Communication Skills

‫مهارات االتصال‬

Instructor :
Paradis Gaby Younes

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Developing your communication skills can help all aspects of your life, from your
professional life to social gatherings and everything in between.
It’s never too late to work on your communication skills.
Know what communication really is

Communication is the process of transferring signals/messages between a sender

and a receiver through various methods, it is also the mechanism we use to
establish and modify relationships.

Keep in mind…

Your smile is your logo

Your personality is your business card,

And the way you make others feel is your trademark…

LESSON #1

Communication - The big picture

When we say the word, “communication,” what do you think of? Many people will
think of the spoken word or sign language.

Being able to communicate is the most important of all life skills.

Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one place to

another, whether this is:

1-vocally (using voice):

-Verbal: This is what you are saying.

- Para verbal: This means how you say it – your tone, speed, pitch, and volume.

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2-written (using printed or digital media such as books, magazines, websites or
emails)

3- Visually (using logos, maps, charts or graphs)

4- Non-verbally these are the gestures and body language that go along with your
words. Some examples: arms folded across your chest, tracing circles in the air,
tapping your feet, or having a hunched-over posture.

What is Communication?
The dictionary defines communication as, “the interchange of thoughts, opinions,
or information by speech, writing, or signs.”

It is also defined as, “means of sending messages, orders including telephone,

telegraph, radio, and television.
The effectiveness of your communication can have many different effects on your
life, including items such as:
- Level of stress
- Relationships with others

- Level of satisfaction with your life

- Productivity
- Ability to meet your goals and achieve your dreams

- Ability to solve problems

Other Factors in Communication

Other communication factors that we need to consider.

- METHOD: The method in which the communicator shares his or her message
is important as it has an effect on the message itself. Communication
methods include person-to-person, telephone, e-mail, fax, radio, public
presentation, television broadcast, and many more!
- MASS: The number of people receiving the message.
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 - AUDIENCE: The person or people receiving the message affect the message,
too. Their understanding of the topic and the way in which they receive the
message can affect how it is interpreted and understood.
- Confidence: Take time each day to be aware of your opinions and feelings
so you can adequately convey them to others. Individuals who are hesitant to
speak because they do not feel their input would fail.

- Practice: Developing advanced communication skills begin with simple

interactions. Communication skills can be practiced every day in setting that
range from the social to the professional. New skills take time to refine, but
each time you use your communication skills, you open yourself to
opportunities and future partnerships.

- Gestures and body language: These include gestures with your hands and
face. Make your whole body talk. Use smaller gestures for individuals and
small groups. The gestures should get larger as the group that one is
addressing increases in size.

- Don’t send mixed messages: Make your words, gestures, facial expressions
and tone match. If you have to deliver a negative message, make your
words, facial expressions, and tone match the message.

- Develop effective listening skills: Not only should one be able to speak
effectively; one must listen to the other person's words and engage in
communication on what the other person is speaking about.

Characteristics of communication

Communication is inescapable

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The very attempt not to communicate communicates something. Through not only
words, but through tone of voice and through gesture, posture, facial expression,
etc., we constantly communicate to those around us.

Through these channels, we constantly receive communication from others.

Even when you sleep, you communicate.

Remember a basic principle of communication in general: people are not mind

readers. Another way to put this is: people judge you by your behavior, not your
intentions.

Communication is irreversible

You can't really take back something once it has been said. The effect must
certainly remain.

Despite the instructions from a judge to a jury to "disregard that last statement the
witness made," the lawyer knows that it can't help but make an impression on the
jury.

A Russian proverb says, "Once a word goes out of your mouth, you can never
swallow it again."

Communication is complicated

No form of communication is simple. Because of the number of variables

involved, even simple requests are extremely complex.

We don't actually swap ideas; we swap symbols that stand for ideas. This also
complicates communication. Words (symbols) do not have inherent meaning; we
simply use them in certain ways.

Communication does not happen in isolation.

It would be extremely hard to imagine a world without some form of interpersonal

interaction.

This interaction or act of sharing information is known as communication.

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 LESSON #2
Models and elements of
Effective communication:

Sender, Receiver, Message

Visual and Aural communication

Communication can best be summarized as the transmission of a message from a

sender to a receiver in an understandable manner.

Effective communication is important in the world of business and in personal life.

The communication process is made up of four key components.

Those components include:

1-encoding

2- Medium of transmission

3- Decoding

4- Feedback.

There are also two other factors in the process, and those two factors are present in
the form of sender and the Receiver.

The communication process begins with the sender and ends with the receiver

The Communication Process Model

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The sender is:

An individual, group or organization .This source is responsible for the success of

the message. The sender's experiences, attitudes, knowledge, skills, perceptions,
and culture influence the message.

The sender must begin encoding, which means:

Translating information into a message .The symbols can take on numerous forms
such as, languages, words, or gestures. These symbols are used to encode ideas
into messages that others can understand.

Doing this involves effort from both the sender of the message and the receiver.
In fact, communication is only successful when both the sender and the receiver
understand the same information as a result of the communication.
By successfully getting your message across, you convey your thoughts and ideas
effectively. When not successful, the thoughts and ideas that you convey do not
necessarily reflect your own, causing a communications breakdown and creating
roadblocks that stand in the way of your goals – both personally and
professionally.

Medium of transmission:
Messages are conveyed through channels, with:
1-Verbal including face-to-face meetings, telephone and videoconferencing;
2-written including letters, emails, memos, and reports.
Different channels have different strengths and weaknesses. For example, it's not
particularly effective to give a long list of directions verbally, while you'll quickly
cause problems if you criticize someone strongly by email.
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Decoding

Just as successful encoding is a skill, so is successful decoding (involving, for

example, taking the time to read a message carefully, or listen actively to it.)
Just as confusion can arise from errors in encoding, it can also arise from decoding
errors. This is particularly the case if the decoder doesn't have enough knowledge
to understand the message.

Receiver

Your message is delivered to individual members of your audience. No doubt, you

have in mind the actions or reactions you hope your message will get from this
audience. Keep in mind, though, that each of these individuals enters into the
communication process with ideas and feelings that will undoubtedly influence
their understanding of your message, and their response. To be a successful
communicator, you should consider these before delivering your message, and act
appropriately.

Feedback
Your audience will provide you with feedback, verbal and nonverbal reactions to
your communicated message.
If you find that there has been a misunderstanding, at least you have the
opportunity to send the message a second time.

Context

The situation in which your message is delivered is the context. This may include
the surrounding environment or broader culture (corporate culture, international
cultures, and so on).

Visual and aural communication

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 1-Aural communication is the interchange of verbal messages between sender
and receiver:

• Interviews
• Group communication
• Debate Of Group Discussion
• Meeting
• Conferences
• face to face talk
• Speeches And Presentations

Aural people receive information best when they hear it with their own ears and
can repeat and hear it again for clarity.

2-VISUAL communication is the interchange of written messages:

• Letters
• Circulars
• Reports
• Forms and questionnaires
• Manuals
• Handbills
• Books
• Visual people receive information best when they can see it and review it
again by looking at it.

Communicating with Aural People:

• Speak clearly and in plain language.

