FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH

UNIT -1
Definition of 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

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Chief proctor & Assistant professor
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH
UNIT -1
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.).

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Chief proctor & Assistant professor
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH
UNIT -1
(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

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Chief proctor & Assistant professor
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH
UNIT -1
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

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Chief proctor & Assistant professor
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH
UNIT -1
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.
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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Chief proctor & Assistant professor
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH
UNIT -1
(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.

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Chief proctor & Assistant professor
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH
UNIT -1
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.

7C / CHARACTERISTICS / PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION

Good communication is something that does not happen all by itself. A communicator must have
clear understanding of the communication process and must take conscious efforts to accurately
communicate the intended message to the receiver in an appropriate manner. Some factors also known
as 7C of communication or Principles of Communication must be followed by the Communicator for
the purpose of effective communication. These 7C of communication or Principles of Communication
are:

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Chief proctor & Assistant professor
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH
UNIT -1
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

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Chief proctor & Assistant professor
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH
UNIT -1
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.

COMMUNICATION MODELS – DAVID BERLO SMCR MODEL

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Chief proctor & Assistant professor
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH
UNIT -1
David Berlo SMCR Model attempts to explain the various components required for effective
communication. According to David Berlo SMCR Model the three major components
required for effective communication are Sender, Message and Receiver.
The model explains various characteristics/factors related to the sender, message and receiver
which influences communication and have to be kept in mind to effectively communicate a
message.
The model lists many factors that are related to the sender which influence communication,
some of which are:
 Knowledge about what is being communicated
 Sender Attitude that influences communication
 Communication Skills to communicate the right message to the receiver
 Social Systems on which the Sender’s communication is based
 Culture from which the sender hails
David Berlo SMCR Model insists that a message must have the following to make the
communication a meaningful one, they are:
 Content that is relevant and rich in nature
 Code or form representing the manner in which the message is communicated
 Communication elements like signs and body language involved in the message
 Structure of the communication
 Treatment of the subject being communicated
The model also places emphasis on the channel through which the communication is carried
out. Channel here means the five senses in humans namely hearing, seeing, touching,
smelling and tasting.
It is empirical that the receiver understands and perceives the message in the manner and
perspective it was intended by the sender. David Berlo SMCR Model insists that the
following are mandatory requisites for the receiver, without which, the information
communicated will not be received in the proper manner. They are:
 Communication skills with respect to comprehension or understanding what is
communicated in the relevant perspective
 Attitude to perceive the message with the right spirit
 Knowledge to understand what is being communicated
 Supporting environment, Social Systems and background of the receiver
 Comprehension and acceptance of the message must not be influenced by the culture
of the receiver
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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Chief proctor & Assistant professor
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH
UNIT -1
Meaning of Feedback
Feedback is last and most essential element of communication process. A communication
process is said to have feedback, when the receiver of the message has given his response to the
sender’s message. With the help of feedback, the communicator came to know how well the message
has been received by the receiver, understood, interpreted and acted upon. Thus, it can be said that
sending back the response about the message to the communicator is known as ‘feedback’. A
communication process without a provision for feedback is not an effective communication.
According to H. C. Hicks and C. R. Gillett,
“Feedback or response, enables the source to know whether or not the message has been received
and interpreted correctly. Feedback can cause the original source to modify future communication
according to the way in which the source perceives the react on of the receiver. ”

PROCESS OF FEEDBACK
In a communication process, message is considered effective only when there exists provision
for feedback. Feedback process includes the process through which receiver of the message
sent his reaction or response to the sender. Feed back is probably the most important
technique of improving the communication. Feedback is necessary to understand immediate
reaction which would help in a great way in the decision making process.

Method of Feedback can be expressed as follows:

 (I) Oral Feedback: When receiver of the message expresses his reaction orally then it is
known as oral feedback. In this type of feedback, receiver gives his response in spoken words.
Oral communication permits instant feedback which helps the speaker to avoid some
problems. Oral feedback also helps both the parties in the communication, the sender or
speaker; make his message clearer, the listener to interpret the message more accurately.

 (2) Written Feedback: When response about the message is given in written form, it is
known as written feedback. In the written feedback, sender cannot get the instant feedback.
(3) Non-Verbal Feedback: When receiver expresses his response with the help of body
language, signs or symbols, then it is known as non-verbal feedback. Through non-verbal
communication feelings can be expired in a better way.

IMPORTANCE OF FEEDBACK
Success of communication process can be measured through feedback therefore the effects
and importance of feedback should not be ignored. Importance of feedback can be clarified as
follows:

 (1) Promote good relations: Feedback promotes good relations between management and
employees and motivates people to do their best. Feedback creates mutual confidence and
understanding between the management and employees.

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Chief proctor & Assistant professor
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH
UNIT -1
 (2) Helpful in effective communication: Feedback is one of the important essential of
effective communication. The manager who does not allow feedback will be less effective
than the managers who receive feedback. Thus, the management has to provide an
oppoHunity of feedback for effective decision making.

 (3) Improvement in the communication process: Feedback is probably the most important
technique of improving communication. It is necessary to understand the immediate reaction
which would help in a great way in the decision making process.

 (4) Modification in the message: Feedback enables the communicator to carry out
corrections or changes in the messages to make the effective. It ensures that the receiver has
received the message and under stooping the same sense as sender meant for.

 (5) Avoid errors in the communication: Interface and interaction are possible in feedback.
It avoids errors in the transmission of message and promotes effective participation of the
subordinates.

GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK

SKILLS
S. P. Robbins suggests six specific points for making effective feedback:

 (1) Focus on specific behavior: Feedback should always be for specific behavior not for
general behavior. If in the reference of feedback it is said that your communications not
effective, then it is a general feedback and communicator will feel problem in improving his
communication skill. But if in reference of certain point, ineffectiveness is focused then
communicator can easily improve it.

 (2) Keep feedback impersonal: The feedback, particularly the negative feedback, should be
descriptive rather than judgment or evaluation. The criticism should be reasonable and related
to job but not personal.

 (3) Make feedback well timely: A timely feedback is more meaningful and useful and helps
in bringing about the desired changes. Therefore feedback should be made timely.

 (4) Keep Feedback goal oriented: Feedback should always be related with the goal of the
message. The negative feedback should be directed toward the recipient’s goal.

 (5) Ensure understanding: For effective feedback, it must be ensured that the receiver
understands the message clearly and fully. If meaning of the message is not understood
properly by the recipient, it is not an effective communication.

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Chief proctor & Assistant professor
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH
UNIT -1
 (6) Control on the direct negative feedback: Dialect negative feedback towards behavior of
the sender must be controlled asset discourages the sender. In case of negative feedback,
suggestions for improving the communication must be given.

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS – OVERCOMING

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
Communication Barriers refers to any interference, gap, distortion that may prevent the
communicating parties to interact and understand each other effectively. Communication barriers may
be in form of a physical walls, technical glitches, organizational policies or psychological issues.

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.

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Chief proctor & Assistant professor
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH
UNIT -1
 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.

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Chief proctor & Assistant professor
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH
UNIT -1
 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

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Chief proctor & Assistant professor
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS