Communication in Organizations: Basic skills and conversation models
In communication a general distinction can be
made between the sender, the person who
sends out a message, and the receiver, the
person who receives the message.
With regard to sender skills we can make a
distinction between regulating skills and
assertive skills.
Regulating skills
Regulating skills are those with which one in uences the structure and direction of the
conversation. These are necessary to monitor the meaningful progress of the conversation.
Assertive skills
Assertive skills are those whose purpose is to reveal as clearly as possible what one thinks and
wants.
Whether a selection interview, a job evaluation, a negotiation or a meeting is involved, it is always
important that members of sta direct the conversation as well as possible, listen to what others
have to say attentively and put across their own opinion and intention as clearly as possible.
Hoofdstuk 1 Regulating skills
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Opening the conversation, setting goals
It is important for e cient continuation to supply your conversational partner with your intentions
fairly soon after beginning.
• In general, we can state that a clear conversational structure, upon which the conversational
partners have agreed at the beginning, promotes e ciency.
• In practice, conversational partners will often have a number of subjects they wish to discuss.
By making an inventory of these subjects in advance and establishing the order of the subjects
to be discussed, you can specify a sort of agenda for the conversation.
1.3 Goal evaluation
Conversations are based on a goal. Often the goal is solving of problems. In order to check that
you are still busy with the goals that were originally set, it is useful to ask ‘goal evaluating
questions’ from time to time. These are questions such as: ‘What was it exactly we wanted to
achieve?’ ‘Are the goals attainable?’ ‘Are the methods employed adequate in relation to the goal?’
1.4 Closing the conversation
In order to keep a check on the time it is generally wiser to make known the time available at the
beginning of the conversation. Then a clear agreement has been made about the length of the
conversation.If such an agreement is made, it is important to keep an eye on this time too.Then a
summary can be introduced.
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, Hoofdstuk 2 Listening skills
2.1 Introduction
It is not only important to have a good structure in a conversation, but also to let your
conversational partner know that he is being listened to. This is stimulating for the partner and
problems can be avoided that occur when one does not listen well.
‘Non’-selective listening skills
The listener has only little in uence on the conversation.These skills are necessary to stimulate the
conversation partner into talking.
Selective listening skills
These are being used by the listener to nd out and select certain aspects of the conversation
that he nds important.
2.2 ‘Non’-selective listening skills, minimal encouragers
Nonverbal behaviour
• Facial expression: from your facial expression it can often be seen whether you are interested in
what the other person is saying or whether you are elsewhere with your thoughts (most
remarkable facial expression: smile).
• Eye contact: stimulating eye contact means that your eyes should meet the speaker’s eyes once
in a while.
• Body posture: the interest you have in the other person can also be shown by a relaxed and
friendly body posture. By assuming a comfortable body position you can make it easy for you to
listen. A relaxed conversation partner often evokes more trust than a restless and constantly
gesturing one.
• Encouraging gestures: by nodding and making supportive gestures with the hands and by
avoiding nervous and distracting movements, you can show your attention, which will stimulate
the speaker to continue talking.
Verbal following
This means that the comments you make should be in line with what the speaker is saying and
that you do not start any new subjects.
• Minimal encouragers: minimal encouragers are short verbal reactions intended to stimulate the
speaker to talk by showing him that he is being listened to.
2.3 Selective listening skills
Selectivity here is related to the fact that in your reactions you give certain aspects of the
speaker’s conversation more attention than others. You can do that on purpose in order to nd
out more about the contents of the subject or to get more involved in the feelings expressed.
• Asking questions:
- Open-ended questions: these questions leave speakers much freedom in formulating
answers to them. They can respond in their own words in accordance with their wishes or
opinions.
• ‘Why’ questions: the ‘why’ question is often a suitable open-ended question: in particular
because people always have reasons for acting in a certain manner. However, these types of
questions can be regarded as threatening when placed at the beginning of a conversation.
- Closed (directing) questions: these types of questions can be answered with a single world
(yes or no). The speaker is restricted to answering the question en they are often suggestive
because these questions stem from preconceived ideas.
- When to ask open-ended or closed questions:
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