Demonstrative Communication

When you we hear or read the word communication, most people think of speaking or reading. When I hear or read the words demonstrative communication, I think of a sales person or a preschool teacher, as each utilize demonstrative communication. They not only use their verbal communication, but also are using their hands, eyes, and ears as the goal is to capture an individual’s attention by connecting to all the senses. According to University of Phoenix Course syllabus (2012) demonstrative communication is described as involving such things as facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, and so forth, which are non-verbal and unwritten communication. Along with body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice the sales associate and preschool teacher are also listening intently.

As a sales associate, their ultimate goal is to do what they can to not let their customer leave until they are walking away with their product. To do this they need to pay attention to the customer’s responses to their sales pitch, and one way to do this is to listen. “One of the worst things a salesman can do is fail to listen” (2000, para. 11). This statement can go with any type of conversation. If you are not listening carefully to the sender of the communication you may respond incorrectly. For the sales associate who is trying to sell a pool to an elderly couple, the couple says, “we are deathly afraid of the water and do not know how to swim.” The sales associate suggests the pools can be built to fit depth the customer is comfortable with. This is an example of an ineffective and negative experience for the sender (elderly couple) as the receiver (pool sales associate) did not listen effectively and disregarded their concern.

A preschool teacher uses many non-verbal and unwritten communication skills, as their audience’s attention span is very limited. The teachers engage with the students in entertaining activities, and at the same time the teachers are teaching a skill or lesson. This is why our children come home with many art projects as they are learning social and sensory skills. While the children are finger painting, the teachers are engaging with the student in conversation about their painting. “Why is your tree blue or what are the chickens eating in your picture?” These are questions that allow the child to think and use their imagination, which builds social and communication skills. “Early childhood educators need to make it a priority to teach communication skills early and strategically, especially in preschool when helping children gain the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in kindergarten and the primary grades (Chen & Shire, 2011, para. 3). For a child young child, if they are having fun while learning they retain the lesson, and enjoy learning in the future. I know for my children, preschool was a very positive experience because of the teachers, and to this day they are excited to go to school. I continue to ask my children the same questions of why and what as they get older, to continue with building on their communication skills.

Effective listening skills reflect in a person’s response, by how the message is decoded in the response. If the receiver needs to ask the sender to repeat the message, they are not listening and also losing the trust of the sender. “Listening is generally defined as a conscious, cognitive effort involving primarily the sense of hearing and leading to interpretation and understanding” (Sayeekumar, 2013). If effective listening skills are not utilized, the result could lead to a misunderstanding and can cause an argument or disagreement, which could have been prevented. “By making sure to hear what is said and by working to make your filtering process give you more accurate meanings to the words you hear, you add strength to the messages you receive (Anderson, 2000). Listening with a clear and open mind provides the receiver with a clear understanding of the message being sent. In turn, the response will reflect the message was understood.

Listening is a vital non-verbal and unwritten skill in demonstrative communication. Listening is not a skill that we learn overnight. We refine our listening skills that we learned as a toddler with our preschool teacher as we go through life and learn from our experiences. It would be encouraging if we could say, “Listening is like a fine wine, it gets better with age.” However this phrase may not be true in all situations, as my example with the sales associate demonstrated. By committing to the effort of effective listening skills you are preparing yourself for your future ventures.

References

University of Phoenix. (2012). Course syllabus. Retrieved from University of Phoenix,
BCOM/275 website.
How to make the perfect sales pitch. (2000, Dec 09). The Times. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/318407505?accountid=458
Chen, J. J., & Shire, S. H. (2011, March). Strategic teaching: Fostering communication skills in
diverse young learners. YC Young Children, 66(2), 20-27. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/docview/874262853?accountid=458
Sayeekumar, M. (2013). Develop Effective Listening Skill. Language In India, 13(5), 704-707.
Anderson, D. A. (2000). Effective communicative and listening skills revisited. Marine Corps
Gazette, 84(3), 60-61. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/221444759?accountid=458