Communication Styles

& Assertiveness
 Rationale
 Effective communication is a two-way
street and becomes ever more
challenging each day as our societies
become more multicultural.

 Empathy spans culture, gender, race,

age, and socioeconomic factors that
can become barriers to effective
communication
 The need to be understood is a
universal human trait and with the
right tools, the medical professional
can use that energy to charge the
healing process in a positive way
instead of just letting that energy
create stress, confusion and possibly
frustration.
 Tongue twisted
 Video clip (Bush)
 Personal
Applicability
 Formal lectures
 Student Role Plays
 Student Presentations
 Group Work
 Interactive Lectures
How good are
you at
communicating
in class???
 Passive Assertive Aggressive
Communication
Communication style style in which you
Communication style in
in which you put the stand up for your
Definition rights of others before rights while
which you stand up for
your rights but you violate
your own, minimizing maintaining respect
the rights of others
your own self worth for the rights of
others
we are both
Implications my feelings are not
important
your feelings are not
important important
to Others I don't matter we both matter you don't matter
I think I'm inferior I think we are equal I think I'm superior

I statements you statements

apologetic firm voice loud voice
Verbal Styles overly soft or tentative
voice

looking down or away looking direct

staring, narrow eyes
Non-Verbal stooped posture, relaxed posture,
tense, clenched fists, rigid
excessive head smooth and relaxed
Styles nodding movements
posture, pointing fingers

lowered self esteem higher self esteem guilt

anger at self self respect anger from others
Potential false feelings of respect from others lowered self esteem
inferiority respect of others disrespect from others
Consequences disrespect from others feared by others
pitied by others
 Reasons for
non-assertiveness
 FEAR OF BEING WRONG
 ANXIETY ABOUT BEING
EMBARRASSED/RIDICULED
 WE DO NOT KNOW OUR RIGHTS
 INTIMIDATED BY
LECTURERS/CLASSMATES.
 LOW SELF CONFIDENCE
 FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
 FREEZE UP WITH ANXIETY
 Tips 4 effective
communication
 Think before you speak. Often we offend
someone, make an irrelevant comment, or
state an idea that makes no sense simply
because we don't think before we speak.
 Listen more than you talk. We should resolve
to spend less than 50% of our communication
time in talking. When you find yourself talking
too much, simply turn your comment into a
question. Instead of saying, "This is going to
be one of our coldest winters," say, "What do
you think about the extremely cold weather
we have been having?" Then continue making
your point after the person answers the
question—unless that person's comment made
your point better than you would have. Then
you can move on to another topic.
 Don't substitute technology for
important one-on-one conversation.
Remember to call on your technical skills
when dealing with things and your
interpersonal skills when dealing with
people.
 Say your message in a positive way.
People understand positive messages
easier and more quickly than negative
messages.
 Make your point quickly and
concisely. You know people who will
give a long response to a "yes" or "no"
question. Don't speak 30 words when
three words will suffice.
Thank You