Basic Elements in Communication

BASIC ELEMENTS IN COMMUNICATION

ROLE OF COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS

Pervasive nature of communication

• Regardless of where communication occurs or who is involved, the medium of exchange is always information

COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS

• Growth of business organizations

• Increased specialization of tasks

• Lack of skill among senders and receivers

• Increased monitoring of business by government

• Relationship between communication and other vital signs of an organization

NEED FOR COMMUNICATION

• Organizations devote much effort to improving communication

• Without good communication ,specialization will be ineffective

• Improved communication usually leads to better morale

• There is a close relationship between communication and such factors as job satisfaction and relationship with co-workers

DEFINITIONS

OF COMMUNICATION• Communication is a process of passing information and understanding from one person to another-Keith Davis

• Communication is any behaviour that results in an exchange of meaning- The American Mgt Association

• Communication is the process by which information is passed between individuals and/or organisations by means of previously agreed symbols –Peter Little

COMMUNICATING AT WORK

• Succeeding in today’s world of work demands that you read, listen,speak,and write effectively.

• E-mail, voice mail, fax, video conferencing, and the Web are revolutionizing the way we exchange information.

• Communicating with workers who differ in race, gender, and age requires new attitudes and skills.

ATTRIBUTES OF COMMUNICATION

• Communication is unintentional as well as intentional.

• Communication is a dynamic process.

• Communication is systemic

• Communication is both interaction and transaction.

NATURE OF COMMUNICATION

MYTHS AND REALITIES

MYTH AND REALITY I

• We only communicate when we intend to

• We frequently communicate messages we are not aware of communicating

MYTH AND REALITY II

• We communicate as if words had specific meanings

• Words do not have meanings; rather, meanings are within people based on their past experiences

MYTH AND REALITY III

• We communicate primarily with words

• The majority of the messages we communicate are based on the nonverbal aspects of communication

MYTHS AND REALITY IV

• We communicate as if communication were a one-way activity

• Communication is a two-way activity in which feedback from the other party is crucial

MYTHS AND REALITY V

• The message we communicate is identical to the message received

• The message finally received by the listener is never identical to the message sent

MYTHS AND REALITY VI

• You can never give someone too much information

• People can be given too much information.

• An information overload can be as much problem as not having enough information

Communication Components-Diagram

Five steps to communication process

• idea formation

• message encoding

• message transmission

• message decoding

• feedback

Communication Components

• Source/Sender

• Message/ Content

• Channel/Medium

• Feedback

• Environment

• Perception

Source/Sender

• Initiate the process of communication

• See mentally the communication from the receiver’s viewpoint

• Search for and use symbols and skills that will bring about understanding.

• Select the right medium.

• Secure feedback from the receiver

Message/ Content

• Information to be transmitted

• Includes both verbal and non-verbal symbols

• Putting the idea into symbols-encoding

Channel/Medium

• Is immediate feedback needed?

• Is there a question of acceptance?

• Is there a need for a documented record?

• Is there a need for detailed accuracy?

Feedback

• Reaction of the receiver

• Agreement or disagreement

• Written or Oral

• Provides guidance for the next message

Characteristics of a good Feedback

• It is specific rather than general• It is descriptive rather than evaluative• It takes into account the needs of both the receiver

and the giver of feedback• It is directed towards the behaviour of the receiver• It is well timed• It is two-way• It is tailored to the individual

Environment

• Place

• Circumstances

• Relationship

• Political,cultural,legal, technological factors

• Time

• Context

Perception

• Interpret messages according to our past experiences

• Fill in missing information

• Interpret messages as per our own attitudes and beliefs

A COMMA MAKES A DIFFERENCE

A woman without her man is nothing.

A woman, without her, man is nothing.

