Communication Skills

OUTLINE
• What is communication
• Skills of Communication
• Most common ways to communicate
• Communicational Goals
• Components of communication
• The Communication process
• Levels of communication
• 7C’s of communication
• Barriers to communication
• Why we don’t listen
• Tips
• Final Thought
A THOUGHT
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.
 What is Communication?
• Communication is from Latin commūnicāre,
meaning "to share“.
• Communication is the process of sending and
receiving information among people.
 Verbal vs Non Verbal
• Can we communicate without words?
• Voice attributes
• What are they and how do they affect communication?
• Physical attributes
• What could be considered here and how do they affect
communication?
• The power of touch
• What and when is OK?
• Which is better, verbal or non verbal?
 The Communication Equation
• What you hear
• Tone of voice
• Vocal clarity
• Verbal expressiveness 38%-40% of the message

• What you see or feel

• Facial expression
• Dress and grooming
• Posture
• Eye contact
• Touch
• Gesture 50%-55% of the message

• WORDS … 7%-10% of the message!

 Amazing %

Words are only labels

The way in which something is

said - the accent, tone and
voice modulation

What a speaker looks like

while delivering a message.
Most common ways to communicate
 Communication Goals
To change behavior

To get and give

To get action
Information

To persuade To ensure understanding

Remember that you are dealing with
“PEOPLE”
• (P)OSTURES & GESTURES

• (E)PRESSIONS OF EMOTION

• (O)RIENTATION

• (P)RESENTATION

• (L)OOKS

• (E)YE CONTACT
Communication is a series of experiences

Hearing Smelling

Seeing

Tasting
Touching
Components of Communication
 Communication is a 2-way process
• Communication skills involve:
• Listening to others (Receiving sender
• Asserting/ Expressing (Sending)
• Barriers to communication can lead to misunderstanding
and confusion receiver

values and attitudes

“generation gap”
sender
language

Cultural differences

noise

hearing
receiver
 Communication Process

Feedback

receiver sender

Medium
Encode Decode

SENDER RECEIVER
Communication Process
 Effective Communication Skills
Eye contact & visible mouth

Some questions Body language

Encouragement Effective
Communication skills Silence
to continue

Smiling face

Summarising Checking
what has been said for understanding
 TYPES of COMMUNICATION

Non-Verbal

Verbal
 Verbal Communication
• Form of communication in which message is
transmitted verbally/through words.
• Verbal Communication is further divided into:

1.Oral Communication
2.Written Communication
 Non Verbal Communication
Sending or receiving of wordless messages.
gesture, body language, posture, tone of
voice or facial expressions.
 Do You Know?

People remember:
– 10% of what they read
– 50% of what they hear
– 30% of what they see
 Barriers to Effective Communication

Language
Time Noise

Other people Distractions

Barriers to
effective
communication
Too many questions Put downs

Distance Lack of interest

Discomfort Disability
with the topic
 Barriers to Communication

Semantic barriers
Emotional or
psychological barriers
Personal barriers
Organizational
Cross-cultural
Factors Affecting Communication
Environmental Halo Effect
Technological Misinterpretation

Organizational Fear

Jargons Stress
Status
External Noise
Chain of command
Emotions
Trust Issues
Distance
 Semantic Barriers

Symbols with different

meaning
Badly expressed
message
Unclear assumption
Emotional Or Psychological Barriers

Personal discomfort
or emotionally
disturbed
Inattention
Undue reliance on the
written word
Failure to
communicate
 Personal Barriers

 Attitude of superior
 Fear of challenge of
authority
 Lack of time
 Lack of awareness
 Organizational Barriers
• Large working area
• Closed office doors
• Separate areas for people of different status.
• It forbids team member from effective
interaction with each other.
 Cont.
 Loss or distortion of messages as they pass from
one level to another

 Filtering of information according to one’s

understanding/interpretation

 Messages not read completely or not understood

correctly

 Deliberate withholding of information from peers

perceived as rivals

 Information gap if upper level does not know the

true state of affairs
 Cont.
 Lack of communication policy

 Authoritarian attitude of management

 Poorly Defined Authority and

Responsibility

 Too Many Levels in Organization

Structure

 Insufficient Communication Training

 Noise
• Physical noise (outside disturbance)
• Psychological noise (inattentiveness)
• Written noise (bad handwriting/typing)
• Visual noise (late arrival of employees)
Cross-Cultural Barriers
 Culture
• Edward Tyrol's (1871)
• “That complex whole which includes knowledge,
belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other
capabilities and habits acquired by man as a
member of society”
 Cross Culture Communication
• Cross-cultural communication is a field of
study that looks at how people from
differing cultural backgrounds communicate.
 Different Cross Cultural Barrier
• Language

• Values
 Cont.
• Social Relations

• Concept of Time
 Cont.
• Concept of Space

• Gestures
OTHER BARRIERS
 Time and Distance
• Improper Time
• Defects in Medium of communication
• Network Facilities
• Mechanical Breakdowns
 Information Overload
• Piling up of tasks due to improper time
management.
• Excess number of people assigned for same
task.
• Work overload/Information duplication.
 Poor Listening

• Listening is hard
work
• Lack of time
• Lack of training
Tips to Good Communication Skills

Maintain eye contact with the audience

Body awareness
Expressions
Manage time properly
Practice effective communication skills
 Final Thoughts
• Communicating to be understood and being a
good listener are crucial.
• Another important aspect of communication is
to think about what you are saying before you
say it.
• Today’s communications set the tone for
tomorrow’s relationships.