LECTURE 1

By Tuan Thanh, Le – MBA

National Economics University

Objectives

• Define and understand communication and the communication process

• Discuss the various methods of communication

• List and overcome the filters/barriers in a communication process

• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different styles of communication

• Discuss the telephone skills

• Tips to improve verbal and non verbal communication

What is Communication?

COMMUNICATION IS THE ART OF TRANSMITTING INFORMATION, IDEAS AND ATTITUDES FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER.COMMUNICATION IS THE PROCESS OF MEANINGFUL INTERACTION AMONG HUMAN BEINGS.

ITS ESSENCES :PERSONAL PROCESS

OCCURS BETWEEN PEOPLE

INVOLVES CHANGE IN BEHAVIOUR

MEANS TO INFLUENCE OTHERS

EXPRESSION OF THOUGHTS AND

EMOTIONS THROUGH WORDS & ACTIONS.

TOOLS FOR CONTROLLING AND MOTIVATING PEOPLE.

IT IS A SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL PROCESS.

Purposes of Communication

• Provide factual information

• Inform readers about or provide information

• Clarify and condense information

• State precise responsibilities

• Persuade and make recommendations

What are the most common ways we communicate?

Spoken Word

Written Word

Visual Images

Body Language

Types of Communication

• Nonverbal

– Less structured, harder to classify

– More spontaneous, less control

• Verbal

– More structured, easier to study

– Conscious purpose, more control

Methods of Communication

Downwards Communication : Highly Directive, from Senior to subordinates, to assign duties, give instructions, to inform to offer feed back, approval to highlight problems etc.

Upwards Communications : It is non directive in nature from down below, to give feedback, to inform about progress/problems, seeking approvals.

Lateral or Horizontal

Communication : Among colleagues, peers at same level for information

level for information sharing for coordination, to save time.

In modern business environment communication extends beyond written or spoken words to listened word.Visual dimension added by T.V., computers has given to new meaning to communication.COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

Formal Network : Virtually vertical as per chain go command within the hierarchy.

Informal Network : Free to move in any direction may skip formal chain of command. Likely to satisfy social and emotional needsand also can facilitate task accomplishment.

HIERARCHY LEVEL

Executive Director

Vice President

A.G.M.

Manager

Supervisor

Forman

Supervisor 3Supervisor 1 Supervisor 2

Manager

Horizontal Comm.

The Communication Process

SENDER(encodes)

RECEIVER(decodes)

Barrier

Barrier

Medium

Feedback/Response

Nonverbal Communication

Is it possible to communicate without words?

Studies show that over half of your message is carried through nonverbal elements:

• Your appearance

• Your body language

• The tone and

• the pace of your voice.

Nonverbal Communication

We know the importance of “first impression”

But first impressions happen everytime we initiate the communication.

Before someone processes our verbal messages,

• She has taken in our appearance,

• Registered our enthusiasm and sincerety

• Noted our tone of voice and processed all into nonverbal message.

Nonverbal Communication III

• If this message reinforce the content of verbal one, it means we send a powerful message.

• If the two messages do not match, they may cancel each other and that means nomessages delivered.

• Nonverbal communication part of this training is for learning how to create a powerfull nonverbal message that will support your verbal content.

First Impression

First impression includes:

• Dress & grooming

• Voice

• Handshake

• Eye contact

• Body posture

First Impression

• Positive first impression make communications much easier and more comfortable.

• Negative first impressions can cut off a relationship before it gets started.

• Many people give up rather than trying to reverse the other people’s negative impression.

First Impression

• Accent,

• Monotone and weak voice, poor vocabulary

• Cold, limp handshake

• Lower quality, with inappropriate coloures, messy dressing style, dirty shoes

• Seldom eyecontact

• Poor posture, bad hygiene creates a barrier.

Depth of Knowledge

Depth of knowledge: in the area of expertise• This refers how well you know your subject?• How well do you know your company?• Does the depth of your knowledge project credibility

and command respect from your employees or do they say “I could do her job as well as she can”

• As a part of your image learn your job, company, industry, firm’s policies, personnel

Breadth of Knowledge

Breadth of Knowledge: This area deals with your ability to converse with others

in fields of outside area of expertise. • The latest development in world events?

• Popular books and movies?

• Arts? Hobbies? Different interest areas?

• Touristic experiences?

Breadth of Knowledge

• By increasing the breadth of your knowledge, you will be able to develop rapport with others.

