IMPORTANCE OF VOICE

IMPORTANCE OF VOICE

The critical role of voice in oral communication cannot be over-emphasized. Following findings of a study are both interesting and revealing:
What you say - 07 % (mostly hearing)
How you say - 38 % (hearing and seeing)
Body language - 55 % (seeing)
From the above it is evident that „what is said‟ in not as important as „how it is said‟. And „how‟ is greatly influenced by the reproduction of sound waves, their transmission and reception by the listeners.
The quality, tone and texture of your voice and the manner and speed of its delivery have a major role in influencing the audience. Combined with other etiquettes / mannerism, „how it is said‟ is over five time more effective than „what is said‟.

VOICE POWER

VOICE POWER

Human voice has been hailed as the „organ of the soul‟. Human beings are very fortunate to have been blessed with the ability to produce, modulate and throw the voice in the way they desire to influence the audience. With devotion and practice, they can reproduce the voices of different animals, birds etc. They are also able to replicate the sounds of different musical instruments.
Voice is an important part of ones‟ personality. A talented manager could not progress much in his career because he had a squeaky voice. Another erudite person wanted to become a trainer but because his voice crackled often, it failed to make the right impression on his wards. There are also instances when a hoarse or husky voice was thought to be very seductive and women with husky voice could easily command attention in party circuits.

PARALINGUISTICS

PARALINGUISTICS

The literal meaning of „para-‟ is „like‟; the subject relates to a field that is „like language‟. It is not a language because it does not involve any words. However, no words can be spoken or sung without the sound that accompanies it. It is a non-verbal communication, known as „vocal communication‟. Without it, words do not convey the intended meaning. Thus the entire subject of communication has three distinct components:
 Verbal is what of the message i.e., words
 Vocal is how of the message i.e., voice of the speaker
 Visual is the supportive body movements without which a face-to-face message is incomplete.

 VOICE POWER

Human voice has been hailed as the „organ of the soul‟. Human beings are very fortunate to have been blessed with the ability to produce, modulate and throw the voice in the way they desire to influence the audience. With devotion and practice, they can reproduce the voices of different animals, birds etc. They are also able to replicate the sounds of different musical instruments.
Voice is an important part of ones‟ personality. A talented manager could not progress much in his career because he had a squeaky voice. Another erudite person wanted to become a trainer but because his voice crackled often, it failed to make the right impression on his wards. There are also instances when a hoarse or husky voice was thought to be very seductive and women with husky voice could easily command attention in party circuits.

IMPORTANCE OF VOICE

The critical role of voice in oral communication cannot be over-emphasized. Following findings of a study are both interesting and revealing:
What you say - 07 % (mostly hearing)
How you say - 38 % (hearing and seeing)
Body language - 55 % (seeing)
From the above it is evident that „what is said‟ in not as important as „how it is said‟. And „how‟ is greatly influenced by the reproduction of sound waves, their transmission and reception by the listeners.
The quality, tone and texture of your voice and the manner and speed of its delivery have a major role in influencing the audience. Combined with other etiquettes / mannerism, „how it is said‟ is over five time more effective than „what is said‟.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SKILLS

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Writing makes a person perfect. It is an important part of communication skills in the hands of budding students. Since writing is a deliberate and intended expression of one‟s thoughts and feelings, its quality is usually better than oral communication which can be immediate, quick response and faster than written communication. Although an ancient wisdom suggests that one should think before speaking, the quality of choice of words, phrases and sentences is not as good as it is in written communication.
Writing is a skill that can be acquired. Perfecting the art of writing, however, requires a lot of hard work. It is a skill that can distinguishes a person from the group. A successful executive, while sharing the reasons for his quick promotions in the first five years‟ of his career admitted that it was largely because he could write better than others. The verbal edge is the winning edge - a competitive edge over rivals.
There is a famous saying, “reading makes a full man, conference a ready man and writing an exact man”. It must be understood that whatever is written or said is the real self of the persons doing so. A good writer feels from the heart and then writes.

AN OVERVIEW - NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

AN OVERVIEW - NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Human beings have always communicated with other members of the species. Before spoken languages were developed, they used different parts of the body to convey their emotions, feelings and ideas. People have been aware of using parts of the body to convey their thoughts since times immemorial. Whenever brain assumes certain attitude, it gets communicated to people around through body parts as they respond intuitively with specific actions, gestures and expressions. Persons trained in body language can secure reliable feedback from their audience and distinguish when the speaker is telling a truth or lie. Women have eyes for details and are more receptive than men in picking up these cues and clues.
Objective of learning body language is to gain knowledge and modify own behaviour, change oral communication in line with the feedback and respond quickly for better total impact on the audience. Monitoring non-verbal cues enables people to improve interaction, establish rapport by learning what pleases / offends and bring about a subconscious motivation to conscious level for complete understanding with others.
Communication is 7 % verbal, 38 % vocal and 55 % non-verbal – nearly 80 % coming from the upper part of the body. Advantages to managers are that body language is visual, happens simultaneous to oral communication, makes message more intense, enhance environment for interaction / negotiation and is very effective in small gatherings. Limitations are that, being non-verbal, it is not taken as seriously as oral / written communications, gets influenced by local culture / customs, listeners / observers have to be very careful and attentive to notice and infer and is not very effective in large gatherings.
It is now recognized that besides body parts, clothing, hair styles, jewellery, accessories, cosmetics / perfumes and even pair of spectacles / sunglasses play significant role in body language. A person is also known by his dress and address.
Five major areas of study of body language are kinesics (movements of body parts), paralinguistic (voice power), proximics (concept of personal spaces), chronomics (impact of time and timing) and neuro linguistic programming (role and influence of human senses and mind).
Kinesics is the most important part of non-verbal communication and covers facial expressions including smiling, eye contacts and related gazing, glancing and eye blocking, hands, palms, handshakes, double handshakes, arms etc, thumbs / fingers and legs, body postures, standing / walking styles etc.

KINESICS - Walking styles Including Leg and Feet Postures

KINESICS - Walking styles Including Leg and Feet Postures

Style of walking can help detect the type of personality traits of individuals. However, walking style alone should not be used as the determining factor. This has to be taken together with other postures, gestures etc. Some of the common styles of walking are:
(i) Walking with hands in pocket
This is a portrayal of a macho image. He may be shy, withdrawn and critical of happenings around.
(ii) Walking with hands in pocket, disorganized walk with head bent
The person may be depressed.
(ii) Walking with hands in pocket, disorganized walk and kicking an
imaginery object
The person might be upset and angry.
(iv) While walking, his eyes are focused on the ground
The person is lost in his thoughts.
(v) While walking, his eyes are focusing in the air
He is pre-occupied and is looking for solution to problems.
(vi) Strutting style of walking
He is a person of extreme certainty of opinion and very confident of himself.

Like arms and hands, legs and feet also play significant roles. A few important and common postures are:

(i) Leg Postures

(a) Standard leg-cross posture
In this posture, one leg neatly crosses over the other leg – usually right leg over the left for men and left leg over the right for women. This posture indicates nervous, reserved and defensive attitude. This is a supportive gesture and occurs with other postures and should not be interpreted in isolation. It is common among the audience listening to a lecture. It also happens during cold weather. If it happens with arms folded in front of the chest, it will be foolish to expect any positive outcome from the interaction.
Standing leg cross posture
When attending a meeting or a function, one finds a number of persons standing with cross legs and folded arms in front. They also stand at a distance from one another indicating they are strangers to one another. This group would remain well buttoned up. You will also notice another group who are standing with arms unfolded, coats unbuttoned and more relaxed than the previous group. They know one another well, moving in and out of each others‟ intimate distance frequently.
(e) Cold or defensive posture
Many persons claim that they cross legs and arms because they feel cold. This is often a cover-up because there is a difference between the two. When a person feels cold, he puts his arms under the armpit and not under the elbows. When one feels cold, a person folds his arms in the form of a body hug and legs are crossed but straight, stiff and pressed hard against each other.
(f) Ankle-lock posture
Ankle lock is also a negative gesture similar to cross leg and cross arm posture. In male version, ankle lock is combined with clenched fists on the knees or with hands tightly gripping the arms of the chair and feet are together near the ankle. In the female version, knees are held together and legs crossing below the knees. Hands are either on the thighs next to each other or one above the other. This kind of posture is common among candidates for interviews. They try to hold back negative thoughts, emotions and nervousness. Litigants sit with ankle lock in the court. Girls in miniskirts sit in that position and observers are likely to misinterpret!

