DCP Communication Irving ISD

1
COMMUNICATION
Practicum in Irving ISD

www.gvtc.org/workethicsonline 2
Communication
 Effective listening
 Good organizational skills
 Good communications skills
 Being friendly

“We read, write, speak,
listen, and think in
words. The words we
know touch everything
we do. Increase your
learning power by
discovering new words.”
Select Agendas, 2004

Communication
Has Work Ethics Changed?
Managers and employees complain
that many workers no longer have the
work ethic of the past, especially
younger workers who have been given
the label of the “me generation.”
Give work to someone only to be
disappointed with their lack of
initiative and motivation, a situation
experienced by a majority of business
people, both managers and
employees.

Communication
Employee motivation is contrary to
the obvious fact that people generally
want to be successful and perform
work tasks to the satisfaction of their
employers.
The lack of motivation of others at
work is an example of our own
behavior.

Communication
Employee motivation is contrary to
the obvious fact that people generally
want to be successful and perform
work tasks to the satisfaction of their
employers. Supervisors describe the
job as they want it to be performed
and the workers describe the job as
they understand it should be
performed. The description of the job
to be done varies from 25-50% percent
between the supervisor and worker.

Communication
 A sender expresses an emotion or a feeling,
creates an idea, or senses the need to
communicate
 Process is triggered when the sender makes a
conscious or an unconscious decision to share
the message with another person—the receiver.

Communication
 Based on something that conveys meaning: the
message
 verbal (spoken or written)
 nonverbal (body language, physical appearance, or
vocal tone)
 context—or place and time—of the communication
 makes a big impact on how it will be received

Communication
 Message sent and received through one of five
senses
 Seen
 Heard
 Touched
 Tasted
 Smelled

Communication
 Communication channels
 Work setting
 seen through body movement, letters, memos, newsletters,
bulletin board notices, signs, emails, etc.
 heard come through conversations, interviews,
presentations, telephones, radios, and other audio media
 sight and sound are the two most frequently used in our
society
 Receiver gives feedback (return message)
unconsciously or consciously
 Process is on-going

Communication
 Sender’s worst assumption … message
received as intended
 Assume that something will go wrong
 Take steps to prevent that occurrence
 Barriers to good communications
 Always present
 Language itself can be a barrier—unclear wording,
slang, jargon, the tone
 Failure of the sender to realize that his or her body
language might contradict the spoken message
 Channel conveying message might be wrong
 Poor listening skills

Communication
Non-Verbal
 People telegraph intentions and feelings whether
aware of it or not
 Unintentional senders
 Whatever goes on inside shows outside
 Conveyed messages go far beyond words
spoken
 Tone of voice
 Body language
 Comes particularly from the face, eyes, body,
clothing, gestures, and touch

Communication
Non-Verbal
 Be careful to interpret signals correctly
 Crossed arms might be expressing defiance, but
might also just be feeling cold
 Check out facial expressions and other nonverbal
signs to determine correct reading
 Facial expressions help judge feelings
 Depend on face as most trustworthy indicator of
emotions such as happiness, surprise, fear, anger,
joy, sadness, disgust, contempt, interest,
concern, and embarrassment

Communication
Non-Verbal
 Look at face for insight into person’s character
(for example, an “open, honest face,” a “strong
chin,” or “beady eyes”)
 Moustache, beard, or long hair might suggest
conformity or nonconformity, depending on time
and context
 Grooming of hair says much about person’s
meticulousness
 Narrowed lips or jutted-out chin might mean a
person is angry or defiant

Communication
Non-Verbal
 Eyes convey much meaning
 eye contact—or lack of it—tells about confidence,
friendliness, honesty, or desire to dominate
 narrowed eyes suggest anger, irritation, or doubt
 pupils signify interest or disinterest
 pupils dilate when person is interested or excited …
grow smaller when person is bored or uninterested
 brow area and narrowing of eyes tell receiver much
 frowns, scowls, and raised eyebrows indicate
displeasure or intensity

