Communication is an exchange of feelings, ideas, and information,

whether by speaking, writing, signals, or behaviors.

Definition of Communication from Merriam-Webster Dictionary

• to convey knowledge of or information

• to reveal by clear signs

• to transmit information, thought, or feeling so that it is satisfactorily received or understood

When does it happen?

• When a person sends or receives information, ideas and feelings with others not only using spoken or written communication but also nonverbal communication.

Communication is more than information!

Communication is more than merely keeping the employees updated as to what may be going on in your organization or in the company at large.

Real communication is far more than a few words strung together and delivered to your employees.

What level of communication?

The concept that communication is the effective exchange of meaning or understanding applies to both formal and informal communication. It applies to communication up, down and across the organization.

Who’s accountable?

Everyone in the organization is accountable for the effectiveness of their own communication. This

especially applies to those who manage others.

It is important to remember that communication with an employee is not a matter of one sender and one receiver, but rather an exchange in which you and your employee are both sender and receiver.

Employee

Employee

BossBoss

Communication is not one wayCommunication is not one way

Communication Channels (Media)

• Written/paper-based (books, newspapers, letters….)• Verbal/spoken (radio, satellite, …)• Electronic (e-mail,…)• Image/visual (TV, Cinema,…)

BUSINESS WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Communication skills

• Many people think that just because they are not professional speakers or on the front lines of customer service, they don't have to develop good communication skills.

• Even computer programmers and graphic designers, who spend much of their time working independently on their computers, must attain a professional level of communication in order to succeed.

Contd….

• Once you realize how much you actually communicate with others in your company or external customers, you'll understand why it is so important to go through communication skills training and build the highest level of skill possible.

Written communication

• Even if you don’t talk to others in your organization very much, you probably write to them often.

• It could be daily e-mails updating everyone on the status of a project.

• It may be the company news letter you write.

Contd…

• Having clear written communication skills is necessary for success in today's business world.

• You need to be able to communicate your ideas to a diverse audience while maintaining a high level of professionalism.

Contd…

• This means that your writing needs to be free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, word usage, and style.

• Written communication training programs also exist to ensure that professionals have the tools necessary to develop better writing skills.

Ten Rules of Written Business Communication

• Know what you want to say before you say it• Keep it simple• Use bullet points • WIIFM(What’s In It For Me)• Don't get bogged down

Contd…

• Call to action• Edit• Spell check• Take 5 before hitting send• Follow up

ESSENTIALS OF GOOD WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

· It must be legible· It must be carefully planned· It should be easily understood by the reader.

Contd…

• Follow correct language usage proper grammar and correct punctuation

• Gather information, arrange logically and ensure proper mental focus

• Editing i.e. re- reading , spell and grammar check and rewriting is also necessary

4 C’s of Communication

• Clear• Concise• Complete• Clear

First C: Writing CLEARLY

• Be clear and specific and not vague• Eliminate ambiguity• Avoid unclear pronoun references

Second C: Writing CONCISELY

• Eliminate unnecessary words• Don’t create long, complex sentences• Include only relevant facts• Organize your thoughts• Be specific

Third C: writing COMPLETELY

• Use the 5 W’s and an H• Make a checklist of all the important points• Empathize with the reader• Give something extra when appropriate

Fourth C: writing CORRECTLY

• One of the best ways to accurately convey your ideas in writing is to choose the correct words.

• People in organizations typically spend over 75% of their time communicating.

• Effective communication is an essential component of organizational success at all levels.

• Numerous employee surveys have found that many problems in any organization can be traced back to one primary cause: poor communication.

Poor communication results in poor performance

When there is poor communication in an organization, there can be any number of negative outcomes, including errors,

productivity declines, distrust, lower morale, confusion, absenteeism, and

general dissatisfaction.

Important skill for bosses

As a boss, you are constantly advising, informing, explaining, discussing,

reviewing, counseling, guiding, suggesting, persuading, convincing,

coaching, humoring, and responding.

