COMMUNICATION ABILITIES

COMMUNICATION
ABILITIES
 WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?
• Imparting or exchanging information by
speaking, writing, or using some other medium
and means of sending information, such as
telephone lines or computers.
• It also act or process of using words, sounds,
signs, or behaviors to express or exchange
information or to express your ideas thoughts,
feelings etc. 2
 5 BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION

In many ways, the above quote sums up

effective communication! So what are
some behaviors that get in the way of
communicating effectively with other
people?

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1. JUDGING THE OTHER
PERSON
If you are judging a person while you
are talking to them you could be
criticizing, diagnosing or calling them
names.
An example of criticizing is saying
“Don’t you understand anything?”
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2. Not paying attention to the person
you are talking too.
Examples of this include –

“
playing with your mobile
phone or electronic device, not
listening to the thoughts or
feelings of the person you are
speaking too. Looking away
when the other person is
talking. 5
3. Using technical language

have you ever been at an

event when people are using
acronyms or language
relevant only to their
profession? If so, you know
what I mean!

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4. Giving solution or unwanted
advice
I am not sure of many people
who like to be told what to do!
What about you?

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5. Avoiding the concern of others
In a conversation that is avoiding the
concerns of others, the listener don’t
address the problem(i.e. the individual’s
feelings and concerns are not taken into
account). This can be done in a variety of
ways, including diverting the conversation,
reassuring the person or discounting
the(i.e. yes.. But..)
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9 effective communication skills
Effective communication skills
doesn’t happen overnight, it is a
skill that has to be cultivated
and nurtured. There are some
skills that can be practiced to
build on or develop your
communication skills

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 1. Active listening
Some ways to actively listen include:
listen twice as much as you speak, listen
with your body, be alert and interested
in the other person, refrain from
interrupting and reflecting back what
you have heard. Remember – “the most
basic of all human needs is the need to
understand and be understood. The
best way to understand people is to
listen to them.”-Ralph Nichols
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2. non-verbal communication

We transmit information using words,

gestures and body language, subsequently
active listening also involves non-verbal
communication. Sometimes you can be
unaware of the messages you are sending
none-verbally.

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Examples of none-verbal signs includes
tone of voice, eye contact, facial
expressions, silence and hand, arm and
leg postures. Are you aware of the
signals your non-verbal communication
could be sending?

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 3. Asking questions
When you are in conversation with someone,
asking a questions shows you are interested in
them. There are many types of questions you can
ask including – open (i.e. questions that start
with What and How), closed (i.e. questions that
start with Did, Do, Would, Will, Should, Could,
Have, Must and Is), Specific (i.e. questions that
are specific can start with When, Where, Who,
Which, How much, How many and how often) or
visionary (e.g. what are you dreams).
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4. Being clear and succinct

When you are speaking, be clear, articulate,

and concise. Less is more when it comes to
speaking and speak plain English

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 5. Clarifying and summarizing

To ensure you are hearing correctly you can reflect

back to clarify what you have heard and summarize
what you have heard from the other person. This
shows you are listening to the other person and
also checks you have the message correct that
they are trying to get across

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6.Being empathetic
Having empathy for another person is the
ability to understand and share the
feelings of another. Not sure what I am
talking about – have a look at this beautiful
saying’s “ if we could see inside other
people’s hearts.”

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7. Providing feedback
It doesn’t matter whether you are
giving or receiving feedback, the
feedback process is a vulnerable
place to be. If you are providing
feedback, you may like to use the
engaging feedback checklist that
was developed by Dr. Brené Brown.
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8. Developing the trust and rapport
What is trust for you? How do you build trust with your
friends, family and colleagues? It is about doing what
you say you are going to do and building relationships
on honesty and integrity? How do you build trust in your
relationships? As Ralph Waldo Emerson stated – “The
glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the
kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the
spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you
discover that someone else believes in you and is
willing to trust you with a friendship.
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9. Being present
Being present links to many of the above skills.
Some of the words that relate to being present
include being accepting of the other person you
are communicating with, allowing life to be as it is,
cultivating compassion and having a beginners
mind. Thich Nhat Hanh so eloquently says – “The
most precious gift we can offer others is our
presence. When mindfulness embraces those we
love, they bloom like flowers”
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Thank you and good day!

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