Effective

Communication Skills
 Agen
da
 Understanding communication
 Communication Barriers
 Para-verbal Communication Skills
 Non-verbal Communication
 STAR speaking
 Listening Skills
 Questioning Techniques
 Providing Feedback
 Networking Skills
 Non-violent Communication
 Understanding
Communication

What is Communication?
How Do We Communicate?
Communication Factors
One-Way versus Two-Way
Communication
 What is Communication?
 Communication:
– The or interchange of or
imparting thoughts, information by
speech, opinions,
writing, or
signs.

 The effectiveness of communication

– Ability to solve problems
– Productivity
– Relationships with others
– Ability to meet your goals and achieve your
dreams
– Level of satisfaction with your life
 Activity

Team
discussion
1.What is communication?
2. Sharing examples you missed opportunities
because of lack of communication?
3. How do we communicate effectively?
 How Do We
Communicate? (1)

Nois
e
 How Do We
Communicate? (2)
 We in
communicate three
major ways:
– Spoken

• Verbal

– Non-verbal
• Para-verbal

– Written
One-Way versus Two-Way
Communication

A d v a n t a g e

V e r s u s
Disa d v a n t a ge

The Sender wants one-way communication, but the

Receiver
always wants two-way communication!
 Activity

Piper Alpha – Case Study

Communication Barriers

 Common Barriers
 The Barriers From Sender
 The Barriers From
Receiver
 Common
Barriers (1)
 Team members often tell that:
– “I can’t explain the problem to
the other
person that they understand.”
– “I can’t present the idea to my
manager what I mean.”
– “I don’t have enough time and tools to
communicate effectively the solution.”
– “I’m stressed, I can’t listen to the speaker.”
– “The person I am trying to communicate
with doesn’t want to listen me.”

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 Common
 Language barriers
Barriers (2)
– Speak different languages.
– Not the first language for one or more
people involved in the communication.
– Speak the same but are
language, different regions. from
 Culture barriers
– Different cultures
– Different lifestyles
 Differences in time and place
– These barriers often occur when people
are
in different time zones, or different places.
 Activity

Hadeed Sabic Case Study

 The Barriers From Sender
 Don’t know what the receiver expects.
 Using a large amount of words to
convey messages.
 Conveying many issues in a single message that
make the receiver confused.
 Going around and not straight to main points of
a
conversation.
 Wrong assumption about the
receiver’s knowledge and skills to understand.
 Using unfamiliar words, examples or using
figurative meaning words that can be understood
in different ways.
 Talking when the receiver is distracted.
 The Barriers
From Receiver
 Not paying attention.
 Depending on the receiver’s thoughts.
 Being suppressed by emotion.
 Tending to listen to what one wants to see or
hear.
 Listening inactively
– Not observing one’s body language
 Communicating in the uncomfortable manner.
 Tending to resist any message in contrast with
self belief or assumption
 Jumping to conclusion.
 Not asking question to make clear when not
understanding any point.
 Para-verbal Communication

“I didn’t say you were

stupid”
“I didn’t say you were
stupid!”
“I didn’t say you were
stupid!”

The Power of Pitch

 The Power of
Pitch
 People will pick up on the
pitch of your voice and react
to it.
 A high pitch is
interprete often as
d upset. anxious
 A low or
pitch sounds
more serious and
authoritative.
The variation in the pitch of your voice is
important to keep the other party
interested.
 The Truth About
Tone
Tips:
– Trying lowering the pitch of your voice a bit
– Smile! This will warm up anyone’s voice
– Sitting up straight and listen
– Monitoring your inner monologue
– Negative thinking will seep into the
tone of your voice

Communicating over the telephone,

84% of communication is vocal and 16% is verbal!
Source: “Communication Factors” Book, Peterson, Russ, and K. Karschnik
 Using Body Language
Effectively
Power of Body Language in
Communication
Words, 7%

Body
Language,
54%
Voice, 39%
 Non Verbal
Communication
 Expressing Messages by Body Language

 Eyes
 Face  Gesture
 Body  Touch
 Posture  Space

 Hair
 Clothing
 Cosmetics
 Accessories and jewelry
 Body Language
Standing - Sitting
 Sitting hunched over typically
– Stress
– Discomfort
 Leaning back when standing
or sitting
– Casual
– Relaxed demeanor
 Standing ramrod straight typically
– Stiffness
– Anxiety
 Body Language
Hands, Arms, Feet, Legs
Fidgeting
– Boredom
– Nervousnes
s

Crossed arms and

legs often
– Closed mind
Face Gestures
 Body Language
Facial Expressions

Smiles
Raised eyebrow
– Curiosity
– Disbelief
Chewing lips
– Thinking
– Anxiety or
nervousness
STAR Speaking

Help send message

clearly, completely, correctly
and concisely
!
 STAR
Situation – Task – Action -
Result
• Stating what the situation
Situat is.
i • Where? Who? When?
on • Stating what your task
was.
Tas • What?
k • Why?
• Stating what you did to resolve the
Actio problem.
• How?
n
• Stating what the result was.
• Using a combination of the six roots (Who? What?
Resul When? Where? Why? How?)
t
Listening
 Listening Skills

The Power of Listening Active Listening

Gripes About Managers Active Listening Tips
Categories of Listeners Active Listening and
Barriers to Effective Interactive
Listening Management
 The Power of
Listening
Communicat
ion
Reading, Writing, 9% Listening,
16% 45%

Speaking,
30%

Source: Dr. Lyman K. Steil in “You are the Message” Book

What is your communication rate ?

