Question

Ambassadors Training Session 2 for Cohort 3.

Answer 1

This is an informational post related to the second assignment. The goal is to get you thinking about communications form a little more technical aspect. Sometimes this is called qualitative analysis. I will talk a little more about qualitative analysis on Yammer.

As before, I will post a new lesson in a week, but you will have 2 weeks to reply to any questions that are part of it. The actual assignment part will happen on Yammer, which will help me make sure everyone is logged in there. All questions I ask here are rhetorical. However, if you have questions about the topics below, feel free to ask them.

@Data_lg2 @TheSmartOne @k_lynn @confluxepic @sleepyjess @deepika.comet @pooja195
@Jaynator495 @Luigi0210

Let me pose this question to you. What is communication?

We think of this most naturally as two people talking. However, two people do not just talk.

I am sure you have heard of body language. Scientists have systematically studied and codified facial expressions. There is also your stance, skin tone, hand movements, body movements, and more. All of this comes together as part of the non verbal communications people do when talking.

This is not the end of person to person communications. Add to this the tone of voice, speed, and so on. For example, can you think of different meanings to the phrase "Hey, what are you doing?" depending on tone of voice? The harsh, accusing tone of someone who is surprised or angry would be very different than an inquisitive child, but they would use the same words.

Then there are the words themselves. They each have meaning, their order, and pausing are important. There are many jokes on the importance of grammar and how a misplaced comma can completely change a sentence. The same is true of pauses in speech.

All the things listed above are mixed together when transmitting a message in the communication process while using a verbal channel in face to face communications.

Transmitting a message? Communications process?

This is part of what communications classes call the Transactional View of the Process of Communications. [I'll have to attach some pics later. I made them for the video, but they are on a different machine.] In this, they study how the message is formulated, transmitted, received, and feedback is given. All of this takes place in some sort of a communication channel or set of channels, such as your voice and your body language as two channels in one communication.

Transactional View: http://assets.openstudy.com/updates/attachments/547be368e4b0241dcdeefb4a-e.mccormick-1417406107771-coms04.png

In all parts of this transactional view there is noise. When you think of something to say, you may drift off topic a bit, noise. If there are other people in the room it can be literal noise, but noise can a really interesting view or just a hot day. Then there is the noise of what the recipient thinks. Are they paying attention? Do they have memories associated with the topic at hand that are warping their view?

Noise: http://assets.openstudy.com/updates/attachments/547be368e4b0241dcdeefb4a-e.mccormick-1417406107586-coms13.png

Then there is feedback. If a person reacts strongly to a message with fear or surprise or joy it can be feedback without a single word of reply.

Now, lets start peeling away the layers of all this. See, we are on the internet. We don't have all of this here.

Facial expressions? Gone. Same with the rest of body language. Tone of voice is also vaporized in typed text. Reactions? Nothing until they type back.

So in short, all that is left are the words and the noise. A person typing in a distracting environment is still distracted. Both sides can still feel something about the topic. Sights, sounds, taste, time of day, hunger, and all those other things are still there and still making noise.

About all the feelings you see on the internet: http://assets.openstudy.com/updates/attachments/547be368e4b0241dcdeefb4a-e.mccormick-1417449412943-emotes1.bmp

If two people are in the same room, and one says, "I hate you," what does it mean? Friends may say this jokingly, lovers may use it to mean the exact opposite, and people in a fight might mean it quite literally.

But what if it is typed out alone? There is no way to know what the context is.

In modern communications, there are some things that can add a little clarity. We call them emoticons, or promotional icons. They can add playful, happy, sad, and so on connotations. ;P :) (^ o ^)

But there are still problems with these. You would never use an emoticon in a formal letter. They are also vague because it is not like they are really that standardized.

What you are left with are squiggles typed on a page and a bunch of misunderstandings.

This is where care and thought in what you type becomes a very important. You need to add back some of those expressive things. You also need to cut out others.

One example is sarcasm. Sarcasm is a sharp, ironical taunt that is meant to mock or belittle. The word itself comes from "To tear flesh." And if you think about the verbal tearing of flesh, well, you can see why this would be bad.

