Chapter 1

Prerequisites for effective communication

Good communicator Good helper
First, you should fulfill all prerequisites / remove barriers
What are the prerequisites for effective communication?
Establish good relationship.
Build rapport.
Identify preferred representation system.
Remove barriers.

Start Promote

How to start a good How to promote a good relationship?

relationship?
 Introduce (reintroduce)
yourself
 Explain who you are
 Show the person you are
(personality & actions)
 Become available
 Make people see that you're doing what they
expect from you
 Reach out to people
 Be empathetic (NOT sympathetic, apathetic)
 Use ice breaks with groups to make everyone

 Explain your job to them comfortable (know each other)

 Explain how you can
Ice breakers
benefit them
 Repeating introduction
Behaviors to start a good
relation Participants state (name / what they like best / what they
don't like)
 Be friendly
 Introducing each other (in pairs)
 Use name of the person
 Vanity name tent cards
 Be respectful
 Be honest TO
Participants draw & write about themselves (in cards)
 Show concern then
 Behave according to the personalize them share information with the group
culture  Fantasy career
share
Participants their fantasy career (if they were not
explain state
doctors) what occupation & trade & job their
reasons
 Rapport trusting & friendly relationship
 To build a rapport, you've to apply
1. Matching the person's representation system (visual / auditory / kinesthetic /
digital)
2. Mirror the person's body language
NOTES:
Matching: move as the other moves OR do
Leading: getting other people to match OR pace with you
When you're interacting with other persons, you're either matching OR
leading
If the person doesn't respond on a verbal OR non-verbal basis, you have to
return to matching
If the patient continues to match, then you can keep leading
3. Match the person's voice (tone & speed)
4. Match the person's breathing (pace & depth)
5. Match the way the person deals with information
Over view OR large amount of information OR small details at a time
6. Match common experience
Try to find commonality (experience & interest & background &
acquaintances)

Will help you to encode / decode / understand the message

You should
1. Listen to the words they use: to identify the presentation system
visual Auditory kinesthetic Digital
tent to like space
Words See Note Sense Data
pictures tune touch facts
cloud sound feel results
bright hear rub compute
view alarm tense predict
hazy verify
unclear
When Use Move around Sit down Define terms
dealing illustrations Use a varying Talk to them Provide order &
flow charts voice speed from a sequence to the
photos relaxed non- information given
threatening
position

2. Observe their eyes

 Environmental barriers
Personal barriers
 Environment can influence the communication process
 Positively
 Negatively & cause (discomfort / monotony / distraction)

Environmental barriers

1. Noise
Reception & understanding of the message can be greatly affected by
amount of surrounding noise
2. Competition for attention and distraction
Telephone call
Drop-in-visitor
Visitors talking
3. Time

Amount of time (a person has to assimilate the data transmitted) can

be a barrier
4. Unfamiliar terminology
Use of a specific terminology unfamiliar to the receiver & are not
explained will be break down in communication
5. Power status relation (common in organizations)
E.X: supervisor-subordinate relationship & teacher-student relationship
6. Physical barrier
Distance between people
Walls
Desks
Tables
Piles of files
Sitting with crossed arms or legs.
 7. Organizational communication barrier
 Administer philosophy (in the area of management)
Can promote effective communication
OR inhibit it …………………… HOW?!!!!
A manager can create organizational blockage if he is not promoting:
 Communication upward
OR
 Disseminating information downward
 Multiplicity of structural levels (can cause message distortion)
WHY?!!!
The information tends to be
Filtered
Dropped
Emphasis will be rearranged
 As a result the message will be distorted by one of the links
5 basic internal organizational communication
Downward Upward Horizontal Grapevine Network

Formal established by organization Informal

From manager From subordinate Between
TO followers TO manager *manager & peers
*Co-workers
Verbal written Oral
Non-verbal
Verbal written
TO convey - Provide the *Decision making TO meet * Link other
*Emotional & member's needs organizational
organizational management for information
social support communication
policy & objectives with Grow where systems
& tasks * Day to day * Secrecy, poor * Encourage strong
information communication identification with
by manager work
* Issues & *Autocratic
problems. leader. * Essential
- often socializing units
- provide
information incomplete.
-70-90 %
about the accurate in its
effectiveness of content.
downward - travel at a
communication. rapid pace
Notes:
Distortion of downward system can occur if a manager attempts to
restrict OR monitor the amount and type of information passed to
employees
In horizontal & grapevine communication
 Environmental & personal barriers may exist and can affect the
encoding & decoding of the message passed

Personal barriers

1. Frame of reference
Socioeconomic background & previous experiences in
which one receives & interprets communication

2. Beliefs & Values & prejudices

In process of transmission OR reception, they can cause messages
to be blocked OR distorted
Act as filters, brain may delete OR distort OR generalize
information.

