Building Rapport for Effective Communication

There are many skills that attribute to effective communication. The building of rapport and the reflection of feeling are the two that will be covered throughout this essay. For each skill the effectiveness on discussion, the impact of the skill on another person and the potential difficulties of ineffective or absent use of both skills will be discussed. The building of rapport is the action you take to develop a trusting relationship with the person whom you are communicating with, the aim to make them feel comfortable.

Whilst rapport is a skill itself it contains many sub-skills within it in order to make it successful. These include attentiveness, common grounding, courtesy, collaboration, respect, connecting and sharing information behaviours (http://www. sciencedirect. com/science/article/pii/S0022435908000511). Being able to communicate to a person through common grounding is an excellent method of building rapport and is most easily achieved through asking appropriate questions, once you know facts about the person whom you’re speaking to it is easier to relate and begin the building of a relationship.

A study conducted supports that asking questions builds report. “Rapport building activities in corner shop interactions” ran activities that included conventionalized forms of communications such as how-are-you and health inquiries, individualized exchanges of conversational work around topics (such as politics, schools) and create play with language. The reflections of these three activities expressed that the asking of questions in various forms built rapport with the customer and the shop keeper, thus supporting the statement that asking questions helps build rapport (http://onlinelibrary. iley. com/doi/10. 1111/j. 1467-9841. 2004. 00259. x/pdf0). Rapports effectiveness on discussion is evident that it assists in keeping a flowing and understanding conversation through the connecting and sharing of information. A discussion where rapport is most likely to be effective is the conversing between a psychologist and a patient whom has been mentally abused by their mother growing up.

Practitioners are encouraged to build rapport for many reasons, the most vital reason is for a positive client outcome. The psychologist would need to take into many factors when conversing with the patient. A steady relationship through common grounding with the patient would have to be constructed first before the psychologist would attempt in getting the patient to open up. They would need to respect the issue they are facing and not be too forceful to get them to open up.

With the rapport build to a steady relationship the client will find it easier and more comforting to open up to a person whom they can relate to, thus resulting in positive client outcome. To support this outcome a cohort study was carried out, 354 patients participated in a non-profit drug treatment program and 223 patients participated in a profited programme. The study discovered that low rapport levels in counselling treatment resulted in poor treatment outcomes and high rapport had higher treatment outcomes (http://www. ciencedirect. com/science/article/pii/S174438810500071X). If the building of rapport is not present in communication there are many pitfalls that can occur due to its absence. TALK ABOUT PITFALLS Failure http://onlinelibrary. wiley. com/doi/10. 1111/j. 1939-0025. 1985. tb02706. x/abstract Building rapport (the things you do to develop a relationship with someone and help them feel comfortable communicating with you) Reflection of feeling (paraphrasing the emotional aspects of a person’s message)

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Lack of Effective Communication

When a mountaineer goes up for the mountain’s peak, when a pilot soar high in the sky with his plane and when a treasure hunter goes for the hidden treasure with his map, there are two things they all need to have- a compass and a watch. They are but small, simple gadgets yet their importance cannot be denied. Like a compass, communication gives direction to the players in the organization.

As a watch, communication defines the perfect timing of every course of action. Having the best players in a team, the best facilities and enough resources cannot give an organization the assurance of its success. This is simply because, as Keith Denton said, “More often, what is required is the simplest need of all-communication.” What brings all the elements of an organization or a team together is communication.

Consider a basketball team who is behind by two points in the last few seconds of the game. If the team has a time-out to utilize, shall the coach call for a time-out or just leave the chance to the players? If not, who will be responsible? It could not be just anyone. Effective communication plays an urgent and essential role in this situation. First, in identifying what the problem is. Communicating factual and accurate information on the nature of the problem is the first step in solving a problem. In the business set-up, the earlier the problem is identified, the more time is provided to the team or the organization to solve it.

