Communication

The term communication has been derived from the Latin word, ‘communis’,
which means common. Literally, communication means, to tell, show, spread
the information and inform. The term communication is used to signify the
process of transferring ideas or receiving it by any means such as word of
mouth, telephone, telegram, letter, message, etc. Thus, communication stands
for sharing of information, imparting or conveying ideas and knowledge.

Definitions of Communication

 Communication is transfer of information from one person to

another,whether or not it elicits confidence. But the information
transferred must be understandable to the receiver – G.G. Brown.

 Communication is the intercourse by words, letters or messages”- Fred G.

Meyer.

Communications Process

Communications is a continuous process which mainly involves three elements

viz. sender, message, and receiver. The elements involved in the communication
process are explained below in detail:

1. Sender:-The sender or the communicator generates the message and conveys

it to the receiver. He is the source and the one who starts the communication

2. Message:-It is the idea, information, view, fact, feeling, etc. that is generated
by the sender and is then intended to be communicated further.

3. Encoding:-The message generated by the sender is encoded symbolically such

as in the form of words, pictures, gestures, etc. before it is being conveyed.

4. Media:-It is the manner in which the encoded message is transmitted. The

message may be transmitted orally or in writing. The medium of
communication includes telephone, internet, post, fax, e-mail, etc. The choice
of medium is decided by the sender.

5. Decoding:-It is the process of converting the symbols encoded by the sender.

After decoding the message is received by the receiver.

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6. Receiver:-He is the person who is last in the chain and for whom the message
was sent by the sender. Once the receiver receives the message and understands
it in proper perspective and acts according to the message, only then the purpose
of communication is successful.

7. Feedback:-Once the receiver confirms to the sender that he has received the
message and understood it, the process of communication is complete.

8. Noise:-It refers to any obstruction that is caused by the sender, message or

receiver during the process of communication. For example, bad telephone
connection, faulty encoding, faulty decoding, inattentive receiver, poor
understanding of message due to prejudice or inappropriate gestures, etc.

Type of Communication

1. Verbal Communication

The Verbal Communication is a type of oral communication wherein the

message is transmitted through the spoken words. Here the sender gives words
to his feelings, thoughts, ideas and opinions and expresses them in the form of

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speeches, discussions, presentations, and conversations.

Verbal communication is defined as communication to express our views,

information, and ideas in the form of sound and words. The spoken part usually
involves face-to-face communication. Communication through radio, television,
or mobile phones is also called verbal communication. Thus, when we talk about
verbal communication, we mean both oral and written communication.

Oral Communication -In oral communication the information is given directly

either face to face or on phone. The channels of oral communication include
face-to-face discussions, conferences, presentations, lectures, etc. Oral
communication is more effective because there is a personal touch. The
communication can be understood clearly and the doubts can be clarified on the
spot. The important points can be highlighted through action.

Written Communication-Written communication involves any type of

message that makes use of the written word. When messages are presented in
writing format—letters, memos, e-mail, and the likes—the tendency for
misunderstanding the words of the sender are reduced.The advantages of written
communication are that messages can be revised, stored and made available
whenever it is needed. More so, messages in written format can be disseminated
in identical copies so the same message is received by all, and the receiver has
more time to analyze the message.

Characteristics of verbal communication

Verbal communication has some characteristics for the effective exchange of

information. Some of the characteristics of verbal communication are as
follows:

 Language is governed by rules

 Meanings are in people not in words.
 Completeness in information
 Clearness in speaking
 Self-awareness of the content
 Information is most reliable in conversation

Types of Verbal Communication

There are four types of verbal communication, which are listed below:

1.Public Communication

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The public communication is defined as the communication of a person with the
public. It involves a massive assembly of people. For example, the Prime
Minister addressing the public about the multiple developing projects; Other
examples include elections, campaigns, public speeches, etc.

2.Small-Group Communication

The small group communication is defined as communication within two or

more people. The number of people participating in such communication is
enough to have a good interaction with each other; For example, school
meetings, board meetings, press conferences, office meetings, team meetings,
family gatherings, etc.

