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Communication Skills
Module 5
Objectives
Create effective written communication, including email, letters and
reports
Deliver effective verbal communication, including face to face and
telephone conversations
Understand and appreciate body language and other non-verbal
communication
Tips and techniques to manage workloads, increasing effectiveness and
productivity
Reduce stress levels and improve work-life balance
What is communication?
“The multi-directional exchange
of information, ideas and
meaning”
Communication is a two way process – depends on
sender’s intended message and receiver’s
interpretation of that message
1 -What different methods can be used to communicate
– split into written, verbal and non-verbal?
2 -What barriers can prevent communication being
understood by the recipient?
3 -What are the benefits of effective communication –
to you, the recipient and your organisation?
Methods of communication
Written – email, reports, letters, twitter, face book, internet,
newsletters, minutes, file notes, memos, post-it notes, texts, books, signs,
bulletin boards, presentations, advertisements, sky-writing, business
cards, cartoons
Verbal – telephone, face to face, internet, discussion groups, gossip,
presentations, workshops, TV, radio, crying, jokes, networking, video
conference, fables
Non-Verbal – Body language, silence, music, dance, semaphore, code,
touch, sign language, painting, drama, photography, dress, appearance,
uniform, jewellery, tattoos, state of being, puppets
Why talk?
All parties equally informed at the same time
Achieves results
Time-saver
Builds relationships
Diffuses conflict
Helps confirm understanding
Why write?
Ensures everyone equally informed
Fewer misunderstandings, if written well
Permanent record
Reference source
Gives the writer time to think and plan the message
Barriers
 Delivery – tone,





volume, dialect,
speaking too fast,
waffle, projection,
management speak
Media chosen
Passion
Credibility
Poor listening
Physical limitations –
eyesight, deafness
 Body language
 Timing
 Empathy
 Technical content
 No opportunity for
feedback
 Culture
 Lack of structure
 Lack of rapport
Benefits – for you
More effective within job role, more likely to
achieve rewards and recognition
Able to create and maintain harmonious
relationships
Able to manage conflict and so reduce stress
Benefits – for your organisation
Better communication and teamwork within
departments
Better overall organisational effectiveness
Better customer service, fewer complaints
Benefits – for recipient(s)
Understands message quickly and easily
Fewer misunderstandings and grievances
Shares information successfully
What are the features
of effective written
communication?
Golden Bull winners - example
“Thank you for your Tax Returns ended 5th April 2006 &
2007 which we received on 20th December.
I will treat your Tax Return for all purposes as though
you sent it in response to a notice from us which
required you to deliver it to us by the day we received
it.” – HM REVENUE & CUSTOMS
Golden Bull winners - example
Seasonal forecasts indicate how slowly-varying largescale climate influences make particular seasonal
conditions more likely than others. Random,
unpredictable factors (‘chaos’) also partly determine
year-to-year variations, and these will sometimes
override large-scale influences. Such uncertainties
make a probabilistic format, as used here, advisable
for seasonal forecasts‘ – MET OFFICE
Plain English – key elements
Concise - short words and sentences
Everyday English – free from jargon, technical terms
Language that your reader uses
Active verbs (‘we will do’ not ‘it will be done by us’)
Imagine you are talking to the reader, write as you would speak
Lists, bullet points
Emails
Write with care – no intonation or body language
Watch out use of CAPITALS, use of colours and !!!!!!!!
Normal spelling, punctuation and grammar
No text speak
Plain English
Think of recipient before sending; don’t always cc in others
Best option? – telephone or face to face might be better…
Structure and Format
Headings, subheadings, bullet points and numbering
Pay particular attention to salutations and endings – e.g. in emails
Appropriate text type and size
Black text on white background easiest to read
Justify to the left
Remember: eye naturally drawn to 2/3rds of way up the page
Report Structure
Title, author, date
Contents
Introduction and
terms of reference
Executive Summary
Background/history,
situation
Implication, issues,
opportunities,
threats
Solutions, decisions
Recommendations
and actions
Appendices
Writing Process
Prepare
Write
Send
Check
Prepare
Identify purpose – impacts content, format and style
Create outline plan – in your head or on paper
Consider recipient/audience - how would they like to receive
the information, what do they need to know first?
Ideal mode of communication? – telephone or face to face
might be better
Check
Read again, including headers and sub-headers; use your finger to follow the text
Read aloud to yourself; or get others to read
If communication is contentious or important then draft and return for a second
look
Use spell-check – but don’t rely too heavily
Start at the end of the document and work back – one sentence at a time
BODY LANGUAGE…
….AND OTHER NON-VERBAL
COMMUNICATION
Body language
 How do people communicate face to face?
 Rank the following in order of priority and assign a % to
each
 BODY LANGUAGE
 TONE
 WORDS
55%
7%
Tone, Emphasis and Emotion
IIWANT
you
want YOU
here right
here
right
now
now
I want you here right
now
I want you HERE right now
I want you here
RIGHT NOW!!!!!!
I want YOU
here right
now
Body language
“Everything about your appearance, every
movement, every facial expression, every nuance
of your voice has the potential to convey
meaning” – Adler and Elmhorst, 2002
Review the images and
consider what the body
language tells you….
VERBAL COMMUNICATION
What are the features
of effective verbal
communication?
Verbal communication - features
 Clarity
 Plain English
 Do not ramble / over talk
 Listening
 Attentive
 Body language
 Reflect
 Paraphrase
 Summarise
 Check understanding
 Acknowledge
 Questioning
 Open questions (7 Ws) to
find out more
 Closed or leading
questions only when
seeking yes/no
 Remember to listen
 Use silence
 Ask ‘is there anything
else?’
 Manner
 Friendly, professional and
assertive – not casual,
passive or aggressive
For business discussions….
 Plan and prepare
 Telephone
 Be sure about objective
 Quiet background
 Write down what you want
 Appropriate greeting
to say
 Make notes during
discussion
 Environment
 Minimum interruptions
 Comfortable surroundings
 Structure
 State objective
 Orderly discussion,
minimal deviation
 Clear, positive motivation
to achieve objective
 Do not leave on hold
forever
 Culture
 Open minded to culture of
others
 Be aware that
appropriateness and
perceptions differ between
cultures
 Don’t take offence
For business discussions…
 Urgency
 Make any deadlines clear
 Action Points
 Ensure summarised at end of discussion
 Next discussion
 If more discussion required, seek agreement with
timescales