CHAPTER ONE

OVERVIEW OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

1.1 Historical Development Of Communication
Communication is perhaps as old as the human civilization. Its origin can be traced to the growth
of the human society. In the primitive stage of human society, people satisfied their wants, which
were limited to the basic needs for food, clothing and shelter by their own individual efforts. At
that time life was isolated and there was little communication. But while people hunted for food,
they too were hunted by other wild animals. They lived in constant danger. The common need
for protection and security led to group life. Then communication was evolved in the form of
sounds, indications, signals, and expressions. As group life developed, and human wants
continued to increase, forms of communication also developed. Gradually, with the increase in
population, emergence of division of labor and specialization, and birth of exchange economy
human beings had to be in constant communication.
At some stage, the signs and symbols created language. With the growth of business-industry and
commerce, ways of expressing ideas in languages developed. Gradually people were able to
shape their attitudes, norms, values, culture, religion, etc through communication. Science
entered the field and new forms of oral, written and audio visual communication developed.
Thus the development of communication is inseparable from the development of human
civilization.
In the present day world of mass production, involving organizations with large number of
personnel with their social and cultural diversifications, and complex industrial operations and
influences, communication is of vital need at every step in industrial and commercial activities.
1.2 Definition of Communication
Communication comes from the Latin word communis, which means to make common to
many, share. It is the lifeblood of every business. Information must be conveyed, received
understood, and acted upon in a proper manner. When there is a breakdown in this process,
organizational efficiency suffers. Most organizations depend on communication to accomplish
their objectives.
When people in business and professions are asked to define communication, they often respond
by saying something like, communication is the process of transferring thoughts and ideas from
one person to another. This definition sounds good from the surface; it includes the idea of
communicating our idea and thoughts to others, which is a necessary occurrence in business.
However, the words transferring and from one person to another inaccurately imply that
communication is like pouring liquid from a jar to a glass. In other words, the definition implies
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a simple one-way action where person A takes knowledge from his/her head and simply pours
(transfers) it into the head of person B. obviously, communication is not that simple. Person B
may refuse to accept As ideas and may wish to present his/her own ideas. Or B may completely
misinterpret As message. As one communication scholar notes, Communication does not
consist of the transmission of meaning. Meanings are not transferable. Only messages are
transferable, and meanings are not in the message, they are in the message-user.
A more accurate definition of communication can be found by considering the definitions given
by different authors. Some of these definitions are the following:

Communication occurs when an exchange of messages result in shared

meaning.
Communication is a two way process of exchanging ideas or information between
human beings.
Communication is the process of conveying messages (facts, ideas, attitudes &
opinions) from one person to another so that they are understood.
Communication is the process of people sharing thoughts, ideas, & feelings with each
other in commonly understandable ways.

From the above definitions, you might notice that all of them share something in common. All of
the definitions stress that there should at least be two people for communication to occur & there
should also be some kind of message that is intended to be transmitted from one party to another.
And, when people communicate, they express their ideas & feelings in a way that is
understandable to each other. They share information with each other.
To put it in a nutshell, the above definitions of communication call attention to the following six
essential points:
1. Communication is a process
Communication refers to a series of activities to be accomplished in a sequence; it does
not refer to incidental events and transactions among people.
2. Communication is purposeful
When senders-receivers communicate the sender originally should have an objective to
be checked at the end of the communication process. Communication is not just the
transfer of messages but purposeful transfer of messages between senders and receivers.
Thus it does not refer to incidental transactions between people.
3. Communication involves people

Communication shows the degree of understanding among senders-receivers and how

they relate to each other. Therefore, it refers to communication among people only and
the exchange of interpersonal behaviors among them.
4. Communication involves shared meaning
This suggests that in order for people to communicate, they must agree on the definitions
of the terms and symbols they are using. The symbols used by the sender should be
similarly interpreted by the receiver in order to ensure equal or similar understanding
between them.
5. Communication is symbolic
In communication symbols such as, letters, numbers, words, gestures, sound, etc can
only represent or approximate the ideas they are meant to communicate. In other
words symbols are not perfect representations of our ideas. Thus we have to take care
in selecting symbols that best approximate the senders ideas.
6. Communication is vital to human existence
It is how we pass on to others our thoughts and feelings, tell them what we want them to
do, ask them to help us, share with them our knowledge and experience. Without
communication we would each live as if alone in the world.
1.3 Characteristics of Communication
As articulated by Gerald Miller, communication has three basic characteristics: dynamism,
uniqueness and transactional nature.
Dynamism
Every communication event stems from a series of past events and triggers a series of new ones.
Communication is affected by prior attitudes, planned thoughts and people to whom the message
is addressed. It is thus a dynamic phenomenon without beginning, without end, continually
responding, and continually changing.
Uniqueness
Evolving naturally from the notion of dynamism is the concept of uniqueness. No two
communication events are a like because of the change in the sender, the audience, delivery, time
situation, etc.
Transactional Nature
Communication scholars Wenberg and Wilmot mentioned that in communication all persons are
engaged in sending (encoding) and receiving (decoding) messages simultaneously. Each person
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is affecting the other. Each communication transaction involves reciprocal exchange of feelings,
meanings, ideas and responses.
1.4 Communication Functions
Within each organizational setting, communication performs a variety of functions. One function
that occupies a central role within all organizational systems is information exchange.
Information Exchange
In the broad sense, any organization that does not exchange information with its environment
will die. The organization both effects change in its environment and responds to change in order
to survive. Such changes would not be possible without the possession of considerable
information on which to base intelligent behavior. Thus, the exchange of information serves the
basic function of organizational maintenance.
As members of organizations, we must possess adequate information to function productivity on
a daily basis. We must also exchange sufficient information so that our goals are somehow
integrated and coordinated with those of others in the organization. Obviously, the separate rules
and tasks of any organization do not exist in a vacuum. Rather, we must accomplish each task in
coordination with other individuals, groups, and departments. In one of the texts on
organizational communication, Haney presents a tragic case involving the mismanagement of
information exchanged in a hospital. In this case a deceased patient who was not immediately
removed from his room was visited by his wife who, upon finding her husband dead collapsed
and died of a heart attack herself.
This tragedy occurred because rotting nurses in charge of the situation did not exchange clear
messages and failed to notify appropriate authorities the minute they knew their patient had died.
Although most instances of information exchange do not result in such tragic outcomes, the
smooth, timely, and undistorted flow of information remains an important goal of all
organizations.
Idea and attitude imposition
Information exchange and idea imposition are not distinct. When a supervisor tells us how to
replace the paper in the copying machine, how to fill out grant request forms, or how to deal with
a disciplinary problem on the surface he or she is informing us about how to perform our jobs.
But such information clearly does more than inform. It also persuades that the procedure in
question is not only acceptable but often preferred or even required.
From the time we enter an organization, we are bombarded with ideas, information, and attitudes
whose purpose is to effect some change in us. Whenever, we join an organization, we
immediately encounter some of the more common forms of idea and attitude imposition. We may
be told succinctly and directly how to function in our daily jobs and how those jobs fit into the
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overall organizational plan. At a more subtle level, our initiation may involve a strategic
indoctrination aimed at encouraging us to conform to the values, standards, and needs of the
organization. Schein refers to this latter process as organizational socialization.
Although some socialization is probably inevitable and in some sense beneficial, Schein
maintains that what organizations really need are creative people who accept crucial
organizational values, but who are richly diversified in other significant respects. Most healthy
companies are filled with professionals who are united in their dedication to the organizations
goals of high-quality products, employee satisfaction, and productivity. Even so their ideas about
what precisely constitutes quality, how to keep workers happy, and how to achieve maximum
productivity are probably quite different. Although organizations can command a great of
conformity, only through a process of mutual organizational and individual influence is
innovation and growth likely to occur in the long run.

Evaluation
A third major communication function is evaluation. When we evaluate, we process, interpret,
and judge. Each of us is evaluated before entering the organization through applications and
employment interview, and the notion of evaluation is really inherent in the organizations
hierarchy. Supervisors evaluate their subordinates just as higher executive judge lower level
supervisors. Worker evaluation sheets, memos, organizational progress reports, interviews, and
personal and small group conferences are a few examples of common organizational evaluation
procedures.
Soliciting Feedback
A fourth function of communication is soliciting feedback. Historically, several factors have
impeded feedback in organizations. Generally some employees simply are not interested in
communicating to management or participating in decision making; others are afraid to
communicate (fearing reprisals from a management or ostracism by their peers); still others are
unaware that management expects them to communicate; and some simply believe that
management has no interest in their thoughts and concerns or that management will not respond
to them.
Taken together, the communication functions we have outlined influence the effectiveness and
efficiency of the organization. The amount, clarity, and appropriateness of information
exchanged, the ability of the organization to socialize and influence its members, the impact of
evaluations, and the success of attempts to solicit feedback all determine the characteristics, and
ultimately the success, of a particular organization.

1.5 Development of Business Communication

In the past so many years, office technology has improved, and with it has come an array of
developments that make business communication easier, faster, and less costly than before.
Office technology permits information to be produced quickly and easily. For example, a typist
using personal computer as a word processor can produce in one hour a greater number of typed
paged with fewer errors than a typist working with a standard electric typewriter. Moreover, if
changes have to be made, the computer generated pages can be modified by adding, deleting, or
rearranging material without having to retype everything. Information analysis and data retrieval
have been made simpler and faster through modern office technology. Hence, technology plays a
crucial role in the operation of todays modern offices.
Technology can help us reduce the time spent creating various businesses documents, as well as
enhance our ability to create professional-looking documents that will get attention from others.
In addition, technology facilitates the nearly instantaneous transmission of written and electronic
communication using duplicating machines and electronic mail.
Some of the communication technologies include:

Computers
Fax machines
Scanners
Satellite networks
Telephone(voice mail, cellular phones, pagers)
Telecommunication (electronic mail, video conferencing, on-line information services)
Copiers
Software

1.6 Significance of Communication

The ability to communicate with others is an essential attribute of human life and we are all of us
grappling with communication tasks most of the time we are alone and also not reading or
writing or listening, we stop receiving messages from the world of people outside ourselves, stop
trying to send out messages to the fellow human beings around us. Communication plays, then, a
vital part in our personal daily lives.
Furthermore, communication has been characterized as the life-blood of an organization.
Every organization depends for its daily functioning on an intricate communication network,
which has grown up during the years and has proved it indispensable. No person is an Island;
today more than ever all the people of the world rely upon another for products, services, ideas,
etc.

