Vol. 2 - Module 8 Act. - Communication

Module 8
LESSON TITLE: Communication

INTRODUCTION: Upon completion of this lesson students will understand the
importance of good communication skills in the classroom and
workplace. In addition, the objectives listed below should be met.
OBJECTIVES:
Understand the importance of good communication skills
Understand how nonverbal communication skills affect their
overall communications in the classroom and at work
Use effective listening techniques
Use proper oral communication skills
EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS:
Module 8 Communic!ion S"ill#
Overhead projector as needed
MODULE OVERVIE$:
All of us are constantly in a state of giving and receiving communications. roblems
arise when one does not receive, or understand, the message sent in the
communication as it was intended, or when one subconsciously sends a nonverbal
message that contradicts the spoken word. !his module attempts to help students
understand the importance of good communications skills at school and at work.
!his document is under developmental copyright by the "eorgia #epartment of !echnical and Adult $ducation. #o not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the %ommissioner of the #epartment of !echnical and Adult $ducation or his assigned representative.
&
COMMUNICATION
%ommunication occurs when a sender e'presses an emotion or a feeling, creates an
idea, or senses the need to communicate. !he communication process is triggered
when the sender makes a conscious or an unconscious decision to share the message
with another person(the receiver.
$very communicative act is based on something that conveys meaning, and that
conveyance is the message. !he message may be either verbal )spoken or written* or
nonverbal )body language, physical appearance, or vocal tone*. +essages may also
come from the conte't(or place and time(of the communication. ,or instance, if you
choose to make a critical comment to someone, the place and the time you choose to
make that comment will make a big impact on how it will be received.
$very message is sent and received through one of our five senses(it is seen, heard,
touched, tasted, or smelled. !he sensory media through which messages are sent and
received are communication channels. In a work setting, messages may be seen
through body movement, letters, memos, newsletters, bulletin board notices, signs,
emails, and so on. +essages that are heard come through conversations, interviews,
presentations, telephones, radios, and other audio media. -ight and sound are the two
most frequent communication channels used in our society.
.hen the receiver gets the message )through seeing, hearing, feeling, touching, or
smelling*, he or she will usually give feedback )return message* unconsciously or
consciously. !hus, the communications process is on/going.
!he worst assumption a sender of a message can make is that the message will be
received as intended. -o many things can go wrong during the communications
process that we should always assume that something will go wrong and take steps to
prevent that occurrence. 0arriers to good communications are always present. ,or
instance, the language itself can be a barrier(unclear wording, slang, jargon, the tone.
Another barrier is the failure of the sender to reali1e that his or her body language might
contradict the spoken message. !he channel used to convey the message might be
wrong. ,or instance, you would not use the telephone to relay a lot of statistical
information2 you would need to write that message on paper. oor listening skills can
constitute a barrier also.
Non%e&'l Communic!ion#
eople telegraph their intentions and feelings, whether they are aware of it or not. !hey
become unintentional senders. In other words, whatever goes on inside shows outside.
!he messages we convey to others go far beyond the words we speak. robably over
half of the meaning that others attach to our spoken message come not from the words
of the messages themselves but from the tone of voice and from our body language.
!his nonverbal impact comes particularly from the face, eyes, body, clothing, gestures,
and touch. .e have to be careful not to assume that just because a person displays
3
one nonverbal signal that we are interpreting that signal correctly. .e must look at the
whole cluster of signals to see if they support our reading of that person. ,or instance,
a person who crosses his arms might be e'pressing defiance, but he might also just be
feeling cold. .e would need to check out his facial e'pressions and other nonverbal
signs to determine the correct reading.
+ost of us depend on our reading of others4 facial e'pressions to judge how they feel
about us or a particular situation. .e depend on the face as the most trustworthy
indicator of emotions such as happiness, surprise, fear, anger, joy, sadness, disgust,
contempt, interest, concern, and embarrassment. .e also look at the face for insight
into a person4s character )for e'ample, an 5open, honest face,6 a 5strong chin,6 or
5beady eyes6*. A man who has a moustache, beard, or long hair might suggest
conformity or nonconformity, depending on the time and the conte't. !he grooming of
hair says much about a person4s meticulousness. 7arrowed lips or jutted/out chin might
mean a person is angry or defiant.
!he eyes convey much meaning. $ye contact(or a lack of it(might tell us something
about a person4s confidence, friendliness, honesty, or desire to dominate. !he pupils
themselves can signify interest or disinterest, among other things. upils dilate when a
person is interested or e'cited2 they grow smaller when a person is bored or
uninterested. !he brow area and the narrowing of the eyes tell a receiver much also.
,rowns, scowls, and raised eyebrows might indicate displeasure or intensity. 7arrowed
eyes can suggest anger, irritation, or doubt.
!he body is another rich source of nonverbal confirmation or denial of our verbal
message. .e draw conclusions about people before we ever e'change words based
on their se', posture, height, weight, and skin color. ,or instance, people often
stereotype others by thinking that tall people make good leaders, overweight people are
jolly, and women are too emotional. .e notice how the senders of messages hold their
bodies. .e consider crossed arms to be a sign of defensiveness, defiance, or
withdrawal. 8ands on hips say that a person is goal oriented or ready and able to take
something on. 9eaning back in a chair with hands clasped behind the head can be
interpreted as a sign of superiority, smugness, or authority. A slouched posture can be
read to mean humiliation, defeat, or submission. Using our arms, bodies, and legs to
block in others or things can be a sign of territorial feelings. !urning your shoulder or
body slightly away from someone can be a sign of rejection of that person.
Our appearance can disclose several pieces of information about us. -omeone who
dresses immaculately is likely to be a careful person who attends to detail. -omeone
who prefers 5old/fashioned6 dress might be very conservative in his or her opinions and
values. A person wearing e'cessive jewelry is possibly displaying signs of a
materialistic nature. Our clothing during working hours can tell others what we do for a
living. ,or instance, a blue/collar worker4s clothes are designed to help or protect him or
her in doing the job. !he white/collar worker usually wears more formal clothes
considered appropriate for business but having little to do with protection.
:
Our most common form of social physical contact(the handshake(is often relied upon
as a source of data about another person. !he handshake is an indication of welcome,
liking, acceptance, and greeting. !herefore, it is considered e'tremely rude not to
accept an offered hand. !he way you shake hands is another source of data about
you. A bone/crushing grip can be seen as a desire to dominate and a limp grasp as a
sign of insecurity or a negative outlook on life. A mechanical pumping up and down of
another4s hand in a series of convulsive jerks suggests mental rigidity, strong will, and
infle'ibility. Other than the handshake, we have to be very careful with touching others
in the workplace because of harassment issues.
eople who are better readers of nonverbal messages tend to do the following things;
!hey look at the totality of cues rather than isolated ones )remember the crossed
arms<*.
!hey take conte't )time and place* of the message into account.
!hey attempt to compensate for their own biases and prejudices.
O&l Communic!ion#
eople who are successful communicators take full responsibility for success in the
communication process. !hese people take responsibility for being certain that you
understand what they are saying. !hey recogni1e that barriers to good communications
e'ist so they speak in simple, grammatical, and understandable terms. !hey also give
e'amples, ask for feedback, put what they said previously in different words, and make
it easy for you to gain the true intent of their communications. 8owever, this in no way
frees the listener from responsibility from the process. .ithout proper listening,
communication does not occur.
Li#!enin( S"ill#
$ffective listening is active participation in a conversation. It is an activity which helps
the speaker become understood. !he listener must actually hear and not assume what
is said. A passive listener is attentive but does nothing to assist the speaker. Active
listeners sit or stand alertly, maintain eye contact with the speaker, concentrate on the
speaker4s words, make verbal responses, and summari1e parts of what has been said
when clarity is needed.
0ecause there is a difference in how fast one can speak and how fast others can listen,
a time lag e'ists in conversations. "ood listeners do not daydream during this lag2 they
use the time to organi1e what is being said and to relate to the message. !he listener
must guard against distractions to the message. !he speaker4s mannerisms, accent,
dress or grooming, language style, or delivery can be distracting if the listener does not
learn to tune them out. Also, listeners need to learn to avoid letting first impressions of
a speaker color their ability to hear the message.
.e cannot learn anything from others if we try to do all the talking. !herefore, let
speakers finish out their own sentences. #on4t interrupt them to interject your own
=
thoughts. .e need to pay attention to the tone of the words and the nonverbal cues of
the speaker. -ometimes, these things undermine the actual meanings of the words
themselves. ,or instance, someone might be telling you that he or she is not upset, but
the tone or the body language might tell you otherwise.
