IMPACT OF CULTURE ON NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS

IMPACT OF CULTURE ON NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS

Unconscious forms of non-verbal communication

There are several of them and involve:


 Facial Expressions
 Eyes
 Head
 Shoulders
 Hands and fingers
 Body posture

Gestures, expression etc provide cues and clues that supplement ones‟ oral communication. They are vital and yet they should not be learnt as they look artificial. They are not consciously worn as they are intuitive, outward expressions of inward feelings or thoughts. Gestures should be read in clusters and in the context they are made. Single gesture is like a single word that can have many meanings.

Following gestures are best avoided:
 A pointing finger
 A clenched, raised fist
 A finger raised and put vertically on the lips
 Frown on the face

IMPACT OF CULTURE ON NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS

IMPACT OF CULTURE ON NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS

Culture influences non-verbal communications as much of the gestures, expressions etc result from „clan culture‟. Besides, experts in communication are now convinced that non-verbal

communications play a very critical role in every day living:

 They form an integral part of oral, face-to-face communications
 They form the backbone of written communication in terms of layout and other visual aspects of written communication

In modern business communications, non-verbal communications can be at the conscious and unconscious levels. Managers must be conversant with both to be able to use them effectively in cross cultural interactions.

Conscious forms of non-verbal communications

There are several aspects of conscious non-verbal communication that help to create the „first impression‟ on the people. Although these aspects are largely influenced by the climate and other specific conditions, local culture has a profound impact on:

(i) Dress

Most people form opinions about others in the first seven seconds of their meeting. A good sense of dressing contributes greatly to making the right first impression. Dressing appropriately is an art that needs to be acquired although changes in dress codes are happening in many countries rather fast because as the world globalizes, dress sense is also becoming global.
Dress should also include footwear, accessories and even cosmetics / perfumes used.

(a) Business Attire for men

Professional dress may include suit, trousers, sports coat, shirt with collar, necktie etc. Many companies are allowing staff to wear casual dress at work once a week. This may include sports shirts, polo shirts, trousers, sweaters that can be stylish as well as comfortable.

(b) Business Attire for women

Attires for business women include dresses, suits, skirts no shorter than three inches above the knees, pants with blouses etc. Inappropriate dresses are: too tight or too loose blouses, sleeveless, denim, shorts, backless / strapless dresses, sweatshirts, hats etc.
Jewellery, accessories etc should be minimal. It is better to stick to ear studs; make up, to suit but should appear natural.

(ii) Grooming

Besides dressing properly, one should not forget to wear his smile. Remember that one is not dressed for the day until he has worn his smile. Attitude at work should be positive, cooperative and willing to accept responsibilities.

(iii) Business cards

Business card is ones‟ calling card. It represents the person when he is not there; it speaks of the person and his business. Ensure that the business card is attractive, appealing and easy to read. It should convey the message that the person wants people to remember.

(iv) Handshake

Handshake is a common form of greetings when one meets someone. Ones‟ style of handshake tells a lot about him. The correct form of handshake is „to keep thumbs up and toughing webs before wrapping the fingers around the other persons‟ hand. While introducing oneself, the person is expected to offer his hand irrespective of the man or woman except in certain cultures that prohibit women shaking hands with men.

Other forms of greeting like embracing or kissing on the cheeks should be avoided in business gatherings.

PROXIMICS - Implications of Proxemics

PROXIMICS  -  Implications of Proxemics

Knowledge of Proxemics is being used to secure following advantages in business:

1 Every culture has a well-defined personal space; violation of spatial zones can create wrong impressions, leading to loss of business.

2 In multi-cultural groups, individuals should observe the spatial zones of different groups and interact with them accordingly.

3 Even in small groups, one must find out the boundary limits of spatial zones so as to preclude „bubble-bursts‟ arising from irritation and discomfort.

4 According to Gary Kreps, people have strong territorial emotions about their possessions or objects of which they claim ownership viz., clothes, books, homes and automobiles. Since they protect these territories vigorously, people should ensure that they do not step on someone‟s toes.

5 People from high-context cultural countries including India prefer greater distances that low-context culture nations who have carefree and casual approach to it.

6 The concept of proximics is also reflected in the way meetings are arranged – a round table encourages participation among members.

7 In organizations, people are very sensitive about their seating places, furniture and equipment.

8 Small offices with low ceilings and no windows can generate a feeling of being boxed up, sullen and depressed.

9 Open offices are becoming more popular now as they facilitate greater communication, instant feedback and improved inter-personal relationships.

PROXIMICS OR LANGUAGE OF PERSONAL SPACE

PROXIMICS OR LANGUAGE OF PERSONAL SPACE

Animals, birds and fish guard their territories rather aggressively and so do nations. Within a nation, there are well-defined boundaries among different smaller communities. People living within these territories have an allegiance to it and protect these territories even ferociously

American anthropologist, Edward T Hall, concluded that every human being has a territory that it considers to be its own. The area or the space delineated around the body is claimed to be his own like the air space around him. Edward T Hall called it „Proximics‟ – study of the spatial needs of human beings.

Personal space around each one of us have a critical implication for communication and interaction with others and consequently on our behaviour and relations with them. Like all other living beings, humans carry a kind of air envelop around them all the time. However, size of the air-envelop can vary among different cultures.

It can also vary between a villager and a city dweller. Besides, status of a person also influences the distance at which a person stands with respect to that person.

(1) Spatial Zones
Edward Hall has identified following four zones that are in the form of concentric circles around human body. Since the distances vary among cultures, density of population and status, each zone has been indicated with a range of distances:

(i) Intimate zone
This zone extends up to 0.5 metre from the body and is considered to have the most important influence on the behaviour of individuals. This is a zone that an individual guards as if it is his own property. Only those very close to the individual are permitted to enter this zone viz., spouse, parents, lovers, close friends and relative. With these persons, not many words are used in communication – whispers take the place of spoken words. Eye contacts, handshake and pat at the back are noticed often. Nature of communication is more intimate.
It has a sub-zone extending to first 0.15 metre from the body. This is a close intimate zone that can be entered only during physical contact.

(ii) Personal zone
This covers the space from 0.5 to 1.2 metres from the body. This is the distance observed during friendly gatherings, social functions, office parties etc. People speak in monotones or use low pitch voice with close friends, colleagues, associates and visitors. Communication is more personal and is carried out in a relaxed and casual way. Much of the responses are spontaneous, leading to important decisions which is the hallmark of this space.

(iii) Social zone
This space extends from 1.2 to 3.5 metres. This space is ideal for formal parties and relationships are mostly official. Most of the business is carried out in this space - a lot of reason and logic comes into play and much of the future planning is done. A man is a social being and this space becomes critical for a person on the move in the hierarchy of business and thus forms the most critical zone.

(iv) Public zone
This zone covers the space beyond 3.5 metres from the body and covers the distance at which people can hear and see. The distance between the person and the group he is addressing or making presentation to would be over 3.5 metres. This zone requires use of more formal language; communication is more detached and impersonal in perception. One has to raise the voice to be heard clearly.

Recognizing cultural differences

Recognizing cultural differences

It is useful to be able to recognize cultural differences. A person in south India nods his head in affirmation differently from a north Indian. If one is not aware of it, it is very easy to take no for yes. In USA, one cannot call a spade a spade because in the American slang, spade is used for black American. Similarly an Australian may compliment someone by saying that „he is a good bastard‟ whereas it may offend an Indian. A few major aspects of culture that distinguish them are:

(i) Religion

North Americans in USA and Canada follow puritan religion and are influenced by their ethics although both the countries have a large number of immigrants settling from many countries of the world. They view material comfort as a sign of superiority and believe money can solve many problems. There are also many societies who condemn materialism.

(ii) Values

People in countries like USA and Canada are more goal-oriented and want work to be done efficiently. It may not be so in India and South Asian countries where unemployment is very high. Managers tend to employ two persons where one would suffice.

(iii) Role play

Culture determines the role people play – what they communicate to whom and in what way. For example in some cultures women play a significant role in business whereas it is not so in Middle East and North African countries.

(iv) Decision making

In many countries in the west, business is dominated by one person, often the CEO who says yes or no to many decisions / deals as is the case in USA and even in Pakistan. In China and Japan, decision-making is a laborious process of reaching consensus otherwise they do not feel comfortable with the decision.

