Communication Skills

ELE205
Mohammad R. Rawashdeh

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication Skills
ELE205

Chapter One
Communication Process

Mohammad R. Rawashdeh
[email protected]

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Outline

1. Communication definition.
2. Functions of communication.
3. Communication process model.
4. Types of noise.
5. Communication climate.
6. Communication tools.
Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
 Why we need Communication?

• We need Communication to deal with

people who are important in our life,
work with, live with, learn with…

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
1-Communication definition

Communication means different things to

different people. For example: For the
supervisor of a job, it is the way of making
sure that job is well done.

So, we can define it: The process of receiving

and transmitting messages.

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
1-Communication definition

Communication is shared understanding of:

a) Feeling.
b) Thoughts.
c) Wants.
d) Needs.
e) And intentions of the communicators.
f) Information.

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
 2-Functions of Communication
Why we communicate?
• Practical needs; buying food, securing a job,
renting apartment, health, safely.

• Social; meeting other people, demonstrate ties,

friendships, relationships.

Are social functions important? & What are the

symptoms of failure of social functions?
Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
2-Functions of Communication
cont. Why we communicate?
c) Decision making; More information we
receive, better decisions we make. We use
information to decide: better job, who to
marry, where to live, wear a coat or T-shirt.

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
2-Functions of Communication
cont. Why we communicate?
d) Personal growth; intellectual, emotional, social &
psychological growth. Through self expression
and feedback from others. Feel appreciated and
successful, obtain new information, increase
awareness, new challenges & experiences….So,
we grow as peopleMohammar R. Rawashdeh
3- Communication Process Model

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
3- Communication Process Model
• 1-Sender & receiver: we can be considered as
transceivers. (both sending & receiving messages
simultaneously.

• 2- Encoding: senders originate a communication

message. An idea comes into mind, and an attempt
is made to put this thought into symbols the
receiver will understand. Changing thoughts into
symbols.
Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
3- Communication Process Model
• 3-Decoding: The receiver who is the distention of
the communication message must assign meaning
to the symbols so they can be understood.

• Encoding & decoding are unique for each person.

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
 3- Communication Process Model
• 4- Message: is the idea, thought, feeling, opinion,
to be communicated. The messages can be clear
(direct) or unclear.

• 5-Channel: The line through which the message

travels from sender to receiver, such like: face to
face, messages are carried by sound and light
waves. Now, technology takes place: email, SMS,
voicemail.
Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
3- Communication Process Model
• 6-Feedback: receiver’s response to the heard, seen
or understood message. How the receiver feels
about the message &/or sender

• 7-Noise:any interference that prevents shared

understanding.

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
3- Communication Process Model
• 8- Context: can be divided into:
I. Social: deals with the relation between sender &
receiver. With who you communicate with: boss,
friend, father, son, leader, slave.

II. Physical: will dictate what you say and how you
say it, in class, home, coffee shop.

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
4- Types of Noise
1) Internal Noise: the dialogues which occur
inside our heads.

2) External Noise: noise in the environment.

3) Semantic Noise: occurs when sender and

receiver have different meaning of words.

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
 Internal Noise: (inside our head)
Internal Noise includes:
a) Attitudes.
b) Beliefs.
c) Feeling.
d) Opinions that influence our ability
to send and receive messages.
e) Self concepts, how we feel, how we expect,
daydreaming, preoccupation with personal
problems are all forms of internal noise.
Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
2) External Noise
•External noise deals with environment noise like
other voices, buzzing of machines and so on.
•It most affects personal inter-communications.
•This type of noise is more obvious than internal
noise and is easier to cope with.

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
3) Semantic Noise

• Occurs when sender and receiver have different

meaning of words.

•Semantic noise often occurs when technicians

and lay people talk together.

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
How to overcome noise??

1) Internal noise: being aware of topics and

words that you reeling.

2) External noise: turn off noise sources.

3) Semantic Noise: take aware that people may

have different meaning of some words.
Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Outline

1. Communication definition.
2. Functions of communication.
3. Communication process model.
4. Types of noise.
5. Communication climate.
6. Communication tools.
Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication climate is:
Communication climate is the environment in
which communication either bloom or decay
depending on the sum of elements (and their
variations):
Sender.
Receiver.
Channel.
Method of communication.
Objective of communication and others.

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication climate
•Good communication dose not just
happen.

•Effective communication happens

when the people involved work to
create a climate of openness, honest
& respect.

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication climate
Effective communication happens when people act
to minimize break downs that are likely to occur.
Also, when they involved work to create a climate
of openness, honest and respect..

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication climate
Awareness of the following principles may
prevent some breakdowns:
1)We are always communicating: Intend or not,
we spend more than
75% of our total time
communicating.

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication climate
2) The message sent is not necessarily the same
message received:
Some experts claim that
50% of our communication
is misunderstood.

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication climate
3) Who sends the message is a part of it: For example if we
hear the message “I hate you” the meaning of message change if
it were said by a stranger, friend or enemy or child or wife…
Example: try to understand if your manager, enemy or stranger, says:

‘I love you’…!!

