Communication and Active Listening

1. Communication and Active Listening Essential Tools for the Community Ambassador

2. Learning Objectives • Understand the definition of communication and its components • Identify the elements of the listening process • Participate in identifying cultural and generational issues in communication • Define Active Listening • Understand how to create positive settings for improved communication • Learn the different types of responses utilized in active listening • Participate in an active listening exercise

3. Defining Communication • Communication occurs whenever one person sends a message to another person. • The message may be either verbal, nonverbal or both.

4. Two important components of communication are • Attending – this refers to the physical and psychological state or what some have called your “total human presence” that helpers are in when they are assisting people • Listening – this refers to the ability of helpers to understand the messages that are being communicated by people, whether the messages are being communicated verbally or nonverbally, clearly or vaguely. Listening is an active process and not a passive behavior

5. Elements in the Listening Process • Hearing • Attending • Understanding

6. Nonverbal communication • Personal space, • Facial expression, • Display rules – cultural rules that govern how emotions are expressed, • Eye contact and gaze, • Body language, • Touch, and • Paralanguage which includes loudness, intensity, speed and rhythm of speech

7. Nonverbal communication is important because • Negative feelings may only be expressed through nonverbal channels • Ability to understand people is significantly increased as one is better able to understand nonverbal signals

8. Cultural and Generational Issues in Communication • Cultures impact how people communicate. It affects how people see, think, feel, interpret the world and express themselves to others. These differences can be challenging in our multicultural community as they can increase the potential for miscommunication and misunderstanding.

9. Active Listening • Active listening is paying attention to other people in a manner where they feel that you hear their message and that you fully understand them. At the core of active listening is the ability to be empathic with people, meaning that while you may not necessarily agree with them, you do understand their experience.

10. Active Listening Behaviors • Listening carefully • Attending to the nonverbal cues and underlying messages • Listening to the context of people’s lives • Not interrupting people • Using words and body language to convey a genuine attempt to understand what people are saying and their experience. • Responding to words and feelings being express to help people increase an understanding of their needs and experience.

11. Guidelines for Creating a Positive Setting for Improved Communication • Learn to feel and create empathy for people • Practice withholding judgment, • Strive for honesty in communicating to others, • Accept and respond to what is being communicated

12. Guidelines for Creating a Positive Setting for Improved Communication • Clarify with questions about what you think is being communicated, • Summarize what you think has been said • If you express an opinion, express your opinions tentatively

13. Types of Responses in Active Listening • Restating • Summarizing • Minimal encouragers • Reflecting • Giving feedback • Emotion labeling • Probing

14. Types of Responses in Active Listening • Validation • Effective pause • Silence • “I” messages • Redirecting • Consequences

15. Communication Blockers • “Why” questions • Quick reassurance • Advising • Forcing someone to talk • Patronizing • Preaching • Interrupting

16. Caution: • Advising responses – this reflects our tendency as people to help by offering a solution. Before offering advice, three conditions should be present: • Be confident that the advice is correct. • Be sure the other wants is ready to accept advice. • Be certain that the person won’t blame you if the advice doesn’t work out.

17. Caution: • Judging response – this response evaluates the person’s thoughts or behavior in some. Judgments have the best chance of being received when two conditions exist. - The person with the problem should have requested an evaluation and - Your judgment should be genuinely constructive and not designed as a putdown.

18. Cultural and Generational Issues in Communication – II • What are some common issues that come up when older members in your communities, talk to: - Other people outside the community in general (cultural issues) - Younger people within and outside the community (generational issues)