UNIT - III

.
Communication is a very basic and fundamental process for human beings. However, when
a brand wants to communicate with their customers, then the communication takes another form.
Similarly, there is communication involved between teams as well. There are various types of
communication between people as well as between teams.
Communication is the act of sending information or ideas via speech, visuals, writing or any other
such method. The Communication model has a sender who is sending the message and the receiver
who is receiving the message. In between, the speech or ideas need to be simple enough to be decoded
and understood by the receiver. If the ideas are not presented properly, then decoding is improper and
the receiver does not understand.

Based on the types of senders and receivers involved, we can define various types of communications.
If we take an example of communication between teams, you will see the higher amount of formal
communication as compared to informal. On the other hand, when we consider personal
communication and communication between the groups of personal friends, you will find these types
of communication to be more informal in nature.

As you can see, there are at least 6 distinct types of communication: non-verbal, verbal-oral-face-to-
face, verbal-oral-distance, verbal-written, formal and informal types of communication. Add to this
the boundless opportunities the internet superhighway offers, and you have an absolute goldmine of
communication possibilities!

Department of CSE Page 1 of 11

In successive sections of this post, we highlight the finer nuances of these distinct expressions so your
communication is conscious, focused and mighty effective.
Formal Types of Communication Skills
This types of communication is also referred to as “official communication” and covers the gamut of
verbal expressions that address a formal need.
It is:
 Conducted through a pre-determined channel. For instance, a large number of your
interactions within your profession, financial communication (from and to your bank, creditors,
debtors, etc.) and legal expressions are examples of formal communication.
 More time-consuming that non-formal communication, as it follows a particular
communication protocol.
 Even in cases of oral expressions (in meetings, seminars, etc.), it is often backed by written
communication that can provide documentation evidence of the oral conversation. (This written
communication could be as simple as a minutes-of-meeting, to as complex as a detailed recording.)
 Considered a reliable source of information. (So when you receive a legal notice from your
bank, you better take notice of it!)
Formal communication forms the core of our professional lives (though not all professional
communication is formal). Hence becoming an expert in this type of communication is central to
professional advancement and success. Below, we provide you simple tips to excel in your expression
and profession.
 Begin by clarifying the purpose of your communication.
 Whether you use an oral or written expression, always follow a well-defined structure that
can be easily understood by your audience.
 Keep your tone open, professional and friendly.
 End by re-iterating what you expect to cause through this communication: clarification on
your stance, answers to questions, a call to action, etc. Also clarify any constraints that apply to this
communication (like confidentiality, time-limit for response, etc.)
Informal Communication
Informal communication is surprisingly popular, and also referred to as “the (unofficial) grapevine”.
This is often by word-of-mouth information. In fact, it is this type of communication that opens you
up to unofficial yet provocative information.
Informal communication is
 Spontaneous and free-flowing, without any formal protocol or structure. Hence this type of
information is also less reliable or accurate.
 A communication channel that spreads like wildfire, as there are no formal rules to follow.
 Mostly oral, with no documentation evidence. Due to this, many undermine the value of
informal communication, terming it mere “gossip”.

Department of CSE Page 2 of 11

Despite its drawbacks, informal communication is considered “user-friendly” and hence offers huge
advantages when used wisely. For instance, consider this example where a company is served by 3
different caterers.
Oral Communication (Face-to-face)
Face-to-face oral communication is the most recognized type of communication. Here, what you
express comes directly from what you speak. Again, this can be formal or informal: with your friends
and family, in a formal meeting or seminar, at work with your colleagues and boss, within your
community, during professional presentations, etc.
These types of communication
 Gets better with practice. The more you practice with awareness, the more control you will
have on your oral expressions.
 Is vibrantly a-live! This means that despite all past rehearsals, oral communication offers you
a present-moment opportunity to tune, revise, revoke and fix what you express. It is hence the most
powerful type of communication and can work for or against you with every expression.
 Engages your audience more than other types of communication. The listener (or an
audience) often expects to speak-back to you with oral communication, enabling two-way
communication more than any other channel.
For superior face-to-face communication,
 Always meet the eyes of your audience with confidence, conviction and openness.
 Practice before a mirror to perfect your tone and expressions, so they suit the message you
want to convey. They two facets often convey more than your words do.
 Practice using role-play. This means that even when you rehearse before a mirror, candidly
ask yourself, “Am I ready to receive this message with this tone and expression?” If you aren’t
convinced, your audience won’t be either. So practice again until you get it right.
 Consciously engage your audience’s participation. This is the strength of this type of
communication, so never let your oral expression be a one-way rant to yourself. You can do this by
asking questions, getting their opinion and encouraging expression of new ideas.
 Finally, become an active listener. An effective oral communicator not only speaks, but also
actively listens to his audience.
Oral Communication (Distance)
Distance (oral) communication has made the world a smaller and more accessible place. Mobile
phones, VOIP, video-conferencing, 2-way webinars, etc. are all modern expansions of distance
communication, taking its expression to the next subtle level. And in this type of communication,
your tone of voice and pace of delivery take priority over other expressions.
For effective oral communication over distance,
 Give higher priority to your listening. When you fail to listen, you will find that multiple
people attempt to speak at the same time, undermining the value of this form of communication.

