Tag Archives: relationship

Communicate for Free

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Robert Basil

I had always found eHarmony Inc.‘s advertisements vaguely disconcerting: too optimistic about romance, and too confident about its vaunted heuristic (the “Relationship Questionnaire”!). An advertisement currently in frequent rotation on television promises viewers that “You can start communicating for free today” – … Continue reading →

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“The Franklin Effect”

Posted on June 27, 2014 by Robert Basil

Benjamin Franklin wrote his autobiography, “Enemies who do you one favor will want to do more.” He illustrated the maxim with a story: A political adversary had been lambasting Franklin in public speeches. Franklin knew that this person was very proud … Continue reading →

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Notes on Mentorship, I

Posted on June 26, 2013 by Robert Basil

Erin Dick gave a superb talk, and then led an illuminating discussion, on the topic of “mentorship” today, the last day of the IABC’s world conference. Inspired by the speaker and my discussion attendees, I will be posting on this topic … Continue reading →

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The Art of Scolding

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Robert Basil

In 1987 I promoted a story about “Secular Organizations for Sobriety” [SOS] that appeared in the Buffalo News. SOS was one of those secular humanist initiatives promulgated by Paul Kurtz’s publishing enterprises out of Buffalo, in this case “Free Inquiry,” … Continue reading →

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Ethics of Persuasion: The Reciprocity Rule

Posted on March 10, 2013 by tierneywisniewski

I was walking down Granville Street the other day on my way to London Drugs when I spotted two Chinese monks ahead of me speaking to passersby. Ordinarily cautious of sidewalk solicitors, I let one of them engage me precisely … Continue reading →

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“Acquaintances would be lost. The question is whether that would matter.”

Posted on February 23, 2013 by Robert Basil

No form of online experience more quickly insinuated itself into my life than Facebook, which I joined at the insistence of a rambunctious, third-year technical writing class back in the summer of 2007. I loved how Facebook “extended” me not … Continue reading →

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Keep Your Promises, Keep Your Confidences, and Keep Your Appointments

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Robert Basil

The prefix para means “beside” or “beyond.” Paralinguistic or paraverbal communication usually refers to *how* one’s words are conveyed: through tone, body language, speaking speed, or even through one’s wardrobe. In both workplace and social environments, though, beside and beyond … Continue reading →

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“We Agree”

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Robert Basil

“We agree much more than you think.” This was Niels Bohr‘s kind way of indicating profound disagreement with a colleague’s point of view.  The genial physicist knew that the literal truth of that statement – after all, all scientists would … Continue reading →

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The Golden Rule

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Robert Basil

In most of my classes, when I am teaching email etiquette and protocol, I tell them the stories of Larissa #1 and Larissa #2.  Larissa #1 was a student of mine in the early 1990s, when I was teaching in … Continue reading →

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The Purpose of Professional Communication

Posted on December 15, 2012 by Robert Basil

I tell my students that the primary purpose of workplace communication is to foster and maintain relationships. I usually tack on an inverse way of saying it – “The *other* primary purpose is to not screw up” – because that’s … Continue reading →

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