What Is Business Communication

What is Business Communication ?
Download PPT for Complete Course on Communication is neither the transmission of a message nor the message
Business Communication itself. It is the mutual exchange of understanding, originating with the receiver.
Communication needs to be effective in business. Communication is the
essence of management. The basic functions of management
(Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing and Controlling) cannot be performed
well without effective communication.
Business communication involves constant flow of information. Feedback is

integral part of business communication. Organizations these days are verly
large and involve large number of people. There are various levels of hierarchy
in an organization. Greater the number of levels, the more difficult is the job of
managing the organization. Communication here plays a very important role in
process of directing and controlling the people in the oragnization. Immediate
feedback can be obtained and misunderstandings if any can be avoided.
There should be effective communication between superiors and subordinated
in an organization, between organization and society at large (for example
between management and trade unions). It is essential for success and growth
of an organization. Communication gaps should not occur in any organization.
Total Slides: 100
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 can be of two types:
1. Oral Communication - An oral communication can be formal or informal. Generally business communication is a formal
means of communication, like : meetings, interviews, group discussion, speeches etc. An example of Informal business
communication would be - Grapevine.
2. Written Communication - Written means of business communication includes - agenda, reports, manuals etc.
Components of Communication Process

Communication is a process of exchanging verbal and non verbal messages. It is a continuous process. Pre-requisite of
communication is a message. This message must be conveyed through some medium to the recipient. It is essential that this
message must be understood by the recipient in same terms as intended by the sender. He must respond within a time frame.
Thus, communication is a two way process and is incomplete without a feedback from the recipient to the sender on how well the
message is understood by him.
Communication Process
The main components of communication process are as follows:
1. Context - Communication is affected by the context in which it takes place. This context may be physical, social,
chronological or cultural. Every communication proceeds with context. The sender chooses the message to communicate
within a context.
2. Sender / Encoder - Sender / Encoder is a person who sends the message. A sender makes use of symbols (words or
graphic or visual aids) to convey the message and produce the required response. For instance - a training manager
conducting training for new batch of employees. Sender may be an individual or a group or an organization. The views,
background, approach, skills, competencies, and knowledge of the sender have a great impact on the message. The
verbal and non verbal symbols chosen are essential in ascertaining interpretation of the message by the recipient in the
same terms as intended by the sender.
3. Message - Message is a key idea that the sender wants to communicate. It is a sign that elicits the response of recipient.
Communication process begins with deciding about the message to be conveyed. It must be ensured that the main
objective of the message is clear.
4. Medium - Medium is a means used to exchange / transmit the message. The sender must choose an appropriate
medium for transmitting the message else the message might not be conveyed to the desired recipients. The choice of
appropriate medium of communication is essential for making the message effective and correctly interpreted by the
recipient. This choice of communication medium varies depending upon the features of communication. For instance -
Written medium is chosen when a message has to be conveyed to a small group of people, while an oral medium is
chosen when spontaneous feedback is required from the recipient as misunderstandings are cleared then and there.
5. Recipient / Decoder - Recipient / Decoder is a person for whom the message is intended / aimed / targeted. The degree
to which the decoder understands the message is dependent upon various factors such as knowledge of recipient, their
responsiveness to the message, and the reliance of encoder on decoder.
6. Feedback - Feedback is the main component of communication process as it permits the sender to analyze the efficacy
of the message. It helps the sender in confirming the correct interpretation of message by the decoder. Feedback may be
verbal (through words) or non-verbal (in form of smiles, sighs, etc.). It may take written form also in form of memos,
reports, etc.
Oral Communication - Meaning, Advantages

and Limitations
Oral communication implies communication through mouth. It includes individuals conversing with each other, be it direct
conversation or telephonic conversation. Speeches, presentations, discussions are all forms of oral communication. Oral
communication is generally recommended when the communication matter is of temporary kind or where a direct interaction is
required. Face to face communication (meetings, lectures, conferences, interviews, etc.) is significant so as to build a rapport and
trust.
Advantages of Oral Communication
There is high level of understanding and transparency in oral communication as it is interpersonal.

There is no element of rigidity in oral communication. There is flexibility for allowing changes in the decisions previously
taken.
The feedback is spontaneous in case of oral communication. Thus, decisions can be made quickly without any delay.
Oral communication is not only time saving, but it also saves upon money and efforts.
Oral communication is best in case of problem resolution. The conflicts, disputes and many issues/differences can be put
to an end by talking them over.
Oral communication is an essential for teamwork and group energy.
Oral communication promotes a receptive and encouraging morale among organizational employees.
Oral communication can be best used to transfer private and confidential information/matter.
Disadvantages/Limitations of Oral Communication
Relying only on oral communication may not be sufficient as business communication is formal and very organized.
Oral communication is less authentic than written communication as they are informal and not as organized as written
communication.
Oral communication is time-saving as far as daily interactions are concerned, but in case of meetings, long speeches
consume lot of time and are unproductive at times.
Oral communications are not easy to maintain and thus they are unsteady.
There may be misunderstandings as the information is not complete and may lack essentials.
It requires attentiveness and great receptivity on part of the receivers/audience.
Oral communication (such as speeches) is not frequently used as legal records except in investigation work.
Written Communication - Meaning,

Advantages and Disadvantages
Written communication has great significance in todays business world. It is an innovative activity of the mind. Effective written
communication is essential for preparing worthy promotional materials for business development. Speech came before writing. But
writing is more unique and formal than speech. Effective writing involves careful choice of words, their organization in correct order
in sentences formation as well as cohesive composition of sentences. Also, writing is more valid and reliable than speech. But while
speech is spontaneous, writing causes delay and takes time as feedback is not immediate.
Advantages of Written Communication
Written communication helps in laying down apparent principles, policies and rules for running of an organization.
It is a permanent means of communication. Thus, it is useful where record maintenance is required.
It assists in proper delegation of responsibilities. While in case of oral communication, it is impossible to fix and delegate
responsibilities on the grounds of speech as it can be taken back by the speaker or he may refuse to acknowledge.
Written communication is more precise and explicit.
Effective written communication develops and enhances an organizations image.
It provides ready records and references.
Legal defenses can depend upon written communication as it provides valid records.
Disadvantages of Written Communication
Written communication does not save upon the costs. It costs huge in terms of stationery and the manpower employed in
writing/typing and delivering letters.
Also, if the receivers of the written message are separated by distance and if they need to clear their doubts, the response is
not spontaneous.
Written communication is time-consuming as the feedback is not immediate. The encoding and sending of message takes
time.
Effective written communication requires great skills and competencies in language and vocabulary use. Poor writing skills and
quality have a negative impact on organizations reputation.
Too much paper work and e-mails burden is involved.
Non Verbal Communication - Actions Speak

Louder than Words
Scenario 1 You are sitting in front of an interview panel with arms crossed. So far you have not been asked a single question,
however, your crossed arms have spoken louder than the words.
Tip 1 Never keep your arms crossed especially during formal one-on-one meetings. It suggests you are not open to feedback and
could also suggest that you are trying to dominate the situation.
Scenario 2 You are giving a presentation to a group of 20 people. You keep your gaze fixed at the centre of the class / room
through the presentation your gaze has spoken louder than your words.
Tip 2 Your gaze at one person should not be more than 4 - 5 seconds while delivering a presentation / communicating with a large
group unless you are addressing an individual.
Scenario 1 and 2 clearly demonstrate the importance of Non Verbal Communication.
What is Non Verbal Communication ?

