what you know since you enjoy your work.

Ultimate Business Resale Rights Package

And that about wraps it up. These suggestions are rather amateurish in edgewise, but I've learned to empower myself when it comes to public or private speaking and it never hurts to be with people to listen how they make conversations and meetings far more enjoyable as well as communication educational.

Get Free Articles From ArticleBuilder.net

Telephone Ringing Again? No, You Don't Have to Answer It!

History 1877 - The very first permanent outdoor telephone wire was completed. It stretched a distance of just three miles.

I first wrote about tyrant telephone callers four years ago, and recent unpleasantness has made me revisit this subject. What is it about the telephone that makes people think its imperious summons always has to be answered, right this minute?! Consider the following, please.

It's potentially deadly for non-professionals to answer a phone when they're driving a vehicle. However, unless it's your job to answer the phone immediately at work, for example, you don't have to race to answer the phone anywhere. The truth is, there are calls that don't have to be answered at all. Where, then, does society get the nerve to put pressure on people to drop whatever they're doing, to speak with someone else at an inconvenient time?

History 1955 - Saw the beginning of the laying of transatlantic telephone cables.

The very sounds that landlines and cell phones now make can be reason enough to snatch them up, I suppose, just to save your sanity. But why not just turn them off? The irritating rings, tones, and music can be as bad as the sound from a frustrated child; he's banging over and over on piano keys he doesn't want to play in the first place. Or the phones irritate as much as the two weeks of beeping from a low battery, before the Facilities crew gets around to replacing it.

Why do we bother to have answering machines at home and voice mail at the office, if we aren't going to use either one? There's not much that's more annoying than a spouse with a head cold, bellowing at you to answer the phone, when Caller ID clearly indicates either "unknown caller," or yet another toll-free call coming in. (Privacy Manager, from the phone company, is a dubious solution. It can sink you, if you're job hunting, so disable it or cancel it. Don't make it hard for would-be employers to reach you. )

History 1946 - Worlds first commercial mobile phone service put into operation. It could link moving vehicles to a telephone network via radio waves.

What many of us didn't realize until recently is that many invasive phone calls are now dialed by a machine. When we answer such a call, there's a silence, while we inanely say, Hello?…Hello?... Hello? During that pause, the machine is connecting us to a live telemarketer. So, if no one answers rightaway, we need to hang up immediately! They even have the nerve to call four times in 40 minutes, if you do ignore them.

History 1876 - Alexander Graham Bell invents the telephone, beating Elisha Gray by a matter of hours.

Outside of irritating a sick person in the house, intrusive callers don't know or care that you might be in the middle of downloading bug fixes and enhancements (otherwise known as SR1 and SP3) from Microsoft. Even with DSL, such upgrades can take a couple of uninterrupted hours, after you've reinstalled Office. The reason such callers don't care is that they regard themselves as the most important people in the world, and anything you're doing can be set aside.

History 1874 - Principal of the telephone was uncovered.

What's worse, perhaps, is that it isn't just telemarketers, solicitors and pollsters, who can be rude. People from your own volunteer activities (church, community, or profession) think it's perfectly OK to call very early or very late in the day. After all, it's for a good cause, right? And heaven help you, if your employer makes you carry a pager or a company cell phone. It never occurs to Type A pushers that the rest of us function much better, when we unwind in the evenings, and get a healthy amount of rest and sleep.

And mothers, are you guilty of this, too? That is, do you expect your grown-up kids to drop everything, so you can nag one more time? Or do you call to be supportive and reassuring, which is what they need from you the most in today's hectic world?

History 1888 - Common battery system developed by Hammond V. Hayes, allows one central battery to power all telephones on an exchange, rather than relying on each units own battery.

The bottom line is that the phone doesn't have to be answered on the first ring, unless you are expecting an important call and/or don't want to alert everyone else in the house. Even then, extensions make it easy for others to listen in.

History 1900 - First coin operated telephone installed in Hartford, Connecticut.

If you're the caller, you might try being a little more considerate. And if you're the one who's paying the phone bill, turn off the ringer and let the answering machine pick up the calls. You'll save more than your sanity.

