Effective Communication for Mutual Understanding

2

Welcome to Effective Communication for Mutual

Understanding

3

The ability to effectively communicate with all people in an organization is a fundamental skill that all leaders must master.

This class is designed to teach state of the art dynamic communication skills.

Effective communication is knowing what, when, and to whom information should be shared.

It is also an assessment of sensitivity to the manner in which the receiver will optimally understand the message.

Course Description

4

Effectively communicate Actively listen Take responsibility for the communication

process Conceptualize what to do to improve the

communication process and apply it

Learning Objectives

5

Active Listening Listening to Understand Giving Feedback

Communication Power Tools

6

The listener does not have to agree with the speaker, s/he must simply state what they think the speaker said.

Often, the listener is encouraged to interpret the speaker’s words in terms of feelings.

Active Listening – Tool #1

7

Thus, instead of just repeating what happened, the active listener might add, “I gather that you felt angry or frustrated or confused when…”

Active Listening cont’d.

8

Participants should form triads One person should take a 2 minute

uninterrupted turn expressing their opinion about a prescribed topic

One person should actively listen & reiterate what they heard at the end of 2 minutes

One person should provide feedback about whether the 2nd person heard what the 1st person said

Active Listening Activity

9

1. Gun Control (“The Right to Bear Arms”) – 1st Speaker2. Capital Punishment (“The Death Penalty”)

– 2nd Speaker3. British Petroleum & the Gulf spill (“Environmental

Responsibility”)

– 3rd Speaker

Active Listening Activity Topics

#1 #2 #3

10

What were some of the Active Listening techniques that were used?

What is the biggest impediment to Active Listening?

What listening approaches can you adopt to better gather, understand or act on information?

What listening approaches can you adopt or improve to strengthen relationships?

Active Listening Activity Debrief

11

E = Event What’s the event or situation that the speaker is describing ?

A = Action What’s the action or task that the speaker employed or is describing?

R = Result What’s the result or outcome of the speaker’s effort(s)?

Listening to Understand – Tool #2

12

Break

13

Welcome Back

14

Listening to Understand – Tool #2

15

Listen to the following issue as narrated by your Instructor

Make notes about what you hear Be prepared to describe the E.A.R.

Case Study

16

Are You Listening?

17

What did you hear?

E = Event What’s the event or situation that the speaker’s describing ?

A = Action What’s the action or task that the speaker employed or is describing?

R = Result What’s the result or outcome of the speaker’s effort(s)?

18

Humanist Carl Rodgers listed 5 types of feedback.

The sequence is important; they are given in order of frequency of use (which is not necessarily the same order of effectiveness):

Giving Feedback – Tool #3

Evaluative Interpretive Supporting Probing Understanding

19

Evaluative feedback makes a judgment about the other person; evaluating worth or goodness.

There is a big difference between judging a person and their actions.

Evaluative

20

In interpretive evaluation, you seek to test your understanding of what has been said by interpreting & paraphrasing back to the other person what you think has been said.

This is typically followed by a question to allow the other person to agree with your interpretation or offer a correction.

Interpretive

21

In supportive evaluation, you seek to support the other person in some way.

In flattery, you support the other person’s ego by telling them they are good in some way (whether or not this is true).

With developmental supportive feedback, you seek to help the other person change in some way.

This is not always easy, as some criticism may be involved.

Supportive

22

Probing seeks to find more information by asking deeper questions that seek specific information.

Probing

23

At the ‘understanding’ level, you are seeking to understand not just what was said, but the whole person underneath.

Understanding

24

“That was truly awesome! Can you sing it again, please?” “Your are not a very nice person.” “What happened next?” “So you are interested in joining the club– is this right?” “That was awful! You should give up singing.” “You are a lovely person.” “Why do you think hat happened?” “That was not a very nice thing to do.” “You look wonderful!” “Could you tell me more about what happened?” “Hmm. I think the red dress suits you better.” “You look dreadful.” “What size was it?” “Your singing is improving. You could try recording it and listening to the opening

notes.” “It sounds like you have person experience of this. Would you like to talk about it?”

Quiz

25

Q & A

26

Tell us what you think!

27

Thank you for your participation!