Utilizing Specialized Communication Skills 2013 E.

Almaz Bohem Polytechnic College

Ethiopian TVET-System

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Hardware and Networking Service

Level IV

LEARNING GUIDE # 1

Unit of Competence: Utilizing Specialized Communication Skills

Module Title : Utilizing Specialized Communication Skills

LG Code : ICT HNS4 07 0811

TTLM Code : ICT ITHW1 TTLM 07 0811

Learning outcomes:

 LO1 Meet common and specific communication needs of clients

and colleagues

 LO2 Contribute to the development of communication strategies

 LO3 Represent the organization

 LO4 Facilitate group discussion

 LO5 Conduct interview

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Identifying Communication Needs of Clients and Colleagues

1. Start with a Solid Foundation

Communication is of critical importance during the early stages of the client process.

At this time you will need to get to know the client’s business as well as possible.

You’ll want to understand the products and services that they offer, their corporate culture, and what
makes them unique to their customers. Additionally, you should get a solid understanding of their
customers and what they will be looking for when they arrive at the website. It’s also important to
understand the client’s specific goals for the website, what they wish to improve (if it’s a re-design) and
what they need to get out of the site.

By taking the time up front to communicate with the client and to build this solid foundation for the
project you can save time and avoid miscommunication later. It’s a good idea to have some sort of
intake process that you go through with clients to get through this stage, it can help to make sure that
you don’t miss out on any important points.

Some clients may be hesitant to dedicate much time before the project begins for this type of
communication. When that is the case it can be helpful to explain that all of this is important in order for
you to give them a website that will truly work for their business and for their customers. Emphasize
that taking this time up front can help to make the process smoother and quicker, and to avoid costly
mistakes.

2. Have a Method or a System

In the previous point I mentioned that it is a good idea to have a standard process for client intake. In
addition, it’s also helpful to have a method or system for client communication beyond that point. If you
are just responding to emails or phone calls as they come in with no records or organization, chances are
you could benefit from putting a system in place.

If you’re working with several clients at one time it can be very challenging to remember exactly what
was said by which client and what was done at different points. There is no right or wrong method, but
you could consider using a resource that is intended for customer service (see our post 12 CRM Options
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for Freelancers), or you could develop your own system and processes to keep track of communication.
At a very minimum you should have folders in your email to keep track of messages from and to
specific clients.

Without a system you will probably find yourself scrambling to find out what was said about different
aspects of the project. Having a record is always good because it will avoid the need to go back to the
client when it’s not necessary and it will also help to protect you in case there is some type of dispute
down the road.

3. Do More Listening Than Talking

The client’s website is all about them, their business, and their customers. For this reason it is important
to emphasize the need to listen and let them provide you with the information that will help you to do
the best job possible. Of course there will be plenty of times where the clients should be doing the
listening, but especially during the initial stages when you are just getting to know about their business,
be sure to place the most value in listening to what they have to say.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions

Misunderstandings will always lead to wasted time, so don’t be afraid to ask the client questions that
will help you to get on the same page and to design something that will work for them. Your customers
are busy, just like you are, so they may be in a hurry when you are talking to them, but don’t let that
discourage you from getting the information that will help you to do your job for them.

Many clients won’t give a lot of information to you about their business or their customers unless you
ask because they may not see the need for you to fully understand their business. Those clients who
don’t have a good understanding of what is involved in creating a successful website will often think
that a skilled designer can just pick up a new project and create something special without really taking
the customer’s specific situation into consideration. In most cases they just don’t stop to think about all
of the communication that is needed, so you may have to be proactive and ask a number of questions.

5. Be Patient with Your Explanations

The typical client does not have a great understanding of websites or design, and that is why they are
hiring you. As you are explaining things to them throughout the process, be patient and remember that
this is probably not an aspect of their business that they are very comfortable with. Clients appreciate

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designers who show patience and a willingness to explain things in a way that they can understand,
without putting them down.

6. Explain Your Reasons and Thought Processes

As you give your opinions throughout the process it is important that you also explain to the client why
you are giving that advice. Clients will often want you to do something that you don’t think is a good
idea. When those situations arise, rather than just doing it the way they want or doing it your way with
no explanation, take the time to demonstrate to them why you think it is important and what the
potential impacts can be.

Clients will typically see things as they appear on the surface, but from your experience you may know
that there is more to be considered in the situation. When this is the case you need to explain to the client
the other factors that are involved and why you feel a certain way.

7. Give Advice When Needed

Designers really are consultants to clients as well. Clients (at least most of them) know that you have
more expertise in the area than they do and they’ll trust that you are interested in doing what is best for
them and their business. There will be situations where you will need to be willing to give them advice
on a particular decision that needs to be made, or situations where you should add some of your own
ideas for making the project better.

Some clients know what they want and as a designer it can be easy to get caught up in giving them what
they want, without giving much thought to ways that it could be improved. Don’t be afraid to advise
clients based on your professional experience. Most clients will respect your opinions and appreciate
that you are looking out for their best interests.

8. Avoid Jargon

One of the biggest frustrations for clients is when designers talk to them with terms and phrases that they
don’t understand. Although you are working online all the time and you probably communicate with
other designers and developers a lot, keep in mind that your clients will not have the same experience, so
you should avoid using terms that they are unlikely to understand (or at least explain what they mean).

As you work with clients you will get a better understanding for how tech savvy they are, and you can
adjust your communication accordingly. Some clients will have a very good understanding and will be

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able to communicate without the need to explain everything, and others will have very little knowledge
or experience related to the internet and web design.

9. Avoid Assumptions

Assuming that the client understands certain things or that they want something a particular way can
lead to miscommunication. If you’re unsure about something, take a minute and ask the client rather
than assuming and causing a lot of work that needs to be re-done later.

10. Use Examples When Possible

One thing that can really help your communication, particularly when you are explaining things to
clients or giving them choices, is to use real-world examples. Explaining options over the phone or
through email can be challenging, and at times ineffective. By using examples to help, you can make
things more clear for clients and get more accurate response and avoid misunderstanding.

An example of this would be if you are talking to a client about the type of navigation menu they would
like to use on their site. Rather than trying to explain the differences you could provide them with URLs
of a few sites with various styles so they could see it in a real-world situation.

11. Make Your Communication Count

Because your clients are busy, most of them will not want to be constantly receiving emails or phone
calls about the project. One of the lessons I’ve learned from my experience is to make the
communication count. Try to put your questions together in one email rather than sending 4 different
emails in one morning with one question each. Additionally, make an effort to be as clear as possible
when you communicate so there is no need to go back and forth several times just to understand the
issue at hand.

Because clients value their own time, they will appreciate if you maximize the time that you have in
communication and if it requires them to respond to less emails or take less phone calls. This also goes
back to the need for good organization and having a system to keep tabs on the communication. If you
forget what a client told you, you can either go back through your records to find out yourself or you can
contact them to ask again. Of course, it’s preferable to not have to go back to the client when it’s not
necessary.

12. Put it in Writing

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One of the reasons that email communication is effective is because it gives you and the client a record
of what has been said. There may be times where it is necessary for customer service or for legal
purposes to have a record of what was said, by whom, and when. Aside from email, other types of CRM
tools can also help for record keeping.

