Verbal Communication

Arun John Mathias

Agenda
Introduction to communication Barriers to communication Types of communication Verbal communication

The words we use Using our voice

Communication an introduction
A two-way exchange of thoughts, opinions and information by speech, writing or signs Every individual can communicate but every individual cannot communicate effectively

Where do we communicate

In the family Job interviews Business meetings Marriage proposal Coffee break With a friend

Exercise
List the different types or groups of people who you have to communicate with at college or socially. __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

Try to think of 2 occasions when: a. You have felt happy that people have acted as requested and that your message has been clearly understood as you expected. Why do you think this happened? _________________________________ _________________________________

b. You have felt misunderstood or people failed to act on your communication as directed. What, in your opinion, went wrong? _________________________________ _________________________________

Why is it necessary
Poor communication can lead to Personally

Loss of self-esteem Lower quality of life Loss in business

Professionally

The communication cycle

Barriers to communication

Physical Noise Technical Noise Psychological Bias Language Information Overload

Our Limiting Beliefs are among the biggest barriers

Physical Noise
When sender and receiver try to communicate in a situation that is noisy - Bus journeys in Bangalore

Technical Noise
When sender and receiver use a tool to communicate and the tool or channel breaks down

Psychological Bias
Someone doesnt like you because you are male/female, old/young, rich/poor. A bias is something that the sender cannot fix. There is no solution to this problem. Just be prepared.

Language barrier
Speaking in a language we are comfortable with Our foundations in the global language English

Information Overload
When you try to absorb too much information over a short period of time.

Exercise
Identify the main potential barriers to your communication. _________________________________ _______________________________ ________________________________

Types of communication
Verbal Communication Non-verbal Communication Listening Written Communication

Verbal communication

Verbal communication
Speaking consists of 2 parts:
Content What to speak Delivery How to speak

A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks

Content What to speak

Golf

An ineffectual attempt to direct an uncontrollable object into an inaccessible hole with instruments ill-equipped for the purpose!!.

Exercise
Draw a series of 2 to 3 geometric shapes on a sheet of paper, say, a triangle, square and a line Without any restriction on the use of words and without using your hands, communicate the diagram to your partner/friend. No questions allowed

Example

Learning from this activity

We need to use the right words at the right time Our words should not be vague; they should be descriptive

Common mistakes
This has reference to your advertisement calling for a 'typist and an accountant - Male or Female'.As I am both and have been for the past several years I am applying for the post. As my mother-in-law has expired and I am responsible for it, please grant me ten days leave.

TenseTense -related mistakes

Wrong usage
She has went to the store. I didn't knew her mother when I was young. Do you know who is she? What nonsense you are talking? She do not know the answer. What I can do for you? Where you are going? There is anything left? These all are mine. Why don't he get married? I am not knowing the password to the system; how I can access it? I am liking it very much.

Correct usage

She has gone to the store. I didn't know her mother when I was young. Do you know who she is? Are you talking nonsense? She does not know the answer What can I do for you? Where are you going? Is there anything left? All these are mine. Why doesn't he get married? I don't know the password to the system; how can I access it? I like it very much.

PrepositionPreposition -related
Using prepositions where not required
Wrong usage
Please don't make me to do it. Don't let him to go. There is so much of noise in this room. Let's go for shopping. I am hungry. Please order for some food.

Correct usage
Please don't make me do it. Don't let him go. There is so much noise in this room. Let's go shopping. I am hungry. Please order some food.

I cannot cope up with this hectic schedule. I cannot cope with this hectic schedule. I was stuck up in traffic. I come to college by walk. I was stuck in traffic. I walk to college.

PrepositionPreposition -related
Omitting prepositions where they are required
Wrong usage
Please convey her my condolences. Can you drop me at Pizza Hut? I like listening music.

Correct usage
Please convey my condolences to her. Can you drop me off at Pizza Hut? I like listening to music.

Other instances of prepositions being used incorrectly

Wrong usage Correct usage I have been working in this company since I have been working in this company for three years. three years. I have been working in this company since 2004.

Wrong word usage

Wrong usage
I came an hour back. Advanced birthday wishes from... 'Advance search' option What is your good name? Myself Miss Aarti Sinha. She cooked dinner for Tarika, Dipti and myself. Albert, Maria and myself went to the movies. I live backside of that building. The concerned person is not there. We discussed about the project. The examinations are preponed.

Correct usage

I came an hour ago. Birthday wishes, in advance. 'Advanced search' option What is your name? My name is Aarti Sinha. I am Aarti Sinha She cooked dinner for Takirka, Dipti and me. Albert, Maria and I went to the movies. I live behind that building. The person concerned is not there. We discussed the project. The examinations are advanced.

