UNIT-3

communication skills

Unit-III Communication: Introduction, Meaning and Significance, Process of

Communication, Oral and Written Communication, 7 c’s of Communication, Barriers
to Communication and Ways to overcome them, Importance of Communication for
Technical students, nonverbal communication.

Introduction:

Communication is the most frequent activity that takes place all around us
and persistently. We spend 70% to 80% of our time in interaction with
others from one point or another. Our interaction can be productive only if
we are able to communicate effectively and influence the attitude and
behavior of the person with whom we are interacting. This productive
interaction may be termed as communication.

Origin of Communication:
The word communication is the verb form of the word communicate which
has been derived from French word communist and Latin word
communicare which means to impart, to share and to make common.
Thus communication means whatever is common should be shared by all.
Sharing is the inherent nature of communication. Now the question is what
is there we share in communication. The one word answer is Information
i.e., something to tell in whatever way we like or as the situation demands.
Definition of Communication:

Despite frequent and widespread use of the term communication, no one

came up with a precise definition of communication. Few definition of
communication is:-

“An exchange of facts, ideas, opinions and emotions by two or more

persons.”
Newman and summer.

According to the dictionary meaning of “Communication is the exchange of

thoughts, message or information, as by speech, signals, writing or
behaviors”.

According to Neal and Brown “Communication can be defined as the

transmission or exchange of information or ideas or feeling by means of
sounds, signs or symbols”.

Nature of Communication:

1. Communication is a process. It is not merely a moment happening or

an incident.
 2. Communication is a continuous process. There may be a time gap but it
never stops.
3. It deals with transmission of facts, ideas, views, emotions, opinions and
information.
4. It involves both information and understanding.
5. The effectiveness of communication largely depends upon what has
been sent, proper understanding of what is being received and the
response.
6. It requires a medium of communication by which meaning is conveyed
from one person to another.
7. It is the basis of action and cooperation.
8. It travels up and down and also side by side.
9. Its primary purpose is to motivate
10. It is universally applicable
Process of Communication

The process of communication starts with intrapersonal communication, that

is, communication within the mind of the sender as soon as the sender
decides to convey a fact, an idea, an emotion or an opinion to others. The
person who starts the communication is called the sender or the source or
the transmitter. Once the sender is clear he encodes the idea or information
into a message through a suitable set of symbols or a form which the
receiver understands. This encoded message is then transmitted or feed
forwarded to another person called receiver through proper medium or
channel or through verbal or written words in any common language or
through body language. The receiver receives the message, decodes it i.e,
understands and interprets it. This is the description of the one way
communication process. For the communication process to be complete
whether the receiver has got the message, understood it in the way it was
intended. The sender can find out this only on getting a chance to see the
reaction and response to the receiver. The response may be in words (spoken
or written), signs or behavior both conscious and unconscious. The response
or return message is called feedback. When the feedback is received by the
sender, the communication cycle or communication process is completed.
This may be represented by following diagram:

Thus, communication is two way continuous processes. It may be

interpersonal or intrapersonal. This two way communication process can
take place when the following components or elements are present:

SENDER: communication starts with the sender who is the initiator of the
message. The Sender of the message is the person who formulates the
message and sends it to the other person. After generating an idea the sender
encodes the message in a way that can be comprehended by the receiver.

ENCODING: Encoding refers to the process by which the sender translates

his thought into a series of verbal and non-verbal actions that he feels will
communicate the message to the intended receiver. For e.g. transmitting the
thought into any language.

RECEIVER: Receiver is the person to whom symbols or messages are

transmitted or feed forwarded. After receiving the message he decodes the
message

DECODING: Decoding is the process of translating symbols encoded by

sender into ideas that can be understood. For decoding the receiver has to be
ready to receive the message i.e. he should not be preoccupied with other
thoughts that might cause him to pay insufficient attention to the message.

