Unit I

1. What is Communication and discuss its importance.

The word communication has been derived from the Latin word 'communicare' that means ‘to share’.
Communication may be defined as interchange of thought or information between two or more persons
to bring about mutual understanding and desired action. It is the information exchange by words or
symbols. It is the exchange of facts, ideas and viewpoints which bring about commonness of interest,
purpose and efforts.

According to Keith Davis,‘The process of passing the information and understanding from one person
to another.

"Communication is something so simple and difficult that we can never put it in simple words," says T.S.
Mathews.

But we do need a definition to understand the term. In his book Communication in Business, Peter Little
defines communication as follows: “Communication is the process by which information is transmitted
between individuals and / or organizations so that an understanding response results.”

Another very simple definition of 'communication' has been provided by W.H. Newman and C.F.
Summer Jr: “Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions, or emotions by two or more
persons.” It is essentially a bridge of meaning between the people. By using the bridge a person can
safely across the river of misunderstanding’. It is the ability of mankind to communicate across barriers
and beyond boundaries that has ushered the progress of mankind. It is the ability of fostering speedy and
effective communication around the world that has shrunk the world and made ‘globalization’ a reality.

Communication had a vital role to play in ensuring that people belonging to a particular country or a
culture or linguistic group interact with and relate to people belonging to other countries or culture or
linguistic group. Communication adds meaning to human life. It helps to build relationship and fosters
love and understanding. It enriches our knowledge of the universe and makes living worthwhile.
However, communication incorporates, besides commonality, the concepts of transfer, meaning and
information. It implies that there must be a receiver if communication is to occur. The sender of message
must consider the receiver while structuring his message from a technical standpoint as well as in
delivering it. When the receiver is not considered, there is either no response or there is wrong response.
Sharing of understanding would be possible only when the person, to whom the message is meant,
understands it in the same sense in which the sender of the message wants him to understand. Thus,
communication involves something more than mere transmission of the message or transmission and
physical receipt thereof. The correct interpretation of the message is important from the point of view of
organizational efficiency. As such, the greater the degree of understanding presents in the
communication, the more the likelihood that human action will proceed in the direction of
accomplishment of goals.
 Just as communication is vital for our existence in civilizes society, so also it is essential for functioning
of organization. So without communication there would be no organization. Needless to say,
communication is the ingredient that makes organization possible. It is the vehicle through which the
basic management functions are carried out.

Managers direct through communication; they coordinate through communication; and they staff, plan,
and control through communication. Virtually all actions taken in an organization are preceded by
communication.

Communication helps the subordinates in better planning by identifying the weaknesses and merits of
the plans. Decisions are improved by effective communication as communication makes the larger
participation possible. Communication helps in improving the motivation as the feedback provides an
opportunity to the manager to understand the feelings, behavior, temperament, capabilities and
limitations in better way. Communication improves the public relations as it helps in minimizing the
misunderstandings and doubts. Communication helps in integrating the people and an aid to
coordination. Communication process transmits ideas, decisions and orders of managers on one hand and
receives response, reaction of subordinates on the other. Communication renders the complexity of
business intelligible and workable.

2. Purpose of Communication

For instruction: The instructive function unvarying and importantly deals with the commanding nature.
It is more or less of directive nature. Under this, the communicator transmits with necessary directives
and guidance to the next level, so as to enable them to accomplish his particular tasks. In this, instructions
basically flow from top to the lower level.

For integration: It is consolidated function under which integration of activities is endeavoured. The
integration function of communication mainly involves to bring about inter-relationship among the
various functions of the business organization. It helps in the unification of different management
functions.

For information: The purposes or function of communication in an organization is to inform the

individual or group about the particular task or company policies and procedures etc. Top management
informs policies to the lower level through the middle level. In turn, the lower level informs the top level
the reaction through the middle level. Information can flow vertically, horizontally and diagonally across
the organization. Becoming informed or inform others is the main purpose of communication.

For evaluation: Examination of activities to form an idea or judgement of the worth of task is achieved
through communication. Communication is a tool to appraise the individual or team, their contribution
to the organization. Evaluating one’s own inputs or other’s outputs or some ideological scheme demands
an adequate and effective communication process.
For direction: Communication is necessary to issue directions by the top management or manager to the
lower level. Employee can perform better when he is directed by his senior. Directing others may be
communicated either orally or in writing. An order may be common order, request order or implied order.

For teaching: The importance of personal safety on the job has been greatly recognized. A complete
communication process is required to teach and educate workers about personal safety on the jobs. This
communication helps the workers to avert accidents, risk etc. and avoid cost, procedures etc.

For influencing: A complete communication process is necessary in influencing others or being

influenced. The individual having potential to influence others can easily persuade others. It implies the
provision of feedback which tells the effect of communication.

For image building: A business enterprise cannot isolate from the rest of the society. There is
interrelationship and interdependence between the society and an enterprise operating in the society.
Goodwill and confidence are necessarily created among the public. It can be done by the communication
with the different media, which has to project the image of the firm in the society. Through an effective
external communication system, an enterprise has to inform the society about its goals, activities,
progress and social responsibility.

For employees’ orientation: When a new employee enters into the organization at that time he or she will
be unknown to the organization programs, policies, culture etc. Communication helps to make people
acquainted with the co-employees, superior and with the policies, objectives, rules and regulations of the
organization.

3. Process of Business Communication / Elements of Communication

Communication cannot be effective unless and until a clear message is developed & delivered well,
received & decoded successfully and completely understood by the receiver. The process of
communication consists of the following steps:

1. Idea

Idea is the beginning of the process of communication. Every message either oral or written starts with
an idea. Idea is the thought originated in the mind of the receiver. The sender gives the shape to the idea.
Every idea refers to some context. Every business also has its internal and external context of
communication.

2. Sender

The person who begins the process of communication is known as the sender. When an idea occurs in
his mind, he encodes it and sends the idea to another person, institution, organization to achieve some
specified objective. The sender uses his personal data bank from where he selects the ideas and encodes
the message and finally transmits to the receiver. As we know that the process of communication starts
with the sender so whole of the burden of the success of communication and fulfillment of its objectives
largely depends upon the sender. From selecting an idea to its transmission large number of factors plays
an important role, most important among them is the understanding of the receiver and his needs. So
while selecting a message and encoding it, the sender must keep in mind the understanding capabilities
of the receiver. Language used must also be in accordance with the background of the receiver etc. If the
message is encoded in accordance with the needs and expectations of receiver, the level of rejection
reduces to its minimum.

3. Message

Message is the idea, emotion or the opinion encoded and transmitted by the sender. Or in simple words
we can say that message is the idea converted into text or word or picture or symbol for the understanding
of the receiver. The formation of the message is very crucial in the process of communication. A single
wrong appeal can make rejection of the message. So the selection of the words and their ordering is very
important. The idea must be ordered or sequenced in accordance with the need of the receiver so that its
significance is immediately grasped. The time when the receiver of the message starts decoding the
message, he starts listening, understanding and responding to the message carefully.

4. Encoding

Encoding is the way of expressing the message. Encoding is the process in which the idea is converted
into the form of message which is understood by the receiver. Encoding can be done in the form of words,
pictures, symbols, multi- media etc. So encoding of the idea is very crucial step in the process of
communication and requires more attention of the sender. So the encoding is done by keeping in mind
the goals of communication earlier stated in this module.

5. Medium and Channel

Another important element of the communication is its medium / channel. The method or the means by
which the message is transferred from the sender to the receiver is known as the medium /channel of the
message. The medium of the message can be oral, written, verbal or non-verbal. There is a slight
difference in the medium and the channel of the communication. Let us take an example: if the message
is communicated via telephone then telephone is the channel of the communication and oral message is
the medium. If the message is deliver via a report (Published or not published), then the report is the
channel of the message and written message is the medium. Before the formulation of the message, the
medium of the message is decided as the rules and regulations are applicable on each and every medium
of communication.

Lets us take another example, while using the oral medium one can be informal with the audience but
when we are using the written medium of communication we have to follow all principles of
communication as the text written in the document becomes the record and can be filed or used as the
evidence.