• Invite questions and discussion.
• Be willing to repeat information.
• Provide verbal reminders.
• Read instructions and directions aloud.
• Be patient when asked to repeat or go over information.
• Maintain a calm, even tone when repeating or reviewing information

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• Encourage people to paraphrase or verbalize their understanding of the discussion.
• Emphasize key points by changing your tone and/or voice level.
• Try to discuss issues without other auditory distractions.
• Ask people if they can hear what is being said.

Advantages of Aural communication are:

• Easy for others to understand.

• Choice of words generally suits the listeners.
• It is supported by nonverbal communication.
• The communicator or the person, who communicates, is always physically
available.
• It can develop close relations between the speaker and the listener.

Disadvantages of Aural communication:

• Words spoken disappear into thin air. The words are temporary.
• Words are not permanent unlike written communication.
• What is heard is often forgotten.

Communicating with Visual People:

• Invite visual people to write down directions or instructions.

• Offer to fax, E-mail or mail written confirmation of the discussion
• Invite reading back of messages and/or directions.
• Discuss ways for the other person to view or see the information.
• In person-to-person discussion watch for the “squint” expression, which indicates
the visual person doesn’t "see" the message.
• Be willing to draw diagrams or sketches to support your information.
• Use underlining, bold print or graphics to draw the attention of the visual person.
• Color appeals to the visual communicator.
• Encourage the individual to view their written material as you go over it verbally.
• Ask them to describe their view or perception to you.
• Ask them if they can see what you are saying.
• In person, maintain eye contact with the other person.

Advantages of visual communication:

• Knowledge and information became available to people who could read.

• Written message are more carefully formulated than Aural communication.

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 • Written communication serves as a reliable record for future reference and
can be used in legal proceedings.

Disadvantages of visual communication:

• You have to be literate to use written communication.

• Formal in nature so it does not involves personal touch between two parties.
• If the written communication is poorly drafted, it may create
misunderstanding and confusion in the mind of receiver.

Lesson # 3
The difference between personal communication

and Mass communication

The main differences between Personal Communication and Mass Communication

are as follows:
Personal Communication
It’s the communication between people:
letters, e-mails, SMSs, telephone and mobile phone facilities

Mass Communication
It’s the communication among masses; it provides entertainment as well as creates
awareness among the masses:
radio, television, newspapers, magazines, books, films, Social media ( face book,
twitter, whatsapp) -To add in class-
The most basic difference between mass communication and personal
communication is:
- The size of the audience.

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- The source of the message.
-The tools or rather the medium.

Differences in Time and Place

Always make sure you communicate as clearly as possible, and ask for playback.
The listening and questioning skills that you learn will help you make the most of
the communication time that you do have.
How can you get over the challenges of time and place?
Identify that there is a difference in time and place between mass communication
and personal communication:
o Personal communication:
- Get a picture of the person’s physical environment.

- Try to set up phone calls and meetings at a time that is convenient for you
both.
- If appropriate, e-mail can be an “anytime, anywhere” bridge. Clearly, this is
not always practical (for example, if the problem is urgent, or if it is a
complicated issue that requires extensive explanation), but this option should
be considered.

o Mass communication: Communicating on a mass level might affect the

cultural dynamics of a society, and it can’t happen in isolation. There is:
- Psychological context, which is who you are and what you bring to the
interaction. Your needs, desires, values, personality, etc., all form the
psychological context. ("You" here refers to both participants in the
interaction.)
- Relational context, which concerns your reactions to the other person--the
"mix."
- Situational context deals with the psycho-social "where" you are
communicating.

An interaction that takes place in a classroom will be very different from one
that takes place in a restaurant.

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 • Environmental context deals with the physical "where" you are
communicating.

Furniture, location, noise level, temperature, season, time of day.

• Cultural context includes all the learned behaviors and rules that affect the
interaction.

How should I communicate with a team member that doesn’t want to

communicate with me?

• Direct “fight”

• Fix the personal issues (go to juice/ tea)

• Find third party persons to figure it out

• Quit & Try another door

• Chemistry

• Direct feedback about the way he/she communicates & how other feel

• Find the common ground (hobbies, passions)

• Give more than they expect

• Show the power

How can I communicate better with people from different cultures or with
very different age than mine?

• Awareness about what is

• Find out how they behave, about the culture

• When there is something different, there is an opportunity to learn

something new

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 • To talk the same language, learn the language

• Spend time to get the difference away

• Learn how to communicate with a specific person

• Communication based on trust

• Appreciate this experiences to growth from them

How do I manage the balance between being serious or sentimental when

communicating with my team?

• I’m both in the same time: serious and making fun

• It is not about balance, it is about treating people as people

• Putting passion is the ground rule

• Am I communicating the things I’m thinking about

LESSON #4

Active Listening

Hear what people are really saying

Communication cannot take place until and unless a message is heard and retained
by the receivers/listeners.
Listening means attentiveness and implies decoding (translating the symbols into
meaning).

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How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness, and on the
quality of your relationships with others.

For instance:

• We listen to obtain information.

• We listen to understand.

• We listen for enjoyment.

• We listen to learn.

In fact most of us remember between 25 percent and 50 percent of what we hear.

That means that when you talk to your boss, colleagues, customers or spouse for
10 minutes, they pay attention to less than half of the conversation.

Clearly, listening is a skill that we can all benefit from improving.

Listening
minimum
hearing
Maximum
hearing

By becoming a better listener, you will improve your productivity, as well as your
ability to influence, persuade and negotiate. What's more, you'll avoid conflict and
misunderstandings.

Listening differs from hearing in sense that:

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 • Hearing implies just perceiving the sounds while listening means listening
with understanding whatever you are listening. Both the body as well as
mind is involved in listening process.
• Listening is an active process while hearing is a passive activity.
• Hearing is an effortless activity while listening is an act requiring conscious
efforts, concentration and interest. Listening involves both physical and
psychological efforts.

Good Communication Starts with Listening

Many of us think that communication is talking.

We interrupt, advise, reassure, judge, analyze, criticize, argue, moralize, threaten

etc.

But, good communication requires good listening as well as talking.

In fact, since we have two ears and only one mouth, listening just might be the
more important skill.

When you are speaking and someone is not paying attention, how do you feel?
Annoyed, frustrated, discounted, rejected, anxious or angry? Such feelings usually
make communication more difficult. So how can we show someone who is
speaking that we really are paying attention to them? We can do this both
nonverbally and verbally.

Research shows that about 85% of what we communicate is non-verbal. This

includes our posture, physical movements, eye contact and our psychological
presence.

Seven key elements of active listening.

1. Pay Attention

Give the speaker your undivided attention, and acknowledge the message.
Recognize that non-verbal communication also "speaks" loudly.

• Look at the speaker directly.

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 • Put aside distracting thoughts.

• Avoid being distracted by environmental factors. For example, side

conversations.

• "Listen" to the speaker's body language.

2. Show that you’re listening

Use your own body language and gestures to convey your attention.

• Nod occasionally.

• Smile and use other facial expressions.

• Note your posture and make sure it is open and inviting.

• Encourage the speaker to continue with small verbal comments like

yes and uh huh.

3. Do not assume- Good listener does not ignore the information he considers is
unnecessary.

4. Listen for feelings and facts and concentrate on the other speakers kindly
and generously. Learn from every speaker.

5. Provide Feedback

Sending Good Signals to Others

When we are listening to others speak, there are three kinds of cues that we can
give the other person. Using the right kind of cue at the right time is crucial for
keeping good communication going.

