Test recording

A difficult communication (2)

Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one place to another.But this simple definition of communication becomes more and more complex if we analyze the way, the media or the moment in which communication occurs.

I want to focus communication in my personal work experience. As I was the responsible of human resources of a company, I had relationship with a lot of people: the departments of the company that needed to recruit employees and the staff selection department, for example. And as it was a great company I had to have relationship with trade unions. This is the more difficult communication I had to have to, and the worst was indeed the bargaining of a new collective agreement.

I remember those days as the worst of my life. The negotiator that I had named for representing the company fell ill and I had to bargain myself. The negotiations had reached a deadlock due to the impossibility to reach a consensus about the increasing of the wages. So I tried to approach to the trade common position by putting myself in their shoes, but it was the worst decision I could have taken because they thought I was going to accept all their demands what wasn’t the truth at all.

After a strike, I had to work out for an agreement. Misunderstanding was the real problem, and it was because the two parts weren’t speaking the same language, and it was necessary to find a common way of expression and a common objective. The objective was clear: to reach and sign an agreement about salaries. The way of expression was establishing a new communication. So I proposed we would have a little meeting the two responsible of trades and me, without other people. We went out of the company looking for a different ambience. So I chose a private room in a little and quiet tea shop. There, having tea, in a relaxed situation, we were able to speak and listen to each other about the problems of people and the problems of the company trying to find a point of agreement. Finally, listening carefully and speaking frankly we could reach an agreement. Then, the agreement was finally signed.

Communication is a two-way process, and to listen carefully to other people is the key of a good communication.

Tips for communicate‏ with a good speech (II)

I have always loved communicating. Communicate feelings, values, stories,…  No matter what. That is why, for many years, I  begun to collect several tips on how to communicate properly.

Here, you have the list that I have prepared focusing on the five keys that every speech must have:

1. Clarifies the benefit: It is important to start telling our listeners what they will gain if they hear you. Remember, if you do not give them anything, why would they be interested in giving you three minutes of their time?
2. Argue it. Explain the usefulness and importance of what you are offering.
3. Give proof and evidence that what you are saying is right. For this, you can use statistics, but also personal stories, fables. In my case, I love to use fictitious stories that connect with the public in some way.
4. Give one main message. Take care of telling many things. Like any movie, your speech should have a well-focused topic. Depending on its duration, you can include, or not, different subplots.
5. Create messages that provoke action, invite to the reflection or,  somehow, alter the initial state of your audience.

They look like simple, but these five steps will help you to create emotional speeches that achieve contact with your listener. Do you dare to implement them?

LAST CHANCE...

to tell me if you have a justified reason for not being able to do the exam next week. Please get in touch with me IMMEDIATELY if this is the case.

Tips for communicate‏ with a good speech

I have always loved communicating. Communicate feelings, values, stories,…  No matter what. That is why, for many years, I have begun collecting various tips on how to communicate properly.

Here, you have the list that I have prepared focusing on the five key that every speech must follow:

1. Clarifies the benefit. It is important to start telling our listeners what they will gain if we hear us. Remember, if you do not give them anything, why would they be interested in giving you three minutes of their time?
2. Argue it. Explain the usefulness and importance of that you are offering.
3. Give proofs and evidences that what you are saying is right. For this you can use statistics, but also personal stories, fables. In my case, I love to use fictitious stories, but that connect with the public in some way.
4. Give one main message. Be care of tell many things. Like any movie, your speech should have a well-focused topic. Depending on its duration, you can include, or not, different subplots.
5. Create messages that provoke action, invite to the reflection or, that somehow, alter the initial state of your audience.

They may seem simple, but these five steps will help you to create emotional speeches that achieve contact with your listener. Do you dare to implement them?

COMMUNICATION

 Being able to communicate effectively is a necessary and vital process in life.

Effective communication is not a easy issue, nevertheless you can practise and learn skills little by little.

First of all, you need to think about communication in the right way, considering the right time and place where it occurs:
Convey your ideas clearly into words: Be sure your message reaches the other person.
Avoid mumbling, speak up clearly and make eye contact as much as you can.
Be articulate in your speaking and be natural for a better result.
Preparation and effort. Think in advance about your main ideas, focusing on the principal message you want to transmit.

Misunderstanding are common in relationships that you need to be precise with your words.
Listen carefully to other people , I think is the key of the question. Communication is a two-way process. I think it’s a delicate balance of diplomacy among family members. I’ve not always done well with my adult children. I try don’t be too critical. In fact, don’t be critical at all. Accept them, accept what they’re doing if I really want to speak them. Don’t interfere in their lives, and wait for them to come to you.

To finish with, another important point to consider and thinkintg about my personal experience is to know in advance your audience. It is a vital point before you starting to speak: the more you know about them, the better results.

A difficult communication

Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one place to another. But this simple definition of communication becomes more and more complex if we analyze the way, the media or the moment in which communication occurs.

I want to focus communication in my personal work experience. As I was the responsible of human resources of a company, I had relationship with a lot of people: the departments of the company that needed to recruit employees and the staff selection department, for example. And as it was a great company I had to have relationship with trade unions. This is the more difficult communication I had to have to, and the worst was indeed the bargaining of a new collective agreement.

I remember those days as the worst of my life. The negotiator that I had named for representing the company fell ill and I had to bargain myself. The negotiations had reached a deadlock due to the impossibility to reach a consensus about the increasing of the wages. So I tried to approach to the trade common position by putting myself in their shoes, but it was the worst decision I could have taken because they thought I was going to accept all their demands what wasn’t the truth at all.

After a strike, I had to demonstrate that there was a real risk that the company had to shut its activity in Madrid if they didn’t accept the last offer of the company. Then, the agreement was finally signed.

WHO INSPIRE ME?

WHO INSPIRE ME?

For a long time, I have not inspired by anyone, but some years ago, Mr Obama was the person who inspired me.

I know it sounds so cliche, but I really believed that Barack Obama, could be the person who could make the right changes in this world.

When Mr Obama speaks, people listen to. The reason why people are listening is because of his integrity. He is very eloquent when he speakes and he means what he says.
May be , I was engaged in his personality when I read ". Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance" . It was for me a very interested book to read and from then I was in a kind of fascination of his personality.

I agreed with him to tax on rich people and benefit the poor and working class. Likewise, he has proven that anyone from a middle class upbringing can be successful.
I just hope he changes little by little things in this unfair world, but I know it is very, very complicated.

I have never been motivated before by any politician. I am not a fan of the political establishment, but he is the person who, at least, has been working to restore America a little bit. He is redirect things after some years of bad doing.

It seems to me, moreover, that he has restored the sense of idealism in a lot of people.I am pretty sure that he is doing a lot, to make the world a better place to live.

On the other hand, I am of the opinion that we are only influenced by the people that are around us, but many time, without  realising.

It is true that, being around the people you want to be like, makes you be like them.
That's why I always have got friends that I like and I appreciate.

 

Communication based on my personal experience

What's communication? Are we only communicating when we talk? It's the most common way of thinking, but it's not the correct one. Actually we live in a time we are constantly communicating to each others, first of all we used to talk with an average of six people per day, nevertheless we are continually connected with our smartphone and we are using apps like whatsapp, snapchat, Line... where we talk with people on the same wavelength. On the other hand these apps, which have developed the fast communication, have a big problem when we want to express our ideas to people who don't have your same age o your same way of thinking. This will be the way of my speech, try to solve this difference through my personal experience.

Every day, in my job, I have to put on practice the process of communication. I work as a guide of an exhibition and I have to know how to communicate the same things to a group of senior citizens as a group of children and the most difficult thing, I have to maintain their attention during all the visit. Sounds it difficult? It isn't really. I'll give you some advices. You only have to know how to communicate with each group. Firstly you have to choose very good your words, there are some of them that could be difficult of understand; secondly you should organise your ideas clearly, if you don't probably you loose the half of the group on a few time, it's important to follow a link on your speech and you can't jump every time from the start to the end. The last part is the most complicated from my point of view, make them to participate. The best mode to catch the attention of the audience is making questions that include them on the speech. By the time you can combine all this skills and you can play with them, you will be prepare for being a good speaker. However I have to say that a good smile and a few anecdotes are a good help too.

To finish I would like to share with you a book of my favourite artist, Salvador Dalí, called Journal d'un Génie in which he talks about his special ability as speaker and his funny tricks for maintain the calm in front of the audience.

Application for an Italian language and culture course.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I write you in order to ask you for more information about your course. I find really interesting the idea of spend two months in Italy learning it language and it culture at the same time. Let me introduce myself, I am Carmen, from Madrid, Spain, I am 22 years old and I am studying History of art, so as you can guess I am too interested on the subject. I have been once at Italy, only in Rome and just during four days, so I couldn't learn too much there, however I remember it spectacular and a hard place to forgetting.

Referring my experience, here, in Madrid, I have worked in many art exhibitions. I have helped with the organization of two of them and I have worked as a guide in all. Nowadays I have my own project with one friend, who is studying interior architecture and design, at the same time I still studying and working in a book exhibition. Our project consists in create a own gallery on the web with the idea of do it real in a not too far future and have an art space. I wish this would be experience enough to be accept on the course, as you asked for in the advert.

Finally I need to know exactly in what months the course would take place and how the timetable of the classes would be, as well as what would be the route of places to visit. I would be grateful if you could tell me as soon as you would know it.

Confortable communication

 

Every day we speak to other people. At home, at work, even while we are quietly attending to class we are participating in a communication process.

It can be said a lot about communication, but I’m going to focus on the speaker, more specifically on the confidence of the speaker.

For a lot of people there is a difference between speaking to an audience and speaking normally, to a few mates, and when we speak to an audience we use to be uneasy or nervous. But there are some techniques to enhance our confident in public speaches.

For example, if you know something by heart it would be difficult to behave normally. You would be thinking about the next word, and you won´t be able to interact with your public. 

And that is another advice, you should interact with your audience. Look at their faces, smile at them if possible. They will feel relaxed if you don’t appear to be nervous, and if they are relaxed, they will enjoy the speech. 

The last technique is about your hands. A lot of people just don’t know what to do with their hands while speaking in public. They behave like robots or worse, they put their hands in their pockets. The solution is a totem, for example a pencil or a pen. Keep the pen in your hands while you are speaking and suddenly you’ll behave naturally. 

Summarizing, try to be comfortable, because if you are, you audience will feel it and embrace whatever you are telling them. 

JJ

WRITING

Hello All

For those of you who haven't completed five pieces of writing homework, you should go back through the blog to find the ones that you've missed and do them. You can also do any of the writing tasks from units 1-5 of your course book, or those on pages 54 and 67 of your workbook for extra credit.

As I said, I will take an average of your best five writing marks for the writing coursework component of your final grade.

CSIM Summer Courses

CSIM also run intensive summer courses in the month of July. Ask me if you are interested and I can find out details for you.

More information here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/x14oawh8kubexr9/CIJ%2015%20DIGITAL%20EN.pdf?dl=0

A reminder about dates

May 4: Class. Final preparation for oral project presentations and revision.

May 6: Oral Project Presentations: Carmen, Javier, David, Pablo, Raquel, Angel, Severino, Victoria, Tomas

May 11: Oral Project Presentations: Jennifer, Cristina, Mar, Charo, Sonsoles, Jesus, Esperanza, Blanca

May 13: Revision

May 18: Exam- Use of English and Listening

May 20: Exam- Writing and oral interview

Someone Who Inspired Me

Do you think it can be a conflict listening to hardcore hip-hop after the last hits of electro-dance music?

Or before put any flamenco record on the music player?

Well, no doubts it can be done, I mean, look at myself, I have no problem with mix and enjoy different music genres.

But has never been a problem? I guess that when you look back and you see how you used to be, you think “How dumb and unskilled I was”
I haven’t always have the ability (let’s call it ability, why not) to enjoy eclectic and different kinds of music.
I guess it all started ten years ago, more or less. I had recently discovered an Spanish hip-hop artist called Distorsion M., and as I enjoyed a few of his records, I started following him at Facebook (I guess this is a ritual, nowadays)

Then, few days later, he posted a link to an interview he had done; this link, added to my motivation of wasting five more minutes in front of the computer, made me read it.
And there was, after the typical questions that can be asked to a musician, arrived the one

“-What are you currently listening to now?
-I just discover a few groups of flamenco fusion which are awesome!”

Flamenco fusion? What does it mean? Is THAT even a genre?
Seemed to me like “something only your parents will enjoy”

Really didn’t expect that, and maybe was the shock that made me think “why don’t give a chance?”

So, I gave it a chance, I listened to those groups and surprisingly I enjoyed. After this… obviously not every single group I have listened, I liked; but I can tell you that I discovered awesome groups far away from my mainly music taste.
This is how, Curro Morales, as known as Distorsion M., who I admired as an artist, made me open my music preferences.

Communication (based on personal experieces)

Many things have been said about communication, about how to make a presentation, about what you have to do in an oral exposition in order to hook your listeners.

I’m not going to write any kind of speech guide (I certain don’t have the knowledge) but after reading advices and have done and assisted to several talks (well, the ones I have done were more like little oral presentations in class) I’m going to tell you about the most important thing that a talk needs, obviously, in my opinion.

Enjoying the talking point seems to me the linchpin. Why do I think this? I’ll tell you the two personal experiences that made me think it.
First.
It was like 8 years ago when I had to do my first English oral project , in a little summer course; never did anything like that before, but, since it was a free topic to talk about, and i have prepared well, I was feeling confident.

I’m not going to say that I enjoyed it, I don’t want to be cynical (come on, it’s an exam; it’s not difficult to imagine things that I rather be doing before an exam), but after have been five minutes talking to the examiner about “The Eclectic variety of music genres you can find on the Beatles discography” I said to myself, “well, I wouldn’t mind been talking for another five minutes, or doing it in front of a bigger audience”

My other enjoy-what-you’re-talking-about experience is as an spectator.

Some friends and I assist to a lecture about European economics. I wasn’t really into the topic, in fact, I only assisted because I knew the speaker, and I knew he was an awesome one and that he was mad about economic stuff.

Wasn’t’ wrong. Almost two hours of talking were flying by, even make me get interested in economics .

If you enjoy your speech, and nothing else matters.

E-mail cancelling an arrangement

Dear Kevin,

I’m so sorry I couldn’t contact you before, it was impossible for me to assist to last Thursday meeting.

I’ve been thinking over, about the job you offered me, and sadly I have to refuse.

I don’t want you to take me wrong, It has been a pleasure and an honour work with you this three years, I don’t want you to think that I’m declining because of a lack of interest or money problems, I’m aware that nowadays (and more in a sector like ours) we have to work for a pittance or even for free.

I cant accompany you in this foreign business because of my brothers illness; unfortunately he is dealing really wrong at this moment an it would be unfair and selfish leave the rest of my family the responsibility of taking care of him.

I wish you the best and I hope we could work together in a future.

Application Form

I’m writing in order to ask if there are vacancies in the Film Studio Course, I’ve never studied audiovisual arts or anything like that, so I’m asking to join the “amateur level”. But don’t take me wrong, I’m pretty motivates and enthusiastic about joining the course, I’ve been fascinated with the seventh art since (when I was a little child) an art teacher showed us in class, how Kubrick used the music and the camera in order to create sensations as distress or fear.
From this moment, on every film I have seen, I’ve tried to analyse and realise the elements that the director is using to make you feel in a certain way.

Also, I’m a big fan of independent films, so I think (as was said on the advertisement ) I will enjoy most of the films.

Please let me know if there are still chances to book a seat.

Yours faithfully

Pablo Baraona

Communication based on my ideas

Communication is essential in our lives. Nobody would reject this,  but... have we stopped to think what is the best way to communicate what we mean? As Walt Disney said "Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language", which means that a picture is worth a thousand words said. Me, as I am studying journalism and I think that is something that directly affects me, I’m going to say the best ways to communicate that we have, on my opinion.
We would not understand communication nowadays without technology; yeah, I know it's a recurring theme, but we are not allowed to understand the world, in this moment, without whatssap, twitter or facebook. Social network is winning the race to traditional media, but I have no doubt that there will be other media that, in the future, will remove the ones that we have today. And why are social networks so successful? Because they combine the ability to share ideas by text (this is comparable to the text in newspapers), with the ability to hear what others have to say (as do the radio) and people can also share videos, no matter if they are of their own or from another people (television, audiovisual media).
To conclude, I would say that communication is a constant in our lives, and what should prevail over all these media is the ability to express ourselves; because having expression freedom, is not the same as knowing how to use it.