Communication is fundamental to the existence and survival of humans as well as to an

organization. It is a process of creating and sharing ideas, information, views, facts, feelings, etc.
among the people to reach a common understanding. Communication is the key to the Directing
function of management.

A manager may be highly qualified and skilled but if he does not possess good communication
skills, all his ability becomes irrelevant. A manager must communicate his directions effectively
to the subordinates to get the work done from them properly.

Communications Process
Communication is a continuous process which mainly involves three elements-- sender,
message, and receiver. The elements involved in the communication process are explained below
in detail:

1. Sender
The sender or the communicator generates the message and conveys it to the receiver. He is the
source and the one who starts the communication

2. Message
It is the idea, information, view, fact, feeling, etc. that is generated by the sender and is then
intended to be communicated further.

3. Encoding
The message generated by the sender is encoded symbolically such as in the form of words,
pictures, gestures, etc. before it is being conveyed.

4. Media
It is the manner in which the encoded message is transmitted. The message may be transmitted
orally or in writing. The medium of communication includes telephone, internet, post, fax, e-
mail, etc. The choice of medium is decided by the sender.

5. Decoding
It is the process of converting the symbols encoded by the sender. After decoding the message is
received by the receiver.

6. Receiver
He is the person who is last in the chain and for whom the message was sent by the sender. Once
the receiver receives the message and understands it in proper perspective and acts according to
the message, only then the purpose of communication is successful.
7. Feedback
Once the receiver confirms to the sender that he has received the message and understood it, the
process of communication is complete.

8. Noise
It refers to any obstruction that is caused by the sender, message or receiver during the process of
communication. For example, bad telephone connection, faulty encoding, faulty decoding,
inattentive receiver, poor understanding of message due to prejudice or inappropriate gestures,
etc.

Types of Communication
● Verbal Communication
● Non-verbal Communication
● Visual Communication

Verbal communication
Verbal communication is the use of words to share information with other people. It can
therefore include both spoken and written communication. However, many people use the term
to describe only spoken communication. The verbal element of communication is all about the
words that you choose, and how they are heard and interpreted.

The effectiveness of the verbal communication depends on the tone of the speaker, clarity of
speech, volume, speed, body language and the quality of words used in the conversation. In the
case of the verbal communication, the feedback is immediate since there are a simultaneous
transmission and receipt of the message by the sender and receiver respectively.

The sender must keep his speech tone high and clearly audible to all and must design the subject
matter keeping the target audience in mind. The sender should always cross check with the
receiver to ensure that the message is understood in absolutely the same way as it was intended.
Such communication is more prone to errors as sometimes the words are not sufficient to express
the feelings and emotions of a person.

The success of the verbal communication depends not only on the speaking ability of an
individual but also on the listening skills. How effectively an individual listens to the subject
matter decides the effectiveness of the communication. The verbal communication is applicable
in both the formal and informal kind of situations.

● Oral Communication
Oral communication implies communication through mouth. It includes individuals conversing
with each other, be it direct conversation or telephonic conversation. Speeches, presentations,
discussions are all forms of oral communication. Oral communication is generally recommended
when the communication matter is of temporary kind or where a direct interaction is required.
Face to face communication (meetings, lectures, conferences, interviews, etc.) is significant so as
to build a rapport and trust.

Advantages of Oral Communication

● There is high level of understanding and transparency in oral communication as it is
interpersonal.
● There is no element of rigidity in oral communication. There is flexibility for allowing
changes in the decisions previously taken.
● The feedback is spontaneous in case of oral communication. Thus, decisions can be made
quickly without any delay.
● Oral communication is not only time saving, but it also saves upon money and efforts.
● Oral communication is best in case of problem resolution. The conflicts, disputes and
many issues/differences can be put to an end by talking them over.
● Oral communication is an essential for teamwork and group energy.
● Oral communication promotes a receptive and encouraging morale among organizational
employees.
● Oral communication can be best used to transfer private and confidential
information/matter.

Disadvantages/Limitations of Oral Communication

● Relying only on oral communication may not be sufficient as business communication is
formal and very organized.
● Oral communication is less authentic than written communication as they are informal
and not as organized as written communication.
● Oral communication is time-saving as far as daily interactions are concerned, but in case
of meetings, long speeches consume lot of time and are unproductive at times.
● Oral communications are not easy to maintain and thus they are unsteady.
● There may be misunderstandings as the information is not complete and may lack
essentials.
● It requires attentiveness and great receptivity on part of the receivers/audience.
● Oral communication (such as speeches) is not frequently used as legal records except in
investigation work.