For situations where you are talking to clients on the phone, it’s a good practice to type notes after you
get off the phone to summarize what was discussed, and of course you will want to include the date and
the names of the specific people that you spoke to. While you may not be able to prove that what is in
your notes was actually discussed, it is still better than not having record at all, and it can be just as
effective when you need to go back through the records for your own purposes. Another option is to
send a summary of the conversation to your clients by email.

This may be overkill for short calls just to discuss one point, but it could be helpful with longer, more
detailed calls, and it could also help clients to have an account of the conversation for themselves.

13. Keep it Professional

While you are communicating with clients, whether it be face-to-face, telephone, or email, always stay
professional.

Clients are paying for your services and they will expect you to conduct your business in a professional
manner, so avoid things that could cause them to see you differently.

That’s not to say that you can’t get to know your clients on a more personal level, but remember that
what you say and write can impact you designer/client relationship.

Workplace communication is the process of exchanging information, both verbal and non-verbal, within
an organization. An organization may consist of employees from different parts of the society. In order
to unite the activities of all employees, communication is crucial. Communicating necessary information
to the entire workforce becomes necessary. Effective workplace communication ensures that all the
organizational objectives are achieved.

The following are the factors influencing workplace communication:

Method of communication:

Different people absorb information in different ways. To make sure that the information conveyed is
understood by all, the method used for communication needs to be simple and clear. When presenting

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vital information, using pictures will make way for easy understanding. Preferring two-way
communication is considered best for communicating. Adequate importance can be given for discussion,
questions and clarifications.

Content: The content of the information plays a major role in workplace communication. The level of
detail must be according to the grasping capacity of the audience. Giving too much detail may get the
audience bored and too little detail won’t make them involved. Use of jargon while communicating is
not considered good for effective workplace communication.

Frequency: While formal workplace communication that is done too rarely or too often is not good for
an organization, frequent informal workplace communication has its benefits.A perfect balance is
required for the proper functioning of an organization. Information must be communicated as and when
required rather than holding unnecessary meetings frequently. At the same time crucial information must
not be held till the last hour or day, instead they have to be communicated as early as possible to get the
employees in tune with the objectives of the organization.

Skills: Getting the message across efficiently depends on the skills of the communicator such as
presentation skills, group facilitation skills and written communication skills. Successful communication
also depends upon the capacity of the employees to understand the information. This requires providing
the employees some basic financial literacy like financial statements, sales, profitability, etc

What is a Communication Process?

A Communication Process, or Communications Management Process, is a set of steps that are taken
every time formal communications are undertaken in an organization. A Communications Process is
undertaken as part of Communications Management and helps to ensure that your stakeholders are kept
regularly informed. For example as part of the project life cycle, the team implement a Communication
Process to make sure that the entire team is kept informed of the status of the project.

When do I use a Communication Process?

A Communication Process should be used when you wish to communicate formally within an
organization. By using the Communication Process, you can ensure that no miscommunication occurs.
As part of the Communication Process, you can also receive feedback on the communications which
have taken place to date and ensure that future communications are improved. Communications

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Management is a fundamental part of any organization and needs to be treated with care. Using this
Communications Process, you can communicate effectively at all times.

The Communication Process will help you to:

 Identify the messages that need to be sent
 Determine your target audience for communication
 Decide on your message format and timing
 Draft your message and gain approval where required
 Communicate your message, through communications events
 Gather feedback and improve your communication processes
The Communication Process & The Elements of Communication

Communication as a Process

Human communication is interpersonal, it is purposive and it is a process.

Question: What do we mean by process?

Answer: By process we mean that steps have to be taken and in a set/particular order to achieve a
desired result/goal. These are the important elements of the communication process:

1. SENDER/ENCODER

The sender also known as the encoder decides on the message to be sent, the best/most effective way
that it can be sent.

All of this is done bearing the receiver in mind. In a word, it is his/her job to conceptualize.

The sender may want to ask him/herself questions like: What words will I use? Do I need signs or
pictures?

1.sender
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2. MEDIUM The medium is the immediate form which a message takes. For example, a message may
be communicated in the form of a letter, in the form of an email or face to face in the form of a speech.

3. CHANNEL The channel is that which is responsible for the delivery of the chosen message form.
For example post office, internet, radio.

4. RECEIVER The receiver or the decoder is responsible for extracting/decoding meaning from the
message. The receiver is also responsible for providing feedback to the sender. In a word, it is his/her
job to INTERPRET.

5. FEEDBACK This is important as it determines whether or not the decoder grasped the intended
meaning and whether communication was successful.

6. CONTEXT Communication does not take place in a vacuum. The context of any communication act
is the environment surrounding it.

This includes, among other things, place, time, event, and attitudes of sender and receiver.

7. NOISE (also called interference) This is any factor that inhibits the conveyance of a message. That
is, anything that gets in the way of the message being accurately received, interpreted and responded to.
Noise may be internal or external. A student worrying about an incomplete assignment may not be
attentive in class (internal noise) or the sounds of heavy rain on a galvanized roof may inhibit the
reading of a storybook to second graders (external noise).

The communication process is dynamic, continuous, irreversible, and contextual. It is not possible to
participate in any element of the process without acknowledging the existence and functioning of the
other elements.

1.1.1 Introduction to Good English Communication

English is very easy to learn .All you need to do is train yourself to speak English as comfortably as you
speak your mother tongue. You need certain practice in your daily life. Here are some tips to follow:

1. Make friendship. Find out a friend who also wants to improve his or her English and have lunch or
dinner with them. Make it a habit and utilize the whole time for communicating in English. Introduce
penalties if this rule is broken. Of course this will help you to improve your listening and speaking skill.
If you don't have enough time to go out and meet people at least you can chat a little by telephone. Play
games printed in English which require some knowledge of English Monopoly, Scrabble, Life,
Dictionary, etc.Before starting, come up with a repertoire of basic commands for playing, and encourage
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the other players to speak only English. If you do like this no doubt you can improve your English
speaking skill, what you want to do is keep on practicing.

2. Read English books like comics, magazine, entertainment Comics are always full of idiomatic
language and are very easy to understand, but some are very difficult to understand the jokes and
dialogue. So try to choose comics carefully. Usually, serious or adventure comics are easier to
understand than funny ones. Which one you feel more comfortable buys them and read. Magazines also
useful to improve language and get knowledge. If you can read two versions of the same magazine for
example, Newsweek in your language and in English, that will help you to understand easily.

3. Read a translation into English. Choose a book that was originally translated into English,
preferably from your own language. Even if you haven't read the book in your own language, you will
find the English is written in a slightly simplified way that is more similar to how your own language is
written than a book originally written in English would be. This will be easy for you to understand and
learn that language.

4. Watch films in your language with English subtitles. If you find English films with English
subtitles too difficult or you, watch films in your language. This is a best option to understand learn
English. Local films with English subtitles can also help you to attain good English language.

5. Watch the same film or TV episode over and over again. You can learn the language without
having to study it. Some comedies can also get funnier the more you watch them, especially if you
watch them with no subtitles and so understand a little more each time you watch it

6. Learn and use the phonemic script There are many sounds in English; if you learn phonetics you
can understand these words. By learning the phonemic script you can improve your pronunciation and
you will get the idea how to pronounce. It can also make things easier for you by stopping you trying to
pronounce different spellings of the same pronunciation different ways.

7. Read a book with lots of dialogue Dialogue is also much easier to understand than descriptive parts
of a book, and is much more like the language you will want to learn in order to be able to speak
English.

