Introduction to Communication

Communication Process

Communication Context

Genres of Communication

Communication Barrier

Good Communication

COMMUNICATION

Communication is the transmission of information from the sender to the receiver, it

is necessary to understand the relationship between the two when communication
takes place. The word ‘process’ indicates that it is an activity that is connected with a
series of steps that are deliberately undertaken to reach a goal.

The Communication Process

Sender has an idea

Sender encodes the idea
Sender transmits the message
Receiver gets the message
Receiver decodes the message
Receiver sends feedback
The Communication Process Model

Basic Communication Principles

Purposes for Business Communication

Provide factual information
Inform readers about or provide information
Clarify and condense information
State precise responsibilities
Persuade and make recommendations

Usage of Communication Skills

Listening 45%
Reading 16%
Speaking 30%
Writing 9%
Communication Context
Purpose

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Audience
Medium
Genre/Conventions
Technologies
Modes of Communication
Nonverbal
Less structured, harder to classify
More spontaneous, less control
Verbal
More structured, easier to study
Conscious purpose, more control
Genres of Communication

Written Communication

Oral Communication

Mixed Communication
Written Communication

Letters
Memos
Email
Reports/White Papers
Web sites
Promotional Materials
Other written documents

Oral Communication

Meetings
Conference calls
Phone calls
Presentations
Video or audio recordings
Other forms of oral communication
Mixed Communication

Web sites
PowerPoint presentations (spoken and written communication)
Performance reviews
Internal Communication
Official structure
Formal chain of command
Up, down, across formal power lines
The grapevine
Informal networking
Unofficial lines of power
Communication

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Communication occurs in three directions in organizations

Upward communications

Downward communications

Lateral communications
External Communication
Formal contacts
Marketing
Public relations
Informal contacts
Employees
Managers

The important Aspects of Effective Communication each one of us must possess

Subject Competence

Linguistic Competence

Organizational Competence

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

The different types of Communication are:

Personal or intrapersonal communication

Interpersonal communication
Organizational communication
Mass communication
Social communication
Transformational communication
Corporate communication
Group communication

PERSONAL OR INTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

The individual communicates in his mind through the process of thinking and feeling.
By doing so, he is able to process the information and seek time to strike
understanding with others. Intrapersonal communication enables an individual to
shape self-concept and develop conviction of opinion. It also gives the opportunity to
think of new ideas and be creative about new decisions, approaches and solutions to
organizational problems.

3
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION (DYADIC)

It involves interaction between two persons, or a small group, on a one-to-one basis.

The advantage of interacting with fewer people makes it possible for people to open
up and discuss matters to one another’s convenience. The possibility of exchange of
views and opinions on the spot makes this type of communication very valuable to an
organization.

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

It is at the very root of a successfully governed, well-understood and networked

organization. Communication takes place constantly in an organization. It is
inseparable from any function in an organization. From the board room decision to
team briefings to departmental meetings, communication takes place because
information has to be passed on, discussions have to take place and work has to go on.

MASS COMMUNICATION

It is for disseminating news about the organization to the stakeholders and to the
public.Through staff newsletter, press release, annual reports, interviews to the media,
the organization passes on information about changes in policies, new projects,
mergers and acquisitions, and any other information that should interest the mass
about the organization.

SOCIAL COMMUNICATION

It occurs when people interact with one another in groups outside the organization,
converse and share ideas in social gatherings and generally exchange pleasantries
without talking shop.Social communication demands that people know the social
skills of greeting one another, making oneself known to the host/hostess/the
organizers, mingle with crowd without too rigid and socially gawky.

TRANSFORMATIONAL COMMUNICATION

It goes beyond interpersonal communication. It originates from the main source that is
the sender. Also known as supportive communication, counselors, teachers, human
resource managers practice transformational communication by listening to the
grievances of the employees and seek solutions to the problems.

4
CORPORATE COMMUNICATION

Corporate communication is the way in which a company builds and keeps contact
with employees, dealers, business houses and all stakeholders. All specialists from
various departments- advertising, public relations, sales and marketing, finance,
production, planning, etc- have to play a key role to achieve the organization's
planned objectives.

GROUP COMMUNICATION

It occurs when meetings are held to have face-to-face discussions on issues that affect
the working lives of employees. The group works towards common goals and follows
the norms that govern the functioning of the group.

Verbal and non-verbal communication skill sets are vital to a purposeful interaction of
the group members. A successful group meeting allows each member to interact in a
climate of open exchange of thoughts without anyone disrupting the discussion or
suggestions made.

How Does Body Speak?

Like any spoken language, body language has words, sentences and punctuation.
Each gesture is like a single word and one word may have several different meanings.

Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication is the unspoken communication that goes on in every face-
to-face encounter with another human being. It tells you their true feelings towards
you and how well your words are being received. 90% of our message is
communicated nonverbally, and only 10% is actual words.

NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION

It can be defined as communication that involves neither written nor spoken words
but takes place without the use of words.
It includes the following:
Facial expressions – a smile, a frown
Gestures – movement of hands and body to help to explain or emphasize our verbal
message

Body posture – how we stand or sit

Orientation – whether we face the other person or turn away

Eye contact – whether we look at the other person and for how long

Body contact – arm around shoulder, handshake

Proximity – the distance we stand or sit from a person.

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Head nods – for encouragement, indication of agreement or disagreement

Non-verbal aspects of speech – tone and pitch of the voice

Appearance – dress and grooming

WHY NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION REQUIRES SERIOUS

CONSIDERATION?

On scientific analysis it has been found that the different aspects of communication
account for percentages stated below:

Verbal communication - 7%
Bodily movements, gestures - 55%
Voice tone, etc - 38%
More than 90% of communication is non-verbal and therefore it really matters.
Body & Facial

BODY LANGUAGE OR KINESICS

Since bodily movements, gestures, etc. are so important for communication, they are
being systematically studied as a sub-area of nonverbal communication, termed as
‘Kinesics’ that literally means ‘body movements’.

PERSONAL APPEARANCE
The first impact on the audience/listener is created by the personal appearance of the
speaker. A famous writer has said that a man is recognized by his “dress & address”.

FACIAL EXPRESSION

A popular saying goes like this- “The face is the index of the heart”. Whatever we feel
deep within ourselves is at once reflected in the face. For example, happiness,
surprise, fear, anger, sadness, astonishment, and contentment.