● Written Communication
The Written Communication refers to the process of conveying a message through the written
symbols. In other words, any message exchanged between two or more persons that make use of
written words is called as written communication.
The written communication is the most common and effective mode of business communication.
In any organization, the electronic mails, memos, reports, documents, letters, journals, job
descriptions, employee manuals, etc. are some of the commonly used forms of written
communication.

Such communication is used when the information to be transmitted is lengthy and includes
some complex terms that cannot be explained verbally. Also, the organizations maintain their
documents in writings such that these can be used as a reference and evidence of any transaction
anytime in the future. Thus, it is essential for every business organization to develop effective
writing skills and inculcate this in all its employees.

The effectiveness of written content depends on the correct choice of words, their organization
into correct sentence sequence and the cohesiveness in the sentences. The information in writing
is considered more legal and valid than the spoken words. Also, people rely more on the written
content than what has been said orally. But, however, unlike verbal communication the feedback
of written communication is not immediate since it is not spontaneous and requires time to get
into the understandable form.

Advantages of Written Communication

● Written communication helps in laying down apparent principles, policies and rules for
running of an organization.
● It is a permanent means of communication. Thus, it is useful where record maintenance is
required.
● It assists in proper delegation of responsibilities. While in case of oral communication, it
is impossible to fix and delegate responsibilities on the grounds of speech as it can be
taken back by the speaker or he may refuse to acknowledge.
● Written communication is more precise and explicit.
● Effective written communication develops and enhances an organization’s image.
● It provides ready records and references.
● Legal defenses can depend upon written communication as it provides valid records.

Disadvantages of Written Communication

● Written communication does not save upon the costs. It costs huge in terms of stationery
and the manpower employed in writing/typing and delivering letters.
● Also, if the receivers of the written message are separated by distance and if they need to
clear their doubts, the response is not spontaneous.
● Written communication is time-consuming as the feedback is not immediate. The
encoding and sending of message takes time.
● Effective written communication requires great skills and competencies in language and
vocabulary use. Poor writing skills and quality have a negative impact on organization’s
reputation.
 ● Too much paper work and e-mails burden is involved.

Non-Verbal Communication
The Non-Verbal Communication is the process of conveying meaning without the use of words
either written or spoken. In other words, any communication made between two or more persons
through the use of facial expressions, hand movements, body language, postures, and gestures is
called as non-verbal communication.

The Non-Verbal Communication, unlike the verbal communication, helps in establishing and
maintaining the interpersonal relationships while the verbals only help in communicating the
external events. People use non-verbals to express emotions and interpersonal attitudes, conduct
rituals such as greetings and bring forward one’s personality.

The non-verbal communication in the form of signals, expressions add meaning over the verbals
and help people to communicate more efficiently. It supplements whatever is said in words, such
as people nod to acknowledge and move their hands to give directions.

The non-verbal communication defines the distance between the communicators and helps them
to exchange their emotional state of mind. Also, it regulates the flow of communication, for
example, an individual can give signals to convey that he had finished speaking or else he wants
to speak.

Sometimes, the non-verbals acts as a barrier to communicating effectively as the recipient could
not understand what the sender is trying to say and may interpret it wrongly.

Visual communication
Visual Communication is the transmission of information and ideas using symbols and imagery.
It is one of three main types of communication, along with verbal communication (speaking) and
non-verbal communication (tone, body language, etc.). Visual communication is believed to be
the type that people rely on most, and it includes signs, graphic designs, films, typography, and
countless other examples.

Imagine that you're on vacation in a foreign city, and you get lost while driving. If you were at
home, you could stop and ask someone for directions. But here, you don't speak the language
very well, so asking directions won't do much good. Instead, you can rely on a map, using
landmarks, routes, and familiar signs, which successfully lead you back to your hotel. In this
scenario, you have found your way back almost entirely through visual communication.