A woman without her man, is nothing.

try

• Man proposes ___________

• To err is human,to forgive__________

• A bird in hand,___________________

Deny

• Man proposes, woman refuses

• To err is human, to forgive foolishness

• A bird in hand and two in a cage

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

Barriers to Communciation

• Physical barriers

• Semantic barriers

• Socio-psychological barriers

• Organizational barriers

• Cross-cultural barriers

PHYSICAL BARRIERS

• Defects in the medium

• Noise in the environment

• Information overload

SEMANTIC/LANGUAGE BARRIERS

• Multiple meanings of words

• Pronunciation

• Ambiguity

• Emotional and cultural attitudes

• Technical terms

SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIERS

• Self-centered attitudes• Group identification• Self-image• Selective perception• Defensiveness• Filtering• Status block• Resistance to change• Closed mind• Poor communication skills• State of health

ORGANIZATIONAL BARRIERS

• Loss of information• Delay and distortion• Misinterpretation, lack of understanding and

neglect of messages• Too much dependence on written communication• Deliberate withholding of information from

superiors and peers

CROSS-CULTURAL BARRIERS

• National character/ basic personality• Language• Values and norms of behaviour• Social relationships• Concepts of time• Concepts of space• Thinking processes• Non-verbal communication• Perception

OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

ORGANIZATIONAL EFFORTS

• MEDIA

• CHANNELS

• COMMUNICATION POLICY

• ATTENDING TO MEMBER’S NEEDS

MEDIA

• Notice boards,Bulletin boards at visible locations and updated

• Intercom connections• Intranet connections/LAN• Well-trained and disciplined peons• Constant meetings of task

teams,departments and staff for rendering information and motivational messages

CHANNELS

• Who receives?, what information? , through whom?-proper channel and authority.

• Avoid long channels

• Cluster than hierarchy-avoids loss of information, seek clarification

• Suggestion schemes-overcome status block

COMMUNICATION POLICY

• What information?

• When?

• By what method?

• A well implemented policy creates a healthy, open climate and avoids grapevine rumours

ATTENDING TO MEMBER’S NEEDS

• Competence, motivation, and state of health

• Training programs

• Vacation

• Medical Aid, Gymnasium and Recreational facilities

INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS

• IMPROVING LISTENING SKILLS

• FEEDBACK SKILLS

• IMPROVING CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Listening is giving your full attention to the person talking, and accepting what

that person says. Listening is not:

1. ordering or directing 2. warning or threatening 3. moralizing or preaching 4. advising, giving solutions or suggestions 5. lecturing,teaching or giving logical arguments 6. judging, criticizing, disagreeing or blaming 7. praising or agreeing 8. name-calling, ridiculing, shaming 9. interpreting, analyzing or diagnosing 10.reassuring, sympathizing, consoling or supporting 11.probing, questioning or interrogating 12.withdrawing, distracting, humoring or diverting the speaker

IMPROVING LISTENING SKILLS

• . By using non-judgmental invitations to talk, you open the doors to meaningful conversation :

• Let's discuss it. • Would you like to talk about it? • Tell me about it. • I'd like to hear about it. • Tell me the whole story. • It sounds like you've got something to say about this. • This seems important to you. • I'm interested in your point of view.

Talking

• Be honest about your own thoughts, concerns and feelings. When in doubt, ask questions:

• When you are responding to a person facing a crisis, rather than use statements such as "You should" or "That's wrong", say:

I feel... I believe... I would want...

IMPROVING CROSS CULTURAL

COMMUNICATION

• Globalization

• Diplomatic missions

• Cultural studies

• The following list outlines points to consider in relation to overcoming communication barriers.

         feedback - enables communication to become a two way process with both the sender and the receiver trying to achieve mutual understanding

         consider the words used - long complicated sentences and unfamiliar words confuse people. Communication should be clear, complete, concise, concrete, correct and courteous.       

• use repetition - repeating messages several time using different examples can help others to understand the messages being sent

         use empathy - seeing a situation from another person's viewpoint and trying to understand others opinions concerns and attitudes makes better communicators

         timing - poor timing can result in messages not being received effectively        

• being positive rather than negative helps make communication more effective - what is wanted not what isn't wanted

         select the best location - talk somewhere that will encourage open communication not a noisy shop floor or a busy office

         listening reduces miscommunication          check written communication for spelling

errors and ensure the sentences are clear, concise and  not ambiguous.

THANK YOU