What is it: German-made Talk-o-meter identifies who is speaking in a dialogue and tracks the extent to which one or other is monopolising the discussion.
Why is it cool: Aside from the application being an opportunity to be more inclusive to the quieter members of a team whether an in-house meeting or a focus group (we can’t all be superstars!, it’s a great reminder about the importance of listening – communication is two-way!
Where to find it: here!
Submitted by: Hilde Swendgaard
What is it: A list of 20 ways to irritate people, which interestingly boil down to only a few themes, one of which is poor communication.
Why is it cool: Number four on the list, “Excessive advertising”, really underscores the importance of less “scattergun” advertising approaches and more selective targeting of individuals at the right place and time with the right message. WoM and Engage are in the right space, now if we could just bring clients, media buyers and ad agencies along for the trip!
Where to find it: here!
Submitted by: John Cucka
What is it: A study which showed that, when teaching algebra to young children, a combination of verbal and non-verbal (ie gestures) communication yielded the best results by the children. Counter-intuitively, however, children receiving only non-verbal instructions did better than students receiving only verbal instructions.
Why is it cool: This makes a strong case for the importance of face-to-face meetings, as well as being “animated” to be an effective communicator.
Where to find it: here!
Submitted by: John Cucka
What is it: After some time working with deaf people, the author provides tips on what he’s learned from his interactions, lessons that are eminently portable to non-deaf communication. The lessons may be obvious, but the reasons aren’t, and will teach you something new about how hearing, in some ways, impairs our thinking and communicating.
Why is it cool: Because communication is key.
Where to find it: here!
Submitted by: John Cucka