Module Four: Communication for

Security Professionals
Your ability to successfully perform the responsibilities of a security professional
depends, in part, on your communication skills. Working with the public and gaining their
cooperation will require you to develop effective verbal and non-verbal communication
strategies and then adapt them to the various situations you will encounter.
Communication is critical to your success as a security professional.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to

1. Describe effective verbal and non-verbal communication strategies for security
professionals
2. Identify and demonstrate methods of communication which are free from bias,
discrimination, or harassment
3. Identify strategies for effective verbal and non-verbal communication in situations
where communication barriers exist
4. Explain and demonstrate verbal and non-verbal communication skills when
interacting with individuals who show signs of being
a. uncooperative
b. violent
c. impaired
5. Identify and develop strategies to control your personal triggers (causes) in situations
of conflict or anxiety
6. Conduct an effective interview

Topics

Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication............................................................................ 3

Challenges to Communication ........................................................................................ 10
Communicating with Uncooperative Persons ................................................................. 13
Conducting an Interview.................................................................................................. 15
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 19
References...................................................................................................................... 19

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 Check Your Knowledge

Test your knowledge of the topic before starting this module.

1. A security professional uses only verbal communication.

a. True
b. False

2. You should shout so that individuals will realize you have authority.
a. True
b. False

3. A clean, pressed uniform communicates a message.

a. True
b. False

4. Being an active listener means you are standing up as the other person is talking.
a. True
b. False

5. You are permitted to show anger when a person repeatedly insults you.
a. True
b. False

6. Do not tell an individual they are being interviewed or they may stop telling the truth.
a. True
b. False

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Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication
As you have started to learn, being an effective security professional requires you to
interact with members of the public at times when what you have to say may not be what
they want to hear. Good thing there are other ways of communicating your message!
You will have many opportunities for verbal communication while on the job. Typically,
you will engage in conversations
• in person
• by telephone
• over the radio
You may speak with your supervisor, other employees at your organization, your
employer’s client, personnel located on the site, the general public, and members of the
law enforcement community. You are easily identifiable in your uniform and your
responsibilities are generally understood by most. Your behaviour – which includes your
verbal communication style – should be a positive reflection on the company and
industry you represent. Professional verbal communication is:
• Clearly understood; this includes speaking at a rate at which you can be understood,
and being careful to pronounce your words
• Courteous and respectful; remember to say please and thank you when appropriate
• Free from slang, racial slurs, and profanity
• Direct and to the point
• In plain language, free from complicated words or unique acronyms
A key to your success in verbal communication is your voice. Your tone of voice and the
volume of your voice send a message to the person(s) you are speaking to. Use a tone
of voice which is

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What does each of these mean?

Confident Is calm and collected; it assures the listener you know what you
are talking about. In emergencies, a confident tone will be helpful
in convincing others to follow your direction.

Arrogant Is trying to show you are in a position of power over someone

because you possess more knowledge or influence over a
situation; it is not a useful technique when trying to gain
cooperation and can cause the listener to be resentful or
disrespectful of your actions.

Friendly Is being approachable; if people feel they can come to you with
their questions they are more likely to bring concerns or other
information to your attention as situations arise.

Dismissive Is showing you are disinterested in what is being said; it is the

same as “brushing off” the individual. They will take this as a sign
you do not care, and will be less likely to come to you in the event
something happens.

Assertive Is when you make your requests in a confident, straightforward

manner.

Aggressive Is forcing your request, opinion, or agenda on another party. It is

often viewed as forceful behaviour and will generally not result in a
positive interaction.

The volume of your voice also sends a message in addition to the words
being said. Try to use a normal, conversational voice in your interactions
on the job. Speaking too quietly suggests you are timid; this is not how
you want a trespasser or intruder to perceive you, as they may not take
you and your role seriously. On the other hand, using a loud voice or
shouting is often perceived as threatening or aggressive behaviour. This
Microsoft® may be appropriate in some situations, for example, when you are
speaking to someone from a distance, or when environmental noise
levels require you to raise your voice so you can be heard. It is, however, not
professional for you to raise your voice above a conversational volume when having a
face-to-face interaction in a setting where you are not competing with other sources of
noise. Use your confident, assertive tone of voice to convey the message that you mean
business rather than screaming and yelling; you will appear more professional and,
therefore, more worthy of respect.

