U G SEM I AECC

Communication

Communication skills are the abilities you use when giving and receiving different
kinds of information. Communication skills involve listening, speaking, observing
and empathising. It is also helpful to understand the differences in how to
communicate through face-to-face interactions, phone conversations and digital
communications like email and social media.

KINDS OF COMMUNICATION
Intrapersonal Communication
Every time an individual does something or speaks, he hears it first within himself.
Therefore, intrapersonal communication is language used or thought which is
internal to the communicator. Intrapersonal communication is the active internal
involvement of the individual in the symbolic processing of messages. The
individual becomes his or her own sender and receiver, providing feedback to
himself or herself in an ongoing internal process. Although successful
communication is generally defined as being between two or more individuals,
issues concerning the useful nature of communicating with oneself and problems
concerning communication with non-sentient entities such as computers have made
some argue that this definition is too narrow.
Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal communication is defined by communication scholars in numerous
ways, though most definitions, involve participants who are interdependent on one
another or have a shared history. Communication channels are the medium chosen
to convey the message from sender to receiver. Communication channels can
be categorized into two main categories: Direct and Indirect channels of
communication.
Group Communication
Group Communication examines the most effective ways of communicating and
interacting within social and work groups as it provides an opportunity for direct
interaction among the members of the group which helps in bringing about
changes in attitude and beliefs, and offers a clear understanding. Group
communication occurs among three or more persons. The degree of interaction and
intimation depends on the size of the group. The larger the group the lesser the
personal intimacy and lesser is the possibility of exchange. Communication is an
important cornerstone of all groups and often the variable, which determines their
success or failure. Effective communication builds trust and mutual respect and
facilitates learning. Although communication is frequently thought of in terms of
written or oral dialogue, actions are also important forms of communication and
indicate commitment to stated agreements. Three general categories have been
identified as critical to successful group communication:
Commitment - Members’ integrity and leadership qualities
Communication- discussion, listening and facilitation
Organization - setting ground rules for communication, decision making.

Effective communication is possible through these elements.

Content
This is the best possible measure of communication effectiveness. What do you
want your audience to walk away with and remember? Once you have defined
your prime question, set out to answer it. What information is required? Do you
have the answer already, or do you need to search it out? The content determines
the audience. Hence, the message must have the meaning for the receiver and it
must be compatible with his/her value system.
Context
The context must be clear and should not contradict the message. It must provide
for participation and play back what’s going on. Do you understand the situation?
Is there a dead elephant in the middle of the room that you are not aware of? Ask
good questions. You’ll need a clear goal before you begin to design any
communication.
Channels
Only the established channels of communication should be used — channels that
the receiver uses and respects—creating new ones is difficult. Different
channels have different effects and serve effectively in different stages of the
diffusion
process.

Clarity
This is one of the hardest parts of the process and most often neglected. People’s
attention will quickly drift — they expect you to get to the point. Learn to edit. The
message must be put in simple terms. Words must mean the same thing to the
receiver as they do to the sender. Complex issues must be compressed into theme
slogans that have simplicity and clarity. The farther a message has to travel, the
simpler it should be.
Composition
Now it’s time to design the way you will tell your story. Think in terms of both
written and visual composition. When writing, who are your main characters? How
will you set up the scene? What are the goals and conflicts that will develop? How
will the story reach a resolution? In visual terms, where will the reader begin? How
will you lead the eye around the page? In all your compositional thinking, how will
you engage your audience? How will you keep them engaged? Writing down,
forces you to think it through. Communication must break down into basic
“building blocks” of content. Formulate the information into clusters and groups.
What patterns emerge? How can you make the information more modular? Given
your goal, what is the most fundamental unit of information? You can use index
cards to break down information into modules.
Contrast
What are the differences that matter? Use contrast to highlight them: Big vs. little;
rough vs. smooth; black vs. white. When making any point, ask, “in comparison
with what?” Contrast is a trigger to the brain that says “pay attention!”
Consistency
Unless you are highlighting differences, keep things like color, fonts, spacing and
type sizes consistent to avoid distracting people. Research shows that any
extraneous information will detract from people’s ability to assimilate and learn.
Communication is an unending process. It requires repetition to achieve
penetration. The story must be consistent.

Purposes of communication

Every type of communication has a purpose behind it. Such purposes are related to
certain n eds, and they may be conscious or unconscious. In 4 face-to-face
communication, for example, the verbal forms of communication reveal conscious
purposes, and the non-verbal forms express unconscious purposes.

Communication may be intentional or unintentional. It is unintentional when, for

example, Mr. A's words hurt Mr. B though the former did not intend to hurt the
latter. Some of the purposes of communication are to give, get or exchange
information, use communication to form or to maintain relationships, persuade
others to think in the way that one does, or to act in the way one wants, gain,
maintain or exert power over others, make decisions about what we think and do,
express our ideas and ourselves to others, and make sense of the world and our
experience of it.
Modes of Communication

Communication is the process of sharing information between individuals using a

set of common rules, behaviour, symbols, and signs. Thus, there are five modes of
communication:

Interpretative Communication

Presentational Communication

Interpersonal Communication

Verbal Communication

Non-Verbal Communication

Importance of different modes of communication.

Maintains the flow of conveying information

Helps in devising plans and strategies for reaching a goal

Builds cordial relations and soft skills

Decision making becomes more effective and less time-consuming

Problem-solving and conflict management becomes easier

Interpretive Communication

It is also known as the “one-way communication”, in this mode, the information

conveyed by the sender is interpreted by the receiver in its original form. The
target has to understand the message in both written and spoken form keeping
various aspects in mind. For example, in a class, the learners may not understand
every word said by the teacher but are expected to understand the main crux of the
topic. Some of the main highlights of Interpretative Communication are:
Learners understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed on a
variety of topics. This mode of communication involves interpreting the author or
producer’s intent. There is no alternative to the active negotiation of meaning with
the writer, speaker, or the producer.

Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal communication is the process by which people exchange information

through verbal and nonverbal messages. It is an unmediated mode of
communication that occurs when we interact and attempt to mutually influence
each other, simultaneously, in order to manage relationships. Although
interpersonal communication can encompass oral, written, and non-verbal forms of
communication, the term is usually applied to spoken communication that takes
place between two or more individuals on a personal or face to face level.
Examples of Interpersonal Communication include:

Personal Interview

Telephonic Conversations

Interactive Sessions

Debates

E-mails

Text Messages

Models of Communication

Bachelor of Mass Communication

Presentational Communication

Modes of Communication
Presentational Communication is another type of one-way communication,
which facilitates interpretation by members of another group where no direct
opportunity for the active negotiation of meaning between members of the two
groups exists. With this mode of communication, a person is speaking to an
audience that can be rehearsed, pre-prepared, or scripted.

Multimodal Communication can be simply referred to as communication through

varied modes such as verbal, written, gestures, etc. There are different modes
under multimodal communication and it is popularly used in higher education to
accentuate the learning experience for students. Here are the major 5 modes of
communication:

Linguistical or Alphabetic: Either written communication or spoken

communication. As one of the popular modes of communication, Linguistical or
Alphabetic Communication mainly refers to written or spoken communication
where the sender conveys their message through writing on a paper or through
speaking.

Examples: Text messages, audio messages, emails, speech, notes and lists, etc

Gestural Communication has its quintessential emphasis on body language and

physical movements to communicate messages. Sign Language is the best example
for the gestural mode of communication as those who can’t talk or hear are able to
communicate best through their gestures and have their own set of unique language
to converse in. While this mode of communication is mainly combined with
spatial, aural or linguistic ones, it can also be used individually given that both the
sender and receiver have common points of reference and meanings to have an
understandable communication.

Oral communication uses audio mode to convey messages whether it is through

sounds or spoken audio. The speaker’s voice and pronunciation need to be clear
and precise with no background noise.

Example: Radio, audio messages, music, recordings, songs, audiobook.

Visual Communication can be simply termed as non-verbal communication as it

comprises visual messages from the sender to the receiver. It is one of the oldest
modes of communication when the ancient people didn’t know a language to
communicate with, it is through pictures, drawings and symbols that they were
able to talk and converse with each other.

