THE

COMMUNICATION

PROCESS

The communication process consists of a message being sent and received. The message maybe verbal or nonverbal. The same basic principles apply whether humans, animals, other forms of life, or combinations of these are involved. Your challenge, as an instructor, is to not merely communicate with your students--but to communicate effectively. Effective communication involves a message being sent and received. Added to this however ,is the element of feedback to ensure that the message sent was received exactly as intended. This concept may be illustrated using the three-step communications model (fig. 5-1).

Sending

The

Message There are four elements involved in

sending a message. First, as the instructor (sender), you formulate the message you intend to communicate. Next, you consider possible barriers that may affect the message. This includes your experience, the terms

you will use, and even your feeling toward the subject or the students. External barriers such as noise must also be considered. Third, you encode the message; that is, you put the message into the words you want to use. Last, you clearly communicate (send) the message. Receiving The Message There are also four elements involved in receiving a message. The students (receivers) will first hear and/or see the message you sent. Second, the message is affected by external barriers, if any, and the students own internal barriers. Possible internal barriers may include the students experience level, their understanding of the terms used, their attitude toward the material, or the way they feel about you. Third, your students decode the message through the use of mental images. For instance, when you say the word circus, the receiver does not see the letters that form the word. Instead, a mental image of some sort appears. How many different mental images might arise among your students for this one word alone? Communication can best be summarized as the transmission of a message from a sender to a receiver in an understandable manner. The importance of effective communication is immeasurable in the world of business and in personal life. From a business perspective, effective communication is an absolute must, because it commonly accounts for the difference between success and failure or profit and loss. It has become clear that effective business communication is critical to the successful operation of modern enterprise. Every business person needs to understand the fundamentals of effective communication.

Currently, companies in the United States and abroad are working toward the realization of total quality management. Effective communication is the most critical component of total quality management. The manner in which individuals perceive and talk to each other at work about different issues is a major determinant of the business success. It has proven been proven that poor communication reduces quality, weakens productivity, and eventually leads to anger and a lack of trust among individuals within the organization. The communication process is the guide toward realizing effective communication. It is through the communication process that the sharing of a common meaning between the sender and the receiver takes place. Individuals that follow the communication process will have the opportunity to become more productive in every aspect of their profession. Effective communication leads to understanding. The communication process is made up of four key components. Those components include encoding, medium of transmission, decoding, and feedback. There are also two other factors in the process, and those two factors are present in the form of the sender and the receiver. The communication process begins with the sender and ends with the receiver. The sender is an individual, group, or organization who initiates the communication. This source is initially responsible for the success of the message. The sender's experiences, attitudes, knowledge, skill, perceptions, and culture influence the message. "The written words, spoken words, and nonverbal language selected are paramount in ensuring the receiver interprets the message as intended by the sender" (Burnett & Dollar, 1989). All communication begins with the sender. The first step the sender is faced with involves the encoding process. In order to convey meaning, the sender must begin encoding, which means translating information into a message in the form of symbols that represent ideas or concepts. This process translates the ideas or concepts into the coded message that will be communicated. The symbols can take on numerous forms such as, languages, words, or gestures. These symbols are used to encode ideas into messages that others can understand. When encoding a message, the sender has to begin by deciding what he/she wants to transmit. This decision by the sender is based on what he/she believes about the receivers knowledge and assumptions, along with what additional information he/she wants the receiver to have. It is important for the sender to use symbols that are familiar to the intended receiver. A good way for the sender to improve encoding their message, is to mentally visualize the communication from the receiver's point of view.