Studies into the way humans communicate have suggested that as much as 90% of the
meaning we derive from our communication with others comes through non-verbal
means (Wertheim, 2008). Our non-verbal communication is made up of four different
components:

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 Visual
Visual communication is another word for body
language, and includes
• Facial expressions
• Posture
• Eye contact/movement
• Gestures
Tactile
Refers to using touch to help convey meaning,
and includes
• Handshakes
• Pat on the back
• Hugs
Vocal
Mainly concerns tone of voice, which can be
changed to suggest
• A question
• Disbelief
• Seriousness
• Excitement
• Anger
Use of time, space, and image
We communicate through our respect for time,
space, and through the way we present ourselves
• Being on time vs. being late
• Standing in another person’s “bubble” (space)
• The way we dress

Microsoft®

You will most likely engage in non-verbal communication with other individuals
before you ever say a word.

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Most people will recognize your role as a security
professional as a result of the uniform you wear,
the equipment (e.g., radio) you carry, or both. In
some cases, the message communicated by
your appearance is all that will need to be said;
most people will respect your presence and
generally not engage in any inappropriate
behaviour. However, the strength of this
message depends upon you. A clean, neatly
pressed uniform worn properly (including
appropriate footwear and outerwear), good
posture, and an engaged (meaning you are
aware of your surroundings and show interest)
facial expression send a message that you are at
your post and actively on duty.

A security professional has a very public role;

after all, the client would not hire your employer’s
company if they were not concerned about
unauthorized people gaining access to the
persons and property you are assigned to
protect. Although you may work a post where the
public are accepting of the boundaries, it is not © 2010. iStock # 14190754. Used under licence
uncommon for people to approach security with iStockphoto®. All rights reserved.
professionals for the purposes of gaining
information, or for assistance when they have a problem. For example, a mother may
come to you when she has lost sight of her child, or patrons at a sporting venue may ask
you where to find the restrooms. While these types of incidents may not be the duties
you are specifically assigned to carry out, you are required to provide a professional
response. Remember that most people will view you as a professional who is able to
assist; even if you are unable to leave your post or offer help, you can still respond in a
courteous, helpful manner. Be careful that when doing so, your non-verbal
communication is complimentary to your role as a professional. In other words, when
approached for help – even when the question is clearly beyond the scope of your duties
– provide a polite response. Do not roll your eyes, sigh, allow your shoulders to droop, or
use an annoyed tone of voice. All of these non-verbal communicative behaviours will
send a negative message to the person you are interacting with and they, in turn, will
use that to form their opinion about you and about security professionals in general.

Then there are the times when you will deal with someone who is trying to challenge
your authority and the boundaries which have been established by your client. Your first
method should be to use your verbal communication skills (enhanced by appropriate
non-verbal communication) to resolve the situation. A method known as LEAPS comes
from a communication style known as Verbal Judo (Thompson, 2004) and is intended to
be used for gaining cooperation and compliance.

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L isten

E mpathize

A sk

P araphrase

S ummarize

When using LEAPS, you take all of the action steps above, using them in the order they
are listed. It may seem like a time-consuming process, but you can practice LEAPS in
your everyday life and after doing so for some time, it will become a natural process for
you. Taking a little extra time to use the LEAPS method in your communication may
save you the amount of time it takes to resolve a situation which increases further out of
control.

Be an “active listener” while the individual is talking to you.

