Positive communication for management - best practice principles and techniques online learning programme, facilitated by Dr Charles Cotter

1. POSITIVE COMMUNICATION FOR
MANAGEMENT: PRINCIPLES AND
TECHNIQUES
CHARLES COTTER PhD, MBA, B.A (Hons), B.A
www.slideshare.net/CharlesCotter
ONLINE LEARNING PROGRAMME (LIVE)
11-12 AUGUST 2021

3. TRAINING PROGRAMME
OVERVIEW – DAY 1
• DEFINING THE COMMUNICATION CONTEXT
AND FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS
• ASSESSING COMMUNICATION EFFECTIVENESS
• THE CONSTITUENT FEATURES OF POSITIVE
COMMUNICATION
• THE MECHANISMS AND COMPONENTS OF
POSITIVE COMMUNICATION
• COMMUNICATION PATTERNS AND
MINIMIZING BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE AND
ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION
• NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION (NVC) AND
CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
• READING ARTICLE 1: 10 WAYS TO IMPROVE
POSITIVE COMMUNICATION

4. ONLINE LEARNING
PROGRAMME SCHEDULE
• DAY 1 – 2 (11-12 AUGUST
2021):
❑ Sessions 1/4: 13.00 – 14.30
❑ Tea-break: 14.30 – 14.45
❑ Sessions 2/5: 14.45 – 16.15
❑ Tea-Break: 16.15 – 16.30
❑ Sessions 3/6: 16.30 – 18.00
• Refer to pages 4-5 (day 1)
and 49-50 (day 2) in the
Learner Manual

5. AGREE OR DISAGREE?
WHY?

6. DEFINING POSITIVE COMMUNICATION
The following concepts characterize positive communication:
• accepting and affirmative;
• favourable, having a good effect;
• supportive, encouraging and helpful;
• optimistic and tending to promote development;
• constructive and effective.

7. DEFINING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
• Communication is more than merely imparting meaning – it
must also be understood.
• Fundamental definition of effective communication is when
the intended message of the sender is correctly interpreted,
understood and acted upon by the recipient/listener.
• Communication is the lifeblood of teams. No team or
organization can exist without communication i.e. the
transference of meaning among its team members.
• It is only through transmitting meaning from one person to
another that information and ideas can be conveyed.

9. THE BENEFITS OF POSITIVE AND
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
• Positive communication in the workplace is valuable because
this methodology isn’t only effective, it is powerful.
• This kind of communication goes beyond weekly meetings or
correspondences via email or print.
• When companies and employers focus on creating a work
environment that fosters good and positive communication,
not only will this move result in a happier workforce, but in
a more productive and more engaged one which then
translates to better operations and potentially better profit.

10. THE BENEFITS OF POSITIVE AND
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
• #1: Building trust
• #2: Breaks down barriers brought about by differences
• #3: Preventing or resolving problems
• #4: Prepares workers in communicating in a global arena
• #5: Providing clarity and direction
• #6: Creates harmonious working relationships
• #7: Increases employee morale and engagement
• #8: Work and business has meaning and purpose
• #9: Promotes team building and cohesiveness
• #10: Improves workforce productivity

13. LEARNING ACTIVITY 1A
• Individual activity:
• 1.1 Complete the online x15
item communication quiz. Refer
to the link:
https://www.mindtools.com/pa
ges/article/newCS_99.htm

14. SCORE INTERPRETATION
Score Comment
15-35
You need to keep working on your communication skills. You are not expressing yourself
clearly and you may not be receiving messages correctly, either. The good news is that, by
paying close attention to the way in which you communicate, you can improve your
effectiveness at work and enjoy better working relationships with your colleagues! The rest
of this article will direct you to some great tools for improving your communication skills.
36-55
You're a capable communicator, but you sometimes experience communication problems.
Take the time to think about your approach to communication, and focus on receiving
messages effectively, as much as sending them. This will help to improve your ability to
communicate.
56-75
Excellent! You understand your role as a communicator, both when you send messages and
when you receive them. You anticipate problems, and you choose the right channel to
communicate. People respect you for your ability to communicate clearly and they
appreciate your listening skills.

