Communication SkillsCommunication Skills
PURPOSES OF ORGANISATIONAL PURPOSES OF ORGANISATIONAL COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION
Why we communicate Why we communicate
We communicate to:• Share our ideas and opinions• Provide feedback to others• Get information from others• Gain power and influence• Develop social relationships• Maintain self-expression and our culture
PEOPLE DO NOT GET ALONG
BECAUSE THEY FEAR EACH OTHER.
THEY FEAR EACH OTHER
BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW EACH OTHER.
THEY DO NOT KNOW EACH OTHER
BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT
COMMUNICATED WITH EACH OTHER.
--- DR MARTIN LUTHER KING
Your effectiveness depends on your ability to reach others through the spoken or written word.
-- Peter Drucker
exercise
One-Way CommunicationOne-Way Communication
Original Message
(100%)
Shannon’s Law
Every additional node in a communication chain reduces the meaning by half and doubles the noise.
Barriers to communicationBarriers to communication
What are barriers to communication that exist in any work setting?
Barriers to communication
Some common barriers to interpersonal communication include:– Unclear process: The receiver and sender may not share
the same language, slang, jargon, vocabulary, symbols
– Chain of command: There may be too many layers that a message passes through between sender and receiver
– Large size of an organization, geographic distance: Large numbers of receivers require good message sending methods
– Personal limitations: Physical and mental disabilities, and differences in intelligence and education may interfere with mutual understanding
Barriers to communication
Additional common barriers to interpersonal communication include:– Human nature: Peoples’ egos, prejudices, and
traditions can get in the way
– Conflicting feelings, goals, opinions: If people feel on opposite sides of an issue they may not share
– Power: The idea that knowledge is power can lead to information hoarding
Speech Gestures Facial expressions Silence Written words Pictures, diagrams, graphs Way of dressing Manner, posture, behaviour
WAYS TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERSWAYS TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS
Telephone Letters Fax Memos Minutes Meetings Briefings Appraisals Interviews Electronic data interchange Computer printouts
MEANS OF COMMUNICATIONMEANS OF COMMUNICATION
DOWNWARD COMMUNICATIONDOWNWARD COMMUNICATION
UPWARD COMMUNICATIONUPWARD COMMUNICATION
VERTICAL COMMUNICATIONVERTICAL COMMUNICATION
HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATIONHORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION
FORMAL & INFORMAL COMMUNICATIONFORMAL & INFORMAL COMMUNICATION
GRAPEWINEGRAPEWINE
HOW TO OVERCOME BARRIERS:
1. LISTENING SKILLS2. READING SKILLS3. USE EMPATHY4. USE FEEDBACK5. CONSTRAIN EMOTIONS6. OBSERVATION
verbal communicationverbal communication
WORDS - spoken OR written must have the following three critical elements
Language (familiarity - terminology/jargon) Precise Simple
Facial expressions Gestures Body movements Posture Visual orientation Physical contacts Appearance
BODY LANGUAGEBODY LANGUAGE
Factors Affecting Communication
• Age• Gender• Language• Culture• Status/Position • Perception• Trustful Relationship•
EFFECTIVE USE OF MEDIA AND CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION
MEDIA
CHARACTERISTICS Best for Communications that
are:Feedback Cues and
CHANNELS
Face-to-face
Telephone
Immediate
Rapid
Audio and visual
Audio
Ambiguous, emotional, divergent in background
Clear, rational, similar in background
Addressed documents
Unaddressed documents
Slow
Slowest
Limited Visual
Limited visual
There are three basic communication styles:There are three basic communication styles:
* Aggressive
* Passive
* Assertive
LISTENING SKILLSLISTENING SKILLSMaintain eye contact with the instructorFocus on content, not deliveryAvoid emotional involvementAvoid distractionsTreat listening as a challenging mental taskStay active by asking mental questionsUse the gap between the rate of speech and your
rate of thought
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