Ethiopian Road Authority School of Commerce

Training Manual
On
Advanced COMMUNICATION Skills

For: Ethiopian Road Authority Employees

By: Addis Ababa university School of

Commerce

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Table of Contents

Content Page
Session One:Fundamentals of Communication 4
Session Two: The power of nonverbal Communication (Visuals or body 11
language & Voice)
Session Three:Persuasive and Assertive Communication 15
Session Four: Listening skill 22
Session Five: Team Communication 32
Session Six: Presentation Skill 35
Session Seven: Feedback Communication 40
Session Eight: Communication in conflict resolution 44
Session Nine: Communication in Meeting 47

Session Ten: Negotiation Skill 50

Session Eleven: Overcoming Communication barriers 54

Bibliography 60

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Training Description
You spend most of your time at work communicating. Various studies show that 50 to 90 percent of
work time is spent in communication. Your carrier advancement or success is based on your ability
to communicate well. With the increase in dynamism at work place, making persuasive
communication is becoming more crucial than ever. Therefore this training will help you to develop
your communication skill in general and managerial communication in particular.
Training Content
The general objective of the training is to develop your managerial communication skill, knowledge
and attitude so that you will be successful in your endeavor as a manager and supervisor and to
become high achiever.
Training Contents
This training is organized in to eleven sessions which incorporate the following:
 Fundamentals of Communication,
 The power of nonverbal Communication (Visuals or body language and Voice),
 Persuasive and assertive communication
 Listening skill,
 Team Communication,
 Presentation Skill,
 Feedback Communication,
 Communication in conflict resolution,
 Communication in Meeting,
 Negotiation Skill,
 Overcoming Communication barriers

SESSION ONE
FUNDAMENTALS OF MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATION
1.1 Meaning of Business and Managerial Communication
The word communication comes from the Latin world “communis”, meaning “common”. Thus for
successful communication we are trying to meet on common ground, at least momentarily, with the receivers

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of our messages. Communication is a two-way process wherein the message in the form of ideas, thoughts,
feelings, opinions is transmitted between two or more persons with the intent of creating a shared
understanding.
“Communication is the sum total of the entire things one person does when he wants to create
understanding in the mind of another. It is a bridge of meaning. It involves a systematic and continuous
process of telling, listening and understanding.”This definition involves two aspects in communication.
First, there is something which is transmitted, such as facts, feelings, ideas, etc. It implies that there must be
a receiver if communication is to occur. Second, the definition emphasizes the understanding element in the
communication process. Sharing of understanding would be possible only when the person to whom the
message is sent, understands in the same sense in which the sender of message wants him to understand. So,
communication involves something more than mere transmission of the message or transmission and
physical receipt thereof. The correct interpretation and understanding of the message is important from the
point of view of organizational efficiency. Effective communication, as such, might be the accurate
transmission and receipt thereof, and its correct understanding.
Communication is:
 Meaningful interaction
 Information sharing
 A link force
 Understanding
 Fundamental requisite of life
 A two-way process.
 Communication process happens between or among two or more parties. (Sender and
Receiver)
 Communication involves exchange of ideas, feelings, information, thoughts, and knowledge.
Communication is goal oriented. The rules, regulations and policies of a company have to be communicated
to people within and outside the organization. Business Communication is regulated by certain rules and
norms. In early times, business communication was limited to paper-work, telephone calls etc. But now with
advent of technology, we have cell phones, video conferencing, emails, satellite communication to support
business communication. Effective business communication helps in building goodwill of an organization.

1.6 Classification of Communication:

Business communication may be classified from different viewpoints as follows:

1. On the basis of Organizational Structure:

On the basis of organizational structure, the channels of business communication may be divided into:
i. Formal Channel: When communication is carried on through structured, organized or official route, the
channel is called ‘Formal Channel’.
ii. Informal Channel: Non-structured, unofficial and unorganized route of communication is ‘Informal
Channel’.

2. On the basis of Direction:

The direction of business communication channels may be:
i. Downward Channel: Channels used for flowing information from top towards bottom are called
‘Downward Channel’.
ii. Upward Channel:

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Communication of information from lower level to upper level is possible through ‘Upward Channel’.
iii. Horizontal or Lateral Channel:
When communication takes place between the persons of same rank a ‘Horizontal Channel’ is said to be
formed.

3. On the basis of channel of communication:

Based on the channels used for communicating, the process of communication can be broadly classified as
verbal communication and non-verbal communication.
i. Verbal Communication: Verbal communication entails the use of words in delivering the intended
message. The two major forms of verbal communication include written and oral communication.
ii. Nonverbal communication: Non-verbal communication includes the overall body language of the person
who is speaking, which will include the body posture, the hand gestures, and overall body movements.
The facial expressions also play a major role while communication since the expressions on a person’s
face say a lot about his/her mood. On the other hand, gestures like a handshake, a smile or a hug and
voice can independently convey emotions. Nonverbal communication can also be in the form of pictorial
representations, signboards, or even photographs, sketches and paintings.

Group Discussion
 Does Communication contribute for organizational success or failure? Justify your
answer with substantiating experiences.
 How significant is Managerial communication in realization of Your company’s
vision, mission and Core values?

1.2 Importance of Managerial Communication:

The success of a business enterprise depends largely upon good communication. Effective communication
wipes out the hindrances in achieving the target of a business enterprise. Ineffective communication or
communication failure may cause loss of money, time, energy, opportunity and even goodwill of a business.
In this age of globalization every business enterprise, big or small, requires proper communication for its
existence. The success of any business concern largely depends upon successful communication.
The significance or importance of business communication is increasing very rapidly day-by-day. The
business world of today cannot move smoothly without the help of communication. It makes a business
enterprise dynamic and increases its efficiency. It is regarded as the motivating force that leads to industrial
harmony.
It can be used as a device for controlling the business activities to ensure the achievement of organizational
goals. According to Keith Davis, the role of communication in business is as essential as the blood veins or
arteries in human body. In its absence, a business organization would cease to exist.
Business communication has a significant role to play in management whose objective is to direct the
individual efforts for securing overall co-ordination of organizational activities. It performs the energizing
function in the organization by transmitting information, facts and ideas and thereby making co-ordinate
efforts possible. Communication can, as such, be regarded as basic to the functioning of an organization.
The success of management activities, to a great extent, depends on good communication system.
Communication creates favorable work environment, motivates the workers to work hard and, thus,
management activities become easier. Through communication process it is possible to supply all necessary
and important messages or information at all levels of the organization.
Business communication promotes managerial efficiency and induces the human elements in an organization
to develop a spirit of co-operation which finally leads to peak performances. The process of leadership

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depends on effective communication. Sound communication system is an essential requirement of good

labor-management relations.
With the help of communication there is better understanding of the objectives and policies which encourage
co-ordination. Growing importance of human relations in every business with customers and workers has
made communication the life-line of business. Producers are required to make sales appeal to their
customers.
The subordinates are required to communicate their grievances and complaints to their superior; otherwise
they may lead to conflicts. Proper communication helps in implementing the decisions effectively and leads
to smooth running of the business. It creates mutual trust and confidence and builds up the morale of the
employees and, thus, provides job satisfaction to them.
Business communication is all the more important in management because the success of an enterprise
depends upon how effectively its employees understand one another. Most of the problems of business can
be attributed to poor communication between the managers and workers.
So, lack of communication or poor communication will affect a business in different ways. It will greatly
affect understanding of the employees, place them in utter confusion, create apathy to their work, hinder
their willing co-operation, put co-ordination out of gear and invite dislocation, chaos and conflict in all
business affairs and, ultimately, the very survival of the business will be at stake.
The importance of effective communication in management has been widely recognized in recent years. It
has become one of the most vital factors in the efficient performance of management. It has an important
bearing on management affairs from different points of view.
Above discussion of the significance of business communication may be stated point- wise as follows:
1. Movement of Information:Communication helps to move information from one place to another and from
one person to another. It develops a chain of understanding among the workers of different levels in a
business enterprise.
2. Efficient and Smooth Running of Enterprise:The smooth and efficient functioning of an enterprise
entirely depends upon the effectiveness of the system of communication. It provides the basis of direction
and actuates people to action in accordance with the desires of the management authority. According to
G. R. Terry: “Communication serves as the lubricant fostering the smooth operation of the management
process.”
3. Promotion of Management Efficiency:Communication encircles all the functions of business
management. So, without it, no function of business management can proceed towards its desired goal. It
is the tool of managerial efficiency. The managerial efficiency depends upon getting things done through
other people by making them know and understand what the manager wants them to do. It is the work of
communication to keep the employees informed of everything necessary for smooth work performance.
4. Proper Planning:Communication is very helpful in planning the activities of business. It provides the
managers information and ideas necessary for sound planning. According to Theo Haimann “Only
through good communication can company policies and practices be formulated and administered.”
Secrecy of information creates suspicion among the workers and separates them. Understanding of the
common problems unites them for showing a better record of their performance.
5. Basis of Decision-Making:Communication helps the managers to take essential decisions and conduct
vital operations. The quality of decisions made in an organization entirely depends on the volume and
quality of information available to the management authority. In the absence of effective communication
it may not be possible for top management personnel to come in closer contact with their subordinates.
6. Basis of Co-Operation: By promoting mutual understanding and meeting of minds, communication paves
the way for co-operation. Communication creates condition for mental acceptance of the work before its
actual performance. This mental acceptance is the will-to-do before actually doing it. Communication

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involves understanding and willing acceptance of orders and instructions and acts as the basis for
individual and co-operative efforts.
7. Means of Co-Ordination: Co-ordination implies orderly group efforts to provide unity of action. This
unity of action is the result of team work which, in turn, depends, to a great extent, upon clear
understanding of the organizational goals, the mode of their achievement and situation of the work. The
function of the business communication is to get the workers fully informed of everything relating to the
work and bring a perfectly tuned harmony in their work.
8. Job Satisfaction: Proper communication system extends mutual trust and faith. It thus creates confidence
in the ability of their manager, promotes their loyalty to the enterprise and stimulates their job interest.
Proper communication system enables the subordinates to bring to the notice of the managers their
viewpoints, grievances and troubles. This facility raises the morale of the workers and, ultimately, leads
to job satisfaction for high performance.
9. Establishment of Public Relations: A business enterprise comes into contact with several social groups,
e.g., customers, investors, trade unions, government and the local community. It must maintain cordial
relations with each of these groups to develop a favorable image. It must continuously strive to convince
the public in general that its actions are taken in the interest of the society. No public relation can be
established without communication.
10. Establishment of Effective Leadership: Effective leadership is established through communication. The
ideas, orders, instructions, direction, etc., of the leader or manager is transmitted to the subordinate
employees through communication. The manager can influence them and create a healthy relation by
wiping out misunderstanding and distrust between management authority and subordinates through
communication.
11. Assisting Motivation: Communication creates motivation. Through it the managers and employees are
well-acquainted with the latest information relating to the organization. This leads to avoidance of
hostility, acceptance of reality, change of attitude, consciousness of responsibility and—ultimately—
motivation to work.
12. Loyalty: The confidence and loyalty of the lower employees on the management personnel increases as
they become aware of the competence of efficiency of their boss through communication. It helps to
strengthen mutual trust.
13. Accomplishment of Goals: Communication fulfills the organizational objectives through co-operation
and co-ordination among the managerial and working staff. Interconnections between the managers and
subordinate employees are established through effective communication system.
14. Industrial Peace: Workers’ unrest is a problem today. It is communication which can establish peace in
the industry. Two-way communication helps to develop mutual cooperation and understanding. Through
downward communication the management personnel send their orders, instructions, directions, etc. to
the subordinates. On the other hand, the upward communication helps the subordinates to convey to their
superiors their demands, grievances, complaints, suggestions, etc. Thus, through communication of facts
and information between the superiors and subordinates, industrial peace can be established.
1.3Communication Process
The communication is a dynamic process that begins with the conceptualizing of ideas by the sender who
then transmits the message through a channel to the receiver, who in turn gives the feedback in the form of
some message or signal within the given time frame. Thus, there are Seven major elements of
communication process:

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1. Sender: The sender or the communicator is the person who initiates the conversation and has
conceptualized the idea that he intends to convey it to others.
2. Encoding: The sender begins with the encoding process wherein he uses certain words or non-verbal
methods such as symbols, signs, body gestures, etc. to translate the information into a message. The
sender’s knowledge, skills, perception, background, competencies, etc. has a great impact on the success
of the message.
3. Message: Once the encoding is finished, the sender gets the message that he intends to convey. The
message can be written, oral, symbolic or non-verbal such as body gestures, silence, sighs, sounds, etc. or
any other signal that triggers the response of a receiver.
4. Communication Channel: The Sender chooses the medium through which he wants to convey his
message to the recipient. It must be selected carefully in order to make the message effective and
correctly interpreted by the recipient. The choice of medium depends on the interpersonal relationships
between the sender and the receiver and also on the urgency of the message being sent. Oral, virtual,
written, sound, gesture, etc. are some of the commonly used communication mediums.
5. Receiver: The receiver is the person for whom the message is intended or targeted. He tries to
comprehend it in the best possible manner such that the communication objective is attained. The degree
to which the receiver decodes the message depends on his knowledge of the subject matter, experience,
trust and relationship with the sender.
6. Decoding: Here, the receiver interprets the sender’s message and tries to understand it in the best possible
manner. An effective communication occurs only if the receiver understands the message in exactly the
same way as it was intended by the sender.
7. Feedback: The Feedback is the final step of the process that ensures the receiver has received the
message and interpreted it correctly as it was intended by the sender. It increases the effectiveness of the
communication as it permits the sender to know the efficacy of his message. The response of the receiver
can be verbal or non-verbal.
Note: The Noise shows the barriers in communications. There are chances when the message sent by the
sender is not received by the recipient.
The process of business communication has certain other characteristics. They are:
a. Integral Part of Management Process:
Communication encompasses those activities by which the ideas, opinions and decisions of the managers are
conveyed to the subordinates of different ranks. It also involves the exchange of facts, feelings, suggestions
and responses between the superiors and subordinates.
Communication, in this way, puts the people into action, guides and directs their activities, regulates and co-
ordinates them for proper work performance. A manager, thus, performs the management functions

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through communication and managerial positions become the communication centers to receive
information from various sources for its transmission to relevant points. So, communication is a part and
parcel of management function, and is, thus, an integral part of management process. That is why, Chester I.
Bernard remarks, “the first executive function is to develop and maintain a system of communication”.
b. Two-Way Traffic:
Communication does not only mean its downward movement from superior to the subordinates it implies
both the transmission and reception. So, when conveying any information, a manager should know its
reactions and responses. Otherwise, managerial task of guiding and directing will be ineffective.
A man should, thus, not only speak, inform and order, but should also be able to listen, answer and interpret.
Communication, therefore, involves two-way traffic from the managers to the employees and from the
employees to the managers. It is not complete unless the message has been correctly understood by the
receiver and its response becomes known to the sender.
c. Mutual Understanding:
The basic purpose of business communication is to bring about understanding between individuals in the
organization. It is an important element for establishing human relationships. A leader can lead and a
manager can direct effectively by establishing perfect understanding with the subordinates, peers and
superiors in the organization. The greater the degree of understanding presents in the communication the
more possibility that human action will proceed in the direction of accomplishing the goals.
d. Pervasive:
The subject-matter of business communication covers a wide range and extends to all functions—
purchases, production, sales, finance, recruitment, wages, dividends, market standing, innovation,
productivity, etc. It also moves through all levels of management— upward, downward and sideways.
Business communication is, thus, said to be a pervasive function.
e. Continuity:
Communication is an ever-present activity and without it an organization cannot exist. Communication is as
necessary to an organization as blood circulation in a living body. Therefore, the managers should ensure
that adequate and smooth communication flows in all directions.
Breakdown of communication results in misunderstanding, creation of unfavorable attitudes, hostility and
conflict. So, communication must be a continuous process and move up, down and sideways for active
participation of all concerned.
f. Specific:
A business communication is generally specific in nature. It means that a particular communication should
deal with a single subject at a time. This is necessary for the effectiveness of communication. Multiplicity of
subject in a communication has the possibility of creating confusion which is dangerous to sound
management. It must be specific with regard to the information intended to be conveyed or received.
g. Result and not Cause:
Sound communication is the result of competent management, not the cause of it. Business communication
is a means to an end and acts as a tool in the hands of the managers. Successful handling of this tool depends
upon the competence of the managers. It is not an independent activity, rather an essential ingredient of
managerial function.
So, good communication does not produce good manager. But good manager is nearly always a good
communicator. Misconception of management process often leads to poor communication.
h. Internal and External:
Business communication is primarily internal. It is, thus, a part of administrative function and intended to
apply to the members belonging to an organization. Orders, instructions, suggestions and even public notice
announcing the annual general meeting of a company are some of the examples of internal communication.