It is communication of feelings, emotions, attitudes, and thoughts through body movements / gestures / eye contact, etc.
The components of Non Verbal Communication are:
Kinesics: It is the study of facial expressions, postures & gestures. Did you know that while in Argentina to raise a fist in
the air with knuckles pointing outwards expresses victory, in Lebanon, raising a closed fist is considered rude?
Oculesics: It is the study of the role of eye contact in non verbal communication. Did you know that in the first 90 sec - 4
min you decide that you are interested in someone or not. Studies reveal that 50% of this first impression comes from
non-verbal communication which includes oculesics. Only 7% of comes from words - that we actually say.
Haptics: It is the study of touching. Did you know that acceptable level of touching vary from one culture to another? In
Thailand, touching someone's head may be considered as rude.
Proxemics: It is the study of measurable distance between people as they interact. Did you know that the amount of
personal space when having an informal conversation should vary between 18 inches - 4 feet while, the personal distance
needed when speaking to a crowd of people should be around 10-12 feet?
Chronemics: It is the study of use of time in non verbal communication. Have you ever observed that while AN employee
will not worry about running a few minutes late to meet a colleague, a manager who has a meeting with the CEO, a late
arrival will be considered as a nonverbal cue that he / she does not give adequate respect to his superior?
Paralinguistics: It is the study of variations in pitch, speed, volume, and pauses to convey meaning. Interestingly, when
the speaker is making a presentation and is looking for a response, he will pause. However, when no response is desired,
he will talk faster with minimal pause.
Physical Appearance: Your physical appearance always contributes towards how people perceive you. Neatly combed
hair, ironed clothes and a lively smile will always carry more weight than words.
Remember, what we say is less important than how we say it as words are only 7% of our communication. Understand and enjoy
non verbal communication as it helps forming better first impressions. Good luck!
Importance of Communication in an
Organization
Effective Communication is significant for managers in the organizations so as to perform the basic functions of management, i.e.,
Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling.
Communication helps managers to perform their jobs and responsibilities. Communication serves as a foundation for planning. All
the essential information must be communicated to the managers who in-turn must communicate the plans so as to implement
them. Organizing also requires effective communication with others about their job task. Similarly leaders as managers must
communicate effectively with their subordinates so as to achieve the team goals. Controlling is not possible without written and oral
communication.
Managers devote a great part of their time in communication. They generally devote approximately 6 hours per day in
communicating. They spend great time on face to face or telephonic communication with their superiors, subordinates, colleagues,
customers or suppliers. Managers also use Written Communication in form of letters, reports or memos wherever oral
communication is not feasible.
Thus, we can say that effective communication is a building block of successful organizations. In other words,
communication acts as organizational blood.
The importance of communication in an organization can be summarized as follows:
1. Communication promotes motivation by informing and clarifying the employees about the task to be done, the manner
they are performing the task, and how to improve their performance if it is not up to the mark.
2. Communication is a source of information to the organizational members for decision-making process as it helps
identifying and assessing alternative course of actions.
3. Communication also plays a crucial role in altering individuals attitudes, i.e., a well informed individual will have better
attitude than a less-informed individual. Organizational magazines, journals, meetings and various other forms of oral and
written communication help in moulding employees attitudes.
4. Communication also helps in socializing. In todays life the only presence of another individual fosters communication. It
is also said that one cannot survive without communication.
5. As discussed earlier, communication also assists in controlling process. It helps controlling organizational members
behaviour in various ways. There are various levels of hierarchy and certain principles and guidelines that employees
must follow in an organization. They must comply with organizational policies, perform their job role efficiently and
communicate any work problem and grievance to their superiors. Thus, communication helps in controlling function of
management.
An effective and efficient communication system requires managerial proficiency in delivering and receiving messages. A manager
must discover various barriers to communication, analyze the reasons for their occurrence and take preventive steps to avoid those
barriers. Thus, the primary responsibility of a manager is to develop and maintain an effective communication system in the
organization.
Communication Flows in an Organization

In an organization, communication flows in 5 main directions-
1. Downward
2. Upward
3. Lateral
4. Diagonal
5. External
1. Downward Flow of Communication: Communication that flows from a higher level in an organization to a lower level is
a downward communication. In other words, communication from superiors to subordinates in a chain of command is a
downward communication. This communication flow is used by the managers to transmit work-related information to the
employees at lower levels. Employees require this information for performing their jobs and for meeting the expectations
of their managers. Downward communication is used by the managers for the following purposes -
Providing feedback on employees performance
Giving job instructions
Providing a complete understanding of the employees job as well as to

communicate them how their job is related to other jobs in the organization.
Communicating the organizations mission and vision to the employees.
Highlighting the areas of attention.
Organizational publications, circulars, letter to employees, group meetings etc are all
examples of downward communication. In order to have effective and error-free
downward communication, managers must:
Specify communication objective

Ensure that the message is accurate, specific and unambiguous.
Utilize the best communication technique to convey the message to the receiver
in right form
2. Upward Flow of Communication: Communication that flows to a higher level in an organization is called upward
communication. It provides feedback on how well the organization is functioning. The subordinates use upward
communication to convey their problems and performances to their superiors.
The subordinates also use upward communication to tell how well they have understood the downward communication. It
can also be used by the employees to share their views and ideas and to participate in the decision-making process.
Upward communication leads to a more committed and loyal workforce in an organization because the employees are
given a chance to raise and speak dissatisfaction issues to the higher levels. The managers get to know about the
employees feelings towards their jobs, peers, supervisor and organization in general. Managers can thus accordingly take
actions for improving things.
Grievance Redressal System, Complaint and Suggestion Box, Job Satisfaction surveys etc all help in improving upward
communication. Other examples of Upward Communication are -performance reports made by low level management for
reviewing by higher level management, employee attitude surveys, letters from employees, employee-manager
discussions etc.
3. Lateral / Horizontal Communication: Communication that takes place at same levels of hierarchy in an organization is
called lateral communication, i.e., communication between peers, between managers at same levels or between any
horizontally equivalent organizational member. The advantages of horizontal communication are as follows:
It is time saving.
It facilitates co-ordination of the task.
It facilitates co-operation among team members.
It provides emotional and social assistance to the organizational members.
It helps in solving various organizational problems.
It is a means of information sharing
It can also be used for resolving conflicts of a department with other department or
conflicts within a department.
4. Diagonal Communication: Communication that takes place between a manager and employees of other workgroups is
called diagonal communication. It generally does not appear on organizational chart. For instance - To design a training
module a training manager interacts with an Operations personnel to enquire about the way they perform their task.
5. External Communication: Communication that takes place between a manager and external groups such as - suppliers,
vendors, banks, financial institutes etc. For instance - To raise capital the Managing director would interact with the Bank
Manager.
Writing Effectively to get a Job/Potential Client

In todays competitive world, a good writing must engage a reader. Whether it is a proposal or a resume, the reader must feel
involved in the write-up.
Read on to get tips on how to write better while applying for a job or for a business....
1. Start with something interesting: In todays market scenario where several resumes are lying at the desk, why does a
particular resume gets picked than the others in the lot? Thinking... It is because the resume has a cover letter /
introductory note that makes it saleable. A summary of a candidates profile is always better than a simply stated one line
objective which merely talks about a candidates aspiration and does not tell about his / her profile summary.
2. Add a personal touch: While writing to potential clients for business, ensure that the content is customized as per the
clients profile and requirement. This helps creating a special bond with the reader.
3. Give examples and not just adjectives: A candidate must mention a relevant example to demonstrate or justify the
adjectives included in the resume. For instance, if he / she talks about his strength in area of team management, he / she
should mention an example on how well a team was handled. Avoid giving micro level details, however, mention about
achievements / recognitions.
4. Leverage numbers: A candidate must back-up achievements / adjectives stated with numbers. Same goes for the
corporate looking for business. Numbers form a strong base for generating commitment. A percentage movement
showing improvement in performance or scores always catches attention of the readers.
5. Avoid jargons: If a candidate is applying in a completely different industry than the one he has worked before in, he
should avoid / not use jargons which are not relevant to the new industry. Jargons tend to confuse people and there is a
possibility of the message being lost. In case a jargon is to be used, the expanded form should also be mentioned. For
instance a jargon EMS should be written in a statement as "Employee Measurement System [EMS]".
6. Do not misrepresent data: Write with integrity. Whether it is numbers or years of experience or sales volume - all facts
stated should be true.
7. Communication Skills: Ensure that the document is error free - no spelling or grammatical mistake. Always proof read
the document / proposal or get it read by a friend / colleague.
8. Follow-up: Most of the times a candidate submits a resume or a proposal to a prospective client and does not follow-up.
Remember, there are several other resumes and proposals which are lying at the desk. A candidate needs to ensure that
a prompt follow-up [ read "not too much"] should be done.
Effective Writing for Results

