Communication is an art which gets better with practice. It requires a lot of conscious effort to understand the manner in which one must communicate. Such learning must encompass the right timing and environment to communicate the right message. Many factors act as barriers to effective communication, some of these communication barriers are:

• Language, Grammar and Semantic Barriers – Communication becomes difficult when people trying to communicate do not know a common language. Even when two people share a common language, improper usage of grammar and semantics (study of meanings) leads to communication problems. Hence the sender must choose his words very carefully and encode the message in a manner that is easily and correctly understood by the receiver.
• Psychological Barriers – Motivation, attitude, perception and other psychological attributes of person may influence the way a person interprets a message. Highly motivated individuals with positive attitude are empathetic listeners and may perceive bad news as an opportunity to do better. Low self-esteem and low confidence levels make people snug into their shells when it comes to communication. People who feel their communication skills are bad tend to have inferiority complex which will deteriorate their communication levels further. Lack of knowledge on the subject matter also creates fear in the minds of people and pulls them back psychologically from communicating freely.
• Physical Barriers – Physical objects, people or distance may make it difficult for the communicating parties to communicate effectively.
• Organizational Barriers – Communication may be restricted due to the rules, regulation, reporting chain and guidelines laid down by the organization. For e.g. Union workers may not be allowed to directly talk to the management but can communicate only through union leaders. In such a case, grievances of the workers may not reach the management or management may receive incomplete information.
• Personal Barriers – People who are differently abled may face communication problems by virtue of their physical condition.
• Cultural Barriers – Culture of the people may restrict them to be part of some conversations. Also the same words, phrases, symbols, colours, actions, gestures may mean different things to people belonging from different cultures. While some countries encourage calling people by their second name as respect, some countries prefer the respect to be shown by calling people by their first name.
• Technological Barriers – Oral Communication and Written communication majorly take place via use of communication technologies like phones, tv, radio, emails etc. any technical fault may hamper effective communication.
• Social Barriers – A person`s ability to communicate also depends upon his status in the society, family background, designation, social class etc. People who are status conscious many times develop a superiority complex and prefer to communicate with people belonging to their social class and refrain from communicating with people they feel are inferior.

Other Communication Barriers

• Wrong Assumptions – It is always a good practice to understand the complete picture before falling into conclusions. Particularly when it comes to a business scenario, assuming things many a times spoils the complete plan. For instance, when a customer wants to meet you, it is important that you understand the venue where he wants the meeting to happen, the agenda of the meeting, travel arrangements etc. The customer might have been under the impression that pick up would have been arranged for him. Assuming that he will reach the venue of the meeting making his own travel arrangements may lead to confusions.
• Noise – It refers to any interference that prevents sound signals from reaching the receiver properly. It may be noise due to machines in a factory, or distortion in TV, Radio or Telephone signals that hamper oral communication.
• Lack of Planning – An unplanned, unstructured message, delivered at an inappropriate time hampers effective communication.
• Selective Perception – When the receiver selectively sees and hears information according to his own needs, background, expectations, motivation, experience etc. and filters out information depending upon his own interests it is known as selective perception.
• Information Overload – When people are loaded with too much information, they are bound to make errors. Too much information may bore or frustrate a reader leading to misunderstanding and improper feedback.
• Poor listening and retention – Poor retention or listening on the part of the receiver, spoils the very essence of communication. The receiver lacking these skills loose interest very easily and retain incomplete information.
• Conflicts in terms of understanding – An organization comprises of various Department which work in conjunction to achieve a common goal. Common goals are generally split into simpler ones so each Department can be assigned tasks relevant to them. When the split up goals are unclear and are divergent to the common goal, conflict in interest is caused. This results in communication breakdown.
• Change Management and time gaps – Different people accommodate to changes in different ways. The time period taken to accommodate any type of change also differs from one person to another. Any communication that happens during the change management sequence may not be well received by all concerned creating communication breakdowns. This time gap acts as one of the major barriers to effective communication in business scenario.
• Transmission loss of communication – The general tendency of communication is to lose the original essence as it passes many ears and mail boxes. The more the transmission happens, the more diluted the communication becomes. Frequency of transmission thus acts as one of the major barrier to effective communication.
• Offensive Style – An offensive style of speaking makes the receiver defensive or impatient and may lead to poor relations between the communicating parties.
• Filtering – If the sender manipulates the information communicated in a way that it seems favorable to the receiver, it is termed as filtering. In order to impress the superiors, employees may ignore or choose to omit some valuable information which leads to ineffective communication.

Overcoming communication barriers

Communication barriers stop people from developing their current skill sets as well as acquiring new skill sets. Some easy ways to overcome communication barriers are given below which can be consciously practiced on a day to day business scenario.

• Consciously avoid wrong or negative perceptions
• Practice to listen empathetically, patiently and effectively
• Use appropriate language, channel of communication, mode and time for communication
• Encourage open communication to overcome communication gaps
• Understand and perceive things in the way they are being communicated by asking questions for clarity whenever required
• Drop egoistic individualism to understand issues in the right sense
• Consciously avoid getting into an inferiority or superiority complex mode
• Ensure proper planning before communicating a message
• Constantly work on improving your vocabulary and learn to use appropriate words in the right places
• Strive hard to create an environment that is highly synergistic
• Understand the receiver and his emotions while receiving the communication
• Create an environment that will foster transparent communication
• Encourage people to participate in two way communication
• Practice and implement effective use of sign and body language

The post Communication Barriers – Overcoming communication barriers appeared first on BBA|mantra.

Formal Communication in organizations is highly structured and work within a set of disciplines. Communication may flow top to bottom when important decisions and announcements have to be passed on to the workforce or from bottom to top when complaints and grievances have to be communicated to the top management. Depending upon the flow of Communication, there can be four types of communication namely Upward Communication, Downward Communication, Horizontal Communication and Diagonal Communication.

