Module I Communication 35% Weightage

 Process and Importance

 Models of Communication (Linear & Shannon Weaver)

 Role and Purpose

 Types & Channels

 Communication Networks

 Principles & Barriers

Communication Process

The sharing of meaningful information between two or more people with the goal of

the receiver understanding the sender's intended message. In business, the effectiveness of

a company's internal and external communication process is often very important to its

overall success.

Effective communication is vital to all businesses. The communication process involves: If the

right message does not get to the right person, in the right format, then this could affect the
 overall efficiency of the business. Worse still, the wrong messages might be passed on to the

wrong people. This could actually harm the business.

There are a number of parts to any communication. For instance, sending a text message

involves:

 the sender - the person writing the text

 the receiver - the person to whom the message is addressed

 the content of the message - for example, news, information, an invitation

 the format of the message - in this example it is text but many other different ways are

possible

 the communication channel through which the message is sent - in this case a mobile

phone network

 the medium - how the message will be sent, in this case it is in writing.

It is vital that each part of the message is correctly chosen and in place. If not, the message

may not be received or understood. Sending a text to someone without a mobile phone will

obviously fail.

Models of communication are conceptual models used to explain the human

communication process
Linear Model

It is a one way model to communicate with others. It consists of the sender encoding a message

and channeling it to the receiver in the presence of noise. In this model there is no feedback

which may allow for a continuous exchange of information. This form of communication is a

one-way form of communication that does not involve any feedback or response, and noise.

The major model for communication came in 1949 and was conceived by Claude Elwood

Shannon and Warren Weaver for Bell Laboratories. Following the basic concept, communication

is the process of sending and receiving messages or transferring information from one part

(sender) to another (receiver).

This model is specially designed to develop the effective communication between sender and

receiver. Also they find factors which affect the communication process called “Noise”. At first

the model was developed to improve the Technical communication. Later it’s widely applied in

the field of Communication.

The model deals with various concepts like Information source, transmitter, Noise, channel,

message, receiver, channel, information destination, encode and decode.

Sender : The originator of message or the information source selects desire message

Encoder : The transmitter which converts the message into signals

Note: The sender’s messages converted into signals like waves or Binary data which is

compactable to transmit the messages through cables or satellites. For example: In telephone the

voice is converted into wave signals and it transmits through cables

Decoder : The reception place of the signal which converts signals into message. A reverse

process of encode

Note : The receiver converts those binary data or waves into message which is comfortable and

understandable for receiver. Otherwise receiver can’t receive the exact message and it will affect

the effective communication between sender and receiver

Receiver : The destination of the message from sender

Note : Based on the decoded message the receiver gives their feed back to sender. If the message

distracted by noise it will affect the communication flow between sender and receiver

Noise: The messages are transferred from encoder to decoder through channel. During this

process the messages may distracted or affected by physical noise like horn sounds, thunder and
crowd noise or encoded signals may distract in the channel during the transmission process

which affect the communication flow or the receiver may not receive the correct message

Note : The model is clearly deals with external noises only which affect the messages or signals

from external sources. For example: If there is any problems occur in network which directly

affect the mobile phone communication or distract the messages.

Practical Example of Shannon-Weaver model of communication :

Thomson made call to his assistant “come here I want to see you”. During his call, noise

appeared (transmission error) and his assistant received “I want” only. Again Assistant asked

Thomson (feedback) “what do you want Thomson”.

Sender : Thomson

Encoder : Telephone (Thomson)

Channel : Cable

Noise : Distraction in voice

Reception : Telephone (Assistant)

Receiver : Assistant.

Due to transmission error or noise, Assistant can’t able to understand Thomson’s messages.

*The noise which affect the communication flow between them.

Criticism of Shannon-Weaver model of communication :

1. One of the simplest model and its general applied in various communication theories

2. The model which attracts both academics of Human communication and Information

theorist to leads their further research in communication

3. It’s more effective in person-to-person communication than group or mass audience

4. The model based on “Sender and Receiver”. Here sender plays the primary role and

receiver plays the secondary role (receive the information or passive)

5. Communication is not a one way process. If it’s behaved like that, it will lose its strength.

For example: Audience or receiver who listening a radio, reading the books or watching

television is a one way communication because absence of feedback

6. Understanding Noise will helps to solve the various problems in communication

The Role of Communication

Communication plays a key role in the success of any workplace program or policy and serves as

the foundation for all five types of psychologically healthy workplace practices. Communication

about workplace practices helps achieve the desired outcomes for the employee and the

organization in a variety of ways:

 Bottom-up communication (from employees to management) provides information about

employee needs, values, perceptions and opinions. This helps organizations select and

tailor their programs and policies to meet the specific needs of their employees.

 Top-down communication (from management to employees) can increase utilization of

specific workplace programs by making employees aware of their availability, clearly

 explaining how to access and use the services, and demonstrating that management

supports and values the programs.

Examples of communication strategies that can help make your workplace programs successful

include:

 Providing regular, on-going opportunities for employees to provide feedback to

management. Communication vehicles may include employee surveys, suggestion boxes,

town hall meetings, individual or small group meeting with managers, and an

organizational culture that supports open, two-way communication.

 Making the goals and actions of the organization and senior leadership clear to workers

by communicating key activities, issues and developments to employees and developing

policies that facilitate transparency and openness.

 Assessing the needs of employees and involving them in the development and

implementation of psychologically healthy workplace practices.

 Using multiple channels (for example, print and electronic communications, orientation

and trainings, staff meetings and public addresses) to communicate the importance of a

psychologically healthy workplace to employees.

 Leading by example, by encouraging key organizational leaders to regularly participate in

psychologically healthy workplace activities in ways that are visible to employees.

 Communicating information about the outcomes and success of specific psychologically

healthy workplace practices to all members of the organization.

PURPOSE OF COMMUNICATION
1. For instruction: The instructive function unvarying and importantly deals with the

commanding nature. It is more or less of directive nature. Under this, the communicator

transmits with necessary directives and guidance to the next level, so as to enable them to

accomplish his particular tasks. In this, instructions basically flow from top to the lower

level.

2. For integration: It is consolidated function under which integration of activities is

endeavoured. The integration function of communication mainly involves to bring about

inter-relationship among the various functions of the business organization. It helps in the

unification of different management functions.

3. For information: The purposes or function of communication in an organization is to

inform the individual or group about the particular task or company policies and procedures

etc. Top management informs policies to the lower level through the middle level. In turn,

the lower level informs the top level the reaction through the middle level. Information can

flow vertically, horizontally and diagonally across the organization. Becoming informed or

inform others is the main purpose of communication.

4. For evaluation: Examination of activities to form an idea or judgement of the worth of

task is achieved through communication. Communication is a tool to appraise the individual

or team, their contribution to the organization. Evaluating one’s own inputs or other’s

outputs or some ideological scheme demands an adequate and effective communication

process.

5. For direction: Communication is necessary to issue directions by the top management or

manager to the lower level. Employee can perform better when he is directed by his senior.

Directing others may be communicated either orally or in writing. An order may be

common order, request order or implied order.

6. For teaching: The importance of personal safety on the job has been greatly recognized. A

complete communication process is required to teach and educate workers about personal

safety on the jobs. This communication helps the workers to avert accidents, risk etc. and

avoid cost, procedures etc.

7. For influencing: A complete communication process is necessary in influencing others or

being influenced. The individual having potential to influence others can easily persuade

others. It implies the provision of feedback which tells the effect of communication.

8. For image building: A business enterprise cannot isolate from the rest of the society.

There

is interrelationship and interdependence between the society and an enterprise operating in

the society. Goodwill and confidence are necessarily created among the public. It can be

done by the communication with the different media, which has to project the image of the firm

in the society. Through an effective external communication system, an enterprise has

to inform the society about its goals, activities, progress and social responsibility.

9. For employees orientation: When a new employee enter into the organization at that

time he or she will be unknown to the organization programs, policies, culture etc.

Communication helps to make people acquainted with the co-employees, superior and with

the policies, objectives, rules and regulations of the organization.

10. Other: Effective decision-making is possible when required and adequate information is

supplied to the decision-maker. Effective communication helps the process of decisionmaking.

In general, everyone in the organization has to provide with necessary information

so as to enable to discharge tasks effectively and efficiently

Types of Communication: Verbal, Non-verbal and Written

 Communication is key to maintaining successful

business relations. For this reason, it is paramount that professionals working in business

environments have first-class communication skills. There are three basic types of

communication: verbal, non-verbal, and written. If you want to succeed in business, you need to

master each of these types of communication.

Verbal Communication

Verbal or oral communication uses spoken words to communicate a message. When most people

think of verbal communication, they think of speaking, but listening is an equally important skill

for this type of communication to be successful. Verbal communication is applicable to a wide

range of situations, ranging from informal office discussions to public speeches made to

thousands of people.

Improving your verbal communication skills can help you to foster better relationships with your

coworkers and maintain a large network of contacts that you can call on when necessary.

Consultants are one group of professionals that need to pay particular attention to this area of

communication, as they need to constantly meet with new people and quickly communicate large

quantities of important information. Consultants can improve their communication skills

with this online communication course for consultants. Public speaking is the aspect of verbal

communication that many otherwise confident business people struggle with.

Non-Verbal Communication

Nonverbal communication describes the process of conveying meaning in the form of non-word

messages. Some forms of non verbal communication include chronemics, haptics, gesture, body

language or posture, facial expression and eye contact, object communication such

as clothing, hairstyles, architecture, symbols, infographics, and tone of voice, as well as through

an aggregate of the above. Speech also contains nonverbal elements known as paralanguage.

This form of communication is the most known for interacting with people. These include voice

lesson quality, emotion and speaking style as well as prosodic features such

as rhythm, intonation and stress. Research has shown that up to 55% of human communication

may occur through non verbal facial expressions, and a further 38% through

paralanguage. Likewise, written texts include nonverbal elements such as handwriting style,

spatial arrangement of words and the use of emoticons to convey emotional expressions in

pictorial form. Non-verbal communication includes body language, gestures, facial expressions,

and even posture. Non-verbal communication sets the tone of a conversation, and can seriously

undermine the message contained in your words if you are not careful to control it. For example,

slouching and shrinking back in your chair during a business meeting can make you seem under-

confident, which may lead people to doubt the strength of your verbal contributions. In contrast,

leaning over an employee’s desk and invading his or her personal space can turn a friendly chat

into an aggressive confrontation that leaves the employee feeling victimized and undervalued.
Written Communication

Written communication is essential for communicating complicated information, such as

statistics or other data, that could not be easily communicated through speech alone. Written

communication also allows information to be recorded so that it can be referred to at a later date.

