READOS / Business
Communication and Professional Presence
Listening, questioning, speaking, writing and conducting yourself so that people trust and understand you.
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- 01Listening: the most under-trained skill in businessMost of us believe we listen well, few of us were ever taught how, and our minds wander faster than people speak. What that means, and four practical ways to listen better in customer conversations.
- 02Open and closed questions: when to use each, and why it mattersQuestions are the most powerful tool in any customer conversation. When to use open and closed questions, how to sequence them, and habits that quietly undermine conversations.
- 03Words, tone and body language: the three channels of communicationEvery conversation carries meaning through words, tone and body language. What each channel does, why the famous 7-38-55 statistic is so often misused, and how to keep all three aligned.
- 04Assertive communication for clear workplace agreementsMake requests, set boundaries and discuss difficult feedback clearly and respectfully, with a practical method for reaching workable agreements in a small business.
- 05Stop emailing, start communicating: practical steps to be understoodSending a message is not the same as being understood. Why so much business communication fails, how to choose the right channel, and practical habits that make sure your message actually lands.
- 06Storytelling in business: why stories sell, how to build a brand story and how to use stories with customers and teamsWhy stories persuade more than facts, the seven business benefits of storytelling, the Dragonfly Effect framework, story structures for case studies and pitches, and how to tell stories honestly.
- 07Presenting and speaking with confidence: purpose, preparation, structure, voice and handling nervesPresentations and public speaking for business people: purpose, audience, the 5 Ps, the ARCS structure, voice and body language, questions, nerves and practice exercises.
- 08Presenting on camera and online: video, webinars, media interviews and lessons from theatreComing across well on camera, in webinars and media interviews: camera fear, setup, body language, conversational delivery, key messages and theatre exercises for presence.
- 09First impressions and the 12×12×12 rulePeople form impressions within moments. What the popular 12×12×12 rule captures, what research on first impressions supports, and how to start well without pretending.
- 10Professional etiquette and presence: customers, phone, email, meetings, business meals, dress and groomingEveryday professional etiquette that builds trust: customers, phone and email, meetings, business meals, interviews, dressing for the occasion and personal image.
- 11Building professional credibility through everyday actionsBuild a professional reputation through accurate claims, dependable commitments and honest handling of mistakes, with practical habits for founders and small teams.
- 12Building a personal professional brand: visibility, expertise, writing, networks and consistencyHow professionals, students and owners can build a personal brand that opens doors: visibility, expertise through writing and projects, professional networks, events and consistency.
- 13Building rapport that is real, not rehearsedRapport is the mutual understanding that makes honest conversation possible. Practical ways to build it, techniques that backfire, and how to know what to practise.
- 14Social skills and genuine connection at work: reading signals, starting conversations and influencing through trustSocial skills for business people: reading non-verbal signals, listening, starting conversations, empathy and follow-up, and influencing by connecting first rather than pushing to convince.
- 15Resolving workplace conflict professionally: five conflict styles, a five-step process and difficult situationsHandling conflict with customers, colleagues and teams: the five Thomas–Kilmann styles and when each fits, a five-step process, interest-based negotiation and common scenarios.
- 16Working across cultures with suppliers, customers and staff: what to standardise and what to adaptShared language and shared processes do not guarantee shared meaning. How to spot cultural differences that affect delivery, without stereotyping, and build habits that keep work on track.
- 17Business English for non-native speakers: everyday phrases, emails and meetings in Australian workplacesUseful English phrases for greetings, introductions, clarifying, apologising and meetings, email conventions, Australian workplace norms, and how teams can communicate across languages.
- 18A 30-day communication practice plan: exercises for speaking, writing, body language and self-talkCommunication improves with practice like any skill. A 30-day plan of exercises for speaking clearly, writing simply, reading body language with care and managing self-talk.
These topic-based reading collections are organised alphabetically; chapters may be read in any order.
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