In this article we will discuss about:- 1. Definitions of Communication 2. Features or Characteristics of Communication 3. Need 4. Essentials 5. Nature 6. Forms 7. Process 8. Principles 9. Functions 10. Commandments 11. Importance 12. Barriers.
Contents:
- Definitions of Communication
- Features or Characteristics of Communication
- Need for Communication in Commercial Organisations
- Essentials of Good Communication
- Nature of Communication
- Forms of Business Communication
- Process of Communication
- Principles of Effective Communication
- Functions of Business Communication
- Commandments of Good Communication
- Importance of Communication
- Barriers to Communication
1. Definitions of Communication:
The word ‘Communication’ is derived from the Latin word ‘Communis’ which means common. Communication is the process in which two or more persons give and receive information. Communication means an exchange of facts, ideas, opinion or emotions by two or more persons. In other words, communication is the transfer of message from one person to another.
Some popular definitions of communication are given below:
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Communication means “imparting, conveying or exchange of ideas, knowledge, etc., whether by speech, writing or signs.” – Oxford English Dictionary
“Communication is the intercourse by words, letters or messages, intercourse of thoughts or opinions. It is the act of making one’s ideas and opinions known to others”. –Fred G. Meyer
“Communication is the process of passing information and understanding from one person to another”. -Keith Davis
“Communication may broadly be defined as a process of meaningful interaction among human beings. More specially, it is the process by which meanings are perceived and understandings are reached among human beings”. —Dalton E. Mcfarland
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“Simply stated, communication means, the process of passing information and understanding from one person to another. Communication, fundamental and vital to all managerial functions, is the process of imparting ideas and making oneself understood by others “. – Theo Haimann
“Communication is the sum of all the things one person does when he wants to create understanding in the minds of others. It is a bridge of meaning. It involves a systematic and continuous process of telling, listening and understanding”. —Louis A. Allen
“Communication is the transfer of information and understanding from one person to another”. –Dale S. Brech
“Communication is transmitting a message in order to evoke a discriminating response. It involves a systematic and continuing process of telling, listening and understanding, and forms the basis of understanding among the members of an organisation”. -Pitman
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“Communication means any behaviour that result in exchange of meaning”. –American Management Association
2. Features or Characteristics of Communication:
Characteristic # 1. Meaning-Based:
The first and foremost feature or characteristic of communication is that it is the meaning-based. Whenever we want to communicate with anybody we look for suitable words for things, events, processes etc.
We have only to keep in mind that our hearer or recipient of our message, oral or written, is able to understand us. Even if we fail to find a word for an object we coin a new word. The aim is to successfully convey our meaning and make our intention or proposition clear.
Characteristic # 2. Conventional:
The second important feature of communication is that it is conventional or tradition-bound. In other words we can say that the old established practices play an important role in communication. It is very important in an organizational set-up. We have to respect the time-honored traditions of the organization to which we belong.
Characteristic # 3. Interactional:
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The third important feature of communication is that it is interactional. All communication, whether spoken or written, is a kind of ongoing dialogue. The speaker and the hearer, or the writer and recipient, are the participants in that dialogue. Their roles are understood in the communication situation.
Characteristic # 4. Appropriate:
Fourthly, communication is always supposed to be appropriate. The language we use should be suitable to our position or place in the organization. Every organization has its hierarchy. It means that there are people above us, below us, or equal to us.
Our choice of words, our style of address, and our tone will be guided by our place in the organization. It is not essentially different from role-relationships in a family.
Characteristic # 5. All Communication is Structured:
Every communication event, whether a letter or report or a telephone conversation has a well-understood structure. We can easily identify the beginning, the middle and the end. It is very important to take care of the information- structuring of a letter or an application or a report, short or long.
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That is why good communicators are well-trained and experienced in the art of structuring their speeches and writings. In other words they know-how to arrange their ideas.
Characteristic # 6. Two People:
Communication always involves two people—a sender and a receiver. Communication is not a one-way street; one person cannot communicate. A sportsman alone in a forest, for example, may speak or shout, but he cannot communicate.
Characteristic # 7. Sequential Process:
Communication is a process, involving several steps. First, the sender has an idea to communicate. Second, the idea is translated into a recognizable form such as spoken or written language. This is called encoding information.
Third, the encoded message has to usually travel a distance through various communication channels like telephone routes, mail routes, etc. Fourth, once the receiver gets the message, he begins encoding, i.e., transforming the message back into ideas. Finally, if the idea received by the receiver is the one which was intended, communication has taken place.
Characteristic # 8. Continuous Activity:
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Everything a manager does involves communicating not something, but everything. A manager must always be in touch with his subordinates, peers and superiors in order to get things done. It is an activity to which every manager devotes an overwhelming portion of his time.
Characteristic # 9. Pervasive Function:
Communication takes place at all levels in an organisation. It is essential at all levels of management and in all areas of business.
Characteristic # 10. Receiver-Oriented:
A manager may send a hundred messages, as New Storm says, but there is no communication until each one has received, read and understood. “Communication is what the receiver understands, not what the sender says”.
3. Need for Communication in Commercial Organisations:
Communication is the modus operandi of social and commercial interaction. It is communication, which gets the world going. It is the life blood of any group or organisation. The communication process encompasses men, women and children. As individuals are also members of a group of society, community or organisation.
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Communication is relevant not only to human beings but also to other living beings. It is the most important link that connects all living organisms. Communication takes place not only among people but also between people and animals and among animals. The dog owner, the horse rider, the ring master in the circus and the fortune-teller communicate with their animals and birds.
In recent times, communication has become all the more essential due to the following reasons:
Need # 1. To Increase the Size or Enterprises:
Operation scale of business firms has grown tremendously. Thousands of people are employed by these organisations. The offices and factories are scattered around the world. It is essential for the head office to have a close contact with the branch offices. Only an efficient communication system can solve the problems.
