Effective Communication Skills and Creative Thinking PDF

Effective Communication Skills and Creative Thinking Part 1: Effective Communication Skills Dr/Omaima Saeed AL-Batawy www.themegallery.com  Topics of communication skills The Importance and definition of communications Skills. The...

Effective Communication Skills and Creative Thinking Part 1: Effective Communication Skills Dr/Omaima Saeed AL-Batawy www.themegallery.com  Topics of communication skills The Importance and definition of communications Skills. The Communication Process. Perspectives in Communication. Elements of Communication. Communications Styles. The Communication Barriers. Listening Skills  Introduction ▪ Communicate is an important facet of life as the skills to communicate are essential in all spheres of life. ▪ Every day in many ways, people communicate with others; sometimes verbally and other time through the written word, and even do it non – verbally through what we call body language. ▪ If you can get your message across to others in an effective way, and then they have accurate instructions to complete their assigned tasks. ▪ There is considerable evidence to suggest that those who lack communication skills find it difficult to advance their careers. ▪ Even though communications skills are so important in the workplace. The laws of remembering Recently: we remember best what we heard last. We repeat the most important part of a message especially in conversation. Frequently: we remember what we hear most often. Things we come into contact with everyday (ex: people we see regularly). Impact: we remember most of the things that are presented dramatically. Ex: famous movie Application: we remember most of the things we have use for. Ex: social security numbers and passwords.  What is Communication? What does it mean to you? ▪ The process of communication is what allows us to interact with other people; ▪ without it, we would be unable to share knowledge or experiences with anything outside of ourselves. ▪ Common forms of communication include speaking, writing, gestures ‫إيماءات‬, touch and broadcasting.  The Communication Equation What you hear? Tone of voice ‫نبرة الصوت‬, Vocal clarity ‫وضوح الصوت‬ Verbal expressiveness ‫التعبير اللفظى‬ 40% of the message What you see or feel? Facial expression ‫ تعبير الوجه‬, Posture ‫ وضع الجسد‬, Eye contact, Gestures ‫إيماءات‬ 50% of the message WORDS … 10% of the message!  Definition of the Communication Carl Hovland, a well-known psychologist defined communication as: “The process by which an individual (the communicator) transmits stimuli (usually verbal symbols) to modify the behavior of the other individual”. Other scholars define communication as: “Communication is the transfer of information from one person to another, but the information transferred must be understandable to the receiver. G.G. Brown  A large amount of time is spent communicating, hence there is need to make sure that ideas and information are involved can understand. Thinking about what to say, working out the best way of saying it. Communication is the verbal and nonverbal exchange of information. Communication is a symbolic process ‫ عملية رمزية‬in which human beings act to exchange perceptions and knowledge. Communication is the process of transmitting meanings from sender to receiver.  Reasons & Aims of Communication We Communicate with others for many reasons such as: 1- To understand 2- To take a decision 3- To give information 4- To have information 5- To give opinion 6- To seek opinion 7- To solve a problem 8- To ask question 9- Convention or persuasion ‫االقتناع والموافقة‬  What are Communications Skills? Imaging you are on one side of a wall and the person you want to communicate with is on the other side of the wall. But there's more than the wall in the way. The wall is surrounded by a moat that is filled with crocodiles and edged by quicksand. These barriers could be things like different cultures, different expectations, different experiences, different perspectives, or different communication styles, to name just a few. Communication skills are the tools that we use to remove the barriers to effective communication.  Verbal versus Non Verbal Can we communicate without words? Voice attributes What are they and how do they affect communication? Physical attributes What could be considered here and how do they affect communication? The power of touch What and when is OK? Which is better, verbal or non verbal?  Types of Communication ▪ As aforementioned, communication is a process of exchanging information, ideas, thoughts, feelings and emotions through speech, signals, writing, or behavior. ▪ In communication process, a sender (encoder) ‫ يشفر‬encodes a message and then using a medium/channel sends it to the receiver (decoder) ‫فك الرموز‬ who decodes the message and after processing information, sends back appropriate feedback/reply using a medium/channel. ▪ People communicate with each other in a number of ways that depend upon the message and its context in which it is being sent. Choice of communication channel and your style of communicating also affect communication.  Types of Communication A:Types of communication based on the communication channels used are: ▪ There are two types of communication based on channel; verbal and nonverbal communication. 