CommunicationChannelsReport/Phone/

Meeting/Computer

CommunicationChannelsReport/Phone/

Meeting/Computer

Receiver

Receive message

Decode and Convert to

Meaning

Respond

Receiver

Receive message

Decode and Convert to Meaning

Respond

Sender

Start with a meaning/

message to send

Encode (verbal and nonverbal)

Send message

Interact with feedback

Sender

Start with a meaning/

message to send

Encode (verbal and nonverbal)

Send message

Interact with feedback

Feedback

Feedback

Noise

message

Continuous process of Continuous process of encoding and decodingencoding and decoding

Elements of Communication Process

Input. The sender has an intention to communicate with another person. This intention makes up the content of the message.

Channel. The message is sent via a channel, which can be made of a variety of materials. In acoustic communication it consists of air, in written communication of paper or other writing materials.

Sender. The sender encodes the message, e.g. the idea of "piece of furniture to sit on." Thus he gives expression to the content.

Noise. The channel is subjected to various sources of noise. One example is telephone communication, where numerous secondary sounds are audible.

Receiver. The receiver decodes the incoming message, or expression. He "translates" it and thus receives the output

Output. This is the content decoded by the receiver.

Fields of Response. In the process, the relevance of a code becomes obvious: The codes of the sender and receiver must have at least a certain set in common in order to make communication work. That frame of reference is the sum of experiences in the form of each person's knowledge, beliefs and values. Our frame of reference is also greatly influenced by the culture to which we belong. On the basis of that body of personal knowledge, each member of the audience decodes the message. As members of the audience differ, so will their interpretations of what they hear.

• Sender: Initiate meaning, encode, send, interacts with feedback.

• Message: the meaning that sender transmits (words, ideas, body language, …)– Encoding: put the meaning in codes including words,

voice and body language.• Noise or Interference: Things which change the meaning

intended.– Physical: external noise such as the car horns or the

high sound of radio. It also includes unpleasant smell, the annoying weather, strong perfume smell or distracting behavior of the speaker.

– Mental: In the human mind, mental models impact or block the meaning of the message.

– Linguistic: the different interpretations of words. – Technical: noise in communication channels such as

telephone or GSM.

Elements of Elements of Communication ProcessCommunication Process

Elements of Elements of Communication ProcessCommunication Process

• Channel: The medium by which the message is transmitted. Normal channels include sound and light waves. Other channels include books, newspapers, magazines, movies, radio and TV broadcast, cassettes, photos, phones and computers.

• Receiver: Analyzes and translates it to meaning. He basically receives message, decodes and responds.– Decoding: Since the message contains codes (verbal

and nonverbal), every receiver will interprets and translates it based on his background and previous experiences.

• Feedback: The response that receiver sends to the sender. It shows if the message has been received and understood as intended to be.

Elements of Elements of Communication ProcessCommunication Process

Elements of Elements of Communication ProcessCommunication Process

Communication Types

• Intrapersonal Communication: It is the thinking that precedes the communication or the communication with self. It includes the internal voice, retrieval and storage of information, and problem solving.

• Interpersonal Communication: It happens when two people or more communicate in an informal way to exchange information or build relationships.

• Public Communication: In group communication, the message is sent from one person (speaker) to a group of people (listeners). This type is called lectures.

Contd…

• Mass Media Communication: It happens through electronic means such as radio, TV, Internet and books. (little or no feedback or interaction)

• Intercultural Communication: Culture is the collection of values, habits and verbal & nonverbal coding that a group of people have in common. This communication happens when one person or more communicates with another from different culture.

Communication Characteristics• Continuous process.• Complete system.• Interactive, timely and ever-changing.• Mostly irreversible.• Intentional or unintentional.• Multi-directional.

Communication Misconceptions• Communication will solve all problems: It may result in creating

new problems.• More communication is better: more negative communication will

result in more negative results. Quality is more important than quantity.

• Communication is always positive: It may be positive or negative. • Words carry meanings: nonverbal communication will carry most of

the meanings.• Communication is natural ability: You can develop and sharpen

communication skills.

Non-verbal communication or face and body language constitutes

93% of message

Non-verbal communication is two-way communication

Tactile (Physical)

• This involves the use of touch to impart meaning as in a handshake, a pat on the back or an arm around the shoulder.

The use of gestures, movements, material things and space can clarify or confuse the

meaning of verbal communication.

The use of gestures, movements, material things and space can clarify or confuse the

meaning of verbal communication.

What is Active Listening?

• Good communication is a two-way street, a process of give and take between individuals.

Developing Active Listening Skills

– interviewing candidates– solving work problems– seeking to help an employee

on work performance– finding out reasons for

performance discrepancies.

• There are a number of situations when you need to solicit good information from others; these situations include:

Developing Active Listening SkillsDeveloping Active Listening Skills

• When you initiate conversations with employees, greet them personally and listen sincerely.

• Ask friendly questions, such as "How's the family?" and "What's going on with you?" Listen for hidden messages in words and actions.

• The speaker may not want to say certain things out of fear of a negative reaction. Be aware of the other person's body language and tone of voice. Attend to non-verbal cues, body language, not just words; listen between the lines .

Developing Active Listening SkillsDeveloping Active Listening Skills

• Look at the person; listen openly and with empathy. • State your position openly; be specific, not global • Respond in an interested way that shows you understand

the problem and the employee's concern • Use multiple techniques to fully comprehend (ask,

repeat, rephrase, etc.). • Ask the other person for as much detail as he/she can

provide; paraphrase what the other is saying to make sure you understand it and check for understanding. Ask the other for his views or suggestions

Miscommunication happens!

• The key point is that everything you do during the communication process is sending a message to your employees. • As a result, there are countless opportunities for miscommunication and confusion, particularly as the messages go through your employees’ filter mechanisms.

Types of Barriers

• Interpersonal Barriers• Organizational Barriers

• Perception and perceptual selection processes

• Semantics (language) • Channel selection• Inconsistent verbal and nonverbal

communication.

Interpersonal barriers Interpersonal barriers Interpersonal barriers Interpersonal barriers

Organizational Barriers

• Physical distractions• Information overload• Time pressure• Technical and in-group language• Status differences• Task and organization structure

requirements• Absence of formal communication channels

Organizational Barriers Physical distractions

• Physical distractions in organizations include interruptions, noise, and equipment breakdowns. The reality of organizational life is that at best we can try to minimize distractions instead of eliminating them altogether.

A Fact

Communication skills and effectiveness can be improved

The following Slides show some recommendations on

Have a Clear Message

• your message should be clear in your own mind before you ever send it. If your thinking is a little vague, or if your objectives are rather sketchy, that is exactly how your message will be communicated and received.

Understand Your Employees

• The fact is that your employees have a vast array of motivations, expectations, values, and styles that need to be recognized if you want to communicate effectively with them.

• By understanding as much as possible about your employees, you can then select the best style, channel, vocabulary, volume, sentence structure, content, format, and timing to communicate successfully with them.

Getting out of the e-mail box

Some bosses tend to rely excessively on e-mail, with some believing that once they have sent a

particular message, the communication process is complete.

This is merely one-way communication of the most limited form, because matters of intonation, volume, pace, and

inflection are missing.

Getting out of the e-mail box

E-mail can be very helpful and productive for transmitting specific

facts or data

but all sorts of problems can arise when the issues are even slightly complex, and that describes most

business issues today.

Why?

Because e-mail is one-dimensional and lacks so many of the elements present in face-to-face communication, there is a tremendous potential for conflict and confusion. The main reason is that neither the sender nor the receiver picks up sufficient cues to really know what the other is trying to say. As a result, even the most basic e-mail communication has the potential to quickly escalate into a war of words.

Don’t Be Defensive

• A major source of problem in communication is defensiveness.

• Effective communicators are aware that defensiveness is a typical response in a work situation especially when negative information or criticism is involved.

• Be aware that defensiveness is common, particularly with subordinates when you are dealing with a problem. Try to make adjustments to compensate for the likely defensiveness.

Learn When It's Better to Keep Quiet

Training should be provided

• Training in effective communication should always be available to team leaders, supervisors and managers.

• Communication materials and support should be provided to managers, supervisors and team leaders as appropriate.

THANK YOU