Module 1

Introduction to communication

The importance of communication through English at the present time; the process of
communication and factors that influence communication : sender, receiver, channel, code,
topic, message, context, feedback, ‘noise’, filters and barriers; the importance of audience and
purpose
Verbal and non-verbal communication
Listening Skills: Importance and types of Listening
Identifying and rectifying common errors: Subject-verb agreement, Noun/ Pronoun/ Articles/
Prepositions Usage, Word choice
Vocabulary Building.

The importance of Communication through English at the present time

Before trying to understand the importance and relevance of English or English Communication skills we
must understand the historical background of the language and how it has evolved to the present
status. English as a language never enjoyed this position from the beginning. World history in and after
14th century has a major role to play in making this language powerful and useful. In today’s date it is
not only a major language all over the world but also the official language in many parts of the world.
Many people depend on this language for their mere survival and sustenance.

History of English Language:

Many may be surprised to know that English as language was never used for official purposes even in
England up to 11th and 12th century. In England people used to use rich languages like Latin, French and
Spanish. The dominance of each and every language over the history has been dictated by the might the
countries enjoyed. As England was ruled by the France and other nations for a long period of time they
never had the opportunity to develop their own language. Till late 13th century the script of English
language was not completely developed. The first writing in English which can be claimed as a piece of
literature dates back to late 13th century.

Comparison between English and Indian Languages:

Many Indian languages like Sanskrit, Hindi and Odia are much older languages than English. The
literature of Sanskrit which is also known as the God’s language in India is thousands of year old.
Devnagri script which is used for most North Indian languages pre-dominantly for Hindi (the national
language of our country) and the language is much older in comparison to English. Odia which is our
state language and mother tongue is also older than English. The literature written and used in these
languages are rich in diversity and class. There is clear evidence available to prove these.
Global languages and position of English:

If we try to say that English as a language is used all over the world. Hence, it is logical to use this
language. This statement is also falsified if we look into the top languages in the world in terms of
number of people using it. The number one slot in terms of population goes to Mandarin (Chinese) and
list is followed by Hindi, English, French, Arabic and Bengali among the top languages used in the world.
English only happen to stand IIIrd in the list. This fact confuses us further. In the following paragraph we
will see despite such a position why we are learning English for day to day use and how the language
evolved from being a meagre existence to such a powerful and dominating position.

Evolution of the Language globally:

After 14th century England started flexing its muscles and started entering into new territories. They
settled colonies in almost each and every corner of the world. The union jack started flowing in each and
every continent. Their major colonies were America (North and South America), Asia (India, China,
Japan, and Myanmar etc.), Australia and New Zealand and Africa. As they spread into the far and corner
of the world they started dominating the local languages. They made English compulsory in all the
colonies ruled by them. As a result slowly the language of English evolved as a global language. The say
became quiet famous, “The sun never sets in the British empire.”

Evolution of English Language in India:

In their quest of power they reached the Indian sub-continent in the 17th century. They settled their
colonies and slowly acquired the whole country under one rule. After 1857 (the sepoy mutiny) Britishers
established complete sovereignty over India. The use of English started from the day the English landed
in the country but after 1857 it became the official language of the British ruled India. The English
started training Indians to work as clerks in the various offices. They established many schools and
colleges to impart learning and training in English. It worked for the Britishers because of the
geographical and linguistic diversity present in our country. Many freedom fighters in India started
adopting English as a language to make a platform for communication. The linguistic diversity between
languages was so sharp that it was very very difficult to understand or learn other languages. In such a
situation English helped in bridging the gap between state to state and province to province. Many
popular freedom fighters started using this language as a tool to reach the mass. English worked not
only as a language for communication but also a language for unity and solidarity among Indians. The
trend continued even after independence and in the constitution this language was given the status of
official language.

Present day status of English:

The preexistent linguistic barrier helped the language of English to rule the roost. India is a country with
more than 25 dominant languages and 6000 dialects. There are more than 16 major languages spoken
and used in this country. English appears as a common platform for many Indians when in a cross-
linguistic situation. We must also attribute the hypocrisy of many Indians for the development of English
language in our country. We take pride in claiming that we can speak, write or use this language
comfortably fluently. English is the official language in government and private offices. This is also the
language of instruction in all the Universities and colleges across the country. The scenario is such that
one need to hone the skills of English to obtain a job. Mere knowledge of subjects is no more the only
criteria to secure a job in today’s date. One need to be master in English communication skills to be a
professional. English has evolved as language of status. This reflects status symbol. If one is able to
communicate in English they drive respect for themselves. Before look onto us with respect if we can
speak in English. A person’s knowledge is judged in terms of English. English Communication has become
essential to get a job, move up in the career and earn a lot of money. Not only in India but also in the
world market English communication is highly required.

Today we live in a global village. Globalization has been adopted by almost all the developed and
developing countries. In this globalized era English language is an important tool in the professional’s
hand. In addition to the evolution of the language we must also understand the economic value of the
language. In most developed countries like US, Canada, England, Australia and other major countries
English is the language used for speaking and official correspondence. As this countries control most of
the world economy we have to learn this language to be a part of the economy. English is no more a
language but a bread winner in today’s date. India is a developing country. We need to produce as many
professionals as required. And the professionals need to be well versed in the language. The language is
skills is the call of the day.

In India, Corporates, software companies, industries as well PSU’s and government organizations need
professionals who is fluent in English communication skills. Keeping in view the need of the language we
need to learn this language. Keeping in view the need and importance of English language in the present
context almost all the Universities insist on English communication skills as a compulsory part of their
curriculum for all sorts of professional courses. e.g. B.Tech, B.Sc, B.Pharma, BBA/BCA, B.Arch., MBA,
MCA and other courses. English communication skills has become an integral part of the curriculum. A
professional in todays’ date cannot survive without learning and honing the skills of the language. We
must learn English in today’s date first to survive and secondly to move ahead in our career. China which
is a rival economy is in a less advantageous position because we Indians can use this language in a better
manner. China is trying hard to train it professionals this language. It is believed that it will surpass India
in terms of software professionals by 2020, if we don’t learn this language to surpass China in the global
market. In that a scenario, most of the software jobs will vanish for Indian professionals as China is very
good at providing cheap professionals. One must understand the importance of English Communication
skills in the present time in a broader perspective rather than with a narrower vision.

The process of communication and factors that influence communication sender, receiver, channel,
code, topic, message, context, feedback, noise, filters & barriers.

This world consists of human beings. Human beings are the only species in this earth who has the ability
to speak and has a brain that can do multiple things. Though the three major functions of human
behavior includes food, sex and group existence, human being cannot be complete without expressing
themselves. We need to speak or express our feelings and ideas. These ideas form the base of our
existence. Communication is essential for the existence of the society and it plays a prominent role in
the functioning of different professional organizations. We keep on expressing ourselves at all situations
and at all times. When we look around us in any situation we find people doing various activities. In
doing these activities they involve in various discussions, meetings, conversations, phone calls,
presentations, video chatting, conferencing or mere gossiping. In other words they are communicating
in order to interact. It is one of the important conditions for social interaction. Social interaction cannot
take place without communication because human interaction is essentially communicative interaction.
It pervades the entire range of social and professional relationships, and plays a key role in our life. It is
the reciprocal stimulation and response between individuals, and makes social as well as professional
interaction possible. Most of the times it has been found that all conflicts, tensions, wars are a result of
miscommunication. If absence of proper communication can lead to such dangerous situations, then it is
definitely important to understand the term. Now let’s try to understand the term ‘Communication.’

What is Communication?

The term communication has been defined at various levels. Communication is a dynamic interactive
process that involves the effective transmission of facts, ideas, thoughts, feelings, and values. It is not
passive and does not just happen; we actively and consciously engage in communication in order to
develop the information and understanding required for effective group functioning. It is dynamic
because it involves a variety of forces and activities interacting over a period of time. The word ‘process’
suggests that communication exists as a flow through a sequence or series of steps. The term ‘process’
also indicates a condition of flux and change. The relationships of people engaged in communication
continuously grow and develop.