3.Intrapersonal Communication

Intrapersonal communication is communication within us. It is also called as

internal communication. It includes self-thinking, analysis, thoughts,
assessments, etc. associated with the inner state of mind.The person's internal
thoughts or feelings play a vital role in intrapersonal communication. It also
includes various activities, such as solo speaking, solo writing, solo dancing,
concentration, and self-awareness.

4.Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal communication is the communication between us and others over

the channel. The communication can be online, face-to-face, video conference
on mobile, etc.Interpersonal skills are essential, whether we are a manager,
employee, or looking for work. Such skills are also known as soft skills that
determine how well a person can communicate, behave, and relate to others.

Advantages of Verbal Communication :

 Saves a lot of time.

 Saves money too.
 Get feedback quickly.
 Most convenient method.
 Clarity of method.
 Ease of preparation.

Non-Verbal Communication

The Non-Verbal Communication is the process of conveying meaning without

the use of words either written or spoken. In other words, any communication

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made between two or more persons through the use of facial expressions, hand
movements, body language, postures, and gestures is called as non-verbal
communication.

The Non-Verbal Communication, unlike the verbal communication, helps in

establishing and maintaining the interpersonal relationships while the verbals
only help in communicating the external events. People use non-verbals to
express emotions and interpersonal attitudes, conduct rituals such as greetings
and bring forward one’s personality.

The non-verbal communication in the form of signals, expressions add meaning

over the verbal and help people to communicate more efficiently. It supplements
whatever is said in words, such as people nod to acknowledge and move their
hands to give directions.

Characteristics of nonverbal communication

1. Non-verbal messages primarily communicate emotions, attitudes.
2. Non-verbal cues substitute for, contradict, emphasize or regulate verbal
message.
3. Non-verbal cues are often ambiguous.
4. Non-verbal cues are continuous.
5. Non-verbal cues are more reliable.
6. Non-verbal cues are culture bound.
7. Non-verbal behaviour always has communicative value.
8. Non-verbal communication is powerful.

Types of nonverbal communication

The many different types of nonverbal communication or body language

include:

1.Facial expressions. The human face is extremely expressive, able to convey

countless emotions without saying a word. And unlike some forms of nonverbal
communication, facial expressions are universal. The facial expressions for
happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust are the same across
cultures.

2.Body movement and posture. Consider how your perceptions of people are
affected by the way they sit, walk, stand, or hold their head. The way you move
and carry yourself communicates a wealth of information to the world. This type
of nonverbal communication includes your posture, bearing, stance, and the
subtle movements you make.

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3.Gestures. Gestures are woven into the fabric of our daily lives. You may
wave, point, beckon, or use your hands when arguing or speaking animatedly,
often expressing yourself with gestures without thinking. However, the meaning
of some gestures can be very different across cultures. While the “OK” sign
made with the hand, for example, usually conveys a positive message in
English-speaking countries, it’s considered offensive in countries such as
Germany, Russia, and Brazil. So, it’s important to be careful of how you use
gestures to avoid misinterpretation.

4.Eye contact. Since the visual sense is dominant for most people, eye contact
is an especially important type of nonverbal communication. The way you look
at someone can communicate many things, including interest, affection,
hostility, or attraction. Eye contact is also important in maintaining the flow of
conversation and for gauging the other person’s interest and response.

5.Touch. We communicate a great deal through touch. Think about the very
different messages given by a weak handshake, a warm bear hug, a patronizing
pat on the head, or a controlling grip on the arm, for example.

6.Space. Have you ever felt uncomfortable during a conversation because the
other person was standing too close and invading your space? We all have a
need for physical space, although that need differs depending on the culture, the
situation, and the closeness of the relationship. You can use physical space to
communicate many different nonverbal messages, including signals of intimacy
and affection, aggression or dominance.

7.Voice. It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. When you speak, other
people “read” your voice in addition to listening to your words. Things they pay
attention to include your timing and pace, how loud you speak, your tone and
inflection, and sounds that convey understanding, such as “ahh” and “uh-huh.”
Think about how your tone of voice can indicate sarcasm, anger, affection, or
confidence.