To begin transmitting the message, the sender uses some kind of channel (also called a medium). The channel is the means used to convey the message. Most channels are either oral or written, but currently visual channels are becoming more common as technology expands. Common channels include the telephone and a variety of written forms such as memos, letters, and reports. The effectiveness of the various channels fluctuates depending on the characteristics of the communication. For example, when immediate feedback is necessary, oral communication channels are more effective because any uncertainties can be cleared up on the spot. In a situation where the message must be delivered to more than a small group of people, written channels are often more effective. Although in many cases, both oral and written channels should be used because one supplements the other. If a sender relays a message through an inappropriate channel, its message may not reach the right receivers. That is why senders need to keep in mind that selecting the appropriate channel will greatly assist in the effectiveness of the receiver's understanding. The sender's decision to utilize either an oral or a written channel for communicating a message is influenced by several factors. The sender should ask him or herself different questions, so that they can select the appropriate channel. Is the message urgent? Is immediate feedback needed? Is documentation or a permanent record required? Is the content complicated, controversial, or private? Is the message going to someone inside or outside the organization? What oral and written communication skills does the receiver possess? Once the sender has answered all of these questions, they will be able to choose an effective channel. After the appropriate channel or channels are selected, the message enters the decoding stage of the communication process. Decoding is conducted by the receiver. Once the message is received and examined, the stimulus is sent to the brain for interpreting, in order to assign some type of meaning to it. It is this processing stage that constitutes decoding. The receiver begins to interpret the symbols sent by the sender, translating the message to their own set of experiences in order to make the symbols meaningful. Successful communication takes place when the receiver correctly interprets the sender's message. The receiver is the individual or individuals to whom the message is directed. The extent to which this person comprehends the message will depend on a number of factors, which include the following: how much the individual or individuals know about the topic, their receptivity to the message, and the relationship and trust that exists between sender and receiver. All interpretations by the receiver are influenced by their experiences, attitudes, knowledge, skills, perceptions, and culture. It is similar to the sender's relationship with encoding.

Feedback is the final link in the chain of the communication process. After receiving a message, the receiver responds in some way and signals that response to the sender. The signal may take the form of a spoken comment, a long sigh, a written message, a smile, or some other action. "Even a lack of response, is in a sense, a form of response" (Bovee & Thill, 1992). Without feedback, the sender cannot confirm that the receiver has interpreted the message correctly. Feedback is a key component in the communication process because it allows the sender to evaluate the effectiveness of the message. Feedback ultimately provides an opportunity for the sender to take corrective action to clarify a misunderstood message. "Feedback plays an important role by indicating significant communication barriers: differences in background, different interpretations of words, and differing emotional reactions" (Bovee & Thill, 1992). The communication process is the perfect guide toward achieving effective communication. When followed properly, the process can usually assure that the sender's message will be understood by the receiver. Although the communication process seems simple, it in essence is not. Certain barriers present themselves throughout the process. Those barriers are factors that have a negative impact on the communication process. Some common barriers include the use of an inappropriate medium (channel), incorrect grammar, inflammatory words, words that conflict with body language, and technical jargon. Noise is also another common barrier. Noise can occur during any stage of the process. Noise essentially is anything that distorts a message by interfering with the communication process. Noise can take many forms, including a radio playing in the background, another person trying to enter your conversation, and any other distractions that prevent the receiver from paying attention. Successful and effective communication within an organization stems from the implementation of the communication process. All members within an organization will improve their communication skills if they follow the communication process, and stay away from the different barriers. It has been proven that individuals that understand the communication process will blossom into more effective communicators, and effective communicators have a greater opportunity for becoming a success.

Communication skills between individuals and in a group are an important foundation for the strategy design and formulation process. There are three different channels involved in the communication process. Only when we pay attention to and master all three we achieve a sound communication process and get good business results.

Bad communicators only talk, Good communicators are able to listen & Great communicators adapt to context!

Communication is a process of exchanging verbal and non verbal messages. It is a continuous process. Pre-requisite of communication is a message. This message must be conveyed through some medium to the recipient. It is essential that this message must be understood by the recipient in same terms as intended by the sender. He must respond within a time frame. Thus, communication is a two way process and is incomplete without a feedback from the recipient to the sender on how well the message is understood by him.

Communication Process 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. Communication is a process beginning with a sender who encodes the message and passes it through some channel to the receiver who decodes the message. Communication is fruitful if and only if the messages sent by the sender is interpreted with same meaning by the receiver. If any kind of disturbance blocks any step of communication, the message will be destroyed. Due to such disturbances, managers in an organization face severe problems. Thus the managers must locate such barriers and take steps to get rid of them.