Shirley Ann Parker is a full-time technical writer. She is also the author of Discoveries: A Journey Through Life, a delightful collection of short stories about the joys and frustrations of family life and friendships. Discoveries is available from http://www.bbotw.com and other online bookstores. Read more about Discoveries at http://www.shirleyannparker.com, and see more of Shirley's creative work at http://www.cafeshops.com/topazcoveplus

Get Free Web Site Content From ArticleBuilder.net

VoIP and Local Telephone Companies

History 1888 � Common battery system developed by Hammond V. Hayes, allows one central battery to power all telephones on an exchange, rather than relying on each units own battery.

With VoIP technology entering the mainstream, it brings the possibilities or huge profits for the companies that provide the service. The current promise of cost savings is driving more and more residential and business users to investigate this technology. But the local telephone companies are not going to give up customers without a fight.

There is a current mandate by the US federal government that all VoIP providers offer E911 service. The initial blocking of this information was with the public switched telephone network maintained by the major telephone companies.

History 1876 � Alexander Graham Bell invents the telephone, beating Elisha Gray by a matter of hours.

The next stumbling block is ‘naked DSL' or DSL access without local phone service. This service is rare, but without it a residence would not be able to use VoIP as their primary phone service mechanism. You see, DSL is running over your existing phone line provided by your local telephone company. Drop your local phone service and you'll probably drop your broadband DSL access as well. (Cable broadband access is a viable solution here and the increased cost in cable access should be offset by the reduction on your monthly phone bill)

History 1955 � Saw the beginning of the laying of transatlantic telephone cables.

These are just two fronts in the battle over VoIP. Should companies be compensated for the infrastructures they build? Should E911 service be ‘free' and offered as a public service? What about the existing phone service run into our homes? Who pays for those lines to be laid and hooked into the public switched telephone network?

There really are no easy answers to the questions above. The phone companies are not about to give up customers without a fight. They have years and billions of dollars spent in building one of the most reliable communications networks ‘currently' known to us.

Is VoIP the next step in the evolving communications industry? How will this play out with phone companies offering internet and TV services and cable providers offering phone and internet service? The line is being blurred and yet the technology pushes forward.

History 1911 � American Telephone and Telegraph (AT & T) acquire the Western Union Telegraph Company in a hostile takeover. They purchased stocks in the company covertly and the two eventually merged.

I don't have the answers, only questions. I know how I'd like to see it all play out, but alas, there is no Nirvana and no, it would seem we all cannot get along. Not when there's literally billions of dollars at stake. There will be winners and losers as this war rages on, but it is my hope that we, the end users, will, in the end, be better for it. After all, we've been down this path many times before and it's turned out ok.

Remember the advent of the PC and where we've gone since then? Remember the first bulky cellular phones vs. what's available today? Yes, TV's, radios, computers, phones the list goes on. Technology advances will continue to push us into new directions. I'm sure that in the end, VoIP will be as commonplace as the home computer.

History 1946 � Worlds first commercial mobile phone service put into operation. It could link moving vehicles to a telephone network via radio waves.

We can leverage this technology today in a cost effective manner. Like any technology how you implement VoIP will make the difference. Whether you're a residential or business user, there can be an immediate benefit. Check with your communications broker to find out if your existing phone needs can be met cost effectively with VoIP.

History 1900 � First coin operated telephone installed in Hartford, Connecticut.

http://www.fullservice-broadband-provider.com

The Full service broadband provider is a service offered by Try Right Technology, Inc. This service provides unbiased informative information on broadband technology as well as local/long distance and cellular service. Copyright 2005

Get Free Web Site Content From ArticleBuilder.net

Five Principles of Effective Communication

The problem with communication is the illusion that it has occurred. George Bernard Shaw

I'm sure this has happened to you: a colleague has just done the exact opposite of what you wanted him to do. How can that be, you ask yourself. I told him exactly what I wanted. Yes, maybe you told him but did you check that he was listening, that he understood, that he agreed and that he would carry out the required action? Obviously not. The first principle of effective communication is to get appropriate feedback.

