UNIT 1: BETTER COMMUNICATION

Activity 1: Read article 1

Article 1

5 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORS

(Susan Tardanico, 2012)

It’s no secret that good leaders are also good communicators. And the best leaders have learned
that effective communication is as much about authenticity as the words they speak and write.

Indeed, communication and leadership are inextricably tied. How can you galvanize, inspire or
guide others if you don’t communicate in a clear, credible, authentic way?

Here are 5 essential communication practices of effective leaders.

1. Mind the say-do gap.
This is all about trust, which is the bedrock of effective leadership. Your behaviour is your single
greatest mode of communication, and it must be congruent with what you say. If your actions
don’t align with your words, there’s trouble. And it can turn into big trouble if not corrected swiftly
and genuinely. Since it’s often difficult to see the say-do gap in yourself, rely on a few trusted
colleagues to tell it to you straight and flag discrepancies. Rule of thumb: it’s better to say
nothing or delay your communication until you’re certain that your actions will ring true.

2. Make the complex simple.

Your employees and customers are being bombarded 24/7 by information, making it hard for
them to hear you. Simplicity has never been more powerful or necessary. Effective leaders distill
complex thoughts and strategies into simple, memorable terms that colleagues and customers
can grasp and act upon. If you’re having trouble distilling something to its essence, it may be that
you don’t understand it. So get clear and look out for technical jargon and business speak, which
add complexity. Say what you mean in as few words as possible.

3. Find your own voice.

Use language that’s distinctly your own. Let your values come through in your communication.
Often, executives will opt for the sanitized “corporate voice” instead of their own because they
think the former is more eloquent; more appropriate. This is not to say that correct grammar and
use of language aren’t important — strong leaders know how to string a sentence together. But
don’t fixate on eloquence; concentrate on being distinct and real. People want real. People
respect real. People follow real. Don’t disguise who you are. Be genuine, and people will respect
you for it.

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4. Be visible.
Visibility is about letting your key stakeholders get a feel for who you are and what you care
about. It’s easy to hide behind a computer and transmit messages to others without seeing or
interacting with them. Although e-communication serves a valuable purpose, it is no substitute for
face-to-face and voice-to-voice communication. In today’s environment, people are often burned
out and need to feel a personal connection to you and the work that you believe in. Do a
“calendar test” to make sure you’re allocating time regularly to be out on the floor, in the factory,
in the call centre, in the lab, in the store. Show your people that you’re engaged and care about
them and their work.

5. Listen with your eyes as well as your ears.

Stop, look and listen. Remember that effective communication is two-way. Good leaders know
how to ask good questions, and then listen with both their eyes and ears. It’s easy to be so
focused on getting your message out — or persuading others — that you don’t tune in to what
you see and hear. Because you’re in a position of authority, the stakes are even higher because
you won’t always get direct feedback. You need to read between the lines. Listen and hear what
is coming back at you. Look for the nonverbal cues. Sometimes a person’s body language will tell
you everything you need to know.

Activity 2: Match the terms in column A to the meanings in column B.

Column A Column B

communication impossible to separate

authenticity in agreement or harmony

inextricably made or done in an original way

galvanize fluent or persuasive speaking or writing

leadership similarity between two and more facts

congruent the action of leading a group of people or organization

discrepancies shock or excite into taking action

eloquence means of sending or receiving information

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Activity 3: Refer to the text above. Fill in the blanks with words given in the box.

mutual understanding sharing a common interest communicators

giving and receiving feedback successful ideas

1. In general leaders are poor ____________________________

2. Communication is the transfer and an understanding of________

3. For communication to be ________________ meaning must be imparted and

understood.

4. Effective communication requires__________________________

5. Effective communication is affected by communicators_________

6. Effective communication is

Common Phrases in Telephone Communication

Activity 4: Discuss 3 common phrases used in telephone communication.

Answer:
1.
Making special requests
2.
3.
Answer:
1.
Confirming information
2.
3.
Answer:
1.
Taking a message for someone
2.
3.