Facial Communication
Facial Management
Facial Feedback
Facial Expressions and Culture
Facial Management Techniques
Intensifying – to exaggerate a feeling
Deintensifying – to underplay a feeling
Neutralizing – to hide a feeling
Masking – to replace or substitute the expression of one emotion or another

EYE CONTACT
Eye contact is of paramount importance in all face-to-face communication.
When we look at somebody’s face we focus primarily on his eyes and try to
understand what he means.
For example, eyebrows and eyelids raised and combined with dilated pupils tell us
that the person is excited, surprised or frightened.

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Occulesics
Study of the way eyes are used during a communication exchange

3 Characteristics of Eye Messages:

Duration
Direction
Quality
Functions of Eye Contact
Monitor Feedback
Secure the Attention and Interest of Audience
Regulate or Control conversation
Signal Nature of Relationship
Compensate for Increased Physical Distance
Eye Avoidance
Civil Inattention

Signal lack of interest

Unpleasant Stimuli

Heighten Other Senses

GESTURES
Gestures are nothing but the physical movements of arms, legs, hands, torso and head
in a meaningful manner.
For example, pounding fist on a table shows ‘anger’, a fore finger held high above the
head shows ‘Number 1’, and a fore finger and a thumb touching to form a circle
stands for ‘OK’.

HEAD & BODY POSTURE

As the age old saying goes- “Hold your head high”. It is a sign of honour and self
respect, confidence, integrity and interest in the person/persons before us. A head bent
low depending upon the situation, would show modesty, politeness. A head drawn too
far backwards or stiffly held straight up indicates pride or haughtiness.

Body posture is an important part of body language and generally refers to the way
one sits, stands and walks. The movement of the body, the position of hands and legs
and other parts of the body reveal an individual’s personality- whether he is vibrant,
alive and dynamic, nervous and jittery, confident and self-assured, etc.

Posture

1) Slumped posture = low spirits

2) Erect posture = high spirits, energy and confidence

3) Lean forward = open and interested

4) Lean away = defensive or disinterested

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5) Crossed arms = defensive

6) Uncrossed arms = willingness to listen

7) Hands on hips=impatient

HAPTICS

The study of touch as a means of nonverbal communication

Most primitive form of communication
Functions of Touch:
Positive Emotions
Playfulness
Control
Ritualistic
Task Related
Touch Avoidance
Communication Apprehension

Self Disclosure

Gender Variation
Conclusions
Both eye contact and touching have a variety of functions and meanings
Both are subject to gender variability
Both are subject to cultural variability

PARALANGUAGE OR PARA LINGUISTICS

Introduction:
Closest to actual verbal communication, and almost always accompanying body
language is paralanguage. It is nonverbal because it does not comprise words. But
without it words do not convey their intended meaning. ‘Para’ means ‘like’. Hence
‘paralanguage’ literally means ‘like language’, and ‘paralinguistics’is the systematic
study of how a speaker verbalizes. While verbal communication consists of the ‘what’
or the content of words, paralanguage involves the ‘how’ of a speaker’s voice or the
way/ways in which the speaker speaks.

VOICE
The first signal we receive or use is voice. It tells us so much about the speaker’s sex
& background.There are all kinds of voices – clear, musical, cultivated,
pleasant/unpleasant and so on. The message, however, may not be effectively
conveyed if we do not take care of the following points in the use of our voice:

PITCH VARIATION
SPEAKING SPEED
PAUSE
VOLUME VARIATION

PROPER WORD STRESS

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Word stress is of crucial importance in communication or transmission of the intended
meaning. By putting stress or emphasis on a word here or a word there in the same
sentence or utterance we can change the whole meaning. For example,
He writes good business letters.
He writes good business letters.
He writes good business letters.
He writes good business letters.

PROXEMICS OR SPACE LANGUAGE

Introduction
Just as ‘Kinesics’ is the study of body language, ‘Proxemics’ is the study of how we
communicate with the space around us. We can say that spatial dimensions or
distance between us and other people tells us something important about our relations
and nature of our communication with them.Edward T. Hall has done very useful and
interesting work in this area. Placing ourselves in the centre we can present the space
around us in the form of the following concentric circles:

Distance wise it can be stated as follows:

Intimate – physical contact/touch to 18 inches.

Personal – 18 inches to 4 feet.

Social – 4 to 12 feet.

Public – 12 feet to as far as we can see and hear.

Intimate Space Language

Most of the body movements originate within the circle of about 18 inches around us.
That is why the most important and intimate body language is used within this circle.
Mostly, only our family members, closest friends and selected people enter this area.

Personal Space Language

While in intimate space, we mostly speak in whispers, monotones or at a low pitch, in

the personal space that extends from 18 inches to 4 feet we have normal conversation
with close friends, colleagues, associates and visitors.

Social Space Language

Extending from 4 to 12 feet is what has very aptly been called the social space. We
use this space mostly for formal purposes, and the relationships within this circle are
more official.

While feelings, emotions, shared likes and dislike may come up in intimate and
‘personal’ space, more reason and planning are used in the ‘social’ space.

Public Space Language

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We can very well imagine the nature of communication/speaking in the space
extending beyond 12 feet and extending as far as we can see or hear.

In this large area communication becomes even more formal. We have to raise our
voice so as to be heard by others whose group is almost always larger in this space.
That is why is has been called ‘ public’ space.

TIME LANGUAGE
Time language is another type of nonverbal communication. In it we communicate
with others in terms of time by showing them, in our own cultural way, what time
means to us. We do this mostly by symbolizing time, and sending out signals
regarding the importance of time, a particular point of time and so on.

In this connection it is important to note that ‘time management’ is now one of the
most important parts of overall management.

SURROUNDINGS
Our surroundings or physical environment speak their own nonverbal language. It is,
therefore, worthwhile to cover only two important aspects of our physical context –
colour and layout or design for the nonverbal communication.

Colours: Different colours are associated with different behaviour patterns, attitudes
and cultural backgrounds. Some colours are universally known to be associated with
cheerfulness or pleasant circumstances.

Pink, yellow, red, purple, blue, green are happy colours.

Black and grey, on the other hand, are associated with negative feelings or sombre
mood.

White is associated with chastity or peace.

All these shows that there exists what we may call a ‘colour language’.

Layout and Design

Like ‘colour language’, there is also a layout and design ‘language’ as a part of
nonverbal communication.The space arrangement of an office, carpeting or its
absence, the furniture and its design everything conveys a meaning.Everybody is
impressed by a ‘tastefully’ furnished office, the layout of a lobby/dining hall/
conference room/reception desk.

