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The Basics of EffectiveInterpersonal Communication

University Human Resources Professional Development Program

Support ing leadership , interpersonal and professional excellence


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Welcome! This program is intended for anyone who

would like an overview of the basic verbal

and non-verbal communication skills neededfor success in the workplace.

The Professional Development Program also

offers classroom sessions on this and othertopics. Please visit our web sitehttp://uhr.rutgers.edu/profdev to enroll orobtain more information.
http://uhr.rutgers.edu/profdevhttp://uhr.rutgers.edu/profdev


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Before you begin Get the most from this program by answering

these questions for yourself before you begin.

You will evaluate your growth at the end.

What do I already know about interpersonalcommunication?

What are my learning goals for this program? What are my supervisors expectations, if any, for

my participation in this training?

How do I think I will be able to apply my learningon the job?


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Course Content This online program will cover:

What communication is

Why and how we communicate Barriers to communication

Sharing ideas

Getting information from others

Giving constructive feedback Body language

Writing materials will be useful for jotting down yourthoughts as your proceed through the course


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Course Objectives The objectives of this program are to:

provide a basic overview of verbal and

non-verbal interpersonal communicationprocesses

identify personal obstacles to effective

interpersonal communication define some strategies for improving

individual and group communications


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What is communication? What do you think communication is?

How would you define it?

Take a few moments towrite down some of

your thoughts


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Communication Communication is defined as the interchange

of thoughts or opinions through sharedsymbols; e.g. language, words, phrases

Some synonyms of the word communicationare:message,directive, word, contact,

commerce, communion, intercommunication,intercourse; converse, exchange,interchange, conversing, discussing, talking;conversation, discussion, talk, advice,

intelligence, news, tidings


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Four facets of communication Three are four facets in all types of

communication:

Sender

Receiver

Information

Behavior


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Shared symbols Sometimes when we communicate we

assume we are using shared symbolswhen we might not be

Think about the term asap, as soon aspossible. What does it reallymean?

Think about how the meaning might changein the situations on the next slide


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Shared symbols How might your meaning of asap change in

these situations?

Someone from another department calls. Heneeds some detailed information asap; but youare already rather busy.

A coworker comes to you for help with anassignment. She needs you asap; but you have

another job to finish before lunch. Your immediate supervisor, whom you like to

please, asks you to type a memo for her asap; butyou already have a stack of other jobs to finish.


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Shared symbols Someone from another department calls.

He needs some detailed information asap;

but you are already rather busy.

In this situation, you might interpret asapas when I have finished all of my ownwork and have a chance to get to it. Itmight be tomorrow or the next day.


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Shared symbolsA coworker comes to you for help with an

assignment. She needs you asap; but you

have another job to finish before lunch.

In this situation, you might interpret asapas after I have finished my own work, Iwill help out after lunch.


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Shared symbolsYour immediate supervisor, whom you like

to please, asks you to type a memo for her

asap; but you already have a stack ofother jobs to finish.

In this situation, you might interpret asapas Ill do this now and finish my otherwork afterwards.


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Shared symbols In the previous examples, weve seen the

meaning of asap change from in a fewdays to immediately.

Many other words and phrases are alsovague and have different meanings for

different people.

Shared symbols are not always completelyshared. The message intended is not always

the message received.


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Missed communication

As Purchasing

ordered it.

As the Art Dept.

designed it.As the Supervisor

implemented it.

As the Manager

Requested it. As Marketingwrote it up.

What the Employee

really wanted!


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Why do we communicate? What do you think?

Take a few moments towrite down some ofyour thoughts


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Why we communicate We communicate to:

Share our ideas and opinions

Provide feedback to others

Get information from others

Gain power and influence

Develop social relationships Maintain self-expression and our culture

and other ideas you may have thought of


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How do we communicate? Think of the many ways in which you

communicate


your thoughts


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How we communicate We communicate and build

interpersonal relationships through:

Speech

Writing

Listening

Non-verbal language Music, art, and crafts


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Choosing your medium Depending upon the situation, one method

of communication may be better thananother. In person: one-to-one

In person: meetings, small groups

In person: presentations, large groups

Letter

Memo

Note

Email

Voice mail


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Choosing your medium To determine the best medium for your

message determine:

What you as the senderneed to achieve What the receiverneeds to know. What

the receiverwants to know

How detailed, important, and or personal

the informationin the message is Which behavioryou want to influence and

how


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Choosing your medium How would you communicate

an organizational change in your unit

the introduction of a new employee a change in someones job duties

a reprimand

notice of a meeting

Take a few moments to write down some ofyour thoughts


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Choosing your medium The best way to communicate

an organizational change in your unit by

memo and small group meetings the introduction of a new employee by

group and one-on-one meetings

a change in someones job duties by

memo and one-on-one meeting a reprimand in a one-on-one private meeting

notice of a meeting by memo and email


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Barriers to communication What are barriers to communication

that exist in any work setting?


