Download Communication - ST. KITTS CO

Communication
Training Session
“A kind word will unlock an iron door”
Communication
• What is the meaning of communication?
Communication is the process of sharing ideas,
information, and messages with others in a
particular time and place
Communication
• There are several types of communication and
they are as follows –
• Verbal Communication – this is in the form
writing and talking
• Nonverbal Communication – this includes
facial expressions, body language, and gestures
• Visual Communication – this involves the use
of images, pictures, paintings, photography,
video, and film
• Electronic Communication – This includes
telephone call, e-mails, cable television or
satellite broadcasts
Communication
• Communication is an important part of an
individual’s daily living. It is indeed vital to
personal life, business, education, health, and
any other situation where people will encounter
other people. Life cannot exist without the use
of some sort of communication.
• In business, communication is also vital and
can be conveyed in several ways, and they are
as follows -
Communication
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Telephones
Fax machines
E-mails
Meetings
Video Cameras
CD Players
Printing Presses
Computers
Communication
• Some businesses convey their messages
through other means such as
• Movies
• Books
• Software
• Persons working for businesses need to
communicate in order to coordinate their work
and to inform others outside the business about
their products and services being offered for
sale. This type of communication can be
classified as advertising or public relations.
Communication
• Most organizations, public and private
understand the importance of strategic
communication with customers and/or
stakeholders/shareholders. Therefore, the
company will market and communicate to
produce communication plans for external use.
• External communication is quite easy for most
companies to comprehend, however few
organizations understand the importance of
internal communication.
Communication
• Determining what should be communicated to
staff, when it should be communicated, and
how it should be communicated is often left up
to the decisions of individuals made when there
seems to be a need.
• Therefore internal communication strategies
tend to be more reactive than proactive and are
only implemented when there is a major
corporate or organizational change.
• However, there is no question that strategic
internal communication planning can be a
proactive approach to building a better, more
directed and efficient workforce
Communication
• Some of the most successful companies have
created a workforce that understands the
mission, goals, values, and procedures of the
organization.
• The purpose of creating a corporate culture is
not to dominate or control staff but to aim
towards setting common goals that they can act
out every day. This brings coherence to the
workplace, and allows better-coordinated
action. When staff understands the basic
values and purposes of an organization, then
they can be given the opportunity to make
decisions that fall within those parameters.
Communication
• The more decisions that can be made at the line
level, the more of a possibility that micromanagement can be diminished
• Some of the benefits of creating a common
corporate culture and good internal
communication are as follows –
– Permits employees to make more decisions since they
have the tools and knowledge needed to make the
“right” decision
– Encourages a sense of identification on the part of the
staff with the goals, mission, and procedures of the
organization
Communication
– Has the potential for reducing day-to-day conflict.
Much conflict is generated by conflicting ideas on what
is important to the organization
– Helps staff feel a part of the organization
– Companies can improve their bottom line
– Increase in staff morale, productivity, performance,
and retention
– Promotes loyalty to the organization
– Inspires quality work that satisfies the needs of
customers/members
– Encourage employees to represent the company in a
consistent and positive manner
Communication
• Another internal communication tool that a
business cannot survive without is the
telephone
• Most of us can recollect a business phone call
that left us feeling frustrated or irritated. How
much of this could have been attributed to poor
phone etiquette? There are several examples of
executing proper business phone etiquette when
receiving and making phone calls –
Communication
• All success business interaction needs preparation –
The phone call is no exception. It is important to know
whom you are calling, the most convenient time to do so,
the reason for your call and what you can do for them.
• If the receiver does not know the caller, then it is
important that the purpose of the call and the
caller’s credentials be established immediately. A
simple introduction followed by a sentence or two only
shows good phone etiquette
• Particularize your intentions for calling – Do not
assume the receiver understands why you are calling and
what you expect. Expand on the information and specify
the purpose of the call
Communication
• Pass on information that the receiver will
understand, appreciate and find useful
• Good business phone etiquette demands
professionalism at all times
• Privacy and security about secretive issues
must always be borne in mind on the phone
• Be patient – Demonstrating good business
etiquette relies on you staying calm, cool and
collected under pressure or when facing a
testing situation. Your ability to stay patient
earns respect and avoids rash actions or
decisions
Communication
• Breaking down Communication Barriers – Do you
consider yourself a skilled communicator? Well,
regardless of how you feel about your ability to
communicate, problems will arise at least once in awhile.
When that happens, communication breaks down,
partnerships get stuck, and people lose energy and
enthusiasm.
• The next time communication breaks down between
yourself and another person, remember these four
barriers
– People are different – They vary in knowledge levels,
communication skills and cultural perspectives. They also
have different backgrounds and frames of references
Communication
• People are impatient – They jump to conclusions.
People think faster than they listen, which often means
they assume they know what another person will say next
• People are selective – They tend to only hear what they
want to hear. People are also more likely to accept
something that supports what another person will say
next.
• People can be negative – They can be bossy or sarcastic.
They may take things personally and get angry. People
can also tend to show cynicism or mistrust.
Communication
• People Problems Perplex Supervisors – The Problem –
Research shows that supervisors do a much better job of
handling job related problems than they do at handling
people related problems. 1 out of 2 employees believes
that his/her immediate supervisor does a poor job of
solving problems such as motivational, emotional and
personal issues
• Here are some of the reasons for this belief –
- Supervisors become supervisors due to their job
related skills
- Managing people problems is not a priority
- Increased Span of Control
- Lack of Training
- Diminished Capacity of Human Resources
Communication
• What can employers do to correct this problem?
- Train Supervisors
- Mentor Supervisors
- Recognize good people management skills
- Provide financial rewards
• Beauty is an attitude and so is communication
when people asks how are you doing, you
should always answer in the superlative, I am
doing super, fantastic or great
Communication
• Avoid answers like OK, or I am getting by or I am glad it is
Friday
• Don’t complain about your health or spend time talking
about your personal problems
• Keep an upbeat approach to your personal life
• Mention something good as a conversation starter
• Focus on the other person’s strengths
• Find something good to say about him or her, maybe
about their clothing, some accomplishment they have
achieve, etc
• End the conversation on a positive note
Communication
• It is easy to speak of the bad or the negative but
it tale specific effort to keep our messages
positive. To have the influence in
conversations, put a positive spin on your talk.
People will associate you with positive things
and will look forward to conversing with you