SIGN LANGUAGE – VISUAL AND AUDIO ELEMENTS

Visual Signs
Posters and pictures – big and small, real life drawings as well as cartoons/caricatures,
statues and effigies are freely used for general information. Everybody is familiar
with the picture of two bones under a skull as a danger signal, a cross over a cigarette
as a warning against smoking, etc. Maps and diagrams are an essential part of a book
of geography, science, economics and history in the same way no pamphlet of tourism

10
and hotel industry, motor company is complete without nice- looking colourful
photographs.

Audio/sound signals
There are various kinds of alarm signals, fire alarms, accident/casualty alarms, air raid
alarms, VIP motorcade alarms, etc. Whistling, buzzers, press button bell, electrically
operated bell and some of the examples of audio/sound signals.

Impediments to Communication are known as Barriers to Communication

Causes of Communication Difficulties:

Lack of information and knowledge

Not explaining priorities or goals properly

Not listening

Not understanding fully and fail to ask questions

Mind made up, preconceived ideas

Communication failures can cause…

Dissatisfaction with others

Lowered morale

Loss of team spirit

Conflict and arguments

Drop in self esteem and confidence

Loss of friendship

Classification of Barriers

Intrapersonal

Interpersonal

Organizational

Barriers to Communication

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Unfamiliar language – including dialects and accents
Improper timing – Is the boss distracted today?
Noise and distractions in the environment
Attitude of both the source and the receiver
Differences between people – gender, age, culture, education, intelligence, etc.
Relationship between the sender and the receiver – status, boss-employee, parent-
child, etc.
Barriers to Communications

Filtering – manipulation of information so that it will seem more favorably to the

receiver.

Selective Perception – receiver hears message based on his/her interests, needs,

motivations, experience, background and other personal characteristics.

Defensiveness – response when receiver interprets message as threatening

Language – Words mean different things to different people.

Overcoming Barriers
Adopt audience-centered approach
Foster open communication climate
Commit to ethical communication
Create lean, efficient messages
Communication Enhancers

Speaker
Voice inflections
Gestures
Body language

Listener
Active listening
Eye contact
Audience-Centered Approach
Understand biases
Consider education
Factor in age
Recognize status
Acknowledge style

The Ten Commandments of Good Communication

Seek to clarify your ideas before communicating

Examine the true purpose of each communication

Consider the total physical and human setting

Consult with others in planning communications

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Be mindful of the overtones as well as the basic content of your message

Take the opportunity to convey something of help or value to the receiver

Follow-up your communication

Communicate for tomorrow as well as today

Be sure your actions support your communications

Seek not only to be understood but to understand - be a good listener

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

The different types of Communication are:

Personal or intrapersonal communication

Interpersonal communication
Organizational communication
Mass communication
Social communication
Transformational communication
Corporate communication
Group communication

PERSONAL OR INTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

The individual communicates in his mind through the process of thinking and feeling.
By doing so, he is able to process the information and seek time to strike
understanding with others. Intrapersonal communication enables an individual to
shape self-concept and develop conviction of opinion. It also gives the opportunity to
think of new ideas and be creative about new decisions, approaches and solutions to
organizational problems.

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION (DYADIC)

It involves interaction between two persons, or a small group, on a one-to-one basis.

The advantage of interacting with fewer people makes it possible for people to open
up and discuss matters to one another’s convenience. The possibility of exchange of
views and opinions on the spot makes this type of communication very valuable to an
organization.

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

13
It is at the very root of a successfully governed, well-understood and networked
organization. Communication takes place constantly in an organization. It is
inseparable from any function in an organization. From the board room decision to
team briefings to departmental meetings, communication takes place because
information has to be passed on, discussions have to take place and work has to go on.

MASS COMMUNICATION

It is for disseminating news about the organization to the stakeholders and to the
public. Through staff newsletter, press release, annual reports, interviews to the
media, the organization passes on information about changes in policies, new projects,
mergers and acquisitions, and any other information that should interest the mass
about the organization.

SOCIAL COMMUNICATION

It occurs when people interact with one another in groups outside the organization,
converse and share ideas in social gatherings and generally exchange pleasantries
without talking shop.Social communication demands that people know the social
skills of greeting one another, making oneself known to the host/hostess/the
organizers, mingle with crowd without too rigid and socially gawky.

TRANSFORMATIONAL COMMUNICATION

It goes beyond interpersonal communication. It originates from the main source that is
the sender. Also known as supportive communication, counsellors, teachers, human
resource managers practice transformational communication by listening to the
grievances of the employees and seek solutions to the problems.

CORPORATE COMMUNICATION

Corporate communication is the way in which a company builds and keeps contact
with employees, dealers, business houses and all stakeholders. All specialists from
various departments- advertising, public relations, sales and marketing, finance,
production, planning, etc- have to play a key role to achieve the organization's
planned objectives.

GROUP COMMUNICATION

It occurs when meetings are held to have face-to-face discussions on issues that affect
the working lives of employees. The group works towards common goals and follows
the norms that govern the functioning of the group.

Verbal and non-verbal communication skill sets are vital to a purposeful interaction of
the group members. A successful group meeting allows each member to interact in a
climate of open exchange of thoughts without anyone disrupting the discussion or
suggestions made.

PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION

14
Since communication is the transmission of information from the sender to the
receiver, it is necessary to understand the relationship between the two when
communication takes place. The word ‘process’ indicates that it is an activity that is
connected with a series of steps that are deliberately undertaken to reach a goal.

A communication process comprises the following elements:

The sender
The sender has an idea
The sender encodes the idea into a message
The message travels through the channel
Noise in the transmission process
The receiver decodes the message
The receiver provides the feedback
The frame of reference of the sender and receiver
The context of the receiver

1. THE SENDER
The sender of a message can be any individual, from the watchman and peon in an
organization to managers, vice-presidents and company CEOs and managing
directors.

2. THE SENDER HAS AN IDEA

The process of communication begins when the sender is struck by an idea. An idea is
a stimulus that sets the sender thinking about it. The stimulus that interests and
possesses the sender’s attention becomes an idea. The sender may then wish to
share/convey/exchange the idea with another person.

3. THE SENDER ENCODES THE IDEA INTO A MESSAGE

Encoding is the process by which the sender converts the idea into a message by using
verbal or non-verbal mediums of communication. These can be words, signals,
gestures, symbols, or body movements. The conversion of the idea into a message
connects the sender to the receiver.

4. THE MESSAGE TRAVELS THROUGH THE CHANNEL

Channel is the vehicle that carries the message to the receiver. The various channels
include postman, computer, fax, letter, telephone, memorandum, report, picture, film,
radio, television, and book that are used to deliver messages.

