UNIT-I FUNDAMENTALS OF COMMUNICATION 1. Nature and Process of Communication 2. Command over Spoken and Written English 3. Effective ListeningChapter 1 NATURE AND PROCESS OF CoMMUNICATION CiapTER OUTLINE | 1.1 Meaning and Definition of Communication 1.2. Significance of Communication | 1.3. The Process of Communication 1.4 Barriers to Effective Communication | 1.5. Principles of Effective Business Communication (7C’s) e Summary e Test Questions THE ART OF communication is as old as the human race. Human beings learnt to communicate even before then learnt to speak, read and write. They expressed themselves through sounds, gestures and actions. Initially messages were conveyed through sounds, shouts and drum beats. Then people started using symbols and pictures to convey messages. Spoken and written words expanded the horizon of communication. Emergence of new media, e.g., e-mail, video conferencing, SMS, internet, etc. has revolutionised the world of communication. 1.1 MEANING AND DEFINITION OF COMMUNICATION The term ‘communication’ has been derived from the Latin word ‘communis’ which means ‘to share, Communication may, therefore, be defined as the process of sharing information, ideas and feelings so as to create mutual understanding and cooperation among people.Essentials of Business Commun, ; ication Communication is the process of sending and receiving verbal and non-verbal messages. \ few definitions of communication are given below: Communication is the process by which information is transmitteg between individuals and/or organisations so that an understand response results. — Peter Litt, Communication is the exchange of facts, ideas, opinions, emotions, ete between two or more persons. — Newmen and Summe, Communication is any behaviours that results in an exchange of information. — American Management Association Communication is any means by which thought is transferred from one person to another. —Chappel and Reld Communication isa process of passing information and understanding from one person to another. — Reith Davis Communication is the sum total of directly and indirectly, consciously and unconsciously transmitted feelings, attitudes and wishes. — Jaques Communication may be broadly defined as the process of meaningful interaction among human beings. More specifically it is the process by which meanings are perceived and understandings are reached among human beings. — Dalton E. McFarland Communication is the act of making one’s ideas and opinions known to others. — Fred G. Meyer Communication is “the sum total of all things one person does when he wants to create understanding in the mind of another” It is a bridge of meaning. It involves a systematic and continuous process of telling, listening and understanding. — Louis A. Allen Business communication is that part of communication which is related to business activities. According to George Terry “Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons’, In the words of Louis Allen, “Communication is the sum of all things which a person does when he wants to create an understanding in the mind of another. It involves a systematic and continuous process of telling, listening and understanding”.Nature and Pros An anal 1S of Communication s of these definitions reveals the following characteristics of communication : 1. Two Way Process: Communication is essentially a two-way process, Information has not only to be sent but has also to be received and understood. This process is incomplete until the response or reaction based on proper understanding is available. Feedback is an essential part of communication. Continuous Process: Communication is an ongoing process. When communication is absent human activity ceases to exist. Communication is a circular process. Pervasive Function: Communication is essential in all types of organisations and at all levels of management. It pervades all human relationships. Mutual Understanding: The basic purpose of communication is to create mutual understanding by giving/seeking information, persuading/influencing others and eliciting actions. Multi-Media: Communication consists not only of facts but ideas and emotions too. Communication is much more than words. The tone and facial expressions often carry a greater meaning than words. We can communicate a lot through signs, symbols and gestures. For example, a victory sign made by two fingers communicates better than words. Flows in Alll Directions: Organsational communication consists of a flow of messages through several networks. There are networks for problem-solving, workflow, information sharing and socialising. Communication is not a linear, static process flowing in an orderly manner from one stage to another. Rather it flows in all directions — downward, upward, horizontally, cross wise etc. Cooperative Process: It takes two to complete communication. There should be a sender and a receiver. If a person shouts in a forest when no one is present there is no communication. Dynamic Process: Communication is a dynamic process. It incorporates the changing shape of the participants and the environment. Changes in the moods and thinking of the sender and the receiver of the message influence the effectiveness of communication. The way a message is received depends upon which of the five sensory organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, touch) of the receiver are the most active at that time.7 Facentials of Brecime Myths and Mealities of Communication : Mythe I 1 We always conmmunicate conmeunssly We comerunicate op and deliberately tiene, Therefore. cation * omit behaviour 2 2 We communicate only through We communicate thrersgh words words verbal signs. ¢ 2. warring of be 1 Words mean the same to everyone. Words carry diff ing on on 4. Communication is a one way process Sending the of sending the message phase of commun necessary to come tion cydle. 5. Message sent and message received Transmission are recepti are identical. mental frames of the send receiver. 9. Goal Oriented: Communication is a goal-oriented process. Communication can be effective if the sender and receiver both are aware of the goal of communication and there is congruence of their goals. Its purpose is to influence behaviour 10. Inter-Disciplinary: Communication is an inter-di: science. Knowledge derived from several sciences is used in communication. Anthropology (study of body language), psychology (study of persuasion, perception and attitudes ), sociology and political science (study of voting behaviour) have provided insights to make communication effective. 