Communication skills

first years, unit one, l1

by Mrs Joyce koyi
Mwale.
OUTLINE :

 Introduction to Communication
 Definitions of communication
 Types of communication
 Process of communication
 Purpose of Communication
Effective communication
Barriers to effective communication
Communication

 Definitions:
 Since communication happens around us all the time, the process is often taken
for granted. A large amount of time is spent communicating hence there is need
to make sure that ideas and information are put in a way that everyone involved
can understand. Thinking about what to say, working out the best way of saying
it, finding the right words, making sure the other person understands and
understanding anything he\she says in reply are all vital stages in communication.
This then makes communication very important in our day to day living.
 Communication comes from the Latin word communis which means common.
 When we communicate, we are trying to establish commonness with someone.
That is, we are trying to share information, an idea or an attitude (Schramm,
1993).
Definitions of communication

 Communication is the transfer of information from one person to another, and the
information transferred must be understandable by the receiver. –(G.G.Brow)
 We communicate using different means such as talk, phones, emails, letters,
gestures, signs, pictures and many more.
 We all use language to communicate, to express ourselves, to get our ideas across,
 and to connect with the person to whom we are speaking. When a relationship is
 working, the act of communicating seems to flow relatively effortlessly. When a
 relationship is deteriorating, the act of communicating can be as frustrating as
climbing a hill of sand. ( Chip Rose, attorney and mediator)
Definitions of Communications CONT.

 Communication can also be defined as giving, receiving or exchanging ideas,

 information, signals or messages through appropriate media, enabling
individuals or groups to
 persuade, to seek information, to give information or to express emotions.
This broad definition
 includes body-language, skills of speaking and writing. It also outlines the
objectives of
 communication and emphasizes listening as an important aspect of
communication
Types of Communication
 There are basically two types of communication that exists and these are verbal and
non-verbal communication.
 Verbal communication refers to the form of communication in which message is
transmitted verbally; communication is done by word of mouth and writing. Objective
of every communication is to have people understand what we are trying to convey. In
verbal communication always remember to keep it short and simple.
 When we talk to others, we assume that others understand what we are saying because
we know what we are saying. But this is not the case. Usually people bring their own
attitude, perception, emotions and thoughts about the topic and hence creates barrier
in delivering the right meaning.
 In order to deliver the right message, you must put yourself on the other side of table
and think from the receivers point of view. Would he or she understand the message
and how it will sound on the other side of the table. key components of verbal
communication are sound, words, speaking, and language.
Advantages of Oral/spoken
communication
 Oral communication allows for immediate feedback such as the opportunity to
ask questions when the meaning is not entirely clear.
 The sender is able to check and see whether if the instruction is clear or has
created confusion.
 There is high level of understanding and transparency in oral communication as
it is interpersonal.
 There is flexibility for allowing changes in the decisions previously taken.
 The feedback is spontaneous in oral communication. Thus, decisions can be
made quickly without any delay.
 Oral communication is not only time saving, but it also saves upon money and
efforts. And it can used to transfer private and confidential information/matter.
Disadvantages of Oral/spoken
communication
 Poor presentation of the message or the instruction can result in misunderstanding and wrong responses.
 ii Relying only on oral communication may not be sufficient as business communication is formal and very
organized.
 iii. Oral communication is less authentic than written communication as they are informal and not as organized
as written communication.
 iv. Oral communication is time-saving as far as daily interactions are concerned, but in case of meetings, long
speeches consume lot of time and are unproductive at times.
 v. Oral communications are not easy to maintain and thus they are unsteady.
 vi. There may be misunderstandings as the information is not complete and may lack
 essentials.
 vii. It requires attentiveness and great receptivity on part of the receivers/audience.
 viii. Oral communication (such as speeches) is not frequently used as legal records except in investigation work.
 ix. Spoken communication is influenced by both verbal and non-verbal communication such
 as tone or body language which may twist the meaning of your message in the mind of the receiver.
Interpersonal communication and
public speaking
 What is interpersonal communication ?
 This is defined by communication scholars in numerous ways, though most
definitions involve participants who are interdependent on one another .
 Interpersonal communication is also be defined us exchange of some
information between two or more people .
 The other major area of speaking is public speaking. From the origin of time,
it has been obvious that some people are just better public speakers than
others. Because of this, today a good speaker can earn a living by speaking to
people in a public setting. Some of the major areas of public speaking are
speaking to persuade, speaking to inform, and speaking to inspire or
motivate.
Group Communication and Nature of
small groups
 Small-group communication refers to the nature of communication that
occurs in groups that are between 3 and 12 individuals. Small group
communication generally takes place in a context that mixes interpersonal
communication interactions with social clustering
 Most small groups fall under one or more categories: the task group, the
relationship group and the influence group. The task group is more of a
committee meeting; set up to accomplish a task, such as a Local School
Council . The relationship group is more of a meeting of people for the
enjoyment of each other's company, such as a golf club. The influence group
focuses on bettering yourself and those around you, group members have
influence over each other, such as a self help group .
Intrapersonal communication

