NOTES: COMMUNICATING
What is Communication?
Is the process of exchanging information. People
communicate to convey their thoughts, ideas,
and feelings to others.
The key to handling problems and conflict
within the organization is to keep is the
channels of communication open.
- Anita Roddick
Studies tell 70% mistakes in the workplace are direct results of poor communication…..
BENEFITS OF COMMUNICATION GOALS OF COMMUNICATION
METHODS IN COMMUNICATION
● Increase productivity. ● To change
1.) Behavior
● Reduce stress. ● To get Action
● Better understand what others are saying. ● To ensure understanding
● Better understand how to get your message ● To persuade
across.
● To get and give information
● Enhance relationships.
● Save time and money.
1.) One-Way Memo, fax, e-mail, voice mail, letter.
2.) Two-Way Phone call, in-person.
3.) Collaborative Team meetings, consulting, consensus, decision making, group problem solving.
PROCESS OF COMMUNICAITON
SENDER MESSAGE CHANNEL RECEIVER
NOISE/BARRIER
CHANNEL FEEEDBACK
L
TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
I. Based on the means of delivering the message
II. Based on the purpose of communication
III. Based on the levels of communication
IV. Based on the pattern of communication
BASED ON THE MEANS OF DELIVERING THE MESSAGE
A.) Verbal communication:
• It occurs through the medium of spoken or written.
• A combination of several words is used & each words conveys a specific meaning.
• Some important elements of verbal communication are language, vocabulary, denotative &
connotative meaning, pacing, intonation, clarity, consciousness, preciseness, comprehension, brevity,
timing & relevance.
Subtypes of verbal communication:
• Spoken communication
• Written communication
• Telecommunication
• Electronic communication
B.) Nonverbal communication
• This communication occurs without words; where the five senses & whole range of body movements,
posture, gesture, facial expressions & silence are used for sending & receiving the message.
• Nonverbal communication is a more accurate way of communication because it convey the true &
intended meaning of the message.
Nonverbal communication may be accomplished by the
following means:
• Touch • Gait • Facial expression • Physical appearance
• Posture • Sound • Silence • Eye contact • Gesture
BASED ON THE PURPOSE OF COMMUNICATION
A.) Formal communication
• Formal communication follows line of authority & is generally used in organization to achieve
organizational objectives.
• For example, the nursing superintendent of a hospital will communicate with staff nurse through
assistant nursing superintendents, supervisors & ward-in-charge nurses.
B.) Informal communication
• Informal communication does not follow line of authority.
• Examples of informal communication are gossip, chitchat & kiddy parties.
• It is very fast & usually takes place in social groups like friends, family, peer groups, etc.
C. ) Therapeutic communication:
• Therapeutic communication takes place between a health care personnel & a patient, with the
purpose of modifying the patient behavior.
• This is accomplished with repeated interaction using certain essential attribute such as trust, empathy,
tenderness, concern & non-judgmental attitude.
BASED ON THE LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION
A.) Intrapersonal communication
• It take place within an individual; we may also say it is self-talk.
• It is crucial because it provides a person with an opportunity to assess self or a situation, before acting
on it, ultimately affecting the person behavior.
B.) Interpersonal communication
• It takes place whenever two or more people interact & exchange messages or ideas.
• This is also one of the most common forms of communication in our daily lives.
• Interpersonal communication may further categories into assertive, nonassertive & aggressive
communication.
C.) Transpersonal communication
• It takes place within a person’s spiritual domain.
• The purpose of transpersonal communication is to realize selfhood, enhance spirituality & answer
questions that are spiritual in nature.
D.) Small-group communication
• An example of a small-group communication is when nurse interact with two or more individuals face-
to-face or use a medium (like a conference call).
• Patient care conferences, staff meetings & reports are good examples of small-group communication.
E.) Public communication
• Public is generally defined as a large group of people.
• Communication with such a large group of people is known as public communication.
• Public communication requires essential skills to influence people at large & media material to reach
member of the public clearly & loudly.
F.) Organizational communication
• It takes place when individuals & groups within an organization communicate with each other to
achieve established organizational goals.
BASED ON THE PATTERN OF COMMUNICATION
A.) One-way communication
• It take place when message is delivered to the audience from the communicator only without constant
feedback.
• A common example of one-way communication is lecture delivered in a classroom.
B.) Two-way communication
• It takes place when both the communicator & audience take part in the process.
• The audience may raise questions & add information, ideas & opinions on the subject.
C.) One-to-one communication
• Communication between one sender & one recipient at one time is termed as one-to-one
communication.
• A nurse providing information to a patient is an example of one-to-one communication.
D.) One-to-many communication
• Where one person communicates with many people at the same time, it is termed as one- to-many
communication.
• A nurse providing health education to a community is an example of one-to-many communication.
E.) Many-to-one communication
• Many-to-one communication takes place when several people communicate with one person at the
same time. • A panel of expert taking an interview is an example of many-to-one communication.
BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION
MESSAGE
SENDER BARRIER RECEIVER
FEEDBACK
1.) PHYSICAL BARRIERS
Physical barriers in the workplace include:
● Marked out territories, empires and fiefdoms into which strangers are not allowed.
● Closed office doors, barrier screens, and separate areas for people of different status
● Large working areas or working in one unit that is physically separate from others
Research shows that one of the most important factors in building cohesive teams is proximity (being
close to each other).
As long as people still have a personal space that they can call their own, being close to others aids
communication because it helps people get to know one another.
2.) PERCEPTUAL BARRIERS
● It can be hard to work out how to improve your communication skills.
● The problem with communicating with others is that we all see the world differently.
