Communication Skills Master

Effective Communications Skills © Ulfat Hussain

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

1

communication basics © Ulfat Hussain

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

2

what is communication? Communication is the process of sending and receiving information among people… Feedback

SENDER

8/7/15

Medium

©CORPORATECOACH™

RECEIVER

3

process of communication of using words, symbols or of Interpreting message in terms Ideas Info IntentionsNecessity and forms a precise background experience and on the Itsinfinal shapemanner and form depends Purpose expectation channel selected and the speed

SENDER

ENCODING

MESSAGE

DECODING

RECEIVER

FEEDBACK Understood and acted in the light of it

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

4

why do we communicate? • What do you think?

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

5

communication goals To get and give Information To change behavio r

To persuade

To ensure understanding 8/7/15

To get action

©CORPORATECOACH™

6

why do we communicate? We communicate to: • Share our ideas and opinions • Provide feedback to others • Get information from others • Gain power and influence • Develop social relationships • Maintain self-expression and our culture • and other ideas you may have thought of 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

7

why is communication important? • Inspires confidence • Builds respect in business and social life • Helps make friends • Develops a distinct personality • Reveals your ability to others

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

8

how do we communicate? • Think of the many ways in which you communicate…

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

9

channels of communication Vocal

Verbal

Non-vocal

Spoken Words Written Words

Non-verbal Sigh

Facial Expression Posture Gesture

Grunt Inflection

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

Spatial Relationship 10

how we communicate We communicate and build interpersonal relationships through: • • • • •

Speech Writing Listening Non-verbal language Music, art, and crafts

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

11

essentials of good communication • Knowledge:

Spontaneity in conversation, Level of conversation

• • • •

Organising your thoughts Participating in discussions Body Language: Show v Tell Being a good listener: Listening v hearing

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

12

areas of human communication •

Intrapersonal – to think, reason, analyze, reflect.

•

Interpersonal – to discover, relate, influence, play, help.

•

Small Group – share information, generate ideas, solve problems, help.

•

Organizational – increase productivity, raise morale, inform, persuade.

•

Public – inform, persuade, entertain

•

Mass – entertain, persuade and inform

barriers to communication © Ulfat Hussain

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

14

barriers to communication • What are barriers to communication that exist in any work setting?

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

15

barriers to communication •Initiation of Message •Different personalities of sender and receiver •Different perceptions of sender and receiver •Receiver evaluates credibility of sender •Words have different meaning •Receiver hears what he wants to hear •Code not understood •Noise •Distorted message

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

16

barriers to communication • Some common barriers to interpersonal communication include: • Unclear process: The receiver and sender may not share the same language, slang, jargon, vocabulary and symbols • Chain of command: There may be too many layers that a message passes through between sender and receiver 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

17

barriers to communication • Large size of an organization, geographic distance: Large numbers of receivers require good message sending methods • Personal limitations: Physical and mental disabilities, and differences in intelligence and education may interfere with mutual understanding

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

18

barriers to communication • Additional common barriers to interpersonal communication include: • Human nature: Peoples’ egos, prejudices, and traditions can get in the way

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

19

barriers to communication • Conflicting feelings, goals, opinions: If people feel on opposite sides of an issue they may not share • Power: The idea that knowledge is power can lead to information hoarding

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

20

empathetic listening © Ulfat Hussain

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

21

the power of listening The philosopher Epictetus stressed the power of listening in this quote: “Nature gave us one tongue and two ears so we could hear twice as much as we speak.” 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

22

the human truths • We need to be understood • We want to belong • We long to feel special • We crave more control over our lives • We dream of reaching our potential

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

23

four factors of understanding • • • •

8/7/15

Needs Wants Expectations Emotions

©CORPORATECOACH™

24

power of understanding “Seek to understand first, then to be understood” - Steven R. Covey

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

25

empathy What the difference between

Sympathy & Empathy?

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

26

empathy • Always put yourself in the other person’s shoes • This simply means that you need to look at every aspect of your conversation from the other person’s point of view.