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Activity 5: Below are the lists of different common phrases used in Telephone Communication.
Perform a role play based on the conversation.

Telephone Language

 Hello? (informal)
 Hello! Good morning, Smart Automobile. This is
Answering the phone
Ahmad speaking. How can I help you?

 Yes, speaking
 Hey George. It's Jay calling. (informal)

Introducing yourself  Hello, this is Sally calling.

 Hi, it's Christopher from the dentist's office here.

 Is Farid in? (informal)

 Is Jonathan there, please? (informal)

Asking to speak with someone
 Can I talk to your sister? (informal)

 May I speak to Mr. Abu, please?

 Just a second. I'll get him. (informal)

 Hang on one second. (informal)

Connecting someone
 Please hold and I'll put you through to his office.

 One moment please.

 Could you please repeat that?

 Would you mind spelling that for me?

Making special requests
 Can you call me back? I think we have a bad
connection.

 Suresh's not in. Who's this? (informal)

 I'm sorry, Leela's not here at the moment. Can I ask

who's calling?
Taking a message for someone
 He's on lunch break right now. Who’s calling please?

 He's busy right now. Can you call again later?

 I'll let him know you called.

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  Yes, can you tell him his wife called, please?

 No, that's okay, I'll call back later.

Leaving a message with
someone  Thanks; could you ask him to call Badrul when he
gets in?

 Thanks. My number is 888-3456, extension 15.

 Okay, I've got it all down.

 Let me repeat that just to make sure.

Confirming information
 You said your name was Madam Salmah, right?

 I'll make sure he/she gets the message.

 Well, I guess I better get going. Talk to you soon.

 Thanks for calling. Bye for now.

Finishing a conversation
 I have to let you go now.

 I'll talk to you again soon. Bye.

Activity 6: Practice telephone communication skill using the controlled dialogue below.

Doren Hello, are you Sharon?

Sharon Yes, may I know who’s on the line?

Doren It’s me, Doren. I just came back from Australia and I am now in Penang.

Sharon Oh, it’s so nice to hear from you and to know you are back in Malaysia.

Doren Can I drop in to see you one of the days when you are free?

Oh, it would be lovely. I am looking forward to seeing you after a lapse of 5 years. I
Sharon
hope you are well. How’s your mom?

Doren Oh, my mom passed away last week so that’s why I came back.

Oh, I am so sorry to hear about that. My condolence to you and your family
Sharon
members.
Thank you. Is it okay if we meet for lunch on next Tuesday before I leave for
Doren
Australia?

Sharon Lunch sounds great. Bye, see you then.

Doren Bye, take care.

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Activity 7: Work in groups and perform a role play on how to make and receive a phone call
using scenarios given.

Role A Role B

Your friend will phone you. Tell her that you

1 Telephone your friend. Try to persuade him /
have to finish your assignment which is due
her to go shopping with you this weekend.
for submission on Monday.

You are the class monitor. Phone your friend

You are at the hostel; explain why you did
2 to find out why he / she is absent from the
not attend class.
class.

Phone your friend. Tell her that you saw her Your friend has some interesting information
3
boyfriend with someone else last night. for you.

You went to a restaurant and had very bad You are the manager of a restaurant. A
4
service. Phone the manager and complain. customer will phone you.

Your daughter calls you asking for extra

You need some money for your books.
money to pay for her books. Tell her you
5 Phone your parents and ask for some
don’t have the money now but will send it as
money.
soon as she has it.

You are a neighbour. Your neighbor is Your neighbour will phone you. You don’t
6
very noisy. Phone him / her to complain. like this neighbour.

You bought a computer from a shop but it

7 doesn’t work now. Phone the shop and tell You are manager of a computer shop
them.

Your friend will phone you. You found his /

You left your mobile phone at your friend’s
8 her mobile phone in your house this morning
house. Phone him / her and ask where it is.
but your dog then ate it.