Communication plays a vital role in ensuring that people belonging to a particular country or a cultural or linguistic group interact with and relate to people belonging to other countries or cultural and linguistic group.
Need # 2. Growing Specialisation:
Sound communication is essential for ensuring mutual cooperation and understanding between different departments of any organisation. For example, if there is no communication between production and sales departments, the sales department might book orders which the production department cannot supply.
Need # 3. Technological Advancements:
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In order to upgrade or modernise technology, management must persuade employees to accept new technologies. Regular training of staff becomes necessary to update their knowledge and to provide them with the skills needed to apply new technologies accordingly. This is not possible without communication.
Need # 4. Cut-Throat Competition:
Persuasive communication in the form of advertisements, personal contacts and publicity is essential to survive in the race of competition. Liberalisation and globalisation have resulted in severe competition.
Need # 5. Trade Union Movement:
With the advancement of industrialisation, trade unions came into existence and presently some trade unions are very strong and powerful. Regular exchange of information and ideas between managers and union officials helps to maintain healthy relations between them.
Need # 6. Human Relations:
Employees’ participation in decision making process and other means of communication help to develop among employees a sense of belonging and loyalty to the organisation.
Need # 7. Public Relations:
Business has to keep others well informed about its contributions to society. Public relations help business to improve its image in society. Big enterprises employ professional experts for the purpose.
Need # 8. Personal Asset:
Communication skill is essential in every field of life. It is essential for a large section of society. Teachers, Advocates, journalists and receptionists need high degree of communication skill. The ability to communicate effectively is equally essential for promotion in career.
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4. Essentials of Good Communication:
Essentials of Good Communication # 1. Have Clarity of Thought:
The idea to be communicated should be clear and complete without any conflict or confusion; Employee communication in particular should be specific, meaningful and clear, without any abstract ideas and vagueness. The language spoken should be common and understandable.
Essentials of Good Communication # 2. Communication Should be Functional:
A superior who states that he will trust the workers and then proceeds to make unnecessary or too many checks on the workers will fail in communication. He must say what he means, and he must mean what he says.
A manager who insists on the punctuality of workers can make the communication functional and when he is punctual. This is essential because it is human psychology to discount a message when the attitude and actions behind it contradict it.
Essentials of Good Communication # 3. Develop Participation:
Communication cannot be a one-way traffic. Both the communication channels should be kept open. Workers are not mere listeners- they also will have something to say. Managers should encourage participative communication so as to have an objective and perfect understanding of situations.
Essentials of Good Communication # 4. Plan the Transmission:
A communicator has to plan carefully about what to communicate. One has to plan about the media and channels to make the communication most effective. A harmonious blend of both formal and informal channels will make the communication more effective.
Essentials of Good Communication # 5. Develop Listening Systems:
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Listening plays a vital role in the perfect understanding of a communication. It is an art which can be developed by continuous practice. There is a tendency on the part of managers not to listen to workers with real interest, which should be avoided. Good listening is, good understanding.
Essentials of Good Communication # 6. Maintain Cordial Superior – Subordinate Relationship:
Effective communication is possible only when the employer-employee relationship is cordial. There must be mutual trust, faith and perfect understanding on both sides. Coordination on the part of managers and cooperation on the part of workers will help in making the communication more effective.
Essentials of Good Communication # 7. Regulate the Flow of Information:
Communication flow should be optimum without any shortage or overloading. Communication should not create a gap because of shortages or be a burden because of overloading. Top management need not go through all the incoming messages. Only exceptionally important messages can be handed over to the top management and the remaining routine matters can be decided at the lower level itself.
8. Use Feedback Effectively:
Feedback will give a suitable response to the sender of the communication. Immediate and prompt feedback will make the communication very clear.
5. Nature of Communication:
From the analysis of above-mentioned definitions we get the following essential features of communication:
Nature of Communication # 1. It Involves at Least Two Persons:
Communication involves at least two persons, a sender and a receiver. The sender is called communicator and the receiver of the message is known as communicate. A person who speaks, writes or issues some instructions is the sender or communicator and the person for whom the communication is meant or who receives the message is the receiver or communicates.
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Nature of Communication # 2. Message is a Must:
A message is the subject matter of communication, e.g., the contents of the letter or speech, order, instructions or the suggestions. A communication must convey some message. If there is no message there is no communication.
Nature of Communication # 3. Communication May be Written, Oral or Gestural:
Communication is generally understood as spoken or written words. But in reality, it is more than that. It includes everything that may be used to convey meanings from one person to another, e.g., movement of lips, or the wink of an eye or the wave of hands may convey more meaning than even written or spoken words.
Nature of Communication # 4. Communication is a Two Way Process:
It involves both information and understanding. Communication is not complete unless the receiver has understood the message properly and his reaction or response is known to the sender. Understanding is the end result of communication but it does not imply agreement.
Nature of Communication # 5. Its Primary Purpose is to Motivate a Response:
The primary purpose of communication is to motivate response or influence human behaviour.
There is no doubt that motivation comes from within but communicator can also motivate people by good drafting of message, proper timing of communication, etc. To create understanding, communication should be relevant to the situation. It must always be remembered that communication is a means of motivating and not an end itself.
Nature of Communication # 6. Communication May be Formal or Informal:
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Formal communication follows the formal channels provided in the organisation structure.
For example, the Managing Director communicates with the departmental heads, say Finance Manager, finance manager communicates to deputy finance manager, the deputy finance manager with accounts officer and so on. In simple words, in informal communication, there is no direct communication between the Managing Director and the accounts clerks.