your thoughts


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Barriers to communication Some common barriers to interpersonal

communication include: Unclear process: The receiver and sender may not share the

same language, slang, jargon, vocabulary, symbols

Chain of command: There may be too many layers that amessage passes through between sender and receiver

Large size of an organization, geographicdistance: Large numbers of receivers require good messagesending methods

Personal limitations: Physical and mental disabilities, anddifferences in intelligence and education may interfere with mutualunderstanding


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Barriers to communicationAdditional common barriers to

interpersonal communication include:

Human nature: Peoples egos, prejudices, and traditionscan get in the way

Conflicting feelings, goals, opinions: If peoplefeel on opposite sides of an issue they may not share

Power: The idea that knowledge is power can lead toinformation hoarding



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Sharing your ideas Why and when is it necessary to share

your ideas?


your thoughts


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Share your ideas to State an opinion or position

Give instructions or directions

Announce a change Make presentations

Participate in meetings

Give information in emergencies

Communicate the organizational mission,vision, and values



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Obstacles to sharing ideas What can make sharing ideas difficult?

Take a few moments towrite down some ofyour thoughts


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Obstacles to sharing ideas Your own shyness

Fear of rejection

Peer pressure Unorganized thinking

Others possibly becoming defensive

Physical disabilities (impaired sight, hearing, speech)

Having to deal with aggressive people

and others you may have thought of


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Speak for yourself To ensure your messages are clear,

speak for yourself, not for others:

Speaking for yourself sounds like: I, me, my

I think, I feel, I want to know that

Speaking for no one sounds like: It, some people, everyone, they decided

Speaking for others sounds like:

We, you, John, Mary said


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SHARE your ideas a model State the main point of your message

Highlight other important points Assure the receivers understanding

React to how the receiver responds

Emphasize/summarize your main ideas


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SHARE an exampleState the main point of your message

Id like to talk to you about the new employee welcome program.

Highlight other important points

We need to discuss the new schedule, locations, and presenters.Assure the receivers understanding

Do you need me to further clarify how we are making invitations?


I understand your concern about parking.

Emphasize/summarize your main ideasTo wrap-up, Ill develop the schedule and make the room

reservations, if you can line up the guest speakers.


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Getting good information Why is it necessary to get good

information from others?


your thoughts


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Get good information to Find out facts and details

Get directions or instructions

Try to understand anothers point of view

Help someone solve a problem

Resolve a team conflict Solve work problems



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Obstacles to getting good

information What can make getting good

information difficult?


your thoughts


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Obstacles to getting good

information Lack of trust

Assuming you already know it all

Jumping to conclusions Not valuing diverse opinions

Weak reading skills

Weak listening skills Weak questioning skills



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The power of listeningThe philosopher Epictetus stressed thepower of listening in this quote:

Nature gave us one tongue and twoears so we could hear twice as much

as we speak.


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Listen actively Prepare to listen by focusing on the speaker

Control and eliminate distractions so that youcan focus on the message. Dont do anything else(writing, reading, email) but listen

Establish appropriate eye contact to showinterest

See listening as an opportunity to getinformation, share anothers views, and broadenyour own knowledge


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Thats a good question! Close end questionslimit the answer to yes or no

Open end questionsallow the responder totalfreedom in answering

Direct questions ask for specific information; limitanswers to brief fact statements

Probing questionsfollow up other questions tosolicit additional information

Hypothetical questions present a theoreticalsituation to which receiver responds

See examples of each on the next slide


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Good question - examplesClose end question

Did you attend the staff meeting this morning?

Open end question

What was discussed at the staff meeting this morning?

Direct questionWhich topics were listed on the meeting agenda?

Probing question

Can you tell me more about the first agenda topic?.Hypothetical question

What would you have done, if you had not had thechance to present your idea at the meeting?


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FOCUS on information

a model Focus the discussion on the specific

information you need

Open-end question to expand thediscussion

Close-end question to get specifics

Useactive listening skills to understandwhat you are hearing

Summarize and close the discussion


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FOCUS on information

an exampleFocus the discussion on the specific information you needI need to ask you about the computer meeting you attended

yesterday.

Open-end question to expand the discussion

What kinds of decisions were made regarding expansion of ourdepartmental system?

Close-end question to get specifics

Did the committee decide to buy Dell computers?

Use active listening skills to understand what you are hearing

What I think I heard you say was that the decision was made?


So to wrap up, the system will expand and we will be using Dells.Thanks for keeping me up to date.


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Giving feedback Why is it necessary to give constructive

feedback to others?


your thoughts


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Give feedback when Someone asks for your opinion

Work errors occur frequently

A coworkers habits disturb you

A coworkers behavior has negativeconsequences

There are unresolved problems


Constructivefeedback focuses on facts not people,solving problems instead of placing blame, and

strengthening relationships instead of being right


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Obstacles to giving

constructive feedback What makes it hard to give

constructive feedback?


your thoughts


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Obstacles to giving

constructive feedback Separating the person from the problem

Others becoming defensive or angry

Fear of negative consequences (especially if the

other person is a supervisor) Dealing with potential conflict (especially if the other

person is aggressive)

Avoiding hurt feelings

Preserving relationships Not having all the facts and jumping to conclusions

Choosing the right time so that the other person ismost receptive



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STATE feedback a model State the constructive purpose of

your feedback

Tell specifically what you have observed Address and describe your reactions

Tender specific suggestions for

improvement Express your support and respect for

the person


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STATE feedback an exampleState the constructive purpose of your feedback

Id like to give you some feedback about your training style so that yourevaluations will be more positive and you will enjoy it more.