There are several barriers that affects the flow of communication in an organization. These barriers interrupt the flow of communication from the sender to the receiver, thus making communication ineffective. It is essential for managers to overcome these barriers. The main barriers of communication are summarized below. Following are the main communication barriers:
1. 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.
2. Information Overload: Managers are surrounded with a pool of information. It is

essential to control this information flow else the information is likely to be

misinterpreted or forgotten or overlooked. As a result communication is less effective.

3. Inattention: At times we just not listen, but only hear. For example a traveler may

pay attention to one NO PARKING sign, but if such sign is put all over the city, he no longer listens to it. Thus, repetitive messages should be ignored for effective communication. Similarly if a superior is engrossed in his paper work and his subordinate explains him his problem, the superior may not get what he is saying and it leads to disappointment of subordinate.
4. Time Pressures: Often in organization the targets have to be achieved within a

specified time period, the failure of which has adverse consequences. In a haste to meet deadlines, the formal channels of communication are shortened, or messages are partially given, i.e., not completely transferred. Thus sufficient time should be given for effective communication.
5. Distraction/Noise: Communication is also affected a lot by noise to distractions.

Physical distractions are also there such as, poor lightning, uncomfortable sitting, unhygienic room also affects communication in a meeting. Similarly use of loud speakers interferes with communication.
6. Emotions: Emotional state at a particular point of time also affects communication.

If the receiver feels that communicator is angry he interprets that the information being sent is very bad. While he takes it differently if the communicator is happy and jovial (in that case the message is interpreted to be good and interesting).
7. Complexity in Organizational Structure: Greater the hierarchy in an organization

(i.e. more the number of managerial levels), more is the chances of communication getting destroyed. Only the people at the top level can see the overall picture while the people at low level just have knowledge about their own area and a little knowledge about other areas.
8. Poor retention: Human memory cannot function beyond a limit. One cant always

retain what is being told specially if he is not interested or not attentive. This leads to communication breakdown.

Overcoming Communication Barriers

There are a lot of communication barriers faced these days by all. The message intended by the sender is not understood by the receiver in the same terms and sense and thus communication breakdown occurs. It is essential to deal and cope up with these communication barriers so as to ensure smooth and effective communication. As, in the previous section we have discussed the major barriers of communication. Lets talk about how to overcome these barriers of communication.
1. Eliminating differences in perception: The organization should ensure that

it is recruiting right individuals on the job. Its the responsibility of the interviewer to ensure that the interviewee has command over the written and spoken language. There should be proper Induction program so that the policies of the company are clear to all the employees. There should be proper trainings conducted for required employees (for eg: Voice and Accent training).
2. Use of Simple Language: Use of simple and clear words should be

emphasized. Use of ambiguous words and jargons should be avoided.

3. Reduction and elimination of noise levels: Noise is the main

communication barrier which must be overcome on priority basis. It is essential to identify the source of noise and then eliminate that source.
4. Active Listening: Listen attentively and carefully. There is a difference

between listening and hearing. Active listening means hearing with proper understanding of the message that is heard. By asking questions the speaker can ensure whether his/her message is understood or not by the receiver in the same terms as intended by the speaker.
5. Emotional State: During communication one should make effective use of

body language. He/she should not show their emotions while communication as the receiver might misinterpret the message being delivered. For example,

if the conveyer of the message is in a bad mood then the receiver might think that the information being delivered is not good.
6. Simple Organizational Structure: The organizational structure should not

be complex. The number of hierarchical levels should be optimum. There should be a ideal span of control within the organization. Simpler the organizational structure, more effective will be the communication.
7. Avoid Information Overload: The managers should know how to prioritize

their work. They should not overload themselves with the work. They should spend quality time with their subordinates and should listen to their problems and feedbacks actively.
8. Give Constructive Feedback: Avoid giving negative feedback. The contents

of the feedback might be negative, but it should be delivered constructively. Constructive feedback will lead to effective communication between the superior and subordinate.
9. Proper Media Selection: The managers should properly select the medium