LISTEN Active listening is, quite simply, paying full attention to the
speaker. This means you are hearing each word being
spoken in addition to paying attention to any non-verbal
communication. When you are actively listening, it is
obvious to the speaker you are paying attention and,
therefore, respected. In some cases, respectfully listening
while the speaker presents his or her case may be enough
to gain the compliance you seek. Here are some tips for
active listening:
• Make eye contact with the speaker
• Nod or acknowledge certain points, when appropriate,
to show you are paying attention
• Do not “tune the speaker out” by looking around or by
paying attention to other distractions (e.g., flipping
through your notebook, saying hi to other passersby, or
looking at your watch)
• Do not interrupt; if you did not understand something,
wait for the speaker to pause, then ask for clarification

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 Activity

Active listening exercise

You will work on this activity with a partner. One of you will read the first paragraph
below while the other listens; the listener should NOT be looking at this manual while the
speaker is talking.

The speaker will read through Active Listening Paragraph #1; when the speaker has
finished, the listener will repeat it back, word for word. If the listener is unable to repeat it
back, the speaker should read the paragraph again, but stop at the second last
sentence. The listener will then try to repeat the shorter paragraph back, word for word.
Continue this pattern (the speaker should shorten the paragraph by one sentence with
each read through) until the listener is able to repeat back the paragraph, word for word.
After the listener has been successful in repeating back the information, the speaker and
listener should switch roles, and repeat the exercise using Active Listening Paragraph
#2.

Active Listening Paragraph #1:

I need to get into my office on the third floor. I work in the accounting department
and I do not have my staff ID with me. I just need to pick up some files which I
forgot to take home. The security guard who used to work here would let me in at
night all the time. I have worked here for several years and I don’t understand
why you need to see my ID. I don’t want to drive home just to get my stupid ID. It
would be a lot easier if you would just let me in.

Active Listening Paragraph #2:

The site manager called and asked me to come over here and check out the
broken air conditioner. He said I didn’t need to stop at the guard shack. I have
another job to get to and I don’t have time to waste waiting for you to call. The
guy’s name was Mike so just blame him if you get in trouble. Look, can I get
going now? It’s not my fault if nobody told you I would be here. You’re going to
get a bill from my company for my time so why not just let me do my job?

To empathize with other people is to try to understand the

EMPATHIZE situation from their perspective. This is not the same as
being persuaded to feel the same way they do. For
example, you may be on duty at a scene where a fire is
occurring inside a public building. An person may try
crossing the perimeter barrier because they believe a close
friend may be inside and in danger. Your orders are to
keep all non-emergency personnel from entering. You may
tell this to the person who is trying to gain access and they
may ignore you, or become upset when you prevent them
from entering. To empathize with them, you
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 may try to imagine how afraid they are feeling about the
situation and it might help you understand how his or her
judgment is being affected by fear. You would not change
your mind about permitting access, nor allow the personto
enter. Instead, you would show empathy by saying “I
understand you are probably very worried about your
friend and you want to find out if everything is okay. If I let
you go inside, I could be putting you in a place of danger,
or, I could be putting you in the way of the people who are
here to help. Neither of these situations will help your
friend. I know it is very hard for you to wait and wonder, but
the best way you can help is to wait out here, where it is
safe.”

It stands to reason, however, that it may be difficult for you

to empathize with the speaker. You may encounter an
person who is stealing items for the purpose of selling the
goods in exchange for money to buy drugs. This may be
very offensive to you and you may struggle to find a way to
see the situation from the other person’s perspective. Try
not to focus on the motivation (drugs) and instead, view the
individual as a person who sees no other options and feels
they are in a desperate position. You may find it easier to
relate in that way. Again, empathy is not the same as
feeling sorry for someone; it is simply trying to figure out
why the person is behaving in a certain way so that you
can use that understanding to develop an effective
communication plan.

Make sure you understand what the other person is saying

ASK to you. There is nothing wrong with asking the individual to
repeat something you could not hear or to clarify
something you do not fully understand. Be polite; the
person may already be aggravated by the circumstances
and you do not want your questions to add to the
individual’s level of frustration. When asking for
clarification:
• Do not make the person feel stupid or inept; try saying
“Will you please say that again? I was unable to
understand you clearly.”
• Be clear as to what you need clarification for; the
person may question whether or not you were even
listening if you are not specific as to what information
you are asking for.

