Chapter 14

Informal Oral
Communication
 Learning Objectives

Upon completing this chapter, you will be able to

prepare well-organized, objective reports.

• Discuss talking and its key elements.

• Explain the techniques for conducting and
participating in meetings.
• Describe good telephone and voice mail
techniques.
• Describe the techniques of good voice inputs.
• Explain the listening problem and how to solve it.
• Describe the nature and role of nonverbal
communication.
 INFORMAL TALKING

DEFINITION OF TALKING

•?
 INFORMAL TALKING

ELEMENTS OF GOOD
TALKING

• Voice quality
• Style
• Word choice
• Adaptation
 INFORMAL TALKING

COURTESY IN TALKING

• Good talkers are courteous

• They don’t attempt to dominate
• They are assertive
• They treat others as they want
to be treated
 CONDUCTING AND PARTICIPATING IN
MEETINGS

TECHNIQUES IN CONDUCTING MEETINGS

• Plan the Meeting

• Follow the Plan
• Move the Discussion Along
• Control Those Who Talk Too Much
• Encourage Participation from Those Who
Talk Too Little
• Control Time
• Summarize at Appreciate Places
 CONDUCTING AND PARTICIPATING IN
MEETINGS

TECHNIQUES for PARTICIPATING in

a MEETING

• Follow the Agenda

• Participate
• Do Not Talk Too Much
• Cooperate
• Be Courteous
 USING THE PHONE

NEED FOR FAVOURABLE

VOICE QUALITY

• Friendly Voice Is Important

• Make It Like Face-to-face
Conversation
 USING THE PHONE

TECHNIQUES OF COURTESY

• Be courteous
• Introduce immediately
• Ask for the person you want
• When receiving a call, identify
your company or office, then offer
assistance
 USING THE PHONE

“This is Wanda Tidwell of Tioga Milling Company. May

I speak with Mr. Jose Martinez?”

If you are not certain with whom you should talk,

explain the purpose of your call:

“This is Wanda Tidwell of Tioga Milling Company. We

have a question about your service warranty. May I
talk with proper executive about it?”
 USING THE PHONE

When a secretary or someone else is screening the calls

answers the phone,
“Rowan Insurance Company. How may I help you?”
“Ms. Santo’s office. May I help you?”

When a call goes directly into the office of the executive,

the procedure is much the same, except that the
executive identifies herself or himself.

“Bartosh Realty. Toby Bartosh speaking. May I help you?”

 USING THE PHONE

Be careful not to offend the caller, (be courteous):

Instead “Who is calling?”
state directly:
“Mr. Gordon is not in right now. May I ask him to return
your call?”
Or
“May I tell him who called?”
Or
“Can someone else help you”?
 USING THE PHONE

EFFECTIVE PHONE PROCEDURES

• State your purpose early.

• Cover your points systematically
• Plan important calls
• Be considerate, listen, and do not
dominate
• Use time efficiently
 USING THE PHONE

CELL PHONES AND THEIR COURTEOUS USE

• Turn off the ringer in meetings and other places where it would be
disruptive.
• Do not use the cell phone at social gathering.
• Do not place the phone on the table while eating.
• Avoid talking whenever it will annoy others.
• Avoid discussing personal or confidential matters when others can
hear you.
• Do not talk in an excessive loud voice.
• If you must talk while around people, be conscious about them.
• Do not hold up lines, obstruct the movements of others, or such.
• Avoid using the phone while driving .
USINGSPEECH RECOGNITION FOR MESSAGES
AND REPORTS

TECHNIQUEES FOR DICTATING

• Gather the Facts

• Plan the Message
• Make the Words Flow
• Speak Clearly
• Give paragraphing, Punctuation, and Other
Instructions as Needed.
• Play Back Intelligently
• Proofread for Accuracy
 LISTENING

THE NATURE OF
LISTENING
• Sensing
• Filtering
• Remembering
 LISTENING

IMPROVING YOUR LISTENING ABILITY

• Be alert. Force yourself to pay

attention.
• Concentrate on improving your
mental listening.
• Think from the speaker’s viewpoint.
• Consciously try to remember.
 LISTENING

IMPROVING YOUR LISTENING ABILITY

• In addition, follow these practical guidelines:

• Stop talking
• Put the talker at ease
• Show the talker you want to listen
• Remove destructions
• Emphasize with the talker
• Be patient
• Hold your temper
• Go easy on the argument and criticism
• Ask questions
• Stop talking
 THE REINFORCING ROLE OF NOVERBAL
COMMUNICATION

NATURE OF NONVERBAL COMMUNIACTION

• Means communications without words

• More of a tonal message than words
• It is broad and imprecise
• Cross-cultural aspects give many meanings to it
• Be sensitive to intended nonverbal meanings
• Realize that nonverbal symbols can have many
meanings
 THE REINFORCING ROLE OF NOVERBAL
COMMUNICATION

TYPES OF NONVERBAL
COMMUNICATION

• Body language
• Space
• Time
• Paralanguage