COMMUNICATION
WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?
Communication is a process in
which information is passed from
the speaker to the receiver.
 The study of communication and our speaking ability is not a
new phenomenon
 Greek and Roman Empires knew the importance of leadership.
In order to “educate” leaders, they were taught math, science,
and rhetoric (speech communication).
 How we communicate is as pivotal as simply “knowing”
information.
THREE TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
 Verbal
 Non verbal (eye contact, facial expression, body
language)
 Grapevine (word of mouth)
 Formal
 Informal
FIVE ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
Speaker
Message
Channel
Audience
Response
SPEAKER
 The process of communication begins with the speaker
 The speaker has the responsibility of translating information
effectively and efficiently
Examples of speakers
Speaker 1
Speaker 2
Speaker 3
MESSAGE
 The second element of the communication process
 Speaker must encode (present) in a language that is interesting
and clear
 Variety and descriptive language is important
 Message also depends on who the audience is
CHANNEL
 The means through which the message is transmitted
 Transmitted through hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and
touching (5 senses)
 Social media
AUDIENCE
Message in a bottle example
Why is audience important?
An audience is anyone who receives the
message
COMMUNICATION MODEL
WHAT CAUSES COMMUNICATION TO
BREAK DOWN?
Usually communication breakdowns can be traced to one of the five elements of
the communication process.
 The audience may fail to understand parts of your speech
 What you are wearing draws attention to itself
 Poor virtual aid communication (technical difficulty, not visible
by audience, etc.)
 Audience cannot hear you
 External noise
LISTENING
 There is a significant difference between hearing and listening
 It is an active process involving concentration and thinking
There are 8 barriers to listening:
1. External Noise
2. Internal Noise
3. Bias Towards the Speaker
4. Day Dreaming
5. Emotion Reaction
6. Faking Attention
7. Fatigue
8. Improper Note Taking
WAYS TO IMPROVE LISTENING
 Prepare to listen (learn about the subject beforehand if possible)
 Avoid distractions- select a good seat, turn off phones, etc.
 Identify central idea- the speech should introduce the main idea in the beginning
 Identify main points- good speeches have a main idea and supporting main points
Listen for signals such as “ Some of the reasons that…” or “In addition…”
 Think along with the speaker- reconstruct the organizational pattern of the speech .
Relate to what the speaker was saying to your own knowledge, interests, and life.
 Take effective notes
EFFECTIVE NOTE TAKING
 Write down only important ideas
 Write legibly
 Keep up
 Translate into your own words***
 Be brief (chunk information)
 Don’t worry about spelling
 Date your notes
 Expand your notes (include your own thoughts)
IMPORTANT CONCEPTS TO REMEMBER
Say something worthwhile … but how?
 Consider what you want to say and why you want to say it
(content)
 Who is your audience? What motivates them, engages them
etc.?
 Point out how this will help your audience. Emphasize relevance!
 If the topic may not be interesting, then try to deliver in an
interesting manner i.e. incorporate real life examples, visual
aids, audience participation, etc.
BE CONFIDENT
 The way you say something is called delivery
 Eye contact, facial expressions, body movement, personal appearance, and voice
 Conversational style will allow you to appear more confident and natural;
however, you should aim to be intentional and formal with your public speaking.
 Use your own vocabulary as much as possible
Did you know…. Most nervousness comes from over concern! It is reinforced by
negative self-talk.