Unit 1: Communication

and Employability skillsPRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Unit requirements

P2

Explain the principles of effective communication

P3

Discuss potential barriers to effective communication

M2

Explain mechanisms that can reduce the impact of communication barriers

Effective communication

What does this mean?

What can you do to make sure it happens?

What stops effective communication?

General communicating skills

Effective communication has several key elements:

Terminology that can be understood

Clarity (lack of ambiguity)

Appropriate non verbal communication

Opportunity for clarification

Repetition

Feedback

Terminology

Use the correct word in the right place

Examples from student work:

Correct Incorrect

Vulnerable Venerable

Activities Activates

Use words that the audience

understand:

Grok

Egosurf

Amphibology

UCAS

Lack of ambiguity (ambhibology!)

What can the following mean?

Dogs paracetamol cats

you can give paracetamol to dogs but not cats

Family group daughters partners

He went on a day out with one of his daughters partners

Written word can be clearer if punctuated correctly

He went on a day out with one of his daughters’ partners

Clarity

http://www.readabilityformulas.com/smog-readability-formula.php calculates the SMOG index of text.

SMOG = simple measure of gobbledygook

“Semantic ambiguity arises when a word or concept has an inherently diffuse meaning based on widespread or informal usage. This is often the case, for example, with idiomatic expressions whose definitions are rarely or never well-defined, and are presented in the context of a larger argument that invites a conclusion.”

SMOG - Tasks

The lines above have a SMOG index of 16.42

(Undergraduate level)

The story of the three little pigs has a SMOG index of 5.9 (low

literate)

1. Take your last assignment and get the SMOG index for it

2. See if you can make the SMOG index higher and then lower

3. Take a section from a computer instruction manual (from

the web) and measure the SMOG index

Barriers

What are the potential barriers to Effective communication?

17

September

2007

“Nothing Sucks like an Electrolux”

Line from Electrolux Scandinavian

advertising campaign; subsequently

translated and used verbatim in North

America.

Barriers

Jargon

Lack of clarity

Ambiguity

Boredom

Distractions

Noise

Non – interaction

colloquialism

How do we overcome these?

Can you think of others?

Jargon

Specialised terms related to a particular industry

or interest

Maybe words with other meanings in a different

context

E.g. for squash:

Nick, tee, tin

Lack of clarity (including ambiguity)

Saying/writing too much (obscuring the meaning)

Not saying/writing enough (incomplete message)

Overcomplicating the message

High SMOG index if written

Not providing essential detail

Not listening to the message (including only half-listening)

Not checking the content of the message

Boredom

The sender of the message is bored

Sends imprecise/incomplete message

If delivering the message face-to-face, or by telephone,

conveys own lack of interest to receiver.

The receiver of the message is bored

Pays insufficient attention

Doesn’t take on-board full message

Distractions

External

Visual

Audio

Other senses – smells, vibrations

Internal:

Ear-worm

Worries/concerns

What’s for dinner?

Noise

Depending on where message needs delivering Constant noise

Factory floor

Building site

Via telephone with e.g. motorway noise/rock concert in background

Intermittent noises

Shouting

Car back-firing

Fire alarm

Non-interaction

Not responding to the message

Bored

Distracted

Not interested

Shy

Interaction gives the

opportunity to clarify the

message.

Questions

Paraphrasing the message

Colloquialisms

Every-day, informal speech

Greetings – ‘What’s up?’

Contractions

‘Should’ve’

Text-speak

OMG, LOL, ROFL etc.

Task – part 1

1. Prepare an illustrated presentation to explain the principles of effective communication. As a minimum, you should include the following points:

Terminology that can be understood

Clarity and lack of ambiguity

Appropriate non verbal communication

Opportunity for clarification

Repetition

Feedback

Task 2

2. Extend your presentation to describe potential barriers to effective communication, including:

Jargon

Lack of clarity

Ambiguity

Boredom

Distractions

Noise

Non – interaction

Task 3

Explain mechanisms that can reduce the impact of communication barriers; you should consider at least one option for each of the barriers described in task 2.