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FUNDAMENTALS OF

COMMUNICATION

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COMMUNICATION DEFINED

A process in which one person or group evokes a shared or common

meaning to another person or group

Communication Defined

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Communication

• Oral– All forms of spoken information and is by far

the preferred type of communication used by managers.

• Written– Includes letters, memos, policy manuals,

reports, and other documents used to share information used in an organization.

• Nonverbal– Involves all messages that are nonlanguage

responses.

Forms of Communication

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The Communication Process

Basic Elements in the Communication Process

Sender Encodes Medium Decodes Receiver

Social context

Feedback

Noise Noise

The Communication Process

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Basic Elements in the Communication Proces4

Social ContextElement 1 : Sender The setting in which a communication takes

place.

Basic Elements in the Communication Process

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Element 2 : Message and EncodingMessage :

The tangible forms of coded symbols that are intended to give a particular meaning to

the data.

Encoding :Translating the sender’s ideas into a systematic set of symbols or a language expressing the communicator’s purpose.

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Basic Elements in the Communication Proces4

Element 3: Medium

– Medium• The carrier of the message or the means by which the message is sent.

Basic Elements in the Communication Process

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Element 4: Message Decoding

Decoding• The translation of received messages into interpreted

meanings.

Basic Elements in the Communication Process

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Element 5 : Receiver and his Feedback– The process of verifying messages and the

receiver’s attempts to ensure that the message decoded is what the sender meant to convey.

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Element 6: Noise– Any internal or external interference or

distraction with the intended message that can cause distortion in the sending and receiving of messages.

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Organizational Communication Flows

Upward

Information

Downward

Instructions Directives

Coordination

Horizontal

Managing Communication Within Diverse Organizations

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Vertical Communication

• Downward Communications

– Flows from individual in higher levels of the organization to those in lower levels.

– Includes meetings, official memos, policy statements, manuals, and company publications.

Vertical Communication

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• Upward Communications

Consists of messages sent up the line from subordinates to bosses. Includes ,

– (1) personal reports of performance, problems or concerns,

– (2) reactions to organizational policies, and – (3) employee suggestions

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• The horizontal information flow that occurs both within and between departments

• The purpose of lateral communications is coordination

Lateral Communication

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BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

1. Sender related– Amount of knowledge– Too much of knowledge– Presentation order– Lack of familiarity with audience– Lack of experience

• Problem in message transmission• Problem in receiver comprehension

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Barriers to Effective Communications

2. Cross-Cultural Diversity– The greater the difference between the

sender’s and receiver’s cultures, the greater the chance for miscommunication.

3.Trust and Honesty– A lack of trust can cause the receiver to look

for hidden meanings in the sender’s message.

Barriers to Effective Communications

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Barriers to Effective Communications

4. Information Overload– The increasing use of technology in

organizations is often leading to overload when the amount of information we can process is exceeded.

5. Gender Differences– Because males and females are often treated

differently from childhood, they tend to develop different perspectives, attitudes about life, and communication styles.

Barriers to Effective Communications

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6. Perception Two people may perceive the same thing in

different ways and miscommunication happen.

Barriers to Effective Communications

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7. Language Characteristics

When two individuals are using different meanings or interpretations of the same word and do not realize it, a communication barrier exists.

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8. Other Factors Time pressures may cause us to focus on

information that helps us make decisions quickly, although the information may not be of high quality.

Feedback may be impaired or absent.

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How to Make Communication Effective

• Knowledge of the subject• Focus on the purpose• Know your Audience• Be Organized

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Nonverbal Communication

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Characteristics of Non-Verbal Communication

• Communicates emotions and Attitude• Regulate verbal messages• Ambiguous (unclear )• Continuous• More reliable

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Nonverbal Communication Skills

• Nonverbal communication skills are essential for sending and decoding messages with emotional content.

• Dimensions of nonverbal communication:– Paralanguage (Voice quality, Volume, Rate of speech, Voice

pitch, Rhythm, Pronunciation)– Kinesics (Body movements and gestures – Emblems, Adapters,

Illustrators, Regulators)– Eye contact– Touch– Physical distance

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LISTENING