Language Lab Assignment
Q.1 What is communication? Explain the process of communication?
Communication is a process of exchanging verbal and non verbal messages. It is a continuous process. Pre-requisite of communication
is a message. This message must be conveyed through some medium to the recipient. It is essential that this message must be
understood by the recipient in same terms as intended by the sender. He must respond within a time frame. Thus, communication is a
two way process and is incomplete without a feedback from the recipient to the sender on how well the message is understood by him.
Communication Process
The main components of communication process are as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Context - Communication is affected by the context in which it takes place. This context may be physical, social, chronological or
cultural. Every communication proceeds with context. The sender chooses the message to communicate within a context.
Sender / Encoder - Sender / Encoder is a person who sends the message. A sender makes use of symbols (words or graphic or
visual aids) to convey the message and produce the required response. For instance - a training manager conducting training for
new batch of employees. Sender may be an individual or a group or an organization. The views, background, approach, skills,
competencies, and knowledge of the sender have a great impact on the message. The verbal and non verbal symbols chosen are
essential in ascertaining interpretation of the message by the recipient in the same terms as intended by the sender.
Message - Message is a key idea that the sender wants to communicate. It is a sign that elicits the response of recipient.
Communication process begins with deciding about the message to be conveyed. It must be ensured that the main objective of the
message is clear.
Medium - Medium is a means used to exchange / transmit the message. The sender must choose an appropriate medium for
transmitting the message else the message might not be conveyed to the desired recipients. The choice of appropriate medium of
communication is essential for making the message effective and correctly interpreted by the recipient. This choice of
communication medium varies depending upon the features of communication. For instance - Written medium is chosen when a
message has to be conveyed to a small group of people, while an oral medium is chosen when spontaneous feedback is required
from the recipient as misunderstandings are cleared then and there.
Recipient / Decoder - Recipient / Decoder is a person for whom the message is intended / aimed / targeted. The degree to which
the decoder understands the message is dependent upon various factors such as knowledge of recipient, their responsiveness to
the message, and the reliance of encoder on decoder.
Feedback - Feedback is the main component of communication process as it permits the sender to analyze the efficacy of the
message. It helps the sender in confirming the correct interpretation of message by the decoder. Feedback may be verbal (through
words) or non-verbal (in form of smiles, sighs, etc.). It may take written form also in form of memos, reports, etc.
Q.2 What is verbal and non verbal communication?
Non verbal :
It is communication of feelings, emotions, attitudes, and thoughts through body movements / gestures / eye contact, etc.
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?
 Paralinguistics: 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.
Verbal:
Q.1 What is Resume? Prepare your resume?
Ans. Resume: it is a document used by individuals to present their background and skillsets.
In many contexts, a résumé is short (usually one to three pages), and directs a reader's attention to the aspects of a person's
background that are directly relevant to a particular position. Many résumés contain keywords that potential employers are
looking for, make heavy use of active verbs, and display content in a flattering manner.
The primary differences between a resume and a curriculum vitae (CV) are the length, what is included and what
each is used for. A resume is a one or two page summary of your skills, experience and education. While a resume is
brief and concise - no more than a page or two, a curriculum vitae is a longer (at least two page) and more detailed
synopsis.
A curriculum vitae includes a summary of your educational and academic backgrounds as well as teaching and
research experience, publications, presentations, awards, honors, affiliations and other details.
How to prepare resume:
List Your Information
The easiest way to get started is to make a list that includes all the information you need on your resume.
Clean and Clear Formatting
Once you’ve added all your personal information to your resume, take the time to format it. Your resume should use a plain
font, have lots of white space, and be simple and easy to read.
Your resume has less than 20 seconds to make a good impression on an employer, so it needs to be eye-catching and easy to
read.
References
You don’t need to include references on your resume. Create a separate list of references to giving to prospective employers.
OR
A resume is also known as CV or curriculum vitae. Resume is an influential and credible summary of an individual’s employment
qualifications. There is no standard format for a resume. It gives an idea to the reader that how you can be an asset to their organization.
A resume should be:
- Neat
- Have factual and relevant information
- Self describing
- Clearly indicate why you are best suited for this job
- Up to date
Resumes should be written not for yourself but for the reader. A good resume must be properly planned, drafted and finally revised.
Regard your resume as work in progress and give it a polish every couple of months. You never know when you will be asked for it. Your
resume needs to recap and capture the spirit of our competency/what’s best about you.
Resumes are of two types:
i.
ii.
Chronological Resume- These resume gives a quick brief up of what the candidate has done in a timeline-beginning with the latest
events and moving back in reverse chronology. It stresses upon the degrees, job headings and the dates. Such a resume
demonstrates steady development/movement to the current time.
