NehaTalks Learning Handout - Excelling in Communication

EXCELLING IN COMMUNICATION

EXCELLING IN COMMUNICATION A participant learning guide by Neha Talks

Participant Manual only for knowledge consumption of participants.

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EXCELLING IN COMMUNICATION

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Course Description This course covers the best practices of communication in 3 key areas; Verbal & Non Verbal Communication, Telephone Etiquettes & Email Etiquettes.

Objectives This module shall provide ample opportunities for self-exploration and self-learning to essentially make you “conscious” about yourself and more specifically of your communication style, etc. The focus is inward rather than outward.  

Focus on performance management, professional conduct and interpersonal skills mainly under the umbrella of communication.

A key area of stress management is also introduced to help participants become independent addressing and restoring their mental wellbeing.

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Agenda 1 Understanding Effective Communication Process of Communication ........................... 4 1.1

What is EFFECTIVE Business Communication? ....................................................................... 4

1.2

What Is Effective Communication........................................................................................... 4

1.3

How to successfully begin a conversation in business............................................................ 5

2 Types of Communication? ........................................................................................... 6 2.1

Verbal, Non Verbal, Written, Body Language, Facial .............................................................. 6

3 How to Conduct an Effective Communication? ............................................................ 6 3.1

The “AIDA” Principle ............................................................................................................... 6

3.2

Barriers to Communication ..................................................................................................... 7

3.3

Are You a Barrier Too? ............................................................................................................ 7

3.4

The Three T’s of Communication ............................................................................................ 7

3.5

LISTENING SKILLS .................................................................................................................... 8

3.6

Empathetic Listening - Sample Responses .............................................................................. 8

4 SPEAK TO INFLUENCE .................................................................................................. 9 5 Telephone Etiquettes .................................................................................................. 9 5.1

5 Phases of a telephonic call ................................................................................................. 10

5.2

Conversation Techniques – Mirror & Match (A technique discussed for rapport building) 11

6 Email Etiquettes ........................................................................................................ 12 6.1

Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 12

6.2

Email Writing Step By Step Guide ......................................................................................... 12

6.3

FAQ’s on Email Writing ......................................................................................................... 15

6.4

Email Writing Exercises ......................................................................................................... 16

7 Annexure .................................................................................................................. 17

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Understanding Effective Communication Process of Communication

1.1 What is EFFECTIVE Business Communication?

“Don`t communicate to be understood; rather, communicate so as not to be misunderstood.”

What a great way to put things in perspective regarding our efforts on how to improve our communication.

THOUGHT STARTERS Think of one of your personal example of best communication & worst communication at work or in person! Now lets relate to some examples and data.

1.2 What Is Effective Communication 

Effective communication occurs only if the receiver understands the exact information or idea that the sender intended to transmit.



Ability to cover the scope of the intention.



The Ability to get the audience involved.

–

WHO YOU ARE – Visual (I see)

–

WHAT YOU SAY – Auditory (I think)

–

HOW YOU SAY – Feeling (I feel)

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1.3 How to successfully begin a conversation in business People in business settings (so men all the time, and women mostly in a work setting only), want to know three things before they are willing to enter into a conversation with you: 1. Is what you want to talk about going to be painful?

2. How long is it going to take?

3. When you are done talking, what do you want from me?

If they don’t know these three things up front, they will make excuses to avoid your call or to avoid talking to you on the phone. The same applies if you come into contact with them in person. He shared that your manager or boss in a work setting will always want to know those three things in advance of agreeing to a conversation as well. The reason he gave was that men and executive women always want to know the exit to the conversation before they feel safe engaging in it.

So for example, if you are calling a client, the very first thing you may want to say is: “I realize how busy you are so I will only need one minute of your time to let you know about __________.” This way the other person knows it will be quick and painless and that you just want to give them a few facts on the call that will only last a minute. Now they can relax and listen to you as you share the requested info. Otherwise, without knowing if the call will be long and painful, they may try to make an excuse that they can’t talk right now, etc.

