Comm Skills Manual
Oct 13, 2015
WorleyParsons Formal Report Template
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DOCPROPERTY "Client" \* MERGEFORMAT Communication SkillsManual
Communication SkillsManual
DOCPROPERTY "ProjNo" \* MERGEFORMAT DOCPROPERTY DocNo \* MERGEFORMAT 1 Feb 2009 Parkview, Great West RoadBrentford Middlesex TW8 9AZ LondonUKTelephone:+44 (0) 20 8326 5000 Facsimile: +44 (0) 20 8710 0220www.worleyparsons.com
Copyright 2006 WorleyParsons Do not delete this line
Contents
11.Introduction
11.1Why communications skills are so important:
22.Influencing skills
22.1Determining the Seven Levels of Audience
32.2How to Influence the Levels of Audience
52.3Influencing Types
62.4Effective Skills to Use with Different Types
73.Sensory Language
114.Active listening
124.1Barriers to Active Listening
124.1.1Physical Barriers
124.2Types of Listening
134.3Listening to Spoken Messages
134.3.1Pretend Listening
134.3.2Judgmental Listening
134.3.3Superficial Listening
134.3.4Distorted listening
144.3.5Past behaviour based listening
144.3.6Attraction based listening
144.3.7Jumping ahead listening
154.4Listening to non-verbal messages
165.body language
165.1Matching & Mirroring
165.2Body Movements/Posture
165.3Energy Level
175.4Mismatching
186.Questioning
186.1Closed questions
186.2Open questions
196.3Other Question types
227.Presenting with Confidence
227.1Fear and Anxiety
227.2Points of Technique
237.3Preparing Your Presentation
247.4Communicating With Confidence
247.4.1Voice Control
247.4.2Pacing Speech
247.4.3Speaking Up & Getting Heard
257.4.4The Value of the Voice
257.5Distractions
267.6Eye Contact
267.7You Your Presence!
267.7.1Using the Floor
267.7.2Standing or sitting
277.8Listening skills, Question Tips and what to Observe
288.Giving Feedback
298.1Guidelines for Giving Feedback
308.2Positive and Constructive Feedback
319.Making an impact at meetings
319.1Intervention Strategies
319.2Where to Sit
319.3Voice Skills - Fluency
329.4Nerves & Tension
329.5Eye Contact
329.6After the Meeting
3310.Running effective meetings
3310.1The importance of preparation
3410.2Managing a meeting
3410.3Issuing minutes
3611.Writing skills
3611.1Write with necessary caution...
3611.2The importance of "style"...
3711.3Letter writing hints...
3811.4The importance of careful proofing
3912.Effective email
4113.Fatal assumptions
**Plese do not delete appendices below, it will not print**Appendices
1. IntroductionRegardless of what business you are in effective communication skills are essential for success.
1.1 Why communications skills are so important:
The purpose of communication is to get your message across to others. This is a process
that involves both the sender of the message and the receiver. This process leaves room for
error, with messages often misinterpreted by one or more of the parties involved. This causes
unnecessary confusion and counter productivity.
In fact, a message is successful only when both the sender and the receiver perceive it in the
same way.
By successfully getting your message across, you convey your thoughts and ideas
effectively. When not successful, the thoughts and ideas that you convey do not necessarily
reflect your own, causing a communications breakdown and creating roadblocks that stand in
the way of your goals both personally and professionally.
In spite of the increasing importance placed on communication skills, many individuals
continue to struggle with this, unable to communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively
whether in verbal or written format. This inability makes it nearly impossible for them to
compete effectively in the workplace, and stands in the way of career progression.
Getting your message across is paramount to progressing. To do this, you must understand
what your message is, what audience you are sending it to, and how it will be perceived. You
must also weigh-in the circumstances surrounding your communications, such as situational
and cultural context.2. Influencing skills
2.1 Determining the Seven Levels of Audience
Openly or actively unfriendly this audience is your greatest challenge. They may oppose your position so strongly they are willing to work actively against you
Unfriendly they disagree but not necessarily to the point of counter-action. They may not vote for you or against you
Neutral They usually understand your position but have no strong preference either way this often occurs if they feel they will not be advantaged or disadvantaged in any way
Undecided The audience may feel torn between reasons why they should or not support you These people are not neutral they do care about the issues at hand but need more persuasion
Uninformed these people do not understand your position unlike the neutrals and the undecided they are unable to give their views or opinions because of this
Supportive They understand and feel positively inclined towards it However they may still not be ready to actively support it
Openly or actively supportive this audience agree with you and are willing or may already be actively supporting you
Note
Most people are surprised that they need to consider 7 different audience types. Knowing your audience will help you prepare and deliver your message for a positive outcome whatever stage your audience is at2.2 How to Influence the Levels of Audience
Actively Unfriendly
Build a positive relationship
If possible meet them before the meeting to build rapport
Stress areas of agreement as much as possible before getting into the areas of disagreement
Respect their feelings and view points and let them know that whilst you want to promote your idea etc. you are open to other ideas
Unfriendly
Show them you are being fair and logical
Always have evidence to back your statements
Move them gradually
Dont exaggerate your conclusions, be modest
Demonstrate your understanding of their points of view
Stress areas of agreement and common ground before introducing areas of controversy/disagreement
Only use experts and authorities the audience will recognise and respect
Only use real life case studies and examples
Neutral
Associate your issue with their feelings, values and concerns and aim to move them to a position of support
Stress the mutual benefits and mutual losses
Use concrete examples with familiar situations, characters or events
Stress the connection between your proposal and the interest of the audience
Undecided
Quote from experts respected by the audience
Break down the proposal into small action points that the audience can accept
Focus your attention on your side of the proposal. Dont worry as much about the balanced approach as you might with the unfriendly audience, however never misrepresent the other sideUninformed
Downplay the fact that any persuasion is going on
Stress your credibility, expertise or experience
Have a clear structure to present your views/facts
Invite questions
Be lively to keep attention
Supportive
Engage their enthusiasm and set goals
Ask for clear action. Make sure they know what needs to be done and who is to do it
Reinforce their commitment with vivid testimonials and examples of the successful outcomes others have got from this approach
Prepare them for any hostile audiences they may meet and agree the strategy to deal with them
Actively Supportive
Keep them active!
