Set Yourself Up for Success: Communication Skills! By Sarah Barnum

Why Learn to Communicate? o Most jobs require interaction with co-workers, bosses, clients, or customers on a regular basis. o Your ability to give and receive directions, or simply address others, can greatly affect productivity and employee relations. o The ability to communicate is a reflection of yourself and taking the time to understand and develop your skills is a great investment.

What is Communication? According to Webster’s Dictionary (10 th edition): “Communication is a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs or behavior. ” ABCDEFGHABCDEFGH  t 

2 Sides to Communication 1. Speaker: The person asking the question, giving directions, or sharing information. 2.Listener: The person being asked, receiving directions, or gaining information. In one conversation the roles can change multiple times or have no change, depending on the length of the interaction.

Rules for Better Communication! 1.Help others be right. People want to be right and feel supported and agreement. Be less critical and more supportive! Reflection: Recall a time when someone has made you feel like your idea was not good enough or had nothing positive to say to you. oHow did that make you feel? oWhat can you say to a person without hurting their feelings?

Rules for Better Communication! 2. Be confident. People feel better and are more likely to cooperate with someone who is confident. Reflection: Can you recall a time where you saw a confident speaker or person? o How did you react to them? o Were you drawn to listening to them? o Are you confident when you speak to others?

3.Have confidence in what you say. It will help others believe in what you are saying also. Reflection: Have you noticed when you have been unconfident about a subject in class and how your behavior changes? oWhat things change? oDo you notice physical reactions? Rules for Better Communication!

4.Speak clearly and maintain reasonable eye contact. ( Don’t stare the person down, just let them know you are paying full attention to them.) Reflection: Have you ever experienced talking to someone who didn’t look at you once? oHow did you feel? oHave you treated others like this before? If so how did the conversation go?

Rules for Communication at Work! o Be Brief and Polite! oTry to keep to the point o Keep in mind the other person is working too o Try to have good timing o Ask if the person is available and tell them what you need o Avoid emotion driven conversations o Remember that its not always about YOU and your agenda!

Be an active Listener! o Treat others as you would like to be treated! o Maintain good eye contact o Write notes if considered necessary o Provide clear body language oTurn toward the person o Keep arms and legs relaxed and open o Sit up and be attentive o Stop what you were doing!!

Set yourself up for SUCCESS! In addition to communication, here are some tips for doing your job well and representing yourself professionally !

Professional Dress Besides our abilities and actions we are judged on our outward appearance. Being dressed professionally eliminates any distraction that clothing can bring to a situation and allows you to be heard, and taken seriously!

Professional Dress for Men! A navy suit with a collared shirt and a tie is a basic business professional look for men. This would be worn for a professional meeting, dinner or presentation. Nice, clean, business casual look for men. This would be worn to a casual meeting or weekend lunch, or business travel.

Professional Dress for Women! Two acceptable styles for the neckline on a basic black pant suit Acceptable skirt suit

Professional Footwear Women Men o Closed- Toed shoes o Boot o Pump o Loafer o Closed- Toed shoes o Boot o Loafer

Self Assessment The following are some basic questions to ask yourself to assess your behavior. 1. Am I working to the best of my ability? 2. Am I honest with my boss and myself? 3. Am I fair to my boss and my fellow employees and treat them with respect? 4. Am I representing myself and my employer favorably? 5. Am I using or abusing privileges extended to me by my employer? 6. Am I happy being at work? Being able to honestly answer questions like these will lead you to being aware of your actions and where you need improvement. Everyone has room to improve, and being honest with yourself is the first step to improving yourself.

Conclusion Setting yourself up for success is a simple as: learning affective and professional ways of Communication, Dressing professionally, and Assessing yourself regularly for areas of improvement!