Unit 1

Communication- Introduction

Learning Objectives Introduction

By the end of this unit, you will be

The Latin term communis, which means “to share,” is the
able to understand:
root of the English word “communication,” which refers to
● Meaning and concept of
the exchange of thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Nearly
communication
as old as man himself is the study of communication. We
● Process of communication communicate in some way virtually constantly throughout

● Importance of communication our lives, which illustrates how important communication

is. A message is created and sent while we are moving,
● Factors affecting
conversing, playing, sitting, or even sleeping. Being a
communication
social animal, man engages in ongoing social interaction.
● Perception and communication He must therefore fully grasp the art of communication
and put it to use or alter it appropriately.

Man has the capacity to communicate, which goes far

beyond a simple combination of physical traits like vocal
cords and articulators. He has a special aptitude for
comprehending ideas through pictures and symbols. He
can express his sentiments and emotions, which allows
him to communicate and be more alive. Man is only as
alive as his capacity for effective communication, and as
dead as his lack of it. The need to share or communicate
has existed since the dawn of mankind. For the aim of
transmitting thoughts, sentiments, and emotions, many
vehicles, carriers, and channels were discovered and
subsequently refined.

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Communication- Introduction
One must comprehend communication to master messages constitute the process of communication.
it. Fundamentally, communication is the movement Only when the intended response or reaction is
of a particle from one region of space to another. received by the recipient is it deemed effective. The
The object being sent is a particle. It could be a response could be favorable or unfavorable. If there
physical thing, a written or spoken word, an idea, is no response, communication is insufficient.
or a message. This is communication, to put it
simply. The whole definition follows from this basic Definitions of Communication:
understanding of communication: Communication
is the idea and action of propelling an impulse or “Communication is the transfer of information from
particle from a source point across a distance to a sender to a receiver, with the information being
a reception location with the goal of creating a understood by the receiver”. — Koontz and Weihrich
duplicate and an understanding of what came from
the source point at the reception site. The Oxford dictionary defines communication
as ‘the imparting or exchange of information by
Meaning and Concept of Communication speaking, writing, or using some other medium.

Meaning of Communication: According to Newman and Summer, ‘Communication

is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions
In a broad sense, communication is the exchange by two or more people.’
of thoughts, messages, and information between
two or more people through a medium in a way that Concept of Communication:
ensures both parties receive the message in a way
that they can understand it. Relationships are built through communication,
which also enables organization. Each message
The Latin term “communicare,” which means has a goal or purpose. Whether intentionally
to share, impart, participate in, exchange, or unintentionally, the sender wants to achieve
convey, or make common, is where the word something through communication. In
“communication” originates. It places a strong organizational settings, messages often have a
emphasis on exchanging ideas, information, and clear goal: to inspire, inform, instruct, convince, or
communications. It involves more than just giving motivate. In fact, one of the key distinctions between
directives and directions. informal chat and managerial communication
is this clear aim. The foundation of effective
The process of exchanging ideas or information communication inside an organization is a set of
during communication is two-way. Communication clearly stated goals that complement its mission
cannot be carried out by one person alone. There and objectives.
must be a listener or audience who will respond
when you communicate. Your communication will Supervisors work to ensure that all parties to their
not be complete till then. discussions understand one another. In order to
move information both vertically and horizontally,
Transmitting and receiving verbal and non-verbal organizational communication builds a network of

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Communication- Introduction
formal communication channels. (These channels essential to a company’s success.
are shown in the organizational structure.)
Of course, a company will need to communicate
Information is exchanged to guarantee the efficient with individuals or groups outside the company.
and successful achievement of objectives. The term “external communication” refers to this.
Employees communicate upward to supervisors For instance, the finance director may need to
and laterally to neighboring departments. From approach banks for a loan while the marketing
managers to employees, instructions regarding manager may need to inform customers of new
the performance of the department and business special pricing offers.
procedures are communicated. Information from the
department is relayed back up to top management
through the organization. Management offers
updates on how things are doing, informs the
supervisor of any issues, and makes requests for
clarification and assistance. Supervisors, in turn,
inform and help their staff members. Both at the
top and bottom of the organization, supervisors
continuously assist in the process of obtaining
the necessary clarification and problem-solving.
Supervisors also interact with customers and
vendors who are external to the company. Process of Communication

A message or piece of information is sent from The eight interconnected parts that makeup
a sender to a recipient through the process of communication are listed below.
communication. To plan production levels, for
● Idea
instance, a production manager (sender) would ask
a sales manager (receiver) for sales predictions for ● Sender
the following six months. The production manager ● Encoding
would subsequently receive a response (feedback)
● Message
from the sales manager along with the pertinent
numbers. ● Medium & Channel

● Receiver/ Decoder
This is an illustration of internal communication,
● Decoding
which involves the exchange of information
among employees of a company. Therefore, ● Feedback
communication serves as the link between all
the various company activities, ensuring that 1. Idea
everyone is working toward the same objective and
understanding exactly what needs to be done and Every communication, whether spoken or written,
by when. Therefore, effective communication is begins with an idea that develops in the sender’s

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Communication- Introduction
head. Each concept makes refers to a context. from an addresser to an addressee. a person’s
As a result, the source of the message in a method of fusing his thoughts with his intended
communication process is the idea or information communication style. For instance, when speaking,
that the sender intends to convey to the recipient. he might consider using sign language or another
language and how to incorporate it into a phrase.
2. Sender/Encoder Communication will not be successful if the sender
and the recipient do not interpret the symbols
Encoder refers to the individual who starts the or words in the same way. Therefore, effective
communication process. The sender establishes the encoding is crucial for effective communication.
need to communicate to start the communication
process. The sender must have a clear idea of what 4. Message
he wants to convey and should use symbols, words, A message is a thought put into words. It can be
photos, etc. correctly. The sender must determine communicated in a variety of ways depending on
his audience and craft the message such that the the context, audience, goal, and sender’s cultural
recipient completely understands what he is trying background.
to say and perceives it in the same light.
5. Medium and Channel
3. Encoding
Channel refers to the proper media selected to
When the sender transforms his thought into a convey the message. It is the medium that enables
message to be received by the recipient via a the sender to communicate with the recipient. A
set of symbols—verbal or non-verbal, written, or medium is one of the forms or types utilized within
oral—encoding takes place. The message should a channel, which is a method used to transport
be encoded with the communication’s goal in a message. For instance, a telephone call is a
mind, and the sender should choose words or medium while verbal communication is a channel.
symbols that will aid the recipient in accurately There are three major routes of communication,
understanding the communication and providing and each one includes a variety of media. Here are
the desired response. A message is created through some of them:
the process of encoding before being transmitted

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Communication- Introduction
Thus, a channel and a medium are distinct from useful information. The message’s meaning is
one another. The optimum channel and medium to comprised of all the words’ symbolic meanings as
carry the message should be chosen by the sender. well as the sender’s tone and attitude as expressed
in the words he chose and the message’s structure.
6. Receiver/ Decoder
8. Feedback
The term “receiver” refers to the one who receives
the encoded communication. The recipient Feedback is the answer a message’s recipient
could be a single person or a group of people. provides to the message’s sender. The encoder learns
Since communication is a two-way process, the that communication has been successful when he
message’s recipient is just as crucial as its sender. receives feedback. Feedback may come right away
A message’s recipient could be a listener, reader, or or later and may be favorable or unfavourable. It
viewer. He attempts to comprehend, interpret, and may be spoken or unspoken. Communication is a
since the message’s full significance in addition to field where feedback is crucial. It guarantees that
simply receiving it. the message was delivered and interpreted by the
recipient exactly as intended by the sender. The
7. Decoding most crucial aspect of communication is feedback.
The communication process cannot be completed
It is a procedure by which the message is without feedback.
interpreted by the receiver and converted into

The Communication Process

Noise

Sender Encoding Message Decoding Receiver

Message Channel Message

Message
Channel

Figure 1.1

Example: A student who stays in a dorm is in need of instances (sending the letter and the money).
some cash. She writes her father a letter requesting
that he send her money. The father encloses a Encoder: the student/ child
note and some money. The father is responding
to the communication started by his child in both Message: needs money

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Communication- Introduction
Channel: written communication 2. Employee motivation: If their needs are met,
employees are inspired to work. Managers may
Medium: a letter better motivate their staff by understanding their
needs through communication, which enables
Decoder: the father them to adopt the right motivators and encourage
a good attitude toward the workplace.
Feedback: sends money and letter
3. Job satisfaction: Information exchange between
The conception of the message: is the formation managers and subordinates fosters mutual trust,
or growth in the mind. confidence, and faith. They perform better because
they have a better understanding of their roles.
Perceived message: The manner in which the
recipient understands the message after hearing or 4. Commitment to organizational goals: Managers
seeing it. that use an effective communication system
comprehend the needs of their staff, use the right
Decoding the message: The recipient must motivators to meet those needs, evaluate their
comprehend the message that was just sent. This performance, and provide them regular feedback.
may easily be misinterpreted if words were used Additionally, the staff members are committed to
differently. the organization’s goals.

Message received: The cycle must restart if the 5. Coordination: Communication brings together
message is not understood at this point. the internal and external environments as well
as the human and non-human resources of the
Importance of Communication organization. The success of an organization
depends on coordination, and communication
The Importance of Communication is Highlighted
plays a significant role in coordination.
by the Following Points:

6. Adaptability to the external environment:

1. The foundation of planning: Management’s
Managers constantly engage with other parties like
fundamental task is planning. Plans that are
the government, suppliers, consumers, etc. in order
effectively created and communicated for
to thrive in the changing, dynamic environment.
execution result in successful organizations.
For this, the organization needs an efficient
Planning needs a thorough analysis of the
communication system.
environment and knowledge of both internal and
external organizational components. Gaining 7. Interaction of managers with parties: Within
access to this information is made easier via an business enterprises, this contributes to the internal
efficient communication system. The plans must operation of an enterprise. They continually gather
be shared with everyone in the organization in and give them information. The information will
order to be put into action. Planning is thus based be more accurate the better the communication
on communication. infrastructure is.

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Communication- Introduction
8. Positive labor relations: Organizations with determine how much access employees have to
satisfied employees are more likely to be successful. train and development resources. Trainers with
Communication improves mutual understanding effective communication abilities do better than
between managers and labor unions and fosters those without.
peace and harmony within the workplace. This
boosts industrial output. 13. What gives an organization its substance?
Gathering data for planning purposes, educating
9. Assists in carrying out managerial duties: members about the authority-responsibility
According to Henry Mintzberg, managers have structure, their place in the organizational hierarchy,
three main responsibilities: decision-making, and coordinating their activities are what give an
information-gathering, and interpersonal. Effective organization its substance.
management requires effective communication.
Managers play a variety of interpersonal roles,
exchanging information with people inside and
outside the organization, and interacting with
superiors, peers, and subordinates. They also play
decision-making roles, making critical decisions
and communicating them to other members of
the organization to ensure that they are carried out
successfully.

10. Promotes leadership: Effective leaders

engage with followers, mentor, and motivate Factors Affecting Communication
them to achieve both personal and organizational
objectives. Effective communication processes Effective communication is a two-way process, but
help leaders perform their duties as leaders. there are a number of variables that could interfere
with this process and alter how the message
11. Aids in control: Planning is successful was ultimately interpreted and understood.
when it is supported by a strong control system. Various issues can arise at various phases of
When managers evaluate their subordinates’ communication. These could be about the sender,
performance, address, and prevent deviations, and message, channel, receiver, feedback, or context,
give them regular performance feedback, control among other components. Therefore, it is critical
is achievable. The organization’s communication to comprehend some of the aspects that influence
system is crucial to the control function. The communication in order to try to convey your
effectiveness of the communication system information as clearly and concisely as possible.
affects how well managers manage organizational
activities. The following list includes some potential issues
that could end up becoming obstacles to effective
12. Training and development: How successfully communication:
supervisors interact with their subordinates will

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Communication- Introduction
(a) Status/Role statement.

In a hierarchy, the sender and the recipient of (f) Disabilities

communication may have the same rank (such as
managers in an organization) or they may be at When assessing the effectiveness of the
different levels (such as a manager and an employee, communication process, disabilities such as poor
a lecturer and a student, or a business owner and mental health, dyslexia, and impaired vision can
a client). The efficiency of communication can also be obstacles to effective communication.
occasionally be hampered by this status disparity. Disability-related issues may need the use of
hearing aids, sign language, magnifying devices,
(b) Cultural Variations and symbols.

The communication process may be hampered (g) Receiver, Known or Unknown

by cultural differences, either inside or outside the
organization (for instance, transactions between The efficiency of your communication is also
departments and communication with outside significantly influenced by whether you know the
organizations or ethnic minorities). receiver or not. Even with incomplete information,
a known recipient might be better able to interpret
(c) Communication Channels Selected your message because you both probably have
shared experiences and schemata. On the other
Before selecting a communication channel, consider hand, an unidentified receiver could need additional
if it is acceptable for the intended recipient and details and time to decrypt the message.
the purpose for which it is being used. Misleading
signals can be sent when messages are sent over (h) Personality Traits, Perceptions, and Attitudes
unsuitable channels, which can lead to confusion.
The receiver’s personality attributes, age, and
(d) Communication Length preferred communication style may occasionally
need to be taken into account when choosing a
The communication process is also impacted communication medium. In contrast to young
by the message’s length. Make sure it fulfills the adults, the elderly, and children, for instance,
intended function and is suitable for the recipient. have different communication demands and
The message may be too long or too short. preferences. Is the individual who will be receiving
your message more of a visual, aural, or tactile
(e) Language person? What response do you anticipate they will
have to your message? Can you modify your speech
Use of Poor word choice or awkward phrase to fit their preferences?
construction also hinder communication. The
same is true with improper punctuation. The two (i) Atmosphere/Noise/Distraction
examples below show how changing punctuation
choices can completely alter the meaning of a Sometimes the environment we are in might

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Communication- Introduction
act as a barrier to good communication. Oral Fast-moving and frequently subconscious
communication typically suffers in a noisy processing impacts perceptions. Most of the time,
environment (like a party), as both parties must we do not consciously think about the perceptions,
exert extra effort to guarantee that their messages judgments, and inferences that our minds produce.
are received and interpreted correctly. It happens on its own.

(j) Clarity of the Message More than what could actually be true, our
responses to communications are influenced by
Is the message delivered in a straightforward or what we believe to be true. Perception prevails
confusing manner? over facts, even when they conflict with a person’s
interpretation of events. In other words, perceptions
(k) A Lack of Feedback have a significant impact on behavior because they
reflect how we interpret the world around us. And
Feedback is crucial because it helps both parties that’s how we react to our perceptions of other
to reaffirm their understanding. Problems can people and our analyses of what happened.
occasionally arise from a lack of input since it
might cause doubt and confusion. Our perspective of reality is less significant than
reality itself when it comes to living our lives and
connecting with one another. Some people contend
that our perceptions are only an illusion and that
there is no ultimate reality.

These factors affect how we perceive things.

● Physical Elements: Your sight or ear’s real

capacity to receive information and how your
brain interprets it.
Perception and Communication
● Environmental Factors: The information that is
When a message is sent, whether orally or in writing, available and its context.
the recipient receives it, interprets it, and forms an
● Learned Elements: The filters we use to choose
opinion.
what we take in and how we respond to it (such
as culture, personality, habit, etc.).
Perception = Reception + Processing

People who are color blind, for instance, will

A person’s frame of reference, which is formed
not understand “red” the same way that others
by a variety of elements like attitude, beliefs,
do. Normal-sighted people may perceive “red”
cultural background, etc., is how communication is
physically equally, but they will interpret it differently
processed. People would draw various inferences
culturally:
from the same communication because their
frames of reference are different from one another’s.
● Red can imply “halt,” “anger,” “excitement,” “in
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Communication- Introduction
 debt,” or any of these things (US) impact on how we perceive. For instance, some
cells are organized into clusters or columns. These
● Red is a symbol of luck (China)
configurations influence our perception of edges
● Red denotes the colors of your school.
and forms. According to experiments, certain
brain cells enable us to perceive movement. Thus,
Factors Affecting Perception
perception is influenced by the way the brain is
organized.
Different things affect what and how we perceive.
The ways in which our bodies are built to accept
and process environmental stimuli affect how we
perceive things. Additionally, our perceptions are
a reflection of our feelings, demands, hopes, and
knowledge.

Receptors: Every sense organ, including sight,

hearing, and touch, has unique bodily parts. These
components, which are referred to as receptors,
transform environmental energies into nerve
impulses. For instance, the retina of the human eye
has two main types of receptors (the light-sensitive Understanding, Feeling, and Motivation
part of the eye). Rods and cones are the names of The importance of early experience, learning,
these sensors. The rods react to light intensity but emotion, and motivation in determining what and
not to changing light frequencies (different colors). how we see is supported by a wealth of data.
The cones are known as color receptors because Experiments comparing how individuals from other
they do respond to various light frequencies. We cultures view the world contribute to the growing
can see in low light thanks to our rods, and in strong body of knowledge. Depending on habits, norms,
light, thanks to our cones, we can see vivid colors and the upbringing of children, different cultures
and fine detail. As a result, the specific methods in may have different perceptions of things like form,
which receptors are built and work influence the color, pain, and touch.
perceptions that are associated with them.
Reading is a straightforward illustration of how
The brain: Specific structural and physiological learning may impact perception. The majority
characteristics of the brain also affect various of people do, and some people still do despite
aspects of perception. Different types of cells exist numerous readings. We learn not to notice each
in the region of the brain that controls vision, and letter and word separately as we learn to perceive
they only react to specific stimuli. Only when a light words and sentences. Instead, we develop the
is turned off do some of these cells respond. When ability to quickly scan the entire pattern and “fill in”
a light turns on, people react, but if the light remains the blanks. A bad reader is more likely to spot the
on, they stop. Additionally, these cells are organized duplicate word in each phrase than a competent
in particular ways in the brain, and this fact has an reader.

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Communication- Introduction
Some illusions are influenced by prior knowledge the physical characteristics of stimulus patterns
and experience. Contrary to popular belief, an and the effects that are thought to be produced by
illusion is not a mistaken perception but rather one the stimuli. For instance, they might research the
that contradicts another view. No sensory system connection between sound frequency and audible
is more closely related to some objective reality pitch.
than another since perception does not physically
reveal the environment. We frequently compare Perception Principles
touch with visual illusions, yet touch can also have
illusory consequences. We can comprehend the perception process by
keeping in mind a few broad ideas. The idea of
Perception can be significantly influenced by closure is one of the most crucial. It indicates
emotions and motivation. Sometimes a significant that we generally have a propensity to see things
emotional disturbance might completely impede as whole and cohesive. We frequently “fill in” the
perception, as when emotional shock leads blanks with components that are either missing or
somebody to briefly lose their hearing. When our that match the overall impression.
motives are involved, we are more likely to notice
features of our environment that are relevant to According to the principle of constancy, despite
them. For instance, motivation might influence how variations in stimuli, we have a strong propensity
an object’s attributes are viewed. Food may appear to see objects as having a fixed size, shape, color,
larger or more colorful than usual to those who are and other characteristics. For instance, orange will
hungry. be recognized for its distinctive color under various
lighting conditions.
Different Perceptions
It is equally crucial to consider the idea of
There are three stages of complexity in perception: constancy’s opposite. There are times when a
(1) detection, (2) recognition, and (3) discrimination. stimulus pattern or object remains consistent yet
Whether or not people can detect that they are being the perceived effect changes.
stimulated by a certain type of energy is referred
to as detection. For instance, a light can be so dim The perceptual context is a further crucial principle.
that people hardly notice it. Being able to recognize Context plays a role in how an object or event is
and notice a specific pattern of stimulus is referred perceived (surrounding conditions). Most people
to as recognition. Being able to distinguish perceive grey to be brighter and considerably larger
between various stimulus patterns is known as when it is surrounded by black. This phenomenon
discrimination. One could detect minute variations is known as visual induction. Keep in mind that the
between two musical tones that are comparable. outcome differs from that seen with the two grey
triangles with black and white detailing. The grey
Psychophysics is the name of the field of research with black detail in this instance appears darker
that focuses on levels of perception. Experimental rather than lighter.
psychologists look at the connections between

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Communication- Introduction
Summary

● Communication is the exchange of thoughts, messages, and information between two or more people
through a medium in a way that ensures both parties receive the message in a way that they can understand
it.

● “Communication is the transfer of information from a sender to a receiver, with the information being
understood by the receiver”. — Koontz and Weihrich

● The eight interconnected parts that makeup communication are Idea, Sender, Encoding, Message, Medium
& Channel, Receiver/ Decoder, Decoding, Feedback.

● A message is a thought put into words. It can be communicated in a variety of ways depending on the
context, audience, goal, and sender’s cultural background.

● The importance of communication helps in the foundation of planning, employee motivation, job
satisfaction, commitment to organizational goals, coordination, adaptability to the external environment,
etc.

● Effective communication is a two-way process, but there are a number of variables that could interfere with
this process and alter how the message was ultimately interpreted and understood. Various issues can
arise at various phases of communication. These could be about the sender, message, channel, receiver,
feedback, or context, among other components.

● When a message is sent, whether orally or in writing, the recipient receives it, interprets it, and forms an
opinion.

● Perception = Reception + Processing

● There are three stages of complexity in perception: (1) detection, (2) recognition, and (3) discrimination.

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Communication- Introduction
 Unit 2

Communication Models

Learning Objectives Introduction

By the end of this unit, you will be

Man has always understood the value of communication.
able to uinderstand:
It is now simpler to communicate with the other party
● Shannon Weaver Model of
than it was a few decades ago thanks to the availability
Communication
of a variety of communication channels.
● Murphy’s Model of
Communication All organizations recognize and value the benefits of
effective communication, regardless of their area of
● Berlo’s Model of Communication
expertise, location, or operating size.
● Thill and Bovee’s Model of
Communication
For organizations, communication occurs both inside the
organization and with other external stakeholders.

It is crucial for any corporate organization to comprehend

the many communication models in use today so they can
make use of them to improve successful communication
within their own walls.

Shannon Weaver Model of Communication

Shannon, an engineer, and researcher at Bell Laboratories

developed an information theory based on mathematical
theories in 1949 that dealt with a signal transmission with
the least amount of distortion and the largest amount
of telephone line capacity. He developed the qualitative

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Communication Models
and quantitative model of communication as an distinguish between noise and information-
information theory underpinning the statistical carrying signals. Weaver went on to develop
process for the first time. and apply Shannon’s information theory to other
forms of communication. Weaver researched the
Shannon’s goal was to send signals across the philosophical components of this theory linked
channel, from source to destination, with the to human communication whereas Shannon
least amount of error or interference possible. concentrated on the engineering aspects of his
The information theory was initially created to theory.

Figure 2.1

● Information source selects desired message ● Any unauthorized modifications to a signal

from a set of available messages, which can be a being communicated that distort it or result in
mixture of any form of written or spoken, image transmission errors are referred to as noise.
or sound. This is one of the seven fundamental
components of the Shannon and Weaver model The communication process between the source
of communication. and the destination is depicted in this model. The
message, which can be discrete or continuous, is
● The encoder sometimes referred to as the
created by the source. According to Lossy (1999),
transmitter, converts the message into the signal.
who cited Shannon and Weaver’s description, a
● The object that is sent and received and the
distinct source creates “the message, symbol by
subject of all communication is the message.
symbol. It will select more symbols in accordance
● The path a message takes from the transmitter with a set of probabilities that are generally based
to the receiver is known as a channel. on previous selections as well as the specific
symbols in question. Integer data or written English
● The receiver often referred to as a decoder, is the
are two instances of discrete sources. Even while
reverse transmitter that transforms the signal
continuous sources like music or voice are not
back into the message.
discrete, they can still be encoded as discrete
● The destination of a message is its intended
integers at times. The message that the source
location.
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Communication Models
creates is not broadcast; instead, it is changed by existing is lower than that of the others. The
the transmitter into a signal and then sent to the likelihood of selecting one of the various discrete
receiver. The message must be encoded by the symbols at a given step is dependent on the
transmitter so that it may be transferred through decisions made earlier.
the medium that creates the channel. The receiver
then restores the message to its original form and Freedom of choice, the cornerstone of Shannon’s
sends it to the target. theory, raises the issue of entropy, which is a system’s
measure of uncertainty. Entropy or uncertainty
According to Weaver (1949), “information is a increases proportionally to the number of elements
measure of one’s freedom of choice when one a source can select from while constructing a
selects a message,” the word “information” message. The amount of information, or entropy,
does not represent its common meaning in this is low when a situation is highly ordered and there
theory. Therefore, the knowledge related to the is little randomness or choice. In other words,
circumstance where there are two options and the amount of information or entropy is minimal
someone must select one of them is unity. In other when the destination is aware of the message’s
words, the concept of information is applied to the likelihood. A piece of information’s worth is based
overall situation rather than to individual messages, on how likely it is to happen. Generally speaking, as
and the unit information denotes the degree of the likelihood of an item appearing in a message
flexibility available to the user when selecting a rises, so does its informational value.
message that is assigned a unit amount. More
specifically, the logarithm of the number of options The way the English language is structured
is used to determine how much information is significantly reduces our ability to choose whether
present. When there are just two possibilities, it to write or speak. In other words, just 50% of the
is simpler to use base two logarithms rather than words we use when we write or speak are our own
base ten, and the information is proportional to the words; the other 50% are dictated by linguistic
logarithm of two to the base two, which is unity. statistics. The fifty percent of words in a message
In other words, information of unity defines the that we cannot choose are unneeded, don’t provide
circumstance of two possible options. any new information, and can be omitted without
affecting the message’s completeness. They are
The only two digits in binary systems, one and zero, the index of redundancy and are referred to as
can be used to represent these two options. So, redundant for this reason. Redundancy raises the
the unit of information is a binary digit, sometimes level of predictability for the receiver so they can
known as a “bit.” By selecting one from a number know what comes next in a sequence. There needs
of possible combinations of bit layouts, a message to be a balance between surprising and predictable
can be freely created. elements in communication for efficiency to
increase.
Although different bit arrangements can result in
various messages, in the context of the English When additional signals interfere with the message,
language none of these arrangements can be redundancy and increasing it can help and restore
genuine or the likelihood of one arrangement efficiency. Noise is the term for these extra signals

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Communication Models
that are unrelated to the message. Within the it is one-way and linear, which is unsatisfactory for
transmission and reception system, noise can be interactive human communication. In this approach,
created that is physical in nature or that is semantic the sender plays an active role in determining
and results from encoder and decoder mismatches the message’s meaning, and the receiver plays a
or human interpretation. passive role in which they merely ingest data. There
is no feedback mechanism to allow the transmitter
In this theory, technical issues are addressed to adapt to the demands of the recipient.
through the ideas of entropy, redundancy, and
physical noise. These ideas are used to address This model’s disregard for the communication’s
issues like how precisely communication symbols meaning is a further fault. This approach considers
can be sent, which Weaver classified as a level content and meaning to be the same thing
A communication issue. However, there may be and does not differentiate between signal and
additional issues relating to concept and efficacy in message, syntax and semantics, or signal and
the context of human communication. These issues message. As Shannon, who is cited by Chandler
were classified as levels B and C of communication (1994), states, “Frequently the messages have
by Weaver. How precisely the conveyed symbols meaning, that is, they refer to or are correlated
communicate the desired meaning is Level B’s according to some system with certain physical
semantic issue. To put it another way, this refers to or conceptual entities,” this model only deals with
how closely the recipient’s understanding matches signifiers, also known as symbols, and ignores
the sender’s intended meaning. Level C, the efficacy Saussure’s signified concept. Weaver, who is cited
issue, concerns the degree to which the intended by Chandler (1994), has highlighted the point that
behavior is affected by the received meaning. “the word information, in this theory, is employed
in a specific sense that must not be confused with
In spite of numerous arguments in the literature to its regular usage. These issues are irrelevant to the
the contrary, Shannon and Weaver’s communication engineering challenge. Particularly, information and
theory focuses primarily on level A problems and meaning should not be conflated. Actually, from the
cannot be applied to difficulties at levels B and C in current point of view, two messages—one of which
the context of human communication. is completely meaningless and the other fully filled
with meaning—can be exactly identical in terms of
This paradigm is subject to criticism for using a information.
transportation metaphor, for example. A message
is seen as an object that can be transported from This model’s disregard for the context of message
one place to another. If we view communication as creation and reception is another issue. In various
the transmission of symbols without taking into circumstances, the meaning might vary. Various
account semantics, then this metaphor may be situational, social, institutional, political, cultural,
appropriate. However, in communication, meaning and historical settings might affect how the
cannot be transmitted; rather, the receiver must message is interpreted.
develop it.
The model also has the flaw of neglecting the
The other argument against this paradigm is that relationship between sender and recipient as well

16
Communication Models
as the goals of communication. The importance of time and how relationships and purposes between
the message and the meaning it conveys can vary sender and receiver change over time.
depending on factors such as social class, gender,
age, and career. Power differences and authority do Another issue is approaching communication as if
not allow for disclosure. Additionally, this paradigm its sole purpose—control of the receiver, as Carey
leaves no place for displaying the communication’s suggests—is a predefined and intentional procedure.
goal. It is the single piece of information sent, not People frequently communicate inadvertently,
its intended use. which is something that this approach ignores.

Another drawback of this approach is that it treats Murphy’s Model of Communication

the channel or medium as a neutral component
of the communication process. The nature of the Murphy’s Concept:
media might imply the sender’s intent and provide
meaning. Each media has unique technological Three authors proposed this model of the
characteristics that can be suitable for particular communication process. According to this concept,
purposes. the communication process consists of six parts:
Every message, whether oral or written, starts with
Another issue with this approach is that it ignores context.

Figure 2.2

● Context: Context is a broad field that comprises ● Message: The message expresses the main
country, culture, organization, and internal & concept that the sender wants to get through.
external cause of action. Both verbal and non-verbal symbols are used in
it.
● Sender-Encoder: The second encoder expressed
the message and produced the desired response ● Medium: The medium is the means through
using symbols, typically words. which a message is transmitted. A gesture,
sound, or written word may be used.
17
Communication Models
● Receiver-decoder: The individual who hears the The SMCR model serves as the foundation for
message and decodes it is known as the receiver Berlo’s communication paradigm.
or listener.
In the SMCR model
● Feedback: It may be written or verbal. It may
be something you do, like get something you
S - Stands for Source
ordered. In order to assess if the communication
was successful or unsuccessful, the sender
M - Message
requires feedback.

C - Channel
Berlo’s Model of Communication
R- Receiver
The emotional component of the message is taken
Let us now examine each component in greater
into account by Berlo’s model of communication.
detail:

Figure 2.3

S: Source to the receiver?

The person who the notion originates from is Communication abilities, attitudes, knowledge, the
known as the source, also known as the sender. He social system, and culture are used to accomplish
is the one who, after carefully crafting his message, this.
communicates it to the recipient.
Skills in Communication
How does the sender or source get his information
To effectively communicate and make an impact on
18
Communication Models
the listeners, one must have strong communication Social Structure
skills. The speaker must be aware of when to pause,
when to repeat sentences, how to pronounce Imagine a politician proposing in a speech to build a
certain words, and other such things. The speaker temple in a region where Muslims are the majority.
must refrain from droning on. Additionally, he ought What would the listeners’ response be? Obviously,
to make it a point to confirm with the intended they would not be interested. Was there a problem
recipients and to pay attention to their questions. with the leader’s communication abilities or did
When speaking, a person must be aware of his he not have the correct attitude? The speaker’s
accent. A talk with a terrible accent is dull. disregard for the social structure of the setting in
which he was talking was the sole cause of the
Attitude listeners’ irritation. He was unaware of the second
party’s sentiments, cultural values, and religious
The saying that the entire world is at one’s feet if convictions. His remarks would have been powerful
one has the appropriate mindset is true. If he has if the society had a Hindu majority.
the correct mentality, the person can actually go
on without pausing. If a person doesn’t have the Culture
correct mindset, even if they are a really brilliant
speaker, they will never succeed. For the message Culture is the term used to describe the listeners’ or
to have a lasting impression on the recipients, the the community’s cultural background, depending on
sender must possess the proper mindset. A person where the speaker is speaking or communicating.
needs to have an MBA from a reputable institution,
but without the correct mentality, he would blend in M-Message
with the crowd.
A message is generated when a person puts his
Knowledge in this context does not refer to the thoughts into words. Encoding is another name for
speaker’s level of education or the number of the procedure.
degrees on his resume. In actuality, knowledge
is the clarity of the information that the speaker Any message also includes the following
wants to communicate to the other person. One components:
must have a complete, in-depth understanding of
the issue and be meticulous in his discourse. Keep Content
in mind that questions might arise at any time, so
be prepared with your responses. You must be fully One cannot allow people to see his grey matter

knowledgeable on the subject you are speaking in order to know what he is thinking. It takes

about. Before giving any speech, study as much as preparation to create content and to put a notion

you can on the subject and thoroughly research it, into words. The subject or outline of the discourse

paying attention to every last detail. is its content. Simply put, it is the foundation of all
communication.

I am so worn out today, let us schedule the movie

19
Communication Models
for tomorrow night, Ted says to Jenny. way, it must be correctly formatted.

The real message’s substance is whatever Ted and Code

Jenny have discussed. It is crucial that the speaker
chooses his or her words carefully and pay close If you enter the erroneous code, the locks won’t
attention to the speech’s subject. To touch the ever unlock. If you enter the wrong password,
listeners hard and make a quick impression, the you won’t be able to access your email. The
content must be sensible, accurate, snappy, and communication code must be accurate in a similar
relevant to the idea. manner. Your body language, facial expressions,
bodily movements, and gestures are essentially the
Element communication’s codes, and they must be precise
to prevent the message from being twisted and
It has been noted that speech cannot change the recipient from ever being able to decipher the
communication on its own. Continue speaking proper information.
nonstop for too long, and your audience will
eventually grow bored. The speech must be The term “C-Channel” refers to the medium through
accompanied by numerous hand gestures, which information travels from the sender to the
postures, facial emotions, and body movements to receiver.
impress the audience and catch their attention. The
aspects of communication include hand gestures, How is it possible to understand what the other
postures, facial expressions, body movements, and person is saying? — Via hearing.
gestures.
How can one tell whether or not the pasta he has
Treatment ordered is cooked with white sauce? - Via Tasting.

The way a message is treated and delivered How does one know whether there is a detour or a
to the audience is called treatment. One must no-parking area ahead? — By Observing.
comprehend the significance of the message and
be capable of handling it. A boss cannot convey his How will someone be able to tell whether the food
message in a casual way and must be authoritative is fresh or old? How can we determine a perfume’s
if he wishes to fire any of his staff. The treatment scent? — By Smelling.
of the communication is what we refer to as this.
In order for a message to be delivered in the most How can you tell if the milk is warm or not? - By
correct way possible, one must be aware of how to Touching.
express their message.
All five senses are the means by which people
Structure communicate with one another.

One cannot fully convey a message in one sitting. In

order to deliver the message in the most effective

20
Communication Models
R - Receiver share the same social and cultural background as
the speaker.
When the message is received, the receiver makes
an effort to ascertain what the listener is trying to The communication model proposed by Berlo
say and then responds appropriately. Decoding is has a few flaws. Berlo’s model of communication
another name for this. states that for a smooth conversion, the speaker
and the listener must share a common basis, which
For a fluid exchange of information and a better is occasionally impractical in the real world.
comprehension of the message, the listener should
be on the same platform as the speaker. He should Thill and Bovee’s Model of
be able to understand what the speaker is saying Communication
if he has good communication abilities. He needs
to be in the correct frame of mind to receive the Business communication is more than just one act,
message constructively. He must be knowledgeable according to the Thill and Bovee communication
about the issue and should have an equal level of model. It is a series of activities that connects the
expertise to the listener. Additionally, he needs to sender and the receiver through five phases.

Figure 2.4

Feedback c) Message is transmitted: The third phase in the

process is the actual vocal or non-verbal transfer of
a) Idea: The sender has a thought. The sender omits the message from the sender to the receiver.
several details while making some assumptions in
order to form an idea of the true world. d) Receiver receives message: For communication
to take place, the recipient must receive, understand,
This indicates that the sender’s idea is a and mentally store the message.
simplification of reality.
e) Feedback: After receiving the communication, the
b) Message: - The sender’s thought gets translated recipient responds by sending feedback. Because
into words and subsequently becomes a message. it enables the sender to assess the success of
There are numerous ways to convey the message. the message, feedback is a crucial component of
communication. Once both parties have completed
speaking, the process is then repeated.
21
Communication Models
Summary

● Shannon, an engineer, and researcher at Bell Laboratories developed an information theory based on
mathematical theories in 1949 that dealt with a signal transmission with the least amount of distortion
and the largest amount of telephone line capacity. He developed the qualitative and quantitative model of
communication as an information theory underpinning the statistical process for the first time.

● Shannon’s goal was to send signals across the channel, from source to destination, with the least amount
of error or interference possible.

● Three authors proposed Murphy’s model of the communication process. According to this concept, the
communication process consists of six parts: context, sender, message, medium, receiver, and feedback.

● In the SMCR model:

a) S- Stands for Source

b) M - Message

c) C - Channel

d) R- Receiver

● The person who the notion originates from is known as the source, also known as the sender. He is the one
who, after carefully crafting his message, communicates it to the recipient.

● Business communication is more than just one act, according to the Thill and Bovee communication model.
It is a series of activities that connects the sender and the receiver through five phases.

22
Communication Models
 Unit 3

Forms and Channels of

Communication
Learning Objectives Introduction

By the end of this unit, you will be

Only the human species has been endowed with language.
able to understand:
And talking is the main way language is used. Then comes
● Verbal and non-verbal
the writing. We are beginning oral communication before
communication
its written equivalent because of this. In any organization,
● Management communication like in daily life, we communicate more verbally than

● Internal and external in writing when doing so formally and informally. Oral

communication communication is the main form of interaction between

people. The ability to speak, or chat, is what binds
● Meaning and concept of
together family members, neighbors, and friends, as well
communication channels
as co-workers in an organization. Any organization will
● Flow of organizational simply die without oral communication. Therefore, its
communication significance cannot be overstated.
● Factors affecting
communication in an “All outward stimuli other than spoken or written words

organization and include body movements, features of appearance,

characteristics of voice, utilization of space and distancing”
are all considered to be non-verbal communication.
Body language is the collective term for all these non-
verbal cues. Without realizing it, we constantly evaluate
nonverbal cues in vocal communication on a daily basis.
Kinesics is the name given to the discipline of learning
that has just recently undertaken a systematic analysis of
non-verbal communication. However, some academics
prefer to refer to the utilization of distance and space as

23
Forms and Channels of Communication
proxemics, while others include the vocal portion of For instance, reports from managers at lower
oral communication as including the study of voice levels will move up. A competent manager must
quality. motivate, direct, and organize his team effectively,
and spoken and written words are the instruments
The importance of internal management at his disposal for doing all of these things.
communication is typically undervalued or ignored.
The managers or executives and the employees An effective communication channel must be in
will be pressured by improved management place in order for information to flow and for a
communication. Together, they can improve the manager to oversee his staff.
organization’s efficiency and profitability.
Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication
Management communication is the term for
communication among the management team. Verbal Communication
The management performs a variety of roles that
influence the communication style at various levels. Most of our ideas are conveyed to others verbally,
Middle management is expected to be familiar with either through spoken words or written words.
these policies, processes, and programs from the However, verbal transmissions might have
top management before explaining them to their problems with improper wording, misinterpretation,
subordinates. or interpretation of the message outside of its
intended context.
An organization’s nervous system is its
communication. It coordinates members’ activities Avoid words with multiple meanings: Words
to accomplish organizational goals. It is the process frequently take on different meanings depending on
of influencing a person’s or a group’s behavior. the society they are used in. Therefore, it is crucial
Depending on the organizational structure or the to employ terms that are exact, clear, and have only
method of message transmission, communication one generally understood meaning when speaking.
within a company can take on any form or direction.
Maintain clarity by making very specific
Information travels forward, backward, and statements: Use very specific terminology to
sideways inside an organization. Communication is describe an item or idea rather than using generic
the term used to describe this information exchange. phrases or abstract language to prevent multiple
Information exchange between organizations and interpretations.
inside them is referred to as taking place through
communication channels. Avoid using jargon excessively: Jargon is a term for
technical or specialist vocabulary. Every profession
A manager acts as a link in this chain of has its own lingo that only those with specialized
communication. Depending on the manager’s knowledge can comprehend. IT professionals,
position in the communication web, decisions and for instance, may employ phrases like “computer
directives can flow up, down, or sideways. architecture” that a layperson might not
comprehend. The audience you are communicating

24
Forms and Channels of Communication
with will determine how much jargon you employ. Non-verbal communication is ambiguous - Unlike
When drafting a technical report, for instance, a verbal communication, where specific language
certain amount of jargon might be acceptable, but may be used to ensure that the message is
it should be avoided when speaking to a general understood, non-verbal communication is not
audience because the terminology might not be always transparent and simple.
comprehended. Above all, avoid using jargon in
your writing solely to impress people. For instance, slumping backward in a relaxed
position might be an indication of boredom or
Avoid Biased Language and Offensive Words: If exhaustion. Similar to this, failing to make eye
language is not used with care, it has the potential contact with your audience could indicate that you
to elicit negative emotions. This can occur when are either embarrassed or guilty.
language is employed that appears objective but in
reality, has an intentional or unintentional bias.

Non-Verbal Communication

The definition of non-verbal communication is

communication that doesn’t include writing or
speaking. Now let’s look at some of its features
that set it apart from verbal communication.

Is it not possible to avoid non-verbal

communication?: Unlike verbal communication, As a result, it is impossible to decipher non-verbal
which can be avoided by refusing to speak or write, behavior messages with accuracy.
non-verbal communication cannot be avoided. This
is due to the fact that, contrary to spoken signals, Non-verbal Interaction is limited to expressing a

nonverbal communication is not always purposeful. person’s feelings, attitudes, level of interest, and

Sometimes, even quiet can be quite meaningful. likes or disliking of something. Only the spoken or
written word can convey some messages about
Non-verbal communication has great power since ideas or concepts. For instance, a sales manager
it influences how we perceive people and how can only communicate that sales for the current
we judge them. First impressions typically have a year have surpassed expectations through a written
lasting effect. report or an oral presentation. If he is delivering a
speech, his non-verbal cues can only show how
Let us imagine you arrive at a job interview 15 happy he is with the rise in sales.
minutes late and are wearing casual clothing. You
avoid making eye contact when answering some Across cultures, non-verbal communication differs
queries. This reflects your attitude right away, giving : While certain non-verbal behaviors are universal,
the appearance that you are careless, insecure, and others may vary depending on the culture.
ignorant of the situation.

