Communication Skills Week 1 PDF

Communication Skills Week 1 Dr. Samah Elmohamady  The power of Communication In our daily life, communication helps us build relationships by allowing us to share our experiences, and needs, and helps us connect to others. Communication allowing us to exp...

Communication Skills Week 1 Dr. Samah Elmohamady  The power of Communication In our daily life, communication helps us build relationships by allowing us to share our experiences, and needs, and helps us connect to others. Communication allowing us to express feelings, pass on information and share thoughts. We all need to communicate. Without communication, life will be meaningless and human interaction would be impossible.  What is Communication? Communication is something we do every day of our lives, whether it is the spoken word, written or through body language. we are always communicating – or attempting to communicate , living together ,working together, relating to one another is communication , we are communicating all the time : with others , and even with ourselves. But why is it so important? first, let’s understand what communication is, In simple terms, “it’s the act of transferring information or emotions from one person to another “.  Meaning of Communication: Communication can be defined as: ” A two-way process of exchanging (transmitting and receiving) information, ideas, emotions and messages (verbal and non-verbal) between two or more persons, through a medium, in a manner that the sender and the receiver understand the message in the common sense, in order to receive the desired reaction or response ” The response may be positive or negative. In case of absence of any response, communication is incomplete.  What is communication?  What Is Communication? Schramm defines communication as A tool that makes societies Possible and distinguish human from other societies. Wilbur Schramm Dr.Samah M.Mohamady  Berelson and Steiner define communication as The transmission of information, ideas, emotions, skills through the use of symbols, words, pictures, figures, and graph. Dr.Samah M.Mohamady  Meaning of Communication: Communication can be defined as: ” A two-way process of exchanging (transmitting and receiving) information, ideas, emotions and messages (verbal and non-verbal) between two or more persons, through a medium, in a manner that the sender and the receiver understand the message in the common sense, in order to receive the desired reaction or response ” The response may be positive or negative. In case of absence of any response, communication is incomplete.  To summarize, communication has been defined as: A process of passing information and understanding A two way process of reaching mutual understanding The act of making one’s ideas and opinions known to others. The process of imparting ideas and making oneself understood by others The transmission of ideas ensured by feedback for the purpose of eliciting reactions. A systematic and continuous process of telling, listening and understanding.  Elements of communication Process & Communication Cycle Elements of communication process  1- Source,sender or communicator: All human communication has a source, a person or group of persons with a purpose for communicating. The sender is a fundamental element in the communication process. The communication is started by the sender who creates a message for sharing with others. The sender’s role is to effectively encode his/her thoughts or information into a message that can be transmitted through a chosen communication channel to reach the intended receiver(s). “ Encoding”: Encoding is a process where the sender converts their messages into a format that can be transmitted to the receiver. It involves transforming concepts and mental images into language, symbols, or signals that the receiver can understand. The process of encoding is where the sender puts their thoughts into a structured and communicable form, allowing for effective transmission.  The elements of the sender in communication include: These elements shape how the sender formulates and encodes the message, impacting effective communication. Intention: The purpose or objective behind initiating communication. Knowledge: Proficiency and knowledge of the sender in the subject matter. Attitudes : Personal opinions that shape the communication of the sender. Communication Skills: Verbal and written skills and active listening. Non-verbal Cues: Body language, gesture, and tone of voice used by the sender. Cultural Background: Language, customs, and social norms influencing communication. Perceptions and Assumptions: The sender’s interpretations and assumptions about the receiver.  2) Message: The message is the informational content that the sender aims to communicate to the receiver. It serves as the core of the communication process, carrying the purpose and meaning that the sender wants to communicate. The role of the message is to effectively transfer thoughts, concepts, instructions, or emotions from the sender to the receiver, aiming to create mutual understanding and facilitate a specific response or action. Examples of mass media message are a news report, a movie, a television program, a magazine article, a newspaper columns, and an advertisement.  3- Channel : It is the medium , the means by which a message travels between the sender to the receiver. Within the framework of communication, channels serve as the pathways that help messages move from the sender to the receiver. These channels include one-to-one conversations, voice calls, emails, business reports, social media, video conferences, radio, television and more. Each channel has its unique impact on the communication process, influencing factors such as clarity, and the emotional connection between the sender and the receiver. Channels in the communication process are divided into three broad categories: 1. Oral: In oral communication, the sender directly interacts with the receiver in a face-to-face conversation. For example, a sales executive directly deals with customers. This allows the sender greater control over the interaction. 2. Written: Messages are also transmitted in written format between sender and receiver. For example, letters, memos, business communication reports, emails, notices, etc. 3. Audio/Video: The audio channel involves video conferences, video chats, etc.  4- Receiver : receiver is the target of communication, The receiver is a critical component of the communication process. The receiver is responsible for receiving and processing the message sent by the sender. The role of the receiver is to understand, analyze, and, respond to the message in a way that aligns with the sender’s intent. Effective communication relies on the receiver’s ability to decode the message accurately and provide feedback or take necessary actions. “Decoding” : Decoding is the process in the communication cycle where the receiver interprets and understands the message sent by the sender. This stage involves the receiver translating the encoded message (originally formulated by the sender) into their understanding and making sense of the information. Decoding is critical because it determines whether the intended message is accurately received or if misinterpretation occurs.  The source and receiver must have some minimum level of similarity , some level of shared NOTE meanings, no two individuals :"Meanings have exactly the same experience , each person has are in stored experience, consisting of people not beliefs and values related to in himself and to his group , a messages". message that challenges these beliefs or values may be rejected, distorted or misinterpreted.  5- Feedback: Feedback in communication refers to the receiver’s response to the sender’s message. It gives the sender useful insights into how the message was received, understood, and explained. It helps the sender evaluate the success of their message, adjust their approach if necessary, and ensure that the intended message aligns with the receiver’s interpretation. Feedback serves as a crucial tool for improving the effectiveness of future communication.  Feedback can take various forms including: Verbal: Such as a spoken response or a comment. Non-verbal feedback: Including facial expressions, body language, or gestures that indicate the receiver’s reaction. Written feedback: In the form of emails, messages, or notes. There are two kinds of feedback: Negative Positive Feedback Feedback  Positive Feedback: Confirms the source that Negative Feedback: the intended effect of the message was achieved. Informs the source that the intended effect of Positive feedback tells the the message was not source that everything is achieved. going in the desired way.  Noise: Communication noise means any disturbance or interruption that might happen while communicating, hampering the accurate transmission and reception of a message. Noise is the loss of meaning during the transmission Types of communication noise include: 1. Semantic Noise: This type of noise occurs when words and symbols used in communication are not understood in the same way by the sender and receiver, it results in the wrong interpretation of messages as words were too difficult for receiver to understand , also differences of selected meaning of words between the message sender and a receiver. 2. Environmental Noise: includes any external factors that interfere with communication, such as loud background noises. 3. Psychological Noise: relates to the mental and emotional state of both the sender and receiver. It can include stress or emotional reactions that impact the ability to process and understand the message. 4. Physical Noise or Channel Noise : refers to tangible obstructions, such as a poor-quality phone line or written text that is difficult to read.  Communication Context: Communication always occur within, and is affected by several critical contexts , By contexts we mean the environments where communication takes place, including: the physical, Cultural and Sociological Context.