MESSAGE: This is the subject matter of communication which is intended

to be passed to the receiver from the sender. The sender puts a message in
the form of ideas, opinion, feeling, views, suggestion and orders etc.
TRANSMISSION OR CHANNELS: The medium used for conveying the
message is known as channel. It is the means by which a message moves
between sender and receiver. The information that the sender wants to
communicate is transmitted over a channel through which the message
travels to the receiver. A channel connects the sender to the receiver.
Channels for communication include memorandums, computer, notices,
telephone, telegram, or a television. The choice of channel depends upon the
communication situation.

FEEDBACK: Feedback is the reaction or response of the receiver to the

sender regarding message or subject matter. We can also say that a message
generated by the receiver in response to the sender’s original message is
known as feedback. Feedback is necessary because
[1] It completes the circuit between sender & receiver.
[2] It ensures that the message has been effectively encoded, transmitted,
decoded & understood.
 [3] It increases accuracy well as confidence and reduces doubt and
misunderstanding in the relationship.
A good communication strategy for giving feedback is to follow a 3-tier
process:
1. Listen to what a sender is trying to communicate.
2. Repeat the crux of the message to ensure that your intentions have been
rightly understood.
3. Give a response to the message.
Feedback can be of two types:
1. Confirmative and 2. Corrective
Confirmative feedback ascertains the moves and actions of the sender.
Whatever is being stated and the receiver agrees to the statement? The
situation is happy, as there is no scope for dissent. Both the participants
are at accord with one another,
In corrective feedback the statement should be formulated such that they
do not offend the speaker. Words have to be picked and used carefully so
that there is no misunderstanding. Corrective feedback is given at the
places where chances of miscommunication are high or work input is
much below expectation.
The 7 Cs of Communication
The 7 Cs of Communication is a checklist to ensure that your communication is
effective. We communicate with people every day, both at work and in our personal
life. We communicate using a number of different methods – face to face, telephone,
email, instant messenger, letters, reports, meetings, presentations and more.
The 7 Cs of Communication are:

1. Clarity
2. Conciseness
3. Concreteness
4. Correctness
5. Coherent
6. Completeness
7. Courteous

Clarity
Be clear about the goal of your message and the purpose of the message. Present
one idea at a time making it easier for the recipient to understand. Don’t leave them
guessing what the message is about and having to fill in the gaps themselves.
Set a goal or outcome for what you want to communicate and work towards that.
Conciseness
Keep to the point and keep it short and simple. Don’t use unnecessary words (use two
words where one will do or 6 sentences when 3 will do). Don’t repeat the same point
in different ways.
This will also make any communication more engaging and easier to understand.
Concreteness
Be clear, not fuzzy. Ensure there is enough detail to get the message across but not
too much so that the recipient will be lost and that the message is factual. Make sure
your main points and any conclusions are clear to the recipient.

Correctness
Check the information you are providing is accurate and, in written communication,
ensure it is free from grammatical and spelling errors. Check the technical parts of
your content are understandable by the person receiving the information.
Preparation will help here to make sure you can be sure about what you are
communicating or a chance to read what you have written.

Coherent
Make sure your message flows well and is laid out logically. The points you make
should all be linked to the main topic and should help you to deliver the objective you
originally set out to achieve. Make sure the tone of the message is the same
throughout.
Consider using a structure for your communication to help here.

Completeness
Ensure the recipient has everything they need to understand your message and take
action if needed. If action is needed, ensure your message includes a ‘call to action’.
Also, ensure that any specific details are clear and included. Don’t leave the recipient
with lots of questions to ask.
Think about how you will check for understanding. For example, you could ask
questions to check their understanding.

Courteous
Your message should be polite, friendly, professional, open and honest. Think about
your message from the recipient’s point of view and you are empathetic towards their
needs. This will help you to deliver the message in a way that’s easy to understand
and buy into.
Also, communicating to or writing for the reader can make your communication more
engaging.

By following the 7 Cs of communication you should find the messages you are
delivering much more effective.

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
Anything that disturbs the flow or the influence of the message is a barrier.
The word barrier means a thing that makes communication or good
relationships between people difficult or impossible. Hurdles or problems
which affect the transmission of information from sender to the receiver in
the communication process are called communication barriers.

