communication

1. communication skills a workshop

2. Food for thought When I have talked in anger,And my cheeks were flaming red,I have always uttered something,Which I wish I had not said.

3. What we aim to learn • To understand and appreciate the process of communication as an important constituent of the professional effectiveness • To understand oneself and improve interpersonal skills • Exposure to communication concepts • Diagnose and circumvent barriers to communication • To gain confidence and honing presentation skills

4. introduction (concepts and processes)

5. What is Communication • Communication is an exchange of information from the sender to the receiver with the message being understood as intended by the sender Speaks Writes Acts Draws Sender Idea Encode Words Actions Pictures Numbers Symbols The receiver Decode Idea Listens Reads Observes

6. Three ways to think about communication • Communication as ACTION: the transmission of information from one person to another through the use of symbols and their accompanying meaning. • Communication as INTERACTION: the exchange of information between two (or more) individuals through the symbols and their accompanying meaning. • Communication as MEANING CONSTRUCTION: the process by which two or more individuals arrive at ostensibly shared (or common) meanings or understandings for symbolic actions.

7. Some communication propositions A. Communication occurs through the use of symbols and their accompanying meaning. B. All objects, events, persons, and actions can function as symbols for communication. C. Symbols do not possess inherent and universal meanings. D. Symbols possess objective (physical) properties; but meaning is inherently subjective and can only be inferred from the interpretation of symbols. E. The presumption of intentionality (i.e., conscious and deliberate symbolic action) is a prerequisite for communication.

8. Importance Of Communication • Organizational / Functional: greater information access and awareness • Improves coordination: reduces logical gaps • Encourages cooperation: helps bring everyone in the mainstream • Gives a direction: to tasks and activities • Morale and empowerment

9. ….. Importance Of Communication • Decision making aid • Speeds up the organizational processes • Better focus on customer requirements • Generates a greater sense of organizational commitment and involvement • A problem solving tool: • by clarity, preciseness and feedback

10. Barriers to Communication • A barrier reduces or changes the quality of the message being transmitted • Types : 1. Physical 2. Psychological Poor health Lack of Concentration Sound / noise Attitude and bias Unsuitable temperature Lack of self discipline Distractions Low emotional state

11. How to overcome the barriers • For the sender • Be clear about the message to be • sent • Be precise and to the point • Do not be verbose • Use a language understandable • to the receiver • Write the message if required • Request a feedback to ensure • receipt of message • For the receiver • Be attentive • Concentrate on the message • Ask for clarifications wherever • required • Listen objectively • ‘Listen’ for body • language • Make notes if required

12. Flow of communication At the workplace • Upward From employee to superior • Downward From superiors to the employee • Lateral From one employee to another

13. Communication types • Verbal • Oral - the spoken language • Non verbal • Written • Body language • Expressions - facial, gestures, signs

14. Medium of Communication • Memos • E-mails • Notices • Company circulars • In-house magazines • Oral instructions

15. Gateways to Communication • A barrier removed is a gateway created. • We need to eradicate the ‘neps’ from the ‘fabric’ of our communication by practicing certain things. 1. Creating within one self the need and willingness to understand 2. Making the message appropriate to the receivers frame of reference ( speak the “language” of the listener)

16. ….. Gateways to Communication 3. Ability to describe others behavior without evaluating or interpreting. 4. Ask for feedback from the receiver 5. Reinforce communication by using more than one channel to convey the message (Verbal, written, nonverbal)

17. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 1. Plan your communication • maintain clarity of purpose “why”, • maintain clarity of idea, “what”. 2. Choose the medium • language • style • semantics

18. …. Effective Communication 3. Remove barriers ……. build gatewaysDO’s DON’Ts - seek first to understand - remove all prejudices and then to be understood - overcome any distractions • empathize with other people - reduce length of • values, beliefs, needs & sentiments communication channel - use a common language - clarify ideas before communicating

19. ….. Effective Communication 4. Active Listening • Listen with an open mind • Make an effort to understand • Empathize ……..reflect understanding • Be aware of what is said and what is not said • Don’t jump to conclusions……draw conclusions 5. Feedback • Check for accurate receipt of message • Check action/outcome in relation with the intent of the message. • Improve/alter message, if required.

