Communication
What is effective communication and why is it necessary?
Communication is the transferring of a message from the sender to the receiver, who understands the
message. The message is the information or instructions being passed by the sender to the receiver.
We all communicate with one another on a daily basis, either at home, school, and places of interest.
Communication with others is essentially part of our lives. So why study it if it is so natural to us? Well,
one important point that we neglect on a daily basis is that communication needs to be effective. This
means that the information that is sent is received, understood and acted upon the way that it was
intended. In businesses, ineffective communication, or communication failure, between people in the
firm can have serious consequences.
The quality and effectiveness of internal communication can have an impact on many areas of
business.
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Staff motivation- and thus labour productivity. If staffs are encouraged to participate through
group discussion, for example, then effective communication will aid motivation. Workers feel
out of touch and isolated if there is poor communication.
The number and quality of ideas generated by the staff –if staffs are asked for their ideas, then
this can assist with problem solving.
Speed of decision making- the more people who have to receive and react to a message, then
the slower will be the decision making system.
Speed of response to market changes- if changes in consumers’ decisions take a long time to be
communicated to the decision makers at the head of the organization, then the business will be
slow to respond with appropriate products.
Reduces the risk of errors- incorrect understanding of a poorly expressed message will lead to
incorrect responses. This could lead to many internal problems such as the wrong products
being made or incorrect prices being set.
Effective coordination between departments- this will be helped by good communication links
between them.
For these reasons it is important for managers to think carefully about how messages are sent and the
form they should take. Poor communication will lead to demotivated staff, uncoordinated departments,
poor customer se4rvice and lack of overall direction for the organization.
The process of effective communication.
Effective communication involves the following four features:
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A transmitter or sender of the message. This is the person who wishes to pass on the
information to others. This person has to choose the next two features carefully in order to
ensure that communication occurs effectively.
A medium of Communication or a method of communication for sending the message, for
example, a letter or notice board.
A receiver of the information. This person to whom the message should be sent.
Feedback, where the receiver confirms that the message has been received and responds to it.
This ensures that the information has been correctly received by the right person and, if
necessary, acted upon.
One way and two way communications
One way communication involves the message which does not call for or require a response. e.g. An
instruction to ‘take these goods to the customer.’
Two way communication is when the receiver gives a response to the message and there is a discussion
about it. This can lead to better and clearer communication.
The advantages of two way communication
When the receiver has to, decided to, give feedback to the sender of the message there are two main
benefits.
1. It should become clear to the sender whether or not the person receiving the message has
understood it and acted upon it. If they have not, then perhaps the message needs to be sent
again or made clearer. Effective communication has not taken place until the message is
understood by the receiver.
2. Both people are now involved in the communication process. The receiver feels more a part of
this process. He or she can make a real contribution to the topic being discussed or
communicated. This may help to motivate the receiver.
Communication methods- the media used in communicating
The choice of the method used to communicate a message can have a significant impact on
effectiveness. The range of communication media available can be classified as follows:
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Oral communication: this can be one to one conversations, interviews, appraisal sessions, group
meetings or team briefings. It allows for two way communication and feedback and this should
encourage good motivation. It allows the sender or the transmitter to reinforce the message
with appropriate body language. However, some oral communication can be ambiguous; there
may be no written record of what was said, it might not be appropriate for complicated and
technical matters and it can costly in terms of time. In addition, body language can also have a
negative impact, when for example; the sender appears bored, uninterested or aggressive. All
forms of communication that are not oral are sometimes referred to as ‘non verbal
‘communication.
Written communication: many managers still like everything to be in writing. They will,
therefore tend to use letters, memos, notices on the boards, reports, minutes of meetings and
diagrams for technical matters. Written messages can be referred to more than once, they
should be an accurate record and they allow for the transmission of detailed data. However,
they eliminate supporting body language, and do not allow for immediate feedback and there is
often no evidence that the message has been received and/or understood.
Electronic media: these have the benefit of speed and are often combined with written record.
Internet and email use, intranets, fax messages, video conferencing and mobile telephones have
all revolutionized business communication in recent years. These applications of electronic
media do have its drawbacks.
1. They may require stuff to be trained and the young are usually much more proficient in
their use than older employees.
2. They reduce social contact and can create a sense of isolation and an important social
need may go unsatisfied. Staff may use company time to send personal messages.
3. There are security issues with computer technology and hard copies of important
messages are often kept too in case of a virus.
4. Finally, these are increasing evidence that IT can lead to information overload as a result
of the speed and low usage cost of these methods. Too many messages can prevent the
really important communication from being noticed and acted upon.
Visual communication: this can be used to accompany and support oral, written or electronic
communication. Diagrams, pictures, charts and pages of computer images can be presented
using overhead projection, interactive white boards, DVDs and other means. The impact is
increased if colour and movement are used. This form of communication is particularly useful in
training or in marketing.
Method
Oral
Strengths
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Direct
Can be varied to suit needs of receiver
Easy to understand
Can be questioned quickly
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Recorded- permanent record
More structured
Easy to distribute
Cannot be varied
Can be referred to again
Visual
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More interactive
Demands attention
Often easier to remember
Creates greater interest
Electronic
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Great speed
Interactive
Creates interest
Encourages response
Ignores boundaries
Good image for external
communication
Written
Weaknesses
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Need to listen carefully
Affected by noise
Passive
No permanent accurate record
Can be forgotten quickly
Often difficult to read
Message identical to each
receiver
No body language
Feedback slower
No immediate response
May be misinterpreted
Costly and time consuming
Needs close attention
Sometimes too fast
Not always clear
Interpretations by receivers can
vary.
Cannot always be received
Relies on receiver
Is expensive in hardware
Risk of communication overload
Can be intercepted
Diminishes personal contact.
Factors influencing choice of appropriate media
Managers will consider these factors before deciding on the best communication method:
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The importance of a written record that the message has been sent and received, for example
and important new legal contract.
The advantages to be gained from staff input or two way communication, for example a new
staff shift system proposal could be discussed with workers before implementation.
Cost- electronic media often require expensive capital resources, but once these are obtained,
emails are cost effective. Written memos are cheap, but how many people will see them? The
cost of management time in meetings should not be overlooked – it would be quicker and
cheaper, but less effective, to email all those at the meeting instead.
Speed- electronic means can be quick, but is this more important than allowing time for
opinions to be discussed at a meeting?
Quantity of data to be communicated- the longer and more detailed the message, the less
likely it is that oral communication will be adequate.
Whether more than one method should be used for clarity and to be sure that the message has
been received – a quick telephone call followed up by an official letter or order form will achieve
both speed and accuracy.
Size and geographical spread of the business- regular and frequent meetings of senior regional
managers may be impossible in multinational business.