Communication
Non-Verbal
 Body is another rich source of nonverbal
confirmation or denial of our verbal message
 Draw conclusions about people before words
exchanged based on sex, posture, height,
weight, and skin color
 People stereotype others by thinking that tall people
make good leaders, overweight people are jolly, and
women are too emotional
 Notice how senders of messages hold their
bodies

Communication
Non-Verbal
 Crossed arms a sign of defensiveness, defiance,
or withdrawal
 Hands on hips signal goal oriented or ready and
able to take something on
 Leaning back in chair with hands clasped behind
the head interpreted as sign of superiority,
smugness, or authority
 A slouched posture means humiliation, defeat,
or submission

Communication
Non-Verbal
 Using arms, bodies, and legs to block sign of
territorial feelings
 Turning shoulder or body slightly away sign of
rejection
 Appearance discloses pieces of information
 Dressing immaculately … careful and detailed
 “Old-fashioned” dress … conservative opinions and
values
 Excessive jewelry … materialistic

Communication
Non-Verbal
 Clothing during working hours tell what we do
for a living
 Blue-collar clothes designed to help or protect
 White-collar clothes are formal, little protection
 Most common form of social physical contact—
the handshake
 Indication of welcome, liking, acceptance, and
greeting
 Considered extremely rude not to accept an offered
hand

Communication
Non-Verbal
 Method of shaking hands …
 Bone-crushing grip seen as desire to dominate
 Limp grasp sign of insecurity or negative outlook on
life
 Mechanical pumping up and down in series of
convulsive jerks suggests mental rigidity, strong will,
and inflexibility
 Be very careful with touching others at work
because of harassment issues

Communication
Non-Verbal
 Nonverbal message readers …
 Look at totality of cues rather than isolated ones
(remember the crossed arms?)
 Take context (time and place) of message into
account
 Compensate for own biases and prejudices

Communication
Oral
 Successful communicators
 Full responsibility for success in process
 Take responsibility for ensuring what’s heard is
understood
 Recognize barriers to good communications exist
 Speak in simple, grammatical, and understandable terms
 Give examples, ask for feedback, rephrase, and make it
easy to get true intent of communications

Communication
Listening
 Without proper listening, communication does
not occur
 Effective listening is …
 Active participation in a conversation
 Helps speaker become understood
 Must hear and not assume what is said

Communication
Listening
 Listeners …
 Passive listener …
 Attentive
 Does not assist speaker
 Active listener …
 Sit or stand alertly
 Maintain eye contact with speaker
 Concentrate on speaker’s words
 Make verbal responses
 Summarize parts for clarification
 Difference in speed: speak vs. listen …
time lag in conversations

Communication
Listening
 Good listeners …
 Do not daydream during lag
 Use time to organize what is said and relate message
 Guards against distractions to message
 Speaker’s mannerisms, accent, dress or
grooming, language style, or delivery
 Distracting if not tuned out
 Avoid letting first impressions of speaker hinder ability
to hear message
 Don’t interrupt to interject own thoughts

Communication
Listening
 Pay attention to tone of words and nonverbal
cues
 Effective listening …
 Concentrate so that competing external and internal
distractions are eliminated
 Probe and reflect by asking questions to seek
clarification and greater understanding
 Summarize (paraphrase) and feed back to speaker
what’s been heard

Communication
Telephone Skills
 Easier to be rude to someone not seen
 Negative ways lack of telephone etiquette
impacts work ethics
 Anger, irritation, and frustration can be suggested by
tone of voice
 Ignoring calls and messages suggests that
unconcerned about clients and customers
 Transfer callers without trying to address concerns
show a disinterest, apathetic attitude
 Speak on phone with a smile in voice

Communication
Telephone Skills
 Voices should be clear and distinct
 Demonstrate a service attitude by offering
assistance
 Do not transfer calls blindly: make sure caller’s
problem will be resolved
 Be discreet when using the phone
 Think through requests for information
 Give out information really needed by the caller

Communication
Telephone Skills
 Caller asks for supervisor
 NO: “Mr. Jones is playing golf this afternoon.” … unnecessary
information
 YES: “Mr. Jones will be in the office tomorrow morning. May I help you or
have him return your call?”
 Avoid slang in telephone conversations
 Say “certainly”, not “yeah” ; “goodbye”, not “bye-bye”
 YES: “I beg your pardon. Would you please repeat that?” if not
understood
 NO: “Huh?”

