Communication Skills Unit 1 PDF

Communication Skills Unit1-Introduction to Communication Skills Dr. Ebtihal H. G. Yousif Sudan University of Science & Technology College of Engineering 1 / 26 Outline 1 Human Communication Types of Communi...

Communication Skills Unit1-Introduction to Communication Skills Dr. Ebtihal H. G. Yousif Sudan University of Science & Technology College of Engineering 1 / 26 Outline 1 Human Communication Types of Communication Elements of Human Communication Creativity in Communication Empathy in Communication Body Language 2 Listening Types of Listening Barriers of Effective Listening Achieving Effective Listening Don’t Do 2 / 26 Human Communication Communicationis a process of sending messages through a medium and receiving responses from the receiver. It is effective when the sender gets the desired answer or action from the receiver. Communication is the process of creating shared understanding. 3 / 26 Human Communication Communication is an important part of our daily activities. We talk and listen to others and communicate using information technology. Reading and writing, sending messages and emails, listening to others, or having one-to-one conversations. Communication involves at least two people: the sender and the receiver. medium (or channel) BP BP Sender (or source) receiver (or destination) 4 / 26 Human Communication Types of Communication Function of Language The function of Language is to express our thoughts and feelings. Communication can be verbal (‫ )لفظي‬and non-verbal (‫)غير لفظي‬. Verbal communication deals with words, sentences or spoken expressions Non-verbal communication (body language ‫)لغة الجسد‬ constitutes body-movements, gestures and facial expressions. 5 / 26 Human Communication Types of Communication Non-verbal speaking listening reading verbal writing Types of Communication 6 / 26 Human Communication Types of Communication Figure: How We Spend Our Communication Time (Ferguson 2009) 7 / 26 Human Communication Types of Communication Speaking is an important skill that not only reveals your personality but also your domain of knowledge, etiquette and soft skills, such as analytical skills, social skills, etc. Soft Skills An interpersonal skill ‫ مهارة شخصية‬that is difficult to quantify, such as verbal communication skills, leadership, responsibility, etc. Hard Skills A technical skill, not an interpersonal one. 8 / 26 Human Communication Elements of Human Communication Communication is a dynamic and active process that consists of the following elements 1 Initiation ‫المبادرة‬: Communication begins when a source initiates a statement. 2 Feedback ‫رد الفعل‬: from the receiver 3 Channel ‫القناة‬: Channel connects the source and the receiver. A speaker and a listener are connected to each other by sound waves and (or) the light waves. That is, language carried by sound waves; and facial expressions and body gestures carried by light waves. 9 / 26 Human Communication Elements of Human Communication 4 Situation ‫الظرف او الحالة‬, which is the place or setting in which a communicative event occurs. 5 The Purpose ‫ الغرض‬which includes the intentions or aim of the source, or speaker. 6 Attitudes ‫ الموقف والسلوك‬of the speaker and the listener at the time of communication, which are affected by ideologies1 , emotional and mental states. 7 Knowledge ‫ المعرفة‬For effective communication, the speaker has to possess knowledge of the message that is to be transmitted. 10 / 26 Human Communication Elements of Human Communication 8 Expression ‫التعبير‬: consists of the ability to communicate. 9 Language ‫ اللغة‬is one of the most important elements of the communication process. Selecting suitable words, sentences and phrases. Language is usually supported by body language 10 Intellectualism ‫ الفكر ية‬is required for effective communication. That is, the speaker and the listener have to express and understand views calmly, rationally, effectively, precisely and efficiently. 11 / 26 Human Communication Creativity in Communication Responding to a communicational situation needs creativity ‫الإبداع‬ the capacity to read hidden messages, to see a link not seen before, to infer the unsaid and consequences to make a response that can change a communication situation to one’s advantage! 12 / 26 Human Communication Empathy in Communication Empathy ‫ التعاطف‬allows you to understand the mental and psychological state of the person we are communicating with. Empathy help us to adapt our response based on the mental and psychological state of the other person. For effective empathetic listening ‫الإستماع التعاطفي‬, Do not ignore the person by just pretending to listen Do not practise selective listening ‫الإستماع الإنتقائي‬, hearing only specific sections of the conversation. Practice attentive listening ‫الإستماع مع الإنتباه‬ 13 / 26 Human Communication Body Language Body Language ‫ لغة الجسد‬includes the gestures ‫الإيماءات‬, the tone and the facial expression. The body language of the person who is being spoken to is of great importance for a good communicator. It is an important feedback not only to decide if (and how) the message has been accepted but also to determine whether it is the right time to convey the message. 