Types of Communication – Upward Communication

Upwards Communication is the concept of new age Management and is also termed as Upstream Communication. Modern day Managers believe more in participative Management techniques which increases the satisfaction levels of work force. When the employees down below in the organizational hierarchy are able communicate about their grievances and complaints to the top management, it is termed as Upward Communication. Hence, upward communication involves flow of information from the lower levels to higher levels in an organization.

Role played by Upward Communication

Among all types of Communication, Upward Communication is very crucial to any organization that aspires to succeed.

• Employees in organizations get exposed to value adding systems and procedures practiced in other organizations through their acquaintances. When they are allowed to make suggestions to implement the same in their organization, Managers must listen to them. When good suggestions are implemented within the organization, the feeling of belonging created in the Employee who suggested the same and fosters a friendly environment.
• Accepting feedback from Employees from time to time encourages them to talk out openly about systems and attitudes that do not add any value to the organization. This paves way for continuous development of the organization.
• When employees escalate their grievances to Managers, sympathetic listening assures the employees regarding grievance redressal. This creates a tension free environment making the work place a highly productive one.
• Hearing to Employees when they communicate their creative ideas will encourage them to accept changes implemented in the organization from time to time. Change Management will be easily practiced by the Employees. This will simplify the life of the Management who will be able to implement newer systems and practices for development from time to time.
• The most important advantage created by fostering Upward Communication is the high levels of co-operation it elicits from the employees for Management decisions. This is mainly due to the faith created by Managers over a period of time.

Setback in Upward Communication

Though organizations might want to encourage Upward Communication, the idea may face setbacks due to a couple of factors.

Psychological Factor

From Employees’ perspective – Not all employees may believe in the idea of communicating all that they feel to their higher up for the fear of losing their job

From Manager’s perspective – Not all Managers encourage suggestions from their lower downs due to their ego and feeling of superiority 

Hierarchical Factor

Managers may insist in following the hierarchy to safeguard their own interest. This may make them put down even the best of value adding suggestions or ideas generated by employees reporting to them. In such cases, organizations may encourage the Employees to approach the Ombudsman (an official appointed to investigate individuals’ complaints against a company or organization) appointed for the purpose whose main responsibility is to reconcile the difference between positions.

Types of Communication – Horizontal Communication

Horizontal Communication can said to be the backbone of organizations. Also termed as Lateral Communication, this type of communication happens between heads of the Department who are in decision making capacities. Department Heads have to be constantly interacting with each other in order to ensure smooth functioning of the organization.

For instance, the Sales Department Head needs to ensure that enough stock of products is available for his sales team to procure orders from Customers. This necessitates that he interacts with the Stores Manager to ascertain the same. The Stores or Purchase Manager needs to be in constant touch with the Head of Finance Department to ensure that money is paid for purchase of products on time to satisfy the demands of Sales Department. The Finance Department Head in turn follows up with the Collection Team to ensure enough Finance is available to procure products to satisfy the Purchase Department needs. The communication that happens periodically between the Department Heads who are all at the same levels in the Organization is termed as Horizontal or Lateral Communication.

Types of Communication – Downward Communication

Downward Communication in organizations is as much important as Upward Communication. Downward Communication happens from the top level to the bottom level employees. Announcing policy changes from time to time, modifications in strategies and other employee related communication falls in this category.

The positive aspect of downward communication is the high levels of faith such communication created on the Managerial level. The transparency aspect of downward communication makes employees lower down feel safe, increasing their loyalty levels to the organization in a multi-fold manner.

The negative aspect of Downward Communication is resistance of the Employees to accept any change communicated by the Manager or the Management. This may lead to unwanted politics in the office creating animosity in Employees towards their Managers. Such animosity may take a toll on the productivity levels causing loss to the organization.

Types of Communication – Diagonal or Cross Wise Communication

Diagonal or Crosswise communication refers to the communication that takes between employees of an organization irrespective of the reporting chain and hierarchical structure. It involves employees communicating to other employees working at lower or higher levels in an organization. Diagonal Communication usually takes place in form of informal meetings and helps to improve coordination between different departments and boost moral of the employees. 

Difference between Upward and Downward Communication

The post Types of Communication – Upward, Downward & Horizontal appeared first on BBA|mantra.

Formal Communication

A formal channel of communication is usually controlled by managers or people who lie in the top hierarchy in an organization. It is an official channel that is deliberately structured to form a communication chain in and organization to achieve organization goals. Information that flows through formal channels is accurate, authentic and legally valid. Formal Communication involves memos, reports, letters, orders, instructions etc. that flow up and down the hierarchical system in an organization and presentations, advertising and branding materials that are presented to the public.  

Features of Formal Communication

Formal communication, as the very name represents, happens between superiors and their reporting staff in organizations. It may be in oral or written from. Meetings that happen inside the office space between the Top Management are typically formal in nature. Formal Communication happens between the representatives of an organization and its customers. Formal Communication also includes flyers and branding material prepared by an organization to communicate information pertaining to its services to the outer world. Dedicated team of professionals plan and execute communication tasks pertaining to advertising or branding which act as the face of the organization.

Advantages of Formal Communication

• Formal communication lifts up the image of organizations in a professional manner.
• It empowers employees at managerial positions with decision making and strategy development
• The high level of responsibility formal communication creates improves productivity at various levels in multifold ways
• Formal Communication ensures that the complete organization is kept intact as a single entity irrespective of the distance between employees, managers, departments, branches etc.

Disadvantages of Formal Communication

• Formal communication involves hierarchy in communication
• Following a hierarchy makes the communication task a time consuming one
• Owing to its nature, Formal Communication does not allow free flow of information
• Formal Communication involves certain set of activities which add cost along with the stringent practices
• Due to the hierarchy involved in formal communication, human touch between the top level and the lower levels ceases to exist in many organizations

Informal Communication

Informal channel of communication is an unofficial and unstructured channel which is not prescribed by the organization but exists due to personal and social needs of people working in an organization. Information that passes through informal means is not official but may be merely rumors or gossips. Informal communication chain that exists within an organization is also known as grapevine. A grapevine is created and controlled by the people within the organization and follows no specific rules or regulations. Information through grapevines spread very fast and flows in every direction.

