1. Leaders Linked: Unbroken Chains of Communication
Brought to you by:
Paula Keefer
Vice President of Organizational Resources
Debbie
This session, Leaders Linked: Unbroken Chains of Communication, was developed by VP Char Kroemer, myself, Strategic Plan Facilitator Carol von Soosten, and PR Director Michelle Zollinger.
Let’s begin with prayer:
Lord, we need to understand others and make ourselves understood if we are going to do a good job with whatever You give us to do. Please show us through this lesson how we can improve. Amen

2. Activity: Directions for Drawing
On the left side of the sheet of paper:
Draw an elongated droplet shape.
Draw a heart around it.
Draw a horizontal line above the heart.
Draw a vertical line above the heart.
Michelle shares her drawing exercise here.
Here are the instructions of the activity which I will also read aloud, pausing(8 seconds)between each one.
On the left side of the sheet of paper:
Draw an elongated droplet shape.
Draw a heart around it.
Draw a horizontal line above the heart.
Draw a vertical line above the heart.
Your picture is finished. Think about how you feel your picture turned out. You may have been a bit frustrated that you were not able to use your verbal communication to communicate with me by asking me questions about the instructions. If you would have been allowed to ask questions about the instructions, would you have asked some of these questions: (Rhetorical)
How big should the droplet be?
How big should the heart be?
How long is the horizontal line?
How long is the vertical line?
Now we are going to start this activity over on the right hand side of the paper with these new instructions:

3. Activity: Directions for Drawing
On the right side of the sheet of paper:
Draw a small droplet shape in the center of your paper.
Draw a larger heart around the droplet so that the heart is about twice the size of the droplet.
About an inch above the heart, draw a short horizontal line so it is about the same length as the widest portion of the drop.
Midway in the horizontal line, draw a longer vertical line so that the bottom section is twice as long as the top section.
On the right side of the sheet of paper:
Draw a small droplet shape in the center of your paper.
Draw a larger heart around the droplet so that the heart is about twice the size of the droplet.
About an inch above the heart, draw a short horizontal line so it is about the same length as the widest portion of the drop.
Midway in the horizontal line, draw a longer vertical line so that the bottom section is twice as long as the top section.
Again, your picture is finished. Does your picture look like the new LWML logo?

4. Hopefully, with these more specific set of instructions, yours and everyone else’s looks very similar to the LWML logo, however, there still may be opportunity for misunderstanding due to lack of clearer directions upon my part or the listener not being fully engaged or both.
As leaders in the LWML, we need to be fully engaged in hearing what our Lord tells us in His Word and use that as an example to communicate with others.
Debbie takes over;
Thank you, Michelle. As leaders in the LWML, as Christians, we have opportunities every day to share Jesus with others. If the words that come out of our mouths don’t match the tones we use or we don’t accompany those words with Christ’s compassion, they may not have the result we hope for. If the written word isn’t crafted with consideration it may be misunderstood. And so, we want to share elements of effective communication with you.

5. Generational Characteristics

6. Each generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it.
- George Orwell

7. Communication and Technology

8. Communication Styles: Different Personalities, Different Methods
Awareness of different personalities
Listen, evaluate, show respect
Be aware that each person communicates differently because they have different personality traits and none are right or wrong.
Know your audience/those you are communicating with. Some respond to compliments, others to logic. Again, be a listener, respecting the opinions and ideas of others.

9. Elements of Effective Communication
#1: Begin with prayer
#2: Engaged listening
#3: Non-verbal communication
#4: Self confidence
#5: Forgive/Ask to be Forgiven
#6: Show Respect
#7: Clarity and Focus
#8: Be Open-Minded
#9: Friendliness
#10: Empathy
There are many elements of effective communication and many, many websites that share information on the best way to communicate. We’ve simply looked at all of these and combined, edited, and added what we believe are the essential elements of effective communication.
Let’s look at each of these a little closer.

10. Toy Box Communications The Right Face for the Right Place
Your Face is a Courier of the Message Your Face is an Extension of your Emotions Your Face is an Interpreter of Intent

11. Toy Box Communications Illuminate to Communicate
Communicating the Lite-Brite way requires four elements:
the lightbulb represents the idea
the black paper represents the filter
the colored pegs represent the delivery
the viewer represents the audience

12. Our Lord communicates with us through His Word.
Jesus is our model for communication:
We will Follow the Leader
Let’s begin with our most important communication. That link between us and our Savior.
Our Lord communicates with us through His Word.
Jesus is our model for communication
He relates to us personally
His words and actions show His love and compassion
He meets people where they are and His parables were relational
He listens and leads His followers to understanding His ways
And we will Follow the Leader

13. Listening Activity

14. Bottom Line: Follow the Leader!
Bottom line: Communication is not just sharing information. It’s understanding the situation, knowing the goals, and being sensitive to the needs and wants of everyone involved.
Remember to Follow the Leader:
Look to Jesus, the lines of communication are always open!
Now, we go to Char!

15. Response: We follow the Leader.
Leader: Dear Father in heaven, You are here in our midst.
Response: We follow the Leader.
Leader: Thank You for giving us words to speak.
Leader: Thank you for providing us opportunities to share Your Word.
Leader: Help us strive to be effective communicators as we practice being engaged listeners.
Char – Please, pray with me responsively:
Leader: Dear Father in heaven, You are here in our midst.
Participants: We follow the Leader.
Leader: Thank You for giving us words to speak.
Leader: Thank you for providing us opportunities to share Your Word.
Leader: Help us strive to be effective communicators as we practice being engaged listeners.

16. Response: We follow the Leader.
Leader: Help us put our confidence in You because You give us the words to say.
Response: We follow the Leader.
Leader: May we always show respect and communicate with an open mind to other’s thoughts.
Leader: Lord Jesus, may You be our guide in all our communication, as we follow You in all we do and say. To You, in whose name we pray, be the glory and honor, now and forever.
All: Amen.
Char – (continued)
Leader: Help us put our confidence in You because You give us the words to say.
Participants: We follow the Leader.
Leader: May we always show respect and communicate with an open mind to other’s thoughts.
Leader: Lord Jesus, may You be our guide in all our communication, as we follow You in all we do and say. To You, in whose name we pray, be the glory and honor, now and forever.
Participants: Amen.