1. Communications for Guides
Amanda Wroten

2. Amanda Wroten Professional with the Boy Scouts of America
Owner of Summit Consulting
Volunteer with Paradox Sports

3. Why Communication Trust – short roped Getting jobs Keeping jobs
Client experience
Marketing

4. Why Communication
Special event lectures
$$$$$
Clients
Sponsors

5. “Are You Tough Enough” Backpacker magazine article Shannon Davis
RMI Tryout
100s of applications  40 tryouts  10 slots
Small group setting

6. “Are You Tough Enough” Intangibles Can you work with a group?
Can you speak in front of a crowd
Can you sell yourself?
Do you like people?

7. Take Away #1 Elevator Speech
Can you sell yourself?
1: Identify your goal
2: Explain what you do
3: Communicate your “unique selling proposition”
4: Engage with a question (close)
5: Pull it all together
6: Practice
Pitch is seconds

8. Today We Will Cover Public speaking Group/interpersonal communication
Nonverbal communication
Intercultural communication

9. Similarities Between Public Speaking and Conversation
Organize your thoughts
Giving someone directions to your house
Tailor your message to the audience
Your 5 year old ask you where babies come from
Your 14 year old asks you where babies come from
Your 22 year old asks the same question

10. Similarities Between Public Speaking and Conversation
Telling a story for maximum impact
Don’t tell the “punch line” of a story first
Adapting to listener feedback
Watch for non-verbal feedback – looks of confusion, looks of pain or hurtfulness

11. Differences Between Public Speaking and Conversation
Public speaking is more structured
Usually time limited
Questions possibly not allowed to interrupt the speech/typically questions at the end
Public speaking requires more formal language
No slang, jargon, or bad grammar – think about climbing terms – “short rope” “crag” “beener”
Usually something special, remembered

12. Differences Between Public Speaking and Conversation
Public speaking requires a different method for delivery
More formal delivery
No vocalized pauses – “uh, “ah”, “um”
Don’t use stock phrases repeatedly –”you know, like, basically, I mean” – less valley girl

13. Speech Communication Process
Speaker – speech communication starts here
Message – whatever is communicated
Channel – means by which a message is communicated
Listener – the receiver of the communicated message
Feedback – comes in many forms and must be understood

14. Speech Communication Process
Interference – anything impeding the communication of the message
Noise
Internal noise
External noise
Situation – the time and place of the occurrence

15. Speech Communication Process

16. Listening Listening is important
Over our lives we will listen to many more speeches than we will deliver
Helps develop critical thinking
Studies show a direct link between academic success and the ability to listen
Listening (mental) and hearing (physical) are two different things
Helps guide client experience and safety

17. Listening and Critical Thinking
Four types of listening
Appreciative: music, movies, etc.
Empathetic: emotional support
Comprehensive: listening to understand
Critical: evaluate a message
Critical thinking
Comprehensive and critical thinking requires you to evaluate while listening, developing critical thinking skills

18. Causes of Poor Listening
Not concentrating
Daydreaming, mind wandering, dozing
Listening too hard
Trying to remember every fact, no matter how minute
Jumping to conclusions
Putting words into the speaker’s mouth; interrupting speaking, anticipating what speaker will say/do next
Focusing on delivery instead of message
Accent, clothes, stuttering,

19. Better Listening Take it seriously Practice and self-discipline
Resist distractions
Pull yourself back on track
Don’t be diverted by appearance or delivery
Suspend judgment
“A closed mind is an empty mind”

20. Better Listening Focus your listening Listen for main points
Listen for evidence
Accurate, sources, relevant
Safety

21. Analyzing the Audience
Good speakers (and guides) are audience centered
Primary purpose is to get a desired result
Keep the audience foremost in mind at every step of preparation and presentation
To whom are you speaking?
What is it you want them to know, believe or do?
What is the most effective way to compose and present your message to that end?

22. Psychology of Audiences
It’s up to the speaker to make the audience choose to pay attention
Every speech contains two messages
One from the speaker
One received by the listener
“People hear what they want to hear and disregard the rest.” – The Boxer

23. Psychology of Audiences
People are egocentric
Egocentrism – the tendency for people to be the most interested in themselves, their own problems, and the way to solve them
They pay closest attention to what affects their own values, beliefs, and well being

24. Demographic Audience Analysis
Look for observable audience traits
Snap judgments (Legos)
Identify the general features
Gauge their importance to the situation
Traits
Age
Gender
Racial, ethnic, cultural background
Religion
Group membership

25. Situational Audience Analysis
Builds on demographic analysis, identifies traits unique to the speaking situation
Size
Physical setting
Disposition toward the topic
Interest
Knowledge
Attitude
Disposition towards the speaker
Disposition towards the occasion

26. Adapting to the Audience
Before you begin
Assess how the audience is likely to respond
Adjust what you say to make it
Clear
Appropriate
Convincing
During
Things may/will not go exactly as you plan
Don’t panic, remain calm and adapt
Remember: “Who am I speaking to, what do I want them to know, believe or do, and what is the best way to accomplish this?”

