Effective Communicationsin Business

Module-1

-by Kinjal Pandya

Concept and definition of Communication

The word communication is derived from latin word ‘communicare’ that means to share, to participate, convey and transmit.

Communication is a process of passing information and understanding from one person to another.

It is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons

Objectives/ Purpose of communication

Conveying the right message. Co-ordination of efforts. Good industrial relation Development of managerial skills Effectiveness of policies To receive suggestion To persuade people To motivate people

Characteristics of communication Communication is unintentional as well as

intentional Communication is a dynamic process Communication is systemic. Communication is both interaction and

transaction. A short lived process Needs proper understanding Dispels misunderstanding. Leads to the achievement of org growth

Elements of communication

Source Audience/Receiver Goal/purpose Context/environment Message Medium feedback

Benefits of effective communication

Importance of communication in management Smooth working of a business firm. Basis of managerial function:

1. Planning

2. Organizing

3. Directing

4. Co-ordinating

5. Controlling Maximum production at minimum cost Prompt decision and its implementation

Importance of communication inmanagement

Building human relationship Avoid illusion Internal communication. Contacts with external parties.

The seven C’s

When We talk about “ Effective Communication” one thing that comes in mind, what are the basic principles of “effective communication” .

These principles tells us how your message can becomes effective for your target group,

These principles also tell about style and importance of the message.

These principles commonly known as 7 C’s of effective communication.

Seven C’s of Effective Communication

1. Completeness2. Conciseness3. Consideration4. Concreteness5. Clarity6. Courtesy7. Correctness

1) Completeness

Message Receiver- either listener or reader, desire complete information to their question. e.g.

suppose you are working with multinational company who is engaging with engineering goods , like A.C. Now let say one of your major customer wants some technical information regarding “thermostat” (because he wants to convey the same to the end users ). In this case you have to provide him complete information in a short span of time.

If possible, provide him some extra information which he does not know,.

In this way you can maintain a good business relation with him, otherwise he may switch to an other company.

Five W’s One way to make your message complete is to answer the

five W’s. WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHERE? WHY? The five question method is useful when you write

requests, announcements, or other informative messages. For instance, to order (request) merchandise, make clear

WHAT you want, WHEN u need it, WHERE it is to be sent.

Conclusion of completeness

At the end we can say that, you must provide him:-

1. All necessary information as requested by him.

2. Answers to his all questions carefully3. Provide some more information, which he

is not requiring , just to maintain good relations.

2) Conciseness

Conciseness means “convey the message by using fewest words”.

“Conciseness is the prerequisite to effective business communication.” As you know that all businessmen have very short time .

Hence a concise message save the time and expenses for both the parties.

How To achieve the conciseness ?

For achieving the conciseness you have to consider the following.

1.Avoid wordy expression

2.Include only relevant material

3.Avoid unnecessary repetition.

Avoid Wordy Expression

E.g. Wordy:- at this time.

Instead of “at this time” you can just use only a concise word:- NOW ,

Always try to use “ To the point Approach” in business scenario perspective.

Include only relevant information

Always try to provide only relevant information to the receiver of the message.

Lets say one of your customer requested for clients of the company in reply you should provide simply list of clients at the panel of your

company. No need to provide detailed business information about client at all.

Observe the following suggestions to “ Include only relevant information.”– Stick to the purpose of message– Delete irrelevant words– Avoid long introduction, unnecessary explanation etc.– Get to the important point concisely.

Avoid un-necessary Repetition

Some times repetition is necessary for focusing some special issue.

But when the same thing is said with out two or three reasons, the message become wordy and boring.

That’s why try to avoid Un-necessary repetition.

Some ways to eliminate unnecessary words

Use shorter name after you have mentioned the long once. e.g.

Spectrum communications Private limited use spectrum.

Use pronouns or initials E.g.Instead of world trade organization use WTO or You can use IT for Information Technology.( keeping in views that receiver knows about these terms)

3) Consideration

Consideration means – To consider the receiver’s Interest/Intention.

It is very important in effective communication while writing a message you should always keep in mind your target groupconsideration is very important “C” among all the seven C’s.

Three specific ways to indicate consideration

i-Focus on “you” instead of “I” or “We”ii-Show audience benefit or interest of the

receiveriii-Emphasize positive, pleasant facts.Using “you” help you, but over use lead a

negative reaction.

Always write a message in such a way how audience should be benefited from it. e.g.

We attitude

I am delighted to announce that we will extend to make shopping more.

You attitude

“You will be able to shop in the evening with the extended hours.”

Readers may react positively when benefit are shown to them.

Always try to address his/her need and want.

4) Concreteness

It means that message should be specific instead of general. Misunderstanding of words creates problems for both parties (sender and receiver).

when you talk to your client always use facts and figures instead of generic or irrelevant information.

The following guidelines should help you to achieve the Concreteness.

i- use specific facts and figures

ii-choose image building words

e.g

General

He is very intelligent student of class and stood first in the class.

Concrete

Ali’s SPI in B.Sc Electrical Engineering was 3.95/4.0, he stood first in his class.

Always write on a very solid ground. It should definitely create good image as well.

