Penny Stones Blog
Archive for the ‘communication’ Category
Friday, August 6th, 2010
I stumbled across this fun idea at www.group-games.com: http://www.group-games.com/ice-breakers/mm-game.html
Ages: All. Recommend number of people: Groups of 3-12. Messiness factor: No sweat. Materials required: A large bag of M&Ms or any candy with multiple colors (e.g. Skittles).
M&M Game
This icebreaker is a simple way to help people introduce facts about themselves. It’s very flexible and adaptable – and (if you have a sweet tooth) delicious too! The M&Ms Game goes by other names: the Skittles Game, the Candy Game, the Color Game, among other names.
Setup
Pour M&Ms or any other multicolor candy into a bowl. Have everyone in the group grab as much or as little as they like from the bowl. Make sure that no one eats their candy right away.
How to Play
For each piece of M&M candy they took, they will have to answer a question, depending on its color. For example, you can designate:
- Red candy: favorite hobbies
- Green candy: favorite foods
- Yellow candy: favorite movies
- Orange candy: favorite places to travel
- Brown candy: most memorable or embarrassing moments
- Blue candy: wild cards (they can share anyone they choose)
You can be creative and choose any questions you think would be fitting for your group. The facilitator will then call out the color topic and everyone will go around the room sharing 1 answer per M&M. As an example: if you chose two red pieces of candy, you will have to name two of your favorite hobbies. After the individual has shared that color with the group, he/she may then eat their candy. Continue to go around the room until each color topic has been shared.
Tags: communication skills, conversation starters, ice breakers, icebreakers, school counselors
Posted in Games, children, communication, communication skills, conversation starters, ice breakers, icebreakers, school counselors | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
“Friendship is the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person having neither to weigh thoughts or measure words.” ~ George Eliot
“A friend laughs at your jokes when they’re not so good, and sympathizes with your problems when they’re not so bad.” ~ Arnold H. Glasgow
“One can never speak enough of the virtues, the dangers, the power of shared laughter.” ~ Francoise Sagan
“The most I can do for my friend is simply to be his friend. I have no wealth to bestow on him. If he knows that I am happy in loving him, he will want no other reward. Is not friendship divine in this?” ~ Henry David Thoreau
Tags: conversation, friendship, friendship quotes
Posted in Conversations, Quotes, communication, friends, friendship, friendship quotes | No Comments »
Sunday, June 20th, 2010
I’ve been keeping a little journal of quotes. Whenever one of our kids (one girl and two boys) gives us their version of the English language, I write it down so we can remember it. Here are some of my favorites:
“No comments from the popcorn gallery, please.” ~ 10-year old daughter
“You wanna piece of me?” ~ five-year old son as he’s playing a video game
“”I was really starving for my blanket last night.” ~ five-year old son
When our five-year old son was complimented for reading a hard word he said “Oh, I just rememberized it.”
“I’m just like a dinosaur oncologist! I have five books on dinosaurs!” ~ six-year old son
“What’s a time frame? I’ve never seen one before.” (thinking it’s like a picture frame…) ~ six-year old son
When asked how God made a woman, our six-year old son said “He pulled a ribbon out of his pocket.”
“I want to play ‘Corn in the Cobs’” (instead of Corn Hole) ~ six-year old son
“I’m full. Can I have some ice cream?” ~ six-year old son
“We only learn stuff so teachers have somethin’ to do.” ~10-year old daughter
Out to lunch with Papa, Mommy asked her sons to share their sundaes. The older brother replied, “You can have one bite of mine, but you can have as many as you want from my brother!”
Tags: communication, conversation, family, kids, parenting
Posted in Uncategorized, children, communication, family, family relationships, favorites, kids, parenting | 1 Comment »
Friday, May 21st, 2010
Here are some rules to go by when mingling:
- Most conversations = a few minutes
- Use information you’ve heard to change topics
- Optimum mingle time = 10 minutes
- Keep eye contact while the other person is talking. You can look around the room while you have the floor.
