Unit -1
COMMUNICATIONS
- Introduction
- Definitions
- Interpersonal communication
- Effective communication
- Methods of communication
Verbal (oral/written)
Non – verbal patterns
Formal informal communication
One way/ two way communication
- Barriers to communication
- Communication mediums
1.MEANING OF COMMUNICATION
1) The word Communication’ is derived from the Latin word ‘Communis’ which means `common’ that stands for sharing of ideas in common.
2) The term `Communication’ refers to various means of transmitting information from one person to another or from one place to another.
3) It is the act of inducing the others to interpret an idea in the manner intended by the writer or the speaker.
4) Communication is the process for transmission of information, ideas, thoughts, feelings, behaviour emotions through speech, signals, writing, behavior from one person to another.
OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION
- To develop and maintain communication system in an organisation.
- To develop management skill and it is an indispensable part of any management.
- To succeed in management activities through effective and purposeful communication.
- To play as the nervous system in a human body.
- To play as one of the fundamental aspects of all human interaction.
- To communicate effectively which enables human beings to build organisations,
societies and other social groups that make for survival and better living.
2. DEFINITIONS
1) M.W.Cumming: “Communication is the process of conveying messages (facts, ideas, attitudes and opinion) from one person to another so that they are understood.”
2) Newman-Summer: “Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinion or emotions by
two or more persons”
3) Charles E.Redfield: Communication is, “The broad field of human interchange of facts aaad
Opinion and not the technologies.of telephone; telegraph, radio and the like”
4) Theo haimann: “Communication, fundamental and vital to all management process of imparting ideas and making oneself understood by others.”
5) Communication is sending and receiving information between two or more people. The person sending the message is referred to as the sender, while the person receiving the information is called the receiver.
6) The ability to convey information to another effectively and efficiently. Eg: Business managers with good verbal, non verbal and written communication skills help facilitate the sharing of information between people within a company for its commercial benefit.
COMPONENTS/ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
3. INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
1) Communication is the transmission of information and meaning from one party to another through the use of shared symbols.
2) The sender initiates the process by conveying information to the receiver; the person for whom the message is intended.
3) The sender has a meaning he or she wished to communicate and encodes the meaning into symbols (the words chased for the message).
4) Then the sender transmits or sends the message through same channel, such as a verbal or written medium.
5) Then the receiver decodes the message (reads it) and attempts to interrupt the sender’s meaning.
6) The receiver may provide feedback to the sender by encoding a message in response to the S. sender’s message.
7) The communication process often is hampered by noise or interference in the system that blocks perfect understanding.
8) Noise could be anything that interferes with your intention to the conversation (ringing telephones, thoughts about other products, simple fatigue or stress etc.)
9) A model of the interpersonal communication.
10) The sender’s intended message does not always “get across” to the receiver.
11) Errors can occur in all stages of the communication process.
12) In the encoding stage, words can be missed, decimal-points typed in the. wrong places, facts left out, or ambiguities phrases inserted.
13) In the transmission stage, a memo gets lost on a lettered desk, the words on an over head transparency are too small to read from the back of the conference room, or words are spoken with unappropriate inflections.
14) Decoding problems arise when the receiver doesn’t listen carefully or reads too quickly and overlooks a key point.
15) Receivers can misinterpret the message, as a reader draws the wrong conclusion from an unclear menio, a listener takes a general statement by the boss too personally, or a sideways glance is taken the wrong way.
| Message | The Idea, thought |
| Source | The Brain |
| Sender | The transmitting device, the mouth |
| Channel | The medium the message travels over, air |
| Receiver | The receiving device, the ear |
| Destination | The brain |
Uses of Interpersonal Communication
Most of us engage in some form of interpersonal communication on a regular basis, how well we communicate with others is a measure of our interpersonal skills. Interpersonal communication is a key life skill and can be used to:
- Give and collect information.
- Influence the attitudes and behaviour of others.
- Form contacts and maintain relationships.
- Make sense of the world and our experiences in it.
- Express personal needs and understand the needs of others.
- Give and receive emotional support.
- Make decisions and solve problems.