• NON-VERBAL: body language plays an important part in our

communications with others. Head nods and an interested facial expression
will show the speaker that you are listening.
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 • QUASI-VERBAL: Fillers words like, “uh-huh,” and “mm-hmmm,” show the
speaker that you are awake and interested in the conversation.

• VERBAL: Asking open questions using the six roots (who, what,
where, when, why, how), paraphrasing, and asking summary
questions, are all key tools for active listening. Ask questions to
clarify certain points. "What do you mean when you say?" "Is this
what you mean?” Reflect what has been said by paraphrasing.
"What I'm hearing is," and "Sounds like you are saying," are great
ways to reflect back. Summarize the speaker's comments
periodically.

These cues should be used as part of active listening. Inserting an occasional, “uh-
huh,” during a conversation may fool the person that you are communicating with
in the short term, but you’re fooling yourself if you feel that this is an effective
communication approach.

6. Defer Judgment

Interrupting is a waste of time. It frustrates the speaker and limits full

understanding of the message.

• Allow the speaker to finish each point before asking questions.

• Don't interrupt with counter arguments.

7. Respond Appropriately

Active listening is a model for respect and understanding. You are gaining
information and perspective. You add nothing by attacking the speaker or
otherwise putting him or her down.

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 • Be open, and honest in your response.

• Assert your opinions respectfully.

• Treat the other person in a way that you think he or she would want
to be treated.

To conclude, effective listening enhances the communication quality. It makes all

attentive. It encourages optimistic attitude, healthy relations and more
participation. It leads to better decision- making in an organization. Effective
listening is directly related to our ability to do team work.

Lesson # 5

Barriers to Effective Communication:

An Overview of Common Barriers

Common things that people list as barriers include:

1-I can’t explain the message to the other person in words that they understand.
2-I can’t show the other person what I mean.
3-I don’t have enough time to communicate effectively.

4-The person I am trying to communicate with doesn’t have the same

background as me, and is missing the bigger picture of my message.
These barriers typically break down into three categories: language, culture, and
location.

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Language Barriers
Of course, one of the biggest barriers to written and spoken communication is
language. This can appear in three main forms:
-The people communicating speak different languages.
-The language being used is not the first language for one or more people
involved in the communication.
-The people communicating speak the same language, but are from different
regions and therefore have different dialects .

There are a few ways to reduce the impact of these barriers:

-As a group, identify that the barrier exists. Identify things that the group can do
to minimize it.

-Pictures speak a thousand words, and can communicate across languages.

-If you are going to be communicating with this person on a long-term basis, try
to find a common language. You may also consider hiring a translator.

Cultural Barriers

There can also be times when people speak the same language, but are from a
different culture, where different words or gestures can mean different things. Or,
perhaps the person you are communicating with is from a different class from you,
or has a very different lifestyle. All of these things can hinder your ability to get
your message across effectively.
If you have the opportunity to prepare, find out as much as you can about the other
person’s culture and background, and how it differs from yours. Try to identify
possible areas of misunderstanding and how to prevent or resolve those problems.
If you don’t have time to prepare, and find yourself in an awkward situation, use
the cultural differences to your advantage. Ask about the differences that you
notice, and encourage questions about your culture. Ensure that your questions are
curious, not judgmental, resentful, or otherwise negative.

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In addition

Communication barriers can pop-up at every stage of the communication process

(which consists of sender, message, channel, receiver, feedback and context)
and have the potential to create misunderstanding and confusion.

Other common barriers include:

1- the use of an inappropriate medium (channel)

2- incorrect grammar,
3- inflammatory words,
4- words that conflict with body language,
5- Technical jargon.
6- Noise is also another common barrier. Noise can occur during any stage of
the process. Noise including a radio playing in the background, another
person trying to enter your conversation, and any other distractions that
prevent the receiver from paying attention

Removing Barriers at All These Stages

To deliver your messages effectively, you must commit to breaking down the
barriers that exist in each of these stages of the communication process.
Let's begin with the message itself. If your message is too lengthy, disorganized, or
contains errors, you can expect the message to be misunderstood.
Use of poor verbal and body language can also confuse the message.
You need to work to understand your audience's culture, making sure you can
converse and deliver your message to people of different backgrounds and cultures
within your own organization, in this country and even abroad.

1. Stop and listen.

In a serious discussion we’re often so afraid of not being heard, we rush to keep
talking.

2. Force yourself to hear.

You’ve stopped talking for the moment, but your head is still swirling with all of
the things you want to say, so you’re still not really hearing what is being said.

3. be open and honest.

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Being open means talking about things you may have never talked about with
another human being before in your life. It means being vulnerable and honest.

4. Pay attention to nonverbal signals.

Learning to communicate better means that you need to learn how to read these
signals as well as hear what the other person is saying.

5. Try to minimize emotion when talking about important, big decisions.

Nobody can talk about important, big matters if they feel emotionally vulnerable or
charged-up and angry. Those are not the times to talk about the serious issues (like
money, getting married, the kids, or retirement).

6. be ready to cede an argument.

How many times do we continue to argue or have a heated discussion because we

simply want to be right?

7. Never talk over people.

This demonstrates a real lack of respect. By talking over someone what you’re
basically saying is “I don’t care what you’re saying, what I have to say is more
important”.

8. Don’t finish other people’s sentences.

By doing this you are frustrating the other person because you are taking control of
the conversation, so bite your tongue!

9. Paraphrase.

If you want to show that you have really understood someone, then paraphrasing a
great tool. All you do is repeat back to someone what they have just said, before
you comment yourself.

10. Humor and playfulness usually help.

You don’t have to be funny in order to use humor and playfulness in everyday
conversations. You just need to use the sense of humor you do have and try and
inject it into more of your communications.
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11. Communicating is more than just talking.

To communicate better and more effectively, you don’t only have to talk. You can
communicate in other ways through your actions, and nowadays, electronically too
(through email, Facebook, blogs, texting or Twitter).

LESSON #6

Society and interaction

What are Groups and teams?

Being in groups is part of everyday life and many of us will belong to a wide range
of groups, for example: family groups, social groups, sports groups, committees,
etc.

There is some confusion about the difference between a group and a team.
The word group consist of any number of people – a group of passengers on a
flight have a common characteristic – to travel, but they are not necessarily
working towards a common cause. Groups do not even need to refer to people, for
example, a group of products in a supermarket;
A team is generally more specific. We would not refer to our airline passengers as
a team, unless they crashed on a desert island and needed to work together to
survive. The distinction is that a team is working together for a common cause. .
When we talk about groups and teams we use the terms interchangeably – it is
possible to have a group without a team but not a team without a group.

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 People in groups interact, engage and identify with each other, they share beliefs,
principles, and standards about areas of common interest and they come together to
work on common tasks for agreed purposes and outcomes.

Team communication skills are important.

Strong team communication skills can help build relationships, ensure the sharing
of new ideas and best practices, and benefit team members through coaching.

Effective teams need to work well together and build strong relationships among
team members.

Communication is critical. The team leader will bring the team together so that it
can accomplish its goals. All teams will go through expected stages of
development.

