Martial arts toughen up rural students in southwest China's Guizhou

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COMMMUNICATION

 Communication Skills for Workplace Success

The ability to communicate effectively with superiors, colleagues, and staff is essential, no matter what industry you work in. Workers in the digital age must know how to effectively convey and receive messages in person as well as via phone, email, and social media.

These communication skills will help you get hired, land promotions, and be a success throughout your career.

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1. Listening

Being a good listener is one of the best ways to be a good communicator. No one likes communicating with someone who cares only about putting in her two cents and does not take the time to listen to the other person. If you're not a good listener, it's going to be hard to comprehend what you're being asked to do.

Take the time to practice active listening. Active listening involves paying close attention to what the other person is saying, asking clarifying questions, and rephrasing what the person says to ensure understanding ("So, what you're saying is…"). Through active listening, you can better understand what the other person is trying to say, and can respond appropriately.

2. Nonverbal Communication

Your body language, eye contact, hand gestures, and tone of voice all color the message you are trying to convey. A relaxed, open stance (arms open, legs relaxed), and a friendly tone will make you appear approachable and will encourage others to speak openly with you.

Eye contact is also important; you want to look the person in the eye to demonstrate that you are focused on them and the conversation. (However, be sure not to stare at the person, which can make him or her uncomfortable.)

Also, pay attention to other people's nonverbal signals while you are talking. Often, nonverbal cues convey how a person is really feeling. For example, if the person is not looking you in the eye, he or she might be uncomfortable or hiding the truth.

3. Clarity and Concision

Good verbal communication means saying just enough – don’t talk too much or too little. Try to convey your message in as few words as possible. Say what you want clearly and directly, whether you're speaking to someone in person, on the phone, or via email. If you ramble on, your listener will either tune you out or will be unsure of exactly what you want.

Think about what you want to say before you say it. This will help you to avoid talking excessively or confusing your audience.

4. Friendliness

Through a friendly tone, a personal question, or simply a smile, you will encourage your co-workers to engage in open and honest communication with you. It's important to be polite in all your workplace communications. This is important in both face-to-face and written communication. When you can, personalize your emails to co-workers and/or employees – a quick "I hope you all had a good weekend" at the start of an email can personalize a message and make the recipient feel more appreciated.

5. Confidence

It is important to be confident in your interactions with others. Confidence shows your co-workers that you believe in what you’re saying and will follow through. Exuding confidence can be as simple as making eye contact or using a firm but friendly tone. Avoid making statements sound like questions. Of course, be careful not to sound arrogant or aggressive. Be sure you are always listening to and empathizing with the other person.

6. Empathy

Using phrases as simple as "I understand where you are coming from" demonstrate that you have been listening to the other person and respect their opinions. Active listening can help you tune in to what your conversational partner is thinking and feeling, which will, in turn, make it easier to display empathy.

Even when you disagree with an employer, co-worker, or employee, it is important for you to understand and respect their point of view.

7. Open-Mindedness

A good communicator should enter into any conversation with a flexible, open mind. Be open to listening to and understanding the other person's point of view, rather than simply getting your message across. By being willing to enter into a dialogue, even with people with whom you disagree, you will be able to have more honest, productive conversations.

8. Respect

People will be more open to communicating with you if you convey respect for them and their ideas. Simple actions like using a person's name, making eye contact, and actively listening when a person speaks will make the person feel appreciated. On the phone, avoid distractions and stay focused on the conversation.

Convey respect through email by taking the time to edit your message. If you send a sloppily written, confusing email, the recipient will think that you do not respect her enough to think through your communication with her.

9. Feedback

Being able to give and receive feedback appropriately is an important communication skill. Managers and supervisors should continuously look for ways to provide employees with constructive feedback, be it through email, phone calls, or weekly status updates.

Giving feedback involves giving praise as well – something as simple as saying "good job" or "thanks for taking care of that" to an employee can greatly increase motivation.

Similarly, you should be able to accept and even encourage feedback from others. Listen to the feedback you are given, ask clarifying questions if you are unsure of the issue, and make efforts to implement the feedback.

10. Picking the Right Medium

An important communication skill is to simply know what form of communication to use. For example, some serious conversations (layoffs, resignation, changes in salary, etc.) are almost always best done in person.

You should also think about the person with whom you wish to speak, if they are a very busy person (such as your boss, perhaps), you might want to convey your message through email. People will appreciate your thoughtful means of communication and will be more likely to respond positively to you.|

 

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/communication-skills-list-2063779

ENVIRONMENT

Mismanaged waste 'kills up to a million people a year globally'

Report says plastics adding to death tolls in the developing world from easily prevented diseases

Mismanaged waste is causing hundreds of thousands of people to die each year in the developing world from easily preventable causes, and plastic waste is adding a new and dangerous dimension to the problem, a report has found.

Municipal waste frequently goes uncollected in poorer countries and its buildup fuels the spread of disease. Between 400,000 and 1 million people are dying as a result of such mismanaged waste, according to the charity Tearfund.

While mismanaged waste has been a problem for decades, the growth of plastic pollution,, which does not break down in the environment, is adding a fresh set of problems to an already dire situation. Plastic waste is blocking waterways and causing flooding, which in turn spreads waterborne diseases. When people burn the waste to get rid of it, it releases harmful toxins and causes air pollution.