25
Forms and Channels of Communication
For instance, the appropriateness of the handshake Direct eye contact signals passion and eagerness,
is governed differently in eastern and western whilst avoiding it can imply uneasiness and guilt.
cultures. In general, physical contact of any kind is When giving a speech or presentation, gestures like
not prevalent in oriental cultures like India and is hand motions show that you are very invested in
seen as intimate, although it is allowed in western what you are saying. Conversely, shushing one’s
nations. feet is a sign of apprehension, and chatting with
one’s hands in one’s pockets is regarded as informal
Similar to this, in some cultures, a head nod denotes or even impolite. Head nods can be used to express
acceptance while in others it denotes rejection. It is interest, gratitude, agreement, or comprehension.
crucial for you to comprehend these variations in
this era of cross-cultural business communication, Body Composition and Posture
especially when conducting business abroad.
Failure to do this could result in costly errors. Although one cannot control their body shape, it
can be stereotyped to convey particular messages.
Non-Verbal Communication For instance, a person who is tall and lean is
Classifications often considered to be athletic, as opposed to the
opposite!
We have seen how crucial non-verbal
communication is in corporate communication. On the other hand, we can manage our posture. It is
Understanding the many forms of non-verbal crucial to maintain a straight posture in professional
communication is crucial given how important it is. contexts like job interviews or classrooms in order
There is a widespread assumption that non-verbal to show that you are paying attention, as slouching
communication simply refers to body language and or a loose posture suggests a carefree attitude.
is therefore synonymous with it. The fact is that it
is a broad topic that has received a lot of attention Physical Appearance: How we seem from the
and covers a variety of topics. outside, including how we dress, and what jewelry
and cosmetics we wear, can give off a formal or
Kinesics refers to any type of body movement and informal vibe. Blue jeans worn to a job interview
is the most frequently researched and significant or disregarding a dress code at work might be
aspect of non-verbal communication. Emotional interpreted as rebellious, non-conforming, or very
feelings inside the body can be expressed through informal behavior.
different bodily movements. Facial expressions can
be used to express emotions including surprise, joy, As a result, it’s critical to take care of your
rage, and grief. When you greet a long-lost buddy appearance so that you give others the correct
and say, “I’m very delighted to meet you again,” impression.
but your face is dejected, you’re saying exactly
the opposite thing. Wide open pupils and other Exemics: Proxemics, a term for personal space
eye movements convey sentiments of surprise, and distance in communication, is derived from
enthusiasm, or even terror. Eye contact with one’s the phrase proximity or closeness. Non-verbal
audience is crucial, as was previously mentioned. communication also includes the space and

26
Forms and Channels of Communication
distance we choose to maintain with others. Our points are all identical. Since all heads of state are
own inner and outer rings vary depending on who equal, discussions between them at round tables
we are. always take place when they come together (such
as in UN Security Council meetings). Therefore, it
Our innermost circle is a private area that we is important to use space strategically in a work
often only allow certain people, including family setting to create the desired effects.
and close friends, to enter. The next step is a
“personal space,” which may also include other Language Time: This is a general term that refers
friends, acquaintances, and/or coworkers. Informal to how various individuals interpret or value time.
communication occurs in these two settings. Time may have a different significance to different
Most people also have a “social and public” area, people. The language used to indicate the passage
which includes contacts with authorities or at our of time differs from culture to culture. For instance,
places of employment, where communication is on-time arrival is valued in most western societies.
more formal. It is more important to comprehend It is unacceptable to be late for a business meeting.
the terms “fixed space” and “semi-fixed space” in a Other cultures are more laid back and place less
business environment. emphasis on time.

Fixed space refers to a work environment with fixed We send signals to other people by how much
physical elements, such as furniture, room size, time we devote to a task linked to our line of
and seating configuration. employment or by how much value we place on
time. Getting there early for a job interview or to
the office demonstrates enthusiasm, involvement,
and seriousness. Spending time with a worker and
offering advice on how to raise his performance
demonstrates interest and involvement in his
professional development.

Paralanguage: This is defined as language that is

comparable to or resembles another language by
the prefix para.
This gives off a formal impression. However, a
semi-fixed space allows for the alteration of some Paralanguage is the most similar to verbal
aspects of the environment, such as the seating communication of all non-verbal techniques. It
arrangement, which creates the appearance alludes to the vocal inflection used when speaking.
of informality. The way a room is used at work In other words, it is the manner in which something
can occasionally dictate who holds leadership is said, not the content. The tone of voice, which
positions. For instance, taking a seat at the head of can convey a variety of moods and emotions,
the table suggests authority or leadership. However, includes pitch (high or low pitch), tempo (slow or
since no one can be placed at the head of the table, quick), word emphasis, and loudness (soft or loud).
a round table meeting promotes equality. A circle’s

27
Forms and Channels of Communication
The key thing to remember when using tone of management-to-management communication is
voice is to prevent sending mixed messages or completely ignored. However, because they both
making sure that what you say and how you say it work together to improve the productivity and
are both consistent. profitability of the organization, both ought to be
treated equally. Therefore, an effort will be made to
Physical Context: This refers to the actual discuss these two types of communications in this
surroundings or setting in which we communicate unit.
and consists of two elements:
Management communication, often known as
● Color and design
intra-management communication, refers to
● Design. communication between management members.
This component of communication is equally
Colors are well known for their symbolic meaning crucial since, if managers at all levels remain in
and for being linked to certain emotions. For their uniforms, they will be unable to communicate
instance, hues like black and grey are connected to the organization’s rules and procedures to their
loss, gloom, and unfavorable emotions. Colors like subordinate workers.
yellow and green are linked to happier emotions.
These can, of course, differ between cultures. It’s Importance of Management Communication
important to keep in mind that using the proper
colors might help you leave the right impression. It is imperative that managers are knowledgeable
In a professional setting, a layout can relate to about the organization’s policies and practices
the size of an office or the configuration of the since they are responsible for putting such policies
furnishings. Design can apply to the kind of carpets, and practices into practice in order to achieve
workstations, or seats. All of them can suggest organizational goals. The following factors justify
formality, status, or informality. emphasizing management communication:

We have shown that there are more varieties 1. Prerequisite to employee communication: It
of nonverbal communication than verbal is necessary for management to communicate
communication. If used effectively, non-verbal with operating employees. The primary duty of all
communication is a vital complement to verbal levels of managers and supervisors is to convey
communication and can even improve it. In order to management signals to the workers who report
communicate a positive message, the sender must to them. Additionally, they are only capable of
employ the appropriate non-verbal cues, and the communicating with them in terms that they can
recipient must develop the ability to spot undesired comprehend. The top management counts on the
messages in nonverbal communication.
supervisors to interpret and explain the plans,
Management Communication policies, etc. to the employees, but if they can’t
make the plan clear to the supervisors, they can’t
When we discuss communication, we typically make it clear to the employees either. This will be
speak to communicate with employees; the case even when they have enough documents

28
Forms and Channels of Communication
outlining the strategy, as a result of improper rest of the workforce.
communication from the top, the plan is either not
implemented at all or is implemented poorly. Management Communication Improvement

2. Required for sound decisions: Management is Studies have shown that the majority of
responsible for making decisions. Even while they management personnel participate in cross- or
act relatively independently, they can only function lateral communication that is not part of the chain
as effective decision-making centers to the extent of command. According to one study, just one-third
that they create the right information conduits. The of management communication takes place within
management team must contain many of these the chain of command, with the other two-thirds
outlets. Sound decisions cannot be anticipated occurring across it in either a horizontal or diagonal
if management communication channels are orientation. The information flow may use some
inadequate. enhancement. The communication system can be
improved within the management through a variety
3. Wider range of managerial influence: Another of techniques. Here are some of them:
factor supporting the importance of management
communication is that it encompasses a greater 1. Committees, conferences, and meetings:
area of influence than that of the workers. Because Managers typically serve on a number of boards
it has an impact on so many people and activities and committees, attend conferences, and
inside the organization, inadequate information to participate in meetings in order to facilitate the flow
managers has a wide-ranging performance impact of management information. They should speak on
(i.e., productivity, profitability, and morale). behalf of their departments in these committees
and other forums where common issues affecting
4. Management group is a link in the communication the organization or their departments are discussed.
chain: The communication chain typically has five
links from top to bottom and five links from bottom
to top. Only one link, between a supervisor and an
operational employee, is outside the management
group, making up four of the five connections. The
communication can be distorted, slowed down, or
delayed equally at each link. Therefore, when the
communication chain is lengthy, intra-management
issues make up a larger share of these issues.
Successful staff communication, both upward and
downward, depends on effective management
communication. 2. Written communication: To keep their managers
well-informed on the policies, procedures, services,
5. Communication for oneself: Since management and products of the company, many businesses
is a part of the organization as well as employees, have created unique types of written communication
they require effective communication just like the for their managers, such as newsletters, bulletins,

29
Forms and Channels of Communication
and special booklets. Some firms have a custom of letters, video conferencing, internal online portals,
giving employees copies of their magazines before circulars, and conference calls, are typically used for
they go on sale, allowing them to become familiar internal communication. Internal communication’s
with the articles well in advance. primary goal is to maintain an organization’s
regular operations, encompassing both short-term
3. Off-site conferences: To prevent work-related and long-term functions.
interruptions, some firms arrange conferences on
a certain topic at sites other than their workplace Information is mostly transmitted between
in order to improve management communication. managers and employees through internal
Sometimes a renowned individual is asked to communication. It is typically done to educate staff
start the discussion. It works well for internal members about the organization’s goals, create
communication within organizations. action plans to reach those goals, and best allocate
resources. It contributes to staff training, hiring,
Therefore, management communication needs and evaluation.
to be strengthened in order to better grasp the
organization’s policies and procedures and There are two types of internal communication:
effectively communicate them to the operating formal and informal. Formal communication is the
staff. term used to describe communication that takes
place within an organization through designated
Internal and External Communication channels. Informal communication, on the
other hand, does not go through the designated
Internal Communication organizational channels. Instead, it occurs through
unauthorized channels and is more intimate.
Internal communication occurs when people who
are a part of the organization or between the various External Communication
organizational units communicate information,
messages, and facts about the business. External communication is the flow of information
between a company and a person or group
Planning internal communications is crucial since it outside the company, such as consumers, clients,
affects the knowledge, conduct, and attitudes of the investors, suppliers, and organisations controlled
organization’s employees. Building relationships by the government, society, and the general public.
with employees at various levels is made easier via The majority of external communication is formal
internal communication. It promotes productivity, and written, and it also governs how organizations
creativity, devotion, and faith in the company, and interact with or share information with persons
it helps staff members recognize their contribution outside of the business.
to the organization’s success. This guarantees that
workers complete their tasks in the most effective Information on new goods or company initiatives
way possible. may be included in external communication.
External communications are typically conveyed
A variety of mediums, including emails, memos, to attract clients, build the brand, or affect how

30
Forms and Channels of Communication
the public views the business. Establishing customers, suppliers, investors, community, etc.,
relationships with external parties is the goal and those who are a part of the organization.
of external communication in order to build a
positive reputation and public image. Additionally, 2. Nature
it is employed to develop relationships with the
suppliers, vendors, investors, and other parties Internal communication might take place in a
that might be supplied with the goods or services. formal or informal setting. On the other hand,
The importance of external communication with formal communication is typically used for external
stakeholders cannot be overstated because it communication.
greatly influences how they view the company.
3. Purpose
Depending on the type of information and the
goal of the communication, organizations employ Internal communication’s goal is to communicate
various media. To inform the public about a new information between organizational levels
good or service, they may utilize emails, print effectively in order to ensure the organization’s
materials, television and radio commercials, and smooth operation. In contrast, the goal of external
press releases to announce management changes communication is to keep up relationships with
or other important business events. Through outside parties and make sure that a favorable
their websites and social media management, impression of the business is created and
businesses also enlighten the general public maintained in the outside world.
outside of their own community.
4. Mode of Utilisation
Difference between Internal and External
Communication Emails, memos, letters, conference calls, video
conferencing, internal websites, circulars,
Following is a list of the main distinctions between and circulars are frequently used for internal
internal and external communication: communication. On the other hand, commercials,
press releases, service calls, company websites,
1. Meaning social media posts, etc. are used for external
communication.
Internal communication is any sort of
communication that occurs within a company, 5. Information Flow
such as between managers, shareholders, and
employees. However, external communication Internal communication takes place within the
occurs between people who are a part of the company, whilst external communication takes
business’s external environment, such as its place in the outside business world.

31
Forms and Channels of Communication
Communication Channels: Meaning For instance, an executive in a senior position
and Concept named “A” might give an order to his direct report
“B,” who would then pass it on to the person
Every form of communication involves moving behind him, “C,” for the required action, and so on.
through a few clearly defined, recognizable stages. The channel is official in this way. Similar to how
The expression “via a proper channel,” which information travels from above and passes via
appears in nearly all business letters, applications, levels or points, communication can also reinforce
and representations, is well-known to everybody. the formal structure or nature of an organization.
Here, the sender of the written communication
uses a person holding a significant position in the
hierarchy to transmit it to the addressee. As a result,
the position or point via which communication
travels is referred to as the “channel.” These sites
or points can be found at various pipeline stages.

Communication channels can be divided into two

groups:

● Formal Formal Channels’ Benefits

● Informal
The benefits of formal channels of communication

Formal Channels include the following:

A channel of communication that is formally ● It makes it simpler to assign responsibility to

regulated by managers or other individuals holding subordinates for the actions they take and

positions within an organization is referred to as supports the organization’s authority structure.

a formal channel of communication. The official ● Direct interaction between an immediate

positions along the line in the organization are the supervisor and the subordinates fosters a
formal conduits via which communication flows. deeper level of understanding and improves
This makes sure that the information is accurate, communication.
timely, and flows smoothly. Any information, choice,
● In the case of formal communication, staff
note, or other items, etc., will also proceed in this
cooperate and coordinate better.
manner.
● There is no overlap in this instance because the

The effectiveness of a company depends on information will only be communicated through

a steady stream of messages, which must be the authorized formal route.

structured into a well-functioning network to ● Information that is passed through a formal

guarantee that information is shared readily and channel is more reliable and trustworthy.
that leaders are kept up to date.
● Formal communication promotes adherence to
and respect for organizational structure protocol.
32
Forms and Channels of Communication
● Formal communication includes memos, or ordered life due to his inherent nature. He
circulars, directives, instructions, explanations, cannot and will not always communicate through
agreements, reports, etc. These aid in the official channels alone, according to logic.
organization’s efficient operation. Every organization has an informal channel of
communication that is just as effective as the formal
● When information is shared in a formal manner,
channel and runs parallel to it. It is not authorized
compliance and follow-up actions are made
by the government, and frequently it is even
simpler.
discouraged or despised. However, it is still very
● There is no possibility of bias developing because
much there, and it was given the term “grapevine”
everyone is included and knowledge must be
since it runs in all three directions: horizontally,
distributed in accordance with the organization’s
vertically, and diagonally. It “flows through water
structure, regardless of whether the person is
coolers, down hallways, through lunch rooms, and
liked by others or not.
anywhere workers gather together in groups,” as
● In cases of official contact, there is little risk of the management gurus put it.
information leaking or the spread of rumors.
It demonstrates how eager individuals are for
Formal channels Drawback: social occasions virtually always are. By his very
nature, man is a gregarious being. This friendliness
● Formal communication requires a lot of time. becomes more obvious as we descend the
Every level of the company must wait a long time organizational structure. Strong sociopsychological
for even a small piece of information to travel via and societal factors contribute to this. The most
lengthy formal channels. significant factor is the intense, unquenchable urge
● Formal communication prevents the development to converse, discuss, share one’s thoughts and
of social and emotional ties, which is necessary feelings, or gossip and engage in small talk. This
for a very hospitable company climate and idle chatter could contain crucial information. Even
comfortable personnel. worse, it might “create” some facts and start the
rumor mill in motion. Every company has a rumor
● The free flow of information between
mill, so employees, office visitors, and managers
organizational levels can actually be hindered or
must all get used to it.
prevented by the formal routes of communication.
For instance, an assembly-line worker in a large
The Grapevine Phenomenon: Contributing Factors
factory will speak with a supervisor rather than
the plant manager about an issue. Because of
When the following conditions exist, the grapevine
a poor communication network, higher-level
becomes overactive:
managers may occasionally not even learn about
anything important.
● When a company is going through a difficult time,
a sense of ambiguity or a lack of direction.
Informal Channels
● Employees’ sense of inadequacy or lack of

Man cannot constantly lead a highly organized confidence, which results in the establishment of
groups.
33
Forms and Channels of Communication
● Creation of a preferred group by the manager, people, and then some of these people tell a
which makes other workers feel uneasy or alone. smaller group of carefully chosen people.

● Unusual events are taking place within the

According to Davis, an organization’s dominant
company.
grapevine pattern is how the cluster chain manifests
● Personal issues with the workers.
itself. Only a select few people, referred to as “liaison
individuals,” typically share the knowledge they
Any employee working in such conditions will
have acquired. They are also inclined to discuss
be bursting with ideas and will at the very least
this with others they trust or ask for favors from.
whisper to pals who share his thoughts wherever
It has been noted that information that is shared
he finds them. Most of the time, they discover
quickly, is entertaining or relevant, is work-related,
them at their own level, yet gatherings with people
and above all, timely, is more likely to be retained.
of different levels are not completely disregarded.
This circuit facilitates most informal conversation.
Psychologists and business specialists are
carefully researching and analyzing this very subtle
Informal Communication’s Benefits (Grapevine)
and fascinating phenomenon.

These benefits of grapevine communication

Grapevine Chain Types
include:

Following are the four categories of grapevine

● Quick transmission: The grapevine’s greatest
chains that Keith Davis has identified:
strength is its astonishingly quick information
transmission. Everyone is aware that rumors
● Single-strand Chain: In this kind of chain, “A”
spread quickly or like wildfire. When a worker
tells “B,” who then “tells C,” and so forth. The
learns that anything is classified as “top secret”
information being passed along in this chain is
or “confidential,” he immediately wants to
the least accurate.
investigate it or smell it before telling his first
● Gossip Chain: In this scenario, one person finds close buddy about it. Then, within minutes, it
out information and spreads it to everyone. This spreads from one him to another. Information
chain is frequently employed when conveying has been known to be spread by managers
facts or a message that is intriguing but “not through carefully timed “leaks” or “just-between-
relevant to work.” you-and-me” remarks.

● Probability Chain: In this scenario, people pass ● The value of feedback: The managers or top
knowledge to those that they do not care about bosses of a company receive feedback mostly
or aren’t particularly interested in. They inform through word-of-mouth regarding their policies,
someone at random, who then tells someone judgments, and memos. Through the informal
else at random. This chain is discovered when the channel rather than the formal one, the feedback
data is marginally interesting but unimportant. gets to them much more quickly. Managers learn

● Cluster Chain: In this kind of chain, ‘A’ tells about the organization’s pulse through rumors.

something to a small group of carefully chosen ● The grapevine: It serves as an additional or

34
Forms and Channels of Communication
 parallel route of communication that supports refuted, making it extremely unreliable.
other channels. The legally acknowledged,
sanctified, or formal route not only requires more 2. Doesn’t usually contain whole information:
time to transmit information but also places Information is not always fully conveyed through the
limitations on how information can be exchanged. grapevine. It may not offer the recipient a thorough
Therefore, anything judged inappropriate for the picture of the situation or the full message because
official channel can be successfully broadcast it is frequently based on speculation or “whispers”
through word of mouth. in the hallways.

● Psychological gratification: The grapevine

offers tremendous gratification. Additionally, it
makes the workers’ unity stronger. They will be
turned off by the strictly formal channel, but the
grapevine brings them closer while preserving
the organization as a social unit.

● Acting as a unifying force: The grapevine serves

as a unifying factor by bringing the workforce
together in areas of shared interest.
3. Information is distorted: Information is distorted
● Idea generation: Informal communication
by the grapevine, which happens frequently.
leads to the development of more ideas and
Given that it is wholly unofficial, informal, and
expectations through the exchange of opinions,
unauthenticated, it might be used to disparage
which frequently prove useful to those who make
anyone or assume ulterior motivations from even
decisions and create goals and strategies.
the most well-intentioned of individuals. Due to its
● Good interpersonal relationships: Poor rumor-mill roots, it has the ability to disseminate
relationships lead to public relations failure in any type of information about highly responsible
organizations. Because informal communication individuals, even at the risk of damaging the
fosters interpersonal relationships, it is crucial to organization’s reputation.
the effectiveness of public relations.
4. It might be ineffective: The grapevine’s
Informal Communication Drawbacks (Grapevine) propensity for spreading quickly could occasionally
be ineffective. Any communication, piece of
Using grapevine for communication has the information, or choice regarding the public policy
following drawbacks: should ideally take its own time to develop. However,
if it gets out, it could ruin the company’s reputation
1. Cannot be taken seriously: The grapevine has
or interfere with the management’s goals.
an inherent flaw that makes it less trustworthy
than official routes of communication. It cannot 5. Chances of Misinterpretation: When information
always be regarded seriously because it is a form is shared informally, there is a significant risk that
of word-of-mouth dissemination or transmission it may be misunderstood because each person
of information. However, it is also quite likely to be
35
Forms and Channels of Communication
involved may have a different perspective and may within the company.
add information at his or her discretion.
● Educating employees on the mission and vision
of the company.
6. Lack of Accountability: In informal
● Highlighting the focus areas.
communication, authority and responsibility
structures cannot be fixed, and it is impossible to
Downward communication is exemplified by
identify the parties in charge of a default.
organizational publications, circulars, letters to
employees, group meetings, etc. Managers must
Flow of Organizational Communication
undertake the following in order to have efficient

Multidimensional or multidirectional communication and error-free downward communication:

exists. It can flow in a variety of directions. The flow

● Make sure the message is precise, clear, and
of communication inside the organization can be
unambiguous.
upward or downward, inter or intra scalar. Either
internal or external communication with the outer ● Use the best communication method to deliver
world is possible. the message to the recipient in the appropriate
format.
Let us examine these parameters:
Upward Communication
A direction can be downward, upward, horizontal,
diagonal, inward, or outward. Upward communication is defined as
communication that occurs from the bottom to the
Downward Communication Flow top, or from a lower to a higher level in a hierarchy.
Upward communication’s primary purpose is to
Downward communication occurs when inform the higher levels of what is occurring at the
information travels from a higher level of an lower levels. Simply said, it is the opposite of the
organization to a lower level. In a chain of command, previous dimension. It moves up the organizational
downward communication is the communication hierarchy from the lowest levels of the population.
from superiors to subordinates. Managers use this It is fundamentally participatory in nature and can
channel of communication to provide information only thrive in a democratic organizational setting
about the workplace to lower-level personnel. In where it can meet the demand of upper levels of
order to execute their tasks and live up to their management to specifically know about production
supervisors’ expectations, employees need this performance, marketing data, financial data, and
information. The managers employ downward what lower-level employees are thinking and feeling
communication for the following reasons: about the whole or part of the business. Reports,
performance reviews, suggestions, grievances, and
● Giving staff feedback on their performance other forms of upward communication are also
● Giving directions on a job included.

● Giving the employee a thorough grasp of their job

“Typical means for upward communication, other
and explaining how it relates to other positions
36
Forms and Channels of Communication
than the chain of command, are suggestion systems, will not be successful unless the production
Appeal and grievance procedures, complaint department is informed of plans. In order to fulfill
systems, counseling sessions, joint setting of customer orders on time, the Marketing Manager
objectives, grapevine, group meetings, the practice must stay in close contact with the Production
of open-door policy, morale, questionnaires, exit Manager. Interdepartmental reports, requests,
interviews, and ombudsperson,” according to recommendations, informal conversations among
Koontz. colleagues at the same level, and so on are all
examples of communication that is transferred
Horizontal or Lateral Communication through lateral means.

Crosswise or Diagonal Communication

Crosswise or diagonal communication covers the

exchange of information among people at various
levels who do not directly report to one another.
Diagonal communication occurs, for instance,
when the marketing manager and the training
supervisor discuss the training of a few marketing
department personnel. In order to meet corporate
Latitudinal or horizontal communication is the goals, this is utilized to improve comprehension,
exchange of information between two or more speed up information flow, and coordinate actions.
people who report to the same person or who It should be highlighted that a lot of communication
are on the same level of authority. Functional crosses clearly defined lines and does not adhere
managers’ communication is a prime example of to organizational hierarchy.
this type of interaction. It is required for reviewing
the tasks given to different subordinates in Inward Communication
positions that are identical. Although they serve the
company in various ways, their shared objectives An organization may have internal or external
and engagement are essential to maintaining communication systems. Internal communication
coordination. This type of interaction typically refers to verbal exchanges that take place within
occurs during committee meetings or conferences an organization and might be horizontal, vertical, or
where all group members—typically peer—interact. diagonal. Both internal and external communication
During the conversation, opinions about one another is possible. All information that an organization
are expressed, and decisions are taken. There are receives from outside sources, such as other
no relationships of superiority or subordination businesses, the government, vendors, clients, rival
here. businesses, shareholders, and the media, is referred
to as inward communication.
The relationship between the production and
marketing departments is the best illustration
of lateral communication. Marketing tactics

37
Forms and Channels of Communication
Outward Communication ● Official Communication Channels: Managers
oversee the formal channels of communication.
A corporation can survive in the competitive world There is little room for information to flow
by adopting external communication skillfully with freely because it is mostly directive or limiting
the aid of communication, which is a continual in character. Its benefits and drawbacks have
process. Outward communication refers to the already been covered.
lines of communication that an organization
● Organizational Hierarchy: The communication
keeps open with the outside world. The company’s
system of the company is influenced similarly by
interaction with the public will determine how the
the organizational hierarchy. Status and power
public perceives it. This exchange of information
differentials are key factors in determining
may be verbal or written. Businesses cannot exist
whether and with whom people will converse
in isolation. External communication is essential to
easily. The position of the employees in the
enlist the assistance and cooperation of everyone
company will also have an impact on the
concerned in an external environment.
communication’s accuracy and content. For
instance, politeness and formality will almost
Outward communication includes interacting with
certainly make the interaction between a general
clients, sending letters, calling for bids, and issuing
manager and clerk awkward.
tenders. This is a challenging undertaking because
interaction occurs and varies between a large ● Job Specialty Ownership: This refers to the idea

number of individuals from many fields, each with that people own or have exclusive knowledge

their own personalities and expectations. To avoid about their particular jobs. For instance, a chef in

embarrassment or performance lapses, nearly all a large hotel may have discovered a new cuisine,

skills required for effective communication must or a plastic surgeon in a super specialty hospital

be brought to the forefront as engagement with may have discovered a particularly effective

external clients continues. People must safeguard method of cosmetic nose repair. Such knowledge

the organization’s reputation and leave a lasting offers the holder an advantage over others, which

good impression because they are representations is a sort of power. He might not enjoy imparting

of the businesses. his expertise or specialized information to others.

As a result, although ownership can be shared,
Factors Affecting Communication in an there is not a truly open flow of information.
Organization ● Information ownership: This refers to the idea
that people own or have exclusive knowledge
Various Elements that affect Organizational about their particular jobs. For instance, a
Communication are: marketing manager might have a special talent
for inspiring his staff in a particular way, or a
Four aspects typically have an impact on an chef in a hotel might have a secret recipe. Such
organization’s communication system: formal knowledge offers the holder an advantage over
channels of communication, organizational power others, which is a sort of power. Due to personal
structure, job specialization, and what Lesikar concerns, secrecy, or just plain disinterest, such
refers to as “information ownership.” information may not be openly given.
38
Forms and Channels of Communication
Summary

● A channel of communication that is formally regulated by managers or other individuals holding positions
within an organization is referred to as a formal channel of communication.

● Multidimensional or multidirectional communication exists. It can flow in a variety of directions. The flow
of communication inside the organization can be upward or downward, inter or intra scalar.

● Downward communication occurs when information travels from a higher level of an organization to a
lower level. In a chain of command, downward communication is the communication from superiors to
subordinates.

● Upward communication is defined as communication that occurs from the bottom to the top, or from a
lower to a higher level in a hierarchy.

● Latitudinal or horizontal communication is the exchange of information between two or more people who
report to the same person or who are on the same level of authority.

● Crosswise or diagonal communication covers the exchange of information among people at various levels
who do not directly report to one another.

● Internal communication refers to verbal exchanges that take place within an organization and might be
horizontal, vertical, or diagonal.

● Outward communication refers to the lines of communication that an organization keeps open with the
outside world.

● Most of our ideas are conveyed to others verbally, either through spoken words or written words. However,
verbal transmissions might have problems with improper wording, misinterpretation, or interpretation of
the message outside of its intended context.

● The definition of non-verbal communication is communication that does not include writing or speaking.

● Kinesics refers to any type of body movement and is the most frequently researched and significant aspect
of non-verbal communication. Emotional feelings inside the body can be expressed through different bodily
movements.

● Proxemics, a term for personal space and distance in communication, is derived from the phrase proximity
or closeness. Nonverbal communication also includes the space and distance we choose to maintain with
others.

● Paralanguage is defined as language that is comparable to or resembles another language by the prefix
para.

● Management communication, often known as intra-management communication, refers to communication

between management members.

● Internal communication occurs when people who are a part of the organization or between the various
organizational units communicate information, messages, and facts about the business.

39
Forms and Channels of Communication
● External communication is the flow of information between a company and a person or group outside the
company, such as consumers, clients, investors, suppliers, and organizations controlled by the government,
society, and the general public.

40
Forms and Channels of Communication
 Unit 4

Business Communication

Learning Objectives Introduction

By the end of this unit, you will be

Regardless of an organization’s size, location, or
able to understand:
objective, effective business communication skills are
● Business communication
essential to its success. The internal culture and external
● Importance of business image of any corporation are intertwined with business
communication communication. Therefore, it is the deciding factor in

● Need for business internal communication. The organization’s purpose of

communication informing, persuading, fostering positive relationships,

and fostering organizational goodwill is achieved with
● Business communication
the help of strong business communication methods.
etiquette
Organizations can only survive if they recognize the
● Barriers to business fast-evolving global problems and effectively develop
communication and deliver communication processes. Communication
● Business negotiation skills is difficult in today’s employment because it is dynamic
and takes place in a context of competition, culture,
and technology. Any business’s ability to communicate
effectively and efficiently is a major factor in its success.
The fundamental issue with communication is that what
is understood might not be what the other person was
trying to say. The communication that is passed between
the speaker and the listener may be distorted by a variety
of factors because they are two independent people with
their own limits. Internal communication is the exchange
of information among individuals within an organization.
They do this to collaborate and achieve their shared

41
Business Communication
objectives. It might be authorized or prohibited. It is possible to get immediate feedback and, if
Face-to-face and written communication are both necessary, avoid misconceptions. An organization’s
forms of internal communication. Examples of superiors and subordinates, as well as the
internal communication include memos, reports, organization and society at large, should effectively
office orders, circulars, faxes, video conferencing, communicate (for example between management
meetings, etc. External communication is the and trade unions). It is crucial for an organization’s
exchange of information between members of an development and success. Any organization should
organization and anyone outside the organization. not have communication gaps.
These people could be clients or consumers,
dealers or distributors, the media, the government, Goals drive business communication. People
or the broader public, inside and outside of an organization must be
informed of the rules, regulations, and policies
of that organization. Business communication is
governed by a set of standards and guidelines.
Early corporate communication was restricted
to written correspondence, telephone calls, etc.
However, with the advancement of technology, we
now have satellite communication, cell phones,
video conferencing, emails, and more to facilitate
corporate communication. Effective business
communication contributes to an organization’s
Business Communication- Meaning
reputation-building efforts.

The transmission of a message is not the same as

Regardless of an organization’s size, location, or
the message being received. It is an understanding
objective, effective business communication skills
that is shared and comes from the recipient.
are essential to its success. The internal culture and
Effective communication is essential in business.
external image of any corporation are intertwined
The foundation of management is communication.
with business communication. Therefore, it is the
Without good communication, it is impossible
deciding factor in internal communication. The
to fulfill management’s core duties (planning,
organization’s purpose of informing, persuading,
organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling)
fostering positive relationships, and fostering
effectively. Information is always flowing throughout
organizational goodwill is achieved with the help
business communications. A crucial component
of strong business communication methods.
of business communication is feedback. Modern
Organizations can only survive if they recognize
organizations are enormous. There are numerous
the fast-evolving global problems and effectively
parties involved. An organization has a structure
develop and deliver communication processes.
with different tiers. The more levels an organization
has, the more challenging it is to manage it. Here,
Communication is difficult in today’s employment
communication is crucial to the process of leading
because it is dynamic and takes place in a context
and managing the employees of the company.
of competition, culture, and technology. Any
42
Business Communication
business’s ability to communicate effectively and or the broader public,
efficiently is a major factor in its success. It occurs
between different groups of employees, owners and Importance of Business Communication
employees, buyers and sellers, service providers
and customers, salespeople and prospects, as well The functioning of a business depends on
as between individuals in the organization and the communication, just as it is fundamental for our life
press. It also occurs between business entities, in in a civilized society. Therefore, there could not be
markets and market places, within organizations, an organization without communication. Without a
and between various groups of customers. Such doubt, communication is a necessary component
communication has an effect on business. When of a business organization. It serves as the means
done carefully, such communication can advance through which fundamental management duties
commercial objectives. If not, it will reflect poorly are carried out. Managers staff, plan, and control
on the company and could harm business interests. through communication. They also coordinate,
direct, and coordinate through communication. In
Any organization’s communication is its lifeblood, an organization, communication usually comes
and it serves primarily to bring about change before any action is made.
and sway behavior. Maintaining an effective
communication process is a fundamental challenge For Guidance: The authoritative aspect is a constant
in any firm. Poor communication is typically a result theme in the instructive role. It has a rather directive
of management issues. Orders are misunderstood, nature. As a result, the communicator provides
which leads to serious errors. The fundamental the next level with the essential instructions and
issue with communication is that what is actually direction to enable them to carry out their specific
understood might not be what the other person was job. Instructions in this generally go from the upper
trying to say. The communication that is passed level to the lower level.
between the speaker and the listener may be
distorted by a variety of factors because they are two For Integration: It is a consolidated function that
independent people with their own limits. Internal attempts to integrate operations. The primary
communication is the exchange of information goal of communication integration is to establish
among individuals within an organization. They relationships between the various business
do this to collaborate and achieve their shared organization functions. It aids in the fusion of
objectives. It might be authorized or prohibited. several managerial tasks.
Face-to-face and written communication are both
forms of internal communication. Examples of To Provide Information: In an organization,
internal communication include memos, reports, communication serves the objective of informing
office orders, circulars, faxes, video conferencing, a group or individual about a certain assignment,
meetings, etc. External communication is the business policies, and processes, etc. Through
exchange of information between members of an the middle level, top management communicates
organization and anyone outside the organization. policy to the lower level. Through the intermediate
These people could be clients or consumers, level, the lower level in turn notifies the top
dealers or distributors, the media, the government, level of the response. Throughout the company,

43
Business Communication
information can move vertically, horizontally, and accomplished through communication with
diagonally. The basic goal of communication is to various media, which must represent the firm’s
inform oneself or others. image in society. An organization must tell society
about its objectives, initiatives, development, and
For Analysis: Communication is the means by social responsibilities through an effective external
which tasks are evaluated in order to generate ideas communication system.
or render judgments about their value. A tool for
evaluating an individual’s or a team’s contribution For Employee Orientation: A new hire will not be
to the organization is communication. A suitable familiar with the organization’s programs, policies,
and efficient communication method is required culture, etc. when they first join. People can become
whether evaluating one’s own inputs, others’ more familiar with their coworkers, superiors,
outputs, or an ideological framework. and the organization’s policies, goals, rules, and
regulations through communication.
For Evaluation: When giving instructions to
subordinates, top management or a manager
must communicate with them. When an employee
receives guidance from a superior, he will perform
better. Oral or written communication can be used
to direct people. An order may be a request order,
an implied order, or a common order.

In the Classroom: Personal safety on the job has

received a lot of attention. To train and enlighten
employees about personal safety at work, a
thorough communication approach is necessary. Need for Business Communication
The workforce can prevent costs, procedures, risks,
The following is a discussion on the need for
accidents, and other problems by communicating
business communication:
effectively.

1. Information Exchange
For Influencing: To influence others or to be
persuaded, a thorough communication strategy
The basic purpose of communication is to
is required. A person with the ability to influence
transmit information between two or more
others can readily persuade others. It alludes to
parties. Organizations communicate information
the giving of feedback that reveals the results of
with both internal and external partners through
communication. A corporate enterprise cannot
communication. Additionally, communication
distance itself from society at large for image-
makes organizational operations more dynamic
building purposes. The society and an enterprise
and aids in goal achievement.
working in the society are interconnected and
dependent on one another. Public trust and
confidence must necessarily be built. It can be

44
Business Communication
2. Creating Strategies and Directives issues.

Organizational strategies and policies can be 7. Decision-Making

prepared with the aid of communication. Plans and
policies need sufficient and pertinent information A decision-maker needs up-to-date information.
to be realistic. The managers use communication Managers can gather data from various sources
to obtain the necessary data from dependable and make the best decisions by using efficient
sources. communication.

3. Putting Plans and Strategies into Action 8. Improving Workplace Relations

Managers must communicate plans and The relationship between employees and
procedures to the entire organization in order for management at work is known as an industrial
them to be implemented on time. Managers rely relationship. For a business to succeed, a healthy
on communication to spread plans and policies to industrial relationship is always desired. In order to
internal and external stakeholders. establish and sustain positive working relationships,
communication is essential.
4. Improving Employee Productivity
9. Product and Service Promotion
Employee productivity can also be increased with
the aid of communication. Organizational goals, Business today is getting extremely competitive. A
plans, policies, regulations, directions, and other nearly fiercely competitive firm creates goods for
difficult topics are explained to the staff with everyday use. But none of them can sell as well as
the aid of communication, which broadens their the others. A company that can communicate more
knowledge and therefore helps them be effective. effectively can also sell more effectively.

5. Reaching Objectives 10. Eliminating Disputes

Effective communication encourages awareness Good communication enables an efficient

and attention among employees at all levels. It exchange of information among the many parties
guarantees prompt completion of tasks and simple participating in the negotiation or transaction.
goal achievement. Conflicts, debates, and disagreements can thus be
readily settled.
6. Resolving Issues
11. Increasing Employee Contentment
The managers can get information about various
normal and non-routine issues affecting the A free and equitable exchange of information
organization through a variety of channels of within the company will undoubtedly improve
communication, and they can then respond by management and employee comprehension. Such
taking the appropriate actions to address the comprehension raises workers’ contentment.

45
Business Communication
12. Increasing Fidelity relationship but also their productivity because
there will not be good communication between
Effective communication makes it easier them.
for managers to monitor their employees’
performance. The subordinates attempt to display In addition to using business communication
their strong performance in such a circumstance. etiquette within the company, communicating with
When management later recognizes their persons outside the company, such as suppliers
accomplishments, it will increase employee loyalty. and customers or clients, can also benefit from this
consideration. The way a corporation responds to
Business Communication Etiquette client complaints about either a product or the type
of service it provides is an illustration of appropriate
The term “business communication etiquette” communication etiquette between an organization
refers to the mostly unwritten yet appropriate and its customers.
ways of communicating in different corporate
situations. Business communication etiquette has Such complaints must be addressed by the
a wide range of applications and can be used to company in accordance with proper business
refer to both internal business communications protocol; this is necessary for both good customer
within an organization as well as external relations and effective business communication.
interactions. Business communication etiquette A company must follow good communication
can be employed in person-to-person interactions, etiquette while working with companies in other
interactions between businesses from diverse nations as required by international considerations
cultural backgrounds, and internet business of accommodations for other cultures and beliefs.
communications. In this sense, the company representatives will
make every effort to follow the local business
One example of how corporate communication customs and etiquette.
etiquette is put to use is in the dynamics of
communication that take place within a business When communicating and working together,
organization in terms of the way that the various businesspeople can function inside a set framework
employees, from management to other employees thanks to business etiquette. Paying attention to
on the bottom rungs, communicate. For instance, etiquette is a sign of professionalism and respect
business communication etiquette dictates for others, and it can help create trust among
how people should react to verbal or physical coworkers and create favorable first impressions.
communication from other employees. Assuming It can be simpler for varied people to work together
an employee email another employee with a request when business partners and coworkers follow
for information about a project they are both working an established code of etiquette since they can
on, according to basic business communication concentrate their efforts on the task at hand rather
etiquette, that person should respond to the email than trying to grasp the cultural quirks of others.
within a fair amount of time. Ignoring the email is Diverse nations and geographical areas have
not only impolite, but it may also cause unneeded different business cultures, and these cultures
conflict that will harm not just the coworkers’ vary greatly. By bringing all parties together under
46
Business Communication
a shared understanding, etiquette can make cross- Colleagues
cultural commercial contacts as fruitful as feasible.
Colleague communication is an essential but
Business etiquette covers a wide range of topics. A frequently undervalued ability. Any trustworthy
significant portion of etiquette involves verbal and company should have effective formal lines
non-verbal communication; cultural differences of communication established to ensure that
can be found in communication patterns, taboo information is communicated effectively and that
subjects, and acceptable speaking distances. unnecessary work is avoided. If you are in control
Another significant aspect of manners is how one of a group of workers, you ought to try to be
is dressed and presented. Business professionals approachable and open with your communications.
are expected to present themselves professionally, Your interactions with your staff, particularly your
or at the very least to follow the example of those listening abilities, promote a sense of engagement
around them. Another factor is time sensitivity; and worth in them. Similar to this, if you are an
whereas some cultures value punctuality, others entry-level employee, your ability in communication
perceive it as a sign of excitement or even haste. skills greatly influences how quickly you advance in
your career.
Business Etiquette and Communication Abilities

Although they are regarded as “soft” skills,

communication and etiquette are crucial to a
business’s success. Respectful conduct builds
rapport with business associates, and effective
communication increases any company’s
productivity. These two outcomes have the potential
Overseas
to significantly boost a company’s earnings.

Various cultures have different standards for

Initial Perceptions
acceptable communication and business manners.
If you are traveling for business, do some advanced
Etiquette and communication abilities help you
research on the accepted business etiquette in
make a great first impression when working with
the destination nation. This could entail changing
people outside of your own organization. This is
how you present yourself, how you greet people,
crucial if you want to clinch a transaction or make
and what topics are appropriate to discuss in a
a sale. People you interact with will judge you
business meeting.
based on how you present yourself, including your
appearance, personal grooming, body language,
Training
handshake, and communication fluency. Your
professional image is made up of all of these things.
As soft skills like etiquette and communication
become more important, there are more training
programs available and consultants who specialize
in this field. In order to ensure that students learn
47
Business Communication
these abilities early on, many Master of Business informing them that you are looking into the matter
Administration degrees also contains etiquette will be welcomed, even if it means the inquiry will
and communication modules. These modules are take longer.
frequently included in the student orientation.
Use of Email
Ten Tips for Business Etiquette
Email’s quick pleasure might cause sloppy behavior
An unproductive, unpleasant, and litigious workplace and an unprofessional demeanor. When writing
is one where employees are impolite, dismissive, emails, use the same caution you would with any
or careless. Customers soon notice this type of piece of published writing, paying close attention to
internal behavior, and an offended customer can spelling, punctuation, grammar, and capitalization.
readily locate another provider to take your place. Avoid broad inquiries and one-word responses
Although proper corporate conduct is encouraged by being detailed. If you have to send an email
at all levels of the organization, it begins at the top. requesting an explanation and then get one in
return, you have sent two emails for what would
Everybody Plays a Part otherwise have been a straightforward transaction.

Keep in mind that everyone in the firm, from the

CEO to the mail clerk, can have an impact on one
another when interacting with your own personnel.
The work of every employee is interconnected, so
the individual you may be dismissing today might
know something that will be useful to you tomorrow.

Make Meetings Effective

When a meeting is required, be considerate of other

attendees’ schedules and make sure you have all Consider Others’ Time.
the resources and information required for the
meeting topic on hand. Thank the attendees for When you must interrupt someone, make an effort
their input, and send out a written summary of the to do it discreetly. Be kind and succinct when
conversation with the next steps. A meeting that speaking to him so that he can return to his ongoing
doesn’t result in any action being done was not work. Meetings should not be interrupted unless it
required to begin with. is urgent.