When team communication skills are strong, it raises the chance that good ideas
and best practices will be shared openly.

Professional Development

Effective team communication can lead to both personal and professional

development.

Strong team communication skills can also help team members learn how to
manage conflict in positive ways, an important professional development.

Types of Groups
Groups may be formal, brought together for a particular purpose, or they may be
informal such as family groups, groups of friends or colleagues. You may come
into contact or work with a range of different groups.

These types of group may include:

• Work Groups: such as teams, committees or training groups.

• Neighbourhood Groups.
• Social Groups | Special Interest groups.
• Inter-Agency Groups: These are developed between agencies/organisations that
work in related fields to improve product and/or client services.
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• Pressure Groups: The function of pressure groups is to gain media attention to
achieve their aims.

LESSON #7

Verbal communication

Dialogue, speech

Quite often when you are listening to a speaker, teacher or seminar leader, you are
thinking to yourself that this person is either a really good presenter or a boring
one.

Of course, if you will be asked to do a presentation in front of people either at

work or at a social event like a wedding, you definitely want to do your best so that
you are not in turn, labeled as a boring presenter.

Here are a few strategies pertinent to public speaking:

• Be prepared. Know your topic well.

• Develop relations. Smile and maintain eye contact with your audience.

Too often poor presenters are looking straight ahead, straight down to
the floor, at their notes, or at the screen if using PowerPoint slides for
most of their presentations.

This loss of eye contact makes it very hard for audiences to have any
real connection with a speaker.

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 As a presenter, you should make an effort to have eye contact with all
members of the audience.

This includes those sitting on the extreme left and right ends, as well as
those in the back of the room.

Make brief eye contact with different parts of your audience by turning
your head towards their direction throughout your talk.

• Take note of your audience. Notice when your audience agrees with you
or looks puzzled or confused.
• Develop visuals. When it is appropriate slides, handouts, and
demonstrations. Just make sure the type on your visuals is large enough to
read, the projector works, and you have practice working with the visual
aids.
• Use gestures: Communication in front of people is not just about using
your voice. Use appropriate hand gestures to further enhance certain
phrases in your presentation. A combination of vocal and visual elements
makes for a more effective talk. As a general rule of thumb, the larger
your audience, the bigger your gestures should be since small gestures
may not be visible to people sitting in the back of large audiences.
• Prepare your prompters. Don't memorize the speech, but be well versed
on your topic that you are comfortable just talking about it. Prepare notes
to prompt yourself. Put key phrases down in large letters, with stories and
quotes on note cards.
• Practice. Rehearsal is everything! Practice the speech several times out
loud, in front of a mirror, an empty classroom, or to friends. Practice
speaking slowly and calmly, but louder than usual.
• Avoid unnecessary words. Use clear words. Words like “um” or “ah”
during a presentation or even in normal conversation, are known in the
speaker world as crutch words. They are also sometimes known as “filler
words” since they have no meaning and people tend to use them to fill in
dead space in between phrases. Try to reduce your use of such words by
speaking a bit slower.
• Review your performances. Ask your instructor and other students for
feedback. Be open to learning and strive to improve.

Mistakes to avoid when speaking in public

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At some point in our lives, we will most likely have to stand in front of people and
present an idea or a project.
Here are the mistakes you should avoid:
1. Don't start your speech with ‘thank you’
You read right. Don’t be rude but rather than kicking your presentation with that,
make your first words remarkable, powerful.
2. Don't read your speech word by word
Reading instead of improvising will make you lose eye contact with your audience,
increasing your chances of boring them.
3. Don't pull out your technical dictionary
Regardless of whom your audience is, your message should be as clear as possible
so that it can be understood by everyone sitting in the room. Using too many
technical terms or insider jargon won't make you look smart; it will just defeat the
purpose of getting your idea across.
4. Don't imitate famous speakers
People who imitate famous public speakers lose their own identity.
5. Don't speak too fast or too slow
Speaking quickly shows that you’re nervous and makes you harder to follow.
Speaking too slowly, however, could mean you’re unprepared or hesitant.
6. Don't speak too loudly or quietly
Many confuse loud voices with confidence. Those who speak loudly are most
probably nervous and trying to hide it. Speaking too quietly could also annoy your
listeners. And try not to sound too nasal.

7. Not tailoring your message to your audience.

To avoid this, ask yourself: "Who is my audience? What are their burning issues?
How does my message help them? How much do they know about my topic? What
will I ask them to do in response to my message? Know Your Audience."

8. Not crafting a powerful opening. The beginning is the most important part of
the work. Yet, it's a common bad habit for speakers to waste those precious
opening seconds rambling pointlessly, telling a joke, reading an agenda,
apologizing needlessly.

So, open with a bang.

27
These skills are the physical techniques that will help you become a better
presenter in front of any audience. It is highly recommended that you rehearse any
presentations that you have to make in public well in advance. Also, rehearse your
talks with these physical techniques as if you have an imaginary audience in front
of you.

Presentation

What is a Presentation?

Many people feel terrified when asked to make their first public talk. Some of
these initial fears can be reduced by good preparation that also lays the
groundwork for making an effective presentation.

A Presentation Is...

A presentation is a means of communication that can be adapted to various

speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing a
team.
A presentation can also be a speech at a wedding, or getting a point across in a
video conference.
To be effective, step-by-step preparation and the method and means of presenting
the information should be carefully considered.
A presentation requires you to get a message across to the listeners and will often
contain a 'persuasive' element.

The Key Elements of a Presentation

Consider the following key components of a presentation:

Context

28
 Ask yourself the following questions to develop a full understanding of the context
of the presentation.
• When and where will you deliver your presentation?
• Will it be in a setting you are familiar with, or somewhere new?
• Will the presentation be to a small group or a large crowd?
• Are you already familiar with the audience?
• What equipment and technology will be available to you and what will you be
expected to use?
• What is the audience expecting to learn from you and your presentation?
Presenter
The role of the presenter is to communicate with the audience and control the
presentation.
Remember, though, that this may also include handing over the control to your
audience, especially if you want some kind of interaction.
Audience
The audience receives the presenter’s message(s). However, this reception will be
filtered through and affected by such things as the listener’s own experience,
knowledge and personal sense of values.
Message
The message or messages are delivered by the presenter to the audience.
The message is delivered not just by the spoken word (verbal communication)
but can be augmented by techniques such as voice projection, body language,
gestures, eye contact (non-verbal communication), and visual aids.
Reaction
The audience’s reaction and therefore the success of the presentation will largely
depend upon whether you, as presenter, effectively communicated your message,
and whether it met their expectations.
As a presenter, you don’t control the audience’s expectations. What you can do is
find out what they have been told about you by the conference organisers, and
what they are expecting to hear. Only if you know that can you be confident of
delivering something that will meet expectations.

Method
29
How will the presentation be delivered?
Presentations are usually delivered direct to an audience. However, there may be
occasions where they are delivered from a distance over the Internet using video
conferencing systems, such as Skype.
LESSON #8
Non-verbal communication:

Body language

Be aware of what your body is saying…

THE WAY THAT WE ARE STANDING OR SITTING...

THE POSITION OF OUR ARMS, LEGS, FEET, AND HANDS....

YOUR FACIAL EXPRESSIONS...

