Verbal Communication

Speaking to Communicate

Spoken communication occurs in many different settings during the course of successful innovation and change.  These may be divided into three main types:

• The formal and informal networks in which peers exchange information, such as professional associations, work units, work teams, etc.

• The activities of change agents, opinion leaders, etc.

• The contacts established at team meetings, conferences, training courses, etc.

Whether to use oral communication is a decision we all make frequently in the course of a workday.  The change agent must be able to identify those situations in which oral communication is the most appropriate one to use.  Don Kirkpatrick suggests the -following guidelines for making such decisions.

Use Oral Communication When:

• The receiver is not particularly interested in receiving the message.  Oral communication provides more opportunity for getting and keeping interest and attention.

• It is important to get feedback.  It's easier to get feedback by observing facial expressions (and other nonverbal behavior) and asking questions.

• Emotions are high. Oral communication provides more opportunity for both the sender and the receiver to let off steam, cool down, and create a suitable climate for understanding.

• The receiver is too busy or preoccupied to read. Oral communication provides more opportunity to get attention.

• The sender wants to persuade or convince.  Oral communication provides more flexibility, opportunity for emphasis, chance to listen, and opportunity to remove resistance and change attitudes.

• When discussion is needed.  A complicated subject frequently requires discussion to be sure of understanding.

• When criticism of the receiver is involved.  Oral communication provides more opportunity to accomplish this without arousing resentment.  Also, oral communication is less threatening because it isn't formalized in writing.

• When the receiver prefers one-to-one contact.

Non-Verbal Communication:

When conveying a message we use words, but actually we accompany our words with non verbal communication to convey our message. These non verbal communications include body gestures, music, dance, facial expression and other movements of body.  For examples:  Traffic lights directed you without words. When a college professor is teaching he knows when the students get bored by noticing their different activities; like yawns, nodding, hand motion, facial expressions, aggressions and shyness etc.  

In our daily life it is commonly used with verbal communication. When speaking with someone or while giving a lecture, it is not uncommon for us to use our hands, face eyes and legs. 55% of an oral message is delivered through facial expression and physical postures. 38% from verbal intonation and only 7% through words we used.

PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION

Communication is a two-way process of giving and receiving information through any number of channels.  Whether one is speaking informally to a colleague, addressing a conference or meeting, writing a newsletter article or formal report, the following basic principles apply:

• Know your audience.

• Know your purpose.

• Know your topic.

• Anticipate (foresee/predict) objections.

• Present a rounded picture.

• Achieve credibility with your audience.

• Follow through on what you say.

• Communicate a little at a time.

• Present information in several ways.

• Develop a practical, useful way to get feedback.

• Use multiple communication techniques.

Environmental factors

Communication is complex.  When listening to or reading someone else's message, we often filter what's being said through a screen of our own opinions.  One of the major barriers to communication is our own ideas and opinions. Communication can be influenced by environmental factors that have nothing to do with the content of the message.  Some of these factors are:

• the nature of the room, how warm it is, smoke, comfort of the chair, etc

• outside distractions, what is going on in the area.

• the reputation/credibility of the speaker/writer.

• the appearance, style or authority of the speaker.

• listener's education, knowledge of the topic, etc.

• the language, page layout, design of the message.

People remember:

• 10% of what they read

• 20% of what they hear

• 30% of what they see

• 40% of what they hear and see

Communication with Decision Makers

Innovation and change often depends upon convincing potential users of the benefits of an innovation. To deal convincingly with decision makers, it is necessary to know and understand their interests and opinions.  The following questions are helpful in organizing technology transfer efforts:

• Who are the key people to convince?

• Who will make the decisions about innovation and change?

• What are these decision makers' past experiences with innovation and change?

• What are the decision makers' current attitudes toward innovation and change?

• What is the most appropriate way to approach the decision maker?