When producing a piece of written communication, especially one that is likely to be referred to

over and over again, you need to plan what you want to say carefully to ensure that all the

relevant information is accurately and clearly communicated.

Written communication must be clear and concise in order to communicate information

effectively. A good written report conveys the necessary information using precise,

grammatically correct language, without using more words than are needed. The online

course Write Less, Say More can help you to write brief, punchy, powerful reports.

By improving your verbal, non-verbal, and written communication skills, you can become more

successful in all areas of business. Whether you are managing others or working as part of a

team, the ability to communicate effectively can improve relations with your colleagues and help

you all to work more effectively together.

Importance of a Communication Channel

A breakdown in the communication channel leads to an inefficient flow of information.

Employees are unaware of what the company expects of them. They are uninformed of what is

going on in the company.

This will cause them to become suspicious of motives and any changes in the company. Also

without effective communication, employees become department minded rather than company

minded, and this affects their decision making and productivity in the workplace.

Eventually, this harms the overall organizational objectives as well. Hence, in order for an

organization to be run effectively, a good manager should be able to communicate to his/her

employees what is expected of them, make sure they are fully aware of company policies and

any upcoming changes.

Therefore, an effective communication channel should be implemented by managers to

optimize worker productivity to ensure the smooth running of the organization.

Types of Communication Channels

The number of communication channels available to a manager has increased over the last 20

odd years. Video conferencing, mobile technology, electronic bulletin boards and fax machines

are some of the new possibilities.

As organizations grow in size, managers cannot rely on face-to-face communication alone to get

their message across.

A challenge the managers face today is to determine what type of communication channel

should they opt for in order to carryout effective communication.

In order to make a manager's task easier, the types of communication channels are grouped into

three main groups: formal, informal and unofficial.

Formal Communication Channels

 A formal communication channel transmits information such as the goals, policies and

procedures of an organization. Messages in this type of communication channel follow a

chain of command. This means information flows from a manager to his subordinates

and they in turn pass on the information to the next level of staff.

 An example of a formal communication channel is a company's newsletter, which gives

employees as well as the clients a clear idea of a company's goals and vision. It also

includes the transfer of information with regard to memoranda, reports, directions, and

scheduled meetings in the chain of command.

 A business plan, customer satisfaction survey, annual reports, employer's manual, review

meetings are all formal communication channels.

Informal Communication Channels

 Within a formal working environment, there always exists an informal communication

network. The strict hierarchical web of communication cannot function efficiently on its

own and hence there exists a communication channel outside of this web. While this

type of communication channel may disrupt the chain of command, a good manager

needs to find the fine balance between the formal and informal communication channel.
  An example of an informal communication channel is lunchtime at the organization's

cafeteria/canteen. Here, in a relaxed atmosphere, discussions among employees are

encouraged. Also managers walking around, adopting a hands-on approach to handling

employee queries is an example of an informal communication channel.

 Quality circles, team work, different training programs are outside of the chain of

command and so, fall under the category of informal communication channels.

Unofficial Communication Channels

 Good managers will recognize the fact that sometimes communication that takes place

within an organization is interpersonal. While minutes of a meeting may be a topic of

discussion among employees, sports, politics and TV shows also share the floor.

 The unofficial communication channel in an organization is the organization's

'grapevine.' It is through the grapevine that rumors circulate. Also those engaging in

'grapevine' discussions often form groups, which translate into friendships outside of the

organization. While the grapevine may have positive implications, more often than not

information circulating in the grapevine is exaggerated and may cause unnecessary

alarm to employees. A good manager should be privy to information circulating in this

unofficial communication channel and should take positive measures to prevent the flow

of false information.

 An example of an unofficial communication channel is social gatherings among

employees.
 In any organization, three types of communication channels exist: formal, informal and

unofficial.While the ideal communication web is a formal structure in which informal

communication can take place, unofficial communication channels also exist in an organization.

Through these various channels, it is important for a manager to get his/her ideas across and

then listen, absorb, glean and further communicate to employees.

Principles of Communication: 7 Pillars of Business Communication

Swift, clear and precise communication is the foundation of any business operation. Quick,

effective communication improves productivity, increases efficiency, and reduces

redundancies.

7 C's of Communication

Communication:

Communication means to share or convey information through experience, speech

or behavior. Communication is considered as a great skill and its importance is not
negligible. Different strategies are recommend to polish your communication skills
7 C’s of communication is one of those famous strategy to develop good
communication skills.

7 C’s of communication

 Completeness
 Conciseness
 Consideration
 Concreteness
 Clarity
 Courtesy
  Correctness

COMPLETENESS
Completeness is a very demanding characteristic. In order to impress your
audience you need to give a brief information about the topic. The sense of
Completeness of an article satisfies its readers fully and clear their doubts.
Moreover Completeness also demands that you yourself should answer those
questions which you think can arise in the mind of readers.

CONCISENESS

 Avoid wordy expressions

 Relevant information
 Avoid repetition

Conciseness means to clear the point of view in fewest possible words. No doubt
Conciseness is very important to keep the reader interested in your
writing. Conciseness also demands that you must only provide the relevant
information and do not keep repeating the words and sentences. Irrelevant
information and repetition give readers a view that you are not well researched
about the topic and just filling the pages.

CONSIDERATION

 Focus on you instead of I

 Emphasize positive and pleasant facts

Consideration means writing every message with message receivers in mind. In

other words it can be said that bring ‘You attitude” in your writing. Show a sense
of warmth and sincerity to your readers, this will bring a belief on you and your
readers will trust you. Try to emphasize on the positive aspects. It will surely
motivate the readers and will urge them to work more and harder.
CONCRETENESS

 Use facts and figures

 Use active voice

Concreteness refers to the element of being strong and authoritative. Inclusion of

facts and figures boosts up the limit of belief and faith on your writing. In addition
to this always try to write in active voice rather than passive voice.

CLARITY

 Precise and familiar words

 Construct effective and well structured sentences

Clarity demands the use of precise and familiar words that are easily
understandable. In addition to this construct effective and well structured sentences
that clarify the meanings properly. Avoid long sentences as they sometime mislead
the readers in sense of meanings.

COURTESY

 Be sincere and appreciative

 Respectful expressions

Courtesy involves being aware not only of perspective of others, but also their
feelings. So while writing use respectful expressions and clear your point of view
sincerely. Moreover if you do not agree to some point, discuss it in a positive way.
Especially reply to negative comments humbly.

CORRECTNESS

 Follow the language rules.

 Accuracy of facts and figures.
 Vocabulary
Correctness demands the follow of language rules, accuracy of facts and figures
and vocabulary. Whenever you are writing, follow the language rules strictly.
Moreover in order to add Concreteness to your writing never compromise on the
accuracy of facts and figures. Lastly, proper use of grammar and vocabulary is also
essential.

In this article, we look at each of the 7 Cs of Communication, and we'll illustrate

each element with both good and bad examples

1. Clear

When writing or speaking to someone, be clear about your goal or message. What
is your purpose in communicating with this person? If you're not sure, then your
audience won't be sure either.

To be clear, try to minimize the number of ideas in each sentence. Make sure that

it's easy for your reader to understand your meaning. People shouldn't have to
"read between the lines" and make assumptions on their own to understand what
you're trying to say.

Bad Example

Hi John,

I wanted to write you a quick note about Daniel, who's working in your
department. He's a great asset, and I'd like to talk to you more about him when you
have time.

Best,

What is this email about? Well, we're not sure. First, if there are multiple Daniels
in John's department, John won't know who Skip is talking about.

Next, what is Daniel doing, specifically, that's so great? We don't know that either.
It's so vague that John will definitely have to write back for more information.

Last, what is the purpose of this email? Does Skip simply want to have an idle chat
about Daniel, or is there some more specific goal here? There's no sense of purpose
to this message, so it's a bit confusing.

Good Example

Hi John,

I wanted to write you a quick note about Daniel Kedar, who's working in your
department. In recent weeks, he's helped the IT department through several
pressing deadlines on his own time.

We've got a tough upgrade project due to run over the next three months, and his
knowledge and skills would prove invaluable. Could we please have his help with
this work?

I'd appreciate speaking with you about this. When is it best to call you to discuss
this further?

Best wishes,

This second message is much clearer, because the reader has the information he
needs to take action.

2. Concise

When you're concise in your communication, you stick to the point and keep it
brief. Your audience doesn't want to read six sentences when you could
communicate your message in three.

 Are there any adjectives or "filler words" that you can delete? You can
often eliminate words like "for instance," "you see," "definitely," "kind of,"
"literally," "basically," or "I mean."
 Are there any unnecessary sentences?
 Have you repeated the point several times, in different ways?
Bad Example

Hi Matt,

I wanted to touch base with you about the email marketing campaign we kind of
sketched out last Thursday. I really think that our target market is definitely going
to want to see the company's philanthropic efforts. I think that could make a big
impact, and it would stay in their minds longer than a sales pitch.

For instance, if we talk about the company's efforts to become sustainable, as well
as the charity work we're doing in local schools, then the people that we want to
attract are going to remember our message longer. The impact will just be greater.

What do you think?

Jessica

This email is too long! There's repetition, and there's plenty of "filler" taking up
space.

Good Example

Watch what happens when we're concise and take out the filler words:

Hi Matt,

I wanted to quickly discuss the email marketing campaign that we analyzed last
Thursday. Our target market will want to know about the company's philanthropic
efforts, especially our goals to become sustainable and help local schools.

This would make a far greater impact, and it would stay in their minds longer than
a traditional sales pitch.

What do you think?

Jessica

3. Concrete

When your message is concrete, then your audience has a clear picture of what
you're telling them. There are details (but not too many!) and vivid facts, and
there's laser-like focus. Your message is solid.

Bad Example

Consider this advertising copy:

The Lunchbox Wizard will save you time every day.