Barriers to effective communication

 ● Perceptual Barriers
Perceptual barriers are internal. If you go into a situation thinking that the person you are talking
to isn't going to understand or be interested in what you have to say, you may end up
subconsciously sabotaging your effort to make your point. You will employ language that is
sarcastic, dismissive, or even obtuse, thereby alienating your conversational partner.

Think of movie scenarios in which someone yells clipped phrases at a person they believe is
deaf. The person yelling ends up looking ridiculous while failing to communicate anything of
substance.

Examples of perceptual barriers that prevent individuals from effective communication include:

Perceptual Filters - We all have our own preferences, values, attitudes, origins and life
experiences that act as "filters" on our experiences of people, events and information. Seeing
things through the lens of our own unique life experiences or "conditioning" may lead to
assumptions, stereotyping and misunderstandings of others whose experiences differ from our
own.

Triggers and Cues - What we say is affected by how we say it (tone, volume) and by our
nonverbal cues, such as body language and facial gestures. For example, you may perceive a
situation differently if the person you are speaking with is smiling or frowning, has body odour
and is standing too close or is not giving you direct eye contact.

● Physical barriers
Physical barriers are easy to spot - doors that are closed, walls that are erected, and distance
between people all work against the goal of effective communication. While most agree that
people need their own personal areas in the workplace, setting up an office to remove physical
barriers is the first step towards opening communication.

Many professionals who work in industries that thrive on collaborative communication, such as
architecture, purposefully design their workspaces around an "open office" plan. This layout
eschews cubicles in favor of desks grouped around a central meeting space. While each
individual has their own dedicated work space, there are no visible barriers to prevent
collaboration with their co-workers. This encourages greater openness and frequently creates
closer working bonds.

● Cultural barriers
Cultural barriers are a result of living in an ever shrinking world. Different cultures, whether they
be a societal culture of a race or simply the work culture of a company, can hinder developed
communication if two different cultures clash. In these cases, it is important to find a common
ground to work from. In work situations, identifying a problem and coming up with a highly
efficient way to solve it can quickly topple any cultural or institutional barriers. Quite simply,
people like results.

● Language Barriers
Language barriers seem pretty self-inherent, but there are often hidden language barriers that we
aren't always aware of. If you work in an industry that is heavy in jargon or technical language,
care should be taken to avoid these words when speaking with someone from outside the
industry. Without being patronizing, imagine explaining a situation in your industry to a child.
How would you convey these concepts without relying on jargon? A clear, direct narrative is
preferable to an incomprehensible slew of specialty terms.

● Interpersonal barriers
Interpersonal barriers are what ultimately keep us from reaching out to each other and opening
ourselves up, not just to be heard, but to hear others. Oddly enough, this can be the most difficult
area to change. Some people spend their entire lives attempting to overcome a poor self-image or
a series of deeply rooted prejudices about their place in the world. They are unable to form
genuine connections with people because they have too many false perceptions blocking the
way.

Luckily, the cure for this is more communication. By engaging with others, we learn what our
actual strengths and weaknesses are. This allows us to put forth our ideas in a clear,
straightforward manner.

● Gender barriers
Gender barriers have become less of an issue in recent years, but there is still the possibility for a
man to misconstrue the words of a woman, or vice versa.

Even in a workplace where women and men share equal stature, knowledge and experience,
differing communication styles may prevent them from working together effectively. Gender
barriers can be inherent or may be related to gender stereotypes and the ways in which men and
women are taught to behave as children.

Although not all men or all women communicate the same way as the rest of their gender,
several traits that tend to be more common in one gender or the other have been identified.
Understanding these tendencies is key in creating a work environment that fosters open
communication among all employees.

● Emotional barriers
Emotional barriers can be tough to overcome, but are important to put aside to engage in
conversations. We are often taught to fear the words coming out of our own mouths, as in the
phrase "anything you say can and will be used against you." Overcoming this fear is difficult, but
necessary. The trick is to have full confidence in what you are saying and your qualifications in
saying it. People often pick up on insecurity. By believing in yourself and what you have to say,
you will be able to communicate clearly without becoming overly involved in your emotions.

Conclusion
Communication is not a one-way street. To have others open up to you, you must be open
yourself. By overcoming the seven barriers to communication, you can ensure that the statement
you are making is not just heard, but also understood, by the person you are speaking with. In
this way, you can be confident that your point has been expressed.