Lesson 1: Communication Processes, Principles, and Ethics PDF

LESSON 1: COMMUNICATION PROCESSES, PRINCIPLES AND ETHICS ROLANDO Y. SANTIAGO JR. Instructor I Department of Languages and Mass Communication Cavite State University – Imus Campus Questions to ponder……. 1. Why is communication important to you? 2. Why is communication important to...

LESSON 1: COMMUNICATION PROCESSES, PRINCIPLES AND ETHICS ROLANDO Y. SANTIAGO JR. Instructor I Department of Languages and Mass Communication Cavite State University – Imus Campus Questions to ponder……. 1. Why is communication important to you? 2. Why is communication important to society? 3. Why do you think communication skills are considered to be essential in being good citizens? “Communication is the process of exchanging information between entities” (Hoynes, 2003). “The art of communication is the language of leadership.” -James Humes- A good leader needs to be able to convey a message clearly as well as understand the meaning and intention behind what other people say. Communication Principles Communication is a complex process. but the real question is, whether the ideas one has expressed are truly understood by everyone. It is done effectively only when information is transmitted without changing both the CONTENT and the CONTEXT of the message. Content the material that is written/contained about a given topic Context the circumstances that help us to understand the text  “Communication is both an art and a science, and to get on top and stay on top, you need to internalize both." -Dr. Denis Waitley- The "art" of communication lies in the ability to convey ideas with creativity, empathy, and understanding, connecting on a deeper emotional level. On the other hand, the "science" refers to the structured methods, strategies, and psychological principles that underlie effective communication. Communication Principles Communication allows to construct ideas and bring people to believe in one’s vision. It can also bring about success to one’s personal and professional life. Processes of Effective Communication Communication is the art of creating and sharing ideas for a specific purpose. Tejada et al, (2018) Verbal (use of language, sounds, tone of voice) Non-verbal (body language, deportment, facial expression) Written (journal, email, blog, text message) Visual (signs, symbols, pictures, graphics, emojis)  Audience Analysis Knowing the audience - Demographic (age, gender, culture, ethnicity, race, religion, and educational level) Understanding their level - Attitudinal (attitudes, beliefs, and values) Preferred channel/medium How they need to receive the information - Environmental: (seating arrangement, the number of people likely to attend, and the room lighting)  Recognizing Communication Barriers Cultural difference (semiotics) Varying levels of expectations and experiences Difference in perspectives and communication styles ex. Western cultures tend to value direct, explicit communication, emphasizing individual opinions and assertiveness. In contrast, Eastern cultures often favor indirect communication, relying on non-verbal cues, context, and subtleties to convey meaning. Communication Process and Models Communication Scholars and Theorists Aristotle Shannon-Weaver Osgood and Schramm Eugene White Communication Model The earliest model comes from Aristotle at around 5BC. His model explains that speakers should adjust their messages according to their audience and the occasion to achieve a particular effect. The Aristotle model of communication is a linear and speaker-centric model with no scope for the audience to provide feedback. There are five basic components, including speaker, speech, audience, effect, and occasion. Three Key Elements: The model consists of three key elements that contribute to effective communication: Ethos (speaker’s credibility), Pathos (emotional connection with the audience), and Logos (logical arguments and evidence). ETHOS: Ethos (Character) based on the personal character or credibility of the speaker; known as “the appeal to authority” or “the appeal to credibility.” PHATOS: Pathos, (Emotions) based on inducing specific emotions or putting the audience into certain frames of mind. known as “the appeal to emotion.” Pathos refers to the method of trying to persuade an audience by eliciting some kind of emotional reaction. LOGOS: Logos, (Logic) based on the logical arguments made in the speech. known as “the appeal to reason.” This method involves using facts and logical reasoning to support an argument and persuade an audience.  Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver Designed by Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver. This is also often called the “Telephone Model” because of the technology of the telephone and the experience of “noise” coming from the switchboard. This model tells us how the message may sometimes get lost because of the noise, which can be physical or psychological and how feedback is an essential component of communication to ensure that the message is successfully received.  OSGOOD SCHRAMM MODEL OF COMMUNICATION The role of interpreter (appreciation of message) will dictate if the process would succeed or fail. Semantic noise - term used when the sender and receiver may apply different meanings to the same message. And this will leads to the second model of Schramm.  SECOND MODEL OF COMMUNICATION SEMANTIC NOISE Another model of Schramm where it perceives that for the message to reach the receiver, there must be a common field of experience between the sender and the receiver. This will allow the receiver to still understand the core meaning of the message despite differences between the sender and receiver’s experiences and nuances of the message. This field of experience may constitute culture, social background, beliefs, experiences, values and rules.  