Effective Oral Communication:

The effective interpretation, composition, and presentation of information, ideas, and values to a specific audience .The way in which ideas, recommendations, and decisions are presented plans an important role in job success. Because oral communication involves exchanging information as well as speaking, it requires the ability to understand an audience as well as address it. Effective communication creates credibility bases on respect and trust. Articulating issues clearly helps express and generate enthusiasm, solve problems, deal with conflict, implement change, and exercise control while saving time and energy. Oral communication is not simply just reading a written text out loud. It is an interactive and real-time experience among participants that involves not only verbal language, but nonverbal delivery as well. It also capitalizes on the relationship that forms between and among participants.

Types of oral communication include:

Individual briefings Phone conversation Public speeches On-air interviews Public Services Announcements (radio and/or television)

Verbal and nonverbal communication:

Verbal communication refers to the use of sounds and language to relay a message. It serves as a vehicle for expressing desires, ideas and concepts and is vital to the processes of learning and teaching. In combination with nonverbal forms of communication, verbal communication acts as the primary tool for expression between two or more people. A variety of challenges may arise when using verbal communication to express oneself. Misunderstandings can arise because of poor word choice, differing perspectives and faulty communication techniques, and subjective opinions regarding acceptable language may result in breakdowns in communication. Non-verbal communication: Messages can be communicated through gestures and touch, by body language or posture, by facial expression and eye contact. Speech contains nonverbal elements known as paralanguage, including voice quality, rate, pitch, volume, and speaking style, as well prosodic features such as rhythm, intonation, and stress. Likewise, written texts have nonverbal elements such as handwriting style, spatial arrangement of words, or the physical layout of a page. However, much of the study of nonverbal communication has focused on face-to-face interaction, where it can be classified into three principal areas: environmental conditions where communication takes place, physical characteristics of the communicators, and behaviors of communicators during interaction.

Competencies
Communicates ideas and information effectively, both verbally and in writing. Uses language and a style of communication that is appropriate to the situation and people being addressed. Makes sure that others understand what is going on. There are different competencies of a effective oral communication, which includes

1- Strategy and Creativity:

Remember the goal is to express your ideas in a manner that will be understood. The aim of a communications strategy is to make your message reach your target in the most efficient way by selecting appropriate media and optimizing available resources. There should be a standpoint which gives sound ideas. Your creativity should able to influence others ideas and people respond on what you say. One of the biggest mistakes any communicator can make is to be creative for the wrong reasons. No matter how creative your communication efforts, if they are not tied to an overall communication strategy and not tied to your organizations business goalstheyre simply not worth doing. You cant be creative for creativitys sake. You cant decide to be creative just because youre tired of churning out the same old crap, over and over again.

2- Communicative:
Communicative competency is the correlation between fluency and accuracy and refers to the ability of a speaker to communicate effectively in the language; this ability is based on more than just grammatical knowledge and the concept is derived from the general desire of language learners to be able to communicate proficiently, not to use the language exactly. Fluently means that the speaker is comfortable using the language and can be reasonably understood by other speakers. Accuracy refers to the correctness of the language being produced by the speaker. Debate has occurred regarding linguistic competence and communicative competence in the second and foreign language teaching literature. This opposition has been adopted by those who seek new directions toward a communicative era by taking for granted the basic motives and the appropriateness of this opposition behind the development of communicative competence. The notion of communicative competence is one of the theories that underlie the communicative approach to foreign language teaching. Canale and Swain (1980) defined communicative competence in terms of three components: a) Grammatical competence: words and rules b) Sociolinguistic competence: appropriateness c) Strategic competence: appropriate use of communication strategies

3- Supportive:
The term supporting materials refers to the information a person provides to develop and/or justify an idea that is offered for a listener's consideration. Supporting materials serve a variety of functions in oral presentations: to clarify the speaker's point, to emphasize the point, to make the point more interesting, and to furnish a basis that enables others to believe the speaker's point. Whatever you say should be logical and explain everything with facts and example. Initially, there are two concerns you should have when using supporting materials. First, each piece of supporting material should be relevant to the point you are making in your speech. Just because you have a really good quotation, or some shocking statistic, doesn't mean that it is relevant to the point you are trying to make. Using irrelevant supporting materials just to use them only confuses the audience and hampers your ability to effectively communicate your message. Second, supporting materials should not stand alone. They are supporting materials, not self-contained parts of your speech. As such, they should be used to support your message -- not be your message. Without supporting materials, an oral presentation is little more than a string of assertions. Supportive material include examples/narratives, statistics, testimony, comparison etc. For example: If someone is communicating about the economic conditions of Pakistan he/she should refer some statistics which includes facts and figures, or if someone telling about parts of speech give examples so that other people understand easily.

4- Persuasive and Positive:

Negative and positive persuasive messages are effective depending on the motivation and background of the listeners. Negative persuasive arguments illustrate the bad things that may happen should people not follow a particular course of action. Try to convince other with arguments, negotiates with others. Positive persuasive messages, however, point out the good things that can happen if people follow a course of action or if no action follows. Positive appeals emphasize the good and appeal to the listener's desire for good, happy emotions. Effectively exploring alternatives and positions to reach outcomes that gain all parties' support and acceptance. Successful outcomes depend on the ability to gain acceptance and commitment to actions and ideas. Skilled negotiators achieve better results, get more mileage out of authority, and become more powerful and influential in their organizations. Effective negotiators are satisfied in knowing they never give up more than they have to or settle for less than they should they use productive behaviors to come to agreement efficiently and with a minimum of conflict.