14 / 26 Listening Listening can be described as a skill that involves receiving, interpreting and responding to the message sent by the communicator. Listening skill also needs to be learnt and developed for effective communication. As the listener is listening, he has to process the facts, study the body language of the speaker and also project the appropriate body language to the speaker. 15 / 26 Listening What is the difference between hearing and listening? 1 Hearing is primarily a physical act that depends on the ears. 2 Listening is a much more conscious activity that demands a lot more than just hearing. It requires the conscious involvement of the listener, the acknowledgement of understanding and response. The listener has to hear, analyze, judge, and conclude. 16 / 26 Listening ”On an average, we can speak around 120 to 150 words a minute. But the brain is capable of processing 500 to 750 words a minute.” (Maularikrishna 2011) Most of the problems in listening arise because of the discrepancy in our speed of talking and listening. 17 / 26 Listening Types of Listening 1 Attentive listening ‫ الإنصات مع الإنتباه‬is listening to the speaker completely, attentively, without skipping or ignoring any part of the speech 2 Selective listening ‫ الإنصات الإنتقائي‬is listening to parts of the conversation while ignoring most of it. 3 Empathetic listening ‫ الإنصات المتعاطف‬is listening completely, attentively, not only to the words, but also to the feeling of what is being conveyed 4 Ignoring ‫ التجاهل‬is entirely ignoring the message as well as the message giver. 18 / 26 Listening Types of Listening The following are the types of listening based on purpose ‫الغرض‬ 1 Discriminative Listening ‫ الإنصات التمييزي‬is attempting to listen to a particular sound and ignoring other sounds. For example, you are in lecture, some students are whispering, but you are paying attention to the lecturer. 2 Comprehensive Listening ‫ الإنصات الشامل‬involves understanding of the complete matter delivered by the speaker. The purpose of this kind of listening is that the listener needs to remember or reproduce the matter as a whole. For example, students employ this skill during a classroom lecture. 3 Critical Listening ‫ الإنصات الإنتقادي‬involves judicious listening, which involves questioning the reliability, clarity and accuracy of the information provided by the speaker 19 / 26 Listening Types of Listening 4 Active Listening ‫ الإنصات النشط‬involves complete involvement and interaction of the listener such as in lectures, group discussions and interviews 5 Passive Listening ‫ الإنصات الخامل‬involves silent and patient listening without interfering or participating in the talk. The listener is supposed to be empathetic and indirectly support the speaker to reveal everything he wants to reveal. 20 / 26 Listening Barriers of Effective Listening The following issues are barriers to good listening Physical reasons which leads to inability to hear properly. For example speaking in a crowded place speaking to someone far away Psychological Barrier and Mental Set. For example the listener’s dislike for the person(s) speaking or the topic of discussion poor listening habits from childhood (faking attention, avoiding people for various personal, social and cultural reasons) Age and attitude of the speaker and the listener. For example A four-year old child’s constant conversation is likely to be ignored by most parents. A teenaged son or daughter is similarly likely to ignore the parent’s constant advices 21 / 26 Listening Barriers of Effective Listening Language Barrier. For example Arabic speaker conversing in English Using slang. Slang might be used in specific ways and words too might have different codes and meanings. Quality of Listening. Careless listening is an indicator to the speaker that what he is saying is not important for the listener. For example people doing actions while the speaker is talking, looking at papers, playing with objects like paper weights while listening. This kind of gesture can seriously hamper communication if used by superiors at the workplace or in any interpersonal communication. 22 / 26 Listening Barriers of Effective Listening Problems caused by the speaker. For example lack of proper knowledge of the topic of discussion lack of ability to arrange ideas and sentences in order lack of ability to use proper presentation aids lack of ability to speak with clarity lack of ability to change the tone accordingly unintelligible speaking, either high/low volume, either fast or slow pace, etc. 23 / 26 Listening Achieving Effective Listening Listen to the speaker carefully and completely will you be able to respond to him appropriately If you have any psychological barriers, address them as quickly as you can, because effective listening should be your priority If you are a speaker yourself, keep yourself to only the necessary points to avoid poor listening from your receivers. If you are a speaker yourself, pay attention to both verbal and non-verbal cues from your listeners 24 / 26 Don’t Do Don’t interrupt. Don’t jump to conclusions. Don’t judge the messenger. Don’t be selfish. Don’t tune out. 25 / 26 References Sunita Mishra, and C. Muralikrishna Communication Skills for Engineers, Second Edition. Pearson,.2011 Ferguson Communication Skills, Third Edition. Infobase Publishing,.2009 26 / 26