Your students phone you asking for

Your Mid Term Holiday is ending. Your
brother is very ill and you wish to look after
9
him for another 3 days. Phone your lecturer
asking for permission to extent your leave.
permission to extent her leave for another 3
days to look after her ill brother. Tell her that
her leave is not granted and she has to go
back to college according to the plan laid out
by the institution.

You are on duty in the ward and have

chosen one patient for running assessment.
Phone your mentor (Nursing Tutor) about
10 the case you have chosen (Name,
diagnosis, age, date of admission, condition
of patient) and ask for date of running
assessment appointment.
You are a mentor (Nursing Tutor) and your
mentee called you about her case for
running assessment. Tell her that you are
outstation for 1 week and will only do it when
she is back.

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Activity 8: Receive and convey messages. Using scenarios given.

Read the dialogue between Mr. Tom and Alice. Then convey the message accurately.

Tom Hello. Can I speak to Madam Mary, please?

Alice Hello. I am Mary’s daughter here. I’m afraid that my mum is
not in at the moment. May I know who is on the line?

Tom I am Mr. Tom from the Goldsmith Shop. Your mother has
made an order of a pair of earnings and it’s ready to be collected. Can you please
ask your mum to collect from my shop at 3 pm tomorrow?

Alice Certainly, I will pass the message to her once she comes home.

Tom Thank you. Bye.

Alice Bye.

You are Alice and you are supposed to convey the message to your mother. What would the
message be?

Activity 9: Read article 2

Article 2

Breastfeeding: Impact on Child Survival and Global Situation

Optimal breastfeeding of infants under two years old has the greatest potential impact on child
survival of all preventive interventions, with the potential to prevent over 800,000 deaths (13 per
cent of all deaths) in children under five in the developing world (Lancet 2013).

Breastfed children have at least six times greater chance of survival in the early months than non-
breastfed children. An exclusively breastfed child is 14 times less likely to die in the first six
months than a non-breastfed child, and breastfeeding drastically reduces deaths from acute
respiratory infection and diarrhoea, two major child killers (Lancet 2008). The potential impact of
optimal breastfeeding practices is especially important in developing country.

Situations with a high burden of disease and low access to clean water and sanitation. But non-
breastfed children in industrialized countries are also at greater risk of dying - a recent study of
post-neonatal mortality in the United States found a 25% increase in mortality among non-
breastfed infants. In the UK Millennium Cohort Survey, six months of exclusive breast feeding
was associated with a 53% decrease in hospital admissions for diarrhoea and a 27% decrease in
respiratory tract infections.

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While breastfeeding rates are no longer declining at the global level, with many countries
experiencing significant increases in the last decade, only 39 per cent of children less than six
months old in the developing world are exclusively breastfed and just 58 per cent of 20-23 month

olds benefit from the practice of continued breastfeeding. A growing number of countries are
demonstrating that significant and rapid progress is possible, with 25 countries showing
increases of 20 percentage points or more.

Recommendations for Optimal Breastfeeding

The World Health Organization and UNICEF recommendations on breastfeeding are as follows:
initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour after the birth; exclusive breastfeeding for the first
six months; and continued breastfeeding for two years or more, together with safe, nutritionally
adequate, age appropriate, responsive complementary feeding starting in the sixth month.

Benefits of Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding has an extraordinary range of benefits. It has profound impact on a child’s survival,
health, nutrition and development. Breast milk provides all of the nutrients, vitamins and minerals
an infant needs for growth for the first six months, and no other liquids or food are needed. In
addition, breast milk carries antibodies from the mother that help combat disease. The act of
breastfeeding itself stimulates proper growth of the mouth and jaw, and secretion of hormones for
digestion and satiety. Breastfeeding creates a special bond between mother and baby and the
interaction between the mother and child during breastfeeding has positive repercussions for
life, in terms of stimulation, behaviour, speech, sense of wellbeing and security and how the child
relates to other people. Breastfeeding also lowers the risk of chronic conditions later in life, such
as obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, childhood asthma and childhood
leukaemias. Studies have shown that breastfed infants do better on intelligence and behaviour
tests into adulthood than formula-fed babies.