A Timely Response Dress to Impress

Make sure to answer any calls or emails you get One should err on the side of caution even in a
promptly, whether they are from coworkers or relaxed setting. Customers and coworkers may
clients. A brief email or phone contact to the sender conclude that the scenario, business, or people

48
Business Communication
involved are not worth the effort to display you you,” and “you’re welcome”—are also some of the
respectably if you appear disheveled. It is always most frequently forgotten. Keep your voice down
safer to be overdressed than underdressed when and your words polite.
the dress code is unclear.
Barriers in Business Communication
Keep Your Boss Up To Date
When something stands in the way of a message
Limit the number of times you agree with and being transmitted and entirely or partially inhibits
compliment your supervisor. In addition to the process, it is referred to as a barrier.
treating your coworkers with respect, you should
also remember that acting differently toward a Following are many sorts of barriers:
supervisor might easily come across as being
condescending. However, since he is ultimately in 1. Environmental or Physical Barriers:
charge of your performance, you ought to give your
● Noise - Noise from outside sources including
supervisor more details. Inform him of any delays,
traffic, loud music being played, trains, planes,
obstacles, fresh information, or worries.
and groups of people interferes with our ability
to communicate.
Observe Diverse Cultures
● Distance and Time - When people must interact
Always appreciate other cultures if your business across time zones in several nations, time itself
engages in worldwide business. Even while you do becomes a barrier. The inability to communicate
not have to be proficient in every language you deal face-to-face or orally might result from the
with, making an effort to acquire even a little piece physical distance between those who need to do
of a language might show that you value respect so.
and cooperation. Before attending any overseas ● Communication System Flaws - Physical
meeting, it is wise to research other cultural barriers are also produced by mechanical issues
variations such as holidays and table manners. and flaws in communication tools, such as a
broken fax machine or typewriter. Similar to a
Timeliness When there is a time aspect involved
hanging computer, a dead phone line can prevent
in anything business-related, such as a project
message transmission. No range on a cellphone,
deadline or a meeting that is scheduled to start,
for instance, or a microphone or speaker issued.
be on time. It means that there are things you need
Inappropriate media choice - The sender chooses
to focus on more urgently than your coworkers or
a format that the recipient is unfamiliar with.
clients.
● Physical flaws such as stuttering, hearing issues,
muttering while speaking, etc.
Keep in Mind the Basics

2. Barriers Due to Language or Semantics:

Above all, keep in mind the most basic etiquette
you learned as a youngster. Some of the most
Language is the primary form of communication,
fundamental spoken manners—”please,” “thank

49
Business Communication
and words are its instruments. At various levels, barriers may be formed. Words like fair and fair,
including semantic (meaning), syntactic (grammar), bear and bare, and council and counsel are a few
phonological (pronunciation, intonation, pitch, etc.), examples.
and eventually linguistic, language shows to be a
barrier (across languages) Language barriers can 3. Psychological Barriers:
therefore occur in a variety of ways:
Psyche is the Latin word for mind. In the mind,
● Jargon or Unfamiliar Terminology: People in a psychological barriers are built. The purpose
certain profession or group, such as doctors, of communication, which is a mental activity,
attorneys, software engineers, or college is to foster understanding. However, because
students, may employ specific terminologies or of the complexity of the human mind, not all
technical vocabulary. They communicate with communication can lead to comprehension. There
one another using specialized language that only are many different psychological obstacles that
members of their tribe can understand. can prevent understanding.

● Language barrier: When people do not speak

● Emotions: One of the most prevalent
the same language, it becomes difficult to
psychological barriers to communication is
communicate. By employing a common form
emotion. The feeling could be associated with
of communication, such as in a classroom, this
the message received, or it might already be
barrier can be removed. Another crucial strategy
there in the sender’s or receiver’s thoughts before
for removing this barrier is translation.
the message is given or received. It serves as a
● Extensional and purposeful words are the two barrier in both scenarios. Positive emotions like
types of words. Extensional terms, such as boy, joy and happiness can be experienced, as well as
chair, garden, etc., are unambiguous in their negative ones like anger, fear, and mistrust. If not
meaning and do not erect obstacles. Intentional controlled, both happy and negative emotions
words are those that describe and depending serve as impediments.
on the interpretation that a person assigns to
● Prejudice: A prejudice is an opinion that a person
the word, they might be understood differently
holds that is unsupported by facts or legitimate
by other individuals. Because the meanings of
justifications. It can be for or against something
the words “good,” “bad,” and “beautiful” are not
or someone, but either way, it prevents real
always apparent, even a simple statement like
conversation. Prejudices, such as those against
“She is a good girl” can cause confusion.
particular communities or groups of people, are
● Occasionally, the same word might have entirely founded on ignorance and a lack of information.
different meanings when used in other settings.
● The Halo Effect: Occasionally, our responses to
A term like “hard,” for instance, can be employed
other individuals are intense and unbalanced.
in a variety of contexts to convey various
Either we admire someone so much that we can
meanings. Examples include “hard chair,” “hard-
see no flaws in them, or we despise someone so
hearted,” “hard drink,” and “having a hard time.”
much that we can find nothing admirable about
● When we encounter words that sound the same them. In both situations, we make poor decisions
when spoken yet have quite distinct meanings,
50
Business Communication
 and fail to comprehend the other person. Surmounting Psychological Obstacles

● Self-image or various perceptions: Everyone

● Adopt a flexible and open-minded mindset.
has an idea of who she or he is in their minds.
One has a preconceived notion of who she or ● Practice listening.
he is. This is how they see themselves and ● Exposure to other environments and viewpoints
how they view themselves. Because we only will help to broaden perspectives
accept communication that is consistent with
● Empathic listening makes it easier to adjust to
our self-image, self-image can act as a barrier.
other people’s viewpoints.
Communication that conflicts with how we see
ourselves is avoided or rejected.
4. Cross-Cultural Barriers: “The complex system of
● Closed Mind: A closed mind is one that rejects values, qualities, morals, and practices shared by a
a concept or viewpoint on a subject because society,” according to Mary Allen Guffey, defines
it contradicts his own. Such people create an communication.
opinion on an issue and then reject hearing from
anyone who has a contrary viewpoint. A closed
mentality could be the result of a particular prior
event or just from habit. The removal of this
psychological barrier is exceedingly challenging.

● Status: Status describes a position or rank.

Economic, social, or professional status could
be a factor. Differences in rank are a natural
occurrence in every organization due to
hierarchy. Therefore, status on its own does not
create obstacles; rather, status only becomes a Barriers are largely caused by cultural variety within
barrier when a person becomes overly cognizant a nation and cultural disparities between individuals
of it, regardless of how high or low it is. In a from various nations. This is due to the fact that
business setting, for example, a senior executive people’s cultures condition them, and as a result,
who is overly mindful of his seniority will not they develop specific working, communicating,
communicate effectively with his juniors and may eating, clothing, and other habits that reflect this
withhold the necessary information from them. conditioning. People from foreign cultures and
Similar to this, a junior who is very aware of his with different customs are challenging for them to
junior status may avoid talking to his superiors, communicate with. A simple act like a greeting to
even when it is required. welcome someone differs greatly between India and
other countries, such as Japan or an Arab nation.
● Inattention and Impatience: On occasion, the
It can be unsettling to observe another culture’s
recipient may not pay attention to the message
eating and dressing customs. Cultures also have
being sent or may be too impatient to hear it
diverse ideas about time and space; for instance,
clearly. These obstacles are frequent in oral
Indians are comfortable sharing a seat and a space
communication.
in public settings like offices. A European, however,

51
Business Communication
could not put up with such intrusive behavior. Both sides are happy with the result.

Similar to this, those from cultures where time is According to Mind Tools, an educational tool for
highly valued would find it difficult to tolerate those business communication skills, the objective of
from cultures where time is relaxed and things are negotiations should be to achieve a win-win result.
done slowly and unhurriedly. All parties to a negotiation feel satisfied when the
outcome is win-win. Knowing what the other person
● Cultural diversity wants is the first step in reaching this result.

● Time
Effective negotiation directly correlates with
● Spaced. Food
effective communication. The negotiation
● Manners would go better than the communication was. A

● Decision making discussion does not involve shouting and arguing;

rather, it is just the sharing of thoughts, ideas, and
Business Negotiation Skills perspectives. A successful and healthy discussion
requires great communication skills. To succeed
Business Negotiations in all types of negotiation, one must grasp the art
of communication. Unless and until you share your
You might refer to negotiations as a method views and ideas with the other person, they will
of resolving conflicts. It is regarded as being never learn about them. Your grey matter is hidden
identical to negotiation, collaboration, resolution, from view. A lot depends on your speech.
and agreement. It occurs nearly everywhere in
life, whether it be in business, personal situations Do’s and Don’ts in Case of Negotiations
(such as marriage and parenthood), legal
processes, governmental concerns, etc. A channel
of communication with the goal of bridging gaps
and resolving disputes amicably is known as
negotiation. The goal of the parties is to achieve a
win-win situation.

A lot of preparation is required for business

negotiations, including asking questions about
why negotiations are necessary, who is involved,
their perspectives, your goals, what to expect from
negotiations, etc.
● When it comes to negotiations, there are several
dos and don’ts:
A minimum of two parties are required for
negotiation. Both parties recognize the purpose ● Focus on the earlier issues rather than raising
of the negotiation. The parties are willing to work too many new ones.
together to find a solution that works for everyone. ● Be straightforward and sincere. Do not let rumors
52
Business Communication
 get you down. agreement is that the disadvantaged party will not
be ready to abide by it and instead strive to make
● Never set timelines; doing so could cause
up for their deficit or exact retribution. Distributive
negotiations to drag out.
negotiation typically uses negotiating strategies
● Avoid bringing up personal issues. Just keep
and procedures to settle disputes. They are stern
your arguments fact-based.
and hard. In order to counteract the aggressive
● Throughout the bargaining process, continue methods of the opposition and reduce their efficacy,
providing recaps. it is crucial to foresee or discover them early.

● Try not to be inflexible. If the opposing viewpoint

● Contre polemic fought by constant and
is valid, pay attention to it.
systematic departure from the subject is one of
● Give examples to support your claims. Use facts
the standard strategies that can be described.
to back up your claims.
● Forceful and intimidating assault.
● Make no requests that cannot be met at all.
● Rhetorical strategies focused on deception,
● Keep your emotions under control.
hiding the truth, hiding the villain, and masking
● Be positive. Have no fear of failing. There are motives.
opportunities in other trades also.
● Personal attacks that are made in ill faith are
disqualified, as is the decline in mocking.
Distributive Negotiation

When there is a considerable force imbalance and

Distributive negotiation is off the either-or variety,
a strong interest opposition, this sort of negotiation
offering only the options of success or failure.
is feasible.
It’s one that seems like a transaction since, in
order for one party to win, the other must lose.
Integrative Negotiation
The concession made by each partner is at the
grantor’s expense, and vice versa. According to this
Integrative negotiation (win-win) occurs when
viewpoint, negotiation brings two adversaries face
both parties’ goals and interests are taken into
to face with their divergent objectives and turns
consideration, even if they are their own. It is
into a struggle between opposing forces where one
founded on respect for one another and tolerance
side must prevail. Any acquiescence is a symptom
for various points of view and goals. The benefits of
of fragility. Any attack that is successful is a display
this kind of negotiation include better, more lasting
of power.
solutions being reached, improved feelings among
the parties, and improved interactions between the
An agreement that does not take into consideration
parties.
the partner’s interests will be the goal of the
negotiations, and it will be even better if the
Both parties triumph and agree with the agreement’s
impacts are the most severe. The power dynamics
solution. Long-term commercial connections are
present in the negotiation will ultimately influence
formed, preserved, and strengthened through
how it turns out. The worst outcome of such an
ethical negotiating. This negotiation strategy avoids

53
Business Communication
and avoids conflict situations. Confidence and communication of intentions. Instead, an effective
optimism are present during climate negotiations, argument must be developed that will achieve the
and once an agreement is reached, it can be desired result. Any talks should aim to “win” the deal
respected. Mutual concessions form the basis rather than “win” the price being discussed. Thus,
for specific strategies (shorter delivery terms for negotiation is a targeted and participatory kind of
immediate payment, for example). communication in which two or more parties are at
odds trying to come to an agreement to resolve an
Reasonable Negotiation issue or accomplish a common objective.

A rational negotiation is one in which the parties Negotiating in order to establish, preserve, or grow
attempt to resolve disagreements from an objective interpersonal and social relationships in general
perspective that differs from their own viewpoints as a corporate partnership, or diplomatic work in
rather than by just proposing to do something particular. The direction of a transaction can be
or obtaining concessions agreed upon by their seen by the fact that discussions don’t always go
subjective negotiating stances. To do this, there according to the outcomes. They are frequently
must be mutual interests that are explicitly stated held accountable for their side effects, which might
and shared in full transparency, without even the include gaining time, preserving, and enhancing
tiniest hint of secrecy or suspicion. Does it start their relationships, and keeping the conflict’s
with defining the issues that need to be resolved condition from getting worse.
as responses to queries like What’s wrong? The evil
where? How does it appear? What are the facts that Effective Negotiation & Communication
are in conflict with the circumstances? It proceeds
with a diagnosis of the circumstance, focusing No matter what kind of small business an owner
on the root causes of issues. Then, theoretical may be running, there are always talks going on
answers are sought after, and decisions are made every day. These could be as straightforward as
regarding the course of action from which at least picking a time and location for a meeting or they
some could be implemented. Determining issues, could be considerably more crucial to the entire
identifying causes, and looking for solutions are operation of the company, like ironing out the
the steps in the rationality algorithm. A negotiator specifics of a significant contract. Businesspeople
aims to comprehend the risks taken by a partner, must be adept at negotiation strategies and know
as well as his emotions, reasons for doing things, how to communicate well while negotiating.
and worries.
Non-Verbal
Unresolved disputes are settled by using objective
standards like scientific references, legal standards, Non-verbal communication can occasionally be
moral principles, or the services of a neutral more significant than verbal communication in
arbiter. Diverse interests of the participants in the all types of communication situations, including
negotiation and, frequently, conflicts of interest negotiations. As well as any non-verbal signs the
cannot be resolved solely through the correct opposing negotiator may be displaying, you should
application of negotiation principles and effective pay attention to his non-verbal signals. An indication

54
Business Communication
that someone disagreeing with what is being said, Continuity of Conversation
for instance, is when they suddenly cross their
arms across their chest during a conversation. Open-ended questions can elicit far more
Understanding non-verbal indicators can enable information than closed-ended ones, even
you to adjust your approach. while questions that can be replied to in a single
word, like “yes” or “no,” have their place in good
Verbal communication and agreements. One technique to
It also matters what is said during the discussion find out the person’s concerns about the agreement
verbally. During a negotiation, parties should try is to ask him what you would need to do to negotiate
to abide by a few basic guidelines, such as never it today and leave with a signed contract. This
raising their voices, not interrupting the other party reveals just what you should pay attention to and
when he is speaking, and refraining from employing overcome in your presentation. Sit still and listen
jargon that the other party might not understand. By to the other person’s response after posing an
asking the listener to describe how he understood open-ended question. Do not try to continue talking
the dialogue, a negotiator can quickly gauge the during the pause.
success of her verbal communication.
Considerations
Preparation
There are some power plays that can be incorporated
You should get ready for the trade before a into negotiating tactics and have an impact on the
negotiation starts. This entails determining the exchange’s ability to communicate effectively. One
negotiation’s objective, coming up with a number example of a power play that imparts power to the
of potential solutions, and choosing the primary person behind the desk is sitting behind a large
negotiating strategy. Additionally, you need to desk with the other person effectively exposed in
produce an outline of the key issues you will cover simply a chair. Although it might have psychological
during the negotiation’s verbal exchange. Spend benefits, this does not help in communication.
some time deciding which project components you Instead of using tactics that might give you the
are ready to forego or compromise on in order to upper hand through intimidation, concentrate on
come to an amicable agreement. negotiating a win-win agreement through honest
and open communication.

Summary

● Goals drive business communication. People inside and outside of an organization must be informed of
the rules, regulations, and policies of that organization. Business communication is governed by a set of
standards and guidelines.

● Regardless of an organization’s size, location, or objective, effective business communication skills are
essential to its success.

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Business Communication
● Communication is a necessary component of a business organization. It serves as the means through
which fundamental management duties are carried out. Managers staff, plan, and control through
communication. They also coordinate, direct, and coordinate through communication.

● The term “business communication etiquette” refers to the mostly unwritten yet appropriate ways of
communicating in different corporate situations. Business communication etiquette has a wide range of
applications and can be used to refer to both internal business communications within an organization as
well as external interactions.

● Etiquette and communication abilities help you make a great first impression when working with people
outside of your own organization.

● Distributive negotiation is off the either-or variety, offering only the options of success or failure. It is one
that seems like a transaction since, in order for one party to win, the other must lose.

● Integrative negotiation (win-win) occurs when both parties’ goals and interests are taken into consideration,
even if they are their own.

● A rational negotiation is one in which the parties attempt to resolve disagreements from an objective
perspective that differs from their own viewpoints rather than by just proposing to do something or
obtaining concessions agreed upon by their subjective negotiating stances.

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Business Communication
 Unit 5

Listening and Reading Skills

Learning Objectives Introduction

By the end of this unit, you will be

We take listening for granted, which contributes to the fact
able to understand:
that we do not listen to people effectively. Most individuals
● Meaning and process of
feel that since they already know what listening is all
listening skills
about, there is no need to learn any further information.
● Types of listening We also believe that listening well comes naturally. In

● Results of effective listening reality, a lot of us probably believe we already possess

good listening abilities. These two presumptions are
● How to be a good listener
unfounded. We cannot presume that we have reached the
● Barriers to listening skills pinnacle of our listening abilities, and we cannot presume
● Meaning of reading skills: that effective listening is straightforward or effortless.

● Techniques for improving

The average listening efficiency rate in the business
reading
sector is barely 25% if research findings are to be believed.
● Guidelines of effective reading Immediately following a ten-minute presentation, the
average listener can only remember 50% of the material
that was spoken.

After 24 hours the recall level is only 25 percent. Does

this portend positively for businesses? No. Why? Let us
examine why listening is so crucial in a contemporary
workplace.

57
Listening and Reading Skills
Reading, writing, speaking, and listening are the four point of view from a different perspective than their
components of communication. Although each own. It is not always simple to do this.
ability is important in and of itself, the effectiveness
of one depends on and influences the effectiveness Due to the fact that most people are simply
of the other. encouraged to listen without any instruction,
listening becomes an unconscious talent for most
Picking up the newspaper and reading the headlines people. Even though you may tell your ears to
is how we start our day. We read emails, letters, focus on the words, listening well involves much
other books, and periodicals during the day, banners more than just hearing the words as they repeat in
and adverts on billboards while driving, and prayers your head. The entire process of communicating
before going to bed. Whether we realize it or not, we includes listening. Your childhood, any training
spend a lot of time reading in general. you may have had in school or in college, and the
values you have acquired from life experience are
The information found in office manuals, just a few of the influences on your listening habits.
newspapers, magazines, books, journals, letters, Your innate abilities and ingrained characteristics
business reports, laws, and office orders is used also have an effect on how you listen right now.
every day by executives working in commercial When you are trained to listen, you learn things like:
and industrial organizations. Any organization’s refrain from interrupting; make eye contact with the
performance depends on its executives’ capacity for speaker; focus on them; express appreciation; ask
accurate and speedy reading and comprehension. questions to get the speaker to continue and clarify
There is no doubt that all executives need to your comprehension.
read effectively if they want to comprehend and
remember the stuff they are studying for a longer
period of time. They can also get better by honing
their reading abilities to be more effective and
focused.

Listening Skills: Meaning and Process

Listening does not just entail keeping a courteous

quiet; it also does not entail keeping a sharp eye out
for the weaknesses in the other person’s case so
Figure 5.1
that you might subsequently crush him.
However, there is much more to good listening than
Listening entails attempting to understand the issue just the specific, observable behaviors mentioned
from the speaker’s perspective, which necessitates above. Different listening styles are required for
empathy rather than compassion, which is feeling various circumstances. We may listen in order to
for the speaker. To truly listen, one must deliberately learn something, advance a connection, appreciate
and creatively imagine themselves in the other something, establish judgments, or carry out a
person’s shoes and attempt to comprehend their critical review. Four components make for effective

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Listening and Reading Skills
listening: symbolic meanings.

● Focused perception of verbal and visual inputs is

Responding: The receiver must finish this stage
known as attention.
by providing vocal and/or non-verbal feedback
● Opening the “gates to your ears” is the because the speaker has no other way to know
physiological act of hearing. whether a message has been heard. As a result, this
stage becomes the only overt way for the sender
● Understanding—giving significance to the
to assess the degree of message transmission
messages you receive
success.
● Recalling: the retaining of important information

Types of Listening
According to Frank Tyger “Hearing is one of the
body’s five senses, but listening is an art.”
Different listening styles are required for various
circumstances. We may listen in order to learn
Process of Listening
something, advance a relationship, develop an
appreciation for something, establish judgments,
Listening is the physical reaction to the stimulation
or carry out a critical appraisal. While some
of the sensory receptors in the ear. Hearing is the
fundamental abilities are required for all forms of
experience of sound waves. You must hear to listen,
listening (receiving, attention, and understanding),
but you do not need to listen to hear (the perception
each type also calls for some unique abilities.
necessary for listening depends on attention).
Selecting: The brain filters out stimuli and only Informative Listening
allows a select few to come into focus. This
selective perception is known as attention, and it is Informative listening is a kind of listening when
a crucial component of effective listening. Strong the message’s comprehension is the listener’s first
stimuli, such as bright lights and loud noises, priority. The extent to which the interpretation that
attract attention; paying attention to less striking or listeners give to communications is as similar to
common stimuli requires extra effort. what the sender meant, the more successful they
are.
Understanding: In order to comprehend the images
and noises we have seen and heard, it is necessary In many facets of our life, we engage in informative
to consider the significance of the stimuli we have listening or listening to comprehend. Our ability to
taken in; these stimuli include not only words learn is greatly influenced by informed listening. For
but also sounds like applause. the meanings instance, how well we listen determines what we
associated with these symbols are a function of learn from teachers’ lectures or other instructions.
our past associations and the context in which In the workplace, our ability to function depends on
the symbols occur; for successful interpersonal how well we listen and comprehend new practices
communication, the listener must understand the or procedures. We listen to speeches, briefings,
intended meaning and the context assumed by the reports, and directions; if we do not listen well, we
sender. and sights like a blue uniform also have won’t have the knowledge we need.

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Listening and Reading Skills
The three main factors that affect informative “Sure, go ahead,” without paying attention to what
listening are as follows. Knowing these factors will she was asking. I only grasped what she had said
enable you to start developing your informative after a while. I had to leave the house earlier than
listening abilities, which will lead to an improvement normal the following morning because she was not
in your ability to comprehend what the speaker is coming home that evening. I had a speech to deliver
trying to say. in Gurgaon, and I had to go there while carrying all
of my notes and visual aids in my car. I was able to
1. Vocabulary: Although the exact link between locate my car thanks to the fact that Monica had
vocabulary and listening has never been established, provided her aunt’s phone number.
it is obvious that having a larger vocabulary will
boost your chances of understanding things more There are several causes for why listeners lose
thoroughly. And there is never a bad time to expand focus. Listeners may attempt to divide their focus
your vocabulary. Your vocabulary will grow if you between two competing stimuli. Other times,
take a sincere interest in words and language, make listeners are focused on something aside from
an effort to acquire new terms, and break down the current speaker. Sometimes listeners are too
unfamiliar words into their component pieces. preoccupied with their own egos or need to pay
attention to the message being conveyed. Or maybe
Being aware of the context in which words are they lack interest, energy, or curiosity. Simply said,
used is another excellent method to expand your many people lack the skills necessary to focus
vocabulary. Unfamiliar words occasionally have while listening. Others just refuse to discipline
synonyms: We were charmed by her gorgeous, themselves, lacking the will to take ownership
charming personality. Other times, a contrast is of effective listening. Discipline, motivation, and
made: He is normally very vivacious, but tonight acceptance of responsibility are necessary for
he seemed drowsy. On occasion, a condition or concentration.
quality is described using a strange word: He had
a fantastic day, passing for more than 200 yards, 3. Memory. Since memory is a necessary component
rushing for another 50, and averaging more than 45 of information processing, it is a particularly
yards on each of his three punts. important factor in informative listening. In more
detail, memory facilitates informed listening in
2. Concentration: It is challenging to focus. You three different ways.
may undoubtedly recall instances when you were
● It enables you to recall the knowledge and
not paying attention to what someone was saying
experiences needed to function in the environment
to you or when they were not paying attention to
around you. In other words, you wouldn’t have a
what you were saying.
knowledge bank without memory.

Some time ago, Monica, one of my friends, ● It creates expectations for what you will
interrupted me while I was reading the newspaper experience. Without the ability to recall your past
to inquire if it would be alright for her to drive my experiences, you would be unable to navigate
aunt’s car and spend the night there. Before you go through congested traffic, respond to unexpected
to work in the morning, I will be at home. I responded, events, or make everyday decisions.

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Listening and Reading Skills
● It enables you to comprehend what others are gazing about the room. Body language conveys
saying. You couldn’t converse with anyone else if approval or lack thereof. Leaning away from the
you couldn’t simply remember what words meant. speaker conveys disinterest; leaning forward,
You wouldn’t be able to comprehend messages if toward the speaker, expresses interest. Positive
you couldn’t recall thoughts and ideas. attentive actions include nodding the head, smiling,
frowning, and vocalizing cues. Other attending
Relationship Listening behaviors include speaking in a pleasant tone,
gently touching the other person, and showing
Relationship listening serves two purposes: either to interest in their comfort.
benefit the individual or to strengthen interpersonal
ties. A distressed individual can talk through a 2. Supporting. Many behaviors, such as interrupting
situation with the help of counselors, medical the speaker, changing the topic, directing the
staff, or other specialists. However, it can also be conversation toward yourself, and exhibiting a lack
applied when you give friends or acquaintances a of regard for the other person, have a negative or no
chance to “get things off their chests” by listening supportive effect.
to them. Although relationship listening calls for
informational listening, the focus is on getting Other actions that will damage the relationship
to know the other person. Effective relationship include offering advice, attempting to steer the
listening depends on three behaviors: attending, conversation, or making it clear that you think you
are better than others.

The finest reaction is occasionally to say nothing.

Not a “resounding board,” but a “sounding board”
may be what the speaker needs. Relationship
listeners who are wise know when to speak and
when to simply listen; they typically listen more
than they speak.
supporting, and empathizing.

Supportive listeners share three traits: discretion

1. Attending. The significance of “paying attention”
(being careful about what they say and do), belief
or “attending” actions has been stressed frequently.
(having faith in the other person’s abilities), and
When listening in a relationship, attentive behaviors
patience (being willing to allow people the space
show that the listener is paying attention to the
they need to express themselves fully).
speaker. Relationship listening relies heavily on
nonverbal cues since they show whether you are
3. Empathizing: Sympathy, a feeling for or about
paying attention to the speaker or not.
someone, is not what this is. Apathy, which is a
lack of sensation, is not it either. Empathy is the
One of the most crucial attending actions is eye
ability to think and feel like another person. The
contact. A message is sent differently when one
looks appropriately and comfortably at the speaker
as opposed to often shifting their gaze, glaring, or
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Listening and Reading Skills
compassionate, empathic listener has the capacity prior experience—have a major impact on the
to enter the world of another person, experiencing effectiveness of appreciative listening.
it from that person’s perspective. Obviously, the one
with greater life experience and a longer lifespan has 1. Presentation
a higher likelihood of becoming a good empathic
listener. A person who has never gone through a The media, the environment, the presenter’s style,
divorce, lost a child to death, gone bankrupt, or lost and personality are just a few of the numerous
their job may find it more difficult to relate to those aspects that make up a presentation. Sometimes
who have similar issues than someone who has. our enjoyment or distaste of the presentation
depends more on how we perceive it than on
Being an empathic relationship listener carries some how it actually is. In order to practice appreciative
risks. Without being involved, which sometimes listening, perception is crucial.
requires learning more than you really want to
know, you cannot be a good empathic listener. But For instance, I appreciate listening to knowledgeable
without empathy, leaders cannot lead successfully, speakers with strong delivery, such as Barkha Datt
supervisors cannot supervise effectively, and of NDTV.
people cannot relate to one another. I feel sorry for
the man who cannot feel the stripes on another’s 2. Perception
back, Abraham Lincoln reportedly said. It’s true that
folks who are unable to empathize with another I didn’t care to listen to jazz music for a long time.
person find it difficult to comprehend them. Jazz, in my opinion, would not appeal to someone
like me. Then I started working for a new boss,
Empathic conduct can be taught. As much as you a jazz-loving training manager. She inspired me
can about the other person must be learned first. much. Now that my mind was free to listen to jazz,
Even if you can’t accept all of the other person’s As my perspective changed, I started to like jazz
actions, you must accept them as a whole. Thirdly, music.
you need to want to listen with empathy. Additionally,
keep in mind that successful relationship listening All aspects of our lives are influenced by
depends on empathy. perceptions. They undoubtedly play a key role in
determining whether or not we enjoy or value the
Appreciative Listening music we listen to. Of course, perceptions also
influence how and what we listen to. Listening is
Listening with appreciation includes enjoying selective, as we already stated.
music, enjoying speakers whose speaking styles
you favor, and enjoying your preferred theatre, 3. Prior Knowledge.
television, radio, or film. For me, what constitutes
appreciative listening is the listener’s response, It is evident from the concept of perception that
not the message’s origin. Gospel, country, jazz, or our prior experiences have an impact on how much
the “golden oldies” are the genres I prefer to listen we enjoy listening to anything. Sometimes we love
to. Three elements—presentation, perception, and listening to things because we are knowledgeable

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Listening and Reading Skills
about them. However, sometimes knowledge who can be believed to be honest, unbiased, and
or prior experience stops us from appreciating straightforward?” if you are listening to a message
a presentation because we are overly critical of that calls for a critical evaluation or response. Keep
flaws. Appreciative listening relies heavily on prior in mind that a person could possess charisma
experience. or personality. However, they cannot replace
trustworthiness. Even if someone is extremely
Many people find the noises of busy cities relaxing. skilled and knowledgeable in one field, they may
Perhaps they had a happy childhood growing up in lack basic knowledge in another.
a big metropolis. All of these sounds, including the
blaring of horns, the thunder of rushing motors, and 2. Logos.
even the piercing shriek of sirens, may bring back
fond memories for individuals. They enjoy hearing Even speakers with a strong ethos frequently make
these noises. logical mistakes due to carelessness, accident,
lack of attention to detail, or lack of analysis rather
Others have discovered how to appreciate the than on purpose. The following questions should
sounds of nature as a result of growing up on a
farm or in a small town. They find satisfaction in
the sounds made during a walk in the countryside,
such as the rustling of leaves in the wind.

Critical Listening

Critical listening is crucial almost wherever you go:

at work, in the neighborhood, at service groups,
at places of worship, and even in the family. Our
own financial, emotional, intellectual, physical, and
spiritual requirements compel us to place a priority be asked of the proposition or claims offered while
on critical listening and the thinking that goes analyzing an argument:
along with it. This is because politicians, the media,
salespeople, proponents of policies and processes, ● Are the assertions accurate?
and our own needs all demand it.
● Are the data the most accurate that could be
acquired?
But three factors need to be considered: ethos, or the
● Are the listeners aware of the data’s sources?
speaker’s authority; logos, or logical justifications;
Do listeners understand where the information
and pathos, or emotional appeals.
originated, in other words?

1. Ethos ● Is the data presented accurately?

● Are the data accurate and fair?

Ask yourself, “Is the speaker a reputable source,
one who is both an expert on the issue and one

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Listening and Reading Skills
3. Pathos The emotional or psychological saying that some information is crucial to our
component of communication is frequently well-being while others may be unimportant. The
overused and misinterpreted. When evaluating the majority of the information we seek is in the middle
pathos aspect, critical listeners should consider the of these two extremes. Most of it is important to
following questions: us in some way. When engaging with people, we
must be able to quickly filter through and assess
● Is the speaker trying to influence me rather than the veracity and relevancy of the information we
convince me? receive. As previously mentioned, we must be able

● The speaker’s intention. to effectively sort through the barrage of information

we receive and choose only the material that is
Discriminative Listening both trustworthy and significant to us for further in-
depth listening.
The informed listener is capable of picking up on
even the slightest differences in meaning by being We need a system of standards by which we may
attentive to variations in the speaker’s rate, volume, make wise decisions in order to select information
force, pitch, and emphasis. properly. These will enable us to compare the
information’s origin and its qualities to whatever
Critical Analysis criteria we have decided to use to make judgments.
Although these standards are somewhat
Over the next few hours, keep an eye on yourself. subjective, they are easily formulated and grounded
How much of your listening is active and how much on common sense and prior knowledge. Such
is competitive? standards typically involve techniques to assess
a source’s reliability, the veracity of the speaker’s
● What are the four components of efficient claims, and the significance of the message for us.
interpersonal communication, and how can you
tell them apart? These standards for selective listening offer a basis
for determining the degree to which what is heard
● How does listening play a key role in effective
is accurate or inaccurate, dependable or unreliable,
communication?
and even honest or dishonest. The everyday signals
● What are three active listening strategies? that make up minor news and rumors regarding
individuals, events, circumstances, or conditions
Results of Effective Listening that are just marginally significant to us are of
low importance. Instead of paying close attention
In our daily lives, listening serves at least three
to every piece of information, it’s important to
important objectives. We listen in part to learn
learn how to keep track of the constant stream
new things. Another is to assess and scrutinize the
of information to which we are exposed. We may
information that is being offered to us. Finally, we
distinguish what truly matters in our life in this way.
frequently listen for entertainment only.

Message evaluation and screening People listen for

Getting the information you need: It goes without
information evaluation as their second motivation.

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Listening and Reading Skills
This objective and information gathering go hand in might have negative effects. That is, we typically
hand. We rarely give anything that is presented to us associate the term “recreation” with words like
the same level of attentive listening, regardless of amusement, distraction, entertainment, leisure, and
its purpose or randomness. Instead, we are typically relaxation. It is doubtful that we will be attentive
searching for particular types of information that, to specific information types that could be of
at the very least, matter to us. significant relevance to us if we are listening in this
mode. For instance, if a lecturer frequently includes
Therefore, active listening is necessary to effectively a lot of amusing jokes and insightful visuals, the
gather and assess information. It occurs as we presentation’s key messages may be missed by
actively take in, understand, and assess both the students who have categorized it as entertainment.
message and its source in light of the standards The jokes and the entertaining instances will stick
that, in our opinion, serve as reliable benchmarks in their minds, but they won’t remember the crucial
for accepting or rejecting what is said. ideas and concepts that were being discussed.
In actuality, the propensity to view the activity as
Listening as recreation: Of the three main enjoyable leads to a large lot of bad listening that
reasons people listen, recreation is the easiest occurs in society. As a result, kids fail tests and are
to discuss. We listen to a lot of things that are baffled as to why. They did attend every lesson and
amusing, entertaining, or diverting. When we visit “listened closely,” after all.
with family or friends, go to concerts, turn on our
stereo, or watch television, we engage in this type The ability to listen is necessary for social
of listening. In fact, we listen only for pleasure in effectiveness. The concept of “social effectiveness”
the majority of social interactions that are not refers to one’s ability to successfully develop,
notably characterized by our need to gather precise manage, and maintain all different types of social
information. We can interact with people we like for
no other reason than to enjoy each other’s company
through recreational listening.

Nevertheless, not all listening for pleasure is

amusement (so to speak). Everything hinges on
how we describe what we’re doing. What we observe
and how we interpret the incoming information
can be greatly influenced by how we categorize a
given listening experience. It might be completely connections. Success or failure in the vast majority
safe to just take pleasure in much of the listening of these interactions with other people will be
that we do. However, it alters our perception of the determined by our capacity to pay attention to what
significance and caliber of the information we are they are saying both out loud and in nonverbal and
receiving when we classify some listening as “just contextual cues.
recreation.”

Skillfully listening is therefore no little task. In the

In actuality, labeling some listening as recreational workplace, it might mean the difference between
65
Listening and Reading Skills
success and stagnation in a dead-end career, with You will be better able to comprehend and evaluate
promotions and prizes for effective performance. what the speaker is saying as a result. Additionally,
Building easy-going, pleasant social relationships you could try to reduce any physical obstacles
is a practical talent that is essential for achieving between you and the speaker and get rid of any
professional success. In reality, “getting along with outside distractions as part of your preparations.
the people you work with” is a crucial component of
any type of work. Be Objective

Effective listening helps people meet new people, You would have learned from your own experiences
have fun with friends, keep up with family ties, start that having an open mind makes you more receptive
and maintain romantic relationships, and many to a message.
other comparable experiences outside of the office.
All of these activities rely heavily on our capacity Avoiding making snap judgments is necessary
to listen to what others are saying, decipher their for objectivity. Keep your critical faculties sharp,
signals for what they really mean, and act in ways but reserve judgment until each point has been
that suit their requirements. thoroughly explored. There is always a risk that
if you form an opinion too quickly, you might not
How to be a Good Listener? pay attention to things the speaker says that don’t
always agree with it. An intentional effort must be
Whether the circumstance demands appreciative, made to suppress our emotions and preconceptions
active listening or not, listening abilities can in order to listen objectively.
be enhanced through critical discrimination or
deliberate effort. Be Conscious of All Cues

Be Willing to Hear Find the speaker’s major points. The speaker’s

body language, emphasis, and voice quality can
You’ll notice an improvement in your listening all provide crucial cues about what they believe
abilities as soon as you make the decision to listen. to be most significant. The emotional content of
According to research, a listener becomes a more the speaker’s message is also revealed by these
engaged and alert receiver the more driven he is. signals, which must be taken into account if the
Motivation is the initial requirement for becoming message is to be fully understood.
a good listener, even though it cannot resolve all
listening issues on its own. Utilize the Difference in Thinking and Speaking
Time
Prepare Yourself to Listen
We typically talk considerably more slowly than
Sometimes you need to get ready in advance in we think, as was already mentioned. You can take
order to listen to a certain piece of communication advantage of this pause as a listener by mentally
successfully. It is beneficial to learn as much as you summarising and going over what the speaker has
can about the situation, the speaker, and the issue. stated. Instead of concentrating on what a suitable

66
Listening and Reading Skills
reaction to the message might be, pay attention to assist him in overcoming his trepidation.
what the speaker is saying.
Barriers to Listening Skills
Use Feedback
1. Distractions
We can improve the effectiveness of our
communication interactions by using feedback. ● Semantic - The listener is perplexed by the
Informing the speaker that you don’t understand word’s actual meaning because it has multiple
them is sometimes all that is required of this interpretations.
response. This enables you to hear the message ● Physical - This happens when, for instance, the
once again. When providing feedback, make sure air conditioner or microphones malfunction;
the speaker understands what you are saying, that there is noise outside, or someone is constantly
there is no room for interpretation and that your drumming his fingers on the table.
comments are pertinent to the situation.
● Mental - This happens when the listener forgets
the speaker and places himself at the center of
Learn to Listen.
his daydreams.

Like any other skill, listening ability comes from

2. Pretending to Pay Attention or Listen - This
deliberate effort. Through practice, it is possible
typically occurs when the communication contains
to successfully overcome many of the obstacles
content that is challenging or unappealing. The
to effective listening. Make yourself sit through
listener could decide not to make the effort
speeches and lectures that don’t seem to have
to comprehend the message. This may occur
much of a point. By doing this, you can resist the
occasionally when he criticizes the speaker’s
urge to “turn off” when the messages become
appearance, speaking style, or mannerisms.
tedious or challenging.

3. Defensive Hearing - This kind of listening occurs

Encourage the Speaker with Verbal and Non-
when the speaker’s ideas contradict those of the
Verbal Cues
listener.

Numerous verbal and nonverbal clues can be used

4. Prejudice - Listening is negatively impacted by
by the listener to help the speaker communicate.
the bias, bad attitude, preconceived conceptions,
Making eye contact with the speaker might be
worries, or stress of the listener.
quite helpful in calming him or her down. While
someone is speaking, looking out the window
5. Constant Self-Focus - An individual’s ego may
doesn’t do much to boost their mood. A simple
also negatively impact his listening. When Terence,
nod of the head or a casual comment like “I see”
a Roman playwright, declares, “My closest relation
can occasionally indicate to the speaker that you
is myself,” he illustrates this facet of human nature.
are actively participating in the communication
A person can think that he already understands all
process. Even something as straightforward as a
the speaker is saying and doesn’t need to listen.
smile can comfort and support the speaker and

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Listening and Reading Skills
6. Information Overload - The listener can be ultimately “emerge” when they are needed.
presented with too many words or ideas and won’t Another way to explain that you have objectives
be able to process them all. He needs to develop for your readings is to suggest that you have a
the ability to select the crucial ones and throw away purpose. Goals might help you concentrate your
the others. attention on particular elements of a paper you
are going to read. By default, if you don’t define
7. The Speaking-Thinking Rate: Speaking occurs goals, you’re declaring that everything has equal
at a rate of 125 to 150 words per minute, whereas value and that you want to understand everything
thinking occurs at a rate of 400 words per minute. in equal depth and detail. Although it may seem
As a result, the speaker’s speech cannot keep up like a noble way to approach reading, doing it this
with how quickly the listener’s mind is speaking. way frequently results in frustration. Passively
Before the speaker gets to his or her next point, the reading a text can cause you to quickly forget
additional time is typically passed daydreaming or significant chunks of it. Sometimes, because your
altering one’s mental attention. mind is inundated with fresh information, the text
appears to defy structure and logical organization.
8. Limited Attention Span – Humans have a limited In addition to establishing reading objectives
attention span by nature. With the exception of and goals, active reading may entail creating an
putting in extra effort to focus and lengthen one’s overview of your reading by utilizing the reading’s
attention span, this is difficult to fix. structure before choosing a focus. There are
some common qualities associated with diverse
Reading Skills: Meaning types of readings that readers can make efficient
use of, but the structures of the reading materials
Your method of learning heavily relies on your vary almost as much as the readings themselves.
reading abilities. To learn in large chunks, effective For instance, chapter headings, introductions,
reading is crucial. Many people read idly, failing headings, subheadings, bold or italicized font, and
to formulate precise comprehension or reading conclusions are common in textbooks. In addition,
objectives. As a result, kids start to detest reading they might have margin comments and keywords,
and see it as a necessary evil. You don’t have to review questions, summary and application
fear reading because it’s a difficult task. However, sections, and chapter learning objectives. These
you will need to spend some time developing more are obviously intended for usage and can greatly
active reading habits if you want to prevent these help a reader in comprehending and using the
negative sensations towards reading. information provided.

Reading Actively With the “flood” of written material available, either

traditionally, on paper, or via the “World Wide Web,”
A number of things are actually implied by actively being able to read quickly and effectively has a
reading. The concept of active reading—reading similar importance to being able to talk.
with knowledge of a purpose—may be the most
significant. Too many people read mindlessly,
believing that the important concepts would

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Listening and Reading Skills
Guidelines for Active Reading and Active Learning Techniques for Improving Reading

Active reading can help you develop learning. Techniques for Improved Reading Skills
In order for the details to have a structure and
categories to fit into, first, get the big picture. The effectiveness of reading is influenced by reading
speed and understanding ability. Both reading
Learn some crucial suggestions for reading for speed and comprehension need to be improved if
active learning: reading efficiency is to be increased. Executives
spend more than 20% of their time reading, which is
Determine what is crucial: This applies to content the receiving act. Our comprehension is unaffected
that is highlighted by size, other graphical elements by increases in reading speed. According to tests,
(boldface, italics), or position (beginning or end of when we read at a rate of 200 words per minute,
a section). Sometimes the essential elements are we retain roughly 70% of the information. The
highlighted in the beginning or conclusion. Even following is a quick description of a few methods
objectives, study questions, terminologies, etc., for improving reading efficiency, comprehension,
could be included in texts. Consider the level of and speed:
detail required for mastery while keeping in mind
that you likely only need to be aware of the primary Active Reading: Reading should be an active practice
ideas and sustaining arguments. that involves both the body and the mind. Passive
reading has the lowest level of understanding. This
Read what matters most: Get the big picture first; passive reading effort wastes the reader’s time and
try not to study the details just yet. energy because they must read for a longer period
of time in order to understand the material.
From memory, review: Without consulting the
material again, jot down anything you can Choosing the Right Reading Style: Before beginning
remember using an idea map. You read too much to read a piece of writing, you should decide whether
before reviewing if you can’t recall at least 80% of it should be read normally, quickly, skimmed, or
the important ideas you covered. thoroughly. If someone needs to attentively study
an office order, they must first scan the document
to avoid wasting their time. Similar to this, if a
reader painstakingly reads a 200-page diary when
skimming would have accomplished the task just
as well, he will wind up wasting time.