Informal communication flows from informal channels of communication which are not provided in the organisation structure. These channels develop among members because of personal contacts through working with each other.
Nature of Communication # 7. It Flows Up and Down and Also From Side to Side:
Communication flows downward from a superior to subordinate and upward from subordinate to a superior. It also flows between two or more persons operating at the same level of authority.
Nature of Communication # 8. It is An Integral Part of the Process of Exchange:
It refers to the exchange of ideas, feelings, emotions and knowledge and information’s between two or more persons.
6. Forms of Business Communication:
Verbal Communication:
i. Written Communication:
A famous writer Francis Bacon has said, “Reading makes a full man, writing an exact man, conference a ready man”. Written communication involves any type of interaction that makes use of the written word. Communication is a key to any endeavour involving more than one person.
Communicating through writing is essential in the modern world and is becoming ever more so as we participate in what is now commonly called the information age. In fact, written communication is the most common form of business communication.
It is essential for small business owners and managers to develop effective written communication skills and to encourage the same in all employees. The information age has altered the ways in which we communicate and placed an increasing emphasis on written versus oral communications.
Written Communication includes:
Memo, Report, Office order, Circulars, Graphs/Charts, Staff Newsletter, E-mail, Form / Questionnaire, Letter, Leaflet / Brochure / Handbill, Notice / Agenda / Notes on Agenda, Minutes of Meeting, Advertisement, Customer Newsletter, Press Release, Invitations, Fax, Manuals, and Telegram.
Advantages of Written Communication:
1. One of the biggest advantages of written communication is the fact that it allows for permanent records.
2. Because it allows for permanent records, it is good for making references and can be very useful as a defence during legal issues.
3. Written communication is more reliable than oral communication. A written and signed document carries more weight and validity than spoken words.
4. Written document can be preserved for a long time easily. That is why; all the important issues of an organization should be black and white.
5. In this communication system information is recorded permanently. So, there is less possibility of distortion and alteration of the information.
6. Scope for tastefully designed stationery can be used to display what we have written.
7. Use of heading and bullets enable the matter to be better understood.
Disadvantages of Written Communication:
1. Written communication is comparatively expensive. For this communication paper, pen, ink, typewriter, computer and a large number of employees are needed.
2. Written communication takes time to communicate with others. It is a time consuming media. It costs the valuable time of both the writer and the reader.
3. It takes much time to get a response from the message, receivers; prompt response is not possible in case of written communication that is possible in oral communication.
4. If there is no direct relation between the writer and the reader, writer communication cannot help to establish a direct relation between them.
5. Sometimes the writer uses complex words in writing a message. It becomes difficult for the reader to understand and interpret so the objective or the communication may be lost.
Requirements of Effective Written Communication:
It is felt that executives of the organizations have to spend a lot of time on communication specially written communication to maintain inter-departmental and intra-departmental links.
Hence it is important to pay attention to certain important factors like:
(a) Appropriate Words:
Words are symbols for what we perceive with our senses. They communicate what we think, feel and do. The more complex the idea or thought, the more difficult it is to express it precisely in words. Plain language writing emphasizes the use of the clearest words possible to describe actions, objects and people.
(b) Clarity of Ideas:
Your choice of words should be based on what will be clearer for your reader. Use of ‘may’, ‘seem’ etc. always suggest uncertainty and should be used only where wanted.
(c) Inoffensive Language:
Offensive language is never perceived right in business communication. It will lose the essence of message and may also affect the goodwill of the organisation.
(d) Lucid Style:
Lucid style suggests that the words written should be easily understandable. Everyone has their own style of presentation. But the style has to be uniform and lucid.
(e) Coherent Presentation:
Coherent means logical and consistent. Any information send, if incoherent will not make an impact on the receiver. Incoherence is due to confused thinking, lack of poise etc.
ii. Oral Communication:
When messages or information is exchanged or communicated orally it is called oral communication. It is word based communication system but in oral form. Executive spend 60 to 90 per cent of their time talking to people. Face to face conversations, group discussions, counselling, interview, radio, television, telephone calls etc. is used to express meaning in oral communication.
Oral Communication includes:
1. Telephone/Mobile Phone
2. Messages
3. Intercom
4. Face-to-face discussion
5. Meetings / Conferences
6. Conversation
7. Radio
8. Tape-recorder
9. Teleconferencing / Videoconferencing
10. Speeches
11. Brainstorming Sessions
12. Grapevine
13. Interview
History of Speech in Business Communication:
In ancient Greece and Rome, the study of rhetoric the art of oratory and persuasion, was a vital subject for students. Speech is the earliest and most widely used form of communication.
The world renowned insurance company Lloyds is the brain child of some owners and merchants who used to meet and discuss the matters of mutual interest at a coffee house on the banks of the river Thames.
Factors Affecting Oral Communication are:
1. Size of audience;
2. Degree of significance attached to the information;
3. Fear of boss;
4. Fear of status;
5. Fear of one’s own self-advancement
Advantages of Oral Communication are:
1. Oral communication makes way for instant feedback, unlike some other forms of communications which do not provide this. The instant feedback associated with oral communication allows for decisions to make very quickly without any delays.
2. Oral communication is very easy and simple. Also it avoids time wasting.
3. Oral communication can be a relatively cheaper means of communication than other means of communication since it can be achieved without the need of travelling to communicate with people outside the organization. A mere telephone call can be used instead of travelling.
4. Oral communication is particularly good when one wants to persuade or motivate people into doing something.
5. Oral communication can be quite flexible in the sense that one can easily identify his or her mistakes and correct them.
6. Oral Communication helps the speaker to establish a personal contact with the group and make the group understand his opinions and views at the same time.
Disadvantages of Oral Communication are:
1. Unlike other means of communication, oral communication leaves behind no permanent record, which could later pose problems in the future.