Same thing goes for a sales team. They call a prospective client and the first thing out of their mouth needs to be something to the effect of, “I realize that your time is very valuable so I will only need two minutes to schedule a time for a second call where I can do a 10-minute demonstration of our ___________.”

Same advice applies for approaching your manager or boss to set up a meeting. Let them know if it will be painful, how long it will take and the end result you are asking for – they will be much more apt to schedule a time for you.

How to successfully conduct a conversation in business: Here are some amazing tips on how to better understand the way we interpret communication from others backed with an interesting statistics.

When someone else communicates with us, the way we interpret their message is based on the following three things: 

55% is based on their facial expressions and their body language.



37% is based on the tone of their voice.



8% is based on the words they say.

This tells us that it is critical that we become very self-aware of how our body language is speaking to others as well as the tone we use. Success in business is greatly impacted for better or worse by the way in which we communicate. Happiness in our personal lives is also greatly dependent on this very same skill.

Becoming a good communicator takes practice and consistent attention and effort on our part, and it is a skill that we cannot afford to overlook.

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Types of Communication?

2.1 Verbal, Non Verbal, Written, Body Language, Facial 

Verbal Communication - Medium Oral, Videoconferencing, face to face, telephone



Written Communication - Medium Printed/ Text - Blogs, letters, memos, proposals, emails, letters, training manuals, and operating policies



Nonverbal Communication - Medium Gestures



Facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, eye contact, posture, touch, space

3 How to Conduct an Effective Communication?

Key Steps to Effective Communication 



Planning - ABC: Accuracy, Brevity, Clarity –

What is my main message?

–

Why am I saying it?

–

Who is the target?

–

What outcome do I want?

–

Have I left out anything?

–

Is the required action clear?

KISS: Keep It Short and Simple

3.1 The “AIDA” Principle 

A – Attention: Get the attention - Without attention, you can hardly persuade



I – Interest: Once you have their attention, sustain that attention by getting the other person interested



D – Desire: Once they are interested…next step is to create a desire in them for what you want them to do



A – Action: The magic stage…. when they take action on their desires and agree to your proposals

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3.2 Barriers to Communication 

Perception



Attitudes



Environment



Background



Knowledge



Filter/Noise

3.3 Are You a Barrier Too? 

Interrupter - Doesn’t listen; prepares to talk when other is talking; Cuts people short



Know All - Has answers for everything



Rambler - Babbles about nothing just for being the centre of attraction



Solo - Talks nonstop; asking & answering his/her own questions; cracking and laughing at his/her own jokes



Boring - Talks endlessly on topics of no interest to anyone but himself/herself



Blamer - Tells unpleasant truths for other’s good



Moaner - Constantly complaining

3.4 The Three T’s of Communication Before the start of any message, these three simple steps should be followed to ensure that the expectation setting is done well.

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3.5 LISTENING SKILLS 

Active Listening - Listening with both ear and mind and with full concentration



Selective Listening - Listening not to the whole message, only to what we want to hear



Passive Listening - Another term for pretending to listen



Empathetic Listening - By imagining you in the other persons shoes or mind



Analytical Listening - Using analytical questions to discover reasons behind statements

Let’s Establish the Foundation…Active Listening

3.6 Empathetic Listening - Sample Responses Mirroring Other Person This means understanding and displaying similar body language of the sender.

Reflect Feeling 

I hear what you are feeling



I understand what you are seeing



I am interested and concerned



I have no desire to change you



You can feel free in my presence



I don’t judge or evaluate you

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4 SPEAK TO INFLUENCE These are your tools to ensure the communication is not just for the sake of sending and receiving information but is meant towards influencing the other person. 

Your Voice



Pace



Volume



Enunciation



Monotony



Silence



Closure

5 Telephone Etiquettes Before starting any discussion, spend some time in answering these two questions for yourself: 

Why do people Buy?



