Introduction to Communication

Skills
 Introduction
• What is communication?
In simple words we can say that ““just to
convey the message”
If we go in more detail we can say that “
communication is the process of
transmitting (A B) & Receiving
(B A) Messages.
 Communication
Communication is the process of sending and
receiving information among people…
Feedback

receiver sender

SENDER RECEIVER
 Messages not delivered due to “distortion”

Feedback

Sender Receiver

Distortion
Why Communications Skills Are So
Important ?
• The purpose of communication is to get your
message across to others. This is a process that
involves both the sender of the message and the
receiver. This process leaves room for error, with
messages often misinterpreted by one or more of
the parties involved. This causes unnecessary
confusion.

• In fact, a message is successful only when both

the sender and the receiver perceive it in the
same way.
Critical success factor for life

The majority of your

perceived ability comes from
how you communicate 30% What you know

70% How you

communicate it
Most common ways to communicate

Writing
Communication Goals
To change
behavior

To get and
give
To get action
Information

To ensure
To persuade
understanding
 Effective Communication
• If some one can achieve the desired level of
objective through communication , we can say
that it is “effective communication”.
e.g. If your communication get the proper
response from the receiver it means that you
effectively conveyed the message.
 How to achieve effective
Communication
Encourage creative and Critical Thinking
Consider audience’s information needs
Consider Audience's Technical Background
Consider Audience's Cultural Background and
Gender
Consider Audience's Knowledge of the
Subject
 BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
• Physical barriers
• Cultural barriers
• Religious barriers
• Time pressures
• Distractions/interruptions
• Failure to wait for feedback/response
 BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
• Hearing only part of the message
• Failure to listen
• Listening with a particular mind-set/prejudice
• Reacting emotionally
• Making assumptions
• Accents
 BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
• Lack of sensitivity to emotions
• Poor volume, tone, emphasis
• Not acknowledging person’s experience,
emotions, feelings, desires
• Jumping from topic to topic
• Acting phony
 What causes distortion?
• Speaker • Listener
– Language – Perceptions
(understanding)
– Wordiness (redundancy)
– Preconceived
– Semantics (meaning) notions/expectations
– Emotions – Physical hearing problem
– Accent – Speed of thought
– Personal interests
– Emotions
– Attention span
– No active listening!
FEEDBACK:

Feedback can be:

• Verbal Reactions and Non-Verbal Reactions.

• Positive feedback and Negative feedback.

 Feedback Skills
• Positive vs. Negative Feedback
• Positive feedback is more readily and accurately
perceived than negative feedback
• Positive feedback fits what most people wish to hear
and already believe about themselves
• Negative feedback is most likely to be accepted when
it comes from a credible source if it is objective.
• Subjective impressions carry weight only when they
come from a person with high status and credibility
 Types of Communication
Verbal – Communication through language

Nonverbal – Communication other than through spoken

language. More powerful messages are usually conveyed
through nonverbal cues than through words themselves.

Paraverbal – Communicating not by what you say, but how you

say it.
Types of Communication (continued)
Examples of nonverbal communication include:
• Body language (e.g., folded arms)
• Eye contact
• Muscle tension
• Posture
• Proxemics (how close we stand when talking. In
the US, people stand between 18 inches to 2 ft.
from each other; they get uncomfortable if that
boundary is violated. Proxemics vary from culture
to culture.
Types of Communication (Continued)
Examples of paraverbal communication include:
• Voice qualities/voice tone
• Rate of speech (how fast or slow one talks)
• Rhythm of voice
• Volume
Strengths and Weaknesses
• Verbal Communication:
Strength - Role of Body Language.
Weakness - Not possible to give a long list of directions

• Written Communication:
Strength - A proof of a communication
Weakness - Written words does not show a person’s actual
feelings.
Listening Skills
50%
45%
45%
40%
35%
30%
30%
25%
20%
16%
15%
10% 9%

5%
0%
Writing Reading Speaking Listening
 Listening is needed everywhere…
• Listening skills form the basis of:
– Continued learning
– Teamwork skills
– Management skills
– Negotiation skills
 … But not practiced effectively

• 70% of all communication is

– Misunderstood
– Misinterpreted
– Rejected
– Distorted
– Not heard
 5 Basic reasons we Do Not Listen

• Listening is Hard Work

• Competition
• The Rush for Action
• Speed differences (120 wpm v/s 360 wpm)
• Lack of Training
 DEFINITION OF ACTIVE LISTENING
Active listening is a way of listening that focuses
entirely on what the other person is saying and
confirms understanding of both the content of
the message and the emotions and feelings
underlying the message to ensure that
understanding is accurate.
 Rules for good listening
• Deciding in advance that what a person is saying is
not important means probably you'll tune out - and
you could miss an opportunity to learn something
and to strengthen a relationship.