Examples: Pictures, Videos, Charts, Graphs, Symbols

Spatial Communication elaborates upon the use of physical space in the text as
well as its overall structure to convey certain meanings and messages. The physical
layout of any written text is deliberately designed to make it look a certain way and
adhere to a particular theme. Websites also use this unique mode of
communication in choosing a certain font, style, design and layout to make any
website user-friendly and more interactive.

Monologue

A form of dramatic entertainment, comedic solo, or the like by a single speaker: a

comedian's monologue.

A prolonged talk or discourse by a single speaker, especially one dominating or

monopolizing a conversation.

Composition, as a poem, in which a single person speaks alone.

A part of a drama in which a single actor speaks alone; soliloquy.

Dialogue

Dialogue is a communication tool that allows people to understand other

viewpoints without pitting themselves against different perspectives. In dialogue,
there is no defending of opinions, and no counterpoints. Instead, you let someone
talk and present their viewpoint. Dialogue is a communication tool that allows
people to understand other viewpoints without pitting themselves against different
perspectives. In dialogue, there is no defending of opinions, and no counterpoints.
Instead, you let someone talk and present their viewpoint. A conversation between
two or more persons also, a similar exchange between a person and something else
(such as a computer) and an exchange of ideas and opinions organized a series of
dialogues on human rights. The oldest known dialogues are the Sicilian mimes,
written in rhythmic prose by Sophron of Syracuse in the early 5th century bc.
You let them finish their idea without interrupting or asking questions. You listen
to understand, not to defend your own point of view. Your goal is to get in their
head, and understand their perspective, not to prove they’re wrong and you’re
right. When it’s your turn, you talk and are allowed to finish your thoughts. And
here’s the key: when you give your viewpoint, you don’t give your viewpoint
relative to theirs. Dialogue is not a back and forth discussion, not a debate or
rebuttal. It’s a chance to frame a problem collectively by both independently
voicing your perspectives on an issue.

Dialogue should be used when, as Edward Schein points out, two parties have
framed an issue differently. When individuals or groups have different perspectives
and see issues differently, dialogue can be employed as a effective communication
tool to help the parties understand each other’s point of view. Only from this
common understanding can change and resolution grow.

Importance of dialogue in communication

Dialogue is a communication tool that allows people to understand other

viewpoints without pitting themselves against different perspectives. In dialogue,
there is no defending of opinions, and no counterpoints. Instead, you let someone
talk and present their viewpoint.

Importance of dialogue in a play

Like the scene itself, dialogue has several specific functions in the screenplay. Its
primary function is dramatic, that is, to carry the story forward. Characters speak
because they need something and saying something will help them get it. In
practice that's never as simple as it seems.

Dialogue should do one of three things: a) advance the plot, b) reveal something
about the character, and c) reflect the theme. In this scene from Little Miss
Sunshine we see all three elements at play, but none more so than how dialogue
reveals character and character relationships.

Role of dialogue in education

A dialogue sparks engaged learning through an open exchange of perspectives that

deepens students' understanding of an issue or topic. The dialogue process
promotes analysis of course content and encourages reflection. Dialogues provide a
means to encourage inclusive practices in the classroom.

Ethics and the Importance of Dialogue

Importance of dialogue in family

Dialogue is the process of talking through topics to build shared meaning. In this
process, families aim to understand each other's perspectives, build intimacy in
relationships, and align around interests and outcomes.

Four types of dialogue

Four Types of Conversations: Debate, Dialogue, Discourse, and Diatribe. When

talking with someone, it is helpful to know what type of conversation you are in.

The dialogue of everyday life empowers us to live by the Golden Rule because it
encourages understanding and equality. Building relationships through everyday
dialogue and activities allows us to accept each other for who we are. The Golden
Rule is about treating people or groups with equality.

Dialogue refers to a conversation or discussion or to the act of having a

conversation or discussion. ... Often, we read outer dialogue, which occurs between
two characters as spoken language. Examples of Dialogue: "Lisa," said Kyle, "I
need help moving this box of toys for the garage sale.

Importance of dialogue in philosophy

The practice of philosophical dialogue promotes important skills ranging from

communication to collaboration through the process of critical and creative
thinking..

Important in religion

Interfaith dialogue provides the glue that nourishes and keeps our society together.
As we navigate our diversity, we must learn not to drown or suffocate each other,
but instead to swim alongside each other. Interfaith work allows us to deepen our
own faith by learning about other faiths.

Dialogue benefit of a person

The long-term benefits of dialogue are improved relations and cooperation in the
community, often enabling further development through social and political action.
Dialogue brings slow and lasting results, change from within the community itself
and brings on constructive solutions.

Tips on Writing Dialogue

Do away with pleasantries. Cutting greetings and other small talk is a great place to
start paring down your dialogue. ...

Keep it short. Try to keep each instance of dialogue to one sentence. ...

Slow down. ...

Stick to simple speech tags. ...

Dress your dialogue in action.

How do you conduct a community dialogue?

Prepare for your dialogue

Build a Dialogue Team to host the event. ...

Determine your own goals for the dialogue. ...

Determine the group of participants. ...

Select and prepare your facilitator. ...

Set a place, date, and time for your dialogue. ...

Create an inviting environment.

Interfaith dialogue

Interfaith dialogue can unlock the power of religious traditions and provide the
inspiration, guidance, and valida- tion necessary for populations to move toward
non-violent means of conflict resolution. Such dialogues have become an
increasingly important tool for those who seek to end violent conflict worldwide.
To improve interfaith dialogue we need to recognize the fundamental human right
to freedom of religion and we must pray for the grace to encourage honesty,
mutual respect and a genuine desire to learn from one another about our respective
beliefs.

Interfaith dialogue has allowed for a greater degree of cooperation and

understanding between followers of different traditions, as well as linking non-
religious events with faith events eg Anzac services, multicultural tolerance, social
justice initiatives.

Miscommunication is the failure to communicate adequately or not being able to

express ideas or thoughts correctly. It is among many communication barriers. A
miscommunicated message or word is wrongly perceived by the listeners, as they
could not interpret the actual meaning of the speaker.

Effective Communications

Communications are effective when the recipient of a thought, whether by

listening or reading, understands the meaning intended by the speaker or writer.
Good communication is simple and direct, sometimes intensified by emotion, but
never confusing.

Causes of Miscommunication

According to scientists, humans began speaking about 100,000 years ago, and
writing began around 4000 B.C. Prior to written language, humans used pictures
(cave drawings), which evolved to word symbols. The evolution of language, what
some have called the “human system of communication,” proves false the old
adage “a picture is worth a thousand words,” since it’s almost impossible to
convey conditional, complex, or complicated ideas with a simple image.

While some linguists suggest that an accurate accounting of the number of words
in the English language is impossible, the Global Language Monitor claimed that
there were 1,013,913 words on January 1, 2012, with a new word created every 98
minutes. Due to the sheer number of words available to choose from, the
opportunity for muddled communication is high, even when two people have
similarly sized vocabularies. The specific words known to each person, as well as
the understood meaning of each word, can vary significantly due to different
environments, cultures, and experiences.

Misaligned Vocabularies

“Plain language” refers to the preference for words that are in everyone’s
vocabulary – what linguists term the “core vocabulary” – consisting of about 200
to 300 words. These words are mostly verbs, pronouns, and demonstratives, such
as “his” and “that,” which help distinguish the subject the speaker or writer is
referring to. These words are used frequently and across many contexts to express
meaning and intent, usually without misunderstanding.

As the initiator of communication, the speaker or writer must choose words that
are easily understood by the listener or reader. For example, a 10-year-old is
unlikely to understand the meaning of “plethora,” so “plenty” or “a lot” would be
better choices. A communicator should always consider his or her audience when
communicating.

Messy Thinking

Messy thinking results in messy speaking, which usually occurs when someone
begins speaking before completing his or her thought process. As a consequence,
listeners are taken on long, convoluted journeys filled with contradictions,
extraneous information, and premature conclusions.

Messy thinking usually happens during periods of stress or high emotion. Think
about the intent of your message before speaking, and when speaking, choose
language that is precise, clear, and easily understood.

Faulty Definitions

Homophones are words that sound alike or nearly alike, but have different
definitions. For example, “discreet” means careful and circumspect, while
“discrete” means distinct or separate.