Department of CSE Page 3 of 11

 Speak slightly slower than you would in face-to-face communication. This will make sure
that you remain aware of the subtle nuances of your tone, and the receiver has time to grasp what you
convey.
 Always re-iterate what you understand when you listen. This type of communication misses
the non-verbal signals that you would receive in face-to-face communication (that can indicate subtle
expressions like anger, friendliness, receptivity, sarcasm, etc.) So paraphrase what understand and
confirm that this is indeed what the other party also meant to convey.
 Finally, back this up with written communication where possible. The intent is to confirm
the take-away from the communication so all parties are on the same page. This makes sense even for
an informal call with your friend – perhaps you can send a quick text message to re-iterate how
pleasurable it was to speak to him, and then confirm the final call-for-action.
Written Communication
A few decades ago, written communication depended on the trusty old mailman as we wrote to people
who were far away. On rare occasions, this also included the formal note or legal notice from the
bank, landlord, business client, etc. What a surprise then that this type of communication has now
taken over every aspect of our world!
It makes sense then to be an absolute pro at this type of communication. Listed below are 3 rules that
can help you get there.
Non-verbal Types of Communication
This type of communication is more subtle, yet far more powerful. It includes the entire gamut of
physical postures and gestures, tone and pace of voice, and the attitude with which you communicate.
In the past few decades, body language experts have revealed how the posture you adopt, the hand
gestures you endorse and other facets of your physical personality affect your communication. It is
worthwhile to spend a few hours coming up to speed on basic body-language gestures, so you don’t
inadvertently send mixed messages with your gestures and speech. You can also use this to support
your message, making it more impactful.
Barriers to Effective Communication
Failures of human communication can become amplified in professional settings. In business
transactions, especially those involving large amounts of money, a small miscommunication can have
devastating effects. Or, if a company fails to lay out a clear, comprehensible set of objectives, the
employees tasked with meeting them will probably also fail.
The use of jargon: The use of unfamiliar, overcomplicated, or technical terms can generate confusion
and obscure meaning of the sender’s message. The solution is to use clear and concise messages that
are easy to understand.
 Withholding information: Within an organization, some information is kept confidential due
to company policies. Make sure the information that is needed is readily available and easily
accessible.

Department of CSE Page 4 of 11

 Chain of command: The maintenance of an organization’s hierarchy is essential, but its very
presence can reduce the flow of communication. To counteract that tendency, it’s important to reduce
unnecessary hierarchical levels and increase departmental interaction and communication.
 Lack of trust: In companies with a competition-driven culture, there may be a lack of trust
among employees, which can hamper communication. Companies should strive to involve their
employees in decisions, emphasize the importance of sharing information, and communicate openly
and honestly.
 Physical barriers or disabilities: Hearing, vision, or speech problems can make
communication challenging. Organizations need to be aware of accessibility issues for both internal
and external communication.
 Bias: Preconceptions or prejudice can lead to stereotyping or false assumptions. Using care to
choose unambiguous, neutral language and explain things clearly can help reduce bias.
 Filtering: People may hear what they expect to hear or want to hear, rather than what is said.
Because filters are present in every system of communication, the message that the receiver receives
is rarely the same as the one the sender sends. Some distortion of the message is almost inevitable.
 Language and cultural differences: Language use and social norms vary enormously from
culture to culture. Companies need to educate themselves about cultural sensitivities and gear their
messages to their audiences.
7 Steps of the Decision-Making Process
1. Identify the decision.
2. Gather relevant info.
3. Identify the alternatives.
4. Weigh the evidence.
5. Choose among the alternatives.
6. Take action.
7. Review your decision.

step 1: Identify the decision

You realize that you need to make a decision. Try to clearly define the nature of the decision you must
make. This first step is very important.
Step 2: Gather relevant information
Collect some pertinent information before you make your decision: what information is needed, the
best sources of information, and how to get it. This step involves both internal and external “work.”