The above two paragraphs show that the importance of communication be viewed from two
angles: individual angle and organizational angle.
The importance of communication at individual level
Man conflicts with himself, his environment and with his fellow creatures. He is capable of
emotions, ideas and reasoning. He must learn the art of adjusting to himself, to his work and to
his associates even as that self, that work, and those associates change. A person must learn and
participate in the art of human relations, an art that enhances the individual person and the
society of which he is a member.
Like all other people, you are a complex system of thoughts and feelings, of ideas and emotions.
Although similar to other human beings, you are a unique person. Yet you must live and works
with others. You are a human being not an island. Multiply this complicated being you by the
millions of other complicated and unique people on this earth. Add the unpredictable influences
of society and nature. Recognize that today a person economically, is not an island; he/she
cannot isolate himself/herself from his/her fellow men. You will then discover that at the core of
human relations is modern mans obligation to fulfill himself with in the requirements of nature
and society.
Even though all people including you are emotional-rational beings, still you are unique from
others in that you have geared your career to successful business management. Therefore you
have assumed the obligation of striving, ethically and efficiently, to use thoughts and feelings
ideas and emotions, actions and reactions in leading your life and conducting your work.
To be specific communication serves the following three purposes in personal or individual life.
Job success
The two dimensions of management most often cited as the keys to individual and organizational
success are technical ability and understanding of people. Effective communication skills to
listen, speak, and write complement these two dimensions. Therefore enhances ones job success,
a person learn the art of human relations to effectively communicate her/his ideas, experiences,
thoughts, skills and feelings.
A valuable job requirement
If you can communicate effectively in speaking and writing, you have an important, highly
valued skill. Especially if your career requires mainly mental rather than manual labor, your
progress will be strongly influenced by how effectively you communicate your knowledge,
proposals, and ideas to others who need or should receive them. Preference for communication
skills is found in the job descriptions listed by numerous companies wishing to employee college
graduates. Some of these requirements could be:

a)
b)
c)
d)

Must be able to communicate with all levels of management

Needs ability to compose effective correspondence
Must have ability to communicate and sell ideas
Will prepare special analysis, research reports and proposals

Job and career opportunities in which effective communication is the main responsibility are
available in various areas, such as customer relations, labor relations, marketing, personnel,
public relations, sales, teaching, etc. Also, technical and scientific fields need editors, producers,
researchers, and writers. Communication skills are also important in local, state, and federal
governments. Even when your work is mainly with figures, as in the accounting profession, the
ability to communicate to those who read your financial reports is essential.
An essential for promotion:
The requisite for a promotable executive is ability to communicate. The ability to write and
speak well becomes increasingly important as you rise in an organization. Too often those who
cannot communicate effectively in either oral or written communications remain buried in
lower, dead-end jobs. Members of management spend 60 to 90 percent of their working days
communicating; speaking, writing, and listening. Many surveys and articles have confirmed the
statement that effective communication is essential for success and promotion in business.
As a trainee on a new job, you have opportunities to speak about problems with co-workers and
to submit memos, reports and letters that test your ability to communicate clearly and quickly. A
frequent complaint of managers is the inability of college graduates to make them heard, read or
understood. Your messages can reveal how well you are doing a job, and they help management
to evaluate your fitness for a substantial promotion. For example, imagine that you are one of
several highly trained employees in an organization that requires everyone to submit frequent
oral and written reports to clients or company personnel. If there is an opening for promotion and
you each rate about the same except that you alone can write and speak effectively, then clearly
you have the advantage over the others.
Personal satisfaction
Mastery on a certain area goes beyond vocational success or promotion, i.e. personal satisfaction.
Thus communication skill can be a source of personal satisfaction, particularly in the areas of art
such as writing, painting, etc.
Meeting Social and Ethical Obligations
A person may be in conflict with himself/herself, with other people, and/or with the community
at large. With the help of communication people continue adjusting profitably to themselves, to
other people, to the environment in which they live and work. It is a means of winning respect
and confidence from other people or from the community at large.

People put things in writing to create a record, to convey complex data, to make things
convenient for the reader, to save money, and to convey their own messages more effectively.
Effective communication-written and spoken- also helps you to better accomplish various aims
in your personal activities. You will sometimes need to write letters, proposals or reports, or to
present your views orally as committee chairperson, club officers, etc. In these roles you might
communicate with public officials, business, industrial, or professional people; or personal
friends. Whatever your purpose, you will usually achieve them more effectively when you apply
the same skills that help you communicate effectively in business.
Importance of communication at Organizational Level
Planning

Organizing

Staffing

Directing

Controlling

Communication

External Environment
Customers
Suppliers
Community
Others

As a student or an employee, whatever your academic classification or job title maybe, you
participate in the coordination of resources and objectives. In doing so, you participate in
management, the continuing process of achieving order efficiently through intelligent decisions
that govern an organization. Simultaneously, you participate in communication, the reciprocal
process of sharing information through symbols, principally words. Communication is essential
to sound management; your success as a manager- a person who is in charge of coordinating the
human and non-human resources of an organization- greatly depends upon your ability to
communicate effectively.
Communication is essential to each of the five basic functions of management. In order to plan,
organize, staff, direct and control, managers must be able to communicate with other persons and
communicate well. Information from others helps formulate plans; information provided to
others defines job assignments and helps organize work; information on standards, progress and
personal factors fulfills the directing function; while information in the form of written and oral
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progress reports is fundamental elements in controlling. Communication is a linking process that

enables each of the basic functions of management to be carried. Effective communication is
therefore the life blood of every organization.
We already have made a claim that communication is vital to the very existence of an
organization. To understand the validity of that claim, one must understand the role
communication plays in an organizations life. The following figure tries to illustrate specific
elements of that role.
Role of communication in an organization
Directive

Employees

Employees

Productivity

Motivation

Perception

Job

Quality

And

Performance

Personnel

Ability
Resource

Communication

Attitude

Related costs
Non-personnel
Related costs

To the right of the figure are the elements comprising an organizations productivity: the quality
of the work done in the organization, the quantity of the work done, the personnel related costs
involved in getting the work done (such as wasted materials, scrap, and soon). Naturally,
organizations want to improve productivity by maximizing the quality and quantity of work
completed and minimizing the personnel and non-personnel costs involved in work performance.
Just to the left is the primary factor that determines productivity in organizations the employees
job performance. What employees do in the workplace determines how much work gets done
and how well it is done, how costly their own behaviors are and to a large extent, how much is
spent on materials and equipment.
At the far left are the four major factors that ultimately shape an employees performance.
1.
2.
3.
4.

The employees motivation to do the job.

The directions the employee receives concerning what to do and how to do it.
The ability of the employee to do the job.
The resources with which the employee is provided to do the job.

What must occur then is the translation of these four factors into employee job performance. The
key elements translating motivation, direction, ability and resources into job performance are in

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the middle of the figure: perceptions and attitudes. In short what employees do at work is
determined largely by how they perceive the work environment and how they feel about work.
Often employees misunderstand instructions given to them, and errors in their job performance
are the predictable result. Just as often, the organization fails to communicate expectations
clearly to employees. Those employees in turn perform as they think the organization wants them
to relying on their perceptions (or just plain luck) to guide their efforts. Finally, employees have
attitudes toward all elements of their work lives their jobs, their working conditions, their
supervisors, their coworkers, their promotional opportunities, their pay and benefits, and so on.
Those attitudes influence their willingness to work effectively and their commitment to the
organizations goals and objectives. For example, employees who feel they are not being paid a
competitive wage may not work very hard and employees who actively dislike their immediate
supervisors may even do things destructive to the company, such as sabotaging equipment or
stealing supplies. Employees job performances therefore stem directly from their attitudes and
perceptions.
Where do those attitudes and perceptions come from? Communication, in the form of the things
employees hear from management, supervisors and their coworkers, the things employees hear
about their organization from outside sources, the written and oral guidelines with which
employees are provided; the instructions that employees receive. All this and more comprises the
communication in which employees participate every day. By shaping employees attitudes and
perceptions communication serves to convert external communication from the work
environment into internal thoughts and feelings that in turn, control, employees behaviors.
Specifically, the importance of communication can be highlighted using the following points:
1. It helps organizations achieve their goals
So important is communication that without it an organization cannot function. Its activities
require human being to interact, react-communicate. They exchange information, ideas, plans,
order needed supplies, make decisions, rules, proposals, contracts, agreements. Both within
(internal) and outside the organization (external) communication oral or written-is its life blood.
A vital means of attending successfully to matters of company concern is through effective
internal communication. It helps increase job satisfaction, productivity, safety, and profits as well
as decrease absenteeism, grievances, and turnover. Messages to persons outside the company can
have a far reaching effect on its reputation and ultimate success.
2. Business growth in size
Large businesses have a number of branches within a country or even abroad. For their health
and growth, it is extremely important that the central organization maintains a thorough and upto-date knowledge of the various activities at the branch offices, keeps the branch offices well

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acquainted with the activities at the center, and maintain some kind of link among the various
branches. This calls for effective and efficient network of communication.
3. Manage the Complexity of business activity
Business activities have become extremely complex that different departments handle
specialization, planning, productions, sales, stores, advertising, financing, accountants, etc. Thus,
if these departments do not communicate with one another as well as with management, there
will be no coordination among them.
4. Business competition
Business has become very competitive such that products of common consumption are available
in the market in dozen of brands. All these brands do not sell equally well. Marketing research
has revealed that firms that communicate better can also sell better.

