Fundamentals of Communication

Communication Definition Process Important Features Importance Purpose of Professional Communication Differences between General and Professional Communication Types Flow of Communication in an Organization Informal Network - Grapevine Communication Barriers - Types and Measures Oxford University Press Communication Skills

Definition Communication essentially means the transfer of ideas, feelings, plans, messages, or information from one person to another. It is effective only when it gets the desired action or response. Communication is a network of interaction where the sender and receiver keep changing their roles. Communication is a dynamic process, the main components of which are sender, message, channel, receiver, and response. Oxford University Press Communication Skills

Process

Features Two-way Creative Functional Sender and receiver keep changing their roles Continuous

Means, Kinds, Manners, Forms Types (Parties involved) Communication Flow Means, Kinds, Manners, Forms Types (Parties involved) Linguistic Paralinguistic Vocal Cues Non- verbal Intrapersonal Mass Vertical Horizont al Diagon al Spiral Extralinguist ic Verb al Interperson al Extraperson al Kinesics Proxemics Chronemics Artefacts Haptics (Touch) Oral Writte n Speech Seminar GD Letter Memo Minutes Reports Meetings Intervie w Professional Presentation

Importance of Communication Business has grown in size Business activity has become complex Business has become competitive Workers are organized through trade union Promotes a spirit of understanding and cooperation

Purpose of Professional Communication Advising Counseling Giving Orders Providing Instructions Marketing Persuasion Giving Warnings Raising Morale Staffing Projecting Image Preparing Advertisements Making Decisions Getting Feedback

Differences between General and Professional Communication General Communication Content: Contains general message Nature: Informal in style and approach Structure: No set pattern of communication Method: Mostly oral Audience: Not always for a specific audience Language: Does not normally involve the use of technical vocabulary or graphics, etc. Professional Communication Content: Contains a formal and professional message Nature: Mostly formal and objective Structure: Follows a set pattern such as sequence of elements in a report Method: Both oral and written Audience: Always for a specific audience, e.g., customers, banks, etc. Language: Frequently involves jargon, graphics, etc. for achieving professional purposes

How much time do you spend on the following? Informal note Memos Letters Circulars and notices Press releases Reports Handbooks Manuals Unplanned exchanges Meetings Brainstorming Telephone Interviews Formal presentations Discussion groups Seminars

Different Types of Communication Flow Horizontal Vertical Upward Downward Crosswise Spiral

Flow of Communication in an Organization

Barriers to Communication Definition: When you convey your message to someone or a group of people and the message is not received clearly and unambiguously, it is known as barrier to communication. Thus, the message received is not as the message sent. Barriers to effective communication could cause roadblocks in your professional and personal life and it could be one of the major hurdles in achieving your professional goals.

Further Discussed Measures to rectify communication failure Types of communication barriers Tips for Effective Communication

Steps to Rectify Communication Failure Identify the problem Find out its cause Select and apply the best alternative Follow up religiously

Types of Communication Barriers Based on the Nature of Barriers Barriers of psychological nature Barriers arising due to emotional reactions, negative attitudes, and wrong timing of messages Barriers originating from the communication networks established by organizations

Verbal Barriers Lack of proper planning Selection of a wrong variety of language Badly encoded or wrongly decoded messages Semantic gap Differences in perceptions Variation in language Wrong inferences Categorical thinking

Non-verbal Barriers Raising eyebrows Keeping your hands or thumbs constantly in the pockets of your trousers Awkward gestures Flashing eyes Rolling eyes Quick movements Very slow movement Avoiding eye contact Oxford University Press Communication Skills

Listening Barriers Making the speaker feel as though he/she is wasting the listener’s time Being distracted by something that is not part of the ongoing communication Getting ahead of the speaker and completing his/her thoughts Topping the speaker’s story with one’s own set of examples Forgetting what is being discussed Asking too many questions for the sake of probing Note: These barriers are elaborately discussed in the chapter entitled ‘Developing Effective Listening Skills’. Oxford University Press Communication Skills

Miscellaneous Barriers Premature evaluation of message Information overload Distrust, threat, and fear Less time for orientation and for adjustment to change  Emotional reaction Rigidity in attitudes

Some Remedies Send the data only to the people who require them Emphasize the major ideas Delete unwanted ideas Maintain transparency in policy matters Ensure clarity in message and look for a genuine feedback Understand others’ emotions Understand other cultures and language variations and use the appropriate variety in the given context

Some Remedies Make sure that information overload does not affect the communication environment adversely. Maintain openness and acknowledge that people have different perceptions and views regarding one thing. Encourage innovative ideas and views so that people should not unnecessarily live in fears. Listen attentively to others Speak with clarity and conviction