Gina Taylor
OBJECTIVES: To obtain a position in the Sales and Marketing industry, were my experience and knowledge can be utilized for growth and long term employment.
WORK EXPERIENCE:
SYSCO Food Services of San Francisco- Sales and Marketing Associate, East Bay
Fremont, CA – 2006- 10-2008
· Perform as a relationship manager and take a consultative approach to selling by proposing new ideas to exceed customer expectations.
· Develop and penetrate each of their accounts by selling the full mix of SYSCO product categories through presentation of new products, ideas, sales tools, and services.
· Research and share industry and market information,
Encourage client participation in food shows and facility tours,
Product specialists, and follow through on customer requests for information & samples.
Hilton Oakland– Corporate Sales Manager
Oakland, CA - 2003 – 2006
· Handle all Individual Business Travel accounts working closely with National Sales.
· Responsible for increasing productivity of all corporate accounts.
· Prospect new business with outside sales calls and site visits.
· Attend local Chamber event and Seminars.
The Holiday Inn Bay Bridge – Catering / Sales Manager
Emeryville, CA - 2001 – 2003
· Maintained all top corporate and government accounts.
· Created and implemented new advertising and marketing strategies to increase revenue.
· Assisted with coordinating booked conferences/meetings working closely with banquets, and chef.
· Liaison to the Director of Catering in order to assist with the financial oversight of the account.
· Established contact with outside sales and other associated business.
Clarion Suites lake Merritt Hotel – Sales and Marketing Manager
Oakland, CA – 2000– 2001
· Managed corporate and government accounts.
· Responsible for prospecting new business with outside sales calls, marketing, and attending local networking events.
Comfort Suite and Quality Inn – Area Sales and Marketing Manager
Oakland, CA – 1999– 2000
· Responsible for managing accounts at Oakland and Richmond properties.
· Coordinated and facilitated activities for in house meetings and conferences.
· Handled the event management on all booked events, meeting with on-site planners, and working side by side with banquet department.
· Established contact with outside sales and other associated businesses to bring in more revenue.
EDUCATION:Lincoln University, Oakland, CA
College of Alameda, Alameda, CA - 1997
Hilton Sales College, Phoenix, AZ - Certificate of Completion - 2003
COMPUTER SKILLS:
· Microsoft 2000 & Power Point
· Microsoft Access 2.0 & Microsoft Excel
· Systems 21 (Hospitality Reservation System); Delphi system
References available upon request
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
ch. 16
Interviewing to Get the Job
A job interview typically precedes the hiring decision, and is used to evaluate the candidate. The interview is usually preceded by the evaluation of submitted résumés from interested candidates, then selecting a small number of candidates for interviews. The job interview is considered one of the most useful tools for evaluating potential employees. It also demands significant resources from the employer, yet has been demonstrated to be notoriously unreliable in identifying the optimal person for the job.
Multiple rounds of job interviews may be used where there are many candidates or the job is particularly challenging or desirable. Earlier rounds may involve fewer staff from the employers and will typically be much shorter and less in-depth. A common initial interview form is the phone interview, a job interview conducted over the telephone. This is especially common when the candidates do not live near the employer and has the advantage of keeping costs low for both sides.
Once all candidates have been interviewed, the employer typically selects the most desirable candidate and begins the negotiation of a job offer.
Preparing for the interview is critical, Before going to the interview, learn everything you can about the employer, the position, the people you will talk to, and the employer’s industry—including the major competitors in the field. Use the Internet to read about these topics. Go to the employer’s Web site and study every page. You will likely pick up some information, even language, you can talk about in the interview. Recruiters are impressed when you have obviously made an effort to learn about their companies.
Prepare questions to ask during interviews. Focus on positives, such as, "Will I be able to use the wide range of my abilities in this position?" or, "I see from your Web site that you encourage internal advancement; would there be opportunities for me to grow with you?"
Remember that your work is not done once you finish the interview. You can't sit back and wait for the job offer, so consider these key rules and strategies for following-up your job interviews. At the end of the interview ask the employer when he/she expects to make the hiring decision, be proactive and consider follow-up a strategic part of your job search process. Follow-up can give you just the edge you need to get the job offer over others who interviewed for the position, use these follow-up techniques to continue to show your enthusiasm and desire for the position, but don't make it seem as though you are desperate and finally, write individual thank you notes or letters to each person who interviewed you -- within two business days. Each letter can be essentially the same, but try to vary each a bit in case recipients compare notes. Don't ever fail to send a thank you -- even if you are sure the job is not for you. And do write thank you notes after every interview.
A job interview typically precedes the hiring decision, and is used to evaluate the candidate. The interview is usually preceded by the evaluation of submitted résumés from interested candidates, then selecting a small number of candidates for interviews. The job interview is considered one of the most useful tools for evaluating potential employees. It also demands significant resources from the employer, yet has been demonstrated to be notoriously unreliable in identifying the optimal person for the job.
Multiple rounds of job interviews may be used where there are many candidates or the job is particularly challenging or desirable. Earlier rounds may involve fewer staff from the employers and will typically be much shorter and less in-depth. A common initial interview form is the phone interview, a job interview conducted over the telephone. This is especially common when the candidates do not live near the employer and has the advantage of keeping costs low for both sides.
Once all candidates have been interviewed, the employer typically selects the most desirable candidate and begins the negotiation of a job offer.
Preparing for the interview is critical, Before going to the interview, learn everything you can about the employer, the position, the people you will talk to, and the employer’s industry—including the major competitors in the field. Use the Internet to read about these topics. Go to the employer’s Web site and study every page. You will likely pick up some information, even language, you can talk about in the interview. Recruiters are impressed when you have obviously made an effort to learn about their companies.
Prepare questions to ask during interviews. Focus on positives, such as, "Will I be able to use the wide range of my abilities in this position?" or, "I see from your Web site that you encourage internal advancement; would there be opportunities for me to grow with you?"
Remember that your work is not done once you finish the interview. You can't sit back and wait for the job offer, so consider these key rules and strategies for following-up your job interviews. At the end of the interview ask the employer when he/she expects to make the hiring decision, be proactive and consider follow-up a strategic part of your job search process. Follow-up can give you just the edge you need to get the job offer over others who interviewed for the position, use these follow-up techniques to continue to show your enthusiasm and desire for the position, but don't make it seem as though you are desperate and finally, write individual thank you notes or letters to each person who interviewed you -- within two business days. Each letter can be essentially the same, but try to vary each a bit in case recipients compare notes. Don't ever fail to send a thank you -- even if you are sure the job is not for you. And do write thank you notes after every interview.
ch.15
Creating a Career and Designing a Resume
The way to find out about your happiness is to keep your mind on those moments when you feel most happy, when you are really happy – not excited, not just thrilled, but deeply happy.
The path to finding your deep happiness is unique to each person. At the same time, much of the wisdom that helps you find your path is universal and timeless.
How do you find a job that utilizes your skills and your passions? Time and introspection will help you identify the activities you most enjoy, the skills and strengths you most readily use and, the moments that make you deeply happy.
