BUS4009/ Digital Skills and Professional

Development

Lesson 5: Developing communication

Tutor: Rehana K
Learning Outcomes

At the end of this lesson you will be able to:

Recap: Previous Lesson

•Analyse models of communication
•Demonstrate understanding of the communication process
•Understand digital implications on communication as a
transferable skill
•Evaluate approaches and channels of communication.
Module Lesson Plan
(one lesson every week)
Introduction
We live in a society that essentially only functions through communication at all levels. In the public
sphere, communication in the form of information exchange, discussion, and argumentation is the basis of
all social, economic, and political decision-making processes and is just as indispensable here as in the
private sphere.

Communication, as a key transferable skill, has been researched widely and various definitions have been
created over the years. For example, Boddy (2016, p. 509) defines communication as “the exchange of
information through written or spoken words, symbols and actions to reach a common understanding.”

The same may be said about digital forms of communication, or computer-mediated communication
(CMC). Yet, the scope is much wider here. It includes the command of graphical content, time-
independent communication services, and all specialised communication channels connected to the
Internet (Georgakopoulou, and Spilioti, 2015, p. 9).
 Topic- 1

Stimulus-Response models
 What is Communication?

▪ Communication, is a key skill, defined by Boddy (2011, p. 485) as “the

exchange of information through written or spoken words, symbols and actions
to reach a common understanding.” ▪ This lesson will explain the importance of
communication within an organisation and the different practical techniques that
can be used when managing others

Communicare (Latin) meant “to share with,” “to share out,” “to make generally
accessible” or “to discuss together” Communication does not happen without meaning,
and people create and use meaning in interpreting events” (Littlejohn, 1992, p. 378)

What is Communication? – YouTube

The 4 Skills of Great Communication - YouTube
Communication process
Communication involving noise and
feedback
In 1948, Claude E. Shannon and Warren Weaver (a mathematician and an
electronic engineer) authored the article “A Mathematical Theory of
Communication”. The model was designed to optimise communication
between sender and receiver.
Shanon and Weaver
Communications
Model
Shannon and Weaver
(1948)developed a
mathematical
communication theory called
Shannon-Weaver module of
communication. This model
argues that human
communication can be
broken down into 6 key
concepts: sender, encoder,
channel, noise, decoder, and
receiver
Criticism of Shanon and Weaver communication Model

Shannon-Weaver’s model approach

considers only one–way communication

“The fundamental problem of communication is that of

reproducing a message sent from one point, either exactly or
approximately, to another point” (Shannon, 1948, p. 379)
Simple models of communication originated in the early 20th century,
and over the years, major communication innovations have left their
mark. Simply refers to the idea that, between a sender, and a
receiver, an intended stimulus always results in a certain reaction.
The model has been adopted in psychology, risk assessment, and
neuroscience. It could be called a rudiment of communication rather
than a working model. However, in experiments, where you can control
all influencing factors, this idea is still considered.
Other definitions focusing on interpersonal communication
Schramm (1997)
Approach
In this approach, communication
is seen as a process in which
participants alternate positions as
sender and receiver and generate
meaning by sending messages and
receiving feedback within physical
and psychological contexts. The
interactive model incorporates
feedback, which makes
communication a more interactive,
two-way process therefore this
model has two sender-receivers
who exchange messages.
Cutlip and Center’s 7 C’s of communication
Ascott Cutlip and Allan Centre proposed The 7 C’s of the communication
model in the book “ Effective Public Relations”. According to the authors for
communication to be effective and successful it needs to be characterized
by being:
1.Complete (tell everything that needs to be shared)
2. Concise (brief, non-repetitive)
3. Considerate (audience viewpoints, background, mindset etc)
4. Clear (choice of words, presentation)
5. Concrete (specific, supported by facts to avoid misinterpretation)
6. Courteous (polite, enthusiastic, unbiased)
7. Correct (exact, well-timed, precise)
Activity 1:

How To Be An Effective Communicator –

YouTube

Discuss in a group
How can you be an effective communicator?
 Topic- 2

Communication in Organisations
Communication in organisations
Organisations can communicate internally or externally to update specific stakeholders
on the relevant topics. Share your examples on how these can be pursued Internal
communication takes place via the use of :
• Team or one-to-one meetings
• E-mails
• Phone calls/ video conferences/ Webinar
• Letters
Newsletters External communication:
• Press releases
• Social media posts
• Advertisement
• Reports
• Website
• Newsletters
• Marketing
Corporate communication is divided into two areas: internal and external communication:
Types of corporate communication
✓ Downward: Management to staff, procedures and policies,
announcements
✓ Upward: Employee voice, staff surveys, working groups, requests,
reports
✓ Horizontal: Colleagues communicate with each other to achieve the
tasks and objectives of a department.
✓ Grapevine: Informal chats amongst the team without the
participation or control of the management

