Professional communication III
3-Communication skills
S8 ADA4( Professional Communication III)
ENCG Business School Marrakesh
Cadi Ayyad University
In this lecture:
• What is communication?
• Barriers to communication
• Effective communication skills
What is communication?
Two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in
which participants not only exchange (encode-decode)
information, news, ideas and feelings but also create and
share meaning. In general, communication is a means of
connecting people or places.
www.businessdictionary.com
Types of communication
1-Verbal
Verbal communication entails the use of words in delivering
the intended message. The two major forms of verbal
communication include written and oral communication.
• Written communication includes traditional pen and paper
letters and documents, typed electronic documents, e-
mails, text chats, SMS and anything else conveyed through
written symbols such as language.
• Oral Communication
The other form of verbal communication is the spoken
word, either face-to-face or through phone, voice chat,
video conferencing or any other medium.
2-Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication entails communicating by sending
and receiving wordless messages. These messages usually
reinforce verbal communication.
• Physical nonverbal communication, or body language,
includes facial expressions, eye contact, body posture,
gesture
• Research estimates that body language, including facial
expressions, account for 55 percent of all communication.
• Paralanguage: The way something is said, rather than what
is actually said, is an important component of nonverbal
communication. This includes voice quality, intonation,
pitch, stress, emotion and tone.
• Research estimates that tone of the voice accounts for 38
percent of all communications
3-Visual Communication
• A third type of communication is visual communication
through visual aids such as signs, pictures and electronic
resources.
• Visual communication with graphs and charts usually
reinforces written communication, and can in many cases
replace written communication altogether. As the saying goes
“A picture is worth a thousand words,"
Barriers to communication
1. Perceptual Barriers
• The problem with communicating with others is that we all
see the world differently. If we didn't, we would have no
need to communicate
• The following anecdote is a reminder of how our thoughts,
assumptions and perceptions shape our own realities.
A traveler was walking down a road when he met a man from
the next town. "Excuse me," he said. "I am hoping to stay in
the next town tonight. Can you tell me what the townspeople
are like?“
"Well," said the townsman, "how did you find the people in
the last town you visited?“ "Oh, they were an irascible bunch.
Kept to themselves. Took me for a fool. Over-charged me for
what I got. Gave me very poor service.“ "Well, then," said the
townsman, "you'll find them pretty much the same here."
2. Cultural Barriers
Monochronic vs. Polychronic cultures
→ Monochronic culture: A culture in which the timing of events
is planned and relatively rigid
→ Polychronic culture: A culture in which schedules are
relatively fluid and can be adapted according to needs that
arise as an event unfolds
High context vs. Low context cultures
→ High context culture: A culture in which most members share a
great deal of context in common, and as a result, communication
tends to rely heavily on inference
→ Low context culture: A culture that has culturally diverse
members with less shared contextual understanding, where
communication tends to be explicit
Individualism vs. Collectivisim
→ Individualist culture: The tendency to value individual
freedom over the needs of the group(s) that the individual
belongs to
→ Collectivist culture: The tendency to prioritize a group's (for
example, a family's, or a society's) needs over those of the
individuals in that group
3. Language Barriers
• Language that describes what we want to say in our terms may
present barriers to others who are not familiar with our
expressions, buzz-words and jargon.
• When we couch our communication in such language, it is a
way of excluding others. In a global marketplace, the greatest
compliment we can pay another person is to talk in their
language.
One of the more chilling memories of the Cold War was the
threat by the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev saying to the
Americans at the United Nations: "We will bury you!" This
was taken to mean a threat of nuclear annihilation. However,
a more accurate reading of Khruschev's words would have
been: "We will overtake you!" meaning economic
superiority.
4. Gender Barriers
There are distinct differences between the speech patterns in
a man and those in a woman.
• A woman speaks between 22,000 and 25,000 words a day
whereas a man speaks between 7,000 and 10,000.
• In childhood, girls speak earlier than boys and at the age of
three, have a vocabulary twice that of boys.
• The reason for this lies in the wiring of a man's and
woman's brains. When a man talks, his speech is located
in the left side of the brain but in no specific area. When a
woman talks, the speech is located in both hemispheres
and in two specific locations.
• This means that a man talks in a linear and logical way,
features of left-brain thinking; whereas a woman talks
more freely mixing logic and emotion, features of both
sides of the brain.
Effective communication skills
1. Active listening
• Active listening involves paying close attention to what the
other person is saying
• Asking clarifying questions, and rephrasing what the
person says to ensure understanding ("So, what you're
saying is…").
2. Nonverbal Communication
• Body language (eye contact, hand gestures, and tone of
voice) all send signals that the receiver should take into
account.
• A relaxed, open stance (arms open, legs relaxed), and a
friendly tone will make you appear approachable and will
encourage others to speak openly with you.
3. Friendliness
• A friendly tone, a personal question, or simply a smile
encourage others to engage in open and free
communication.
• Personalizing emails to coworkers and/or employees – "I
hope you all had a good weekend" at the start of an email
can make the recipient feel more appreciated
4. Empathy
• Even when we disagree with an employer, coworker, or
employee, it is important to understand and respect their
point of view.
• Using phrases as simple as "I understand where you are
coming from" demonstrate that you have been listening to
the other person and respect their opinions.
5. Open-Mindedness
• A good communicator should enter into any conversation
with a flexible and open mind.
• By being willing to enter into a discussion, even with
people with whom we disagree, we will be able to have
more honest and productive interactions.
6. Feedback
• Giving and receiving constructive feedback is an important
communication skill.
• Giving feedback involves giving praise as well – something
as simple as saying "good job" or "thanks for taking care of
that" to an employee can greatly increase motivation
• 60 - 75: You are an excellent communicator!
• 30 - 60: You have fairly good communication skills
but still need some help.
• 0-30: You need some help with your communication
skills!
• Question: Based on your understanding of lecture 3, comment on
the following statement, explaining how the language barrier
complicates communication in the workplace:
‘Language that describes what we want to say in our terms may
present barriers to others. When we couch our communication in such
language, it is a way of excluding others.’
Your answer should consist of ONE paragraph (max word limit: 200 words total)
a. Restate the quote
b. Give your own opinion
c. Use arguments/examples to back up your opinion/position
The language we choose can create barriers that may exclude others from
understanding or participating in conversations. This communication issue is
especially relevant in the workplace where effective communication is essential
for collaboration and inclusion. That’s exactly how I see it. To begin with,
different fields often have specialized jargon that can exclude those outside the
field. For example, in medicine, practitioners might use terminology like
"hypertension" or “kidney failure" which may confuse individuals without enough
medical knowledge. Moreover, language can also reflect cultural differences that
others may find difficult to navigate. For instance, some phrases or idioms may be
completely confusing to individuals from other cultures. Besides, When discussing
sensitive issues, the wrong choice of language can hurt and alienate individuals. For
instance, using words like (failed, loser, immature, unreliable) can discourage and
exclude those who struggled to make a life.
Finally yet more importantly, language can reflect socioeconomic status, too. For
example, using advanced academic language can unintentionally exclude
individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. In community outreach programs,
using plain and accessible language encourages participation from a broader
audience who may otherwise feel intimidated or unwelcome.
