Communication
Your ability to communicate is closely tied to your ability to perform effectively, to get the results for which you were hired. The quality of your communication with others will determine the quality of your life as a manager. Formal communication1. Oral 2. Written
Oral Communication
Oral- Face to Face(Words, Speech),
teleconferencing, Public address system and voice mail
Features: Interchange of verbal messages Immediate Natural, Informal Frequently used
Study of Human behavior Life Expectancy-60 years 20 years- Sleeping 70% of our waking time is spent in Communication 45% - Listening - 12.6 years 30% - Speaking - 8.4 years 16% - Reading - 4.5 years 9% - writing - 2.5 years 75% - Listening & Speaking (21years
Effective Oral Communication or Principles of oral Communication
Pronunciation Self Confidence Concise & Complete message Logical Sequence Natural Voice Tone, Rhythm Think interest level of receiver Use polite words and simple words
Effective Oral Communication or principles of oral Communication
Cut out insulting message Use simple language Give full facts & assume nothing Allow time to respond Speak slowly ( 125 words/min.) Be fluent Remember that listener is watching you Pitch of voice should take in to account the distance between the sender and the receiver
Advantages
1. Immediate clarification 2. Speedy 3. Suitable for emergency 4. Less formal & more personal 5. Group communication 6. Effective Impact 7. Helps us to correct our selves 8. Better for conveying feelings
Disadvantages
Lengthy message No records Distortions Speakers effectiveness Limitations of human memory Demands ability to think coherently A word uttered can not be taken back Hard to control voice pitch Very difficult to be conscious of body language
Barriers to Communication
Poor listening Status Halo Effect-The extension of an overall
impression of a person or one particular outstanding trait to influence the total judgement of that person.
Complexes Closed mind Poor retention
Premature evaluation or hurried conclusions Cognitive Dissonance- Listener failing to respond to assumptions underlying the new information because of his unpreparedness to change from old beliefs Slant-Speaking in an oblique manner or in an indirect way or suppressing certain important aspects Abstracting- Selective listening
Need for learning oral commn skills
To help problem solving To resolve conflicts To influence people to work together To persuade others to be involved in organisational goals To be assertive without being aggressive To develop listening skills To be an effective negotiator To make a proposal
Oral communication in practice
A private discussion 2. Conversation over lunch 3. Gossip in the lift 4. Telephone conversation 5. A chance meeting in the corridor 6. Informal gathering of staff 7. Instructing subordinates 8. Dealing with clients 9. Formal meetings 10. Interviews 11. Training sessions 12. Giving presentations 13. Conferences/Seminars/Meetings
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Tips to enhance confidence and develop effective communication channel.
Relationship building activities. Involve employees in the decision making process. Transparency in working. Encourage team decisions Motivate the employees Conduct periodical satisfaction surveys. Set simple goals. Create opportunities for personal growth of employees
Conversation control
Conversation control involves skills of listening and talking in a positive way at an appropriate time. Skills required : 1.Skills of listening 2.reply well 3. Talking at the right time 4. Technique of changing the direction of conversation smoothly 5.The ability to allow a discussion to develop along key issues in an uninterrupted way toward the desired end
6. Ability to notice Cues & clues
Cues are the key words or phrases a person uses in communication to indicate some thing important to him/her. Cues are what we give to others and they indicate what is important in conversation. Oral communication- use words like important, very, essential etc.
7. Ability to interpret signs and symbols Signs- Movement of hands, eyes, gestures, smile
Signals-Behavioral indicators
8.Avoid Parrellel Conversation
Parrellel conversation is not taking the conversation to a meeting point. Mareting manager It is very important to increase the market share to grow. HR manager It is important to appoint the right persons to fill up the vacancies. M.M We can build up the image of the co. by increasing the market share. HRM Talented, skilled employees are the assets of the co. We need to pay well to reduce attrition rate. M.M We need to focus more on sales promotion activity.
9.Reflection and empathy 10.Sense of time as a skill 11.Summarising
It is the process of mental abstraction of the most central and important idea in the entire argument presented by another person.
When conversation control skills are required?