Tip! Sidestep absolutes - right/wrong, bad/good. Statements like 'you always' or 'you never' are absolutes that hinder communication.

The second principle of effective communications is to really connect with your audience. It is a fallacy that the mere sending out of information is a communicative act. It isn't, especially in the current climate where everybody is drowning in information that overwhelms on us all fronts.

To connect with your audience you need to address their different needs as partners because communication is a two-way process. You have to decide what you want the outcome of your communication to be: are you trying to inform, persuade, shock, praise, criticize, shame, please, inspire?

Whatever your aim you need to plan your message, and the medium for the message, to trigger the emotional and cognitive responses that will ensure you engage your audience. And how do you know you've done that? By getting the appropriate feedback of course.

I learnt this the hard way. As part of the induction for new staff, I used to produce a manual containing all the operational information they needed. As time was always short, I would go through the headings with them and tell them to study it at their leisure.

But nobody ever did. I was constantly bombarded with simple questions that were addressed in the manual. But it was my own fault. I should have set up a properly interactive session and followed that up with subsequent opportunities to study and discuss the information.

Tip! Punishment should fit the crime. A sure way to discourage and even shut down communication is for a child to feel fearful that in their communication something will surface that may result in harsh punishment.

The third principle of effective communications is to listen and understand first. Don't send out a message until you know what your audience needs. If you are concerned about the quality of somebody's work, for example, don't jump in and issue an official warning.

First find out what the employee's perception is. Use active listening skills to really probe the situation. Reformulate the employee's words, for example, echo the last words of their sentences, invite them to say a little more if they are hesitant. That way, if you discover the family has a seriously sick child or a big financial problem, you will start to understand what is behind the poor performance. You can then decide on the appropriate action.

Tip! Workplace communication is necessary for getting along with each other at work, create synergy with co-workers, give and receive instructions, and to overcome differences, tensions, and conflicts.

The fourth principle is to understand that communication is more than the surface meaning of words. You need to be able to interpret other people's messages. This is just another form of feedback. Let's say you make an announcement and your group is discussing the information with you.

They may feel inhibited about disagreeing openly, but read the signs because you don't have to be openly aggressive to show disagreement: note the body language, the kinds of words they use, the tone of voice.

Somebody who is receptive will give you eye contact, will lean forward and will participate by asking questions, or offering to assist in some way. Those who are not in favour will look elsewhere, maybe fold their arms, use vague language instead of precise terms.

Tip! Knowing how to improve communication skills will come easier once you become aware of your own communication style.

The fifth principle is respect. I don't want to go over the top here because you may well ask who is she to question the behaviour of the world's leaders? But it seems to me that many of the international political problems we experience are the result of lack of respect for the other party.

Sure, it would be great if other nations didn't want to develop nuclear weapons, if they had democratic governments, if they weren't religious fanatics. But we don't produce good outcomes by taking the view that western leaders know best. To communicate with those we want to persuade, we need to respect them.

Just because they don't agree with us, doesn't make them inferior or wrong. They have cultural backgrounds and histories that have led them to a particular course of action. Only by respecting that hinterland can we expect to make progress towards cooperation.

To translate that to the workplace, you will only gain the cooperation of employees if they know you respect them. If you base your communications on lies, if you try to mislead people, if you ignore their needs and rights, they will see that you don't respect them and they will lose respect for you.

Tip! When your child is sharing something important to them shut up and listen. It is easy to turn off communication if you are always interrupting (even if you know where the story is going), or offering advice before he/she has completed their account of the details.

So where does all this lead us? Simply to the point that if you are having communications problems, you can now start analyzing where you are going wrong. What sort of feedback do you allow for? Do you understand how to appeal to people's emotions, their reasoning powers?

Do you understand what makes your audience tick? Have you tried to find out about their real lives and what is important to them? And are you showing lack of respect by trying to hoodwink them? By addressing these questions as fully as possible you will go a long way towards improving the outcomes of your communications.

Tip! Increased staff retention and workplace communication.