Mechanical
Barrier.
Physical Mental or
Psychology
Barriers Barrier.

Organisatio Cross-
nal Barrier BARRIERS Cultural
TO Barrier.
COMMUNI
CATION

Semantic Perception
Barrier al Barrier.

Gender Interperson
Barrier al Barrier.

PHYSICAL BARRIERS:

These types or barriers arise due to external or tangible factors or due to

wrong choice of medium or channel of communication.
Types of Physical Barriers:

1. Environmental Disturbances: Non conducive environment, Extreme cold or hot or

humid environment, Traffic nuisances, loud speakers, loudness or shouting. Unwanted
noise, Unbearable weather, illegible handwriting.
2. Personal Health: Ability to receive when not well.
3. Poor Hearing: Born deaf, lost hearing due to accident, excess use of earphones.
4. Faulty seating arrangements.
5. Distance: - Proxemics or choice of medium. Four distinct zones that people
unconsciously use as they interact with others. The four zones may vary greatly from
culture to culture.

18”<Intimate – Lovers, family, or close friends

4’ <Personal – Talking at a party
12’ <Social– Interpersonal business – clients.
20’ <Public – Supervisor talking employees

MECHANICAL BARRIERS:
We use different instruments and machines for communicating our messages. Very often
the selected medium itself becomes a barrier.
Types of Mechanical Barriers.

1. Absence of means of communication.

2. Faulty instruments.
3. Interruptions on radio and television.
4. Non availability of proper machines.
5. Presence of defective machines.
6. Power failure.
7. Disturbance in telephone lines.
8. Defective microphones.

MENTAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIERS:

Mental turbulence of any type which distracts the interact ants and prevents
him from paying attention to the message is defined as psychological barriers.
Types of mental barriers:
1. Emotional feelings.
 2. Poor listening skills.
3. Personal opinions.
4. Attitude and beliefs.
5. Prejudices.
6. Disinterested.
7. Poor retention.
8. Not paying attention.
9. Egoism and self-centeredness.
10. Confused thinking.
11. Communication overload
12. Unnecessary repetitions.
13. Brain drain.
RACISM & CROSS CULTURAL BARRIERS. :
Cultural – ethnic, religious, and social differences.
Traditions barring —--people of different cultures mingling together.
Barriers to membership of a group
SEMANTIC BARRIERS:

If the receiver is not able to comprehend the message that the sender intends to convey it results
into semantic and language barrier. Even though they occur at small percentage but greatly affect
the communication process. They may occur at any stage of communication. Few examples of
such barriers are:
1. Careless use of words and language.
2. Use of ornamental and pompous language.
3. Use of terms or words which are not familiar with our expression such as buzz words and
jargons.
4. Absence or incorrect placement of punctuation marks such as the comma, the period, the
exclamation mark or the question mark.
 5. Wrong interpretation of words and their meanings.
6. Improper pronunciation.
7. Incorrect spelling.
8. Faulty syntax.
9. Poor grammar.
ORGANIZATIONAL BARRIERS:

Such types of barriers originate from the communication network

established by the organization. Generally in any organizational set up there
could be two basic channels of communication – formal and informal. Both
these systems are important and carry messages- sometimes giving
information, sometimes reinforcing and sometimes conflicting- throughout
the organization. Further, in the administrative hierarchy of an organization,
messages communicate in two directions following either vertical or
horizontal route of flow.
Horizontal channel of communication is found among the members working
at the same level.Vertical communication flow upward and downward
communication system in the form of letters. Circulars, memos, notices,
reports, opinions, survey, results, statistical analysis etc.
Sometimes messages communicate through an informal communication
system called grapevine. Though it is a powerful and essential way of
informal communication but sometimes becomes a barrier by distorting the
message and often becomes a vehicle for rumors and inaccurate information.
Organizational Barriers arises due to:

1 Organization structure.
2 Rules and regulations.
3 Procedures and policies.
HOW TO OVERCOME THE BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
:
PHYSICAL BARRIERS
1 Make suitable seating arrangements.
2 Ensure audibility and visibility.
3 Minimize visual and aural distractions.
4 Provide a comfortable environment.
5 Proper posture and body language.
PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIERS:

1 Plan and classify ideas and opinions.

2 Collate ideas or suggestions of others
3 Call attention and motivate the listeners
4 Use feedback process.
5 Develop trust and confidence.
6 Provide assistance to comprehend the message clearly .
7 Time your message.
SEMANTIC BARRIERS:

1 Use simple and precise language.

2 Use less verbalism.
3 Use suitable language.
4 Employ different methods of communication.
5 Avoid ambiguous and abstract words.
6 Avoid polysemic words which create confusion.
INTERA AND INTERPERSONAL BARRIERS:

1 Clarity in emotional expressions.

2 Express the importance of messages.
3 Attitude of the sender and rece iver.
 4 Create a climate of trust and confidence.
5 Time your message.
6 Attentive listening with full concentration.

VERBAL AND NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION:

Verbal and non verbal means of communication are closely interlinked and interwoven with one
another. Studies reveal that 35% or the message is carried verbally while 65% is conveyed non
verbally.

VERBAL
COMMUNICATION

NON
VERBAL
COMMUNICWRITTEN
ORAL
COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION
WRITTEN ORAL
NNN COMMUNIC COMMUNIC
WAYS OR TYPES OF
COMMUNICATION
 Language, Scripture, Body language, Signs, Signals
Letter, Applications, Paralanguage, Pictorial Pres
Invitations, Telegrams, Aesthetics, Handwriting
Notices, Reports, Minutes, Symbolic, style
Circulars, Lyrics, Fiction, Aural Spatial
Drama or Play etc. Arrangement
Of Words.

VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Communication with the help of words either written or spoken is known as

Verbal communication. It is a popular means of carrying information from
one person to another. In this communication we communicate our message
verbally through words, vocabulary and symbols. Words are language
symbols. They are also called verbal symbols. Language is a necessary
instrument of verbal communication. It is a medium of exchange for ideas or
information which may be factual or specific. It conveys emotions, attitudes,
beliefs, opinion, hopes and desires. Any language can be expressed in two
ways or forms either in spoken words or in writing form i.e., it may be oral
or written.
TYPES OF VERBAL AS WELL AS ORAL COMMUNICATION
ARE:

Types of Verbal as well as oral Communication are face to face discussions,

Dialogues, Debates, Conversations, Meetings, speeches, Orations,
Extempore, Oral presentations, television, radio, telephone conversations,
seminars, videos, announcements, etc. Our tone of voice, pronunciation,
word choice are all things we choose in order to talk. When we are angry we
talk in a certain way, when we are happy we choose other words to express
ourselves.

TYPES OF VERBAL WRITTEN COMMUNICATION ARE:

Verbal communication also includes the written word. Written or

correspondence verbal communication includes emails, books, letters,
magazines, newspapers, notes, faxes, commercials, applications, invitations,
telegrams, notices, reports, minutes, manifestos, circulars, lyrics, fictions
and novels etc. Anything that is written is also verbal communication.

NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Non verbal communication refers to all external stimuli other than spoken or
written words. It is the process of communicating through sending and
receiving wordless messages. Such messages can be communicated through
gesture, body language or posture; facial expression and eye contact. NVC
can be communicated through object communication such as clothing,
hairstyles or even architecture, or symbols. Nonverbal communication plays
a key role in every person's day to day life, from employment to romantic
engagements.
The non verbal communication also includes communication through words and writing i.e., it
may be oral or written.

TYPES OF NON VERBAL AS WELL AS ORAL COMMUNICATION ARE:

1. BODY LANGUAGE: Oral non verbal communication includes communication through body
language. All non verbal clues together make up body language. It includes physical appearance,
Oculesics or eye contact, facial expressions, Kinesics, Proxemics (space distancing), silence,
clothing and dressing sense.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE:
Elements such as physique, height, weight, hair, skin color, gender, odors, and clothing send
nonverbal messages during interaction. They are physical aspects of nonverbal communication
and together constitute the physical appearance of a person.