5) Clarity

In effective business communication the message should be very much clear. So that reader can understand it easily.

You should always Choose precise words.Always choose familiar and easy words.Construct effective sentences and paragraphs.

Accurately is purpose of clarity

In business communication always use precise words rather longer statements.

If you have a choice between long words and shorter one, always use shorter one.

You should try your level best to use familiar/easy to understand words so that your reader will quickly under stand it

Familiar Next familiar words

1-after subsequent

2-home domicile

3-for example e.g.

4-pay remuneration

5-invoice statement for payments

6) Courtesy

Courtesy Knowing your audience allows you to use statements of

courtesy; be aware of your message receiver.True courtesy involves being aware not only of the perspective of others, but also their feelings. courtesy stems from a sincere you-attitude.

it is not merely politeness with mechanical insertions of “please” and “Thank you” .

Although Appling socially accepted manners is a form of courtesy .

rather, it is politeness that grow out respect and concern for others.

Courteous communication generate a special tone in their writing and speaking.

How to generate a Courteous Tone ?

The following are suggestions for generating a courteous tone: Be sincerely tactful, thoughtful and appreciative. Use expressions that show respect for the others Choose nondiscriminatory expressionsBe sincerely Tactful, Thoughtful and Appreciative Though few people are intentionally abrupt or blunt, these

negative traits are common cause of discourtesy. avoid expression like those in the left hand column below;

rephrase them as shown in the right-hand column

Thoughtfulness and AppreciationWriters who send cordial, courteous messages of deserved

congratulations and appreciation (to a person inside & outside) help to build goodwill. The value of goodwill or public esteem for the firm may be worth thousands of dollars.

Tactless, Blunt More Tactful

Stupid letter; I can’t understand

I should understand it, as there is no confusing word in this letter, could you please explain it once again ..?

Its your fault, you did not properly read my latest FAX

Sometimes my wording is not precise; let me try again

7) Correctness

7) Correctness

At the core of correctness is proper grammar, punctuation and spelling.

however, message must be perfect grammatically and mechanically

. The term correctness, as applied to business messages also mean three characteristics

o Use the right level of languageo Check the accuracy of figures, facts and wordso Maintain acceptable writing mechanics

Use the right Level of Languagewe suggest that there are three level of language1. formal2. informal 3. substandard. Take a quick guess: what kind of writing is

associated with each level? What is the style of each?

Formal and Informal Words

Formal writing is often associated with scholarly writing: doctoral dissertations, scholarly, legal documents, top-level government agreements and other material where formality is demanded.

Informal writing is more characteristic of business writing. Here you use words that are short, well-known and conversational as in this comparison list:

More Formal less formalParticipate JoinEndeavor tryAscertain find outUtilize useInterrogate question

Substandard Language

Avoid substandard language. Using correct words, incorrect grammar, faulty pronunciation all suggest as inability to use good English. Some examples follow:

Substandard More AcceptableAin’t isn’t,aren’tCan’t hardly can hardlyAim to proving aim to proveDesirous to desirous ofStoled stolen

Proper Use of Confusing Words !

Our Language (Any) is constantly changing. In fact,even dictionaries can not keep up with rapid change in our language. the following words often confusing in usage:

A, An use a before consonants and consonants sounds or a long ” u” sound. Use an before vowels.

Accept, except accept is a verb and means to receive. except is a verb or a

preposition and relates to omitting or leaving out.

Anxious, eager Anxious implies worry, eager conveys keen desire

Process of communication

feedback

Communication has been defined as a process that refers to identifiable flow of information through interrelate stages of analysis directed towards the achievement of an objective.

process

Step 1: sender conceives an idea depending on the purpose of communication

Step 2: sender chooses appropriate symbols, encodes the idea and formulates the message

Step 3: sender sends the message through suitable channel

Continue….

Step 4: receiver receives the message. Step 5: receiver decodes the symbols, and

interprets the message Step 6: receiver sends the

feedback(response) that is observed by the sender

Forms of communicationTypes of communication

On the basis of organization structure

On the basis of direction

On the basis of way of expression

Formal communication

Informal communication

vertical Horizontal Diagonalvertical horizontal diagonal

Downward communication

Upward communication

Oral comm Written comm

Gesturecomm

Types of formal communication

Single chain Wheel Circular Free flow Inverted v

Advantages of formal communication Maintains hierarchy Developing relationship Uniformity Directs the flow of communication

Disadvantages of communication

Increased the work load Increase gap Distortion of message. Time consuming

Informal communication/ grapevine Informal communication , also known as

grapevine is not a planned or deliberately created channel of communication.

It is free from all formalities Unofficial communication channels in an

organization are referred to as a grapevine E.g ‘ hey guys, listen up!did you know that

the boss is joining rival firm?’