6. Receiver
Receiver is the person who receives the message encoded and transmitted by the sender. Actually
receiver is the person who decodes the sender’s message. A receiver can be individual or can be a group.
In his absence the process of communication cannot be completed because he is the destination of the
message. He can be a decoder, listener, reader or the viewer of the message. As the selection of idea and
its encoding in accordance with the needs and understanding receiver is the duty of the sender, the
decoding of the message in the same terms as were intended by the sender is the responsibility of the
receiver. The receiver must have the following responsibilities in the process of communication such as
actively listens, views, reads the message of the sender, not make any perception about the message and
sender before the message has been properly decoded, responds to the message.

7. Decoding

The mental process through which the receiver extracts the meaning from the words, symbols, pictures
encoded by the sender in the message is known as decoding. Decoding shares the same importance as
the encoding in the process of communication. If the decoding is done perfectly then the process of
communication completes successfully.

8. Feedback

Most important element of the communication is the feedback. The process of communication is
incomplete without the feedback. Feedback is defined as the receiver response toward the message
forwarded by the sender. The feedback is the medium via which the sender comes to know whether the
message is understood by the receiver or not. Feedback informs the sender that how the message is
interpreted by the receiver. The effective communication is always responsive to the feedback and
continually amends his or her message as per the feedback received.

Summary

Communication is considered as the life blood of the organization. Through communication every kind
of details whether internal to or external to organization, is transmitted between the different parties of
the organization. Communication is the medium through which the details of the mission, vision, goals,
objectives, operations, strategies etc. are explained to the employees of the organization. Through
communication only the organization comes to acquire the information about the opportunities offered
by the markets and threats to the organization, the needs and wants of the customers, the expectations
and demands of the society and rules and regulations detailed out by the government. So Communication
is the most demanding skill in the today’s era. For communication to be effective, all the steps in the
process of communication should be properly managed. So we can say that the communication is
necessary for the efficient, smooth and successful working of the organization.

4. Principles of Communication/7 Cs of Communication

It seems so simple: say what you mean. But it is not always so simple. Often our intended message gets
lost in transmission in spite of our best intentions. Communication is much more than exchanging
information. Communication at the work place can be your best friend or your enemy. It’s not only how
you are sending a message so that it is received and understood by receiver in the same way you intended,
it’s also how you listen to gain the full meaning of what’s being said and also to assure the person that
he has been heard and understood. So luckily we can learn how to communicate more effectively and
clearly. And for effectiveness of communication there are certain principles of both oral as well as written
communication. These principles if used help the communicators to communicate even negative or
complex messages without creating conflict or destroying trust. They all tie closely with the basic
concepts of the communication process and are important for transmitting effective written and oral
communications. Interestingly, all seven of them begin with the alphabet C. They are: 7 Cs-
Completeness, Conciseness, Consideration, Concreteness, Clarity, Courtesy and Correctness. All these
principles are not mutually exclusive in fact they overlap in many of the factors influencing these
principles. Now we discuss these principles in detail:

1. Completeness

Completeness means quantum of information needed for making a message complete and business
message is "complete" when it has all the necessary information which is required for the receiver of the
message to act in a particular way. Considering that receivers differ in their mental filters as they are
influenced by their backgrounds, viewpoints, needs, attitudes, status, and emotions, so the message
should be complete in itself to minimize the possibility of different understanding of the same message
by the different receivers. Completeness is important for many reasons. First, if the message is complete
then the probability of the desired response of the sender becomes very high without incurring extra cost
on additional messages. Second, complete messages are helpful in developing and maintaining the
goodwill of the organization. Third, since the message is complete and no information is extra or omitted,
the chances of legal actions against the organization are minimized. So the sender should ensure that
communication messages which are send are complete to avoid misunderstanding and delayed action. It
is advisable that the message which is transmitted always has a logical conclusion so that the receiver is
clear about what has to be done. The message must be self-sufficient, that is, it must hold well on its own
without support from other messages.

Following points should be kept in mind, for completeness of message:

1. Include all the essentials.

2. Answer all questions asked.

3. Give something extra, when desirable.

4. Check for the five W's: (i) Who (ii) What (iii) Where (iv) When & (v) Why.

5. Incomplete messages create confusions in the receivers mind and thus receiving proper feedback
becomes impossible.

6. A message to be meaningfully complete must be a value addition to the receiver.

2. Conciseness

Conciseness means the ability of conveying what you have to say in the minimum possible words with
maximum possible meaning conveyed, that is, without sacrificing the other C qualities of the message.
Conciseness is desired because a concise message saves time and expense for both sender and receiver.
One should be brief and be able to say whatever one has to say. Conciseness preserves the focus of the
message by eliminating redundant information. Quantum of information should be just right, neither too
much neither too little.

Business communication is founded on the principle of brevity. This principle applies not only to the
length but to the contents of the message as well. So while writing messages always write short and
meaningful sentences. Try to avoid technical jargons unless the message is being sent to a very
specialized group. This principle of communication should be adopted for both internal as well as
external communications.

Following points should be kept in mind to draft concise messages:

1. Brevity and relevance: The quantum of information should be provided on the basis of needs and
expectations of the receiver.

2. Avoid jargons: Jargons refer to words that are subject-specific. Avoid jargons as they confuse rather
than increase understanding.

3. Use audience relevant words: Words that are simple and relevant to the context should be used so that
receiver can understand them and relate to them.

4. Avoid unnecessary repetition: Repetitions of some words, points and examples make audience
disinterested in the topic and make them boring and consequently communication stops.

5. Eliminate wordy expressions: It means that when the message can be conveyed in lesser words don’t
burden the message with more words and long sentences.

6. Include only relevant statements, material: If unnecessary words are included or irrelevant themes are
added in the message the real focus of the message is lost and the receivers end being confused, so the
desired behavior will not follow after transmission of the message.

3. Consideration

Consideration means that you should prepare every message by keeping recipient in mind and by putting
yourself in his or her place. Before drafting the message think about their psychological and
circumstantial situations, their limitations, aspirations and likely reactions to the message and
accordingly design the message. So under this principle receivers’ needs are kept in mind while designing
the message. The message could be an office order, a circular, an advertisement, CEO’s speech for her
employees, a sales letter etc. But care has also to be taken that consideration does not compromise on the
interests of the organization. Another aspect of this principle is that one should also adopt one’s language
and message content so that the rest of the six C's of good business communication are taken care of. So
as per the receivers needs the message should be made complete, concise, concrete, clear, courteous, and
correct.

Following these specific ways you can indicate you are considerate:

1. Empathize with the receiver:

Use concepts and language with which the receiver can relate. Show respect to the sentiments, ideas,
notion, concept and values of the receiver. Try to put yourself in the position of the receiver and answer
the following questions:

What are your expectations and needs as the receiver?

What is your perception about the issue under discussion?

What will be your response in the current situation?

Has the content of the discussion been intellectually and emotionally satisfying?

Answer of these questions will help in framing a message that shows consideration for the receiver.

2. Bond with the audience:

Focus on ‘you’ or ‘we’ instead of ‘I’. Message drafted with a ‘we’ approach will be received well and
result in positive response.

3. Be receiver friendly:

Message should be designed keeping the receiver’s perspective in mind. While communicating with the
receiver, discourteous words or tone should not be used, both in written as well oral communication,
unless the situation especially demands like in case of reprimand.

4. Be honest and ethical:

Message should indicate honesty in character and integrity in approach. All the details should be
collected and presented in a manner that presents a true picture to the receiver.

4. Concreteness

Communicating with concreteness means being specific, definite and vivid rather than vague and general
regarding the issue under discussion. Ask yourself a few questions:

 Is the message to the point?

 Have you been specific in presentation of issues?

 What is the goal, the objective of your communication?

Clarity of purpose enhances correctness and specificity. Abstractions or abstract statements can cloud
the mind of the sender. The facts and figures presented should be specific.

5. Clarity

Clarity means designing and getting your message across in such a manner that the receiver understands
your message as you intended him to understand. So for receiver to understand the message clearly the
sender must design the message keeping in mind the background and understanding level of the receiver.
In communication, a string of words by themselves does not convey meaning. To communicate
effectively, a mix of clear concepts and intentions is required. Clarity is required much more in written
communication than in oral. Because in case of complexity sender is himself present to explain the issues.
But in written communication there is little scope for you to simplify message that lacks clarity.

Here are some specific tips to help make your messages clear:

 Use easily understandable language as per the ability of the receivers of the message.
 Finish one theme before starting with another in a write up or conversation.
 Include examples, illustrations, and other visual aids, when desirable.

