Instructional Area: Communication Skills (CO)

Choose and use appropriate channel for workplace communication (CO:092) (CS)

To determine the appropriate communication channel, identify the people you want to communicate with, research how they obtain information, consider the complexity of the message you want to communicate, calculate the cost of communicating and decide whether you want the communication to be interactive.

Distinguish between using social media for business and personal purposes (CO:206) (CS)

Use proper grammar. Censor your photos. Don't oversell yourself. Avoid conflict over social media. Put your employers values above your own. Stay away from foul language.

Follow oral directions (CO:119) (PQ)

carefully listen, repeat the words in your head -paraphrase any difficult to understand sections -review what you have been assigned to do -clarification if needed, to avoid potential missteps or mistakes

Analyze company resources to ascertain policies and procedures (CO:057) (CS)

example: employee handbook , site, training, to be informed on rules and regulations, guidelines, general rules etc -employees must have a thorough understanding of all policies and procedures so that they can perform to their employer's expectations, and deal with unexpected events

Give verbal directions (CO:083) (PQ)

pay attention to inconsistencies, trust your instincts, look at all non verbal communication signals as a group, not individually

Apply written directions to achieve tasks (CO:056) (PQ):

read over the directions carefully, make sure not to skip anything important -seek clarification if needed, as doing so too late will result in many consequences -perform the task to the best of your ability in general

Interpret others' nonverbal cues (CO:059) (PQ) -

receiver must be open, friendly shown by body language, posture, facial expressions, dialogue

Explain communication techniques that support and encourage a speaker (CO:082) (PQ):

receiver must give full physical attention to the speaker, visible through body language, open posture, facing them (non verbal cues)

Identify sources that provide relevant, valid written material (CO:054) (PQ)

skimming over to check if article meets a couple standards: - relevant, up to date information, provides citations and sources - written in an academic tone, author has valid credentials - comparison with other reputable sources some examples of sources are books, magazines - newspapers, journals, TV, the internet, industry

Ask relevant questions (CO:058) (PQ)

speaker must know what they are talking about, their audience, what they want out of the conversation

Explain the nature of effective verbal communications (CO:147) (PQ)

verbal communication is effective when both parties play their role in the conversation, speaker knows what they are talking about, their purpose and the receiver pays attention, and is open as proven by their body language and words, and asks questions later to clarify

Provide legitimate responses to inquiries (CO:060) (PQ)

first, explain your misunderstanding -then, state what you know, to show that you have an understanding of the topic -after, state what you don't know -Sound confident, speak in a clear tone

Utilize note-taking strategies (CO:085) (CS)

-don't record everything, listen for key points -ask instructor to slow down if necessary -seek further resources later on, as you cannot take notes on everything, or speak with instructor later Ask yourself what are the main points? What is informative? What is analytical? What is the lecturer's opinion

Prepare simple written reports (CO:094) (SP)

Be brief Well organised, and easy to follow Using headings, sub-headings, sections.

Write persuasive messages (CO:031) (SP)-

- Choose a position. - Think about the issue and pick the side they wish to advocate. - Understand the audience. - Do the research. - Identify the most convincing evidence, as well as the key points for the opposing view.

Defend ideas objectively (CO:061) (CS)

- Defend without being defensive (less likely to lash out/shut down - Prepare yourself for objections, consider who will say what and develop rebuttals - Be generous, compliment feedback - Be patient

Facilitate (lead) group discussions (CO:201) (SP)

- Model behavior - Encouraging body language/tone of voice/words - Positive feedback - Emotional awareness - Ask open-ended questions - Control your own biases

Extract relevant information from written materials (CO:055) (PQ):

- Skimming, then deciding whether to read in more detail, or to stick with what you've got -Canning, looking for specific key words or phrases, then reading from there - Using an Index, allows you to find out where a topic is so you can go straight to the page - Using Word and Phrase search, electronic search methods to find relevant info and websites

Explain the nature of staff communication (CO:014) (CS)

- Upward: Subordinate -> manager (same dept.) - Downward: Manager -> subordinate (same dept.) - Horizontal: Same hierarchical level - Diagonal: Subordinate <-> manager (different dept..) - Grapevine: Circulation of rumors and unofficial info

Select and use appropriate graphic aids (CO:087) (CS)

- goal is to make the data stand out on the page, and do make the data support the main purpose of the document as clearly and strongly as possible -we want the reader to grasp the speakers ideas and opinions from their words, and then turn to the graphics for support of those ideas and opinions, sending them back to the words, and so on -graphics must be visible, must not be too detailed as attention must be on text -Tables, Graphs and Charts, Photos, Drawings and diagrams

Employ communication styles appropriate to target audience (CO:084) (CS)-

- if youth internet, social media, -if older, literary materials newspaper etc -1 identify target audience 2 analyze message you want to communicate 3 calculate the cost 4 choose interactive channels if you want to monitor feedback

Participate in group discussions (CO:053) (CS)

- maintain eye contact -friendly -let other finish what they are saying -take care of body language and cues -exchange your views confidently when an opportunity comes to you -disagree politely -use simple vocab, no jargon, short and concise - prepare, listen, on't dominate, backup your points, use useful phrases, be polite, take notes, speak clearly, relax,

Demonstrate active listening skills (CO:017) (PQ)

