Communication and Understanding...
Choosing the most effective communication method is important, but what is more important is that the message is UNDERSTOOD and COMPREHENDED. One of the most effective ways to do this is to assess the understanding of the group following the presentation--the best way to do this is to tell the group that there will be an assessment at the end of the presentation which will have some sort of incentive attached to it.
You can use a short quiz, or an oral Q&A, or both..if your message isn't understood...it isn't effective.
I welcome any feedback!
Thanks!
I totally agree with this! I struggled over my 1st few terms to figure out the best way to communicate with my students, in a manner that they understand, and can then translate that understanding into a solid discussion on a related topic...like clinical thinking/reasoning case studies.
I like that this tutorial breaks effective communication down into smaller chunks. I'm looking forward to applying the info here.
That's a great comment and I totally agree. There needs to be some sort of assessment to know whether or not you are effectively communicating your specific goals to your specific audience. Feedback is key.
Amy
Communication is key to any business's success. You're right, a short Q&A for understanding is a great idea to make sure that what was meant is what was received instead of misinterpretations of what the person was trying to convey.
Good comment. I agree that you want make sure that everyone comprehends things, but at times an employee doesn't want to have to take a quiz or test on something. Somehow doing informal assessments can work or at least an exit slip about one aspect that they liked or have a question on. Just a thought.
Richard,
A valid point but I think one additional step would help, if you gave a pretest on the subject (may 10 questions) and told them there would be a post test which may or may not contain some of the information from the pretest at the end of class but what you discuss you will give all the answers. It usually captures everyones attention, even resulting in writing and it helps with listening to what you have to say, especially if you have not said anything and just give everyone a test in the beginning. Also, communication has and always will be about the sender, the message and the receiver and I have learned over the years, you must ask for feedback in their own words to ensure everything is clearly understood (just a thought). For typical conversations, well men are from Mars and Women from venus :), as the book states.
Mike
Quizzes are very effective for evaluing communication and understanding results.
Stephen
I believe you must understand what it is you are communicating to your employee/student, "know your audience/what communication style they have/adjust your style to their style, and then be prepared to explain the "why" in importance, listen, ask questions, and seek out feedback. All in all, goal should be teamwork in success of goals and objectives.