It is circular and continuous. There is no beginning and end. EUGENE WHITE’S STAGES OF ORAL COMMUNICATION (1960)  EUGENE WHITE’S STAGES OF ORAL COMMUNICATION According to White, it is possible to begin at any of the stages outlined in his model. The most important contribution of his model is the concept of feedback which can only be processed by the speaker if he or she has been monitoring the audience or the listener. Hence, the speaker must also pay attention to the listener’s verbal and non-verbal cues. The communication process is circular nor linear.  FEEDBACK MESSAGE Communication Stages CONTEXT MESSAGE MESSAGE MESSAGE Communication Stages Source - The source of the message is the sender. Message - The message is simply the information a person wants to communicate. Encoding - This is the process of transferring the message into a format or platform that is expected to be understood or decoded by the recipient of the information. (1) know the audience’s context and understand what they need to know (2) identify the possible means of sending the message and choose the best option (3) use a language the audience will understand Communication Stages Channel - This is the method(s) one uses to convey the message. Receiver - The target of the recipient of the message. Decoding- This happens when the intended recipient of the information receives the message. Receptive skills: reading and comprehending, viewing, active listening, or asking questions. Feedback - This is the mechanism that gauges how successful the communication process is – oral response, body language, facial expression, written remark, any form of reaction to the information received. Characteristics of Effective Communication 1. Clarity- This pertains to both the message and the purpose why the message has to be sent. 2. Conciseness - The message should be as brief as may be required depending on one’s purpose 3. Completeness -Despite conciseness, the message should still be complete and accurate. 4. Organization - Effective communication is usually planned in order to ensure the systematic flow of ideas and transition from one point to another. 5. Empathy- The sender of the message should be sensitive to the needs and interests of the receiver 6. Flexibility - Effective communicators know how to adapt to the varying needs and expectations of their audience. Criteria for Effective Feedback 1. Be vulnerable. 6. Check your language. 2. Lead with intent. 7. Accept feedback. 3. Focus on the behavior. 8. Ask what you can do to help. 4. Have a conversation. 9. Stick to facts. 5. Focus on the future. 10. End on a positive note. Be vulnerable. Receiving feedback often puts someone in a vulnerable position. Using a bit of humility creates a relationship where the receiver can “hear” feedback better, as they’re not the only ones being vulnerable in the exchange. Bad: “Your writing is far from where it should be at this point. What are you doing to improve?” Good: “I remember having a conversation with my manager just like this a few years ago and it really helped me become a better writer.” Lead with intent. Use phrases such as, “The reason I am telling you this is ….” or, “I am hoping the result of this conversation will be …” Preface your recipient’s feedback with phrases like these to show where you’re coming from and explain why you’re giving feedback in the first place. Bad: “Your productivity is lacking.” Good: “The reason your performance rating was lower than normal is because I know you’re capable of producing much more than you have been lately.” Focus on the behavior. Discuss how that person’s behavior impacts you and/or the organization. This will keep the conversation from derailing to a place of hurt and blame. Bad: “You’re the only one who’s ever behind on projects.” Good: “Constantly submitting late work makes me think you don’t understand our team’s goals.” Have a conversation. Make sure the conversation goes both ways as opposed to a one-way dump. Bad: “Your slow response time to my emails is frustrating.” Good: “When you don’t respond to my emails for a few days, it makes me feel like you’re not committed to our projects. Can you tell me a little bit about your views on timely responses?” Focus on the future. While it's important to look back at what's already happened, the purpose of feedback is making adjustments that influence future performance. Keep your conversation centered on the actions that need to be taken in the coming weeks/months. Bad: “We really need to look at what went wrong last quarter." Good: “Let's create some goals for you to start tracking over the next few months.” Check your language. Avoid using matter-of-fact phrases such as, “You’re too sensitive,” or, “You’re not good at taking constructive feedback.” Instead, use “I” language to share your opinions (but keep in mind that saying things like, “I feel like you’re too sensitive” is cheating). Bad: “You make it difficult to give you constructive feedback.” Good: “I find it difficult to give you feedback because I worry you’re taking it negatively.” Accept feedback. Feedback isn't a one-way street. These meetings should be a conversation, not a list of demands. Accepting and acting on employee feedback will improve your relationship with your employee and make them feel heard. Bad: “Let's sit down and talk about all the ways you need to improve." Good: "Is there anything I can do to help you? How can I communicate better?" Ask what you can do to help. Don't simply offer areas of improvement to an employee. Offer tangible areas they can work on, and offer your aid to help them reach their goals. Bad: “Your numbers are down. That needs to change." Good: “I think taking this online course would really help you increase your output. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask." Stick to facts. There's no arguing with cold, hard data. Employees can disagree with your evaluation of their performance, but it's much more difficult to refute statements backed up by statistics. Bad: “Your performance has been lackluster recently." Good: “Your sales are down 30 percent this month. What, in your opinion, has influenced that drop, and what can we do to improve it?" End on a positive note. Receiving feedback, even when it's helpful, can be difficult and uncomfortable. Employees can leave a meeting worried about their job security or workload. End your conversation with a compliment or affirmation that you believe in them. Bad: “If changes aren't made soon, we might need to evaluate your fit with the organization. Get after it." Good: “I'm excited to see how you take on these new challenges. We all know you'll do great." REMINDER! Giving feedback isn’t something that comes natural to most of us. It takes practice to become a skilled feedback giver (and receiver). That means you can’t give feedback once a year or just anytime you want and expect to improve. Leverage a program for yourself that turns giving feedback into a routine and start getting into the practice of giving and requesting feedback on a regular basis. COMMUNICATION ETHICS 1. What is ethics? 2. Why do you think there should be ethics in communication? 3. What problems can arise when people are not ethical in their communication practices? Communication Ethics According to NCA in their Credo for Ethical Communication Ethical communication is fundamental to responsible thinking, decision-making, and the development of relationships and communities within and across contexts, cultures, channels and media. Communication Ethics Ethics is a system of moral principles that helps us tell right from wrong, good from bad. It helps us lead a more fulfilling life whether on a personal or professional level. Four Principles of Communication 1. Advocate truthfulness, accuracy, honesty and reason as essential to the integrity of communication 2. Freedom of expression, diversity of perspective and tolerance of dissent to achieve the informed and responsible decision-making fundamental to a civil society Four Principles of Communication 3. Condemn communication that degrades individuals and humanity through distortion, intimidation, coercion and violence and through expression of intolerance and hatred 4. Accept responsibility for the short and long term consequences of our own communication and expect the same of others Communication Ethics Communication is ethical only when it is genuine, open, cooperative, sensitive to one’s cultural and social beliefs and practices. In communicative situations, ethics is best observed by people who manifest the following: 1. Active and respectful listening (for face-to-face communication) 2. Avoiding prejudice or being bias 3. Showing commitment and genuine interest 4. Respecting socio-cultural beliefs and practices of others Active and respectful listening “You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything else at the same time.” M. Scott Peck Active listening helps avoid misinterpretation and misunderstanding especially when communicating with people having different belief systems, culture and social background. Active and respectful listening One must be aware of one’s behavior and habits during the communicative process in different circumstances. While listening, the following must be considered: 1. Body language 2. Eye contact 3. Sense of the message 4. Turn-taking Active and respectful listening Awareness of these considerations would send a message that a person speaking is either important or unimportant. What do we really mean when we say active listening? Being an active listener requires involvement in the conversation or communicative situation. It demands conscious effort to be attentive to the words and more importantly to the sense of the message being relayed.  Five Key Aspects of Active Listening 1. Pay close attention. 2. Show physical manifestations that you are listening. 3. Check for understanding. 4. Don’t interrupt. 5. Respond appropriately. How past experiences and prejudice affect communication People enter a communicative situation with certain expectations and they behave or react accordingly.  Past Experience Effect to Communication Your parents reacted negatively when you opened You hesitate to discuss the topic with them despite up about your interest for a certain craft your rich potential to that craft. Your colleague has forgotten some very important You give him/her reminders every now and then to information many times in the past. avoid messing up again. A subordinate in a group that you lead disagreed You don’t ask for your subordinate’s opinion twice in your suggestions. anymore, even if he might agree with you this time. Your professor ignored your inputs last session. You don’t provide inputs in class anymore. Your teammates reacted positively to your strategy. You use the same strategy in a similar situation. 3. Showing commitment and genuine interest Being committed means giving sufficient time and resources to any discussion or conversation, and being open about any issue that may arise. Commitment also involves volunteering important information, even if it puts a person’s own short-term interests at risk, as long as it is for the benefit of the majority especially in the long run. 4. Respecting socio-cultural beliefs and practices of others The concept of globalization is not new, but people somehow fail to realize that this is not confined to technology or bridging the world and making it a virtual community. Ethical communication requires people to respect socio-cultural beliefs and practices of others, while at the same time avoiding all kinds of stereotypes. Thank you for listening! Assignment Assessment: 1.What is the message of the ad? 2.How is the message understood? What semiotics are used? 3.Is there any individual or group that may be offended by the ad? 4.Is there another way of presenting or delivering the message? 5.Do you think the ad is ethical? 1. LBC’s “Spelling Bee” Commercial (2009). 2. Joy Tissue’s “Sa bukid walang papel” Commercial (2001) 3. EQ Diaper’s “Lapu-Lapu” Commercial (2013). 4. Colt 45’s “Vava-Vroom Real Man Promo” (2010). 5. Napoleon Quince’s “Nakatikim Ka Na Ba Ng Kinse Anyos?” (2004). 6. Nice Day! Coffee’s Commercial (2014). 7. T-Bar’s “Sexy Girl Fight” Commercial (2012). 8. Bayantel’s “Satisfaction Guarantee” Ad (2006). 9. McDonald’s “Dada” Commercial (2002). 10. McDonald’s “BF-GF” Commercial (2011).