Invite them to encourage one another, discussing their successes or positive feelings about your ideas
Keep them enthused2.3 Influencing Types
Analysers
Like facts and figures
Analyse thoroughly before making a decision
Dot the Is and cross the Ts syndrome
Critical, cautious and compliant
Drivers
Results orientated
Task driven
Not detail led
Strong willed, make decisions quickly and dominant
Supporters
People orientated
Relationships are very important
The harmony of the group is often seen as more important than the task or debate
Conforming and loyal
Visionaries
See the big picture helicopter view
Creative
Strong values and opinions on the bigger things
Good at seeing alternative ways of doing things which can get in the way of making a decision
Flexible and spontaneous, motivated 2.4 Effective Skills to Use with Different Types
Analysers
Preparation, facts, evidence and steady pace
Show the detail, the figures, statistics
Pace means pausing and giving time for them to digest the information
Anticipate questions that may challenge you and or your work
Avoid emotional arguments and concentrate on rational discussion points to influence
Never bluff and do what you say you will do they never forget!
Drivers
Brief and to the point professional and business focused
Avoid the detail
Logical and structured
Be clear on your objectives and the outcome of the meeting
Supporters
Focus on the people impact as well as the business impact
Introduce how you feel here you can bring in more of the emotional argument as well as the rational one
Link into their needs and wants and show interest in their opinions and views
Listen and pace the meeting slowly
Link into the importance of the role they play in this
Visionaries
Show enthusiasm by using stories and metaphors to present your ideas
Give time for them to explore and question you views
Avoid detail show and discuss the helicopter view
Show how your ideas link into their goals and business plans and seek their support3. Sensory Language
The following list of individual words and phrases provides a guide to the sensory language that people use:
VisualSeeLookViewTransparent
ColourfulVisionFocusImage
PerspectiveInsightClearPerception
ReflectClarityMurkySight
SparkleBrightHighlightTarget
SpectacleSpotlightDreamPicture
HazyOutlookExamineIllustrate
Do you see my point of view?
Take a long-term view of things
Get a picture in your minds eyeAuditoryHearSayListenStriking
ClickSoundResonateFriction
ToneRhythmAccentSonorous
HarmonyMusicTune inCommotion
NoiseTempoMelodicTalk
DiscordantWhisperEchoSnap
AudibleQuietRingShrill
Im all ears
That just doesnt ring true
Keep talking, that sounds interestingKinaestheticFeelTouchGrabPrickly
PressurePullHandleContact
GraspTextureRubVibes
HeavyStickyFirmAtmosphere
RoughUptightSmoothStroke
PushyGrittyStingAdjoin
SenseSensationManipulateImpression
ConcreteTensionHoldStress
I need to get to grips with the new process
What is your feeling about that?
Can we touch base soon?Olfactory
SmellSniffyNoseOdour
ScentAirFragrantBreeze
SweetAromaBouquetEssence
BalmyStinkPerfumeFishy
He turned his nose up at the offer
I smell a rat
That will cause a stinkGustatoryTasteFlavourSweetSour
BitterRelishSwallowPalate
StaleInsipidAppetisingSavour
ThirstHungerCravingTinge
JuicyFresh
The relationship has turned stale
I relish the thought of that
Id like to keep things sweet between usYou will also notice that in our everyday language, words that are neutral. These do not favour any of the senses, however, they fill many of our conversations and written documents. Consider their use when you wish to influence the receiver.
NeutralManageProcessDeliverThink
RememberConsultRecogniseUndertake
MotivateKnowUnderstandConsider
DescribeCompleteFunctionDesign
MaintainConductUtiliseAnalyse
Auditory
Some people are more orientated to sounds and language. They learn more quickly by listening than by reading or seeing. They are people who prefer to hear how much they are appreciated rather than be shown. If you want to enhance your relationship with an auditory, you would be better off saying I really appreciate working with you rather than sending a gift for example
Visual
To them a picture is worth a thousand words. They learn more easily by seeing or visualising rather than hearing or feeling. Demonstrations work better for people who are visual
Kinaesthetic
Some people are tactile. They like to be hugged, patted or stroked. They experience their work through feeling, which often includes an acute sense of smell or taste. They prefer to do something in order to learn; a description or demonstration wont suffice. Kinaesthetic friends will respond to loving pats on the arm or back rather than compliments about them4. Active listeningWe cannot respect the rights of others if we do not take the time to ask what they believe and what they feel about a situation, and then listen to the response.
