Communication Skills

Empathy Attentiveness Listening Articulation Other-orientation Fluency Adaptability

Communication Process Point is to convey meanings Goal is to achieve understanding Figurative Literal meanings Culturally-based

Communication Process Roles change throughout the process Sender Initiates the message Encodes Message Object of interaction

Communication Structure Channel Medium through which message is sent One-way, two-way Receiver Receives message Decodes (interprets) message

Communication Structure Feedback Reaction Response Provides clarification Noise Interference Internal (individual)/External (environment) Lessens communication effectiveness

Functions Persuasion Adoption of ideas Information sharing One-way Two-way Up/down chain of command Peer to peer

Functions Social/Expressive Express emotions Command Dictate Instruct Conflict Resolution Must be desired by those involved

Effective Communication Internal factors Shared meanings Sender/receiver bias Individual readiness Skills External factors Environment Timing Noise

Effective Communication Credibility Character Composure Competence Professionalism Appearance Attitude Confidence

Increasing Effectiveness Know your audience Speak/write to their level Be other-oriented Communicate to share ideas Consider content and affect Understand intent and interpretation issues

Effective Communication: Six C’s Clear Concise Correct Complete Courteous Convincing

Miscommunication Improper encode Ambiguous Inappropriate channel Intrusive noise Misinterpretation Inadequate feedback

Communication Barriers Sender Lack of credibility Disorganized Strong emotions Too much at once Receiver Defensiveness Poor listening skills Incorrect assumptions

Communication Barriers Group problems Lack of cohesion Lack of openness Lack of willingness Cultural differences Internal biases Ineffective leadership

Verbal Language Skills Right information at the right time Silence is often virtuous Strong and appropriate vocabulary Know information to be shared Understand personalities Develop cultural competence Read, retain information

Listening Skills Empathic Relationship focused Understand views Understand feelings Comprehensive Goal is understanding what is said and what is not said Message and context

Listening Skills Critical Evaluating ideas Discerning the ‘truth’ Appreciative For pleasure Stimulates the mind, senses

Listening Skills Attending To hear, not to hear Paying attention SOLER technique Following Nonverbal door openers Interpretive statements Attentive silences

Listening Skills Reflecting Paraphrasing Reflecting meaning Summarizing Restating to ensure understanding

Intercultural Communication Communicators hold different cultural beliefs Understand perceptions of power Use care with generalizations Be aware of group understanding Word choice Comprehension

Ethnic Variations Ethnocentrism Styles of communication Elaborate Exacting Succinct Degree of familiarity Family or street language

Racism in Language Promotes exclusion Word choice affects acceptance of leader Connotations Denotations Avoid inappropriate labeling

Gender and Language Women Intimacy Connection Relationship Problems Listening Men Independence Status Information Solutions Lecturing

Sexism in Language Ignoring gender “Chairman” Defining gender “Women and children” Deprecating gender “Women’s work”

Facilitation and Processing Help group members learn about selves, the team Build a sense of ‘team’, increase cohesion Can aid in the therapeutic process Helps a group to achieve goals Requires trained leaders

Facilitation and Processing Essential leader skills Preparation Caring attitude Personal communication skills General communication strategies Strong conceptual, interpersonal, task skills

Facilitation and Processing Five approaches Let the experience speak for itself Speak for the experience Debrief the experience Directly frontload the experience Frame the experience

Facilitation and Processing Questioning skills Transfer of learning Front loading Framing Analogies Metaphors Real world