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Lesikar−Flatley−Rentz: Business Communication: Making Connections in a Digital World, 11th Edition

V. Other Forms of Business Communication

14. Informal Oral Communication

c h a p t e r f o u r t e e n

Informal Oral Communication

L E A R N I N G O B J E C T I V E S

Upon completing this chapter, you will be able to understand and use good talking techniques, lead and participate in meetings, communicate effectively by telephone, dictate messages effectively, listen well, and understand nonverbal communication. To reach these goals, you should be able to

1 Discuss talking and its key elements. 2 Explain the techniques for conducting and participating in

meetings.

3 Describe good telephone and voice mail techniques. 4 Describe the techniques of good voice input. 5 Explain the listening problem and how to solve it. 6 Describe the nature and role of nonverbal communication.

Lesikar−Flatley−Rentz: Business Communication: Making Connections in a Digital World, 11th Edition

V. Other Forms of Business Communication

14. Informal Oral Communication

CHAPTER 14 Informal Oral Communication 441

I N T R O D U C T O R Y S I T U A T I O N

Informal Oral Communication on the Job Your job as assistant director in the Public Relations Department at Mastadon Chemicals, Inc., seems somewhat different from what you expected. It makes full use of your specialized college training, as you expected; but it also involves duties for which you did not train because you did not expect them. Most of these duties seem to involve some form of oral communication. In fact, you probably spend more of your work time in talking and listening than in any other activity. To illustrate, take today’s activities. Early this morning, you discussed a morale problem with some of your super- visors. You don’t think they understood what you said. After that, you conducted a meeting of the special committee to plan the department’s annual picnic. As chairperson, you ran the meeting. It was a disaster, you felt—everybody talking at once, interrupting, arguing. It was a wonder that the committee made any progress. It seemed that every- body wanted to talk but nobody wanted to listen. In the afternoon, you had other job duties involving oral communication. After you returned from lunch, you must have had a phone conversation every 20 minutes or so. You felt comfortable with most of these calls, but you thought some of the callers needed a lesson or two in phone etiquette. Also, using speech recognition in Word, you dictated a few messages and emails between phone calls. You most certainly do a lot of talking (and listening) on your job, as do most of the people at Mastadon and just about everywhere else. Oral communication is a vital part of your work. Perhaps you can become better at it by studying the following review of oral communication techniques.

As you know, your work will involve oral as well as written communication. The written communication will probably give you more problems, but the oral communi- cation will take up more of your time. In fact, you are likely to spend more time in oral communication than in any other work activity. Much of the oral communication that goes on in business is the informal, person- to-person communication that occurs whenever people get together. Obviously, we all have experience with this form of communication, and most of us do it reasonably well. But all of us can improve our informal speaking and listening with practice. In addition to informal talking and listening, various kinds of other more formal oral communication take place in business. Sometimes businesspeople conduct and participate in committee meetings, conferences, and group discussions. Often they call one another on the phone. Even their messages and reports may begin orally as spoken dictation. And frequently, they are called upon to make formal presentations: speeches, lectures, oral reports, and the like. All these kinds of oral communication are a part of the work that businesspeople do. This and the following chapter cover these kinds of oral communication. This chap- ter reviews the somewhat less formal kinds: informal talking, listening, participating in meetings, talking by phone, and dictating. The following chapter presents the two most formal kinds: public speaking and oral reporting. Together, the two chapters should give you an understanding of the types of oral communication situations you will encounter in business.

INFORMAL TALKING As noted previously, most of us do a reasonably good job of informal talking. In fact, we do such a good job that we often take talking for granted and overlook the need for improving our talking ability. Most of us could stand to improve. To improve our talking ability, we need to be aware of its nature and qualities. We need to assess our abilities. Then we need to work to overcome our shortcomings.

• You will spend more time talking than writing in business.

• Most of your oral communication will be informal.

• But some of it will be formal, as in meetings, phone calls, dictation, speeches, and oral reports.

• This and the following chapter cover these types of oral communication.

• Most of us talk reasonably well, but probably we can do better.

Lesikar−Flatley−Rentz: Business Communication: Making Connections in a Digital World, 11th Edition

V. Other Forms of Business Communication

14. Informal Oral Communication

442 PART 5 Other Forms of Business Communication

Defi nition of Talking Imagine for a few moments what it would be like to have no words. All that you have to express your thoughts are grunts, groans, and other such utterances. Of course, you have various nonverbal symbols such as pointing your fi ngers, nodding your head, and the like. As you fi nd yourself increasingly in need of expressing yourself, you prob- ably become more and more emotional and frustrated—to the point of exaggerating the nonverbal symbols and experiencing many physical symptoms such as redness of the face, heavy breathing, and an increased heartbeat. More than likely, the foregoing analogy describes the way you learned to talk. As a dependent child, you expressed yourself with screams, cries, and nonverbal symbols. But as you matured, you learned words, and the words greatly reduced the frustrations of the past. They enabled you to communicate with others more exactly. They enabled you to relate better to the world about you and to some extent to control it. The foregoing review of how you learned to talk gives us the basis for defi ning talking. From it we can derive this defi nition: Talking is the oral expression of knowl- edge, viewpoints, and emotions through words. Also, from this review we can see that talking replaces many of the body movements we made before we were able to talk. And as we will see, it is supplemented by various body movements we have acquired as we learned to talk: gestures, facial expressions, body positions, and such. As a fi rst step in improving your talking ability, think for a moment about the quali- ties you like in a good talker—one with whom you would enjoy talking in ordinary conversation. Then think about the opposite—the worst conversationalist you can imagine. If you will get these two images in mind, you can form a good picture of the characteristics of good talking. Probably this mental picture includes good voice

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Voice Input Saves Writers Time Creating Documents

Created with Dragon Naturally Speaking. Used with permission.

• Think about having no words to speak. If you try to express yourself, you probably become frustrated.

• Thus, we learn words to control ourselves and the world about us.

• Talking, then, is the oral expression of knowledge, viewpoints, and emotions through words.

• Think about the best and worst speakers you can imagine. This contrast should give you the qualities of good talking: voice quality, speaking style, word choice, adaptation.

Lesikar−Flatley−Rentz: Business Communication: Making Connections in a Digital World, 11th Edition

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quality, excellence in talking style, accuracy of word choice, and adaptation. As these elements control the overall quality of oral expression, we will now review them.

Elements of Good Talking The techniques of good talking use four basic elements: (1) voice quality, (2) style, (3) word choice, and (4) adaptation.