of communication. Simple messages should be conveyed orally, like: face to face interaction or meetings. Use of written means of communication should be encouraged for delivering complex messages. For significant messages reminders can be given by using written means of communication such as : Memos, Notices etc.
10. Flexibility in meeting the targets: For effective communication in an

organization the managers should ensure that the individuals are meeting their targets timely without skipping the formal channels of communication. There should not be much pressure on employees to meet their targets. Communication is neither transmission of message nor message itself. It is the mutual exchange of understanding, originating with the reciever. Communication needs to be effective in business. Communication is essence of management. The basic functions of management (Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing and Controlling) cannot be performed well without effective communication. Business communication involves constant flow of information. Feedback is integral part of business communication.

Organizations these days are very large. It involves number of people. There are various levels of hierarchy in an organization. Greater the number of levels, the more difficult is the job of managing the organization. Communication here plays a very important role in process of directing and controlling the people in the oragnization. Immediate feedback can be obtained and misunderstandings if any can be avoided. There should be effective communication between superiors and subordinated in an organization, between organization and society at large(for example between management and trade unions). It is essential for success and growth of an organization. Communication gaps should not occur in any organization. Business Communication is goal oriented. The rules, regulations and policies of a company have to be communicated to people within and outside the organization. Business Communication is regulated by certain rules and norms. In early times, business communication was limited to paper-work, telephone calls etc. But now with advent of technology, we have cell phones, video conferencing, emails, satellite communication to support business communication. Effective business communication helps in building goodwill of an organization. Business Communication can be of two types:
1. Oral Communication - An oral communication can be formal or informal.

Generally business communication is a formal means of communication, like : meetings, interviews, group discussion, speeches etc. An example of Informal business communication would be - Grapevine.
2. Written Communication - Written means of business communication

includes - agenda, reports, manuals etc.

Oral Communication - Meaning, Advantages and Limitations

Oral communication implies communication through mouth. It includes individuals conversing with each other, be it direct conversation or telephonic conversation.

Speeches, presentations, discussions are all forms of oral communication. Oral communication is generally recommended when the communication matter is of temporary kind or where a direct interaction is required. Face to face communication (meetings, lectures, conferences, interviews, etc.) is significant so as to build a rapport and trust. Advantages of Oral Communication

There is high level of understanding and transparency in oral communication as it is interpersonal.

There is no element of rigidity in oral communication. There is flexibility for allowing changes in the decisions previously taken.

The feedback is spontaneous in case of oral communication. Thus, decisions can be made quickly without any delay.

Oral communication is not only time saving, but it also saves upon money and efforts.

Oral communication is best in case of problem resolution. The conflicts, disputes and many issues/differences can be put to an end by talking them over.

Oral communication is an essential for teamwork and group energy. Oral communication promotes a receptive and encouraging morale among organizational employees.

Oral communication can be best used to transfer private and confidential information/matter.

Disadvantages/Limitations of Oral Communication

Relying only on oral communication may not be sufficient as business communication is formal and very organized.

Oral communication is less authentic than written communication as they are informal and not as organized as written communication.

Oral communication is time-saving as far as daily interactions are concerned, but in case of meetings, long speeches consume lot of time and are unproductive at times.

Oral communications are not easy to maintain and thus they are unsteady. There may be misunderstandings as the information is not complete and may lack essentials.

It requires attentiveness and great receptivity on part of the receivers/audience.

Oral communication (such as speeches) is not frequently used as legal records except in investigation work.

Use of Body Language in communication

Did you know that while in India or America a "fantastic" or an "ok" sign is demonstrated by forming a circle with your thumb and forefinger, in Tunisia the same symbol means "I will kill you" and in Japan it means "money"? Kinesics or study of body language must be understood by all. Whether it is an interview or a presentation, one must be aware of how to use body language effectively. Read on to understand more about various non verbal components of communication...
1. Eye Contact: Always maintain eye contact with your audience. However, a person

must ensure that he / she should not fix his gaze at one person for more than 5 seconds. Too much fluttering of eyes could indicate lack of confidence. Staring at a person could be daunting and hence is not such a good idea.
2. Hand Shake: While shaking hands especially in a professional environment,

the hand shake should be firm and not loose. An iron handshake [very strong handshake] can indicate that a person is trying to dominate.
3. Crossing your Arms: Crossing your arms could imply that a person is not

open to new ideas / opinion especially in case of giving a presentation. However, in a one-on-one interview if the interviewer has his / her arms crossed, the candidate could do the same.

