UNIT 1 What is Communication.pdf

INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION UNIT 1, BU1523 WHAT IS COMMUNICATION? All communication is composed of three parts that make a whole: Sharing: This occurs when you convey thoughts, feelings, ideas, or insights to others. Understanding: To understand is to perceive, to interpret...

INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION UNIT 1, BU1523 WHAT IS COMMUNICATION? All communication is composed of three parts that make a whole: Sharing: This occurs when you convey thoughts, feelings, ideas, or insights to others. Understanding: To understand is to perceive, to interpret, and to relate our perception and interpretation to what we already know.” (McLean, 2003) Understanding the words and the concepts or objects they refer to is an important part of the communication process. Meaning: This is what you share through communication. For example, by looking at the context of a word, and by asking questions, you can discover the shared STORYTELLING: THE ART OF COMMUNICATION 1 Age-Old Tradition 2 Personal Reflection 3 Preparation and Storytelling has been a The art of storytelling Practice common and time- draws on an All effective honored form of individual's communication, communication, understanding of including storytelling, serving to help themselves, their takes preparation, individuals make sense message, and how practice, and of their world, they communicate it persistence. anticipate the future, to an audience that is and entertain simultaneously themselves. communicating back.  Interpersonal Any message Communication using the written word. Nonverbal Any message exchanged TYPES OF Communication between two or more COMMUNICATION people. Any message Written inferred through Communication observation of another person.  COMMUNICATIONS PROCESS: ENCODING AND DECODING Encoding Decoding Channels of Communication The process of turning The process of turning thoughts into communication into Various options for communication. thoughts. communication, including verbal, written, and nonverbal channels.  UNDERSTANDING THE COMPONENTS OF COMMUNICATION Source Message Receiver The originator of the The stimulus or meaning The individual who message who imagines, produced by the source receives and interprets creates, and sends it. for the receiver or the message from the audience. source. EIGHT ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF COMMUNICATION: Source 1 Imagining and Creating 2 Encoding the Message The source imagines, creates, and The source encodes the message by sends the message. By watching for choosing just the right order or the the audience’s reaction, the source best words to convey the intended perceives how well they received the meaning, and presents or sends the message and responds with information to the audience clarification or supporting (receiver). information.  EIGHT ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF COMMUNICATION: Message Stimulus Production Conveying Meaning “The message is the stimulus or meaning The message brings together words to produced by the source for the receiver or convey meaning, but is also about how it’s audience” (McLean, 2005). conveyed — through nonverbal cues, organization, grammar, style, and other elements.  EIGHT ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF COMMUNICATION: Channel Spoken Channels Written Channels Spoken channels include face-to-face Written channels include letters, memorandums, conversations, speeches, phone conversations, purchase orders, invoices, newspaper and and voicemail messages. magazine articles, blogs, email, text messages, tweets, and so forth.  EIGHT ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF COMMUNICATION: Receiver Message Analysis The receiver receives the message from the source, analyzing and interpreting the message in ways both intended and unintended by the source (McLean, 2005).  EIGHT ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF COMMUNICATION: Feedback Response to the Source 1 When you respond to the source, intentionally or unintentionally, you are giving feedback. 2 Feedback Signals Feedback is composed of messages the receiver sends back to the source, allowing the source to see how well, how accurately the message was received (Leavitt & Mueller, 1951). EIGHT ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF COMMUNICATION: Environment & Context Environment Context “The environment is the atmosphere, “The context of the communication physical and psychological, where you interaction involves the setting, scene, and send and receive messages” (McLean, expectations of the individuals involved” 2005). (McLean, 2005). EIGHT ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF COMMUNICATION: Interference/Noise Blockage of Meaning Interference is anything that blocks or changes the source’s intended meaning of the message (McLean, 2005). External & Internal Noise Interference, also called noise, can come from any source and interferes with normal encoding and decoding of the message carried by the channel between source and receiver. TRANSMISSION, INTERACTION, & TRANSACTION MODELS 1 Transmission Model Describes communication as a linear, one-way process from sender to receiver. 2 Interaction Model Describes communication as a more interactive, two-way process with feedback. 3 Transaction Model Describes communication as a process in which communicators generate social realities within social, relational, and cultural contexts. UNDERSTANDING THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS Feedback Messages sent back to the source Environment Physical and psychological atmosphere Context Setting, scene, and expectations of the individuals involved Conclusion: The Power of Effective Communication 1 Preparation and Practice All effective communication takes preparation, practice, and persistence. 