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

27

percentage of communication Mode of Communicati on Writing

Formal Years Percentage of Time Used of Training 12 years

9%

Reading

6-8 years

16 %

Speaking

1-2 years

30%

Listening

0-few hours

45%

listening and speaking are used a lot… 45%

30%

16% 9%

Writing

8/7/15

Reading

Speaking

©CORPORATECOACH™

Listening

29

… but not taught enough 50%

45%

45%

Am ou n

40% 35% 30%

tt au

25% 20%

t

16%

15% 10%

gh

30%

9%

5% 0%

8/7/15

Writing

Reading

Speaking

©CORPORATECOACH™

Listening 30

listen actively • Prepare to listen by focusing on the speaker • Control and eliminate distractions so that you can focus on the message. Don’t do anything else (writing, reading, email) but listen 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

31

listen actively • Establish appropriate eye contact to show interest • See listening as an opportunity to get information, share another’s views, and broaden your own knowledge

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

32

listen actively • Create a need to listen by thinking about what you can learn from the speaker • Set aside the time to listen so that you won’t feel rushed or become distracted by other responsibilities

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

33

listen actively • Don’t prejudge the message based on who is delivering it. Focus instead on the content of the message. • Monitor the way you listen by asking yourself questions such as “Did I really pay attention or was I thinking about what I was going to say next”? “Was there information I missed because I allowed myself to become distracted”? 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

34

listen actively

LISTEN = SILENT 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

35

giving & receiving feedback ©Jishu Tarafder

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

36

giving & receiving feedback • Why is it necessary to give constructive feedback to others?

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

37

give feedback when… • • • •

Someone asks for your opinion Work errors occur frequently A coworker’s habits disturb you A coworker’s behavior has negative consequences • There are unresolved problems

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

38

what is constructive feedback? Constructive feedback focuses on: • Facts NOT people • Solving problems instead of placing blame • Strengthening relationships instead of “being right”

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

39

obstacles to giving constructive feedback 1/3 • What makes it hard to give constructive feedback?

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

40

obstacles to giving constructive feedback 2/3 • Separating the person from the problem • Others becoming defensive or angry • Fear of negative consequences (especially if the other person is a supervisor) • Dealing with potential conflict (especially if the other person is aggressive) 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

41

obstacles to giving constructive feedback 3/3 • Avoiding hurt feelings • Preserving relationships • Not having all the facts and jumping to conclusions • Choosing the right time so that the other person is most receptive

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

42

STATE feedback – a model • State the constructive purpose of your feedback • Tell specifically what you have observed • Address and describe your reactions • Tender specific suggestions for improvement • Express your support and respect for the person 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

43

STATE feedback – an example 1/5 State the constructive purpose of your feedback: “I’d like to give you some feedback about your training style so that your evaluations will be more positive and you will enjoy it more”.

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

44

STATE feedback – an example 2/5 Tell specifically what you have observed: “I notice that you rely heavily on your notes”.

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

45

STATE feedback – an example 3/5 Address and describe your reactions: “I feel as though you are unsure of yourself when you read”.

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

46

STATE feedback – an example 4/5 Tender specific suggestions for improvement: “I can help you develop a PowerPoint presentation so that you can use the screens as a cue instead of being tied to your notes”.

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

47

STATE feedback – an example 5/5 Express your support for the person: “You know a lot about the subject. With practice you can become a good trainer”.

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

48

nonverbal communication © Jishu Tarafder

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

49

nonverbal communication Nonverbal communication, known as “body language” sends strong positive and negative signals. This is how much it influences any message:

7% •Words 38% •Tone of voice •Non-verbal cues 55% 100 •Message 100%

%

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

50

body language includes… • • • • • •

Face Figure Focus Territory Tone Time

Each of these is described in the following slides…

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

51

body language - face Face includes: •Your expressions •Your smile or lack thereof • Tilt of the head; e.g., if your head is tilted to one side, it usually indicates you are interested in what someone is saying What message are you sending if someone is presenting a new idea and you are frowning? 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

52

body language - figure Figure includes: • Your posture • Your demeanor and gestures • Your clothes and accessories such as jewelry What message are you sending if you are dressed casually at an important meeting? 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