False Civility

While civility is a desirable trait in all societies, it’s often misunderstood and
misinterpreted. Civility is a matter of context – what might be considered rude or
thoughtless in one situation could be proper in another. A parent warning a child to
get out of the street shouldn’t value the child’s feelings over his or her safety; a
supervisor disciplining a subordinate for poor results shouldn’t dilute or confuse
the message in the hopes of being perceived as “nice.” Civility means being
conscious and considerate of how actions and words affect others, but it does not
mean beating around the bush or faking emotions.

Sloppy Language Habits

Unconscious patterns of thinking, speaking, and interacting are developed over

time. These habits affect your daily activities and your relationship with your
environment. They surface in speaking and writing, and they often lead to
miscommunication.

Government-Speak and Legalese

Legal and regulatory documents are especially open to confusion due to both their
use of technical terms and a culture that often rewards quantity of words over
quality and intent. According to Slate writer Matthew Yglesias, “Hard-to-
understand rules are a lawyer’s best friend, and the need for companies to lawyer
up is a huge [competitive] advantage to large or established entities.”

Lack of Context

In a business setting, context is the background, environment or framework

surrounding an event or occurrence. Context gives tasks and responsibilities
meaning and serves as clarification. When a report needs to be disseminated,
context for that task would include which report, where it needs to be sent and by
when, as well as who is tasked with sending it. Without context, a mistake can
occur during the communication process, which can leave consumers confused or
upset at the end result.

Assumptions

Assumptions in business communication occur when various factors are thought to

be true but are never confirmed, which can take place at any stage of the product
life cycle. Making assumptions is commonplace in business for strategy and
decision-making, but those are typically standardized. In some instances, like when
it comes to what consumers want to taste, it’s best not to assume.

Vagueness or Ambiguity

Vagueness and ambiguity occur when a message is not fully delivered, the sender
leaves out valuable information or the receiver fails to ask clarifying questions.
Ambiguity and vagueness enhance the difficulty of a task, and they diminish the
ability to make decisions and solve problems. Not being able to solve the problems
of customers can have a costly impact on a business.

Excess Communication

One of the leading causes of miscommunication in business can be attributed to

excess communication. When information is sent in multiple messages over a long
period, or important information is buried in a long message, the key take-aways
can be easily missed. This can result in miscommunication later in the process,
which can have a disastrous effect on a product or service.

Multiple researchers on information overload have estimated that excess

information could cost the U.S. economy anywhere from $900 billion to $1.3
trillion in annual value. A study of office workers in Ottawa, Canada found that
they often experienced miscommunication with their bosses through e-mail. E-
mails are usually the culprit of overcommunicating because they’re easily
composed and sent. The frequent miscommunication for the Canada employees
necessitated follow-up e-mails and conversations that forced timelines on projects
to slow.

Wrong Medium for Audience

Because business communication takes place on a variety of avenues, it’s crucial to

select the correct channel for both the audience and message.

Psychology

The human mind is quite easily the biggest culprit of miscommunication. People
tend to interpret things negatively and assume the worst-case scenario when things
take an unexpected turn. Preconceived notions, stereotypes, and being judgmental
also plays a role.
This is considered to be the negativity bias. One way to counter the negativity bias
would be to recognize statements that can be misinterpreted wrongly and add
clarifications for the same.

Egotistical and Unhealthy Conversations

Many conversations can revolve around people trying to one-up each other,
impatiently listening so that they can speak, or make statements and arguments
with the sole purpose of claiming victory in a debate and willfully ignoring any
points made by others.

This can lead to a very unhealthy and heated atmosphere that can further amplify
the chances of miscommunication. In such situations, being able to understand
other’s perceptions and having the power of acceptance would help you. Also,
speakers should be aware of the behavioral tendencies and emotional inclinations
of the listener. Accordingly, they should frame their sentences.

Inability to Speak/Write Effectively

Some people are not very good at speaking or writing to adequately express their
thoughts or ideas. An individual attempting to converse with a foreigner in the
latter’s native language can offend them or confuse them.

Likewise, poorly written messages or articles can leave room for misinterpretation
and incorrect assumptions. In such situations, the speaker needs to update the
listener about their inefficiency in the language. Plus, they should also speak with
structure by starting about the what then about why something is important and
then other relevant details.

Jargons

Over time, in any field, buzzwords and specific terminologies are used that might
also lead to miscommunication when employed in conversation with an individual
who may be a newcomer in the field or simply unfamiliar with the terms.

This isn’t an issue for those who are aware of such specific terms but can be
daunting for newcomers. This can be remedied by using simpler words and if at all
possible, teaching the jargons to the uninitiated.
Being a Poor Listener

Technology has taken a toll on people’s attention spans and fueled the need for
instant gratification. People do not like to listen to things calmly.

Being a good listener has always been a critical component of a good

conversationalist, and a poor listener can get distracted and miss out on important
information and cause conflict when the inevitable confusion arrives.

Technology

Ironic as it may sound, technology has increased miscommunication as much as it

has made the world a smaller and smarter place. The lack of body language, tone,
and facial expressions can cause messages to be misinterpreted lead to several
assumptions that lead to conflict.

One way to resolve is this is to communicate the old-fashioned way: face-to-face.

In-person conversations involve facial expressions and body language, rectifying
any undue effects and making intentions between the interlocutors clear.

Hierarchy

Social structures have been known to impact communication as well. Supervisors

and leaders find it challenging to overcome the communication gap with their
subordinates.

Social norms, along with other emotions such as jealousy and arrogance can inhibit
communication and may become apparent in the tone of speech or words chosen,
leading to an enormous rift. In these circumstances, empathy, open-mindedness,
and humility can go a long way to reduce miscommunication.

Result of Miscommunication

Studies have shown that miscommunication can have heavy emotional

ramifications and can induce stress, frustration, loss of morale, and inefficiency.
Having unproductive meetings, inflexible deadlines, and waiting on others to
communicate was considered the most stressful situation for corporate employees.

The older generation was less familiar with technology and used it less, leading to
a communication gap between them and the younger generation/ millennials.
Ways to avoid Miscommunication

Using Clear Communication

 Think before you speak

 Getting the attention of the listener

 Checking your assumptions

 Being courteous

 Checking from the listeners to make sure they have understood you

 Follow up with your listener to check that you communicated rightly

Be a Good Listener

 Understanding body language

 Listening closely

 Avoid interrupting

 Ask questions if you did not understand

Improve your electronic communication

 Organize the information you want to communicate

 Use fewer words to come to the point

 Focus on one topic

 Use verbal or face-to-face communication when needed

Plain language, when combined with other good communication skills, helps to
increase accurate communication of pertinent information. By incorporating an
iterative “feedback loop” into important or critical communications, you can
dramatically improve understanding and retention of spoken and written word.
Simply ask the listener or reader to repeat back his or her understanding of the
communication in his or her own words to ensure that the correct information has
been received and remembered. And when in doubt, recall the words of Academy
Award winning screen writer Charlie Kaufman: “Constantly talking isn’t
necessarily communicating.”

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

There are many ways to communicate with people. The two main ways are verbal
and nonverbal communication. 
Verbal Communication
Verbal communication is the use of words to convey a message. Some forms of
verbal communication are written and oral communication. 

Examples of Written Communication: 

 Letters
 Texting
 Emails
 Books

Examples of Oral Communication: 

 Face-to-face conversations
 Speech
 Host on a Radio 
 Interviews

Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication is the use of body language to convey a message. 

Examples of Body Language Communication:

 Waving (An indication of "Hello" or "Goodbye" in some cultures)

 Head nod (An indication of agreement)
 Finger tapping (Impatient or tired of waiting)
 Arms crossed over chest (A gesture indicating defensiveness or stress)
 Making eye contact (An indication you're paying attention)
 Handshakes
 Hugs 
 Smile
 Sign languages
Non-verbal communication examples

When we interact with another person, we are constantly giving and receiving non-
verbal cues. The kinds of verbal and non-verbal signals we give or receive present
themselves in many forms.

Facial expressions

Your facial expressions can intensify, diminish, or can cover up the emotions that
you are feeling. Many facial expressions, such as curving your lips in a smile or
furrowing your brows in frustration, are seen as universal forms of non-verbal
communication. These facial expressions are perceived in the same way by many
different cultures. For example, when we smile, the people around us tend to
interpret our expression as happiness.