11. Contextual: Communication does not happen in a vacuum but within a context. Therefore, communication is contextual. Context influences the contents and speed of communication. Every communication takes place within context. All the circumstances ‘hat influence communication at a certain point of time collectively create the context of communication. Physical surroundings, emotions and reactions of people to whom communication is directed, their attitudes and opinions all influence the context. “hese factors differ from one situation to another. Context influences both the encoding and decoding stages inNature and Process of Communication communication process. For example a piece of communication in annual general meeting may differ from that delivered to employees within the company. Context is different from the content of communication. Content refers to the actual words or symbols of the message, which is known as language. We all use and interpret the meanings of words differently, so even simple messages can be misunderstood. And many words have different meanings to confuse the issue even more. Context is the way the message is delivered — it includes the tone as well as gestures.” Meaning exists not in words but in the minds of people. Context of communication means the total situation in which words are used. It affects the meaning of words. Context of communication may be of two types: (a) Physical Context: Physical context means the place or environment in which a word is used. For example, the word ‘fast’ used by workers in a textile mill might refer to the permanence of the colour of fabrics. But when used in conversation with a social activist who has not eaten for a few days, it would mean abstinence from food. When used by a sailor on a ship, the word fast could refer to the permanence of a knot. In each of these cases the situation determines the meaning. The physical context not only determines the meaning of a word but also does the work of words. For example, while standing at a tea stall, you need not say ‘I want one cup of tea. You need only say ‘one’ or even only raise one finger. The context takes care of the rest. (b) Verbal Context: Verbal context refers to meaning provided by the surrounding familiar words. Ifyou hear someone say, “Mohan lost this Tommy yesterday’, you may not understand what Mohan lost. But, when you hear that Mohan had gone for a walk and the string around Tommy’s neck broke, you may understand that Tommy is a pet dog. Verbal context becomes significant when the addition or deletion of some words from a sentence changes its meaning: For example, “Sohanlal would make a good vice chanceller” has a different meaning when these words are lifted from the sentence “Sohanlal would make a good vice-chancellor if he had the intelligence to match his arrogance’. Verbal context is not_ Fsventials of Business Communica ion ihe veal world When the physical and verbal world oe are Aifferent, there -an be Mitcommunication. 1. Sharing: (ainmunication is Sharing: Communication isa process oh sharing. Individuals and groups involved in communication shinve facte, ideas, Opinions and feedings with one another. Itis sharing that communication creates a meeting of minds and a meeting of hearts, Wt develops interpersonal relations. 1,2 SIGNIFICANCE OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Hunan beings have an inborn desire to commie ye each other Map isa ecial animal and in order to socialise he mal es use of language and body ravernents. Communication has become indispensable to the success and well-being of people everywhere. Communication is equally essential to organised activity. An organisation isa goal-oriented group people who must remain in continuous touch with each other in order te function together as a team. According to Herbert Simon, “Within, cnpssasication there can be no organisation for there is no wosiiy ity then of the group influencing the behaviour of the individual." Coprounication is the vehicle through which basic management functions ae carried out. Managers cannot plan, organise, direct and contro, without. communication, I is no exaggeration to say that onntnunczoon isthe means by which organisational activity is unified, teeerent is modified, change Jn effected and goals are achieved. A ager typically spends three fourth of his working day on rancaion avd his success depends largely on his communication wile “crnd canmunicaion plays a vital role in organisation inthe following Waly J. Mhective Manning and Decisbon-making: Accurate and up-to date information concerning the external environment and sternal conditions Is necessary for taking right decisions at the rp inne. Ve quality of managerial decinionn and plans depends ary) on Ne quality of Intormation and ly elective transmission Su torination hecones availible to Managers through a proper syste of reporting and consultations 1 Hehe b Simen bdliminidtvative Wsbvavionn, Ve Deas, Nevw York 199 totNature and Process of Communwation 2. Training and Development : Communication is essential for the orientation and on-going training of both workers and executives Communication provides knowledge and the degree of learning depends to a great extent on the communication skills of the trainer. Communication facilitates delegation of authority which is essential for developing executive skills 3. Motivation and Morale: Communication plays an important role in inspiring people to work hard and in fostering positive attitudes. Managers can increase the self-confidence and job satisfaction of employees by keeping in close touch with them. Communication also helps in quick implementation of plans and policies. 4. Coordination: Communication is the most effective means for unifying integrating the efforts of individuals towards the common goals. It serves as a cementing force in the face of narrow specialisation and facilitates team work. According to Gellerman, “an organisation can be more efficient than the system by which it transforms its members of what is expected of them so that their efforts will reinforce each other and create a momentum towards the attainment of the organisation’s purpose-” 5, Leadership: A leader can modify the behaviour of his people through tact and persuasion. For this purpose the leader needs to be a good orator and patient listener. He can sell his ideas and overcome resistance to change through a two-way flow of communication. By keeping himself close to his people, the leader can continuously win their support and loyalty. Leadership becomes inspiring and effective when the leader remains in close touch with his subordinates. 