15. DETAILED SCORE
INTERPRETATION
• Refer to pages 11-15 in the Learner Manual
• The Source – Planning Your Message (Questions 2, 11)
• Encoding – Creating a Clear, Well-Crafted Message
(Questions 1, 5, 8, 10, 15)
• Choosing the Right Channel (Questions 7, 11, 13)

16. DETAILED SCORE
INTERPRETATION
• Refer to pages 11-15 in the Learner Manual
• Decoding – Receiving and Interpreting a Message
(Questions 3, 6, 12, 14)
• Feedback (Questions 4, 9)

18. LEARNING ACTIVITY 1B
• Individual activity:
• 1.2 Identify your communication
effectiveness gaps.
• Group discussion:
• 1.3 Develop improvement strategies
for these identified effectiveness gaps.

19. THE CONSTITUENT
FEATURES OF
POSITIVE
COMMUNICATION
• Does positive communication have to
be informative?
• Does positive communication have to
be constructive?
• Does positive communication have to
be assertive?
• Does positive communication have to
be effective?
• Does positive communication have to
be emotional?
• Does positive communication have to
be supportive?

20. THE MECHANISMS AND COMPONENTS OF
POSITIVE COMMUNICATION
POSITIVE
INTENTION
INITIATIVE COMMUNICATIVE
ADAPTATION
SOCIAL SUPPORT
EMPATHIC
LISTENING

23. LEARNING ACTIVITY 2
• Group Discussion:
• 2.1 By referring to the definition and characteristics as well
as the x6 constituent features of positive communication,
describe how these can be practically applied to your
interpersonal communication engagements in your work
environment.
• 2.2 Describe how you can guard and/or mitigate against
being consumed by destructive and negative messaging and
communication.
• 2.3 By referring to the x5 mechanisms and components of
positive communication, describe how these can be
practically applied to your interpersonal communication
engagements in your work environment.

24. COMMUNICATION PATTERNS

25. COMMUNICATION PATTERNS
• Passive Communicators
• People who speak in a passive manner have difficulty expressing themselves
and tend to give in to others. Failure to express thoughts and emotions often
leads to miscommunication and built-up anger or resentment.
• Aggressive Communicators
• Aggressive communication takes things to the other side of the spectrum.
People who rely on this communication style in the workplace, at home, or
among friends tend to dominate the conversation. They issue commands and
ask questions rudely while failing to listen to others.

26. COMMUNICATION PATTERNS
• Passive-Aggressive Communicators
• Passive-aggressive communication seems passive on the surface but reveals
a hidden resentment that comes through in subtle, indirect ways.
• Assertive Communicators
• The assertive style of communication offers an effective and healthy way
to express yourself. It encourages open, honest dialogue while still
considering the needs of others.

27. THE PROFILE OF AN
ASSERTIVE
COMMUNICATOR

28. CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ASSERTIVE
COMMUNICATOR
• You can recognize assertive communication with the following behaviours:
❑ The ability to express desires and needs with confidence
❑ Encourages balanced conversations in which both people have a chance to speak
❑ The use of “I” statements (ex: I feel frustrated when people show up late.)
❑ The ability to say no
❑ Maintains good eye contact
• You may recognize assertive communication through phrases like:
❑ “I am responsible for my own happiness.”
❑ “I respect the needs and opinions of others.”
❑ “We all have the right to express ourselves respectfully and honestly.”