Ethics of Communication

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Communication is the lifeblood of human experience. It helps us to develop relationships, understand

others and the world we live in. For better communication, understanding the obvious and the subtle
issues relating to communication is necessary. Ethical issues of business communication are one such
issue. The vital characteristics of ethical communication are discussed below.

Conveying the point without offending the audience: While communicating to the audience,
conveying the desired message to them in a significant manner is of primary importance. For instance,
the employees in a company can be asked to increase their efficiency in a demanding manner whereas
managers and executives will feel offended if the same tone is used on them. There are different ways to
explain the exact things to them in a much smoother manner.

Maintain a relationship with the audience: Maintaining the same wavelength with the audience is
very important for a communicator to ensure the audiences feel at home. Experienced communicators
immediately build a relationship based on trust with the audience as soon as they start speaking. Great
orators such as Winston Churchill and Mahatma Gandhi always were able to maintain a relationship
with their audience because they were masters at striking the same wavelength of the audience.

Avoid withholding crucial information: In the modern era, information is vital for all decisions.
Hence, it is vital for any organization to be cautious when communicating with the public. The
communicated information should be absolute and all vital information must be conveyed appropriately.
Purposely withholding crucial information might result in the public conceiving a bad image.

Well organized value system:In order to ensure that this concept is successfully practiced and
understood in an organization, a well-organized value system must be established throughout the
organization by the top management. If an organization functions on the base of value systems common
to both the top management and the employees, mutual respect between them will be present. A sound
and healthy value system can make way for ethical communication.

Accuracy of information is necessary: Any information that is to be passed on must be true and
accurate. Communicating without checking the truth of the information can be highly dangerous for the
organization. Identification of the source and testing the information is necessary before communicating
it.

Techniques in Effective Group Interaction

Effective group interaction is when a group creates understanding and expectations, negotiate
agreement, cooperate and conflict. In an effective group interaction, the team is able to make decisions

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and track their progress collaboratively and also they are able to choose roles and tasks which will
benefit them.

Effective verbal communication in group interactions relies on a number of factors, ranging from the
participants' abilities to verbalize their ideas to the leader's ability to foster consensus and refrain from
politicizing the process, report management consultants at the Professional Practice Curriculum division
of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. A focused process can help to direct a group
interaction so that all members feel free to participate and the objectives of the group are effectively met.

Openings Icebreakers are a common tool used to open up a group interaction. Small talk and agenda
building are ways that a leader can help a group to relax so that constructive communication can follow.
Introductions are common options used to break the ice among a group of participants who do not know
each other well. Games or brief statements of objectives from each participant can help begin the
communication process. Groups should open by allowing every member to participate and speak.

Ground Rules Following the icebreaker, an effective meeting is kicked off with a set of ground rules
that can help to set the tone of the interaction. Members should know what kinds of interruptions are
acceptable, how long they have to share each thought and what kinds of behavior will not be tolerated.
Ground rules can be provided by the group leader or facilitator or compiled by the members at the start
of the meeting.

Language Participants in a group setting should understand the power of language and how they use it
to effectively communicate. Instead of arguing and trying to sell an idea, groups are more likely to
respond to logic and facts. Leaders must use inclusive words to avoid resentment and resistance. The
kind of language used in group discussions can shape the tone of the encounter and play a large role in
determining its effectiveness.

Skills Communication skills are vital to help a group reach a positive outcome and allow participants to
leave the interaction feeling good. Good communications skills, which include use of language and
delivery of facts, help participants correctly interpret the speaker's intentions. Concise statements are
important to keep participants engaged. A group should be given one idea at a time to discuss to avoid
confusion. A good communicator presents an idea as it relates to previous statements.

Overcoming Miscommunication Miscommunication often is inevitable in group interactions and

should be dealt with as it arises. Misunderstandings arise when a speaker's intentions were not implicit
and need to be clarified. Disagreements occur when a participant's core beliefs and values are questioned

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or threatened and can be resolved with assurances. Clarity often is needed to help group members
understand their options.

Techniques in Facilitating Group Discussion

Providing a Discussion Group is an attempt to give individuals a more meaningful experience that
involves shared learning. You will be the facilitator and assist a group discussion.
The individuals take on an active role in this learning process. They let you and other members of the
group know what information they need at this stage of life by sharing their experiences. Learning
becomes more effective when they learn from each other, as well as, from the information you share
with them. This is especially true, if the information is related to their needs. Sessions vary in content
and style, depending on the session objective(s), the specific topics that the participants bring up, and the
personalities of the participants involved.
Here are some specific guidelines and techniques to help facilitate Discussion Groups:
 Build Your Group from Within.
Assure members that this is their group, and it is structured to fit their needs and concerns.
 Establish Group Norms or “Ground Rules”.
For example: set the time, agenda, and length of sessions; form rules on confidentiality; and clarify
procedural issues, especially listening to others and respecting ideas or comments of others. Allow the
group to make its own norms, which need to be acceptable to all members of the group.
 Begin Each Session with a Check-in.
This is not a rigid rule, but often useful in many groups. For example, this could involve an “icebreaker”
where every member of the group shares – perhaps a brief statement of who you are, what new has
happened over the last month. The main objective is to help participants feel relaxed and safe in stating
their concerns.
 Delivering the Opening Question.

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Silence and reluctance are normal in the early stages of a discussion. Before or after asking your first
open-ended question (see page 2), you can prepare the group for this usual period of silence by telling
them it’s okay to take a moment to think of their response. If the silence lasts longer than what you
would consider being normal, ask or guess aloud about 2 what it may mean. Also, you can voice the fact
that “it’s sometimes hard to be the first to respond,” or pick someone you know will be comfortable
answering the question.
 Ask Open-Ended Questions.
This is a skill that gets people involved in telling their own experiences as they relate to the session
objective(s). A discussion should then begin that flows naturally and freely. Asking open-ended is the
most direct way to find out what these individuals need to talk about. These questions must be worded
so that people do not feel they are being grilled, yet should enable you to find out key and specific
information.
 An open-ended question is one which cannot be answered by a “yes” or “no” and gives insight
into the topic. There is no right or wrong answers to open-ended questions. Open-ended
questions provide more information and are the same type of questions a good news reporter
asks: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How much, How often.
If you set up a friendly atmosphere from the beginning, it will encourage participants to talk rather than
just answering a series of questions. Also, balance your use of open-ended questions with the other
facilitating skills such as clarifying or focusing.
 Guide the Discussion.
To facilitate means to allow things to happen and to make them easy. The facilitator allows others to
speak and then gently bringing topics to an end. At the same time, you must stay in control of the
discussion and avoid it becoming a “free for all”. If that happens, the quieter people will not have the
chance to be heard, and no one will learn anything. Here are some specific points to bear in mind when
guiding the discussion:
 Guide the discussion by holding off on some topics to be discussed, so that it doesn’t lose
momentum. Keep the topic focused on the session’s objective(s).

 Actively encourage participants to give more information and better define their situations, as
well as focus on specific concerns. The discussion will need to be “directed” in order to better
find issues and feelings on which the participants would like to focus.

 Recognize fears, biases, and disagreement, and bring them out into the open.

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 Look for feedback – yawns, stretching and other feedback which indicate whether or not people
are listening.