During the job search process, the ability to instantly identify and discuss your most marketable skills is paramount. These skills are used in your resumes, cover letters, prospect letters, follow-up letters, and job interviews to convince an employer that you have the ability to perform the job you are applying for. To do this you will need to develop a career vocabulary for the field you wish to enter.
The first category of skills is Job Skills. These skills are unique for each position and consist of technical or specific abilities required to do the job. The essential job skills are usually included in the job posting and the position description. Examples of these are computer skills, machine operation skills, specific types of writing skills, etc. To find your skills: (1) Write down every skill you think you can bring to your next employer, (2)
write down three examples when you have used that skill and if you can’t, disregard that skill, and (3) ask yourself if those are the skills the employer wants and/or is it a skill an employer would pay you money to use.
The Purpose of Resumes: Your resume is a key job-hunting tool used to get a job interview. It summarizes your accomplishments, your education, as well as your work experience, and should reflect your special mix of skills and strengths.
A resume even the best resume will not get you the job; you'll need to convince the employer during the job interview. The resume is simply a marketing tool to get you into the door.
A resume is a statement of facts designed to sell your unique mix of education, experience, accomplishments, and skills to a prospective employer. Never lie or stretch the facts; do not get creative when identifying your job titles, dates of employment, or accomplishments. On the other hand, do not be modest; be clear about successes and accomplishments -- and quantify whenever possible.
Regardless of the type of resume you create, a number of key elements overlap all successful resumes.
Contact Information. Since your goal is for an employer to contact you -- either for a first interview or for a follow-up interview -- you must give employers as many ways to reach you as possible, including postal mailing address, email address, home phone number, cell phone, etc.
Accomplishments. Focus the descriptions of your experiences on accomplishments, not duties and responsibilities. Accomplishments, especially those you can quantify, will sell you to a potential employer. Read more in our article, For Job-Hunting Success: Track and Leverage Your Accomplishments and its companion tool, Job-Seeker Accomplishments Worksheet.
Education/Training. Include all the pertinent information regarding education, degrees, training, and certifications. Spell out names of degrees. Include the educational institution's name and location. If currently enrolled in an educational program, list expected graduation month and year. Graduates should list graduation year if within the last 10 years.
Appearance. The first impression of your resume -- and of you as a job-seeker -- comes from your resume's appearance. Your resume should be well-organized with consistent headings, fonts, bullets, and style. Never overcrowd the resume. Leave some "white space" so that important points can stand out; and try to make your margins between .75” and 1” on all sides. For print resumes, use subdued color paper, such as white, ivory, beige, light gray.
Avoidance of Typos/Misspellings. Take the time to carefully write, rewrite, and edit your resume. Be sure to meticulously proofread your resume for misspellings and typos. Resumes with errors get filed in the trash can.
Targeted and focused. Tailor your basic resume to specific jobs and specific employers. There is simply no excuse for having one generic resume anymore. Tweak each resume you submit to the specific job you are seeking or to the specific employer.
One of the first decisions job-seekers must make when preparing their resumes is how to organize the resume's content. Today's resumes generally are:
Chronological (actually reverse chronological, listing all your experience from most to least recent).
Functional, which lists experience in skills clusters.
A combination or hybrid of those two types, sometimes known as a chrono-functional format.
The traditional, default format for resumes is the chronological resume. This type of resume is organized by your employment history in reverse chronological order, with job titles/names of employers/locations of employers/dates of employment/ accomplishments, working backwards 10-15 years.
A standard chronological resume may be your best choice if most/all of your experience has been in one field, you have no large employment gaps, and you plan to stay in that same field.
The chronological resume is preferred by the widest variety of employers, as well as by recruiters and many of the Internet job boards. Recruiters and hiring managers tend to like this resume format because it's easy to read and clearly demonstrates your job history and career advancement/growth. This format is also recommended for all conservative career fields (such as accounting, banking, law, etc.) and international job-seeking.
Functional Resumes: The resume format preferred by job-seekers with a limited job history, a checkered job history, or a job history in a different career field, is the functional resume.
Job-seekers who take a functional approach organize their resumes by skills and functions clusters. In a purely functional resume, company names, employment dates, and position titles are intentionally omitted. The functional resume can work for homemakers returning to the workforce, for example, or for new graduates entering the job market.
Professional References: When listing professional references include your reference’s name, job title, company, address, phone number and if acceptable to your reference, an e-mail address. Including a reference’s job title can help promote your image if the person’s title or position is similar to the job you want or industry you are pursuing. In this instance, employers will be interested in feedback about you from someone in a related field or who was in a position of responsibility that can judge your work experience, professionalism and reliability.
Cover letter: A potential employer's first impression of you is your cover letter. Your cover letter introduces you and your resume. The stark reality is your resume may never be read without its being accompanied by a professional cover letter. Without a resume cover letter, you might never receive a callback.
The way to find out about your happiness is to keep your mind on those moments when you feel most happy, when you are really happy – not excited, not just thrilled, but deeply happy.
The path to finding your deep happiness is unique to each person. At the same time, much of the wisdom that helps you find your path is universal and timeless.
How do you find a job that utilizes your skills and your passions? Time and introspection will help you identify the activities you most enjoy, the skills and strengths you most readily use and, the moments that make you deeply happy.
During the job search process, the ability to instantly identify and discuss your most marketable skills is paramount. These skills are used in your resumes, cover letters, prospect letters, follow-up letters, and job interviews to convince an employer that you have the ability to perform the job you are applying for. To do this you will need to develop a career vocabulary for the field you wish to enter.
The first category of skills is Job Skills. These skills are unique for each position and consist of technical or specific abilities required to do the job. The essential job skills are usually included in the job posting and the position description. Examples of these are computer skills, machine operation skills, specific types of writing skills, etc. To find your skills: (1) Write down every skill you think you can bring to your next employer, (2)
write down three examples when you have used that skill and if you can’t, disregard that skill, and (3) ask yourself if those are the skills the employer wants and/or is it a skill an employer would pay you money to use.
The Purpose of Resumes: Your resume is a key job-hunting tool used to get a job interview. It summarizes your accomplishments, your education, as well as your work experience, and should reflect your special mix of skills and strengths.
A resume even the best resume will not get you the job; you'll need to convince the employer during the job interview. The resume is simply a marketing tool to get you into the door.
A resume is a statement of facts designed to sell your unique mix of education, experience, accomplishments, and skills to a prospective employer. Never lie or stretch the facts; do not get creative when identifying your job titles, dates of employment, or accomplishments. On the other hand, do not be modest; be clear about successes and accomplishments -- and quantify whenever possible.
Regardless of the type of resume you create, a number of key elements overlap all successful resumes.
Contact Information. Since your goal is for an employer to contact you -- either for a first interview or for a follow-up interview -- you must give employers as many ways to reach you as possible, including postal mailing address, email address, home phone number, cell phone, etc.
Accomplishments. Focus the descriptions of your experiences on accomplishments, not duties and responsibilities. Accomplishments, especially those you can quantify, will sell you to a potential employer. Read more in our article, For Job-Hunting Success: Track and Leverage Your Accomplishments and its companion tool, Job-Seeker Accomplishments Worksheet.
Education/Training. Include all the pertinent information regarding education, degrees, training, and certifications. Spell out names of degrees. Include the educational institution's name and location. If currently enrolled in an educational program, list expected graduation month and year. Graduates should list graduation year if within the last 10 years.
