Verbal and vocal communication
Featured in the The Team Leader's Development Manual training manual
By Mike Fenwick
Category: People Management and Motivation
Credit price: 3 download credits (Single user)
It’s not what you say, it’s the way that you say it! Words are the foundation of the way we communicate with our teams, and yet words alone are not an effective means of communication. They are open to misunderstanding and misinterpretation – even the same words spoken in different ways can have completely opposite meanings. Sending words or ‘verbal information’ to others is only half of the equation. We also need to get feedback to assess what, if any, of the information has been understood; to identify why the rest has not been understood; and then to deliver the information again in a form that can be understood. To do this, we need to understand the barriers that exist between people who communicate verbally. Having chosen our words and identified barriers, the message then needs to be sent using appropriate vocal information – intonation, emphasis, pace and volume, which all contribute towards the way in which the message is received. What can be intended as a compliment, can be turned into criticism simply by altering the vocal information. This training activity examines not only the barriers that exist, but also the influence of vocal information on the words that we speak.
You begin this training activity by encouraging the participants to consider the ways in which people communicate with each other on a personal level and identify the three areas of verbal and vocal communication and body language. You then tell them that this training activity will deal with the first two of these; verbal and vocal communication. You then invite the participants to discuss the dangers of relying only on words to communicate, and how simply applying different punctuation can easily change them. You then introduce them to communication as a two-way process, that of a ‘transmitter’ sending information to a ‘receiver’ before getting feedback to assess how much information has been received. A participant then volunteers to transmit some information to the group and assesses how much has been received by them. Next, the participants discuss why information gets ‘lost’ in the process, and identify a range of ‘barriers’ that exist which prevent information being passed between people. You then invite them to consider the elements that make up vocal information. They go on to discuss, as a group, how these are translated into the three vocal types: arrogant and aggressive, bland and boring, and confident and controlled. The participants are then divided into three groups, and one of these types allocated to each. Their task is to practise reading a set statement, using the vocal information for their given’ type’, before a volunteer from each group delivers the statement to the rest of the participants. Finally, the participants discuss the message received and the consequences for a team leader of using each type of vocal information.
Who is it for: This training resource is intended for use by trainers to enable participants to examine the use and limitations of the words used in communicating to other people and ensuring it is received in the same way as it was transmitted.
| Resource Type: | Activity |
| Min Group Size: | 4 |
| Max Group Size: | 20 |
| Typical Duration: | 01:30:00 |
| No of Pages: | 15 |
Resources: View standard resources for Fenman training activities
Purpose: This training resource is intended for use by trainers as part of a management development or communication skills programme. It can also be used in programmes on assertiveness, considering colleagues, influencing others, leadership, motivation and teamwork.
Download the training activity, Verbal and vocal communication as featured in the Fenman training manual; The Team Leader's Development Manual