Types of grapevine

Single strand chain Gossip chain Cluster chain Probability chain

Advantages of grapevine

Safety valve Supplement to other channels Quick transmission Feedback Less expensive than formal channels Used voluntarily by many employees

Disadvantage of grapevine

Distortion of message Incomplete information Damaging swiftness Leakage Lack of authenticity Difficult to hold anybody responsible May lead to misunderstanding if incomplete

Advantages and disadvantage of downward communicationAdvantage Disadvantage

Disseminate plans and polices

Distortion of message

Convey expectation Delays in transmission

Provides feedback Overload message

Motivation Loss of information

Built-n ressistance

Advantage Disadvantage

Create insight into behavioural problem

Delays and distortion

Create confidence and trust

By passing

Enhance learning and excellence

Poor listening

Hesitation of employees

Advantages and disadvantage of upward communication

Advantages of oral communication

Oral communication is a time and money saving device. As there is an element of personal touch, it is

comparatively more effective. Doubts can be clarified on the spot and the communication

can be understood easily. Important point can be emphasized through action. Speech is more powerful means of persuasion and control. The speaker can get immediate feedback. The informal plane of oral communication helps to

promote friendly relations.

Disadvantages of oral communication

It is not useful where the parties are very far from each

other, even beyond telephonic range. It is not suitable for lengthy communication. Oral messages cannot be retained for a long time. Oral messages do not have any legal validity unless they

are taped and made a part of permanent record. Body language and speech must match each other. If the communication is poor in vocal expression, oral

communication are likely to be misunderstood and misinterpreted.

Advantages of written communication

It is suitable for lengthy communication. It is accurate and precise. It can be kept as a permanent record and at times be

referred to as evidence. It is a legal document. Written communication serves as a solid base for taking

action against the subordinate who disobeys it. There are fewer chances of missing out a point.

Disadvantages of written communication

There is greater chance of the communication being misunderstood.

There is no scope for face to face discussion. It is time-consuming. It is costly. Quick clarification is not possible. It is difficult to maintain secrecy about the matter

communicated. Poorly written messages followed by numerous

clarification both written and oral, may lead to a lot of confusion

Channels of oral communication

Face to face conversation Telephone conversation Presentation Public speech Interview Group discussion Negotiation Meeting

Channel of written communication

Letter Memo Notice Circular Report Minutes

Non-verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication is the process of communication without words.

Facial expressions, movement, eye contact, vocal qualities all helps us without words.

Non-verbal communication differs from verbal communication in many ways:

Non-verbal communication is less structured than verbal words.

Non-verbal communication is unplanned. Non-verbal communication is intent and

spontaneous. Non-verbal communication blends with speech.

Physical appearance. Facial expressions: It conveys emotions with

remarkable accuracy and intensity of your feelings.

Movement: the process of getting up from one place to another in front of audience or on the platform.

Posture: posture is the way you conduct yourself when you face an audience.

Gesture: A gesture is an expression of your any part of your body. E.g. your head, hands, face which reinforce your idea while you speak.

Eye contact.

Vocal communication techniques

Voice Quality Volume Pitch Rate of delivery Pronunciation Pauses

Components of non-verbal communication Kinesics: Facial expression, posture, gesture. Oculesics: Eye contact. Haptics: The communication of touch Proxemics: the communication of space and

proximity. Appearance: The physical characteristics Paralinguistics: variation in pitch Chronemics: the effects of time on

communication

Barriers of communication:

Semantic barriers

Emotional andPsychological barriers

Physical barriers

Orgn barriers

Personal barriers

Cultural barriers

Barriers in supervisors

Barriers regarding subordinates

Poor listening

Semantic barriers

Different languages Words Pictures Actions Poor vocabulary

Emotional and psychological barriers Loss of transmission and retention Distrust of communication Failure to communicate Inattention of receiver

Physical barriers

Noise Improper time Distance Organizational barriers:Organization policyRules and regulationsLack of orgn facilitiesWrong selection of channel

Personal barriers Barriers in supervisor:Attitude of supervisorFear of challenging of authority Ignoring the juniorsUnderestimation of there subordinates. Insistence on following proper channel.

Barriers regarding subordinates: Unwillingness to communicateLack of proper incentive. Poor listening:EgoismEmotionsSelective perception

Methods to overcome barriers Semantic barriers:Use simple and precise message.Use less verbalism.Use suitable language.Employ different methods of

communication.Avoid ambiguous and abstract words.

Psychological barriersPlan and clarify ideas and opinions.Support decision making.Use feedback process.Develop trust and confidence.Explain the importance of message.Make it purposeful communication.Time your message carefully.Catch up with audience back ground.

Physical barriers

Make suitable seating arrangement.Ensure audibility and visibility.Minimize aural and visual distraction.Provide environmental comfort.Proper posture and proper body.

Organizational barriers: Make it a two way process Provide network to permit direct access

from top to bottom and vice-versa. Dissemination of information through

several channels. Establish feed back system Use informal channel of communication Provide information to the concerned

person

Interpersonal barriers Explain the importance of msg. Attitude of the sender and receiver Create a climate of trust and confidence Time your message carefully that is : what,

when, how, why to say. Attentive listening with full concentration.

Communication Road blocks

A primary reason for lack of effective communication is that without realizing it ppl typically inject communication barriers in to their communication known as road blocks.

Following are such road blocks

Difference in perspective. Difference in knowledge level. Lack of common language Tendency to stereotype and jump to

conclusions Self centeredness Plain laziness

End