Voice Quality. It should be obvious that good voice quality is central to good talking. By voice quality we mean the vocal sounds one hears when another speaks. Primarily voice quality refers to the pitch and resonance of the sounds made. But for our purposes, speed and volume are included. Because we cover these topics in Chap- ter 15, our review here is brief. We need only to say that voices vary widely—from the unpleasant to the melodious. Each of us is saddled with the voice given us. But we can work for improvement. Perhaps the best way of improving voice quality is fi rst to refer to your life ex- periences. From your life experiences you know good voice quality when you hear it. You know bad voice quality when you hear it. You know the effect received from talking that is too fast or too slow. You know the effect of talking in a monotone. You know the effect of a high-pitched voice, a guttural voice, a melodious voice. With this knowledge in mind, you should analyze your own voice, perhaps with the assistance of a recorder. Listen carefully to you. Fit what you hear into impressions you have gained from your life experiences. Then do what you can to improve. It will take conscious effort.

Style. Talking style refers to how the three parts of voice quality—pitch, speed, and volume—blend together. It is the unique way these parts combine to give personal- ity to one’s oral expression. As such, style refers to a set of voice behaviors that give uniqueness to a person. From the self-analysis described in our review of voice quality, you also should have a good idea of your talking style. What is the image your talking projects? Does it pro- ject sincerity? Is it polished? Smooth? Rough? Dull? After your honest assessment, you should be able to determine your style defi ciencies. Then you should work to improve.

Word Choice. A third quality of talking is word choice. Of course, word choice is related to one’s vocabulary. The larger the vocabulary, the more choices one has. Even so, you should keep in mind the need for the recipient to understand the words you choose. You should choose words you know are in his or her vocabulary. In addition, the words you choose should be appropriate. They should convey the morality and

C O M M U N I C A T I O N M A T T E R S

Words of Wisdom

Oral communication was consistently identifi ed as the most important competency in evaluating entry-level candidates. The four oral communication skills identifi ed as most important for entry-level jobs are following instructions, listening, conversing, and giving feedback.

Jeanne D. Maes, University of South Alabama Teresa G. Weldy, University of South Alabama

Marjorie L. Icenogle, University of South Alabama

Jeanne D. Maes, Teresa G. Weldy, Marjorie L. Icenogle, “A Managerial Perspective: Oral Communication Is Most Important for Business Students in the Workplace,” Journal of Business Communication 34 (1997): 78.

• Good voice quality helps one communicate. It involves pitch, delivery speed, and volume.

• Study the quality of your voice and compare it with what experience tells you is good. Then correct the shortcomings.

• Style is the blending of pitch, speed, and volume to form a unique talking personality.

• A self-analysis of your talking should show you your talking style and the image it projects.

• Choose words in your listener’s vocabulary. Select those that appropriately convey the morality and courtesy you intend and respect the listener’s knowledge.

Lesikar−Flatley−Rentz: Business Communication: Making Connections in a Digital World, 11th Edition

V. Other Forms of Business Communication

14. Informal Oral Communication

444 PART 5 Other Forms of Business Communication

courtesy you desire. And they should respect the listener’s knowledge of the subject matter—that is, they should not talk down to or above the listener.

Adaptation. Adaptation is the fourth quality of good talking. It is an extension of our discussion in the paragraphs above. Adaptation means fi tting the message to the intended listener. Primarily this means fi tting the words to the listener’s mind. But it also can include voice and style. To illustrate, the voice, style, and words in an oral message aimed at children would be different for the same message aimed at adults. Similarly, these qualities might vary in messages delivered in different cultures as well as different social situations, work situations, and classrooms.

Courtesy in Talking Our review of talking would not be complete without a comment about the need for courtesy. Good relations between human beings require courtesy. We all know talkers who drown out others with their loud voices, who butt in while others are talking, who attempt to dominate others in conversation. They are universally disliked. Do not be one of them. Good talkers encourage others to make their voices heard. They practice courtesy in their conversations. This emphasis on courtesy does not suggest that you should be submissive in your conversations—that you should not be aggressive in pressing your points. It means that you should accord others the courtesy that you expect of them. What we are sug- gesting is simply the Golden Rule applied to conversation.

CONDUCTING AND PARTICIPATING IN MEETINGS From time to time, you will participate in business meetings. They will range from extreme formality to extreme informality. On the formal end will be conferences and committee meetings. On the informal end will be discussions with groups of fellow workers. Whether formal or informal, the meetings will involve communication. In fact, the quality of the communication will determine their success. As noted in Chap- ter 10, collaborative report-writing groups should use the suggestions for conducting effective meetings.

• Adaptation is fi tting the message to the listener. It includes word selection, but here we refer to the combined effect of words, voice, and style.

• Good talkers are courteous. They don’t attempt to dominate.

• They are assertive, but they treat others as they want to be treated.

• Meetings involve oral communication.

Good talking is the foundation for other types of discourse— from dictating to personal meetings to conducting online and face-to-face meetings.

Lesikar−Flatley−Rentz: Business Communication: Making Connections in a Digital World, 11th Edition

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Your role in a meeting will be that of either leader or participant. Of course, the leader’s role is the primary one, but good participation is also vital. The following paragraphs review the techniques of performing well in either role.

Techniques of Conducting Meetings How you conduct a meeting depends on the formality of the occasion. Meetings of such groups as formal committees, boards of directors, and professional organizations usu- ally follow generally accepted rules of conduct called parliamentary procedure. These very specifi c rules are too detailed for review here. When you are involved in a formal meeting, you would do well to study one of the many books covering parliamentary procedure before the meeting. In addition, you should know and practice the following techniques. For less formal meetings, you can depart somewhat from parliamentary procedure and those techniques. But you should keep in mind that every meeting has goals and that such departures should never hinder you from reaching them.

Plan the Meeting. A key to conducting a successful meeting is to plan it thorough- ly. That is, you develop an agenda (a list of topics to be covered) by selecting the items that need to be covered to achieve the goals of the meeting. Then arrange these items in the most logical order. Items that explain or lead to other items should come before the items that they explain or lead to. After preparing the agenda, make it available to those who will attend if the meeting is formal. For informal meetings, you may fi nd keeping the agenda in mind satisfactory.

Follow the Plan. You should follow the plan for the meeting item by item. In most meetings the discussion tends to stray and new items tend to come up. As leader, you should keep the discussion on track. If new items come up during the meeting, you can take them up at the end—or perhaps postpone them to a future meeting.

Move the Discussion Along. As leader, you should control the agenda. When one item has been covered, bring up the next item. When the discussion moves off

Virtual meetings are becoming common in small and large business alike. No longer do businesses need

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Collaborative Tools Support Virtual Meetings

sophisticated teleconferencing equipment to work together from different locations. A typical desktop or laptop with an Internet connection will work nicely. With the proper system confi guration, meeting participants can both see and hear others as well as see and work with various software applications. Businesses are using this technology with their employ- ees, their suppliers, and their customers. Some of the uses include training, sales presentations, review meetings, prod- uct demonstrations, and much more—sometimes even just- in-time meetings. All uses help the businesspeople do their jobs while saving both time and travel costs. One such meeting tool is GoTo Meeting, a web-based application, which has won awards for its technology. Because the technology is scalable, meeting size can vary widely. And its cost and ease-of-use make it readily avail- able to large and small businesses alike.

• In a meeting you will be either a leader or a participant.