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But nowadays, many communications move beyond the organizational horizons and touch the outside
population exceeding the organization’s own (e.g., advertisement). Business communication may thus be
internal and external.
i. Different Types:
Business communication may be of different types—formal, informal, upward, downward, sidewise, written,
oral, etc.
j. Feedback:
A communication cannot be complete unless and until feedback or response of the recipient is made.
Feedback may be written, oral or gestural. Sometimes mere silence may also constitute a feedback.
1.4 Principles of Effective Communication (The 7 Cs)
The 7 C’s of Communication is a checklist that helps to improve the professional communication skills and
increases the chance that the message will be understood in exactly the same way as it was intended. The
principles are applicable both to oral and written communication.

1. Clear: The message should be clear and easily understandable to the recipient. The purpose of the
communication should be clear to sender then only the receiver will be sure about it. The message should
emphasize on a single goal at a time and shall not cover several ideas in a single sentence.
2. Correct: The message should be correct, i.e. a correct language should be used, and the sender must ensure
that there is no grammatical and spelling mistake. Also, the message should be exact and well-timed. The
correct messages have a greater impact on the receiver and at the same time, the morale of the sender
increases with the accurate message.
3. Complete: The message should be complete, i.e. it must include all the relevant information as required by
the intended audience. The complete information gives answers to all the questions of the receivers and helps
in better decision-making by the recipient.
4. Concrete: The communication should be concrete, which means the message should be clear and
particularly such that no room for misinterpretation is left. All the facts and figures should be clearly
mentioned in a message so as to substantiate to whatever the sender is saying.
5. Concise: The message should be precise and to the point. The sender should avoid the lengthy sentences and
try to convey the subject matter in the least possible words. The short and brief message is more
comprehensive and helps in retaining the receiver’s attention.
6. Consideration: The sender must take into consideration the receiver’s opinions, knowledge, mindset,
background, etc. in order to have an effective communication. In order to communicate, the sender must
relate to the target recipient and be involved.
7. Courteous: It implies that the sender must take into consideration both the feelings and viewpoints of the
receiver such that the message is positive and focused at the audience. The message should not be biased and
must include the terms that show respect for the recipient.

Practical Exercise: Practicing the 7 Cs of Communication

Procedure: Selected individuals are invited to make a presentation on of the following issues & three judges
make an evaluation of the presentation in terms of 7 Cs.
Issue of Discussion and presentation
 Conduct A SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat) analysis of your company
Training Manualand onmake
Advanced Communication Skills
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SESSION TWO
THE POWER OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

2.1Non-verbal communication
Non-verbal communication includes the overall body language of the person who is speaking, which will
include the body posture, the hand gestures, and overall body movements. The facial expressions also play a
major role while communication since the expressions on a person’s face say a lot about his/her mood. On
the other hand, gestures like a handshake, a smile or a hug can independently convey emotions. Nonverbal
communication can also be in the form of pictorial representations, signboards, or even photographs,
sketches and paintings.

Body language is a non-verbal way of communication. Body posture and physical contact convey a lot of
information. Body posture matters a lot when you are communicating verbally to someone. Folded arms and
crossed legs are some of the signals conveyed by a body posture.

Discussion questions
How much is the power of nonverbal communication for you?
Discuss the positive and negative nonverbal communication cues? Have you ever
2.2The main
tried toaspects
be curiosof
in body language
using them?
a) Eye contact - This can be the most powerful form of body language. By the means of eye contact it is
possible to let somebody know that they have your absolute and undivided attention. Effective eye contact,
putting a soft focus on the audiences' face, allows us to listen to their feeling and as well to their words. Eye
contact shouldn't be overdone or underdone.
b) Clothing - look professional and well groomed. The way in which staffs dress conveys an image of the
individual and of the organization. An employee to the customer represents not himself but the organization
he is working in. So leaders should give due attention in the way they dress also.
c) Facial expression- It is important when dealing with people to look friendly and interested by smiling and
looking welcoming rather than looking boarded or distracted. A relaxed and pleasant facial expression is
crucial. However, when others are concerned or upset, you need to adjust your facial expression to suit their
state of mind. Mind you, again, both overdoing and under doing are extremities and thus negative in effect.
d) Body posture (movement) - Posture can give an induction of how a person is feeling. For example, the
posture of raised shoulder and a lower head indicate that a person is feeling tense and negative. When the
head is raised, however, it indicates openness and interested. And tilted sideways a little indicate interested
and curiosity. Arms tightly crossed over the chest are indicative of a defensive mood whereas a more open
posture would suggest that the person was relaxed and interested. If a person touches their nose or mouth this
may indicate that they are uncertain. Tapping finger is a well-known feature of importance, while a nod
indicates understanding and that a person is listening, encouraging the speaker to continue talking, or it may
indicate agreement, whereas a shrug indicate indifference. Someone who shuffles along looks lazy or
depressed. If someone cannot sit still, they appear to be of a nervous or impatient nature.
Negative body posture (listening impatiently)
 Leaning back or stepping away
 Turning their bodies away from you

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 Pushing away from their desks

 Gathering up papers
 Closing their briefcases
 Looking at their watches repeatedly.
Positive body movement (intently listening)
 Nodding
 Lean forward
e) Touching - Touch is a form of kinetics that differs from individual to individual in the same culture and
from culture to culture. Communication between individual through touch, like all other form of
communication, can be misunderstood. It can also be offensive to persons who do not wish to be hugged or
touched in any other way. On the other hand, to resist a casual and a well-intended touch may be interpreted
as an insult. A hand shake however, is a form of communication that is likely to be accepted to all individual
everywhere. Good example for touching is handshaking. Here the other person's reaction (response) tells an
indication of his/her feeling. Offering your hand in a tentative way is almost guaranteed to create a bad first
impression.
f) Hand gesture - There are two varieties of hand gestures:
 Hands and objects: e.g. placing the cap on a pen and putting it in a pocket indicate readiness
to conclude the meeting or conversation. Tapping fingers, on the other side, signifies
impatience or frustration.
 Hand alone: Examples include:
o Open-hand gestures: flat hand, palm up or palm out. These are used to give directions,
convey an invitation, etc.
o Closed hand gestures: pointing with index finger signifies command.
g) Physical distance - Personal space is the distance that feels comfortable between you and another person.
If you find people moving away from you, they may be doing so in attempt to create more space for
themselves. In that case you may step back and keep your distance. By maintaining a safe personal zone,
you facilitate communication, comfort, and trust.
Three distinct spatial zones exist
 Intimate: zone one: 0-2 feet; e.g. family, threatening attempt
 Personal: zone two: 2-4 feet; e.g. customer conversation
 Social: zone three: 4 or more feet; e.g. teacher in classroom.
Remark!Neatness is another part of body language. Being neat and organized plays an important
role in two ways:
 How we look
 How our work area looks tells a lot about us to the customer?
h) Environmental Cues (ECs)
 The ECs refers to the surroundings in which you work or service customers also send
messages.
 For example , if your work area are dirty and disorganized , with pencils , files , and papers
scattered about , or if there are stacks of boxes , papers stapled or taped to walls , and trash or
clatter visible , customers may perceive that you and the organization have a lackadaisical
attitude or approach to business.
i) Hygiene

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 Good personal hygiene and attention to your appearance are crucial in a customer
environment.
 Effective hygiene –regular washing and combing of hair, bathing, brushing teeth, use of
mouthwash and deodorant, and washing hands and cleaning fingernails is basic to successful
customer service.
 Although good hygiene and grooming are important, going to an extreme through excessive
use of the make-up, cologne, or perfume can create a negative impression and may even cause
people to avoid you.
Positive and Negative Nonverbal Communication Behaviors
Positive Negative
Brief eye contact Yawning
Eyes wide open Frowning or sneering
Smiling Attending to other matters
Nodding affirmatively Leaning away
Expressive hand gestures Subdued or minimal hand gestures
Open body stance Crossed arms
Listening actively Staring blankly or coolly
Remaining silent as the other speaks Interrupting
Gesturing with open end Pointing finger or object at the listener
Maintaining professional appearance Casual unkempt appearance
Clean, organized work area. Disorganized , cluttered work space

Role playing
 Play the role of a manager who is a good body language communicator.
2.3Tone of voice
Tone of voice implies how you say something but not what you say.As it is also said earlier in face-to face
communication body language accounts 55%; tone of voice 38% and words 7%. Over the phone, tone of
voice accounts 86% while words only 14 percent.

Your voice reveals what you think and feel. The major aspects of voice are:
a. Pitch: changes in voice tones either higher or lower add vocal variety to messages and can
dramatically affect interpretation of meaning.

 These changes are referred to as inflection or pitch of the voice or the tone.
 Is the “vocal punctuation “in oral message delivery?
b. Volume: is the range in which the vocal messages are delivered. Depending on the surrounding
noise or your customer’s ability to hear properly, you may have to raise or lower your volume as
you speak.
c. Rate of speech: is a result of a person’s communication abilities.
d. An average rate of speech for most adults in western cultures is 125 to 150 words per
minutes. (Wpm).
e. Voice Quality: encourages customers to listen, if your voice sounds pleasant and is
accompanied by a smile or discourage them, for example, if it is Harish –sounding, based on
their perception of how your voice sounds.

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f. Pauses:
It can be either positive or negative.
 From a positive stand point, they can be used to allow a customer to reflect
on what you just said, to verbally punctuate a point made or a sentence –
through intonation and inflection in the voice, or to indicate that you are
waiting for a response.
 On the negative side you can irritate someone through the use of too many
vocal pauses or interferences.
Helpful guidelines to use your voice to communicate clearly
 Speak loudly enough for everyone in the room to hear you. This may feel uncomfortably loud at
first, but if people can't hear you, they won't listen.
 Speak slowly and clearly. Don’t rush! Speaking fast doesn’t make you seem smarter; it will only
make it harder for other people to understand you.
 Key words are important. Speak them out slowly and loudly.
 Vary your voice quality. If you always use the same volume and pitch (for example, all loud, or all
soft, or in a monotone) your audience will switch off.
 When you begin a new point, use a higher pitch and volume.
 Slow down for key points.
 Use pauses—don't be afraid of short periods of silence. (They give you a chance to gather your
thoughts, and your audience a chance to think.)

Activity (Game): Face-off

In this game, some participants demonstrate facial expressions while other participants guess which emotion
is being conveyed. The objective is for participants to learn the importance of facial expressions in adding
meaning to their communication with customers.
Divide participants into two teams, and give each team five emotions from the following table. Explain that
their job is to select an actor or actors to demonstrate each of the emotions through facial expression only.
Give teams a couple of minutes to prepare, and then have a “face-off.” During the “face-off” teams face each
other. The actor on Team One acts out one of the emotions by using facial expressions; the other team gets
15 seconds to confer and decide which emotion Team One is demonstrating. Team Two then demonstrates
another emotion, and teams alternate until all emotions have been demonstrated.

Game: Checking your Nonverbal

Communication effectiveness
Procedure: Play a snake walkgame in team
and check your no-verbal
communication effectiveness.

SESSION THREE
PERSUASIVE AND ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION

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3.1 Effective Persuasive Communication

3.1.1 Introduction
Persuasion is the most powerful tool any business executive, manager, or leader can have. With strong
persuasion skills, any goal is achievable. Without strong persuasion skills, not much happens and careers and
businesses stall.

The ability to persuade is crucial in the business world. On a day-to-day basis, you need it to convince
employees to work toward company goals or to persuade colleagues or clients to consider your ideas and
suggestions. If you can master the art of persuasive communication, you can win the support of others, unify
your team and encourage them to work together.

Group Discussion
 What is the importance of persuasive communication as a manager?
 Suggest strategies to communicate persuasively.
 What is assertive (self-confidence) communication? What is its importance?
 Suggest
3.1.2 strategies
Strategies to develop assertive
for persuasive communication skill.
Communication
a) Know Your Audience
How you craft your message will depend on whether you're sending a memo to your staff or giving a
presentation to the entire company. Effective persuasive communication addresses the audience's needs,
values and desires. Audiences respond better to persuasive communication when they feel the person
speaking is similar to them in some way, whether it's in age, occupation or socio-economic status. If you
address what's important to your audience, they'll see you as someone who is similar to them. Therefore,
they should be more receptive to your message, too.
b) Establish Credibility (trustworthiness)
To persuade an audience, you must demonstrate your credibility and authority. People are more receptive to
someone they view as an authority figure, whether that person has direct authority over them, such as a boss,
or if the person is an authority in his industry or profession. You should attempt to persuade others of
something you can prove or have first-hand knowledge of or experience in. Back up your claims with
statistics or examples.
Before you can persuade an audience, you must first grab their attention and demonstrate why it's worth their
time to listen to your idea or suggestion. Start with an anecdote (hearsay) that illustrates the point you're
trying to make or with a surprising fact that tells them why what you have to say is important. For example,
if you're trying to persuade company management to adopt a no-smoking policy, begin with a statistic
regarding how many sick days smokers take compared to non-smokers.
c) Tailor the message to the medium.
What persuades in writing doesn't necessarily persuade when delivered verbally. For example, you can
include numbers and statistics in a written document because readers can take their time interpreting the
data. But if you bombard listeners with these same figures during a speech, you may confuse them and lose
their attention. Face-to-face interaction often is more effective at persuading others because you can create a
personal connection with your audience and use eye contact, gestures and other nonverbal signals to
maintain their attention.
d) Convey Benefits

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It's easier to persuade an audience when you can show them how your proposal benefits them. If you're
asking your staff to work overtime during a busy season, describe how the extra money generated will fund
additional employee perks or physical improvements to the workplace. If you're trying to convince your
supervisor to let you work from home part time, mention studies illustrating that employees are more
productive when allowed to telecommute. If you're pitching an idea to a client, explain how using your idea
will improve the company's image and attract more customers.
e) Use Body Language
With verbal communication, your demeanor influences your ability to persuade as much as your words. If
you cross your arms, your audience may perceive you as hostile or angry. If you fidget, they may see you as
weak or uncertain. If you rarely make eye contact, they may think you're hiding something. To sell your
message to your audience, connect with them by maintaining eye contact. Project authority and confidence
by standing up straight. Demonstrate your sincerity and openness by relaxing your arms and keeping them at
your sides – unless you're using them to gesture – instead of crossing them behind or in front of you.
3.1.3 Errors of persuasion
From his painstaking research, Conger concluded that the big four mistakes in major persuasion projects are:
1. Attempting to make your case with an up-front (honest) hard sell.
Setting out a strong position at the outset actually gives potential opponents something to grab on to and
to fight against. It’s far better not to give opponents a clear target at the start.
2. Resisting compromise.
Too many people see compromise as surrender, but compromise is essential to constructive persuasion.
Before people buy into a proposal they want to see that the persuader is flexible enough to respond to
their concerns. Compromises can often lead to better, more sustainable, shared solutions.
3. Thinking the secret of persuasion lies in presenting great arguments.
Great arguments matter, but they are only one component. Other factors matter just as much, such as
the persuader’s credibility and their ability to create a mutually beneficial position for themselves and
their audience (win:win), to connect on the right emotional level and to communicate through vivid
language that makes arguments come alive.
4. Assuming persuasion is a one-time effort.
Persuasion is a process, not an event. Shared solutions are rarely reached on the first try.
More often than not, persuasion involves listening to people, testing a position, developing a new
position that reflects input from the group, more testing incorporating compromises, and then trying
again. If this sounds like a slow and difficult process, that’s because it is. But the results are worth the
effort.
3.2 Assertive Communication
3.2.1 Communication Styles
Every person has a unique communication style, a way in which they interact and exchange information with
others. There are four basic communication styles: passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive and
assertive.It’s important to understand each communication style, and why individuals use them. For
example, the assertive communication style has been found to be most effective, because it incorporates the
best aspects of all the other styles.When we break down these four styles, we’ll better understand the
characteristics of each style, standard phrases and what makes them unique.
a) Passive
Individuals who use the passive (submissive) communication style often act indifferently, yielding to others.
Passive communicators usually fail to express their feelings or needs, allowing others to express themselves.

