Impact your practice: communicate effectively online. (Public Policy News).

A commitment to building relationships, the ability to work in teams, utilizing current technology, strong communication skills, and continuous learning are key competencies for the successful dietetics professional. To communicate effectively today, dietetics professionals need to embrace "virtual mediums" such as e-mail or the Internet, along with new technologies that can save time, maximize resources, and increase efficiency.

Although many professionals today know how to use e-mail and access Web sites, many have difficulty shaping or sharing messages. In a survey conducted among 17 organizations across 10 industries, 72% of respondents say they spend 1 to 2 hours a day handling e-mail, and the biggest complaint noted by 30% of the respondents is e-mail messages that are disorganized, irrelevant, or incomplete (1). Because virtual mediums have removed body language and tone of voice from the message, writing skills are becoming increasingly critical. Strong writing skills can ensure that …