Active listening needs:
focused attention
eye contact
encouraging body language
summarising
questions
Active listening is a way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding. Often when people talk to each other, they dont listen attentively. They are often distracted, half listening, half thinking about something else. When people are engaged in a conflict, they are often busy formulating a response to what is being said. They assume that they have heard what their opponent is saying many times before, so rather than paying attention, they focus on how they can respond to win the argument.
Active listening is a structured form of listening and responding that focuses the attention on the speaker. The listener must take care to attend to the speaker fully, and then repeats, in the listeners own words, what he or she thinks the speaker has said. The listener does not have to agree with the speaker - he or she must simply state what they think the speaker said. This enables the speaker to find out whether the listener really understood. If the listener did not, the speaker can explain some more.
Active listening has several benefits. First, it forces people to listen attentively to others. Second, it avoids misunderstandings, as people have to confirm that they do really understand what another person has said. Third, it tends to open people up, to get them to say more. When people are in conflict, they often contradict each other, denying the opponents description of a situation. This tends to make people defensive, and they will either lash out, or withdraw and say nothing more. However, if they feel that their opponent is really attuned to their concerns and wants to listen, they are likely to explain in detail what they feel and why. If both parties to a conflict do this, the chances of being able to develop a solution to their mutual problem becomes much greater4.1 Barriers to Active Listening
There are many things which stop us actively listening. These can be both physical and our own judgement of things which stop us listening properly to what is being said. These need to be overcome if active listening is to take place.
It is easy to stop listening for various reasons -
the brain works more quickly than people can speak, so it often happens that when listening to someone you mentally finish their sentence. When you are talking, has someone finished off what you were saying?
something distracting you - this stops you fully concentrating on what is being said.
you may think the person you are talking to is too young or too old or would not understand your request so you do not listen properly to their reply.
often at work, or on work placement, our inexperience in the job role stops us listening properly because we are panicking in case we cannot do what is being asked of us.
the person we are listening to could have an uninteresting voice. It is the tone that is uninteresting rather than the words so we stop concentrating.
attention span - many people have a very short attention span. This causes problems with information overload. If someone is giving you lots of information or instructions you may not remember everything.
Some people find that taking notes helps concentration - it keeps the mind focused.
4.1.1 Physical Barriers
Physical barriers are what surround you -
lack of privacy
the way the furniture is arranged such as desks
distance - people/offices spread out
4.2 Types of Listening
There are two important things to know about active listening. One is the need to listen with an open mind in other words, with an attitude that says: Im listening in order to learn. If you fail to approach a conversation as a learner, you wont really be listening. Secondly its important to listen not only to the spoken messages but also to the unspoken signals sent out by the other person through his or her body language for example.
4.3 Listening to Spoken Messages
Listening with an open mind means listening without distorting what the other person is saying, even though you might not like what is being said.
We all have opinions on just about everything, so when were listening its tempting to judge what were hearing from our own perspective. We say things to ourselves like: Why did he do that? That was silly. I wouldnt have done it that way.
With open-minded listening, you avoid jumping to conclusions, making snap decisions or anticipating what you think youre going to hear. How many times have you made up your mind about the other persons point even before its been fully delivered? Thats not open-minded listening.
The following types of listening dont help with a good dialogue:-
4.3.1 Pretend Listening
We appear to be listening, but were not. We may be hearing the words, but were not working to discover what they mean. We might be caught up and told Youre not listening, we might reply, Yes I am, I can repeat every word youve said. Listening is more than being a tape recorder.4.3.2 Judgmental Listening
We listen in order to determine whether what the speaker is saying is right or wrong in our opinion. You might listen to someone and think What a crazy thing to do.4.3.3 Superficial Listening
We listen only on the surface and five minutes later we cant remember whats been said. Similarly, we listen only to the things we want to hear blocking out the points that make us uncomfortable, for example.4.3.4 Distorted listening
We listen through distorting filters, such as personal prejudices and stereotyping.
For instance, when the speaker is talking about a friend who has joined a particular religious group, the listener instantly takes a negative view because he knows what they are like. Another example: Linda has been jobless for some time, the listener dismisses her as a loser and fails to hear her interesting observations.
4.3.5 Past behaviour based listening
We assume that the person you are listening to is always the same. We do not allow for change. For instance, knowing George, we expect that everything he says will be tinged with self-pity, so we hear self-pity even when he is trying to break free from this behaviour.
4.3.6 Attraction based listening
The listener believes that what the speaker is saying is as attractive (or unattractive) as the person saying it. Paul is attractive so his ideas always sound good to you, Sharon is not attractive: her ideas never sound as good.
4.3.7 Jumping ahead listening
We anticipate what the other person is going to say and listen to this instead of sticking to what is actually being said. Similarly we hear things that exist only in our imagination. When Hussein says to Frank: Sorry, but I cant give you a lift tomorrow, Frank imagines Hussein is angry with him for some reason and builds a whole story in his mind around this invented fact.
How you listen to someone greatly influences how you respond to them. You may seem to be listening carefully, but your responses will give you away.
Open-minded listening is not the same as internally approving of what the other person is saying. You can listen openly to Ians ideas about politics without approving of his point of view. If you listen with an open mind, you suspend your judgment and always allow for the possibility of learning something.
If youve made up your mind before the conversation takes place, and if you are not willing to be influenced by what you hear, then no real communication can happen.
4.4 Listening to non-verbal messages
Not all of your conversational partners messages are verbal. We all send non-verbal signals or messages as well. These often add colour to what we say in words, and sometimes they completely change our verbal message.
