Communication Skills Quotes

“The thing we want to learn about a stranger is fragile. If we tread carelessly it will crumple under our feet... The right way to talk to strangers is with caution and humility.”
― Malcolm Gladwell, Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know

“Listening is an effect. Communication is cause.”
― Meir Ezra

“Doubt is an unwillingness to communicate.”
― Meir Ezra

“Once you communicate, you don’t discover reality, you create reality.”
― Meir Ezra

“The quality of your communication determines the size of your result.”
― Meir Ezra

“SOCIAL/GENERAL ICEBREAKERS

1. What do you think of the movie/restaurant/party?
2. Tell me about the best vacation you’ve ever taken.
3. What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
4. If you could replay any moment in your life, what would it be?
5. What one thing would you really like to own? Why?
6. Tell me about one of your favorite relatives.
7. What was it like in the town where you grew up?
8. What would you like to come back as in your next life?
9. Tell me about your kids.
10. What do you think is the perfect age? Why?
11. What is a typical day like for you?
12. Of all the places you’ve lived, tell me about the one you like the best.
13. What’s your favorite holiday? What do you enjoy about it?
14. What are some of your family traditions that you particularly enjoy?
15. Tell me about the first car you ever bought.
16. How has the Internet affected your life?
17. Who were your idols as a kid? Have they changed?
18. Describe a memorable teacher you had.
19. Tell me about a movie/book you’ve seen or read more than once.
20. What’s your favorite restaurant? Why?
21. Tell me why you were named ______. What is the origin of your last name?
22. Tell me about a place you’ve visited that you hope never to return to.
get over your mom’s good intentions.
23. What’s the best surprise you’ve ever received?
24. What’s the neatest surprise you’ve ever planned and pulled off for someone else?
25. Skiing here is always challenging. What are some of your favorite places to ski?
26. Who would star as you in a movie about your life?
Why that person?
27. Who is the most famous person you’ve met?
28. Tell me about some of your New Year’s resolutions.
29. What’s the most antiestablishment thing you’ve ever done?
30. Describe a costume that you wore to a party.
31. Tell me about a political position you’d like to hold.
32. What song reminds you of an incident in your life?
33. What’s the most memorable meal you’ve eaten?
34. What’s the most unforgettable coincidence you’ve experienced or heard about?
35. How are you able to tell if that melon is ripe?
36. What motion picture star would you like to interview? Why?
37. Tell me about your family.
38. What aroma brings forth a special memory?
39. Describe the scariest person you ever met.
40. What’s your favorite thing to do alone?
41. Tell me about a childhood friend who used to get you in trouble.
42. Tell me about a time when you had too much to eat or drink.
43. Describe your first away-from-home living quarters or experience.
44. Tell me about a time that you lost a job.
45. Share a memory of one of your grandparents.
46. Describe an embarrassing moment you’ve had.
47. Tell me something most people would never guess about you.
48. What would you do if you won a million dollars?
49. Describe your ideal weather and why.
50. How did you learn to ski/hang drywall/play piano?”
― Debra Fine, The Fine Art of Small Talk: How to Start a Conversation, Keep It Going, Build Networking Skills and Leave a Positive Impression!

“And I’ll tell you something else that we do, us minstrels and jugglers, acrobats and fools, we interact with more people than those I call Rag, Tag & Bobtail. We can’t help it. And that makes us better listeners, more warm-hearted and benevolent, more willing to understand others. In short, better at communicating with people of different backgrounds.

We possess better people skills than your average Rag Tag. They’ll fucking hate that, won’t they? But screw them. It’s true”
― Karl Wiggins, Wrong Planet - Searching for your Tribe

“The high-quality communication is to bridge differences and encourage problem-solving.”
― Pearl Zhu, Quality Master

“Nobody cares how many languages you know speaking unless you care how to communicate”
― Dr. Imran Khan

“Starting with a Statement
•What a beautiful day.What’s your favorite season of the year?
•I was truly touched by that movie.How did you like it? Why?
•This is a wonderful restaurant.What is your favorite restaurant? Why?
•What a great conference! Tell me about the sessions you attended.
•I was absent last week.What did I miss?
•That was an interesting program after lunch.What did you think?
•Presidential campaigns seem to start immediately after the inauguration.What do you think of the campaign process?
•I am so frustrated with getting this business off the ground.Do you have any ideas?
•I am excited about our new mayor.How do you think her administration will be different from her predecessor’s?
•Your lawn always looks so green.What is your secret?
•We’ve been working together for months now.I’d like to get to know you better.Tell me about some of your outside interests.
•You worked pretty hard on that stair stepper.What other equipment do you use?
•You always wear such attractive clothes.What are your favorite stores?
•What a beautiful home.How do you manage to run a house with four children?
•I read in the newspaper that our governor has taken another trip overseas.What do you think of all his travel?”
― Debra fine, The Fine Art of Small Talk: How to Start a Conversation, Keep It Going, Build Networking Skills and Leave a Positive Impression!

“Going beyond cliche phrases:

•How was your summer? Excellent.What special things did you do?
•How were your holidays? Pretty good.How did you celebrate?
•How was your weekend? Good.What did you do?
I went to see that new play down at the Civic Center.Really? You’re interested in ______?
I never knew that.Tell me more about that.
•Did you do anything relaxing?
•Is that something you usually do on the weekend?”
― Debra Fine, The Fine Art of Confident Conversation

“- Family

Tell me about your family.
Does everyone live in the area?
What do you like best about being a father/mother/son/aunt, etc.?