A statement like this probably won't sell many of these products. There's no
passion, no vivid detail, nothing that creates emotion, and nothing that tells people
in the audience why they should care. This message isn't concrete enough to make
a difference.

Good Example

How much time do you spend every day packing your kids' lunches? No more!
Just take a complete Lunchbox Wizard from your refrigerator each day to give
your kids a healthy lunch and have more time to play or read with them!

This copy is better because there are vivid images. The audience can picture
spending quality time with their kids – and what parent could argue with that? And
mentioning that the product is stored in the refrigerator explains how the idea is
practical. The message has come alive through these details.

4. Correct

When your communication is correct, it fits your audience. And correct

communication is also error-free communication.

 Do the technical terms you use fit your audience's level of education or
knowledge?
 Have you checked your writing for grammatical errors? Remember,
spell checkers won't catch everything.
 Are all names and titles spelled correctly?
Bad Example

Hi Daniel,

Thanks so much for meeting me at lunch today! I enjoyed our conservation, and
I'm looking forward to moving ahead on our project. I'm sure that the two-weak
deadline won't be an issue.

Thanks again, and I'll speak to you soon!

Best,
Jack Miller

If you read that example fast, then you might not have caught any errors. But on
closer inspection, you'll find two. Can you see them?

The first error is that the writer accidentally typed conservation instead of
conversation. This common error can happen when you're typing too fast. The
other error is using weak instead of week.

Again, spell checkers won't catch word errors like this, which is why it's so
important to proofread everything!

5. Coherent

When your communication is coherent, it's logical. All points are connected and
relevant to the main topic, and the tone and flow of the text is consistent.

Bad Example

Traci,

I wanted to write you a quick note about the report you finished last week. I gave it
to Michelle to proof, and she wanted to make sure you knew about the department
meeting we're having this Friday. We'll be creating an outline for the new
employee handbook.

Thanks,

Michelle

As you can see, this email doesn't communicate its point very well. Where is
Michelle's feedback on Traci's report? She started to mention it, but then she
changed the topic to Friday's meeting.

Good Example

Hi Traci,

I wanted to write you a quick note about the report you finished last week. I gave it
to Michelle to proof, and she let me know that there are a few changes that you'll
need to make. She'll email you her detailed comments later this afternoon.
Thanks,

Michelle

Notice that in the good example, Michelle does not mention Friday's meeting. This
is because the meeting reminder should be an entirely separate email. This way,
Traci can delete the report feedback email after she makes her changes, but save
the email about the meeting as her reminder to attend. Each email has only one
main topic.

6. Complete

In a complete message, the audience has everything they need to be informed and,
if applicable, take action.

 Does your message include a "call to action," so that your audience

clearly knows what you want them to do?
 Have you included all relevant information – contact names, dates, times,
locations, and so on?
Bad Example

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to send you all a reminder about the meeting we're having tomorrow!

See you then,

Chris

This message is not complete, for obvious reasons. What meeting? When is it?
Where? Chris has left his team without the necessary information.

Good Example

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to remind you about tomorrow's meeting on the new telecommuting
policies. The meeting will be at 10:00 a.m. in the second-level conference room.
Please let me know if you can't attend.
See you then,

Chris

7. Courteous

Courteous communication is friendly, open, and honest. There are no hidden

insults or passive-aggressive tones. You keep your reader's viewpoint in mind, and
you're empathetic to their needs.

Bad Example

Jeff,

I wanted to let you know that I don't appreciate how your team always
monopolizes the discussion at our weekly meetings. I have a lot of projects, and I
really need time to get my team's progress discussed as well. So far, thanks to your
department, I haven't been able to do that. Can you make sure they make time for
me and my team next week?

Thanks,

Phil

Well, that's hardly courteous! Messages like this can potentially start office-wide
fights. And this email does nothing but create bad feelings, and lower productivity
and morale. A little bit of courtesy, even in difficult situations, can go a long way.

Good Example

Hi Jeff,

I wanted to write you a quick note to ask a favor. During our weekly meetings,
your team does an excellent job of highlighting their progress. But this uses some
of the time available for my team to highlight theirs. I'd really appreciate it if you
could give my team a little extra time each week to fully cover their progress
reports.

Thanks so much, and please let me know if there's anything I can do for you!

Best,
Phil

What a difference! This email is courteous and friendly, and it has little chance of
spreading bad feelings around the office.

Note:
There are a few variations of the 7 Cs of Communication:

 Credible – Does your message improve or highlight your credibility ?

This is especially important when communicating with an audience that
doesn't know much about you.
 Creative – Does your message communicate creatively? Creative
communication helps keep your audience engaged.
Key Points
All of us communicate every day. The better we communicate, the more credibility
we'll have with our clients, our boss, and our colleagues.
Use the 7 Cs of Communication as a checklist for all of your communication. By
doing this, you'll stay clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete, and
courteous.
The Seven Barriers of Communication
Most people would agree that communication between two individuals should be simple. It’s

important to remember that there are differences between talking and communicating. When you

communicate, you are successful in getting your point across to the person you’re talking to.

When we talk, we tend to erect barriers that hinder our ability to communicate. There are seven

of these types of barriers to effective communication.

1. Physical barriers are easy to spot – doors that are closed, walls that are erected, and

distance between people all work against the goal of effective communication. While most agree

that people need their own personal areas in the workplace, setting up an office to remove

physical barriers is the first step towards opening communication. Many professionals who work
in industries that thrive on collaborative communication, such as architecture, purposefully

design their workspaces around an “open office” plan. This layout eschews cubicles in favor of

desks grouped around a central meeting space. While each individual has their own dedicated

work space, there are no visible barriers to prevent collaboration with their co-workers. This

encourages greater openness and frequently creates closer working bonds.

2. Perceptual barriers, in contrast, are internal. If you go into a situation thinking that the

person you are talking to isn’t going to understand or be interested in what you have to say, you

may end up subconsciously sabotaging your effort to make your point. You will employ

language that is sarcastic, dismissive, or even obtuse, thereby alienating your conversational

partner. Think of movie scenarios in which someone yells clipped phrases at a person they

believe is deaf. The person yelling ends up looking ridiculous while failing to communicate

anything of substance.

3. Emotional barriers can be tough to overcome, but are important to put aside to engage in

conversations. We are often taught to fear the words coming out of our own mouths, as in the

phrase “anything you say can and will be used against you.” Overcoming this fear is difficult, but

necessary. The trick is to have full confidence in what you are saying and your qualifications in

saying it. People often pick up on insecurity. By believing in yourself and what you have to say,

you will be able to communicate clearly without becoming overly involved in your emotions.

4. Cultural barriers are a result of living in an ever shrinking world. Different cultures,

whether they be a societal culture of a race or simply the work culture of a company, can hinder

developed communication if two different cultures clash. In these cases, it is important to find a

common ground to work from. In work situations, identifying a problem and coming up with a
highly efficient way to solve it can quickly topple any cultural or institutional barriers. Quite

simply, people like results.

5. Language barriers seem pretty self-inherent, but there are often hidden language barriers

that we aren’t always aware of. If you work in an industry that is heavy in jargon or technical

language, care should be taken to avoid these words when speaking with someone from outside

the industry. Without being patronizing, imagine explaining a situation in your industry to a

child. How would you convey these concepts without relying on jargon? A clear, direct narrative

is preferable to an incomprehensible slew of specialty terms.

6. Gender barriers have become less of an issue in recent years, but there is still the

possibility for a man to misconstrue the words of a woman, or vice versa. Men and women tend

to form their thoughts differently, and this must be taken into account when communicating. This

difference has to do with how the brain of each sex is formed during gestation. In general, men

are better at spatial visualization and abstract concepts such as math, while women excel at

language-based thinking and emotional identification. However, successful professionals in

highly competitive fields tend to have similar thought processes regardless of their gender.

7. Interpersonal barriers are what ultimately keep us from reaching out to each other and

opening ourselves up, not just to be heard, but to hear others. Oddly enough, this can be the most

difficult area to change. Some people spend their entire lives attempting to overcome a poor self-

image or a series of deeply rooted prejudices about their place in the world. They are unable to

form genuine connections with people because they have too many false perceptions blocking

the way. Luckily, the cure for this is more communication. By engaging with others, we learn

what our actual strengths and weaknesses are. This allows us to put forth our ideas in a clear,

straightforward manner.
 Module II Verbal Communication 25% Weightage

Oral Communication: Forms, Advantages & Disadvantages

Written Communication: Forms, Advantages & Disadvantages
Introduction of Communication Skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading,
Writing)

Oral communication is the process of expressing information or ideas by word of mouth. Learn

more about the types and benefits of oral communication, and find out how you can improve

your own oral communication abilities.

Definition and Types

Great communication skills are your ticket to success in the academic and business world. But

have you ever been overcome by fear or anxiety prior to going on a job interview or speaking

in front of an audience? Knowing when to choose oral communication and polishing your

speaking skills can help you at every stage of your career.

Oral communication is the process of verbally transmitting information and ideas from

one individual or group to another. Oral communication can be either Formal or Informal.

Examples of informal oral communication include:

 Face-to-face conversations

 Telephone conversations

 Discussions that take place at business meetings

More formal types of oral communication include:

  Presentations at business meetings

 Classroom lectures

 Commencement speech given at a graduation ceremony

With advances in technology, new forms of oral communication continue to develop. Video

Phones and Video Conferences combine audio and video so that workers in distant locations

can both see and speak with each other. Other modern forms of oral communication include

Podcasts (audio clips that you can access on the Internet) and Voiceover Internet Protocol

(VoIP), which allows callers to communicate over the Internet and avoid telephone charges.

Skype is an example of VoIP.

Advantages

There are many situations in which it makes sense to choose oral over written communication.

Oral communication is more personal and less formal than written communication. If time is

limited and a business matter requires quick resolution, it may be best to have a face-to-face or

telephone conversation. There is also more flexibility in oral communication; you can discuss

different aspects of an issue and make decisions more quickly than you can in writing. Oral

communication can be especially effective in addressing conflicts or problems. Talking things

over is often the best way to settle disagreements or misunderstandings. Finally, oral

communication is a great way to promote employee morale and maintain energy and

enthusiasm within a team.