 Gripes About
Managers
 “My manager does all the talking; I go in with a
problem and never have a chance to open my
mouth”
 “He interrupts me when I talk”
 “She never looks at me when I talk. She takes
care
of her laptop. I’m not sure she’s listening.”
 “His facial expression makes me feel I’m wasting
his time.”
 “My manager sits too close to me.”
 “His phone call interrupts my presentation”
 “My manager is too easily distracted
from listening to me and my problem.”
 Categories of Listeners
• Marginal listener
• Non listener
• Evaluative listener
• Active listener
 Barriers to Effective
Listening
 Motivation and Attitude.
 Lack of concentration and
attention.
 Negative attitude toward listening.
 Experience and Background.
 Poor listening setting.
 Emotions.
 Daydreaming and Fantasizing.
 Delivery.
 Lack of listening skills.
By nature, the act of hearing, perceiving, and retaining spoken
information that we call listening is an inefficient process
 Active
Listening
 Understanding active listening
1. Trying to identify where the other person
is coming from.
2. Listening to what is being said closely and
attentively.
3. Responding appropriately, either non-
verbally with a question or by
paraphrasing.
 Sending good signals to others
– Showing your body language
– “uh-huh”, “mm-hmmm”, “wow”
– Asking open questions summary
& question.

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 Active Listening Tips
(1)
1. Remember that it is possible to listen and talk at the same
time.
2. Listen for the speaker’s main ideas.
3. Be sensitive to your emotional deaf spots.
4. Fight off distractions.
5. Try not to get angry.
6. Do not trust to memory certain data that may be
important.
7. Let your employees tell their own stories first.
8. Empathize with your employees.
9. Withhold judgment.
10. React to the message, not to the person.
 Active Listening Tips
(2)
11. Try to appreciate the emotion behind the speaker’s words (vocal
and visual messages) more than the literal meaning of the words.
12. Use feedback.
13. Listen selectively.
14. Relax.
15. Try not to be critical, either mentally or verbally, of someone
else’s point of view, even if it is different from your own.
16. Listen attentively.
17. To the degree that it is in your power, try to create a positive
listening environment.
18. Ask questions.
19. Be motivated to listen.
 Active Listening and Interactive
Management
 Listening isn’t take a secondary position to
speaking, but as important as
communicationother
skills.
– When no listens, it is pointless to
speak.
 Members feel relieved when they find
managers who understand what they have to
say about their problems.
– Truly understand your members by actively
listening to them, they will most likely
reciprocate by listening to you and trying to
understand your point of view.
If you are really willing to learn how to listen, it will take a lot of hard
work to learn the skills, and constant practice to keep them in
shape!
 Questioning Techniques

One of the most critical and valuable

tools in the manager’s
communication skills is her/his art of
questioning.

Ask the right questions at the right time

to help her/his members best is an
essential and integral part of interactive
management.

Open Questions Probing

Closed Questions
Questions Funnel Technique
Open
Questions
Closed
Questions
 Probing
Questions
 Clarification

 Completeness and
Correctness

 Determining Relevance

 Drilling Down

 Summarizing

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Funnel
Technique
‘Tell me how you went about…?’ (open)
‘How did you prepare?’ (open – secondary)
‘What was your starting point?’ (probe)
‘So, what happened next?’ (probe)
‘Who else was involved?’ (probe)
‘And how did they respond?’ (probe)
‘What were your thoughts at that stage?’
(probe)
‘What were the main outcomes?’ (probe)
‘So, that took a total of six weeks?’ (closed
– clarifying)
‘Was it your idea or someone else’s?’ (closed
– clarifying)
‘And the patient made a full recovery?’
(closed –
clarifying)
‘So, let me see if I’ve followed you…’ (checking
– summary)
 Providing Feedback

Using Feedback Feedback Approaches

Effectively The Feedback
Feedback: Place and Time Sandwich
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 Using Feedback
Effectively
 Types of feedback
– Verbal or written feedback
– Fact feedback
– Feeling feedback
 Using feedback effectively
– Giving and getting
definitions
– Don’t assume
– Asking questions
– Speaking the same language
– Keeping tuned it
– Withholding feedback
Giving feedback on the behavior, not the person!
 Feedback: Place and
Time
 Place
– Somewhere quiet, like an office or meeting
room
 Time
– The feedback needs to come as
soon as possible after the event.
– If a person has done something that violates
a
given rule, you may have to act immediately.
• Making sure you can control your own
emotions so you will avoid saying something
that you might later regret.
• Applying non-violent communication.
Recognition or reward should be given in public,
but a negative feedback needs to keep in
private!
 Feedback
Approaches
 Informal
feedback
– something
Recognizing
learned that has been
and
workplace, or offering
properlyapplied
a small reward
to for
overall performance. the
 Formal feedback
– Being often used with certain benchmarks
and at certain times of the year.
 360-degree performance
– A tool solicits feedback from people within
a 360-degree radius of the team member
 The Feedback
Sandwich
 Make a specific positive comment
 Offer critique or suggestions for
improvement
 Make an overall positive comment
 Networking Skills