(v) Social behaviour and etiquettes

Culture has deep influence on the social behaviour and etiquettes of the people. Polite manners in one country may be considered to be rude in another. These rules of etiquettes may be formal or informal. Formal rules can be learnt and taught, for example, table manners etc. Informal rules are more difficult to identify and are learnt by observation and then emulating them. Informal rules relate to:
 How males and females should behave
 When and how people can touch one another
 When it is appropriate to call a person by first name
Violation of these informal rules can cause a great deal of discomfort although people loathe talking about them.

(vi) Concept of time

People from USA and Europe tend to be more particular about time – they also want to clinch deals quickly. It is not so in most of Asia, Mexico and Latin America. Japanese are aware of American impatience and say, „You Americans have one terrible weakness. If we make to wait long enough, you will agree to anything‟. Also called „chronomics‟, it is emerging as a new area of interest for distinguishing the attitude of people from different cultures towards time and timing.

DISTINGUISHING CULTURE

DISTINGUISHING CULTURE

Since culture has profound impact on all aspects of communication skills, everyone must develop a good understanding of the cultural background and recognize the differences between own culture and the one they are interacting with.

(1) Distinguishing traits of culture
Members of a group would have a lot of similarities in the way they think, speak and do work. A major culture may have several subcultures too. Culture can be identified with geographical areas, professions, hobbies etc. Culture of a management group may be different than that of accountants or lawyers. There may be some common features between football fans and cricket fans. Several distinguishing traits are:

(i) Stability of culture
Whether culture is stable or it is changing rapidly.
(ii) Complexity of culture
Whether it is easy to discern or has several layers that take time to grasp.
(iii) Composition of culture
Whether it has several subcultures as in India or it is homogenous as in USA.
(iv) Acceptance of outsiders
Whether it is closed to outsiders or it accepts outsiders readily.
Everybody needs special training before they become comfortable with a different culture.

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS

In the modern world of business, acquiring and sharpening cross cultural communication skills is a strategic asset as it can:

 Propel ones‟ career path
 Prop ones‟ success in competitive environments
 Reflect ones‟ commitment to quality and excellence
 Make one confident in diverse settings of people from all walks of life
 Help develop an admirable code of conduct for groups and enterprises

UNDERSTANDING CULTURE

Understanding a culture is like peeling an onion. It has several layers that can be peeled off to develop a keen insight of the culture. Broadly, we think in terms of following three layers:

(i) Outer layer
It is what other people associate with that culture, its visual realities:

1. Behaviour
2. Dress
3. Food
4. Language
5. Habitats

It is also referred to as the „Explicit Culture‟.

(ii) Middle Layer
It refers to the values and norms the community holds – these may be right or wrong, good or bad.

(iii) Inner Layer
It is the deepest level and understanding - it leads to the core of it. It is the key to working successfully with other cultures. The core consists of:

1. Basic assumptions
2. Rules
3. Methods of solving or coping with problems

These rules and methods become so embedded in the members who take to it much like breathing, without even stopping to think about them. It is very difficult for outsiders to recognize these. It is also known as the „Implicit Culture‟.

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

With liberalization of national economies and increasing pace of globalization, communication levels have increased among individuals, groups and companies across communities, countries and continents. People with different backgrounds, mindsets and cultures are interacting through conferences, correspondence and non-verbal communication leading to more willing cooperation.

Human civilization is developing, progressing and moving forward at a much faster rate than ever before, removing age-old disparities of race, religion and color. The differences in culture occupy the central stage of emerging global world where progress would largely depend upon how well managers and leaders are able to communicate across varied cultures to achieve common goal of progress for all.

Culture has a powerful influence on individuals‟ way of thinking, saying or doing things:
 Thinking encompasses beliefs, assumptions, values, myths and folklores
 Saying, being the essence of living, determines the way of interacting with ones‟ surroundings – machines, tools, natural resources, food, clothing, shelter etc
 Doing signifies norms of behavior that include own customs, laws, regulations, ceremonies, fashions, etiquette's etc

Culture provides the meaningful context in which people gather together, think about themselves and interact with the surroundings. It must be remembered that a culture is rational and logical to a community although it may appear irrational and illogical to any one outside that culture. Thus working across culture presents both the biggest challenge and opportunity in a world that is shrinking in terms of time, distance and ability to communicate.

NEGOTIATION AS A PART OF MANAGERIAL SKILLS

NEGOTIATION AS A PART OF MANAGERIAL SKILLS

Negotiation is a process of conferring, discussing and bargaining with two or more parties with different needs and wants to reach agreement. Negotiation is at the heart of selling any product or service, clinching orders for purchasing / procurement and resolving conflicts / disagreements among management and union, nations, communities and individuals.

Successful negotiators are rated as effective by the parties in dispute, have a track record of significant success and have low incidence of implementation failures. They have markedly different behaviour as they avoid use of „irritators‟, offer fewer counter proposals, avoiding getting in to „defend- attack spiral‟ and avoid dilution of agreement. They often give advance indication of behaviour supporting agreement, give reasons before indicating disagreement, resort to testing understanding by summarizing, seek more information and share own feelings to build trust.

Negotiations must be planned meticulously by spending quality time in preparations, exploring range of options available, focusing on common grounds, freeing issues from sequencing and scheduling, concentrating on long term issues and setting the maximum, the minimum and the target values for issues under negotiations.

In general, process of negotiations follows three patterns – firstly, giving ones‟ point of view, secondly, giving ones‟ point of view while simultaneously analyzing others‟ objections and own counters and thirdly, finding and enlarging common grounds of agreement. Skilled negotiators adopt the third pattern.

Researchers have identified four styles of negotiations – factual, intuitive, normative and analytical. Individuals should determine own style of negotiations and enhance their negotiation skills.

Negotiating power is individuals‟ ability to influence others‟ decisions and is dependent upon others‟ perception of ones‟ capability. Negotiating power is not a physical force nor does it advocate starting tough and soften up later. Sources of negotiating power are linked to power of skills, knowledge and good relationships.
 This negotiating power can also flow from seeking good alternatives to negotiations, finding elegant solutions and remaining legitimate and committed.

Bargaining is integral to the process of negotiation and is more pronounced in individual and collective forms of employee relations. In such situations there are two extreme positions – pure negotiations or joint problem solving. Several bargaining models are available but the most popular one has four stages viz. initial positioning, testing positions, giving concessions and arriving at settlement. Bargaining involves skills of analysis, ability to argue effectively, signal cooperation and an eye for details.

Business Reports

Business Reports

A report is a method of giving information about something seen or investigated. It is a formal presentation and is written complete with conclusions reached and recommendations made. It provides background material and relevant information in decision-making and action-taking.

It is rightly said that reports carry information from those who have it to those who need it. They reflect flow of information and have become integral part of modern information management for decision-making.

Reports have become, over time, basic management tools for decision-making. These are extremely important for firms that have grown in size. All the facts and figures cannot be masterminded by one individual like a proprietor / entrepreneur does in a small enterprise.

For larger firms, reports are indispensable. They have emerged as a very good way of ensuring participative management for better decision-making and carrying the business forward faster on the path of growth and expansion.

Communication skills as vital job requirement

Communication skills as vital job requirement

Human beings are communicating all the time. Ability to express powerfully and influence the attitude and behaviour of people for giving better performance on their jobs, has emerged as a job skill of critical importance for managers / leaders at all levels of management. Thus all employees are expected to:

1 Write good correspondence
2 Be good in oral conversation
3 Develop and cultivate powerful body language
4 Be able to sell ideas and products effectively
5 Be very good in weaning away customers from competitor and retaining them

It is now increasingly understood that even specialists like accountants, engineers, technicians etc should have good communication skills. In the present day knowledge society, competitive advantage of acquiring excellent communication skills cannot and perhaps need not be emphasized!

