Clarity (clear concept of the information you need to deliver/present)

Clarity is one of the essential components of effective communication and it refers to the structure of our thoughts in a logical sequence and choice of the right words. When listeners struggle to understand you, they eventually ignore you (https://voiceandspeech.com/clear-communication-skills/).


To maintain clarity in communication, you’ll need to:

  1. ensure what you are saying makes sense;
  2. ensure the other person understands what you’re saying;
  3. ensure YOU understand what the other person is saying;
  4. use short, direct sentences;
  5. avoid jargon (e.g. “baked in”, “corner case”, etc.);
  6. avoid absolute language (e.g. “never”, “always”, etc.);
  7. avoid filler words (e.g. “uh”, “um”, etc.);
  8. be specific;
  9. be detail-oriented (https://pumble.com/learn/communication/skills-of-effective-communicators/).

Activity


Name of the activity: 
Back-to-back drawing

The aim of the activity:
To improve verbal communication and listening skills when participants interpret instructions differently when they’re supposedly talking about the same thing.

Skills that the activity develops: 
Clarity 

How many people the activity is suited for:
6-16

Time requirement of the activity:
Depends on the number of the items/concepts that will be explained by the speaker and how detailed he is.

How many instructors are needed?
1 who will be the host of the game

Other requirements for the activity (space, equipment…):
Open floor space 

Describe the activity in a clear and concise manner:
Split your employees into teams of two and have them sit back-to-back. In this game, one person will be “the listener”, while the other one will be “the speaker”. The team’s speaker has a picture of any kind, while the listener has a piece of paper and a pencil. The speaker then describes to the other person what the picture looks like without using words that give away exactly what it is. The listener tries to draw that picture with the clues given.

References

  1. “Clear Communication Skills”, Copyright © Voice & Speech 2013, Retrieved November 18, 2021 from https://voiceandspeech.com/clear-communication-skills/.
  2. “The 29 communication skills of effective communicators”, Copyright © Pumble 2021, Retrieved November 18, 2021, https://pumble.com/learn/communication/skills-of-effective-communicators/
  3. Spure, K. “51 best employee team building games for improving productivity at work”, Copyright © 2011 – 2021 DeskTime, Retrieved November 19, 2021 from desktime.com/blog/best-employee-team-building-activities/#lightscamera