Communication and Interpersonal Skills Flashcards
What are interpersonal skills?
Skills we use to interact or deal with others
Also known as communication skills, people skills, and/or soft skills
What are the 10 interpersonal skills used to help build confidence and enhance relationships with others?
- Smile
- Be appreciative
- Pay attention to others
- Practice active listening
- Bring people together
- Resolve conflicts
- Communicate clearly
- Humor them
- See it from their side
- Don’t complain
Why is smiling an important interpersonal skill?
Few people want to be around someone who is always down in the dumps.
Do your best to be friendly and upbeat with your coworkers. Maintain a positive,
cheerful attitude about work and about life. Smile often. The positive energy you
radiate will draw others to you.
Why should you be appreciative of others?
How can you show your appreciation?
Find one positive thing about everyone you work with and let them hear it. Be generous with praise and kind words of encouragement. Say thank you when someone helps you. Make colleagues feel welcome when they call or stop by your office. If you let others know that they are appreciated, they’ll want to give you their best.
What are some examples of paying attention to others?
Observe what’s going on in other people’s lives. Acknowledge their happy milestones, and express concern and sympathy for difficult situations such as an illness or death. Make eye contact and address people by their first names. Ask others for their opinions.
What is active listening and how would you use it?
To actively listen is to demonstrate that you intend to hear and understand another’s point of view. It means restating, in your own words, what the other person has said. In this way, you know that you understood their meaning and they know that your responses are more than lip service. Your coworkers will appreciate knowing that you really do listen to what they have to say.
How can you bring people other?
Create an environment that encourages others to work together. Treat everyone equally, and don’t play favorites. Avoid talking about others behind their backs. Follow up on other people’s suggestions or requests. When you make a statement or announcement, check to see that you have been understood. If folks see you as someone solid and fair, they will grow to trust you.
Explain how you can resolve conflicts in the work environment
Take a step beyond simply bringing people together, and become someone who resolves conflicts when they arise. Learn how to be an effective mediator. If coworkers bicker over personal or professional disagreements, arrange to sit down with both parties and help sort out their differences. By taking on such a leadership role, you will garner respect and admiration from those around you.
How can you communicate clearly?
Pay close attention to both what you say and how you say it. A clear and effective communicator avoids misunderstandings with coworkers, collegues, and associates. Verbal eloquence projects an image of intelligence and maturity, no matter what your age. If you tend to blurt out anything that comes to mind, people won’t put much weight on your words or opinions.
Why should you humor someone?
Don’t be afraid to be funny or clever. Most people are drawn to a person that can make them laugh. Use your sense of humor as an effective tool to lower barriers and gain people’s affection.
How can you see someone else’s perspective (see it from their side)?
Empathy means being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand how they feel. Try to view situations and responses from another person’s perspective. This can be accomplished through staying in touch with your own emotions; those who are cut off from their own feelings are often unable to empathize with others.
Why should you try not to complain?
There is nothing worse than a chronic complainer or whiner. If you simply have to vent about something, save it for your diary. If you must verbalize your grievances, vent to your personal friends and family, and keep it short. Spare those around you, or else you’ll get a bad reputation.
What is communication?
The process of transmitting feelings, images, and ideas from one mind to another
What are the 4 ways messages can be exchanged?
- Orally
- Nonverbally
- Written
- Electronically
What are the 3 levels of communication?
- Intrapersonal
- Interpersonal
- Small group communication
What is intrapersonal communication?
Within an individual, our thoughts and what they mean, putting them into words so that we can express them
What is interpersonal communication?
Between individuals
What is small group communication?
Interaction with 3 or more people
How do we use verbal communication?
Use of language, spoken or written
Why is nonverbal communication considered a more accurate reflection of true communication?
We have less control over the gestures used in nonverbal communication
What are some symbolic examples of nonverbal communication?
- Clothing
- Hair
- Jewelry
- Body art/piercings
- Cosmetics
- Automobile
- House
- Perfume
What are some body language examples of nonverbal communication?
- Posture
- Ambulation
- Touching
- Personal distance
- Eye contact
- Breathing
- Hand gestures
- Facial expressions
What are some causes of miscommunication?
- Distractions
- Language used
- Cultural differences
- Lack of communication
- Lack of interest
- Closed mind
- Inaccurate assumptions
- Prejudice
- Anger
- Hearing Difficulties
List some ideas on how to improve listening skills
- Stop talking
- Teach yourself to concentrate
- Take time to listen
- Listen with your eyes
- Listen to what is being said, not only how it is being said
- Suspend judgment
- Do not interrupt the speaker
- Remove distractions
- Listen for both feelings and content
What does the term culture mean?
- A set of values, beliefs and traditions that are held by a specific social group, handed down from generation to generation
- Includes beliefs, habits, likes and dislikes, customs and rituals learned from one’s family
What is stereotyping?
- The assumption that all members of a culture or ethnic group act alike
- Generalizations that may be inaccurate
List some of the guidelines for speaking to someone who does not speak English well
- Do not shout
- Talk distinctly and slowly
- Emphasize key words
- Let the listener read your lips
- Use printed words and pictures
- Do not use slang or jargon
- Organize your thoughts
- Choose words carefully
- Construct your sentences to say exactly what you want to say
- Observe body language carefully
- Try to pronounce names correctly
- Ask for feedback to determine understanding
What is considered aggressive behaviour?
- Rude
- Dominating
- Superior
- Vengeful
- Inconsiderate
- Manipulative
- Selfish
- Persistent
- Obnoxious
- Opinionated
- Blames others
- Does not respect other’s feelings or opinions
- Makes choices for others
What are some things to remember when dealing with an angry telephone caller?
The caller may have legitimate reasons for being angry
You will probably feel some frustration of your own when faced with the caller’s anger
Everyone has a right to his or her feelings (you too)
You can have negative feelings while choosing not to take negative actions
As you respond to the caller by showing your negative feelings, the situation will be accelerated
You can make a difference by taking positive action
What are some steps you can use to deal with an angry telephone caller?
- Properly identify yourself
- Do not put the caller on hold
- Listen to the caller and document key points
- Acknowledge the anger
- Do not allow the caller to become abusive
- Stay calm
- Show patience
- Show empathy
- Do not become defensive
- Do not offer excuses
- When caller has returned to a rational level, refer to appropriate persons, if necessary
How is communication and interpersonal skills used in the healthcare setting?
- Obtaining information
- Providing information
- Developing trust
- Showing understanding
- Relieving stress
There are 15 attributes of a critical thinker. Can you name some?
- Asks pertinent questions
- Assesses statements and arguments
- Is able to admit a lack of understanding or information
- Has a sense of curiosity
- Is interested in finding new solutions
- Is able to clearly define a set of criteria for analyzing ideas
- Is willing to examine beliefs, assumptions, and opinions and weigh them against facts
- Listens carefully to others and is able to give feedback
- Sees that critical thinking is a lifelong process of self-assessment
- Suspends judgment until all facts have been gathered and considered
- Looks for evidence to support assumption and beliefs
- Is able to adjust opinions when new facts are found
- Looks for proof
- Examines problems closely
- Is able to reject information that is incorrect or irrelevant
What is emotional intelligence?
The ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions
What are the 4 branches of emotional intelligence?
- Perceiving emotions
- Reasoning with emotions
- Understanding emotions
- Managing emotions
