Communication skills Flashcards
Communication skills are needed to
- Inform – for example, communicating the time of a
meeting. - Influence – for example, negotiating with a
shopkeeper to reduce the price. - Express feelings – for example, to say or show
that you are excited about your success or about
a given task.
Factors Affecting Perspectives in Communication
- Language: - In case of use of incorrect words, unfamiliar language and lack of
detail, language can act as a barrier to communicate what one wishes
to convey. For example, language can act as a barrier when an Indian
who only knows Hindi and a Chinese who only knows Mandarin want
to interact with each other - Visual Perception: -Judging people or situations by how they look. For example, a man
wearing torn clothes is poor. - Past Experience: -Letting our earlier experience stop us from understanding or
communicating clearly. For example, “This shopkeeper cheated me
last time. Let me be careful.” - Prejudice: -Fixed ideas, such as thinking “No one in my class listens to me” may
stop a student from communicating openly in the class - Feelings: - Our feelings and emotions, such as lack of interest or not trusting
the other person affect communication. For example, “I am sad. Let
me not talk.” - Environment: - Noise or disturbance in the surroundings may make communication
difficult. For example, speaking while walking on road - Personal factors: - Your own feelings, habits and ways of thinking (for example, fear, low
confidence) may make communication difficult - Culture: -Signs which have a different meaning in different cultures, such as
showing a thumb may mean ‘good job’ for some people but may be
insulting to others
7 Cs
- Clear: -Be clear about what you want to
say and write - Concise: -Use simple words and say only
what is needed - Concrete: -Use exact words, phrases, Use
facts and figures - Correct: -Use correct spellings, language
and grammar - Coherent: -Your words should make
sense and should be related to the
main topic - Complete: -Your message
should have all the needed information - Courteous : -Be respectful, friendly and
honest
Type of Verbal
Communication
- Oral or Spoken Communication:
Communication which involves talking.
Face-to-face conversation, Talking on a phone, Classroom teaching, business meeting and public speeches - Written Communication:
Communication which involves written or
typed words
Eg: - Writing on paper, SMS (Short Message Service),
Advantages of Verbal Communication
- It is easy and quick.
- You can say what you want and get
a quick response. - It is an easier form of communication
when you have to exchange ideas.
Disadvantages of Verbal Communication
Since verbal communication depends on words, sometimes the meanings become confusing and difficult to understand if the right words are not used.
Public Speaking
- Prepare
Think about your topic
Think about what your listeners need to know about the topic
Think about the best way to make your listeners understand your topic
Write what you plan to say - Practice
Practice by yourself first. Talk in front of a mirror
Talk in front of your family and friends and ask them what they think
Speak clearly, loudly and at the right speed (not very fast nor very slow) - Perform
Take a few deep breaths if you are feeling nervous
Think about what you have prepared and start speaking confidently
Non-Verbal Communication: Exchanging Information without Words
Types
- Facial Expressions
- Posture
- Gestures or body language
- Touch
- Space
- Eye contact
- Paralanguage
Non-verbal communication makes our message
stronger
- Using the right gestures and postures helps us to
be professional at work. - Using the right gestures while speaking makes
our message more effective. - Knowing non-verbal communication helps us
understand our audience’s reaction and adjust
our behaviour or communication accordingly. - If verbal messages are blocked by noise or
distance, etc., we can use hand movements to
exchange our message.
Visual Communication: Exchanging Information through Images
Types
- Traffic symbol which
communicates us not to
blow horn - Sign for ladies and gents toilet
- Sign for flammable substances
- Sign used to pause a video or
audio file in smartphone
or computer
Communication Styles
- Aggressive
- Passive/Submissive
- Passive-Aggressive
- Assertive
Assertive Communication
Being assertive is a healthier communication style. It involves
* expressing your views without disrespecting others or yourself,
* respecting others,
* communicating your opinion and wishes clearly,
* being open to other’s points of view, and
* finding a balance between your needs and other’s needs.
Advantages of Assertive Communication
Being assertive
* builds self-confidence,
* builds self-respect,
* prevents you from saying words or doing actions
that you may regret later,
* makes you and others feel positive,
* makes sure that everyone expresses their ideas
and meets the needs of all, and
* helps you to become a more confident worker and
a better communicator.
Capitalisation Rules
M: -Months
I: -word ‘I’
N: -Names
T: -Titles
S: -Starting letter
of sentences
Types of Sentences
Active and Passive Sentences
- Sentences where the subject does an action are known to be in the Active voice.
- Sentences in which the subject receives an action are known to be in the Passive voice.
