Types of Communication

Verbal & Non-Verbal

Lesson Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, the student shall be able to:

1. Develop verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

2. Use verbal and non-verbal communication skills appropriately.

3. Discuss the importance of verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

Rationale

• Expertise in communication skills is necessary for workers in health care.

• To deliver quality health care, the health care provider must be an effective
communicator.
Verbal Communication
• Verbal communication is any communication that uses words to share information
with others.

• These words may be both spoken and written.

• Communication is about passing information from one person to another.
• This means that both the sending and the receiving of the message are equally
important.
Verbal Communication

• There are a large number of different verbal communication skills.

• They range from the obvious (being able to speak clearly, or listening, for
example), to the more subtle (such as reflecting and clarifying).

• Clarity of speech, remaining calm and focused, being polite and following some
basic rules of etiquette will all aid the process of verbal communication.
Verbal Communication
Opening communication

• In many interpersonal encounters, the first few minutes are extremely

important.

• First impressions have a significant impact on the success of further and

future communication.

• When you first meet someone, you form an instant impression of them,
based on -how they look, sound and behave, as well as anything you may
have heard about them from other people.
Verbal Communication
Effective Speaking

It involves three main areas:

o the words you choose – different words in different situations.

o how you say them – tone of voice and pace.

o how you reinforce them with other non-verbal communication.

These affect the transmission of your message, and how it is received and
understood by your audience.
Verbal Communication
 Your audience.

The words you choose will be different if you are talking to;
o 200 people at a conference,
o a trusted colleague,
o your boss, or
o your children.
o You need to think about your audience’s overall level of understanding of
the subject, and also the type of language that you use.
Verbal Communication
 Shorter sentences are easier to process and understand.

o Using shorter sentences also creates urgency.

 Simpler words are also easier to understand.

o If you cannot explain something in simple terms, you have probably not
understood it yourself.
o This is particularly important if your audience are not all native speakers of the
language.
Verbal Communication
Accent

Regional and ethnic accents are part of individual personality and add a
unique element to the way that you speak.

• They may also, however, in some situations, create potential barriers to

communication. For example, if you have a very strong accent, people from
another area or country may find it harder to understand what you are saying.

• You may therefore need to slow down your speech to ensure that they have time to
process what you are saying.
Verbal Communication
Your Voice

• Your voice can reveal as much about your personal history as your appearance.

• The sound of a voice and the content of speech can provide clues to an individual's emotional
state.

• For instance, if self-esteem is low, it may be reflected by hesitancy in the voice.

• A shy person may speak quietly, but someone who is confident in themselves will be more
likely to have command of their voice and clarity of speech.

• It is worth taking time to improve your command over your voice, especially if you find it hard to
speak in public.

• It can even help to boost your confidence!

Verbal Communication
Active Listening

• It is an important skill.

• However, when we communicate, we tend to spend far more energy

considering what we are going to say than listening to the other person.

• Effective listening is vital for good verbal communication.

• There are a number of ways that you can ensure that you listen more
effectively.
Verbal Communication
• Be prepared to listen. Concentrate on the speaker, and not on how you are going
to reply.

• Keep an open mind and avoid making judgements about the speaker.

• Concentrate on the main direction of the speaker’s message. Try to understand

broadly what they are trying to say overall, as well as the detail of the words that
they are using.

• Avoid distractions if at all possible. For example, if there is a lot of background

noise, you might suggest that you go somewhere else to talk.
Verbal Communication
• Be objective.

• Do not be trying to think of your next question while the other person is
giving information.

• Do not dwell on one or two points at the expense of others. Try to use the
overall picture and all the information that you have.

• Do not stereotype the speaker. Try not to let prejudices associated with,
for example, gender, ethnicity, accent, social class, appearance or dress
interfere with what is being said.
Verbal Communication
Improving Verbal Communication: More Advanced Techniques

• There are a number of tools and techniques that you can use to
improve the effectiveness of your verbal communication. These
include
o reinforcement,

o reflection,

o clarification, and

o questioning.
Verbal Communication
Reinforcement

Reinforcement is the use of encouraging words alongside non-verbal gestures such as

head nods,

a warm facial expression

verbal praise

using affirming phrases like, ‘exactly’, ‘true’, etc

maintaining eye contact

Verbal Communication
• All these help to build rapport and are more likely to reinforce openness in others.
The use of encouragement and positive reinforcement can:

• Encourage others to participate in discussion (particularly in group work);

• Show interest in what other people have to say;

• Pave the way for development and/or maintenance of a relationship;

• Allay fears and give reassurance;

• Show warmth and openness; and

• Reduce shyness or nervousness in ourselves and others.