 Avoid letting group members dominate “air time”. To someone taking over the discussion, you
can say “your points are really interesting, but we also need to discuss some other issues. Why
don’t you catch me after this session, or call me tomorrow, and we can talk some more” – or
however you can say this without embarrassing the person.
 Avoid strong agreement or disagreement over a subject that leaves the impression that there’s no
sense discussing it.

 Find ways to limit constant complaining or blaming of others.

 Encourage Participation.
Ways to reinforce the importance of each person’s input and encourage them to take part are:
 Focus on the person who is speaking; pay close attention to her (or him).
 If someone speaks too softly, repeat their question and/or comments to the group before replying.
 Give positive support and feedback to every person who speaks; a nod of the head or word of
praise will encourage that person to speak again.
 Watch for non-verbal signs that may indicate someone else’s desire to respond or ask a question.
 Use words which everyone is familiar with; avoid technical or medical terms.
 Check the seating set-up to make sure the circle will include everyone.

 Focus on Topics.
Focusing stresses a particular subject that you think would be helpful to the group to explore (or rather,
the group has made it clear to you that they want it to be further explored). Commonly, a specific topic
(or topic area) repeatedly surfaces in the flow of the discussion, in which case it may seem natural to
further discuss and clarify it. This may happen naturally, or as the facilitator, you may need to ask more
open-ended questions relating to the specific issue. The purpose of focusing the discussion in this case
would be to help everyone better understand and further express their feelings about an issue that they
have shown is relevant to them.
Another reason to focus the discussion would be to help make sense of a dialog that has ended up
rambling, jumping from topic to topic without any sense of clarification, or has become unrelated to the
session’s objective(s). When the dialog seems to have confused both yourself and the participants, it is

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time to get things back in focus. To do this, you could select one point to repeat or reduce a number of
points into a summary in order to focus on how the participants are feeling.
 Focus on Feelings.
Place primary emphasis on the feelings or experiences of each group member. Avoid debating ideas; this
is a place for support and information sharing. 4
 Practice Active Listening.
Some people tend to speak more than listen. Listening is a skill that can be developed beyond the
everyday practice we are all familiar with. It means that you must be silent and allow the participants to
talk. We are all guilty of sometimes listening with half an ear to the speaker while busily figuring out
what to say next, or how to change the subject o something we would rather talk about. However, in
order to help someone, you must listen carefully to what they are saying and avoid the temptation to
interfere with your own thoughts and interests. Many times someone has mixed feelings or several
concerns, and may need more time to talk before you can be sure of how they really feel. Listening skills
can give you this time. Encourage group members to listen to and understand what other group members
are saying.
 Clarify.
This simply means making a point clear. To do this, you will first need to use your listening skills to
help gather enough information about what a person has said to clearly understand their message and
restate what you heard. This involves becoming an “active” listener, encouraging people to respond to
your understanding of their statements and then showing acceptance of what they have said.
 Stay with the Speaker.
When one person is speaking, stay with that person until they are finished, rather than allowing other
members to interrupt or take the floor. Discourage side discussions.
 Accept People as They Are.
Effective learning and comfortable communication can only occur when there is an atmosphere of
acceptance. The trick here is to learn to accept and respect someone’s feelings without necessarily
agreeing with their point of view. Respond to the feelings that are behind the comments being made;
realize that you don’t have to “teach” something, but are here to listen to, talk with and learn something
from the participants and their experiences.
 Dealing with Strong Feelings, Doubts and Disagreements.
Strive to be sensitive to the feelings of others; lead the group to share their knowledge and experience
without telling others what they should do. Make sure that participant’s experiences and solutions to

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their own problems are offered to the others as “possibilities and suggestions” rather than telling only
one way to do it. 5

 Dealing with Erroneous Information.

When someone’s input to the group discussion includes incorrect information, you can make a statement
that stresses the value of their experience and your respect for their decision, whether you agree with it
or not. Some possible responses which avoid embarrassing the person are:
- “I’m very glad that worked for you. Other people have found that ______________worked better for
them.”

- “I’m very glad that worked for you, but all the references we’ve seen do not recommend it.”

- “I’m glad you brought that up. That “used” to be what was generally recommended, but now new
research has found that…”

- “You’ve brought up a really interesting issue. Let’s look it up in (a specific reference) and see what
they say about it.”

- “That’s too bad. What could you have done differently if you had the information we have talked about
today?”
 Summarize the Discussion.
As much as possible, bring ideas together, highlight certain discussion or repeat related information, and
complete one topic before going on to another. Some groups find it helpful to end the session with each
participant sharing what the session has meant to them, and what they learned or discovered during the
session. This way, the group can see that their input and shared experiences helped everyone to learn
something (it can be particularly valuable for them to realize that they even helped you, the facilitator,
learn something new!).
 Assist Members in Gaining Resources.
Provide sources of additional information such as pamphlets, videos, or by referral.
 Above all – Have fun!
Remember that it takes time for a group to grow and develop trust. Be patient and never define success
by the number of people attending the session. Enjoy yourself and the group members, and encourage
them to do the same.

Establishing Communication Channels

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In telecommunications and computer networking, a communication channel, or channel, refers either to

a physical transmission medium such as a wire, or to a logical connection over a multiplexed medium
such as a radio channel. A channel is used to convey an information signal, for example a digital bit
stream, from one or several senders (or transmitters) to one or several receivers. A channel has a certain
capacity for transmitting information, often measured by its bandwidth in Hz or its data rate in bits per
second.

Communicating data from one location to another requires some form of pathway or medium. These
pathways, called communication channels, use two types of media: cable (twisted-pair wire, cable, and
fiber-optic cable) and broadcast (microwave, satellite, radio, and infrared). Cable or wireline media use
physical wires of cables to transmit data and information. Twisted-pair wire and coaxial cables are made
of copper, and fiber-optic cable is made of glass.

In information theory, a channel refers to a theoretical channel model with certain error characteristics.
In this more general view, a storage device is also a kind of channel, which can be sent to (written) and
received from (read).

Types of communications channels

 Digital (discrete) or analog (continuous) channel

 Baseband and passband channel
 Transmission medium, for example a fibre channel
 Multiplexed channel
 Computer network virtual channel
 Simplex communication, duplex communication or half duplex communication channel
 Return channel
 Uplink or downlink (upstream or downstream channel)
 Broadcast channel, unicast channel or multicast channel

1.1.1 Communication Strategies in the Workplace

It’s rare to find a workplace that doesn’t involve human interaction. Most people spend the majority of
their day communicating with a variety of people, including the boss, clients, and/or coworkers. To
make the best impression on all of them, consider implementing some basic communication strategies in
the workplace.