6. Effective Control: Communication from the boss serves as the basis on which employees regulate their work and know how well they are doing. A manager can correctly judge the performance ofhis subordinates and take suitable remedial actions on the basis of feedback information from them. 7. Sound Industrial Relations: Communication creates a meeting of minds and a meeting of hearts. It can bring people closer to each other. Sound and open communication helps to improve 2. $.W.Gellerman, The Management of Human Relations, p.59LO 10. 11, . Team Work: Communication creates mutual trust an, ; Essentials, relationg between €mployer and s Lsiness c, e Mice employer and the trade Unions. It he OYees ang tig Cooperation and understanding thereby ; 10 develo Wee, ; ; Mur, harmony and industria} Productivity, 'MProving indy al Corporate Image: Communication 1S indis, Organisation to develop and maint, Pa Society. A business concern can key Customers, investors, dealers, sy Society through various forms of c . Sable fo, rr ‘ain Teputation or ery EP itself in ose Pliers and Other se, ‘OMMunication, b . d confide, etween people. It creates healthy interpersonal Telations, | ae communication is the glue that holds Organisation together *, it is the current that powers the workplace. be Democratic Management: Communication facilitates employes Participation in management. ‘ Coping with Change: Communication helps an Organisation tp Cope with rapid changes in business environment. Thus, effective communication is the foundation of soung management. A free flow of information and ideas throughout the Organisation isas essential for corporate health as Proper circulation of blood in human body. In fact no interpersonal or group activity is possible without communication. Communication is the number one problem of management and every manager should develop an effective communication system. An executive’ life revolves mainly around reading and writing letters and reports, telephoning and meeting people inside and outside the organisation The significance of business communication has increased due to the following reasons: (i) Increase in the size of business enterprises (ii) Growing specialisation (iii) Rapid technological advancements (iv) Cut throat competition (v) Globalisation of business (vi) Growing expectations of stakeholdersNature and Process of Communication au (vii) Increasing focus on corporate social responsibility and business ethics (viii) Growing norms of corporate governance. 1.3. THE PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION The communication process is the inter-relationship between several inter-dependent components. It consists of a whole series of related actions and reactions which together result in the sharing of meaning. In order to understand how communication works, it is necessary to describe each of these components and how each component part fits into the whole process. A simplified model of the communication process is given in Figure 1.1. This model tells us what the individual parts of communication process are and how these are related to each other. It also identifies the crucial points in the process and provides a guide for analysis and planning of messages. Different parts of communication process are described below : Source |__| Encoding Channel & 5 : (Sender) (Message Neda >| Receiver | >| Decoding Feedback {¢————+ Fig. 1.1: Communication Process 1. Sender: The process of communication begins when the sender feels the need for it and the idea generates in his mind. Any event that creates within an indvidual the need to communicate is called stimulus. Sender or transmitter is the source of the message and wants to transmit it for some purpose. The sender may be a speaker, a writer or an actor. He must have a clear picture in his mind of what he wants to communicate. Several ideas may germinate in the sender's mind. The sender must identify, analyse and sequentially arrange the ideas before transmitting them to the receiver. Otherwise the receiver may feel that the sender is mentally toying with halfbaked ideas. The ideas should be concrete. The sender should encode the ideas in the form of a message.1.12 Es entials of Business Communication 2. Message: A message means what is being communicated. It may be verbal (spoken or written) or non-verbal (e.g., appearance, bo ly language, silence, etc.), Message is the heart of communication. How well you design the message depends on how well you know your audience. 3. Encoding: The sender puts his ideas or facts into words, symbols pictures or gestures which the other person can understan r his part of the communication process is called encoding. x also involves the choice of appropriate media so that the ieee translated into a message that can be transmitted fe others. ne and symbols should be selected carefully keeping in min ae purpose of communication and the needs of the receiver * and symbols should be suitable for transmission, recep’ ne understanding. Thus, the contents and language communication constitute the message. While encoding a message, keep in mind: (i) The contents to be included (ii) How the receiver will interpret it (iii) How it may affect the Sender-Receiver relationship. For example, great care is needed to convey a bad news like retrenchment or salary cut. 4, Channel and Medium: Channel connects the sender with the receiver instance, time table of a college is the channel which ensures that the teacher and the students go to the same classroom at the same time. No communication can take place if the teacher goes to room no. 21 but the students to room no. 12. Medium is different from channel. For example, a letter is the medium whereas mail service is a channel. Speech is the medium but loudspeaker is the channel. In oral and visual communication the message may be transmitted instantaneously. But in written message there is a time gap between despatch and receipt of the message. 