Unit - 1

Essentials of Communication

1.1 Communication basics: definitions, process, levels

The root of the word “communication” in Latin is communicare, which means to share, or to make common. Weekley, E. (1967). An etymological dictionary of modern English (Vol. 1, p. 338). New York, NY: Dover Publications. Communication is defined as the process of understanding and sharing meaning. Pearson, J., & Nelson, P. (2000). An introduction to human communication: Understanding and sharing (p. 6). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

At the center of our study of communication is the relationship that involves interaction between participants. This definition serves us well with its emphasis on the process, which we’ll examine in depth across this text, of coming to understand and share another’s point of view effectively.

The first key word in this definition is process. A process is a dynamic activity that is hard to describe because it changes. Pearson, J., & Nelson, P. (2000). An introduction to human communication: Understanding and sharing. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill. Imagine you are alone in your kitchen thinking. Someone you know (say, your mother) enters the kitchen and you talk briefly. What has changed? Now, imagine that your mother is joined by someone else, someone you haven’t met before—and this stranger listens intently as you speak, almost as if you were giving a speech. What has changed? Your perspective might change, and you might watch your words more closely. The feedback or response from your mother and the stranger (who are, in essence, your audience) may cause you to reevaluate what you are saying. When we interact, all these factors—and many more—influence the process of communication.

The second key word is understanding: “To understand is to perceive, to interpret, and to relate our perception and interpretation to what we already know.” McLean, S. (2003). The basics of speech communication. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. If a friend tells you a story about falling off a bike, what image comes to mind? Now your friend points out the window and you see a motorcycle lying on the ground. Understanding the words and the concepts or objects they refer to is an important part of the communication process.

Next comes the word sharing. Sharing means doing something together with one or more people. You may share a joint activity, as when you share in compiling a report; or you may benefit jointly from a resource, as when you and several co-workers share a pizza. In communication, sharing occurs when you convey thoughts, feelings, ideas, or insights to others. You can also share with yourself (a process called intrapersonal communication) when you bring ideas to consciousness, ponder how you feel about something, or figure out the solution to a problem and have a classic “Aha!” moment when something becomes clear.

Finally, meaning is what we share through communication. The word “bike” represents both a bicycle and a short name for a motorcycle. By looking at the context the word is used in and by asking questions, we can discover the shared meaning of the word and understand the message.

AIM- The purpose of effective communication is to get your specific audience to the desired goal. The goal could be informing them or allowing them to understand a message, but also to persuade or convince them to take action.

Eight Essential Components of Communication

In order to better understand the communication process, we can break it down into a series of eight essential components:

1. Source
2. Message
3. Channel
4. Receiver
5. Feedback
6. Environment
7. Context
8. Interference

Each of these eight components serves an integral function in the overall process. Let’s explore them one by one.

Source

The source imagines, creates, and sends the message. In a public speaking situation, the source is the person giving the speech. He or she conveys the message by sharing new information with the audience. The speaker also conveys a message through his or her tone of voice, body language, and choice of clothing. The speaker begins by first determining the message—what to say and how to say it. The second step involves encoding the message by choosing just the right order or the perfect words to convey the intended meaning. The third step is to present or send the information to the receiver or audience. Finally, by watching for the audience’s reaction, the source perceives how well they received the message and responds with clarification or supporting information.

Message

“The message is the stimulus or meaning produced by the source for the receiver or audience.”McLean, S. (2005). The basics of interpersonal communication (p. 10). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. When you plan to give a speech or write a report, your message may seem to be only the words you choose that will convey your meaning. But that is just the beginning. The words are brought together with grammar and organization. You may choose to save your most important point for last. The message also consists of the way you say it—in a speech, with your tone of voice, your body language, and your appearance—and in a report, with your writing style, punctuation, and the headings and formatting you choose. In addition, part of the message may be the environment or context you present it in and the noise that might make your message hard to hear or see.

Imagine, for example, that you are addressing a large audience of sales reps and are aware there is a World Series game tonight. Your audience might have a hard time settling down, but you may choose to open with, “I understand there is an important game tonight.” In this way, by expressing verbally something that most people in your audience are aware of and interested in, you might grasp and focus their attention.

