COMMUNICATION MODEL - Encoding & Transmission

COMMUNICATION MODEL - Encoding & Transmission 

The process of how the mind converts an idea into words is not yet fully understood. Choice of words by the speaker depends up various factors as below:
 Subject
 Purpose
 Audience
 Personal style
 Mood

Besides, length of the message, tone and style are influenced by:
 Content of the message
 Familiarity of the receiver(s)
 Emotional conflicts
 Difficulty of expressing ideas

Choice of transmission mode depends upon the followings:
 Message
 Audience
 Need of speed / urgency
 Situation

In all cases, it is important to control the transmission link. This not only ensures its availability but also avoids distortion and level of noise. Also, remember that longer the chain of communication, bigger is the problem of ensuring correct transmission of the messages.

COMMUNICATION MODEL--Conception

COMMUNICATION MODEL--Conception

(i) Mental images
All individuals are continuously bombarded by information flowing from
 Sights (Scenes)
 Sounds
 Scents
These streams of sensation are conveyed to the human mind. Each individual has a unique „mental filter‟ because of own experiences, exposures, emotions etc. The mental filter converts these streams of sensation in to a mental map of the event that becomes the basis of perception of the reality. No two mental images of the observers of the same event will be identical!
All sensations received in the mind go through the process of abstraction and simplification.

(ii) Psychological factors

A person tends to hear what he wants to and rejects what he does not want to hear. This is because of several factors as below:
 Sensory factors
 Demographic factors
 Psychographic factors
 Loyalty of individuals
 Personality of individuals

(iii) Technical aspects
These days communication is greatly influenced by the technology and choice of the medium of transmission. Followings should be taken in to account:
 Transmitter
 Transmission process
 Receiver

In most cases, a certain amount of repetition may be desirable to ensure that the message is not mutilated.

(iv) Role of being logical and systematic
The message, to be effective, should be logical and conveyed in a systematic manner. Messages suffer from:
 Logical errors
 False analogy
 Concluding from limited data
 Understanding syllogism (Deductive logic)
 Arguing in circles
Usually in such cases, the middle of the message remains undisturbed but most receivers tend to get misled.

(v) Conclusions
Arriving at the conclusion from the various conflicting and diverse factors is the real issue. As a rule, four possible conclusions are:
 Valid and true
 Valid and false
 Invalid but true
 Invalid and false
Communicators have to avoid the pitfalls and look for valid and true conclusions.

COMMUNICATION 24 X 7

COMMUNICATION 24 X 7

Knowledge and understanding of the subject of communication is growing very rapidly. Considering that people communicate all the time, round the clock or at least during their waking hours, they must learn how to use this abundant resource for business, personal life and society to their greatest advantage. By doing so, they shall be able to achieve their objectives proactively.

In business, this ability, if harnessed fully, will help managers / leaders/students understand
their customers, colleagues and competitors better and will enable them to reorient
their strategies, policies and tactics in every day working.

As a result national economy and global market shall benefit considerably, enabling
them to take the benefits of economic development to the remotest and the most
disadvantaged segments of our planet.

Information as a one-way process

Information as a one-way process

Information flow is another related process. Information is knowledge; it comes from the processing of raw data which records the events as they take place in every minuscule of an organization or an institution. Knowledge is power. The flow of information is considered to be an extremely powerful tool at the disposal of men at all levels of a business enterprise.

However, difference between communication and information flows must be understood clearly. Whereas communication is a two way process, information is a one-way process. It is, therefore, half of the process.

Yet it is used very extensively in organizations. As businesses grow in size, complexity and dynamics, it is very difficult to ensure two way process all the time. Much of the time, information flows one way – downwards, upwards or horizontal along formal lines of command. These lines of command become the channels of information flows and serve as the cornerstones of communication, coordination and control.

Communication as a two-way process

Communication as a two-way process

Communication is a complete process - it starts with communicators sending messages to receivers, the „communicatees‟. An experienced sender of message, whether oral or written, would think of the audience as his customer. He would try to gauge or guess the kind of level of communication the receiver is comfortable with.

