EXERCISE-I

THE FOUR SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION

With new ways to reach people emerging all the time, effective communication has never been more
important. It’s been said that the biggest mistake people make about communication is assuming that it
has occurred. In other words, just sending the message isn’t enough; one need to make sure it is received
and understood as well.
To ensure the right message gets delivered to the audience at the right time, the four ‘Cs’ of effective
communication play an important role.

Four ‘Cs’ of effective communication:

4Cs: Critical Thinking, Creativity & Innovation, Collaboration, Communication
Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking is the capability of objective analysis of information and includes the following
qualities:

• Fairness and open-mindedness

• Activeness and being informed
• Willingness to question or to entertain doubts
• Being independent
• Recognizing and assessing values, peer pressure and the media influences

Problem Solving is the skill of:

• Identifying the relevant piece of information when faced with a mass of data (most of which is
irrelevant),
• Discarding information that may not be useful to give new information, and finally,
• Relating one set of information to another in a different form by using experience, relating new
problems to ones we have previously solved.

Creativity and Innovation

These are the skills to explore and create fresh ways of thinking. Creativity refers to new way of seeing
ordoing things and includes four components:

• Fluency (generating new ideas),

• Flexibility (shifting perspective easily),
• Originality (conceiving of something new), and
 • Elaboration (building on others' ideas).

Innovative Skills mean skills for thinking creatively to develop something new/ unique / improved /
distinctive
Collaboration
Collaboration is the ability to effectively work together with others. This skill involves working together
while taking actions respecting others’ needs and perspectives and contributing to and accepting the
finale. Collaboration helps to develop interest and fun in the teaching learning process. It effectively
broadens the cultural, social, and environmental boundaries and helps a child to understand social and
environmental concerns better.
Communication
Communication refers to the ability to express one’s opinions, desires, needs, apprehensions etc. oneself
appropriately, verbally and non-verbally, clarity, coherence, control and credibility. They give us the
four ‘Cs’ of effective communication: clarity, coherence, control and credibility.
Clarity
If one wants the reader to follow ones thought, then he/she needs to do three things: Tell the reader where
he/she is going, present information or explain thinking and offer conclusion. In brief exchanges, with the
context established, this three-part structure may not be needed, but for more substantive, deliberate,
thoughtful writing, it's essential. The three-part paragraph provides a road map: topic, development, resolution
Coherence

Paragraphs help you connect your thoughts. A paragraph may contain a number of points, but every point is
linked to a unifying theme and every sentence supports the main purpose. After you have drafted your
document, you can check its organization by reading the first sentence of each paragraph. Have you created a
logical progression? Have you repeated yourself? Have you omitted a key point?

Control

These building blocks of composition help you set your pace and control your emphasis. Shorter paragraphs
create a faster pace and a less formal style. Longer paragraphs create a slower pace and a more formal style.
Because first and last sentences have natural prominence, key points go there. Quotations work best in these
locations. In legal writing, positive information is presented first and last; negative information is buried in the
middle.
Credibility

