Process of Communication
Communication is a cyclic process that starts when the sender feels that there is a need to communicate with the receiver for a particular reason (purpose). The sender creates a message either in the written or in verbal or nonverbal form. The message is dispatched to the receiver with the help of channels of communication.
The receiver takes the delivery of the message and provides feedback to the sender. The sender gets the feedback and determines whether the receiver has received the same message and meaning that the sender had intended to communicate with him; if the sender feels that the receiver has not received the same message and meaning, he/she again initiates the cycle of communication.
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All About the Communication Process |
1. Source or sender: – the first step in the communication process is source or sender. The source is also called communicator. Communication begins when someone has some idea, information, view, feeling to transmit. The communicator may be a person, group or an organization. When the communicator intends to communicate to somebody communicator prepares the message
2. Encoding: – the idea or feeling the sender has to be translated into some language or symbols. This process is called encoding. The sender must choose appropriate words, symbols, pictures etc. to express his/her idea. While selecting the symbols, the sender has to pay attention about the receiver understanding the message.
3. Message or medium: – the medium is simply the pathway for transmission of the message. Some medium must be selected. This channel is chosen by the sender. They can be formal or informal. Examples are face to face, email, letters, fax. Telephone etc.
4. Decoding to the receiver: – the receiver assigns some meaning to the symbol transmitted by the source, so the receiver interprets the message and the process is known as decoding. It is not an easy task because words have different meaning for different people. Problems of communication breakdown frequently.
5. Feedback: – this is the final phase. Feedback is the reaction of the receiver. The receiver has to confirm whether or not the message has been received or not. It is only taken in two-way communication.
6. Noise: – it is interference with the normal flow of information. It disturbs the communication system. No matter how well designed is the communication system; if noise exists the message received is different from message sent. Example: – noise of machines, vehicles, loud voice etc.
Elements of Communication
1. Sender: The sender is the person who initiates the process of communication. Whenever the sender feels that there is a need to communicate some information to the other person (receiver), he/she starts the process of communication. The sender must be aware of the purpose of the communication and the receiver's abilities to understand the message in terms of language, interest, etc.
2. Message: The message is created by the sender to convey the information, facts or opinion to the receiver. The message should be clear and simple so that the receiver can understand it in the same way as the sender desires. While creating a message, the sender should take care of words, language, and meaning of the message if the message is to be communicated in verbal or written form or he/she should take care of body language and facial expression if the message is to be communicated in nonverbal form, along with the abilities and professional competencies of the receiver.
3. Channels of communication: Communication channels are the medium through which the message is communicated to the receiver. Channels of communication play an important role in the process of
communication. If the sender selects an appropriate medium or channel of communication, there are more chances that the receiver will receive the same message; or else, there are chances that the message may get. distorted. In this hi-tech era, there are a number of channels that can be used to communicate message, e.g., mobile, e-mail, voice mail, person, radio, TV, Internet, blogs, etc. “Through proper channel” is a common phrase used among the nurse administrators/managers that signifies the importance of communication channels. For example, a student of B.Scs. nursing, II year, wants to communicate hostel problems to the director of the institute. In order to reach to the intended receiver first, he/she should communicate his/her message in the form of written application to the class teacher; the class teacher will forward the application (message) to the principal and finally the principal will forward the application to the director. That is how communication through proper channel takes place. In this case, the class teacher and principal were the channels of communication through which the message was communicated to the receiver (director).
4. Receiver: The receiver is the person who receives the message. The receiver may be a single person or a group of persons. The receiver understands the meaning of the message and provides feedback to the sender. The receiver should have the same language ability, comprehension, and cultural background as the sender. If not, it may lead to distorted understanding of the meaning of the message by the receiver.
5. Feedback: It is the most crucial element of communication. It is provided by the receiver to the sender. Receiving feedback is important for the sender to know that the receiver has received the message and interpreted the meaning of the message in the desired way. Without feedback, the process of communication cannot be complete. For example, when you send a mobile SMS to your friend, you get feedback in the form of delivery report that informs you whether your message has been delivered or not to the intended receiver; it also happens in the same way in the case of e-mail.
Flow of communication
In an organization, communication flows in various directions:
1. Downward communication: Downward communication flows from people at higher level to those at lower levels in the organization hierarchy. This kind of communication exists especially in organizations with an authoritarian leadership style. Examples of written downwards communication are memo, letters, handbooks, policy statements and procedures.
2. Upward communication: This communication travels from subordinates to superiors and continues up the organizational hierarchy. This type of communication is found in participative and democratic organizational environments. Typical means of upward communication are suggestion systems, appeal and grievance procedures, complaint systems, counselling sessions, grapevine, group meetings, morale questionnaires and the exit interview.