Disadvantages

Despite the many benefits of oral communication, there are times when written communication

is more effective. For example, you may want to exchange important information that needs to
be documented using written communication. A lot of transactions in the business world

require some type of written record, and you will find that even strong verbal skills are not a

substitute for putting things in writing. Additionally, oral communication tends to be less

detailed and more subject to misunderstanding than written communication. It's best to always

think carefully about which method of communication best fits your objective.

Written communication involves any type of interaction that makes use of the written word.

Communication is a key to any endeavor involving more than one person. Communicating

through writing is essential in the modern world and is becoming ever more so as we participate

in what is now commonly called the information age. In fact, written communication is the most

common form of business communication. It is essential for small business owners and managers

to develop effective written communication skills and to encourage the same in all employees.

The information age has altered the ways in which we communicate and placed an increasing

emphasis on written versus oral communications.

The ever-increasing use of computers and computer networks to organize and transmit

information means the need for competent writing skills is rising. Dr. Craig Hogan, a former

university professor who now heads an online school for business writing, receives hundreds of

inquiries each month from managers and executives requesting help with improving their own

and their employees' writing skills. Dr. Hogan explains, in an article entitled "What Corporate

America Can't Build: A Sentence," that millions of people previously not required to do a lot of

writing on the job are now expected to write frequently and rapidly. According to Dr. Hogan,

many of them are not up to the task. "E-mail is a party to which English teachers have not been

invited. It has companies tearing their hair out." Survey results from The National Commission
on Writing study back up this assessment. They found that a third of employees in the nation's

"blue chip" companies write poorly and are in need of remedial writing instruction.

The need to develop good writing skills is only highlighted by the fact that in the information

age, it is not uncommon to have business relationships with customers and suppliers that are

established and maintained exclusively through the use of written communications. In this

environment, "the words we write are very real representations of our companies and ourselves.

We must be sure that our e-mail messages are sending the right messages about us," explained

Janis Fisher Chan, author of E-Mail: A Write It Well Guide-How to Write and Manage E-Mail in

the Workplace, in an article appearing in Broker Magazine. The key to communication, of

course, is to convey meaning in as accurate and concise a manner as possible. People do not read

business memoranda for the pleasure of reading. They do so in order to receive instructions or

information upon which to base decisions or take action. Therefore, highly literary prose is not

desirable in business writing. Overly formal prose may also be counterproductive by seeming

stand-offish or simply wordy. A style of writing that is too informal can also convey an

unintended message, namely that the subject matter is not serious or not taken seriously by the

sender. A straightforward, courteous tone is usually the best choice but one that may not come

naturally without practice.

The Communication Process

The basic process of communication begins when a fact or idea is observed by one person. That

person (the sender) may decide to translate the observation into a message, and then transmit the

message through some communication medium to another person (the receiver). The receiver

then must interpret the message and provide feedback to the sender indicating that the message

has been understood and appropriate action taken.

As Herta A. Murphy and Herbert W. Hildebrandt observed in Effective Business

Communications, good communication should be complete, concise, clear, concrete, correct,

considerate, and courteous. More specifically, this means that communication should: answer

basic questions like who, what, when, where; be relevant and not overly wordy; focus on the

receiver and his or her interests; use specific facts and figures and active verbs; use a

conversational tone for readability; include examples and visual aids when needed; be tactful and

good-natured; and be accurate and nondiscriminatory. Unclear, inaccurate, or inconsiderate

business communication can waste valuable time, alienate employees or customers, and destroy

goodwill toward management or the overall business.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

One advantage to using written forms of communication is that written messages do not have to

be delivered on the spur of the moment; instead, they can be edited and revised several times

before they are sent so that the content can be shaped to maximum effect. Another advantage is

that written communication provides a permanent record of the messages and can be saved for

later study. Since they are permanent, written forms of communication also enable recipients to

take more time in reviewing the message and providing appropriate feedback. For these reasons,

written forms of communication are often considered more appropriate for complex business

messages that include important facts and figures. Other benefits commonly associated with

good writing skills include increased customer/client satisfaction; improved inter-organizational

efficiency; and enhanced image in the community and industry.

There are also several potential pitfalls associated with written communication, however. For

instance, unlike oral communication, wherein impressions and reactions are exchanged
instantaneously, the sender of written communication does not generally receive immediate

feedback to his or her message. This can be a source of frustration and uncertainty in business

situations in which a swift response is desired. In addition, written messages often take more

time to compose, both because of their information-packed nature and the difficulty that many

individuals have in composing such correspondence. Many companies, however, have taken a

proactive stance in addressing the latter issue. Mindful of the large number of workers who

struggle with their writing abilities, some firms have begun to offer on-site writing courses or

enrolled employees in business writing workshops offered by professional training organizations,

colleges, and community education programs.

E-MAIL COMMUNICATIONS

Electronic mail has emerged as a highly popular business communication tool in recent years.

Indeed, its capacity to convey important corporate communications swiftly and easily has

transformed it into a communications workhorse for business enterprises of all sizes and

orientations. But many users of e-mail technology pay little attention to basic rules of grammar

and format when composing their letters, even when they are penning business correspondence

addressed to clients, customers, vendors, business partners, or internal colleagues. This sloppy

correspondence style reflects a lack of professionalism and may communicate to the recipient a

view of the company behind the message as equally unprofessional. The ease and informality of

the medium should not be confused with the writing necessary to use it properly.

Given this unfortunate trend, many business experts counsel companies to install firm guidelines

on tone, content, and shape of e-mail correspondence. These guidelines should make it clear that

all employees are expected to adhere to the same standards of professionalism that (presumably)

remain in place for traditional postal correspondence. Proper spelling and grammar and the
ability to frame correspondence in suitably diplomatic language should be hallmarks of

electronic mail as well as regular mail, especially if the communication is directed at a person or

persons outside the company.

Writing, speaking and listening are communication skills that are important in all subject areas in
the curriculum. Hence, literacy should have a central position in the curriculum. Even so,
differences between students’ levels of literacy mean that some students fail to acquire the verbal
foundations for learning. For this reason, increasing numbers of students fall short of proficiency
as they proceed through the school. This booklet responds to calls for principles and teaching
practices that address the worldwide problem of increasing literacy skills. It draws on
educational research and extensive experience with classroom practices to explain important
principles for increasing literacy. In contrast to reading, less definitive scientific research is
available on the other three language skills discussed in this booklet. For this reason, the limited
research is supplemented here with the insights of experts and educators with long and varied
experience in the teaching of language skills.

Introduction of Communication Skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading,

Writing)
Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the
communication process.

Listening is key to all effective communication, without the ability to listen

effectively messages are easily misunderstood – communication breaks down and
the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated.

Listening is so important that many top employers provide listening skills training
for their employees. This is not surprising when you consider that good listening
skills can lead to: better customer satisfaction, greater productivity with fewer
mistakes, increased sharing of information that in turn can lead to more creative
and innovative work.
Many successful leaders and entrepreneurs credit their success to effective
listening skills. Richard Branson frequently quotes listening as one of the main
factors behind the success of Virgin. Effective listening is a skill that underpins all
positive human relationships, spend some time thinking about and developing your
listening skills – they are the building blocks of success.
Good listening skills also have benefits in our personal lives, including:

A greater number of friends and social networks, improved self-esteem and

confidence, higher grades at school and in academic work and even better health
and general well-being. Studies have shown that, whereas speaking raises blood
pressure, listening brings it down.

Listening is not the same as Hearing

Hearing refers to the sounds that you hear, whereas listening requires more than
that: it requires focus. Listening means paying attention not only to the story, but
how it is told, the use of language and voice, and how the other person uses his or
her body. In other words, it means being aware of both verbal and non-verbal
messages. Your ability to listen effectively depends on the degree to which you
perceive and understand these messages.

The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just
listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention.

Rachel Naomi Remen

We Spend a lot of Time Listening

Adults spend an average of 70% of their time engaged in some sort of

communication, of this an average of 45% is spent listening compared to 30%
speaking, 16% reading and 9% writing. (Adler, R. et al. 2001).
Based on the research of: Adler, R., Rosenfeld, L. and Proctor, R. (2001)
Interplay: the process of interpersonal communicating (8th edn), Fort Worth, TX:
Harcourt.

Effective listening requires concentration and the use of your other senses - not just
hearing the words spoken.

Listening is not the same as hearing and in order to listen effectively you need to
use more than just your ears.

10 Principles of Listening
A good listener will listen not only to what is being said, but also to what is left
unsaid or only partially said.

Effective listening involves observing body language and noticing inconsistencies

between verbal and non-verbal messages.
For example, if someone tells you that they are happy with their life but through
gritted teeth or with tears filling their eyes, you should consider that the verbal and
non-verbal messages are in conflict, they maybe don't mean what they say.
1. Stop Talking
“If we were supposed to talk more than we listen, we would have two tongues and
one ear.” Mark Twain.

Don't talk, listen. When somebody else is talking listen to what they are saying, do
not interrupt, talk over them or finish their sentences for them. Stop, just
listen. When the other person has finished talking you may need to clarify to
ensure you have received their message accurately.

2. Prepare Yourself to Listen

Relax. Focus on the speaker. Put other things out of mind. The human mind is
easily distracted by other thoughts – what’s for lunch, what time do I need to leave
to catch my train, is it going to rain – try to put other thoughts out of mind and
concentrate on the messages that are being communicated.

3. Put the Speaker at Ease

Help the speaker to feel free to speak. Remember their needs and concerns. Nod
or use other gestures or words to encourage them to continue. Maintain eye
contact but don’t stare – show you are listening and understanding what is being
said.

4. Remove Distractions

Focus on what is being said: don’t doodle, shuffle papers, look out the window,
pick your fingernails or similar. Avoid unnecessary interruptions. These
behaviours disrupt the listening process and send messages to the speaker that you
are bored or distracted.

5. Empathise

Try to understand the other person’s point of view. Look at issues from their
perspective. Let go of preconceived ideas. By having an open mind we can more
fully empathise with the speaker. If the speaker says something that you disagree
with then wait and construct an argument to counter what is said but keep an open
mind to the views and opinions of others.

6. Be Patient

A pause, even a long pause, does not necessarily mean that the speaker has
finished. Be patient and let the speaker continue in their own time, sometimes it
takes time to formulate what to say and how to say it. Never interrupt or finish a
sentence for someone.