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

As a rule, factories process materials, offices process words and data are processed in both factories and offices. When IBM introduced its first electronic typewriter – „Selectric‟, in 1964, little did they realize that it would become the precursor of revolutionary changes in communication capability of the organizations, groups and individuals. Personal Computers (PCs) were introduced in 1970s and were initially thought to be good toys that companies were giving away to managers to play around but, with the advent of technology of building networks of PCs and integrating them with communication technology around mid-1980s, it is changing the way of doing business in the twenty-first century. The vast strides in business electronics has had a profound impact on the way people communicate and send / receive information across companies, countries and continents.
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The advancement in computer-centric technologies has made communication travel faster, safer and almost free from distortions during transmission. Possibilities of misrepresentation are negligible although there are still some unresolved issues of security, hacking etc. Electronic communication has brought in revolutionary changes in written communication. More important tools and techniques of electronic communication that have impacted on written communication,

1. Word Processing
2. Electronic Mail and SMS from Mobile Phones
3. Electronic Meeting System (EMS)
4. Fascimile Transmission or Fax Machines
5. Teletext and Videotext
6. Imaging
7. Optical Scanning
8. Desktop Publishing (DTP)
9. Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
10. Blogs

COMPONENTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER

COMPONENTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER

A letter should be a sum of the following parts that make it an effective form of communication:

 Letterhead
 Reference number
 Date
 Special markings
 Inside address
 Attention line
 Salutation
 Subject heading
 Main body
 Complementary close
 Signatory of letter
 Enclosures
 Copies circulated
 Initials markings for identification
 Postscript

These have been described in some details:

(1) Letter head
Since it is the first contact with the recipient, letterhead should make a favourable impression. It is done on printed stationery, usually on a bond paper that has a fine texture. It should not smudge and should withstand piercing and punching for filing work. Modern letter heads occupy about 2” of the top of the page with following information neatly printed / embossed:
 Full name of the firm
 Postal address
 Pin code
 Telephone no(s)
 Fax no(s)
 Email ID etc
In the modern age of Internet, website details are also given. It must contain the registered address of the firm which is often written at the bottom of the first page.

(2) Reference Number of the letter
A reference number is essential for large firms as it facilitates connecting up the next correspondence. Usually, offices have a comprehensive system of filing and associated file nos. The last numerals are unique serial numbers given centrally by the department or even dispatch office. In such cases, it is useful to have a master file containing all the letters issued by a firm or department serially. It can also be organized on a computerized system.

(3) Date of letter
Every letter must have a date of issue that is written in two ways:
 Dd/mm/yyyy or 1 January 2018
 Mm/dd/yyyy or January 1, 2018
The practice followed in the country should be adopted – no other form of writing the date should be used viz., 1st January 2018  or January 1st,2018 . First form of writing date is becoming popular universally.

(4) Special markings
Many letters need to be given special markings:
 Confidential
 Airmail
 Registered post
 Speed post
 Courier etc
These markings carry special meaning and are also put on the envelope.

(5) Inside address
Next, complete name and address of the recipient is written. This should be the same as required to be written on the envelope. These days, comma is not put at the end of each line nor a full stop at the end of the complete address. However, pin code must be written properly and prominently to help postal persons en route.

(6) Attention line
Different types of letters follow different ways:
Official letter : Attention line is formal; usually, designation of the person is used.
DO letter : Mr SHARMA
Form letter : Designation is followed by name in parentheses
e.g., Vice President (Mr Sharma)
Internal letter : Memos use a direct approach viz.
To From

(7) Salutation
It is a formal greeting to the recipient of the letter message. Its choice is directly dependent upon the extent of formality one wishes to observe:
 Official letters : Dear Sir / Madam
 DO Letters : Dear Mr Dhingra / Ms Gautam
Here recipients are not addressed by their first name. Please remember, „Respected Sir‟ is wrong English!

(8) Subject heading
Appropriate heading denoting the subject of the letter being written is usually given e.g., Application for loan, Bill No -------- for ------- dated ------

(9) Main body
Main body comprises of three parts:
(i) First part
It is devoted to a brief introduction and stating the purpose of the letter.
(ii) Second part
It is longer and presents the relevant facts in a logical sequence. It may be extend over several paragraphs. Each paragraph should deal with a separate point and written as clearly as possible.
(iii) Third part
It is related to „conclusion‟ that sums up and rounds up the letter politely, usually soliciting a reply. A few standard forms of concluding phrases are:
 Thanking you
 We thank you in anticipation
 Looking forward to a positive response
 We would be glad to furnish any further information

(10) Complimentary close
It is an important part of the letter and should match the form of salutation used in the beginning of the letter. The usually pairing is as under:
Salutation Complimentary close
(i) Sir Yours truly
(ii) Dear Sir / Madam Yours faithfully
(iii) Dear Mr / Ms Yours sincerely
Please note that memos, being internal communication, have neither the salutation nor the complimentary close.

(11) Signatory of letter
A letter without signatures and signatory is not well received. A recent trend is that computer generated correspondence is being sent without signatures. In coming years when every mail will be sent electronically, it is understandable. However, in these letters, the name and official designation of the sender should be clearly stated. (A number of offices especially from government and public sector undertakings do not seem to follow this practice religiously).

(12) Enclosures
These must be stated clearly after the signature of the sender. Any document sent must be stated clearly for future reference.

(13) Copies distributed
Usually, copies of the letter are sent to persons for the following reasons:
 For information only
 For complementary action(s) as appropriate
Also copies of letters may either contain the enclosures or may be sent without the enclosures. The fact should be clearly stated against each copy distributed.

(14) Markings of initials for quick reference
It is a good practice to put the initials of person who has dictated / directed the letter to be sent under his signature. Also, the initials of the person who has transcribed / word-processed is stated. This is done just below the typed name of the signatory. This can be done in the following ways:
 JNK: ar
 JNK: AR
 JNK/AR
 JNK-AR
Of the above alternatives, first one is preferred.

(15) Post script
People write postscript as a last minute addition to what has been said in the letter. Such addictions must be avoided in commercial correspondence. There is no place for such after-thoughts in the electronic age of word-processing.

STYLE IN WRITING BUSINESS LETTERS

STYLE IN WRITING BUSINESS LETTERS

There is nothing like the commercial style of English language. Commercial correspondence differs from ordinary correspondence in the nature of content and construction and not in style.

A suitable style reflecting the personality of the writer is always more wholesome and refreshing. It makes a good impression on the customers.
It is not difficult to acquire skills in writing effective business letters provided one has:

 Good knowledge of the language
 Constant habit of reading
 Persistence with writing letters

A business letter is much like a conversation – it is a piece of conversation in writing and delivered by post. Alexander Pope emphasized the point:

„True ease in writing comes from art, not chance,
As those move easiest who have learn‟d to dance.‟

Business letters differ from personal letters in the sense that the goal or purpose is paramount. A few useful tips to serve as a checklist are:

 Will it irritate or annoy?
 Is it a kind of letter everyone would like to receive?
 Will it persuade one to do what is asked?

FUNCTIONS AND OBJECTIVES OF LETTER MESSAGING

FUNCTIONS AND OBJECTIVES OF LETTER MESSAGING

(1) Functions of Letter Messaging

According to a reputed expert, L Gartside, followings are the primary and secondary functions of letter writing:

(i) Primary functions
 Providing a convenient and inexpensive means of communications without personal contact
 Seeking or giving information
 Furnishing evidence of transaction entered in to
 Providing a record for future reference

(ii) Secondary functions
 Creating goodwill for the company
 Making an impression as an efficient and reliable firm

(2) Objectives of Letter Messaging

More important ones are:
 Serves as a record for future use – copies can be sent to functionaries in different locations for future reference
 Leaves a more durable impression on the receiver than an oral message
 Can reach any where in the firms‟ hierarchy and even levels that are difficult to access normally
 Can be sent to different regions, countries and continents where oral or personal contacts are difficult, thus widening firms‟ reach and access
 Forms authoritative, legal document for contracts and collaborations in business
 Is used for building goodwill, image and reputation.

IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS LETTERS

IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS LETTERS

(1) Role of Written Business Letters

Letter messaging is a significant form of business communication. It also constitutes the major component of written communication and forms the backbone of a successful enterprise. A good letter message:

 Can pacify an angry customer (and a bad letter can annoy a customer)
 May sell a new product (or spoil the sale of an established product)
 May collect debt without hurting customers‟ feelings (or lose both money and customer)
 May refuse a request yet win respect
 May grant a request yet incur ill will

(2) Need for Written Business Letters

(i) Every business has to maintain contacts with suppliers, customers / prospects, government agencies, employees, bankers, investors etc. Most often these happen through business letter.

(ii) Companies have to correspond with other enterprises for varied reasons:

 Placing orders for goods & services required from other firms
 Acknowledging and executing orders for other firms
 Granting credits to other parties
 Negotiating credits from other parties
 Securing credit facilities etc from banks
 Sending statement of accounts for debtors
 Receiving statement of accounts from suppliers etc

(iii) Letter messaging may be of less importance for small businesses but it is not dispensable. In fact, a certain amount of letter writing is essential for day to day living in the modern knowledge society.