-Occupation

What got you into your current job?
How did you come up with that idea?
What are some of the toughest challenges in your job?
If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
How has the Internet impacted your business/industry?

- Recreation

What do you do for fitness?
What kinds of things does your family do for fun?
How do you spend your leisure time?
What’s been your favorite vacation?

- Miscellaneous
Have you seen any good movies lately?
What do you think about ————— [news event]?
Are you reading anything you really enjoy?”
― Debra Fine, The Fine Art of Small Talk: How to Start a Conversation, Keep It Going, Build Networking Skills and Leave a Positive Impression!

“Exercising good communication skills are key to unlocking civility in the new experience economy.”
― Cindy Ann Peterson, The Power of Civility: Top Experts Reveal the Secrets to Social Capital

“To understand what effects roadblocks to communication have on children or what they do to the parent-child relationship, parents must first be shown that their verbal responses usually carry more than one meaning or one message.



For example, to say to a child who has just complained that her friend doesn’t like her or doesn’t play with her anymore, “I would suggest you try to treat Emma better and then maybe she will want to play with you” conveys much more to a child than simply the “content” of your suggestion. The child may “hear” any or all of these hidden messages:



-“You don’t accept my feeling the way I do, so you want me to change.”

-“You don’t trust me to work out this problem myself.”

-“You think it’s my fault, then.”

-“You think I’m not as smart as you.”

-“You think I’m doing something bad or wrong.”
― Dr. Thomas Gordon

“I, Lisa K Friedman, being of sound mind and broken foot, served him with a mock complaint: breach of the marriage contract.
New York Times, Modern Love”
― Lisa K. Friedman

“Hearing is allowing our brain to assume something which we expect others to say, but listening isn't knowing what is SAID, but why it’s SAID. Every message is a story in itself & if the person hearing it is incapable of retaining half of what they heard, they will repeat the story all wrong to someone else”
― Shahenshah Hafeez Khan

“Anytime a business, home, or relationship isn't working, there is a direct link to “leadership” or, more specifically, the communication, miscommunication, or lack of communication of the leader.”
― Sheila Tiller-Tooks

“POSITIVE MESSAGES TO THE SPEAKER

•Lean forward
•Maintain eye contact
•Open up your arms and body
•Relax your body posture
•Face your partner
•Nod and smile”
― Debra Fine, The Fine Art of Small Talk: How to Start a Conversation, Keep It Going, Build Networking Skills and Leave a Positive Impression!

“If another person is friendly to me, I find it easy to be friendly back. However, I don’t wait to make sure the other person is friendly before I’m friendly in return.”
― Debra Fine

“Fifty Ways to Fuel a Conversation

1.Be the first to say hello.
2.Introduce yourself to others.
3.Take risks and anticipate success.
4.Remember your sense of humor.
5.Practice different ways of starting a conversation.”
― Debra Fine, The Fine Art of Small Talk: How to Start a Conversation, Keep It Going, Build Networking Skills and Leave a Positive Impression!

“To get a conversation started, I’ll often invite people to open up their phones and show me one picture that would surprise me.”
― Skip Prichard

“Viestinnän ammattilaiset muodostavat yhteinäisen ammattikunnan, jonka jäseninä on myös muita, moniammatillisia ja toimeksiantosuhteessa olevia toimijoita.”
― Elina Perälä, Viestinnän ammattilaisten kollegiaalisuus

“No matter how genius we are, the amazing ideas we have, and if we can’t articulate and communicate convincingly enough, our creativity will die within us.”
― Venugopala CV

“Learning how to become better communicators and better listeners will help us enter this new age of the experience economy and walk, talk and grow with civility as our foundation.”
― Cindy Ann Peterson, The Power of Civility: Top Experts Reveal the Secrets to Social Capital

“To convince people don't try to reach their head try to reach their heart.”
― Amit Kalantri, Wealth of Words

“If you can't keep your mouth shy and silent then keep your words soft and sweet.”
― Amit Kalantri, Wealth of Words

“Regardless of how the PR business may have developed over the years, we always used to be a transmission, a sort of bridge, between our clients and their clients.”
― Maxim Behar, The Global PR Revolution: How Thought Leaders Succeed in the Transformed World of PR

“First of all, the word “newspaper” doesn’t really exist anymore, because the first part, “news,” is gone from it. What’s left is only “paper.”
― Maxim Behar, The Global PR Revolution: How Thought Leaders Succeed in the Transformed World of PR

“For a modern-day PR expert, it is absolutely essential to know social media platforms in detail.”
― Maxim Behar, The Global PR Revolution: How Thought Leaders Succeed in the Transformed World of PR

“People often talk behind each other’s backs in a smug manner, intending to gain other’s approval or favor. It seems gossip is, unfortunately, part of who we are. But after looking at it closely, I learned that it does not
have to be. I believe the tendency to gossip is more environmental than physiological. And we can certainly overcome such environmental influences – but only if we
work at it.

In this book, we will open up a dialogue about gossip. We will examine why people gossip. We will look at what motivates people to gossip. Most importantly, we will look at the impact of gossip and cover strategies and tips on how to alter that behavior.”
― Amir Fathizadeh, Gossip: The Road to Ruin