 Intrapersonal: this is communication is language use or thought internal to

the communicator. Intrapersonal communication is the active internal
involvement of the individual in symbolic processing of messages. The
individual becomes his or her own sender and receiver, providing feedback to
him or herself in an ongoing internal process.
 Intrapersonal communication can also be defined us communication which
happens within someone's heart . Where the person himself sends the
message in his heart and finds the solution and gives the feedback by himself
without using the channel like a phone, or radio.
Non – Verbal communication / Written
Communication.
 Nonverbal communication (NVC) is usually understood as the process of
communication through sending and receiving wordless messages. Such
messages can be communicated through gesture; body language or posture;
facial expression and eye contact; object communication such as clothing,
hairstyles or even architecture; symbols and info-graphics.
 In written communication, written signs or symbols are used to communicate.
A written message may be printed or hand written. In written communication
message can be transmitted via, letter, report, memo, reports, bulletins, job
descriptions, employee manuals, and electronic mail are the types of written
communication used for internal communication.
Advantages of written communication

 Written communication is good for complicated and vital instructions, which can be given in a
precise and uniform manner.
 Written communication helps in laying down apparent principles, policies and rules for running
of an organization.
 Written communication is a permanent means of communication: written instructions can be
used for future references.
 Therefore important where record maintenance is required. It assists in proper delegation of
responsibilities.
 Written communication is more precise and provides ready records and references’.
 There is a lesser chance for the message to be misunderstood.
 Authority is transmitted more effectively with a written order than with an oral one
 Messages can be edited and revised many time before it is actually sent.
 Written communication provides record for every message sent and can be saved for later study.
Disadvantages of written
communication
 People may not always read them.
 ii. Written communication takes time.
 iii. It is impersonal or unfriendly.
 iv. Written communication is expensive. It costs huge in terms of stationery and the
 manpower employed in writing/typing and delivering letters.
 v. Written communication is time-consuming as the feedback is not immediate. The
 encoding and sending of message takes time
 vi. Effective written communication requires great skills and competencies in
language.
 vii. Too much paper work
 viii. It does not answer questions and there is no immediate feedback.
Process of communication

 Communication is the process of passing information and understanding from

one person to another. The communication process involves six basic
elements: sender (encoder), message, channel, receiver (decoder), noise,
and feedback. Social workers can improve communication skills by becoming
aware of these elements and how they contribute to successful
communication. Communication can break down at any one of these
elements.
 In a simple and short way, the process of communication involves the
following :
 Sender, message, channel, receiver
Communication process
Effective communication

 For communication to be effective, It requires and even necessitates

understanding and proper feedback from the co-communicator to be labelled
as effective. Hence, for any interaction to turn into communication one needs
a sender and a receiver. In between the two, there must be a message to be
transmitted and a medium through which it is to be sent forth.
 Therefore, Communication begins and ends on the sender who initiates
communication. The sender formulates the message in accordance with his
frame of reference. The sender then plans the message which is suitably
encoded and selects the mode or channel of communicating the message
which may be verbal, non-verbal or written. Having successfully encoded the
message, the sender then waits for the response of the listener or receiver
who upon receiving the message decodes it. At the point that the message
reaches the receiver, feedback is then given back to the sender.
Effective Communication
Barriers to communication

 No matter how good the communication system in an organisation is,

unfortunately barriers can and do often occur. This may be caused by a
number of factors which can usually be summarised as being due to:

 Physical barriers: These are often due to the nature of the environment.
Thus, for example, the natural barrier which exists if people are located in
different buildings or different sites. It should be noted that distractions like
background noise, poor lighting or an environment which is too hot or cold
can all affect people‘s morale and concentration, which in turn interfere with
effective communication. Likewise, poor or outdated equipment, particularly
the failure to introduce new technology, may also cause problems
Barriers to communication

 System design faults: These refer to problems with the structures or systems in place
in an organisation. Examples might include an organisational structure which is unclear
and therefore makes it confusing to know who to communicate with and to .

 Attitudinal barriers:
 Limitation in physical and mental ability, intelligence, understanding, pre-conceived
notions, and distrusted source divides the attention and create a mechanical barrier
which affects the attitude and opinion. These may be brought about, for example, by
such factors as poor management, lack of consultation with employees, personality
conflicts which can result in people delaying or refusing to communicate, which may be
due to lack of motivation .
 Language Barrier. Different languages and vocabulary can be a barrier to
communication . Words having similar pronunciation but multiple meanings like-
round; badly expressed message and wrong interpretation and unqualified
assumptions. The use of difficult or inappropriate words/ poorly explained or
misunderstood messages can result in confusion.
 Cultural barrier: Stereotypical assumptions can cause misunderstandings, such as
unintentionally offending a Kikuyu person by calling him a thief.
 Physiological-Impairment barrier - Physical maladies that prevent effective
communication, such as deafness or blindness
 Environmental barrier - Noise that physically disrupts communication, such as
standing next to loud speakers at a party, pulling and moving of seats in a lecture
room, working in a factory etc
 Status. Perceived power affects individuals differently. Some individuals
experience difficulty communicating with others of different status .