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Don’t assume John says “good morning” to Jason on Tuesday. Jason doesn’t respond. John gets
annoyed and thinks that Jason is ignoring him (then imagines strangling him). He starts to think that
Jason has a grudge against him and thinks, “hey, was it because I didn’t agree with him on that project
the other day?” Jason starts to get pissed that Jason would be so petty.
Now, this scenario could easily get worse, but instead of assuming that Jason is ignoring him, John
should just ask Jason. We are not clairvoyant and we don’t really know what the other is thinking.
Jason was actually having a bad morning- he was late to work because his child refused to go to school
again and he had a terrible fight with his wife the night before. He is stressed and did not hear Jason say
hi to him because he was preoccupied with his own thoughts.
Get to Know Them This also goes along with not assuming that the person is “bad” or that you have
completely different personalities and you’ll never ever get along or be friends. Have an open mind. Get
to know the person you’re having communication difficulties with outside of work.
Sometimes, when we get to know the person, our previous assumptions of the person melt away and we
find out that we actually have a lot in common with your previous “frenemy.”
Use the Sandwic Let’s face it, no one really like criticism. Criticism is a delicate matter and often many
individuals have difficulty giving it (or they are on the other spectrum and they give it out too easily). As
there may be a lot of people out there who are sensitive to perceived criticism, using the Sandwich
technique is an important and easy way to give constructive feedback. In the sandwich technique, you
identify the positives, put the constructive feedback in the middle, and end it with another positive.
WikiHow has a good “tutorial” on how to effectively utilize the sandwich technique.
Think Positively Finally, thinking positive is really important. Instead of dreading to head to work
Sunday evening, think about the positives at your workplace. Do you have an effective manager? Be
grateful for that. Do you like your desk? Do have you have a close work buddy you can talk to?
Thinking about the positives can really turn things around for us at work and will help you increase
productivity and increase your feelings towards work.
Instead of running away from your problems (e.g. switching from job to job, deciding to leave the rat
race and opt for lower income), developing communication skills is important for us all. These
strategies, like thinking positively, getting to know your colleagues outside of the workplace, not
assuming things, and using the sandwich to give constructive feedback are just some examples of
learning how to communicate effectively in the workplace so you can once again enjoy work.
1.1.1 Communicating in Teams

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Team communication processes that function effectively can increase team motivation, foster trust and
respect between members, greatly improve decision making processes and contribute substantially to the
overall productivity and performance of the team.
Yet, communication processes that are ineffective can decrease member motivation, lessen team
commitment, increase team gossip and lower productivity. Effective communication processes,
therefore are vital to team performance.

Effective communication processes are:

 Regular. Regular communication within, and between teams helps members to maintain focus,
allows all members to keep up to date with team progress and ensures that difficulties or setbacks
can be dealt with promptly and collaboratively.
 Transparent. Transparent communication processes provide all team members with the same
information where possible and keep all members adequately informed.
 Transparent processes maximise the likelihood that team members will be aligned in their
concept of where they are going and how they are going to get there. Failing to adequately
inform all team members, equally, may greatly compromise their ability to contribute equally to
team processes and decision making.
 Focused and related to team goals. Communication processes that are focused and related to
team goals encourage team members to similarly remain goal focused and outcome directed.
One of the ways you can help alleviate team conflict is to learn and use effective mediation strategies.
As a coach, you are in a powerful position to display positive conflict management in the way you
communicate with athletes, parents, referees, and the media. There are four principles to keep in mind
when trying to resolve conflict:
1. Active Listening. Displaying a willingness to listen can help alleviate conflict.
 Encourage the speaker by asking questions and showing interest.
 Validate the speaker. You can still show interest in the person while not necessarily agreeing
with her/his point of view.
 Restate the speaker’s message by paraphrasing main points.
 Center the conflict by trying to find the key points of the message.
2. Non-verbal Communication. A cold shoulder, eye roll, or clenched jaw can go a long way in
communicating a point without even saying a word. In fact, 70% of our communication is non-
verbal in nature. Be open and consistent in your body language, helping to defuse emotion.

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3. Using “I” Statements. This is centered in the belief that if the speaker takes responsibility for
her/his statements others will be less likely to simply react and put up a defense. When
comparing the following statements, the first puts the receiver of that message on the defensive
due to the blaming and accusing nature of the statement and the second shows the speaker taking
ownership.
 “You hurt the team when you don’t show up to conditioning on time”
 “I am frustrated when you don’t show up to conditioning on time”
4. Avoiding Common Communication Obstacles. It is easy to fall into several traps when dealing
with conflict. Some common obstacles that get in the way of effective mediation are:
 Advising… “Well, I’ll tell you what I’d do…”
 Diagnosing… “Your problem is that you…”
 Discounting… “Cheer up, it’ll work out…”
 Lecturing… “How many times do I have to tell you…”
 Threatening… “This is the last time I will…”
 Preaching… “You ought to know better than to…”

Along with the above communication strategies, there are several do’s and don’ts involved in managing
conflict:

Do…
 Convey the value of your relationship with the person.
 Go slowly with what you want to communicate.
 Try to understand the other person’s position.
 Listen to what the other person is trying to communicate.
 Confront the situation, not the person.
Don’t…
 Communicate the solution; it is better to focus on the problem.
 Stop communicating.
 Use put-downs or sarcasm.
 Rely on nonverbal hints to communicate, be direct and forthcoming.
 Discuss the problem with others not associated with the conflict.

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During the Interpretation stage, searchers assess the usefulness of their information and reflect to
develop personal meaning. Information requires interpretation to become knowledge. The Interpretation
stage engages searchers in the process of analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating information to
determine its relevancy and usefulness to their research question or information need. Interpretation is
another stage in this holistic process that is very important and often neglected. Instructional activities or
units must first be designed to require students to engage in critical thinking or problem solving. If
critical thinking is not a part of the learning plan, there is no need to interpret information and searchers
are stuck at the knowledge level of learning"
"Interpretation is a communication process, designed to reveal meanings and relationships of our
cultural and natural heritage, through involvement with objects, artifacts, landscapes and sites.
It is important to remember that the communication process of interpretation did not spontaneously
appear one day. Interpretation (the profession, and the techniques and approaches) are a wonderful mix
from communication principles from many other professions. Interpreters should have a basic working
knowledge of each of these to include:
* Journalism
* Marketing
* Psychology
* Non-formal and adult education theory and presentations.
* Business management and finances.
* Recreation and tourism planning/principles
* Media planning/design principles.
2.1 Coaching In Effective Communication

 Coaching and Effective Communication provides a basic foundation for coaching

effectiveness that you can apply immediately.
 Coaching and Effective Communication provides a deep understanding what it takes to
maximize coaching competencies.
The use of silence: It can often be more difficult to understand why a client is silent when you can’t see
them. It could be they’re distressed, they’re thinking, they didn’t understand, they’re annoyed, they’re
distracted. You don’t have any of those visual clues that you have when you’re face to face and it can be
even harder to anticipate if and when you should interject.
The client’s voice: Voices always give away a lot of different clues. It’s often easy to pick up by the
tone or pitch of the voice and how the client is feeling, including whether or not they’re smiling. What

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you do miss out on when you can’t see them is whether the rest of their body language is in tandem with
what they’re saying. Face to face we’ve all seen a client say they really do want to do something, whilst
giving themselves away by shifting their eyes or shaking their heads at the same time.
The coaches voice: The flip side to not being able to see the client and therefore you need to listen even
more carefully to what is being said, is that the client can’t see you and therefore you need to be even
more aware of your own, tone pitch and pace. Many people are unaware of how differently they sound
over the phone. When people can’t see each other, they can struggle to pick up what’s being said,
particularly if you speak quickly. Obviously you’re not able to mirror any of the client’s body language
but you can mirror their tone and pace to build rapport.
Staying focussed. As a coach our client would expect us to stay in the now. I’m not suggesting that it’s
any more difficult on the phone or Skype to stay focused entirely on the client for 45 minutes or longer,
than it is when you’re face to face, but it is a different experience and again with visual clues missing it
is the listening skills that take on even greater importance.
Whether coaching face to face or over the phone or Skype, I don’t believe one is easier than the other,
they are just different, and whether you choose to exclusively use one or the other or do a combination
of them both, the most important thing to remember is that you’re communication needs to be effective
for a successful client/coach relationship.
Negotiation is referred to as the style of discussing things among individuals in an effort to come to a
conclusion satisfying all the parties involved. Discussions should be on an open forum for everyone to
not only participate but also express their views and reach to an alternative acceptable to all.