Communication can also be understood as an exchange of meaning and understanding. Meaning is

central to communication, and transmission of meaning is the central objective of communication.
Communication begins with the sender sending out message cues, which are perceived by the receiver
who assigns meaning to them and responds to them as per the need. Communication can be complete
unless the message sent by the sender is properly decoded at the receiver’s end and comprehended.
Moreover, communication can be considered effective only when the receiver’s response is matching
with the meaning the sender wanted to convey.

Communication: It is the process of expressing one’s ideas, thoughts, feelings, expressions, emotions,
language, knowledge etc. The process may involve Transaction, exchange, and sharing. Communication
is the base of human existence. Starting from the child’s cry which the first communication by any
human being. Communication is present in Home. It spreads out to society (the people with whom we
live and share our experiences on a daily basis). It is also instrumental is framing our culture. Culture in a
developed state of being becomes an integral part of religion. Communication is also responsible in
administration and control in the country. Every aspect related to human being is dependent on
communication. Either it be politics, economics, sociology or technical things like evolution of Science
and development & use of technology. Particularly, in the present context communication assumes a lot
of importance. We live in the world of information technology. Communication is the nerve centre of
information technology and I.T. enabled services.
The process of evolution from pre-historic age to modern age every time human being has given proof
of existence through communication. From the beginning of civilization human being has understood
the need and importance of communication. Now let’s understand the nuances of communication.

Meaning:

The word has been derived from Latin words ‘communis’ and ‘communicare’. The meaning of the first
word suggests to make common and ‘communicare’ means to share or sharing. 14

Definition 1: It is the ability to speak, write or to express our ideas, feelings: clearly and convincingly.

Definition 2: It is the process of sending and receiving symbols for the purpose of understanding,
knowing, informing and in the broadest sense, improving the relation with the world.

Definition 3 (Robert Anderson): Communication is interchange of thoughts, opinions or information by

speech, writing or signs.

Communication also be symbolic because it is not limited to words or language. It can always be done by
the help of gestures and symbols or facial expressions. The symbols can be present with and without
language. Our ability to symbolize and express makes the process of communication possible.

Tools of Communication:

There are various tools that helps in the process of communication. These tools have been developed by
human beings from the dawn of civilization or before. They help us in communicating sometimes
universally sometimes within a group. Here are some of the tools discussed in brief. There can be many
more tools that help in the process of communication. This is not the end of the list.

i) Language: The main function of each and every language is to communicate. Each language has
various forms. It is one of the foremost and important tool of communication. It is the most clear and
comfortable tool to use. Each and every individual uses this tools in the process of communication.
There are different languages in this world. We need to have knowledge of a particular language in
order to communicate in that language. That’s why depending on the use of various languages in the
world there are different linguistic groups.

ii) Script: This is a group of symbols used to express the language in the written format. They are also
highly essential useful tools of communication. One limitation with script is we have make a conscious
effort to acquire knowledge about a particular

script. This consumes a lot of time. This is also regarded as the tool of the educated mass.

iii) Drawing/Painting/Sculpture/Visual art: Many individuals are blessed with creativity. They use their
creativity to communicate in an artistic manner. Their art is well accepted in the society and gives them
high regard. These artistic creations reflect nothing else but communication. They express themselves
with the help of art. These art may be in the form of drawing (child) or painting (professional), they
convey the same meaning. Artistic creations are more stylish in nature in terms of communication. A
small piece of art can convey thousands of sentences by its form, size, colour combination, shades etc.

iv) Body: Our body is one of the most important tools of communication. Whether we are using
language or not it is always present in the process of communication. Without body cues our
communication may be confusing. Our words must be supported by proper actions reflected by the
body. They may be in the form of gestures, postures, eye contact, spacing etc. Every action or non-
action is part of Body. This type of tool is otherwise known as body language.

v) Silence: In particular situations silence can also act as an important tool for communication. There are
many instances where either we don’t use language/words or we are not in a position to use those. In
such situations silence has the power to convey the message effectively. The silence inside a temple
indicates purity and nearer to godliness. The silence inside an examination hall suggests discipline and
law abiding.

vi) Dress/costume: This is also an important tool for communication. Dress has been an integral part of
every culture, tradition, custom and practice. They give shape to our personality and individuality. Dress
also reflects culture and behavior. An individual’s behavior can always be guessed by the kind dress one
is wearing. It has the potential to convey many things without the use of words. School uniform, mask,
traditional attire etc. can convey the purpose. We can identify an individual from the dress.

vii) Surrounding/Environment: Many a times just by reflecting to the environment we get a lot of
message. Many things are communicated by the environment itself. We need not engage in words to
understand a particular situation or context. The environment is powerful enough to communicate the
message and convey us convincingly.

Applications of communication for professional or any other purpose:

We refer of communication as a skill, it means we are going to apply this skill for some purpose. The
purposes can vary from simple social interactions to running governance, it can range from giving a
small presentation in the office to make headlines in the media. We use communication on a daily basis.
It is an important medium to achieve and acquire many personal and professional goals.

Interpersonal: Communication helps us in maintaining proper inter-personal relationships.

Interpersonal skills are a must in this competitive professional world. This deals with handling people
and problems at various situations. This includes understanding, listening, empathizing, convincing,
persuading, negotiating, motivating, driving etc. We have examples in history of great communicators
who applied interpersonal communication skills to the utmost which made them memorable
personalities in the history. E.g. Birbal (the minister with lots of wit with Emperor Akbar), Mahatma
Gandhi (the father of the nation who convinced people of India to adopt non-violence as their weapon
for freedom struggle), Tenali Raman (the clever minister in the court of King of Vijaynagar).
Mass Communication: This is also an application of communication where communication is used to
reach many people at one go. This type of communication has developed with the development of
human civilization and society. Technological advancement has also added to the use of these types of
communication. We live in a society, we want to convey many important ideas, events, incidents,
developments etc. to the world. Mass communication helps us in reaching the maximum at the push of
one button. Newspaper, journal, magazines, Internet, Advertisement, T.V. Channels etc. Organizational
(intra/inter): An organization whether profit based or not, cannot exist without communicating within
and outside the organization. Organizations depend a lot on meetings, business presentation,
discussions, deliberations, reports, interaction, client response etc. Each and every organization uses
communication in their daily business. Similarly organizations need to communicate with the outside
world in the form of understandings, letters, proposals, contracts, deals, partnerships etc.

Local/Regional/National/International: Each and every stage of governance depend on communication.

There are various agencies involved in governance and control. Without proper communication there
will be a lot of confusion and they cannot survive. To maintain coordination among various stages of
governance and various agencies, communication is a must. Various international treaties, pacts,
understandings are only possible through communication. Different organizations has come up in the
years to maintain proper communication for various sectors. E.g. United Nations Organization (UNO),
World Health Organization (WHO), International Court of Justice (ICJ) etc.

In today’s date one needs to master communication because it is both process as well as product. In the
contemporary world communication has adopted multiple roles. One need to learn and practice
communication in order to be successful. In today’s date no profession is bereft of communication.
Artists and leaders could influence a big mass with their style, approach, language etc. But in all these
things communication plays an important role to make them popular. Stalin, Russoue, Gandhi,
Vivekananda, Churchill, Alexander, Herodotus etc. are some of the masters of communication the
world has ever produced. One must understand that communication is ever changing and developing. It
is in a constant state of metamorphosis. In order to keep pace with this one must be skilled enough in all
the technicalities of the process of communication.

Process of communication:

Communication is an interactive process. The two communication agents involved in the communication
process are the sender(s) and the receiver(r). Bothe the communication agents exert a reciprocal
influence on each other through inter-stimulation and response. The process of communication consists
of five steps that is ideation, encoding, transmission, decoding and feedback. These steps take place only
between the sender and receiver.

Ideation: This is the initiation in the different stages of communication. Ideation refers to the formation
of the idea and we tend select the message to be communicated. We also finalize the language for
communication and the length and breadth of it. It consists of the ‘What’ of communication and is
concerned with the content of the specific message to be presented. Ideation depends on the sender’s
knowledge, experiences, and abilities, as well as the purpose of communication and the context of the
communication situation. However, ideation depends on various factors. Messages are generally of two
types as far as content is concerned, i.e. logical and emotional. Logical messages contains facts, figures
and analysis whereas emotional messages consists of feelings. We finalize on the topic to
communication in this step.