Things like sarcasm are very hard to carry out properly in rapid, typed communication. In speech, the difference between nasty, biting sarcasm and something more mild is tone of voice, expression, or cultural cues. Even inside one country with one language there are localized differences in this.

Rapid, poor reply to even the though of sarcasm: http://assets.openstudy.com/updates/attachments/547be368e4b0241dcdeefb4a-e.mccormick-1417406107076-sarcasim.png
Real sarcasm, which should not be used: http://assets.openstudy.com/updates/attachments/547be368e4b0241dcdeefb4a-e.mccormick-1417449313263-sarcasim1.png

This is why an OpenStudy Ambassador needs to be very careful of what they type. Pause for a moment and think, "If I saw this, with no explanation at all, what could it mean?"

Even with friends, this can be a problem. What is posted in a question can last for years. So in a question, playful sarcasm between friends can look like an argument. In chat or messages, there is more room for it, but you still need to be careful.

Another thing to think about is positive messages as opposed to negative ones. The phrase "That is a stupid way to do it" can be misunderstood. While you may mean how they did something, the person could think you mean they are stupid. More positive messages are things like, "Did you know there is an easier way to do that," or "Hey, can I show you another example of doing that?" These are positive, helpful messages that leave out the dangerous word, stupid.

"You" language is another one. You this and you that are accusations. When someone posts a test, saying "You can't do that!" puts them on the defensive. "I wouldn't do that. There are teachers on here and people can get in trouble with the site for posting tests." is a less accusatory reply.

Offer to help review material. Be supportive rather than confrontational. All of this still gets the core of the code of conduct across. There is less finger pointing and more asking. The results are generally better this way.

Some additional references on related topics such as I language will be provided. You need to look at these.

Application on OpenStudy of a postive, non-confrontational message: http://assets.openstudy.com/updates/attachments/547be368e4b0241dcdeefb4a-e.mccormick-1417406107360-positivemessage.png

As always, these basics will also apply in other aspects of your life. Asking or help and offering it are far better than demanding help or insisting things be done a certain way. These skills are taught in business and communications classes in an effort to make better leaders.

Some useful links:

What is I language:
http://www.dealingwithdifficultpeople.org/i-language-2/

The use of I language in relationship building:
http://verysmartgirls.com/relationship-communication-skills/i-language-series-responsibility-and-building-relationships/

My earlier post on first impressions:
http://openstudy.com/study#/updates/52890468e4b0c6de5ca60cdb

Dr. Ranee Kaur Banerjee teaches communications. Her information is very similar to what is in my assorted, American made, communications textbooks. Dr. Banerjee is in India. As you can see, these same concepts are used in different parts of the world.

What noise is:
http://rkb-lbc-09.blogspot.com/2013/08/communication-noise.html

Business Writing Skills:
http://rkb-lbc-09.blogspot.com/2010/12/very-successful-hr-recruiter-once-told.html

Communication models:
http://rkb-lbc-09.blogspot.com/2013/08/what-is-model.html and http://rkb-lbc-09.blogspot.com/2012/08/transmission-models-introduction.html

If you want a more in depth look at communications, here is a free, 100 page workbook on the topic. It has lots of valuable information. While not required, I highly recommend going through this book to at least get a feel for the seven challenges the author goes over:
http://www.newconversations.net/

The PDF version is also on Yammer. Search for ambi training and you will find it.

Answer 2

>> I'm not done with the readings and the video yet. I'm just letting you know that the second link for the Communications Model works, I tried opening it but it says "Sorry, the page youw ere looking for in this blog does not exist" . But the previous ones are interesting.

Answer 3

**doesn't work

Answer 4

Bah... Dr. Banerjee changed her links... drat. Last time it was great.

Answer 5

Here, a little digging and this looks like it:
http://rkb-lbc-09.blogspot.com/search/label/communication%20models

Or at least it covers the same concepts.

No need to learn all the models, but I would like every ambassador to have at least a little understanding of how much work goes into this sort of research on communications.

Answer 6

Updating the emotes image for size... wheee.