Thereafter, he would craft his message in a manner and in the language, words, phrases and idioms that the receiver is familiar with. Each receiver of message is really a customer whose needs and wants should be as well known to the sender as it happens in a market place. Obviously, like the sender who chooses words, phrases and idioms from his vocabulary depending on own learning, experience and exposure, receiver also has his own mental filter that is the product of his learning, experience and exposure. To absorb the message in his mind, he does the abstraction of the message in to words, phrases and idioms that he is familiar with or has command over. This leads to his formulating his response to the message received. Once again, it goes through the mind filter and ultimately comes out of the communicatee and starts its return journey to the sender of the message. It conveys back what is understood by the receiver.

A sensitive speaker is able to judge the reaction of his audience from the gestures, sounds and expressions of the audience – the way they sit, the way they yawn or the way they twitter their fingers etc. It is thus a complete cycle because it is a two way process. Until the full process has been gone through the process of communication is considered to be incomplete.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Communication as a subject of study has a very vast canvas. To different people, communication implies various areas of study, research and application:

(1) It is a means of transportation from one place to another viz., moving men, machines, materials etc by surface transport like railways, roadways or by air or by sea. It is not uncommon to describe a region or a country backward in terms of means of communication because it is not serviced or well connected by railways, roadways, airways or seaways.

(2) It also relates to means of sending / receiving messages, packets or parcels through post, telephone, telegram, radio, wireless or Internet. These means of communications have undergone rapid changes during the last few decades. Postal services have been revolutionized by courier services – same-day delivery, next-day delivery etc. Telephone services have become commonplace – one can talk to a person anywhere even one orbiting in a satellite without shouting. The mobile telephony and use of Internet has changed the way people talk and communicate with one another. They are changing the way business is done.

(3) Communication is a major focus of attention for artists – singers, dancers, actors, painters, sculptors etc are all trying to communicate with their audiences. They endeavour to win their attention and appreciation so as to secure attractive returns for their efforts
.
In managerial or business context, it is the science and art of communicating. Etymologically, communication as a word is derived from the word „common‟ in English or „Communis‟ from Latin. It means „shared by‟ or „concerning all‟. Thus communication is a process of „influencing others‟ to achieve common, shared objectives. These goals could be that of individuals, families, teams, departments / functions and companies.
Communication has emerged as a very powerful personal skill that individuals must acquire to be able to perform their duties and become efficient managers and effective leaders.

Terms & Definitions in Communication

Terms & Definitions in Communication

Jargon: Term used to describe the stage of language development when children string together
sentence-like expressions that are not very understandable as true words. Children can use either
speech or sign jargon depending on their communication system.

Language: Shared code, used by a group of people, that determines what words mean and the
rules for how words are combined and used to convey ideas to others. Language can be spoken,
signed, or written. “Receptive language” refers to our ability to understand the information conveyed
by others. “Expressive language” refers to our ability to share information with others.

Manual Babbling: Term used to describe the early handshapes used by infants or toddlers who
see sign language in their everyday environment. As with speech babbling, early manual babbling
may not represent any true signs or words. Later manual babbling may be used as part of a young child’s beginning communication system.

Manually Coded English: A sign language system that uses a visual (signed) form of the English
language. There are a number of systems for manually coding English. Most of these systems use
American Sign Language (ASL) signs as a base and also use English word order. Each system for manually coding English has its own variations and rules.

Simultaneous Communication (Sim-Com): A communication system in which spoken English
and its manually coded (signed) version are used at the same time. The term “total communication”
may at times be used to describe simultaneous communication.

Speech: Generally used to mean the expression of language through the spoken word. The term
“speech sounds” refers to the individual consonant and vowel sounds that make up a language such
as English.

Speech-Language Pathologist: A licensed professional who holds a degree in speech-language
pathology and who specializes in the evaluation and treatment of speech, language, and voice disorders.
This may include children whose speech or language problems are the result of a hearing loss.

