Effective Communication in

the Workplace

Alaina M. Pizzo, PhD

Systems Design Engineer
Philips Medical Systems

ASME Early Career Forum

November 11, 2007
Agenda

Presentation (30 min)

• My Communication Experiences
• Communication Fundamentals
• Effective Meetings
• Communication Pitfalls
• Conclusions
• References
Questions / Discussion (15 min)
My Communication Experiences

• Graduate School - Purdue University

– Multi-disciplinary Program
– 2 PhD Advisors
– Women in Engineering Program
• Industry Experience – Philips Medical
– Project management in R&D
– 50% time in meetings
– Design reviews
– Reports for FDA and international regulations
– Communicate project needs, priorities, risks
Positive and Proactive Communication!
Why Effective Communications?

• Engineering Responsibility
• Exposure
• Opportunity
• Networking
• Develop Your Skills
• Gain Experience
• Make Informed Decisions
 What is Communication?

Ladder of Inference Actions

Beliefs

Draw
Conclusions
Make
Assumptions

Add Meanings
Communication
happens on receipt of Select Data
information!
Observable Data

P Senge. The Fifth Discipline. 2006

Types of Communication

1. Face-to-Face
2. Video Conference
3. Phone Call
4. Email
5. Net Meetings / Web Cams
6. Instant Messaging

Challenge yourself to write less emails!

Email Etiquette

• Discuss email expectations

• Be clear, precise, to-the-point
• File attachments
• Make questions and actions obvious:
– bold, underline, color, use ???
• Reply to all with history of the conversation
• Write clear subjects, for example:
– ACTION REQUIRED – Change your password today
– FYI – presentation slides from yesterday
– REVIEW attached document by this Friday
Asking GREAT Questions
Who Who will be delivering results?
What What does success look like?
Where Where will that take place?
When When is the report due?
Why Why is this important?
How How can I improve this?

Example - Ask OPEN not CLOSED Questions:

• Instead of this: “Are you on target for your due date?”
• Try this: “What part of the process are you on for your
deliverable?”
 Active Listening Techniques

• Eliminate environmental distractions

• Give spoken feedback, paraphrase the speaker’s
statements to ensure you understand them
• Use encouraging body language – nod your head, make
eye contact, lean forward
• Ask follow-up or clarifying questions
• Be aware of resistance and defensiveness – do NOT pry
• Do NOT shift attention to yourself
• Do NOT give advice until asked

N. Boothman, 2000 and E. Verzuh, 2005.

 What is an Effective Meeting?

• Holding a meeting was the best way to accomplish the

tasks and goals
• Everyone arrived prepared and on-time
• Everyone helped keep the meeting on-track
• Everyone made valuable contributions
• Everyone’s ideas and concerns were respected
• Everyone understood what they must do after the
meeting and when it was due
• Everyone was committed to the meeting outcomes
• All agenda items were completed
• The meeting ended on-time or early

Effective Meeting Skills, Development Dimensions International, Inc. (http://www.ddiworld.com/)

 Effective Meetings – Example Agenda

• Leader: • Desired Outcomes:

• Note Taker: • Importance:
• Participants (Attendance): • Non-purposes:
• Date: • Consequences:
• Time:
• Background Information:
• Location:

Topic Assigned To Due Date

Effective Meeting Skills, Development Dimensions International, Inc. (http://www.ddiworld.com/)

 Facilitating Effective Meetings

• Set your ground rules & expectations

• Always send an agenda about 1 day before the meeting
• Take notes during the meeting and promptly send out
minutes
• Remember people on the other end of a teleconference
• Save time at the end of the meeting for a summary
• Actively keep the meeting on-track

Effective Meeting Skills, Development Dimensions International, Inc. (http://www.ddiworld.com/)

 Meeting Intervention Techniques

Common Problems:
• Arguing
• Dominating
Interventions:
• Floundering
• Focus on the agenda
• Getting off track
• Take turns talking
• Interrupting • Listen and respond with
• Venting Emotions empathy
• Withdrawing • Summarize ideas/actions
• Distractions – side • Resolve an issue later
conversations, cell • Take a break
phones, laptops

Both facilitators AND participants can use these techniques!

