Understanding communication

Communication is simple term, it is a transfer

of information between people, resulting in
common understanding between them.
According to Newman and Summer,
communication is an exchange of facts,
ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more
persons.

Definitions of Communication :According to Hoben, the verbal interchange of

thought or ideas.
According to Berelson and steiner,
communication is the transmission of
information, ideas, emotions, skills, etc., by
using of symbols, words, pictures, graphs,
etc. It is the act or process of transmission
that is usually called communication.

From the above definitions, it is clear that

communication has the following characteristics :1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

It is unavoidable
It is a two way exchange of information
It is a process
It involves a sender and a receiver of information
It could be verbal or non-verbal
It is successful when the receiver interprets the
meaning in the same way as that intended by the
sender

Functions and purposes of

communication

It is helpful in establishing the goal of an

organisation.
It helps managers to utilize manpower and other
resources in most efficient and effective manner.
It also helps managers to select, develop and
appraise the member of their organisation.
Helps managers to lead, direct and motivate
employees and create a healthy environment.

Communication process
NOISE

Sender /
Encoder

(SENDS &
RECEIVES)

MESSAGE
Channel (s)

Channel (s)

NOISE
FEEDBACK

Receiver /
Decoder

(RECEIVES &
SENDS)

Elements of communication process :

Sender or Encoder This is the person who

transmits a message.
Receiver or Decoder The person who notices and
decodes or attaches some meaning to a message.
Message This is any signal that triggers the
response of a receiver.
Channel The medium or the method used to
deliver the message.

Elements of communication process : Feedback

The response to a senders

message is called feedback.
Noise This refers to all these factors that
disrupt the communication.
Context This refers to the setting in which
the communication takes place.

Types of communication
Verbal
Non

or oral communication

verbal communication

Written

communication

Non verbal communication

Body

movement
Facial expression
Physical distance between sender and
receiver
Gestures
Eye gazing
Touches

Channels of communication
Formal

channels of communication ( official

meetings, circulars, letters, memos)

Informal

communication channels ( talking in

the canteens)

Channels of communication
Downward

channel
Upward channel
Horizontal channel
Grapevine
consensus

Downward Channel of
Communication
It flows downward through the hierarchy of
command.
The management has to communicate with the
subordinate in order to organise,co ordinate, and
direct the operational aspect of the organisation.
It is dominated by oral media, which contains
oral instructions and orders to the supervisors
by departmental heads.

Objectives of Downward
Communication
The

employees may do their work with

accuracy,scienciarity,neatness,honesty and
punctuality .
The standard of work quality should be
maintain by the employees.
The employees should be well informed
regarding the policies, procedures, rules and
regulations of the organisation

Essentials of Effective downward

Communication
The

communicator must have a clear and

complete idea of the message
Communicator must be well informed about the
policy decisions taken by the management in the
past
There should neither be over communication nor
under communication
The information must pass through the hierarchical
structure of an org.

Limitations of downward
communication
Delay
Message

abbreviation
Message distortion
Message over load
Incomplete information

Upward channel of communication

The

two way flow of communication in any

business organisation is supported by
efficient and effective upward communication
The management can keep itself in touch
with the needs, requirements, difficulties and
grievances of the employees when it
receives messages from the employees

Media of upward communication

Meetings
Counseling
An

open door policy

Correspondence
Participation in social gathering and group
events
Suggestion box

Limitations of upward
communication
Positive

encouragement
Delay ,distortion and filtering
Concealing unfavourable facts
Poor listening
Communicating criticism

Effective upward communication

Positive

efforts must be taken by the superiors to

eliminate the fear of the authority from the minds
of the workers
The suggestions should be rewarded with
adequate attention
There should be a mutual trust between superiors
and subordinates, if the workers think that they will
rewarded with punishment then they will never
provide it

Horizontal channel of
communication
It

takes place between and among the

people who belong to the same level of
hierarchy
This channel of communication is the primary
method of coordinating inter dependent
units and departments

Medias of effective horizontal

communication
Telephone

and face to face communication

Meetings
Written

media

Grapevine
Grapevine

is an informal communication network

which ignores formal channels of communication
and spreads rumours and gossips at all levels of
organisations
It is an informal channel of communication
It is found that the large portion of communication
in almost every organisation is not formal or pre
planned
It is not motivated by the management

