Effective
Communication Skills
Both Verbal and Non-Verbal
Dr. Deivasigamani Vasudevan

Agenda
 What is meant by
Communication ?
 Methods of
Communication
 Verbal Communication
 Written Communication
 Visual Communication
 Effective
Communication
Techniques
 Do’s and Don’ts
 Communication
techniques as Introducer
 Body Language
 Listening to Others
 What to do if you forget
what to speak
 Handling Question &
Answer sessions
 Practice Session
 Review & Analysis
 Future Reference

When does human being start
communicating?
 The just born baby starts
communicating with the
world the moment it is
out of the mother’s
womb by crying
 Some say the baby starts
communicating even
before birth by its
movement and kicking
right inside the womb

Communication
 Communication is Life
 Communication is the shift of an Object, a Written
Message, a Spoken Word or an Idea from one person to
other (s)
 The Intention of the communication is that it is
understood, duplicated, attended and responded as the
case may be

Two Way Communication
I Object your
Honor…
Objection
Sustained
I Hope you agree
with me Mr. Ravi…
Sure, I Do..
Taxi…
Yaeh…
This is the best
layout in my
opinion, Madam.
I Think so.
The Conference Hall
is at this side…
Oh, Thank You so
much..

The Communication Process
Mr. Gupta
will see
you now.

Communication Methods
 Verbal Communication
 Direct
 Indirect
 Written Communication
 Visual Communication
 Sight (visible) 75%
 Hearing (audible) 13%
 Feeling (Tactile) 6%
 Smell (olfactory) 3%
 Taste (gustatory) 3%

Direct Verbal Communication
Requirements of this Method are:
 Careful Preparation
 Good Individual Communication and Presentation
skills
 A broad knowledge of the Subject matter
 Ability to control and answer questions or seek
answers
 Credibility with the audience or the group
 The encouragement of Participation and Involvement

Direct Verbal Communication
Its Strengths are:
 Direct Impact on Individuals or the Group
 Permits assessment of reactions and allows discussion and
modification as appropriate
 Permits use of Plain words easily understood by others
 Audience can ask Question and Answers
 Permits the presenter to check the assimilation
 Allows for Reiteration, Recapitulation and Emphasis
 Aids the process of Participation and Involvement
 Can secure the Commitment from Groups and Individuals

Direct Verbal Communication
Its Limitations are:
 Depends upon the Presenters ability to Communicate
effectively
 Uses only one of the senses through which the people
acquire knowledge
 Requires time for preparation carefully in proportion to the
complexity of the subject
 Does not guarantee uniformity of content and Understanding
between groups unless based on a common agenda
 Time Consuming and usually most effective for
small groups

Indirect Verbal Communication
 Internal Broadcasting
System
 Public Address System
 Taped speeches,
conference proceedings
 Translated speeches
 Effectiveness Limited
 Overwhelmed by Noise
 No Guarantee that the
message has been
received by the target-
much less understood
 Inflexible and cannot
adapt to individual
requirement

Written Communication
 The Requirements of the written methods are:
 Ability to Express the message in words clearly and
concisely
 Ability to make the words interesting to read
 Ability to say exactly what is meant, unambiguously
 Sense of ‘Timing’ – Good administrative arrangement for
circulation
 Awareness of Limitations and Deployment in appropriate
situations

Written Communication
 The Strengths of written Communication are:
 Same messages goes to everyone, and consistent
 Speedy delivery and possibility of simultaneous receipt by
everyone
 Capable of reaching large audience
 The reply and feedback can be standardized
 The target can read, understand and respond at a time and
opportunity convenient

Written Communication
 The Limitations of the written methods are:
 Not Everyone chooses to read – no guarantee that the
message has ‘ got through’
 Written words may mean different things to different people
according to vocabulary
 Words may be ambiguous and create confusion and
misunderstanding
 No Opportunity for clarifications; cannot easily asks
questions, get replies or discuss
 Difficult to convey relative importance and Emphasis
 De-personalized communication process
 Reduces sense of Involvement and precludes exchange of
Information and views

Visual Communication
 Films, Audio-Video presentations
 Demonstrations
 Training Sessions, Workshops, Group Discussions
 Flip Charts, Touch Screens, Posters
 Presentations with Visual Aids (Over Head Projector,
LCD projector)

Mistakes to avoid
 Arriving late, leaving early or intermittently
 Exceeding the allotted time when giving presentation
 Not Coming prepared if called on
 Doodling, drumming fingers or yawning
 Being Sarcastic, attacking people rather than ideas,
being unfairly critical
 Not participating or listening effectively
 Going off on tangents
 Engaging in side conversations
 Reading, eating, smoking
 Falling asleep
 Making a mess

Dos and Don’ts: Manner
 Stand and Sit up Straight
 Have Good eye Contact
 Smile
 Keep Feet Still
 Keep Shoulders Relaxed
 Lean Slightly Forward
 Vary Gestures
 Rock back & forth
 Cross your arms
 Fidget
 Make a fist
 Point at any person while
speaking
 Slouch
 Drag or shuffle your feet
 Put Hands on hips
Dos Don’ts