Every second, a double-decker busload of plastic waste is burned or dumped in developing countries, the report found. When some plastics deteriorate, they can leach harmful chemicals into the environment and break down into microplastics, with effects that are still poorly understood and largely undocumented in poorer countries.

Sir David Attenborough, whose Blue Planet II series drew global attention to the problem of plastic waste, called for urgent action from the companies responsible for producing plastic that then turns into waste, and for support to help countries struggling against the tide of pollution.

“It’s high time we turned our attention fully to one of the most pressing problems of today – averting the plastic pollution crisis – not only for the health of our planet, but for the wellbeing of people around the world,” he said. “This report is one of the first to highlight the impacts of plastic pollution not just on wildlife but also on the world’s poorest people.”

Among the other harmful impacts of plastic pollution in poorer countries are the loss of fishing, as marine animals ingest the plastic; damage to agriculture, as up to a third of cattle and half of goats in developing countries have consumed significant amounts of plastic, harming their health as it leads to potentially fatal bloating; and large amounts of plastic waste washing up on shorelines and coral reefs deterring tourists, on whom many poorer countries rely.

While most attention has focused on the effects of marine plastic pollution in the natural world, its effects on people are equally problematic. About 8m tonnes of plastic waste are dumped into the seas each year, according to the UN, and there are few ways of retrieving it.

Last week countries around the world – but without the US – signed up through a UN to a plan to reduce the flow of plastic waste to developing countries. Although there have been signs of some companies making attempts to tackle the problem, these have been described by campaigners as a drop in the ocean.

“We need leadership from those who are responsible for introducing plastic to countries where it cannot be adequately managed, and we need international action to support the communities and governments most acutely affected by this crisis,” said Attenborough, who is a vice-president of the conservation charity Fauna & Flora International, which collaborated on the report.

At least 2 billion people around the world do not have their rubbish collected, and piles of it can build up in waterways, causing pollution, or rot in areas near where people live. Living near rubbish doubles the risk of contracting diarrhoea, the report found, which is a major cause of death in the developing world.

Hundreds of thousands of people around the world make a living from collecting waste, in some cases by collecting cans or bottles that can be recycled or returned, or, more dangerously, as “waste pickers” who live on rubbish dumps and scavenge what they can.

This is hazardous work, not only because of the pollution to which people are exposed but also because of the risk of physical injury, not least because poorly managed dumps are often affected by landslides and even explosions from the buildup of gases.

Ruth Valerio, the global advocacy and influencing director of Tearfund, said the organisation was calling on four multinationals that produce huge amounts of plastic packaging – Coca-Cola, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever – to take responsibility for their products throughout the supply chain, and provide ways for the waste to be managed.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/may/14/mismanaged-waste-kills-up-to-a-million-people-a-year-globally

 

SPORT

Martial arts toughen up rural students in southwest China's Guizhou

 

GUIYANG, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- While most Chinese students have already gone on winter holiday, some from Jinshan primary school still go to school at 2 p.m. every workday for a two-hour martial arts training.

The school is located in Danzhai county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Guizhou Province, an area that is impoverished.

On a normal day in Jinshan, 38 students practice different movements with different martial arts props on the football field, and improvisation of cudgel play by 12-year-old Wei Jinfu got full house cheer.

"I've been learning martial arts for five years, in which I am extremely interested," said Wei, who often got sick before but has become physically healthier due to learning martial arts.

Wang Shaobang, 48, headmaster and martial arts coach of the school, told Xinhua that those students practicing together were preparing for a martial arts show for the upcoming Chinese New Year.

"All the students have been learning martial arts for at least three years and they are invited by the local government to perform at the show for the Spring Festival celebration," he said.

Wang was the man who brought martial arts into the school program in 2014. "In that year, China was speeding up the introduction of the Chinese ethnic cultures including opera, music, woodcarving, paper-cutting, and calligraphy into schools, and I introduced martial arts just because I hoped more students would love martial arts and improve their bodies," he said.

According to the department of education of Guizhou, there are a total of more than 5,000 schools offering the education of Chinese ethnic cultures.

Jinshan school has a total of 311 students, 98% among whom are from Miao ethnic groups. They all have learned martial arts and are trained for free by the school in the summer and winter holidays.

Wang said more than half of the students are left-behind children and they want to spend more time with each other on holidays through martial arts training at school.

"Children living in impoverished areas are commonly short-spoken and unsociable," he added, with martial arts not only toughening them up but also sharpening their will as well as giving them confidence through attending and winning various martial arts competitions.

Chen Ziyi, a 12-year-old left-behind child who lives with grandparents, has become outgoing and confident since she began learning martial arts three years ago. "Martial arts makes me stronger and my parents always encourage me to keep going on."

Chen Sinan, another student who has comparatively mastered high-level skills of sabreplay and swordplay after three years of learning, said that martial arts helps to keep her focused.

"When performing martial arts, I need to focus on the coherence of a series of movements, which makes me concentrate on whatever I am doing," Chen said.

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-01/16/c_138710453.htm

 

MEDICINE