As part of the grassroots Air Force Quarantine University page, I recorded a 3-part video series on effective communication. Check it out below!
A team of Airmen at Edwards Air Force Base, California, chose to put together an outstanding resource on Facebook for Airmen to professionally develop each other as COVID-19 started to rear its ugly head and push more of us into our homes and away from each other. They called it AF Quarantine University, and the ask was simple: teach whatever you're passionate about and might benefit our Airmen. I thought for a while on what was important to both my and my Air Force; I decided to start with effective communication. We often think that the military accomplishes its mission through "shoot, move, communicate," but we often focus primarily on the shooting and moving. Communication wins wars... or prevents them. Honing our communication skills is paramount to winning a conflict, whether it's a war overseas or a business negotiation. In my effort to share, I produced three parts: Listening and Communication Basics, Presenting, and Writing. Check them out below!
Part 1 is focused on the core skills of listening and some communication basics I will re-attack in the other modules because they apply across any modality. I discuss why listening is an essential component of communication and how the resiliency skills of active constructive responding and mindfulness can contribute to making you a better listener.
Part 2 is focused on the craft of presenting or oral communications. I talk about the space you need to present, how to build useful notes, how to use slides well (if at all!), and how to integrate questions into your brief.
The third and final episode, Part 3, is focused on the craft of writing. I focus on writing in short-form (e-mails or instant messaging), long-form (papers, articles, or even books), choosing reliable sources, and some tips on editing.
I especially enjoyed learning how to produce these videos on my own. In my next post, I will discuss exactly how I made it happen on no production budget and a MacBook. In the meantime, please let me know what tips you found useful and what I need to improve on!