4. Sitting Posture: Leaning on a chair is not a good idea. One must sit upright

though in a relaxed position. Sitting back in your chair implies lack of interest or rejection.
5. Gesture: Gesture refers to a type of non verbal communication which uses a

part of the body with or without verbal communication. Gestures include facial expressions, nods [which is a sign of approval in most cultures], head bobbling / shaking.
6. Facial Expression: The face is a best reflection of what a person feels. More

often than not it is easy to recognize if a person is happy, sad, anxious, irritated, or excited. It is very important that in a professional scenario a person must control his / her facial expressions. For e.g. If a presenter gets a feel that his presentation is not going on very well, he / she should not show the sign of losing of hope and instead try for a greater involvement from the participants.

Importance of Communication in an Organization

Effective Communication is significant for managers in the organizations so as to perform the basic functions of management, i.e., Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling. Communication helps managers to perform their jobs and responsibilities. Communication serves as a foundation for planning. All the essential information must be communicated to the managers who in-turn must communicate the plans so as to implement them. Organizing also requires effective communication with others about their job task. Similarly leaders as managers must communicate effectively with their subordinates so as to achieve the team goals. Controlling is not possible without written and oral communication. Managers devote a great part of their time in communication. They generally devote approximately 6 hours per day in communicating. They spend great time on face to face or telephonic communication with their superiors, subordinates, colleagues, customers or suppliers. Managers also use Written Communication in form of letters, reports or memos wherever oral communication is not feasible.

Thus, we can say that effective communication is a building block of successful organizations. In other words, communication acts as organizational blood.

The importance of communication in an organization can be summarized as follows:

1. Communication promotes motivation by informing and clarifying the

employees about the task to be done, the manner they are performing the task, and how to improve their performance if it is not up to the mark.
2. Communication is a source of information to the organizational members

for decision-making process as it helps identifying and assessing alternative course of actions.
3. Communication also plays a crucial role in altering individuals attitudes,

i.e., a well informed individual will have better attitude than a less-informed individual. Organizational magazines, journals, meetings and various other forms of oral and written communication help in moulding employees attitudes.
4. Communication also helps in socializing. In todays life the only presence of

another individual fosters communication. It is also said that one cannot survive without communication.
5. As discussed earlier, communication also assists in controlling process. It

helps controlling organizational members behaviour in various ways. There are various levels of hierarchy and certain principles and guidelines that employees must follow in an organization. They must comply with organizational policies, perform their job role efficiently and communicate any work problem and grievance to their superiors. Thus, communication helps in controlling function of management. An effective and efficient communication system requires managerial proficiency in delivering and receiving messages. A manager must discover various barriers to communication, analyze the reasons for their occurrence and take preventive steps to

avoid those barriers. Thus, the primary responsibility of a manager is to develop and maintain an effective communication system in the organization.

Seven Cs of Effective Communication

There are 7 Cs of effective communication which are applicable to both written as well as oral communication. These are as follows:
1. Completeness - The communication must be complete. It should convey all

facts required by the audience. The sender of the message must take into consideration the receivers mind set and convey the message accordingly. A complete communication has following features:

Complete communication develops and enhances reputation of an organization.

Moreover, they are cost saving as no crucial information is missing and no additional cost is incurred in conveying extra message if the communication is complete.

A complete communication always gives additional information wherever required. It leaves no questions in the mind of receiver.

Complete communication helps in better decision-making by the audience/ readers/ receivers of message as they get all desired and crucial information.

It persuades the audience. 2. Conciseness - Conciseness means wordiness, i.e, communicating what you

want to convey in least possible words without forgoing the other Cs of communication. Conciseness is a necessity for effective communication. Concise communication has following features:

It is both time-saving as well as cost-saving. It underlines and highlights the main message as it avoids using excessive and needless words.

