Jenico E.

Furio BMC III-3 The Communication Process Communication:

Prof. Vincent Lim November 28, 2012

(from Latin "communis", meaning to share) is the activity of conveying information through the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, visuals, signals, writing, or behavior. The exchange of information (a message) between two or more people. The main components of communication process are as follows: 1. Context - Communication is affected by the context in which it takes place. This context may be physical, social, chronological or cultural. Every communication proceeds with context. The sender chooses the message to communicate within a context. 2. Sender / Encoder - Sender / Encoder is a person who sends the message. A sender makes use of symbols (words or graphic or visual aids) to convey the message and produce the required response. For instance - a training manager conducting training for new batch of employees. Sender may be an individual or a group or an organization. The views, background, approach, skills, competencies, and knowledge of the sender have a great impact on the message. The verbal and non verbal symbols chosen are essential in ascertaining interpretation of the message by the recipient in the same terms as intended by the sender. 3. Message - Message is a key idea that the sender wants to communicate. It is a sign that elicits the response of recipient. Communication process begins with deciding about the message to be conveyed. It must be ensured that the main objective of the message is clear. 4. Medium - Medium is a means used to exchange / transmit the message. The sender must choose an appropriate medium for transmitting the message else the message might not be conveyed to the desired recipients. The choice of appropriate medium of communication is essential for making the message effective and correctly interpreted by the recipient. This choice of communication medium varies depending upon the features of communication. For instance - Written medium is chosen when a message has to be conveyed to a small group of people, while an oral medium is chosen when spontaneous feedback is required from the recipient as misunderstandings are cleared then and there.

5. Recipient / Decoder - Recipient / Decoder is a person for whom the message is intended / aimed / targeted. The degree to which the decoder understands the message is dependent upon various factors such as knowledge of recipient, their responsiveness to the message, and the reliance of encoder on decoder. 6. Feedback - Feedback is the main component of communication process as it permits the sender to analyze the efficacy of the message. It helps the sender in confirming the correct interpretation of message by the decoder. Feedback may be verbal (through words) or non-verbal (in form of smiles, sighs, etc.). It may take written form also in form of memos, reports, etc. 7. Noise - is anything that interferes with the accurate expression or reception of a message)

Elements of an Organization Business model: The business model describes why your organization exists and how you will achieve your business objectives. It normally includes the vision, business strategy and business outcomes (why you are in business); how you add value to your clients (client segments, value propositions, client experience models), and how you will achieve your objectives (revenue streams, delivery models, performance models and targets). Organizational model: Your organizational model should be consistent with your business model. If your business focuses on manufacturing, then creating an organization structure centered on the business process or product lines is likely the right one. If you are providing services, then the organization could be structured around service offerings, client segments or the service delivery process. The organization could also be structured around the functions of the organization (for instance, marketing, operations, product development, channel management, etc.), or around key positions (for instance chief customer officer, chief operating officer, chief financial officer, etc.). Attributes of an effective organizational model include: Flexibility to easily adapt to changing business requirements Rapid effective decision-making with line of sight between decisions and outcomes Disciplined business and management processes which eliminate non-value added steps Clearly differentiated roles, jobs and competencies derived from the core business processes Leveraged technology to automate repetitive tasks and procedures and maximize employee productivity and creativity.

Governance: Governance is the glue that holds the organization together. Governance brings together the authority, accountability, resources and results at the decision-making point. Governance provides the means for assigning tasks and following through on the actions that will generate the expected results. Some of the governance processes include performance management and reporting, strategic planning and investment, policy formulation, partnership management and resource allocation. Governance is often represented through reporting relationships and executives/management committees. People components: People are the most important asset of organizations. Successful organizations need sufficient people with the right talent and competencies, assigned to meaningful roles within a culture that is respectful, innovative, performance-driven and collaborative. Culture - is to the organization what personality is to the individual; it is the pattern of shared beliefs, values and assumptions that are acquired over time and shape behavior. Culture embodies the unwritten rules and norms which govern the collective behavior of the organization. Culture determines the way things are done around the work place, how decisions are made, how clients are taken care of and how employees are treated. Desired cultural elements generally include respect, teamwork, collaboration, innovation, results/outcomes driven, and client-centred. Roles - are the foundation blocks of jobs. Roles are directly linked to the business or management processes and each role has tasks, outputs, levels/standards of performance and relationships to other roles. Roles are aggregated into jobs; a role can be assigned to multiple jobs. (for instance, the financial analysis role can part of the budget manager job or the auditor job).

