The Communication Process

Good Communication Skills

Active Listening Nonverbal Language choices Avoiding Misunderstandings Inferences vs. Facts

Choosing the correct communication type

Active Listening

Hearing means the brain is registering sounds.

Listening means paying attention to what is being said and trying to understand the full message.

Tips

Stop talking! Put the talker at ease Show a talker that you want to listen Remove distractions Empathize with a talker Be patient Hold your temper Go easy on argument and criticism Ask relevant questions (clarifying

questions)

Nonverbal messages

Body language Posture Facial expressions Tone of voice Silence

Check the facial expression here

Factors that Impact Your Message

Misunderstandings

Word choices Be precise and specific Avoid buzzwords

Cultural differences Be aware of cultural issues

Perceptions Remember that people perceive things

differently

Inferences vs. facts

Make sure you aren’t jumping to conclusions

Keep focused on facts Be aware of your prejudices

What are the facts?

On Friday night Jack and his wife went down to their cottage. On Saturday, Mary had an accident at the beach. Jack was really upset because he didn’t think he would be able to drive his car back on Sunday night. The water and wet conditions were partially responsible for the accident on Saturday. Jack was able to borrow a car and drive his wife and 2 kids to town Sunday.

Inference problems

Employee who is Packer fan is sick on Monday morning.

Two employees have been arguing with each other over a project. One employee just found her car vandalized in parking lot.

One employee tells you about how Sue has a gambling problem. Sue comes to you with a question about missing petty cash.

Types of Messages

Oral communication Conversations Interviews Meetings Formal

presentations Telephone calls

• Written communication• Policies

• Memos

• Letters

• Reports

• E-mail

• Bulletin board notices

• Posters

How to Choose

Use written communication when: You can wait for the receiver to read it. You can’t afford to bring people together. The message is complex. The information is more factual than

sensitive. You won’t be embarrassed for others to

read the message. You need a record of the communication. The receiver is able to read your

language and use your technology.

Use oral communication when:

The message is sensitive. You need immediate feedback. The receiver might have difficulty reading.

You want to build a relationship or see reactions.

Choosing the Most Effective Message Type

Time and cost limitsComplexity and sensitivity of the issue

Need for a recordNeed for feedbackCapabilities of the receiverNeed for confidentiality (remember that email is not private)

Controlling Emotion

Breathe deeply Visualize - soothing place, color or

image Count to 20 Focus on distant image Remove yourself

I Mean…Communication Confusion I’ll be back in a minute means _____

minutes.  If someone will be ready in a few

minutes, it means _____ minutes.  If someone is often late for work, it

means _____ times per _____ month.  If someone says there are too

many errors in a summary report, it means ____ _ errors

Buzzwords & Acronyms

Paradigm Synergy  Dog-and-pony

show  Reinvent the

wheel

B2B CEO FYI ASAP

Our core competency is leveraging knowledge-management best practices to provide seamless, real-time, on-demand support 24/7 for end users in risk-averse vertical markets.

In South Korea, you show respect by looking downward, away from eyes

In Jordan, you would stand very close – only a few inches - to other people when you talk with them.

In the UK, the first floor is the floor above ground level.

In Japan, “yes” does not necessarily mean agreement. It can mean “I hear you.”

“I was trying to make a point to my young grandchild. ‘Two’s company, three’s a crowd,’ I said. ‘No, no, Granny,’ he responded. ‘Three’s company. That’s the way it is on television.’ Another time I suggested that a rolling stone gathers no moss. One of my grandchildren retorted, ‘Now why would Mick Jagger need moss?’”

May McNair, “I Just Don’t Understand You: Generations,” Detroit Free Press Magazine, March 28,1993, pg. 5

A Drawing That May Be Perceived in More Than One Way