Anyone who is familiar with the world of celebrities have heard of public relations firms aka PR companies, but just what does such a company provide?

A look at the differences between using 0845 numbers and 0800 numbers, for both business and customers.

Many people put up with disrespectful and abusive behaviour from their managers because they do not know how to speak up without making things worse. At the same time, many managers are unaware that their people find their behaviour disrespectful and abusive because no-one has ever been brave enough to give them feedback. Here is a step by step guide on how to do it.

Speaking up when people irritate or offend you keeps your stress level down and working conditions peaceful. Here is how you can do it without damaging working relationships.

Some of the problems we face in difficult conversations are caused, not by the subject matter, but by the way we behave in these conversations. Improve your communication skills by avoiding four of the most common mistakes.

When you go into a conversation assuming that you have all the information, that you are in the right and that you also have the answer to the problem, it is unlikely that you will obtain any commitment to your proposed solution. You need to step off the moral high ground and think through how you might be part of the problem.

The recent announcement by Google of the addition of voice and video chat to its Gmail interface should be a concern to most users. Although most will consider the additions as necessary features, such additional functionality serves only to increase the existing stranglehold that the Email Monster has on daily productivity of almost every modern day computer user.

It can be difficult to separate facts from opinions and feelings when a conversation is emotionally charged. Putting the facts on the table at the start of a conversation provides a safe and non-accusing point from which the conversation can proceed. This article shows how a manager uses facts to hold an employee accountable for his behaviour.

Good communication means good listening. If schools wish to consult with stakeholders in the course of their strategic planning, or for any other reason, then school personnel must know how to listen.

Conversations about performance can be difficult, but when you need to speak up about attitudes or relationships you need to plan very carefully before you say anything. You may find that the problem has been caused by your own behaviour.