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Frequently, a passive communicator’s lack of outward communication can lead to misunderstanding, anger
build-up or resentment. At the same time, these communicators can be safer to speak with when a conflict
arises, because they most likely will avoid a confrontation or defer to others.Passive communicators often
display a lack of eye contact, poor body posture and an inability to say “no.” Passive communicators also act
in a way that states “people never consider my feelings.”But passive communicators are also easy to get
along with as they follow others and “go with the flow.”
Examples of phrases that those who use a passive communication style would say or may believe include:
 “It really doesn’t matter that much.”
 “I just want to keep the peace”
b) Aggressive
It’s often apparent when someone communicates in an aggressive manner. You’ll hear it. You’ll see it. You
may even feel it.The aggressive communication style is emphasized by speaking in a loud and demanding
voice, maintaining intense eye contact and dominating or controlling others by blaming,
intimidating,criticizing, threatening or attacking them, among other traits.Aggressive communicators often
issue commands, ask questions rudely and fail to listen to others. But they can also be considered leaders and
command respect from those around them.
Examples of phrases that an aggressive communicator would use include:
 “I’m right and you’re wrong.”
 “I’ll get my way no matter what.”
 “It’s all your fault.”
c) Passive-Aggressive
Passive-aggressive communication style users appear passive on the surface, but within he or she may feel
powerless or stuck, building up a resentment that leads to seething or acting out in subtle, indirect or secret
ways.Most passive-aggressive communicators will mutter to themselves rather than confront a person or
issue. They have difficulty acknowledging their anger, use facial expressions that don’t correlate with how
they feel and even deny there is a problem.Passive-aggressive communicators are most likely to
communicate with body language or a lack of open communication to another person, such as giving
someone the silent treatment, spreading rumors behind people’s backs or sabotaging others’ efforts. Passive-
aggressive communicators may also appear cooperative, but may silently be doing the opposite.Ultimately,
passive-aggressive communicators are aware of their needs, but at times struggle to voice them.
Examples of phrases that a passive-aggressive communicator would use include:
 “That’s fine with me, but don’t be surprised if someone else gets mad.”
 “Sure, we can do things your way” (then mutters to self that “your way” is stupid).

d) Assertive:
Thought to be the most effective form of communication, the assertive communication style features an open
communication link while not being overbearing. Assertive communicators can express their own needs,
desires, ideas and feelings, while also considering the needs of others. Assertive communicators aim for both
sides to win in a situation, balancing one’s rights with the rights of others.
Assertive communicators can express their own needs, desires, ideas and feelings, while also considering the
needs of others.
Assertive communication is the ability to express positive and negative ideas and feelings in an open, honest,
appropriate and direct way. It recognizes our rights whilst still respecting the rights of others. It allows us to
take responsibility for ourselves and our actions without judging or blaming other people. And it allows us to
constructively confront and find a mutually satisfying solution where conflict exists.

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3.2.2 Advantages and benefits of Assertiveness

There are many advantages of assertiveness in communication, most notably these:

 Assertiveness helps us feel good about ourselves and others

 Assertiveness leads to the development of mutual respect with others
 Assertiveness increases our self-esteem and self confidence
 Assertiveness helps us achieve our goals
 Assertiveness minimizes hurting and alienating other people
 Assertiveness protects us from being taken advantage by others
 Assertiveness enables us to make decisions and free choices in life
 Assertiveness enables us to express, both verbally and non-verbally, a wide range of
feelings and thoughts, both positive and negative
Additionally; Assertiveness can leverage (pull) the following benefits to us:
 Make great managers: They get things done by treating people with fairness and respect, and are
treated by others the same way in return. This means that they are often well-liked and seen as leaders
that people want to work with.
 Negotiate successful "win-win" solutions: They are able to recognize the value of their opponent's
position and can quickly find common ground with him.
 Are better doers and problem solvers: They feel empowered to do whatever it takes to find the best
solution to the problems that they encounter.
 Are less anxious and stressed: They are self-assured and don't feel threatened or victimized when
things don't go as planned or as expected.

3.2.3 Characteristics of assertiveness in communication

There are six main characteristics of assertiveness in communication. These are:

 eye contact: demonstrates interest, shows sincerity

 body posture: congruent body language will improve the significance of the message
 gestures: appropriate gestures help to add emphasis
 voice: a level, well-modulated tone is more convincing and acceptable, and is not
intimidating
 timing: use your judgement to maximize receptivity and impact
 content: how, where and when you choose to comment is probably more important than
WHAT you say.

3.2.4 How to Become More Assertive

It's not easy to become more assertive, but it is possible. So, if your disposition tends to be more passive or
aggressive, then it's a good idea to work on the following areas to help you to get the balance right:
1. Value Yourself and Your Rights
To be more assertive, you need to gain a good understanding of yourself , as well as a strong belief in your
inherent value and your value to your organization and team.This self-belief is the basis of self-
confidence and assertive behavior. It will help you to recognize that you deserve to be treated with dignity
and respect, give you the confidence to stick up for your rights and protect them, and remain true to
yourself , your wants and your needs.

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Tip:
While self-confidence is an important aspect of assertiveness, it's crucial that you make sure that it doesn't
develop into a sense of self-importance. Your rights, thoughts, feelings, needs, and desires are just as
important as everyone else's, but not more important than anyone else's.

2. Voice Your Needs and Wants Confidently

If you're going to perform to your full potential then you need to make sure that your priorities – your needs
and wants – are met.Don't wait for someone else to recognize what you need. You might wait forever! Take
the initiative and start to identify the things that you want now. Then, set goals so that you can achieve them.
Once you've done this, you can tell your boss or your colleague exactly what it is that you need from them to
help you to achieve these goals in a clear and confident way. And don't forget to stick to your guns. Even if
what you want isn't possible right now, ask (politely) whether you can revisit your request in six months
time.Find ways to make requests that avoid sacrificing others' needs. Remember, you want people to help
you, and asking for things in an overly aggressive or pushy way is likely to put them off doing this and may
even damage your relationship.

3. Acknowledge That You Can't Control Other People's Behavior

Don't make the mistake of accepting responsibility for how people react to your assertiveness. If they, for
example, act angry or resentful toward you, try to avoid reacting to them in the same way.Remember that
you can only control yourself and your own behavior, so do your best to stay calm and measured if things get
tense. As long as you are being respectful and not violating someone else's needs, then you have the right to
say or do what you want.

4. Express Yourself in a Positive Way

It's important to say what's on your mind, even when you have a difficult or negative issue to deal with. But
you must do it constructively and sensitively.Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself and to confront people
who challenge you and/or your rights. You can even allow yourself to be angry! But remember to control
your emotions and to stay respectful at all times.

5. Be Open to Criticism and Compliments

Accept both positive and negative feedback graciously, humbly and positively.If you don't agree with
criticism that you receive then you need to be prepared to say so, but without getting defensive or angry.
6. Learn to Say "No"
Saying "No" is hard to do, especially when you're not used to doing it, but it's vital if you want to become
more assertive.Knowing your own limits and how much work you are able to take on will help you to
manage your tasks more effectively, and to pinpoint any areas of your job that make you feel as though
you're being taken advantage of.Remember that you can't possibly do everything or please everyone, so it's
important that you protect your time and your workload by saying "no" when necessary. When you do have
to say "no," try to find a win-win solution that works for everyone.
7. Use Assertive Communication Techniques
There are a number of simple but effective communication techniques that you can use to become more
assertive. These are:

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a) Use "I" Statements

Use "I want", "I need" or "I feel" to convey basic assertions and get your point across firmly. For example, "I
feel strongly that we need to bring in a third party to mediate this disagreement."
b) Empathy
Always try to recognize and understand how the other person views the situation. Then, after taking her
point of view into consideration, express what you need from her.
For example, "I understand that you're having trouble working with Arlene, but this project needs to be
completed by Friday. Let's all sit down and come up with a plan together."
c) Escalation (worsen, intensify)
If your first attempts at asserting yourself have been unsuccessful, then you may need to escalate the matter
further. This means becoming firmer (though still polite and respectful) with the person who you are
requesting help from, and may end in you telling him what you will do next if you still aren't satisfied.
For example, "John, this is the third time this week I've had to speak to you about arriving late. If you're late
once more this month, I will activate the disciplinary process."
However, remember that, regardless of the consequences that you communicate to the person in question,
you may still not get what you want in the end. If this is the case, you may need to take further action by
setting up a formal meeting to talk about the problem, or escalating your concerns to Human Resources
(HR) or your boss.
d) Ask for More Time
Sometimes, it's best not to say anything. You might be too emotional or you might not know what it is that
you want yet.
If this is the case, be honest and tell the person that you need a few minutes to compose your thoughts. For
example, you might say "Dave, your request has caught me off guard. I'll get back to you within the half
hour."
e) Change Your Verbs
Try using verbs that are more definite and emphatic when you communicate. This will help you to send a
clear message and avoid "sugar-coating" your message so much that people are left confused by what it is
that you want from them.
f) Be a Broken Record
Prepare the message that you want to convey ahead of time.
g) Scripting (writing)
It can often be hard to know how to put your feelings across clearly and confidently to someone when you
need to assert yourself. The scripting technique can help here. It allows you to prepare what you want to say
in advance, using a four-pronged approach that describes:
i) The event. Tell the other person exactly how you see the situation or problem.
"Janine, the production costs this month are 23 percent higher than average. You didn't give me any
indication of this, which meant that I was completely surprised by the news."
ii) Your feelings. Describe how you feel about the situation and express your emotions clearly.
"This frustrates me, and makes me feel like you don't understand or appreciate how important financial
controls are in the company."
iii)Your needs. Tell the other person exactly what you need from her so that she doesn't have to guess.
"I need you to be honest with me, and let me know when we start going significantly over budget on
anything."
iv) The consequences. Describe the positive impact that your request will have for the other person or
the company if your needs are met successfully.
"If you do this we will be in a good position to hit our targets and may get a better end-of-year bonus."

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In summary, being assertive means having a strong sense of yourself and your value, and acknowledging
that you deserve to get what you want. And it means standing up for yourself even in the most difficult
situations.What being assertive doesn't mean is acting in your own interest without considering other
people's rights, feelings, desires, or needs – that is aggression.You can learn to be more assertive over time
by identifying your needs and wants, expressing them in a positive way, and learning to say "no" when you
need to. You can also use assertive communication techniques to help you to communicate your thoughts
and feelings firmly and directly.It likely won't happen overnight but, by practicing these techniques
regularly, you will slowly build up the confidence and self-belief that you need to become assertive. You'll
also likely find that you become more productive, efficient and respected, too.

Self-Check Exercise:
Purpose: To assess your assertiveness

Self-Check Questions:
 When you differ with someone you respect, are you able to speak up and share
your own viewpoint?
 Are you able to refuse unreasonable requests made by friends or co-workers?
 Do you readily accept positive criticism and suggestion?
 Do you ask for assistance when you need it?
 Do you usually have confidence in your own judgment?
 If someone else has a better solution, do you accept it easily?
 Do you express your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs in a direct and honest way?
 Do you try to work for a solution that, to the degree possible, benefits all
parties?

A "yes" response indicates an assertive approach.

SESSION FOUR
LISTENING SKILL
4.1Definition of Listening
What Is Listening?
Listening is a key to all effective communication. Without the ability to listen effectively, messages are
easily misunderstood. As a result, communication breaks down and the sender of the message can easily
become frustrated or irritated.
Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the communication process.

Discussion
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 Is there a difference between listening and hearing?
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Listening is Not the Same as Hearing

Hearing refers to the sounds that enter your ears. It is a physical process that, provided you do not have any
hearing problems, happens automatically. Listening, however, requires more than that: it requires focus and
concentrated effort, both mental and sometimes physical as well.
Listening means paying attention not only to the story, but how it is told, the use of language and voice, and
how the other person uses his or her body. In other words, it means being aware of both verbal and non-
verbal messages. Your ability to listen effectively depends on the degree to which you perceive and
understand these messages.
4.2 Stages of Listening
Listening is an active, learned process consisting of four phases –receiving/hearing the message, attending,
comprehending /assigning meaning, and responding. Listening when you listen actively you go through a
process consisting of various phases:
 Hearing and Receiving The Message
 Attending
 Comprehending Or Assigning Meaning, And
 Responding
1. Hearing and Receiving the Message
 Hearing is a passive psychological process of receiving sound waves and transmitting them
to the brain, where they analyzed.
 As a result of internal distracters (psychological and physiological) and external noises a
customer’s messages may be distorted.
2. Attending
 Once your ears pick up sound waves, your brain goes to work by focusing on, attending to,
what was heard?
 The effort involves deciding what is important so that you can focus attention on the proper
sound.
 For example during a meeting you could forward phone calls, or turn off your computer, or
shut your door – or you could find a quiet place to meet.
3. Comprehending or Assigning Meaning
 Once you have decided which message or customer you will listen to, your brain begins a
process of comprehending or assigning meaning to, what you heard.
 Just like a computer, your brain has files of information –sounds, sights, shapes, images,
experiences, knowledge on various topics –it sorts through.
 For example, when you hear a voice on the phone that sounds familiar, the brain goes to work
trying to match the voice to a name or person you have dealt with before.
 This is called memory or recognition.
4. Responding
 The last phase of the listening process is responding.
 Selecting an appropriate response is crucial to the success of your customer interactions.

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 The words you select, the way you deliver them, the timing and location, and the nonverbal
signals you send all have meaning, and all affect the way others perceive and interpret your
message.
 Suggested questions you might ask yourself to check on your listening skills.
Questions for the Listener
In analyzing your sender’s message (s), ask yourself the following questions:
 Am I practicing active listening skills?
 What messages is the customer trying to get across?
 What does the customer want or need me to do in response to his or her message?
 Should I take notes or remember key points being made?
 Am I performing premature conclusions, or do I need to listen further?
 Are there biases or distractions I need to avoid?
 Is the customer failing to provide information needed to make a sound decision?
 What other feedback clues are being provided in addition to words? Are they important to
message meaning?
 What questions do I need to ask as a follow –up to the customer‘s message?

4.3 Types of Listening Styles and How to Approach Them

a) Active Listeners
As the term implies, active listenersinvolve themselves actively in the communication process by keenly
listening not only to the message but also to the way it has been delivered. They focus on the content as well
the manner in which it is delivered. This means that they will take note of the verbal content along with its
nonverbalsubtexts. They will not hesitate to seek clarifications, ask leading questions, show their approval by
nodding head, and summarize to clearly indicate that they fully follow the speaker. In this way, the active
listeners are quiet sensitive towards the feelings of others, they understand the mood of the audience. They
show empathy and make the audience or the other person cared for. Once the audience get the feeling that
they are being cared for, they will devote themselves fully to the communication process. Once there is
mutual involvement, there will be hundred per cent success in terms of communication. The message sent
will be received correctly and feedback is given in a favorable manner. So it leads to a win-win situation and
causes effective communication. Contrarily, if the audience would sense that the speaker is insensitive
towards their feelings, they would remain cold and distant.

b) Passive Listeners
Passive listeners exhibit exactly the opposite behavioristic traits of active listeners. They pay attention only
to partial message and lack sensitivity to the nuances, inner meanings, nonverbal subtexts involved in
communication. They allow someone to speak, without interrupting or seeking clarifications. They do not
make notes, nod their head in approval, maintain eye contact and keep themselves idle. Passive “listening,”
is actually hearing not listening! Since passive listeners keep their minds closed, communication with them
is futile and incomplete.
c) Non Listeners
The non-listeners do not listen at all because they are genuinely disinterested in the subject. These people
pretend to follow the speaker while they are actually preoccupied with something else. So, they will fake
attention, but they could easily be recognized by their blank stare, impatient and nervousness mannerisms.
They might be suffering from rigidity of thinking and egotism. Their complete insensitivity and insensible
nature makes them incapable of understanding others. In fact, they do not even make an effort to hear what
the other person is saying. You will find non-

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listeners among authority figures who will do most of the talking and will not let their sub-ordinates easily
express their ideas. Although, they frequently interrupt by saying “I understand,” and “I know,” they actually
do not know anything or understand the subject!
d) Marginal Listeners
Impatient to listen to the main ideas, marginal listeners pay superficial attention, and are interested only in
the bottom line. They merely hear the sounds of words, but fail to grasp theirmeanings. They do not go to
the deeper level in arguments. They use external distractions to excuse themselves from conversations. They
will not have the patience to sit through complex technical presentations, and jump to findings and
conclusions. It is risky to communicate with marginal listeners because they are not focused on the main
ideas and often misunderstand their import.
e) Evaluative Listeners
Evaluative listeners literally assess the verbal content on the basis of words not paralinguistic or nonverbal
cues.
Generally, they use logic to understand the content, hence, they distance themselves emotionally from the
subject. As a result, they do not show empathy or sensitivity to the speaker. They are mostly prejudiced and
judgmental as they presume the meaning before actually the speaker completes a sentence.