(ii) Feet postures

(a) Foot-lock posture
This posture is almost exclusive to women – toes of one foot lock around the other leg. It is a defensive position. In this posture, women become a mental recluse, retreating like a tortoise in to the shell.
(b) Standing erect with evenly distributed weight on both legs
Person is confident
(c) Standing with tilted body weight
It is a clumsy and casual posture
(d) Standing with drooping shoulders and sagging body
It is a timid and weak personality.
(e) Standing with arms held loosely by the side of the body
Person is open and friendly.
Postures represent ones‟ personality. Observers are able to recognize persons from a long distance because of the familiarity with their standing postures even before they are able to see them clearly.

KINESICS - Thumb and fingers

KINESICS - Thumb and fingers

Thumbs and finger have also important roles in non-verbal communication. These shall be discussed separately although briefly.

(i) Thumbs display

Thumbs display strength of character and ego of a person. Thumbs displays are positive signals. „Cool‟ managers, courting men in the company of their female partners and persons wearing rather attractive, fashionable clothes use these postures often. A few popular postures are:
(a) Hands in the pocket of waistcoat or cardigan with thumbs outside
Thumb displays indicate a sense of superiority. They are positive signals and if used intentionally, can give incorrect signals.
(b) Person holding robe / jacket in one hand & thumb pointing upwards
A person like an advocate addressing a jury may use very apologetic and humble form of address but if he is holding his robe or jacket with one hand with its thumb pointing upwards, it conveys a contrary message of speaking from authority and vanity. It he wanted to match his words, he should have taken one foot forward, with his jacket open and open palm pointing upwards and stooping forward a bit.
(c) Both hands in trousers‟ pocket (back / front) & thumbs protruding out
This gesture is common among both men and women and people use it to hide their domineering attitude. Women have adopted this male gesture over time.
(d) Arms folded in front with hands under armpit & thumbs pointing upwards
This is double signal – it is defensive or negative approach owing to folded hands but thumbs pointing upwards indicate a superior attitude.
(e) Thumb pointing to another person
This is a symbol of disrespect or ridicule. People use it for persons they do not like.

(ii) Finger movements

These can also be observed fairly quickly and are useful cues of body movements:
(a) Index finger pointing
Several interpretations are:
 If index finger is pointed to someone, it is considered an accusation and should be avoided.
 Ifit is accompanied by heated arguments, it is a negative signal.
 A simple finger pointing is usually associated with authority, parents and preachers.

(b) Steeple-like fingers
Several meanings are:
 Fingers not pointing to anyone in particular convey confidence, egotistic, pontifical or a proud gesture. Such persons are very sure and have a sense of superiority.
 A raised steeple pointing upwards implies that he is giving his opinion while speaking.
 A lowered steeple means he is listening.

KINESICS - Arms

KINESICS - Arms

Arms are often used as barriers to defend ones‟ position or to hide self. A few common gestures involving arms are as below:

(a) Standard arm-cross gesture

When both hands are folded across the chest, attempt is to hide from unfavourable situations. It is a universal gesture signifying negative or defensive attitude. When a person is among strangers in a public meetings, queues, cafeterias, lifts etc, people feel uncertain and insecure.
A simple but effective method to avoid this is to hand the person a pen, a book or something that forces him to open his arms. Another method is to reach him and ask if he wanted to ask a question. Successful salespersons do not proceed with the presentation about their product until they have uncovered the reasons for customer folding his arms.

(b) Reinforced arm-cross gesture

If in addition to the above he has clenched his fists with a red face, a verbal or physical attack is imminent. A submissive palm open up approach is required to discover the reason if it is not known already.

(c) Arms folded and gripping the upper arms

Often the arms are gripped so tight that fingers and knuckles turn white because the blood circulation is cut off. This gesture is common among people waiting in doctors‟ / dentists‟ clinics. A first time traveller prior to plane taking off also exhibits this gesture as it shows negative restrained attitude.

(d) Arms folded in front and thumbs pointing vertically upwards

When a young executive among unfamiliar people does a handshake with the top boss and then stands aside with arms folded with thumbs pointing vertically upwards, it represents a defensive gesture but with a cool approach. It reflects self confidence with folded arms giving a sense of protection

(e) Arms folded partially in front with one hand in the other

This is a partial arm-cross barrier and often seen in meetings among strangers. It is a common gesture used by people who stand before a crowd to receive an award or give a speech. This gesture reminds people of their childhood days when parents held his hand under fearful circumstances!

(f) One arm swings across the body to hold or touch the other arm in normal position

This is also a partial arm-cross gesture 

KINESICS - Double handshakes

KINESICS - Double handshakes

These are also happening with a great deal of regularity. A few of the gestures fall under the intimate level of relationship and may not be useful in business and formal arena. A few well know ones are:
(a) Glove (politician) handshake
The gesture means that the receiver of handshake holds your hand with both the hands. The person is trying to give the impression that he is sincere and trustworthy. However, if this is done with someone who is not known, the person should become cautious and suspicious.
(b) Left hand on the wrist while shaking with the right hand
Left hand is used to show sincerity, trust and depth of feelings.
(c) Left hand on the forearm near the elbow while shaking with right hand
Higher the level of point at which the left hand is while shaking with right hand, more intimate and intense are the feelings being conveyed.
(d) Left hand on the upper arm while shaking with the right hand
This takes the handshake in to the area of personal / intimate zone. It may not be used in business and other similar interactions.
(e) Left hand on the shoulder while shaking with the right hand
This takes the person in to more personal and intimate zone.

KINESICS - Handshakes

KINESICS  -  Handshakes

Shaking hands is a relic from the old caveman age. Whenever they came out of their cave and saw others, they shook their hands to let the other persons know that they are not carrying arms. Over time, this got modified in to a handshake that involves interlocking and shaking of palms. Internationally, this has become a popular way of greeting on meeting and once again, when departing excepting some older civilizations as in India where „namaskar‟ is still popular.
There are several types of handshakes:
(a) Normal (Equal) handshake with thumbs pointing sideways
It indicates good grip with a good degree of professionalism in approach. It reflects equality in attitude and in behaviour. All managers and leaders must learn how to do handshake professionally.
(b) Handshake with your thumb on top of the other person‟s hand
It suggests you are in control of the situation
(c) Handshake with other person‟s thumb on top of your hand
It means that the other person is in control
(d) Handshake with person offering hand with open palm pointing downwards
It suggests that the person is presenting a dominant handshake. To counter it, the other party should catch the hand from the top and shake it. With this, the other party becomes the dominant partner!
(e) If offered a dominant handshake, step forward with left foot
When the second party steps forward on the left foot, it allows him to strengthen the handshake position. The second party can even turn other person‟s hand in to submissive position.
(f) Handshake with right foot forward
Most persons are right footed and they move forward to the right to shake hands. It enables the person to step into the other person‟s intimate zone and brings the handshake to a vertical position for equal exchange
(g) Knuckle grinding (tight) handshake
It is a tight handshake and indicates rough and tough guy. It should be avoided in social interactions.
(h) Dead-fish handshake
It is an uninviting handshake – the hands are cold, sweating and lifeless. Such persons are weak and socially not groomed. It gives one the feeling of dampness and being uncomfortable. Many persons using this handshake are not aware of it. They should ask their friends before deciding which one to adopt as a habit.

KINESICS - PALMS

KINESICS  -  PALMS

Human palms are used to give one of the most powerful signals given by human palms. Some of these are:
(a) Open palm gesture while talking or speaking
This stands for openness and frankness. It is very valuable when you are making an oral presentation. It shoes a positive personality.
(b) An open palm pointing upwards
It indicates submissiveness, as if asking for alms.
(c) An open palm but pointing downwards
It reflects authority. The person is in command. If request is given to subordinate, it is acceptable. However, if request is given to a colleague with open palm pointing downwards, he may feel annoyed.
(d) Palm closed in to a fist but forefinger pointing
By this gesture, the speaker is beating his listener in to submission. It is one of the most irritating gestures a speaker can use. If you are a habitual finger pointing type, try palm up or palm down positions. These lead to more relaxed attitude that has a more positive effect on others.