Channel

“The channel is the way in which a message or messages travel between source and receiver.”McLean, S. (2005). The basics of interpersonal communication (p. 10). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. For example, think of your television. How many channels do you have on your television? Each channel takes up some space, even in a digital world, in the cable or in the signal that brings the message of each channel to your home. Television combines an audio signal you hear with a visual signal you see. Together they convey the message to the receiver or audience. Turn off the volume on your television. Can you still understand what is happening? Many times you can, because the body language conveys part of the message of the show. Now turn up the volume but turn around so that you cannot see the television. You can still hear the dialogue and follow the story line.

Similarly, when you speak or write, you are using a channel to convey your message. Spoken channels include face-to-face conversations, speeches, telephone conversations and voice mail messages, radio, public address systems, and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). Written channels include letters, memorandums, purchase orders, invoices, newspaper and magazine articles, blogs, e-mail, text messages, tweets, and so forth.

Receiver

“The receiver receives the message from the source, analyzing and interpreting the message in ways both intended and unintended by the source.”McLean, S. (2005). The basics of interpersonal communication (p. 10). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. To better understand this component, think of a receiver on a football team. The quarterback throws the football (message) to a receiver, who must see and interpret where to catch the ball. The quarterback may intend for the receiver to “catch” his message in one way, but the receiver may see things differently and miss the football (the intended meaning) altogether.

As a receiver you listen, see, touch, smell, and/or taste to receive a message. Your audience “sizes you up,” much as you might check them out long before you take the stage or open your mouth. The nonverbal responses of your listeners can serve as clues on how to adjust your opening. By imagining yourself in their place, you anticipate what you would look for if you were them. Just as a quarterback plans where the receiver will be in order to place the ball correctly, you too can recognize the interaction between source and receiver in a business communication context. All of this happens at the same time, illustrating why and how communication is always changing.

Feedback

When you respond to the source, intentionally or unintentionally, you are giving feedback. Feedback is composed of messages the receiver sends back to the source. Verbal or nonverbal, all these feedback signals allow the source to see how well, how accurately (or how poorly and inaccurately) the message was received. Feedback also provides an opportunity for the receiver or audience to ask for clarification, to agree or disagree, or to indicate that the source could make the message more interesting. As the amount of feedback increases, the accuracy of communication also increases.Leavitt, H., & Mueller, R. (1951). Some effects of feedback on communication. Human Relations, 4, 401–410.

For example, suppose you are a sales manager participating in a conference call with four sales reps. As the source, you want to tell the reps to take advantage of the fact that it is World Series season to close sales on baseball-related sports gear. You state your message, but you hear no replies from your listeners. You might assume that this means they understood and agreed with you, but later in the month you might be disappointed to find that very few sales were made. If you followed up your message with a request for feedback (“Does this make sense? Do any of you have any questions?”) you might have an opportunity to clarify your message, and to find out whether any of the sales reps believed your suggestion would not work with their customers.

Environment

“The environment is the atmosphere, physical and psychological, where you send and receive messages.”McLean, S. (2005). The basics of interpersonal communication (p. 11). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. The environment can include the tables, chairs, lighting, and sound equipment that are in the room. The room itself is an example of the environment. The environment can also include factors like formal dress, that may indicate whether a discussion is open and caring or more professional and formal. People may be more likely to have an intimate conversation when they are physically close to each other, and less likely when they can only see each other from across the room. In that case, they may text each other, itself an intimate form of communication. The choice to text is influenced by the environment. As a speaker, your environment will impact and play a role in your speech. It’s always a good idea to go check out where you’ll be speaking before the day of the actual presentation.

Context

“The context of the communication interaction involves the setting, scene, and expectations of the individuals involved.”McLean, S. (2005). The basics of interpersonal communication (p.11). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. A professional communication context may involve business suits (environmental cues) that directly or indirectly influence expectations of language and behavior among the participants.

