The Professional Communications Toolkit

Joel Whalen is Academic Director of the Kellstadt Center Sales Leadership Program at Chicago's DePaul University (since 1986). He is an Associate Professor of Marketing and holds a Ph.D. in Marketing Com-munications (Florida State University '86). Dr. Whalen has been listed by Who's Who in America and Men of Distinction, Cambridge, England. He is a Sales and Sales Management Fellow of the American Marketing Association. The Ernst & Young Entrepreneurship Foundation named him Entrepreneur of the Year, and he is a member of the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame. Joel has received numerous awards for outstanding teaching. After 10 years of study, experimentation, and innovation, in cooperation with companies, associations, and thousands of DePaul students, Joel discovered the core psychological, attitudinal, and behavioral drivers behind effective, professional communication. He created a series of exercises that have helped people become more masterful communicators. In workshops and classes throughout the U.S., Australia, and Thailand, Dr. Whalen gives thousands of people the tools they need. Dr. Whalen has an extensive background in sales and advertising. As a salesperson and sales manager, he consistently set all-time sales records. Joel has received numerous advertising awards for creative television and radio commer-cials, including an award for one of the first television commercials created by a computer. In Florida politics, Whalen was communications advisor to several successful, statewide political campaigns. Dr. Whalen is the author of I See What You Mean, Sage Publications. He has published articles in: Psychology & Marketing Journal of Business Research Journal of Business Ethics Design Management Journal Journal of Educational & Psychological Measurement Journal of Promotions Management Joel has been interviewed by national and international press including:l CBS NBC ABC PBS NPR's Marketplace Advertising Age Atlanta Constitution Chicago Tribune Chicago Sun Times Christian Science Monitor Financial Times of London Playboy Time The Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC)

Preface Why Communication Is Import Little Help From Science So You Think You're Not Understood? Acknowledgments Chapter 1: Effective Communication: 'It's Not About You' What Kind of Communication Do You Need? 'Checklist Communication'--Best Done Quickly 'Convincing Communication'--Requires More Preparation Dominant and Subordinate Roles Simultaneous Feedback How the Message You Send Gets Meaning Leadership: Communicating Your Vision Seek to Share Understanding 'Felt Sense': Your Body Knows Monkey See, Monkey Communicate--'Mirror Neurons' Chapter 1 Summary Key Ideas Chapter 2: Message Strategies - What to Speak and What to Write: 'Attitude in 90% of Speaking' Power of Speaking: Oral Communication The Essence of Communication: Meaning Poor Communication Teaching Before You Speak, Set Your Attitude Speaking Delivers Less Content Nonverbal Communication When You Talk, You Show How You Feel During Great Communication, You Disappear Here's What Great Attitude Feels Like Most Motivating Emotion = Enthusiasm Communication Toolbox Telephone and Voicemail Techniques First Rule: You're Introducing--Ask for Permission to Speak Telephone: Your've Lost 55 Percent of Your Ability to Create Meaning Visualize Your Listener--Imagine Your Unseen Listener When to Leave Your Name and Number Chapter 2 Summary Key Ideas 'Communicator's Checklist' Chapter 3: The Power and Limitations of Speaking Miscommunication Is Common What to Write/What to Say? The Power of Speaking What Was Rememered and What Was Forgotten Your "Self" Was Formed Over Time Some Brain Patterns Are On-Board at Birth Brain Programmed Through Sensory Information Secret Behind Using Sense Memory Sensory Preference--'Different Senses for Different People' Symbols The Basic Element of Communication: The Sign Theatre of the Mind Types of Symbols Denotative Symbols Connotative Symbols Persuasive Messages Contain Both Denotative and Connotative Symbols Contextual Meaning Color Lines Space Subtle Symbols: Power and Confidence Touch Smells Emotions and Fear Persuading Angry People Handling Angry Supervisors and Customers Using Fear to Persuade Fear Messages Can Backfire--Watch Out: "Fear Appeals Must Be Handled Carefully' 'Buyers' Four Big Fears' The Professional Loser Persuasion Ethics Chapter 3 Summary Key Ideas 'Communicator's Checklist' Chapter 4: When You're Afraid to Communicate: 'Understanding Anxiety and Fear' Why Must You Manage Your Speech Anxiety? If You Never Get Communication Anxiety, You're a Rare Bird Communication Anxiety: Silent Enemy of Success Americans' Greatest Phopias When It's Your Turn to Speak, Do You Get These Symptoms? When You'll Get It Strategies When You're Not a 'Master of the Message' Communication Toolbox The Thinking Person's Approach: Understanding the Psychophysiology of Anxiety Anxiety Manufacturing Plant: Your Brain Stem Chapter 4 Summanry Key Ideas 'Communicator's Checklist' Chapter 5: Managing Communication