CHAPTER TWO
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ELEMENTS OF THE PROCESS COMMUNICATION

Communication is a process that involves steps or sequences of activities to be followed in the
exchange of messages between senders and receivers. The diagram on next page shows all the
major elements of the communication process.
2.1 THE ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
A simplified model of communication shown below depicts how a Sender encodes a message in
a medium and transfers it to a Receiver. The Receiver returns a message (feedback) to the sender
in some medium. The Sender checks the feedback against the intended outcome to find out
whether the goal has been achieved. Hence it can be termed that communication is goal oriented
and purposeful transfer of information.
Encoding
Goal
Inform or

Sender/

Medium Decoding Receiver/

Message

Sender

Receiver

Understanding

Persuade

Decoding

Medium
Feedback

Encoding

Feedback

Message

Feedback

Action

Figure 2.1 the simplified model of communication

Communication takes place in all types of organizations such as Ministers, Government
Departments, Universities, Associations, Business companies and Religious Institutions. The
goals of these organizations might be varying but the common link is their goal-orientation.
From the above simplified model of communication, we can infer that there are at least five
elements of communication. They are (1) Sender (2) Receiver(s) (3) Medium (4) Message and
(5) Feedback. The environment affects all these components continuously. As mentioned earlier,
communication cannot exist in the absence of any of these components. It exists when there are
at least two parties and there is a message that has to be communicated. It requires that the
receiver of the message understands it and conform this by nodding or by giving some kind of
gesture or by verbally responding.

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Communication involves

1.

Participants (a sender & a receiver)

A message to be sent
A medium to carry the communication signals, and
The environments in which the message is sent and received.
People (Sender-Receiver)

Communicators or people are the primary elements in the communication process in an

organization. They can be managers, non-managers, departments, or the organization itself.
Managers communicate with other managers, subordinates, supervisors, clients, customers,
and parties outside the organization. When we say communication involves people, it
involves the exchange of interpersonal characteristics such as perceptions, their speaking and
listening skills, their nonverbal behaviors, etc. Communication is thus an interpersonal
process. People or senders-receivers make communication a two way.
Communications within the organization are important means for coordinating the work of
separate departments. And more and more organizations communicate with employees,
unions, the public, and government. Each of these communications has a message, an idea, or
information to transmit to someone or some group.
2. Encoding
It is the process of putting the idea into symbols. Within the communicator, an encoding
process must take place that translate the communicators ideas into a systematic set of
symbols expressing the communicators purpose. The major form of encoding is language.
For example, accounting information, sales reports, and computer data are translated into a
message. The function of encoding is to provide a form in which ideas and purposes can be
expressed as a message.
3. Message
The result of the encoding is the message either verbal or nonverbal. Message is a
meaningful idea that people want to share with others. It is an encoded idea with some
purpose. Managers have numerous purposes for communicating, such as to have others
understand their ideas, to understand the ideas of others to gain acceptance of ideas, and to
produce action.
4. Channel
The channel is a path, route or medium through which a message is transmitted.
Organizations provide information for their members by a variety of channels, including
face-to-face communication, telephone, group meetings, computers, memos, policy
statements, reward systems, production schedules, sales forecasts, and videotapes.
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The choice between oral and written communication channels may be determined by :

Background of the audiences such as education, sex, age, experience, etc.

Availability and cost of the channel
Nature of the message such as confidentiality, length, etc.

Nonverbal communication, communication that doesnt use words, is a part of everyday life. A
friendly smile, a worried expression, the seating arrangements at a committee meeting, the size
and location of an office, the reception area, furniture all are nonverbal communicators. They
indicate a persons power, status, position or friendliness. The interpretation of nonverbal cues is
important however, nonverbal cues are as easily misinterpreted as verbal messages (words).
Body language is fascinating nonverbal communication open body positions include leaning
forward with uncrossed arms and legs. Closed, or defensive, body positions include leaning back
with arms and legs closed. Open positions are assumed to suggest acceptance and openness to
what is being discussed. Closed positions suggest that people are physically or psychologically
uncomfortable.
5. Decoding
For the process of communication to be completed, the message must be decoded by the
receiver. Decoding is the technical term for the thought processes of the receiver. Thus, it
involves interpretation. Receivers interpret (decode) the message in light of their own
previous experiences and frames of reference. The closer the decoded message is to the intent
of the communication, the more effective is the communication. In a business organization, if
the message that the chief executive receives from the marketing research department
includes technical terms known only to marketing researchers, no communication exists. In
fact, an often cited complaint in organizations that employ staff specialists is that they
frequently cannot communicate. Each staff group (e.g. accountants, personnel, and marketing
research) has a unique language and symbols that persons outside the group cannot decode.
6. Feedback
One-way communication process does not allow receiver-to-communicator feedback. Twoway communication process provide for such feedback. It is desirable to make provision for
feedback in the communication process. It decreases the potential for distortion between the
intended message and the received message. A feedback loop provides a channel for receiver
response, enabling the communicator to determine whether the message has been received
and has produced the intended response. For the manager, communication feedback may
come in many ways.
In face-to-face situation direct feedback is possible through verbal exchanges as well as
through such subtle, means as facial expressions that indicate discontent or
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misunderstanding. In addition, communication breakdowns may be indicated by indirect

means, such as declines in productivity, poor quality of production increased absenteeism or
turnover, and conflict or a lack of coordination between units.
Effective use of feedback
For effective use of feedback the following guidelines are vital.
Guideline in receiving feedback
1. Tell people you want feedback: When people feel that their opinions and observations
may be used against them or that your feelings may be easily hurt, they withhold
feedback. Therefore, let them know that you consider feedback (including personal
opinions, questions, and disagreement) not only useful but also necessary.
2. Identify the areas in which you want feedback: If you want personal feedback, you
might say I am trying to improve my speaking and am interested in how many times I
said ok in todays meeting. If you want only feedback pertaining to the organization,
then specify the topics in which you are most interested.
3. If you are a manager, set aside time for regularly scheduled feedback sessions. Such
sessions show employees that you value feedback and tend to make it easier for them to
ask questions and express opinions.
4. Use Silence to encourage feedback: Too many people ask a question wait two or three
seconds, and then begin talking again. It takes more than two or three seconds for most
people to organize and verbalize their responses. If you remain silent for at least a full ten
seconds, you will probably get more response.
5. Watch for nonverbal responses: Because nonverbal symbols may comply or contradict
with nonverbal symbols.
6. Ask questions: Do not assume that you understand the meaning of the feedback you
receive from others. When in doubt, ask for clarification.
7. Use statements that encourage feedback: People usually adjust their feedback by
monitoring the listeners verbal and nonverbal reactions. If you want a persons honest
opinion, you must encourage it by purposely saying such things as Really?
Interesting So, you feel that
8. Reward feedback: If you are a manager, you can reward feedback by complimenting the
person, preferably in front of his or her colleagues. Some companies have a Best-Ideaof-the-month contest and put the winners names on a placard or give them a company
pen with their names engraved on them. As an employee, you can sincerely thank people
for their comments and perhaps write them a thank-you note.
Guidelines in sending feedback
In sending feedback make sure your own feedback to others:

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Is directed towards the behavior rather than towards the person: Often, someone
who is angry criticizes the person rather than the behavior that caused the anger. Telling a
secretary you are a poor excuse for a secretary is an attack on the secretary rather than
on the offensive behavior and causes a defensive, emotional response. Your feedback is
much more likely to be received positively if you mention the action or behavior that is
unacceptable and focus on what can be done to avoid in the future.
Is descriptive instead of evaluative: Descriptive feedback is tactfully honest and
objective, whereas evaluative feedback is judgmental and accusatory. Evaluative
feedback: Where is your sales report? You know it is due on my desk no later than 9:00
each morning. Youre obviously not reliable anymore. Descriptive feedback: When you
dont turn your sales reports in on time, Im unable to complete the departmental sales
report on time. This makes me look bad and the department looks bad. Youve been late
twice this month. Is there something I can do to help you get those reports on time?
evaluative judgmental words cause defensiveness and hurt feelings; words that simply
describe the situation in a nonjudgmental ways are more likely to result in cooperation.
Involves shared ideas instead of giving advice: It is not always sensible to give advice
to other people. If your advice doesnt work you will be blamed. One of the best ways to
improve a relationship is by openly sharing opinions and ideas. Suppose a manager who
is having trouble with some employees comes to you and asks What am I doing
wrong? instead of giving advice, share a personal experience with the manager. For
example, you might describe a similar problem you had and how you handled it. It is then
up to the manager to decide what to do.
Includes only as much information as the person can handle at one time: Suppose
during a performance appraisal you give an employee a list of twenty items that need
improvement. Is this type of feedback beneficial? You may feel better now that you have
dumped your feelings, but how can anyone improve on twenty things at the same time?
When giving feedback, include only two or three suggestions at a time-a number the
person can reasonably handle.
Is immediate and well timed: Immediate feedback is obviously more valuable than
delayed feedback. After a foul-up shipping, instead of waiting for two weeks to discuss
the problem with the responsible employee, discuss the error immediately or at least
within a day or two. Immediate feedback allows the person to correct actions or
behaviors while they are still fresh in mind. But feedback should also be well timed, and
sometimes this means that it cant be immediate. If you point out an employees mistakes
in front of a group of co-workers, such feedback is likely to be resented. And if you
confront an employee anxious to get home after quitting time, your suggestions may be
received absent mindedly. This type of feedback should be given in a private, relaxed
atmosphere. Unfortunately, many people tend to give feedback in anger and dont stop to
consider the consequences.
7. Noise
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In the framework of communications noise is any interfering factor that, if present, can
distort the intended message. Noise can be present in any element, i.e., the sender, channel, or
receiver. Noises are of two types: Psychological noise and Physical noise. Physical noise is
unwanted sound created in the external environment or in transmission. On the other hand
psychological noise is created in the mind of senders-receivers. It generally refers to
absentmindedness that may be caused by pain, hunger headache, and other factors that
preoccupy human mind.
2.2 THE PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION
The elements of communication act and interact in the five-step process. Whether you are
speaking or writing, listening, or reading, communication is more than a single act. Instead, it
is a chain of events that can be broken into five phases, as:
1. The sender has an idea.
2. The idea becomes a message.
3. The message is transmitted.
4. The receiver gets the message.
5. The receiver reacts and sends feedback to the sender.
Then the process is repeated until both parties have finished expressing themselves.
Communication is effective only when each step is successful.
Idea
becomes
message