Dos and Don’ts: Dress Code
 Learn the interpretation of
“ Business Casual “ dress
 Make sure the Garment fits
properly and you are
comfortable in it
 Limit or eliminate cologne or
perfume
 Wear limited makeup
 Wear Clean and pressed
clothing
 Ever wear ripped or torn
clothing
 Ever wear tight or revealing
outfits
 Ever wear fancy hats and
caps
 Wear noisy or otherwise
distractive jewelry
 Overdo it on the perfume or
Cologne
Dos Don’ts

Meeting Tools
 Self Introduction: be prepared to Introduce yourself in an
upbeat manner
 Business Cards: carry them with you all the time
 Handshake: firm, not bone crushing or wimpy
 Be Interested: Ask questions, listen and observe surroundings
 Be Interesting: read everything ! Observe the World
 Know Appropriate Talks for Conversation: Weather; Traffic;
Current Events; Travel; Hobbies; Sports; Cultural events;
Movies; Books; Food & Dining; Work
 Phone, email, fax, notes
 Keep in touch- send articles, meet for lunch
 Have a system which you follow diligently

Communication by Example
 People’s general positive attitude and alertness
 The way people conduct themselves at work place
 Adherence to rules, procedures, systems, standard
operations and practices
 Standards of house keeping and hygiene
 The way in which people tend to help others appreciate
and avoid potential problems
 The way in which the people exude enthusiasm, pride
and confidence in themselves and the organization for
which they work

Effective Communication
 It is a two way exercise
 We have two ears and one tongue-could it be we were
meant to listen twice as much as we speak?
 In order to communicate effectively the first step is to
listen to others
 Listen with attention, interest and courtesy
 There must be good affinity between people before any
meaningful communication takes place between them

The Importance of Introductions
 The primary purpose is to gain the audience’s attention
 A secondary purpose is to motivate the audience to
listen
 Let the audience know why it will be useful to them to
listen to the Speaker
 You can also hint publicly to the speaker, how keen
they are to listen to him/her
 Give proper edification to the speaker by stating his
qualifications, experience, organizations served, awards
won and his contributions to the cause and the Society

Introduction Tips
 Know the Speakers name and how to
pronounce it correctly
 Know the Speakers, Title or Position.
Don’t ask for clarifications from the
speaker
 Do not read out the Introduction
from a prepared speech
 Smile and be enthusiastic in tone,
gesture and choice of words
 Know enough about the subject to
sound Knowledgeable
 Announce the speech title as given by
the Speaker
 Introductions are no place to use
slides, OHP and presentations
 Anecdotes are good but should
pertain to the subject and be in
harmony. Avoid Jokes
 Share the outstanding credentials of
the speaker with the audience
 When Introducing a panel of speakers,
also mention the Speaking order,
timings
 Don’t say that the Speaker needs no
Introduction
 Remember you are only a catalyst, not
the performer. Don’t try to overdo
 Do not Dwell on your relationship
with the speaker
 Identify yourself with your name,
position. The Speaker also needs to
know you

When you introduce a speaker…
 Be brief
 Avoid stale phrases
 Get it Right
 Avoid giving the speaker
false starts
 Don’t try to steal the
spotlight
Your purpose as an Introducer is
to help the speaker to get off to a
fast and comfortable start: Answer,
Accurately, Interestingly, and
briefly:
 Why this Subject ?
 Why this Subject before this
audience ?
 Why this Subject, before this
audience at this point of time ?
 Why this Subject before this
audience at this point of time by
this speaker ?
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you (slight pause) Mr. Sunil Kumar Verma”

Listening to others…
 Listen carefully and with an open mind: don’t be defensive, you
may miss a critical point
 End all other Tasks: Show respect to people by putting aside your
paper, lunch etc. and don’t take phone calls unless essential and
urgent
 Allow the Speaker to Finish: Don’t Interrupt; Remain quiet until
you are sure the speaker has completed his or her thoughts
 Read Between the Lines: As you listen to the speaker, listen for
what is left unsaid. You will need to probe
 Outline your Understanding: Once the person finished speaking,
reiterate what you believe the main issues are. State them simply
and if possible rank them in the order of priority

What to do, when you forget what to Say
 Prevention first : rehearse enough
 Use the visuals as road map
 Keep your notes nearby
 Focus your eyes on one person in the audience
 Repeat what you just said
 Ask the audience a open ended question
 Ask for Help

Understanding Body Language
 Watching people’s actions can bring you a lot closer to
the truth than merely listening to what they say
 Body language exhibits a person’s sub-conscious mind
and reveals many secrets
 If you can understand the body language well and
interpret it correctly, you can respond accordingly and
win people
 Effective Communication is therefore incomplete
without understanding the Body Language

Methods of Body language

Importance of Body language
 Only a small percentage of communication involves actual
words: 7%. In fact, 55% of communication is visual (body
language, eye contact) and 38% is vocal (pitch, speed, volume,
tone of voice).
 The human body can produce over 700,000 unique movements.
These movements have been partitioned into about 60 discrete
and symbolic signals and around 60 gestures, postures, and
expressions.
 Body language can be used to improve your negotiation skills,
your presentation ability, and in different social interactions,
including a client meeting or job interview.
 To succeed over other confronts, you must be attentive to what
silent body gestures you are giving off, you also need to be aware
of the other person’s body language.

