December 2007 - Interpersonal Communication Skillfulness

Greetings,

An eight-year-old child observed, "Love is what is in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."

As we move into the holiday season, reflect over the past year, and envision the possibilities of next year, our communication ability is often put to the test.

And yet our interpersonal communication skillfulness can be a great gift to give others.

How effective are we at the key interpersonal skills such as listening, being receptive, speaking skillfully, and opening to and articulating our own vision, values, gifts, and priorities?

Interpersonal skillfulness is often at the top of 'must have' skill lists, and yet even these can underestimate the importance of communicating well -- with ourselves, with one another, and within and through our organizations.

In fact, one great way to elevate interpersonal skillfulness and experience a sense of purpose and meaning from it is to make it a practice. In many spiritual and philosophical traditions, communication skillfulness is among the highest priorities.

And refining our interpersonal skillfulness is a great gift that we give to others. For example, when we listen deeply, someone else feels deeply seen and heard. When we're deeply receptive, someone else feels less judged and more able to share.

And interpersonal skillfulness is a gift we give to ourselves -- by enhancing our ability to receive insights, intuition, guidance, new ideas, and deeper connection with others.

This edition of Ivy SeaZine features just a tiny fraction of the interpersonal communication resources and inspiration available from Ivy Sea. You'll find more by browsing Ivy Sea Online or scheduling a consultation.

Sincerely,

Jamie Walters
Founder, Ivy Sea

Here's what's in this Ivy SeaZine edition:

** Article: Why is Receptivity Such a Crucial Skill?

** Article: Creating an Organizational Culture of Deep Inquiry and Listening

** VIP Feature: Overcoming Your Seven Worst Communication Habits

** PDF Guide: Skillful Listening Essentials

** Holiday Gifts for the Solo- and SOHO Small Business Owners in Your Circle

** Tele-Consultations and Dialogue Sessions - An Inspired Start to 2008

** Inspiring Quotations for Your Journey

** About Ivy Sea, the SeaZine, subscribing and unsubscribing

[Ivy SeaZine is a "voluntary, by request" subscriber-only email zine. If you've received this issue, you subscribed at our web site or someone else has subscribed using your email address. You can subscribe or unsubscribe at any time; just follow the instructions at the end of the SeaZine.]

Article: Why is Receptivity Such a Crucial Skill?

The most effective, skillful people, regardless of 'job title', know that the list of must-have traits is a very long one, indeed. Interpersonal communication skills often make several appearances on 'top ten skills' lists.

One of the absolutely vital interpersonal skill is receptivity -- a crucial trait to have, and to hone. In fact, receptivity is a foundational trait, from which skillfulness in listening, intuition, adaptability, vision, creativity and innovation spring.

What's more, receptivity is absolutely required for adept listening, interpersonal skillfulness and problem-solving — activities which distinguish the skillful folks (and organizations) from the status quo.

Learn more about how a lack of receptivity might be affecting you, and how cultivating receptivity will benefit you and others.

Read the full article or schedule a consultation or tele-session.

Article: Creating an Organizational Culture of Deep Inquiry and Listening

Read the rest of this article here at Ivy Sea Online.

VIP Feature: Overcoming the Seven Worst Communication Habits

[VIP Members receive access to this article and many other great skill-building and vision-enhancing resources in the VIP Resource Center. Go to Ivy Sea Online for more information on Ivy Sea's VIP and PDF resources.]

The quality of your communication is always important, and increased skillfulness offers many benefits. Sometimes the cost of poor communication is immediate, and sometimes it takes a bit longer for the negative consequences of unskillful communication habits to become evident.

The good news is that, if you know what some of the nastier poor-communication habits are, you can become more mindful and look for ways to increase your skillfulness, creating positive effects in all areas of life and work.

The full text of this article reviews each of the seven worst communication habits, so that readers might ensure that these communication culprits aren't part of their personal communication repertoire!

Ivy Sea VIPs -- read the rest of this article in the VIP Center.

Not a VIP? Become a VIP now to get this and other skill & vision-expanders.

Featured PDF Workbook: Skillful Listening Essentials

The "Skillful Listening Essentials" PDF skill-builder guide offers information, reflections, food-for-thought, and suggestions for practice that help increase one's ability to listen skillfully -- a practice that has positive effects in all areas of life and work.

Why focus this guide solely on listening?

Skillful listening is a foundational communication skill, and is key to accurate understanding, interpersonal excellence, productivity, and effective, rewarding relationships.

If you're not receptive, if you can't inquire skillfully, and if you can't listen well, chances are excellent that you'll have a greater likelihood of misunderstandings, mistakes, and other less-than-desirable consequences.

This guide includes a review and tips for smoother interactions, listening deeply, fostering greater receptivity required for effective listening, inquiring more skillfully, being more conscious, and more. (39 pages, copyright protected)

Or, if you have an 'a.s.a.p.' interpersonal- or listening issue right now, schedule a tele-consultation.

Get the Skillful Listening Essentials PDF Guide now!

Holiday Gifts for the Self-Employed & Small-Biz Owners in Your Circle

Ivy Sea offers some inspiring and valuable gifts for the self-employed solopreneur and small-business owners in your circle.

** Big Vision, Small Business - the Critically Acclaimed Book:
Give a copy of the "what it's really like" small-biz book that reviewers love and biz owners use until it's tattered and dog-eared. Available from Amazon.com and other booksellers.

** The SoloPreneur's Quantum Leap PDF Guide
A self-study workbook full of inspiration and real-world practices, available in the Ivy Sea Online store.

** An Ivy Sea Tele-Session:
Give your self-employed, small-biz owner friends and loved ones a tele-session or two to start 2008 off right.

** An Ivy Sea VIP Membership:
A great gift that lasts all year long, and gives access to a whole range of inspiring articles, and PDF workbooks and guides.

Check out more on gifts that offer a great value and make a real difference!

Tele-Consultations - Get an Inspired Start to the Coming Year

It's a powerful alchemy to clarify your vision and power-up forward-momentum with strong intentions and smart, aligned action.

This is a unique alchemy that we at Ivy Sea are very familiar with, not just from 'intellectual knowledge' and research (that too), but also from our own real-world experience.

Send us an email to schedule a tele-coaching session or dialogue-series, or explore a more indepth consultation.

To schedule a session or get more information on these or other Ivy Sea resources, check out our consultation options in the 'Sessions, Services & Dialogues' section, inquire by email.

We'd be delighted to schedule a conversation with you.

Inspiration for Your Journey

Until next month...

In the coming weeks and months, may your own deep receptivity and interpersonal giftedness come alive in and through all that you do!

How can we inspire, support, and guide you on your journey? We welcome your inquiry.

Send us an email inquiry at info "at' ivysea 'dot' com

Wishing you the warmest and most joyful of holiday seasons.

Sincerely,
Jamie S. Walters
Founder, Ivy Sea
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, Ivy Sea Online &
Author, Big Vision, Small Business (Berrett-Koehler Publishers)

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