Communication
Telephone Skills
 Taking telephone messages for others
 Do not hurry; may miss necessary information
 Incomplete messages are frustrating
 Repeat message to caller to ensure accuracy
 Callers placed on hold
 Ask permission first
 Offer to call back if unwilling to wait
 Irritates caller to be left on hold
 Apologize for having the caller wait when placed
on hold

Communication
Telephone Skills
 Unhappy or angry customer
 Be very careful
 Let caller vent (spill anger)
 Ready to listen when finished
 Easier to solve problem
 Express understanding/concern when appropriate
 Nasty/foul language
 Warn caller to refrain or will hang up
 Do not have to listen, but warn caller

Communication
Telephone Skills
 Summary
 Treat callers as you would want to be treated
 Treat them as if they were standing in front of you
 You are the company; company’s sole ambassador
during that phone conversation

Communication
E-mail Etiquette
 Rules of Etiquette: Things to Avoid
 Profanity
 Use of slang or street jargon
 Any words or tone that can be misconstrued as
confrontational

Communication
E-mail Etiquette
Why do we need email etiquette?
 Professionalism: by using proper email
language company will convey a professional
image
 Efficiency: emails that get to the point are much
more effective than poorly worded emails
 Protection from liability: employee awareness
of email risks will protect company from
costly law suits

Be concise and to the pointBe concise and to the point
Answer all questions, and pre-empt furtherAnswer all questions, and pre-empt further
questionsquestions
Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuationUse proper spelling, grammar & punctuation
Make it personalMake it personal
Use templates for frequently used responsesUse templates for frequently used responses
Answer swiftlyAnswer swiftly
Do not attach unnecessary filesDo not attach unnecessary files
Use proper structure & layoutUse proper structure & layout
Do not overuse the high priority optionDo not overuse the high priority option
Do not write in CAPITALSDo not write in CAPITALS
Don't leave out the message threadDon't leave out the message thread
Add disclaimers to your emailsAdd disclaimers to your emails
Read the email before you send itRead the email before you send it
Do not overuse Reply to AllDo not overuse Reply to All
Mailings > use the bcc: field or do a mailMailings > use the bcc: field or do a mail
mergemerge
Take care with abbreviations and emoticonsTake care with abbreviations and emoticons
Be careful with formattingBe careful with formatting
Take care with rich text and HTML messagesTake care with rich text and HTML messages
What are the email etiquette rules?
Do not forward chain lettersDo not forward chain letters
Do not request delivery and read receiptsDo not request delivery and read receipts
Do not ask to recall a messageDo not ask to recall a message
Do not copy a message or attachment withoutDo not copy a message or attachment without
permissionpermission
Do not use email to discuss confidentialDo not use email to discuss confidential
informationinformation
Use a meaningful subjectUse a meaningful subject
Use active instead of passiveUse active instead of passive
Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANTAvoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT
Avoid long sentencesAvoid long sentences
Don't send or forward emails containingDon't send or forward emails containing
libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist orlibelous, defamatory, offensive, racist or
obscene remarksobscene remarks
Don't forward virus hoaxes and chain lettersDon't forward virus hoaxes and chain letters
Keep your language gender neutralKeep your language gender neutral
Don't reply to spamDon't reply to spam
Use cc: field sparinglyUse cc: field sparingly
Be concise and to the pointBe concise and to the point
Don’t make an e-mail longer than needs to beDon’t make an e-mail longer than needs to be