A presentation or discussion does not take place as an isolated event. When you came to class, you came from somewhere. So did the person seated next to you, as did the instructor. The degree to which the environment is formal or informal depends on the contextual expectations for communication held by the participants. The person sitting next to you may be used to informal communication with instructors, but this particular instructor may be used to verbal and nonverbal displays of respect in the academic environment. You may be used to formal interactions with instructors as well, and find your classmate’s question of “Hey Teacher, do we have homework today?” as rude and inconsiderate when they see it as normal. The nonverbal response from the instructor will certainly give you a clue about how they perceive the interaction, both the word choices and how they were said.

Context is all about what people expect from each other, and we often create those expectations out of environmental cues. Traditional gatherings like weddings or quinceañeras are often formal events. There is a time for quiet social greetings, a time for silence as the bride walks down the aisle, or the father may have the first dance with his daughter as she is transformed from a girl to womanhood in the eyes of her community. In either celebration there may come a time for rambunctious celebration and dancing. You may be called upon to give a toast, and the wedding or quinceañera context will influence your presentation, timing, and effectiveness.

In a business meeting, who speaks first? That probably has some relation to the position and role each person has outside the meeting. Context plays a very important role in communication, particularly across cultures.

Interference

Interference, also called noise, can come from any source. “Interference is anything that blocks or changes the source’s intended meaning of the message.”McLean, S. (2005). The basics of interpersonal communication (p. 11). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. For example, if you drove a car to work or school, chances are you were surrounded by noise. Car horns, billboards, or perhaps the radio in your car interrupted your thoughts, or your conversation with a passenger.

Psychological noise is what happens when your thoughts occupy your attention while you are hearing, or reading, a message. Imagine that it is 4:45 p.m. And your boss, who is at a meeting in another city, e-mails you asking for last month’s sales figures, an analysis of current sales projections, and the sales figures from the same month for the past five years. You may open the e-mail, start to read, and think, “Great—no problem—I have those figures and that analysis right here in my computer.” You fire off a reply with last month’s sales figures and the current projections attached. Then, at five o’clock, you turn off your computer and go home. The next morning, your boss calls on the phone to tell you he was inconvenienced because you neglected to include the sales figures from the previous years. What was the problem? Interference: by thinking about how you wanted to respond to your boss’s message, you prevented yourself from reading attentively enough to understand the whole message.

Interference can come from other sources, too. Perhaps you are hungry, and your attention to your current situation interferes with your ability to listen. Maybe the office is hot and stuffy. If you were a member of an audience listening to an executive speech, how could this impact your ability to listen and participate?

Noise interferes with normal encoding and decoding of the message carried by the channel between source and receiver. Not all noise is bad, but noise interferes with the communication process. For example, your cell phone ringtone may be a welcome noise to you, but it may interrupt the communication process in class and bother your classmates.

Process of Communication:

The process of communication consists of the following steps or stages:

Message:

This is the background step to the process of communication; which, by forming the subject matter of communication necessitates the start of a communication process. The message might be a factor an idea, or a request or a suggestion, or an order or a grievance.

Sender:

The actual process of communication is initiated at the hands of the sender; who takes steps to send the message to the recipient.

Encoding:

Encoding means giving a form and meaning to the message through expressing it into – words, symbol, gestures, graph, drawings etc.

Medium:

It refers to the method or channel, through which the message is to be conveyed to the recipient. For example, an oral communication might be made through a peon or over the telephone etc.; while a written communication might be routed through a letter or a notice displayed on the notice board etc.

Recipient (or the Receiver):

Technically, a communication is complete, only when it comes to the knowledge of the intended person i.e. the recipient or the receiver.

Decoding:

Decoding means the interpretation of the message by the recipient – with a view to getting the meaning of the message, as per the intentions of the sender. It is at this stage in the communication process, that communication is philosophically defined as, ‘the transmission of understanding.’

Feedback:

To complete the communication process, sending feedback to communication, by the recipient to the sender is imperative. ‘Feedback’ implies the reaction or response of the recipient to the message, comprised in the communication.

All told, communication is a circular process, as illustrated, by means of the following circular diagram:

Fig.1 Process of Communication.

