Lesson 3.2 - Case Study 2 (Check it out!!!)

Situational Practices
Pick one or two of these practices to work with at any one time. Especially at first, do not do anything that makes you uncomfortable.



Respect, Appreciate, Agree (For details, click on the title)

We can improve almost any relationship by finding something we honestly like or respect about the other person (even with an opponent). But we miss opportunities to build these emotional bridges because we are attracted to the activity and motion of conflict.

Imitation (For details, click on the title)


By practicing the physical movements, rhythms, and styles of others -- and their ways of getting things done in the world -- we can understand them better, and also increase our own repertoire.








Messages (For details, click on the title)


As you watch people in crowds or pass them on the sidewalk, what nonverbal "messages" do you pick up about where they are at?











Acknowledgement:
http://www.communicationpractices.org/#Examples homepage's owner

Lesson 3.1 - Case Study 1 (Nick's Speech)

(Online Resource - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnuAyFCZjdA )

Situation:
One-to-many communication, which is a kind of communication way, is also called broadcasting.

Nick's Communication Style:
"Free-thinker"
- be friendly
- be willing to share his personal experiences
- be open to use of metaphoric language with the sense of humor
(e.g. a little chicken leg)
- be flexible
- be interactive

Do you remember your own style???

Skill in Use:

Verbal Communication
- Story telling
- Positive word

Non-verbal Communication
- Body language - physical expression
- Eye Contact - emotional expression
- Facial expreesion
Communication Behavior
- lean forward
- open attitude
- relax

Can you find any other skills that are revealed in this video???

Or any improvement of Nick's speech???

I want to TRY more!!!

Lesson 2.3 --- Communication Behaviors

Communication Behaviors:


1. Attending behavior
If you express the attending behavior to the speaker, it is a great deal of respect for him. It can be divided into 5 components “SOLER”

i. Squarely: face the speaker, express to others that you are concentrating for him/her, the perfect angle is about 45.

ii. Open: adopt an open attitude; your hands should be placed naturally when you are talking.

iii. Lean: appropriate lean your body to the speaker, it expresses you are interested in conversation.

iv. Eye-contact: appropriate keep attention to speaker's eyes, they will feel concerned and respected.

v. Relax: relax the body to maintain natural, do not appear Nervous and anxious to the speaker.


2. Active Listening


When we appear active listening, the speaker will feel respected, also through active listening to deeply know each others. It is about interpreting and understanding processes through verbal and nonverbal communication.






3. Empathy

Stand each other's position and understand their feelings and ideas.

Communication behavior’s workshop:

Scenario: If you have 1million dollar, what things you will buy?

Activity: all of you write down the things you will buy, the others should stand your position to explain why you will buy these things.


4. Praise

With others to do the best thing to give praise, because your praise can encourage the others to do better.


Are you READY to try??? Click me

Lesson 2.2 --- Non-verbal Communication Skill

Talking is not the only method to express your feeling. The speed, tone, volume, can represent the meaning. Also, the body movement, dressing, eyes expression, still have the same effects. When we are talking, if we separate the use of word and the tone, then we will miss a lot of important information or lead to misunderstanding.


How can we express non-verbal communication?

1. Facial

Most of the people are aware on the facial emotion of the others, to determine what they want to say. The reason is this is the easy method to express their feeling. There are totally six feelings. that is Surprise, Afraid, Angry, Hate, Happy and Upset. However, this method also is the difficult one to differentiate the exactly feeling since most of the time people are not having one single feelings as the same time, such as people can be Surprise and Afraid, Surprise and Angry, Surprise and Afraid and Upset...etc.

2. Eyes

Eyes will transfer your desire to the others, also it can give out some messages. For example,

==> In a restaurant, you watch a waiter, that may mean that you need a service.
==> In a party, you watch a guest, that may mean that you want to have a talk with him/her.

Also, people will use their eyes to express some messages.

1. Watch a people greater than 10 seconds, it will cause another feel surprise and angry.
2. Use a confident and real gaze will make people think that you are confident.
3. Intentionally to escape from others' gaze, it means that you are shy or upset.

3. Body Motion

Another method to express non-verbal communication is throughout your Body Motion. People will use their part of the body or whole of the body to express what they want. Someone finds that Feeling and Motion have a special relationship.

==> If you are feel bored in a lesson, you will put your head on the table.
==> If you are feel interested, you will put your head up and sit straight.
==> If you are under a safety situation, then you will express a relax motion.
==> If you are under a dangerous situation, then you will feel you are on pressure.

4. Hand Motion

Because most of the people knows that facial expression is the easiest way to get the feelings from the others. As a result, if we want to hide your feeling, we will control our facial expression carefully. However, a lot of people forget that their motion of hand or leg also can tell others the truth.

The most simple example is,
==> When a people is feeling on pressure, they will playing their fingers or eating their fingernails.

Hand motion also can express Substituting, Repeating, Accenting, Regulating.
For example,

==> Open your arms means welcome.
==> Use V sign means victory.
==> Make a fist means angry.