TYPES OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

TYPES OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

Written communication has a very large variety:

1 Letters
2 Memos
3 Telegrams
4 Tele-printer messages
5 Short reports (Informal)
6 Long reports (Formal)
7 Proposals
8 Company profiles
9 Product profiles
10 Applicant profiles or resume/ writing
11 Abstracts or Summary writing
12 Reviews and Comments
13 Minutes of meetings etc
14 Research papers

Two popular forms – letters and memos are detailed below:

(1) Letters

A letter is a written or printed personal or business message that is usually sent by a mail in an envelope. Many types of letters are in use:
 Personal and non-personal letters
 Direct, indirect and persuasive letters
 Official, demi-official (DO), formal and internal (memo) letters
 Subject letters like enquiries, orders, credit information, collection of debts, complaints, sales promotions, sales circulars, appointment of agencies etc
 Functional letters of correspondence emanate from functional departments like personnel, sales & accounting, purchasing etc

(2) Memos

Memos are intra-organization correspondence written among different departments in the same location or in different locations, factories and offices. Before word processing and other forms of electronic communication became popular, memos carried bulk of the load of written communication within a firm. One of the popular formats was that the initiator of the memo prepared it, with the help of carbon papers, in a set of three copies. The third copy was kept as a record and the set of two copies – first and second, were sent to the person to whom the message was targeted. Only the left half of the memo was written in by the sender. The receiver used the same set of papers and wrote the responses on the right half and sent it back to the initiator.

Essentially both business letters and memos serve the same purpose excepting that memos, being internal communications, were shorn of formal addressing style of business letters that are normally addressed to external customers, prospects, government and other statutory authorities,

EVOLUTION OF IDIOMS, MAXIMS AND PROVERBS

EVOLUTION OF IDIOMS, MAXIMS AND PROVERBS

Following examples are illustrative:

(1) Story of kicking the bucket
One view is the bucket in the story does not refer to a bucket as such but to a wooden frame used in the olden days to hang freshly killed pigs.
Another theory is that the idiom was coined by looking at the way people took their own lives. Such persons kept the bucket upside down to stand on, put the noose hanging from the ceiling around their neck and then kicked the bucket from underneath.

(2) Story of sour grapes
Leila was „head over heel‟ in love with Rahul but he „spurned her overtures‟ and married Pooja. Leila was very much upset but went about pretending that she „knew in her heart of hearts‟ that Rahul was not the sticking type. Someone said it is a clear case of „sour grapes‟ as mentioned in Aesop‟s fable, „The Fox and the Sour Grapes‟.

The core of writing style is writing sentences that create interest, make meanings clear, keeping them short, making every word count and by varying sentence pattern. Use of most suitable idioms, maxims and proverbs can embellish ones‟ writing style as these are the crystalline form of a language and glitter in a sentence like diamonds in a necklace.

A very large variety of idioms, maxims and proverbs is available and students would do well to build up own repertory of these. They act like a pickle in an Indian food – pickle is rarely eaten by itself but when used judiciously with meals, it adds aroma, flavour and taste. They should focus on the evolution of these idioms, maxims and proverbs and become adept at using them skillfully.

WIDE CHOICE OF IDOMS, MAXIMS AND PROVERBS

WIDE CHOICE OF IDOMS, MAXIMS AND PROVERBS

Writers can pick up idioms, maxims and proverbs from a large number available in all languages. They enhance style of writing and are attractive to the receivers of message. There are many such expressions that are vying with one another and wanting, willing and asking to be picked up by the communicators. Thus if senders of message have a better command over the language and vocabulary, they would be more proficient in selecting the right ones.

A few examples are:

(1) The colleague who always speaks to the point can also be described as a person who never „minces his words‟ or he is „cut and dry‟.

(2) Raju, a villager, was always getting drunk and falling in the gutter. He would beat his wife „black and blue‟, snatching her money and „blowing it up on drinks‟. His family was fed up with him. He did not have any friends „worth the name‟. When Raju‟s life came to an end, his family „breathed a sigh of relief‟. One fine morning, he was found dead in a gutter. Someone said that Raju „breathed his last‟ but one could also say that he „kicked the bucket‟.

PICKLE EFFECT OF IDIOMS, MAXIMS AND PROVERBS

PICKLE EFFECT OF IDIOMS, MAXIMS AND PROVERBS

Drawing a parallel from the world of food, it can be said that idioms, maxim and proverbs are like a pickle which is rarely eaten by itself. But when used judiciously with the meals, it adds aroma, flavor and taste to the food.

(1) Idiomatic expressions, maxims and proverbs are not bound by the usual rules of grammar. For example, it may be recalled that, „Many a ship have floundered on these strong seas‟.

(2) When people are hungry and famished, they can just boil some rice and gulp it down. It may kill their hunger but this is not what they usually do. They cook different types of food, add spices / flavourings and then eat them with relish. They not only fill their stomach but also do it royally.
In the same way, while writing or speaking, people do not merely use some words that somehow carry meanings across to readers; they try their best to add beauty and style to the diction to make it attractive so that it has the requisite impact. For example, consider a friend who is always vague in his expressions, rambling and dilly-dallying – he is never able „to come to the point‟. His manner of speaking can be expressed effectively in a few words that he is fond of „beating about the bush‟.
Another colleague is always clear, specific and to the point – „no hemming and hawing‟, no faltering and „no beating about the bush‟. The same could be stated more powerfully that he always „hits the nail on the head‟.

SHARMA`S COMMUNICATION SKILLS

LEARNING WRITING SKILLS -2 

Constructing sentences
Length of the sentence is the most important feature of constructing sentences. In general, sentences should be adapted to readers. Long sentences are hard to read and harder to absorb. Short sentences enhance readability. A sentence should have 16 to 18 words, on the average. Sometimes longer or shorter sentences may be justified. A few good suggestions are:

(i) Limiting content of a sentence
Limiting content of a sentence would reduce its length. However, it should not be overdone. Too many short sentences make the reading choppy!

(ii) Economizing on words
Always look for shorter ways of saying things. A few suggestions are:

(a) Avoiding cluttering phrases
Go in for shorter expressions like:
 „If‟ for „In the event that‟
 „Like‟ for „Along the lines of‟
 „To‟ for „With a view to‟

(b) Eliminating superfluous words
Some words do not add any meaning and a quick scrutiny can go a long way.

(c) Avoiding round about ways of saying things
Round about ways of saying add words and verbosity to the sentences. Being direct makes it simple, short and impressive.

(d) Avoiding repetition of words and phrases
Repeating words and phrases is very boring and should be excluded from ones‟ writing. Only exception is when the writers want to emphasize something.

(iii) Determining emphasis in the construction of sentence
Short sentences emphasize content and long sentences dilute it although determining emphasis in a sentence is largely a matter of judgement.

(iv) Imparting unity to a sentence
All parts of a sentence should relate to one „single thought‟. This unity is often violated in the following three ways:

(a) Including unrelated thoughts
Unrelated thoughts vitiate unity of a sentence and can be taken care of by:
 Using separate sentences for unrelated thought
 Making one thought subordinate to the other
 Adding words to show that the thoughts are related

(b) Giving excessive details
Giving too many details dilutes the unity of a sentence. Avoid details or put them in a separate sentence within parenthesis.

(c) Constructing illogical sentences
Constructing illogical sentences can spoil the unity of a sentence. It results from:
 Mixing active and passive forms of expressions
 Going in for mixed construction of sentences.

(v) Using correct rules of grammar for sentence clarity
Rules of grammar have emerged as a result of some customs but mostly because they help write logically and clearly. Students must know these rules of grammar to acquire effective writing skills.

(vi) Learning power of punctuation
This is a group of distinctive signs that are used in writing and every writer must learn them properly. Some of the uses change like fashion over time and writers must remain updated on them. They add power to ones‟ expressions.

SHARMA`S COMMUNICATION SKILLS

LEARNING WRITING SKILLS

Choosing the right words

A skilled writer should choose words such that the receiver gets the meaning in a precise manner, without different interpretations. Following guidelines are useful:

(i) Searching words that the receiver understands
Adaptation is a process of simplifying; it is not as easy as it sounds because:
 Many individuals write at a more difficult level
 Writers know the subject better than the receiver
Extensive experience supports simplification.