Forms of Communication

One must be thoroughly familiar with all styles of correspondence in order to facilitate effective communication. The form of communication intrinsically depends upon the purpose and the central idea of the message to be conveyed. For example, it is feasible to acquire information or provide information using a formal phone call or an email whereas while conveying bad news to a particular individual a face-to-face conversation is considered rather apt.

Communication can be formal or informal

1. Formal communication: Formal Communication is the exchange of official information that flows along the different levels of the organizational hierarchy and conforms to the prescribed professional rules, policy, standards, processes and regulations of the organization.
2. Informal communication: Informal Communication is the casual and unofficial form of communication wherein the information is exchanged spontaneously between two or more persons without conforming the prescribed official rules, processes, system, formalities and chain of command.

1.2 Forms/methods: verbal and non-verbal

Nonverbal communication is the type of communication that is carried out without the use of words. Nonverbal communication is usually utilized as an aid to verbal communication. This type of communication employs gestures, body language, symbols and expressions.

Nonverbal actions often set the tone of the conversation. Nonverbal communication is useful for expressing one’s mood, opinion or reaction.

Below are some forms of non-verbal communication:

1. Physical nonverbal communication: This is the sum of the physically observable. For instance, hand gestures, visual communication, facial expressions, the tone of one’s voice, posture, stance, touch, gaze, and so on. Research shows that nonverbal communication constitutes about 55% of our daily communications

These are subtle signals that are picked up as a part of our biological wiring. for instance, if you rest your head on your palms, it'll mean that you simply are very disappointed or angry. Similarly, other subtle hints will convey your reactions to the person you want to communicate with and vice-versa.

2.  Paralanguage: This type of communication is carried out by the tone of one’s voice. It almost 38% of all the communication that we do every day.

Along with the tone of voice, the style of speaking, voice quality, stress, emotions, or intonation all serve the purpose of expressing intent and reaction. All of these aspects are not verbal.

3. Visual Communication: This type of communication is carried out with the help of drawings, illustrations, placards, presentations and symbols.

4. Aesthetic Communication: An important means of communication, however underrated, is art. Some of the strongest messages and inexpressible feelings and emotions have been conveyed through art throughout history. Art as an effective form of nonverbal communication, has played an important role in influencing people even before documented history.

5. Appearance: First impressions formed by apparel, grooming, politeness, the colours one wears, all are essential mediums of communication.

Following are the various appropriate uses of Non-verbal Communication:

1. Replacing speech

Non-verbal communication is an effective way of communicating without speaking in both formal and informal settings. Not only can one express a lot without words through their expressions and gestures but one can also use non-verbal signs to supplement speaking.

Below are some ways by which non-verbal communication can replace or supplement verbal communication:

1. Using hands, legs feet or the whole body to indicate something.
2. Using gestures with fingers, hands and arms to express a point.
3. Tilting of head such as nodding to say yes or no
4. Using expressions to express joy, sadness, approval, disapproval, frustration etc.

2. Controlling conversation

During a conversation, both parties take turns to speak to express their thoughts. Therefore, if a conversation requires one to take control such as in a debate, non-verbal communication can be used to drag the ball into one's court.

Below are some ways by which one can take control of the conversation using non-verbal communication:

1. Cutting into speech to take control.
2. Using voice modulation and tone to retain control.
3. Pausing between sentences to add dramatic effect.
4. Stopping between sentences to allow others to speak.
5. Leaning forward to show interest and request others to speak.
6. Looking away or leaning backwards to show disinterest or unpreparedness to listen.

3. Impression through Appearance

As Non-verbal communication goes beyond bodily actions to anything that sends subtle messages, one's attire and the way they look in general can affect the audience in many ways. Thus, one's appearance can be a useful tool to create an impact on the listener.

Below are some things which can be used to create a lasting impression:

1. Appropriate attire for a formal or informal setting and proper grooming.
2. Personal accessories such as watches, jewelry, etc.
3. Organization of workspace such as the setup of desks, chairs and computers.
4. Status symbols such as cars, houses etc.

4. Expressing emotion

While Verbal communication is useful for expressing thoughts, Non-verbal communication is useful for expressing emotions and subtle feelings. The tone of one's voice, their expressions and their body language can tell much more about a person than words can. In particular, if one feels that he is unable to express emotions verbally, their words and body language can easily be in contradiction, sending messages that may be interpreted as stress or deceit.