• What are the work styles of the decision makers? Are they highly formal people who want everything in writing and all appointments scheduled in advance? Or are they more flexible, responding favorably to personal telephone calls and informal meetings?

• What networks or groups is the decision maker a part of?

• What programs or services will the new innovation improve?

• What programs or services will the new innovation cause problems with?

• How will the innovation or change benefit the decision maker?

Principles of Effective Persuasion

Whether making a formal presentation at a meeting or writing a report or fact sheet, the following principles hold.

• Do not oversell or overstate your case.  Make effective use of understatement.

• Outline the topic you are trying to cover into two parts.  The first part should give broad background information, while the second part provides a detailed summary.

• Persuasion depends on clarity and simplicity.  Avoid the use of contradictory words.

• Be prepared to back up claims or facts immediately.

• Incorporate major anticipated objections into your program or presentation.

• Address all relevant aspects of a topic, especially those that may affect the functioning of an organization.

• Use graphics and audiovisuals appropriately.

• Consider ways to get meaningful input from people.  Find out what they think about the innovation or change.

Selling New Ideas

Creating Isn't Selling 
Often the creators of an innovation feel that convincing others of the idea's value is somehow extra to their activities.  To them, conceiving the idea is enough.  This combines with their inner conviction that their idea will "sell itself."  Change agents provide a link between creators of new techniques and users.

Ideas Need Selling 
Someone must recognize when an idea is good.  It is important that when an idea is good it is sold to those who can act on it--those who have the power to evaluate and adopt it.  Understanding users is an important activity for any change agent.  People must be convinced that a particular idea or innovation has enough merit to deserve adoption.

Selling Ideas Takes Effort 
Selling innovations requires preparation, initiative, patience, and resourcefulness.  It may take more effort than originating the idea.  In an age of technical complexity and information overload, new ideas seldom stand out.  Information on new ideas must be targeted to the appropriate users and relate to their needs and motivations.

Once is Not Enough 
A new idea has to be suggested many times before it will "catch on."  Initial failures at promoting a new idea are to be expected, so don't get discouraged if you don't get the results you want the first time.  Some ideas take years to catch on.  However, first exposures are crucial to future prospects.  Do it right the first time

Think Efficiently and Critically.  On the average, we speak at a rate of 100 to 200 words per minute.  However, we think at a much faster rate, anywhere from 400 to 600 words per minute.  What do we do with this excess thinking time while listening to someone speak?  One technique is to apply this spare time to analyzing what is being said.  They critically review the material by asking the following kinds of questions:

• What is being said to support the speaker's point of view? (Evidence)

• What assumptions are being made by the speaker and the listener? (assumption)

• How does this information affect me? (Effect)

• Can this material be organized more efficiently? (Structure)

• Are there examples that would better illustrate what is being said? (Example)

• What are the main points of the message? (Summary)

Sending Messages

Messages should be clear and accurate, and sent in a way that encourages retention, not rejection.

• Use Verbal Feedback Even If Nonverbal Is Positive And Frequent.  Everyone needs reassurance that they are reading nonverbal communication correctly, whether a smile means "You're doing great," "You're doing better than most beginners," or "You'll catch on eventually."

• Focus Feedback On Behavior Rather Than On Personality.  It's better to comment on specific behavior than to characterize a pattern of behavior.  For example, instead of calling a colleague inefficient, specify your complaint:  "You don't return phone calls; this causes problems both in and outside your office."

• Focus Feedback On Description Rather Than Judgment.  Description tells what happened.  Judgment evaluates what happened.  For example, in evaluating a report don't say, "This is a lousy report!!"  Instead, try:  "The report doesn't focus on the information that I think needs emphasis," or "This report seems to have a lot of grammatical and spelling mistakes."

• Make Feedback Specific Rather Than General.  If feedback is specific, the receiver knows what activity to continue or change.  When feedback is general, the receiver doesn't know what to do differently.  For example, in an office situation, instead of saying "These folders are not arranged correctly," it's better feedback to say, "These should be arranged chronologically instead of alphabetically."