6. Courtesy

Communication is an activity of mutual give and take of ideas and information. And in business
communication, almost everything starts with and ends in courtesy. If you want the receiver to be polite
and to listen, you must be willing to extend the same courtesy to the receiver. Courteous messages help
to strengthen present employee as well as business relations, as well as make new relations.

Examples:

To be courteous, communicators should follow these suggestions:

1. Be sincerely tactful, thoughtful, and appreciative:

This approach will help you in establishing better relationships with the receiver. By handling situation
tactfully you can make strong relationships and make the communication more meaningful.

2. Be respectful:

If you want respect from the receiver, you as a sender must take the first step and should show respect to
the receiver’s ideas and communication.

3. Use the right tone:

Your tone of message can vary with the type of relation you are having with the receiver. Your tone
while communicating with superiors, peers and subordinates should be different.
4. Omit expressions that irritate, hurt, or belittle.

5. Grant and apologize good-naturedly

6. Courtesy stems from sincere you-attitude.

7. Correctness

Correctness is understood in terms of the appropriate choice of words and tone for communicating the
message as well as the correctness of the information. The correctness principle comprises more than
proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling. One should use right level of language and accuracy of facts,
figures and words. Transmission of incorrect information to outsiders will spoil the public image of the
firm. If the information is not correctly conveyed, the sender will lose credibility. So any message should
not be transmitted unless one is absolutely sure of its correctness.

The term correctness, as applied to a business message, means the writer should:

i. Use correct grammar and appropriate language

ii. Include only accurate facts, and figures

iii. Maintain acceptable writing mechanics

iv. Choose nondiscriminatory expressions

v. Apply all other pertinent C qualities

The last step in the seven golden principles of communication is a check and rechecks for accuracy. The
message must not be erroneous. Before the written message is sent it should be checked for logic,
structure, content and grammar for errors. In an oral message also, one must do a thorough check on the
logic and structure of the content to be delivered. Instead of apologizing at a later date for mistakes in
the message it is better to check and ensure that the facts, figures and tone are accurate and appropriate.

Communication is the soul of any relationship or business. Communication is effective when it produces
the desired action in the audience. Effective communication means message is understood and acted
upon, and not merely sent to the recipient. But for the effective message, communication needs to adhere
to some basic principles like Completeness, Conciseness, Consideration, Concreteness, Clarity, Courtesy
and Correctness. All these principles help the sender to make message more effective. Thus sender can
have a positive impact on all the stakeholders of the organization, including employees, customers,
suppliers and other associates.

5. Barriers to Communication

For any kind of communication to be successful, it is essential that the receiver attributes the same
meaning to the message as intended by the sender of the message. But all acts of communication are not
perfect or successful. At times, some meaning is lost as the message encounters various barriers along
its passage between the sender and the receiver. Such barriers may arise at any of the stages through
which a message passes during the process of communication. This is also called miscommunication.

Some of the common problems that lead to the failure of communication are: noise, cultural differences,
complexity of subject matter, personal biases, semantic problems, socio-psychological barriers, filtering,
information overload, poor retention, poor listening, goal conflicts, slanting, inferring, etc.

Types of barriers

Barriers to communication can be classified into the following broad categories:

1) Physical or Mechanical barriers

2) Semantic or language barriers

3) Organizational barriers

4) Socio-psychological barriers

5) Cultural barriers

Physical or Mechanical Barriers

Physical barriers are those barriers which are caused due to some technical defects in the media used for
communication and/or due to certain disturbances in the surrounding environment.

Often, the term ‘noise’ is used as a blanket term to refer to the physical barriers in general. But noise, in
its literal sense, is also one of the factors that give rise to the physical barriers during the process of
communication.

Besides noise, wrong selection of medium, lack of acoustics, poor lighting, frequent movements of hands,
fiddling with a pen, or even serving of tea during an important conversation- all of these are also
responsible for creating physical barriers in the communication process.

a. Noise

Noise is the first major barrier to communication. Communication is distorted by noise that crops up at
the transmission level. The meaning attributed to the word ‘noise’ in the field of Communication is
derived from the realm of Physics. In Physics, noise refers to “a disturbance, especially a random and
persistent disturbance, which obscures or reduces the clarity of a signal”.

The modern-day connotation of the word ‘noise’ is “irrelevant or meaningless data” as is apparent from
its usage in the field of Computer Science.

For example, the noise of the traffic around a school obstructs the smooth flow of information between
the teacher and the students. It makes oral communication difficult. Similarly, poor signal or static while
talking over the cell phone or while using the public address system or while watching TV also distorts
the sound signals and disrupts communication. Bad weather conditions may also sometimes interfere
with the transmission of signals and may lead to breakdown of the communication channels.

As discussed above, noise is not only the disruption of sound signals, but it also includes all the barriers
that may arise at any of the various stages of communication. In a broad sense, it denotes semantic
barriers, perceptional barriers as well as psychological barriers.

b. Time and Distance

Time and distance may also obstruct the smooth flow of information. Today, because of technological
advancements, we have faster means of communication available to us and this in turn has made the
world a smaller place. But at times, these means of communication may not be easily accessible because
of unavailability or due to technical/technological problems.

This may lead not only to a physical but also a communication gap between the transmitter and the
receiver. Time differences between people living in two different countries may affect communication
between them. Even people working in different shifts in the same organization may also face problems
in communicating effectively.

Improper seating arrangement in a classroom or in a conference hall may also act as a barrier to effective
communication as it is difficult to maintain eye contact with one’s audience.

c. Wrong Choice of Medium

This can also create a barrier to effective communication. For example, if an expert uses charts or graphs
or PowerPoint presentations to orient the illiterate workers or volunteers to a new method of working,
they are bound to be ill-equipped to infer any information or instructions from such sophisticated
presentations.

d. Surroundings

Adverse weather conditions affect not only the means of communication, but also have an impact on the
sender and the receiver of the message. When two people have to communicate with each other under
extreme weather conditions, whether too hot or too cold, their surroundings does have a direct
repercussion on the effectiveness of the exchange that takes place between them.

Thus, physical factors determine people’s mood and also influence their mental agility and thereby their
capacity to communicate effectively. Extreme heat and humidity make people either hyper or listless and
thus cause immense stress which in turn affects clear thinking and the attitude of the communicator;
whereas, extreme cold weather induces laziness and also impedes the ability to think clearly and respond
sharply, thereby causing communication failure.

Semantic or Language Barriers

Semantics is the systematic study of the meaning of words. Thus, the semantic barriers are barriers related
to language. Such barriers are problems that arise during the process of encoding and/or decoding the
message into words and ideas respectively. Both the oral and the written communication are based on
words/symbols which are ambiguous in nature. Words/symbols may be used in several ways and may
have several meanings. Unless the receiver knows the context, he may interpret the words/symbols
according to his own level of understanding and may thus misinterpret the message. The most common
semantic barriers are listed as under:

a. Misinterpretation of Words

Semantic problems often arise because of the gap between the meaning as intended by the sender and
that as understood by the receiver. This happens when the receiver does not assign the same meaning to
the word/symbol as the transmitter had intended.

Words are capable of expressing a variety of meanings depending upon their usage, i.e. in the context in
which they are used. The association between the word/symbol and the meaning assigned to it is of
arbitrary nature.

For example, the word 'yellow' when used as an adjective can have multiple connotations depending
upon its usage. Words have two levels of meaning- literal (descriptive) and metaphorical (qualitative).
‘Yellow’, besides being a primary colour, also stands for ‘freshness’, ‘beauty’, ‘sickness’, ‘decay’, etc.
Hence, the receiver is free to interpret it in any of these ways based on his own imagination and
experience.

But for communication to be perfect, it is essential that the receiver must assign to it the same meaning
which the sender had in his mind while encoding the message. Therefore, there is always a possibility of
misinterpretation of the messages. Mostly, such problems arise when the sender does not use simple and
clear words that can convey the exact meaning to the receiver.

b. Use of Technical Language

Technical or specialized language which is used by people or professionals who work in the same field
is known as jargon. Such technical language can be a barrier to communication if the receiver of the
message is not familiar with it. For example, in the computer jargon, 'to burn a CD' means 'to copy the
data on a CD'. To a layman, the word 'burn' may have a very different connotation.

c. Different languages

Employees have no common language in an organization to convey their ideas and feelings. This problem
is more acute in culturally diversified organization. Even the translation fails to convey the exact meaning
of difficult words of different languages.

d. Poor vocabulary and poor knowledge of grammar

Poor vocabulary makes the message more difficult and less effective. The words have different
connotative and denotative meanings. For effective communication, words should be used with clarity
and precision. Again, a good knowledge of grammar of the language structure provides excellent basis
for effective communication.

