SEMESTER-1

COMMUNICATION

01. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

The transmission of any meaningful message is communication. It is as natural a phenomenon as

existence itself. Whether we recognize it or not, we have no option but to communicate.

Then we here stands for all things living. A baby cries to convey its hunger. A dog barks to warn his

master of an intruder. Corporate organizations which, after all, consist of the human element, use

information- based systems like Management Information System (MIS), Decision Support System (DSS)

and Strategic Information System (SIS) to run businesses successfully.

This is what communication is all about. Communication is an integral part of human existence.

Communication contributes enormously to the success or failure of every human activity.

Communication is essentially the ability of one person to make contact with another and to make

himself understood.

Since man is a social animal, it is vital that he express his feelings and emotions, receive and exchange

information. It is here that communication comes into play.

In case of organizations, it becomes even more important as people working in different departments

have to achieve common objectives. The working of inter-personal relationships is possible only through

communication.

Apart from binding its various components internally, communication is what links an organization with

the external world. Thus, communication is regarded as the foundation of a successful organization. No

group can exist without communication.

Communication has a significant impact on the ultimate potency of an organization. It is only through

communication that ideas, information, attitudes or emotions get conveyed from one person to

another.

At the individual level also, effective communication skills are responsible for success. According to a

survey of America’s most successful managers by a leading American magazine, Fortune, excellent

communication skill was one of the prime determinants of success.

Defining Communication:

“Communication in its simplest form is conveying of information from one person to another.” Hudson

“Communication is the process of passing information and understanding from one person to another.”

Keith Davis

“Communication is a continuing and thinking process dealing with the transmission and interchange

with understanding of ideas, facts and courses of action.” George R. Terry

“Communication is the transmission of information, ideas, emotions, skills, etc. by the use of symbols,

words, pictures, figures, graphs, etc. It is the act or process of transformation that is usually called

communication. ” Berelso and Steiner

The word communication has been derived from the Latin word communis, which means to share or to

participate.
Thus, communication stands for sharing or transmission of information, an idea, an opinion, an emotion,

a fact or an attitude. It includes both, the act of communicating as well as the message to be

communicated.

Attempts have been made by different authors to define communication. A few are enumerated below:

“Communication means to share in, to give to another or the interchange of – thoughts, opinions or

information.” Webster

“Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions, or emotions by two or more persons.” W. H.

Newman and C. F. Summer Jr.

Business Communication—Definition and Meaning:

The word “Communication” has come from the Latin word “communis”, which means common. Thus,

communication signifies sharing of ideas in common. The dictionary meaning of communication is to

convey or exchange information and share ideas.

It is a process through which two or more persons transmit or exchange thoughts and ideas among

themselves. According to W. H. Newman and C. F. Summer, “Communication is an exchange of facts,

ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons.”

Communication is the process of transmitting information and understanding from one person to
another or from one unit to other unit with a view to getting the desired response from the receiver.
Through this process two or more persons exchange ideas and understanding among themselves to
achieve the desired effect in the behavior of another person.

___________________________________________________________________

“Communication is the sum total of all the things one person does when he wants to create

understanding in the mind of another. It is a bridge of meaning. It involves a systematic and

continuous process of telling, listening and understanding.”

The definition involves two aspects in communication.

First, there is something which is transmitted, such as facts, feelings, ideas, etc. It implies that there

must be a receiver if communication is to occur.

Second, the definition emphasizes the understanding element in the communication process. Sharing of

understanding would be possible only when the person to whom the message is sent, understands in

the same sense in which the sender of message wants him to understand.

So, communication involves something more than mere transmission of the message or transmission

and physical receipt thereof. The correct interpretation and understanding of the message is important

from the point of view of organizational efficiency. Effective communication, as such, might be the

accurate transmission and receipt thereof, and its correct understanding.

___________________________________________________________________

In their book “Business Communication Today” C. L. Bovee, J. V. Thill and B. E. Schatzman

write: “Communication is the process of sending and receiving messages. However, communication is

effective only when the message is understood and when it stimulates action or encourages the

receiver to think in new ways.”

Communication made among persons to convey their personal information, message or thought are

personal communication; but exchange of information, facts and ideas relating to business may be

termed as “Business Communication”. Business Communication refers to the communication relating to

business activity which means providing goods and services to the consumers with a view to earning

profit.

It is a process through which information; facts, ideas, orders, advices, decisions, etc. are conveyed, sent

or exchanged between/among the persons associated with business. Thus, Communication relating to
trade, law, Finance, administration, management, etc. of a business enterprise may be termed as

‘Business Communication’.

The success of a business enterprise depends largely upon good communication. Effective

communication wipes out the hindrances in achieving the target of a business enterprise. Ineffective

communication or communication failure may cause loss of money, time, energy, opportunity and even

goodwill of a business.

________________________________________________________________

According to Harold D. Lass well, a convenient way to describe an act of communication is to answer

the following questions:

Who

Says What

In Which Channel

To Whom

With What Effect?

___________________________________________________________
 Types of Communication
Definition: The Communication is a two-way process wherein the information, ideas, opinions, thoughts,
feelings, etc. are transmitted between the individuals through the use of mutually understood symbols
and semiotic rules (signs and symbols) The communication is the important factor for the commercial
success of any business. The organizational Hierarchy also decides the type of channel through which
the communication passes. On the basis of the status of individuals involved in the communication
process and the urgency of the message to be sent, the communication channels can be categorized as:

1. Formal Communication
2. Informal Communication

Further, there are several forms of communication that the individuals use to give some pattern or
expression to their messages such that it is easily understood by all. The most common types of
communication are:

1. Verbal Communication, wherein you speak your subject matter, and others listen to it carefully and try
to associate meaning with it.
2. Nonverbal Communication, wherein the others observe you and try to confer a meaning to it.
3. Written Communication wherein you write your message and others read it to derive meaning out of it.
Deciding on the types of communication to be used in the business context is quite tedious. The
organization must consider the following set of questions before finalizing the communication:

▪ Who are the intended recipients?

▪ What message is to be communicated?
▪ What is the time constraint?
▪ How much budget is sanctioned for such activity?
▪ What messages are often communicated? And what was their impact on the audience?
Hence, which form of communication shall be selected depends on the type of message to be
transmitted and the personal preferences of the parties involved in the communication.

___________________________________________________________

Characteristics of Communication:

“Communication maintains and animates life. It creates a common pool of ideas, strengthens the feeling

of togetherness through exchange of messages and translates thought into action.” UNESCO – Many

Voices One World.

(i) Interchange of information:

The basic characteristic of human communication is that it aims at exchanging information. It is a two-

way process. The exchange can be between two or more persons. It may be at the individual or the

organizational level.

(ii) Continuous process:

Communication is a continuous process. It is not static. It is constantly subject to change and is dynamic.

The people with whom communication is held, its content and nature, and the situation in which

communication is held – all keep changing.

(iii) Mutual understanding:

The main purpose of communication is to bring about mutual understanding. The receiver should

receive and understand the message in the manner that the sender intended him to.
(iv) Response or reaction:

Communication always leads to some response or reaction. A message becomes communication only

when the receiving party understands and acknowledges it, and also reacts and responds to it.

(v) Universal function:

Communication is a universal function, which covers all levels of authority.

(vi) Social activity:

Communication is a social activity, too. The components of a society are into a relationship of sharing,

be it information, feelings or emotions.

The same holds true for business communication. It involves the effort of people to get in touch with

one another and to make them understood. The process by which people attempt to share meaning and

relate to one another is, thus, a social activity.

_________________________________________________________

Importance of Communication:

The importance of communication to an organization cannot be overemphasized. It is critical to the-

success of any organization and has a very significant impact on the ultimate effectiveness of the whole

organization. Communication is a means by which behavior is modified, change is effected, information

is made productive and goals are achieved.

Business communication can be internal when it is directed to persons within the organization such as

superiors, co-workers or subordinates. Business communication can be external when directed to

customers, suppliers, government, public, etc.

Effective internal communication works towards establishing and disseminating of the goals of an

enterprise, evolving plans for their achievement, organizing human and other resources in an efficient

way. It helps in selecting, developing and appraising members of the organization, in motivating and

encouraging people to put in their best, and in controlling their performance.

Growth in the size and multiple locations of organizations require keeping in touch with employees

spread over different states of a country or over different countries. Sending directions and getting

feedback from them would be possible only through effective communication.

Rapid technological advancements deeply affect not only the methods of work but also the composition

of groups. In such a situation, proper communication between superiors and subordinates becomes very

necessary.

External communication relates an organization to the environment outside. No enterprise can thrive in

a vacuum. It has to be aware of the needs of the customers, the availability of suppliers, regulations of

the government and the concerns of a community.

Only through effective communication can an organization become an open system interacting with its

environment.

Thus communication:

(i) Binds people together.

(ii) Improves the morale in an organization.

(iii) Helps in proper planning and co-ordination.

(iv) Forms the basis for decision-making.

(v) Helps in the efficient running of an organization.

(vi) Helps in achieving increased productivity at lower costs.

(vii) Builds up mutual trust and confidence.

___________________________________________________________

Factors Contributing to the Importance of Communication:

The importance of communication cannot be denied nor should it be underestimated in this era of

globalization dominated by modern management education. With the passage of time, society has also

become increasingly complex and businesses more global. All these factors have added to the

importance of communication.

Let us have an overview of the factors that have contributed to this growing importance of

communication:

(i) Big size of organizations:

Modern organizations are gigantic as compared to those of yesteryears. Moreover, they are in a

continuous process of expansion. Communication is the only link among the large number of people in

the set-up.

(ii) Growing importance of human relations:

Modern management has brought in the concept of human resource management. Its importance

cannot be ignored. The style of working has changed considerably over the years. It is no longer a

management-decides-and-workers- follow kind of working pattern.

Participative management has become the watchword. Men will not cooperate unless they are treated

humanely. This has only increased the importance of communication in business organizations.

(iii) Public relations:

Just like human beings, organizations cannot function in isolation. Every organization has certain social

responsibilities. It also has to interact with different segments of society. The responsibilities are

towards customers, shareholders, suppliers, traders, trade unions, media, government and the people in

general.

(iv) Advances in behavioral sciences:

Modern management lays great stress on the theories of behavioral sciences like sociology, psychology,

philosophy, spiritualism and transactional analysis. Their growing importance can be judged by the

tremendous surge in the sale of books on these subjects.

The essence of all the writings is that we change the way of looking at human nature. Improvement in

communication skills can do this effectively.

(v) Technological advances:

Today’s computer age affects not only the methods of working, but also the composition of groups.

Communication is the only way to meet the challenge and to strengthen the relationship between

superiors and subordinates. Teleconferencing has become a key link for immediate decision-making and

feedback in large business organizations.

(vi) Growth of trade unions:

The last century has seen a tremendous increase in the size of the unions of workers. These unions

occupy a very important place in an organizational set-up. Hence, mutual understanding between the

management and the unions is very important. Communication, therefore, has a vital role to play.

(vii) Consumerism (increase in the demand for consumer goods):

 Communication has become an inevitable cycle since the growth of consumerism. In this era of the

global marketplace, the competition is really tough, and companies are under constant pressure to

attract clientele and to perform. The effort to persuade customers to buy a product is virtually never-

ending. This has led to a tremendous growth in communication.

From pamphlets, brochures and advertisements in the print and the electronic media, to workshops,

demonstrations, contests and attractive schemes, consumerism has spawned a whole new way of

communication.

(viii) Distance education:

The advent of the Open University system has led to an increase in communication. In many countries, a

large segment of population is receiving distance education. In India, IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National

Open University is an example.)

__________________________________________________________________

Effective Communication
Definition: An Effective Communication is a communication between two or more persons wherein the
intended message is successfully delivered, received and understood.

In other words, the communication is said to be effective when all the parties (sender and receiver) in
the communication, assign similar meanings to the message and listen carefully to what all have been
said and make the sender feel heard and understood. In the business context, the communication is
effective if the information shared among the company employees contributes towards the
organization’s commercial success.

The effective communication includes not just the way you use the words but also covers several other
skills such as, non-verbal communication, ability to understand your own emotions as well as of the
other person with whom you are communicating, engaged listening, ability to speak assertively, etc.