1) Verbal Communication Verbal Communication is divided into two; oral/spoken and written communication. Objective of every communication is to have people understand what we are trying to convey.  (1) Verbal Communication A. Oral/Spoken Communication In oral communication, Spoken words are used. It includes face-to- face conversations, speech, telephonic conversation, video, radio, television, voice over internet. Examples of spoken communication that is used in the workplace include conversations, interviews, counseling/helping colleagues, meetings, conferences and so on. In oral communication, communication is influenced by pitch ‫ نغمة‬, volume ‫حجم او جهارة الصوت‬, speed and clarity of speaking ‫ وضوح التحدث‬. Advantages of Oral/spoken communication Oral communication allows for immediate feedback such as the opportunity ‫ فرصة‬to ask questions when the meaning is not entirely clear. ‫المعنى ليس واضح تماما‬ There is high level of understanding and transparency ‫ شفافية‬in oral communication as it is interpersonal. There is no element of rigidity ‫ تصلب‬in oral communication. There is flexibility ‫ مرونة‬for allowing changes in the decisions ‫قرارات‬ previously taken. Spoken instructions ‫ توجيهات أو تعليمات‬are flexible and easily adaptable to many diverse situations. Disadvantages of Oral/spoken communication Poor presentation of the message or the instruction can result in misunderstanding and wrong responses. Relying only on oral communication may not be sufficient as business communication is formal and very organized. It requires attentiveness and great receptivity on part of the receivers/audience. Oral communication (such as speeches) is not frequently used as legal records except in investigation work. B) Written Communication In written communication, written signs ‫ اشارات‬or symbols ‫رموز‬ are used to communicate. A written message may be printed or hand written. In written communication message can be transmitted via, letter, report, job descriptions and employee manuals. For communicating with external environment in writing, electronic mail, Internet Web sites, telegrams and faxes are used. Advantages of written communication It assists in proper delegation of responsibilities. ‫تفويض مناسب للمسئوليات‬ Written communication is more precise ‫ محدد‬and explicit ‫واضح‬ It provides ready records and references for every message sent and can be saved for later study. Messages can be edited and revised many time before it is actually sent. Disadvantages of written communication Written communication takes time. It is impersonal or unfriendly Effective written communication requires great skills and competencies ‫ كفاءات‬in language and vocabulary use. It does not answer questions and there is no immediate feedback (2) Non-verbal Communication According to McConnell, nonverbal communication is behavior, that creates or represents meaning. In other words, it includes facial expressions, body movements, and gestures. Nonverbal communication is talking without speaking a word. It is very effective, maybe even more so than speech. Speech contains nonverbal elements known as paralanguage, including voice quality, rate, pitch, volume, and speaking style, as well prosodic features ‫ عروضى‬such as rhythm ‫ ايقاع‬, intonation‫ ترتيل‬, Non-verbal Communication much of the study of nonverbal communication has focused on face- to-face interaction, where it can be classified into three principal areas: environmental conditions where communication takes place, physical characteristics of the communicators, and behaviors of communicators during interaction. Nonverbal communication is all about the body language of speaker. helps receiver in interpreting the message received. Often, nonverbal signals reflect the situation more accurately than verbal messages. Sometimes nonverbal response contradicts verbal communication and hence affects the effectiveness of message. Functions of nonverbal communication: Express emotions Express interpersonal attitudes To accompany speech in managing the cues of interaction between speakers and listeners Self – presentation of one's personality. Rituals (greetings). )‫الطقوس (التحيات‬ Advantages of non-verbal communication You can communicate with someone who cannot hear, and in places where you have to avoid talking audibly. ‫تجنب الحديث‬ You can communicate without others around you hearing what is being communicated. You can communicate when a person is too far away from you to hear you (for example, by gesturing). Non-verbal communication makes conversation short and brief. Non-verbal communication saves on time and can be used as a tool to communicate with people who don't understand your language. Disadvantages of non-verbal communication Long conversations using non-verbal communication are usually not possible. Non-verbal communication varies from culture to culture. Particulars of messages using non-verbal communication cannot be discussed in detail. It is not useful as a public tool for communication. It cannot be used everywhere and is less influential than verbal communication. B: Types of Communication Based on Purpose and Style A) Formal Communication In formal communication, certain rules, conventions and principles are followed while communicating message. Formal communication occurs in formal and official style ‫النمط‬ ‫الرسمى‬. Usually professional settings, corporate meetings ‫اجتماعات‬ ‫الشركات‬, conferences ‫ المؤتمرات‬undergoes in formal pattern. In formal communication, use of slang and foul language is avoided and correct pronunciation is required. ‫النطق الصحيح‬ B) Informal Communication Informal communication is done using channels that are in contrast with formal communication organization and face-to-face discussions. It happens among friends and family. use of slang words, foul language is not restricted. Usually informal communication is done orally and using gestures. Informal communication helps in building relationships.  