Series 7 - Talk Smart

8/14/2019 Series 7 - Talk Smart

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Roll Calls

Series 7

Provide InformationTalk Smart


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Talk Smart

Spoken Words Clear & specificVoice, Tone Moderate volume, moderate

speed, low pitch preferred

Body Language Well groomed, eye contact,alert body language


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Notes:

The model you see here is attributed to Professor Albert Mehrabian who pioneered the understanding of

communications since the 1960's. He established this classic statistic for the effectiveness of spokencommunications: 7% of meaning is in the words that are spoken. 38% of meaning is paralinguistic (the way that the words are said). 55% of meaning is in facial expression.

The model is particularly useful in illustrating the importance of factors other than words alone

when trying to convey meaning (as the speaker) or interpret meaning (as the listener). It is also useful in assessing

the impact of email, telephone or physical meeting up to discuss in the case of communicating vital issues or those

situations which are emotionally charged.

Specific standards when using the model is provided in the table.

a) Highlight that appropriate word choice refers to words that communicate clearly, specifically and precisely.

b) Tone of voice is conveyed by the speed at which we speak, the volume we use and the pitch of our voice. Like

body language, they communicate our attitude.

c) The importance of body language is again emphasized here communicate care, alertness and interest through

the way we look at the customer and the way we carry ourselves.

d) When all 3 aspects are used appropriately, they convey CARE, EMPATHY & PROFESSIONALISM.

S2 Notes


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Your appointment times are the most

unreliable in the hospital I have ever

visited. SGH, has improved in their

waiting time as they are more

accurate. In Tan Tock Seng, I noticed

that the patient queue moves faster

during lunch time. Wonder why. They

were patients who were slotted in

before us even though we came earlier

& your queue number did not serve

any purpose at all. Its high time that

TTSH looks into it.

How Can We Be Smarter? (1)

Learning from what our customers say

Today is the third time I came to the pharmacy to check on the above

product to buy. I learnt that the promoter was on leave & have no one to

attend to me. If this is the case do not promote items like these - display

empty boxes! One promoter (a tall woman in black) said I will check for you

but went into the room & did not come out - idiot of her.

Attitude at XXX is truly very

undesirable. The waiting time is

unreasonable. The staff are chatting

with one another while I waited in

pain for just a bed to lie on. Ichecked with them why the long wait,

the answer they gave : "Because this

is a government hospital." What sort

of answer is this. I'm planning to

complain to SPH and this will be

printed in the newspaper.


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How Can We Be Smarter? (2)

Learning from what our customers say

Hello there I would like to highlight

that one of my sisters is in ICU wardXXX, she told me that one of your

nurses slapped her hand on her left

side stomach (she had just one of

kidneys removed). However, when my

sister stared at her, she said sorry as it

was unintentional. Come on, one can

surely differentiate which is deliberateor not, she sounded like a foreigner

nurse, Just a word of reminder

Please educate your nurses to care for

their patients, otherwise just look for

another job!!! Thank you.

My mom was admitted to XXX ward after A&E, she was in

due to 'epilepsy'. She was placed @ bed 66 at around 9am

and was transferred to bed 36 @ around 9pm due to

doctor's instruction of 'extra care' required by the nurses. I

personally experienced that the response time by the

nurses on 27/04/09 was poor. The ' bell ' was activated bymy mom that she needed to go to toilet but was kept

waiting for around 10 -15min. At night while @ bed 36, she

had a ' epilepsy ' relapse but no nurses saw it. Luckily my

sister arrived in the nick of time to quickly alert the nurses.

How could this happen?

We had a very unpleasant experience here in your XXX, my mum was having a seriouscough and we were left seated waiting for 2 hrs aimlessly. We tried to make enquiry to your

staff three times and no explanation was given. It was a non-busy day where there was only

one patient at the waiting area. It would be appreciative if the hospital could review the

waiting time and provide means of managing long waiting period. In other hospitals, there is

a system with phone SMS facility to inform patient if they are next in the queue. I am really

losing patience to be kept waiting without updates.


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Notes: You may pin the case studies up on your notice board. Look at the case studies and identify what went wrong. Look specifically at what can be done to improve such situations. Situations arising out of the case studies

include:

a) Information managing wait times

b) Departmental/product information when relevant staff is not around

c) How to communicate perceived mistakes (say sorry)

d) Providing updatese) Answering an irate or flustered customer Generate some ideas. Youll be surprised what you can come up with. Ideas may fall into the following

categories:

a) Process flow

b) POPs (point-of-purchase) communication such as posters, notices etc. that you may wish to put up at the

counter or patient areas

c) Choice of words or scripts in emotionally charged situations

S3 Notes


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Talk Smart Follow-Up Activities

(Energizer Games)

Words AlonePurpose: To demonstrate how important it is to engage all our faculties when communicating.

Materials Needed: Small pieces of paper with one of the following words on each: Sickness, Care, Happiness, Clinic ,

Health etc.

Procedure: Ask 4 staff to each pick a word and describe what is written to the group. The word on the paper itself may

not be used. Tell them to concentrate on the careful choice of words, avoiding non-verbal signals as much as possible.

Use descriptive words relating to all five senses (smell, touch, etc...)

Questions: 1. How efficient were words alone in expressing ideas?

2. How did you feel ? (talker and listener)

3. What does this remind us to do in our own communication?

Giants, Wizards and Elves (Team Communication)

Purpose: This is a team approach to the ancient game of SCISSORS, PAPER, STONE to encourage communication and

teamwork.

Procedure: Wizards cast spells on giants. Giants squish elves. Elves are small and quick and outsmart wizards.

The game begins with teams huddling together, planning how they will communicate and deciding which creatures the

team will be. The entire team must be the same creature at the same time. As soon as the teams have decided on their

creature, they line up face to face with the opposing team, in rows about four feet apart. On the leader's command team

members jump to their pose. A point is scored on the basis of which creature beats which. If both teams form the same

creature, no point is scored. Play up to 5 rounds max.

Motions: Giants - Stand tall. Arms straight over head. Fingers curled ready to grab. Voices give a loud "growl. Wizards

- Crouch slightly. Arms extended, fingers extended to cast spell. Eyes lurk behind arms. Voice a wizardry "hiss. Elves -

Crouch down on haunches. Hands and arms in front puppy style. Voice one loud "ha.

Questions: 1. How did they communicate once the game started?

2. What communication problems did they face?

3. What can they do to overcome these problems?

Documents

Series 7 - Talk Smart