Effective Communication Skills

By: Dalton Kehoe, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Dalton Kehoe

From asking a waiter for an unusual substitution to urging a service manager to get your car finished sooner to swaying your significant other toward a particular film or show, many of the decisions you make are decided by talking. And no matter why you engage in face-to-face talk, there's no way to insulate yourself from the dangers of miscommunication.

These 24 mind-opening lectures are your chance to learn more about how you communicate verbally, the common problems you can encounter in doing so, and how you can improve your own effectiveness - especially by overcoming the psychological and biological hard-wiring that too often gets in the way.

Professor Kehoe offers a trove of practical techniques for successful communication, from everyday interactions in the home or workplace to managing your reactions and speaking effectively in conflict- and tension-laden situations.

You'll learn how early cultural learning and deeply learned patterns of reaction in our unconscious mind enhance or undermine your ability to communicate effectively; how your sense of self develops in everyday talk during your childhood; the specific styles of talking you use in most situations; and the basic techniques of perhaps the most important and neglected aspect of human conversation, the art of active listening.

When you consider the complexities of conversation, it's a wonder that things ever work out as well as they do. But with the knowledge, strategies, and skills offered by this course, that hard-to-find effectiveness will be only a conversation away.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2011 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2011 The Great Courses

Fantastic lecture

I thought this started off a little slow but it quickly became very interesting and informative. I have always struggled with the ability to communicate effectively, especially when it involves expressing what I am upset about. It has caused problems in my relationships with family and at work. This book offers great advice for how to overcome this problems and how to approach a difficult situation to get a better response. I've started practicing the things I've learned from this lecture and can already see the huge impact it can have on my relationships. I highly recommend this book for anyone that struggles with expressing themselves positively and communicating effectively.

Extremely useful and informative course.

Kehoe uses a lot of good examples and stories to bring his practical advice down to earth. easy to listen to, good speaker. some good Mindfulness applications applied to better communication. my top recommendation!

Great book!

I need to listen to this book over and over until it sinks in. I have à number of things to improve on.

Great info that will help you in communication

A little slow at the beginning but great help within the rest if the course. I feel like a better communicator or listener already

will be listening again and again.

so much good knowledge in this lecture will require multiple listens. a well thought out lecture full of practical tools that is a daily must use.