• To lead some formal meetings, you should know parliamentary procedure. So study the subject.

• In addition, you should do the following: (1) plan the items to be covered (the agenda),

• (2) follow the plan item by item,

• (3) move the discussion along,

Lesikar−Flatley−Rentz: Business Communication: Making Connections in a Digital World, 11th Edition

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14. Informal Oral Communication

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subject, move it back on subject. In general, do what is needed to proceed through the items effi ciently. But you should not cut off discussion before all the important points have been made. Thus, you will have to use your good judgment. Your goal is to permit complete discussion on the one hand and to avoid repetition, excessive details, and useless comments on the other.

Control Those Who Talk Too Much. Keeping certain people from talking too much is likely to be one of your harder tasks. A few people usually tend to dominate the discussion. Your task as leader is to control them. Of course, you want the meeting to be democratic, so you will need to let these people talk as long as they are contribut- ing to the goals of the meeting. However, when they begin to stray, duplicate, or bring in useless matter, you should step in. You can do this tactfully and with all the decorum of business etiquette by asking for other viewpoints or by summarizing the discussion and moving on to the next topic.

Encourage Participation from Those Who Talk Too Little. Just as some people talk too much, some talk too little. In business groups, those who say little are often in positions lower than those of other group members. Your job as leader is to encourage these people to participate by asking them for their viewpoints and by showing respect for the comments they make.

Control Time. When your meeting time is limited, you need to determine in ad- vance how much time will be needed to cover each item. Then, at the appropriate times, you should end discussion of the items. You may fi nd it helpful to announce the time goals at the beginning of the meeting and to remind the group members of the time status during the meeting.

Summarize at Appropriate Places. After a key item has been discussed, you should summarize what the group has covered and concluded. If a group decision is needed, the group’s vote will be the conclusion. In any event, you should formally conclude each point and then move on to the next one. At the end of the meeting, you can summarize the progress made. You also should summarize whenever a review will help the group members understand their accomplishments. For some formal meet- ings, minutes kept by a secretary provide this summary.

Techniques for Participating in a Meeting From the preceding discussion of the techniques that a leader should use, you know something about the things that a participant should do. The following review empha- sizes them.

Follow the Agenda. When an agenda exists, you should follow it. Specifi cally, you should not bring up items not on the agenda or comment on such items if others bring them up. When there is no agenda, you should stay within the general limits of the goal for the meeting.

Participate. The purpose of meetings is to get the input of everybody concerned. Thus, you should participate. Your participation, however, should be meaningful. You should talk only when you have something to contribute, and you should talk when- ever you have something to contribute. Practice professional etiquette as you work courteously and cooperatively with others in the group.

Do Not Talk Too Much. As you participate in the meeting, be aware that other people are attending. You should speak up whenever you have something to say, but do not get carried away. As in all matters of etiquette, always respect the rights of others. As you speak, ask yourself whether what you are saying really contributes to the discussion. Not only is the meeting costing you time, but it is costing other

• (4) allow no one to talk too much,

• (5) encourage everybody to take part,

• (6) control time when time is limited, and

• (7) at appropriate places, summarize what the group has covered and concluded.

• As a participant in a meeting you should

• (1) follow the agenda,

• (2) participate in the meeting,

• (3) avoid talking too much,

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people’s time and salaries as well as the opportunity costs of other work they might be doing.

Cooperate. A meeting by its very nature requires cooperation from all the participants. So keep this in mind as you participate. Respect the leader and her or his efforts to make progress. Respect the other participants, and work with them in every practical way.

Be Courteous. Perhaps being courteous is a part of being cooperative. In any event, you should be courteous to the other group members. Specifi cally, you should respect their rights and opinions, and you should permit them to speak.

USING THE PHONE A discussion of business phone techniques may appear trivial at fi rst thought. After all, most of us have had long experience in using the phone and may feel that we have little to learn about it. No doubt, some of us have excellent phone skills. But you have only to call a few randomly selected businesses to learn that not everyone who talks on the phone is profi cient in its use. You will get some gruff, cold greetings, and you will be subjected to a variety of discourtesies. And you will fi nd instances of ineffi cient use of time (which, of course, is costly). This is not to say that the problem is major, for most progressive businesses are aware of the need for good phone habits and do something about it. But poor phone techniques are found often enough to justify reviewing the subject of phone use in a business communication textbook.

Need for Favorable Voice Quality In reviewing good phone techniques, keep in mind that a phone conversation is a unique form of oral communication. Only voices are heard; the speakers are not seen. Impressions are received only from the words and the quality of the voices. Thus, when speaking by phone, it is extremely important that you work to make your voice sound pleasant and friendly. One often-suggested way of improving your phone voice is to talk as if you were face to face with the other person—even smiling and gesturing as you talk if this helps you be more natural. In addition, you would do well to put into practice the suggestions given earlier in this chapter concerning the use of the voice in speaking (voice quality, variation in pitch, and speed). Perhaps the best instructional device for this problem is to record one of your phone conversations. Then judge for yourself how you come across and what you need to do to improve.

Techniques of Courtesy If you have worked in business for any length of time, you have probably experienced most of the common phone discourtesies. You probably know that most of them are not intended as discourtesies but result from ignorance or unconcern. The following review should help you avoid them and incorporate business etiquette into your phone conversations. The recommended procedure when you are calling is to introduce yourself immedi- ately and then to ask for the person with whom you want to talk:

“This is Wanda Tidwell of Tioga Milling Company. May I speak with Mr. José Martinez?”

If you are not certain with whom you should talk, explain the purpose of your call:

“This is Wanda Tidwell of Tioga Milling Company. We have a question about your service warranty. May I talk with the proper executive about it?”

When a secretary or someone else who is screening calls answers the phone, the recommended procedure is to fi rst identify the company or offi ce and then to make an offer of assistance:

• (4) cooperate with all concerned, and

• (5) practice courtesy.

• Many businesspeople are discourteous and ineffi cient in phone communication.

• Because only sound is involved, friendly voices are important.

• So talk as if you were in a face-to-face conversation.

• Be courteous.

• When calling, immediately introduce yourself and ask for the person you want (or explain your purpose).

• When receiving a call, identify your company or offi ce; then offer assistance.

Lesikar−Flatley−Rentz: Business Communication: Making Connections in a Digital World, 11th Edition

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“Rowan Insurance Company. How may I help you?”

“Ms. Santo’s offi ce. May I help you?”

When a call goes directly into the offi ce of the executive, the procedure is much the same, except that the executive identifi es herself or himself:

“Bartosh Realty. Toby Bartosh speaking. May I help you?”