Consider a manufacturing company which is experiencing a significant decline in its production rate for the past three months. Shift production supervisor A accounts the problem to the old machines they are using. Supervisor B blames it to the shift on the standards of the Quality Control department. Supervisor C thinks the problem is due to the newly imported raw materials from a new supplier. Suppose the production head asked only supervisor A and then agreed to address the problem immediately to the management. So the management decided to buy new production machines in order to cope up with its production. Supervisors B and C did not coordinate their evaluations on the problem because they were not asked.

After few months, production increased only by few percentage. Re-evaluation revealed that the problem is due to the newly imported raw materials and not on the old machines. This is just one of the many tragic results of lack of effective communication. If only the production head was able to ask the other supervisors, or the supervisors coordinated their evaluations to the production head, even if they were not asked, then their evaluations could have been considered in the management’s decision in solving the problem. The cost of the new production machines could have been saved and the raw materials supplier could have been immediately reprimanded and replaced. Sad to say, time and effort lost in this situation can no more be saved; they are permanently lost.

Communication is a basic requirement in all aspects of the organization. “The absence of good planning and sound communications also causes projects to fail.” (G. Silver) In fact, communication is a vital tool in the planning stage of a project. In identifying the what, where, when, why, who and how of a plan, information has to flow through communication lines in order to be utilized by planners and decision makers. In delegation, controlling and directing functions of the management, communication is a basic tool. This is the reason why leaders have to be good communicators. In problem solving and decision making, one has to learn how to make him understood by others and learn also to understand others. This can only be made possible by developing effective communication skills and process.

A case study done at General Electric Company and Cypress Semiconductor Corp. revealed that 88% of its engineers believed that “lack of communication and cooperation leads to reduced productivity.” Further evaluation of this result will give us the fact that this is because planners and decision makers rely on available, coordinated information in formulating their business activities. If all needed information are properly communicated to the concerned individuals, then problem solving and decision making will most probably have favorable results. Considering the vitality of effective communication in an organization which is working as a team, it is but fair to conclude that communication can make or break an organization.

References

  1. Denton, D. Keith. Business Horizons. September-October 1993. Retrieved from http://www.howtobooks.co.uk/business/networking. retrieved on September 07, 2006
  2. Silver, Gerald and Myrra. Systems Analysis and Design. Chapter 06. page 22. Addison-Wesley Publishing Co. Mass. USA. 1992
    P and Q Survey 1990. Effective Business Communications. Retrieved from http://www.howtobooks.co.uk/business/networking Retrieved on September 07, 2006

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Effective communication Skills

The foundation for all Learning Teams is based on effective communication. Learning how to develop these skills are necessary if one is to attain the desired goals, share a healthy relationship based on trust, and mutual understanding. “It is important that all members of the team have a clear understanding of his or her roles and responsibilities” (Ghosh, 2008). All of these things are possibly when the team as a whole develop and practice effective communication skills. Developing these skills among team members can be done by practicing some basis manners, etiquette and having an open mind.

Effective communication also creates a collaborative learning environment that improves the quality of group projects. The first communication skill that fosters effective learning teams is to create a team charter. Team members can update his or her contact information as the need arises. Next it is important to foster an atmosphere that generates conversation. A team member can do this by simply asking questions to become familiar with each other before any assignments are due. Some lines of communication used to generate conversation are email, phone calls, text messaging, and team forum.

Explore each other’s strengths and weaknesses during this process can contribute greatly to the overall success of the team as well. Ghosh (2008) emphasized: Listening to others’ opinions and using those suggestions if found to be effective. Listening plays a vital role in the effective communication process. Keep each other inform with the latest project updates and issues that may prevent updates helps to avoid conflict and relieve tension thus encouraging positive interaction between members. (para.3)

Each person is valuable to the Learning Team and knowing this help foster effective communication. Another strategy that helps foster effective communication is “asking for feedback and suggestions from team members” (Ghosh, 2008). When team members share practical knowledge with each other it allow the team to deepen ones understanding and develop into effective leaders. In essence when Learning Teams foster effective communication skills it provide a sense of supports that is beneficial in helping adults cope with the challenges of balancing school with other life’s responsibilities.