Tags: communication, communication skills, conversation, conversation starters, first impressions, interpersonal skills, parties, tips
Posted in Conversations, Small Talk, communication, communication skills, conversation starters, ice breakers, icebreakers, interpersonal skills | 10 Comments »
Thursday, May 20th, 2010
Nonverbal communication makes up over 50% of a person’s message, so it’s good to be aware of what your face is saying (even if it’s not what you mean):
Open face (makes positive impression) – makes eye contact, gives feedback, shows curiosity and raises eyebrows to show interest
Closed face (makes negative impression) – frowns, purses the lips, avoids eye contact
Coughing or sticking the tip of your tongue out through closed lips or both mean you disagree or don’t like what you’re hearing. If someone is doing these while your’e talking, you may want to change the subject.
Tags: communication, communication skills, conversation, first impressions, interpersonal skills, nonverbal communication, talk
Posted in Conversations, communication, communication skills, interpersonal skills, listening | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010
If you’re like most people, the thought of entering a room full of people you don’t know and mingling with them is not comforting. Most people get a least a little nervous when they meet someone new. Here are three things to keep in mind the next time you’re meeting new people:
- Nervousness = excitement
The feelings of being nervous and being excited are virtually identical physically. When you start to feel nervous, tell yourself you’re excited. In a little while, you will be.
- Most people are as eager as you to establish rapport.
Everyone is a little uneasy with introductions. So you can count on grace being given if you mess up or forget someone’s name.
- 90% of all people are afraid to walk into a room of people they don’t know and mingle.
It’s always nice to know you’re not alone. In fact, you’re just like everyone else!
Tags: communication, communication skills, conversation, first impressions, ice breakers, interpersonal skills
Posted in Conversations, communication, communication skills, interpersonal skills | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
- Most people wait for others to make eye contact first, to smile first, to talk first, and to issue invitations first.
- Socially successful people actively work to bring others into their lives. They start conversations and they issue invitations.
When you take this information and keep in mind that it’s not what you say, but the fact that you say something (blog: Starting a Conversation: Just Say Something), there’s no reason not to strike up your next conversation.
Tags: communication, communication skills, conversation, conversation starters, interpersonal skills
Posted in Conversations, Uncategorized, communication, communication skills, conversation starters, interpersonal skills | 7 Comments »
Friday, May 7th, 2010
Listening has been noted by executives to be more important than any other talent, including technical competence, computer knowledge, administrative talent, and creativity.
Tags: communication, communication skills, first impressions, good listener, interpersonal skills
Posted in communication, communication skills, interpersonal skills, interviews, listening | No Comments »
Thursday, May 6th, 2010
I recently discovered that we send specific messages when we nod our head during conversations:
- Don’t nod at all = disagree, confused or disinterested
- Single nod = agreement
- Repeated smaller and slower nods = general understanding and encourage others to elaborate
- Repeated faster nods = understand, agree and want to interrupt
So when your friend’s nodding quickly at you, they’re trying to tell you they get it, wrap it up, it’s their turn to talk.
Source: Conversationally Speaking by Alan Garner
Tags: communication skills, conversation starters, first impressions, interpersonal skills, nonverbal communication
Posted in Conversations, communication, communication skills, interpersonal skills | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010
I will be leading the above workshop at the Regional Economic Development Trade Summit 2010 on May 5 in Cleveland, Ohio. Here’s the preview:
In order to run a successful business, a woman needs to know how to communicate effectively, ask for the sale, negotiate deals, make a positive first impression, develop relationships, promote her company and herself, give presentations, and many other communication-related skills.
- Be more aware of their first impression and how to improve it
- Tips for their handshake, eye contact, and other details during introductions
- Be aware of nonverbal cues and what their body is saying
- A few rules to successfully start a conversation with anyone
- Tips for networking
- Examples of conversation starters as well as transitions and conversation enders
- Tips for communicating within social media: blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter
- Tips for e-mail communication
- Tips for giving public presentations
Tags: communication skills, conversation, conversation starters, entrepreneur, first impressions, interpersonal skills, Penny Stones
Posted in Conversations, communication, communication skills, conversation starters, entrepreneur, interpersonal skills | 1 Comment »
