Read the entire text and answer the questions below.

What is Communication Breakdown?

A communication breakdown occurs when communication is incomprehensible to one party or entirely absent between two people.

Communication breakdown is otherwise known as “the silent treatment”. Refusing to communicate is one of the most common forms of communication breakdown. It usually occurs when two parties disagree or when someone says something offensive or hurtful.

What are the various strategies in order to avoid communication breakdown?

The key to effective communication isn’t simply articulating what you mean when you mean it. True communication is an exchange, not just of information, but of emotion and intent.

Listening to understand makes the speaker feel valued and it helps to avoid misunderstanding or communication breakdown.

Active Listening is a communication technique used in counseling, training, and conflict resolution. It requires that the listener fully concentrate, understand, respond and then remember what is being said.

How to be an Active Listener?

1. Pay Attention – give the speaker your undivided attention. Focus on the conversation and put aside distracting thoughts. Also, avoid being distracted by environmental factors like side conversations. Moreover, listen to the speaker’s body language because non-verbal communication also speaks loudly.

2. Show that you are listening. Use the SOFTEN approach:

Smile – smiling allows you to be perceived as a happy person. It is important to wear a smile in approaching other people because it radiates positive energy.

Open – At some point, your perspective might differ from the perspective of others that is why it is important to open your heart and mind to the ideas and perspectives of other people.

Forward Lean – Leaning forward toward someone who is speaking indicates interest and attentiveness.

Touch - it can be used to express a number of message – professional (handshake), congratulatory (high-five), or threatening (a push). On the other hand, extra caution must be taken when communicating through touch in different cultures, and there are definite boundaries depending upon the cultural norm.

Eye Contact – Eye contact is very much important because it suggests that you’re truthful, engaging, and approachable. Moreover, eye contact signifies that you are listening to the person that you’re talking with.

Nodding – is one of the most universally understood human gestures. It is a gesture of acknowledgement or affirmation to the other party’s point.

3. Provide feedback – our personal filters, assumptions, judgments, and beliefs can distort what we hear. As a listener, your role is to listen to understand and not just only to respond. This requires you to reflect what is being said and ask questions.

4. Understand the Speaker’s point– interrupting is a waste of time. It frustrates the speaker and limits full understanding of the message. It could be better if you allow the speaker to finish each point before asking questions or giving out responses.

5. Respond Appropriately – active listening is a model for respect and understanding. You are gaining information and perspective. You add nothing by attacking the speaker or otherwise putting him or her down.

• Be candid, open, and honest in your response.

• Assert your opinions respectfully.

• Treat the other person in a way that you think he or she would want to be treated.

Pay Attention to Body Language

Your body language also conveys meaning. For example, crossing your arms while you are talking with somebody suggests that you are defensive, self-protective and closed off. The following are important things to consider when communicating:

• Appropriate eye contact. Eye contact is very much important because it suggests that you’re truthful, engaging, and approachable. Moreover, eye contact signifies that you are listening to the person that you’re talking with.

• Avoid defensive poses like arm-crossing. This can effectively create a barrier between yourself and the person you’re speaking with.

• Avoid fidgeting. Fidgeting is making small movements, especially of the hands and feet, through nervousness. These movements can be distracting and a sign that you are lack of confidence. Just relax and slowdown.

Word Choice

We should take note that we have various cultures around the globe. Every day, we are interacting with different people who came from different cultures and background. It is very important to consider our choice of words in communicating. We should make sure that it cannot offense the person that we are talking with. At some point, there are things that might be acceptable to your culture but not acceptable to other culture.

Moreover, word choice is very much powerful in communication process. For example, when you are discussing a certain topic in front and then your classmates are so noisy and not paying attention, instead of saying “Attention! I want you to listen my discussion. Thank you”, you can also say “I would like to encourage everyone to listen so that you can fully comprehend my discussion.”

See the difference? The first statement sounds so demanding because of the words “I WANT”. On the other hand, the second statement is more good to hear because of it friendly approach using the words “I ENCOURAGE..”..

Consider your tone

How you deliver your message is more important than your message itself. Even though you have good news but your way or tone in delivering such is so aggressive or sounds offensive, then there could be a possibility that you might be misinterpreted by your listener.

Observation

Observation gives you the opportunity to connect with other people effectively. Through this, you can see how people act, talk and feel. By that, you can have an idea on how to connect and run the conversation effectively. For example, if the person you are talking with is frowning, then he it might be a sign of disapproval

QUIZ 5: Read the questions carefully and choose from the letter of your choice.

1. What is communication breakdown?

A All of these choices

B Otherwise known as “the silent treatment”.

C Occurs when communication is incomprehensible to one party or entirely absent between two people.

D A failure to exchange of communication.

2. What are the causes of communication breakdown?

A emotional barriers

B communication barriers

C perceptual barriers

D all of these choices

3. This strategy in effective communication means that you are sincere in listening to the person that you are talking with.

A Eye contact

B Empathy

C Listening

D Smile

4. The following are communication strategies that avoids communication breakdown except.

A Listen to understand

B Word choice

C Consider your tone

D Ambiguity

5. Your body language also conveys meaning.

A True

B False

C Maybe

D Somehow

6. Fidgeting is one of the strategies that help us avoid communication breakdown.

A Maybe

B False

C Somehow

D True

7. This strategy makes the speaker feel valued and helps you to avoid communication breakdown.

A All of these choices

B Active Listening

C Throwing direct questions

D Observation

8. If you haven’t fully comprehend the point of the person you are talking with, what is the best way to do?

A Never interrupt or ask that person to explain his point.

B Go on with the conversation as if nothing happens.

C Change the topic.

D Clarify his point through proper paraphrasing.

9. Which of the following is best to say if you want to clarify someone’s point?

A “Could you please say it comprehensively?”

B “Correct me if I’m wrong, what you mean is…”

C “I’m sorry, what is it again?”

D “It could be much better if you clarify your statement”

10. The common problem in communication is that some people listen to respond not to understand.

A Maybe

B True

C False

D Somehow

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