When you are listening, the trick is to read these non-verbal messages but without making too much of them. The face and body are extremely communicative. Here are some of the ways that non-verbal signals can give a particular spin to our spoken messages:
Body movements
Posture, gestures
Facial expressions
Smiles, frowns, raised eyebrows
Automatic responsesFast breathing, blushing, paleness
Vocal qualities
Tone, volume, speed, pauses, silence
Our non-verbal behaviour often modifies our verbal messages in the same way that emboldening words or adding exclamation marks gives extra meaning to written language.
A word of warning. Be careful about reading too much significance into non-verbal behaviour. We listen in order to understand our conservational partners rather than to play at being a psychologist. So its a good idea not to focus too much on this or that bit of non-verbal behaviour. A frown, for instance, can be a sign of concentration as well as confusion or disapproval. Rather than jumping to conclusions, take a few moments to consider and confirm your hunches. While concentrating too much of someones folded arms, tight lips or half-smile, you might miss the main point being said.
5. body language
Its not what you hear but what you see
5.1 Matching & Mirroring
People in rapport do this unconsciously. They will adopt the body posture of the other person. Try this, when you feel that you want to enhance rapport. The next time you are sitting next to someone, adopt his or her body posture sitting as they sit or standing as they stand. Elizabeth Aries, Professor of psychology at Amherst College found in her research that the body language of men and women at meetings was different men sat with their legs stretched out whilst the women gathered themselves in. The research showed that it wasnt talking more that influenced; it was using open bodied positions
5.2 Body Movements/Posture
People communicate by using a range of body movements, e.g. a person may gesture with their right hand and arm to make a point. You can create rapport by moving your left hand to create a mirror image. The person will unconsciously be aware of the reflection you are creating in front of them
Your posture, facial expressions and gestures give a lot of information away and this is particularly significant at meetings. Sit up straight and be alert. Leaning forward can show enthusiasm but too much of this may suggest you want to dominate the meeting
5.3 Energy Level
When you are communicating with another person, notice the energy level and mood they are projecting. Reflect it back with your own energy level and mood e.g.
Match happy with happy
Match fast with fast
Match slow with slow
Match quiet with quiet
People with the following preferences can give visual clues to these preferences:
Visual thin and tense, breathe high and shallow
Auditory breathe lower from the chest and deeper, speaks clearly and methodically
Kinaesthetic can be overweight, relaxed and breath slowly
5.4 Mismatching
There may be occasions when you wish to break communication e.g. when you wish to end a conversation. Mismatching will usually signal to the other person that the conversation is at a close
6. Questioning
We use questions every day. Most of our daily conversation involves either asking or answering questions. Sometimes, though, our questioning can seem a little unempowered compared to others who can almost instinctively "drill down" to the information they are looking for.
6.1 Closed questions
To begin identifying the different question types, let's look at closed questions. .
A closed question can be recognised easily because it starts with words of phrases like:
Do...
Is...
Can...
Could
Will...
Would...
Shall...
Should...
Imagine you are talking with a colleague. You need to ask your colleague some questions in order to establish something. Do you think you would use a closed question to:
find information?
establish agreement?
6.2 Open questions
We've looked at defining "closed questions". Use them when looking for a straight "Yes / No" answer. But what about when we want more than "Yes" or "No"?
Open questions are designed to give information. They start with words such as:
How...
Why...
When...
Where...
What...
Who...
Which..
6.3 Other Question types
TypeExamples
How would you go about organising your team?
Have you ever worked on a project whose team didnt share a common language or on a project that had a diverse set of stakeholders?
What did you do to resolve the situation?
I bet you thought it was impossible, didnt you?
And then what did you do?
What was it like working for those cowboys?
Have you used XYZ software?
As well as searching for information through direct questions, you can build your understanding through indirect questions. These can be very powerful for opening up conversations, here are some ways you can ask them:-
Offer a topic
Simply invite the person to talk, without making it into a question. Just say what it is youd like to hear about. Tell me about your first day at work. A request like this leaves the field open to the speaker.
Explain what you want to know
State clearly what it is you want to find out about. If its helpful, also explain why you want to know it. What Id like to know is how the argument started, because I still dont understand why the two of you couldnt agree. Another example: I can see why you think this job is perhaps not right for you, but I dont have much idea of what youd like to do instead.
Build on what youve learned so far
Ask the person to expand on whats already been said. Put yourself in the request to show youre personally interested and involved. Youve said some people got angry. Id like to know the kind of things they were saying.
Search for clarity
Use comments that emphasise your own lack of clarity. For instance, when you hear somebody half-saying something, you might say: Youve said John sometimes behaves irresponsibly. Im not sure what you mean by that.
Ask for examples
If someone is expressing a point of view but it isnt yet clear, you might ask for an example. If I understand you right, you believe that the local council is letting the town down badly. Can you give me an example of what you mean? When asking for examples, be careful not to make it sound like youre really saying: I dont believe a word of what youre telling me!
Voice your thoughts
It can be helpful to let the other person know whats going on in your mind as you listen. For example: As I hear you describe Kens family situation, I realise how little I know about him.
Work hard to gain clarity in your own mind. Encourage people to be precise and concrete. If you are puzzled, say so and ask for clarification.
Its important, however, not to go overboard in your search for clarity. Remember that youre looking for the main pieces, not seeking detailed evidence for use in a courtroom.
Skilled questioners keep conversations alive by using a mix of responses prompts, encouraging remarks, highlights, open questions and indirect questions.