7. Avoid Personal Prejudice

Try to be impartial. Don't become irritated and don't let the person’s habits or
mannerisms distract you from what they are really saying. Everybody has a
different way of speaking - some people are for example more nervous or shy than
others, some have regional accents or make excessive arm movements, some
people like to pace whilst talking - others like to sit still. Focus on what is being
said and try to ignore styles of delivery.

8. Listen to the Tone

Volume and tone both add to what someone is saying. A good speaker will use
both volume and tone to their advantage to keep an audience attentive; everybody
will use pitch, tone and volume of voice in certain situations – let these help you to
understand the emphasis of what is being said.

9. Listen for Ideas – Not Just Words

You need to get the whole picture, not just isolated bits and pieces. Maybe one of
the most difficult aspects of listening is the ability to link together pieces of
information to reveal the ideas of others. With proper concentration, letting go of
distractions, and focus this becomes easier.

10. Wait and Watch for Non-Verbal Communication

Gestures, facial expressions, and eye-movements can all be important. We don’t

just listen with our ears but also with our eyes – watch and pick up the additional
information being transmitted via non-verbal communication.
Effective Listening: 10 Barriers and How to Overcome Them

Poor listening skills result in ineffective communication, which will usually have

an adverse impact on the productivity of the individual, the team and the

organization. Here you can find about 10 barriers to effective listening and tips to
overcome them.

Effective communication is a valuable skill in the workplace, and listening

properly is the most important part of effective communication.

Poor listening skills definitely make a huge, negative impact on team morale and
productivity. This situation usually results in conflicts and misunderstandings
among team members, and it creates a negative environment.

Fortunately, listening skills can be learned. The first step is to identify the barriers
to listening. The second step is to consciously implement the tips provided here to
overcome those barriers.

1. Excessive Talking

Good conversational skills are an asset, and a person with this skill is more likely
to achieve professional success. However, talking more than is necessary is a
barrier to effective communication. People hesitate to interact with a person who
talks excessively without listening to them. They may also get bored, and
excessive talking may be perceived as aggression.

Try these tips to overcome this habit:

 Think before you speak, and don't speak if you have nothing
important to contribute.
 Practice self-control. Allow the other person to speak.
 Avoid interrupting when the other person is speaking.
 Be aware of indulging in useless talk for the sake of talking.
 Be brief while conveying your thoughts.
 Observe your listener's reactions while speaking.
2. Prejudice

Prejudice is a preconceived opinion of feeling, which is usually irrational.

Prejudice is very dangerous and has the potential to bring animosity into the team
and to break team spirit. The reason for a prejudice may be the speaker's race,
religion, age or appearance. A prejudiced person will not make any effort to listen
and understand.

Overcoming prejudice while listening:

 Respect the other person for his or her knowledge and skills,
irrespective of the
 person's background.
 Make conscious efforts to take charge of your thoughts.
 Consciously avoid taking an "I know what he or she is going to say"
attitude while the other person is speaking.

3. Distractions

The four main types of distractions are physical, mental, auditory and visual.
Here's how to avoid this common barrier:

 Face the person who is speaking.

 Maintain eye contact while the other person is speaking.
 Ensure that you are comfortable.
 Switch off the cell phone.

4. Excessive Attachment to Personal Beliefs and Values

It is fine to have personal beliefs and values, but an excessive attachment to them
will have a negative impact on your ability to communicate effectively with others.
Learn to appreciate the fact that each and every person has his or her own set of
beliefs and values.

5. Misunderstanding

Inability to hear correctly is one of the many reasons for misunderstanding of what
the speaker is trying to communicate. This inability to hear is often the result of
prejudice. To avoid misunderstanding, always clarify with the speaker to ensure
that you have understood correctly.
6. Interrupting

Interrupting a conversation with improper body language or inappropriate words

will have a negative impact in effective communication. Here's some tips to help
you avoid this barrier to effective listening:

 Listen without interrupting while the other person is speaking.

 If you seek to clarify something, use appropriate body language such
as raising your hand or use appropriate words (like "I am sorry to be
interrupting you...").

7. Faking Attention

The person who is faking attention is just "hearing" but not "listening". The person
is acting as if he or she is listening. There may be some eye contact and the person
may even be nodding, but the mind is elsewhere. The person may be thinking
about what to have for lunch or what to wear for the party that evening. Faking
attention is a habit for some people, but it conveys lack of respect and dishonesty.

Try these tips:

 Make it a habit to listen attentively. It is advisable to assume that the

other person knows something that you may not know.
 Avoid thinking about how to reply when the other person is speaking.
 This habit can be overcome by taking notes while the other person is
speaking.

8. Bringing in Emotions

Emotions erect barriers to effective communication. A listener's senses are not

likely to be functioning at their optimum level when he or she is angry. Likewise, it
is not possible to understand or appreciate what the speaker is saying if the listener
is excessively sad.

Tip: It is better to avoid conversations when you are angry or excessively sad.

9. Noise

Noise is "any unwanted sound. It is a great impediment to clear communication. It

is impossible to listen in a noisy environment. It becomes a frustrating experience
for both the speaker and the listener.
 Try to avoid conversations in noisy surroundings.
 Eliminate the source of noise whenever possible; turn off cell phones,
radios or television sets.

10. Fear

Fear is a great barrier to listening. People who are afraid during a conversation are
not likely to listen. They become defensive and tend to argue.

Tips to overcome fear:

 Be aware that fear can only worsen the situation. Listen to what the
other person is about to say without fear.
 Keeping calm will give you mental strength to face any situation.
 Taking a deep breath helps in overcoming fear.

Great leaders are good listeners. Effective listening is a valuable skill that helps
team members achieve their goals efficiently and improves productivity. This skill
is necessary to stay competitive in the current global scenario. Implementing the
above mentioned tips will definitely help in improving listening skills. It is
possible with self examination and self discipline.

Effective Speaking

Your voice can reveal as much about your personal history as your appearance.
The sound of a voice and the content of speech can provide clues to an individual's
emotional state and a dialect can indicate their geographic roots. The voice is
unique to the person to whom it belongs. For instance, if self-esteem is low, it may
be reflected by hesitancy in the voice, a shy person may have a quiet voice, but
someone who is confident in themselves will be more likely to have command of
their voice and clarity of speech.
 Aspects of Effective Speaking

Effective speaking has nothing to do with the outdated concept of 'elocution'

where everyone was encouraged to speak in the same 'correct'
manner. Rather, effective speaking concerns being able to speak in a public
context with confidence and clarity, whilst at the same time reflecting on your
own personality.

Aspects of Effective Speaking

 Accents.
 Finding your voice.
 The effect of breath on voice and speech.
 Vocal production.

Accents
Regional and ethnic accents are positive; they are part of individual
personality.

Gradually, over the years, through the migration of people and exposure to the
media, they are being broken down and neutralised. In some ways this is a shame
because accents can add a dimension and distinctiveness to voice and emphasise
individuality.

It is important to get used to the sound of your own voice. Most people are more
relaxed in a private situation, particularly at home, where there are no pressures to
conform to any other social rules and expectations. This is not the case in public
situations when there are all sorts of influences exerted upon the way people speak.

Often people don’t like the sound of their own recorded voice – in the same
way that some people don't like photographs of themselves - they can feel
embarrassed. Most of us are not used to hearing our own voices and these feelings
are totally normal. Get past the initial, ‘Do I really sound like that?’ stage and
develop a better understanding of your voice.

When relaxed you will feel more confident, therefore by listening to your voice at
home you will have an idea of how you sound to other people. Although you
cannot hear your voice in the same way that others hear you, you can develop an
 awareness of its impact on others. Understanding the physical nature of your voice
will give you more control over the way that you use it.

Individuals are all used to using language in an informal way in their everyday
lives, but as soon as a hint of formality is suggested, they can become self-
conscious and seize up. This becomes especially obvious when speaking in front
of strangers in a public setting.

The more you get used to the sound of your voice functioning in a slightly more
formal way, the easier it is when doing it 'for real'. In conversational mode,
individuals tend to speak in short phrases, a few at a time. Reading aloud helps
you to become used to the more fluent sound of your voice.

An exercise to help develop your effective speaking skills:

Find a document to read, something about two pages in length - the first few pages
of a book would work well.
Read your document through silently first, then read it aloud in your normal
speaking voice. Don't worry if you stumble or falter, just pick up and continue to
the end.
Now read it a third time, recording your voice if possible and remember:

 Slow down: It is a natural reaction to want to get it over as fast as possible

and this often causes people to stumble over their words. Speeding up also occurs
when you are nervous and usually makes you more difficult to understand.
 Keep your head up: Try not to tuck your chin into the book as your voice is
then addressing the floor. Hold your book higher and project your voice.
 Pause occasionally: Let the end of a sentence or the end of a paragraph give
you a chance of a small, two or three second rest. Pauses can be useful for
emphasis.

Practise this exercise as often as you can.

Anyone can improve the sound of their voice and the way they speak in a
matter of days through a few simple exercises, like the one above. To improve
you will need to maintain a certain commitment and practice regularly for a
few minutes.

The Effect of Breath on Voice and Speech

The voice is responsive to emotions and sometimes gets 'blocked', which can
prevent or hinder the expression of a range of feelings. However, it is possible to
use physical exercise to help produce a more flexible voice, in the same way that
people who use vocal sounds professionally take lessons, to ensure that their voices
are kept in a versatile condition and ready to vocalise a range of sounds.

When under stress an individual's breathing pattern will change. When your
muscles are tense you cannot use your lungs to their full capacity, when a
person is frightened or nervous, a common symptom is tension in the neck
and shoulders. This occurs because, when under pressure, over-breathing
tends to occur. Plenty of air is inhaled, but with fast breathing there is not
enough time to exhale and relax.

