Nature,imp&role Of Communication

Communication is defined as the management of messages for the purpose of creating meaning. For effective transmission of the message certain principles have to be followed, they are also called the seven C’s of communication: 1. Completeness- every communication must be complete and adequate. Incomplete message keeps the receiver guessing, create misunderstanding and delay actions. 2. Conciseness- communication should be brief and be able to say whatever you have to say in fewest possible words. 3. Clarity- the message must be put in simple words to ensure clarity. We should use precise, concrete and simple words. And construct effective sentences and paragraphs. 4. Correctiveness- there should be right level of language and accuracy of facts, figures and words. 5. Concreteness- it means being specific, definite, vivid rather than vague and general. 6. Consideration- it means preparing the message with the receiver in mind. The words like you should be used instead of I and we. Always emphasize positive and pleasant facts. 7. Courtesy- it stems from a sincere you attitude. Applying socially accepted manners is a form of courtesy. It means politeness that grows out of respect and concern for others.

NATURE OF COMMUNICATION Communication is an adaptation that helps animals survive. The nature of communication is the exchange of information between two people. It is required that there should be both a sender and a receiver for communication to take place. Communication is reciprocal. So at any time the sender is sending a message the receiver is also sending messages. Effective communication entails the sender encoding a message and transmitting it to the receiver where the receiver successfully decodes the message. So you put your thoughts into words in a language you know and you "send it" to your receiver. You can send it through talking, posting it on a message board, sending an email, etc. This goes through a channel which can have "noise" which interferes with the message. Your receiver gets the message and "decodes" it. If this is done successfully they will understand your message. Things that might hinder this would be if the other person doesn't speak the same language as you. 1. Two-way process- communication is possible only when there are at least two persons, one sender and the other receiver. 2. Information sharing and understanding- communication doesn’t take simply because of information transfer but it also depends on the understanding of the receiver. 3. Verbal and non-verbal- a message can communicate through symbols, gestures and actions and can also use informal channels.

4. Circular flow- the flow of information ids circular, i.e. the communication starts when the sender transmits a message and is completed when the receiver sends the feedback to the sender. 5. Goal oriented- the communication is always goal oriented and the ultimate purpose is understanding between the sender and the receiver. 6. Continuous process- exchange of ideas and information is an ongoing process in business and non business organizations. 7. Pervasive activity- it takes place at all levels (top, middle, low) and in all functional areas (production, finance, marketing, personnel, etc.)

IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION Communication is one of the basic functions of management in any organization and its importance can hardly be overemphasized. It is a process of transmitting information, ideas, thoughts, opinions and plans between various parts of an organization. You cannot have human relations without communication. However, good and effective communication is required not only for good human relations but also for good and successful business.

The Role of Communication Communication plays a key role in the success of any workplace program or policy and serves as the foundation for all five types of psychologically healthy workplace practices. Communication about workplace practices helps achieve the desired outcomes for the employee and the organization in a variety of ways: Examples of communication strategies that can help make your workplace programs successful include:

•

Providing

regular,

on-going

opportunities

for

employees

to

provide

feedback

to

management. Communication vehicles may include employee surveys, suggestion boxes, town hall meetings, individual or small group meeting with managers, and an organizational culture that supports open, two-way communication.

•

Making the goals and actions of the organization and senior leadership clear to workers by

communicating key activities, issues and developments to employees and developing policies that facilitate transparency and openness.

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Assessing

the needs of

employees and involving

them

in the development and

implementation of psychologically healthy workplace practices.

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Using multiple channels (for example, print and electronic communications, orientation and

trainings, staff meetings and public addresses) to communicate the importance of a psychologically healthy workplace to employees.

•

Leading by example, by encouraging key organizational leaders to regularly participate in

psychologically healthy workplace activities in ways that are visible to employees. Communicating information about the outcomes and success of specific psychologically healthy workplace practices to all members of the organ

Good communication is critical in ensuring coordination and control of individuals, groups and departments. Good communication ensures individuals know what is expected of them, that the appropriate person receives the correct information and that there is coordination within the organisation. It ensures control of the organisation’s plans and procedures and that instructions given to staff by management are understood. Group and team cohesiveness is encouraged and stress can be reduced. Many problems such as bias, distortion and omission are often the result of poor communication. However, these can be reduced and removed, as can secrecy, rumour and innuendo. This can result in the added advantage of conflict reduction.

