Hodu.com is a one-man show, and Your Communication Skills Portal is growing by leaps and bounds. I’ve been kept pretty busy searching for good content, making contact with our highly talented band of contributing authors, editing and posting new articles and attending to a multitude of routine tasks necessary for the maintenance of a big site.

Nothing to complain about, of course, but the downside of all this is that I’m left with little time to write original content of my own, which explains why I haven’t been posting much here lately. All the same, I do hope to have a new batch of fresh, provocative and thought provoking items up here soon.

In the meantime, I’m presenting here for the benefit of our blog readers short descriptions, with direct links, of the most popular articles published this month. Perhaps we’ll make it a regular monthly feature.

The Perils of Positive Thinking
A whole industry has sprung up to teach us how to advance quickly in our careers through radiating a positive image. Is this a classic case of misplaced emphasis?

The Menace of Micromanagement
Suddenly you become aware of his warm breath in your neck. The boss is watching over your shoulder again.

He is there for one of three reasons: you have forgotten to dot an “i” in the unnecessary report to be completed every day at 16:15; or he wants to discuss his latest spreadsheet tracker detailing the use of stationery, staples and paper clips on a daily basis; or he wants to make sure that you are confined to your cubicle for eight hours.

In such a situation, how do you maintain your sanity, your dignity and your productivity – and how do you convince your boss he’s only shooting himself in the foot?

The Art of Starting a Conversation
You arrive at a networking event anxious to make contact with people who might help to reach your goals. Getting off on the right foot will make all the difference. Yet somehow, whenever you open your mouth, you put your foot in it….

Relax! No need for panic. Help is at hand… (And although this tutorial deals with the topic mainly from the perspective of a business worker, the advice here will come in handy in a variety of social situations!)

Debunking the 55%, 38%, 7% Rule
Students of communication and public speaking often cite a rule that claims 55% of the meaning of communication is body language, 38% is in tonality, and a mere 7% rests in the words themselves. Many blithely accept this precept at face value . Yet, at the end of the day, can anything else achieve what plain words can?

Communicating Across Cultures
In the international arena,recognizing cultural differences can make the difference between a successful business transaction and humiliating rejection. These guidelines will help you swing the deal.

How to Write a Letter of Apology
The tension in your marriage relationship is becoming unbearable…and deep down you know you’re at fault. Your dilemma is clear and very real: How do I proceed now?