Gestures

Every gesture adds to how effectively you share your emotions and adds emphasis
to spoken words. For example, large hand and arm movements create greater
emphasis while smaller gestures can communicate something more specific, like
holding up two fingers to indicate the number two. Another example of a gesture is
head movements. Simply nodding or shaking your head indicating ‘yes’ or ‘no’
without ever saying a word. Knowing gestures and what they communicate can be
helpful when giving instructions or directions, especially when you are traveling
and there is a limited understanding of the spoken words.

Body Language

Another main form of non-verbal communication, our body language can reveal
our inner thoughts and messages to others. Our body language consists of body
movement and posture. How we move or carry ourselves can substitute a verbal
message. However, the same body language can be interpreted differently by
listeners. For instance, when you cross your arms, you can seem defensive or
disinterested. Similarly, playing with your fingers may indicate anxiety or
boredom.
Paralinguistics

The tone of voice, rate, volume of speech, and stress placed on words (collectively
known as paralinguistics) are a few more examples of non-verbal cues.
Paralinguistics can complement and add to the verbal message, as well as
accentuate a verbal message by emphasizing parts of the message. However, these
cues are not universal as it depends on the urgency of the message, the emotions of
the speaker, which language is spoken, and cultural and regional influences.

Eye contact

How you make eye contact is an essential form of non-verbal communication. For
instance, looking at someone’s face and making strong eye contact demonstrates
respect and interest. Additionally, eye contact is used for initiating and regulating
conversations. Lastly, an important point to note is that eye contact is particularly
important for people who have hearing loss, as it aids in lip-reading.

What can affect our non-verbal communication

Stress

One major factor that impacts both verbal and non-verbal communication is our
stress level. When we are under pressure and feeling stressed, we are more likely
to send inconsistent and negative signals. Stress can also cause us to stutter, talk
too fast, not making enough eye contact, or have poor posture. Additionally, stress
can cause us to misread other people’s communication cues. By not listening to
what other people are really saying, we become poor communicators.

Distractions

When we are distracted, we often struggle to convey what we want to say

effectively. If we are distracted by our environment or thoughts, we are diverting
attention from the people we are conversing with. This could lead to missing the
words they said, or withdrawing our body from them, and displaying cues of
disinterest. Other people can see that we are distracted from how we handle verbal
and non-verbal communication and may disengage from our conversation if they
do not feel as if they are not being listened to.
Tips to improve non-verbal communication

Our communication skills develop naturally through practice and interacting with
other people. However, here are a few tips to further develop these skills.

Pay full attention to the person you are communicating with, and show them you
are ‘present’ during the conversation. You can do this through simple cues, such as
facing your body towards the speaker, keeping proper eye contact, and maintaining
an open and relaxed posture.

Focus on others’ tone of voice. A subtle but important signal, a person’s tone can
convey a lot of information, like what they feel. Try to match your tone of voice
with the speaker’s tone of voice accordingly.

Don’t be shy to ask the speaker questions. If you are unsure about what the person
wants to convey, it’s okay to slow down and ask them.

Always consider the context in which you are speaking. Depending on the situation
and who you are talking to, certain verbal and non-verbal cues may be
inappropriate.

Pay attention to how you communicate. Our verbal cues are usually deliberate,
while the non-verbal cues we present are sometimes unconscious. However, both
verbal and non-verbal communication is important for conveying our message. By
taking note of how you communicate verbally and non-verbally, you become
aware of what you need to work on, such as lowering your voice when you are
nervous.

Non-verbal communication and hearing loss

Verbal and non-verbal communication are important ways of sharing messages and
emotions with others. This can ring especially true for individuals experiencing
hearing loss. However, research has found that hearing-impaired individuals are
better at understanding non-verbal communication cues than normal hearing
individuals. One reason for this is that many individuals experiencing hearing loss
may rely on sign language and speechreading.
Hearing loss affects your ability to obtain and interpret information from verbal
information. Speechreading integrates verbal communication (if the person is
experiencing partial hearing loss or wearing hearing aids) with visual information
from non-verbal communication to better understand what someone is conveying.
During speechreading, the listener pays attention to the speaker’s gestures, facial
expressions, and body language. These non-verbal communication cues provide
additional information and context that makes it easier for someone experiencing
hearing loss to interpret and understand a conversation.

Benefits of understanding non-verbal ccommunication

When we talk to people, we convey our message through both verbal and non-
verbal communication we can build better relationships and have better
conversations.

Verbal communication

Verbal communication takes place directly between people/ superiors and juniors
in organizations and between farmers and extension functionaries in the field and
is often known as face to face communication. It takes the form of talks, a public
address, verbal discussions, telephonic talks, telecommunications and other
artificial media, such as audio-visual aids speeches and orders, holdings of
meetings and conferences, lectures, social get-togethers, training sessions, public
address systems, etc.

Merits of Verbal communication

1. It is the least time consuming, is more direct, simple and the least expensive.

2. It is more communicative and effective.

3. It provides an immediate feedback.

4. Since every information cannot be put into writing, most of it is conveyed by

means of oral instructions, mutual discussions and telephonic conversations.

Demerits of Verbal communication

1. Verbal talks may often be distorted if there is some cause of indifference
between the receiver and the sender.

2. Due to various communication gaps, as a result of status and other physical or

personal barriers communication is incomplete.

3. Not convenient for long messages.

4. Spontaneous responses may not be carefully thought.

5. The spoken words can be more easily misunderstood than the written words.

Non-verbal communication:

A message can be sometimes expressed without the help of words. Nonverbal

communication is the process of communicating without the use of words. It is

defined as nonword human responses like facial expressions and gestures and the
perceived characteristics of the environment through which the human verbal and
nonverbal messages are transmitted.

Nonverbal communication is also known as “silent language.” It involves the use

of cues, gestures, vocal characteristics, facial expressions, and spatial relationship
between the sender and the receiver to convey a message.

Kinesics is the interpretation of body language such as facial expressions and

gestures or, more formally, non-verbal behavior related to movement, either of any
part of the body or the body as a whole. Body Language is technically known as
kinesics. Body movements include gestures, facial expressions and other physical
movements. Every body movement conveys a certain meaning.

Advantages of Non-verbal communication:

1. Easy presentation: Information can be easily presented in non-verbal

communication through using visual, audio-visual and silent means of non-verbal
communication.

2. Substituting: Non-verbal message may substitute for the verbal message

especially if it is blocked by noise, interruption, long distance etc. for example;
gestures-finger to lips to indicate need for quite, facial expressions- a nod instead
of a yes.

3. Help to illiterate people: This type of communication use gestures, facial

expressions, eye contact, proximity, touching etc. and without using any spoken or
written word. So, it is very much helpful for illiterate people.

4. Help to handicapped people: Non-verbal cues of communication greatly help in

handicapped people especially to deaf people. Deaf people exchange message

through the movements of hands, fingers, eyeball etc.

5. Attractive presentation: Non-verbal communication is based on visual, picture,

graph, sign etc. that can be seen very much attractive.

6. Quick expression of message: Non-verbal cues of communication like sign and

symbol can also communicate some messages very quickly than written or oral
messages.

7. Reducing wastage of time: The message of non-verbal communication reached

the receiver very fast. For this reason it reduces the wastage of valuable time of the
communicator.

Disadvantages or Limitations of Non-Verbal Communication

Vague and imprecise: Non-verbal communication is quite vague and imprecise.

Since in this communication, there is no use of words or language which expresses
clear meaning to the receiver.

1. Long conversations are not possible: In non-verbal communication, long

conversation and necessary explanations are not possible. No party can discuss the
particular issues of the messages.

2. Difficult to understand: Difficult to understand and requires a lot of repetitions

in nonverbal communication. Since it uses gestures, facial expressions eye contact,
touch etc. for communicating with others which may not be understandable for the
simple and foolish people.
3. Costly: In some cases non-verbal communication involves huge cost. For
example, neon sign, power point presentation, cinema etc are very much costly
compared to others form of communication.

4. Distortion of information: Since it uses gestures, facial expressions, eye contact,

touch, sign, sound, paralanguage etc. for communicating with others, there is a
great possibility in distortion of information in non-verbal communication.

