Elements of effective communication

A.K Mathur
MBA, PGDIM, PGDHRM, Ph. D

Effective communication
Working definition: Complete sharing of meaning and understanding between the person sending the message and the person receiving the message. The key element is understanding.
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Effective communication contd.

Over 80% of your waking life is spent sending or receiving information. Poor communication can waste time and energy and cause conflict between people.

Discussion
Have you had a communication problem or failure to communicate? Write Analyze Lesson learnt
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Effective communication contd.

So in order to be an effective communicator, we must understand communication process.

Communication process
The communication process is a simple model that demonstrates all the factors that can affect communication.

Activity III

A sender (encode a message and deliver) A receiver (decode the message and provide feedback)

Process of health communication

Feedback Doctor
Encoding

Patient
decoding

Message

Sender
The communicator or sender is the person who is sending the message.

Message

A communication in writing, in speech, or by signals.

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Receiver

The receiver is the person receiving the message.

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Feedback
Feedback is the reaction of the receiver to sender. It can be in writing, speech and through signals.

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Activity IV

A sender A receiver 10 Barriers

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Barriers
Barriers keep the message from getting through. Barriers can appear at any point of the communication loop.

There are two types of barriersinternal and external.

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Barriers
Feedback Patient

Doctor

Message

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Internal barriers
Examples of internal barriers are: Fatigue, low energy, exhausted Poor listening skills, Attitude towards the sender or the information, Lack of interest in the message, Fear, mistrust, past experiences, Negative attitude, Problems at home, Lack of common experiences, Lack of clarity in the message, Emotions.
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External barriers

Noise, Distractions, E-mail not working, Bad phone connections, Time of day, Environment, Message passing through many persons

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Types of Communication

One-Way Communication It is focused on getting the message to the receiver.

Activity V Geometrical figures (you cant

ask questions, can not show figures just follow instructions)
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Types of Communication
Interaction or Two-Way Communication. This approach recognizes the role of the receiver as a communicator through feedback. It is message centered and is a very simplistic view of the communication process. Feedback allows senders to see if their message got across.

Activity VI Geometrical figures (can ask

question can not show figure)
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Types of Communication
Transaction

This is when the communication process is applied and carried out completely. The sender gives a message that is passed on to the receiver. In return, the receiver can give clear feedback that allows the sender to know whether or not the message was perceived as intended. figure)
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Activity VII Geometrical figures (can show

Summary

Communication is a two-way process that involves getting your message across and understanding what others have to say. Communication involves active listening, speaking and observing.

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Functions of communication

Information (Giving or getting info. ) Problem solving and decision making Conflict management, negotiating, bargaining, Control/Instruction (Hierarchy) Motivation/Persuasion (Change the behaviour)

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Kinds of Communication

Verbal Communication - VC Non Verbal Communication NVC (Examples of NVC)

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Verbal Communication
Verbal communication requires the use of:

Words, Vocabulary, Language, and Skills

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How to improve VC

Using positive words Avoid careless language Reduce verbal pauses Think and prepare before you speak Asking right questions (why leads to logic/rational and how leads to strategy) Telling a story
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Activity VIII

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Non verbal communication

Nonverbal communication (NVC) is usually understood as the process of communication through sending and receiving wordless messages.

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Such messages can be communicated through Posture Facial expressions-anger, hate, fear, joy, sadness and surprise Eyes expression in your eyes Clothing Hairstyle Positioning within groups (face to face, side) distance one stands from another, how close you stand to others Shaking hands Appearance Voice tone Smile How you listen Your breathing, The way you move The way you stand The way you touch people Silence

Non verbal communication

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Common gestures different meanings in different cultures:

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Non Verbal Communication

Patients heavily depend upon the non verbal communication of Professional and Professionals, likewise rely on non verbal communication of Patient.

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Object communication
The most common form of object communication is clothing. The types of clothing that people wear are often used to determine their personality.

