PD 3 | Looking Ahead

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Looking Ahead

Week Ten:

Introduction
In this module, we will reexamine the key concepts of this course The goal of this course was to provide you with the characteristics of good workplace communication
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University of Waterloo and others.

PD 3 | Looking Ahead

Key Concepts
Benefits of good communication and drawbacks of poor communication Basic theory of human communication

Importance of using appropriate register, tenor, and self-disclosure

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Effective group communication Dealing with conflict Conducting meetings and delivering well-planned presentations Effects of intercultural, generational, and gender differences on miscommunication and misunderstanding in the workplace

Back to Basics
Everything weve discussed goes back to the rhetorical triangle

message
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(purpose)

addresser
(speaker)

addressee
(audience)

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PD 3 | Looking Ahead

The Message (Purpose)

Having a purpose for your communication guarantees that your message will be received more effectively
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The goal of most communication is to provide information to your audience in order to make something happen By organizing your message, the audience is more likely to care about and act upon the message

The Addressee (Audience)

It is important to understand your audience Your biases, experiences, preferences, gender differences and cultural dissimilarities affect how you hear, see, and speak A message that seems clear to you, may not be clear to your audience Use communication tools like repair and reinforcement, repetition, active listening, context, and non-verbal cues to avoid misunderstandings

Source: WatPD

University of Waterloo and others.

PD 3 | Looking Ahead

The Addresser (You, the Speaker)

The speakers communication style is a measure of his or her competence and trustworthiness

Source: WatPD

Co-workers and supervisors have a restricted context through which to observe us

Maintain your ethos and credibility by learning to communicate through any methodwith as few errors as possible

Active Learning

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Students absorb material much better when they can actively engage with it Lecturing isnt particularly effective in many cases

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PD 3 | Looking Ahead

My Communication Preferences

Source: WatPD

I am a born lecturer whose default mode is monologuing

Working against default preferences

Your Communication Preferences

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Everyone has a default communication mode

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PD 3 | Looking Ahead

Flair
Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.
Gore Vidal

Communication flair Personal style Talent Find your flair and use it!

Going Forward
You can communicate without knowing communication principles BUT Communication skills are increasingly important as the challenges in your job increase Challenging communication problems cannot be solved without a commitment to the communication principles

Source: WatPD

Communication mistakes are less forgivable the longer youre in your career

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PD 3 | Looking Ahead

Strategies for Success

Assemble a repertoire of tools and best practices for effective communication

Source: WatPD

When you encounter examples of strong communication, reflect on their qualities and remember some of the techniques used
Be attentive to the times when you have conveyed your message clearly, and the times when you are misunderstood, and think about how you can improve Get involved in opportunities that are outside of your area of expertise

Closing Words
You will benefit from continuing to find ways to improve the clarity, openness, and persuasiveness of your communications Thank you for taking this course
Source: University of Waterloo

University of Waterloo and others.