Body language can say so much more than a mouthful of words:

Gesture, body language or posture, facial expression and eye contact.

Object communication such as:
Clothing, hairstyles, and tone of voice.
Research has shown that up to 55% of human communication may occur through
non verbal facial expressions.

Make eye contact.

Whether you are speaking or listening, looking into the eyes of the person with
whom you are conversing can make the interaction more successful.
Eye contact conveys interest and encourages your partner to be interested in you in
return.
One technique to help with this is to consciously look into one of the listener’s
eyes and then move to the other eye.

30
Body Language Tips

The effective use of body language plays a key role in communication. Here are
tips for powerful body language

To increase participation, look like you’re listening

if you want people to speak up, don’t multitask while they do. Avoid the
temptation to check your text messages, check your watch, or check out how the
other participants are reacting.

Instead, focus on those who are speaking.

To encourage collaboration, remove barriers

Take away anything that blocks your view or forms a barrier between you and the
rest of the team.

Even during a coffee break, be aware that you may create a barrier by holding
your cup in a way that seems deliberately to block your body or distance you from
others.

To connect instantly with someone, shake hands

In the workplace, physical touch and warmth are established through the
handshaking tradition, and this tactile contact makes a lasting and positive
impression. People are two times more likely to remember you if you shake hands
with them. People react to those with whom they shake hands by being more open
and friendly.

To stimulate good feelings, smile

a genuine smile not only stimulates your own sense of well-being, it also tells those
around you that you are approachable, cooperative, and trustworthy. A genuine
smile comes on slowly, crinkles the eyes, lights up the face, and fades away
slowly.

Act of body language to avoid

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-Holding Objects in Front of Your Body – a coffee cup, notebook, hand bag,
etc. Holding objects in front of your body indicates shyness and resistance, such
that you’re hiding behind the objects in an effort to separate yourself from
others. Instead of carrying objects in front of you, carry them at your side
whenever possible.

-Checking the Time- a strong sign of boredom. Never glance at the time when
you’re speaking with someone.

-Stroking Your Chin While Looking at Someone – “I’m judging you!” People
frequently stroke their chin during the decision-making process. If you look at
someone while you’re stroking your chin, they may assume that you’re making a
judgmental decision about them.

-Looking Down in the Presence of Others – usually indicates

disinterest. Sometimes it’s even interpreted as a casual sign of arrogance. Always
look straight ahead and make eye contact when you see someone you know.

-Touching Your Face during a Conversation – Face touching, especially on the

nose, is commonly interpreted as an indication of deception. Also, covering up the
mouth is a common gesture people make when they’re lying. Always keep your
hands away from your face when you’re speaking.

-Faking a Smile –Fake smiles only involve the mouth and lips. Don’t force
yourself to smile… unless it’s for the camera.

-Crossing Your Arms – a sign of defensive resistance. Some people may also
interpret it as a sign of egotism. Always try to keep your arms open and at your
sides.

-Scratching at the Backside of Your Head and Neck – a typical sign of doubt
and uncertainty. It can also be interpreted as an indication of lying. Try to keep
your hands away from your head when you’re communicating with others.

-Messing With the Collar of Your Shirt – It screams: “I feel horribly

uncomfortable and/or nervous!” Once again, keep track of your hands.

-Increasing Your Rate of Blinking – a clear sign of anxiety. Some people start
blinking their eyes really fast when they get nervous. Since most people try to
make eye contact, it becomes immediately obvious to others.

32
-Foot and Finger Tapping – usually indicates stress, impatience or
boredom. Monitor your habits and practice keeping your limbs at rest.

-Using Your Hands to Fidget with Small Objects – a pen, paper ball, etc. This is
another sign of anxiety. It can also be interpreted as a lack of preparedness. It’s
always best to keep your hands comfortably at rest when you’re in the presence of
others.

Interpreting Gestures

A gesture is a non-verbal message that is made with a specific part of the body.
Gestures differ greatly from region to region, and from culture to culture. Below
we have included a brief list of gestures and their common interpretation.

GESTURE INTERPRETATION

Nodding head Yes

Shaking head No

Moving head from side to side Maybe

Shrugging shoulders Not sure; I don’t know

Crossed arms Defensive

Tapping hands or fingers Bored, anxious, nervous

Shaking index finger Angry

Thumbs up Agreement, OK

Thumbs down Disagreement, not OK

Pointing index finger at Indicating, blaming

someone/something

Tapping toes or feet Bored, anxious, nervous

33
GESTURE INTERPRETATION

Handshake Welcome, introduction

Flap of the hand Doesn’t matter, go ahead

Waving hand Hello

Waving both hands over head Help, attention

Crossed legs or ankles Defensive

34
 LESSON #9

Mastering the art of conversation

speaking like a star

Now that we have explored all the quasi-verbal elements of communication, let’s
look at the actual message you are sending. You can ensure any message is clear,
complete, correct, and concise, with the STAR acronym.
S = Situation
First, state what the situation is. Try to make this no longer than one sentence. If
you are having trouble, ask yourself, “Where?”, “Who?”, and, “When? This will
provide a base for message so it can be clear and concise.

Example: “On Tuesday, I was in a director’s meeting at the main office.”

T = Task
Next, briefly state what your task was. Again, this should be no longer than one
sentence. Use the question, “What?” to frame your sentence, and add the “Why?”
if appropriate.
Example: “I was asked to present last year’s sales figures to the group.”
A = Action
Now, state what you did to resolve the problem in one sentence. Use the question,
“How?” to frame this part of the statement. The Action part will provide a solid
description and state the precise actions that will resolve any issues.

Example: “I pulled out my laptop, fired up PowerPoint, and presented my slide

show.”
R = Result
Last, state what the result was. This will often use a combination of the six roots.
Again, a precise short description of the results that come about from your
previous steps will finish on a strong definite note.

35
Example: “Everyone was wowed by my prep work, and by our great figures!”

Summary
Let’s look at a complete example using STAR. Let’s say you’re out with friends on
the weekend. Someone asks you what the highlight of your week at work was. As
it happens, you had a great week, and there is a lot to talk about. You use STAR to
focus your answer so you don’t bore your friends, and so that you send a clear
message.
You respond: “On Tuesday, I was in a director’s meeting at the main office. I was
asked to present last year’s sales figures to the group. I pulled out my laptop, fired
up PowerPoint, and presented my slide show. Everyone was wowed by my prep
work, and by our great figures!”
This format can be compressed for quick conversations, or expanded for lengthy
presentations. We encourage you to try framing statements with STAR, and see
how much more confident you feel when communicating.

36
 LESSON #10
Successful Job interview:

A good preparation for a job interview is half the battle, but your performance
during the interview is obviously critical to increase your chances of success.

Preparing for Interviews

• Research the company

• Share examples of achievements
• Describe the Situation, the Task, the Action you took and the Results of your
action.
• Re-read your resume and the job ad as a refresher.
• Check yourself in a full-length mirror before the interview

Rehearsing for your Interview

1. Rehearse your answers out loud before the interview to test how well
prepared you are
2. Rehearse with a real person. Your rehearsal partner can provide you with
feedback and constructive criticism.
3. Rehearsing will help you build your confidence and delivery technique
4. Rehearse multiple times until you feel your answers are flowing.