5. Receiver: The person or group to whom the message is directed is known as receiver. The receiver represents the destination for the message. He may be a listener, a reader or a viewer. Like the sender he has an image of himself and of the sender,Nature and Process of Communication a s acs receiver translates the words and symbols used axa pre ue ea and interprets it to obtain its meaning. Rae ae and it is the opposite of encoding. If is good, he nt ami ce with the codes used and his perception aun a ee cre or less the same meaning as meant ae manera message should be accurately reproduced viewpoints act ; mind. Your knowledge, experience and mesnee S act as a filter to help you decode (interpret) the 7 Feedback: After deriving meaning the receiver reacts or responds essage. He sends back his response to the sender. This return flow of communication is called feedback. The process of communication is incomplete until the sender receives the feedback. If the feedback is in tune with the message, communication is said to be effective. Feedback is the key element in communication as it is the only way of judging the effectiveness of the message. Feedback indicates the knowledge about the outcome of communication. Feedback enables the sender to know whether his message has been properly understood and whether it had the desired effect on the mind and behaviour of the receiver. Systematic use of feedback helps to improve future messages. ne situation to another. In face-to-face Feedback varies from 0 diate feedback and this is the communication there is imme ideal situation. The sender can judge the effect of his message from the face of the receiver. For instance, when the supervisor observes a frown on the face of a worker, who has been reprimanded for coming late, the feedback shows that the worker has disliked the reprimand. In such a situation the sender can modify the message to make it more acceptable or effective. The receiver can also ask questions or seek clarification in case he does not understand the message. In face-to-face talks, feedback can influence the sender on the spot. For example, nodding of head by students in the class may encourage the teacher whereas yawning may discourage him. Thus, the audience can control the speaker through feedback.4 sw Raeccanes Feedback as a Communication Skill Bittative Readhack | Ineffective Feedback tater to he 1 Intendad to behttle 2 Seek 2 General X Deserve X Bvaluative lid 4 User 4 X Trey X Untimely Neer QE & Makes the receiver de Ambiguous n SX. Inaccurate in case of written messages, the feedback is not available immedi eh STURT CANNOT see the Lacial expressions at the reader, The sender let the writer know his emotions even when he sends a Tepy ssage, Sometinnes, feedback may occur in the form otactio e, the supervisor asks a worker to wear handgloves wh athe machine, Then worker does not utter a word but he starty ring the handgloves, His action indicates that the Message had the desired effect, Feedback does not become available automatically in all situations Often, the subordinates tell the boss what he wants to hear ta than what they feel. In such cases, status becomes a barrier to feedback. Subordinates may also not respond due to shyness ot teat In such situations, deliberate ettorts are Necessary fo obtae feedback. The boss should not be impationt and should provide adequate time for feedback, He should invite questions and encourage subordinates to respond, He should develop the abil to listen atlentively and empathically, He must also be alert to uot verbal feedback like facial expressions and gestures of the receive! Another way to get feedback is to ask the receiver if he has understood the messa Be. For example, the teacher ean obtai! feedback by asking the students to repeat what he hay said ust deliberate efforts to get feedback are Necessary in case of long ath! complicated messages Feedback may also be collected Uhiougl! grapevine or oral, communicationNature and Process of Communication COMMUNICATION PROCESS Encoding The function of symbo! ‘ra ransmission The act of conveying the message throug t i cwaye pi Receiver 7 The activity of recognising and accepting the r Decoding ‘The function of interpreting and underviana Feedback The activity of vending reply to the message Storing’The function of recording and filing the message for future we Retrieving The act of obtaining and recalling the stored mewn 8. Noise: Noise means any interference that occurs between the transmission and reception of the message. It spoils the quality of communication. Noise may take place at any stage i= the process of communication. At the level of the sender noise may occur due to wrong encoding or the use of inappropriate tone Similarly, the receiver’s decoding may be faulty due to his in attention, attitude, background or prejudice. Even the channel of communication may be distorted by sound, 5} or illegible handwriting. The success of communication is propor the control of noise at different stages of the ¢ pre ‘Ocess. 1.4 BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION f the most common and essential human ds a major part of our day in one or the Even then communication is not always tion takes place when the receiver ay the sender intends. Quite barrier or the other. Factors known as barriers t0 e at any stage of the barriers to Communication is one activities. Each one of us spen other form of communication. perfect. Perfect communica’ understands the message exactly in the w often miscommunication arises due to one which obstruct free flow of communication are communication. Barriers or problems can aris communication process. Various problems of or communication may be classified as under : 1. Semantic barriers. 2, Physical and mechanical barriers.yo ‘ 16 Essentials of Business Commu, cat on 3. Organisational barriers: 4. Socio-psychological barriers. 