Overall, effective listening can be e'pressed as follows. >ou should concentrate so that
competing e'ternal and internal distractions are eliminated. >ou should probe and
reflect by asking questions to seek clarification and greater understanding. >ou might
ask 5Is this what you mean<6 or 5%ould you repeat that<6 or 5Are you saying that?<6
,inally, you should summari1e )paraphrase* and feed back to the speaker what you
think you have heard. .hen the speaker agrees that your understanding is indeed
accurate, then effective listening and effective communication have taken place.
Tele)*one S"ill#
.hat does telephone usage have to do with our work ethic skills< A lot, if you consider
that too often we tend to forget that the person on the other end of the line is a human
being. .hen we cannot see the person, it is easier to be rude to him or her. Anger,
irritation, and frustration can be suggested by our tone of voice. Ignoring our calls and
our messages suggests that we are unconcerned about our clients and customers.
.hen we transfer callers without trying to address their concerns, we are showing a
disinterested, apathetic attitude. !hese are just a few of the negative ways that our lack
of telephone etiquette can impact our work ethics.
.hen we speak on the phone at work, we should always have a smile in our voice. It
might sound silly, but this is easy to achieve if we actually do smile when we answer the
phone. Our voices should be clear and distinct. .e should show that we have a
service attitude by offering to give assistance however and whenever we can. .e
should not transfer calls blindly without making sure that the receiving party can take
care of the caller4s problem.
.e must also be discreet when using the phone. !hink through any requests for
information and give out only information that is really needed by the caller. ,or
instance, If someone calls asking for your supervisor, you would not say, 5+r. @ones is
playing golf this afternoon.6 !hat would be giving unnecessary information. >ou would
say, 5+r. @ones will be in the office tomorrow morning. +ay I help you or have him
return your call<6
.e should avoid slang in telephone conversations. Instead of saying 5yeah,6 say
5certainly.6 Instead of saying 5bye/bye,6 say 5goodbye.6 #oesn4t it sound better to say 5I
beg your pardon. .ould you please repeat that<6 than to say 58uh<6
.hen taking telephone messages for others, don4t be in such a hurry that you do not
get all necessary information. Incomplete messages are frustrating. In fact, it is a good
idea to repeat the message to the caller so that you can be certain that it is accurate.
A
If you have to put callers on hold to gather information to handle their call, always ask
their permission to do so. Or you might offer to call them back if you think they will have
to wait some time before you can get back with them. As a rule, nothing irritates a caller
more than to be left on hold. .hen you return to the phone, apologi1e for having the
caller wait for you.
-ometimes the caller is unhappy or angry about a situation. .hen this is the case, be
very careful. A good tactic is to let the caller vent. .hen he or she is finished, you will
hear a noticeable sigh at which point you can e'press your understanding of and
concern for the situation. If you let the caller vent, he or she will then be ready to listen
to you and to be reasonable as you try to get to the root of the problem. 8owever, when
the venting is nasty and involves foul language, it is permissible to warn the caller that if
heBshe does not refrain from using such language, you will hang up. If the ugliness
does not cease, you do not have to listen.
In summary, when taking calls at work, you should remember to treat the callers as you
would want to be treated yourself. Also, treat them as if they were standing in front of
you. Cemember this; !o any caller on the other end of that telephone line, you are your
company. !he responsibility of being your company4s sole ambassador during that
phone conversation should help you remember to use correct telephone techniques.
References:
--COMEX: THE COMMUNICATIONS EXPERIENCE IN HUMAN RELATIONS, !"#,
South-$estern Pu%&ishin' Com(an)
--O**ICE TECHNOLO+, AN- PROCE-URES,
th
E./, *u&ton-Ca&0ins, !!", South-
$estern Pu%&ishin' Com(an)
D
Communication
Activities
Su((e#!ed Ac!i%i!ie# +o&
E
MODULE 8
Module 8
COMMUNICATION
Ac!i%i!, Ti!le Time
P(e
No-
F -elf/Appraisal %ommunications -urvey F= FG
& Ceviewing 7onverbal %ues FG F3
3 0ody 9anguage($'ercises =/FG FA
: Ceading 7onverbal %ues 3G FH
= 7onverbal %ues("estures =/FG &&
A %oncentrating to Improve 9istening F= &D
D ractice 9istening -kills 3G &H
E !elephone $tiquette = 33
H %orrect !elephone Cesponses FG 3H
FG 8ow #o >ou %alm #own an Upset %ustomer< FG :F
FF racticing %ommunication -kills = :3
F& 0een !here, -aid !hat F= ::
F3 !he %oat =/FG :=
F: 8unter4s "ame =/FG :D
F= "i1mos &G =G
H
Module 8 Ac!i%i!, . COMMUNICATION
Activity; -elf/Appraisal %ommunications -urvey
+aterials 7eeded; 8andoutsB!ransparency; -elf/Appraisal %ommunications -urvey
#irections; -tudents will complete the self/appraisal survey. Instructions and
follow/up for the students are included on the form.
+any self/appraisal surveys of communication skills are flawed in
that they call upon subjects to report on how well they actually
communicate )I8ow well do you listen to others<6*. -tudents cannot
answer such questions with objectivity or much knowledge. 8ow
many people know how well they listen to others, and how many
would be honest about their self/assessment<
!his survey attempts to measure the e'tent that students work at
becoming better communicators(a judgment they are more likely
to be aware of and about which they can be candid. !he fifteen )F=*
items of the survey closely parallel the major points made in the
reading.
,ollow/Up; Ask questions of the students such as;
#oes your score surprise you<
#o you think it is accurate<
.hat can you do to improve your score<
7o answer key is needed.
Source: Come12The Communication E1(erience in Human Re&ations, Sussman an. -ee(, South-$estern
Pu%&ishin' Com(an), !"#/
FG
Time
Required:
15 Minutes
Sel/0A))&i#l Su&%e,1Communic!ion#
!he purpose of this survey is to determine your susceptibility to being a source of
communication breakdown. -ince no one but you will see the results of this
questionnaire, answer the questions as honestly as possible. Cespond not as you would
like to be seen as a communicator but as you really are.
Indicate how frequently you engage in the following behaviors when communicating
with another person or persons.
Use this scale to describe your behavior.
: J I always do this.
3 J I often do this.
& J I sometimes do this.
F J I seldom do this.
G J I never do this.
KKKK F. .hen I have something to say, I am open and honest about my need to
say it.
KKKK &. I communicate with an awareness that the words I choose may not mean
the same thing to other people that they do to me.
KKKK 3. I recogni1e that the message I receive may not be the same one the other
person intended to send.
KKKK :. 0efore I communicate, I ask myself questions about who my receiver is
and how that will affect his or her reception of my message.
KKKK =. As I communicate to someone, I keep a watchful eye and ear out for an
indication that I am understood.
KKKK A. I make my messages as brief and to the point as possible.
KKKK D. I consciously avoid the use of jargon with those who may not understand
it.
KKKK E. I consciously avoid the use of slang words and colloquialisms with those
who may be put off by them.
KKKK H. I try not to use red/flag words )words that might trigger an emotional
response* that may upset or distract the receiver of my message.
FF
KKKK FG. I recogni1e that how I say something is just as important as what I say.
KKKK FF. I analy1e my communication style to determine what nonverbal messages
I send and how well they conform to the meaning I desire to get across.
KKKK F&. I carefully consider whether my message would be best understood by my
receiver in a face/to/face meeting, over the telephone, or in writing.
KKKK F3. I form opinions about what others say to me based on what I hear them
saying rather than what I think of them as a person.
KKKK F:. I make a genuine effort to listen to ideas with which I donLt agree.
KKKK F=. I look for ways to improve my listening skills.
!O!A9 -%OC$
Anl,2e Su&%e, Re#ul!#
,ind your score on the following table.
Sco&e In!e&)&e!!ion#
=G J AG Are you sure you were honest< If so, you are an e'tremely effective
communicator who almost never contributes to misunderstanding.
:G J :H >ou are an effective communicator who only infrequently causes
communication breakdown. !he goal of these e'ercises is to move everyone
up to this level.
3G J 3H >ou are an above average communicator with occasional lapses. >ou cause
some misunderstandings but less than your share.
&G J &H +any people )at least those who are honest* fall into this category. .hile
things could be worse, there is much room for improvement in your
communication style. !he goal of these e'ercises is to move you to a higher
category.
FG J FH >ou are a frequent source of communication problems. $nthusiastically
tackle the rest of these e'ercises and consider their implications for you
personally.
9ess
!han
H
>our honesty is commendable, but it will take more than honesty to improve
your communication effectiveness. %onsider taking a communication course.
F&
Module 8 Ac!i%i!, 3 COMMUNICATION
Activity; Ceviewing 7onverbal %ues
+aterials 7eeded; 8andoutsB!ransparency
#irections; "ive students a copy of the handouts on nonverbal
communications. Use the handouts as a basis for discussion of our
nonverbal behavior. #uring class, point out the nonverbal cues
being e'hibited by students, and ask the students to point out cues
e'hibited by you the instructor. 7o answers are required.
F3
Time
Required:
10 Minutes
Non%e&'l Cue#:
,acial e'pressions
0ody language
$ye contact
#ress and physical appearance
"estures
Mo#! Peo)le E4)&e## nd Cn Reco(ni2e
Si4 B#ic Emo!ion#
Sdne## An(e&
5))ine## Su&)&i#e
Di#(u#!
+e&
Li3e S0i&&s: 4o% S0i&&s 5 Lesson 6 5 Non7er%a& Communication
F:
NO6
When our words send one message
and our nonverbal cues send another
message, people almost always
believe our nonverbal cues.
!!8 The Uni7ersit) o3 +eor'ia Coo(erati7e E1tension Ser7ice
F=
Ou& Communic!ion Come# +&om !*e
+ollo7in( T*&ee Sou&ce#:
Po#!u&e
Pe&#onl S)ce
FA
Words 7%
Tone 38%
Gestures 55%
Intimate 1one//FA in. J F in.
ersonal 1one//FE in. J : ft.
ublic Mone //Over F& ft.
-ocial Mone //: ft. J F& ft.
Li3e S0i&&s: 4o% S0i&&s 5 Lesson 6 5 Non7er%a& Communication
Very Interested Interested
Bored
Disagreement
Agreement Neutral
Activity; 0ody 9anguage($'ercises