It is common for people to give preference to those they consider attractive. A well dressed person may be more likely to be hired for a job or to be helped than someone less attractive.
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Haptics

It is the study of touching as nonverbal communication. Touches that can be defined as communication include: Handshakes, holding hands, kissing (forehead, cheek, lips, hand), back pat, high five, shoulder pat, brushing arm, etc. Each of these give off nonverbal messages as to the touching person's intentions/feelings.
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Chronemics
It is the study of the use of time in nonverbal communication. The way we perceive time, structure our time and react to time. Time perceptions include punctuality, willingness to wait, and interactions. The use of time affects lifestyles, daily agendas, speed of speech and movements and how long people are willing to listen. 47

Oculesics
It is the study of the role of eyes in nonverbal communication. Studies have found that people use their eyes to indicate their interest or disinterest. This can be done through eye contact.
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Paralanguage
Sometimes called vocalic is the study of various acoustic properties of speech such as Tone Rate-speed Pitch-Highness or lowness of voice-Speakers seen more competent if they use a higher and more varied pitch of voice.

We associate low pitch voices with strength and maturity We associate high pitch voices with tenseness, helplessness, & nervousness. Loud people are perceived as aggressive or overbearing Soft voices are perceived as timid or polite.,

Volume-How loudly we speak

Accent Vocal Fillers-Words used to fill space-"uh" Quality-Made up of tempo, resonance, rhythm, and articulation
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Tips for effective communication

Simplify language Listen actively Break the barriers Use feedback Do not depend upon grapevine Be aware of others levels, feelings and attitudes Do not act on assumptions Do not jump on conclusions.
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Think about all the ways you use in communication during a single day: Talking face-to-face with people in the hospital Replying the query of the patient on the phone Buying bus or train tickets Going to the shops, talking to staff Sending text messages from your mobile Writing letters or e-mails Chatting using Yahoo messenger Meeting friends Attending interviews

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Questions

Prepare a case of effective health communication. Prepare a case where things do not materialize due to ineffective health communication. What are different kinds of communication ? Explain with examples. As a health centre manager how would you improve the communication skills of your colleagues? What are the essentials of effective communication? How the barriers affects communication?
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Jo-Harry window
Known to self Known to others PUBLIC Free to self and others Unknown to others Unknown to self BLIND Known to others hidden to self

PRIVATE POTENTIAL Known to self but Unknown to be hidden from explored others
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Memo guideline

To From Date Subject (1/8th of matter) Opening, context (1/4th of matter) Main body discussion (1/2 of matter) Closing segment and Attachments (1/8th of matter)
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Memo To: All Staff From: Hilary, Head of G.A Date: May 29, 2009

s ture
igna

Subject: New Memo Format Effective from June 1 In order to make interoffice communications easier, please adhere to the following guidelines for writing effective memos:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Clearly state the purpose of the memo in the subject line and in the first paragraph. Keep language professional, simple and polite. Use short sentences. Use bullets if a lot of information is conveyed. Proofread before sending. Address the memo to the person (s) who will take action on the subject, and CC those who need to know about the action.