Encoding: It is the process of converting the idea into a particular language. The information to be sent
is transformed into a logical and coded message. It depends on the type of relationship the sender and
receiver enjoy. For example, if it is a formal situation then the sender has to keep various things in mind
e.g. Selection of language, level of competency of the receiver to understand the language, selecting a
medium of communication (speaking, writing or non-verbal means) and the form of communication
(face to face, telephonic, one-to-one, one-to-many, group communication etc.)

Transmission: It refers to the transfer of message from sender to the receiver through a proper channel.
It helps in confirming the process of encoding and the keeps the channel free from interference. It
decides the right time, place and method for communication. Through transmission only the intended
message reaches the receiver without distortion and the listener is able to decode it in order to
understand and comprehend the message.

Decoding: In order to understand the message the receiver has to decode the message in form and
content. It is the process of converting the message into thoughts by translating the received stimuli into
an interpreted meaning in order to understand the message communicated. One must understand that
the message is transferred not the meaning. It depends on the receiver to realize the meaning and
understand it. The process also involves interpretation and analysis of a message. In case of oral
communication in involves listening and understanding. As quick response is required in oral
communication the decoding must take place rapidly, whereas, in case of written communication it
involves reading and understanding, hence, the time taken can depend on the ability of receiver.
Effective decoding is very much essential for successful communication to continue.

Feedback: It is most important step in the process of communication. Without feedback the process of
communication won’t be complete. It makes the process of communication two-way. This is the last
stage in the process of communication but, one must keep in mind that, the communication doesn’t end
here. It just completes one loop in the communication cycle. The process of communication continues in
a cyclical order. It is considered the reaction/response to the message. The feedback is given by the
receiver, but when the receiver is giving the feedback he/she becomes the sender and the sender
becomes the receiver. That’s why it is also known as the reverse flow of communication. Feedback
denotes whether the receiver has understood the message or not. The effectiveness of the process of
communication depends on feedback.

Factors that influence the process of Communication:

There are various factors that influence the process of communication. Without having a proper
understanding of the factors one cannot involve in the process of communication effectively. They
control and regulate the process of communication. The factors are sender & receiver, code, channel,
topic, message, context, feedback, noise, barriers and filters.
Sender & receiver: They are the two participants essential for the process of communication to take
place. The flow of information takes place between these two sides. Sender initiates the process of
communication. Please refer….the process of communication.

Code: It is a system of symbols used for the purpose of communication. Language is the most prominent
code used by human beings. Each language uses various symbols in the form of letters which are
represented by different script in different languages for written communication and different sounds
for oral communication. For the communication to be complete both sender and receiver must be well
versed with code they use. In case of non-verbal communication we use gestures/body language as
code. “Code” is also a set of rules which we follow while using a particular language. Each language has
different rules e.g. Grammar, sounds (phonetics) and syntax (sentence structure).

Channel: It refers to the medium through which the information passes. There are basically two types of
channels. a) Auditory channel: The message in the transmission is converted into sounds and the sound
wave passes through air to reach the receiver. b) Visual channel: In case of written communication we
read symbols with the help of vision. This type of channel is also used while sending or receiving non-
verbal messages. As most of the communication involves a mixture of verbal and non-verbal messages
hence, both the channels are active in any process of communication.

Topic: The topic is the idea converted into a message. The topic should suit both the sender and
receiver. They must enjoy some rapport with each other to undertake the process of communication
and must have some understanding on the topic to be communicated. The topic can range from an
event, action, object, person, experience, feeling, emotion, subject, theory, analysis, law, regulations,
etc. The topic should be of mutual interest for the communication to be sincere and continuous. The
participants in the process of communication finalize on the degree of involvement in a particular topic
after initial exchange of ideas. There are some topics which are participant dependent e.g.
entertainment, sports, behavior, attitude etc. whereas, some topics are topic dependent e.g. Science,
technology, policies, economic theories, administrative functions etc. Hence, in topic dependent topics
passive form of communication is used.

Message: In verbal communication it is the form in which the information is sent or received by the
participants. It can be words/group of words or sentences/group of sentences. In case of non-verbal
communication it depends on the situation or context. In non-verbal communication the message
becomes signal sent by means of signs, symbols, gestures, postures etc. The message depends of five
factors. They are precision, confusion, exclusion, emotion and style. a) Precision: The accuracy and
strictness of the message need to be maintained in order to send it in proper content as it was devised
in ideation. b) Confusion: It should be free of mistakes and misconceptions. Mistakes may lead to
misunderstanding of the message as a result the process may get disturbed or diluted. c) Exclusion:
Omission of unnecessary details is highly essential for the message to be clear and specific. We should
also try to segregate the information in such a manner that no extra information is provided. d)
Emotion: The message should reflect proper sentiment and excitement. But one must keep in mind that
it should not be an overflow of emotion which may distort the process. e) It is individual specific. The
encoders understanding, social position, context, cultural background and knowledge affects the style of
a message.

Context: It is the setting in which the communication takes place. The context is dependent on factors
like time of communication, place, sender/receiver, channel, code and topic etc. For complete
communication to take place both the participants should be sensitive towards the context or else the
message may be wrongly comprehended and the result can be disastrous. In case of written
communication the context is less visible.

Feedback: Please refer process of communication.

Noise: Any interference in the message sent and the message received leads to the production of
‘noise’. Noise doesn’t refer to the concept of sound but a break or disturbance in the communication
process. If noise occurs because of technological factors, it is not too much of a problem as it can be
removed or rectified by correcting the fault. But, if it is a result of human error, then both the
participants should take corrective measures. It is an unplanned interference in the communication
setup. This affects the transmission of the message. It can be of two types channel noise and semantic
noise. Channel noise refers to the interference in the mechanics of the medium used, e.g. faulty
connection, technical fault etc... In written communication it refers to illegible handwriting. Semantic
noise is generated internally, resulting from internal problems/errors in the message itself. Sometimes
semantic noise occurs because of misunderstanding of a given word/sentence/phrase by any of the
participants. Grammatical error, faulty pronunciation, ambiguous sentence structure, misspellings etc.
are other examples of semantic noise.

For any kind of communication to be successful, it is essential that the receiver attributes the same
meaning to the message as intended by the sender of the message. But all acts of communication are
not perfect or successful. At times, some meaning is lost as the message encounters various barriers
along its passage between the sender and the receiver. Such barriers may arise at any of the stages
through which a message passes during the process of communication. This is also called
miscommunication.

Some of the common problems that lead to the failure of communication are: noise, cultural
differences, complexity of subject matter, personal biases, semantic problems, socio-

psychological barriers, filtering, information overload, poor retention, poor listening, goal conflicts,
slanting, inferring, etc.

Types of barriers

Barriers to communication can be classified into the following broad categories: 1) Physical or
environmental barriers, 2) Physiological or biological barriers, 3) Semantic or language barriers, 4)
Personal barriers, 5) Emotional or perceptional barriers, 6) Socio-psychological barriers, 7) Cultural
barriers, and 8) Organizational barriers.

Physical or Environmental Barriers

Physical barriers are those barriers which are caused due to some technical defects in the media used
for communication and/or due to certain disturbances in the surrounding environment.

Often, the term ‘noise’ is used as a blanket term to refer to the physical barriers in general. But noise, in
its literal sense, is also one of the factors that give rise to the physical barriers during the process of
communication.

Besides noise, wrong selection of medium, lack of acoustics, poor lighting, frequent movements of
hands, fiddling with a pen, or even serving of tea during an important conversation- all of these are also
responsible for creating physical barriers in the communication process.

Noise

Noise is the first major barrier to communication. Communication is distorted by noise that crops up at
the transmission level.

The meaning attributed to the word ‘noise’ in the field of Communication is derived from the realm of
Physics. In Physics, noise refers to “a disturbance, especially a random and persistent disturbance, which
obscures or reduces the clarity of a signal”.

The modern-day connotation of the word ‘noise’ is “irrelevant or meaningless data” as is apparent from
its usage in the field of Computer Science.

For example, the noise of the traffic around a school obstructs the smooth flow of information between
the teacher and the students. It makes oral communication difficult. Similarly, poor signal or static while
talking over the cell phone or while using the public address system or while watching TV also distorts
the sound signals and disrupts communication. Bad weather conditions may also sometimes interfere
with the transmission of signals and may lead to breakdown of the communication channels.

