Module 1

Communication Skills

I. INTRODUCTION
Communication is the art and process of creating and sharing ideas. It is the process whereby an idea, thought, or
feeling that arises in the mind of one person is conveyed to the mind of someone else (Hanner, et.al.,1997). To
communicate effectively is one of the goals of any communication process. Effective communication is about more
than just exchanging information. It is about understanding the emotion and intentions behind the information.
Thus, it is very important for both the sender and receiver to possess the communication skills in order to avoid
miscommunication and confusion and in order to achieve an effective communication. Through this module, you
will have an in-depth understanding of the communication skills and its importance not only in one’s personal life
but also in one’s workplace communication.

II. OBJECTIVES. Specifically, after working on this module, you should be able to do the following:
1. Demonstrate critical thinking by identifying, analyzing, and evaluating the communication behaviors of
others and themselves in a variety of contexts
2. Demonstrate increased competence by identifying, explaining, and applying effective communication skills
in a variety of contexts
3. Develop effective professional communication skills, in the areas of verbal, non-verbal, listening, written,
and electronic.

III. PRELIMINARY ACTIVITIES

TASK 1. Watch and Share.
• Watch a clip from the comedy series Billable Hours (2006)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h4i_mWhd8s&list=WL&index=4&t=0s

• Answer the following questions:

1. What are the communication problems that you observed from the presenter?

2. What are your suggestions for the presenter to improve her communication skills?
 TASK 2. Evaluate yourself.
Evaluate your communication skills. List down the strengths and weaknesses of your communication skills.
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

IV. LESSON PROPER

Communication is an integral human activity. No human can live in isolation and to live in a society, we
need to interact. For interaction between two people, we need to communicate.
Oxford dictionary defines communication as activity or process used for expression of ideas and feelings or
used by people for giving information. Hence we can say that it involves sharing of ideas and information between
one person to other person.
When a child grows, it is necessary that he is taught how to communicate as when the children are taught
how to express themselves, they develop better communication skills rather than only by imitating. It is useful for
their future as they have to go in the outside world. (content.wisestep.com, 2020). Therefore acquiring the
communication skills will be a great help for anyone’s personal and business life.

What are communication skills?

Communication skills are abilities you use when giving and receiving different kinds of information. Some
examples include communicating ideas, feelings or what’s happening around you. Communication skills involve
listening, speaking, observing and empathizing. It is also helpful to understand the differences in how to
communicate through face-to-face interactions, phone conversations, and digital communications, like email and
social media.

Communication Skills for Workplace Success (Doyle, 2019)

1. Listening
Being a good listener is one of the best ways to be a good communicator. No one likes communicating with
someone who cares only about putting in her two cents and does not take the time to listen to the other person. If
you're not a good listener, it's going to be hard to comprehend what you're being asked to do.

Take the time to practice active listening. Active listening involves paying close attention to what the other person
is saying, asking clarifying questions, and rephrasing what the person says to ensure understanding ("So, what
you're saying is…"). Through active listening, you can better understand what the other person is trying to say, and
can respond appropriately.

2. Nonverbal Communication
Your body language, eye contact, hand gestures, and tone of voice all color the message you are trying to convey. A
relaxed, open stance (arms open, legs relaxed), and a friendly tone will make you appear approachable and will
encourage others to speak openly with you.

Eye contact is also important; you want to look the person in the eye to demonstrate that you are focused on them
and the conversation (however, be sure not to stare at the person, which can make him or her uncomfortable).
Also, pay attention to other people's nonverbal signals while you are talking. Often, nonverbal signals convey how a
person is really feeling. For example, if the person is not looking you in the eye, he or she might be uncomfortable
or hiding the truth.

3. Clarity and Concision

Good verbal communication means saying just enough – don’t talk too much or too little. Try to convey your
message in as few words as possible. Say what you want clearly and directly, whether you're speaking to someone
in person, on the phone, or via email. If you ramble on, your listener will either tune you out or will be unsure of
exactly what you want.

4. Friendliness
Through a friendly tone, a personal question, or simply a smile, you will encourage your coworkers to engage in
open and honest communication with you. It's important to be nice and polite in all your workplace
communications. This is important in both face-to-face and written communication. When you can, personalize
your emails to coworkers and/or employees – a quick "I hope you all had a good weekend" at the start of an email
can personalize a message and make the recipient feel more appreciated.

5. Confidence
It is important to be confident in your interactions with others. Confidence shows your coworkers that you believe
in what you’re saying and will follow through. Exuding confidence can be as simple as making eye contact or using
a firm but friendly tone. Avoid making statements sound like questions. Of course, be careful not to sound arrogant
or aggressive. Be sure you are always listening to and empathizing with the other person.

6. Empathy
Using phrases as simple as "I understand where you are coming from" demonstrate that you have been listening to
the other person and respect their opinions.

7. Open-Mindedness
A good communicator should enter into any conversation with a flexible, open mind. Be open to listening to and
understanding the other person's point of view, rather than simply getting your message across. By being willing to
enter into a dialogue, even with people with whom you disagree, you will be able to have more honest, productive
conversations.

8. Respect
People will be more open to communicating with you if you convey respect for them and their ideas. Simple actions
like using a person's name, making eye contact, and actively listening when a person speaks will make the person
feel appreciated. On the phone, avoid distractions and stay focused on the conversation.