How to sell or buy How to negotiate How to interview How to participate in a meeting How to disagree without being rude How to protest without offending How to compliment/praise How to respond to personal criticism
Applications of conversation Control
Meetings Prepare agenda Circulate agenda papers Ruling of the chair person to be taken as a final word The procedureDiscussion 2. To be assertive without being aggressive 3. Negotiations through Conversation Control
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Two sides of effective communication
Listening 2. Effective presenting Good listeners Poor listeners
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Do not interrupt Remain patient Make eye contact Show interest Look attentive Concentrate Ask open questions
Over-talkative Inattentive Interrupt Impatient to talk Restless Very critical Look away from persons
Effective presenter
Present facts 2. Make eye contact 3. Avoid being vague, unfocused 4. Encourage questions 5. Be Confident 6. Ask for feed back 7. Answer questions honestly 8. Support your argument with suitable examples 9. Keep the listeners interest in mind 10. Keep to the point
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Listening
Listening is receiving message in a thoughtful manner that leads to an understanding of the meaning in the message. Importance The better you listen, the luckier you will get ----Kevin Murphy Good managers have always sought or listened to the opinions of their staff.--Betty Harragon In order to thrive in a competitive ,rapidly changing environment, services employees must learn to listen well----Judi Brown well
1.Most important activity for managers 2. Plays a vital role in the career success Sales manager, HR Manager Seek first to understand than to be understood 3.Remember that misunderstanding are because of poor listening 4.Facilitates free communication 5. Builds trust 6. No listening No learning 7. Interpersonnel influence is accelerated
Types of Listening
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Pretending listening Selective listening Attentive Listening Empathetic listening-Through ears, eyes and heart Intuitive listening- Total detachment from mental talk
Barriers to effective Listening
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Hearing Problems Rapid thoughts Overload of message Egotism Perceptions Faulty assumptions Cultural differences Lack of training
How to make listening effective
1.Stop talking
2.Free your mind from emotions 3.Free your mind from pre-concieved ideas 4.Avoid external distraction 5.Put the speaker at ease. 6.Demonstrate your interest in the talkers speech 7.Be patient and concentrate 8. Suspend your judgement 9.No selective listening 10.Be in the present 11.Have clear mind, heart free from negative emotions like hatred,jealousy,illusions and anger
Non Verbal communication
When we are engaged in lively conversation and
seem to be engrossed in purely verbal communication, we remain ardent body watchers.-Desmond Morris Non-verbal communication is communication without the use of written or spoken words like body movements, voice-patterns gestures and postures etc. Types Kinesics 1. Facial expressions Eye brows raised Sideway glance of eyes
No eye contact Half closed eyes Biting lips Nodding of head 2. Gestures The physical movements of body parts Without gestures, our world would be static and colourless Drivers, policemen Ex. Sitting on the edge of a chair
Pointing fingers Shake hand Frequent shifting of body 3. Postures Standing errect Forward leaning Looking down 4. Appearance Proxemics
Is the study of how we use space around to communicate the message
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Intimate zone-1.5 feet Personal zone- 1.5-4 feet Social-4-12 feet Public-12 feet
3.Paralanguage
Study of voice quality,volume ,speech rate etc. Depth,broken, shaky and flat voice
4. lateral gestures Physical settings Dress
Non Verbal of communication What does it involve?
Written Gestures/signs
sign language Facial expressions Posture/stance Can be interpreted as: friendly /aggressive Interested/bored
Use of eye contact Touch Dress/appearanc e
Uniforms tidiness of appearance Personal space
Why Is non verbal communication important?
It can clarify language with the use of facial expression to emphasise what is being said. It can be used to cover up emotions May be meaningful (touch) Used in place of speech - the eyes particularly show different emotions/feelings Gestures mean different things to people from: Different cultures/ backgrounds, different age/gender
What affects the transmission of communication
Fear/anxiety
patients may not voice their thoughts
Respiratory equipment
E.T tubes/airways
. Speech defects
dysphasia facial injuries/disorders
Anaesthetics Use of masks
Mental state
dementia substance abuse
Patient receiving O2 via a mask Theatre staff using a mask
Age/ Gender
What affects the reception of verbal messages
Background noise Fear/anxiety Hearing problems patient may not be Does the patient wear really be listening or a hearing aid want to hear. Language barriers Impaired understanding Different languages Mental state accents Age use of jargon receptive dysphasia anaesthetic Speed of speech Use of body language Tone of voice
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
(continued)
One expert contends that only 7 percent of the impact of our face-to-face communication comes from the words we utter; the other 93 percent comes from our vocal intonations, facial expressions, posture, and appearance.
Verbal communication
A great deal of our life is taken up with verbal communication. We are often unconsciously influenced by the things around us:
Newspapers. Television, radio,films. Magazines Advertising hoarding The most effective communications are usually face to face and involve:
A sender/speaker A receiver/listener A Purpose/ the reason for the communication.
Forms of communication
Written Or signs Spoken
Visual/gestures
technology
Touch
Non Verbal of communication What does it involve?
Written Gestures/signs
sign language Facial expressions Posture/stance Can be interpreted as: friendly /aggressive Interested/bored
Use of eye contact Touch Dress/appearance
Uniforms tidiness of appearance Personal space
Why Is non verbal communication important?
