SEMINAR 5Overcoming Obstacles to Effective Communication in Organizations

SEMINAR QUESTIONS Describe an experience you have had with

communicator anxiety (yours or another person's)? Would you categorize this as trait or situational anxiety? Why?

Which four tips do you think would be the most helpful in overcoming this as a barrier to effective communication in the workplace? Why?

SEMINAR OVERVIEW Review Unit 5 Project A little fun Communication anxiety

Case Study Giving/Receiving Instruction

Case Study

UNIT 5 PROJECT Academic article Content analysis Select relevant program

WHAT’S THE POINT? “Despite our personal or professional

experience, we have all likely acquired some ineffective habits when it comes to being a productive member of our organization. These habits often become obstacles to communicating effectively. However, once we have identified the habits and traits that interfere with our ability to communicate, we can work to build the skills to overcome them.”

Unit 5 Introduction

COMMUNICATION ANXIETY Situational Anxiety Train Anxiety Fear of public speaking

How would you rate yourself?

GUIDELINES FOR HANDLING CA

1. Prepare and Practice2. Warm up3. Use Deep Breathing4. Introduction – relax5. Concentrate on communicating meaning6. Use visual aids

CASE STUDY: RACHEL Recent college graduate First “real interview” What’s your advice?

GIVING & RECEIVING INSTRUCTIONS Overall picture. Minimum words. Simple, easily understood words. Specific. Simple comparisons Repetition Number/Signpost Objects/Steps Good delivery

APPLICATION: “PDSC FORMULA” POINT - begin with a clearly stated central

point

DEFINE - provide definitions of terms and explanations of principles or theories.

SUPPORT - provide logical, detailed support from the readings for the central point.

CONCLUDE - provide a summary, recommendation, and concluding thought.

EXAMPLE: “PDSC FORMULA” Point: All language is symbolic, but not all

symbols are language. The symbolic nature of language affects communication and perception in as many ways as there are cultures to interpret those symbols.

EXAMPLE: “PDSC FORMULA” CON’T Definition: Art, music, objects and nonverbal

actions are all symbolic representation of feelings, thoughts and experiences. Words are arbitrary representation of things. To use words, we must all agree on their meanings. When we don’t agree, then words become ambiguous because words mean on thing to one person and another thing to another person and abstract because words stand for ideas, people, objects, feelings and so forth. All these things define the symbolic nature of language.

EXAMPLE: “PDSC FORMULA” CON’T Support: Wood (2010) describes the symbolic

nature of language on pages 100 thru 103. Meanings of words change over time. Words are being created out of vernacular slang, especially in the United States. There are hundreds of words added to our dictionary with each update published. Words don’t mean the same thing to everyone, but generally, within a culture, words have an agreed upon meaning. Using specific language, more descriptive of our specific wants will lessen misunderstandings.

EXAMPLE: “PDSC FORMULA” CON’T Conclusion: The differences in our perception

and the triggers that different words generate can cause misunderstanding even within your family. When I think clean up your room I am thinking “the whole room, tidy everything, put things away, and clean the floor.” When talking to your kids, you tell them to clean up their room, they will look around and perhaps, pick up the obvious trash, take dirty dishes out and put dirty clothes in their hamper, when you really meant for them to change their sheets, reorganize their things and put away their clothes and shoes and vacuum their floor in addition to the other things. We need to be specific. Give instruction clearly and do not overwhelm them with a series of commands, but instead give them one task at a time, with clear instructions to follow.