Introduction to Business

Communication
Overview
 What is Communication?
 Business Communication in today’s
world
 The Communication Process
 Choosing the best Communication
Medium
What is communication?

The art of getting your message across

effectively through . . .

 Spoken words
 Body language
 Written words
 Visuals
 COMMUNICATION . . . Defined

Communication is the transmission of

an idea or feeling so that the sender
and receiver share the same
understanding.
 The Importance of Communication
Skills as Expressed by Business
Authorities
 “Top executives from Fortune 500 companies rate
communications skills as the most important
quality for business leaders.”
--Business Section
New York Times

 “There may be no single thing more important in our

efforts to achieve meaningful work and fulfilling
relationships than to learn and practice the art of
communication.”
--Max De Pree, Author
The Art of Leadership
Why communication?
Everything a manager does involves
communication

Ineffective communication can lead to

problems for the manager.
 Basic Functions of
Communication
 Information : Decision making , Problem
solving

 Control : Power to influence, Express

opinions / grievances

 Motivation: Foster spirit of motivation,

Feedback, Reinforcement

 Emotional Expression: Expressing

satisfaction, dissatisfaction
The Communication Process
Five steps of the communication
process:
 Idea Formation
 Message Encoding
 Message Transmission
 Message Decoding
 Feedback
 Communication Process
Model
Sender Receiver
Transmit
Message
Receive
Form Encode Decode
encoded
message message message
message

Noise

Decode Receive Encode Form

feedback feedback feedback feedback
Transmit
Feedback
1. Idea Formation
 The process of communication begins when
the Sender has an Idea

 The form of the idea will be influenced by

many factors surrounding the sender like:
 Mood
 Frame of reference
 Background
 Culture
 Physical make up
 Context of the situation and many more
2. Encoding
Encoding means converting an idea
into words or gestures that will
convey meaning.

As a good communicator use words with

concrete meanings on which both the
sender and the receiver agree.
3. Messages Travel Across
Channels
 Communication channels deliver both
verbal and non-verbal messages.
Therefore, the sender must choose the
channel and shape the message
carefully.
 Messages may be delivered by
computer, telephone, letter, report,
memos, spoken words etc.
 NOISE.
 Anything that interrupts the
transmission of a message in the
communication process is called

 Noise can be :
 Internal
 External
 Semantic
4.Receiver decodes the
message
 Translating the message from its
symbol form into meaning involves
decoding.

 Only when the receiver understands the

meaning intended by the sender – that
is, successfully decodes the message-
does communication takes place.
5.Feedback
 The verbal and the non verbal responses of
the receiver create Feedback

 Feedback is a vital part of the

communication process

 It helps the sender to know that the

message was received and understood
 A Model of the
Communication Process

--medium--

Sender Receiver
 Choosing The Best
Communication Medium
Methods of Communication can be
grouped into five basic categories:

1. Face-To-Face
2. Telephone
3. Personal Written
4. Formal Written
5. Formal Numeric
Categories listed in order of decreasing richness*
of information

FORMAL
NUMERIC

FORMAL
WRITTEN

PERSONAL
WRITTEN

TELEPHONE

FACE TO FACE

*
Richness refers to the amount of information-carrying capacity of the communication medium
Choosing The Best
Communication Medium
 More complex situations require richer
communication media. Ineffective
communication results when the richness of
the medium is either too high or too low for
the complexity of the situation

 To communicate effectively, managers

must learn to match the richness of the
communication medium with the
complexity of the problem or situation
Exercise : ‘Manager’s Dilemma’
Choose the most appropriate media for
communication in the situation given
to you………
 Face to face
 Telephone
 Personal Written
 Formal written
 Formal numeric