Jobs - are assigned to people. Many people can perform the same job (for instance auditor, salesperson, client service agent). A job description includes the sum total of the tasks of all roles assigned to that job, the conditions under which the job is performed, the performance level expected, the outputs produced, the reporting relationships and the competencies required to perform the tasks.

Competencies - describe the skills, knowledge, abilities and attributes an organization's workforce must possess to perform the business process activities and to execute on the organization's strategy. Competencies form the basis for the management of talent the organization needs: for recruiting, promotion, job assignment, training, compensation and career progression. Typical competency cluster include business knowledge, technical, functional and management skills, professional qualities, and personal attributes.

Business and management processes: Processes outline the steps and activities, their sequence, the triggers for action, inputs and outputs of all the activities required to produce the desired outcomes. Core business processes describe the various activities that are essential to deliver the client value proposition and experience. Processes give the organizational structure purpose and meaning and provide the basis for defining the roles, jobs and organizational structure. Technology and infrastructure: The technology and infrastructure describe the interplay between the various components of the systems, applications, tools and layout that support the mandate and outcomes of the organization. The technology and infrastructure components enable the business processes and the performance of employees and optimize the facilities, layout and ergonomics of the workplace. Examples of technology include financial management, human resources management, performance management and analytics systems; operational technology and productivity tools; and network and communication capabilities, equipment and tools. Facilities include the location, safety and workplace design aspects of the work environment.

7-steps Communication Process Communication is a deciding factor in any business or professional career. Unless you are able to get your message across to the others in a successful manner, you cannot get your work done or express your ideas or views properly. The success in any organization or group depends on the communication effectiveness of the individuals involved in it. It is mandatory that one masters the steps for effective communication processes. This article details the seven steps that are involved in effective communication processes.

Step 1: Listening Listening to your receiver will help understand and clarify their concerns better. The art of listening also shows the other person that you are genuinely interested in their talk. Such kind of two sided communication method helps in achieving more than the normal levels of success. Listening to your client or employee and working on their concerns will not just earn you a simple method of problem resolution but also will ensure increased loyalty. Also look out for symptoms of inattentiveness in your audience. Many times you can modulate your speech if you figure out that your receiver is bored of your speech. Do not end up in a conversation that is one sided. Provide equal opportunity for your listener also to get involved in the conversation. Step 2: Talk brief Unless extremely needed, avoid involving in long and detailed lectures to convey your message to your audience. Many times it is necessary that you provide to-the-point answers to the questions rather than beating around the bush. Remember that time is valuable and take consideration for others time especially. Try to be short and brief whenever possible. A short and informative talk is an important feature of an effective communication. Step 3: Consider using names Usage of an individuals name to address them when you talk helps increase the effectiveness of your communication. Hence always ask for a persons name before you start to talk and make sure that you use their name with the right pronunciation when you talk to them. In case you do not get their name right the first time, do not hesitate to verify it again. Step 4: Talk confidently Make sure that you know what you are talking about. Prepare your points and express them confidently. Lack of confidence will spur restlessness in your listener and might even bore them. Do not pause or deviate from your points or try to explain or provide excuses for mistakes. Step 5: Use non-verbal communication to send your message effectively An effective communication is a mix of verbal and non-verbal communication. Your body language and voice tone make up for more than half of what you are trying to convey. It is important that you try to establish eye contact when you talk to someone. A proper eye contact creates confidence in your listener. Eye movement, body posture and hand gestures all needs to be modulated and kept consistent with your message for an effective communication.

