The Communication Process WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?

Ethics vs Responsibility  Ethics: a person’s sense of right and wrong.  Example: an ethical communicator puts a high premium on using his or her words constructively and promoting what’s right.  Responsibility: being accountable for your actions and that you will get done what you say you will  Example: responsible speakers pay attention to the words that they use and the way that they use them.

The Communication Process  Communication: the process of sending and receiving messages.  Occurs when we express ourselves in a manner that is clearly understood.  Sender: one who transmits the message.  Message: what is sent or said.  Receiver: person who intercepts the message then decodes (interprets).  Feedback: the reactions that the receiver gives to the message offered by the sender.

The Communication Process Cont.

Communication Barriers  Communication barrier: any obstacle that gets in the way of effective communication.  Attitudinal “I really don’t’ like what we’re talking about here!”  Social “This person is not one of my friends!”  Educational “I’m far too smart to listen to this stuff!”  Cultural “This persons heritage isn’t like mine at all!”  Environmental “I’m too hot in this room to even think!”

Solving Communication Barriers  FOCUS!  To the sender:  THINK before you speak. “What is the real message that I want to send?”  ARTICULATE your words. “Am I enunciating each syllable, or am I slurring my words together?”  WATCH the receiver of your words to make sure that you are getting the correct nonverbal signals. “She isn’t responding correctly. I had better say this a different way.”

Solving Communication Barriers Cont.  To the receiver:  ASK questions; make polite requests. “Could you turn down the heat, please? I can’t concentrate in a hot room.”  LEARN more about issues and people. Say to yourself, “I need to listen. It’s good to hear an opinion or voice other than my own.”  RELATE to the background and experiences of those speaking. “I should try to understand what they’ve gone through and what message they’re trying to convey.”

Nonverbal Communication  Nonverbal Communication: expresses your attitudes or moods about a person, situation, or idea.  Examples: body language

Symbols  Anything that stands for an idea and is used for communication.  Include verbal and non-verbal communication.  As a sender of messages to receivers, you must pay attention to the nonverbal communication and the symbols that you use if you wish to be taken seriously as a communicator.

Laying the Proper Foundation  Key components:  Working to be a good person  Communicating constructively  Caring about your audience  Intrapersonal Communication  The ability to conduct inner dialogue with yourself to assess your thoughts, feelings, and reactions.  Interpersonal Communication  Form of one-on-one communication.

Laying the Proper Foundation Cont.  Oratory, or rhetoric, is the art or study of public speaking.  Orator : a person who delivers oratory and uses words effectively.  Before speaking, consider the following questions:  Is this material appropriate for this group?  How would I feel if I were asked that question?  Am I giving my audience new information?  Is my material too difficult or too easy for my audience?

Laying the Proper Foundation Cont.  Aristotle: 3 major methods for appealing to an audience  Logical appeal: provide your audience with sequence and analysis in your organization and factual evidence to prove your point.  Emotional appeal: “strike a chord” and appeal to the audiences sense of patriotism, family, or justice.  Ethical (Personal) appeal: when you show your audience that you have a natural honesty about you, a strong constitution regarding right and wrong, and a no compromise approach to values.

Building the Proper Motivation  Motivation: is something, such as a need or a desire, that causes a person to act.  Internal forces:  The desire to treat both people and situations fairly and to avoid stereotyping others.  The desire to set a good example for others.  Stereotyping: means labeling every person in a group based on a preconceived ideas as to what that group represents.