Communication Skills

COMMUNICATION SKILLS COMMUNICATION SKILLS Prof(Dr) .K. P. Mohandas Professor  Electrical Engg N i National Institute of Technology   lI i fT h l Calicut, India  1

Hard Skills

Analytical Skills

Mathematical Analysis y

Programming Skills

System Analysis

Design Skills

Algorithm Design Logical Design

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SOFT SKILLS SOFT SKILLS Communication Skills

Verbal

Interpersonal

Written

Presentation Skills

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SOFT SKILLS ‐ CATEGORIES • Corporate skills: Required at executive levels but awareness of these helps in  q p helping your organization and assist your bosses. • Employability Employability skills: skills: To be mastered by every one who seeks employment, but can  be mastered only by constant practice and effort: Mastering  every new skill lead to another  kill l d h Life Skills: Skills: • Life Related to head, heart, hands and health, they are highly  personal and behavioural skills

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Corporate Skills Corporate Skills • • • • • • • • • •

Political sensitivity Business and commercial awareness Strategic awareness Understanding funding schemes Understanding funding schemes Information Management Organization and Control Team b ilding Team building Communication and persuasion Networking and public  relations Leading change

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Employability skills Employability skills • • • • • • • •

Leadership qualities Leadership qualities Cooperation with others Planning and organizing Planning and organizing Making decisions  Communication skills Communication skills Verbal skills Writing skills Writing skills Presentation skills 6

Life Skills Life Skills • Head related keeping records, making use of resources, planning organizing, goal setting, service learning, problem  so g, ea solving, learning to learn g to ea

Heart related Related to people and caring, how do we relate to people, relate people by accepting differences, conflict l l t l b ti diff fli t resolutions, social skills, cooperation and  communication  caring through nurturing relations,  sharing, empathy and concern for others 

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Life Skills (continued) Life Skills (continued) Hands related:  Community service, volunteering, leadership,  responsible citizenship, contribution to group Health related Healthy life styles, stress management, disease  prevention and personal safety for better living : ti d l f t f b tt li i self esteem, self responsibility, character, managing  emotions and self discipline emotions and self discipline

share well, care well, and fare well 8

THINGS TO DO DAILY THINGS TO DO DAILY • Greet your family members everyday • Greet your peers, subordinates and colleagues when you  Greet your peers subordinates and colleagues when you enter the office • Greet your friends on the way, don’t ignore them • Continuously reciprocate to breed communication C ti l i t t b d i ti • Say ‘thanks’ when you get some help even if is trivial, make it  a habit even to subordinates • Be a proactive listener – don’t simply ‘pretend’ to hear • While talking to others your voice should be audible, clear and  soothing, never be aggressive or shout • Dress well to suit the profession and occasion • Avoid political comments at work place Do not talk ill of others • Do not talk ill of others  • Respect others, if you expect  to be respected by others 9

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR  LANGUAGE SKILLS?

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To MASTER A LANGUAGE To MASTER A LANGUAGE • READ : Not just for time pass, but to understand, learn new words,  use them when you get a chance, summarize and make notes  for later use for later use • WRITE : • Short and simple sentences, style makes a man or woman.  U Use apt language for personal and official write ups, not same  tl f l d ffi i l it t • SPEAK: • Try speaking the language you want to be proficient in, even if  y spea g t e a guage you a t to be p o c e t , e e you make mistakes initially, correct it when some one points  out it to you, be ever willing to learn

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COMMON ENGLISH BLOOMERS COMMON ENGLISH BLOOMERS  • • • • • • • • •

I could not able to do it I am going to give an  examination I will revert back to you shortly Use of anyways, datas, criterias etc H He said me to go id t Please on the fan He is my cousin brother Why don’tt he Why don he get married? get married? Loose and lose in writing

• • • • • • • • • •

He has eaten a mango  yesterday He is loving Sangitha I am standing on the bus stop Return my book back Could you repeat that again Fish aquarium is very small It was a blunder mistake It would have been more better Step upping Step downing Step upping  Step downing Head of Departments

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PRESENTATION SKILLS PRESENTATION SKILLS

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PRESENTATIONS

O l Oral

Vi l Visual

Written i

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Effectiveness of different methods Effectiveness of different methods • • • • •

Only  30 Only 30‐40% 40% of what is heard of what is heard is remembered is remembered Only 40‐50  % of what is read is remembered But 70‐80% of what is seen is remembered But 70‐80% of what is seen is remembered Visual communication is the best U Use visuals in your presentations whenever  i l i t ti h possible

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Only 30-40% of what is HEARD is remembered