N
V

N
Sender

The
message
istransmitt

Receiver
sends
feedback to
sender

Receiver
gets the
message

Figure 2.2 The Communication Process

1. The sender Has an idea
The sender is the individual who initiates the communication. This person is sometimes
known as the encoder. Two things must happen before the sender even wants to send a
message. First an internal or external stimulus prompts you to send a message. This prompt
may arrive in the form of letters, memorandum, penciled note, electronic mail, fax, telex, or
even casual conversation in the hall way. Regardless of the stimulus source, it could be a
18

business transaction, a written question, a meeting, an interview, or unexpected request for a

favor. Whatever the case might be, you will start thinking of ideas for the message.
It is important to remember, however, that a stimulus alone may not be enough to trigger
communication. The second requirement to send message is sufficient motivation. Think of
times when a manager asks a question, and some of the people present were fairly sure they
knew the answer (were stimulated), but did not respond. Why didnt they respond? Probably
because they were not sufficiently motivated; i.e. they saw no personal benefit in not
answering.
2. The Idea Becomes a Message
After being stimulated and motivated to communicate, the sender must decide how best to
convey a message to the specific receiver. The message is the information or core idea being
transmitted. The process of putting a message into the form in which it is to be
communicated is called encoding. It consists of both verbal (written or spoken) symbols &
nonverbal (unspoken) symbols. Verbal information is the part of the message that is heard.
Nonverbal information entails such things as body language & the surrounding environment.
Whenever you compose a message, you need to consider what content to include, how the
receiver will interpret it, & how it may affect your relationship. A simple thank-you
message will be relatively easy. In contrast, to inform 200 employees of bad news about
salaries will require much more complicated, carefully planned message. To some extent,
your choice of words also depends on your cultural background. When you choose your
words, you signal that you are a member of a particular club and that you know the code. The
nature of your code- your language and vocabulary-impose its own limits on your message.
For example, the language of a lawyer differs from that of an accountant or a doctor, and the
difference in their vocabularies affects their ability to recognize and express ideas.
Several things can go wrong when youre formulating a message. Typical problems involve
indecision about message content, lack of familiarity with the situation or the receiver,
emotional conflicts, or difficulty in expressing ideas.
Indecision about content
Deciding what to say is the first difficulty in the communication process. Many people
make the mistake of trying to convey everything they know about a subject. When a
message contains too much information, it is difficult to absorb. If you want to get your
point across, therefore, you have to decide what to include and what to leave out, how
much detail to provide, and what order to follow. If you try to explain something without
first giving the receiver adequate background, you will create confusion. And if you
recommend actions without first explaining why they are justified, your message may
provoke an emotional response that inhibits understanding. Include only the information
that is useful to the receiver, & organize it in a way that encourages its acceptance.
19

Lack of familiarity with the situation or the receiver

Can you deliver your message equally well when you are not very familiar with the
subject you are talking about; or when you do not know the receiver very well?
Creating an effective message is difficult if you dont know how it will be used. Lets say
youre writing a report on the market for sports equipment. If you dont know the purpose
of the report, its hard to know what to say. Some of the things you should be clear about
before writing the report are:
What sort of sport equipment should you cover?
Should you include team sports as well as individual sports?
Should you subdivide the market geographically or according to price range?
How long should the report be?
Should it provide conclusions and recommendations or simply facts and figures?
Unless you know why the report is intended, you really cant answer these questions
intelligently, you are forced to create a very general document, one that covers a little bit of
everything
Lack of familiarity with your audience with your audience is an equally serious handicap
You need to know something about the biases, education, age, status, and style of the receiver
in order to create an effective message. If youre writing for a specialist in your field for
example, you can use technical terms that might be unfamiliar to a layperson. If youre
addressing a lower-level employee, you might approach a subject differently than if you were
talking to your boss. Decisions about the content, organization, style, and tone of your
message all depend, at least to some extent, on the relationship between you and the
audience. If you dont know the audience, you will be forced to make these decisions in the
dark. As a result, at least part of your message may miss the point. Hence, ask why you are
preparing the message & for whom you are preparing it.
Emotional conflicts
Another potential problem in developing the message arises when the sender has conflicting
emotions about the subject or the audience. Lets say youve been asked to recommend ways
to improve the organization of your department. You conclude that the best approach is to
combine two positions. But this solution will mean eliminating the job of one of your close
associates. As you prepare your report, you find yourself apologizing for your
recommendation. Even though you believe your position is justified, you cannot make a
convincing case. Thus, in business communication tries to maintain your objectivity.

Difficulty of expressing ideas

20

Most of us might think that to write and to speak are not so difficult. We only learn that they
do not come easy when we have to make public speeches or when we are required to write an
influential letter on a particular matter. Lack of experience in writing or speaking can also
prevent a person from developing effective messages. Some people have limited education or
a lack of aptitude when it comes to expressing ideas. Perhaps they have a limited vocabulary
or are uncertain about questions of grammar, punctuation, and style. Or perhaps they are
simply frightened by the ideas of writing something or appearing before a group. In any case,
they are unable to develop an effective message because they lack expertise in using
language.
Problems of this sort can be overcome, but only with some effort. The important thing is to
recognize the problem & take action. Taking courses in communication at university is a
good first step. An inability to put thoughts into words can be overcome through study and
practice.
3. The message is transmitted
The third step in the communication process is physical transmission of the message from
sender to receiver. How will you send your message? Should one write or speak? What is the
appropriate channel for any given message? The channel is the means used to convey the
message. The forms of communication may be verbal or nonverbal. Beyond that, you can
convey a message by phone, computer, and face-to face exchange or other medium.
4. The receiver gets the message
The receiver is the individual to whom the message is directed, also known as decode.
When the encoders message is picked up, the receiver tries to make sense out of it; i.e. to
decode it. Decoding is the process the receiver goes through in trying to interpret the exact
meaning of a message. If youre giving a speech, the people in the audience have to be able
to hear you, and they have to be paying attention.
But physical reception is only the first step. The receiver also has to absorb the message
mentally. In other words, the message has to be understood and stored in the receivers mind.
If all goes well, the message is interpreted correctly. The receiver assigns the same basic
meaning to the words as the sender intended and responded in the desired way.
Like transmission problems, problems during the reception phase often have a physical
cause. Competing sights and sounds, an uncomfortable chair, poor lighting, or somme other
irritating conditions may distract the receiver. In some cases, the barrier may be related to the
receivers health. Hearing or visual impairment, for example, or even a headache, can
interfere with reception of a message. These annoyances dont generally block
communication entirely, but they may reduce the receivers concentration.

21

Perhaps the most common barrier to reception is simply lack of attention on the receivers
part. We all let our minds wander now and then, regardless of how hard we try to concentrate.
People are especially likely to drift off when they are forced to listen to information that is
difficult to understand or that has little direct bearing on their own lives. If they are tried or
concerned about other matters, they are even more likely to lose interest.
Is the communication process complete once the receiver has the message? No, not yet.
5. The receiver reacts and gives feedback to the sender
Feedback is the receivers response to a message. It is the final link in the communication
chain. However, the feedback response involves a reversal of the communication process so
that the receiver now becomes the sender and the sender becomes the receiver. After getting
the message, the receiver responds in some way and signals that response to the sender. The
signal may take the form of a smile, a long pause, a spoken comment, a written message, or
an action. Even a lack of response is, in a sense, a form of response.
Feedback is a key element in the communication process because it enables the sender to
evaluate the effectiveness of the message. It provides guidance for the next message that you
send to the receiver. If your audience doesnt understand what you mean, you can tell by the
response and refine the message. Feedback plays an important role by indicating significant
communication barriers: differences in background, different interpretations of words, and
differing emotional reactions. So when the receiver of the message has make feedback and
the sender is sure that the message has been communicated in the way intended, we say
communication has existed.
Therefore from the above phase, you can think of communication as a process consisting of
identifiable links, with ultimate objective of influencing behavior, attitudes & beliefs. Each
element of the communication process is critical the sender, encoding, channel, the receiver,
decoding, & feedback.
2.3 BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION
No two persons are exactly alike mentally, physically, or emotionally. Thus the innumerable
human difference plus cultural, social, & environmental differences may cause problems in
conveying an intended message. Although all communication is subject to
misunderstandings, business communication is particularly different. Various characteristics
of the sender, receiver, & communication situation can create barriers to effective
communication.

