COMMUNICATION
SKILLS(ADVANCED)
BY RACHEL KIRIMA
LISTENING SKILLS
The art of Listening
‘’We hear with the ears but listen
with the Mind”
Hearing and Listening are
different skills
Listening is a conscious, positive
effort to focus mental energy.
Aspects
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Hearing
Remembering
Understanding
Interpreting
Evaluating
The Value of Listening
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To obtain information
To share experience
Persuade/desuade
Understand
To make better decisions
To deal with complains
To solve problems
Success of open door policy
Barriers to Listening
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Taking Listening for granted
Failure to concentrate
Lack of focus
Overvaluing talking
Mental fatigue
Stereotyping
Hearing what you want to hear
Emotional problems-anger
Being pre occupied with yourself
Developing Listening skills
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Look at the speaker-eye contact
Stop talking
Focus on Understanding
Concentrate
Adopt a listening posture
Ask open ended questions
Ask for facts
Suspend Judgement
Repeat things and sum up at
Discussion
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What poor listening causes…
Developing Listening Skills
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Writing 9%
Reading 16%
Speaking 30%
Listening 45%
SKILLS LEARNT
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Public Speaking
Meetings
Forms of Communication
Non-Verbal Communication
Writing Skills
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Areas Covered:
 Occasions
 Symptoms of anxiety
 Overcoming Anxiety(Fear)
 Use of Voice
 Oral Presentations(Guidelines)
 *Sample speech*
Speaking Occasions
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Meetings
Appraisals
Interviews
Public PresentationsInaugurations, Graduations,
weddings, seminars etc
Overcoming fear in Public
Presentations
“Anxiety is not who you are is how
you act”-Unknown.
The effects of fear can be divided
into;
 Body
 Voice
 Co-ordination
*Discuss Case Study1
Handling of Nerves
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Systematic DesensitizationMuscle relaxation
Cognitive ModificationDisengaging negative self-talk
Skills Training-Coaching in goal
setting
Oral Presentations
Characteristics of a good
speech
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It is clear
It is like an informal talk
It is vivid and concrete
It is brief
It is interesting
It is audience oriented
Characteristics of a Good
Speaker
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Lively, interested and vital
Earnest
Sense of responsibility to
listeners, others and the subject
Sense of leadership
Keeps his head-not easily
swayed
Sense of humour
Guidelines to Oral
Presentations
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Select a topic or subject
Determine the purpose of the
speech
Analyze the audience
Analyze the speech occasion
Prepare the speech
Practice aloud
Presentation rules
MEETINGS
A meeting is any formal or
informal convergence involving
two or more people with an
objective.
Types of Meetings
 Team briefing
 Problem Solving meetings
 Fact-Finding meetings
 Review meetings
Arranging for a meeting
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What are the specific topics to
be discussed(Agenda)?
Who needs to be present?
When should the meeting take
place?
How long is the meeting running
Where is the venue?
Who will record the minutes??
Guidelines to an Effective
meeting
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Style of leadership
Starting the meeting
Guiding the meeting
Level of Participation
Q&A sessions
Points interpretation
Body language
Promoting Interpersonal interaction
Closing the meeting
Agenda & Minutes
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Class discussion-Role play
*Check sample minutes
Writing Effective Minutes
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Heading containing the nature of
the meeting
Must be numbered from the last
meeting
Names of the present, inattendance, absent and
apologies
Must be impersonal-passive
voice
Minutes cont….
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Dates and figures clearly
mentioned
Records must be factual
Clarification must be sought
immediately if needed
First draft should be given
before approval
Language should be simple
ABC TRADERS
Minutes of………,
Present
R.Kirima-Chairman
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In attendance
MIN1/ABC/2014
Approved By:…….
Seconded By:………
INTERVIEWS
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Definiion
Objectives
Types
Making a Difference in an
Interview
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Dos and Donts
NON-VERBAL
COMMUNICATION
Also known as “Body Languange”
It covers a wide range of body
postures and movements
associated with our emotions and
the way we feel.
People are capable of expressing
their moods and emotions as
follows:
Non-verbal cont….
A Beaming Smile
 Downhearted look
 A frown
 Annoyance
 Elation
All these gestures can either be
positive or negative.
*Class Discussion*
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Classifications of NVC
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Proxemics(Use of Space)
Movement
Facial expression and eye
behavior
Gestures
Paralinguistic
Proxemics
It involves the physical
arrangement e.g
Room layout
 Seating arrangements
 Physical distance
 Visual aids
Distance
 Physical contacts-handshakes
Proxemics cont…
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Positioning-how near apart
Posture-standing erect, arms
akimbo, folded hands across the
chest
Movement
How we move or stand, strolling,
moving briskly
Head movements-nodding or
shaking
Body movements-shrugging
shoulders, crossing legs
Facial Expression & Eye
Behavior
The face communicates much
about your feelings; playing
certain roles;
 Provides clues/hints
 Interpretations
 Visual bonding
 Assurance, honesty, sincere
 Establish credibility
Gestures
Includes purposeful movement of
shoulders, head and hands.
divided into;
 Conventional-signs and symbols
with specific meaning assigned
by custom or usage
 Descriptive-signs and symbols
which describe ideas being
conveyed-size, shape,location
etc
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Indicators-Movement of hands,
arms or other parts which
represent feeling i.e, shrugging
shoulders to show disgust,
anger, joy, concern etc
Paralinguistic
Voices of agreement,
disagreement, encouragement,
disgust, annoyance, impatience,
interest, concentration while
listening; uh, huh, hhmm….
NB/: Most NVC occur involuntarily
(unconciously), it is most sincere,
vary from culture to culture.
WRITING SKILLS
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Business Letters
Reports
Curriculum Vitae
Application Letters
FORMS OF
COMMUNICATION
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Written Communication
Oral Communication
Non-verbal Communication
Audio- Visual Communication
E-Communication
Silence