Communication Skills Overview

Communication Skills

• Communication skills are the ability to use language (receptive) and express (expressive) information.
• Language is essential for sharing and growing ideas, expressing thoughts, and building upon existing knowledge.
• Mastering communication skills allows sharing ideas with people from different backgrounds and mastering various situations like interviews or connecting with others.
• Communication is about sharing ideas, thoughts, and feelings with others.

Communication Goals

• To change behavior
• To persuade
• To get action
• To give information
• To ensure understanding

Types of Communication

• On the basis of organization relationships: Formal and Informal
• On the basis of flow: Vertical and Horizontal
• On the basis of expression: Oral, Written, and Gestures

Barriers to Communicate

• Semantic Barriers
  • Symbols with different meanings
  • Badly expressed messages
  • Faulty translation
  • Unclear assumptions
  • Specialist's language
• Emotional or Psychological Barriers
  • Fear of rejection
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Negative emotions (e.g., anger)
  • Low self-confidence
• Organizational Barriers
  • Organizational policy
  • Organization rules and regulation
  • Complexity in the organization
• Personal Barriers

Communication Process

• Communication is the process of sending and receiving information among people.
• The process involves a sender, a receiver, and feedback.
• The sender uses a channel to transmit a message to the receiver.
• The receiver provides feedback to the sender to confirm the message is received and understood.

Communication Involves Three Components

• Verbal Messages: the words we choose
• Paraverbal Messages: how we say the words
• Nonverbal Messages: our body language

Tips for Good Communication Skills

• Maintain eye contact with the audience
• Be aware of body language
• Use appropriate gestures and expressions
• Convey one's thoughts clearly
• Practice effective communication skills

Why Effective Communication Matters

• Personal life: Building and maintaining relationships, resolving conflicts, active listening and empathy
• Professional life: Enhancing teamwork and collaboration, leadership and management, job interviews
• Social and community involvement: Civic engagement, public speaking

Lingua Franca

• A language or dialect used as a common means of communication between speakers of different native languages.
• It serves as a bridge language in situations where a common mother tongue is absent (e.g., international business, diplomacy).
• English serves as a lingua franca in many contexts including business, academia, diplomacy, and tourism.

Characteristics of Lingua Franca

• Simplified grammar: fewer verb conjugations, tenses, and grammatical rules
• Practical vocabulary: everyday words and phrases essential in specific contexts
• Flexibility: adaptability to incorporate elements from multiple languages

Verb Conjugation

• Verb conjugation is the process of changing a verb to reflect tense, aspect, person, and number.
• In English, verbs are conjugated for tense, aspect, and person/number

Pragmatics

• The study of how context and social factors influence language interpretation.
• It analyzes how people use language in real-world situations to effectively convey meaning.
• Key concepts in pragmatics include implicature, speech acts, deixis, conversational maxims, and politeness theory

Euphemism

• A word or phrase used to soften unpleasant or sensitive information.
• Used to lessen emotional impact, maintain social etiquette, and address sensitive issues.

Homonyms, Homophones & Homographs

• Homonyms: words with the same spelling and pronunciation but different meanings (e.g., "can" as a container and "can" as a verb).
• Homographs: words with the same spelling but different pronunciations and meanings (e.g., "lead" as a verb and "lead" as a metal).
• Homophones: words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings (e.g., "to," "too," "two").

The Art of Effective Speaking

• Understand your audience. Tailor your speech.
• Develop a clear structure. Divide into introduction, body, conclusion.
• Start with a strong opening. Use a powerful quote, story, or question.
• Master nonverbal communication. Be aware of body language, facial expressions, and gestures.
• Utilize visual aids. Use slides, images, or props strategically to enhance but not overload.
• The 6 by 6 Rule for Presentations: Keep topics concise.
• Use rhetorical devices. Employ repetition, metaphors, similes, to make the points memorable.
• Engage the audience. Ask thought-provoking questions.

Constructive Feedback

• Feedback meant to help the recipient improve skills, performance, or behavior.
• It's specific and focuses on the task/behavior, not the person.
• It includes highlighting strengths, identifying areas for improvement, and offering actionable suggestions. It's supportive, non-judgmental, and promotes growth.

"SBI" Model (Situation, Behavior, Impact)

• A structured method for providing constructive feedback.
• Focuses on observable actions and consequences, making the feedback clear and actionable.
• Steps are to describe the situation, the specific behavior, and the impact of the behavior.

Helpful Feedback

• Specific, timely, objective, balanced, encouraging and motivating.
• Should focus on the behavior, not the person doing the behavior.

Public Speakers

• Public speaking is making a speech before an audience, a polished version of yourself.
• Characteristics of a strong persona include confidence and adapting to audiences needs.

Adjusting Language and Tone

• Tone is the speaker's attitude reflected in word choice and vocal inflection.
• Audience type has a significant impact on language and tone. Tailoring language and tone to the audience type enhances understanding, rapport, and retention.
• Knowing your audience type allows you to adjust speech to prevent miscommunication.

Examples of different audience types

• Academic audiences prefer formal language, structure, and evidence-based information.
• Professional audiences prioritize concise relevant information, clear explanations, technical language and actionable advice.
• Social audiences appreciate simpler language, flexible structure, and connection.

This quiz covers the essentials of communication skills, including receptivity and expressiveness in language. It explores various communication goals, types, and barriers that can hinder effective expression. Master your communication abilities by understanding these key concepts and improving your interactions.