The Communication ProcessWHAT IS COMMUNICATION?

Ethics vs Responsibility

Ethics: a person’s sense of right and wrong. Example: an ethical communicator puts a high premium on using his

or her words constructively and promoting what’s right.

Responsibility: being accountable for your actions and that you will get done what you say you will Example: responsible speakers pay attention to the words that they

use and the way that they use them.

The Communication Process

Communication: the process of sending and receiving messages. Occurs when we express ourselves in a manner that is clearly

understood.

Sender: one who transmits the message.

Message: what is sent or said.

Receiver: person who intercepts the message then decodes (interprets).

Feedback: the reactions that the receiver gives to the message offered by the sender.

The Communication Process Cont.

Communication Barriers

Communication barrier: any obstacle that gets in the way of effective communication. Attitudinal “I really don’t’ like what we’re talking about here!”

Social “This person is not one of my friends!”

Educational “I’m far too smart to listen to this stuff!”

Cultural “This persons heritage isn’t like mine at all!”

Environmental “I’m too hot in this room to even think!”

Solving Communication Barriers

FOCUS!

To the sender: THINK before you speak. “What is the real message that I want to

send?”

ARTICULATE your words. “Am I enunciating each syllable, or am I slurring my words together?”

WATCH the receiver of your words to make sure that you are getting the correct nonverbal signals. “She isn’t responding correctly. I had better say this a different way.”

Solving Communication Barriers Cont.

To the receiver: ASK questions; make polite requests. “Could you turn down the heat,

please? I can’t concentrate in a hot room.”

LEARN more about issues and people. Say to yourself, “I need to listen. It’s good to hear an opinion or voice other than my own.”

RELATE to the background and experiences of those speaking. “I should try to understand what they’ve gone through and what message they’re trying to convey.”

Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal Communication: expresses your attitudes or moods about a person, situation, or idea. Examples: body language

Symbols

Anything that stands for an idea and is used for communication.

Include verbal and non-verbal communication.

As a sender of messages to receivers, you must pay attention to the nonverbal communication and the symbols that you use if you wish to be taken seriously as a communicator.

Laying the Proper Foundation

Key components: Working to be a good person

Communicating constructively

Caring about your audience

Intrapersonal Communication The ability to conduct inner dialogue with yourself to assess your

thoughts, feelings, and reactions.

Interpersonal Communication Form of one-on-one communication.

Laying the Proper Foundation Cont.

Oratory, or rhetoric, is the art or study of public speaking.

Orator: a person who delivers oratory and uses words effectively.

Before speaking, consider the following questions: Is this material appropriate for this group?

How would I feel if I were asked that question?

Am I giving my audience new information?

Is my material too difficult or too easy for my audience?

Laying the Proper Foundation Cont.

Aristotle: 3 major methods for appealing to an audience Logical appeal: provide your audience with sequence and analysis in

your organization and factual evidence to prove your point.

Emotional appeal: “strike a chord” and appeal to the audiences sense of patriotism, family, or justice.

Ethical (Personal) appeal: when you show your audience that you have a natural honesty about you, a strong constitution regarding right and wrong, and a no compromise approach to values.

Building the Proper Motivation

Motivation: is something, such as a need or a desire, that causes a person to act. Internal forces:

The desire to treat both people and situations fairly and to avoid stereotyping others.

The desire to set a good example for others.

Stereotyping: means labeling every person in a group based on a preconceived ideas as to what that group represents.