aProfessional Communication (ENGN 101)

Unit 1 and Unit 2 notes

Communication

• Definition:

• Following are some of the important definitions of communication:

• Communication may be defined as “the transfer of information and understanding from

one person to another.”

• Newman and Summer- “Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or

emotions by two or more persons.”

• ‘It is the process of passing information and understanding from one person to another. It
is essentially a bridge of meaning between people. By using this bridge of meaning, a
person can safely cross the river of misunderstanding that separates all the people’. –
Keith Davis

Origin: Communication is as old as human civilization. The term communication has been
derived from the Latin word, ‘communis’ or ‘communicare’ or communico, which means ‘to
share’ or ‘to exchange’. Its literal meaning is giving or sharing information.

Prefessional Communication: Professional communication is a subfield of communication

that pays close attention to the theories and practice of communication within professional
contexts.

Objectives

• An Aid to Decision Making.

• Smooth Functioning.
• Facilitates Coordination.
• Employee Motivation and Morale.
• Overcome Resistance to Changes.
• Sound Human Relation.
• Maintain Public Relation.
• An Aid to control.

Characteristics
– At least two persons
 – Two-way process
– Dynamic process
Goal-oriented

– Interdisciplinary – Communication derives knowledge from several sciences like

anthropology (the study of body language), sociology (the study of human
behavior), psychology (the study of a human), etc. The linking between these
sciences makes communication effective.
– Interpersonal relations

– Circular process

Types of Communication

Formal Commn

• Formal commn refers to a commn, which passes through predefined channels. It is also
known as official commn.
• Four types of formal commn
• Downwards
• Upwards
• Horizontal
• diagonal
Informal Commn
• Informal commn is one that does not follow any lines of commn and moves freely in all
the directions. It is also called as grapevine commn.

• Improves coordination

• Gossip

• Helps in organizational progress

• Four types of grapevine commn (Prof. Keith Davis)

• 1. single strand chain

• 2. Gossip chain

• 3. Probability chain

• 4. cluster chain

What is diagonal communication?

• Diagonal communication is a type of business communication where the exchange of
information occurs between individuals or teams, not on the same department or level in
the organization. It is also known as crosswise communication.
• The diagonal flow of communication instigates cutting across departmental lines by
letting people from different departments who have no direct reporting relationship
interact with each other.
• Diagonal communication in an organization is used to ensure different teams in the
organization are adhering to the overall goals of the company.
• In modern organizations, diagonal communication facilities tackle challenges in ways
vertical and horizontal communication cannot.
• During the various stages of production, one department may require assistance from
another department. Individuals from different departments can also be put into a task
team to carry forward special objectives.

Characteristics of Diagonal Communication

• A diagonal communication network has the following characteristics:
• 1) No line of command: It allows individuals in the organization with no direct reporting
relationship to interact with each other. Messages can be transmitted from one level to
another by anyone in the organization.
• 2) Inter-departmental communication: One of the main purposes of diagonal
communication is inter-departmental communication. Different departments in a
company can communicate and coordinate with each other to reach common goals.
• 3) Extended recommendations: A key characteristic of diagonal communication is that
it helps in finding solutions and recommendations by seeking assistance from other
departments and managers with extensive knowledge bases and experience.
 • 4) Speed: Diagonal communication channel improves the speed of informational flow in
an organization. Messages are transmitted quickly as there are no formalities as such to
be followed and the channel of communication is mostly oral.
• 5) Crosswise Communication: Communication is not vertical or horizontal in nature. It
is rather a hybrid of both. This allows flexibility and provides a broader range of
communication.

Verbal Communication: The communication happens through verbally, vocally or through

written words which express or convey the message to other is called verbal communication.
Example: Baby crying (vocal) is verbal communication which express the hungry or pain
through vocally.

• Verbal communication has classified into two types:

A. Oral Communication B. Written Communication.

Non Verbal Communication

Any communication without word of mouth, spoken words, Conversation and written languages
are called Non-Verbal Communication. It happens through Signs, symbols, colors, gestures,
body language or any facial expressions are known as non-verbal communication.

• Examples: Traffic signals are one of the best examples for non-verbal communication.
Public Communication: For example, the Prime Minister addressing the public about the
multiple developing projects; Other examples include elections, campaigns, public speeches, etc.

Small-Group Communication: The small group communication is defined as communication

within two or more people. For example, school meetings, board meetings, press conferences,
office meetings, team meetings, family gatherings, etc.

Intrapersonal Communication: Intrapersonal communication is communication within us. It

includes self-thinking, analysis, thoughts, assessments, etc. associated with the inner state of
mind.
The person's internal thoughts or feelings play a vital role in intrapersonal communication. It also
includes various activities, such as solo speaking, solo writing, solo dancing, concentration, and
self-awareness.

Interpersonal Communication: Interpersonal communication is the communication between us

and others over the channel. The communication can be online, face-to-face, video conference on
mobile, etc. Interpersonal skills are essential, whether we are a manager, employee, or looking
for work. Such skills are also known as soft skills that determine how well a person can
communicate, behave, and relate to others.