5- Analytical:
Securing relevant information and identifying key issues and relationships from a base of information: relating and comparing data from different sources: identifying cause-effect relationships. Computer programs can be designed to analyze hypothetical or real situations, and the typical assumption is that the analysis will be correct or appropriate. Experts in the field, however, always are aware of the fact that, like analyses conducted by "real-live" people, inputting erroneous or insufficient information can lead to poor-quality analysis. Individuals who take the time to gather and organize needed facts find their analysis process and decision making easy, efficient, high caliber, and successful. The person who analyzes effectively identifies issues/problems, gathers information, and organizes information. The ability to apply clear and logical thinking is a competency required for both supervisory and managerial positions. Analysis the audience, analysis their level of age, education, intelligence etc. The basics of what you should include in your communication analysis: 1. Introduction: Draw attention to your specific artifact (the rhetoric you are studying); raise our interest in the rhetoric of this artifact; state the thesis of your presentation. 2. Model: Identify the theory you will use in analyzing the artifact; what are the three, four or five key components you need to look at; discuss this model with the idea you will be examining your artifact and this theory critically with an eye toward making a useful contribution to people's understanding of rhetoric.

3. Analysis: Analyze the artifact using the model; be sure to offer insight and make an argument about what you see in the artifact; avoid just "well, in this first category, x and y are there, so it fits the category;" instead discuss how the artifact persuades and influences people and offer critical and thoughtful commentary on that persuasive process. 4. Conclusion: Your conclusion should be longer than conclusions you write in other papers/presentations; you need to discuss how you have contributed to people's understanding of the model, the artifact, and communication generally; finish with a zingie conclusion probably harkening back to your attention getter.

5- Co-ordination &Leadership:
A person who manages work efficiently and effectively identifies priorities, manages time, effectively plans, and establishes organized procedures. Using appropriate interpersonal styles and methods to inspire and guide individuals toward goal achievement; modifying behavior to accommodate tasks, situation, and individuals involved. In today's workplace, people at all levels are being empowered to make and act on decisions that affect peers, leaders, and members of other groups, departments, or teams, as well as suppliers and customers. More than ever before, people need the skills to influence others so that ideas for improvement are communicated clearly and implemented successfully. An individual who exhibits strong leadership skills establishes rapport, seeks information or suggestion, develops ideas, gains commitment, checks for understanding and agreement, and acknowledges people and concerns. It's no secret that leaders today must balance many roles and serve multiple audiences, all while communicating one primary vision. For an effective oral communication an effective leadership is also require, the person who lead his or her group. Good: Leaders are also analysts. Leaders must understand all components of the communication process to apply them effectively. To have impact, careful communication planning and management, and clarity and consistency of messages are key factors. Role of a effective leader in communication:

6- Emotional Control:
Emotions influence both our speech and our listening. In many cases emotions may stop us from saying many things and in other instance may make us say things that we never wanted to say. Emotions can cause people to display uncharacteristic, sometimes counterproductive behavior; being aware of emotional influences is the first step in harnessing. You should control your temper in order to communicate more effectively but then you started shouting and you lost control or suppose that you know that you should not become stressed not to lose control and then you gave in to stress, the outcome in both cases will be undesirable and will badly affect your ability to communicate effectively. During communication do not show strong emoting, remains cool under pressure and stress, dont get excited. The following actions as methods of emotional control: 1) controlling your self-talk 2) whenever you have a certain emotion try to control it don't allow it to grow because giving up to the emotion will only result in loss of control 3) Every time you practice emotional control it will become easier so train every day.

7- Active & Decisive:

During communication be active and decisive. The most important factors in active and decisive competency are: moves quickly, shows energy, has positive reaction, quick to come to conclusions and sums up your message. At the end of your message give summary of your whole message which gives an overall view of message to the audience.
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During communication quick move to your points so that you finish on time. Share important points first then the remaining points. During communication be active and show that you are in full energy. People dont give any attention to you if you are dull and lazy. There should in your body for this take proper food and sleep well. Try to remain from stress and angriness. A confident and decisive verbal communication style includes the official using: A clear voice Appropriately chosen words A firm manner Looking at the person Sufficient strength of voice to convey the message so that participants are able to hear the decision.

8- Judgment:
Judgment is the one thing that singles out a great communicator from a mediocre one. If you consistently get your judgment calls right, youll win the trust of the people youre communicating with. And ultimately, winning peoples trust is the single most important thing you can achieve. Committing to an action after developing alternative courses of action that are based on logical assumptions and factual information and that take into consideration resources, constraints, and organizational values. Each day, individuals make decisions and recommendations for action. Good judgment helps ensure the success of those actions, results in consistently achieving goals, and has a positive effect on the organization. The person who exercises good judgment considers alternatives and makes appropriate decisions. a) Takes action or makes decisions to solve a problem. b) Makes recommendations to higher levels within the organization. c) Makes decisions not covered by organizational policies or procedures. d) Recommends work procedures, policies, or systems. In area of assigned responsibility.

Reference:
A Report on Oral Communication at the University of Virginia: Submitted by the Oral Communication Competency Assessment Committee. (August 21, 2006) Effective Communication, Independent Study. FEMA (December 2005)

Incorporating Oral Communication Skills into Your Class Workshop, presented by Katheryn Maguire (Assistant Professor, School of Communication) www.wikipedia.com/communication www.helpguide.org/mental/effective_communication_skills