1. Effective CommunicationsEffective Communications

2. It’s important thatIt’s important that
YOUYOU
areare
Good CommunicatorsGood Communicators

3. Communication GoalsCommunication Goals
To change behavior
To get action
To ensure understandingTo persuade
To get and give
Information
Source: CGAP Direct

4. 70% of communication is70% of communication is
 Misunderstood
 Misinterpreted
 Rejected
 Distorted
 Not heard

5. 30% of you aren’t30% of you aren’t
listening to melistening to me
right now!right now!

6. Messages not deliveredMessages not delivered
due to “distortion”due to “distortion”
Sender Receiver
Feedback
Distortion

7. What causes distortion?What causes distortion?
 Language
 Wordiness
 Semantics
 Emotions
 Perceptions
 Preconceived
notions/expectations
 Physical hearing problem
 Speed of thought
 Personal interests
 Emotions
 Attention span
 No active listening!
SpeakerSpeaker ListenerListener

8. []
Be aBe a
Good ListenerGood Listener

11. Limited TimeLimited Time
In an emergency you may not
feel you don’t have the time to
listen to others
To be a good communicator,
good judge and good leader, you
need to develop the quality of
being a good listener

12. At Work and At HomeAt Work and At Home
Good listening skills are essential to:
 Build healthy relationships
 Solve problems
 Improve accuracy
 Create understanding
 Resolve conflicts
12

13. Bonus…Bonus…
People appreciate and respect
good listeners!
13

14. ACTIVEACTIVE listenerlistener
This is someone who listens by using all of
their senses so that the message being
communicated is clear
This helps reduce the risk of making wrong
assumptions & misunderstanding what is
being said
14
The ACTIVE listener will…

15. Be FocusedBe Focused
FocusFocus
on the person talking to you 15

16. What you shouldn't do!What you shouldn't do!
 Act distracted (look at your watch!)
 Tell your own story don’t acknowledging theirs
 Give no response
 Invalidate response, be negative
 Interrupt
 Criticise
 Give advice/solutions quickly
 Change the subject
 Reassure without acknowledgment

17.  Stop what you are doing when
the person starts to speak
 Tune out distractions and
 Concentrate 100% on what is
being said
17
This means that you should:This means that you should:

18. Show UnderstandingShow Understanding
ShowShow
that you understand what is being said
John Atherton Fire Risk Management LtdJohn Atherton Fire Risk Management Ltd

19. This means that you should:This means that you should:
 Summarise the main idea of
what is being said (‘It sounds like…’)
 Ask a question that shows you are
on the right track in understanding
(‘Are you saying that…?’)
 Nod your head occasionally
19

20. Show OpennessShow Openness
ShowShow
that you are open to the
ideas being expressed

21. This means that you should:This means that you should:
 Be nonjudgmental - try to understand
where the other person is coming from
 Be patient - the other person may need
more time so try not to interrupt them
 Even if you don’t agree, listen for ideas
that will help work towards finding a
solution or working through the conflict
21

22. Effects of active listening:Effects of active listening:
 It helps people relax and develop trust
 It facilitates focus on the relevant issues
 It conveys empathy, respect and
acceptance
 It helps identify and summarise ideas,
perceptions and concerns and
 It leads to a clear direction

23. Techniques toTechniques to
improve listening skillsimprove listening skills
PARAPHRASEPARAPHRASE
Restate what was
said in your own
words
PARAPHRASEPARAPHRASE
Restate what was
said in your own
words
SUMMARISESUMMARISE
Pull together
the main points
of a speaker
SUMMARISESUMMARISE
Pull together
the main points
of a speaker
QUESTIONQUESTION
Challenge speaker
to think further,
clarifying both your
and their
understanding
QUESTIONQUESTION
Challenge speaker
to think further,
clarifying both your
and their
understanding

24. Two basic types ofTwo basic types of
questionsquestions
1. Closed questions:
 Get a one-word response and inhibit thought
 Questions begin with who, when and which
1. Open-ended questions:
 Invite unique thought, reflection or an
explanation
 Questions begin with how, what and how
come (not why!)