Mastering Oral Communication: Techniques and Strategies

Posted on Jan 5, 2025 in Philosophy and ethics

Oral Communication

1. Oral Expression

Oral expression is communication that takes place through speech and allows for immediate feedback. This type of communication is used daily in all situations. It can happen among people who are present or those who are communicating via telephone or other means, such as the Internet. Communication is widely used in the workplace in different contexts, such as giving instructions or orders, or conducting interviews or meetings. It is very important that we do this well to avoid misunderstandings. For good communication, it is essential to express ourselves well so that the language correctly reaches the receiver. To do this, we must take into account verbal and paralinguistic elements.

2. Tips to Improve the Effectiveness of Oral Communication

For face-to-face communication to be effective, it is necessary to attract and retain the attention of the other person. This requires the following tips:

  • Speak clearly, trying to avoid confusion
  • Try not to speak too low; it is very important that the volume and diction are correct
  • Use clear language
  • Do not use words that have multiple meanings
  • Avoid jargon
  • Show security
  • Adapt the conversation to the needs of the listener
  • Choose the right place
  • Look at the speaker to show that you are listening
  • Listen and show that you are listening
  • End the conversation with a positive tone
  • Care for nonverbal communication

3. Verbal Elements

In oral communication, we consider the following elements:

  • Length of speech: The time spent talking during a conversation
  • Feedback: Allows the issuer to check if the receiver has understood, if they agree, if they like, or if they are surprised by the message delivered. When using feedback, the impact of communication increases, since it decreases the number of errors
  • Questions: Used to maintain the thread of conversation, for information, and to show concern for others
  • Skills of speech: The ease with which a person expresses feelings, knowledge, and experiences during a conversation
  • Formality: When we discuss work or matters of interest, there is usually a more formal tone, different from that used in conversations with friends
  • Variety: That a person uses a diverse vocabulary and talks about different subjects is indicative of a broad culture
  • Humor: It is important to introduce a sense of humor in conversations when appropriate.
  • Taking the floor: When a person speaks, they deserve to be heard and respected in any conversation involving different interventions.

4. When It Is Preferable to Communicate Verbally

It is preferable to communicate orally in the following cases:

  1. The receiver is not interested in receiving the message
  2. When the receiver’s opinion is important
  3. When there is tension between the partners
  4. When the receiver is too busy to have time to read
  5. The opinion criticized by the receiver is important
  6. The issuer wants to persuade or convince
  7. The aim is to be more natural
  8. When you need to discuss a complex issue that requires an exchange of ideas and understanding
  9. The receiver does not understand the language in which the sender writes
  10. The receiver prefers oral communication

5. Oral Communication Styles

  • The Anglo-Saxon style is characterized by a sweet voice and a regular and orderly rhythm.
  • The Mediterranean style is more anarchic and has no fixed rules. The partners interrupt each other frequently, the tone is loftier, and it gives the impression of being aggressive.
  • The Oriental style is slow, and the voice is monotonous.

6. Assertiveness

Assertiveness can be defined as the ability to say “no” without aggression and without guilt. An assertive person has a proper response at the time. Factors favoring assertive behavior include:

  • Self-esteem: A quality referred to the consideration or appreciation that one makes of oneself. It is the image that a person has of themself, but it also influences the image and the view others have of them.
  • Management of social skills: Behaviors, both verbal and nonverbal, that allow us to achieve our goals, making us feel good about ourselves and maintaining good relationships with others. It is important to know when, how, and where to use social skills. We will develop each of them:

a) Active listening: The physical and mental effort of wanting to grasp the full attention of the message being issued, trying to interpret the correct meaning of it, through verbal and nonverbal statements made by the issuer and pointing through feedback what we think we understand.

b) Empathy: Putting yourself in the other person’s shoes. If we empathize, we get to understand their position and accept who the other person is.

c) To summarize: One of the skills we use in active listening. Thus, our partner will know that we have understood what they have been talking about.

d) Asking questions: Used primarily for information, to know the opinions or views of others, to raise questions, to reflect, or to gain attention by asking questions that force the listener to show concern.

e) Being positive: The skill that, given the reality of things, both positive and negative, tries to modify it and transform it into something positive always.

f) Being motivating: To encourage and motivate the other person, trying to increase their self-esteem and strengthening their capacities and abilities.

g) “I” messages: When it comes to expressing feelings, opinions, and desires, it is best expressed in the first person to get communication that does not put obstacles or barriers. When it comes to changing the conduct of others, the most effective is to talk about what happens to me – in the first person – rather than what happens to others, what they are, or how they are, which is what we frequently hear.

h) Feedback: Useful if timely, if made immediately at the first opportunity to conduct that we want to modify or strengthen. It is used to ensure clear communication.

i) Making people laugh: This ability means having a good sense of humor and not using hurtful irony. We can laugh intentionally, exaggerating or making humorous comments.