Personal Communication

Communication that occurs for exchanging personal information, ideas and

feelings rather than business related information are termed as personal
communication. Not all communication that occurs in business is personal.

Whenever people come in contact with each other, they engage in personal
communication.

Personal communication is a crucial part of organizational communication.

Although such form of communication does not deal with operational plans, it
influences the attitudes of the employees regarding those operational plans.

Therefore, every organization must recognize personal communication as part of

its overall organizational communication.

Business Communication

Business Communication is goal oriented. The rules, regulations and policies of a

company have to be communicated to people within and outside the organization.
Business Communication is regulated by certain rules and norms. In early times,
business communication was limited to paper-work, telephone calls etc. But now
with advent of technology, we have cell phones, video conferencing, emails,
satellite communication to support business communication. Effective business
communication helps in building goodwill of an organization.

Business communication skills are critical to the success of any organization

despite its size, geographical location, and its mission. Business communication is
interlinked with internal culture and external image of any organization. So it is the
determining factor to communication inside the organization.Good Business
communication practices assist the organization in achieving its goal of informing,
persuading, favorable relationship, and organizational goodwill. Organizations can
only survive if they accept the rapidly changing global challenges and the
communication processes are structured and delivered. The present workforce is
dynamic in nature so communication is a challenge when executed against the
backdrop of culture, technology and competition. The success of any business to a
large extent depends on efficient and effective communication. It takes place
among business entities, in market and market places, within organizations and
between various groups of employees, owners and employees, buyers and sellers,
service providers and customers, sales persons and prospects and also between
people within the organization and the press persons. All such communication
impacts business. Done with care, such communication can promote business
interests. Otherwise, it will portray the organization in poor light and may
adversely affect the business interest. Communication is the life blood of any
organization and its main purpose is to effect change to influence action. In any
organization the main problem is of maintaining effective communication process.
The management problem generally results in poor communication. Serious
mistakes are made because orders are misunderstood. The basic problem in
communication is that the meaning which is actually understood may not be what
the other intended to send. It must be realised that the speaker and the listener are
two separate individuals having their own limitations and number of things may
happen to distort the message that pass between them. When people within the
organization communicate with each other, it is internal communication. They do
so to work as a team and realise the common goals. It could be official or
unofficial. Modes of internal communication include face-to-face and written
communication. Memos, reports, office order, circular, fax, video conferencing,
meeting etc. are the examples of internal communication. When people in the
organization communicate with anyone outside the organization it is called
external communication. These people may be clients or customers, dealers or
distributors, media, government, general public etc. are the examples of external
communication.

Functions of communication

The most basic functions of communication in an organization are to inform,

control, motivate and emotional expression.
. Information

An organization needs a vast amount of information to function and operate a

business. The top management would require timely and accurate information for
the various departments to make effective decisions. Information is dispersed
throughout an organization through written or verbal communication. A human
resources representative or business owner may send out a memo explaining a
change in the company's health plan. A business meeting may be used as a way to
communicate a new office procedure. A webinar allows a company to conduct a
meeting over the Internet with employees or customers who cannot attend in
person. The idea of informing within an organization is to provide data and
information so that employees can effectively complete their job. Information
ensures that an employee is aware of the rules and procedures of an organization. It
also eliminates job uncertainty for workers when they are fully informed.

Control

The management of any organization will always have plans with long, medium or
long termobjectives for the months and years ahead. To achieve these objectives,
the daily & monthly activities must proceed as planned in order to achieve the
objectives for the period.Communication acts to control member behavior in
several ways. Organizations have authority hierarchies and formal guidelines that
employees are required to follow. When employees, for instance for instances are
required to first communicate any job related grievance to their immediate boss, to
follow their job description, or to comply with company policies, communication
is performing a control function. But informal communication also controls
behavior. When work groups tease or harass a member who produces too much
(and makes the rest of the group look bad) they are informally communicating
with, and controlling the member’s behavior. A company uses communication as a
way to maintain control over employees and their work environment. Written
human resources policies and procedures dictate how employees are permitted to
act in the workplace. Job descriptions outline the parameters of an employee's job
functions. Performance reviews control whether an employee receives a raise or
attains a promotion.

Motivation
Managers use communication to motivate workers to achieve peak performance.
By clarifying the expectations of employees and providing incentives for meeting
or exceeding expectations, communication can help companies reach specific
objectives. For example, by communicating to salespeople that they'll receive a 10
percent bonus if they reach their annual sales goal, it helps the company reach its
overall sales goals. Communication fosters motivation by clarifying to employees
what is to be done, how well they are doing and what can be done to improve
performance if it’s subpar. We saw his operating in our review of goal-setting and
reinforcement theories. The formation of specific goals, feedback on progress
toward the goals, and reinforcement of desired behavior all stimulate motivation
and require communication.

Emotional Expression and Interdependence

Emotional appeal is when emotions or arguments are used to persuade others

instead of facts or logic. Organizations can use emotional appeals when delivering
bad news. Last year, the CEO spoke to the entire company at an emergency
meeting. He explained how devastated he was over the need to have a corporate
downsizing. He used emotion to explain that it was better for the overall security of
the company to eliminate some positions. For many employees, their work group is
a primary source for social interaction. The communication that takes place within
the group is a fundamental mechanism by which members show their frustration
and feelings of satisfaction. Communication therefore provides release for
theemotional expression of feelings and for fulfillment of social needs.

Barriers in Communication

For any kind of communication to be successful, it is essential that the receiver

attributes the same meaning to the message as intended by the sender of the
message. But all acts of communication are not perfect or successful. At times,
some meaning is lost as the message encounters various barriers along its passage
between the sender and the receiver. Such barriers may arise at any of the stages
through which a message passes during the process of communication. This is also
called miscommunication.

Some of the common problems that lead to the failure of communication are:
noise, cultural differences, complexity of subject matter, personal biases, semantic
problems, socio-psychological barriers, filtering, information overload, poor
retention, poor listening, goal conflicts, slanting, inferring, etc.

Types of barriers

Barriers to communication can be classified into the following broad categories: 1)

Physical or environmental barriers, 2) Physiological or biological barriers, 3)
Semantic or language barriers, 4) Personal barriers, 5) Emotional or perceptional
barriers, 6) Socio-psychological barriers, 7) Cultural barriers, and 8)
Organizational barriers.

Physical or Environmental Barriers

Physical barriers are those barriers which are caused due to some technical defects
in the media used for communication and/or due to certain disturbances in the
surrounding environment.

Often, the term ‘noise’ is used as a blanket term to refer to the physical barriers in
general.

But noise, in its literal sense, is also one of the factors that give rise to the physical
barriers during the process of communication. Besides noise, wrong selection of
medium, lack of acoustics, poor lighting, frequent movements of hands, fiddling
with a pen, or even serving of tea during an important conversation- all of these are
also responsible for creating physical barriers in thecommunication process.

Noise

Noise is the first major barrier to communication. Communication is distorted by

noise that crops up at the transmission level. The meaning attributed to the word
‘noise’ in the field of Communication is derived from the realm of Physics. In
Physics, noise refers to “a disturbance, especially a random and persistent
disturbance, which obscures or reduces the clarity of a signal”. The modern-day
connotation of the word ‘noise’ is “irrelevant or meaningless data” as is apparent
from its usage in the field of Computer Science.

For example, the noise of the traffic around a school obstructs the smooth flow of
information between the teacher and the students. It makes oral communication
difficult. Similarly, poor signal or static while talking over the cell phone or while
using the public address system or while watching TV also distorts the sound
signals and disrupts communication. Bad weather conditions may also sometimes
interfere with the transmission of signals and may lead to breakdown of the
communication channels.

As discussed above, noise is not only the disruption of sound signals, but it also
includes all the barriers that may arise at any of the various stages of
communication. In a broad sense, it denotes semantic barriers, perceptional barriers
as well as psychological barriers.

Time and Distance

Time and distance may also obstruct the smooth flow of information. Today,
because of technological advancements, we have faster means of communication
available to us and this in turn has made the world a smaller place. But at times,
these means of communication may not be easily accessible because of
unavailability or due to technical/technological problems.

