1. Introduction to Communication Skills

2. Introduction What is communication?
In simple words we can say that ““just to convey the message”
If we go in more detail we can say that “ communication is the process of transmitting (A B) & Receiving
(B A) Messages.

3. Communication
Communication is the process of sending and receiving information among people…
Feedback
SENDER
receiver
RECEIVER
sender

4. Messages not delivered due to “distortion”
Feedback
Sender
Receiver
Distortion

5. Why Communications Skills Are So Important ?
The purpose of communication is to get your message across to others. This is a process that involves both the sender of the message and the receiver. This process leaves room for error, with messages often misinterpreted (يساء تفسيرها)by one or more of the parties involved. This causes unnecessary confusion.
In fact, a message is successful only when both the sender and the receiver perceive it in the same way.

6. Why Communications Skills Are So Important ?
Communication barriers can pop-up at every stage of the communication process (which consists of sender, message, channel, receiver, feedback and context ) and have the potential to create misunderstanding and confusion.

7. Critical success factor for life
The majority of your perceived ability comes from how you communicate
30% What you know
70% How you
communicate it

8. Most common ways to communicate
Visual Images
Speaking
Writing
Body Language

9. To ensure understanding
Communication Goals
To change behavior
To get action
To ensure understanding
To persuade
الإقناع
Information
To get and give

10. Effective Communication
If some one can achieve the desired level of objective through communication , we can say that it is “effective communication”.
e.g. If your communication get the proper response from the receiver it means that you effectively conveyed the message.

11. How to achieve effective Communication
Encourage creative and Critical Thinking
Consider audience’s information needs
Consider Audience's Technical Background
Consider Audience's Cultural Background and Gender
Consider Audience's Knowledge of the Subject

12. BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
• Physical barriers • Cultural barriers • Religious barriers • Time pressures • Distractions/interruptions • Failure to wait for feedback/response

13. BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Hearing only part of the message
Failure to listen
Listening with a particular mind-set/prejudice (حكم مسبق)
Reacting emotionally
Making assumptions
Accents

14. BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Lack of sensitivity to emotions
• Poor volume, tone, emphasis
• Not acknowledging person’s experience, emotions, feelings, desires
• Jumping from topic to topic
• Acting phony (تصنع)

15. What causes distortion?
Speaker
Language
Wordiness (redundancy)
Semantics (meaning)
Emotions
Accent
Listener
Perceptions (understanding)
Preconceived notions/expectations
Physical hearing problem
Speed of thought
Personal interests
Emotions
Attention span
No active listening!

16. FEEDBACK: Feedback can be: Verbal Reactions and Non-Verbal Reactions.
Positive feedback and Negative feedback.

17. Feedback Skills Positive vs. Negative Feedback
Positive feedback is more readily and accurately perceived than negative feedback
Positive feedback fits what most people wish to hear and already believe about themselves
Negative feedback is most likely to be accepted when it comes from a credible source if it is objective.
Subjective impressions carry weight only when they come from a person with high status and credibility

18. Types of Communication
Verbal – Communication through language Nonverbal – Communication other than through spoken language. More powerful messages are usually conveyed through nonverbal cues than through words themselves. Paraverbal – Communicating not by what you say, but how you say it.

19. Types of Communication (continued)
Examples of nonverbal communication include:
Body language (e.g., folded arms)
Eye contact
Muscle tension
Posture (وضعية الوقوف)
Proxemics (how close we stand when talking. In the US, people stand between 18 inches to 2 ft. from each other; they get uncomfortable if that boundary is violated. Proxemics vary from culture to culture.

20. Types of Communication (Continued)
Examples of paraverbal communication include:
Voice qualities/voice tone
Rate of speech (how fast or slow one talks)
Rhythm of voice (الإيقاع)
Volume

21. Strengths and Weaknesses
Verbal Communication:
Strength - Role of Body Language.
Weakness - Not possible to give a long list of directions
Written Communication:
Strength - A proof of a communication
Weakness - Written words does not show a person’s actual feelings.

22. Listening Skills

24. Listening is needed everywhere…
Listening skills form the basis of:
Continued learning
Teamwork skills
Management skills
Negotiation skills

25. … But not practiced effectively
70% of all communication is
Misunderstood
Misinterpreted
Rejected
Distorted
Not heard

26. 5 Basic reasons we Do Not Listen
Listening is Hard Work
Competition
The Rush for Action (الإندفاع)
Speed differences (120 wpm v/s 360 wpm)
Lack of Training

27. DEFINITION OF ACTIVE LISTENING
Active listening is a way of listening that focuses entirely on what the other person is saying and confirms understanding of both the content of the message and the emotions and feelings underlying the message to ensure that understanding is accurate.