2. Things such as background noise could interfere during the transmission of information and render the information ineffective.
3. Another disadvantage of the oral communication is the fact that if the speaker is not a good speaker then an effective transmission of information might not take place. A speaker that is not good would speak with little or no confidence and be unable to provide clear and concise speech.
4. The receiver might misunderstand the information being transmitted as it depends on the attitude and perception of the receiver as to how he understands the information.
5. Oral communication is control specific. Telephone calls, unfamiliar accents and pronunciations, regional language variations etc., may often lead to difficulties for the recipient to understand the message.
Dictation:
Dictation is the transcription of spoken text: one person who is “dictating” speaks and another who is “taking dictation” writes down the words as they are spoken. Many managers may prefer to reply to their routine E-mails by dictating it to their secretary. It will not only save their time but also prevent them from wasting their efforts and energy on routine jobs.
Some suggestions for dictation are:
1. Personal action to be taken only on papers which needs more attention.
2. Regular time for dictation should be set aside. Emergency dictations could be filled in whenever the need arises.
3. Homework should be done as to the matter you want to dictate should be thoroughly analyzed and jotted down for better remembrance.
4. Pronunciation should be very clear.
5. No repetition of words should be done unless asked for.
6. Use of natural voice and normal volume to be preferred.
7. Dictation should not be done while chewing or eating food in mouth. The sound may be muffled due to the food.
8. Complicated or technical words should be spelled.
9. Pause after sentences or paragraphs.
10. Attention to be maintained while the dictation is read back.
11. All letters and supporting papers should be handed over to the secretary with proper directions.
Talking on Telephone:
The telephone is one of the tools used in our daily business activities. The telephone is our link to the outside world. For some reasons, phone calls are much more difficult than talking to people face to face. Maybe it’s because you can’t read the person’s expressions or get dues about their meaning from their gestures.
Some suggestions for good telephone manners are:
1. Do not let the phone ring for too long. To show your promptness it should be picked in 3-4 rings only. Phone should not be picked in a hurry also. Be calm and composed while answering a call.
2. Always state the name of the company or the department.
3. Be clear and audible
4. Be polite and formal
5. One needs to be careful with the facial expression as they affect the way you sound.
6. Be courteous and listen to the other person before coming to a conclusion.
7. If busy, mention the time you can spare for the call and ask the person to call back on that time.
8. Do not eat, chew and drink etc. while making a phone call.
9. Always address the person with his / her name. This gives a personal touch to the conversation.
10. If someone is not available state the reason for his absence and offer to take a message.
11. While leaving a voicemail, be clear, state your name, phone number, reason for the call and appropriate time to call back.
12. Never bang the phone.
Non-Verbal Communication:
i. Visual Communication:
Visual communication is communication through a visual aid and is described as the conveyance of ideas and information in forms that can be read or looked upon. Visual communication in part or whole relies on vision and is primarily presented or expressed with two dimensional images.
Various modes of visual communication are:
1. Graphs
2. Tables/ Chart
3. Maps
4. Models
5. Demonstrations
6. Slides
7. Flipcharts
8. Neon hoardings
9. Printed/Painted pictures (Posters)
10. Internet without use of multimedia
11. Pagers
Advantages of Visual Communication are:
1. It makes data clearer and easier for the receiver to understand.
2. They can be used on their own. No help of any other way of communication is required.
3. Message conveyed through visual communication is easily remembered by the receiver and for a long period too.
Disadvantages of Visual Communication are:
This is an expensive mode of communication.
ii. Audio-Visual Communication:
The term audio-visual communication may refer to communication with both, a sound and a visual component.
Examples of audio-visual communication are:
1. Television/video/cable
2. Cinema
3. Internet with multimedia
4. Video conferencing
5. Presentation using visual aids or electronic presentation.
Advantages of Audio-Visual Communication are:
1. It stimulates the senses of both sight and hearing simultaneously and thus enhances the effectiveness of the message
2. It has a wider reach
3. Message conveyed through audio-visual communication is remembered for a long period.
Disadvantages of Audio-Visual Communication are:
This is an expensive mode of communication.
Choice of Means and Mode of Communication:
(i) Organisation Size and Policy- Organizations size plays an important role in deciding the mode of communication. For a small organisation oral communication would suffice. But for a large organisation with many people, it is important to have written communication so that the message is not distorted.
(ii) Cost Factor- The amount of money spends by the organisation for sending the message should commensurate with the results expected.
(iii) Nature of Message- The nature of message i.e. confidentiality, urgency etc. also influences the choice and mode of communication.
(iv) Distance Involved- If the message has to be send to the person living far away and the message is urgent an E-mail would be preferred. Hence the distance involved in sending of the message also plays an important role.
(v) Resources- Resources available to both the sender and the receiver play an important role. For e.g.; an E-mail can only be sent when the sender and receiver both have internet connection.
7. Process of Communication:
The whole process of machinery of effective communication has six essential steps:
(1) Ideation, i.e., conceiving the idea by the sender.
(2) Encoding, i.e., translation of ideas to words.
(3) Transmission, of message to the receiver over a channel.
(4) Receiving the Message- The fourth step is receiving the message by the receiver who pays the necessary attention in receiving the message. Any neglect on the part of receiver may make the communication ineffective or it means the message is lost. In case of oral message, a receiver has to be good listener. But listening alone is not sufficient, he should be willing to understand also.
(5) Decoding- Decoding meaning translation of symbols encoded by the sender into idea for understanding. Understanding the message by the receiver is the key to the decoding process. If the receiver does not understand the message or misunderstands it or pretends to misunderstand it whereas he has understood it correctly, the communication is ineffective. This happens because perceptions of two people are quite different.