KINESICS - HANDS

KINESICS  -  HANDS

Hands, palms etc form visible parts of the upper half of the body. They are used more frequently than the other parts and are detailed below:
(i) Hands
A few common movements are:
(a) Clenched hands in a sitting position
It normally signifies determination. However, in interviews, it is a sign of nervousness.
(b) Hands inter-locked at crotch level
Such a posture is meant for statues; it should not be used at all.
(c) Slashing / jabbing the air and then pointing forefinger to someone
It is a strong warning or making an accusation on someone.
(d) Hugging of the self
When some one is hugging self with arms and hands, it conveys uncertainty and lack of confidence
(e) Arms folded in front of the chest with thumb pointing upwards
The individual has closed personality and closed mind. He suffers from a superiority complex.
(f) Holding hands in front of the abdomen
It has two interpretations depending upon the position of hands:
 If the left hand cups the right hand, the individual is of artistic bend of mind – related to the right side of the brain.
 If the right hand cups the left hand, the individual is of logical mind – related to the left side of the brain.
(g) Clasping of the hands behind the back
It implies that the individual is very confident of himself. He is not used to taking orders and is in the habit of issuing directions.
(h) Either hand behind the neck
The individual is trying to analyze the problem and evaluating the proceedings of the interaction. The other person should be careful in interactions as the issues are being evaluated.
(i) Both hands clasping behind the neck
It is a danger signal because it means as if the spine or backbone is being straightened before the final plunge!
(j) Both hands behind the head
Positioning of both hands behind the head is a gesture of superiority, confidence and possible arrogance. This gesture if combined with the expression on the face and eyes can be interpreted as under:
 If the individual maintains eye contact, he feels superior and is confident.
 If the individual turns his head away but continues to position his hands behind the head, he is dismissing your position without much ado. It is pointless to continue further interaction with the person.
(k) Scratching the head
As is the proverb, individual is confused and would like to sort things out as they are causing a lot of discomfort.
(l) Stroking the chin
It implies that the ideas brought up in the discussions are being pruned and being given due consideration. Issues will be taken to their logical conclusions.
(m) Scratching or lightly rubbing one side of the neck
Rubbing one side of the neck may involve one or two fingers only. It means the individual is insecure and is looking for some kind of assurance that he would get from stroking the self or being in close proximity of his own self.
(n) Clenching of hands
It conveys different meanings if the person is speaking and listening:
 If speaking, it implies frustration about the issue and also uncertainty about how long the interaction would continue
 If listening, it means that he is responding rather negatively to whatever is being said.
(o) Thumbs hidden inside the fists
This gesture implies that the person is not able to resolve the issue or reach an amicable solution. Additionally, if the thumbs are well covered, it means the person is depicting his inability to face the situation or come up with a satisfactory solution.
(p) One or both the hands on the hip
If a person is standing erect with one or both the hands on the hip, it denotes two things – either it is a habitual gesture or one that implies authority or royalty and the person is a monarch of all he surveys!
(q) Hands down and fists clenched
It means that the person is getting ready for a quarrel and is ready for the final outburst. The other person can give him a break before he lets off his steam because, otherwise, he is likely to be very aggressive and hostile.
(r) Rubbing hands
There are several interpretations:
 If the rubbing of hands is quick, it implies that the person is excited about something that is satisfying too.
 Slower the rubbing of hands, more dangerous is the implication. It indicates that some kind of deception is going to take place. It also implies that something is going on in the mind of the person that needs close watching.
 Still slower rubbing of the hands similar to when they are cleaned or washed, indicates that the individual is deciding to steer clear of the situation.
(s) Pressing the hands in front of the body like Indian namaskar
The gesture indicates that the individual should be given a chance to present and defend his case. In such gestures of persuasion, there is an element of request that implies that he is in desperate need of having his case heard.
(t) Stapling of the fingers and thumbs together
This gesture signifies that the person is of a very confident nature and is certain of the opinions he wants to put across in the interaction. Being a person of extreme strength and convictions, little can shake his confidence in whatever he wishes to convey.
(u)Leaning forward with head supported by one or both the hands
This has two variants:
 If accompanied with enthusiastic looks in the eyes, it shows interest in the listener
 If it is coupled with bored look on the face, it implies the listener is bored or tired of the interaction.
(v) Person holding his ears with both hands
Although not very common, it implies that the person is sorry and apologetic for what he has done.

KINESICS-Gaze behaviour

KINESICS-Gaze behaviour

Real process of communication gets established when people make eye to eye with other individuals. This is known as gaze behaviour and its important features are:
(a) Some people can make you feel comfortable when you are conversing with them by their gaze behaviour.
(b) Some people can make you feel ill at ease with their gaze behaviour when conversing with you.
(c) When a person is not maintaining eye contact and the duration of eye contact is less that one-third of the time, they arouse a feeling of untrustwortiness in them as they seem to be holding back information and are not honest or forthright.
(d) When the gaze continues for more than two-third of the time, it can imply one of the followings:
 If the gaze leads to dilated eye pupils, it means the other person finds you interesting
 If the gaze leads to contracted eye pupils, it means the other person is hostile to you.
(e) Gazing helps to build rapport with colleagues, subordinates and bosses. If gazing continues for more than two-third of the total time, it leads to positive results. If a person continues gazing for over two-third of the time with the boss, he can win his confidence.
(f) A nervous person who holds the gaze for less than one-third of the time cannot be trusted.
(g) Some gazing is culture-centric. South Europeans gaze longer that may be offensive in some cultures. Japanese gaze at the neck rather than at the face!
(h) The geographical area on which the gaze is focused has profound meaning especially during negotiations:
 If directed at the other person‟s forehead, it creates serious atmosphere and the other person can sense you mean business. If the manager wants to reprimand his subordinate, gaze will focus on the forehead.
 If gaze does not drop below the eye level, person is able to maintain control over the interactions.
 When gaze falls below the eye levels, it leads to creation of social atmosphere.
 It the area of focus is across the eyes and below the chin of the other person, it is an intimate gaze.
(i) If salespersons can find out what is on customers‟ mind, it is valuable to them:
 If prospects‟ eyes are downcast and face is turned away, he is shutting you away.
 If prospects‟ eyes engage yours for several seconds at a time, he is weighing your proposal.
 If prospects‟ head is shifted to the same level as yours, the sale is virtually made.
(j) Gaze plays a big role in courtship:
 Signals are exchanged when they meet each other‟s gaze
 Girls use makeup to emphasize their eye display
 If a girl likes the boy, her eye pupils dilate and get properly decoded
 With partially drooped eyes, girl will hold boy‟s gaze just long enough for him to notice and then quickly turn her gaze away
 A girl can convey coy looks by blinking quickly 2 to 3 times in a short span of time
 If a girl‟s gaze is accompanied by dilation of pupils, it shows she is interested