Good breathing is essential for two reasons:

1. By using full lung capacity the breath will support the voice and the voice
will become richer, fuller and stronger. This will benefit individuals who have
a small voice and who worry that they cannot be heard when speaking to a
group of people. Volume is controlled in the abdomen not in the throat, so
breathing to full strength will allow for greater control of the voice.
2. Breathing deeply and rhythmically has a calming and therapeutic effect as it
releases tension and promotes relaxation. Individuals who are relaxed are more
balanced, receptive and confident. It is no coincidence that several religions
use rhythmic breathing techniques such as meditation, yoga and silent
contemplation, and vocal release in the form of chants, mantras or hymn
singing as aids to their devotions. By easing physical tension, mental stress
decreases and the mind is effectively freed to follow creative pursuits.
 1. Stand in an easy position with your feet one pace apart, with the
knees ‘unlocked’ and not rigidly pushed back. Keep spine straight, head
balanced and face muscles relaxed.
2. Breathe in to a slow count of three, then out to a slow count of three.
3. Try not to raise your shoulders as you breathe. Breathe in through your nose
and out through your mouth. Consciously think of your breath 'filling down' to
the bottom of your lungs.
4. Put the palm of your hand flat against your abdomen and feel the
movement. Push slightly against your hand as you breathe in and out.
5. Repeat this exercise ten times.

Depending on how you feel after several days of doing this exercise, extend the
count of the out-going breath from three to four, five and six gradually building up
to ten before you need to take another breath. Then count out loud on the out-
going breath from one to ten. Repeat five times.
By building up your control of out-going breath, you will never sound ‘breathy’ or
feel you are 'running out of breath’ when you speak to a group or a meeting.

Vocal Production
The following three core elements of vocal production need to be understood
for anyone wishing to become an effective speaker:

 Volume - to be heard.
 Clarity - to be understood.
 Variety - to add interest.
Volume

This is not a question of treating the voice like the volume control on the TV
remote. Some people have naturally soft voices and physically cannot
bellow. Additionally, if the voice is raised too much, tonal quality is lost. Instead
of raising the voice it should be 'projected out'. Support the voice with lots of
breath - the further you want to project the voice out, the more breath you need.

When talking to a group or meeting, it is important to never aim your talk to the
front row or just to the people nearest you, but to consciously project what you
 have to say to those furthest away. By developing a strong voice, as opposed to a
loud voice, you will be seen as someone positive.

Clarity

Some people tend to speak through clenched teeth and with little movement of
their lips. It is this inability to open mouths and failure to make speech sounds
with precision that is the root cause of inaudibility. The sound is locked into the
mouth and not let out. To have good articulation it is important to unclench the
jaw, open the mouth and give full benefit to each sound you make, paying
particular attention to the ends of words. This will also help your audience as a
certain amount of lip-reading will be possible.

Variety

To make speech effective and interesting, certain techniques can be

applied. However, it is important not to sound false or as if you are giving a
performance. Whilst words convey meaning, how they are said reflects feelings
and emotions. Vocal variety can be achieved by variations in:

 Pace: This is the speed at which you talk. If speech is too fast then the
listeners will not have time to assimilate what is being said. Nevertheless, it is a
good idea to vary the pace - quickening up at times and then slowing down – this
will help to maintain interest.
 Volume: By raising or lowering volume occasionally, you can create
emphasis. If you drop your voice to almost a whisper (as long as it is projected)
for a sentence or two, it will make your audience suddenly alert, be careful not to
overuse this technique.
 Pitch - Inflection - Emphasis: When speaking in public, try to convey the
information with as much vocal energy and enthusiasm as possible. This does not
mean your voice has to swoop and dive all over the place in an uncontrolled
manner. Try to make the talk interesting and remember that when you are nervous
or even excited, vocal chords tense and shorten causing the voice to get
higher. Emphasise certain words and phrases within the talk to convey their
importance and help to add variety.
 Pause: Pauses are powerful. They can be used for effect to highlight the
preceding statement or to gain attention before an important message. Pauses
mean silence for a few seconds. Listeners interpret meaning during pauses so have
the courage to stay silent for up to five seconds – dramatic pauses like this convey
authority and confidence.
Before any important speaking situation, whether it is an appointment, meeting or
talk, it is beneficial to have a voice warm-up.

The voice is an instrument - no musician arrives at a concert hall and launches into
Beethoven without first tuning up. The length of time and frequency of a warm-up
is up to you and will depend on how much speaking you need to do.

Module III Non-Verbal Communication 30% Weightage

 Principles & Significance of Nonverbal Communication

 KOPPACT (Kinesics, Oculesics, Proxemics, Para-Language, Artifacts,

Chronemics, Tactilics)
 Visible Code

Nonverbal communication represents two-thirds of all communication. Nonverbal

communication can portray a message both verbally and with the correct body signals. Body

signals comprise physical features, conscious and unconscious gestures and signals, and the

mediation of personal space. The wrong message can be established if the body language

conveyed does not match a verbal message. Nonverbal communication strengthens a first

impression in common situations like attracting a partner or in a business interview: impressions

are on average formed within the first four seconds of contact. First encounters or interactions

with another person strongly affect a person's perception. When the other person or group is

absorbing the message, they are focused on the entire environment around them, meaning the
other person uses all five senses in the interaction: 83% sight, 11% hearing, 3% smell, 2% touch

and 1% taste.

Nonverbal communication is the process of communication through sending and receiving

wordless (mostly visual) cues between people. It is sometimes mistakenly referred to as body

language (kinesics), but nonverbal communication encompasses much more, such as use of voice

(paralanguage), touch (haptics), distance (proxemics), and physical

environments/appearance. Typically overlooked in nonverbal communication are proxemics, or

the informal space around the body and chronemics: the use of time. Not only considered eye

contact, oculesics comprises the actions of looking while talking and listening, frequency of

glances, patterns of fixation, pupil dilation, and blink rate. This subject is diverse in meaning,

relative to culture and not limited to these definitions specifically.

Even speech contains nonverbal elements known as paralanguage, including voice quality, rate,

pitch, volume, and speaking style, as well as prosodic features such as rhythm, intonation,

and stress. Likewise, written texts have nonverbal elements such as handwriting style, spatial

arrangement of words, or the physical layout of a page. However, much of the study of

nonverbal communication has focused on interaction between individuals,[2] where it can be

classified into three principal areas: environmental conditions where communication takes place,

physical characteristics of the communicators, and behaviors of communicators during

interaction.

Nonverbal communication involves the processes of encoding and decoding. Encoding is the act

of generating the information such as facial expressions, gestures, and postures. Decoding is the

interpretation of information from received sensations from previous experiences.[2]

Only a small percentage of the brain processes verbal communication. As infants, nonverbal

communication is learned from social-emotional communication, making the face rather than

words the major organ of communication. As children become verbal communicators, they begin

to look at facial expressions, vocal tones, and other nonverbal elements more subconsciously.

Culture plays an important role in nonverbal communication, and it is one aspect that helps to

influence how learning activities are organized. In many Indigenous American Communities, for

example, there is often an emphasis on nonverbal communication, which acts as a valued means

by which children learn. In this sense, learning is not dependent on verbal communication;

rather, it is nonverbal communication which serves as a primary means of not only organizing

interpersonal interactions, but conveying cultural values, and children learn how to participate in

this system from a young age.

Non-verbal communication is integral yet a complex part of our overall communication skills.

Non-verbal communication is a message or response not expressed in words or hints. Non-verbal

signals are deeply rooted and conscious part of our overall behaviours. It is a recognised as route

to discover what the other side wants. It is a combination of implicit and explicit meaning of

words. It gives us information about emotional state and reinforces the meaning of words. It can

play five roles in communication which are repetition, contradiction, substitution,

complementing and accenting. Various things which an individual can take care of during

presentations are non-verbal behaviours and spatial arrangements of words. There are various

types of non-verbal communication styles which can be abbreviated as “KOPPACT”. It stands

for kinesis, oculesics, paralanguage, proxemics, chromatics, tactics. It is explained below in

detail:-
Kinesics includes body language, body movements, gestures, postures, postures, facial

expressions head and hand movements. It can be used to emphasize on what is being said. It has

various elements like voice quality, adapters, regulators, affect displays, and illustrators. In all

non-verbal modes facial expressions are of the most significance as it plays 55 percent of our

total non-verbal communication. Facial expressions can be further sub-divided into micro

expressions, sign languages and eye contact. Postures can reflect people’s emotions, attitudes,

and intentions. Research has identified range of postural signals such as open and closed

postures. It helps to determine individual’s degree of confidence, status and receptivity to

audience. Moreover, postures help to identify degree of attention and interpersonal relationship.

Mirror image congruent postures helps to identify the sentiment of the audience by number of

leans, folded arms, legs crossed, mudras, bends and various others sitting and

standing. Gestures are woven into the fabrics of daily lives. They strengthen our opinion by

movement of hands (wave, point, beckon), nodding, expressions (nine sentiments or navratnas).

The meaning of gestures are interpreted differently across different cultures. It is important to be

clear as it can lead to misinterpretations. Adapters, symbolic and conversational are three types

of gestures.

Oculesics deals with eye span or eye contact. We can deceive people through eyes. We should

try to establish proper eye contact as it can give proper indications to audience. It can help

establish interest, engagement, involvement and attention with the audience. It basically helps to

serve three purposes. Firstly, It helps to give and receive feedback. Looking at someone lets them

know that the receiver is concentrating on the content of their speech as not maintaining eye

contact can indicate disinterest. Secondly, it helps people know when it is their 'turn' to speak.
Eye contact is more likely to be continuous when someone is listening, rather than speaking.

When a person has finished what they have to say, they will look directly at the other person and

this gives a signal that the arena is open. Thirdly, it helps to communicate something about a

relationship between people. When you dislike someone, you tend to avoid eye contact and pupil

size is often reduced. On the other hand, the maintenance of positive eye contact signals interest

or attraction in the audience. Some of the examples of this are Narendra Modi and Barrack

Obama.

Proxemics is the spatial distance, intimate relation, closeness between people, group or society.

It involves embracing, touching and whispering. It is seen that close friends, relatives, mutual

friends share excellent space with each other and are able to understand each other better. We all

have a need for physical space, although that need differs depending on the culture, the situation,

and the closeness of the relationship. One can use physical space to communicate many different

nonverbal messages, including signals of intimacy and affection, aggression and dominance.

While delivery of speech one must have eight to ten feet distance.

Para-language is the pitch and tone of our verbal message. When we speak other people read

our voices in addition to listening to our words. They pay attention to our pace of speaking, time,

loudness, tone and inflection.Our tone of voice can indicate sarcasm, anger, affection and

confidence. Pitch is high and low modulation of voice. It depicts anger and happiness. High pitch

helps to reinforce with cover and coat. High pitch helps to highlight the important message and

low pitch can determine less importance, fatigue, and disinterest.

