3. How people communicate?
From the beginning of human history,
information travelled only as fast as a
ship could sail. Or a horse could run.
Or a person could walk.
People experimented with other ways
to send messages. Some people tried
using birds to carry messages. Then
they discovered it was not always a
safe way to send or receive
information.
4. A faster method finally arrived with the
invention of the telegraph.
- developed in Britain and the United
States in the eighteen thirties.
On November second, nineteen twenty, radio
station KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
broadcast the first radio program. That
broadcast gave the results of a presidential
election.
Within a few short years, news and
information could be heard anywhere a radio
broadcast could reach
5. After World War Two, a new invention
appeared -- television. In industrial
nations, television quickly became
common in most homes. Large
companies were formed to produce
television programs.
These companies were called
networks. Networks include many
television stations linked together that
could broadcast the same program at the
same time.
6. The other event happened on September
twenty-fifth, nineteen fifty-six. That was
when the first telephone cable under the
Atlantic Ocean made it possible to make
direct telephone calls from the United
States to Europe.
Less than six years later, in July, nineteen
sixty-two, the first communications satellite
was placed in orbit around the Earth.
8. Basic Communication Skills
1. Body Language
Have you ever had a conversation with
someone who couldn't speak your language?
It is possible!
Body language can account for 55% of how
we communicate. So if you have something
important or sensitive to say, meet the other
person face to face if possible. You can
check their body language, to see how they
are reacting to your message.
9. You also need to be conscious of your
own body language, as Perception is
Greater Than Reality.
You may be slumped in a chair because
you are tired after a long day. The other
person might pick that up as a lack of
interest in what they have to say.
Eye contact, facial expressions, posture,
gestures, dress etc. will have an impact on
how your message is received
10. Tone of Voice
Your tone of voice accounts for 37% of how you
communicate in a typical work environment. Focus on
the following four aspects to improve this important
basic communication skill:
Pitch. A lower pitch can sound more authoritative and
knowledgeable; many politicians and people in the
public arena actively work to lower their voice pitch.
Volume. If you are naturally quiet spoken, you may
benefit from raising the volume. A quiet voice can be
mistaken for a lack of confidence and timidity in
certain situations. Similarly, if you normally speak at a
high volume, reducing it may make you sound less
aggressive to some people.
11. If you find yourself in conversation with
someone who is shouting, raise your voice to
match theirs and gradually reduce it - they
will follow.
Inflection. Put emphasis on certain words
when you speak, to convey passion,
enthusiasm and add meaning to what you
are saying.
Pace. Take care that you pace what you are
saying to allow the message to sink in. Avoid
racing through the message or speaking so
12. Words
Although in a complex communication
setting, words may only account for 8% of
how you get your message across, you can
still make a better impact with the words you
use. Here are some tips:
Speak in metaphors. Connect better with
others by helping them to visualise what you
are saying. For example, instead of:
"The task is going to be difficult, but it will be
worth it when it's done." say:
"We have a difficult mountain to climb but the
view from the top will be great!"
13. Write using short, simple
sentences (less than 20 words)to help
understanding.
Ask questions that are positive and
specific. Your brain is like a Google
Search Box; the better the questions, the
better the response.
14. Empathy
what is empathy? This is a basic
communication skill which involves putting
yourself in another person's shoes. You
recognise the feelings and the situation that
the other person finds themselves in. It
doesn't mean that you agree with them, it
means that you understand where they are
coming from.
Empathy involves being trustworthy,
confidential and non-judgemental. You can
develop empathy with someone if you share
common values and experiences
15. Active Listening
This involves reflecting back the feelings
and the situation that you believe the
other person is experiencing, to check
that you have understood them correctly.
It is a basic communication skill that can be
developed with practice, and is very useful in
an emotionally charged situation.
It allows the other person to vent, and as you
are not adding your point of view at this
stage, you avoid the danger of "saying the
wrong thing" and making the other person
even more upset.
17. View the whole picture, not just one
aspect of body language, if you want to
read it accurately.
Be aware of the body language signals
that you send to others. For example,
you might be standing with your arms
folded across your chest just because it
feels comfortable. The person you are
talking to might think you are angry with
them!
18. Defensive Body Language
If you want to know how to read body
language when you are talking to
someone, be aware of all the signals they
are sending. If they have their arms folded
AND this is coupled with: a head that is
pointing slightly downwards, a tight-lipped
mouth and their body not turned to face
you, be worried!
19. Mixed Signals
Arms or legs crossed can also be a sign of
nervousness. The man in the sketch on
the left is sending mixed signals; crossed
arms indicating that he is nervous,
masked by a smiling face intended to
show confidence.
The man in the sketch on the right is in the
open, competitive position (hands behind
head) but at the same time is keeping his
legs crossed, indicating that he might be
on the defence.
22. Listening Skills
Being a leader means more than just
talking to people and telling them what to
do. Effective leaders know how to
communicate and they understand the
importance of listening skills.
Listening is an extremely important form
of communication. Develop your active
listening skills by paraphrasing what
others are saying and then repeating it
back to them. This shows the speaker
that you are hearing them and
understanding what they are saying.
Give the speaker a chance to be heard
without interruption.
23. Understanding Barriers
Leaders understand the barriers that can
block effective communication, including
stress that the speaker is experiencing,
our perception of what is being said, the
environment itself and also the culture
that we are in.
Taking time to discern whether there is a
barrier to proper communication is
important. Leaders realize that this skill
is necessary. Practice pausing in
conversations to see if any barriers are
inhibiting the flow of communication.
24. Body Language
In meetings, leaders sit erect and
maintain good posture. They rarely
slump or slouch and they are often in
command simply by the way they
carry themselves. Maintain eye
contact with other people. If standing,
make sure you are aware of how you
may be perceived by others. Keep
your arms at your sides instead of
crossing them over your chest.
25. This implies defensiveness. Shoving
your hands into your pockets implies
you have something to hide. Stand in
a relaxed position and maintain the
proper space perimeter between you
and another person when having a
conversation
26. Ask Questions
Leaders know the importance of
asking the right questions. Asking
questions helps leaders to determine
the motives of others in a
conversation. In order to lead an
effective conversation, you may have
to ask many questions to get to the
root of problems.
27. Leaders also ask questions of
themselves before communicating.
Ask yourself what your objective for
the conversation is before you embark
on a conversation or communicate
electronically
28. Build Trust
It's difficult to lead others if they don't
trust you. Do not betray the trust of
another person when they have
communicated with you. If someone
tells you something in confidence,
keep it confidential. Don't engage in
gossip or discussions of other people
behind their backs.