Features of Informal Communication

• Informal Communication prevails more in the middle and lower rings of the organizations
• Informal Communication takes place between people in an organization due to their personal , social or professional needs
• Informal Communication usually spreads and discusses rumors that have no basis
• Informal Communication, at times, may have some crucial information useful to Management
• Informal Communication has no fixed standards or guidelines but happens in a haphazard manner in organizations
• Owing to the nature of the same, Informal Communication is considered unofficial and casual

Factors fostering Informal Communication

Formal and Informal Communication may take place between individuals for various reasons. Informal Communication usually takes place due to the influence of various factors that are more emotional and psychological in nature. Some factors that foster Informal Communication in a typical office environment are:

• Low Confidence – Low self confidence levels of Employees makes them form a group and cling on to the same so they feel at ease
• Low Efficiency – Lack of efficiency in Employees makes them afraid to handle situations and people. They seek support in peer group where similar people look for Company. This results in the formation of Grapevine groups who talk things just to satisfy themselves
• Lack of Direction – When employees lack direction, the uncertain feeling that is created among them leads to gossips fostering Grapevines
• Psychological Issues – Psychological imbalances caused due to the fear of losing job acts as one of the major factors in the formation of Grapevines. This is mainly due to the feeling of safety that such group formation offers to all in the group.

Pitfalls of Grapevine

• Most of the information spread in the official environment by Grapevines is undependable.
• Even when the Grapevines try to leak out official information, such information tends to be half baked and incomplete. When incomplete information spreads out among the employees, it gives rise to all sorts of ambiguities spoiling the peace in the environment
• Grapevines tend to spoil not only the image of individuals but also of the whole organization by spreading rumors that have no valid basis.

Despite the pitfalls mentioned above, Grapevines can be used in an effective manner if appropriate measures are taken by the Top Management. It is wise to understand that Grapevines are indispensable, hence the management must take appropriate measures to exert some control over the information spread through grapevines. To put it in a nutshell, Grapevines can be used to spread information that the management wants to be spread in an unofficial manner from time to time

Tips for using Grapevines in an effective manner

• Conduct group events and meeting frequently to increase worth of Employees so they don’t feel the need to act through Grapevines
• Keeping all employees well informed about the plans for the present and future so nothing is left for imagination
• Employees must have easy access to Managers so they don’t get the feeling of being kept at dark about things
• Managers must be able to create positive relationships with the so-called leaders among the Grapevines so that they get updated information about the happenings at all points of time
• Managers must casually interact with employees about any personal or official issues faced by them so that they do not seek help through Grapevine
• The Manager should take genuine efforts to change his own style if required taking periodical feedback from the sub-ordinates reporting to him. This will avoid people from gossiping in the Grapevine
• Managers as well as the Management must send out clear signals that rumors that may act as character assassination are strictly prohibited
• Managers must groom their listening skills so they are able to listen to the employees reporting to them in an empathetic manner. This will act as a draining out activity for Employees stopping them from becoming an active part of a Grapevine

Difference Between Formal and Informal Communication Channels

Picture Credits: Distinction between Formal and Informal Channels – Business Communication – R.C. Bhatia

The post Formal and Informal Communication Channels appeared first on BBA|mantra.

Non verbal Communication can be categorized into:

• Sign Language – Audio and Visual Signal
• Body Language

Sign Language

Visual Signals

Signs do not belong to any particular language but are common to almost all regions in the world. As goes the cliché, ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’. Sign language expressed through body movements is highly effective in many types of communication. Signs and symbols have a greater reach to people of all ages than words, as education is not required for understanding visual signals. Some common examples for signs and symbols are the traffic lights and indications, symbols used in public toilets and roads etc.

Advantages of Visual symbols and signals

1. Visual representation of brands has more reach to the targeted audience than words. They make good tools for advertising products and services
2. Visual representation of ideas minimize the cost since they occupy minimal space in the area planned for advertising
3. Visual symbols and signs attract the interest of the users and motivate customers to go in for the brand
4. Visual representation brings out the background and principles of the communicator in a perfect manner

Audio Signals

Audio Signals and signs play a crucial role in Non Verbal Communication. Audio Signals communicate the intended emotions in the form of sounds that are different for varying emotions. Some common examples for Audio signals are the Alarm clock which sets time for waking up and many other activities. Drumbeats, Fire Alarms, Work Shift Alarms, VIP Vehicle Alarms are some more examples for Audio signals that are commonly understood by people.

Key advantages of Sound signals

1. Sound signals convey the intended message to all concerned within short span of time
2. Sound Signals help people manage their time in an effective manner during different kinds of occasions
3. Sound Signals used in a typical factory or Industry setup acts as work initiators
4. Sound Signals used in vehicles like Ambulance helps the medical industry save lives at the appropriate times

Body Language & Non Verbal Communication

Body Language is that aspect of non verbal communication which speaks volumes without use of words. Each part of the human body responds to different situations in a varied manner. While a tensed person exhibits stiffness, a relaxed person on the other hand exhibits tension free body posture and gestures. Particularly in a typical business scenario, Body Language plays a crucial role in ascertaining the role each employee plays in the organization and their efficiency levels in performing their duties. Body Language is a science by itself. A brief look at the signals communicated by the various parts of human body will facilitate understanding the science called Body Language in a clear manner.

Head

Head plays a crucial role in communicating about the personality of the person present during a situation. When a person holds his head high, it displays his high confidence levels and self-respect he has for himself. A lowered head exhibits the person’s diffidence and modesty and nodding the head vertically or horizontally displays one’s agreement or disagreement to what is being communicated. Nodding the head adds value to listening and is one of the most important aspect of non verbal communication.