1.4.1 Semantic Barriers Semantic reters to the systematic study of meanin Semantic barriers arise due to problems in lang: most important tool of communication. But it dangerous. Language barriers are as follows : 188 of words and signs uage. Language jg the 'S careless use Can be 1. Words with Different Meanings. Commun carried through spoken and written words, B different meanings to different people. For example, the word ‘tube may mean a fluorescent tube, a cycle tube, or a water tube According to Murphy and Peck the word ‘run’ has 11 in the dictionary, 71 as a verb, 35 as a noun and 4 as When the reader or listener assi than what the writer or spea communication. People inter ication is Main} ‘ut some words conve 0 Meanings an adjective, igns a different meaning toa word ker intended, there occurs mis- pret the same word differently due to differences in the economic, social, cultural and educational backgrounds. For example, the word ‘ost’, may mean cost of production to production manager, cost of distribution to the sales manager, expenditure to the finance manager and so on. Thus, it is the people and the context that matter rather than words, - Denotations and Connotations. Words have two types of meanings—denotative and connotative. The literal meaning of a word is known by its denotative Meaning. It just names objects without suggesting positive and negative qualities. Book, chair, toom, computer are examples of denotative words, On the other hand connotative words like honest, Punctual, competent, cheap arouse qualitative judgements and Personal reactions, Some of these words like honest and competent have positive connotations, Other words like cheap, selfish, slow have negative connotations. But certain words have both Positive and negative connotations in different contexts. One such word is ‘cheap? Mohan purchased a pullover on Sunday. On Monday he tells Sohan that he got a new pullover very cheap. Mohan wanted to convey that he was lucky to get a pullover at a low Price (positive connotation). But Sohan thought that Mohan has bought a low quality pullover (negativev7 Nature and Provens of Communication connotation), Due to differences in connotation a sender's compliment may be interpreted by the receiver as an insult. Had Expression. When the message is not formulated and Presented in the proper manner, the receiver fails to comprehend itand misunderstanding occurs. Badly expressed messages lose their impact, Use of jargon, coined words, acronyms and technical terms with special meaning prevents effective communication when the receiver does not understand them. Therefore, these should not be used while communicating with new employees and outsiders. Messages are often vague, incomplete and unclear. Verbosity, lack of precision and poor expression lead to miscommunication, A badly expressed message causes loss of valuable time and money as it requires further corrections and clarification, . Faulty Translation. Each centre has to process the information it receives and translates it in a suitable form for further transmission. Often people translate words in a literal sense thereby losing the spirit behind the words. Inaccurate translation leads to misunderstanding and confusion. When different parts of a message are contradictory, the receiver gets confused over their reliability and validity. In case he is convinced with his existing knowledge or is not in a position to seek clarification, misunderstanding can occur. . Unclarified Assumptions. The sender of a message often makes some assumptions. When these assumptions are vague and unknown to the receiver, communication suffers. Consider the following incident : On Monday, Prof. Sinha announced to his class, “I will be out of town from Tuesday until Friday. There will be no classes while Y'm gone.” On Tuesday 80 per cent of the students came to class but Prof, Sinha failed to appear. On Friday 20 per cent came along and Prof, Sinha was also present. Prof. Sinha irritated by the poor attendance said, “students not present today will receive double cuts in attendance.” In the above case, Prof. Sinha assumed that he will be out from Tuesday morning to Thursday evening. On the other hand, the students assumed that Friday being the last working day of the week, Prof. Sinha will be present on Tuesday but not on Friday.4 Essentials of Bus ” iW if Business C mm ciny Some managers do not communicate certain information to the; subordinates on the assumption that “every body knows,” Similarly, they may withhold some valuable information assuming tha subordinates need not know it. Such failure to communicate Prevents effective communication. ee SEMANTIC BARRIERS Occur due to: Can be overcome by : © Sender and receiver interpret same Using words familiar to the words differently receiver * Words carry different nuances ¢ Clarifying nuances or shades (shades of meaning) and flavours to the sender and the receiver © Poor expression © Using words with positive connotation © Faulty translation « Expressing words properly © Incomplete Message translating message correctly clarifying assumptions © Unclarified assumption © ‘Training and pratice 14.2. Physical or Mechanical Barriers ¢ and defects in the Physical barriers arise due to distance, ni mechanical devices used in communication. 1. Noise. The flow of communication is often blocked due to noise caused by traffic, human sounds, construction work, typewriters, fans, etc. In factories loud noise of the machines makes oral communication difficult. Blaring and other types of electronic noise interferes in communication through telephone and microphone, Sometimes written communication fails due to poor lighting, defective vision, glaze, colour blindness, etc, Physical interference such as illegible handwriting, smudged copies of duplicated type script, poor telephone connections, etc. are also included in noise. Noise refers to the distracting element which breaks the concentration of the sender or receiver and prevents him from paying attention to the contents of the message. Noise can be cither physical or psychological. Physical noise implies physical —Commmamicaninr Gsractions or d& of the recerver Gstact aenton. Nowe can lead 5 mast be hes tw minimis i FRCEIVET Serves as 2 DETTET 0 smooth ommmenication. Telepaone. Sen Sacines Ger and emg ate not reat ecrwbere. There Information Overload. Excess of co: The receiver cannot we © = Noisex 1.4.3 Organisational Barriers barriers arise due to defects in the organisation structure n system of an organisation. These are as follows: the communicatio: L. Long Chain of Command. When the scalar chain is unduly long, distance between top manager and workers increases. As 2 result,1.20 Essentials of Business ¢; § Communica, downward and upward messages have to pass through _" levels causing delay and distortions. There is loss in transmig 7, also caus « MIssi Long chain of command also causes the problem of filtering” means the sender of a message manipulates the informati 8 such a way that the receiver takes it more favourably, Arrangements. Faulty arrangement of furnity partitions, pathways, etc. prevent eye contact between i speaker and his listeners. Spatial arrangements also creat, emotional disturbances. Some person do not like to work to, close to other persons. similarly, most people do not take to, much activity behind their backs. A supervisor generally. prefer, to work from a point from where they can watch others work Spatial arrangement may also be interpreted as status symbols causing further problems in communication. For instance, communication between an employee having a separate room or cabin and his colleagues is reduced. 