+aterials 7eeded; 8andoutsB!ransparency; I0ody 9anguageI
#irections; !he handout contains several e'ercises to enhance the studentsL
understanding of how nonverbal cues affect communications. >ou
may complete all the e'ercises or choose certain ones. All
directions are on the handout, and no answer key is needed.
FD
Time
Required:
5-10 Minutes
Bod, Ln(u(e
!hese e'ercises are designed to help students tune in to the subtleties of body
language and what they might mean about interpersonal behavior.
E9ERCISE .: 5nd :e#!u&e#:
Ask students to demonstrate and describe the meaning of various hand gestures. >ouLll
be ama1ed at how many there are. #iscuss how facial e'pressions and other body
movements influence the meaning of a hand gesture. .hat do hand gestures mean in
different cultures<
E9ERCISE 3: B& Bod, Be*%io&:
#iscuss body language in a bar or club. .hat personality types can you detect just by
how people use their bodies< .hat are the obvious and subtle behaviors of the
braggart, the flirt, the wallflower, the drunk, etc.< %onsider such factors as personal
space, posture, eye contact speed and angle of movement.
E9ERCISE 8: T*e Tell
"amblers and con artists long have known that people reveal their inner thoughts
through body language without even knowing it. ,or e'ample, if you place a coin in one
hand behind your back and then present your fists to a body/savvy person, that person
may be able to detect where the coin is. >our ItellI will indicate which hand holds it. >ou
may lean your body to one side, hold one hand higher than the other, point your nose,
or unintentionally leak some other behavior that gives away your Isecret.I
8ave students form pairs to try this coin e'periment. -ome people are much more
adept at it than others. If youLre good at it yourself, demonstrate with a volunteer in front
of the class. !his e'ercise works best if the person with the coin is not told )initially*
about the concept of the Itell.I
E9ERCISE ;: Mi&&o&in( )also works well as a warm/down to the role plays below*
8ave students pair off. $ither sitting or standing, one person in each pair takes the lead
and begins to move in any way heBshe wishes )tell them to avoid talking, since itLs
distracting*. !he task for the other student is to follow or mimic everything that the
leader does. $ncourage people to use both obvious and subtle behaviors. #o this for a
minute or two, then switch roles of who is leading and who is following. ,inally, tell the
dyads to do the e'ercise one last time e'cept that 7O O7$ is the leader or the follower.
0oth people in the pair should try to move in unison, as if they are mirroring each other
simultaneously in a body language Idance.I !his is somewhat hard to do and takes a bit
of practice before a pair gets the hang of it, if they can do it at all. If the pair I-
successful, what usually happens is that there are rapid, minute shifts between leading
and following.
FE
Also have everyone switch partners several times and repeat the above steps.
!his mirroring can be done with body language alone, facial e'pressions alone, or body
language .I!8 facial e'pressions. !his last one is considerably more difficult to do than
the first two.
!his simple e'ercise sensiti1es the students to the details of body movement and
e'pression. It also may say something about interpersonal styles. -ome students prefer
to IleadI while others prefer to Ifollow.I In particular, some people are very
empathetically in tune with the othersL movements, while some people cannot focus on
this. Also, moving in unison is easy with some people, but not others, which says
something about how Iin syncI a dyad is.
E9ERCISE <: Im)&o%i#ed Role Pl,#
#ivide the class into small groups. Ask the groups to create a role play that involves
O79> body language and 7O talking. !he group can pick any scene and characters it
wants. $ncourage the group 7O! to over/plan the role play. Instead, suggest that they
pick a scene, define the characters in the scene, and think of a few possibilities for
events that might occur in the scene. !hen NI+COOI-$N within that general structure.
!his makes for a much more spontaneous and interesting role play than the more rigid
alternative of carefully scripting all the action.
$ach group takes its turn at improvising its scene in front of the whole class. A group
may Iset upI the role play by telling the class where the scene is taking place and who
is in the scene. Another interesting and fun alternative is for the group to provide 7O
introduction to the role play. !he class can then guess what is happening in the scene.
Cather than having students come up with the ideas for the improvisations, the
instructor can provide them. "ive each group a card with a scene on it that they will role
play(a scene that involves 7O talking. ,or e'ample;
F. ItLs FF;3G on 7ew >ear4s $ve. !he bus is late.
&. ItLs the end of a party. >ou are the last people left.
3. >ou are all friends at a funeral.
:. >ou are family members on the way back from a vacation. A few minutes ago you
had a big fight.
$ach group takes its turn performing its role play in front of the whole class. 0efore each
group starts, you can read to the class the scene descriptions from the cards, or 7O!
read the descriptions and let the class guess what the scene is about. After each role
play, the class discusses what they believe was happening in the scene based on what
they saw in the body language. .hat are the personalities of the people, their
relationships with each other, the issues affecting the group, etc.<
Teachin' C&inica& Ps)cho&o')29o.) Lan'ua'e
FH
Module 8 Ac!i%i!, ; COMMUNICATION
Activity; Ceading 7onverbal %ues
+aterials 7eeded; 8andoutsB!ransparency; I-urvey of 7onverbal Impressions,I
pictures of five )=* men or five )=* women cut from maga1ines,
mounted on small posters, and labeled A, 0, %, #, and $.
#irections to
-tudents; >ou will be presented with a small group of people either on
photographs or in person. -tudy these people for the nonverbal
cues you receive from them. %omplete the handout survey and be
ready to discuss our reasons for your decisions.
#irections to
Instructor; !he models should all be the same se', race, and appro'imately of
the same age in order to prevent students from falling back on
stereotypes in making their rankings. Oariations you should look for
in selecting volunteer models are color of hair, presenceBabsence of
facial hair, personality )it :i&& show*, height, weight, build, personal
effects, and dress )from businesslike to very casual*. #isplay the
five )=* pictures in a way that all students can study them and
complete their survey sheets.
,ollow/up; Afterwards, you might draw a chart similar to the survey handout on
your whiteboard or on a transparency and ask students for their
answers to each item on the survey. At any rate, you should lead
the class in a discussion of the questions at the bottom of their
survey handout.
-ample answers to these questions follow below.
Puestions F J =; Answers depend on studentsL own interpretations.
Puestions A; -everal students may believe that the nonverbal cues
they are not aware they send but that other people
attribute to them are purely and simply unintentional.
-hare with them the argument that there may be no
such things as unintentional nonverbals, only
su%conscious ones. !ake a devilLs advocate
approach, if you must, to get students to consider the
implications of their own nonverbal behavior.
&G
Puestion D; Any message(verbal or nonverbal(that we receive
is biased by our senses in line with our values,
attitudes, and e'periences. -ince a nonverbal
message from a sender usually involves more
interpretation by our senses than does a verbal
message, we are more likely to be wrong in e'tracting
meaning from a nonverbal cue. !herefore, we should
look for other confirming cues(both nonverbal and
verbal(before drawing conclusions about nonverbal
meaning.
Puestion E; As a receiver
!o the e'tent that nonverbal cues are
subconscious, they may be more honest than the
verbal cues we receive.
7onverbal cues may conflict with the verbal ones
we receive.
As a sender
.e may be communicating messages of which we
are not aware to others.
0y controlling our nonverbal communication, we
can add desired impact to some of our messages.
&F
Time
Required:
30 Minutes
Su&%e, o/ Non%e&'l Im)&e##ion#
7ow that you have studied A, 0, %, #, and $, make the following assessments of them.
F. !he coldest person is A 0 % # $
!he warmest person is A 0 % # $
&. !he most intelligent person is A 0 % # $
!he least intelligent person is A 0 % # $
3. !he hardest worker in this group is A 0 % # $
!he most la' worker in this group is A 0 % # $
:. !he most assertive person is A 0 % # $
!he least assertive person is A 0 % # $
=. !he wealthiest person is A 0 % # $
!he poorest person is A 0 % # $
A. !he person most interested in pleasure is A 0 % # $
!he person least interested in pleasure is A 0 % # $
D. !he person most likely to hold a position of leadership is A 0 % # $
!he person least likely to hold a position of leadership is A 0 % # $
E. !he most trustworthy person is A 0 % # $
!he least trustworthy person is A 0 % # $
H. !he most se'ually active person is A 0 % # $
!he least se'ually active person is A 0 % # $
FG. !he most satisfied )happy, contented, fulfilled* person is A 0 % # $
!he least satisfied person is A 0 % # $
F. ,or each person you rated, which nonverbal cues were the most apparent<
&. ,or each personal characteristic rated, which nonverbal cues were the most helpful<
3. !o what degree were the ratings by the class consistent< !o what do you attribute this
degree of consistency<
:. .as it relatively easy or relatively difficult to assign these ratings based solely on
nonverbal cues<
=. .hat are your most telling nonverbal cues<
A. .hen you emit a nonverbal cue of which you are unaware, is it more accurately termed
unintentional or subconscious< .hat are the implications of your choice<
D. .hy do you think we should suspend making judgments of others based solely on one
or two nonverbal cues<
E. .hy is it important to be aware of nonverbal communication<
&&
Module 8 Ac!i%i!, < COMMUNICATION
Activity; 7onverbal %ues("estures
+aterials 7eeded; 8andoutsB!ransparency; I"estures; .hat #o !hey !ell Us<I
#irections; 8ave students match the gestures listed with their meanings given
in the opposite column. !his assignment could be given on one day
and the answers discussed the ne't. -tudents should be prepared
to give reasons for their answers. An answer sheet follows the
activity.
&3
Time
Required:
5-10 Minutes
:e#!u&e#: $*! Do T*e, Tell U#=
P&! .
+any of the gestures we use are habits2 some are objectionable ones which need to be
modified. #IC$%!IO7-; +atch the following items.