Verbal Communication
Questioning
Questioning is broadly how we obtain information from others on specific topics.

• Questioning is an essential way of clarifying areas that are unclear or test your understanding.

• It can also enable you to explicitly seek support from others.

• On a more social level, questioning is also a useful technique to start

o conversations,

o draw someone into a conversation,

o or simply show interest.

• Effective questioning is therefore an essential element of verbal communication.

Verbal Communication

Two main types of question:

• Closed Questions

• Closed questions tend to seek only a one or two word answer (often simply ‘yes’
or ‘no’). They therefore limit the scope of the response. Two examples of closed
questions are:
“Did you eat anything today?” and
“Did you take your medication yesterday?”
Verbal Communication
• These questions allow the questioner to remain in control of the communication.

• This is often not the desired outcome when trying to encourage verbal
communication, so many people try to focus on using open questions more often.

• Nevertheless, closed questions can be useful for focusing discussion and obtaining
clear, concise answers when needed.
Verbal Communication
• Open Questions

• Open questions demand further discussion and elaboration.

• They therefore broaden the scope for response. They include, for example,
“How is your condition like this morning?”
“What do you feel you would like to gain from this discussion?”

• Open questions will take longer to answer, but they give the other person far more
scope for self-expression and encourage involvement in the conversation.
Verbal Communication
Reflecting and Clarifying

• Reflecting is the process of repeating or rephrasing back to another person your

understanding of what has been said.

• Reflecting is a specialised skill often used within counselling, but it can also be
applied to a wide range of communication contexts and is a useful skill to learn.

• Reflecting often involves paraphrasing the message communicated to you by the

speaker in your own words.

• You need to try to capture the essence of the facts and feelings expressed, and
communicate your understanding back to the speaker.
Verbal Communication
It is a useful skill because:

• You can check that you have understood the message clearly.

• The speaker gets feedback about how the message has been received and can then
clarify or expand if they wish.

• It shows interest in, and respect for, what the other person has to say.

• You are demonstrating that you are considering the other person’s viewpoint.
Verbal Communication
Summarising

• A summary is an overview of the main points or issues raised.

• Summarising can also serve the same purpose as ‘reflecting’.

• However, summarising allows both parties to review and agree on the message,
and ensure that communication has been effective.

• When used effectively, summaries may also serve as a guide to the next steps
forward.
Verbal Communication
• Closing Communication

• The way a communication is closed or ended will, at least in part, determine the
way a conversation is remembered.

• People use both verbal and non-verbal signals to end a conversation.

• Verbal signals may include phrases such as:

“Well, I must be going,” and
“Thank you so much, that’s really helpful.”
Non- verbal communication

Nonverbal communication refers to gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, eye

contact (or lack thereof), body language, posture, and other ways people
can communicate without using language.
Types of Non-verbal Communication

Facial expressions

• The human face is extremely expressive, able to convey countless emotions

without saying a word.

• And unlike some forms of nonverbal communication, facial expressions are

universal.

o The facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust are
the same across cultures.
Types of Non-verbal Communication
Body movement and posture.

• Consider how your perceptions of people are affected by the way they sit, walk,
stand, or hold their head.

• The way you move and carry yourself communicates a wealth of information to
the world.
Types of Non-verbal Communication
Gestures

• You may wave, point, beckon, or use your hands when arguing or speaking
animatedly, often expressing yourself with gestures without thinking.

• However, the meaning of some gestures can be very different across cultures.

• While the “OK” sign made with the hand, for example, usually conveys a positive
message in English-speaking countries, it’s considered offensive in countries such
as Germany, Russia, and Brazil.

• So, it’s important to be careful of how you use gestures to avoid misinterpretation.
Types of Non-verbal Communication

Eye contact

• Since the visual sense is dominant for most people, eye contact is an especially
important type of nonverbal communication.

• It can communicate many things, including interest, affection, hostility, or

attraction, give and receive feedback, let the other person know when its their turn
to speak and relationship between people.

• Eye contact is also important in maintaining the flow of conversation and for
gauging the other person’s interest and response.
Caution!

• Eye contact signals confidence in the West, but can be seen as rude or challenging
in parts of Asia and the Middle East.

