Capacity Development

Program
for CSOs in Local
Development Councils
MODULE 4

2
 What are Soft Skills?
• Interpersonal skills that help people get along
with each other and collaborate
• These include communication skills,
adaptability, teamwork, problem-solving,
patience, time management, negotiation
skills, and empathy.

https://www.edgepointlearning.com/blog/hard-skills-vs-soft-skills/
 Essential Skills

An essential skill is a necessary

developed ability or capacity
acquired through deliberate,
systematic, and sustained
efforts to smoothly and
adaptively carryout complex
activities or job functions
involving ideas, things, and/or
people.
https://skillscanada.bc.ca/resources/essential-skills/#:~:text=What%20is%20an%20Essential%20Skill,things%2C%20and%2For%20people.
 Why are Soft Skills Important?
• To be effective in the LDC, CSO representatives should
not only be to work well with the rest of the council
knowledgeable regarding LDC operations, but should
also be able
• The other council members represent different sectors
(e.g. elected officials, other sectors in society, local
government staff, others) and have different interests
and personalities
 Why are Soft Skills Important?
• Some observations of CSO representatives in the
LDC is that they are either too assertive or too
timid
• The following sessions on communication and
negotiation skills are aimed at addressing these
concerns.
 Why are Soft Skills Important?
Some top soft skills are:

Soft skills are an essential part 1. Negotiating

of improving one’s ability to 2. Customer service
work with others and can have 3. Networking
a positive influence on 4. Presentation
furthering your career.
5. Conflict resolution
6. Communication effectiveness

7. Teamwork
8. Problem-solving

9. Working under pressure

https://www.mbopartners.com/blog/how-manage-small-business/why-are-soft-skills-important/#:~:text=Soft%20skills%20are%20an%20essential,%2C%20attract%2C%20and%20retain%20clients.
SESSION 1:
 Session Objectives
At the end of the session, the participants will be able to:

1. Describe the communication process

2. Identify/recognize active listening techniques

3.Practice giving assertive feedback

Sounds Familliar Ba Ito sa Inyo?

Read the following cartoon clips

 What is Communication?
Communication is the transmission of information from
one person/group to another person/group.

Communication is sharing of meaning, transmission of

stimuli usually symbols, passing of information, and a
process of influencing each communication participant
(Black and Bryant, 1992; Ongkiko and Floor, 2006).
 “Communications” and “communication” are
not the same thing.
The plural form refers mainly to activities and products,
including information technologies, media products, and
services (the Internet, satellites, broadcasts, and so forth).
The singular form, on the other hand, usually refers to the
process of communication, emphasizing its dialogical and
analytical functions rather than its informative nature and
media products.
This distinction is significant at the theoretical, methodological,
and operational levels.
Paolo Mefalopulos, 2008
 Communication Process

SMCRE Model of Communication by David K. Berlo, 1961

 Elements of the Communication Process
Source refers to a person or a group of persons “with a
purpose, a reason for engaging in communication” (Berlo, 1961).
The source initiates the communication process. In some models
of communication, the source is also referred to as the encoder,
sender, information source, or communicator.
The receiver is the person or group of persons at the other end
of the communication process. He/she is the target of
communication (Berlo, 1961). The receiver listens when the
source talks; the receiver reads what the source writes.
(Ongkiko and Floor, 2006)
Elements of the Communication Process
A source must have something to transmit. His or her purpose is
expressed in the form of a message. The message may be an
idea, purpose, or intention that has been translated into a code
or a systematic set of symbols (Berlo, 1961).
Berlo asserted that no other word in communication theory has
been so much used and abused as the word channel. He
explained that the channel has three major meanings:
1. modes of encoding and decoding messages;
2. message vehicles; and
3. vehicle carriers.
(Ongkiko and Floor, 2006)
Elements of the Communication Process
The effect is the outcome of a communication or the response of the
receiver to the message of the source. Often, it is the desired outcome
of the source. Sometimes, the effect is not the desired outcome—but
it is an outcome, nevertheless.
In some models of communication, another element–feedback is
introduced. Berlo (1960) explained, “when an individual communicates
with himself, the messages he encodes are fed back into his system
by his decoder.” This is feedback. In human communication, we
constantly seek feedback. Thus, we check on our communication, on
our messages, on what our receivers understand of our message. A
communication response is a feedback to both source and receiver
(Ongkiko and Floor, 2006)
Rogers and Kincaid Model (1981)