Organizational Barriers

Organizational structure greatly influences the flow of information within an organization. Some major
organizational barriers are as follows:

a. Goal Conflicts

There may be goal conflicts within the organization between the superiors and the subordinates, among
people working in the different departments, among the colleagues, etc. This may create a hostile
atmosphere within the organization and can lead to serious communication breakdown.

b. Organizational Policies

These are also to a great extent responsible for determining the kind of rapport that people working in
the same organization share with each other. If the organizational policy is such that it restricts the free
flow of information in all directions then communication would not be successful. In some organizations,
there may be rules to restrict the flow of certain messages and this may deter employees from conveying
those messages, however important they may be. If an organization favours the open door policy, the
subordinates would not feel shy or reluctant to approach their superiors directly. But in the organizations
where the formal channels of communication have to be strictly adhered to, the superiors and the
subordinates share an awkward relationship. They experience a lot of discomfiture while interacting with
each other. Because of this, the objective of communication may never be accomplished.

c. Organizational Hierarchy

The hierarchical structure of the organization may also impede the flow of information and this can cause
delay in taking decisions. When the message passes along the chain of command in an organization, there
are chances of filtering and distortion of the message at almost every level before it reaches the intended
receiver. Thus, the hierarchical structure of the organization is also one of the important factors that may
create a barrier to effective communication.

d. Wrong Choice of Medium

There are many media of communication. These media have their own merits and demerits. A properly
chosen medium can add to the effectiveness of Communication and an unsuitable medium may act as a
barrier to it.

e. Lack of Planning
Communication is not a casual affair. However many people take it lightly. The result is that the message
to be sent across may not be carefully planned. There are innumerable examples of people who would
give an ill-planned, long-winding lecture when a short presentation with tables would be sufficient.

f. Offensive Style of Communication

Offensive style of communication leads to communication breakdown. If a manager sends a message in

such a way that the workers become defensive, their relations get strained and communication suffers.
Hence it is absolutely necessary for the management to adopt a persuasive style of communication.

Socio-psychological Barriers

Every human being has his own feelings, desires, hopes, fears, likes and dislikes, attitudes, views and
opinions. Some of these are formed by family background and social environment whereas some are
formed by the individual’s own intelligence, education and personal experience. Each individual falls
back on his societal conditioning and individual psychology to initiate communication as well as to
receive it. Problems of understanding, interpretation and response to communication arise partly from
our socially-learnt attributes and partly from our personal attributes. These are termed as Socio-
psychological Barriers. Following are some of the Socio-psychological Barriers:

a. Poor Communication Skills

Lack of skill in writing and speaking prevents a person from framing a message properly. Writing and
speaking skills can be developed by training and practice. Poor reading habits and faulty listening are
both psychological shortcomings, and need careful training to overcome.

b. Poor Listening

Poor listening may lead to serious communication problems. At times, people are interested in talking
about themselves. They are so much involved with themselves that they do not listen to what the speaker
has to say. Everybody knows about the importance of listening but very few actually practice patient,
active and empathic listening. Poor listening accounts for incomplete information and also poor retention.

c. Poor Retention

People are likely to forget messages reaching them if they are constantly bombarded with information.
From such situation arise the necessity to repeat the message and use more than one medium to
communicate the same message.

d. Self-centred Attitudes

We pay attention to those messages which are useful to us, and often do not pay enough attention to
those messages which do not interest us. Self-interest may prevent us from seeing the point of view of
others. Under such condition, we miss useful information and develop narrow ideas.
e. Difference in Perception

Moreover, in a communication situation, the communicators have to deal with two aspects of the reality-
the one as they see it and the other as they perceive it. The mind filters the message i.e. the
words/symbols/ signs and attributes meaning to them, according to individual perception. Each
individual has his own distinctive filter, formed by his/her experiences, emotional makeup, knowledge,
and mindset which s/he has attained over a period of time. Because of this difference in perceptions,
different individuals respond to the same word/symbol/sign based on their own understanding of the
situation and ascribe meaning to it on the basis of their unique filter. At times, this difference in
perception causes communication gap, i.e. distortion, in the message. In face-to-face communication,
this gap can be easily eliminated as there is immediate feedback. But in written communication, the
semantic gap between the intended meaning and the interpreted meaning remains unidentified, as the
feedback is delayed or sometimes there is no feedback at all.

f. Prejudices

Besides, a person with deeply ingrained prejudices is very difficult to communicate with. He is not
responsive to discussion or to new ideas, information, viewpoints and opinions. He has a closed mind
and tends to react antagonistically, thus ruling out all possibilities of communication. An unreceptive
mind can, hence, be a great barrier in communication. To overcome this barrier, people should be
receptive of new ideas and must learn to listen considerately with an open mind.

g. Information Overload

Furthermore, information overload leads to poor retention and causes information loss. So, whenever
there is some important information to be conveyed, the communicators must use the written channel of
communication. On the basis of the above discussion, we may thus conclude that the socio-psychological
factors do have a profound impact on the effectiveness of communication.

h. Self-image

Self-image is our idea about what we are, what we look like and what impression we make. It is usually
based on some truth and some exaggeration of our points. A self-image is built over the years, and it is
quite difficult to accept any idea which goes against it. This makes it particularly difficult for us to give
and take feedback.

i. Emotions

Emotions play a very important role in our life. Both encoding and decoding of messages are influenced
by our emotions. A message received when we are emotionally worked up will have a different meaning
for us than when we are calm and composed. Anger is the worst emotion and enemy of communication.

j. Wrong assumptions
Quite often we act on assumptions, without caring to seek clarification for them. We should make all
possible efforts to maintain our goodwill and not act impulsively on assumptions. For e.g., if a customer
writes to us that he would like to visit our office without telling us that he would like to be picked up and
we assume that he will manage to come on his own it may lead to loss of goodwill.

k. Group Identification

Our values and opinions are influenced, in some matters, by the group to which we belong. All persons
have a sense of belonging to a group, like family, people of our locality or city, our religion or language
group, age group, nationality, economic group and so on. We tend to reject an idea which goes against
the interests of the group. It is difficult for persons of one group to understand how persons of another
group think and feel. This becomes a barrier to communication.

l. Defensiveness

When we feel threatened by a message, we become defensive and respond in such ways that reduce
understanding. We may question the motives of others or become sarcastic or judgmental. Such
behaviour obstructs our understanding.

m. Filtering

Filtering is the process of reducing the details or aspects of a message. Each person who passes on a
message reduces or colours a message according to his/her understanding of the situation. A manager,
for example, likes to tell his boss what he feels his boss wants to hear. As a result, the man at the top
never gets objective information. The more the levels of hierarchy in an organization, the greater is the
filtering and loss of information.

n. Status Block

A boss who is conscious of status finds it difficult to receive favourably, any suggestions from
subordinates. Such person is unwilling to accept that a junior may have some good ideas. Many good
ideas are wasted only because they come from junior employees who are considered to be too young and
inexperienced.

o. Closed Mind

Limited intellectual background, limited reading and narrow interests can cause a person’s mind to be
narrow. This limits the ability to take in new ideas. Persons with a closed mind do not take suggestions
for change.

p. Resistance to Change

This is a serious psychological barrier. Some people strongly resist new ideas which are against their
established opinions or traditions or social customs. They may avoid new ideas because they feel insecure
or afraid of changes in methods or situations.
q. State of Health

Physical condition can affect your efficiency in all communication skills. If you have a pain or fever you
are not inclined to engage in communication. Poor health reduces the ability to communicate. There may
be lack of energy to think clearly and to find the right words. Perception is low when the state of health
is poor.

