1. BCEN 3510, Business Communication
Chapter 3: Listening, Team Communication and Difficult Conversations

2. Listening, Team Communication and Difficult Conversations
Active Listening
Paying attention
Holding judgment
Reflecting
Clarifying
Summarizing
Sharing

3. Listening, Team Communication and Difficult Conversations
Barriers to Effective Listening
Lack of time
Lack of patience and attention span
Image of leadership
Communication technology
Fear of bad news or uncomfortable information
Defending
“Me too” statements
Advice giving
Judging

4. Listening, Team Communication and Difficult Conversations
Asking the Right Questions
Rapport-building questions
Funnel questions
Probing questions
Solution-oriented questions

5. Listening, Team Communication and Difficult Conversations
Avoiding the Wrong Questions
Leading questions
Disguised statements
Cross-examination questions

6. Listening, Team Communication and Difficult Conversations
Principles of Effective Team Communication
Stages of team development
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing

7. Listening, Team Communication and Difficult Conversations
Effective teams
Spend a lot of time discussing values, norms, and goals
Spend most of their time discussing work issues
Meet often
Embrace differing viewpoints and conflict
Feel a common sense of purpose

8. Listening, Team Communication and Difficult Conversations
Managing Meetings
Planning
Purpose
Who should attend?
Schedule
Roles/responsibilities
Agenda
Materials needed before meeting
When/how to announce
Rooms? Equipment? Printing materials?

9. Listening, Team Communication and Difficult Conversations
Managing Meetings
Running effective meetings
Create tradition, culture, and variety
Set expectations and follow agenda
Encourage participation/expression of ideas
Build consensus and plan of action
Deal with difficult people

10. Listening, Team Communication and Difficult Conversations
Managing Meetings
Following up after meetings
Distribute minutes
Follow up on any action items

11. Listening, Team Communication and Difficult Conversations
Managing Difficult Conversations
Embrace difficult conversations
Assume the best in others
Adopt a learning stance/commit to hearing everyone’s story
Stay calm and overcome noise
Find common ground
Disagree diplomatically
Avoid exaggeration and either/or approaches
Initiate the conversation, share stories, focus on solutions