Skills Resume- These resume stresses upon the skills and competencies possessed and used by the candidate, rather than the
job and the date in which those skills have been used. It is generally prepared when the candidate frequently changes his job or
when his education and experience do not harmonize/match with the position for which the candidate is applying.
Do’s and Dont’s in your Resume
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Shouldn’t be too long. It should not exceed two pages generally.
CV should be true and factual.
The first page should contain enough personal details for a recruitment consultant or potential employer to contact you easily.
Choose a format that highlights key skills, key competencies, key achievements or key attributes.
Your employment background should begin with your current job and work backwards.
List all relevant qualifications.
Do not include negative or irrelevant information.
Include details of training or skills development events attended.
Include personal details.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
Use a very good quality paper.
Do not use a type size less than 11pt.
Typefaces such as Times New Roman or Arial should be used.
CV should be carefully typed. No spelling errors should be there.
Use bulleted paragraphs. This will save space and make the CV more effective.
Emphasize achievements that are recent, and are most relevant for the position for which the candidate is applying.
Items in resume must be concise and parallel.
While submitting a resume, it must be accompanied with a cover letter to make the readers aware of what is being send, and how
can it be beneficial to the readers.
18. Include references if possible in a resume. If giving references, use three to five. Include atleast one lecturer, and at least one
employer.
19. To stress upon the key points in a resume, put them in appropriate headings, list them vertically, and provide details.
Q.2 What is a cover letter, write a covering letter to submit your resume for the post of sales executive in Big Bazar.
Ans. Cover letter is an application letter which is written and submitted with the resume at the time of resume submission
for the post applied in the company.
Example:
The Manager
Big Bazar
Indore (M.P.)
Date: 5-02-2012
Subject: Application for the post of sales executive.
Dear Sir
With reference to above subject, I am Ram Sharma got to know from the reliable sourecs that there is a post vacant in your
company for the post of sales executive.I want to apply for the post as I have the required qualification for the post and
additional diplomas which make me suitable for the post. I am attaching my resume with this application. Upon having
opportunity, I would prove myself best on your hope .
Thanking you
Regards
Ram Sharma
425, Rajwada Chouk
Indore.
09856857563
Q.3 What is phonetics?
Definition
Phonetics is the study of human speech sounds.
Branches
Phonetics is divided into three branches:

Articulatory phonetics
The study of how speech sounds are produced by the human vocal apparatus.

Acoustic phonetics
The study of the sound waves made by the human vocal organs for communication.

Auditory phonetics
The study of how speech sounds are perceived by the ear, auditory nerve, and brain.
Q.4 What is Body Language? Explain its importance in any presentation?
Body language is a form of mental and physical ability of human non-verbal communication, which consists of body posture,
gestures, facial expressions, and eye movements. Humans send and interpret such signals almost entirely subconsciously.
Importance :
Some studies suggest that only 7% of our judgements are based on WHAT WE ACTUALLY SAY! To be fair these
studies were usually taken when the body language was not CONGRUENT (that means where the body was giving
signals that were disagreeing with what was being said).
The actual figures can be disputed but there is no doubt that a huge part of an audience’s judgement is VISUAL and
VOCAL.
People spend hours honing a script for their speech, choosing exactly the right words – and of course that is highly
important – but, it must be worth also paying close attention to the VISUAL and VOCAL judgements that audiences
are making of you every time you stand up to speak!
Q.5 What is self introduction? Write something about you?
Some General Notes for students
Oral Communication
Oral communication implies communication through mouth. It includes individuals conversing with each other, be it direct conversation or
telephonic conversation. Speeches, presentations, discussions are all forms of oral communication. Oral communication is generally
recommended when the communication matter is of temporary kind or where a direct interaction is required. Face to face communication
(meetings, lectures, conferences, interviews, etc.) is significant so as to build a rapport and trust.
Advantages of Oral Communication
 There is high level of understanding and transparency in oral communication as it is interpersonal.
 There is no element of rigidity in oral communication. There is flexibility for allowing changes in the decisions previously
taken.
 The feedback is spontaneous in case of oral communication. Thus, decisions can be made quickly without any delay.
 Oral communication is not only time saving, but it also saves upon money and efforts.
 Oral communication is best in case of problem resolution. The conflicts, disputes and many issues/differences can be put to
an end by talking them over.
 Oral communication is an essential for teamwork and group energy.
 Oral communication promotes a receptive and encouraging morale among organizational employees.
 Oral communication can be best used to transfer private and confidential information/matter.
Disadvantages/Limitations of Oral Communication
 Relying only on oral communication may not be sufficient as business communication is formal and very organized.
 Oral communication is less authentic than written communication as they are informal and not as organized as written
communication.
 Oral communication is time-saving as far as daily interactions are concerned, but in case of meetings, long speeches consume
lot of time and are unproductive at times.
 Oral communications are not easy to maintain and thus they are unsteady.