5. Tone

Tone isn't means the content of our conversation. It is the way of communication and how to express it. That is if we use different tone to say a same sentence, the meaning will be totally different. For example,

==>

Tone also have many variations. That is High and Low, Fast and Slow, Strong and Weak, Loud and Soft...etc.. Those can enhance your tone. For example,

==> Use a Lower tone if you are upset.
==> Use a Higher Tone if you are happy.
==> Use a Faster Tone if the time is not enough.
==> Use a Soft Tone if you are not sure.

Sometimes the tone and the content of the conversation may not be coherent. At that time, the meaning from the tone will become more important than the content. People always will use the tone to determine you are happy or angry.

6. Touch

Touch is one of the basic non-verbal communication. It can directly express people's message to the others. For example,

==> Shaking Hands means friendly.
==> Hitting shoulders means encourage.
==> Hugging means happy.






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Lesson 2.1--- Verbal Communication Skill

How to improve verbal communication:

Verbal communication requires the use of words, vocabulary numbers and symbols and is organized in sentences using language.

You create your reality with your senses, the eyes, ears and feelings and words and symbols are used to create the meanings. This is why you are encouraged to read and watch informative materials, listen to motivational audio programs and attend classes or seminars that relate to your line of work or objectives. Positive and uplifting spoken or written messages motivate and inspire.

1. Using the Positive Words

E.g.: Your customers, children or partners agreeing and saying "Yes" to your suggestions and opinions indicate that you were able to influence and change their beliefs and thoughts from your spoken or written persuasion
E.g.: When you attend an interview/discussion, you should respect to other interviewees’ opinions.

2. Telling a Joke/Story

One of the ways to let others understand your message is by telling a story, Verbal communication through stories carries power to induce the person to relate to what you are saying or suggesting. The way you deliver the story can affect the thinking, emotions and behavior of the listeners. He is able to imagine the experience and will reproduce a response.

E.g.: On the OL lessons, the student uses the "The three little pigs" story to explain OL theory.


3. Think and Prepare before you Speak

Whether you are going to speak in public, talk to your boss, spouse or children, you have to think before you utter those words. Verbal abuse happens when you express yourself without thinking and instead allow your emotions to take over.
You have to plan your thoughts first in your mind or in writing before speaking them out. This will enable you to prepare yourself with any objections that may arise. Thinking, preparing and imagining the desirable outcomes in your mind allow you to practice your presentation and getting them right.

E.g.: when you attend an admission interview, if you have a good preparation, such as draw a good script, it can make your presentation/interview fluently.


4. Avoid Careless Language

Use your phrases with care. Talk and write in ways that allow for accurate description of your experience, thoughts or ideas. Don't expect people to assume and guess what you are trying to say.
Speak with specificity by avoiding words like always, never, every, or all. When you say to your spouse that he is always late when in fact he was late only twice, you are attracting an argument.

E.g.: when you attend a job interview
X: "I have many years of working experience.”
√: “I served as a secretary at XX Company. My duties include office management, reception and meeting arrangement.”

E.g.: when you attend a university admission interview.
X: "I am really interested in language.”
√: “My academic pursuit in bilingual communication at HKCC was complemented by my engagements as a translation trainee at XX company.”

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Lesson 1 --- Individual Learning of Communication

What is communication?

Communication is a process that exchange signal or information between two or more parties (sender and receiver) in order to understand others thinking, feeling and experience.

• Medium: speech, text, language etc.
• Mode: face-to-face, mediated, etc.
• Mapping: one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-many.
  

Why we need communication skills?

• Communication skills mainly include Verbal and Nonverbal communication. Additionally, understanding the different communication behaviors can be used to prevent and handle conflicts.
  
• Exchange information, share hobbies, enhances understanding via communication.


• Effectively assist us to organize what we want to express!!!

How individual level affect communication?

# Understanding your culture of Contexting - how direct/indirect communication is

• Low context culture - directly communicate, do not concern personal embarrassment


• High context culture - indirectly communicate, interpret words figuratively

Here comes with a link for self-assessment exercise - http://spot.pcc.edu/~rjacobs/career/effective_communication_skills.htm

Visit it & find out your communication styles!!!
It should be your first step to be a good communicator.

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Layout of Learning Blog

This skill teaching blog is going to introduce you THREE lessons about communication.

Lesson 1 --- Individual learning of communication
This is a theoretical lesson that provides you with ideas about what is communication and how individual level have influence on communication.

Lesson 2 --- Communication skills
In this lesson, based on the first foundational lesson, we are going to promote practical communication skills to all of you.

They are
- Verbal communication skill (Lesson 2.1)



- Non-verbal communication skill (Lesson 2.2)


- Communication behaviors (Lesson 2.3)


Lesson 3 --- Case Application or study
Eventually, there will be two case studies for our dear audience to try and apply what they learnt in prior two lessons. *( One study is a word-based case and the other is video-based case)