As discussed above, noise is not only the disruption of sound signals, but it also includes all the barriers
that may arise at any of the various stages of communication. In a broad sense, it denotes semantic
barriers, perceptional barriers as well as psychological barriers.

Time and Distance

Time and distance may also obstruct the smooth flow of information. Today, because of technological
advancements, we have faster means of communication available to us and this in turn has made the
world a smaller place. But at times, these means of communication may not be easily accessible because
of unavailability or due to technical/technological problems. This may lead not only to a physical but also
a communication gap between the transmitter and the receiver.

Time differences between people living in two different countries may affect communication between
them. Even people working in different shifts in the same organization may also face problems in
communicating effectively.
Improper seating arrangement in a classroom or in a conference hall may also act as a barrier to
effective communication as it is difficult to maintain eye contact with one’s audience.

Wrong Choice of Medium

This can also create a barrier to effective communication. For example, if an expert uses charts or graphs
or PowerPoint presentations to orient the illiterate workers or volunteers to a new method of working,
they are bound to be ill-equipped to infer any information or instructions from such sophisticated
presentations.

Surroundings

Adverse weather conditions affect not only the means of communication, but also have an impact on
the sender and the receiver of the message. When two people have to communicate with each other
under extreme weather conditions, whether too hot or too cold, their surroundings does have a direct
repercussion on the effectiveness of the exchange that takes place between them.

Thus, environmental factors determine people’s mood and also influence their mental agility and
thereby their capacity to communicate effectively. Extreme heat and humidity make people either hyper
or listless and thus cause immense stress which in turn affects clear thinking and the attitude of the
communicator; whereas, extreme cold weather induces laziness and also impedes the ability to think
clearly and respond sharply, thereby causing communication failure.

Physiological Barriers

Physiological barriers are related to a person’s health and fitness. These may arise due to disabilities
that may affect the physical capability of the sender or the receiver. For example, poor eyesight,
deafness, uncontrolled body movements, etc.

Physical defects in one’s body may also disrupt communication. While communicating, a person uses–

his vocal (speech) organs to produce sound/speech

his hand and fingers to write

his ears to take in the spoken words

his eyes to absorb the written words

Flawless functioning of these body organs is inevitable for effective communication to take place. In
case of any defect in any of these organs, the successful completion of communication will be difficult to
accomplish.

Speaking can be adversely affected by stammering, fumbling, utterance of improper sounds due to
defective vocal organ/s, etc.

Semantic or Language Barriers

Semantics is the systematic study of the meaning of words. Thus, the semantic barriers are barriers
related to language. Such barriers are problems that arise during the process of encoding and/or
decoding the message into words and ideas respectively.

Both the oral and the written communication are based on words/symbols which are ambiguous in
nature. Words/symbols may be used in several ways and may have several meanings. Unless the
receiver knows the context, he may interpret the words/symbols according to his own level of
understanding and may thus misinterpret the message.

The most common semantic barriers are listed as under:

a. Misinterpretation of Words

Semantic problems often arise because of the gap between the meaning as intended by the sender and
that as understood by the receiver. This happens when the receiver does not assign the same meaning
to the word/symbol as the transmitter had intended.

Words are capable of expressing a variety of meanings depending upon their usage, i.e. in the context in
which they are used. The association between the word/symbol and the meaning assigned to it is of
arbitrary nature.

For example, the word 'yellow' when used as an adjective can have multiple connotations depending
upon its usage. Words have two levels of meaning- literal (descriptive) and metaphorical (qualitative).
‘Yellow’, besides being a primary colour, also stands for ‘freshness’, ‘beauty’, ‘sickness’, ‘decay’, etc.
Hence, the receiver is free to interpret it in any of these ways based on his own imagination and
experience.

But for communication to be perfect, it is essential that the receiver must assign to it the same meaning
which the sender had in his mind while encoding the message. Therefore, there is always a possibility of
misinterpretation of the messages. Mostly, such problems arise when the sender does not use simple
and clear words that can convey the exact meaning to the receiver.

Filters: Filters are like barriers but the only differences is they filter the process of communication. They
channelizes or cleans the process as a result the message is not properly received by the receiver. It
mainly occurs at the psychological level or individual level. E.g. Social status, skill, orthodox thinking,
content, culture, gender etc.

Both barriers and filters distorts the process of communication. The participant has to be conscious of
their presence and act accordingly. If they want the process of communication to be fruitful they must
eliminate as much as possible the barriers and filters from the process.

The above factors are not limiting or end of the list in the process of communication. Some other factors
do creep in as a factor that can influence the process of communication from time to time e.g. Mother
tongue influence, pronunciation, cross-cultural situation etc.
In an organization, communication flows in 5 main directions-

1. Downward

2. Upward

3. Horizontal /Lateral

4. Diagonal

5. Grapevine Communication

1.4.1 Downward Communication:Communication that flows from a higher level in an organization to a

lower level is a downward communication. In other words, communication from superiors to
subordinates in a chain of command is a downward communication. This communication flow is used by
the managers to transmit work-related information to the employees at lower levels. Employees require
this information for performing their jobs and for meeting the expectations of their managers.
Downward communication is used by the managers for the following purposes –

Providing feedback on employees’ performance.

Giving job instructions.

Providing a complete understanding of the employees’ job as well as to communicate them how their
job is related to other jobs in the organization.

Communicating the organizations mission and vision to the employees.

Highlighting the areas of attention.

Organizational publications, circulars, letter to employees, group meetings etc are all examples of
downward communication. In order to have effective and error-free downward communication,
managers must:

Specify communication objective.

Ensure that the message is accurate, specific and unambiguous.

Utilize the best communication technique to convey the message to the receiver in right form
Upward Flow of Communication: Communication that flows to a higher level in an organization is called
upward communication. It provides feedback on how well the organization is functioning. The
subordinates use upward communication to convey their problems and performances to their superiors.

The subordinates also use upward communication to tell how well they have understood the downward
communication. It can also be used by the employees to share their views and ideas and to participate
in the decision-making process.Upward communication leads to a more committed and loyal workforce
in an organization because the employees are given a chance to raise and speak dissatisfaction issues to
the higher levels. The managers get to know about the employees’ feelings towards their jobs, peers,
supervisor and organization in general. Managers can thus accordingly take actions for improving things.

Grievance Redressal System, Complaint and Suggestion Box, Job Satisfaction surveys etc all help in
improving upward communication. Other examples of Upward Communication are -performance
reports made by low level management for reviewing by higher level management, employee attitude
surveys, letters from employees, employee-manager discussions etc.

1.4.2 Lateral / Horizontal Communication: Communication that takes place at same levels of hierarchy
in an organization is called lateral communication, i.e., communication between peers, between
managers at same levels or between any

horizontally equivalent organizational member. The advantages of horizontal communication are as

follows:

It is time saving.

It facilitates co-ordination of the task.

It facilitates co-operation among team members.

It provides emotional and social assistance to the organizational members.

It helps in solving various organizational problems.

It is a means of information sharing.

It can also be used for resolving conflicts of a department with other department or conflicts within a
department.

1.4.3 Diagonal Communication or crosswise communication: Communication that takes place between
a manager and employees of other workgroups is called diagonal communication. It generally does not
appear on organizational chart. For instance - To design a training module a training manager interacts
with an Operations personnel to enquire about the way they perform their task. The Accounts people of
an organization visiting different employees in various departments for their IT calculation, bonus for
workers etc. fall under diagonal communication.

Channels of communication

A breakdown in the communication channel leads to an inefficient flow of information. Employees are
unaware of what the company expects of them. They are uninformed of what is going on in the
company.

This will cause them to become suspicious of motives and any changes in the company. Also without
effective communication, employees become department minded rather than company minded, and
this affects their decision making and productivity in the workplace.

Eventually, this harms the overall organizational objectives as well. Hence, in order for an organization
to be run effectively, a good manager should be able to communicate to his/her

employees what is expected of them, make sure they are fully aware of company policies and any
upcoming changes.

Therefore, an effective communication channel should be implemented by managers to optimize

worker productivity to ensure the smooth running of the organization.

