Communication

Skills
 Objectives
By the end of the session, participants will know
1. What is communication
2. Why it is so important
3. How Communication Model works
4. Tips for sender / Receiver
5. Tips for Giving Feedback
 3

In the Beginning...

• There was a chaos...

 4

In the Beginning...

• Projects were like a battlefield

 5

A lot of work was

being done...
But it was
not always
productive
Fundamentals
 Communication
The process by which a
person, group, or
organization (the sender)
transmits information (the
message) to another person,
group, or organization (the
receiver)

© Copyright 2003, Prentice Hall 7

 Major types of Communication

1. Verbal
2. Nonverbal
3. Written
 Verbal
• Communicating using language, a structured system
of sounds that is used and understood to express
ideas among people.
– Verbal communication includes… volume level, tone, etc.
 Listening Skills
• Listening is not a “passive” skill but a
“receptive” skill. It requires as much attention
and mental activity as speaking.
• That of the time an individual is engaged in
communication, approximately 9 % is devoted
to writing, 16 % to reading, 30 % to speaking,
and 45 % to listening.
 Nonverbal
• What percent of how we communicate
with others is through nonverbal
communication (facial expressions, body
language)?

70%
Why is nonverbal communication so
important?

Nonverbal is the first thing

our mind reads before a
word is even spoken.
Purposes of Communication
 To support decision
 To achieve coordinated action
 To share information
 To develop friendships
 To build your personality in
others mind

© Copyright 2003, Prentice Hall 14

The Model
 Communication Concepts
1- Encoding: process where idea is transformed so that it
can be transmitted to a receiver (e.g., a written or spoken
message).
2- Communication Channels: pathways over which
messages are transmitted (e.g., telephone lines, mail).
3- Decoding: process by which a receiver of messages
transforms them back into the sender’s ideas.
4- Feedback: the impact of messages on receivers.
5- Noise: Factors capable of distorting the clarity of
messages at any point during the communication
process.
© Copyright 2003, Prentice
16
Hall
 The Communication Process
Communication
Channel

Encoding
Feed Back Decoding

17
 The Impact of the Number of People on
Communications Channels

Copyright Course Technology

18
1999
Sender
Professional Communication Skills
• There are three
major types of
speech:
1. To inform,
2. to persuade,
3. or to entertain
Tips for Sender
• Know Your Audience
(Audience Anyone who
receives information)
• Who are they? What do
they know? What do
they want to learn from
you?
 Tips for Sender
• Select your Subject (The main
topic or key idea)
– How does my subject relate to my
listeners needs?
– What is my most important point?
– How can I make this point clearly?
– What facts and examples can I use?
 Professional Communication Skills
Four Patterns to organize
a structured message
1. Enumeration- Listing
several items in order
2. Generalization with
Example- Use “for
instance” and “for
example”
Professional Communication Skills
3- Cause and Effect-
“Therefore,”
“Consequently,” and “As a
result”
4- Compare and Contrast-
“However,”
“Nevertheless,” and “On
the other hand”
 Tips for Sender
• Your delivery, attitude,
and style are just as
important as your
message
• Pitch or loudness of
your voice
• Inflection can change
meaning of the
message
Professional Communication Skills

• Make emotional
contacts, address
people by name, use
eye contact
• Use posture and body
language that match
the message
• Avoid the “umm’s”
and “uhhh’s”
 Communication Skills
• Using Your Voice
• Pleasant, Not too high
or low, Loudly not
booming
• Variations of speed and
loudness will help your
message be
entertaining
Ladder of Powerful Speaking
For example, if I loan you the money,
will you pay it back?
I should pay it back.
I might pay it back.
I want to pay it back.
I intend to pay it back.
I promise to pay it back.
Be Aware of Negative Self-Talk. Do You
Recognize any of These?
• I have to be perfect
• I need the approval of everyone
• That’s always the way it is.
• I’m helpless in this situation.
• If something bad can happen, it will
happen.
Barriers to Communication
 Barriers to Communication (1)
Interruptions and
distractions (Door ?
Cell phone)
her body language
his body
language
 Barriers to Communication (2)
Other barriers include:
• Talking too much, not giving speaker time to express him or
herself
• Being critical and/or judgmental
• Laughing at or humiliating
• Contradicting or arguing with speaker
• Being disrespectful of speaker beliefs, way of life
• Lack of trust
Receiver
How to Be a Good Listener
Let the guy talk. Talking helps to
clarify thinking.
Talk Less
 Minimize Distractions
• Give attention.
• Focus on being a good listener.
 Don’t Judge Too Soon
• Understand first and then evaluate.
• Put aside your mindset to hear and
understand.
Listen for the Main Point
Ask Questions
Feed Back
 Feedback.. WHY
• Speakers often:
– Say one thing and mean another.
– Say something and not mean it.
– Speak in a way that causes confusion.
 Feedback: Basic (1)
• Ask permission or identify that you are giving
feedback.
• Examples:
– “Can I give you some feedback on that follow-up
patient visit?”
– “I’d like to provide some feedback on what I
observed during my visit today.”
 Feedback: Principles (2)
Give feedback in a “feedback sandwich”

1) Start with a
positive
observation

2) Provide a
suggestion for
improvement

3) Finish
with a
second
positive
observation
 Feedback: Principles (3)
• Don’t be judgmental or use labels:
– Avoid words like “lazy,” “careless,” or
“forgetful”
• Don’t exaggerate or generalize:
– Avoid terms such as, “you always,” or
“you never”
Don’t minimize the situation. It’s only
a _____.
 The Language of Responsibility. “I”
and “You” Statements.

• You accept responsibility

for yourself.
 “You” statements:

• Language of blame.
• Underestimating.
• Cause negative emotions.
• Escalate the situation.
 “I” Statement:
Instead of: You must be crazy.

I don’t understand.
 How to Feedback
• Restate what has been said
• Ask for clarification
• Reword the message to check understanding
• Use your own words to rephrase the message
to check understanding
Thank you