Communication

Anil Verma
 Communication
The Word ‘Communicate’ comes from Latin word
‘Communicare’
• To impart
• To participate
• To share
• To make common
Social Aspect of Communication
• Share our thoughts, feelings, emotions, reactions etc.
Ingradients of Communication
• Process
• Meaning
• Exchange
• People
• Common set of symbols
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 Communication in Business
The business world today has become global, which make
communication even more complex. Communicating across
borders/cultures require developing good communication skills.
Dimensions of Communication
1. Communication can be Intentional or Unintentional
2. Communication can be Verbal or Nonverbal
3. Communication can be Internal or External
4. Communication can involve Humans, Machines or Animals
5. Comm. can take place between two people or within Group
According to 100 randomly selected Fortune 500 executives,
the skills that require attention are, oral presentations, memo
writing, basic grammar, informational report writing, and
analytical report writing. Developing communication skills
amounts to developing visual skills, written skills, spoken skills,
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and reading skills.
 Objectives of Business Comm.
• Information - to transfer knowledge to another person or group
• Motivation - to increase motivation among workers
• Raising Morale - to raise morale through steady stream of
communication between workers, supervisors and top execs.
• PURPOSE
 Internal Communication
1. Establishing and dissemination of the goals of an enterprise
2. Developing plans for their achievement
3. Organising human and other resources in the most effective and efficient way
4. Selecting, developing and appraising members of the organisation
5. Leading, directing, motivating and creating a climate in which people want to
contribute their best, and
6. Controlling performance
 External Communication
Outside environment – It is through information exchange that managers become
aware of the needs of customers, the availability of suppliers, the claims of stock-
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holders, the regulation of governments, and the concerns of a community.
Communication Network of the Orgn
Two types of Comm. Network in an organisation:
• The Formal Network -
o Downward Communication - from higher to lower level
o Upward Communication - from subordinates to superiors
o Crosswise Communication - horizontal & diagonal flow of info.
• The Informal Network - e.g. grapevine
Technology & Business Communication
 Telephones & Voice Mails
 Computer Network
 Electronic Mail
 Electronic Bulletin Board
 Teleconferencing & Videoconferencing
 Telecommuting & Home Offices 5
Communication Process-Elements
• Message – Information, written or spoken, which is to be sent from one
person to another
• Sender – The person who transmits, spreads, or communicates a
message or operates an electronic device is the one who conceives
and initiates the message
• Encoding – It is the process of changing the message (from its mental
form) into symbols, that is, patterns of words, gestures, or pictorial
forms or signs
• Channel – This is the vehicle or medium that facilitates the sending of
the message to the receiver. It can be written, oral, audio-visual, or live
• Receiver – A receiver is the targeted audience of the message.
• Decoding – This is the act of translating symbols (words) into their
ordinary meanings
• Acting on the message – Communication manipulates the receiver to
act in a desired manner
• Feedback – This is the loop that connects the receiver with the sender,
who, in turn, acts as a feedback receiver and, thus, learns that
communication has been accomplished 6
• Communication Environment – Noise, Filters (attitudes, beliefs) etc.
 Communication Process
The process of Communication can be divided into five phases:
1. The sender has an idea - the idea (invisible in mind) has to
be expressed in some form or the other in order to
communicate it to others
2. The idea becomes a message - encoding the idea into
words
3. The message is transmitted - physical transformation of
the message from the sender to the receiver (through a
medium / channel)
4. The receiver gets the message - decoding the message
and “understanding” the message
5. The receiver responds & sends a feedback to the sender
- the receiver sends response back to the sender which
enables the sender to determine whether the message has
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been received and produced the intended response
 Process of Communication

FEEDBACK

Transmission Receiving Decoding

Idea Encoding
of Message Understanding Action

SENDER MEDIUM RECEIVER

NOISE
Myths & Realities of Communication
Sl. No. Myths Realities

1. Communicate consciously / Communicate unconsciously all the

deliberately time

2. Communicate primarily through Communicate through verbal and

words non-verbal signs

3. Words means the same to everyone Meaning of words lies more in

perception of reality

4. Communication is a one-way Communication is a two-way

process process

5. Message sent and message Transmission and reception of

received are identical message can never be identical

6. Responsibility for effective Responsibility for effective

communication rests with both the communication rests with the
sender and the receiver sender alone
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 Communication - Checklist
Sl. Dos Don’ts
No.
1. Comprehend and apply the principles Communicate on important issues
of communication without first understanding the
principles of communication
2. Minimise noise Communicate with noise
3. Follow IMPRESS (I-Idea, M-Message, Try to be impulsive while
P-Pause, R-Receiver, E-Empathy, S- communicating
Sender, S-Security check)
4. Dispel myths of communication Communicate with misconceptions
about the communication process
5. Formulate the message appropriately Deliver an unstructured message
6. Exercise caution and care while Rush through the process of
communicating communication
7. Check, recheck when in doubt Continue when in doubt
8. Avoid misunderstanding Go by impressions
9. Analyse the audience Be very confident about the audience
10. Keep in mind the receiver’s mental Communicate without first 10
frame understanding the receiver
 Flow / Paths of Communication
Four different types of communication paths in an organisation:

 Downward Communication - from higher to lower level

(communication invariably flows downwards)

 Upward Communication - from subordinates to superiors

(to supply information to the upper levels about what is
happening at the lower levels)

 Horizontal or Lateral Communication – at the same level

(communication between two or more persons who are
subordinates working under the same person, or those who
are working on the same level in different departments)

 Diagonal or Crosswire Communication – among persons at

different levels who have no direct reporting relationships11
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Characteristics of successful Comm
(7 C’s of Communication – by Francis J. Bergin)
• Candidness – In all business transactions, one’s view of a
matter should be honest and sincere and should reject
prejudice or bias.
• Clarity – The principle of clarity is most important in all
communications. Clarity requires the use of accurate and
familiar words with proper intonation, stresses, and pauses.
Thoughts should be clear and well organised.
• Completeness – Clarity is ensured also by completeness of
message. The principle of completeness requires that speakers
communicate whatever is necessary, provide answers to all
possible questions that could be raised, and add additional
information, if necessary, as footnotes.
• Conciseness – In business and professional communication,
brevity is important. One should avoid being repetitive. 13

e.g. Not very far from here--- or nearby

 7 C’s of Communication (contd.)
• Concreteness – It means being specific and definite in
describing events and things. Avoid using vague words that
don’t mean much. In oral communication, one cannot draw
figures, tables, or diagrams to illustrate one’s point. But one can
choose precise words and speak with proper modulation and
force to make sounds reflect the meaning.
• Correctness – In the spoken form of communication,
grammatical errors are not uncommon. The speaker can forget
the number and person of the subject of the verb if the
sentence is too long. Sometimes even the sequence of tenses
is incorrect. e.g. Kindly explain to me this poem of Keats.
Kindly explain this poem of Keats to me (correct statement).
• Courtesy – In conversational situations, meetings, and group
discussions, an effective speaker maintains the proper decorum
of speaking. One should say things assertively, but without
being rude. Courtesy demands not using words that are 14
insulting or hurtful to the listener.
SWOT ANALYSIS

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