Here's my tip for today:
The Three Levels of Verbal Communication.
Before we can improve verbal communication and increase its effectiveness, we need to understand how it works and where
the players fit within that communication.
First, when we communicate, there is always a sender
(speaker or sender) and a receiver (listener or receiver).
Second, the communication itself contains 3 elements:
A) the Information being
communicated such as issue, topic, subject, instruction, opinion etc.
B) the Means by which this information is being communicated (verbal, nonverbal, written, using telephone, face to face,
letter, book, etc.)
C) the Way in which the information is being communicated
(how we use our words, tone of voice, writing style, organized or disorganized manner, etc.)
Both sides have three levels of Active Responsibility to
process the activities used in communication:
Level I
is where the actual exchange of communication takes place
between the sender and receiver which contains the above three
elements.
Level II
is where the Translating and Interpreting of that
communication happens. This is done by the thought processes of each the
Sender and the Receiver according to each his/her experiences, and
frame
of references in their various walks of life (business,
personal, moral, ethical, etc.).
This is where the major complications of communication arise
(good or bad connection). If everyone thought the same, saw things
the same way or reacted in the same manner, communication would
be
straightforward.
Level III
is where we get and give Feedback, Understanding and
Awareness:.
- Feedback.
Both sides are responsible to see that the communication has
been Sent and Received as intended. This is identified by asking
the right questions at the
right times. "Can you please repeat the steps for closing the shop, to make sure I didn't leave
anything out?" "Let me run through the requirements as I
understand you've
outlined them". Both sides ask for feedback when
needed.
- Understanding.
Effective communication requires a common Understanding
between the parties communicating. The Sender Transmits with Understanding
to the Receiver. The Receiver Interprets with Understanding
from the
Sender.
- Awareness.
Finally, each side requires an Awareness of the
interferenres also going on such as cultural differences, linguistics, diction, clarity of speech and expression, verbal, nonverbal parts,
etc.
Tip:
All we have to remember about our communication is simply: the "what" and the "how" :
Level I activities are the "what" elements of our
communication (Information, Means, Ways
of Sender and Receiver).
And Level II & III
activities are the "how" tools we use in our communication
(Feedback, Understanding and Awareness).
Have a great day.
Diane
P.S.:
Share your thoughts in the comments area of this post.
P.P.S.:
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http://communicationverbalnonverbal.blogspot.ca/p/blog-page.html
.