When an assistant answers for an executive (the usual case), special care should be taken not to offend the caller. Following a question like “Who is calling?” by “I am sorry, but Mr. Gordon is not in” leaves the impression that Gordon may be in but does not want to talk with this particular caller. A better procedure would be to state directly “Mr. Gordon is not in right now. May I ask him to return your call?” Or perhaps “May I tell him who called?” or “Can someone else help you?” could be substituted for the latter sentence. Especially irritating to callers is being put on hold for unreasonable periods of time. If the person being called is on another line or involved in some other activity, it may be desirable to place the caller on hold or ask if the caller would like to leave a mes- sage. But good business etiquette dictates that the choice should be the caller’s. If the hold continues for a period longer than anticipated, the assistant should check back with the caller periodically showing concern and offering assistance. Equally irritat- ing is the practice of having an assistant place a call for an executive and then put the person called on hold until the executive is free to talk. Although it may be effi cient to use assistants for such work, as a matter of courtesy and etiquette the executive should be ready to talk the moment the call goes through. Assistants to busy executives often screen incoming calls. In doing so, they should courteously ask the purpose of the calls. The response might prompt the assistant to re- fer the caller to a more appropriate person in the company. It also might reveal that the executive has no interest in the subject of the call, in which case the assistant should courteously yet clearly explain this to the caller. If the executive is busy at the moment, the assistant should explain this and either suggest a more appropriate time for a call or promise a callback by the executive. But in no case should the assistant promise a callback that will not be made. Such a breach of etiquette would likely destroy any goodwill between the caller and the company.

Effective Phone Procedures At the beginning of a phone conversation that you have initiated, it is good practice to state the purpose of the call. Then you should cover systematically all the points involved. For really important calls, you should plan your call, even to the point of making notes of the points to cover. Then you should follow your notes to make certain you cover them all. Courteous procedure is much the same in a telephone conversation as in a face-to- face conversation. You listen when the other person is talking. You refrain from inter- rupting. You avoid dominating the conversation. And perhaps most important of all, you cover your message quickly, saving time (and money) for all concerned.

Effective Voice Mail Techniques Sometimes when the person you are calling is not available, you will be able to leave a voice message in an electronic voice mailbox. Not only does this save you the time involved in calling back the person you are trying to reach, but it also allows you to leave a more detailed message than you might leave with an assistant. However, you need to be prepared for this to be sure your message is both complete and concise. You begin the message nearly the same way you would a telephone call. Be as cour- teous as you would on the telephone and speak as clearly and distinctly as you can. Tell the listener in a natural way your name and affi liation. Begin with an overview of the message and continue with details. If you want the listener to take action, call for it at

• Assistants should avoid offending callers by asking misleading questions, by making misleading comments, or

• by being inconsiderate in placing callers on hold. Let the callers choose, and check on the hold status continually.

• Assistants often screen calls. They should do this courteously and honestly.

• When calling, state your purpose early. Then cover your points systematically. Plan important calls.

• Be considerate, listen, and do not dominate. Use time effi ciently.

• Voice mail is becoming common in business.

• Use it much as you would any other telephone call.

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the end. If you want the listener to return your call, state that precisely, including when you can be reached. Slowly give the number where your call can be returned. Close with a brief goodwill message. For example, as a program coordinator for a profes- sional training organization, you might leave this message in the voice mailbox of one of your participants:

This is Ron Ivy from Metroplex Development Institute. I’m calling to remind Ms. Melanie Wilson about the Chief Executive Round Table (CERT) meeting next week (Wednesday, July 20) at the Crescent Hotel in Dallas. Dr. Ken Cooper of the Dallas Aerobics Center will present the program on Executive Health in the 21st Century. We will begin with breakfast at 7:30 AM and conclude with lunch at noon. Some of the CERT members will play golf in the afternoon at Dallas Country Club. If Ms. Wilson would like to join them, I will be glad to make a tee time for her. She can contact me at 940-240-1003 before 5:00 PM this Friday. We look forward to our Chief Executive Round Table meeting next Wednesday.

Cell Phones and Their Courteous Use In recent years the use of cell phones has become ubiquitous. In fact, according to the Yankee Group, 70 percent of all Americans have a cell phone. To say the least, the benefi ts of this technology have greatly expanded our ability to communicate. Even so, their use has become an annoyance to 82 percent of Americans and 87 percent of cell phone users.1 Each of us should be aware of these annoyances and do what we can to reduce them. We can do this by following these suggestions, any one of which can be broken in cases of emergency:

1. Turn off the ringer in meetings and other places where it would be disruptive.

2. Do not use the cell phone at social gatherings.

3. Do not place the phone on the table while eating.

4. Avoid talking whenever it will annoy others. Usually this means when within earshot of others.

5. Avoid discussing personal or confi dential matters when others can hear you.

6. Do not talk in an excessively loud voice.

7. Preferably call from a quiet place, away from other people.

8. If you must talk while around people, be conscious of them. Don’t hold up lines, obstruct the movements of others, or such.

9. Avoid using the phone while driving (the law in some states).

USING SPEECH RECOGNITION FOR MESSAGES AND REPORTS Dictating messages and reports is probably one of the most underutilized input methods for writers today. Speech recognition software has been improved to allow continuous speech and short setup periods with little training. Additionally, it works with most standard software applications, and it is inexpensive compared to the value it offers writers. Not only does such technology spell correctly, it can quickly learn specialized vocabularies. And it is generally faster for most people than writing by hand or keying information because most people can speak 140 to 160 words per minute. Although proofreading dictated documents is a bit different because it involves looking for homophones (words that sound alike) rather than misspelled or misused words, most programs offer users the ability to play back the dictation, which will help them catch other errors. If you haven’t started dictating documents yet, one of the best ways to learn is to use voice recognition software to handle your email. If you are using Offi ce XP or higher, you already have the software; you simply need a microphone and a few minutes

• Cell phones are widely used. Their use can be annoying.

• You can reduce these annoyances by following these suggestions.

1 Lee Rainie and Scott Keeter, “Cell Phone Use,” Pew Internet Project, April 2006, 21 June 2006 <http://www. pewinternet.org/Pds/PIP_cell_phone_study.pdf>.

• Dictation is an underutilized input method.

• Today’s software make the process easy . . .

• and inexpensive.

Lesikar−Flatley−Rentz: Business Communication: Making Connections in a Digital World, 11th Edition

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for training. Two other excellent programs are Dragon NaturallySpeaking and Simply Speaking. Once you have the tools, following the steps below will help you become profi cient at dictating.

Techniques of Dictating Gather the Facts. Your fi rst logical step in dictating is to get all the information you need for the message. This step involves such activities as getting past correspondence from fi les, consulting with other employees, and ascertaining company policy. Unless you get all the information you need, you will be unable to work without interruption.

Plan the Message. With the facts of the case before you, you next plan the mes- sage. You may prefer to do this step in your mind or to jot down a few notes or an out- line. Whatever your preference, your goal in this step is to decide what your message will be and how you will present it. In this step, you apply the procedures covered in our earlier review of message and report writing.