Total Communication: In this communication system, the word “total” refers to the use of any
form of communication that will enable the child to learn language. Manually coded English is one
part of the system, which also includes speech, listening through amplification, print, and speech reading.
The term “total communication” may at times be used to describe simultaneous communication
(sim-com).

Terms & Definitions Related to Communication

Terms & Definitions Related to Communication

American Sign Language: A visual-gestural-spatial language in which the placement, movement,

and expression of the hands and body are part of the language. It has a complete grammar

and syntax different from English. ASL is considered by the Deaf community to be the natural language of people who are deaf.

Aural-Oral: A communication method in which listening is the primary means of understanding

language and speech (talking) is the primary means of expressing language. In addition to listening,

a child is encouraged to watch the speaker for additional information from speechreading, facial

expression, and gesture. No sign language is used. This method is sometimes called auditory-oral.

Auditory-Verbal: A specific communication philosophy within the broader aural-oral category.

The development of spoken language through listening and the use of residual hearing are central.

One-on-one teaching, parent involvement, and inclusion in general education (rather than special or

deaf education) are also emphasized.

Babbling: Term used to describe an infant’s first use of speech sounds. With an infant’s earliest babbling, there is no communication or language intent. Later babbling may be used as a part of a

young child’s beginning communication system.

Bilingual/Bicultural: Being fluent in two languages and comfortable in two cultures. For a person

who is deaf, this terminology refers to a person who is fluent in both American Sign Language

and English and comfortable in both the Deaf Culture and the Hearing Culture.

Cognitive: Refers to the ability to think, learn, and remember.

Communication: The exchange of information through verbal or non-verbal means. Communication

can include gestures, facial expressions, words, and/or signs. Children’s earliest communication with parents or other caregivers occurs before they use either words or signs.

Cued Speech: A communication method designed to make visually available all the elements needed

to understand spoken English. The system combines information that can be seen through watching

lip movements with information from additional handshapes and hand positions near the face,

used to identify sounds that can’t be seen on the lips or that look the same on the lips.

Finger spelling: Using a visual, manual form of the English alphabet to spell out words. Finger spelling is most often used to spell out words for which there are no formal signs.

Gesture: The movements of the hands or body that express an idea. Gestures include pointing,

head nodding, waving good-bye and many others. Gestures can be used alone or in combination

with words to communicate thoughts and ideas.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

The understanding of the various barriers to communication helps us to find out ways and means of overcoming these barriers.

American Management Association has formulated the following commandments for effective communication:

i. Clarifying ideas before communication
ii. Know purpose of your communication
iii. Understand physical and human environments of communication
iv. Consult others in planning communication
v. Take care of contents and overtones of communication
vi. Convey value of communication to the receiver
vii. Do follow up action
viii. Understand the importance of communication
ix. Your actions should be congruent with communication
x. Practice good listening – Good Listening is the basic pre- requisite for effective communication. This we will discuss further.

Psychological Barriers in Communication

Psychological Barriers in Communication

 These are barriers on part on each individual .No two personalities are same. They vary in their knowledge, experience, attitude, emotion, belief, values etc, and thus it happens that they do not tune at the same wavelength while communicating which cause barriers to communication. Different reasons which causes psychological barrier are discussed below:

i. Emotions: These are powerful communication filter. When you send message receivers may think with their emotions which are called seeing the world with coloured glasses. Strong emotions can prevent reception, or distort the strength of a message. For example if you have a fight with your brother or sister at breakfast table the whole day you will have poor communication due to disturbed emotions.

ii. Attitude: These are also barriers to effective communication like emotions. Negative and positive attitudes can create resistance or bias to a message.

iii. Inattention: At times we do not listen, but only hear, especially when there are more important things to be taken care of. For instance, if a visitor comes to you at the same instance when you are answering the phone, then it is important to excuse yourself from the person on the phone so that exclusive attention can be given to the visitor or you may request the visitor to wait for some time.