Making a First Using Business Cards

Impression Organizing Your Contact List
Effective Introduction 4-Stage Effective Short
3C Projecting Conversation
Making a Handshake Minimizing Nervousness
 Making a First
Impression
Well prepared
– Dress code
– Name card
– Route to the meeting location
– The discussion topic
and the people will meet.
Effective introduction
3C Projecting
– Confidence – Competence -
Credibility When you’re networking,
it’s important to make the best of the first meeting.
 Effective
Introduction
Projecting warmth and confidence.
• Mind your body language
• Warm handshake

Stating your full name, position and company.

• “Good morning! I’m John Live, sales executive of
TrainingStore company.”
• Giving your name card.

Repeating the name of the other person

when greeting.
• “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. John Live”
• Repeating their name is an acknowledgment that you
heard their introduction
 Projecting
Confidence
Straight - relaxed posture
Holding your head high
and steady

Moving naturally
Maintaining eye contact
with the people you are
talking to
 Projecting
Competence

 Exhibiting your knowledge

– Knowing the agenda
and the meeting topics.
– Being prepared for the meeting.
– Preparing supportive
materials to emphasize your
points.
 Answering questions clearly
and asking relevant questions
 Avoiding the use of slang
or technical jargon.
 Projecting
Credibility

Being on time.

Being presentable.

– Groomed and dress codes.

Keeping true to your

word and your body
language.
 Making a
Handshake
 Beginning with a greeting and self-introduction
 Handshaking
– Pump your hand only 2-3 times.
– Shake from your elbow.
– Do not use a forceful grip.
– Avoid offering a “fish hand” or “lady fingers”.
– One hand is better than two.
 Ending a handshake
– Should end before the oral introduction exchange
does.
 Covering your mistakes
– If you are worried that your handshake did not
convey the right message about yourself, simply
change the focus of the moment by offering a
quick compliment or asking the other person a
question.
 Using Business
Cards
Tips:
1. Always keeping your business
cards within you.
2. Being active: Timing the presentation of
your card.
3. Handing a card when
• At the beginning of the meeting
• At the networking time
• You’re asked
• You’re asked to repeat your name
• Someone asks to send you something
• At the end of the meeting
4. Explaining what you can offer
them. other person that
5. value
Showing you
their the
card.
 Organizing Your Contact
List
 Using tools: Name
card
• holder, Outlook, Google, etc.
 Reviewing your new contacts after each networking time.
– Updating your contact list
– Making detail notes for interesting contacts.

 Dropping a connecting thank-you email to connected person.

 Reviewing your contact list periodically.
 4-Stage
Effective Short
Conversation
1. Small Talk • Talking about generic topics, subjects that
Exchange-of- almost everyone is comfortable discussing.
pleasantries • Establishing rapport.
stage • Telling the other person some facts about you, your
2. Fact job, your interests, etc.
Disclosure • Aiming to see if you have something in common with
Getting-to-know the other person.
stage
3. Viewpoints and
• Offering what you think about various topics
Opinions
like politics, education, the new business model.
“Buffering effect”
stage
• Disclosure and acknowledgment of personal
• feelings.
Requiring trust, rapport, and even a genuine
4. Personal
friendship, because of the intimate nature of the
Feelings subject.
 Minimizing
Nervousness
Tips:
1. Be informed.
2. Read ! Read! Read!
3. Practice! Practice! Practice!
4. Learning relaxation techniques. There are many activities that can
help relax a nervous person. These activities include:
a) Meditation
b) Self-talk
c) Visualization
d) Breathing exercises
e) Listening to music
5. Identifying your triggers
6. Believing in what you have to offer!
 Non-Violent Communication

Non-violent Communication
Process

Four Steps To Express Anger

Translating ‘Have to’ to ‘Choose to’

 Non-violent
Communication
Process
Four steps:
1. Actions we observe that affect our well-being
2. How we feel in relation to what we observe
3. The needs, values and desires that create our
feelings
4. Actions we request in order to enrich our lives
 Four Steps To Express
Anger
Four options when hearing
a difficult message:
1. Blame ourselves
2. Blame others
3. Sense our own feelings and needs
4. Sense others’ feelings and needs

Four Steps To Express Anger

5. Stop and breathe
6. Identify our judgmental thoughts
7. Connect with our needs
8. Express our feelings and unmet needs
 Translating
‘Have to’ to ‘Choose to’
• List all those things, activities that:
• You tell yourself you have to do
• You dread but do anyway because you
Step perceive
1 yourself to have no choice.

• Insert the words “I choose to . . . ” in front of

Step each item you listed
2
• Intention behind your choice by completing the
Step statement, “I choose to . . . because I
want . . . .”
3