What are the communication blockers? There are innumerable ways in which people hinder harmonious exchanges, but eight major blockers pose the greatest challenges and create the most drama. Many blockers are interrelated and are oftentimes offshoots that accompany these primary blockers: Fixing, comparing, multi-tasking, trivializing, analyzing, interrogating, chastising and over-sympathizing. Learn how each of these blockers, individually and simultaneously, enter our interpersonal communication and wreak havoc that is difficult to undo.
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Common scenarios that raise
communication challenges
• Giving and receiving assignments
• Giving and receiving feedback
• Managing self and others
• Communicating with customers
and co-workers
5. Listening as an ally Listening as an adversary
vs.
Listening Exercise
6. Blocker #1: Fixing
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• Creates co-dependence
• Removes responsibility
• Leads to more problems
7. Connector #1: Empowering
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• Focus on desirable outcomes
+ serve as a sounding board
• Help them arrive at their own
solutions
• Champion others by providing
encouraging words and
reminding them of past
successes
• Share your method for
arriving at decisions – don’t
decide for them
8. Blocker #2: Topping
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• Shifts focus from speaker
• Dwarfs the speaker’s issue
• Can lead to increased
anxiety
9. Connector #2: Listening
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• Focus your attention on the
story and details that they
are sharing
• Avoid jumping in with your
similar experience
• Listen to them and don’t
shift the focus to you
• Understand and relate but
don’t one-up or compare
10. Blocker #3: Multi-tasking
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• Divides attention
• Makes others feel
unimportant
• Ignores and alienates
• Doesn’t allow for eye
contact
11. Connector #3: Focusing
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• Be present and alert
• Make eye contact
• Concentrate on your
conversation
• Avoid distractions like
technology
• Connect with their words
and the feelings behind
those words
12. Blocker #4: Trivializing
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• “I’m drowning” –
“You’re a great swimmer!”
• Doesn’t acknowledge our
feelings
• Can make us feel lonely or
more anxious
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• Remember what it was like not
to know
• Recognize the worthiness and
legitimacy of their concern
• Don’t diminish their problem
• Provide supportive words that
will validate their feelings and
position
• Recognize the many activities
and subjects that make you feel
clueless
• Use your knowledge to help
others grow and develop
Connector #4: Validating
14. Blocker #5: Analyzing
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• Makes others feel judged
• Makes others feel
unappreciated and
misunderstood
• Makes the problem seem
bigger or deeper
15. Connector #5: Appreciating
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• Value their perspective &
manner of seeing /
experiencing the world
• Respect their opinion
• Appreciate their approach
• Avoid judging and evaluating
• Appreciate their unique
talents
& skills
16. Blocker #6: Interrogating
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• Disrupts, interrupts and
frustrates
• Takes speaker off topic and on
tangents
• Draws conversation out
17. Connector #6: Understanding
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• Seek to understand the issue
• Listen wholeheartedly
• Hear them out completely
before interjecting with
questions
• Ask relevant questions that
probe the situation
• Don’t doubt them or make
assumptions
18. Blocker #7: Chastising
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• Belittles the person sharing
the issue
• Demeans, disrespects and
discourages
• Leads to resentment and
avoidance
19. Connector #7: Responding
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• Be proactive by focusing on
the desirable outcome
• Resist reactive
communication
• Don’t use chastising words
that demean and
discourage
• Discuss and demonstrate
appropriate / preferred
actions
20. Blocker #8: Over-sympathizing
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• Victimizes and renders the
person powerless
• Removes control and
capability
• Can lead to feeling awkward
and uncomfortable
21. Connector #8: Empathizing
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• Acknowledge their emotions
• Be compassionate and
merciful
• Don’t victimize them
• Don’t make them feel
helpless
and powerless
22. Level I Listening
Listening to your own:
• Thoughts
• Judgments
• Opinions
Level II Listening
Listening for the speaker’s:
• Purpose
• Vision
• Objective
• Outcome
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Levels of Listening
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• We all use blockers, even with the best of
intentions
• We need to recognize the blockers in order to
avoid them
• Blockers can be verbal and nonverbal
• We can all begin to communicate more
effectively by improving two key skills:
listening and understanding
In Summary