Communication and Active Listening

Essential Tools for the Community Ambassador

Learning Objectives
Understand the definition of communication and its components  Identify the elements of the listening process  Participate in identifying cultural and generational issues in communication  Define Active Listening  Understand how to create positive settings for improved communication  Learn the different types of responses utilized in active listening  Participate in an active listening exercise


Defining Communication
Communication occurs whenever one person sends a message to another person.  The message may be either verbal, nonverbal or both.


Two important components of communication are



Attending this refers to the physical and psychological state or what some have called your total human presence that helpers are in when they are assisting people Listening this refers to the ability of helpers to understand the messages that are being communicated by people, whether the messages are being communicated verbally or nonverbally, clearly or vaguely. Listening is an active process and not a passive behavior

Elements in the Listening Process

 Hearing  Attending  Understanding

Nonverbal communication
  

   

Personal space, Facial expression, Display rules cultural rules that govern how emotions are expressed, Eye contact and gaze, Body language, Touch, and Paralanguage which includes loudness, intensity, speed and rhythm of speech

Nonverbal communication is important because



Negative feelings may only be expressed through nonverbal channels Ability to understand people is significantly increased as one is better able to understand nonverbal signals

Cultural and Generational Issues in Communication



Cultures impact how people communicate. It affects how people see, think, feel, interpret the world and express themselves to others. These differences can be challenging in our multicultural community as they can increase the potential for miscommunication and misunderstanding.

Active Listening


Active listening is paying attention to other people in a manner where they feel that you hear their message and that you fully understand them. At the core of active listening is the ability to be empathic with people, meaning that while you may not necessarily agree with them, you do understand their experience.

Active Listening Behaviors

 

  

Listening carefully Attending to the nonverbal cues and underlying messages Listening to the context of people s lives Not interrupting people Using words and body language to convey a genuine attempt to understand what people are saying and their experience. Responding to words and feelings being express to help people increase an understanding of their needs and experience.

Guidelines for Creating a Positive Setting for Improved Communication



 

Learn to feel and create empathy for people Practice withholding judgment, Strive for honesty in communicating to others, Accept and respond to what is being communicated

Guidelines for Creating a Positive Setting for Improved Communication



 

Clarify with questions about what you think is being communicated, Summarize what you think has been said If you express an opinion, express your opinions tentatively

Types of Responses in Active Listening

      

Restating Summarizing Minimal encouragers Reflecting Giving feedback Emotion labeling Probing

Types of Responses in Active Listening

     

Validation Effective pause Silence I messages Redirecting Consequences

Communication Blockers
      

Why questions Quick reassurance Advising Forcing someone to talk Patronizing Preaching Interrupting

Caution:


Advising responses this reflects our tendency as people to help by offering a solution. Before offering advice, three conditions should be present:
 

Be confident that the advice is correct. Be sure the other wants is ready to accept advice. Be certain that the person won t blame you if the advice doesn t work out.

Caution:


Judging response this response evaluates the person s thoughts or behavior in some. Judgments have the best chance of being received when two conditions exist.
- The person with the problem should have requested an evaluation and - Your judgment should be genuinely constructive and not designed as a putdown.

Cultural and Generational Issues in Communication II



What are some common issues that come up when older members in your communities, talk to:
- Other people outside the community in general (cultural issues) - Younger people within and outside the community (generational issues)