Importance of grapevine
Its

having greater speed than the formal

channels of communication
It is less expensive and most rapid oral
method of transmitting the information
It is not restricted with any particular line of
hierarchy , it can flow where ever the
participants wish it to flow

Limitations of grapevine
The

baseless ,imaginary and non factual

messages may prove harmful to the
organisation
It often carries incomplete information which
leads to misunderstanding of the receiver
The communicator does not take the
responsibility of the message

How to use the grapevine

The

negative consequences of the

grapevine can be easily eliminated if the
management is successful in creating trust
relationship with the employees
The managers should pick up the false
rumours and dispel them by providing correct
information

How to use the grapevine.

Management

can use grapevine as a barometer

of public opinion in the org. so that they can surely
help them to take right policy decision
The management should find out the people in
the informal group who are more active on
grapevine ,these people should be accurately
and adequately informed so that the false
information do not spread among the employees

Consensus
It

is a common agreement of opinion on a

given problem among the majority of people
in a group or community
The board meeting of commercial
organisations take certain decisions through
consensus

Importance of consensus
It

projects a good image of management

There can be little or no chance of conflict among
the employees
The trust of the members in their chief helps to
avoid the splits and conflicts between the majority
and the opposition
It is based on attitude of mutual respect which
enables members to accept and support the views
of each other

Limitations of consensus
While

the superiors receptively listen to the

ideas of the subordinate , sometimes it
undermine the authority of the superiors
The views and opinions of the minority
oppositions are not attended
A member of the group can be forced to
accept the view which he does not hold

Characteristics of communication

Clarity
The

message should be clear in thought and

expression
It must not create any kind of confusion in
receivers mind
One should not make any general statement it
should be specific like, in general way, we will
allow you a handsome discount
In specific way we will allow you 15% discount

Completeness
The

message should be in complete way so

that it cant create any confusions
One should manage his message in that way
so that the receiver does not left with any
doubt

Conciseness or brevity
The

message which you want to convey

must be brief or concise and to the point

Un

necessary details may bore the receiver

The

writer should use fewest possible words

for effective communication

Four simple rules of conciseness

Only

relevant facts are to be included

One should avoid repetition
Wordy expression should be avoided
One should organise his thoughts very well

Courtesy or politeness
We

must create friendliness with whom we are

making correspondence
One should be polite with his customers to get
favors
Exp.
Send the goods soon(rude)
Please fulfill our requirement as soon as
possible(polite)

Correctness
One

should be very careful in transmitting correct

facts in correct language
One can use dictionary, encyclopedia, grammar
book etc to be sure for the correctness
Appearance should be very much imp. While you
are doing written communication, it must be
attractive
The third thing is that correctness is how you
presents the content

Barriers to communication
In

technical way any thing that obstructs the flow

of communication is called noise or we may
simply refer it as a barrier..
Three types of barriers
1.
physical barriers
2.
Semantic barriers
3.
Psycho sociological barriers
4.
Cultural barriers

Physical barriers
Noise

We can include all kinds of noise like, loud

noise of machines, poor telephone
connections, electric noise etc
Time and distance
The distance between sender and receiver
becomes a barrier

Semantic barriers
Interpretation

of words
Radium is a valuable metal
What is the value of this ring?
I value my good name
I got good value for my money
Technical jargons
Idioms and phrases

Psycho sociological barriers

Attitudes

and opinions
If the information agrees with our attitude and
beliefs we tend to receive it favorable
Emotions

If the sender is worried, excited, afraid, nervous,

he will be unable to organise his message
properly

Closed mind
He

is a man with deeply prejudices and he is not

prepared to reconsider his opinion. He is that kind
of man who will say look my mind is made up, I
know what I know and I don't want to know
anything else
Status block/ consciousness
In status consciousness the superiors think that
consulting their juniors would be compromising
their dignity

Poor communication skills

Research

shows that the employees retain

only 50% of information communicated to
them. the rest is lost

Cultural barriers
We should be sensitive to cultural differences
and take into account that the value of our
listeners/readers while communicating with
them