Effective Meeting Skills, Development Dimensions International, Inc. (http://www.ddiworld.com/)

 Communication & Group Size

• One-on-One:
– Use first names
– Different people communicate in different ways
– Practice your “Elevator Speech”
– Performance Reviews & Interviews
• Larger Groups:
– Tuckman’s Model: Forming, Storming, Norming,
Performing
– How can I be heard in a large group?
– Practice negotiation skills

B Tuckman. Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological bulletin, 63: 384-399, 1965.
Communication “Pitfalls”

• “Don’t worry about it!”

• Arm-waving
• No news is good news
• Working cross-site or internationally
• Assigning blame or choosing scapegoats
• Unclear expectations
• Assumptions
• Not connecting-the-dots

Do not be afraid to raise the “red flag”!

 Remember to Say “Thank You!”

• Choose the appropriate recognition for the situation or

individual
• Be specific on what you are thanking them for
• Send an email or hand-written note
• Make a phone call just to say “thanks!”
• Leave some candy or cookies on their desk
• Take them on a coffee break
• Bring in donuts
• Corporate recognition programs
• Make a “thank you’s” folder

http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/downloads/ext_ed/pdf/131and139.pdf
Communication Role-Models

• Fictional or Real People

• What do you admire about
their communication style?
• What would you do
different?
Conclusions

Present your key take-away messages: What three things

do I want you to remember from my talk today?

1. Get to know yourself and you own personal communication style

2. Effective communication takes practice, effort, and experience
3. Effective communication skills will lead to your success!
Communication References
• N. Boothman. How to make people like you in 90 seconds or less.
Workman Publishing, New York, NY, 2000.
• J. Condrill. 101 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills
Instantly. GoalMinds, San Antonio, TX, 1998.
• D. Dana and R.A. Formisano. Conflict Resolution. McGraw-Hill, New
York, NY, 2000.
• R. Fisher, W.L. Ury, B. Patton. Getting to Yes: Negotiating
Agreement Without Giving In. 2nd edition. Penguin Group, New
York, NY 1991.
• P. Senge. The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning.
Doubleday Publishing, New York, NY, 2006.
• D. Shipley and W. Schwalbe. Send: The Essential Guide to Email
for Office and Home. Knopf, New York, NY, 2007.
• B. Tuckman. Developmental sequence in small groups.
Psychological bulletin, 63, 384-399, 1965.
• E. Verzuh. The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management. 2nd
edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Hoboken, NJ, 2005.
Additional Resources
Personality Style Indicators:
• Myers-Briggs: http://www.myersbriggs.org/
• Keirsey Temperament Sorter: http://www.keirsey.com/

Performance Reviews:
• http://web.mit.edu/hr/performance/tips.html

Writing References:
• The Writing Center, Harvard: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/
• W. Strunk and E.B. White. The Elements of Style, 4th edition. Allyn
& Bacon, Needham Heights, MA, 2000.
• M. Zeiger. Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers.
McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, 1999.

Want a copy of the presentation? alainapizzo@yahoo.com

 Effective Communication in
the Workplace

Questions?

Please state your name and affiliation

Effective Communication in
the Workplace

Back-Up Slides
 Interaction Management

The Interaction Process: Key Principles:

• Open • Maintain and Enhance
Self Esteem
• Clarify
• Listen and Respond with
• Develop Empathy
• Agree • Ask for Help and
• Close Encourage Involvement
• Share Thoughts, Feelings
and Rationale
• Provide Support Without
Removing Responsibility

Development Dimensions International, Inc. (http://www.ddiworld.com/)

 Project Management

Risks

Sc
st
Co

op
e
Schedule

E. Verzuh. The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management. 2005.

 Diagnostic Ultrasound

http://www.medical.philips.com/main/products/ultrasound/
 Ultrasound Applications

http://www.medical.philips.com/main/products/ultrasound/