• In Giving Feedback, Consider the Needs and Abilities of the Receiver.  Give the amount of information the receiver can use and focus feedback on activities the receiver has control over. It's fruitless to criticize the level of activity, if the decision to grant the necessary monies for materials, personnel or technology is made at a different level.

• Check to See if the Receiver Heard What You Meant to Say.  If the information is important enough to send, make sure the person understands it.  One way of doing this is to say, "I'm wondering if I said that clearly enough.  What did you understand me to say?" or "This is what I hear you saying.  Is that right?"

Selecting the Best Communication Method

In communicating with decision makers, use the most appropriate communications method.  One way to do this is to ask yourself the following questions.

• What is the purpose of your message?  Do you plan to tell them something new?  Inform?  Do you plan to change their view?  Influence?

• What facts must be presented to achieve your desired effect?

• What action, do you expect decision makers to take?

• What general ideas, opinions and conclusions must be addressed?

• Are you thoroughly familiar with all the important information on the innovation?

• What resources and constraints affect adoption of the innovation?  How much time is available?  How much money is available?

• Which method, or combination of methods, will work most effectively for this situation?   

Personal contact--requires scheduling, time and interpersonal skills.

Telephone contact--requires good verbal skills and an awareness of voice tones as nonverbal communication. 
Letter--requires writing skills. 
E-mail, needs to be short and to the point, may require frequent follow-up. 
News release--requires writing skills and cooperation of the media and time.

Seven-steps for an effective problem-solving process

1. Identify the issues

2. Understand everyone's interests

3. List the possible solutions (options)

4. Evaluate the options

5. Select an option or options

6. Document the agreement(s)

7. Agree on contingencies, monitoring, and evaluation

1. Identify the issues

• Be clear about what the problem is.

• Remember that different people might have different views of what the issues are.

• Separate the listing of issues from the identification of interests.

2. Understand everyone's interests

• This is a critical step that is usually missing.

• Interests are the needs that you are satisfied by any given solution. We often ignore our true interests as we become attached to one particular solution.

• The best solution is the one that satisfies everyone's interests.

• This is the time for active listening. Put down your differences and listen to each other with the intention to understand.

• Separate the naming of interests from the listing of solutions.

3. List the possible solutions (options)

• This is the time to do some brainstorming. There may be lots of room for creativity.

• Separate the listing of options from the evaluation of the options.

4. Evaluate the options

• What are the pluses and minuses? Honestly!

• Separate the evaluation of options from the selection of options.

5. Select an option or options

• What's the best option, in the balance?

• Is there a way to "bundle" a number of options together for a more satisfactory solution?

6. Document the agreement(s)

• Don't rely on memory.

• Writing it down will help you think through all the details and implications.

7. Agree on contingencies, monitoring, and evaluation

• Conditions may change. Make contingency agreements about foreseeable future circumstances.

• How will you monitor compliance and follow-through?

• Create opportunities to evaluate the agreements and their implementation. ("Let's try it this way for three months and then look at it.")

Effective problem solving does take some time and attention more of the latter than the former. But less time and attention than is required by a problem not well solved. What it really takes is a willingness to slow down. A problem is like a curve in the road. Take it right and you'll find yourself in good shape for the straightaway that follows. Take it too fast and you may not be in as good shape.

Working through this process is not always a strictly linear exercise. You may have to cycle back to an earlier step. For example, if you're having trouble selecting an option, you may have to go back to thinking about the interests.

This process can be used in a large group, between two people, or by one person who is faced with a difficult decision. The more difficult and important the problem, the more helpful and necessary it is to use a disciplined process. If you're just trying to decide where to go out for lunch, you probably don't need to go through these seven steps!

Don't worry if it feels a bit unfamiliar and uncomfortable at first. You'll have lots of opportunities to practice!