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS-Cultural Barrier

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS-Cultural Barrier

Culture means an accumulation of values, forms of expression, beliefs, and language .It shapes one's interpretations of different events of life. But communication problems can be caused by conflicting cultural assumptions. These can be:

i. Ethnocentrism - Ethnocentrism is judging another’s culture solely by the values and standards of one's own culture and not to like others’ culture. The ethnocentric individual will judge other groups relative to his or her own particular ethnic group or culture, especially with concern to language, behaviour, customs, and religion.

ii. Non-Verbal Differences due to Culture: Cultures have different standards for many aspects of life like how fast you should talk, how much you should talk, how far you should stand etc. If you do not pay attention to it, it can act as barrier to your verbal communication .For example: Physical distance during social interactions varies by culture. In areas of the Middle East and South America, people stand very close when talking but European Americans like to have more distance between them. You can create great discomfort by standing too close to another person which can further lead to barrier in to communication.

Noise as a barrier

Noise as a barrier

Noise is another important element in the communication process and has direct impact on the success of communication. Noise is interference or distortion that changes the initial message. It always comes into play during the communication process.

It is also called barriers of communication. It can be physical, like any other sound that subdues the message when it is being said, or it can be related with language like if the vocabulary used within the message is beyond the knowledge range of its recipient. To make communication effective one should try to reduce noise .

Thus process of communication is a continuous, creative and two-way process where sender and receiver keep changing their roles.

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

Without studying the barriers to communication the study of communication is incomplete .Barriers to communication happen when you convey your message to someone or a group of people and the message is not received clearly and unambiguously. Thus, the message received is not as the message sent. This can happen at various stages of the communication process.
1. Language (Semantic Barriers)
2. Cultural Barriers
3. Psychological Barriers (Difference in Perception

Language / Semantic Barrier

 Language is the main medium of communication .It can become a barrier when we either use a language which others do not know or when we use language in a wrong way .It can happen in three ways :

i.) Using Jargons: Jargons are which are related to a particular profession like doctors, lawyers. . Many professions rely heavily on jargon and have their own ‘language’ that is not known to outsiders. It acts as a barrier.

ii.) Acronyms and abbreviations: These are short forms .They eliminate receivers who are not familiar with their meaning.

iii.) English Language: English has been the dominant business language. For non-native speakers even if they know English some time it act as barrier. Speaking too fast and speaking slangs can make communication even in English difficult.

NON – VERBAL COMMUNICATION-CHRONEMICS

NON – VERBAL COMMUNICATION-CHRONEMICS

 Language of Time or Chronemics is the study of the use of time in nonverbal communication. The way that an individual would perceive and value time, structure time and react to time is a powerful communication tool, and also convey about our personality.
Time perceptions include punctuality, willingness to wait, and interactions.
In order to have effective communication one should pay due attention to both verbal and non-verbal communication.

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION-PROXEMICS

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION-PROXEMICS

The study of how people recognize and value the physical spaces around them is known as
language of distance or proxemics. Language of distance takes into account body spacing
between two individual .The physical distance between two people can be correlated to the
relationship they share be it personal or social. These are of four types:

1. Intimate Zone: Distance shared by Spouses, children, parents, very close
relatives and friends. It ranges from 15-46 cm.

2. Personal Zone: Distance between individuals during business gatherings,
social functions and get-togethers. It ranges from 1.2- 3.6m.

3. Social Zone: Distance shared by strangers or occasional visitors. It ranges over
3.6m.

4. Public Zone: Distance shared between speaker and Audience. It ranges from 15-46 cm.
Language of distance teaches us to first determine what the relationship between us and other person is and accordingly we should manage the distance. For example when talking to your customer you should know that you are in public zone and should not enter in intimate zone.