Make the Words Flow. Your next step is to talk through the message. Simple as this step appears, you are likely to have problems with it. Thinking out loud even to the computer frightens most of us at fi rst. The result is likely to be slow and awkward dictation. Overcoming this problem requires self-discipline and practice. You should force yourself to concentrate and to make the words fl ow. Your goal should be to get the words out—to talk through the message. You need not be too concerned about pro- ducing a polished work on the fi rst effort. You will probably need to revise, perhaps several times. After you have forced your way through several messages, your need to revise will decrease and the speed and quality of your dictation will improve.

Speak Clearly. Because your dictation must be heard clearly by your system, you should speak as distinctly as you can. Even small improvements in accuracy—say from 95 percent to 99 percent—will have big payoffs in the time it takes you to com- plete documents.

Give Paragraphing, Punctuation, and Other Instructions as Needed. How much of the paragraphing, spelling, punctuation, and other mechanics you dictate depends on how well trained your system is. The more often you use the software, the more it knows your dictation style and the fewer instructions it will need. If you take care to spell out words unknown to your system in addition to training your sys- tem, it will serve you better. You can see how to dictate effectively in the following illustration.

• You should (1) get all the information you need to avoid interruption later;

• (2) plan the message following the procedures described in preceding chapters;

• (3) talk through the message,

• forcing the words to fl ow if necessary (you can revise later);

• (4) speak distinctly for improved accuracy;

• (5) give the paragraphing, punctuation, and other instructions as the system needs;

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Play Back Intelligently. Although you should try to talk through the message with- out interruption, you will sometimes need to stop and get a playback of what you have dictated. But do this only when necessary. More than likely, the need for a playback results from confused thinking. When you are learning to dictate, however, some confused thinking is normal. And until you gain experience, you may profi t from playbacks.

Proofread for Accuracy. You will fi nd a playback especially helpful at the end of the message to give you a check on the overall effect of your words. Additionally, con- ducting playbacks while visually reading your fi nal document will help you proofread your document for homophone errors (for example, using “there” for “their”).

Illustration Many of the preceding techniques are illustrated in the following transcript of a dic- tated routine email message. This example shows all the dictator’s words, including punctuation, paragraphing, and corrections, that were spoken after the microphone was activated. Note that the dictator spells out words that might not be in the program’s vocabulary. However, if the word were the name of a client one expected to have for a long time, the name could be added to the program for future use. Also, note that the program attempts to learn your usage patterns, even the usage of homophones. For example, if most of the time you used the word sweet rather than suite, the program would fi rst supply sweet. As the software improves and as your dictation speed im- proves, the program may be able to select the correct word forms based on context. At fi rst, though, careful proofreading is essential.

Dear Payton spell that p-a-y-t-o-n cap that comma new paragraph Three crates of orchard hyphen fresh Florida oranges should be in your store sometime Wednesday morning as they were shipped today by Greene spell that g-r-e-e-n-e cap that motor cap that freight cap that period new paragraph As you requested in your August 29 order comma the three hundred sixty-one dollars and sixty cents left paren invoice cap that 14721 right paren was credited to your account period new paragraph Your customers will go for these large comma tasty oranges comma I am sure period They are the best we have handled in months period new paragraph Thanks comma Payton comma for another opportunity to serve you period new paragraph Sincerely comma new line Alex

LISTENING Up to this point, our review of oral communication has been about sending information (talking). Certainly, this is an area in which businesspeople need help. But evidence shows that the receiving side (listening) causes more problems.

The Nature of Listening When listening is mentioned, we think primarily of the act of sensing sounds. In human communication, of course, the sounds are mainly spoken words. Viewed from a com- munication standpoint, however, the listening process involves the addition of fi ltering and remembering.

Sensing. How well we sense the words around us is determined by two factors. One factor is our ability to sense sounds—how well our ears can pick them up. As you know, we do not all hear equally well, although mechanical devices (hearing aids) can reduce our differences in this respect. The other factor is our attentiveness to listening. More specifi cally, this is our mental concentration—our will to listen. Our mental concentration on the communication symbols that our senses can detect varies from moment to moment. It can range from almost totally blocking out those symbols to concentrating on them very intensely. From your own experience, you can recall moments when you were oblivious to the words

• (6) play back when necessary; and

• (7) play back to proofread for accuracy, especially checking for homophone errors.

• Here is the exact transcript of a short confi rmation message.

• Poor listening is a major cause of miscommunication.

• Listening involves sensing, fi ltering, and remembering.

• How well we sense spoken words is determined by (1) our ability to sense sounds and

• (2) our attentiveness.

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spoken around you and moments when you listened with all the intensity you could muster. Most of the time, your listening fell somewhere between these extremes.

Filtering. From your study of the communication process in Chapter 1, you know that interpretation enables you to give meanings to the symbols you sense. In this process, the contents of your mind serve as a sort of fi lter through which you give meaning to incoming messages. This fi lter is formed by the unique contents of your mind: your knowledge, emotions, beliefs, biases, experiences, expectations, and such. Thus, you sometimes give messages meanings different from the meanings that others give them.

Remembering. Remembering what we hear is the third activity involved in listening. Unfortunately, we retain little of what we hear. We remember many of the comments we hear in casual conversation for only a short time—perhaps for only a few minutes or hours. Some we forget almost as we hear them. According to authori- ties, we even quickly forget most of the message in formal oral communications (such as speeches), remembering only a fourth after two days.

Improving Your Listening Ability Improving your listening is largely a matter of mental conditioning—of concentrating on the activity of sensing. You have to want to improve it, for listening is a willful act. If you are like most of us, you are often tempted not to listen or you just fi nd it easier not to listen. We human beings tend to avoid work, and listening may be work. After you have decided that you want to listen better, you must make an effort to pay attention. How you do this will depend on your mental makeup, for the effort requires disciplining the mind. You must force yourself to be alert, to pay attention to the word spoken. Active listening is one technique individuals can use successfully. It involves focusing on what is being said and reserving judgment. Other components include sitting forward and acknowledging with “um-hm” and nodding. Back- channeling is a variation of this technique that groups can use. Users leverage technologies such as chat and blogs to comment on and enhance presentations in real time, which helps keep a sharp focus on what is being said. Whatever technique you choose, improve- ment requires hard work.

C O M M U N I C A T I O N M A T T E R S

Listening Error in a Chain of Communication

Colonel to the executive offi cer: “As the general feels the soldiers are unaware of the dangers of drinking impure water, he wishes to explain the matter to them. Have all personnel fall out in fatigues at 1400 hours in the battalion area, where the general will address them. In the event of rain, assemble them in the theater.”

Executive offi cer to company commander: “By order of the colonel, tomorrow at 1400 hours all personnel will fall out in fatigues in the battalion area if it rains to march to the theater. There the general will talk about their unawareness of the dangers of drinking.”

Company commander to lieutenant: “By order of the colonel, in fatigues the personnel will assemble at the theater at 1400 hours. The general will appear if it rains to talk about the dangers of the unawareness of drinking.”

Lieutenant to sergeant: “Tomorrow at 1400 hours the troops will assemble at the theater to hear the general talk about unawareness of drinking dangerously.”

