• ORAL COMMUNICATION

•
What is Oral Communication?

• Oral communication is transfer of information from sender to receiver by means of verbal and
visual aid. Examples of oral communication include presentations, speeches, discussions,
etc.

Oral communication takes place in face-to-face conversations, group discussions, telephone calls
and other circumstances in which spoken word is used to express meaning.

-Ricky W. Griffin

• Oral communication takes place when spoken words are used to transfer information and
understanding form on person to another.

-S. K. Kapur

• Though the message is conveyed through words, most of the times oral communication is
effectively carried out with the help of non-verbal communication like body language and tone
modulations. Oral communication is also at times mixed with visual aid to help establish the
conveyed message in a clear manner.

• Modes of Oral Communication

• Research studies have shown that 80% of communication by executives of a company is in the
oral form. The modes of Oral Communication include:

• Telephone/Cellular phone
• Messages
• Intercom
• Face-to-face discussion
• Meetings/Conferences
• Presentation
• Dictaphone/Dictation

• Conversation
• Radio
• Teleconferencing
• Speeches
• Brainstorming sessions
• Grapevine
• Interview

• Advantages of Oral Communication

• Advantages of oral communication are mentioned below:

1. Immediate Feedback

2. Time Saving

3. Economical

4. Personal Touch
 5. Flexibility

6. Secrecy

7. Group Communication

8. Effectiveness

9. Persuasive power

• Immediate Feedback

• The biggest advantage of oral communication is that it provides immediate feedback to both
the sender and the receiver. Each can therefore ask for clarification and elaboration on the
spot.

• The speaker can immediately understand the reaction of the audience or group, s/he is
addressing while the hearers get a number of clues about how their behaviour is being
perceived by the speaker.

• Time Saving

• Oral communication is very fast. It saves the time involved in writing the message and
delivering it through a channel like the postal or courier services.

• Economical

• Oral communication saves the money spent on stationery and the channel of communication.

• Flexibility

• Oral communication provides an opportunity to the speaker to correct himself and make
himself clear by changing his voice, pitch, tone, etc. A number of other factors like context,
body language, etc. can be used to reinforce and modify what is spoken through the words.

Secrecy

• Oral messages can be more easily kept confidential than written messages. All one has to do
is to ensure that there is no one within the hearing or recording distance.

Group Communication

• Oral communication is extremely useful for communicating with groups in meetings,

• Effectiveness

• Because oral communication involves the real or virtual presence of both the parties,
therefore, the message transfer is more effective and that helps in achieving the goal of the
communication more efficiently.

• Persuasive power

• Persuasion is the process of guiding people toward the adoption of an idea, attitude or action
by rational means. It relies on “appeals” and convincing arguments. We live in a world where
persuasive oral messages are around us.

Poor Retention
 • The listener cannot retain oral messages in his memory for a long time. The speaker himself
may not recall what he actually said.

No Record

• Oral communication does not provide any record for future reference. In the absence of
a record, oral messages have no legal validity.

• Time Consuming

Oral communication may not always be time saving. Precisely because there is no binding medium
like a page or a book, this form of communication is virtually endless. Sometimes meetings continue
for a long time without arriving at any satisfactory conclusion.

• Misunderstanding

• Oral communications are likely to be misunderstood due to poor expression and noise. The
speaker may not be able to make himself quite clear or the listener may be inattentive. This is
likely to be truer when the two individuals are not on good terms with each other.

Lengthy Messages

• Oral communication is not suitable for transmitting lengthy messages. Some parts of vital
importance may not receive adequate attention.

Lack of Responsibility

• Oral messages are not recorded. Therefore, it becomes difficult to hold persons responsible
for mistakes, inaccuracy or falsity in oral communication.

• Imprecise

• People usually take less care when speaking than when writing. Therefore, spoken words tend
to be less precise than written words. Often the exact point the speaker is trying to make is lost
in a mass of words.

Importance for a scholar

• The art of oral presentation is of immense significance for an academician or a student who is
needed to defend his/her thesis in a seminar or a conference.

Importance for a professional

• At times, managers or executives in a company are required to prepare a report and then give
an oral presentation on that report. Their performance can make or mar their career.

• Importance for business

• Oral communication are of huge significance in today’s business environment. It’s simply
because nothing has more impact, or is quite as impressive, as a well-delivered oral
presentation.
 • Properly executed and in the right context, they can inform, motivate and convince more
effectively than any other single form of communication. As a result, employers place great
value on presentation skills.

As a marketing tool

• Ability to deliver oral presentation is one of the most effective tools of marketing.

• Principles of Oral Communication

Clarity

• In oral communication the meaning of the words and the language should be clear so that the
audience does not misunderstand it. One should avoid the use of technical, very difficult or
literary words.

Simplicity

• The communication should be simple so that every type of audience finds it easy to
understand.

Source of information

• The sources of information used in the communication should be reliable and the audience
should be informed about the source to increase their confidence.

Adequacy

• The quantity, weightage, expansion and the subject matter should be decided in a wise
manner, communication that are lengthy, too detailed and difficult are boring. Over
abundance of information puts strain on the mental ability. Thinking and working of the
audience.

Consistency

• The figures and information used in the communication should not be in conflict with the
policies, objectives and programmes of the institutions.

Principle of time

• The communication should not take more time that intended. Principle of time leaves a good
impression on the audience.

• Balance between uniformly and adaptability

• On the one hand uniformity of message in the communication should be attempted and on the
other due importance should be given to the changer in today’s fast business. In other words
one should try to strike a balance between uniformity and changeability or adaptability of
words. h. Principle of Audience Analysis

• To develop a mutual understanding with the audience and to remove the unnecessary
difficulty of meanings the presenter should keep in mind the age, education, ability,
knowledge and organizational position of the audience.

Emotional Appeal
 • In some communication there is a lack of logic and intellect therefore there should be an
emotional appeal in the communication so that a positive response can be taken from the
audience.

Consultation

• To make a communication effective the communicator should consult all the related people.
This way one can get some new advice and ideas.

Feedback

• After communication the communicator should try to find the views, Ideas, opinions,
objections and feelings of the audience. This develops an understanding between the two and
the objective of communication is also fulfilled.

Purpose

• In the communicator mind the purpose of the communication should be absolutely clear and
defined. Objectives could be one or more. The purpose of the communication could be to
inform, encourage, sympathies and entertain.

Empathy

• The communicator should put himself in the place of audience while doing the
communication. This brings about a similar opinion and creator mutual understanding.

Rehearsal

• Before communication one should rehearsal atleast thrice. This increases self confidence and
makes the communication easier.

Selection of main idea

• The main idea or should be decided before hand. This makes the communication easier and
interesting.

Introduction

• It is said that first impression is the best impression. Thus, the communicator should
introduce the communication with expertise, patience, cleverness and effectively that the
audience can connect to it right till the end.

Easiness

• A friendly behaviour should be used with the audience. As a result he can say opinion with
ease and the audience too will accept it.

Researching the topic

• Information, figures and other facts related to the communication should be collected so that
some new ideas can be joined with the basic thought that is change should be acceptable.