(ii) Using familiar words
Familiar words enhance communication because they are easy to understand and absorb. Human memory favours familiar words as it speeds up filing and storage! For example, use:
 „Show‟ in place of „demonstrate‟
 „Use‟ instead of „utilise‟
 „Try‟ for „endeavour‟

(iii) Choosing short words
Short words communicate better; use:
 „Quit‟ in place of „terminate‟
 „Agreed‟ in lieu of „accorded‟
 „Last year‟ instead of „previous year‟

(iv) Using technical words with caution
Every field of specialization has words that have specific meaning in that field and should be used when communicating with persons from the same area of specialization. They do not communicate well with others and hence should be used with caution, if at all.

(v) Adding vigour to words
Our senses and mind do not respond equally to all words – words with vitality attract better attention. Thus one must add zing to one‟s writings by using strong words. As a rule, a word is strongest when used as a verb, followed by when it is used as a noun. Adjectives and adverbs are comparatively weak and should be used sparingly. A few useful tips are:

(a) Selecting strong and vigorous words
The main purpose of any writing is to attract the attention and time of the reader. We know that strong and vigorous words attract attention from senses and mind. Use:
 „Tycoon‟ in place of „eminently successful businessman‟
 „Boom‟ instead of „period of business prosperity‟

(b) Using concrete words
Using concrete words makes writing more interesting instead of abstract words. Use of specific words adds exactness in ones‟ expressions.

(c) Preferring active to passive verbs
Active form of expression is better than the passive form - it is stronger and shorter. Passive form has a place only when „doer‟ is not important.

(d) Avoiding camouflaged verbs
Do not camouflage verbs in to nouns; they dilute expressions. For example, use:
 Cancel and not cancellation
 Acquire and not acquisition

(vi) Selecting words for precise communication
One should have good command over the vocabulary. It helps in searching for the correct words and phrases that convey precise meanings in a given situation. Writer must try to have a very good collection of idioms, maxims and proverbs. They are very powerful in conveying ones‟ thoughts in a precise manner.

(vii) Avoiding sexist words
These are words that show male dominance e.g., manly figure or manly habits.

(viii) Avoiding pronouns indicating sex
Do not use pronouns like he, she, him or her. This can be done by:
 Making them plural
 Rewording the sentence
 Going in for neutral expression like one, someone etc

(ix) Avoiding words derived from masculine words
Do not use words like manpower, chairman, postman, watchman etc

(x) Avoiding words that are demeaning to women
Words like womanizing, prostituting etc should be left out of writing as they offend some readers.

SHARMA`S COMMUNICATION SKILLS

ROLE OF IDIOMS, MAXIMS AND PROVERBS

Use of idioms, maxims and proverbs helps in embellishing style of communication. However, we have to learn to use them judiciously and with deep understanding;

(1) Idiom
It is an accepted phrase, construction or expression in a language. However, it may be contrary to the usual pattern of a language and has meanings that are different from the literal ones. It can often be a peculiar phraseology, a dialect or a language.

(2) Maxim
It is a concisely expressed principle or rule of conduct and is a statement of general truth or precept.

(3) Proverb
It is a short saying in common use that strikingly expresses a maxim. It is an enigmatical saying in which a profound truth is cloaked or hidden.

Idioms, maxims and proverbs are specimens of language in its crystalline form. These are often compared to the glittering diamonds in a gold necklace.

These are used to express feelings, thoughts and ideas in a succinct, effective and attractive way. Normally a matter that requires several sentences or a whole paragraph may be expressed in 2 or 3 words. The combination of these words has meanings that are far removed from its literal meanings.

For example, when it is said, „In a nutshell‟, it means saying in a few words. When someone feels that the Government machinery moves at „a snail‟s pace‟, he means that there are usual bureaucratic delays that send people „from pillar to post‟. One can „cut the long story short‟ and simply say „red tape‟.

If a person can build up a good repertory of idioms, maxims, proverbs and quotations and then recollect them to suit the occasion, he is already well on his way to becoming a good writer and / or a good speaker.

SHARMA`S COMMUNICATION SKILLS

WRITING SENTENCES WITH STYLE

Writing good sentences is the key to improving one‟s style of writing. It requires concentration, patience and a lot of practice. It is much more than stringing words together as they tumble out of writers‟ mind! Everyone can learn to write better sentences and improve sentences already written if writers observe the following five rules meticulously:

 Creating interest
 Making meaning clear
 Keeping sentences brief

(1) Creating interest

If one goes by the formal, academic styles that are commonplace in most writings, there is a strong tendency to „impress‟ rather to „express‟. Writings can be made more interesting by writing in an informal, conversational style. Since this style is used in everyday life, readers can understand easily. One must always remember that readers are customers and they should become receptive to writers‟ thoughts and ideas.
After all, the core purpose of the process of communication including written one, is to influence them to achieve some common objectives!

(2) Making meaning clear

Knowledge and application of various rules of grammar help us to focus the readers on the meanings we wish to convey. Once writers have clarity about an issue, grammar would take care of the conveyance of correct meanings. This involves the followings:
(i) Emphasizing the main idea
This can be ensured by:
(a) Using devices like capital letters, italics or blocking in word processing and printing. Using headings, inverted commas and other punctuations is also be helpful.
(b) Placing the idea effectively in a sentence. The most emphatic place is in the beginning of a sentence; next best is placing it at the end and the least important place is putting it anywhere in the middle of a sentence.
(ii) Avoiding wandering sentences
All parts of a sentence should contribute to one clear idea or impression. Long, winding and straggling sentences usually contain hodge-podge of unrelated ideas. Such long sentences should be broken up in to smaller ones or at the least, should move subordinate ideas in a subordinate form.
(iii) Avoiding ambiguity
Always remember that if a sentence can be misunderstood, it will be.
(iv) Making sure your modifiers say what you mean
Every modification to a sentence should improve the conveyance of clearer thought or idea.

(3) Keeping sentences brief

One can achieve brevity by dividing complex sentences in to small, bite-size ones. Writers must avoid unnecessary words and phrases. Needless repetition and elaborations must be deleted. A few suggestions are:
(i) Using strong verbs
Words are strongest in the verb form. Strong verbs liven up and electrify the sentence. The strong verbs add action to thoughts.
(ii) Using active forms
Active form is always preferable to a passive form of a sentence. It gives ones‟ writing a sense of energy, vitality and motion. In passive form, actor in the sentence is not allowed to act and the verbs are made weak and feeble. Before using a passive form, make sure that there is a strong justification for it.
(iii) Changing long modifiers to shorter ones
It enhances readability and comprehension of the thought process.

SHARMA`S COMMUNICATION SKILLS

WRITING STYLE

Many good ideas are lost because they are expressed in dull, wordy and involved way. No two people write exactly alike. Even writing about the same thing such as writing an essay in a school classroom, two persons will invariably say it differently.

“To write well is at once to think well, to feel rightly and to render properly. It is to have, at the same time, mind, soul and taste”.

There is seldom only one best way of writing – there are usually several equally good ways of writing.

Ben Johnson has said, “For a man to write well, there are required three necessaries: to read the best authors, observe the best speakers and much exercise to your own style”.

However, everyone must remember following four axiomatic truths about writing style:

(1) Style cannot be taught
(2) Each person‟s style is his / her own personality
(3) Style is unique to him / her
(4) Each one of us can improve our style

SHARMA`S COMMUNICATION SKILLS

MEANING FOR THE WORDS COMMONLY USED IN PHONETICS

(1) Organ – In animals and plants, it is a part composed of several tissues and adapted to the performance of a function or functions.

(2) Ravishing – It is something that causes a great joy or delight and is charming and enchanting.

(3) Physiology – It is a branch of biology dealing with the functions and vital processes of living organisms or their parts and organs.

(4) Mechanism – It is the working arrangement of parts of a machine.

(5) Energizer – It is the part played by the exhaled breath of the speaker in the mechanism for speech.

(6) Vibrator – Vocal cords of humans act as vibrators in the speech mechanism.

(7) Resonator – It is a device in the speech mechanism that produces resonance or increases sound of resonance.

(8) Respiratory system – It is the set of glands and organs that are connected with breathing air in and out – inhaling and exhaling of air.

(9) Phonatory system – It is the set of organs connected with uttering voiced words or vocalizing.

(10) Articulatory system – These are organs in the mouth and throat which, when moved, give or help to give speech sound with their characteristic acoustics properties.