29. • It also helps to know the different communication styles so you can recognize when
someone uses them. Understanding the patterns enables you to decode what people
mean and decide how to best respond.
• Express needs and wants with confidence
• Take ownership by using “I” statements (For example, “I feel frustrated when you don’t
respond to my questions because it makes me feel unimportant.”)
• Maintain comfortable eye contact
• Listen when the other person is speaking
• Learn how to say “no”

30. LEARNING TO SAY NO – “WHO’S
GOT THE MONKEY?”

31. COMMUNICATION
IMPROVEMENT
STRATEGIES
• #1: Plan what you want to say and how you
will say it
• #2: Use multiple channels and mediums
• #3: Tailor the message to the audience
• #4: Use clear, simple and understandable
language
• #5: Empathize with others
• #6: Remember the value of face-to-face
communication when dealing with change

32. COMMUNICATION
IMPROVEMENT
STRATEGIES
• #7: Use two-way communication
• #8: Practice active listening
• #9: Match your words and actions
(congruency)
• #10: Ask for feedback/questions to
confirm understanding
• #11: Use the grapevine (as a source of
employee issues)
• #12: Use feedback
• #13: Use assertive communication

34. DEFINING NON-VERBAL
COMMUNICATION (NVC)
• Non-verbal communication is usually understood as the process
of communication through sending and receiving wordless (mostly visual)
cues between people.
• Face-to-face interaction, NVC can be classified into three principal areas:
❑ Environmental conditions where communication takes place
❑ Physical characteristics of the communicators
❑ Behaviours of communicators during interaction

35. COMPREHENSION COMPONENTS OF NVC

36. COMPONENTS OF NVC

38. CROSS CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION
DIFFERENCES AND
CULTURE SHOCK
• Cultural Verbal and Non-Verbal Differences
• Cross-cultural communication
• Defining Cross-Cultural Communication
• The importance of Cross-Cultural Communication
• Experiencing culture shock
• Cross-Cultural Communication Improvement Strategies

40. CROSS-CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION
IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIES

42. LEARNING ACTIVITY 3
• Group Discussion:
• 3.1 By referring to the communication
patterns, indicate how you can
communicate more assertively and guard
against the other 3 less functional patterns.
• 3.2 By referring to the different examples of
NVC, explain how you as a 3.2.1) sender
and 3.2.2) as a receiver, can improve your
interpersonal communication at your
organization.
• 3.3 Critically review and evaluate the x14
cross-cultural communication improvement
strategies (refer to paragraph 6.3.4) and
develop a Code of Best Practice to mitigate
against the negative communication effects
of the culture shock phenomenon.

44. 10 WAYS TO BE A MORE POSITIVE COMMUNICATOR
(Betty Lochner)
• 1. Think before you speak or act.
• 2. Keep an open mind.
• 3. Discuss rather than argue.
• 4. Cultivate a soothing voice.
• 5. Never lose an opportunity to praise or say a kind word.
• 6. Exceed expectations.
• 7. Learn to be objective about personal criticism.
• 8. Respect the feelings of others.
• 9. Refuse to discuss the shortcomings of others.
• 10. Let your virtues speak for themselves.

45. LEARNING ACTIVITY 4
• Group Discussion:
• Review the article (1) and
extract the most relevant
lessons, insights and positive
communication strategies that
can be applied within your
work environment.

46. SELF DIRECTED
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
(DAY 2)
Refer to page 47 in the Learner
Manual

47. TRAINING PROGRAMME
OVERVIEW – DAY 2
• COMMUNICATION STYLES: A SELF-ASSESSMENT
EXERCISE
• CREATING MEANINGFUL, TRUSTING AND
TRANSPARENT WORKPLACE RELATIONSHIP
THROUGH POSITIVE COMMUNICATION
• REMOTE COMMUNICATION BEST PRACTICE
• READING ARTICLE 2: CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS
• CASE ANALYSIS: LACK OF EFFECTIVE AND
POSITIVE COMMUNICATION AT WORK
• Refer to pages 49-50 (day 2) in the Learner Manual

49. LEARNING ACTIVITY 5A
• Individual activity:
• Instructions:
• 5.1 Please select from each pair of attributes
the one which is most typical of your
personality. No pair is an either-or proposal.
Make your choice as spontaneously as
possible. There is no wrong answer.
• Refer to the Scoring Sheet for the
Communication Styles Assessment (page 56)

53. ADJUSTING TO OTHER COMMUNICATION
STYLES
• Communicating with an Action (A) oriented person
• Communicating with a Process (PR) oriented person
• Communicating with a People (PE) oriented person
• Communicating with an Idea (I) oriented person
• Refer to pages 59-60 in the Learner Manual

54. LEARNING ACTIVITY 5B
• Group Discussion:
• 5.2 Given your communication style
orientation/preference and being
mindful of the distinctive
characteristics of the other 3
communication styles, indicate how
you will optimize and adjust your
communication with these other 3
communication styles.

56. JOHARI’S WINDOW
• Managers can utilize Johari’s Window, in order to affect openness and
interpersonal trust.
• Designed to understand the communication process between people and consists
of varying degrees of information held in common between two people as well as
methods that can be used to increase the size of one’s window.
• Communication will be enhanced if the Arena is increased in size by:
❑ Exposure of self to others
❑ Soliciting feedback from others
• Exposure requires an open, candid and trusting approach, while feedback requires
an active solicitation of feelings, opinions and values from others.
• For these processes to be fully developed, reciprocity is required.

59. CONTEXT OF TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS
(TA)
• We’ve all experienced communication breakdowns.
• You know the feeling. One minute you’re having a normal conversation with someone, and then, before you
know it, one of you is triggered and the conversation is over. The conversation either ends in anger, hurt
feelings or conflict, or it "withers away" because one of you has withdrawn or shut down.
• In both cases, there’s a breakdown. The conversation has failed to achieve its goal, whether it’s being heard,
solving a problem, feeling connected, making a decision, etc.
• This happens all the time. It takes seconds for a conversation to shift from a positive, connection-driven
interaction into a negative one.
• And negative interactions take a toll on our relationships. Various studies reveal that we need 5 positive
interactions to make up for every negative interaction we have with someone close to us.
• So why does this happen?
• According to TA, we experience communication breakdown because we’re not fully present in our
conversations. Instead of reacting to the here and now, we’re communicating from different ‘ego states’. And
when these ego states are crossed, conflict happens.

60. OVERVIEW OF TA
• TA is a psychological theory, developed by Eric Berne in the
1960s, that helps explain why we think, act and feel the
way we do.
• TA claims that we can better understand ourselves
by analyzing our transactions with the people closest to us.
• Transaction = conversation/interaction between two
people.
• TA is most effective for understanding:
❑ 1) transactions with people you’re close to, not colleagues
or acquaintances and
❑ 2) transactions about sensitive, important topics which
causes a deep-rooted emotional reaction in you or the
other person.

61. PRINCIPLES OF TA
❑We all have three ‘ego states’ (Parent, Adult, and Child)
❑We all have transactions (with other people, or internally
with ourselves)
❑We all (unconsciously) activate our ego states in our
transactions, which can lead to conflict, negative emotions,
pain, etc.
• Basically, transactional analysis is about identifying which ego
states are present in your transactions so that you can
become more conscious of your thoughts and behaviours,
and, ultimately, have better, more constructive transactions
with the people closest to you.

63. PARENT-ADULT-CHILD (PAC) MODEL

64. UNDERSTANDING TRANSACTIONS
• According to TA, there are three kinds of transactions:
❑Complementary - effective and successful communication.
Complementary transactions are when two people’s ego
states are sympathetic or complementary to one another.
❑Crossed - Person 1 says something from one ego state and
receives a different response than he/she is expecting.
❑Ulterior - these are the transactions that lead to Games, and
a lot of confusion, miscommunication and conflict in our
lives. 2 messages are conveyed simultaneously – one that is
overt (social level) and other covert (psychological level).