Brenda Townsend Hall is a writer and communications trainer and an associate member of the ITAP International Alliance (http://www.itapintl.com). She will shortly launching a website with a partner: http://www.euroconsulting.co.uk

Get Free Web Site Content From ArticleBuilder.net

Influencing and Communication

Tip! There must be integration between internal and external communications There must be a fit between what you are telling your people and what you are telling your customers, shareholders and public. (By the same token, there must be a fit between what you are telling your people, and what the external media are telling them.

If you have an interest in moving up in the company, having your projects approved, or simply enjoying a more pleasant working environment, consider taking a few minutes to learn how communication techniques, such as projecting an air of friendliness at work, can work to your advantage.

The simple fact is that people like others who they perceive to be like them. This translates into an ability to persuade others. You may not always be able to have others buy into your ideas completely, but when you communicate well, you can certainly have an influence on others' willingness to listen to you in the first place.

While some industries tend to attract a certain type of person, most workplaces are comprised of many personalities from a variety of backgrounds. This means that developing friendly communications in the workplace may not come naturally, but it's worth your effort to learn how to exude an air of approachability. If you are viewed as one of the friendly ones who communicates well with everyone (not a select few), others will naturally attribute certain traits to you.

Tip! Good communicators are fully aware of the reciprocal nature of communication which is a process of giving and receiving a message. Good communication is a like a dance which entails leading and following.

How you communicate friendliness can occur in a variety of ways, from ensuring that you're well groomed to remembering names and helping others feel valued. Remember that much of our communication takes place non-verbally. Making the most of your appearance, for example, can go a long way toward improving others' perception of you. Studies show that attractive people are thought of as having more intelligence, friendliness, and are considered more trustworthy.

This is important, as trust is a big issue when it comes to asking others to support you in a new endeavor. When you combine simple methods of helping others feel important, they will trust you further. After all, people are the most comfortable with, and trust, those with whom they have something in common.

Tip! Improving communication and essential feedback mechanisms that allow employees to communicate with Managers.

You can increase your perceptions as being friendly by making others feel important. This includes talking with everyone, no matter what their position in the company, and using people's names. If you're not good at remembering names, use some of the many tips available for remembering names, such as using associations or simply listening better and repeating the name during that first conversation so that you're more likely to remember.

When possible, help others reach their goals and meet important deadlines. This, too, goes a long way toward earning trust, and everyone benefits. When the company does well, everyone does well. Additionally, when you help others, they will help you in return.

Tip! Workplace communication is necessary for getting along with each other at work, create synergy with co-workers, give and receive instructions, and to overcome differences, tensions, and conflicts.

Use simple communication techniques to help others feel more at ease. One such technique is the mirroring method, in which you subtly imitate the other person's body language, voice, and pitch. This technique works because it gives a very subtle impression that you and the other person are alike. It should not be anything overtly obvious; think subtle. If you're not sure how well you're doing, practice with a friend or trusted co-worker first.

Tip! See if you can find a measure to show how successful your communication is in your business.

When giving important presentations or when facing an important meeting, consider videotaping yourself to see how you come across. You may have some nervous habits that you aren't aware of, which can make you appear insecure. Additionally, you may use body language that comes across as shy or aggressive, when that is not your intention at all. Most of our communication is through non-verbal cues, so being aware of these communication distracters is important to conveying the desired message.

Tip! Some control over the flow of the communication should be applied.

If you are the shy type, or not confident in your communication skills, keep practicing. Consider taking a workshop or working with a coach to develop your skills. Many business transactions are dependent on clear communication, and coming across as a friendly, trustworthy individual can go a long way toward your success and ability to influence others positive, mutually beneficial ways.

Communication Magic. The Amazing Formula for Communicating straight from the Heart in your relationships.

Top Briefings provides an easy way to access business know-how on the web. If you are short of time, want to be able to browse information at your convenience then visit this link for details: www.topbriefings.com

Get Free Articles From ArticleBuilder.net

Communication Skills: How Effective Are Yours?

Tip! Sidestep absolutes - right/wrong, bad/good. Statements like 'you always' or 'you never' are absolutes that hinder communication.

Your communication skills are one of the most important attributes that are on trial every time you apply for a job.

Whether it's written or verbal communication, you need to get your point across clearly, concisely and in a manner that is appropriate for the audience.

