Download SOFT SKILLS Session 2

Communication Skills
Communication
 The Chain of Communication
 Sending and receiving information
 Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication
 Active Listening
How messages are passed on
Exercise
Communicate the message right!
Message
A total number of 2,450 persons fled their villages to
Kutum. Among them, 50% are women and children.
The rest of the IDPs are men; some of whom are
wounded.
The situation is not likely to improve and the office
expects 1,000 families in the coming days.
Sending & receiving information
Active listening techniques
Verbal and non-verbal communication
Most listeners base their understanding of a
message on the following elements:

Actual verbal content:

Tone of voice:

Nonverbal communication:
Verbal and non-verbal communication
Most listeners base their understanding of a
message on the following elements:

Actual verbal content:
7%

Tone of voice:
38%

Nonverbal communication:
55%
Professor Albert Mehrabian
Reading messages
What is he telling her?
Stop
there…
Reading messages
What is he telling her?
Stop
there…
Reading non-verbal messages
2. What do their different facial
expressions and body postures tell us?
According to Roger Axtell the number
of physical signs are:
70,000
Active listening and non-verbal
communication

Appropriate eye contact

Facial expressions

Proximity and positioning

Non-threatening and non-defensive body
posture

Person-centered focus
Active Listening Tools
Summarizing
Paraphrasing
Non-Verbal
Signals
Probing
Questions
Repetition
Communication Techniques
 Repetition: repeating verbatim individual
contributions to confirm understanding
 Probing: asking follow on questions to better
understand and clarify the meaning of the verbal
message
 Summarizing: giving a summary of what has been
said. Similar to paraphrasing, but it condenses the
content of what has been said
 Rephrasing: repeating back in your own words
what you understand someone else to be saying
Exercise
FIRST ROUND
Participant A: communicates
Participant B: actively listens
Participant C: identifies technique
Exercise
SECOND ROUND
Participant A: actively listens
Participant B: identifies technique
Participant C: communicates
Exercise
THIRD ROUND
Participant A: identifies technique
Participant B: communicates
Participant C: actively listens
If we DO NOT listen actively we…
 misunderstand situations and positions
 work on mistaken assumptions
 impose our own opinions
 miss opportunities to detect and reconcile common
interests
 reduce participation and hamper ownership
 do not create synergies between different ideas
 do not coordinate effectively, which can lead to an
ineffective protection response
Results-oriented communicators
 Know their communication objective and purpose
 Know their audience and resulting communication
needs
 Build a relationship with the audience
 Adopt the communication style that best fits their own
personality, topic, audience and culture
Communication styles
Recognize your own barriers to active listening and
think of what you can do to improve it…
FREE handouts!!