Below are some fundamental strategies for using Non-verbal communication:

1. Walk with confidence. Have good posture. Stand tall. Walk confidently to the presentation area.

2. Engage in direct eye contact. Look into the eyes of your audience. Don’t look at the walls, floor or ceiling.

3.  Use hand gestures to reinforce your message. This is an important one. When using hand gestures, make sure they look natural. Over-rehearsing gestures makes the speaker look like a mechanical robot to the audience. Gestures, when they come naturally, are interpreted as genuine and honest by the audience. With that said, be careful of a few things: Don’t over-exaggerate. Don’t use repeated gestures because they can distract the audience from your message. An example: If you have a tendency to scratch your head when you are thinking and talking, then you don’t want to continue scratching and scratching as sooner or later the audience will start paying more attention to that gesture and forget about what you are saying.

4.  Move a little. Movement is good for presenters. Too much movement is distracting. If you walk from the front of the room to the back of the room, that’s fine. Do not move around the entire length of the room or stage as the audience will get tired of adjusting their necks and chairs to your movement. A little movement is fine. Avoid repetitive movement such as pacing back and forth as it will have an almost hypnotic effect on you audience. Watching you walk back and forth again and again in the same motion will most likely make the audience uninterested in your non-verbal cues. Robotic pacing is a death knell to any presenter.

5. Express yourself! There are more than 100 muscles in the face which must be used to express all kinds of emotions. If you are sharing declining numbers, show it. If you are delighted that you exceeded year-end quotas, show it. If you are sharing a melancholic anecdote, show it. Your facial expressions reinforce your message. Just make sure that they are not in conflict with your message. While saying introductory lines such as, “I’m delighted to be here today to deliver this presentation” you should smile and show the audience that you are an emotional being like them, this will also help you relate to the audience and make them feel more open which will in turn allow them to listen to you better.

6.  Enhance your image. Your appearance is the first thing people notice when you enter a room. It speaks volumes about who you are as a person and about your level of professionalism. Take a long, hard look at your professional attire. Look at the colours you wear. You want to look current, not dated. A good grooming session will also help you look more prepared and enthusiastic.

7. Pause and be silent. Well timed pauses, or silence while you are speaking is one of the most powerful nonverbal strategies that you can use while presenting. There will be certain points within the presentation that you would like to emphasize, using pauses before these points and silence after is a good technique to let them echo in the minds of the audience. Let silence help you. You can either say “Our year-end sales were up 25%” or you can say “Our year-end sales were up (pause) twenty (pause) five (pause) percent.” This latter, obviously, seems much more powerful.

Verbal Communication

Verbal communication is the type of communication that includesthe utilization of language and words to pass on the intended message. Verbal Communication implies communication though spoken form only. Be that as it may, with regards to forms of communication, verbal communication can be in the spoken or the written structure. Therefore, the verbal form of communication may contain oral as well as written communication as discussed below:

Written Communication: This sort of correspondence includes any sort of trade of data in the composed structure. For instance, messages, emails, letters, reports, SMS, posts via web-based networking media, records, handbooks, banners, flyers, and so on.

Oral Communication: This type of communication is carried out orally through direct or indirect channels. Sound is the only channel through which oral communication can take place. Face to face conversations, chatrooms, voice podcast, telephone conversations are some examples of oral communication.

Verbal communication can be divided into 3 types:

1. Interpersonal communication: This type of communication takes place between two individuals. It can be face-to-face, telephonic or written. The two individuals here will assume the role of sender and receiver in the communication process.
2. Group communication: Here more than two people exchange information and ideas. Press conferences, social gatherings, board meeting, and group discussions are some examples of group communication.
3. Public communication: In this type of communication, one individual addresses a large group of people. This is usually a one-way conversation except for questionnaires and feedback. Election speeches, presentations, public speeches are some examples of public communication.