53

body language - focus Focus is your eye contact with others The perception of eye contact differs by culture. For most people… • Staring makes other people uncomfortable • Lack of eye contact can make you appear weak or not trustworthy • Glasses may interfere or enhance eye contact 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

54

What message are you sending if you are looking at

body language - territory Territory focuses on how you use space. It is also called proxemics. • The perception of territory differs by culture. Most people are comfortable with an individual space that is about an arm’s length in diameter What message are you sending if you keep moving closer to a person who is backing away from you? 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

55

body language - tone Tone is a factor of your voice. •Pitch is the highness or lowness of voice •Volume is how loud your voice is •Emphasis is your inflection What message are you sending if during a disagreement you start speaking very loudly? 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

56

body language - time Time focuses on how you use time. It is also called chronemics. •Pace is how quickly you speak •Response is how quickly you move •Punctuality is your timeliness What message are you sending if you are consistently late for meetings? 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

57

conversation guidelines © Jishu Tarafder

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

58

5 Cs of conversation • • • • •

Courteous Clear Concise Complete Concrete

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

59

conversation guidelines 1/7 Before going into the conversation, ask yourself some questions: • What is your purpose for having the conversation? • What do you hope to accomplish? • What would be an ideal outcome? • Watch for hidden purposes. 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

60

conversation guidelines 2/7 • Take the pressure off yourself. Keep in mind that you don’t need to impress or even to entertain during a conversation. • You just need to show your genuine interest in others.   • Make the other person feel important. 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

61

conversation guidelines 3/7 • Smile! Sometimes, we make conversation harder than it needs to be. All you need to do to get started, is offer a sincere smile and a willingness to listen. • Instead of waiting for someone to say hello and invite you into a conversation, say hello first. 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

62

conversation guidelines 4/7 • Offer a sincere compliment to someone.   • Comment on something they are wearing and then ask a related question. Or say simply, what do you like to do? just for fun? People love to talk about their hobbies. • Example: My passion is… 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

63

conversation guidelines 5/7 • • • •

Actively listen Be prepared for awkward pauses It’s okay to admit you’re feeling shy The biggest key is to relax. When you feel comfortable, so will those with whom you are speaking

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

64

conversation guidelines 6/7 • Questions are the key. • Questions are excellent for making the conversation continue. • Some excellent questions for keeping the conversation afloat are: Who? What? Where? Why? When? How? Really? Is it? Do you like…? • Remember 6 Wives and 1 Husband

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

65

conversation guidelines 7/7 • • • • • •

Talk about the other person Be interested but don’t be nosy Don’t pretend Don’t criticize Be lively Enjoy the conversation

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

66

telephone courtesy ©Jishu Tarafder

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

67

quotes • "There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it.“ - Dale Carnegie (1888-1955) American Educator • “Your voice is your personality over the telephone” – Jishu Tarafder, CORPORATECOACH™ 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

68

evaluate your telephone voice Your voice makes an immediate impression that can portray you as: • Friendly or Distant • Confident or Timid • Spontaneous or Mechanical • Relaxed or Nervous

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

69

telephone courtesy Always smile: • when you speak to someone on the phone - unless it is inappropriate. • This might sound odd - but practice and listen to the difference in the tone of your voice if you are smiling.

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

70

telephone courtesy Pitch your voice lower: • Phones are like tape recorders –they make your voice sound higher pitched • Speak slightly slower than normal and pronounce your words clearly.

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

71

telephone courtesy Be well prepared: • Practice by phoning someone you know – who will give you honest feedback. • If necessary have a pre-arranged script.

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

72

telephone courtesy Listen: • Carefully to what the other person is saying • Without interrupting

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

73

telephone courtesy Take Notes: • To ask questions after the other person has finished speaking

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

74

telephone courtesy Location: • Make sure you are somewhere quiet and where you will not be interrupted.

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

75

telephone courtesy Don’t eat. Don’t smoke: • you can hear it on the phone. • If you need a drink then let the other person know that – otherwise they will be surprised by suddenly hearing gulping noises!

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

76

email etiquette Jishu Tarafder

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

77

the subject • Be sure to have a short SUBJECT: that indicates clearly what the topic of the e-mail is. • Never be misleading in this regard! • Typos, all caps or all small case can lend to the impression you may be a spammer.

