Lesson 2: Listening, Working in Teams, and Understanding Nonverbal Communication

Overview

The main point of this lesson is that to interact well with others, whether one on one or in teams and at meetings, you need to hone both your nonverbal communication skills and your listening skills. As you read and study the chapter, think about collaborative projects you’ve worked on and meetings you’ve participated in. When you’ve finished reading, mentally review some of the problems that arose in working on your team project or in meetings you attended, and try to figure out how they could have been overcome or avoided.

Objectives

After reading and studying this chapter you will be able to:

1. list the six general categories of nonverbal communication.

2. discuss the skills involved in being an effective listener.

3. highlight seven characteristics of effective feedback.

4. describe the four phases of group decision making.

5. list six ways leaders can make meetings more productive.

6. explain the win-win strategy to resolving conflict.

 The six categories of nonverbal communication include facial expressions and eye behavior, gestures and postures, vocal characteristics, personal appearance, touching behavior, and the use of time and space.

You can improve your listening skills by finding areas of interest with the speaker; judging content, not delivery; reserving judgment until the speaker has finished; taking selective notes; paying attention; keeping an open mind; fighting distractions; paying attention to the speaker’s body language; paraphrasing what the speaker says; and practicing.

Effective feedback focuses on specific behavior, is impersonal, uses “I” statements, is goal oriented, is well timed, ensures understanding, and addresses behavior that is controllable by the recipient.

In the orientation phase, group members socialize and define their task. In the conflict phase, members begin to discuss their positions on the problem. In the emergence phase, they reach a decision, and in the reinforcement phase they summarize their decision while rebuilding group feeling.

You can make your meetings more productive by planning carefully; selecting the right participants, choosing a good location, setting and following an agenda, getting everyone involved, and keeping things under control.

The principle behind the win-win strategy is to find a solution that is beneficial to all parties involved. This is done by considering the other person’s needs as well as your own and by creatively seeking new alternatives through a process of mutual brainstorming and open communication.

Assignment

Read and study Chapter 2 paying particular attention to Communicating Across Cultures on page 38 and Keeping Pace with Technology on page 49. Complete the self-study quiz to determine if you understand the concepts presented. To reinforce the concepts learned answer the Critical Thinking Questions on page 58, email your responses to your instructor.