Chronemics or timing plays a very important role in in presentation to establish proper sync or

wavelength between verbal and non-verbal communications. Sense of time helps to indicate

starting and ending of an event. It can depict interest and disinterest in audience as well as

speaker. For example looking at the watch while giving presentation can indicate disinterest and

can evade audience from listening and marks loss of interest. Various aspects of time are

temporal processing, cognitions, emotions, embodiments, interval time and perception.

Artifacts the things that one carries. Example the way of dressing. It adds to ones personality

.Our outlook can impress people. It is very important the way one carries oneself. It helps the

audience to interpret and analyze us better.

Touch (or Haptics) can help to reassure people, make them comfortable, or even dissuade and

discomfort them. A touch can send a positive or negative signal. A touch We communicate a

great deal through touch. Think about the messages given by the following: a weak handshake, a

timid tap on the shoulder, a warm bear hug, a reassuring slap on the back, a patronizing pat on

the head, or a controlling grip on your arm.

Module IV : Prose 10% Weightage

TEXT: APJ Abdul Kalam and Arun Tiwari. Wings of Fire: An Autobiography,
Universities Press, 2011

Comprehension Questions will be set in the End-Semester Exam

About the Author
APJ Abdul Kalam is an author, scientist, and former President of India.

Apart from this book, Kalam has written Developments In Fluid Mechanics And Space
Technology, India 2020: A Vision For The New Millennium, My Journey: Transforming Dreams
Into Actions, and You Are Born To Blossom: Take My Journey Beyond.

Kalam was born on 15th October, 1931, in Madras Presidency, British India. He finished his
schooling from Rameshwaram Elementary School. He then went on to obtain his undergraduate
degree from the University of Madras, in Physics. In 1955, he went to Madras to pursue his
degree in Aerospace Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology. In 2002, Kalam was
made the 11th President of India. He is presently a visiting lecturer at the Indian Institute of
Management, Indore, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and the Indian Institute of
Management, Shillong. He is also the recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan,
Bharat Ratna, Ramanujan Award, and Veer Savarkar Award. Abdul Kalam was born to
Jainulabdeen Marakayar and Ashiamma on October 15, 1931. He got his degree in aeronautical
engineering from IIT Madras and after a stint in NASA, he returned to India. His work on the
Indian space program has inspired scientific thinking in the country.
He has held the other posts including Principal Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister. He
worked in the Indian Space Research Organization and Defense Research and Development
Program.

Wings of Fire: An Autobiography of APJ Abdul Kalam (1999) is an autobiography of A P J

Abdul Kalam, former President of India. It was written by Dr. Kalam and Arun Tiwari. Kalam
examines his early life, effort, hardship, fortitude, luck and chance that eventually led him to lead
Indian space research, nuclear and missile programs. Kalam started his career, after graduating
from Aerospace engineering at MIT (Chennai), India, at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and was
assigned to build a hovercraft prototype. Later he moved to ISRO and helped establish
the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and pioneered the first space launch-vehicle program. During
the 1990s and early 2000, Kalam moved to the DRDO to lead the Indian nuclear weapons
program, with particular successes in thermonuclear weapons development culminating in the
operation Smiling Buddha and an ICBM Agni (missile).
The autobiography first published in English, has so far been translated and published in 13
languages including Hindi, Gujarati, Kannada Telugu,Tamil, Tamil, Malayalam, Oriya, Marathi
apart from Braille. Outside of the major Indian languages, `Wings of Fire' was translated in
Chinese, titled `Huo Yi,' by Ji Peng, and translated in French.[4]

Wings of Fire unfolds the story of A P J Abdul Kalam from his childhood in the following seven
sections:
 Preface
 Acknowledgments
 Introduction
 Orientation
 Creation
 Propitiation
 Contemplation
 Epilogue

Wings of Fire traces the life and times of India’s former president APJ Abdul Kalam. It gives a
glimpse of his childhood as well as his growth as India’s missile man.

SUMMARY OF THE NOVEL

‘THE WINGS OF FIRE’, an autobiographical novel, written by
AVUL PAKIR JAINULABDEEN ABDUL KALAM – Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam with his
colleague, Arun Tiwari. He was the president of India form the year 2002 to 2007, and a leading
scientist of India. People know him as ‘the missile man’ of India. This book portraits Kalam’s
life and his zest for life. In this book he presents his humble beginning, hard work, persistence
and above all a passion for life and all things that are possible with it, are all well described in
this book. This is the story of Kalam’s own rise from obscurity, his personal and professional
struggles. This is also the saga of independent India’s struggle for technological self sufficiency
& defensive autonomy – a story as much about politics, as it is about science. The book is
divided into four parts, orientation, creation, propitiation, and contemplation.

‘ORIENTATION’
Kalam was born in 1931, the son of a little educated boat owner in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.
He had an unparallel career as a defense scientist, culminating the highest civilian award of
India, Bharat Ratna. As a chief of the country’s defence research and development programmer,
Kalam demonstrated great potential for dynamics and innovations that existed in seemingly
moribund research establishment. This is the story of Kalam’s own rise from obscurity and his
personal and professional struggles, as well as the story of AGNI, TRISHUL and NAG missiles
that have become household names in India and that have raised the nation to the level of a
missile power of international reckoning. Since independence, India has sought in various ways,
to self realization, and fortunately, also to adulation and success.
The book begins with the childhood of Kalam’s life. In the beginning he introduces us to his
family and tries to familiarize with his birth place Rameswaram. In the childhood he was a great
admires of his father, Jainulabdeen. He was a man of great wisdom and kindness, and
Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, a close friend of his father and the head priest of the
Rameswaram Temple. He had an ideal helpmate in his mother, Ashiamma. He was also
influenced by his close friend, Ahmed Jallaluddin; he was about 15 years older than Kalam. With
his friend he talked about spiritual matters. This shows that he believed in spirituality and also
believed in God and Khudah. He always went to Lord Shiva’s temple with his friends. The later
part of the opening chapters, he introduces his cousin Samsuddin, his school teachers and all the
people who were felt any difference amongst them. Here he expresses one event, which
happened in his school days,
“Rameswaram Sastry, a new teacher of his school he could not stomach a Hindu Priest’s son
sitting with a Muslim boy. In accordance with our social ranking as the new teacher saw it, I was
asked to go and sit on the back bench. I felt very sad, and so did parents about the incident.
Lakshmana Sastry summoned the teacher, and in our presence, told the teacher that he should not
spread the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance in the minds of innocent
children”.
He completed his school education in the Rameswaram Elementary School and Schwartz High
School, Rameswaram. In 1950, he joined St. Joseph’s College Trichi, to study for the B.Sc
degree course, when he realized that physics was not his subject. Then at last, he applied in
Madras Institute of Technology, [MIT]. He or his family could not be able to spend that much of
money for the course of MIT. Zohara, his sister stood with him. When he had in specific branch
of aeronautical engineering, the goal was very clear in his mind at that time. And he tried to
communicate with different kind of people. In MIT, there teacher shaped his thought, Prof.
Sponder, Prof. Kal Pandalai and Prof. Narasingalu Rao. Each of them had carried distinct
personalities. Last years of MIT was a year of transition and lose a great impact on his later life.
From MIT, he went out to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, [HAL], at Bangalore as a trainer.
There he worked on engine overhauling as part of a team. He has trained in radial engine-cum-
drum operations.
After the completion of engineering, he had applied for the Air Force and Directorate of
Technical Development and Production –DTD and PC (Air) of the Ministry of Defence. But in
Air Force he was not selected because of his physical fitness. And he was appointed in DTD and
PC (Air) as senior scientific Assistant on basic salary only of rupees 250/- per month, in 1950.
He had to create opportunities by his own. He never looks back from the original dimensional.
At the stage he covered 32 eventful years of his life, when he was just on the threshold of his
career after graduation.