2.1 conflict resolution strategies

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Conflict resolution strategies are used in production systems to help in choosing which production rule
to fire. The need for such a strategy arises when the conditions of two or more rules are satisfied by the
currently known facts.

 When angry, separate yourself from the situation and take time to cool out.
 Attack the problem, not the person. Start with a compliment.
 Communicate your feelings assertively, NOT aggressively. Express them without blaming.
 Focus on the issue, NOT your position about the issue.
 Accept and respect that individual opinions may differ, don’t try to force compliance,work to
develop common agreement.
 Do not review the situation as a competition, where one has to win and one has to lose. Work
toward a solution where both parties can have some of their needs met.
 Focus on areas of common interest and agreement, instead of areas of disagreement and
opposition.
 NEVER jump to conclusions or make assumptions about what another is feeling or thinking.
 Listen without interrupting; ask for feedback if needed to assure a clear understanding of the
issue.
 Remember, when only one person’s needs are satisfied in a conflict, it is NOT resolved and will
continue.
 Forget the past and stay in the present.
 Build ‘power with’ NOT ‘power over’ others.
 Thank the person for listening.

Using the Tool: A Conflict Resolution Process

Based on these approaches, a starting point for dealing with conflict is to identify the overriding conflict
style employed by yourself, your team or your organization.
Over time, people's conflict management styles tend to mesh, and a "right" way to solve conflict
emerges. It's good to recognize when this style can be used effectively, however make sure that people
understand that different styles may suit different situations.
Look at the circumstances, and think about the style that may be appropriate.
Then use the process below to resolve the conflict:
Step One: Set the Scene If appropriate to the situation, agree the rules of the IBR Approach (or at least
consider using the approach yourself.) Make sure that people understand that the conflict may be a

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mutual problem, which may be best resolved through discussion and negotiation rather than through raw
aggression.
If you are involved in the conflict, emphasize the fact that you are presenting your perception of the
problem. Use active listening skills to ensure you hear and understand other's positions and perceptions.
 Restate.
 Paraphrase.
 Summarize.
And make sure that when you talk, you're using an adult, assertive approach rather than a submissive or
aggressive style.
Step Two: Gather Information Here you are trying to get to the underlying interests, needs, and
concerns. Ask for the other person's viewpoint and confirm that you respect his or her opinion and need
his or her cooperation to solve the problem.
Try to understand his or her motivations and goals, and see how your actions may be affecting these.
Also, try to understand the conflict in objective terms: Is it affecting work performance? damaging the
delivery to the client? disrupting team work? hampering decision-making? or so on. Be sure to focus on
work issues and leave personalities out of the discussion.

 Listen with empathy and see the conflict from the other person's point of view.
 Identify issues clearly and concisely.
 Use "I" statements.
 Remain flexible.
 Clarify feelings.
Step Three: Agree the Problem This sounds like an obvious step, but often different underlying needs,
interests and goals can cause people to perceive problems very differently. You'll need to agree the
problems that you are trying to solve before you'll find a mutually acceptable solution.
Sometimes different people will see different but interlocking problems – if you can't reach a common
perception of the problem, then at the very least, you need to understand what the other person sees as
the problem.
Step Four: Brainstorm Possible Solutions If everyone is going to feel satisfied with the resolution, it
will help if everyone has had fair input in generating solutions. Brainstorm possible solutions, and be
open to all ideas, including ones you never considered before.
Step Five: Negotiate a Solution By this stage, the conflict may be resolved: Both sides may better
understand the position of the other, and a mutually satisfactory solution may be clear to all.

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However you may also have uncovered real differences between your positions. This is where a
technique like win-win negotiation can be useful to find a solution that, at least to some extent, satisfies
everyone.
Techniques in Good Questioning and Listening

Asking the right question is at the heart of effective communications and information exchange. By
using the right questions in a particular situation, you can improve a whole range of communications
skills: for example, you can gather better information and learn more; you can build stronger
relationships, manage people more effectively and help others to learn too.

So here are some common questioning techniques, and when (and when not) to use them:

Open and Closed Questions A closed question usually receives a single word or very short, factual
answer. For example, "Are you thirsty?" The answer is "Yes" or "No"; "Where do you live?" The
answer is generally the name of your town or your address.

Open questions elicit longer answers. They usually begin with what, why, how. An open question asks
the respondent for his or her knowledge, opinion or feelings. "Tell me" and "describe" can also be used
in the same way as open questions. Here are some examples:

 What happened at the meeting?

 Why did he react that way?
 How was the party?
 Tell me what happened next.
 Describe the circumstances in more detail.
Open questions are good for:
 Developing an open conversation: "What did you get up to on vacation?"
 Finding out more detail: "What else do we need to do to make this a success?"
 Finding out the other person's opinion or issues: "What do you think about those changes?"
Closed questions are good for:
 Testing your understanding, or the other person's: "So, if I get this qualification, I will get a
raise?"
 Concluding a discussion or making a decision: "Now we know the facts, are we all agreed this is
the right course of action?"

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 Frame setting: "Are you happy with the service from your bank?"
 A misplaced closed question, on the other hand, can kill the conversation and lead to awkward
silences, so are best avoided when a conversation is in full flow.
Funnel Questions This technique involves starting with general questions, and then homing in on a
point in each answer, and asking more and more detail at each level. It's often used by detectives taking
a statement from a witness:
 "How many people were involved in the fight?"
 "About ten."
 "Were they kids or adults?"
 "Mostly kids."
 "What sort of ages were they?"
 "About fourteen or fifteen."
 "Were any of them wearing anything distinctive?"
 "Yes, several of them had red baseball caps on."
 "Can you remember if there was a logo on any of the caps?"
 "Now you come to mention it, yes, I remember seeing a big letter N."
Using this technique, the detective has helped the witness re-live the scene and gradually focus on a
useful detail. Perhaps he'll be able to identify young men wearing a hat like this from CCTV footage. It
is unlikely he would have got this information if he's simply asked an open question such as "Are there
any details you can give me about what you saw?"

Funnel questions are good for: Finding out more detail about a specific point: "Tell me more about
Option 2."

Gaining the interest or increasing the confidence of the person you're speaking with: "Have you used the
IT Helpdesk?", "Did they solve your problem?", "What was the attitude of the person who took your
call?"

Probing Questions Asking probing questions is another strategy for finding out more detail. Sometimes
it's as simple as asking your respondent for an example, to help you understand a statement they have
made. At other times, you need additional information for clarification, "When do you need this report
by, and do you want to see a draft before I give you my final version?", or to investigate whether there is
proof for what has been said, "How do you know that the new database can't be used by the sales force?"

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Leading Questions Leading questions try to lead the respondent to your way of thinking. They can do
this in several ways:

 With an assumption: "How late do you think that the project will deliver?". This assumes that the
project will certainly not be completed on time.

