1. Communication & Professionalism
Hello and welcome to the Iowa College AmeriCorps Program Communication and Professionalism training. This training is offered in order to help you complete one of the required AmeriCorps trainings. By the end of this training you will be able to understand how to successfully communicate in a professional setting.

2. What is communication?
Communication is the way in which we share thoughts, ideas, and information.
Communication is a constant, complex, and diverse process in which we share our thoughts, ideas, and information to others. Communication is always occurring, even if you are not doing it intentionally.
The main way in which we communicate is that the “sender” of the message has a thought, idea, or information that they are going to share. This message (#1) then goes through their brain and is filtered as an external portrayal of that thought (#2). The “receiver” of the message then perceives the message (#3) and processes it according to their own thoughts, ideas, and background information. They then come to their own conclusion or understanding of what was communicated (#4).
No matter what form of communication is being done (i.e. verbal, nonverbal, or written), this is always the process of communication.

3. Why is professional communication important?
Communication is key in daily interactions. When you are in a professional environment, it is instrumental for you to communicate effectively and professionally.
Professional communication can make the difference between a positive work experience and a negative one.
Since communication is a constant process, it is especially important to communicate effectively. In the professional world this means that you must be aware of when, where, how, and why you are communicating something.
To ensure that you have a positive experience in the work environment, you must communicate effectively and professionally to ensure that you are having a positive experience rather than a negative one.

4. How can you communicate professionally?
In order to communicate effectively, you must first be aware of how you communicate.
To do this, take a communication style survey or ask others that you have worked closely with for some feedback on what they have noticed in their interactions with you.
After assessing how you communicate, attempt to discover how your co-workers or others in your professional setting communicate.
You may find that they are unaware of their own communication styles so be sure to not only ask them how they prefer to communicate but others that they have worked with as well.
While communication is not an exact science, there are certain things you can do to ensure that you are communicating in a professional manner. To ensure your professional communication is a success, you must first evaluate your own communication style. There are many different online tools that you can utilize in order to assess what your communication style is and I recommend that you look at multiple in order to get a well-rounded look at how you communicate. (Online tool:
Once you have explored your own communication style or preferences, ask others that you interact with regularly for feedback on how you communicate. Be sure to ask both personal and professional acquaintances.
After you have a better understanding of how you communicate and how others perceive your interactions, attempt to understand how your co-workers communicate. To do this, you can suggest to your team leader that you do an office communication style survey and discussion to foster positive interactions. When asking co-workers for feedback on your communication, tell them about how and why you are assessing your own communication and that you would be interested in knowing how they communicate.
Even if you do not find out the exact way in which others communicate, as long as you are aware of your communication style and the other styles out there, you can most likely guess what others communication styles are.

5. Keys to Professional Communication
Consider your communication style
Consider your target audience
Outline your main purpose for communicating
Determine which form of communication is appropriate
Make a draft of what exactly you wish to communicate
After you have communicated, follow-up to ensure that your message came across correctly
That being said there are some key ways to ensure that you are communicating professionally. Knowing what your communication style and preference is, assess your target audience and the main purpose for your communication. What information are you trying to convey and who is the intended recipient? Based on the answer to these questions, you then need to determine which method of communication is the most appropriate based on the message, the target audience, and your relationship with them. Once you have determined how you will communicate with them, outline exactly what you are going to say in a draft and then proof read and practice!
After communicating, always ask follow-up questions or for feedback to ensure that your intended message was perceived correctly. These steps will ensure that you are communicating professionally and effectively.

6. Verbal Communication
The act of expressing your thoughts aloud with words.
Components
Tone
Enunciation
Pauses
Loudness
Emphasis
Word choice
Examples:
Group meeting
1:1 meeting
Speech/Presentation
Phone conversations
The most important part of communication is determining how you are going to communicate – which method of communication is appropriate for your audience that will best equip you to convey your intended message?
One form of communication is verbal communication. Verbal communication is when you express something aloud. This can be done in a variety of ways, whether you are meeting face to face with a group or one-on-one, conversing over the phone, or giving a speech or presentation. Key components of verbal communication are:
your tone - how are you saying what you are communicating,
enunciation - are you easy to understand,
Pauses - are you including pauses when needed or requested,
Loudness - it is important to ensure that you are heard but are not shouting,
emphasis - are you accurately emphasizing the most important parts of your intended message, and
word choice - it is of utmost importance to be aware of your language and the words that you use – this can make or break your attempt at professional communication.

7. Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication coincides with verbal communication and oftentimes is more influential than what you are saying with words.
Examples:
Facial expressions
Gestures
Body movements and posture
Eye contact
Touch
Another key component of verbal communication is nonverbal communication. Where verbal communication is what you are saying aloud with words, nonverbal communication is what you are saying with your body and with your actions. While verbal communication is important, oftentimes nonverbal communication can be more influential to your intended message than your words.
Nonverbals include your facial expressions, gestures, body movements, posture, eye contact, and touch. You must base your nonverbal communication on your verbal communication and your audience. If you are attempting to persuade someone to volunteer with your organization or to attend an event, you would have much better luck convincing them if you have a bright, engaged facial expression than if your arms are crossed and you are not making eye contact.
With nonverbals, you must always remain aware of what you are doing and how they can be perceived not only by the person you are communicating with, but also with others around you.

8. Keys to Professional Verbal & Nonverbal Communication
Remain authentic
Be actively engaged in the conversation
Be respectful in your tone
Do not interrupt
Rephrase or ask for clarification
Maintain eye contact (but always be aware of cultural norms)
Avoid crossing your arms
Be aware of your facial expressions
Try to lean into the conversation rather than away from it
Be aware of any gestures you are using and how they are adding to or hindering your message
By now you have a good idea of how to identify verbal and non-verbal communication styles. Here are some guidelines to help you understand how you can communicate more effectively through verbal and nonverbal methods.
When communicating verbally it is important to remain authentic to the person you are talking with. If you are not interested in the conversation it is going to be apparent to your audience. By remaining authentic you can then be respectful of those involved in your conversation or discussion. Some ways of being respectful might include not interrupting or belittling their concerns.
Effective nonverbal methods of communication include maintaining eye contact with the person. This may vary among cultures, but generally here in the United States it is important to give eye contact to those you are talking with. Also, consider how you are using hand gestures. Use gestures to add visual punctuation to your discussion. This type of movement can add important emphasis to your comments and questions.

9. Scenarios: Professional Verbal & Nonverbal Communication
Formal
Informal
How do you professionally communicate when you are at a board meeting where your CEO and supervisor are present?
What verbal and nonverbal communication should you be using?
How do you professionally communicate with a good friend that is also a co-worker when you are working together on a project?
What verbal and nonverbal communication should you be using?
Lets walk through some scenarios on how to communicate professionally in both formal and informal settings and relationships. Before I begin, pause the recording and take some time to consider how you would act or behave in these settings. Also talk about what is different and why behaving in these different ways is important to those you are communicating with. What would it be like to always communicate formally with close friends? What would it be like to communicate casually with your organization’s board with whom you have only just met?
Formal – If you need to professionally communicate with someone in a formal manner, you must always remain respectful and aware of what you are saying and doing. Let’s say you are attending a meeting where your supervisor and the CEO of your organization is present. Most likely you will not be speaking unless you are presenting or reporting on something you are working on, but even though you are not speaking, you must remain aware of your nonverbal communication. Rather than leaning back in your seat, sit forward to show interest and investment in the conversation. Take notes or nod your head to show that you are engaged in the conversation. If you are spoken to, be sure to make eye contact with those around you and to speak clearly and concisely. If you have a question, be sure to wait for a pause in conversation and raise your hand slightly. When asking your question, preface it by rephrasing something that was said or whatever it is you are thinking about so that you are all on the same page. If you feel unprepared to answer a question, always indicate that while you are unsure of the answer at the moment, you will look into it at after the meeting and notify everyone about what you find.
Informal – When interacting in a professional yet informal manner, it is still important to remain respectful of your professional positions, yet you do not want to seem fake or forced if you are being too formal. If you are good friends with your co-worker, be sure to limit your inside jokes, especially if inappropriate, around other workers. While you may have an informal relationship with your co-worker, you are still at work and are still expected to remain professional. It may be more appropriate to touch your co-worker on the shoulder or arm if you are meeting with them one-on-one, whereas this would be unprofessional and inappropriate in the “formal” example we just discussed. In an informal conversation you can take more liberties with interrupting and giving immediate feedback than you could in the “formal” example.
No matter who you are interacting with, you must always attempt to remain professional and have outlined boundaries for what is expected and appropriate during your communication with others in the workplace.