:ESTURE Le!!e& o/
Co&&ec!
An#7e&
ANS$ERS TO C5OOSE +ROM
F. 9eg swung over chair a. #oubt
&. -itting backwards on a chair b. 7eed of more information,
an'iety
3. 8ands behind oneLs back c. 0ored
:. 9ocked ankles d. %omfort, unconcern
=. Cubbing palms e. -ure of oneself
A. !humbs in belt or pants f. %onfidence, pride
D. Unconscious throat clearing g. Unsure or lying
E. 8ands together pointing toward
ceiling
h. Admonishment
H. One hand above the other on
oneLs lap
i. Apprehension
FG. -itting with one leg under oneself j. $verything under control
FF. %overing the mouth while speaking k. $'pectation
F&. .iggling a foot l. 8olding back
F3. utting objects in oneLs mouth,
such as pencils
m. ,eeling superior
F:. Cubbing eye or ear n. #ominance
F=. %onscious throat clearing o. Unconcerned
E1cer(t 3rom ,ou;re the 9oss %) Natasha 4ose3o:it<
&:
P&! 3
+any of the gestures we use are habits, some are objectionable ones which need to be

:ESTURE Le!!e& o/
Co&&ec!
An#7e&
FA. 7o eye contact p. Opening up
FD. ,eet pointing toward door q. Unwilling
FE. Cubbing nose r. Ceady for action
FH. !ouching ear s. Agreement
&G. 8and to throat t. #etermined, angry
&F. %lenched hands u. Ceprimand
&&. %lenched fist v. An'ious
&3. ointing finger w. 7eed reassurance
&:. -itting on the edge of a chair '. #oubtful
&=. +oving forward of a chair y. Cejecting what is being said
&A. Arms crossed tightly across chest 1. Ceady to leave
&D. Unbuttoning of coat, uncrossing of
arms and legs
aa. -e'ual preening
&E. laying with oneLs hair or jewelry ab. %oncealing something
&=
P&! .
A7-.$C-

:ESTURE Le!!e& o/
Co&&ec!
An#7e&
F. 9eg swung over chair o a. #oubt
&. -itting backwards on a chair n b. 7eed of more information,
an'iety
3. 8ands behind oneLs back m c. 0ored
:. 9ocked ankles l d. %omfort, unconcern
=. Cubbing palms k e. -ure of oneself
A. !humbs in belt or pants j f. %onfidence, pride
D. Unconscious throat clearing k g. Unsure or lying
E. 8ands together pointing toward
ceiling
f h. Admonishment
H. One hand above the other on oneLs
lap
e i. Apprehension
FG. -itting with one leg under oneself d j. $verything under control
FF. %overing the mouth while speaking g k. $'pectation
F&. .iggling a foot c l. 8olding back
F3. utting objects in oneLs mouth,
such as pencils
b m. ,eeling superior
F:. Cubbing eye or ear a n. #ominance
F=. %onscious throat clearing i o. Unconcerned
&A
P&! 3
A7-.$C-