Let me highlight the biggest mistakes I've seen job searchers make with regards to their ability to communicate.

Written Communication Skills

A big turnoff is having to read written work - emails, cover letters, resumes for example - that are poorly written, generic and full of various errors. When I see that a person has subpar written communication skills, I immediately become worried about my chances of helping them with their job search because it is a skill that is very noticeable to hiring managers very quickly.

Tip! Interpersonal communication to know one another, to become friends, to discuss problems, to exchange thoughts (ideas), to make plans, to get and give help, to mutually help each other change attitudes and behavior.

It should go without saying that a resume and cover letter should have no spelling or grammatical errors whatsoever but what about email?

With emails dominating much of the written work that people do these days, it is important to understand how to effectively write emails. When it comes to emails that you send related to your job search, ensure you get your message across as briefly as possible while still maintaining a professional tone.

Tip! Increased staff retention and workplace communication.

Before you send an email always ensure there are no typos, run-on sentences and other grammatical errors that make your correspondence look unprofessional. Always use a subject line that indicates the specific purpose of the email. If you are applying for a job and have already included a cover letter and resume, you don't need to rewrite your cover letter again in the body of the email. Simply state the reason for the email and refer to the attached cover letter and resume.

Communication Magic. The Amazing Formula for Communicating straight from the Heart in your relationships.

Always treat your business emails as professional business correspondence that is just as important as your cover letter and resume.

Verbal Communication Skills

The most effective verbal communicators are those who can get their point across professionally, succinctly, and clearly. When I say "clearly" I am referring both to speaking clearly and getting your message across clearly.

When speaking verbally, some people speak quickly when nervous so try to pay attention to ensure you speak slowly to avoid being unintelligible. Also ensure you don't ramble on. Answer questions as briefly and succinctly as possible. Practice does make perfect.

Tip! Knowing how to improve communication skills will come easier once you become aware of your own communication style.

Also, always ensure you actually get your message across clearly. The best way to ensure this happens is to plan ahead. Don't try to "wing it" when doing interviews, presentations or other forms of public speaking. Careful preparation will help you ensure you know what you're talking about and will make you more likely to be able to speak comfortably without trying to memorize everything.

How Can You Improve Your Communication Skills?

Look for opportunities to communicate verbally and in written form that will help you improve your business communication skills.

Some people can improve their communication skills with practice. Certainly, I've found that I've gotten better at public speaking as I've gotten older and I quite like doing it now.

Tip! Use simple language: Stay away from big words and unnecessary jargon. Big words can complicate the message or intimidate your listener causing communication to break down.

In cases where practice isn't making perfect, consider looking for help. Toastmasters organizations can help you improve your public speaking and professional writing courses can really help to improve your ability to write effectively.

Carl Mueller is an Internet entrepreneur and professional recruiter. Carl has helped many job searchers find their dream career and would like to help clear up some of the job search myths that exist while helping job searchers avoid common job search mistakes that cost them jobs.

Tip! See if you can find a measure to show how successful your communication is in your business.

Visit Carl's website to find your dream career: http://www.find-your-dream-career.com

Ezine editors/Webmasters: Please feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your website. Please don't change any of the content and please ensure that you include the above bio that shows my website URL. If you would like me to address any specific career topics in future articles, please let me know.

Get Free Articles From ArticleBuilder.net

Are Your Communication Skills Sabotaging Your Career? - Part 1

Tip! The most important step parents can take to improve communication with their children is model positive communication. Whether you are a married couple or single parent children will observe how you communicate with other adults.

Stop Talking Yes, you heard right. Stop talking and start listening. Most people are very poor listeners and even worse, they constantly interrupt the other person. Since everyone enjoys talking, it takes a real effort to break these very bad habits. But it is the only way you will ever become a successful communicator. A good rule of thumb is to let the other person do 75% of the talking and you only do 25%.

Tip! Some control over the flow of the communication should be applied.