FACIAL EXPRESSION:
Expression implies a revelation about the characteristics of a person, a message about something
internal to the expresser. In the context of the face and nonverbal communication, expression
usually implies a change of a visual pattern over time, but as a static painting can express a mood
or capture a sentiment. Facial expressions are an important channel of nonverbal communication
Even though the human species has acquired the powerful capabilities of a verbal language; the
role of facial expressions in person-to-person interactions remains substantial. Facial expression
includes a smile, a frown, the raising of eyebrows or tightening of jaw muscles. All these facial
expressions convey a lot in communication.

KINESICS: The different ways in which people move their bodies like gestures, postures, head
nods, leg movements are called kinesics. It is the use of body movements or motions to
communicate. E.g. , rolling eyes, crossing legs, frowning, staring, laughing, gesturing, crossing
one's legs, or any similar body movement.

Posture:
Posture refers to the relative position of parts of the body. It is the way one stands, sits and walks.
The position of hands, legs, and other parts of the body. They not only reveal an individual’s state
of mind- whether he is vibrant, alive or dynamic or nervous and jittery or confident and self
assured but also his grip on the subject matter of communication.
Gesture:
Gesture is a movement of a limb or the body as an expression of thought or feeling, for e.g.,
playing with a pen , twisting a key chain, fastening one's hands tightly may indicate the state of
mind of the speaker affecting both encoding and decoding of messages in communication.
Gestures do add meaning to the message but they may turn awkward if not used keeping time and
person in the communication.

OCULESICS OR EYE CONTACT:

The eyes being the window of the mind express the elemental passions and the varying mood of
the person. One can gauge the sincerity, intelligence, attitude and feeling of a person by looking at
one’s eyes. A stress on continuous eye contact between the speaker and the listener indicates how
sincere the speaker is and how much interested the listener is. Therefore, eye contact is an
important non verbal means that helps to establish connectivity between communicators. Further,
eye contact acts as a means to gain feedback which enables effective communication.

CHRONEMICS: Chronemics is the study of the use of time in nonverbal communication. The
way we perceive time, structure our time and react to time is a powerful communication tool, and
helps set the stage for communication. Time perceptions include punctuality and willingness to
wait, the speed of speech and how long people are willing to listen. The timing and frequency of
an action as well as the tempo and rhythm of communications within an interaction contributes to
the interpretation of nonverbal messages.
Monochronic Time
A monochronic time system means that things are done one at a time and time is segmented into
precise, small units. Under this system time is scheduled, arranged and managed.The United
States is considered a monochronic society. Monochronic cultures include Germany, Canada,
Switzerland & United States
Polychronic Time
A polychronic time system is a system where several things can be done at once, and a more fluid
approach is taken to scheduling time. Unlike Americans and most northern and western European
cultures, Latin American and Arabic cultures use the polychronic system of time. Instead, their
culture is more focused on relationships, rather than watching the clock. They have no problem
being “late” for an event if they are with family or friends, because the relationship is what really
matters. As a result, polychronic cultures have a much less formal perception of time. They are not
ruled by precise calendars and schedules. Rather, “cultures that use the polychronic time system
often schedule multiple appointments simultaneously so keeping on schedule is an
impossibility.”Polychronic cultures include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Mexico, Philippines, India, and
many in Africa.

HAPTICS: Haptics is the study of touching as nonverbal communication. Touches that can be
defined as communication include handshakes, holding hands, back slapping, high fives, a pat on
the shoulder, and brushing an arm. The meaning conveyed from touch is highly dependent upon
the context of the situation, the relationship between communicators, and the manner of touch.
Haptic communication is the means by which people and other animals communicate via
touching. Touch is an extremely important sense for humans; as well as providing information
about surfaces and textures it is a component of nonverbal communication in interpersonal
relationships, and vital in conveying physical intimacy..Touch is the earliest sense to develop in
the fetus. Touching is treated differently from one country to another. Socially acceptable levels of
touching vary from one culture to another.

