Communication Skills

Communication Skills
Overview:

Communication skills are a critical element in delivering effective training.

Trainers must be able to use a variety of communication techniques in order to create an environment that enables participants to engage actively in the learning process.

July 23, 2003

Session Objectives
By the end of the session, the participant will be able to:

Describe reasons that communication fails List and discuss strategies to enhance communication Paraphrase and summarize conversations Use appropriate questioning techniques to lead discussions and to assist learning

July 23, 2003

What are the most common ways we communicate?

Written Word

July 23, 2003

All communication methods are important in training but our emphasis will be upon the spoken word... since
70 % or all our communication efforts are: misunderstood, misinterpreted, rejected, disliked, distorted, or not heard (in the same language, same culture)!

Group facilitation requires frequent and high quality communication with others
A skilled facilitator must be a successful communicator

Trainers are facilitators of learning and communicating new ideas is the main point of training

July 23, 2003

The Goals of Training Communications:

To change behavior

To get and give Information

To get action

To persuade

To ensure understanding

July 23, 2003

Communication is the process of sending and receiving information among people

Feedback

receiver

sender

SENDER

RECEIVER

July 23, 2003

All messages do not reach the receiver due to distortion

Feedback

Sender

Receiver

Distortion

July 23, 2003

What causes distortion or the barriers to understanding/listening?

10

Perceptions Language Semantics Personal Interests Emotions Inflections

July 23, 2003

Environment noise Preconceived notions/expectations Wordiness Attention span Physical hearing problem Speed of thought

How can we improve our listening skills?

Eliminate distractions Concentrate Focus on the speaker Maintain an open mind Look for nonverbal cues Do not react to emotive words Ask questions Sit so you can see & hear Avoid prejudices

Take notes
Ask for clarification

11

July 23, 2003

Listeningthe other side of communication

Too many people see communication as merely speaking.

Messages must be received as well as sent.

A good question to ask yourself is, are you really listening or simply waiting for your turn to talk?

If you are thinking about your reply before the other person has finished, then you are not listening!

12

July 23, 2003

How can we improve our listening & facilitation skills as trainers?

PARAPHRASING
Restating what another has said in your own words

SUMMARIZIN G
Pulling together the main points of a speaker

QUESTIONING
Challenging participants to tackle & solve problems

13

July 23, 2003

Paraphrasingtry it out!
Paraphrasing is simply restating what another person has said in your own words. The best way to paraphrase is to listen carefully to what the other person is saying. Paraphrase often so you develop the habit of doing so. Practice some of the following techniques on your colleagues.
14 July 23, 2003

Use initial phrases such as:

In other words I gather that If I understand what you are

saying

What I hear you saying is Pardon my interruption, but let

me see if I understand you correctly

Summarizingtry it out!
Summarizing pulls important ideas, facts or data together to establish a basis for further discussion and/or review progress. The person summarizing must listen carefully in order to organize the information systematically. It is useful for emphasizing key points.

Try out these summarizing phrases: If I understand you correctly, your main concerns are These seem to be the key ideas you have expressed
15 July 23, 2003

Questioninga critical facilitation skill

There are two basic types of questions: 1. Closed questions generally result in short yes/no or other one word answers. They should be used only when you want precise, quick answers. Otherwise, they inhibit thought.

2. Open-ended questions invite an actual explanation for a response. Questions that begin with how, what and why are typical.

16

July 23, 2003

Practice your questioning skills

Rephrase the following closed questions to make them open-ended:

1. Are you feeling tired now? 2. Isnt today a nice day? 3. Was the last activity useful? 4. Is there anything bothering you? 5. So everything is fine, then?
(Compare your answers with those in the notes below)
17 July 23, 2003

Other questioning techniques include:

Direct questions: asked of a particular individual allows you to initiate control good for re-directing discussion from excessive talkers. Return questions: puts the question back to the questioner or group What do you think about that?

General overview questions: used to initiate a discussion or set up a thoughtful exercise How would you respond to the situation?
Hypothetical questions: tests the responders problem-solving ability by posing a hypothetical situation If you had an unlimited budget, what would you fund?

18

July 23, 2003

Other helpful techniques to foster communication (both verbal and non-verbal)

Nod Your Head

Repeat the last word or two of the prior speaker

Maintain eye contact

Keep an open body position

Make encouraging statements

Repeat a sentence or part of one

19

July 23, 2003

Ask yourself
Which of the skills covered in this module was most useful as you think about conducting a training event?

Which was the easiest to employ?

Which was the most difficult for you?

Write down three things you want to do to improve your communication skills and practice them prior to your next training event

20

July 23, 2003