20. the power of listening

21. Listening : A lost art Why do we not listen? • actions speak louder than words • Seeing is easier than listening • Visual medium is powerful We hear but don’t listen look but don’t see

22. Listening- Interpretation • What the receiver receives may be different from what the sender sends. • What receiver receives depends on • His behavior • Past experiences • His values, motivation, need or his attitude • His world

23. What it takes to be a good listener • Ability to concentrate • genuine desire to understand the other persons point of view • Sensitivity to needs, emotions and body language • Humility: “You might have a point of view and I respect you” • A belief that other people are important and worth listening to.

24. How to be a good listener • Know your power as a listener • Ask questions • Reflect feelings • Let your body give reassuring messages • Know your prejudices • Avoid making snap judgements • Avoid anger

25. The Art of Listening Listening : an important human skill • indispensable for superiors • gets you respect, love and fame • shows that you care for and respect others • not listening could be psychologically upsetting for the other person • you can’t fake listening • the higher you go, the more you have to listen • it is a rare skill

26. The Art of Listening Listening needs an • ability to concentrate • a genuine desire to understand the other persons point of view • sensitivity to needs, emotions and body language • humility - “I am not right alone, you might have a point and I respect you” • a belief that other people are important and worth listening to

27. The Art of Listening Poor Listeners • The fidget : “Why are you telling me ?” • The aggressive listener : tries too hard and as a result scares people. • The pseudo - intellectual : hears only ideas and not the emotions behind them • The passive listener : :I agree with whatever you say” • The inaccurate listener :”I can’t concentrate”

28. The Art of Listening How to be a good listener, Know your power as a listener • Ask questions • Reflect feelings • Let your body give reassuring messages. Nodding, arms apart, legs not crossed, erect forward posture. All these give non-verbal messages that you are listening. • Know your prejudices. You must discount from all those matters towards which you are biased or passionate. • Avoid making snap judgments • Avoid anger. It always gets the better of you.

29. Importance Of Feedback • Feedback is necessary to check the effectiveness of the communication. • Feedback helps reflect upon how well the message has been encoded, transmitted and understood. • Feedback helps make mid-course correction if found required. - in terms of action : changing strategy - in terms of communication : changing message

30. How to take Feedback - ask for it you are the sender or offer it if you are the receiver - observe - evaluate the results achieved as against the objectives set - be objective while giving or receiving it - focus on the task and performance aspects not the individual’s personality

31. organisational communication

32. Official Communication 1. Flow : vertical/horizontal/cross 2. Content : top-down are in the form of orders or directives bottom-up are in the form of feedback or complaints 3. Through a proper channel : Who is the end audience? Who should know first ? What should the network be ? 4. “Information is power”. One who has the authority to communicate is considered powerful.

33. How to write memos that work • Begin with planning. - what are the facts ? - what do they mean ? - what do I do now ? Write short and to the point sentences • Write in the second person • Use memos to summarize group decisions, to list individual assignments and deadlines • Adopt a conversational style • Use the B - E - T method to help strengthen your memos content i.e. - B = Bottom line - E = Evidence - T = tasks Always keep your memos brief and precise

34. Communication Ethics If intimation is power, and if we have information, then we must respect and handle our communication with restraint. Key Points: • maintain confidentiality - confidential information is trust reposed Confidential information is trust betrayed • certain information is `need to know’ - the job demands it, certain information is `desire to know’ - it may help in my job, and certain information is `desirable to know’, it may increase my power, fame and status. • Gossiping or bitching - is like `stabbing in the back’

35. …. Communication Ethics • Ownership of information - Permission of the owner is a must before using it. • Knowledge of information vs. use of information - having information does not mean you can use it. • Communication must flow through a proper channel - cutting across a channels causes heartburns, hurt and misunderstandings • Timing and place - be careful and sensitive to it.

36. Written Communication Written communication as compared to oral communication is at a disadvantage because of the absence of non-verbal gestures, voice variation and physical expressions. This as a result increases the importance of clarity and accuracy of the content of our written message. To have effective written communication, certain steps and guidelines may help.

