Business

Communication: Concepts & Theories

Business Communication 7 Cs of Communication - Modes of Communication Process of Communication - Levels of Communication - Flow of Communication Barriers to Communication

What is Communication?
A process of expressing ideas and feelings or of giving people information. Plays a central role in our lives Is essential for the existence of our society Plays a prominent role in the functioning of different professional organisations

communication

communicare

share
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Communication Competence
Is the ability to express views in an effective manner, enabling one to achieve goals and enhance relationships Is situational It is not an inherent personal quality A person can be proficient in some aspects of communication and less proficient in others However, this quality can be developed Merely processing a large array of communication skills is not a guarantee of communication competence To develop such competence, one must acquire the ability to choose the most appropriate behavior in given situation
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1. Idea/ message

8. feedback

2. sender

7. Decoding

3. encoding

6. Receiver

4. Medium/ channel
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5. Noise

The Source Planning Your Message

Before you start communicating, take a moment to figure out what you want to say, and why. Don't waste your time conveying information that isn't necessary and don't waste the listener or reader's time either. Too often, people just keep talking or keep writing because they think that by saying more, they'll surely cover all the points. Often, however, all they do is confuse the people they're talking to.

 To plan your communication: Understand your objective. Why are you communicating? Understand your audience. With whom are you communicating? What do they need to know? Plan what you want to say, and how you'll send the message. Seek feedback on how well your message was received. When you do this, you'll be able to craft a message that will be received positively by your audience. Good communicators use the KISS ("Keep It Simple and Straightforward") principle. They know that less is often more, and that good communication should be efficient as well as effective.

Encoding Creating a Clear, Well-Crafted Message

When you know what you want to say, decide exactly how you'll say it. You're responsible for sending a message that's clear and concise. To achieve this, you need to consider not only what you'll say, but also how you think the recipient will perceive it. We often focus on the message that we want to send, and the way in which we'll send it. But if our message is delivered without considering the other person's perspective, it's likely that part of that message will be lost. To communicate more effectively:
Understand what you truly need and want to say. Anticipate the other person's reaction to your message. Choose words and body language that allow the other person to really hear what you're saying.

 With written communication, make sure that what you write will be perceived the way you intend. Words on a page generally have no emotion they don't "smile" or "frown" at you while you're reading them (unless you're a very talented writer, of course!) When writing, take time to do the following: Review your style. Avoid jargons or slangs. Check your grammar and punctuation.
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 Check also for tone, attitude, and other subtleties. If you think the message may be misunderstood, it probably will. Take the time to clarify it! Familiarize yourself with your company's writing policies. Another important consideration is to use pictures, charts, and diagrams wherever possible. As the saying goes, "a picture speaks a thousand words." Also, whether you speak or write your message, consider the cultural context. If there's potential for miscommunication or misunderstanding due to cultural or language barriers, address these issues in advance. Consult with people who are familiar with these, and do your research so that you're aware of problems you may face.

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Choosing the Right Medium/Channel

Along with encoding the message, you need to choose the best communication channel to use to send it. You want to be efficient, and yet make the most of your communication opportunity. Using email to send simple directions is practical. However, if you want to delegate a complex task, an email will probably just lead to more questions, so it may be best to arrange a time to speak in person. And if your communication has any negative emotional content, stay well away from email!
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 Make sure that you communicate face to face or by phone, so that you can judge the impact of your words and adjust these appropriately. When you determine the best way to send a message, consider the following:

The sensitivity and emotional content of the subject. How easy it is to communicate detail. The receiver's preferences. Time constraints. The need to ask and answer questions.

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 Medium : oral / written Channel: phone / email / memos / etc. Feedback: the sender becomes the receiver

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Decoding Receiving and Interpreting a Message

It can be easy to focus on speaking; we want to get our points out there, because we usually have lots to say. However, to be a great communicator, you also need to step back, let the other person talk, and just listen . Receiver should be careful to decode the message properly and correctly.

