Fundamentals of Communication

Module 1: Fundamentals of Communication

• Communication involves a sender, a message, and a receiver.
• The sender initiates the communication process by encoding a message and transmitting it.
• The message can be communicated verbally or through nonverbal cues.
• Nonverbal cues consist of facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice. Verbal cues use spoken language.
• The receiver decodes and interprets the message.
• Feedback from the receiver confirms that the communication has been received and understood.
• Feedback can be verbal or nonverbal.
• Communicating accounts for 70% of business.
• Listening accounts for 45% of business communication, speaking for 30%, reading for 16%, and writing for 9%.

Features of Communication

• Communication is unavoidable, a two-way process, goal-oriented, seeks mutual understanding, and can be both verbal and non-verbal. It can also be a circular and continuous process.
• Communication is also dynamic and universal.

Purpose of Communication

• General purposes include advising, counseling, giving instructions, and persuading.
• It is essential for human contact and connecting with others.
• It enables the communication of thoughts, ideas, and feelings.
• It enhances understanding between individuals.
• Professional purposes include marketing, sales, advertising, negotiating, staffing, employee welfare, projecting company image, and gathering feedback.
• It is essential for building connections and developing relationships based on trust.
• It supports organizational goal achievement, teamwork, dispute resolution, and coordinated efforts.
• Decision-making relies on effective communication.
• In a corporate context, effective communication is crucial for marketing, sales, customer service, client satisfaction, and brand loyalty.

Barriers to Communication

• Physical barriers can limit or impede good communication, these include intrusive sounds, dim illumination, or lack of personal space.
• Language barriers arise when individuals speak different languages or have varying fluency levels.
• Cultural barriers can be encountered due to diverse cultural backgrounds, traditions, convictions, and ideals.
• If people are emotionally distraught emotions can act as barriers.
• Cognitive barriers may arise from varying levels of comprehension or understanding.
• Perceptual barriers occur when people have different perspectives or perceptions.
• Technological barriers can arise from varying degrees of access to technology.
• Noise barriers refer to any external or internal factors that interfere with or disrupt communication.

Effective Communication

• Completeness: The communication must be complete, conveying all necessary facts. The sender must consider the receiver's mindset and convey the message accordingly.
• Conciseness: It involves communicating what you want to convey in as few words as possible without sacrificing the principles of effective communication.
• Correctness: There should be no grammatical errors.
• Consideration: Implies "stepping into the shoes of others" and taking the audience's viewpoints, background, mindset, and education level into account.
• Clarity: Emphasize a specific message or goal at a time, avoiding trying to achieve too much at once.
• Concreteness: Requires being particular and clear rather than uncertain and general.
• Courtesy: The message should show the sender's expression and respect the receiver.

Role of Effective Communication

• Involves clearly and meaningfully conveying information and ideas between individuals or groups.
• Active Listening: It involves giving verbal or nonverbal cues to show interest and paying attention.
• Clarity and Conciseness: Using simple, direct, and to-the-point language.
• Empathy and Understanding: Understanding the other person's viewpoint and being conscious of their needs and feelings.
• Feedback and Response: This involves providing appropriate and respectful comments on the message heard.

Types of Communication

• Verbal: Words, spoken or written, are used to communicate a message; includes written and oral.
• Nonverbal: This uses body language, facial expressions, posture, and tone of voice.
• Communication Across Cultures: Exchange of information between different cultural backgrounds which can be difficult; intercultural communication is crucial.
• Visual: Uses pictures, graphics, and videos.
• Interpersonal: Exchange of information between 2 or more persons; can be formal or informal.
• Mass: Reaching a large audience through mass media, including television, radio, newspapers, and the internet.
• Electronic: Uses digital technology, including the internet, social media, and mobile devices, to spread a message.

Forms or Types of Communication

• Non-Verbal: Communication beyond spoken words.
• Verbal: Uses spoken word.
• Synchronous: Real-time interaction.
• Asynchronous: Delayed interaction.
• Formal: Structured and professional.
• In-formal: Casual and spontaneous.
• Visual: Information in images.
• Written: Information in text.
• Intra-personal: Communication with self.
• Interpersonal: Communication with others.
• Mass: Communication at scale.
• Meta: Communication about communication.

Interpersonal vs. Intrapersonal Communication

• Intrapersonal involves communicating with oneself.
• Interpersonal involves communicating with others. Intrapersonal:
  • Relates to self-concept, values, attitude, perception, and expectations.
  • Occurs when you want to plan, introspect, or analyze thoughts.
• Interpersonal:
  • Inescapable and involves the exchange of thoughts and ideas between people.
  • It is often complex.
  • It is also contextual
• Mass Communication:
  • Targets a wide, heterogeneous audience through intermediary channels with self-defined sources but lacks feedback.
• Media Communication:
  • Transmits public message through channels, such as TV, the internet, radio, and newspapers.

Improving Communication Effectiveness

• Clarify ideas before communicating. Make clear messages to yourself first.
• Communicate to the receiver's needs.
• Consult others before communication.
• Aware of languages, tone and content of message.
• Convey things of help and value to listeners.
• Ensure proper feedback.
• Communicate for present as well as future.
• Follow-up communications.
• Be a good listener.
• The strategic use of Grapevine.
• Timeliness: The message should reach the receiver at the right time.

Explore the fundamentals of communication, including the roles of sender, message, and receiver. Understand the significance of verbal and nonverbal cues, and the importance of feedback. Learn about the features of communication such as being unavoidable and goal-oriented.