Maryrose Francica [email protected] · 2014-12-03 · Maryrose Francica – [email protected]...

Foundation for Women Entrepreneurs (Malta) – www.women.org.mt – [email protected]

Communication Skills

Maryrose Francica – [email protected]


Unit 1 -COMMUNICATION SKILLS

• In this unit we will help you to:

– active listening and have empathy with others.

– acquire negotiation skills for effective negotiations.

– make better speeches and presentations

– build a wide network and to improve your networking skills


Active listening and empathy

• Active listening to:

– Make others express their selves.

– Understand them.

– Correctly interpret the meaning.


ACTIVE Listening

• Five elements:

– Pay attention

– Show that you are listening

– Provide feedback

– Defer judgment

– Respond appropriately


ACTIVE Listening

• Intelligent guesses from:

– Words spoken aloud

– Rapid phrases

– Hesitation or stuttering

– Pauses

– Tone of voice, facial expression


empathy

• Put yourself in the place of the others

– How does the person feel?

– What the person want?

– What I can do to adapt to this situation?


NEGOTIATION SKILLS

“Negotiation depends on communication. This occurs between people who act for themselves

or as representatives. Whenever people exchange ideas with the intention of relating,

whenever they try to make agreements, each of them is negotiating”.

(Nierenberg, 1981)


NEGOTIATION SKILLS • Interpersonal relationship skills.

• To know and show our strengths.

• Do not show our weaknesses.

• To know the other person and his/her needs.

• To talk about the topic of the negotiation according the other person’s behavioural characteristics.

• To act in a way generating confidence.

• To know listening and communicating.

• To create an environment of cooperation among people.

• To be flexible.


NEGOTIATION SKILLS

• Four basic points:

– Focusing on the most important

– Controlling emotions and feelings

– Being involved in what we are saying

– Organizing the negotiation


PRESENTATIONS • To be heard

• To be understood

• Voice:

– Fast: stimulates listener’s mood

– Quickly: not being understood

– Slowly: better understand, but annoying

• Adapt your voice according the listener’s mood


PRESENTATIONS • Practical tips:

– Exercise reading loudly literary texts.

– Forcing the pronunciation of the five vowels.

– Putting in practice emphasis.

– Do not forcing the voice.

– Talking to people only when they are looking at you.

– Getting breaks when you talk.

– Avoiding all those agents which are harmful

to the voice.


PRESENTATIONS • Non-verbal communication in the presentations

– Appearance.

– Visual contact.

– Posture.

– Gesture.

– Space:

• Intimate space: from 15 to 46 cm.

• Personal space: from 46 cm to 1,20 m.

• Social space: from 1,20 to 3,60 m.

• Public space: more than 3,60 m.


NETWORKING SKILLS • How to build a network?

– Make a research on your possible clients and colleagues of business

– Pursue interests and activities that mean a lot to you

– Start networking by going to events in your area of interest

– Go to work-related conferences

– Start networking before you

even get to the conference


NETWORKING SKILLS • How to improve your network skills?

– Get off your computer

– Use your personality

– Write a pitch about your business

– Forget you’re “working”

– Give value to others

– Add value: do not shell

– Be positive

– Smile, be likeable and funny

– Accept criticism and advice


– Practise active listening in your conversations and try to catch intelligent guesses.

– Rehearse your business pitch taking into account the tips presented in this unit.

– Start building your own network.

What can you do today?


Unit 2 – COMMUNICATION TOOLS AND TECHNICHES


– Know how to use communication tools properly: e-mail, telephone and videoconferencing.

– be aware of cultural differences in your business.

– prepare adequately before doing business in other country.


E-mail

• Advantages:

– It does not require the intervention of the emitter and recipient at the same time.

– We can send not only text.

– Faster than sending a letter through mail.

– Low cost.


E-mail • Pay attention to:

– Insert your business data: logo, signature.

– Proper beginning and end.

– Many recipients: CC.OO.

– Avoid emoticons.

– Object: main issue of the e-mail.

– Do not use capitals letters.

– Pay attention to spelling and grammar errors.


TELEPHONE • Emission of telephone calls:

–Ask yourself whether it is really necessary.

–Plan each call and group your calls in batches.

–Steps:

•Identify yourself

•Inform about the purpose of your call

•Ask your partner about the availability


TELEPHONE • Reception of telephone calls:

– Answer to the first or second ring.

– Concentrate in the call: active listening.

– Smile on the phone, good humour.

– Do not make noises.

– Goodbye thanking the call.


TELEPHONE • Be careful with the use of mobile phones.

•If you receive unnecessary calls:

–Educate people who call you

–Make a common definition of “necessary” and “urgency”.