Appearance. The first impression of your resume -- and of you as a job-seeker -- comes from your resume's appearance. Your resume should be well-organized with consistent headings, fonts, bullets, and style. Never overcrowd the resume. Leave some "white space" so that important points can stand out; and try to make your margins between .75” and 1” on all sides. For print resumes, use subdued color paper, such as white, ivory, beige, light gray.
Avoidance of Typos/Misspellings. Take the time to carefully write, rewrite, and edit your resume. Be sure to meticulously proofread your resume for misspellings and typos. Resumes with errors get filed in the trash can.
Targeted and focused. Tailor your basic resume to specific jobs and specific employers. There is simply no excuse for having one generic resume anymore. Tweak each resume you submit to the specific job you are seeking or to the specific employer.
One of the first decisions job-seekers must make when preparing their resumes is how to organize the resume's content. Today's resumes generally are:
Chronological (actually reverse chronological, listing all your experience from most to least recent).
Functional, which lists experience in skills clusters.
A combination or hybrid of those two types, sometimes known as a chrono-functional format.
The traditional, default format for resumes is the chronological resume. This type of resume is organized by your employment history in reverse chronological order, with job titles/names of employers/locations of employers/dates of employment/ accomplishments, working backwards 10-15 years.
A standard chronological resume may be your best choice if most/all of your experience has been in one field, you have no large employment gaps, and you plan to stay in that same field.
The chronological resume is preferred by the widest variety of employers, as well as by recruiters and many of the Internet job boards. Recruiters and hiring managers tend to like this resume format because it's easy to read and clearly demonstrates your job history and career advancement/growth. This format is also recommended for all conservative career fields (such as accounting, banking, law, etc.) and international job-seeking.
Functional Resumes: The resume format preferred by job-seekers with a limited job history, a checkered job history, or a job history in a different career field, is the functional resume.
Job-seekers who take a functional approach organize their resumes by skills and functions clusters. In a purely functional resume, company names, employment dates, and position titles are intentionally omitted. The functional resume can work for homemakers returning to the workforce, for example, or for new graduates entering the job market.
Professional References: When listing professional references include your reference’s name, job title, company, address, phone number and if acceptable to your reference, an e-mail address. Including a reference’s job title can help promote your image if the person’s title or position is similar to the job you want or industry you are pursuing. In this instance, employers will be interested in feedback about you from someone in a related field or who was in a position of responsibility that can judge your work experience, professionalism and reliability.
Cover letter: A potential employer's first impression of you is your cover letter. Your cover letter introduces you and your resume. The stark reality is your resume may never be read without its being accompanied by a professional cover letter. Without a resume cover letter, you might never receive a callback.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
chapter 14
Chapter 14: The Business of Change and Conflict
Significant organizational change occurs, for example, when an organization changes its overall strategy for success, adds or removes a major section or practice, and/or wants to change the very nature by which it operates. It also occurs when an organization evolves through various life cycles, just like people must successfully evolve through life cycles. For organizations to develop, they often must undergo significant change at various points in their development. That's why the topic of organizational change and development has become widespread in communications about business, organizations, leadership and management.
Leaders and managers continually make efforts to accomplish successful and significant change. Some are very good at this effort (probably more than we realize), while others continually struggle and fail. That's often the difference between people who thrive in their roles and those that get shuttled around from job to job, ultimately settling into a role where they're frustrated and ineffective.
When people are confronted with the need or opportunity to change, especially when it's 'enforced', as they see it, by the organization, they can become emotional. So can the managers who try to manage the change. Diffusing the emotional feelings, taking a step back, encouraging objectivity, are important to enabling sensible and constructive dialogue. To this end, managers and trainers can find it helpful to use analogies to assist themselves and other staff to look at change in a more detached way. Strong resistance to change is often rooted in deeply conditioned or historically reinforced feelings. Patience and tolerance are required to help people in these situations to see things differently.
There are several types of conflicts: data conflicts, relationship conflicts, conflicts over values, conflicts regarding resources, conflicts about past history, conflicts about structure, and psychological conflicts. A preliminary step in resolving conflict is to understand what the conflict is actually about. Having a clear picture of what the issues are reduces the chance of a mismatch between the problem and the solution.
Significant organizational change occurs, for example, when an organization changes its overall strategy for success, adds or removes a major section or practice, and/or wants to change the very nature by which it operates. It also occurs when an organization evolves through various life cycles, just like people must successfully evolve through life cycles. For organizations to develop, they often must undergo significant change at various points in their development. That's why the topic of organizational change and development has become widespread in communications about business, organizations, leadership and management.
Leaders and managers continually make efforts to accomplish successful and significant change. Some are very good at this effort (probably more than we realize), while others continually struggle and fail. That's often the difference between people who thrive in their roles and those that get shuttled around from job to job, ultimately settling into a role where they're frustrated and ineffective.
When people are confronted with the need or opportunity to change, especially when it's 'enforced', as they see it, by the organization, they can become emotional. So can the managers who try to manage the change. Diffusing the emotional feelings, taking a step back, encouraging objectivity, are important to enabling sensible and constructive dialogue. To this end, managers and trainers can find it helpful to use analogies to assist themselves and other staff to look at change in a more detached way. Strong resistance to change is often rooted in deeply conditioned or historically reinforced feelings. Patience and tolerance are required to help people in these situations to see things differently.
There are several types of conflicts: data conflicts, relationship conflicts, conflicts over values, conflicts regarding resources, conflicts about past history, conflicts about structure, and psychological conflicts. A preliminary step in resolving conflict is to understand what the conflict is actually about. Having a clear picture of what the issues are reduces the chance of a mismatch between the problem and the solution.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
chapter 13 summary
Chapter 13 Interpersonal and Collaborative Messages
Interpersonal communication is important because of the functions its achieves. Whenever we engage in communication with another person, we seek to gain information about them. We also give off information through a wide variety of verbal and nonverbal cues. Read more about the various functions of interpersonal communication and then complete the interactive activity and the quiz at the end of this unit.
One reason we engage in interpersonal communication is so that we can gain knowledge about another individual. Social Penetration Theory says that we attempt to gain information about others so that we can interact with them more effectively. We can better predict how they will think, feel, and act if we know who they are. We gain this information passively, by observing them; actively, by having others engage them; or interactively, by engaging them ourselves. Self-disclosure is often used to get information from another person.
We also engage in interpersonal communication to help us better understand what someone says in a given context. The words we say can mean very different things depending on how they are said or in what context. Content Messages refer to the surface level meaning of a message. Relationship Messages refer to how a message is said. The two are sent simultaneously, but each affects the meaning assigned to the communication. Interpersonal communication helps us understand each other better.
Another reason we engage in interpersonal communication is to establish an identity. The roles we play in our relationships help us establish identity. So too does the face, the public self-image we present to others. Both roles and face are constructed based on how we interact with others. Finally, we engage in interpersonal communication because we need to express and receive interpersonal needs.