The major barriers of communication include the following:

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1. Channel Selection: Communication may be oral, written, visual or audio-visual. The

different communication channels can be personal barriers in that some individuals
always seem to lean toward a particular channel even though a more effective one exists.
All the media have their relative merits and limitations. While a properly chosen medium
can add to the effectiveness of a communication, an unsuitable medium may act as a
barrier to it.
Consider, for example, a superior who uses a written memo to let you know about the
recent denial of a promotion. The more effective channel in this case might have been
face-to-face meeting in which you can ask questions. If a salesperson is required to
submit a report based on the comparative sales figures of the last five years, he will fail to
communicate anything if he writes a lengthy paragraph about it. He has to present the
figures in a tabular form, or preferably make a bar diagram, which would make
communication an instantaneous process. An employee desirous of expressing his regrets
for his earlier misconduct with his supervisor should meet him personally. Whatsoever a
lengthy letter he might write, it can never be as effective as an earnest look on his face.
But if he does not meet him personally, his written explanation will most probably be
misinterpreted. In offices, if memos are frequently issued to employees to ask them to
explain minor things like late arrivals or early departure they become a source of
irritation. A manager using a memo to complement an employee for a creditable
achievement or to congratulate another employee for a wedding is surely creating
communication barrier through the wrong choice of medium.
2. Physical barriers: these include noise, and time & distance.
a) Noise: Anything that interferes with communication & distorts or blocks the
message is noise. Noise is quite often a barrier to communication. In factories oral
communication could be difficult by the loud noise of machines. Electronic noise
like blaring often interferes in communication by telephone. The word noise is
also used to refer to all kinds of physical interference like illegible handwriting,
smudged copies of duplicated typescript, poor telephone connections, use of
jargons (terms that have a precise meaning among specialists, but are unfamiliar to
others), distraction that prevents the receiver from paying attention, a worn printer
ribbon that makes a document hard to read, etc.
b) Time & Distance: Time and distance also act as barriers to communication.
Modern communication facilities like fax, telephone and Internet are not available
everywhere. This is especially so in most companies of our country. Even when
these technologies are available, sometimes-mechanical breakdowns render these
facilities ineffective. In such cases, the distance between the transmitter and the
receiver becomes a barrier. There is a kind of communication gap between persons
working in different shifts of a factory. Can you imagine how difficult it would be
to send an urgent message to a business partner living in Holland if it had to be
done through postal mail?

23

The effectiveness of our communication may be reduced if our timing is not right.
First, we must consider the time of the day. Our attempts at communication must
be made at the appropriate hour of the day. A telephone call will not normally be
welcome at 5 oclock in the morning and very few of us welcome a string of
requests or enquire on matter of high importance, the minute we arrive at our
office. Second, the time of convenience is important. In other words, we should
not endeavor to communicate with another person if he is pre-occupied with other
matters: we will receive less than proper attention. For instance if the company
secretary is concentrating on arranging the agenda for a particularly important
management meeting, he is not likely to pay much attention to a request for
authority to buy a new office equipment. The request could quite well wait for a
more propitious moment. Therefore, to be effective, we must communicate at the
appropriate time both by the clock and by opportunity.
3. Semantics: Refers to the different uses & meanings of words. Words are symbols;
therefore, they do not necessarily have the same meaning for everyone. Semantic barriers
include:
a. Interpretations of words: Do you remember a situation where you and your friend
understood a word communicated by somebody else in a different way? The
knowledge we each have about a subject or word affects the meaning we attach to it.
Individuals using their own networks can attach different meanings to words.
Receivers decode words & phrases in conformity with their own network, which may
be very different from those of senders. Words are capable of communicating a
variety of meanings. It is quite possible that the receiver does not assign the same
meaning to a word as the sender has intended, that may lead to miscommunication.
For some, a successful career means having prestigious job title & making lots of
money; for others, it may mean having a job they really enjoy & plenty of personal
time to spend with family & friends. Different word interpretations are especially
noticeable in bypassed instructions & in reactions to denotations, connotations, and
euphemisms.
b. Bypassed Instructions: when the message sender & receiver attribute different
meanings to the same words or use different words though intending the same
meaning, bypassing often occurs. Example: An office manager handed to a new
assistant letter, with the instruction Take it to our store room and burn it. In the
office managers mind (and in the firms jargon) the word burn meant to make a
copy on a photocopier. As the letter was extremely important, she wanted an extra
copy. However, the puzzled new employee afraid to ask questions burned the letter
and thus destroyed the only existing copy! To avoid communication errors of
bypassing, when you give instructions or discuss issues, be sure your words &
sentences will convey the intended meaning to the receipt. Also, when you are the
receipt of unclear instruction, before acting on it, ask questions to determine the
senders intended meaning.
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c. Denotations, Connotations, & Euphoniums: Many of us have at some time been

surprised that a remark intended as a complement, or joke was interpreted by the
receiver as an insult. A statement intended as a good deed can be distorted into
something self-serving. Some of these communication problems may occur because
words have both denotative and connotative meanings, and the sender has not
considered the receivers probable interpretation and reactions.
Denotations: the denotative meaning is the meaning on which most people will
probably agree. It often is the dictionary definition. The word informs the receiver &
it names objects, people, or events without indicating positive or negative qualities.
Such words are car, desk, book, house, water convey denotative meaning, provided,
of course, that the communicators understand the English language & provided that
the receiver has a similar understanding of the context in which the word is used.
Connotations: In addition to more literal denotative meanings, some words have
connotative meanings that arouse qualitative judgments & personal reactions. The
term meeting room is denotative. Directors lounge, executive suite, boardroom,
though they each denote a meeting place, also has connotative meanings. The word
student is denotative; bookworm, scholar, dropout, school dummy, gunner are
connotative. Some words have favorable connotations in some contexts but
unfavorable meanings in other instances. Compare, for example, fat check & fat girl;
free enterprise & free (rude, bold) manners; cheap products & cheap price.
The communicators different backgrounds & interests also affect the connotative
meanings for words. On hearing that a particular person is cool, members of one
generation may take it to mean the person is fun to be with, while members of earlier
generation may believe it means that the individual is unemotional & insensitive.
Euphemisms: Tactful writer & speakers are euphemisms whenever possible to
replace words that might have blunt, painful, lowly, or distasteful connotations.
Euphemisms are mild, innovative expressions with which most people do not have
negative associations. Expressions like the following have obvious connotative
advantage: maintenance worker or staff member instead of janitor; slender instead of
skinny, restroom instead of toilet. Instead of saying an employee was fired, a
communicator may use such euphemism as laid off, terminated, or a victim of
reorganization or staff cutbacks.
To communicate effectively you need to be aware of the usual connotative meanings
of various terms and also to realize that some people may have their own unique
meanings because of their experiences & background. Thus choose your words
carefully, considering both their connotations and other denotations to convey the
idea you want and achieve the desired results.
4. Perception of reality: The reality of an object, an event, or a person is different to
different people. Reality is not a fixed concept; it is complex, infinite and continually
changing. Besides, each human being has limited sensory perceptions-touch, sight,
hearings, smell, and taste and each persons mental filter is unique. People perceive
25

reality in different ways. No two persons perceive reality in identical manners. We make
various abstractions, inferences, and evaluations of the world around us.
a. Abstracting: The process of focusing on some details & omitting others. In countless
instances, abstracting is necessary and desirable-for both written and oral
communications. Whether you write a memo, letter or report or converse by
telephone, you will be limited somewhat by time expense, space and purpose. You
will need to select facts that are pertinent to accomplish your purpose and to omit the
rest. We often use abstracting while preparing business reports & application letters.
Precise writing is nothing but the art of abstracting. So how is abstracting considered
a barrier to communication? Abstracting poses a grave barrier to communication for
details, which look pertinent to one reporter, may look insignificant or trivial to
another. You as a communicator must also anticipate the likelihood that others may
not be abstracting as you are. Their points may be as important as yours though they
select differently from the infinite details in reality. For example, when reporting on
an event-a football game or an accident, no two witnesses give exactly the same
descriptions. The participants will perceive different details than the observers, but all
or several observers may mention some parts of the whole. Juries often determine
which witnesss details are the most credible.
Differences in abstracting occurs not only when persons describe events but also
when they describe people, equipment, project, or animals. We do not give
allowances for these differences, and misunderstandings arise.
b. Inferring: What we directly see, hear, feel, taste, smell or can immediately verify and
confirm & constitutes a fact. But the statements that go beyond the facts and the
conclusions based on facts are called inferences. They are conclusions made by
reasoning from evidences or premises. A very simple example of inferring is when we
drop a letter in the post box, we assume that it will be picked up by someone and be
delivered to the destiny we desired. If enough rain fall during the summer, we can
infer that the price of teff will go down. We infer that the gas station attendant
pumps gasoline (not water) into our cars tank.
For business and professional persons inferences are essential & desirable in
analyzing materials, solving problems, and planning. Systems analysts, marketing
specialists, advertisers, architects, engineers, and designers are all required to draw
inferences after they have gathered as much factual data as possible. Also, as
consumers in our daily activities, we may make inferences that are necessary and
usually fairly reliable. When we base our inferences on direct observations or on
reasonable evidence, they are likely to be quite dependable; but even so, there are
disappointing exceptions. Conclusions we make about things we have not observed
directly may be true or untrue.
As intelligent communicator we must avoid faulty inferences. We must realize that
inferences may be incorrect and unreliable and may cause miscommunication. We
need to anticipate risks before acting on the inferences. Consider this simple example.
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Suppose that a personnel manager observes a particular new employee has been
leaving the office one hour late everyday for the last two weeks. What can be inferred
from this observation? The manager might infer that the worker is:
Exceptionally conscientious;
That he is incapable of doing the required work within the regular time;
That he has been given more responsibility than should be expected of a new
trainee; or
Even that he is searching for some secrets from confidential materials after
others have left the office.
Do you suppose the personnel manager should take an action based on any of the
above-mentioned inferences or any other possible inference that the manager could
make? Before acting on any of these inferences, the manager should get more facts. A
wrong inference can surely be a barrier to communication.
c. Making frozen evaluation: Another drawback of effective perception is the frozen
evaluation- the stereotyped, static impression that ignores significant differences or
changes. Stereotyping is the tendency to attribute characteristics of an individual on
the basis of an assessment of the group to which the individual belongs. The manager
uses those perceived common characteristics to draw conclusions about the
characteristics of the individual, rather than acquiring information about those
characteristics more directly. It is often based on faulty inferences. To help you assure
that your comprehension of reality will be correct, you need to recognize that any
person, product, or event may be quite different from others in a group, or may have
significant differences within groups and differences within time periods. In all, we
should remember to avoid frozen evaluation made on the basis of what was true for
one (for a group) at one time. Changes occur in everything.
Perhaps you might know someone who asserts Ill never again buy any coat with
ELICO label! The one that I bought last year came apart at the seams. He/she should
realize that (1) probably not all ELIO coats last year ripped at the seam (ELIO coat #
1 is not exactly the same as ELIO #2) and (2) ELIO coats last year may not be the
same as ELIO coat this year or next year. A customer payment record this year is not
necessarily exactly the same as last year. Nor can you be sure that a successful sales
campaign this month will again be successful next month.
5. Attitudes & opinions: Communication effectiveness is influenced also by the attitudes
& opinions the communicators have in their mental filters. People tend to react favorably
when the message they receive agrees with their views towards the information, the set of
facts, & the sender. In addition, sometimes unrelated circumstances affect their attitudes,
& responses like:
a. Emotional state: A persons ability to encode a message can become impaired when
a person is feeling strong emotions. For example, when you are angry, it is harder to
consider the other persons viewpoint & to choose words carefully. Likewise, the
27

b.

