Transcript Slide 1 - The Consortium

Communication Skills:
Enhancing Direct Practice
Dr. BC Farnham & Elizabeth Pugh, LBSW, CM
This program is made possible through a collaborative community-education partnership between The Consortium for Advancements
in Health & Human Services, Inc. and Kindred at Home. The primary goal of this effort is to increase public awareness and access to
hospice and home health through the provision of community-based education. Contact Hours are awarded to professionals who
complete this program by The Consortium for Advancements in Health & Human Services, Inc. (www.cahhs-partners.org)
The Consortium for Advancements in Health and Human Services, Inc. © 2014
Important Information
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This education program for healthcare professionals was developed by The Consortium for Advancements in Health and Human Services,
Inc. (CAHHS) and is facilitated by Kindred at Home via a community education partnership agreement. CAHHS is a private corporation and
is solely responsible for the development, implementation and evaluation of its educational programs. There is no fee associated with
receiving contact hours for participating in this program titled, Communication Skills: Enhancing Direct Practice. However, participants
wishing to receive contact hours must offer a signature on the sign-in sheet, attend the entire program and complete a program
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Learning Objectives
 To increase understanding of deliberate listening
as it relates to direct practice
 Evaluate individual communication style by
utilizing the communication style inventory
 To explore the elements of active listening skills
to enhance direct practice
Communication – a Review
 Communication is the process of transferring
information from one source to another.
 Communication is a process by which we assign
and convey meaning in an attempt to create
shared understanding
A learned skill
 Communication is a learned skill.
 Speaking, listening and our ability to understand
verbal and nonverbal meanings are skills we
develop in various ways.
 We learn basic communication skills by observing
other people and modeling our behaviors based
on what we see.
Learned skill….continued
 For many of us, we were taught communication
skills directly through education and by practicing
those skills and having them evaluated.
Three major parts
 There are three major parts in human face-toface communication –
 Body language
 Tone of voice
 Content/words used in communication process
Our focus….
 Today we will focus on one of the more difficult
skills of communication…LISTENING
 As a direct practice worker, you must constantly
sharpen your tool of listening to ensure you are
listening for meaning
Why listen?
 How well you listen has a major impact on how
effective you are in your role as a professional
helper.
 How well you listen has an impact on the quality
of your relationships with others
Purpose of listening
 Think about your purpose of listening to others –
Why do you listen to others?
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To obtain information
To understand
For enjoyment
To learn
Did you know….
 We only remember 25-50% of what we hear
 When you talk with your clients, boss or colleagues for
10 minutes, they only really hear 2 ½ - 5 minutes of
the conversation!
 Turn it around when you are receiving directions or
being presented with information, you aren’t hearing
the whole message either.
Wing and a prayer….
 You hope the important parts are captured in your
25-50%, BUT, what if they’re not?
Benefits
 By becoming a better listener, you will improve
productivity, as well as your ability to:
 Influence
 Persuade
 Negotiate
 What’s more, you’ll avoid conflict and
misunderstandings – all necessary for success in direct
practice!
Self-awareness
 Good communication skills require a high level of
self-awareness. By understanding your personal
style of communicating, you will go a long way
towards creating good and lasting impressions
with others
Communication Inventory
 Let’s take a few moments to conduct an
individual communications style inventory
 What kind of communicator are you?
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Controller/Director
Promoter/Socializer
Supporter/Relater
Analyzer/Thinker
Active Listening
 The way to become a better listener is to practice
“active listening”.
 Active listening requires a conscious effort to hear
not only the words that another person is saying,
but more importantly, to try and understand the
total message being sent.
Barriers
 Caution! The following barriers contribute to a
lack of listening and understanding
 Don’t allow yourself to become distracted by things
going on around you
 Don’t form counter arguments that you will make
when the other person stops speaking
 Don’t allow yourself to lose focus on what the other
person is saying
Helpful tip
 If you find it particularly difficult to concentrate
on what someone is saying, try repeating their
words mentally as they say it
 This will reinforce their message and help you
control mind drift
Acknowledge
 Using body language and other signs to
acknowledge your involvement in a
conversation reminds you to pay attention and
not let your mind wander
 Acknowledgement can be something as
simple as a nod of the head, or a simple “uh
huh” – this does not necessarily mean that
you are agreeing with the person, but that you
are listening
Hear what people are saying
 There are five basic elements to increase your
skills of being able to truly hear what people are
saying
Pay attention
 Give the person speaking your undivided
attention; acknowledge the message; recognize
what is NOT said is also part of the message.
 Look directly at the person speaking
 Put aside distracting thoughts – don’t mentally prepare
a rebuttal!
 Avoid being distracted by environmental factors
 “listen” to the speakers body language
 Refrain from side conversations in a group setting
Show that you are listening
 Use your own body language and gestures to
convey your attention
 Nod occasionally
 Smile and use other appropriate facial expressions
 Note your posture and make sure it is open and
inviting
 Encourage the speaker to continue with small verbal
comments like “yes” and “uh huh”
Give feedback
 We all have personal filters that lend to our
assumptions, judgments and beliefs – and these
personal filters may distort what we hear.
 As a direct practice worker, your role is to
understand what is being said. This may require
you to reflect what is being said and ask
questions
Feedback questions
 Use paraphrasing – reflect what has been said by
paraphrasing. “What I’m hearing is….” and
“Sounds like you are saying…”
 Ask questions to clarify certain points. “What do
you mean when you say…..”
 Summarize the speaker’s comments periodically
Helpful tip
 If you find yourself responding emotionally to
what someone said, say so, and ask for more
information: “What I thought you just said is …..,
is that what you meant?”
Defer judgment
 Interrupting is a waste of time. It frustrates the
speaker and limits full understanding of the
message.
 Allow the speaker to finish
 Don’t interrupt with counterarguments
Respond
 When you listen to someone it is a model of
respect and understanding.
 You are gaining information and perspective
 Respond appropriately – you gain nothing by
attacking a speaker or otherwise putting him/her
down
 Be candid, open and honest in your response
 Assert your opinions respectfully
 Treat the other person as you would like to be
treated
The Bottom Line
By improving your listening and communication
skills, you will improve your workplace
productivity and relationships
References
 Robertson, K., (2005). Active listening – more
than just paying attention. Australian Family
Physician. Vol. 34 (12), pp 994-1061.
 Mind Tools, (n.d.). Active listening: Hear
what people are really saying. Retrieved April
15, 2009 from
http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/ActiveL
istening.htm
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