Now, you will be surprised to know that most of us are evaluative listeners! If we observe ourselves
carefully, most of the times we behave like evaluative listeners. Without paying full attention to the content,
we always evaluate what somebody is trying to tell us. Those of us in a professional environment, actually
assess the message in terms of its usefulness and mentally reject the speaker even before the speech is
delivered to us.
Having discussed the various types of listeners, you may wonder which type you should aspire to become.
Obviously, you should become an active listener. All effective communicators, for that matter, are active
listeners.
What makes an active listener?
An active listener is serious about the whole process of communication. S/he pays attention to the speaker’s
stance, perspective, point of view, bias and prejudices. S/he is intensely involved in the interaction and
expends maximum energy to have full comprehension of the subject matter. through their eye contact,
receptive body language, and appropriate facial expressions and nonverbal affirmations, they make the
speakers feel delivering message to them a pleasing and pleasurable experience.
Nonetheless, there are some barriers which impede one’s efforts to become an active listener.
Communication theorists list eight fundamental barriers to action listening.
4.4 Characteristics of a Good Listener
 Successful listening is essential to service excellence.
 Like any other, listening is a learned behavior that some people learn better than others.
 Many factors can indicate an effective or ineffective listener.
 Over the years, researchers have assigned the following characteristics to effective and
ineffective listeners.

Effective Listeners Ineffective Listeners

Focused Inattentive
Responsive Uncaring
Alert Distracted
Understanding Unconcerned

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Caring Insensitive
Empathetic Complacent
Unemotional Emotionally involved
Interested Self-centered
Patient Judgmental
Cautious Haphazard
Open Defensive

Exercise: LISTENING SKILLS EXERCISE

This exercise is fun to do and might challenge your view of yourself as a good listener.
Get together with two people, so that each person can test how well he or she listens and learn from that
experience. Each of you will in turn take the role of Speaker, Listener and Observer. First, decide the order
you want to go in.
Each of you must think of a topic about which you have strong views. The topic must have nothing to do
with the organization you work in, nor should it be chosen for its potential to offend. Choose something
everybody can talk about, based on general knowledge. An example might be 'I believe all cars should be
banned to protect the environment'. Whatever you select, it is important that you hold a firm viewpoint.
At the start of each of the three sessions, the person who has the role of Listener will tell the Speaker what
the Listener's choice of topic is and the direction in which his or her beliefs lie.
The Speaker then argues (maximum five minutes) the case against that point of view. The Speaker's task is
to argue convincingly (not abusively) against the Listener's viewpoint, presenting the benefits of an
alternative position and/or demolishing the position that the Listener would normally adopt.
The task of the Listener is to listen accurately (using the rules outlined in the preceding pages – summarized
overleaf in an observation checklist) and, at the end of the five minutes, to summarize the arguments that the
Speaker has presented.
The task of the Observer is to give feedback to the Listener on how well the rules of good listening have
been demonstrated and on how accurate the summary has been. The Observer does not need to give any
feedback on the Speaker's performance.
After each of the three rounds, the group can usefully take a couple of minutes to briefly discuss the
experience – in particular, the way that a viewpoint you do not like may obstruct your ability to listen
accurately. This filtering out of unwelcome information is, unfortunately, the reason that so many customer
complaints degenerate into horror stories

OBSERVER'S CHECKLIST

BEHAVIOUR TO BE NOTED DOES IT OBSERVER'S COMMENTS

HAPPEN?

1. Listens: Yes No
 80:20 ratio Listening: Speaking
 Listener does not interrupt
 Brings straying Speaker back onto subject
 Makes notes

2. Checks understanding:

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 Asks clarifying questions

 Gives reflective summaries
 Hears uncomfortable things

3. Demonstrates listening:
 Eye contact
 Body posture
 Tone of voice

4.5Causes of Listening Breakdowns

Poor customer service may result from a breakdown of the listening process.
 Many factors contribute to ineffective listening.

Some are internal, but others are external and you cannot control them.

Discussion questions
 What are the obstacles to effective listening? (Consider the case of your company)
 Suggest strategies to overcome the identified Distractors.
4.5.1 Internal Obstacles
1. Personal Obstacles
 As a listener, you may individual characteristics or qualities that get in the way of listening
effectively to the customer.
 Some of these personal obstacles are discussed in the following sections:
a) Biases
 Your opinions or beliefs about a specific person, group, situation, or issue can
sometimes cloud your ability to listen objectively to what is being said.
 These biases may result in preconceived and sometimes incorrect assumptions.
 They can also lead to service breakdown, complaints, and angry or lost customers.
b) Psychological Distractions
 Your psychological state can impede effective listening.
 Psychological distracters such as being angry or upset, or simply not wanting to deal with a
particular person or situation, may negatively affect your listening.
c) Physical Conditions
 When you are ill, fatigued, in poor physical condition, or just not feeling well, listening can
suffer.
 We often hear that a good diet and exercise are essential in good health.
 Theta re also crucial for effective listening.
d) Circadian Rhythm
 All people have a natural 24-hrs biological pattern-circadian rhythm by which they function.
 This “cloak” often establishes the body’s peak performance periods.
 Some people are said to be morning people; their best performance typically occurs early in
the day.
 They often wake early, “hit the ground running,” and continue until after lunch, when natural
rhythm or energy level in their body begins to slow down.
e) Preoccupation

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 When you have personal or other matters on your mind-related to financial matters, school,
marriage, family, or personal or work projects, it sometimes becomes difficult to focus on the
needs and expectations of the customer.
 This can frustrate both you and the customer.
 It is difficult to turn of personal problems, but you should try to resolve them before going to
work, even if you must take time off to deal with them.
 Many companies offer programs to assist employees in dealing with their personal and
performance issues.
F) Hearing Loss
 Many people suffer from loss caused by physiological
 Often, problems or extended exposure to loud noises.
 Sometimes they are aware not aware that their hearing is impaired.
 Often, out of vanity or embarrassment, people take no action to remedy the loss.
 If you suspect that you have hearing loss, go to your physician or an audiologist –hearing
specialist quickly to avoid complications or further loss of hearing.
g) Listening Level Skill
 People communicate on different levels depending on their knowledge and experience in
communication.
 Adults are influenced by the experiences they had as the children; that is, they are likely to
repeat behavior theylearned during childhood.
 For example, if you grew up in an environment where the people around you practiced
positive skills related to listening , providing feedback and using nonverbal communication ,
and effective interpersonal skills for dealing with others , you will likely use similar
techniques as an adult.
h) Thought Speed
 Your brain is capable of comprehending message delivered at rates of as much as four to six
times faster than the speed at which the average adult in the USA.
 The average adult in the US speaks approximately 125 to 150 words per minute, or wpm.
 The difference between the two rates can be referred to as a lag time or listening gap during
which the mind is actually idle.
 The result is that your brain does other things to occupy itself.
I) Faulty Assumptions
 Because of past experiences or encounter with other, you may be tempted to make faulty
assumptions about your customer’s message (s).
 Don’t.
 Each customer and each situation is different and should be regarded as such.
 Because you had certain experience with one customer does not mean that you will have a
similar experience with another.

4.5.2 External Obstacles

 You cannot all barriers to effective listening, but you should still try to reduce them when dealing
with customers.
Some typical examples of external obstacles include the following:
a) Information Overload

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 Each day you are bombarded with information from many sources.
 You get information in meetings, from the radio and television, from customers, and
in a variety of public places.
 You spend as much as 5 to 6 hrs a day listening to customers, coworkers, family
members, friends, and strangers.
 Such international overload can result in stress, inadequate time to deal with
individual situations, and reduced levels of customer service.
b) Other People Talking
 It is not possible for you to give your full attention to two speakers simultaneously.
 In order to serve customers effectively, deal with only one person at a time.
 If someone else approaches , smile , acknowledge him or her , and say , “ I will be
with you in just a moment” or at least signal that message by holding up your index
finger to indicate “ 1 minute “ while you smile.
c) Ringing Phone
 Ringing telephone can be annoying, but you shouldn’t stop helping one customer to get
into a discussion with or try to serve another customer over the phone.
 This creates a dilemma, for you cannot ignore customers or other who depend on you to
serve their needs over the telephone.
d) Speaker Phones
 These devices allow for hands –free telephone conversations.
 They are great because you can continue your conversation while searching for
something the customer has requested.
 Unfortunately, many people put callers on the loudspeaker while continuing to do
work not related to the caller.
e) Office and Maintenance Equipment
 Noisy printers, computer s, photocopying machines, electric staplers, vacuum
cleaners, and other devices can also be distractions.
 When serving customers, eliminate or minimize the use of these types of items.
 If other are using noisy equipment, try to position yourself or them as far away from
the customer service area as possible.
f) Physical Barriers
 Desks, counters, furniture, or other items separating you from your customer can stifle
communication.
 Depending on your job function, you might be able to eliminate barriers.
 If possible, do so.
 These obstacles can distance you physically from your customer or depersonalize your service.

4.6Indicators of Poor Listening

Concept: Improve your listening skills through self-analysis.
If any of the following events occur, you may need to refocus:
 Customers specifically ask to speak to or be served by someone else.
 You find yourself missing key details of conversations.
 You regularly have to ask people to repeat information.
 You end phone calls or personal encounters not knowing for sure what action is required of
you.

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 Customers often make statements such as, “Did you hear what I said ?” are you listening to
me?” or “ you are not listening.”
 You find yourself day dreaming or distracted as a customer is speaking.
 You miss nonverbal cues sent by the customer as the two of you communicate.
 You answer a question incorrectly because you didn’t5 actually hear it.

4.7Strategies for Improved Listening

Concept: you can improve your listening skills in several different ways. One important way is to listen
more that you talk. Numerous techniques can be use d to become a more effective listener.
The following can be used as basis for improvement of effective listening.
Stop Talking

 You cannot talk and actively listen at the same time.

 When the customer starts talking, stop talking and listen carefully.
 One common mistake that many people make is to ask a question, hesitate, and if no answer
is immediately offered, ask a second question or “clarify” the meaning by providing
additional information.
 A habit like this is not only confusing to the listener, but rude.

Prepare Yourself
 Before you can listen effectively to someone, you must be ready to receive what this person
has to say.
 Stop reading , writing, talking to others , thinking about other things, working on your
computer , answering phones , and dealing with other matters that distract you.
 For example , if a customer approaches while you are using a calculator to add up a figure ,
smile and say , “ I’ll be with you in just a moment” or smile and hold up your index finger to
indicate “ 1 minute .”
 As quickly as possible, complete your task, apologize for the delay, and then ask, “How may
I assist you?”

Listen Actively
Use the basics of sound communications when a customer is speaking.The following strategies are typically
helpful in sending an “I care “message when done naturally and with sincerity.
Smile:
 Do not interrupt to interject your ideas or make comments unless they are designed to clarify a
point made by the customer.
 Sit or stand up straight and make eye contact with the customer.
 Lean forward or turn an ear toward the customer, if appropriate and necessary.
 Paraphrase their statements occasionally.
 Nod and offer affirmative paralanguage statements ( I see , “ UH- huh, “ Really, “ “ Yes”) to
show that you’re following the conversation.
 Do not finish a customer‘s sentence. Let the customer talk.

Show a Willingness to Listen

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 By listening distractions, sending positive verbal and nonverbal responses, and actively focusing on
what is being said, you can help the customer relax and have a more meaningful dialogue.
 For example, when dealing with customers, you should make sure that you take some of the positive
approaches to listening outlined earlier.

Show Empathy
 Put yourself in the customer’s place by empathizing, especially when the customer is
complaining about what he or she perceives to be poor service or inferior products.
 This is sometimes referred to as “walking a mile in your customer‘s shoes.”

Listen For Concepts

 Instead of focusing on one or two-details, listen to the entire message before analyzing it and
responding.
 For example, instead of trying to respond to one portion of a message , wait for the customer
r to provide all the details.
 Then ask any questions necessary to get the information you need to respond appropriately.

Be Patient
 Not everyone communicates in the same manner.
 Keep in mind that it is your job to serve the customer.
 Keep in mind that it is your job to serve the customer.
 Do your best to listen so that you can get at the customer who seems to be processing
information and forming opinions or making a design.

Listen Openly
 Avoid the biases discussed earlier.
 Remember that you don’t have to like everyone you encounter, but you do have to respect
and treat customers fairly and impartially if you want to maintain a business relationship.
 For example, whenever you encounter, but you do have to respect and treat customers fairly
and impartially if you want to maintain a business relationship.
 For example, whenever you encounter a person who is rude or is the type of person for
whom you have a personal dislike, try to maintain your professionalism.
 Remember that you represent your organization and that you are paid by your employer to
serve the customer whoever he or she is.
Send Positive Nonverbal Cues
 Be conscious of the nonverbal messages you are sending.
 Even when you are verbally agreeing or saying yes, you may be unconsciously sending
negative nonverbal messages.
 When sending a message, you should make sure that your verbal cues or words and nonverbal
cues-gestures, facial expressions are in congruence.
Don’t argue
 Remember the “Did not,” “Did too” quarrels you had when you were a child? Such verbal
exchanges got heated, voices rose and tempers escalated, and someone might have started hitting, or
pushing, who won? No one.
 You should avoid similar childish behaviors in dealing with others –especially your customers or
potential customers.

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Take Notes If Necessary

 If information is complicate d, or if names, dates, numbers, or numerous details are involved
in a customer encounter, you may want to take notes for future references.
 Notes can help prevent your forgetting or confusing information.
 Once you have made your notes, verify your understanding of the facts with your customer
before proceeding.
Ask Questions
 Use questions to determine customer needs and to verify and clarify information received.
 This will ensure that you thoroughly understand the customer’s message prior to taking
action or responding.
 For example, when you first encounter a customer, you must discover his or her needs or
what is wanted.

SESSION FIVE
TEAM COMMUNICATION
5.1 Introduction
Team communication is the interaction that takes place among the members of a work team or group.
Effective team communication is vital to the success of the group in performing its role as well as to the
morale and work enjoyment of its members. Whether you are in business, retail, healthcare, education or
another industry, odds are good that teamwork makes up part of your day-to-day work life. When teamwork
goes well, it distributes the work among professionals in ways that make it easier to reach goals and excel in
the industry. Good communication skills are integral to any team's success and the overall success of the
business.
5.2 Importance of Team Communication Skills
Clear and Reachable Goals: Good communication is the crucial component of making goals reachable.
The team leader communicates project expectations to all the players, and work is divided fairly based on
each person's unique strengths and qualifications. This means nobody has to be responsible for or able to do
everything. While one person excels at client care, another person has stellar presentation skills and yet
another can organize computer documents in her sleep. Clear communication makes these things evident so
that deadlines are less stressful and objectives are met and exceeded with ease.
Greater Efficiency, Better Solutions: When each team player knows his or her role in serving clients or
meeting a deadline, all are free to focus on only their own tasks, without worrying about what everyone else
is doing. Clear communication also means communicating with teammates when you are not able to
complete your tasks, so the team can come up with solutions before the situation escalates and the team
process breaks down. Communication helps you maintain efficiency under a variety of circumstances and
conditions.
Positive Work Relationships: These communication skills foster (develop) trusts between teammates and
this creates an environment for positive professional relationships to take root and grow. When teammates
know each other well, they become acquainted with each other’s' strengths, weaknesses, tendencies and
thought processes, which makes it easier to work together toward a common goal and plan for future
projects. Positive work relationships add a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction to the job, which can aid in
employee retention and a stable work environment.

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Creating a Culture of Celebration: Good team communication skills are not simply about assigning tasks
or troubleshooting problems. Communication is also about creating a culture of celebration in the workplace.
Teammates and team leaders who notice achievements of their peers and employees take the time to
communicate and celebrate together. Improvement is noticed, congratulated and encouraged, as well, which
creates an environment where employees want to be their best on the job and maintain a growth mindset.
Reducing and Diffusing Conflict: Whenever a group of people work toward a common goal, conflict is
likely to arise at one time or another. Whether conflict is due to unfair expectations, irresponsibility or plain
misunderstanding, good team communication skills let everyone have a voice and feel heard. When it is safe
to express thoughts clearly, honestly and tactfully, it is easier to move forward with a solution that has
everyone's best interest at heart. Once on the other side of conflict, a team with good communication skills
may even feel stronger for overcoming the hurdle.

Identity and cohesion: An indirect result of team communication is the development of a sense of identity
and cohesion, according to the University of Northern Iowa Business Communication program. As team
members share ideas, engage in professional debate and work toward resolutions, they form important bonds
that strengthen their problem-solving abilities as a unit.
High engagement: Effective team communication contributes to high engagement among team members,
which leads to happier employees and strong performance. High energy levels and a commitment to look for
new opportunities and ideas are tied to high engagement as well.
Strong performance: When team members interact regularly, they tend to lay ideas and challenges on the
table for group discussion. Doing so allows for piggybacking and building of good ideas into great ones. It
also creates opportunities to nip potential problems in the bud.
Effective communication is key to high performance and productivity in a work team. When each person
clearly understands his role, listens well to instructions, offers updates and insights, and gives progress
reports, leaders, individual team members and the collective unit are more aware of what has been done and
what remains to complete.
5.3 Limitations to Team Communication
Office structure: Effective team communication typically requires an office arrangement that simplifies
opportunities for engagement. An open floor layout without walls and with team members in close quarters
works best.
Conflicts: Teams go through stages of development, beginning with initial formation, Conflicts between and
among employees can occur at any point, but they are especially common during early forming stages before
workers build rapport and respect. The ability of team leaders to encourage impersonal debate and to stifle
personal tension is valuable in overcoming conflicts.
Communication barriers: Diverse work teams bring broad perspectives, but language and cultural barriers
can impede constructive communication. Training on cultural awareness and sensitivity and translators are
sometimes needed to overcome these barriers. UNI indicates that for employees, a commitment to working
well in a team is one of the most common factors in gaining job promotions.
Discussion
 What do you think are the critical skills for effective team work?
 Suggest strategies for effective team communication

5.4 Critical skills for effective team work

The following are among the critical skills for team building.

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 Good communication skills:Without communications, there is not a team at all. Good communication
skills (both verbal and non-verbal) are absolutely crucial for every good team and effective
teamwork.
 Active listening and care for others:Listening skills have the top position in the team building skills
list. To build a team you have to understand other team members’ needs, beliefs, worries, hopes. This
can be achieved only by active listening including care and attention to other members.
 Collaborative skills:To make collaboration with many people is one of the most difficult task, but
also one of the most important prerequisites to achieve successful team work. That is why
collaborative skills are key team building skills on this list. Effective team means a great
collaborative team. There is a huge range of different collaborative tools such as team task
management software, project collaboration software for teams, project scheduling software and etc.
 Building confidence:This is absolutely critical ability among the team building and team leader skills.
Confidence keeps a team together. It promotes support and reliability. No matter whether you are
a team manager, leader or an employee, you have to be confident. To be confident means that people
can rely on you and can trust you.
 Creativity, creative thinking and idea exchange:Creativity is a characteristic of every good
and effective team. Creative thinking is the most important factor for future success. This is the factor
that can turn a previously unsuccessful organization to one that is a leader in the market. Good and
creative ideas are among main reasons for business growth. Every team should have a suitable
environment for idea exchange. Members have to share and develop ideas. Idea exchange and
creativity are key team building skills.
 Patience:To be patient is crucial quality too. Patience is about being tolerable and understanding. If
you want to build a friendship with others you have to be patient.
 Supportive:There is no team without support. Team members have to support each other and have to
rely on each other. These are the main building elements of a team. So being supportive have also a
key place in the team building skills list.
 Problem-solving skills:In every team there are problems. No matter whether you are a team manager
or an employee, you have to learn to deal with conflicts in the most effective way.
5.5Strategies for Effective Team Communication?
1. Know that People Communicate & Think Differently: It’s not just a marketing slogan for Apple;
people really do think differently. But if you learn those differences you can massage your message until
it’s understood. That means learning the common communication and thinking styles, but also
recognizing what style you use naturally. Once you have identified other people’s styles, then you can
bridge the gap and, basically, speak their language.
2. Build a Safe Environment: Communications need to be heard, and people are less likely to hear if
there’s a lot of noise, whether that’s due to an emotionally cold climate or one that is heated and
stressful. So, build trust, respect and stay open to those who think differently. Allow them to share their
opinions.
3. Acknowledge Other Viewpoints: It’s not enough to let others speak their minds; you have to actively
listen to them and acknowledge their points, whether you agree with them or not. They should be part of
your process, because you never know where the next bright idea will originate. Also, if you’re
dismissive of certain people on your team, they’re less likely to listen to you as a whole.
4. Talk About the Common Vision or Goals: If people are not in agreement or are offering perspectives
that don’t align with the overall objectives of the project, it’s important to impress upon the team that
they’re all working together. There might be differing opinions on how to get there, but the endpoint is
shared by all.

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5. Build Goals and Objectives: In order for the team to understand the commonality of their goals and
objectives, you have to make them evident. Be clear and precise, so there is no uncertainty surrounding
your actions. Consider creating SMART goals that are measurable. The stronger you can impress upon
the team why they are doing what, the better they’ll do it.
6. Have a Purpose/Intention for Every Communication: Communications are best when they stay on
message, so don’t get side-tracked. Therefore, establish what you want everyone to know before they
leave the meeting or start whatever task they’re assigned. State what you need from others, and know
what you can do to contribute and help them.
7. Be Positive and Fun: This might be the most important tip, for if you can foster an environment that is
positive and fun, then people are more likely to listen and will work better and harder to achieve what
you set out for them. You can work hard and still have fun while getting things done.

SESSION SIX
PRESENTATION SKILL
6.1 Introduction
Presentation skills can be defined as a set of abilities that enable an individual to: interact with the audience;
transmit the messages with clarity; engage the audience in the presentation; and interpret and understand the
mindsets of the listeners. These skills refine the way you put forward your messages and enhance your
persuasive powers.
The present era places great emphasis on good presentation skills. This is because they play an important
role in convincing the clients and customers. Internally, management with good presentation skills is better
able to communicate the mission and vision of the organization to the employees.
6.2 Importance of Presentation Skills
Interaction with others is a routine job of businesses in today’s world. The importance of good presentation
skills is established on the basis of following points:
 They help an individual in enhancing his own growth opportunities. In addition, it also grooms the
personality of the presenter and elevates his levels of confidence.
 In case of striking deals and gaining clients, it is essential for the business professionals to understand
the audience. Good presentation skills enable an individual to mold his message according to the
traits of the audience. This increases the probability of successful transmission of messages.
 Lastly, business professionals have to arrange seminars and give presentations almost every day.
Having good presentation skills not only increases an individual’s chances of success, but also enable
him to add greatly to the organization.
Discussion
 What are the scenarios in which you are supposed to make a presentation?
6.3 How
 to make
Suggest an effective
strategies Presentation
to conduct effective presentation.
Development of good presentation skills requires efforts and hard work. To improve your presentation skills,
you must:
1) Research the Audience before Presenting: This will enable you to better understand the traits of the
audience. You can then develop messages that can be better understood by your target audience. For
instance, in case of an analytical audience, you can add more facts and figures in your presentation.

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2) Structure your Presentation Effectively: The best way to do this is to start with telling the audience, in
the introduction, what you are going to present. Follow this by presenting the idea, and finish off the
presentation by repeating the main points.
3) Do a lot of Practice: Rehearse but do not go for memorizing the presentation. Rehearsals reduce your
anxiety and enable you to look confident on the presentation day. Make sure you practice out loud, as it
enables you to identify and eliminate errors more efficiently. Do not memorize anything as it will make
your presentation look mechanical. This can reduce the degree of audience engagement.Many people are
nervous at making oral presentations but there are steps you can take to make the presentation more
successful.
4) Remember the audience: The most important aspect of making a presentation is to consider the needs
of the audience. If you simply read or repeat information ‘off by heart’ your presentation will probably
sound very flat and dull to the audience. There is also a greater risk that you will lose your place in your
talk.If you are a natural entertainer, then use these skills in your presentation. However, bear in mind the
purpose of the presentation and how it will be assessed. Make sure you cover the essential information
and that this comes across very clearly to the audience.
5) Prepare for the presentation
i) Write out your main argument or conclusion, just as you would for a writing activity.
ii) Write out the main points as headings and bullet points on a series of index cards or on a sheet of
paper. These will prompt your memory if you lose your place.
iii) Visit the room and try out the technology. This will increase your confidence on the day.
iv) Time yourself making the presentation. Cut it back if it is too long.
v) Have a clear and opening and closing line that refers directly to the main issue.
6) Use visual aids
i) If you are very confident the technology will work, you may prefer to use PowerPoint. However,
ensure you have acetate back-ups.
ii) If you use PowerPoint or similar software, avoid gimmicks such as jingles, animation, or sound
effects that either distract attention or slow down the presentation. If you ‘fly in’ text, make sure you
use the same method throughout the presentation.
iii) Keep it simple. Use technology as a tool where it helps, rather than for the sake of it.
7) On the day
i) Arrive first.
ii) Arrive early enough to check the equipment and seating are as you want them.
iii) Have water to hand.
iv) Act confident no matter how you are feeling.
v) Do not make apologies for things you haven’t done. Act as if it all as if everything is as it should be.
vi) Make eye contact with the audience.
vii) Smile.
8) Speed pacing: Many presentations, even those by professionals, may go wrong because people try to
cover too much information in the time available. They then try and gabble their way through a set of
bullet points at top speed even though people cannot take in what is being said.Cut out unnecessary
information - and even information you think is valuable if it does not fit into the time allowed. You
must be able to deliver the whole presentation at a speed slower than your normal talking speech. This is
necessary so that people can take in what you are saying and jot down some notes.Talk more slowly than
you feel is necessary. Take a moment or two to breathe between each point.

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9) Leave time for questions: Even if the time available to you is brief, leave a few minutes for people to
ask questions. This will indicate that you are confident about your material.Prepare an ‘additional point’
to use up the time in case there are no questions.

6.4 Important things to remember when you are giving a presentation

1. Introduce yourself by name.
2. Bring back up visual aids in case your PowerPoint presentation fails.
3. Slow down when you are speaking.
4. Make eye contact with the audience.
5. Smile.
6. Ask for questions from the audience at the conclusion of the presentation.
6.5 Using PowerPoint
Dos:
i) Check that you have booked all the equipment you need well before your talk.
ii) Plan what you want the audience to see and don't crowd the screen.
iii) Use an appropriate font such as Arial, at least 22 point in size.
iv) Use a good color contrast for background and image, and project it to check.
v) Give handouts with details, which wouldn't be clear on the screen.
vi) Rehearse with all your visual material and the equipment you will be using.
vii) Always have backup in case of disaster.
Don'ts:
i) Show paragraphs or long sentences on the screen.
ii) Use fussy and distracting backgrounds.
iii) Overdo punctuation: very little is needed in a visual aid.
iv) Use over-complicated diagrams, which the audience won't be able to see clearly.
v) Use unnecessary and distracting movement on the screen.
vi) Watch the computer screen instead of the audience.
vii) Assume that you can use the equipment without trying it out.

6.6 Strategies to Improve Your Presentation Skills

1) Practice!Naturally, you'll want to rehearse your presentation multiple times. While it can be difficult
for those with packed schedules to spare time to practice, it's essential if you want to deliver a
rousing presentation. I’m famous around the office for staying up late the night before a big
presentation, practicing over and over. If you really want to sound great, write out your speech rather
than taking chances winging it – if you get nervous about speaking, a script is your best friend. Try
to practice where you'll be delivering your talk. Some acting strategists suggest rehearsing lines
in various positions – standing up, sitting down, with arms open wide, on one leg, while sitting on
the toilet, etc. (OK, that last one may be optional.) The more you mix up your position and setting,
the more comfortable you'll feel with your speech. Do a practice run for a friend or colleague, or try
recording your presentation and playing it back to evaluate which areas need work. Listening to
recordings of your past talks can clue you in to bad habits you may be unaware of, as well as
inspiring the age-old question: "Is that what I really sound like?"
2) Transform Nervous Energy into Enthusiasm:It may sound strange, but I'll often down an energy
drink and blast hip-hop music in my earphones before presenting. Why? It pumps me up and helps
me turn jitters into focused enthusiasm. Studies have shown that an enthusiastic speech can win out
over an eloquent one, and since I'm not exactly the Winston Churchill of presenters, I make sure that

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I'm as enthusiastic and energetic as possible before going on stage. Of course, individuals respond
differently to caffeine overload, so know your own body before guzzling those monster energy
drinks.
3) Attend Other Presentations:If you're giving a talk as part of a conference, try to attend some of the
earlier talks by other presenters to scope out their presentation skills and get some context. This
shows respect for your fellow presenters while also giving you a chance to feel out the audience.
What's the mood of the crowd? Are folks in the mood to laugh or are they a bit stiffer? Are the
presentations more strategic or tactical in nature? Another speaker may also say something that you
can play off of later in your own presentation.
4) Arrive Early:It's always best to allow yourself plenty of time to settle in before your talk. Extra time
ensures you won't be late (even if Google Maps shuts down) and gives you plenty of time to get
adapted to your presentation space.
5) Adjust to Your Surroundings:The more adjusted to your environment you are, the more comfortable
you'll feel. Make sure to spend some in the room where you will be delivering your presentation. If
possible, practice with the microphone and lighting, make sure you understand the seating and be
aware of any distractions potentially posed by the venue (e.g., a noisy road outside).
6) Meet and Greet:Do your best to chat with people before your presentation. Talking with audiences
makes you seem more likeable and approachable. Ask event attendees questions and take in their
responses. They may even give you some inspiration to weave into your talk.
7) Use Positive Visualization:Whether or not you’re a Zen master, know that plenty of studies have
proven the effectiveness of positive visualization. When we imagine a positive outcome to a scenario
in our mind, it's more likely to play out the way we envision.Instead of thinking "I'm going to be
terrible out there" and visualizing yourself throwing up mid-presentation, imagine yourself getting
tons of laughs while presenting with the enthusiasm of Jimmy Fallon and the poise of Audrey
Hepburn (the charm of George Clooney wouldn't hurt either). Positive thoughts can be incredibly
effective – give them a shot.
8) Remember That Most Audiences Are Sympathetic:One of the hardest fears to shake when speaking in
public is that the audience is secretly waiting to laugh at your missteps or mistakes. Fortunately, this
isn’t the case in the vast majority of presentations.The audience wants to see you succeed. In fact,
many people have a fear of public speaking, so even if the audience seems indifferent, the chances
are pretty good that most people listening to your presentation can relate to how nerve-racking it can
be. If you start to feel nervous, remind yourself that the audience gets it, and actually wants to see
you nail it.
9) Take Deep Breaths:The go-to advice for jitters has truth to it. When we're nervous, our muscles
tighten--you may even catch yourself holding your breath. Instead, go ahead and take those deep
breaths to get oxygen to your brain and relax your body.
10) Smile:Smiling increases endorphins, replacing anxiety with calm and making you feel good about
your presentation. Smiling also exhibits confidence and enthusiasm to the crowd. And this tip works
even if you're doing a webinar and people can't see you.
11) Exercise:Exercise earlier in the day prior to your presentation to boost endorphins, which will help
alleviate anxiety.
12) Work on Your Pauses:When you're nervous, it's easy to speed up your presentation and end up
talking too fast, which in turn causes you to run out of breath, get more nervous, and panic! Don't be
afraid to slow down and use pauses in your speech. Pausing can be used to emphasize certain points
and to help your talk feel more conversational. If you feel yourself losing control of your pacing, just
take a nice pause and keep cool.

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13) Don’t Try to Cover Too Much Material:Yes, your presentations should be full of useful, insightful,
and actionable information, but that doesn’t mean you should try to condense a vast and complex
topic into a 10-minute presentation.Knowing what to include, and what to leave out, is crucial to the
success of a good presentation. I’m not suggesting you skimp when it comes to data or including
useful slides (some of my webinars have featured 80+ slides), but I am advocating for a rigorous
editing process. If it feels too off-topic, or is only marginally relevant to your main points, leave it
out. You can always use the excess material in another presentation.
14) Actively Engage the Audience:People love to talk and make their opinions heard, but the nature of
presentations can often seem like a one-sided proposition. It doesn’t have to be, though.Asking the
audience what they think, inviting questions, and other means of welcoming audience participation
can boost engagement and make attendees feel like a part of a conversation. It also makes you, the
presenter, seem much more relatable. Consider starting with a poll or survey. Don’t be put off by
unexpected questions – instead, see them as an opportunity to give your audience what they want.