Establishing Realistic Time Schedules: Time is a

precious resource, thus timetables for reading must
be made far in advance. A reader will not be able to
reach his goal if he sets a cautious time frame for
reading. However, if the reader stays longer than
necessary, it will be a waste of time because they

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Listening and Reading Skills
are not using the given time schedule. more slowly. As a result, reading slowly is advised
for improved reading efficiency.
Full Focus on Material and Speed: A reader’s
reading efficiency will increase if he totally focuses Rapid and Silent Reading: It is untrue that
on content and speed. The mind must shut out comprehension improves with slower reading.
all external stimuli in order to focus. The physical So, speed reading won’t affect comprehension
environment, including the seats, fans, lighting, or reading effectiveness. Reading aloud will take
and other elements, should promote improved longer than reading silently. When reading aloud,
concentration. the reader’s movements of the lips, tongue, and
throat take up more time. Silent reading causes the
Move Your Eyes: Reading is a visual and cognitive reader to lose track of vocalizations, motions, and
process. Here are a few observations regarding eye pronunciations.
movement:
Material Preview And Review: A preview is an early
● For about one-fourth of a second, eyes focus on
glance at the work, while a review is a look at the
a single spot that includes several words.
finished product. The effectiveness of reading
● The fixation is a focus just to the left of the is increased by both preview and review. Before
symbols to be read when reading from left to starting a careful reading session, one should scan
right. or skim the content if comprehension and recall

● The reader moves on to the next fixation after of the reading material are rather challenging.

each one. This will make reading easier for the reader and
improve comprehension. In the same way, going
● During jumps, the information is passed from the
over carefully reading the material again aids in
eyes to the brain.
reinforcing knowledge and bringing important
● Regression-enforcing behaviors can actually ideas that had previously gotten lost.
enhance reading ability. Regressions are eye
movements where the eyes quickly return from Read in Logical Blocks or Words: A reader can read
one fixation to one to the left of it. effectively if given more chances to read material

● The time of the fixation’s jump and return will be that is organized logically. The reader benefits from

shorter the greater the range of symbols in the being able to focus on multiple words at once in

fixation. these types of publications. The reading efficiency

will be poorer if the reading material is made up of
● It is best to prevent unnecessary breaks
a string of unrelated words separated by commas.
and regressions in eye movement. The next
Logic-based word blocks should be read in order to
paragraphs will be read for clarification if a
improve reading efficiency.
certain word or phrase is unclear. Even then, the
movement should be stopped and a dictionary
Practice Skipping Letters, Syllables, and Words to
should be used if the material is unclear.
Improve Reading Efficiency. Read only enough to
● The requirement for extended reading and grasp ideas. The reader must make a conscious
regression can be avoided by reading the content effort to read the passages where intentionally

70
Listening and Reading Skills
deleted letters, syllables, and words have been he must function. The reader can increase his
used. He will be better able to bridge the logical efficiency by carefully comprehending both the
gaps as a result. internal and exterior environments.

● Recognize the Reading Medium: The medium

Enhanced Ability to Comprehend Symbols:
conveys the message and, as a result, affects the
Reading involves perceiving symbols, processing
communication connection. Different reading
them in the brain, and giving them meaning. In this
mediums include books, letters, memos, reports,
sense, a few key points are as follows:
forms, newspapers, and magazines. If there are
other reading options, the reader must choose the
● Symbols can have many meanings depending on
most efficient ones. It is important to remember
the circumstance.
that reading channels have ongoing archives of
● It is possible to use prior relevant experiences to messages that can be consulted.
interpret symbols when viewing them.
● Manage Interference: To read well, the reader
must manage all real and potential distractions
Effective Reading: Guidelines
from others and the environment. This covers
the sources of noise, disruption, the environment,
Guidelines for Improving Reading Skills
etc. A reader cannot effectively understand
the subject if he or she cannot control these
Every executive invests a significant amount of
distractions.
time reading. The executives must adhere to the
following rules when reading effectively: ● Learning to Read Words and Non-verbal Cues:
Words and nonverbal cues form all messages.
● Specify Goals: The reading’s goals should be When words and non-verbal symbols are carefully
very clear. The reader should be explicit about assigned meanings, reading and comprehension
why they are reading the material. The goals skills can be improved.
for which the information is being developed ● Critically Assess the Material: Readers should
must also be considered at the same time. An read with an open mind. The reader cannot
individual’s reading ability will improve if his continue reading effectively without critical
sense of purpose is carefully understood. analysis. The reader will be able to choose
● Environment Clarity: Each reader must have a whether to skim, scan, or attentively read the
clear understanding of the environment in which material after evaluation.

Summary

● Listening entails attempting to understand the issue from the speaker’s perspective, which necessitates
empathy rather than compassion, which is feeling for the speaker.

● Informative listening is a kind of listening when the message’s comprehension is the listener’s first priority.
The extent to which the interpretation that listeners give to communications is as similar to what the

71
Listening and Reading Skills
 sender meant, the more successful they are.

● Relationship listening serves two purposes: either to benefit the individual or to strengthen interpersonal
ties.

● Listening with appreciation includes enjoying music, enjoying speakers whose speaking styles you favor,
and enjoying your preferred theatre, television, radio, or film.

● Critical listening is crucial almost wherever you go: at work, in the neighborhood, at service groups, at
places of worship, and even in the family.

● The informed listener is capable of picking up on even the slightest differences in meaning by being
attentive to variations in the speaker’s rate, volume, force, pitch, and emphasis.

● You can become a good listener if you: be willing to hear, prepare yourself to listen, be objective, be
conscious of all clues, use feedback, etc.

● A number of things are actually implied by actively reading. The concept of active reading—reading with
knowledge of a purpose—may be the most significant.

● Some of the guidelines for active reading are: determine what is crucial, read what matters most, and
review.

● The effectiveness of reading is influenced by reading speed and understanding ability. Both reading speed
and comprehension need to be improved if reading efficiency is to be increased.

● For improving reading efficiency, comprehension, and speed: read actively, choose the right reading style,
establish a realistic time schedule, full focus on material and speed, move your eyes, do rapid and silent
reading, and so on.

● A reader’s reading efficiency will increase if he totally focuses on content and speed. The mind must shut
out all external stimuli in order to focus.

● Reading involves perceiving symbols, processing them in the brain, and giving them meaning.

● The reader can increase his efficiency by carefully comprehending both the internal and exterior
environments.

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Listening and Reading Skills
 Unit 6

Dyadic Communication

Learning Objectives Introduction

By the end of this unit, you will be

A type of interpersonal communication known as “dyadic
able to understand:
communication” refers to the quantitative nature of
● Concept of dyadic
a communication interaction between two persons.
communication
Another name for it is interpersonal communication.
● Forms of dyadic communication Some theorists use a situational approach to differentiate

● Principles of dyadic interpersonal communication from other types of

communication communication, while others use a developmental

approach.
● Dictation of dyadic
communication
Intrapersonal communication is the situational
approach’s most basic form of communication. One-
on-one communication is known as intrapersonal
communication. Examples of intrapersonal
communication include daydreaming, fantasizing, and
solving problems in your thoughts.

Interpersonal communication is the next type of

communication; it typically occurs face-to-face, though it
can also occur virtually. Chatting with a buddy or having a
meeting with a professor are two examples.

Concept of Dyadic Communication

The primary form of so-called dyadic communication is

73
Dyadic Communication
discussion. The other individuals switch between An equal distribution of power and respect among
speaking and listening. Speaking with family dyad members can be seen as one of the positive
or friends is part of an informal dyad. In this characteristics of dyadic communication, which
communication, the shape may also be represented enables dyads to have a better knowledge of one
by gestures, expressions on the face, and body another. Additionally, dyads can assist members
language. Another kind of dyadic communication in developing social skills like taking turns in
is exchanged between two people that take place conversations or expressing interest in what their
over the phone. Formal and dyadic communication dyad partners have to say. Nevertheless, dyadic
procedures include confessions, therapy, and communications may be helpful in the personal
career interviews. They typically occur when there lives of the dyad members but difficult for those who
is an imbalance in the two individuals’ positions. work together or have a professional relationship to
Speaking with friends or family is also included in use.
the informal discussion.
One dyad partner dominating the other may be
Dyadic communication can be divided into three a sign of certain unfavorable features of dyadic
stages. These are listed below. communication. In these situations, dyad partners
could not feel like equal members of the dyads and
Stage I: Expressive Transmission is the process be unable to interact with them. Due to their lack
of communicating with another person by using of familiarity with one another, dyad members may
speech, gestures, and facial expressions. It might find it difficult to create this type of interpersonal
also entail recognizing facial expressions of communication. As a result, talks can easily turn
emotion or hearing someone’s tone of voice without unpleasant or uncomfortable without the dyad
hearing what they say. members understanding what to talk about.

Stage – II: Receptive Transmission is the process Forms of Dyadic Communication

of receiving information verbally, non-verbally,
and through gestures from another person. Dyadic communication can occur in a variety of
Without hearing what they say, it may also involve ways, including
interpreting a person’s tone of voice or interpreting
● face-to-face interactions
their facial expressions.
● telephone conversations.
Stage III: Interpersonal Processes are those that
● interviews
take place between dyad members following
the conclusion of their two-person dialogue. A Face-To-Face Discussion
This dyadic reaction could be expressed verbally
or nonverbally. For instance, in order to make The majority of dyadic communication takes place
sense of the concepts offered in interpersonal in this way. A person or participant in a discussion
communication and comprehend what they signify must be able to switch between speaking and
for their connection with one another, the members listening at will. Most people find it simple to talk
of a dyad could discuss them. to friends, family, and coworkers that they like or
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Dyadic Communication
trust. The adage that “conversation itself is the because fresh ideas frequently arise during
best practice for dialogue” is still true. In order to these spells.
improve your conversational efficacy, it is helpful
● Keep an eye out for potential attitudes others
to first assess your own behaviors. Self-analysis
may have, and don’t be shocked when you notice
questions to ponder include:
that such views are probably going to change.

● Occasionally, address him by name and maintain

● Is it tough for me to strike up a conversation?
eye contact. A more welcoming atmosphere
● Am I struggling to choose a topic?
would be created if you spoke the name out loud.
● Am I unable to maintain a smooth conversation? Finally, be mindful of your language use and oral

● Do I consistently agree or disagree with others approach.

when they speak? ● Always be kind and upbeat. Feel want to hear

● Do I have a propensity to lead every conversation? what is being stated.

● Do I allow the other speakers a chance to speak? ● Although being inflexible and confrontational
can ruin a conversation, having a point of view is
● Do I have any annoying habits of behavior?
important.
● Do I value the time and interests of others?
● Eliminate pet and unnecessary words and
● Do I feel self-conscious about my grammar, phrases. We frequently grow fond of certain
pronunciation, articulation, or other language phrases like “just you see,” “ok,” etc.
use?
● They should not be used frequently in speech.

The responses you receive will be helpful in both ● In a similar vein, refrain from using expressions
formal and casual discourse. Here are a few helpful that seem exaggerated or affected.
hints: ● If you intentionally employ foreign terms or
high-flown jargon to impress the listeners, the
● The subject of the chat should be of interest to conversation’s ability to flow freely is likely to
the participant, and you can start with something suffer. Overusing adjectives like “very nice,”
that interests both of you. Adjust yourself to the “great,” and “fantastic” can also ruin the cozy,
comments and fresh points of view as it flows informal atmosphere in which communication
into the new channel. Periods of silence would should take place.
sporadically occur. You need not be concerned

Figure 6.1

75
Dyadic Communication
Benefits and Drawbacks of Face-to-Face ● Work Together: Communication is essential
Communication: for deciding on our objectives as well as for
coordinating our efforts.
These are what they are:
Disadvantages:
● Instant Responses: When people speak with one
another face-to-face, they can receive a response
These are the restrictions:
right away without misunderstanding. People can
not only hear the other person’s answer during a ● Face-to-face communication is extremely
conversation, but they can also see how they are difficult to practice in large-sized organizations,
feeling. People can also make educated guesses especially if their numerous units or divisions are
about what will happen next and the topic of the dispersed around the organization.
conversation, which is crucial for a successful
● Ineffective with large crowds: It is quite
conversation.
challenging to communicate with large crowds.
● Feelings Expression: Face-to-face The crucial personal touch is missing even
communication helps people communicate their though the speaker is speaking to them directly.
thoughts and feelings far more effectively. People
● Ineffective if the listener is not attentive: Face-to-
can employ eye contact, and vocal language in
face communication has the same constraint as
order to show their ideas. Therefore, it’s crucial
spoken communication in that it is ineffective if
that people communicate their views through
the listener is not paying attention. Since people
their behaviors.
can listen and understand messages faster than
● Appropriate Respect: The message is also they can be conveyed, communication will be
supported by gestures and facial expressions. unsuccessful because messages will be sent
● Discussion-Friendly: It is especially discussion- quickly.
friendly since the listener provides immediate
feedback. Speaking face-to-face gives the Telephonic Conversation
speaker a much better chance to make
adjustments. Only face-to-face interactions This is another type of dyadic communication that
allow for these modifications. A twist of the lips, takes place over the phone between two people. It
a scowl on the forehead, and a contraction of the is among the quickest methods of communication.
facial muscles all indicate that the message is It has been described as a priceless way of
not desired. communication because it is so simple, convenient,
and affordable.
● Using Communication to Learn: We may pick
up a lot through talking to people, including
Guidelines for Telephonic Conversation
sometimes very important life lessons.

● From Conversation to Coordination: coordinating ● Set a positive and cordial tone.

our actions in a way that benefits both parties. We
● Adjust the volume of your voice to the
utilize dialogue to reach an agreement whenever
circumstance
we bargain for one favor in exchange for another.
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Dyadic Communication
● Never express impatience any longer than is necessary.

● Say everything loudly and clearly.

Getting Calls
● Avoid using slang words

● Speak clearly. Clearly state the word that could ● Pick up the receiver.
be misconstrued. ● Identify yourself and speak clearly.,
● Pay close attention to the caller. ● Give the necessary details with accuracy.
● If the message is lengthy, keep confirming that ● Keep a pad of paper and a pencil close by to
you are paying attention by responding with record the messages.
“Yes,” “Okay,” etc.
● Record the message accurately and completely.
● Be considerate Avoid talking on the phone for

Figure 6.2

Making Calls or Taking the Message: interviews have a clearer, more formal structure. It
is a gathering of two people for a particular reason.
● Maintain a personal phone book
Direct and active communication is required during
● Before you call, get everything ready because it’s an interview. To obtain information that cannot be
impolite to keep someone waiting in line. obtained from written documents or other sources

● If there are multiple points you need to make, let is one of the goals of an interview. Even though they

the listener know. are undertaken for a variety of reasons and vary in
formality, interviews have more in common than
● Make sure your message is precise and clear.
they do in contrast.

Interviews
Reasons for Interviewing

Compared to other forms of dyadic communication,

There are typically six categories for the specific
77
Dyadic Communication
Goals of Interviews: for the employer and the employee to clearly grasp
one another’s expectations and perceptions of the
Employment: Of all interview types, this one is quality of work being performed, most organizations
probably the most well-known. An employment regularly hold performance evaluation interviews.
interview serves three distinct functions from the These interviews offer the chance to advance one’s
perspective of the employer. First, the interview job knowledge and performance.
should establish whether the candidate is qualified
for the position. Second, the interviews should Problem-Solving Interviews: These interviews
provide the candidate with enough details about the involve discussion of a work-related issue and
position and the company to enable the candidate exploration of potential scenarios. It is also
to choose the position that will best serve their employed when one party—the employer or the
professional and personal objectives. Third, the employee—needs to inform the other party of a
job interview should boost the organization’s specific issue.
reputation.
Grief/Counseling: Counseling interviews contain
suggestions on fixing both personal issues that
might affect job performance as well as concerns
with observable job performance. The employee’s
“right to petition” the employer to change a particular
behavior is reflected in grievance interviews. The
majority of organizations have a formal grievance
policy.

Exit: The main goal of an exit interview is to give

the employer insight into the factors that contribute
Orientation: Orientation interviews are frequently to employee churn. Exit interviews are also used to
used to acquaint staff with relevant new knowledge show appreciation for the employee’s efforts and
and to introduce new hires to the work environment, make sure they leave with a favorable opinion of
such as may be necessary with a change in policy, the company.
workflow, or the equipment needed to execute
specific tasks. Interview Questions:

Performance Appraisal Interview: This one is The types and caliber of the questions asked to
utilized to continue gauging work performance. It determine the effectiveness of an interview in large
is also used to clarify expectations and challenges part. If the interviewer hopes to obtain clear, precise
relating to the job, as well as to talk about information, extra care must be taken to foster an
professional, personal, and performance goals. open communication environment.
Interviews are frequently crucial to the success of
a job because performance reviews are typically Some questions promote an environment of open
used to decide increases in remuneration. In order communication, while others have a tendency to

78
Dyadic Communication
stifle it. would you make?” What modifications would you
like to see in the workplace environment, and why?”
Open-ended climate queries:
Closed-Climate Questions
1. Leading Questions: Unless the interviewer is
confident in the answer, leading questions should 1. Leading Questions: When a question causes
be avoided. Leading questions can occasionally the interviewee to implicate themselves in some
promote relaxation between the interviewer and way, it is considered a closed-climate question. For
the subject of the interview. For instance, “You’ve instance, “Why were you let go from your prior job?”
worked here for six months already, is that true?” Why did you leave school before receiving your
2. Direct Inquiries: frequently only allow for a yes/ degree?
no response. For instance: “Have you finished your
course?” Did that encounter affect your choice to 2. Direct Questions: These questions are considered
submit a job application? closed-ended when the respondent must provide
information that could be used against them. For
3. Open-Ended Inquiries: necessitate a lengthy instance, “You were in jail last year, is that right?” Do
response from the interviewee. For instance: “What you utilize office supplies for personal purposes?
are your career goals for the upcoming year?”
What do you think were your most significant 3. Questions with predetermined answers: are
achievements last year? referred to as loaded questions. What do you think
of Rashmi’s foolish behavior, for instance?
4. Probes: They are direct or open queries that delve
deeper into a particular area of the prior response. “I’m your coordinator; whether you agree with me
For instance, “Why do you want to be a manager?” or not, you should support me. That’s correct, right?
How can we foster better communication between
our coworkers? 4. Double-Bind Questions: These inquiries
frequently require the respondent to select between
5. Mirror questions: They are used to gather two unsatisfactory responses. For instance: “Do
further details about a particular area of a previous you still hit your wife?” Regardless of the response,
response. For instance, the interviewee said, “I it constitutes an admission of the wife’s beating.
discovered the server’s issue after that.”
5. Forced-Choice Questions: These inquiries
Interviewer: Is there a server issue? frequently require the respondent to select and
defend a response. The forced-choice question
Interviewer: You did see it wasn’t reacting properly? can have any correct response if it is sufficiently
stated, but the double-bind question has no correct
6. Hypothetical Questions: These are more typically response. For instance: “Which do you value more,
utilized in performance evaluation and problem- helping others or making money? “ Do you prefer
solving-based interview situations. For instance, reading the Wall Street Journal or Business Week?
“If you were a district manager, what adjustments

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Dyadic Communication
6. Why Did/Didn’t You Inquire: In response to a “people” engaged whenever we communicate:
failure to do or not do something, these questions
● who you believe yourself to be;
accuse the respondent of some flaw. For instance:
“Why didn’t you let me know about your arrest ● who you believe the other individual to be;
history?” Why didn’t you complete the report by the ● what you believe the other person believes about
deadline? you;

● who the other person believes themselves to be;

Principles of Dyadic Communication
● what the other person believes about you;
There are some key principles in interpersonal or
● what you believe the other person to be;
dyadic communication.

We exchange symbols that represent ideas rather

As follows:
than actual thoughts. This makes communication
more challenging. The meaning of words is not
Interpersonal/Dyadic Communication is
inherent; rather, they have specific uses that are
Inescapable: We can’t communicate. Even
unique to each person.
attempting to communicate less communicates.
We continually communicate with those around
Interpersonal/Dyadic Contextual communication:
us through words, tone of voice, gestures, posture,
To put it another way, communication does not
facial expressions, and other means. We frequently
take place in a vacuum. Those are:
receive contact from others through various
channels. You speak while you are asleep. People Psychological Context: Your identity and the
are not minding readers, so keep in mind this contribution you make to the interaction.
fundamental rule of communication in general.
People judge you based on your actions, not your The psychological content is made up of things like
intentions, which is another way of putting this. your needs, wants, values, personality, etc.

Interpersonal/Dyadic Communication is Relational Context: This relates to how you react to

Irreversible: Once something has been said, it the mix of the other person.
can’t really be taken back. Unavoidably, the effect
must continue. Despite a judge telling the jury to Situational Context: Deals with the psychological
“disregard the last comment the witness made,” the and social “where” you are communicating.
attorney is aware that the jury will undoubtedly be A conversation that happens in a bar will be
affected by it. “Once a word leaves your mouth, you considerably different from one that happens in a
can never swallow it back,” according to a Russian classroom.
proverb.
Environmental Context: This relates to the
Interpersonal and Dyadic Communication are actual “place” in which you are communicating.
Challenging: There is no straightforward method Environmental context elements include things like
of communication. There are actually at least six furniture, location, noise level, temperature, season,

80
Dyadic Communication
and time of day. is a memo to all heads of sections asking them
to implement resolution No. 48 recently passed
Cultural Context: Consists of all taught norms and by the Board of Directors.” As an example, one
behaviors that influence interaction. If you are from might start by saying the following to put the
a culture where long, direct eye contact is frowned steno in a receptive mood.
upon, you will avoid eye contact out of respect
● Imagine the entire composition, or the entirety
for the other person. If the other person is from a
of the dictation, in words. Before you begin
culture where prolonged, direct eye contact is a
dictating, make sure the order of the thoughts
sign of worth, there is a chance that there will be
and the structure are crystal clear in your mind.
miscommunication because of this.
● Develop the ability to cast each sentence as it
forms and is spoken into a single sentence buffer
in your memory. Keep in mind that when dictating,
the sentence is first edited and revised before
being entered into the steno’s notebook. This
phase is the most adaptable and calls for skillful
management of the process of transforming
meaning into linguistic content.

● Speaking out of the usual stress pattern,

emphasize each syllable equally. Take special
care when dictating homophones, such as pail,
Dictation of Dyadic Communication
pale, ascending, compliment, and motionless.
Similar to this, when dictating words with
Another form of dyadic communication that is widely
homophones, extra care should be given to avoid
employed in business settings is dictation. Every
confusing the steno. In this category, words like
professional needs to master it in order to conduct
later, latter, proceed, precede, eligible, unreadable,
day-to-day business effectively. It is incorrect
accede, exceed, accept, and except are some
to believe that when one joins an organization,
examples.
one instantly gains the power to dictate. In fact,
the practice of this craft necessitates a vibrant ● Provide all the punctuation. Expecting the steno
imagination and a positive outlook. You might find to punctuate while transcribing might be asking
some of the following advice useful in learning the too much. Additionally, a new paragraph should
art of dictation: be introduced.

● Dictate short sentences with adequate breaks

● Inform the steno of the method of communication
in between. Your phrases are recorded by the
you want to employ and the circumstance that
steno. Long words do not always take longer
will cause it. This is a letter in response to the
to type in shorthand transcriptions than short
inquiry we have received from Bharat Steel
words. For frequently used long terms, specific
Corporation....... “Now we shall write a circular
abbreviations are typically offered. Give the
inviting quotation from registered firms....... “This
stenographer more time if you must transcribe

81
Dyadic Communication
 a long or uncommon word, though. Technical another collection of words develops that is
jargon and uncommon proper names might need either more accurate to the context or what you
to be spelled out by hand. Therefore, you should originally said.
spell them out and give yourself ample time to
● Prior to asking your steno to type the information
write them down. It’s not a terrible idea to spell
you have dictated into a machine, listen to the
words more times than necessary because it will
recording. Additionally, steno who just started
save you time when you review the transcription.
their career should do this.
● Match the steno’s speed to the speed of your
dictation. The power to dictate has significant professional
implications. A professional is compelled to
● Don’t overly alter the way your phrases are put
communicate his message without delay as a
together.
result, improving both his own efficiency and the
● Don’t try to decipher the meaning of any words,
smooth operation of the company to which he
phrases, or sentences that you encounter in the
belongs. The ability to speak spontaneously can be
transcription that don’t quite match the context.
ingrained by the development of efficient dictation
Instead, read them out loud while paying close
procedures, which is an incidental benefit.
attention to the sounds to determine whether

Summary

● The primary form of so-called dyadic communication is discussion. The other individuals switch between
speaking and listening. Speaking with family or friends is part of an informal dyad.

● Expressive Transmission is the process of communicating with another person by using speech, gestures,
and facial expressions. It might also entail recognizing facial expressions of emotion or hearing someone’s
tone of voice without hearing what they say.

● Receptive Transmission is the process of receiving information verbally, nonverbally, and through gestures
from another person. Without hearing what they say, it may also involve interpreting a person’s tone of
voice or interpreting their facial expressions.

● Interpersonal Processes are those that take place between dyad members following the conclusion of
their two-person dialogue. This dyadic reaction could be expressed verbally or nonverbally.

● Dyadic communication can occur in a variety of ways, including

● a) Face-to-face interactions

● b) telephone conversations.

● c) Interviews

● Compared to other forms of dyadic communication, interviews have a clearer, more formal structure. It is
a gathering of two people for a particular reason. Direct and active communication is required during an
interview.

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Dyadic Communication
● The types and caliber of the questions asked to determine the effectiveness of an interview in large part.
If the interviewer hopes to obtain clear, precise information, extra care must be taken to foster an open
communication environment.

● Another form of dyadic communication that is widely employed in business settings is dictation. Every
professional needs to master it in order to conduct day-to-day business effectively.

● The power to dictate has significant professional implications. A professional is compelled to communicate
his message without delay as a result, improving both his own efficiency and the smooth operation of the
company to which he belongs.

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Dyadic Communication
 Unit 7

Business Correspondence

Learning Objectives Introduction

By the end of this unit, you will be

Business correspondence is any written exchange
able to understand:
of information or communication for the purpose of
● Meaning of business
conducting business. Business communication can
correspondence communication
happen between businesses, within organizations,
● Components and format of or between an organization and its clients. Generally
business correspondence speaking, universally recognized formats are used for

● Style in business correspondence.

correspondence
The most crucial tool for establishing commercial
partnerships nowadays is the business letter. This section
offers a thorough examination of a number of business
letter forms, including application letters, employment
letters, collection letters, reminders, and thank-you letters.

Meaning of Business Correspondence

Communication

Today’s successful enterprises are built on communication,

which is defined as “the transfer of thought from one
person to another.” Good, straightforward, and clear
communication may ensure that the business runs
effectively, gain a professional reputation among
associates, and develop a devoted clientele whether it
is verbal or written. Positive communication increases

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Business Correspondence
corporate productivity, a truth that successful Components and Format of a Business
businesspeople around the world are well aware Letter
of. Business correspondence and communications
have evolved over time to play a bigger role in not Concerned with the mechanics and physical
only facilitating the smooth operation of businesses components of business letters are the following:
but also in attracting and keeping more customers.
Heading
As with many facets of life, there are a few etiquette
guidelines that must be followed in business The address of the author and the letter’s date
communication and letters in order to ensure is listed in the title. In headlines on letterhead
favorable public opinions of oneself and one’s stationery, only the date is required and no author’s
business. Respectful and friendly connections are name is mentioned.
built through adhering to basic business etiquette
during email, which lowers the likelihood of conflict Internal Address
and miscommunication. A well-written business
letter or email gives the reader the idea that the The letter’s recipient’s name and address are
writer is a serious professional who is dedicated to displayed on the inner address. Confusion is
perfection, articulate, and who is committed to the avoided because of this knowledge. The inner
company he is a member of. addresses also make it easier to decide what to do
with the letter if the recipient has moved. Include
Even if it’s only a four-line email of acknowledgment, the recipient’s proper title in the inside address,
a well-written piece of business correspondence and replicate the corporate name precisely as that
establishes the legitimacy of the company the company spells it. Remember to address them
writer is affiliated with and demonstrates that properly when you do have their names: Mrs.,
its employees are committed, professional, and Ms., Mr., Dr., and so on. If you are unsure of what
helpful. It gives both the company and the individual is appropriate for a certain person, attempt to
a sense of competence and professionalism, which learn how that person signs letters or check the
is a reputation that both the company and the dictionaries’ forms-of-address section.
individual can use to their advantage.
Salutation
A letter that is badly written, including typographical
problems, grammatical flaws, and stylistic The letter’s “Dear Sir” salutation is followed by a
errors, conveys the exact opposite message. It colon (except when a friendly, familiar, sociable tone
demonstrates that the writer is either uneducated is intended, in which case a comma is used). You’ll
or inept at maintaining a suitable connection with see that the salutation line is completely absent
clients or business partners. Mailing a letter that in the streamlined letter format. It is customary to
is poorly written to present or potential customers write “Dear Sir” or “Dear Sirs” and not worry about
just serves to highlight the writer’s carelessness, it if you are unsure of the gender of the receiver.
which in turn reflects negatively on the business. However, more lately, it has been advised to use
salutations like “Dear Sir or Madame,” “Dear Ladies

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and Gentlemen,” “Dear Friends,” or “Dear People.” letter’s author, whereas those written in the lower
However, doing so or replacing it with “To Whom case immediately following the colon belong to the
It May Concern” is not usually the best course of typist.
action because it comes across as extremely
impersonal. Enclosures

Complimentary Close Use words like “Enclosure,” “Encl.,” and “Enclosures”

to let the receiver know that there are goods in the
The business letter’s complimentary closing same envelope as the letter. For instance, you might
includes the phrase “Sincerely yours.” The phrases write this in your application letter if you include a
“Sincerely yours,” “Cordially,” “Respectfully,” and résumé and writing sample: “Encl.: Resume and
“Respectfully yours” are other typical ones. You Writing Sample.” The receiver will be informed if the
can design your own, but take care to avoid making enclosure is misplaced.
them overly ornate. Keep in mind that only the
initial letter is capitalized and that there is always Copies Include this information in the final notations
a comma after it. if you send copies of a letter to other people. For
instance, if you wanted to send a copy of your letter
Block Signature to the Better Business Bureau because you were
unhappy with how a local business handled your
Typically, your name should be typed four lines repair issues, you would write “cc: Better Business
after the complementing close, with your name Bureau.” Write something along the lines of “cc: Mr.
appearing between the lines. When a woman, uses Raymond Mason, Attorney” if you intend to send a
Miss, Ms., or Mrs. in parenthesis before the typed copy to your attorney.
version of her first name to make her marital status
apparent. If feasible, put your title or the name of
the position you hold immediately after your name.
Examples of acceptable titles include “Technical
Writing Student,” “Sophomore Data Processing
Major,” and “Tarrant County Community College
Student.”

Notes at the End

There are frequently a number of crucial

abbreviations or phrases just below the signature
Style in Business Correspondence
block.
Writing business letters and memos differs
significantly from writing reports in a number of
Initials
key ways. The following tips should be kept in mind

Initials written in all capital letters belong to the when writing business letters or memos, especially

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when revising them. Create relatively brief paragraphs that are between
three and eight lines long to make it easier for
Declare the Core Objective, Business, or Topic the reader to read your letters more quickly and
Right Away. to absorb and recall the crucial facts or thoughts.
Single-sentence paragraphs are widespread and
Tell the reader the topic of your letter in the first totally appropriate in professional correspondence.
sentence. Keep in mind that when businesspeople You’ll find instances of the shorter paragraphs
open a letter, their top priority is to determine what frequently employed in business letters throughout
the letter is about, what it is intended to accomplish, this section.
and why they should take the time to read it. So,
steer clear of convoluted starts. Start your letter by
saying something along the lines of, “I am writing
to apply for the position you currently have open.
You don’t have to break the bad news in the first line
if you have it for someone. Here is an illustration
of how to avoid using negative language: I’m
responding to your letter from July 24, 2010, in
which you mention issues you encountered with
an electronic spreadsheet you bought from our
business.
“Compartmentalize” Your Letter’s Content.
In the First Paragraph or Sentence, Mention the
Subject and Date of the Letter You are Responding When you “compartmentalize” a business letter’s
To. content, you give each distinct section of the
discussion—each distinct letter topic—its own
It’s possible that busy recipients who send a lot paragraph. You can include the following sentences
of letters themselves will forget to write back. in a letter of complaint regarding issues with your
Indicate the date and the topic of the letter you are computer’s system unit:
responding to in order to prevent issues.
● An explanation of the issues you’ve encountered
with it
Keep Most Business Letters’ Paragraphs Brief.
● The subpar repairs you’ve received
In business letters, the paragraphs are frequently
● What do you believe you should be paid and why
brief—some are only one sentence long. Articles,
reports, and books are read differently than
Look at each paragraph in your letters to determine
business letters. They are typically read quickly.
its function or purpose. If you come across a
Large, dense paragraphs longer than ten lines may
paragraph that does many tasks, think about
not be read carefully or at all since they need a lot
dividing it into two paragraphs. Consider combining
of concentration.
two brief, independent paragraphs that accomplish
the same task if you find them.
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Put Topic Headings at the Start of Each Paragraph. In Your Professional Correspondence, Find
Constructive Ways to Convey Terrible News.
Examine a few of the letters in this part in terms of
the themes or objectives of the various paragraphs. Business letters frequently need to deliver bad
In a business letter, look for a word or phrase news, such as the fact that someone cannot be
that introduces the topic of the paragraph in the employed or that a broken computer keyboard
opening sentence. Work the term “problems” or cannot be replaced. Such awful news can be
the phrase “problems with my personal computer” delivered politely. By doing this, the likelihood that
into the first sentence if a paragraph covers your the recipient of the unpleasant news will sever
computer-related issues. Receivers are given a business ties is decreased. Avoid using terms
clear understanding of the content and goal of like “cannot,” “forbid,” “fail,” “impossible,” “refuse,”
each paragraph when this is done. “prohibit,” “restrict,” and “deny” as much as you can
while communicating unpleasant news.
In Business Letters, Carefully Place Relevant
Information. Prioritize the Needs, Goals, or Interests of the
Recipient Instead of Your Own.
The first and last lines of a paragraph are typically
read and remembered the best. Long paragraphs A self-centered approach where you prioritize your
tend to have information in the center that is easily worries over the recipients should be avoided. Even
missed or forgotten. Place critical information if a business letter requires you to discuss a lot
accordingly in areas with high exposure. For about yourself, make sure to tie your problems to
instance, to emphasize appealing traits more the readers. This recipient-focused writing style is
strongly, place them at the beginning or conclusion frequently referred to as having a “you-attitude,”
of paragraphs in application letters where you must which does not mean using more “you’s” but rather
persuade potential employers that you are the making the receiver the letter’s main focus.
perfect candidate for the position. In your business
letters, place less uplifting or negative content in Avoid Using Overly Formal, Bloated, or Inflated
less obvious places. De-emphasizing by including Language.
them in regions with less attention is an excellent
(and honest) method if you have some challenging Be wary of rhetoric that seems important or
things to say. Bury this information in the middle or inflated. Although this phrase initially seems formal
lower half of a body paragraph of the application and businesslike, it is actually absurd. Naturally,
letter if the position you are applying for requires such language appears to be required in legal
three years of experience and you only have one. papers; nevertheless, why is it used in other writing
The final letter will be truthful and comprehensive; contexts? When writing a business letter, consider
nevertheless, it will not draw attention to flaws yourself a straightforward, practical, down-to-earth
excessively. person (but avoid slang).

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Give Your Business Letter an “Action Ending” a business letter is useful.
Whenever Appropriate
It’s simple to understand the fundamentals of
An “action-ending” spells out exactly what the effective letter writing. The terms that are typically
letter’s author wants the receiver to do and when. used in any basic business letter are listed in the
Business letter conclusion clichés like “Hope to following guide. These fundamental business
hear from you soon” or “Let me know if I can be of letters are significant because specific formulas
any more assistance” are frequently used as weak, are understood and applied appropriately. Consider
noncommittal closings. Instead, or additionally, a standard business letter in these three steps:
state what action the recipient should take and
when they should take it. If you are drafting a query 1. The Purpose of the Introduction
letter, for instance, kindly request that the editor
let you know of his choice within a month, if at all The introduction explains to the reader the context
feasible. Try to subtly schedule an interview time in which the letter should be seen. Possible
and a date in your application letter. responses include inquiries about job interviews,
pleas for business opportunities, complaints, and
more. Each sort of business letter, of course, has
its own set of accepted vocabulary.

2. Specifics - What You Hope to Achieve

In a business letter, the detail part is crucial. This is

the part of a business letter where you accomplish
your objectives.

3. Concluding Remarks and Next Steps: What You

Hope Will Happen
Business Letters: Meaning and Types
Give a call to action for the future. This could be
A business letter is typically written when an opportunity for a face-to-face conversation, a
communicating between businesses or when follow-up letter, or something else. It’s crucial and
corresponding with clients, consumers, or other required that you make it clear what you want the
outside parties. The relationship between the individual reading your business letter to do as a
parties affects the letter’s overall style. You might next step.
use a business letter to: ask another person directly
for information or to take action; order supplies The phrases included in this manual serve as a
from a supplier; admit to a mistake that was made; framework and introduction for business letters’
directly respond to a request; express goodwill; or content. You can find connections to websites that
identify an error that was made. Since it creates a offer advice on how to argue your business aim in
permanent written record, is private, and is formal, business letters at the end of this guide. Your English

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business letters will sound more professional if you need it by (allow sufficient time). Offer to send a
use these common expressions. copy of the final document as a courtesy if you
are requesting information to be used in a report
Business Letter Types or another document. If appropriate, pledge that
you’ll keep the information private. Finally, thank
The ability to write letters is highly valued in the the recipient for helping you.
workplace. You will need to compose letters
more frequently as your profession progresses. 3. Sales Letters: A sales letter is prepared to
When compared to other forms of corporate convince the reader to try a product, purchase a
communication, letters are more professional good, donate money to a good cause, or engage
and formal. They provide authenticated personal in an activity. The ability to write persuasive sales
authority. Letters frequently need to go through letters is useful in all professions. To produce a
channels before being sent, unlike emails. Important successful sales letter, adhere to the following
papers like contracts and proposals are typically rules: (1) Specify who your audience is. Use the
distributed to readers via letters. Inquiry letters, psychology of the reader. By concentrating on the
special request letters, sales letters, and customer appropriate subjects, you can appeal to readers’
relations letters are the four fundamental forms feelings, wallets, comfort, and other factors. (3)
of business letters. Positive, neutral, and negative Avoid bragging or being boring. Don’t wax lyrical
business letters can also be categorized. Customer about your business or offer lengthy justifications
relations letters can be either positive or negative, for a product. (4) Use language that engages
while inquiry and special request letters are neutral readers’ senses. Be moral (5). Attention, appeal,
and sales letters are encouraging. application, and action are the “four A’s” of sales
copy. Get the reader’s attention right away. Next,
1. Letters of Inquiry: A letter of inquiry requests emphasize the appeal of your goods. The reader
details regarding a good, service, or process. should then be shown how the product is used.
Customers routinely write inquiry letters to Finally, leave the reader with a clear call to action.
businesses, and businesses frequently exchange
them. There are three fundamental guidelines for Get the reader’s attention in the first section of
writing an effective inquiry letter: be very specific your sales letter by posing a question, making a
about the information you need, be very explicit “how to” remark, praising the reader, providing a
about why you need it, and be very clear about free present, establishing a comparison, or making
when you need it. a change. Use the reader’s intellect, emotions,
or both to draw attention to the attractiveness of
2. Special Request Letters: Unlike normal your offering in the second section. Don’t let your
inquiries, particular request letters make a special introduction’s momentum slip by boring the reader
demand. Since your reader is under no obligation with unimportant facts, bland descriptions, long
to comply with your request, how you word it is inventory, or meaningless claims. Provide evidence
extremely important. In a special request letter, of the worth of what you are offering in the third
identify yourself, explain why you are writing, what section of your sales letter. Put the prospective
information you require in detail, and by when you customer first and not your business. If necessary,
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mention the price of your good or service while about what the product or service does not do
tying it to the advantages for the client. Tell readers right. Describe your inconvenience in just a few
exactly what you want them to accomplish and by words. Clearly state what you want to do (you
when in the final section. The final paragraph of a want your money back, you want a new model,
sales letter’s primary message is “Respond and be you want an apology, and so on). Finally, request
rewarded.” that your claim be handled quickly.

● Adjustment Letters: These letters provide a

4. Customer Relations Letters: These letters
response to complaints. Start with your positive
address how to create and preserve effective
news in an adjustment letter to the consumer
working relationships. They convey positive or
if you want them to say “Yes.” Acknowledge
negative news, acceptances, or rejections. Use a
right away that the complaint was legitimate.
forthright tone when composing an acceptance
Clearly describe the steps you will take to fix the
letter; let readers know the good news right away.
issue. End on a cordial, upbeat note, explaining
Be subtle when opening a letter of rejection; avoid
the difficulty the consumer experienced. Avoid
breaking the bad news right away.
criticizing or berating the customer in adjustment
letters that reject a claim. I appreciate the
● Reminder Letters: A follow-up letter is written
customer’s writing. Insist on how much you
to a client to thank them for their purchase and
comprehend the complaint. Give customers a
to entice them to make additional purchases
real justification to demonstrate that they are
in the future. As a result, it functions as both a
receiving fair treatment. Without hesitation or
sales letter and a thank-you message. Start off
remorse, state your conclusion. (Indecision will
by saying a few words of thanks. Next, go over
enrage clients who feel they have made a strong
the advantages the customer is already aware
argument.) Keep the door open for future, more
of and emphasize the company’s commitment
successful, and ongoing business.
to its clients. Then, continue this conversation in
a new or ongoing sales area before concluding ● Letters of Credit Refusal Start off on a Good Note.

with a targeted request for additional business. Thank the applicant for applying and for their
interest in working with you. Give the customer
● Complaint Letters Should be Written with Care.
credit denial justifications that are suitable, such
Your chances of receiving what you want will
as the customer’s lack of business experience or
rise if you use the proper tone. Adopt a “you”
credit history, the current unfavorable or unstable
mentality. Give a thorough description of the
financial situation, and so on. The finish on a high
product or service you are criticizing before
note. Encourage the reader to reapply when their
moving on. Include the size, quantity, color,
situation has altered.
model, and serial numbers. Next, be specific

Summary

● Good, straightforward, and clear communication may ensure that the business runs effectively, gain a
professional reputation among associates, and develop a devoted clientele whether it is verbal or written.

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● Physical components of business letters are the following: heading, internal address, salutation,
complimentary close, block signature, notes at the end, and so on.

● A business letter is typically written when communicating between businesses or when corresponding
with clients, consumers, or other outside parties. The relationship between the parties affects the letter’s
overall style.

● A letter of inquiry requests details regarding a good, service, or process. Customers routinely write inquiry
letters to businesses, and businesses frequently exchange them.

● Unlike normal inquiries, particular request letters make a special demand. Since your reader is under no
obligation to comply with your request, how you word it is extremely important.

● A sales letter is prepared to convince the reader to try a product, purchase a good, donate money to a good
cause, or engage in an activity.

● Customer Relations Letters address how to create and preserve effective working relationships.

● Reminder letters are follow-up letters written to a client to thank them for their purchase and to entice them
to make additional purchases in the future.