Concise communication provides short and essential message in limited words to the audience.

Concise message is more appealing and comprehensible to the audience.

Concise message is non-repetitive in nature.

3. Consideration - Consideration implies stepping into the shoes of others.

Effective communication must take the audience into consideration, i.e, the audiences view points, background, mind-set, education level, etc. Make an attempt to envisage your audience, their requirements, emotions as well as problems. Ensure that the self-respect of the audience is maintained and their emotions are not at harm. Modify your words in message to suit the audiences needs while making your message complete. Features of considerate communication are as follows:

Emphasize on you approach. Empathize with the audience and exhibit interest in the audience. This will stimulate a positive reaction from the audience.

Show optimism towards your audience. Emphasize on what is possible rather than what is impossible. Lay stress on positive words such as jovial, committed, thanks, warm, healthy, help, etc.

4. Clarity - Clarity implies emphasizing on a specific message or goal at a time,

rather than trying to achieve too much at once. Clarity in communication has following features:

It makes understanding easier. Complete clarity of thoughts and ideas enhances the meaning of message.

Clear message makes use of exact, appropriate and concrete words.

5. Concreteness - Concrete communication implies being particular and clear

rather than fuzzy and general. Concreteness strengthens the confidence. Concrete message has following features:

It is supported with specific facts and figures. It makes use of words that are clear and that build the reputation. Concrete messages are not misinterpreted.

6. Courtesy - Courtesy in message implies the message should show the

senders expression as well as should respect the receiver. The sender of the message should be sincerely polite, judicious, reflective and enthusiastic. Courteous message has following features:

Courtesy implies taking into consideration both viewpoints as well as feelings of the receiver of the message.

Courteous message is positive and focused at the audience. It makes use of terms showing respect for the receiver of message. It is not at all biased.

7. Correctness - Correctness in communication implies that there are no

grammatical errors in communication. Correct communication has following features:

The message is exact, correct and well-timed. If the communication is correct, it boosts up the confidence level. Correct message has greater impact on the audience/ readers. It checks for the precision and accurateness of facts and figures used in the message.

It makes use of appropriate and correct language in the message.

Effective Report Writing

What is Report Writing? A report can be defined as a testimonial or account of some happening. It is purely based on observation and analysis. A report gives an explanation of any circumstance. In todays corporate world, reports play a crucial role. They are a strong base for planning and control in an organization, i.e., reports give information which can be utilized by the management team in an organization for making plans and for solving complex issues in the organization. A report discusses a particular problem in detail. It brings significant and reliable information to the limelight of top management in an organization. Hence, on the basis of such information, the management can make strong decisions. Reports are required for judging the performances of various departments in an organization. An effective report can be written going through the following steps1. Determine the objective of the report, i.e., identify the problem. 2. Collect the required material (facts) for the report. 3. Study and examine the facts gathered. 4. Plan the facts for the report. 5. Prepare an outline for the report, i.e., draft the report. 6. Edit the drafted report.
7. Distribute the draft report to the advisory team and ask for feedback and

recommendations.

The essentials of good/effective report writing are as follows1. Know your objective, i.e., be focused.

2. Analyze the niche audience, i.e., make an analysis of the target audience, the purpose for which audience requires the report, kind of data audience is looking for in the report, the implications of report reading, etc. 3. Decide the length of report. 4. Disclose correct and true information in a report. 5. Discuss all sides of the problem reasonably and impartially. Include all relevant facts in a report. 6. Concentrate on the report structure and matter. Pre-decide the report writing style. Use vivid structure of sentences. 7. The report should be neatly presented and should be carefully documented. 8. Highlight and recap the main message in a report. 9. Encourage feedback on the report from the critics. The feedback, if negative, might be useful if properly supported with reasons by the critics. The report can be modified based on such feedback. 10. Use graphs, pie-charts, etc to show the numerical data records over years. 11. Decide on the margins on a report. Ideally, the top and the side margins should be the same (minimum 1 inch broad), but the lower/bottom margins can be one and a half times as broad as others. 12. Attempt to generate readers interest by making appropriate paragraphs, giving bold headings for each paragraph, using bullets wherever required, etc.