The Power of Listening The reason why listening is so powerful is because it builds trust. The more you listen to another person, the more he or she trusts you and believes in you. Listening also builds the other person's self-esteem. When you listen carefully to another person, you are in effect telling them that what they have to say is so important that you aren't going to say one single thing until they're done. People will seek you out because they will feel very comfortable in your presence. The more they seek you out, the further ahead you will get and you will be amazed at how quickly your career starts to move forward.

Tip! Use simple language: Stay away from big words and unnecessary jargon. Big words can complicate the message or intimidate your listener causing communication to break down.

Ask for Clarification If you aren't 100% certain what the person is saying, never guess or assume. Ask for clarity because if you don't, you'll end up talking in circles. Then the other person will leave the conversation thinking "She doesn't get it." They never say "Gee, I'm a lousy communicator and I didn't explain it to her properly"; they always say "She doesn't get it." I know it's unfair but that's what happens...

Tip! Sidestep absolutes - right/wrong, bad/good. Statements like 'you always' or 'you never' are absolutes that hinder communication.

The most effective method I've ever learned for getting more information is to ask "How do you mean?" It's such a mild and polite question that it's impossible not to answer. The other person cannot stop himself or herself from answering more extensively. You can then follow up with other questions and have a very productive conversation.

Use Open Ended Questions Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." Open-ended questions encourage the speaker to expand on his or her thoughts and comments. And one question will lead to another. By asking open-ended questions, you can draw out of the other person everything that he or she has to say on a particular subject. Then you have all the information you need to respond intelligently.

Pause Before Replying This is a key strategy that the very best verbal communicators use. A short pause of three to five seconds is all you need to do. When you pause, you accomplish four things. First, you avoid interrupting the person if they had more to say. Second, you show respect by giving careful consideration to what the person just said. Third, what the person said will sink into your mind and your response will be much more on point than if you just blurted it out. Last, but not least, you come across as a very thoughtful and intelligent person.

Tip! Punishment should fit the crime. A sure way to discourage and even shut down communication is for a child to feel fearful that in their communication something will surface that may result in harsh punishment.

I'll tell you right now that pausing is the hardest thing to learn. Even though it's only three to five seconds, it feels more like three to five minutes. At first, it's very awkward to do. Try a little experiment: start observing the executives and highly respected managers in your organization. You will see that they use this strategy all the time. It works for them and it will work for you too.

Tip! Knowing how to improve communication skills will come easier once you become aware of your own communication style.

Body Language When you are speaking to someone, maintain eye contact at all times. Don't scan the room, looking for other people. That's rude. Don't look down at the conference room table or the floor or past the person. That shows your lack of self-confidence. Never cross your arms or hang out in the chair as if it's your personal Barcalounger. Carry yourself in a relaxed yet professional way. If you are comfortable, you'll make the other person feel comfortable too.

Ask someone (who you think has a very professional style) to critique you on your body language just as soon as you are done reading this article. I'm not kidding. This is one of those silent career killers that nobody will tell you about because it's embarrassing to talk about.

Tip! Use self-disclosure openings as conversation starters. They ease communication apprehension, offer insight into you and appeal to the inherent helpful nature of other people.

Use These Strategies All the Time Don't just use these strategies for meetings or when you talk to managers or high level people. Use them all the time. By doing so, you will quickly break old bad habits and completely turn your verbal communication skills around in no time at all.

Communication Magic. The Amazing Formula for Communicating straight from the Heart in your relationships.

But the most important reason is that when you use these techniques, you are giving out a high level of respect and consideration to whoever you come in contact with. And everyone deserves to receive that, regardless of whether they are the CEO or the janitor. It's the right thing to do.

Dee Piziak is a manager for a Fortune 500 company and a university instructor. Her consulting firm, Acadia Communications, specializes in professional coaching, career development, and resume writing. Visit her website at http://www.acadiacommunications.com and sign up for her FREE monthly career coaching newsletter.

Get Free Web Content From ArticleBuilder.net

VegaStream - Connecting VoIP to Existing Telephone Systems

History 1888 � Common battery system developed by Hammond V. Hayes, allows one central battery to power all telephones on an exchange, rather than relying on each units own battery.

