Introduction to Communication
Skills
Introduction
• What is communication?
In simple words we can say that ““just to
convey the message”
If we go in more detail we can say that “
communication is the process of
transmitting (A
B) & Receiving
(B
A) Messages.
Communication
Communication is the process of sending and
receiving information among people…
Feedback
receiver
SENDER
sender
RECEIVER
Messages not delivered due to “distortion”
Feedback
Receiver
Sender
Distortion
Why Communications Skills Are So
Important ?
• The purpose of communication is to get your
message across to others. This is a process that
involves both the sender of the message and the
receiver. This process leaves room for error, with
messages often misinterpreted )‫ (يساء تفسيرها‬by
one or more of the parties involved. This causes
unnecessary confusion.
• In fact, a message is successful only when both
the sender and the receiver perceive it in the
same way.
Critical success factor for life
The majority of your
perceived ability comes from
how you communicate
70% How you
communicate it
30% What you know
Most common ways to communicate
Writing
Communication Goals
To change
behavior
To get and
give
Information
To persuade
‫اإلقناع‬
To get action
To ensure
understanding
Effective Communication
• If some one can achieve the desired level of
objective through communication , we can say
that it is “effective communication”.
e.g. If your communication get the proper
response from the receiver it means that you
effectively conveyed the message.
How to achieve effective
Communication
Encourage creative and Critical Thinking
Consider audience’s information needs
Consider Audience's Technical Background
Consider Audience's Cultural Background and
Gender
Consider Audience's Knowledge of the
Subject
BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
•
•
•
•
•
•
Physical barriers
Cultural barriers
Religious barriers
Time pressures
Distractions/interruptions
Failure to wait for feedback/response
BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
•
•
•
•
•
•
Hearing only part of the message
Failure to listen
Listening with a particular mind-set/prejudice )‫(حكم مسبق‬
Reacting emotionally
Making assumptions
Accents
BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
•
Lack of sensitivity to emotions
•
Poor volume, tone, emphasis
•
Not acknowledging person’s experience,
emotions, feelings, desires
•
Jumping from topic to topic
•
Acting phony )‫(تصنع‬
What causes distortion?
• Speaker
–
–
–
–
–
Language
Wordiness (redundancy)
Semantics (meaning)
Emotions
Accent
• Listener
– Perceptions
(understanding)
– Preconceived
notions/expectations
– Physical hearing problem
– Speed of thought
– Personal interests
– Emotions
– Attention span
– No active listening!
FEEDBACK:
Feedback can be:
• Verbal Reactions and Non-Verbal Reactions.
• Positive feedback and Negative feedback.
Feedback Skills
• Positive vs. Negative Feedback
• Positive feedback is more readily and accurately
perceived than negative feedback
• Positive feedback fits what most people wish to hear
and already believe about themselves
• Negative feedback is most likely to be accepted when
it comes from a credible source if it is objective.
• Subjective impressions carry weight only when they
come from a person with high status and credibility
Types of Communication
Verbal – Communication through language
Nonverbal – Communication other than through spoken
language. More powerful messages are usually conveyed
through nonverbal cues than through words themselves.
Paraverbal – Communicating not by what you say, but how you
say it.
Types of Communication (continued)
Examples of nonverbal communication include:
• Body language (e.g., folded arms)
• Eye contact
• Muscle tension
• Posture )‫(وضعية الوقوف‬
• Proxemics (how close we stand when talking. In
the US, people stand between 18 inches to 2 ft.
from each other; they get uncomfortable if that
boundary is violated. Proxemics vary from culture
to culture.
Types of Communication (Continued)
Examples of paraverbal communication include:
• Voice qualities/voice tone
• Rate of speech (how fast or slow one talks)
• Rhythm of voice )‫(اإليقاع‬
• Volume
Strengths and Weaknesses
• Verbal Communication:
Strength
- Role of Body Language.
Weakness - Not possible to give a long list of directions
• Written Communication:
Strength
- A proof of a communication
Weakness - Written words does not show a person’s actual
feelings.
Listening Skills
50%
45%
45%
40%
35%
30%
30%
25%
20%
16%
15%
10%
9%
5%
0%
Writing
Reading
Speaking
Listening
Listening is needed everywhere…
• Listening skills form the basis of:
– Continued learning
– Teamwork skills
– Management skills
– Negotiation skills
… But not practiced effectively
• 70% of all communication is
– Misunderstood
– Misinterpreted
– Rejected
– Distorted
– Not heard
5 Basic reasons we Do Not Listen
•
•
•
•
•
Listening is Hard Work
Competition
The Rush for Action (‫)اإلندفاع‬
Speed differences (120 wpm v/s 360 wpm)
Lack of Training
DEFINITION OF ACTIVE LISTENING
Active listening is a way of listening that focuses
entirely on what the other person is saying and
confirms understanding of both the content of
the message and the emotions and feelings
underlying the message to ensure that
understanding is accurate.
Rules for good listening
•
Deciding in advance that what a person is saying is
not important means probably you'll tune out - and
you could miss an opportunity to learn something
and to strengthen a relationship.
•
It's difficult to listen if you're too tired, or
preoccupied with something else - in those
situations, it's best to set aside another time
agreeable to both, when you are able to give your
full attention.
Rules for good listening
• Preconceived ideas about what someone is saying will block
communication. When you keep an open mind, you are
ready to learn something new.
• Eye contact reassures )‫ (يطمئن‬the person speaking that you
are listening, and builds trust in a relationship.
• Don't judge a book by its cover - important information can
come from anyone, regardless of the package.
• Matching your body language with your words through eye
contact, a pleasant tone of voice and a warm smile conveys
interest and respect. This reassures the person speaking
that you feel he/she is important.
Rules for good listening
• Asking questions will help the person clarify what
he/she is telling you. You can show you understand
by paraphrasing - repeating in your own words what
the person has said.
How to be an active listener
• Set the stage
–
–
–
–
Choose an appropriate physical environment
Remove distractions
Be open and accessible
Maintain relaxed, open posture that shows concentration
• Ensure mutual understanding
–
–
–
–
Reflect feelings
Offer acknowledgements (say “uh-huh”)
Paraphrase main ideas
Interrupt to clarify
How to be an active listener
• Understand body language
– Observe position and posturing
– Make eye contact
– Consider expression and gestures
• Suspend judgment
– Concentrate
– Keep an open mind
– Hear the person out
How to be an active listener
Give Feedback
• Repeat back or summarize to ensure that you
understand.
• Restate what you think you heard and ask, "Have I
understood you correctly?"
Paraphrasing, Summarizing and
Questioning
Techniques to improve listening skills
SUMMARIZE
PARAPHRASE
Restate what was
said in your own
words
Pull together
the main points
of a speaker
QUESTION
Challenge speaker
to think further,
clarifying both your
and their
understanding
Practice Paraphrasing
• Paraphrasing is simply
restating what another
person has said in your
own words.
• Use phrases such as:
– In other words…
– I gather that…
– If I understand what you
are saying…
– What I hear you saying
is…
– Pardon my interruption,
but let me see if I
understand you
correctly…
Practice Summarizing
• Summarizing pulls
important ideas, facts or
data together.
• Useful for emphasizing key
points and setting the stage
for further discussion.
• The person summarizing
must listen carefully in
order to organize the
information systematically.
• Try out these
summarizing phrases:
– “If I understand you
correctly, your main
concerns are…”
– “These seem to be the
key ideas you have
expressed… ”
Two basic types of questions
1. Closed questions:
– Get a one-word response and inhibit thought.
– Questions begin with who, when and which
2. Open-ended questions:
– Invite unique thought, reflection or an explanation.
– Questions begin with how, what and how come.
Practice Questioning
•
Rephrase the following closed questions to
make them open-ended:
1. Are you feeling tired?
2. Was the last activity useful?
3. Is there anything bothering you?
Active Listening (not!)
• Behaviors that prevent effective listening
– Act distracted (look at your watch!)
– Tell your own story without acknowledging theirs
– Give no response
– Invalidate response, be negative
– Interrupt
– Criticize
– Give advice/solutions quickly
– Change the subject
– Quickly agreeing with client before they finish
speaking
Conversation Skills
How to improve my conversation
skills?
Don’t be shy! ‫خجول‬
 Communication errors can be solved.
 A conversation is an interactive activity
involving listening and speaking from both
parties.
 It’s all about listening and asking questions.
 Lulls )‫ (السكتات أو فترات الهدوء‬are normal.
 If a conversation is going wrong, it may not
be your fault.