Face

Face reflects what we think in a perfect manner. Face acts as the index of the mind and speaks louder than thousands of words. A person`s facial expressions reveal their pleasure or displeasure, acceptance or non-acceptance regarding what is being discussed in a vivid manner through lines and wrinkles. The lines that run around the cheeks, underneath the eyes, above the eye brows and around the lip regions speaks volumes about our liking and disliking of what is communicated at all points of time. Particularly in a typical business environment, it is important that facial expressions are controlled in a conscious manner to maintain the decorum.

Eye Movements

Eyes convey a lot more than the signals displayed by the complete bodily organs. Direct Eye Contact is considered as a gesture that conveys the confidence and honesty levels of people during a face to face communication. A person making direct eye contact with the interviewer is said to be confident about his skill sets and has higher chances of grabbing the job for which he is attending the interview. When a person raises the eye lid he is said to be surprised or awe struck. When the pupils pop out expanding in size and the eye brows are risen, the person is said to be frightened. Rapid eye ball movements towards both sides of the face displays the tension being experienced by the person who does the same.

Bodily Gestures

Signals displayed with the use of limbs, torso and other parts of the body are termed as gestures. Gestures make a huge impact conveying what is intended to be communicated in the perfect manner. The position of Torso indicates the intensity levels of feelings experienced by the person. Pounding with the fist on the surface in front denotes the angry mood the person is in. Forming a ‘O’ by joining the Thumb and Forefinger indicates the acceptance of people to the information communicated.

Postures convey more than we aspire for

Right from the walking style, sitting aspects, standing shape, every movement of human body conveys many things about the person in a vivid manner. It is important to consciously practice body language so we are able to exert control over the same during important situations like attending an interview or an official meeting with higher ups. When we consciously practice Body Language, we control what our gestures must communicate to others rather than our body language controlling our growth.

Other factors influencing communication

Para Language

Non Verbal Communication is also termed as Para Language communication. Para Language focuses on the voice, the way of speaking and related attributes of the Communicator.

Voice of the Communicator – Voice of people communicating information and facts matter the most in making the same an effective one. A clear voice that lacks shivering points to high confidence levels of the speaker who might be a subject expert. Control over voice can be practiced by focusing on the following aspects:

1. Variation in Pitch to suit the emotion conveyed
2. Talking Speed
3. Pause frequency
4. Variation in volume
5. Fluency in communication
6. Cogency (quality of being clear, logical and convincing) in the subject matter
7. Stressing on important words

Environment and Surroundings

Environment plays a prominent role in making any communication effective or ineffective. The distance between the communicator and the receiver is important since the same conveys different meaning in varying situations. 

• Public Communication – Happens with a distance between the communicator and the receiver(s) being 12 feet and more. In this type of communication, huge gathering of people get addressed through public announcement systems and other such infrastructure.
• Social Communication – Is the type of communication that happens between people in a distance between 4 feet to 12 feet. This type of communication happens between a boss and his employee and people in similar hierarchical relationships. The communication that happens is generally very formal in nature.
• Personal Communication – Happens between people standing in a distance of 18 inches to 4 feet. This is the manner in which we usually speak with our close acquaintances like friends and colleagues.
• Intimate Communication – Is the type of communication that happens between people who stand holding each other till a distance of 18 inches apart from each other. People whisper to each other and only the two of them concerned is able to hear each other.

The post Non Verbal Communication – Sign, Body, Para Language appeared first on BBA|mantra.

Characteristics of Written Communication

• One of the striking characteristics of Written Communication is that it is short and one time in nature. Unlike oral communication which goes in rounds based on the reactions and responses of the people involved, written communication tends to get over in just one or maximum two rounds. This is mainly due to the professionalism involved in the same
• Written Communication is generally a time consuming activity. While it is the responsibility of the sender to encode the information in a crisp and clear manner, it becomes the responsibility of the receiver to decode the same in the intended manner. The task of collecting, sorting and encoding information makes written communication a time consuming activity
• Written communication requires enormous amount of planning and effort. Written communication is legally valid and so enough care needs to be taken while preparing the same. Written Communication, in case of branding materials act as the face of a brand or organization. Hence, effective written communication adds value to the marketing efforts and goodwill of an organization

Advantages of Written Communication

Written communication offers many advantages some of which are given below:

• Written communication acts as a permanent record making people responsible for what they said. No one can take back words they have written
• The permanent nature of Written Communication makes it a legally valid
• Written Communication facilitates decision making at all points of time since people in the decision making capacity can refer to the same back and forth at all points of time
• The legality applicable to written communication safeguards organizations from litigations and other possible issues in the eyes of Law
• Accuracy levels are high when people communicate the intended information in written form since the same cannot be changed if a mistake is done. For this reason, written communication is highly dependable
• Written Communication tends to increase the brand image of the organization in multiple ways
• Written Communication provides information to all concerned in an uniform and authentic manner

Limitations of Written Communication

Written Communication, like any other form, has its own limitations. Some of the limitations are mentioned below for clarity.

• Written Communication involves time delay since the same need to be read and understood by the receiver at the other end. He has to then respond back with his views which will take its time
• Written Communication acts as the root cause for heavy paper work and clutter due to the same. Creation as well as maintenance of the paper work adds cost to organizations
• Written Communication loses its efficacy if people at the receiving end are not equally or reasonably good in expression
• Written Communication involves costs not only in terms of creation and maintenance but also in terms of manpower deployed who are involved in the same

Written Versus Oral Communication

Tips to write clearly and effectively

Writing clearly helps to communicate the intended message to the targeted audience in the appropriate manner. Some tips given below will provide ideas to write in a clear and concise manner, however one must have a clear understanding of the 7C or principles of communication in order to communicate effectively .

• Use simple words that are commonly used and easily understood
• Use words that address things directly instead of words that are indicative in nature
• Avoid using words that can create ambiguities due to the complexity in understanding the same
• Use words that are short in length since long words may be distracting the receiver from the crux of the communication
• Use words that kindle and retain the interest of the readers rather than making them feel bored
• Use only those technical words that can be easily understood even by non-technical audience
• Using active verbs helps more than twisting the grammar to make the sentence look lofty
• Camouflaging the verbs must be avoided since doing this cause the sentences to look abstract
• When idioms are to be used, use them in the simplest form instead of complicating the same
• Use niche only when they can be easily related with the context. Avoid using the same just for building up sentences if the same is irrelevant to the given situation

Written communication that is crisp and clear conveys the message to the intended audience in a straight forward manner. The impact that such a straight forward message creates is huge and will elicit a favorable response from the receiver at the other end.