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 When you paraphrase, you are taking what the speaker
PARAPHRASE said and repeating it back using your own words. There
are two advantages to doing so; it shows the speaker you
were listening, and you are able to double check you have
understood correctly. Many times, misunderstandings
which occur during communication can lead to greater
conflict. Paraphrasing will help minimize this risk.

At the end of the conversation you should summarize what

SUMMARIZE has been discussed, including repeating any action steps
which you or the speaker will be taking. For example, if you
have denied access to someone who failed to produce the
right ticket to an event, you may summarize as follows:

“Just so we are both clear, I am not able to allow you

entrance to the floor seating because you do not have
the proper ticket. You have told me you have the right
ticket but it is with your girlfriend, who is already in the
seating area. You are going to move to the side and
call your girlfriend on her cell phone and she will meet
you here, with your ticket. Once I am able to confirm
you have the right ticket, I will admit you to the seating
area. Do you have any more questions?”

By summarizing, you have made your expectations clear

and you have provided options (e.g., get the ticket back
from the girlfriend or sit in another area) to them. It also
provides a polite signal that the matter is no longer up for
discussion.

Challenges to Communication
Sometimes, you will need to address challenges which may impact your ability to
communicate with another individual. Examples of barriers to effective communication
may include differences in language, cultural practices, and physical or cognitive
(mental) disability. Do not assume your communication challenges are the result of
deliberate behaviour on the part of the person you are attempting to communicate with;
the individual may want to cooperate with you and you should give him or her benefit of
the doubt before making a judgment about the situation.

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You should also be mindful of the challenges you may bring to communication. English
is a tricky language and if it is not your first language, or if you learned English outside of
North America, it is likely you use some different vocabulary and speak with an “accent”
with which Canadians are not familiar. Simple differences in how our English language
skills are learned can become challenges to communication. If you recognize these
challenges in your own communication, you should consider the following:
• Speaking slowly, as accents can make verbal communication difficult to understand
when speaking too quickly.
• Pronouncing words carefully and deliberately.
• Avoiding the use of non-Canadian slang/terms; for example, Canadians generally
refer to their home as a house, a condo, or an apartment and not a “flat,” as would
commonly be used in England.
• Checking that the listener has understood, particularly if you have given instructions
or made a request concerning the listener’s behaviour.

The first rule in overcoming any of these challenges is avoiding communication which is
biased, discriminating, or harassing. Your own attitudes and beliefs about the
preferences and behaviours of others have no place in professional communication.
• Bias – having a preference either for or against some characteristic, such as an
someone’s gender, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.
• Discrimination – treating another person differently because they belong to a class
or group, for example their ethnicity or religion. It is also possible to show favouritism
to someone for the same reasons. These behaviours are not acceptable in your role
as a security professional.
• Harassment – treating a person or group of people in a negative manner due to
circumstances which are not related to the situation at hand; this could also be
termed “bullying.” An example would be constantly bothering a group of loud
teenagers to leave a particular area even though other groups are occupying the
same space and the noise does not appear to be causing a problem.

Removing inappropriate ideas and attitudes is the first step to overcoming

communication barriers.

Even still, you will encounter communication challenges throughout your career. It is not
likely you will learn several foreign languages or have access to a translator when
dealing with someone who speaks a language different from your own. There are,
however, some simple steps you can take regardless of what is causing the
communication barrier.
• Watch your non-verbal language. If barriers prevent you and somone else from
communicating through words, body language will become very critical. You need to
be mindful of your own non-verbal communication, as well as the messages being
sent by the other person. Here are some basic tips for doing so:

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 o Maintain good posture; this shows respect for yourself, and for others.
o Be attentive; ensure your facial gestures demonstrate you are paying attention.
o Refrain from showing frustration, impatience, or anger; this will only cause the
speaker to be flustered or upset, which will make effective communication even
more difficult.
• Use plain language; avoid using complicated words or slang.
• Stay focused on the conversation.
• Ask one question at a time; allow the person to answer and ensure you are both
clear as to what was said before moving to your next question.
• Use alternative means of communication, where possible.
o In some cases, it may help to use written communication. For example, someone
with a hearing impairment may be able to communicate with you using written
notes.
o Use gestures to help explain; sometimes gestures may help you get your
message across. Holding your palm outward toward the person is generally
accepted as a signal to not proceed further. Point at your own ID card then
gesture toward the person to tell them you need to see their ID in order to allow
them access.
• Check for understanding; it is okay to respectfully ask, “Do you understand?” at
various points during your conversation.
• Remain patient; this may be difficult if you begin to get frustrated. Try to empathize
with the other individual who is probably even more frustrated than you are. Allow the
person time to think about what you have asked and formulate an answer.

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Communicating with Uncooperative Persons
Despite your best attempts to use
respectful, effective communication, it
is likely you will encounter someone
who does not wish to comply with
your direction. Dealing with
uncooperative people is certainly not
pleasant, and will challenge your
ability to remain calm and
professional. Before you ever
encounter such a situation, it will be
helpful for you to know your own

personal “triggers.” Triggers are attitudes © 2010. iStock # 6095424. Used under licence with
or behaviours which frustrate you the iStockphoto®. All rights reserved.
most and cause you to become impatient.
In situations (such as dealing with an uncooperative person) where there is potential for
increased frustration, controlling your response to personal triggers may make the
difference between a successful resolution and a messy outcome. Some examples of
personal triggers include the following:
• Disrespect
• Sarcasm
• Refusal to take responsibility for actions
• Bullying
• Profanity
• Getting in your “personal space”
Plan for someone, at some point, to “set off” one of your triggers. Those who are
comfortable challenging authority have probably done so in the past and know how to
manipulate people and circumstances in order to further their own plan. Prepare, at
some point, to be in a position where you need to control your response to a personal
trigger.
How will you recognize your trigger? Next time you find yourself getting upset, or even
angry, you should ask
• What was I doing right before this happened?
• Who was I talking to before this happened? What were we talking about?
• Where was I before this happened?
• When did this happen? (location, time of day)

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Strategies for managing your trigger(s) may include putting an end to conversations or
situations which would typically trigger your frustration, or changing the subject/topic
back to the matter at hand. For example if you are asking someone to leave a particular
location and they start a verbal attack with foul language, you may want to redirect their
speech by asking them questions which they should want to answer. You may ask them
“have you come here before?” and “what happened the last time you tried to enter
without your ID?” This might be enough to get them refocused away from using profanity
and gives you a moment to settle your own frustration.

In general, you should deal with an uncooperative person as you would anyone else –
professionally. There are times, however, when an interaction with an uncooperative
person turns into something more serious.

Hostile or Violent Persons

Sometimes, despite your best efforts to communicate professionally, the situation turns
into something more serious. You should always be observant; paying attention to the
person(s) you are interacting with is important at all times. Signs that a situation may be
getting bigger include:
• Increasing volume of conversation
• Non-verbal body language suggesting the person is becoming agitated or angry
• Threat-making
• Inappropriate behaviour, such as pounding on a door or trying to remove a barrier

You should monitor this type of behaviour, being mindful of other persons in the area. Do
not take your attention away from an individual demonstrating hostile behaviour. Call for
immediate assistance.

You might try the following:

• Remain calm; do not raise your voice. Maintaining your composure may have a
calming effect on the upset person.
• Remove the person from a public area; if possible, ask them to come with you to an
area where they are less likely to make a spectacle (scene) of themselves (perhaps
an office, or moving outdoors). Be cautious, however, about moving to a isolated
area with someone who is behaving violently, as you need to remain mindful of your
own safety.
• Offer the person choices; people often get angry when they feel they have been
stripped of their power. You may be able to offer a choice, such as “would you like
the number to call the site supervisor so you can explain your situation?” or “visitors
will be allowed in after 8 AM tomorrow morning; I can get a message to your friend
and let him know you will return tomorrow.”