- Anticipate and predict behaviour.
- Regulate power.
4. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Considering the importance of communication, it is necessary to take steps to overcome the barriers and make communication effective. The following are some of the suggestions in this regard.
1) Clarity in Idea: The communicator should be clear about the message he wants to communicate.
2) Use Simple Language: The communicator should use the language which is understandable by the receiver. Use of simple language with appropriate words, avoiding ambigous words and complicated jargon (terminology) will make the communication effective.
3) Choose Media and Channel Carefully: The communication channel should be selected and employed carefully. For important messages, more than one channel may be send. A judicious combination of formal and informal communication will help in achieving effective communication.
4) Empathy in communication: `Empathy’ refers to projecting oneself into the view point of the other person. When the sender looks from the point of view of the receiver, much of the problems will be avoided. The sender should be sensitive to the needs, feelings and perception of the receiver so that communication can be effective.
5) Regulating the flow of Information: Regulating the flow of communication ensures an optimum flow of information. The messages may be condensed or edited and arranged in the order of merit.
6) Good Listening: Hearing is passive and listening is active and is an intellectual process. Good listening removes communication barriers. Keith Davis has suggested 10 principles to improve listening:
- Stop talking.
- Put the listeners at ease.
- Show the talker that you want to listen.
- Remove -distraction
- Empathise with the speaker,
- Be Patient.
- Hold your temper.
- Do not argue
- Ask questions and
- Stop.
7) Provide adequate provisions for Feedback: It is imperative that always promote a two way communication for the full understanding of the message.
8) Providing communication Training: Effective communication can be achieved by providing communication training facilities to people working in the organization. It aims at improving speaking skill, listening skill, hearing skill and writing skill. It will give effective communication.
| Communication Type | Explanation |
| Intra Personal | Communication one has with oneself, thoughts, day dreaming |
| Inter Personal | Communication between two or more people |
| Group | Communication one has with a group of people ( group Disccussion, party) |
| Organizational | Communication within or between organizations( Newsletters, Memos) |
| National | Communication within or between Nations ( Trade, War) |
| Global | Communication on a global scae that affects all people on the planet ( green House effect) |
5.METHODS OF COMMUNICATIONS
6. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
- a) Oral(Verbal)and writtenCommunication:
Oral communication refers to the communication made through the word of Mounth.The popular forms of oral communication include speeches, discusions, seminars etc.The following are the merits and demerits of oral communication.
| S.No. | Merits | Demerits |
| 1 | Oral communication saves
time. and Money |
It is not suitable when message is
long and technicals |
| 2 | It gives a personal touch | It is temporary and not verifiable. |
| 3 | It gets immediate feedback | It may not be a reliable one |
| 4 | Oral communication is
informal and more flexible. |
It allows no thinking on the part of
receiver. |
Written Communication refers to the communication in the written form. In other words, communication when put in black and white becomes a written communication. Reports, heave letters, memos, commercial letters, orders are examples of written communication.The following are the merits and demerits of written communication.
| S.No | – Merits | Demerits |
| 1 | It is a record and is `verifiable
when disputes arise |
It is -time-consuming and seldom
flexible. |
| 2 | Where the message is lengthy,
a written communication is suitable. |
There is no in-built mechanism for
feedback which is generally late. |
| 3 | It is permanent and’tangible
evidence and is valid in a court of law. |
There is a possibility of red-tapism. |
| 4 | It is formal and official | It is expensive. |
- b) Non – verbal patterns :
Non-verbal patterns include:
- Body Languages:
(a) In a face to face interaction a person does not communicate only through words.
(b) His whole personality his general bearing, facial expression, posture and gestures is involved in the process.
(c) A neatly dressed man with a pleasant-expression will find it easier to establish a rapport with others.
- Posture:
(a) When you are called upon to address, walk sprightly and stand at ease.
(b) Keep your hands on the sides and the note cards on the podium.
( c) Do not fidget, but try to feel relaxed.
(d) White speaking, use your hands for appropriate gestures but there should be no peculiar flourishes.
(e) If a microphone is being used, keep yourself eight to ten inches away from the microphone, to ensure proper transmission of the voice
(f) Do not worry if you are a little tense.