5. NOISE IN THE CHANNEL/TRANSMISSION PROCESS

Anything that disrupts or interferes with the transmission process is called the ‘noise’
or the ‘barrier’ to communication. Channel noises can cause disturbances in the
telephone, computer, television, radio, fax machine, unclear pronunciation in oral
communication, poor facial expressions (face as the channel of communication), or
poor gestures (body as a channel of communication). Poor selection of the channel for
transmission of the message can also be a noise to the receiver.

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 6. THE RECEIVER OF THE MESSAGE
The receiver is any individual to whom the message has been transmitted. Like the
sender, the receiver also has a set of personal filters – attitudes, values, ideas,
opinions, beliefs, feelings and culture. The success and failure of communication also
depends on how the receiver receives the message. Perception plays a vital role in
influencing communication. Hence, it is aptly said that communication is message
perceived, and not message sent.

7. THE RECEIVER DECODES THE MESSAGE

Decoding is the process of translating words, signs, symbols into meanings. The
receiver has to move through the entire filtering process before successfully decoding
and accepting the message. Successful decoding is correct understanding of the intent
of the message as transmitted by the sender.

8. FEEDBACK SENT BY THE RECEIVER

Feedback is the receiver’s response to the sender’s message. The responses can be
both verbal and nonverbal. It is an important factor in the communication process
because it helps the sender to know whether the message has been understood or not.
Very often, senders deliberately seek feedback by asking such questions as, “does this
example seem relevant in this context? What do you think?” or “how about looking
at this problem in a slightly different way?” or “am I making myself clear?”

9. FRAME OF REFERENCE OF THE SENDER AND THE RECEIVER

Successful communication takes place when the sender’s frame of reference matches
the receiver’s and vice-versa. Frame of reference is a combination of ideas, beliefs,
opinions, attitudes, values, knowledge, culture, past experiences and many other
elements. It is the same thing as the filters that people wear. The biggest challenge
that the sender faces is in drawing the receiver into his or her frame of reference.

10. THE CONTEXT OF COMMUNICATION

Every communication takes place within a context. Context is formed by the

combination of circumstances that influence the piece of communication at a certain
point of time. The factors that influence a context are physical surrounding, emotions
and reactions of people to whom the communication is transmitted, their attitudes, and
opinions. Therefore, no two transmissions can be replica of each other because the
situations are different. Context influences both the encoding and decoding stages.

COMMUNICATION NETWORKS IN AN ORGANISATION

Communication networks refer to regular patterns of interaction among people and a

systematic flow of information. The two kinds of networks that exist are:

FORMAL NETWORK OF COMMUNICATION

INFORMAL NETWORK OF COMMUNICATION

FORMAL NETWORK

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The management lays down the formal communication networks. The network is
reflected in the organisational chart that shows the hierarchy of command. The formal
network is also labelled as the ‘chain – of – command’ model. All organisational
policies and decisions originate with the top hierarchy and they flow down through
the managers and supervisors to the lower-level employees.

Modern day managements, however, encourage a lot of open communication with

employees so that a free communication climate is generated for exchange of
information. Such working climate helps organisations to know their employees
better, and who in turn understand the organisational goals and objectives. The
organisation chart of a company will show that information mainly flows in three
directions:

1. DOWNWARD

2. UPWARD

3. HORIZONTAL

DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION

It occurs when superiors send down messages to their subordinates. Decision makers
like the CEO and the managers pass down information about job plans, relevant
instructions, policies and procedures so that the organizational culture and nature of
work are clearly understood by the employees. It is aimed at impressing the
organization's mission and vision upon the subordinates and how they can play a
dynamic role in fulfilling them. The biggest barrier to downward communication,
however, is the long line of communication from the top level to the lower levels. The
longer the line of downward communication, the greater is the chance for the
distortion of the message. Since, it is one-way communication, there is no opportunity
for immediate feedback. Most of the time, it is written in form.

Other barriers that plague downward communication are, superiors’ perception of the
subordinates and vice versa, element of mistrust (employees who mistrust a superior
may block the relay of downward messages), lack of contact with the superior,
superiors perceived as biased source of information than the organization's grapevine.

UPWARD COMMUNICATION

Messages that are sent by subordinates to superiors are labelled as upward

communication. When employees are expected to perform and show results, it is
natural that they might experience some difficulties in carrying out the specified tasks.
In upward communication, employees dicuss their problems with superiors and also
seek suggestions for improvement, sort out unsolved work problems, seek solutions to
recurring conflicts, discuss steps for quicker completion of projects and such other
related matters. The channels used for communication are face-to-face talks, memos,
reports, e-mails and phone messages. Today’s managements have begun to see the

17
positive results of open upward communication. The ‘open door’ policy is very
common with organizations these days.

HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION

Also known as lateral communication, messages, here, are passed on between

employees working at the same organizational levels. For example, communication is
transacted between the heads of the
accounts/production/maintenance/creative/marketing and communication divisions.

The advantages are many. Employees enjoy a congenial environment for discussing
their work where the conventional hierarchies do not exist. Task coordination,
brainstorming ideas for projects, sharing and managing information and knowledge, a
constant endeavour to build rapport are some of the benefits of lateral
communications connected.

INFORMAL COMMUNICATION

Because the formal communication networks have inherent problems of command

and control, the idea of informal communication network emerged with employees
playing the lead role. The informal communication network is also labelled as
‘grapevine’. Shared personal experiences, career interests, interpersonal attraction,
curiosity about people, things happening within the organisation, and social
interaction are reasons behind its existence. Grapevine is mainly the network of ‘who
talks to whom’ and interactions take place in the corridor, near the water cooler, in the
wash room, the lunch room, near the notice boards where people cluster around to
express their feelings without any inhibitions. It is generally believed that people who
are less serious minded and indulge in loose talks are the ones who keep the grapevine
alive and strong in an organization. This may not always a correct way of interpreting
the informal network of communication. ‘Grapevine’ exists because the formal
network does not always provide adequate information about organizational life. So
employees seek information from grapevine to satisfy their curiosity. Modern
managements have realized the power of the grapevine. They have moved away from
the rigid management structure in which only a few of them shared vital information.

With the flattened hierarchical organizational structure, now followed in many

organizations, increased team work and collaborative style of functioning have
brought employees in close proximity. Employees feel important because they get a
chance to keep themselves informed about various things happening and they need
not be dependent on the informal leaders, who sometimes can become the power
brokers.