Conversations and Their Types

Conversations are a tool and a vehicle for expressing ideas, feelings and experiences are very important. It's a great sight and a blessing and is one of the most important ways of preserving and expanding knowledge. One can better reveal one's mind, intentions, ideas, purpose and personality through word of mouth or speech. The man is known by his words and expressions. Speech expresses the inner man’s personality, thoughts and feelings.

Conversation is also participation, cooperation and communication. These are the best ways to communicate with a talk and the oldest and richest. Our oldest and most important religious and spiritual activities have been through oral communication, discussions and discussions. The promotion of information is vital to success, social interaction, business, learning and education. In a broad and general sense, the discussion is very comprehensive and includes speech, talk and public discourse. In conversation a talk is put on three-to-three people but in an interview or lecture it reaches a lot of people who make up a large audience.

In addition, talking is more or less an option. While conversation is about intimacy, education, equal participation, warmth, respect, etc. Good and pleasant conversation is an art in which the heart and mind are completely involved. It is respectful, fun, smart, endearing and intimate. Conversational art is crucial to influencing people to make friends, increase following and achieve success. It can be cultivated and developed. It is a great way to be caught by training, practice, patience and persistence.

The Four Types of Conversations: Debate, Dialogue, Discourse, and Diatribe:
When you talk to someone, it helps to know what kind of conversation you are having. You can do that depending on the direction of the communication (a one-way street or two) tone / purpose (competition or collaboration).

When you talk to someone, you talk with somebody, rather than to somebody. When in a two-way conversation, participants listen and speak. In a competitive discussion, people are more concerned about their opinion, and in collaborative discussions participants are more inclined to view everyone involved.

Based on understanding and voice, I have organized the discussion into four types: debate, dialogue, speech and diatribe.

• Debate is a competitive, two-way conversation. The goal is to win an argument or to convince someone, such as a participant or a sidekick.
• Dialogue is a collaborative, two-way conversation. The role of the participants is to exchange information and build relationships with others.
• Discourse is a collaborative, harmonious conversation. The purpose is to bring information from the speaker / author to the audience / readers.
• Diatribe is a competitive and one-way conversation. The goal is to express feelings, to attack those who disagree with you, and / or to include those with the same opinion. 

To highlight the differences between these types of conversations, let's use politics as an example:

• Debate: Two family members from opposite sides of the political spectrum argue for politics.
• Dialogue: In a voting the two voters talk to each other about who they will vote for.
• Discourse: A professor who gives lectures on international affairs.
• Diatribe: An unassuming voter who goes public with the election results.
  It is important to know what kind of conversation you are in, because that is what determines the purpose of the conversation. If you can see the purpose, you can better speak to the heart of that conversation. However, if you do not see the conversation clearly, you can fall into the traps of change.

1.3 Barriers and solutions

Barriers to Effective Communication

Communication is only complete if the message received by the recipient is interpreted in the same way as was intended by the sender. But due to the presence of a wide number of factors the message may be destroyed. These factors act as barriers to effective communication. It is essential to locate and eradicate these factors in order to allow free flowing communication.

Some of the barriers that block communication are listed below:

1. Language Barriers – The linguistic ability of both the sender and receiver define their ability to effectively communicate. Especially when technical communication is concerned, the free flow of communication requires both parties to be sufficiently acquainted with the information that is being exchanged. For example, if two people from different backgrounds converse with the technical terminology of their own fields they are bound to misunderstand each other.

2. Psychological Barriers- The psychological state of the receiver plays a significant role when processing information. Factors such as personal issues, worries and stress might affect the receiver’s ability to decode information as they might be preoccupied with their own concerns.

Anger on the sender’s end is also an example of a psychological barrier, while angry one tends to convey thoughts one doesn’t mean only to regret later. Shyness, anxiety and depression may also act as barriers.

3. Physical Barriers- Physical barriers such as noise, physical distance between the speaker and receiver, conditions of the topography, poor lighting, speech impediment, hearing disability also affect effective communication.

4. Perceptual Barriers- The difference in how individuals perceive things also play a role in communication. People often find themselves unable to accept messages that go against their upbringing and values. Here even though the communication is effective, the feedback suffers. A similar situation might be perceived differently by different individuals and therefore might create disagreement.