2 Understanding and Meaning Communication is composed of sharing, understanding, and meaning. 3 Feedback and Adaptation Feedback and adaptation are essential components of the communication process. When Did You Learn to Talk? 1 Infancy When you were an infant, you learned to talk over a period of many months. You need to begin the process of improving your speaking and writing with the frame of mind that it will require effort, persistence, and self-correction, just as it did when you were acquiring basic communication skills. 2 Reflection Your speaking and writing are reflections of your thoughts, experience, and education. Part of that combination is your level of experience listening to other speakers, reading documents and styles of writing, and studying formats similar to what you aim to produce. 3 Success Each time you do a good job, your success will bring more success. An individual with excellent communication skills is an asset to every organization. No matter what career you plan to pursue, learning to express yourself professionally in your communications will help you get there. Context in Communication Intrapersonal Interpersonal Group Communication Communication Communication Group communication is Intrapersonal communication The second major context generally defined as involving involves one person; it is within the field of three to eight people. The often called “self-talk”. Your communication is larger the group, the more intrapersonal communication interpersonal communication likely it is to break down into can be positive or negative, which normally involves two smaller groups. and directly influences how people, and can range from you perceive and react to intimate and very personal to situations and communication formal and impersonal. with others. Public and Mass Communication Public Communication In public communication, one person speaks to a group of people; the same is true of public written communication, where one person writes a message to be read by a small or large group. Mass Communication Through mass communication, you send a message to as many people as possible. Mass communication involves sending a single message to a group. Your Responsibilities as a Communicator Preparation Organization Being prepared means that you have Being organized involves the steps or selected a topic appropriate to your points that lead your communication to a audience, gathered enough information to conclusion. Once you’ve invested time in cover the topic well, put your information researching your topic, you will want to into a logical sequence, and considered narrow your focus to a few key points and how best to present it. consider how you’ll present them. Clarity You need to have a clear idea in your mind of what you want to say before you can say it clearly to someone else. It involves considering your audience, as you will want to choose words and phrases they understand and avoid jargon or slang that may be unfamiliar to them. Ethics in Communication 1 The Ethical Communicator 2 The Ethical Communicator Is Egalitarian Is Respectful To communicate in an egalitarian The ethical communicator will be manner, speak and write in a way that passionate and enthusiastic without is comprehensible and relevant to all being disrespectful. Losing one’s your listeners or readers, not just temper and being abusive are those who are ‘like you’ in terms of generally regarded as showing a lack age, gender, race or ethnicity, or other of professionalism. characteristics. 3 The Ethical Communicator Is Trustworthy Your audience will expect that what you say is the truth as you understand it. This means that you have not intentionally omitted, deleted, or taken information out of context simply to prove your points. Responsibilities to Your Audience Preparation Organization Clarity Being prepared means that Being organized involves the You need to have a clear you have selected a topic steps or points that lead idea in your mind of what appropriate to your audience, your communication to a you want to say before you gathered enough conclusion. Once you’ve can say it clearly to someone information to cover the invested time in researching else. It involves considering topic well, put your your topic, you will want to your audience, as you will information into a logical narrow your focus to a few want to choose words and sequence, and considered key points and consider how phrases they understand and how best to present it. you’ll present them. avoid jargon or slang that may be unfamiliar to them. Responsibilities to Your Employer Preparation Being prepared means that you have selected a topic appropriate to your audience, gathered enough information to cover the topic well, put your information into a logical sequence, and considered how best to present it. Organization Being organized involves the steps or points that lead your communication to a conclusion. Once you’ve invested time in researching your topic, you will want to narrow your focus to a few key points and consider how you’ll present them. Clarity You need to have a clear idea in your mind of what you want to say before you can say it clearly to someone else. It involves considering your audience, as you will want to choose words and phrases they understand and avoid jargon or slang that may be unfamiliar to them. Responsibilities to Your Profession Clarity You need to have a clear idea in your mind of what you want to say before you can say it clearly to someone else. It involves considering your audience, as you will want to choose words and phrases they understand and avoid jargon or slang that may be unfamiliar to them. Punctuality Concise means to be brief and to the point. In most business communications you are expected to ‘get down to business’ right away. Being prepared includes being able to state your points clearly and support them with trustworthy evidence in a relatively straightforward, linear way.