There are several barriers to effective communication which are listed below:

1. Semantic Barriers
2. Organizational Barriers
3. Psychological or Emotional Barriers
4. Personal Barriers

Effective communication in the organization enables the employees to deepen their connection with
others and improve teamwork, decision-making, and problem-solving capacity. The communication is a
skill which is learned, and an individual can gain spontaneity in it by putting in his extra efforts and
participating in more public conversations.

Semantic Barriers:
Definition: The Semantic Barriers refers to the misunderstanding between the sender and receiver
arising due to the different meanings of words, and other symbols used in the communication.

The semantic barriers usually arise when the information is not in the simple language and contains
those words or symbols that have multiple meanings. Following are the main language barriers:

1. Bad Expression: The message is not formulated properly and the language used is so difficult that it
could be misinterpreted by the recipient. The message is said to be badly expressed if the wrong words
are chosen, the sentences are not sequenced properly, and there is a frequent repetition of words or
sentences. The badly expressed messages consume a lot of time as it requires corrections and
clarifications and also the impact of the message gets reduced.
2. Symbols, or Words with Different Meanings: There are several words that carry different meanings and
often, people get confused with these words and interpret these differently due to the difference in
their educational and social backgrounds. Such as, the word “Crane” has different meaning as shown in
the sentences below:
▪ The bird sanctuary is full of cranes.
▪ The builder used a crane to lift heavy steel rods.
▪ The girl has to crane her neck to watch the movie.

Faulty Translation: Sometimes, the sender translates the message as per his level of understanding
irrespective of the recipient’s comprehension level. For example, a manager collected information from
his superiors and subordinates and translated the same information to all his employees, according to
the understanding level of the superiors, and this led to the misinterpretation of the message. Thus, it is
required to mold the message according to the understanding levels of the employees to have an
intended response.

Unclarified Assumptions: Sometimes the sender creates assumptions about certain things which he
feels the receiver must be knowing about it and focus only on the subject matter. But in the case of a
special message, if the assumptions are vague and unknown to the receiver then the communication
might get adversely affected.

Denotations and Connotations: The denotation means the literal meaning of the word, it just shows the
name of the object and does not imply any negative or positive qualities. The detonation barriers arise
due to the sender and receiver using a different definition and meaning of the word used in the
message. Such as word crane is used in the context of bird species but it is interpreted as a vehicle that
lifts the objects.

Whereas the implied meaning of the word is called connotation that arouses personal reactions and
qualitative judgments. The connotation barriers arise when the people use words that hold different
meanings in different abstract situations, contexts, feelings, etc. For example, the word beautiful and
confidence has a positive connotation, but can have any of the meaning depending on the context in
which it is used.

Technical jargons: Often people working in the technical groups such as engineers, production
managers, IT managers, etc. use the technical jargons in their communication which is quite difficult for
the layman to understand. Thus, the use of technical jargons in communication can act as a barrier.

Thus, semantic barriers lead to misunderstanding of the information and the objective of
communication, i.e. for which it was intended, gets disrupted.
 Organizational Barriers:
Definition: The Organizational Barriers refers to the hindrances in the flow of information among the
employees that might result in a commercial failure of an organization.

1. Organizational Rules and Policies: Often, organizations have the rule with respect to what message,
medium, and mode of communication should be selected. And due to the stringent rules, the employees
escape themselves from sending any message.

Similarly, the organizational policy defines the relationship between the employees and the way they
shall communicate with each other maintaining their levels of position in the organization. Such as, if
the company policy is that all the communication should be done in writing, then even for a small
message the medium used should be written. This leads to delay in the transmission of the message and
hence the decision making gets delayed.

2. Status or Hierarchical Positions in the Organization: In every organization, the employees are divided
into several categories on the basis of their levels of the organization. The people occupying the upper
echelons of the hierarchy are superior to the ones occupying the lower levels, and thus, the
communication among them would be formal. This formal communication may often act as a barrier to
the effective communication. Such as the lower level employee might be reluctant in sending a message
to his superior because of a fear in his mind of sending the faulty or wrong message.
3. Organizational Facilities: The organizational facilities mean the telephone, stationery, translator, etc.,
which is being provided to employees to facilitate the communication. When these facilities are
adequately offered to the employees, then the communication is said to be timely, accurate and
according to the need. Whereas, in the absence of such facilities, the communication may get adversely
affected.
4. Complex Organizational Structure: The communication gets affected if there are a greater number of
management levels in the organization. With more levels, the communication gets delayed and might
change before reaching the intended receiver.

Thus, communication is the key factor in the success of any firm, and the communication is said to be
effective when the employees interact with each other in such a way that it results in the overall
improvement of the self as well as the organization.

Psychological Barriers
Definition: The Psychological or Emotional Barriers refers to the psychological state i.e. Opinions,
attitudes, status consciousness, emotions, etc. of a person that deeply affe The communication largely
depends on the mental condition of a person, if the person is not mentally or emotionally sound, then
he cannot communicate effectively either as a sender or a receiver.

The main kinds of Psychological or Emotional Barriers are:

1. Lack of Attention: When the person is pre-occupied by some other things and do not listen carefully
what the other person is speaking, then arises the psychological barrier in the communication. When
the person does not listen to others, then he won’t be able to comprehend the message as it was
intended and will not be able to give proper feedback.
2. Premature Evaluation: Many people have a tendency to jump to the conclusions directly and form
judgments without considering all the aspects of information. This is generally done by the people who
are impatient and resort to a selective listening. This premature evaluation of the information acts as a
barrier to the effective communication and lowers the morale of the sender.
3. Poor Retention: The retention refers to the capacity of a brain to retain or store things in the memory.
The brain does not store all the information came across but in fact, retain only those which deems to
 be helpful in the future. Therefore, much of the information gets lost during the retention process, and
this acts as a barrier to the effective communication.
4. Loss by Transmission: The loss by transmission means, whenever the information exchanges hand its
credibility reduces. It is most often observed in the case of an oral communication where people handle
information carelessly and transmits the information which has lost some of its truth. Thus, the
improper and lack of information being transmitted to others acts as a hindrance in the communication
process.
5. Distrust: To have an effective communication, it is must that both the communicators (sender and
receiver) trust each other. In case there is a lack of trust between both the parties, then they will tend to
derive negative meaning out of the message and often ignore what has been communicated. If the
receiver has no trust, then he will not listen to whatever is being said by the sender, and this will result
in a meaningless communication.
6. Emotions: The communication is greatly influenced by the emotions of a person. If a person is not in a
good temperament, then he would not listen properly to whatever is said and might say things
offending the sender. Several other emotions such as anger, nervousness, confusion, restlessness, etc.
affects the communication process.

Thus, every human being has a unique mind which is composed of varied emotions, beliefs, perceptions,
opinions, and thoughts that facilitate different forms of communication.

Personal Barriers:
 Definition: The Personal Barriers relate to the factors that are personal to the sender and receiver and
act as a hindrance in the communication process. These factors include the life experiences, emotions,
attitudes, behavior that hinders the ability of a person to communicate

The most common personal barriers are:

1. Lack of Listening Skills: The efficiency of communication process gets disturbed when the receiver
listens only with ears but do not apply his mind. Often, the receiver listens what he wants to listen and
give no attention to other aspects of the information, thereby acting as a hindrance to the effective
communication.
2. Selective Attention: This problem arises when the person is impatient and put his objective above all.
He gives ears to only that part of the information which is helpful for him and fulfills his objective and
ignores all the other aspects.
3. Lack of knowledge: Also, the communication process suffers if the sender and receiver have less
knowledge about the subject matter.
4. Lack of vocabulary: Often, the communication problem arises when the sender uses some words which
are difficult for the receiver to comprehend correctly.

In the organizational context, both the superiors and the subordinates have their personal barriers that
impede them to communicate effectively. These barriers are:

Barriers Related to the Superiors in the organization

1. Less faith in subordinates: Often, the superiors have a lack of confidence in the subordinates and,
therefore, doubt on their capacity to provide relevant information. They deliberately ignore the
suggestions and recommendations from the subordinates and discourages them to further
communicate. This lowers the morale of the employees and hinders the communication process.
2. Fear of challenge of Authority: There is a fear in the minds of the superiors that if they will not perform
in line with their authority, they will be demoted to the lower levels. And, thus in order to maintain their
level they intentionally hide their weaknesses by not communicating their ideas to others.

Barriers related to the subordinates in the organization

1. Lack of Incentives: Often, the subordinates give their suggestions and recommendations with an
objective to earn incentives. The incentives are given to the subordinates to motivate them to give
suggestions and to acknowledge their suggestions as important for the success of the organization. If
there is a lack of incentives, then the subordinate is not likely to communicate and hence the
communication process gets adversely affected.
2. Unwillingness to communicate with the Superiors: Often the subordinates do not communicate with
their superiors with an intention to conceal the information which is of a negative nature and can have
an adverse effect. If the subordinate is required to inform his superior then, he modifies the information
in such a way that it does not have a negative impact. Thus, by not providing the information in its actual
form, the communication process is tempered.

Thus, there are several personal factors, varying from person to person, influences the communication
to a great extent and might obstruct the purpose for which the communication was intended.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

IMPORTANCE OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION:

What is the Importance of Effective Communication in an Organization?

Effective communication is a basic prerequisite for the attainment of organizational goals. No

organization, no group can exist without communication. Co-ordination of work is impossible and the

organization will collapse for lack of communication. Co-operation also becomes impossible because

people cannot communicate their needs and feelings to others.

Every act of communication influences the organization in some way or other. It is a thread that holds

the various interdependent parts of an organization together. When it stops, organization activity ceases

to exist. An idea, however great it is, is useless until it is transmitted and understood by others.

Communication keeps the foundation of motivation. It helps the employer to know how a job is being
performed and to improve performance if it is not up to the mark.
– Communication acts as a source of information and helps in the decision making process and helps in
identifying the alternative course of action.

– Communication also helps in building people’s attitude. A well informed person will always have
better attitude than a less informed person. Different forms of communication like magazines, journals
and meetings will help the employees to form different attitudes.

– In the current business scenario, no business can survive in isolation. Socializing is very important and
communication is the tool that helps in socializing.

– Apart from the other functions of management, it also helps in the controlling process of
management. It allows the managers to know about the grievances of the subordinates and helps the
subordinates to know about the policies of the organization.

Communication is one of the basic features of management. It is instrumental in raising the morale of
the employees. It is through communication, verbal or non-verbal, that people submit different
feedback and requirements to the management.

__________________________________________________________________

Principles of Effective Communication:

Communication in general, we may state that following are the requirements of an effective give-

and-take of ideas and feelings:

1. Simplicity:

In practical life, most communication has to be simple, direct and without ornamentation. You have to

keep in mind the receiver’s level of understanding and his mind- frame when he receives the message.

Pressed for time, he would prefer a simple statement to a complicated one. To simplify, one may use

tabulation, graphics, charts, etc. keeping the words to the minimum.

2. Face to face communication:

It is generally to the sender’s advantage to get face to face with the receiver. This helps to get an

immediate feedback and respond to it. Hence interactive media save time and give instant results.
When a salesman is talking across the counter, when a spokesman is addressing a news conference, the

message acts two-way hence face-to-face communication may be used wherever possible to the

optimum advantage.

3. Use of feedback:

The sender or originator of a message should prepare himself to receive the feedback. Then he knows

what reaction the message is producing in the target audience.

If a new product is launched, surveys may be conducted to know how people feel about it. If an ad is

issued, you have to test whether it is working the desired way. Is the message clear? Is it reaching the

right audience in the right manner? The quality of reception? This is to be assessed and considered in

further planning.

4. Listening with understanding:

When you are at the other end of the communication, you have a responsibility as a listener and

receiver of messages. You have to be attentive and make an effort to concentrate. To grasp the message

fully, you have to attune yourself to it. You have to keep an open mind and receive the message without

criticizing it, approving it or disapproving it until you have heard it folly.

Good listening requires patience and self- discipline. Good listeners help the speaker to become a better

communicator. Devoted and sympathetic listening draws the best out of the speaker. That is why

listening is called an art.