The Business Relationships is extremely important, when it comes to the customer; the general idea that comes into our minds is that the customer is a person who is involved in the buying or purchasing activity. So we can say that customers are the source of income for the business whether the business is small or large. The main goal of every business is to earn profit. How does the business earn profit? That is important. Profit can be earned through selling the products or services without any relationship with the customers and in the same way it can be earned through the relationship with the customers. The beneficial technique is the second form because in this way businesses build relationships with the customers and simultaneously sell the products or services because business is not a one time transaction or activity it is the continuous process for which the relationship of both the customer and business does matter. It is not only beneficial for the present but as well as the future prospects. The main thing, which is very important for every business is to understand the customer ever-changing needs and provide all things that they demand. In this way businesses can make more loyal customers. So in the other words we can say that a strong loyal customer relationship is the cornerstone of every successful business. When you develop a lasting relationship with customers, they return for more business, and refer others to your business. Most businesses fail to realize the power of word-of-mouth. One of the best ways to run a good business as well as keep the clients happy is to build a strong relationship with your clients. There are some points, which should be kept in mind by the business people for better relationship with the customers. One of the best ways for business owners to build a strong relationship with their clients is to know them by name and address them as such whenever they contact them. Although it is important to discuss business matters at length with your clients it is also a wise idea to make small talk with them as well. You should inquire with your customers from time to time with regards to how your business is doing overall. Ask your clients if there is anything you should consider changing to make your business more favorable to their needs. Provide quality products and/or quality services. You cannot build any sort of a relationship with a customer until you have a quality product or quality services, which differentiate you from the others competitors or at least these should at par with your competitors in this way there is no reason for them to go to your competitors. When customer will see that you are working hard for them then they will give you more business in this way the quality relationship will grow. Send clients and customers thank you notes for significant purchases. In this way the customer will think that they are special people, which is helpful for generating the loyalty with the business. Offer a free gift with purchase. Patrons love free things. You would be amazed at how much your customer relationship can grow by simply giving out a free pad of paper or key chain, I’ve done all of the above to hold on to every one of my customers and it definitely paid off, after working in the sales field for several years I managed to take my customer with me to every property that I went to, that made me valuable to the industry and easily hirable.
Interpersonal communication is important because of the functions its achieves. Whenever we engage in communication with another person, we seek to gain information about them. We also give off information through a wide variety of verbal and nonverbal cues. Read more about the various functions of interpersonal communication and then complete the interactive activity and the quiz at the end of this unit.
One reason we engage in interpersonal communication is so that we can gain knowledge about another individual. Social Penetration Theory says that we attempt to gain information about others so that we can interact with them more effectively. We can better predict how they will think, feel, and act if we know who they are. We gain this information passively, by observing them; actively, by having others engage them; or interactively, by engaging them ourselves. Self-disclosure is often used to get information from another person.
We also engage in interpersonal communication to help us better understand what someone says in a given context. The words we say can mean very different things depending on how they are said or in what context. Content Messages refer to the surface level meaning of a message. Relationship Messages refer to how a message is said. The two are sent simultaneously, but each affects the meaning assigned to the communication. Interpersonal communication helps us understand each other better.
Another reason we engage in interpersonal communication is to establish an identity. The roles we play in our relationships help us establish identity. So too does the face, the public self-image we present to others. Both roles and face are constructed based on how we interact with others. Finally, we engage in interpersonal communication because we need to express and receive interpersonal needs.
The Business Relationships is extremely important, when it comes to the customer; the general idea that comes into our minds is that the customer is a person who is involved in the buying or purchasing activity. So we can say that customers are the source of income for the business whether the business is small or large. The main goal of every business is to earn profit. How does the business earn profit? That is important. Profit can be earned through selling the products or services without any relationship with the customers and in the same way it can be earned through the relationship with the customers. The beneficial technique is the second form because in this way businesses build relationships with the customers and simultaneously sell the products or services because business is not a one time transaction or activity it is the continuous process for which the relationship of both the customer and business does matter. It is not only beneficial for the present but as well as the future prospects. The main thing, which is very important for every business is to understand the customer ever-changing needs and provide all things that they demand. In this way businesses can make more loyal customers. So in the other words we can say that a strong loyal customer relationship is the cornerstone of every successful business. When you develop a lasting relationship with customers, they return for more business, and refer others to your business. Most businesses fail to realize the power of word-of-mouth. One of the best ways to run a good business as well as keep the clients happy is to build a strong relationship with your clients. There are some points, which should be kept in mind by the business people for better relationship with the customers. One of the best ways for business owners to build a strong relationship with their clients is to know them by name and address them as such whenever they contact them. Although it is important to discuss business matters at length with your clients it is also a wise idea to make small talk with them as well. You should inquire with your customers from time to time with regards to how your business is doing overall. Ask your clients if there is anything you should consider changing to make your business more favorable to their needs. Provide quality products and/or quality services. You cannot build any sort of a relationship with a customer until you have a quality product or quality services, which differentiate you from the others competitors or at least these should at par with your competitors in this way there is no reason for them to go to your competitors. When customer will see that you are working hard for them then they will give you more business in this way the quality relationship will grow. Send clients and customers thank you notes for significant purchases. In this way the customer will think that they are special people, which is helpful for generating the loyalty with the business. Offer a free gift with purchase. Patrons love free things. You would be amazed at how much your customer relationship can grow by simply giving out a free pad of paper or key chain, I’ve done all of the above to hold on to every one of my customers and it definitely paid off, after working in the sales field for several years I managed to take my customer with me to every property that I went to, that made me valuable to the industry and easily hirable.
chapter 12 Summary
Chapter 12 Summary
Culture Inside and Out
What is Corporate Culture?
Culture refers to an organization's values, beliefs, and behaviors. In general, it is concerned with beliefs and values on the basis of which people interpret experiences and behave, individually and in groups. Cultural statements become operationalized when executives articulate and publish the values of their firm which provide patterns for how employees should behave.
Why is it important to learn the company's corporate culture?
Simply stated, there's no getting around it. If you want to be successful at a company, and enjoy where you work, you need to adapt to the company's culture. The company won't adapt to you, unless, of course, you're hired as the chief executive officer! Only then will you be in a position to change and shape corporate ways.
If you look at people who succeed and move ahead in the corporate environment, you'll find they are people who are able to fit their individuality and personal style within the boundaries of the culture.
Intercultural Communication Styles
It is surprising to some that intercultural communication does not often generate comprehensive descriptions of culture, or ethnographies. While such descriptions are crucial for any cross-cultural study, they do not in themselves constitute cases of cross-cultural interaction. An intercultural perspective leads researchers to hypothesize, given some difference in the described cultures, how members of the cultures might interact.
Another useful distinction in this context is that between cultural interaction and cultural comparison. When social science studies deal with culture at all, they frequently compare one aspect of a culture to a similar phenomenon in another. For instance, psychologists might compare how Northern European depth perception differs from that of Amazonian Indians. Or sociolinguists might analyze the differences in ritual greeting between European Americans and African Americans. While interculturalists use these kinds of
comparisons for their knowledge base, they focus less on the differences themselves and more on how the differences are likely to affect face-to-face interaction.