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 You need feedback, because without it, you can't be sure that people have understood your message. Sometimes feedback is verbal, and sometimes it's not. Feedback through body language is perhaps the most important source of clues to the effectiveness of your communication. By watching the facial expressions, gestures, and posture of the person you're communicating with, you can spot:
Confidence levels. Defensiveness. Agreement. Comprehension (or lack of understanding). Level of interest. Level of engagement with the message. Truthfulness (or lying/dishonesty).

Feedback/Response

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 As a speaker, understanding your listener's body language can give you an opportunity to adjust your message and make it more understandable, appealing, or interesting. As a listener, body language can show you more about what the other person is saying. You can then ask questions to ensure that you have, indeed, understood each other. In both situations, you can better avoid miscommunication if it happens. Feedback can also be formal. If you're communicating something really important, it can often be worth asking questions of the person you're talking to make sure that they've understood fully. And if you're receiving this sort of communication, repeat it in your own words to check your understanding.

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1. Clear
When writing or speaking to someone, be clear about your goal or message. What is your purpose in communicating with this person? If you're not sure, then your audience won't be sure either. To be clear, try to minimize the number of ideas in each sentence. Make sure that it's easy for your reader to understand your meaning. People shouldn't have to "read between the lines" and make assumptions on their own to understand what you're trying to say.
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2. Concise
When you're concise in your communication, you stick to the point and keep it brief. Your audience doesn't want to read six sentences when you could communicate your message in three. Are there any adjectives or "filler words" that you can delete? You can often eliminate words like "for instance," "you see," "definitely," "kind of," "literally," "basically," or "I mean." Are there any unnecessary sentences? Have you repeated the point several times, in different ways?
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3. Concrete
When your message is concrete, then your audience has a clear picture of what you're telling them. There are details (but not too many!) and vivid facts, and there's laserlike focus. Your message is solid

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4. Correct
When your communication is correct, it fits your audience. And correct communication is also error-free communication. Do the technical terms you use fit your audience's level of education or knowledge? Have you checked your writing for grammatical errors? Remember, spell checkers won't catch everything. Are all names and titles spelled correctly?
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5. Coherent
When your communication is coherent, it's logical. All points are connected and relevant to the main topic the tone and flow of the text is consistent

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6. Complete
In a complete message, the audience has everything they need to be informed and, if applicable, take action. Does your message include a "call to action", so that your audience clearly knows what you want them to do? Have you included all relevant information contact names, dates, times, locations, and so on?
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7. Courteous
Courteous communication is friendly, open, and honest. There are no hidden insults or passive-aggressive tones. You keep your reader's viewpoint in mind, and you're empathetic to their needs.

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Modes of Communication

Modes of Communication

Formal & Informal

Oral & Written

Internal & External

Verbal & NonVerbal

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Formal & Informal Communication

The formality or informality of communication depends on ones relationship with the sender or receiver. When working directly for the goal of the organisation, formal communication is used. Both are equally important The mode used is decided by the relationship, purpose, and occasion Informal communication may also be known as grapevine.
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Oral & Written

Two equally important categories: written & oral Written mode has several advantages over the oral mode But it has its disadvantages too!!
S. No. 1. 2. Written Delayed feedback Formal Oral Immediate feedback Conversational

3. 4. 5.
6.

Focus on content Complex constructions Delayed action

Permanent record; documentation

Focus on interpersonal relations Simpler constructions Prompt action

No records can be kept 29

Forms of Oral & Written Communication

Oral Communication

Face - to - face conversations Telephone conversations Meetings Seminars Conferences Presentations Group Discussions Interviews

Written Communication

Memos Letters Emails Faxes Notices Circulars Reports Proposals Research Papers Bulletins Manuals

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Internal
Within the organisation

External
Outside the organisation

Usually planned, Preset Formats

To expand the boundaries of business

Used to inform the members

Coordinates with external agencies

Dissemination of information to various depts. & employees

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Verbal & Non-verbal Communication

Verbal Communication Verbal communication includes both written and oral. It is related to the use of words in communication. Anything that we speak or write comes under the category of verbal communication.