 There may be misunderstandings as the information is not complete and may lack essentials.
 It requires attentiveness and great receptivity on part of the receivers/audience.
 Oral communication (such as speeches) is not frequently used as legal records except in investigation work.
Report Writing
What is Report Writing ?
A report can be defined as a testimonial or account of some happening. It is purely based on observation and analysis. A report
gives an explanation of any circumstance. In today’s corporate world, reports play a crucial role. They are a strong base for planning
and control in an organization, i.e., reports give information which can be utilized by the management team in an organization for
making plans and for solving complex issues in the organization.
A report discusses a particular problem in detail. It brings significant and reliable information to the limelight of top management in an
organization. Hence, on the basis of such information, the management can make strong decisions. Reports are required for judging
the performances of various departments in an organization.
An effective report can be written going through the following steps1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Determine the objective of the report, i.e., identify the problem.
Collect the required material (facts) for the report.
Study and examine the facts gathered.
Plan the facts for the report.
Prepare an outline for the report, i.e., draft the report.
Edit the drafted report.
Distribute the draft report to the advisory team and ask for feedback and recommendations.
The essentials of good/effective report writing are as follows-
1.
2.
Know your objective, i.e., be focused.
Analyze the niche audience, i.e., make an analysis of the target audience, the purpose for which audience requires the report, kind
of data audience is looking for in the report, the implications of report reading, etc.
3. Decide the length of report.
4. Disclose correct and true information in a report.
5. Discuss all sides of the problem reasonably and impartially. Include all relevant facts in a report.
6. Concentrate on the report structure and matter. Pre-decide the report writing style. Use vivid structure of sentences.
7. The report should be neatly presented and should be carefully documented.
8. Highlight and recap the main message in a report.
9. Encourage feedback on the report from the critics. The feedback, if negative, might be useful if properly supported with reasons by
the critics. The report can be modified based on such feedback.
10. Use graphs, pie-charts, etc to show the numerical data records over years.
11. Decide on the margins on a report. Ideally, the top and the side margins should be the same (minimum 1 inch broad), but the
lower/bottom margins can be one and a half times as broad as others.
12. Attempt to generate reader’s interest by making appropriate paragraphs, giving bold headings for each paragraph, using bullets
wherever required, etc.
Business Negotiations
Negotiations can be called as a way of resolving
disputes. It is considered as being synonymous to
settlement, agreement, collaboration and
bargaining. It takes place almost in all spheres of life
-be it is business, personal circumstances (married
life, parenting, etc.), legal procedures, government
matters, etc. Negotiation can be defined as a
channel of communication intended to reconcile
differences between parties and to settle conflict
jointly. The parties aim at achieving a win-win
position.
Business Negotiations requires a lot of homework, such as asking what is the need of negotiation, who all are involved, what are their view
points, what are your aims, what is expected from negotiation, etc.
Negotiation involves minimum of two parties. The aim of negotiation is understood by both parties. The parties are willing to arrive at a
mutually agreeable outcome. The outcome is acceptable to both parties.
There are certain do’s and don’ts in case of negotiations:
 Do not discuss too many issues, emphasize on the prior issues.
 Be honest and straightforward. Don’t get carried away by rumours.
 Never give deadlines, it might lead to delays in deals.
 Keep away personal differences. Just focus your arguments on facts.
 Keep on giving recaps during the negotiation process.
 Avoid being rigid. Listen to the other parties view point if valid.
 Give testimonials for your argument. Support your argument with facts.
 Don’t make demands which can’t be accepted at all.
 Don’t let emotions overwhelm you.
 Be optimistic. Don’t fear losing. There are opportunities in other transactions also.
Grapevine :
Grapevine is an informal channel of business communication. It is called so because it stretches throughout the organization in all
directions irrespective of the authority levels. Man as we know is a social animal. Despite existence of formal channels in an
organization, the informal channels tend to develop when he interacts with other people in organization. It exists more at lower levels of
organization.
Grapevine generally develops due to various reasons. One of them is that when an organization is facing recession, the employees
sense uncertainty. Also, at times employees do not have self-confidence due to which they form unions. Sometimes the managers show
preferential treatment and favour some employees giving a segregated feeling to other employees. Thus, when employees sense a
need to exchange their views, they go for grapevine network as they cannot use the formal channel of communication in that case.
Generally during breaks in cafeteria,the subordinates talk about their superior’s attitude and behaviour and exchange views with their
peers. They discuss rumours about promotion and transfer of other employees. Thus, grapevine spreads like fire and it is not easy to
trace the cause of such communication at times.
Examples of Grapevine Network of Communication
1.
2.
Suppose the profit amount of a company is known. Rumour is spread that this much profit is there and on that basis bonus is
declared.