KINESICS - Eye contacts including gazing, glancing and eye blocking

KINESICS - Eye contacts including gazing, glancing and eye blocking

(i) Reading eyes
Eyes form the focal point of the face and body movements. Proper reading of the eyes can reveal the following states of mind:
(a) Positive feedback
If the eye contact gives a positive feedback to the speaker, it boosts his confidence and imparts a new zeal to the presentation.
(b) Negative feedback
If the feedback through the eye contacts is negative, it leads to demoralizing of the speaker, resulting in his faltering and fumbling.
(c)Positive eye contact
A positive eye contact especially during gatherings like seminars, meetings etc, makes them interesting and lively.
(d) Blank looks
A person with a blank look, when eyes do not blink, appears to be bored. It means he is not listening.
(e) Avoiding glances
Generally people do not exchange glances with the strangers to avoid opening of any conversation or contact with them.
(f) Avoiding eye contact
A person avoiding eye contact may not be feeling comfortable or he may be attempting to deceive or hide something. He may have guilty conscience.
(g) Indifference
Eyes can easily give the idea whether the person is showing indifference to the topic being discussed or happenings in the vicinity.
(h) Index of state of mind
Eyes can effectively reveal anger, authority, fear, disgust, timidity, confidence, love, intimacy etc
(i) Index of emotional state
Eyes can also convey the emotional states of happiness, sadness, surprise, fear, disgust or pain.
(j) Staring eyes
Although people do not like staring, a person in love stares often.
(k) Sidelong glances
A person engaged in sidelong glances may be suspicious, doubtful or distrusting of what is happening around.
(l) Concentrated eyes
A person with concentrated eyes, accompanied by lowering of eyelids, is not concealing the eyes; instead, he is focusing on some interesting object as is often used by artists and lovers.
(m) Wearing glasses on eyes
It does not come in the way of reading the eyes. On the contrary, it may yield additional information to the watcher. A person removing glasses and then wearing it again quickly wants quick decisions.
(n) Eyes lighting up
Eyes light up when one is happy or excited about something or when he wants to share someone‟s happiness.
(o) Eyes welling up
When a person empathizes with another individual, eyes well up.
(p) Dilation and contraction of pupils of the eyes
If a person is very excited, the pupil can dilate up to four times its normal size. Contracted eyes make them look beady or like snake eyes that shows anger. Babies and small children use dilation of pupils to gain attention. Dilation of pupil by kids makes them appear more desirable.
(q) Expression of anger and hostility through eyes
The expression of anger and hostility through other parts of the body is largely controllable but it is very difficult to control the anger and hostility through the eyes. It invariably leads to serious conflicts.
Almost every adult must have experienced:
 „A look that would kill‟
 „A come-hither look‟
 „I am available look‟
 „A fist eye‟
As a rule, successful managers develop a good understanding with their subordinates through eye contact. It leads to better rapport between the manager and his subordinates. This kind of relationship with subordinates enhances human potential, their output and productivity.
Eye movements form the lifeblood of Indian classical dances – they use a permutation and combination of eyebrows, eyelids, eyelashes and pupil and make eyes the potent instrument for suggestions and other emotional feelings.
In most situations of business interest, managers should look in to the eyes when they are talking to someone. It is interesting to note that the late A Onassis, a Greek shipping magnate who often emerged as a successful negotiator of deals, wore dark glasses while negotiating!

KINESICS - Eye contacts including gazing, glancing and eye blocking

KINESICS - Eye contacts including gazing, glancing and eye blocking

Although eyes are a part of the face and can be read along with many other facial expressions, they have a crucial role in body language and hence, merit special treatment. Owing to the critical importance of eye movements and their impact on facial expressions, this area has developed in to a science called „occulesics‟ – study of eye language and its grammar. Following features of the occulesics highlight their role:
 Eyes have been referred to as „the mirror of the soul‟. They express innermost thoughts of a person. Knowing them by looking at the eyes can be a very rewarding skill and ability.
 Eyes react instantaneously to any external stimuli. They react faster than other parts of the body, Actions and contents of speech can be „faked‟ quickly but it is very difficult to „fake‟ the expression of eyes.
 Eyes also play a significant role in execution, action taking and collecting feedback. Eyes provide feedback that is instantaneous. (76 % of the sensory feedback happens through seeing)
 Eyeballs produce a great emotional impact from the way they affect the area of the face around the eyes.
 Eye contact is also important in oral presentations – confidence of the presenter is judged from his eyes; eye contact with the audience is also required for keeping their interest alive during presentation. Collective eye contact is also critical to the successful running of meetings, seminars etc.
 Eyes of a painting give an accurate picture of what it communicates – sadness, happiness, hunger, desire, anxiety or contentment.
 Various dance forms especially Indian dances emphasize eye movements a great deal to express the theme and the mood of the dance.
 Various dance forms especially Indian dances emphasize eye movements a great deal to express the theme and the mood of the dance.

KINESICS - Smiling face

KINESICS  - Smiling face

Smile is a specific feature of facial expression. It is the most universal sign, common among all cultures. It has following characteristics:

 Ordinarily, smile is related to happiness of a person

 Smile is also used when we recognize a person or accept the presence of another person

 A smiling face often appears to be friendly and cooperative

 Oblong smile happens when lips are drawn fully back from the upper and lower teeth. It expresses politeness. It also conveys respect to the teacher or the boss

 A simple smile also shows love, interest or attention to a person or an object

 If used properly, a smile can make a tense situation friendly and relaxed

Smiling plays a very crucial role in human interactions:

1 Smile creates a lasting first impression. A smile says, „I like you. I am glad to see you‟.

2 Smile is a messenger of your goodwill; it brightens the lives of all who see it. For those who often see people frown, scowl or turn their faces away, smile is like a sun breaking through the clouds.

 It costs nothing but creates much – it enriches those who receive without impoverishing those who give.

 It happens in a flash but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever!

 One is not dressed for the day if he has not worn his smile. Nobody needs a smile so much as those who have nothing to give.

 Smile creates happiness at homes, fosters goodwill in business and is the countersign of friendship.

According to an old Chinese proverb, „A man without a smiling face must not open a shop‟.

KINESICS

KINESICS

Facial expressions including smiling

Face is the index of heart. It is the most expressive part of the body and is also the one that is observed most by the audience. Persons‟ feelings and emotions get immediately transferred in to some form of expressions on the face. Facial expressions include the parts played by head, heart, eyes, nose, mouth and lips. Everyone, almost intuitively, recognizes the facial expressions associated with:
 Happiness
 Fear
 Surprise
 Anger
 Sadness
 Astonishment
 Bewilderment
 Contentment etc
Similarly, observers can easily detect smile, frown etc. In conjunction with nose and nostrils, ears, mouth, lips etc they are able to decipher many other expressions and movements very quickly. These thoughts, feelings and emotions may be either positive or negative – being able to read them from the facial and related expressions, managers and leaders are able to use the knowledge to their advantage. It is said that „every face tells a story‟ and managers and leaders must learn the kinesics to grasp that story quickly and react accordingly.
The muscles of the face have a nerve center in the stem of the human brain and it contains 7,000 to 10,000 nerve cells that are spread out in different parts of the face. The facial muscles that control a smile are similar to the muscles that control posture, voice tone and pitch, movements and expressions that are triggered by emotions from emotions of the heart (right side of the brain) or thoughts (from the left side of the brain).
Very often, facial expressions involve more than one part of the face. For example, an extremely aggressive person will have his lips closed tightly, eyes wide open, eyes and eyebrows turned down, teeth clenched and he will speak with his lips barely moving! Similarly, a defiant person will have his head and chin thrust forward, lips tensed up and pushed forward so that any person can see that he is in angry mood.

(i) Smiling face

Smile is a specific feature of facial expression. It is the most universal sign, common among all cultures. It has following characteristics:
 Ordinarily, smile is related to happiness of a person
 Smile is also used when we recognize a person or accept the presence of another person
 A smiling face often appears to be friendly and cooperative
 Oblong smile happens when lips are drawn fully back from the upper and lower teeth. It expresses politeness. It also conveys respect to the teacher or the boss
 A simple smile also shows love, interest or attention to a person or an object
 If used properly, a smile can make a tense situation friendly and relaxed
Smiling plays a very crucial role in human interactions:
1 Smile creates a lasting first impression. A smile says, „I like you. I am glad to see you‟.
2 Smile is a messenger of your goodwill; it brightens the lives of all who see it. For those who often see people frown, scowl or turn their faces away, smile is like a sun breaking through the clouds.
 It costs nothing but creates much – it enriches those who receive without impoverishing those who give.
 It happens in a flash but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever!
 One is not dressed for the day if he has not worn his smile. Nobody needs a smile so much as those who have nothing to give.
 Smile creates happiness at homes, fosters goodwill in business and is the countersign of friendship.
According to an old Chinese proverb, „A man without a smiling face must not open a shop‟.

(ii) Laughter

It is another allied expression where face plays a very dominant role. Laughter has been classified in to different types:
 Humorous laughter
 Social laughter
 Ignorance laughter
 Evasion laughter
 Embarrassment laughter
 Apologetic laughter
 Anxiety laughter
 Derisive laughter
 Joyous laughter

KINESICS OR BODY MOVEMENTS - 1

KINESICS OR BODY MOVEMENTS - 1

Kinesics literally means „body movements‟ and has emerged as the most important area of non-verbal communication. Kinesics stands for the way the body communicates without words but with the use of movements of the body.
It must be understood that the body movements are the reflections of ones‟ feelings, emotions, thoughts and position in a given situation. By nodding their head or by shrugging their shoulders or by blinking their eyes, people are able to send messages that are often stronger than the spoken words. They are able to convey a large array of emotions, feelings and thoughts that need to be inferred from the signs and signals involving body movement.
Although the list of different parts of the body is large, following aspects are some :

 Facial expressions including smiling
 Eye contact, gazing, glancing and eye blocking
 Hands, palms, handshakes, double handshakes, arms, hands and fingers together
 Thumbs and fingers
 Legs and feet postures
 Walking styles

COMPONENTS OF BODY LANGUAGE

COMPONENTS OF BODY LANGUAGE

Non-verbal communication has emerged as area of major interest to budding students because they can exploit the knowledge successfully during negotiations and other major human interactions. Based on the developments in the broad field of body language, subject can be grouped in to the following
(1) Kinesics
Kinesics is the study of movements of different parts of the body
(2) Paralinguistics
Also called Para Language - it concerns with study of the role of the vocal aspects viz., volume, speed, modulation, clarity etc while speaking.
(3) Proxemics
It relates to the role and importance of personal or spatial distance when people interact socially.
(4) Chronomics
It relates to concept of time and its impact on humans in communication.
(5) Neuro Linguistic Programming
Effective communication is the perception of „what has been received‟ rather than „what has been delivered‟ and in this five human senses have significant role and influence. Neuro Linguistic Programming studies this aspect of human interaction.