Convey respect through email by taking the time to edit your message. If you send a sloppily written, confusing
email, the recipient will think that you do not respect her enough to think through your communication with her.

9. Feedback
Being able to appropriately give and receive feedback is an important communication skill. Managers and
supervisors should continuously look for ways to provide employees with constructive feedback, be it through
email, phone calls, or weekly status updates.

10. Picking the Right Medium

An important communication skill is to simply know what form of communication to use. For example, some
serious conversations (layoffs, resignation, changes in salary, etc.) are almost always best done in person.
You should also think about the person with whom you wish to speak, if they are a very busy person (such as your
boss, perhaps), you might want to convey your message through email. People will appreciate your thoughtful
means of communication and will be more likely to respond positively to you.

Mediating Factors in Effective Communication (Hargie, 2019)

The term “Mediating Factors” pertains to the concepts, processes, and internal states that mediate between the
way feedback is perceived and made within the communication process.

1. Cognition

- Cognition involves transforming or decoding and making use of the sensory information received. In
interpersonal communication, individuals with a high working memory capacity have the ability to recall
information pertinent to the current interactive context and to use this to skillfully guide their responses.
Simply put, the ability to respond in various communicative context is dependent on a speaker’s way of
thinking.

2. Emotion

- The way a speaker controls his/her emotion is a central component in achieving a socially skilled
communicative performance. Additionally, a person’s ability to comprehend, view, and understand other
people’s emotions contribute to the success of the communication process. As a mediating factor, the emotional
state of a speaker also influences cognition; whereas an individual who is perceived as very angry may not be
able to “think straight” so as an individual may be “out of his/her mind” because of worry.

3. Perception

- A common issue faced in the communicative context is the

differences in the way an idea is viewed. Although people differ in
the ways they perceive the world around them, it is important to
note that perception is brought by the varying cultural upbringing
and social context of an individual. In the sample image on the right
known as Jastrow’s duck-rabbit, some may perceive the image as a
duck while some may perceive it as a rabbit. In communication, our
perception of others depends upon the way in which we ‘look’ at Jastrow’s duck-rabbit
them which ultimately affects the way we communicate.

The Importance of Good Communication Skills

• Professionally, if you are applying for jobs or looking for a promotion with your current employer, you will
almost certainly need to demonstrate good communication skills.

Communication skills are needed to speak appropriately with a wide variety of people whilst maintaining good eye
contact, demonstrate a varied vocabulary and tailor your language to your audience, listen effectively, present your
ideas appropriately, write clearly and concisely, and work well in a group. Many of these are essential skills that
most employers seek.

• In your personal life, good communication skills can improve your personal relationships by helping you to
understand others, and to be understood.

It is almost a cliché that personal relationships need communication. Failure to talk has been blamed for the
breakdown of any number of partnerships and relationships—but the ability to listen is also an important element.
 Communication is also vital in wider family relationships, whether you want to discuss arrangements for holidays,
or ensure that your teenage children are well and happy.

• Communication skills can also ensure that you are able to manage interactions with businesses and
organizations

Over the course of your lifetime, you are likely to have to interact with a wide range of organizations and
institutions, including shops, businesses, government offices, and schools. Good communication skills can ease
these interactions and ensure that you are able to get your point across calmly and clearly, and also take on board
the responses.

Being able to complain effectively is an important skill, for example, as is handling criticism yourself.

V. PRACTICE EXERCISES
A. List down again your communication weaknesses in the first column. Then fill in the second column by
suggesting ways to improve each of the listed weaknesses.

WEAKNESSES WAYS TO IMPROVE

B. Analyze the following scenarios and identify the communication skill that is either presented or missing in each
scenario.

1. An employee decides to send his proposal the next day following the long weekend.
2. The supervisor held a dialogue with the concerned employees to hear their thoughts regarding the
changing of schedule this month.
3. Hanna gave her specific address to the courier who will deliver her parcel.
4. Luis would constantly frown whenever a customer arrives before the store closes.
5. Teacher A decided to move the deadline of the project following the storm that hit their town.
6. Betty knocks on the door and greets everyone with a smile before entering the office.
7. Juno volunteered to do the report in front of the company’s new investors.
8. To avoid misunderstanding, a teacher decided to hold a parent-teacher conference to explain the
student’s grades to the parents.
9. Marty would oftentimes repeat his manager’s instructions and list them down before doing his tasks.
10. The team leader gave his subordinates a 5% incentive for reaching the team’s quota this week.
VI. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
• https://www.habitsforwellbeing.com/9-effective-communication-skills/
• https://fremont.edu/top-10-tips-for-effective-workplace-communication/

VII. ASSESSMENT
(To be given in class)

VIII. REFERENCES
✓ Careerizma (n.d.). Communications Skills Meaning, Examples, Types, Importance and Training.
http://www.careerizma.com/skills/communication-skills/
✓ Doyle, A. (2024). Communication Skills for Workplace Success.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/communication-skills-list-2063779
✓ Northup, G. (2023). 10 Communication Skills for Your Life and Career Success. https://www.indeed.com/career-
advice/resumes-cover-letters/communication-skills
✓ Hargie, O. (2019). The Handbook of Communication Skills. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/The-
Handbook-of-Communication-Skills/Hargie/p/book/9781138219137