Department of CSE Page 5 of 11

Some information is internal: you’ll seek it through a process of self-assessment. Other information is
external: you’ll find it online, in books, from other people, and from other sources.
Step 3: Identify the alternatives
As you collect information, you will probably identify several possible paths of action, or alternatives.
You can also use your imagination and additional information to construct new alternatives. In this
step, you will list all possible and desirable alternatives.
Step 4: Weigh the evidence
Draw on your information and emotions to imagine what it would be like if you carried out each of
the alternatives to the end. Evaluate whether the need identified in Step 1 would be met or resolved
through the use of each alternative..
Step 5: Choose among alternatives
Once you have weighed all the evidence, you are ready to select the alternative that seems to be best
one for you. You may even choose a combination of alternatives. Your choice in Step 5 may very
likely be the same or similar to the alternative you placed at the top of your list at the end of Step 4.
Step 6: Take action
You’re now ready to take some positive action by beginning to implement the alternative you chose in
Step 5.
Step 7: Review your decision & its consequences
In this final step, consider the results of your decision and evaluate whether or not it has resolved the
need you identified in Step 1. If the decision has not met the identified need, you may want to repeat
certain steps of the process to make a new decision. For example, you might want to gather more
detailed or somewhat different information or explore additional alternatives.
ParticipativeDecisionMaking:
Definition: In the Participative Leadership Style, the leader encourages his subordinates to
contribute their ideas or opinion in the group situations and share responsibility in them.
There are four major types of decision-making style that a leader adopts to get the group goals
accomplished. These are:
1. Collective Decision Making: Under this leadership style, all the group members take the
decision collectively, and the responsibility of such decision rests with the entire group. This type of
style is advantageous only when the clear lines of authority and responsibility are defined among the
group members.
2. Democratic or Participative Decision Making: Here, the leader collects all the ideas and
opinions from the group members and then takes the final decision by himself. Once the leader has
taken the decision, he communicates the same to his subordinates and tries to resolve the objections if
any.
3. Autocratic Participative Decision Making: Under this leadership style, the authority of final
decision making rests with the leader alone, who makes decisions on the basis of the solutions

Department of CSE Page 6 of 11

obtained through the discussions with group members. The results are obtained faster in the case of
the autocratic participative decision making.
4. Consensus Decision Making: Under this style, the leader gives up his responsibility to take
decisions on the group members and arrive at the final conclusion through a majority of the group.
Generally, the group members are involved in setting goals, problem-solving, and team building. But
the authority of final decision-making rests with the leader himself.

Department of CSE Page 7 of 11

Department of CSE Page 8 of 11
Coping With Stress at Work:
Everyone who has ever held a job has, at some point, felt the pressure of work-related stress. Any job
can have stressful elements, even if you love what you do. In the short-term, you may experience
pressure to meet a deadline or to fulfil a challenging obligation. But when work stress becomes
chronic, it can be overwhelming — and harmful to both physical and emotional health.
You can't always avoid the tensions that occur on the job. Yet you can take steps to manage work-
related stress.
Common Sources of Work Stress
Certain factors tend to go hand-in-hand with work-related stress. Some common workplace stressors
are:
 Low salaries.
 Excessive workloads.
 Few opportunities for growth or advancement.
 Work that isn't engaging or challenging.
 Lack of social support.
 Not having enough control over job-related decisions.
 Conflicting demands or unclear performance expectations.
Effects of Uncontrolled Stress
Work-related stress doesn't just disappear when you head home for the day. When stress persists, it
can take a toll on your health and well-being.
A stressful work environment can contribute to problems such as headache, stomach-ache, sleep
disturbances, short temper and difficulty concentrating. Chronic stress can result in anxiety, insomnia,

Department of CSE Page 9 of 11

high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. It can also contribute to health conditions such
as depression, obesity and heart disease.
Taking Steps to Manage Stress
 Establish boundaries. In today's digital world, it's easy to feel pressure to be available 24
hours a day. Establish some work-life boundaries for yourself. That might mean making a rule not to
check email from home in the evening, or not answering the phone during dinner. Although people
have different preferences when it comes to how much they blend their work and home life, creating
some clear boundaries between these realms can reduce the potential for work-life conflict and the
stress that goes with it.
 Take time to recharge. To avoid the negative effects of chronic stress and burnout, we need
time to replenish and return to our pre-stress level of functioning. This recovery process requires
“switching off” from work by having periods of time when you are neither engaging in work-related
activities, nor thinking about work.

Department of CSE Page 10 of 11

Department of CSE Page 11 of 11