Cultural Barriers

Cultural differences give rise to a great deal of complexity in the encoding and the decoding of messages
not only because of the difference in languages, but also because of plenty of culture-specific
assumptions at work in the mind of the sender as well as the receiver. People belonging to different
cultures may attach different meanings to words, symbols, gestures, and behaviour or they may perceive
each others’ social values, body language, attitude to space distancing and time, social behaviour and
manners, etc., i.e. the entire culture in general, very differently depending upon their own standards,
attitudes, customs, prejudices, opinions, behavioral norms, etc., i.e. their own distinct culture. Thus,
cultural barriers arise when people belonging to different cultures insist on preserving their cultural
identities and at times, judge the other cultures as inferior to their own.

⸎⸎⸎⸎⸎
Unit 2

Q1. Verbal Communication & its importance

Verbal communication is the process which includes words, use of sounds and language to convey a
message. In verbal communication, information is shared among two or more persons using speech and
language. It is vital to the processes of learning and teaching as it makes use of words, vocabulary,
numbers and symbols and is organized in sentences.

According to Bovee, “Verbal communication is the expression of information through language which
is composed of words and grammar.”

Communication refers to the suitable use of words and language necessary for effective interaction
between people. Therefore, verbal communication is the process by which two or more individuals can
share the feelings, opinion, information using either written or spoken words and language.

Importance and Components of Verbal Communication:

Verbal communication is necessary for all individuals and plays very important role in our day to day
life.

 Required in every field of life, be it home, school or office.

 Facilitates expression of our ideas
 Useful in making requests
 Helps in solving problems
 It reflects our attitude through use of words for power, affiliation, attraction, responsibility.
 Helpful in forming bonds and building relationships with other people.
 Expressing Observations - Report of sensory experiences or memories
 Expressing Thoughts - Conclusion about or judgment of experiences and observations
 Expressing Feelings - Communicating emotions. Expressing feelings is often the most difficult
form of verbal expression.
 Expressing Needs - Stating wants or requesting help or support
Components of Verbal Communication: Verbal communication consists of two components: oral and
written communication.

Q2. Oral Communication

Communication through the spoken word is known as oral communication. In oral communication,
words should be chosen very carefully so that what they mean has the exact shade of meaning. The sender
of the message is usually the speaker while the receiver of the message is usually the listener. Thus,
listening is an important aspect of oral communication. Oral communication cannot take place in absence
of clear and proper pronunciation of words, clarity and accuracy, brevity, right tone, right pitch, right
style and vocabulary. Oral communication occurs in the following situations:

Face-to-face conversation: Oral communication is best when it is face-to-face. A face-to-face setting is

possible between two individuals or among a small group of persons at an interview, or in a small
meeting. In such situations, communication can flow both ways. Moreover, immediate feedback makes
clarification possible.

Telephone: Telephonic talk depends entirely on the voice. It does not have the advantage of physical
presence. Therefore, clarity of speech and skilful use of voice are essential components of such
conversation.

Presentation: A presentation has a face-to-face setting. In fact, it is a formal, well-prepared talk on a

specific topic. It is delivered to the audience which is both interested and knowledgeable. The general
tone is serious and business-like. The purpose is to give information or to persuade as in a sales
presentation. Such presentation is followed by an interactive session. The person who makes the
presentation is expected to answer questions at the end and has the responsibility to ensure that there is
clear understanding of all the aspects of the topic among the audience.

Public Speech: A public speech has a face-to-face setting, but the distance between the speaker and the
audience is great. As a result, very little feedback is possible as the speaker can hardly see the facial
expressions of people in the audience. The purpose of a public speech may be to entertain, to encourage
and to inspire.

Interview: An interview is characterized by question and answer type of communication. It is a meeting

at which one person or a number of persons (who are interviewers) ask questions to another person (who
is an interviewee).

Meeting: A meeting involves many persons. There is a chairman who leads and guides the
communication and maintains proper order. There is a fixed agenda, i.e., a list of issues to be discussed
at the meeting. Meetings are of many types, from the small committee to the large conference or the
shareholders’ meeting.

Q3. Advantages of Oral Communication

Oral communication is a good idea when:

 One wants to appear informal

 In case of inviting ideas and suggestions that are likely to spark off discussions.
 In case of complex matters where further clarification is required.
 For imparting important news such as: company moves, or bad news for the team and
organization.
 When you need to be more diplomatic, it will be more effective in face-to-face conversation than
in writing.
 Sharing personal bad news.
 Highly confidential matters to share, but can’t risk of putting it down in writing.

Q4. Disadvantages of Oral Communication

 More informal and not suitable if you want to maintain distance from another person.
 No permanent record of what is being communicated.
 Cannot use the comments for legal purpose as in written communication.
 Can spark the extended discussions even when you want the matter to be closed.

Q5. Written Communication

This type of verbal communication does not require speech or sound. Though technically, written
communication is non-verbal, it falls under this category as it includes the use of words and language.

A famous English writer Francis Bacon has said, "Reading make people a full man, writing an exact
man, conference a ready man."

Writing requires considerable effort in terms of time and thought process as well, while speech comes to
us naturally and is more spontaneous. The word “write” has been derived from the old English word
“writan” that meant to scratch, draw or inscribe. It shows that writing includes long process of drawing,
inscribing or sketching and letters in the language are a result of evolution. Thus written communication
is a result of evolution of the entire process of thoughts, words, sentences put together in an expressive
way to convey the message without use of speech or sounds. Every language has its own rules which
need to be followed strictly while speech is more flexible. Writings can be documented. But to document
each word of the speech all the time is not possible. Written communication gives a different impression
from verbal communication.

Various methods for written communication in a business organization are:

Letter: Letters are the most widely used form of written communication. They are used mostly for
external communication.
Memo: Memo or memorandum is an informal message between members of an organization and
generally relates to daily work. Information or instructions can be conveyed by a memo. A memo may
or may not be signed.

Notice: A notice is used when many people in the organization have to be given the same information.
It is the most common method of mass communication within an organization. A notice should be short
and its language should be simple.

Circular: A circular is a detailed document giving information, instructions or orders on a specific

matter. A circular has a number and a date for reference, and is signed by the authorized signatory of the
issuing office. Circulars are generally issued by governments departments and other official bodies like
universities, councils and so on.

Report: A report is a document prepared by an individual or a committee entrusted with the task of
collecting information on a given subject. It requires careful research, collection of data and presentation
of the findings, conclusions and recommendations. Reports vary in length and can be anything from two
pages to a full book divided into chapters.

Minutes: Minutes are the written record of decisions taken at a meeting. Minutes may be written by hand
or typed and pasted in a minute book, or typed and filed in a minute file. Minutes are a legal document.

Q6. Advantages of written communication

 Gives an air of formality and authority

 Can be used as a permanent record
 To communicate with a larger group and want everyone to receive exactly the same information
 A complicated matter is better explained if it is in writing
 Use written communication to avoid lengthy discussion face-to-face.
 It can be used as a diplomatic tool for a sensitive matter as the words can be chosen carefully and
few expressions avoided which can be there in verbal communication.
 To let other know that a particular piece of information is in place. Example, including a
recognition letter in company newsletter
 Written communication can be used as a reference material for future task
 Physical presence not required when recipient is reading/ decoding the message

Q7. Disadvantages of written communication

Use of written communication is not recommended when:

 People might need more clarification on the subject

 More discussion is needed before facts are established
 You want to promote informal or friendly environment
 Communicating a sensitive information
  Highly confidential information

When should we communicate verbally?

There is a great deal of difference between written and spoken communication, in terms of the impact it
has. The choice of medium says a lot about the intentions. In general, spoken communications are more
informal than the written and invite more of a response. Before communicating we should think of the
best approach and if we consciously select the best approach, it doubles the effectiveness of the
communication.

For example, when you are seeking an authoritative control a formal written communication is more
powerful. For example, case of refusing the leave request of a team member. If the request is denied by
a written mail (pleasant but firm), there might not be another conversation as the formality of the incident
gives an indication that the matter is closed. However, if the request is denied through oral conversation
i.e. either face-to-face, or on phone, the applicant may try to persuade the boss again. In this way people
should be observant while communicating verbally, that which component of verbal communication will
be the best suited for conversation according to the situation and persons involved.

Summary

Verbal Communication refers to the suitable use of words, sounds and language necessary to convey a
message and for effective interaction between people.