• Also, there are gender rules around eye contact, with many Eastern cultures
discouraging women from making eye contact with men as it conveys authority or
sexual interest.
Types of Non-verbal Communication
Touch

We communicate a great deal through touch.

Think about the very different messages given by a weak handshake, a warm bear
hug, a patronizing pat on the head, or a controlling grip on the arm, for example.
Caution!

Touch often is used frequently in communication, even in a business setting, with customs such as the
handshake.

But other cultures consider touching other people inappropriate.

Those who live in Asia tend to take a more conservative approach when it comes to touching, with a
bow typically replacing a handshake.

Another example of the differences with touching is patting someone on the head. The U.S., it’s seen
as endearing and shows affection with children.

But in some Asian cultures touching children or adults on the head is disrespectful. The U.S. is more

conservative in other areas, such as not kissing on the cheek as they do in many parts of Europe.
Types of Non-verbal Communication
Space or Proxemics

• Have you ever felt uncomfortable during a conversation because the other person
was standing too close and invading your space?

• We all have a need for physical space, although that need differs depending on the
culture, the situation, and the closeness of the relationship.

• You can use physical space to communicate many different nonverbal messages,
including signals of intimacy and affection, aggression or dominance.
Caution!

The rule of thumb here, no matter where you are in the world, is to give people
more space than you think they might need.

Only get close if invited.

People in different cultures view physical distance differently.

However, it’s best to never enter anyone’s personal space, about 2 feet.

If it’s not personal intimacy, many people find such proximity uncomfortable.
Types of Non-verbal Communication
Paralanguage or Voice

• It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it.

• When you speak, other people “read” your voice in addition to listening to your
words.

• Things they pay attention to include your timing and pace, how loud you speak,
your tone and and pitch of the voice, at which a message is delivered, and pauses
and hesitations between words.

• Think about how your tone of voice can indicate sarcasm, anger, affection, or
confidence.
Nonverbal Communication Roles
• Repetition: It repeats and often strengthens the message you’re making verbally.

• Contradiction: It can contradict the message you’re trying to convey, thus

indicating to your listener that you may not be telling the truth.

• Substitution: It can substitute for a verbal message. For example, your facial
expression often conveys a far more vivid message than words ever can.
Nonverbal Communication Roles

• Complementing: It may add to or complement your verbal message. As a boss, if

you pat an employee on the back in addition to giving praise, it can increase the
impact of your message.

• Accenting: It may accent or underline a verbal message. Pounding the table, for
example, can underline the importance of your message.
How To Improve Non-verbal Skills
• Avoid slouching. Sit with your back straight up against the chair or lean slightly
forward to convey engagement.

• Steer clear of smiles or laughter when messages are serious.

• Display some animation with your hands and facial expressions to project a
dynamic presence. (But avoid talking with your hands excessively, which can
appear unprofessional and unpolished.)

• Don’t bring your phone, a drink, or anything else that could distract you during an
interview or meeting.
How To Improve Non-verbal Skills
• Eliminate fidgeting and shaking of limbs.

• Establish frequent but not continuous or piercing eye contact with interviewers.

• Focus on the conversation.

• In a group interview, shift eye contact to the various speakers.

• Introduce yourself with a smile and a firm handshake. Be sure that your palms are dry.

• Keep your hands away from your face and hair.

• Listen carefully, and do not interrupt.

• Maintain open arms—folded arms can convey defensiveness.

How To Improve Non-verbal Skills
• Modulate your vocal tone to express excitement and punctuate key points.

• Nod to demonstrate understanding.

• Observe the reaction of others to your statements.

• Read the nonverbal signals of others. Provide clarification if they look confused,
and wrap up if they have heard enough.

• Refrain from forced laughter in response to humour.

How To Improve Non-verbal Skills

• Avoid looking at the clock, your phone, or displaying any other signs
of disinterest.

• Respect the amount of personal space preferred by your

communication partners.

• Rotate eye contact with various speakers in group interviewing or

networking situations.

• Shake hands firmly without excessive force.

How To Improve Non-verbal Skills

• Show that you’re interested in what the interviewer is telling you.

• Smile to indicate that you are amused or pleased with the

conversation.

• Stay calm even when you’re nervous.

• Steer clear of monotone delivery.

• Wait until the person is done talking to respond.

Conclusion
• Verbal communication skills are vital in interpersonal interactions.
• Clarity of message is always important.
• Listening is an important part of communication.
• Nonverbal communication accounts to most part of the communication process.
• Nonverbal cues can differ across cultures.
• Communication skills are learnable.