DIRECTIONS OF COMMUNICATION The type of communication and the medium used will depend to a greater or lesser extent on organisational structure. This will in turn be a function of the product or service and its environment. There are many forms of communication within an organisation, formal and informal. Generally, in formal organisations information flows through quite clear channels and in defined directions. Traditionally, the direction of the three main information flows is downward, upward and lateral. 1. Downward communication is associated with giving orders or instructions from senior management. This form of communication is often the one most easily recognized. Its purpose is to give specific directives, provide information about procedures and practices or provide information about the task in hand. Control of employees and information about their performance is an important use of downward communication, as is the provision of information on organisational and departmental objectives. Modes of downward communication can be: • • • • • •

Handbooks and Pamphlets Posters and Bulletin Hose journal Pay inserts and direct mails Annual reports Special meetings

Merits of downward communication: • • • •

Mission and Goals Plans and Policies Duty and Authority Job satisfaction

Limitations of downward communication: • •

Distortion Incomplete Information

• •

Time Consuming Filtration of Information

2. Upward communication is usually communication initiated from the employees and tends to be non-directive in nature. It generally takes two forms, personal problems / suggestions or technical feedback, as part of the organisation’s control system. Modes of upward communication can be: • • • • •

Suggestion System Grievance Procedure Open door policy Questionnaires Ombudsperson

Merits of upward communication: • • • • •

Feedback Creative ideas Better relations Overcomes resistance to change Increased Motivation

Limitations of upward communication: • • • • •

Fears and Apprehensions Filtration Time consuming Inattention by superiors Low morale

3. Lateral or horizontal communication is increasingly important and necessary in modern organisations, especially as traditional communication theory assumes only vertical communication. It can take the form of task coordination, such as departmental managers or supervisors meeting regularly or problem solving through departmental members meeting to resolve an issue by sharing ideas with other departments. It can resolve conflict and interdepartmental friction. Merits of lateral communication can be: • • •

Speedy Facilitates problem solving Mutual trust and confidence developed

Demerits of lateral communication:

• • •

Differences in perceptions and attitudes Difference in the likes and dislikes Lack of knowledge about other functional areas

COMMUNICATION PROCESS Communication can best be summarized as the transmission of a message from a sender to a receiver in an understandable manner. The importance of effective communication is immeasurable in the world of business and in personal life. From a business perspective, effective communication is an absolute must, because it commonly accounts for the difference between success and failure or profit and loss. It has become clear that effective business communication is critical to the successful operation of modern enterprise. Every business person needs to understand the fundamentals of effective communication. It has proven been proven that poor communication reduces quality, weakens productivity, and eventually leads to anger and a lack of trust among individuals within the organization. The communication process is made up of four key components. Those components include encoding, medium of transmission, decoding, and feedback. There are also two other factors in the process, and those two factors are present in the form of the sender and the receiver. The communication process begins with the sender and ends with the receiver. The first step the sender is faced with involves the encoding process. In order to convey meaning, the sender must begin encoding, which means translating information into a message in the form of symbols that represent ideas or concepts. This process translates the ideas or concepts into the coded message that will be communicated. The symbols can take on numerous forms such as, languages, words, or gestures. These symbols are used to encode ideas into messages that others can understand. When encoding a message, the sender has to begin by deciding what he/she wants to transmit. This decision by the sender is based on what he/she believes about the receivers knowledge and assumptions, along with what additional information he/she wants the receiver to have. It is important for the sender to use symbols that are familiar to the intended receiver. A good way for the sender to improve encoding their message, is to mentally visualize the communication from the receiver's point of view. To begin transmitting the message, the sender uses some kind of channel (also called a medium). The channel is the means used to convey the message. Most channels are either oral or written. Common channels include the telephone and a variety of written forms such as memos, letters, and reports. The effectiveness of the various channels fluctuates depending on the characteristics of the communication. If a sender relays a message through an inappropriate channel, its message may not reach the right receivers. That is why senders need to keep in mind that selecting the appropriate channel will greatly assist in the effectiveness of the receiver's understanding.

