BASIC COMMUNICATION

SKILLS

Mechanical DepartmentSem 1

Abhishek Singh

COMMUNICATIONCommunication - the evoking of a

shared or common meaning in another person

Interpersonal Communication- communication

between two or more people in an organization

Communicator - the person originating the message

Receiver - the person receiving a message

Perceptual Screen - a window through which we interact with people that influences the quality, accuracy, and clarity of the communication

COMMUNICATION

Message - the thoughts and feelings that the communicator is attempting to elicit in the receiver

Feedback Loop - the pathway that completes two-way communication

Language - the words, their pronunciation, and the methods of combining them used & understood by a group of people

COMMUNICATION

Data - uninterpreted and unanalyzed facts

Information - data that have been interpreted, analyzed, & and have meaning to some user

Richness - the ability of a medium or channel to elicit or evoke meaning in the receiver

Hearing

Seeing

Smell

TouchTaste

COMMUNICATION IS A SERIES OF EXPERIENCES OF

TOTAL COMMUNICATION PROCESS

BASIC INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION MODEL

Event X

Message• Context• Affect

Perceptual screens

/////////

/////////

/////////

/////////

Perceptual screens

Communicator Receiver

Influence message quality, accuracy, clarityInclude age, gender, values, beliefs, culture,

experiences, needs

REFLECTIVE LISTENING

Reflective Listening - the skill of listening carefully to another person and repeating back to the speaker the heard message to correct any inaccuracies or misunderstandings

This complex process needs to be divided

to be understood

What I heard you say was we will understand the process better if we break it into

steps

REFLECTIVE LISTENING

• Emphasizes receiver’s role

• Helps the receiver & communicator clearly & fully understand the message sent

• Useful in problem solving

REFLECTIVE LISTENINGReflective listening emphasizes • the personal elements of the communication

process• the feelings communicated in the message• responding to the communicator, not leading

the communicator• the role or receiver or audience• understanding people by reducing perceptual

distortions and interpersonal barriers

REFLECTIVE LISTENING: 4 LEVELS OF VERBAL RESPONSE

Affirm contact

Paraphrase the expressedClarify the

implicitReflect “core”

feelings

ONE-WAY VS. TWO-WAY COMMUNICATIONS

One-Way Communication - a person sends a message to another person and no questions, feedback, or interaction follow

■ Good for giving simple directions■ Fast but often less accurate than 2-way communication

Two-Way Communication - the communicator & receiver interact

■ Good for problem solving

FIVE KEYS TO EFFECTIVE SUPERVISORY COMMUNICATION

• Expressive speaking• Empathetic listening• Persuasive leadership• Sensitivity to feelings• Informative management

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

• Physical separation• Status differences• Gender differences• Cultural diversity• Language

Communication Barriers - factors that block or significantly distort successful communication

BARRIERS IN COMMUNICATION(THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE COMMUNICATOR)

• Disagreement between verbal and non-verbal messages

• Negative Self Image• Lack of Feedback• Lack of Motivation and Training• Language and Vocabulary Level• Lack of Self Awareness

BARRIERS IN COMMUNICATION(THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE RECEIVER)

• Selective Perception• Unwillingness to Change• Lack of Interest in the Topic/Subject• Prejudice & Belief System• Rebuttal Instincts• Personal Value System• Here-and-Now internal & external factors

DEFENSIVE COMMUNICATION

Defensive Communication - communication that can be aggressive, attacking & angry, or passive & withdrawing

Leads to:-● injured feelings●communication breakdowns●alienation●retaliatory behaviors●nonproductive efforts●problem solving failures

NONDEFENSIVE COMMUNICATION

Nondefensive Communication - communication that is assertive, direct, & powerful

Provides● basis for defense when attacked● restores order, balance, and effectiveness

TWO DEFENSIVENESS PATTERNS

Dominant Defensiveness - characterized by active, aggressive, attacking behavior

Subordinate Defensiveness - characterized by passive, submissive, withdrawing behavior

DEFENSIVE TACTICS

Defensive Tactic Speaker ExamplePower Play Boss “Finish this report by month’s

end or lose your promotion.”Put-Down Boss “A capable manager would

already be done with this report.”Labeling Boss “You must be a slow learner.

Your report is still not done?”Raising Doubts Boss “How can I trust you, Chris, if

you can’t finish an easy report?”

DEFENSIVE TACTICSDefensive Tactic Speaker ExampleMisleading Information

Employee “Morgan has not gone over with me the information I need for the report.” [Morgan left Chris with a copy of the report.]

Scapegoating Employee “Morgan did not give me input until just today.”

Hostile Jokes Employee “You can’t be serious! The report isn’t that important.”

Deception Employee “I gave it to the secretary. Did she lose it?”

NONDEFENSIVE COMMUNICATION: A POWERFUL TOOL• Speaker seen as centered, assertive,

controlled, informative, realistic, and honest• Speaker exhibits self-control & self possession• Listener feels accepted rather than rejected• Catherine Crier’s rules to nondefensive

communication1. Define the situation2. Clarify the person’s position3. Acknowledge the person’s feelings4. Bring the focus back to the facts

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

Nonverbal Communication - all elements of communication that do not involve words

Four basic types● Proxemics - an individual’s perception & use

of space● Kinesics - study of body movements, including

posture● Facial & Eye Behavior - movements that add

cues for the receiver● Paralanguage - variations in speech, such as

pitch, loudness, tempo, tone, duration, laughing, & crying

c

c = social 4-12’ b

b = personal 1.5-4’

PROXEMICS: TERRITORIAL SPACE

Territorial Space - bands of space extending outward from the body; territorial space differs from culture to culture

a

a = intimate <1.5’

dd = public >12’

PROXEMICS: SEATING DYNAMICS

Seating Dynamics - seating people in certain positions according to the person’s purpose in communication

Cooperation

X O

Non-Communicati

on

O X OCompetiti

on

X

O

XCommunicati

onO

EXAMPLES OF DECODING NONVERBAL CUES

Boss fails to acknowledge employee’s greeting

No eye contact while

communicating Manager sighs deeply

Boss breathes heavily &

waves arms

He’s

unapproachable!

My opinion doesn’t count

I wonder what

he’s hiding?

He’s angry! I’ll

stay out of his way!

SOURCE: Adapted from “Steps to Better Listening” by C. Hamilton and B. H. Kleiner. Copyright © February 1987. Reprinted with permission, Personnel Journal, all rights reserved.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR COMMUNICATION

• Informational databases• Electronic mail systems• Voice mail systems• Fax machine systems• Cellular phone systems

HOW DO NEW TECHNOLOGIES AFFECT BEHAVIOR?

• Fast, immediate access to information• Immediate access to people in power• Instant information exchange across distance• Makes schedules & office hours irrelevant• May equalize group power • May equalize group participation

HOW DO NEW TECHNOLOGIES AFFECT BEHAVIOR?

• Communication can become more impersonal—interaction with a machine

• Interpersonal skills may diminish—less tact, less graciousness

• Non-verbal cues lacking• Alters social context• Easy to become overwhelmed with

information• Encourages polyphasic activity

Strive for message

completeness

TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE USE OF NEW COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES

Build infeedback

opportunities

Providesocial

interactionopportunities

Don’t assume

immediateresponse

Is themessage

reallynecessary?

Regularlydisconnectfrom the

technology

Providesocial

interactionopportunities