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Developing Effective Communication in Health & Social Care

P3 – Explain factors that may influence communication and interpersonal interactions in Health & Social Care environments. Factors that may influence communication and interpersonal interactions in a Health & Social Care environment are things such as; Setting- this is the place that you are in. To be able to communicate with someone correctly, you will need to make sure that it has all of the right things. Noise level is important because if it is too noisy then you will not be able to hear the person speak and both of you will need to shout when your speaking instead of just talking normally.

Lighting is also important in where you are, this is because if it too dark then the opposite person will not be able to see you and you will not be able to see them and good eye contact is needed (if possible) in order to communicate properly and if it is dark then this will be hard. Having enough space in a room is also important as you will not want it to be small as personal space is essential and being very close to someone you hardly know could be quite awkward and tense.

You shouldn’t be too close to each other, however you shouldn’t be too far from each other either as it’ll be hard to hear and speak properly. Time- time means that you should not be in the room with the service user for too long; also you should not be in there for a small period of time either. You should spend a decent amount in the room with the service user, making sure that you have covered everything and haven’t missed out anything and also making sure that the service user has told you everything you need to know; in order to help them to resolve their problem(s).

Also if you keep mentioning about the time that you have left to speak to the service user then they might get annoyed and feel that you are more worried about the time than about their problems. Also rushing the service user would mean that they’ll have to speak quicker and they will not be able to explain themselves properly. There are also barriers; these are things that occur while communicating with someone. The type of communication that you have with someone will be very different for example; a difficult communication may be something that is hard to solve/ something that will take long to solve.

A complex communication is when there is man parts to the story and it may be very confusing and hard to understand. The last example I will use is a sensitive communicationmay occur when someone close to that person has passed away or when someone is ill etc. P4 – Explain strategies used in Health and Social Care environments to overcome barriers to effective communication and interpersonal interactions. Language needs/preferences could be a barrier for example; if someone is trying to talk to you but you can’t understand them as they are speaking to you in a different language.

This would be a barrier because if you cannot communicate with this person effectively then they will not be able to explain their issue/problem or just to talk to you and you will not be able to communicate back and respond to them. Strategy – You could try and overcome this problem by getting another worker to come in and translate what they’re saying in your preferred language/method; in some cases the service user may bring a family member/friend who may be able to translate for you as well.

Sensory impairment is when you may not be able to view, smell, sense or say things. Therefore, coming across someone like this may affect your communication with each other. Strategy – So you should ask the person that they have come along with (if possible) to help you or you should look at their personal details and notes in order to see what their preferred language/method of communication is. Disability is also another barrier to communication, this may affect the way you talk to them as they may have difficulty moving their arms, speaking or doing anything.

Strategy – Someone with a disability will also mean that you will have to pay full attention to what they are doing and you should insure that you follow the rules and regulations so that nothing bad happens. For example; someone with dementia will need full support as they forget things and may wonder off on their own or with a stranger without realising. Personality may affect the way you communicate with each other as the person may be very aggressive and loud so you will not be able to talk to them without them shouting or suddenly becoming annoyed.

Strategy – When dealing with people, you should always check their notes beforehand; this is because you will then know what type of person you are dealing with and also you will then know how to deal with this person, how to approach him/her and how to speak to them. Self-esteem Is how confident someone is in themselves, this is an important thing when communicating with someone in Health and Social Care as the level of self-esteem can affect how quickly they recover.

Strategy – Raising their level of self-esteem by making them feel at ease will make it easier for them to recover. Anxiety is when you feel nervous or anxious about something, this is a barrier because if the service user gets nervous then they won’t speak and this will be a problem because there will be silence and the problems that the service user has will not be resolved as they will not be speaking; making it hard for the person trying to help them. Strategy – The way that you could overcome this could be to try and make the person feel at ease so that they are not nervous.

You could do this by saying ‘I am here to help’ or ‘I know this is hard but I will try and help you get through it’. This may make the service user feel comfortable and make them feel that they are able to talk to you; as you are there to help them. Depression is something that people get when they are under stress. This can be a barrier to communication as the person with Depression may not want to speak or they might be too upset to explain how they feel; even though they are in need of help.

