Interpersonal Communication…Why All the Fuss?

Presented by…Chance McDavid, Vice President

Greater Starkville Development Partnership August 25, 2007

Why Do We Communicate?

Activity…How Are Your Communication Skills?

We are bombarded by thousands of messages every day.

What makes this message easy to communicate?

Why do we pay attention to it?

Speaking of Stop Signs…

Question: If you could live forever, would you and why?

Answer: "I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever, which is why I would

not live forever."

Say What???

-Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss USA contest

Communication Defined

• n. The exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, signals, or writing.

The American Heritage Dictionary 2The American Heritage Dictionary 2ndnd. Ed. Ed..

Communication Is How We Let Others Know…

• What we are thinking.• How we are feeling.• “Who says what to

whom in what channel with what effect.”

Communication Process

Sender ReceiverChannel

NOISE

(Message)

Feedback Loop

“Communication is not intent,

it is perception!”

3 Parts of Oral Communication:

Words

Tone

Body Language

How we say something is as important as what we

say!

What CausesPerceptions?What CausesPerceptions?

Attitudes

Past Events?

What’s ImportantBeliefs

Comm- unication

SkillsSelf Esteem

How Can I Limit Perceptions?

• Be open-minded.• Respect yourself

and others.• Be open and

honest.• Actively listen.

What Communicates

Verbal _____Vocal _____Visual _____Total

7 %38 %55 %

100 %

Mehrabian, Albert. Silent Messages, 1971.

WordsToneBody

Language*

“You are the only book some people will ever

read.”

It’s Not What You Say…

It’s How You Say It!

It Does Make A Difference…

I never said I saw him take the money. I never said I saw him take the money. I never said I saw him take the money. I never said I saw him take the money. I never said I saw him take the money. I never said I saw him take the money. I never said I saw him take the money. I never said I saw him take the money. I never said I saw him take the money.

Or Even How You Write It…

The Problem…

• I speak at 125 wpm• I hear at 400 wpm• I think at 4000 wpm

75% of what is said is

never heard!

“Speaking is a lousy input for communication.”

Communicating Without Words

• S mile• O pen Posture• F orward Lean• T erritory• E ye Contact• N od

55% Visual

Ingredients of Interpersonal Communication

• Vocal Delivery

• Visual Elements

• Personality• Likeability• Openness

Specific Behavioral Characteristics

• Eye Communication• Posture/Movement• Gestures/Facial

Expression• Dress/Appearance• Voice/Vocal Variety

• Language/Non Words• Listener Involvement• Humor• The Natural Self

– “An Attitude”

Activity…How Do Your Behavioral Characteristics Stack Up?

• You cannot (not) communicate. • “Once a word goes out of your mouth, you

can never swallow it again.” -Russian Proverb

• No form of communication is simple. • Communication doesn’t occur in a

vacuum.

And Finally…

• You can compare the communication process to Murphy’s Law:– If communication can fail, it will. – If a message can be understood in different

ways, it will be understood in just that way which does the most harm.

– There is always somebody who knows better than you what you meant by your message.

– The more communication there is, the more difficult it is for communication to succeed.

– Osmo Wiio

Chance L. McDavid, Vice PresidentMembership & Community DevelopmentGreater Starkville Development Partnership

cmcdavid@starkville.org(662) 323-3322

200 East Main StreetStarkville, MS 39759

Visit us at www.starkville.org