Just over 50%of what is READ is remembered

More than 70% of what is SEEN is remembered VISUAL PRESENTATION IS MOST EFFECTIVE

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REMEMBER • Tell me    I will forget Tell me I will forget • Show me I will remember  • Involve me,  I will learn l ill l • This applies to teaching and even for  p presentations

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Why Presentations Why Presentations • Presentations Presentations and reports are ways of  and reports are ways of communicating ideas and information to a  group • Presentation carries the speakers personality  better and better and • Allows immediate interaction between the  audience and speaker (presenter) di d k ( )

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A good presentation has  g p • Content : contains information  that can be  absorbed by the audience in one sitting b b d b th di i itti • Structure: It has a logical beginning, middle and  end Should be sequenced such that the audience end. Should be sequenced such that the audience  can understand • Packaging: It must be well prepared. A report can  : It must be well prepared A report can be read later, but  the audience haring a presentation  is at the mercy of the presenter. • Human element: a god presentation will be  remembered because a person is attached to it  19

PREPARATION OF SLIDES PREPARATION OF SLIDES 

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Check Availability of equipment Check Availability of equipment • Only Over head projectors(OHP) : prepare  transparencies on OHP films using OHP pens • LCD Projectors and PC/Laptop available. Use Power point slides No need for hard copy  p py slides – can give handouts How many slides ?  y Difficult to say, as many as required : approx 2  g minutes for  each slide on the average 22

How Many slides? How Many slides? • Difficult Difficult to say, as many as required  to say as many as required • But one slide on the average  2 minutes  to 2.5  minutes. minutes • Figures and charts  can take less time

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OHP slides (manually made) OHP slides (manually made) • Use big enough letters g g • Use colour pens with deep colours p p p p g • Never use photocopies of printed pages as  slides  directly • Never overcrowd the slides with too much of  material – t i l not more 7‐8 lines per slide t 7 8 li lid • Use minimum number of equations – give qualitative  interpretations • Never give complete derivations

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DO THESE • • • • • • • •

Write neatly and legibly Use big enough letters Use dark colours not light Use a pointer to indicate Never read directly from the slides Number the films in the sequence order Do not be totally be dependent on the slides Use presentation software like Power point wherever  possible ibl

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VOICE • Four Four main items that define the voice quality main items that define the voice quality • Volume: How loud ? Enough to be heard by  all   members in the audience • Tone : A voice that carries fear can frighten the  audience and one that carries laughter can get the  g g audience into smile • Pitch : How high or low a note is • Pace: How long a sound lasts

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How to improve your voice? How to improve your voice? • Listen ste to it! t Practice act ce listening ste g to your you voice while at home, driving, walking,working to see if you are using it how you want to • To really listen to your voice, cup your right hand around your right ear and gently pull the ear forward. Next, cup your left hand around your mouth and direct th the sound d straight t i ht into i t your ear.Now N practice moderating your voice.

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Body Language Body Language • The The posture and your movements posture and your movements can greatly  can greatly help in your presentation • displaying good posture tells your audience that you know what you are doing and you care deeply about it. Also, a good posture helps you to speak more clearly and effective. effective

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Throughout your display Throughout your display  o Eye ye co contact:Speakers tact Spea e s who o make a e eye contact open the flow of communication and convey interest, concern, warmth, and credibility. credibility o Facial Expressions: Smiling is a powerful cue that transmits happiness, friendliness, warmth, and liking favorably. The listeners will be more comfortable around d you and d will ill wantt to t listen li t t you to more.

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Body Language – continued  Body Language  continued o Gestures: If you fail to gesture while speaking, you may be perceived pe ce ed as bo boring ga and d st stiff. • Posture and body orientation: You communicate numerous messages by the way you talk and move. move Standing erect and leaning forward communicates that you are approachable, receptive, and friendly. Speaking with your back turned or looking at the floor or ceiling should be avoided as it communicates disinterest 30

Body Language (continued) Body Language (continued) o . o Proximity: Cultural norms dictate a comfortable distance for interaction with others. Increasing th proximity the i it enables bl you to t make k better b tt eye contact and increases the opportunities for others to speak. • Voice. One of the major criticisms of speakers is that they speak in a monotone voice. Listeners perceive this type p yp of speaker p as boring g and dull. People report that they learn less and lose interest more quickly when listening to those who have a e not ot learned ea ed to modulate odu ate their t e voices. o ces 31

Active Listening Listening g can be one of our most p powerful tools,, Be sure to use it o Spend more time listening than talking (but of course, as a presenter, t you will ill be b doing d i mostt off the th talking). t lki ) o Do not finish the sentence of others. o Do not answer questions with questions. o Aware of biases. We all have them. We need to control them. o Never daydream or become preoccupied with their own thoughts when others talk. talk o Let the other speaker talk. Do not dominate the conversation. • Plan responses after others have finished speaking...NOT speaking NOT while they are speaking. Their full concentration is on what others are saying, not on what they are going to respond with. 32

GETTING FEED BACK GETTING FEED BACK  1. 2. 3. 4 4. 5.