• Research has shown that the more people have in common, the better they like each other.

Breadth of Knowledge

For increasing breadth of your knowledge it is recommended:

• to spend the nonproductive time as driving, doing home responsibilities with listening radio, watching TV plus reading weekly magazines,

• reading daily newspapers and min. 4 different books yearly and

• interacting with others, listening to them

Enthusiasm

• Most people like to work with others who are enthusiastic about their work.

• Enthusiastic people seem to work harder, longer and more accurately than those who are not enthusiastic.

• Enthusiasm is a projected behaviour to others and make the others enthusiastic.

Language of Gestures

• Body language and nonverbal communication are transmitted through the eyes, face, hands, arms, legs and posture (sitting and walking)

• Each individual, isolated gesture is like a word in sentence; it is difficult and isolated dangerous to interpret in and of itself.

• Therefore consider the gesture in the light of everything else that is going on around you.

Eyes

• Windows of the soul, excellent are indicators of feelings.

• Shifty eyes, beady eyes and look of steel demonstrate awareness.

• Honest person has a tendency to look you straight in the eye when speaking.

• At least listeners accept it like that.

Eyes

• People avoid eye contact with other person when an uncomfortable question asked.

• Try to reduce tension and build trust rather than increase tension.

• The raising of one eyebrow shows disbelief and two shows surprise.

• People are classified as right lookers and leftlookers. Right lookers are more influenced by logic and precision, left lookers are found to be more emotional, subjective and suggestible.

The Face

• The face is one of the most reliable indicators of a person’s attitudes, emotions & feelings

• By analysing facial expressions, interpersonal attitudes can be discerned and feedback obtained.

• Some people try to hide their true emotions. The term Poker Face describes them.

The Face

• Common facial gestures are:

• Frowns: unhappiness, anger

• Smiles: happiness

• Sneers: dislike, disgust

• Clenched jaws: tension, anger

• Pouting lips: sadness.

The Hands

• Tightly clenched hands usually indicate that the person is experiencing undue pressure.

• It may be difficult to relate to this person because of his tension and disagreement.

• Superiority and authority are usually indicated when you are standing and joining your hands behind your back.

The Hands

• Rubing gently behind or beside the ear with the index finger or rubbing the eye usually means the other person is uncertain about what you are saying.

• Leaning back with both hands supporting the head usually indicates a feeling of confidence or superiority.

Activity 1

• How do we communicate?

• How do you transfer information from yourself to another in the hope of achieving something? Think of at least five ways.

• Why do we communicate?

Barriers to communication

• Noise• Inappropriate medium• Assumptions/Misconceptions• Emotions• Language differences• Poor listening skills• Distractions• Poor vocabulary • Different culture (diversity)

Hearing Vs Listening

• Hearing – Physical process, natural, passive

• Listening – Physical as well as mental process, active, learned process, a skill

Listening is hard.You must choose to participate in the process of listening.

Advantages and disadvantages of different styles of communication

CHANEL ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Face to face Gives immediate feedback Enjoyable

Might dislike receiver Discussing problems can get

emotive Costly in time and money

Telephone Rapid Overcomes distance between

people Confidential Conference calls for groups

Messages can be misunderstood Difficult to persuade people People less tolerant of delay Hangups, disconnects or call

waiting

Written message Time to compare messages Permanent record Can be copied, considered by

several at once Can reflect on message/contents

Delayed feedback Can be mislaid Can lack persuasive power Permanent record

Graphic message Understood quickly Better than words with complex

message Transcends language and cultural

barriers

Limited power as feedback Needs support of words

Activity 2How would you send each of the following messages?

Task Message Reason for selection

Telling someone in the team she is not performing the job satisfactorily

Applying for a job

Telling an interviewee that he was unsuccessful

Instructing a person who has a poor grasp of English language how to change a tyre

Asking for a salary increase from your manager

Giving and Receiving Feedback

Feedback is:

information

about performance or behaviour

that leads to action to affirm or develop that performance or behaviour.

Purpose of Feedback

How can we expect people to change and develop if they don’t know what they need to

change?

Unless they get feedback, how do they know what they do well so they can continue doing

it?

Feedback Reality vs Perceptions

Most people really want to know how they are doing. They want to know if other people like

what they’re doing.

They also want to know if something could be done more effectively or if boundaries are

being overstepped.

Feedback is NOT:

• an end in itself• a solution to performance problems or issues• praise or blame, approval or disapproval. Evaluation means to

place value on a performance or piece of work. But feedback is value neutral. It merely describes what you did or did not accomplish, given a standard or intent.