• It's difficult to listen if you're too tired, or

preoccupied with something else - in those
situations, it's best to set aside another time
agreeable to both, when you are able to give your
full attention.
Rules for good listening
• Preconceived ideas about what someone is saying will block
communication. When you keep an open mind, you are
ready to learn something new.

• Eye contact reassures the person speaking that you are

listening, and builds trust in a relationship.

• Don't judge a book by its cover - important information can

come from anyone, regardless of the package.

• Matching your body language with your words through eye

contact, a pleasant tone of voice and a warm smile conveys
interest and respect. This reassures the person speaking
that you feel he/she is important.
 Rules for good listening
• Asking questions will help the person clarify what
he/she is telling you. You can show you understand
by paraphrasing - repeating in your own words what
the person has said.
 How to be an active listener
• Set the stage
– Choose an appropriate physical environment
– Remove distractions
– Be open and accessible
– Maintain relaxed, open posture that shows concentration
• Ensure mutual understanding
– Reflect feelings
– Offer acknowledgements (say “uh-huh”)
– Paraphrase main ideas
– Interrupt to clarify
 How to be an active listener
• Understand body language
– Observe position and posturing
– Make eye contact
– Consider expression and gestures
• Suspend judgment
– Concentrate
– Keep an open mind
– Hear the person out
 How to be an active listener
Give Feedback
• Repeat back or summarize to ensure that you
understand.

• Restate what you think you heard and ask, "Have I

understood you correctly?"
Paraphrasing, Summarizing and
Questioning
Techniques to improve listening skills
SUMMARIZE
PARAPHRASE
Pull together
Restate what was the main points
said in your own of a speaker
words

QUESTION

Challenge speaker
to think further,
clarifying both your
and their
understanding
 Practice Paraphrasing
• Paraphrasing is simply • Use phrases such as:
restating what another
person has said in your – In other words…
own words. – I gather that…
– If I understand what you
are saying…
– What I hear you saying
is…
– Pardon my interruption,
but let me see if I
understand you
correctly…
 Practice Summarizing
• Summarizing pulls • Try out these
important ideas, facts or summarizing phrases:
data together.
– “If I understand you
• Useful for emphasizing key correctly, your main
points and setting the stage concerns are…”
for further discussion.
– “These seem to be the
• The person summarizing key ideas you have
must listen carefully in expressed… ”
order to organize the
information systematically.
 Two basic types of questions
1. Closed questions:
– Get a one-word response and inhibit thought.
– Questions begin with who, when and which
2. Open-ended questions:
– Invite unique thought, reflection or an explanation.
– Questions begin with how, what and how come.
 Practice Questioning
• Rephrase the following closed questions to
make them open-ended:

1. Are you feeling tired?

2. Was the last activity useful?
3. Is there anything bothering you?
 Active Listening (not!)
• Behaviors that prevent effective listening
– Act distracted (look at your watch!)
– Tell your own story without acknowledging theirs
– Give no response
– Invalidate response, be negative
– Interrupt
– Criticize
– Give advice/solutions quickly
– Change the subject
– Quickly agreeing with client before they finish
speaking
Conversation Skills
How to improve my conversation
skills?
 Don’t be shy!
 Communication errors can be solved.
 A conversation is an interactive activity
involving listening and speaking from both
parties.
 It’s all about listening and asking questions.
 Lulls are normal.
 If a conversation is going wrong, it may not
be your fault.
How to introduce myself?
 Greet with smile
 Maintain eye contact
 Give a firm handshake
 Tell your name
 Ask for the other person’s name
 Repeat the other person’s name
 Never draw a negative picture of yourself
How to have a great conversation?
 Relax and forget about yourself
 Listen
 Ask questions
 Use a friendly tone
 Choose your words and questions carefully
 Neither interrupt a person in the middle of his
thought, nor speak on top of it
 Compliment the other person
 Thank for a great conversation
How to handle a difficult
question?
 Personal question
I’m sorry, but I’d prefer not to answer this question.
 Question you don’t know the answer
I have no idea.
 Question you didn’t catch
Can you repeat the question?
 Question you don’t understand because of unfamiliar
words or question structure
I’m sorry, but I don’t understand your question. Would you
mind telling it in different words?/What do you mean
by…?/What does…mean?
How to improve speaking?
 Listening and reading aloud
 Writing
 Networking and making friends
 Greeting people on the street
 Having small talks in public
 Watching foreign movies with English
subtitles
 Joining one-on-one conversations,
conversation and common interest groups
 How to improve listening?
• Speaking to English speakers
• Watching TV and movies
• Listening to radio
• Reading audio books
• Singing English songs
• Practicing pronunciation
• Joining conversation groups/one-on-one
conversations
 How to improve comprehension?
 Reading picture books or comics
 Reading newspapers and magazines
 Asking questions during conversations
 Watching TV and movies
 Browsing English websites
 Consulting dictionaries
 Constantly learning new words
 Clarifying meaning of slang and idioms
 Knowing grammar