Evaluative: Makes a judgment about the worth, goodness, or appropriateness of the other person's statement. Interpretive: Paraphrasing - attempt to explain what the other p persons statement mean. Supportive: Attempt to assist or bolster the other communicator Probing: Attempt to gain additional information, information continue the discussion, or clarify a point. Understanding: Attempt to discover completely what the other communicator means by her statements.

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Feedback (continued) Feedback (continued) o Provide feedback but do not interrupt incessantly. o Analyze a y e by looking oo g at a all tthe e relevant ee a t factors and asking open-ended questions. Walk the person through analysis (summarize). o Keep the conversation on what the speaker k says...NOT NOT on what h t interest i t t them. th

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Are you nervous? Are you nervous? • Tension can be reduced by performing some relaxation exercises. o Before the presentation: Lie on the floor. Your back should be flat on the floor. floor Pull your feet towards you so that your knees are up in the air. Relax. Close your eyes. Fell your back spreading out and supporting your weight. Feel your neck lengthening. Work your way y through g y your body, y, relaxing g one section at a time - y your toes,, feet, legs, torso, etc. When finished, stand up slowly and try to maintain the relaxed feeling in a standing position.

o clockwise, and then counter counter-clockwise. clockwise.

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Technique to reduce tension ‐ Technique to reduce tension  • If y you cannot lie down: Stand with you y feet about 6 inches apart, arms hanging by your sides, and fingers unclenched. Gently shake each part of your body, body starting with your hands, hands then arms, arms shoulders, torso, and legs. Concentrate on shaking out the tension. Then slowly rotate your shoulders h ld fforwards d and d the h backwards. b k d Move on to your head. Rotate it slowly

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Are you nervous? y o Mental Visualization: Before the presentation, visualize the room, room audience, audience and you giving the presentation. Mentally go over what you are going to do from the moment you start to the end off the presentation. o During the presentation: Take a moment to yourself by getting a drink of water, water take a deep breath, concentrate on relaxing the most tense part of your body, and then return to the presentation t ti saying i t your self, to lf "I can do d it!"

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At least pretend not to be nervous At least pretend not to be nervous o You do NOT need to g get rid of anxiety y and tension! Channel the energy into concentration and expressiveness. o Know K th t anxiety that i t and d tension t i i is nott as noticeable to the audience as it is to you. o Know that even the best presenters make mistakes. The key is to continue on after the mistake. If you pick up and continue, so will the audience Winners continue! Losers stop! audience.

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Questions •

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Keep cool if a questioner disagrees with you. You are a professional! No matter how hard you try, not everyone in the world will agree with you! Although some people get a perverse pleasure from putting others on the spot, and some try to look good in front of the boss, most people ask questions from a genuine interest. Questions do not mean you did not explain the topic good enough, but that their interest is deeper than g audience. the average

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Questions – troubles?? Questions  •

Always allow time at the end of the presentation for questions. After inviting questions, do not rush ahead if no one asks a question. Pause for about 6 seconds to allow the audience aud e ce to o gather ga e their e thoughts. oug s When e a question ques o is s asked, repeat the question to ensure that everyone heard it (and that you heard it correctly). When answering, direct your remarks to the entire audience. That way, you keep everyone focused, not just the questioner. To reinforce your presentation, try to relate the question back to the main points. p

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Listen carefully to Questions  • M Make k sure you listen li t t the to th question ti b i being asked. k d If you do not understand it, ask them to clarify. Pause to think about the question as the answer you give i may be b correct, t but b t ignore i th main the i issue. If you do not know the answer, be honest, do not waffle. Tell them you will get back to them...and make sure you do! • Answers that last 10 to 40 seconds work best. If they are too short, short they seem abrupt; while longer answers appear too elaborate. Also, be sure to keep on track. Do not let off-the-wall questions sidetrack you into areas that are not relevant to the presentation. 41

Diplomacy helps some times Diplomacy helps some times • If someone takes issue with something g y you said,, try to find a way to agree with part of their argument. For example, "Yes, I understand your position " or "I'm position... I m glad you raised that point, point but..." The idea is to praise their point and agree with them. Audiences sometimes tend to think of "us verses you." You do not want to risk alienating them

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