Intercultural communicationThe globalization process is forcing organizations to rethink their strategies. Intercultural communication, skills assume an ever larger role in global marketing strategies. Future managers must acquire effective intercultural competence. The "one world" market has forced organizations to think global, act local, and integrate. Intercultural communication serves a vital role in that it can forestall miscommunication, prevent misunderstandings, and avert mistakes.
Verbal skills developed in learning to write effectively provide the foundation for all forms of communication. Writing provides the letters or symbols written that represent the sounds or words of language. It is then language that provides the framing for the window to our inner thoughts and even our souls.
Workforce Inclusion and Diversity
Throughout the 1990's, diversity continued to be about the numbers of different kinds of people in the workforce as a whole and at each level. Diversity staffs tried to increase the number of people of color and women in their organizations. They saw this primarily as a hiring task.
Culture Inside and Out
What is Corporate Culture?
Culture refers to an organization's values, beliefs, and behaviors. In general, it is concerned with beliefs and values on the basis of which people interpret experiences and behave, individually and in groups. Cultural statements become operationalized when executives articulate and publish the values of their firm which provide patterns for how employees should behave.
Why is it important to learn the company's corporate culture?
Simply stated, there's no getting around it. If you want to be successful at a company, and enjoy where you work, you need to adapt to the company's culture. The company won't adapt to you, unless, of course, you're hired as the chief executive officer! Only then will you be in a position to change and shape corporate ways.
If you look at people who succeed and move ahead in the corporate environment, you'll find they are people who are able to fit their individuality and personal style within the boundaries of the culture.
Intercultural Communication Styles
It is surprising to some that intercultural communication does not often generate comprehensive descriptions of culture, or ethnographies. While such descriptions are crucial for any cross-cultural study, they do not in themselves constitute cases of cross-cultural interaction. An intercultural perspective leads researchers to hypothesize, given some difference in the described cultures, how members of the cultures might interact.
Another useful distinction in this context is that between cultural interaction and cultural comparison. When social science studies deal with culture at all, they frequently compare one aspect of a culture to a similar phenomenon in another. For instance, psychologists might compare how Northern European depth perception differs from that of Amazonian Indians. Or sociolinguists might analyze the differences in ritual greeting between European Americans and African Americans. While interculturalists use these kinds of
comparisons for their knowledge base, they focus less on the differences themselves and more on how the differences are likely to affect face-to-face interaction.
Intercultural communicationThe globalization process is forcing organizations to rethink their strategies. Intercultural communication, skills assume an ever larger role in global marketing strategies. Future managers must acquire effective intercultural competence. The "one world" market has forced organizations to think global, act local, and integrate. Intercultural communication serves a vital role in that it can forestall miscommunication, prevent misunderstandings, and avert mistakes.
Verbal skills developed in learning to write effectively provide the foundation for all forms of communication. Writing provides the letters or symbols written that represent the sounds or words of language. It is then language that provides the framing for the window to our inner thoughts and even our souls.
Workforce Inclusion and Diversity
Throughout the 1990's, diversity continued to be about the numbers of different kinds of people in the workforce as a whole and at each level. Diversity staffs tried to increase the number of people of color and women in their organizations. They saw this primarily as a hiring task.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
CHAPTER 11
Chapter 11 Summary
Writing Strategies for Reports and Proposals
Writing Strategies for Reports and Proposals, focuses specifically on using direct and indirect strategies in formal and informal reports. Consideration is given to audience, types of reports connected to strategy, and the components.
A proposal’s primary objective is to persuade your target audience to take specific action, including hiring you or your firm or buying your product. Often you will write a proposal in response to a Request for Proposal sent to you by another organization.
To win a new client or customer or retain an existing one, you usually face strong compatition. Whether you work for an organization or your are self employed, proposal writing often presents a key opportunity for you to stand out from the crowd. A poorly written proposal can kill your chances; a good one can influence or even determine the outcome.
That is why your proposal has to be as good as you can make it. Not only should it be clear and concise, but it must be persuasive and tailored for the potential client or customer.
Reports may need to be written for readers internal and external to your organization, although you may find that most of your reports will be for someone in higher authority for a variety of reasons. Reports can be informative or persuasive or a combination of both. Persuasive reports usually fall in to two broad categories: problem solution and feasibility studies. Informative reports include employee evaluations, progress reports and minutes of a meeting.
Short reports are sometimes in a memo or letter format, while longer reports are more formal and may include a title page and table of contents.
Writing Strategies for Reports and Proposals
Writing Strategies for Reports and Proposals, focuses specifically on using direct and indirect strategies in formal and informal reports. Consideration is given to audience, types of reports connected to strategy, and the components.
A proposal’s primary objective is to persuade your target audience to take specific action, including hiring you or your firm or buying your product. Often you will write a proposal in response to a Request for Proposal sent to you by another organization.
To win a new client or customer or retain an existing one, you usually face strong compatition. Whether you work for an organization or your are self employed, proposal writing often presents a key opportunity for you to stand out from the crowd. A poorly written proposal can kill your chances; a good one can influence or even determine the outcome.
That is why your proposal has to be as good as you can make it. Not only should it be clear and concise, but it must be persuasive and tailored for the potential client or customer.
Reports may need to be written for readers internal and external to your organization, although you may find that most of your reports will be for someone in higher authority for a variety of reasons. Reports can be informative or persuasive or a combination of both. Persuasive reports usually fall in to two broad categories: problem solution and feasibility studies. Informative reports include employee evaluations, progress reports and minutes of a meeting.
Short reports are sometimes in a memo or letter format, while longer reports are more formal and may include a title page and table of contents.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
chapter 10 summary
CHAPTER 10
The Business of Reports: Informal and Formal Report Writing
Chapter 10 describes both informal and formal report writing, Reports are used to present information, analyze data and information, and persuade. They often offer solutions or options for problem solving and decision making. Most reports are presented in written form, but some are delivered orally.
Reports communicate information which has been compiled as a result of research and analysis of data and of issues. Reports can cover a wide range of topics, but usually focus on transmitting information with a clear purpose, to a specific audience. Good reports are documents that are accurate, objective and complete. They should also be well-written, clearly structured and expressed in a way that holds the reader's attention and meets their expectations. The true value of the research may be assessed through a report since the written report may be the only tangible product of hundreds of hours of work, the quality and worth of that work are judged by the quality of the written report - its clarity, organization and content. Often reports are structured in a way that reflects the information finding process and the writing up of the findings: that is, summary of the contents, introduction or background, methods, results, discussion, conclusion and/or recommendations. The inclusion of recommendations is one reason why reports are a common form of writing in industry, as the informed recommendations are useful for decision making.
The scope and style of reports varies widely. It depends on three key factors: the report's intended audience, the report's purpose and the type of information to be communicated; for example, technical reports communicate technical information, so the degree of technicality in the report will depend on the reader's familiarity and understanding of technical concepts.
Reports are considered to be legal documents in the workplace and, thus, they need to be precise, accurate and difficult to misinterpret.
The Business of Reports: Informal and Formal Report Writing
Chapter 10 describes both informal and formal report writing, Reports are used to present information, analyze data and information, and persuade. They often offer solutions or options for problem solving and decision making. Most reports are presented in written form, but some are delivered orally.