Corporate Communication - YouTube

Benefits of effective communication

• Increased competency to influence others

• Improvement of negotiation skills that include: decision
making, EQ, persuasiveness, assertiveness and dealing
with difficult people (Cottrell, 2015)
• Improved leadership skills
• Developing stronger relationships
• Effectiveness in achieving goals
• Positive impact on the team.
Networks
• Cross-units (i.e. hospitals, schools, hotels, and restaurants that belong to
one group) collaboration of experts to achieve the objectives of the Business
and increase productivity. This would normally not take place if employees
remain to collaborate within the one unit only
• Knowledge exchange and informal learning (communities of practice)
• Improve the feeling of belongingness
• Giving the opportunity for talents to contribute to organisational success
• Opportunity for recognition and growth
• Being actively involved in external networks such as CMI (Chartered
Management Institute) and CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and
Development) improves the opportunity to upskill professional recognition and
career growth.
Activity 2: group
Please retrieve case study from discussion forum. Discuss in a group. Explore Strategic relevance of communication
and culture from the case study.

Corporate communication in open innovation: a case-study of three multinationals:

 Topic- 3

Two tools for communication development

Developing communication skills

Transactional Analysis (TA) of Berne (1950) is a psychoanalytic

theory that includes the concept that the human can communicate
from three different mind states Ego-state model: acting from the
superior patent-like role Communication based on rules, norms,
advice, judgment, etc. those are suitable for managing others,
especially those who need guidance. Adult level: fact-oriented,
rationally informed, great for professional interactions. Suitable in
professional settings, teamwork, decision making, planning, etc.
Child ego state: based on emotions, games, and fun no norms and
rules. Great for creativity, thinking out of the box, new ideas, etc.

BibliU - Reader - a
Hofstede 6 Dimensions of national culture
Understanding the specific national culture and how they impact on people we work with or for, will enable a better
understanding of the audience, their needs and characteristics that shape their origin, and better communication.

Following the link find out the dimensions of:

Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory (simplypsychology.org)
Country Comparison - Hofstede Insights (hofstede-insights.com)

(Hofstede & Minkov, 2010).

How strong are your communication skills

• Try to research a self-diagnostic test that assesses your personal

communication skills
• Think critically about the situations when you have evidenced
good or not so good communication skills
• Communication is important in every sphere of our lives, how do
you plan to develop yours? Think about applying the SMART
technique
Activity 3:
In his article on Psychology Today, Randy Paterson writes about the merits of the adult ego state: how it can help us to focus on the needed,
overcome emotional distress and immediate reaction and anger. Please read “Forget the Inner Child: What About the Inner Adult?” (2016)(opens
in a new tab), and summarise Paterson’s statement.
 Topic- 4
Barriers of communication
 Barriers to communication are hindrances that get in the way of
messages being received. They could be physical, such as multiple
echoes during a Zoom session, or emotional, such as when a person is
too anxious to listen to what another person is saying. Cultural
differences, little common language skills, and social status can also
represent barriers to effective communication. Managers need to be
aware of barriers and how to overcome them to improve the
communication process.
Communication Barriers

Whetten and Cameron (2016, p. 217) suggest that problems between

individuals can arise due to ineffective communication, which can then
lead to interpersonal issues, including dislike, offence, loss of confidence
in each other, inability to listen, and so on. The interpersonal issues then
“lead to restricted communication flow, inaccurate messages, and
misinterpretation of meanings”, thereby impacting directly on
performance.
Manager’s responsibility to ensure that communication runs smoothly within the organisation

Bloisi et al. (2003) categorise these as follows:

1. Confusion over the term of reference:

What might mean one thing to one group may mean another thing to another group. For example, ‘cool’ to a teenager is ‘good’. To
a person from an older generation it might mean ‘to be cold’.
2. Semantics can lead the misinterpretation:
A phrase could be interpreted by one group as meaning something entirely different from what was intended. For example, saying
‘I’ll think about it’, meaning the deal is off, could lead another party to interpret it as meaning ‘Given time, the deal will be made’.
3. Value judgments may be made prior to the full message being received: These may be based previous experience of a
situation.
4. Selective listening:
This can occur when people have already formed an opinion and the message is not confirming this notion.
5. Filtering is a lack of skill from the sender:
He/she is disseminating only half of the message.
6. Distrust creates barriers:
This can lead to a breakdown in communication, leaving both parties in a lose/lose situation.
Activity 4:

Think about your own experiences of barriers to communication in a work or

study situation. What do you feel were the main causes of the barriers? Were
they resolved and what impact did the barriers have on the situation?
Module Assessment-reminder
Your assessment is a portfolio that has two tasks (each worth 50% module mark)
1. Short Report (1500 words) – here you are required to examine the digital
development of recent years and explain the continuing industrial advancement.
Provide an overview of the digital skills sections in demand and discuss examples from
different industries and the modern workplace. Your work must be research-based and
properly cited and referenced
2. Reflection (1500 words) –here you are expected to reflect on your own
management and leadership skills using a range of models. Also, you need to develop
and justify a personal development plan (PDP) that will facilitate an increased level of
effective management and leadership. Please combine three non-digital and two digital
skills. 3000 words is a maximum allowance.