Tell specifically what you have observed

I notice that you rely heavily on your notes.Address and describe your reactions

I feel as though you are unsure of yourself when you read.

Tender specific suggestions for improvement

I can help you develop a PowerPoint presentation so that you can usethe screens as a cue instead of being tied to your notes.

Express your support for the person

You know a lot about the subject. With practice you can become a goodtrainer.


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Body language Nonverbal communication, known as body

language sends strong positive and negative

signals. This is how much it influences anymessage:

Words 8%

Tone of voice 34%

Non-verbal cues 58%

Message 100%


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Body language includes Face

Figure

Focus Territory

Tone

Time

Each of these is described in the following slides


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Body language - 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 areinterested in what someone is saying

What message are you sending if someone ispresenting a new idea and you are frowning?


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Body language - figure Figure includes:

Your posture

Your demeanor and gesturesYour clothes and accessories such asjewelry

What message are you sending if you are dressedcasually at an important meeting?


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Body language - 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 ornot trustworthy

Glasses may interfere or enhance eye contact

What message are you sending if you are looking atother things and people in a room when someoneis speaking to you?


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Body language - territory

Territory focuses on how you usespace. It is also called proxemics.

The perception of territory differs by culture.Most Americans are comfortable with anindividual space that is about an arms lengthin diameter

What message are you sending if you keep movingcloser to a person who is backing away from you?


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Body language - 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

What message are you sending if during adisagreement you start speaking very loudly?


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Body language - 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

What message are you sending if you areconsistently late for meetings?


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Ideas to walk away with

People are always communicating

The meaning intended by the sender is

never exactly the message gotten bythe receiver

We can help to overcome barriers tocommunication by being aware of them

Verbal and non-verbal communication isimportant in sending our messages


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Test yourself

1. Communication is defined as the interchange of thoughts oropinions through shared symbols.

True___ False___

2. The four facets of interpersonal communication are sender,receiver, information, and behavior.

True___ False___

3. Unclear process; chain of command; large size of an

organization or geographic distance; personal limitations;human nature; conflicting feelings, goals, opinions; andpower are examples of barriers to communication.

True___ False___


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Test yourself

4. Describe the steps of the SHARE model for giving goodinformation share, highlight, assure, react, emphasize:

5. Describe the steps of the FOCUS model for getting goodinformation focus, open end, close end, use, summarize:

6. Describe the steps of the STATE model for giving constructivefeedback state, tell, address, tender, express:

7. Describe the the six aspects of non-verbal communication (bodylanguage):


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Test yourself - answers

1. Communication is defined as the interchange of thoughts oropinions through shared symbols.

True

2. The four facets of interpersonal communication are sender,receiver, information, and behavior.

True

3. Unclear process; chain of command; large size of an

organization or geographic distance; personal limitations;human nature; conflicting feelings, goals, opinions; power areexamples of barriers to communication.

True


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4. The steps of the SHARE model for giving good information are:

State the main point of your message

Highlight other important points

Assurethe receivers understanding


Emphasize/summarize your main ideas

5. The steps of the FOCUS model for getting good information are:

Focus the discussion on the specific information you need

Open-end question to expand the discussion Close-end question to get specifics

Use active listening skills to understand what you are hearing



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6. The steps of the STATE model for constructive feedback are:

State the constructive purpose of your feedback

Tell specifically what you have observed

Address and describe your reactions

Tender specific suggestions for improvement

Express your support for the person

7. The the six aspects of non-verbal communication (body language): Face expressions, smile, tilt of head

Figure posture, demeanor, gestures, dress Focus eye contact

Territory use of space

Tone voice pitch, volume, emphasis

Time the use time


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Apply what youve learned

When you started this program we asked youto consider some questions. Lets wrap up: What new things did you learn about interpersonal

communication? Did you meet your learning goals for this

program?

Did you meet your supervisors expectations, if

any, for participation in this training? How will you be able to apply your learning on thejob?


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Whats next?

We hope you have enjoyed this program as anoverview of the basic verbal and non-verbalcommunication skills needed in the workplace.

The Professional Development Program offersclassroom sessions on this and other topics whichinclude numerous individual and group exercises toenhance your learning.

Please visit our web site http://uhr.rutgers.edu/profdevto enroll or obtain more information.
http://uhr.rutgers.edu/profdevhttp://uhr.rutgers.edu/profdev


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The Basics of EffectiveInterpersonal Communication

University Human Resources Professional Development Program

Support ing leadership , interpersonal and professional excellence

Documents

Effec Comm