Step 6: Take care of your language and jargon When you convey your message or communicate, remember to use the right and crisp words. Lengthy words and repeated sentences might not create the required appeal with your audience. Do not use a lot of filler words in your sentence as they might tend to create loss of interest in your audience. Remember to make your message clear and simple and avoid using jargons and complicated sentences. Also make sure that you are confident and continuous in your conversation, long pauses or breaks might not keep your listener hooked to your conversation. Step 7: Create a level of comfort Before you start to talk to your audience, remember to establish an atmosphere of comfort. It is necessary that a comfort level is created so as to facilitate an easy communication process. Provide undivided attention to your listener so as to denote the importance of the communicated message. The increased comfort level creates a good relationship and conveys the message effectively. Try your best to avoid physical barriers and interruptions when you talk to your listener. Do not involve into a conversation in a loud or busy area. Try to find a location where you can focus on the message at hand.

7 Steps of Communication by Adam Khoo Here are 7 steps of communication, if applied, will allow you to develop your communication skills that can make you a master communicator. Communication can be likened to a step by step process of checking if you really understand another person from your point of view. 1. You need to listen and observe for the level of importance of this topic to the person you are speaking to and calibrate to that persons level of interest. Calibration is so important when communicating, that if you are unable to calibrate or identify whether or not that person is interested, you might just lose that person straight away. 2. Check congruence in communication. What do I mean by congruence? It means that if he says, Yes. verbally, he should not be shaking his head, No. That is incongruence. 3. Identify incongruence in communication. We need to clarify meanings and terminologies used. This is for a simple fact that we need to understand what the other person means exactly. 4. We need to confirm those meanings. So, if someone said, Oh! When you look at me, you appear to be extremely angry.What you need to do is to confirm, Oh! How exactly do I look at

you that mean that I am angry? The confirmation actually gets you the common understanding that both of you need that will propel your communication to the next level. 5. Explore alternative meanings. What you are doing here is eliciting a series of counter examples, to see whether these meanings fit in with the persons model of the world. 6. Offer possibilities. If there are no alternate meanings, what you might want to do is explore possibilities where one thing could mean something else. This is also known as reframing. 7. Summarize your personal experience in communicating with this other person, by starting off and saying, My experience of you is and so on. With this way, both of you understand each other, and nothing is hidden from each other. It is perfectly honest and direct. We say that communication is a two way process. This means that communication requires clarity to both parties. Until you understand what I am saying, or until I construct my communication in a way that makes you understand me, we need to ask questions even more effectively to reach our win-win outcome. Barriers and Breakdowns in Communication Most people would agree that communication between two individuals should be simple. Its important to remember that there are differences between talking and communicating. When you communicate, you are successful in getting your point across to the person youre talking to. When we talk, we tend to erect barriers that hinder our ability to communicate. There are seven of these types of barriers to effective communication. Physical barriers are easy to spot doors that are closed, walls that are erected, and distance between people all work against the goal of effective communication. While most agree that people need their own personal areas in the workplace, setting up an office to remove physical barriers is the first step towards opening communication. Many professionals who work in industries that thrive on collaborative communication, such as architecture, purposefully design their workspaces around an open office plan. This layout eschews cubicles in favor of desks grouped around a central meeting space. While each individual has their own dedicated work space, there are no visible barriers to prevent collaboration with their co-workers. This encourages greater openness and frequently creates closer working bonds. Perceptual and Language Differences: Perception is generally how each individual interprets the world around him. All generally want to receive messages which are significant to them. But any message which is against their values is not accepted. A same event may be taken differently by different individuals. For example : A person is on leave for a month due to personal reasons (family member being critical). The HR Manager might be in confusion

