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Improving Communication Skills

This document provides tips for developing effective communication skills. It outlines learning objectives like building active listening skills, awareness of communication barriers, and strategies for different communication contexts. It then discusses principles of memory related to communication, common barriers to listening and communicating, and strategies for improving communication through active listening, feedback, deferring judgment, and responding appropriately.

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Saiprasad Vaidya
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69 views8 pages

Improving Communication Skills

This document provides tips for developing effective communication skills. It outlines learning objectives like building active listening skills, awareness of communication barriers, and strategies for different communication contexts. It then discusses principles of memory related to communication, common barriers to listening and communicating, and strategies for improving communication through active listening, feedback, deferring judgment, and responding appropriately.

Uploaded by

Saiprasad Vaidya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Developing effecTIve

communication
skills
Presented by: Linda Mendoza
USC Kortschak Center for Learning and Creativity
Learning objectives for
communication skills
•  To build active listening skills that improve lines of
communication with others.

•  To be aware of our own communication barriers.

•  To learn different phrases/strategies that improve how we


respond to others.

•  To improve email etiquette and learn the do’s and don’t’s of


communicating with professors, advisors, etc.
The laws of
remembering
•  Recently: we remember best what we heard last.
•  We repeat the most important part of a message especially in
conversation.

•  Frequently: we remember what we hear most often.


•  Things we come into contact with everyday (ex: people we see
regularly)

•  Impact: we remember most of the things that are presented


dramatically.
•  Ex: famous movie lines

•  Application: we remember most of the things we have use for.


•  Ex: social security numbers and passwords
Common barriers
(listening)
•  Jumping to conclusions

•  Thoughts easily wander

•  Filter out unimportant parts of a conversation

•  Prematurely having a response before the person is done speaking

•  Arguing and debating


Common barriers
(communicating)
•  Fear of offending

•  Feeling uncomfortable about expressing your emotions

•  Messages are misinterpreted by listener

•  Lack of knowledge about a subject/topic being discussed

•  Nonverbal behavior
Improving
communication (1 of 2)
•  Active Listening Skills – 5 Key Elements
1.  Pay attention
•  Look at the speaker directly
•  Put aside distracting thoughts
•  Don’t mentally prepare a rebuttal
•  “Listen” to the speaker’s body language
2.  Show That You’re Listening
•  Nod occasionally
•  Smile and use other facial expressions
•  Note your posture – important!
•  Encouraging the speaker
Improving
communication (2 of 2)
3. Provide Feedback
•  Your role as a listener is to understand what is being said.
•  Reflect on what has been said by paraphrasing:
•  Example: “What I’m hearing is” or “Sounds like you’re saying”
•  Summarize the speaker’s comment periodically
•  Helps you stay focused

4. Defer Judgment
•  Allow the speaker to finish each point before asking questions.
•  Don’t interrupt with counter arguments.
5. Respond Appropriately
•  Active listening is a model for respect and understanding.
•  Be candid, open and honest in your response
•  Assert your opinions respectfully
•  Treat the person in a way he or she would want to be treated.
references
•  http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/
ActiveListening.htm

•  https://www2.cortland.edu/dotAsset/c1a635f6-
a099-4ede-8f15-79b86e315088.pdf

•  https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/694/01/

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