COMPONENTS OF BODY LANGUAGE

COMPONENTS OF BODY LANGUAGE

Non-verbal communication has emerged as area of major interest to budding managers / leaders because they can exploit the knowledge successfully during negotiations and other major human interactions. Based on the developments in the broad field of body language, subject can be grouped in to the followings;

(1) Kinesics

Kinesics is the study of movements of different parts of the body

(2) Paralinguistics

Also called Para Language - it concerns with study of the role of the vocal aspects viz., volume, speed, modulation, clarity etc while speaking.

(3) Proxemics

It relates to the role and importance of personal or spatial distance when people interact socially.

(4) Chronomics

It relates to concept of time and its impact on humans in communication.

(5) Neuro Linguistic Programming

Effective communication is the perception of „what has been received‟ rather than „what has been delivered‟ and in this five human senses have significant role and influence. Neuro Linguistic Programming studies this aspect of human interaction.

ROLE OF APPEARNACES IN BODY LANGUAGE

ROLE OF APPEARNACES IN BODY LANGUAGE

In the context of non-verbal communication, appearances should include:
1. Clothing
 Hairdressing and style
 Jewellery and other accessories like watch, belt, shoes etc
 Cosmetics including choice of perfume
 Pair of spectacles
Initial thought may verge on the feeling that the above are quite unrelated to body language including movements, gestures, postures etc. However, a little deeper thought should convince that they are related to body language and can have serious influence on gestures, expressions and movements and change their meanings significantly.
It is said that a person is known by his dress and address. It emphasizes not only the kind of dress he wears but also the way he addresses his listeners. Perhaps it has some link with his postal address indicating his social status if he is residing in the upper class locality.

ADVANTAGES OF BODY LANGUAGE

ADVANTAGES OF BODY LANGUAGE

(1) Advantages of Body Language
Resourceful managers make effective use of the power of the body language. They are able to take several advantages by taking note of the signs and signals of body language:
1 It is a visual form of communication and is readily visible to the receivers of the message and facilitates decoding the message more accurately.
2 Body language happens simultaneous to oral communication and supplements it, especially in face-to-face communications.
3 Since body talks subconsciously, it adds intensity to the message. Without these gestures, expressions and postures, the communication may be bland.
4 People are generally mindful of the body language. Its proper use can enhance the environment for business negotiations.
5 It is a very good tool in face-to-face communication among small groups

IMPORTANCE OF BODY LANGUAGE

IMPORTANCE OF BODY LANGUAGE

Researches have confirmed that verbal communication, both oral and written, primarily helps in conveying information and non-verbal communication assists in negotiating inter-personal attitudes and behaviour. In some cases, non-verbal communication even substitutes oral communication - a woman can give a man a „look to kill‟ without speaking a word.
In respect of body language and the rules it follows, human beings are at the same stage of development as other animals and are governed by the biological rules that control their actions in the form of gestures, expressions and sounds. It is rather interesting to know that human beings are rarely aware of their postures, expressions and sounds that accompany their oral messaging.
Persons trained well in body language can reap the following benefits:

(1) Securing reliable feedback

Body does not lie although human beings can easily be swayed in to telling things that are not true. A perceptive and trained speaker can easily find out if he is speaking above, below or in line with the level of understanding of the audience and change / modify the message and his style to suit.

(2) Distinguishing truth from lie

Sensitive observers of body language can capture cues from non-verbal communication and compare it with the verbal communication and if they do not match, they get the uncanny feeling that the speaker is not telling the truth. There is a famous maxim, „Words may lie but the body seldom does‟. Body language has been described as the language all speak but very few understand it.

(3) Women are more perceptive that men

Also called „women intuition‟, they have an innate ability to pick up and decipher non-verbal signs and signals and have an eye for details. No wonder, few husbands can lie successfully to their wives. Conversely, most women can pull a fast one on their men without their realizing it. Female intuition is very high among women who have grown up children. Mothers solely rely on non-verbal communication to interact with the child for the first one year or so.

BODY LANGUAGE THROUGH AGES

BODY LANGUAGE THROUGH AGES

Humans have been using body language to convey our thoughts since ancient times and have been aware of it as is evident from the following ancient sayings:
 Actions speak louder than words
 Watch out for the man whose stomach does not move when he laughs
 The eyes of men converse as much as their tongues, with the advantage that the ocular dialect needs no dictionary but is understood the world over
 Learning is acquired by reading books but the much more necessary learning, the knowledge of the world, is only to be acquired by reading men and studying various editions of them
 Communication is like a dance, with every one engaged in the intricate and shared movements across many subtle dimensions, yet all strangely oblivious that they are doing so
 Mortals can keep no secrets. If their lips are silent, they gossip through their fingertips. Betrayal forces its way through every pose.
At any given moment, the brain assumes a certain attitude which gets communicated to people around through various parts of the body that respond instinctively with specific actions, gestures, expressions, sounds, movements, dress, perfume etc

Non-verbal CUES in Body Language

Non-verbal CUES in Body Language

Human beings have always communicated with other members of the species. Before spoken languages were developed, they used different parts of the body to convey their emotions, feelings and ideas. People have been aware of using parts of the body to convey their thoughts since times immemorial. Whenever brain assumes certain attitude, it gets communicated to people around through body parts as they respond intuitively with specific actions, gestures and expressions. Persons trained in body language can secure reliable feedback from their audience and distinguish when the speaker is telling a truth or lie. Women have eyes for details and are more receptive than men in picking up these cues and clues.
Objective of learning body language is to gain knowledge and modify own behaviour, change oral communication in line with the feedback and respond quickly for better total impact on the audience. Monitoring non-verbal cues enables people to improve interaction, establish rapport by learning what pleases / offends and bring about a subconscious motivation to conscious level for complete understanding with others.
Communication is 7 % verbal, 38 % vocal and 55 % non-verbal – nearly 80 % coming from the upper part of the body. Advantages to managers are that body language is visual, happens simultaneous to oral communication, makes message more intense, enhance environment for interaction / negotiation and is very effective in small gatherings. Limitations are that, being non-verbal, it is not taken as seriously as oral / written communications, gets influenced by local culture / customs, listeners / observers have to be very careful and attentive to notice and infer and is not very effective in large gatherings.
It is now recognized that besides body parts, clothing, hair styles, jewellery, accessories, cosmetics / perfumes and even pair of spectacles / sunglasses play significant role in body language. A person is also known by his dress and address.
Five major areas of study of body language are kinesics (movements of body parts), paralinguistic (voice power), proximics (concept of personal spaces), chronomics (impact of time and timing) and neuro linguistic programming (role and influence of human senses and mind).
Kinesics is the most important part of non-verbal communication and covers facial expressions including smiling, eye contacts and related gazing, glancing and eye blocking, hands, palms, handshakes, double handshakes, arms etc, thumbs / fingers and legs, body postures, standing / walking styles etc.