Tips for effective sentence formation

Sentence formation is one of the crucial aspects which add a lot of value to the communication. The tips given below will help to form sentences in a simple and effective manner to convey all types of communication in an effective manner.

• Construct sentences that are simple in nature so they can be easily understood
• Avoid packing lots of information in a single sentence which will overload the reader
• Use minimum words to convey the intended message in a focused manner
• Avoid usage of unnecessary words which may add to the heaviness for the reader
• Avoid formation of phrases that are cluttered in nature overloaded with all the vocabulary one may know
• Direct construction of sentences helps in reaching the message in a complete manner than round about construction
• Avoid repeating words and points just for the sake of emphasizing a point again and again
• Emphasize only where it is required else the complete content may start looking like a piece of junk
• Keep the sentences to the point since crispness adds to the interest of the readers
• Right formation of sentences represents the ideas in the perfect manner adding value to the information that is being communicated
• Ensure grammatical mistakes are not avoided while forming sentences since this may act as a deterrent factor for effective communication.

Simplifying sentence formation goes a long way in conveying the exact meaning intended to be communicated to the person at the receiving end. Thrusting of high end vocabulary just to show out the knowledge one possesses and the richness of vocabulary will result in dilution of message. Avoid using unwanted jargon just to make the communication look high ended. Remember, reaching out the message to the concerned is more important than creating long sentences filled with unfamiliar rich words.

The post Written Communication – Advantages, Disadvantages, Tips appeared first on BBA|mantra.

The Art of Listening

Owing to the overflowing nature of information on a day to day basis and the limitations of human memory, it becomes mandatory to improve listening skills in a conscious manner. It is a crucial skill set that adds immense value to communication. It can be of many types depending upon the purpose, context and characteristics of the speaker and listener. It can be an internal or external activity.

Types of Listening

(1) Pretending to Listen – As the very name suggests, many a times people pretend to listen to what is being communicated. They nod their head or show bodily gestures to create an impression that they listen very carefully. However, they are only pretending to  listen and no real assimilation of information happens.

(2) Selective Listening – It is usually highly subjective in nature. Listeners who belong to this type take in only what they want to assimilate. They relate what is communicated to their own life situations and personality. Selective Listening reinforces one’s own ideologies and tends to restrain people from learning new things as they assimilate what is communicated in an incomplete manner.

(3) Emphatic Listening – This is one of the best ways to listen. People who listen emphatically are passionate about what is being communicated. They strive hard to listen in a careful manner so they can understand the communicator in the best possible way. Such listeners understand people more than they yearn for themselves to be understood.

(4) Attentive Listening – It involves keen understanding of the words communicated by the Speaker rather than understanding the speaker himself. This is the best way to listen and helps to reach the crux of what is being communicated in a perfect manner.

(5) Intuitive Listening – It happens more internally than externally. This involves concentrating on the internal voice silencing the other distractions cropping up every now and then. Listening to the dialogues happening internally requires a lot of focus and high levels of control.

(6) Deep Listening – This can also be termed as Inspired Listening. People involved in such type of communication, listen to each other passionately to understand and to be understood in a mutual manner. This way to listen is highly synergistic in nature and gets accelerated through the communication which actually happens between the minds and hearts of people involved.

The above list substantiates the different ways to listen prevalent in communication. However, many factors act as barriers to communication in a typical realistic environment.

Barriers to Effective Listening

• Hearing Problems can hinder effective comprehension of information
• Vague or boring information may cause the speaker to lose interest
• Information overload may lead to misunderstanding or misinterpretation by the speaker
• Listener with a superiority complex and self-centered attitude may choose to ignore ideas of others
• Negative perceptions due to cultural or background differences between the speaker and the listener may lead to selective listening
• Wrong assumptions on the part of sender or receiver may hinder effective listening.
• A person lacking listening skills does not listen in an effective manner and tends to spoil the very intention of oral communication.

Tips to listen effectively

Listening is not an easy task. It is as tough as speaking itself. Some important tips are provided below for training oneself to listen in an effective manner.

• Be physically and mentally present in the arena where the communication is happening. Being physically present while allowing the mind to wander around does not help to listen in a effective manner.
• Talking and listening do not get well with each other. Avoid talking when something is being communicated
• Ensure that you listen in a deep and attentive manner rather than in a partial or selective manner
• Ensure that negative bodily movements and thoughts are avoided in a conscious manner since these may act as hindrance to listen effectively
• Avoid judging or jumping to conclusions while the communication is still on and not completed.
• Getting out of any fixed mind sets and ideas that are preconceived about what is communicated will help in listening effectively
• Avoid interrupting the speaker till he finishes communicating what he intends to communicate
• Avoid getting distracted with other electronic or environmental factors which may hinder the effective listening process
• Make the communicator understand that you are interested in what he is communicating by nodding your head or questioning in regular intervals in a genuine manner. This will in turn help you to listen to what is communicated in an effective manner
• Make the communicator feel at ease through a smiling face and light body language. This will make the communicator speak in a fearless manner while the same will sustain your interest throughout the time period.

The post Listening – Types, Barriers, Effective Listening appeared first on BBA|mantra.

Oral Communication happens both in a formal and informal manner in organizations. Oral Communication in organizations acts as a binding factor since it adds a personal touch between people who interact with each other in an organization.