Verbal Communication consists of two components: Oral & Written communication Oral
Communication consists of spoken messages which include exchange of ideas, thoughts, questions or
comments. Few examples: face-to-face conversations, group discussions, counselling, interview, radio,
television, calls, memos, letters, reports, notes, email etc. It can be formal & informal in nature and uses
Sounds, Words, Speech, Language, and Conversation. Oral communication is a good idea when one
wants to appear informal, In case of inviting ideas and suggestions that are likely to spark off discussions,
for imparting important news or while sharing highly confidential matters. At the same time the
importance of the other component i.e. the written communication cannot be denied. Due to the
advancement of modern technology, written communication remains the backbone of any organization.
Almost all formal communications are done in writing. In comparison with the huge amount of informal
oral communication, it may be possible that the percentage of written communication is very low. But
no organization can do without it. Hence both the components of verbal communication are vital for
conversations either private or in public.

Q8. Non-verbal Communication

Any communication wherein no words are used to convey a message is known as non-verbal
communication. Many times, a non-verbal communication accompanies a verbal communication. In a
normal face to face conversation between two people, non-verbal cues constitutes major portion of the
total communication. When compared with verbal communication, non-verbal communication differs
on certain aspects such as unstructured and less intentional. Interestingly, if there is a conflict between
the verbal and non-verbal communication, later is considered as more predictive of actual intentions of
the speaker. Non-verbal cues are believed to be generated as unplanned and accidental actions. In case
of non-verbal communication, a person involved in a face to face communication is considered as the
message. The actions or even the presence of a person can be decoded and interpreted to conclude a
meaning out of it. The actions can be in the form of eye movement, appearance, tone, time, space or
distance. Interpretation of a non-verbal cue is totally dependent on the decoder of the cue. Same action
can have different meaning for different people. With a non-verbal cue we can support, negate, replace,
or highlight the verbal communication. In the simplest words a non-verbal communication is
communication without the use of a language. Following are the dimensions of non-verbal
communications:

 Kinesics or body language

 Paralinguistics or language of voice
 Proxemics or language of space
 Chronemics or language of time

Understanding of non-verbal communication helps in two ways. First, it helps in using the correct non-
verbal cue to support the verbal communication and second, it equips a person to interpret the correct
intentions of a speaker.

Kinesics or Body Language

Kinesics means a study of body movements. While communicating, various parts of our body move.
Every movement and way of movement of a body part provides certain cues to others. All our bodily
movements are guided by the way we are thinking. Winking an eye, waving a hand, shrugging shoulders
etc all are part of our body language. Movement of body part and their interpretation can be understood
under following elements:

Face: Face of a person is referred as a mirror of one’s heart. Whatever we feel inside, willingly or
willingly reflected on our face. Every person is capable of generating several facial expressions
depending upon the state of mind. These expressions include happiness, anger, sad, sorrow,
bewilderment, disbelief, disgusted and many more. These expressions are created by using lips, eye-
brows, eye lids, cheeks and eyes. Yawning symbolises boredom, twinkling eyes with smile indicate
excitement and happiness, contracted eye- brows with red eyes indicate anger, and closed lips along with
lowered eyelids expresses sadness. Facial expressions provide feedback to the communicators. It is
suggested to work on your facial expressions while communicating. Your facial expressions must match
with the words your speaking. If you are communicating in a group and delivering a motivational speech,
your facial expressions must convey that you are energetic, enthusiastic, and happy to communicate with
the group. A facial expression serves different purposes. It indicates whether the communicating parties
are interested in the communication, level of involvement of each party, responses are original or
fabricated.
Eye Contact: Eyes are the integral part of face and contributes to various facial expressions. For the
purpose understanding body language, eye movement is studied separately. It is generally suggested that
during a face to face communication eye contact has to be maintained. The reason for this suggestion is
eye contact conveys to the receiver that speaker is confident and knowledgeable. Just like facial
expressions, eyes also convey the interest level of the listener. Through shafting an eye contact a speaker
can focus on a different receiver. Eyes are also used to gain feedback. A variation in eye movement
conveys different meaning. Continuously looking or staring at someone is considered as rude. Too little
eye contact is taken as less interest, insincere or dishonest. Lowered eyes indicate respect or regret. Not
looking into the listener’s eyes while talking indicates lack of confidence. Eyes looking to the sky
sometimes indicate prayer. During a conversation or presentation if listeners are not looking into your
eyes that means they are less interested in your talks and it is advisable that you should change your
strategy. Size of the eyeball also gives indications. A contracted eyeball conveys doubt or anger and an
expanded eyeball shows shock, amusement or disbelief. Winking of an eye actually negates what is said
during verbal communication.

Gestures: Whenever any body part is moved while communicating, it is considered as a gesture. The
body parts could be hands, head, legs, feet, fingers, shoulders etc. the gestures are used to support the
verbal communication. These are sometimes used to give emphasize or highlight a point while
communicating. Such gestures are known as illustrations. Appropriate usage of gesture sometimes
eliminates the requirement for a verbal communication. For example, if someone asks you the way to the
market and in reply you shrug your shoulders, the communication got completed. It means, instead of
saying I do not the way to the market, you simply indicated ‘no’ by simply shrugging your shoulders. It
is the power of non verbal communication. Every part of the body when moved might indicate some
meaning to the receiver of the cue. Few of the body movements and their possible interpretation is given
below:

 Tapping your temple with finger: Thinking, planning

 Tapping your chin with finger: Making decision
 Moving your head up- down: Agreeing, listening, understanding
 Arms crossed on chest: Not interested, closed communication
 Sitting with crossed legs: Bored
 Rubbing the eye: Bewildered, amazed
 Fidgeting fingers: Nervous, doubtful
 Biting nails: Anxious, insecure, nervous
 Shrugging shoulders: I don’t know, not interested
 Rubbing palms: I am at advantageous position, I know something more
 Touching the nose: Hiding something
 Scratching the neck: Uncertain, doubtful
 Fingers in mouth: Insecure
 Both hands in pocket and thumbs out: Confident, superior
  Scratching head with index finger: Not understanding
 Sitting and shaking foot or leg: Anxious, nervous

Gestures can be used for different purposes such as to specify, explain, point out, symbolize, and insist.
It is important to understand that meaning of a gesture changes with the culture. Same gesture can have
different meaning in two different cultures. For example, a ‘V’ sign can symbolize victory in one culture
and taking the opponent head on, in other culture. Also it is important to develop a coordination of a
gesture with verbal communication.

Posture: It is also known as body posture. Posture is how you carry yourself in a communication situation.
In other words, posture is a way in which you stand, sit, or walk being a part of a communication situation.
The way we stand conveys a particular meaning. For example, standing with slouching body posture
signifies tiredness or surrender. On the contrary, a person standing straight with head held high indicates
energy and confidence. Similarly, sitting at the edge of a chair conveys that a person is uncomfortable or
nervous or ready to go. Leaning forward while sitting indicates that you are eager to listen. Leaning
backward depicts you are relaxed and comfortable. As a speaker it is very important to maintain a correct
posture in all the three positions i.e. standing, sitting, and walking. It is suggested that while standing one
should stand tall, feet together and keeping the chin parallel to the floor. While sitting, one should sit
attentive and straight with a total weight on your hips. In case of walking, always walk with confidence
at a moderate speed and in straight line. Distribute your body weight appropriately while walking.

Appearance: Appearance is related to the overall look of a person. It includes clothing, grooming,
accessories etc. Although it might seem unrelated to the body language but it creates a first impression
sometimes prior to other components of body language. For example by looking at one’s uniform we can
guess the profession of a person. Also the kind of hair style explains the personality of a person. Keeping
aside special occasions, generally it is suggested that one should follow a conservative style of dressing.
Always keep in mind that your appearance must match to the occasion. Your dress should be neat and
clean, properly ironed, hair well groomed, nail properly cut, footwear matching with the dress, sober
accessories. Your overall appearance depicts many things about your personality. It also indicates your
attitude towards yourself, others, and life.