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 Unit 8

Types of Effective
Communication
Learning Objectives Introduction

By the end of this unit, you will be

In the majority of organizational settings, people
able to understand:
communicate with one another while working on a
● Feedback system
project, talking with a subordinate about his performance
● Body language or where he has fallen short or discussing with the

● Speech presentation supervisor how things might be made better. People

communicate with one another. Additionally, they share
● Barriers to effective
their perspectives on many things with one another. The
communication
foundation of efficacy may be such relationships. The
efficacy of the organization and the effectiveness of
managers and others in attaining organizational goals
may both increase as a result of these interactions if
better solutions occur and the decisions are implemented
with sincerity.

Understanding how to control (or indulge) your body

language is one thing; realizing how your clothing choices
impact your non-verbal message is quite another. Not
only is clothing one of the first things other people notice
about you — one of those facets of appearance that’s up
for judgment — what you’re wearing (and how you wear
it) can also affect the way you feel about yourself, which
in turn affects the way you present yourself to others and
the way they interpret your body language.

Types of Effective Communication

Even though everyone enjoys casual conversation sits down with a subordinate and provides him with
and chatting in general, most people find it awkward essential guidance on the latter’s performance.
to give formal speeches because they lack the He discusses with the latter his opinions on his
public speaking abilities necessary. There are accomplishments, his attributes, as well as his
several situations where one must speak in front opportunities for growth. We discuss our opinions of
of the public and share their opinions or ideas. By our peers’ stances and behaviors with them so that
working hard, we can enhance our public speaking they could gain from the exchange. A subordinate
skills. We may accomplish this by studying powerful may follow suit. If his supervisor had picked him
public speaking strategies. Then, we could put up in front of others, he might have gone to him to
these strategies to use. express his regret. This could aid the employer in
improving how he tells his staff about such things.
Public speaking is a type of communication in
which a speaker interacts directly with a sizable The Purposes of Feedback
audience. In public speaking, the speaker generally
speaks nonstop. Additionally, the speech itself At least two people are involved in interpersonal
appears to be the only thing that the event is feedback, one of whom provides feedback and
focused on. But those that engage large audiences the other of whom receives it. Therefore, feedback
most successfully are aware that they are more has two dimensions. From the perspective of
closely involved with a process than just a finished these two dimensions, the roles of feedback can
product. be thought about. Although improving a person’s
personal and interpersonal performance is the
Managers must frequently engage in public primary goal of feedback, the roles of providing and
speaking. Managers must develop excellent oral receiving feedback can be taken into consideration
communication abilities since they must frequently individually.
give speeches.
Giving feedback serves the primary purpose of
Feedback System providing information about a person’s behavioral
patterns and how they affect other people. An
It is crucial for people to be able to successfully individual can confirm such information by either
communicate their thoughts, feelings, and opinions gathering more information from additional sources
while they are interacting and working together. or by cross-referencing certain details with other
The manner in which things are received is also sources. The individual also receives a number of
crucial. Feedback is when we express to someone options from the feedback, from which he can select
our feelings and opinions, particularly in relation to one or two to test out. Through the development
that person’s behavior, working style, etc. Simply of an open culture and the encouragement of
put, feedback is the expression of an individual’s interpersonal trust, interpersonal feedback helps to
sentiments and perceptions toward another increase communication between the two parties
individual over the latter’s actions and working involved. Establishing standards of openness will
methods. Such interpersonal feedback occurs be made easier with ongoing input. In the end,
frequently in daily life, for instance when a boss feedback that is well communicated will contribute

Types of Effective Communication

to the recipient’s feeling of greater autonomy Making Feedback Effective: Giving Feedback
because it offers more options for improving
performance through meaningful data rather than An interpersonal transaction involving two people
prescribing specific actions. is feedback. Therefore, how both the feedback
supplier and the feedback recipient act and react
Similar to getting feedback, it serves a variety will determine how successful this transaction is.
of functions. It mostly aids the person receiving There are various things a person who is providing
feedback in processing behavioral information feedback can do to ensure that it is effective.
he has learned from others (the perceptions and The discussion that follows outlines some of the
feelings people have communicated to him about actions that a person typically does in order to be
the effect of his behavior on them). He has a effective.
greater understanding of himself and his actions
as a result. His sensitivity, or his capacity to detect 1. Is descriptive rather than critical: The person
environmental clues that reveal what perceptions providing comments should describe what he
and sentiments people have about his behavior, observes rather than provide an opinion. The
increases as a result of learning how his behavior description can either be of the effect of the other
is interpreted and the effects it has on others. person’s behavior (B) on the speaker (A) (you got
me upset), a factual statement (you repeated the
A sensitivity like this is incredibly helpful. It pushes identical phrase four times in the last ten minutes),
someone to try out novel behaviors to discover ways or the impact of B’s behavior on other people. Such
to improve his effectiveness on both a personal
and interpersonal level. Effective use of feedback descriptive comments might give the other person
aids in self-building and integration, as we’ll see (B) enough information to consider and make some
in a later section. It promotes transparency and decisions. Feedback, however, can be evaluative in
reciprocity because the recipient of feedback is a number of different ways. The person may either
urged to do the same for others. pass judgment (you behaved improperly), criticize
or classify the behavior (you have an inferiority
Both the giving and receiving dimensions of problem), or offer to advise (you should be bold).
feedback have these purposes. Such critical criticism does not benefit the recipient.
A person can become more independent in making
judgments about what he wants to do with the
support of descriptive feedback.

2. Is centered on the person’s behavior rather

than the person themselves: The feedback is
intended to assist the recipient in reflecting on their
behavior and making a decision to alter it. Because
it is delivered in the form of an evaluation and the
recipient is unaware of what to do about it, general
feedback such as “you are smart” or “you are dumb”

Types of Effective Communication

is not helpful. A person is in a position to decide 5. Is suggestive rather than prescriptive: The person
what could be done about behavior when feedback providing criticism frequently makes suggestions
is offered about it (e.g., “What you said and the way for alternate ways to improve. Members may
you said it has hurt me”). want to offer suggestions for B to improve, for
instance, if feedback reveals that he is unable to
3. Effective feedback delivers particular information confront group members. When you feel bad about
about a person’s behavior: This feedback gives him something, “speak out your feelings as soon as you
data in the form of observations, feelings that his can,” or “you can work out an arrangement with
behavior has elicited, and numerous other facts one or two group members to act as your alter ego,
observed. It is data-based, specific, and does not so that they may speak out what they think your
rely on impressions. These aids the individual. feelings are at that time, and later you take these up
Feedback tends to be more critical if it is generic for further exploration.” Such advice, nonetheless,
and founded on impressions. Even if it is non- needs to be in the shape of additional options B has
judgmental, it might not be able to assist someone to improve his facing skills. The feedback that is
in coming up with a plan to alter their behavior. given in the form of instructions, or what the person
When someone is told, “You interrupted A, B, and should do, is not helpful and merely makes the
C without allowing them to finish what they were person dependent or useless because they are not
saying,” for instance, he has specific information to involved in the decision-making process.
consider when assessing his general sensitivity and
can take action to carefully monitor his behavior 6. Is ongoing: Typically, providing meaningful
going forward in order to prevent interruptions of feedback does not end after one act. It establishes
this nature. Effective feedback aids a person in an open relationship. Since the relationship is
selecting the behavior pattern he will stick with. ongoing, there is typically constant input. Repeated
feedback is also likely to result in improved
4. Reinforces positive new behavior. Positive outcomes. Repeated feedback may serve to
reinforcement is likely to reward a person’s clarify what was said and provide the topic with an
successful behavior when they are experimenting opportunity to talk about it.
with new behavior, allowing them to stabilize it
as a part of their personality. Positive feedback is 7. Is mostly personal: Feedback that is effective
therefore highly helpful, whilst negative input is not. demonstrates the contributor’s participation in the
It just raises the likelihood that someone will get process. It is considerably more real and beneficial if
defensive. However, compliments must be sincere the person uses examples from his own experience
and precise. For instance, if someone is told that and provides information about how he viewed or
they typically don’t speak up much in meetings, was impacted by the other person’s behavior. These
that person might decide to make an extra effort will be far more effective if the person gives the other
to speak out. Positive comments such as “I liked person other information and data in addition to his
your idea,” “I liked you taking the initiative,” etc. or her own sentiments and perceptions. However,
might encourage him to move even further in that the relationship of mutuality is not developed and
direction. the feedback is not very successful if only objective
feedback is given, without the person sharing his or

Types of Effective Communication

her personal perceptions and feelings. a two-way exchange. A transaction must meet the
needs of both parties in order to be successful.
8. Is need-based and requested: Requested This also applies to feedback. The person providing
feedback is far more effective than feedback that is the feedback may feel the desire to assist, exert
given indiscriminately. Therefore, there is a strong influence, and build stronger relationships. These
incentive for that person to pay close attention to requirements should be met, and the individual
and act upon such input. Naturally, the recipient should be aware of this and make use of it to foster
of feedback has the primary responsibility for its reciprocity. If the individual giving feedback has a
usage. Feedback may not be very useful if he is strong need for approval and is therefore driven to
defensive (does not accept criticism in a sincere give input by this need, he may eventually disclose
manner and just defends his action). The individual this after being aware of the need. Feedback
providing the comments should, however, evaluate based on the requirements of both parties
the needs of the recipient. Giving someone more promotes mutuality. Additionally, the mutuality of
positive feedback may be preferable if, for instance, the relationship will work better if the individuals
they need more compassion and empathy. This providing feedback are able to communicate their
will help them see areas where they can make understanding of such demands.
improvements, whereas feedback that is given
without any consideration for the recipient’s
feelings may be ineffective.

9. Is meant to assist: The fundamental motivation

of the individual providing feedback is significant.
The input will be ineffective if his goal is to criticize,
point out flaws, or persuade the other person that
his perception is accurate. However, if the feedback
is offered with the intention of aiding the other
person, this alone will affect how it is delivered and
it is likely to be highly beneficial.
12. Is checked and verified: The person only
10. Is centered on changeable behavior: The expresses one set of impressions while providing
goal of feedback is to encourage the recipient to feedback. Feedback might not be useful until it is
change his behavior and make it more effective. compared to the opinions of other people who were
When criticism focuses on actions that the person involved. Feedback can be useful if an effort is
can control, this is achievable. For instance, giving made to verify it with various other group members
someone comments on their stammer may not be by both the person providing and the person
helpful if it merely serves to confirm their poor self- receiving it.
perception and they are unable to change it on their
own. 13. Is timely: Comments ought to be timely. Timing
has multiple meanings. First and foremost, feedback
11. Meets the requirements of both: Feedback is should be provided as soon as possible after the

Types of Effective Communication

event has taken place. Immediate feedback has when an expectation is not met, psychological
the benefit of increasing someone’s motivation to stress results. There is an experimental proof that
think back on the experience and allowing them to people who receive inconsistent results are more
focus on different aspects of it without being overly uncomfortable and uncertain about the outcome’s
distracted. durability. Dissonance can cause a shift in behavior
or it can cause conflict and threat, which can cause
Second, timing implies that the subject should be what is known as a defensive behavior. Therefore,
in a position to accept and apply input. Negative in general, the person getting criticism may employ
feedback, for instance, can only be useful in a either protective behavior or confrontational
group setting if a certain threshold of trust has been behavior to lessen dissonance.
reached between the participants. The primary
consideration for scheduling feedback should
be whether it is likely to incite defensiveness.
Feedback could not be useful in situations when it
could be interpreted as an attack or criticism.

14. Supports mutuality and group development:

Feedback should be crucial in creating a relationship
that is open, trustworthy, and spontaneous. It
cannot be deemed effective if it does not promote
this mutuality. Effective feedback not only promotes
mutuality but also aids in the development of An individual may construct a barrier around himself
interpersonal effectiveness in the majority of the in order to shield himself from the threat when he
group members. In this way, feedback transcends feels threatened by the feedback he receives (for
the mutuality of two individuals and advances the instance, if he is criticized or chastised, or given
development of the entire team. It is important what he may perceive as negative feedback, which
to periodically assess how feedback serves this he does not agree with). Freud established the
purpose so that those participating in the feedback idea of defensive mechanisms after researching a
process may make decisions and keep an eye number of them in the context of psychoneurosis.
on the feedback mechanism to ensure that the The use of defensive behavior in response to
intended outcome is being achieved. dangerous feedback is analogous to the use of
analgesics to treat physical discomfort. These
Making Feedback Effective: Receiving Feedback lessen pain perception, but they do not address the
primary source of pain. Defensive actions follow
The way in which feedback is offered by A the same principles. Although defensive behavior
and received and applied by the recipient (B) may provide the impression that the situation
determines how effective the feedback will be. As has been resolved, neither the situation nor the
mentioned during a feedback episode, dissonance behavior is altered. For instance, a subordinate can
results if the input contradicts one’s expectations feel threatened if his senior officer gives him poor
or self-image. The dissonance theory states that feedback about how unmotivated he has been over

Types of Effective Communication

the last year. By directing his rage onto the superior 1. Denying versus Owning Up: When someone
officer and claiming that he is speaking because of gives them unfavorable criticism that makes them
prejudice, he may lessen the threat. feel threatened, their initial instinct is to deny it.
Denial will undoubtedly lessen his concern since
He might be satisfied by this and stop feeling he can persuade himself that what he was taught
threatened. Although this may lessen anxiety, it was incorrect and that he should not worry about it.
does not alter the situation (the superior officer will But neither does it assist him in changing, nor does
still believe that his subordinate lacks motivation) or it aid the problem. The appropriate confrontational
the subordinate’s behavior (the subordinate will still response in this circumstance would be to
believe that his superior officer is prejudiced). The acknowledge the feedback, regardless of how
internal dispute is not resolved. A conflicted self is upsetting it may be.
likely to be the result of using protective behavior
excessively. Contrarily, using confrontational In the hierarchy of behavior contributing to
behavior reduces conflict, and prolonged use of interpersonal competence, owning up to behavior
such behavior will produce an integrated self and is significantly more challenging and is at a higher
increase efficacy. level. Owning up does not imply that you must
take criticism right away. Quick acceptance is
It is not the goal of this article to imply that all sometimes defensive behavior, as we will discover
protective behavior is undesirable. We are not later. Owning up entails being willing to accept the
advocating that any form of defense should restriction after conducting the necessary research
ever be employed either. We all engage in some and gathering the relevant information from
degree of protective behavior, and it is impossible numerous sources, so that the person may then be
to completely eradicate it. Defensive actions ready to take action. Being willing to own up to a
may be appropriate in many circumstances. The behavior that may be perceived as a limitation or
more defensive behavior used, however, the less weakness shows how much respect a person has
successful the feedback will be if the primary goal for themselves, and only those with a high level of
of feedback is to establish mutuality and if both self-respect are willing to do so.
parties involved in giving and receiving criticism are
interested in a relationship of trust and openness. 2. Rationalization versus Self-analysis: The typical
An effort should be made to shift from defensive tendency with negative feedback is to find excuses
behavior toward confronting behavior in order for one’s own behavior. For instance, if an employee
to make feedback effective. The person who is receives feedback that his motivation was low, he
receiving feedback can assess which defensive may find an excuse for this low motivation and
behaviors he engages in more frequently and thereby absolve himself of responsibility for it. This
create a plan (ideally with the assistance of another is referred to as the rationalization process. For
person or persons) to reduce these behaviors instance, he might attribute it to his physical health
and transition toward the equivalent confronting issues, familial issues, or other factors. Although
behaviors. Below, we will go over these examples there may be causes for lack of drive, finding
of defensive and confrontational behavior: excuses for certain behaviors too soon keeps a
person from taking responsibility for them. Thus,

Types of Effective Communication

rationalization is ineffective. someone who has provided criticism because the
latter may be in a position of power, he may direct
Instead, if a person engages in some self-analysis it at someone who is weaker than himself. When
and determines why this particular behavior was an employer receives unfavorable feedback from
noticed or what the meaning of this feedback is his boss, he may become significantly tighter with
in relation to what he typically does, he may find a his own employees an example of displacement.
number of interesting points to consider and may Displacement is typically utilized when one person
even come up with some suggestions for how to is in a stronger position than the other and the other
behave better. person finds it difficult to convey his dissatisfaction
to the stronger person. It could be more beneficial
3. Empathy versus Protection: Negative feedback to talk with the person who provided criticism and
frequently makes a person anxious and resentful. find out where and how this behavior was seen.
The person receiving criticism may feel resentful By going over the specifics with him, you might be
and furious if the source of the input is unreliable able to gather more proof and allay some of the
and it is impossible for them to have an honest feedback provider’s concerns as well.
discussion with him. Without a valid reason, being
angry can only lead to dissonance and conflict. 5. Quick Acceptance versus Data Collection: One
The individual receiving feedback may project his way to dismiss feedback is to accept it immediately.
feelings of resentment onto the person offering Giving an idea pleasant words to eat is the finest
feedback in an effort to lessen this conflict and method to put it to death. When someone accepts
to justify hostility. From that point on, he can criticism without giving it much thought, they are
perceive the individual who provided feedback as trying to avoid having to think about it and take
irate, biased, etc. This is how projection works. action.
In projection, the subject transfers to the subject
his own feelings regarding the former. Defense- It might be best to get information about the
related behavior like projection can lessen anxiety. many components of feedback from the individual
However, it is ineffective, much like other protective providing it as well as from other sources rather
actions. than immediately accepting it. This could contribute
to improving interpersonal effectiveness.
It could be beneficial for the person receiving
criticism to empathize with the other person, try 6. Withdrawal versus Expression of Feelings:
to grasp his point of view, and comprehend why A person who feels powerless and is unable to
such harsh feedback has been given rather than communicate his resentment can respond by losing
becoming furious and, thus, transferring resentment interest in his task, ceasing to interact with the
onto the other person. This might contribute to person providing feedback, and overall exhibiting
better comprehension. withdrawal symptoms. Such withdrawal-related
behavior could not be beneficial and might even
4. Displacement versus Exploration: Displacement make things worse.
is a well-known defensive tactic. For instance, if a
person cannot vent his resentment or fury toward The more confrontational action, which might be

Types of Effective Communication

beneficial in this situation, is to convey your upset 10. Cynicism against a Positive Critical Attitude:
feelings to the individual offering you feedback. It is A cynical attitude that most people say things
a challenging thing to accomplish, but if the person that are unworthy of consideration and that things
attempts to practice it by being straightforward are generally quite poor can be used to dismiss
with his feelings and communicating how certain negative criticism. A positive critical mindset,
things make him feel wounded, he may find it gets on the other hand, enables a person to study the
easier in the future. feedback provided, separate out the portions that
appear reasonable, and discard those that do not
7. Expressing animosity toward the person who meet the standards he has established. Such a
provided feedback as opposed to asking for help mindset is beneficial.
is another example of protective behavior. The
individual receiving feedback may yell at him or Body Language
exhibit animosity in other ways after receiving it
from someone in a lower or less powerful position. According to estimates, body language conveys
Although it might be simpler to do this, the issue is more than half of the meaning we communicate
not resolved. The feedback is likely to be utilized with one another. Before humans invented words to
to alter behavior for the better if, rather than acting express ourselves to one another, we used gestures
aggressively, the person receiving it asks the person and body language.
who gave it for assistance in trying to understand
his behavior and strategies to deal with it. Our body language might communicate things like,
“I’m bored and indifferent,” or “I’m interested and
8. Humor versus Concern: In some instances, excited to be here,” for example, to the person we’re
funny approaches to handling criticism are also speaking to. Your body language always reveals
used. A fantastic attribute is a humor. However, it who you are, regardless of what you say. The body
is ineffective and problematic when employed to is truthful.
hide something or to lessen tension brought on by
dissonance. Instead, he might exhibit worry, which
will encourage him to look into ways to make his
behavior better.

9. Competing with Authority vs. Listening: In

a T-Group setting, a participant who receives
unfavorable feedback is likely to respond by
competing with the trainer (the representative of
authority), for instance by putting out competing
hypotheses, presenting alternative lines of
reasoning, etc. Even while it may be extremely
fulfilling to him, this could be dysfunctional. If the Complete the Sentence
member pays attention to what has been said
about him, he can gain something. The content of a conversation cannot be inferred

Types of Effective Communication

from a single piece of body language, just as we A gesture indicating reflection or appraisal is
cannot construct a spoken statement with only rubbing the chin or placing the hand beneath the
one word (with the exception of “go”). To finish the chin with one or two fingers on the cheek. Unsure
phrase and accurately interpret the information, we of what your body language is “saying”? Examining
must consider all nonverbal cues. oneself in the mirror or filming yourself conversing
with someone are two ways to find out. Consider
What can you do to ensure that a positive message this: “How would I see someone who looks, speaks,
is being sent, then? and behaves like me?” Then, make the necessary
adjustments!
● Maintain eye contact: Maintaining eye contact
conveys interest, connection, and comfort. When
Components of Body Language
speaking to a group, slowly scan the room to
ensure that everyone is receiving eye contact.
Nonverbal communication consists of many
Don’t focus on one individual just!
different elements. The following non-verbal signs
● Smile, it’s catchy: A relaxed smile shows your and indications collectively express your interest
warmth and comfort and creates an upbeat, and commitment to other people.
positive atmosphere. It conveys your curiosity and
invitation to converse. On the other hand, a frown Expressions on the Face
conveys tension and aloofness. Additionally, it is
contagious to smile! The human face is incredibly expressive and can
convey a wide range of feelings without using words.
● Keep your shoulders back, your head up, and
Facial expressions are also ubiquitous, in contrast
your back straight when you stand. This will
to some nonverbal communication techniques. In
demonstrate your comfort with the circumstance.
many cultures, people show happiness, sadness,
You convey that you are worn out, on guard, and
anger, surprise, fear, and disgust with the same
indifferent if you are slouching and have your
facial expressions.
arms crossed in front of your chest.

● Many people talk while gesturing with their Body Position and Movements
hands. If you fall into such a category, I’d suggest
that you pay attention to how your hands are Think about how your perceptions of people are
moving. Do you itch your eyes, nose, or ears when influenced by their posture, gait, height, and head
you speak? All of these could indicate deceit. position. The world can learn a lot about you from
You should also refrain from using your hands the way you move and carry yourself. You can
to point, wring them, crack your knuckles, pick communicate nonverbally by using your posture,
your fingernails, or fiddle with your change. You’ll bearing, stance, and tiny motions.
come across as being preoccupied or anxious.
Keep your hands by your sides or, if you’re unsure Gestures
what to do with them, put them on your lap. The
hands should be steepled to convey confidence. Our daily lives are made up of gestures in one way or
another. When disputing or speaking animatedly, we

Types of Effective Communication

wave, point, beckon, and use our hands, frequently needs for physical space vary depending on culture,
without giving them any thought. However, gestures circumstance, and the depth of the relationship,
can have quite diverse meanings in different they are all there. You can convey a variety of
cultures and geographical areas, so it’s necessary nonverbal messages through physical space, such
to be careful to prevent misunderstandings. as signs of intimacy and affection, aggressiveness,
or dominance.
Eye Contact
Voice
Since most people’s major sense is visual, eye
contact is a particularly significant form of Not only what you say matters, but also how you
nonverbal communication. Looking at someone say it. People listen to our words while we speak,
can convey a variety of emotions, such as attention, but they also “read” our voices. They pay attention
affection, hatred, or attraction. Maintaining eye to your timing and pace, how loud you speak, your
contact is crucial for determining the other person’s tone and inflection, as well as sounds like “ahh” and
reaction and for keeping the conversation moving. “uh-huh” that indicate understanding. Consider how
a person’s voice tone, for instance, might convey
sarcasm, rage, tenderness, or confidence.

You can benefit from effective communication in

both your personal and professional lives. Although
nonverbal behaviors account for a sizable portion
of our daily interpersonal communication, research
has demonstrated that spoken and written
communication skills are still crucial. What are
some ways to hone your nonverbal communication
abilities? The top ten non-verbal communication
tips listed below can help you improve your ability
Touch
to communicate successfully by teaching you how

Touch is a primary means of communication to understand other people’s non-verbal cues.

for us. Consider the messages conveyed by the

Pay close attention to non-verbal cues
following: a shaky handshake, a trembling tap on
the shoulder, a bear embrace, a comforting pat on
Pay attention to things like eye contact, gestures,
the back, a patronizing pat on the head, or a tight
posture, body movements, and tone of voice
hold on your arm.
because there are many different ways that people
can convey information. These signals can all
Space
provide significant information that cannot be

Have you ever experienced awkwardness during expressed in words. You can develop your own

a conversation because the other person was nonverbal communication skills by becoming more

encroaching on your personal space? Although our aware of other people’s nonverbal cues.

Types of Effective Communication

Watch for Discordant Behavior idea to ask for clarification and then repeat back
your understanding of what was stated. “So what
You should pay close attention if someone’s you are saying is that,” as an illustration,
nonverbal behaviors and words do not match. For
instance, a person may claim to be pleased while Make Communication More Meaningful and
scowling and gazing at the ground. According to Effective by Using Signals
research, people prefer to overlook what has been
said when words do not correspond with non- Keep in mind that both verbal and nonverbal
verbal cues and instead pay attention to non-verbal communication is necessary to communicate a
expressions of moods, thoughts, and feelings. message. By supporting and reinforcing what you
are saying with your body language, you may make
When speaking, pay attention to your tone of voice. your oral communication more effective. This
can be very helpful while giving presentations or
Your voice can transmit a wide range of emotions, addressing a sizable crowd.
including enthusiasm, disinterest, and even wrath.
Start observing how your voice tone affects how Consider signals collectively
people respond to you, and try emphasizing
points you want to make using your voice. As an A single gesture could signify anything at all or
illustration, use an enthusiastic tone of voice to even nothing at all. Search for clusters of signals
convey your passion if you want to demonstrate a that support a single idea to accurately interpret
real interest in something. nonverbal behavior. You risk drawing the wrong
conclusions about what someone is trying to say
Maintain Eye Contact if you focus too much on one signal among many
others.
People can appear to be avoiding or trying to
hide something when they don’t look others in Incorporate Context
the eye. On the other side, excessive eye contact
may come out as threatening or hostile. While Always keep the situation and the context of the
maintaining eye contact is an essential component conversation in mind when speaking with people.
of communication, it’s crucial to keep in mind that Certain circumstances call for more formal behavior
maintaining eye contact does not necessitate that can be perceived very differently in another
staring someone in the eyes. How can you context. Think about whether or not nonverbal cues
determine the right amount of eye contact? Some are suitable in the situation. Focus on strategies to
communication specialists advise four to five- make your signals match the amount of formality
second intervals of eye contact. required by the situation if you want to improve
your own nonverbal communication.
Pose Questions Regarding Non-Verbal Cues
Keep in Mind That Signals Can Be Misread
Ask questions if you have any doubts regarding a
nonverbal cue from another individual. It’s a good Some people believe that a forceful handshake

Types of Effective Communication

reveals a strong personality while a weak rather, the manner in which you offer your ideas or
handshake conveys a lack of resolve. This case make your point should be carefully considered.
highlights a crucial idea regarding the potential
for misinterpretation of non-verbal cues. A shaky Never give a presentation in a noisy environment:
handshake could actually be a sign of something Since the audience will be distracted and unable
quite different, like arthritis. Always keep an eye out to focus, negating the impact of your presentation.
for behavioral groups. A person’s overall attitude For the same, use a conference room or board room
reveals much more about them than anyone’s with absolute silence. Everyone in the audience,
gesture ever could. including the speaker, is primarily responsible for
keeping their phones on mute. The speaker must
Practice makes perfect. also take great care with how he presents himself.
You must wear formal attire in light colors. Wear
Some people just seem to naturally be able to use a formal tie, keep your shoes shining, and stay
nonverbal communication efficiently and decipher away from bracelets and other jewelry because
other people’s signals. These people are frequently the clattering sound can be upsetting. Never dress
referred to as “people readers.” Actually, by carefully shabbily or use a careless attitude. On the day of
observing nonverbal behavior and practicing many the presentation, dress to impress.
forms of nonverbal communication with others,
you can develop this skill. You can greatly enhance Speak persuasively and with clarity, and please
your communication skills by observing nonverbal watch your accent: Use your words to the fullest
behavior and honing your own techniques. to persuade and impress. Put your thoughts into
material with care. The text must be really sensible,
and relevant to the subject, and most importantly,
it must effectively deliver your knowledge. Your
remarks must make an immediate impact on the
audience and stay with them for a very long time.
Be mindful of your speech. Don’t stutter or keep a
word or two in your mouth. Remember to pause
between each slide. You can also interject some
amusing jokes to break up the monotony.

Reaching out to them as well is the best method to

Speech Representation engage the audience on the last bench: Don’t simply
speak for the person sitting directly in front of you.
A person’s communication must be highly The volume ought to be high enough for everyone to
impressive and powerful in order to deliver a hear you clearly and, most importantly, comprehend
presentation or speech that is effective. People you. Slowly utter the necessary expressions while
won’t actually take the time to listen to your thoughts speaking. Do not hurry. Ask a lot of questions from
until and until you can effectively and impressively the audience and keep your presentation interactive
communicate. Speaking alone is not the answer; to gauge whether or not they are paying attention.

Types of Effective Communication

In addition to verbal communication, nonverbal yourself, practice hard, and do your best, and you’ll
communication is as significant and should never never stop working marvels if you don’t overthink
be disregarded. things.

Your facial expressions must match the message How to Present a Speech: Steps
being conveyed. If your slides show that you
exceeded your goal for a certain month, smile. If A general speech presentation involves the
your performance drops off in the next slide, never subsequent steps:
smile. Look upbeat and optimistic. Understand how
to control your emotions. The Choice of Topic

Pay attention to your hand and body motions. In a formal speech, the speaker must first decide
Never toy with your tie or fidget with a pen while on the goal and subject of his presentation. He may
standing still. It undermines you and reflects your occasionally be given a topic, usually one related to
anxiety. Don’t yawn or chew your nails in between. It his field of expertise. In reality, when he is invited to
is strictly forbidden during presentations and other give a speech on a particular subject, it is probably
official gatherings. Keep looking your audience in because of his extensive understanding of that
the eye for the Bangon Effect. subject. The speaker must choose a topic if one is
not provided for him. He is to be guided by three
Always reserve some time at the conclusion for a main criteria while he looks for a good topic:
question-and-answer session: The audience must
refrain from interrupting the presenter in the middle ● Background and knowledge
of their questions because this could kill the flow ● Audience interest
of the discussion. Await the appropriate time. You
● Goal of the Speech: The speech’s objective may
should be grateful for the effort the speaker put
be to inform or instruct, convince, inspire, or
into creating the presentation. Make a note of your
amuse.
inquiries, and make sure to raise them after the
presentation. Before the presentation, the speaker
must pay attention to every last detail, yet if he is
unable to respond to a question, he must handle the
situation extremely tactfully. The listeners should
never criticize or make fun of the speaker, so don’t
start sweating, be confident, and respond to them
later. He is a fallible human being like everyone
else. Once the speaker has finished, give him or her
appropriate remarks and show your appreciation.
He’ll experience joy.

An effective presentation depends on both its

content and your communication abilities. Be

Types of Effective Communication

Audience Research The following is a checklist that can assist the
speaker in analyzing the audience while presenting:
Knowing the type of audience that will be present
is essential for giving an effective speech. The type ● He can tell how the audience is responding to the
of audience and their characteristics, such as their message by observing their facial expressions.
age, education level, and level of qualification, will
● He will be able to tell whether people comprehend
determine the speech’s substance and delivery
or agree with the message by their grins, blank
style. Before and during the presentation, the
looks, and body language.
speaker should research his or her audience as
● He can infer whether they are listening from their
described below:
noises or their quiet.

Initial Analysis ● If the audience asks questions in the right order,

the speaker can gauge how well the message is
The speaker should conduct a study into the being received.
audience’s traits that will impact his presentation
as he analyzes the audience before the speech. Being attentive allows the speaker to gain valuable
For instance, the size of the audience may have audience insight and tailor his message properly.
an impact on how professional or informal the
speaker should make his speech. Large audiences Researching the Topic
typically demand greater formality. The audience’s
unique qualities may also have an impact on The speaker should gather the data that will serve
how he delivers his speech. Age, sex, education, as the foundation of his speech after deciding
experience, and subject-matter expertise are all on the speech’s goal. He might decide on the key
factors that might affect how a speaker delivers points before gathering more data to back up
his message, including the words they use, the those points. Sometimes this entails cognitively
necessity for illustrations, and the level of detail and logically looking for relevant experience to
that is necessary. The speaker needs to modify his support an idea. He occasionally has to carry out
or her talks for the intended listeners. primary research in the library or in the business
files. He might need to talk to coworkers or people
Analysis during Presentation from other companies about some subjects.
This collection of fundamental concepts may be
The examination of the crowd should continue random or disjointed. The feasible concepts can
while the speaker begins to talk. This phase is then be developed into a coherent subject. In other
also known as the feedback phase. This stage of words, he must take the required steps to get the
audience analysis informs the speaker how his data he requires and be prepared to start planning
words are being received by the audience. With his speech.
this knowledge, he can modify his presentation to
enhance the effectiveness of the communication. The essential themes that will form the foundation
The speaker will be able to get this feedback of the speaker’s speech can be determined once
information with the use of his eyes and hearing. the speaker selects a presentation topic. By simply

Types of Effective Communication

asking himself some questions concerning the speeches, he tends to employ elements rather
subject of his presentation, he can find out what than time, place, or amount. The explanation for
they might be. The speaker will be able to compose this is that, like most speeches, his presentation
his speech and deliver a powerful presentation to will probably center on problems and inquiries that
his target audience with the assistance of this kind are subtopics of the main topic. However, there
of research on the subject and his audience. is still room for subdivisions like time, space, and
quantity. The speaker is prepared to start preparing
Creating the Speech’s plan and text for giving a presentation after creating a brief for
it. The following line will serve as the speaker’s
The speaker will be able to acquire enough organizational framework for speech preparation
information to organize and draft his speech with and delivery:
the aid of a clear understanding of his goal and
thorough research on the subject. Does he still believe that the themes he has chosen
will be intriguing too and engaging for the listeners
Each speaker should consult a wide range of based on his own knowledge and interests? This
sources when preparing for a public speech. Once time, make sure the topic is appealing to the listener.
the research is complete, the speaker should
compile all the facts, justifications, and supporting ● If the speaker has never conducted research
materials into a detailed outline. Its goal is to aid before or if he is unfamiliar with the subject, he
the speaker in comprehending both sides of the will start by reading some general material from
speech controversy. Additionally, it acts as a source an encyclopedia or magazine article. He should
for the precise data that the speaker will need to attempt to interview everybody he knows or can
create an outline for their public presentations. think of who has specialist knowledge on the
subject. On the information he reads and learns,
Although there are times when deviations are specific notes are taken.
appropriate, he should generally adhere to the
● The speaker should sketch out their presentation
following in drafting the speech:
on paper. For the speech, he must thus evaluate
it. Maybe it’s something altogether different from
● Introduction
what he knows or has discussed before. That
● Body is unimportant. What matters is if it accurately
● Conclusion captures the message the speaker wants the
listeners to take away from the speech.
Setting up the speech ● He adds many questions regarding his rough
copy of a presentation below it, providing room
The way he structures his speech’s body is similar to for answers under each one. Keep in mind that if
how he structures a report. The speaker separates this speech is informative, he will mostly inquire
the entire into comparable pieces. He separates about what and how. If he has a strong argument,
these pieces after that. As far as it is possible, he will ask more why questions.
he keeps dividing. But when dividing things up in
● The speaker must now respond to each of these

Types of Effective Communication

 queries. He will learn the main ideas or concepts in the long run because only positive information is
from these responses. This will serve as the permitted to reach the highest management, who
foundation for his speech later. might not be aware of issues until they become
significant.
● After he has finished presenting the entire speech
and its important topics, he should share it with
Selective perception: An individual’s perception
a partner or a small group of people. If not, make
of information is influenced by his or her wants,
any necessary revisions.
values, history, and experiences. The way he
● The speaker should summarize the key ideas
decodes information is influenced by his personal
from his presentation draft in the closing remarks.
interests and expectations.
● He must thoroughly prepare his speech, paying
particular attention to the conclusions. He Defensiveness: When they believe the other person
ought to bring his points to a close so that his is endangering their reputation or self-image, people
audience feels satisfied. It should highlight his consciously try to avoid speaking with them. They
major point—his thesis—and enumerate the key respond defensively by making snarky remarks,
arguments he has made. making generalizations about other people, or
casting doubt on the other person’s intentions.

Language: Each person interprets words differently.

The main determinants of language use and
the meanings people assign to words are age,
education, and cultural background.

Communication obstacles can also be divided into

two categories: human/personal, semantic, and
technological.

Barriers to Effective Communication Effective communication is also hampered by

human limitations. One occasionally becomes
Filtering: The manipulation of information by the emotionally involved instead of listening to what
sender to sway the recipient’s perception in the is being stated in a logical and objective way. In
sender’s favor. As an illustration, a worker could place of logical fact evaluation, judgments are
advise his boss about projects that are making imposed. As a result, the receiver only hears what
substantial progress but not about those that are he anticipates hearing.
lagging behind. At every level of the organization,
information is filtered. This process occasionally Taking down obstacles to communication: Some
affects both the quantity and quality of information suggestions
that gets to top management. With each additional
vertical level in the organizational hierarchy, more ● Recognize and assess the obstacles: Determine

information is filtered. Filtering could cause issues any potential impediments to successful

Types of Effective Communication

 communication, and then work to remove them. charge of relaying it to others.
Use the language of the audience and steer
● The end goal of communication is comprehensive
clear of inaccurate translations to ensure clear
knowledge, it cannot be compartmentalized
communication.
or limited to one or more communication
● Top management must be persuaded of programs. Constant, automatic, and habitual
the importance of communication; effective communication is ideal.
communication promotes positive interpersonal
relationships and productive business ● Effective communication depends on listening
relationships. and communicating with empathy. Therefore,
when speaking and listening, the speaker should
● The written statement of policy should be
be aware of his audience and sensitive to their
emphasized because it is the best way to convey
wants and sentiments; otherwise, he risked
an organization’s views on communication to
interrupting crucial communication networks.
all stakeholders. It establishes the tone for the
style of communication that should be used ● Communication requires careful timing. When
throughout the entire organization. It lays the vital messages are competing with other events
foundation for the processes and procedures influencing the listeners’ lives the least, that is
that will be employed to carry out the policy. when they should be communicated. When a
message offers a solution to an issue impacting
● Understand that communication is a two-way
the recipient, it is more likely that it will be taken
process; it is important to understand how
into account and responded to.
information has been received and interpreted.
This can be achieved through enticing action, ● Using feedback enhances communication and
eliciting reactions, posing inquiries, clearing up lessens the possibility of significant discrepancies
any confusion, and making it very obvious what between the information or concept received and
the message being communicated means. the one intended.

● Orders should be consistent with the ● Receiving communications could be useful in

organization’s goals and in line with other getting the intended message through. A single
operations. Consistency and coherence are communication of an idea may frequently not
crucial for effective communication. be adequately understood or decoded. The
receiver may benefit from receiving a second or
● Overcome the drawbacks of distance barriers:
third message to help him fully grasp and apply
Use physical devices like the telephone and the
the concept. Repetition can be accomplished
intercom whenever possible, and make sure
utilizing a variety of mediums and formats.
that people understand. The sender should
make sure that the information is not distorted, ● Messages should be timed to be sent when they
misinterpreted, or stopped by those who are in are needed and avoid being misunderstood by
the recipient due to competing thoughts.

Types of Effective Communication

Summary

● Feedback is when we express to someone our feelings and opinions, particularly in relation to that person’s
behavior, working style, etc.

● At least two people are involved in interpersonal feedback, one of whom provides feedback and the other
of whom receives it. Therefore, feedback has two dimensions.

● Giving feedback serves the primary purpose of providing information about a person’s behavioral patterns
and how they affect other people.

● Similar to getting feedback, it serves a variety of functions. It mostly aids the person receiving feedback in
processing behavioral information he has learned from others.

● According to estimates, body language conveys more than half of the meaning we communicate with one
another. Before humans invented words to express ourselves to one another, we used gestures and body
language.

● Some components of body language are: expressions on the face, body positions, and movements,
gestures, eye contact, touch, space, and voice.

● A person’s communication must be highly impressive and powerful in order to deliver a presentation or
speech that is effective.

● The speaker should conduct a study into the audience’s traits that will impact his presentation as he
analyzes the audience before the speech.

● The speaker should gather the data that will serve as the foundation of his speech after deciding on the
speech’s goal. He might decide on the key points before gathering more data to back up those points.

● The essential themes that will form the foundation of the speaker’s speech can be determined once the
speaker selects a presentation topic.

● Although there are times when deviations are appropriate, he should generally adhere to the following in
drafting the speech:

a) Introduction

b) Body

c) Conclusion

● Filtering is the manipulation of information by the sender to sway the recipient’s perception in the sender’s
favor

Types of Effective Communication

 Unit 9

Types of Communication
in an Organization
Learning Objectives Introduction

By the end of this unit, you will be

A report is a presentation and summary of data, facts,
able to understand:
and knowledge that has been gathered or acquired.
● Meaning and types of reports
Information, concepts, and ideas are organized
● Guidelines for report writing logically and coherently. Generally speaking, a variety of

● Meaning and importance of professionals employ reports. Teachers and lecturers

meetings write reports about their schools or institutions or

some event that occurred there, just as newspaper
● Conducting meeting
correspondents use reports to break news about an
incident or a program.

An organized, impartial delivery of information that

furthers corporate objectives is what is known as a
business report.

Reports offer the manager commentary on many

organizational elements. The data is required for
decision-making, planning for the future, and analyzing
and evaluating progress. The report is divided into
different sections for easier comprehension because it
is a beautifully organized piece of writing. A well-written
and presented report is the result of comprehending the
significance of these sections and logically connecting
the various portions.

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Types of Communication in an Organization
Writing reports is a skill. Continuous work is a report. It just uses observation and analysis as
required to acquire this skill. Every executive has a its foundation. A report provides a justification
responsibility to deliver reports to their superiors on for any situation. Reports are essential in today’s
time. He needs to develop his report-writing skills corporate world. Reports provide information that
in order to do that. The report is also submitted in the management team in an organization may use
cases of investigations so that corrective action to make plans and solve challenging problems in
can be taken. Various field surveys are conducted the business, making them a solid foundation for
by market researchers. Effective preparation of the planning and control in an organization.
survey report is also required.
A report goes into great information about a specific
A group is any association of more than two issue. It puts relevant and trustworthy information in
persons. A group’s members are connected by front of an organization’s top executives. Therefore,
a shared identity when they gather to achieve a the management may make wise decisions based
common aim or objective. The sharing of thoughts, on such facts. Reports are necessary for evaluating
information, and opinions among group members the accomplishments of different departments
is referred to as group communication. This could within an organization.
be a formal group like a company or an informal
group like a group of friends. Meetings are a crucial Types of Reports
component of group communication in a company.
They have several beneficial functions in a firm. Reports can be categorized in a variety of ways.
Reports might be long or short, professional
“Meetings” refer to a group of people getting or informal, business- or technical-related, or
together to discuss things that are of mutual academic- or research-related.
interest.
Short and Long Reports
Conferences and meetings are now an essential
component of working life. Long reports provide an in-depth study of a project
or current issue. Long reports, as their name
We see a group conversation whenever a group’s suggests, are lengthy and take a lot of effort to
members join to talk about a subject or issue for create and present. Short Reports, on the other
innate or artificial reasons. Group discussions are hand, is one to three-page presentations of a
crucial for problem-solving, reaching consensus, subject or an occasion. These are fact-only and
carrying out tasks, and achieving specific goals succinct, and they only cover pertinent information.
like choosing a candidate or enrolling in MBA-level
coursework. Examples: An item’s feasibility report: lengthy report

Reports: Meaning and Types Report on the school’s annual exhibition: a short
report
A testimony or account of an event can be considered

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Types of Communication in an Organization
Formal and Informal Reports during the course of study are known as research
reports or academic reports. They could be
Reports that must be submitted to a higher authority summaries of reports created following summer
for review or approval are considered formal training or following the conclusion of a study or
reports. These are created while considering all research effort. These have as their foundation
the specifics of report writing. Informal reports, on a research topic, which may be expressed as a
the other hand, are those that a person creates for research challenge.
his or her own use or to maintain as a record rather
than for an organization to use for any official Business reports can be divided into the following
objectives. The majority of reports that are created categories based on their intended use:
in organizations are official reports. Formal reports
must contain accurate, verifiable facts and data. Regular Reports
Informal reporting could be based on educated
● The term “routine reports” refers to the reports
guesses or rough estimates of the truth.
that are created regularly in an organization.
Whether or not something spectacular happens,
Examples:
these are made in the course of business. The
various routine reports include the following:
Formal Report: The general manager received a
report from the sales manager detailing the annual ● Progress Report: This is a report on how well
sale. an organization or one of its departments is
doing. It might even be connected to a person’s
Informal Report: Sales assistant provided the sales advancement inside a company.
manager with a report about the approximate
● Inspection Findings: Regular inspections are
number of customers visiting the showroom.
conducted in the case of a manufacturing
company or even in the case of other
organizations to verify that the goods and
services meet the required standards. The
superiors in the company may carry out these
inspections. These inspection teams’ prepared
report is known as the inspection report.

