COMMUNICATION

and Listening Skills

 Objectives
By the end of the module, the participants will be able to:
• Define and understand the importance of
effective communication

• Identify and overcome barriers to

communication

• Practice the skills of successful

communication –
listening, responding, and making the
message clear
 Outline
Outline
• COMMUNICATION FUNDAMENTALS
– Listening
– Asking questions

• BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

• COMMUNICATION STYLES
– 3 Basic Styles
Communication Fundamentals

What is Communication?
What is Effective Communication?

“You can NOT not communicate. Everything you

say or do or don’t say and don’t do
sends a message to others”
~John Woods
 Its Essences
•Personal process
•Occurs between people
•Involves change in behavior
•Expression of thoughts and emotions through
words and actions
•Means to influence others
•Tool for controlling and motivating people
•It is a social and emotional process
 Activity
What are the barriers to
Effective Communication?
Barriers to Communication
• Language
• Quantity of information
• Poor listening skills
• Assumptions
• Lack of trust
• Emotional interference
• Perception
• Ourselves
 Communication Model

MESSAGE

SENDER MEDIUM RECEIVER

FEEDBACK
Basic Types of Communication
Verbal and Non-verbal Communication

• VOICE
– Audible
– Pitch
– Tone
– Clarity
– Pace
• BODY LANGUAGE
– Posture
– Gestures
– Facial Expressions
– Eye Contact
 Listening

“Seek First to Understand,

Then to be Understood.”
Habit #5. Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand;

they listen with the intent to reply. They’re either
speaking or preparing to speak.”
Activity
 Hearing versus Listening

HEARING – physical process, natural, passive

LISTENING – physical and mental process,
active, a skill

“Wisdom is the reward you get

for a lifetime of listening when
you have preferred to talk.”

~Doug Larson
 Values of Listening
•Good listening reflects courtesy and good manners

•Listening carefully involves competence and

performance

•Listening is a positive activity

•Good listening can improve

social relations
 Passive versus Active Listening
PASSIVE LISTENING
– Not involved, ignoring, pretending, selective
– Very little motivation to listen carefully
– Distracted

ACTIVE LISTENING
– Show interest through body language, tone, eye
contact
– Paraphrase: Reflect understanding by restating
– Being receptive
– Clarify by asking questions
– Empathize: Listen for ‘feelings’ and reflect
understanding
Activity
 Essentials of Communication
DOs
•Be open-minded
•Listen and give feedback to what is being said
•Use simple words and phrases
•Take ownership of what you say
•Take responsibility for making sure you are
heard and understood
•Be aware of body language/ Be sensitive
•Touch only when appropriate
 Essentials of Communication
DON’Ts
•Do not instantly react and mutter something in anger
•Do not assume that everybody understands you
•Do not interrupt
•Do not jump into conclusion that you have
understood everything
•Do not speak only to impress anyone
•Do not be threatening or judgmental
•Do not overwhelm the person with more than can be handled
 The difference between a smart
man and a wise man is that a smart man
knows what to say, a wise man knows
whether or not to say it.

~Frank M. Garafola