Credibility results from multiple factors: command of language, knowledge of subject, rapport with audience,
word choice, sentence structure and — perhaps surprisingly — paragraphing. To write in paragraphs is to
demonstrate how your mind works. Outline format fails to convey an essential element: quality of mind, or
"voice" in writing.
 SPOKEN Vs WRITTEN LANGUAGE
Written and Spoken Language differs in many ways. However some forms of writing are closer to
speech than others, and vice versa. Below are some of the ways in which these two forms of language
differ:
 Writing is usually permanent and written texts cannot usually be changed once they have been
printed/written out.
Speech is usually transient, unless recorded, and speakers can correct themselves and change
their utterances as they go along.
 A written text can communicate across time and space for as long as the particular language and
writing system is still understood.
Speech is usually used for immediate interactions.
 Written language tends to be more complex and intricate than speech with longer sentences and
many subordinate clauses. The punctuation and layout of written texts also have no spoken
equivalent. However some forms of written language, such as instant messages and email, are
closer to spoken language.
Spoken language tends to be full of repetitions, incomplete sentences, corrections and
interruptions, with the exception of formal speeches and other scripted forms of speech, such as
news reports and scripts for plays and films.
 Writers receive no immediate feedback from their readers, except in computer-based
communication. Therefore they cannot rely on context to clarify things so there is more need to
explain things clearly and unambiguously than in speech, except in written correspondence
between people who know one another well.
Speech is usually a dynamic interaction between two or more people. Context and shared
knowledge play a major role, so it is possible to leave much unsaid or indirectly implied.
 Writers can make use of punctuation, headings, layout, colors and other graphical effects in their
written texts. Such things are not available in speech
Speech can use timing, tone, volume, and timbre to add emotional context.
 Written material can be read repeatedly and closely analyzed, and notes can be made on the
writing surface. Only recorded speech can be used in this way.
 Some grammatical constructions are only used in writing, as are some kinds of vocabulary, such
as some complex chemical and legal terms.
Some types of vocabulary are used only or mainly in speech. These include slang expressions,
and tags like y’know, like, etc.
 FORMAL AND INFORMAL ENGLISH
There is a time and a place for everything and that same rule of thought can be applied to
language. There are times when more formal language is required, but there are also times when it is
appropriate to adopt a less formal approach.
Formal and informal language each serves a different purpose. The choice of words, the tone and
the way that each word is strung together will vary depending on the situation and the level of
formality. Formal language is, for all intents and purposes, far less personal than informal writing.

The use of formal language is more prevalent when we write. Informal language is seen more
when we speak. That being said, there are times when writing can be less formal. For example, if you
were writing a postcard an email or a text message to a close friend, you aren’t likely to take care to use
proper grammar and to write in complete sentences.
This is why it is the appropriate choice for use in professional or academic settings. Formal
language does not make use of contractions, colloquialisms, or first person pronouns like “I” or “we.”
Informal language, on the other hand, is much more spontaneous and casual. This is the type of
language used when communicating with friends or family members and can be used when either
writing or speaking.
Informal language is used when writing a personal email, sending a text message and even in
some business communications. (However, if you do not know your audience, always air on the side of
caution and take a more formal approach.) The tone used in informal language is much more relaxed
than it is in formal language.

Informal Writing

 Colloquial: Informal writing is similar to conversational English. It might include slang, figures

of speech, etc. Informal writing has a more personal tone, similar to if you were to speak directly
to your audience.
 Simple: Informal writing uses shorter sentence, and some of them might be incomplete.
 Contractions and Abbreviations: Informal writing consists of words that might be simplified
or contracted.
 Empathy: Informal writing allows for the display of emotion or empathy

Formal Writing
  Complex: Formal writing uses longer sentences that are as through as possible. Each point is
clearly introduced and concluded.
 Objective: Formal writing clearly states the primary point and offers supporting information. It
avoids emotions or emotive punctuations like ellipses and exclamation points, unless being cited
from another source.
 Full words: Formal writing requires full, complete sentences. No words should be simplified or
contracted. Abbreviations are spelled out in full when first read.
 Third Person: Formal writing is not personal – meaning the writer is not connected to the topic
and will not use a first or second person point of view.

Here is an example of formal language vs informal language.

Formal:

 They have been arguing all day

 She is very busy
 Many different outcomes were planned for the party
 It is felt that the objective is unreasonable
 The famous soccer team we saw at the bus station went to Toronto
 The receptionist who answered the phone was very rude

Informal

 They’ve been arguing all day

 She’s very busy
 I planned many different outcomes for the party
 We felt the objective was unreasonable
 The famous soccer team we saw at the bus station went to Toronto
 The receptionist who answered the phone was very rude
 Elevator Speech
An Elevator Pitch is an overview of a product, service, project, person, or other thing and is designed to
get a conversation started. It is a quick synopsis of your background and experience. The reason it's
called an elevator pitch is that it should be short enough to present during a brief elevator ride.