While writing to a friend, colleague, client, or a business partner, the content must be clear, concise, persuasive, accurate, and
confident. Read on to know some tips for making the letter / memo / presentation worthwhile.
1. Avoid being verbose: Choose shorter words and sentences. For e.g. I wanted to bring to your notice that the meeting
has been cancelled. [10 words] This sentence could be rephrased as Please note the meeting has been cancelled. [7
words]
2. Use objective subject lines: The subject of the memo / letter / e-mail should be objective and should reflect the content
of the message. For e.g. Tips on Effective Writing for Business conveys to the reader that the message content will be
related to information on effective writing.
3. Decide your audience: It is advisable to write to one set of audience as writing to different professionals would require
choosing correct verbiage which is understood by different professionals in the same way. Also, do not use words which
are very technical and can be understood only by a specific audience.
4. Request for action: Never leave the reader guessing what next ? He or she should know what is expected out of him /
her. Close your mail / letter with the action you are expecting the reader to take.
5. Share companywide messages with a strategy: Do not overload employees with a lot of text heavy mails. Divide the
message. For e.g. If a company has set up a videoconference room, the Corporate communication Team should sent out
the first message announcing the launch, the second message on how to use the equipment, and the third message on
how to block the conference room for client meetings and calls.
6. Logically format a document: Ensure that the content in the message is linked to the subject and to the content below
and above it. There should be a logical connection in various paragraphs included in the document.
7. Be Persuasive: Address one reader rather than many as it increases the focus and also creates accountability of the
reader.
8. Engage the audience: Talk to the audience. For e.g. Rather than saying, There will be two ways for calculating the
cost. The sender of the message could say, Financial Analysts can choose one of two procedures to calculate the cost.
9. Check before you send: Always proofread the mail / memo / document that is to be sent. Remember the first draft is not
always the final draft. Do not only check for content, but also, check for formatting, subject lines, audience, and
attachments.
10. Execute with confidence: Do not be fearful while sending the communication. If a reminder needs to be sent, it should
be sent. Do not try to send it to a group, rather send it to those who havent sent the reports so far. For e.g. In case you
are following up on a report you asked for, address the audience as Thank You X, Y, Z for sending the reports. We are
still awaiting reports from A, B, and C. Request you to send them latest by 4:00 PM today.
Happy Writing....!
How to make a Great Presentation ?

Here are few tips to ensure a great presentation...
1. State the Objectives: A presenter must ensure that he / she understands the purpose of the presentation. Sometimes a
good presentation fails to make an impact because the audience is not clear what the presentation is about. A good way
to start a presentation is to clearly state / mention / include the objectives in the presentation.
2. Analyze your audience: The presenter must find more about his / her target audience. Whether the audience has a
specific educational background or whether they are from upper middle class or middle class. Basis the topic / theme of
the presentation, it is very important to know some specific details of the target audience. This also helps to create a
rapport with the audience during the presentation.
3. Avoid heavy text on PowerPoint slides: Usually presentations are associated with PowerPoint slides, however, it is
always advisable to use a blend of various forms of learning. It could be a fun activity, a short quiz, or small story. More
often than not, these are the learning methods that generate interest of the target audience. If you still wish to use slides,
write 10 or less words in each slide. Use bullet points wherever possible. More words on one slide carry a risk with them -
the audience will get busy in reading what is written than what the presenter is saying or the audience might just get bored
by seeing a lot of words.
4. Rehearse... Rehearse... and Rehearse: The feeling is quite different while a presenter is presenting LIVE than when he /
she is just practicing in a closed room. It is a good idea for the presenter to practice at the venue [if possible]. This helps
him get familiar with the place and the surrounding. Also, a presenter should make as many notes as possible and also
think of possible questions that might come up during the course of presentation.
5. Revisit the objectives: Once the notes have been made, a presenter must critically analyze the presentation with
respect to the objectives of the presentation. He should ask himself questions like - "Does this presentation match the
objectives stated?", "Is this presentation flowing logically?" In todays market scenario, if a person is able to think, write,
and present persuasively, he has won half the battle.
Use of Body Language in Communication

Did you know that while in India or America a "fantastic" or an "ok" sign is demonstrated by forming a circle with your thumb and
forefinger, in Tunisia the same symbol means "I will kill you" and in Japan it means "money"?
Kinesics or study of body language must be understood by all. Whether it is an interview or a presentation, one must be aware of
how to use body language effectively.
Read on to understand more about various non verbal components of communication...
1. Eye Contact: Always maintain eye contact with your audience. However, a person must ensure that he / she should not
fix his gaze at one person for more than 5 seconds. Too much fluttering of eyes could indicate lack of confidence. Staring
at a person could be daunting and hence is not such a good idea.
2. Hand Shake: While shaking hands especially in a professional environment, the hand shake should be firm and not
loose. An iron handshake [very strong handshake] can indicate that a person is trying to dominate.
3. Crossing your Arms: Crossing your arms could imply that a person is not open to new ideas / opinion especially in case
of giving a presentation. However, in a one-on-one interview if the interviewer has his / her arms crossed, the candidate
could do the same.
4. Sitting Posture: Leaning on a chair is not a good idea. One must sit upright though in a relaxed position. Sitting back in
your chair implies lack of interest or rejection.
5. Gesture: Gesture refers to a type of non verbal communication which uses a part of the body with or without verbal
communication. Gestures include facial expressions, nods [which is a sign of approval in most cultures], head bobbling /
shaking.
6. Facial Expression: The face is a best reflection of what a person feels. More often than not it is easy to recognize if a
person is happy, sad, anxious, irritated, or excited. It is very important that in a professional scenario a person must
control his / her facial expressions. For e.g. If a presenter gets a feel that his presentation is not going on very well, he /
she should not show the sign of losing of hope and instead try for a greater involvement from the participants.
Enjoy working with kinesics. Good Luck!
Grapevine Communication (Informal Business

Communication)
Download PPT for Complete Course on Grapevine Grapevine is an informal channel of business communication. It is called so
Communication because it stretches throughout the organization in all directions irrespective
of the authority levels. Man as we know is a social animal. Despite existence
of formal channels in an organization, the informal channels tend to develop
when he interacts with other people in organization. It exists more at lower
levels of organization.
Grapevine generally develops due to various reasons. One of them is that

when an organization is facing recession, the employees sense uncertainty.
Also, at times employees do not have self-confidence due to which they form
unions. Sometimes the managers show preferential treatment and favour
some employees giving a segregated feeling to other employees. Thus,
when employees sense a need to exchange their views, they go for
grapevine network as they cannot use the formal channel of communication
in that case. Generally during breaks in cafeteria,the subordinates talk about
their superiors attitude and behaviour and exchange views with their peers.
They discuss rumours about promotion and transfer of other employees.
Thus, grapevine spreads like fire and it is not easy to trace the cause of such
communication at times.
Total Slides: 44
Examples of Grapevine Network of Communication

1. Suppose the profit amount of a company is known. Rumour is spread that this much profit is there and on that basis
bonus is declared.
2. CEO may be in relation to the Production Manager. They may have friendly relations with each other.
Pros and Cons of Grapevine Communication

Advantages of Grapevine Communication
1. Grapevine channels carry information rapidly. As soon as an employee gets to know some confidential information, he
becomes inquisitive and passes the details then to his closest friend who in turn passes it to other. Thus, it spreads
hastily.
2. The managers get to know the reactions of their subordinates on their policies. Thus, the feedback obtained is quick
compared to formal channel of communication.
3. The grapevine creates a sense of unity among the employees who share and discuss their views with each other. Thus,
grapevine helps in developing group cohesiveness.
4. The grapevine serves as an emotional supportive value.
5. The grapevine is a supplement in those cases where formal communication does not work.
Disadvantages of Grapevine Communication