If you are unable to work out a resolution, you may have no choice but to wait for
assistance or the police to arrive. While waiting for help, monitor the situation keeping an
eye out for the safety of other persons as well as your own.

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Intoxicated Persons
The first step in being able to deal effectively with an intoxicated person is to be able to
recognize the signs of alcohol or drug intoxication. Someone under the influence of a
substance may:
• Appear clumsy, or uncoordinated; may have difficulty maintaining balance
• Mumble, slur their words, or be otherwise difficult to understand when speaking
• Have bloodshot or watery eyes
• Speak louder than appropriate, given the situation
• Appear messy or untidy
• Be unable to understand or follow direction
• Be in possession of materials suggesting substance use (e.g., empty bottle, drug
paraphernalia)
• Have the smell of alcohol on the breath (do not assume intoxication based on this
alone – someone having a diabetic emergency may have breath which smells of
alcohol)
Once you have observed and assessed you are dealing with someone you believe to be
intoxicated, proceed keeping the following in mind:
• Intoxicated persons are unpredictable; continue monitoring to ensure safety for the
person, the public, and yourself
• When possible, call for assistance if an intoxicated person behaves in an unruly
manner
• Do not antagonize, ridicule, or otherwise harass them; speak to them calmly, and
without bias, providing clear instructions
• Give short, clear directions; give the person time to respond to your requests
• Do not try to reason with the person; if necessary, call for assistance or police
intervention to aid in resolving the situation
Remember, it is not your job to enforce the law; your primary duty is to observe and
report incidents which occur in the course of your duties. If you do not need to deal with
uncooperative persons – don’t. But when the time comes when you do need to interact,
utilize LEAPS, the best practices you have just read about, and your professional
common sense to deal with the situation and bring about the best possible resolution.

Conducting an Interview
If an incident occurs while you are on duty, you will need to document the events in your
notebook as well as on reporting forms as instructed by your employer. In addition to
your own notes, it may be necessary for you to obtain information from witnesses or
other persons at the scene. Typically, you will interview the person(s) to obtain the
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information you require. In this section, you will learn best practices and techniques to be
used when conducting an interview.

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An interview is a respectfully conducted exchange of information between parties. When
you conduct an interview as a security professional, your goal should be to obtain
accurate, bias-free information about the incident in question. Before you begin the
process of interviewing, you should have a clear idea in your mind as to who you need to
speak with and what questions you are going to ask. If you are interviewing multiple
persons, conduct the interviews with them one at a time, and ask the same questions of
each interviewee.

When you interview

• Do not forget to tend to your duties. If you are able to call in assistance to cover your
post, you should do so.
• Ask permission to interview someone. They are under no obligation to speak to you
so you must respect their rights if they say no. If they are unwilling to speak with you,
ask if they will provide you contact information which you could turn over to the
investigators, if required.
• When possible, move to a quiet location to conduct the interview. Fewer distractions
will allow the person you are interviewing to concentrate on what you are asking and
respond without interruption. It will also make it easier for you to hear and
understand the interviewee’s responses.
• Tell the person you will be interviewing them to gather information about the incident
and that you will be recording their answers. Ask if they are comfortable before
proceeding.
• Take down contact information for the witness, which should include their name,
address, and at least one telephone number. Advise them you will only share the
information with those who require it, such as the police investigators.
• Ask one question at a time and allow the person to finish their response before going
on to ask another question.
• Use active listening and focus on what the interviewee is telling you.
• Keep the interviewee focused on the questions at hand; if they go off topic,
respectfully remind them to focus on the subject at hand.
• At the end of the interview, ask if they have any questions. They may want to know
where the rest of their party has gone, or another general question. Do not get into
further discussion about the incident.
• Thank the person for providing the information and ensure if theyare alright to leave
(they may be upset or shocked as a result of the events). Provide your business
card, if you have one, and let the person leave.