5.  Cultural Barriers- Different cultures possess different norms of social interactions and communication. Something deemed appropriate in one culture might not be the same in another. Body language and gestures play a vital role in non-verbal communication which might suffer due to cultural differences.

6.  Inattention- One of the most common barriers towards effective communication is inattention, the receiver might simply be uninterested or might be daydreaming while the message is being conveyed to him.

These barriers can be easily avoided with a little effort and dedication. Below are some methods useful for avoiding these communication barriers:

1. Clarity of words and purpose - Clarity is one of the most essential requirements of communication. While writing, it is necessary to write in good handwriting with proper grammar and sentence formation. While speaking one should use proper vocabulary and speak each word clearly and carefully along with proper inflections.
2. Active Listening- One should listen carefully what the speaker is saying in order to understand properly and provide feedback. One should be attentive while listening, ask open ended questions and should be able to summarize the information provided by the speaker.
3. Focus should be the other - While conversing one should maintain eye contact with the speaker as this shows the speaker that the message is being received by the listener. While speaking the focus should always be on the receiver.
4. Non-Verbal Communication- One’s body language often speaks as loud as his words. While communication one should show one’s reactions and interests through their body language.
5. Avoid Interruptions- It is essential to let the speaker finish talking before conveying one’s own thoughts. Interrupting is not only rude but also can be disadvantageous as one may not totally grasp the meaning of the speaker. If an interruption is absolutely necessary, one must use polite words like “pardon me” or “excuse me” instead of cutting the speaker in the middle of their thought process.
6. Controlling Emotions and Thinking before Speaking- It is said one must think twice before they speak. One must always consider the opinions and feelings of others before speaking their mind. One must also consider one’s own emotions and not speak out of anger or frustration. The process of communication should be logical rather than emotional.
7. The Message- The message one wishes to convey must always be clear and concise, there should be no doubts in one’s mind while speaking. The central idea of the message should always be conveyed completely and indubitably.
8. Eliminating Noise- One must eliminate all the outside forces that might disturb the conversation in order to maintain the flow of the communication process.
9. Feedback- One must pay attention to what the other person is saying and try to understand it as closely as possible to his intended meaning. This will allow him to provide proper responses.

1.4 Flow/channels in business communication

In a corporate structure, formal communication follows a hierarchical organization. Data can stream in four ways in an association: downward, upward, horizontally, and diagonally. The size, nature, and structure of the organization decides how and in which direction the information will flow. In more settled and conventional organizations, a great part of the correspondence streams in a vertical—downward and upward—heading. In informal firms, generally the information will flow horizontally and diagonally. This, obviously, is an element of the practically flat hierarchical progressive system.

Informal correspondences, for example, those conveyed in the organizational grapevine, show up in the both kinds of organizations.

Formal Channels of Corporate Communication

A formal communication channel transmits information such as the goals, policies and procedures of an organization. Messages in this type of communication channel follow a chain of command. This means information flows from a manager to his subordinates and they in turn pass on the information to the next level of staff.

An example of a formal communication channel is a company's newsletter, which gives employees as well as the clients a clear idea of a company's goals and vision. It also includes the transfer of information with regard to memoranda, reports, directions, and scheduled meetings in the chain of command.

A business plan, customer satisfaction survey, annual reports, employer's manual, review meetings are all formal communication channels.

Downward Communication Flows

Downward correspondence is when organization's managers and administrators share information with lower-level employees. In most cases the information transferred in a downward direction does not require a response. An instance might be a declaration of another CEO or notice of a merger with a different firm. Different types of higher-level downward communication incorporate speeches, web journals, digital broadcasts, and recordings. The most widely recognized ways of downward communication are daily mandates of office managers or line administrators to employees. These can even be in the form of instruction manuals or organization handbooks.

Downward correspondence conveys information that assists with notifying the workforce about key authoritative changes, new objectives, or procedures; give performance feedback at the hierarchical level; organize activities; present an official policy; or improve employee morale of consumer relations.