1. The grapevine carries partial information at times as it is more based on rumours. Thus, it does not clearly depicts the
complete state of affairs.
2. The grapevine is not trustworthy always as it does not follows official path of communication and is spread more by
gossips and unconfirmed report.
3. The productivity of employees may be hampered as they spend more time talking rather than working.
4. The grapevine leads to making hostility against the executives.
5. The grapevine may hamper the goodwill of the organization as it may carry false negative information about the high level
people of the organization.
A smart manager should take care of all the disadvantages of the grapevine and try to minimize them. At the same time, he should
make best possible use of advantages of grapevine.
Learn management concepts & skills rapidly with easy to understand, richly illustrated self-paced
learning modules & downloadable powerpoint presentations.
Click below to view DEMO on Grapevine Communication
Download DEMO Presentation Now!.
As a premium member, you get access

to view complete course content online
and download powerpoint
presentations for more than 120
courses in management and skills area.
Feedback Communication
Receivers are not just passive absorbers of messages; they receive the message and respond to them. This response of a receiver
to senders message is called Feedback. Sometimes a feedback could be a non-verbal smiles, sighs etc. Sometimes it is oral, as
when you react to a colleagues ideas with questions or comments. Feedback can also be written like - replying to an e-mail, etc.
Feedback is your audiences response; it enables you to evaluate the effectiveness of your message. If your audience doesnt
understand what you mean, you can tell by the response and then refine the message accordingly.
Giving your audience a chance to provide feedback is crucial for maintaining an open communication climate. The manager must
create an environment that encourages feedback. For example after explaining the job to the subordinated he must ask them
whether they have understood it or not. He should ask questions like Do you understand?, Do you have any doubts? etc. At the
same time he must allow his subordinated to express their views also.
Feedback is essential in communication so as to know whether the recipient has understood the message in the same terms as
intended by the sender and whether he agrees to that message or not.
There are lot of ways in which company takes feedback from their employees, such as : Employee surveys, memos, emails, open-
door policies, company news letter etc. Employees are not always willing to provide feedback. The organization has to work a lot to
get the accurate feedback. The managers encourage feedback by asking specific questions, allowing their employees to express
general views, etc. The organization should be receptive to their employees feedback.
A manger should ensure that a feedback should:
1. Focus on a particular behaviour - It should be specific rather than being general.

2. Impersonal - Feedback should be job related, the manager should not criticize anyone personally.
3. Goal oriented - If we have something negative to say about the person, we should always direct it to the recipients goal.
4. Well timed - Feedback is most effective when there is a short gap between the recipients behaviour and the receipt of that
feedback.
5. Use I statements - Manager should make use of statements with the words like I, However etc. For example instead
of sayingYou were absent from work yesterday, manager should sayI was annoyes when you missed your work
yesterday.
6. Ensure understanding - For feedback to be effective, the manager should make sure that the recipients understands the
feedback properly.
7. While giving negative feedback to the recipient, the manager should not mention the factors which are not in control of the
recipient.
Communication Barriers - Reasons for

Communication Breakdown
Communication is a process beginning with a sender who encodes the message and passes it through some channel to the
receiver who decodes the message. Communication is fruitful if and only if the messages sent by the sender is interpreted with
same meaning by the receiver. If any kind of disturbance blocks any step of communication, the message will be destroyed. Due to
such disturbances, managers in an organization face severe problems. Thus the managers must locate such barriers and take steps
to get rid of them.
There are several barriers that affects the flow of communication in an organization. These barriers interrupt the flow of
communication from the sender to the reciever, thus making communication ineffective. It is essential for managers to overcome
these barriers. The main barriers of communication are summarized below.
Following are the main communication barriers:

1. Perceptual and Language
Differences: Perception is generally how each
individual interprets the world around him. All
generally want to receive messages which are
significant to them. But any message which is
against their values is not accepted. A same event
may be taken differently by different individuals.
For example : A person is on leave for a month
due to personal reasons (family member being
critical). The HR Manager might be in confusion
whether to retain that employee or not, the
immediate manager might think of replacement
because his teams productivity is being hampered,
the family members might take him as an
emotional support.
The linguistic differences also lead to

communication breakdown. Same word may mean
different to different individuals. For example:
consider a word value.
a. What is the value of this Laptop?

b. I value our relation?
c. What is the value of learning technical
skills?
Value means different in different sentences. Communication breakdown occurs if there is wrong perception by the
receiver.
2. Information Overload: Managers are surrounded with a pool of information. It is essential to control this information flow
else the information is likely to be misinterpreted or forgotten or overlooked. As a result communication is less effective.
3. Inattention: At times we just not listen, but only hear. For example a traveler may pay attention to one NO PARKING
sign, but if such sign is put all over the city, he no longer listens to it. Thus, repetitive messages should be ignored for
effective communication. Similarly if a superior is engrossed in his paper work and his subordinate explains him his
problem, the superior may not get what he is saying and it leads to disappointment of subordinate.
4. Time Pressures: Often in organization the targets have to be achieved within a specified time period, the failure of which
has adverse consequences. In a haste to meet deadlines, the formal channels of communication are shortened, or
messages are partially given, i.e., not completely transferred. Thus sufficient time should be given for effective
communication.
5. Distraction/Noise: Communication is also affected a lot by noise to distractions. Physical distractions are also there such
as, poor lightning, uncomfortable sitting, unhygienic room also affects communication in a meeting. Similarly use of loud
speakers interferes with communication.
6. Emotions: Emotional state at a particular point of time also affects communication. If the receiver feels that communicator
is angry he interprets that the information being sent is very bad. While he takes it differently if the communicator is happy
and jovial (in that case the message is interpreted to be good and interesting).
7. Complexity in Organizational Structure: Greater the hierarchy in an organization (i.e. more the number of managerial
levels), more is the chances of communication getting destroyed. Only the people at the top level can see the overall
picture while the people at low level just have knowledge about their own area and a little knowledge about other areas.
8. Poor retention: Human memory cannot function beyond a limit. One cant always retain what is being told specially if he
is not interested or not attentive. This leads to communication breakdown.
Effect of Communication Barriers in Business