CEO may be in relation to the Production Manager. They may have friendly relations with each other.
Pros and Cons of Grapevine Communication
Advantages of Grapevine Communication
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Grapevine channels carry information rapidly. As soon as an employee gets to know some confidential information, he becomes
inquisitive and passes the details then to his closest friend who in turn passes it to other. Thus, it spreads hastily.
The managers get to know the reactions of their subordinates on their policies. Thus, the feedback obtained is quick compared to
formal channel of communication.
The grapevine creates a sense of unity among the employees who share and discuss their views with each other. Thus, grapevine
helps in developing group cohesiveness.
The grapevine serves as an emotional supportive value.
The grapevine is a supplement in those cases where formal communication does not work.
Disadvantages of Grapevine Communication
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The grapevine carries partial information at times as it is more based on rumours. Thus, it does not clearly depicts the complete
state of affairs.
The grapevine is not trustworthy always as it does not follows official path of communication and is spread more by gossips and
unconfirmed report.
The productivity of employees may be hampered as they spend more time talking rather than working.
The grapevine leads to making hostility against the executives.
The grapevine may hamper the goodwill of the organization as it may carry false negative information about the high level people of
the organization.
A smart manager should take care of all the disadvantages of the grapevine and try to minimize them. At the same time, he should make
best possible use of advantages of grapevine.
Importance of Communication
Effective Communication is significant for managers in the organizations so as to perform the basic functions of management, i.e.,
Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling. Communication helps managers to perform their jobs and responsibilities.
Communication serves as a foundation for planning. All the essential information must be communicated to the managers who in-turn
must communicate the plans so as to implement them. Organizing also requires effective communication with others about their job task.
Similarly leaders as managers must communicate effectively with their subordinates so as to achieve the team goals. Controlling is not
possible without written and oral communication.
Managers devote a great part of their time in communication. They generally devote approximately 6 hours per day in communicating.
They spend great time on face to face or telephonic communication with their superiors, subordinates, colleagues, customers or
suppliers. Managers also use Written Communication in form of letters, reports or memos wherever oral communication is not feasible.
Thus, we can say that “effective communication is a building block of successful organizations”. In other words, communication
acts as organizational blood.
The importance of communication in an organization can be summarized as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Communication promotes motivation by informing and clarifying the employees about the task to be done, the manner they are
performing the task, and how to improve their performance if it is not up to the mark.
Communication is a source of information to the organizational members for decision-making process as it helps identifying and
assessing alternative course of actions.
Communication also plays a crucial role in altering individual’s attitudes, i.e., a well informed individual will have better attitude
than a less-informed individual. Organizational magazines, journals, meetings and various other forms of oral and written
communication help in moulding employee’s attitudes.
Communication also helps in socializing. In todays life the only presence of another individual fosters communication. It is also
said that one cannot survive without communication.
As discussed earlier, communication also assists in controlling process. It helps controlling organizational member’s behaviour in
various ways. There are various levels of hierarchy and certain principles and guidelines that employees must follow in an
organization. They must comply with organizational policies, perform their job role efficiently and communicate any work problem
and grievance to their superiors. Thus, communication helps in controlling function of management.
An effective and efficient communication system requires managerial proficiency in delivering and receiving messages. A manager must
discover various barriers to communication, analyze the reasons for their occurrence and take preventive steps to avoid those barriers. Thus,
the primary responsibility of a manager is to develop and maintain an effective communication system in the organization.
Communication Barriers - Reasons for Communication Breakdown
Communication is a process beginning with a sender who encodes the message and passes it through some channel to the receiver
who decodes the message. Communication is fruitful if and only if the messages sent by the sender is interpreted with same meaning by
the receiver. If any kind of disturbance blocks any step of communication, the message will be destroyed. Due to such disturbances,
managers in an organization face severe problems. Thus the managers must locate such barriers and take steps to get rid of them.
There are several barriers that affect the flow of communication in an organization. These barriers interrupt the flow of communication
from the sender to the receiver, thus making communication ineffective. It is essential for managers to overcome these barriers. The
main barriers of communication are summarized below.
Following are the main communication barriers:
1.
Perceptual and Language Differences: Perception is generally
how each individual interprets the world around him. All generally
want to receive messages which are significant to them. But any
message which is against their values is not accepted. A same
event may be taken differently by different individuals. For
example : A person is on leave for a month due to personal
reasons (family member being critical). The HR Manager might
be in confusion whether to retain that employee or not, the
immediate manager might think of replacement because his
teams productivity is being hampered, the family members might
take him as an emotional support.
The linguistic differences also lead to communication breakdown.
Same word may mean different to different individuals. For
example: consider a word “value”.
a.
b.
c.
What is the value of this Laptop?
I value our relation?
What is the value of learning technical skills?
