1. Verbal Communication
Lecture 3

2. Recap Behavioural type Directness Controlling Indirectness Supporting
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3. Oral Communication Listening - types and barriers to listening .
speaking - planning and audience awareness.
persuasion- goals - motivation and hierarchy of needs.
attending and conducting interviews participating in discussions, debates - and conferences.
presentation skills
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4. Listening Meaning of Listening
Listening is the process of enquiring into the other person’s point of view, their ideas, their thinking.
Listening is with the mind
Hearing with senses
Listening is conscious
An active mind of eliciting information / message
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5. Types of Listening Active listening
-occurs when both parties are present in a conversation and are hearing each other. Eye contact should be maintained by the listener.
Reflecting Listening
-allows the speaker to be heard by the listener repeating back exactly what he actually heard. Good for customer and sales service representatives.
Discriminative Listening
-it allows the listener to hear any underlying tones or emotions. Sales and customer service representatives
Evaluating listening
-the listener has to make judgments regarding the information he is hearing and weigh out pros and cons of the situation. Good for managers and entrepreneurs
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6. Stages of the Listening Process
Hearing
Focusing on the message
Comprehending and interpreting
Analyzing and Evaluating
Responding
Remembering
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7. Ten steps for good Listening
Stop talking
Paying attention
Cultivating ease
Show that you want to listen
Remove any potential distractions
Encourage
Don’t get mad; hold your temper
Go easy on argument and criticism
Ask quality questions
Giving positive feedback
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8. Barriers to Active Listening
Environmental barriers
Psychological barriers
Selective Listening
Negative Listening Attitudes
Personal Reactions
Poor Motivation
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9. The art of speaking
“Talking and Eloquence are not the same; to speak and to speak well are two different things.”
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10. Talking
Think about the best and worst speakers you can imagine. The contrast should give you the qualities of good talking
Elements of good talking
Voice quality: it involves pitch, delivery, speed and volume
Style : it refers to a set of voice behaviors that give each person a unique voice
Word choice: choose words in your listener's vocabulary
Adaptation : is filtering the message to the listener, it includes word selection.
Good talking is the foundation for other types of oral communication.
From personal meetings to conducting online and face to face meetings
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11. Meetings Meetings involve oral communication
In a meeting you will either be a leader or a participant
To lead some formal meetings , you should know the techniques of conducting meetings:
Plan the meeting: the agenda or items to be covered
Follow the plan; item by item
Move the discussion along
Control those who talk too much
Encourage everybody to take part
Control time; make sure the agenda is covered
Summarize at appropriate time what the group has covered and concluded
Take minutes: must be accurate and reliable
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12. Techniques for Participating in a Meeting
As a participant in a meeting you should ;
Follow the agenda
Participate
Avoid talking too much
Cooperate with all the concerned
Practice courtesy : respect members rights and opinions, and permit them to speak.
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13. Speech Speaking Techniques
Formal speech is the most difficult kind of oral communication
We can improve our formal speaking abilities by learning good speaking techniques.
Speaking Techniques
Begin by selecting the topic if not assigned
Organize the message (introduction, body and conclusion)
Consider an appropriate greeting and usually comes first
Design the introduction to meet the goals
Arouse interest with a story, quotations, questions
Introduce the subject
Prepare the reader to receive the message
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14. Speaking Techniques Ctn’d
5. Organize it like a report : divide subdivide, usually by factors
6. Select the most appropriate ending, usually restating the subject and summarizing
7.Consider using a climatic close
8. Choose the best manner of presentation
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15. Purpose Of The Speech Informative Speech
The purpose of an informative speech is to teach the audience a small but useful titbit of information
E.g. Tuition fees were raised by 10%
Persuasive Speech
The purpose is a persuasive speech is to change people's minds or behaviour about something.
E.g. Vote for Me
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16. Purpose Of The Speech Special Occasion Speech
is an emotional speech that marks a major event or rite of passage.
Sample of SOS are;
• Welcoming speech,
• Introductory speech,
• Inauguration Speech, and
• Entertainment Speech
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17. Characteristics of a good speech
Clarity
Length
Informative
Appeal
Wavelength
Informal
Concrete Facts
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18. How To Make Speech Effective?
IN THE BEGINNING OF THE SPEECH
Raising a Question
Narrating a related interesting story
Opening with a striking quotation
Telling how the topic affects the vital interests of the audience.
Highlighting the shocking facts
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19. How To Make Speech Effective?
DURING THE SPEECH
Put one‘s heart into the talk
• Stress the important words
• Vary the pitch of voice
• Maintain eye contact
• Speak loudly
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20. How To Make Speech Effective?
AT THE END OF THE SPEECH
Summarize
• Appeal for action
• Pay compliment
• Raising a laugh
• Quoting a verse of poetry
• Using a biblical quotation
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21. Planning and Audience Awareness
An audience is a group of people who participate in a show or encounter a work of art, literature, theatre, music or academics in any medium.
Audience members participate in different ways in different kinds of art; some events invite overt audience participation and others allowing only modest clapping and criticism and reception.
Age, gender, race
Academic or Non-academic
Hostile, Neutral, Un-uniform or supportive
Large group or small group
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22. The Sense of Audience
There‘s no excuse for boring your audience. Try to put them first and always keep them in your mind when you prepare your speech.