PERSUASIVE SPEECH

PERSUASIVE SPEECH

Besides flow of information, speaking involves persuading others to a common goal as that is the „core purpose‟ of communication. Sales persons persuade potential buyers to partake their products and services. Potential employees try to sell their skill sets and competence to future employers. Managers and leaders motivate their employees to reorient their mindsets leading to change in their attitude to the work and to the firm, resulting in higher performance and rewards.
When speakers try to persuade, motivate and guide listeners to a goal, the speeches are persuasive. All speakers must learn the importance of:
 How they physically present themselves?
 How they say things?
 What things they say?
Since students have to be good speakers, it will be very beneficial to them if they learn and master the following important elements for becoming effective, persuasive speakers:
(1) Demonstrated skills in public speaking and attentive listening and ability to articulate and use body language to the best effect
(2) Understanding of elements of persuasion
(3) Identification of elements of personal credibility
(4) Ability to analyze other speakers‟ speeches
(5) Confidence to outline the main ideas and thoughts on a subject
(6) Creating and crafting persuasive speeches

Non-verbal communication

Non-verbal communication

Non-verbal communication comprises of all forms of communications other than the verbal one. Although world has become more aware of it in the last 50 years, its role and relevance is increasing at a higher rate than the requisite knowledge about it. Human body movements, postures, gestures including appearances etc are guided by inner thoughts, emotions and feelings. Just as any language uses a set of symbols to represent letters and words to convey the meanings, body language, mostly unconsciously, carries messages, attitudes, status, mood etc of the person. Although dress, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics are used to convey own feelings consciously but most persons doing so are unaware of their importance in interpersonal communications.
Body language has emerged as the richest language known and researches are adding more and newer dimensions to the concept and scope of non-verbal language. 

listening skills

listening skills

Ability to listen effectively has emerged as the most strategic skill . Most people are pleased when they are listened to rather than when they are talked to. Also the less a person talks, the more others like to listen to him.
Most of us are poor listeners as listening skills are not taught in high schools or even management institutes. Everyone should listen more, have better retention and memory. Hearing perceives only the sounds and not their meaning whereas listening leads to better understanding. The process of listening entails sensing, interpreting, evaluating, remembering and responding. Based on purpose, interaction and feedback, listening is classified in to content listening, critical listening and active / empathetic listening. Of these the most critical is active / empathetic listening as it requires greater self-control and discipline.
Barriers to good listening can originate from environmental, physiological, psychological, linguistic and socio-cultural factors. Nevertheless, listening skills can be improved by preparing for listening, following basic rules for good listening and practicing regularly.
Students should become familiar with the typical patterns of poor listeners so that they can make conscious efforts to assimilate leader-like traits. Taking down notes while listening and imbibing the commandment for good listening will guide the budding managers and leaders in becoming good listeners.

TEN COMMANDMENTS OF GOOD LISTENING

TEN COMMANDMENTS OF GOOD LISTENING

Someone has listed the following ten commandments of good listening:
1 Stop talking
2 Put the talker at ease
3 Show willingness to listen
4 Remove distractions
5 Empathize with speaker
6 Be patient
7 Hold own temper
8 Go easy on arguments and criticism
9 Ask questions
10 Stop talking, once again

Adopting basic rules for good listening

Adopting basic rules for good listening

These are:

(i) Listening with understanding

Receivers have to listen to the speaker completely and carefully to grasp the ideas. If necessary, they should ask questions for clarifications. They should be sure they understand the message fully.
Listening with an open mind
Mind is like an umbrella – it works only when it is open. Listeners have to forget their biases and prejudices and grasp new ideas even though they may conflict with theirs. The new ideas may change us a bit. Accept the change for it may be for the better.

(iii) Listening with attention

Listening means a lot of hard work by them because it implies three things:
(a) Concentrating
It means focus should be on what speaker says by cutting out noises and distraction from other sources. It takes both will power and energy.
(b) Relating with what is already known
By relating what people listen to with what they already know, they lay the foundation for bringing in the change. Until people learn, they do not change.
(c) Reading between the lines
Good listening means reading between the lines i.e., sensing the implications of the message. Good listeners analyze speakers‟ choice of words and phrases, observe their postures, facial expressions, tone and pitch of voice, manners, general appearances etc

(iv) Listening with empathy

Good listeners put themselves in speakers‟ place. It is making extra effort to understand speakers‟ viewpoint. It calls for imagination. Good listeners have to be attentive which is flattering to the speakers. It helps to draw out speakers from their shyness, hostility or suspicion they might have about the audience.

(v) Listening intently

Listening intently is a part of good listening. While listening, audience evaluates not only what the speaker says but also how he says it. They listen to the main idea and all the supporting details. They review all the points made and anticipate what speaker is going to say next! They analyze the evidence and finally accept or reject speakers‟ conclusions.
Good listeners are able not only to listen intently but also reflect on words said in the spare time available (people listen 2 to 3 times faster than the rate at which they speak). Half-hearted listeners or disinterested listeners use the spare time to daydream or turn their attention elsewhere.
Good listeners use their spare time to thought processes that are closely related to what the speaker is saying. Such listening results in increased understanding and longer remembering of the message being received.
A few tips for using the spare time wisely are:

(a) Taking notes

Usually speakers share notes that contain the major points of their speech. Good listeners grasp those main points and write them down.

(b) Rephrasing and reviewing the message

Good listeners try to retain the message by rephrasing mentally and silently. It is like taking mental notes. By repeated practice of rephrasing, individuals can become better listeners. Similarly, listeners review the main points of the speaker. By using both the methods viz., rephrasing and reviewing, they reinforce their understanding of the subject and remember the main points of the message.

(c) Detecting bias and determining motives

A biased and prejudiced view is a partial viewpoint. In a firm, sales persons are usually determined to sell and secure the maximum share of the market. This can bring in bias among them. Good listeners should detect this bias and recognize the motive behind it. A good principle for the buyers is to be aware of such trappings in the speakers‟ messages.

BARRIERS TO GOOD LISTENING-2

BARRIERS TO GOOD LISTENING-2

Linguistic barriers

Also called semantic barriers, these can block ones‟ ability to listen. These are:
(i) Use of difficult words and jargons
Some speakers have an affected style of talking – they use difficult words and slang to impress rather than convey the message. Speakers must gift parcel their speech to the level of understanding of the listeners.
(ii) Speakers‟ manners and style
Much of the time, speakers‟ manners, appearance and body language are important. Politicians can, sometimes, stoop low and talk narrow, petty issues for winning local sympathy and perhaps votes but a rational listener may block his speech as hallow and worthless. He may block the message completely.
(iii) Use of words with double meaning and mispronounced words
Some speakers have a poor way of pronouncing with heavy bias of the regional spoken language. This may come in the way of catching the words and phrases correctly.
(iv) Lag time in speech
Some speakers speak very slowly. They take so much time to complete a sentence that listeners find it very difficult to slow down their thought process. They get too much of spare time when their mind flies away to other issues. Keeping focus is a lot more difficult in such cases.
(v) Different frame of mind
If speaker‟s background and area of specialization is widely different, it may come in the way of understanding the terms and phrases used in the speech. The same words may have different meaning in listeners‟ framework; consequently, there may be a gap in the understanding the message received.

 Socio-cultural barriers

A few important ones are:
(i) Cultural background is different
Different cultural background leading to different pronunciations and accents for speaking the same words can spoil the delivery of a message. It the recent cricket match series in Australia between the host country and Indian team, there was a piquant situation because „bastard‟ is an accepted form of communication in Australia and „monkey‟ is an accepted admonition in any heated personal discussion in India.
(ii) Personal space and public space
Some cultures permit greater personal space than others. If the same is not available even in a not-so-formal interaction, it may upset some. Even the way of addressing in different regions of the same country can create misunderstanding. (For details refer to 18.6 of Unit 18)
(iii) Sense of time
Experience confirms that a western visitor from USA or Europe would like to get straight in to business without significant preliminaries beyond wishing one another and getting introduced. However, a typical Asian may start with preliminaries as a warm up and may even prefer to have a cup of tea before coming to the formal part of the agenda. 

BARRIERS TO GOOD LISTENING-1

BARRIERS TO GOOD LISTENING-1

Listening is rather very difficult. It is taken for granted by parents, schools, colleges and management institutes. Although the receivers are personally present throughout, most of them are poor listeners. What are the inherent problems in the process of listening and how to overcome these barriers? A few common barriers have been listed below:

(1) Environmental barriers

These are:

(i) Physical distractions

Environmental disturbances come in the way:
 Noisy surroundings
 Loud music
 Noise of machines, office equipment etc
 Noise of road traffic including horns of vehicles

(ii) Loud talking

In some cultures people talk rather loudly. Talking loudly by persons nearby can distract a person from hearing others.

(iii) Visual distractions

A hoarding or poster on the wall may distract attention and may come in the way of catching an important point of the conversation. Similarly, speakers‟ clothes, accessories, make-up like eye shadows etc may distract listeners‟ attention.