 Your pitch should be a short recap of who you are and what you do. You need to be persuasive. Even
though it's a short pitch, your elevator speech should be compelling enough to spark the listener's
interest in your idea, organization, or background.
 An elevator speech is a clear, brief message or “commercial” about you. It communicates who you are,
what you’re looking for and how you can benefit a company or organization. It’s typically about 30
seconds, the time it takes people to ride from the top to the bottom of a building in an elevator.
 A pitch can also be delivered over email or even as a stand-alone slide deck that investors can view on
their own time. An elevator speech is always delivered verbally. It is a way to share your expertise and
credentials quickly and effectively with people who don't know you.

Characteristics of an effective Elevator Pitch

 Concise
 Clear
 Compelling
 Credible
 Conceptual
 Concrete
 Customized
 Consistent
 Conversational
Elevator speech should
 Be brief
 Be persuasive
 Share your skills
 Be positive and flexible
 Mention your goals.
 Know your audience, and speak to them. 
 Have a business card ready
 INTRODUCING ONESELF AND OTHERS

Introducing oneself
Can/ May I introduce myself? My name’s Peter.
Let me introduce myself. My name’s ….
I’d like to introduce myself. I’m ….
I don’t think we’ve met. I’m …
Introducing someone else
Can/ May I introduce a good friend of mine? This is …
Have you met …?
I’d like you to meet …
I want you to meet …
Making contact
Excuse me, are you Mrs.…? - Yes, that’s right

Useful responses when introducing yourself or other people:

 Nice to meet you.
 I’m pleased to meet you.
 It’s a pleasure to meet you.
 Glad to meet you.
 How do you do?
 ICE-BREAKING ACTIVITY AND JAM SESSION

Introduction:
Ice Breakers are an effective way of starting a training session or team-building event. They can be
interactive and fun sessions, which run prior to the main event or day activity. The activities can form a
number of varieties including problem solving, facilitation, Communication, leadership, trust and
decision making. Ice Breaker Activities are aimed at adding some energy and fun, allowing your team to
think and look differently at how they can work together. Icebreakers can play an important role in
helping young people integrate and connect with one another in a group environment.
Objectives:

 To stimulate cooperation and participation.

 To provide positive momentum for group activity.
 Developing social skills.
 Building a rapport with leaders.
 Creating a good atmosphere for learning and participation.

Activities:
1. If you had a time machine that would work only once, what point in the future or in history would
you visit?
2. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
3. If your house was burning down, what three objects would you try and save?
4. If you could talk to any one person now living, who would it be and why?
5. If you had to give up one of your senses (hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, tasting) which would it be
and why?
6. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
7. Do you have a pet? If not, what sort of pet would you like?
8. Name a gift you will never forget?
9. Name one thing you really like about yourself.
10. What's your favorite thing to do in the summer?
JAM SESSIONS:

JAM is the acronym for Just A Minute. In this process, students are asked to speak on a topic of
their choice or on a given topic for a minute. It is conducted for students to improve their
communication skills. It helps the introvert and shy students to take initiative and speak on the
topic for a minute. It helps students condense the entire essence precisely in their mind, and speak
only the relevant aspects within a minute. In addition, it can be used during the interviews as well
by the interviewers.

Just A Minute topics:

1. Mouth watering eateries on roadside.

2. Are films only for entertainment?
3. Fresher’s Day; is it breaking the ice?
4. Engineering is a right platform to take-off for a bright career.
5. Are Engineering Colleges really producing professionals?
6. Technical fests in Engineering Colleges.
7. Do we really have freedom of speech?
8. Human being most advanced and powerful species on earth. Is that so?
9. Sometimes wars are the best solution to a problem.
10. Are we really working for our Goals?