Whatever response you make to the speaker, the aim should always be the same to demonstrate, check and build your understanding.
7. Presenting with Confidence
7.1 Fear and Anxiety
Nervous tension is one of the main barriers to effective speaking. It is this that makes some speakers stilted, insincere, and unnatural. Nervous tension is born of three fears:
1. Fear of failure
2. Fear of looking foolish
3. Fear of forgetting
The only way to deal with these fears is through good PREPARATION. A common saying is To fail to prepare is to prepare to fail
When you present to any audience how ever large or small, they will, look, notice and listen. When you meet your audience you need to
Relax
Smile, look pleased to be there
Look purposeful
Shake hands mentally with your audience
Have in your mind your first words
Be confident
7.2 Points of Technique
Always use notes. Dont try and disguise the fact that you are referring to them but avoid reading your notes word for word.
Mannerisms both verbal and non verbal can distract the audience e.g. repetitive words, scratching the ear.
Whilst pauses are necessary to give the audience time to assimilate the information, an unceasing flow of words is hard to take in and will sound disjointed.
One speaker or several, always ensure the hand over is logical and there is a reason for a change of speaker. Make sure the audience knows if there is a difference who to direct questions to.
Avoid where possible a window behind you, or a door next to you as these are also possible distractions.
There is a danger that when we are so knowledgeable about our subject that we may not convey the message in a logical order for the audience and may get taken off track. This is why preparation is vital so that you can ensure you keep or get back on track.
Nervousness is natural and helps keep you on your toes. Dont be nervous about being nervous!7.3 Preparing Your Presentation
Key stages to consider
Early Preparation dont underestimate the amount of time you will need.
The venue check out the room if it is unfamiliar to you for lighting, appropriate size for the audience, acoustics, sockets, equipment.
Time allocated for your presentation do you know if not ask so you can plan/design accordingly.
Who are your audience? find out what they already know, what they need to know, their understanding of your topic from a language point of view. This will influence your presentation delivery as you need to tailor it to your audience.
Purpose of the presentation is it to inform? then make it colourful, interesting. Persuade? appeal to the head and the heart, have statistics, evidence. Entertain? ration the humour, be light. Inspire? quote facts, ask for action feel strongly personally.
Gathering material research, dont just rely on your own knowledge.
Organise your material must be in a logical order and fit the time allotted!7.4 Communicating With Confidence
7.4.1 Voice Control
Sighing can help control your breathing and nerves. Before you start to talk take a few easy breaths in, reminding yourself to breathe out slowly dont cough you will make your throat more tired drink water to lubricate it.
Always have a glass of water and remember you are like a swan gliding across the water. To the audience all you display is confidence but underneath the water you may be paddling like mad!
7.4.2 Pacing Speech
Average rate of speaking is a hundred and thirty words a minute as listeners we can receive messages three times that rate!
Pacing is about pausing. Pausing allows us to take breath, allows the listener to absorb and can be a very useful and powerful form of punctuation. The bigger the pause the bigger the breath intake which means we can take longer but less pauses for the effect.
7.4.3 Speaking Up & Getting Heard
It is a well know fact that people associate volume with confidence though this is an irrational association projection however is vital.
Yawning is a good way of relaxing your throat before your speak. When projecting your voice, breath in speak as if the sound is coming out of your tummy. Practice by starting off with a stage whisper; take in plenty of breath and then exaggerate the way you articulate each word really moving the muscles in the face. Then gradually increase the volume. This technique is used by professional speakers.
Good delivery helped by correct pitch. Emphasise certain words for impact. Inflection is also important as it give tune and variety, rise and fall. Tone quality is vital as this will give the expression in your words be it enthusiasm, disinterest sympathy or even anger.
7.4.4 The Value of the Voice
Like all human skills practice is essential. Our voices are critical when presenting. You may have the best-researched presentation ever prepared, but if you cant deliver it then the message will be lost!
The two main sources from which good use of voice and effective use of words must develop.
1. Good stance allows you to breath with ease and gives self- confidence. Make gestures full and relevant.
2. Correct posture helps to ensure correct and controlled breathing. By using your diaphragm you will avoid losing your voice and will have maximum power behind the words. Ensure you body is relaxed.
Suggestions to help increase effective use of voice and words
Practice deeper, controlled breathing
Practice reading aloud for 10 minutes every day
Practice speaking forward by projecting, not shouting!
7.5 Distractions
Over use of arm/hand movement
Pen tops clicking on and off
Pacing up and down
Coins/change in pockets
Mobile phones in pockets, left on!
OHP light left on or PowerPoint slide still displayed
Flip chart paper not turned over to reveal a blank page
Repetitive words OK/alright/errs
Noise/heating too cold or too hot7.6 Eye Contact
Look at people long enough to acknowledge them and note their expressions takes about 4 seconds.
Looking at people for too long can be intimidating/aggressive. Make sure you look at everyone in your audience.
7.7 You Your Presence!
This is how you appear to your audience. You may have the best-written presentation but how you deliver it through your voice and presence is key to a successful session. The way you look on the outside has a great impact on the way you feel on the inside.
Wear clothes which make you feel good
Always choose something that you feel comfortable in
Avoid clothes which make you perspire
Avoid clothes which are see through/skirts too short/ties too long or fun ties
Avoid light grey suits as they show water marks more easily
Dress appropriately according to the event
Tights give a professional image
Always wear a belt
Avoid jewellery that will distract
7.7.1 Using the Floor
Use the floor to create variety through movement but dont go overboard. Keep eye contact with the audience at all times.