Reports communicate information which has been compiled as a result of research and analysis of data and of issues. Reports can cover a wide range of topics, but usually focus on transmitting information with a clear purpose, to a specific audience. Good reports are documents that are accurate, objective and complete. They should also be well-written, clearly structured and expressed in a way that holds the reader's attention and meets their expectations. The true value of the research may be assessed through a report since the written report may be the only tangible product of hundreds of hours of work, the quality and worth of that work are judged by the quality of the written report - its clarity, organization and content. Often reports are structured in a way that reflects the information finding process and the writing up of the findings: that is, summary of the contents, introduction or background, methods, results, discussion, conclusion and/or recommendations. The inclusion of recommendations is one reason why reports are a common form of writing in industry, as the informed recommendations are useful for decision making.
The scope and style of reports varies widely. It depends on three key factors: the report's intended audience, the report's purpose and the type of information to be communicated; for example, technical reports communicate technical information, so the degree of technicality in the report will depend on the reader's familiarity and understanding of technical concepts.
Reports are considered to be legal documents in the workplace and, thus, they need to be precise, accurate and difficult to misinterpret.
chapter 9 summary
CHAPTER 9 SUMMARY
Direct and Indirect Communication Strategies
Two recently formulated definitions of communication strategies are contrasted. The central function of communication strategies is the negotiation of meaning. Communication strategies are related to individual language users' experience of communicative problems and the solutions (cooperative or noncooperative) they pursue. Within the latter framework, communication strategies are characterized in discourse terms, invoking the notion of "conditional relevance." It is demonstrated that interaction ally defined communication strategies constitute a subset of psycho linguistically defined strategies, and it is argued that although this subset in many respects represents an important area of strategy use. Significant similarities to other types of strategy use are obscured by defining communication strategies in interact ional terms exclusively.
Direct and Indirect Communication Strategies
Two recently formulated definitions of communication strategies are contrasted. The central function of communication strategies is the negotiation of meaning. Communication strategies are related to individual language users' experience of communicative problems and the solutions (cooperative or noncooperative) they pursue. Within the latter framework, communication strategies are characterized in discourse terms, invoking the notion of "conditional relevance." It is demonstrated that interaction ally defined communication strategies constitute a subset of psycho linguistically defined strategies, and it is argued that although this subset in many respects represents an important area of strategy use. Significant similarities to other types of strategy use are obscured by defining communication strategies in interact ional terms exclusively.
CHAPTER 9 SAMPLE LETTER
Letter of Invitation
GST Party22 Gina St, Oakland, CATel: 555-111-2222
March 7th, 2009
Dear Valued Customer:
Our records show that you have been a customer of GST Party Inc. since our grand opening last year. We would like to thank you for your business by inviting you to our preferred customer Spring Extravaganza this Saturday.
Saturday's sales event is by invitation only. All of our stock, including pajamas and bedding will be marked down from 50-80% off.* Doors open at 9:00 AM sharp. Complimentary coffee and donuts will be served. Public admission will commence at noon.
In addition, please accept the enclosed $10 gift certificate to use with your purchase of $75 or more.
We look forward to seeing you at GST's on Saturday. Please bring this invitation with you and present it at the door.
Sincerely,
Gina Taylor
Gina TaylorStore Manager
gstpartyinc@blank.com
GST Party22 Gina St, Oakland, CATel: 555-111-2222
March 7th, 2009
Dear Valued Customer:
Our records show that you have been a customer of GST Party Inc. since our grand opening last year. We would like to thank you for your business by inviting you to our preferred customer Spring Extravaganza this Saturday.
Saturday's sales event is by invitation only. All of our stock, including pajamas and bedding will be marked down from 50-80% off.* Doors open at 9:00 AM sharp. Complimentary coffee and donuts will be served. Public admission will commence at noon.
In addition, please accept the enclosed $10 gift certificate to use with your purchase of $75 or more.
We look forward to seeing you at GST's on Saturday. Please bring this invitation with you and present it at the door.
Sincerely,
Gina Taylor
Gina TaylorStore Manager
gstpartyinc@blank.com
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Chapter 7 Designing Oral Presentations Summary
Chapter 7 Designing Oral Presentation Summary
Gina Taylor
As speakers we all know the importance of properly preparing our material far enough in advance so we may have sufficient time to rehearse and fine-tune our speeches. Unfortunately, this is not enough to assure that your speech or presentation is well received. Your speech preparation must also include gathering information about your audience and their needs. A well prepared speech given to the wrong audience can have the same effect as a poorly prepared speech given to the correct audience. They both can fail terribly.
It is critical that preparation efforts include some amount of audience analysis. The more you know and understand about your audience and their needs, the better you can prepare your speech to assure that you meet their needs. The introduction sets the tone of the entire speech. The introduction should be brief and to-the-point. As in any social situation, your audience makes strong assumptions about you during the first eight or ten seconds of your speech. For this reason, you need to start solidly and launch the topic clearly. Focus your efforts on
Gina Taylor
As speakers we all know the importance of properly preparing our material far enough in advance so we may have sufficient time to rehearse and fine-tune our speeches. Unfortunately, this is not enough to assure that your speech or presentation is well received. Your speech preparation must also include gathering information about your audience and their needs. A well prepared speech given to the wrong audience can have the same effect as a poorly prepared speech given to the correct audience. They both can fail terribly.
It is critical that preparation efforts include some amount of audience analysis. The more you know and understand about your audience and their needs, the better you can prepare your speech to assure that you meet their needs. The introduction sets the tone of the entire speech. The introduction should be brief and to-the-point. As in any social situation, your audience makes strong assumptions about you during the first eight or ten seconds of your speech. For this reason, you need to start solidly and launch the topic clearly. Focus your efforts on
Friday, February 20, 2009
Chapter 6 Designing Messages with Words Summary
Chapter 6 Designing Messages with Words
Gina Taylor
The basis of communication is the interaction between people. Verbal communication is one way for people to communicate face-to-face. Some of the key components of verbal communication are sound, words, speaking, and language.
At birth, most people have vocal cords, which produce sounds. As a child grows it learns how to form these sounds into words. Some words may be imitative of natural sounds, but others may come from expressions of emotion, such as laughter or crying. Words alone have no meaning. Only people can put meaning into words. As meaning is assigned to words, language develops, which leads to the development of speaking.
The actual origin of language is subject to considerable speculation. Some theorists believe it is an outgrowth of group activities such as working together or dancing. Others believe that language developed from basic sounds and gestures.
Over 3,000 languages and major dialects are spoken in the world today. The development of languages reflects class, gender, profession, age group, and other social factors. The huge variety of languages usually creates difficulties between different languages, but even within a single language there can be many problems in understanding.
Through speaking we try to eliminate this misunderstanding, but sometimes this is a very hard thing to do. Just as we assume that our messages are clearly received, so we assume that because something is important to us, it is important to others. As time has proven this is not at all true. Many problems can arise is speaking and the only way to solve these problems is through experience.
Speaking can be looked at in two major areas: interpersonal and public speaking. Since the majority of speaking is an interpersonal process, to communicate effectively we must not simply clean up our language, but learn to relate to people.
