Up Front Communication

Helping people and businesses through the art of communication

When tone is more important than content

I interrupt our series on communicating with intimacy to bring you a long overdue bit of Friday Silliness.

In today’s lesson, Toby Turner – also known as the YouTube personality Tobuscus – demonstrates how tone can completely contradict content.  Alliteration aside, it is a useful lesson.

Tobuscus: Dramatic Song

 

Does your chorus sound like Coldplay?

The bandwagon of uncertainty

You know, like, totally whatever?

That aggravating upwards lilt of the voice makes you sound like an non-confident teen girl.  I will be merciless when it comes to stripping you of that most wretches of speaking habits!

I will also make you watch Taylor Mali’s brilliant freestyle poetry on that very topic.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGAMd-tT6fQ&w=420&h=315]

Y’know.

The Perfect Guide to Holiday Etiquette

For my American friends,  here is a guide to holiday dinner etiquette.  Note the hilarity that can be created by using technically correct words in an unexpected context.

 

Or just have fun with the sheer puerile nature of this offering.  Don’t show it to your kids.

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFzz6EZmkq8&w=560&h=315]

Is honesty the best policy?

Be careful when you ask for honest feedback or honest opinions.  You might just get them.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnYPqippKVw?list=SP86F4D497FD3CACCE&hl=en_GB&w=560&h=315]

How to tell when it’s time to shut up

Have you ever wondered how to tell when it’s time to shut your gob?

 

Causing a child to cry is a pretty good indication:

Dear Little Girl: Sorry We Made You Cry About ‘Bronco Bamma’ and Mitt Romney.

 

Poor thing.  I’ve felt that way during truly atrocious presentations.

 

Incidentally, Canadian news gets rather choked with election-related stories every time the American Presidential elections are on.  I at once love and loathe those elections.  They are so aggravatingly relentless and yet so very, very full of beautiful examples of public speaking boondoggles and general political jackassery.  The comedic potential is huge.  If they elicit such strong feelings among myself and fellow Canadians, I can only imagine what they must do to American citizens.

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