Also, while listening you have to make mental (or written) notes of the message. Then, at the end of the

listening session, you can have a ready summary of what the speaker said.

5. An environment conducive to communication:

An environment of trust needs to be created for effective communication to take place. Trust is created

by communicating one’s sincere interest in the receiver. The one who is managing the environment has

to frame the right policies and take appropriate steps to achieve this.
The management must understand what is creating “noise” or barrier to communication. It has to take

steps to remove the barriers. For example, the audience may not be properly introduced to the

credentials of the speaker. Or at the time of receiving a message the receiver may be closed or hostile to

the sender. It is necessary to set the stage for the communication.

6. Non-verbal communication:

Your gestures and posture must be in harmony with the spoken message. You have to learn the

technique of expressing yourself well through body language. The speaker should reflect a positive

attitude. You should receive the non-verbal communication, too.

7. Use of the “You” factor:

The communicator should minimize the use of I, me and mine, and maximize the use of you and yours.

This has to be in spirit as well as words.

8. Awareness of the audience’s bias:

The communicator should be aware of the audience’s pre-conceived ideas and should try to set the

record straight. Talking in a mixed gathering, he has to be especially careful that he does not generalize

or stereotype individuals or groups.

If, for example, some smokers are present in a gathering, he has to exercise care in making remarks

about smoking. The same for a group of mixed nationalities.

9. Overcoming differences of language:

The same word may convey different meanings to different people because of their varied linguistic

backgrounds.

For example, the proper English usage for writing an exam is “to take an exam.” But under the influence

of Hindi, one tends to say that the examinee is “giving an exam.” In such cases, it is better to say,

“Appearing for an exam.” Also, pronunciation of words has to be acceptable to the audience.
The text as well as the context of the message should be understood. The use of unconventional and

technical words should be cautious, and sometimes they need to be explained.

The same goes for short forms which are too numerous these days, with new ones coming into

circulation every day. The best practice is to go over the essence of the message and make sure that it is

understood.

__________________________________________________________________

Process of Communication:

The process of communication involves seven major elements -sender, message, encoding, channel,

receiver, decoding and feedback.

Sender:

The sender is the person who transmits a message. He is the communicator. He is the one who gets the

entire process of communication started. He wants to get his opinions, ideas, facts, thoughts or

information across to the receiver. He is, therefore, also said to be the transmitter of a message.

Message:

A message is the actual information that has to be conveyed. Communication is unthinkable without a

message. A message triggers a response from the receiver. Messages can broadly be divided into verbal

and non-verbal. The message must be clear, complete, unambiguous and courteous.

Encoding:

The seeds of communication are sown the moment the sender thinks of transmitting a certain message.

These thoughts have to be converted into suitable words, pictures, charts or symbols so that they can be

delivered to the receiver.

This process of converting thoughts into suitable words, charts, symbols or any other form in which they

can be understood by the receiver is called encoding. The choice of the method of communication is

made here – will the message be verbal or non-verbal?

Channel:

How does one communicate? This is what a channel deals with. Communication is achieved through a

channel. The channel can be a letter, an email, a fax, a telephone or memos, reports, bulletins, posters

and manuals.

The choice depends on the relationship between the sender and the receiver as well as on the message

that has to be communicated. Other factors that tend to influence the choice of a channel include the

gravity of the message, the number of receivers, the costs involved and the amount of information.

Receiver:

The person who receives the message, decodes it and understands it or attaches some meaning to it is

the receiver.

The receiver has to perform three functions:

(i) Reception of the message:

This is the stage when a message sent by the sender is sensorial taken in by the receiver.

(ii) Decoding the message:

After receiving the message, the receiver has to attach some meaning to it.

(iii) Understanding the message:

He then has to interpret it in the same way and in the same sense as the sender meant it.

Feedback:

The return of communication from the receiver to the sender is known as feedback. It is the response,

reaction or reply to the communication. It is always directed towards the sender. This completes the
cycle of communication. Thus, in feedback, the receiver sends his reply or response to the sender,

indicating that he has understood the message received. In face-to-face communication.

Objectives of Business Communication:

The main objective of communication is to give information and to persuade different persons. Other

objectives include conveying suggestion, opinion, idea, advice, request, etc.; imparting instructions,

guidance and counseling; providing training; giving warning; appreciating good work; boosting of

morale; etc. In the case of a business enterprise the main objective of communication is the

improvement of its activities, all-round development of the organization, and ultimate success in its

operation.

1. Giving Information:

The primary object of communication is to make the members of an organization aware of its goal and

acquaint them with all the relevant information. This helps the business enterprise to achieve success

through concerted efforts of all the people concerned. It is a fact that well-informed people can achieve

better.

The managers should know in details the social, political, economic and other conditions of the place

where the business is situated. Information regarding the employees, consumers and competitors
should be at their fingertips. Employees, likewise, should be well-informed about their positions, powers

and responsibilities in particular, and the aims and objectives of the organization in general.

Information regarding demand for a particular product, the taste, liking, etc. of the consumers;

availability of raw materials, credit facility, advertising media; latest government rules and regulations,

etc. are required for the production and selling of the product.

Information can be obtained from past records, books, journals, newspapers, government publications,

seminars, conferences, exhibitions, trade fares, etc. The other sources of information are the chambers

of commerce, structured questionnaires, radio, television, internet, etc. Whatever might be the sources,

the information must be reliable, accurate, complete and latest.

2. Persuasion:

To persuade means to make other people decide to do something, especially by repeatedly asking them

or telling them the reasons why they should do it; in other words, influencing other people to believe or

to do what one wants. This is one of the important objectives of communication.

The seller often influences the buyer through persuasion to buy his/her products rejecting earlier

decision to buy other products. This persuasion should be so planned that the buyer becomes least

conscious of being persuaded and even if he/she becomes conscious, he/she should be made to

understand that it is for his/her own interest. Actually persuasion is an art which should be suggestive in

nature rather than coercive.

3. Conveying Suggestion:

Communication helps in conveying suggestions, opinions and ideas. The workers who are actually

engaged in the work know better the loopholes in it and can suggest to the managers the ways to plug

the loopholes. This is an example of upward communication. In big offices, suggestion boxes are

provided and suggestions are received throughout the year. Sometimes further communication is made
with the suggestions for clarification. Interaction of suggestions and ideas help the progress of an

organization.

Suggestions are not in the nature of order or advice and are, therefore, never obligatory to follow them.

Either acceptance or rejection is possible in the case of a suggestion. Some executives, supervisors or

managers who have a false notion of self-dignity, self-respect, higher position, etc. may not accept a

suggestion, even though it is good one because it comes from lower level. But dynamic executives

welcome constructive suggestions in the interest of the organization.

4. Advice:

One of the objectives of business communication is to advise an individual or a group of people. The

manager advises the subordinates about the ways and means of better performance. Advice involves

personal opinion and it influences the opinion and action of the other person(s) to whom advice is being

given.

Today’s business world is very complex and no one can be an expert in all the spheres of business. So, a

businessman has to take advice from experts regarding the matters in which he is not well-informed. For

example, he may need advice regarding banking, insurance, stock exchange, tax rules, legal procedures,

etc. Within the business the managers, supervisors and executives may advise each other (a case of

horizontal communication) and the subordinates (downward communication).

5. Motivation:

Communication is made to inspire, to motivate, and to create a sense of loyalty among the employees.

Through communication their morale is boosted up and it leads to better performance. Regular

communication is necessary for motivating the employees and infusing in them a positive attitude

towards work and a healthy relationship with the managers. This, ultimately increases managerial

efficiency.
Motivating someone means inspiring but not forcing him/her to do something. A motivated worker is an

asset of any organization. The greater the motivation, the lesser is the cost of supervision, because a

motivated worker never neglects his duties.

Motivating factors include monetary incentives, security of job, job satisfaction, good working

environment, participation in decision-making, fixation of target, etc. Money works as a good motivator.

A worker works overtime when he/she is allowed extra wages. Security of job motivates an employee to

devote himself/herself wholeheartedly to the job.

If an employee is satisfied with the job, he/she gets pleasure in doing it. Good working environment

attracts him/her to work in co-operation with other members. Workers’ participation in decision-making

gives them a sense of being part and parcel of the organization. Fixation of production target, sales

target, etc. of an organization helps the workers to work together to achieve the target. Thus, different

factors of motivation contribute to achieve performance excellence of an organization.

6. Training:

To meet the need of an organization, senior employees may need to be trained to update them about

the new technological developments so as to adjust themselves to changing work environment or job

demands. The new employees may also require training at the initial stage to cope up with the methods,

techniques and systems of work in the organization.

Communication is the key to all these kinds of training. Such communication can be made through

classroom teaching, lectures, seminars, short courses, conferences, educational tours, film shows, etc.

Not only the ordinary employees, but the managerial staffs also need to be trained in the process stated

above.

7. Instruction, Guidance and Counseling:

One of the objectives of business communication is to manage the employees by means of imparting

instruction, providing guidance and arranging for counseling. Legal, vocational and medical guidance and
counseling are provided free of cost for the employees in a good business organization. Doctors,

lawyers, coaches, etc. are employed for the purpose. The underlying objective of such assistance is to

keep the employees physically fit and mentally alert so that they can work whole-heartedly for the well-

being of the organization.

8. Giving Warning and Appreciating Good Work:

It is very much necessary to appreciate a good worker. It will encourage him/her to strive for better

performance and greater involvement. It makes the employee conscious about his/her responsibilities.

On the other hand, it is also necessary to give warning to the employees who tend to be in disciplined,

non-accountable and unproductive or create disturbance. The objective of both appreciation and

warnings may be accomplished through oral or written communication.

9. Resource Utilization:

Communication checks wastage of the resources of the organization and helps their better utilization.

Lack of knowledge or lack of proper direction in time may cause the waste or misuse. Communication

helps to bridge the gap of knowledge through instruction, advice, etc. and waste or misuse of resource is

minimized. Not only material resources, but also the financial resources, human resources and other

resources are utilized properly through communication.

10. Management Efficiency:

One of the objectives of business communication is to increase efficiency of the management. If there is

a good network of communication (formal and informal), the organization can be managed efficiently

and effectively.

___________________________________________________________________

7 C’s of Communication

Definition: The 7 C’s of Communication is a checklist that helps to improve the professional
communication skills and increases the chance that the message will be understood in exactly the same
way as it was intended.
1. Clear: The message should be clear and easily understandable to the recipient. The purpose of the
communication should be clear to sender then only the receiver will be sure about it. The message
should emphasize on a single goal at a time and shall not cover several ideas in a single sentence.
2. Correct: The message should be correct, i.e. a correct language should be used, and the sender must
ensure that there is no grammatical and spelling mistakes. Also, the message should be exact and well-
timed. The correct messages have a greater impact on the receiver and at the same time, the morale of
the sender increases with the accurate message.
3. Complete: The message should be complete, i.e. it must include all the relevant information as required
by the intended audience. The complete information gives answers to all the questions of the receivers
and helps in better decision-making by the recipient.
4. Concrete: The communication should be concrete, which means the message should be clear and
particularly such that no room for misinterpretation is left. All the facts and figures should be clearly
mentioned in a message so as to substantiate to whatever the sender is saying.
5. Concise: The message should be precise and to the point. The sender should avoid the lengthy
sentences and try to convey the subject matter in the least possible words. The short and brief message
is more comprehensive and helps in retaining the receiver’s attention.
6. Consideration: The sender must take into consideration the receiver’s opinions, knowledge, mindset,
background, etc. in order to have an effective communication. In order to communicate, the sender
must relate to the target recipient and be involved.
7. Courteous: It implies that the sender must take into consideration both the feelings and viewpoints of
the receiver such that the message is positive and focused at the audience. The message should not be
biased and must include the terms that show respect for the recipient.

Note: This checklist applies to both the written and oral communication.
 How to Overcome Barriers of Communication

Is it not strange that though we all have been communicating since our infancy still it is a
communication problem that we face in our lives. We often find ourselves stumbled and
mislead during the reception or delivery of the information.

This happens in our daily social overtures and even in organizations where barriers
of communication becomes a root cause of many problems and can hamper the progress and
ongoing projects.

