Creating a Communicative Workplace:

The Nitty-Gritty

novelbrandCOMMUNICATIONS© 2009 NovelBrand Communications. All rights reserved.

How important are my communications skills to my career?

Studies show that successful employees in large organizations:

• Display effective communication skills, both written and oral

• Are able to work well with others(University of Pittsburgh - Katz Business School)

Introduction

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How do employees’ communications skills affect the workplace?

Introduction

• 70% of employees spend 17.5 hours per week addressing communication “pain points”

• In organizations with 20+ employees, time spent dealing with communication issues was 50% higher on average.

(Siemens Enterprise Communications): !

Introduction

Intra-personal

Non-verbal

Inter-personal

Project/Team

Become an asset to your organization by improving four areas of communication skills essential to career (and personal!) success:

Intra-personal

Start with the person in the mirror (you are what you think)

Intra-personalINTRA-PERSONAL COMMUNICATION is the conversation you have with yourself, about yourself and others.

• Formed by early experiences

• Indicative of self-image

• Can be self-fulfilling

• Can be self-sabotaging

CAN BE TRANSFORMED!

Intra-personal• You can enhance your intra-personal communication skills

• First, recognize/identify them

• Metacognition: think about what you are thinking about, in the present

• Examine, monitor, change!

• Self-monitoring

• Dreambook; journaling

•Affirmations table

Nonverbal“What you do speaks so loud that

I cannot hear what you say.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

NonverbalNONVERBAL COMMUNICATION is the messages we send and receive – consciously and subconsciously –without words.

• We use nonverbal communications consciously and subconsciously

• Studies have found that 55% of meaning is in visual message; 38% is paralinguistic (how spoken).

• Only 7% based on words used!

NonverbalTypes of Nonverbal communication:

• Appearance: presentation

• Paralanguage: how you say it

• Kinesics: body language

• Chronemics: time

• Proxemics: space

• Olfactory: smell

• Haptics: touch

Inter-personal

Collaboration is key to success.

Inter-personal• Communicating goals

• Delivering/receiving direction

• Delivering/receiving information

• Giving/receiving feedback

• Communicating concern

• Extending support, encouragement

INTER-PERSONAL COMMUNICATION is the exchange of messages between two people.

We engage in Interpersonalcommunications at work for a variety of reasons:

Inter-personal

Environment Internal / External Noise

Inter-personal communications generally follow the dyadic model (below). Awareness of this process as you send and receive messages will empower you to be more effective.

Inter-personal

7 Challengesfor creating a collaborative,

informed and effective workplace

Inter-personalThe Seven Challenges: No. 1

• Agreement vs. defeat

• Listening = listening

• Pay attention

• Acknowledge, validate

• Repeat in your own words

Listen more carefully and responsively

“I heard you say that you are ready to get to the game, son, and I am

too, but first we need to make sure this tire doesn’t go flat.”

Inter-personal

• Understanding intent = decoding

• Understanding of role

• Agreement to participate

• More cooperation, less misunderstanding

Explain your conversational intent and invite consent

“I am experiencing the same issues with Marketing that you did in this position. Do you mind if we take a few minutes to talk about how you

were able to get your job done in the situation?”

The Seven Challenges: No. 2

Inter-personal

• Avoids misunderstandings

• Your experience understood more accurately

• Clarity about importance, significance

• The Five Messages…

The Seven Challenges: No. 3

Express yourself clearly and completely

“When you are involved with our projects I feel much more organized

and confident, because you lead projects so well. I was hoping you could offer me some tips so that I

can manage projects efficiently…?”

Inter-personal

• Gets more cooperation

• Avoids mutual criticism

• Focus on present/future

• Use appropriate language

• Apply to receiving

The Seven Challenges: No. 4

Translate complaints and criticisms into requests

“Will you please refrain from giving out my personal cell number? When customers call my business phone I

have a chance to be better prepared.”

Inter-personal

• Increases understanding, knowledge

• Intra-personal benefit

• Nonverbal benefit

• Inter-personal benefit

The Seven Challenges: No. 5

Ask more open-ended and creative questions

“I understand that you do not feel responsible for the large dent in the car door. But can you please explain what happened to the car after you

drove it off the lot?”

Inter-personal

• Mutual appreciation = Healthy relationships

• The Five Questions model

• “I” statements

• Be specific, not vague

The Seven Challenges: No. 6

Express more appreciation

“I read your report and saw that you included input from Tim’s former

school. I felt so grateful that you had thought about everything I might

need to make an informed decision.”

Inter-personal

• Self-forgiveness

• Have faith!

• Keep goals front and center

• Tools that work for you

• Get support!

The Seven Challenges: No. 7

Continue the learning

“We have agreed to observe each other’s communication skills, and hold each other accountable for

growing those skills.”

Inter-personalWhen conflict arises…

1. Calm yourself down.

2. Think about what you really need.

3. Imagine your partner-in-conflict as a potential ally.

4. Begin by listening to the other person and affirming anything that you can agree on.

5. Acknowledge and apologize for any mistakes.

6. Summarize the other person’s needs, feelings and position as fairly as you can.

Source: www.newconverstions.net

7. Focus on positive goals for the present and the future.

8. When positions collide, focus on principles and potential referees.

9. Make requests for specific actions.

10. Use this conflict as motivation for skills improvement.

Project/Team Team work (really!) makes the dream work.

Project/TeamGood TEAM COMMUNICATIONS are essential to project/work success.

A good project manager ensures that:

• Communications planning• Info, questions, issues shared• Clear goal, objectives, roles• Members’ specific skills used• Resources provided• Decisions made by members• Feedback flows

Project/TeamSample

Project Communication Plans

ONE-TIME PROJECT

Event Content Channels Date Author

Project Initiation10/12/09

Announcement to entire organization

Morning announcements, e-Mail; staff and department meetings, bulletin boards

10/12/09 Jane

ONGOING INITIATIVE

Purpose Content Audience/Channels

Frequency Authors

Student Project Reviews

Results of grading.

Teachers: bulletin boardAdmin staff:Monday mtgs

Daily

Weekly

John

…on Managing an Effective Meeting

PlanningAn effective meeting achieves the following criteria: • achieves its objective; • takes a minimum amount

of time; and • leaves participants

feeling that a sensible process was followed.

FacilitatingIt is your job to ensure:• Effective participation• Mutual understanding• Contributions included• Shared responsibility• Follow up to outcomes,

actions and questions.

Project/Team

…on Presenting to an Audience

Preparation• Objective• Audience• Organization• Equipment• Materials

Delivery• Presentation development• Messaging• Introduction, conclusion

Project/Team

…on Effective E-mailing

• Subject line as headline• Make one point per e-mail• Keep it clear and concise• Be the good respondent• Internal e-mail

Project/Team

…on Office Cell Phone Etiquette

• Turn your ringer off• Let calls go to voicemail• Make calls in a private

place• Do not bring your cell

phone into the restroom• NEVER bring your cell

phone to meetings

Project/Team

…on Basic Writing Skills

• Get the content flowing• Proofread thoroughly• AIDA Persuasive Writing model

Project/Team

Moving ForwardORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY

• Peer Groups• 360 Degree Program• Strategies to support your:

• Long term initiatives• One time projects• Workplace practices

PERSONAL STRATEGY

• Observation Partner• Coaching• Self-study:

• Dream book• Journaling• Affirmation Tables

novelbrandCOMMUNICATIONS