Sergeant to the enlisted personnel: “Tomorrow at 1400 hours the drunken general will be at the theater in his underwear talking dangerously. We have to go and hear him.”

• To improve your listening, you must want to improve it.

• Remembering what we hear is a part of listening.

• Filtering is the process of giving symbols meanings through the unique contents of each person’s mind.

• Be alert. Force yourself to pay attention.

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In addition to working on the improvement of your sensing, you should work on the accuracy of your fi ltering. To do this, you will need to think in terms of what words mean to the speakers who use them rather than what the dictionary says they mean or what they mean in your mind. You must try to think as the speaker thinks—judging the speaker’s words by the speaker’s knowledge, experiences, viewpoints, and such. Like improving your sensing, improving your ability to hear what is being said requires conscious effort. Remembering what you hear also requires conscious effort. Certainly, there are limits to what the mind can retain, but authorities agree that few of us come close to them. By taking care to hear what is said and by working to make your fi ltering process give more accurate meanings to the words you hear, you add strength to the messages you receive. The result should be improved retention. In addition to the foregoing advice, various practical steps may prove helpful. Assembled in a classic document titled, “The Ten Commandments of Listening,”2 the following list summarizes the most useful of them:

1. Stop talking. Unfortunately, most of us prefer talking to listening. Even when we are not talking, we are inclined to concentrate on what to say next rather than on listening to others. So you must stop talking before you can listen.

2. Put the talker at ease. If you make the talker feel at ease, he or she will do a better job of talking. Then you will have better input to work with.

3. Show the talker you want to listen. If you can convince the talker that you are listening to understand rather than oppose, you will help create a climate for information exchange. You should look and act interested. Doing things like reading, looking at your watch, and looking away distracts the talker.

4. Remove distractions. The things you do also can distract the talker. So don’t doodle, tap with your pencil, shuffl e papers, or the like.

5. Empathize with the talker. If you place yourself in the talker’s position and look at things from the talker’s point of view, you will help create a climate of understanding that can result in a true exchange of information.

6. Be patient. You will need to allow the talker plenty of time. Remember that not everyone can get to the point as quickly and clearly as you. And do not interrupt. Interruptions are barriers to the exchange of information.

Improve your listening skills by focusing your attention on the speaker and listening actively.

• Concentrate on improving your mental fi ltering.

• Think from the speaker’s viewpoint.

• Consciously try to remember.

• In addition, follow these practical guidelines (summarized in italics).

2 To some anonymous author goes a debt of gratitude for these classic and often-quoted comments about listening.

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7. Hold your temper. From our knowledge of the workings of our minds, we know that anger impedes communication. Angry people build walls between each other. They harden their positions and block their minds to the words of others.

8. Go easy on argument and criticism. Argument and criticism tend to put the talker on the defensive. He or she then tends to “clam up” or get angry. Thus, even if you win the argument, you lose. Rarely does either party benefi t from argument and criticism.

9. Ask questions. By frequently asking questions, you display an open mind and show that you are listening. And you assist the talker in developing his or her message and in improving the correctness of meaning.

10. Stop talking! The last commandment is to stop talking. It was also the fi rst. All the other commandments depend on it.

From the preceding review it should be clear that to improve your listening ability, you must set your mind to the task. Poor listening habits are ingrained in our makeup. We can alter these habits only through conscious effort.

THE REINFORCING ROLE OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION In your role of either speaker or listener in oral communication, you will need to be aware of the nonverbal—nonword—part of your communication. In both roles, non- verbal communication accounts for a larger part of the total message than do the words you send or receive. Usually, we use nonverbal communication to supplement and reinforce our words. Sometimes, nonverbal communication communicates by itself. Because it is so important to our communication, we will look at the nature of nonver- bal communication and some types of it.

Nature of Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal or nonword communication means all communication that occurs without words. As you can see, the subject is a broad one. And because it is so broad, nonver- bal communication is quite vague and imprecise. For instance, a frown on someone’s forehead is sometimes interpreted to mean worry. But could it be that the person has a

Voice input systems allow writers to concentrate on word choice and message composition, freeing them from typing and spelling concerns. But careful proofreading is still essential, especially for easily confused words and sound-alikes.

• Nonverbal communication accounts for more of a total message than words do.

• Nonverbal (nonword) communication means all communication without words. It is broad and imprecise.

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headache? Or is the person in deep thought? No doubt, there could be numerous mean- ings given to the facial expression. The number of possible meanings is multiplied even more when we consider the cross-cultural side of communication. As noted in Chapter 16, culture teaches us about body positions, movements, and various factors that affect human relationships (inti- macy, space, time, and such). Thus, the meanings we give to nonverbal symbols will vary depending on how our culture has conditioned us. Because of these numerous meanings, you need to be sensitive to what others intend with nonverbal communication. And you need to make some allowance for error in the meanings you receive from nonverbal symbols. As a listener, you need to go beyond the obvious to determine what nonword symbols mean. As we have said about word symbols, you need to see what people intend with their nonverbal symbols as well. Perhaps one good way to grasp the intent of this suggestion is to look at the intended meanings you have for the nonverbal symbols you use. Think for a few moments about the smile on your face, a gesture, or such. What do you mean by it? What could it mean to others? Is it exactly as you intend? Could it be interpreted differently? Could someone from a different culture give a different mean- ing to it? Only if you look at nonverbal symbols through the prism of self-analysis and realize their multiple meaning potential can you get some idea of how they might be interpreted differently. And when you become aware of the many differences, you then can become sensitive to the meaning intended by the nonverbal communication. In order to become sensitive to the myriad of nonverbal symbols, we will look at some types of nonverbal communication. Specifi cally, we will study four types of communication that occur without words.

Types of Nonverbal Communication Although there are many ways to classify nonverbal communication, we will examine four of the more common types: body language, space, time, and paralanguage. These four types are especially important to our discussion of speaking and listening.

Body Language. Much of what we say to others without using words is sent through the physical movements of our bodies. When we wave our arms and fi ngers, wrinkle our foreheads, stand erect, smile, gaze at another, wear a coat and tie, and so on, we convey certain meanings; and others convey meanings to us in return. In particular, the face and eyes, gestures, posture, and physical appearance refl ect the inner workings of emotions in our bodies. The face and eyes are by far the most important features of body language. We look to the face and eyes to determine much of the meaning behind body language and nonverbal communication. For example, happiness, surprise, fear, anger, and sadness usually are accompanied by defi nite facial expressions and eye patterns. You should be aware of these two aspects of body language as you speak and listen to others. Gestures are another way we send nonword messages through our body parts. Gestures are physical movements of our arms, legs, hands, torsos, and heads. Through the movement of each of these body parts, we can accent and reinforce our verbal messages. And we can observe how others punctuate their verbal efforts with gestures. For example, observe the hand movements of another person while he or she is talking. As you observe these gestures, you will get a good picture of the internal emotional state of the person. Moreover, speaking and gestures appear to be linked. In general, the louder someone speaks, the more emphatic the gestures used, and vice versa. Another area of body language is physical appearance—our clothing, hair, and adornments (jewelry, cosmetics, and such). The appearance of our bodies can affect how our body movements are seen. Consider, for example, how you might perceive a speaker at a formal banquet dressed in faded blue jeans. No doubt, the speaker’s gestures, facial features, posture, and such would be perceived in relation to attire. Accordingly, you want to make sure that your appearance fi ts the situation. And you

• Cross-cultural aspects give many meanings to nonverbal communication.