(2) Physiological distractions

These may be:
(i) Hearing impairment – It is the case with many old persons
(ii) Hunger – It may make one inattentive
(iii) Tiredness / exhaustion from overwork – It may come in the way of listening
(iv) Pain or injury – It may divert ones‟ attention

(3) Psychological barriers

These are:

(i)Beliefs

Audiences‟ strong views on religion, politics, business area or even sex may come in the way of their paying attention to the speaker. Individuals‟ views impact on their attitude and behaviour.

(ii)Fear

If the subject being talked about is sensitive in nature as it pertains to audiences‟ fears, they may cut it off from their hearing.

(iii) Anger

If a remark by the speaker has made audience angry and upset, it will reduce their ability to absorb the message or they may miss it altogether.

(iv) Anxiety

State of health of a near or dear one may make one anxious about it while at work and the person may miss some parts of the conversation.

(v) Sad memories

While listening to a speech, if someone refers to an incident that has a lot of memories treasured by listeners, it may send them in to a reflective mood and they may miss some parts of conversation.

TYPES OF LISTENING

TYPES OF LISTENING

Listening can be varied depending upon:
 Purpose
 Interaction
 Feedback
It can be classified in to the following three distinct types:

(1) Content listening

The purpose of content listening is to retain the information for future use or for further transmission rather faithfully. Here, we try to identify the key points and concentrate on the structure of the message. Receivers take a preview – an overall view of the entire message. It is not important whether they agree or not with the contents. They try to assimilate the contents of the message as received. For example, a department of the government giving the details of the procedure would expect the public to follow in dealing with them!

(2) Critical listening

The message received undergoes evaluation at several levels to understand:
 Logic of argument
 Strength of evidence
 Validity of conclusions
 Implications of message for individuals
 Implications of message for the organization
 Speakers‟ intention and motive
 Omission of any relevant point etc
Evaluating and absorbing information simultaneously is rather difficult. Listeners‟ should reserve their judgement right up to the end. Effort should be made to uncover speakers‟ viewpoint.

(3) Active / empathetic listening

The purpose here is to understand the speakers‟ feelings, needs and wants. Listeners have to understand speakers‟ viewpoint irrespective of whether they share those perceptions or not. By listening actively, receivers‟ let speakers vent their emotions. Listeners should resist the temptation of advising them and they should let the persons do the talking with cues and clues of encouragement. Typical features of active and empathetic listening are:
 Make eye contact
 Exhibit affirmative head nods and appropriate facial expressions
 Avoid distracting actions and gestures
 Ask questions
 Paraphrasing what is said
 Avoid interrupting the speaker
 Do not over-talk
 Make smooth transition from the role of a speaker to that of a listener
All the three types of listening have practical use in the life of managers and leaders. They must learn how to apply these methods in different situations.

PROCESS OF LISTENING

PROCESS OF LISTENING

It entails following five steps:

(1) Sensing

It is physical hearing and assimilating through all the five senses – hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and touching. It should also include taking down notes. However, reception of message can get blocked because of:
 Interfering noises and distractions
 Inattention by audience
 Impaired hearing etc
Listeners have to work hard to avoid distraction and focus on the message.

(2) Interpreting

It is decoding in our mind and absorbing the message being delivered. As people listen, they assign meanings to words through their own mental filters comprising of their:
 Beliefs
 Assumptions
 Values
 Ideas
 Expectations
 Roles
 Needs
 Personal history
Thus role of the persons listening to a speech is very vital. They should pay attention to non-verbal cues because body language of gestures, sounds, postures and expressions do not tell lies. If they have learnt the art and science of understanding speeches well, it increases accuracy of their listening.

(3) Evaluating

It is forming opinion about the message heard. If the subject matter is complex or it is a topic that has emotional overtones, effort is required to:
 Sort out the remarks made by the speaker
 Separate facts from opinions
 Evaluate quality of evidence
As a rule, listeners dismiss ideas from an unattractive and abrasive speaker. Also, they easily embrace ideas of „charismatic‟ speakers.

(4) Remembering

It is storing message after receiving in the memory for future use. Good speakers facilitate storage by doing the followings:
 Comparing the message with the previous similar messages
 Highlighting the components of transition in the new message

 Summarizing and paraphrasing the message

(5) Responding

It is reacting to the content of the message in some fashion. When audience is large, it may take the form of:

 Silence

 Applause

 Laughter etc

NEED FOR LISTENING

NEED FOR  LISTENING 

Followings would highlight the importance of good listening:

(1) Poor listeners

Most of us think that we are good listeners – research has confirmed the opposite! people spend 45 % of their time listening (they spend 30 % of their time talking).

(2) Listening more

There is now a consensus among specialists that individuals should listen more, especially those going up the ladder of hierarchy. When they listen more, they learn more and when they learn more, they are able to provide better leadership.

(3) Poor retention and memory

Experience confirms that people are not only poor listeners but also poor in retaining and remembering. People can recollect only 50 % of what they hear and half of that also, they forget within 48 hours of hearing. When people were queried two days after they heard a speech, they tended to mix up subject matter and 30 % of the time replied incorrectly.

(4) Listening is not taught

As a part of growing and development through learning and education, children are taught reading, writing and even speaking. They are rarely taught how to listen, now considered to be the most essential skill . It is ignored in high schools and even in business schools where full credit subject of business communication skills is taught.
Now many companies are training their managers and leaders in the art of listening to help them incorporate listening as an important skill in their personality – it is a lot of hard work. Speaking (and teaching) is not as difficult as listening (and learning).

LISTENING

LISTENING

Ability to listen is the most critical skill required . It provides them with all the information they need. Art of listening is the leaders‟ cutting edge. If individuals establish reputation among subordinates and peers that they are good listeners and they welcome comments and suggestions, much useful information will gravitate towards you. It is said that, „If you listen to people well, they will tell you things that you have not ever thought of yourself!‟
More people are pleased when they are listened to rather than being talked to. Although both talking and listening form the grist of the oral communication, one cannot listen if he is talking and if he is not listening, he is not learning either.
Smart people speak from experience; smarter people, from experience, do not speak. One cannot be listening with his mouth open. And the less people talk, the more others like to listen to them.

PRESENTING THE CONCEPT THROUGH PRESENTATIONS

PRESENTING THE CONCEPT THROUGH PRESENTATIONS

Speeches not only facilitate the flow of information but also persuade audience and veer them around to common purposes. To become effective, persuasive speaker, attention must be paid to learn how to make physical presentation, how to say things and what to say.

Since managers / leaders are communicating, negotiating and marketing all the time, they must acquire the traits of articulation, pronunciation, use of the right tone, pitch and speed of delivery. They should be able to make good use of pauses, volume, quality of voice, variety in speech and make effective use of signs, signals, gestures, expressions and sounds of the body language.

Persuasive speeches require speakers‟ personal involvement and they should embody the change they want to see in others, must exercise a lot of self-control and should ensure good response and reaction from the audience for their delivery and sincerity.

Microsoft‟s Power-point software is an extremely useful tool that supports presentation by overhead projectors, liquid crystal displays and multimedia. With the use of Power-point software, speakers can become more effective and persuasive if they know their subject, have good perception of their audience, understand time constraints involved in presentation, keep them simple and supplement them with „speaker notes‟.

TRAITS OF ASSERTIVE STYLE OF COMMUNICATION

TRAITS OF ASSERTIVE STYLE OF COMMUNICATION

In order to acquire a high level of assertive behaviour, the individuals have to imbibe certain traits as below:

(1) High level of listening skills

The human mind has one limitation – it can do one thing at a time. However, it can change to another idea or thought in a flash and sometimes, persons think that they can do many things at the same time. When one is speaking, one cannot be listening. A good listening requires the ability to remain silent for long periods. Besides when two persons are interacting, silence is very awkward. If one person remains silent for reasonable length of time, the other person will fill the vacuum with his voice; he is able to listen to the other person completely.

(2) Initiative to make new contacts

This increases persons‟ area of influence as he is able to listen and get opinions of wider range of people who can share their experience or viewpoint.

(3) Quick to respond

This is the ability to respond to a large number of contacts in short time. It directly measures ones‟ reaction time. „Response is everyone‟s response-ability‟. Some persons are, by nature, more sensitive to others needs and wants while others take time to respond. By speeding up own responses, persons can speed ahead of their competitors.