7.7.2 Standing or sitting
Benefits of standing are:
More visible
Voice projection will be better
You can add more variety through walking/gestures7.8 Listening skills, Question Tips and what to Observe
Always tell the audience in your opening when you will answer questions i.e. at the end or throughout.
Listen carefully, keep focused, give eye contact, smile and make gestures to show you are listening e.g. nods of the head.
Several questions in one - ask what the main question is and answer it and then move on.
An answer from your audience, which includes incorrect information correct it then answer if still necessary. Use self in this situation i.e. sorry Ian I think Ive misled you with my question. What I meant was.
Hostile Express understanding, explain rationale behind whats been said. Use the group i.e. Gareth feels quite strongly . What do the rest of you think?
Rambling Interrupt and ask what their question is.
Argumentative answer in a way which re-enforces what youve already said.
Not relevant to session tell them it is a good question and will be answered and discussed in a later session.
Relate answers to points made in your talk.
Dont try to put questioners down or ridicule them.
If you dont know the answer say so!
Dont get into an argument.
*Note: If you are ever asked a question, and you dont know the answer, never bluff Give your idea/view, find out and come back. Everyone learns and your credibility remains intact!
8. Giving Feedback
We have a right to give feedback to another person; however we also have the responsibility to give the feedback in a way that can be useful and accepted.
A simple and effective process for giving praise and criticism is:-
SITUATION(The context)
BEHAVIOUR(What was said and done)
(What positive effect it had) +IMPACT- (What negative effect it had)
Giving constructive feedback is an essential skill for any manager. It is the process for relaying the effects of behaviour for the individual's benefit and learning. Without feedback it can become difficult to progress. The purpose of giving feedback is to improve performance in the future.
It is recognised that feedback directs behaviour and motivates performance at work - no matter how good or effective your staff are, they can always get better.
With poor performers we owe a legal and moral obligation to give feedback. We are required to do the following:
Establish the standards of performance and behaviour required by the job
Give feedback when performance falls short of those standards
Develop a joint action plan to get them back on track
There are many ways, some are formal, a lot are irregular and hit or miss. For example, the research into complaining customers shows that for every customer that complains, there are another 10 or11 who are also dissatisfied but who haven't voiced their opinion. In all types of business, feedback is important because past behaviour is the best indicator of future behaviour; unless something intervenes to alter our perspective, we will not change.
One of the regular difficulties experienced by organisations with formal appraisal systems is that managers have a habit of saving up their feedback for the once a year meeting. A good ground rule if you have appraisal is "NO SURPRISES". Twelve months is far too long to leave someone in the dark about their performance, whether good bad or indifferent.
A more effective approach is to give continuous feedback throughout the year and supplement the annual interview with a series of short mini appraisals. This will make sure that nothing is missed, will keep the channels of communication open throughout the year and as a result, the final review will be more effective.
Ideally, the more immediate the feedback, the better it will be. By giving feedback as soon as possible after the event or during the progress of the work, the better both manager and job holder will be able to recall the performance and the circumstances and the more concrete will be the information on which to build.
8.1 Guidelines for Giving Feedback
Encourage self-criticism. People are more willing to accept the criticism when they have recognised their own strengths and weaknesses. Start by encouraging them to appraise themselves and then build on their own insights
Emphasise what you see and hear. Make your feedback descriptive rather than evaluative. Describe your own observations without making judgements as to whether you see the facts as good or bad, and leave the person to make up their own assessment.
Concentrate on particular points. Make feedback specific rather than general. It is easier for someone to react to this than to general statements.
Outline the positive points. By making feedback constructive you will be helping them to find out what needs to be done rather than just telling them what they are not doing right. Always look for areas of improvement rather than concentrating on what went wrong.
Indicate what can be and should be done. Make your feedback practical so the person can do something about it. It should be specific ways the person can improve. Don't say their behaviour was good or bad, it gives no direction for improvements over which the employee has control.
Build on what people want. Try to give feedback that is asked for rather than imposed. If this is not possible and you must bring things to the employees attention, tell them that you are giving feedback.
The right time. Take time to explain things to the employee properly. This way the employee can understand what you have said and can discuss it with you. Avoid a few rushed moments in the corridor to talk to someone about their performance.
8.2 Positive and Constructive Feedback
PositiveConstructive
Who(Who should give it?)
What(What shouldit contain?)
When(When should it be given?)
Where(Where should it be given?)
How(How should it be given?)
Why(Why should we give it?)
9. Making an impact at meetings
To be silent at a meeting is to be invisible
9.1 Intervention Strategies
Hold on Jim I wasnt quite through
Or
Just a minute Peter Ive got a few more points to make on that topic
Or
Charlotte I just need another minute to finish that one off
Or
Before we go too far down that road, let me finish what I was saying about the budget
9.2 Where to Sit
The best place is directly opposite/next to the Chairperson and the second best place is in the middle of the side rows. People can easily see you and you can signal when you want to come in. Research indicates that people in these positions do more talking than those sitting at the ends
9.3 Voice Skills - Fluency
This is nothing to do with accents but more to do with the volume and how articulate you are
Speak a little louder than you would in an informal conversation
Use variation of tone and pitch to emphasise and to make it interesting to listen to
Hesitations and speech errors are a big turn off. People will not wait for you to find the right words through a forest of ums and ers. There is too much competition at meetings for voice time!