This may lead not only to a physical but also a communication gap between the
transmitter and the receiver. Time differences between people living in two
different countries may affect communication between them. Even people working
in different shifts in the same organization may also face problems in
communicating effectively. Improper seating arrangement in a classroom or in a
conference hall may also act as a barrier to effective communication as it is
difficult to maintain eye contact with one’s audience.

Wrong Choice of Medium

This can also create a barrier to effective communication. For example, if an expert
uses charts or graphs or PowerPoint presentations to orient the illiterate workers or
volunteers to a new method of working, they are bound to be ill-equipped to infer
any information or instructions from such sophisticated presentations.

Surroundings

Adverse weather conditions affect not only the means of communication, but also
have an impact on the sender and the receiver of the message. When two people
have to communicate with each other under extreme weather conditions, whether
too hot or too cold, their surroundings does have a direct repercussion on the
effectiveness of the exchange that takes place between them.

Thus, environmental factors determine people’s mood and also influence their
mental agility and thereby their capacity to communicate effectively. Extreme heat
and humidity make people either hyper or listless and thus cause immense stress
which in turn affects clear thinking and the attitude of the communicator; whereas,
extreme cold weather induces laziness and also impedes the ability to think clearly
and respond sharply, thereby causing communication failure.

Physiological Barriers

Physiological barriers are related to a person’s health and fitness. These may arise
due to disabilities that may affect the physical capability of the sender or the
receiver. For example, poor eyesight, deafness, uncontrolled body movements, etc.

Physical defects in one’s body may also disrupt communication. While

communicating, a person uses– his vocal (speech) organs to produce sound/speech
his hand and fingers to write his ears to take in the spoken words his eyes to absorb
the written words Flawless functioning of these body organs is inevitable for
effective communication to take place. In case of any defect in any of these organs,
the successful completion of communication will be difficult to accomplish.
Speaking can be adversely affected by stammering, fumbling, utterance of
improper sounds due to defective vocal organ/s, etc.

Semantic or Language Barriers

Semantics is the systematic study of the meaning of words. Thus, the semantic
barriers are barriers related to language. Such barriers are problems that arise
during the process of encoding and/or decoding the message into words and ideas
respectively.

Both the oral and the written communication are based on words/symbols which
are ambiguous in nature. Words/symbols may be used in several ways and may
have several meanings. Unless the receiver knows the context, he may interpret the
words/symbols according to his own level of understanding and may thus
misinterpret the message.
The most common semantic barriers are listed as under:

a. Misinterpretation of Words

Semantic problems often arise because of the gap between the meaning as intended
by the sender and that as understood by the receiver. This happens when the
receiver does not assign the same meaning to the word/symbol as the transmitter
had intended.

Words are capable of expressing a variety of meanings depending upon their

usage, i.e. in the context in which they are used. The association between the
word/symbol and the meaning assigned to it is of arbitrary nature.

For example, the word 'yellow' when used as an adjective can have multiple
connotations depending upon its usage. Words have two levels of meaning- literal
(descriptive) and metaphorical (qualitative). ‘Yellow’, besides being a primary
colour, also stands for ‘freshness’, ‘beauty’, ‘sickness’, ‘decay’, etc. Hence, the
receiver is free to interpret it in any of these ways based on his own imagination
and experience.

But for communication to be perfect, it is essential that the receiver must assign to
it the same meaning which the sender had in his mind while encoding the message.
Therefore, there is always a possibility of misinterpretation of the messages.
Mostly, such problems arise when the sender does not use simple and clear words
that can convey the exact meaning to the receiver.

b. Use of Technical Language

Technical or specialized language which is used by people or professionals who

work in the same field is known as jargon. Such technical language can be a barrier
to communication if the receiver of the message is not familiar with it. For
example, in the computer jargon, 'to burn a CD' means 'to copy the data on a CD'.
To a layman, the word 'burn' may have a very different connotation.

c. Ambiguity

Ambiguity arises when the sender and the receiver of the message attribute
different meanings to the same words or use different words to convey the same
meaning. Sometimes, wrong and speculative assumptions also lead to ambiguity. A
sender often assumes that his audience would perceive the situation as he does or
have the same opinion about an issue or understand the message as he understands
it, and so on. All such assumptions may turn out to be wrong and cause
communication failure.

Personal Barriers

Communication is interpersonal in nature. Thus, there are certain barriers that are
directly linked to the persons involved in the communication process, i.e. the
sender and the receiver, which influence the accurate transfer of the message.
These are called personal barriers. Personal barriers have to do with the age,
education, interests and needs or intentions that differ from person to person. In
any business organization, the attitude of the superiors and the subordinates play a
vital role in determining the success of communication. If the superiors have a
hostile attitude, then there are chances that they may filter the information or
manipulate the message, sometimes intentionally, in order to achieve certain
selfish motives.Many superiors are not open to suggestions and feedback as they
presume that their subordinates are not capable of advising them. Also, they often
tend to keep too busy with work and do not pay much attention to communication.
Due to this, the downward flow of information within the organization is badly
affected and this in turn leads to poor performance.

Emotional or Perceptional Barriers

Emotional or perceptional barriers are closely associated with personal barriers.

Personal barriers arise from motives and attitudes whereas emotional or
perceptional barriers have an added dimension that includes sentiments and
emotions as well.

If the receiver does not evaluate the information with an open mind, i.e.
objectively, his judgment/evaluation would be colored with his biases and/or his
emotions, thus inducing him to read too much into a message. This would interfere
with the exact transfer of information and cause misinterpretation.

Such a barrier may also emerge at the time of encoding the message. Over
enthusiasm on the part of the sender may lead him to invest his message with
meaning/s which he may actually not have intended to. Indolence, apathy, or the
tendency to procrastinate, either on the part of the sender or the receiver, also lead
to withholding of important information thus creating a barrier. Extreme emotions
like euphoria, excitement, anger, stress, depression, etc. also get in the way of
effective communication. All these factors may create biases in the mind of the
sender or the receiver.

Socio-Psychological Barriers

Socio-psychological barriers can also be considered as one of the offshoots of the

personal barriers, akin to the perceptional barriers. We need to study it as a
subcategory of personal barriers because a person’s attitude is shaped not only by
his instincts and emotions, but also by his approach towards and his interaction
with the people around him, and hence the need for this fine distinction between
the personal, the perceptional and the socio-psychological barriers.

b. Difference in Perception

Moreover, in a communication situation, the communicators have to deal with two

aspects of the reality- the one as they see it and the other as they perceive it. The
mind filters the message i.e. the words/symbols/ signs and attributes meaning to
them, according to individual perception.

Each individual has his own distinctive filter, formed by his/her experiences,
emotional makeup, knowledge, and mindset which s/he has attained over a period
of time. Because of this difference in perceptions, different individuals respond to
the same word/symbol/sign based on their own understanding of the situation and
ascribe meaning to it on the basis of their unique filter.

At times, this difference in perception causes communication gap, i.e. distortion, in

the message. In face-to-face communication, this gap can be easily eliminated as
there is immediate feedback. But in written communication, the semantic gap
between the intended meaning and the interpreted meaning remains unidentified,
as the feedback is delayed or sometimes there is no feedback at all.

c. Prejudices

Besides, a person with deeply ingrained prejudices is very difficult to communicate

with. He is not responsive to discussion or to new ideas, information, viewpoints
and opinions. He has a closed mind and tends to react antagonistically, thus ruling
out all possibilities of communication. An unreceptive mind can, hence, be a great
barrier in communication. To overcome this barrier, people should be receptive of
new ideas and must learn to listen considerately with an open mind.

e. Information Overload

Furthermore, information overload leads to poor retention and causes information

loss. So,whenever there is some important information to be conveyed, the
communicators must use the written channel of communication.On the basis of the
above discussion, we may thus conclude that the socio-psychological factors do
have a profound impact on the effectiveness of communication.

Cultural Barriers

Cultural differences give rise to a great deal of complexity in the encoding and the
decoding of messages not only because of the difference in languages, but also
because of plenty of culture-specific assumptions at work in the mind of the sender
as well as the receiver.People

belonging to different cultures may attach different meanings to words, symbols,

gestures, and behaviour or they may perceive each others’ social values, body
language, attitude to space distancing and time, social behaviour and manners, etc.,
i.e. the entire culture in general, very differently depending upon their own
standards, attitudes, customs, prejudices, opinions, behavioral norms, etc., i.e. their
own distinct culture.

