RA Training Communication

1. RA Training Fall 2015
Communication

2. Overview:
- Setting the Scene
- Non-Verbals:
-Eye-Contact
-Body Language
-Listening
- Verbals:
-Asking Questions
-Reflecting & Paraphrasing
-Messages Conveyed: Cues from Residents
-Verbals:
-Confronting

3. Setting the Scene
• How will you set up your room?
– Does the environment encourage or discourage residents
from stopping by and sharing with you?
– What do they see when they walk in your room?
– What does your room say about you?

4. Non-Verbals: Eye Contact
• Look at the resident while
they are talking
• Maintain appropriate eye
contact
• Watch for non-verbal cues
the resident gives
• Watching TV while
resident is talking
to you
• Responding to texts
or friends on
Facebook
• Focusing on the
resident’s unibrow
instead of their eyes
and the
conversation
• Good • Not So Good

5. • Sit or stand facing the
resident
• If sitting, lean toward them
in your chair
• Unfold your arms and legs
(open posture)
• Try not to fiddle with things
in your hands
• Appropriate expressions to
follow the conversation
(nod, smile, frown, etc.)
• Facing your computer,
leaving the resident talking
to your back
• Slouching and leaning back
in your chair
• Crossing your arms and legs
(closed posture)
• Good • Not So Good
Non-Verbals: Body Language

6. • Good • Not So Good
Non-Verbals: Listening
• Listen for tone of voice and
speech rate
• Listen to understand
• Listen for where silence
happens in the conversation
• Check out TED Talks: Julian
Treasure: 5 ways to listen better
• Listening to words but
missing the affect or attitude
behind the words
• Having the TV or music on
in the background
 URL for above link:
http://www.ted.com/talks/julian_treasure
_5_ways_to_listen_better.html

7. • Good • Good, but…
Verbals: Asking Questions
• Ask open questions for
explanations:
– Who, what, when, where,
why, how, what else
– i.e. “What happened?”
• Ask closed questions for specific
information:
– Do, is, are
– i.e. “ Were you drinking in
your room tonight?”
• Ask one question at a time
• Be careful with how you use
why questions: they often
put your listener on the
defensive

8. • Good • Good, but…
Verbals: Summarizing & Paraphrasing
• When resident finishes,
summarize and repeat back
what they said
– Shows you were listening
– Allows them to hear their
story concisely from an
outside perspective
– Allows them to reflect on
what they’ve said and
correct any details you may
have missed
• Be careful with your
tone: try to remain
neutral and unbiased
in the conversation

9. Conveyed Messages:
Verbal, Visual & Auditory Cues from Residents
• Residents will give you clues to how they are feeling through their tone of voice,
body language , and facial expressions
• Sometimes, those clues don’t match their words and the things they are telling you
• Check out TED Talks: Pamela Meyer: How to spot a liar
– The whole video is good, but for the purposes of this presentation:
– Start at 9:39 min. & watch to 10:30; move to 11:38 min. & watch to 13:01
– URL for above link: http://www.ted.com/talks/pamela_meyer_how_to_spot_a_liar.html

10. Conveyed Messages:
Verbal, Visual, & Auditory Cues from Residents
• Cues you may see from residents:
– Resident focusing on the ceiling, floor, their hands or
on something else in their surroundings
– Resident fidgeting or fiddling with something in their
hands
– Resident’s facial expressions don’t match tone of voice
or actual content of conversation
• i.e. Student talking about failing a test with a smile and
upbeat tones
• When these or others happen…
– (hint: go to next slide)
• Cues you may see from residents:
– Resident focusing on the ceiling, floor, their
hands or on something else in their
surroundings
– Resident fidgeting or fiddling with
something in their hands
– Resident’s facial expressions don’t match
tone of voice or actual content of
conversation
• i.e. Student talking about failing a test with a
smile and upbeat tones
• When these or others happen…
– (hint: go to next slide)

11. • Good • Not So Good
Verbals: Confronting
• Let the resident know
when the things they
say don’t line up with
their body language
– “So, you say your day
is going well, but
you’re shaking and
visibly upset. What’s
going on?”
• “Hey, so, um, you look
like crap. Wanna talk?”
• “No no, that’s not gonna
cut it. You told me
things were fine
yesterday. What’s your
deal?”

12. If you have questions about this information, bring
them to training.
When you are ready, move on to the quiz!
That’s All!