Almost 75 percent of the people involving in interpersonal communications stumble and make
mistakes as either they were not able to understand the facts or information is not properly
conveyed to them.

Misinterpretation of facts, misapprehensions, cultural misunderstanding and closed door echo

with incensed noise are the common barriers of communication in realizing the targeted level
of communication.

The effective communication becomes impossibility due to these broadly defined barriers which
are Semantic, Psychological, Personal barriers, Cross-cultural barriers and physical barriers etc.

Methods to Remove Barriers of Communication

• Have Clarity In Your Thoughts: You should be very clear about your objective and what you
want to convey. Arrange your thoughts in a proper order and then communicate accordingly.
 Systematic communication and clarity in thought get adequately received and appreciated.
Aimless talks can be misleading so you should always try to show that there is an aim or motive
behind your talk.
• Understand the needs of your audience: You should be emotional and sensitive towards the
needs of your receiver. Understand his behavior, nature, culture, and religion, however, it does
not mean you cannot express your feelings or thought, but it simply means that you are
showing respect to his religious beliefs or thoughts and then stating your point of view. Most
importantly the message should also be structured as per his level or ability. If you are
conveying the message to a layman then avoid using technical words and if you are addressing
corporate elite, the language should have professional sophistication and maturity.
• Seek the Advice of others before Communicating: If you are going for a high prolific meeting,
seek the advice from your seniors and colleagues on the level and kind of talk that should be
given. The main advantage of this practice is simple, you can get many ideas which can build
your motivation and knowledge and you can then use the same to meet your purpose.
• Take adequate care of your Tone, Language and way you are speaking: Messages should be
framed in a simple and polite tone which attracts the listeners. Care should be taken to keep
the sentences short and simple. Technical words should be used only where they are required
the most. The most important of all the interest of the receiver should be kept in mind and the
things that conveyed should attract the users else you might find your audience or listening
yawning while you are speaking.
• Have a Feedback from the receiver: Avoid asking listener, “Have you understood,” ask them
instead their views about what you have said and the aspects they had grasped from your
message. This is a most polite and best way to have your listener involve in a conversation. This
would help you to have a better understanding of their aptitude and the inte rest he or she is
showing towards the subject.

• Retain Consistency about the Message: The message conveyed should conjure with the
organizational goals and policies. Whenever you are replacing any old message instead of the
new one, you should clearly mention about it and clear all the doubts.
• Keep a Routine check on the communication system: You should analyze the weaknesses in the
communication system. All the efforts should be made to know whether you should focus on
the formal or informal way to communicate. The situation needs to be analyzed to decide on
the appropriate way of communication and whether audience loves to talk informally or in a
formal way.

• Make use of the body language: During the process of communication make sure you make the
most appropriate use of your body language, Avoid showing too much of emotions as the
receiver might misapprehend the message. Try to always keep a smiling face while talking and
make eye to eye contact with the listener but make sure not to keep your eyes gazed at the
person for more than five seconds and avoid too much of fluttering of eyes which indicate you
are not confident. Sit in an upright position and feel relaxed.

• Avoid overloading too much of information: People would get bored if they are bombarded
with the unnecessary and too much of information. So try to deliver the parts which are useful
and informative and of value to the listener in a most simple and straight forward way. There
should not be any confusion left in the mind of the listener.

• Reduce the level of noise as far as possible: Always make sure to speak and interact with
someone where there is no noise and least disturbance. Find the source of noise, remove it and
then start conversing.

• Communication chain should be short: You should avoid using the mediocre or send the
message through the third person unless it is very urgent. Try to directly communicate with the
person concerned. The risk of distortion of the facts gets mo re if message is passed through the
third party and just imagine if there are more people in between the sender and receiver the
chances of filtering of the messages is doubled.
• Keep your Anger in Control: Do not be aggressive or show your anger if you do not agree with
any point of view or anything that is going against your ideology. State your thoughts politely
with facts if you have and reflect positivity in your talk and nature.
Simply a communication is a social endeavor to give and receive what peop le wants us to do
and what we expect from the others. We can communicate with our friends and colleagues in
many ways, but its effectiveness can only be ensured if a message is conveyed appropriately
and a person is able to understand and comprehend the same.

*****************************

2. Better listening

What is listening?

Listening is receiving language through the ears. Listening involves identifying the sounds of speech and
processing them into words and sentences. When we listen, we use our ears to receive individual
sounds (letters, stress, rhythm and pauses) and we use our brain to convert these into messages
that mean something to us.

Listening in any language requires focus and attention. It is a skill that some people need to work at
harder than others. People who have difficulty concentrating are typically poor listeners. Listening in a
second language requires even greater focus.

Like babies, we learn this skill by listening to people who already know how to speak the language. This
may or may not include native speakers. For practice, you can listen to live or recorded voices. The most
important thing is to listen to a variety of voices as often as you can.

Hearing is the physical ability, while listening is a skill. Listening skills allow one to make sense of and
understand what another person is saying. In other words, listening skills allow people to understand
what someone is talking about-the meaning behind the words.

Good listening skills make workers more productive. The ability to listen carefully allows workers to
better understand assignments they are given. They are able to understand what is expected of them by
their management.
The ability to listen and to comprehend also allows workers to build a strong rapport with co-workers,
managers, and clients. Employers and managers have confidence in workers that can listen to
instructions and then do what is expected with minimal follow-up. Good listeners also have a better
track record resolving problems with customers.

Not everyone intuitively knows how to listen well.

The following tips will help those who feel like they need a few pointers:

-Maintain eye contact with the speaker. This will demonstrate to the speaker that the listener is paying
attention.

-Do not interrupt the speaker. Wait until he or she is completely finished, and then ask questions.
Listening long enough may answer several of the questions without the need to ask. When the time is
right to ask, repeat instructions first and then ask appropriate questions.

-Control body language. As much as possible, sit still while listening. This implies that the listener is
paying full attention to the speaker. A nod of the head can be good, as it implies agreement.

-A good listener knows that being attentive to what the speaker doesn't say is as important as being
attentive to what he does say. Look for nonverbal cues such as facial expressions and posture to get the
full gist of what the speaker is saying.

Beware of the following things that may get in the way of listening:

-Bias or prejudice against the idea or the speaker. This includes language differences or accents.

-Do not let worry, fear, or anger get in the way. Some people are resistant to change and that can
interfere with listening.

-Those with a lack of attention span can have trouble listening. Make sure this is not related to the fact
that it is someone else's idea being listened to. Workers need to be mindful of their reactions.
The importance of effective listening skills for employees and managers cannot be overemphasized.
Everything done in the workplace involves two-way communication-speaking and listening. Two-way
communication is critical in the way it can impact efficiency and effectiveness.

When all members of a team are able to listen as well as speak effectively, they are much more likely to
perform well. Effective communication is all about understanding what is being said, not just who says
it.

___________________________________________________________________

Levels of Listening

Based on the effectiveness of the listening process, three levels of listening have been identified. Level 1
is that of Non-listening and is the least desirable, followed by Level 2 which is Passive Listening. Level 3 is
Active Listening, which is most desirable. Though we listen at all the three levels during the course of the
day depending on our interest and situation, it is beneficial to move to Level 3 for maximum listening
effectiveness. Good managers and leaders spend more time listening at Level 3.

Level 1 – Non-Listening: Here, the listener may appear to be listening but actually he is more occupied

with his own thoughts. He is minimally aware of the speaker speaking. He is likely to appear detached

and will be unresponsive and passive.

Level 2 – Passive Listening:1 Passive listening is more about hearing than actually listening. The listener

superficially hears the words but does not understand in depth what is being said. He concentrates on

the word content of the message rather than the feelings and emotions associated with the message.

He does not get much involved in the communication activity, and rather than contributing equally to

the conversational exchange, he is merely spoken to.

Level 3 – Active Listening: This is the most desirable form of listening wherein the active listener gives

full attention to what is being said. The listener concentrates on what is being said and also motivates

the speaker to speak, making it easier for the speaker to deliver the message.

An active listener not only comprehends the message better but is also in a better position to remember

and recall the message. He not only pays attention to the word content but also concentrates on the

emotional and non-verbal aspect of the message. In active listening, the listener is directly involved in

the conversation. He provides feedback to the speaker and voices his opinions and arguments.

_________________________________________________________________

Types of Listening

• Discriminative Listening

This is the most basic type of listening. It involves identifying the difference between various sounds. It

also enables one to differentiate between familiar and unfamiliar language. The subtleties of accent and

pronunciation typical of a language can be identified by this kind of listening.

• Comprehension Listening

This type of listening involves something more than just differentiating between various sounds. It

involves attaching meaning to what is being listened to, that is the message is comprehended. It may

also include comprehending the non-verbal messages being conveyed intentionally or unintentionally by

the speaker.
 • Evaluative Listening

This is also called as critical listening. This involves not only comprehending the message but also

evaluating and analyzing the message being received in light of one’s own background. It involves

judging the acceptability of what is said depending on how logical one finds it to be.

• Attentive Listening

It involves paying attention to the words that are being spoken rather than understanding the head and

the heart of the person speaking. It involves making a conscious effort to listen attentively and decode

the message. The concentration is on the verbal part of the message rather than the non-verbal aspect.

• Pretence Listening

This involves more hearing than listening. It means pretending through facial expressions that one is

listening to the communicated message when actually one is not.

• Selective Listening

Listening is done only partly or selectively. It involves selecting the desired part of the message and

ignoring the undesired part of the message. The attention of the listener is not focused and the listener

keeps switching off and on.

• Intuitive Listening

It is a higher form of listening. It means listening through the intuitive mind by silencing the other forms

of internal dialogues going on simultaneously.

 BARRIERS OF EFFECTIVE LISTENING:

There are many things that get in the way of listening and you should be aware of these barriers,
many of which are bad habits, in order to become a more effective listener. Barriers and bad habits to
effective listening can include:

• Trying to listen to more than one conversation at a time, this includes having the television or radio on
while attempting to listen to somebody talk; being on the phone to one person and talking to another
person in the same room and also being distracted by some dominant noise in the immediate
environment.
• You find the communicator attractive/unattractive and you pay more attention to how you feel about
the communicator and their physical appearance than to what they are saying. Perhaps you simply don't
like the speaker - you may mentally argue with the speaker and be fast to criticize, either verbally or in
your head.
• You are not interested in the topic/issue being discussed and become bored.
• Not focusing and being easily distracted, fiddling with your hair, fingers, a pen etc. or gazing out of the
window or focusing on objects other than the speaker.
• Feeling unwell or tired, hungry, thirsty or needing to use the toilet.
• Identifying rather than empathizing - understanding what you are hearing but not putting yourself in
the shoes of the speaker. As most of us have a lot of internal self-dialogue we spend a lot of time
listening to our own thoughts and feelings - it can be difficult to switch the focus from 'I' or 'me' to
'them' or 'you'. Effective listening involves opening your mind to the views of others and attempting to
feel empathetic. (See our page: What is Empathy? for more information)
• Sympathizing rather than empathizing - sympathy is not the same as empathy, you sympathize when
you feel sorry for the experiences of another, to empathize is to put yourself in the position of the other
person.
• You are prejudiced or biased by race, gender, age, religion, accent, and/or past experiences.
• You have preconceived ideas or bias - effective listening includes being open-minded to the ideas and
opinions of others, this does not mean you have to agree but should listen and attempt to understand.
• You make judgments, thinking, for example that a person is not very bright or is under-qualified so
there is no point listening to what they have to say.
• Previous experiences – we are all influenced by previous experiences in life. We respond to people
based on personal appearances, how initial introductions or welcomes were received and/or previous
interpersonal encounters. If we stereotype a person we become less objective and therefore less likely
to listen effectively.
• Preoccupation - when we have a lot on our minds we can fail to listen to what is being said as we're too
busy concentrating on what we're thinking about. This is particularly true when we feel stressed or
worried about issues.
• Having a Closed Mind - we all have ideals and values that we believe to be correct and it can be difficult
to listen to the views of others that contradict our own opinions. The key to effective listening and
interpersonal skills more generally is the ability to have a truly open mind - to understand why others
think about things differently to you and use this information to gain a better understanding of the
speaker.
 Effective Listening: 10 Barriers and How to Overcome Them

Poor listening skills result in ineffective communication, which will usually have an adverse impact on
the productivity of the individual, the team and the organization. Here you can find about ten barriers to
effective listening and get tips for dealing with them.
• Effective communication is a valuable skill in the workplace, and listening properly is the most important
part of effective communication.
Poor listening skills definitely make a huge, negative impact on team morale and productivity. This
situation usually results in conflicts and misunderstandings among team members, and it creates a
negative environment.