Formal Channels of Communication

The messages which are circulating on regulated, preset channels, of an organization are creating the
formal communication. The content of the communication is related to the organization’s activity, to the
work and to anything which is related to those. The formal communication can consist in verbal
messages, nonverbal messages, written, under the shape of letters, telephone messages, radio
messages, printed, internal notes. Even some gestures can consist in formal communication. The
messages are transmitted by the authorized ones: on official channels, these arrive to the ones who
need to react, to people or machines which need to know the content of these messages.

Usually, all formal communications are recorded and kept in the organization’s evidence. Are retained
copies of these by the transmitter, by the receiver, by all of the desks from the organization which need
to know and keep the information. Examples of formal communications are given by work commands,
reports and financial evidence, reports over sells / inventory, statements referring to the company’s
policies, post descriptions, etc.

The formal communication network is formed out of formal channels, created by setting a formal
system of responsibilities according to the hierarchical structure of the organization. The perfect
network is the one which contains communication channel from bottom up, downwards and
horizontally. Often the direction of horizontal communication is missing or it is inefficient and in this way
the accuracy of the information decreases. The situation is appearing because of the lack of permanent
circulation of the information between departments, although this is vital for the organization in
conditions of existent competition, or the lack of specialists in organizational communication.

The number of communication channels available to a manager has increased over the last 20 odd
years. Video conferencing, mobile technology, electronic bulletin boards and fax machines are some of
the new possibilities.As organizations grow in size, managers cannot rely on face-to-face communication
alone to get their message across. A challenge the managers face today is to determine what type of
communication channel should they opt for in order to carryout effective communication.

In order to make a manager's task easier, the types of communication channels are grouped into three
main groups: formal, informal and unofficial.

 A formal communication channel transmits information such as the goals, policies and
procedures of an organization. Messages in this type of communication channel follow a chain
of command. This means information flows from a manager to his subordinates and they in
turn pass on the information to the next level of staff.
 An example of a formal communication channel is a company's newsletter, which gives
employees as well as the clients a clear idea of a company's goals and vision. It also includes the
transfer of information with regard to memoranda, reports, directions, and scheduled meetings
in the chain of command.
 A business plan, customer satisfaction survey, annual reports, employer's manual, review
meetings are all formal communication channels.

Informal Channels of Communication

Informal communication arises out of all those channels that fall outside the formal channels and it is
also known as grapevine. It is established around the societal affiliation of members of the organization.
Informal communication does not follow authority lines as in the case of formal communication.

Informal communication takes place due to the individual needs of the members of an organization and
subsists in every organization. Normally, such communication is oral and may be expressed even by
simple glance, sign or silence. Informal communication, is implicit, spontaneous multidimensional and
diverse. It often works in group of people, i.e. when one person has some information of interest; he
passes it on to his informal group and so on.

An organization can make efficient use of informal channels to fortify the formal channels of
communication. It acts as a valuable purpose in expressing certain information that cannot be
channeled via the official channels. It satisfies the people desires to identify what is happening in the
organization and offers an opportunity to express dreads, worries and complaints. Informal
communication also facilitates to ameliorate managerial decisions as more people are involved in the
process of decision-making.
Inspite on many advantages, informal communication has certain disadvantages. Informal
communication contains facts, deceptions, rumors and unclear data. The informal channels of
communication may transmit completely imprecise information that may harm rather than help an
organization. In addition, it is impossible to fix the responsibility for its origin or flow of information.
However, for the efficient working of any organization both formal and informal communications are
required.

An example of an informal communication channel is lunchtime at the organization's cafeteria/canteen.

Here, in a relaxed atmosphere, discussions among employees are encouraged. Also managers walking
around, adopting a hands-on approach to handling employee queries is an example of an informal
communication channel. Quality circles, team work, different training programs are outside of the chain
of command and so, fall under the category of informal communication channels.

Grapevine Communication (Informal Communication)

Grapevine is an informal channel of business communication. It is called so because it stretches

throughout the organization in all directions irrespective of the authority levels. Man as we know is a
social animal. Despite existence of formal channels in an organization, the informal channels tend to
develop when he interacts with other people in organization. It exists more at lower levels of
organization. Grapevine generally develops due to various reasons. One of them is that when an
organization is facing recession, the employees sense uncertainty. Also, at times employees do not have
self-confidence due to which they form unions. Sometimes the managers show preferential treatment
and favour some employees giving a segregated feeling to other employees. Thus, when employees
sense a need to exchange their views ,they go for grapevine network as they cannot use the formal
channel of

communication in that case. Generally during breaks in cafeteria, the subordinates talk about their
superior’s attitude and behaviour and exchange views with their peers. They discuss rumours about
promotion and transfer of other employees. Thus, grapevine spreads like fire and it is not easy to trace
the cause of such communication at times.

Example of Grapevine Network of Communication

1. Suppose the profit amount of a company is known. Rumour is spread that this much profit is there
and on that basis bonus is declared.

2. CEO may be in relation to the Production Manager. They may have friendly relations with each other.

Advantages of Grapevine Communication

1. Grapevine channels carry information rapidly. As soon as an employee gets to know some confidential
information, he becomes inquisitive and passes the details then to his closest friend who in turn passes
it to other. Thus, it spreads hastily.
2. The managers get to know the reactions of their subordinates on their policies. Thus, the feedback
obtained is quick compared to formal channel of communication.

3. The grapevine creates a sense of unity among the employees who share and discuss their views with
each other. Thus, grapevine helps in developing group cohesiveness.

4. The grapevine serves as an emotional supportive value.

5. The grapevine is a supplement in those cases where formal communication does not work.

Disadvantages of Grapevine Communication

1. The grapevine carries partial information at times as it is more based on rumours. Thus, it does not
clearly depicts the complete state of affairs.

2. The grapevine is not trustworthy always as it does not follows official path of communication and is
spread more by gossips and unconfirmed report.

3. The productivity of employees may be hampered as they spend more time talking rather than
working.

4. The grapevine leads to making hostility against the executives.

5. The grapevine may hamper the goodwill of the organization as it may carry false negative information
about the high level people of the organization.

A smart manager should take care of all the disadvantages of the grapevine and try to minimize them. At
the same time, he should make best possible use of advantages of grapevine.

The information gap principle: given and new information, information overload

Information gap principle: In the process of communication sometimes the desired outcome doesn’t
take place. We failure of the process is attributed to barriers/filters. But, it is not always true. There can
also be other reasons for the failure in communication. E.g. difference in perception, preconceived
notion (bias), unwanted topic, physical discomforts, disinterest in the subject, drab topic etc... Hence, it
gives rise to a new perception about communication process. When a particular piece of information is
already known by the receiver then the receiver won’t be interested in receiving that piece of
information. That information is known as ‘old information’. Prior knowledge of the information
suggests the receiver will not show any interest in the present process. When the sender assumes that
the receiver already has some information to their knowledge and continues with that notion, it is
known as ‘given information.’ If the receiver already has some knowledge then the flow of
communication will continue but if the receiver doesn’t know head and tail about the information than
the communication is bound to fail and there will be breakdown in the process. Any individuals’ show
interest to a particular topic when they find it to be new. When the receiver is provided with
information beyond its knowledge it is known as ‘new information.’ Sometimes the receivers react
critically to the new information but mostly they try to receive the information out of curiosity and
shows interest in the process. While providing new information the sender must always keep in mind
the background (educational, social, and economical) of the listeners. The condition that arises from
failure in communication due to presence of old information and given information is known as
information gap principle. We need to overcome this gap to make the process of communication
fruitful and effective. In general, listeners/receivers or readers are interested in new subject like small
kids. The sender should always maintain a strategy to make the audience feel more comfortable in the
process. While providing, new information the sender should move from the known to the unknown.

Information overload: We are living in the age of information overload. For a particular query, we get
many information to such an extent that, it becomes difficult to gauge which piece of information is
necessary and which is redundant or useless. This situation confuses us to take a proper decision
regarding which information to retain and which to discard. Here, we must 27

understand that information is not knowledge. This is a world of ‘information technology.’ We tend to
get many information with the click of a button through internet. But all the information received by the
internet are not handy or useful. Most of the stuff are pure junk. One must have sane mind to
differentiate between real piece of information and trash materials. The bombardment of information
makes the task much more difficult. It consumes a lot of time to select a few relevant pieces from such
an overload of information. Hence, we have to be cautious in approach while dealing with such
information. This particular problem has been aggravated by the presence of internet in our day today
life. Internet boom has confused the minds of the youngsters. They confuse between information and
knowledge. Many feel that internet is the biggest teacher and they don’t need class room teaching. Use
of internet definitely helps us a lot but it cannot replace knowledge. We must learn how to master the
internet effectively, rather than becoming a slave to it.