It can clarify language with the use of facial expression to emphasise what is being said. It can be used to cover up emotions May be meaningful (touch) Used in place of speech - the eyes particularly show different emotions/feelings Gestures mean different things to people from: Different cultures/ backgrounds, different age/gender
What affects the transmission of communication
Fear/anxiety
patients may not voice their thoughts
Respiratory equipment
E.T tubes/airways
. Speech defects
dysphasia facial injuries/disorders
Anaesthetics Use of masks
Mental state
dementia substance abuse
Patient receiving O2 via a mask Theatre staff using a mask
Age/ Gender
What affects the reception of verbal messages
Background noise Hearing problems Does the patient wear a hearing aid Language barriers Different languages accents use of jargon anaesthetic Use of body language
Fear/anxiety patient may not be really be listening or want to hear. Impaired understanding Mental state Age receptive dysphasia Speed of speech Tone of voice
Difficulties with communication
Too much information Too little information interest previous knowledge assumptions incorrect information inability to express oneself. Status of persons involved
Communication skills questioning techniques the use of: closed or open questions, the type of knowledge required , level of disclosure. Gender culture/Background
Communicating with stroke patients
A stroke (CVA) can affect the speech centres of the brain. This can lead to the following communication difficulties:
Receptive dysphasia The person can not receive or make sense of the messages we send as speech. Expressive dysphasia The person can understand the speech to them but cannot find the right words to answer back, they mix up the words I.e. they may say yes instead of no or plate instead of cup.
Communication with stroke patients cont..
Dysarthria poor muscle control/tone leading to difficulty in forming words.
Aphasia The inability to speak Hemienopia
Visual defect causing vision to be reduced by half in each eye.
Paralysis of limbs lead to difficulty or inability to write.
Other conditions affecting communication
Parkinsons Disease This is a neurological disease which leads to difficulty controlling muscle movements which can lead to speech problems. Confusion causes: Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia, acute illness, Infection, medication.
Conductive deafness.
Caused by damage or
obstruction to the structure of the ear.
Sensory neural deafness.
As a person ages the auditory nerve becomes less sensitive to noise. particularly high pitch noises.
Patient/Client needs
Social interaction Information and advice Discussion - diagnosis - treatment - prognosis Exploration of feelings Counselling Reassurance/support Advocacy Survival - Switching off, distancing
Listening
Listening is:
tones Hearing words and seeing non verbal clues perceiving feelings encouraging the speaker
demonstrating you are listening and are interested paraphrasing ask relevant questions
Listening is not:
thinking of something else thinking what you are going to say next trying to get your say, interrupt
Becoming a better listener
Listening involves not only our ears, but our whole bodies. We can communicate to a speaker whether or not we are giving them our full attention. Never talk about yourself or your opinions.Keep Yourself quiet and listen. If you feel it would help to use your voice, Use comments which directly follow from what the speaker is saying.
Communicating skills
Questioning:open,closed,timing,content,level of disclosure. Structure in interactions:- Openings ( often social), sequencing(order of interaction) prompting,understanding hypotheses/educated guess,summarising, closing(sometimes difficult if one does not wish the communication to end)
Communications skills
Adapters: learning to control emotions getting on with others.
Attitude: body movements indicate attitudes, friendly,cold
Voice control tone/pitch,volume,rhythm, hesitation/pauses
Jargon/local phrases or expressions
Communicating
Speak slowly Use simple language One question at a time Give one piece of information at a time Use gestures
Listen and be patient
Encourage other person to: To speak as able Wear visual aids as required Wear hearing aids as required. Reduce distractions/background noise. Do not shout write things down
Proximity/personal space
Proximity( the physical distance between 2 people) Orientation(the physical angle at which one faces another) Movement (influenced by physical setting) informal (status,relationship,age)
Fixed features unmoveable boundaries Semi-fixed distance between people furniture can be moved Territorial fixed feature space used for maintaining/regulating social interactions. Only enter by invitation.
Why do people avoid listening?
In Groups discuss why people avoid listening.
To avoid facing a problem/reality Avoid bad news avoid ideas which contradict their own avoid having to think about too many things at once
SOLER
There are five basic things you can do to let others know we are involved with them/ really listening to them. SOLER S-Face the other person squarely O-Adopt an open posture L-Lean towards the other person E-Maintain good eye contact R- Try to be relaxed
Summary
Communication is: Person to person, group to group. It Conveys: Facts, information, moods, attitudes, feelings, values. It is dependant on: Its context, codes, culture/backgrounds, responses and cooperation
Communication aims to: Place the client /patient in the centre Give information/explanations provide social interaction Remove fears/provide support Remove feelings of isolation encourage and motivate prevent /deal with aggression prevent misunderstandings