c.

d.

e.

receiver will have difficulty-decoding message when her/his emotions are strong. For
instance, a person who is elated at receiving good news might not pay close attention
to someone elses words or body language. Someone who is angry might pay
attention but misinterpret a message in light of his/her anger.
For example, a division sales manager who has just has an argument with a spouse is
not likely to receive a quarterly sales report showing a downturn in sales with much
sensitivity or to be open to explanations as to why sales are low. However, it is
possible that, with time to cool off, the manager will be more willing to listen to
reasons for poor sales.
Favorable or Unfavorable information: rejecting, distorting, and avoiding are three
common undesirable, negative ways receivers react to information they consider
unfavorable. For example, if a change in the policy of an organization proves
advantageous to employees, they welcome it as good; if it is contrary to their beliefs
or benefits, they may reject, or resent the company and their boss, perhaps falsely
accusing them of being unfair. Or they may instead, distort, the meaning and
misinterpret the true purpose of the policy change. Or they may avoid the message,
situation or people by putting off acceptance, hoping that the delay will somehow
prevent the change & protect them.
Close mind: Some people have a closed mind toward receiving new information. The
closed-minded person is one of the most difficult to communicate with. Typically this
person has only inadequate and mainly incorrect knowledge of the subject. Yet he/she
refuses to consider any new facts, even from an expert who has made a long, careful
study of the problem and the proposed change. The closed minded person says in
essence: Dont bother me with facts I want what I want. Closed-minded people
stubbornly reject, distort or avoid a viewpoint before they know the facts.
Status conscious: People in the upper areas of organizations hierarchy, those who
have more status and power, may be hesitant to listen to those individuals lower in the
hierarchy, feelings for example, that people of lower status and power do not possess
any useful information. By the same token, people of lower status and power will not
listen. Subordinates are afraid of communicating any unpleasant information to their
managers. They may be afraid that they might displease their superiors by telling
them unpleasant facts. Or they may fear that unfavorable communication may
adversely reflect upon their own competence. The subordinates also find it difficult to
offer proposals for the improvement of the organization, for such proposals are not
usually encouraged.
Credibility: People react more favorably when a communicator has credibility
when they respect, trust, and believe in the communicator. A senders credibility plays
an important role in how a message is received and understood. If the receiver does
not consider the sender trustworthy or knowledgeable about the subject being
communicated, he/she will most likely be reluctant even to listen to the message. For
example, if you learn that your professor has no educational background about
28

management, you may feel that she has little knowledge concerning the subject.
Likewise, a sender may limit what he/she communicates to a receiver who is not
considered trustworthy. For instance, if an employee offers an idea for a more
efficient way to perform a job and his supervisor takes credit for it, then the employee
is more likely to withhold future information from the supervisor, as he will probably
not trust the supervisor with such information.
f. Information overload: Refers to the condition of having too much information to
process. The implication is that individuals can effectively process only a certain
amount of information. An example would be if your professor gave you too much
information, too quickly, concerning a term papers requirements or if a manager
gave an employee too much information at one time about a reports requirements in
either situation, the receiver probably does not receive the entire message. Managers
need to be aware of potential for information overload and to make appropriate
adjustments.
g. Inconsistent verbal and nonverbal communication: We think of language as the
primary medium of communication, but the messages we send and receive are
strongly influenced by such nonverbal factors as body contact. Even when our
message is as simple as Good morning, we can convey different intents by our
nonverbal communication. A busy manager who does not want to be disturbed might
respond to a subordinates greeting without looking up from his or her work for
example.
2.4 INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION AND TEAMWORK
Interpersonal communication is the process by which people exchange information, feelings,
and meaning through verbal and non-verbal messages. Interpersonal communication is not just
about what is actually said - the language used - but how it is said and the non-verbal messages
sent through tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures and body language. Interpersonal
communication is often defined by communication scholars in numerous ways, usually
describing participants who are dependent upon one another. It can involve one on one
conversations or individuals interacting with many people within a society. It helps us
understand how and why people behave and communicate in different ways to construct and
negotiate a social reality. While interpersonal communication can be defined as its own area of
study, it also occurs within other contexts like groups and organizations. Interpersonal
communication is the process that we use to communicate our ideas, thoughts, and feelings to
another person. Our interpersonal communication skills are learned behaviors that can be
improved through knowledge, practice, feedback, and reflection.
Interpersonal communication includes message sending and message reception between two or
more individuals. This can include all aspects of communication such as listening, persuading,
asserting, nonverbal communication, and more. A primary concept of interpersonal
communication looks at communicative acts when there are few individuals involved unlike
areas of communication such as group interaction, where there may be a large number of
individuals involved in a communicative act.
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Individuals also communicate on different interpersonal levels depending on who they are
engaging in communication with. For example, if an individual is communicating with a family
member, that communication will more than likely differ from the type of communication used
when engaged in a communicative act with a friend or significant other.
Overall, interpersonal communication can be conducted using both direct and indirect mediums
of communication such as face-to-face interaction, as well as computer-mediatedcommunication. Successful interpersonal communication assumes that both the message senders
and the message receivers will interpret and understand the messages being sent on a level of
understood meanings and implications.

2.4.1 Elements of Interpersonal Communication

Much research has been done to try to break down interpersonal communication into a number
of elements in order that it can be more easily understood. Commonly these elements include:
The Communicators
For any communication to occur there must be at least two people involved. It is easy to think
about communication involving a sender and a receiver of a message. However, the problem
with this way of seeing a relationship is that it presents communication as a one-way process
where
one
person
sends
the
message
and
the
other
receives
it.
In fact communications are almost always complex, two-way processes, with people sending
and receiving messages to and from each other. In other words, communication is an interactive
process.
The Message
Message not only means the speech used or information conveyed, but also the non-verbal
messages exchanged such as facial expressions, tone of voice, gestures and body language. Nonverbal behavior can convey additional information about the message spoken. In particular, it can
reveal more about emotional attitudes which may underlie the content of speech.
Noise
Noise has a special meaning in communication theory. It refers to anything that distorts the
message, so that what is received is different from what is intended by the speaker. Whilst
physical 'noise' (for example, background sounds or a low-flying jet plane) can interfere with
communication, other factors are considered to be noise. The use of complicated jargon,
inappropriate body language, inattention, disinterest, and cultural differences can be considered
'noise' in the context of interpersonal communication. In other words, any distortions or
inconsistencies that occur during an attempt to communicate can be seen as noise.

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Feedback
Feedback consists of messages the receiver returns, which allows the sender to know how
accurately the message has been received, as well as the receiver's reaction. The receiver may
also respond to the unintentional message as well as the intentional message. Types of feedback
range from direct verbal statements, for example "Say that again, I don't understand", to subtle
facial expressions or changes in posture that might indicate to the sender that the receiver feels
uncomfortable with the message. Feedback allows the sender to regulate, adapt or repeat the
message in order to improve communication.
Context
All communication is influenced by the context in which it takes place. However, apart from
looking at the situational context of where the interaction takes place, for example in a room,
office, or perhaps outdoors, the social context also needs to be considered, for example the roles,
responsibilities and relative status of the participants. The emotional climate and participants'
expectations of the interaction will also affect the communication.
Channel
The channel refers to the physical means by which the message is transferred from one person to
another. In face-to-face context the channels which are used are speech and vision, however
during a telephone conversation the channel is limited to speech alone.

2.4.2 Uses of Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal communication can be used to:

Give and collect information.

Influence the attitudes and behavior of others.

Form contacts and maintain relationships.

Make sense of the world and our experiences in it.

Express personal needs and understand the needs of others.

Give and receive emotional support.

Make decisions and solve problems.

Anticipate and predict behavior.

Regulate power.

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2.4.3 Four Principles of Interpersonal Communication

These principles underlie the workings in real life of interpersonal communication. They are
basic to communication. We can't ignore them.
Interpersonal communication is inescapable
Through not only words, but through tone of voice and through gesture, posture, facial
expression, etc., we constantly communicate to those around us. Through these channels, we
constantly receive communication from others. Remember a basic principle of communication in
general: people are not mind readers. Another way to put this is: people judge you by your
behavior, not your intent.
Interpersonal communication is irreversible
You can't really take back something once it has been said. The effect must inevitably remain.
Despite the instructions from a judge to a jury to "disregard that last statement the witness
made," the lawyer knows that it can't help but make an impression on the jury. A Russian proverb
says, "Once a word goes out of your mouth, you can never swallow it again."
Interpersonal communication is complicated
No form of communication is simple. Because of the number of variables involved, even simple
requests are extremely complex. Theorists note that whenever we communicate there are really
at least six "people" involved: 1) who you think you are; 2) who you think the other person is; 3)
who you think the other person thinks you are; 4) who the other person thinks /she is; 5) who the
other person thinks you are; and 6) who the other person thinks you think s/he is.
We don't actually swap ideas; we swap symbols that stand for ideas. This also complicates
communication. Words (symbols) do not have inherent meaning; we simply use them in certain
ways, and no two people use the same word exactly alike.
Interpersonal communication is contextual
In other words, communication does not happen in isolation. There is:

Psychological context, which is who you are and what you bring to the interaction. Your
needs, desires, values, personality, etc., all form the psychological context. ("You" here
refers to both participants in the interaction.)