Communication
An organization is an individuals first home as one spends the maximum time here only. No organization runs for charity, it is really
important that the organization achieve its goals. How does an organization become successful ? How will an organization achieve
its goals ?.
The employees are the assets for any organization and the profitability of any organization is directly proportional to the labour put
by its employees. Putting labour does not mean getting involved in hard physical work or digging the gold mines, it actually refers to
the smart work done by employees, transparency between the team members, free flow of information from the superior to the
subordinates. How does free flow of information happen? How is the transparency between the team members achieved ? -
Through Communication and not only through communication but effective communication.
In organizations the barriers in communication go a long way in distortion of the message and the information does not reach in its
desired form.
Imagine a situation where you want some report from your team members which needs to be forwarded to the managing director of
the organization. What if your team misinterprets your information, screws up the project and fails to submit it within the deadline.
The managing director will literally sit on your head and make your life miserable. The poor communication can actually cost you
your job.
Let us now understand how barriers in communication effect business communication.
Noise acts as a devil in business communication. Any information downloaded at a noisy place is bound to get distorted and
result in a complete mess.
Petty wanted to go through the complete budget of the sales, marketing and the operations team. She passed on this information to
Joe at his workstation around which lots of other employees were shouting, the base phone was constantly ringing and the
photocopier machine was making a terrible noise. At the end of the day, Joe submitted the report but the budget for the operations
team was missing in the report. Joe actually had heard only about sales and marketing department and thus skipped the report of
the operations team. Petty fired Joe and even stopped his appraisal. Unwanted distractions, noise, chit chats of the other employees
etc played the culprit and poor Joe missed out on his promotion. Noise reduces the chances of the correct flow of information from
the sender to the receiver. If the office is noisy, errors are bound to happen and thus increasing conflicts among the team members
and decreasing the efficiency of the employees.
Unorganized and Haphazard thoughts also lead to ineffective communication in organizations. Business communications
are bound to suffer due to ineffective communication. If any individual wants something from his team members, he first must be
himself very clear what actually he expects from his team. The boss must clearly mention his team members key responsibility
areas in clear words to avoid wastage of manpower, duplicacy of work, effective time management and more output from them.
Not cross checking among themselves or with the superiors also spoils the business communication to a large extent.
Misha was sharing her phone number with her client and she never bothered to verify with her client whether he has noted the
correct number or not. One day, the client had a major query and he had to discuss with Misha on an urgent basis. He kept on trying
the same number which Misha gave but someone else was responding. He then had to call the front desk lady to get connected
with Misha and obviously he was furious. The client had wrongly noted Mishas number and thus wasted his precious time and lost
his temper. While sharing any important contact number it is the responsibility of the speaker to cross check with the listener. Email
ids must be spelled out properly to avoid wrong spellings and unnecessary wastage of time.
During any business meeting, presentation or seminar, the speaker has to be very careful about his pitch and tone. It has
been observed that during seminars or presentations only the front benchers are attentive, the last benchers are almost lost in their
own sweet world. The person who chairs the meeting has to speak very clearly, has to be very confident and must maintain a tone
audible to everyone, even to the individuals sitting on the last row. Information must pass to them also to expect the best out of them
and increase their efficiency. Try to make the seminar or the meeting interactive. Dont just speak, also invite questions from the
team. After any seminar or meeting, the superior or the incharge must send the minutes of the meeting through e mail to all the
required recipients to avoid last minute confusions and discrepancies. The speaker must ensure whether everyone is clear or not ?
In any organization, it is mandatory to understand which employee can do a particular assignment, and which employee is not fit for
a particular role. Chelsea was not keen for a branding profile but his boss could never understand her interest and always wondered
why Chelsea was not effectively performing ? In any organization, before assigning responsibilities to the employees, it is a must to
understand the employee and his area of specialization and interest. Communication will be for sure ineffective if a person from an
accounting background is asked to deliver a presentation on sales techniques. He is bound to get nervous and the message will fail
in creating the required impact. Dont just impose work on any employee, give him the work he enjoys doing the most.
Difference in thought process also results in a poor communication in business areas. A boss and the employee can never
think on the same level. Let us try to understand the situation with the help of an example.
Jude to Harry - Harry, I need the complete financial report by end of the day
By financial report, Jude actually meant the complete financial analysis, which would include the complete details of how much the
company spends in advertising, promotional activities, and other marketing activities.,analyse the inflow and outflow of expenditure
patterns and so on.
Harry could never understand Judes thought process. He simply compiled the expenditure details and handed over to Jude. Jude
was obviously not happy. He was expecting much more from Harry. Harry had to resubmit the project resulting in duplicacy of effort
and wastage of time. Jude should have made it very clear from the very beginning what all he was expecting from Harry. He kept
half of his things within himself and did not share with Harry. Poor Harry had to redo his work. Every individual has a different
mindset, different level of understanding and thus it is important to share each and every detail with others and clarify the things
from the very beginning.
One should remember that the listeners are also a part of the conversation. The listeners must give their feedback at the end of the
conversation. If you are not clear what your boss is expecting out of you, or what you are actually supposed to do, please ASK.
Dont hesitate, ask questions. Dont hide your queries, ask and clear your doubts then and there only. Your boss will only feel happy
if you share your queries with him.
For the successful running of an organization, it is important that transparency is maintained among the employees at all levels.
Communication barriers must be overcome in organizations to ensure the free flow of information between the sender and the
recipient and for an effective communication among the employees. Effective communication reduces the error rate, reduces
conflicts and mis understandings and in turn increases the profitability of the organization. Every employee must try their level best
to avoid the communication barriers in organizations for an effective business communication.
Overcoming Communication Barriers

There are a lot of communication barriers faced these days by all. The message intended by the sender is not understood by the
receiver in the same terms and sense and thus communication breakdown occurs. It is essential to deal and cope up with these
communication barriers so as to ensure smooth and effective communication.
As, in the previous section we have discussed the major barriers of communication. Lets talk about how to overcome these
barriers of communication.
1. Eliminating differences in perception: The organization should ensure that it is recruiting right individuals on the job. Its
the responsibility of the interviewer to ensure that the interviewee has command over the written and spoken language.
There should be proper Induction program so that the policies of the company are clear to all the employees. There
should be proper trainings conducted for required employees (for eg: Voice and Accent training).
2. Use of Simple Language: Use of simple and clear words should be emphasized. Use of ambiguous words and jargons
should be avoided.
3. Reduction and elimination of noise levels: Noise is the main communication barrier which must be overcome on
priority basis. It is essential to identify the source of noise and then eliminate that source.
4. Active Listening: Listen attentively and carefully. There is a difference between listening and hearing. Active listening
means hearing with proper understanding of the message that is heard. By asking questions the speaker can ensure
whether his/her message is understood or not by the receiver in the same terms as intended by the speaker.
5. Emotional State: During communication one should make effective use of body language. He/she should not show their
emotions while communication as the receiver might misinterpret the message being delivered. For example, if the
conveyer of the message is in a bad mood then the receiver might think that the information being delivered is not good.
6. Simple Organizational Structure: The organizational structure should not be complex. The number of hierarchical levels
should be optimum. There should be a ideal span of control within the organization. Simpler the organizational structure,
more effective will be the communication.
7. Avoid Information Overload: The managers should know how to prioritize their work. They should not overload
themselves with the work. They should spend quality time with their subordinates and should listen to their problems and
feedbacks actively.
8. Give Constructive Feedback: Avoid giving negative feedback. The contents of the feedback might be negative, but it
should be delivered constructively. Constructive feedback will lead to effective communication between the superior and
subordinate.
9. Proper Media Selection: The managers should properly select the medium of communication. Simple messages should
be conveyed orally, like: face to face interaction or meetings. Use of written means of communication should be
encouraged for delivering complex messages. For significant messages reminders can be given by using written means
of communication such as : Memos, Notices etc.
10. Flexibility in meeting the targets: For effective communication in an organization the managers should ensure that the
individuals are meeting their targets timely without skipping the formal channels of communication. There should not be
much pressure on employees to meet their targets.
Seven Cs of Effective Communication

There are 7 Cs of effective communication which are applicable to both written as well as oral communication. These are as
follows:
1. Completeness - The communication must be complete. It should convey all facts required by the audience. The sender
of the message must take into consideration the receivers mind set and convey the message accordingly. A complete
communication has following features:
Complete communication develops and enhances reputation of an organization.
Moreover, they are cost saving as no crucial information is missing and no additional cost is incurred in
conveying extra message if the communication is complete.
A complete communication always gives additional information wherever required. It leaves no questions in the
mind of receiver.
Complete communication helps in better decision-making by the audience/readers/receivers of message as
they get all desired and crucial information.
It persuades the audience.
2. Conciseness - Conciseness means wordiness, i.e, communicating what you want to convey in least possible words
without forgoing the other Cs of communication. Conciseness is a necessity for effective communication. Concise
It is both time-saving as well as cost-saving.
It underlines and highlights the main message as it avoids using excessive and needless words.
Concise communication provides short and essential message in limited words to the audience.
Concise message is more appealing and comprehensible to the audience.
Concise message is non-repetitive in nature.
3. Consideration - Consideration implies stepping into the shoes of others. Effective communication must take the
audience into consideration, i.e, the audiences view points, background, mind-set, education level, etc. Make an attempt
to envisage your audience, their requirements, emotions as well as problems. Ensure that the self-respect of the audience
is maintained and their emotions are not at harm. Modify your words in message to suit the audiences needs while
making your message complete. Features of considerate communication are as follows:
Emphasize on you approach.
Empathize with the audience and exhibit interest in the audience. This will stimulate a positive reaction from the
audience.
Show optimism towards your audience. Emphasize on what is possible rather than what is impossible. Lay
stress on positive words such as jovial, committed, thanks, warm, healthy, help, etc.
4. Clarity - Clarity implies emphasizing on a specific message or goal at a time, rather than trying to achieve too much at
once. Clarity in communication has following features:
It makes understanding easier.
Complete clarity of thoughts and ideas enhances the meaning of message.
Clear message makes use of exact, appropriate and concrete words.
5. Concreteness - Concrete communication implies being particular and clear rather than fuzzy and general. Concreteness
strengthens the confidence. Concrete message has following features:
It is supported with specific facts and figures.
It makes use of words that are clear and that build the reputation.
Concrete messages are not misinterpreted.
6. Courtesy - Courtesy in message implies the message should show the senders expression as well as should respect the
receiver. The sender of the message should be sincerely polite, judicious, reflective and enthusiastic. Courteous message
has following features:
Courtesy implies taking into consideration both viewpoints as well as feelings of the receiver of the message.
Courteous message is positive and focused at the audience.
It makes use of terms showing respect for the receiver of message.
It is not at all biased.
7. Correctness - Correctness in communication implies that there are no grammatical errors in communication. Correct
The message is exact, correct and well-timed.
If the communication is correct, it boosts up the confidence level.
Correct message has greater impact on the audience/readers.
It checks for the precision and accurateness of facts and figures used in the message.
It makes use of appropriate and correct language in the message.
Awareness of these 7 Cs of communication makes you an effective communicator.
Click below to view DEMO on Seven C's of Effective Communication