Barriers in Communication

Barriers of Communication: This far we have seen what we mean by the process
of communication. But, at times even after taking care of every other detail
some misunderstandings arise. So, to eliminate these misunderstandings, we
have to understand the most common barriers to effective communication.

Barriers To Effective Communication

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The process of communication has multiple barriers. The intended communique
will often be disturbed and distorted leading to a condition of misunderstanding
and failure of communication. The Barriers to effective communication could be
of many types like linguistic, psychological, emotional, physical, and cultural
etc. We will see all of these types in detail below.

1.Linguistic Barriers:-

The language barrier is one of the main barriers that limit effective
communication. Language is the most commonly employed tool of
communication. The fact that each major region has its own language is one of
the Barriers to effective communication. Sometimes even a thick dialect may
render the communication ineffective. As per some estimates, the dialects of
every two regions changes within a few kilometers. Even in the same workplace,
different employees will have different linguistic skills. As a result, the
communication channels that span across the organization would be affected by
this.

Thus keeping this barrier in mind, different considerations have to be made for
different employees. Some of them are very proficient in a certain language and
others will be ok with these languages.

2.Psychological Barriers

There are various mental and psychological issues that may be barriers to
effective communication. Some people have stage fear, speech disorders,
phobia, depression etc. All of these conditions are very difficult to manage
sometimes and will most certainly limit the ease of communication.

3.Emotional Barriers

The emotional IQ of a person determines the ease and comfort with which they
can communicate. A person who is emotionally mature will be able to
communicate effectively. On the other hand, people who let their emotions take
over will face certain difficulties.A perfect mixture of emotions and facts is
necessary for effective communication. Emotions like anger, frustration,
humour, can blur the decision-making capacities of a person and thus limit the
effectiveness of their communication.

4.Physical Barriers to Communication

They are the most obvious barriers to effective communication. These barriers
are mostly easily removable in principle at least. They include barriers like

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noise, closed doors, faulty equipment used for communication, closed cabins,
etc. Sometimes, in a large office, the physical separation between various
employees combined with faulty equipment may result in severe barriers to
effective communication.

5.Cultural Barriers of Communication

As the world is getting more and more globalized, any large office may have
people from several parts of the world. Different cultures have a different
meaning for several basic values of society. Dressing, Religions or lack of them,
food, drinks, pets, and the general behaviour will change drastically from one
culture to another.

Hence it is a must that we must take these different cultures into account while
communication. This is what we call being culturally appropriate. In many
multinational companies, special courses are offered at the orientation stages
that let people know about other cultures and how to be courteous and tolerant
of others.

6.Organisational Structure Barriers

As we saw there are many methods of communication at an organizational level.

Each of these methods has its own problems and constraints that may become
barriers to effective communication. Most of these barriers arise because of
misinformation or lack of appropriate transparency available to the employees.

7.Attitude Barriers

Certain people like to be left alone. They are the introverts or just people who
are not very social. Others like to be social or sometimes extra clingy! Both
these cases could become a barrier to communication. Some people have
attitude issues, like huge ego and inconsiderate behaviours.

8.Perception Barriers

Different people perceive the same things differently. This is a fact which we
must consider during the communication process. Knowledge of the perception
levels of the audience is crucial to effective communication. All the messages or
communique must be easy and clear. There shouldn’t be any room for a
diversified interpretational set.

9.Physiological Barriers

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Certain disorders or diseases or other limitations could also prevent effective
communication between the various channels of an organization. The shrillness
of voice, dyslexia, etc are some examples of physiological barriers to effective
communication. However, these are not crucial because they can easily be
compensated and removed.

10.Technological Barriers & Socio-religious Barriers

Other barriers include the technological barriers. The technology is developing

fast and as a result, it becomes difficult to keep up with the newest
developments. Hence sometimes the technological advance may become a
barrier. In addition to this, the cost of technology is sometimes very high.