Communication skills

Definition of Communication
“Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions, or emotions by two or more
persons.” William. H. Newman and Charles. F. Summer Jr.
“Communication is the process by which information is transmitted between individuals and/or
organizations so that an understandable response results.”
Peter Little
• Personal- Social Need
• Professional-
1. Planning, Execution, Discussion for Decision
2. Making collaboration with organization (colleague, higher and lower)
3. Interpersonal relation

Elements of Communication Cycle

The process of communication is a two way street. It requires a sender, a receiver and a
message that is sent to the receiver. For proper communication, the message sent is required to
be understood by the receiver. There after, a feedback is sent back to the sender by the receiver
which informs that the message was effectively communicated. The process of communication
can be broken down into several elements; which are stated as below:
Diagram

Sender: He is a person who intends to and sends a message to someone through any medium.
E.g. If a teacher asks her students to keep quiet, she is the sender of the message.
Encoding: It is a process of converting ideas and thoughts into a message which can be easily
understood by the person receiving the message. The sender is the encoder of the message.
Message: It is the information which the sender intends to communicate to the receiver. E.g. If
an employee needs to inform his boss in another city that he has achieved the task assigned, he
can write him an e-mail. In this case, the e-mail with details will be the message.
Channel: It is the mode by which the message is transmitted to the sender. It is the carrier of
the message. The channel can be oral, verbal or in non-verbal form depending on the person or
organization you communicate with. E.g. e-mail, letter, media, etc.
Receiver: He is the person who receives the message by listening, reading or understanding
it.
E.g. If you call a friend to inform him about the date of an examination, he becomes the
receiver of the message.
Decoding: It is the function of converting and interpreting the message sent. It involves the
understanding of the message received. A receiver is the decoder of a message.
Feedback: It involves giving response to the message received. Feedback can be positive or
negative. Through feedback, it can be understood if the message has been successfully
understood or not. Feedback is very important for improving communication skills and also
performing the tasks well. E.g. If a senior at work gives feedback to the subordinate that he
needs to check the work twice before sending; then such feedback would probably help the
subordinate to improve at his job
Principles of Effective Communication

All employees should learn how to communicate effectively. Being able to do so will not only
help the individual but the organization as well. To achieve the desired results in oral and written
communication, certain principles are to be followed. They are as follows:
i. Clarity in Encoding: When the message is being formed, it should be conveyed
clearly. If it is said in too complicated or lengthy words, it can confuse the
receiver.

ii. Clarity in stating the Purpose: The message should easily be able to state the
purpose. Thus, thinking through what to write is very important. After writing a
message, the sender should go through it and check if it has clarity.
iii. Correctness of the message: The sender should ensure that the message is
correct. It is the duty of the sender to check whether the message is not
incorrect or serving misguiding details

iv. Clarity in Encoding: When the message is being formed, it should be conveyed
clearly. If it is said in too complicated or lengthy words, it can confuse the
receiver.

v. Clarity in stating the Purpose: The message should easily be able to state the
purpose. Thus, thinking through what to write is very important. After writing a
message, the sender should go through it and check if it has clarity.

vi. Correctness of the message: The sender should ensure that the message is correct.
It is the duty of the sender to check whether the message is not incorrect or serving
misguiding details.
vii. Conciseness of the message: The message should be drafted in the most
concise manner in order to ensure proper understanding. One should avoid
lengthy messages as it may lead to confusion.
viii. Completeness of the message: The message should have all the information
the receiver needs to understand it. Completing the message allows one to
expect a quicker response with lesser doubts.
ix. Coherence of the message: While conveying a message in written or oral
form, it is important to set it in a logical sequence. It should depict a clear
picture of how things are. E.g. If you write a letter with a query about a
product, the product name must be mentioned first before asking details
such as its measurements, capabilities, etc.
x. Courteous language: Communication is all about building relations and
forming the right impressions. It is necessary to always be courteous. One
must avoid losing his cool.
xi. Selection of proper channel: While sending a message, the sender should
consider the urgency of the message, receiver’s abilities and the availability
of resources in order to send it. The impact of the message can be effective
only when it is sent through a proper channel as it ensures smooth
transmission. E.g. If a person residing in the U.S.A. intends to communicate
with someone residing in India, then opting an e-mail is much faster and
economical rather than sending a post.
xii. Knowledge about the receiver: The sender should know who the receiver
is. This information will accordingly help the sender to form the message.
Moreover, such know-how would help the sender to use appropriate
words, phrases and tone. This can even suggest the sender to select the
appropriate channel for communication. A major role is played by the
receiver’s age, experience, interest, knowledge, efficiency, etc.
xiii. Handling of barriers effectively: While communicating, the sender and
receiver should keep the barriers in mind. They should well in advance
anticipate the probable barriers and plan accordingly. E.g. Sending e-mails
to someone who lives in an area with no internet connection would not
make sense.
xiv. Maintaining a clear line of action and giving feedback: The sender
should ensure that the sent messages receive the feedback he is expecting.
To receive a positive and prompt feedback. the sender should take care that
he defines the timeline properly.