Informal Networks in Organizations and
Organizational Effectiveness
Description
This article discusses how informal networks in organizations operate and their role in both enhancing and detracting organizational
effectiveness. The key argument being made in this article is that informal networks should be encouraged as long as they add
value to the organization and not when they become the channels for political games and avenues for anti organizational activities.
Introduction
It is said that humans are social beings and hence, have an innate need to communicate, relate, and exchange information with
others. We are all aware of how we form networks of familial relatives, peers, friends, and in this age of social media, virtual
contacts. Therefore, being social and engaging with others comes naturally to us. In an organizational context, this means that
employees tend to form networks comprising colleagues, superiors, and subordinates. Of course, the HR department also plays its
part in making sure that networks are formed by periodically organizing get together events, offsite meetings, annual days, and
family visits. Thus, there are two kinds of networks in place in organization and they are the formal or the organized networks that
the management explicitly encourages, and the informal networks that are also known as organizational grapevine wherein news,
views, and information are exchanged over coffee, tea, and less healthily, over drinks and cigarettes.
The Role of Informal Networks

Turning to the role that formal and informal networks play in ensuring organizational effectiveness, it is indeed the case that when
employees know other employees not only from their immediate teams but across the organization, it leads to value enhancing
activities. For instance, in this age when Information Technology or IT is ubiquitous and needed for competitive advantage, knowing
someone in the IT support team on a personal basis can certainly help especially when your team or your team members need
urgent access to hardware and software that would otherwise have to be routed through the time consuming bureaucratic
processes. Of course, this does not mean that the official channels should be bypassed in favor of a free for all interactions. On the
other hand, what this means is that you can convince your contact in the IT team to act swiftly while the organizational machinery
grinds and hence, can get your job done quickly.
Further, informal networks are a major source of exchanging information and news related to the organization between peers,
superiors, and subordinates and more often than not, the first people who get to know of impending announcements related to
promotions and launches of new products are the ones who have their ears to the ground. Moreover, informal networks can be a
good source of bonding and stress relief in these age of pressure wherein sharing a coffee or a tea during breaks and engaging in
harmless talks or talking shop as it is also known as can enhance the value to the organization.
Downsides of Informal Networks

Having said that, one must not forget that informal and formal networks ought not to become places or meetings where intrigue,
backroom maneuvers, and vicious gossip become the order of the day. In other words, informal and formal networks work best
when the information being exchanged is in the interest of the organization and not against it. For instance, there are cases when
employees have been approached by their peers with job offers and moves to rival companies that has resulted in situations where
the management had to fir the person who was making these offers as it is against company policy. Moreover, such networks also
tend to promote favoritism, formation of power centers in the organization that are outside of the purview of the formal networks, and
can even lead to cases where these networks work against the organizational ethos through lobbying and creation of parallel
reporting.
Another big disadvantage with the informal networks are that they tend to be comprised mainly of men which is also known as the
boys club because it has been the tradition for male employees to engage with fellow men and keep the women out. Though this
can be dismissed as harmless bantering and when anyway women employees tend to bond with other women, the real kicker is
when the managers (whether men or women) tend to favor others in their informal networks for promotions and other benefits. Apart
from this, the other disadvantage of informal networks as well as perpetuate harassment, discrimination, and prejudice against those
that are not part of the charmed circle. Moreover, it is also the case that employees with the bad intentions can leak the information
obtained in the informal networks to competitors and the media thereby jeopardizing the interests of the organizations.
Conclusion
It is for this reason that management tends to keep a watch on what is being said where and when as otherwise, the downsides as
discussed here can lead to the effectiveness of the organization being compromised. It is the argument being made in this article
that informal networks must work towards enhancing organizational effectiveness instead of detracting the same. In conclusion,
informal networks are good ways for employees to unwind, relieve their good as well as bad moments, crib about their bosses and
let the pressure ease. However, they become dangerous when they become centers for political games. Therefore, the HR
department must encourage and tolerate such networks as long as they are beneficial to the organization.
Corporate Meetings
Corporate Meetings are very crucial part of business activities. They are a significant means of formal communication. Meetings are
a venue for generation of new and innovative ideas. These meetings are multipurpose in nature actually. They aim at discussing
feedback and receiving feedback on the spot. The information of prior importance is given during meetings. They are a true means
of conveying feelings and expressions. Meetings involve people of the company. Meetings, thus, encourage participation and
motivate them. Participants in a meeting, if given responsibility, turn out to be more productive and contribute to organizational
success.
Corporate Meetings thus turn out to be a place where various aspects of business management are discussed- the performance of
the company, the mission and vision of company, the weaknesses of company, the obstacles faced and how to overcome them.
Effective meetings involve presentations and lead to personality development. Efficient meetings save time, money and resources of
the company.
While conducting business meetings, certain things have to be taken care of. Decisions should be based on facts and based on
circumstances, they shouldnt be based on presumptions. The participants should be optimum in number, not too much. Dont go off
track or dont forget the agenda of the meeting. Avoid distractions during meetings, such as- looking here and there, talking on
phone, fiddling, etc. Decision-making should be unambiguous. Dont waste time waiting for latecomers. Start discussion on time.
A successful and effective business meeting is one which is well planned. It should be planned well in advance that who all would
be the participants in meeting, the time, venue, and agenda of meeting. The agenda of the meeting should be clear to all. Do not try
to make a fish market in meeting. Respect everyones views. Respect the leader. Try and co-operate. It has to be ensured that the
decisions that are reached through a meeting should be implemented. Also, all participants must get minutes at the end of meeting.
Corporate Meetings tell where the company is and where is it heading. They are communication drivers behind organizations
success. Successful Corporate Meetings are productive, creative, well- focused, timely and well-led.
How to Conduct a Meeting ?

Communicating in a meeting is an essential part of effective communication. Some meetings are not conducted in an efficient
manner due to which they fail in accomplishing the sole objective of the meeting. It may be because:
They do not involve participation of all, or

They may be too long, or
They may be unsystematic, or
They may lack a clear agenda, or
They may not begin on the planned time, or
They may end without any conclusion.
As a result, such meetings lead to agitation and sheer wastage of time. In order to ensure effectiveness of a meeting, it must be
planned, systematic and rational.
The process of running an effective meeting includes the following steps:
Plan the meeting: Plan the meeting in advance. With the plan clear in mind, the objective of the meeting can be well
accomplished. Planning includes-
Outline the objective of the meeting.

Decide the attendees/participants of the meeting.
Plan an agenda for the meeting, i.e., the topics to be discussed, the sequence in which they will be discussed, in
how much detail they will be discussed, the time given to each agenda topic, etc.
Plan the starting time of the meeting, plan for the breaks, and also plan the approximate time by which the meeting
should end.
Announce/declare the meeting: After planning the meeting and before actually beginning the meeting, the participants
should be delivered a message/memorandum to make them aware and ready for the topics to be discussed in the meeting.
Give each participant responsibility for the agenda item. Issue the agenda.
Conduct the meeting: Be punctual. Try and arrive before time for the meeting. The meeting should begin on time. State the
objective of the meeting in the very beginning so that all are clear with the purpose of the meeting. Give a brief introduction of
the members/participants so that all are familiar. Circulate notes and handouts. Involve all attendees during the discussion.
Encourage new ideas from the participants. Respect their ideas. Ask for a feedback. Make sure that there are no distractions
during the meeting (such as ringing cell phones, or participants fiddling with pen, or gossiping, etc.). Give a quick review of the
issues discussed in the meeting. Make sure that all the issues are discussed within the time frame. If time does not permit
discussion of all issues, ask the participants if they are comfortable in discussing those issues in next meeting. Fix and decide
upon the time for the next meeting.
Evaluate the meeting: Assess the meeting after it is conducted. Distribute an evaluation form to all participants which
provides you a feedback on the effectiveness of the meeting. To get credible and honest feedback, do not give a space for
name of the attendee on the form. Ask questions such as whether the objectives of the meetings were well met, did it involve
participation of all, which part of the meeting did the attendee found most constructive and which part of meeting was not
significant.

Communication)

Total Slides: 44

bonus is declared.
hastily.



feedback.
yesterday.
feedback properly.
recipient.

to get rid of them.
emotional support.


skills?
receiver.
communication.

Communication
its goals ?.
desired form.
your job.
patterns and so on.
Overcoming Communication Barriers

There are a lot of communication barriers faced these days by all. The message intended by the sender is not understood by the
receiver in the same terms and sense and thus communication breakdown occurs. It is essential to deal and cope up with these
communication barriers so as to ensure smooth and effective communication.
As, in the previous section we have discussed the major barriers of communication. Lets talk about how to overcome these
barriers of communication.
1. Eliminating differences in perception: The organization should ensure that it is recruiting right individuals on the job. Its
the responsibility of the interviewer to ensure that the interviewee has command over the written and spoken language.
There should be proper Induction program so that the policies of the company are clear to all the employees. There
should be proper trainings conducted for required employees (for eg: Voice and Accent training).
2. Use of Simple Language: Use of simple and clear words should be emphasized. Use of ambiguous words and jargons
should be avoided.
3. Reduction and elimination of noise levels: Noise is the main communication barrier which must be overcome on
priority basis. It is essential to identify the source of noise and then eliminate that source.
4. Active Listening: Listen attentively and carefully. There is a difference between listening and hearing. Active listening
means hearing with proper understanding of the message that is heard. By asking questions the speaker can ensure
whether his/her message is understood or not by the receiver in the same terms as intended by the speaker.
5. Emotional State: During communication one should make effective use of body language. He/she should not show their
emotions while communication as the receiver might misinterpret the message being delivered. For example, if the
conveyer of the message is in a bad mood then the receiver might think that the information being delivered is not good.
6. Simple Organizational Structure: The organizational structure should not be complex. The number of hierarchical levels
should be optimum. There should be a ideal span of control within the organization. Simpler the organizational structure,
more effective will be the communication.
7. Avoid Information Overload: The managers should know how to prioritize their work. They should not overload
themselves with the work. They should spend quality time with their subordinates and should listen to their problems and
feedbacks actively.
8. Give Constructive Feedback: Avoid giving negative feedback. The contents of the feedback might be negative, but it
should be delivered constructively. Constructive feedback will lead to effective communication between the superior and
subordinate.
9. Proper Media Selection: The managers should properly select the medium of communication. Simple messages should
be conveyed orally, like: face to face interaction or meetings. Use of written means of communication should be
encouraged for delivering complex messages. For significant messages reminders can be given by using written means
of communication such as : Memos, Notices etc.
10. Flexibility in meeting the targets: For effective communication in an organization the managers should ensure that the
individuals are meeting their targets timely without skipping the formal channels of communication. There should not be
much pressure on employees to meet their targets.
Seven Cs of Effective Communication

There are 7 Cs of effective communication which are applicable to both written as well as oral communication. These are as
follows:
1. Completeness - The communication must be complete. It should convey all facts required by the audience. The sender
of the message must take into consideration the receivers mind set and convey the message accordingly. A complete
Complete communication develops and enhances reputation of an organization.
Moreover, they are cost saving as no crucial information is missing and no additional cost is incurred in
conveying extra message if the communication is complete.
A complete communication always gives additional information wherever required. It leaves no questions in the
mind of receiver.
Complete communication helps in better decision-making by the audience/readers/receivers of message as
they get all desired and crucial information.
It persuades the audience.
2. Conciseness - Conciseness means wordiness, i.e, communicating what you want to convey in least possible words
without forgoing the other Cs of communication. Conciseness is a necessity for effective communication. Concise
It is both time-saving as well as cost-saving.
It underlines and highlights the main message as it avoids using excessive and needless words.
Concise communication provides short and essential message in limited words to the audience.
Concise message is more appealing and comprehensible to the audience.
Concise message is non-repetitive in nature.
3. Consideration - Consideration implies stepping into the shoes of others. Effective communication must take the
audience into consideration, i.e, the audiences view points, background, mind-set, education level, etc. Make an attempt
to envisage your audience, their requirements, emotions as well as problems. Ensure that the self-respect of the audience
is maintained and their emotions are not at harm. Modify your words in message to suit the audiences needs while
making your message complete. Features of considerate communication are as follows:
Emphasize on you approach.
Empathize with the audience and exhibit interest in the audience. This will stimulate a positive reaction from the
audience.
Show optimism towards your audience. Emphasize on what is possible rather than what is impossible. Lay
stress on positive words such as jovial, committed, thanks, warm, healthy, help, etc.
4. Clarity - Clarity implies emphasizing on a specific message or goal at a time, rather than trying to achieve too much at
once. Clarity in communication has following features:
It makes understanding easier.
Complete clarity of thoughts and ideas enhances the meaning of message.
Clear message makes use of exact, appropriate and concrete words.
5. Concreteness - Concrete communication implies being particular and clear rather than fuzzy and general. Concreteness
strengthens the confidence. Concrete message has following features:
It is supported with specific facts and figures.
It makes use of words that are clear and that build the reputation.
Concrete messages are not misinterpreted.
6. Courtesy - Courtesy in message implies the message should show the senders expression as well as should respect the
receiver. The sender of the message should be sincerely polite, judicious, reflective and enthusiastic. Courteous message
has following features:
Courtesy implies taking into consideration both viewpoints as well as feelings of the receiver of the message.
Courteous message is positive and focused at the audience.
It makes use of terms showing respect for the receiver of message.
It is not at all biased.
7. Correctness - Correctness in communication implies that there are no grammatical errors in communication. Correct
The message is exact, correct and well-timed.
If the communication is correct, it boosts up the confidence level.
Correct message has greater impact on the audience/readers.
It checks for the precision and accurateness of facts and figures used in the message.
It makes use of appropriate and correct language in the message.
Awareness of these 7 Cs of communication makes you an effective communicator.
Click below to view DEMO on Seven C's of Effective Communication

Informal Networks in Organizations and

Organizational Effectiveness
Description
This article discusses how informal networks in organizations operate and their role in both enhancing and detracting organizational
effectiveness. The key argument being made in this article is that informal networks should be encouraged as long as they add
value to the organization and not when they become the channels for political games and avenues for anti organizational activities.
Introduction
It is said that humans are social beings and hence, have an innate need to communicate, relate, and exchange information with
others. We are all aware of how we form networks of familial relatives, peers, friends, and in this age of social media, virtual
contacts. Therefore, being social and engaging with others comes naturally to us. In an organizational context, this means that
employees tend to form networks comprising colleagues, superiors, and subordinates. Of course, the HR department also plays its
part in making sure that networks are formed by periodically organizing get together events, offsite meetings, annual days, and
family visits. Thus, there are two kinds of networks in place in organization and they are the formal or the organized networks that
the management explicitly encourages, and the informal networks that are also known as organizational grapevine wherein news,
views, and information are exchanged over coffee, tea, and less healthily, over drinks and cigarettes.
The Role of Informal Networks

