Communication skills

1. Communication Skills

2. COMMUNICATION?

3.  Communication – a process through
which we convey a thought or
feeling to someone else.
 How it is received depends on a set
of events, stimuli which that person
is exposed to.
Communication

4. Shannon Weaver Model of Communication
SOURCE ENCODER DECODER
RECEIVE
R

5. Bottom-up processing: the brain
doesn’t recognize objects directly.
It Looks for features that operate
independently from each other
and parallel.
Top-down processing: providing
the mental networks that organize
information into patterns and give
it meaning.
Understanding how we understand

7.  The individual who initiates a
message in the conversation
Source

8. Decoder - language
used to understand by
the receiver
Encoder – Language
used to speak by the
speaker
Encoder-Decoder

9. A discrete unit
of communication intended
by the source for
consumption by some
recipient or group of
recipients
Message

10. Communication channels are often considered from
the standpoint of the degree to which a channel is
able to convey the amount of information
transmitted in face-to-face communication
Channel

11. The listener, reader, or
observer in the communication
process.
Receiver

12. Communication is a series of:
Hearing
Smell
Seeing
Taste
Touch

13. Oral
Written
Non-Verbal
Verbal
Types of Communication

14. WHY DO WE COMMUNICATE?

15.  We Communicate to express our thoughts and emotions.
 We communicate with our life partners, our family, our friends
and also with complete strangers we come across in our daily
life.

16. Etiquettes for Communication
Etiquettes for
verbal
communication
Clarity of
Speech
Remaining
Calm
Focused
Being polite

17. TOTAL COMMUNICATION PROCESS IN A DAY
16%
9%
30%
45%
Reading
writing
Speaking
Listening

18. Connecting with
others
Sharing
information
Giving advice Teaching
Consulting Learning Sharing Values
Expressing our
creativity
Networking with
people with
common interests

19. Conversation
 Conversation is our primary management tool.
 We converse to build relationships with colleagues and friends.
 We converse to solve problems.
 We influence other by holding conversations with them

20. Context Relationship
Structure Behavior
Why do conversations go wrong?

21. Clarify
your
objective
Structure
your
thinking
Manage
your time
Find
common
ground
Move
beyond
argument
Summariz
e often
Use
visuals
7 Ways to improve your conversation

22. 5 Wives and a Husband
HOW
WHO
WHAT
WHEN
WHERE
WHY

23. LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION
• Intra verbal: intonation of
word and sound
• Extra verbal: implication of
words and phrases,
semantics
Verbal
• Gestures
• Postures
• Movements
Non-Verbal

24. Verbal Communication

25.  Verbal communication is an act of conveying messages, ideas,
or feelings through the use of mouth.
Verbal communication

26. Verbal Communication Techniques
VERBAL
COMMUNICATION
Speak
clearly
Make eye
contact
Listen
carefully
Use the
appropriat
e non-
verbal
cues
Use
language
appropriate
to the level
of
‘audience’
Remember
to pause for
breath

27. Paraverbal Communication

28. What is Paraverbal Communication?

29. However, if you
stress the word
likes,
“Cynthia likes
you”, the
message comes
out, “Whatever
made you think
she didn’t?”

30. Power of Pitch
Pitch can be most simply defined as
the key of your voice.
A high pitch is often interpreted as
anxious or upset. A low pitch sounds
more serious and authoritative.

31. Some Points to Remember about Paraverbal Communication
When we are
bored or feeling
down, our speech
tends to slow and
take on a
monotone quality.
When we are
feeling
defensive, our
speech is
often abrupt.

32. Tips to improve Paraverbal skills
 Try lowering the pitch of your voice a bit.
 Smile! This will warm up anyone’s voice.
 Sit up straight and listen.
 Monitor your inner monologue. Negative thinking will seep into
the tone of your voice.

33.  Communication barriers consists of sender,
message, channel, receiver, feedback and
context and have the potential to create
misunderstanding and confusion.
Barriers to EFFECTIVE Communication

34. What barriers do you face in your work??

35. Take the receiver more seriously
Crystal clear message
Deliver messages skillfully
Focus on the receiver
Use multiple channels to
communicate instead of relying on
one channel
Ensure appropriate feedback
Be aware of your own state of
mind/emotions/attitude
Tips to overcome barriers..

36. Non-Verbal Communication

37. NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Nonverbal communication process of communication through
sending and receiving wordless (mostly visual) cues between
people.