28. Rules for good listening
Deciding in advance that what a person is saying is not important means probably you'll tune out - and you could miss an opportunity to learn something and to strengthen a relationship.
It's difficult to listen if you're too tired, or preoccupied with something else - in those situations, it's best to set aside another time agreeable to both, when you are able to give your full attention.

29. Rules for good listening
Preconceived ideas about what someone is saying will block communication. When you keep an open mind, you are ready to learn something new.
Eye contact reassures (يطمئن) the person speaking that you are listening, and builds trust in a relationship.
Don't judge a book by its cover - important information can come from anyone, regardless of the package.
Matching your body language with your words through eye contact, a pleasant tone of voice and a warm smile conveys interest and respect. This reassures the person speaking that you feel he/she is important.

30. Rules for good listening
Asking questions will help the person clarify what he/she is telling you. You can show you understand by paraphrasing - repeating in your own words what the person has said.

31. How to be an active listener
Set the stage
Choose an appropriate physical environment
Remove distractions
Be open and accessible
Maintain relaxed, open posture that shows concentration
Ensure mutual understanding
Reflect feelings
Offer acknowledgements (say “uh-huh”)
Paraphrase main ideas
Interrupt to clarify

32. How to be an active listener
Understand body language
Observe position and posturing
Make eye contact
Consider expression and gestures
Suspend judgment
Concentrate
Keep an open mind
Hear the person out

33. How to be an active listener
Give Feedback
Repeat back or summarize to ensure that you understand.
Restate what you think you heard and ask, "Have I understood you correctly?"

34. Paraphrasing, Summarizing and Questioning

35. Techniques to improve listening skills
SUMMARIZE
Pull together the main points of a speaker
PARAPHRASE
Restate what was said in your own words
QUESTION
Challenge speaker to think further, clarifying both your and their understanding

36. Practice Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is simply restating what another person has said in your own words.
Use phrases such as:
In other words…
I gather that…
If I understand what you are saying…
What I hear you saying is…
Pardon my interruption, but let me see if I understand you correctly…

37. Practice Summarizing Try out these summarizing phrases:
Summarizing pulls important ideas, facts or data together.
Useful for emphasizing key points and setting the stage for further discussion.
The person summarizing must listen carefully in order to organize the information systematically.
Try out these summarizing phrases:
“If I understand you correctly, your main concerns are…”
“These seem to be the key ideas you have expressed… ”

38. Two basic types of questions
Closed questions:
Get a one-word response and inhibit thought.
Questions begin with who, when and which
Open-ended questions:
Invite unique thought, reflection or an explanation.
Questions begin with how, what and how come.

39. Practice Questioning
Rephrase the following closed questions to make them open-ended:
Are you feeling tired?
Was the last activity useful?
Is there anything bothering you?
How do you feel?
How do you evaluate the last activity?
What is bothering you?

40. Active Listening (not!)
Behaviors that prevent effective listening
Act distracted (look at your watch!)
Tell your own story without acknowledging theirs
Give no response
Invalidate response, be negative
Interrupt
Criticize
Give advice/solutions quickly
Change the subject
Quickly agreeing with client before they finish speaking

41. Conversation Skills

42. How to improve my conversation skills?
Don’t be shy! خجول
Communication errors can be solved.
A conversation is an interactive activity involving listening and speaking from both parties.
It’s all about listening and asking questions.
Lulls (السكتات أو فترات الهدوء) are normal.
If a conversation is going wrong, it may not be your fault.

43. How to introduce myself?
Greet with smile
Maintain eye contact
Give a firm handshake
Tell your name
Ask for the other person’s name
Repeat the other person’s name
Never draw a negative picture of yourself

44. How to have a great conversation?
Relax and forget about yourself
Listen
Ask questions
Use a friendly tone
Choose your words and questions carefully
Neither interrupt a person in the middle of his thought, nor speak on top of it
Compliment (جامل ) the other person
Thank for a great conversation

45. How to handle a difficult question?
Personal question
I’m sorry, but I’d prefer not to answer this question.
Question you don’t know the answer
I have no idea.
Question you didn’t catch
Can you repeat the question?
Question you don’t understand because of unfamiliar words or question structure
I’m sorry, but I don’t understand your question. Would you mind telling it in different words?/What do you mean by…?/What does…mean?

46. How to improve speaking?
Listening and reading aloud
Writing
Networking and making friends
Greeting people on the street
Having small talks in public
Watching foreign movies with English subtitles
Joining one-on-one conversations, conversation and common interest groups

47. How to improve listening?
Speaking to English speakers
Watching TV and movies
Listening to radio
Reading audio books
Singing English songs
Practicing pronunciation
Joining conversation groups/one-on-one conversations

48. How to improve comprehension?
Reading picture books or comics
Reading newspapers and magazines
Asking questions during conversations
Watching TV and movies
Browsing English websites
Consulting dictionaries
Constantly learning new words
Clarifying meaning of slang and idioms
Knowing grammar