Mastering Communication Skills: Breaking Down Barriers and Building Confidence

1. Chapter 1 Building Responsibility • What is Communication? • The process of sending and receiving messages. • Communication is like playing catch:

2. The Communication Process • The sender encodes and transmits the message through a given channel (the way a message is sent). • A message is words, body language and symbols that communicate thoughts or ideas. • The receiver intercepts and decodes the message and then transmits feedback • Feedback is words, body language and symbols that respond to the sender’s message.

3. The Communication Model

4. Communication Barriers • Any obstacle that gets in communication barrier. There are five communication barriers: • Social = they aren’t part of my group (these are social, economical, peer or professional groups). • Cultural = we don’t have the same background, religion, family type, or speak the same language • Educational = I am too smart for them or they are too smart for me (either perceived or real differences) • Environmental = there is something physical blocking communication from happening • Attitudinal = somebody doesn’t like the topic or person who is speaking (bad attitude)

5. Levels of Communication Mass Communication - communication by means of broadcasting and newspapers, which reaches all or most people in society Public – Communication with a large group. Ex: a college lecture Small Group – Communication with or a presentation to a group of 4-12 people Interpersonal – Communication with one or two other people Intrapersonal – Communication with yourself

6. Other Key Terms • Symbol – Anything that stands for an idea and is used to represent something. • Motivation – Something such as a need or desire that causes a person to act • Stereotyping – placing everyone in a group based on a preconceived idea of what that group represents. • Integrity – doing what is right, even when no one else is looking • Ethics – knowing the difference between right and wrong. • Orator – a person who delivers an oratory and/or uses words effectively.

7. Types of Communication • Any communication that must be read is written communication. • Any communication that is spoken is called oral or verbal communication. • This does NOT include tone of voice. It only includes the words that are spoken • Any communication that occurs with body language, gestures, tone of voice, personal appearance or use of space is called nonverbal communication. • Nonverbal communication often expresses your feelings or moods about a person, situation or topic. • More than 80% of all communication is nonverbal.

8. Confidence and Fear • What is confidence? • The feeling you can handle any situation successfully • What is fear? • A biological process which allows you to get a job done which might result in physical or physiological injury. • Phobia – an irrational fear • Communication Apprehension – stage fright/ an extreme fear of audiences • Perception – While you are giving the speech: how you “see” yourself, the audience, the speech itself… • Self Esteem – The personal value one feels for themselves. This often occurs after personal discovery.

9. You are not alone… • 80-90 % of people admit to feeling uncomfortable about any kind of public speaking. • Many people fear public speaking more than they fear death. • But what if I make a mistake: • DON’T PANIC • Relax and take a deep breath • Laugh at your mistakes • Remember, you are only human and so is your audience. Shockingly, you are NOT perfect, but neither is your audience!