Fortunately, listening skills can be learned. The first step is to identify the barriers to listening. The
second step is to consciously implement the tips provided here to overcome those barriers.

• Excessive Talking
Good conversational skills are an asset, and a person with these skills are more likely to achieve
professional success. However, talking more than necessary is a barrier to effective communication.
People hesitate to interact with a person who talks excessively without listening to them. They may also
get bored, and excessive talking may be perceived as aggression.

Try these tips to overcome this habit:

• Think before you speak, and don't speak if you have nothing important to contribute.
• Practice self-control. Allow the other person to speak.
• Avoid interrupting when the other person is speaking.
• Be aware of indulging in useless talk for the sake of talking.
• Be brief while conveying your thoughts.
• Observe your listener's reactions while speaking.

Prejudice

Prejudice is a preconceived opinion of feeling, which is usually irrational. Prejudice is very dangerous and
has the potential to bring animosity into the team and to break team spirit. The reason for a prejudice
may be the speaker's race, religion, age or appearance. A prejudiced person will not make any effort to
listen and understand.
Overcoming prejudice while listening:

• Respect the other person for his or her knowledge and skills, irrespective of the person's
background.
• Make conscious efforts to take charge of your thoughts.
• Consciously avoid taking an "I know what he or she is going to say" attitude while the other person
is speaking.

Distractions

The four main types of distractions are physical, mental, auditory and visual. Here's how to avoid this
common barrier:
• Face the person who is speaking.
• Maintain eye contact while the other person is speaking.
• Ensure that you are comfortable.
• Switch off your mobile phone.

Expecting Others to Share Your Personal Beliefs and Values

Everybody has their own personal beliefs and value systems, and it's natural to want to apply them to
others around us. Learn to appreciate that others don't have to share your beliefs. In fact, their unique
perspectives may shine light on problems and issues that you haven't been able to deal with before!

Misunderstanding

The inability to hear correctly is one of the many reasons for misunderstanding what a speaker is trying
to communicate. You may think that it's impolite to ask the speaker to clarify his words or intentions,
but that's not the case at all. Most people will appreciate the fact that you are making a focused effort
to really understand what they are trying to say.

Interrupting

Interrupting a conversation with improper body language or inappropriate words will have a negative
impact in effective communication. Here's some tips to help you avoid this barrier to effective listening:
• Listen without interrupting while the other person is speaking.
• If you seek to clarify something, use appropriate body language such as raising your hand or ask
politely for more details (like "I am sorry to interrupt you...").

Faking Attention

The person who is faking attention is just "hearing" but not "listening." There may be some eye contact
and the person may even be nodding, but the mind is elsewhere. The person may be thinking about
what to have for lunch or what to wear for the party that evening. Faking attention is a habit for some
people, but it conveys lack of respect and dishonesty.
Try these tips:
• Make it a habit to listen attentively. It is advisable to assume that the other person knows
something that you may not know.
• Avoid thinking about how to reply when the other person is speaking.
• This habit can be overcome by taking notes while the other person is speaking.

Bringing in Emotions

Emotions erect barriers to effective communication. A listener's senses are not likely to be functioning
at their optimum level when he or she is angry. Likewise, it is not possible to understand or appreciate
what the speaker is saying if the listener is excessively sad.
Tip: It is better to avoid conversations when you are angry or excessively sad.

Noise

Noise is any unwanted sound. It is a great impediment to clear communication. It is impossible to listen
in a noisy environment – it becomes a frustrating experience for both the speaker and the listener.
• Try to avoid conversations in noisy surroundings.
• Eliminate the source of noise whenever possible. Turn off cell phones, radios and television sets.

Fear

Fear is a great barrier to listening. People who are afraid during a conversation are not likely to listen.
They become defensive and tend to argue.
Tips to overcome fear:
• Be aware that fear can only worsen the situation. Listen to what the other person is about to say
without fear.
• Keeping calm will give you mental strength to face any situation.
• Taking a deep breath helps in overcoming fear.
• Great leaders are good listeners. Effective listening is a valuable skill that helps team members
achieve their goals efficiently and improves productivity. This skill is necessary to stay competitive in
the current global scenario. Implementing the above mentioned tips will definitely help in improving
listening skills. It is possible with self examination and self discipline.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

UNIT-3

SPEAKING FOR BETTER COMMUNICATION

Speaking:

Language is a tool for communication. We communicate with others, to express our ideas, and to know
others’ ideas as well. We must take into account that the level of language input (listening) must be
higher than the level of language production. In primary schools elocution and recitation are main
sources to master the sounds, rhythms, and intonation of the English language through simple
reproduction. The manifestations of the language in games and pair work activities are encouraging
source to learn to speak the language. This assists the learners to begin to manipulate the language by
presenting them with a certain amount of choice, albeit within a fairly controlled situation. This skill
could be improved by understanding para-linguistic attributes such as voice quality, volume and tone,
voice modulation, articulation, pronunciation etc. This could also be further enhanced with the help of
debates and discussions.

Making Introductions:
The way you introduce and present yourself provides people with a first impression of you. Most people
begin forming an opinion of you within 3 seconds and these judgments can be difficult to modify. Our
first impression can be the difference between starting a successful business relationship or finishing
with a one-off meeting. It is very easy to make a negative first impression on someone, often without
knowing you’ve done so. It’s much harder to make a positive impression, so you must put some effort
into your introductions.

If you know two people who haven't met, you can introduce them to each other. If you want to meet
someone, you can introduce yourself. Here are some examples of phrases of introduction.

When Introducing Other People (starting with formal versions and moving to informal versions)
o I'd like you to meet Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms./Dr. (last name).
o I'd like to introduce (first and last name).
o (First name), this is (first name).

When Introducing Yourself (starting with formal versions and moving to informal versions)
o I don't think we've met. May I introduce myself?
o Hello. My name is (first name and last name).
o Hi. I'm (first name).
o

Greeting Responses that Follow an Introduction (starting with formal versions and moving to informal
versions)
Greeting Response

How do you do? (It's a) Pleasure meeting you.

I'm (pleased, happy, glad) to meet you. (Pleased, Happy, Glad) to meet you,
too.

(It's) (Nice, Good, Great) meeting you. Same here.

Greeting Responses for People You Know (starting with formal versions and moving to informal
versions)

Greeting Response

Good (morning, afternoon, evening) Good (morning, afternoon, evening)

(name). (name).

Hello, (name). How are you? Very well, thank you.

Hi. How are you doing? Fine, thanks. And you?

Hi, (name). What's new? Nothing much.

With friends who really want to know how you are, you can answer questions about how you feel
truthfully. Examples: "Not very well," "I'm feeling sick," "I just lost my job."
Approaching or Introducing Yourself to a Professor
Introduce Yourself Clarify Your Interest Clarify His/Her Availability

I'm a first year MBA student, and I'd like to talk with you about... Is this a good time to talk?
...

I'm planning to take your course I'm really interested in... Could we talk for a few minutes?
on...

I saw your course listing and ... I'm curious about... Can I stop in later to talk with you
for a few minutes?

I read about your work with... I could use some help with... Would you have time to meet
with me to talk about that?

Handling Pleasantries

If they say The usual response is Or you could try

Hi. How are you? Fine, thanks, and you? Actually, I'm a little lost, do you
have a second?

How ya doing? Okay, How about you? Okay, but I could use some help
with a couple crazy English words.

How's it going? Okay, and you?

What's happening? Not much, how about you? Well, I'm trying to figure out...

What's up? Same old same old, and you? Actually, right now I'm trying to...

Hey dude! What's up? No much. What're you up to? I feel clueless! Does this fog ever
lift?

Hey, how's it going, great to see Hi (and a wave) Bye!

ya, gotta run, catch ya later.

PUBLIC SPEAKING:

Public speaking (also called oratory or oration) is the process or act of performing a speech to a
live audience. This type of speech is deliberately structured with three general purposes: to inform, to
persuade and to entertain. Public speaking is commonly understood as formal, face-to-face speaking of
a single person to a group of listeners.[1] Public speaking can be governed by different rules and
structures. For example, speeches about concepts do not necessarily have to be structured in any
special way. However, there is a method behind giving it effectively. For this type of speech it would be
good to describe that concept with examples that can relate to the audiences life.

There are five basic elements of public speaking that are described in Lasswell's model of
communication: the communicator, message, medium, audience and effect. In short, the speaker
should be answering the question "who says what in which channel to whom with what effect?"

Public speaking can serve the purpose of transmitting information, telling a story, motivating people to
act or some combination of those. Public speaking can also take the form of a discourse community, in
which the audience and speaker use discourse to achieve a common goal.

Public speaking for business and commercial events is often done by professionals. These speakers can
be contracted independently, through representation by a speakers bureau, or by other means. Public
speaking plays a large role in the professional world; in fact, it is believed that 70 percent of all jobs
involve some form of public speaking.

*****************************************************************
NOTES:

“The quality of your life depends upon the quality of your communication.”

People who are interested in mastering the art of public speaking can adopt the following traits.

1) Personality of the speaker: Accept it or reject it, a public speaker is always judged by his or her
audience not only on the basis of the content but also on the basis of the personality. The way you
dress and the way you carry yourself on stage will have a huge impact on the quality of your
presentation.

2) Content & knowledge: You cannot speak that you do not know. There are a lot of people who speak a
lot more than they actually know. Read as much as possible about the topic and from as many sources
as possible. This will widen your perspective and will help in taking an intelligent stand.

3) Audience profile: As a public speaker you should be well aware of your audience- their background,
profession, expectations and priorities. This exercise will provide you with valuable insights about how
to structure the talk.

4) Passion: People may forget what you say, but they rarely forget your emotions about the topic. After
spending years in professional public speaking business, I can say one thing without any doubt that it is
possible to increase or decrease your emotional intensity about any topic. How much you believe or do
not believe in the topic will be sensed by the audience to great extent.

5) Non-verbal communication: It is said that about 60% of any communication is done non-verbally. The
best public speakers pay a lot of attention to their non-verbal communication- tonal quality and body
language. A simple message can be amplified by variation in tone and appropriate usage of body-
movement.

6) Fun & emotional quotient: It has been proven that the audience will remember a message only if it
has one or more of the following two elements- humor and emotional appeal. The best
presentations have both of these components.
7) Medium: Once you have done your research about the topic and the audience profile, think about
the best medium to convey the message of your presentation. Do you really need a power-point
or there is a better way of communicating your ideas about the topic?
8) Practice: Repetition is the mother of all skills. More you practice on your presentation, better are your
chances of perfecting it. Stand in front of a mirror and speak for few minutes on a different topic every
day. If possible record yourself on a phone camera. Public speaking is a learnable skill and anybody can
master this skill if they decide to.

***************************************************************************

Non verbal communication:

It is communication of feelings, emotions, attitudes and thoughts through body movements/ gestures/
eye contact.

Importance of non verbal communication:

“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” – Peter F. Drucker

“60% of all human communication is nonverbal body language; 30% is your tone, so that means 90% of
what you’re saying ain’t coming out of your mouth.” – Alex “Hitch” Hitchens

The components of Non Verbal Communication are:

Kinesics: It is the study of facial expressions, postures & gestures. Did you know that while in Argentina
to raise a fist in the air with knuckles pointing outwards expresses victory, in Lebanon, raising a closed
fist is considered rude?

Oculesics: It is the study of the role of eye contact in non verbal communication. Did you know that in
the first 90 sec - 4 min you decide that you are interested in someone or not. Studies reveal that 50% of
this first impression comes from non-verbal communication which includes oculesics. Only 7% of comes
from words - that we actually say.

Haptics: It is the study of touching. Did you know that acceptable level of touching vary from one
culture to another? In Thailand, touching someone's head may be considered as rude.