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

78

level of formality • Never assume a position of informality in your business e-mail. • Only time and relationship building efforts can guide when you can informalize your business relationships and therefore your email tone.

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

79

addressing • How do you address your new contacts? • I would suggest initially that you assume the highest level of courtesy: Hello, Mr. Chowdhury, Dear Ms. Khan, Dr. Quazi, etc. Until your new contact states, “Mahmud" or "you can call me Shamima". • Keep it formal until it is clear the relationship dictates otherwise. 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

80

formatting • Refrain from using unnecessary formatting in your business communications. • The more formatting or embedded images that you include, the higher the chance that your e-mail could be blocked as spam. • Keep in mind the recipient may not have their e-mail program configured in such a way as to display your formatting the way it appears on your system - if at all.

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

81

attachments • Never assume your recipient have the software you do to open any file you may arbitrarily send.   • If you need to send a file over size, business courtesy dictates you to take permission from the receiver. • Use older version of software for greater number of audience. 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

82

attachments •Confirm whether they have the same software and version that you have. •Make sure the best time of day to sent it to them to ensure they are available to download the file. •Never send large attachments without warning 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

83

forwarding emails • Don’t forward inappropriate email from work and always consider that others may not have the same sense of humor you do. • make sure the people in your email address book want to receive this information. 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

84

Using Previous e-mail for New Correspondence • Only use to reply • Always start a new e-mail and add your contacts to your address book so you can add them to a new e-mail with one click. • Down edit your replies • Don't just hit reply and start typing • Remove parts of the previous e-mail that no longer apply to your response including e-mail headers and signature files. 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

85

email tips • Thoroughly read emails requesting information and send all of the information the first time. • Always use spell check. • First email your response to your own email address so that you take the time to re-read it before sending to the intended recipient. • Make sure you use proper punctuation and formatting. 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

86

steps of writing process ©Jishu Tarafder

8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

87

steps to the writing process • • • •

Prewriting Drafting Editing Post-writing

8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

88

prewriting 1/8 Prewriting, the first step in the writing process, is a decisionmaking step that helps you: • Decide if your document is appropriate to write. • Determine what to include. • Avoid common initial writing errors.  • Avoid writer's block. 8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

89

prewriting 2/8 prewriting questions • The prewriting process includes answering these and related questions:

8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

90

prewriting 3/8 What do I want to accomplish? • What are my primary objectives? • What do I want my readers to do or not do, and by when? • How important is my reader's action or inaction?  • How much effort and cost are justified—in reading or in writing? 8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

91

prewriting 4/8 Who is going to read the document? • Who are my intended readers?  • Who are other potential readers— now and in the future?

8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

92

prewriting 5/8 What content, ideas, or data are needed in the document? • What do my readers already know? • What do my readers want to know? • What specific content, ideas, and/or data do I include or exclude? • What format (memo, letter, report & phone) do I use to distribute the information? 8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

93

prewriting 6/8 How can I best organize my points into a coherent argument? • What organizational plan (e.g., problemsolution) will link my ideas/data? • Should I use several organizational plans (e.g., time sequences, geographic locations, problem/solutions) to organize ideas within and across sections? • Can I improve my transitions and improve the strength of my argument? 8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

94

prewriting 7/8 Do my layout and design make this document clear? • Are my design elements (heads, subheads, bullets, margins, bolding, fonts, graphics, etc.) making my logic and structure both logically and visually clear? • Am I using design elements consistently, thus reducing the need for revisions—especially for group projects? • Am I using figures, tables, charts, and/or graphics to advance my arguments and reduce text? 8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

95

prewriting 8/8 • Prewriting is a decision-making step. • Prewriting leads to success because it makes you think before you start writing. • Thinking before writing and knowing your goal eliminates rewriting and wasted effort. • Prewriting helps you determine the type of document you need to create (persuasive or informative, 8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

96

drafting 1/4 • Drafting is a straightforward step if you have completed the prewriting process. • What points should you consider when you start to draft a document? First, review the four basic questions associated with the prewriting step: 8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

97

drafting 2/4 • What do you want the document to accomplish? • Who is going to read the document? • How can you effectively organize or link your points into a coherent argument?  • What layout and design standards will make it a successful (professional) document? 8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

98

drafting 3/4 • After you've answered these questions, your drafting process steps are as follows: • Complete any needed research or data gathering. • Expand your notes and identify your key points. • Double-check your notes for other key points.  • Choose an organizational plan or plans to link your ideas, such as moving from problem to solution or writing chronologically. 8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

99

drafting 4/4 • Improve the impact of your writing: • Use your readers' viewpoints and address their concerns. • State your key point, action, or requirement in your first paragraph. 

