Articles On Communication and Conflict Management By Robert Bacal

• Applying Bacal's Law Of Meaningless UtterancesMeaningless Utterances (phrases that seem to mean something but don't if you think about them more deeply) signify unstated, and sometimes hostile agendas operating. You need to know this simply trick to identify BS.
• Using Positive Language To Change The Way People See You A classic Robert Bacal article that has been reprinted a number of times in print and for internal corporate use, it's about altering the words and phrases you use so you change how people perceive you and your attitidues. A Must Read.
• Public Speaking - Getting The Attention of Your Audience In public speaking the most important thing is to get and keep the attention of your audience. Using tried and true psychological principles about how the brain works, you can implement relatively simple, but highly effective ways of getting people to listen, stay alert and "hear" you message.
• Getting Heard By Your Boss Getting the attention and interest of your boss (getting heard) is essential for you career success, and to have input and have your ideas heard and considered. Most of us don't know how to do it, so in this short article we explain how to approach your boss, whether it's to ask for a raise, ask for more resources, or get your idea heard and recognized.
• Listen Up! Real Listening & How To Practice It There's listening, and then there's LISTENING, and you can't get better out it without practicing. The good news is you can practice even by yourself (strange, isn't it). This article explains how you can hone your listening techniques to create better relationships at home and at work.
  
  
• Learning About "Conversational Cons" What's a "conversation con"? it's language that isn't really about what it is supposed to be about. Think of it as language that wraps hidden agendas and is often used to manipulate. Strangest of all, we all use them sometimes, by accident, but you need to know when they are being used on you.
• Improving Communication By Eliminating Insinuation Insinuation is a passive-aggressive cowardly way of making comments, but we've all done it. Learn more about removing it from your verbal catalog.
• Exorcise Blame For Success One of the simplest and most effective ways to improve your relationships is to get rid of blame type statements and questions, and move your conversations into the present and future, instead of the past. An essential read.
• Cooperative Communication - What Is It? Why Is It Important Despite what many people believe the specific words and phrases you use are very important in determining what happens next. Learn all about word choices, hot phrases and how to use language to get along with others.
• Dealing With Difficult People - It's About Skill The right attitude is important when dealing with difficult people, but without the skills, you haven't a hope. Learn more.
• Person Centered Comments - Path To Poor Relationship In a disagreement, the best way to really damage the relationship is to make person centered comments. A small change in your language can smooth disagreements out quickly.

• Conflict Management

• Defusing Hostile People - Part 1 In this multi-part article we help you learn how to deal with hostile, aggressive and angry people.
• Defusing Hostile People - Part 2 Second part of our series on how to deal with the more manipulative and aggressive people in your life.
• Dealing With A Difficult Colleague Got a difficult colleague? Don't we all at some point. In this article you'll find some tips and suggestions you can use NOW when interacting with a co-worker who is driving you nuts.
• Organizational Conflict - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly We tend to look at conflict as a bad thing, but some conflict is actually healthy and good. Some is bad conflict, and then there's some really ugly conflict. Here we explain the differences, and how you can harness conflict for better relationships and a better workplace.
• Basic Negotiating Tips It's amazing how much we negotiate on an every day basis without even realizing it. Here are some basic tips so you can improve how to negotiate more effectively.
• Dealing With Hostile Bait Hostile bait is language that has as its effect, causing you to feel emotional, upset, off-balance and while it's not always used intentionally, it's good to understand how it plays a role in arguments, disagreements and even attempts to manipulate. How do you deal with it? That's what this article is about.
• Is Conflict Bad? Most of us don't like conflict, but it does help to surface issues that we might best deal with in relationships. However, whether it is good or bad depends on the HOW.
• Eleven Things That Create Anger and Resistance In Others By identifying these eleven things that drive people crazy, you can improve your ability to "get through" and communicate effectively with others, at home and at work. Best yet, it's not hard.
• Dealing With Angry Employees Or Other Angry People Around You We live in an angry world, because we're all human. Here's some ideas on how to deal with angry employees, or for that matter, any angry person you might work with (or live with).
• The Difference Between Conflict Prevention & Conflict Avoidance There's an important difference between AVOIDING conflict, and PREVENTING conflict. One is like sticking one's head in the sand, and the other is designed to reduce conflict that CAN be prevented because its causes are predictable. Essential reading.