Proxemics: It is the study of measurable distance between people as they interact. Did you know that
the amount of personal space when having an informal conversation should vary between 18 inches - 4
feet while, the personal distance needed when speaking to a crowd of people should be around 10-12
feet?

Chronemics: It is the study of use of time in non verbal communication. Have you ever observed that
while AN employee will not worry about running a few minutes late to meet a colleague, a manager who
has a meeting with the CEO, a late arrival will be considered as a nonverbal cue that he / she does not
give adequate respect to his superior?

Paralinguistic: It is the study of variations in pitch, speed, volume, and pauses to convey meaning.
Interestingly, when the speaker is making a presentation and is looking for a response, he will pause.
However, when no response is desired, he will talk faster with minimal pause.
Physical Appearance: Your physical appearance always contributes towards how people perceive you.
Neatly combed hair, ironed clothes and a lively smile will always carry more weight than words.

Remember, “what we say” is less important than “how we say it”. Understand and enjoy non verbal
communication as it helps forming better first impressions. All the best

Kinesics Or body language:

Since bodily movement, gestures etc. are important for communication, they are being
systematically studies as a sub area of non verbal communication and language termed as
kinesis that literally means body language/body movement. It stands for the way the body
communicates without words and through various movements of its parts such as nodding of
head, blinking of eyes, waving hand, shrugging shoulders & various ways.
Just as language uses sets of symbol to convey meaning or body, consciously as well as
unconsciously, carries message, attitudes, status relationship, mood, and warmth/ indifference,
Positive/ negative feeling and soon. It only depends upon the receiver how to infer these
meanings from body symbol.

Parts of kinesics movement:

There are different parts of the movement as explained earlier such as
1) Facial expression
AS popular saying says “the face is the index of the heart” what ever we feel deep within ourselves. It is
at once reflected in the face. It is very important in any face to face communication. We convey
more than we convey by our words e.g. facial expression generally associated with happiness, surprise,
fear, anger, sadness can be easily identified by facial expression.

2) Eye Contact:
Everyone is well aware that eyes contact is of paramount importance in all face to face
communication when we look at somebody’s face we focus primarily on his eyes and try to
understand what he mean i.e. raised eyes brows and eyelids combined with dilated pupils conveys that
the person is exited, surprised or frightened. On the other hand, eyebrows with upper and lower eyelids
closed combined with constricted pupils tells us that the person is angry or in pain.
Along with the eye patterns, eye contact and eye movements are also meaningful such as brief
eye contact indicates nervousness or embarrassment, where as looking at a person for a long time
shows the intensity of interest.

3) Gestures:
In addition to facial expressions and eye contacts, other parts of our body move in a very meaningful
manner. These movements are called gestures i.e. the physical movement of arms, legs, hands, torso
and head. They play very important role in conveying meaning without using words i.e. pounding of fist
on table, shows anger, arms spread

Apart conveys the meaning of wide, shuffling from one leg to another means nervous and on
slightly forward and erect torso is interpreted as intense.
It is also important to note that gestures are not used individually but in relation to another person
and acquire meaning at particular time and also that they can be instinctive or acquired.

4. Head, body shape and posture:

In any face to face communication/meeting/interview the way we hold our head is imp.
Everybody is well aware of the age old saying, “Hold your head high”. The position of head
reflects honors and self respect, confidence, integrity and interest in the person before us where as a
bent head shows modesty, politeness or diffidence depending upon the situation along with these
pattern, other movements such as jerking of head shows/indicates insolence, rejection or agreement
depending upon
the context and personality of the person concerned.

Apart from head, both our body shape and posture affect what we think about ourself, how we relate to
other and how others relate to us or respond to our moves. Mostly we act spontaneously but become
self conscious while appearing for an interview. In such situation, we try to make an extra effort and our
posture become awkward. So we should inculcate the best habits related to posture in our day to day
affair in order to make them a part of unconscious spontaneous act.

5. Appearance:
Appearance includes clothing, hair, jewellery, cosmetics etc. all these may seem unrelated to
body language but on having a closer look we can easily judge/find that they are very meaningfully
related to our face, eyes, gestures, postures etc.
A famous writer has said that a man is recognized by his “dress and address”.Dress means our attire and
occasion has its own particular type of dress. It may be formal or informal. It is normally a part of
an organization work rule to have a formal suit or combination of jacket and trousers for the working
hours or have a uniform for all levels of workers. If one changes from formal dress to informal or casual
he is
easily noticed and his dress speaks volume about his attitude toward work, his colleagues, life and
his own fallings.
It is not just dress/clothes that are important for any occasion but also shoes, hair style, perfume
etc. that convey meaning in non verbal form.

Advantage of Kinesics:
1. It is most easily visible aspect of communication; therefore, it helps the receiver in decoding
the message.
2. It complements verbal communication, especially in face to face communication as no message can
be completely sent across without accompaniment of facial expression and gestures.
3. It adds intensity to the communication process.
4. It helps in improving overall atmosphere and looks of an organization.

Disadvantages of body language:

1. Since it is non verbal communication, relying on facial expression and gestures cannot take
place whole heartedly.
2. People belonging to different cultural background send out different body signals. They are therefore,
liable to be misinterpreted
3. It becomes ineffective if the listener is inattentive.
4. It is non effective in large gathering and is commonly used only in case of face to face
communication.

2.Proxemics or space language:

Non verbal communication involves not only body language and paralanguage but also the space around
us, time and our physical environment or surroundings.

Just as “kinesics” is the study of body language, “proxemics” is the study of how we communicate
with the space around us. Our interaction with the people around us has a well defined or well
understood spatial dimension. Conversely we can say that the spatial dimension or distance between us
and otherpeople tell us about our relations and the nature of our communication with them.

Placing ourselves in the center, we can present the space around us in the following form:
1. Intimate- physical contact/touch to 18 inches.
2. Personal- 18 inches to the 4 feet
3. Social- 4 feet to 12 feet
4. Public- 12 feet to as far as we can see and hear

1. Intimate space language:

Most of the body movement originates within the circle of about 18 inches around us. Only our family
members, close friends and selected people enter this area. Such peoples are special to us, the nearer
we are to the person, the closer the relationship. In this group, communication generally takes place in
whisper or soft words and may involve eye.

2. Personal space Language:

While in intimate space, we mostly speak in whispers, monotones or at a low pitch, in the personal
space that extends from 18 inches to 4 feet, we have normal conversation with close friends,
colleagues, associates and visitors. Although communication is mostly in nature, it may involve taking
certain important decision or
spontaneous unprogrammed talking.

3. Social space language:

Extending from 4 to about 12 feet is what has very aptly been called the social space. This is mostly used
for formal purpose and the relationships within this circle are more official. We do most of our work in
this area while feeling, emotion, likes and dislikes are used/shared in intimate and personal space.
More reasons and planning’s is used in this space .It is therefore of paramount importance in business.

4. Public space language:

As this space extends from 12 feet to as far as we can see and hear and this conversation is
absolutely formal. The attachment of the intimate and personal space is substituted by the detachment
of perception, objectively of approach and formality in speaking. Generally we speak loudly in this, so far
to be heard by others in a large group.

The way group of people use the space assigned to them determines their respective places
and interaction pattern.

3.Para Linguistics or paralanguage:

Paralanguage is closest to verbal communication and almost always accompanies body language. It is
non verbal because it does not comprise words.

In paralanguage, Para means like hence paralanguage literally means like language and paralinguistic’s
is the systematic study of how a speaker speaks, while verbal communication consists of “what or the
content”. Paralanguage involves how or the way/ways in which speakers speaks.

Paralanguage involves:

a) Voice:

The first signal we receive or use is our voice. It tells us about the speaker’s sex, background, education,
training and temperament.

There are different kinds of voices -clear, musical, pleasant,raucus, unpleasant and so on.

The clear the voice, the more effective it will be in conveying the message/meaning. This is the
reason that in certain jobs such as telephone operator, newsreader it is absolutely necessary for the
applicants to have a clear and pleasant voice.

To convey the message effectively, following point should be taken care off in our voice.

1. Pitch and volume variation- for effective and interesting communication, a speaker must intro- duce
variations in pitch while speaking. Those who a speck in monotones fails to keep the listener’s
attention.
2. Speaking speed- People speaks at different speed on different occasion and also while
conveying different parts of the message. Generally, the easy part of the message information is
conveyed at a slower pace because it is likely to be understood easily. On the other hand , the
difficult/technical or complicated part of information are conveyed at a slower pace. If we reverse the
order, the result will be counter productive and message will not be conveyed. It has also been observed
that when we are in the state of anxiety or urgency, we tends to speak fast as compare to when we are
relaxed.

3. Pause- the pause or speed of speaking is also accompanied by pause. We cannot and should not go
on speaking without pausing voluntarily or involuntarily. But the pause has to be at the right moments.
In correct use of pause cause problem or may change the meaning of the sentence. It is therefore, very
important for a speaker to carefully monitor his pauses.

4. Non fluencies- speech is not always a continuous string of meaningful words. There are
pauses scattered at intervals with sounds/utterances like “ah” “oh” “uh” “um” you know “ok” or
laughter, yawn or chuckles. These pauses are called “non-fluencies”. When these non fluencies are used
carefully, they give the speakers time to breathe or relax and make the listeners more alert. But if used
too frequently it irritates the listeners.

5. Volume variations- one must speak loud enough for all of our audience to hear, but not too loudly.
The loudness of our voice should be adjusted according to the size of space.

6. Proper word stress- every person who understand/communicates in some or other

language, understands that word stress is of crucial importance in communication, by putting stress
or emphasis on a word here or a word there in the same sentence can change the whole
meaning. Emphasis on a particular word or part of spoken word ( study of which is known as phonetics )
is especially important is conversation in which questions and answers are essentials.

Advantage of paralanguage:

It is very closely allied to language. No oral message is complete without it.

It is sufficiently dependable indicators of the speakers place on the organizations. On the basis of
his voice quality one can easily guess.
It tells us about the speaker’s educational background national/regional background.

It gives useful clues regarding the speaker’s mental status.

Disadvantage of paralanguage:

It is non verbal communication, therefore cannot be fully relied upon.

The voice quality and pitch of the speaker may unnecessary prejudice the receivers of the message.
The receiver has to be very open minded and patient.

It is sometimes misguided or mislead due to the use of improper tone or bad voice quality.

**************************************************************************

Communicative use of artifacts:

Artifacts are physical objects, such as clothing, homes, and cars, that indicate to others a person's
personal and social beliefs and habits. Messages are thus conveyed in a nonverbal manner.

1. Clothing:

One of the first judgments people make when they see an individual, whether it be stranger or friend, is
based on that person's clothing. Accurate or not, these inferences affect how people view and react to
others. Clothing can communicate many ideas, including social class, attitudes (conservative, liberal,
moderate), style and creativity, and age. For example, a professor is more likely to take seriously a
student who dresses conservatively and appropriately for class than a student who constantly lounges in
sweats and an old t-shirt.

2. Jewelry: Jewelry as well communicates certain messages. Political buttons inform others of your
views and activity concerning society while college rings or religious adornments reveal personal
values and beliefs. Engagement and wedding rings indicate matrimony and the union of two
people in love, though the type of rings can further indicate wealth and thus social class; large
stones are usually associated with those who have money while simple and plain rings are often
reserved for those with less wealth.
 3. Space decoration:
The way in which private spaces are decorated indicate messages about a particular person or group of
people. For example, a boss' office is usually arranged with nice furniture in a private room, unlike a
worker's lowly cubicle. Thus, objects and adornments can highlight wealth and status. Despite this, they
also contribute to information about a person's interests and lifestyles. Magazines, books, and dvds each
communicate a different message about the tastes of a person and what they consider to be important.

4. Color:

What color clothes do you prefer to wear?

The colors you choose can often tell something about your personality.

Red indicates an assertive, passionate and enthusiastic nature

Orange means you are warm-hearted, quick-witted and active

Yellow indicates cheerfulness, optimism and originality

Green shows you are responsible, hopeful and into green issues

Blue displays a cool, calm and peaceful nature

Violet means you are sensitive, tasteful and artistic

White is innocence, enlightenment, and efficiency

Black means you are mysterious, unconventional and dominant

Brown indicates a trustworthy, reliable and home-loving nature

Grey shows a desire to be anonymous.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Top 9 proven characteristics of effective public speakers that you should emulate to become an
influential and inspiring speaker.