15) Be Entertaining:Even if your presentation is packed with useful information, if your delivery bombs,
so will your session.I find that including some jokes and light-hearted slides is a great way to help
the audience (and myself) feels more comfortable, especially when presenting them with a great deal
of information. However, it’s important to maintain a balance – after all, you’re not performing a
stand-up routine, and people didn’t come to your presentation with the sole intention of being
entertained. That said, don’t be afraid to inject a little humor into your talk. If you’re not sure about
whether a presentation is “too much,” run through it for a couple of friends and ask them to tell it to
you straight.
16) Admit You Don’t Have All the Answers:Very few presenters are willing to publicly concede that they
don’t actually know everything because they feel it undermines their authority. However, since we
all know that nobody can ever know everything about a given topic, admitting so in a presentation
can actually improve your credibility.If someone asks a question that stumps you, it’s okay to admit
it. This can also increase your credibility with the audience, as it demonstrates that, no matter how
knowledgeable a person might be, we’re all learning, all the time. Nobody expects you to be an
omniscient oracle of forbidden knowledge – they just want to learn from you.
17) Use a Power Stance:Practicing confident body language is another way to boost your pre-
presentation jitters. When your body is physically demonstrating confidence, your mind will follow
suit. While you don't want to be jutting out your chest in an alpha gorilla pose all afternoon
(somebody enjoyed Dawn of the Planet of the Apes a bit too much), studies have shown that using
power stances a few minutes before giving a talk (or heading to a big interview) creates a lasting
sense of confidence and assurance. Whatever you do, don't sit--sitting is passive. Standing or
walking a bit will help you harness those stomach bats (isn't that more appropriate than butterflies?).
Before you go on stage, strike your best Power Ranger stance and hold your head high!
18) Drink Water:Dry mouth is a common result of anxiety. Prevent cottonmouth blues by staying
hydrated and drinking plenty of water before your talk (just don't forget to hit the bathroom before
starting). Keep a bottle of water at arm's reach while presenting in case you get dry mouth while
chatting up a storm. It also provides a solid object to hurl at potential hecklers. (That'll show 'em.)

Practice
 Make a presentation to your class on any issue (topic) of your interest

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SESSION SEVEN
FEEDBACK COMMUNICATION
7.1 Introduction
Giving feedback is essential to develop proficiency, efficiency and effectiveness in your subordinates.
Although often one of the most difficult tasks for a supervisor or manager to conduct, feedback produces
valuable results when done correctly. This cultivating process allows you to shape and improve subordinate
motivation, productivity, behavior and skill sets. Additionally, lending feedback offers subordinates the
benefit of knowing their standing and their progression in their position.

7.2 Purposes of communicating feedback

1) Progress: Subordinates cannot fully develop without both regularly scheduled and unscheduled intervals
of feedback that target their progress. Subordinates’ knowledge base and skill sets cannot improve
without observing, evaluating and assessing. Communicating what job proficiencies need enhancement is
an integral part of the process of progression, and providing input into the areas that need additional
training allows you to plan a development track together, targeting the desired skills to obtain.
2) Correct: Providing feedback also allows you to address incorrect behavior before it reaches the point of
no return. Establishing dialogue with consistent and steady appraisals reviewing and highlighting trouble
areas shows that receiving corrective feedback is an occasion to grow and develop. Discussing and
counseling on improper actions or negative behavior gives subordinates the opportunity to alter and
modify their performance, adapting to a more suitable and acceptable behavior for the working conditions
and environment.
3) Apprise: Without specific, clear and directive feedback, subordinates have no idea whether they are doing
a good job. Most employees want to be informed and aware of how their performance is perceived by
their superiors. Withholding feedback frequently does more harm than good in subordinate-supervisor
relationships. For example, employees with low performance levels or inappropriate behavior issues left
unchecked can compound problems even more. Likewise, a lack of feedback gives subordinates a false
perception that their behavior or actions are acceptable and there is no need to change.
Motivate: Giving subordinates feedback, both positive or negative, increases motivation and the desire to
perform better. Recognizing and acknowledging hard work, dedication and meticulousness of personnel
usually motivates and inspires them to continue. Providing constructive criticism correctly encourages
employees to perform better to receive approval and praise in the next feedback session. Additionally, not
giving positive feedback for a job well done to those thriving appears unappreciative and can make
employees lose motivation.

7.3 Exchanging feedback for success: The “Johari Window” Model

The Johari Window model is a simple and useful tool for illustrating and improving self-awareness, and
mutual understanding between individuals within a team. The Johari Window model was developed by
American psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in the 1950's, while researching group dynamics.
The Johari Window actually represents information- feelings, experience, views, attitudes, skills, intentions,
motivation, etc - within or about a person - in relation to their group, from four perspectives, which are
described below. Johari Window terminology refers to 'self' and 'others': 'self' means oneself, i.e., the person
subject to the Johari Window analysis. 'Others' mean other people in the person's group or team.

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Figure: Johari window Known by me Unknown by me

Known by Others OPEN BLIND

Unknown by Others AREA

HIDDEN AREA
UNKNOWN
Open Area: This is the area which is known to oneself and to others. This window of your life is also called
the public area. The behavior revealed in this area is behavior about which one is not defensive and about
which the individual himself and others around him are familiar with orAREA know about.
Hidden Area: This is the area which one knows about oneself but which others are not aware of. This
window is also known as the hidden area. This is the area where one keeps secrets about oneself. Secrets are
kept for fear of others' reaction to them. Secrets may pertain to feelings, attitudes and behavior.
Blind Area: This is the area in oneself about which others are aware but about which the individual himself
is not aware. This area remains blind to the individual because the others who are aware of this area may
abstain from telling the individual for fear of offending him. This window is also called your bad breath
area.
Unknown Area: This is the area about which neither the individual nor others around him are aware of, but
in this area exist many undiscovered or unknown potentialities and aptitudes. Others would like to call this
area "the future", the undiscovered area.
Figure 7.3: Johari window: using feedback
The open area can also be developed through the
process of disclosure, which reduces the hidden area.
Open Blind The unknown area can be reduced in different ways: by
Area Area others' observation (which increases the blind area); by
self-discovery (which increases the hidden area), or by
mutual enlightenment - typically via group experiences
and discussion.
Hidden Unknown A team which understands itself - that is, each person
Area Area having a strong mutual understanding with the team - is
far more effective than a team which does not
understand each other- that is, whose members have
large hidden, blind, and/or unknown areas. Team
members - and leaders - should always be striving to
increase their open free areas, and to reduce their blind,
hidden and unknown areas.
Seeking feedback about the blind area will reduce the blind area, and will increase the open free area.
Discovery through sensitive communications, active listening and experience, will reduce the unknown area,
transferring in part to the blind, hidden areas.
Discussion
 What are the common mistakes in providing a feedback to employees (substantiate with
experience)
7.3 Ways to Give Effective Employee Feedback
1. Give feedback
Suggest strategies to give
constructively: feedback
It isn’t alwayseffectively.
easy to take and certainly not easy to give, but if it’s done
thoughtfully, usefully and with the best of intentions it will help improve the quality of that person’s work
and may even boost their productivity. This will in turn give them greater job satisfaction and leave them
with skills which they can use in their future career.

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2. Be Very Specific: Employee feedback should be task-focused and to the point. General comments like
“Your work needs to be improved” or “I wasn’t very impressed with those reports: you have to do better
than that” will leave your employee confused and in the dark as to what aspect of their work needs to be
corrected. Therefore, be specific on what they need to do:
3. Be Timely: The closer to the event you address the issue, the better. Feedback isn't about surprising
someone, so the sooner you do it, the more the person will be expecting it. Think of it this way: it's much
easier to provide feedback about a single, one-hour job that hasn't been done properly than it is to do so
about a whole year of failed, one-hour jobs. Nip issues in the bud as they occur. If left unsaid, the problems
will only recur and may multiply by a domino effect, so that by the time the quarterly performance review
comes around, you’ll be faced with having to address a host of issues that could have been avoided if
mentioned earlier.

4. Make It Regular: Feedback is a process that requires constant attention. When something needs to be
said, say it. People then know where they stand all the time and there will be few surprises. Also,
problems don't get out of hand. It's not a once-a-year or a once-every-three-month event. Though this
may be the timing of formal feedback; informal, simple feedback should be given much more often than
this – perhaps every week or even every day, depending on the situation. With frequent, informal
feedback like this, nothing said during formal feedback sessions should be unexpected, surprising or
particularly difficult.
5. Make it one-on-one; Criticize in Private: While public recognition is appreciated, public scrutiny is not.
Establish a safe place to talk where you won't be interrupted or overheard. Don’t criticize publicly – ever.
Even praise for some people is better delivered in a private meeting, rather than being pointed out in a
public arena: some people simply don’t like being the center of attention. And allow the opportunity of
feedback without a face-to-face meeting as it can make it easier for a person to say what they really think.
6. End on a Positive Note: Helping someone to improve should always be the goal of constructive criticism
and going back over past mistakes in your closing comments will leave them with a negative impression
of the meeting. When something needs fixed, mention it at the beginning of your conversation (and
read this before you say anything) but by leaving the problem to the end, any words of encouragement
you’ve given during the meeting will be forgotten. Above all, be sure to let them know how much you
appreciate them.
7. Use the 3×3 Method: Consider providing your followers three strengths and three areas of potential
development in all feedback meetings. This is a method proposed by Bert Decker in his book “You’ve
Got To Be Believed To Be Heard”. Decker reasons that “Receiving three bits of feedback at a time allows
people to make course corrections, like a guided missile, as they keep moving onward and upward.”
Keeping your ideas on improvement and strengths succinct (and limiting their number) means that it’s
more likely your employee will remember them all. They will likely see your comments as a challenge to
improve rather than an effort by you to flatten their ego.
8. Focus on Performance, Not Personality: Focus on employees’ behaviors (what they do) rather than on
their personality traits (what they’re like).
9. Focus on Individual Efforts: “Part of the problem with reviews is that human nature hasn’t changed –
few of us enjoy hearing about our shortcomings, and few of our bosses and colleagues look forward to
describing them. Part of the problem is that work itself has changed – it’s more team- oriented, less
individualistic. The tougher it is to measure individual performance, the tougher it is to evaluate it.”
10. Employee Feedback Goes Both Ways: It is helpfulto be open to receive feedback from your subordinate
on any issue on which they want to give a feedback.

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11. Check Your Motives: Before giving feedback, remind yourself why you are doing it. The purpose of
giving feedback is to improve the situation or the person's performance. You won't accomplish that by
being harsh, critical or offensive.
12. Prepare Your Comments: You don't want to read a script, but you do need to be clear about what you
are going to say. This will help you to stay on track and stick to the issues.
13. Limit Your Focus: A feedback session should discuss selected issues; not everything. If they are plenty
you risk the person feeling attacked and demoralized. You should also stick to behaviors he/she can
actually change or influence.
14. Talk about Positives Too: A good rule is to start off with something positive. This helps put the person
at ease. It will also allow the person to "see" what success looks like and what steps she needs to take next
time to get it right. However, many people tend to overdo this and end up sandwiching the constructive
feedback between too many positives. Then the takeaway message becomes, "Gee, I'm doing really well,"
instead of "I'm good at communicating with customers, but I need to bring my interpersonal skills with
my co-workers up to that same level."
15. Provide Specific Suggestions: Make sure you both know what needs to be done to improve the
situation. The main message should be that you care and want to help the person grow and develop. Set
goals and make plans to monitor and evaluate his progress. Use the SMART acronym and define specific
steps and milestones, or the GROW model to motivate him to deliver the change that you want. You may
not agree on everything, so it is a good idea to ask the person to give his/her perspective. Use phrases like,
"What is your reaction to this?" or "Is this a fair representation of what happened?"Listen actively to what
he/she has to say and try to get her to offer some suggestions for improvement. This way he/she has an
opportunity to own the solution and will be more likely to follow through with it. To avoid sounding like
you're preaching, stay away from words like "good," "bad," "must," "need to," etc.
16. Follow Up: The whole purpose of feedback is to improve performance. You need to measure whether or
not that is happening and then make adjustments as you go. Be sure to document your conversations and
discuss what is working and what needs to be modified.
SESSION EIGHT
COMMUNICATION IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION
8.1 Introduction
Conflict is a situation where the goals, objectives or actions of two parties are at odds and may impact
negatively on the performance of the group. A conflict may be between employees, between employees and
supervisors, or between employees and the client organization or its policies, broadly construed. A conflict
may also include a complaint or concern on the part of the employee.Handling conflict is probably the
biggest test of leaders’ character, leaders’ communication skills, their personal integrity and their self-
confidence. Conflict on teams is inevitable; however, the results of conflict are not predetermined. Conflict
might escalate and lead to nonproductive results, or conflict can be beneficially resolved and lead to quality
final products. Therefore, learning to manage conflict is integral to a high-performance team. Although very
few people go looking for conflict, more often than not, conflict results because of miscommunication
between people with regard to their needs, ideas, beliefs, goals, or values.

Conflict management is the principle that all conflicts cannot necessarily be resolved, but learning how to
manage conflicts can decrease the odds of nonproductive escalation. Conflict management involves
acquiring skills related to conflict resolution, self-awareness about conflict modes, conflict communication
skills, and establishing a structure for management of conflict in your environment.

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Discussion
 What are the helpful communication skills in conflict resolution?
 List the
8.2 Helpful Dos and Don’ts of skills
communication communication in conflictresolution
for in conflict resolution.
Conflict impacts a team’s productivity and working climate. Therefore, supervisors should always guide
exchanges and clarify the situation when conflicts emerge. So what can you do, as a supervisor, when
conflict arises? These 6 communication skills will help you resolve conflict.

i) Create and Maintain a Supportive Atmosphere:Try to see things from the employees’ perspective. You
must both take the time to listen attentively to what each other has to say, and find out what it is the
other person needs.
ii) Be Confident:State the problem as you understand it. Voice your needs clearly while still remaining
open to what others have to say and what their needs may be.
iii) Listen Actively: Focus on what the other person has to say. Make sure your body language is open and
receptive. Know when to be silent, let the other person finish completely. Try not to focus on your
arguments while the other person is speaking. To clarify what he or she is saying, try summarizing or
paraphrasing. This way you’ll ensure a better understanding of his or her point of view.
iv) Probe for More Information:Ask questions to drill down deeper into what the other person is saying.
Ask for clarification in a way that will foster open dialogue. Discuss your differences openly. This way
you may reveal an underlying issue or the true source of the problem.
v) Look for Non-verbal Clues:The other person is speaking to you non-verbally as well as verbally. Be
aware of his or her gestures, tone of voice, nervous habits, etc. Work on fine-tuning your ability to read
non-verbal clues; as a manager, you may have to pick up on the subtle signs and respond to them.
vi) Seek Common Ground: When confronted with two opposing views, inquire about the underlying values
and if appropriate, integrate the two conflicting positions rather than demand one of the parties to change
his or her view.
8.3 Communication rules (Dos and Don’ts) for resolving Conflict
The success of a business can be largely dependent upon effective communication within the organization.
Managing communication and promoting healthy conflict resolution should be a goal of management. The
following rules of communication will be of great help in resolving work place conflicts.
Set Ground Rules:Before the conflict resolution process begins, a set of ground rules should be distributed
to all participants. Examples of ground rules could be: avoid generalizations, stay with the current issue,
remain seated at all times, take a time out if needed and listen when others are speaking with interruption.
Each organization can tailor the ground rules to its particular business, based on the type of conflict and the
most common scenarios that disrupt the process of effective communication.
Remain Calm:One of the most important skills in conflict resolution is the ability to stay calm and avoid
raising voices when working through an issue. It is often helpful to have a neutral party who can help keep
the two in conflict on track. When discussing an issue, employees should try to maintain their cool and keep
their voices at a normal volume. Avoid excessive hand movements such as pointing. Having both parties
seated can also help avoid escalation.
Take Turns Speaking:Many conflicts arise in the workplace when someone feels he is not being heard by
the other person. Each person involved in the conflict should be given an uninterrupted time to explain his
side of the situation. Setting a timer may be beneficial to keep the conversation moving forward and to make
sure each person is given the same amount of time to air his grievances. A facilitator can ensure there are no
interruptions and maintain the schedule. After the person has spoken, the listener should paraphrase what the
speaker said and ask if that understanding of the situation is accurate. This gives validation to the speaker
and ensures that everyone is on the same page. This should be done after each person speaks.

