COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION

PACE Series on Workplace EthicsPACE Series on Workplace Ethics

The Academy of Irving ISDThe Academy of Irving ISD

CommunicationCommunication

Effective listeningEffective listening Good communications skillsGood communications skills Being friendlyBeing friendly

20042004

““We read, write, speak, We read, write, speak, listen, and think in words. listen, and think in words. The words we know touch The words we know touch everything we do. everything we do. Increase your learning Increase your learning power by discovering new power by discovering new words.”words.”

Select Agendas, 2004

CommunicationCommunication

Based on something that conveys Based on something that conveys meaning: the messagemeaning: the message verbal (spoken or written)verbal (spoken or written) nonverbal (body language, physical nonverbal (body language, physical

appearance, or vocal tone)appearance, or vocal tone) context—or place and time—of the context—or place and time—of the

communicationcommunicationmakes a big impact on how it will makes a big impact on how it will

be receivedbe received

CommunicationCommunication

Sender’s worst assumption … message Sender’s worst assumption … message received as intendedreceived as intended Assume that something will go wrongAssume that something will go wrong Take steps to prevent that occurrenceTake steps to prevent that occurrence

Barriers to good communicationsBarriers to good communications Always presentAlways present Language itself can be a barrier—unclear Language itself can be a barrier—unclear

wording, slang, jargon, the tonewording, slang, jargon, the tone Failure of the sender to realize that his or Failure of the sender to realize that his or

her body language might contradict the her body language might contradict the spoken messagespoken message

Channel used to convey the message Channel used to convey the message might be wrongmight be wrong

Poor listening skillsPoor listening skills

CommunicationCommunicationNon-VerbalNon-Verbal People telegraph intentions and People telegraph intentions and

feelings whether aware of it or notfeelings whether aware of it or not Unintentional sendersUnintentional senders Whatever goes on inside shows outsideWhatever goes on inside shows outside

Conveyed messages go far beyond Conveyed messages go far beyond words spokenwords spoken Tone of voiceTone of voice Body languageBody language Comes particularly from the face, eyes, Comes particularly from the face, eyes,

body, clothing, gestures, and touchbody, clothing, gestures, and touch

CommunicationCommunicationNon-VerbalNon-Verbal Be careful to interpret signals correctlyBe careful to interpret signals correctly

Crossed arms might be expressing Crossed arms might be expressing defiance, but might also just be feeling defiance, but might also just be feeling coldcold

Check out facial expressions and other Check out facial expressions and other nonverbal signs to determine correct nonverbal signs to determine correct readingreading

Depend on reading of facial expressions Depend on reading of facial expressions to judge feelingsto judge feelings

Depend on face as most trustworthy Depend on face as most trustworthy indicator of emotions such as happiness, indicator of emotions such as happiness, surprise, fear, anger, joy, sadness, surprise, fear, anger, joy, sadness, disgust, contempt, interest, concern, and disgust, contempt, interest, concern, and embarrassmentembarrassment

CommunicationCommunicationNon-VerbalNon-Verbal Eyes convey much meaningEyes convey much meaning

eye contact—or a lack of it—might tell eye contact—or a lack of it—might tell about person’s confidence, friendliness, about person’s confidence, friendliness, honesty, or desire to dominatehonesty, or desire to dominate

narrowed eyes suggest anger, irritation, narrowed eyes suggest anger, irritation, or doubtor doubt

pupils signify interest or disinterestpupils signify interest or disinterest pupils dilate when person is interested or pupils dilate when person is interested or

excited … grow smaller when person is excited … grow smaller when person is bored or uninterestedbored or uninterested

brow area and narrowing of eyes tell brow area and narrowing of eyes tell receiver muchreceiver much

frowns, scowls, and raised eyebrows frowns, scowls, and raised eyebrows indicate displeasure or intensityindicate displeasure or intensity

CommunicationCommunicationNon-VerbalNon-Verbal Body is another rich source of Body is another rich source of

nonverbal confirmation or denial nonverbal confirmation or denial of our verbal messageof our verbal message