● Performance Evaluation: The Personnel

Department conducts monthly Performance
Appraisals of the staff. This is done in order
to examine and appraise the performance of
the personnel. Each employee’s performance
Reports on business and research appraisal report is created with this goal in mind
and forwarded to management for review.
Business reports are those written for formal
● Periodical Report: A periodic report is one that
purposes by organizations. The reports created
is produced on a regular basis. This includes a

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Types of Communication in an Organization
 monthly report, an annual report, a bi-annual can be a study that aims to chart Company X’s
report, etc. development in the automobile sector. In a report
of this nature, every piece of information that
Particular Reports contributed to Company X’s expansion should be
presented in chronological sequence.
Special Reports are ones that are written exclusively
● Analytical Report: Analysis is the examination of
in response to unusual events or special situations
a problem or event, starting with its identification
rather than on a regular basis. These might need
and ending with the identification of its causes.
to be made occasionally. There could be several
It employs numbers and facts. The steps of the
special reports, including:
analytical report include proper identification of
the issue, analysis, and subsequent interpretation.
● Report of Investigation: An investigation may
Depending on the needs of the report writer,
be necessary to determine the causes of an
recommendations or ideas are then included in
unexpected occurrence, such as a rapid decline
the report.
in sales or production or another incident.
Investigation reports are documents created
following such an investigation.

● Survey/Feasibility Report: An organization’s

current operations, sales, etc. may be surveyed,
as well as the viability of any upcoming projects
the organization plans to launch. To document
the results, survey/feasibility reports are made.

● Reporting Initial Information: Commonly referred

to as FIR. Most of the time, we know that FIRs
are filed at the police station in the event of any
mishap, theft, or loss. An FIR could likewise be Guidelines for Report Writing
created for an organization’s records. The first
witness to the incident has prepared this as a Writing reports is a skill. It cannot progress at a
report to his superiors. quicker rate. The rules for writing a report are as
follows:
On the basis of the report’s substance, reports may
also be categorized as follows: ● Improve your thinking: Effective writing and
sound thinking are highly correlated. Poor
● Informational Report: As its name implies, thinking will make the written draft ineffective.
an informational report presents all pertinent Rebuilding facts into a meaningful whole is what
information and data about the topic chosen it entails. This necessitates careful, attentive,
for study. It could be a problem that develops and patient thought, which by itself produces
in a company or any other area of research clear report writing.
that the management chooses. For instance, it
● Create paragraphs out of narrations: The

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Types of Communication in an Organization
 narration should be broken up into paragraphs the questionnaire itself by the researcher.
in order to make a stronger effect and grab the
● Original drafts: It is frequently observed that the
reader’s attention. Wherever necessary, there
person writing the report makes naive errors in
should be useful headlines. A report’s paragraph
the initial draft. A report’s author as well as the
structure is an essential component. It helps
entire organization could suffer from even a little
to divide the text into manageable chunks. It
inaccuracy. As a result, a good report should
organizes sentences around a single topic or
go through at least three revisions to ensure
thought. This is challenging. It’s an art form. An
accuracy:
important strategy for maintaining continuity is
linking sentences from one paragraph to the next. ● Full-fledged draft
Better paragraph structures can be achieved with
● Enhancement of the draft’s language, structure,
effort.
and style.
● Make use of the present tense and active voice:
● A true and accurate draft.
The outcome should be relevant to the present.
If not, there would be no use in providing them.
The first draft should actually be reviewed after
When feasible, you should speak in an active
some time.
voice. The passive voice lacks force.

● Reduce the use of technical terms or jargon: ● Steer clear of ambiguous language: When writing
Important writing characteristics include the final manuscript, all ambiguous language
accuracy, compactness, simplicity, and clarity. should be avoided. Ambiguity results from vague
However, they play a far bigger role in technical language
writing. A shared technical vocabulary may play
a significant role in facilitating communication. Meetings: Meaning and Importance
It could make it difficult to communicate with
others. If there is a common word that may be The most common form of interactive
used in place of a technical term, do so. communication is meetings. They are crucial at

● Use visual aids: More and more tables and different levels in all businesses and enable direct

graphs should be used as visual aids. When face-to-face communication. A meeting, formal

presenting the study’s main conclusions, visual or not, occurs when there are two or more people.

aids improve comprehension. The reading will They accomplish the important task of promoting

move along more quickly. communication, teamwork, and dedication to

shared goals and objectives. More importantly, they
● Objectivity: The report should be fact-based,
aid in clarifying notions, elaborating on ideas, and
unbiased, and objective. All citations are given
removing any uncertainty that may have resulted
due credit. Reports that are subjective are not
from an unclear or insufficient spoken or written
taken seriously.
message. Meetings with the relevant parties can
● Hiding the respondent’s identity: The report help to clarify any misunderstandings brought on
should be written so that it does not reveal the by murky memoranda, circulars, directions, targets,
respondents’ identities. This is typically stated in etc.

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Types of Communication in an Organization
The most common form of interactive elements when calling meetings. An effective
communication is meetings. meeting requires extensive planning in advance,
as well as attention on the day of the meeting,
When a new product or service is launched, throughout the meeting, and after the meeting until
marketing professionals meet with potential the minutes are written and distributed.
customers to discuss the finer nuances, which
helps to clearly highlight the product’s key features. The following are significant reasons that corporate
Meetings with computer or EDP personnel can help groups hold meetings:
to design connectivity, networking, etc. in-depth
and effectively. These are only two instances of ● To improve communication efficiency.
how meetings can be effective in satisfying an ● To brief, or instruct, a group for a certain objective.
organization’s critical communication needs. In
● To discuss and find solutions to business-related
fact, there may be meetings for customers, dealers,
issues.
managers, staff, associations, companies, reviews,
and so on a regular basis. ● To settle disputes, misunderstandings, and
conflicts amongst interest groups.
The majority of Indian CEOs’ working days are ● To exchange fresh concepts and quick responses.
spent in meetings, just like their colleagues in
● To inspire zeal and an optimistic outlook.
the west. It is important to highlight that rather
than individual top management functionaries, ● To reach agreements on concerns.
decisions are made by teams of managers or ● To teach others and to learn from others.
executives in the United States. Similar to this,
various committees exist in Indian organizations Conducting Meetings
as well. These committees take decisions and
include the Purchase Committee, Audit Committee, Meetings are an essential component of any
Executive Committee, Management Committee, company, so it takes a lot of work to run them
Promotions Committee, Systems Committee, successfully. It is a crucial ability that every manager
Credit Committee, Recovery Committee, and Legal should learn. Meeting preparations include setting
Committee. the date, time, location, and other meeting-related
details in advance. The processes of the beginning,
High-level executives spend a lot of time leading, conducting, and closing is all completed at
in committees and meetings in corporate the actual meeting. The Chairperson’s position in
organizations. the meeting is also very important. The following
topics need to be covered when running a meeting:
Effective meetings aid in decision-making and
provide beneficial outcomes, while poorly planned Getting Ready for a Meeting
and carelessly run meetings involve significant time,
effort, and resource waste. They might potentially The general areas that call for meeting preparation
cause anarchy and disarray. Therefore, it would activities are as follows:
be essential to pay close attention to particular

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Types of Communication in an Organization
The Domestic Situation matter?

● Is the meeting’s purpose known to the meeting’s

● Where, or the venue, will the meeting take place?
leader?
● When and where will it be held?
● Do you need to talk to anyone in a higher
● What is the expected length of the meeting? management position about any of the meeting’s

● Who will receive an invitation? details?

● Who will preside over the gathering?

Support
● Who will be asked to make a formal statement?
● Do more sophisticated visual aids need to be
● Is a lunch or supper reservation made?
used for presentations?

Paperwork ● Is a report in writing required?

● How much awareness and general knowledge

The following documentation will be finished:
are needed?

● The preceding meeting’s minutes and any ● Use any microphones or other audio devices?
supporting documentation
The Meetings Code
● Reports and office notes should be read in
advance.
Effective meetings follow a set of rules. In this
● The agenda and related documents sense, a few factors include:

● Required written reports or illustrations during

● Start and end on time
the conference
● Arrive promptly and mentally prepared

● Establish objectives and set an agenda

● Be succinct and precis

● Avoid dominating discussions

● Encourage participation in ideas

● Avoid needless interruptions

● Refrain from evaluating presentations

● Pay close attention to discussions

Purpose ● Stay on topic

● Avoid side conversations

● What do you hope to achieve?
● Resolve related conflicts and issues;
● This meeting is what kind?
● Choose a course of action
● Does the leader need to consult experts on any

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Types of Communication in an Organization
● Record ideas. It should be noted that background papers are to
be distributed to all members and invitees well in
The following are crucial meeting preparation advance to enable them to arrive prepared with their
points: views and suggestions. In fact, if the subject matter
is of a serious nature and if adequate time has not
Agenda: The agenda is a list of topics that will been provided for advance consideration, there is a
be discussed at the meeting. It explains why a strong likelihood that the committee will defer the
meeting was called. There should be enough agenda item for consideration in the next meeting.
important topics for discussion during the meeting, At the same time, it is important to keep in mind that
it should be ensured. All themes and issues there is a system for submitting what is known as
that will be discussed at the conference require “table items” whenever there are some significant
preparation. The issue on the agenda should be developments that need to be brought before the
pertinent and appropriate, taking into consideration committee members or when urgent decisions are
the gathering’s objectives and the members’ areas required and it is not desirable to wait until the next
of expertise. It is a waste of time and money to meeting. Such items are not sent in advance but
call a meeting only for the purpose of doing so, are instead brought up during the meeting. Such
without a significant agenda, or to make sure the things may be discussed during the meeting for the
predetermined periodicity is met. day if the chairperson and members concur. Table
elements, however, should generally only be placed
Background papers: Every conference of some up as an exception and then only when necessary.
significance will have a collection of background
materials, which are distributed beforehand to
the participants. These background papers offer
a general overview of the topics covered and
relate to the agenda items. Background papers
are typically created by the relevant departments
or bureaucrats who are looking for a resolution to
the problem. A background paper should provide
all pertinent information necessary for proper
consideration. Facts, data, various viewpoints,
professional judgment, the most recent position,
and so on would typically be included. Since they Guests to invite: Discussions at the meeting need
are always the first item on the agenda, the minutes to incorporate all the relevant personnel in order to
of the previous meeting are also supplied with the be effective. Wherever the committees are properly
first batch of background materials. Before moving established, regular members must always be
on to the remaining items, they are brought up welcomed. In addition, it would be crucial to identify
for confirmation. Background information makes individuals whose presence would be significant
ensuring that discussions are focused and address when topics are brought up for discussion in the
all pertinent aspects of the topic at hand. absence of a formal list. While certain junior-level
functionaries and subject matter experts would
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Types of Communication in an Organization
need to be present to provide technical details and to show up and participate. While it might not
other pertinent information, in some circumstances always be able to completely avoid overlap, some
senior functionaries will need to be invited in order forethought and research will undoubtedly assist
to lend authority to the decision-making process. increase meeting attendance. An indication of
Where not particularly mentioned, it is best to the meeting’s duration will also be useful so that
decide who should be invited to the meeting after attendees will know how much time to set aside
consulting with the chairperson and other senior for the meeting. Additionally, information such as
functionaries on whose behalf the meeting is called. plans made, if any, for breakfast, lunch, lodging,
transit, etc., must be included.
The invitation for the meeting must be legibly
written and include the date, time, and location of Naturally, the meeting location should be set
the meeting. In order to provide participants who up before the meeting notice is sent. There will
are located outside of the area enough time to make undoubtedly be a high demand for meeting spaces
the necessary travel arrangements, invitations and conference rooms because corporations
must be distributed well in advance. Who should hold so many meetings. All necessary physical
attend meetings will need to be made crystal clear amenities, such as fans, air conditioners,
in meeting notices. Occasionally, notices issued to microphones, projectors, restrooms, etc., should be
members of organizations lack a clear indication of present at the meeting location. The effectiveness
whether they are invitations or merely notifications. of communication is hampered by the lack of these
Where applicable, the meeting notice should also facilities. Organizations frequently experience
indicate whether the addressee may bring one or situations when the venue’s availability is not
two other colleagues who have experience with guaranteed ahead of time, causing either meeting
the issue, or, if a member is unable to attend, to be delayed or forcing participants to switch
whether a substitute may represent the member. locations. By taking a little extra care, you can
Even though the majority of these conditions seem avoid awkward situations and meeting-related
straightforward, they are frequently disregarded. inconveniences.

When and where: Care should be taken to arrange There are times when the Chief Executive or another
the meeting so that the majority of the members senior functionary may decide to call impromptu or
or participants can attend. Participants will emergency meetings with very little notice. In these
have ample time to schedule or reschedule their cases, it will be especially important to prioritize
engagements if they are given adequate notice the availability of the venue, physical facilities, and
far in advance. Holidays, other significant events, other arrangements for refreshments, etc. Any
and other activities that can conflict with the meeting where the discussions have ended but the
meeting dates and times and make it difficult for refreshments or lunch are still not ready reflects
the members to select one over the other should poorly on planning and must be zealously avoided.
be taken into consideration when setting the date It should be reminded that the participants’ time is
and time. It is typically assumed that the person valuable and shouldn’t be taken for granted.
calling the meeting will go to some trouble to make
sure that most, if not all, of the members are able Punctuality: Starting the meeting on time requires

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Types of Communication in an Organization
deliberate effort. Making meetings time-bound and ● Verifying that all members and invitees have
purposeful requires keeping the venue open and received the meeting announcement and all sets
prepared well in advance, reminding the chairperson of background materials.
and other members, ensuring that all papers have
● Confirming the presence of the quorum, and
reached the participants, placing table items, and
the participation of the chairperson and the
ensuring that the conveners and organizers are
members.
at the venue well before the scheduled time. The
● Setting up the venue, including making sure
convener should never talk with the meeting’s
the conference room is prepared and ready
chairman well into the specified start time while
to use when needed and verifying that all
the attendees wait in the venue alone, uncertain of
necessary equipment, including microphones, air
when or even if the meeting will begin. This type of
conditioners, fans, projectors, etc., is in working
situation betrays a lack of interest in the gathering
order and that pens and paper are available.
and must be avoided.
● Arrangements have been made for refreshments
Management of time: The efficiency of meetings and catering that are appropriate for the
at all levels depends heavily on excellent time gathering.
management. Cost-effectiveness is ensured by
● Verifying travel arrangements for the chairman
meetings that begin on time, terminate on time, and
and others, such as flight arrivals, hotel
allow enough time for thoughtful discussion of all
reservations, and transportation, if needed.
the issues on the agenda. In fact, the effectiveness
● Reminding the local and other participants of the
of meetings held at various levels can be used to
meeting’s time and location.
gauge the organization’s level of efficiency. We
have found that executives frequently spend a ● Making sure that any table items for the meeting
large portion of their time attending meetings in that day are hung up.
the display included with this item. Organizational ● Informing the meeting’s chairperson and other
performance is hampered if little effort is made to important participants of the topics that will be
make meetings businesslike and focused. discussed.

● Assigning accountability for the documentation

Meeting Checklist: The meeting organizer or
of minutes or proceedings.
secretariat will be held accountable for the
meeting’s accomplishments or effectiveness. ● Prompt notification of postponements,
They must constantly pay close attention to even cancellations, venue changes, etc.
the smallest details and make sure everything is in ● The composition of the members, participants
working order. It would be ideal to keep a running and special invitees will change.
list of things to do before, during, and after the
● If necessary, remind the chairperson of the
meeting that are pertinent to each stage.
importance and urgency of certain matters that
must be addressed.
The following items should be included on the list,
among others: ● The likely dates of the subsequent meeting.

● Timely drafting of minutes or reports of sessions,

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Types of Communication in an Organization
 receipt of approval, and distribution. ● Making the plan, which includes the agenda,
seating arrangements, infrastructure, etc.
A professional approach to organizing meetings is
● Putting the plan into action by ensuring that
introduced by the convener or secretariat’s careful
the conversations stay on topic and are closely
attention to all pertinent aspects.
supervised.

Leading ● Keeping an eye on the meeting’s schedule in

case there is a time crunch.
The following is a list of the essential duties for ● Allowing everyone to voice their opinion while
meeting facilitators to complete: reining in those who talk too much or block the
flow of the conversation.
● Be on time and arrive early.
● Encouraging less assertive attendees to speak
● Retain objectivity and impartiality. up, express their opinions, and take part in the
● Periodically restate the purpose and goals. discussion.

● Attend to what the other group members are ● Regularly summarizing the main points of the
saying. conference.

● At various points during the meeting, provide

Closing
a summary of the group’s decisions or
advancement.
● Meetings ought to terminate promptly.
● Resolve tense debates with composure and
● All choices made are enumerated.
tolerance.
● The members should be thanked as a sign of
● Finish by summarizing the choices made.
good manners.
● Decide who is accountable for the activity and
● For individuals who came from outside and do
highlight it.
not have a means of transportation, vehicles
should be set up.
Conducting
● Minutes need to be written up after wrapping up.
The meeting must be conducted in accordance ● The decisions made during the meeting should
with the stages listed below: be followed up on.

Summary

● Reports provide information that the management team in an organization may use to make plans and
solve challenging problems in the business, making them a solid foundation for planning and control in an
organization.

● Reports can be categorized in a variety of ways. Reports might be long or short, professional or informal,
business- or technical-related, or academic- or research-related.
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Types of Communication in an Organization
● Long reports provide an in-depth study of a project or current issue.

● Reports that must be submitted to a higher authority for review or approval are considered formal reports.
These are created while taking into account all the specifics of report writing. Informal reports, on the other
hand, are those that a person creates for his or her own use or to maintain as a record rather than for an
organization to use for any official objectives.

● Business reports are those written for formal purposes by organizations. The reports created during the
course of study are known as research reports or academic reports.

● The term “routine reports” refers to the reports that are created regularly in an organization.

● Informational report presents all pertinent information and data about the topic chosen for study.

● The most common form of interactive communication is meetings. They are crucial at different levels in all
businesses and enable direct face-to-face communication.

● Meetings aid in clarifying notions, elaborating on ideas, and removing any uncertainty that may have
resulted from an unclear or insufficient spoken or written message.

● Meetings are an essential component of any company, so it takes a lot of work to run them successfully.
It is a crucial ability that every manager should learn. Meeting preparations include setting the date, time,
location, and other meeting-related details in advance. The processes of the beginning, leading, conducting,
and closing is all completed at the actual meeting. The Chairperson’s position in the meeting is also very
important.

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Types of Communication in an Organization
 Unit 10

Communication Skills and

Group Discussions
Learning Objectives Introduction

By the end of this unit, you will be

A good group discussion depends heavily on excellent
able to understand:
communication. In the group conversation, keep in mind
● Meaning of group discussions
that other participants are competing for attention just
● Types of group discussions as much as you are. Since first impressions are often

● Qualities needed for group irreversible, you may only have one chance to make a good

discussion one. As the saying goes, you simply cannot afford to miss
it. Even if a person is completely knowledgeable on the
● Group discussion: Strategies
subject assigned to his group and is aware of everything
● Meaning and guidelines of going on around him, he will not make an impact if he
effective presentation cannot successfully express his views to others. To meet
● Purpose and features of an the demands of the making authority, a person’s ability
interview to articulate his thoughts must be extremely impressive.

● How to conduct an interview

Making compelling presentations in meetings is a
● Public speaking crucial aspect of working in a business environment.
● Meaning and guidelines of Since interviews are a necessary component of the
making impromptu speeches professional world, using the right approaches is crucial.
As managers advance to positions of leadership, they
must give speeches, therefore public speaking techniques
and content become crucial components of business
communications.

The word “interview” comes from the French verb “entre

void,” which translates as “to glimpse” or “to see each

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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
other.” By definition, it refers to a gathering when a It is crucial to distinguish between a meeting and
person or people are questioned in order to gather a group discussion. Meetings typically involve
information. In this way, a conversation during an people who are in positions of authority within
interview is a prime illustration of the way in which an organization, and their contributions are seen
meanings are transferred between parties using a as official and significant. The members of a
shared set of symbols. group discussion, on the other hand, are present
because they have consented to participate in the
There are several times when giving a speech is debate rather than because they hold a particular
necessary. These events could be professional or perspective, making it a much more informal event.
casual, and the speaker might have enough lead A group discussion does not have a clear hierarchy
time to be ready or be present as needed. On the established from the start, in contrast to a meeting
other hand, it’s also possible that the speaker has where the Chairman and the participants are
little opportunity to practice. In that situation, he distinguished from one another.
will need to improvise and say something poignant,
alluring, and appropriate for the situation. Any kind of discussion should assist us to gain a
more comprehensive understanding of a subject by
It is more vital to speak spontaneously, or on the highlighting other points of view. We have a better
spur of the moment than to make a statement on understanding of a subject and a clearer picture of
a subject or topic that has been made public in it whenever we discuss opposing points of view.
advance for a certain occasion. This is especially The knowledge improves our ability to address
true in the context of an organization. the issue. A discussion’s fundamental goal is just
this. To discuss a topic in depth is the definition
Group Discussion: Meaning of the word “group discussion” in the dictionary.
Therefore, the term “group discussion” may refer
We see a group conversation whenever a group’s to a conversational setting where individuals are
members join together to talk about a subject free to exchange their thoughts and opinions with
or issue for innate or artificial reasons. Group one another. It is the systematic oral exchange of
discussions are crucial for problem-solving, knowledge, ideas, and opinions about a subject,
reaching consensus, carrying out tasks, and problem, issue, or circumstance among group
achieving specific goals like choosing a candidate members who have specific shared goals.
or enrolling in MBA-level coursework.
Types of Group Discussions

Group Discussion Types

Although the subjects for group discussions might

vary greatly, they can be broadly categorized into
two types based on how they are structured. These
groups include:

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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
● Topic-based Group Discussions prevalent in our area.

● Cases or Articles based Group discussions

The most crucial qualities that might aid a candidate
in attaining a higher score on a topic are knowledge,
Topic-based Group Discussions
analytical abilities, and critical thinking.

The group member discusses a topic in the topic-

Examples
based Group Discussions, which often take the
form of a statement or an idea. By the end of the
● Shifting paradigms in Indo-US relations.
discussion, the group should try to agree on the
problem or the answers that the moderators are ● Justice must reach the underprivileged.
looking for. The category’s themes can be further ● Corruption’s effects on Indian society
divided into the following three subcategories:
Argumentative Topics
● Current Topics

● Argumentative Topics These are contentious subjects, to put it mildly.

These are the subjects on which different people
● Abstract Topics
would have various viewpoints and impressions.
These subjects are typically chosen to foster
The specifics of these subcategories are as follows:
disagreement among the candidates. Thus, in
subjects of this nature, in addition to aptitude,
Current Topics
candidates’ emotional intelligence and capacity for

These are the subjects that are based on current conflict resolution are also assessed. In these kinds

global events. These are the kinds of subjects where of subjects, the degree of openness to dissimilar

information would be crucial to the applicants’ views is also assessed.

inventiveness. In order to speak on such matters,

The ability to influence group behavior and the
one needs some background information on the
logical flow of one’s thoughts, in addition to
subject.
knowledge and analytical skills, are essential

The current topics may come from any of the qualities to demonstrate when answering questions

following categories: social, political, economic, of this nature.

environmental, legal, and technical.

Example

The subjects from the aforementioned categories

● Should reservations be made for the private
are often those that have recently been in the
sector?
news. A candidate with average intelligence would
therefore be familiar with these subjects and have ● Is there a difference between male and female
normal awareness of and sensitivity to current managers?
events. These are typically connected to the
● FDI in retail will kill the Indian economy.
socio-economic and political environment that is

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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
Abstract Topics last detail because even the smallest one might be
crucial. All of the case’s stakeholders’ requirements
Abstract topics are those that have nothing to do and interests must be taken into account when
with a certain subject. In contrast to the first two developing solutions.
subcategories, knowledge is just a very little factor
in such discussions. These subjects are typically Qualities needed for Group Discussion
open-ended and provide ample opportunity for
applicants to use their common sense, creativity, and Group discussions are conducted with a specific
lateral thinking. These subjects are often discussed goal in mind. To choose a qualified applicant for a
in extremely hazy terms. Candidates may believe position or a qualified applicant for admission to a
a topic to be relatively straightforward at first, certain course. The goal is to choose a candidate
but as the conversation goes on, the participants who possesses certain traits in any of these
discover it to be challenging. On the other side, scenarios. During a GD, various characteristics are
there are instances when the subject appears to sought after:
be quite challenging but the conversation flows
easily. Abstract subjects naturally lend themselves Leader-like Attributes
to a wide range of conversations. However, those
that establish clear boundaries for what has to be A participant in group discussions needs to have
discussed in such GDs are the ones who succeed. leadership skills. The following traits of a leader are
The greatest way to discuss abstract concepts is required in group discussions:
with the aid of suitable exemplification.
● Taking the Lead: The leadership characteristic
Examples is the most important of the desired traits.
Individuals must be able to take the initiative
● Red, An Elephant during interactions in order to demonstrate
leadership skills in GDs. This might mean
● Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.
employing tactics like starting the conversation,
taking up the threads later, etc.
Case/ Article Based Group Discussions
● Ability to Direct: If one is unfamiliar with the
In the case of studies, each participant is given a subject, it is not essential to take the initiative.
brief description of a circumstance (referred to as Following that characteristic is the ability to guide
a “case”). Usually, the case will have a dilemma that the entire discussion, which is the quality that
calls for an answer. The participants are required comes after it. Naturally, the interactant should
to examine the case, analyze the issue, and then be able to summarize all that is said in a way that
share their perspectives on a potential fix with the promotes the development of the conversation.
group. It frequently occurs that one is misguided by
feelings or by a lack of understanding of the
The applicants’ ideas must seem holistic, credible, subject. This is combined with the idea that in
attainable, and real. It is necessary to study the case order to be taken seriously, one must contribute
extremely attentively and to pay attention to every visibly immediately away throughout the
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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
 discussion. In situations like this, it is simpler to work to attempt to combine the activities of all
follow the course of the conversation if someone the members in a way that would show that
is able to provide some sort of direction. they are all a coherent group. It is undoubtedly
Therefore, to give direction, one must possess a Herculean effort that only a leader could
the key qualities of a leader, including the ability accomplish.
to plan a course of action, filter and assimilate
information, and manage and direct others. Understanding of the Subject

● Bringing the Team Along: One of the most

Along with having leadership skills, the person
important characteristics of the interactant is
should be fairly knowledgeable on the topics being
their capacity to summarize the talk throughout,
discussed. The quantitative and qualitative aspects
not just at the end. This aids in keeping the
of the material must be considered while evaluating
group’s focus on the subject at hand. Being the
his understanding of it. When it comes to the former,
first to talk during a discussion is not crucial, but
facts and figures shouldn’t be cited just to support a
it is crucial to contribute consistently and evenly
claim or demonstrate knowledge of a subject until
over the length of the conversation. This can only
one is certain of it. There is likely to be someone
be done if someone is ready to undertake the
who is knowledgeable about the specifics among
tiresome and boring process of gathering all the
the experts, if not in the group. Being silent due to
ideas and summarizing them for the participants
ignorance or lack of information is actually not as
in routine interviews.
bad as trying to impress the experts by spreading
● Listening: All of this calls for the person to be able false information. An appropriate evaluation of the
to pay attention to what the other participants are subject and the issues raised would be based on
saying. Again, we must underline the distinction the presentation’s quality.
between hearing and listening in this situation.
The listener’s ability to receive, assimilate, and
then deliver the spoken material to the other
participants would be the only indication that they
had been paying attention. On the other hand, the
speaker has not been able to break through the
barrier of indifference if merely hearing has taken
place.

● Goal Attainment: These leadership traits seen

in the group suggest that the objective has
been attained or is on its way to being attained. Analysis Skills
In other words, we can state that the subject
has been thoroughly discussed by all of the The ability to employ one’s analytical skills to their
participants with proper input from the leader fullest potential comes next in the process of
and that everyone has been able to execute the striving to convey an acceptable image of oneself.
crucial task of bringing to the forefront the main/ Even if it is quite easy to display facts on a topic,
ancillary aspects relating to the subject. It takes it appears as though the presentation was well-
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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
considered and examined in the GD. Flexibility

Thinking Clearly Speaking with conviction goes hand in hand with

being adaptable in your thinking and having the
Clarity of mind is crucial, and it may be achieved capacity to understand the perspective of others.
by focusing on the basics and letting go of the Often, a participant misinterprets the issue and
unnecessary details. The discussion may move realizes it only afterward, much to his dismay, when
from the issue’s center to its peripheral or from its the interaction has already begun. The necessity
periphery to its core. The participants shouldn’t to remedy the error and go forward correctly then
become fixated on the side concerns. This could arises. The change that needs to be made must
cause an overemphasis on unimportant problems. be very subtle. The speaker must change sides
In order to show that the participants are aware in order to become one with the other interactant
of the subject matter and the definition of the without actually acknowledging that a mistake has
topic, there must be a focus on their movements. been committed.
Awareness along all lines and regions relevant to
the issue is sure to seep in as we move from the Group Discussion: Strategies
general to the specialized.
The first thing to keep in mind before a group
Conviction discussion and interview is that one should be
perfectly attired. The interviewers’ first impression
Everything that is said should be spoken firmly. It of the interviewee greatly affects their decision.
frequently occurs that group members transmit Additionally, the accessories that a person carries
ideas without genuinely believing them. This is more or owns are significant. They speak a language
than obvious on the surface, and professionals can all their own, which may be extremely important
recognize it with ease. It typically occurs when in leaving a good impression on those watching
the participants harbor the belief that expressing the show. There are a few dos and don’ts that
specific thoughts is less important than being heard should be kept in mind when engaging in the group
in the group. They are exposed in this instance discussion, in addition to the way you dress.
because their statements show a lack of conviction
at the time they were made. Do’s

1. Keep It Short and Simple (KISS): The most

crucial of all the tactics to be used in a GD is the
KISS principle, which states to “Keep it (interaction)
Short and Simple.” Avoid at all costs using the
descriptive mode, which could be utilized in place
of succinct remarks. This could cause the players
to launch into protracted monologues only to make
a point.

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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
For instance, it cannot be overstated how much the importance before taking part in a GD. However,
Mathura Refinery would affect the Taj Mahal. Even God forbid, if a scenario like this occurs and you
the Taj’s interior has begun to appear drab. While believe that your side’s valuable contributions are
practically the entire thing has been impacted from not forthcoming right away during the conversation,
both the inside and the outside, and so on until all you can employ a method like this. This aids in
the participants are misled. maintaining the group’s attention and stops it from
straying from the subject at hand. On the one hand,
Ideally, only one or two points should be made at a you demonstrate your leadership skills here and
time during the delivery. This tactic is crucial since convey the idea that you are a powerful person
it aids the other participants in maintaining their capable of managing the GD.
attention. The participants may become confused
if more than two concepts are being discussed at 5. Be Careful and Slow When Making Your Points:
once. There is even a potential that a person trying Try to always speak slowly and deliberately
to stand out in the GD would get lost in the maze of when making your remarks. If you speak too
conflicting thoughts and problems. quickly, the other participants will continue to ask
questions and probe your thoughts to determine
2. Adhere to the guidelines for oral communication: their underlying significance. In a case like this,
All aspects of oral communication must be followed a variety of variables are at play. Does the rate at
when expressing ideas. Like being courteous, which you speak correspond to the rate at which
audible, pleasant, and effective, in addition to being the other person listens and absorbs information?
short, clear, and accurate. Speaking and comprehension speeds differ, as was
mentioned in the preceding listening unit. It is quite
3. Make Even Contributions: It’s crucial that rare for the two to be the ideal match. If you insist on
participants in a GD space their contributions out speaking too quickly, it will be difficult for you to be
evenly. It is frequently seen that the participants are accepted with your thoughts because you are a new
eager to get started. Trying to be the first speaker participant in the group discussion. Additionally, it
can be easily abandoned if you are unfamiliar with depends on your diction. Again, the same issues
the subject. If you want to leave a lasting effect on will develop if your diction is not particularly clear.
the individuals listening to the debate, it’s crucial in a The other participants have already missed out
GD that you contribute equally to the conversation. on an important aspect of the discussion by the
time they get familiar with the talking tactics and
4. Draw Periodic Conclusions: Periodic conclusions attempt to answer in accordance with them.
are also significant, they should be emphasized.
They aid in keeping the group’s attention. This 6. Support Your Point with Examples: Supporting
approach could also be used if the interactant your points with examples is another excellent
is unfamiliar with the subject but still has to be method to use throughout the GD and should be
heard and make an impression during the group followed in a systematic way. The speaker should,
discussion. But this ought to be the top resort. You without charge, begin by recounting a story or giving
should be fairly knowledgeable and up to date on all an example, and then conclude with a point. While
the current issues of both national and international this may be a useful tactic in casual conversation
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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
or discourse of any type in GDs, one must follow the sender of the question that forces you to switch
a separate set of communication rules. If you take roles.
the floor and start out with an example, the people
watching the GD will likely assume that you are just To use an illustration, Pollution can be reduced in a
using the example to support another participant’s number of ways. What do you think about it?
perspective.
(As I look at B).
Don’ts
B: I’m positive about it. One method might be...
1. Don’t speak too loudly: Interactants may pretend
to scream if they are unable to be heard over the Once one has made this error, it is likely that one
din of the group discussion. The presentation style will not be given the floor. The greatest tactic
also grows more obnoxious and forceful, in addition would be to use a rhetorical question that would,
to the tone becoming louder. Both the personnel at its best, require a “yes” or a “no” in answer, such
overseeing the GD and the remaining participants as, “Won’t pollution cause illness of the mind and
are negatively impacted by this action. Avoiding body, erosion of natural resources, and depletion of
this kind of tactic is crucial because it may have resources?” This would create the impression that
unfavorable effects. you are involving everyone in the conversation and
are willing to consider opposing viewpoints.
2. Don’t take a negative posture toward any
participant, regardless of how incompetent or 4. Don’t appear careless in your approach: There
uninformed he may seem to be. This goes hand in is a propensity for certain individuals to appear
hand with the previous “don’t” that usually comes carefree while taking part in a GD. The way one’s
into play. He might make an effort to speak louder hands and legs are positioned while arguing is one
than the other participants. During the encounter, it of the more noticeable expressions.
is common for your emotions—whether favorable Effective Presentation: Meaning and
or negative—towards individual people to come to Guidelines
the surface. As they would be in conflict with the
leadership traits you are expected to possess, they The term “presentation” has grown to be preferred
should be kept in check. over “public speaking” in industry and commerce.
Perhaps because a presentation’s aim is more
3. Avoid creating platforms for others to speak at clearly and specifically stated, this is the cause.
your own expense. The urgent necessity of the hour
is to refrain from being generous when providing There may be a variety of occasions for a
opportunities to other interactants during the GD. presentation, including the introduction of a new
If you choose to give the floor to someone else, good or service.
you might not be able to get it back. This typically
● Beginning a training session or course
takes place as you wait for a response after asking
a question. The other participant in the interaction ● Introducing a fresh business plan
answers the question first, after which they discuss ● Submitting a sales/marketing proposal
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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
● Contributing to a seminar or conference and constructive solutions if the organization has
been experiencing financial difficulties and the
● Expansion of a firm.
audience needs to be aware of the issue.

Speaking in front of an audience in any of the

Conduct audience analysis: It is crucial to know
aforementioned circumstances, or on an occasion
who your presentation is intended for before you
comparable to them, is a serious concern. It
start. An audience is more than just a collection
involves meticulous planning, which cannot be
of people gathered in one location; it has its own
successfully completed by one person. It is for this
unique personality. Additionally, the size of the
reason that a presentation is described as “a formal
audience must be considered because it will
or set-piece occasion with two usual hallmarks: the
probably have an impact on how professional or
use of audiovisual tools, (and) teamwork”.
informal the presentation will be. The audience’s

When viewed in this light, a presentation is age, sex, nationality, experience, and educational

distinguished as a speech given with at least background all have a significant bearing on the

one team member’s assistance, using sufficient presentation. Anyone can understand how crucial it

material data that has been gathered and processed is to be aware of whether they will be presenting to

for a significant business occasion, and delivered a male-only, female-only, or mixed audience. It will

with the aid of audio-visual aids in order to have an affect our word choice, tone, demand for specifics

impact on the audience. and illustrations, and other factors. Additionally,

it will help us anticipate their needs and potential
Guidelines for a Successful Presentation responses to what we will say. The presentation
will be stronger if we personally know any of them.
One needs to follow these procedures in order to For this reason, it is very recommended to try to get
make an effective presentation. to know the audience before the presentation.

Be specific about the situation: This means that Visit the area or have some knowledge about it:
the individual who is presenting must be aware of Before the event, if at all possible, the presentation
his or her area of expertise and the goal that he or site should be viewed. Taking the place for granted
she hopes to achieve with the presentation. Will is not wise. A lot relies on the room’s dimensions,
there be a presentation at a seminar or conference, furniture placement, temperature, lighting settings,
the introduction of a novel product, or both? Is there public address system, audio-visual setup,
enough time for the presentation and the following acoustics, etc. Much of the presentation will be
discussion? Knowing what has occurred prior to ruined, for instance, if the words we utter cause the
the presentation is also crucial. The speaker won’t room to echo or resound. The entire event will be
be able to understand the context without this a waste of time if the audience is crammed into a
information. For instance, if the presentation will be small area and feels uncomfortable on a hot Indian
made at an inaugural event, now is unquestionably summer afternoon. Both the audience and the
the time to show yourself in the best possible light. presenter may grow angry or bored if there is a large
The presentation should instead concentrate on crowd and the public address setup is inadequate,
“important facts,” conclusions made from them, which is frequently the case.
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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
Create a presentation plan: The second, and Select the presenting strategy: After organizing
possibly most crucial, step in creating a presentation the presentation, you must choose the delivery
is to thoroughly plan it out in writing, or at the very strategy. Three presentation techniques have been
least, create an outline that outlines your proposed seen in use.
presentation’s beginning, middle, and finish points.
Reading: A lot of public speakers read their whole
Any presentation could be organized roughly as speeches aloud to the audience after writing them
follows: out. This method’s key benefit is that precision is
best maintained with it. It is rumored that Winston
Beginning: Churchill read from a script. He was a superb
orator, though, and would regularly look up from the
● Statements of introduction text and make eye contact with the crowd. But few
● Describe the goal and provide justifications for speakers possess such ability. In actuality, most
why you are delivering this presentation. people struggle to read aloud well. Most readers
ramble on in a monotone, forget punctuation, and
● Create the presentation’s outlines.
struggle to find the right words. Therefore, this
approach has more drawbacks than benefits.
Middle:

The presentation that was written and memorized:

● Divide the presentation’s primary substance into
Many speakers are renowned for writing and doing
manageable pieces and sections. Only five or six
this. Even the pauses are remembered thanks to
portions at most can be controlled.
their excellent memory. However, only a few have
● Explain the concepts using examples been successful in doing so. The biggest drawback
● Each of the points should have a time limit. of this approach is the possibility that the speaker
will overlook a crucial passage or component of the
● Put the deadline first. Some topics could require
script. If it is with the speaker at the time, trying to
more time than others.
find it in the script ruins the presentation’s overall
impact. Because of this, the majority of such
End:
speakers memorize crucial passages and refer to

● Give a summary of the whole notes as needed.

● To emphasize a point, if necessary, refer back to

Extemporaneous presentations: Extemporaneous
what was said at the beginning or in the middle.
presentations are the preferred style of truly skilled
● Make your final comments and finish strong. speakers. Although they have meticulously prepared
their talks, they sound as though they came up with
At this point, it is advised to speak with the the ideas and organized them coherently on the
event’s sponsors and maintain contact with the spot. They consult their handy notes whenever they
co-presenter. In the end, it will be a team effort, need assistance. Since remembering the speech is
because many thoughts are better than one. a demanding workout, they don’t waste time doing
it. On the other hand, reading the notes in order

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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
makes sense and the speech that is given in this prepare. However, two or three practice sessions are
manner also sounds impromptu. typically sufficient to build teamwork confidence.
The greatest approach to practice alone is to
Practice your presentation: This is a critical step observe oneself in a mirror.
in the preparation process. It is a private practice
session to boost self-esteem and concentrate It is extremely beneficial to practice in front of a
on personal development. However, it is ideal to full-length mirror in order to improve one’s body
practice as a group and welcome recommendations language. One can always practice making eye
for development. Mutual constructive criticism contact that is pleasing and effective, sitting up
that provides the speaker with feedback is the straight and with confidence, and making gestures
best aspect of team rehearsals. In this way, it that are significant. Additionally, there is a ton of
significantly contributes to the speaker’s training room for growth in terms of walking style and
as a communicator. facial expressions. One makes an impact when one
walks in front of an audience, whether it be one of
The speaker gains a clear understanding of when, confidence or not.
when, and how to add or incorporate visual aids
to complement the message by practicing the It is essential to be knowledgeable about the
speaking portion of the presentation. Coordination presentation’s subject and to be sincere and
of effort can only be ensured by a rehearsal. approachable with the audience. It is not just a
The crew can also inspect the venue, seating matter of whether the speaker is confident; it is
configurations, lighting and acoustics, operation of also a matter of whether the listener is confident in
the electronic equipment, and other factors. the speaker. As a result, these qualities need to be
actively fostered every day in every way, in addition
Think about your own experiences: Before making to being thoroughly examined. It’s important to
a presentation, self-analysis is an imperative “win” the audience during a presentation. Every
must. The speaker is ultimately a component of successful presentation is an achievement.
the message, as was so eloquently stated. The
audience looks at the speaker before listening Overcoming apprehension: Nobody naturally
to what is spoken. Therefore, the significance speaks with confidence. But when called to speak
of maintaining a good appearance cannot be in front of an audience, everyone runs the danger
overstated. The speaker should be appropriately of feeling uneasy. Many speakers are anxious just
dressed for a presentation because it is a formal thinking about speaking in front of an audience,
event, but they shouldn’t go overboard. The speaker especially one that is selective and well-informed.
will look and feel more confident if he or she is well- Numerous excellent speakers throughout history
prepared and well-attired for the situation. And the have schooled themselves to overcome their
key element of a great oral report or presentation is initial fear after one or two stages. The symptoms
confidence. of nervousness include feeling self-conscious
even in front of familiar faces, having a dry
A powerful, clear voice that is modulated correctly mouth and sweaty palms, feeling breathless and
shows confidence. It can take many hours to palpitating, having trouble finding the right words,

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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
forgetting what we really want to say, or having qualified candidates based on their training and
the impression that our minds are blank, fumbling experience.
for words, or fiddling with a button. They can be
● Interviews conducted by certain businesses as
easily overcome by (a) practicing a speech several
part of ongoing employee evaluations.
times, (b) breathing deeply, (c) looking directly at
● An exit interview is conducted to find out why a
the audience, (d) breathing deeply again, (e) talking
person left the company.
slowly to give yourself and the audience time to
relax, (f) moving around slowly and gracefully in ● Interviews are done by staff members of the
front of the audience, and (g) pointing at the visual organization to learn more about issues such
aids when necessary to make a point. as employee attitudes, working environment,
managerial effectiveness, etc.
Using illustrations: The primary goal of
● A discussion or encounter between a journalist,
communication is to deliver information, which
radio host, or television presenter and a person
is what presentations are designed to do. The
whose opinions are being sought out for
communicators/speakers giving presentations
broadcast.
must rely on visual aids such as charts,
● Candidate admission interview for a course in
chalkboards, film slides, transparencies, diagrams,
higher education or professional training.
maps, photos, etc. in order to make communication
effective. There are a lot of different visual aids in ● Police questioning someone regarding an
use. They can also be designed to fit the message’s incident.
requirements or objectives. Therefore, it must ● A celebrity interview with a chosen audience that
be evident that there isn’t a single visual aid includes a question and answer period.
appropriate for all scenarios. Because of this, we
should approach visual assistance with flexibility. The Crucial Components of an Interview

As we have seen above, there are various reasons

why we do interviews. But they all share the
following characteristics:

● There is a certain goal that both the interviewer

and the interviewee are aware of;

● The communication event must be prepared for

by both sides;
Interviewing: Purpose and Features of
● Every interview is scheduled in advance. The
an Interview
dismissal interview is the sole scenario where
this rule might not apply; in this scenario,
Interviews are conducted for a variety of purposes,
including the ones listed below. ● There are always two participants—the
interviewee and the interviewer. However, it
● Job or employment interviews are used to identify is customary for one candidate to speak with
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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
 multiple interviewers; determine how to use them most effectively.