Paralanguage

Paralinguistics or paralanguage means like language. It is closest to the actual oral communication and
always accompanies it. Basically study of paralanguage focuses on how the content is delivered at the
time of oral communication. All the voice related aspects at the time of oral communication is the part
of paralanguage. An effective usage of paralanguage provides different cues about the content and
relevance of the content delivered by a speaker. Voice is an important aspect of verbal communication.
Just by listening to someone, we are able to tell about the speaker like age, gender, education, place of
brought up, and attitude. Generally, human carries a reasonable voice that works ok for most of life span.
The purpose of a voice is to carry a message or meaning. Its purpose got defeated unless all the
components of voice are working properly. Main components of a voice are quality of voice, speaking
speed, pitch, volume, pause or silence, pronunciation and non-fluencies. All the components of voice are
discussed in the following sub-sections:

Quality of voice: Quality of voice refers to that feature which makes it unique when compared with
others. We can easily observe around us that there are few voices which we termed as good or pleasant
while other we consider as unpleasant or harsh. Generally we cannot do much about our quality of voice.
We are gifted with a certain quality of voice. With some practice and training some improvements can
be made one’s quality of voice. Voices can be classified as husky, harsh, shrill, nasal, soft, pleasant etc.
There are some professions which require a particular quality of voice. For example, commentators, radio
jockey, announcers, news readers, front office executives. A good voice is always considered as an asset
and it adds up to the personality of a speaker.

Pitch: A pitch is tone of sounds. A pitch brings variation in sound while speaking. Purpose of a pitch to
catch the attention of a listener. It can be monotone, high or low. If the speaker brings no variation in the
sound while speaking it becomes monotone. Audience are less interested in listening to monotone. A
variation can be created by putting stress on important words while speaking. A variation of sound during
speech keeps the audience alert and interested in your conversation.

Speed: It denotes the speed at which you are speaking the words. A speaker has to control the speed of
the words spoken. Generally, 120 to 150 words spoken per minute are acceptable to audience. If you are
too slow, you would be termed as a dull speaker. On the other hand, if you are too fast, audience would
fail to understand the content. We can also speak different parts of the message at different speed to
highlight a specific piece of information.

Volume: Volume refers to the power of sound. It decides whether the speaker is audible or not. A speaker
needs to adjust their volume considering the size of audience, room size, noise level, availability of
amplifiers, and venue. While speaking, we should be loud enough that everybody hears what we are
communicating. More the number of audiences louder should be the volume. Contrast is another strategy
that sometimes speakers should adopt. A sudden lowering of volume also attracts attention of the
audience. Volume also signifies the intended audience of the message. If spoken in lower volume, the
message is meant for people who are close to the speaker. It also conveys the confidentiality of the matter.
On the contrary, a loud volume dictates that the message is for everyone.

Pronunciation: It refers to the way we speak a letter or word or a sentence. A wrongly pronounced word
can indicate a different meaning resulting into misunderstanding. Culture is having a strong influence on
the pronunciation. English is generally accepted as a global language but influence of other languages
can be easily observed when people from different countries or regions speak the same word. We can
even get the idea about the native place of speaker; just by the manner a word is being pronounced.
Training is required to neutralise the accent related issues. The relevance of accent neutralization more
for multicultural organizations.
Pause or Silence: General perception is that if we are not speaking, no communication is taking place. It
is wrong, as silence is a strong communicator and has a meaning. If a person remain silent after listening
to a speaker it might mean that listener is not understanding anything, waiting for more information to
come, or spellbound. A gap between two spoken words or sentences is considered as a pause. Just like
silence pause also communicates. Duration of pause or number of pauses indicate different meaning
during an oral communication. For example, a long pause indicates that the speaker forgets the matter.
Too many pauses can break the flow of communication and makes a message difficult to understand. In
a public speaking scenario, effective use of pauses can attract attention of audience, controls audience
discussions, and pull applause.

Non-fluencies: Non-fluencies are the sounds and expressions that fill the gaps between two words or
sentences. Some of the common non-fluencies are ‘umm’, ‘aaa’, ‘you know’, ‘ok’, ‘got it’ etc. Many
times speakers are unaware about making such sounds or utterances. These are used by the speaker to
breath, think or plan the next word or idea. An effective use of these non-fluencies can attract the attention
of the listener and breaks the monotony of the conversation. But if overly used, it definitely distracts and
irritates the listeners.

Proxemics

It is also known as language of space. The study of Proxemics tells us how we communicate through
space around us during face to face interactions. For example, during a conversation between two people
it can be judged that whether are at same level of hierarchy or the other way. Space is always relative to
a speaker. Its understanding moves from intimate to public space. Adequate space provides freedom to
move body parts and convey a message through body language. Major credit for conducting remarkable
space related studies goes to E. T. Hall. In the year 1963, Hall has given classification of space to improve
its understanding in communication. As per the classification of Hall, space can be divided into following
four zones:

Intimate zone: It includes a radius of 0-1.5 feet around us. A zero means physical touch. This space is
used when we embrace, touch, or whisper. Only people very close to us are allowed to enter into this
zone. Generally, these people include our relatives.

Personal zone: It includes a radius of 1.5- 4 feet around us. This space is used when we shake hands at
about arm’s length. Generally, our friends and close associates fall into this category.

Social zone: It extends from 4 feet to 10 feet. This space is being used for formal purposes and generally
for the relationships that are more professional. Our colleagues from the organization, customers,
suppliers and others that create our professional surrounding are the part of social zone. In our social
zone, people are known to us and we share some commonness with them.

Public zone: Any distance beyond 10 feet creates a public zone for us. Generally, it is used when we are
addressing public. In a public zone, people unknown us can be the part. Relatively, in public zone a
speaker is detached with the audience in terms of accessibility.
Chronemics

It is also referred as the language of time. Whether time is money or not has to be decided after an
understanding of language of time. A weightage given to time varies from culture to culture.
Understanding relevance of time in culture might help you in business dealings. For example, in Europe
the committed time is exact time and any delay is not well taken. While in India, committed time is
having flexibility and delay of few minutes is acceptable. Understanding of time language has a direct
impact on the importance of punctuality in a given culture. Also, language of time tells about what is
early or delay in relation to an action.

Sign language

From time immemorial, human beings have been using mutually agreed signs and symbols other than
linguistic code to interact. These signs and symbols could be visual or auditory. Visual symbols are those
which are seen and auditory symbols are those which are heard.

 Visual Symbols

1. Colour is a very important and powerful means of communication. Colours are associated with one’s
mood, feelings, attitude and cultural background. In India, bright colours like red, green, yellow, blue,
pink are associated with cheerfulness and happiness in life. White indicates peace and purity while black
points to melancholy and sorrow. Colours are effectively used with in traffic signals, chemical industry,
cosmetic industry and so on. They give an added dimension to maps, chart and graphs.

2. Pictorial representation can communicate instantly. A large variety of pictures, from simple drawing
to sophisticated coloured pictures and photographs communicate message better than the verbal
communication because understanding pictures do not require literacy and time to understand.

3. Posters combine pictures and words. Minimum number of words is used in posters. A poster can
convey simple instructions by a series of pictures. It can be used for education and persuasion.

4. Graphs and charts present otherwise difficult statistical information in a way that it becomes easy to
understand. Special skills and techniques are needed to prepare them as well to understand them.

5. Maps are graphical representations of territory. They not only convey distance relationships between
places but also transport routes, climatic conditions, crops, vegetation and so on.

6. Signs and signals are useful in communicating simple but important ideas. A sign is a mark used as a
representation of something; for e.g., + for plus. Traffic signs convey information to the drivers about
what lies ahead on the road. Words cannot be so quick as signs.

A signal is a previously agreed movement which serves to warn, direct or command. The blinking of
green light on the traffic signal is an indication to go ahead and the red is to stop. It should be noted that
one can respond to signs and signals only if one has previous knowledge and training.
 Auditory Symbols

Different types of sounds indicate different messages which are illustrated as under:

1. Hooters of ambulance and fire brigade

2. Sirens in factories

3. Whistles

4. Bells and buzzers

5. Signature tunes

Summary:

Any communication wherein no words are used to convey a message is known as non-verbal
communication. Body language is the most observable aspect of communication. When compared with
verbal communication, non-verbal communication is unstructured and less intentional. In case of a
conflict between the two, non-verbal aspect is considered as more predictive of actual intentions. Non-
verbal cues are believed to be generated as unplanned and accidental actions. The actions or even the
presence of a person can be decoded and interpreted to conclude a meaning out of it. The actions can be
in the form of eye movement, appearance, tone, time, space or distance. Interpretation of a non-verbal
cue is totally dependent on the decoder of the cue. Same action can have different meaning for different
people. With a non-verbal cue we can support, negate, replace, or highlight the verbal communication.
In the simplest words a non-verbal communication is communication without the use of a language. It
has many dimensions such as

Kinesics or body language, Paralinguistics or language of voice, Proxemics or language of space,

Chronemics or language of time, and other dimensions like touch, colour and smell. Understanding of
non-verbal communication helps in two ways. First, it helps in using the correct non-verbal cue to support
the verbal communication and second, it equips a person to interpret the correct intentions of a speaker.
Interpretation of non-verbal communication varies with culture.

Q9. What is Effective Listening & discuss its importance.

Listening is an activity which one undertakes daily without paying any careful attention to it. Though it
is the receiver’s component in the entire process of oral communication, it is usually taken for granted
when compared to other language skills, namely speaking, reading and writing. This activity is not a
spontaneous activity. It demands attention and intention of the listener. It can be explained as making an
effort to get the speaker’s full meaning.

Listening is a positive activity. It is not easy. It needs a good deal of hard work because it is a conscious,
active and systematic processing of information. One should keep in mind that listening is not automatic.
It requires practice and demands intention. The importance of listening can be understood from the facts
that:

 Any interaction at personal or professional level can be successful only if one has the ability to
listen.

 Any effort to undertake communication would be rendered useless if someone does not listen.

 One cannot carry out the assigned work properly if one does listen, understand and remember all
instructions carefully.

 Inefficient listening affects inter-personal relations as well as decision-making and employee

relations.

 Those who are not good listeners may often bring up points which have been already made by
others and waste the time of the meeting.

 Listening decreases verbal conflict and improves the quality of discussion on committees, in
conferences and in group discussions.

 Good listening improves conversation and social relations.

In other words, it can be said that effective listening increases knowledge, develops critical thinking,
widens opportunities, improves one’s performance by improving decision-making, and prevents
miscommunication by building effective relationships in one’s personal as well as professional life.

The process of listening involves four steps. Hearing is the first step of listening. At this stage, the
listener simply attends to the speaker to hear the message. The second step is interpretation. If the
listener fails to interpret the words correctly, the message is misunderstood. The third step is evaluation.
At this stage the listener decides what to do with the received information. The final step is response.
The listener’s response to the message may be verbal or visual. The listener’s response lets the speaker
know whether the listener has got the message and what his reaction is.

There is a difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is the ability to perceive sound by detecting
vibrations through the ear. On the other hand, listening is an expansion on hearing wherein one makes
an attempt to interpret and understand the sound that one hears. Effective listening has several benefits:

1. Listening helps in sharing emotions, ideas and experiences.

2. It helps one in finding out more information.

3. It prevents miscommunication.

4. It increases knowledge, develops critical thinking and broadens opportunities.

 5. It helps in learning about people and how their minds work.

6. It helps in improving relations with people.

7. It is instrumental in raising morale of employees.

8. It is useful in obtaining suggestions and new ideas.

9. It facilitates in discovering why employees perform as they do (well or poorly) and thus by, help
in solving problems.

Q10. Types of Listening

Again, listening is an intellectual, interactive and interpretive activity. Our faculties function in different
ways according to the kind of listening required by the occasion. This leads us to different types of
listening which are:

1. Passive listening

2. Marginal listening

3. Projective listening

4. Sensitive/ Empathetic listening

5. Active Listening

1. Passive Listening

The physical presence but mental absence of the listener can be defined as passive listening. Passive
listening is also known as hearing. All that is being said is being heard but not really interpreted.
Utterances junk in the mind of the individual in the form of a heap of “verbal garbage” without any actual
processing being done to it. In passive listening, there is no invasion on the thought process which could
probably change the trend of thinking. This kind of listening is commonly found in classroom situations
when the teacher is seen to reprimand the students for their physical presence but mental absence in the
class.

2. Marginal Listening

When lots of information is provided at a time, then it can lead to an information load. As a result of this,
listening again tends to get hampered. One listens to the entire presentation merely because one is
expected to do so. Under such circumstances, the individual listens only at the superficial level and makes
no attempt to go beyond a brief understanding of the topics discussed. The most common factor which
can be attributed to this kind of listening is boredom. The listener creates a barrier through which
information oozes only in bits and pieces. Marginal listening is to a great extent, a better form of listening
than passive listening.

3. Projective Listening

Projective listening is an attempt by the listener at viewing the world or the viewpoint of the speaker
from his limited personal perspective. Actually, every listener has within him a frame of reference. While
listening, the listener tries to understand the contents of the presentation within his own frame of
reference. The listener in this case tries to bring about a union between the experiences of the speaker
and his own in such a manner as if it were just a combination of the two.

4. Sensitive Listening

Sensitive listening is also known as empathetic listening. Here, the listener is able to understand the
viewpoint of the speaker in exactly similar terms as were intended by him. In sensitive listening, an
attempt is made to understand the meaning of the statement in relation to the perceptions and experiences
of the speaker. This is not an easy task especially if the speaker is a new person about whom little or
nothing is known. To understand the message in a more meaningful manner, it is necessary for the listener
to raise queries. This helps in understanding the viewpoint of the speaker.

5. Active Listening

This is the most important type of listening. The listener absorbs all that is being said and also makes an
attempt to verify all that he has been listening to. In listening as long as there is some kind of activity in
the form of participative contribution from the listener, there can rarely be any kind of
miscommunication. This state can be achieved when questions are asked in response to the statements
made by the sender. Active listening is not solely a product of the capabilities of the listener. It is the
speaker’s responsibility to make the listener actively respond to the proceedings. How well he manages
to coordinate the listener into responding and participating in the interaction depends on his
communicative ability.

Q11. Barriers to Listening

However, this activity of listening fails to deliver the desired result when it is impeded by barriers like
forged attention, distractions, premature evaluation of the subject matter and speaker, emotional blocks,
over excitement, impatience, poor health, different language variety and accent as well as noise.

 Forged attention: This is one of the most common barriers to effective listening. The audience
often has very attentive posture but they are not listening at that point of time, only faking it.

 Distractions: Some people have very poor concentration while listening. They actually get
distracted even with the slightest sounds of opening and closing of doors, whispers or vehicles.
  Premature evaluation of the subject matter and speaker: Some people have the tendency to
assume that the topic is uninteresting even before listening to the speaker and the complete
message. Consequently, such people divert their thought process to other concerns stored up in
their minds. Such people if they are not impressed by the appearance of the speaker, they probably
tend not to listen.

 Emotional blocks: Some people cannot accept any idea that goes against their long-held opinion
or prejudice. As a result, they are unable to taking in and retaining certain ideas. They may also
hear the idea wrongly or in a distorted way. At the same time, the interpersonal relations between
the speaker and the listener determine the listener’s involvement in the listening task. A lack of
confidence or a sense of superiority or inferiority prevents the listener from interpreting and
evaluating the message in proper sense.

 Inattentiveness: When the listener is preoccupied with his/her thoughts or is under some tension
or is exhausted, he/she fails to listen to the speaker’s message. One can be inattentive if one is
feeling drowsy or some kind of discomfort.

 Over-excitement: Some people get carried away when they listen to something which they do
not agree with. They indulge in thinking about the counter arguments and consequently, they lose
track of the speaker’s ideas. Their listening efficiency reduces to naught because of over-
excitement.

 Impatience: Lack of patience is considered to be the most common barrier to listening. Some
people do not have patience enough to wait until the speaker has finished speaking. Such people
jump into discussion to express their ideas, fancies or experiences. Such impatience to express
themselves also hints to their lack of maturity.

 Evading the Difficult Types: Certain people have the tendency to listen to whatever is easy and
well-known. They avoid applying minds the moment they are compelled to listen to anything that
is difficult and unknown. Such people find it difficult to comprehend anything in classrooms,
meetings, interviews or group discussions.

 Poor health: Poor state of health reduces listening efficiency. One cannot pay attention to
whatever is being said, if one is ailing or in pain.

 Different language variety and accent: Listening is impeded when the speaker speaks in the
accent different from that of the audience. For instance, a native listener will find it difficult to
understand a South Indian speaker.

 Noise: Listening is badly hampered when there is lot of noise in the surrounding.

Last but not the least, the skill of listening underlines the importance of another skill; and that is of
silence. One cannot listen if one fails to maintain silence and psychologically, one cannot remain silent
if one is excited about anything. Listening demands training, discipline and self-control so that one listens
silently when other person is speaking. It should be noted that it is not just the silencing of the tongue
but also of the mind. The art of silence can be mastered by practicing meditation.

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