Anxiety: 'Action Steps You Can Take' Action Steps You Can Take Some Anxiety Is Good Decide: Is It Fear or Excitement? Don't Try to Be Cool--You Won't Look Confident Idle Your Engine Be Here Now 'Square Breathing' 'Calm Down Breathing' Stretch Away Your Tension How to Build a List of 'Personal Power Thoughts' Taking Control of Persistent Fears False Alarms Go Off in Your Head Your Brain Stem Is Obsessed With Fear The Deer-in-the-Headlights Look Communication Toolbox Dealing With Balnking Out Two Different Speed Zones--Yours and the Audience's Blanking Out Under Pressure Know More About How Your Mind Works: 'Attribution of Cause' How to Use the Power of Attribution Theory to Manage Speech Anxiety Seven Keys to Managing: Communication Anxiety Advanced Fear Management Getting More Help Medical Management by Corey Goldstein, M.D. What to Do When communication Anxiety is Overwhelming Non-pill Relief A Pill May Help Medications That Ease Communication Anxiety Help Is Available Chapter 5 Summary Key Ideas 'Communicator's Checklist' Chapter 6: Making People Believe You: 'Persuasive Communication' First, People Must Believe You--Managing Your Credibility Source Credibility You've Got to Answer Your Listeners' Unasked Questions Credibility and the Team Player Ancient Greeks' Secrets of Credibility 'Three Pillars of Credibility': Expertise, Trustworthiness, and Goodwill The Four Component of Credibility Fluid presentation--Another Type of Dynamism Credibility From the Audience's Eyes Attribution Theory and Credibility Put Your Credibility to Work Credibility Builders: Some Tricks of the Trade 'Wingman' Technique 'Wingman' in the Sales Call You're a Product 'Wingman' in Job Interviews The Single Most Effective Political commercial Warning: High Credibility Can Backfire on the Professional When High Credibility Can Kill You Credibility and the Business Professional Chapter 6 summary Key Ideas 'Communicator's Checklist' Chapter 7: Message Packaging - Strategies for Formatting Presentations: 'How You Say It' Opening the Presentation The 'Question Opening' 'Einstein's Time Shift' The Power of Brainwashing How to Structure Your Presentation With Questions A Classic Presentation Format--'Tell'Em' The 'Cold Closing' No 'Thank You' Allowed Warning: Don't Ask for Questions A Perfect Strategy: The 'Nichols's Two-Things' Presentation Write Your Presentation in Five Minutes The Final Format--Presenting as a Tem Member Benefits of Team Presentations Specialty Roles The 'Hand-Off' 'Wingman' in Team Presentations Communication Toolbox 'Communicator's Checklist' Opening the Presentation The 'Question Opening'--Four Steps Checklist for Successfully Executing the 'Question Opening' 'Cold Closing' Checklist Specialist Checklist Chapter 7 Summary Key Ideas Chapter 8: Message Delivery - 'Performing the Presentation' You're in Showbiz--Entertain 'Em Power of Selective Attention Fight Back--Work to Refresh Their Attention Frequently Before You Are Introduced, See If Your Audience Has a Pulse Prepare for the Disaster That Will Never Come Let Your Body Speak for You Projecting Your Attitude to Your Audience Take Charge of the Room Business Presentations Are Not Storytelling Business Presentations Versus Social Presentations Presenting PowerPoint Slides 'Turn, Touch, & Tell' Presenting Graphs Communication Toolbox Ten Tips and Rules for Persuasive Presentations Handling the Audience's Questions Voice Control Chapter 8 Summary Key Ideas 'Communicator's Checklist' Chapter 9: Writing E-mails and Memos With High Communication Factor Busy People Scan Stop Sending Out Rough Drafts Advantage to Written Communication Three Ideas to Get Your E-mails and Memos Read Idea One--Use Typeface and White Space Why People Like Sans Serif Pick Proportional Type Don't Use Reverse Typeface White Space Directs the Eye Idea Two-Prep Your Reader's Brain Bullets--When Should You Use Bullets? Bullet FAQs Communication Toolbox E-mail Techniques Starting Your E-mail--What to Write First Subject Lines Essential Elements Idea Three--Motivate Your Reader to Read Memo Writing Rules Writing With High Communication Factor Common Grammatical Errors Editing Tips Writing of Motivation Sentence Chapter 9 Summary Key Ideas 'Communicator's Checklist' Chapter 10: Communicating With Tables, Graphs, and Charts: 'Your Visual Toolbox' Tables Graphs--Pictures, Not Words How to Make Tables and Graphs Making Pretty Pie Charts Making Highly Readable Graphs Graph Building Techniques To 3-D or Not to 3-D? That Is the Question Graphs That Deceive Models--Perceptual Maps Choose Your Software Carefully Chapter 10 Summary Key Ideas 'Communicator's Checklist' Chapter 11: Maximum PowerPoint Type Size Typestyle Kepp Punctuation to a Minimum How Much Information to Put on a Slide Communicating With Color Presenting With Visuals When to Hand Out Materials Sample Presentation Visuals Bullets Are Great--Use Them Chapter 11 Summary Key Ideas 'Communicator's Checklist' Demonstration PowerPoint Slide Editing Text Slides On Graphs Appendix: If You'd Like to Learn More Recommended Reading Take These Training Courses References Index About the Authors