Another concept in information overload is when too much information is provided to the receiver at
one go, the receiver starts bouncing. The receiver finds it difficult to cope with the information.
Particularly in a class room situation, first day in a job etc.

E.g. You must attend the classes/regularly, I’m going to the barber/ to take a haircut.

Verbal and non-verbal communication (Body Language)

Verbal Communication:

When we use any language which is represented by words and sentences for the purpose of
communication it is known as Verbal Communication. It can be either spoken (where we use sounds to
represent a particular symbol) or written (we use script to represent symbols).
Spoken or Oral Communication: Now a days in the highly competitive professional world we need to
engage a lot in oral communication in our day-to-day situations. So, we need to develop and hone the
skills of oral communication. In order to be master in Oral communication one must acquire the skills.
The skills depend on certain qualities which every professional need to develop.

Qualities of Oral Communication:

i) Integrity: In order to build a rapport with the listeners/receivers one must maintain integrity in the
speech. Integrity refers to speaking accurate and to the point. One should speak with confidence and
maintain a flow of communication. Sincerity is highly required in speaking. By maintaining integrity in
the speech one can have greater control of the environment. Providing background information about
topic discussed is always appreciated.

ii) Voice: One should speak in a pleasant voice. It should be audible and we should adjust our volume of
speech according to the environment. Proper modulation is highly essential while speaking.

iii) Tone: We should not try to speak in an extra fashionable manner or like a singer. We should speak in
a normal pitch which can be understood.

iv) Delivery: While speaking one should have a controlled and deliberate delivery style. The normal
speed of delivery should be within 120-180 words. Clarity should be maintained in the delivery of
speech.

v) Quality of the topic: It is also important what you speak. It is wisely said that you can fool many
people for most of the times, but not all the people for all the time.

Hence, speak relevant and good points. You have to substantiate your points with clear conviction.

vi) Enunciation and Pronunciation: Enunciation means pronouncing each and every sound clearly and
distinctly. Giving thought to your pronunciation is enunciation. Pronunciation of the words should be
clear and audible.

vii) Accent or Diction: Try to speak in neutral accent. Your accent should be bereft of mother tongue
influence (M.T.I). Never try to be extraordinary and avoid using nasal accent. Always use the right word
at the right place.

Techniques to improve Oral Communication: The following measures should be taken to improve one’s
oral communication skills. i) Maintain proper eye contact, ii) Do not draw attention to your own
drawbacks (never confess/apologize), iii) Try to understand the audience (the audience may not have
knowledge of the subject), iv) prepare the topic well before you speak and define the purpose of the
speech, v) collect relevant materials to substantiate your talk and vi) Organize your topic properly and
outline the main points.
General rules to become a good speaker in English: Make speaking a practice, except critics, voluntarily
participate in discussions, read books and newspapers and journals regularly, be an active listener
(English news in NDTV, BBC,CNN-IBN etc.), Listen to radio programs in English and watch T.V shows
anchored in English. Tape your speech and continuously rectify your mistake, practice continuously and
speak with conviction.

Types of Oral Communication: Spoken communication can be broadly of two types as per the use and
environment. Different situations in our day-to-day use differentiate them in two different types.

Formal and Informal:

Formal communication is otherwise known as official communication. In case of formal communication

we use formal language. Formal communication is used for serious purposes. E.g. Debate, discussions,
lectures, interview, seminars, speech, Group work, meetings, presentations, public speaking, press
briefing etc. Though formal communication has a lot of passion but most of the times it is bereft
personal feelings and emotions. That’s why critics categorize formal communication as artificial
communication. In formal communication, the same topic communicated at different places, to
different persons under different situations and environment can vary. The status and position of the
persons involved in the process also changes the form of formal communication.

Informal communication includes all the communication that we do either in a professional set up or in
social set up without any serious purpose attached to it. E.g. casual greetings or private conversations,
chatting, gossiping etc... Informal communication is natural and free flow communication without any
rules, restrictions and formality. It reflects personal touch, humility and emotions. One must understand
that there is a hair line difference between formal and informal communication. Language used in both
types of communication depends on the kind of relationship plus in what context the communication is
taking place. The environment has a definite role in deciding the degree of formality in the process of
communication.

Merits of Oral Communication:

i) Saves time

ii) Economical

iii) Powerful method of persuasion and control

iv) Professional Advantage (Marketing, presentation etc.)

v) Tone, pitch can convey the seriousness of the message.

vi) Immediate feedback is possible.

vii) Develops rapport and helps in making friends.

viii) Instrumental in public relations.

ix) Group communication is possible.

Drawbacks of Oral Communication:

i) Distance can be problem in communication.

ii) In case of lengthy message it becomes boring and difficult.

iii) Long retention of the message is difficult.

iv) No legal validity.

v) Feedback is sometimes biased and creates misunderstanding.

vi) Barriers and filters create a lot of problem in the process.

Written Communication: Any communication that is done with the help of writing using script and
follows certain rules of grammar and syntax we tend say that it is written communication. Broadly it can
be divided into two types Professional (Internal and External communication with respect to official
communication) and Personal as per the use. But as per the method, style, composition, length and use
these are 5 different categories of written communication.

i) Documentation: Applications, letters, circulars, memos, telegrams, forms, questionnaires, manuals,

tenders etc.

ii) Books: Novels, stories, poems, articles, essays, puzzles, travelogues etc.

iii) Research: Samples, projects, inventory, bibliography, surveys, journals reports, thesis, dissertations,
hypothesis etc.

iv) Meeting: Agenda, minutes, MOU, agreement, contract etc.

v) Print media: News, magazines, journals etc.

Steps to be followed in written communication: We don’t follow any prescribed chronology or steps in
case of oral communication but in written communication we must follow a pattern. Though it is not
strictly abided but still it is followed by many, for the purpose of communication to be effective and
useful.

i) Introduction with relevant background information and brief history.

ii) Development of case/subject.

iii) Conclusion.

iv) Recommendations (if any)

Apart from this chronology there are certain rules that are strictly followed in any type of written
communication. Cohesion and Coherence are two important aspect of writing. Cohesion is the
sequential development of the subject. It refers to the discussion of an event or problem in a
chronological manner. Coherence refers to logical development of the subject. Here, the topic may be
discussed in a flow/one after the other but definitely links with each other in justified manner. These
two devices must be present in any type of written communication. Or else, the writing will lose its
direction and becomes meaningless. Anyone 32

who is taking course of written communication must be aware of these two devices for making the
communication effective.

Advantages of Written Communication:

i) Accurate and precise: Any written communication is an outcome of careful study, reading and
drafting, editing, re-drafting. To make it authentic collection of information and data is essential.

ii) It can be used repeatedly. Number of times and number of readers is not binding.

iii) Permanent Record: It can be stored for ages. Useful for future reference.

iv) Legal Document: Legal validity(legal document)

v) Useful in case of organizational matters.

vi) Wide accessibility: Internet, newspapers, books etc.)

vii) Assigning jobs and responsibilities is easy through written orders.

viii) More use of written communication increases one’s language ability.

ix) For students the best advantage of this is it is easy to remember once you write it.

Drawbacks:

i) Time consuming: Drafting a document takes a lot of time.

ii) Not economical.

iii) No immediate feedback is possible in this type of communication.

iv) Language cannot represent the seriousness of the message. Explanation is needed to apply the
emotion.

v) Absence of paralanguage makes it difficult to comprehend the meaning unless one is used to it.

vi) In a country like India, oral communication is more effective than written. Illiteracy, negative
attitude, stubbornness, unwillingness etc.