In interpersonal speaking, etiquette is very important. To be an effective communicator one must speak in a manner that is not offending to the receiver. Etiquette also plays an important role in an area that has developed in most all business settings: hierarchical communication. In business today, hierarchical communication is of utmost importance to all members involved.
The other major area of speaking is public speaking. From the origin of time, it has been obvious that some people are just better public speakers than others. Because of this, today a good speaker can earn a living by speaking to people in a public setting. Some of the major areas of public speaking are speaking to persuade, speaking to inform, and speaking to inspire or motivate.
Because speaking is such an indelible activity, we tend to do it without much thought. But, that casual approach can be a problem in business. Have you ever wished you could make a second, first impression because you said something that was out of character or embarrassing? I have! That comment that you didn’t think about before you said, has created an image in someone’s mind that can not be replaced even when you meant something totally different. When it comes to oral communication, your goal should be to take advantage of its positive characteristics while minimizing the dangers.
Speaking can be used as a tool to accomplish your objectives. But, first you must break the habit of talking spontaneously without planning what you’re going to say or how you’re going to say it. You must learn to manage the impression you create by consciously tailoring your remarks and delivery style to suit the situation.
Gina Taylor
The basis of communication is the interaction between people. Verbal communication is one way for people to communicate face-to-face. Some of the key components of verbal communication are sound, words, speaking, and language.
At birth, most people have vocal cords, which produce sounds. As a child grows it learns how to form these sounds into words. Some words may be imitative of natural sounds, but others may come from expressions of emotion, such as laughter or crying. Words alone have no meaning. Only people can put meaning into words. As meaning is assigned to words, language develops, which leads to the development of speaking.
The actual origin of language is subject to considerable speculation. Some theorists believe it is an outgrowth of group activities such as working together or dancing. Others believe that language developed from basic sounds and gestures.
Over 3,000 languages and major dialects are spoken in the world today. The development of languages reflects class, gender, profession, age group, and other social factors. The huge variety of languages usually creates difficulties between different languages, but even within a single language there can be many problems in understanding.
Through speaking we try to eliminate this misunderstanding, but sometimes this is a very hard thing to do. Just as we assume that our messages are clearly received, so we assume that because something is important to us, it is important to others. As time has proven this is not at all true. Many problems can arise is speaking and the only way to solve these problems is through experience.
Speaking can be looked at in two major areas: interpersonal and public speaking. Since the majority of speaking is an interpersonal process, to communicate effectively we must not simply clean up our language, but learn to relate to people.
In interpersonal speaking, etiquette is very important. To be an effective communicator one must speak in a manner that is not offending to the receiver. Etiquette also plays an important role in an area that has developed in most all business settings: hierarchical communication. In business today, hierarchical communication is of utmost importance to all members involved.
The other major area of speaking is public speaking. From the origin of time, it has been obvious that some people are just better public speakers than others. Because of this, today a good speaker can earn a living by speaking to people in a public setting. Some of the major areas of public speaking are speaking to persuade, speaking to inform, and speaking to inspire or motivate.
Because speaking is such an indelible activity, we tend to do it without much thought. But, that casual approach can be a problem in business. Have you ever wished you could make a second, first impression because you said something that was out of character or embarrassing? I have! That comment that you didn’t think about before you said, has created an image in someone’s mind that can not be replaced even when you meant something totally different. When it comes to oral communication, your goal should be to take advantage of its positive characteristics while minimizing the dangers.
Speaking can be used as a tool to accomplish your objectives. But, first you must break the habit of talking spontaneously without planning what you’re going to say or how you’re going to say it. You must learn to manage the impression you create by consciously tailoring your remarks and delivery style to suit the situation.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
CHAPTER 5 CREATING AND USING MEANINGS
Summary: Chapter 5 Creating and Using Meanings
Gina Taylor
Finding or creating meaning can be very helpful. It is not always easy, and may take some time and work, but it can be very helpful and comforting in a difficult situation.
It is difficult to isolate all of the factors that play into how people consume news and alter their opinions, but it's probably safe to say that an individual will watch a number of finished news segments or read a number of articles and form a set of preliminary set of beliefs.
These beliefs are reinforced or challenged after discussing the news with his/her friends or family, But people usually surround themselves around friends who agree with their value system or so there isn't usually a lot of assumptions or attitudes being challenged.
Perception is a three phase process of selecting, organizing and interpreting information. You can understand interpersonal situations better if you appreciate how you and another person construct perceptions. Perception is our sensory experience of the world around us and involves both the recognition of environmental stimuli and actions in response to these stimuli. Through the perceptual process, we gain information about properties and elements of the environment that are critical to our survival. Perception not only creates our experience of the world around us; it allows us to act within our environment.
Organizational skills can help you cope with the world around you. They provide structure, create a semblance of order and reduce daily stress levels. The organizational skills you apply toward planning each day insure that you are at least somewhat productive and that you accomplish what you must. They direct the demands on your attention and give you some sense of control.
Meaning is created and interpreted by people. While meaning is an internal process, much of what we perceive things to mean comes from what we have learned from our experiences with family, with friends, and from our culture.
All meaning is interpreted. It's just a matter of the number of people who follow one specific meaning, or if it's just your own interpretation. This goes for any experience you can think of. Regardless of the 'preparation' for the experience, you won't understand it until you live through it. This is why parents try to prevent their kids from making the same mistakes, but from the kid's point of view, they won't understand it until they go through the experience. By having someone else interpret something for you, you rely on their conclusion. I never understood why in every religion, profession, only 'certain gifted smart' people can read certain passages/books and explain them... it's because they have more knowledge regarding the topic than us, so that's why they are 'allowed' to 'teach us' what it means. I’ve worked in sales and marketing for years and If someone were to ask me how I manage to book so much business, I use the same logic. I make an interpretation on whether this person actually wants to know the in's and out's of how I work, or they don't really care, and just ask for the sake of it. Once I make that decision, then I can explain the answer accordingly. It is this 'filter' exercise which everyone does to a certain extent that encourages us to rely on someone else's interpretation.
Consider ambiguity. Look at the phrase, "Time Flies Like An Arrow". This phrase can be interpreted different ways. It has different meanings. Are we saying: time travels quickly, like an arrow travels quickly? Or are we saying: a particular type of insect, called a "time fly", has affection for a particular arrow? So it appears to me that interpretation can sometimes yield multiple valid meanings, which is QUITE DIFFERENT from saying that there is no meaning at all.
Personal meaning isn't a matter of getting "the answer" to the question, "What is the meaning of life?" There can be no single answer because the meaning of life is not a concept or philosophy that applies to everyone in all ages. Rather, one develops a sense of meaning, or loses it, it is a subjective experience similar to and in some ways slightly related to the sense of self. The experience of one's own life as meaningful or meaningless is of course often related to various ideas, belief systems, symbolically significant relationships, and so forth, and for most people the feeling of life as meaningful typically emerges from participation in a variety of activities. Stories, values, memories, and other experiences may be woven together–loosely or tightly–into a kind of psychological "tapestry." Generally, two themes stand out--a sense of belonging and a sense of purpose.
Gina Taylor
Finding or creating meaning can be very helpful. It is not always easy, and may take some time and work, but it can be very helpful and comforting in a difficult situation.
