Cmmunicatin Skills Beynd Wrds! MARY-ELLEN ROGERS AUGUST 15, 2017 Agenda Defining cmmunicatin Assess yur cmmunicatin expertise Learn the tp 10 cmmunicatin skills Mre than just wrds what s yur bdy saying? Yur scial media presence Prductive negtiatin emplying dialgue versus debate Cmmunicating in a diverse wrld Defining Cmmunicatin Tw way prcess f reaching mutual understanding, in which participants nt nly exchange (encde-decde) infrmatin, news, ideas and feelings but als create and share meaning. In general, cmmunicatin is a means f cnnecting peple r places. --- Business Dictinary.cm The act r prcess f using wrds, sunds, signs, r behavirs t express r exchange infrmatin r t express yur ideas, thughts, feelings, etc., t smene else; a message that is given t smene: a letter, telephne call, etc. Merriam-Webster 1
Sme Interesting Facts Abut Cmmunicatin Accrding t a survey by CareerBuilder, 26% f emplyees think email is a majr prductivity killer Of jb seekers under age 45, 43% think texting is a prfessinal way fr recruiters t cmmunicate with talent, accrding t data gathered by Sftware Advice Infrmatin frm Crnerstne s The State f the Wrkplace Prductivity Reprt states that 26% f peple feel pressured t respnd t wrk cmmunicatin utside f wrk time The average American spends 26 minutes per day texting, and actually send 5 times mre texts than calls per day Cmmunicatin Self-Assessment Persnal Cmmunicatins Assessment Rate yurself fr the fllwing situatins. Be hnest, this is just fr yu! Ttal yur scre 4=Always 3=Freuently 2=Occasinally 1=Almst never I am pen t viewpints that vary frm mine. I am nt afraid f cnflict. I use pen uestins that reuire a full respnse. I mirrr the bdy language and tne f the persn I m speaking with. When speaking t smene, I put myself in their shes. If I dn t cmprehend an explanatin, I m nt afraid t ask fr clarificatin. I cnsider the needs f thers as I negtiate slutins. I am a patient listener and never finish smene s sentence fr them. It s easy fr me t express my feelings t thers. Even when tested, I can reslve issues withut lsing cntrl f my emtins. When giving a presentatin, I hld the attentin f the audience. I am very cmfrtable netwrking. In a meeting, I am vigilant abut getting my pint acrss withut grandstanding r saying t much. I believe my business emails are always clear, cncise and prfessinal. I maintain eye cntact always. When apprpriate, I encurage thers t talk. Sme Barriers t Effective Cmmunicatin Language differences and heavy accents Cultural differences Differences in perspectives and rientatin Psychlgical issues Physical disabilities Gegraphic distance Organizatinal issues structure, lack f understanding f rles and respnsibilities, etc. Inattentin, distractin, multi-tasking 2
Ten Essential Cmmunicatin Skills Active listening Cnfidence Nnverbal cmmunicatin; bdy language and tne Being clear and cncise Empathy Being unbiased understand and cnsider all perspectives Shw respect fr the persn and the message Giving and receiving feedback Cnsider the timing and the medium Active Listening Skills Active Listening is Vital Avid distractins avid checking the clck r yur phne and give yurself ttally t what is being said Fcus n mirrring the facial expressins made by the speaker as a result f sympathy, empathy r understanding f the message r stry that yu are feeling Seek t remember the details, ideas and cncepts, interjecting apprpriate uestins fr the speaker Mnitr yurself fr inattentin, distractin, multi-tasking 3
Active Listening is Paramunt Ask relevant uestins r make statements that help t clarify what the speaker has said Reflect, r clsely paraphrase what the speaker has said t clarify yur understanding and shw cmprehensin Summarize the cnversatin back t the speaker at the cnclusin f the discussin r presentatin t give the speaker a chance t crrect, if necessary Verbal Cmmunicatin Sharpening Yur Verbal Skills Be aware f the tne f yur vice avid harsh tnes Incrprate humr, but avid sarcasm Knw yur audience; be careful nt t ffend Get rid f cnversatin fillers um, yu knw, a-n-d instead, simply pause Enunciate prperly Avid jargn and slang Ntice the nn-verbal cues f yur audience Dn t talk ver thers 4