(11) Larynx – It is the structure and cartilages at the end of human trachea containing the vocal cords and serving as the organ of sound.

(12) Pharynx – It is the throat muscles and membranous cavity of the alimentary canal leading from the mouth and nasal passages to the food pipe.

(13) Strictures – These represent the different ways in which the passage of air is restricted in speech mechanism.

(14) Pronunciation – It is the manner of pronouncing words with reference to the production of sound, placing of stress, intonation etc.

(15) Enunciation – It is to announce words clearly, distinctly and definitely.

SHARMA`S COMMUNICATION SKILLS

PARA LANGUAGE

Paralanguage is like a language where no words are spoken or sung – it is the sound that accompanies the words. It is a part of the non-verbal communication as, without the accompanying sound, words do not convey their intended meanings. Human voice is described as the organ of the soul and since it supports 38 % of the oral communication, it means that „how to say‟ is more important than „what to say‟.
Human beings may have baby voice, pleasing voice, firm voice or unattractive voice such as harsh, shrill and nasal voices. Quality of voice can be determined by its tone, pitch and texture. Tone of a voice can have profound impact on listeners – army commanders‟ tone can catapult soldiers to immediate action and mothers‟ tone can soothe the babies. Pitch is the manner of throwing or hurling forward ones‟ voice and impacts on the speed of delivery.
Texture is the composition and structure of the speech and speakers / writers must weave their offerings like artists that show their class.

Communicators must become familiar with the phonetics (study of sounds, their combination and reproduction), process and physiology of speech. Speech mechanism of human beings consists of three parts – energizers, vibrators and resonators. Speech entails use of organs of respiratory, phonatory and articulatory systems and the process of articulation involves the palate, tongue and lips. Individuals can enhance their voice power by learning and practicing pronunciation, enunciation, speed of delivery, pitch of voice and use of pauses.

Voice is not only the index of mind but also the index of ones‟ character. Experienced telephone operators have well modulated voice. Individuals can improve their voice quality by exercising the throat muscles, improving breathing while talking and practicing deep breathing regularly. Ability to use paralanguage effectively reflects persons‟ status, educational background, national / regional roots and clues about their state of mind. Some times, paralanguage can also misguide.

SHARMAS COMMUNICATION SKILLS

ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS OF PARALANGUAGE

(1) Advantages of Paralanguage

Several advantages are:

1. Closely allied to language, no oral message can be complete without it
2. Paralanguage is a good indicator of speakers‟ status in the organizational hierarchy
3. Paralanguage tells clearly about speakers‟ educational background
4. Paralanguage speaks volume of speakers‟ national, regional background and this is very useful in dealing with them
5. Paralanguage gives clues about speakers‟ state of mind and can help receivers decide how to deal with them
6. Since people belong to different continents, countries and communities, it is difficult to achieve uniformity in how the message should be conveyed

(2) Limitations of Paralanguage

Paralanguage has also a few limitations:

1. Paralanguage in non-verbal. It is like language but it is not the language. Hence it cannot be entirely relied upon.
2. Often „what is said‟ does not blend with „how it is said‟. It requires extra care from listeners to get the exact meanings of the message.
3. When voice quality and pitch of the speaker is not up to the mark, listeners have to remain open minded and patient to get the message correctly
4. Paralanguage may sometime misguide or mislead listeners
5. Since people belong to different countries, continents and communities, it is difficult to achieve uniformity in how the message should be conveyed.

Students should not underestimate the power of their voice. Voice is the most effective weapon in the armoury of managers / leaders. It can carry them a long way in their ambitions to become successful speakers and effective communicators.

Human voice can be trained to become strong and commanding, soft and soothing, caring and caressing to suit the individual situation. Voice has been rightly described as a „celestial melody‟

CORRECTING ONES‟ VOICE - 2

CORRECTING ONES‟ VOICE - 2

A flat, cold voice leaves a lot to be desired. Everyone can improve the quality of his voice by:

 Exercising the throat muscles
 Improving breathing while talking
 Practising deep breathing regularly

(1) Exercising throat muscles

Some people talk very loudly and may develop it in to a habit. Loud speaking taxes one‟s throat muscles as vocal chords are overworked because of the pressure exerted on them. Persons can suffer from permanent hoarse throat.
A regular exercise of the throat muscles to relax them is absolutely essential. As a long-term measure, the speakers must learn to speak without over-straining the throat muscles. Voice is God‟s gift to human beings; it is a possession they must value and treasure. For example, a doctor‟s voice should soothe the patients and a teacher‟s voice should capture the attention of the students.

(2) Improving breathing while speaking

Some persons have difficulties in breathing while speaking because they may have developed a wrong habit of breathing through the mouth. This needs to be corrected with a lot of practice. Just as a good singer cannot afford to mix up normal breathing while singing, this correction can be achieved by conscious efforts over time.

(3) Practising deep breathing regularly

Deep breathing has a major role in ones‟ life. It is far more useful to a speaker or a person whose profession involves a lot of speaking. A few deep breaths before going on to the stage can help one overcome nervousness and tension. Some speakers speak rather fast for which ability to take longer breath is an advantage. Indistinct voice can result from weak movement of the tongue. Proper posture is also important for clear and soft voice. Experts advise speaking from the bottom of lungs. If people practice yoga exercises of deep breathing regularly, they may reap the benefits of a fascinating and melodious voice.

CORRECTING ONES‟ VOICE

CORRECTING ONES‟ VOICE

Communication skills are the most important personal soft skills that need to be acquired early to give a good start to ones‟ life. An ideal conversation is an exchange of thoughts among persons participating. It is not an exercise in wit or oratory. As a rule, it is always better to think about the way of saying rather than pre-occupy mind with the subject alone when the speech is being delivered. It is always better to be enigmatic and un-predictable rather than be a non-stop talker. Voice reveals ones‟ personality – an aggressive and dictatorial person usually has a loud voice and a commanding tone while a meek, peace loving person has a soft and gentle voice.

Voice is not only the index of mind but also an index of the character of the speaker. Voice is said to be the „sweetest harmony‟. Voice of the loved ones is like „honey to ones‟ ears‟.
Telephone operators are trained to speak in a warm, well-modulated tone. If a telephone operator is smiling while talking, callers can feel it in her tone of speech. Telephone operators are rehearsed to use plenty of „pleases‟ and „thank you‟. Every one has to cultivate a habit of talking in to telephones. Speaking clearly without swallowing words is a must for a good telephone personality.

SKILLS FOR ENHANCING VOICE POWER - 2

SKILLS FOR ENHANCING VOICE POWER - 2

(1) Pronunciation

Pronunciation imparts life to the words. Leaders who are international travellers, global trainers etc have to spend time learning the way the pronunciation changes among communities and countries. These also change in different parts of the same country as is common in India. If speakers can learn and quickly adapt to the local lingua, the impact of their message goes a long way.

(2) Enunciation

Enunciation and tone of the voice go together. Some sentences, anecdotes play central role in conveying the message and need to be enunciated properly and correctly by varying the tone of the voice to suit the story in the message. Suggestions to improve their rendering in a speech are fetching and speakers should learn to modify the speech from possible listeners‟ point of view.

(3) Speed of delivery

Some speakers deliver their speeches very fast while others are very slow and boring. The correct speed is between 150 to 200 words. Anything above 200 words per minute is fast. The only exception to this rule is the need to enunciate the message. If faster delivery for a few sentences is required to make the right impact, it should be so incorporated in the speech.

(4) Pitch of the voice

Husky voice may be an asset for an actress. Most speakers have to use the mike to deliver the speech. For such persons, ensuring use of the right pitch of the voice is important. That would also be comfortable for the audience who are the customers as the message is intended for them.

(5) Pauses

Pauses are like punctuations in a written message. They should be observed at the right places. It makes the speech more effective. Effective speakers pause just before making an important point and sometimes, even after making an important point to ensure that it has been well received. Absence of pauses distracts listeners.
A few deep breaths at the beginning of a formal speech and correct breathing throughout the delivery embellish a speech.

SKILLS FOR ENHANCING VOICE POWER

SKILLS FOR ENHANCING VOICE POWER

Every individual should want to improve his ability to enhance his voice power. These days business schools are organizing stage shows, dramas etc so that student managers can hone their skills in throwing their voice to their best advantage when they face the listeners.