PROXEMICS: Proxemics is another nonverbal symbol. Proxemics is the study of spatial or

spatial communication i.e. concerned with space to communicate. Spatial communication refers to
the use of physical space around sender and receiver in communication. An example would be
good friends sitting or standing closer to each other rather than a new acquaintance. Space in
nonverbal communication may be divided into four main categories: intimate, social, personal,
and public space. Four distinct zones that people unconsciously use these four distinct zones as
they interact with others. The four zones may vary greatly from culture to culture.

18”<Intimate distance. Reserved for deep personal relationships – Lovers, family, or close
friends
4’ <Personal distance. Reserved for personal conversation with friends, family, or associates –
Talking at a party
12’ <Social distance. Reserved for formal interactions such as – Interpersonal business clients,
business meetings or interviews.
20’ <Public distance. Reserved for such things as public speaking and lectures. – Supervisor
talking employees
 INTIMATE
PERSONAL
SOCIAL
PUBLIC

2. PARALANGUAGE:
Paralanguage (sometimes called vocalic) is the study of nonverbal cues of the voice. It consists of
the ways in which you say words. This includes various acoustic properties of speech such as
volume tone, pitch and accent speaking rate voice quality collectively known as prosody, can all
give off nonverbal cues. Paralanguage may change the meaning of words.

PACE: Speed of delivering words. It is the speaking rate, that is, how fast or slow you are
speaking.

PITCH: tone or tonal vibrations or modulation of voice between high and low range. It is how
high or low the sounds of your voice are.

POWER: it is the ability to provoke, motivate and influence the listener so that they behave
according to your wish or discretion.
PAUSING: it means not to rush through the speech whereas to stop where it is required. It gives
adequate time to the audience to collect and digest the content of the speech.

CLARITY IN ARTICULATION: Articulation is speech producing mechanism in human body.

While the speaker should produce clearly formed words , should not utter a plosive sound at the
end of the word. He should concentrate on the movements of mouth, lips, tongue twisting and
breathing.

VOLUME indicates how loudly or softly you are speaking.

VOICE QUALITY is what makes people able to recognize your voice alone.

2. AESTHETIC: we can convey our message through creative art like painting, music, dance
movements, dramatics, sculptures.

3.SYMBOLIC: This type of non verbal oral communication is implied in religious, spiritual and
cultural symbols__ the way we pray, the way we show respect, we celebrate our events, say
goodbye, and greet people.

4. AURAL: Bells, whistles, buzzers, horns, siren, tune, music piece, are instrumental sounds
through which we communicate our message non verbal orally. Communication with the help of
these types of sounds is called aural communication. for e.g. a bell used in school and colleges to
inform students and teachers about the beginning or end of periods, siren used in factories to
inform the change of work shifts of workers.

5. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Environmental factors such as furniture, architectural style, interior decorating, lighting
conditions, colors, temperature, noise, and music affect the behavior of communicators during
interaction. The furniture itself can be seen as a nonverbal message.

TYPES OF NON VERBAL WRITTEN COMMUNICATION ARE:

1. SIGNS AND SIGNALS: Signs are mechanical types of nonverbal communication which
includes signs like road signs, traffic signals, signs of Red Cross, arrow for direction, different
signs denoting different places like churches, temples, mosques etc.
2. PICTORIAL REPRESENTATION: Pictorial representation is visual representation as by
photography or painting. It includes drawing, painting, carving, tables, charts, diagrams, pie
diagrams, graphs, posters, maps etc.
3. Likewise, written texts also have nonverbal elements such as handwriting style, spatial
arrangement of words.
The most important thing in communication is to understand what is not being said and in non
verbal communication we express our emotions, feelings, attitudes and views in a better way
because words can be framed. The conscious and unconscious body movements coupled with
physical and environmental surroundings substitute words and converse better than words. Non
verbal communication is an important and inevitable aspect of total communication