1. Section II Basic Management/ Personal Skills
Chapter 4
Communication: A Critical Management Skill

2. Communication: An Overview
The key to effective interpersonal communication: Seek first to understand, then to be understood.
Think before you speak; select words that nurture rather than destroy.
Words are meant to richly bless and empower. Words are not merely to inform but to transform.
The art of listening well and speaking in appropriate ways are essential to effective leadership.
Effective communication is about a variety of media, not just talking.

3. The Communication Process
Involves
A message
A sender
A channel
May include
Feedback

4. Conveying Effective Messages
Communication skills of the sender
Clarity of purpose
Effectiveness of the message itself
Appropriateness of the channel used
Receptivity and communication skills of the receiver
Feedback
Life experience and preexisting biases in either the sender or receiver

5. E-mail and Text Messages
Quality reflects professionalism.
Take time to read before pressing Send.
Beware of “reply to all.”

6. Nonverbal Messages and Body Language
Nonverbal communication
How messages are transferred without words
Body language
The mannerisms of people, including
Eye contact (or lack of it)
Facial expressions
Leg and arm movements

7. Listening The weakest link in the communication process Obstacles:
Gap between speaking and listening rates
Preoccupation
Active listening includes concentration, full attention and thought.

8. Feedback
The process by which the sender knows whether the receiver has understood the message.
Without feedback, communication is one way.

9. Barriers to Communication
Noise
Time
Volume of information
Tendency to say what we think others want to hear
Certainty
Failure to select the best word
Prejudices (sender and/or receiver)
Strained sender-receiver relationships

10. The Gender Barrier Men Women Want to project credibility and authority
Downplay doubts
Women
Often use qualifiers
More likely to downplay certainty

11. The Language Barrier
America will become more racially and ethnically diverse during the next half century.
Gestures can also be misinterpreted.
Bridging the barrier:
Hiring more bilingual officers
Employing interpreters or translators

12. Communication Enhancers
Send clear messages.
Select the best communication channel.
Be open.

13. Internal Communication
Downward communication
Upward communication
Vertical communication
Lateral or horizontal communication

14. Subordinate Communication
Essential to managerial responsibility
The grapevine
Aka the rumor mill
Informal channels that hinder cooperation and teamwork

15. Improving Internal Communication
Newsletters
Intranet

16. Communication at Meetings
A carefully prepared agenda is one key to a successful meeting.
Types of meetings
Informational
Opinion seeking
Problem solving
New-idea seeking

17. Keys for Effective Meetings
Prepare in advance—have an agenda.
Start and stop on time.
Stick to the agenda.
Facilitate open communication and participation.

18. Technology and Communication in the Field
Data is a mission-critical necessity.
Mobile technology empowers agencies to
Increase productivity
Increase officer morale
Increase community safety

19. Tactical Communications
Not all tactical communications depend on technology.
Depends on leadership and management skills of the first officer on the scene.
Law enforcement must rely on solid people doing good police work.

20. External Communication
Communicating with other agencies
Interoperability
Communicating with the media
What the mainstream media report and what the public believe as a whole are not the same.
Public information officers

21. Communicating with the Community
Emergency notification systems
Every contact is a public relations contact.
Annual reports
The Internet

22. Information Sharing through N-DEx, OneDOJ and LEO
Used to solve crimes and fight terrorism
OneDOJ
Allows agencies to get information from all of the Department of Justice’s investigative components
LEO
Gives officers access to a variety of information-sharing services

23. Obstacles to Information Sharing
Technical
Logistic
Political
Ethical