Using Effective Communication Skills

Interest Approach Have students identify the many ways in which humans communicate. List these examples on the board. Next, ask the students to identify factors that may result in a failure to communicate. List these items on the board for discussion.

Student Learning Objectives Instruction in this lesson should result in students achieving the following objectives: 1 Define communication and explain its purpose. 2 Identify the components of the communication process. 3 Identify the five different levels of communication. 4 Describe the barriers to successful communication. 5 Explain the relationship between communication and leadership.

Terms: The following terms are presented in the lesson (shown in bold italics): _ barriers _ channel _ communication _ deadline _ feedback _ filtering _ group communication _ interference _ leadership _ mass-media communication _ message _ one-to-one communication _ parliamentary procedure _ public communication _ receiver _ selective perception _ self-communication _ semantics _ sender

Objective 1 Define communication and explain its purpose. Anticipated Problem: What is communication? I. Communication is a complex process involving distinct elements that together convey a message.

Objective 1 Continued A. Communication is the process of sending and receiving messages in which two or more people achieve understanding. It is the process of exchanging information. B. There are three major goals or purposes of communication. o1. To inform (i.e., the process of giving information to another person) o2. To influence (i.e., the process of persuading a person to behave in a certain way) o3. To express feeling (i.e., the process of explaining one’s feelings)

Objective 2 Identify the components of the communication process. Anticipated Problem: What are the major components of communication? II. The communication process consists of three major components and is influenced by a number of factors.

Objective 2 Continued A. The three major components of the communication process are the sender, the receiver, and the message. o1. The sender seeks to communicate something by speaking, writing, sending nonverbal signals, or producing a visual message. An example of a sender is a customer interested in having his or her yard landscaped.

Objective 2 Continued o2. The receiver seeks to understand the sender’s meaning by listening to a verbal message or by reading or observing the nonverbal signals of a visual message. An example of a receiver is a landscape designer interested in working with a customer. a. A channel is the linkage between the sender and the receiver. An example of a channel is the first meeting of a customer and a landscape designer. b. Feedback is the return channel from the receiver to the sender that allows for the evaluation of communication. An example of feedback between a customer and a landscape designer is a family inventory survey.

Objective 2 Continued o3. The message is the information being transmitted from the sender to the receiver. An example of a message between a customer and a landscape designer is a completed landscape design. B. Two factors that affect the success of communication are deadlines and interference. o1. A deadline is the limited time one has to communicate about a problem or to gather information. o2. Interference is referred to as “noise” or as a barrier to communication.

Objective 3 Identify the five different levels of communication. Anticipated Problem: What are the five levels of communication? III. As communicators, we participate in five levels of communication activity.

Objective 3 Continued A. Self-communication is communication directed to you. It is sometimes referred to as an interpersonal conversation. o1. Self-communication is a never-ending process. o2. External communication is not successful unless you communicate effectively with yourself.

Objective 3 Continued B. One-to-one communication takes place when an individual communicates directly with another person. o1. This can be informal, such as a quick hello, or formal, such as a prepared presentation. o2. This is the most widely used form of communication.

Objective 3 Continued C. Group communication is discussion within a group of people. o1. In group communication, each participant must have an equal opportunity to speak. o2. This form of communication is used most widely in informal settings, such as departmental meetings, board meetings, and business meetings.

Objective 3 Continued D. Public communication involves presentations to groups of 20 to 25 participants. o1. This includes oral presentations, press conferences, classroom situations, workshops, etc. o2. In a public encounter, one person at a time has the presentational responsibility, while others in attendance act as message receivers.

Objective 3 Continued E. Mass-media communication takes place when the sender is separated from the receiver by a communication medium, such as print, film, radio, or television.

Objective 4 Describe the barriers to successful communication. Anticipated Problem: What are some of the barriers to communication? IV. If there are barriers, or interference, in the communication process, then effective communication cannot exist.

Objective 4 Continued A. Six major barriers can hinder communication. o1. Selective perception—Selective perception occurs when people block out information that they do not want to hear. This is sometimes referred to as selective listening. o2. Poor listening—This occurs when the receiver has his or her mind on something else, is not interested in the subject, or has a poor knowledge of the subject. o3. Credibility—The credibility of the sender affects how people will receive a message. If the receiver perceives the sender as insincere, then communication barriers will exist.

Objective 4 Continued o4. Semantics—Semantics refers to a situation in which the same words mean entirely different things to different people. The use of slang is a type of semantics. o5. Filtering—Filtering is manipulating information so it is perceived as the receiver desires. This frequently occurs in organizations that have several management levels. o6. Avoiding details—The human mind usually avoids detail and cannot remember many details after a short period of time.

Objective 4 Continued B. Barriers are sometimes referred to as interference. They can exist in the environment, the sender, the message, or the receiver. o1. Interference from the environment can be described as “static,” similar to what occasionally occurs on radio or television. o2. Interference may occur from the sender if the information is inaccurate or if the sender misinterprets the receiver’s feedback. o3. Interference in the message is usually the result of sending inappropriate words, signals, or images. o4. Interference from the receiver is usually the result of the receiver’s personal opinions keeping him or her from listening or reading with an open mind.

Objective 5 Explain the relationship between communication and leadership. Anticipated Problem: Why are communication skills important in developing good leadership techniques? V. Good leaders are good communicators.

Objective 5 Continued A. Leadership is the ability to move or influence others to achieve individual and/or group goals.

Objective 5 Continued B. All forms of communication are important when working with others. o1. Parliamentary procedure is a method of conducting meetings in an orderly manner based on Roberts’ Rules of Order. This method is used in local, state, and national government. o2. Public speaking is necessary for people in leadership positions. o3. It is also necessary to possess group communication skills and the skills used in conducting meetings in order to be a good leader. o4. Strong communication skills are utilized by people in leadership positions.

REVIEW 1. What is communication? 2. What are the major components of communication? 3. What are the five levels of communication? 4. What are some of the barriers to communication? 5. Why are communication skills important in developing good leadership techniques?