It is difficult to isolate all of the factors that play into how people consume news and alter their opinions, but it's probably safe to say that an individual will watch a number of finished news segments or read a number of articles and form a set of preliminary set of beliefs.
These beliefs are reinforced or challenged after discussing the news with his/her friends or family, But people usually surround themselves around friends who agree with their value system or so there isn't usually a lot of assumptions or attitudes being challenged.
Perception is a three phase process of selecting, organizing and interpreting information. You can understand interpersonal situations better if you appreciate how you and another person construct perceptions. Perception is our sensory experience of the world around us and involves both the recognition of environmental stimuli and actions in response to these stimuli. Through the perceptual process, we gain information about properties and elements of the environment that are critical to our survival. Perception not only creates our experience of the world around us; it allows us to act within our environment.
Organizational skills can help you cope with the world around you. They provide structure, create a semblance of order and reduce daily stress levels. The organizational skills you apply toward planning each day insure that you are at least somewhat productive and that you accomplish what you must. They direct the demands on your attention and give you some sense of control.
Meaning is created and interpreted by people. While meaning is an internal process, much of what we perceive things to mean comes from what we have learned from our experiences with family, with friends, and from our culture.
All meaning is interpreted. It's just a matter of the number of people who follow one specific meaning, or if it's just your own interpretation. This goes for any experience you can think of. Regardless of the 'preparation' for the experience, you won't understand it until you live through it. This is why parents try to prevent their kids from making the same mistakes, but from the kid's point of view, they won't understand it until they go through the experience. By having someone else interpret something for you, you rely on their conclusion. I never understood why in every religion, profession, only 'certain gifted smart' people can read certain passages/books and explain them... it's because they have more knowledge regarding the topic than us, so that's why they are 'allowed' to 'teach us' what it means. I’ve worked in sales and marketing for years and If someone were to ask me how I manage to book so much business, I use the same logic. I make an interpretation on whether this person actually wants to know the in's and out's of how I work, or they don't really care, and just ask for the sake of it. Once I make that decision, then I can explain the answer accordingly. It is this 'filter' exercise which everyone does to a certain extent that encourages us to rely on someone else's interpretation.
Consider ambiguity. Look at the phrase, "Time Flies Like An Arrow". This phrase can be interpreted different ways. It has different meanings. Are we saying: time travels quickly, like an arrow travels quickly? Or are we saying: a particular type of insect, called a "time fly", has affection for a particular arrow? So it appears to me that interpretation can sometimes yield multiple valid meanings, which is QUITE DIFFERENT from saying that there is no meaning at all.
Personal meaning isn't a matter of getting "the answer" to the question, "What is the meaning of life?" There can be no single answer because the meaning of life is not a concept or philosophy that applies to everyone in all ages. Rather, one develops a sense of meaning, or loses it, it is a subjective experience similar to and in some ways slightly related to the sense of self. The experience of one's own life as meaningful or meaningless is of course often related to various ideas, belief systems, symbolically significant relationships, and so forth, and for most people the feeling of life as meaningful typically emerges from participation in a variety of activities. Stories, values, memories, and other experiences may be woven together–loosely or tightly–into a kind of psychological "tapestry." Generally, two themes stand out--a sense of belonging and a sense of purpose.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Listening: A Silent Hero (summary)
Summary: Chapter 4 A Silent Hero
Gina Taylor
The first skill that you can practice to be a good listener is to act like a good listener. We have spent a lot of our modern lives working at tuning out all of the information that is thrust at us. It therefore becomes important to change our physical body language from that of a deflector to that of a receiver, much like a satellite dish. Our faces contain most of the receptive equipment in our bodies, so it is only natural that we should tilt our faces towards the channel of information.
A second skill is to use the other bodily receptors besides your ears. You can be a better listener when you look at the other person. Your eyes pick up the non-verbal signals that all people send out when they are speaking. By looking at the speaker, your eyes will also complete the eye contact that speakers are trying to make. A speaker will work harder at sending out the information when they see a receptive audience in attendance. Your eyes help complete the communication circuit that must be established between speaker and listener.
When you have established eye and face contact with your speaker, you must then react to the speaker by sending out non-verbal signals. Your face must move and give the range of emotions that indicate whether you are following what the speaker has to say. By moving your face to the information, you can better concentrate on what the person is saying. Your face must become an active and contoured catcher of information.
It is extremely difficult to receive information when your mouth is moving information out at the same time. A good listener will stop talking and use receptive language instead. Use the I see . . . un hunh . . . oh really words and phrases that follow and encourage your speaker's train of thought. This forces you to react to the ideas presented, rather than the person. You can then move to asking questions, instead of giving your opinion on the information being presented. It is a true listening skill to use your mouth as a moving receptor of information rather than a broadcaster.
A final skill is to move your mind to concentrate on what the speaker is saying. You cannot fully hear their point of view or process information when you argue mentally or judge what they are saying before they have completed. An open mind is a mind that is receiving and listening to information.
If you really want to listen, you will act like a good listener. Good listeners are good catchers because they give their speakers a target and then move that target to capture the information that is being sent. When good listeners aren't understanding their speakers, they will send signals to the speaker about what they expect next, or how the speaker can change the speed of information delivery to suit the listener. Above all, a good listener involves all of their face to be an active moving listener.
Gina Taylor
The first skill that you can practice to be a good listener is to act like a good listener. We have spent a lot of our modern lives working at tuning out all of the information that is thrust at us. It therefore becomes important to change our physical body language from that of a deflector to that of a receiver, much like a satellite dish. Our faces contain most of the receptive equipment in our bodies, so it is only natural that we should tilt our faces towards the channel of information.
A second skill is to use the other bodily receptors besides your ears. You can be a better listener when you look at the other person. Your eyes pick up the non-verbal signals that all people send out when they are speaking. By looking at the speaker, your eyes will also complete the eye contact that speakers are trying to make. A speaker will work harder at sending out the information when they see a receptive audience in attendance. Your eyes help complete the communication circuit that must be established between speaker and listener.
When you have established eye and face contact with your speaker, you must then react to the speaker by sending out non-verbal signals. Your face must move and give the range of emotions that indicate whether you are following what the speaker has to say. By moving your face to the information, you can better concentrate on what the person is saying. Your face must become an active and contoured catcher of information.
It is extremely difficult to receive information when your mouth is moving information out at the same time. A good listener will stop talking and use receptive language instead. Use the I see . . . un hunh . . . oh really words and phrases that follow and encourage your speaker's train of thought. This forces you to react to the ideas presented, rather than the person. You can then move to asking questions, instead of giving your opinion on the information being presented. It is a true listening skill to use your mouth as a moving receptor of information rather than a broadcaster.
A final skill is to move your mind to concentrate on what the speaker is saying. You cannot fully hear their point of view or process information when you argue mentally or judge what they are saying before they have completed. An open mind is a mind that is receiving and listening to information.
If you really want to listen, you will act like a good listener. Good listeners are good catchers because they give their speakers a target and then move that target to capture the information that is being sent. When good listeners aren't understanding their speakers, they will send signals to the speaker about what they expect next, or how the speaker can change the speed of information delivery to suit the listener. Above all, a good listener involves all of their face to be an active moving listener.
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