3. Inappropriate Medium. Various methods of communication have been described in the previous chapter. Each method is appropriate in specific situations. Choice and use ofan unsuitable medium may act asa barrier to communication. For instance, ifa manager wants ployee for his excellent performance, he ce talk rather than sending a memo. On be effective when an arly performance to On in Poor Spatial nv to compliment an em) should have a face-to-fa the other hand, face-to-face talk may not employee wants to submit a report on his ye: his boss. ] ORGANISATIONAL BARRIERS | Occur due to: «Long chain of command e ¢ Proper layout Can be overcome by: Shortening scalar chain * Poor layout ¢ Unsuitable medium sj 1.4.4 Socio-Psychological Barriers Social 2 . ocial and psychological factors are the most difficult barriers t0 communication. These consist of the following : 1. Atti rs Attinides and Opinions. Personal attitudes and opinions often ere with communication. If the message is consistent withand opinions we @ it favourably. The message bly in the filter of our mind. On the other hand, if Message is contrary to our expectations, beliefs and cherished values we do not react favourably to it. For example, a news of bonus is likely to be received favourably by employees. But they may Oppose a move of the management to install computers in me office due to the belief that it will reduce job opportunities for em. Thus, self-centred attitudes prevent smooth communication. potions, Emotions block our mind, blur our thinking and we ga e message properly. For example, the sender of a message fails to speak clearly when he is overexcited, worried, rant ‘ous or angry. ‘An extremely angry speaker (offensive style) ar his speech and repeats the same words again and again. % er cannot hear or read the message successfully when he is emotionally disturbed Anger interrupts theflow of communication. For instance/a eer 0 understand his daughter's argumige ee she returns home a at night. : Oe 2S) Status and Fear. Status distinctions exist and status consciousness serves as a major barrier to cornmunication. Subordinates are either too conscious of their low status or too afraid of being snubbed. They are afraid of communicating upward only unpleasant information as it may displease the boss or may be treated asasign of their incompetence. Many executives keep distance from their juniors thinking that consulting subordinates will lower their dignity. Sometimes, persons in senior positions feel that they know everything and subordinates have nothing useful to say. rrier in face-to-face Status consciousness is a very serious ba munication. A subordinate wants to say a lot. But when he he feels nervous, falters in his speech and hat he wanted to say. The boss, on the other side, gets impatient and starts commenting before hearing the subordinate fully. The result is a total failure in communication. The subordinate comes back to his seat dissatisfied and frustrated while the boss feels that employees have no regard for his valuable time and keep on pestering him for nothing. In such a situation, it is the responsibility of the boss to encourage his subordinates to } com comes before his boss, fails to communicate w!ON Essentials of Business ¢ ‘ommun "Catan talk freely and frankly. He should listen them with Patience a, in sympathy, Suggestion scheme and open door policy also help " ' q overcome the status barrier. , Closed Mind. A person may have a closed mind due to dee rooted prejudices, superiority complex, limited intellectya, background, narrow interest, etc. It is very difficult ¢, communicate with sucha person. He is not willing tolisten and is not prepared to reconsider his opinion. He is not open t conviction and persuasion. He holds his opinion so rigidly that he just refuses to listen. For example, if a new and better traineq employee makes a valuable suggestion toan old employee with g closed mind, the latter will immediately retort, “Look youngman, I have been in this job for twenty years. I know better than you” An attempt to communicate with such persons fails because they react with anger and the communicator gets a sharp rebuff. Inattention. Lack of attention on the part of the listener or reader isa common barrier to communication. Inattention arises due to mental preoccupation or distraction. A student reads five pages of a book but fails to understand even one line because he was thinking of the movie he saw yesterday. A clerk does not listen his boss’s instructions attentively as his attention was distracted by the attractive make-up of the lady typist, who has just entered office. Sometimes the listener’s mind gets busy in guessing what the speaker will say or in framing a reply to what he has heard. As a result he may miss what is being said now. Listeners who focus on the speaker's dress, make-up or accent may fail to listen correctly. Messages that require changes in the existing work routine and privileges of employees face inattention because people may resist change. People pay little attention to unsolicited messages. Distrust. Communication is likely to fail when the receiver has a suspicion about the source of communication. For example, employees may attribute motives to a compliment from their , vate in the habit of finding fault with them. People often tothe facts hen to their faith in the source of facts than ae cmse Ves, A manager may not believe a news 8 from the grapevine but may believe it if the sameNature and Process of Communication EVERYBODY, SOMEBODY, ANYBODY, NOBODY—A % COMMUNICATION GAP | va fd Lg o> CP > NO- ae is a story about four people Everybody, Somebody, A: Nobody. There was an important job to be done—and Evei sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realised that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done! nybody and | rybody was oma trusted colleague. When the receiver