“Value” means different in different sentences. Communication breakdown occurs if there is wrong perception by the receiver.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Information Overload: Managers are surrounded with a pool of information. It is essential to control this information flow else
the information is likely to be misinterpreted or forgotten or overlooked. As a result communication is less effective.
Inattention: At times we just not listen, but only hear. For example a traveler may pay attention to one “NO PARKING” sign, but
if such sign is put all over the city, he no longer listens to it. Thus, repetitive messages should be ignored for effective
communication. Similarly if a superior is engrossed in his paper work and his subordinate explains him his problem, the superior
may not get what he is saying and it leads to disappointment of subordinate.
Time Pressures: Often in organization the targets have to be achieved within a specified time period, the failure of which has
adverse consequences. In a haste to meet deadlines, the formal channels of communication are shortened, or messages are
partially given, i.e., not completely transferred. Thus sufficient time should be given for effective communication.
Distraction/Noise: Communication is also affected a lot by noise to distractions. Physical distractions are also there such as,
poor lightning, uncomfortable sitting, unhygienic room also affects communication in a meeting. Similarly use of loud speakers
interferes with communication.
Emotions: Emotional state at a particular point of time also affects communication. If the receiver feels that communicator is
angry he interprets that the information being sent is very bad. While he takes it differently if the communicator is happy and
jovial (in that case the message is interpreted to be good and interesting).
Complexity in Organizational Structure: Greater the hierarchy in an organization (i.e. more the number of managerial levels),
more is the chances of communication getting destroyed. Only the people at the top level can see the overall picture while the
people at low level just have knowledge about their own area and a little knowledge about other areas.
Poor retention: Human memory cannot function beyond a limit. One cant always retain what is being told specially if he is not
interested or not attentive. This leads to communication breakdown.
Effect of Communication Barriers in Business Communication
An organization is an individual’s first home as one spends the maximum time here only. No organization runs for charity, it is really
important that the organization achieve its goals. How does an organization become successful ? How will an organization achieve its
goals ?.
The employees are the assets for any organization and the profitability of any organization is directly proportional to the labour put by its
employees. Putting labour does not mean getting involved in hard physical work or digging the gold mines, it actually refers to the smart
work done by employees, transparency between the team members, free flow of information from the superior to the subordinates. How
does free flow of information happen? How is the transparency between the team members achieved ? - Through Communication and
not only through communication but effective communication.
In organizations the barriers in communication go a long way in distortion of the message and the information does not reach in its
desired form.
Imagine a situation where you want some report from your team members which needs to be forwarded to the managing director of the
organization. What if your team misinterprets your information, screws up the project and fails to submit it within the deadline. The managing
director will literally sit on your head and make your life miserable. The poor communication can actually cost you your job.
Let us now understand how barriers in communication effect business communication.
Noise acts as a devil in business communication. Any information downloaded at a noisy place is bound to get distorted and result in a
complete mess.
Petty wanted to go through the complete budget of the sales, marketing and the operations team. She passed on this information to Joe at
his workstation around which lots of other employees were shouting, the base phone was constantly ringing and the photocopier machine
was making a terrible noise. At the end of the day, Joe submitted the report but the budget for the operations team was missing in the report.
Joe actually had heard only about sales and marketing department and thus skipped the report of the operations team. Petty fired Joe and
even stopped his appraisal. Unwanted distractions, noise, chit chats of the other employees etc played the culprit and poor Joe missed out
on his promotion. Noise reduces the chances of the correct flow of information from the sender to the receiver. If the office is noisy, errors are
bound to happen and thus increasing conflicts among the team members and decreasing the efficiency of the employees.
Unorganized and Haphazard thoughts also lead to ineffective communication in organizations. Business communications are bound
to suffer due to ineffective communication. If any individual wants something from his team members, he first must be himself very clear what
actually he expects from his team. The boss must clearly mention his team member’s key responsibility areas in clear words to avoid
wastage of manpower, duplicacy of work, effective time management and more output from them.
Not cross checking among themselves or with the superiors also spoils the business communication to a large extent.
Misha was sharing her phone number with her client and she never bothered to verify with her client whether he has noted the correct
number or not. One day, the client had a major query and he had to discuss with Misha on an urgent basis. He kept on trying the same
number which Misha gave but someone else was responding. He then had to call the front desk lady to get connected with Misha and
obviously he was furious. The client had wrongly noted Misha’s number and thus wasted his precious time and lost his temper. While sharing
any important contact number it is the responsibility of the speaker to cross check with the listener. Email ids must be spelled out properly to
avoid wrong spellings and unnecessary wastage of time.
During any business meeting, presentation or seminar, the speaker has to be very careful about his pitch and tone. It has been
observed that during seminars or presentations only the front benchers are attentive, the last benchers are almost lost in their own sweet
world. The person who chairs the meeting has to speak very clearly, has to be very confident and must maintain a tone audible to everyone,
even to the individuals sitting on the last row. Information must pass to them also to expect the best out of them and increase their efficiency.
