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Category: Communication

1-Minute Strategies: Nov. ’10

Become an effective networker even if you’re an introvert, writes Devora Zack, author of Networking for People Who Hate Networking … Know when to use—and when to skip—skycaps while traveling … Track your personal spending with two free online tools … Give your “audience”—the people around you—a new, great story.

Tips for leaving better voice mails

The challenge in leaving an effective voice-mail message is this: Leave a too-long message, and it could annoy recipients. Too short, and recipients may not understand the reason for your call. Follow these tips from Career Rocketeer when you need to leave a message that gets attention:

Tooting the receptionist’s horn

A receptionist may be the first person whom customers and clients see. But co-workers and managers can easily forget the pivotal and skilled role receptionists play. As a receptionist, you know about more than making a good impression. Make sure you’re leveraging these two highly valued skills, which a good receptionist should have in spades:

How to take smart meeting notes

Some of the most successful businesspeople, such as Bill Gates, are known for taking detailed, effective meeting notes. Gina Trapani, a technology writer and software developer, recently shared three different note-taking systems in Fast Company:

6 words tell the tale

Ernest Hemingway once bragged that he could write a compelling story in only six words. It would have a beginning, a middle and an ending. And it would sing. His friends scoffed. They each bet $10 he couldn’t do it. Here’s what Hemingway wrote:

The power of one idea per sentence

Write more clearly and persuasively with this strategy, advises Lynn Gaertner-Johnston: Remember the “power of one idea.”  That is, one idea for each message, one idea for each paragraph, and one idea for each sentence. Here’s how to remake sentences using the “one idea” strategy.

Mingling work/life Facebook ‘Friends’

Some people would never “friend” a co-worker on Facebook; they try hard to keep work and personal lives separate. Others blend the two—letting professional and personal contacts co-exist on social media sites. If you’re attempting to let your friends and co-workers mingle on your Facebook page, keep this tip in mind: