Effective Communication Skills

By: Dalton Kehoe, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Dalton Kehoe

Length: 11 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

From asking a waiter for an unusual substitution to urging a service manager to get your car finished sooner to swaying your significant other toward a particular film or show, many of the decisions you make are decided by talking. And no matter why you engage in face-to-face talk, there's no way to insulate yourself from the dangers of miscommunication.

These 24 mind-opening lectures are your chance to learn more about how you communicate verbally, the common problems you can encounter in doing so, and how you can improve your own effectiveness - especially by overcoming the psychological and biological hard-wiring that too often gets in the way.

Professor Kehoe offers a trove of practical techniques for successful communication, from everyday interactions in the home or workplace to managing your reactions and speaking effectively in conflict- and tension-laden situations.

You'll learn how early cultural learning and deeply learned patterns of reaction in our unconscious mind enhance or undermine your ability to communicate effectively; how your sense of self develops in everyday talk during your childhood; the specific styles of talking you use in most situations; and the basic techniques of perhaps the most important and neglected aspect of human conversation, the art of active listening.

When you consider the complexities of conversation, it's a wonder that things ever work out as well as they do. But with the knowledge, strategies, and skills offered by this course, that hard-to-find effectiveness will be only a conversation away.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2011 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2011 The Great Courses

Points Not Effectively Communicated

There were some helpful tips here and there but the course plodded with lots of platitudinizing. I felt like he could've effectively communicated everything he wanted to in 3 hours or less.

Not the best Great Course

The Professor provides a lot of background and detail on communications, but I was left a little disappointed. The entire trust of his presentation is to give one the tools for more effective communication, but I did not get anything new. What was missing was how to communicate with those who are unwilling to follow the professor's best practices.

Good information, annoying and tiresome presenter.

What could The Great Courses have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Heavy editing and different reader.

Any additional comments?

There is a lot of good information in this series of lectures regarding internal mental processes, cognitive functioning and interpersonal communication. Now, if only it was distilled down to the just the useful information and all the personal experience stories of the lecturer were removed, all the references to the lectures favorite “Cathy” cartoons were deleted, and it was read by someone that isn't making a living as a motivational speaker and doesn't perceive themselves as a charismatic personality I would recommend this unconditionally.

Just the 2 minute introduction to Dr. Dalton Kehoe, his academic background, resume, awards, achievements, honors, professional associations, published books and plugs for his consulting practice you will know without a doubt that this guy thinks a great deal of himself.

The information in this presentation is well worth assimilating or at least considering. The author of this series of lectures – who is also the reader – makes listening to this material a painfully annoying experience.

Surprise mindfulness course

The course kicks off well but ends up being far too focused on relationship communication rather than general interpersonal communication

A Must.

Very well conceptualizes aspects of communication. Essentially promotes expansion of one's perspective in regards to oneself, others, culture, environment, circumstance.

Very good stuff.

Loved the book

I like that this book was not geared around the current and ridiculous political correct agenda but rather just stuck to the nuts and bolts of effective communication.

Brilliant

I loved it. Now I have some told to start on what would be in my estimation a lifelong journey to communicate effectively.

Sad I can’t keep this…. Loved enjoyed and took some much away.

I want to keep this book and listen to over and over again. I’ve learnt so much. I love the teacher, his voice and everything about this book. Truly an eye opener and a great Lesson. Thank you

My only disappointment is that for some reason it says I will no longer stay in my library after the 31st October! Why is this? I’d love to keep this book.

Very Informative

I have a lot to learn about good communication and this book makes it clear that I have even more to learn than I thought.

Good details, well structured, & the lessons effectively build off of each other. This is a definite recommendation…!!!

Psychology of communication

Not quite what I expected, but good information. Should have been titled Psycology of Communication.