The document discusses improving communication skills. It defines communication and outlines the most common forms. Effective communication is critical for careers and relationships. Listening and speaking are used frequently but not taught enough. The document provides tips for active listening, questioning techniques, and overcoming public speaking fears. It emphasizes the importance of preparation, practice, and using techniques like the AIDA model to engage audiences. Proper techniques can improve conversations, presentations, and understanding between people.

1. Improving Communication
Skills
Siliguri Branch of EIRC
18 July 2004
A Rahim

2. A Thought
A man is seldom better than his conversation
- German Proverb
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

3. Communication Skills Overview
Effective communication skills are a
critical element in your career and
personal lives.
We all must use a variety of
communication techniques to both
understand and be understood.
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

4. What is Communication?
Communication is the process of sending and
receiving information among people…
Feedback
receiver sender
Medium
Encode Decode
SENDER RECEIVER
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

5. Most common ways to communicate
es
lImag
V isua
ing
Speak
Bod
y La n
Writing gua
ge
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

6. Communication Goals
To change behavior
To get and give
To get action
Information
To persuade To ensure understanding
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

7. Distortions in Communication
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

8. We need to improve communication... as
70 % of our communication efforts are:
 misunderstood
 misinterpreted
 rejected
 distorted or
 not heard
6 people talking in a 2 people conversation!!
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

9. Critical success factor
The majority of your perceived ability comes from
how you communicate
55% Tonal
38% Visual
7% Verbal
93% of all Communication is non verbal - SKILL
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

10. Listening and Speaking are used a lot…
50%
45%
45%
40%
35%
30%
30%
25%
20%
16%
15%
9%
10%
5%
0%
Writing Reading Speaking Listening
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

11. … But not taught enough
50%
45%
45%
40%
Am
35% ou
nt
30% tau 30%
gh
25% t
20%
16%
15%
9%
10%
5%
0%
Writing Reading Speaking Listening
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

12. Common Communication Errors:
 Finishing others’ sentences
 Preparing our response before someone has
completed speaking
 Multitasking while ‘listening’
 Filtering content or meaning based on the
speaker
 Speaking for others (we…)
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

13. A Good Algorithm
Communication is a two way process!
In order to have good communication:
 Listen to Understand
 Understand before speaking
 Speak to be understood
 Seek understanding before proceeding
 Repeat
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

14. How can it be improved
 Recognition
 Pavlov study
 Not being judgmental
 Stop egocentric communication
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

15. What today’s workshop can achieve
 Provide ‘knowledge’ about communication
 Give insight on ‘skills’ needed
 Suggest ways of going about it
What you need to do:
 Learn the tools
 Take up every opportunity
 Practice, Practice, Practice!
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

16. Observe
PARIS
IN THE
THE SPRING
GOD IS NOWHERE
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

17. Why is communication important
 Inspires confidence
 Builds respect in business and social life
 Helps make friends
 Develops a distinct personality
 Reveals your ability to others
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

18. Essentials of good communication
 Knowledge
 Spontaneity in conversation
 Level of conversation
 Organising your thoughts
 Participating in discussions
 Body Language
 Show v Tell
 Being a good listener
 Listening v hearing
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

19. How to be an active listener
 Set the stage
 Ensure mutual understanding
 Understand body language
 Suspend judgment
 Behaviors that hinder effective listening
 Act distracted (look at your watch!)
 Tell your own story without acknowledging theirs
 Give no response
 Invalidate response, be negative
 Interrupt
 Criticize
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

20. Techniques to improve listening skills
SUMMARIZE
SUMMARIZE
PARAPHRASE
PARAPHRASE
Pull together
Pull together
Restate what was
Restate what was the main points
said in your own the main points
said in your own of a speaker
of a speaker
words
words
QUESTION
QUESTION
Challenge speaker
Challenge speaker
to think further,
to think further,
clarifying both your
clarifying both your
and their
and their
understanding
understanding
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

21. Two basic types of questions
1. Closed questions:
 Get a one-word response and inhibit thought.
 Questions begin with who, when and which
2. Open-ended questions:
 Invite unique thought, reflection or an explanation.
 Questions begin with how, what and how come (not why!).
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

22. Practice Questioning
 Rephrase the following closed questions to
make them open-ended:
1. Are you feeling tired?
2. Isn’t it a nice day?
3. Was the last activity useful?
4. Is there anything bothering you?
5. So everything is fine, then?
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

23. Adding colour to communication
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

24. Adding colour to communication
 Images – Describe,
relive
 Show, don’t tell
 Use audience’s senses
 Sight
 Sound
 Touch
 Taste
 Smell
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

25. Improving communication
 Don’t use cliches
 Brevity
 Sincerity
 Don’t praise yourself
 Avoid argument
 Be tactful
 Silence
 Enunciation
 Clear, loud, syllables. Flexibility of tone
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

26. Practice
 For distinct enunciation, every word, every syllable,
every sound, must be given it proper form and value.
 Think of the mouth chamber as a mold, in which the
correct form is given to every sound.
 Will you please move your lips more noticeably?
 The teeth should never be kept closed in speech.
 Through practices, we can learn to speak more
rapidly, but still with perfect distinctness
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

27. Ways to gain effective conversation
 Good use of English – avoid errors
 Improved vocabulary – overlook v oversee
 Avoid old phrases
 Use humour
 Add interesting story
 Improve clarity of voice – practice
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

28. Public Speaking

29. What does the graphic tell you about
this speaker
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

30. The 5-P‘s
 Prior
 Preparation
 Prevents
 Poor
 Performance
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

31. From effective conversation to speech
 Overcoming Fear
 #1 fear
 Idea of speech
 Know your subject
 Know the audience
 Target their interest
 Organising the speech
 Tell them…
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

32. Developing Your Presentation
 What is your goal?
 Research your topic
 Develop an outline
 Create or locate learning aids
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

33. AIDA
POWERFUL opener
ttention
CLEAR connector
nterest
MAIN BODY
esire
POWERFUL close
ction
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

34. AIDA
Establish credentials
ttention
(Me, You, What)
Key point
Create +ve expectations
nterest Paint the future benefits
WIFM
The facts
The facts
esire  3
 advantages
 benefits
Me, You, What
ction is required
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

35. Developing Your Presentation
Making the Presentation Interesting
 Informative
 Fun
 Variety
 Energy
 Audience Interaction
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

36. Practicing Your Presentation
 Simulate the
presentation setting
 Practice aloud
 Practice standing up
 Time your presentation
 Memorize your opening
few sentences
 Watch yourself in a
mirror
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

37. Presenting
 Stage fright
 Feelings follow action
 Talk ‘to’, not ‘at’
 Eye contact
 Don’t judge your audience
 Pause
 Volume
 Pace
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

38. Summary
He who fails to prepare, prepares to fail!
Siliguri Branch, EIRC - ICAI 18 July 2004

39. Thank You
arahim@infrastructureindia.com