an introduction to communication, terms and usage, and exercises for improvement in the loop

1. COMMUNICATION
The act of relaying or exchanging
information required for the proper
completion of professional tasks in the
work place.

2. THE COMMUNICATION
LOOP
Sender : starts the communication
Receiver : receives the communication
Sender + receiver = complete
communication

3. IMPEDIMENTS TO
COMMUNICATION
Message not received
Message not understood
Message ignored
Message irrelevant
Message garbled

4. PRO-ACTIVE APPROACH
 Don't take another person's reaction or anger
personally.
 It's OK to say, « I don't know. » BUT
 Show willingness to find out and help!
 RESPOND not REACT
 "Tell me more about your concern"
or
"I understand your frustration" NOT
"Hey, I'm just doing my job" or "It's not my job"

5. what someone says and what we
hear can be amazingly different!
Interference arising from
Language problems
Background noises
« bad day » syndrome

6. Exercise 1 : My Fair Lady
Observe the clip and WRITE a small
paragraph describing what you saw.
Include details wherever possible
Time limit : 10 minutes

7. Tapping the Power of Questions
Think of a conversation when someone
didn't ask you a single question.
How did you feel?
What perception did you have of that
person?
Would you want to interact with him or her
in the future?

8. Suspending assumptions
assumptions often lead to
miscommunications, mismatched
expectations, stress, damaged
relationships, or unfulfilled
responsibilities.
ask questions that ensure you have a
common understanding of what is being
discussed, and of what action needs to be
taken

9. Exercise 2 : Examine past
assumptions.
Think of an instance when you or someone
else made an assumption, and when the
outcome of the interaction was poor or less
than ideal.
Write down at least five questions you
could have asked during that interaction to
prevent assumptions from being made.

10. Talk Targets : people who go out of their
way to make other people feel comfortable.
What do Talk Targets do to make others
feel comfortable and encourage
conversation?
 Consider what is said and address it. Let
the situation set the agenda.
 Encourage others to contribute.
 Ask the opinions of others.

11. Talk Targets and their practices
Be open to change and exchange.
 Pay attention to what has been said, and
respond accordingly.
 Refrain from monopolizing conversation.
 Put people at ease with friendliness.

12. TIPS FOR BETTER
COMMUNICATION
LISTEN
THINK
UNDERSTAND AND FEEL
REASON
BE RESPONSIBLE
COMPLETE THE LOOP!