:ESTURE Le!!e& o/
Co&&ec!
An#7e&
FA. 7o eye contact ab p. Opening up
FD. ,eet pointing toward door 1 q. Unwilling
FE. Cubbing nose y r. Ceady for action
FH. !ouching ear ' s. Agreement
&G. 8and to throat w t. #etermined, angry
&F. %lenched hands v u. Ceprimand
&&. %lenched fist t v. An'ious
&3. ointing finger u w. 7eed reassurance
&:. -itting on the edge of a chair r '. #oubtful
&=. +oving forward of a chair s y. Cejecting what is being said
&A. Arms crossed tightly across chest q 1. Ceady to leave
&D. Unbuttoning of coat, uncrossing of
arms and legs
p aa. -e'ual preening
&E. laying with oneLs hair or jewelry aa ab. %oncealing something
&D
Module 8 Ac!i%i!, > COMMUNICATION
Activity; %oncentrating to Improve 9istening
+aterials 7eeded; & te'tbooks, maga1ines, or newspapers
#irections to
-tudents; +i&#! !&,: !he instructor will select two students to go to the front of
the room and stand facing the class. $ach will be given a different
section of printed material to read to the class from a newspaper,
te'tbook, or similar source. At a signal from the instructor, they will
begin reading at the same volume until the instructor directs them
to stop. !hey will read for about two minutes. 0efore the reading
begins, choose the person to whom you will listen. .hen the
readings have ended, summari1e the message communicated by
the person to whom you chose to listen.
7ote to Instructor; !ry to select readers with similar sounding voices and prompt them
to read at competing volumes. !he concurrent readings should last
& to 3 minutes. ,ront/page stories from a local newspaper will
provide appropriate te't. !his activity can also be done with three
readers if the classroom is relatively small. A way to conserve time
is to dispense with the written summaries and to do away with the
discussion of them. Instead, after each reading you can ask for a
show of hands of how many people believe they can summari1e
what was said. In order to validate the show of hands, you might
even ask one or two to recite what they thought they heard.
#irections to
-tudents; Second !&,: !he two readers will be given new sections to read.
Once again, you are to choose in advance to listen to one of them
and not the other. !his time you should make a more concerted
effort to block out the other person )who may have distracted you
the first time around* and to focus solely on your speaker. !ry these
aids to listening. -it more forward in your chair. +aintain constant
eye contact with your speaker, even though he or she is not looking
at you. Imagine that you and the speaker are completely cut off
from any movement or sound in the outside world. #o whatever
else you believe will improve your ability to listen. .hen the second
readings have ended, summari1e what your speaker has said.
7ote to Instructor; >ou want students to do better this time in order to demonstrate the
value of concentration. !herefore, be sure to emphasi1e to them
the techniques for concentration.
&E
Module 8 Ac!i%i!, > COMMUNICATION
,ollow/up; %hances are the second summary was more accurate and was
easier for people to write than the first< .hy< .hat concentration
technique worked best for you< If your second summary was not
easier to write, why not< !he dramatic point of how simple it is to
improve your listening through concentration should be highlighted
in this discussion.
Source: Come1 5 The Communication E1(erience in Human Re&ation, Sussman an. -ee(, South-$estern
&H
Time
Required:
15 Minutes
Module 8 Ac!i%i!, ? COMMUNICATION
Activity; ractice 9istening -kills
+aterials 7eeded; 8andoutsB!ransparency; Observer -heet
#irections to
Instructor;
F. !he class will divide itself into triads )groups of three*. One
member of the group is designated S(ea0er, the second is
Listener, and the third is O%ser7er.
&. -peaker chooses a topic that will serve as a focus of
conversation. !he topic should be one that -peaker is
interested in and has definite views about and should be one
that is likely to generate debate or disagreement. $'amples
of such topics include;
+y views on affirmative action.
!he role of unions today.
+oney as a motivator.
!he problem with public schools today.
!he problem with most people is . . .
.omen in the work force.
+y definition of a successful life.
"ay rights.
Abortion.
9ottery.
#eadbeat #ads.
Celigion.
!he important thing is that -peaker selects a topic about
which -peaker has definite and strong views.
3. -peaker and 9istener hold a conversation for about three to
four minutes. !he purpose of the conversation is for 9istener
to practice these listening skills; probing, reflecting, and
summari1ing. At the conclusion of the conversation, 9istener
should summari1e -peakerLs position, including -peakerLs
3G
underlying logic and rationale. In other words, 9istener
should indicate what -peaker said and why it was said.
#uring the conversation, Observer is to analy1e 9istenerLs
behavior. !he Observer -heet is designed for this purpose.
$ach of the questions on the sheet should be answered by
Observer as soon as the summary ends. !he sheets will be
discussed.
:. Cotate the role assignments. #o this twice so that each
person in the triad has a chance to be -peaker, 9istener,
and Observer.
,ollow/Up
#iscussion; #iscuss the observer sheets. !hen lead discussion on the
following questions. Answers are italici1ed.
F. .hat did being in the Observer role teach you about
effective listening<
Ans:ers :i&& .i33er
&. 8ow does probing make implicit messages e'plicit<
,ou can as0, =Is this :hat )ou mean>=
3. #id you use any nonverbal probes< ,or e'ample, can you
probe without the use of specific questions but rather
through gestures, eye contact, and posture<
,es/ $hen :e &oo0 (u<<&e., the s(ea0er :i&& (ro%a%&) sto(
an. c&ari3)/
:. .hat kinds of questions and statements can be used to
implement reflecting<
=-o )ou mean to te&& me that / / />=
=,ou;re te&&in' me that )ou;re unha(() :ith )our ?o%/=
=. .hat is the underlying purpose of e'ploring the implications
of a personLs message<
O3ten s(ea0ers .o not share the intents o3 their messa'es/
The) o3ten assume their im(&ications are un.erstoo. %)
&isteners/ E33ecti7e communication occurs :hen meanin'
inten.e. e@ua&s meanin' recei7e./ Inten.e. meanin' :i&&
on&) e@ua& recei7e. meanin' :hen im(&ications are (ro%e.
an. %rou'ht out/
3F
A. .hat has $Q$C%I-$ 9I-!$7 taught you about your
listening behavior<
Ans:ers :i&& .i33er
D. 8ow can the skills youLve developed in this e'ercise make
you a better speaker<
This (ractice shou&. rein3orce the 3act that communication is
the (rocess o3 sen.in' an. recei7in' messa'es/ Sen.ers
shou&. so&icit 3ee.%ac0 3rom &isteners/
E. .hat are the likely consequences when listeners fail to
summari1e<
The s(ea0er ma) erroneous&) assume he or she :as
correct&) un.erstoo./
H. .hat is a paraphrase<
A statement %) the &istener o3 the s(ea0er;s messa'e to
chec0 3or un.erstan.in'/
FG. .hy is summari1ing important<
Summari<in' te&&s )ou :hether )ou ha7e %een an e33ecti7e
&istener an.Aor in.icates the e33ecti7eness o3 the s(ea0er/ It
is a 3ina& chec0B ho:e7er, it can %e use. at critica& (oints
throu'hout an e1ten.e. con7ersation/

3&
Time
Required:
30 Minutes
O'#e&%e& S*ee!
+y name isKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
I am observing KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
P&o'in(
F. !here was sufficient probing.

&. !he probing was natural, blending in
with the flow of the conversation.

3. !he probing produced clarification.

Re/lec!in(
:. 9istener e'tended -peakerLs
comments.

=. 9istener suggested implications of
-peakerLs comments.

A. 9istener sought to reveal -peakerLs
underlying thought patterns.

Summ&i2in(
D. 9istener accurately paraphrased
-peaker.