• Derived from tests, exercises or simulations. The activity being assessed is your normal work. You cannot get closer to real life than real life itself.

Brown & Leigh’s Feedback Rules (1996)

• TIMELY• SELECTIVE• BALANCED• SUGGESTIONS rather than PRESCRIPTIONS• DESCRIPTIVE• SPECIFIC or focussed

Avoid personal commentsAvoid Mixed MessagesAvoid diffusion

• DIRECTED towards behaviour that can be changed

Giving Feedback

• TIMELY: given as close to the event as possible (taking account of the person’s readiness etc)

• SELECTIVE: addressing one or two key issues rather than too many at once

• BALANCED: good and the bad

• SUGGESTIONS not PRESCRIPTIONS

Giving Feedback

• DESCRIPTIVE, non-judgemental, based on behaviour not personality

"I notice that you don’t look at people when they are talking to you".

"I think your selfish in that you don’t listen to anyone else".

Giving Feedback

• SPECIFIC or focussed; In order to focus developmental feedback:-

Avoid personal comments

Avoid Mixed Messages

Avoid diffusion

Examples

‘you fool! Cant you remember that I needed these accounts for the meeting yesterday?’

“Shirley, I need the accounts for 2pm on Friday for the management meeting later in the afternoon.”

‘John, you always look as if you have just got out of bed but your work is good on the whole)

‘John, I would like you to take more care with your appearance in order to make a better impression’

‘Some of you are not achieving your performance goals. You have to improve.’

‘Richard, you have not achieved your performance goals this week. Can we talk about it & work out some plans to improve?’

Giving Feedback

• DIRECTED towards behaviour that can be changed

‘I really don’t like your face/your height/the fact that you are bald etc’

‘It would help me if you smiled more or looked at me when you speak’

But… before you give feedback

always ask yourself:• What is my intention behind giving this person

feedback?• How am I feeling about giving it?• How is the other person feeling; if they have had a

stressful day, might be best left for another occasion. It is important they are in the right frame of mind to accept it

BOTH PEOPLE SHOULD FEEL CALM

The Impact of Feedback

The person receiving the feedback can react with:• Anger – ‘I’ve had enough of this’• Denial – this reaction often accompanies the initial shock of

feedback ‘I cant see any problem with that’• Blame – ‘It’s not my fault. What can you expect when the patient

won’t listen?• Rationalisation – finding excuses to try and justify their behaviour

‘I’ve had a particularly bad week’ ‘Doesn’t everyone do this?’• Acceptance• Renewed Action

what type of feedback might you get?

• written/verbal individualised eg a particular assignment• written/verbal general feedback to your class eg on most

common errors/successes on an exam paper• checklists/proforma eg headings of assessment criteria, with

comments below• assessment criteria grid, showing where you are placed

against each criteria• model answers• computerised eg multiple-choice questions• "Off the cuff" comments from others eg "You're really good

at…"

Rules for Receiving Feedback

• Listen carefully to what is being said• People should be receptive to feedback and see it as helpful.• Don’t reject it!

Accept positive feedback…don’t reject it!Accept negative feedback...don’t reject it!Avoid arguing or being defensive.

• Ask questions to clarify fully and seek examples is useful. • Acknowledge the giver of feedback and show his or her appreciation. The feedback

may not have been easy to give.• Involve mutual good will

receiver should feel that the giver isn’t their enemygiver needs to want to help receiver develop

what to do with the feedback?It is up to you

• Read or listen• Understand; Clarification: examples and alternatives; Keep

notes • Give it time to sink in and get into perspective• Try to keep feedback sheets/information together• Address areas for improvement. Identify, Action Plan• Try not to

feel devastated by small criticisms and

try not to be defensive and make excuses

Activity 3

• What could you do to increase the flow of feedback where you study or work?

• What could you do to improve the feedback process at home? 

• What quality assurance system is there at your college or place of study or workplace? In what ways does it provide feedback?

• If there isn’t a quality assurance system, does your organisation seek feedback from customers and staff? Does it actively ask for feedback, as with a customer satisfaction survey?

Activity 4

• Scenario:

Your supervisor has told you that you are the appropriate

person to talk to another team member about constantly turning up late

for work and offering no excuse. This staff member is a friend of

yours; generally a good worker and a very good team member capable

of using his initiative but others are starting to make comments about

his late arrival.

