The basics of human communication, the barriers to communication, role of body language, and how we can improve our communication skills.

1. Communication: The Basics
A Presentation by Rajiv Bajaj

2. What is Communication ?
Dictionary Meaning:
Source – www.dictionary.com
com·mu·ni·ca·tion (noun) Pronunciation Key -
[kuh-myoo-ni-kay-shun][kuh-myoo-ni-kay-shun]
1. the act or process of communicating; fact of
being communicated.
2. the imparting or interchange of thoughts,
opinions, or information by speech, writing,
or signs.

3. 3. something imparted, interchanged, or
transmitted.
4. a document or message imparting news,
views, information, etc.
5. passage, or an opportunity or means of
passage, between places.

4. What is Communication ?
Derives from Latin word ‘Communis’ –
Common / Shared.
Until we have shared information with another
person we have not communicated it.person we have not communicated it.
They have to see the information in the same
way that we do.
It is the process of shared understanding.

5. The 3 Levels of Understanding
Action
InformationInformation
Relationship
Communication creates understanding on three levels

6. Relationships
Relationship – The BIG issue of Small Talk
Foremost Reason for Communication:
Creating Relationships
2/3rd of our conversation time –2/3rd of our conversation time –
social topics:
Personal relationships,
who is doing what with
whom, who is ‘in’
& who is ‘out’

7. Robert Dunbar – Psychologist :
Language evolved to allow us to gossip.
Essential for our social, psychological &
physical well-being.physical well-being.
Fundamental quality of conversation – cannot
be ignored !

8. Gossip is good for us.
Helps us to understand our own position.
Helps us to relax & develop rapport.
Failure to establish a relationship makes the
conversation more difficult.
First & Foremost – Develop Rapport !

9. What is Rapport ?
The feeling that the other person is like us.
A Pattern Matching process – Happens withoutA Pattern Matching process – Happens without
words through :
A mix of matching movements, body language,
eye contact, facial expression, tone of voice.

10. An instinctive process – through :
Verbal behaviour – The words that we use
contribute least to building rapport.
Vocal behaviour – The tone of voice.Vocal behaviour – The tone of voice.
Physical behaviour – Body Language –
Seeing is believing !

11. The Communication Equation
What you hear
Tone of voice
Vocal clarity
Verbal expressiveness 40% of the message
What you see or feel
Facial expression
Dress and grooming
Posture/ Body Language
Eye contact
Touch
Gesture 50% of the message
WORDS…
ONLY 10% of the message!

12. Verbal –
Match words – speak their language.
Avoid talking about yourself.
How Do We Create Rapport ?
Avoid talking about yourself.
Avoid asking direct personal questions ! Don’t
interrogate !
Find common grounds of interest.

13. Vocal –
Varying pitch / tone / pace – Softer, slow.
Match !
Physical –Physical –
Smile. Appear genuinely interested.
Appropriate facial expressions. Match body
action with words.

15. Information: Displaying Our Thoughts
Having created a Rapport, we are now ready to
share Information.
Brain treats info like “bits of stuff”.
We file, process, collate & record.
Information is expected to be manageable. Too
much of information = overload !

16. Information changes shape each time we
communicate.
We all process info differently !
We have a capacity to misunderstand eachWe have a capacity to misunderstand each
other.
We also have different perspectives on the
same subject or problem – Different Angles.

17. Information is never “out there”.
It is always in our minds. It is the shape of our
thinking !
It is constantly changing. It is what we create
inside our heads !inside our heads !
Every time we communicate, it transforms itself
as we filter it through our mental patterns in our
own minds.

18. Creating shared understanding means:
Displaying information in a form that the other
person can recognise.
Simplifying it helps.
Communication is never a matter of passing on
Information.

19. It is a matter of creating meaning out of it, and
then sharing the meaning.
How do we create meanings ?
By turning the information into ideas.
Failure to understand = Failure to
Communicate.

20. Action: Influencing by Ideas
Final reason for communication –
To promote action.
The key to effective action is not accurateThe key to effective action is not accurate
information, but persuasive ideas.
An idea = A descriptor (Something said / written
about something).

21. A name is not an idea.
To convert them into ideas we have to say
something about them-
NAME IDEA
Profit Analysis shows an upturn in profits.
Asian Market has become unstable.
We have created sentences using the idea.
Simple !

22. An idea is any thought that we can express in a
sentence !
They are the currency of communication.
When we communicate, we trade in ideas.
Like currency, they have changing values –
some become more valuable, some less so.
We judge quality of an idea by how meaningful
it is.

23. Conversation – Heart of Communication
The main way of trading ideas.
They are the way by which we create meanings.
Most important means of communication thatMost important means of communication that
we possess.
It is flexible & dynamic.

24. Every organisation is a network of
conversations.
That’s all it is.
Without effective conversation it cannotWithout effective conversation it cannot
operate !
All other forms are simply conversation
variants.

25. Communication : 2-way Process
Communication skills involve:
Listening to others - Receiving
Asserting/ Expressing - Sending
SENDER
(message)
RECEIVERRECEIVER
sender
receiver
BarriersBarriers

26. Communication : The Flow
Channel
DeliveryFormulating
Sender Receiver
Message
Feedback
Perception
Response
Understanding

27. Effective Communication Skills
Effective
Eye Contact & Visible Mouth Body Language
Some Questions
Effective
Communicatio
n SkillsEncouragement to
Continue
Silence
Summarising what
Has been said
Check for
Understanding
Smiling Face /
Appropriate
Expression

28. Barriers to Effective Communication
Barriers to
Noise
Distractions
Time
Language Cultural
Differences
Barriers to
effective
communication Put downs
Lack of interest
Disability
Discomfort
with the topicDistance
Too many
Questions
Other people

29. Listening Effectively
Active listening = Attending skills (being ready)
Attend to immediate needs (if you need to finish
something before giving your full attention)
Being available Eye contact
Attentive posture Concentration

30. Apply Following Techniques
Open the door to further communication
Invitations Questions
Encouragement Empathetic Silence

31. Questioning Skills
Open Ended Questions
Closed Questions
Paraphrasing
Check for Understanding

32. Using Your Voice : Do you -
Become loud when angry or upset ? Speak
faster when nervous ?
Speak slowly when tired or bored ?
Have a cheerful voice ?
Have difficulty in maintaining a warm and
understanding tone of voice ?
Find it easy to talk to people you don’t know ?

33. Using Your Voice : Do you -
Control your tone in most situations ?
Sound bossy, weak or unsure ?
Have a clear and easy-to-hear voice ?Have a clear and easy-to-hear voice ?
Speak in a very formal or very casual or trendy
manner ?
Think about how you might modify your voice
in certain situations.

34. Get your Emphasis Right !

35. Body Language for a Positive Result
Actions speak louder than words.
Be Attentive. Smile, even if you are in a bad
mood.
Shake hands if appropriate.
Lean forward – show interest. Be aware of
cultural differences .

36. End of Unit 1
Questions ?