This can make their situation worse because they are not letting anyone help them; however this is not their fault. Strategy – Trying to help someone with depression can be very hard; depending how bad they are. Doing activities with someone who is suffering with depression may be one strategy as they will have their mind on something else, rather than their problems. Aggression can affect the communication between two people or a group etc. This is because the person trying to help the service user will/may likely find it hard to deal with and speak to someone who is very aggressive.

The aggressive person could be very angry at what is going on in their life so they will take it out on the person who is trying to help them; they may not necessarily mean what they say or do but shouting and showing aggressive behaviour could be the way that they deal with everything. Strategy – A way to try and deal with an aggressive person is to not fight back. If you argue back with them thenthey will argue back and it will not make anything better and the reason they are there is to get help.

The reason they could be aggressive is because of something that has happened so asking them questions could get it all out of them so that you are aware of their situation. Submissiveness is someone who will just agree and go along with whatever someone is saying to them. This is a barrier because they will not actually say what they feel and they will not disagree with anything that is being said so they may be agreeing to something that they might not even want.

Strategy- A way to get past an aggressive person is to not take anything they say personally as they are just saying horrible things because of the bad situation that they are in. You should also TALK back to them instead of arguing. Assumptions are bad in Health and Social Care; this is because if you just assume what the person is saying then you aren’t exactly listening to them because you are already thinking of a way to respond to them; without knowing if it is what they are actually saying. This is bad because the service user will obviously not get the help and support that they need.

Strategy – You can get past this by actually listening to the person you are talking to properly so that you don’t just assume what they’re going to say. By listening, you will hear what the person is saying and you will also be able to come up with a way to solve their problem/issue etc. Value & belief systems can affect the level of communication that you have with someone. The values and beliefs that someone has can have a huge effect on the relationship you have with the service user.

For example; if a Christian councillor came across a gay service user who needed help with him and his husbands marriage, and the councillor didn’t want to speak or associate themselves with this person as it doesn’t say anything about gay marriage in the bible then this would cause big problems as the service user will not get any help and the person in need of help may feel very angry and he might even feel quite upset as the councillor is discriminating against him & gay, lesbian and bisexual people and also being homophobic.

Strategy – The easiest way to get over something like this is to get a new job because if you don’t agree with gay marriage then this will defiantly affect you as you will may come across 2 gay people that want to get married and discriminating against them because you don’t agree with gay marriage will cause problems. Jargon is a type of slang, if the service user speaks like this when seizing help then they may not be able to get the help that they require as the person trying to help then will not understand them; meaning that they will not know what the problem is.

However, overcoming this issue could be to ask someone to translate if possible or to use a method of communication that you both understand. Strategy – Ways to get past this issue would be things such as; translators, other workers to help you out, their family/friend could help you etc. Cultural variations are differences between you and someone else, for example if someone comes to you who are from Poland and you are from the UK then there will be many differences between the two of you.

These differences should not affect you in a huge way as you should be able to use many methods of communication; preferably the one that they prefer. One difference between the both of you may be the language or preferred method of communication, this will cause problems when communicating as you may not be able to understand them and they may not understand you. Strategy – A few ways to overcome this may be things like translators, sign language, written, body language, oral etc.

Use & abuse of power is a barrier is because when you are trying to solve or help a situation that someone is going through then you will both need to give ideas, not just one of you. If only one of you is talking then the other person may have ideas that they cannot share and this would be a barrier as both people need to speak in order to share ideas and solve problems that you both agree with. Strategy – You should make sure that you are both speaking; not just one of you.

Making sure that you are both talking is important, to do this you will need to make sure that you are asking questions and not just constantly talking to them because they might switch off and look like they’re listening when in fact they are just bored. Effects of alcohol/drugs can mean that someone is not in their right state of mind; this means that they will not necessarily be making sense and they might also not know what they are saying. The problem with this is that the service user will not be getting any help because they will not be in the right state to be serious and to be willing to sort out their problems.

Strategy – Someone who comes in to speak to you about their issues could have a drink problem or a drug addiction. Ways to deal with this is to send them to Rehab so that they can try and get back on track; instead of getting worse. Whether it is an alcoholic or adrug addict, you should always take their needs into action as they could be desperate to turn their lives around before its to late. Regular check ups and phone calls will be a good idea as you can then see how the person is getting on and if they are getting the help that they require.