Communication
Business Etiquette
What are the tips for properly handling of an
incoming call?
Business phones should be answered with aBusiness phones should be answered with a
phrase like,phrase like, ""Good morning, ABC Company, CarolGood morning, ABC Company, Carol
speaking, may I help you?speaking, may I help you?"" In an office that answersIn an office that answers
a phone hundreds of times daily, this phrasea phone hundreds of times daily, this phrase
may be too much to say. It can be shortened;may be too much to say. It can be shortened;
but company name needs to be stated as soonbut company name needs to be stated as soon
as the phone is answered along with person'sas the phone is answered along with person's
name who answered the phone. This letsname who answered the phone. This lets
caller know that they have reached the rightcaller know that they have reached the right
business to whom they are speaking.business to whom they are speaking.

Communication
Business Etiquette
incoming call?
Answer all incoming calls in a timely manner.Answer all incoming calls in a timely manner.
Never put a caller on hold; however, if you do,Never put a caller on hold; however, if you do,
check back every minute or so and ask if theycheck back every minute or so and ask if they
would like to continue to hold.would like to continue to hold.
Speak clearly and slowly when answering aSpeak clearly and slowly when answering a
business phone. Do not slur or mumble words.business phone. Do not slur or mumble words.
Speak with confidence so person on otherSpeak with confidence so person on other
end has the feeling that you know what youend has the feeling that you know what you
are doing. Remember your manners too.are doing. Remember your manners too.

Communication
Business Etiquette
incoming call?
Never be rude to a caller, no matter how nastyNever be rude to a caller, no matter how nasty
they are. Remember to handle self in athey are. Remember to handle self in a
professional, business-like manner, handlingprofessional, business-like manner, handling
situation in a calm, cool manner.situation in a calm, cool manner.

Communication
Business Etiquette
outgoing call?
Speak clearly and slowly when making aSpeak clearly and slowly when making a
business call. Time may be money, but if otherbusiness call. Time may be money, but if other
party cannot understand what is said, might asparty cannot understand what is said, might as
well have saved breath and not made the call atwell have saved breath and not made the call at
all.all.
All customers expect to work with a professionalAll customers expect to work with a professional
organization. First sign is how they are treatedorganization. First sign is how they are treated
by the employees.by the employees.

Communication
Business Etiquette
outgoing call?
When calling a business, proper etiquette is toWhen calling a business, proper etiquette is to
give your name and the company's name yougive your name and the company's name you
work for to whomever answers the telephone.work for to whomever answers the telephone.
Do not make them guess who it is or make themDo not make them guess who it is or make them
pry it out of you.pry it out of you.

Communication
Business Etiquette
outgoing call?
If you get a wrong number, apologize to theIf you get a wrong number, apologize to the
person who answers phone -- do not just hangperson who answers phone -- do not just hang
up. This is important since people have Callerup. This is important since people have Caller
ID. All they have to do is to check their device toID. All they have to do is to check their device to
find out who just rudely hung up on them.find out who just rudely hung up on them.
When leaving a phone message; always stateWhen leaving a phone message; always state
your name, company, phone number andyour name, company, phone number and
reason for calling. Do not stammer or stutterreason for calling. Do not stammer or stutter
and use up an unreasonable amount of time.and use up an unreasonable amount of time.

Appearance: Educational Netiquette
One of the major problems that I have encountered in administering web courses is that of email
communication. It has become such an issue that I did a little research myself to find out what is
wrong and what is right. Sending an email message to an instructor is not quite the same as the
informal messages you send to your friends. Educational email should be slightly more
professional. I know I personally take special care to show respect in my emails to students and
have grown to expect the same thing from them. Don’t labor over your emails too long but please
proofread and be certain you are conveying the content and emotion appropriate to the situation.
According to Kaitlin Sherwood at Webfoot.com, by 1998 about 30% of adults in the US and Canada
used email. Because of its speed and broadcasting ability, email is different from paper-based
communication. Email also tends to be more conversational. In a paper document it is essential to
be clear and concise because your audience can’t ask about it. With email however, the recipient
can ask questions immediately. Thus email may tend to be sloppier like a personal conversation.
You need to be aware that the recipient will not have certain cues such as dress, diction, and dialect.
You have to decide when to be sloppy and when to be professional. Email cannot convey emotions
like face-to-face or telephone conversations. It lacks vocal inflection, gestures, and a shared
environment. Your recipient may have difficulty deciding if you are serious or kidding, happy or sad,
frustrated or excited. Sarcasm is particularly dangerous to use in email.
Another difference between email and other media is that what the sender sees may not be what the
reader sees. Your vocal cords make sound waves that are perceived the same by everyone’s ears.
However, with email the software and hardware you use for composing, sending, storing,
downloading, and reading may be completely different from what your correspondent uses. The
message’s visual qualities may be different by the time it reaches the recipient. So your email
compositions should be different from both your paper compositions and your speech.
by Sharon Wilson