‘CREATION’
Nearly half of the book goes through the ‘CREATION’ phase. The periods of his life were 1963-
1980. One sees Kalam managing and inspiring large scale developmental projects based on
rocket technology. This was an adventurous path of his life. Kalam started his work at NASA at
the Largely Research Center (LRC) in Hampton, Virginia. This is primarily as R & D center for
advanced aerospace technology. Because of the India’s first rocket, called NIKE-APACHE,
made at NASA, as soon as possible he came back to India. In this project he was in charge of
rocket integration and safety. D Easwardas and R Aravamudan, his colleagues played a very
active and crucial role in the launch. After the succession of NIKE-APACHE, Prof. Sarabhai had
chosen them to share his dreams of an Indian Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV). In 1963 he was in
INCOSPAR, the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launch Station (TERLS) was established through
active collaboration with France, USA and USSR. The real journey of the Indian aerospace
programme began with the Rohini Sounding Rocket consisted of single solid propulsion motor
waiting a mere 31 kg. The programme had brought into the country technology for the
production of very high performance solid propellants.
Kalam has willingly thanked the technological vision of Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru. But neither Prime Minister Nehru nor Prof. Sarabhai had any ambiguity of purposes.
Their vision was very clear about advanced technologies into the real life problems. After that in
Thumba, Prof. Sarabhai and his team, along with Kalam took the decision that they would make
India’s own rockets or our own Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV). Prof. Sarabhai assigned him to
payload scientist. All most all physical laboratories in India were involved in the sounding rocket
programme, each having its own mission, its own objective and its own payload. And he noted
all the events which had happened in that project, including the event of explosion in the room
and his colleague – Prof. Sudhakar was affected because of it. He quoted some lines from the
book of George Barnard Shaw, which was read by uncertainty. He also noted a group meeting
held by Prof. Sarabhai for a plan of a Rocket Assisted Take off System (RATO), for military
aircraft with group captain VS Narayanan from Air Headquarters. The RATO project was a new
game, he had a clear picture in his mind and took the RATO project in his hand. At that time he
met a young colleague, Jaya Chandra Babu, who had joined a few months ago with the help of
Sarabhai. Without any second thought, he approved the proposal of Kalam. They conducted the
first static test of RATO after 64- static test in sixteen months of project.
The project SLV had also been conceived at that time. Prof. Sarabhai was concentrating on the
east coast in order to let the launch vehicle take full advantage of earth’s west to east rotation.
Then he finally selected the Srihari Kota Island, 100 km north of Madras, and the SHAR Rocket
Launch Station was born. The crescent shaped island had a maximum width of 8 km alongside
the coastline. The island is as big as Madras city. The Buchingham Canal the Pulicat Lake forms
its western boundary. In the INCOSPAR was reconstructed as an advisory body under the Indian
National Academy (INSA) and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was created
under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to conduct space research in the country. At that
time Prof. Sarabhai had selected a team to give form to his dream of an Indian SLV. He
considered himself to be chosen as a project leader. But Prof. Sarabhai gave him the additional
responsibility of designing the fourth stage of the SLV. Dr. VR Gowaricar, Mr. Kurup and AE
Mutunayagam were given the tasks of designing the other three stages.
The progress did recognize and reinforce access to all the information that they had needed is
given by Kalam. At that stage Prof. Sarabhai brought a French visitor, Prof. Curien, president of
CNES (Center National de Etudes Spatial), a counter part in France. They were the developing
the Diamont Launch Vehicles. Prof Sarabhai and Prof. Curian helped him to set a target, but as a
matter of fact, the Diamont and SLV airframes were incompatible for certain reasons. Though he
was a leader he wanted to share whatever little development had been achieved through results,
experience, small successes and the like seemed him to worth to putting all hid energy and time
into. He said that, “it was a very small price to pay for that commitment and sense of teamwork,
which could in fact be called trust”. At the time of delivery to CNES, they suddenly cancelled
their Diamont BC programme. It was a great shock for him after Air Force chapter in his life he
did not lose hope and used it into the RATO, as the vacuum part of the Diamont BC stage. And
the RATO system was successfully tested on 8th October 1972 at Bareilly Air Force Station in
Utter Pradesh.
When the RATO project was underway, the SLV project slowly started taking shape. In five
years, since 1966 to 1971, about 22 scientists and engineers had worked closely with Prof.
Sarabhai and Kalam. All of them were to take charge of important presentation about SLV-3.
Here, Kalam had introduced his presentation about SLV-3 against his team companion and Prof.
Sarabhai all the senior scientists were impressed after seeing his work.
At the Vikram Sarabhai Centre, work on the SLV went on at full swing and he was appointed the
project manager – SLV and reported directly to the Director, VSSC. It was a challenging task for
him but he was remided of his father’s words, whatever he used from the Holy book QURAN,
“We have sent no apostle before you who did not eat or eat about the market squares. We test
you by means of one another. Will you not have patience?”
He was aware of the contradiction that often occurred in such situation. While working he was
always reminded of lines from the QURAN the phase “creation”, Chap-7, noted the working
style of Kalam. First he did clean the table, within next ten minutes scan the paper and quickly
divided them into different categories. Then he had kept the high priority paper in front, and
started working accordingly. While the working on the life part of the SLV, there was the
complex electrical circuitry, which was set the mechanical structures in motion. All that
manufacturing function came gradually in progress. At present time he recalls one thing in
written form;
“Beautiful hands are those that do
work that is earnest and brace and true
moment by moment
The long day through”.

He was also interested in literary work, and therefore, quotes then often. He offer joined in
intellectual debates with Prof. Dhawan were he was very stimulated and could always energize
his mind.
In between, his father had passed away. He had been on poor health for quite some time today
and reminded it in each and every steps of life. Finally he had written for his father;
“Earth, receive and honoured guest;
William Yeats is laid to rest;
…………………………………
In the prison of his days
Teach the free man hot to praise”.
In words, he wanted to say that it is the death of a common man, no public mourning was
organized, no flags were lowered to half-mast, and no news paper carried an obituary for him.
He was not a politician, a scholar, or a businessman. Though, he was committed to his works
keeps performing. This was the time of his best creation of life that was SLV.
The first experimental flight tailed of SLV-3 on August 10, 1979. But when they were
spellbound to saw top flying in the form of the SLV-3, the spell was broken. The second stage
went out from the control, including his favorite fourth stage the payload spell ashes into the sea,
560 km off Sriharikota, after just 317 second of take off. Such a thing that this was the abortion
of the SLV-3 Diamont fourth stage- all came alive in a flush, like a long buried phoenix rising
from its ashes. At that time he was completely drained mentally, as well as physically. He went
to his room and slumped on the bed. Dr.Brahm Prakash gave him vital emotional support, entire
responsibility for the SLV-3 failure. But Prof. Dhawan got up said, “I am going to put Kalam in
orbit”!
On 17th July 1980, 30 hours left before the launch of the second SLV-3, the Newspapers were
filled with all kinds of predictions. One of the Newspapers reported that, “The project Director is
missing and could not be contacted.” At next day, 18th July 1980, at 08:03 hrs to be precise
India’s first Satellite Launch Vehicle, SLV-3 lifted off from SHAR. At 600seconds before take-
off, Rohini Satellite entered into its orbit. And within the next two minutes, Rohini was set into
motion in the earth orbit, that he used the word which he ever uttered in his life,
“Mission Director calling all stations. Stand by for an important announcement. All stages
performed to mission requirements. The fourth stage apogee motor has given the required
velocity to put Rohini Satellite into orbit.”
There were happy cries everywhere, and he was lifted by his jubilant colleagues onto the
shoulders and carried in a procession. Whole nation was excited and it was both the culmination
of a national dream into reality and the beginning of a very important phase in our nation’s
history. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi also congratulation. He was very happy to achieve the
successful launching the SLV-3. At that time India was the fifth country to achieve Satellite
Launching capability and thus propelling India entered into space age. He is seen as engineer and
innovator of teams and institutions. This also brought Kalam, his first brush with fame, adulation
and inevitably, professional rivalries due to jealousy.
‘PROPITIATION’
St. Mary Magdalene’s Church, THUMBA
In the ‘Propitiation’, phase Kalam was going into the defence stage of his career, breathing fresh
life into struggling research institutions under the Defence R & D organization, and in February,
1982, he was appointed as the Director of DRDL. They involved him into several technology
oriented activities and missile systems in future. Meanwhile only for Kalam, Anne University,
Madras, conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Science. He collected the degree of
aeronautical engineering after twenty years. He joined DRDL on 1st June, 1982. One day the
chief of naval staff visited to DRDL, and he took the opportunity to discuss the Tectical Core
Vehicle (TCV). The Tectical Core Vehicle project had been hanging fire for quite some time,
and here he expressed his experience of ST. Joseph College and DRDL. After that, Kalam was
selected as the representative of the south block. The representation was presided over by the
Defence Ministry of the time R Venkataraman, and attended by the tree service Chief General
Krishna Rao, Air chief Marshal Dilbag Shing and Admiral Dawson, and arranged the question-
answering session in the presence of Dr. Arunachalam and Defence Minister Venkatraman for
the India’s her own missile system. The concept of missile systems passed but the problem was
that the government sanctioned only Rs 100 crores. That was a time when Kalam wanted to
attend a wedding ceremony of Zameela, his brother’s daughter, at Rameswaram. But he could
not attend this occasion because of the professional preoccupations at Delhi, and concentrated on
his work.
The Defence Minister put up the proposal before the cabinet, and his recommendations were
accepted and an unprecedented amout of Rs 388 crores was sanctioned for this purpose. Thus, it
was birth of India’s prestigious Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, and later
abbreviated to IGMDP. The surface to surface system India’s self-reliance weapon system
became ‘Prithvi’ (“the Earth”), the surface to Air area defence system was named as ‘Akash’
(“Sky”), and the antitank missile project ‘Nag’ (“Cobra”), but Kalam gave the name ‘Agni’,
(“Fire”), to long cherish his dream REX. Dr. Arunachalam came to DRDL and formally
launched the IGMDP on 27th July 1983. It was a great event in which every single employee of
DRDL participated. Everybody was invited from the Indian Aerospace Research. These were the
most significant days in his life. The launch of the IGMDP was like a bright flash on the Indian
scientific firmament.
In next few chapter of ‘Propitiation’ phase, he discusses about Prithvi, Akash, and Trishul and all
the missiles weapons, and its problems, difficulties and at last succession of launching
programme on various time.
In the last phase of the novel, Kalam presents some good lines from the Quran;
“We create and destroy
And again recreate
In forms of which no one knows.”
‘CONTEMPLATION’
As Kalam moved into the ‘Contemplative’, phase of his life, a grateful and worshipful nation
heaped its highest awards on his greatness, and ironically, also made him to take wider ranging
responsibilities in the field of science, technology and defence of realm.
1990, a time of Republic day of nation, the nation celebrated the success of its missile
programme. And he was conferred as the Padma Vibhushan along with Dr. Arunachalam. It was
the first time in history of free India that so many scientists affiliated on the same stage. After
that he shares his joy with his science father, Prof. Sarabhai and Dr. Brahm Prakash. There are
some good lines which were taken from his diary;
“Away! Fond thoughts, and vex my soul no more!
Work claimed my wakeful night, my busy days
Albeit brought memories of Rameswaram shore
Yet haunt my dreaming gaze.”
He gives all credit to the many great visionaries, who prepared him for this life, especially Prof.
Sarabhai, Dr.Dhawan, Dr. Brahm Prakash and his great father with love.
The first launching programme of the ‘Agni’, Kalam moved to the ending part of the story. In
last few pages he tries to analyses himself as the human being, and he says:
“I am not a philosopher, I am only a man of technology, and I spent my life learning in
rocketry.” He ends the book with the fervent prayer that eventually the country will become
strong, prosperous and ‘developed’.
“I am a well in this great land
Looking at its millions of boys and girls
To dram from the inexhaustible divinity
And spread his grace every where
As does the water drawn from a well.”

EPILOGUE
This book is interwoven with his deep involvement in india’s first Satellite Launch Vehicle SLV-
3 and Prithvi, Akash, trishul and Agni programme. In the epilogue he has to posses that future
nation as a ‘developed’ nation. He prays for the two dream plans of the nation; – Self Reliance
Mission and Technology Vision of 2020 – will eventually make our country strong and
prosperous, a ‘developed’ nation.
A very refreshing person, giving a glimpse of what the power of positive thinking can help you
achieve, given the short comings of the beauroucracy in a country such as India. The humble
beginning, hard work, persistence, and above all a passion for life and all things that are possible
in it, are all well described in the book.