Prepare as much as you can prior to the meeting by looking at the agenda items and thinking about what you want to add
Being influential at meetings isnt just about speaking well and looking alert. Its about giving thought to what we speak about. Some people direct their remarks only to the subject that the meeting is about. If their message is clear and constructive they will be seen as positive contributors to the meeting. Another method of using your influencing skills is to make contributions that help the meeting achieve its purpose e.g. to make a decision or solve a problem etc.
To help the decision making process you could clarify points from time to time or sum up the steps so far. You could bring others into the debate for their view or move the meeting forward by saying so shall we agree on that
Be supportive by adding your idea to a colleagues contribution
People who contribute at meetings by using some or all of the above skills are seen as constructive and influential. Supporting others is a good way of building allies. It is much easier to influence people who see you as supportive. So many people make enemies at meetings by disagreeing tactlessly, interrupting or being inattentive.
9.4 Nerves & Tension
When we are nervous we often speak too quickly and scramble our words. Combine that with a soft voice and a tendency to mumble and it is not surprising that people stop listening! Speaking too fast can make people think you are nervous or trying to dominate the meeting. Find a pace that keeps the listeners interested try recording something on tape to review how you sound
9.5 Eye Contact
Use your eyes at meetings they are a powerful tool. Look at the speaker to show interest. It will also make it easier for you to add your view points if you keep their attention. Also look at everyone during the time you are speaking, looking down looses the impact of your message
9.6 After the Meeting
If you are given an action point, make sure it is in your diary and action it prior to the next meeting. Much credibility is lost at the next meeting when action points are not completed
Make a note of any action points that others have that may impact on you and contact them for an update10. Running effective meetings
While meetings are wonderful tools for generating ideas, expanding on thoughts and managing
group activity, this face-to-face contact with team members and colleagues can easily fail without
adequate preparation and leadership..
10.1 The importance of preparation
To ensure everyone involved has the opportunity to provide their input, start your meeting off
on the right foot by designating a meeting time that allows all participants the time needed to
adequately prepare.
Once a meeting time and place has been designated, make yourself available for questions
that may arise as participants prepare for the meeting. If you are the meeting leader, make a
meeting agenda, complete with detailed notes.
In these notes, outline the goal and proposed structure of the meeting, and share this with the
participants. This will allow all involved to prepare and to come to the meeting ready to work
together to meet the goal(s) at hand.
The success of the meeting is hinged on the skills displayed by the meeting leader. To
ensure the meeting is successful, the leader should:
1. Generate an agenda to all involved in the meeting
2. Start the discussion and encourage active participation
3. Work to keep the meeting at a comfortable pace not moving too fast or too slow
4. Summarize the discussion and the recommendations at the end of each logical section
5. Circulate minutes to all participants
While these tips will help ensure your meeting is productive and well-received, there are other
important areas that need to be touched on to make sure your meeting and negotiation skills
are fine-tuned and ready to take to the boardroom.
10.2 Managing a meeting
Choosing the right participants is the key to the success of any meeting. Make sure all
participants can contribute and choose good decision-makes and problem-solvers. Try to
keep the number of participants to a maximum of 12, preferably fewer. Make sure the people
with the necessary information for the items listed in the meeting agenda are the ones that
are invited.
If you are the leader, work diligently to ensure everyones thoughts and ideas are heard by
guiding the meeting so that there is a free flow of debate with no individual dominating and no
extensive discussions between two people. As time dwindles for each item on the distributed
agenda, you may find it useful to stop the discussion, then quickly summarize the debate on
that agenda item and move on the next item on the agenda.
When an agenda item is resolved or action is agreed upon, make it clear who in the meeting
will be responsible for this. In an effort to bypass confusion and misunderstandings,
summarize the action to be taken and include this in the meetings minutes.
10.3 Issuing minutes
Minutes record the decisions of the meeting and the actions agreed. They provide a record of
the meeting and, importantly, they provide a review document for use at the next meeting so
that progress can be measured - this makes them a useful disciplining technique as
individuals' performance and non-performance of agreed actions is given high visibility.
The style of the minutes issued depends on the circumstances - in situations of critical
importance and where the record is important, then you may need to take detailed minutes.
Where this is not the case, then minutes can be simple lists of decisions made and of actions
to be taken (with the responsible person identified). Generally, they should be as short as
possible as long as all key information is shown - this makes them quick and easy to prepare
and digest.
It is always impressive if the leader of a meeting issues minutes within 24 hours of the end of
the meeting - it's even better if they are issued on the same day.11. Writing skills
Many people are intimidated by writing. Even so, there are times when writing is the best way to
communicate, and oftentimes the only way to get your message across.
11.1 Write with necessary caution...
When writing, be mindful of the fact that once something is in written form, it cannot be taken
back. Communicating through words can be more concrete than verbal communications, with
less room for error and even less room for mistakes. This presents written communicators
with new challenges, including spelling, grammar, punctuation, even writing style and actual
wording.
Thankfully, todays technology makes memo, letter and proposal writing much easier by
providing reliable tools that check and even correct misspelled words and incorrect grammar
use. Unfortunately, these tools are not fail proof and will require your support, making your
knowledge in this area important.