How People Buy

Below are five step by step phases of call which should be followed in ideal telephonic conversations.

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5.1 5 Phases of a telephonic call Phase 1: Opening the Call 

Answer the phone within 3 rings!!!



After greeting, give your name!!



Use the caller’s name to address them



Ask how may I help you?

Phase 2: Building Rapport 

Understand the caller’s mood and respond accordingly



Identify the exact need of the customer



Speak slowly and listen effectively



Be adaptable



Avoid using repetitive questions



Take notes

Phase 3: Information Gathering 

Gather all the necessary information from the caller you need to proceed



Ask relevant questions



Build Curiosity within the customer for the product



Do not interrupt the caller when data is being shared



Confirm the data by paraphrasing



Use sentences like: “so you mean”, “if I understand correctly”, “I hear you saying”

Phase 4: Providing Solutions 

Provide solutions only after gathering the information



Do not jump to conclusions beforehand



Ask if the solution suits the caller



Provide alternatives

Phase 5: Closing the call 

Ask if there is anything else you can help with



Thanks the other person for their time if you are the caller

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

Ask if there is any message the caller may want to leave



Close with correct pleasantries

5.2 Conversation Techniques – Mirror & Match (A technique discussed for rapport building) Open-ended questions / Closed-ended questions

Probing questions

Linking questions

Providing non-verbal encouragement

Using supportive statements

Showing empathy with your client

Key words repetition

Using the pause

Using summaries

Dealing with mistakes

Counterproductive questions

Checking facts & asking for specific information

Telephone Etiquette Customer forms a mental PICTURE of you.

P – PITCH I – INTEREST C – COURTESY T – TONE U - UNDERSTANDING R – RATE E – ENUNCIATION

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6 Email Etiquettes 6.1 Introduction Email is the most widely used tool for business communication at the workplace. We read and compose at least 50-60 emails a day on an average. Poorly written, unclear, misleading or ineffective emails not only cause a loss of time and productivity, but can also harm one’s reputation by leaving a poor impression on the reader.

It, therefore, becomes imperative that we make the best possible use of emails to communicate effectively at the workplace. To do so, you must keep in mind some basic email etiquette to draft the perfect official email.

The most common challenge behind email communication is if the message is perceived the way it was meant to be; hence maintaining a healthy relationship with your client is required. Some of the key points behind Relationship management are: 

Don’t barricade yourself behind your computer.



Be proactively responsive to your clients’ and managers’ communication preferences



Don’t rely solely on email to communicate about critical subjects



Remember that your email communications represent you in your absence



Don’t boss the boss



Don’t use email to communicate about sensitive or inflammatory topics

6.2 Email Writing Step By Step Guide Module 1: Power of Dialogue



Salutations/Greetings - Form of first name



Structure the email body –

Frame the email in your mind first before starting to write

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Module 2: The Framework Start your e-mail An inappropriate salutation can put your reader off and affect their response as well. Just like a good handshake can make your meeting, a good salutation can make your email. The most commonly made mistakes in an email is in the usage of correct names and salutations.

So it is always a good idea to take a moment to check the receiver’s name and proper salutation before hitting the send button. In the world of emails, a number of different types of salutation styles are acceptable. The correct salutation for any given email depends on the following factors:    

Your relationship with the receiver Your Company’s culture The context of the email Number of recipients to the email

Some common tips for Correct Salutations: 

  



Greetings: Add greetings before starting the email, especially, if it is your first email to the receiver. Common greetings are “Hope you are doing well”, “It was nice meeting you in the conference” etc.

Salutations: Use Hello, Hi, Dear depending on the common norm followed in your organization as well the recipient’s sensibilities Spelling: Make sure you double check the spelling of the recipient’s name. Nothing can be more annoying than seeing one’s name spelled incorrectly.