Researching the Company

1. Research the company and speak about what you know about the company
during interview
2. Use the internet, catalogues, and other sources of information to find out as
much as possible
3. Speak to people that works in the company to find more about out the
culture and working environment
4. Research the company (using published materials and contacts) so that you
are able to ask "intelligent questions".

37
Dressing for the Interview

-Wear clothes that are comfortable so you are concentrating on what is being asked
of you
-Both women and men should go light on the fragrance and aftershave.
-If in doubt, do a full dress rehearsal before the interview and get a second opinion
from a friend or family member.
Arriving on time
-Be on time! This means not only don't be late, but don't be too early, 10 minutes
early is good.
-Smile. Make eye contact and give a firm handshake.
-Switch off your phone.

Professionally, if you are applying for jobs or looking for a promotion with your
current employer, you will almost certainly need to demonstrate good
communication skills.

For example, the ability to:

1- Speak appropriately with a wide variety of people while maintaining good
eye contact
2- Demonstrate rich vocabulary and tailor your language to your audience
3- listen effectively
4- present your ideas appropriately
5- write clearly
6- work well in a group
Many of these are essential skills that employers seek. As your career progresses,
the importance of communication skills increases; the ability to speak, listen,
question and write with clarity and conciseness are essential for most managers
and leaders.

38
Tips for verbal communication during job interviews

Take care of your verbal and nonverbal communication during your job interview.
The natural and subtle interplay between these two forms of communication is
crucial to make a reliable impression.

For example, you can hardly claim that you have an open personality when you are
holding your arms crossed during the entire interview. And you will not be
credible when you are avoiding eye contact with every answer.

1-Start Strong

Talk loudly and confidently. If you start out shy or reserved, it is going to be very
hard for you to get yourself to turn it on later. Start talking from the moment you
say hello and you will be able to keep it up for longer without the nervousness
kicking in.

2-Talk First

Introducing yourself to people first is a good way to make sure that communication
is instigated right away. When you meet someone new, make an effort to introduce
yourself first and engage in pleasant conversation. The first question will be: tell
me about yourself.

3-The voice

Speak with a clear volume and take care of your pronunciation, intonation and
rhythm. Provide variety in your intonation and speak in a calm manner.
Concentrate on your breathing while speaking.

Further, avoid filler words, such as ‘yes’,’ uhm’ and ‘so’.Use short and simple
sentences, finish your sentences and stick to the structure of the job interview.
Moderate your pitch: not too high or too low. Record your voice and analyze how
it sounds to others.

4-Speak slowly and answer the questions

39
The interviewer might not be able to catch up with you if you speak too fast. And
speaking too slowly will make them lose interest.
5-Choose your vocabulary carefully and learn the right pronunciations

Before going for the interview practice answering the questions and while doing so
make sure you know how to correctly pronounce all words. If you are unsure, then
listen to recordings to find out the correct pronunciation.

Do not use words you are not sure of. If you have applied for a technical job, then
use of jargon will put a better impression on them.

6-Be professional
Never treat your interviewer like your friend. Remember that you’re in a business
setting interviewing for a professional position and conduct yourself accordingly.
7-Body language
Smile, Open Body Language, Accept an offer for a glass of water, Practice your
handshake.

8-Maintain eye contact

It’s important to maintain eye contact with them and keep your attention focused
towards them.
9-Breathe
Take a few deep breaths to calm down if you feel yourself getting nervous, this
pause will help you regain focus and maintain you level of confidence.

10-Beware! You know more than your recruiter.

Remember that the recruiter may not have the same background as you. He or she
is not a technical specialist and may not have the same knowledge and experience.
So don’t try to be the all-knowing professor during the job interview.

11-Do you have any questions for us?

40
Yes, of course you still have questions! Prepare some interesting questions about
the company and your specific position prior to the job interview. This will
emphasize your interest in the company in your position.

12-Thank you!

Thank the recruiter for the invitation and his or her time and walk out in a decent
way.
Be aware that you may still be watched, so keep your dance of joy or your
frustrations for a later time

You can send a follow up thank you letter after you leave.

Closing the interview

The purpose of the interview is to help you (as well as the company) determine if
the position will be right for you.

Leave the interviewer with a good impression, smile and a firm handshake.

LESSON #11

41
 Principles of Written communication

MEMOS, REPORTS,CV

Good communication is required in almost all job roles. So how can you make sure
that you communicate clearly and effectively, every time?

Communication needs to be:

1. Clear.

2. Concrete.

3. Correct.

4. Coherent.

5. Complete.

6. Courteous

Writing Memos

A memo or memorandum is a communication note that records events or

observations on a topic. Memos are typically used within a business environment
as an interoffice communication tool and can serve many purposes. Today, emails
can be considered a common type of memo. For example, they call attention to
issues that may need to be resolved, they update clients and other colleagues on the
status of active projects, and finally, they give solutions to colleagues on issues that
are related to the project being worked on. Keep it simple.

Guidelines to follow when writing a memo

42
1-Use an Informative Subject Line

Be specific from the beginning; tell the reader what the subject of the memo is and
what is a proposal, progress report, question, or result. The subject line needs to be
informative so the reader knows exactly what they are reading as soon as they look
at the memo.

2-Use Strong Opening Sentences

Like a subject line the first few sentences need to elaborate on the topic and
purpose of the memo. This gets the reader right into the information and avoids
wasting time on lengthy introductions.

3-Use Active Voice, First Person

Memos always have a conversational style, and use words like "I", "you", and
"we". It sounds more natural to say, "I would like you to do this" and it is more
personal because you are addressing a specific individual. To get action from
people, write in the active voice as opposed to the passive voice. Write as if you
were talking to the person face to face.

Remember: Memos are professional documents. It is a legal document that can be

kept for many years and can be used as a reference in given situations. It needs to
stay formal and professional.

4-Do Not Get Wordy

Avoid words that might not be known to readers. The language should be simple,
but it should not be overly simple. Instead of writing “per your request” think of
using a more casual way to say it for example, “as you requested” or “as you
wanted” would be more appropriate. Be brief.

5-Check Before You Send

Take time before you send the memo to make sure that you have covered all the
correct information. Double check names, dates, and the specifics of the
project/topic to make sure that everything is accurate and up to date.

6-Don’t be overly sincere

43
Try to avoid phrases such as “we’re sorry for any inconvenience this may have
caused” or “please don’t hesitate to call”. You can be honest without sounding like
a child.

7-Become the Reader

Keep your reader in mind when you are writing a memo.

8-List Recipients of the Memo

It is considerate to inform the readers of who all is receiving the memo you have
written. This way the readers know who the informed audience is and who has this
information.

9-Call to Action

Close your memo with a call to action. It’s simple; if you want a response by
Friday at 3 P.M., then say so. This gives the reader an obligation to send you
something back.

10-Closing

The closing in a memo is as simple as a signature line. The signature line needs to
include a contact phone number, e-mail address, and, if your company has a Web
URL, that should be included too.

11-Dates

Make sure you write any dates in the following format: month in written format,
(ex. December), followed by the day in numerical format, concluding with the year
in numerical format. This format is important so that dates are not confused.