11.2 The importance of "style"...
Some of the most basic tips to remember when writing include:
Avoid the use of slang words
Try not to use abbreviations (unless appropriately defined)
Steer away from the use of symbols (such as ampersands [&])
Clichs should be avoided, or at the very least, used with caution
Brackets are used to play down words or phrases
Dashes are generally used for emphasis
Great care should ALWAYS be taken to spell the names of people and companies correctly
Numbers should be expressed as words when the number is less than 10 or is used to start a
sentence (example: Ten years ago, my brother and I). The number 10, or anything greater
than 10, should be expressed as a figure (example: My brother has 13 Matchbox cars.)
Quotation marks should be placed around any directly quoted speech or text and around
titles of publications.
Keep sentences short
While the above tips cover the most common mistakes made when writing letters, memos
and reports, they in no way cover everything you need to know to ensure your written
communications are accurate and understood.
11.3 Letter writing hints...
When writing letters, it is best to address the letter to an individual. And, when beginning the
letter with a personal name, be sure to end it with an appropriate closing, such as Sincerely
yours. If you cannot obtain an individuals name, consider ending it with a more generic (less
personal) closing, such as With kindest regards.
For normal business letters, your letter should start with an overall summary, showing in the
first paragraph why the letter is relevant to the reader. Its not a good practice to make the
reader go past the first paragraph to find out why the letter was sent to them.
The body of the letter needs to explain the reason for the correspondence, including any
relevant background and current information. Make sure the information flows logically,
ensuring you are making your points effectively.
The closing of the letter is the final impression you leave with the reader. End with an action
point, such as I will call you later this week to discuss this further.
11.4 The importance of careful proofing
Perhaps the most important thing to remember when writing a letter is to check it thoroughly
when it is completed. Even when you think it is exactly what you want, read it one more time.
This unwritten rule holds true for everything you write memos, letters, proposals, etc.
Use both the grammar and spell check on your computer, paying very, very close attention to
every word highlighted. Do not place total faith on your computer here. Instead, you should
have both a printed dictionary and thesaurus nearby to double-check everything your
computers editing tools highlight, as these tools are certainly not always reliable, for a variety
of reasons.
When checking your written communications make sure the document is clear and concise.
Is there anything in the written communication that could be misinterpreted? Does it raise
unanswered questions or fail to make the point you need to get across?
Can you cut down on the number of words used? For instance, dont use 20 words when you
can use 10. While you do not want to be curt or abrupt, you do not want to waste the readers
time with unnecessary words or phrases.
Is your written communication well organized? Does each idea proceed logically to the next?
Make sure your written communications are easy to read and contain the necessary
information, using facts where needed and avoiding information that is not relevant. Again,
outline the course of action you expect, such as a return call or visit.
Close appropriately; make sure to include your contact information. While this may seem
obvious, it is sometimes overlooked and can make your written communications look
amateurish. This can diminish your chances of meeting your written communications g12. Effective email
As with all written communications, your emails should be clear and concise. Sentences should be
kept short and to the point.
This starts with the e-mails subject line. Use the subject line to inform the receiver of EXACTLY
what the email is about. Keep in mind, the subject line should offer a short summary of the email
and allows for just a few words. Because everyone gets emails they do not want (SPAM, etc.),
appropriate use of the subject line increases the chances your email will be read and not
discarded into the deleted email file without so much as a glance.
Because emails have the date and time they were sent, it is not necessary to include this
information in your email correspondences. However, the writing used in the email should liken
that used is other business writings. The email should be clear and concise, with the purpose of
the email detailed in the very first paragraph.
The body of the email should contain all pertinent information and should be direct and informative.
Make sure to include any call to action you desire, such as a phone call or follow-up appointment.
Then, make sure you include your contact information, including your name, title, phone and fax
numbers, as well as snail-mail address. If you have additional email addresses, you may want to
include these, as well.
If you regularly correspond, using email, make sure to clean out your email inbox at least once
each day. Of course, the exception here may be on days you do not work, such as weekends and
holidays.
Make sure you return emails in a timely manner. This is a simple act of courtesy and will also
serve to encourage senders to return your emails in a timely manner.
Internal email should be treated as regular email, following the same rules as outlined above.
However, internal email should be checked regularly throughout the working day and returned in a
much quicker manner as much of these detail timely projects, immediate updates, meeting notes,
etc. Nonetheless, internal emails, just like emails, should not be informal. Remember, these are
written forms of communication that can be printed out and viewed by others than those originally
intended for.13. Fatal assumptionsWhose fault is it when communication is not understood?
Is it the senders fault or the receivers fault or both?
Remember, you do not know that your communication has been successfully received and understood until the person/people you are communicating to have accurately replayed your message back to you! Beware of the following (common) communication assumptions!
1. I have transmitted therefore I have communicated
2. When Im not communicating, Im not communicating
3. People are interested in what I want to communicate
4. People have understood what I communicated
5. People agree with what I have communicated
6. People care about that I have communicated
7. People will do something different
8. its their fault they havent heard
9. People said they understood so they did
10. Ive said it once I dont need to say it again
11. Communication is about the words I use, not about my body language or actions
12. People understand the I implications of what I have communicated
13. The people I have communicated to will communicated to the people they need to communicate to
14. I have used the best media for my audience
15. People have seen what I put on the intranet and have read the emails I sent
16. Ive said it twice I dont need to say it again
17. If I keep saying it for long enough they will eventually hear
18. I believe in what I am saying so they must too
19. What I said made perfect business sense so everyone must be on board
20. I felt good about what I was saying so the audience must have as well.Project DOCPROPERTY "ProjNo" \* MERGEFORMAT - Communication Skills
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