Rogers and Kincaid, 1981

 Communication Process
Message Noise Message

Sender Channel Receiver

(Encoder) (Decoder)

Feedback

Encoding, or when Decoding, or when

receiving feedback Transmitting giving feedback
decoding encoding
 Psychological Noise or Barrier
There are various mental and
psychological issues that may
be barriers to effective
communication.Some people have
stage fear, speech disorders,
phobia, depression etc. All of
these conditions are very difficult
to manage sometimes and will
most certainly limit the ease of
communication.

https://www.toppr.com/guides/business-correspondence-and-reporting/communication/barriers-in-communication/
 Physical Noise or Barrier
They are the most obvious barriers
to effective communication. These
barriers are mostly easily
removable in principle at least.
They include barriers like noise,
closed doors, faulty equipment
used for communication, closed
cabins, etc. Sometimes, in a large
office, the physical separation
between various employees
combined with faulty equipment
may result in severe barriers to
effective communication.
https://www.toppr.com/guides/business-correspondence-and-reporting/communication/barriers-in-communication/
 Physiological Noise or Barrier
Certain disorders or diseases or
other limitations could also
prevent effective communication
between the various channels of
an organization. The shrillness
of voice, dyslexia, etc are some
examples of physiological
barriers to effective
communication. However, these
are not crucial because they can
easily be compensated and
removed.

https://www.toppr.com/guides/business-correspondence-and-reporting/communication/barriers-in-communication/
 Semantic Noise or Barrier
Semantic Noise” is a concept
that enables us to treat writing
faults as elements in
communication systems, that
enables the quantifying of these
faults, and that can replace
imprecise terms such as
“engineeringese,” “educanto,”
and “gobbledygook.” (John A.
Brogan, 1974).
 Channels of Communication
• Verbal (Oral)
• Non-Verbal
• Written
• Electronic
The channel or medium used to communicate a message affects
how the audience will receive the message.
Active Listening
 What is Listening?

The act of fully hearing and comprehending

the meaning of what someone else is saying.
 Active Listening

• Active
listening means we listen to both
content and feelings

[Show participants this video]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzsVh8YwZEQ
 Active Listening

• Active
listening means we listen to both
content and feelings

[Show participants this video]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzsVh8YwZEQ
 Active versus Passive Listening
Active Listening
• You focus your attention to fully understand and comprehend
what someone is saying.
• Feedback is given either intermittently or when the person
speaking is done talking.

Passive Listening
• Hearing something or someone without giving it your full
attention
• Little or no feedback is given
 5 Active Listening Techniques
1. Pay attention
2. Show that you are listening
3. Give feedback
4. Defer judgment
5. Respond appropriately

https://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/ActiveListening.htm
 Active Listening Techniques
1. Pay Attention

Give the speaker your undivided attention and acknowledge the

message. Recognize that non-verbal communication also "speaks"
loudly.
• Look at the speaker directly
• Put aside distracting thoughts
• Don't mentally prepare a rebuttal
• Avoid being distracted by environmental factors (ex: side
conversations)
• "Listen" to the speaker's body language
• body language is the unspoken element of communication that we
use to reveal our true feelings and emotions.
Active Listening Techniques
2. Show That You're Listening

• Nod occasionally
• Smile and use other facial expressions
• Make sure that your posture is open and interested
• Encourage the speaker to continue with small
verbal comments like yes, and "uh huh"
 Active Listening Techniques
3. Give Feedback

• Reflect on what has been said by paraphrasing. "What

I'm hearing is... ," and "Sounds like you are saying...
," are great ways to reflect back.
• Ask questions to clarify certain points. "What do you
mean when you say... ." "Is this what you mean?"
• Summarize the speaker's comments periodically.