Thus, cultural barriers arise when people belonging to different cultures insist on
preserving their cultural identities and at times, judge the other cultures as inferior
to their own.

Organizational Barriers

Organizational structure greatly influences the flow of information within an

organization. Some major organizational barriers are as follows:

a. Goal Conflicts
There may be goal conflicts within the organization between the superiors and the
subordinates, among people working in the different departments, among the
colleagues, etc.

This may create a hostile atmosphere within the organization and can lead to
serious communication breakdown.

b. Organizational Policies

These are also to a great extent responsible for determining the kind of rapport that
people working in the same organization share with each other. If the
organizational policy is such that it restricts the free flow of information in all
directions then communication would not be successful. In some organizations,
there may be rules to restrict the flow of certain messages and this may deter
employees from conveying those messages, however important they may be.

If an organization favours the open door policy, the subordinates would not feel
shy or reluctant to approach their superiors directly. But in the organizations where
the formal channels of communication have to be strictly adhered to, the superiors
and the subordinates share an awkward relationship. They experience a lot of
discomfiture while interacting with each other. Because of this, the objective of
communication may never be accomplished.

c. Organizational Hierarchy

The hierarchical structure of the organization may also impede the flow of
information and this can cause delay in taking decisions. When the message passes
along the chain of command in an organization, there are chances of filtering and
distortion of the message at almost every level before it reaches the intended
receiver. Thus, the hierarchical structure of the organization is also one of the
important factors that may create a barrier to effective communication.

Intrapersonal communication is defined as communicating with oneself. Some

scholars have expanded communicating with oneself to include a vast range of
cognitive behaviors, mental entities like traits and knowledge and processes like
association and comparison. Intrapersonal communication is defined as
communicating with oneself.
TYPES OF INTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Whether we say something or not, it automatically conveys a message to the

persons surrounding us or the communication can be with our self all in mind.

There are three major sorts of Intrapersonal Communication.

1. Self Awareness

It is very important to understand how you see yourself about others. This
intrapersonal communication determines your beliefs, ideas, values, and attitudes.
Your attitude is connected to the values you own. And values are based on your
core beliefs.

2. Perception

The perception aspect makes you stand out from others. How you see others and
how you perceive others is filtered by your self-concept. We judge ourselves and
other people so easily, that’s how we do intrapersonal communication. You are
supposed to make your own rules and accept yourself with blind eyes. One need
not be biased but need to take care of their own identities.

3. Expectations

This is one of the most important intrapersonal communication. We always expect

something in our future and also about others’ future too. Some people expect
something big in life and keep working hard for the expectations to become reality.
Sometimes we expect too much and then it leads to disappointments. The long
time expectations of yours are the reflections of learning lessons one received from
the environment.

Advantages of Intrapersonal Communication

There are so many benefits of being a pro at Intrapersonal communication. In easy

words, it is really good to be an intrapersonal person. It leads to so many openings
of good possibilities.

With Intrapersonal Communication, people understand themselves and their

emotions. When you talk to yourself you understand yourselves better. It is very
important to understand your emotional state. It determines everything for you.
Talking about Intrapersonal Communication, helps you to grasp and understand the
situations of others. We sometimes try to keep ourselves in the shoes of others to
feel what they feel. This is also a part of Intrapersonal Communication.

If someone is very much into Intrapersonal Communication, then it helps people to

tackle many situations in mind. Analyzing problems becomes easy.

The process of decision making enhances and problem-solving enhances with

intrapersonal communication

Forms of Intrapersonal Communication

Forms of Intrapersonal Communication

There are three major forms of Intrapersonal Communication

1. Thinking

This process includes thinking and day-dreaming. At the time when you think
about something like how you behaved with your wife last night, or how you will
ensure competitive advantage for your business, you are involving with your inner
core via intrapersonal communication. We tend to think all the time and mainly
when we concentrate or contemplate.

2. Vocal

This process includes talking to oneself out loud. This comes into play for
replaying or rehearsing any message. You also do this to hear your own emotions
or give yourself instructions. This form of communication is associated with self-
talk. It is also an interpersonal skill, but then you talk to another person.

3. Written

This process includes all kinds of writings you do for your reading. It can be any
personal diary, journal, reminders, shopping list, or notes. The written form of
intrapersonal communication takes place in the process of being more organized
and productive.
Interpersonal communication is an exchange of information between two or
more people. It is also an area of research that seeks to understand how humans use
verbal and nonverbal cues to accomplish a number of personal and relational goals.

The Four Principles of Interpersonal Communication

There are four main principles to be aware of when considering interpersonal

communication. These principles help to demonstrate the nature of interpersonal
relations and should provide you with a deeper understanding.

Inescapable. It’s pretty much impossible to escape interacting with other people.
Even if you prefer time by yourself, you’ll probably be communicating regularly
online with others.

Irreversible. We can’t take back the things that we say or do during interactions
with others. Even if we apologise or offer an explanation for what we did or said,
our original communication can’t be reversed.

Complicated. Because there are so many aspects of interpersonal communication

beyond what is actually being said, it’s complicated by nature. Often, things can be
interpreted in many different ways – and it can be especially hard for some
neurodivergent people to pick up on subtle cues. Similarly, many neurotypical
people are not aware of different communication styles, and this can also cause
different interpretations.

Contextual. It can be difficult to control how our communications are received due
to the other factors involved. Who is receiving the communication, where are they,
and why have they perceived it a certain way? Most of this is down to context.

Different types of interpersonal communication

Interpersonal communication can be categorised into four main types. Below, we’ll
briefly explain what each of these categories means:

Verbal. This is all about the words you’re actually saying and incorporates things
like the language you choose, how persuasively you speak, and the use of
affirmative sounds like “uh-huh” and “I see”.
Listening. Being able to listen attentively is one of the most important
communication skills, whether you’re physically listening with your ears or being
attentive in other ways. Listening can involve techniques such as clarification and
reflection.

Written communication. It is becoming increasingly essential to have good written

communication, whether you’re using it in the workplace or on social media. This
incorporates things like clarity, tone, grammar, and even things like punctuation
and emojis.

Non-verbal communication. As mentioned earlier, this includes everything that’s

not being said in a face-to-face conversation. That’s gestures, body language, facial
expressions and tone of voice. Being able to use these non-verbal cues and notice
them in others can be useful.

Elements of Interpersonal Communication

Much research has been done to try to break down interpersonal communication
into a number of elements in order that it can be more easily understood.
Commonly these elements include:

The Communicators

For any communication to occur there must be at least two people involved. It is
easy to think about communication involving a sender and a receiver of a message.
However, the problem with this way of seeing a relationship is that it presents
communication as a one-way process where one person sends the message and the
other receives it. While one person is talking and another is listening, for example.

In fact communications are almost always complex, two-way processes, with

people sending and receiving messages to and from each other simultaneously. In
other words, communication is an interactive process. While one person is talking
the other is listening - but while listening they are also sending feedback in the
form of smiles, head nods etc.

The Message

Message not only means the speech used or information conveyed, but also the
non-verbal messages exchanged such as facial expressions, tone of voice, gestures
and body language. Non-verbal behaviour can convey additional information about
the spoken message. In particular, it can reveal more about emotional attitudes
which may underlie the content of speech.

Noise

Noise has a special meaning in communication theory. It refers to anything that

distorts the message, so that what is received is different from what is intended by
the speaker. Whilst physical 'noise' (for example, background sounds or a low-
flying jet plane) can interfere with communication, other factors are considered to
be ‘noise’. The use of complicated jargon, inappropriate body language,
inattention, disinterest, and cultural differences can be considered 'noise' in the
context of interpersonal communication. In other words, any distortions or
inconsistencies that occur during an attempt to communicate can be seen as noise.

Feedback

It consists of messages the receiver returns, which allows the sender to know how
accurately the message has been received, as well as the receiver's reaction. The
receiver may also respond to the unintentional message as well as the intentional
message. Types of feedback range from direct verbal statements, for example "Say
that again, I don't understand", to subtle facial expressions or changes in posture
that might indicate to the sender that the receiver feels uncomfortable with the
message. Feedback allows the sender to regulate, adapt or repeat the message in
order to improve communication.