• Be sensitive to intended nonverbal meanings. Go beyond the obvious.

• Realize that nonverbal symbols can have many meanings.

• Four common types of nonverbal communication are (1) body language, (2) space, (3) time, and (4) paralanguage.

• Our bodies send nonword messages— through arms, fi ngers, expressions, posture, and so on.

• The face and eyes are the most important.

• Gestures (physical movements of the arms, legs, torso, and head) send nonword messages.

• Physical appearance— clothing, hair, jewelry, cosmetics, and so on—also communicates.

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want to remember that appearance is an important part of the body messages that are sent and received in oral communication.

Space. Another type of nonverbal communication involves space and how it com- municates meaning in speaking and listening. How we use space and what we do in certain spaces we create tell much about us. Thus, each of us has a space language just as we do a body language. This space language is crafted by our culture. Authorities tell us that we create four different types of space: intimate (physical contact to 18 inches); personal (18 inches to 4 feet); social (4 to 12 feet); and public (12 feet to range of seeing and hearing). In each of these spaces, our communication behaviors differ and convey different meanings. For example, consider the volume of your voice when someone is 18 inches from you. Do you shout? Whisper? Now con- trast the tone of your voice when someone is 12 feet away. Unquestionably, there is a difference, just because of the distance involved. Our behaviors in each type of space are learned from our cultures. Thus, you will need to be sensitive to the spaces of others—especially those from different cultures. As noted in Chapter 16, when people’s attitudes toward space are different, their ac- tions are likely to be misinterpreted.

Time. A third type of nonverbal communication involves time. Just as there are body language and space language, there is also a time language. That is, how we give meaning to time communicates to others. To illustrate, think about how you manage your daily schedule. Do you arrive early for most appointments? Do you prioritize phone calls? Do you prepare agendas for meetings? Your response to time in these ways communicates to others and, of course, others’ use of time communicates to you. In terms of nonverbal communication, you should recognize that time orientations are not always the same—especially in the cross-cultural arena—but they do communi- cate. For Americans, Canadians, and many others from English-speaking countries, time values are monochronic. Monochronic people tend to view time as linear and always moving ahead. They expect events to happen at scheduled times. Polychronic people—such as those from Asian, Arabic, and Spanish-speaking countries—have a more indefi nite view of time. Unlike the monochronic person who expects a meeting to start precisely at 9:00 AM, the polychronic person sees a 9:00 AM meeting as an objective to be accomplished if possible. Nevertheless, time orientations become parts of the messages we send to and receive from one another.

Paralanguage. Paralanguage, meaning “like language,” is a fourth type of non- verbal communication. Of all the types, it is the closest to communication with word symbols. It has to do with the sound of a speaker’s voice, the “how” of it—those hints and signals in the way words are delivered. To illustrate, read the following series of statements, emphasizing the underscored word in each.

I am a good communicator.

By emphasizing the underscored word in each statement, you change the mean- ing of that statement from the others even though you used the same words. You do so by the way in which the word sequence sounds. As another example, try counting from 1 to 10 a number of times, each time expressing a different emotional state—say anxiety, anger, or happiness. The way you state each sequence of numbers will show what you intend quite accurately. Paralanguage is the communication effect of the speed, pitch, volume, and connec- tivity of spoken words. Are they fast or slow? Are they high pitched or deep? Are they

• Space is another type of nonverbal language.

• Four types of space exist: (1) intimate, (2) personal, (3) social, and (4) public. Communication behavior differs in each.

• Communication behaviors are learned from cultures.

• Time is a third type of nonverbal communication.

• Paralanguage involves how we say something.

• You can change the meaning of spoken sentences by accenting different words in each.

• Paralanguage creates meanings because of speed, pitch, volume, and connection of words.

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loud and forceful or barely audible? Are they smooth or disjointed? These questions are examples of the types you would ask to analyze the nonverbal symbols of paralanguage. The symbols become a part of the meaning that is fi ltered from a spoken message. Paralanguage meanings also are conveyed by consistencies and inconsistencies in what is said and how it is said. Depending on the circumstance, a person’s voice may or may not be consistent with the intended word meanings. But you should make every effort to avoid inconsistencies that will send a confusing message. Consistency between the words you choose and how you deliver them to create clear meaning should be your goal. Senders and receivers have certain expectancies about how a message should sound. Whether real or imagined, people infer background factors (race, occupation, etc.); physical appearance (age, height, gender); and personality (introversion, social orientation, etc.) when they receive and fi lter voice patterns. When you speak, you should do whatever you can to infl uence these expectancies positively. Many of the suggestions in this chapter and the following one should help you deliver a consistent and effective message. Active listeners will also want to listen between the lines of a spoken message to determine the true meaning a speaker is sending.

Other Types of Nonverbal Communication. Other types of nonverbal com- munication exist. But the preceding four types are the primary forms. For example, color communicates different meanings to us. Artists, interior decorators, and “image consultants” believe that different colors project different meanings. What meanings do you get from red, yellow, black, blue? That you can answer at all should prove that colors produce meanings in our minds. Applications of the idea to speaking and listen- ing include visual-aid construction, wardrobe, offi ce decor, and the like. Thus, you should give more than casual attention to color as a type of nonverbal communication. Indeed, you will want to create a specifi c and intended meaning with it. Still another type of nonverbal communication involves the structure of our physi- cal context—its layout and design. In an offi ce, the physical arrangements—furniture, carpeting, size, location, and decorations—all communicate meaning to us and to oth- ers. These elements provide the context for many of our speaking and listening activi- ties. As such, we should consider them as part of the messages we send and receive.

SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Talking is the oral expression of our knowledge, viewpoints, and emotions. It depends on four critical factors:

• Voice quality—talking with variations in pitch, delivery, and volume.

• Speaking style—blending voice quality and personality.

• Word choice—fi nding the right word or words for the listener.

• Adaptation—fi tting a message to the mind of a unique listener.

2. In business, you are likely to participate in meetings, some formal and some informal.

• If you are in charge of a meeting, follow these guidelines.

— Know parliamentary procedure for formal meetings.

— Plan the meeting; develop an agenda and circulate it in advance.

— Follow the plan.

— Keep the discussion moving.

— Control those who talk too much.

— Encourage participation from those who talk too little.

— Control time, making sure the agenda is covered.

— Summarize at appropriate times.

• Degrees of consistency between what and how someone says something convey meaning.