Try to make the seminar or the meeting interactive. Dont just speak, also invite questions from the team. After any seminar or meeting, the
superior or the incharge must send the minutes of the meeting through e mail to all the required recipients to avoid last minute confusions
and discrepancies. The speaker must ensure whether everyone is clear or not ?
In any organization, it is mandatory to understand which employee can do a particular assignment, and which employee is not fit for a
particular role. Chelsea was not keen for a branding profile but his boss could never understand her interest and always wondered why
Chelsea was not effectively performing ? In any organization, before assigning responsibilities to the employees, it is a must to understand
the employee and his area of specialization and interest. Communication will be for sure ineffective if a person from an accounting
background is asked to deliver a presentation on sales techniques. He is bound to get nervous and the message will fail in creating the
required impact. Don’t just impose work on any employee, give him the work he enjoys doing the most.
Difference in thought process also results in a poor communication in business areas. A boss and the employee can never think on
the same level. Let us try to understand the situation with the help of an example.
Jude to Harry - “Harry, I need the complete financial report by end of the day”
By financial report, Jude actually meant the complete financial analysis, which would include the complete details of how much the company
spends in advertising, promotional activities, and other marketing activities.,analyse the inflow and outflow of expenditure patterns and so on.
Harry could never understand Jude’s thought process. He simply compiled the expenditure details and handed over to Jude. Jude was
obviously not happy. He was expecting much more from Harry. Harry had to resubmit the project resulting in duplicacy of effort and wastage
of time. Jude should have made it very clear from the very beginning what all he was expecting from Harry. He kept half of his things within
himself and did not share with Harry. Poor Harry had to redo his work. Every individual has a different mindset, different level of
understanding and thus it is important to share each and every detail with others and clarify the things from the very beginning.
One should remember that the listeners are also a part of the conversation. The listeners must give their feedback at the end of the
conversation. If you are not clear what your boss is expecting out of you, or what you are actually supposed to do, please ASK. Don’t
hesitate, ask questions. Don’t hide your queries, ask and clear your doubts then and there only. Your boss will only feel happy if you share
your queries with him.
For the successful running of an organization, it is important that transparency is maintained among the employees at all levels.
Communication barriers must be overcome in organizations to ensure the free flow of information between the sender and the recipient and
for an effective communication among the employees. Effective communication reduces the error rate, reduces conflicts and mis
understandings and in turn increases the profitability of the organization. Every employee must try their level best to avoid the communication
barriers in organizations for an effective business communication.
Overcoming Communication Barriers
There are a lot of communication barriers faced these days by all. The message intended by the sender is not understood by the receiver
in the same terms and sense and thus communication breakdown occurs. It is essential to deal and cope up with these communication
barriers so as to ensure smooth and effective communication.
As, in the previous section we have discussed the major barriers of communication. Let’s talk about how to overcome these barriers of
communication.
Eliminating differences in perception: The organization should ensure that it is recruiting right individuals on the job. It’s the
responsibility of the interviewer to ensure that the interviewee has command over the written and spoken language. There should be
proper Induction program so that the policies of the company are clear to all the employees. There should be proper trainings
conducted for required employees (for eg: Voice and Accent training).
2. Use of Simple Language: Use of simple and clear words should be emphasized. Use of ambiguous words and jargons should be
avoided.
3. Reduction and elimination of noise levels: Noise is the main communication barrier which must be overcome on priority basis. It
is essential to identify the source of noise and then eliminate that source.
4. Active Listening: Listen attentively and carefully. There is a difference between “listening” and “hearing”. Active listening means
hearing with proper understanding of the message that is heard. By asking questions the speaker can ensure whether his/her
message is understood or not by the receiver in the same terms as intended by the speaker.
5. Emotional State: During communication one should make effective use of body language. He/she should not show their emotions
while communication as the receiver might misinterpret the message being delivered. For example, if the conveyer of the message
is in a bad mood then the receiver might think that the information being delivered is not good.
6. Simple Organizational Structure: The organizational structure should not be complex. The number of hierarchical levels should be
optimum. There should be a ideal span of control within the organization. Simpler the organizational structure, more effective will be
the communication.
7. Avoid Information Overload: The managers should know how to prioritize their work. They should not overload themselves with
the work. They should spend quality time with their subordinates and should listen to their problems and feedbacks actively.
8. Give Constructive Feedback: Avoid giving negative feedback. The contents of the feedback might be negative, but it should be
delivered constructively. Constructive feedback will lead to effective communication between the superior and subordinate.
