Leadership and communication

Seminar 2

Understanding Communications: A Key to Effective Leadership

Lori Sundal

Georgia Institute of Technology

A seminar sponsored by EDUCAUSE

EDUCAUSE Southeast Regional Conference

June 2, 2008Jacksonville, Florida


Copyright Lori Sundal, 2008. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this

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Understanding Communications: A Key to Effective LeadershipAgenda

•Introductions•Communications – Definition•Communication Channels and Types

•Effective Communications

•Communication Styles

•Active Listening•Summary and Wrap-Up

Breaks each hour and from 10 – 10:15

Understanding Communications: A Key to Effective LeadershipIntroductions

Exercise:

Partner with your neighbor:

Tell your partner something about yourself – unusual, hobby, goals, or just something you enjoy. Describe it fully. Then switch and repeat.

Share with all participants.

Understanding Communications: A Key to Effective LeadershipIntroductions

Exercise:

Each table will come up with a their definition of communication.

Then, we’ll take the elements from all tables and we will develop our common definition as a group.

Understanding Communications: A Key to Effective LeadershipCommunications Definition

The exchange of ideas, messages, or information, as by speech, signals, or

writing.Webster’s Dictionary

The art of passing information and ideas from one person to another.

Successful Communication – Ken Lawson, M.A., Ed.M.


As leaders, we communicate to:• Get things done• Pass on information• Obtain information• Reach decisions• Achieve understanding between individuals• Develop relationships


Sender

Receiver

Blah, blah, blah

Message >>>>> Method >>>>>>

<<<<<<<< Feedback <<<<<<<<<<<

Understanding Communications: A Key to Effective LeadershipCommunication Definition

Role of the Sender

–Sender has clarity about the message and how it should be communicated.

•Meaning is clear

•Understand your audience

•Message is believable

•Solicit feedback

Role of the Receiver

–Receiver is attentive and “truly listening”

•Hears the words

•Interprets what is said and not said

•Provides feedback for clarification


It takes two to speak the truth, one to speak, and the other to hear.

Henry David Thoreau


KEY 1 – “It Takes Two”

Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston

Understand your role as a sender and

a receiver


Jot down one thing you learned in this section.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Understanding Communications: A Key to Effective LeadershipCommunication Types and Channels

Channel – medium chosen by the sender to deliver a message

•Direct Channels: Obvious and easily recognized, under direct control of the sender

– Verbal: words, spoken or written– Non-verbal: body language, gestures, color,

sound


•Indirect Channels: usually recognized subliminally, not under direct control of the sender

– Non-verbal: body language, gestures, facial expressions, etc.

High risk of being misinterpreted!


Understanding the Meaning of Communication

7%

38%55%

Words

Tone

Body Language


Verbal Communications

•Spoken word – speed and convenience, (face to face - either 1 on 1 or group, phone,

interviews, meetings) – Face to face is strongest means for building

relationships and trust with peers, employees, customers and constituents


Verbal Communications

•Written word – more permanent and orderly, (email, reports, letter, proposals, minutes, etc.)

Strive for 6 things:• Accuracy• Relevance• Brevity• Structure• Clarity• Audience


Type of Communication Example Usefulness

Written Word Letters, Memos, Reports, Permanence and Proposals, Notes, Contracts, Accessibility

Agendas, Minutes, Plans, etc.

Spoken Word Conversations, Interviews, Meetings Immediacy

Debates, Announcements, Speeches,

etc.

Symbolic Gestures Gestures, Facial Expressions, Actions, Unconsciously Tone of Voice, Silence, Stance, Affect OthersPosture, Movement, etc.

Visual Images Pictures, Drawings, Illustrations, Powerful conscious

Charts, Videos, Logos, Graphics, etc. and unconscious

messages


Email

Get out of your Chair!


Non-Verbal

•Body Language – can enhance the spoken word–Complementing–Reinforcing–Emphasizing–Substituting


Non-Verbal

•Body Language / Gestures – can contradict the spoken word

–Hands–Body–Head / Face


Exercise:

I need 3 volunteers from the audience.


Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself, (I am large, I contain multitudes.)