Understanding is with the receiver. A communicator can only make sure that he has communicated the message and it reaches the receiver and understanding the message is only a choice of receiver whether to understanding it or not. Decoding in this way is translation of words or symbols received into idea.
(6) Action- It is response by the receiver of the communication received from the sender. He may like to ignore the message or to store the information received or to perform the task assigned by the sender or something else.
ldeation->Encoding->Transmission-> Receiving->Decoding->Action
Rule of Five in Communication:
In the above process of communication, out of six steps, first three are to be taken by the sender and last three by the receiver. There are two more steps which are generally desired by the sender from the receiver in an organizational situation but both these steps are not essential to a completed communication.
These steps are ‘Acceptance’ and ‘Feedback’ sender wants that his message must be accepted by the receiver so that co-operation and motivation may improve and the sender may come to know that the receiver has understood his message correctly. Similarly, sender wants feedback. It means that receiver generates a message to the sender in response to sender’s original message.
This may help the sender, evaluate the effectiveness of his message so that sender can modify his subsequent messages. Although these two additional steps of the receiver are not essential for completing a communication, but these are essential in generating an effective long-run working relationship.
When all the expectations of the receiver in communication process are considered, they are sometimes called the Rules of Five in communication, i.e., (i) receiving, (ii) understanding, (iii) acceptance (iv) action and (v) feedback. If these five steps are completed from the receiver’s side the communication is effective and successful.
8. Principles of Effective Communication:
One of the important feature of communication is that, it is a two-way traffic. Management is also a two-way traffic. It is very necessary to establish an effective machinery of communication to manage the affairs of the concern effectively.
The effective system of communication should provide the liberty to both the parties- management and workers to convey their ideas, opinions, facts, grievances, etc., to other party i.e., it must establish a two-way traffic.
Communication is said to be a continuous process of exchanging views and ideas but it should not only give the managers a privilege to communicate the order and directions to the workers but they should also be given liberty to convey their complaints, grievances, opinions, suggestions, etc., to the management.
Establishment of a two-way traffic will improve the morale of the workers on the one hand and will improve working of the organisation on the other. It will also improve industrial relations. Thus, it is very essential to have a two-way communication.
In order to make the communication system effective, the following factors or principles must be followed:
i. Principle of Clarity:
The idea to be transmitted should always be in an understandable language. For this purpose the idea to be conveyed must be clear in the minds of the communicator.
ii. Principle of Attention:
Communication requires that the receiver of message should understand the message. It is possible only when the recipient pays attention to the message being communicated. For this, manager should evoke the interest of the receiver, so that the receiver pays proper attention.
iii. Principle of Consistency:
This principle implies that communication should always be consistent with the plan, objectives, policies and programmes of the enterprise.
iv. Principle of Adequacy:
This principle demands that the information being sent should be adequate and complete in all respects. Incomplete or inadequate information is very dangerous. Inadequate information not only delays action and but also destroys understanding and relations. Efficiency of both communicator and communicatee is also affected.
v. Principle of Integration:
The main objective of effective communication is to integrate the effort to strengthen the organisation by achieving the common objectives of the organisation. Communication is a means to an end, not an end in itself. It should be geared towards achieving a genuine spirit of cooperation among the personnel towards achieving the organisational objectives.
vi. Principle of Timeliness:
The information or ideas must be conveyed at the proper time. Any delay in this respect will serve no purpose except to make it (message) mere historical document as it loses its importance and effectiveness.
vii. Principle of Informality:
Formal communication channels are very important and useful to the organisation, but informal communication also plays a dominant role in spreading information. Managers should try to be informal in their behaviour with their subordinates. But in certain situations where manager is the best judge, informality should be avoided.
viii. Principle of Feedback:
This is the most important principle of an effective communication system. Communication must have feedback system, a confirmation from the recipient whether the messages have been understood by the recipient in the same sense in which the sender intended to, and also whether the recipient is agreed or disagreed to this proposal of the sender. In case of oral communication, there exist a number of opportunities to secure feedback in comparison to written communication.
ix. Communication Networks:
Communication networks refer to the routes through which the communication flows to the destination, person for whom it is intended. A number of such networks may exist in the organisation at a given point of time but management should consider the effectiveness of the communication and morale of the communicatee before it should figure out such network.
x. Principle of Economy:
The communication system must be as economical as possible, but not at the cost of the efficiency of the system. The cost of communication of any message should always be considered keeping the importance of the message in the mind. However, the clarity, adequacy and timeliness should not be sacrificed to achieve economy.
9. Functions of Business Communication:
A business organization is a society in itself. Naturally, the process or activity of sharing or exchange of information in an organization and the results obtained are business communication. It involves sharing of information between the employers and the employees working at various levels.
At the top there is the CEO (Chief Executive Officer). Then there are the vice- presidents and managers at various levels. They have very vital information to share and send down the line to their juniors. Then they have to reach out to various types of people outside the organization. It takes various forms.
Business communication has many important objectives or functions as discussed below:
Function # (a) Achieving Desired Goals:
Every organization has some set goals about which it takes important decisions. All organizational decisions are collective decisions. No one single individual can take the responsibility. It is primarily a shared or combined activity.
Function # (b) Working up Team Spirit:
This function is closely related to the previous point. The management must above all work towards organizational harmony. Across all the departments there has to be built up cordiality. All workers must be made to feel that they belong to a large family. This is done through fruitful communication within the organization.
Function # (c) Providing Information:
This is one of the foremost functions of communication in an organization. Everybody in the organization must be kept well informed about its policies, latest developments in related areas, adoption of new technologies and so on.
This can be done by providing newspapers and magazines, audio-visual aids and calling meetings if needed. We are living in a world in which new information is being made available every day.