3. Selective perception
Perceiving things in such a way as to support a performed idea
Is related to frame of reference & beliefs – values -
prejudices
4. Jealousy & fear
Limit perception
may result in
 Conscious effort to filter & distort incoming information
 OR transmit misinformation
 OR both
 5. Status quo )‫(إرضاء اآلخر‬
The status quo barriers denotes a conscious effort by the
sender or receiver to filter out information either in
sending OR receiving OR transmitting that would upset
the present situation.
It implies the transmission of information that the sender
thinks the receiver wants to hear.

6. Semantics (related to terminology)

Words we choose (how we use them / meaning we attached to
them many communication barrier)
The same word can be interpreted & misinterpreted in many ways

7. Symbols & actions

 Symbols (E.X: uniform of the doctor)
Play a major role in communication
Characterized by physical things & pictures & actions
Visual presentation can greatly increase understanding
 Action
A friendly smile has a meaning
Being at one's desk has a meaning
8. Empathy (being sensitive to other person's frame)
Promote better understanding
Help sender to encode the message
Help the receiver to decode the message
Lack of empathy impair communication

Notes:
Environmental barriers Personal barriers
Organization & work setting Nature of individuals & interaction
with others
 Questions
True OR False
1. Each of us has his own way or style in communication
2. The personality and actions of senders and receivers can
influence the type of relationship they have with people
3. To have an effective communication, sender and receiver should
understand each other
4. The only important prerequisite for good communication is to
promote a good relationship
5. To promote a good relationship with another, one has to
behave according to the culture you are working in
6. To maintain a good relation with a person, you should be
sympathetic
7. Communication ice breakers can be used when you are dealing
with individuals
8. Vanity name tent card is a method of communication ice
breakers
9. Rapport is being attuned to other people verbally or non-
verbally
10. Matching means doings as the others do
11. When you are interacting with a person, you are matching
but not leading
12. In building rapport, ignore information chunk size and
concentrate on matching and leading
13. A visual person uses flow charts and like space
14. A digital person have to depend on pictures and sounds
15. If a person is a kinesthetic person, sit down and talk to
him in a friendly way
16. Environmental conditions always affect communication
positively
17. Environmental barriers are characteristic of the
organization and work setting
18. Noise, time and distraction are environmental barriers
19. Physical barriers include distances between people
20. Power status relationship is a personal barrier
 21. Organizational communication barriers are considered as
personal barriers of manager
22. Personal barriers arise from the nature of individual and
their interactions with others
23. Frame of reference means socioeconomic background and
past experience
24. If you are an educated person, your beliefs and prejudices
cannot affect your communication
25. Status quo implies the transmission of information the
sender thinks the receiver wants to hear
26. Unfamiliar terminology is a personal barrier
27. Use of symbols and actions carried out may lead to
personal barrier
28. Fear and jealousy can limit one's perception.
29. Semantic which is closely related to terminology is a
personal barrier
30. Being empathetic can impair communication

MCQ

31. The following statements related to prerequisites for

effective communication EXCEPT:
A. Remove barrier, build rapport
B. Speak clearly and give feedback
C. Establish and promote good relation
D. Identify preferred presentation system

32. Which statement is correctly related to personality and

actions carried out by a communication to establish a good
relation
A. Use name of the person
B. Show concern and respect
C. Behave according to the culture you are working in
D. Be friendly
E. All of the above
33. To promote a good relation, a person has to do all
EXCEPT:
A. Become available
B. Reach up to people
C. Be sympathetic
D. Let people see that he is doing what is excepted from him

34. The following statement is correctly related to ice breakers

A. We use ice breakers when we interview a patient
B. Repeating introduction is waste of time when we are starting a
meeting
C. Fantasy career approach is carried out for fun rather than ice
breakers
D. Vanity name tent cards are used to introduce participants to
each other

35. Verbal indicator of visual mode includes;

A. Logical
B. Alarm
C. Feel
D. Clear
E. Tense

36. Verbal indicator for auditory mode is

A. Touch
B. Bright
C. Compute
D. Irritate
E. Alarm
37. Verbal indicator for kinesthetic mode is
A. Reasonable
B. Scream
C. Reveal
D. Impress
E. Predict

38. Verbal indicator for digital mode is

A. Data
B. Annoy
C. Hazy
D. Rub
E. Voice

39. The following statement is correctly related to building

rapport
A. When you interact with persons, you have only to lead them
B. It is easy to communicate with persons who share our beliefs
and values
C. To build rapport, one has to avoid looking at the eyes of the
person you are talking to
D. To develop non-verbal rapport, one has to ignore the words the
person is using
E. Personal experience is irrelevant in building rapport

40. Environmental barriers include;

A. Noise and time
B. Frame of reference
C. Symbols and actions
D. Semantics
 41. The following is a personal barrier
A. The noise you make
B. Unfamiliar terminology used in messages
C. selective perception
D. Power status relation