You need to state the actual word count (which does not include a reference list,
appendices, diagrams, or content list page), on the cover page of your submission.
Exceeding the word count by over 10% will result in the 10% grade deduction
Lesson Summary
In this lesson, we have discussed the importance of effective communication by considering theoretical models and
best practice methods to enhance communication. We have reviewed the transactional analysis and cultural
dimensions as well as evaluated various communication channels and considered barriers to communication. In
summary, the following techniques promote effective communication:
•use appropriate channels and methods of communication
•be specific and honest in the message that is being sent
•be consistent in your message and actions
•balance face-to-face and digital communication to include all relevant addressees
•simplify your language – do not use jargon, acronyms, and colloquialisms
•develop credibility and trust – this could be through sharing ideas and expertise
•actively seek feedback from the other parties involved.
Key reading
Key Text:
Armstrong, M., (2016). Armstrong's Handbook of Management and Leadership for HR
Developing Effective People Skills for Better Leadership and Management. London: Kogan Page.
Other Texts:
Beetham, H., and Footing, S., (2019). Our digital capabilities framework: Building digital
capability.
Bristol: Jisc. Jisc, (2014). Developing Digital Literacies. Bristol: Jisc Laudon, K. and Laudon, P.,
(2019). Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm. Harlow: Pearson.
Sen, S., (2020). Digital HR Strategy: Achieving Sustainable Transformation in the Digital Age.
London: Kogan Page.
Silva, A., (2016). What is leadership? Journal of Business Studies Quarterly, 8(1), 1-5. Retrieved
from https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/what-is-leadership/docview/1831706711/se-
2
Sharma, S., (2020). Soft Skills: Personality Development For Life Success. Delhi: BPB
Publications.
Wheeler, S., (2019). Digital Learning in Organizations: Help your Workforce Capitalize on
Technology. London: Kogan Page

You are encouraged to reach out to more, relevant publications to evidence self-directed study
and expanded breadth of research
Q&A Session
References :

Adair, J.E., (2019). Develop Your Leadership Skills Fast, Effective Ways to Become a Leader People Want to Follow. 4th edition. London: Kogan
Page.
Available from: https://perlego.com/book/1589416/develop-your-leadership-skills-fast-effective-ways-to-become-a-leader-people-want-to-follow-pdf/?utm_source=arden&utm_medium=direct&utm_content=libraryreferral

Armstrong, M., (2020). Armstrong’s Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. 15th edition. London: Kogan Page.
Available from: https://perlego.com/book/1589838/armstrongs-handbook-of-human-resource-management-practice-pdf/?utm_source=arden&utm_medium=direct&utm_content=libraryreferral

Armstrong, M., (2010). Essential Human Resource Management Practice. London: Kogan Page.
Available at: https://perlego.com/book/1589969/armstrongs-essential-human-resource-management-practice-a-guide-to-people-management-pdf/?utm_source=arden&utm_medium=direct&utm_content=libraryreferral

Armstrong, M., (2021). How to Be an Even Better Manager: A Complete A-Z of Proven Techniques and Essential Skills. 11th edition. London: Kogan
Page.Available from: https://perlego.com/book/2173914/how-to-be-an-even-better-manager-a-complete-az-of-proven-techniques-and-essential-skills-pdf/?utm_source=arden&utm_medium=direct&utm_content=libraryreferral

Bishop, S. (2013) Develop your assertiveness. Kogan Page.

Available at: https://perlego.com/book/1589729/develop-your-assertiveness-pdf/?
utm_source=arden&utm_medium=direct&utm_content=libraryreferral

McMillan, K. and Weyers, J., (2012). The Study Skills Book. Harlow: Pearson Education.
Available from: https://perlego.com/book/810804/the-study-skills-book-pdf/?utm_source=arden&utm_medium=direct&utm_content=libraryreferral

Back, K. and Back, K., 1991. Assertiveness at Work. Pitman 1st ed. London: McGraw Hill.
Mckenna, E., 1996. Business Psychology and Organizational Behaviour. London: Filman Publishing.

Turner, X., 1983. Developing Interpersonal Skills. Bristol Further Education College Staff.