What Was Responsible For It? Communication : Terms and Ideas

Purpose of Communication
Communication Process
Communication Context

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Classification of Communication
Barriers to Communication
Ethics of Communication
Purpose of Communication
Provide factual information
Clarify and condense existing information
Express our thoughts and emotions
Persuade and convince others
Draw inferences and make recommendations
Entertain and enlighten

Usage of Communication Channels

Listening 45%
Reading 16%
Speaking 30%
Writing 9%
The Communication Process Model
Types of Communication
Verbal Communication
Uses language
Oral or Written

Nonverbal Communication
Does not use language
Visual, Auditory and Body language
Types of Communication (contd.)
Nonverbal
Less structured, harder to classify
More spontaneous, less control
Verbal
More structured, easier to study
Conscious purpose, more control
Commonly Used Genres of Communication

Written Communication
Oral Communication
Mixed Communication (Oral, Written and / or non-verbal)
Internal Communication in an Organization
Official structure
Formal chain of command
Up, down, across formal power lines
The grapevine
Informal networking
Unofficial lines of power
Barriers to Communication

Unfamiliar language – including dialects and accents

Improper timing – “Is the boss distracted today?”
Noise and distractions in the environment

19
Attitude of both the source and the receiver
Differences between people – gender, age, culture, education, intelligence, etc.
Relationship between the sender and the receiver – status, boss-employee, parent-
child, etc.
Barriers to Communication

Filtering – manipulation of information so that it will seem more favorable to the

receiver.
Selective Perception – receiver hears message based on his/her interests, needs,
motivations, experience, background and other personal characteristics.
Defensiveness – response when receiver interprets message as threatening
Perception of Language – Words mean different things to different people.
Barriers to Communication (cont….)
Observation, Inference, Confusion in Perception
Bypassing
Intentional Orientation
Differentiation Failures
Frozen Evaluation
Snap Reaction
Overcoming Barriers
Adopt audience-centered approach
Foster open communication climate
Commit to ethical communication
Create lean, efficient messages

BODY SPEAKS: THE IMPORTANCE OF BODY LANGUAGE

How Does Body Speak?

Like any spoken language, body language has words, sentences and punctuation.

Each gesture is like a single word and one word may have several different meanings.
Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal communication is the unspoken
communication that goes on in every face-to-face encounter with another human
being. It tells you their true feelings towards you and how well your words are being
received. 90% of our message is communicated nonverbally, and only 10% is actual
words.

Let’s Examine How Body Communicates, from head to toes

HEAD
Nodding the head
“Yes” in most societies
“No” in some parts of Greece, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Turkey

Tossing the head backward

“yes” in Thailand, the Philippines, India, Laos

Rocking head slowly, back and forth

“yes, I’m listening” in most Asian cultures

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FACE
Facial expressions reflect emotion, feelings and attitudes.

EYES
Eye contacts
Encouraged in America, Canada, Europe
Rude in most Asian countries and in Africa
Raising eyebrows
“Yes” in Thailand and some Asian countries
“Hello” in the Philippines
Winking eye
Sharing secret in America and Europe
flirtatious gesture in other countries
Closed eyes
bored or sleepy in America
“I’m listening and concentrating.” in Japan, Thailand, China

EARS
Ear grasp
“I’m sorry.” in parts of India

Cupping the ear

“I can’t hear you.” in all societies

NOSE
Holding the nose
“Something smells bad.” universal

Nose tap
“It’s confidential.” England
“Watch out!” or "Be careful.” Italy

CHEEKS
Cheek screw
gesture of praise - Italy
“That’s crazy.” Germany

Cheek stroke
“pretty, attractive, success” most Europe

LIPS AND MOUTH

Spitting.

Spitting in public is considered rude and crude in most Western cultures.

In many Asian countries, spitting in public is to rid a person’s waste and, therefore, is
healthy.

ARMS

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Some cultures, like the Italians, use the arms freely. Others, like the Japanese, are
more reserved; it is considered impolite to gesticulate with broad movements of the
arms.Folding arms are interpreted by some social observers as a form of excluding
self, “I am taking a defensive posture,” or “I disagree with what I am hearing.”Arms
akimbo. In many cultures, this stance signals aggression, resistance, impatience, or
even anger.Arms behind back, hands grasped is a sign of ease and control.Arms in
front, hands grasped, common practice in most Asian countries, is a sign of mutual
respect for others

HANDS
Of all the body parts, the hands are probably used most for communicating non-
verbally.Hand waves are used for greetings, beckoning, or farewells . The Italian
“good-bye” wave can be interpreted by Americans as the gesture of “come here.”The
American “good-bye” wave can be interpreted in many parts of Europe and Latin
America as the signal for “no.”Beckoning. The American way of getting attention
(raising a hand with the index finger raised above head) could be considered rude in
Japan, and also means “two” in Germany. Handshaking is a form of greeting in most
Western cultures. In the Middle East, a gentle grip is appropriate. In most Asian
cultures, a gentle grip and an avoidance of direct eye contact is appropriate . Right
hand. The right hand has special significance in many societies. In certain countries
in the Middle East and in Asia, it is best to present business cards or gifts, or to pass
dishes of food, to get an attention, using only the right hand or both. Left hand is
considered unclean in much of the Middle East and in parts of Indonesia. Clapping
hands. Russians and Chinese may use applause to greet someone. In many central and
eastern Europe, audience frequently clap in rhythm.

FINGERS

The “O.K.” signal. (the thumb and forefinger form a circle) means
“fine,” or “O.K.” in most cultures,
“zero” or “worthless” in some parts of Europe
“money” in Japan
an insult in Greece, Brazil, Italy, Turkey, Russia and some other countries
“Thumb-up” means:
“O.K.” “good job” or “fine” in most cultures,
“Up yours!” in Australia
“Five” in Japan; “One” in Germany
Avoid a thumb-up in these countries: Australia, New Zealand, Greece, Turkey, Iran,
Russia, and most African countries.

Pointing.
Pointing with the index finger is common in North America and Europe. But it is
considered impolite in Japan and China where they favor using the whole open hand.
Malaysians prefer pointing with the thumb.

LEGS AND FEET

In Asia, do not point with your toes.
In Asia and some European countries, putting feet up on a desk or any other piece of
furniture is very disrespectful.

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Sitting cross-legged, while common in North America and some European countries,
is very impolite in other parts of the world.