Function # (d) Control:
Another important function of communication is to control ‘member behaviour’. Every organization has a hierarchical system and formal guidelines that the employees are supposed to follow.
In other words we can say that the employees are supposed to follow a code of conduct. This is communicated to them both formally and informally. Every worker in the organization has to know his place, his rights and responsibilities.
Function # (e) Motivation:
Motivation is very much talked about now-a-days. It is very important on the part of the management to motivate the workers to achieve more and more. For this purpose motivational workshops are held every now and then. Moreover top bosses and managers are told to lead by example. An entrepreneur or CEO must work more than others.
Function # (f) Emotional Fulfilment:
Everybody knows that man is a bundle of emotions. And everybody looks for emotional fulfilment. Every successful organization keeps its employees happy by listening to them patiently, knowing their needs and expectations, and making them feel that they are valued.
Daniel Goleman, a great management guru talks about building up ’emotional bank account’. Listening patiently to a worker is very important in this regard. It relieves his tension and makes him feel happy and important.
Function # (g) Contact with External Agencies:
Any organization has to keep up a lot of interaction with external agencies: customers, suppliers, banks, Government offices and so on. In this way correspondence with people outside the organization is very important. It projects the image of the company to the outside world.
Function # (h) Advertising and Marketing:
The basic aim of all business is selling. It can be done efficiently only through imaginative advertising and persuasive marketing. The people working in the field must, therefore, be very good in communication.
10. Commandments of Good Communication
Commandments # 1. Seek to Clarify your Ideas before Communicating:
The more systematically we analyze the problem or idea to be communicated, the clearer it becomes. This is the first step towards effective communication. Many communications fail because of inadequate planning. Good planning must consider the goals and attitude of those who will receive the communication and those who will be affected by it.
Commandments # 2. Examine the True Purpose of Each Communication:
Before you communicate, ask yourself what you really want to accomplish with your message – to obtain information, to initiate action, to change another person’s attitude or behavior. Identify your most important goal and then adapt your language, tone and total approach to serve that specific objective. Don’t try to accomplish too mush with each communication. The sharper the focus of your message, the greater it’s chances of sources.
Commandments # 3. Consider the Total Physical and Human Setting whenever you Communicate:
Meaning and intent are conveyed by more than words alone. Many other factors influence the overall impact of a communication and you must be sensitive to the total setting in which you communicate.
Consider, for example, your sense of timing – i.e. the circumstances under which you make an announcement or render a decision; the physical setting – whether you communicate in private, for example, or otherwise; the social climate that pervades work relationships within the company or a department and sets the tone of its communications; custom and past practice – the degree to which your communication conforms to, or departs from the expectations of your audience.
Be constantly aware of the total setting in which you communicate. It is essential that communication adapts to its environment.
Commandments # 4. Consult with Others, where Appropriate, in Planning Communications:
Frequently, it is desirable to see the participation of others in planning a communication or developing the facts on which to base it. Such consultation often helps to lend additional insight and objectivity to your message. Moreover, those who have helped you plan your communication; will give it their active support.
Commandments # 5. Be Mindful, while you Communicate of the Overtones as well as the Basic Content of your Message:
Your tone of voice, your expression, your apparent receptiveness to the responses of others – all have tremendous impact on those you wish to reach. Frequently overlooked, these subtleties of communication often affect a listener’s reaction to a message even more than its basic content.
Similarly, your choice of language particularly your awareness of the fine shades of meaning and emotion in the words you use – predetermines in large part – the reactions of your listeners.
Commandments # 6. Take the Opportunity, when it Arises to Convey Something of Help or Value to the Receiver:
Consideration of the other person’s interests and needs: the ability to look at thinks from his point of view will frequently create opportunities to convey something of immediate benefit or long-range value to him. People on the job are the most responsive to the managers whose messages take their own interests into account. This is called empathy in communication.
Commandments # 7. Follow Up your Communication:
Our best efforts at communication may be wasted, and we may never know whether we have succeeded in expressing our true meaning and intent, if we do not follow up to see how well we have put our message across.
This you can do by asking questions, by encouraging the receiver to express his reactions, by follow-up contacts, by subsequent review of the performance. Make certain that every important communication has a feedback so that complete understanding and appropriate action result.
Commandments # 8. Communicate for Tomorrow as well as Today:
While communications may be aimed primarily at meeting the demands of an immediate situation, they must be planned with the past in mind, if they are to maintain consistency in the receiver’s view; but, most important of all, they must be consistent with long-range interests and goals.
For example, it is not easy to communicate frankly on such matters as poor performance or the shortcoming of a loyal subordinate – but postponing disagreeable communications makes them more difficult in the long run and is actually unfair to your subordinates and your company.
Commandments # 9. Be Sure your Actions Support your Communications:
In the final analysis, the most persuasive kind of communication is not what you say but what you do. When a man’s actions or attitudes contradict his words, we tend to discount what he has said. For every manager, this means that good supervisory practices – clear assignment of responsibility and authority, fair rewards for effort, and sound policy enforcement – serve to communicate more than all gifts of oratory.
Commandments # 10. Seek Not Only to be Understood But to Understand- Be a Good Listener:
When we start talking, we often cease to listen – in that larger sense of being attuned to the other person’s unspoken reactions and attitudes. Even more serious is the fact that we are all guilty, at times, of inattentiveness when others are attempting to communicate with us. Listening is one of the most important, most difficult and most neglected skills in communication.
It demands that we concentrate not only on the explicit meanings another person is expressing but on the implicit meanings, unspoken words and undertones that may be far more significant. Thus, we must learn to listen with the inner ear, if we are to know the inner man.
11. Importance of Communication:
Importance # 1. Basis of Decision-Making and Planning:
Communication is essential for decision-making and planning. It enables the management to secure information without which it may not be possible to take any decision. The quality of managerial decisions depends upon the quality of communication.