 By adding a personal appeal to agree at the end: "Lori's very efficient, don't you think?" or
"Option 2 is better, isn't it?"
 Phrasing the question so that the "easiest" response is "yes" (our natural tendency to prefer to say
"yes" than "no" plays an important part in the phrasing of referendum questions): "Shall we all
approve Option 2?" is more likely to get a positive response than "Do you want to approve
option 2 or not?". A good way of doing this is to make it personal. For example, "Would you like
me to go ahead with Option 2?" rather than "Shall I choose Option 2?".
 Giving people a choice between two options, both of which you would be happy with, rather
than the choice of one option or not doing anything at all. Strictly speaking, the choice of
"neither" is still available when you ask "Which would you prefer of A or B", but most people
will be caught up in deciding between your two preferences.
Rhetorical Questions
 Rhetorical questions aren't really questions at all, in that they don't expect an answer. They're
really just statements phrased in question form: "Isn't John's design work so creative?"
 People use rhetorical questions because they are engaging for the listener – as they are drawn
into agreeing ("Yes it is and I like working with such a creative colleague") – rather than feeling
that they are being "told" something like "John is a very creative designer". (To which they may
answer "So What?")
Non Verbal Communication Techniques

Non-verbal communication is more important than you might think. Also called body language,
nonverbal communication takes place frequently and sends strong messages to the people you
come into contact with, according to Help Guide. Your non-verbal communication style either
attracts people to you and develops trust, interest and more communication, or it turns people
away from you and develops disinterest, confusion or distrust. Learn to use effective nonverbal
communication techniques to your advantage.

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Facial Expressions Your face is full of expression, whether you know it or not. According to
Help Guide, facial expressions are universal, and can be read quite similarly all over the world.
Practice matching your face to your feelings without speaking. This technique is difficult to
perfect, but when you can communicate how you're feeling with your face, you won't have to say
as much with words.

Gestures Gestures can tell someone a lot and are an integral part of our lives. Whether we wave,
point or invite with our hands, we must accurately display our emotions with our hands to an
extent. Your goal should be to use a fair amount of gestures while communicating with others.
Gestures show enthusiasm, care and precision to those with whom you communicate.

Eye Contact Eye contact is one of the most important ways to nonverbally communicate. It
shows someone you care about what they're saying. If someone is talking to you and you are
looking over their head or at your cell phone, your communication session with that person isn't
going to be efficient or healthy for the relationship. Practice keeping eye contact and not
breaking it until the other person does.

Body Movement People's perceptions of you are affected by how you walk, sit, stand up and
handle yourself. Without realizing it, people say so much with their body movements and
posture. Practice handling yourself in an upright, confident and positive way, especially while
talking to others. This will make a big difference in how the conversation goes.

Touch Touch is one of the most powerful senses and nonverbal communication methods. Touch
can come in the form of a hug, a tap on the shoulder, a handshake, a pat on the head, and dozens
of other means. It's important to communicate confidence, warmth, happiness, comfort,
sadness---normal emotions---through touch. Practice this. Shake hands firmly, give warm hugs
and give tender taps. You communicate so much through touch, so it needs to be mindful and
intentional.

Body Language and Communication

Body language is a form of mental and physical ability of human non-verbal communication,
consisting of body posture, gestures, facial expressions, and eye movements. Humans send and
interpret such signals almost entirely subconsciously. (Body language, in this sense, should be
distinguished from sign language.)

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3.1 Developing a Presentation

 Gather together all the information, pamphlets, articles and emails you need to write the
presentation down in longhand or better yet, in a Word document from which you can
later extract bits of information from for your notes into PowerPoint.
 Divide the material into logical segments. Try to do this in a simple fashion. Differentiate
which material goes in what segment. Start writing out the material you plan to
communicate to the group and use easy to understand terms and language. You want to
ensure that everyone in attendance will be able to understand and conceptualize your
speech.
 Develop bullet points that will become your PowerPoint slides. You can do this directly
in PowerPoint. As you summarize each major section of your material, you can write
notes for yourself in the notes section of each of the slides you will cover. When you
print out your handouts, you will have the option to print with notes or just the slides.
You can print one copy for yourself, which will serve as the speaker's guide and just the
slides for your audience.
 Make your copies, and prepare for the event by reserving the room and doing your dry
run. (See my article in the eHow Library on How to Give a Presentation for more detail.)
 Be sure you are presenting the right material for the audience. Discuss with your
supervisor or the manager who wants you to give the talk what you plan to discuss in the
form of a presentation synopsis. Meet with this person a week or two before the event to
ensure that you are satisfying her needs with the material's scope and depth. Make
adjustments to it as needed.
 Make your presentation interesting, crisp and colorful. Add some visual or audio effects
that PowerPoint provides to keep the audience's attention. Give out the handouts before
you start so they can follow along and not get lost, particularly if the topic is of a
technical nature.
 Make it fun if possible and keep your audience engaged. Be sure to adjust the time limit
of the materials to less than one hour unless you plan to provide breaks, snacks or other
refreshments. (These can be a great enticement if you are concerned about attendance
being low). Be upbeat and lively. Stimulate audience participation and encourage
questions.
Evaluation of presentation feedback
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There is no single feedback or assessment sheet that fits every presentation assignment. As you review
these various options, you might realize that you need to tweak a sheet to get it exactly right for your
own purposes. For this reason, each is provided as a .doc file, which you can download and edit as
needed.

Keep in mind that any evaluation sheet should do two things:

1. Provide feedback on each of those elements that you include in your grade. This is true whether
the element has been part of your instruction or not. For example, if you require that students "dress
appropriately" for a presentation and rate them more highly when they are wearing business attire, your
evaluation sheet should include that as a scoring element. Similarly, if you intend reward "creativity" of
a solution, regardless of its conformity to prescribed assignment parameters, that element should appear
as a component of the assessment. Especially in areas where you have not provided specific
performance standards, it is helpful to provide yourself with sufficient space to writeexplanatory
comments.

2. Distinguish between “presentation” skills and “content” components of the grade. It is

sometimes difficult to tell whether a student does not understand the material being presented, or simply
is simply presenting his or her thoughts incoherently. In the business world, it would not matter, but for
pedagogical purposes, feedback should help a student to identify the specific areas that require attention.
Similarly, it is helpful to provide specific feedback with respect to the basic elements of presentation,
providing separate scores for "organization of the material" and "vocal delivery", for instance, rather
than a single "presentation" score.

3.1 Evaluation of Group Communication Strategies

The first step in establishing communication activities for your programme is to draft a thorough
communication plan and strategy. The communication plan sets out a clear framework for your
communication activities and allocates roles, tasks and goals to individual members of the team. It will
serve you as a guiding document throughout the programme’s lifecycle including information on
objectives, audiences, messages, tools and budget available.

Effective group interaction is when a group creates understanding and expectations, negotiate
agreement, cooperate and conflict. In an effective group interaction, the team is able to make decisions

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and track their progress collaboratively and also they are able to choose roles and tasks which will
benefit them.

4.1 Strategies which encourage group members

There are a number of methods you can use to encourage those that participate in group discussions.
One technique is to ask a single question and make a request for all the members to discuss it. The
members can read the question, and they can tell the other members what they think the question means.

It is best to use open-ended questions, because they will allow the members to think about the topics.
Everyone should be allowed to give their thoughts on the question. It is always important to make sure
the group stays on topic.

If you notice that members are getting off topic, politely direct them back to the topic that is being
discussed. It is also important for everyone to listen, even the leader. They should understand the
statements that are being made by members. If they do not, they should ask the member to clarify the
point they are making. It is also important to make comments on statements that have been made by the
other members. When your respond to a statement that has been made, this can create a domino effect
where other members will respond as well, and new ideas or solutions can be formulated.