NON – VERBAL COMMUNICATION -KINESICS

NON – VERBAL COMMUNICATION -KINESICS

Body Language: As the name suggests the study of movements of our body parts like eyes, head, hands, legs, sitting style, walking style etc. is called body language. It is also called Gestural communication or Kinesics. It truly depicts the inner feeling going in our mind. We can fake our words to conceal our true inner feeling but our body movements convey it. For example, if your mother is angry with you on something then without uttering a single word she can convey this feeling to you.
As a rule, it does not lie or mislead unless someone has mastered the art of deceit or camouflaging. And also it is not man made language. We can just study it, interpret it and that too one can do after studying this language for many years.
Following are the different types of Body Language:

i.) Personal Appearance: Personal appearance means the way we dress, groom ourselves and use accessories .It helps us to project an image of us on other. Our first impression creates an image thus it is important to manage our personal appearance crucially. The estimates about ones status, personality, credibility and capability are made according to our personal appearance. Thus it is important to pay attention to our personal appearance and one should be well dressed and well groomed to convey a good impression on other.

ii.) Posture: Posture signifies the way we sit, stand, and carry ourselves. A student has to cultivate and maintain elegance in his or her sitting standing and walking postures as it conveys message about your personality .For example if you are slouching in the chair it suggests you are not interested.

iii.) Gestures with hands and arms: A gesture can communicate all that the speaker feels, consciously or unconsciously. Shaking hands, touching, holding, embracing or patting on the back, all convey messages.

iv.)Eye Contact: Eye never lies. Eye contact is significant for effective communication. The frequency of contact may suggest either interest or boredom. For example, a travel counsellors should look straight into the eyes of the person, although pleasantly and affably to show confidence and interest.

v.) Facial Expression: It is truly said that face is index to mind. Facial expressions like a smile, frown, raised eyebrow, yawn, and sneer all convey information. Facial expressions are most natural and unconscious. Facial expressions continually change during interaction and are observed
constantly by the recipient. Smiling is considered to be pleasant and helpful. A frown
conveys confusion and at times anger.

Elements of Verbal Communication

Elements of Verbal Communication

When we communicate verbally not only the words which we used are listened but also vocal elements of speech play very important role. These vocal elements are voice inflections, rate of speech, volume, and tone. These add interest and meaning to our messages. For example the
line “See you later” said respectfully has a different meaning and same line said in anger has totally different meaning. We can use these vocal elements to make our verbal communication more effective. These are:

1. Change the speed of your voice: A consistent pace of voice can make your speech dull and ineffective. Thus we should vary our speed of voice depending upon the audience and purpose of our communication. When you have to gain attention and excite your audience speak quickly and enthusiastically. When you want that audience pay attention to your words speak slowly.

2. Shift the pitch of your voice: Frequency of speech is called pitch of voice. Again depending upon the aim of the speech you can use high and low pitches at times .Using extremes can tarnish the success of your verbal communication.

3. Control the volume of your voice: Volume of voice creates a direct impact on the audience .One should use an average volume in general .But again depending upon the aim of your communication you can be loud or soft. When you use a combination of loudness and softness in your communication it adds special effect to your communication.

4. Punctuate with pauses: It is important in your communication to break the flow of information so that listeners can comprehend what they have listened .Generally pause in communication is taken when you have conveyed an important point or you want that now listeners should anticipate.

5. Articulate clearly: It is very important that what you communicate is clear to the audience. For this you should have expertise in pronunciation and articulate each word clearly .When you speak in such a manner you gain more confidence and clarity.

COMMUNICATION – THE CONCEPT

COMMUNICATION – THE CONCEPT

The best way to understand any concept is to refer to dictionary for its meaning. The English word ‘communication’ is derived from the Latin noun ‘Communis’ and the Latin verb ‘Communicare’ that means ‘to make common, to transmit, or to impart’.

In simple words, communication is the activity in which we share any idea, feeling, opinion and information between two or more persons in a way that both parties have common ground of understanding. Thus in communication three aspects are of utmost importance – transmission of message, listening/receiving of message and common understanding of message among parties involved.

The transmission can be done in many manners like by words -spoken or written, by body language or signs. And understanding means that both parties receive same meaning of the desired message in their mind and that can be confirmed with the help of feedback. When understanding is achieved only then communication is complete.