Military
Communication Skills
Overview:
Military Communication Skills
• 7 Steps to Effective Communication
• Talking and Background Papers
• Electronic Communication Quiz
• Briefings
Writing
Speaking
Military Communication Skills
Time well-spent in preparing for any type of
writing or briefing pays big dividend$.
You’ll feel CONFIDENT when speaking.
Your message will have CREDIBILITY.
The 7 steps for effective communication offers
you CONFIDENCE and CREDIBILITY!
Military Communication Skills
• 7 Steps to Effective Communication
• Talking and Background Papers
• Review Electronic Communication Quiz
• Briefings
7 Steps for Effective Comm.
1. Analyze your purpose and audience
– Purpose?
– Audience?
•
•
•
•
What will make it easy for your audience to
understand?
Be inclusive (use words meaningful, respectful)
Ex: I’m looking for a committee chairman for the
December food drive…
use “chairperson”
7 Steps for Effective Comm.
2. Research your topic
– Sources?
– Personal bias?
– Other perspectives to
study?
7 Steps for Effective Comm.
3. Support your ideas
• Cite Sources
• Offer Evidence (definitions, examples,
statistics, basic assumptions, explanation)
• Use Logical, Rational Arguments (T&Q pg.42-53)
All humans are mortal.
Socrates is human.
Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
7 Steps for Effective Comm.
4. Organize and outline
• Outline your main ideas
• Pick your organizing pattern:
TOPICAL
COMPARISON-CONTRAST
CHRONOLOGICAL
SPATIAL
SEQUENTIAL
PROBLEM-SOLUTION
REASON/LOGIC CAUSE-EFFECT
PRO-CON
7 Steps for Effective Comm.
5. Writing your draft
• Written: Intro-Body-Conclusion
• Briefing Notes/Slides: Overview-Body-Summary
Grammar
Jargon √
Writing Mechanics
Wordiness
Spelling
Keep it Simple!
7 Steps for Effective Comm.
6. Edit your draft
(See T&Q, p 91)
– Do your own edit first…w/FRESH eyes!
– Find another set of eyes!
– “Be one with your audience”
– Start w/the BIG PICTURE…then the details
Proof-Redo…Proof- Redo…ProofRedo…Proof-Redo
7 Steps for Effective Comm.
7. Seek feedback
– Seek out another set of “eyes”
– Have feedback givers focus on:
• Clear purpose? Fits my
audience?
– Feedback comes in 3 flavors:
• Necessary?
• Desirable?
• Unnecessary?
For more information
on the 7 Steps, see Ch
2-9 in your T&Q
Overview:
Military Communication Skills
• 7 Steps to Effective Communication
• Talking and Background Papers
• Review Electronic Communication Quiz
• Briefings
The Talking Paper
Definition: a quick reference or outline for a program, problem,
biography, or oral presentation. Flexible use!
TALKING PAPER
ON
NEW AIR FORCE LIEUTENANTS
- The new Lt has “potential energy”
-- Source of fresh ideas
-- Hopeful to make a difference
- Lts need to learn the military system
-- Appropriate channels
-- Appropriate documentation
Maj Cecil/AFOATS/CR/3-1017/agc/8 Mar 05
The Background Paper
Definition: a paper that transmits ideas from 1 agency or person to
another. Simple format for complex issues (T&Q, pp 215-216)
BACKGROUND PAPER
ON
NEW AF “FIT TO FIGHT” PROGRAM
1. The new “Fit to Fight” program focuses on physical well-being
through regular exercise, nutrition, and healthy choices….
2. For the program to work, we need commander support and
oversight….
3. Standardized uniforms promote team spirit and professional
appearance….
4. After the first year of implementation, studies show increased
number of members who meet physical standards and who join
programs for nutrition guidance and smoking cessation.
Maj Cecil/AFOATS/CR/3-1017/agc/8 Mar 05
Overview:
Military Communication Skills
• 7 Steps to Effective Communication
• Talking and Background Papers
• Review Electronic Communication Quiz
• Briefings
Electronic Communication Quiz
__1.
Be polite and professional; be careful about humor and
sarcasm.
__ 2. Often contains slang, doesn’t affect the AF (hopefully),
and doesn’t need a signature block.
__ 3. Causing congestion on the network by sending
inappropriate e-mail messages (e.g., chain letters) or
excessive storage on a server.
Electronic Communication Quiz
__ 4.
Don’t discuss controversial, official use only, classified, or
privacy act info requiring special handling of documents.
__ 5. Read and delete unnecessary files daily; sign off the computer
when you leave your work station.
__ 6. Get permission before using large mail groups; use “reply all”
very carefully.
__ 7. Use includes communications the AF determines necessary in
the interest of the Federal Gov’t.
Electronic Communication Quiz
__8.
Use includes personal e-mail approved by the “agency
designee.”
__ 9. Using someone else’s UserID or password w/o proper
authority.
__ 10. Using email for financial gain or copyrighted info without
consent.
Electronic Communication Quiz
JUST FOR FUN
1.________ is a computer that responds to request for information
from client computers.
2. Each base has a limited number of _________ which
is the
number of bits/sec that can be passed along a communication
channel in a given period of time.
3. Writing with ALL CAPS is the e-mail version of ________rude
email use.
Overview:
Military Communication Skills
• 7 Steps to Effective Communication
• Talking and Background Papers
• Review Electronic Communication Quiz
• Briefings
Briefings: Format (sample)
Title
Presenter
MP2
- Support info
- Support info
Overview
MP1
- MP1
-Support info
- MP2
-Support info
Support Info
can include:
Graphs,
Pictures,
Quotes
Summary
-MP1
-MP2
PowerPoint slides are your note cards;
they help your audience, too.
Briefings: Use of Transitions
• Transitions (writing and speaking)
T&Q, pp 70-73
– Help flow from one idea to next
– Signal direction to audience
– Internal transitions connect ideas
“First…next…finally”
– External transitions connect main points, slides, or
paragraphs
“Now that we’ve covered (MP1),
let’s move on to (MP2).”
Briefings: Introduction
• Greeting
• “Good morning/afternoon Ma’am/Sirir”
Title
Presenter
• Intro self/subject
“I’m…and I’m going to talk about…”
Overview
• Overview
“State main points (MPs)—what’s
to come”
- MP1
- MP2
Briefings: The Body (MPs)
• Present support info
– Ideas
•
•
•
•
Definitions
Examples
Comparisons
Testimony
– Visuals
•
• Graphs
• Pictures/clip art
• Quotes
• Props
Incorporate sources
MP1
-Support info
-Sources
MP2
- Support info
- Sources
Support Info
can include:
Graphs,
Pictures,
Quotes
Briefings: Conclusion
•
Summary
– State topic and MPs
– Quick summary; don’t rebrief
– Don’t add new info
•
Closure
– “This concludes my briefing.”
– “Are there any questions?”
Summary
-MP1
-MP2
Optional
Closure Slide:
“Quote”
Any questions?
Remember: PowerPoint slides are your note cards;
they help your audience, too.
Summary:
Military Communication Skills
• 7 Steps to Effective Communication
• Talking and Background Papers
• Electronic Communication Quiz
• Briefings
The trouble with talking too
fast is you may say
something you haven't
thought of yet.
~Ann Landers