Introduction to Business Communication

Information isn't power; information is static. Communication is power. And there, in the blink of a paradigm shift, is the heart of Professor Laree Kiely's message. With "information" proliferating at a Malthusian rate, effective communication--i.e., the best ways to access and share information--is fast becoming the lynchpin in a smooth-running business. In this comprehensive, handsomely produced, and exceptionally affordable 12-hour course (particularly given the scope and quality of the presentation), viewers will learn the fundamentals of business communication, from the multiple steps involved in sending and receiving messages to the complex interplay of verbal and nonverbal communication (i.e., pick your nose while you're talking and you can count on part of your message being lost). In addition, they'll learn how to communicate well in one-on-one situations, meetings, teams, presentations, written communication, and negotiation, as well as gain a solid grounding in the increasingly important area of intercultural communication issues. We watched the opener, in which Kiely's on-camera guidance was buttressed by onscreen graphics and included on-location segments at the Hartford-Courant (America's oldest newspaper) and on the set of Frasier. I'm looking forward to watching the remainder of the segments, and have been encouraged (repeatedly) by various members of our staff to do so "at my earliest convenience." Their concern touches me, and I will share that sentiment this week during my 4-hour staff lecture on the importance of communication being a 2-way street. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Pitman)