Physical Aspects of
Non-Verbal Communication

Body Language
Brisk Erect Walk
Confidence

Body Language
Standing with hands
on the hips
Readiness, Aggression

Body Language
Sitting with Legs crossed,
foot kicking slightly
Boredom

Body Language
Armed Crossed on chest
Defensiveness

Body Language
Walking with hands in
Pocket, shoulders
hunched
Dejection

Body Language
Hand to Cheek
Evaluation
Thinking

Body Language
Touching,
Slightly rubbing nose
Rejection
Doubt
Lying

Body Language
Rubbing the eyes
Doubt
Disbelief

Body Language
Hands clasped
behind back
Apprehension
Anger, Frustration

Body Language
Locked ankles
Apprehension

Body Language
Head resting in hands,
eyes downcast
Boredom

Body Language
Rubbing Hands
Anticipation

Body Language
Sitting with hands clasped
behind head, legs crossed
Confidence
Superiority

Body Language
Open Palm
Sincerity
Openness
Innocence

Body Language
Pinching Bridge of Nose
Eyes Closed
Negative Evaluation

Common Fears
 Fear of Fainting:
 Fear of boring
your audience
 Fear of your
mind going
blank
 Fear of being
Judged
 Unless you have a medical problem,
this is quite unlikely
 Show Enthusiasm. If you are happy to
be there, so will be your audience
 This can happen. Pause, look at your
notes or outline, pick up where you
left off
 A Sincere presenter doing his or her
job best, who is obviously well
prepared will not be judged harshly
Three Basic rules to control Fear: (i) Arrive Early. This will give you a chance to relax, survey
your surroundings and get comfortable (ii) Eat Lightly: Avoid heavy meals, no alcohol; avoid
stomach upsets (iii) Try simple stretching exercises, which can be done anywhere

Effective Communication
Techniques
 Know your Purpose, Audience and Logistics
 Plan, Prepare and Practice
 Limit the presentation material based on time or
audience interest
 Hit the emotional button where necessary
 Create user friendly notes
 Practice Loudly as many times as you can
 Be enthusiastic but don’t get excited
 Deliver with Passion
 Anticipate Questions and prepare Answers
 Avoid Speaking out of Ego, be audience focused

Techniques of Good Speech
 Make an Impression: do some thing, say anything to captivate
the audience’s attention, create an everlasting Impression
 Repeat and reiterate as necessary: first you tell them what you are
going to tell them and then you tell them what you told them
 Draw a Sign: Tell the audience the important point is…
 Draw a Picture: to make the speech more memorable
 Use apt Jokes: to grab the attention of the audience and relieve
the tension
 Make a Plain Speech: yes, be simple and straight forward
 Be short and sweet: crystallize your thoughts and combine with
the main message and deliver in few words
 Use Narratives, anecdotes, small stories: to strengthen your point
 Be Relaxed: don’t get nervous ever

What to Avoid while Speaking ?
 Avoid Superlatives:
 ‘This is absolutely and positively essential’- This is essential
 ‘This is true beyond any possible shadow of doubt’- This is true
 Avoid Trite expressions:
 “As you can see”; “I would like to take few minutes”;
“Throughout the length and breadth of this land”
 Avoid Groping Expressions:
 “ What I am trying to get to say is…”
 Avoid Repetitious Expressions:
 “As I said before”; “so on so forth”; “etc, etc”
 Avoid Weasel Words:
 “ Of Course it is only my opinion:”; “more or less”; “It seems to me”

Handling Q&A sessions…
 Tell the audience when you and how you will take the questions
 Listen to the Question carefully and paraphrase before you respond
 Look at the Questioner when paraphrasing the Question, but look at
the audience while answering
 Call on Experts in the audience when appropriate, but take back
control after they have responded
 Set a time limit to control hostile questioners
 Tell those with multiple questions that are not relevant to the entire
group that you will respond to those at the end of the session
 Don’t let the stage hog steal the control from you
 Don’t tell a lie. If you don’t know the Answer, say so
 Handle hostile Questions carefully
 Conclude the Q & A session with a strong closing remark

Handling Interruptions
 Use of pagers and Mobile phones
 Interruption by Telephone calls
 Interruption by Sub-ordinates & Superiors
 Questions in the middle of the presentation
 Late comers
 People leaving in the middle of the presentation
 Disinterested people
 Talking on the Sidelines

Thank you…
mail@dvasudevan.com