9. Proper Media Selection: The managers should properly select the medium of communication. Simple messages should be
conveyed orally, like: face to face interaction or meetings. Use of written means of communication should be encouraged for
delivering complex messages. For significant messages reminders can be given by using written means of communication such as :
Memos, Notices etc.
10. Flexibility in meeting the targets: For effective communication in an organization the managers should ensure that the individuals
are meeting their targets timely without skipping the formal channels of communication. There should not be much pressure on
employees to meet their targets.
1.
Seven 7 C’s of Communication
There are 7 C’s of effective communication which are applicable to both written as well as oral communication. These are as follows:
1.
Completeness - The communication must be complete. It should convey all facts required by the audience. The sender of the
message must take into consideration the receiver’s mind set and convey the message accordingly. A complete communication
has following features:
 Complete communication develops and enhances reputation of an organization.
 Moreover, they are cost saving as no crucial information is missing and no additional cost is incurred in conveying
extra message if the communication is complete.
 A complete communication always gives additional information wherever required. It leaves no questions in the mind
of receiver.
 Complete communication helps in better decision-making by the audience/readers/receivers of message as they get
all desired and crucial information.
 It persuades the audience.
2.
Conciseness - Conciseness means wordiness, i.e, communicating what you want to convey in least possible words without
forgoing the other C’s of communication. Conciseness is a necessity for effective communication. Concise communication has
following features:
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It is both time-saving as well as cost-saving.
It underlines and highlights the main message as it avoids using excessive and needless words.
Concise communication provides short and essential message in limited words to the audience.
Concise message is more appealing and comprehensible to the audience.
Concise message is non-repetitive in nature.
Consideration - Consideration implies “stepping into the shoes of others”. Effective communication must take the audience into
consideration, i.e, the audience’s view points, background, mind-set, education level, etc. Make an attempt to envisage your
audience, their requirements, emotions as well as problems. Ensure that the self-respect of the audience is maintained and their
emotions are not at harm. Modify your words in message to suit the audience’s needs while making your message complete.
Features of considerate communication are as follows:
 Emphasize on “you” approach.
 Empathize with the audience and exhibit interest in the audience. This will stimulate a positive reaction from the
audience.
 Show optimism towards your audience. Emphasize on “what is possible” rather than “what is impossible”. Lay stress on
positive words such as jovial, committed, thanks, warm, healthy, help, etc.
4.
Clarity - Clarity implies emphasizing on a specific message or goal at a time, rather than trying to achieve too much at once. Clarity
in communication has following features:
 It makes understanding easier.
 Complete clarity of thoughts and ideas enhances the meaning of message.
 Clear message makes use of exact, appropriate and concrete words.
5.
Concreteness - Concrete communication implies being particular and clear rather than fuzzy and general. Concreteness
strengthens the confidence. Concrete message has following features:
 It is supported with specific facts and figures.
 It makes use of words that are clear and that build the reputation.
 Concrete messages are not misinterpreted.
6.
Courtesy - Courtesy in message implies the message should show the sender’s expression as well as should respect the receiver.
The sender of the message should be sincerely polite, judicious, reflective and enthusiastic. Courteous message has following
features:
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Courtesy implies taking into consideration both viewpoints as well as feelings of the receiver of the message.
Courteous message is positive and focused at the audience.
It makes use of terms showing respect for the receiver of message.
It is not at all biased.
7.
Correctness - Correctness in communication implies that there are no grammatical errors in communication. Correct
communication has following features:
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The message is exact, correct and well-timed.
If the communication is correct, it boosts up the confidence level.
Correct message has greater impact on the audience/ readers.
It checks for the precision and accurateness of facts and figures used in the message.
It makes use of appropriate and correct language in the message.
Awareness of these 7 C’s of communication makes you an effective communicator.
Effective Listening Skills - An essential for good communication
Listening is a significant part of communication process. Communication cannot take place until and unless a message is heard and
retained thoroughly and positively by the receivers/listeners. Listening is a dynamic process. Listening means attentiveness and
interest perceptible in the posture as well as expressions. Listening implies decoding (i.e., translating the symbols into meaning)
and interpreting the messages correctly in communication process.
Listening differs from hearing in sense that:
 Hearing implies just perceiving the sounds while listening means listening with understanding whatever you are listening.
Both the body as well as mind is involved in listening process.
 Listening is an active process while hearing is a passive activity.
 Hearing is an effortless activity while listening is an act requiring conscious efforts, concentration and interest. Listening
involves both physical and psychological efforts.
Effective listening requires both deliberate efforts and a keen mind. Effective listeners appreciate flow of new ideas and information.
Organizations that follow the principles of effective listening are always informed timely, updated with the changes and implementations, and
are always out of crisis situation. Effective listening promotes organizational relationships, encourages product delivery and innovation, as
well as helps organization to deal with the diversity in employees and customers it serves.
