Find out the three basic types of human communication.

1. Three Basic Types of Human
Communication
Diploma of Management

2. In our Management Diploma you’ll be exposed to
the three basic communication skills:
speaking, listening, and asking questions.
Speaking skills are essential for a good leader.
• You have to be able to:
• Plan and organise what you are going to say
• Use appropriate language for the target group
• Modulate and vary your voice
• Ensure that your non verbal messages support delivery
slowly
• Speak clearly
• Make eye contact with people.

3. Listening
‘The reason why we have two ears and only one mouth is
that we may listen the more and talk the less.’
Zeno of Citium, Greek philosopher (3rd century AD)
As a leader you are the key member of the group. To
maximise use of team members’ contributions you will need
to become an active listener.
It is often said that it pays to listen twice as much as we
talk. However there is a difference between listening and
hearing.

4. Have you ever been in the situation where the person you
are talking to can repeat what you were saying but you still
don’t feel listened to? This is usually because they have not
been actively listening. Passive listening, or listening
without demonstrating interest, can have a negative effect
on communication.
Here are some good tips on active listening :
Active listening:
http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/ActiveListen
ing.htm
Tips for active listening:
http://www.iamnext.com/people/listen.html

5. Non-verbal communication
Non-verbal communication can have an effect on the
relationship between you and your learner.
For example, when asking questions, the use of non-verbal
responses can be important. To pause after a question is
answered may indicate to the learner to elaborate on what
they have said. However, to remain silent too long might be
perceived as threatening.

6. You can encourage the learner to continue to speak by
leaning forward, adopting a body position that indicates
interest and responding positively with favourable
noises, such as (‘Uh-uh’, ‘Mmmm’, ‘yes’, ‘OK’). A simple nod
may also be encouraging.
Generally, how we say something may have as much
impact as what we say.

7. Non-verbal signals include:
How we sit – this includes whether we are
fidgeting, whether we have an open posture (or whether
the posture is too open and therefore confronting)
How we stand – generally a person who crosses their
arms is putting up a barrier between themselves and the
other person and may therefore be uncomfortable with
that person

8. Our facial expressions – do we look
happy, interested, nervous, annoyed?
Eye contact – is the eye contact we have with others
culturally respectful?
Physical space – are we providing others with
appropriate physical space for them to feel comfortable?
Vocal tone – the tone of voice you use with your learner
needs to be non-judgemental and inquisitive. This means
inviting the learner to feel comfortable expressing
thoughts, providing information and exploring issues on a
deeper level.

9. Body Language
Body language is the unspoken communication that goes
on in every face-to-face encounter with another human
being. It tells you someone’s true feelings towards you and
how well your words are being received.
Your ability to read and understand your learner’s body
language, as well as control the message that you transmit
through your own body language, can mean the difference
between making a great impression or a very bad one. We
communicate a great deal about how we feel by facial
expressions, tone of voice, eye contact, pauses, hand
movements and body postures.

10. Different cultures interpret body signals differently.
Non-verbal signals may change as the relationship
develops. They may also be different depending on how
things are going in the relationship or in the learning
pathway.
Interpreting one gesture in isolation is a mistake. You
should look for ‘clusters’ of gestures, and note the context
in which the body language is used.

11. Questions
Questions can be used to:
• Gain information
• Boost self esteem of team members
• Encourage creative thinking
• Promote discussion
• Encourage participation
• Check understanding
• Pool information
• Establish facts
• Review previous work
• Seek opinions
• Encourage feedback

12. Questions should be phrased carefully to encourage team
members to elaborate and expand ideas.
Open questions are often the most useful type to ask
because they can’t be answered with a simple yes or no.
Open questions begin with
Who, How, Which, What, Where, Why etc…
Types of questions
Fact finding
Asking specific facts, in order to establish existing levels of
knowledge or recap ground already covered.

13. Reasoning
These are the questions that actually help people learn.
Use to help understanding by breaking a complex point
down into small steps, the solution of each step leading on
to the next.
Questions should be phrased to enable trainees to work out
each step for themselves. Encourage trainees to apply what
they know to problems to which they do not know the
answers.

14. Opinion seeking
It can be valuable to seek information about peoples’
opinions, values and feelings, particularly where you are
discussing areas of best practice, or trying to change
behaviour. They can also be useful in achieving an
atmosphere of openness and trust.

15. Using questions to overcome difficulties
In an effort to overcome a team members objections to their
suggestions, less skilled leaders often make the mistake of
trying to bluff their way through by making statements of
opinion, snowballing the facts, telling the team member that
they are wrong, making threats or asking leading questions
that put the learner on the defensive. Less skilled leaders
may be fearful of discussing the situation and they may fail to
take into account the team member’s viewpoint or to
recognise their needs.

16. A more useful approach is to open up the discussion to
reveal fully any stumbling blocks and then to locate and
build up the areas of agreement.
LMIT provides online training and Nationally
Recognised Courses in Certificate IV in Frontline
Management and the Diploma of Management.