1. Building a Strong Communication Foundation
Chapter 5
Building a Strong Communication Foundation

2. Thinking ahead
Do you know the manager’s role in communication? Can you gather and give information effectively?
Can you recognise the main communication barriers?
Does your non-verbal communication send the right message?
Can you communicate effectively in writing for business purposes?

3. The Manager’s role: Communication
Communicating the needs and requirements of your work team to more senior management
Ensuring that each team member understands
their own work objectives
each other’s work objectives
the department’s objectives

4. The Manager’s role: Communication
Ensuring that team members understand
what the organisation stands for
where it is heading
how they contribute to its overall goals
Ensuring that everyone is able to carry out their duties

5. The Manager’s role: Communication
Ensuring that everyone understands the departmental and organisational
procedures
regulations
Explaining the organisation’s changing requirements of its employees

6. The Manager’s role: Communication
Establishing a climate where everyone feels able to
ask questions
contribute ideas
challenge the status quo

7. Two way communication model

8. Elements of communication

9. Gathering information
Use your ears! Explore by asking questions Affirm to show your listening Recap your understanding Silence - listen some more

10. Manager’s listen
Most experienced managers spend more time gathering information than giving it About 30% of their day is talking and 37–45% listening But listening means more than just ‘not talking’

11. Manager’s listen
True listening is hard work It’s easy to ‘switch off’ or listen only with ‘half an ear’ when you have other matters on your mind Make sure you really listen and show the speaker that you are listening

12. How to listen effectively

13. Manager’s give information
Be sure of your facts
Don’t present any information, ideas or opinions as facts that aren’t facts
When you’re stating an opinion, let people know that it’s your opinion
Don’t present it as a fact

14. Manager’s gather information
Acknowledge and deal with feelings
Listen to hunches. Guard against ego-driven communications.
When someone is telling you something
ask questions to distinguish between fact, fantasy, folklore or feelings

15. Manager’s analyse information
Fact: Is this an indisputable fact that everyone would accept? Fantasy: Is this someone’s opinion? Folklore: Is this hearsay, gossip or rumour? Feelings: Is this someone’s intuition ego or emotion?

16. Ask the right questions
Closed questions
Questions that can be answered with a “Yes” or “No” or a short statement of fact
They do not encourage a full, detailed response

17. Ask the right questions
Open question
Questions that do encourage a full response, not just “Yes” or “No” or a short statement of fact
Often starting with Who, What, Where, When and How
e.g. “What did you learn from that?”

18. Avoid asking these questions
Coercive questions
These limit the possible answers and can trap the responder into giving the answers you want:
‘Don’t you think …?’
‘Wouldn’t you prefer …?’

19. Avoid asking these questions
‘Gotcha’ Questions
These show up the other person’s weaknesses or mistakes ‘Didn’t you say …?’ (and look how wrong you were!)
Imperative Questions
These are counterfeit demands: ‘Have you done anything about …?’ ‘When are you planning to …?’

20. Avoid asking these questions
Leading Questions
These imply the answer you’re looking for:
‘You won’t have any problems with that, will you?’
‘Are you just about ready to leave for the meeting?’

21. Avoid asking these questions
Multiple Questions
These ask several questions in succession, leaving the responder confused about which to answer.
‘How did you get on with that assignment? Was everyone helpful? Did they give you the information you needed? Did you have any problems? Did it go smoothly?’

22. Avoid asking these questions
Sarcastic Questions
These mask what you really want to say, but the ‘sting in the tail’ gives it away.
‘Did you have trouble with your car again?’ (to someone late for work or a meeting, when what you really mean is ‘Why are you late again?’).

23. Avoid asking these questions
Screened Questions
These ask for the other person’s opinion in the hope that it is the same as yours.
‘What do you think we should do first?’ ‘What are your plans?’

24. Avoid asking these questions
Set-Up Questions
These set someone up only to whack them down.
‘Do you agree that time-keeping is important? ... (yes, of course) … ‘Then can you please arrive on time in future?’

25. The six C’s of communication
Is it clear?
Is it complete?
Is it concise?
Is it concrete?
Is it correct?
Is it courteous?

26. Overcoming communication barriers
Environmental barriers
Incongruity
Individual factors
Language
Listening
Message complexity and quantity

27. Overcoming communication barriers
Perceptions, prejudice and stereotyping
Self-image
Status
Time and timing

28. Body language is so clear
Make sure your body language supports your communications
S is for the way you sit or stand and use space.
Open up. Keep an open body posture and gestures.
C is for how exclusively you centre your attention on the other person. Concentrate and put any other thoughts to one side.

29. Body language is so clear
L is for how you lean to show attention and apply or reduce pressure.
E is for eye contact—not too much, which is overpowering, and not too little, which indicates lack of attention, self-confidence, or shiftiness.

30. Body language is so clear
A is for being at ease. Avoid fiddling, fidgeting and other nervous mannerisms. Be relaxed and balanced without being stiff.
R is for subtly reflecting the other person’s type of language body posture and voice tone. This increases rapport and people feel more comfortable.

31. Style of communication

32. Put it in writing Be clear about your aim Keep it short and simple
Write naturally
Be positive and precise

33. Put it in writing Write actively, not passively Write for your reader
Check spelling and grammar
Set out documents professionally

34. When to put it in writing
There are problems of distance. Written communications are less costly than face-to-face meetings.
You need to convey the same information to large numbers of people and ensure that everyone receives the same message.

35. When to put it in writing
You want a record for future reference. This is important with complex material and when introducing new systems or procedures.
You want to reinforce or confirm an earlier verbal message.

36. When to put it in writing
You want to deliver a precise, carefully thought-out message. You can write and rewrite your words until they say just what you want them to say.
You want your message to be authoritative. People are more ready to believe written words.

37. Structure & organise thoughts
Which way would get your message across best?
Causal: the facts and their results, or the problem and its causes
Principle: from the theory to the practice
Problem: from the problem to the solution

38. Structure & organise thoughts
Which way would get your message across best?
Process: from the raw material to the finished product, from the beginning to the end
Space: geographical, or from a central point outwards
Time: past – –> present – –> future

39. Good business writing Be clear about your purpose. Plan your message.
Why are you writing?
Plan your message.
Write dot points first, in logical order.
Draft your document.
What does your reader want to know
Edit Carefully.
Make sure your document is clear

40. Thinking back
Do you know the manager’s role in communication? Can you gather and give information effectively?
Can you recognise the main communication barriers?
Does your non-verbal communication send the right message?
Can you communicate effectively in writing for business purposes?