Factors to consider when choosing a communication media Reliability it considers whether the message will get to the intended destination ‫الغرض المقصود‬. It is also important to consider how reliable it is in getting across the ideas /message contained. The receiver The medium selected should be one that can serve the communication needs of the audience in terms of age, education background, cultural orientation etc. Relationship with the receiver The exact nature of relationship the sender has with the receiver influences the kind of communication media to use.  Confidentiality: Some messages are confidential and should be read or heard by the intended recipient while others are less private. Cost: The channel selected should be cost effective in terms of time and money. Speed: The channel selected should be appropriate to deliver the message within the expected time span. Availability: The channel selected should be available both to the sender and the receiver. Stages in the communication process  Stages in the communication process Sender: the sender is the entity that sends the message. At this stage, an idea, thought or feeling is formulated in the mind of the sender as a result of an external or internal stimulus or motivation. Message: is what is being transmitted ‫ هو ما يجرى نقله‬from sender to receiver. Encoding: encoding is a process through which the message is symbolized. It involves giving the message a communication form.  Follow: Stages in the communication process Channel: channel is the medium through which message is being sent. Communication channels may include websites, letters, email, phone conversations, videoconferences and face-to-face meetings. Receiver: is the entity that receives the message. Decoding: Decoding is the process in which the message is translated and meaning is generated out of it. Feedback: is the process through which receiver sends his response.  Understanding Communication We are going to consider: The 2-Way communication process Effective communication skills Barriers to effective communication  Communication is a 2-way process Communication skills involve: sender message ✓ Listening to others (Receiving) ‫االستالم‬ ✓ Asserting/ Expressing (Sending) ‫االرسال‬ receiver Role of the sender While sending the message you must have the ideas, purpose/reason, means of sending that communication, the actual act and encoding. When composing that letter, ask yourself:  What do I want the receiver to do or think, what do I expect. Choose appropriate language with an appropriate non- verbal behavior suitable for you at that appropriate time. Take time to structure your message strategically. Select appropriate media/means; that will help achieve your aim. Make sure your message is not misunderstood. Avoid being ambiguous, vague. ‫ ملتبس‬،‫غامض‬ Check the attitude & feedback and decide whether you are needed to feedback or not. Role of the receiver Give the message full attention so that you avoid misunderstanding. Check whether the media sender used suit your means. Ensure full comprehension of the message by checking the references. Check whether there is any underlined meaning / implication. Ensure you give sufficient and necessary feedback.  Effective Communication Skills Eye contact & visible mouth Some questions Body language Encouragement Effective Silence to continue Communication skills Smiling face Summarizing Checking what has been said for understanding  Barriers to Effective Communication Language Time Noise Other people Distractions Barriers to effective communication Too many questions Put downs Distance Lack of interest Discomfort Disability with the topic  Barriers to communication Communication barriers can arise at every stage of the communication process that is from the sender, the message, the channel, the receiver, the feedback and the context. Physical barriers: Physical barriers are often due to the nature of the environment. Example; distractions, noise, poor lighting. System design: System design faults ‫ عيوب‬refer to problems with the structures or systems in place in an organization.  