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Describe the Factors to Consider When Promoting Effective Communication

Factors you may need to consider when trying to communicate effectively with others could be their age. If it’s a child you will need to simplify your language, get down to their level so that eye contact can be easily made. Be aware of your own posture and body language, while assessing theirs so that you can gauge their emotions, and be able to respond appropriately. It is also important to show that you are listening to the child and looking interested in what they are saying. Sometimes it takes a while for a child to get their sentences out, so if you look bored and uninterested, he/she will be less inclined to carry on with the conversation and it may affect their confidence when communicating in the future.

When communicating with an adult it is slightly different, the language you use will be more complex and the sentences will flow a bit faster. Good eye to eye contact and facial expressions are important to help you convey your message and to be able to decode their emotions and feelings. Adults also need to feel valued, so good listening skills are key to effective communication and allowing the other person time to answer before you start talking again, never guess what a person is trying to say.

Effective communication isn’t just achieved by verbally expressing yourself though. Some organizations use P.E.C.S (Picture Exchange Communication System), exchanging picture and symbols on a board to communicate feelings, choices, wants and needs. This is particularly useful for children with a speech delay, or children with learning difficulties. Photos of the toys/equipment on the front of the boxes and draws tell everyone where to put it all away after use. Or at snack times the children can see the choices available on the board in photo or picture form.

Children learn to become more effective communicators through role-playing games, either with or without adult participation. Listening to stories and discussing them afterwards with others is greatly beneficial to the child, as they are practicing their listening skills and communicating with each other. Other ways in which adults communicate are through email, telephone or text message to colleagues. Newsletters to keep parents informed of general news and updates.

When communicating effectively at work with the children, I like to sit on the floor small hair. I like to be at their level, as I feel it can be a bit intimidating to have an adult standing over and talking. My speech will be slower and clearer, I will use simple words and keep sentences short. Usually, I try to ask open-ended questions to try and encourage the children to talk to me, instead of giving a dead-ended answer with yes or no. Involving the parent/career into the conversation is also great, as it helps me to find out more information about the child. Im able to find out their strengths and abilities and better able to provide activities for that individual child’s needs.

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Thomas Gordon’s Concept of “Twelve Roadblocks to Effective Communication”

The objective of communication is to obtain a close rapport between interlocutors.

If the goal is reached, it is easier to tackle with the encountered problem. This is the way how Thomas Gordon, the author of the bestseller “Parent Effectiveness Training” (1970, New York), perceives the role of good listening. In order to focus readers’ attention on fundamental mistakes people make, he listed twelve common types of ineffective responses.These are so called “Twelve Roadblocks to Effective Communication” or, playfully, “ The Dirty Dozen”. Gordon claims that they act as communication barriers because they interrupt the process of solving the problem, whereas our verbal support should be limited to directing partner’s thoughts until the partner comes up with the solution. What is more, instead of encouraging, these responses carry a harmful meaning which is often unintentional.On the basis of what kind of hidden message they convey, those twelve roadblocks can be divided into five groups: utterances that communicate intolerance, ones of inadequacies and faults, ones that deny there is a problem, ones solving the problem for the person and the last ones which divert the person from the problem.

The first group consist of responses that tell our interlocutor that we do not accept his or her point of view. Responses like ordering, directing or commanding communicate that your partner’s needs are being ignored.Warning or threatening may cause resentment, anger, resistance and rebellion. Giving advice (“shoulds” and “oughts”), making suggestions, providing solutions produces a situation when the helper thinks he or she is superior to the other person. Additionally, responses involving persuading with logic, arguing, lecturing and moralizing, preaching, telling them their duty assure your partner of their low self-esteem and will bring counter-arguments. Judging, criticizing, disagreeing, blaming and shaming, ridiculing, labeling, name-calling, stereotyping go together.These responses obviously make the partner feel incompetent and inadequate.