Attach additional information: dont place it in the body of the memo if possible. Please put this format into practice immediately. We appreciate your assistance in developing clear communications. If you have any questions, please dont hesitate to call me. Thank you.
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TO: Kelly Anderson, Marketing Executive FROM: Jonathon Fitzgerald, Market Research Assistant DATE: June 14, 2008 SUBJECT: Fall Clothes Line Promotion Through market research and analysis, it has been discovered that the proposed advertising media for the new fall lines need to be reprioritized and changed. Findings from focus groups and surveys have made it apparent that we need to update our advertising efforts to align them with the styles and trends of young adults today. No longer are young adults interested in sitcoms as they watch reality televisions shows. Also, it is has become increasingly important to use the internet as a tool to communicate with our target audience to show our dominance in the clothing industry. Internet Advertising XYZ Company needs to focus advertising on internet sites that appeal to young people. According to surveys, 72% of our target market uses the internet for five hours or more per week. The following list shows in order of popularity the most frequented sites: 1. Google, Facebook, Myspace, EBay, iTunes Shifting our efforts from our other media sources such as radio and magazine to these popular internet sites will more effectively promote our product sales. Young adults are spending more and more time on the internet downloading music, communicating and researching for homework and less and less time reading paper magazines and listening to the radio. As the trend for cultural icons to go digital, so must our marketing plans. Television Advertising It used to be common to advertise for our products on shows like Friends and Seinfeld for our target audience, but even the face of television is changing. Young adults are tuning into reality television shows for their entertainment. Results from the focus group show that our target audience is most interested in shows like American Idol,The Apprentice, the time to tell truth and America's Next Top Model. The only non-reality television show to be ranked in the top ten most commonly watched shows by males and females 18-25 is Desperate Housewives. At Blue Incorporated, we need to focus our advertising budget on reality television shows and reduce the amount of advertising spent on other programs. By refocusing our advertising efforts of our new line of clothing we will be able to maximize the exposure of our product to our target market and therefore increase our sales. Tapping into the trends of young adults will help us gain market share and sales through effective advertising. I hope that this will help you in planning the future strategy. If you have any doubts I will be happy to assist you. Thanks Attachments: Focus Group Results, January- May 2008; Survey Findings, January - April 2008 57

Letter Guide line

1. Your Address: (Not needed if the letter is printed on paper with the company letterhead already on it.): The return address of the sender of the letter so the recipient can easily find out where to send a reply to. Skip a line between your address and the date.

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2. Date: Put the date on which the letter was written in the format Month Day Year i.e. August 30, 2009. Skip a line between the date and the inside address (some people skip 3 or 4 lines after date)

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3. Inside Address: The address of the person you are writing to along with the name of the recipient, their title and company name, if you are not sure who the letter should be addressed to either leave it blank, but try to put in a title, i.e. "Director of Human Resources". Skip a line between the date and the salutation.
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4. Salutation: Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name:, Dear Director of Department Name: or To Whom It May Concern: if recipient's name is unknown. Note that there is a colon after the salutation. Skip a line between the salutation and the subject line or body.

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5. Subject Line (optional): Makes it easier for the recipient to find out what the letter is about. Skip a line between the subject line and the body.

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6. Body: The body is where you write the content of the letter; the paragraphs should be single spaced with a skipped line between each paragraph. Skip a line between end of body and closing.

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7. Closing: Let's the reader know that you are finished with your letter; usually ends with Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Thank you, and so on. Note that there is a comma after the end of the closing and only the first word in the closing is capitalized. Skip 3-4 lines between the closing and the printed name, so that there is room for the signature.
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8. Signature: Your signature will go in this section, usually signed in black or blue ink with a pen.

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9. Printed Name: The printed version of your name, and if desired you can put your title or position on the line underneath it. Skip a line between the printed name and the enclosure.

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10. Enclosure: If letter contains other document other than the letter itself your letter will include the word "Enclosure." If there is more than one you would type, "Enclosures (#)" with the # being the number of other documents enclosed that doesn't include the letter itself.
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11. CC Mark a copy to inform other significant others.

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12. Reference Initials: If someone other than yourself typed the letter you will include your initials in capital letters followed by the typist's initials in lower case in the following format; AG/gs.

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Letter
Return Address Line 1 1 Date (Month Day, Year) 2

Reference

Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3 Title/Position of Recipient. Company Name Address Line 1 Address Line 2 Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr./Dr. Last Name: 4 Subject: Title of Subject 5 Body Paragraph 1...................................................................................... .................................................................. Body Paragraph 2..................................................................................... ................................................................... Body Paragraph 3...................................................................................... ..................................................................6 Closing (Sincerely...), 7 Signature 8 Your Name (Printed) 9 Your Title Enclosures (2) 10 CC Typist Initials. 11
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Game - Let us learn to be sensitive

Write the names of two things you received in gift from somebody. Write the names of two things you have earned yourself. Write the names of two dear ones whom you like the most.

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