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COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS How to communicate effectively "Everything that can be said can be said clearly." Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) Austrian philosopher Communication is always looked upon as key factor in a person’s overall growth whether in career, personal or professional relationships. Therefore one of the major techniques that must be mastered is the art of communicating – understanding people and being understood by them. Many people confuse communication with excessive talking. Effective communication is not excess talking; tt’s actually talking less, saying more. Breaking the ice - to become an effective communicator, learn to break the ice. You need to get started with something (even by asking a question) whether be it in a meeting or a general discussion. You also need to be a good listener if you want to ask right questions. Let the words flow - deliver your words like a flow of water. Speak to the point, be clear and maintain continuity. However you can pause in between to get the feedback of audience if you’re giving a public speech. Try to make your public speech interactive by asking questions or launching an on spot quiz. People love quizzes. Don’t repeat words - you shouldn’t use same words repeatedly in your speech. Learn new words and add quality to your speech. It also helps to improve your written communication as well. THE THREE COMPONENTS OF COMMUNICATION On a daily basis we work with people who have different opinions, values, beliefs, and needs than our own. Our ability to exchange ideas with others, understand others' perspectives and solve problems will depend significantly on how effectively we are able to communicate with others. Communication involves three components: 1. Verbal Messages - the words we choose 2. Paraverbal Messages - how we say the words 3. Nonverbal Messages - our body language In order to communicate effectively , these are used to: 1. Send Clear, Concise Messages 2. Receive and Correctly Understand Messages Sent to Us Verbal Messages Our use of language has tremendous power in the type of atmosphere that is created at the problem-solving table. Words that are critical, blaming, judgmental or accusatory tend to create a resistant and defensive approach that is not helpful to productive problem solving. On the other hand, we can choose words that normalize the issues and problems and reduce resistence: Phrases such as "in some districts, people may . . .", "it is not uncommon for . . ." Sending effective messages requires that we state our point of view as briefly as possible. Listening to a rambling, unorganized speaker is tedious and discouraging - why continue to listen when there is no interchange? This is your opportunity to help the listener understand YOUR perspective and point of view. Choose your words with the intent of making your message as clear as possible, avoiding jargon and unnecessary information. Effective Verbal Messages: 1. Are brief and organized 2. Are free of jargon 3. Do not create resistance in the listener Nonverbal Messages The power of nonverbal communication cannot be underestimated. You cannot not communicate!!! Nonverbal messages are the primary way that we communicate emotions: Facial Expression: The face is perhaps the most important conveyor of emotional information. A face can light up with enthusiasm, energy, and approval, express confusion or boredom, or displeasure. The eyes are particularly expressive in joy, sadness, anger, or confusion. Postures and Gestures: Our body postures can create a feeling of warm openness or cold rejection. For example, when someone faces us, sitting quietly with hands loosely folded in the lap, a feeling of anticipation and interest is created. A posture of arms crossed on the chest portrays a feeling of inflexibility. Account for about 55% of what is perceived and understood by others. Paraverbal Messages Paraverbal communication refers to the messages that we transmit through the tone, pitch, and pacing of our voices. It is how we say something, not what we say. The paraverbal message accounts for approximately 38% of what is communicated to someone. A sentence can convey entirely different meanings depending on the emphasis on words and the tone of voice. For example, the statement, "I didn't say you were stupid" has six different meanings, depending on which word is emphasized. - when we are angry or excited, our speech tends to become more rapid and higher pitched when we are bored or feeling down, our speech tends to slow and take on a monotone quality when we are feeling defensive, our speech is often abrupt The Importance of Consistency In all of our communications we want to send consistent verbal, paraverbal and nonverbal messages. When our messages are inconsistent, the listener may become confused. Inconsistency can also create a lack of trust and undermine the chance to build a good working relationship. Consider the example of someone, through a clenched jaw, hard eyes, and steely voice, telling you they're not mad. Which are you likely to believe? What you see or what you hear? www.kent.ac.uk http://www.directionservice.org http://www.pickthebrain.com