Prepared by Thuy Tran, Sep 2012

Communication skill

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How good are you in communication skills?

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http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_99.htm

Mini test

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How good are you in communication skills?

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Score Comment

56-75

Excellent! You understand your role as a communicator, both when you

send messages, and when you receive them. You anticipate problems, and you choose the right ways of communicating. People respect you for your ability to communicate clearly, and they appreciate your listening skills.

36-55

You're a capable communicator, but you sometimes experience communication problems. Take the time to think about

your approach to communication, and focus on receiving messages effectively, as much as sending them. This will help you improve.

15-35

You need to keep working on your communication skills. You are not expressing yourself clearly, and you may not be receiving

messages correctly either. The good news is that, by paying attention to communication, you can be much more effective at work, and enjoy much better working relationships! The rest of this article will direct you to some great tools for improving your communication skills.

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Contents

Communication process

Effective communication

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Communication process

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Communication process

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1. Encoding: Creating a Clear, Well-Crafted Message

Understand what you truly need and want to say.

Anticipate the other person's reaction to your message.

Choose words & body language => allow the other person

to really hear what you're saying.

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Communication process

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2. Choose the right channel: choose the best channel

to use to send your message

The sensitivity & emotional content of the subject.

How easy it is to communicate detail.

The receiver's preferences.

Time constraints.

The need to ask & answer questions.

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Communication process

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3. Decoding: Receive & Interpret Message

Look at the person.

Pay attention to his/her body language.

Avoid distractions.

Nod & smile to acknowledge points.

Occasionally think back about what the person has said.

Allow the person to speak, without thinking about what you'll

say next.

Don't interrupt.

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Communication process

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4. Feedback: sometimes verbal, sometime not. Feedback

through body language is perhaps the most important source

of clues to the effectiveness of your communication (by

watching the facial expressions, gestures, and posture of the

person you're communicating with)

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Effective communication

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What is it?

More than just exchanging information

Requires you to also understand the emotion behind the

information.

Can improve relationships at home/work/in social situations

Enables you to communicate even negative/difficult messages

without creating conflict/destroying trust

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Effective communication

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Skill # 1: Effective Listening

• Make the speaker feel heard and understood

• Create an environment where everyone feels safe to express

• Save time

• Diffuse negative emotions

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Effective communication

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Skill # 1: Effective Listening

• Focus fully on the speaker

• Avoid interrupting

• Avoid seeming judgmental

• Show your interest

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Effective communication

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Skill # 2: Nonverbal communication (body language)

Facial expressions/body movement & gestures/eye contact/

posture/the tone of your voice/your muscle tension and breathing

The way you look, listen, move, and react to another person tells them more about how you’re feeling than words alone ever can

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Effective communication

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Skill # 2: Nonverbal communication

Practice observing people

Be aware of individual differences

How to read:

Look at nonverbal communication signals as a group

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Effective communication

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Skill # 2: Nonverbal communication

Use body language to convey positive feelings

How to deliver:

Use nonverbal signals matching

up with your words

Adjust nonverbal signals according to the context

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Effective communication

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Skill # 3: Managing stress

Recognize when you’re becoming stressed

Take a moment to calm down

Bring your senses to the rescue

Look for humor in the situation

Be willing to compromise

Agree to disagree

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Something need to avoid

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