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Communication
Agenda
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What is communication?
Importance of communication skills
Conversation
Oral presentations
Effective emails
Writing skills
Activities
What is communication?
What is communication?
• Communication is the process of
sharing information.
• Communication is based
on the idea of respect,
promises, and the want for
social improvement.
Communication
Process
sender
message
channel
Feedback
receiver
Context
Goal
The goal of this presentation is to
give you the knowledge to reach your
target, your audience, with information in
the most effective and impactful way and
to improve listening skills to increase
understanding and increase
communication.
Importance of
Communication Skills
• The purpose of communication is
to get your message across to others clearly and
unambiguously.
• By successfully getting your message across,
you convey your thoughts and ideas effectively.
• Communication skills, as well as an ability to
work with others, are the main factor contributing
to job success.
• The inability to communicate makes it nearly
impossible to compete effectively and progress
in the workplace.
Conversation
Conversation
To ensure an efficient and effective
conversation, there are 3 considerations:
1. You must make your message
understood.
2. You must receive/understand the
intended message sent to you.
3. You should exert some control over the
flow of communication.
Conversation
• You must learn to listen as well
as speak. If you do not develop the skill of
listening, you may not hear the suggestion
or information being conveyed to you.
• Avoid ambiguity. If you realize there is the
potential for misunderstanding, ensure that
you and the parties involved are on the
same page.
Building Blocks of Effective
Listening
• Active listening
• Empathic
listening
• Listening with
openness
Building Blocks of Effective
Listening
Active Listening:
• Is a process of giving the speaker nonjudgmental
responses as a way of checking the accuracy of
what you have heard and whether you fully
understand the message of the speaker.
• Ways to Actively listen
1. Paraphrasing
2. Clarifying
3. Feedback - that is immediate, honest, and
supportive.
Building Blocks of Effective
Listening
• Empathic Listening
– Putting yourself in the shoes of others
– Listening to the meanings of the words,
not just to the words
• Listening with Openness
– Particularly when someone says
something you don’t agree with
– Adopting an accepting attitude
Oral Presentations
Oral Presentations
The material of your presentation
should be concise, to the point and tell an
interesting story. In addition to content and
visual aids, the following are very important:
• Your voice – how you say it is as important as
what you say.
• Body language – Express what your attitudes
and thoughts really are. Project credibility.
• Appearance – First impressions influence the
audience’s attitude. Dress appropriately.
Preparation
Prepare the structure of the talk
carefully and logically, just as you would for
a written report.
Consider what are:
• The objectives of the talk?
• The main points you want to make?
Preparation
• Make a list of objectives and key points as
you begin.
• Write out the presentation in rough form.
Review the draft. Delete irrelevant things.
• Ensure it is consistent and flows smoothly.
If there are things you cannot easily
express, because of doubt, confusion or
uncertainty in your understanding, it is
better to leave them unsaid.
Preparation
• Never read from a script. It is also
unwise to have the talk written out in
detail. Chances are you will not locate the
important points amongst all the other text.
• Be comfortable and familiar with the
content of your presentation. Prepare cue
cards which have key words and phrases.
• Number the cards!
Preparation
• Rehearse your presentation – to
yourself at first, and then in front of some
colleagues. The initial rehearsal should
consider how the words and the sequence
of visual aids go together.
• How will you make effective use of your
visual aids?
Making the presentation
• Greet the audience.
• Tell the audience what you are going to
cover.
• Convey the information.
• In closing, highlight your major points.
• Unless explicitly told not to, leave time for
discussion-- 5 minutes at a minimum.
Delivery
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Speak clearly.
Don’t rush or talk overly slowly.
Deliberately pause at key points
Avoid jokes – always disastrous unless you are a
natural expert.
• Use your hands to emphasize points but avoid
excessive hand waving.
• Look at the audience as much as possible but do
not intimidate. Pitch towards the back of the room.
Delivery
• Don’t face the display screen behind you
or talk to it.
• Do not block the screen.
• Avoid moving about too much.
• Keep an eye on the audience’s body
language.
Delivery
• Enjoy yourself!
Effective Emails
• Think before you write.
• Once you write an email you can be held
accountable for the content.
• Keep your message concise.
• Remember email is not confidential.
• Keep your email professional.
• ‘When in doubt, don’t send’…pick up the
phone and discuss the issue instead.
Effective Emails
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Don’t span your readers.
DON’T TYPE IN ALL CAPS!
don’t type in all lowercase.
Use the subject line to get the reader’s
attention.
• Take the time to proofread your document
before you send it.
Writing Skills
• Target your writing.
- have a clear idea of who your reader is and
what they want to get out of reading your piece.
• Prepare an outline.
- organize the information into a coherent
structure.
- the introduction should help the reader prepare
an overall structure into which the information
given can be fitter.
- the summary should organize the facts in the
middle of the article into a coherent whole.
Writing Skills
• Writing your piece
- let the words and ideas flow.
- only when you have finished a section
should you review it.
- ensure that what you have written meets
the aims you set and gives the reader the
information they want.
Writing Skills
• Style
- the style of the article should be
completely focused on the reader’s needs.
Language should be pitched at the
appropriate level for the reader.
• The responsibility for clarity, focus and
effective communication lies with you.
Activities
The End