Appearance: Educational Netiquette
Know when email should be informal or professional. When the message is of a
professional nature you should use punctuation and capitalize the word “I” as you
would in a letter.
Write descriptive subject lines so people can prioritize mail.
Do not use “chat” English in any of type of email.
Be sure and identify yourself in each email.
Don’t type in all caps. It is perceived as shouting. You don’t want to shout!
Do not send flames (rude emails) in a professional setting. Do not send email when
you are angry. Wait until you have calmed down.
Consider carefully what you write. Proofread and realize what emotion you may evoke
in the recipient.
Don’t attach large files (50K or more) without getting permission from the recipient.
When sending a web address be sure to include http:// in the address.
Don’t use acronyms when sending professional emails.
Read over your email before sending. Emails to professionals are not as informal as
messages to friends.
Use your spell-check. Your email may be devalued because of misspelled words.
Be careful with punctuation. When you use several exclamation marks or questions
marks it makes you appear angry.
A basic rule for professional/educational netiquette is to treat the person at the other
end of the message the same way you want to be treated. Just because you cannot
see them is no excuse for rudeness.
by Sharon Wilson

Why are good communication skills
important?
 Allows you to express your feelings or emotions
about a situation
 Allows you to get the appropriate feedback from
the listener
 To make sure that the message that you want to
send is received properly.

Non-Verbal Communication
 Received through your tone of voice
 Through your body language
 Through your eye contact, facial expression and
 Even through the way your dress

Oral Communications
 You must be a successful
communicator for your message to be
received as intended
 You should be grammatically correct
when you speak
 Try to have an extended vocabulary,
reading can help you to develop one.

Listening Skills
 Be an active listener, participate in the
conversation that you are having.
 Give verbal responses to let the speaker know
that you are listening.
 Use eye contact and maybe gestures if they
apply to the situation.
 Let the speaker finish their own sentences

Telephone skills
 When placing a call, introduce yourself when
phone is answered.
 Speak clearly
 Use good grammar and an extended vocabulary
 Always be respectful to callers and answer the
person as clearly and accurately as possible
 Treat callers the way that you would want to be
treated.

Telephone Etiquette
 The person who answers the phone for a
company gives the customer his first impression
of the company
 The receptionist is the ambassador for the
company
 You must be a professional at all times

Telephone Etiquette Techniques
 Answer the phone AS SOON AS it rings
 Always remember that the person at the other
end is a human—talk to them as if they are
standing in front of you
 You must rely on your voice (pleasant tone and
medium speed) and what you say
 Always answer the phone with a smile—this will
convey a smile in your voice
 Be natural

 Be attentive
 If a caller is angry, do not interrupt
 Most angry callers are easier to handle once they have
vented
 Interrupting will only make the caller madder
 Do not hang up on the caller unless he is physically
threatening you
 Get your supervisor’s help if needed
 Respond to what the caller wants
(if possible)
 Transfer caller to a person that can help him if you can’t

 Be discreet
 Be helpful, but not specific
 Correct: “Mrs. Smith is unavailable at the moment; can I
take a message?”
 Incorrect: “Mrs. Smith is using the bathroom.”
 Never give any personal information like addresses,
work schedules, home telephone numbers to
anyone!

