Communicating

in Teams and Mastering

Listening and Nonverbal
Communication Skills

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 1

 Improving Your Performance
in Teams
• Team
– Two or more people
– Share mission/responsibility
– Working toward a goal
• Formal
– Committees
• Informal
– Task forces and problem-solving teams

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 2

 Overview of Teams
Advantages Disadvantages

•Increased information •Groupthink

•Diversity of views •Hidden agendas

•Accepting solutions •Free riders

•Performance levels •High costs

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 3

 Characteristics of Effective
Teams
• Clear objective
• Sense of purpose
• Open communication
• Consensus decision making
• Creative thinking
• Conflict resolution

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 4

 Collaborative Writing
Guidelines
• Select members carefully
• Agree on project goals
• Take time to bond
• Clarify individual responsibilities

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 5

 Collaborative Writing
Guidelines
• Set clear processes
• Avoid group writing
• Ensure compatibility
• Check progress often

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 6

 Collaborative Writing
Technologies
• Websites more control
– Organization
– Workflow
– Content
• Wikis more flexibility
– Organization
– Workflow
– Content

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 7

 Group Dynamics

• Roles that team members assume

• Phase of team development
• Success in resolving conflict
• Success in overcoming resistance

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 8

 Assuming Team Roles
• Self-oriented
– Controlling, withdrawing, diverting, seeking attention
• Team-maintenance
– Encouraging, harmonizing, compromising
• Task-oriented
– Initiating, information giving or seeking, coordinating,
procedure setting

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 9

Allowing for Team Evolution

• Orientation
• Conflict
• Brainstorming
• Emergence
• Reinforcement

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 10

 Sources of Team Conflict
• Scarce resources
• Task responsibilities
• Incompatible ideas
• Poor communication
• Attitudes and values
• Power struggles
• Conflicting goals
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 11
 Types of Team Conflict
• Constructive (win-win)
– Exposes issues
– Boosts involvement
– Generates ideas
• Destructive (win-lose, or lose-lose)
– Diverts energy
– Destroys morale
– Divides the team

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 12

 Resolving Team Conflict
• Proaction
• Communication
• Openness
• Research
• Flexibility
• Fair play
• Alliance

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 13

 Overcoming Resistance

• Express understanding
• Bring resistance into the open
• Evaluate objections fairly
• Withhold arguments

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 14

 Productive Meetings

• Preparation
• Efficiency
• Technology

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 15

 Preparing for Meetings

• Decide on the purpose

• Select participants
• Choose the location
• Set and follow an agenda

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 16

 Leading and Participating

• Stay on track
• Follow the rules
• Promote participation
• Participate actively
• Close effectively

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 17

 Meeting Technologies

• Virtual teams
• Virtual meetings
• Groupware

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 18

 Improving Listening Skills
• Strengthen relationships
• Expedite product delivery
• Highlight opportunities
• Support workplace diversity
• Build foundation for trust
• Enhance performance
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 19
 Types of Listening

• Content listening
• Critical listening
• Empathetic listening
• Active listening

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 20

 The Listening Process

• Receiving
• Decoding
• Remembering
• Evaluating
• Responding

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 21

 Barriers to Listening

• Physical elements
• Selective listening
• Short attention span
• Prejudgment and defensiveness
• Little common ground
• Memory barriers
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 22
Nonverbal Communication

• Complement verbal communication

• Reveal the truth
• Convey information efficiently

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 23

 Recognizing Nonverbal
Communication
• Facial expressions
• Gestures and posture
• Vocal characteristics
• Personal appearance
• Touching behavior
• Use of time and space
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 24
 Maximizing Nonverbal
Communication Skills
• Note facial expressions
• Watch gestures and postures
• Listen for vocal characteristics
• Recognize physical appearance
• Be careful with physical contact
• Observe use of time and space
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 25
Etiquette in Team Settings

• In the workplace
• In social settings

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 26

 Workplace Etiquette

• First impressions
• Personal appearance
• A genuine smile
• Telephone skills

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 27

Etiquette in Social Settings

• First impressions
• Personal introductions
• Dining etiquette
• Misuse of mobile phones
• Inappropriate topics

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2 - 28