Virtually every mother can breastfeed, if given appropriate support, advice and encouragement,
as well as practical assistance to resolve any problems. Studies have shown that early skin to
skin contact between mothers and babies, frequent and unrestricted breast feeding to ensure
continued production of milk and help with positioning and attaching the baby increase the
chances of breast feeding being successful.

Breastfeeding also contributes to maternal health immediately after the delivery because it helps
reduce the risk of post-partum haemorrhage (excessive bleeding following the birth of a baby). In
the short term, breastfeeding delays the return to fertility and in the long term, it reduces type 2
diabetes and breast, uterine and ovarian cancer. Studies have also found an association between
early cessation of breastfeeding and post natal depression in mothers.

Risks of Mixed Feeding

Mixed feeding, or giving other liquids and/or foods together with breast milk to infants under 6
months of age, is widespread in many countries. This practice poses risks to an infant’s health

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because it can increase the chance of their getting diarrhea and other infectious diseases. Mixed
feeding, especially giving water or other liquids, can also causes the supply of breast milk to
decrease as the baby sucks less at the breast. Babies do not need liquids other than breast milk,
not even water, in the first 6 months as breast milk contains all the water a baby needs, even in
very hot climates. Mixed feeding increases the risk of mother to child transmission of HIV.
Exclusive breastfeeding for up to six months was associated with a three to four fold decreased
risk of transmission of HIV compared to mixed feeding breastfeeding in several African studies.

Risks of Artificial Feeding

In many countries, the reinforcement of a "breastfeeding culture" and its vigorous defense
against incursions of a “formula-feeding culture” is imperative. Many mothers neither
exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of the baby’s life nor continue breastfeeding for the
recommended two years or more, and instead replace breast milk with commercial breast milk
substitutes or other milks. Artificial feeding is expensive and carries risks of additional illness and
death, particularly where the levels of infectious disease are high and access to safe water is
poor. Formula-feeding poses many practical challenges for mothers in developing countries,
including ensuring the formula is mixed with clean water, that dilution is correct, that sufficient
quantities of formula can continually be acquired and that the feeding utensils, especially if bottles
are used, can be adequately cleaned.

Formula is not an acceptable substitute for breast milk because formula, at its best, only replaces
most of the nutritional components of breast milk: it is just a food, whereas breast milk is a
complex living nutritional fluid containing antibodies, enzymes, long chain fatty acids and
hormones, many of which simply cannot be included in formula. Furthermore, in the first few
months, it is hard for the baby’s gut to absorb anything other than breast milk. Even one feeding
of formula or other foods can cause injuries to the gut, taking weeks for the baby to recover.

The major problems are the societal and commercial pressure to stop breastfeeding, including
aggressive marketing and promotion by formula producers. These pressures are too often
worsened by inaccurate medical advice from health workers who lack proper skills and training in
breastfeeding support. In addition, many women have to return to work soon after delivery, and
they face a number of challenges and pressures which often lead them to stop exclusive
breastfeeding early. Working mothers need support, including legislative measures, to enable
them to continue breastfeeding.

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Activity 10: The Article 2 described several types of feeding methods for infants. Match the
terms used to the correct definition.

Infant receives only breast-milk and nothing else,

Mixed Feeding except for ORS, medicines and vitamins and
minerals.
Infant receives both breast-milk and any other food or
Formula liquid including water, non-human milk and formula
before 6 months of age.

Complementary
Infant is fed only on a breast-milk substitute.
Feeding
Artificial milks for babies made out of a variety of
Breast-milk products: sugar, animal milks, soybean, and
substitutes vegetable oils. They are usually in powder form, to
mix with water.

Any food being marketed or otherwise represented as

Artificial Feeding a partial or total replacement for breast milk, whether
or not it is suitable for that purpose.

Exclusive The child receives both breast milk and solid foods. It
Breastfeeding is not recommended to provide that kind of foods to
children less than six months of age.

Activity 11: The Article 2 mentioned some benefits of breastfeeding. List the benefits in the
respective columns.

MOTHER INFANT.

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