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Find a Solution:After all grievances have been aired, each person should state what her ideal solution to the
situation would be. A facilitator can make notes on these solutions and look for common ground. Each
person involved in the conflict should agree to the resolution or solution to the problem. Participants should
not be coerced into agreement and should walk away feeling the problem is truly resolved. In an effective
conflict resolution scenario, each participant leaves feeling she has won and has benefited from the
exchange.
Wait for the timing:Chances are when the person you’re having a relationship with is feeling sick, angry, is
busy or has had a bad day; he or she will not be ready to listen. Find the appropriate time when you will have
their full attention. This will ensure that you’re being heard, and that your message will be received.
Use active listening:When communicating with one another use eye contact, posture/body language, and
face the person by sitting nearby to focus on what the other person has to say. This is done without
interruptions, fidgeting or looking around the room. Active listening is respectful. It adds value to the
person being heard. To check our level of understanding practice paraphrasing what has been said when the
person has stopped talking.
Share deep-feeling level (Assertiveness):Be assertive when sharing on an emotional level without being too
forceful or too passive. Own your feelings. It also means to be authentically you by being mindful and by
holding your peace while maintaining a caring attitude towards others. Make eye contact, admit your own
faults and take responsibility. Do not belittle the other person.
No interruptions except for clarification:Use active listening skills as above. Listen carefully to what the
other person has to say without saying a word until it is our turn to speak, where there will be room to ask
questions. Wait for the right timing.
Equal time to each for sharing:Using active listening without interruptions except for clarification, allow
for equal time for both sides to be heard. Each individual needs to feel heard and valued.
No stomping out anger:Leaving the conversation in anger by stomping out (shouting) is like giving up that
there will ever be a chance to resolve the matter. The trick is to calm ourselves down and listen where
possible.
No withdrawing in silence:Even when we don’t like what the other person has to say we need to use
assertiveness to communicate our feelings without withdrawing into awkward silence nor going the opposite
way by becoming aggressive. Use the ‘I’ statements as below to express yourself rather than using silence to
communicate hurts.
Use I, not you or we statement:To own our feelings use language like, “When you do this I feel….” rather
than using, “you make me feel like this when….” which sounds like an accusation. Blaming others for the
way we feel is not taking responsibility for ourselves. Instead use language like, “I feel like [insert feeling]
when you say or do [add action or words].”
Avoid terms like always, never etc: Example: You never take the rubbish out. I’m sick of it! (Hubby may
have forgotten once or twice). Or, “You always leave the front door open!” The best option is to keep
reminding them to do what they need to do and the benefits there of.
Keep to the here and now:Digging up the past in our conversations, arguments or conflicts can backfire to
go against what we are actually trying to achieve. The whole point of communication is that one person
talks and the other listens. When dredging up the past makes a person become defensive, they have stopped
listening. We need to keep it in the present and focus on the subject at hand.
No quick advice:Avoid giving quick advice, even if we know the solution to another person’s problem.
Giving quick advice shows that we really aren’t giving our full attention to what they have to say, and we’re
not valuing the other person.
No jumping to conclusions:Jumping to conclusions is a bias often referred to as ‘inference-observation
confusion’ or in Layman’s terms, ‘a communication obstacle’ occurring when we make up our mind before

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we have all the facts. By doing so we miss out on obtaining the full picture. To avoid jumping to
conclusions, use active listening skills with loads of empathy without interrupting.
No quick judgments:When listening to others, the trick is to remain neutral by absorbing what they have to
say in its entirety before making up our minds. Quick judgments are a barrier to communication. Using
empathy and our active listening skills is recommended.
No judging motives:Judging the motives of others is another communication obstacle to be avoided.
Allowing others to openly express themselves without being judged for whatever reason is a courtesy, giving
the other person dignity with the freedom to be open.
Be patient and quick to forgive:None of us are exempt from making the most silliest of mistakes. We all
make them. Forgiveness is about being able to move on past a certain point in our own lives. We can easily
develop a bitter root and become stuck in our relationships without forgiveness.

SESSION NINE
COMMUNICATION IN MEETING
9.1 Introduction
A business meeting is all about the exchange of ideas, whether it’s a sales pitch or a development meeting
with your staff and nothing’s more essential to swapping ideas with colleagues than strong communication
skills. Communicating in a meeting isn’t the same as one-on-one communication, so business owners must
recognize the differences and adapt their communication style to be more effective in meetings. Knowing
how to communicate well in meetings – especially if you are chairing the meeting – is vital for making them
efficient and productive.
Discussion
 What are the common problems of communication in meetings that you observe (Consider

9.2 Howthetocase of your company)?

Communicate Effectively at Meetings
 Suggest strategies to communicate effectively in meetings.
Address the Entire Group: People are used to one-on-one communication and often fall back on those habits
while in a group setting such as a meeting, particularly when addressing an issue posed by a member of the
meeting. Make eye contact with each person in the group and speak to each member of the meeting. Not
only will this keep everyone in the room engaged in what you’re saying, it also makes everyone in the
meeting feel valued and a part of the group, rather than just a spectator.
Be Concise:To use your meeting time wisely and present your points most directly, be as succinct as
possible when you speak. Shorter amounts of information are easier for other members of the meetings to
process than long, rambling speeches, and many speakers waste time--and squander their audience’s
interest--by prefacing ideas with long introductions or rhetorical questions. Avoid clichés and business-world
jargon, as they usually don’t communicate any ideas and merely waste time. Keep an eye on the amount of
time you spend while you talk, and try to limit it as much as possible.
Actively Listen:Communication is a two-way street, so it’s important to uphold your portion of
responsibilities when you’re not speaking. Actively listening to others’ comments in meetings helps you
understand their points much more quickly--saving the possibility of additional discussion later--while it
helps you hone your own presentation to fit the audience and tone of the meeting.
Use Your Space Wisely:If you find that you’re in a position in the room where you can’t hear or see a
presenter, or that your position in the room cuts you out of most of the meeting’s conversations, don’t be
afraid to move to a better spot. Meetings are about communicating, and if your location in the room prevents
or hinders that communication, it’s a counter-productive place for you to sit.

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Be Positive:It’s easy to be negative or point out flaws in another person’s ideas in a meeting, but doing so
may ultimately thwart the meeting’s success. Rather than address the downside of any issue raised, try to
locate the positive, valuable side in each comment a person makes. Not only will this keep the meeting from
being derailed by petty personal attacks, it also keeps the focus on developing solutions or creating progress.
Be on time:Nothing says that a meeting is not important more than turning up late to it. Not sticking to the
allocated time schedule in a meeting also shows a lack of respect for other people’s time.
Be aware of the message that you are sending.
Stay on topic:An agenda should be driven by action and sent to attendees in advance. If an item comes up
for discussion that is not on the agenda make a note to discuss it during General Business or schedule it in
for another time.
Voice of success:The energy in your voice can give clues to the message that you are sending.
 Are you delivering your point with confidence?
 Does your message sound positive or negative?
 How can you use your voice inflections to emphasize your point?
 What feeling is your tone of voice reflecting?
Word choice:Your choice of words and language in a meeting can sometimes persuade opinions to go in
your favor or do the reverse. Be mindful when choosing your words and avoid language that makes
assumptions or discriminates.
Watch your body language:Body language is just as important as verbal communication. It provides clues
to your attitude and state of mind – be conscious of the message that you’re sending with your body
language.
 Are you slouching in your chair?
 Are you using eye contact to include everyone?
 Are your arms crossed defensively?
Avoid distractions:Following the agenda and staying within the timeframe of each action point will help
you to stay focused. Have water at hand to remain hydrated and put your phone away to avoid external
distractions.
Good meetings require good participants and good leaders. All attendees should be prepared and
ready to communicate effectively in order to make the meeting as productive and constructive as possible.
9.3 Common meeting problems and How to Avoid Them
Have you ever been in a meeting that seemed like a slow death? Don't be the manager of that kind of
meeting. You do have a choice. According to research, over half of all meetings are a waste of time. Why?
Many managers don't know how to conduct an effective meeting. They make the same miserable mistakes
day in and day out and never take the time to learn how to conduct them better.
Meetings fail for many reasons but here are the most common ones followed by recommended solutions
are the following:
a) No agenda - Create a meeting agenda ahead of time and communicate it with your team. Be clear on
your purpose and what you hope to accomplish.
b) Poor agenda - Some managers who do have agendas try to rewrite world history during the meeting.
You have to focus. There are different types meetings such as: staff, department, quality
improvement, or training. Be clear on your reason for getting together.
c) Lack of participation - Don't be the only one who talks. Managers need to learn facilitation skills to
engage their teams in the meeting. Get other team members on the agenda to contribute as well.
More engagement creates more commitment and energy.
d) Doesn't start on time - This is a common occurrence in meetings today. Let your team know upfront
that you will start on time. When someone comes late, acknowledge it and remind them of your

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expectations. However, YOU start on time. Also, focus and aim to complete most of your meetings
in 30 minutes or less.
e) Doesn't end on time - Make a commitment to a certain time-frame and stick to it. If you don't
accomplish everything get permission from the team for more time or set another meeting time if you
have to.
f) Getting off the subject -At the start of any meeting, check you have a shared understanding of the
purpose. Unless the meeting is very informal, have a short, one-sentence purpose statement displayed
at all times. This will ensure all participants share the same purpose and will act as reminder if they
wander off onto another irrelevant topic.
g) No record: - Keep a record of what happens in the meeting. Ask someone to be a recorder and take
minutes. Share the minutes through a timely email as follow-up.
h) A few people dominate - A few people will often dominate a meeting because they like to talk or
because of their expertise. Use group discussion methodology to get all people involved.
i) Poor facilitation skills - It takes training and practice to run effective meetings. Key facilitation
skills include: listening, dealing with problems, giving feedback, designing group input, problem-
solving, dealing with disruptive people, keeping the meeting on task, and creating consensus.
j) No Conflict Resolution - Conflict isn't bad. It just means people have differences in opinion. Over
time team meetings without conflict lose innovation and trust. Leaders must create openness and
learn how to constructively deal with issues when they arise.
k) No summary at the end - Near the end of every meeting you need to recap key points, what was
agreed to and the next step responsibilities. When you do this you reaffirm the meetings outcomes
and who is accountable for what.

SESSION TEN
COMMUNICATION IN NEGOTIATION
10.1 The role of Communication in Negotiation
Negotiation is nothing but a discussion among individuals to reach to an alternative which would satisfy all.
The dialogue between individuals to come to a common conclusion benefiting all is called as negotiation.
Negotiation refers to the discussions among individuals evaluating the pros and cons of a situation and
coming to an alternative best suited to all. In negotiation, individuals try their level best to come to a
conclusion which would satisfy all.

How is an effective discussion possible? Only through communication. An effective communication is

directly proportional to an effective negotiation. The better the communication is the better the
negotiation would be. Discussion does not mean fighting and shouting, instead it is simply the exchange of
one’s ideas, thoughts and opinions with each other. One needs to have excellent communication skills for a
healthy and an effective discussion. Communication is an art and one should master it to excel in all kinds of
negotiation. The other person will never come to know about your thoughts and ideas unless and until you
share it with them. One can’t see your grey matter. Lot depends on how you speak.
An effective communication is of prime importance in business deals also. The terms and conditions
must be mentioned clearly for better transparency and don’t try to hide anything from the second party. It’s
always better to depend on written modes of communication like emails, letters, documents or agreements
for better reliability. Use corporate terminologies, professional jargons and never use irrelevant statements in
your speech. It is considered highly unprofessional.

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One should also be very careful with his pitch and tone. Always remember battles can be won just by being
decent and polite. Don’t be rude and harsh on others. Speak slowly and convincingly in a tone audible to one
and all. Do not speak either too fast or too slow. The other person must understand your speech. Never be
loud or shout on anyone. It’s unethical to speak ill or insult anyone just for a deal. Relationships are more
important and must be valued.
Nonverbal communication also plays an important role in an effective negotiation. Our facial
expressions hand movements, posture matter a lot and must never be ignored.
If you come across a person who is nervous, sweating unnecessarily and fiddling with things around, will
you entertain such a person?The same happens with the other party also. If they come to know that you are
nervous, they would definitely try to sit on your head and the deal would never be in your favor. Don’t
express your helplessness to anyone. You might need the job badly but don’t let the other person know
about it. Be very confident and show a positive attitude. Whenever you are going for a negotiation, don’t
forget to carry your smile. Flash your million dollar smile but don’t laugh unnecessarily or crack silly jokes
in between. Exchange greetings and compliments to break the ice.Sit straight, don’t lean on the chair and do
make an eye contact with the person sitting on the other side of the table. It shows your confidence and
strong will power. Don’t play with things kept on the table. Concentrate on the negotiation and don’t look
here and there.
Negotiation is no rocket science. You just have to be very clear about your expectations and interests;
express the same clearly, convince the other party and come to something acceptable to both. Don’t speak
anything which might hurt the other person. Be very polite in your speech, involve everyone in the
discussion and decide in the favor of all the participants for an effective negotiation.
One should very sensibly convert his thoughts into a speech by carefully selecting relevant words. Be careful
about your words. One should never use derogatory (insulting) sentences or fowl words in his speech.
Understand the power of speech. The way you present your thought matter a lot. Don’t speak just for the
sake of it. Haphazard (random, disorganized) thoughts and abstract ideas only lead to confusions. One must
speak clearly what he expects from the other person. Don’t eat your words and try to confuse others. Your
thoughts and ideas must be expressed clearly for others to understand well. Be crisp (distinct) and precise
in your speech.
Negotiation is a technique employed to avoid conflicts and decide something which would benefit all.
Individuals negotiate with each other and try to reach to a solution satisfying all. Negotiation is not possible
unless and until individuals learn to compromise to some extent and stop finding faults in each other.
Professionals must know how to negotiate well to successfully close deals, avoid conflicts, better relations
among the employees and making the organization a better place to work. An individual spends his
maximum time at his workplace and thus it is important that he is relaxed and tension free here for better
concentration and output. If you do not agree with your team members, do not fight with them, it is always
better to negotiate and find out a solution which would make you as well as them happy. One can’t afford to
have enemies in his organization, thus negotiation is really essential in organizations.
Discussion
 What are the situations in which you are supposed to negotiate? Who are the parties with
whom you negotiate?
10.2 Types of Negotiation in Organizations
 Suggest
Negotiation takes communication
place in variousstrategies
ways in for effective communication
organizations for increased in negotiations.
output and better relations among
employees.Let us go through the various types of negotiation in detail:
 Day to Day Negotiation at work place- Every day we negotiate something or the other at the
workplace either with our superiors or with our fellow workers or customers for the smooth flow of
work and to work together. These are called day to day negotiations.

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 Negotiation between employee and superior- At the work place, an employee has to negotiate
with his superiors so that he is assigned the responsibilities as per his interests and specialization.
Don’t accept anything you are not comfortable with. Sit with your boss and discuss things with him.
Let’s suppose your boss wants you to prepare a report on branding and marketing strategies of the
organization and marketing was never your specialization. Do not accept it just because your boss
has told you to do so. Negotiate with him, probably you can cover some other subject and somebody
else can be asked to prepare the report on marketing and branding. It is better to negotiate at the first
place to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings later. An individual before accepting any offer should
negotiate his salary with the concerned person to avoid tensions later. If you are not getting what you
deserve, you will never enjoy your work. Don’t just accept any offer just because you need a job, its
always advisable to negotiate well before joining any organization.
 Negotiation between colleagues- Negotiation is essential among team members to reduce the
chances of disputes and conflicts. Any particular team member should not be over burdened while
the other member is relaxing. One should negotiate with his fellow workers and accept only those
responsibilities he feels he is best capable of doing. The responsibility of achieving the targets
should not rest on only one shoulder, but equally divided among all. Negotiate with your team
members and accept the responsibilities willingly. If you want to go for a leave for some days,
negotiate with your team member to take care of your work in your absence. When he takes a leave,
you can help him in the same way.
Negotiation helps to increase the output of the team and eventually the productivity of the
organization. People achieve what they expect and hence misunderstandings and conflicts are
reduced to a large extent and the office becomes a better place to work.
 Commercial negotiations- Commercial negotiations are generally done in the form of contract.
Two parties sit face to face across the table, discuss issues between them and come to conditions
acceptable to both the parties. In such cases; everything should be in black and white. A contract is
signed by both the parties and they both have to adhere to its terms and conditions.
 Legal Negotiation- Legal negotiation takes place between individual and the law where the
individual has to abide by the rules and regulations laid by the legal system and the legal system also
takes into account the needs and interest of the individual.
Negotiations are essential at workplace so that everyone is satisfied and nobody feels left out or neglected. It
also reduces conflicts and misunderstandings among fellow workers.