38. Categories of Non-Verbal Communication
Nonverbal messages
produced by the body
Nonverbal messages
produced by the broad
setting - Time, Space,
Silence

39. Time
• To Some extent, reflection will reveal how time communicates. If you arrive 5 minutes late for
an important appointment and offer no apology, you send a certain message about yourself.
Space
• Personal space is that area you occupy and call your own. As the owner of this area, you
usually decide who may enter and who may not. There are 4 categories that demonstrate how
space can communicate – intimate space, personal space, social space and public space
Silence
• By using silence at strategic times, you can sometimes get your decoder to reveal certain
feelings and attitudes that may be hindering effective communication.
Nonverbal Messages Produced by the Broad
Setting

40. Non- Verbal Communication
Eye contact
Body posture
Distance contact
Intonation
Touch
Sounds
(paralanguage
)
Volume
Vocal tone
Gestures
Facial
expressions
Non-verbal Techniques

41. Communication styles – does it work for
you?

42.  Reserved – the keeping of ones feelings, thoughts, or affairs to
oneself
 Direct – very straight forward, to the point
 Indirect – insinuate their point indirectly, instead of stating it
boldly or to the point
 Open – having no closing or confining barrier
What is your communication style?

43.  Good communication skills require a high
level of self-awareness.
 By becoming more aware of how others
perceive you, you can adapt more readily
to their styles of communicating
 There are 3 basic communications styles:
Passive, Assertive, Aggressive
Communication styles

44. Basics of Effective Communication
 It matters not so much what you say as it does how you say it.
 Your communication style is a SET of various behaviors and
methods of relaying information that impact all facets of life.
 The goal should always be to understand – not to be right.

45. Passive
 Failing to stand up adequately for your rights.
 Hesitates, apologizes, gives in or says nothing.
 Makes little eye contact, frowns.
 Speaks in a shy or timid voice, or mumbles.
 Passive people are referred to as “people
pleasers”
Styles of communication

46. Aggressive
 defined as establishing one’s rights in a
way that violates or ignores the rights of
others
 Interrupts, exaggerates, blames, makes
demands; uses sarcasm.
 Makes glaring eye contact.
 Yells, swears, calls names, clenches fist.
 Ignores feelings of others.

47. Assertive
 Standing up for your own rights without
dismissing on the rights of others.
 Putting your own views and stating clearly
and honestly what you want
 Speaks clearly and firmly using statements.
 Shows respect for self and for others.
 Makes steady eye contact.
 Uses an upright confident body posture and
a pleasant, firm voice.

48. Basics of Effective Communication,
cont.
 Get the facts before you pass judgment. Some styles lend
themselves better to this than others.
 Learning all communication styles is important in order to avoid
communicating in less effective ways and in order to recognize
those styles in others so as to be able to deal with them.
 People are not difficult. They only seem difficult to the extent
that we do not have the skills to deal with what they bring to
the table. It is our lack of knowledge that makes the situation
difficult.

49. Which is the Best Style?
 All styles have their proper place and use.
 Assertive communication is the healthiest.
 Boundaries of all parties are respected.
 Easier to problem-solve; fewer emotional outbursts.
 It requires skills, as well as lots of practice and hard work.
 When both parties do it, no one is hurt in any way and all parties win
on some level.

50. Passive Communication
 Allowing our own rights to be violated by failing to express our
honest feelings.
 The goal of being a passive communicator is to avoid conflict
no matter what.
 Little risk involved – very safe.
 Little eye contact, often defers to others’ opinions, usually quiet
tone, may suddenly explode after being passive too long.

51. Examples of Passive Communication
 “I don’t know.”
 “Whatever you think.”
 “You have more experience than I. You decide.”
 “I’ll go with whatever the group decides.”
 “I don’t care. It doesn’t matter to me.”
 “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

52. Aggressive Communication
 Protecting one’s own rights at the expense of others’ rights –
no exceptions.
 The goal of the aggressor is to win at all costs; to be right.
 Does not consider actions a risk because this person thinks
they will always get their way. It is risky in terms of
relationships, however.
 Eye contact is angry and intimidating; lots of energy; loud and
belittling; never defers to others, or at least does not admit to;
manipulative and controlling.

53. Examples of Aggressive Communication
 “I don’t know why you can’t see that this is the right way to do
it.”
 “It’s going to be my way or not at all.”
 “You’re just stupid if you think that will work.”
 “Who cares what you feel. We’re talking about making things
work here.”

54. Assertive Communication
 Protecting your own rights without violating the rights of others.
 The goal of the assertive person is to communicate with
respect and to understand each other; to find a solution to the
problem.
 Takes a risk with others in the short run, but in the long run
relationships are much stronger.
 Eye contact maintained; listens and validates others; confident
and strong, yet also flexible; objective and unemotional;
presents wishes clearly and respectfully.

55. Examples of Assertive Communication
 “So what you’re saying is. . . .”
 “I can see that this is important to you, and it is also important
to me. Perhaps we can talk more respectfully and try to solve
the problem.”
 “I think. . . I feel. . . I believe that. . . .”
 “I would appreciate it if you. . .”