7. Assertive Communication Techniques

There are a number of techniques that can help improve communication, from the standpoint of assertiveness:

a) Broken record: Expressing what we want repeatedly until the partner agrees to consider our desire and attempts to reach a reasonable solution for both.

b) Bank of fog (fogging): Recognizing to our partner that the criticisms are true and making us a part of it, without actually giving any reason. As a result, their attitude changes and they listen more receptively.

c) Partial agreement: Listening to our partner and empathizing with them, putting ourselves in their place, accepting their opinions, desires, feelings, and objections. This is to reach a consensus through continuing the conversation.

d) Negative assertion: Acknowledging the criticism that we made on our negative qualities to get the person who criticizes us to quit, thus accepting our own mistakes without having to apologize for it.

e) Negative question: Responding to criticism by asking for clarification. It can be a valuable resource when we see someone criticizing us or trying to say something without doing it directly.

f) Self-disclosure: Disclosing aspects of oneself that previously provoked feelings of homesickness or anxiety.

g) Workable compromise: Both parties give in, and no substantial rights are adversely affected by any of them, resulting in a compromise. It openly affects what the other person asks, but not at the moment they have told us.

h) Free information: On the way to talking about our partner and not clearly saying that we can deduce what is most important for them and what takes precedence over other things. It provides us with free information that promotes interpersonal communication.

i) Saying “no”: We should properly say “no” when someone asks us to do something we do not want to do, or if we do not share their opinions.

How do you say “no”?

To say “no”, we take into account non-verbal aspects, namely, taking a stand, looking into the eyes of someone who listens to us, and proving security using a certain tone of voice.

8. Coping Skills

a) Making criticism: We refer to constructive and positive criticism, not destructive. The criticisms we make should be made in order to achieve change objectives without damaging or impairing social relationships with our partners. If the criticism is done appropriately and correctly, this resource of communication is used to transmit useful information so we can change some attitudes.

Helpful Hints for a Good Review:

  • Clearly define your goals
  • Choose the appropriate time
  • Focus on the present moment without going back to past situations
  • Express your feelings with “I” messages
  • Anticipate the beneficial consequences
  • Try to prevent criticism from being well accepted, referring to the wrong behavior and not the person
  • Do not generalize; specify the issues to criticize
  • Criticism should always be private

b) Receiving criticism: All criticisms deserve to be heard. In addition to listening, we should respond to them calmly, not interpret them as a direct attack on our person, and not be unduly distressed. However, we cannot act the same way to different kinds of criticism.

If criticism is appropriate, although the tone of our interlocutor is not, we agree to commit to rectify. However, if it is inappropriate and unfair, we do not have to accept it, and we can use assertive denial and request a change of attitude by our critics.

d) Resolution of problems: When problems arise during a negotiation, the best for both parties is to resolve them soon and in the most satisfactory way. The steps to follow are:

  • Identify the problem without establishing priorities.
  • Propose possible solutions to the conflict that arose.
  • Assess the options and decide on the best solution for both sides.
  • Implement the agreement and see if it works or not.

e) Public speaking: Whether a person has more or less facility with words, almost everyone needs a good dose of self-confidence as well as adequate preparation before targeting a specific audience. To face such a situation, one should have a good command of these three types of elements:

Verbal elements:

  • Use clear, simple, and concise language
  • Use quotations
  • Do not forget important ideas
  • Maintain a coherent discourse
  • Emphasize the essential
  • Do not deviate from the topic at hand

Nonverbal elements:

  • Look at the entire room in general
  • Make use of positive facial expressions
  • Use gestures to support verbal communication
  • Maintain an erect posture

Paralinguistic elements:

  • Correct pronunciation
  • Varied intonation
  • Appropriate voice volume
  • Average speed
  • Pauses
  • Avoid using crutches

Assertive: You have the right, I am entitled

Aggressive: I have no right, you are not entitled

Passive: You have the right, I have no right