Advantages of Oral Communication

• One of the main advantages of getting involved in oral communication is the immediate response it elicits out of people. Whenever one needs an immediate response and cannot afford to wait for a long period of time, oral communication comes in handy. It offers the advantage of elaborating, justifying or clarifying issues within a short span of time since there is no intermediary between the concerned parties communicating.
• It increases the understanding levels between the speaker and the receiver(s). This enables all people concerned to be on the same page at all points of time
• It saves a lot of time and energy to all concerned by facilitating quick decision making during conversations
• It enables the speaker to groom his public speaking skills in terms of body language, choice of words and confidence levels while addressing a group of people
• It breaks the barrier between different management levels in the organizations bringing team players close to each other
• Oral Communication helps to save money spent on stationery and communication tools since it happens between the concerned individuals in a direct manner
• It provides a personal touch to the issue discussed. This makes interactions positive and pleasant fostering a healthy climate in organizations

Limitations of Oral Communication

• Oral Communication in organizations typically takes place between groups of people belonging to different Departments. When sensitive or crucial issues are discussed, making one or few people responsible becomes a tough job
• Oral Communication in meetings or brain storming sessions may extend for long duration of time. This will be highly detrimental due to the delay it causes in related activities
• It is not a suitable medium to pass on lengthy information since such information requires assimilation at the receivers end
• It may many a times defy the memories of both the speaker as well as the listener.
• It is generally considered invalid for legal and statutory purposes.
• It calls for cogency and proper presentation, lack of which may cause undesirable misunderstanding between what is communicated and what is understood.
• It has the risk of getting into the wrong alleys since the emotions of the speaker get influenced by the reaction of the listener. This necessitates handling the communication with high maturity levels in an objective manner

Importance of listening in Oral Communication

Listening plays a crucial role when it comes to Communicating Orally. Oral Communication is incomplete without listening. While the speaker communicates the intended information orally, the listener plays an equally crucial role to make the communication a successful one. Speaking and Listening go hand in hand. The success of a Communicator lies mainly in the patience level of a Listener. While good listeners elicit the maximum value out of the speakers, bad listeners tend to spoil the very intention of oral communication.

The post Oral Communication – Advantages and Disadvantages appeared first on BBA|mantra.

7C of Communication

• Complete – The message must contain all facts needed for desired reaction.
• Clarity – There must be clarity in terms of thought and expression.
• Concise – The message must be to the point and all unnecessary words must be eliminated.
• Courtesy – One must communicate in a friendly and polite manner.
• Correct – All facts, words, language, information of the message must be accurate.
• Concrete – The message to be communicated must be specific and not vague.
• Consideration – One must understand the emotions and sentiments of the receiver.

The 7C of communication above are also known as principles of communication. A communicators must focus on these principles of communication in order to effectively communicate a message to a receiver.  These principles of communication have been explained below:

Principles of Communication

(1) Completeness of information

It is the responsibility of the communicator to think end to end before communicating information to the targeted audience. When end to end planning is not done by the communicator, it paves way for the recipients to guess or imagine the untold information in their own manner. This leads to misinterpretations and confusions in a typical business environment fostering Grapevines. For instance, when a communication is shot out calling for a meeting, it is the responsibility of the communicator to provide information about the agenda of the meeting (why), the venue of the meeting (where), participants in the meeting (who), information to be provided by the participants (what) and the date and time of the planned meeting (when). When the communicator fails to cover all this information in his communication, it leads to people asking these questions one by one causing effort and time wastage for all parties concerned.

(2) Clarity in Communication

Clarity in Communication is the most important aspect since lack of the same defeats the whole purpose of Communication. The communicator must have enough clarity about what and to whom he is planning to communicate. He must structure the communication message keeping in mind the comprehension levels of the receivers. The communication must be translated in such a manner that it is perceived in the same way as intended by the sender. Use of simple words that can be understood by all, avoiding jargon and clichés that are not understood by everyone will add clarity to the information to be communicated. Avoiding words that convey double meanings and words that may create ambiguities in the minds of receivers will help maintain clarity in what is communicated.

(3) Crispness in Communication

Crisp and precise communications yield the desired results faster than long tiring messages. Remember, brevity (concise and exact use of words in writing or speech) adds immense value to communication. The communicator must ensure he uses minimum number of words to convey exactly what he intends to communicate. Long messages dilute the core of the message making the reader feel bored. One must prepare the message and then go through the same again and again till it concise. Crisp communication conveys the precise message that needs to be communicated within a short span of time.

(4) Practice Courteous communication

Courteous and polite communication has more reach to the targeted audience than an authoritative one. Ensure professional terminologies are used in the communication. Make the receiver feel respected so the anticipated response is received. Use words like Thanks and Sorry. These create positive vibrations in people fostering positive relationships in the long run. Avoid negative phrases while communicating to others even when the omission in on their part.

(5) Correctness of information communicated

It is the responsibility of the communicator to collect information that is authentic and accurate, before communicating it to others. Wrong information sent to managers who are in decision making positions may lead to wrong decision making. This may cost money and reputation to the organization if the communication is sent out to external people. When wrong or inaccurate information is communicated internally, it may cause unnecessary confusions among the employees leading to productivity loss and loss of faith in the Management team. Hence one must communicate only after ascertaining the authenticity and accuracy of information. Communicating authentic, correct information at the right time in an appropriate manner increases the credibility of the communicator within the organization as well as in the eyes of external associates.

(6) Consideration is the key to Communication

Before communicating a message one must step in the shoes of the receiver. The communicator must understand the background, psychological and behaviour of the receiver and translate the message in a manner that will be well understood and positively perceived by the receiver. The message must be structured keeping in mind the emotions and sentiments of the receiver. When communicator focuses on understanding the receiver, it automatically fosters positive vibes in the receiver to understand the communicator.

(7) Concreteness and Conscious use of Body Language

One must ensure that the communication message sent is framed in an objective manner rather than being subjective. A subjective approach may lead to partial responses from the receiver. A subjective approach in communication may not get a positive response from the targeted group. Hence, the message to be communicated must be specific and not vague. Body Language also plays a crucial role in Business Communication. Body Language has to be in line with the verbal communication taking place. Any mismatch will create animosity and lack of faith between the concerned parties. One must also pay attention to the feedback and reply in an empathetic manner according to the response.