● several barriers can be identified that inhibit the accuracy of our perception. These barriers are (1)
stereotyping, (2) selective perception, and (3) perceptual defense.
3.) EMOTIONAL BARRIERS
● are the mental walls that keep you from openly communicating your thoughts and feeling to others.
They prevent you from being yourself and living your life to the fullest. Individuals with emotional
barriers tend to be extremely reserved, cautious and insecure.
4.) CULTURAL BARRIERS
● cause behavioral and personality differences like body language, gestures, mindsets, communication,
manners, and norms, which may lead to miscommunication. Eye contact, for example, is very important
in some cultures, but rude and disrespectful in others.
5.) LANGUAGE BARRIERS
● are the most common communication barriers which cause misunderstandings and misinterpretations
between people. Most of the people in the world do not speak English or, even if they use, it is their
second or third language.
6.) GENDER BARRIERS
● it can incite problems at home and in the workplace. Societal stereotypes, assumed gender roles, and
interpersonal differences can contribute to a communication gap between the sexes.
7.) INTERPERSONAL BARRIERS
● The ability to interact with others face-to-face and exchange information clearly through both verbal
and non-verbal messages is the basis for much of our everyday communication.
● An interpersonal barrier is something that prevents an effort to communicate between two or more
people. Stage fright, a language barrier, the state of grieving, and a stroke involving the speech area.
HOW TO OVERCOME BARRIERS IN TOOLS OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATION?
• Taking the receiver more seriously
• Be Brief • Manners
• Crystal clear message
• Using “I” • Be Positive
• Delivering messages skillfully
• Good Listener • Spice up your words
• Focusing on the receiver
• Clarity • Pronunciation
• Using multiple channels to communicate
instead of relying on one channel
SIX “C” OF GIVING GOOD INFORMATION
• Ensuring appropriate feedback
• Clear
• Be aware of your own state of
mind/emotions/attitude • Concrete (Specific)
• Correct
• Complete
• Courteous (Polite and showing respect)
• Concise
POSITIVE PRINCIPLES OF COOPERATIVE COMMUNICATION
1.) Soften the ‘you’s or change that into “I” to avoid sounding pushy
• Instead of : ‘You’ll have to....’, say ‘Could you....’ Or ‘Would you be able to....’
2.) Focus on the solution , not the problem
• Instead of ‘We’re out of milk....’, say ‘I will pop down the shop for some milk’.
3.) Turn cant’s into cans
• Instead of ‘We can’t do that until next week’, say ‘We’ll be able to do that next week’.
4.) Take responsibility – don’t lay blame
• Instead if ‘It’s not my fault’, say ‘Here’s what I can do to fIx that’.
5.) Say what do you want , not what you don’t want
• Instead of ‘Don’t; drive too fast’, say ‘Drive carefully’
6.) Focus on the future , not the past I
• Instead of “I’ve told you before not to......, say ‘From now on.......”
7.) Share information rather than argue or accuse
• Instead of ‘No, you’re wrong’, say ‘I see it like this....’
ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION ASSERTIVE
Verbally Assertive People having or showing a confident and
forceful personality:
• Make statements that are honest, clear, brief, and to the
point
• Use “I” statement: I'd like, I appreciate, I think
• Distinguish between fact and opinion Ask, don't tell
• Offer improvement suggestions, not advice and commands
• Offer constructive criticism, free of blame, assumptions, and ‘should’
• Ask questions to find out the thoughts and feelings of others
• Respect the rights of others as well as their own rights
• Communicate mutual respect where the needs of two people conflict, and look for
mutually acceptable solutions
Non-Verbally Assertive People
• Make appropriate eye contact
• Sit or stand firmly and comfortably erect
• Gesture openly to support their comments
• Speak in a clear, steady, firm tone of voice
• Maintain open, steady, relaxed facial expressions, smiling when pleased, frowning when angry
• Speak a steady, even pace, emphasizing key words, with few awkward hesitations
MANAGE BODY LANGUAGE
• Maintain appropriate eye contact while listening to encourage the speaker; increase eye contact to
apply pressure; reduce it to lower pressure
• Respond appropriately by basing your responses on what the other person has just said
• Be relaxed and balanced to make relaxed and open communication easier
ACTIVE LISTENING
• Giving undivided attention to a speaker in a genuine effort to understand the speaker's point of view
• This involves giving them your full attention and the use of verbal encouragers such as “Yes”, “Aha”
and “Mmm”.
• It also includes non-verbal acknowledgements such as nodding, smiling and body language.
BENEFITS OF ACTIVE LISTENING
• It forces people to listen attentively to others
• It avoids misunderstandings, as people have to confirm that they do really understand what another
person has said
• It tends to open people up, to get them to say more
5 ACTIVE LISTENING SKILLS
1.) Paraphrasing meanings: Translate into your own words what the speaker has said.
2.) Reflecting feelings: when someone is expressing emotion or feelings or looks emotional (upset,
angry, excited), convey your empathy and encourage the speaker to continue.
3.) Reflecting facts: briefly summarize the content, or factual aspects, of what the speaker has said.
4.) Synthesizing: blend several ideas of the speaker into one theme or idea.
5.) Imagining out loud: imagine what it must be like to be in the speaker’s place.
COMMUNICATION FAILURES CAN CAUSE...
• Loss of business
• Mistakes, inefficiencies
• Lowered productivity
• Poor coordination and cooperation
• Damaged personal or company image
• Frustration, hostility
• Dissatisfaction with others
• Loss of team spirit
• High employee turnover
• Conflict and arguments
• Drop in self-esteem and confidence
• Loss of friendship