 

Write out a script for this scenario and focus on giving a range of feedback information as well as using good questioning skills.

Telephone Skills

Telephone Skills

• How to answer the phone – project personality, be prompt, listen carefully and make relevant notes.

• How to make calls – plan and organise, ask questions, make relevant notes.

• Difficult calls – use appropriate strategies and conform to any workplace practices.

Fact

• The phone could become one of the most – powerful, – efficient – cost effective

tools you have at your disposal.

Fact

• Whether you use the phone:

– for job applications – as part of your job when you’re employed

telephone manners are a crucial components of a professional image

Fact

• Your voice is your personality over the telephone. It makes an immediate impression that can portray you as:

– friendly or distant

– confident or timid

– spontaneous or mechanical

– relaxed or nervous

Fact

Many of us feel awkward about using the phone.

WHY?

• We can’t see facial expressions.

• We can’t see what the other person is doing.

• We can’t use illustrations to help them understand.

Do

Smile when you’re on the phone, the other person will hear it as it completely changes the sound of your voice!

Do

• Know what you want to say before making the call.

• Practice the words out loud until they feel comfortable.

Do

• Listen and respond to the person on the other end of the line.

• When you focus on them the phone call becomes much more conversational.

Don’t

• Do things like doodle or read while on the phone, the person you’re talking to will know you’re distracted!

• Answer the phone with food in your mouth, the other person will hear it!

The Telephone

A Business Tool

Answering The Phone

• Greet the caller• State the company (or department)• Introduce yourself• Offer your help

“Good afternoon, Accounts, Andrew Bat speaking. How may I help you?”

Taking Messages

1. The date and time of the call

2. Who the message is for

3. The name of the caller

4. The company/dept of the caller

5. The telephone number of the caller

6. A brief message

7. Name of person who took the message

Ending The Call

• Thank the caller

• Assure that promises will be fulfilled

• Leave the caller with a positive feeling

“Thank you for calling.

I’m glad we were able to help.

Feel free to call us anytime”

Activity 5

• Do some research into telephone skills and compile a list of relevant dot points using the three headings.

– How to answer the phone – project personality, be prompt, listen carefully and make relevant notes.

– How to make calls – plan and organise, ask questions, make relevant notes.

– Difficult calls – use appropriate strategies and conform to any workplace practices.

TIPS

Always think ahead about what you are going to say.

Use simple words and phrases that are understood by every body.

Increase your knowledge on all subjects you are required to speak.

Speak clearly and audibly.

Check twice with the listener whether you have been understood accurately or not

In case of an interruption, always do a little recap of what has been already said.

Always pay undivided attention to the speaker while listening.

While listening, always make notes of important points.

Always ask for clarification if you have failed to grasp other’s point of view.

Repeat what the speaker has said to check whether you have understood accurately.

ESSENTIALS OF COMMUNICATIONDos

ESSENTIALS OF COMMUNICATIONDON’Ts

Do not instantly react and mutter something in anger.

Do not use technical terms & terminologies not understood by majority of people.

Do not speak too fast or too slow.

Do not speak in inaudible surroundings, as you won’t be heard.

Do not assume that every body understands you.

While listening do not glance here and there as it might distract the speaker.

Do not interrupt the speaker.

Do not jump to the conclusion that you have understood every thing.

How to Improve Existing Level ofCOMMUNICATION?

IMPROVE LANGUAGE.

IMPROVE PRONUNCIATIOON.

WORK ON VOICE MODULATION.

WORK ON BODY LANGUAGE.

READ MORE

LISTEN MORE

AVOID READING OR WATCHING OR LISTENING UNWANTED LITERATURE, GOSSIP, MEDIA PRESENTATION ETC.

INTERACT WITH QUALITATIVE PEOPLE.

IMPROVE ON YOU TOPIC OF DISCUSSION,

PRACTICE MEDITATION & GOOD THOUGHTS.

THINK AND SPEAK.

DO NOT SPEAK TOO FAST.

USE SIMPLE VOCABULARY.

DO NOT SPEAK ONLY TO IMPRESS SOMEONE.

LOOK PRESENTABLE AND CONFIDENT.

Improving Body Language - Tips

• Keep appropriate distance

• Touch only when appropriate

• Take care of your appearance

• Be aware - people may give false cues

• Maintain eye contact

• Smile genuinely

…in the new global and diverse workplace requires

excellent communication skills!

Success for YOU…

Questions