44
Active Listening Techniques

4. Defer Judgment

• Allow the speaker to finish each point before

asking questions.

• Don't interrupt with counter arguments.

45
Active Listening Techniques
5. Respond Appropriately

• Be candid, open and honest in your response.

• Assert your opinions respectfully.

• Treat the other person in a way that you think

they would want to be treated.
46
Video Activity
Instruction
• Facilitator
will show the participants short
video clips illustrating active and passive
listening

• Participants will assess the video clips

Assertive Communication
 Assertive Communication
• Assertive communication is the ability to express
positive and negative ideas and feelings in an open,
honest and direct way.
• It recognizes our rights while still respecting the rights
of others.
• It allows us to take responsibility for ourselves and our
actions without judging or blaming other people.
• And it allows us to constructively confront and find a
mutually satisfying solution where conflict exists.
 Types of Communication Style
Assertive Communication
• Direct, honest, accepting, responsible, and spontaneous
As opposed to:
Direct Aggression
• Bossy, arrogant, bulldozing, intolerant, opinionated, and
overbearing
Indirect Aggression (Passive-Aggressive)
• Sarcastic, deceiving, ambiguous, insinuating, manipulative, and
guilt-inducing
Submissive (Passive)
• Wailing, moaning, helpless, passive, indecisive, and apologetic
 Feedback in Communication
• Feedback refers to the response or reaction of the
receiver to the sender’s message

• Feedback is the last step in the communication process.

It is the essence of communication

• Without feedback from the receiver, the communication

process remains incomplete
 Types of Feedback
• Verbal

• Non-Verbal

• Written (manual, electronic, etc)

 Non- Verbal Feedback

• Facial expressions
• Gestures Physical distance between the sender and the receiver
• Tone of voice a. Public distance zone (3.5 - 7.5 m)
b. Social distance zone (1.5 – 3.4 m)
• Body movements c. Personal distance zone (0.5 – 1.4m)
• Posture d. Intimacy zone (less than .5m)
• Touching
 How to use assertive communication
when giving feedback
Communicate:
• Behavior (what I see/I hear)
• Situation (when and where it occurred)
• Impact (effect on me, task or group if behavior continues)
Example:
“It’s clear you’re excited about your project idea. But during
meetings, when you get excited, you don’t leave room for others
to bring their ideas to the table.”
 Activity for Effective Communication:
Dialogue – Roll out of COVID19 Vaccination
Program
1. Participants will be grouped into 3 and each one takes on a role.
2. Roles – (1) Talker/Giver, (2) Listener/Receiver, (3) Observer
3. For 5 minutes: Talker expounds on his/her problems with the rollout.
4. Listener responds however he/she likes.
5. Observer takes note of 2 points he/she thinks are evidence of active
listening and/or assertive feedback. These points will be posted
during the plenary session.
6. Participants will be given 15 minutes for the role playing.
SESSION 2:
Session Objectives
At the end of the session, the participants will be able to:

1. Cite key principles of principled negotiations

2. Identify effective and ineffective negotiation

approaches
What is Negotiation?
Negotiation is….

• A proactive and deliberate process

• A method for people to settle differences

• A process by which compromise or agreement is

reached

https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/negotiation.html
Positional Bargaining vs. Principled Negotiation

Principled Negotiation
• Interest-based approach to negotiation
• Focused primarily on finding a “win-win”
outcome
Positional Bargaining
• Adversarial
• Negotiators see the process as a “win-lose”
 Principled Negotiation
• Principled Negotiation is interest-based - the
negotiators recognize the real interests of their side
as well as the other.
• Principled negotiation operates under the
assumption that the two parties are interested in
maintaining a business relationship after the deal is
done.
• Both parties invest for mutual gain (WIN-WIN
outcome)
 Four Principles of Negotiation