The post 7C / Characteristics / Principles of Communication appeared first on BBA|mantra.

What is Communication?

The word communication comes from a Latin word ‘communicare’ which means to ‘share’ or ‘participate’. 

Communication is the process by which we exchange meanings, facts, ideas, opinions or emotions with other people. It is the art of exchanging opinions, thoughts, facts and ideas in an emphatic manner so that the person at the other end receives and understands the subject matter involved clearly and perceives it in the same way it was intended by the sender.

According to Peter Little, “Communication is the process by which information is transmitted between individuals and/or organizations, so that it results in an understanding response.”

Business Communication has become an absolute requirement for all organizations for various reasons, such as:

• It acts as the basis of organizational growth in terms of human and public relations
• It widens the outlook of people making them understand the business scenario from a broader perspective
• Business Communication enhances the overall relationship maintenance capabilities of the organization
• It empowers the organization to handle public relations in an effective manner
• It increases personal productivity and confidence of all in the organization by multi-fold levels

Objectives of Business Communication

• To provide the right information to the right person at the right time so business processes are on track at all points of time
• To seek as well as offer advice to the needy at the right time in the right manner so business processes continue in a hassle free manner
• To counsel people on issues that will enable smooth flow of activities through positive relationships
• To issue the right kind of instructions to appropriate levels of management
• To emphasize discipline and systematic approach across all levels in the organization
• To foster upward communication which contributes in improving the morale levels of Employees, across all levels in the organization.
• To keep all concerned parties well informed about the organizational policies and principles. This will motivate every employee to participate in the developmental activities aimed towards achieving business objectives

Importance of Business Communication

• Business Communication is an indispensable component of all management functions. Motivating, supervising, directing and planning all require effective communication.
• It links superiors to subordinates and fosters mutual understanding among them
• It is a two way communication system that stimulates initiative and creativity among subordinates
• Effective business communication eliminates the possibility of misunderstanding, thereby leading to job satisfaction and increased morale of employees and results in sound human relations within an organization
• Effective communication is necessary to build meaningful relationships between management and workers that aids in growth of manpower and trade unions
• Business Communication helps in maintaining public relations by creating and projecting a positive image of the organization to the customers, government, suppliers etc.
• It aids in motivating the employees and boosting their morale by fostering a positive attitude and inspiring people in an organization
• Business Communication is imperative for effective decision making

Communication Process

Communication is a systematic and continuous process of telling, listening and understanding. It involves a sender, the transmission of a message through a selected channel/medium and a receiver. It is a two way communication process concerned with sharing and understanding information in an effective manner.

(1) Source/Sender – The Sender/Source is the origin of the idea or message. It may be an individual or a group. The sender conceives the idea, prepares the message, selects the channel and transmits the message to the receiver.

(2) Message – It is any signal that triggers a response from the receiver. It may be a verbal (written or spoken) or nonverbal (body language, silence, appearance, sound, sign etc.).

(3) Encoding – Translation of an idea into a message appropriate for transmission by the source/sender is called encoding. While encoding a message, one must consider –

• What contents to include?
• How will the receiver interpret it?
• How it may affect one`s relationship?

(4) Channel – Channel refers to the means through which the message travels from the sender to the receiver. The channel maybe mass media such as T.V., newspaper, radio or interpersonal channel such as telephone, email, correspondence etc. Selection of a channel depends upon:

• The message to be communicated
• Importance of the message
• Number of receivers
• Availability of channel
• Cost and effectiveness of channel

(5) Receiver – It may be an individual or a group of individuals for whom the message is intended.

(6) Decoding – It refers to the process through which a receiver translates the encoded message, symbols etc. understands it and interprets it to from certain meaning.

(7) Feedback – It is the reaction or response of the receiver to the message sent by the sender. The response can be based upon a clear interpretation of the message or on a misunderstood or misinterpreted message.

Features of Communication

(1) Communication is a Science

Communication is basically more of a science than just a mere skill set. Effective communication skills involve use of:

• Psychology – Deals with personality, attitudes and temperament, perception levels and persuasion skills
• Anthropology – This aspect deals with Body language which plays a crucial role in effective communication
• Sociology – Deals with larger number of diversified population and their opinions

(2) Communication is a give and take Process

Any communication is effective only when it is understood in the appropriate manner by the receiver as intended by the sender. It can be referred as a two way process in which both the ways namely conveying and receiving is perfect.

(3) Common goal makes communication successful

Communications become highly effective when goals and targets to be achieved are clearly understood by both the communicator and the receiver. Thus communication is termed as a goal oriented process when it comes to organization management.

(4) Communication is a continuous process

Effective communication is an ongoing process of telling, listening and understanding.

(5) Communication is an active process

Communication is an active process that changes with the changing environment and mindset of people.

(6) Communication has no boundaries

In a typical business scenario, Communication does not have any boundaries or limits. Communication prevails at the lower levels in the organizations as much as it is spread across middle and top management levels.

(7) Communication is incomplete without a receiver

Communication requires at least two human beings. The two people involved in communication are the communicator and the receiver. Without a receiver, nothing gets communicated by the communicator.

(8) Communication elicits reactions and responses

Effective communication is one that elicits appropriate reactions and responses in people at the receiving end. When the communicator has effective persuasion skills the receiver gets influenced, eliciting a desired response. A good communicator is one who is able to deliver information sought by the receivers.

(9) Communication has multiple purposes

Different types of communication are carried out for achieving various kinds of purposes. While some communication aim at solving problems, some are carried out to enable uninterrupted workflow. Communication is used as a tool to share information as well as for the purpose of socializing.

(10) Communication happens in multi-fold ways

Communication is that aspect of sharing information which does not depend on any single medium. For instance, communication does not solely depend on expressions through words in oral or written form alone. The gestures we make, the symbols we use to communicate certain ideas and facts and the sign language used to show emotions, all are part of communication. Many a times, signs, symbols and gestures communicate the intended message more clearly than words.

