Book excerpt: Strengthen your relationships, increase productivity, and reduce conflict by improving your communication skills.Having spent more than twenty years in professional communications and training roles, Amy P. Castro offers straightforward advice for communicating successfully at home, in your workplace, and in your community. Practical Communication provides streamlined tips for dealing with real-life scenarios. Learn how to prevent misunderstandings and handle awkward situations with composure. Do you ever wonder:* What does this customer really want?* What's really bothering my coworker?* Why is my boss so frustrated about this project?Gain insight and become a more competent communicator by discovering:* How to use silence effectively* How to deal with criticism* Tips on nonverbal communication* When and how to say "no"* Ways to interpret the behavior of others* How to improve your listening skills* How to give empathetic responses* Techniques for communicating to get results* Effective approaches for dealing with mistakes* How to handle people who are upset* What to do about gossip* Ways to redirect poor performance* How to deliver bad newsAs president of Innovative Communication & Training Solutions, Amy P. Castro provides workplace communications training to business leaders, managers, educators, and federal government employees. Her expertise includes: * Oral and written communication * Customer service * Coaching * Conflict resolution * Public speaking, presentation, and facilitation skills * Leadership/management skills * Decision-making* Delegation * Interpersonal communicationContact Amy by visiting her Web site at www.Amy-Castro.com.