1- Confidence: Be certain that you will give a spectacular presentation. Your audience wants to root
for you. Give them a reason to do so by being secure in your abilities. A study published by the
University of Wolverhampton stated that a highly confident speaker is viewed as more credible
than a less confident speaker.
2- Passion: You need to exude a level of sincerity in your emotion when communicating to your
audience if you want them to be moved by your presentation.

3- Practice, don’t memorize: Memorization can set up a barrier between you and your audience so
practice with the full expectation that something unanticipated will happen.

4- Speak in a natural voice: In general you should try to speak in a conversational tone. Any
connection you’ve made with your audience could be broken by tones that seem ‘fake’ or ‘too perfect’.

5- Authenticity: Be vulnerable and open about your life, this will give your audience permission to
listen with their hearts as well as their ears. Research indicates that there is a strong correlation
between commitment in organization and the proceeded authenticity of the leader. When you are
authentic more people will follow through with your call to action.

6- Keep it Short and Sweet: You want to make sure that your presentation is easily digestible for
those listening to you. If you can complete your speech in 15 minutes, do so, and leave any remaining
time open for questions and comments. No matter what, don't fluff your audience.

7- Connect with your Audience: A skilled presenter knows that public speaking is a conversation
with the audience and navigates the energy of the room with material that best connects his message
with the audience. Don't speak with your audience, speak with them.

8- Paint a Picture through Storytelling: Humans are wired for stories. This is why the best
presentations don’t feel like presentations, they are simply stories told by people with interesting
experiences. The latest brain research demonstrates that even the simplest stories can reshape our
neurology and body chemistry.

9- Repetition: Determine what you want your audience to take away from your speech. Say it, say it
again and then say it a third time to make sure it sticks in your audience’s head. The more your repeat
your message, the more likely it will be retained by their long term memory.

*************************************************************************************

Addressing a group:

1. Addressing the crowd according to your message and target audience. Use respectful titles,
never titles labeled by religious affiliations or belief systems. Speak on friendly terms, but don’t
assume a position that is too private. For example, don’t address the crowd by saying, ‘’Good
evening, friends,’’ unless you honestly do know most of the people personally and reason for
the evening event is of a sensitive enough nature that you can meaningfully address them as
such

2. Dress appropriately for the occasion. Don’t overdress or under dress.

 3. Speak clearly but calmly. No bashing your first upon the podium to get your point across, please.

4. Plan for technical glitches and for things to go wrong. Take problems with a smile and move on.
The less you give these issues notice, the less the audience will.

5. Control the speed of your voice and keep to your time limit. Speaking too long will cause the
crowd to glance at their watch too often and lose focus.

6. Stick to the organized topic at hand. Keep personal problems, the nerdy jokes or odd people you
saw on the way to the conference out of the speech. They will only be distracting and make you
look like an amateur

7. Close the speech properly. How you end your speech is just as important is how you delivered it.
It is always appropriate to thank audience members for their time and for listening.

Audience Analysis:

Communication is complete only when the receiver understands the message in the same sense and
spirit that sender intends to convey. However, communication does not take place completely because
of the illusion that it has been accomplished. The great cause of illusion is sender's inability to
understand the audience. Without analyzing
audience, the chances of effectiveness of the communication decrease.

Understanding the audience is fundamental to the success of any message. The sender needs to analyze
the audience and then adapt the message to their goals, interests and needs. Audience like to listen the
message that suits their interests, familiar with their level of knowledge and understanding, and seems
true and credible.

Importance of Audience Analysis:

Audience is center to the communication process. The purpose of communication is to transfer
the message with transmission of understanding among the audience. Therefore good communication
is always audience-centered. It is the audience that determines how one achieves the objectives of
communication.

If the communicator fails to analyze the attitude, interests and knowledge of the audience, he is likely to
be failure. Why certain why certain politicians with bad records can grab the votes? it is because their
message strict to the waves of that time as well as wavelength of the public and consequently they can
manage to manipulate public
sentiments to their advantage.
Therefore, audience analyses is essential before designing the message. Communication can take place
only when the message is received in the same sense and spirit that sender intends to carry. Therefore,
the sender has to devise
some common ground between him and the audience. He has to choose the information that audience
needs and finds interesting. He should encode the message in words and other symbols that audience
will understand easily.
Lastly, he should transmit the message along a channel that the audience will attend to.

"Understanding your audience is fundamental to the success of any message. You need to adapt your
message to fit the audience's goals, interests and needs." ~ Kitty O. Locker and Stephen Kyo Kaczmark.

Types of Audience:

1. Primary Audience
2. Secondary Audience
3. Initial Audience
4. Gatekeeper Audience
5. Watch dog Audience

Primary Audience: The primary audience is the audience who have to decide whether to accept the
sender's message and his recommendations and to act on the basis of that message. For example -
in case of advertisement campaign of interior decoration, the primary audience is prospective
customers.

Secondary Audience: The secondary audience consists of people who may be asked to comment on the
message after it has been approved. For example - in case of advertisement campaign of
interior decoration, the existing users are the secondary audience as the potential buyers ask them
about their opinion.

Initial Audience: is the audience that receives the message first and routs it to other audiences.
Sometimes, the initial audience guides the sender regarding designing of the message. For example:
1. Censor Board which has to permit to broadcasting of films act as the initial audience.
2. The editors of the newspapers also act as the initial audience as they edit the message before
publishing in the newspaper.

Gatekeeper Audience: has power to stop the message before it reaches the primary audience. For
example - the secretary to the minister acts as gatekeeper audience as he scrutinizes the letters before
minister's approval.
 Watch dog Audience: is the audience that has political, social and economic power to influence the
primary audience's decision to act upon the sender's message. Though such type of audience has power
to stop the message yet they influence a lot on primary audience's action. For example

**********************

UNIT: 4

The four main types of reading techniques are the following:

Skimming

Scanning

Intensive

Extensive

Skimming

Skimming is sometimes referred to as gist reading. Skimming may help in order to know what the text is
about at its most basic level. You might typically do this with a magazine or newspaper and would help
you mentally and quickly shortlist those articles which you might consider for a deeper read. You might
typically skim to search for a name in a telephone directory.

You can reach a speed count of even 700 words per minute if you train yourself well in this particular
method. Comprehension is of course very low and understanding of overall content very superficial.

Scanning

Picture yourself visiting a historical city, guide book in hand. You would most probably just scan the
guide book to see which site you might want to visit. Scanning involves getting your eyes to quickly
scuttle across sentence and is used to get just a simple piece of information. Interestingly, research has
concluded that reading off a computer screen actually inhibits the pathways to effective scanning and
thus, reading of paper is far more conducive to speedy comprehension of texts.

Something students sometimes do not give enough importance to is illustrations. These should be
included in your scanning. Special attention to the introduction and the conclusion should also be paid.
Intensive Reading

You need to have your aims clear in mind when undertaking intensive reading. Remember this is going
to be far more time consuming than scanning or skimming. If you need to list the chronology of events
in a long passage, you will need to read it intensively. This type of reading has indeed beneficial to
language learners as it helps them understand vocabulary by deducing the meaning of words in context.
It moreover, helps with retention of information for long periods of time and knowledge resulting from
intensive reading persists in your long term memory.

This is one reason why reading huge amounts of information just before an exam does not work very
well. When students do this, they undertake neither type of reading process effectively, especially
neglecting intensive reading. They may remember the answers in an exam but will likely forget
everything soon afterwards.

Extensive reading

Extensive reading involves reading for pleasure. Because there is an element of enjoyment in extensive
reading it is unlikely that students will undertake extensive reading of a text they do not like. It also
requires a fluid decoding and assimilation of the text and content in front of you. If the text is difficult
and you stop every few minutes to figure out what is being said or to look up new words in the
dictionary, you are breaking your concentration and diverting your thoughts.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Some people think of the act of reading as a straightforward task that’s easy to master. In reality, it’s a
complex process that draws on many different skills. Together, these skills lead to the ultimate goal of
reading: reading comprehension, or understanding what’s been read.

Reading comprehension is a challenge for some kids with learning and attention issues. That’s especially
true of kids with dyslexia. Knowing the skills involved, and which ones your child struggles with, can help
you get the right support.

What Dyslexia Is

Dyslexia is a lifelong condition that makes it difficult for people to read. It’s the most common learning
issue, although it’s not clear what percentage of kids have it. Some experts believe the number is
between 5 and 10 percent. Others say as many as 17 percent of people show signs of reading issues. The
reason for the wide range is that experts may define dyslexia in different ways.

Dyslexia is mainly a problem with reading accurately and fluently. Kids with dyslexia may have trouble
answering questions about something they’ve read. But when it’s read to them, they may have no
difficulty at all.

_____________________________________________________________________________
Basic Reading Skills:

Decoding

Decoding or sounding out words is the first step in reading. Children can decode when they understand
that each letter of the alphabet has a corresponding sound. Children then learn how to look at words in
print, isolate each separate sound, then blend them to read the word as a whole. The goal of phonics
instruction is to enable readers to become proficient at decoding so they are able to read words on their
own and with little effort.

Vocabulary

Good readers increase their vocabulary every time they read and are able to recall these words when
they see them again. They begin by developing a sight word vocabulary. Sight words are words that are
frequently found often in common speech and books, such as "the," "is," "were," "was" and "said."
Generally, these words cannot be sounded out, so readers have to memorize them. Knowledge of these
words is essential because they can be found in any book.

Fluency

Fluency is the ability to read accurately with expression and at a speed that lends itself to
comprehension. Fluent readers will be able to read smoothly without having to take a lot of time to
sound out words. They are also able to use context clues to figure out unknown words. Fluency is most
evident when a person reads aloud, but it can also be seen by the reader's ability to understand what
they read. Fluent readers are able to pay attention to the details in a book because they don't have to
spend a lot of time sounding out words.

Comprehension

Comprehension is a basic reading skill that develops as children learn to sound out words and recognize
sight words. The more they read, the easier it is for them to remember specific things like the main
characters, setting and plot. As reading skills progress, children will develop advanced comprehension
skills like inferring, evaluating and retelling.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Common errors in Reading:

“Whole Word” Errors:

 These types of errors occur when the student is attempting to ‘see’ or ‘visually recognize’ entire words
as a unit instead of processing the print by sound. The student tries to recognize the overall visual
appearance of the word. Often the words ‘look similar’ to words the student has already learned as
‘sight’ words. Words usually contain some visually similar letters or structure. Frequent ‘whole word’
type errors indicate the student is not processing print phonetically. Examples of ‘whole word’ type
errors include:

Exit next every very simple smile

Van have roam more dim made

Value volume afraid after Swallowed shallow

Lord rod speed sleep cork clock

“Word Guessing” Errors:

Frequent ‘word guessing’ errors are somewhat similar to ‘whole word’ errors because the student is not
processing print phonetically. In ‘word guessing’ the student often only looks at the first letter and then
guesses a word. Frequently, errors are completely ‘off’. Sometimes a recently used word will be used or
a word will be guessed from an illustration. Sometimes the student will look at you (instead of the print)
and in quick succession chant several options. Word substitutions are considered ‘word guessing’ errors
as the student is not reading the print but instead guessing their own word from context. Occasionally
these are the ‘I have absolutely no idea where that come from’ type errors. These types of word
guessing errors are closely associated with students who do not process print phonetically and instead
are relying on ‘whole word’ visual recognition techniques. There is usually overlap between ‘whole
word’ errors and ‘word guessing’ errors. Examples of ‘word guessing’ errors may include:

GRAFT as GIRAFFE

COMMAND as COMPUTER

SISTER as SITTER
Tracking Errors:

These errors can sometimes appear similar to ‘whole word’ errors. The distinction is that the student
appears to be attempting to sound out words. However, they are not properly tracking left-to-right. The
words they say often contain the same sounds but are out of order. These tracking errors are closely
related to ‘whole word’ processing. If the student looks at the word as a ‘whole’ instead of processing
correctly in an orderly left to right manner they frequently ‘mix up’ the sounds within the word.
Improper tracking is a symptom of whole word processing. Students can also make tracking errors if
they are ‘hopping’ around looking for familiar bits and pieces that they ‘recognize’. These types of
errors indicate the student need to develop proper left to right directional tracking. Examples of tracking
errors include:

WAS as SAW

LOTS as LOST

LAST as LOST

TRIED as TIRED

SLOT as LOTS

Lack of Code Knowledge/Difficulty with Complexities:

When the student makes frequent errors or has difficulty with words that contain vowel combination
and r-controlled vowel combinations it often indicates they lack knowledge of the complete phonemic
code. If the student did not know the complexities in isolation and has difficulty reading words that
contain these sounds, often the student needs is some direct instruction and practice in these
sounds. These students sometimes read correctly and accurately with the basic sounds and are
attempting to sound out words but lack the complete code knowledge therefore struggle with the
complexities. Examples of difficulty with code knowledge include:

--a classic example of lack of code knowledge is exhibited by many young beginners when they learn
t=/t/, h=/h/ but are not yet taught th=/th/. They frequently make errors, reading ‘that’ as /t/ /h/ /a/ /t/
or ‘the’ as /t/ /h/ /e/. Similarly they read ‘sh’ as /sss/ /h/ instead of /sh/.