Form of first name: Make sure you use the correct form of your recipient’s first name.

E.g. do not assume short forms to commonly shortened names like Michael to Mike or Subhramanyam to Subbu etc.

Initials: Never address a person by their initials unless you are specifically told to. Initials are generally for personal use.

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Structure the email body Since emails have become one of the major ways of communicating in business, it is very important to communicate with focus on understanding the reader’s perspective while writing. Hence, it is commonly said that you should write an email as if you are the reader.

Below are some of the common tips to structure your email: 

Prioritize the content and put it in the email accordingly



Make sure that you cover not more than 2- 3 important items in one email



Address all the issues/concerns raised by the recipient in the trail (if any)

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In case the email is too long, cut down the content into headings



Use same font throughout the email & avoid multiple colors



Read your email properly before you send it across



Make proper references to the attachments or web links if any

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Always mention the action/response required by from the recipient

Closing the Email Other than using closing salutations and proper closing lines, an email signature is the most important aspect of email closure. Below are a few tips to make your email signatures professional: Must be crisp and clear 

Should not be more than 6 -7 lines



Should not have more than 2 colors



No unprofessional login IDs for IMs & VCs



No personal opinions, thoughts or advice

Module 3: Minding the details Decide: Inform or Influence To get results, you must clarify exactly what you want to accomplish. Then you will be able to state your most important message clearly.

Your primary purpose for writing always falls into one of two categories: to influence your reader to do something, or, to inform your reader about something.

An important reminder: You often have more than one purpose when you write. But if the purposes have equal weight, they can end up competing with one another for the reader’s attention. Thus, it is important to make one purpose primary.

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Informing: •

When informing let the reader know about an event or an action that has been taken

Influencing: •

When the reader needs to take action

Module 6: Relationship management •

Don’t barricade yourself behind your computer.

•

Be responsive to your clients’ and managers’ communication preferences

•

Don’t rely solely on email to communicate about critical subjects

•

Remember that your email communications represent you in your absence

•

Don’t boss the boss

•

Don’t use email to communicate about sensitive or inflammatory topics

6.3 FAQ’s on Email Writing Q1. When is e-mail the appropriate form of communication to use?

E-mail is a good way to get your message across when: 

You need to get in touch with a person who is hard to reach via telephone, does not come to campus regularly,



Is not located in the same part of the country or world (for instance, someone who lives in a different time zone).



The information you want to share is not time-sensitive. For many people, keeping up with their e-mail correspondence is a part of their job, and they only do it during regular business hours. Unless your reader has promised otherwise, assume that it may take a few days for him/her to respond to your message.



You need to send someone an electronic file, such as a document for a course, a spreadsheet full of data, or a rough draft of your paper.



You need to distribute information to a large number of people quickly (for example, a memo that needs to be sent to the entire office staff).



You need a written record of the communication. Saving important e-mails can be helpful if you need to refer back to what someone said in an earlier message, provide some kind of proof (for example, proof that you have paid for a service or product), or review the content of an important meeting, deadline, memo.

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Q2. When is e-mail the appropriate not the best form of communication to use?

E-mail is not an effective means of communication when: 

Your message is long and complicated or requires additional discussion that would best be accomplished face-to-face. For example, if you want feedback from your supervisor on your work or if you are asking your professor a question that requires more than a yes/no answer or simple explanation, you should schedule a meeting instead.



Information is highly confidential.



E-mail is NEVER private! Keep in mind that your message could be forwarded on to other people without your knowledge. A backup copy of your e-mail is always stored on a server where it can be easily retrieved by interested parties, even when you have deleted the message and think it is gone forever.



Your message is emotionally charged or the tone of the message could be easily misconstrued. If you would hesitate to say something to someone’s face, do not write it in an e-mail.

6.4 Email Writing Exercises 

Write an email to introduce a new team member to the rest of the team.