There are a number of guidelines that you will want to follow at the conclusion of the discussion. You
should always create a summary about the topic that has been discussed. Ask the members to review the
things that have been discussed, as this will allow them to commit the various points to memory. It is
important for the members of the group to keep notepads handy where they can write down important
points that have been made. One of the common goals of group discussions is to brainstorm ideas. When
members of a group are brainstorming an idea, there are a number of things they will do.

First, the topic will be given to the group. Each member will think about the topic for set period of time,
and will begin coming up with a number of different ideas. The other members of the group should build
on the ideas that have already been presented. After the idea creation period has ended, the ideas which
have been developed will be organized and reviewed. The results will be shared with the entire group.
Brainstorming plays an important role in group discussions, and is excellent for a situation where a
group needs to come up with a solution to a complex problem.

When group discussion are held, it is important for them to receive encouragement. This
encouragement can come from the group leader, or it can come from the other members. It will bring
about results that are the exact opposite of what happens when the idea of a member is put-down by

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others in the group. The group that participates in discussions should behave like a well oiled machine.
Everyone should be on the same page. The success of the group, not the individuals, is the most
important factor. When members encourage each other, this will build a strong comraderie that will
allow the group to function as one. The biggest problems in group discussions occur when members
discourage each other and promote their own ideas.

4.1 Set objectives and agenda for meetings and discussions

An organized meeting needs a well written agenda. Use these steps for your team call also. Remind your
team to not be using their cell phone or their computer during the meeting, even on team calls. Before
you start the meeting make sure they are prepared to take notes. This is also very important when you
are at the agency meetings and new agent training.

 Check the agenda for errors. Doing so reflects on your attention to detail and care for your
position. It also prevents people being distracted by minor errors or by making points of order
about errors.
 Print the agenda or email it to all attendees. You should do this as near to the actual meeting as
possible. If emailing, only do so if this has been agreed to by prior arrangement and always have
spare paper copies up your sleeve at the meeting. Someone always forgets to bring a printed
copy!
 Select the key points. The simpler and clearer your points, the easier it will be for your audience
to remember your message. If you can, use the "rule of three" with your material. Most messages
are organized into three main points, presumably based on what the audience can remember
without losing interest. Thinking through all your material and distilling the main points provides
structure for grouping information. When you group information, the audience can understand it
better.
 Add supporting material for each key point. What will help people accept your major points?
Key points alone are not sufficient to persuade people. You must include supporting materials
that relate to the key point and create meaning for your audience, which, in turn, helps them
remember your message.
Provide relevant information to group members

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Once the group is up and running, attention must be given to keeping the group on track. By this
time people will be assisting with various tasks involved with maintaining the group. Most groups
start by providing mutual support, but members may now decide they want to change their aims and
objectives, add a new service or change direction. This can be an unsettling time, so it is important to
so consult your members and assess their support before making any changes.

Communication Strategies for specific needs

You will usually find that there is more than one way to provide the information required.
Depending on your client group, you will need to adapt your communication strategy to meet the
particular needs of clients and co-workers; you may need to include use of techniques and aids such
as:
 facial expressions, hand signals and other physical gestures
 objects, photographs, pictures or symbols, written words
 specific techniques and aids
 videos or practical demonstration
 translations of printed material
 language and cultural interpreters
 augmentative communication systems, such as devices and processes that replace, or are an
adjunct to, speech, e.g. speaking machines, Auslan or Makaton (a system of symbols and
pictures).
The techniques and aids that you use must be appropriate for the individual. For example:
 Unnecessary use of hand movements can be distressing for some people with a mental
illness.
 A person who is deaf may need a specific type of interpreter specialising in either sign
language, Auslan or cueing.
 Pens and notebooks may create barriers when you are communicating with a person who is
illiterate. Within a community that has low rates of literacy, informational videos may be
more helpful to clients than written brochures.

Prepare for interview

1. There are two types of questions that are asked. First specific questions about the job to see if
you have the skills to do the job. Second 'Human Resource" questions that are designed to see if
you have the right personality to fit on the team. You have to be good at both types of questions
to be able to get the job.
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2. Some "Human Resource" questions are: How to you work on a team? Can you work alone? (I
work well on a team and I can work alone when I have to.) Where do you see yourself ten years
from now? (I see myself doing the same job and maybe moving up a little in position and
becoming more "Senior") Why are you changing jobs? (I have learned a lot in my current
position and I would like to work for a firm with more challenge and more responsibility). What
salary are you looking for? (If you mention an amount it looks bad unless you are grossly
underpaid. I say, "I am open.") What don't you like about your current position? (Don't mention
anything bad, say, "I am happy with my current position, the benefits and the pay, I was told
about this position and on the "spur of the moment" decided to go in an interview). Tell me your
weaknesses (If you are honest, they will not hire you. Rather tell them that you do not like when
you are asked to figure out who to lay-off or that the drive is too long).
3. Practice beforehand by studying your resume, make it as clear and provocative as you can. Look
through it for any add-ons or tweaks that you would like to fit in before you will be put to hand it
in. Read through it a few times so you are familiar with what your resume reads off. Have a
family member or friend read it out loud so they can spot errors, instead of having your
interviewer find the mistake.
4. Practice answering a few questions by playing the interviewer game! All you need is at least 4
friends or family members and a list of different interview questions (at least 5 questions per
person). Have your friend/family members ask you questions, each using their own way of
expressing it to you. They will have fun, so will you, and you get to practice for your interview!
5. Do this every day about a week into your interview so that you get the feel of being interviewed.
This simple exercise helps your nerves calm down because you have a better knowledge of what
to expect, and you sound polished up and ready once the big day hits.
6. The day before your interview, go shopping. Now, you don't need to spend loads of money, but
you need to look presentable. Women: A simple black or grey pantsuit with an elegant blouse
under topped off with a stylish sweater and heels. Men: Go with a suit. No need for the tux to
come out from behind the closet, but the pants sure can. Use an elegant shirt and some dressy
shoes. Your hair, and yourself, should smell good. Do you get nervous the day before?
Grandma's tip: Get about a cup of 2% milk and pour it in a cooking pan. Set your stove on
medium and let it stir for about 2 minutes, or until it's warm. Put in some powdered chocolate
and add about 2-3 tiny marshmallows. The milk helps to cool down your nerves while you eat a
sweet treat. You should also get your rest. Go to bed at approximately 9:30 so you will be well

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rested. Remember to wear perfume/cologne to smell good. Your appearance counts, sometimes
as much as your smarts. If you feel great, you are most likely to better answer interviews.
7. remind yourself that you have come prepared and that you look great
8. When a hard question pops up, be able to go through the files in your mind.
9. Honesty looks awesome on anyone, especially when part of the test is on honesty/loyalty.
10. Think on all questions; tricky or not.
11. Pick the best answer.
12. Always smile during your interview, not weird, but a comfortable homey smile.

Arrange appropriate communication strategies for interview

To succeed in your job search, you will need seven vital communication strategies.
1. Talk Positively to Yourself
2. Sharpen Your Speaking Skills
3. Become a Keen Listener
4. Maintain Maximum Motivation
5. Simulate Interviews, Tape Them, and Critique Them
6. Network Creatively and Constantly
7. Learn How to Adapt Your Communication Style

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