Semantic barriers: ‫ حواجز داللية‬semantic refers to meaning of language used. Often the same word is interpreted by different people in different ways according to their mental attitude and understanding; can result in confusion. Physiological barriers: ‫ عقبات فسيولوجية‬may result from individual’s personal discomfort, ill health, poor eye sight, hearing difficulties. Socio-psychological barrier: ‫ العقبات االجتماعية النفسية‬Certain attitudes can also make communication difficult. For instance, great anger or sadness may cause someone to lose focus on the present moment. Attitude an opinion, Emotion, Closed mind , Faulty transmission, Poor retention ‫ضعف االحتفاظ أو التذكر‬  Presentation of information: The communicator should consider the audience before making the presentation by simplifying their vocabulary so that the majority may understand. Environmental barrier: Noise that physically disrupts communication ‫ تعطل التواصل جسديا‬, such as standing next to loud speakers at a party, pulling and moving of seats in a lecture room, working in a factory ‫العمل فى مصنع‬. Noise - is any occurrence ‫حدث أو ظرف‬that inhibits ‫ يمنع‬effective communication; it can occur at any point in the process.  The Art of Listening “If we were supposed to talk more than listen, we would have been given two mouths and one ear.” Mark Twain Listening is to pay attention to somebody or something that you can hear. Listening is a combination of hearing what another person says and psychological involvement with the person who is talking. Listening requires more than hearing words. It requires a desire to understand another human being, an attitude of respect and acceptance, and a willingness to open one's mind to try and see things from anther person’s of view.  The Art of Listening Listening is a complex process with three main phases: Receive: gather all the signals being sent to you, both verbal and non- verbal Comprehend: to try understanding what you’ve sensed and consider what it means. Respond: ask questions and reflect back your understanding. Responses to encourage further communication.  Listening Skills Active Listening Responding Paraphrasing ‫إعادة صياغة‬ Asking questions for clarification ‫توضيح‬ Mirroring the other person’s language  Tips to Effective and Active Listening Skills Face the speaker: Sit up straight or lean forward slightly to show your attentiveness through body language. Maintain eye contact Minimize external distractions: Turn off the TV. Put down your book or magazine, and ask the speaker and other listeners to do the same. Respond appropriately to show that you understand Focus solely on what the speaker is saying. Try not to think about what you are going to say next. Engage yourself- Ask questions for clarification, but, once again, wait until the speaker has finished. After you ask questions, paraphrase their point to make sure you didn’t misunderstand. Start with: ”So you’re saying …..”  Minimize internal distractions: If your own thoughts keep horning in, simply let them go and continuously re-focus your attention on the speaker, much as you would during meditation. Keep an open mind: Wait until the speaker is through before deciding that you disagree. Try not to make assumptions about what the speaker is thinking. Even if the speaker is launching a complaint against you, wait until they finish to defend yourself. The speaker will feel as though their point had been made. you should listen with a positive attitude. Many listener fail to listen because they are mentally unprepared to listen.  How to become a good listener? firstly you must prepare for listening: How to prepare? Focus your attention on the subject that is being discussed. Avoid distractions by sitting in-front, sit still, near the speaker. Suspend emotions until later. Keep your eyes fixed on the speaker and listen with your ears but also with your eyes and other senses. Concentrate on what a person is saying rather than how he looks and mannerism. Repeat the key ideas to yourself. It will help you understand better  How to become a good listener? Try to relate the speakers remarks to your personal background and experiences. Repeat instructions and ask appropriate questions when the speaker has finished. Listen with an open-mind: Listen with a positive attitude.  Barriers to effective listening Physiological Barriers Hearing Problems: can be temporary or permanent but in the process can affect your hearing capabilities. tuning out: the brain is able to process at500 words/minute, but people speak at 125 words/minutes. Becoming emotional and judging- strong feelings.  Environmental Barriers Physical distractions inside and outside the room deter listening. Communication Channel if is faulty, communication will be affected. Attitudinal Barriers Closed mind: if a listener always indicating that “My opinion is worth more” becomes an issue. Engaging in selective listening: It occurs when we listen only to what we want to hear. We do not pay enough attention to non-verbal communication  Faulty Assumptions The assumption that effective communication is the sender's responsibility and not yours as the listener can affect the listening Assumption that listening is passive can affect listening; you may need to ask questions to ensure your understanding Assumption that talking has more advantages than listening Completing the other person’s thoughts and jumping to conclusions.  Cultural Differences based on the background Gender Differences: Women listen for relational subtext, men for content Women interpret listening noises to signify they are listening, men use them to signify agreement. Thanks for good listening