Wrong word usage

Wrong usage
Every Sunday, I take headbath. I will call you today night. Can I have your name? Can I go to the toilet? Can I hold your hand? Please go ahead. I am coming back of you. I finished the exam in front of her. There was a tough contest among Australia and South Africa. The prize will be divided between the three groups. Please off the lights. Please return my book back. Could you repeat that last line again?

Correct usage

Every Sunday, I wash my hair. I will call you tonight. May I have your name? May I go to the toilet? May I hold your hand? Please go ahead. I will come after you. I finished the exam before her. There was a tough contest between Australia and South Africa. The prize will be divided among the three groups. Please switch off the lights. Please return my book. Could you repeat that last line?

Delivery How to speak

Speed Clarity Punctuation Pronunciation Fluency Expression

Controlling nervousness

Speed

Most Indians speak at 170 to 180 wpm Our foreign counterparts speak at 110 to 120 wpm

Exercise

How fast do we speak?

All communications are related to some context. In any communication, at one end is the sender of a message or information. He receives a stimulus to send a message across. The stimulus may be external or internal. There might be an urging from an outside source, which is external stimulus. The internal stimulus might be a desire from within the person to send across a message or information. He converts the message into a code. This process is called encoding. The sender is also called the encoder. He chooses the appropriate verbal or nonverbal code and puts the message into

Clarity
Speech should be loud enough to carry to all the listeners Judge the acoustics of the room Voice clarity can be mastered with regular practice

Pronunciation
English is not "phonetic". We do not always say a word the same way that we spell it. Guy Geyser Table Vegetable Flame Inflammable Flour Flower Chef Chief Gigantic Crichton

Punctuation
Pause at Full Stops Pause at Commas Pause at Semi colons Pause at Interjection marks Pause at Question marks

Woman without her man is nothing

The men:
Woman without her man, is nothing

The women:
Woman, without her, man is nothing

Fluency
Fluency indicates that a comfortable working ability with the language has been established Fluency comes only out of constant practice

Expression
Expression of different feelings through word stress, tone, pitch and inflection How will you convey joy, anger, frustration, anxiety, relief, excitement?

Summary
Barriers to communication Verbal communication

The words we use Using our voice

Thank you! Wish you all the best!

Appendix

Verb tenses

 When something happens regularly or is a permanent situation Verb remains in dictionary form Ginny answers her e-mail each hour. My laser printer needs a new toner cartridge.

 Events that are actually happening now but are temporary Also used when talking about fixed future plans -ing is added to the verb I am forwarding your e-mail to Carol. The managers are updating our software instruction manual.

 Used to talk about actions that happened at a specific time in the past -ed added to the end of a regular verb Sandra discussed the network problem with Eric. Gary wrote to the manufacturer about the printer problem.

 Used to describe a past action over a period of time Used to describe what someone was doing at a particular point in time She was installing the software. They were planning to attend the software demonstration.

 Used to talk about a past time, which has very strong meaning for the present Also used to discuss events that have just been completed at the moment of speaking Formed using the auxiliary verb have/has and the -ed form of the regular verb Our company has requested temporary programmers several times. We have found the new software easy to use.

 Used (with for or since) to describe how long something has been happening up to now Also used to refer to an event that may or may not be finished when its effect can be seen now We have been documenting our hardware problems since last month. He has been our e-mail administrator for ten years.

 Used to go further back in time when we are already talking about the past Formed by using the auxiliary verb had and the -ed form of the regular verb He had solved the network problem before we arrived for work. By the time we evaluated the software, the manufacturer had released a new version.

 Used to talk about longer situations that continued up to the moment in the past we are talking about Also used to say how long something went on for, up to a time in the past We had been reviewing the software. She had been representing our department at software evaluation meetings.

 Used to discuss future events, especially those that happen at a set time such as timetables, meetings, itineraries, programs etc. She will design our new Web page. We will send the software this afternoon.

 Used to talk about activities that will be happening at a particular time or over a particular time in the future Uses will be -ing We will be sending a rebate coupon. We shall be requesting new software.

 Used to describe an event or action that

will be completed before another event or time in the future. Uses will have I will have updated the software before next Friday. By next summer, this software version will have been updated.

 Used to describe an action that has been in progress for a duration of time before another event or time in the future. Uses will have been By the end of next week, we will have been reviewing the software for two months. By 5 p.m. they will have been answering the help desk questions for several hours.