is biased the message is either ignored or d more favourably to a their respect and trust. one comes fr or hostile to the sender, misinterpreted. People in general respon: message when the communicator enjoys ple form a judgement before Such premature evaluation Once you form a judgement 7, Premature Evaluation. Some peo} receiving the complete message. prevents effective communication. or response your mind is closed to the rest of the message. The judgement or decision based on incomplete information is likely to be wrong. Your concentration is lost. The time and energy which should have been used to assimilate the message are wasted in evaluating the speaker and his manner of presentation. Therefore, we must listen to or read the full message before reacting to it. rocess of transmission, a part of the message is lost. At every level the message is screened and only a part of itis transmitted further. Therefore, successive transmissions of the message are decreasingly accurate. In oral communication about 30 per cent of the information is lost in each transmission. Similarly, we can not repeat or retain the complete message after hearing or reading it once or twice. Poor retention can be immunised through repetition, clarification and reminders. 8. Poor Retention. In the pnes Com Perceptual Distortion. Perception implies fa . derstanding. Each perception has unique Pre pending upon his past experiences, attitudes and interes example, a factory worker has a different Perception of te or a doctor. One’ religion, occupation and Rationality alse one’s perception. A person’ attitudes and views stem from h ey image and form the values of the group to which he belongs nm Views constitute frame of reference which colour our understan Iie T on. For example, while travelling in thesame rai, rtment, a farmer may remember only the crops seen a i way whereas an architect might see only the buildings. We fend see or hear what we want to see or hear. Meaning lies not in Word but in one’ perception and experience of words. For instance, the same word may connotea pleasant meaning to a happy man ang an unpleasant meaning toa sad man. ticin, a Cong, Ng Every person has a perception filter or screen. When he Teceives a message this filter helps him in absorbing the message. The fits, operates according to the needs and demands of a person, The mind retains what is relevant to the person and discards the residue as “verbal garbage” Whenever the mental filter of the receiver differs from that of the sender, the message may not be understoog as intended. SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIERS Occur due to: In order to minimise these barriers: Attitudes and opinions ¢ Keep an open mind Emotions ¢ Express candidly Status consciousness ¢ Encourage subordinate to express Closed mind © Pay complete attention Inattention ¢ Listen Patiently Distrust or prejudice Premature evaluation Poor retention Perceptual distortion Resist to change $$ —Nature and Process of Communication 125 10. Resistance to Change. When a message urges some change and the receiver is opposed to the change, the process of communication is hampered. The receiver fails to absorb the new concepts as he refuses to accept the change. If the receiver gears himself for arguments and refutations merely to score victory over the sender, his attention is diverted. 1.5 PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION (7C’s) Communication experts have suggested several tips and techniques for better communication. These techniques are called gateways to communication. 1. Clarity. Good communication never “happens.” It does not take place offhand or random. Rather it is the result of advance thinking and careful planning. The principle of clarity implies both clarity of thought and clarity of expression. The process of communication begins with the generation of a thought in the mind of the communicator. Just as a clear photograph cannot be achieved from a blurred negative, a clear message cannot be sent from an unclear thought. Clarity of thought means the communicator must be fully clear in his mind about what he wants to communicate (the message), why he wants to communicate (the objective of communication) to whom he wants to communicate (the receiver) when he wants to communicate (the timing), and how should he communicate (the most suitable media). Once the idea is clear in the sender's mind, it must be expressed in clear and simple language. Clarity of expression requires proper encoding of the message and choice of appropriate words. In order to ensure clarity in communication the following steps are required : (a) Use simple and familiar words. (b) Use verbal and non-verbal symbols that are familiar to both the sender and the receiver. Avoid technical jargon that is understood only by a limited group. (c)1.26 . Completeness. Every communication must be com os Essentials of Business Comm, a (d) Avoid all ambiguities and words having double m te ean . n (ec) Use precise words rather than vagueness. & (f) Use short sentences and paragraphs. let adequate. Incomplete messages keep the receiver guessing ‘ 7 Create misunderstanding and delay actions. Every person should, theref be provided with all the required facts and figures. For example, vs the factory supervisor instructs workers to produce, he must Spe; the exact size, shape, quality and cost of the product. Any assump’ behind the message should also be clarified. When you answer ale, reply all the questions raised in the letter. In order to ensure completeness of message, we should check for the “five W” questions. What, Why, When, Where and Who. For example, while announg a meeting, specify What is to be discussed in the meeting, Why itis being held, When the meeting is to be held, Where it is being held, and Who is to attend the meeting. Thus only a complete message can be an effective message. Conciseness. Brevity is the soul of good communication, Therefore, we should use only relevant details in our message, Ruskin said, “say all you have to say in the fewest possible words? Brevity saves the time of both the sender and the receiver of the message. Besides saving time, brevity provides grace to speech and a force to what you write. More words do not lead to clarity, rather they obscure the meaning and tire the reader. Irrelevant or superfluous words cloud the meaning. Avoid irrelevant words and repetition. Organise your message well by