SECTION TWO
Your Oral Communication Skills

In the following chapters, you'll find practical steps to communicate in a variety of settings and to meet a wide array of needs. As you read about and practice these skills, recognize that communication skills are not about “right” and “wrong.” There is no “wrong” way to communicate. Instead, think of a “spectrum of effectiveness,” from less effective to more effective, as shown in the figure below.

Where you fall on the spectrum in any given exchange will be determined by a combination of factors. It's the cumulative effect of certain behaviors that determines your overall effectiveness as a communicator. We'll look at those behaviors in the next four chapters.

In Section Four, Your Interactions, we'll reference ways to apply each of these behaviors differently, if necessary, based on the particular setting.

Chapter 4 Stand Up and Stand Out: Making the Most of Your Body Language

Chapter 5 Are You Just “Waiting to Talk”? Listening to Understand

Chapter 6 See It. Save It. Say It. Delivering from Notes and Visuals

Chapter 7 What If They Ask You Something You Don't Know? Responding to Questions