Becoming sensitive to the clues of body language can help us communicate more
effectively with people.We can understand what people are saying even when they are
not talking . We can sense when people are silent and digesting information, or when
they are silent and confused.We can share feelings too strong or too difficult to be
expressed in words. We decode secret messages passing silently from person to
person. And we may spot contradictions between what people say and what they
really mean.Finally, we can learn to be more sensitive to our own bodies – to see how
they express our feelings and to see ourselves as others see us.

The important Aspects of Effective Communication each one of us must possess

Subject Competence
Linguistic Competence
Organizational Competence
Subject Competence
Professional Knowledge
Experience
Abilities

An inadequate background in the subject or lack of information might lead to

incomplete and ineffective communication
Linguistic Competence
Appropriate language skills
Ability to present clearly and objectively
Ability to analyze data
Organizational Competence
Ability to organize information in a logical and structured way

Ability to sequence thoughts in a sentence

Provide thematic coherence to expression

Mobile Etiquette
Ring volume must be low
Pick up the phone within two rings
Be soft while speaking
Keep your mobile off during meetings
Follow ‘B’ of Communication during office

Impediments to Communication are known as Barriers

Barriers to Communication
Classification of Barriers
Intrapersonal
Interpersonal
Organizational
Intrapersonal Barriers

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It stem from an individual's attitudes or habits which in turn because of difference in
experience, education, value and personality.

Interprets the same information in different ways as thinking varies

Causes which leads to intrapersonal barriers

Assumption
Varied perception
Differing background
Wrong inferences
Impervious categories
Categorical Thinking
Interpersonal Barriers

Interpersonal Barriers
It occurs due to the inappropriate transaction of words between two or more people.
The two broad categories into which this barrier can be classified are:

1. Inefficiency in communication skills

2 .Negative aspect nurturing in the climate. Interpersonal barriers creep as a result of
the limitations in the communication skills of encoder or decoder or both.
It also may occur due to some disturbance in the channel.

Most Common Reasons for Interpersonal Barriers are:

Limited Vocabulary (The connotative and denotative meaning should be absolutely

clear to the receiver)
Incongruity of verbal and nonverbal messages
Emotional outbursts
Communication selectivity
Cultural variations
Poor listening skills
Noise (interference) in the channels

Organizational Barriers
The reason could be any as follows:
Organizational culture and climate
Organizational rules and regulations
Inadequate facilities and opportunity
Lack of cooperation between superior and subordinate
Fear of Superior
Too many links
Negative Tendencies
Use of Inappropriate Media
Information Overloaded
Cultural differences

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ABC of Writing

Accuracy is the quality of being precise

Keep a tab on the –

Sentence structure
Choice of words
Punctuation

Fragments are incomplete sentences. They are caused due to –

1. Parts of sentences becoming disconnected from the main clause: Use appropriate
conjunction/ joining words to rectify them.

Fragment: Purdue offers many majors in engineering. Such as electrical, chemical,

and industrial engineering.

Possible Revision: Purdue offers many majors in engineering, such as electrical,

chemical, and industrial engineering.
 
Fragment: I need to find a new assistant. Because the one I have now isn't working
out too well.

Possible Revision: I need to find a new assistant because the one I have now isn't
working out too well.

2. Lack of main verb

Fragment: A story with deep thoughts and emotions.

Possible Revision: She told a story with deep thoughts and emotions.
 
Fragment: A record of accomplishment beginning when you were first hired.
Possible Revision: A record of accomplishment began when you were first hired.

3. Lack of subject

Fragment: With the ultimate effect of all advertising is to sell the product.
Possible Revision: The ultimate effect of all advertising is to sell the product.

Fragment: For doing freelance work for a competitor got Phil fired.
Possible Revision: Phil got fired for doing freelance work for a competitor.

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Choose the right words to make the writing precise.

Please let me know what the term CAPA ______ (denotes/ connotes)?
The term CAPA denotes “Corrective and Preventive Action”. It connotes a
commitment towards quality in our organization.

Why are we allocating resources to all teams ______ ( equally/ equitably)? Teams
that are larger and have imminent deadlines should get more resources than the others.

Punctuation is used to create sense, clarity and stress in sentences.

Try and read this sentence which has no punctuation at all:

perhaps you don’t always need to use commas periods colons etc to make sentences
clear when i am in a hurry tired cold lazy or angry i sometimes leave out punctuation
marks grammar is stupid i can write without it and don’t need it my uncle Harry once
said he was not very clever and i never understood a word he wrote to me i think ill
learn some punctuation not too much enough to write to Uncle Harry he needs some
help

Now read the same sentence with punctuation:

Perhaps you don't always need to use commas, periods, colons etc. to make sentences
clear. When I am in a hurry, tired, cold, lazy, or angry I sometimes leave out
punctuation marks.

"Grammar is stupid! I can write without it and don't need it." My uncle Harry once
said. He was not very clever and I never understood a word he wrote to me. I think I’ll
learn some punctuation- not too much, enough to write to Uncle Harry. He needs
some help!

Use a period to end a complete sentence. A sentence is a group of words containing a

subject and predicate. In British English a period is called a 'full stop'.

He went to Detroit last week.

They are going to announce the merger on Friday.

Separate items on a list  

They would like books, magazines, DVDs, video cassettes, and other learning
materials for their library.

Separate phrases (clauses). This is especially true if the sentence begins with a
dependent clause or a long prepositional phrase.

In order to qualify for your certificate, you will need to take the TOEFL exam.

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Although he wanted to come, he wasn't able to attend the course.

Separate two independent clauses that are connected by a conjunction such as 'but'
etc…
They wanted to purchase a new car, but their financial situation would not allow it.
I would really appreciate your cooperation in this regard, and expect the report by
today evening.

Introduce a direct quote (as opposed to indirect speech i.e. He said he wanted to
come ...).
His secretary said, "Mr. Sen is often away during the week on business trips. Please
ensure that you have an appointment if you want to meet him.“

Separate appositives (a noun, or noun phrase) or non-defining relative clauses.

Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, comes from Seattle.
123Q, the initiative we launched last year to increase employee motivation, was
highly successful.

The question mark is used at the end of a question.

Would it be possible for us to reschedule the meeting to Friday, February 08, 2013?

The exclamation point is used at the end of a sentence to indicate great surprise.
It is also used for emphasis when making a point.
Be careful not to use an exclamation point too often.

Congratulations on making a wonderful presentation today!

To separate two independent clauses. One or both of the clauses are short and the
ideas expressed are usually very similar.

The product launch was incredible; it was a culmination of all our efforts.

 To separate groups of words that are themselves separated by commas.

They plan to study German, for their travels; chemistry, for their work; and literature,
for their own enjoyment.

To provide additional details and explanation.

