techniques for highly effective communication professional year program - unit 5: workplace media...

Techniques for Highly Effective

CommunicationProfessional Year Program - Unit 5: Workplace media and

communication channels

Purpose

The purpose of this session is to consider techniques and strategies that can be used to ensure your communication in the workplace is effective.

Overview

In this session we will cover the following:Preparing to communicate

Purpose & desired outcome Timing Positive intent

Tips for delivering your message Direct language Using facts and figures Use of repetition Non-verbal messages Check for understandingAvoiding Vague Communication - Activity

Techniques for Highly Effective Communication

Preparing to Communicate

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare!

You chances of delivering an effective message are much more likely if you invest some time in thinking about and preparing your message.


We will now consider these four areas when preparing to communicate


The first step in preparing to communicated is to identity the purpose of your conversation.The purpose of most workplace communication is usually one of the following:Inform or directPersuadeAsk a question

Purpose


To get you thinking about purpose in communication, consider the following statements and decide what is their purpose.

Purpose


“Fred, we’re expecting about 35% more people than usual with the sale today. Please start putting out extra shopping carts and baskets.”

What is the purpose? (Inform or direct, persuade or ask a question).

Purpose


“Joe, I think that we could be prepared for the sale tomorrow if we make sure that all the cash registers have extra supplies when we open.”


Purpose


“Mike, is there anything else we need before the sale starts tomorrow?”


Purpose


The next step is to consider the outcome you are seeking from the communication.

What is meant by outcome?

Anyone have an example?

Outcome


The following questions may help you in determining the outcome you are seeking and how to approach the conversation:What reaction are you looking for from the listener?What do you need the listener to remember? What do you need the listener to do after your conversation?

Outcome


Timing is very important! You need to consider when is the best time to communicate. Consider when your message is most likely to be well received.

Can anyone think of a example of poor timing when it comes to communicating?

OutcomeTiming


If you are not sure if someone is ready to talk, try these questions:Is this a good time to talk?Can we talk about something I’ve been thinking about?Would now be a good time to talk, or should I come back later? Can I have 15 minutes of your time? (Just make sure you stick to only 15 minutes!)

OutcomeTiming


Positive intent means assuming that people have good reasons for saying and doing what they do.

The opposite of positive intent is assuming that people have negative intentions behind their actions.

Outcome

Positive Intent


You will have to practice positive intention yourself and use your communication for good intentions, while assuming that others have that same positive intention.

This ultimately means that we avoid making negative assumptions and statements, that we avoid gossip, and that we focus on the future rather than the past.

Outcome

Positive Intent


Positive Intent in Action – ActivityIn pairs consider the following situationsUse positive intent to think of reasons why this has occurred. Remembering that positive intent assumes the other person has good or positive reasons for their behaviour.

Outcome

Positive Intent


Activity - Situation OneYour supervisor calls you to say that he has chosen someone else for a project team position that you were hoping for. You love your current job, but you know you would have done a great job on that project team. Your first reaction is to be mad at your boss for being a jerk and not selecting you.

Using positive intent, think of two reasons your boss would have selected someone else.

Outcome

Positive Intent


Activity - Situation TwoYou are in a team meeting and you suggest a great solution to the problem. Your supervisor says that she cannot go in that direction, and asks the team for other suggestions. Using positive intent, think of a reason your supervisor would have answered that way.

Outcome

Positive Intent

Tips for Delivering Your Message

Now we will consider a few tips for delivering a clear and effective message:Direct languageUsing facts and figuresUse of repetitionNon-verbal messagesCheck for understanding

Outcome


Direct LanguageUse direct language and deliver a message that is clear, calm, and direct. Be confident in your message. This means that your tone of voice, vocabulary, and rate of speech convey your feelings. Be careful not to back down (at least not immediately) if you are discussing something that is important to you. Be considerate of other people’s ideas, but don’t quickly give up on yours, especially when you have it all well thought out.

Outcome


Using Facts and Figures Factual descriptions and relevant details are more

likely to be heard. Look at this generalisation: Joe never gets his work

finished. Compare it to something specific: Joe has not met his

goals for an entire month.

Outcome


Use of Repetition Use repetition respectfully and to keep things on

track. Conversations can easily get off track, especially if

they get emotional or if someone is trying to steer the conversation away from what you felt was important.

Don’t be afraid to restate your purpose during an interaction. However do it respectfully and don’t just repeat the same words. Try saying it another way.

Outcome


Non-Verbal Messages Be as aware of your non-verbal messages as you

are about your verbal messages. Also consider other people’s communication style:

are they direct or indirect? Passive or assertive? Make sure to also take into account their filters,

assumptions, and beliefs.

Outcome


Check for understanding You do not have to wait for the end of a conversation to

make sure you and your conversation partner understand each other. You can check for understanding throughout the conversation to make sure that things are on.

Three typical ways to check for understandingAsking questionsParaphrasing (restating what took place in their own words) Summarising (restating in shorter form and using the same words the speaker used)

Outcome


Check for understanding Below are some possible questions that could be used to

check understanding:What do you think about what I just said?

Let’s summarize what we have covered so far.

Please tell me what you’re thinking.

Does that make sense?

If you were going to share this with the team, what would you say?

What is not making sense here?

Outcome

Avoiding Vague CommunicationOutcome

Individual Activity

Rewrite the following vague messages to make them clear. I need that e-mail ASAP. That’s a ridiculous idea. Stop behaving like a child; this is work!

techniques for highly effective communication professional year program - unit 5: workplace media...

Documents

outcome slide

question purpose slide

outcome timing slide

effective communication

workplace communication

communication channels

effective message

good time