Further, the decisions and plans of the management need to be communicated to the subordinates. Without effective communication, it may not be possible to issue instructions to others. Effective communication helps in proper implementation of plans and policies of the management.
Importance # 2. Smooth and Efficient Working of an Organisation:
In the words of George R. Terry, “It serves as the lubricant, fostering for the smooth operations of management process.” Communication makes possible the smooth and efficient working of an enterprise. It is only through communications that the management changes and regulates the actions of the subordinates in the desired direction.
Importance # 3. Facilitates Co-Ordination:
Management is the art of getting things done through others and this objective of management cannot be achieved unless there is unity of purpose and harmony of effort. Communication through exchange of ideas and information helps to bring about unity of action in the pursuit of common purpose. It binds the people together and facilitates co-ordination.
Importance # 4. Increases Managerial Efficiency:
Effective communication increases managerial efficiency. It is rightly said that nothing happens in management until communication takes place.
The efficiency of manager depends upon his ability to communicate effectively with the members of his organisation. It is only through communication that management conveys its goals and desires, issues instructions and orders, allocates jobs and responsibility and evaluates performance of subordinates.
Importance # 5. Promotes Co-Operation and Industrial Peace:
Effective communication creates mutual understanding and trust among the members of the organisation. It promotes co-operation between the employer and the employees. Without communication, there cannot be sound industrial relations and industrial peace. It is only through communication that workers can put in their grievances, problems and suggestions to the management.
Importance # 6. Helps in Establishing Effective Leadership:
Communication is the basis of effective leadership. There cannot be any leadership action without an effective communication between the leader and the led. Communication is absolutely necessary for maintaining man to man relationship in leadership. It brings the manager (leader) and the subordinates (led) in close contact with each other and helps in establishing effective leadership.
Importance # 7. Motivation and Morale:
Communication is the means by which the behaviour of the subordinates is modified and change is effected in their actions.
Through communication workers are motivated to achieve the goals of the enterprise and their morale is boosted. Although motivation comes from within yet the manager can also motivate people by effective communication, e.g., proper drafting of message, proper timing of communication and the way of communication, etc.
Importance # 8. Increases Managerial Capacity:
Effective communication increases managerial capacity too. A manager is a human being and has limitations as to the time and energy that he can devote to his activities. He has to assign duties and responsibilities to his subordinates. Through communication, a manager can effectively delegate his authority and responsibility to others and thus, increases his managerial capacity.
Importance # 9. Effective Control:
Managerial function of control implies the measurement of actual performance, comparing it with standards set by plans and taking corrective actions of deviations, if any, to ensure attainment of enterprise objectives according to preconceived and planned acts. Communication acts as a tool of effective control.
The plans have to be communicated to the subordinates, the actual performance has to be measured and communicated to the top management and a corrective action has to be taken or communicated so as to achieve the desired goals. All this may not be possible without an efficient system of communication.
Importance # 10. Job Satisfaction:
Effective communication creates job satisfaction among employees as it increases mutual trust and confidence between management and the employees. The gap between management and the employees is reduced through the efficient means of communication and a sense of belongingness is created among employees. They work with zeal and enthusiasm.
Importance # 11. Democratic Management:
Communication is also essential for democratic management. It helps to achieve workers’ participation in management by involving workers in the process of decision-making. In the absence of an efficient system of communication, there cannot be any delegation and decentralisation of authority.
Importance # 12. Increases Productivity and Reduces Cost:
Effective communication saves time and effort. It increases productivity and reduces cost. Large-scale production involves a large number of people in the organisation. Without communication, it may not be possible to work together in a group and achieve the benefits of large- scale production.
Importance # 13. Public Relations:
In the present business world, every business enterprise has to create and maintain a good corporate image in the society. It is only through communication that management can present a good corporate image to the outside world. Effective communication helps management in maintaining good relations with workers, customers, suppliers, shareholders, government and community at large.
12. Barriers to Communication:
The obstacles or barriers in communication process which contribute to its failure are as follows:
Barriers to Communication # (A) Semantic Barriers:
These barriers arise from the linguistic capacity of the parties involved.
The following are some common forms of semantic barriers:
1. Badly Expressed Message:
Lack of clarity and precision in a message makes it badly expressed. Poorly chosen, empty words and phrases, careless omission, lack of coherence, bad organisation of ideas, awkward sentence structure, inadequate vocabulary, repetition, jargon and failure to realise the implication are some common faults found in this case.
2. Faulty Translations:
Every manager receives various types of communications from superiors, peers and subordinates so he must translate information meant for subordinates, peers and superiors into language suitable to each. Hence the message has to be put into words appropriate to the framework in which the receiver operates, or it must be accompanied by an interpretation which will be understood by the receiver.
3. Unclarified Assumptions:
There are certain uncommunicated assumptions which underlie all messages practically. Though a message appears to be specific, its underlying assumptions may not be clear to the receiver.
4. Specialist’s Language:
It is often found that technical personnel and special groups tend to develop a special, peculiar and technical language of their own. This increases their isolation from others and builds a communication barrier.
Barriers to Communication # (B) Emotional or Psychological Barriers:
Emotional or psychological factors are the prime barriers in communication and interdepend upon the emotional or psychological status of both the parties involved.
The following are important examples of emotional barriers:
1. Premature Evaluation:
Rogers and Roethlisberger in 1952, first pointed out this type of barrier. Premature evaluation is the tendency of evaluating communications beforehand, rather than to keep an unbiased position during the interchange. Such evaluation stops the transfer of information and begets in the sender a sense of futility.
