Basics of Communication

Unit 1: Introduction to Communication

Forms of Communication: Verbal, Non-verbal,

Internal (Formal and Informal) and External (Organizational
Communication)

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 FORMS OF COMMUNICATIONS

Verbal Non-verbal
ORAL
• Speaking KINESICS
• Listening

PARALANGUAGE
WRITTEN
• Writing
• Reading
PROXEMICS

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 Verbal Communication
• Verbal communication is the use of sounds and words to
express yourself.
• The sharing of information between individuals by using
speech.
 Non-verbal Communication
Communication without the use of spoken language.
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 Paralanguage
Paralanguage includes
• prosody, (the patterns of rhythm and sound used in poetry)
• accent, (a distinctive way of pronouncing a language, especially one
associated with a particular country, area, or social class.)
• pitch variation,
• volume variation,
• speech rate,
• voice modulation, and
• fluency

Some researchers also include certain non-vocal phenomena under the heading
of paralanguage: facial expressions, eye movements, hand gestures, etc.
 Proxemics
• Proxemics is the study of human use of space and the effects
that population density has on behaviour, communication, and
social interaction.
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Organisational Communication
 Organisational Communication

• Communication can be
• Internal Communication
• Formal
• Informal
• External Communication

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 Internal Communication
• Internal Communication flows in different directions:

Downward
Upward
Vertical
Horizontal
Diagonal

• Internal Communication can be Formal and Informal

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 1. DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION
• In Downward Communication, top management of an organisation
transmits decisions taken by it, along with its intended goals,
vision, culture and ethics through various levels of authority.
• All decisions taken by the top management are passed down the
ladder of authority for their implementation.
• The messages that flow through this channel are orders, memos,
rules, practices, procedures, circulars, regulations. Written
orders, bulletins, bulletin-boards, posters, house-journals are
commonly used modes of this communication.
• As it proceeds from superiors to the subordinates, this
communication is also called Top-Down Communication.

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 DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION
• This type of communication demands complete
obedience and ensures discipline and orderly
implementation of orders.
• It leads to:
• efficient functioning of the organisation
• eliminates dissent
• define the tasks and positions of authority
• brings clarity in the minds of people who are
responsible for taking action
• avoiding confusion.
• helps in uniting different levels of authority and
brings in team spirit.
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 2. UPWARD COMMUNICATION

• Communication from lower levels of an organization to the top.

• An organization needs suggestions and feedback from its
employees on its routine work, and this system of obtaining
employee reactions is known as upward communication.

• To report on official matters

• To give voice to the difficulties, grievances, dissatisfaction and

work-related demands of employees
• To invite suggestions, creativity, and participation in problem
solving
• To create a sense of belongingness through participation

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 3. VERTICAL COMMUNICATION

• Most organisations follow a vertical pattern of communication — a healthy mix of Downward

and Upward Communication.
• While decisions are finally taken by the top management, there is room for employee feedback.
• Communication,
• wherein the management interacts with employees,
• invites their participation in decision making,
• creates mechanisms to address their concerns without compromising on its measures of control, is called
vertical communication.

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 VERTICAL COMMUNICATION
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 4. HORIZONTAL/LATERAL COMMUNICATION

• Since an organisation is not an arrangement of vertical levels of

authority alone, and the nature of work requires team effort, it is
imperative that employees at the same level of authority
exchange official information.
• Horizontal communication takes place between employees
belonging to the same or comparable status.

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 5. DIAGONAL/CROSSWISE COMMUNICATION

• Diagonal or crosswise communication takes place when

individuals from different levels interact with one another,
outside their reporting relationships.
• In a complex and multi-layered organisation diagonal
communication helps:
• speeds up the flow of information
• creates healthy work relationships
• brings in proper co-ordination among different sections
• makes problem-solving easy
• controls distortion and dilution of message because of direct, inter-level
communication.

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 DIAGONAL/CROSSWISE COMMUNICATION

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 INFORMAL COMMUNICATION / GRAPEVINE
• Sometimes formal communication channels are
unable to meet entire organizational requirements.
• This gap between the needs of the formal system and
that of the total system is bridged by an informal
communication system.
• This system exists along with the formal system and
comprises messages, bits of information, opinions,
and expressions chosen for convenience and
necessity rather than for propriety, or conformity with
formal communication patterns.

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 INFORMAL COMMUNICATION - GRAPEVINE

• This is personal communication which is transmitted between individuals or groups and

comprises personal interpretations, opinions, gossip, reactions, hearsay, half-truths.
• It is an unofficial circulation that makes the rounds in an organisation
• But it lacks credence (faith), the receiver finds it hard to resist.
• This kind of communication travels the fastest and has a vast reach.
• Grapevine: used to refer to the circulation of rumours and unofficial
information.

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 External Communication
• External Communication is concerned with the
transmission of messages outside the organisation with
Governments, customers, dealers, inter-corporate bodies,
general public investors etc.
• It promotes goodwill with the public
• Both Written, Oral or Verbal media can be used to
transmit messages.

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 Verbal
Written
Orders, Letters, Face-to-face
communication,
Memos, House Lectures, Conferences,
Journals, Posters, Meetings, Interviews,
Bulletins, Boards, Counselling, Public
Handbooks, Address System,
Manuals, etc. Telephone, Grapevine,
etc

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Hearing is simply the act of
perceiving sound by the ear.

Listening, however, is something

you consciously choose to do.
Listening requires concentration so
that your brain processes meaning
from words and sentences.