3. Crosswise communication: It includes the horizontal flow of information between people on the same or similar organizational levels and diagonal flow between persons at different levels who have no direct reporting relationships. This kind of communication is used to speed information flow, to improve understanding and to coordinate efforts for the achievement of organizational objectives. It may include oral communication ranging from informal meetings, or more formal conferences and board meetings. Written forms include company newspapers or magazine and bulletin boards.
Methods of Communication
The standard methods of communication are speaking or writing by a sender and listening or reading the receiver. Most communication is oral, with one party speaking and others listening. However, some forms of communication do not directly involve spoken or written language. Nonverbal communication (body language) consists of actions, gestures, and other aspects of physical appearance that, combined with facial expressions (such as smiling or frowning), can be powerful means of transmitting messages. At times, a person's body may be “talking” even as he or she maintains silence. And when people do speak, their bodies may sometimes say different things than their words convey. A mixed message occurs when a person's words communicate one message, while nonverbally; he or she is communicating something else. Although technology such as e-mail has lessened the importance of nonverbal communication, the majority of organizational communication still takes place through face-to-face interaction. Every verbal message comes with a nonverbal component. Receivers interpret messages by taking in meaning from everything available. When nonverbal cues are consistent with verbal messages, they act to reinforce the messages. But when these verbal and nonverbal messages are inconsistent, they create confusion for the receiver. The actions of management are especially significant because subordinates place more confidence in what managers do than what they say. Unless actions are consistent with communication, a feeling of distrust will undermine the effectiveness of any future social exchange.
1. Oral communication skills - Because a large part of a manager's day is spent conversing with other managers and employees, the abilities to speak and listen are critical to success. For example, oral communication skills are used when a manager must make sales presentations, conduct interviews, perform employee evaluations, and hold press conferences. In general, managers prefer to rely on oral communication because communication tends to be completer and more thorough when talking in person. In face-to-face interactions, a person can judge how the other party is reacting, get immediate feedback, and answer questions. In general, people tend to assume that talking to someone directly is more credible than receiving a written message. face-to-face communication permits not only the
exchange of words, but also the opportunity to see the nonverbal communication. However, verbal communicating has its drawbacks. It can be inconsistent, unless all parties hear the same message. And although oral communication is useful for conveying the viewpoints of others and fostering an openness that encourages people to communicate, it is a weak tool for implementing a policy or issuing directives where many specifics are involved.
Here are two of the most important abilities for effective oral communication:
- Active listening. Listening is making sense of what is heard and requires paying attention, interpreting, and remembering sound stimuli. Effective listening is active, requiring the hearer to “get inside the head” of the speaker so that he or she can understand the communication from the speaker's point of view. Effective listeners do the following:
- Make eye contact.
- Schedule sufficient, uninterrupted time for meetings.
- Genuinely seek information.
- Avoid being emotional or attacking others.
- Paraphrase the message you heard, especially to clarify the speaker's intentions.
- Keep silent. Don't talk to fill pauses, or respond to statements in a point-counterpoint fashion.
- Ask clarifying questions.
- Avoid making distracting gestures.
- Constructive feedback. Managers often do poor jobs of providing employees with performance feedback. When providing feedback, managers should do the following:
- Focus on specific behaviors rather than making general statements
- Keep feedback impersonal and goal-oriented
- Offer feedback as soon after the action as possible
- Ask questions to ensure understanding of the feedback
- Direct negative feedback toward behavior that the recipient can control
2. Written communication skills - Written communication has several advantages. First, it provides a record for referral and follow-up. Second, written communication is an inexpensive means of providing identical messages to a large number of people. The major limitation of written communication is that the sender does not know how or if the communication is received unless a reply is required. Unfortunately, writing skills are often difficult to develop, and many individuals have problems writing simple, clear, and direct documents. And believe it or not, poorly written documents cost money. How much does bad writing cost a company annually? According to a Canadian consulting and training firm, one employee who writes just one poorly worded memo per week over the course of a year can cost a company $4,258.60. Managers must be able to write clearly. The ability to prepare letters, memos, sales reports, and other written documents may spell the difference between success and failure. The following are some guidelines for effective written communication:
- Use the P.O.W.E.R. Plan for preparing each message: plan, organize, write, edit, and revise
- Draft the message with the readers in mind
- Give the message a concise title and use subheadings where appropriate
- Use simple words and short, clear, sentences and paragraphs
- Back up opinions with facts
- Avoid “flowery” language, euphemisms, and trite expressions
- Summarize main points at the end and let the reader know what he must do next
