Telephone Skills

by Patrick Forsyth

Published 1 February 1996
"Telephone Skills" sets out simple principles and techniques to enhance your communication skills and ensure you make a positive impact on the telephone. It provides practical guidance on: taking calls - initial impressions, projecting the right personal and corporate image; making calls - deciding what you want to achieve, establishing rapport and getting your message across; using your voice, intonation and language to best effect; listening attentively and knowing when to take the initiative; diffusing anger and winning over difficult callers; exceeding customer expectations and leaving a lasting impression.

Making Meetings Work

by Patrick Forsyth

Published 1 March 1996
Progressive training programmes not only equip managers with basic skills and competencies, but deploy innovative, wide-ranging learning strategies to ensure continuous development. Specifically designed as flexible support material, "Training Extras" provides a simple framework to structure learning. This comprehensive series covers all the crucial skill areas for the first-time manager or supervisor, providing: the key issues in an easy-to-read style; diagrams, models and charts for clarity and quick reference; helpful starting points to build confidence and encourage "hands-on" practice; practical advice and tips based on real-life management issues and examples. The books should be useful as a quick reference update for busy practitioners and provide suitable study material up S/NVQ Level 4. This title should maximize one's time - both before and during meetings - clafify aims, improve one's own and others' performance and make the whole process rewarding and productive, never frustrating and futile.
The book is full of practical tips and advice on: drawing up objectives and setting realistic agendas; deciding the who, where and when to meet; chairing effectively - encouraging discussion, creativity and sound decision-making; sharpening skills of observation, listening and questioning to get across points; dealing with problem participants; and handling the follow-up - turning decisions into action. The price is for a minimum order of three books from the series, firm sale.