● The information is clearly being exchanged.

Allow the interviewee/candidate to speak most of
The shared information may or may not be kept
the time. Some interviewers enjoy talking during
private.
the interview. But they must understand that this
behavior undermines the interview’s core objective,
How to Conduct an Interview?
which is to gather information rather than impart

The interviewer must adhere to some established it. The interviewer can only, at best, ask certain

traditions because he is in command of the event. questions to continue the conversation and lead
the interview.
The interviewer must first organize the meeting. He
needs to determine exactly what he wants to know The interviewer should stick to the strategy

because his goal is to seek information. Therefore, that was established before the interview. The

it is a good idea to put out his requirements as a interviewer will handle any silent periods in addition

series of precise, pointed queries. The interview’s to asking and answering questions to exchange

structure can be based on these questions. information in this process. Very frequently, brief
silences result in new knowledge.
The interviewer should do all possible to make
the interviewee feel comfortable. It’s probable It is crucial to underline the value of listening

that the interviewee will grow tense or unsteady as a corollary to the previous argument. Many

when responding to inquiries. Additionally, nervous interviews are ruined because the interviewer

interview candidates are not good candidates. doesn’t pay attention during the conversation or

Making the person in front of us feel at ease with our interrupts too frequently. In actuality, the interviewer

social skills is so vital. For instance, the interviewer must not only listen intently but also convey this

could begin by making a small conversation and intent. This encourages interviewee relaxation and

expressing interest in the interviewee’s family conversation.

history, interests, and pastimes. It will significantly

The interviewer must offer the interviewee his
boost the interviewee’s confidence. In this way, he
undivided attention. The greatest ways to achieve
will be able to respond to inquiries in a thoughtful
this are via making eye contact, nodding, smiling,
manner.
and other actions.

Make the proper inquiry. This is crucial since asking

Even if the interviewee seems to be in the wrong,
the proper questions during an interview depends
the interviewer must respect their feelings.
largely on the situation and the goals that are being
served. Several commonly used categories of
The information acquired prior to the interview
inquiries are listed below, along with the expected
must also be recorded by the interviewer. He can
outcomes and use for each.
either continue taking notes while the interview is
In this approach, we can observe that the interviewer
going on or he can remember the details right away
is equipped with a library of possible inquiries. The
and summarize what happened.
interviewer’s capacity for situational awareness will
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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
Additionally, the interviewer needs to respect mentioned above outlines the six essential
the time limit. The maxim “be concise” must be questions that anyone considering giving a speech
followed for this goal. We shouldn’t allow things to must ask themselves. He will be able to produce the
spiral out of control. Because of this, the interviewer desired impact after he is certain of the answers to
and interviewees shouldn’t dispute. these questions.

Public Speaking Be organized and concise: The speech will

naturally become obvious and persuasive once the
Delivering Effective Speeches aforementioned issues and their repercussions
have been addressed. Clarity is the lifeblood of all
There are several times when giving a speech is speech and writing, after all. Additionally, it should
necessary. The audience may be large or small, always be remembered that neither reader nor
invited via open notice or invitation, or chosen in the listener enjoys being immersed in a tangle of
accordance with predetermined standards for disorganized ideas. It essentially comes down to
membership or other well-defined criteria. The mental conditioning and logical reasoning, which
speech itself may be long or brief, sentimental or are traits of all successful schooling. Clarity of
objective, persuasive or merely illustrative. The ideas is the most valuable quality, especially in the
spoken word is the most potent and effective form corporate world. All charismatic speakers adhere
of communication, regardless of the situation or the fervently to the maxim, “Be Clear.”
speech’s purpose. It is incredibly flexible, adaptable,
and open to many different interpretations. On Be straightforward: Simplicity comes from thought
the other hand, written communication lacks this clarity. And the appeal increases with language
flexibility. simplicity. A truly effective speaker is one who
can convey even the most complicated or difficult
The spoken word has an immediate effect because ideas to a layperson in the clearest possible terms.
of this. Speech is power, according to Emerson: Every educated individual studies a certain topic in-
“Speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.” depth, and every worker who has worked in a given
field for a significant amount of time eventually
develops into a form of the specialist. As a result,
both the student and the worker pick up jargon,
a certain type of language. No audience enjoys
hearing jargon. They can only be patient with the
most basic of languages. Otherwise, they can
become disinterested and bored.

Provide specific information: Many speakers taint

their talks by using platitudes or abstract language.
On the other hand, an effective speaker makes his
Rules for Speech Preparation
speech alive by providing specifics and real-life

Answer the five “wh” questions: The stanza experiences to hold the audience’s interest. The

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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
precise meaning of the word “vivid” is “full of life,” Be succinct: Just because you have a lot of
and such attention to detail makes speech “full material doesn’t mean you should ramble on or
of life.” The use of captivating details, amusing go into needless detail. It implies that one must
anecdotes, pertinent examples, and enthusiastic pay attention to both the quality and quantity of
eye contact with the audience will help a speaker communication in addition to the former. Time is
make his address vibrant and outstanding. money, as Benjamin Franklin famously put it. The
discourse needs to be kept to the point in order to
Develop grace and naturalness that comes avoid rambling. There is no such thing as a wasted
naturally: According to C. S. Lewis, “many things, word; every word we use has value.
such as loving, sleeping, or acting unaffectedly, are
done worst when we try hardest to achieve them.” Be informal: Although the setting may be
Maybe everyone who reads his work is aware that professional, the speaker should make an effort
someone with culture moves and speaks with to personalize his message. The only way to build
grace and sounds natural. However, there are some rapport with the audience and leave a lasting
situations where it is exceedingly challenging to impression is to do so. Nearness is created by
act or speak authentically. When we must deliver informality.
a significant speech in front of a sizable, chosen
audience, it is only natural to be conscious—possibly Be enthusiastic: Giving a speech that is effective
overly conscious—and to find it difficult to be natural requires more than just going through the motions.
at the time. We must create our own techniques for One must immerse themselves in the occasion’s
speaking, moving, and appearing gracefully. The spirit with zeal and intense curiosity. The speaker
recommendation to practice speaking in front of and the audience won’t be able to relate to one
a mirror is highly popular. Another is to look for a another until then. Nobody enjoys listening to a
well-known television host or personality and copy speaker who is boring or repetitive. However, a
their behavior. speaker who is animated receives a quick response.
Enthusiasm spreads easily.
Upgrade your mental tools: A learned or well-
informed person is a speaker who is effective. Be aware of your non-verbal communication:
Nothing arises from nothing, as the adage goes Whether a speech is rehearsed or impromptu,
in Greek. We must therefore keep in mind that effective use of gestures is essential. During his
the best weapon for every situation and type of sermons, Pope John Paul is renowned for his skillful
speech is a well-stocked mind — a mind that is use of his arms. In the same manner, making eye
filled with all kinds of knowledge, facts, statistics, contact is crucial.
general awareness, readings in literature and
philosophy, current affairs, economic and political Any person who wants to be a good speaker
developments, new scientific and technological continually works on their voice modulation, word
advancements, the emergence of new business emphasis, and even “nonfluencies.”
organizations, and so on. Effective speaking is
dependent on having the appropriate knowledge at Keep in mind that statistics alone are insufficient:
the appropriate time. There wouldn’t have been any speeches if facts and

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data had been sufficient. Facts and numbers are Making Impromptu Speeches: Meaning
accessible to anybody. They can simply be passed and Guidelines
along or blatantly stated. They resemble a skeleton
exactly. A speech, however, breathes life into the Every decision made by an organization is made in
lifeless bones of data and figures. The speech or a committee room or at a table. A group is involved
writing gives that skeleton life and gives it flesh in this scenario, and each member is expected to
and blood through the creative and efficient use of contribute to the decision-making process. Nobody
language. Numerous successful businesspeople, can predict exactly where the conversation will go
chairpersons, statesmen, and academics are in advance. So speaking on the spot is essential
renowned for their oratory, which results from their to daily communication in an organization.
grasp of the English language. Additionally, the rigors of contemporary business,
as well as the quick pace at which one must operate,
Maintain emotional control while making a move around, communicate, and make judgments,
persuasive argument: “What comes from the heart allow little time for thorough preparation.
goes to the heart.” Every person has a wide range
of emotions. However, a speaker must control his Guidelines for Immense Support
emotions in order to be effective. On the other
hand, he can compel his audience to behave while The following recommendations are quite beneficial
preserving his poise and composure. Not only is it in this regard.
his responsibility to inform, but also to persuade
and sway his audience. That is how many talks end Speaking impromptu is a skill that not everyone is
up being remembered. particularly adept at or successful at. When asked
to speak without warning, it’s not uncommon
Tell your listeners about your noteworthy to witness a speaker become anxious, start to
experiences and areas of expertise: This will not perspire, lose their fluency, or start to fidget. That
only offer the speech a personal touch, but it will is why practicing spontaneous speaking is crucial
also give the speaker confidence and provide the for practically everyone. For this reason, numerous
audience comfort. The audience will feel valued by strategies have been created. A simple game that
the speaker as a result. may be played in a group is one such tactic. On small
pieces of paper that are folded and placed inside
a box, some themes are written. The box is then
shaken and turned over among the participants.
A folded piece of paper is randomly selected from
the box. He discovers a subject on which he must
speak after unfolding it. People enjoy playing the
game because it allows them to practice speaking
spontaneously.

The linking method is a different game. In it, a

classmate or group member begins to narrate a

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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
story before stopping abruptly. The guy sitting next our level of expertise on a certain topic and our
to him then picks up the story’s thread and begins intended message. It naturally suggests that we
explaining what he believes to be the story’s logical should keep learning everything we can about
next development. And so, it continues, creating the subject of our interest. And not just that.
incredibly interesting, amusing, or exciting events We need to develop additional areas of interest
in a lengthy novel. Playing these games provides and be mentally ready to speak on them either
ample practice for speaking without preparation. independently or to supplement what others are
saying. In this approach, preparing ourselves to talk
According to Dale Carnegie, “Don’t talk impromptu— spontaneously is necessary.
give an impromptu discourse.” This advice carries
profound meaning. Do we truly chat impromptu, let Provide instances from your own experience.
us question ourselves. The fact is that our minds Giving examples from our personal experience in an
begin arranging our thoughts on any issue as soon impromptu speech is the finest method to acquire
as we are asked to speak about it. In this manner, confidence in it. It not only provides our discourse
what actually occurs is a spontaneous speech with substance but also fosters a deeper connection with
a logical structure similar to a lengthy prepared the audience. Speaking from personal experience
speech. The main distinction is that in a prepared doesn’t require any preparation. Because of this,
speech, we have had enough time to plan our ideas, communication specialists urge us to draw on
acquire enough relevant information, and develop our rich experiences and offer pertinent examples
a well-reasoned conclusion. A spontaneous anytime we are needed to speak.
conversation follows a similar format. How much
we have practiced speaking impromptu will Genuine concern for the audience Our interest
determine how well structured our spontaneous in the audience is a source of confidence in an
talk will be. Our spontaneous conversations will be impromptu discussion, just as our interest in our
better organized the more we practice. experiences and examples from them is. We will
have little trouble speaking impromptu if we are
concerned about the interests and preferences of
the audience.

Keep in mind proverbs, maxims, and other sayings.

We are exposed to a variety of works from the very
beginning of our schooling, and we are specifically
instructed to memorize snappy, poignant quotations
for any situation. They are incredibly helpful for an
on-the-spot speech. Every day, a decent newspaper
or magazine provides us with unforgettable quotes.
Be mentally ready to speak up at any time. In fact, It is a good idea to keep them in mind and apply
it’s a good idea to frequently imagine ourselves them when necessary. For this, we need an acute,
being asked to stand up or take the microphone tenacious memory.
in front of a huge group and talk. Let’s evaluate

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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
Keep in mind jokes, amusing anecdotes, etc. Jokes audience is truly ready to hear what we have to
and entertaining anecdotes pique everyone’s say at this point. However, they are undoubtedly
interest. They are simple to recall and particularly not in the mood to be lectured, sermonized, or
helpful for an unexpected speaker. It’s never pontificated to. A lengthy, prepared, and distributed
inappropriate, to begin with, a joke or tale without speech or one that is read aloud occasionally
being overly self-conscious. takes on the overtones of pontificating or providing
wise counsel. But a spontaneous speech is best
Utilize situations from the lives of great men. We appreciated if it is humorous, strong, and shows
all read a lot about great men and are often able empathy for the audience.
to recall all of their significant life events. We
create them into our models—consciously or “Brevity is the spirit of wit,” said someone. Once one
unconsciously—by repeatedly playing them out begins to speak, one may continue forever. This is
in our imaginations. Since we can recall them a temptation because we enjoy hearing our own
so easily, it is always simple to understand how voices just as much as we enjoy hearing our own
they apply to any circumstance and to begin an names. Therefore, the message is that we need to
impromptu speech with a relevant example or to be skilled at giving succinct, impromptu remarks.
include them at some point along the speech. Long, winding speeches have the effect of sedating
the audience. It’s not uncommon to see listeners
Determine the audience’s level of patience. In light snoring or yawning.
of the aforementioned considerations, it’s also
crucial to pay attention to the audience’s attitude We speak impromptu on a variety of occasions,
and amount of patience. Almost all of the listeners including when a new person joins our group or
are familiar with the outstanding people we are team, someone leaves the company, there is news
thinking of and whose lives we chose to mention. of a flash strike, someone achieves a distinction or
We must also keep in mind that repetition of familiar gets married, a vote of thanks is proposed, a fair
material will not be tolerated by the audience. The or club is inaugurated, a visitor is welcomed, or an
speaker must possess the wits to know what to emergency meeting is called with only an hour’s
say, when to say it, and in what context. notice. For each of these dates, there are a few
well-established customs. However, a speaker who
Don’t pontificate; participate. Without participating makes their speech effective does so by adhering
in the current communication context, one cannot to the above-mentioned rules.
deliver a successful impromptu speech. The

Summary

● The term “presentation” has grown to be preferred over “public speaking” in industry and commerce.
Perhaps because a presentation’s aim is more clearly and specifically stated.

● Interviews are conducted for a variety of purposes, including the ones listed below.

a) Job or employment interviews are used to identify qualified candidates based on their training and
experience.
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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
 b) Interviews conducted by certain businesses as part of ongoing employee evaluations.

c) An exit interview is conducted to find out why a person left the company.

d) Interviews are done by staff members of the organization to learn more about issues such as employee
attitudes, working environment, managerial effectiveness, etc.

e) A discussion or encounter between a journalist, radio host, or television presenter and a person whose
opinions are being sought out for broadcast.

● The interviewer must adhere to some established traditions because he is in command of the event. The
interviewer must first organize the meeting, the interviewer should do all possible to make the interviewee
feel comfortable, make the proper inquiry, allow the interviewee/candidate to speak most of the time, and
so on.

● Rules for Speech Preparation: answer the five “wh” questions, be organized and concise, be straightforward,
provide specific information, develop grace and naturalness that comes naturally, upgrade your mental
tools, be succinct, be informal, be enthusiastic, be aware of your non-verbal communication, keep in mind
that statistics alone are insufficient and maintain emotional control while making a persuasive argument.

● Every decision made by an organization is made in a committee room or at a table. A group is involved in
this scenario, and each member is expected to contribute to the decision-making process.

● Speaking impromptu is a skill that not everyone is particularly adept at or successful at. When asked to
speak without warning, it’s not uncommon to witness a speaker become anxious, start to perspire, lose
their fluency, or start to fidget.

● Group discussions are crucial for problem-solving, reaching consensus, carrying out tasks, and achieving
specific goals like choosing a candidate.

● Group discussions can be broadly categorized into two types based on how they are structured. These
groups include:

» Topic-based Group Discussions

» Group discussions based on cases or articles

● Abstract topics are those that have nothing to do with a certain subject. In contrast to the first two
subcategories, knowledge is just a very little factor in such discussions.

● A participant in group discussions needs to have leadership skills. Individuals must be able to take the
initiative during interactions in order to demonstrate leadership skills in GDs.

● Along with having leadership skills, the person should be fairly knowledgeable on the topics being
discussed. The quantitative and qualitative aspects of the material must be considered while evaluating
his understanding of it.

● The ability to employ one’s analytical skills to their fullest potential comes next in the process of striving to
convey an acceptable image of oneself.

● Clarity of mind is crucial, and it may be achieved by focusing on the basics and letting go of the unnecessary
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Communication Skills and Group Discussions
 details.

● Speaking with conviction goes hand in hand with being adaptable in your thinking and having the capacity
to understand the perspective of others.

● The most crucial of all the tactics to be used in a GD is the KISS principle, which states to “Keep it (interaction)
Short and Simple.”

● All aspects of oral communication must be followed when expressing ideas. Like being courteous, audible,
pleasant, and effective, in addition to being short, clear, and accurate.

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 Unit 11

Communication Through Net

Learning Objectives Introduction

By the end of this unit, you will be

The internet has developed, expanded, and spread over
able to:
the world like wildfire since it was recognized to be a
● E-mail, netiquette, blog and, web
potent communication tool. Since then, it has arguably
writing
developed into the most effective resource and channel
● Advantages and disadvantages for communication. The internet is accessible to a large
of telex and telegram number of individuals worldwide, and practically every

● Meaning and advantages and business has complete access. Our horizons have been

disadvantages of fax, voice mail, expanded by the internet in ways we never imagined

teleconferencing, imaginable. Through the years, advertising on websites,

email, instant messaging, video conferencing, and
● Videoconferencing concept and
many other forms of communication have evolved. The
advantages and disadvantages
internet, as most of us are aware, was initially created as
of sim card, SMS, MMS
a communication tool for the US army but quickly spread
● Internet communication, to the general public. Consider some of the things we can
advantages, and disadvantages accomplish on the internet as an example. When you log
in, you may immediately check who is online among your
friends. You can chat with them, make a video call, write
them an email, or send them an instant message. When
working online, you may check which of your coworkers
are available and collaborate with them. When e-mail
initially entered the picture, you couldn’t simply walk
into any distant computer lab and view your e-mails.
But thanks to web-based email, this is now achievable.
Free web-based email is offered by organizations like

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Communication Through Net
Microsoft, Yahoo, and Gmail. Anyone can sign up E-mail, Netiquette, Blog Writing, and
and utilize these services for free if they don’t mind Web Writing
having some advertising on their website. You can
send emails rather than just online text messages. E-Mail
There is now a feature that allows you to attach
files and mail them to anybody you like. Any type of Since electronic mail was made available to
file you can imagine can be attached, as long as the everyone via the Internet, it has become a vital
size and format are acceptable on both ends. This tool for many businesses and interpersonal
includes files, folders, wave files, photographs, and relationships. Today’s typical men frequently
any other kind of material. receive numerous emails each day, even when they
are sleeping.
Chatting is the best substitute for email. You
can actually engage in a live conversation with Email connects civilizations that are dispersed
an individual or group of individuals using chat throughout the globe and transcend all geographical
services. Online chat is now accessible directly barriers. There are some better styles of writing than
from the web browser. On the internet, there are a others, even though one is completely free to write
lot of chat services. Some chat platforms let you and express oneself whatever one likes. Emails
conduct a private conversation with any of your that are properly formatted are much more likely
pals. to elicit the intended response from the receivers.
Some emails just naturally draw you to open and
Video conferencing was the next action. If you have read them, while others are so offensive that no one
a webcam and a headset with a microphone, you can wants to even open them. This section discusses
see and speak to another person or group of people. some tried-and-true methods for reaching the
Some suppliers offer this service completely free. intended audience that has been shown to be quite
The video will be in excellent condition if you have successful.
a fast internet connection. Since you can actually
see the person you’re speaking to, it is actually In a casual e-mail, anything can be written in any
preferable to use the phone. style as long as it meets the email’s intended
goal. The same is not applicable to emails sent
Over the past few years, all these technological for business purposes. Firm email senders and
advancements have proliferated. The internet has recipients do not always have a friendly rapport,
opened up new channels for communication and and in the worst scenario, if some protocol is not
raised the bar considerably. Without the internet, strictly adhered to, the entire business may be in
modern life and communication are essentially jeopardy.
unimaginable.
Since corporate organizations now exchange such
a large number of emails, only properly formatted
and persuasive emails get their receivers to open
and read them. Emails that don’t seem important
may be discarded in the wastebasket or classified

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Communication Through Net
as junk mail and put in the garbage. Please do not leave the subject line empty.

You want the person receiving your business email An empty subject line conveys no information
to open it and give it a favorable response as the about the communication. To make a decision
sender. The following list of helpful hints will help an regarding the mail, the recipient just has the clue
email achieve its intended goal more successfully. “From” to go on. Even though the recipient might
be able to identify you as the sender, he wouldn’t
Sender know what the message’s purpose and content are.
Most logically, he would consider the mail to be
Subject line for the sender: Due to the fact that less significant and decide to give it less priority.
most users organize incoming emails using this
field, it is the most significant field in a received Make the Subject Message Specific
email. Unknown or unexpected sender names
might not pique the recipient’s attention all that The recipient might be able to contact you right
much; instead, they might make them dubious of away if the subject line includes both the sender’s
the message’s contents. and the recipient’s names. Here are a few instances:

● Kashyap to Vibhor
Name, occupation, and any other pertinent
identifying information should be included in the ● Rajan, a Sitamarhi native
message’s initial few lines.
Mention the email’s purpose and substance.
The “subject” of received emails is frequently
browsed by receivers, who then decide what to do Even though the recipient may identify the sender,
based on the subject line. The recipient could not he might nevertheless perceive the mail as
even open the mail if the subject line doesn’t seem being informal. The recipient might even start to
serious enough. Because of this, attention should consider the action he would take just by looking
be made to ensure that the subject line is pertinent at the subject line alone if you additionally include a
to and helpful to the reader. The following is a list of quick description of the substance or intent of the
some dos and don’ts. communication. For instance, have a look at the
following topic lines.

● Vibhor says to Kashyap, “The room has been

reserved.”

● “The order is ready,” says Rajan from Sitamarhi.

● “Your account is updated,” said Asian Bank.

Avoid Sending Vague Messages

The subject lines of many emails sound essential

but are ambiguous. They frequently include a range
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Communication Through Net
of viruses and are contagious emails. Take the recipients. If the business communication specifies
following topic, for instance. it, you must include the recipients on the CC line.
While doing so, care must be made to follow the
● Your ticket is prepared organization’s protocol.

● Pick up your prize.

Language & Vocabulary

The Message
The receiver must be carefully considered when

To be more effective, the message needs to be selecting the message’s wording. The recipient of

unmistakable and obvious. Following are some the email, not the sender, is the intended recipient.

helpful hints for the message’s format and content: As a result, the recipient should be considered
when choosing the language and diction.
● Avoid using unconventional abbreviations like
“b4u,” “us,” etc. to keep your communication
legible.

● Emphasize the key elements with appropriate

indentation

● Separate paragraphs with a blank line

● Make it obvious what action the recipient is

expected to take

● Always include the received message, if any,

when responding to business emails.

Attachments
Netiquettes

Attachments need a little extra work from readers

The Internet has created a new world where many
and are frequently opened by launching another
individuals from all over the world are continuously
program. A recipient might not want to do this right
in communication. There are many distinct people
away. As a result, corporate email attachments
and groups that own the internet. It is prevalent
should only be used when absolutely essential.
in many different nations and countries around
Here are a few helpful hints.
the world but is not specifically addressed by any
legislation or constitution. Because of this, the
Avoid large attachments and those that require
internet is a free space where anyone can utilize the
special software to access.
tools of the World Wide Web for their own gain or
for the deliberate harm of others. Web developers
BCC and CC (Carbon Copy) (Blind carbon Copy)
must be responsible enough and adhere to these
fundamental web etiquettes, often known as
All mail recipients can see the names of CC
Netiquettes, in order to make the internet a better
recipients, but they cannot see the names of BCC
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Communication Through Net
place to work, study, and explore. Blog Writing

The term “netiquettes” is used to describe the Blogging is a relatively new trend. A blog is a
manners and etiquette that one should adhere to shortened version of weblogging, in which an
when conversing online. Internet user keeps a continuously updated private
journal that is shared with the public. A blog must
The following is a list of some of the online conduct always be accessible to the general public because
that people in this universe are expected to engage it is intended for public reading.
in:
In general, blogging might not appear to be
● The Internet is a phenomenon that exists in significant in terms of direct business. However, it
public. Internet communication shouldn’t be has the potential to be a useful tool for gathering
considered secure as a result. As a result, the and shaping public opinion. Recently, a group of
communication’s substance shouldn’t offend the business bloggers has begun to use both personal
general audience. and professional blogging to influence public

● You must respect the copyright of any materials opinion and advance their professional prospects.

you utilize in your communication.

As a matter of good practice, the majority of
● You are not permitted to edit messages that are
bloggers follow certain norms that are commonly
being forwarded or reposted.
used in the blogging community. Here are some
● When forwarding a communication, you must examples of them:
make sure you have the appropriate consent
from the individual or organization in question. ● It is advisable to keep the headlines sufficiently
evocative to give a decent notion of the blog’s
● Avoid participation in chain letters since they
contents.
are frequently used for evil objectives like
overcrowding the internet. ● Break up your presentation into smaller sections
so that readers can focus on the parts of the blog
● Make sure the recipient(s) are the person(s) to
that interest them.
whom you are sending your letter.
● List the links in ascending order of relevance.
● Your vocabulary and grammar must not offend
the recipients. In particular, you must not use ● Keep the posting concise and descriptive.
your message to abuse, threaten, or intimidate. Typically, a 250-word limit is advised.

● Your message must not contravene national or ● Lists, photos, tables, notes, quotes, icons, and
international regulations. other non-textual content should be attractively
spread throughout the posting.
● You are not permitted to include pornographic or
abusive language in your messages. ● You must speak in a straightforward language
because the audience is international.
● Use smileys or other graphic symbols sparingly
to represent voice inflection. ● Regular updates and adjustments are required.

● Check your blog for errors before posting.

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Web Writing ● A little attention to the presentation’s aesthetics
and feel can improve your web writing’s
The World Wide Web is crucial for communication readability.
in the corporate world. Businesses all across
the world maintain several web pages that are
frequently stored on websites. Therefore, online
writing, such as emails and blogs, mirrors the style
of the specific business author. The reputation of
the company could be severely harmed by a minor
compromise in this area. Below are some helpful
tips for writing for the web:

● Only produce material that has value to the

company. It is very simple to get carried away
and fill the writing with undesirable and useless Telex and Telegram; Introduction and
information. The readers are seeking information Advantages and Disadvantages
that they desire, not information that you care to
offer. A system of switched exchanges connects a network
● As far as practical, the contents should be of teleprinters to form the Telex, an international
arranged in tidy modules of paragraphs. message-transfer service. Telex service users can
securely and immediately communicate with one
● Your writing should be able to direct readers
another using text messages. By dialing the target
toward appropriate action.
subscriber’s given call number, communication can
● It is preferable to present a multi-paragraph be started. This can be done via the keyboard on
article in list or bullet form. telex terminals or on personal computers connected
● Keep your list’s items to no more than ten. to the telex network. On earlier telex equipment, this
Reliable research shows that people frequently is done via a dial or the keyboard on the sender’s
remember 7–10 things at once. teleprinter. The communication channel is opened
after the destination subscriber replies with a code
● Avoid using lengthy sentences that readers will
confirming its identification. The typed message is
have to work hard to understand.
transformed into a low-bit-rate electrical signal that
● Include active links if your articles are linked is sent through the network—typically channels that
elsewhere. are leased from the telephone system and routed
● As always, respect the copyrights of any by switching centers run by the telex provider—and
resources you use to create content for the web. is then received by the recipient. When the message
reaches its destination, it is either printed right
● Always take the time to make editorial
away or saved for later printing or monitor display.
improvements to the writing on the web.

● Use a consistent navigational style throughout Early in the 1930s, telex systems were invented in
the entire web writing. the UK and a few other European nations. The TWX
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service was launched by the American Telephone verification methods used by telex senders and
and Telegraph Company (AT&T) in 1931. In recipients. For this reason, numerous financial
contrast to most other nations, where government institutions continue to use the service. Also still
organizations in charge of telephone, telegraph, widely used on commercial ships is telex.
and postal services controlled telex systems, they
were still run by private businesses in the United Telegram
States. Eight years after purchasing TWX from
AT&T, the Western Union Telegraph Company Users of the cloud-based messaging service
developed its Telex system in the United States in Telegram must have access to the internet in
1962 (where the name Telex is a registered brand). order to communicate. This Instant Messaging
The keyboard coding algorithms and transmission (IM) platform can be accessible by applications on
speeds used by Telex and TWX were dissimilar, mobile devices, tablets, desktop computers, and
preventing direct communication between the two the web, all of which require an internet connection.
systems. Processing machines that translated This messaging program is an asynchronous way
between the two codes during transmission were of communication, which means users do not have
used to connect the combined systems. This to be online at the same time or in the same place
made direct communication possible, albeit with to communicate, except for voice calls. Telegram
some latency. Computer-based switching, which only allows for one-way message transmission
improved performance and permitted automated because messages may only be viewed after being
conversion to and from formats used in other data- transmitted. Only when messages are being typed
transmission services, was used to update telex are recipients informed; they are not given access
systems around the world in the following decades. to the whole character-by-character production
process. Each individual account is additionally
The use of telex started to wane in the 1980s when connected to the user’s mobile phone number and
high-speed digital communication, in particular fax country code.
transmission, became possible on non leased dial-
up telephone lines. Before going bankrupt in 1993, Telegram’s positive aspects
Western Union sold its Telex network to AT&T in
1990. Both AT&T and British Telecoms (BT) made 1. Offer Features for Bots and Channels
the decision to stop directly offering telex in 2008,
but smaller businesses were still able to access The purpose of the channel feature is to facilitate
their telephone networks and continue to offer the group communication among multiple users. The
service. conversation on this channel is one-way; neither
members nor followers can reply to what you send.
For situations where fast transmission speeds are
not required or in locations where more advanced Because Telegram has a sizable number of
data equipment might not be available, Telex is still channels, Online Shops typically use it more to
an option for data transmission. Transmitted telex advertise their products. In the search field, you
communications are regarded as legal documents can also view a variety of channels that correspond
because of the secure transmission lines and the to your preferences. The bot feature is in charge of

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carrying out operations automatically, beginning in use if you utilize other applications. Contrarily,
with chat answering and moving on to downloading Telegram can still be opened even if the device
music, games, etc. is dead due to a dead battery or one that was left
behind.
2. Greater File Size Sent
5. Use Hashtags
Naturally, the delivery differs greatly from other
short messaging services generally, which can only Have you come across the hashtag “#” before?
send files up to 100 MB in size. Unlike the Telegram Yes, it does indeed function as a grouping of stuff.
app, which only allows messages up to the size of Telegram, therefore, offers this function.
the default file to be sent. You can send files that
are enormous in size in the form of serial movies, You can avoid producing an old conversation, file,
movies, or your own videos. For transferring or file by using hashtags. You don’t need to bother
huge files, many communities highly recommend hunting for it manually as a result. Additionally,
Telegram. Telegram is an option for those of you who enjoy
cool things. You can use these hashtags to organize
3. Large Memory Storage group chats.

Although you can also save to your phone’s internal 6. Send Compressed or Original Files
memory, Telegram features a sizable cloud-based
storage memory. The complete chat history or files For those of you who have issues with image file
sent using the program will be entered immediately sizes, Telegram has a solution. You can download
into the cloud. photographs in their original size or compressed
versions.
Telegram can transfer messages at breakneck
speeds because of cloud-based storage. Are you The benefits that the Telegram application has
aware? Even at very sluggish speeds, Telegram offered are hardly ever found in other programs.
may relay messages to other users who request to As a result of only slightly diminishing image detail,
be addressed via the edge network. the resolution, photo quality, and photo size will
automatically be compressed. In order to maintain
4. Applications are very Simple to Access optimal image quality and a pleasant viewing
experience on our cell phones.
Are you prone to forgetfulness? When traveling, it’s
easy to leave your favorite cell phone at home or 7. Lot of Group Members
in the office. Feels rather irksome about this whole
thing. Don’t worry, you can actually use Telegram When using the Telegram app, you may establish
on a computer or laptop to connect with others. Groups with more than 500 members, which is
an additional benefit. Well, typically, a simple note
So, what distinguishes this application from others? application can only fit fewer than 500 users, but
It was unmistakably unique. The phone must be Telegram differs in that it allows users to invite up

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to 30,000 new users. Line, and WhatsApp have story functionalities.
Unfortunately, the Telegram app does not have this
In this approach, Telegram is used to form team capability; this is one of the things that sets it apart
chats with many participants, such as alumni teams from other instant messaging apps.
from schools and fandoms around the world.
Since Telegram doesn’t have a Story feature, you
can’t publish or share moments using photographs,
videos, or music, much alone paintings that include
quotations or words. This issue is comparable to
Telegram’s inability to receive status updates.

3. Status Update Not Possible

You cannot express your heart and mind to other

people or contact notes in the Telegram program,
unlike other practical note applications that allow
status uploads. In this instance, Telegram lacks
The Drawbacks of Telegram
social or mixed fields that its users are unable to
have.
1. Flood of group chats and Mess

Some folks may find Telegram to be a little

It could be challenging to read from the start or
monotonous. Therefore, Line or WhatsApp are
scroll down to the bottom if you frequently miss
options for those of you looking for a useful note-
news in a chat team without being recognized
taking tool that can help you save notes in your
to have hundreds or even thousands of notes. In
heart and mind till Telegram does not react. One
fact, you will be inundated with communication,
may say that Telegram seems to be a platform for
especially if you are a member of a Telegram team
serious endeavors or business fields.
with thousands of members.

4. No Collective Video Call (Meeting)

While it is true that Telegram offers the benefit
of supporting numerous team members, it also
We undoubtedly require greater efficiency during
has the disadvantage of being unable to track
a pandemic than usual, as meetings that were
discussions sent by various team members. Even
formerly held in offices must now be held at home.
though there is a hashtag feature or a search area,
It turns out that, unlike other applications, Telegram
you will at least need extra time to look up specific
does not support group video calls for more than
terms or pieces of conversation text.
four persons.

2. Missing a Tale Feature.

Only one user and a maximum of two people can
participate in a video call on Telegram. Therefore,
These days, a lot of useful note-taking apps and
it seems that you must hunt for video call software
social media platforms including Instagram, Twitter,
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that can accommodate numerous individuals if and prints a paper copy of it.
you frequently hold meetings or conversations with
many people. Nowadays, almost all modems produced can send
and receive fax data. Directly from disk files or the
5. Cannot Encrypt screen, fax signals are generated by fax/modem
software. Even if a document is merely text, the
It is possible to say that Telegram has a flaw in computer treats it as a scanned image and sends
that it cannot do encryption. Because it is not open it as a bitmap to the recipient. If the recipient
source and only the Telegram team is familiar with merely wants to read the message, online faxing
it, this practical note application employs its own is effective. However, if the document has to be
encryption, known as MTProto, which consumers edited, it must either be manually retyped into the
cannot access. computer or translated into ASCII language using
an OCR program. The email system is a more
Additionally, if any chats on Telegram contain effective way to communicate papers that need to
information or are set up with the Secret Chat be modified. Since email files are already ASCII text,
function (which allows users to remove chat any text editor or word processing tool may modify
histories, drawings, and other content without them right away.
leaving a trail), then the information in those chats
is concealed on their servers. However, there hasn’t In some situations, the Internet now offers a
been a problem with a leak in the Telegram security brand-new, less expensive option to send faxes.
system up to this point. Numerous free and paid services offer ways to
use the Internet for the majority of the trip to the
Meaning and Advantages and fax point instead of the public telephone system.
Disadvantages of Fax, Voice Additionally, some services give you the option to
Mail, Teleconferencing, and broadcast fax to numerous addresses.
Videoconferencing

Fax

The telephonic transmission of scanned-in printed

information (text or images) to a telephone number
typically associated with a printer or other output
device is known as fax (short for facsimile; also
known as telecopying). A fax machine scans the
original document, which considers its contents
(whether text or graphics) as a single fixed graphic The fax has the following benefits:
image and turns it into a bitmap. Information is
communicated in this digital form via the telephone ● A quick transmission Fax allows for an incredibly
system as electrical signals. The fax machine that quick exchange of messages, data, diagrams,
receives the document decodes the coded image sketches, and drawings.
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● Reliability: To open any documents you transmit Voice Mail
by email, your recipient must have the appropriate
software or technical know-how. However, a fax Voice messaging is a computerized method for
machine never has that issue. recording and editing spoken messages that can
be accessed by users around-the-clock from any
● Information Accuracy: It is helpful to accurately
touch-tone phone. A voice-messaging system can
deliver written information to any location inside
be accessed by nearby, distant, and mobile users
or outside the nation.
via landlines or mobile phones.
● Security: Emails and computers are vulnerable to
hacking, and the documents you submit could be Similar to email, voicemail messages can be
seen. The most secure means of communication created in one voicemail box and then forwarded
you may have in your office is a fax machine. to another.
● Legal value: A fax transmission’s written record
is available, and it can be used as evidence in ● Voice messages are one component of a voice
court. messaging system.

● Distribution lists for voicemail.

Drawbacks of Fax
● Faxes can be sent and received in the mailbox.

● Less Privacy: Fax provides less privacy because ● Voice-activated interaction

anyone standing next to the fax machine can ● Voice forms that any user can access from
handle the data being transmitted. anywhere in the world.
● Technology Failure: If you rely too heavily on your
fax machine and it breaks down for some reason, Benefits of Voicemail
you can have trouble learning how to use it again.
1. Available 24/7
● Uncertain information: The fax machine may
convey uncertain information as a result of a
Thanks to voicemail, your company and its
malfunction, defeating the goal of the fastest
employees will always be reachable. Voicemail is
delivery.
preferable to not being able to reach anyone at all,
● Dependency on Landline Phone Number: even though it isn’t always as nice as conversing
A landline phone is required to utilize a fax with someone personally.
machine. Nowadays, fewer people do this
because everyone has a cell phone. This is especially useful for positions when regular
● Less Convenient: Although faxes are quick, they phone absences are required, such as traveling
are sometimes difficult to access. You cannot sales or service employment, or when regular
send a fax while away from the workplace and staff are unable to answer the phone while in a
need to send a document; you must wait till you conference.
get back.

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2. Screening of Phone Calls phone calls, sending SMS messages, or using
social engineering tricks like phishing, vishing, and
Incoming calls can be filtered by your staff using smishing.
voicemail. High-priority calls will be answered right
away, while non-urgent issues will be left on hold 2. Pricey
and will be addressed later.
Communication by voice mail is more expensive
3. Eliminate Hold Calls than using other mail services. Voice mail is
therefore only utilized for a select few important
Being put on hold is typically a frustrating experience and intimate communications.
for people. A client or customer can immediately
voice their concerns through voicemail without
feeling as though their time was wasted waiting
in line. The caller’s wait time will be minimized
because the recipient can pick up the phone as
soon as they are free.

4. Cost

By using voice mail effectively, you may maintain a

good level of customer care while spending less on
labor. A business might not need as many customer
3. Language Barriers Between the Sender and the
support personnel if it has voicemail. It might also
Recipient
enable a business to avoid paying overtime wages
to customer service staff during specific times of
If the receiver and tender did not speak the same
the day.
language, this strategy would be useless. You will
grow weary of hearing the messages and delete
5. Preference of Clients
them without hearing them, which will cause you to
miss important messages.
Customers and clients can discuss their problems
without interruption by leaving voicemails. A client
4. Flexibility
or customer won’t be diverted by unrelated material
and may focus on their main concerns.
Without making at least one phone call to your
voicemail provider, it’s challenging to listen to
Drawbacks of Voicemail
or respond to voicemail messages, making it
challenging to do so secretly. Chatting on a cell
1. Security Justification
phone is frowned upon or even prohibited in many
public places, such as a theater.
Hackers can take advantage of message recording
systems by sending spam emails, making unwanted

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5. Personal Disappointment Benefits of Teleconferences

For some people, checking voice mail might be Time to spare:

inconvenient, especially when compared to the ease
of texting and receiving messages. By convincing The majority of video chatting’s flexibility is
themselves that they will check their voice mail effective. It is possible to hold meetings with a
later, procrastinators might postpone doing so. last-minute announcement via video chatting.
Additionally, since all gatherings take place online
Teleconferencing or through machines, there is no time lost traveling
to the location of a gathering. Reduced mileage
The development of video chatting over the past results in several long stretches of movement being
couple of years has made some enormous strides. saved annually. Being able to coordinate remotely
Today, it is possible to run a video meeting across helps to ensure dependability because meetings
platforms and devices without any restrictions. The are scheduled and completed at specific times.
implications of this for commercial correspondence
are horrific. There are still many challenges and Reduce your travel costs:
burdens associated with this invention, despite
all the increases. Here is a quick look at the many When compounded over a long period of time,
video chat settings and their drawbacks. travel expenses can be extremely important. Most
businesses that have a global presence incur
Meeting over a broadcast media channel while significant annual costs due to mobility. However,
remotely coordinating approaches. It is a general video chatting reduces the need for frequent travel
word for using technology to link people between at and so saves a significant amount of company
least two locations. There are at least six different resources. At the moment, it is quicker and less
types of remotely coordinating: business TV (BTV), awkward to travel a significant distance to a
video, PC, audio graphic, sound, and distance conference.
learning. Although the innovation’s methods
differ, common factors contribute to the universal Effective Meeting Record-Keeping:
significance of remotely coordinating.
One of the main conditions for successful video
Make use of a media communications avenue: conferencing is effective meeting record-keeping.
Processing devices may easily capture, log, and
● Connect people who are in different places track all information related to a particular online
meeting. This makes video chat rooms one of
● Automatically provide two-way interchanges
the best tools for acquiring and storing important
● Dynamic to demand dynamic cooperation from
information. Additionally, video chatting makes it
clients
quite simple to recall this information afterward
and use references whenever necessary.