E. 9istener sought clarification if
paraphrasing was inaccurate.

H. 9istener was able to tell -peaker :h)
she or he held a particular position.

FG. Is there any advice you can suggest
that would help this person become a
better listener.

33
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Activity; !elephone $tiquette
+aterials 7eeded; 8andoutsB!ransparency; !elephone $tiquette %hecklist, Answering
the !elephone .ith an Attitude, On the hone, On the !elephone
.ith %ustomers
#irections; -everal activities are given in this section. %hoose the ones you
wish to use to review telephone etiquette with your class and either
give students a copy or make transparencies to use on an
overhead projector. 8ave students give e'amples of situations in
which telephone etiquette was poor and resulted in poor
communications. 7o answers are required.
3:
Time
Required:
5 Minutes
Tele)*one E!i@ue!!e C*ec"li#!
.henever possible, try to answer your phone by the second ring. #o not let the
phone ring endlessly(doing so will most certainly annoy your caller. Answering
calls quickly is good business.
-how respect for your listenerLs time.
#o not put someone on IholdI for more than a minute or so. If for some important
reason you feel you must take another call or do some other work, offer to call the
listener back later rather than keeping him or her on Ihold.I
%ontrol the overall length of a call, and limit the nonbusiness part of the call to a
minimum.
Identify yourself immediately when you place a call.
Identify yourself immediately when you answer a call.
Identify yourself immediately when you answer someone elseLs phone.
-how a willingness to take a message for another person.
0e sure not to reveal personal or confidential information when answering
someone elseLs phone.
Always be polite. Cemember to say IpleaseI and Ithank youI whenever
appropriate. #onLt be rude and read documents or do other work while on the
telephone. "ive your listener your full attention.
Adjust your voice quality to your telephone equipment. +ake sure that your volume
is clear, your rate of speed not too fast, your pitch and emphasis appropriate, and
your enunciation and pronunciation correct.
#onLt shout at or snap at people or give others the impression that you feel
superior or are being disturbed unnecessarily. !ry to control any negative feelings
you might have.
Cespect each person with whom you work, regardless of his or her rank or
position.
3=
!reat your job(and every business caller(seriously and professionally.
#o not say negative things about the company or any of its employees.
0e helpful. Is there something you can do to help the caller(for e'ample, send her
a catalog, put her name on a mailing list, or find out a price< !he Itrue
professionalI always tries to be as cooperative as possible.
#o not argue or become defensive with a Iproblem caller.I
BASIC POINTS TO ANO$
F. Rnow your telephone system and what all the features are.
&. Answer promptly )&/3 rings*.
3. Identify yourself clearly.
:. Use your friendliest )not sicky sweetest* voice and enunciate your words.
=. Offer help to caller )within reason*.
A. 7ever lose your temper no matter how angry the caller may make you.
D. !ake messages carefully("et necessary information tactfully.
E. -pell andBor pronounce callerLs name correctly.
H. Avoid asking caller hisBher name if the person being called is not in. Instead, ask
if you can help or if you may take a message.
FG. 7ever keep caller waiting for one minute without going back and checking with
the caller.
3A
An#7e&in( !*e Tele)*one
$i!* n A!!i!ude
0e prepared to answer calls. Reep pad and pen near
phone.
Answer on first or second ring.
#o not be in conversation with someone else with picking up
the receiver.
#o not put caller on hold before asking permission and waiting for a response.
-peak distinctly and slowly.
Oary the tone of your voice.
Identify yourself properly.
!ake messages carefully.
Ask for verification of numbers and spelling of names and addresses.
Cepeat the message.
0e tactful if you must screen calls, but avoid screening if at all possible.
0e a good listener.
#o not react to irate callers. Offer to help resolve the situation.
!ransfer calls properly and only when necessary.
If a caller has been put on hold, do not leave caller dangling forever. %heck
with caller at least every 3G seconds or so. Offer to call himBher back if
necessary.
3D
Use variety in tone of voice
-mile
Answer in three rings
Ask how you can help
0e courteous
Li3e S0i&&s: 4o% S0i&&s 5 Lesson ! 5 Customer Ser7ice
3E
On the phone
Always smile when you are talking on
the phone. !he customer needs to feel
understanding in your voice.
Answer the phone within the first three
rings. !his will give the customer a
feeling that you are efficient and there to
help himBher.
Ask what you can do to help himBher.
#oing so will let the customer know that
you are willing to help in any way you
can.
Always be courteous when putting
someone on hold or transferring calls.
Ask if you may put them on hold or
transfer their call before you do it.
On T*e Tele)*one $i!* Cu#!ome&#
5o7 Do Bou Clm Do7n n U)#e! Cu#!ome&=
+ake sure you see the
problem from hisBher
side.
-tay calm yourself.
9et the customer talk.
#onLt interruptS
.rite down what is said.
$cho what they said
and restate the prob/
lem, and this shows that
you are listening.
!ry to find something on
which the two of you
can agree.
Avoid emotional trigger
words such as Iprob/
lemI and IcanLt.I
!ell himBher what you can
do for himBher, instead of
what you canLt do.
#onLt ever say IItLs not my
jobSI Instead say, I9et me
put you in touch with . . .
-he can help you with your
situation.I
#onLt ever say I.hat do
you e'pect from me<I or
I.hat do you want<I or
I.hat else can I tell you<I
Li3e S0i&&s: 4o% S0i&&s 5 Lesson ! 5 Customer Ser7ice
Module 8 Ac!i%i!, C COMMUNICATION
Activity; %orrect !elephone Ceponses
+aterials 7eeded; 8andoutsB!ransparency; I+aking
%orrect !elephone CeponsesI
#irections; 8ave students read each of the incorrect
responses to a telephone request. #etermine what a more
suitable response would be. !he activity can be completed as a
group assignment.
-uggested
Answers; ,ollowing are some better responses to the items on the activity.
INITIAL RESPONSE BETTER REPONSE
F. 8old the line. .ill you hold a moment, please<
&. 8er line is busy. 8er line is busy. .ould you like to hold or shall I ask her
to call you<
3. %all back later. It will take a few minutes to get the necessary information.
3H
.ould you like to hold or shall I call you back<