For stage actors, this skill is extremely valuable for their professional advancement. In modern production methodologies for movies, „acting‟ part is separated from the „dubbing‟ part and actors either learn formally or through repeated experience how to modulate their voice, increase or decrease the pitch, tone and speed of delivery to make the maximum impact on the scene that is being dubbed.

Successful orators spend hours in practicing their speeches. They pre-decide the points of importance and how to modulate the voice so that they can impact the understanding of the listeners most. Every significant stop or pause is well thought of. The positioning of anecdotes, humorous or otherwise, is thought out before hand and executed with finesse.

National and international leaders get their speeches written by reputed persons who know their style of delivery. Even so, these speeches are pre-tested with a select audience of critics, political and other thinkers who listen to the draft speech carefully, give their valuable suggestions on content and delivery and even suggest changing and chopping of critical sentences etc.

Whatever be the level of the speaker, in addition to the suggestions as above, they should also indicate corrections to the draft speech. These usually relate to:

 Pronunciation
 Enunciation
 Speed of delivery
 Pitch of the voice
 Pauses

Organs of speech

Organs of speech

These can be divided in to three groups as below:
(i) Respiratory system
It comprises of:
 Lungs
 Muscles of the chest
 Wind pipe
Since people are well aware of these parts, no further details are necessary.
ii) Phonatory system
It comprises of:

(a) Larynx
These are two vocal cords that look like a pair of lips placed horizontally from front to back. It is located on top of the windpipe through which the air stream comes out after it is released by the lungs. They are joined in the front but separated at the back and the opening between the two cords is called „glottis‟.

The vocal cords are held loosely together. When air comes from the lungs, it is under pressure that vibrates the cords producing the sound. The frequency of the vibration is directly related to the number of times these cords open and close. Frequency of vibrations determines the pitch of the voice.

(b) Pharynx
It is a tube that begins just above the larynx. At the top, it is divided in to two parts, one part being the back of the mouth and the other being the beginning of the way to nasal cavity.
(iii) Articulatory system
It comprises of the nose, the mouth including the teeth, the tongue, the soft palate and the lips. The roles of the palate, the tongue and the lips are described below:

(a) The palate
The roof of the mouth can be divided in to three parts:
Teeth ridge or the alveolar ridge – It is the part just behind the teeth. It is the hard convex surface behind the upper front teeth.

The hard palate – It is the hard concave surface the follows the teeth ridge
The soft palate or the vellum – The back part of the roof is called the soft palate
The soft palate can be lowered to close the nasal passage.

When nasal passage is closed, sounds are produced with the escape of air stream through the oral passage. These sounds are called oral sounds. Excepting sounds for „m‟, „n‟ and „r‟, all other sounds are „oral sounds‟.

When the nasal passage is opened and simultaneously, oral passage is closed by closing the lips or part of the tongue making a firm contact with some part of the roof of the mouth, the air stream coming from lungs passes through the nasal passage and makes „nasal sounds‟.
When both oral and nasal passages are open for the air stream from lungs to escape, the sounds thus produced are called „nasalized sounds‟.

(b) The tongue

Surface of the tongue is divided in to four parts:
 The tip or the extreme end of the tongue
 The blade or the part that lies opposite the teeth ridge
 The front or the part that lies opposite to the hard palate
 The back or the part that lies opposite the soft palate
The tongue can take different positions to articulate different vowels and consonantal sounds.

Vowel sounds

There are 20 vowel sounds recorded. In the articulation of vowel sounds any part of the tongue can be raised towards the roof of the mouth. The tongue can be raised to different degrees for the articulation of different vowel sounds:

 Vowels for which front of the tongue is raised, are called „front vowels‟
 Vowels for which central part of the tongue is raised, are called „central vowels‟
 Vowels for which back part of the tongue is raised, are called „back vowels‟

In the production of vowel sounds, air stream comes out from the lungs continuously through the mouth and vocal cords vibrate. There is no closure of the passage nor there is narrowing of the passage.

Consonantal sounds

Consonantal sounds are produced because of the audible friction arising from the narrowing of passages for the exhaled air steam. Consonantal sounds are modified by the different positions of soft palate, tongue, lips etc. These sounds can be both:

 Voiceless
 Voiced

Whether it is voiceless or voiced depends upon the position of the vocal cords. When they are drawn close together, they vibrate and it is voiced. If they are drawn wide apart, they do not vibrate even when the air stream passes through them aggressively. Consequently they are voiceless.
Articulation of consonantal sounds

Three factors play important roles in the articulation of consonantal sounds:
 Place of articulation
 Manner of articulation
 Strictures

With these three variable factors, everyone can create very large array of ways of articulating words, phrases and sentences that would directly pierce through the heart of listeners.

(c) The lips
The lips play an important role in the articulation of some of the consonantal sounds. The lips can be:
 Tightly shut
 Brought together loosely

1. Drawn apart
2. Brought near to each other with a narrow gap in between

The lips also assume following positions for articulating vowel sounds:
 Spread
 Open
 Rounded
 Neutral

Physiology of speech

Physiology of speech

Speech comes from a special mechanism that has following three parts:

(i) Energiser
It is the exhaled breath of the speaker

(ii) Vibrator
It is the vocal cord of the speaker

(iii) Resonator
It is the passages represented by the throat, mouth and / or nose.

The exhaled air stream when it passes through the windpipe to the mouth or nose produces the sound:

 When it passes through the mouth or the oral passage, oral sounds are produced
 When it passes through the nose or the nasal passage, nasal sounds are produced

UNDERSTANDING SPEECH MECHANISM - Phonetics

UNDERSTANDING SPEECH MECHANISM - Phonetics

In view of the critical importance of voice in speech delivery, it is useful to have a good idea of the physiological aspects of speech. It has also been given a great deal of importance in the study of almost all human languages.

It is a branch of language that deals with the study of speech, sound, their reproduction and combination. It deals with how production, transmission and reception of sounds in a particular human language take place. A spoken language consists of a succession of varying sounds for which several parts of body are used.

Spoken medium is also known as „aural communication. (Written communication is also known as visual communication). Learning a human language involves the process of learning the reproduction of sounds and patterns used by other human beings as each language has its own system. Usually there is a relationship between the sounds and letters representing these sounds. Unfortunately, in English language this relationship is not as consistent as it is in most Indian languages.

QUALITY OF VOICE

QUALITY OF VOICE

Everyone should be an honest judge of his voice. Listen to own recorded voice on an audio-cassette. The voice can be corrected by practicing – reading aloud from books, magazines and newspapers. Reciting poems loudly also helps.

Correcting ones‟ voice and regular practice in speaking helps and is very rewarding.
Quality of voice can be judged from the following three aspects:

1. Tone
 Pitch
 Texture

These are described below:

(1) Tone of speech

„Tones of human voice are mightier than the strings of brass in moving the soul‟. We also know that army commanders‟ tone can catapult soldiers in to action at the quick. Tones of voice convey a vast range of emotions – from anger to happiness, from sorrow to command etc.

A mother‟s tone soothes her baby. Film stars are trained to modulate the tone of their voice to suit the demands of the scene they are enacting. They spend many long hours in the dubbing studios to record the correct „tone‟ of their voice.

In speech, it is the vocal sound and covers the choice of words, phrases etc. It stands for intonation of their voice that expresses a particular meaning or feeling of the speaker / writer. It represents a certain attitude on the part of the speaker / writer.

Tone stands for elegance – a distinctive style. It is the rising, falling and other inflections by words that are otherwise pronounced in the same manner that differentiate a speaker. It is that sound which is distinct and identifiable even when it is in harmonic relations with other sounds. It means the sound produced by the vibrations of the vocal cords that has a syllabic stress imparts the desired tone that tunes in with the listeners.

(2) Pitch of the speech

It is the process of setting up or erecting, throwing, casting, flinging or hurting forward the voice. It is intended to fix a particular point, level or degree of speech delivery. It is the quality of sound that is determined by the frequency of vibrations of the sound waves reaching the listeners‟ ears. As a rule, greater the frequency of vibrations, higher is the pitch of speech.

(3) Texture of the speech

Derived from the weaving of the fabrics, it connotes the composition and the structure of the speech. It should be woven like artists do. Speakers or writers are like artists who have at their disposal a set of speech organs and they should weave the magic of their offerings in a systematic and logical manner so that it shows their class.