(4) Perseverance with issues

It is the ability of an individual to keep going back to the same persons and raising issues that have been rejected or where there has been little enthusiasm. The approach is that if one feels strongly about issues that have not invoked the right response, it is time to re-examine critically about the way it was packaged and parceled last time and make necessary changes to make it more exciting and interesting on the one hand and to compromise, persuade and bring out newer possibilities on the other.

(5) Maintaining flexibility

Rigid stand leads to resistance. It is always better to remain flexible and open as that helps one discover patterns that other finds easy to understand. It also encourages them to talk freely and openly. This openness in dialogues invariably leads to solutions that are more rewarding and fetching.

ELEMENTS OF STYLES OF COMMUNICATION BEHAVIOUR

ELEMENTS OF STYLES OF COMMUNICATION BEHAVIOUR

A sensitive observer should be able to spot the communication style of individuals‟ from the verbal cues or signals exhibited:

(1) Non-assertive (submissive) communication style

The verbal cues and clues are:
(1) Use of apologetic words
(2) Devaluation of self
(3) Failure to say what one means really
(4) Use of phrases implying diffidence
(5) Beating about the bush - hedging
(6) Loss of words
(7) Self-defeating
(8) Shifting responsibility to others
(9) Rambling and disjointed expressions
(10) Veiled meanings

(2) Aggressive communication style

The verbal symbols are:

(1) Accusations of others
(2) Behaving like a dictator
(3) Use of very subjective descriptions
(4) Not recognizing roles of others
(5) Use of loaded words
(6) Putting others down
(7) Frequent use of „you‟ messages blaming or labeling others
(8) Use of superior wordings in expressions

(3) Assertive communication style

The verbal signs and signals are:
(1) Accept responsibility
(2) Make direct statements that say what they mean
(3) Express own feelings honestly
(4) Negotiate on the basis of win-win situation for both parties
(5) Use „I‟ messages frequently
(6) Use object sentences
(7) Recognize others‟ contribution
(8) State their „wants‟ clearly

HEARING, LISTENING AND UNDERSTANDING

HEARING, LISTENING AND UNDERSTANDING

Hearing is becoming aware of sounds especially through stimulation of auditory nerves in the ear by the sound waves. It is a sense by which sounds are perceived.
Listening is much more – it is making conscious efforts to hear the speaker. It is matching of the mental faculties of the sender and the receiver. It is the understanding of the intent of total message as sent by the sender. When the speaker asks if the audience understood the message, listeners‟ nod is for the complete message including unspoken words, gestures and expressions of the speaker. Listening is an accurate perception of all that is being presented. Listening is a vital part of the entire process of communication. The effectiveness of communication is, in fact, determined by the extent to which listening and understanding takes place after an interaction. It consists of two stages:
 Encoding and transmission of the message by the sender
 Decoding and providing the required feedback by the receiver
Listening is said to have taken place if there is satisfactory execution of both the stages. If the message has been understood in exactly the same way as was intended by the sender, it can be said that listening has taken place accurately. However, if there are discrepancies between the intent of message sent and the way it has been perceived, listening is deficient and the communication has not been effective.

POWER OF SPEECH

POWER OF SPEECH

Spoken words form a powerful medium for influencing people to accomplish tasks. Salespersons make a sort of speech to persuade their customers to buy products they are selling. Travelling salespersons visit dealers and retailers and influence them to place order for the product offerings of the company. Insurance agents persuade their clients to buy life / general insurance of their firm for protection against various kinds of losses to life or possessions like household, car, health etc.
Similarly business managers, industrialists and leaders have to deliver speeches at events relating to product launches, sales conferences and training programmes. Besides, they speak ot inaugural events, seminars, meetings of trade associations etc. An organization is an association of people who often organize social, sports and cultural gatherings where managers / leaders are expected to deliver speeches suited to the occasion.
Outside the organization, community and political leaders are called upon to speak on several occasions / functions. Master speakers and orators have been sought to speak on diverse subjects. Powerful speeches can:
 Inspire listeners or make them dispirited
 Build tension on issues or relax tension among the audience
 Incite people to quarrel / fight or induce them to be friendly
 Turn hostile audience in to supportive one and vice versa
 Stir people to rebel / revolt or become docile
 Make people undertake long march or stay at home
It is difficult to visualize what Alexander the Great must have told his soldiers when he stirred them to undertake a long journey from Greece to India in olden days, conquering countries after countries and marching in to India when there were hardly any worthwhile means of transportation and transshipment.

SKILLS FOR INTERACTING WITH AUDIENCE

SKILLS FOR INTERACTING WITH AUDIENCE

Speakers should not only use slides prudently by pointing out the salient aspects of topic under discussion but also interact with the audience and maintain a reasonable eye contact with the listeners. It ensures that audience interest is kept at a higher level.
To enhance the effectiveness of the Power-point presentation, speakers must:
 Get comfortable with the subject
 Run through the slides at a reasonable pace
 Read „speaker notes‟ while rehearsing
 Learn to „time‟ the presentation especially the impact points.
If the above guidelines are followed, there is no doubt that, with practice, speakers gain confidence, poise and power. Acquiring the skills to influence others to work to own point of view or to achieve the common goals of the team, department or the firm, can be very fascinating and satisfying.
Thus, Power-point software is a powerful tool in the hands of modern, global managers and leaders.

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION SKILLS

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION SKILLS

„Power-point‟ software, created by Microsoft, is a very useful tool and is being used extensively as an essential aid to oral presentation. „Power-point‟ can be used in conjunction with Over Head Projector (OHP) or Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or as a vehicle for multi-media presentation.
Multi-media presentation is becoming popular very fast. It uses a compact disc that contains the entire subject in suitably prepared MS „Power-point‟ slides.
A few important guiding principles are:

(1)Know the subject material

Speakers must have authentic material on the subject of their presentation. Ideally, it should be audience-tested and modified taking in to account the feedback. To the audience, they are the experts.

(2) Know the audience

To customize the presentation for the audience, speakers must know them and their learning objectives. Speakers need to check out if the material available is adequate for meeting the learning objectives.

(3) Understand time constraints of presentation

Presentations are made in the limited time frame available. The challenge before the speakers is to complete the presentation within the time slot available and still make it very effective.

(4) Keep presentation simple

Three important rules are:
 Use as few words as possible
 Assume your audience can read
 Don‟t let words run-off the page
Many a times, speakers read all the words and lines in the presentation – it is almost „insulting‟ to the audience! This can be achieved better when speakers use „speaker notes‟ and audience does not have to go through the entire matter on the screen.

(5) Use speaker notes

For each power-point slide, speakers must create own dialogue. It is a detailed script of what they are going to say when the slide is projected on the screen. The entire presentation is prepared and printed before making the presentation. Once it is ready, it becomes easier for the speakers as they can make the presentation by working from the speaker notes.

TRAITS OF A GOOD SPEAKER

TRAITS OF A GOOD SPEAKER

Speakers have also to learn and acquire skills in speaking. These skills can vary widely from being effective in conversation among a few colleagues, a medium sized group or a large audience verging upon a public speech. A few salient traits of a good speaker are:

(1) Be earnest

An earnest person speaks not to show of nor talks about irrelevant topics. He remains conscious of the purpose of his speech.

(2) Have a sense of responsibility towards audience

He is conscious that time is precious and tries to make the best use of the time he gets with his audience.

(3) Has a sense of commitment to his subject / duty

He thinks and plans ahead what he has to say and does not take on more than what can be accomplished.

(4) Has a sense of responsibility towards other speakers

He does not try to monopolize the occasion and restricts to the time allotted to him.

(5) Keeps his cool

He is not carried away by excitement and enthusiasm. Over-confidence is as bad as under-confidence.

(6) Has a good sense of leadership

He speaks with eye contacts with the audience in full measure; talks with confidence, authority, and responsibility.

(7) Is balanced in approach

The speaker should remain balanced in spite of provocation if any and exhibit sanity to the audience.

(8) Has a sense of humour

An anecdote that is humorous is welcome as it adds a flavour to the message being delivered.

(9) Is focused and interested

The speaker must convey that he is very interested in the subject as it is interesting and will be of interest to his audience too. His focus on the subject should become evident by the time he finishes speaking.

(10) Is enthusiastic and spirited

The speaker must be full of spirits and assume lively audience who need to be enthused about the benefits of the message that he has the privilege of knowing and delivering.