whether to retain that employee or not, the immediate manager might think of replacement because his teams productivity is being hampered, the family members might take him as an emotional support. The linguistic differences also lead to communication breakdown. Same word may mean different to different individuals. For example: consider a word value. a. What is the value of this Laptop? b. I value our relation? c. What is the value of learning technical skills? Value means different in different sentences. Communication breakdown occurs if there is wrong perception by the receiver. Emotional barriers can be tough to overcome, but are important to put aside to engage in conversations. We are often taught to fear the words coming out of our own mouths, as in the phrase anything you say can and will be used against you. Overcoming this fear is difficult, but necessary. The trick is to have full confidence in what you are saying and your qualifications in saying it. People often pick up on insecurity. By believing in yourself and what you have to say, you will be able to communicate clearly without becoming overly involved in your emotions. Cultural barriers are a result of living in an ever shrinking world. Different cultures, whether they are a societal culture of a race or simply the work culture of a company, can hinder developed communication if two different cultures clash. In these cases, it is important to find a common ground to work from. In work situations, identifying a problem and coming up with a highly efficient way to solve it can quickly topple any cultural or institutional barriers. Quite simply, people like results. Gender barriers have become less of an issue in recent years, but there is still the possibility for a man to misconstrue the words of a woman, or vice versa. Men and women tend to form their thoughts differently, and this must be taken into account when communicating. This difference has to do with how the brain of each sex is formed during gestation. In general, men are better at spatial visualization and abstract concepts such as math, while women excel at languagebased thinking and emotional identification. However, successful professionals in highly competitive fields tend to have similar thought processes regardless of their gender. Interpersonal barriers are what ultimately keep us from reaching out to each other and opening ourselves up, not just to be heard, but to hear others. Oddly enough, this can be the most difficult area to change. Some people spend their entire lives attempting to overcome a poor self-image or a series of deeply rooted prejudices about their place in the world. They are

unable to form genuine connections with people because they have too many false perceptions blocking the way. Luckily, the cure for this is more communication. By engaging with others, we learn what our actual strengths and weaknesses are. This allows us to put forth our ideas in a clear, straightforward manner.

Problems with Structure Design: companies or institutions can have organization structures that are not clear, which can make communications difficult. Also to blame for faulty communications are bad information systems, and lack of supervision or training of the people involved. Lack of Common Experience: its a great idea to use examples or stories to explain a point that is being discussed. However, if the speaker and the audience cannot relate to these examples because they do not have the same knowledge or have not shared the same experiences then this tool will be ineffective.

Ambiguity and Abstractions Overuse: leaving things half-said, using too many generalizations, proverbs or sayings, can all lead to communications that are not clear and that can lend themselves to misinterpretations. Information Overload: it takes time to process a lot of information and too many details can overwhelm and distract the audience from the important topics. Keep it Simple, Sweetie.

Assumptions and Jumping to Conclusions: This can make someone reach a decision about something before listening to all the facts. Communication is not a one-way street. To have others open up to you, you must be open yourself. By overcoming these barriers to communication, you can ensure that the statement you are making is not just heard, but also understood, by the person you are speaking with. In this way, you can be confident that your point has been expressed.

Effective Listening Basics: 1. Desire to become a better listener. 2. Stop talking. 3. Look at the speaker. 4. Leave your emotions behind. 5. Get rid of distractions. 6. Get the main points. 7. Don't argue mentally. 8. Listen for what is not said. 9. Avoid jumping to conclusions. 10. Avoid hasty judgments. 11. Recognize your own prejudice. The Three Basic Listening Modes 1. Competitive or Combative Listening happens when we are more interested in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring someone elses view. We either listen for openings to take the floor, or for flaws or weak points we can attack. As we pretend to pay attention we are impatiently waiting for an opening, or internally formulating our rebuttal and planning our devastating comeback that will destroy their argument and make us the victor. 2. In Passive or Attentive Listening we are genuinely interested in hearing and understanding the other persons point of view. We are attentive and passively listen. We assume that we heard and understand correctly. but stay passive and do not verify it. 3. Active or Reflective Listening is the single most useful and important listening skill. In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the other person is thinking, feeling, wanting or what the message means, and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own new message. We restate or paraphrase our understanding of their message and reflect it back to the sender for verification. This verification or feedback process is what distinguishes active listening and makes it effective.

FACTS VS INFERENCES Facts are information that you have confirmed and know to be true. Inferences are things you believe to be true and have taken an educated guess on based on the information and facts that you have available at the time. In this module we will look at the difference between facts and inferences, and how confusing the two can lead to errors in evaluation and subsequently thoughts and actions which are not appropriate for the actual situation at hand. Irving Lee teaches his students that structurally and grammatically there is no difference between a factual and an inferential statement. But these differences can be noted: A Factual Statement vs. Inferential Statement: 1. Can be made after some observation l Can be made any time 2. Stays within what can be observed l Goes beyond what can be observed 3. Can be made in limited number l Can be made in unlimited number 4. Provides closest approach to certainty l Shows some degree of probability