To: CC: BCC: Subject: Body



Imagine you had been to a mega store and purchased miscellaneous items worth Rs.5000. On returning home when you cross verify the bill against the items purchased, you realize that the actual total of your items is only Rs.3800. This means that you have been wrongly charged Rs.1200 for the items that have not been purchased. Write an email to customer care to get your desired resolution.



A prospect is asking for all the internal/confidential literature in an email and you have to refuse giving.



A client is very angry on the delay in possession and has stopped taking your call, please write to him with your next update of delivery date.

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7 Annexure Telephone Etiquette: 36 Tips Before you answer be prepared (this includes knowing how to use the phone/system features): 

Turn away from your computer, desk or other work.



Have pens, pencils and notepaper handy.

1. In answering the phone: 2. Answer calls promptly, by the second or third ring.

3. Smile as you pick up the phone.

4. Assume your "telephone" voice, controlling your volume and speed.

5. Project a tone that is enthusiastic, natural, attentive and respectful.

6. Greet the caller and identify yourself and your company/department/unit.

7. Ask, "To whom am I speaking?"

8. Ask, "How may I help you?"

9. In the course of the conversation: 10. Focus your entire attention on the caller.

11. Enunciate/articulate clearly. Speak distinctly.

12. Use Plain English and avoid unnecessary jargon and acronyms.

13. Use action specific words and directions.

14. Use the caller's name during the conversation.

15. Always speak calmly and choose your words naturally.

16. Use all of your listening skills: 

Focus your full attention on the caller and the conversation.



Listen "between" the words.



c. Use reflective/active listening to clarify and check for understanding.

17. If there is a problem, project a tone that is concerned, empathetic, and apologetic.

18. Avoid the Five Forbidden Phrases. 

"I don't know" Instead, say: "That is a good question; let me find out for you" or offer to connect the caller with someone who could provide the answer. If a call involves some research, assure the person that you will call back by a specific time. If you do not have an answer by the deadline, call back to say, “I don’t have an answer yet, but I’m still researching it.” There is no excuse for not returning calls.



"I/we can't do that. "Instead say: "This is what I/we can do."

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

"You'll have to" Instead say: "You will need to" or "I need you to" or “Here’s how we can help you.”



"Just a second" Instead: Give a more honest estimate of how long it will take you and/or let them know what you are doing.



"No."Instead: Find a way to state the situation positively.

19. Use "LEAPS" with the emotional caller to vent.

L Listen; allow the caller to vent.

E Empathize; acknowledge the person's feelings A Apologize when appropriate, even if the problem is not your fault, you can say, "I am really sorry this has happened" and mean it.

P (Be) Positive S Solve; suggest/generate solutions that you can both agree on and/or ask what you can do to help and, if reasonable, do it! If not, find a compromise.

20. End the conversation with agreement on what is to happen next; if you are to follow up, do so immediately.

21. Thank the caller for calling; invite the caller to call again. In transferring calls: 22. Transfer ONLY when necessary; get the information yourself.

23. If you must transfer, avoid the use of the word "transfer." Say instead: "I am going to connect you with 24. Explain why you are "transferring" the call.

25. Give the caller the person's name and direct number 26. Stay on the line and introduce the caller.

In taking messages: 27. Identify yourself and for whom you are answering the phone.

28. Practice political sensitivity.

29. Indicate the period of time the person will be unavailable.

30. Write down all the important information given: 

The name of the caller. Ask for spelling if unclear.



The (correct) telephone number of the caller.



The message. Ask for clarification if necessary.

31. Read back what you've written to be sure you've understood the message correctly.

32. Always assure the person that you will deliver the message promptly.

33. Deliver the message in a timely fashion.

NEVER: 34. Eat, drink or chew gum while on the phone.

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35. Leave an open line: 

Place the caller on hold



Check back with the caller frequently: every 30-45 seconds.

ALWAYS: 36. Put a smile in your telephone voice and let your personality shine!

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