After the appropriate channel is selected, the message enters the decoding stage of the communication process. Decoding is conducted by the receiver. Once the message is received and examined, the stimulus is sent to the brain for interpreting, in order to assign some type of meaning to it. It is this processing stage that constitutes decoding. The receiver begins to interpret the symbols sent by the sender, translating the message to their own set of experiences in order to make the symbols meaningful. Successful communication takes place when the receiver correctly interprets the sender's message. The receiver is the individual to whom the message is directed. Feedback is the final link in the chain of the communication process. After receiving a message, the receiver responds in some way and signals that response to the sender. The signal may take the form of a spoken comment, a long sigh, a written message, a smile, or some other action. "Even a lack of response, is in a sense, a form of response" (Bovee & Thill, 1992). Without feedback, the sender cannot confirm that the receiver has interpreted the message correctly. Feedback is a key component in the communication process because it allows the sender to evaluate the effectiveness of the message. Feedback ultimately provides an opportunity for the sender to take corrective action to clarify a misunderstood message. "

COMMUNICATION NETWORK Broadly speaking there are two types of communication which take place in an organization. These are: 1. Formal communication 2. Informal communication FORMAL COMMUNICATION It refers to the official communication that takes place following the chain of command in the organization. It can occur in different directions. Advantages of formal communication: • Orderly flow of information • Identified source • Authentic information • Justification of authority • Control • Answerability for actions Disadvantages of informal communication: • Time consuming • Lack of personnel touch • Distortion • Expensive INFORMAL COMMUNICATION Communication between individuals and groups which are not officially recognized is known as informal communication. In organizational content the informal communication is known as grapevine as the origin and direction of the flow of informally conveyed messages cannot be easily traced. It has the following features: • It transmit information in every direction • It transmits information rapidly • It is selective in regards to person who receives the information • It extends beyond the formal hierarchy system • It generally occurs orally • It is based on people rather than task • It doesn’t follow a fixed pattern Advantages of informal communication: • Social relations • Need satisfaction • Speed • Avenue of expressions • Feedback • Supporting the formal channel • Better human relations Disadvantages of informal communication: • Incomplete information

• • • • •

Distortion Unreliability Leakage Lack of authenticity Problem in fixing responsibility

Formal communication •

Informal communication •

Independent of authority relations in the organization.

• •

Follows officially established chain of command and lines of communication. Slow moving Easy to pinpoint the responsibility

• •

• •

Task oriented Consists of work related matters

• •

• •

Orderly and systematic It flows in vertical, horizontal directions It can oral or written The message is accurate and authentic

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Fast and speedy Responsibility fixation is not possible People oriented Consists of work related as well social messages Unsystematic and erratic Flow in every possible direction

• •

• •

It is oral The message can’t be considered authentic unless it is supplemented by formal channels

COMMUNICATION NETWORKS 1. Single strand/ Chain network- one person communicates with one person only. A

B

C

2. Wheel network- people will communicate through one source who is called as the central authority like the hub of a wheel. B

C

A

D

E

3. Free flow network- in this there is no restrictions on the flow on communication. everyone is communicate to communicate with anyone and everyone in the organization. A

A

A

A

A

RUMOURS Rumour is a grapevine information which is communicated without authentic standards of evidence being present. It can be called as an untrue part of grapevine. It can be by chance be correct or is generally incorrect, so is presumed to be undesirable. Causes of rumour can be: • Plain maliciousness • Employee’s anxiety • Job insecurity • Poor communication It tends to change person to person as it passes. Its general theme may be maintained but not in details. The rumour gets twisted and distorted and gets an exaggerated shape. Dealing with rumours is the most important task before the management. We have to get to its root cause and try to kill it after it has started. When causes are known it should be stopped as early as possible. So the manager must pass in the correct message at the right time. The only solution is to get the facts across before misconceptions have a chance to get a foothold. Usually face to face supply of facts is the most effective way as it helps answer the particular ambiguities in each individual’s mind.