–Take turns

–Use the voicemail

–Identify the caller


videoconferencing • Transmission between two

separate computers, physically, at a certain distance, with a camera and sound, on each computer devices.

• Proper preparation: the signal quality, both audio and video, should be pre-tested.


SOCIAL MEDIA • Wide breadth and

range of people with whom we interact.

• Lack of definition of the identity

• Network of contacts


Cultural issues in business

• Business culture:

–How individuals understand it within:

–Each organization

–Each country


Cultural DIFERENCES

• Elements of culture:

–Values and attitudes: “how things should be”.

–Norms: social rules.

–Traditions.


Cultural DIFERENCES

• Elements of culture: language –Chinese Mandarin: over 1,000 million (20% of world population)

–English: 512 millions (6%)

–Hindi: 498 millions (4.5%)

–Spanish: 391 millions (3.0%)

–Russian: 280 millions (2.5%)

–Arabic: 245 million (2%)

–Portuguese: 192 millions (2%)

–Japanese: 125 millions (2%)

–Malay-Indonesian: 160 millions


Cultural DIFERENCES

• Elements of culture: religion –Christianity: it has more followers in America and Europe, and its practice is spreading rapidly in Africa.

–Islam: northwest coast of Africa, the Middle East, China, Malaysia in the Far East.

–Hinduism: Indian subcontinent.

–Buddhism: the central and Southeast Asia, China, Korea and Japan.


Cultural DIFERENCES

• Be aware of…

–Vision about time

–Greeting

–Hot to refer to another person

–Colours

–Sex

–Gifts

–Customs

Body language

Humour

Languages

Social strata


Cultural DIFERENCES

Negotiation • Analyse the market profile.

• Know the daily lifestyle.

• Conduct an analysis of the main elements of the country.

• Try to know in advance the language to be used.

• Preconceived attitudes regarding you or your country.

• Try to be tolerant and humble.

• Develop your ability to integrate the environment and

culture of the country (versatility).


– Think over you business and which would be the most appropriate communication tools in each situation and with each client.

– Make a brief research about other cultures that could be involved in your business and incorporate the elements that you should take into consideration in your communication plan. (You can visit www.worldbusinessculture.com for more information)


http://www.worldbusinessculture.com/






Unit 3 – PRESENTING YOUR BUSINESS IN…


– be able to present your business according the target

– prepare the presentation of your business to a bank and to customers

– make the best of your participation in a fair

– know to network at events, exhibitions, conferences


Presenting to the bank manager

• Preparation of documentation:

– ID Card, tax documents, references.

– Complete business plan with:

• Reasonable and reasoned sales forecast.

• List of the resources you’ll need: expenditures and investments

• What do you sell and what is your differential factor

• Profitability

• SWOT analysis


Presenting to the bank manager

• Definition of goals

• Present documents

competently and convincingly

• Speak in present

• Find arguments to minimize weaknesses

• Take notes during the meeting


Presenting to the CUSTOMERS

• Try to know who you will meet

• Prepare your presentation:

– 1-5 minutes version

– Longer presentation

– Executive summary

• Personalize your presentation

• Ask questions


PowerPoint as a support tool • Common mistakes:

– Slides highly saturated of information.

– The background colour used for the slide is very strong.

– Images are used in animated GIF format.

– Text with graphics is presented.

– Big size font.

– Orthographic errors.


Presenting in trade fairs • Specific communication plan:

–Ask yourself the 3 key questions.

–Consider the following issues:

•Direct marketing to professionals, clients, etc.

•Media advertising.

•Technical and commercial documentation.

•Specific information with news.


Networking at events, exhibitions, conferences…

• Start networking before you even get to the

conference.

• Look at your business cards.

• Don’t offer a business card for the sake of offering a business card.


Networking at events, exhibitions, conferences…

• Review the conference program in detail.

• Look at the business cards that you have received.

• Start a conversation with other participants.

• Step out of your comfort zone.

• Use that time to meet real, live people.


NETWORKING AT EVENTS, EXHIBITIONS, CONFERENCES…

• Be ready to get to the point quickly.

• Don’t sell.

• Learn how to excuse yourself gracefully.


– Prepare the documentation to present your business to the bank.

– Review your business pitch and the PPT you made according the tips given in this unit.

– Find trade fairs, conferences, exhibitions or any other event in relation to the area of your business, where you could increase your network.



Thank you for your attention

Gateway Centre, Kappillan Mifsud Street, Hamrun HMR 1856 – MALTA

Tel: +356 21224900 / +356 79861168

Fax: +356 23331230 Web: http://www.women.org.mt Email: [email protected]

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Maryrose Francica [email protected] · 2014-12-03 · Maryrose Francica – [email protected]...

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