She gave notice for the following reasons: bad pay, horrible hours, poor relations with
colleagues, and her boss.

To introduce a direct quote (a comma can also be used in this situation).

The chairman announced: “All employees will receive a 20% bonus this year.”

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Rule : Use the apostrophe with contractions. The apostrophe is always placed at the
spot where the letter(s) has been removed.
You're right.
It’s and Its

Rule : Use the apostrophe to show possession. Place the apostrophe before the s to
show singular possession.
Ms. Chang's idea

NOTE: Although names ending in s or an s sound are not required to have the second
s added in possessive form, it is preferred.
Dr. Abbas's appointment

Rule : To show plural possession, make the noun plural first. Then immediately use
the apostrophe.
Our employees’ rights

Rule : Use the apostrophe and s after the second name only if two people possess the
same item.
Cesar's and Maribel's job contracts will be renewed next year.
Cesar and Maribel's job contracts will be renewed next year

Rule : Never use an apostrophe with possessive pronouns: his, hers, its, theirs, ours,
yours, whose. They already show possession so they do not require an apostrophe.
This book is hers, not yours.
Sincerely your’s.

Rule: The following examples apply when using dates:

The meeting is scheduled for June 30.
The meeting is scheduled for the 30th of June.
We have had tricks played on us on April 1.
The 1st of April puts some people on edge.

Rule: When expressing decades, you may spell them out and lowercase them.
During the eighties and nineties, the American economy grew.

Rule: Whether you express decades using incomplete or complete numerals, do not
use an apostrophe between the year and the s. When using an incomplete numeral, use
an apostrophe to replace the first two numbers.

Incorrect:
During the ’80′s, the world’s economy grew.
During the 1980′s, the world’s economy grew.
Correct:
During the ’80s, the world’s economy grew.
During the 1980s, the world’s economy grew.

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Rule: Spell out the time of day in text even with half and quarter hours. With o’clock,
the number is always spelled out.
Let us meet at four thirty before the video call begins.
The video conferencing is scheduled at five o’clock in the morning.
Rule: Use numerals with the time of day when exact times are being emphasized.
Her flight leaves at 6:22 a.m.
Please arrive by 12:30 p.m. sharp.
Rule: Use noon and midnight rather than 12:00 p.m. or 12:00 a.m.

Rule: In both British and American English, if you are using initial (i.e. first) letters to
represent words, you don’t normally need to put a full stop after them:
BBC
UK
NATO
Rule: In American English, however, it is common to use a full stop as an alternative
style for certain abbreviations, in particular:
USA or U.S.A.
US or U.S.
Rule: If an abbreviation consists of the first and last letters of a word, you don’t need
to use a full stop at the end:
Mr
Ltd
Dr

1) e.g. (for example)

“ If you face any technical issues in the classroom, e.g., non-functioning speaker or
projector, please contact our coordinators immediately.”

What e.g. stands for in Latin: exempli gratia

What e.g. means in English: for example
How e.g. is punctuated: with periods after e and g, followed by a comma
How e.g. is used: to introduce examples
How e.g. should not be used: as a synonym for etc. or to introduce an all-inclusive
list.
How e.g. can be avoided: use "for example" or "for instance" instead.

2) etc. (and so on)

"Please make all arrangements for the seminar including travel, food etc."

What etc. stands for in Latin: et cetera

What etc. means in English: and other things
How etc. is punctuated: with a period at the end
How etc. is used: in informal or technical writing, to suggest the logical continuation
of a list of things (not, as a general rule, of people)
How etc. should not be used: (1) after and; (2) as a synonym for e.g. or et al.; (3) in
reference to people; (4) vaguely to refer to "other things" that are not at all clear to the
reader.

29
How etc. can be avoided: specify all of the items in a list or use "and so on."

3) et al. (and others)

“ The reorganization plan proposed by Newman et al. was not approved by the board
of directors."

What et al. stands for in Latin: et alii

What et al. means in English: and others
How et al. is punctuated: with a period after the l but not after the t
How et al. is used: in bibliographic citations or in informal or technical writing to
suggest the logical continuation of a list of people (not things)
How et al. should not be used: (1) after and; (2) as a synonym for e.g. or etc.; (3) in
reference to things; (4) vaguely to refer to "others" that are not at all clear to the
reader.
How et al. can be avoided: specify all of the items in a list or use "and so on."

4) i.e. (that is)

"Software is like entropy. It is difficult to grasp, weighs nothing, and obeys the second
law of thermodynamics; i.e., it always increases."(Norman R. Augustine)

What i.e. stands for in Latin: id est

What i.e. means in English: that is
How i.e. is punctuated: with periods after i and e, followed by a comma
How i.e. is used: to introduce an explanatory phrase or clause
How i.e. should not be used: as a synonym for because.
How i.e. can be avoided: use "that is" instead.

Rule : The current trend is to do away with unnecessary hyphens. Therefore, attach
most prefixes and suffixes onto root words without a hyphen.
Noncompliance, copayment, semiconscious, fortyish

Rule : Hyphenate prefixes when they come before proper nouns.

un-American

Rule : Use the hyphen with the prefix re only when the ‘re’ means again AND
omitting the hyphen would cause confusion with another word.

Will she recover from her illness? (‘Re’ does not mean again.)
I have re-covered the sofa twice. (‘Re’ does mean again AND omitting the hyphen
would have caused confusion with another word.)
The stamps have been reissued. (‘Re’ means again but would not cause confusion
with another word.)
I must re-press the shirt. (‘Re’ means again AND omitting the hyphen would have
caused confusion with another word)

30
An en dash, roughly the width of an n, is a little longer than a hyphen. It is used for
periods of time when you might otherwise use to.
The years 2001–2003
January–June

An en dash is also used in place of a hyphen when combining open compounds.

North Carolina–Virginia border
a high school–college conference

An em dash is the width of an m. Use an em dash sparingly in formal writing. In

informal writing, em dashes may replace commas, semicolons, colons, and
parentheses to indicate added emphasis, an interruption, or an abrupt change of
thought.

You are the friend—the only friend—who offered to help me.

I pay the bills—she has all the fun. (A semicolon would be used here in formal
writing.)
I need three items at the store—dog food, vegetarian chili, and cheddar cheese.
(Remember, a colon would be used here in formal writing.)
My agreement with Fiona is clear—she teaches me French and I teach her German.(A
colon would work here in formal writing.)
Please call my agent—Jessica Cohen—about hiring me. (Parentheses or commas
would work just fine here instead of the dashes.)
I wish you would—oh, never mind. (This shows an abrupt change in thought and
warrants an ‘em’ dash.)