Context

All communication is influenced by the context in which it takes place. However,

apart from looking at the situational context of where the interaction takes place,
for example in a room, office, or perhaps outdoors, the social context also needs to
be considered, for example the roles, responsibilities and relative status of the
participants. The emotional climate and participants' expectations of the interaction
will also affect the communication.

Channel
The channel refers to the physical means by which the message is transferred from
one person to another. In a face-to-face context the channels which are used are
speech and vision, however during a telephone conversation the channel is limited
to speech alone.

Uses of Interpersonal Communication

Most of us engage in some form of interpersonal communication on a regular

basis, often many times a day, how well we communicate with others is a measure
of our interpersonal skills.

Interpersonal communication is a key life skill and can be used to:

Give and collect information.

Influence the attitudes and behaviour of others.

Form contacts and maintain relationships.

Make sense of the world and our experiences in it.

Express personal needs and understand the needs of others.

Give and receive emotional support.

Make decisions and solve problems.

Anticipate and predict behaviour.

Regulate power.

Barriers to interpersonal communication

A barrier to interpersonal communication is something that gets in the way of a

message being received. This can lead to misunderstandings, disinterest and even
offence. To help you understand why sometimes we face issues when
communicating with others, we’ve created this list of potential barriers to
interpersonal communication. The barriers that arise will depend on the situation
and the people involved, but these are all potential problems to be aware of.
1. Too much technical jargon

Unless you’re speaking to experts on the topic you’re talking about, you should try
to avoid unnecessary jargon. This applies to verbal and written communication.
Using too much unnecessarily technical language can make your message
confusing or even incomprehensible, and the point that you’re making can get lost
in translation. Instead, keep it clear and concise, paying attention to who you’re
speaking to.

2. Inconsistent cues

Sometimes, you might be saying something with your words, but conveying
something totally different with your body language. This is called an inconsistent
cue because you’re sending two opposing signals simultaneously. For example, if
you smile when you’re actually angry, the receiver will likely misunderstand the
message you’re attempting to convey.

3. Choosing the wrong medium

Certain mediums are more appropriate than others for certain conversations. For
example, emotional conversations are better to be had face to face, as you can use
verbal and non-verbal cues to put across your message. Emails are great for
conveying routine information, while texts or instant messages are good for casual
conversations and quick questions.

4. Poor relationships

When there’s a lack of trust between people, particularly in a work environment,

communication issues often arise. This is because preconceived notions of a
relationship can affect certain messages being delivered effectively – maybe
because the receiver isn’t paying proper attention, or because they don’t believe or
respect what the speaker is saying. This can be exacerbated by things like cultural
or generational differences, especially when people are holding on to stereotypes.

In addition to this, hierarchical structures in offices can also impede interpersonal

communication, as junior employees may feel reluctant to communicate properly
and present their opinions to their seniors.
5. External factors

There are often several uncontrollable external factors at play during interpersonal
communication. Sometimes, this could be noise affecting hearing and focus, or it
could be a poor internet connection impeding a conversation. Unfortunately,
external factors will never go away, but it’s important to remember to be patient
and considerate to the other person or people you’re communicating with when
such difficulties arise.

Group communication is the act of sending and receiving messages to multiple

members of a group. In a business environment, groups often use this type of
communication to exchange ideas, determine goals and motivate other members.

Benefits of group communication

Group communication has many benefits in the workplace, including:

Providing a way for group members to generate ideas and solutions to achieve their
common goal.

Encouraging members to make decisions as a group.

Creating a way for the team to build rapport with one another.

Establishing mutual respect and understanding among group members.

To ensure clarity and transparency about goals and expectations.

Function of Group Communication

The term "group communication" refers to the messages that are exchanged by
group members. These messages, whether verbal or nonverbal, are important to
groups because it is through the exchange of messages that group members
participate, maintain the group identity, determine goals, motivate participation,
and do the many things that keep the group intact. For example, a soccer team can
be considered to be a group, but one would not expect a soccer team to exist or
compete with other soccer teams without exchanging messages. How would team
members share information about the game plan? How would they make collective
decisions in executing the game plan? How would members build the relationships
that help each member understand who to trust in the critical moments of a game?
How would members create the team spirit that motivates each member to play
their best game possible?

Group communication is fundamental to understanding groups. The messages that

are exchanged by group members provide evidence of the nature of the group. The
messages that are exchanged identify whether the group is a social group or a task
group. The messages also reveal what roles specific members play in a group.
Imagine a family trying to decide what to do during the two weeks in the summer
when all the family members are free to do something as a family. Should they go
on vacation, stay home and relax, paint the house, or have some parties with
extended family and friends? The types of messages that are exchanged and the
manner in which the messages are exchanged can be used to describe such group
characteristics as the structure of the family, who is in control, and the group's
collective identity. However, messages are more than just a signal about what the
group is.

Group communication is important because it is through messages that groups

make decisions, manage conflict, and build the rapport that is necessary to keep the
group going in difficult circumstances. The exchange of messages shapes what the
group will be and what the group can accomplish. The way in which, for example,
a family exchanges messages about pending choices shapes important features,
such as how members understand each other, whether they will respect each other,
and whether they will be motivated to make the decision happen.

Types of Group Communication

Verbal. Verbal group communication involves people in a group speaking with

each other discussing a topic or agenda and reaching a conclusion through
everyone participating with views and feedback. ...

Technology driven.

Non Verbal.

in-Person.

Virtual.

Group communication channels

Common types of group communication channels

In-person meetings

With an in-person team meeting, a group gathers in one place to discuss their
progress toward a shared objective, identify opportunities for improvement and
recognize the work of other team members. This type of group communication
channel can be beneficial for groups with a clearly defined leader, such as a
manager or project supervisor. These leaders can set the expectations for the
meeting, provide an agenda and gather feedback from other group members.

Conference calls

A conference or video call functions similarly to a team meeting but allows for
remote employees to join the discussion from wherever they're working. Each
group member joins the call on a conference line or a video conferencing platform
to discuss the task. A conference or video call works well when one person sets up
the call to avoid any confusion about when or how it takes place. This
communication channel can also be ideal when a group wants to communicate
with other key stakeholders of the project who may work outside of their
organization.

Digital messages

Digital messages sent through email or an online messaging platform can allow for
a more informal type of communication between group members as compared with
team meetings and conference or video calls. Through this channel, group
members can send digital messages to exchange ideas, ask questions and
communicate their progress. Because of the instantaneous nature of the
technology, group members can share information more quickly through this
channel than others. This communication channel can also be an effective choice
when there is no clear group leader since everyone likely has the same access to
the technology.

Memos

A memorandum, more commonly known as a memo, is a written message that one

member of the group distributes to other members. Memos are a formal type of
group communication and typically provide important information about the
group's task. A memo usually follows a structure similar to a letter, listing the date
of the memo, its intended recipients and a subject line before the message. This
type of communication channel can work well when members who work in the
same office need to communicate sensitive or confidential information related to
their project.

Improving group communication

Encourage open discussion

Before beginning work on a project, team members may want to come together for
a discussion that encourages all members to engage in the group communication
channel. By supporting open communication, members typically feel more
empowered to share their thoughts and opinions with other people on the team. If
there is a group leader, that person may want to establish a policy to consider all
ideas from any member without immediate judgment or bias. This type of
guideline may help to make members feel more comfortable communicating in the
group channel.

Establish responsibilities

When working in groups, it's beneficial to ensure that each member has an
individual role or responsibility so that the group can complete its overall task
successfully. Take some time at the beginning of the project to set goals, outline
the key steps for reaching those goals and identify the group member who can
oversee each step. Setting clear, specific responsibilities for each group member
may help to avoid any confusion or misunderstanding about their role on the team
while also establishing accountability to keep each member working toward the
shared goal.

Emphasize teamwork

When working in a group setting, the success of the team can depend on how well
members work together to reach their objectives. It's important to establish a sense
of teamwork so each member might feel motivated to do their part to help the
group be successful. Groups that feel a sense of camaraderie may be more likely to
negotiate effectively and resolve conflicts quickly and professionally. In a team
environment, members may also feel more inclined to help each other with various
tasks to keep the group moving toward its overall goal.