• Expectancies about background, appearance, and personality are part of paralanguage.

• Two other nonverbal types exist, but they are minor. One is color.

• Another is physical context—offi ce, carpeting, decorations, and such.

1Discuss talking and its key elements.

2Explain the techniques for conducting and participating in meetings.

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• If you are a participant at a meeting, follow these guidelines:

— Stay with the agenda; do not stray.

— Participate fully.

— But do not talk too much.

— Cooperate.

— Be courteous.

3. To improve your phone and voice mail techniques, consider the following:

• Cultivate a pleasant voice.

• Talk as if in a face-to-face conversation.

• Follow courteous procedures.

— When calling, introduce yourself and ask for the person you want.

— State your purpose early.

— Cover points systematically.

— When receiving a call, identify your company or offi ce and offer assistance.

— When answering for the boss, do not offend by asking questions or making comments that might give a wrong impression; and do not neglect callers placed on hold.

— When screening calls for the boss, be courteous and honest.

— Listen when the other person is talking.

— Do not interrupt or dominate.

— Plan long conversations, and follow the plan.

• For good voice mail messages, follow these suggestions:

— Identify yourself by name and affi liation.

— Deliver a complete and accurate message.

— Speak naturally and clearly.

— Give important information slowly.

— Close with a brief goodwill message.

• Demonstrate courtesy when using cell phones by following these general guidelines:

— Turn off the ringer where it could disrupt others.

— Avoid use at social gatherings.

— Keep the phone off the table during meals.

— Talk only in places where others won’t be in earshot.

— Avoid talking about confi dential or private business.

— Keep voice volume down.

— Initiate calls in quiet places away from others.

— Be conscious of others when you talk.

— Avoid talking while driving, especially if it is against the law.

4. In dictating messages and reports, follow these suggestions.

• First, gather all the information you will need so you will not have to interrupt your dictating to get it.

• Next, plan (think through) the message.

• Until you are experienced, force the words to fl ow—then revise.

• Remember, also, to speak in a strong, clear voice.

• Give punctuation and paragraphing in the dictation.

3Describe good phone and voice mail techniques.

4Describe the techniques of good voice input.

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• Play back only when necessary.

• Proofread for accuracy.

5. Listening is just as important as talking in oral communication, but it causes more problems.

• Listening involves how we sense, fi lter, and retain incoming messages.

• Most of us do not listen well because we tend to avoid the hard work that good listening requires.

• You can improve your listening with effort.

• Put your mind to it and discipline yourself to be attentive.

• Make a conscious effort to improve your mental fi ltering of incoming messages; strive to retain what you hear.

• Follow the practical suggestions offered in “ The Ten Commandments of Listening.”

6. Nonverbal (nonword) communication is the communication that occurs without words.

• One major type is body language—the movements of our arms, fi ngers, facial muscles, and such.

— Our face and eyes are the most expressive parts of body language.

— Gestures also send messages.

— Our physical appearance (clothing, cosmetics, jewelry, hairstyle) communicates about us.

• Space is a second major type of nonverbal communication.

— We create four unique types of spaces: (1) intimate, (2) physical, (3) social, and (4) public.

— We communicate differently in each space, as determined by our culture.

• How we give meaning to time is a third type of nonverbal communication.

• Meanings the sounds of our voices convey (paralanguage) are a fourth type.

• Color and physical context are minor nonverbal forms.

• In our speaking, we should use nonverbal communication to accent our words.

• In listening, we need to “hear” the nonverbal communication of others.

5Explain the listening problem and how to solve it.

6Describe the nature and role of nonverbal communication.

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C R I T I C A L T H I N K I N G Q U E S T I O N S

1 Talking is a natural occurrence, so we should give it little attention. Discuss.

2 How do the elements of talking help us communicate better?

3 Being able to start a conversation is especially important when meeting clients in social settings. Discuss the types of topics that would and would not be appropriate.

4 The people attending a meeting—not the leader— should determine the agenda. Discuss.

5 As meetings should be democratic, everyone present should be permitted to talk as much as he or she wants without interference from the leader. Discuss.

6 Describe an annoying phone practice that you have experienced or know about (other than the ones dis- cussed in the chapter). Explain and/or demonstrate how it should be corrected.

7 Describe the strengths and weaknesses of voice mail systems with which you are familiar.

8 Use the Internet to gather information and present a re- port on recent developments in voice recognition.

9 Discuss why we have diffi culty in listening. 10 What can you do to improve your listening? 11 Explain how each type of nonverbal communication

relates to speaking and to listening.

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Meetings

Because group meetings are meaningful only when they concern problems that the participants know about and understand, the following topics for meetings involve campus situations. For one of these topics, develop a specifi c problem that would warrant a group meeting. (Example: For student government, the problem might be “To determine the weaknesses of student government on this campus and what should be done to correct them.”) Then lead the class (or participate) in a meeting on the topic. Class discussion following the meeting should reinforce the text material and bring out the effective and ineffective parts of the meeting.

a. Student drinking

b. Scholastic dishonesty

c. Housing regulations

d. Student–faculty relations

e. Student government

f. Library

g. Grading standards

h. Attendance policies

i. Varsity athletics

j. Intramural athletics

k. Degree requirements

l. Parking

m. Examination scheduling

n. Administrative policies

o. University calendar

p. Homework requirements

q. Tuition and fees

r. Student evaluation of faculty

s. Community–college relations

t. Maintaining fi les of old examinations for students

u. Wireless Internet availability

Phoning

Make a list of bad phone practices that you have experienced or heard about. With a classmate, fi rst demonstrate the bad practice and then demonstrate how you would handle it. Some possibilities: putting a caller on hold tactlessly, harsh greeting, unfriendly voice quality, insulting comments (un- intended), attitude of unconcern, cold and formal treatment.

Dictating

Working with the voice recognition feature in Offi ce XP or higher (or any other your instructor specifi es) select a writ- ing case from the problems following the chapters on mes- sages, Chapters 6, 7, and 8. Then dictate a message. You may need to train the software before using it. After you have fi n- ished your dictation, proofread it carefully. Then play back the message for, review one fi nal time.

Listening

After the class has been divided into two (or more) teams, the instructor reads some factual information (newspaper article, short story, or the like) to only one member of each team. Each of these team members tells what he or she has heard to a second team member, who in turn tells it to a third team member—and so on until the last member of each team has heard the information. The last person receiving the in- formation reports what she or he has heard to the instructor, who checks it against the original message. The team able to report the information with the greatest accuracy wins.

Nonverbal

Using a digital camera or pictures from magazines, get three to fi ve pictures of men and women with different facial ex- pressions (happiness, sadness, anger, etc.) or gestures. Ask those native to your area to identify the emotions or the meanings of the gestures the pictures convey. Then ask at least three others from different countries (preferably differ- ent continents) to identify the emotions. Report your results to the class.

C R I T I C A L T H I N K I N G E X E R C I S E S