A misconception because after all, VoIP and Internet Telephony use a completely different signalling system to traditional telephony. Therefore a different device must be required to convert those signals into the sounds that make up a telephone conversation. However, it is now possible to install a device; a VoIP gateway between the IP network and existing phone systems that converts the signalling from one to the other.

The VoIP gateway has two distinct roles. The first is to convert the signal so that a person using an IP device can talk to one on a traditional TDM device and vice versa. The second role is to manage the network signalling and routing.

History 1936 � Research into electronic telephone exchanges began and was eventually perfected in the 1960's with the electronic switching system (SES).

For example, all IP devices, including phones, have an IP address while traditional telephones, even extensions on a company phone system, have their traditional telephone number. If a company has connected its traditional telephone system to an IP network, then incoming calls from the IP network will be looking for an IP address. The gateway's job is to recognise the traditional telephone to which that IP address has been allocated and route the call accordingly.

History 1874 � Principal of the telephone was uncovered.

This is just one simple example. Professional-class VoIP gateways, will translate all the sophisticated functions that have been developed in the traditional phone systems such as call forwarding and conferencing.

The better VoIP gateways also feature "pass through". This function recognises the fact that for all its functional advantages and ability to save money, IP telephony is susceptible to catastrophic failure. For example, IP telephony requires a discrete power source, unlike the phones that will keep working even when the lights are turned off. For emergencies, therefore, an enterprise will want to keep at least one phone in each premise attached to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). For example with VegaStream's "pass through" this phone is connected the IP network until that network fails at which time it automatically connects to the PSTN.

History 1900 � First coin operated telephone installed in Hartford, Connecticut.

The Benefits

Cost

With a VoIP gateway, a company can make telephone calls between sites at no cost using the IP data wide area network that it has installed to connects its computer systems. It can also use a gateway to connect its existing telephone systems to an Internet Telephony Service Provider (ITSP). ITSP's use the Internet to radically reduce customers' telephone bills. In both scenarios, employees would use their telephones as normal. There is no training costs, just a significant reduction in the phone bill.

History 1876 � Alexander Graham Bell invents the telephone, beating Elisha Gray by a matter of hours.

Flexibility

Enterprises are beginning to recognise the advantages of a fully converged communications solution. This is where all electronic communications - voice, data, video, instant messaging and email - all pass over a single network. This technology allows for highly efficient and content rich collaboration and interaction and is becoming the de facto standard in customer facing contact centres.

However, while there may be a strong business case for converged communications in the contact centre, the same may not be said for the broader organisation where the significant costs of the existing telephone system may yet to be written off. In these scenarios, the VoIP gateway will provide the solution for a company that wants to make a partial, and gradual, commitment to new converged technology, for example the company can mix and match traditional and IP telephone systems yet all use the telephones as usual.

History 1946 � Worlds first commercial mobile phone service put into operation. It could link moving vehicles to a telephone network via radio waves.

The VoIP gateway is the essential bridge between today's telephone system and the future of converged communications.

Formed in 1998, VegaStream is one of the most experienced players in the industrial VoIP market. The company supplies gateway CPE to both traditional telecommunications carriers and the new generation of Internet telephony service providers. VegaStream also serves the enterprise market through a global network of distributors and resellers supported by regional offices in the UK, USA and Australia. VegaStream is a non-listed UK company. Investors include the management team, Pace Micro Technology PLC and MTI Partners.

http://www.vegastream.com

Get Free Web Content From ArticleBuilder.net

Telephone - Cell Phones

History 1911 � American Telephone and Telegraph (AT & T) acquire the Western Union Telegraph Company in a hostile takeover. They purchased stocks in the company covertly and the two eventually merged.

In this article we're going to discuss what is arguably the greatest invention since the first telephone was made over 100 years ago, the cell phone.

The telephone was certainly a great invention. No question about it. We could make calls to our friends to invite them over for dinner, our boss to tell him we'd be out sick and our spouses to tell them we'd be home late for dinner. But once we were out of reach of a phone, our communication with the outside world came to a complete stop. If we had to make an emergency call while out on the road we had to either find a pay phone or some business kind enough to let us use theirs, which wasn't likely.