How to introduce myself?
Greet with smile
 Maintain eye contact
 Give a firm handshake
 Tell your name
 Ask for the other person’s name
 Repeat the other person’s name
 Never draw a negative picture of yourself

How to have a great conversation?

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
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
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Relax and forget about yourself
Listen
Ask questions
Use a friendly tone
Choose your words and questions carefully
Neither interrupt a person in the middle of his
thought, nor speak on top of it
Compliment ( ‫ ) جامل‬the other person
Thank for a great conversation
How to handle a difficult
question?
Personal question
I’m sorry, but I’d prefer not to answer this question.
 Question you don’t know the answer
I have no idea.
 Question you didn’t catch
Can you repeat the question?
 Question you don’t understand because of unfamiliar
words or question structure
I’m sorry, but I don’t understand your question. Would you
mind telling it in different words?/What do you mean
by…?/What does…mean?

How to improve speaking?
Listening and reading aloud
 Writing
 Networking and making friends
 Greeting people on the street
 Having small talks in public
 Watching foreign movies with English
subtitles
 Joining one-on-one conversations,
conversation and common interest groups

How to improve listening?
•
•
•
•
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Speaking to English speakers
Watching TV and movies
Listening to radio
Reading audio books
Singing English songs
Practicing pronunciation
Joining conversation groups/one-on-one
conversations
How to improve comprehension?
 Reading picture books or comics
 Reading newspapers and magazines
 Asking questions during conversations
 Watching TV and movies
 Browsing English websites
 Consulting dictionaries
 Constantly learning new words
 Clarifying meaning of slang and idioms
 Knowing grammar