When conducting an interview, certain types of questions are appropriate. Your goal is to
gather information, not to assess blame or perform the role of the police. Certain types of
questions are useful when you are looking for specific types of information.

At the beginning of the interview, it is appropriate to ask “open ended questions.” An

open-ended question is one for which it is possible to have a variety of answers.

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Examples of the type of open-ended question you might use for an interview are:
• Can you please tell me what you saw?
• Can you please describe the incident?
• Can you please tell me what happened, starting at the beginning?

Sometimes, you need to get specific answers or pieces of information; you should use a
close-ended question to draw out the details. You may wish to ask:
• What time did you first hear the alarm?
• Do you know the name of the person who knocked you down?
• Were you able to see which way the prowlers went after they went out the front
door?

It is important that you do not:

• ask questions which support your opinion about what happened (be impartial).
• lead the witness on or make suggestions; people are, by nature, anxious to please.
The witness views you as someone in a position of authority and may want to
provide the answers he or she thinks you are looking for.
• pressure the witness; if the person tells you there is no additional information, do not
continue to press. They may become upset, which could interfere with their ability to
recall accurate details.
• question the actions of the person; it is not your place to scold them for not calling
police, or to make a judgment about their behaviour (e.g., if they admit they were
drinking in a public area). You should remain focused only on gathering the
necessary information.

Take your time during the interview process. Review the answers and if necessary, seek
clarification from the interviewee. As the interview progresses, you may think of
additional questions, based on the responses you receive. Make sure you set up your
questions (open- or closed-ended) so the interviewee is clear on what you are asking. If
the interviewee appears confused, or tells you they do not understand, you should
paraphrase (re-word) your question until the meaning is clear to them. Be patient; the
person may be upset by what has happened and is likely trying to be as accurate as
possible in answering your questions.

Interviewing is a skill which you will develop over time, but you can practice in your day
to day activities. Think about the types of questions you use on a daily basis and think
about whether or not they are open or closed-ended. When you are looking for
information, perhaps at a store, think about what you will ask the customer service
representative ahead of time. Do you need to know where something is in the store?
That is a closed-ended question. Are you curious about which models of television will
meet your specific requirements? That is an example of an open-ended question. You
don’t have to be in your uniform and on duty to work on your skills!

Alberta Solicitor General and Ministry of Public Security Alberta Basic Security Training
Jan-11 Module Four: Communication for Security Professionals, Page 18
 Post-Test

Check your progress. How much do you recall?

1. What does the acronym LEAPS stand for?

2. Ask for __________________________ before interviewing someone.

3. ____________________ is when you have preferences based upon an individual’s

religion, or ethnicity.

4. Maintaining good posture while speaking with an individual is a sign of

________________________________ toward that person.

5. Up to _________ % of the meaning in conversations comes from non-verbal

communication.

6. Effective communication is ______________________________ vs. arrogant,

_________________________ vs. dismissive, and ________________________

vs. aggressive.

Alberta Solicitor General and Ministry of Public Security Alberta Basic Security Training
Jan-11 Module Four: Communication for Security Professionals, Page 19
Conclusion
Your communication style is reflective of your performance as a security professional;
ensure you are presenting yourself in a manner which holds yourself – and your
profession – in high esteem. Communication may be verbal or non-verbal; our gestures,
expressions, and actions often speak louder than our words. Using a systematic
approach to communicating in difficult circumstances increases your professional image
and provides the best opportunity to bring about a successful resolution to a situation.
Address barriers to communication with plain language and patience. Always be
watchful for situations which may worsen; when dealing with uncooperative or otherwise
disagreeable persons, remain calm, monitoring for the safety of the person, the public,
and you. Finally, be professional when conducting interviews. In the next module, you
will learn how to document routine occurrences in addition to specific types of incidents
you respond to during your shift of duty.

References
Thompson, G. (2004). Verbal judo. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Alberta Solicitor General and Ministry of Public Security Alberta Basic Security Training
Jan-11 Module Four: Communication for Security Professionals, Page 20