8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

100

editing 1/10 Step 1— Editing the Logic and Structure •  Tell your readers what you're going to tell them. • Tell it to them.  • Tell them what you've told them.

8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

101

editing 2/10 • Here's a parallel approach in writing: • Use an introduction—either a sentence, a full introduction, a table of contents, or an executive summary. • Make your points concisely, and use heads, subheads, and graphics to emphasize them. • Summarize and conclude. 8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

102

editing 3/10 You can also improve the logic, structure and organization of your documents by asking yourself the following key questions: • Can your reader immediately identify you, your position, and your company? • Is the action you want the reader to take clear in your first or last paragraph? 8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

103

editing 4/10 • Is the action you are going to take clear in your first or last paragraph? • Are your recommendations clear, supported, and in your first or last paragraph? • Are your organizational plan and content easy to understand?

8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

104

editing 5/10 • Would a different organizational plan make your content easier to understand? • Can readers skim the document (does it have good heads, subheads, transitions, etc.)? • Are your assumptions justified and supported?  • Is the content factual, correct, and persuasive? 8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

105

editing 6/10 Step 2— Editing Layout and Design • How do you choose your layout and design elements? • Use a style sheet. Style sheets allow you to establish and use consistent formats for paragraphs, heads, subheads, fonts, italic, bold, and so forth. 8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

106

editing 7/10 Look at your finished document in terms of layout and design: • If I received this document, would I read it or toss it aside for later? • Would I be more likely to read the document if key points and organization were easier to see visually? 8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

107

editing 8/10 • Can I make the linkages among ideas visually clearer by changing heads and subheads or using figures or tables? • Is the document visually pleasing? Is it in an appropriate business format?

8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

108

editing 9/10 • Did I use clear laser typeface(s) or font(s)? Does it fit together as whole (font, margins, heads, etc.)? • Would adding color emphasize my key points better or be a distraction?  • Does my document look like others my company creates?

8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

109

editing 10/10 Step 3— Editing for Grammar • Check for grammar errors by reading aloud. • Be cautious when using grammar checkers.

8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

110

post-writing 1/2 Among the post-writing questions you should ask yourself are the following: • Have I met the reader's requirements or does she need more information? • Am I writing statements that I'll later regret? 8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

111

post-writing 2/2 • Did I proofread my document? Should a colleague proof it? Is it worth proofreading twice? • Did I spell check and grammar check? • Have I arranged for reproduction, distribution, and storage?  • Do I need clearance to send or distribute the document? 8/7/15

©Jishu Tarafder

112

the vital few of communication ©Jishu Tarafder

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

113

SHARE SHARE model for giving good information are: • State the main point of your message • Highlight other important points • Assure the receiver’s understanding • React to how the receiver responds • Emphasize/summarize your main ideas

8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

114

FOCUS FOCUS model for getting good information are: • Focus the discussion on the specific information you need • Open-end question to expand the discussion • Close-end question to get specifics • Use active listening skills to understand what you are hearing • Summarize and close the discussion 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

115

STATE STATE model for constructive feedback are: • State the constructive purpose of your feedback • Tell specifically what you have observed • Address and describe your reactions • Tender specific suggestions for improvement • Express your support for the person 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

116

3F & 3T Six aspects of non-verbal communication: • Face – expressions, smile, tilt of head • Figure – posture, demeanor, gestures, dress • Focus – eye contact • Territory – use of space • Tone – voice pitch, volume, emphasis • Time – the use time 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

117

the vital few Any Questions?

Thank You! See you again! 8/7/15

©CORPORATECOACH™

118