(g) Rely on the good manner of the audience.
(h) After few minutes you will be able to feel at home and develop confidence, and the going will be easier.
(i) Nodding/ Leaning forward conveys interest.
(j) Slouch may convey passivity/boredom.
(k) Leaning back can convey c4idence `Know-it-all’ attitude.
3) Eye Contact:
- It is one of the most immediate and effective means of establishing rapport with an audience.
- Look at your audience and pause for a while before you say anything.
- While speaking maintain eyecontact with the audience, looking from one pair of eyes to another around the room.
- Through eyecontact you can get the signal whether the channel of communication is open and get the feedback- how the- listeners are reacting to what you are saying.
- If your listeners do not meet your eye, they are probably not concentrating on your talk.
4) Silence:
- a) It conveys concentration or lack of it.
- b) It also conveys disagreement/dislike.
- c) Some times it encourage person spoken to reveal information.
- c) Formal /Informal communication :
1) This type of communication is based on formal relationship that exists in the formal organization.
2) It is generally associated with the particular position of the communicator and
the receiver.
3) Communication through official channels is known as formal communication.
These include the following types:
(i) Departmental meetings.
(ii) Conferences
(iii) Company news bulletins; and
(iv) Special publications.
4) Informal communication is unofficial and based on an informal relationship that develops in an organization.
5) The informal communication is also known as `grapevine’ is the result of social force the work place.
6) Grape vine: This term was for the first time during the days of US Civil War. At that I intelligence telephone lines were strung loosely from tree to tree in the manner of a
grapevine and the message thereon was often distorted.(Out of Shape)
7) Communication on `grapevine’ is quite fast and enjoys a high degree of credibility in the organisation.
8) But the message communicated is generally distorted and degenerates into a rumour.
- d) One way/ Two way communication:-
1) In one-way communication, information flows in only one direction from the sender to the receiver, with no feed back loop for eg:
(a) A manager has her secretary, sends a memo to a sub-ordinate without asking for an immediate response.
(b) A boss gives an order over the phone.
(c) A father scolds his son and then storms out of the room.
2)When receivers do respond to senders. Two-way communication occurs.
For eg:
(a) If the manager follows Up his/her memo with a phone call and asks receiver if he has any questions.
(b) If the boss on the telephone listens to.alternative suggestions for carrying out her order.
(c) A father calms down and listens to his son’s side of the story.
3) True two way -communication means not only that the receiver provides feedback but also that the sender is receptive to and responds to the feedback.
4) In these construcive exchanges, information is shared between both partis rather than delivered from one person to the other.
5) One way communication is much more common that it should be because it is faster :and easier for the sender. For eg:
The busy executive finds it easier to dash off a memo than to discuss the issue with the subordinate.Also he doesnot have to deal with questions or be challenged by someone who disagrees strongly’with what the memo says.
6) Two-way communication is more difficult and time consuming than one way communication.
7) Two-way communication is more accurate, thus, fewer mistakes occur and fewer problems.
8) Two-way communication Receiver has a chance to ask questions, share concerns, make suggestions or modifications arid:conse.quently. understands mm;. precisely what is being communicated and what they should do with the information.
7. BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
There are a number of factors that impede the flow of communication in the organization.
They may be classed as follows:
(A) External Barriers;
(B) Organisational Barriers;
(C) Mechanical Barriers; and
(D) Personal Barriers.
(E) Psychological Barriers
(A) External Barriers:
The following are the elements of external barriers:
- Semantic barrier,
- Emotional or Psychological barrier.
Semantic Barrier:
In the process of receiving and understanding of the message, certain obstructions are caused due to the capacity of the parties involved to understand it. Such obstructions are called `Semantic Barrier’. The following are the Semantic barriers:
Badly Expressed Message:
The sender of communication may have a clear idea in his mind. But the message may not be communicated properly if there is no clarity and precision in it. Poorly chosen words, lack of coherence, bad organisation of ideas, awkward sentence. structure, repetion, use of jargon e±:.:, make the message badly expressed.