--mispronunciations where the sounds of vowel combinations are sounded out separately such as

sound à /s//o/ /u/ /n//d/ tease as /t/ /ee/ /a/ /z/ ‘compete’ as /k//o//m//p//e//t/ /ee/

--difficulty with words that contain complexities when simple code is read accurately and easily

--lack of knowledge of the alternate sounds, for example every time the student comes across ‘ow’ they
use the /ow/ sound and do not know and apply the /oa/ sound
--student will start sounding out the word and then ‘word guess’ because they don’t have knowledge to
sound out correctly

Consonant Cluster Errors:

These errors occur primarily with common ‘blended clusters’ such as s-st, st-str, d-dr, c-cl, c-cr, t-tr, g-gr,
f-fr and ending clusters p-mp, and d-nd. In these types of errors the student will insert the ‘blended
cluster’ sounds into words even when it is NOT present. These type of errors occur frequently in
students who were taught consonant clusters as a unit (student learned the consonant cluster as a unit
such as st, str, tr, mp, gr, fr, dr…) The student consequently ‘sees’ and processes the blended sounds
even when they are actually not present in a word. Often the student will look at the word several times
repeating the same error. Examples of ‘consonant cluster’ errors include:

FLIP as FLIMP

TYING as TRYING

STEAK as STREAK

FOG as FROG

DIP as DRIP

CLIP AS CLIMP

Attention to Detail Errors:

These types of errors are when the student does not pay close attention detail, carefully processing all
the letters in order. Attention to detail is closely associated with proper tracking and correct phonologic
processing. The ‘attention to detail’ errors are when the student misses bits and parts of the word.
Consonant cluster errors are a type of attention to detail error. Sometimes the student will be sounding
out the words correctly but misses parts. The ‘fast and sloppy’ readers often make frequent errors with
the details. Examples of attention to detail errors include:

ADAPT as ADOPT

EXPLORE as EXPLODE

INSPECT as INSECT

FATHER as FARTHER
INVENT as INVITE

Difficulty with Multi-syllable Words:

These types of errors occur when the student appears to sound out and accurately read the shorter
words without problem and yet struggles with multi-syllable words. If fundamental reading skills are
established (processed phonologically, knows sounds, tracks correctly) then often the student simply
needs instruction in handling these more complex multi-syllable words. Errors with multi-syllable words
tend to include missing or changing parts of the word, dropping or adding sounds inappropriately,
difficulty putting the words together and general trouble handling the longer words. Examples of multi-
syllable errors include:

INCONSISTENT as INCONSTANT

COMMITTED as COMMITITATED

REPRESENTATIVE as RESPECTIVE

OPPORTUNITY as OPPORITY

DETERMINE as DETERIMMINE

Slow Processing:

If the student is ‘sounding out’ words but the phonetic decoding is slow and difficult, it may be that the
reader is relying on indirect processing to phonologically process the print. For efficient reading the
student needs to automatically convert print to the correct sound. If the student must first recall
another word that contains the sound, extract the correct sound and then apply it to the new word, it
involves slow indirect ‘long way’ processing pathways. While the student is able to extract the necessary
sound knowledge it takes lots of effort. In this case the student needs to practice the direct print=sound
relationship so the print can be processed rapidly and efficiently. In addition, once correct phonologic
processing is established it still takes repeated practice of each word to develop fluency. Remember
fluency is build word by word and requires repeated phonologic processing. Practice is necessary to
build this ‘fast’ fluent reading.

Blending Difficulty:

Difficulty blending is evident by the ‘choppy’ or ‘segmented’ sounding out. The sounds are said broken
apart instead of being blended smoothly together. The ‘choppy’ sounding out is usually very noticeable.
Sometimes the student says all individual sounds correctly but because they are segmented/separated
they are not able to combine them back together. The student needs to learn to smoothly blend sounds.
Have them take a deep breath before starting and if necessary sing the word. Directly teach smooth
blending. See the article “Blending Explained” for more information.

‘Fast and Sloppy’:

This is where students appear to be rushing through the reading, moving so fast and careless they miss
entire words and sections. When they slow down their accuracy and reading improves dramatically.
They appear to have necessary skills but are in too much of a hurry to apply them. These types of ‘going
too fast’ errors often correspond with the personality of certain students. They are simply in too much
of a hurry to be careful. These types of students simply need training in careful reading! These students
have the necessary skills, they simply have to slow down and apply their skills. Guided reading, where
you stop the student at every error is the best way to help these students develop careful reading skills.
Impatient individuals usually do not like to stop so forcing them to stop and go back usually motivates
them to improve their accuracy!

Letter Confusion:

Letter confusion is most commonly encountered with the visually similar letters b - d - and p. For
example:

BIG – DIG, DRAG-BRAG , DROWN-BROWN

Letter confusion with other letters can also be created by certain writing styles. For example loopy
cursive crossover print can create confusion with additional letters. The loopy cursive writing can create
confusion between i-j-l. When curves and loops are added, i-j-l , these letters which are distinct under
normal block print also become visually similar. Loopy writing of k & h as k-h can create confusion not
just between k-h but also with ch-ck. As a result, some students who learn these loopy cursive crossover
styles will make errors such as:

ASH –ASK, MUCH-MUCK, MASH-MASK,JOINT-LOINT, HILL-KILL

Remediation for these letter confusion errors is to have the student repeatedly print the letters with
proper formation in normal block style print. While print or font style is usually irrelevant for skilled
readers it can create additional difficulty in students who are learning the printed language.
 TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR READING SKILLS:

In the modern age of information, reading truly is a fundamental survival skill. Here are ten tips that
anyone can use to improve their reading skills:

1. You don't have to be a great reader to get the point.

Some people read fast and remember everything. Others read slowly and take a couple of times to get
all the information. It doesn't matter, really, so long as when you read, you get the information you're
seeking.

2. Know WHY you're reading.

Are you reading for entertainment or to learn something? Decide why you're reading before you start
and you'll greatly improve your comprehension and your enjoyment.

3. You don't need to read everything.

Not every magazine, letter, and email you receive contains information you need. In fact, most of it is
simply junk. Throw it away, hit the delete key! Just doing this will double the amount of time you have
available to read.

4. You don't need to read all of what you DO read.

Do you read every article of every magazine, every chapter of every book? If so, you're probably
spending a lot of time reading stuff you don't need.

Be choosy: select the chapters and articles that are important. Ignore the rest.

5. Scan before you read.

Look at the table of contents, index, topic headers, photo captions, etc. These will help you determine if,
a) you have a real interest in this reading, and b) what information you're likely to get from it.

6. Prioritize your reading.

You can't read everything all at once (and wouldn't want to). If it's important, read it now. If it's not, let
it wait.

7. Optimize your reading environment.

You'll read faster and comprehend more if you read in an environment that's comfortable for you.

8. Once you start, don't stop!

Read each item straight through. If you finish and have questions, go back and re-read the pertinent
sections. If you don't have questions, you got what you needed and are ready to move on.
9. Focus.

Remember, you're reading with a purpose, so focus on that purpose and the material. If you lose
interest or keep losing your place, take a break or read something else. You can keep track of where you
are by following along with your hand. This simple technique helps you focus and increase your
concentration.

10. Practice!

The more you read, the better reader you'll become (and smarter, too)! So, feed your mind: read!

****************************

5. EFFECTIVE WRITING

Written Communication - Meaning, Advantages and Disadvantages:

Written communication has great significance in today’s business world. It is an innovative activity of the
mind. Effective written communication is essential for preparing worthy promotional materials for
business development. Speech came before writing. But writing is more unique and formal than speech.
Effective writing involves careful choice of words, their organization in correct order in sentences
formation as well as cohesive composition of sentences. Also, writing is more valid and reliable than
speech. But while speech is spontaneous, writing causes delay and takes time as feedback is not
immediate.

Advantages of Written Communication

➢ Written communication helps in laying down apparent principles, policies and

rules for running of an organization.

➢ It is a permanent means of communication. Thus, it is useful where record

maintenance is required.

➢ It assists in proper delegation of responsibilities. While in case of oral

communication, it is impossible to fix and delegate responsibilities on the
grounds of speech as it can be taken back by the speaker or he may refuse to
acknowledge.

➢ Written communication is more precise and explicit.

➢ Effective written communication develops and enhances an organization’s image.

➢ It provides ready records and references.

 ➢ Legal defenses can depend upon written communication as it provides valid
records.

Disadvantages of Written Communication:

➢ Written communication does not save upon the costs. It costs huge in terms of stationery and
the manpower employed in writing/typing and delivering letters.

➢ Also, if the receivers of the written message are separated by distance and if they need to
clear their doubts, the response is not spontaneous.

➢ Written communication is time-consuming as the feedback is not immediate. The encoding

and sending of message takes time.

➢ Effective written communication requires great skills and competencies in language and
vocabulary use. Poor writing skills and quality have a negative impact on organization’s
reputation.

➢➢ Too much paper work and e-mails burden is involved.

Tips to write effectively:

In today’s competitive world, a good writing must engage a reader. Whether it is a proposal or a
resume, the reader must feel involved in the write-up.

Read on to get tips on how to write better while applying for a job or for a business....

Start with something interesting: In today’s market scenario where several resumes are lying at the
desk, why does a particular resume gets picked than the others in the lot? Thinking... It is because the
resume has a cover letter / introductory note that makes it saleable. A summary of a candidate’s profile
is always better than a simply stated one line objective which merely talks about a candidate’s
aspiration and does not tell about his / her profile summary.

Add a personal touch: While writing to potential clients for business, ensure that the content is
customized as per the client’s profile and requirement. This helps creating a special bond with the
reader.

Give examples and not just adjectives: A candidate must mention a relevant example to demonstrate
or justify the adjectives included in the resume. For instance, if he / she talks about his strength in area
of team management, he / she should mention an example on how well a team was handled. Avoid
giving micro level details, however, mention about achievements / recognitions.

Leverage numbers: A candidate must back-up achievements / adjectives stated with numbers. Same
goes for the corporate looking for business. Numbers form a strong base for generating commitment. A
percentage movement showing improvement in performance or scores always catches attention of the
readers.

Avoid jargons: If a candidate is applying in a completely different industry than the one he has worked
before in, he should avoid / not use jargons which are not relevant to the new industry. Jargons tend to
confuse people and there is a possibility of the message being lost. In case a jargon is to be used, the
expanded form should also be mentioned. For instance a jargon EMS should be written in a statement
as "Employee Measurement System [EMS]".

Do not misrepresent data: Write with integrity. Whether it is numbers or years of experience or sales
volume - all facts stated should be true.

Communication Skills: Ensure that the document is error free - no spelling or grammatical mistake.
Always proof read the document / proposal or get it read by a friend / colleague.

Follow-up: Most of the times a candidate submits a resume or a proposal to a prospective client and
does not follow-up. Remember, there are several other resumes and proposals which are lying at the
desk. A candidate needs to ensure that a prompt follow-up [ read "not too much"] should be done.