 Avoid slang words
 Take messages carefully
 Always repeat numbers
 Ask for the correct spelling of names
 Ask questions tactfully—not bluntly
 Correct: “May I tell Mrs. Smith the purpose of the
call?”
 Incorrect: “Why are you calling?”

 Speak distinctly and clearly
 Use words to identify letters when spelling out a name
or something; enunciate numerals carefully
 Do not chew gum or eat while on the phone
 Use correct posture
 Speak loud enough to be heard, but not loud enough
to bust an eardrum
 Avoid gender bias—do not assume that all executives
are men

COMMUNICATION: Self-Appraisal
www.gvtc.org/workethicsonline
The purpose of this survey is to determine your susceptibility to being a source of
communication breakdown. Since no one but you will see the results of this
questionnaire, answer the questions as honestly as possible. Respond not as you
would like to be seen as a communicator but as you really are. Indicate how
frequently you engage in the following behaviors when communicating with another
person or persons. Use this scale to describe your behavior.
4 – I always do this. 3 – I often do this. 2 – I sometimes do this. 1 – I
seldom do this. 0 – I never do this.
____ 1. When I have something to say, I am open and honest about my need to say
it.
____ 2. I communicate with an awareness that the words I choose may not mean
the same thing to other people that
they do to me.
____ 3. I recognize that the message I receive may not be the same one the other
person intended to send.
____ 4. Before I communicate, I ask myself questions about who my receiver is and
how that will affect his or her
reception of my message.
____ 5. As I communicate to someone, I keep a watchful eye and ear out for an
indication that I am understood.
____ 6. I make my messages as brief and to the point as possible.

COMMUNICATION: Self-Appraisal Part 2
____ 7. I consciously avoid the use of jargon with those who may not
understand it.
____ 8. I consciously avoid the use of slang words and colloquialisms with those
who may be put off by them.
____ 9. I try not to use red-flag words (words that might trigger an emotional
response) that may upset or distract the
receiver of my message.
____ 10. I recognize that how I say something is just as important as what I say.
____ 11. I analyze my communication style to determine what nonverbal
messages I send and how well they conform
to the meaning I desire to get across.
____ 12. I carefully consider whether my message would be best understood by
my receiver in a face-to-face meeting,
over the telephone, or in writing.
____ 13. I form opinions about what others say to me based on what I hear them
saying rather than what I think of
them as a person.
____ 14. I make a genuine effort to listen to ideas with which I don't agree.
____ 15. I look for ways to improve my listening skills.
____ TOTAL SCORETOTAL SCORE

Analyze Survey Results: Find your score on the following table.
Score Interpretations
50 –
60
Are you sure you were honest? If so, you are an extremely
effective communicator who almost never contributes to
misunderstanding.
40 –
49
You are an effective communicator who only infrequently
causes communication breakdown. The goal of these
exercises is to move everyone up to this level.
30 –
39
You are an above average communicator with occasional
lapses. You cause some misunderstandings but less than
your share.

Analyze Survey Results: Find your score on the following table.
Score Interpretations
20 –
29
Many people (at least those who are honest) fall into this
category. While things could be worse, there is much room
for improvement in your communication style. The goal of
these exercises is to move you to a higher category.
10 –
19
You are a frequent source of communication problems.
Enthusiastically tackle the rest of these exercises and
consider their implications for you personally.
Less
Than
9
Your honesty is commendable, but it will take more than
honesty to improve your communication effectiveness.
Consider taking a communication course.

COMMUNICATION: Netiquette Questions
1. What is the difference between professional and personal email?
2. What is a flaming email?
3. What is the best thing to do if an email you read upsets you?
4. Why is it important to proofread your email?
5. What is a good rule to remember when sending email?

COMMUNICATION
Practicum in Irving ISD

DCP Communication Irving ISD

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (8)

Similar to DCP Communication Irving ISD

Similar to DCP Communication Irving ISD (20)

More from Ryan Patton

More from Ryan Patton (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

DCP Communication Irving ISD