Effective Interpersonal Communication

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Effective Interpersonal Communication

• Presented by
• Felicity Mildon

Wednesday 2nd August 2006
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Session Objectives

• Understanding body language
• Active listening
• Questioning techniques
• Assertive communication

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Communication is

• At its most basic, communication is about
  sending and receiving messages. The sender is
  responsible for ensuring the receiver understands
  the message correctly.

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Barriers to Communication

• Age/experience
• Status
• Noise
• Emotions
• Stereotyping
• Assumptions
• Language
• Culture

• Defensiveness
• Too much information
• Jargon

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Body Language

• Over 80 of our message is interpreted through
  our body language

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Active Listening

• What makes a good listener?
• body language
• eye contact
• using appropriate gestures
• asking questions
• not interrupting
• parpahrasing

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Paraphrasing

• Is checking for understanding by putting in our
  own words what you understand the other person to
  mean.
• e.g. Youre feeling because.

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Examples of paraphrasing

• It sounds as if.
• Am I correct in saying
• So you think that..
• In other words.
• It seems as if

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Questioning techniques

• Open questions What do you like most about your
  job?
• Closed questions Do you have a degree?

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Meta Questioning Techniques

• Avoid the question why?
• Instead, ask Who?
• What?
• When?
• Where?
• How?

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Assertive Communication

• Assertive communication allows you to raise your
  own needs while respecting the needs and rights
  of others.
• It avoids aggressive or passive behaviour

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I statements

• When.(non evaluative)
• I feel/am..
• Id prefer..

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Any questions?