1 . Everyone thinks they're great listeners. But the truth is that hearing isn’t necessarily listening, nor is it necessarily listening well. Listening is an art as well as a basic life skill that we are encouraged to practise and master.    1    

●Don't interrupt

    2     To master the art of listening, you need to stop any good thoughts that come to mind and let the person say everything they need to say. Often times people simply need someone to talk to, not someone who will cut in and give their own thoughts and opinions.

●Practice active listening.

To understand better in communication, you can first practice active listening. The art of listening isn't simply about staying quiet 100% of the time, it's also about asking questions, which are for clarification or for further explanation, so that you can fully understand what the speaker is telling you.     3     You can also make noises that show you agree with what he person is saying such as “yes”, ‘'yeah", and “okay.”

●    4    

About 60-75% of our communication is accomplished without speaking. In order to know whether to encourage the speaker, or to open yourself more, it's essential to know what the person's body is saying. Do they display signs of discomfort? Are they cautious about you? Their body language tells a lot.

●Create a suitable environment.

It can be difficult to listen to another person when the TV is screaming, your phone is buzzing and there are thousands of cars passing by.     5     Also, when you indicate it would be good to “find a quiet place," you put importance in the person and what they say, and then you show care and consideration.

3 . Video conferencing has been around for more than 20 years. Until the Covid-19 pandemic, though, you would find that many people needing to attend a meeting remotely would be calling from a real conference room full of their teammates. Today, we're routinely holding video conferences that are 100% virtual (虚拟).And this is creating a problem that technology can't fix.

The problem is us, specifically the fact that we haven't evolved socially to the point where we can bear much separation. So much of our well-being and work productivity is decided on how close we are physically. The removal of that for any period of time can be severely damaging. One surprising victim of social distancing is laughter

Normally people laugh about 18 times per day. And 97% of that time we're laughing with others - we are 30 times more likely to laugh with others than to laugh alone. Think about it: how often when you and your friends laugh at something, is that something actually funny? Research shows that 80% of what people laugh at is really not that funny.

So why do people laugh? They laugh in order to laugh with others. Just as everyone starts yawning (打哈欠) when just one person yawns, most people can't help but laugh when those around them do. This is why TV comedy shows often use prerecorded laugh tracks.

Laughing in response to other people's laughing is not just a behavioral phenomenon. When we laugh, our body produces two key chemicals: endorphin which helps relieve pain and sets off feelings of pleasure, and dopamine which can improve learning, motivation and attention. In fact, studies show that people can stand 15% more pain simply by laughing for a few minutes beforehand. Laughter is also associated with higher motivation and productivity at work.

In today's home-alone, virtual-team world, this is exactly what you as a team leader should be doing: for your team members to stay healthy and productive, you need to get them to laugh more and stress less.

6 . Will Covid-19 Kill the Handshake?

The handshake might date back to the 14^th century, when knights (骑士) and soldiers would extend their unclenched(松开的) right hands toward each other in greeting to show that they were carrying no weapons.

    1     Or rather, its tendency for picking up and holding onto germs (细菌) from polluted surfaces, or from   our own eyes or noses when we have certain illnesses. Those germs can then be transferred into the hands of the people we greet, while we can pick up their germs. We then will probably touch our own eyes or noses or mouths, potentially sickening ourselves and restarting the cycle.

Now that a novel coronavirus is spreading fast, our hands are being cast in a new, doubtful light.     2     And lately, the Internet has been full of suggestions for socially acceptable ways to greet each other that don’t involve passing germs along unintentionally from one person to the next.

    3     In fact, the tradition of shaking hands isn’t the only greeting to take a fresh look. A Maori tribe in New Zealand put the brakes on hongi, the traditional nose-to-nose hello.     4     Maybe people will stop making fun of the Hollywood air kiss, though it’s not a huge improvement health-wise.

COVID-19 is a real threat, and we shouldn’t take the warning lightly. We may, indeed, need to keep our hands to ourselves for the time being. But we’re not ready to send handshake into the dustbin of history. Humans long for making a physical connection with friends. For now, perhaps, a regretful smile and nod might work as a shared acknowledgment.     5    

7 . In the workplace, one of the most important skills to possess is good communication.     1    ; it means they are able to listen to others, as well as successfully convey their own ideas and opinions. While listening and speaking are important in effective communication, there are other skills that are vital to good communication in the workplace.

    2     . This means not only listening with your ears but also being able to comprehend what the person is saying. Giving co-workers your full attention when they are conveying an idea can go a long way in building relationships and furthering progress.

Having empathy （同理心）is very useful in communication.     3     Put yourself in the other person's position instead of judging or critizing based on your own beliefs. While this may be difficult for some, empathizing with others can be very helpful to keep in tune with your own emotions and ideas.

Encouraging others will heighten confidence and appreciation in the workplace.     4    , you help others feel they are wanted, welcomed and respected by co-workers. People are much more likely to spare no effort if they know they are valued.

Body language can greatly impact how others treat you in the workplace. Being extroverted（外向的） and friendly lets co-workers know you are open to hearing their opinions about projects or new designs.

    5     . Be sure to maintain eye contact the majority of the time you are speaking with someone, and use hand gestures to help you form clearer thoughts. Smiling offers encouragement and creates a noticeable difference in how you are treated. People who smile more are seen as more approachable and trustworthy.

While many of these good communication skills occur naturally in individuals, some may need to be learned and practiced in order to become second nature.

9 . Tips for Submitting a Good Letter of Recommendation

If you consider applying for any colleges abroad, one of the most important parts is the recommendation letter. Its purpose is to give universities a complete picture of you.

    1    

But a credible (可信的) reference saying you’ve consistently worked hard on a project can be the difference between getting accepted or rejected.

Choose the right references

Universities want to know how well you work under pressure and how you react to criticism, basically your characteristics, abilities and mentality. A good referee (推荐人) should have a solid professional relationship with you and be able to communicate your academic and personal strengths.

    2    

Most universities ask for two recommendation letters. They are regularly split between a school professor and an extracurricular (课外的) source. Undoubtedly, it’s good to show your skills in the subject you want to study.     3    

Time

Professionals can sometimes find it hard to make time for writing recommendations.     4     So give them plenty of time and send them a link of your university’s recommendation letter guidance page, if possible.

Clear goals

Don’t be afraid to ask your referees to include certain qualities or examples you want to highlight. You should inform at least one of your referees about your career goals, grades and recent projects. They may not be referenced. But giving referees additional evidence to back up their points can make the letter more convincing.

    5     It’s where you can find what a university lays stress on, as well as some important information such as deadlines and so on.

10 . Criticism from others can be difficult to take, especially if the person delivering the criticism isn’t exactly subtle(含蓄的)about it. So how should we deal with it?     1    

Try to separate the criticism from the environment in which it was given.     2     However, you should also try to calmly look at what’s being said and see if there are clues for your personal growth. Pretend the person isn’t talking about you, and try to read between the lines.

    3     This is where you listen and say“okay, that makes sense, ”or“I can come up with a plan to do that. ”Remember, haters gonna hate, but even they sometimes hate for reasons worth considering. All you need to do is keep what’s applicable and ignore the rest.

Turn those useful opinions into goals.     4     If someone complains that your writing is too long, for example, set a to-do to remove the fat from your work. If your boss complains you always wait until the last minute to complete tasks, set your due-dates a day earlier than they’re really due, so you get to work sooner.

Adjust your attitude. You can do all of this and still get depressed when someone tells you how you can improve. Attitude is the key here.     5     It’s easier said than done, but knowing your strengths and being ready to hear and accept your weaknesses is the most powerful thing you can do.