ARTICLES BY JENNY KETTLEWELL

In the swinging sixties, Nancy’s Cafe in East Anglia’s Cley was the place to be However, the tiny cafe in a picturesque part of the British countryside wasn’t part of the singing, dancing free-love revolution, but rather a bustling hang-out for twitchers

Communications strategies aren’t just the domain of the business and technology worlds Every day in so many ways, whether we are aware of it or not, we use communications strategies in order to properly manage our lives

If you’re off travelling, the chances are you’ll be visiting countries where English is not the mother tongue Though people may know a few words here and there, you may occasionally come unstuck whilst facing a language barrier

With the advent of text messaging pagers are less-common in our schools and workplaces these days, but on the ski slopes it appears that they’re making something of a comeback Unlike your hi-tech smart phone with its hundreds of applications designed to entertain and amuse your friends, on the slopes pagers can be the difference between life and death

For many, including those working in the emergency services, pagers are essential communication devices, which they could not be without Allowing them to be on call and easy to get hold of at all times, pagers ensure they can do their jobs efficiently and effectively

We all know the most common communications strategies that are used in our everyday life: telephones, mobile telephones, pagers, walkie-talkies, CB radios and many others that we simply couldn’t imagine doing without But there are literally millions of different ways, both verbal and not verbal, that humans and other living creatures communicate with each other

Anyone in business will attest to the fact that effective communication is fundamental to ensuring the smooth day-to-day efficiency of an organisation A business owner, in effect, needs to be all things to all people, and it is imperative that he or she has communications strategies in place across the entire network of the business

Do you remember the first time you were given your pager It was probably during your first week of medical school and no doubt you were delighted with the responsibility

We all know how handy a pager can be For a start, where would emergency services be without them

Anyone who has ever faced an emergency, been in business, or generally found themselves unable to communicate in the way they want to has probably considered the virtues of pagers These little gems can literally save lives and their powers to do good should not be under-rated

When we think of pagers, we automatically think of hospitals, restaurants, hotels, and other places of work where pagers are used in order to make sure things run as smoothly as possible However, these are not the only places you will find them

Haven’t we all wanted to hit the open road at some stage in our lives Just get out there and follow the long white line to who knows where; wind in your hair and a smile on your face, free as a bird

They say that men are from Mars and women are from Venus, and at no point is this more obvious than where communications strategies are concerned Relationships are rife with healthy debates about one party or other not responding, not paying attention, or even worse simply not listening

When it comes to emergency situations having a pager lying around can prove to be extremely useful Whether your wife is pregnant, or you’re sitting an exam and can’t be contacted having access to pagers is a godsend

Every now and then in the world of hustle, bustle and busyness that we inhabit today, everybody dreams of being incommunicado for a day or two A short time without communication would not only be peaceful, it would give us a chance to catch up on ourselves and relax a little

Communicating successfully with someone that doesn’t speak English is one thing, but how do make yourself understood when the only word that that your protégé really understands is ‘walkies’ Guide dog trainers have come up with a series of successful communication strategies that allow person and pooch to work together

Is there anybody out there It’s the million dollar question and the world is divided into the believers and the non-believers

The technology around pagers can be quite confusing Most seem to emit nothing more than a quiet buzz, but fans of hospital dramas will recall often seeing doctors receive text messages through to their pagers

As humans, we’re used to considering ourselves the master-race in pretty much everything from evolution to technology; but if we delve a little deeper into the lives of some of our planet-mates, in fact, we could perhaps learn a lot from our fine feathered, furred or finned friends When it comes to communications strategies, we think we’re pretty clever really; what with some mind-boggling advances in technology which allow us to be in contact with virtually anyone, anywhere at anytime

If you’re ever unfortunate enough to find yourself stranded on a desert island, a good communications strategy can effectively improve your chances of survival So, if you don’t know your Yamana from your Noon Gun it’s time to start swotting up; after all you don’t know when your knowledge of communications strategies will come in handy

Anyone who has ever been a member of the armed forces can vouch for the fact that it is vital to uphold a good communications strategy at all times, and the army is no exception to this rule As such, those in roles that focus primarily on communications strategies are some of the most valuable recruits

Communication can be one of the most problematic aspects of any relationship, but this is no new revelation For centuries, couples have quarrelled and quipped over undelivered (or in fact, unsent) messages, and the lack of communication in their relationships

In today’s fast-paced and hi-tech world of the Internet, instant messaging and every other possible form of digital communication, it’s easy to forget that, in the grand scheme of things, it was not so long ago that communications strategies were an entirely different kettle of fish (or pile of wood as the case may have been)

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Did you ever suspect that something as mundane as a park bench can be a key instrument in the communications strategy of secret agents and foreign operatives Next time you sit down to feed the pigeons, check for a suspicious chalk mark or fresh graffiti in the wood