65. EXAMPLE OF A
COMPLEMENTARY
TRANSACTION

66. EXAMPLE OF
A CROSSED
TRANSACTION

67. EXAMPLE OF
AN ULTERIOR
TRANSACTION

68. INTERPERSONAL STYLES

69. V-A-R-K ASSIMILATION STYLES AND PREFERENCES

70. REMOTE COMMUNICATION BEST PRACTICE

71. AGREE OR DISAGREE?
WHY?

72. REMOTE WORKING
COMMUNICATION
• 4 ways to communicate with
remote teams:
❑ Hold monthly virtual all-hands
meetings
❑ Send monthly company
newsletters
❑ Use a virtual collaboration
workspace
❑ Hold weekly virtual team
meetings
• Remote communication tools
• Navigating remote work
communication challenges

73. NAVIGATING REMOTE WORK
COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES
• Every person has different
preferences and needs for
communication
• When over communication turns
into micromanagement
• Communication can interrupt
productivity flow
• Difficulties with technology
• Misunderstandings due to
differences
• Hybrid team communication gaps

74. LEARNING ACTIVITY 6
• Group discussion:
• 6.1 By referring to Johari’s Window, describe how you can
facilitate open, respectful and transparent communication
and engagement with your team members and colleagues.
• 6.2 By referring to your interpersonal style, describe how
you can improve your positive communication with the 3
other interpersonal styles of colleagues and other
communication stakeholders in your work environment.
• 6.3 Describe how you can apply the P-A-C model with three
kinds of transactions in your work context.

75. LEARNING ACTIVITY 6
• Group discussion:
• 6.4 In order to promote positive communication,
describe how you will adapt your mode of
communication and messaging to accommodate the
differing V-A-R-K assimilation styles and
preferences.
• 6.5 Identify the five (5) foremost remote
communication barriers at your organization.
Recommend improvement strategies for these
remote communication barriers.

78. WE HAVE TO TALK: A STEP-BY-STEP
CHECKLIST FOR DIFFICULT
CONVERSATIONS (Judy Ringer)
• Working on Yourself: How to Prepare for the Conversation
• Before going into the conversation, ask yourself some questions
• 4 Steps to a Successful Outcome
❑ Step #1: Inquiry
❑ Step #2: Acknowledgment
❑ Step #3: Advocacy
❑ Step #4: Problem-Solving
• Practice, Practice, Practice
• Some additional tips and suggestions
• How Do I Begin?
• Write a possible opening for your conversation

80. CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK
(B-E-E-R TECHNIQUE)
• BEHAVIOUR
• EFFECT
• EXPECTATION
• RESULT

81. LEARNING ACTIVITY 7
• Group Discussion:
• 7.1 Review the article (2) and extract the most
relevant lessons, insights and critical
conversation strategies that can be applied
within your work environment.
• 7.2 Describe how you can apply the feedback
techniques when providing constructive and
corrective feedback, in order to promote the
features of positive communication.

83. CASE ANALYSIS: LACK OF
EFFECTIVE AND POSITIVE
COMMUNICATION AT
WORK

84. LEARNING ACTIVITY 8
• Group Discussion:
• Analyze the case and extract
the most relevant lessons,
insights and positive and
effective communication
strategies that can be applied to
your organization.

85. CONCLUSION
• Key points
• Summary
• Questions
• Training Evaluation

86. TRAINING EVALUATION
• Refer to the link:
• https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2DV5G3Z

87. DR CHARLES COTTER’S CONTACT DETAILS AND SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
• Mobile number: +2784 562 9446
• Email address: charlescotterhrdconsultant@gmail.com
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMtDro7N29l3KTat-rtRuGQ
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlescotter/ and
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dr-charles-cotter-and-associates
• Twitter: @Charles_Cotter
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CharlesACotter/
• SlideShare: www.slideshare.net/CharlesCotter