Ask friends for feedback. Try to see yourselves as others see you. (Watch or listen to yourself in video/ audio recording)
Show enthusiasm. Don‘t look and sound dull. Practice helps to overcome nervousness
Look confident by standing straight and being well prepared; it‘s natural to feel a bit nervous, but work on mastering/ controlling the feeling.
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23. Logistics Sound System Visual Aids System Climate Control The Stage
Seat Arrangement
Exits and Entrance
Rest Rooms
Drinks, Snack Bar
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24. Characteristics of great speakers
Confidence
Use Your Voice and Body Effectively
Art of Storytelling
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25. CONFIDENCE Content Organization Newness Friendliness Impression
Dedication
Empathy
Notes
Conviction
Enthusiasm
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26. Voice and Body Language
The speed at which you speak
Too Slow
Bore the audience
Too Fast
Hard to understand.
Run out of breath
PITCH: The vocal notes that you hit while speaking—the highs and lows of your voice
Do not speak in a monotone—it bores your audience
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27. Voice Inflection
Altering your pitch to help bring attention and emphasis to what you are speaking
I think that you are the best.
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28. Do’s and Donts
DO‘s
Maintain good eye contact with ALL of the audience – move your head to include everyone
Use small index cards as cue cards/ prompts
Pause appropriately; give the audience time to digest your points; emphasize key words and phrases; aim for stress timed delivery, not syllable-timed
Pay attention to diction ; remember to articulate final consonant sounds
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29. Do’s and Donts DONT‘s Read direct from your notes all the time
Use excessive gestures, fidget, play with your hair/ tie etc. as this can be very distracting
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30. Presenting As A Part Of A team
Plan talk together
Set responsibilities
Structure talk
Intro – sections - conclusion
Ensure everyone will speak
Smooth links between speakers
Someone to introduce talk and
Introduce next topic & speaker
Someone to conclude
Your talk must HANG TOGEGTHER
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31. Group Discussion Group Discussion is a modern
method of assessing personalities.
• It is both a technique and an art
and a comprehensive tool to judge
the worthiness of the student and
his /her appropriateness for the job.
• The team suggests a discussion among a group of persons.
• The group may have 8 & 12 members who express their views freely, frankly in a friendly manner, on a topic of current issue.
• Within a time limit of 20 to 30 minutes, the ability of the members of the group is measured.
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32. Benefits of Group Discussions? Any shortcomings?
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33. Benefits of Group Discussion
Stimulation of thinking in a new way.
Expansion of knowledge
Understanding of your strength and weakness.
Your true personality is revealed and qualities of leadership crystallize
Provides chance to expose
Language skills
Academic knowledge
Leadership skills
People handling skills
Team work
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34. Do’s In Group Discussions
Make original points & support them by substantial reasoning.
Listen to the other participants actively &carefully.
Whatever you say must be with a logical flow, & validate it with an example as far as possible.
Make only accurate statements.
Modulate the volume, pitch and tone.
Be considerate to the feelings of the others.
Try to get your turn.
Talk with confidence and self-assurance.
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35. Don'ts In Group Discussions
Being shy /nervous / keeping isolated from G.D
Interrupting another participant before his arguments are over
Speak in favour ; example: Establish your position and stand by it
Changed opinions
Don‘t make fun of any participant even if his arguments are funny
Don‘t engage yourself in sub-group conversation.
Don‘t repeat and use irrelevant materials.
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36. What can you do to improve and benefit from your group discussions?
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37. Interview Skills Interview is a social process, which
involves interactions between two
persons- the interviewer and the
interviewee.
It gives a chance to the interviewer to have a glimpse of the inner traits and qualities of the interviewee.
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38. Interview Skills
Interviews differ from other conversations in that they;
are held for a very specific reason
Aim at a particular outcome
Are more carefully and consciously structured
Must usually cover predetermined matters of concern
Are called and led by one person –the interviewer
Are usually recorded
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39. Before The Interview Research the company
Determine location of interview – or prepare for a phone interview
Prepare your attire
Make sure your CV is ready for further inspection
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40. Interview Preparation
Know Your Product (a.k.a. YOURSELF)
Complete a Self-Assessment
Strengths, weaknesses, academic performance, career interests, personal goals, work experiences, and special skills
Know your CV
Know how your qualifications can benefit the employer (match them to the job description)
Be able to articulate this information and back it up with specific examples
Know your customer, services, etc.
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41. Interview Preparation Cnt
Read employer literature & visit the organization’s website
Speak with recent graduates who have recently been through the interview process
Understand the job, the organization, and where you fit
Review the job description
Anticipate the questions
Research and set your salary range
Prepare questions to ask the interviewer
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42. At The Interview Be alert, friendly, and courteous
Maintain good eye contact
Be positive about yourself
Be confident, but not cocky
Act natural and be yourself
Be honest
Send the right behavioural signals
Communicate carefully
Participate, don‘t dominate
Be enthusiastic
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43. At The Interview Cnt Sell yourself and your strengths
Be conscious of your personal grooming
Your goal is to look professional!
Your goal is not to look trendy or hip
Business Attire vs. Business Casual
Know the organization‘s culture
Arrive on time – or ten minutes early
Bring two copies of your resume and other applicable information
Make a good first impression
Make a good last impression
Don‘t let them doubt your interest in the position
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44. Typical Interview Questions
Tell me about yourself
Why are interested in this position/ organization?
What attracted you to this field?
Tell me about your work experience
What qualifies you for this position?
What are you strengths? What is your greatest weakness?
Where do you see yourself in five, ten years?
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