How a Memo will look

Sample draft:

44
 TO: Sam Khater
FROM: Rebecca Nehme
DATE: January 1, 2016
SUBJECT: Join us at the yearly picnic

Dear Sam,
Our yearly picnic will be held on Saturday, March 7. We are looking for
volunteers to help with the set up, cooking, and clean up. If you are
interested, please let me know by January 15.

Best Regards
Rebecca Nehme
04-000000
Wwwcompany.com.lb

Writing reports
It is a document that presents information in an organized format for a specific
audience and purpose.
Types of reports include: minutes, lab reports, book reports, progress reports,
justification reports, compliance reports, annual reports, and policies and
procedures.

"Reports can fulfill four different and sometimes related functions. They can
be used to:

1-controls to ensure that all departments are functioning properly,

2-to give information

3-to provide an analysis

4-persuade others to act.

Example Report

Terms of Reference

45
Rima Majzoub,

Director of Personnel has requested this report on employee benefits satisfaction.

The report was to be submitted to her by 28 June.

Procedure
A representative selection of 15% of all employees was interviewed in the period
between April 1st and April 15th concerning:

1. Overall satisfaction with our current benefits package

2. Problems encountered when dealing with the personnel department
3. Suggestions for the improvement of communication policies

Findings

1. Employees were generally satisfied with the current benefits package.

2. Some problems were encountered when requesting vacation due to what is
perceived as long approval waiting periods.
3. Most employees complain about the lack of dental insurance in our benefits
package.
4. The most common suggestion for improvement was for the ability to process
benefits requests online.

Conclusions

1. Our benefits request system needs to be revised as most complaints

concerning in-house processing.
2. Improvements need to take place in personnel department response time.
3. Information technology improvements should be considered as employees
become more technologically savvy.

Recommendations

1. Give priority to vacation request response time as employees need faster

approval in order to be able to plan their vacations.

46
 2. Take no special actions for the benefits package of younger employees.
3. Discuss the possibility of adding an online benefits requests system to our
company Intranet.

Name:.....

Date:....

Important Points to Remember

• A report is divided into four areas:

o Terms of Reference- This section gives background information on
the reason for the report. It usually includes the person requesting the
report.
o Procedure- The procedure provides the exact steps taken and
methods used for the report.
o Findings- The findings point out discoveries made during the course
of the report investigation.
o Conclusions- The conclusions provide logical conclusions based on
the findings.
o Recommendations- The recommendations state actions that the
writer of the report feels need to be taken based on the findings and
conclusions.
• Reports should be concise and factual. Opinions are given in the
"conclusions" section. However, these opinions should be based on facts
presented in the "findings".
• Use simple tenses (usually the present simple) to express facts.
• Use the imperative form

Writing a good CV and Emails

47
Curriculum Vitae (CV) means courses of life in Latin and that is just what it is.
A CV is a concise document which summarizes your past, existing professional
skills, proficiency and experiences.
The purpose of this document is to demonstrate that you have the necessary skills
to do the job for which you are applying.
Follow these steps to create a great CV

Writing a good CV can be one of the toughest challenges of job hunting.

Most employers spend just a few seconds scanning each CV before sticking it in
the 'Yes' or 'No' pile.

1. Keep it real!
Usually a CV should be no more than two pages – and that's two pages of A4
paper!
Employers spend, an average, just 8 seconds looking at any one CV, and a surefire
way of landing yourself on the no pile is to send them your entire life story.
Keep it punchy, to the point, and save those little details for the interview.
2. Tailor it
We've all done it. We all give the same CV out to lots of employers to save time.
Stop!
Take the time to change your CV for each role that you apply for. Research the
company and use the job advert to work out EXACTLY what skills you should
point out to them. They will appreciate the obvious effort.

3. Include a personal statement

Don’t just assume an employer will see how your experience relates to their job.
Instead, use a short personal statement to explain why you are the best person for
the job.

48
4. Keep it current
You should keep your CV up-to-date whether you’re looking for a job or not.
Every time something significant occurs in your career, record it so you don't later
forget something that could be important.
5. The error of your ways
Employers do look for mistakes on CVs and if they find them, it makes you look
really bad. If you're unsure then use a spellchecker and ask someone else to
double-check what you've written. And don't ignore the most common
CV mistakes
6. Tell the truth
Everyone lies on their CV, right? NO! Stop!
The last thing you want is to start work and then lose your new job for lying. You
also may get caught out at the interview stage when you suddenly can't answer
questions on what you claim to know.
7. The math
This may sound dull but by backing up your achievements with numbers it makes
selling yourself much easier. When writing your work history, don’t just say that
you increased sales; tell them you increased sales by 70% over a six month period.
Get it? Big numbers are especially good
8. Make it look good
We live in a world where image is everything, and that also goes for your CV.
Take some time to pretty it up. Use bullet points and keep sentences short. Use the
graphic design trick of leaving plenty of white space around text and between
categories to make the layout easy on the eye. Alternatively, get creative with your
job application!
9. Make it keyword friendly
If you’ve uploaded your CV to a job site so recruiters can find you, keywords are
very important. Job titles will help a search engine pick out your CV from the pile.
Structure of the CV

1-Create a section for your education and qualifications. This section can be at the
beginning of your CV or you can choose to list it after other sections. The order of
sections is up to you. List your education in reverse chronological order. Begin
with university if you attended or are attending it and work your way backwards.

49
List the name of your university, the dates you went there, your major and minor,
and your grade point average or A levels

2-Create a section for your work experience. This is the section in which you
should list all of your relevant work experience. List the name of the company, the
location of the company, the years you worked there, and what you did. Start with
your most recent job and work backwards. If you have a long list of work
experience, only put the experiences relevant to the job you are applying for.

3-Create a section for your skills and achievements. This section is where you list
the things you accomplished at your previous jobs, and the skills you have
developed through your experiences. This is also the section where you list any of
your published work, lectures you've given, classes you've taught.

4-Create a section for your interests. You should list any relevant interests that
paint you in the most positive light. Choose several interests from the list you
created while brainstorming for your CV .

5-Create a section for other information. If there is a noticeable gap in your CV or

there is some other information you would like to share, put it in this section. This
sort of information can include leaving work to take care of children, join the
Peace Corps

6-Create a section for references. These are people you have worked with in the
past such as professors, previous employers, etc. that have seen your work and can
credibly support praises that they give you. The company you are applying to may
contact these references to find out more about your previous work. You should
talk with the person you would like to list a reference before actually listing them--
it is best to double check that they still have the same number, are ok with giving
you a reference, or that they remember who you are. Write down their full names
and contact information (including their phone numbers and emails).

7-Check your spelling and grammar. Poor spelling is the quickest way to get
rejected.

50
8-Read your CV as if you were the company you are applying to. What do you
think about the layout and the information written there? Do you come across as a
professional?

9-Get someone else to read your CV.

LESSON #12

Coping with the daily stress

Understand Different Personality Types

Start by Knowing Your Personality Type

When you understand what personality type you are, you can understand yourself
and what communication styles are most effective for you.

When we understand our colleagues’ personalities, we can work better with them,
develop closer relationships, and create a friendlier, more cohesive work
environment.

You have to get along with people, but you also have to recognize that the strength
of a team is different for people with different perspectives and different
personalities.

What Are Personality Types?

Personality type by definition is the psychological classification of different

individuals with specific behavioral tendencies.