42. All of the following statements related to organizational

communication are correct EXCEPT:
A. Downward and upward communication are a formal
communication channel
B. Networks communication serve as essential socializing units
C. There are four basic internal organizational systems
D. Organizational communication is encountered in the area of
management grapevine communication grows most in
organizations when you have an autocratic leader

Answers

1. T 11. F 21. F 31. B 41. C

2. T 12. F 22. T 32. E 42. C
3. T 13. T 23. T 33. C
4. F 14. F 24. F 34. D
5. T 15. T 25. T 35. D
6. F 16. F 26. F 36. E
7. F 17. T 27. T 37. D
8. T 18. T 28. T 38. A
9. T 19. T 29. T 39. B
10. T 20. F 30. F 40. A
 Book questions & Answers

True OR False
1. A good relationship with people goes hand in hand with
developing communication skills.
2. Your personality and actions cannot influence the type
of relationship you can have with people in the
community.
3. The only important prerequisite for good
communication is the establishment of good relationship.
4. To promote a good relation with another one has to
reach out to people.
5. To maintain a good relation with a person you should be
sympathetic.
6. Communication icebreakers can be used when you are
dealing with individuals.
7. Vanity name tent card is a method of communication
icebreakers.
8. Building rapport is important step in building relation.
9. The only step in developing nonverbal rapport is by
carrying match.
10. When you are interacting with a person you are
matching or leading.
11. Steps in building rapport include dealing with
information chunk size.
12. A visual person uses a varying voice speed.
13. A digital person has to define terms and provide
order and sequence to data given.
14. To identify the representation system of a person,
listen to the words he uses and look at his eye
movements.
15. Unfamiliar terminology in the message is
considered as a personal barrier.
16. Environmental factors are characteristic of work
setting and personnel employed.
17. Usually no barriers exist in organizational
communication.
18. Grapevine is a type of informal channels of
communication.
19. Multiple levels in an organization tend to distort
messages.
20. Selective perception is an easy personal barrier.
21. Past experience usually has a limited effect on any
current communication.
22. Status quo implies the transmission of a message
that the encoder thinks that the decoder wants to hear.
MCQ

1. The following statements are related to prerequisites for

effective communication EXCEPT:
A. Remove barriers
B. Speak clearly
C. Establish good relation
D. Build rapport
E. Identify preferred presentation system

2. The following statements are correctly related to

personality and actions carried out by a communicator
to establish a good relation EXCEPT:
A. Be honest and respectful
B. Show concern
C. Behave as a doctor irrespective to the culture you are
working in.
D. Use name of the person
E. Be friendly

3. To promote a goad relation one must:

A. Become available
B. Reach out to people
C. Be empathetic
D. Let people see what you are doing
E. All the above
4. All the followings are related to icebreakers EXCEPT:
A. In seminars or meetings one can use icebreakers to
establish relations
B. Repeating introduction involves stating name, hobbies
and what they dislike
C. Fantasy career approach is carried out for fun rather
than as icebreakers
D. Vanity name tent cards are used to introduce
participants to each other
E. Introducing each other can be carried out in dyads
where each dyad learns more about each other than the
information is shared.

5. Verbal indicator of visual mode is:

A. Verify
B. Focus
C. Feel
D. Result
E. Sense

6. Verbal indicator for auditory mode is:

A. Logical
B. Reveal
C. Ring
D. Shock
E. Compute

7. Verbal indicator for kinesthetic mode is:

A. Picture
B. Touch
C. Block
D. Relevant
E. Scream
8. Verbal indicator for digital mode is:
A. Stir
B. Ring
C. Illustrate
D. Predict
E. Cloud

9. The following statements related to building rapport are

all correct EXCEPT:
A. When you are interacting with persons you arc cither
matching or leading.
B. It is easy to communicate with persons who share our
beliefs and values.
C. To build rapport once has to try to match the person's
sensory modality.
D. To develop nonverbal rapport one has to move as the
other moves.
E. Personal experience and the size of information are
irrelevant in building rapport.

10. Environmental barriers include:

A. Noise, competition for attention and time.
B. Power status relation.
C. Organizational communication barrier.
D. a and b
E. a, b and c
11. Personal barriers include all EXCEPT:
A. Frame of reference
B. Unfamiliar terminology used in messages
C. Selective perception
D. Jealousy and fear
E. Status quo
 12. All the following statements are correct EXCEPT:
A. Semantics are related to terminology.
B. Selective perception is one of the most difficult personal
barriers.
C. The sum of one’s socioeconomic background can be a
personal barrier
D. Communication cannot be influenced by being
empathetic.
E. Visual presentation can greatly increase understanding.

Answers

TRUE & FALSE:

1. T 4. T 7. T 10. T 13. T 16. F 19. T 22. T
2. F 5. F 8. T 11. T 14. T 17. F 20. F
3. F 6. F 9. F 12. F 15. F 18. T 21. F

MCQs
1. b 4. c 7. b 10. e
2. c 5. b 8. d 11. b
3. e 6. c 9. e 12. d