Effective Communication: Verbal and Non-Verbal Techniques, Barriers, and Strategies

1. Lecture#2 Verbal and Non-verbal Communication, Active Listening, Communication Barriers

2. We have discussed…… • Communication is to give signals or messages through sounds, gesture or written symbols • Communication is to Understand intended meaning • Communication is life blood of every organization • It helps you anticipate problems, make decisions, coordinate work flow

3. We have discussed…… • Communicating with culturally diverse Work Force • Organizations make sure that communication inside and outside the company are open, honest and clear • Your communication skills determine your success • Internal communication: Information may travel up, down or across an organization’s formal hierarchy: Upward, downward and horizontal communication • External Communication • Goals of communication • The process of communication • Oral and written medium

4. Verbal 1.Oral 2.Written Non-verbal Sign language Visual sign Audio sign Body-language Verbal and Non-verbal Communication

5. Verbal Techniques: • Active listening • Clarification • Summarization • Allowing Silence • Stating the Obvious • Personalized Statements • "Mind-Reading" (i.e., insight) • Sharing Feelings

6. Barriers to Effective Listening • Physical barriers—hearing disabilities, noisy surroundings • Psychological barriers—tuning out ideas that counter our values • Language problems—unfamiliar or charged words • Nonverbal distractions—clothing, mannerisms, appearance

7. Barriers to Effective Listening • Thought speed—our minds process thoughts faster than speakers express them • Faking attention—pretending to listen • Grandstanding—talking all the time or listening only for the next pause

8. Ten Misconceptions About Listening • Listening is a matter of intelligence. • Fact: Careful listening is a learned behavior. • Speaking is more important than listening in the communication process. • Fact: Speaking and listening are equally important.

9. Ten Misconceptions About Listening • Listening is easy and requires little energy. • Fact: Active listeners undergo the same physiological changes as a person jogging. • Listening and hearing are the same process. • Fact: Listening is a conscious, selective process. Hearing is an involuntary act.

10. Ten Misconceptions About Listening • Speakers are able to command listening. • Fact: Speakers cannot make a person actually listen. • Hearing ability determines listening ability. • Fact: Listening happens mentally—between the ears.

11. Ten Misconceptions About Listening • Speakers are totally responsible for communication success. • Fact: Communication is a two-way street. • Listening is only a matter of understanding a speaker’s words. • Fact: Nonverbal signals also help listeners gain understanding.

12. Ten Misconceptions About Listening • Daily practice eliminates the need for listening training. • Fact: Without effective listening training, most practice merely reinforces negative behaviors. • Competence in listening develops naturally. • Fact: Untrained people listen at only 25 percent efficiency.

13. Tips for Becoming anActive Listener • Stop talking. • Control your surroundings. • Establish a receptive mind-set. • Listen for main points. • Capitalize on lag time. • Listen between the lines.

14. Tips for Becoming anActive Listener • Judge ideas, not appearances. • Hold your fire. • Take selective notes. • Provide feedback.

15. Barriers to effective communication: • Filtering - Intentionally manipulating information. • Selective perception - Selectively seeing and hearing based on one's needs, motivation, experience, background, and other personal characteristics • Emotions - How the receiver feels at the time • Words - Words mean different things to different people (age, education, and cultural background)

16. Barriers to effective communication: • Information overload - Too much information into the brain at one time (Crime scenes-cannot remember what happened) • Nonverbal signs - When nonverbal cues are inconsistent with the oral message, i.e., conflicting signals • Time pressures - Trying to communicate in a short amount of time which results in messages that are abbreviated and the meaning of the message is not fully sent.

17. Overcoming Communication Barriers Communication Barriers between people • Sender & receiver must share similar meanings for words, gestures, tone & other symbols • Differences in Perception • Perception is our individual interpretation of the world around us. • No 2 perceptions of about the world are alike because each mind absorbs experiences in one’s unique/personal way • Perceptual barriers difficult to overcome • Try to predict how your message will be received • Shape the message accordingly • Try not to apply the same solution to every problem, but look for solutions to fit specific problems • Your message should have meaning for audience

18. Overcoming Barriers to Improve Communication • Five important traits of good communicators: • Perception: able to predict how you will receive their message. Anticipate your reaction and shape message accordingly • Precision: They create a “meeting of the minds” • Credibility: they are believable. You have faith in the substance of their message. • Control: they shape your response. Depending on your purpose, they can make you laugh or cry, change you mind or take action • Congeniality: maintain friendly, pleasant relationship with you. Regardless of whether you agree with them, good communicators command your respect & goodwill.

19. Nonverbal Communication • The eyes, face, and body send silent messages. • Eye contact • Facial expression • Posture and gestures • Appearance sends silent messages. • Appearance of business documents • Appearance of people

20. Nonverbal Communication • Time, space, Smell and touch send silent messages • Time (punctuality and structure)- Culturally specific • Space (arrangement of objects)- culture • Silence (privacy zones) • Smell and Touch

21. Tips for Improving Your Nonverbal Skills • Establish and maintain eye contact. • Use posture to show interest. • Improve your decoding skills. • Probe for more information. • Avoid assigning nonverbal meanings out of context.

22. Tips for Improving Your Nonverbal Skills • Associate with people from diverse cultures. • Appreciate the power of appearance. • Observe yourself on videotape. • Enlist friends and family.

23. Culture and Communication Good communication demands special sensitivity and skills when communicators are from different cultures.

24. Recapitulation • Verbal and Non-verbal Communication • Verbal Techniques like active listening, clarification, summarization, allowing silence, stating the obvious and personalized statements are essential for effective communication • Barriers to Effective Listening: Physical barriers, Psychological barriers, Language problems, Thought speed, Faking attention • Ten Misconceptions About Listening • Tips for Becoming an Active Listener

25. Recapitulation • Barriers to effective communication:Filtering, selective perception, emotions, words, information overload, nonverbal signs and time pressures • Overcoming communication barriers: Communication Barriers between people and differences in Perception • Important traits of good communicators: Perception, Precision, Control, Congeniality and goodwill • Nonverbal communication: The eyes, face, and body send silent messages • Tips for improving your nonverbal skills • culture and communication

26. Thank You