1. 10 WAYS TO PREPARE YOURSELF TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR COWORKERS Effective Communication with Coworkers

2. #1 Prepare yourself to listen & listen for ideas Make a conscious effort to minimize distractions. Look up from what you’re doing. Be prepared to draw conclusions from what you are hearing.

3. #2 Concentrate on the sender Be attentive. Look directly at the speaker & give feedback. Use all the listening skills you’ve learned.

4. #3 Give verbal feedback Paraphrase or summarize what you have heard; then allow your coworker to respond.

5. #4 Control your emotions Make a conscious effort to listen even if the message is unpleasant. Control negative feelings you have toward the sender. Be sure facial expressions communicate understanding, acceptance, or confusion – not hostility.

6. #5 Space & Territory The importance of personal space is affected by age, gender, status, & culture. Men maintain more distance than women. Age differences usually make differences in personal space needs.

7. #6 Time Beginning a job promptly indicates competence & implies that you know what to do & how to do it! Being late implies incompetence!

8. #7 Body & Facial Movement Body movements may convey a number of different messages. Facial expressions may convey more than your verbal message.

9. #8 Voice Research states that 93% of your attitude, as perceived by others, is conveyed by your tone of voice & its intensity.

10. #9 Physical Appearance The initial visual impression influences a coworker’s interest & willingness to communicate with you.

11. #10 Touch Touch expresses sympathy, solidarity, or friendship. Touch can be misinterpreted depending on how well the communicators know one another & circumstances surrounding the message.

12. Effective Communication with Coworkers Name the 10 ways to prepare yourself in order to effective communicate with current or future coworkers. Get with your computer partner. Create a role play scenario where these 10 strategies could be put into practice.  Your scenario needs to be realistic & school appropriate.  Set up the scene: place, circumstances, climate, status of coworkers, any necessary background info, etc.  Your scenario must have two characters. (give them names)  Your scenario should last about 2 minutes.