51
Four Personality Types

• The Playful – Energetic, funny, loud, enthusiastic, extroverts who love

speaking to people. They are best at networking and socializing. They are
also unorganized, forgiving, and easily distracted. They are innovative, full
of ideas, creative, and tend to work fast.

• The Peaceful – Just as the title says it, they crave peace and order. They are
easy going, patient, diplomatic – always avoiding confrontation with others.
They are emotionally stable. They balance out companies who are on the
move or fast-paced, and are best at building a working team.

• The Powerful – Authoritative presence, productive, decisive, take control,

do not give up easily, internally strong, get to the point, work hard and
accomplishing their many goals.

• The Precise – They value structure, order, and compliance. They are
organized, procedurally strong perfectionists. They put work before play and
generally stop working only after they have done everything right.

How to Interact With Each Personality Type

• Playful typically want fondness, attention, and approval.

• Powerful typically want credit, loyalty, and appreciation.
• Precise typically want quiet, space to work alone, and sensitivity.
• Peaceful typically want respect, value, and harmony between people in the
workplace.

Understanding Precipitating Factors

For many people, life is like a snowball. On a particularly good day, everything
may go your way and make you feel like you’re on top of the world. But on a bad
day, unfortunate events can likewise snowball, increasing their negative effect
exponentially.

For example, imagine how each of these events would make you feel if they
happened to you first thing in the morning.

• You encounter construction on the way to work.

• Your alarm clock doesn’t go off and you wake up late.

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 • You are out of coffee.

• The cafeteria line is very long.

Each of those things is potentially responsible for creating a crummy morning.
Now, imagine this scenario:
You wake up and realize your alarm clock hasn’t gone off and you’re already late.
You get up and go to turn the coffee pot on, but you realize that there is no coffee
left in your house. Then, you shower and head out the door – only to encounter
construction and massive traffic back-ups on the way to work. Now you’re 15
minutes late instead of five. You get to work and head to the cafeteria for some
much-needed coffee, but the line stretches out the door.

Successful communicators are excellent at identifying precipitating factors and

adjusting their approach before the communication starts, or during it

Dealing with anger and managing the emotions

In psychology, coping is expending conscious effort to solve personal and

interpersonal problems, and seeking to master, minimize or tolerate stress or
conflict.

Psychological coping mechanisms are commonly termed coping strategies or

coping skills.

Positive techniques

▪ Proactive coping. Anticipation is when one reduces the stress of some

difficult challenge by anticipating what it will be like and preparing for how
one is going to cope with it.

▪ social coping, such as seeking social support from others

▪ Meaning-focused coping, in which the person concentrates on getting the
meaning from the stressful experience.

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 ▪ Yet another way of coping is avoiding thoughts or circumstances that cause
stress.

▪ Adequate nutrition, exercise, sleep contribute to stress management, as do

physical fitness and relaxation techniques

While dealing with stress it is important to deal with your physical, mental,
and social well being.

▪ Physically, one should maintain one's health and learn to relax if one finds
oneself under stress.

▪ Mentally it is important to think positive thoughts, value oneself,

demonstrate good time management, plan and think ahead, and express
emotions.

▪ Socially one should communicate with people and seek new activities.
By following these simple strategies, one will have an easier time responding to
stresses in one's life

RECOGNIZING STRESS

Stress Is the…

▪ Boss
▪ Airports
▪ Finances (Car breaking down)

▪ Weather

▪ Illness
TIME, MONEY, AND RELATIONSHIPS ENSURE THAT STRESS
WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US
Symptoms and Illnesses of Stress

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Behavioral

▪ Avoidance

▪ Sleep problems

▪ Easily distracted

▪ Confusion
▪ Fearful thoughts
Emotional

▪ Anger

▪ Worry

▪ Tension
Cardiovascular

▪ Chest pains

▪ Cold hand,feet

▪ Sweaty palms
Muscular

▪ Tension headaches
▪ Shaky/strained voice
Skin

▪ Pale face

▪ Itchiness

What does not work in dealing with stress!

▪ Avoiding the stressors…

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 ▪ Worrying

▪ Blowing up

▪ Negative attitude
▪ Self destructive actions
TAKING CONTROL -Reprogramming

▪ Recognize negative thoughts

▪ Make note of the situation

▪ Identify the negative

▪ Identify the ways in which that thought might be distorted

▪ Reframe your perception to be more objective and positive

Stress Problem -Solving Strategies

▪ Having a Plan!

▪ Obtaining Social Support!

▪ Using Effective Coping Skills

▪ A Positive and Optimistic Attitude!

▪ Learning from mistakes

STRESS MANAGEMENT
GET ORGANIZED:
USE CALENDERS OR “TO DO LISTS”
KNOW YOUR LIMITS:

BE REALISTIC
CHANGE ATTITUDE:

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LEARN TO SEE STRESSFUL SITUATIONS AS CHALLENGES
TALK IT OVER:

TALK THE SITUATION OVER WITH A FRIEND

Other Stress Reducers

▪ Daily program routine

▪ Focused breathing

▪ Peaceful wake-up call

▪ Meditation/relaxation
▪ Mind/body check

▪ Medication
Negative Self-Talk

▪ •I should always be perfect and do everything perfectly

▪ •I should never make mistakes

▪ •I should always be in control

▪ •I should always put the needs of others before mine; otherwise I am being
selfish

Positive Self-Talk
•I am calm and relaxed
•I feel peaceful and centered

•My breathing is deep and regular

•I have control over how I react to stressful situations in my life
•I am worthy and deserving of happiness

Balancing a Full Platter

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Balance is experienced differently by everyone and can be identified by some or all
of the following feelings:

•Make time for family and work

•Make sure life flows
•Cope with life’s curves

•You are on the right path –personally and professionally

. Leadership skills and decision making

The ability to lead effectively is based on a number of key skills. These skills
involve dealing with people in such a way as to motivate and build respect.

Leadership roles are all around us, not just in a work environment.
They can be applied to any situation where you are required to take the lead,
professionally, socially and at home in family settings.
Ideally, leaders become leaders because they have credibility, and because people
want to follow them.

Successful leaders should be willing to take responsibility for their actions, take
calculated risks, and adapt their values to make decisions that will prove most
beneficial for their organization. Leaders often need to be fearless because “the
unpredictability or uncertainty that surrounds most decision making, as well as the
accountability factor means that a person has to assume some degree of risk with
each decision

A crucial part of making decisions is being able to take responsibility for the
resulting consequences of during those decisions into actions. No matter how
careful the decision maker is about choosing the correct course of action, no one
can be right one hundred percent of the time.

Some people do not like to make mistakes, so they try to avoid problematic
decisions. Essentially they hope to avoid accountability from decisions that go
wrong.

An effective leader must not be afraid to be accountable for all the decisions that
he or she makes, whether they turn out to be right or wrong.
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Having necessary personal qualities, leaders must determine which approach to
decision making is best for their organization.

It is important for leaders to possess individual decision making skills.

Leaders need to pay attention to body language to make sure that everyone is
indeed on the same page.

A quick decision is not always the best decision! Deciding too late Groups may
become deadlocked in their debate due to a desire for equal participation and hear
everyone’s questions and opinions.

Leaders need to “call the question” when pressure for a timely decision is needed.

A lengthy debate does not always lead to the best decision!

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