Verbal Communication

1. Verbal Communication

2. Recap Behavioural type • Directness • Controlling • Indirectness • Supporting

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

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

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

6. Stages of the Listening Process • Hearing • Focusing on the message • Comprehending and interpreting • Analyzing and Evaluating • Responding • Remembering

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

8. Barriers to Active Listening • Environmental barriers • Psychological barriers • Selective Listening • Negative Listening Attitudes • Personal Reactions • Poor Motivation

9. The art of speaking “Talking and Eloquence are not the same; to speak and to speak well are two different things.”

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

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

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.

13. Speech • 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

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

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

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

17. Characteristics of a good speech • Clarity • Length • Informative • Appeal • Wavelength • Informal • Concrete Facts

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

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

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

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

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.

23. Logistics • Sound System • Visual Aids System • Climate Control • The Stage • Seat Arrangement • Exits and Entrance • Rest Rooms • Drinks, Snack Bar

24. Characteristics of great speakers • Confidence • Use Your Voice and Body Effectively • Art of Storytelling

25. CONFIDENCE • Content • Organization • Newness • Friendliness • Impression • Dedication • Empathy • Notes • Conviction • Enthusiasm

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

27. Voice Inflection Altering your pitch to help bring attention and emphasis to what you are speaking • I think that you are the best. • I think that you are the best. • I think that you are the best. • I think that you are the best. • I think that you are the best. • I think that you are the best.

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

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

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

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.

32. Benefits of Group Discussions? • Any shortcomings?

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

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.

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.

36. What can you do to improve and benefit from your group discussions?

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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?