27. PRACTICE, PRACTICE PRACTICE

28. Use of Language Language is important How well do you use language
Meaningless words “like”

29. Meanings of Words Words have two kinds of meanings: Denotative
The literal or dictionary meaning of a word or phrase
Connotative
The meaning suggested by the association or emotions triggered by a word or phrase
Give words their intensity and emotional power
The same words may have completely different effects on different audiences

30. Take Away #2 Things to Remember
Use language accurately
Say what you mean
Use language clearly
Familiar words
Concrete words
Eliminate clutter
Use language vividly
Imagery, parallelism, repetition…etc.
Use language appropriately
Occasion, audience, topic, speaker

31. Sexist Language Avoid Generic use of “he”
Use of man when referring to both genders
Stereotyping jobs/social roles

32. Vocalization Volume – loudness or softness
Adjust to the situation
Pitch – high or lowness of your voice
Adjust for variety
Rate of speed
wpm is normal (brain can process more)
Pauses
Pause for effect, thinking, and to avoid vocalized pauses

33. Vocalization Variety Pronunciation Articulation Dialect
Vary your speech
Pronunciation
Articulation
Dialect
Variety of language distinguished by variations of accent, grammar, or vocabulary

34. Nonverbal Communication
Kinesics – the study of nonverbal body motions as a systematic node of communication
People trust their ears less than their eyes
When a speaker’s body language is inconsistent with their words they tend to believe their eyes

35. Nonverbal Communication
Other aspects of nonverbal communications
Personal appearance
Body action
Gesticulation
Eye contact

42. Body Language
Face
Figure
Focus
Territory
Tone
Time

43. Face Face includes: Your expressions Your smile or lack thereof
Tilt of the head; e.g., if your head is tilted to one side, it usually indicates you are interested in what someone is saying
What message are you sending if someone is presenting a new idea and you are frowning?

44. Figure Your posture Your demeanor and gestures
Your clothes and accessories such as jewelry

45. Focus Focus is your eye contact with others
The perception of eye contact differs by culture. For most Americans…
Staring makes other people uncomfortable
Lack of eye contact can make you appear weak or not trustworthy
Glasses may interfere or enhance eye contact

46. Territory
Territory focuses on how you use space. It is also called proxemics.
The perception of territory differs by culture. Most Americans are comfortable with an individual space that is about an arm’s length in diameter
What message are you sending if you keep moving closer to a person who is backing away from you?

47. Tone Tone is a factor of your voice
Pitch is the highness or lowness of voice
Volume is how loud your voice is
Emphasis is your inflection

48. Time Time focuses on how you use time. It is also called chronemics.
Pace is how quickly you speak
Response is how quickly you move
Punctuality is your timeliness

49. Interpersonal/Group Communication
Shared symbols
Meaning of things
“ASAP”
What does that really mean?
Not always completely shared, the message received may not be the intended one

50. SHARE State the importance Highlight other important points
Assure the receiver understands
React to how the receiver responds
Emphasize and summarize your main points

51. Questions in Groups Closed or open ended Direct questions
Probing questions
Hypothetical

52. Groups
Collections of people who share ideas and interests

53. Mountaineering Groups
Task groups
To achieve a common goal – task oriented

54. Group Phases Forming – initial set up (dating) Rebellion – conflict
Norming – social norms, stable structure
Cooperation – problems solved, energy directed at the task

55. Groups Have Norms Formal norms Informal norms Rules Safety
Societal norms
Don’t be an ass

56. Group Leaders, Rope Teams
Deferred leadership – Guide
Trait approach
Natural leadership
Situational approach
Right place, right time
Functional approach
Who is best at what
Contingency approach
Depends on all situational factors

58. Group Think Become too cohesive Us vs. Them – Can do no wrong
In groups/out groups – stereotypes
Illusion that everyone in the group is the same
Pressure in group

59. Intercultural Communication
Effective communication to people of varying backgrounds and cultures
Understanding how cultures receive information

60. Intercultural Communication

65. Conclusion Better client relationships
Better communication with clients
Safety
Increase client base
Special events
Free advertising
Build your brand

66. Questions? Stay in touch!
Happy to help with anything you need in the future