Guidelines for Effective Communication

Effective communication is a part and parcel of any successful organization. A communication should be free from barriers so as to be effective. Communication is a two way process where the message sent by the sender should be interpreted in the same terms by the recipient. The characteristics of effective communication are as follows :
1. Clarity of Purpose: The message to be delivered must be clear in the mind

of sender. The person to whom it is targeted and the aim of the message should be clear in the mind of the sender.
2. Completeness: The message delivered should not be incomplete. It should

be supported by facts and observations. It should be well planned and organized. No assumptions should be made by the receiver.
3. Conciseness: The message should be concise. It should not include any

unnecessary details. It should be short and complete.

4. Feedback: Whether the message sent by the sender is understood in same

terms by the receiver or not can be judged by the feedback received. The feedback should be timely and in personal. It should be specific rather than general.
5. Empathy: Empathy with the listeners is essential for effective verbal

communication. The speaker should step into the shoes of the listener and be sensitive to their needs and emotions. This way he can understand things from their perspective and make communication more effective.
6. Modify the message according to the audience: The information

requirement by different people in the organization differs according to their needs. What is relevant to the middle level management might not be relevant to the top level of management. Use of jargons should be minimized because it might lead to misunderstanding and misinterpretations. The message should be modified according to the needs and requirements of the targeted audience.

7. Multiple Channels of communication: For effective communication multiple

channels should be used as it increases the chances of clarity of message. The message is reinforced by using different channels and there are less chances of deformation of message.
8. Make effective use of Grapevine (informal channel of

communication): The employees and managers should not always discourage grapevine. They should make effective use of grapevine. The managers can use grapevine to deliver formal messages and for identification of issues which are significant for the employees. The managers can get to know the problems faced by the employees and can work upon it.

Effective Presentation Skills

Presentation can be defined as a formal event characterized by teamwork and use of audio-visual aids. The main purpose of presentation is to give information, to persuade the audience to act and to create goodwill. A good presentation should have a good subject matter, should match with the objective, should best fit the audience, and should be well organized.

Characteristics of a Good/Effective Presentation 1. The presentation ideas should be well adapted to your audience. Relate your presentation message/idea to the interests of the audience. A detailed audience analysis must be made before the presentation, i.e., an analysis of the needs, age, educational background, language, and culture of the target audience. Their body language instantly gives the speaker the required feedback. 2. A good presentation should be concise and should be focused on the topic. It should not move off-track. 3. A good presentation should have the potential to convey the required information. 4. The fear should be transformed into positive energy during the presentation. Be calm and relaxed while giving a presentation. Before beginning, wait and develop an eye contact with the audience. Focus on conveying your message well and use a positive body language.
5. To communicate the desired information, the speaker should use more of

visual aids such as transparencies, diagrams, pictures, charts, etc. Each transparency/slide should contain limited and essential information only. No slide should be kept on for a longer time. Try facing the audience, rather than the screen. The speaker should not block the view. Turn on the room lights else the audience might fall asleep and loose interest. Organize all the visuals for making a logical and sound presentation. 6. A good presentation must be planned. The speaker must plan how to begin the presentation, what to speak in the middle of presentation and how to end the presentation without losing audience interests at any point of time. 7. Rehearse and practice the presentation. This will help the speaker to be more confident and self-assured. The more the speaker rehearses the better the presentation turns to be.