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication climate
4) The meaning of words are inside of us: words do
not mean people attach meaning to words.
5) Communication is learned:
In general, communication is “culture bound” thus
we can learn new and better ways of
communication ( language, gesture, culture) in
which we are raised

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication Tools is:
A series of guidelines & skills for improving our
interactions with others & assist effective communication.
1)Overcoming barriers ( such like noise)
2)Giving and getting feedback
3)Recognizing and limiting overload
4)Improving relations
5)Remaining sensitive to organization structure
Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication Tools
1) Overcoming barriers:
a) Gossip: unsubstantiated, unproven, incorrect or
unconfirmed rumor. Messages become distorted as they
move from person to person poor communication.
To overcome gossip:
1- Check facts by face to face with the
people directly involved.
2- Don’t pass any message on.
Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication Tools
1) Overcoming barriers:
b) Gaps: occur because people are different in gender, age,
position, cultural…
• Assuming that all people in a one group have a certain
stereotype can produce divisions between people.
• We must questioning these stereotypes and focus our
communication on individuals not on representative members

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication Tools
1) Overcoming barriers:
c) Loss of emotional control: is inability to control
emotions, for example:
- Skillful persuader may prevent listeners from receiving the
information objectively.
- Disagreeable or offensive topics cause defensive responses.
 We can overcome by:
- being aware of phrases , terms or topics that may
create an emotional response.
- Recognizing that people have different views of the world
Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
 Communication Tools
1) Overcoming barriers:
d) Defensiveness: tendency to misinterpret comments, like
personal attack. E.g. lost equipment. Or to misinterpret another
comments as a personal attack when that was not the intention.
It can be minimized by developing an accurate self-concept by
checking possible interpretations with speakers and by sharing feeling
and thoughts honestly.

e) In addition to the three types of noises we talk about

earlier. Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Outline

1. Communication definition.
2. Functions of communication.
3. Communication process model.
4. Types of noise.
5. Communication climate.
6. Communication tools.
Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication Tools is:
A series of guidelines and skills for improving our
interactions with others:
1)Overcoming barriers
2) Giving and getting feedback
3)Recognizing and limiting overload
4)Improving relations
5)And remaining sensitive to organization structure
Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication Tools
2) Giving and getting feedback: always worthwhile
for increased understanding.
The source of difficulty come from how we receive message
and how we provide feedback.

• Make your feedback have the impact, it deserves by the

manner and approach you use to deliver feedback.

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication Tools
2) Giving and getting feedback

Get feedback

Sender/ Receiver/
Receiver Sender

Give feedback

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
 Communication Tools
2) Having and getting feedback:
a) Giving feedback strategies :
i. Make the feedback appropriate. Chose the time, the type, place, ..
upon the sender request & when it is necessary to clarify the message

ii. Make the feedback specific.

iii. Make the feedback positive especially when it contains

constructions criticism. Use positive feedbacks before & after negative

ones. Do not make negative feedbacks in front of others.

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
 Communication Tools
2) Having and getting feedback:
b) Receiving feedback:

•Ask for feedback then receive it openly.

•Acknowledge the feedback, and thank the receiver.

•Consider the feedback received. Be open suggestions, opinions & concerns the

receiver may share with you. (improve your decision & make the listener feel

values).

Suggestion boxes, open door policies and team meeting are ways to promote
Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
feedback.
Communication Tools
3) Recognizing and limiting information
overload:
•Information overload occurs when you become burdened and
overwhelmed by too much paper-based, electronic and verbal
information.
•Information overload can lead to reduced productivity, added
stress, difficulty of making decisions, and decreased attention span
and memory.
. Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
 Communication Tools
3) Recognizing and limiting information overload:
To combat this overload, it is essential to adopt effective strategies for
managing information:

•Recognize overloads in others (acknowledge your awareness of their

overload & ask for more time to meet).

•Recognize overloads in self (ask for help, let others know you are busy).

•Limit overload situations (arrange & schedule your communication in a

realistic time frame). Mohammar R. Rawashdeh

 Communication Tools
4) Improving relations:
a)Positive regard: accept other people for who they are as human
beings regardless f their money, power, color, …
b)Empathy: develop an interest of others. Put yourself in their shoes
c)Openness: share your own true feeling , thoughts & experience.
d)Trust:
•Task trust: handing out paper work within the dead line. Carrying out
whatever is expected of you.
•Interpersonal trust ( keeping secrets, defending people who unfairly
Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
criticized)
 Communication Tools
5) Remaining sensitive to organization structure:
a)Formal networks:

•Are those established by management and are often represented

in organization charts.

•these networks identify a chain of command provide a feedback

system and regulate the kind of communication.

• You must know your responsibilities which involve sending

and receiving information through the proper channels in a
specific chain. Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication Tools
5) Remaining sensitive to organization structure:
a)Formal networks:
• The greatest advantage is the structure they provide for getting the work
done, however communication flow may be slow, cumbersome and
impersonal.

•Such networks could save the

company time and money .??

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication Tools
5) Remaining sensitive to organization structure
b) Informal networks :
Develop as the result of employee friendships, common interests and
proximity workers have to one another outside of the chain.

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication Tools
5) Remaining sensitive to organization structure
b) Informal networks :
•They build morale and establish rapport by providing face-to-
face contact, immediate feedback, and additional information.

•They may generate inaccurate or incomplete information,

gossip, or cause resentment among workers who are not a part
of the network.
Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Communication Tools
5) Remaining sensitive to organization structure
In summery:
Sensitivity to organizational structure requires that you
understand informal and formal networks and keep in mind the
advantages and disadvantages of both

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
Conclusion:
1. Communication is a process that satisfies basic human needs.

2. In order to communicate effectively we need to understand the

elements, principles, and barriers that influence this process.

3. Also we need to develop strategies that will promote

understanding

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh
End of chapter 1
Any Question?

Mohammar R. Rawashdeh