Relational context, which concerns your reactions to the other person--the "mix."

Situational context deals with the psycho-social "where" you are communicating. An
interaction that takes place in a classroom will be very different from one that takes place
in a bar.

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Environmental context deals with the physical "where" you are communicating.
Furniture, location, noise level, temperature, season, time of day, all are examples of
factors in the environmental context.

Cultural context includes all the learned behaviors and rules that affect the interaction. If
you come from a culture (foreign or within your own country) where it is considered rude
to make long, direct eye contact, you will out of politeness avoid eye contact. If the other
person comes from a culture where long, direct eye contact signals trustworthiness, then
we have in the cultural context a basis for misunderstanding.

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TEAMWORK
Teamwork is "work done by several associates with each doing a part but all subordinating
personal prominence to the efficiency of the whole".
Benefits of Teamwork

Problems solving: A single brain cant always come with solutions or take decisions
alone. One of the important reasons for forming teams is the ability to bounce different
ideas off of each other. Each team member has a responsibility to contribute equally and
offer their unique perspective on a problem to arrive at the best possible solution.
Teamwork can lead to better decisions, products, or services.

Accomplish tasks faster: A single person taking on multiple tasks will not be able to
perform at a same pace as a team can. When people work together they can complete
tasks faster by dividing the work to people of different abilities and knowledge.

Healthy competition: A healthy competition in groups can be used to motivate

individuals and help the team excel.

Developing Relationships: A team that continues to work together will eventually

develop an increased level of bonding. This can help people avoid unnecessary conflicts
since they have become well acquainted with each other through team work. Team
members rating of their satisfaction with a team is correlated with the level of teamwork
processes present.

Everyone has unique qualities: Every team member can offer their unique knowledge
and ability to help improve other team members. Through teamwork the sharing of these
qualities will allow team members to be more productive in the future.

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CHAPTER THREE
PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION
There are some specific communication principles that have to be followed to compose
effective messages. These are the seven Cs
Completeness,
Conciseness,
Consideration,
Concreteness,
Clarity,
Courtesy, and correctness
1. COMPLETENESS: a business message whether oral or written is complete when
it contains all facts the reader or listener needs for the reaction we desire. To
achieve both the specific purpose of the message and good will, examine your
messages to make sure that you have covered everything you intended to cover
and that you provided sufficient detail for your reader/receiver to know what you
expect of him/her. Complete letter also minimizes the possible cost of additional
letter. To make your message complete, make sure the reader/receiver knows who
is to do what as well as where, when and why he/she is to do it. Guidelines for
completeness include:
o Answer all Questions Asked: when you are replying to an
inquiry try to answer all questions asked. Incomplete reply
could be unfavorable to a customer. It could mean carelessness
or may mean intension to cover a weak side. For instance, in a
reply to a customer request, if you fail to answer the entire
question, you might loss a customer. Hence, you should take
your time to give reply to the customer.
o Give something Extra, when desirable: at times when the
question is not adequate or the person does not know what she
wants, then you have to give more information. That is, Answer
anticipated questions the reader may have but forgot to ask.
Example, Customer entering ones supermarket for the first
time; Customer buying insurance policy; First day of a foreign
college student.
o Check for the five Ws and other essentials: to help make our
message complete is to answer, whenever desirable, the five
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W questions who, where, what, when, why and other essentials

like how. For instance, to organize a concert, we need to specify
the type of concert (what), location (where), date and time
(when), performers (who), and other necessary details (how).
2. Conciseness: Conciseness is saying what you have to say in the fewest possible
words. Conciseness is one of the most important principles of effective business
writing because a wordy message requires more time and money to type and read.
This means economy in writing saves time and money. Guidelines to achieve
conciseness:
o Eliminate Wordiness: eliminate unnecessary words from your
statements.
Wordy: if and when we can establish and define our
goals and objectives, each and every member will be
ready and willing to give aid and assistance.
Instead: when we define our goals, each member will
be ready to help.
Wordy: there are 4 rules that should be observed.
Concise: four rules should be observed.
Wordy: There is no question that the increased use of
advertising benefited the company.
Concise: unquestionably, the increased advertising
benefited the company.
Omit unnecessary articles, relative pronouns prepositions, and conjunctions
Examples:
Article:
The evidence we have

Evidence we have

Relative pronoun:
He said that he agreed.

He said he agreed.

Prepositional phrases:
Date if the policy

Policy date

Conjunction:
And
Wordy

colon or period
Concise

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During the year of 1993

For the reason that

during 1993
since, because

Include only Relevant Statements: not only unnecessary word, but also unnecessary
facts should be excluded. The major causes of irrelevance include:
Failure to stick to the purpose of the message.
Including information obvious to the reader.
Using big words to make an impression.
Beating around the bush-failure to come to the point.
Being excessively polite, etc.
Avoid unnecessary Repetition: when the same thing is repeated again and again it
becomes boring. Here are some ways to eliminate unnecessary repetition.
Use a short name after you have mentioned the longer one once. For example,
instead of the Mina Trading company, use the company
Use pronouns rather than repeating long names. For instance, instead of using
the Ethiopian Insurance Company again and again, uses it.
3. Consideration: consideration is to show care for your listener or reader, to see
things from the receivers point of view, and to have a you attitude instead of Iattitude. This is because the relationship between of the message, the sender and
the receiver profoundly affects communication effectiveness.
Is your letter and its message considerate?
Do you show your readers you care about their needs in the message you
send and the way in which you send it?
Have you looked at your letter from your readers point of view?
Have you used a warm, friendly tone that tells your readers you care about
their needs?

Guidelines to achieve consideration

Focus on you instead of I or we: a receiver is more concerned about her than us or
our organization. Hence, we should try to get their attention by focusing on the youattitude.
Poor: we give the best service from around the vicinity.
Better: you can get the best service from around the vicinity.
Poor: we welcome you to our online bookshop. If we can be of additional help,
please call on us.
Better: you are welcome to our on-line bookshop. Please call on us whenever you
need additional help.
Poor: I want to send my Congratulations
Better: Congratulations to you on your ..
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N.B: In situations like below, it is advisable not to use YOU

1. When the reader has made a mistake

Poor: your contract tells you clearly not to

Better: I am glad to explain more fully the contract terms.
2. when a reader has an opinion different from us.
Poor: you are entirely wrong in your attitude.
Better: the proposed plan has three aspects which are extremely important and
which we need to explain now.
Show reader benefit or interest in reading: show your receiver the benefit that she will get
from the message. For instance, Buy Nyala Insurance one should then state what
special benefits nyala has as compared to EIC, Nile Insurance, OR We hope you will
be glad to know that we are now open on Sundays and until mid-night on all weekdays.
Emphasize the positive, pleasant facts: stress on what can be done instead of what cannot
and focus on words your recipient will consider favorably.
Negative: There is no way that we give you a discount of that much on the
machinery.
Positive: you will be legible for that much discount if you can also buy these
accessories.
Apply integrity and ethics: integrity is to be honest and reliable. Ethics is moral and
belief. Communication requires honest and moral, both within and outside the
organization. Integrity with persons outside the organization; Doing the harder right
instead of the easier wrong.

E.g Some managers use different material (low quality) after they make a contract with a
particular client.
Integrity is also important with or about co-workers. Dishonest behavior towards employer
includes claiming sick leave when not ill; an internal theft, etc. unfair communication about
co-workers includes providing false information about someone to a superior.
4. CONCRETENESS: Concreteness refers to being specific, definite, and vivid rather than
vague and general.

Do you use easy-to-understand words that give your reader specific mental pictures about
your message?
- Do your verbs show actions (such as direct,, send, produce) instead of just
being (such as is, are, were, was)?

Guidelines for concreteness include:

Use specific facts and figures: facts and figures tend to last long in somebodys mind than
general statements.
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a. General: our company serves the majority of the market.

b. Concrete: our company serves 60% of the market.
a. General: please send your check for the full amount soon.
b. Concrete: please send your check for Birr 5000 on or before June 5.
a. General: NASA claims that it has the best physicists from all over the world.
b. Concrete: 7 out of the 10 physicists who have won the Nobel prize in the field of
physics have worked in NASA at one point in their lives.
Often vague, general words may have different meanings to the sender and the receiver. The list
that follows gives words, which can lead to uncertainty, misunderstanding, or confusion.
A few

more

short

High

most

slow

Large

nice

small

Low

quick

soon

Many

several

tall

Using plenty of examples, prefixed by phrases like for instance, for example, such as, also
helps make your writing concrete as well as clear.

Put action in your verbd: Strong verbs can activate other words and help made your
sentences definite. To write strong sentences:
As much as possible use the active voice rather than the passive voice as who did
what to whom stands out loud and clear in active sentences than passive
sentences.
Put action in your verbs instead of in nouns and infinitives.

Example:
The board of directors decided is more explicit than A decision has been made.
Figures show is more concise than it is shown by figures.
The passive requires more words and thus, slows both the writing and reading.
W/t Almaz is generally disliked here. Her work habits are frequently criticized. Prior to
beginning work as supervisor, she was rated poorly as a leader.
Almaz may insist and say;

Who dislikes (active) me?

Who criticizes (active) me?
Who rates (active) me poorly?
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She might thus request her evaluation be written in active form, not passive, so that she conforms
her accusers.
Action must also be put in verbs, not in nouns and infinitives. Notice the following examples:
Action hiding in a noun
The function of this office is the collection of accounts and the complication of statements.
Action in the verb
This office collects accounts and complies statements.
Action hiding in infinitive
The duty of a stenographer is to check all incoming mail and to record it.
Action in the verb
A stenographer checks and records all incoming mail.