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION BARRIERS- the term barrier means hurdle or obstacle. Thus barriers to communication imply hindrance on the way of transmission of message fro sender to receiver. They generate confusion, conflict and misunderstanding in the organization by creating bottlenecks, delays and distortions of information. The different types of barriers are: • Physical & Mechanical barrier • Language or Semantic barrier • Socio-psychological barrier • Organizational barrier

•

Personal barrier

(1) PHYSICAL & MECHANICAL BARRIER a) Noise- communication does not occur in totally noise free environment. Noise though of varying degree, disturbs or interferes with communication. Adverse weather conditions and faulty tele-communication system are the other most common barriers. Noise due to heavy traffic machines, human sounds, construction/demolitions works, fans etc. makes communication difficult. Noise can be physical & psychological. Physical disturbances or distractions – such as gossips, loud speakers etc draw the attention of the receiver while psychological noise is related to the mental disturbances- ego clash, pre occupied thoughts, hang over, fatigue, anxiety & preconceived ideas. b) Distance- Long distances between the sender and the receiver can also obstruct effective communication. If sender and receiver are separated by geographical distances, tele-communication can result in miscommunication or incomplete communication. c) Time- Time refers to the reaching of the message. If an important message reaches late it is sure to effect communication. d) Information overload- It refers to excessive transmission of information. Much more information then what the receiver can process is transmitted to him. The receiver cannot understand, digest, analyze and act upon information overload that is beyond its mental capacity. e) Physical barriers- outdated machines and equipments can produce excessive noise leading to physical barriers in communication which destructs effective communication. f) Use of words with different meanings- Communication is mainly carried through spoken and written words. But the words used may convey different meanings to different people. When the reader or listener assigns a different meaning to a word then what the writer or speaker intended then occurs miscommunication. People interpret the word differently due to differences in their economic, social, cultural and educational background. (2) LANGUAGE OR SEMANTIC BARRIERS a) Unclear message- Lack of clarity and precision in a message makes it badly expressed. Poorly chosen and empty words and phrases, careless omissions, lack of coherence, bad organization of ideas, awkward sentence structure are common faults found in this case. b) Faulty Translation- Every manager receives various kinds of communication from superiors, peers, subordinates and he must translate information destined for subordinates, peers and superiors into language suitable to each. Approximate understanding of words and the consequent faulty translation lead to impaired efficiency and heavy costs. c) Specialist’s language- It is often found that technical personal and special groups tend to develop a special, peculiar and technical language of their own. d) Unclarified assumptions- There are certain uncommunicated assumptions which underlie practically all messages. Though a message appears to be specific its underlying assumptions may not be clear to the receiver.

(3) SOCIO-PSYCOLOGICAL BARRIERS a) Differences in perceptions- Perpetual barriers may arise due to differences between individuals in the way they perceive, organize and understand their environment. Differences in perceptions arise due to different job experiences, educational backgrounds, value systems etc. b) Differences in attitudes- People differ with regard to attitudes and opinions which often interfere with communication. If the message is consistent with our attitudes we receive it favorably. On the other hand if the message is contrary to our expectations, beliefs and cherished values we do not react favorably to it. c) Emotions- How the receiver feels at the time of receiving the message influences how effectively he interprets the information. Extreme emotions and jubilation or depression are quite likely to hinder the effectiveness of communication d) Inattention- Communication has no effect on those who are unwilling to listen. This may be a matter of motivation. If people do not pay the required amount of attention to listening and understanding the message supposed to receive, communication will lose its purpose. e) Closed minds- One of the assumptions implicit in the communication is that both the receiver and the sender have open minds, which enable them to process information in an uninhibited manner. If people limit their agenda to their own narrow goals and views, no effective communication is possible because closed minds regard all information as unnecessary overload. f) Premature evaluation- Some people form a judgement before receiving the complete message. Such premature evaluation prevents effective communication. The decision based on incomplete information is likely to be wrong. g) Distrust- It arises out of ill-considered judgments or illogical decisions of the communication by the communicator. Repeated experience of this kind gradually conditions the receiver to delay actions. h) Resistance to change- It is the general tendency of humans to maintain status quo. When new ideas are being communicated the listening apparatus may act as a filter in receiving new ideas. Thus resistance to change is an important obstacle to effective communication. i) Cultural differences- They are faced when managers deal with people of different cultures. Symbols, words, colors, gestures, language must be carefully selected when senders of information are dealing with people of different cultures. (4) ORGANISATIONAL BARRIERS a) Status relationship- Organization structure creates a number of status level among the members of the organization. Status refers to the regard and attitude displayed and held towards a position by the members of the organization. This may create hurdles in the communication. The common causes for obstacle in communication due to status are non-listening habit of the superior and the desire to keep maximum information with oneself.