using simple words and short sentences. Trite and wordy expressions should not be used. For example, “we welcome you’ is preferable to “we extend awarm welcome to you”. Similarly, “often?” is better than “in considerable number of cases” An effective message has to be concise and crisp- Consideration. In order to communicate effectively, think and look from the receiver's angle. The sender should adopt a humane approach and understand the emotions and sentiments of the receiver. He should understand and focus on the needs of the receiver. The socio-psychological background of the receiver must be understood. The golden rule “First understand then be understood” should be followed. oSThis helps to build credibility, The content of the message must be compatible with the receiver's level of understanding, Correctness. You should not transmit any message unless you are absolutely convinced of its accuracy and authenticity, employees forward incorrect information to managers, decisions based on such information may be wrong. § incorrect information to outsiders may reputation. G style. The mess ensure correctness. right time. Delayed and outdated me transmission of Similarl poil relations and ve correct facts and send your message in the correct ge must be unbiased. ‘Timeline: Transmit and respond to all me: ages at the ages cause loss of time and money. There should be consistency between what you say and what you do. Courtesy. Courtesy means a friendly and helpful behaviour towards others. Polite manners facilitate communications Politeness begets politeness and encourage participative communication. The following guidelines should be observed to ensure courtesy : (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) Thank generously for a favour. When someone does a favour to you acknowledge it promptly and thank the person generously for being kind to you. Apologise for an omission. Ifyou have committed a mistake, express your regrets promptly and sincerely. Avoid irritating expressions. Words and expressions having, negative connotation should not be used in the message. You ignored, you failed, you leave us no choice are examples. of such words and phrases. Answer all letters promptly. In case you need time to send a full reply acknowledge the letter you have received, Use empathy. Ask how you would feel if you were to receive this message Concentration (Attentiveness). While sending and receiving a message, yogi must pay full attention. While transmitting information, attention is necessary to ensure that all the relevant details are included in correct and clear manner. Undivided attention to all incoming messages is required to ensure that theLs Bwen ¢ Brevity Comin messages are fully understood and no point is miss eh UN the absence of full attention misunderstanding and contusion Atise, These result in) miscommunication and Ineflicieney * listens, reads with full attention. Active listening is essential for suec 88 in Communication cannot be effective unless the receive communication. This indicates that communication is the Joint responsibility of the sender and the receiver. THE 7 C’s OF COMMUNICATION The7 C's | The Desired | ‘The Desired BSS SS SSE cst dS eco Courtesy You are Kindly requested to | You had better submit the trave} submit the travel bills, bills otherwise the following tion... Clarity | You are kindly requested to | Travel bills must be submitted in submit the travel bills by Sat- | time: | urday afternoon every week Concisenes Please submit the travel billsoa | Travel bills must be submitted on the afternoon of every - | Saturdays of every month and day | preferably betore 3 p.m., other: wise we would not accept them Concreteness Please submit the travelbills by | ‘Travel bill every Saturday 3 p.m, Correctness We waited four days your bills toreceive | We waited 4 days to receive your bills | Consideration As soonasyou submit the bills, | The payments due to you will be wwe will release the payments | released 3 due to you oon as you would | have submitted your bills to us Completeness Please submit the travel bills by | Submit y 3 pam. every Saturday in the : a Personnel department reer a Source : Indian Management, March 2007. ‘our travel bills on time 8. Objectivity. The commur nicator should be fully impartiz i sendinga message Ie ully impartial while bias to dig should not allow his emotions, attitudes or ‘stort the message. He should communicate unpleasant ee a way, that the feelings of the receiver are not hurt. nlarly, one should not allow his emotions and Prejudices toNature and Process of Communication 1.29 distort understanding and interpretation of information received from others. Self control is essential for effective communication 9. Use Grapevine Strategically, According to this principle, informal channels of communication should be used judiciously to supplement the official channels, Information communication or grapevine can be fruitfully utilised particularly when the official channels are slow and insufficient, However, one should make sure that no orders are given through the grapevine. 10. Feedback. Feedback should be used carefully in planning and executing communication. Where feedback is not automatically available, the sender should ask questions, request reply and encourage the receiver to give his reactions to the message. Communication is complete only when the receiver understands the message and the sender comes to know that his message has been understood, 11. Careful Use of Body Language. In face-to-face oral communication, body language should be used to reinforce words. Proper posture, right eye contact and appropriate facial expressions help to make communication effective. Positive body language requires positive feelings. 12. Elimination of Noise. Noise is the greatest barrier to communication. Every possible effort must be made to eliminate noise caused by machines, equipment/communication devices, disturbance in the transmission lines, etc. According to Jim Rohn, “Effective communication is 26 per cent what you know and 80 per cent how you feel about what you know.” SUMMARY Meaning : Exchange of information, opinions and ideas between two or more individuals NEED: Growing size of organisations, increasing specialisation, technological advancements, cut throat competition, trade unionism, human relations, public relations. Process; Sender, message, encoding, channel, receiver, decoding, feedback.