This CNN article provides Debra Fine’s top tips for conducting everyday conversation.  Her book The Fine Art of Small Talk is worth having in your library too. As a former engineer herself, she provides pragmatic how-to’s for this necessary skill.  The article opens with this startling statistic:

“A study at the Stanford University School of Business tracked MBAs 10 years after they graduated. The result? Grade point averages had no bearing on their success — but their ability to converse with others did.”

Read more here…

Link

Aside from its rather stark title, this article from Success Magazine offers great tips to help us be assets – not irritants – in the workplace.

Link

Women in the workplace will appreciate these pointers from Carol Kinsey Goman.

Link

Public speaking for engineers?  Well, here’s what an engineer has to say about it.

Link

These lists are created by all sorts of coaches and critics, but this unassuming editor at VKool.com covers the ‘essentials’ well, even though the list of 20 is a bit random. Nevertheless, they are good reminders for sure.

Link

Choosing the right words can make all the difference in terms of crafting your message.  Take 2 minutes to see what I mean…

Link

One more for Carmine Gallo.  Put your feet up and watch this  50-minute lecture that he gave at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Gallo makes it clear that any speech must be understandable, memorable, and emotional. He teaches well – better than most.

Link

This Forbes article is a favorite. Carmine Gallo, the contributing writer, is an acclaimed author and communications coach. The more I read his work, the more I learn. Here he equates public speaking skills with the ability to earn top salaries as well as gain respect and influence in any given marketplace.

Link