b) One way flow- Effective communication is a two way street in which both the sender and the receiver feel free to interact which enhances the quality of the process. But where the flow of feedback from the receiver is blocked, understanding will suffer. c) Organization structure- The organization structure influences the ability of members to communicate effectively. The organization structure of most big enterprise is complex. It creates problems as communication may break down at the level of supervision due to faulty transmission in order to overcome these difficulties. d) Distance barriers- If both communicator and communicate are at distant places, the communicate fails to get the immediate clarification required. e) Mechanical barriers- Equipments used for communication should be in perfect working order. Any defect in the equipments may distort the impression. (5) PERSONAL BARRIERS a) Attitude of superiors- The attitude of superiors towards communication in general or at any particular direction affects the flow of messages in different directions. b) Lack of confidence in subordinates- Superiors generally perceive, that their subordinates are less competent and capable, they are not able to advise superiors or they may not have some information coming downwards. c) Ignoring communication- Sometimes superiors consciously and deliberately ignore the communication from their subordinates to maintain their importance. This works against the willingness of subordinates to communicate. d) Filtering of information- Sometimes the sender intentionally screens the information for passing only such information which will look favorable to the receiver. The remedies for filtering are a well designed feedback system, development of rapport with subordinates, listening to subordinates with understanding attitude and reducing the fear of failure. e) Lack of time- They don’t have spare considerable time to talk to their juniors. They feel that they overburdened with work. f) Message overload- It is really a hurdle in the communication process. If message overload is routine, there is a grave danger to the orderly and smooth flow of communication. The effect of overload may be omission of message, errors, delay, filtering and approximation.

ACHIEVING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION Communication is the soul of an organization, and without it the organization can’t exist. Therefore managers must ensure that there is adequate and smooth flow of communication in all directions. For this the manager has to take necessary steps for making communication effective. 1. Clarity in idea- the communicator should be quite clear about what he want to communicate. It is a process starting with ideation that includes generation of ideas which are meant for communication. 2. Purpose of communication- every communication has some purpose. However the ultimate objective may be extended, for example, getting an order accepted by

the subordinate. The communication should be extended towards the objective by the communicator. 3. Empathy in communication- the way for effective communication is to be sensitive towards receiver’s needs, feelings and perceptions. This is what imply projecting oneself into the viewpoint of the other person. When the sender looks at the problem’s from receiver’s point of view misunderstanding is avoided. 4. Two way communication- two way communication brings two minds together which is the core of any communication. It involves a continuous dialogue between sender and receiver of the message. 5. Appropriate language- the matter of communication is transmitted by encoding it into symbols. Such symbols may be in the form of words, either spoken or written, and gestures. The language used for communication should be understandable by the receiver. Technical terminology may be impressive looking but they can also be troublesome to the listener. 6. Supporting words with actions- often it is said that action speak louder than words. The sender may use the actions to emphasize on a point. This enhances in understanding the important point in communication. This will also ensure seriousness in communication. 7. Credibility in communication- one criteria for effective managerial communication is that it has believability. The subordinates obey the order of the superiors because he has demonstrated that he is worthy of trust. He must also maintain the trust and credibility. 8. Good listening- a communicator must be a good listener too. By this process, he is not only giving chance to others to speak but he gathers useful information. By concentrating on the speaker’s words the manager can obtain a much better understanding of what is being said. Newstrom and Davis suggested some points which may be observed in listening: • • • • • • • • •

No talking Put the talker at ease Show the talker that you want to listen to Remove distractions Emphasize with the talker Be patient Hold your temper Go easy on arguments and criticism Ask questions