History 1946 � Worlds first commercial mobile phone service put into operation. It could link moving vehicles to a telephone network via radio waves.

Today, that has all changed with the invention of the cell phone. Actually, the concept of the cell phone began in 1947 when researchers looked at crude mobile car phones and realized that if they used small cells they could increase the traffic range of mobile phones. Unfortunately, the technology needed to do this did not exist yet.

History 1900 � First coin operated telephone installed in Hartford, Connecticut.

It wasn't until 1973 when a man by the name of Dr. Martin Cooper, a former GM for Motorola, made the first call on a portable cell phone in April of that year. He made the call to a rival of his, Joel Engel, who was Bell Labs head of research. Ironically, though, it was Motorola that were first to incorporate to the technology into a portable device, the first one to be designed to be used outside of the car.

History 1874 � Principal of the telephone was uncovered.

In 1977 AT&T and Bell Labs constructed their first cellular system. A year later were the first public trials of this new system with over 2000 trial customers. Two years later, in 1979, the first cellular system was put into use in Tokyo.

It wasn't until 1982 that the FCC finally authorized commercial use of cell phones in the United States. One year later the first cellular phone service was established in the United States called the Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS). It was made available in Chicago by a company called Ameritech.

History 1876 � Alexander Graham Bell invents the telephone, beating Elisha Gray by a matter of hours.

In spite of the incredible demand for cell phones, it took cell phone service 37 years to become available in the United States. But by the year 1987 there were over one million cell phone subscribers and the airwaves were already overcrowded. Because of this, improvements needed to be made, which included increasing frequencies allocation, splitting of existing cells and improving the technology.

Today, we have probably the most sophisticated cell system that anyone could ever want, including cell phones that even take photos. But this hasn't come without many prices to the consumer and the general public around them.

History 1877 � The very first permanent outdoor telephone wire was completed. It stretched a distance of just three miles.

Aside from the high cost of cell service, especially if you go over the minutes allocated to you, there are the increased hazards and annoyances that these phones cause to others, such as going off in the middle of the big finale at a Broadway play or the danger of people using these phones in places like hospitals where the operation of sophisticated equipment can be affected.

Yes, we have our cell phones and all the wonders and headaches that go with them. Like they say, you don't get nothing for nothing.

------------------------------------------------------- Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Telephones -------------------------------------------------------

Get Free Articles From ArticleBuilder.net

Family Christmas Photo Greeting Card - A New Idea!

By Tracey -
Every year I get excited about Christmas photos that will come in the mail from each of my kids. There is a tradition in my family that every Christmas, a family picture is taken and mailed out with the annual Christmas family newsletter with greeting cards photo. When my kids were young, I decided that I wanted to record each Christmas in a concise way.

The way I came up with to record each Christmas was with family Christmas photos and a newsletter that summarized each of our family member's years. This tradition continued until my oldest son went off to college. I had known that the day would come that not all of my kids would live with me, but the first one leaving was really hard.

That was the first year that our annual Christmas newsletter had two photos. The family Christmas photo was me with my husband and only three of our kids. The other photo that I enclosed was that of our son in front of the sign for his college campus. I missed him not being in the family Christmas photos, but he had grown up and moved on.

Our annual Christmas photos kept going in the same direction, with one less kid in the picture every couple of years. My daughter was the first to get married and she sent me a Christmas photo with her and her new husband to send out with our annual Christmas newsletter. I thought that it was sweet that our tradition had grown to mean so much to her.

This last Christmas, our family Christmas photos just featured me and my husband with our pets. The newsletter, however, was filled with six photographs. My granddaughter had her first individual Christmas photos included where she was standing in front of the same college as her dad had attended.

I got out the Christmas photo with my son by himself that first Christmas after he left home and made a copy of it. I had it framed right next to the photo of my granddaughter in the same location, in the same pose. I gave these framed pictures to my son and daughter-in-law for Christmas.

I have a file now that is full to brimming with Christmas memories. I plan to take the entire newsletter collection and bind them into a book or somewhat Christmas photo cards, which includes each year's Christmas photos for our fiftieth anniversary, which is coming up this year. I will give each of our kids a copy of my own Christmas crafts.