10. Written Communication
Strive to be pithy: simple and to the point
Like any skill, good writing requires practice, feedback, and ongoing improvement.
Consider your main message & your target audience.
Examples:
Notes/Memos
Text message
Social networking (i.e. Facebook, Twitter)
Written communication is perhaps the most common form of communication in today’s workplace, especially if you are communicating with people that work in different offices or different organizations, perhaps even different cities or states, than you do. Written communication can mean anything from an to a note to a text message to social media.

11. Keys to Professional Written Communication
Outline your main purpose for communicating
Consider your target audience
Determine which form of written communication is appropriate
Proof read, proof read, proof read!
Like verbal and nonverbal communication, you must first be aware of how you communicate, what your message is, and who your intended audience is.
The most important thing to remember with written communication is to be pithy – be simple, clear, and to the point. With verbal communication you have more freedom to add in extra information or go on tangents; however, you cannot take such liberties in written communication. Again, you must assess what is appropriate and who your audience is and proof read, proof read, proof read!

12. Scenarios: Professional Written Communication
Formal
Informal
You are communicating with your supervisor about a project you are working on.
You are reaching out to potential community partners and are expected to foster a positive, transformative relationship.
You are communicating with a co-worker about a project you are working on.
You are communicating with a community partner that you have an established personal and professional relationship with.
Formal written communication will most likely be done via . Do not ever send a formal question or report via social media, a memo, or a text message unless you have been given express directions to do so.
Formal #1 – If you are communicating with your supervisor about something you are working on, always send an . Depending on how your supervisor likes to be kept in the loop, be sure to include what you have done thus far, what you are currently working on, and any questions you have or directions you need.
Formal #2 – When reaching out to a potential community partner that you have not interacted with before, always use a formal heading such as:
“Dear Ms/Mr Doe,” or simply say, “Ms/Mr Doe.” Never start a formal with an informal greeting unless this is your fourth or fifth s and you are going back and forth with information. Likewise, you must use a formal ending such as “sincerely” or something similar.
Informal #1 – If you are communicating with a co-worker with whom you are working on a project, then you can send a quick or even a message in a “chat” format (for example, Google Chat). If you need to attach something, you can send an but do not need to be too formal in your greeting other than saying “hi” or “good afternoon” – but just for the first .
Informal #2 – When communicating with someone that you have an informal relationship with, you have more freedom in how you wish to communicate. Depending on your established relationship, you may be able to communicate with them via Facebook, texting, or twitter. That being said, always be aware that other people you work with (perhaps in a more formal relationship – like your supervisor) can have access to any public forms of communication. It may be best to text message or privately message this person on Facebook or in a chat forum.
Always be aware of who you are communicating with and how your communication can be perceived not only by the recipient but others that could be involved. The one downside to written communication is that once you say something, it can rarely be taken back. Written communication, however, is also a great way to show established conversations and hold others accountable or to help remind them of something discussed earlier. Remember to always be aware of how you are communicating and ALWAYS PROOF READ!

13. Professional Communication Recap
Be aware of how you communicate
Consider your main message and your target audience
Determine which form of communication is appropriate
Ask for feedback and assess if any changes need to be made
Remember that communication is a constant and complex process. We are constantly conveying and interpreting messages around us and need to be aware of what is being said or interpreted. The first step to being a good communicator is becoming self aware of how you communicate. Once you understand how you communicate you can highlight your strengths and address any weaknesses you have.
You must also be aware of what your main message is and who your target audience is. From there you can determine the appropriate form of communication. Remember that once you have communicated, it is always a good idea to ask for feedback and reflect on how you communicated and any changes you need to make in order to improve your future communications.

14. Communication & Professionalism
Thank you for completing the Communication and Professionalism training. Please remember to fill out your member training certification form. If you do not have one, please visit the ICAP website to download your copy.