Turning to the role that formal and informal networks play in ensuring organizational effectiveness, it is indeed the case that when
employees know other employees not only from their immediate teams but across the organization, it leads to value enhancing
activities. For instance, in this age when Information Technology or IT is ubiquitous and needed for competitive advantage, knowing
someone in the IT support team on a personal basis can certainly help especially when your team or your team members need
urgent access to hardware and software that would otherwise have to be routed through the time consuming bureaucratic
processes. Of course, this does not mean that the official channels should be bypassed in favor of a free for all interactions. On the
other hand, what this means is that you can convince your contact in the IT team to act swiftly while the organizational machinery
grinds and hence, can get your job done quickly.
Further, informal networks are a major source of exchanging information and news related to the organization between peers,
superiors, and subordinates and more often than not, the first people who get to know of impending announcements related to
promotions and launches of new products are the ones who have their ears to the ground. Moreover, informal networks can be a
good source of bonding and stress relief in these age of pressure wherein sharing a coffee or a tea during breaks and engaging in
harmless talks or talking shop as it is also known as can enhance the value to the organization.
Downsides of Informal Networks
Having said that, one must not forget that informal and formal networks ought not to become places or meetings where intrigue,
backroom maneuvers, and vicious gossip become the order of the day. In other words, informal and formal networks work best
when the information being exchanged is in the interest of the organization and not against it. For instance, there are cases when
employees have been approached by their peers with job offers and moves to rival companies that has resulted in situations where
the management had to fir the person who was making these offers as it is against company policy. Moreover, such networks also
tend to promote favoritism, formation of power centers in the organization that are outside of the purview of the formal networks, and
can even lead to cases where these networks work against the organizational ethos through lobbying and creation of parallel
reporting.
Another big disadvantage with the informal networks are that they tend to be comprised mainly of men which is also known as the
boys club because it has been the tradition for male employees to engage with fellow men and keep the women out. Though this
can be dismissed as harmless bantering and when anyway women employees tend to bond with other women, the real kicker is
when the managers (whether men or women) tend to favor others in their informal networks for promotions and other benefits. Apart
from this, the other disadvantage of informal networks as well as perpetuate harassment, discrimination, and prejudice against those
that are not part of the charmed circle. Moreover, it is also the case that employees with the bad intentions can leak the information
obtained in the informal networks to competitors and the media thereby jeopardizing the interests of the organizations.
Conclusion
It is for this reason that management tends to keep a watch on what is being said where and when as otherwise, the downsides as
discussed here can lead to the effectiveness of the organization being compromised. It is the argument being made in this article
that informal networks must work towards enhancing organizational effectiveness instead of detracting the same. In conclusion,
informal networks are good ways for employees to unwind, relieve their good as well as bad moments, crib about their bosses and
let the pressure ease. However, they become dangerous when they become centers for political games. Therefore, the HR
department must encourage and tolerate such networks as long as they are beneficial to the organization.
Corporate Meetings
success.
the company.
Corporate Meetings
success.
the company.
How to Conduct a Meeting ?

Communicating in a meeting is an essential part of effective communication. Some meetings are not conducted in an efficient
manner due to which they fail in accomplishing the sole objective of the meeting. It may be because:
They do not involve participation of all, or

They may be too long, or
They may be unsystematic, or
They may lack a clear agenda, or
They may not begin on the planned time, or
They may end without any conclusion.
As a result, such meetings lead to agitation and sheer wastage of time. In order to ensure effectiveness of a meeting, it must be
planned, systematic and rational.
The process of running an effective meeting includes the following steps:
Plan the meeting: Plan the meeting in advance. With the plan clear in mind, the objective of the meeting can be well
accomplished. Planning includes-
Outline the objective of the meeting.

Decide the attendees/participants of the meeting.
Plan an agenda for the meeting, i.e., the topics to be discussed, the sequence in which they will be discussed, in
how much detail they will be discussed, the time given to each agenda topic, etc.
Plan the starting time of the meeting, plan for the breaks, and also plan the approximate time by which the meeting
should end.
Announce/declare the meeting: After planning the meeting and before actually beginning the meeting, the participants
should be delivered a message/memorandum to make them aware and ready for the topics to be discussed in the meeting.
Give each participant responsibility for the agenda item. Issue the agenda.
Conduct the meeting: Be punctual. Try and arrive before time for the meeting. The meeting should begin on time. State the
objective of the meeting in the very beginning so that all are clear with the purpose of the meeting. Give a brief introduction of
the members/participants so that all are familiar. Circulate notes and handouts. Involve all attendees during the discussion.
Encourage new ideas from the participants. Respect their ideas. Ask for a feedback. Make sure that there are no distractions
during the meeting (such as ringing cell phones, or participants fiddling with pen, or gossiping, etc.). Give a quick review of the
issues discussed in the meeting. Make sure that all the issues are discussed within the time frame. If time does not permit
discussion of all issues, ask the participants if they are comfortable in discussing those issues in next meeting. Fix and decide
upon the time for the next meeting.
Evaluate the meeting: Assess the meeting after it is conducted. Distribute an evaluation form to all participants which
provides you a feedback on the effectiveness of the meeting. To get credible and honest feedback, do not give a space for
name of the attendee on the form. Ask questions such as whether the objectives of the meetings were well met, did it involve
participation of all, which part of the meeting did the attendee found most constructive and which part of meeting was not
significant.

Communication)

Total Slides: 44

bonus is declared.

hastily.



feedback.
yesterday.
feedback properly.
recipient.

to get rid of them.

emotional support.


skills?
receiver.
communication.

Communication
its goals ?.
desired form.
your job.
patterns and so on.

What Is Business Communication

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

What Is Business Communication

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What is Business Communication ?

Business communication involves constant flow of information. Feedback is

Total Slides: 100

Business Communication can be of two types:

Components of Communication Process

Oral Communication - Meaning, Advantages

Advantages of Oral Communication

There is high level of understanding and transparency in oral communication as it is interpersonal.

Disadvantages/Limitations of Oral Communication

Written Communication - Meaning,

Advantages of Written Communication

It is a permanent means of communication. Thus, it is useful where record maintenance is required.

Written communication is more precise and explicit.

Effective written communication develops and enhances an organizations image.

It provides ready records and references.

Disadvantages of Written Communication

Too much paper work and e-mails burden is involved.

Non Verbal Communication - Actions Speak

Scenario 1 and 2 clearly demonstrate the importance of Non Verbal Communication.

What is Non Verbal Communication ?

The components of Non Verbal Communication are:

The importance of communication in an organization can be summarized as follows:

Communication Flows in an Organization

Providing feedback on employees performance

Giving job instructions

Providing a complete understanding of the employees job as well as to

Highlighting the areas of attention.

Specify communication objective

It facilitates co-ordination of the task.

It facilitates co-operation among team members.

It provides emotional and social assistance to the organizational members.

It helps in solving various organizational problems.

It is a means of information sharing

Writing Effectively to get a Job/Potential Client

Effective Writing for Results

How to make a Great Presentation ?

Use of Body Language in Communication

Read on to understand more about various non verbal components of communication...

Enjoy working with kinesics. Good Luck!

Grapevine Communication (Informal Business

Grapevine generally develops due to various reasons. One of them is that

Examples of Grapevine Network of Communication

Pros and Cons of Grapevine Communication

Disadvantages of Grapevine Communication

Download DEMO Presentation Now!.

As a premium member, you get access

A manger should ensure that a feedback should:

1. Focus on a particular behaviour - It should be specific rather than being general.

Communication Barriers - Reasons for

Following are the main communication barriers:

The linguistic differences also lead to

a. What is the value of this Laptop?

Effect of Communication Barriers in Business

Let us now understand how barriers in communication effect business communication.

Overcoming Communication Barriers

Seven Cs of Effective Communication

Awareness of these 7 Cs of communication makes you an effective communicator.

Download DEMO Presentation Now!.

As a premium member, you get access

The Role of Informal Networks

Downsides of Informal Networks

How to Conduct a Meeting ?

They do not involve participation of all, or