37. The steps Plan Keep it short and simple Write it Edit your writing (Your communication) (Brevity and precision) (Commit it on paper) (Check for corrections)

38. Steps Step 1. Plan Like nearly any activity, written communication too requires a plan and a structure. Certain thins must be clearly ascertained, like, Sender : From whom is the communication starting ? Receiver : Who is the end receiver/audience of the written communication? Purpose : Why are we making the communication ? What is the expected outcome I.e What do expect the receiver to do ? These questions when answered and related will help us understand and design the path, requirements and the construction of the message.

39. Step 2. Keep it Short & Simple (K.I.S.S.) The Structure of the content of the message must be, • Brief: Brevity and simplicity avoids any confusion in understanding the message. • Specific : Only the issue or matter in question must be addressed. Other unrelated matters must not be included as it might decrease the significance of the main topic. • Sequence:The flow of or written communication must follow a logical and stepwise format.

40. Step 2. Keep it Short & Simple (K.I.S.S.) The Structure of the content of the message must be, • Short Sentences : They facilitate easy and correct understanding of the message. • Simple usable words : Everyday used words maintain the harmony and expression of our communication. • Facts and Figures ; They help to give our communication objectivity. Relying on unclear, subjective assumptions and expectations blurs the message.

41. Meaning of the facts Supporting data and clarification of the facts would help in the clarity of our communication. • Suit it to the audience One message may need different degrees of explanations. This depends on the context, frame of reference and understanding capability of the receiver in question. We must explain and elaborate our message depending on the receiver.

42. Call for action Our written communication should look for expected action to be taken based on it. • Request feedback Our written communication must call for acknowledgment of receipt of information.Supporting the acknowledgment must be specific feedback on how the communication has been understood.

43. Step 3. Write It Once we have done the above, we could proceed to actually writing our communication on paper, bearing a few things in mind. • Double spacing to improve readability,as used on this page. • Use of paragraph to make the communication more logical and understandable. • Neat, uniform handwriting, in case it is not typed or printed.

44. Step 4. Edit your writing Effective editing is another step towards good writing. The key points to remember during editing are, • Edit your draft as brutally as if it was someone else’s copy. • Edit your draft from the readers point of view • Be specially critical of the first few paragraphs

45. Step 4. Edit your writing (cont.) • Look out for problems in any section you wrote when you were bored or tired. • Carefully study the content of your draft details, flow, forgotten points, unrelated issues etc. • Edit for brevity and clarity • Read aloud for style and tone • Edit again

46. Body Language • Interpreting body language is vital in any communication process • Observe the body movements and postures • Match the other person’s language Some interesting interpretations of Rabbits Sniffing: May be annoyed or just talking to you Grunts: Usually angry, watch out or you could get bit! Shrill scream: Hurt or dying Circling your feet: Usually indicates sexual behavior. He/She's in love.

47. Two basic groups of body language • OPEN/CLOSED and • FORWARD/BACK

48. REFLECTIVE LISTENING head tilted lots of eye contact nodding high blink rate EVALUATING sucks glasses/ pencil strokes chin looks up and right legs crossed in 4 pos. (ankle on knee) ATTENTIVE (standing) arms behind back smile open feet FUGITIVE BORED staring into space slumped posture doodling foot tapping LET ME GO feet towards door looking around buttoning jacket REJECTION sitting/moving back arms folded legs crossed 11 pos (thigh on knee) head down frown DEFENSIVE (standing) feet pointing in hands clenched COMBATIVE LET ME SPEAK finger tapping foot tapping staring AGGRESSIVE leaning forwards finger pointing fists clenched DEFIANT (standing) hands on hips frown LYING touches face hand over mouth pulls ear eyes down glances at you shifts in seat looks down and to left RESPONSIVE ENGAGED leaning forward open body open arms open hands EAGER (sprint position) open legs feet under chair on toes leaning forward READY TO AGREE closes papers pen down hands flat on table

49. presentation skills

50. What is a presentation A method of communicating with an audience by explaining or discussing on particular subject(s) aided by different tools Preparing for a presentation • Collect and collate data regarding the subject and related • areas • Speak to experts in that subject for their ideas • Incorporate related practical examples, role plays etc • Identify the target audience • Prepare the transparencies and arrange for the tools/aids • Check for errors and correct them • Practice