• Separate the People from the Problem

• Focus on Interests not positions

• Create Options for mutual gain

• Insist on using objective Criteria

Separate the People from the Problem

• Because people tend to become personally involved

with the issues and their respective position, they
may feel that resistance to their position is a personal
attack.
• Separating yourself and your ego from the issues
allows you to address the problem without damaging
relationships. It will also allow you to get a clearer
view of the substance of the conflict.
 2. Focus on Interests not Positions
• When a problem is defined in terms of the parties underlying interests,
it is often possible to find a solution that satisfies both parties.
• To identify, understand, and deal with both parties' underlying
interests, it is important to:
• Ask why the party holds a particular position as opposed to other
possible positions.
• Explain your interests clearly.
• Discuss these interests together with the intention of reaching the
desired solution, rather than focusing on past events.
• Focus clearly on your interests, but remain open to different
proposals and positions.
3. Create Options for Mutual Gain
• Brainstorm for all possible solutions to the problem.
• Focus on shared interests, and when the parties' interests
differ, seek options whereby those differences can be made
compatible or even complementary.
• Make proposals that are appealing to the other side and
which the other side would ultimately find ease in
agreement.
• Identify the decision makers and target proposals directly
toward them.
 4. Insist on Using Objective Criteria
Three points to keep in mind when using objective
criteria:
• Frame each issue as a joint search for objective criteria. Clarify the
reasons behind the other party's suggestions.
• Reason as to which standards are most appropriate and how they
should be applied; keep an open mind.
• Never yield to pressure, threats, or bribes – only to principles.
When the other party refuses to be reasonable, shift the
discussion from a search for substantive criteria to a search for
procedural criteria.
What if an agreement cannot be
reached?
 Identifying Options and
Alternatives
• ALTERNATIVES are possible solutions outside the
existing negotiation. They are often referred to as
FALLBACK SOLUTIONS.

• During the negotiation, it is prudent to always have a

very strong BEST ALTERNATIVE TO A NEGOTIATED
AGREEMENT (BATNA) on hand in case the negotiation
breaks down or fails.
 BATNA:
BEST ALTERNATIVE TO A NEGOTIATED
AGREEMENT
• Conceived by Roger Fisher and William Ury in 1981

• BATNA is the best you can do if the other person refuses to

negotiate

• BATNAs are critical to negotiation because you cannot make a

wise decision about whether to accept a negotiated agreement
unless you know what your alternatives are.
 BATNA:
BEST ALTERNATIVE TO A NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT

• BATNA is a negotiation tool which outlines the course of

action to be taken when negotiations fail and no agreement
is concluded between parties.

• The analysis will aid your negotiation as it will help you

understand the best-case scenario and the worst-case
scenario.
 BATNA:
BEST ALTERNATIVE TO A NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT
• Generally, if the present deal is not as good as the BATNA, it
wouldn’t be advisable to accept it.

• Example of a BATNA:

You want to buy meat. The vendor is selling it at P150.00/kilo.

However, you know that another vendor is selling it at
P140.00/kilo. You can then use this information to bargain for
a lower price. In this case, you are able to take advantage of
your BATNA by using it to get a cheaper rate.
 Determining your BATNA
To determine your BATNA, Fisher and Ury sketched out a basic
process that can be used:

1. Create a list of steps and actions that can be taken if no

agreement is reached.
2. Develop the ideas which have more potential so that they
become practically viable options.
3. Select the options which seem to be the best.
 Exercise
• Scenario: Commercial fishing in the municipal waters
• Vice Mayor: “We cannot ban commercial fishing in our municipal
waters because they help us raise our revenues.”
• Small Fishers Organization: “You have to ban commercial fishing
in the municipal waters because it affects our fish catch and
destroys our coral reefs.”
1. Give two groups some time to prepare: Group of fishers’
organization, and group of Vice-Mayor and Sangguniang Bayan
2. Let other participants fill up their Observation Guide.
3. Role play the conflict and negotiation. One or both groups can
decide how to conclude the play.
End of Session