Walt Whitman, Song of Myself


Exercise:

Take 5 minutes to talk about how non-verbal communication can enhance vs. contradict communication.

Share.


KEY 2 – “Heard it through the

Grapevine”Gladys Knight & the Pips

Use appropriate channels for maximum effectiveness



Understanding Communications: A Key to Effective LeadershipEffective Communications

Goal – to achieve clarity

• Must be clear in your own mind

• Must have a succinct deliver

• Ensure the message has been clearly and correctly understood


Benefits• Improve our effectiveness and our job

satisfaction as leaders– Relationships (employees, peers, superiors,

customers, etc.)– Management– Selling– Counseling– Coaching– Mentoring– Conflict Management


Business and Technical Communications

•Know your audience•Talk less about technology and more about how technology services affect those using them•Talk about how technology can enable the delivery of business process and services•Beware of technical jargon and acronyms!


Questions

Who, What, When, Why, How


Types of Questions

•Open•Closed•Fact Finding•Follow Up•Feedback


“Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate

effectively.”

Gerald Ford


“ I keep six honest serving-men

(They taught me alI I knew);

Their names were What and Why and When and How and Where and Who”

Rudyard Kipling, Just So Stories


KEY 3 – “Return to Sender”

Elvis Presley

Question and provide feedback for

clarity



Understanding Communications: A Key to Effective LeadershipCommunication Styles


Analyticals

•Quantitative – like facts, figures, numbers, details

•Perfectionists – see themselves as experts•Critical thinkers – don’t like people to break rules•Analyze – need time to process information and make decisions, cautious, adverse to risk•Inflexible – often resist change

•Reserved – want everything in writing and in detail


Amiable

•Responsible – take it all on, hard for them to delegate•Reserved – don’t need the spot light•Multi-taskers – can juggle multiple tasks•Cooperative – great listeners and team players, but get hurt feelings or can be offended easily•Patient – generally nice people, value others and friendships•Persistent – want to be treated fairly


Drivers

•Accomplish – get things done, action-oriented

•Poor listeners – brief, get to the point, afraid of wasting their time•Quick decisions – don’t want all the detail, will make decisions on incomplete information•Judgmental – always right, highly opinionated, brusque and abrupt


Expressives

•Talkers – love to talk and socialize, difficult to keep on task, easily distracted

•Creative – never meet a stranger, abstract thinkers

•Enthusiastic – very articulate and able to influence others•Verbal centric – don’t like detail or paper•People Centered – don’t like working alone•Poor listeners – say the same thing in three different ways because they are always thinking and revising


So, what happens when different styles communicate without understanding style differences?

Analytical vs. Expressive

Driver vs. Amiable

Driver vs. Expressive


What do you do?

•Understand the different styles and adjust your communication to the needs of others

•Alter your behavior so that it fits better with another person’s style; this is your leverage

•Don’t give up your point of view, opinions or goals

•Remain flexible and understand communication in another person’s comfort zone


Exercise:

Complete the communications style questionnaire and plot your style on the style grid.

What did you learn about yourself?

Share.


Communicating with AnalyticalsDo Don’t

Be prepared Be disorganized or messy

Be accurate Be informal or loud

Be direct Rush a decision

Present pros and cons Fail to follow through

Be specific Waste time

Be persistent Leave things to chance

Present timelines/actions Threaten or cajole

Use facts and evidence Use opinions as evidence


Communicating with AmiablesDo Don’t

Start with something personal Rush into business

Show sincere interest in them Make their decision

Listen and be responsive Force a response

Be casual and non-threatening Be demanding

Ask “how” questions Debate facts

Provide assurances Be patronizing or

abrupt


Communicating with DriversDo Don’t

Be specific and brief Small talk, waste time

Stick to business Be disorganized

Be prepared Leave things unclear

Present information clearly Ask rhetorical

Ask “what” questions questions

Take issues with facts Speculate

Be directive or make

their decisions


Communicating with ExpressivesDo Don’t

Be fast and entertaining Legislate

Leave time for socializing Be cold or aloof

Talk about their goals Press for solutions

Deal with the “big” picture Deal with details

Ask for their opinions and ideas Be dogmatic

Offer incentives or rewards Talk down to them


You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere.

Lee Iacocca


What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate.