Choose vivid, image-building words: methods of making words more forceful, vivid, and
specific are comparisons, and figurative language.
a. comparisons: comparing one with its equivalent builds a meaningful picture. E.g. CBE
Vs other banks
b. figurative language: figures of speech may express an idea more clearly than literal
language.

Example: Selam is the one who usually organize social activities, instead of she is usually the
one who organize things.
5. CLARITY: Clarity refers to getting a message across so that the receiver will understand what
you are saying easily. That is, Clarity is the transfer of the writers thoughts to a reader without
misunderstanding. It is the single most important factor in communication. A misunderstood
message is worse than no message at all. A message that is not clear to a reader cannot possibly
communicate the writers intentions. Thus, clarity is the writers first responsibility. The first and
most important task of the writer is to be understood. That is, the writer wants to have his/her
reader interpret the message with the same meaning as intended.
Guidelines for Clarity consist of:

Choose short and simple words rather than long and complicated words Generally,
short, familiar and everyday words communicate more effectively than longer and less
known words. Therefore, use short and familiar words if your reader is to understand
your message.
Example:
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Complicated word
Simple word
Interrogate
ask
Subsequent to
after
Give consideration to
consider
Under date of
on
As of this writing
now
In addition, when you select words you should make more that the words you have
selected would mean the same thing to your audience as they do to you. Words have both
denotations (dictionary meaning) and connotations (associated, personal meanings). The
words inexpensive and cheap can denote the same thing. But their connotations are
different. For most people, inexpensive simply means low in cost while cheap means
poorly made or a poor value.
Avoid ambiguous and equivocal words Ambiguous words have more than one meaning
and equivocal words.

Whenever possible, avoid technical jargons when you talk or write to a person who is not
familiar with such words. If you must use technical words, define them briefly and clearly,
otherwise you will confuse, embarrass, or irritate your reader, and perhaps be forced to
explain later.
Examples:
Technical jargons

expressions familiar to layperson

Annual premium

annual payment

Assessed valuation

value of property for tax purpose

Charge to your principal

increase the balance of your loan

Maturity date

final payment date

Per Diem

daily

Sentence: Days of grace under this policy expire May 15, 1980
Revised: The extra 30- days allowed you to pay your premium without interest end May 15,
1980.

Use concrete and specific words rather than general and abstract words specific
language enables the reader to visualize the action of your letter and it creates
believability. Always give exact facts, figures, details, explanations and examples. For
example, instead of soon use March 15, 2002.
Use short and simple sentences Sentence structure is also an important consideration in
achieving clarity. The easiest sentences to read and to understand are short, simple
41

sentences using active voice in the past, present, or future tense and making an explicit
statement. While it is true that to avoid monotony, sentence length should be varied; short
sentences are easier to read and are therefore usually clearer than long sentences. Use
short sentences for your main ideas, and place supporting information in the longer
sentences. Beyond proper length, sentences seem to grow weaker with added word.
Your message must be definite and straight forward State your message explicitly rather
than implicitly. Using specific and concrete words will help you make explicit statements.
Example:
Implicit: It will be to your advantage to order now.
Explicit: By ordering now, you will receive two issues absolutely free.

Construct effective sentences and paragraphs Clear writing depends on logical

structure. A clear message requires a definite beginning, middle and end. In addition to
the logical structure, the writer also needs to provide the reader with a unified message
that moves clearly from point to point.

A unified message has continuity of thought. Unity and structure requires planning. You
should group related ideas together and then arrange the groups into a logical sentence.
Eliminate ideas that do not pertain to either your subject content or your feeling content. So
that your reader will always know where your message has been and where it is going as you
move from idea to idea, provide your reader with a clear, specific reference to the preceding
idea or anticipate your next idea with an explicit statement of direction. As a result your
statement (writing) should aim for unity and coherence.
In a sentence, unity means having one idea and other ideas closely related to it. For instance,
the manager of the firm-X is Abebe and Alemu won a gold medal in the marathon, game.
These two ideas do not relate; the second idea is irrelevant to the first ideas.
Sentences and paragraphs should have logical sequence showing the reader the relationship
between them. The use of linking words is important in this case.

Include examples, illustrations, and other visual aids, when desirable: you can improve
the clarity of you message by giving illustration, examples, or visual aids such as
tabulation, charts, pictures, etc.

6. COURTESY: Courteous message helps to strengthen present business friendship, as well

as make new friends. Courtesy stems from sincere you-attitude. It is not merely
politeness with mechanical insertions of pleases and thank-yous. To be courteous, the
communicator should follow the following suggestions regarding tone and promptness of
message.
Being Sincerely Tactful, Thoughtful, and Appreciative: Tactful instead of
bluntness. Not only, tactful, message should also be thoughtful and appreciative.
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o Blunt: Obviously, if youd read your policy carefully, youd be

able to answer these questions yourself.
o Tactful: Sometimes policy wording is a little hard to understand.
Im glad to clear up these questions for you.
Omit expressions that irritate, hurt, or belittle: do not offend the reader or listener
of your message. Avoid expressions such as: you forgot to; you surely dont
expect; you failed to; you are probably ignorant of the fact that; you have to etc.
Grant and Apologize Good-Naturedly: begin your message with the good news
and continue with a courteous and willing tone.
Answer your mail promptly
For courtesy as well as better results one should answer a business inquiry
promptly. If you need time to gather information, or have a stack of other urgent
work, before you can answer a request, send a short note like the following:
I will gladly send you the information you need. It may take a few days to
assemble the facts. You will hear from me by .
7. CORRECTNESS: Presenting a message correctly helps you to avoid the risk of
miscommunication. Mistakes cause misunderstanding and they can destruct the recipients
from concentrating on the intended message. Besides, errors can affect the credibility of
the sender and the message. As a principle of effective writing the broad term correctness
refers to:
Correct figures, accurate statements, facts and explicit identification of
assumptions and opinions. It is obvious that without correct figures and
statements, accurate communication is impossible.
Correct spelling, grammar, mechanics, and language usage. Misspelled words,
faulty punctuation, and awkward constructions will be barriers to communication.
Your ability to use language correctly and to write a message free from superficial
errors is a nonverbal message that tells your readers that you are an intelligent,
careful person who cares enough about them to pay attention to the details of your
message. Because your letters, memos, and reports provide a lasting record of
your abilities to think, write and communicate about business matters, you should
take the time to ensure correctness since communication errors will undermine
your business effectiveness. Thus, as a writer of a business letter, you should
apply the following guidelines in your communication.
Uses of the right level of language: there are 3 levels in the English language
o Formal level- a language level that is usually used for scholarly dissertation, legal
documents, or government agreements.
o Informal level- a language level that is used for business letter, newspaper,
reports, etc. and
o Substandard level- a language level that is colloquial. The substandard has to be
avoided at all times.
Use short, well-known, and conversational words.
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Maintain acceptable writing mechanics: use words, and punctuation marks correctly;
Avoid grammatical errors; Watch out for spelling errors and careless omission.
Spelling errors: nad (and); form (from)
Careless Omission: No (No.)
Choose Nondiscriminatory Expression: avoid discrimination between the sexes, races,
ethnic groups, and physical features.
Discriminatory: mankind; manpower; chairman.
Nondiscriminatory: human being; human power; chairperson.
Check accuracy of figures, facts, and words: check for the correctness of figures, facts, or
words. In some cases inaccurate figure or fact can cause a serious problem. Words can
also be confusing, thus chose correct words to communicate your message.
Example: Reporting an amount of Birr 300,000 instead of Birr 30,000 as the total
revenue in an important company meeting.
Example: between and among between involves two people or groups while
among involves three or more.

Planning in communication
Your careful planning of the message is most important for effective communication since your
goal is to gain desired reaction or action from the recipient. Thus, think and plan before you
communicate. This means, to determine what points to include in your message, and to
determine how to arrange those points for greatest effectiveness. You need to analyze the
communication context by asking yourself: what is the purpose of the message? What is the
readers point of view? And what is necessary to achieve the principles of effective
communication? Planning in communication requires applying the following steps:
I.

II.

Understand the purpose of the message

Determine the receiver of your message and what you want to achieve. Your first step is
to determine what you want to achieve out of the message. Every message has two
categories of purposes or objectives.
Business objective establishes the subject content. Your business objective is to obtain
the information that will help your dealer help you. Example: information your reader
that you are offering a new product or service or persuading him/her to purchase the new
product or service or informing him/her the delay of the shipment. You may also inquire
the availability of sufficient goods.
Human objective- establishes the feeling content. Your human objective is to establish
empathy with the reader so that a spirit of cooperation will prevail. This part of purpose is
important to build goodwill. Thus, be sure to keep, both your business purpose (specific)
and human purpose (general), in mind as you plan every message.
Visualize your reader

44

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

Understand your reader and your readers point of view. Your reader can be a business or
professional person, superior, colleague or subordinate; man or woman; young, middle
aged, or elderly new or longtime customer; and so on. The different people with whom
you are communicating will not have the same point of view. Visualizing that there is an
individual difference adjust your message accordingly. Write your message with the
individual reader in mind.
Choose the idea that the message is to include
Identifying the purpose and the ideas that the purpose is to include is helpful to avoid
irrelevant ideas and overall wordiness. The idea you will include in the writing depend
upon the type of message you are considering.
Get all the facts to support your ideas
Once you have determined the ideas, you must ensure that you have the necessary
figures, facts and quotations to support these ideas. Be sure you know your company
policy, procedures and product details if this message requires them.
Organize your ideas/thoughts
Before you write your message, outline your ideas in a sequence/logical order so that the
flow of ideas can be smooth.
Write, revise, and proofread
Write and revise your message carefully. No matter your writing is routine short
communication or complex long communication you must read your draft objectively,
from the viewpoint of your reader. Make sure that your message meets all principles of
effective business writing. Finally, after your message is typewritten (handwritten) it
needs careful proofreading. Proofreading is essential to correct any possible error; so that
your message will reflect favorably on you and your business.

45