10.3 Communication Strategies for successful negotiation.

 Preparation - It is essential that an individual prepares well for negotiation. Remember if your
company has chosen you for the negotiation with an external party; they must have noticed some
spark in you. No way you can let them down and must try hard to live up to the expectations of your
superiors as well as your organization. Accept the challenge willingly; don’t accept anything out of
fear. You will never be able to do anything great. Go through all the relevant details carefully. If you
are not clear with anything, do clarify with your superiors beforehand rather than going for a
negotiation with a doubt in your mind. If you yourself are not clear with the details and facts, you
would never be able to convince the other party.
 Stay alert - Keep your eyes and ears open during negotiation. Remember the other party would try
hard to convince you and impose their decisions on you. You don’t have to fall a prey to the other
party. If you are not in a mood to negotiate, it is always better to postpone it rather than messing up
things.

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 Confidence - Confidence is the key to an effective negotiation. A professional needs to be confident

enough to make his points clear in front of the other party. The other person can ask you anything
and you can’t afford to be nervous in front of him. Be intelligent enough to answer all his questions.
A confident person always leaves his impression on others and people look up to him.
 Be cautious - Be very careful with your paper work. Study the papers carefully and do take all the
necessary documents along with you when you are going for any negotiation. Prepare the necessary
agreements and contracts well in advance and leave space for the terms and conditions as well as
signatures of both the parties. These formalities ought to be done once the negotiation is complete.
 Avoid delays - One should always reach for business meetings on time. Don’t keep the other party
waiting. If the time for the negotiation is 10 am make sure that you are there at 9.45 am. Time is
precious for everyone and one should make the best use of it.
 Understand the other person well - For an effective negotiation, it is important that you understand
the needs and expectations of the other person as well. It is natural to be more concerned for one’s
own things, but one must not also ignore the other person’s interests as well. Remember he has also
come for business. It is important that both the parties are involved in a healthy discussion on an
open forum and evaluate the pros and cons of the plans carefully to decide something which would
be beneficial to all. Never underestimate anyone. Make sure that everyone is happy after the
negotiation. No one should complain.
 Don’t cheat anyone - One should be honest during negotiation. One should speak only when he is
sure about it. Don’t depend on guess works or assumptions. They don’t work in professional
scenarios. It is unethical to fake things or manipulate truth. One should be honest in his dealings for
a fair negotiation and to avoid confusions later. You will not gain much out of lies and dishonesty.
 Always have an alternate plan with you - If your plan A fails, make sure you are ready to present
your plan B. An option is important. You should not rely on a single plan. You never know which
plan would click with others.
 One must know the purpose of negotiation - Why do you think you need the negotiation? One
should be clear about his expectations from the negotiation. The agenda of the negotiation must be
clear. Make sure you have realistic expectations. Don’t ask for something which would incur a loss
to the other party. Please don’t expect impossible things to happen.
 Don’t get too involved in the negotiation - Do learn to keep a control on your emotions. One should
not take any decision out of emotion. Don’t tend to ignore things just because you are dealing with
your friend. Professional life must be kept separate from your personal interests. Give more priority
to your work.
 Maintain the decorum (dignity) of the place - Don’t use foul words or abusive language against
anyone. Never insult anyone. If the second party is not convinced, discuss with him but never stoop
to derogatory acts. That is absolutely unacceptable.
 Be a good communicator - Clarity in thoughts is important and ideas must be communicated clearly
to the other person. Don’t try to confuse others. Make sure you don’t adopt a casual approach. Use
relevant words. Add professional jargons and corporate terminologies in your speech. One should be
careful about his pitch and tone as well. Pitch should neither be too high nor too low. It must be
audible to everyone.
 Be patient - Negotiation needs time and one ought to be patient enough to interact, understand the
second party and make his points clear. Don’t try to wind up the negotiation quickly. Never impose
your decisions on others or rush for conclusions.
 Don’t drag the conversation too long - Once the conclusion is reached, it’s better to close the deal.
Don’t wait for some more miracles to happen. Make sure you don’t make the negotiation too
monotonous otherwise the parties will lose interest in the discussion. The discussion should be

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interesting and everyone should participate in it.Express your opinions at the time of discussion,
rather than cribbing later.
 One should not act pricy or pretend things - Be yourself and try to react in a normal way. Don’t be
rude to anyone. Be at ease and things will automatically fall in place. One should be comfortable
with the second party for a better negotiation.No one would hang you if you are unable to close the
deal, so avoid fighting with anyone unnecessarily. It’s better to ignore minor things. Don’t make
issues out of petty things. One should learn to compromise sometimes and strive hard to come to a
conclusion.
 Chose a proper room for business negotiations - A conference room, a meeting room or probably
the board room is the ideal choice. Opt for a noise free place. Don’t make the discussion too formal.
You can order some snacks as well. Always carry a pen and a notepad to jot down important points
for future reference. If you have to deliver any presentation, make sure it is properly downloaded in
your laptop. Do check once before going for the negotiation. It might embarrass you in front of
others. Dress appropriately for the deal. Prefer formals for the desired impact.

SESSION ELEVEN
OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION
11.1 What is business communication barrier?
Research has pointed out that almost 75% of all business communication fails to achieve the desired result.
A communication barrier is anything that prevents you from receiving and understanding the messages
others use to convey their information, ideas and thoughts. These barriers may be related to the message,
internal barriers related to thoughts and feelings, or external barriers.

Discussion questions
 What are the common communication barriers you observe in your company in
general and your district and branch in particular?
 What do you think are the negative impacts of the barriers of communication to
your companyin general and your district and branch in particular?
 Provide solutions for the identified barriers.
11.2 Types and Sources of Communication barriers


A. Semantic Berries
The Semantic Barriers refers to the misunderstanding between the sender and receiver arising due to the
different meanings of words, and other symbols used in the communication.
The semantic barriers usually arise when the information is not in the simple language and contains those
words or symbols that have multiple meanings. Following are the main language barriers:

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a) Bad Expression: The message is not formulated properly and the language used is so difficult that it
could be misinterpreted by the recipient. The message is said to be badly expressed if the wrong words
are chosen, the sentences are not sequenced properly, and there is a frequent repetition of words or
sentences. The badly expressed messages consume a lot of time as it requires corrections and
clarifications and also the impact of the message gets reduced.
b) Symbols, or Words with Different Meanings: There are several words that carry different meanings
and often, people get confused with these words and interpret these differently due to the difference in
their educational and social backgrounds.
c) Faulty Translation: Sometimes, the sender translates the message as per his level of understanding
irrespective of the recipient’s comprehension level. For example, a manager collected information from
his superiors and subordinates and translated the same information to all his employees, according to the
understanding level of the superiors, and this led to the misinterpretation of the message. Thus, it is
required to mold the message according to the understanding levels of the employees to have an intended
response.
d) Unclarified Assumptions: Sometimes the sender creates assumptions about certain things which he
feels the receiver must be knowing about it and focus only on the subject matter. But in the case of a
special message, if the assumptions are vague and unknown to the receiver then the communication
might get adversely affected.
e) Denotations and Connotations: The denotation means the literal meaning of the word; it just shows the
name of the object and does not imply any negative or positive qualities. The detonation barriers arise
due to the sender and receiver using a different definition and meaning of the word used in the message.
Such as word crane is used in the context of bird species but it is interpreted as a vehicle that lifts the
objects.
f) Whereas the implied meaning of the word is called connotation that arouses personal reactions and
qualitative judgments. The connotation barriers arise when the people use words that hold different
meanings in different abstract situations, contexts, feelings, etc. For example, the word beautiful and
confidence has a positive connotation, but can have any of the meaning depending on the context in
which it is used.
g) Technical jargons: Often people working in the technical groups such as engineers, production
managers, IT managers, etc. use the technical jargons in their communication which is quite difficult for
the layman to understand. Thus, the use of technical jargons in communication can act as a barrier.

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Thus, semantic barriers lead to misunderstanding of the information and the objective of communication, i.e.
for which it was intended, gets disrupted.
B. Organizational Barriers
Definition: The Organizational Barriers refers to the hindrances in the flow of information among the
employees that might result in a commercial failure of an organization.

The major Organizational Barriers are listed below:

a) Organizational Rules and Policies: Often, organizations have the rule with respect to what message,
medium, and mode of communication should be selected. And due to the stringent rules, the employees
escape themselves from sending any message.Similarly, the organizational policy defines the
relationship between the employees and the way they shall communicate with each other maintaining
their levels of position in the organization. Such as, if the company policy is that all the communication
should be done in writing, then even for a small message the medium used should be written. This leads
to delay in the transmission of the message and hence the decision making gets delayed.
b) Status or Hierarchical Positions in the Organization: In every organization, the employees are
divided into several categories on the basis of their levels of the organization. The people occupying the
upper echelons of the hierarchy are superior to the ones occupying the lower levels, and thus, the
communication among them would be formal. This formal communication may often act as a barrier to
the effective communication. Such as the lower level employee might be reluctant in sending a message
to his superior because of a fear in his mind of sending the faulty or wrong message.
c) Organizational Facilities: The organizational facilities mean the telephone, stationery, translator, etc.,
which is being provided to employees to facilitate the communication. When these facilities are
adequately offered to the employees, then the communication is said to be timely, accurate and
according to the need. Whereas, in the absence of such facilities, the communication may get adversely
affected.
d) Complex Organizational Structure: The communication gets affected if there are a greater number of
management levels in the organization. With more levels, the communication gets delayed and might
change before reaching the intended receiver.Thus, communication is the key factor in the success of any
firm, and the communication is said to be effective when the employees interact with each other in such
a way that it results in the overall improvement of the self as well as the organization.

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C. Psychological Barriers
Definition: The Psychological or Emotional Barriers refers to the psychological state i.e. Opinions,
attitudes, status consciousness, emotions, etc. of a person that deeply affects the ability to communicate.
The communication largely depends on the mental condition of a person, if the person is not mentally or
emotionally sound, then he cannot communicate effectively either as a sender or a receiver.The main kinds of
Psychological or Emotional Barriers are:

a) Lack of Attention: When the person is pre-occupied by some other things and do not listen carefully
what the other person is speaking, then arises the psychological barrier in the communication. When the
person does not listen to others, then he won’t be able to comprehend the message as it was intended and
will not be able to give proper feedback.
b) Premature Evaluation: Many people have a tendency to jump to the conclusions directly and form
judgments without considering all the aspects of information. This is generally done by the people who
are impatient and resort to a selective listening. This premature evaluation of the information acts as a
barrier to the effective communication and lowers the morale of the sender.
c) Poor Retention: The retention refers to the capacity of a brain to retain or store things in the memory.
The brain does not store all the information came across but in fact, retain only those which deems to be
helpful in the future. Therefore, much of the information gets lost during the retention process, and this
acts as a barrier to the effective communication.
d) Loss by Transmission: The loss by transmission means, whenever the information exchanges hand its
credibility reduces. It is most often observed in the case of an oral communication where people handle
information carelessly and transmits the information which has lost some of its truth. Thus, the improper
and lack of information being transmitted to others acts as a hindrance in the communication process.
e) Distrust: To have an effective communication, it is must that both the communicators (sender and
receiver) trust each other. In case there is a lack of trust between both the parties, then they will tend to
derive negative meaning out of the message and often ignore what has been communicated. If the
receiver has no trust, then he will not listen to whatever is being said by the sender, and this will result in
a meaningless communication.
f) Emotions: The communication is greatly influenced by the emotions of a person. If a person is not in a
good temperament, then he would not listen properly to whatever is said and might say things offending
the sender. Several other emotions such as anger, nervousness, confusion, restlessness, etc. affects the
communication process.

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Thus, every human being has a unique mind which is composed of varied emotions, beliefs, perceptions,
opinions, and thoughts that facilitate different forms of communication.
D. Personal Barriers
Definition: The Personal Barriers relate to the factors that are personal to the sender and receiver and act as
a hindrance in the communication process. These factors include the life experiences, emotions, attitudes,
behavior that hinders the ability of a person to communicate.
The most common personal barriers are:

a) Lack of Listening Skills: The efficiency of communication process gets disturbed when the receiver
listens only with ears but do not apply his mind. Often, the receiver listens what he wants to listen and
give no attention to other aspects of the information, thereby acting as a hindrance to the effective
communication.
b) Selective Attention: This problem arises when the person is impatient and put his objective above all.
He gives ears to only that part of the information which is helpful for him and fulfills his objective and
ignores all the other aspects.
c) Lack of knowledge: Also, the communication process suffers if the sender and receiver have less
knowledge about the subject matter.
d) Lack of vocabulary: Often, the communication problem arises when the sender uses some words which
are difficult for the receiver to comprehend correctly.
In the organizational context, both the superiors and the subordinates have their personal barriers that impede
them to communicate effectively. These barriers are:

11.3Methods of Overcoming Communication Barriers:

Considering the importance of effective communication in the successful functioning of business
organizations, it is essential to overcome the different barriers to communication. The following methods
are suggested to avoid the communication barriers:
1. Full Information:To make the communication effective, it is first of all necessary that the communicator
should know completely and clearly what he intends to communicate.
2. Mutual Trust:Communication is intended for acceptance and desired action. Such acceptance is, to a great
extent, influenced by trust and confidence in the motives and sincerity of the communicator. If trust is
lacking, communication will fall short of its expected results.So, it is necessary that an environment of trust
and confidence is established within the organization. This will encourage people to communicate honestly
with one another.
3. Appropriate Language:The language used for communication should be such that it can be easily
comprehended by the receiver. Most popular symbols, clear and precise language should be used for proper
communication.

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4. Inter-Personal Relationship:Proper inter-personal relationships must be developed between the superiors

and the subordinates so that the latter may feel free and frank to transmit complete and correct information to
the former. The superiors must appreciate useful criticisms and beneficial suggestions of the subordinates.
5. Selection of Appropriate Channel:The managers must be competent enough to select the most
appropriate channel for sending messages. A rich channel such as face-to- face discussion or telephone
should be used to send a complicated message. On the other hand, memos, letters or electronic mail may be
used to send routine messages, because there is hardly any chance of misunderstanding.
6. Mutual Understanding:It is of considerable importance for both the senders and receivers to make a
special effort to understand each other’s perspective. By understanding others’ perspectives, remarks can be
classified, perceptions understood, and objectivity maintained.
7. Empathy in Communication:The way for effective communication is to be sensitive towards the
receiver’s needs, feelings and perceptions. The communicator should convey the message in such a way that
the emotions and sentiments of the receiver are not hurt. When the sender of the message looks at the
problems from the receiver’s point of view, many of the misunderstandings can be avoided.

8. Two-Way Communication:Communication is a two-way process. Two-way communication brings two

minds together—which is the basic core of any communication. It involves a continuous dialogue between
the sender and receiver of the message. Upward communication can become a reality in the organization and
effective if this fact is recognized.
9. Supporting Words with Actions:The most persuasive kind of communication is not what you say but what
you do. The managers must make sure that their actions support the communication process. This will ensure
the seriousness in communication.
10. Using Examples and Visual Aids:To fix the idea of communication in the receiver’s mind, appropriate
stories and word pictures may be used in appropriate situations to the understanding of the receiver. Further,
visual aids through charts and diagrams can be advantageously used to stress particular points or ideas which
may be difficult to describe properly by words.
11. Good Listening:Careful listening is essential for effective communication. By this process, one is not
only giving chance to others to speak but gathers useful information for further communications. By
concentrating on the speaker’s explicit and implicit meanings, the manager can obtain a much better
understanding of what is being said.
12. Evaluation and remedy:There should be continuous programme of evaluating the flow of
communication in different directions. This would highlight the problems in this area, identify their causes
and thereby enable the adoption of suitable corrective action. The superiors should not be quick to evaluate
the information before understanding it properly.
13. Clear organizational policy: Organization should have adequate, clear and explicit communication
policies. Such policies will reduce confusion and promote the flow of communication.
14. Provision for feedback: In order to make communicate effective, mangers should actively seek feedback
from subordinates. Feedback reduces the chance of misunderstanding and disparity between the messages
sends and received.
15. Reorganization: In order to create a favorable communication climate, complex organization structure
should be reorganized. Reorganization may involve reducing authority layers and establishing clear authority
and responsibility relationship.
16. Orientation: Orientation refers to introducing the newly appointed employees with the company mission,
goals, policies, rules and regulations, procedures etc. this can greatly enhance the effectiveness of
communication in the organization.

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 Ethiopian Road Authority School of Commerce

17. Communication training: To make the employees efficient communicator, organizations can arrange
various training programs for them.
18. Reducing information overload: Communication system becomes defective if more information flows at
a time than is necessity. To resolve this problem, only necessary information should be conveyed. Moreover,
separate messages should be communicated after certain intervals.
19. Communication audit: According to Howard H. Greenbaum, one way to improve communication in
organization is to conduct a communication audit. Communication audit means examining and evaluating
communication networks, communication functions and communication principle and taking a remedy. If
communication audit is undertaken after certain intervals, communication will obviously improve

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