Draw conclusions about people Draw conclusions about people before words exchanged based on before words exchanged based on sex, posture, height, weight, and sex, posture, height, weight, and skin colorskin color People stereotype others by thinking People stereotype others by thinking

that tall people make good leaders, that tall people make good leaders, overweight people are jolly, and women overweight people are jolly, and women are too emotionalare too emotional

Notice how senders of messages hold Notice how senders of messages hold their bodiestheir bodies

CommunicationCommunicationNon-VerbalNon-Verbal Crossed arms a sign of Crossed arms a sign of

defensiveness, defiance, or defensiveness, defiance, or withdrawalwithdrawal

Hands on hips signal goal oriented Hands on hips signal goal oriented or ready and able to take something or ready and able to take something onon

Leaning back in chair with hands Leaning back in chair with hands clasped behind the head interpreted clasped behind the head interpreted as sign of superiority, smugness, or as sign of superiority, smugness, or authorityauthority

A slouched posture means A slouched posture means humiliation, defeat, or submissionhumiliation, defeat, or submission

CommunicationCommunicationNon-VerbalNon-Verbal Method of shaking hands …Method of shaking hands …

Bone-crushing grip seen as desire to Bone-crushing grip seen as desire to dominatedominate

Limp grasp sign of insecurity or Limp grasp sign of insecurity or negative outlook on lifenegative outlook on life

Mechanical pumping up and down in Mechanical pumping up and down in series of convulsive jerks suggests series of convulsive jerks suggests mental rigidity, strong will, and mental rigidity, strong will, and inflexibilityinflexibility

Be very careful with touching others at Be very careful with touching others at work because of harassment issueswork because of harassment issues

CommunicationCommunicationOralOral Successful communicatorsSuccessful communicators

Full responsibility for success in Full responsibility for success in processprocess

Take responsibility for ensuring what’s Take responsibility for ensuring what’s heard is understoodheard is understood

Recognize barriers to good Recognize barriers to good communications existcommunications exist

Speak in simple, grammatical, and Speak in simple, grammatical, and understandable termsunderstandable terms

Give examples, ask for feedback, rephrase, Give examples, ask for feedback, rephrase, and make it easy to get true intent of and make it easy to get true intent of communicationscommunications

CommunicationCommunicationListeningListening Without proper listening, Without proper listening,

communication does not occurcommunication does not occur Effective listening is …Effective listening is …

Active participation in a conversationActive participation in a conversation Helps speaker become understoodHelps speaker become understood

Must Must hearhear and not and not assumeassume what is what is saidsaid

CommunicationCommunicationListeningListening Listeners …Listeners …

Passive listener …Passive listener … AttentiveAttentive Does not assist speakerDoes not assist speaker

Active listener …Active listener … Sit or stand alertlySit or stand alertly Maintain eye contact with speakerMaintain eye contact with speaker Concentrate on speaker’s wordsConcentrate on speaker’s words Make verbal responsesMake verbal responses Summarize parts for clarificationSummarize parts for clarification

Difference in speed: speak vs. Difference in speed: speak vs. listen … time lag in conversationslisten … time lag in conversations

CommunicationCommunicationListeningListening Good listeners …Good listeners …

Do not daydream during lagDo not daydream during lag Use time to organize what is being said Use time to organize what is being said

and relate to messageand relate to message Guards against distractions to messageGuards against distractions to message

Speaker’s mannerisms, accent, dress Speaker’s mannerisms, accent, dress or grooming, language style, or or grooming, language style, or deliverydelivery Distracting if not tuned outDistracting if not tuned out Avoid letting first impressions of speaker Avoid letting first impressions of speaker

hinder ability to hear messagehinder ability to hear message Don’t interrupt to interject own Don’t interrupt to interject own

thoughtsthoughts

Non-Verbal CommunicationNon-Verbal Communication

Received through your tone of voiceReceived through your tone of voice Through your body languageThrough your body language Through your eye contact, facial Through your eye contact, facial

expression andexpression and Even through the way your dressEven through the way your dress