In effect, there is no place for effective communication. Nevertheless, replies including Interpreting and analyzing plays the same role. A group of roadblocks that deny there is a problem comprises such responses as reassuring, sympathizing, consoling as well as agreeing, approving and praising. Making your partner feel better, instead of listening, does not have a desired effect in a helping relationship. It simply ends the struggle with the problem, for example ‘You’ve done the right thing’.Next group goes for responses that solve the problem for the partner. At first glance, there is nothing devastating in questioning and probing.

However, one should ask right questions. Questions like ‘Why? ’, ‘Where? ’, ‘Who? ’, ‘When? ’ may occur too deep and messy. Withdrawing, distracting, humoring, changing the subject belong to the last category. Responses, such as , ‘Let’s talk about that some other time’ or ‘That reminds me of…’, diminish the problem and make your partner feel unimportant. Therefore, there is little chance to pursued the problem. It will be postponed and never solved.

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Workforce Diversity Management: The Art of Effective Communication

Diversity is defined as “recognizing, appreciating, valuing, and utilizing the unique talents and contributions of all individuals”; regardless of age, career experience, color, communication style, culture, disability, educational level or background, employee status, ethnicity, family status, function, gender, language, management style, marital status, national origin, organizational level, parental status, physical appearance, race, regional origin, religion, sexual orientation, thinking style, speed of learning and comprehension, etc.

(Cross, p. 4) Diversity matters to every single one of us. Not only is there diversity of race and culture, but there is also diversity in religion, political view, age, financial class and more. By valuing diversity, recognizing, welcoming, and cultivating differences among people, we can develop unique talents and be effective members of the society. However, with diversity also comes misunderstanding, impatience, quick judgment and prejudice, therefore I had to learn not to form biased opinions based on my religious and cultural beliefs.

“Culture is the totality of values, beliefs, and behaviors common to a large group of people. A culture may include shared language and folklore, communication styles, and ideas and thinking patterns—the “truths” accepted by members of the group. Members of a culture have similar expectations of life. ” (Cross, p. 48). Because each of us is different, we see and interpret behavior through our own cultural filter. Diversity impacts me the most is at my workplace. I work in an organization that consists of a large diverse group.

According to Daft (2004), “Managing diversity is more than simply acknowledging differences in people. It involves recognizing the value of differences, combating discrimination, and promoting inclusiveness. Today’s work force is becoming dramatically more diverse. Corporate leaders realize that creating an effective work place requires a commitment to increased mutual respect and appreciation among employees. ” (p. 471). Although the existence of diversity in the workplace is now widely recognized in organizations throughout the world, it is too often viewed only in terms of legal compliance.

Because of my background, diversity provides a step-by-step approach to removing barriers between people. One of the concepts I have learned is to address the existence of differences in my workplace in a positive way and learn how to leverage the individuality of all team members creating a more cooperative and pleasant work environment. It has given me the tools to increase creativity among employees and improve problem solving. The issue of diversity and multi-culturalism is now a matter of importance for many businesses in the United States.

It is important that employers take into consideration the impact multi-cultural diversity can have on both the employees and harmony of the workplace. Introducing diversity training can help companies and organizations with their multi-cultural diversity issues in the workplace. These training programs and seminars should primarily aim to provide either an overview of multi-cultural issues in the workplace and/or to provide insight into a particular religion, race or nationality.

The causes of cultural diversity Most people work and live in familiar environment, in the surroundings we were brought up or places similar to this. Accordingly, people that we meet, work with and entertain, are similar to us, due to the fact that they have the same ethnic context, similar viewpoints and religion, the same framework of values, and the same language, that we speak. The experts describe it with the notion of “inhabiting a culturally homogeneous space”. (Hoerder)

Despite life in familiar surroundings is usual for the majority of people, there are some exceptions to the rule. Since the beginning of the humankind history, there were many groups of people or individuals that moved to foreign countries for multiple purposes – for work, getting education, teaching someone, to entertain or just to change the place of residence. Diaries of the most famous travelers, such as Christopher Columbus and Marco Polo are full of descriptions devoted to what the scientists now call “culture contact”. (Hoerder)

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