8. The speaker should encourage more questions from the audience. He should be honest enough to answer those questions. If any biased question is put forth by the audience, rearticulate it before answering. 9. Summarize the presentation at the end. Give final comments. Leave a positive impact upon the audience. 10. The speaker must have a presentable appearance while giving a presentation. The speaker should stand with feet far apart maintaining a good balance. He must use confident gestures. He must use short and simple words. 11. Try to gain and maintain audience interest by using positive quotes, humour, or remarkable fact. 12. The speaker must be affirmative and optimistic before giving presentation. He should ensure all tools and equipments to be used in presentation are working well. 13. The speaker must state the objectives of the presentation at beginning of the presentation. Corporate Meetings are very crucial part of business activities. They are a significant means of formal communication. Meetings are a venue for generation of new and innovative ideas. These meetings are multipurpose in nature actually. They aim at discussing feedback and receiving feedback on the spot. The information of prior importance is given during meetings. They are a true means of conveying feelings and expressions. Meetings involve people of the company. Meetings, thus, encourage participation and motivate them. Participants in a meeting, if given responsibility, turn out to be more productive and contribute to organizational success. Corporate Meetings thus turn out to be a place where various aspects of business management are discussed- the performance of the company, the mission and vision of company, the weaknesses of company, the obstacles faced and how to overcome them. Effective meetings involve presentations and lead to personality development. Efficient meetings save time, money and resources of the company.

14. While conducting business meetings, certain things have to be taken care of. Decisions should be based on facts and based on circumstances, they shouldnt be based on presumptions. The participants should be optimum in number, not too much. Dont go off track or dont forget the agenda of the meeting. Avoid distractions during meetings, such as- looking here and there, talking on phone, fiddling, etc. Decision-making should be unambiguous. Dont waste time waiting for latecomers. Start discussion on time. A successful and effective business meeting is one which is well planned. It should be planned well in advance that who all would be the participants in meeting, the time, venue, and agenda of meeting. The agenda of the meeting should be clear to all. Do not try to make a fish market in meeting. Respect everyones views. Respect the leader. Try and co-operate. It has to be ensured that the decisions that are reached through a meeting should be implemented. Also, all participants must get minutes at the end of meeting. Corporate Meetings tell where the company is and where is it heading. They are communication drivers behind organizations success. Successful Corporate Meetings are productive, creative, well- focused, timely and well-led.

How to Conduct a Meeting?

Communicating in a meeting is an essential part of effective communication. Some meetings are not conducted in an efficient manner due to which they fail in accomplishing the sole objective of the meeting. It may be because:

They do not involve participation of all, or They may be too long, or They may be unsystematic, or They may lack a clear agenda, or They may not begin on the planned time, or

They may end without any conclusion.

As a result, such meetings lead to agitation and sheer wastage of time. In order to ensure effectiveness of a meeting, it must be planned, systematic and rational. The process of running an effective meeting includes the following steps: Plan the meeting: Plan the meeting in advance. With the plan clear in mind, the objective of the meeting can be well accomplished. Planning includes-

Outline the objective of the meeting. Decide the attendees/participants of the meeting. Plan an agenda for the meeting, i.e., the topics to be discussed, the sequence in which they will be discussed, in how much detail they will be discussed, the time given to each agenda topic, etc.

Plan the starting time of the meeting, plan for the breaks, and also plan the approximate time by which the meeting should end.

Announce/declare the meeting: After planning the meeting and before actually beginning the meeting, the participants should be delivered a message/memorandum to make them aware and ready for the topics to be discussed in the meeting. Give each participant responsibility for the agenda item. Issue the agenda.

Conduct the meeting: Be punctual. Try and arrive before time for the meeting. The meeting should begin on time. State the objective of the meeting in the very beginning so that all are clear with the purpose of the meeting. Give a brief introduction of the members/participants so that all are familiar. Circulate notes and handouts. Involve all attendees during the discussion. Encourage new ideas from the participants. Respect their ideas. Ask for a feedback. Make sure that there are no distractions during the meeting (such as ringing cell phones, or participants fiddling with pen, or gossiping, etc.). Give a quick review of the issues discussed in the meeting. Make sure that all the issues are discussed within the time frame. If time does not permit discussion of all issues, ask the participants if they are

comfortable in discussing those issues in next meeting. Fix and decide upon the time for the next meeting. Evaluate the meeting: Assess the meeting after it is conducted. Distribute an evaluation form to all participants which provides you a feedback on the effectiveness of the meeting. To get credible and honest feedback, do not give a space for name of the attendee on the form. Ask questions such as whether the objectives of the meetings were well met, did it involve participation of all, which part of the meeting did the attendee found most constructive and which part of meeting was not significant.