2. Inattention:
The pre-occupied mind of a receiver and the resultant non-listening is one of the major chronic psychological barriers. It is a common phenomenon that people simply fail to understand bulletins, notices, minutes and reports.
3. Loss by Transmission and Poor Retention:
When communication passes through various levels in the organisation, successive transmissions of the same message are decreasingly accurate. It is said that in case of oral communication about 30% of the information is lost in each transmission.
Even in case of written communication, loss of meaning might occur as far as the appended interpretation, if any, is concerned. Poor retention of the information is again a problem, it is shown that employees retain about 50% of the information only, whereas supervisors retain about 60% of it.
4. Undue Reliance on the Written Word:
Written word is no substitute for sound face to face communication and that employees cannot be persuaded to accept company’s view-points and policies through ‘slick’ easy to read, well-illustrated publications, unless there is a fair degree of mutual trust and confidence between the organisation and its employees.
5. Distrust of Communicator:
It arises out of ill-considered judgements or illogical decisions or frequent countermanding of the original communication by the communicator. Repeated experience of this kind gradually conditions the receiver to delay action, or act unenthusiastically, thus making the communication unsuccessful, though apparently it is complete.
6. Failure to Communicate:
It is quite an accepted fact that managers often fail to transmit the needed messages. This might be because of lethargy on the part of the communicator, or assuming that ‘everybody knows’; or procrastination or ‘hogging’ information deliberately to embarrass.
Barriers to Communication # (C) Organisational Barriers:
1. Organisational Policy:
The general organisational policy regarding communication acts as an overall guideline to everyone in the organisation regarding how he is normally expected to behave in this matter. The policy might be in the form of explicit declaration in writing, or as is very commonly the case, it has to be interpreted from the behaviour of the organisational members, particularly people at the top. If this policy is not supportive to the flow of communication in different directions, then the communication flow would not be smooth and adequate.
2. Organisational Rules and Regulations:
Organisational rules and regulations affect the flow of communication by prescribing the subject-matter to be communicated and also the channel through which these are to be communicated. The rules may restrict the flow of certain messages and may leave many important ones. On the other hand, communication through proper channel in a specified way prescribed by these rules delays it and works against the willingness of persons to convey the message.
3. Status Relationships:
The placing of people in superior-subordinate capacity in the formal organisation, particularly in upward direction creates ego problems. Greater the difference between hierarchical positions in terms of their status, greater would be the possibility of communication breakdown.
4. Complexity in Organisational Structure:
In an organisation where there are a number of managerial levels, communication gets delayed, chances of communication getting distorted are more if the number of filtering points are more. This is more true in case of upward communication, because people generally do not like to pass up the adverse criticism either of themselves or of their superiors.
5. Fear of Challenge to Authority:
A person in the organisation always tries to get a higher position and prestige to satisfy his needs. Managers in general try to withhold the information coming down the line or going up as frequent passing of information may disclose their weakness.
6. Insistence on Proper Channel:
One of the basic features of superior’s exercising of the authority is that they wish to remain in communication links and they do not like any type of bypassing in communication. Communication through bypassing may, sometimes be necessary, but superiors treat this as thwarting of their authority and block the flow of communication.
7. Lack of Confidence in Subordinates:
Superiors generally perceive, that their subordinates, are less competent and capable, and are not worth advising their superiors or they may not have some information coming downwards.
8. Ignoring Communication:
Sometimes superiors consciously and deliberately ignore the communication from their subordinates to maintain their importance.
9. Lack of Time:
Superiors feel, whether correct or otherwise, that they are overloaded with work and they have little time to talk to their subordinates.
10. Lack of Awareness:
Sometimes, superiors may lack the awareness about the significance and usefulness of communication in different directions in general or particular subject-matter. In such a case, communication flow is blocked.
(D) Barriers among Subordinates:
Two factors are important in the case of subordinates and these are responsible for blocking communication in upward direction.
These factors are:
1. Unwillingness to Communicate:
Sometimes, subordinates do not communicate certain informations upwards, because they are not willing to do so. Thus, if a subordinate feels that he is likely to be adversely affected by a particular piece of information to his superior, he would not be willing to supply it.
2. Lack of Incentive:
Sometimes lack of incentive also obstructs the flow of information. It happens specially in case of upward communication.
Measures to Overcome Barriers of Communication:
In order to make communication effective, following measures should be adopted to overcome the barriers:
1. Direct Contact between Sender and Receiver of Message- The communication channel should be split in smaller units and efforts should be made to establish direct contact between communicator and communicatee, so that necessary clarifications regarding the communication can be made.
2. Development of Listening Habits- The communicatee should be a good listener, so that he may patiently go through the communication and understand the meaning. Moreover, efforts should be made in such a way that the communicatee should listen to the message patiently and consciously.
3. Use of Simple and Courteous Language- The language should be simple and correct, so that the receiver of message may understand, what the sender wants to communicate. Language should be courteous and free from anger and ambiguity.
4. Removing Mechanical Defects- All the equipments used for communication should be thoroughly checked and their proper repairs, renewals and maintenance should be made. These equipments are generally bells, lighting, telephones, internal communication system, telex, dictaphone, etc.
5. Developing Mutual Trust and Confidence- An efficient management should develop mutual trust and confidence among executives and their subordinates. In such a case, the message will be sent with the feeling of goodwill and it will be received eagerly by the communicatees.
6. Use of Informal and Face to Face Communication- Formalities of formal communication widens the gap between the sender and the receiver of the message, so it will be advisable to develop friendly relations and communicate message through personal contacts informally.
7. Encouragement to Informal Communication- Direct and personal contact between communicator and communicatee makes communication more effective. Therefore, efforts should be made to develop cordial and friendly relations between executives and subordinates. In such an atmosphere, informal communication will be more meaningful and effective.