Nonverbal Communication:

Nonverbal communication refers to the silent mode of communication. Words or sentences are absent
in this type of communication. Actions communicate in this type of communication. Martin Luther King
said “actions speak louder than words.” The plain technique involved in nonverbal communication is
stimulation of mind through visual imagery. Even silence can communicate thousand sentences. Body
language is the most visible and evident form of nonverbal communication. Body language involves
gestures, postures, eye contact, facial expressions etc. We also use signs, symbols, space, objects etc.
for this purpose. It is present from pre-historic age. The evidence of which we find in the caves. It only
came into existence as a form of communication in the 20th century.

Definition 1: It refers to the transfer of meaning by body language, space, time and paralanguage.
Nonverbal communication as a form of communication cannot supplement language but without this
language is meaningless. It works as a catalyst in the process.

Definition 2: It is the transmission of messages by some medium other than speech or writing.

Significance: “Don’t watch a person’s mouth but his fists.” In today’s scenario nonverbal
communication is important for all particularly for professionals. Organizations consists of individuals.
When their nonverbal cues match with each other then they will work in a homogeneous environment.
If they work harmoniously and constructively their productivity will increase. According to Prof. Albert
Mehrobian nonverbal communication has a greater role in any type of communication, even more than
verbal communication. He suggests that in any communication only 7% weightage goes to verbal
communication rest 93% is nonverbal communication. They are sometimes deliberately used for a
proper transfer of message.

Gandhi believed that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Nonverbal communication is quicker and
suitable for certain tasks. It plays an important role in interpersonal relationships.

Types of nonverbal communication:

i) Conscious: Winking of an eye, traffic police gestures etc.

ii) Subliminal: It affects our mind without our knowledge. Police uniform, Modelling, Military attire etc.
iii) Voluntary or involuntary messages: Communicators are unaware of their body cues. Scratching the
back of your head while telling a lie.

Categories: Signs, symbols, drawing/painting/sculpture, punctuations, Morse code, semaphore, colour,

graphs, paralanguage etc. are different categories of nonverbal communication. The most significant
category of nonverbal communication is Body language.

Body Language: It is the study of body movements in such a manner that each and every movement of
our body communicates a message depending on the environment. It is not rigid in nature rather
flexible. It is one of the most important aspect of Nonverbal communication and communication. The
different body language cues sometimes function independently and sometimes there is a combination
of two or more. We must study all the cues before judging the meaning of the message. For having a
proper understanding of it one must have a serious approach towards it. Then one will definitely
succeed in their communication under any circumstances. The study of body movements, facial
expressions, postures, gestures, eye contact etc. is known as Kinesics. The various types of body
language cues are as follows:

i) Emblems: It is the study of finger movements or hand movements. This type of body language is
culture bound. Most of the emblems are deliberate in nature.

ii) Regulators: It is the study of head movements. Regulators are an important part of any
communication as they regulate and maintain the flow of speech in communication.

iii) Adopters: It is the study of postural changes of body/stretching. Yawning, sitting, meditating etc. This
is universal in nature. But when we use it deliberately to reflect a meaning it becomes culture bound.

iv) Oculesics: It is the study of eye contact. It is universal in nature. It depends on individual’s cultural
background, age, gender and upbringing. Various position of our eye can depict different meanings. E.g.
Looking straight suggests direct/open/straight forward, Looking down suggests out of respect/guilt/lack
of confidence, looking up suggests lack of knowledge, wandering etc.

v) Haptic: It is the study of touch. It ranges from touch to cuddling, hugging, hand shaking, even kicking.

vi) Proxemics: It is the study of space distancing. It refers to the distance generally we maintain in
different situations. E.g. Intimate: zero, personal: 1.5 ft-4 feet, social: 4-12 feet etc. It is cultural specific.
In western countries particularly Europe they are very particular about proxemics. In India, it is difficult
to understand the relevance of this concept.

Apart from the study of body movements

Para language- is also an important part of nonverbal communication. While speaking we maintain a
particular pause and space without these pauses our speech becomes meaningless. In addition, to that
we maintain tone, speech, voice & modulation in our speech. These things are relevant and related to
what we speak.

The importance of audience and purpose

Audience: Before one begins the process of communication one must ask few questions to oneself.
‘Why am I communicating?’, ‘With whom I am going to communicate?’ the obvious answer is we are
going to communicate with another human being like us not with animals. Whether we are trying to
persuade, command, motivate, and entertain or to train we are communicating with an audience. The
sole purpose of our communication revolves round the audience. Our communication should always
strive to be audience oriented, for the process of communication to successful and complete. We must
understand that without the receiver’s attention and interest the process will fail. The sender must give
due importance to the receiver. Before beginning the process of communication the sender must clear
the objective of the communication in his mind. Then only, he will be able to make it clear to the
audience (receiver). The sender must keep the following things in mind to keep the communication
audience specific.

i) Always respect the receiver’s point of view.

ii) Sender must know receiver’s interests, tastes, preferences, background, education, culture etc. in
advance.

iii) Never underestimate the receiver. There must be a sense of respect for the receiver (vice-versa).

iv) Communication should be a collaborative activity between sender and receiver.

v) Effective planning is required. The planning involves 3 things. a) Language skills and intelligence, b)
Knowledge and understanding of the topic/subject and c) relationship/rapport enjoyed by both the
sender and receiver with each other.

Purpose: As we have already discussed in the previous chapters that communication is a human need.
Communication is instrumental or directly satisfies certain needs like physical, emotional, social,
psychological etc... For that reason each and every communication has a definite purpose. The purpose
is linked with both the sender and the receiver. Without purpose any communication can be rendered
useless. A statement of purpose not only describes what we want to accomplish, but also helps us know
at the end of the communication whether it has been achieved. The purpose can be classified into two
broad categories. I.e. General or specific. General purposes can be to entertain, to inform, to attract, to
regulate, to instruct etc... Specific purposes involve to influence, to motivate, to enquire, to persuade
etc... The listeners of communication plays an important role in the communication process because
they influence the medium of communication. When communication is targeted towards audience with
a purpose it yields desired result. We must understand that some purposes are sender related and some
purposes are receiver related.

To inform: Any sentence that is informative in nature. e.g. i) this road leads to the main hall of the
compound. ii) I’m a student of IST year B.Tech from CET.

To entertain: Cracking a joke or delivering a dialogue which amuses the audience or listeners.

To attract: In this purpose the listeners or audience or receivers are attracted to listen or give attention
to the speaker. The listeners might not have a direct interest or role in what the sender is telling but the
communication is such designed that they get attracted. Advertisement hoardings, Ads in TV channels.

To regulate: This purpose generally serves rules and regulations, sometimes maintaining discipline in a
particular environment. No smoking here.

To instruct: This purpose has a greater role in training, teaching, directing, and administrating.

To influence: This purpose is specific in nature, where we try to influence an individual’s decision,
attitude, thought and impression.

To motivate: This purpose gives attention to particular individual or group to get some work done or to
do better in life, like sermonizing etc.

To persuade: Here the sender is trying to extract some work or job by continuously involving in
conversation with the receiver. This purpose require a lot of skills. This may also take some time to get
fulfilled.

To enquire: When we try to extract information from someone on a specific issue or with a specific
motif we use this purpose. What is your name? Where do you read? etc...

Human beings are social beings. Though we claim that we cannot exist without communication but in
reality we use communication for achieving our own selfish motifs. Hence, we may conclude that all
communication taking place in this world revolves around some purpose or the other.

Listening Skills

A good listener will listen not only to what is being said, but also to what is left unsaid or only partially
said. Effective listening involves observing body language and noticing inconsistencies between verbal
and non-verbal messages. For example, if someone tells you

that they are happy with their life but through gritted teeth or with tears filling their eyes, you should
consider that the verbal and non-verbal messages are in conflict, they maybe don't mean what they say.
Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the communication process.
Listening is key to all effective communication, without the ability to listen effectively messages are
easily misunderstood – communication breaks down and the sender of the message can easily become
frustrated or irritated.Listening is so important that many top employers provide listening skills training
for their employees. This is not surprising when you consider that good listening skills can lead to: better
customer satisfaction, greater productivity with fewer mistakes, increased sharing of information that in
turn can lead to more creative and innovative work.Many successful leaders and entrepreneurs credit
their success to effective listening skills. Richard Branson frequently quotes listening as one of the main
factors behind the success of Virgin. Effective listening is a skill that underpins all positive human
relationships, spend some time thinking about and developing your listening skills – they are the
building blocks of success.