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Non-verbal Communication
Refers to all communication that occurs without the use of words: spoken or written. It includes all unwritten and unspoken messages; both intentional and unintentional. Non-verbal cues, however, speak louder than words Speech can be made up, bodily expressions can rarely be masked well Interpretation of non-verbal cues is a very subjective concept.

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Chronemics

Proxemics

Kinesics
Non-verbal Communication

Paralinguistic Features

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Kinesics
The study of the bodys physical movements Kinesic behaviour can be deliberate as well as unintentional It includes: 1. Personal appearance 2. Posture 3. Gesture 4. Facial Expressions 5. Eye Contact

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Chronemics

Is the study of human beings communicate through their use of time Time is a valuable resource; in the professional world Misuse of time can make people react negatively By valuing someone elses time we communicate professionalism or seriousness subtly and explicitly

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Proxemics
Is the study physical space in interpersonal relations Space is related to behavioural norms The way people use space say a lot about them In a professional setting, space is also used to signal power and status Four kinds of zones:
Intimate 18 inches Starts with personal touch Special circumstances Personal 1.5 feet 4 feet colleagues Social 4 12 feet Formal relationship Public 12 25 feet or more Formal events 37 Spontaneous & unplanned comm. Planned comm. Detached listener-speaker

Paralinguistic Features
Study of human voice and how words are spoken It determines non-verbal vocal cues that help us give urgency to our voice
Quality Volume Rate / Pace Pitch Articulation Pronunciation
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Quality Volume Rate / Pace

Pitch Articulation Pronunciation

Is innate but can be improved by practice Soft, thin, nasal, hoarse, husky, harsh, irritating etc.

Is different from projection Should be in accordance with the listeners

No. of words per minute Normal rate is 120-150 words/minute No. of vibrations of our voice / second Rise & fall conveys certain emotions

speaker should be careful not to slop, slurp, chop, or omit sounds between words or sentences 39

Follow standard pronunciation Consult dictionary, correct stress

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Extrapersonal Communication
Communication between human beings and non-human entities is extra personal communication. For example, when your pet dog comes to you wagging its tail as soon as you return home from work, it is an example of extrapersonal communication. A parrot responding to your greeting is an example of extrapersonal communication. This type of communication requires perfect coordination and understanding.
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Intrapersonal Communication
Intrapersonal Communication is defined as the communication process within an individual. The communication occurs within one's mind or when an individual talks to him or herself when nobody is around. Intrapersonal communication can aid in helping an individual become more social, like a pat on the back and saying that 'you can do it'.
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Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal communication is exchange of information between two or more people. Related skills are learned and can be improved. During interpersonal communication there is message sending and message receiving. This can be conducted using both direct and indirect methods. Successful interpersonal communication is when the message senders and the message receivers understand the message.

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 It helps us in understanding that how and why people behave to each other in different ways so constructs and negotiate a social reality. Interpersonal communication comes from the different kind of backgrounds. The people talk in different ways because of their culture, their gender and how they learned to perceive the world. Through engaging with each other, interpersonal communication skills help to get knowledge about other individual. Every culture is different in number of ways as well as in verbal or non-verbal languages and consequently cultural diversity can strain the organizational communication.

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Organisational Communication
Takes place within the organisation Takes place at different hierarchical levels Inter-operational, External-operational, Personal Is of three kinds:
Inter-operational all communication that occurs in the process of operations within an organization External-operational work related communication that an organisation has with outside the organisation Personal all communication other than that for business purposes

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Mass Communication
Mass communication technically refers to the process of transferring or transmitting a message to a large group of people. typically, this requires the use of some form of media such as newspapers, television, or the Internet. The audience is anonymous. Approach is impersonal.

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Extrapersonal Intrapersonal Interpersonal Organisational Mass

Between human beings & non-human entities

Takes place within an individual Without this one cannot move to further levels

Sharing of information among people Roles of sender and receive keep alternating

Takes place at different hierarchical levels Inter-operational, external-operational, personal

Meant for larger audiences; requires a medium to transmit 47 Audience is heterogeneous and anonymous; approach is impersonal

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