IMPORTANCE OF VOICE

IMPORTANCE OF VOICE 

The critical role of voice in oral communication cannot be over-emphasized. Following findings of a study are both interesting and revealing:

What you say - 07 % (mostly hearing)
How you say - 38 % (hearing and seeing)
Body language - 55 % (seeing)

From the above it is evident that „what is said‟ in not as important as „how it is said‟. And „how‟ is greatly influenced by the reproduction of sound waves, their transmission and reception by the listeners.
The quality, tone and texture of your voice and the manner and speed of its delivery have a major role in influencing the audience. Combined with other etiquettes / mannerism, „how it is said‟ is over five time more effective than „what is said‟.

 TYPES OF VOICES

Several notable types of voices are:

 Baby voices
 Pleasing voices
 Firm voices
 Unattractive voice

(1) Baby voices
The moment a baby is borne, it starts communicating. A newly born baby expresses itself through „gurgling sounds‟. Mothers can make it out soon. Experienced mothers can guess very accurately from the sounds a baby makes, whether it is hungry or has wetted the bed or is just missing the presence of someone.
Equally, even babies, at very early stage, are able to distinguish between tones of its parents - whether it is endearing, playful or unpleasant.
Pet dogs respond to the tones of their masters very faithfully – they go by the way some thing is said rather than understand the verbal command. It is surprising how accurate they are in their interpretation of their masters‟ commands. For example:
 Pet animals obey promptly the „stern voice‟ of their masters
 Pet dogs start wagging their tails to a „loving voice‟
 Pet dogs can start jumping to a playful tone of their masters‟ voice
At other times, they start licking the master.

(2) Pleasing voice
A pleasing voice is the first requirement of a „charming speech‟. The future managers and leaders must cultivate it assiduously.

(3) Firm voice
A firm but quiet voice is an asset to a speaker. Cultivating a firm but quiet voice is an art. You have to practise hard to achieve a certain level of expertise. It pays rich dividends to the possessor of such a voice. It makes ones‟ utterances very persuasive. Speakers with this voice quality command greater attention as people like listening to them.

(4) Unattractive voice
Unattractive voice can drive people away from them. Shrill voice gets on people‟s nerves. Swan is beautiful to look at and has a graceful body but it possesses a shrill voice. A loud woman sounds very derogatory – audience would not like her speech either. The unattractive voice can be further classified as below:
(i) Harsh voice
It may arise from the tension in the throat muscles. Practise deep breathing and other exercises to relax throat muscles. Try and practise speaking at a low pitch. Speakers should open mouth just enough for throwing the voice to the audience.
(ii) Shrill voice
If the voice is shrill, it is difficult to overcome the deficiency without the help of a speech therapist.
(iii) Nasal voice
A nasal twang can spoil ones‟ voice and make it unpleasant to listen to. The persons with nasal voice should pay attention to improve quality of their voice. In no case should one become self-conscious. Please remember that a natural flow and smoothness of words is the best.

KINE SICS OR BODY MOVEMENTS

KINE SICS OR BODY MOVEMENTS

Kine sics literally means „body movements‟ and has emerged as the most important area of non-verbal communication. Kine sics stands for the way the body communicates without words but with the use of movements of the body.

It must be understood that the body movements are the reflections of ones‟ feelings, emotions, thoughts and position in a given situation. By nodding their head or by shrugging their shoulders or by blinking their eyes, people are able to send messages that are often stronger than the spoken words. They are able to convey a large array of emotions, feelings and thoughts that need to be inferred from the signs and signals involving body movement.

Although the list of different parts of the body is large, following  are considered as important

 Facial expressions including smiling
 Eye contact, gazing, glancing and eye blocking
 Hands, palms, handshakes, double handshakes, arms, hands and fingers together
 Thumbs and fingers
 Legs and feet postures
 Walking styles

COMPONENTS OF BODY LANGUAGE

COMPONENTS OF BODY LANGUAGE

Non-verbal communication has emerged as area of major interest to individuals because they can exploit the knowledge successfully during negotiations and other major human interactions. Based on the developments in the broad field of body language, subject can be grouped in to the followings;

(1) Kinesics
Kinesics is the study of movements of different parts of the body

(2) Paralinguistics
Also called Para Language - it concerns with study of the role of the vocal aspects viz., volume, speed, modulation, clarity etc while speaking.

(3) Proxemics
It relates to the role and importance of personal or spatial distance when people interact socially.

(4) Chronomics
It relates to concept of time and its impact on humans in communication.

(5) Neuro Linguistic Programming
Effective communication is the perception of „what has been received‟ rather than „what has been delivered‟ and in this five human senses have significant role and influence. Neuro Linguistic Programming studies this aspect of human interaction.

PARA LANGUAGE

PARA LANGUAGE

The literal meaning of „para-‟ is „like‟; the subject relates to a field that is „like language‟. It is not a language because it does not involve any words. However, no words can be spoken or sung without the sound that accompanies it. It is a non-verbal communication, known as „vocal communication‟. Without it, words do not convey the intended meaning. Thus the entire subject of communication has three distinct components:

 Verbal is what of the message i.e., words
 Vocal is how of the message i.e., voice of the speaker
 Visual is the supportive body movements without which a face-to-face message is incomplete.

VOICE

Human voice has been hailed as the „organ of the soul‟. Human beings are very fortunate to have been blessed with the ability to produce, modulate and throw the voice in the way they desire to influence the audience. With devotion and practice, they can reproduce the voices of different animals, birds etc. They are also able to replicate the sounds of different musical instruments.
Voice is an important part of ones‟ personality.  An erudite person wanted to become a trainer but because his voice crackled often, it failed to make the right impression on his wards. There are also instances when a hoarse or husky voice was thought to be very seductive and women with husky voice could easily command attention in party circuits.

LISTENING

LISTENING

Ability to listen effectively has emerged as the most strategic skill for managers and leaders. Most people are pleased when they are listened to rather than when they are talked to. Also the less a person talks, the more others like to listen to him.
Most of us are poor listeners as listening skills are not taught in high schools or even management institutes. Everyone should listen more, have better retention and memory. Hearing perceives only the sounds and not their meaning whereas listening leads to better understanding. The process of listening entails sensing, interpreting, evaluating, remembering and responding. Based on purpose, interaction and feedback, listening is classified in to content listening, critical listening and active / empathetic listening. Of these the most critical is active / empathetic listening as it requires greater self-control and discipline.
Barriers to good listening can originate from environmental, physiological, psychological, linguistic and socio-cultural factors. Nevertheless, listening skills can be improved by preparing for listening, following basic rules for good listening and practicing regularly.
Students should become familiar with the typical patterns of poor listeners so that they can make conscious efforts to assimilate leader-like traits. Taking down notes while listening and imbibing the commandment for good listening will guide the budding managers and leaders in becoming good listeners.

TEN COMMANDMENTS OF GOOD LISTENING

TEN COMMANDMENTS OF GOOD LISTENING

Someone has listed the following ten commandments of good listening:

1 Stop talking
2 Put the talker at ease
3 Show willingness to listen
4 Remove distractions
5 Empathize with speaker
6 Be patient
7 Hold own temper
8 Go easy on arguments and criticism
9 Ask questions
10 Stop talking, once again

Evaluating Remembering & Responding

Evaluating  Remembering & Responding

It is forming opinion about the message heard. If the subject matter is complex or it is a topic that has emotional overtones, effort is required to:
 Sort out the remarks made by the speaker
 Separate facts from opinions
 Evaluate quality of evidence
As a rule, listeners dismiss ideas from an unattractive and abrasive speaker. Also, they easily embrace ideas of „charismatic‟ speakers.

Remembering

It is storing message after receiving in the memory for future use. Good speakers facilitate storage by doing the followings:

 Comparing the message with the previous similar messages
 Highlighting the components of transition in the new message
 Summarizing and paraphrasing the message

 Responding

It is reacting to the content of the message in some fashion. When audience is large, it may take the form of:
 Silence
 Applause
 Laughter etc

INTERPRETING

INTERPRETING

It is decoding in our mind and absorbing the message being delivered. As people listen, they assign meanings to words through their own mental filters comprising of their:

 Beliefs
 Assumptions
 Values
 Ideas
 Expectations
 Roles
 Needs
 Personal history

Thus role of the persons listening to a speech is very vital. They should pay attention to non-verbal cues because body language of gestures, sounds, postures and expressions do not tell lies. If they have learnt the art and science of understanding speeches well, it increases accuracy of their listening.