Frank. R. Pierson

The problem with communication is the illusion that it has occurred.

George Bernard Shaw

Understanding Communications: A Key to Effective LeadershipCommunications Styles

KEY 4 – “Thank you for

lettin’ me be myself”Sly and the Family Stone

Understand how to communicate with styles

other than your own



Understanding Communications: A Key to Effective LeadershipActive Listening

Why do we listen?

•To obtain information•To understand•For enjoyment•To learn

We remember 25-50% of what we hear!


5 Elements of Active Listening

•Pay attention, not just to the words, but body language as well

•Show you are listening, mirroring

•Provide feedback•Defer judgment•Respond appropriately


Listening Modes

•Competitive or Combative

•Passive or Attentive

•Active or Reflective


Using Listening Skills

•Empathizing – listening from the perspective of the speaker

•Analyzing – using analytical questions to get at the full meaning of the speaker’s message

•Reflecting – paraphrasing what has been said to show the speaker you have heard and understand the message.


Exercise:

SOLER

Face the speaker Squarely

Adopt an Open posture

Lean

Maintain good Eye contact

Try to be Relaxed

Teams of 3 – Listener, Speaker, Observer


Feedback

Effective feedback has to be:

• accepted by the person receiving it

• must be constructive

• must not be critical


Speaker•Factual, specific and about what has happened•Addresses the behavior and the effect

•Take into account needs of receiver as well as you

•Make it well timed

Receiver•Listen carefully to what is said•Try not to be defensive; mentally note questions or disagreements

•Paraphrase what you think you heard

•Ask questions for clarification


Barriers

•Physical Barriers•Perceptual Barriers•Emotional Barriers•Cultural Barriers•Language Barriers•Gender Barriers•Interpersonal Barriers


Exercise:

SOLER with Barriers

Teams of 3 – Listener, Speaker, Observer

Barriers will be provided to either the speaker or receiver. Do not share your specific barrier with your team.


The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.

Peter Drucker

When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.

Ernest Hemingway

We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.

Epictetus


KEY 5 – “Listen to What the Man

Said” Paul McCartney and Wings

Truly hear and see what’s being communicated to

you



Understanding Communications: A Key to Effective LeadershipSummary and Wrap-Up

Sender

Receiver

Blah, blah, blah

Message >>>>> Method >>>>>>

<<<<<<<< Feedback <<<<<<<<<<<


Active listening Channels

Eye contact Written and Spoken word

Watch body language Gestures

Pay attention Body Language

Mirror speakerTurn toward person Clarity

>>>>>>>>> Feedback >>>>>>>>>>>

Message <<<<< Method <<<<<<

Sender

Receiver


1 Understand your role as a sender and a receiver

2 Use appropriate channels for maximum effectiveness

3 Question and provide feedback for clarity

4 Understand how to communicate with styles other than your own

5 Truly hear and see what’s being communicated to you

Understanding Communications:A Key to Effective LeadershipSummary and Wrap-Up

The art of communication is the language of leadership.

James Humes


Development of effective communication skills

is a life-long process. As a leader, you must

practice and work at improving these skills.

“The long and winding road” The Beatles


Thank you for your attendance!

Questions?


Contact Information

Lori Sundal, Director – Enterprise Information Systems

Office of Information Technology

Georgia Institute of Technology

404-894-5348

[email protected]


Reference Information

Heller, R. (1998). Communicate Clearly.

New York: DK Publishing, Inc.

Lawson, M.A., Ed.M., K. (2006) Successful Communication.

New York: Axis Publishing Limited

Taggart, B. M. (2006). Communication and Self-Discovery.

Boulder, Colorado: Educause Institute

Trubitt, L. and Muchane, M. (2008). In Plain English, Please: Effective IT Communications. Educause Quarterly

Internet Resources:

http://www.jenniferwebb.com/communicate.htm

http://www.hodu.com/barriers.shtml

http://www.jenniferwebb.com/communicate.htm

http://www.hodu.com/barriers.shtml

Leadership and communication

Documents

definition of communication

common definition

written permission

twomarvin gaye

blahmessage method

believablesolicit feedbackrole

websters dictionarythe

kim westonunderstand