Effective communication helps us better understand a person or situation and enables us to resolve differences, build trust and respect, and create environments where creative ideas, problem solving, affection, and caring can flourish, As simple as communication seems, much of what we try to communicate to others—and what others try to communicate to us—gets misunderstood, which can cause conflict and frustration in personal and professional relationships. By learning these effective communication skills, you can better connect with your people. + Effective communication is about more than just exchanging information; it's also about understanding the emotion behind the information. + Effective communication can improve relationships at home, work, and in social situations by deepening your connections to others and improving teamwork, decision-making, and problem solving. It enables you to communicate even negative or difficult messages without creating conflict or destroying trust. + Effective communication combines a set of skills including nonverbal communication, attentive listening, the ability to manage stress in the moment, and the capacity to recognize and understand your own emotions and those of the person you're communicating with. Assertiveness: + The willingness / readiness to actively participate, state and maintain a position, until convinced by the facts that other options are better. Requires the initiative and the courage to act. + Aggressive behavior enhances self at the expense of others. Assertiveness produces positive outcomes for all; aggressive acts result in negative outcomes. Assertive Behaviors: Ask task-related questions. Suggest alternative solutions / courses of action. State opinions of decisions/procedures that have been suggested. ‘Avoid letting rank differences threaten safety or performance (refuse an unreasonable request). Maintain their position when challenged, until convinced by facts. Confront ambiguities and conflicts. Ask for assistance when overloaded or having difficulty with a task. Tips of Assertiveness: = Use of ‘I’ statements instead of ‘You’ statements Effective in getting others to change or reinforce behaviour + Runa low risk of hurting a relationship + Neither attack the other's self esteem nor put him on the defensive + Prevent ‘gunny sacking’ i.e. saving up a lot of bad feelings Listening Listening is one of the most important aspects of effective communication. Successful listening means not just understanding the words or the information being communicated, but also understanding how the speaker feels about what they're communicating. Effective listening can: * Make the speaker feel heard and understood, which can help build a stronger, deeper connection between you.Create an environment where everyone fools safe to express ideas, opinions, and feelings, or plan and problem solve in creative ways. ‘Save time by helping clarify information, avoid conflicts and misunderstandings. Relieve negative emotions. When emotions are running high, if the speaker feels that he or she has been truly heard, it can help to calm them down, relieve nogative feolings, and allow for real understanding or problem solving to begin. Tips for effective listening + Focus fully on the speaker, his or her body language, and other nonverbal cues. If you find it hard to concentrate on some speakers, try repeating their words over in your head—it'll reinforce their message and help you stay focused. + Avoid interrupting or trying to redirect the conversation to your concerns, by saying something like, “If you think that’s bad, let me tell you what happened to me.” Listening is not the same as waiting for your turn {o talk. You can't concentrate on what someone's saying if you're forming what you're going to say next. Often, the speaker can read your facial expressions and know that your mind's elsewhere. + Avoid seeming judgmental. In order to communicate effectively with someone, you don't have to like them or agree with their ideas, values, or opinions. However, you do need to set aside your judgment and withhold blame and criticism in order to fully understand a person. The most difficult communication, when successfully executed, can lead to the most unlikely and profound connection with someone. + Show your interest in what’s being said. Nod occasionally, smile at the person, and make sure your posture is open and inviting. Encourage the speaker to continue with small verbal comments like "yes" or “uh huh.” + Prepare to listen by focusing on the speaker + Control and eliminate distractions so that you can focus on the message. Don't do anything else (writing, reading, email) but listen + Establish appropriate eye contact to show interest + See listening as an opportunity to get information, share another's views, and broaden your ‘own knowledge Listen actively + Create a need to listen by thinking about what you can learn from the speaker + Set aside the time to listen so that you won't feel rushed or become distracted by other responsibilities + Don't prejudge the message based on who is delivering it. Focus instead on the content of the message. + Monitor the way you listen by asking yourself questions such as "Did | really pay attention or was | thinking about what | was going to say next"? “Was there information | missed because | allowed myself to become distracted"? Guidelines for Active Listening Do create a supportive atmosphere. Do listen for feelings as well as words. Do note cues. Do occasionally test for understanding, Do demonstrate accept-ance and understanding, Do ask exploratory, open-ended questions. Barriers to communicationBarriers to communication that exist in any work setting ‘Some common barriers to interpersonal communication include: Unclear process: The receiver and sender may not share the same language, slang, jargon, vocabulary, symbols Chain of command: There may be too many layers that a message passes through between sender and receiver - Large size of an organization, geographic distance: There need to be different modes of sending and receiving the messages. Personal limitations: Physical and mental disabilities, and differences in intelligence and education may interfere with mutual understanding Human nature: Peoples’ egos, prejudices, and traditions can get in the way Conflicting feelings, goals, opinions: If people feel on opposite sides of an issue they may not share Power: The idea that knowledge is power can lead to information hoarding and other ideas you may have thought of Giving feedback Why is it necessary to give constructive feedback to others? Give feedback when... Someone asks for your opinion Work errors occur frequently A coworker's habits disturb you A coworker's behavior has negative consequences There are unresolved problems and other ideas you may have thought of Constructive feedback focuses on facts not people, solving problems instead of placing blame, and strengthening relationships instead of “being right” Obstacles to giving constructive feedback Separating the person from the problem Others becoming defensive or angry Fear of negative consequences (especially if the other person is a supervisor) Dealing with potential conflict (especially if the other person is aggressive) Avoiding hurt feelings Preserving relationships Not having all the facts and jumping to conclusions Choosing the right time so that the other person is most receptive and other ideas you may have thought of STATE feedback — a model State the constructive purpose of your feedback Tell specifically what you have observed ‘Address and describe your reactions ‘Tender specific suggestions for improvement Express your support and respect for the person STATE feedback — an example