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Reduce Conference Fees: Drawbacks of Teleconferencing:

There are undoubtedly a lot of strategic costs Adaptable to Technical Difficulties - Machines
associated with hosting a gathering. Only a small have a predisposition toward mileage, which is the
percentage of the typical costs associated with fundamental difference between them and people.
any gathering include hiring equipment, acquiring a Therefore, specialized issues could happen to video
location, purchasing food, and purchasing rewards. chat systems at any time. This may result in time
All these costs are eliminated when remote loss and other inconveniences. The expectation to
coordination is used because no such game absorb knowledge is also present in the majority
plans are necessary. The flexibility of remotely of creative frameworks. Lack of knowledge can
coordinating also ensures that events can be prevent someone from using remotely coordinating
held as frequently as possible without incurring offices successfully.
additional costs.
Less Powerful Nonverbal Communication: When
Support Productivity: compared to a face-to-face meeting, remotely
coordinating is a weaker form of business
The fifth benefit of video chatting is that distant communication. This is due to the dismissal of
coordination makes sure that workers at various important nonverbal components of professional
levels of the organizational structure are in constant conversation, such as nonverbal communication
contact. This calls for efficient data sharing and and personal contact. Comprehensive
quick actions. Such sporadic engagement is communication greatly depends on nonverbal
motivating because the results are effectively cues. It is challenging to identify major indicators
expanded. Additionally, multi-branch executives that might lead to more fruitful cooperation in the
benefit from video conferencing as organizational absence of such stimuli.
intimacy increases.
Space Restrictions: The way video conferencing
Reliability: is done on a screen suggests that a lot of data is
overlooked due to a lack of space. For instance, it
One of the most reliable ways to hold meetings is very impossible to accurately communicate all
is through teleconferencing. Progress in the graphical information during a live internet meeting.
invention has led to a significant expansion of Synchronous activities are, in fact, unfeasible at any
this unwavering characteristic over time. Today’s gathering, even one with a large screen. As a result,
remote coordination channels are significantly some data is lost or is not effectively covered.
more reliable, and communication problems are
essentially nonexistent. It is also a very safe way of Devastate Team Dynamics: Video conferencing
communicating where both security and the health lacks the vitality of a real meeting where participants
of information are guaranteed. can have a shared commitment and raise or react
to difficulties right away, which is another barrier to
remotely coordinating. This suggests that making
a successful contribution or sharing ideas as they

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come to mind is frequently difficult. Finally, the lack and adaptable form of communication like video
of dynamism discourages many people from taking conferencing.
charge of meetings to the detriment of others.
Definition
Wipeout Informal Exchanges: Regular pre- and
post-meeting conversations are often important A live, visual connection between two or more
in laying the groundwork for the day’s agenda persons who are typically spread out over different
and even future gathering arrangements. These locations is made possible by video conferencing
impromptu commitments are also where important technologies. Live video conferencing services are
ideas about important topics like arrangement and necessary to replicate face-to-face talks online.
arranging first come to light. Remotely coordinating
might be seen as a rigid and non-reformist approach Depending on the live video conferencing
to conferencing in the absence of such informal vendors, the solution might be anything from very
conversation. straightforward to really sophisticated. The most
basic solutions often include the internet-based
Influence Professionalism: The primary delegation delivery of simple static graphics and music.
between the various groups involved in the Live video conferencing systems offer real-time
conference is made by machines, which can have communication with live HD video, high-quality
an impact on polished expertise. This is because audio, and a ton of collaboration capabilities at
members are regularly required to do various jobs. their most advanced.
By juggling several tasks, participants may shift
their attention to unrelated, random matters that Advantages
are not in the group’s best interests.
As you may imagine, using the services of live
Video conferencing video conferencing firms has a number of benefits
for businesses. Let’s examine some of the most
notable and important advantages of using
video conferencing solutions for interaction and
collaboration.

1. Saves time and resources - Effective and efficient

communication inside a company is essential to
the smooth operation of any firm. Earlier, the only
effective means of communication between offices
was through joint meetings, which necessitated
The corporate world of today heavily relies on video extensive travel on the part of the staff.
conferencing and virtual event solutions. Multiple
offices and remote workers are becoming common Even though conference calls were an option back
in most corporations today’s working environment, then, they are no longer as efficient as live video
necessitating the use of a quick, dependable, conferencing services. Video conferencing tools

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help the business save a lot of time and resources to form a well-rounded viewpoint on anything.
by offering a less expensive and more effective
means of communication. Here are a few drawbacks that corporations
frequently experience while utilizing live video
2. Boosts employee productivity - Internal conferencing services.
communication is now simpler, quicker, and
more convenient than ever thanks to living video 1.Lacks the personal touch of face-to-
conferencing firms and video conferencing service face communication - While most live video
providers. Any team or individual within the entire conferencing companies’ solutions are very near to
organization can communicate with any other team replicating the experience of personal face-to-face
or worker thanks to video conferencing capabilities. conversation online, there is still a slight difference
This immediate and simple communication has in efficacy between the two.
an impact on the employee’s performance and
productivity. The majority of corporations are aware of this and
frequently hold in-person meetings between teams
The majority of organizations are increasing not to discuss crucial topics. However, whereas video
only their overall internal communication but conferencing service providers have unquestionably
also the productivity of each individual within the decreased the frequency of these meetings overall,
firm by using the services of video conferencing they used to be the main means of communication
companies. between organizations.

3. There are numerous intangible advantages as 2. Technical issues can affect even the best
well. systems - No technology is impervious to hiccups
and issues. Even though the majority of live
Live conferencing tools have many intangible video conferencing vendors offer round-the-clock
advantages for any organization, such as a strong assistance for each corporate system they install,
sense of community due to the personal face-to- bugs can still occur, wasting a lot of time and
face conversation rather than just hearing the voice money for the business.
of the person they’re communicating with. These
advantages are in addition to the organization’s 3. Its initial cost is significant.
overall productivity increasing.
An enterprise-grade video conferencing solution’s
Disadvantages setup can be costly because most systems involve
specialized hardware that needs to be installed,
The use of video conferencing is not without frequently at several locations. It is only reasonable
its limitations and drawbacks, as is true of any that the procedure has a high initial cost given
technology. Even if the majority of people would the caliber of the equipment and the knowledge
properly claim that there are more benefits than required to set up the complete system. However,
drawbacks to video conferencing solutions, it is because the expenditures are typically repaid after
vital to consider both sides of the argument in order a very short period of operation, most corporations

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are more than happy to pay them. instance, as SIM cards are not intended for personal
storage, they are unable to store enough data to
Concept and Advantages and accommodate movie files, huge music files, or a
Disadvantages of Sim Card, SMS, MMS significant number of text messages. Additionally,
SIM cards can’t be used in a cell phone built by a
SMS Card different manufacturer because they are made for
a certain service plan that the user has with his or
Most current mobile phones have a type of interface her service provider.
card called a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module)
card that stores the user’s account information as SMS
well as some forms of media including contacts,
photographs, and occasionally ringtones. An IMSI, Short Message Service is the English equivalent of
or International Mobile Subscriber Identity, the the acronym SMS. It is a technique for transmitting
number that identifies the person who is associated and receiving text messages via various electronic
with the SIM card, an ICCID, or Integrated Circuit devices, including mobile phones, landlines, and
Card ID, the number that identifies the SIM card to the internet, using the communication protocol.
the network, cryptographic information for security Transactions sent through text messages can be up
reasons, temporary information about the local to 160 alphanumeric characters long. Background
network the SIM card is connected to, a list of of SMS
services the user is permitted to access, and a PIN
and PUK for user authentication are all contained
on a SIM card.

Advantages

SIM cards have a number of noteworthy benefits.

For instance, a SIM card from one phone can be
used in another. This enables the user to switch to a
new phone and transfer their services and personal
data without having to manually recreate every file The first mobile phones with text messaging
or get a new service plan. The fact that SIM cards capabilities appeared in the early 1980s. The
may be conveniently stowed behind the battery first CEPT Group GSM (Global System for Mobile
of the majority of phones prevents damage and Communication) action plan was authorized in
safeguards the user’s data plan is another benefit December 1982, bringing text message capabilities
of SIM cards. to open cellular networks. Friedhelm Hillebrand and
Bernard Gillebaert created the idea for SMS in 1984
Disadvantages while participating in the Franco-German GSM
partnership. The main goal of GSM was to employ
SIM cards are useful, but they do not have all a technology optimized for telephones to send
the functions that certain users may want. For messages along signaling routes.

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Advantages As implied by the word “Multimedia,” we can infer
from this that it can be used to convey more than
● SMS is always fast and direct. just text messages, including multimedia such as

● SMS functionality is available on all phones, photographs, audio clips, and video clips.

regardless of price, making it affordable.

It is an extension for SMS (Short Message Service),
● People who are not as tech-savvy can send and
a text messaging service that only allows for the
receive SMS because of its simplicity.
transmission of 160 characters per SMS.
● The SMS record has been saved for future
reference. MMS messaging is currently supported by the
majority of devices. Essentially, it is a more
● Unlike phone conversations, sending SMS is a
sophisticated kind of text messaging with
discrete form of communication. SMS cannot
multimedia as an added component.
be easily disrupted, while phone calls can be
recorded to listen in on the conversation.
As an illustration, a text-only message will be
● An internet connection is not necessary to send
transmitted as an SMS, however, one that contains
SMS messages.
photographs and other media will be delivered as
an MMS, and vice versa.
Disadvantages

If your device is unable to receive MMS messages,

● Due to the absence of facial expressions,
you will see text messages with a URL where you
eye contact, and body language, SMS might
can access the media in a web browser instead.
occasionally be misconstrued.

● The sender is always expected to read and reply History

right away, and failure to do so causes resentment
and annoyance. In 1984, MMS was developed. It is an upgraded
form of SMS (Short Message Service) that only
● SMS is intended for brief, uncomplicated
allows text messages to be sent. MMS services
messaging. Information that is emotionally
were not as widely used in the past as they are
charged should also not be texted.
now. Numerous technological challenges must
● By encouraging the usage of shortened versions
be endured by the clients. Therefore, several
of all commonly used words and phrases, SMS
businesses have found solutions to this problem
erodes linguistic abilities. Grammar mistakes are
through higher throughput, content optimization,
also made worse.
and handset identification.

MMS
The MMS service was originally made available for
purchase in China. The chairman and CEO of China
Multimedia Messaging Service is what MMS stands
Mobile stated in 2009 that MMS service had mostly
for. It is the accepted method for communicating
replaced SMS service in China.
between devices across a network.

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The MMS market in Norway is the most developed Internet Communication, Advantages,
in Europe. MMS usage in Norway reached 84% of and Disadvantages
all mobile subscribers in 2008.
The many diverse ways that people can
As smartphone use grew between 2010 and 2013. communicate on the World Wide Web are referred to
The rising use of smartphones has also significantly as “internet communication.” It comprises forums,
increased the use of MMS services. social networking sites, email, instant messaging,
chat rooms, and voice-over IP applications.
Advantages
The World Wide Web, sometimes known as the
● MMS messages can be sent and sent with ease. Internet, is a collection of interconnected networks
● We have the ability to save and forward MMS that links computers all over the world. This network
messages that we have received. supports a variety of communication channels. VoIP,
or voice over IP, refers to applications like Skype
● Because these services are user-friendly, users
that let users have audio and video conversations
are using them.
online. Facebook and other social media platforms
● These are interactive services. are other examples of online communication.
● Content with lots of images, videos, and other These websites enable users to publish messages
material supports stronger branding. and then reply to those messages across a wide
network of computers.
Disadvantages

● Not all mobile phones provide MMS service.

Therefore, we are unable to use this service on
all phones.

● Due to the various display sizes of various

phones, certain multimedia content has some
resolution difficulties.

● Although it is a service that is offered to us, there

are additional costs involved. If we need to use
A long chain of responses is formed when someone
this service, there will be additional fees.
starts a thread on an internet forum, which furthers
● Users who have chosen to be included in an MMS
the conversation. People can submit comments on
database may not actually have an MMS-capable
many websites, including blogs, to communicate
phone. The only way to send MMS messages
that way. Along with forums, chat rooms are some
in mass is frequently through a specialist
of the most traditional forms of communication on
messaging platform, not a network.
the Internet. Even before graphic user interfaces
like AOL, text-only communication via the Internet
was only feasible when it was primarily a network

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of linked government and academic computers. corporate procedures.

Internet Communication Benefits 5. Boost the area of education

1. Tempo and speed Numerous computer applications can now be

shared across generations and geographical
Communication over the internet saves time and regions thanks to the internet. Anyone with access
money. This is due to the fact that information can to the internet may readily get important information
be transferred much more quickly and cheaply. about the business, health, and the environment.
Contacting a cousin or a business partner also
becomes easier and more effective. Emails and 6. Additional business possibilities
texts allow us to instantaneously contact anyone
on the planet. Thanks to Skype, social media Businesses can now be automated more easily
platforms, video conferencing, and many other thanks to information and communication
options supplied by communication firms, the technology (ICT), which enables customers to
internet has also enabled face-to-face contact. contact them around the clock. This implies that
a business can be established anywhere, at any
2. The emergence of new, fascinating jobs is another moment, enabling customers to make purchases
significant benefit of internet communication. from various nations. This facilitates and simplifies
Information and communication technology has business. For instance, ezTalks has made it
opened up numerous new career options for system possible for many firms to collaborate instantly
analysts, computer programmers, web designers, and simultaneously. Businesses utilizing ezTalks
hardware and software engineers, and more (ICT). may instantly share and access massive files,
receive updates in real time, and guarantee that
3. World trade every employee participates regardless of location
or time.
The internet has helped to increase economic
growth while also bringing people closer together. 7. Closes the cultural divide
Additionally, it has eliminated linguistic and
geographic barriers. Information technology The gap has been closed in part via the internet.
has made the world into a small, interconnected People from many countries are able to speak
village, allowing nations like Japan and Ireland, readily with one another, facilitating an interchange
who are geographically and linguistically apart, to of ideas and perspectives.
communicate and exchange ideas.
Internet Communication Drawbacks:
4. Reasonably priced
1. Joblessness
Making an international phone call is far more
expensive than sending an email. The internet has The internet has enhanced numerous industries,
also helped firms save costs by systematizing yet it has also led to job loss due to outsourcing,

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downsizing, and redundancies. For instance, a technology is always evolving. This means that if
manufacturer can use speedier, longer-lasting IT professionals want to keep their positions, they
robots to take the position of qualified workers. must continually learn in order to stay up with the
changes.
2. Privacy Despite the fact that the internet has
facilitated faster, more comfortable, and easier 4. Prevailing over cultures
communication, privacy issues have surfaced.
More and more people are now concerned about The internet has united the world as a single village,
the security of their private information, from email but certain civilizations have absorbed others. For
hacking to phone signal interception. instance, the majority of teenagers around the
world are inspired by western youth in terms of how
3. A job security issue they dress, act, and behave.

Job security has become a challenge since

Summary

● Email connects civilizations that are dispersed throughout the globe and transcend all geographical
barriers. There are some better styles of writing than others, even though one is completely free to write
and express oneself whatever one likes.

● Emails that are properly formatted are much more likely to elicit the intended response from the receivers.

● The term “netiquettes” is used to describe the manners and etiquette that one should adhere to when
conversing online.

● Blogging is a relatively new trend. A blog is a shortened version of weblogging, in which an Internet
user keeps a continuously updated private journal that is shared with the public. A blog must always be
accessible to the general public because it is intended for public reading.

● The World Wide Web is crucial for communication in the corporate world. Businesses all across the world
maintain several web pages that are frequently stored on websites.

● A system of switched exchanges connects a network of teleprinters to form the Telex, an international
message-transfer service. Telex service users can securely and immediately communicate with one
another using text messages.

● Early in the 1930s, telex systems were invented in the UK and a few other European nations. The TWX
service was launched by the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) in 1931.

● The use of telex started to wane in the 1980s when high-speed digital communication, in particular fax
transmission, became possible on non leased dial-up telephone lines.

● Users of the cloud-based messaging service Telegram must have access to the internet in order to

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 communicate. This Instant Messaging (IM) platform can be accessible by applications on mobile devices,
tablets, desktop computers, and the web, all of which require an internet connection.

● The telephonic transmission of scanned-in printed information (text or images) to a telephone number
typically associated with a printer or other output device is known as fax (short for facsimile; also known
as telecopying).

● Voice messaging is a computerized method for recording and editing spoken messages that can be
accessed by users around-the-clock from any touch-tone phone. A voice-messaging system can be
accessed by nearby, distant, and mobile users via landlines or mobile phones.

● A live, visual connection between two or more persons who are typically spread out over different locations
is made possible by video conferencing technologies. Live video conferencing services are necessary to
replicate face-to-face talks online.

● Most current mobile phones have a type of interface card called a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card
that stores the user’s account information as well as some forms of media including contacts, photographs,
and occasionally ringtones.

● Short Message Service is the English equivalent of the acronym SMS. It is a technique for transmitting
and receiving text messages via various electronic devices, including mobile phones, landlines, and the
internet, using the communication protocol.

● The first mobile phones with text messaging capabilities appeared in the early 1980s.

● Friedhelm Hillebrand and Bernard Gillebaert created the idea for SMS in 1984 while participating in the
Franco-German GSM partnership.

● Multimedia Messaging Service is what MMS stands for. It is the accepted method for communicating
between devices across a network.

● The MMS service was originally made available for purchase in China. The chairman and CEO of China
Mobile stated in 2009 that MMS service had mostly replaced SMS service in China.

● The World Wide Web, sometimes known as the Internet, is a collection of interconnected networks that
links computers all over the world.

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 Unit 12

Writing for Effect

Learning Objectives Introduction

By the end of this unit, you will be

Adaptation is where the study of clear writing logically
able to understand:
starts. When we say “adapt,” we mean tailoring the
● Meaning and need of writing for
message to the individual reader. Of course, not
effect
every reader has the same capacity for message
● Style of conversation comprehension. They don’t all have the same vocabulary,

● Coherence depth of topic knowledge, or way of thinking. So, in order

to communicate effectively, you must first understand
● Role of emphasis
the other person. Your message should be tailored to
● Positive language accent that audience’s thinking. This strategy is the cornerstone
● Courtesy of proper corporate etiquette in addition to aiding in
communication. It’s just smart business practice to make
your message simple to understand.

Adaptation is where the study of clear writing logically

starts. When we say “adapt,” we mean tailoring the
message to the individual reader. Of course, not
every reader has the same capacity for message
comprehension. They don’t all have the same vocabulary,
depth of topic knowledge, or way of thinking. So, in order
to communicate effectively, you must first understand
the other person. Your message should be tailored to
that audience’s thinking. This strategy is the cornerstone
of proper corporate etiquette in addition to aiding in
communication. It’s just smart business practice to make

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your message simple to understand. your own, for instance. Or you could have to talk
to folks who are educated to your level but simply
Writing for Effect: Meaning and Need don’t understand what you’re saying.

Adaptation is where the study of clear writing For the sake of illustration, imagine that you need
logically starts. When we say “adapt,” we mean to send a message to a team of less-educated
tailoring the message to the individual reader. Of employees. You are aware of how limited their
course, not every reader has the same capacity for vocabulary is. You must speak plainly if you want
message comprehension. They do not all have the to communicate with them. You won’t be able to
same vocabulary, depth of topic knowledge, or way converse if you don’t. On the other hand, you would
of thinking. So, in order to communicate effectively, have a bigger vocabulary if you were writing an
you must first understand the other person. Your identical message to a group of highly educated
message should be tailored to that audience’s people. The vocabulary of this group is more
thinking. This strategy is the cornerstone of extensive than that of the first. However, you should
proper corporate etiquette in addition to aiding in always choose a language that the audience would
communication. It is just smart business practice comprehend.
to make your message simple to understand.
Illustration of Adaptation
The Basic Needs for Adaptation
The following sentences from two annual reports
These are the fundamental requirements for of companies explain how adaptation works. The
adaptation: first report’s author reportedly believed that the
readers lacked financial knowledge.
Picture the Reader
The overall revenues for your company in the
You start by imagining your reader as you alter your previous year were’11,74,00,000, which was
message. In other words, you imagine what he or she marginally more than the the’10,98,00,000 total. In
would be like in your head. You make assumptions contrast to 1998, when all costs were deducted, we
about the reader’s degree of education, knowledge had ‘4,593,000 left over for earnings. We were able
of the topic, and mentality. In general, you take into to boost your annual dividend payments per share
account whatever you think might influence how from the five rupees paid during the previous ten
your reader interprets your message. This helps years as a result of these higher profits.
you when you create the message.
The author of the second report assumed that the
Method for Adapting readers were knowledgeable about money. Perhaps
the author assumed that the usual reader would
In many business contexts, writing at a lower level be drawn from the ranks of bankers, stockbrokers,
than you would often employ involves adapting to financial managers, and analysts. As a result, the
your reader. You may occasionally need to converse language used in the annual report was modified
with persons whose educational level is lower than for these readers as follows:

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On December 31, 1998, the corporation had that you know the reader is aware of what you are
investments and advances totaling ‘4,22,00,000 writing about, for instance, you might subtly insert
in three unconsolidated subsidiaries (all in the “as you know” and other such expressions.
development stage) and 50 percent-owned
enterprises. The excess of these investments Adaptation’s governing function
above the net asset value at the time of acquisition
was ‘17,60,000. As of December 31, 2001, the
corporation’s equity in net assets was $4,18,00,000.
For the fiscal years ended December 31, 1998 and
1999, it was $33,50,000 and $8,87,500, respectively.
For the years 2001 and 1998, the amount of dividend
income was 7,50,000 and 3,88,000, respectively.

Which author had it right? possibly both. Maybe

neither. The answer relies on how each company’s
actual stockholders were. Both instances serve as
The conversation that came before it demonstrates
illustrations of the adaption strategy. They speak
that communication depends on adaptation. In
differently to various audiences, and you ought to
fact, it is so fundamental that you must apply it to
try to do the same.
all of the speaking and writing instructions in the
pages that follow. For instance, the emphasis on
Changing for Different Readers
simplicity in discussions about writing strategies
will emphasize the use of straightforward
It’s simple to modify your message for one reader.
language, concise sentences, and compact
However, how do you adjust while speaking to two
paragraphs. You must consider adaptability in
or more readers at once? What if the backgrounds,
terms of simplicity. You must specifically keep in
levels of expertise, and other characteristics of
mind that what is straightforward for one person
your intended readers are quite diverse? Writing
may not be straightforward for another. The
for people with the highest levels of education
writing instructions’ intended meaning may only
and knowledge would exclude others with lower
be fully understood if you keep in mind the logical
levels. You run the risk of insulting folks with higher
application of adaptation.
degrees of intelligence by tailoring your message to
the lowest level.
Style of Conversation
The solution is clear. You must adjust to the lowest
Writing in a conversational language is one method
setting you can manage. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t
for fostering friendliness. We refer to language
be able to communicate at that level. Of course, you
that has a conversational feel as conversational
run the risk of alienating readers with higher reading
language. It is cozy and organic. People seem
comprehension levels if you write for readers at the
to prefer the impression that such language
lowest level. By exercising caution when speaking
makes. Additionally, it is the language we use
in a low voice, you can reduce this risk. To convey

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and comprehend the best. It is appropriate to use relevant, have lost their freshness due to overuse.
it in commercial settings because it is simple to
comprehend. Some of the rubber stamps still in use today are
remnants of the old business language, a style of
Defying the Necessity of Formality writing that was popular more than a century ago.
These phrases include “blessing in disguise,” “as
Writing informally is more difficult than you might good as gold back,” “against the wall,” “call the shots,”
imagine because most people like to write in formal and “learning the ropes.” Early on, business writing
ways. We adopt a different persona when writing a took on a very stiff, stilted, and unnatural tone. It was
piece. We use rigid, stilted vocabulary when writing customary for messages to begin with phrases like
instead of using warm, conversational language. “your letter of the 7th instant received...” and “your
We look for the big, challenging term. The end esteemed favor at hand...” With ambiguous closings
result is a chilly and artificial style that does not like “trusting to be favored by your response...” and
have the intended positive impact on the audience. “thanking you in advance, I remain. “, they came
The following instances highlight this issue and to an end. There were many phrases like “deem it
how to fix it. advisable,” “beg to counsel,” “This is to notify,” and
“wherein you state” in the messages. Thankfully,
“Rubber Stamps” are cut out. people no longer employ these weird and unnatural
expressions. Nevertheless, a handful of the old
Cliches, often known as rubber stamps, are phrases sayings are still in use today, some with updated
that people automatically employ whenever a wording. One illustration is the first sentence that
particular circumstance arises. They are used says, “Thank you for your letter.” Although it may
mindlessly and do not only apply to the current have good intentions, its overuse and roots in the
circumstance. They are utilized similarly to rubber outdated business jargon turn it become a rubber
stamps, as the name suggests. stamp. Another is the closing phrase, “If I can be of
any additional service, please don’t hesitate to call
Rubber stamps transmit the results of conventional on me.” The following are additional examples of
therapy because they are frequently utilized, rubber stamps in this category:
which is unlikely to leave readers with a positive
impression. Such treatment conveys to readers
that the writer does not specifically care about
them and that the current situation is being handled
similarly to other cases. On the other hand, phrases
chosen especially for this situation are likely to
impress. They demonstrate the writer’s interest in
and concern for the audience. It is obvious that
a well-chosen phrase is preferable for fostering
goodwill. The following list includes some rubber
stamp instances that you have undoubtedly heard
about. These expressions, though originally highly

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I am glad I can respond to your message. Your Tie-In Phrases
message has reached me.
You may effectively relate the ideas if you organize
According to our records, this will acknowledge your message so that one notion leads to the next.
receipt of... This is to advise you that...... In In other words, you can structure the phrases to
accordance with your instructions... You don’t have connect two related ideas. The following illustration
to know all the rubber stamps to cease using them. shows how a candidate for the position combined
Even knowing who they are is not necessary. Since the opening two phrases of the letter:
most conversational vocabularies do not include
these stale idioms, you merely need to write in Are you aware that you’ll soon want another
good conversational language. If you have ever knowledgeable and educated salesperson to
used rubber stamps, it’s likely that you first learned contact your technical people in the IGI Airport
about them from reading other people’s writing. region due to the rising demand for precision
equipment there?
Coherence
I think I am qualified for this position because I have
Your documents are made up of separate pieces seven years of experience with computer graphics
of data. However, these tidbits of knowledge do software and a degree in scientific illustration.
not convey the entire message. The connections
between the facts that are provided reveal a portion Now, replace the second statement above with the
of the message. As a result, in order to effectively one that follows, and pay attention to the sudden
convey your message, you must do more than change it makes.
simply present the facts. The relationships must
also be made explicit. Giving consistency to your I am 32 years old, married, and eager to talk to you
message requires making these relationships about potential work opportunities.
evident.
Another example is the sentence that follows the
The best thing you can do to make your message first sentence of a message declining to adjust a
coherent is to present its material in a logical trenching machine. Compare the two examples.
order that is suitable for the approach taken in the As you can see, the goal of the first sentence’s
particular circumstance. This subject is so crucial approach is to set the stage for the presentation
to effective message writing that it will be the of later material that will absolve the corporation
main focus of the chapters that follow. We shall of liability.
therefore put off talking about this crucial aspect
of coherence. But rational structuring is frequently The Opening Phrase
insufficient. To connect the supplied information,
a variety of strategies are required. Transitional Your impartial analysis of the information pertaining
devices are the name given to these methods. to the operation of your Atkins Model Pay-loader is
The four main ones—are tie-in sentences, keyword proof that you are a person who wishes to take all
repetition, pronoun use, and transitional word use. relevant information into account.

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Writing for Effect
Repeating Important Words speak in ordinary speech using transitional words.
However, it’s possible that you don’t use them
You may easily connect succeeding concepts by enough when you write. So keep an eye out for
using a keyword or phrase in each sentence. The locations that need to be related or connected.
subsequent sentences serve as an example of Consider employing transitional words wherever
this transitional element (keywords in italics). The there are abrupt changes or pauses in the flow of
phrases are taken from a message that declines to ideas.
agree to deliver a lecture series for an advertising
clinic. In addition to, besides, in spite of, in comparison,
although, likewise, thus, consequently, for instance,
Your advertising clinic is so thoughtfully prepared, and also are some of the often used transitional
so I have no doubt that it will offer community terms. It is simple to understand how these words
practitioners a genuinely beneficial service. I believe connect ideas since each one provides a hint about
you will agree that the program needs to be given the nature of the relationship between what has
the time necessary for careful planning in order to been stated and what will be said next. The reader is
be truly valuable. You’ll need to find someone who informed, for instance, that what will be discussed
can better represent your program since I have a lot next builds on what has already been covered.
of commitments in the upcoming weeks. However, this blatantly contrasts the ideas. shows
that what has been said and what will be stated are
Employing pronouns similar.

Pronouns are effective between ideas because An Important Note

they refer to previously used terms. As a result,
occasionally employ them to connect ideas. Use The debate that came before it does not advise
the demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these, and using these transitional devices carelessly. Without
those) and their adjective forms the most since them, much of your topic matter will flow naturally.
they serve to express relationships between ideas. However, utilize them naturally so that they mesh
The examples that follow (with demonstrative with your writing when you do.
pronouns in italics) demonstrate this method:
The Role of Emphasis
The only pressure control modification that
customers have ever proposed since the launch Giving the right emphasis to the message’s
of our Model V nine years ago is now available. components is frequently necessary to achieve
Making this progress has been the team’s main desired results when writing. Every message
focus for this entire period. We can now announce contains a variety of information that needs
with pride that these efforts were successful. to be conveyed, including facts and ideas. The
importance of some of these items exceeds that
Transitional Words of others. For instance, the primary objective of a
statement is crucial. Less significant are illustrative
Many of your thoughts are connected when you justifications and incidental information. Determine

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Writing for Effect
the significance of each piece and give it the Emphasis and Space
prominence it requires as part of your duty as a
writer. The emphasis you place on anything changes
depending on how much you say about it and how
You must employ certain strategies to give each little you say about it. If one argument in your letter
element of your message the correct focus. These receives a complete paragraph while another only
four concepts—position, space, structure, and receives a single sentence, the first point will be
mechanical devices—are by far the most beneficial. given more weight. You must speak just enough
Each is explained in the paragraphs below. about each piece of information you deliver in order
to have the desired impact on your message.
Emphasis by Position
Focus and Sentence Structure
A writing unit’s beginnings and finishes are given
more weight than its central portions. Whether the Short, straightforward phrases draw attention to
unit is the message itself, a paragraph from the their information, whereas long, complex ones do
message, or a sentence inside the paragraph, this not, as we saw in the previous unit. Consider your
law of emphasis still holds true. We are unsure information’s potential sentence structures before
of the cause of this. According to some experts, using this emphasis strategy in your writing. To
the reader’s brand-new mental vigor explains the avoid competing with other material for the reader’s
attention at the beginning. Some claim that the final attention, use short, uncomplicated phrases to
sections stand out because the reader remembers convey the more crucial information. Combine
them the most recently. Whatever the reason, the less crucial information, making sure the
research indicates that this attention method is connections make sense. Put the more significant
effective. information in independent clauses and the less
significant information in subordinate structures in
The two main areas of emphasis in communication your combination sentences.
as a whole are the start and the end. As a result, you
need to be extremely careful about what you place Mechanical Techniques for Emphasis
there. The internal paragraphs’ origins and ends
serve as secondary focus locations. This should be The attention methods that make use of mechanical
considered when structuring each paragraph. Each equipment are perhaps the most noticeable. Any
sentence emphasizes it is initial and end words physical actions we can do to emphasize printed
more than its middle ones, though to a lesser extent. words are referred to as mechanical devices. The
You may influence the attention that your reader will underscore, quotation marks, italicized, boldfaced,
give to the ideas in your message even in the way and solid capital letters are the most widely used
you structure your sentences. In conclusion, your of these formatting options. To draw emphasis to
organizing plan should start and conclude with the particular points, you can also use diagrams, lines,
ideas you wish to draw attention to. Between these and arrows. That goes for color, unique font, and
positions, you should bury the points you don’t wish artwork as well. Aside from sales letters, these
to stress. strategies aren’t typically utilized in business

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documents. goodwill and may incite your reader’s antagonism
to your objectives. Thus, you must carefully
Positive Language Accent consider the connotations that your words carry
in order to achieve your writing objectives. The
The words you choose often determine whether most acceptable words for each situation must be
your written message is successful in reaching its chosen.
audience. You are aware that there are numerous
ways to phrase the same thing, and each one has a You should normally avoid using words that are
unique meaning. The differences are largely due to extremely negative when doing this. These words
word meanings. elicit negative and unpleasant feelings, which
typically distract you from your aim. Words like
mistake, trouble, error, damage, loss, and failure are
among them. Additionally, there are words that deny,
including no, do not, refuse, and stop. Additionally,
certain words have negative connotations or
sounds. The words “itch,” “guts,” “scratch,” “grime,”
“sloppy, sticky,” “bloody,” and “nauseous” are
among the examples that would vary from person
to person. How about slimy, bilious, and soggy?
Or how about gummy? Think about the meanings
that are produced when you use these negative
Effects of Language terms. It should be clear to you that they frequently
contradict the majority of the objectives you may
The greatest language for attaining your message’s have for your messages.
objectives is typically positive. This is not to argue
that unfavorable language should never be used Illustrations of Word Choice
in business writing. You may want to employ
such powerful, emphatic terms from time to time. Consider the situation of a corporate executive who
However, you will typically require encouraging had to decline a request from a local civic group
comments because they are more likely to have to use the company’s meeting spaces in order to
the desired results. Positive comments are demonstrate you are favorable versus negative
most likely to succeed when your objective is to word choices when handling written messages.
change someone’s perspective, for instance. They The CEO could allow the group to use a conference
frequently help the reader get in the correct state room, even if it might be too small for their needs,
of mind and highlight the enjoyable elements of the to lessen the blow of the rejection. The executive
objective. They also foster the spirit of benevolence came up with the following wholly unfavorable
that we look to in most messages. reply:

Negative language frequently has the opposite We regret to inform you that because the Gymkhana
results. They are likely to be extremely damaging to Club requested it first, we are unable to allow you to

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Writing for Effect
utilize our auditorium for your meeting. However, three cases of servo brake oil were damaged as a
there are only 60 seats in our conference room, result of our negligence.
therefore we can’t allow you to use it.
Courtesy
The words in the negative are italicized. First, the
phrase “We regret to notify you” is a clear indicator Courtesy is a key component of goodwill in
that bad news is on the way. The phrase “cannot business documents. When we talk about showing
permit” has an overly harsh connotation. And take people respect and genuine concern, we mean this.
note of how the restricting word alone hinders the The cornerstone of business etiquette is the use of
message’s good news portion. respect in written communications. It fosters cordial
relationships amongst people. The outcome is a
The executive might have written if they had looked more favorable social environment for conducting
for more uplifting methods to discuss the same business and solving business challenges.
circumstance.
Several particular strategies are required to develop
Although the Gymkhana Club has the auditorium civility in communication. Writing in conversational
reserved for this Saturday, we may still language, using the you-viewpoint, and selecting
accommodate you in our conference room, which words for a positive effect are the first three
has 60 seats. aspects that come into play. It also makes use of
other methods.
There is not a single unfavorable word in this
rendition. Although both strategies successfully
reject a request, their consequences for the reader
are very different. It is clear which strategy does a
better job of fostering and maintaining goodwill.

Consider a second example where a writer agrees

to repair brake oil cans that were broken during
transit. Of course, the most favorable outcome
that such a circumstance can have is granting the
claim. This customer may have had a less-than- Identifying Your Reader
ideal experience, but she is still getting what she
wants. However, the unfavorable parts of the issue Selecting a specific reader and writing to them
can be brought back so vividly by the negative personally is one of the other strategies. Routine
language of a novice writer that the satisfactory messages can out as indifferent and chilly.
solution is pushed to the side. As this message’s Contrarily, communications that seem to be crafted
negative version shows, the result is that the only for one reader tend to make that person feel
reader’s goodwill is harmed. valued and important.

We received your claim in which you allege that You should write for the specific circumstance

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Writing for Effect
if you want to draw attention to your reader in a Similar to simple assertions of the obvious,
message. It should be obvious from what you preaching falls into this group. For the seasoned
write throughout the document that the reader retailer, claims like “Rapid inventory turnover means
is receiving individualized attention. We wish increased profitability” are self-evident and are
you the best of luck on the book, for instance, in likely to elicit negative responses. The majority of
a note authorizing a professor to use company sentences that contain the words “you need,” “you
information in the professor’s hook. Better than any want,” “you should,” and “you must” would also fall
similar case-specific reply is this carefully tailored under this category because they tend to talk down
one: “If we can be of more service, please let us to the reader.
know.” Another effective technique to convey that
the reader is receiving special treatment is to use This straightforward question-and-answer format
their name in the message content. Occasionally is used in another type of preaching: “Would you
using phrases like “You are accurate Mr. Batra” like to negotiate a trade that would give you a 38
or “As you know, Manjusha” can help us win the percent profit? You would, of course! Who among
reader’s trust. knowledgeable, self-respecting businesspeople
wouldn’t find this tactic offensive?
Staying Away from Preaching
Going Above and Beyond
By avoiding the tone of a lecture or sermon, you
can help your writing have a polite effect. Preaching Doing a little bit more for your reader than you have
undermines goodwill, unless in the few instances to is one surefire approach to winning their goodwill.
where the reader looks up to the writer. We prefer to We are all aware of the positive effects small extra
be treated equally as humans. We do not like being efforts have on other aspects of our interpersonal
bossed around or spoken down to. Writing that connections. But far too many of us fail to include
implies unequal writer-reader relations is therefore them in our messaging. We may just include the
likely to irk the reader. bare minimum in our messages because we think
we are being succinct. As a result, people are
Preaching is frequently not intended. It frequently treated rudely and hastily, which is contradictory to
happens when the author is attempting to persuade our aim to foster goodwill.
the reader of something, as in the following
example: For example, the sender of a message declining a
request to utilize business equipment just needs
If you want to succeed, you must take advantage to refuse in order to achieve the main objective.
of savings like this. Your financial savings increase. Of course, this response is direct and completely
You will eventually have enough money to make devoid of decency. A writer who is concerned with
investments. upholding goodwill might explain and defend the
decision, possibly outlining possible alternatives
To inform the reader of something so simple as if for the reader to consider. It is worth the extra work
they were ignorant is insulting. Such obvious details for a wholesaler to include one brief sentence to
ought to be left out. wish a store success with an upcoming campaign.

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The same goes for a few words of encouragement indignantly, believing that any fool should be able to
from an insurance agent sent to a client who has understand the policy:
distinguished themselves.
You would be aware that incidents that happen
Similarly, a writer employs sound judgment outside of your installation are not covered if you
while composing an acknowledgment message had read Section IV of your insurance.
that offers practical advice on how to use the
products purchased. Additionally, a writer for a These words “tell it as it is,” according to one
sales organization may legitimately mention new argument, so what they say must be true. However,
products received, new services offered, price they lack class and display rage. Their clear impact
reductions, etc. in messages to customers. is to enrage the reader. A more diplomatic author
would politely address the miscommunication:
We must respond to those who argue that these
● You are only protected from mishaps that take
recommendations are incongruent with the
place on the premises of your installation area,
requirement for conciseness by stating that the
as Section IV of your policy reveals.
knowledge we are referring to is required to foster
kindness. The number of words required to say ● The majority of angry comments serve only to
what has to be said is measured by concision. It let the writer vent rather than to offer any useful
never entails omitting details that are important to information. These remarks might be sarcastic,
any of your goals. However, nothing we have said insulting, or exclamatory. The examples below
should be taken to suggest that any kind or quantity demonstrate why you must avoid using them in
of additional information is appropriate. You must your writing:
be careful to just use the extra knowledge that is ● You certainly anticipate our holding your hand. I
necessary to accomplish your objective. don’t know why you were so careless.

● You have now allowed your account to go past

Avoiding Anger
due three times. We won’t put up with this
situation. We have lost sales as a result of your
Sending angry messages and letting off steam can
careless approach. We’ve had enough!
occasionally be therapeutic. However, fury only
serves a message’s purpose when it is intended to ● We do not want to allow this situation to persist.
incite the reader’s wrath. Angry language has the
effect of making the reader angry. It is unlikely that Having Sincerity
the writer and reader will cooperate on the message
if they are both furious. Sincere treatment is rendered with courtesies.
People must believe you in order for your messaging
Consider the situation of an insurance company to be effective. You need to persuade them that you
correspondent who must inform a policyholder that mean what you say and that your politeness and
the policyholder misunderstood the policy and is not friendliness are genuine. Your communications
covered on the relevant topic in order to illustrate must therefore possess the quality of genuineness.
the impact of rage. The correspondent might retort

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Believing in your writing’s methods is the finest Your satisfaction is incredibly important to us, so
approach to infusing sincerity into it. You are more please know that we are delighted to be able to
likely to put these tactics into practice if you truly assist you.
want to be polite, truly believe that treating others
fairly promotes harmony, and truly believe that Avoiding Exaggeration: Exaggerated assertions
treating others with sensitivity saves their delicate should be the second thing you look for. Most
feelings. Your writing will demonstrate your overstatements are easily refuted, thus they might
genuineness. give your message the appearance of being hollow.
Exaggerations are excessive assertions of the truth.
Overdoing goodwill strategies. However, there are Although some sales puffery is common, a line is
two key areas that you should pay close attention maintained. The examples that follow obviously go
to. The first is using too many goodwill gestures. beyond these restrictions:
The goodwill approaches are commonly overused,
either due to insincerity or overzealous effort. Already, tens of thousands of new consumers are
lining up outside Siemens dealers’ doors.
For instance, in your attempts to write to only
one person, you could easily use their name too A fan as silently running and murmuring as this has
frequently. Additionally, as demonstrated in the never been and never will. as peaceful as the North
case that follows, the you-viewpoint effort can go Wind
beyond what is reasonable.
Coffee drinkers rave about the incredible whiteness
We now offer you the whole line at a 30% price Colgate Gel offers their teeth everywhere they go.
reduction so that you may purchase Caterpillar
equipment at an exceptionally low price and sell it Superlatives are frequently incorporated into
at a significant profit. overstated remarks. We all use them, yet they
hardly ever correspond to the truth of what we
A letter from the firm president to a new charge actually convey. Words like best, most incredible,
customer includes the following example, which finest, strongest, and healthier are rarely suitable.
has a surreal air to it. Other powerful adjectives, such as extraordinary,
spectacular, delicious, more than happy, sensational,
It made me happy to see your name today among tremendous, revolutionary, huge, and perfection,
Caterpillar’s new, exclusive clients. could have a similar impact. Such statements make
us wonder; we seldom ever accept them.
Or how about this one, which was pulled from a
prominent retail store’s adjustment message?

Summary

● Giving the right emphasis to the message’s components is frequently necessary to achieve desired results
when writing.

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● You must employ certain strategies to give each element of your message the correct focus. These four
concepts—position, space, structure, and mechanical devices—are by far the most beneficial.

● The words you choose often determine whether your written message is successful in reaching its
audience. You are aware that there are numerous ways to phrase the same thing, and each one has a
unique meaning.

● Courtesy is a key component of goodwill in business documents. When we talk about showing people
respect and genuine concern, we mean this.

● Writing in conversational language, using the you-viewpoint, and selecting words for a positive effect is the
first three aspects that come into play.

● Adaptation is where the study of clear writing logically starts. When we say “adapt,” we mean tailoring the
message to the individual reader. . This strategy is the cornerstone of proper corporate etiquette in addition
to aiding in communication.

● Writing in a conversational language is one method for fostering friendliness. We refer to language that
has a conversational feel as conversational language.

● Rubber stamps transmit the results of conventional therapy because they are frequently utilized, which is
unlikely to leave readers with a positive impression.

● Your documents are made up of separate pieces of data. However, these tidbits of knowledge do not
convey the entire message. The connections between the facts that are provided reveal a portion of the
message.

● To connect the supplied information, a variety of strategies are required. Transitional devices are the name
given to these methods. The four main ones—are tie-in sentences, keyword repetition, pronoun use, and
transitional word use.

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