Listening is Not the Same as Hearing

Hearing refers to the sounds that you hear, whereas listening requires more than that: it requires focus.
Listening means paying attention not only to the story, but how it is told, the use of language and voice,
and how the other person uses his or her body. In other words, it means being aware of both verbal and
non-verbal messages. Your ability to listen effectively depends on the degree to which you perceive and
understand these messages.

Types of Listening

Active Listening Active listening is a skill that can be acquired and developed with practice. However,
active listening can be difficult to master and will, therefore, take time and patience.'Active listening'
means, as its name suggests, actively listening. That is fully concentrating on what is being said rather
than just passively ‘hearing’ the message of the speaker. Active listening involves listening with all
senses. As well as giving full attention to the speaker, it is important that the ‘active listener’ is also
‘seen’ to be listening - otherwise the speaker may conclude that what they are talking about is
uninteresting to the listener.

Interest can be conveyed to the speaker by using both verbal and non-verbal messages such as
maintaining eye contact, nodding your head and smiling, agreeing by saying ‘Yes’ or simply ‘Mmm hmm’
to encourage them to continue. By providing this 'feedback' the person speaking will usually feel more
at ease and therefore communicate more easily, openly and honestly.

Listening is the most fundamental component of interpersonal communication skills. Listening is not
something that just happens (that is hearing), listening is an active process in which a conscious decision
is made to listen to and understand the messages of the speaker. Listeners should remain neutral and
non-judgmental, this means trying not to take sides or form opinions, especially early in the
conversation. Active listening is also about patience - pauses and short periods of silence should be
accepted. Listeners should not be tempted to jump in with questions or comments every time there are
a few seconds of silence. Active listening involves giving the other person time to explore their thoughts
and feelings, they should, therefore, be given adequate time for that.
Active listening not only means focusing fully on the speaker but also actively showing verbal and
non-verbal signs of listening. Generally speakers want listeners to demonstrate ‘active listening’ by
responding appropriately to what they are saying. Appropriate responses to listening can be both verbal
and non-verbal:

Passive Listening

Passive Listening occurs when a listener doesnot verbally respond to the speaker. The listener may
deliberately or unintentionally send non-verbal messages through eye contact, smiles, yawns or nods.
Sometimes passive listening is appropriate. If the speaker wants to vent frustration or express an
opinion he may listen passively. Passive listening is mechanical and effortless. It does not require any
specialeffort. You hear what your teacher says and you might be able to tell thedifference between
major and minor points of the lecture, but that is about it.Lack of enthusiasm and a "careless" attitude
during class characterize a studentwho is a passive listener. Active listeners on the other hand really
concentrate on the content of the lecture and not on the lecturer or any randomdistractions in the room
or their mind. They do more than focus on facts,figures, and ideas and actively associate the material
presented with their ownexperiences. The content heard at every lecture is converted to
somethinguseful and meaningful for the student. You must pay special attention in class because, unlike
whenreading a textbook, you only get one chance to hear and understand the information presented to
you.

Barriers to Listening

There are many things that get in the way of listening and you should be aware of these barriers, many
of which are bad habits, in order to become a more effective listener. Barriers and bad habits to
effective listening can include:

Excessive Talking

Good conversational skills are an asset, and a person with this skill is more likely to achieve professional
success. However, talking more than is necessary is a barrier to effective communication. People
hesitate to interact with a person who talks excessively without listening to them. They may also get
bored, and excessive talking may be perceived as aggression.

Prejudice

Prejudice is a preconceived opinion of feeling, which is usually irrational. Prejudice is very dangerous and
has the potential to bring animosity into the team and to break team spirit. The reason for a prejudice
may be the speaker's race, religion, age or appearance. A prejudiced person will not make any effort to
listen and understand.

Distractions

The four main types of distractions are physical, mental, auditory and visual. Here's how to avoid this
common barrier:
It is fine to have personal beliefs and values, but an excessive attachment to them will have a negative
impact on your ability to communicate effectively with others. Learn to appreciate the fact that each
and every person has his or her own set of beliefs and values.

Misunderstanding

Inability to hear correctly is one of the many reasons for misunderstanding of what the speaker is trying
to communicate. This inability to hear is often the result of prejudice. To avoid misunderstanding,
always clarify with the speaker to ensure that you have understood correctly.

Interrupting

Interrupting a conversation with improper body language or inappropriate words will have a negative
impact in effective communication.

Bringing in Emotions

Emotions erect barriers to effective communication. A listener's senses are not likely to be functioning
at their optimum level when he or she is angry. Likewise, it is not possible to understand or appreciate
what the speaker is saying if the listener is excessively sad.

Noise

Noise is "any unwanted sound. It is a great impediment to clear communication. It is impossible to listen
in a noisy environment. It becomes a frustrating experience for both the speaker and the listener.

Previous experiences

We are all influenced by previous experiences in life. We respond to people based on personal
appearances, how initial introductions or welcomes were received and/or previous interpersonal
encounters. If we stereotype a person we become less objective and therefore less likely to listen
effectively.

Having a Closed Mind

We all have ideals and values that we believe to be correct and it can be difficult to listen to the views of
others that contradict our own opinions. The key to effective listening and interpersonal skills more
generally is the ability to have a truly open mind - to understand why others think about things
differently to you and use this information to gain a better understanding of the speaker.

Traits of a good Listener

The following attributes of good listening are suggestive of the skills needed.

Concentration: Good listening is normally hard work. At every moment we are receiving literally millions
of sensory messages. Our ears are hearing the buzzing of the computer fan, street sounds, music in the
background and dozens of other sounds and thousands more signals are knocking at the doors of our
senses. We have to repress almost all of these and concentrate on the verbal sounds (and visual clues)
from one source - the speaker. And this concentration, if something that most of us have not been
thoroughly trained in how to do. You should focus your attention on the words, ideas and feeling related
to the subject. Concentrate on the main ideas or points. Don't let examples or fringe comments detract
you. All of this takes a conscious effort.

Attention. Attention may be defined as the visual portion of concentration on the speaker. Through eye
contact and other body language, we communicate to the speaker that we are paying close attention to
his/her messages. All the time we are reading the verbal and nonverbal cues from the speaker, the
speaker is reading ours. What messages are we sending out? If we lean forward a little and focus our
eyes on the person, the message is we are paying close attention.

Eye contact. Good eye contact is essential for several reasons: First, by maintaining eye contact, some of
the competing visual inputs are eliminated. You are not as likely to be distracted from the person talking
to you. Second, most of us have learned to read lips, often unconsciously, and the lip reading helps us to
understand verbal messages. Third, much of many messages are in non-verbal form and by watching the
eyes and face of a person we pick up clues as to the content. A squinting of the eyes may indicate close
attention. A slight nod indicates understanding or agreement. Most English language messages can have
several meanings depending upon voice inflection, voice modulation, facial expression, etc. Finally, our
eye contact with the speaker is feedback concerning the message.

Receptive Body Language. Certain body postures and movements are culturally interpreted with
specific meanings. The crossing of arms and legs is perceived to mean a closing of the mind and
attention. The nodding of the head vertically is interpreted as agreement or assent. If seated, the
leaning forward with the upper body communicates attention. Standing or seated, the maintenance of
an appropriate distance is important. Too close and we appear to be pushy or aggressive and too far and
we are seen as cold.

Objective: We should be open to the message the other person is sending. It is very difficult to be
completely open because each of us is strongly biased by the weight of our past experiences. We give
meaning to the messages based upon what we have been taught the words and symbols mean by our
parents, our peers and our teachers. Talk to someone from a different culture and watch how they give
meaning to words. Or another listening challenge is to listen open and objectively to a person with very
different political or religious beliefs. Relatively a few people can listen, understand and appreciate such
messages which are very different from their own.

Questioning/Clarifying. Questions can serve the same purpose as restating the message. If you are
unclear about the intent of the message, ask for more information after allowing sufficient time for
explanations. Don't ask questions that will hurt, embarrass or show up the other person. Only part of
the responsibility is with the speaker. You have an important and active role to play also. If the message
does not get through, two people have failed the speaker and you as an active listener.

Leave the Channel Open. A good listener always leaves open the possibility of additional messages. A
brief question or a nod will often encourage additional communications.