Use ellipsis marks when omitting a word, phrase, line, paragraph, or more from a
quoted passage.

Rule : Use no more than three marks whether the omission occurs in the middle of a
sentence or between sentences.

Original sentence:
The regulation states, "All agencies must document overtime or risk losing federal
funds.”

Rewritten using ellipses:

The regulation states, "All agencies must document overtime..."

Rule : Capitalize the first word of a quoted sentence.

He said, "Treat her as you would your own daughter.”
"Look out" she stated. “Outsourcing can be both a bane and a boon.”
Rule : Capitalize a proper noun.
Golden Gate Bridge
Rule : Capitalize a person's title when it precedes the name. Do not capitalize when
the title is acting as a description following the name.

31
Chairperson Petrov
Ms. Petrov, the chairperson of the company, will address us at noon.

Rule : Capitalize the titles of high-ranking government officials when used before
their names. Do not capitalize the civil title if it is used instead of the name.
The governors, lieutenant governors, and attorneys general called for a special task
force.
Governor Bharadwaj, Lieutenant Governor Mathur, Attorney General Rao, and M.Ps
Umesh M and Mamatha Murthy will attend.
Rule: Capitalize points of the compass only when they refer to specific regions.
We have had three relatives visit from the South.
Go south three blocks and then turn left.
We live in the southeast section of town.
Southeast is just an adjective here describing section, so it should not be capitalized.

Rule : You may capitalize words such as department, bureau, and office if you have
prepared your text in the following way:
The Bureau of Land Management (Bureau) has some jurisdiction over Indian lands.
The Bureau is finding its administrative role to be challenging.
Rule : Capitalize the first word of a salutation and the first word of a complimentary
close.
Dear Ms. Mohamed:
My dear Mr. Sanchez:
Very truly yours,

Rule : Spell out single-digit whole numbers. Use numerals for numbers greater than
nine.
I want five copies.
I want 10 copies.
Rule : If you have numbers in different categories, use numerals for one category and
spell out the other.
Correct:
Given the budget constraints, if all 30 history students attend the four plays, then the 7
math students will be able to attend only two plays. (Students are represented with
figures; plays are represented with words.)
Incorrect:
I asked for five pencils, not 50.

Rule : Always spell out simple fractions and use hyphens with them.
One-half of the pies have been eaten.
A two-thirds majority is required for that bill to pass in Congress.

Rule : A mixed fraction can be expressed in figures unless it is the first word of a
sentence.
We expect a 5 1/2 percent wage increase.
Five and one-half percent was the maximum allowable interest.

32
Rule : Write out a number if it begins a sentence.
Twenty-nine people won an award for helping their communities.
That 29 people won an award for helping their communities was fantastic! OR

That twenty-nine people won an award for helping their communities was fantastic!

Subject: Letter of transfer to Pune

Dear Ramesh
 
I want to know if there is any possibility of getting a transfer to Pune as my wife may
be getting transferred there.

TTYL  
Regards
Sujoy Ghosh

NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION

It can be defined as communication that involves neither written nor spoken words
but takes place without the use of words.

It includes the following:

Facial expressions – a smile, a frown
Gestures – movement of hands and body to help to explain or emphasize our verbal
message
Body posture – how we stand or sit
Orientation – whether we face the other person or turn away
Eye contact – whether we look at the other person and for how long
Body contact – arm around shoulder, handshake

Proximity – the distance we stand or sit from a person

Head nods – for encouragement, indication of agreement or disagreement
Non-verbal aspects of speech – tone and pitch of the voice
Appearance – dress and grooming

WHY NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION REQUIRES SERIOUS

CONSIDERATION?

On scientific analysis it has been found that the different aspects of communication
account for percentages stated below:

Verbal communication - 7%
Bodily movements, gestures - 55%
Voice tone, etc - 38%
More than 90% of communication is non-verbal and therefore it really matters.

33
BODY LANGUAGE OR KINESICS

Since bodily movements, gestures, etc. are so important for communication, they are
being systematically studied as a sub-area of nonverbal communication, termed as
‘Kinesics’ that literally means ‘body movements’.

PERSONAL APPEARANCE
The first impact on the audience/listener is created by the personal appearance of the
speaker. A famous writer has said that a man is recognized by his “dress & address”.

FACIAL EXPRESSION

A popular saying goes like this- “The face is the index of the heart”. Whatever we feel
deep within ourselves is at once reflected in the face. For example, happiness,
surprise, fear, anger, sadness, astonishment, and contentment.

EYE CONTACT
Eye contact is of paramount importance in all face-to-face communication.When we
look at somebody’s face we focus primarily on his eyes and try to understand what he
means. For example, eyebrows and eyelids raised and combined with dilated pupils
tell us that the person is excited, surprised or frightened.

GESTURES
Gestures are nothing but the physical movements of arms, legs, hands, torso and head
in a meaningful manner. For example, pounding fist on a table shows ‘anger’, a fore
finger held high above the head shows ‘Number 1’, and a fore finger and a thumb
touching to form a circle stands for ‘OK’.

HEAD & BODY POSTURE

As the age old saying goes- “Hold your head high”. It is a sign of honour and self
respect, confidence, integrity and interest in the person/persons before us. A head bent
low depending upon the situation, would show modesty, politeness.A head drawn too
far backwards or stiffly held straight up indicates pride or haughtiness.

Body posture is an important part of body language and generally refers to the way
one sits, stands and walks. The movement of the body, the position of hands and legs
and other parts of the body reveal an individual’s personality- whether he is vibrant,
alive and dynamic, nervous and jittery, confident and self-assured, etc.

EFFECTIVE USE OF BODY LANGUAGE

Mind the body-talk.
Be careful with the handshake.
Establish good eye contact.
We must be ourselves.
Graceful movements and confident posture improves the atmosphere a the work
place.

ADVANTAGES OF BODY LANGUAGE

34
Body language complements verbal communication. Specially face-to-face
communication, no message can be completely sent across without accompaniment of
facial expressions and gestures. It helps in establishing rapport.

2. Because people care for body language it goes a long way to improve the overall
atmosphere and looks of the organization.

LIMITATIONS OF BODY LANGUAGE

Since it is nonverbal communication, relying on facial expressions, gestures, etc. it
cannot be wholly relied on. Words written or spoken can be taken seriously, but body
language cannot always be taken seriously. People belonging to different cultural
back grounds send out different body signals. They are therefore, to be very careful in
their use and understanding.

35