Kinesics

Kinesics is the interpretation of body motion communication such as facial

expressions and gestures, nonverbal behavior related to movement of any part of the body or the
body as a whole. The equivalent popular culture term is body language, a term Ray Birdwhistell,
considered the founder of this area of study,[1] neither used nor liked (on the grounds that what
can be conveyed with the body does not meet the linguist's definition of language).

Kinesics was first

used in 1952 by an anthropologist named Ray Birdwhistell. Birdwhistell wished to study how
people communicate through posture, gesture, stance and movement.[2] His ideas over several
decades were synthesized and resulted in the book Kinesics and Context.[3]

He wrote two books on the subject: Introduction to Kinesics (1952) and Kinesics and
Context (1970). He also created films of people communicating and studied their methods of
nonverbal communication in slow-motion. He published his results as attempts to make general
translations of gestures and expressions, although he later acknowledged it was impossible to
equate each form of body language with a specific meaning.
Body language: Such behavior includes facial expressions, body posture, gestures, eye
movement, touch and the use of space. Interpretations of human body language. It is also known
as kinesics.

Facial expression: such as the movement of the eyes, eyebrows, lips, nose and cheeks. The face
displays numerous emotions such as: Happiness, Surprise, Disgust, Anger, Sadness, etc...

Head and neck signals: Body language conveyed by the head and neck involves various ranges
of movement. Nodding of the head is generally considered as a sign of saying 'yes'. Shaking the
head is usually interpreted as meaning 'no'.

Body postures: Emotions can also be detected through body postures. For example, a person
feeling angry would portray dominance over the other, and their posture would display approach
tendencies. Sitting or standing postures also indicate one's emotions.

Gestures - Gestures are movements made with body parts (example hands, arms, fingers, head,
legs) and they may be voluntary or involuntary. Different hand gestures help emphasize
meanings and regulate interaction between or among participants. For Example: Relaxed hands
indicate confidence and self-assurance, while clenched hands may be interpreted as signs of
stress or anger. If a person is wringing their hands, this demonstrates nervousness and anxiety.

Oculasics

Oculesics, a subcategory of body language, is the study of eye movement, eye behavior, gaze,
and eye-related nonverbal communication. Eyes are said to be the window to the soul. - Through
eye contact, one can tell if the other party is paying attention to the speaker’s words. - It can also
help in determining whether one is saying the truth or not. - Through eye contact we can be able
to know one’s emotional condition.

Proxemics

• Another notable area in the nonverbal world of body language is that of spatial
relationships, which is also known as Proxemics. Introduced by Edward T. Hall in 1966,
Proxemics is the study of measurable distances between people as they interact with one
another.
• Hall also came up with four distinct zones in which most men operate:
• Intimate distance for embracing, touching or whispering
• Personal distance for interactions among good friends or family members
• Social distance for interactions among acquaintances
• Public Distance used for public speaking.
Haptics
It is a subcategory of Body Language, and the study of touching as such, handshakes, holding
hands, back slapping, high fives, brushing up against someone or patting someone all have
meaning. Touching is the most developed sense at birth and formulates our initial views of the
world. Touching can be used to sooth, for amusement during play, to flirt, to express power and
maintain bonds between people, such as with baby and mother.

Chronemics
• The use of time in nonverbal communication is formally defined as chronemics. Time
perceptions include punctuality, willingness to wait, and interactions. The use of time can
affect lifestyles, daily agendas, speed of speech, movements and how long people are
willing to listen.

Paralinguistics
Paralinguistics is the study of vocal (and sometimes non-vocal) signals beyond the basic
verbal message or speech, also k these nown as vocalics.
Paralanguage includes accent, pitch, volume, speech rate, modulation, and fluency. Some
researchers also include certain non-vocal phenomena under the heading of paralanguage: facial
expressions, eye movements, hand gestures, and the like.
.
Paralinguistic phenomena occur alongside spoken language, interact with it, and produce
together with it a total system of communication.
Vocal and Nonvocal Phenomena "The more technical discussion of what is loosely described as
tone of voice involves the recognition of a whole set of variations in the features of voice
dynamics: loudness, tempo, pitch fluctuation, continuity, etc.

Barrier in Communication
A communication barrier is anything that comes in the way of receiving and understanding
messages that one sends to another to convey his ideas, thoughts, or any other kind of
information. These various barriers of communication block or interfere with the message that
someone is trying to send. There are numerous barriers to effective communication that can
come in the way. It happens because the message sent by the sender might not be understood
exactly as it is meant to be. It can get distorted during the communication exchange. These
different types of communication barriers can come at any stage in the process of
communication. It can come because of the bias or stereotyping and generalization that exists in
the workplace.
 • Language Barriers: Language barriers are the most common communication barriers
which cause misunderstandings and misinterpretations between people. Not using the
words that other person understands makes the communication ineffective and prevents
message from being conveyed.
• Cultural Barriers: Past experiences, perception, and cultural background greatly affect
the way people talk and behave. Culture plays an important role in shaping the style of
communication.
The culture in which individuals are socialized influences the way they communicate,
and the way individuals communicate can change the culture.