Upward Communication Flows

Data moving from lower-level employees to elevated level representatives is upward communication (also known as vertical communication). For instance, upward communication happens when employees report to an administrator or when team leaders report to an office manager. Things commonly conveyed upward incorporate progress reports, proposals for new projects, spending evaluations, complaints and grievances, proposals for upgrades, and scheduling concerns. In some cases a downward communication prompts a response form a higher level in the hierarchical structure, for example, when an administrator requests a suggestion for a new part or to gauge when an unfinished project will be finished.

A significant objective of managers in organisations today is to energize unconstrained or wilful upward communication from employees without the need to ask first. A few organizations go as far as to organize competitions and give prizes to the most inventive and innovative solutions and recommendations. Before employees are able to provide innovative solutions however, they must be able to trust the management that it would now hijack or sabotage their contributions. A few associations have even introduced "informant" hotlines that will let representatives report perilous, unethical, or criminal operations namelessly to maintain a strategic distance from conceivable counter by higher-ups in the organization.

Horizontal Communication Flows

Horizontal correspondence includes the trading of data across divisions at a similar level in an association (i.e., peer to peer communication). The reason for most horizontal communication is to co-ordinate events and activities and request assistance. Individuals at a similar level in the association can cooperate to deal with issues or issues in a informal and casual basis. The manager of the production division can work with the purchase administrator to quicken or postpone the shipment of materials. The fund supervisor and stock administrators can be circled in with the goal that the association can achieve the maximum profit by the coordination. Communication between two workers who report to the same supervisor is additionally a case of horizontal communication. A few issues with horizontal communication can emerge on the off chance that one manager is reluctant or unmotivated to share data, or considers endeavours to be work commonly as compromising his position (regional conduct). For a situation like that, the administrator at the next level of the hierarchy should convey downward to fortify the organization's value of co-operation.

Diagonal Communication Flows

Diagonal communication is the exchange of data among the various departments of the organisation. For instance, if the VP of sales sends an email to the VP of manufacturing asking when an item will be accessible for delivery, this is a case of horizontal communication. But if a sales representative communicates with the director of manufacturing, that would be an example of diagonal communication. At whatever point correspondence moves between different departments division, the sender's manager ought to be made a part of the loop. An administrator might be placed in a humiliating position and seem awkward in the event that he doesn't know about everything occurring in his department. Trust might be lost and careers harmed if key communication protocols are not followed properly.

External Communication Flows

Communication doesn't always begin and stop inside the association. External communication is the communication conducted outside of the association. For Example, the public relation departments with the help of senior management often deals with the image of the company in public eye. First-level and center level administration for the most part handle operational business interchanges, for example, buying, recruiting, and advertising. When communicating outside the association (paying little heed to the level), it is significant for representatives to carry on expertly and not to make commitments outside of their extent of power.

Informal Channels of Corporate Communication

Within a formal working environment, there always exists an informal communication network. The strict hierarchical web of communication cannot function efficiently on its own and hence there exists a communication channel outside of this web. While this type of communication channel may disrupt the chain of command, a good manager needs to find the fine balance between the formal and informal communication channel.

An example of an informal communication channel is lunchtime at the organization's cafeteria/canteen. Here, in a relaxed atmosphere, discussions among employees are encouraged. Also managers walking around, adopting a hands-on approach to handling employee queries is an example of an informal communication channel.

Quality circles, team work, different training programs are outside of the chain of command and so, fall under the category of informal communication channels.

There are four different types of informal communication:

1. Single Strand: One person communicates with one person and then they go and communicate with another one person. Communication is traveling from one person to another one person.
2. Gossip Chain: Group conversation where everyone is talking to each other informally.
3. Probability Chain: Each individual randomly tells another individual the same message.
4. Cluster Chain: One person shares information with a group of selected individuals and in turn each of those individuals shares that information with others.

All of these different types of informal communication are all about how information flows between employees outside of a professional and formal meeting scenario.

References:

1. Communication Skills by Sanjay Kumar and Pushpa Lata, Oxford University Press.

2. Business Communication by Meenakshi Raman and Prakash Singh, Oxford University Press.

3. Technical Communication by Meenakshi Raman and Sangeeta Sharma, OUP.