Contribution of Effective Business Communication to Organizational growth

(1) Boosts morale and acts as a Motivator

Strong communication skills act as a morale booster in a typical business environment. Organizations with people who have good communication skills foster the best climate for business achieving business prosperity in every possible manner.

(2) Rapid advancements in terms of technology

Effective communication skills act as direct pointers to technological advancements in organizations. Be it the understanding of the technology or introducing the same for business development, effective communication skills is of paramount importance.

(3) Handling the labour force in an effective manner

When it comes to typical Industrial scenario, handling the laborers in a satisfying manner and conflict management through effective communication skills becomes mandatory. Effective communications skills act as the basis of negotiation skills, convincing skills which in turn help an organization to handle Trade Union demands and conflicts in a professional manner

(4) Handling relationships in a matured manner

Effective communication skills helps in managing relationships in a friendly and successful manner. Be it peer to peer communication or top to bottom interactions, appropriate skill sets related to communication help in fostering relationships in organizations.

(5) Understanding the behavioral and psychological aspects of humans

Effective communication skills help employees as well as the Management teams to understand each other. When people are handled based on their behavioral capabilities and psychological aspects, the interactions and outputs from the same are developmental.

(6) Customer handling and branding activities

In today’s competitive business environment, organization development depends mainly on the effectiveness of Branding and Marketing activities. All organizations with astounding communication skills succeed in reaching to their customers through their marketing communication skills.

(7) Maintaining effective Public Relations

Communication plays a crucial role in maintaining Public relations that encompasses interactions with vendors, Government Agencies, Suppliers and many other groups that are involved in business activities.

Modes of Communication

Communication between people can take place through different means. The basic means of communication are Verbal and Non-verbal.

Verbal Communication can be divided in to two categories:

• Oral Communication
• Written Communication

Non-Verbal Communication can be divided in to two categories:

• Sign Language
• Body Language

Sign Language under non-verbal communication can be further divided into Audio Signs and Visual Signs.

The term Verbal Communication refers to all communication that uses words to express what people want to express. Verbal Communication can be either in spoken or in written form.

While Non-verbal communication refers to communication that takes place through use of body language, audio and visual signals.

Channels of Communication

Irrespective of the mode, communication happens through different channels. There are usually formal channel and informal channel of communication.

Formal communication, as the very name represents, takes place between superiors and their reporting staff in organizations or the organization and its customers in a formal manner. Formal communication involves fixed standards and guidelines which have to followed in order to communicate a message.

Informal Communication has no fixed standards or guidelines but happens in a haphazard manner in organizations. Informal Communication prevails more in the middle and lower rings of the organizations.

Types of Communication

Based on the nature and flow of Communication, it can be divided into three types namely Upward Communication, Downward Communication and Horizontal Communication.

Upward Communication is the concept of new age Management and is also termed as Upstream Communication. When the employees down below are able communicate about their grievances and complaints to their higher ups, it is termed as Upward Communication.

Horizontal Communication can said to be the backbone of organizations. Also termed as Lateral Communication, this type of communication happens between heads of the Department who are in decision making capacities.

Downward Communication happens from the top level to the bottom level employees. Announcing policy changes from time to time, modifications in strategies and other employee related communication falls in this category.

The post Business Communication – Introduction Notes appeared first on BBA|mantra.

Shannon and Weaver’s model

Shannon and Weaver’s model is termed as the Mother of all communication models owing to the fact that it is technically advanced than the other communication models. Shannon and Weaver’s model substantiates six factors that are necessary for effective communication. The following are the six factors emphasized by Shannon and Weaver’s model – 

• Sender
• Encoder
• Channel
• Noise
• Decoder
• Receiver

Shannon and Weaver’s model supports Feedback and attaches huge importance to the same. The model emphasizes that without feedback from the receiver, the communication carried out by the Sender is not complete.

In this communication model, the sender encodes the message to be communicated and passes it to the receiver through proper medium or channel. The message then reaches the receiver in the form of noise (voice waves). Any breakage in the noise makes decoding a complicated process for the receiver. In such cases, the receiver provides the feedback to the sender who again encodes the message and forwards the same to the receiver. When the decoding aspect of the noise happens successfully, the communication is said to have completed in a successful manner.

The channel used for transmitting the message plays a crucial role in this model. Failure in any of the six aspects mentioned above disrupts communication of the message from one person to another.

Shannon and Weaver’s model is considered as an advanced model than other communication models due to the importance it attaches to the feedback mechanism which lacks in most of the other communication models.

Westley and Mac lean Model

Westley and Mac lean Model was formulated by Bruce Westley during the 20^th century. Westley and Mac lean Model is widely accepted as a Mass Communication tool due to its interpersonal aspects. This model is based on ten factors which are believed to make communication effective.

• Source – The person who creates the message or the one who sends the message is termed as Source in this model
• Environment – Environment refers to the situation under which the message to be communicated is created. The situation referred here can be either physical or psychological
• Sensory feeling – The sensory experience that pushes the creator of the message to create the same
• Orientation of the Sender – This means the background of the sender who communicated the message to the receiver
• Encoding and Decoding – The sender or the creator of the message encodes the same in the manner that it can be decoded properly
• Receiver – Is the person who is responsible for decoding the message transmitted by the sender
• Orientation of the Receiver – The background and influence of the same on the receiver’s acceptance levels is termed as the orientation of the receiver under this communication model
• Feedback – Feedback is the communication that happens between the receiver and the sender over the success or failure of the decoding process
• Editor or Moderator – This role is applicable in mass communication scenarios. People who play this role are responsible for filtering messages to allow ones that are acceptable and cultured
• Opinion Influencers – This is another role that is found valuable in typical Mass communication scenarios. Opinion influencers have the capability to influence a large number of people owing to their popularity levels

Also Read: David Berlo SMRC Communication Model

The post Communication Models – Shannon & Weaver, Westley & Mac lean appeared first on BBA|mantra.