-appear engaged to them -eye contact -body language: stance open, relaxed -show them you are interested, mhm, ok facial expressions Remembering - past conversations Questioning - Asking relevant questions Reflecting- closely repeating or paraphrasing what the speaker has said in order to show comprehension Clarifying- asking questions to ensure that the correct message has been received Summarizing -repeating a summary of what has been said, gives receiver a chance to reiterate what has been said in a logical and clear way, and give the speaker a chance to correct if necessary

Edit and revise written work consistent with professional standards (CO:089) (CS)-

-consider after reading: is my purpose clear? Have I considered the questions and concerns of my audience? Have I written in a appropriate format? Have I included sufficient examples and supporting details? -examine as a writer: that your intro and conclusion are appropriate, that your paragraphs flow and are organized -after, check for run on sentences, overused words, spelling and typos

Write business letters (CO:133) (CS)

-font such as Arial or times new roman,, block paragraphing, -include company info such as name and address -date -add the recipients info= full name, title, company name, address -salutation -tone should be brief and professional -dive straight into business, simple and short -be courteous -formal closing, "sincerely", signature, name, title, contact info -enclosures if necessary Write informational messages (CS) -know your topic well, consider your audience and your format -keep it short and simple -provide detail on topic -be open to questions -avoid errors

Make oral presentations (CO:025) (SP)

-make sure you are well prepared, know your content -watch language, keep it simple, emphasizing the key points by repeating them with different phrasing -voice clear, words pronounced clearly -don't rush, speak slowly an loudly -good body language, stand up straight -interact with audience, have questions and points for discussion ready for them -open to questions, check if they are with you "Does that make sense"

Select and utilize appropriate formats for professional writing (CO:088) (CS)-

-many types of business writing formats, advertisements, emails, snail mail, manual writing, recommendations, proposals, papers, summaries, memo, business letters FORMAL OR INFORMAL? Memo: short documents that normally communicate basic info, such as deadlines within an individual office or company, can be informal Business Letters: formal documents, can be used to apply for jobs or deliver information, should be constructed in standard letter format : date, address, salutation, body paragraphs and closing, communicate the bottom line in a concise manner Business plan: Define the work of an individual business or how it will operate, can also be a tool to request funding Business proposal: documents that present an idea or service as a solution for an identified problem, first define the problem and then explain your proposed solution

Handle telephone calls in a businesslike manner (CO:114) (CS)

-respond with first name and company name -polite, friendly tone -have the information on hand to respond to inquiries -keep discussion flowing, goal is to make a sale -good manners -proper grammar -short and to the point

Explain the nature of effective written communications (CO:016) (CS)

-writer must know their goal, their purpose and state it clearly -tone is important, ex. certain forms of communication such as memorandums and proposals -explain in clear terms what you want them do to, simple language -Use active language, ex. I caught the ball -Good grammar and punctuation -use visual elements clearly ex. bold -SELECT APPROPRIATE FORMAT

Write inquiries (CO:040) (CS)

1. Address 2. Date 3. Opening greeting 4. Reason for writing 5. Questions asking for specific info 6. Request for extra info 7. Closing: request for a quick answer 8. Closing: greeting and signature

Write informational messages (CO:039) (CS)

1. Adresss 2. Date 3. Opening greeting 4. Reason for writing 5. Questions asking for specific info 6. Request for extra info 7. Closing: request for a quick answer 8. Closing: greeting and signature

Organize information (CO:086) (CS)

1. Inventory of current content 2. Establish a hierarchical outline of your content 3. Divided the content into their respective units Various online programs for transactions, payroll, accounting and bookkeeping, contracts, corporate records, correspondence, employee records

Write professional emails (CO:090) (CS)

1. Open with a greeting 2. Thank the recipient 3. State your purpose 4. Closing remarks ( ex. thank you for your consideration) 5. Closing: best regards, sincerely, thank you

Explain how digital communications (e.g., email, text messages, chats) exposes business to risk (CO:202) (SP

Companies have grown to depend on Internet communication and web applications in ways unimaginable just a few years ago. - Damage may include direct losses to damaged digital assets - Lawsuits arising out of unmet expectations - Out-of-pocket expenses due to lost data Cyber crime - theft of IP, interception of emails, etc. Damaged PR - leaked information - Lost income from compromised business activities

Write executive summaries (CO:091) (SP)

Contain only the main points in a way such that the reader can understand the material without having to read it all

Use data visualization techniques (e.g., infographics, heat-maps, dynamic model outputs) (CO:204) (SP)

Data visualization is the presentation of data in a pictorial format such as charts, graphs, and maps. These can be used to organize information in a systematic manner.

Adapt written correspondence to targeted audiences (CO:203) (SP)

Know who you're writing to Keep your audience's attention

Participate in problem-solving groups (CO:067) (CS)

Problem-solving groups allow each employee to be heard and ensure that their rights are protected.

Describe the impact of a person's social media brand on the achievement of organizational objectives (CO:205) (CS)

Social media can improve the public image of a person and allow them to connect with customers and advertise/market more effectively.

Participate in a staff meeting (CO:063) (CS)

Staff meetings are held to assess goals and plan for the long-term. In order to maintain professionalism, parliamentary procedure is often used. Standard Order of Business: - Reading/Approval of the Minutes - statement of agenda - Reports of Officers - group leaders report - Report of Standing Committees - employees report - Report of Special Committees - guests report - Special Orders - urgent, non-routine decisions - Unfinished Business/General Orders - pending decisions - New Business - current discussion