Faulty Translation:
Faulty transalations lead to distorted messages. So the communicator should use words appropriate to the frame work in which the receiver operates.
Unclarified Assumptions:
The message may be specific but the assumptions may not be clear to the receiver. The unclarified assumption may result in confusion.
Emotional or Psychological Barriers
Emotional and psychological status of the communicator and receiver is an important barrier to the effective communication. The following are some psychological barriers:
Premature Evaluation:
The receiver makes judgement about the worth of the message prior to receiving the entire communication. Such judgement may be based on the past experience of the receiver. A manager may pay little attention to a memorandum from the union leader because ‘-ha is always up against some thing.”
Inattention:
The preoccupied mind of the receiver makes him not to pay attention to the message.
Loss by transmission and poor Retention
In a series of transmission from one person to the next, the message becomes less accurate. A study has found that the employees retain about 50% of the information they receive and supervisors only 60%. Poor retention of the information is a major reason for this problem. Distrust and Fear:
Distrust and fear of the communicator is another barrier to effective communication. ln a climate of distrust and fear, there will not be open and honest communication.
(B) Organisational Barriers:
The Organisation Barriers mainly depends on the following:
1) Organisational Policy.
2) Organisational Rules and Procedures.
3) Status and Position in the Organisation.
4) Organisation Structure
(C) Mechanical Barriers;
The flow of communication is also affected by mechanical barriers. Inadequate provisions made for transmitting messages, poor organisational layout, defective communication network and media etc.., hinder the communication system.
(D) Personal Barriers.
Communication is basically an interpersonal process. So the person involved in communication – the sender and the receiver- act as barriers in a number of ways:
(i) Attitude of superios :
(ii) Attitude of subordinates:
(i) Attitude of Superiors:
The, attitude of superiors towards communication and their subordinates act as barriers. Insistence on passing information through the formal channels, withholding information to cover their weaknesses, lack of confidence in the competence and capacity of subordinates, lack of awareness about the significance of the message etc.., hinder the flow of communication.
(ii) Attitude of Subordinates:
The attitudes of subordinates to withhold information which is like to affect them adversely
or which can be used for control pursues and also modify the information to protect his own interest etc.., prevent the free flow of communication.
COMMUNICATION MEDIUMS
These are some great communication mediums, but there are many others you should not forget. Some other communication methods include:
Personal phone calls Mailed letter, E-mail message, Web discussion forum ,Face-to-face discussion, Press release, Editorial, Newsletter article, Bulletin announcements.
There are many methods available for communicating your information to others. We have chosen some of the most important methods to discuss here, including:
Fact sheets , Reports , Online Summaries, In- Person Presentations Other Mediums
Fact Sheets:
Fact sheets are one of the most effective methods available for communicating data. Fact sheets are just what they sound like: short simple documents that describe the main facts about an issue. Generally, they are just one page long, single or double-sided. Fact sheets are great because they appeal to the majority of readers – they are short, sweet, and easily digested. Fact sheets can be used in conjunction with a number of other media.
Reports:
Sometimes you need to produce something more thorough than a fact sheet. In cases like these, reports are a wonderful tool, as long as they are effectively tailored to the target audience. Too often, reports contain way too much data, too much complexity, and not enough real-world implication or discussion to be useful to readers. Successful reports should utilize:
- Charts and graphs
- Bullet points
- Summary statements
- Implications sections
Online Summary
One of the most important mediums for communicating information is using the world wide web. The internet is an important tool for doing research, have some sort of presence on the web. Online summaries of data findings should utilize all the same communication principles as the other mediums.
- Brevity
- Visual Impact
- Bullet-point facts
- Useful conclusions
There are endless ways to create online summaries, and you can be pretty creative with this medium.
In-Person Presentations:
Another great way to communicate information is by getting the undivided attention of your target audience. Often this will be through some sort of presentation at a meeting or conference. This is a great method because you can engage your audience in a much more active way than through many other communication mediums; You can:
Ask questions -Stimulate discussion -Get feedback -Make decisions -Utilize visual stimuli through PowerPoint slides,- flipcharts,- and handouts.
- 7 C’S OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
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