• Organizational Barriers: Inside the organization, there are many things inside which a
communication barrier is created. Just like the policy of the organization, about the rule
and regulation of the organization, about the status, the facility, there are many other
things which cause a lot of barriers.
• Semantic Barriers: Semantic barriers to communication are the symbolic obstacles that
distort the sent message in some other way than intended, making the message difficult to
understand. The meaning of words, signs and symbols might be different from one
person to another and the same word might have hundreds of meanings.

Technical Communication
Technical Communication takes place when professionals discuss a topic with a specific purpose
with a well defined audience.
Objectives:
To provide organized information that aids in quick decision-making
To invite corporate joint ventures
To disseminate knowledge in oral or written form

Difference in General and Technical Communication

General Communication
• Contains a general message
• Informal in style and approach
• No set pattern of communication.
• Mostly oral
• Not always for a specific audience
Doesn’t involves the use of technical vocabulary or graphics, etc.

Technical Communication
 • Contains a technical message
• Mostly formal
• Follows a set pattern
• Both oral and written
• Always for a specific audience
• Frequently involves jargon, graphics, etc.

Features of Tech Commn

• Addresses Particular audience
• Moderate length sentences
• Logical division of paragraphs
• Help people to solve problems
• Consists of words, graph or both
• Produced using high tech tools V6SSS

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

1. Discover your interests’ field.
2. Grasp and understand the matter/content.
3. 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.

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:

1. Is attentive- Good listener must pay attention to the key points. He should be alert. He should
avoid any kind of distraction.
2. 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.
3. Listen for feelings and facts- Good listener deliberately listens for the feelings of the speaker.
He/She concentrates totally on the facts. He/She evaluates the facts objectively. His/Her listening
is sympathetic, active and alert. He/She 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).

4. 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.
5. Opportunities- 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.”

Different Types of Listening Skills & Styles

As now you know the importance of listening skills, let’s know how the different styles of
listening work. We use informational, critical and empathic styles when we listen to people.
Those who use informational listening are usually in school or work in an office setting. They
are also likely to take physical notes and pay attention to body language. Developing
informational listening skills is ideal for beginning a new job or self-development study. We can
use all eight styles. But which one is best for you?

1. Empathetic Listening

As the name implies, empathic listening is based on understanding beyond the facts and
providing support and empathy to the speaker. Using this type of listening style builds trust and
positive interactions. The benefits of empathic listening extend beyond interpersonal
relationships.

Empathetic listening is the most common type of listening. It involves identifying with the other
person's feelings and experiences. The listener is not necessarily required to experience the same
thing as the speaker, but he or she should try to imagine the other person's experience. For
example, if your coworker is facing an increase in workload, you will understand his or her
struggle. By understanding the other person's feelings, you will be able to make a better decision.

Developing empathetic listening skills requires practice and understanding of the person talking
to you. Learning about their lives and picking up on nonverbal cues will help you become a
better listener. But remember that it takes time to develop your listening skills.

The more you practice, the more effective you'll become. So start practising today to become a
better listener. After all, you won't get anywhere without practice.

2. Active Listening

If we talk about how to improve listening skills, active listening is among the most important
ones. When you are communicating with someone, active listening is crucial. The active listener
will pay attention to every word of what is being said and will often show their own response by
verbally giving feedback.

Active listeners are the holy grail of audiences. While active listening can be tricky to master, it's
vitally important to know how to effectively communicate with an active listener.
The most effective way to listen is to engage in active listening. People who practice this style
are generous and considerate listeners who place the needs of others above their own. They
prioritise the point of view of others, even if this requires filtering out other points of view.

They also value facts and consider their own feelings before answering. Active listeners may
even ask questions on behalf of other people, which shows that they are attentive and care about
other people's opinions.

The main difference between active listening and forced listening is that active listeners focus
their attention on the speaker rather than on other distractions. In addition, they avoid
interrupting the speaker and are more likely to remember important information.

Active listeners can also be more attentive to nonverbal cues like body language and eye contact
when they are active listeners. The key to active listening is paying attention. This style is
important for communication because it improves the quality of information that is
communicated.

8. Critical Listening

The term "critical" has multiple meanings; however, in this instance, it's simply saying that
you're evaluating data but not necessarily judging. Critical listening refers to the method of
listening that listeners use when trying to evaluate and analyse the complexity of the information
being conveyed to them.

It is possible to use critical listening when you're working on a problem-solving job and need to
determine whether you appreciate the idea being presented by one of your colleagues or not.

Appreciative Listening

Comprehensive Listening

Listening vs Hearing

Hearing is the act of perceiving sounds and receiving sound waves or vibration through your ear

Listening is the act of hearing the sounds and understand the meaning expressed by the speaker.

Hearing may be accidental, involuntary, effortless.

Listening is focused, voluntary and intentional

Hearing is physiological

Listening is psychological
Hearing is passive

Listening is active

Hearing involves one sensory organ

Listening involves multiple sensory organs

Five stages of listening

Receiving

Understanding

Remembering

Evaluating

Responding