:. +r. @ones isnLt in. +r. @ones is out2 I e'pect him back in appro'imately one
hour2 may I ask him to call you when he returns<
=. +r. @ones is playing golf. +r. @ones should be back in appro'imately two hours.
+ay I ask him to call you when he returns<
A. .hat did you say< ILm sorry2 I did not hear what you said. .ould you please
repeat it<
D. .hoLs this< +ay I tell +r. @ones who is calling please<
E. I donLt know where +r. @ones
is.
+r. @ones isnLt in right now. +ay I ask him to call when he
returns<
H. >our call is being transferred. +ay I transfer your call to +r. #i'on< I believe he can
help you.
FG. I am not responsible for the
mistake2 donLt raise your
voice at me.
9isten first2 do not interrupt. After the caller has finished
speaking, you might say, IILm sorry for your
inconvenience. I believe +r. @ones will be able to help
you. +ay I transfer you now<I
Module 8 Ac!i%i!, C COMMUNICATION
M"in( Co&&ec! Tele)*one Re#)on#e#
Cead the telephone responses listed. Indicate a better manner of responding.
F. 8old the line.
&. 8er line is busy.
3. %all back later.
:G
Time
Required:
10 Minutes
:. +r. @ones isnLt in.
=. +r. @ones is playing golf.
A. .hat did you say<
D. .hoLs this<
E. I donLt know where +r. @ones is.
H. >our call is being transferred.
FG. I am not responsible for the mistake, donLt raise your voice at me.
Module 8 Ac!i%i!, .D COMMUNICATION
Activity; 8ow #o >ou %alm #own an Upset %ustomer<
+aterials 7eeded; 8andoutsB!ransparency; I8ow #o >ou %alm #own an Upset
%ustomer<I
#irections; "ive handouts to the students. "o over the points. Cole play a
situation in which this material is used or ask students for e'amples
of this type of situation which theyLve witnessed.
:F
Time
Required:
10 Minutes
Module 8 Ac!i%i!, .D COMMUNICATION
5o7 Do Bou Clm Do7n n U)#e! Cu#!ome&=
+ake sure you see the problem from hisBher side.
-tay calm yourself.
9et the customer talk. #onLt interruptS
.rite down what is said.
:&
$cho what they said and restate the problem2 this
shows that you are listening.
!ry to find something the two of you can agree on.
Avoid emotional trigger words such as IproblemI and IcanLt.I
!ell himBher what you can do for himBher, instead of what you canLt do.
#onLt ever say, IItLs not my jobSI Instead say, I9et me put you in touch with . . . -he
can help you with your situation.I
#onLt ever say, I.hat do you e'pect from me<I or I.hat do you want<I or I.hat
else can I tell you<I
:3
Module 8 Ac!i%i!, .. COMMUNICATION
Activity; racticing %ommunication -kills
+aterials 7eeded; 0lank sheet of paper for each student
#irections;
F. -ay this to the students;
.e are going to play a game that will show us some important things about
communication. ick up a sheet of paper and hold it in front of you. 7ow close
your eyes2 no peeking and absolutely no talking. -imply listen closely to the
directions I will give you and follow them.
&. "ive the following directions while you demonstrate with your sheet of paper;
!he first thing I want you to do is fold your sheet of paper in half. )"ive
them time to do this.*
7ow tear off the upper right/hand corner.
,old it in half again and tear off the upper left/hand corner of the sheet.
,old it in half again. 7ow tear off the lower right/hand corner of the sheet.
7ow you can open your eyes and see what you have. If I did a good job of
communicating, and you did a good job of listening, all of our sheets
should look the sameS )8old your sheet up for them to see. It is highly
unlikely that any of them will match yours.*
3. Observe differences. !here will probably be much laughter.
:. Ask the participants why their papers did not match yours. )>ou will probably get
responses like I>ou didn4t let us ask questionsSI or I>our directions could be
interpreted in different ways.I*
=. oint out to the group what a Ipoor jobI you did as a communicator during this
activity. 7ot only did you not allow for questions but you failed to recogni1e an
important fact about the communication process; T*e li#!ene& &&el, m"e# !*e
#me ##um)!ion# # !*e #)e"e&- !his means that when someone is told
something, he or she will interpret the message based on personal e'periences.
%ommunicating has to be an interactive process so that the speaker and the
listener can understand each other.
::
Time
Required:
5 Minutes
-eri7e. 3rom T:ent) Acti7e Trainin' Pro'rams, Me& Si&%ermanB P3ei33er C Com(an), !!D, ((/ DD-DE/
:=
Module 8 Ac!i%i!, .3 COMMUNICATION
Activity; 0een !here, -aid !hat
+aterials 7eeded; +arkers and flip chart or marker board
#irections;
F. $'plain that this activity is designed to emphasi1e the
importance of active listening.
&. #ivide the group into trios and ask each group to designate
its members as A, 0, and %.
3. Ask person A in each group to think of three words that
summari1e an entire e'perience he or she has had, e.g., 5I
did that,6 5.e went there,6 or 5I learned something,6 but not
to reveal the actual e'perience.
:. Instruct person 0 to learn what that e'perience was by
reflecting back what person A says and then clarifying by
asking .ho< .hat< .here< .hen< or 8ow< questions. !ell
participants that person 0 is not allowed to guess, and
person A is restricted to answering only the question that is
asked.
=. Instruct person % in each group to observe the interaction
and to intervene if 0 starts guessing or if A volunteers more
information than is asked.
A. Ask the group to describe what happened during the activity,
giving e'amples of effective and ineffective listening and
questioning. %onclude with a list of techniques on the flip
chart for future use.
D. If time permits, use three rounds so that each person has an
opportunity to practice effective listening and questioning
skills.
2Source: F +reat +ames an. Acti7ities, Arthur Gan+un.), 4osse)-9assAP3ei33er, !!"/
:A
Time
Required:
15 Minutes
Activity; !he %oat
+aterials 7eeded; A jacket, bo' of matches, or other prop
#irections;
9ay a jacket on the table. -elect a 5volunteer6 and inform him or her
that you don4t know what the jacket is or what to do with it. !he
volunteer4s task is to train you in the jacket4s use as quickly as
possible. !he 5trainer6 will often engage in telling behaviors whose
effectiveness can be distorted by slow learner behaviors on the part
of the 5trainee6 )e.g., grabbing the pocket when told to grab the
collar, or inserting the arm up the sleeve in a reverse direction*. !he
difficulty of completing the assignment can be further e'aggerated
by depriving the trainer of visual feedback, having the trainer turn
his or her back to the trainee. After a brief time period of minimal
progress, the class can be asked for its assistance. A fruitful
alternative, of course, is to show the trainee how to use the jacket.
!his can effectively illustrate the merits of the classic @ob
Instruction !raining )@.I.!.* approach, which is to;
F. $'plain how to do it.
&. #emonstrate how to do it.
3. Cequest an e'planation of how to do it.
:. Invite the trainee to do it.
7ote; !he same process can be used with other articles of clothing
)e.g., shoes* or even with a bo' of wooden matches )with the goal
of lighting one*.
,ollow/Up #iscussion;
F. .hy did the trainer initially have a difficult time with the task
of training< 9ecause o3 assum(tions a%out (rior 0no:&e.'e
an. common 7oca%u&ar), %ecause o3 &imite. (atience :ith a
s&o: &earner .oin' a Hsim(&eI tas0, or %ecause o3 one-:a)
communication/
&. .hat are the benefits of demonstration< A.. the sense o3
si'ht, an. the :or.s ta0e on a..itiona& meanin'/
:D
3. .hat are the benefits of feedback< Can 'au'e (ro'ress,
un.erstan.in', an. satis3action o3 trainees/
:. 0ring out these points;
!here is a danger in making assumptions about a
participant4s background knowledge and common
vocabulary.
!here is an advantage of modeling, demonstration, and
interaction over one/way communication.
2Source: F +reat +ames an. Acti7ities, Arthur Gan+un.), 4osse)-9assAP3ei33er, !!"/
:E
Time
Required:
5-10 Minutes
Module 8 Ac!i%i!, .; COMMUNICATION
Activity; 8unter4s "ame
+aterials 7eeded; 8unter4s "ame cards
#irections;
F. #uplicate the 8unter4s "ame .orksheet on card stock )one
duplicate copy provides a set of game cards for one team of
si' participants*. %ut each set of game cards into separate
cards along the dashed lines. 7ote; If the total number of
participants is not divisible by si', supplement the game
cards with the #$%O> cards )the cards at the bottom of the
8unter4s "ame .orksheet*.
&. #istribute one game card to each participant )making sure
that players keep their cards concealed from other players*.
$'plain that each of these cards has the name of a particular
animal on it that is not to be revealed to other players until
later in the activity. layers will participate in a hunt in which
each player will hunt for an assigned animal. .ithout making
any sounds, each person must act out the animal shown on
his or her card while attempting to find the player acting like
the animal that the player is assigned to find.
3. Cead the following list of animals that shows what animal
each player must find. !he list is circular;
$9$8A7! looks for 9IO7
9IO7 looks for .O9,
.O9, looks for #O"
#O" looks for %A!
%A! looks for +OU-$
+OU-$ looks for $9$8A7!
:. $'plain that some participants may have received #$%O>
cards, in which case the individual may act like any animal to
fool the other players. !he decoys try to find one another
and stay together. -tress that each participant will be both a
:H
hunter and a hunter animal. $ach team will be comprised of
one set of the si' animals named or else will contain all
#$%O>-. .hen a participant thinks that his or her animal
has been found, he or she taps that player on the shoulder2
the hunted animal should then show its card to the hunter. If
it is the correct animal, the hunter holds on to the player
while continuing to search for that player4s prey. In the end,
each team should form a circle with the animals holding onto
one another.
=. +onitor the activity. .hen all the teams have formed, lead a
discussion with the reassembled group using the questions
below.
)Answers may vary*
8ow difficult was it to find your animal through actions only<
.hy<
.hat role does perception play in an activity such as this<
8ow does nonverbal communication affect the image others
have of you<
.hy is communication, both verbal and nonverbal, so important
in the workplace<
8ow can we relate this game to teamwork in general< )(&a)ers
a&& connecte., nee. 3or c&ear communication, common 'oa&s,
etc.*
2Source: $or0in' To'ether, Lorraine L/ U0ens, 4osse)-9assAP3ei33er, !!8/
=G
Time
Required:
5-10 Minutes
5un!e&E# :me $o&"#*ee!
ELEP5ANT LION
$OL+ DO:
CAT MOUSE
DECOB DECOB
=F
Module 8 Ac!i%i!, .< COMMUNICATION
Activity; "i1mos
+aterials 7eeded; A pencil and a "i1mos .orksheet for each participant2 an
additional "i1mos .orksheet for each team2 a copy of the "i1mos
Answer -heet.
#irections;
F. $'plain that there are some functional objects e'isting
around us which we may not know by their proper terms.
!his activity will strive to 5pool6 the group4s knowledge to
determine the technical terms for certain objects.
&. #istribute a pencil and one copy of the "i1mos .orksheet to
each participant. #irect group members to complete the
worksheet alone, matching the term they think is correct for
each of the ten definitions. Allow appro'imately five minutes
for completion of individual work.
3. .hen participants have completed the worksheets, instruct
them to form teams of up to five members each. Assign one
member of each group to act as the team leader.
:. #istribute one copy of the "i1mos .orksheet to each team
leader. $'plain that group members should work together to
come to a team decision on the correct answer for each
item. !he team leader is responsible for coordinating group
discussion and recording the team4s answers.
=. Allow appro'imately ten minutes for the group members to
work together.
A. Using team feedback and the "i1mos Answer -heet, review
the correct terms for the described items with the
participants. >ou may choose whether or not you wish to
provide definitions for the other terms shown on the
worksheet )these definitions are provided on the answer
sheet*.
)Answers may vary*
#id group members do better with their individual answers or as
a team< .hy<
=&
.hat role did the leader take in the decision/making process<
8ow does the use of technical terminology andBor acronyms
affect the communication process<
.hat other kinds of 5filters6 break down communication<
)perception, e'perience, environment, etc.*
8ow can we improve the overall communication process in the
workplace<
=3
Time
Required:
20 Minutes
:i2mo# $o&"#*ee!
%ircle the answer that best matches the definition provided.
F. !he small embroidered loop
forming a decorative edging on
ribbon.
A. !he small round pulley that
regulates the speed of magnetic
tape in a recorder.
a* capuche a* capstan
b* fri1ette b* newel
c* picot c* operon
&. !he metal spike on hiking boots. D. !he vertical strip dividing the panes
of a window.
a* crampon
b* petard a* cullis
c* languet b* filature
c* mullion
3. !he little metal band around a
pencil, right below the eraser.
E. !he plastic or metal tip of a
shoelace.
a* larch
b* circumfle' a* aglet
c* ferrule b* gusset
c* groat
:. !he block or slab on which a
statue rests.
H. !he pointed gardening tool that
makes holes for planting bulbs.
a* foramen
b* plinth a* ostiole
c* palanquin b* dibble
c* pawl
=. !he outer rim section of a wheel.
FG. !he small magnifying glass used
by jewelers.
a* druse
b* felly a* lapin
c* parget b* binnacle
c* loupe
=:
:i2mo# An#7e& S*ee!
F. a* %apuche J hood of a cloak )espl.
!he cowl of a %apuchin friar*
A. F C)#!n !*e #mll &ound
)ulle, !*! &e(ul!e# !*e #)eed
o/ m(ne!ic !)e in !)e
b* ,ri1ette J a curled fringe of
hair
b* 7ewel J the vertical support on a
staircase
cF Pico! !*e #mll em'&oide&ed
loo) /o&min( deco&!i%e
ed(in(
c* Operon J a cluster of genes
&. F C&m)on !*e me!l #)i"e on
*i"in( 'oo!#
D. a* %ullis J a gutter
b* etard J a bell/shaped bomb b* ,ilature J spinning into
thread
c* 9anguet J thing or part
resembling tongue in shape or
function
cF Mullion !*e %e&!icl #!&i)
di%idin( !*e )ne# o/ 7indo7
3. a* 9arch J a coniferous )pine* tree E. F A(le! !*e )l#!ic o& me!l !i)
o/ #*oelce
b* %ircumfle' J a phonetic mark
used over long vowels )"reek*
b* "usset J a triangular garment
insert
cF +e&&ule !*e li!!le me!l 'nd
&ound )encilG &i(*! 'elo7 !*e
e&#e&G u#ed !o #!&en(!*en !*e
#*/!
c* "roat J an old 0ritish coin
:. a* ,oramen J medical term for a
small opening or perforation
H a* Ostiole J a small opening or pore
'F Plin!* !*e 'loc" o& #l' on
7*ic* #!!ue &e#!#
'F Di''le )oin!ed (&denin(
!ool !*! m"e# *ole# /o&
)ln!in( 'ul'#
c* alanquin J an enclosed litter )a
conveyance borne on the
shoulders of men using poles*
c* awl J a pivoted device on a
ratchet wheel
=. a* #ruse J crystals in a rock cavity FG. a* 9apin / rabbit
'F +ell, !*e ou!e& &im #ec!ion o/
7*eel
b* 0innacle J a case, bo', or stand
for ship4s compass and a lamp
c* arget / plaster cF Lou)e !*e #mll m(ni/,in(
(l## u#ed ', He7ele&# nd
7!c*m"e&#I l#o u#ed in !*e
==
(&)*ic# indu#!&,
Module 8 Ac!i%i!, .> COMMUNICATION
Activity; Interpersonal %ommunication -kills Oideos
+aterials 7eeded; Oideos; Interpersonal %ommunication -kills, Ools. F, &, 3, and :,
!O T O%C
#irections; !hese videos deal with the following topics.
Ool. F(%ommunicating to be liked, trusted, and respected
Ool. &(%ommunicating to increase understanding and minimi1e
mistakes
Ool. 3(%ommunicating to increase our personal power
Ool. :(%ommunicating better with your team
!ime Cequired; Ool. F(F hour = min.
Ool. &(F hour E min.
Ool. 3(F hour F: min.
Ool. :(=A min.
9ocation of
Oideos; Administrative Office, #eborah .ood
=A
Time Required:
Varies
Vol. 11 hour 5 min.
Vol. 21 hour 8 min.
Vol. 31 hour 14 min.
Vol. 456 min.
Su((e#!ed Ac!i%i!ie# +o&
Module 8
COMMUNICATION
Ac!i%i!, Ti!le Time
P(e
No-
F -elf/Appraisal %ommunications -urvey F= FG
& Ceviewing 7onverbal %ues FG F3
3 0ody 9anguage($'ercises =/FG FA
: Ceading 7onverbal %ues 3G FH
= 7onverbal %ues("estures =/FG &&
A %oncentrating to Improve 9istening F= &D
D ractice 9istening -kills 3G &H
E !elephone $tiquette = 33
H %orrect !elephone Cesponses FG 3H
FG 8ow #o >ou %alm #own an Upset %ustomer< FG :F
FF racticing %ommunication -kills = :3
F& 0een !here, -aid !hat F= ::
F3 !he %oat =/FG :=
F: 8unter4s "ame =/FG :D
F= "i1mos &G =G
FA Interpersonal %ommunication -kills Oideos Oaries =:
=D
=E

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Module 8

LESSON TITLE: Communication

.ould you like to hold or shall I call you back<

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