What D Yu Call? A large sandwich in a lng rll? A cnfectin that is sprinkled n yur ice cream? Smething n the wall that yu drink water frm? A drink made frm milk, ice cream and syrup? The receptacle where yu thrw yur trash? A carbnated beverage? Insects f summer that glw at night? When yu pen yur hme r yard t sell n lnger used husehld gds? Trucks used t haul freight? Athletic ftwear? We may mean the same thing just call it smething different Be cnscius f differences in dialects, generatins, cultures and language yu may actually be saying the same thing, just in a different manner Value diverse pinins; acknwledging everyne s pinin as valued diversity f thught can actually generate greater innvatin Dn t mnplize an entire meeting with yur pinins, if yu cntribute t much, scale it back cnsider setting a timer in a meeting and each persn gets three minutes t speak abut a tpic Be self aware, watch fr cues f thers and mnitr what yu say and hw yu say it find a cnfident wh will be hnest with yu Kiss Dn t Kill!! Be Cncise!: KEEP It SHORT and SIMPLE!! DON T: KEEP It LONG and LABORIOUS!!! The mre yu say the less peple remember. Francis Feneln 5
8/16/17 Avid Jargn Speak the truth and nly the truth! Case Study: Gerge tld Ann that he heard frm a friend that the cmpany might need t file fr bankruptcy Ann didn t ask Gerge where he heard this, but given recent layffs she assumes that the rumr is true she shares with sme f her c-wrkers that she is applying fr jbs utside f the cmpany because she heard they were filing fr bankruptcy. Be cautius f hw yu represent persnal cnjecture! Bdy Language 6
Beynd Wrds Nn-Verbal Practice speaking in frnt f a mirrr, r vide tape yurself and critically bserve Eye cntact is critical When speaking lean twards yur audience Avid crssing yur arms r steepling; it can represent a sign f authrity Watch yur psture slumping is a sign f disinterest Whenever apprpriate, smile! A smile can indicate that the message is being listened t and understd When the eyes say ne thing, and the tngue anther, a practiced man relies n the language f the first. Ralph Wald Emersn Be patient when respnding t an angry text r email Will yu be OK with anyne seeing the message? Avid impulsive r reactive cmmunicatin step back and take sme time befre yu respnd Rather than assume cnflict, paraphrase what the ther persn has said t cnfirm understanding Greet and clse yur dialgue Text and Email Spell check and bserve apprpriate grammar Negtiating with Dialgue vs. Debate Difficult issues shuld emply cnstructive dialgue and avid cntentius debate understanding and a mutually beneficial slutin can result frm this pen-minded prcess Cnsider this if presented with smething yu dn t agree with: Debate Abut winning at all csts One crrect answer, and it s mine! Seek flaws in pints made by ther Clse minded Seeks clsure t win Dialgue Abut learning CllabraAve sluan Seek strengths in pints made by ther Open minded Seeks new pans fr all 7
Cmmunicating in a Diverse Wrld Learn the culture, nrms and values f thse yu are cmmunicating with Learn hw cmmunicatin is best received in the surce culture peple frm sme cultures dn t trust infrmatin that cmes directly frm a manager. In sme cultures singling individuals ut fr praise is embarrassing Understand cultural differences in bdy language Keep yur message simple use shrt, easy t understand wrds withut duble meanings. Avid using slang and jargn Embrace diversity and cultural differences diversity leads t innvative thught! Thank yu s much fr jining us! Please submit any uestins yu have by using yur Q&A panel and submitting it t all panelists. We appreciate yur time tday and dn t frget yu will receive a recrding f this webinar in yur inbx in abut 24 hurs. 8