CommunicationTHE AVERAGE PERSON SPENDS ABOUT 70% OF THEIR WAKING HOURS IN SOME FORM OF COMMUNICATION.

What is communication?

The process of conveying information in such a way that the message is received and understood.

Effective Communication occurs when the receiver interprets the sender’s message in the same way the speaker intended it.

You can share… Ideas

Opinions

Facts

Problems

Feelings

What happens when you DON’T communicate?

How do you communicate?

Constantly. Even without words, or without people in our proximity. Verbally

Nonverbally

Verbal

Involves the use of Words

Sounds

Language

Requires speaking AND listening

Face to face interaction

Most effective type of communication.

How does it work?

Requires a conversation or presentation At least two people

Requires effort from both sides

Someone must receive your message for it to be understood.

How can someone receive your message if no one is around?

Why might it not be understood even when another is listening?

Two sides of Verbal Communication

The speaker Must make the message relevant to the listener.

The listener Must open their mind to the message being something they might

not want to hear.

Which position is more difficult to be in? Listen or Speak?

Improving Verbal Communication

Be specific

Think before speaking

Positive attitude

Consider the person

Speak clearly and at an appropriate volume

Making sure listener understands

Be aware of give-and-take

Ask questions

Speaking

The action of conveying information or expressing one’s thoughts and feelings through audible language.

How does it affect your life? Relationships with family and friends.

Interactions with teachers, classmates, co-workers, employers.

Expressing yourself- thoughts, ideas, wants and needs to others.

What things might affect speaking abilities?

Listening Listening: Something you consciously choose to do and requires

concentration so that your brain can process meaning from words and sentences.

Hearing: The act of perceiving a sound by the ear. A spoken message is useless unless someone hears it as well as

listens.

Reflective Listening: listening for the feelings of the speaker. It involves empathy which is the ability to recognize and identify another’s feelings by putting oneself

Critical listening: The listener evaluate or challenges

what is heard.

Active Listening

Show understanding nonverbally

Think in the other’s place to understand facts and feelings.

Do not tell about your feelings and problems.

Try not to interrupt and give suggestions or advice.

Make eye contact.

Face the speaker.

Remain impartial

Ask questions to understand

Restate the most important facts and feelings

Nonverbal

Does not involve words, but… The way you look

Dress

Behave

React to situations

Your actions speak much louder than words!

Appearance People make a first impression based on what you are wearing

and how you present yourself.

Judgments are made within the first few seconds.

Your message is sent before you even speak.

The way you look could change the opportunities

that you may have or may be given!

Symbols: Wedding Rings

The way you dress and your actions Dress

Clues to your lifestyle and personality

Are you dressed appropriately for the occasion?

Tells us what you plan to do, where you plan to go, and how you feel about yourself.

Your actions Good manners

Making others feel comfortable

Kindness

Use common sense

Show that you care When someone is rude to you, what type of impression do you get?

Body Language

Using body movements, facial expressions, gestures, and posture to send messages. The message is usually quite clear

Your face speaks for you

Varies in each culture

Can you think of any cultural differences?

Not all cultures respond the same way we do to different gestures.

Forms of body language

Posture

Arm position

Hands

Handshake – what does this ‘say’ about a person?

Facial expressions

Physical proximity

Eye contact

Stance The way you walk, talk, look and respond says more about you than

you may think.

Barriers in Communication

Barrier: something that stands in the way of open communication. It prevents the message from being received.

Types of barriers Stereotypes

Prejudice

Coded messages

Teasing

Physical

Technology

Stereotypes

Exaggerated beliefs that all members of a group will behave the same way. Puts labels on a group of people based on age, sex, race, religion etc.

Can you think of any others?

Causes misinterpretation of messages.

Prevents you from having an open mind.

You form assumptions about them before you know the facts.

Prejudices

Opinions or feelings that people form without complete knowledge. Based on lack of facts and understanding.

Do not accept others’ beliefs

Negative attitudes about: religions, races, cultures & nationalities, socio-economic status, geographic regions, food….

Can you think of any others?

Can lead to bullying and avoidance/segregation

You are assuming things about them before you even hear them speak. You are creating a wall that prevents you from listening to them.

Coded messages

Communicating without saying what they really mean. Where do we have experience with this?

Listener is forced to make an assumption and/or decode the message depending on the situation.

Our emotions get in the way of saying what we really want to. Any experiences with this one?

Teasing A means of getting a person’s attention.

“The just means he likes you”

Decoded as a type of compliment but can lead to confusion and hurt feelings

and other problems.

How could this impact ideals as

Children grow?

Miscommunication between genders?

Physical Barriers

Environment Weather conditions, noise level, population, discomfort

Distance Being physically too far away from someone to hear or speak to

them. You will likely have to result to technology.

Disabilities Speech and hearing problems.

Technology

Cellphones Texting, calling, Snapchat

Computers E-mail, social networking cites, Instant messaging (maybe?)

As wonderful as technology can be, is doesn’t come close to the effectiveness of verbal communication.

Why not? What can go wrong? …

#being13

Technological Downsides

Autocorrect is DESTROYING the lost art of correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Sometimes messages are miscommunicated and come across the wrong way.

Expressing emotions is difficult, it is much less personal.

Not always secure- be very careful about what you post or send.

Technical difficulties – what if something very important was never received?

Generation gap.

Other Communication BlockersSolving

“let me tell you what you should do…”

“If I were you, I’d..”

Analyzing“Let me tell you why you say that…”

“You don’t really mean that…”

Avoiding “I’d rather not talk about it.”

“Forget about it…”

Judging “That will never work.”

“It really sounds like your fault”

Moralizing “You should…”

“Isn’t it your responsibility to …”

Questioning “Why did you do that?”

“Who told you that?”

Reassuring

“Don’t worry about it…”

“It can happen to the best of us…”

Ignoring/redirecting

“I’ve got a better one that that…”

“That reminds me of the time…”

Threatening

“You’d better listen to me..”

“If you don’t do this then…”

Effective communication = successful life management.

Effective communication is: Clear

Concise *get to the point.

Consistent

Creative

Sensitive to the audience

Persuasive *explains rather than demands or threatens

Open to differing opinions * Keep an open mind!!

I-messages & You-messages

I-messages are statements of fact about how a person feels or thinks. ”I feel unimportant when you don’t return my calls.”

You-messages are statements that often ascribe blame or judge others and can lead to arguments. “You never call me back.”

I-messages encourage more positive communication in couples, families and friendships.