To improve your communication skills, you must learn to listen effectively. Effective listening gives you an advantage and makes you more
impressive when you speak. It also boosts your performance.
Effective Listening Skills
Discover your interests’ field.
Grasp and understand the matter/content.
Remain calm. Do not loose your temper. Anger hampers and inhibits communication. Angry people jam their minds to the words of
others.
4. Be open to accept new ideas and information.
5. Jot down and take a note of important points.
6. Work upon listening. Analyze and evaluate the speech in spare time.
7. Rephrase and summarize the speaker’s ideas.
8. Keep on asking questions. This demonstrates that how well you understand the speaker’s ideas and also that you are listening.
9. Avoid distractions.
10. “Step into the shoes of others”, i.e., put yourself in the position of the speaker and observe things from his view point. This will help
creating an atmosphere of mutual understanding and improve the exchange of ideas in communication process.
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Characteristics of Good and Effective Listener
Good and effective listener tries to give maximum amount of thought to the speaker’s ideas being communicated, leaving a minimum amount
of time for mental exercises to go off track. A good listener:
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Is attentive- Good listener must pay attention to the key points. He should be alert. He should avoid any kind of distraction.
Do not assume- Good listener does not ignore the information he considers is unnecessary. He should always summarize the
speaker’s ideas so that there is no misunderstanding of thoughts of speakers. He avoids premature judgements about the speakers
message.
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Listen for feelings and facts- Good listener deliberately listens for the feelings of the speaker. He concentrates totally on the facts.
He evaluates the facts objectively. His listening is sympathetic, active and alert. He keenly observes the gestures, facial expression
and body language of the speaker. In short, a good listener should be projective (i.e. one who tries to understand the views of the
speaker) and empathic (i.e. one who concentrates not only on the surface meaning of the message but tries to probe the feelings
and emotions of the speaker).
Concentrate on the other speakers kindly and generously- A good listener makes deliberate efforts to give a chance to other
speakers also to express their thoughts and views. He tries to learn from every speaker. He evaluates the speaker’s ideas in spare
time. He focuses on the content of the speaker’s message and not on the speaker’s personality and looks.
Opportunizes- A good listener tries to take benefit from the opportunities arising. He asks “What’s in it for me?”
To conclude, effective listening enhances the communication quality. It makes all attentive. It encourages optimistic attitude, healthy relations
and more participation. It leads to better decision- making in an organization. Effective listening is directly related to our ability to do team
work. It must be noted that “We listen at about an efficiency rate of 25 percent maximum, and we remember only about 50 percent of what is
delivered during a ten minute speech/lecture/communication.”
Effective Presentation Skills
Presentation can be defined as a formal event characterized by teamwork and use of audio-visual aids. The main purpose of
presentation is to give information, to persuade the audience to act and to create goodwill. A good presentation should have a good
subject matter, should match with the objective, should best fit the audience, and should be well organized.
Characteristics of a Good/Effective Presentation
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The presentation ideas should be well adapted to your audience. Relate your presentation message/idea to the interests of the
audience. A detailed audience analysis must be made before the presentation, i.e., an analysis of the needs, age, educational
background, language, and culture of the target audience. Their body language instantly gives the speaker the required
feedback.
A good presentation should be concise and should be focused on the topic. It should not move off-track.
A good presentation should have the potential to convey the required information.
The fear should be transformed into positive energy during the presentation. Be calm and relaxed while giving a presentation.
Before beginning, wait and develop an eye contact with the audience. Focus on conveying your message well and use a positive
body language.
To communicate the desired information, the speaker should use more of visual aids such as transparencies, diagrams, pictures,
charts, etc. Each transparency/slide should contain limited and essential information only. No slide should be kept on for a longer
time. Try facing the audience, rather than the screen. The speaker should not block the view. Turn on the room lights else the
audience might fall asleep and loose interest. Organize all the visuals for making a logical and sound presentation.
A good presentation must be planned. The speaker must plan how to begin the presentation, what to speak in the middle of
presentation and how to end the presentation without losing audience interests at any point of time.
Rehearse and practice the presentation. This will help the speaker to be more confident and self-assured. The more the speaker
rehearses the better the presentation turns to be.
The speaker should encourage more questions from the audience. He should be honest enough to answer those questions. If any
biased question is put forth by the audience, rearticulate it before answering.
Summarize the presentation at the end. Give final comments. Leave a positive impact upon the audience.
The speaker must have a presentable appearance while giving a presentation. The speaker should stand with feet far apart
maintaining a good balance. He must use confident gestures. He must use short and simple words.
Try to gain and maintain audience interest by using positive quotes, humour, or remarkable fact.
The speaker must be affirmative and optimistic before giving presentation. He should ensure all tools and equipments to be used in
presentation are working well.
The speaker must state the objectives of the presentation at beginning of the presentation.