I.

Nature of communication

1. It is a process

It has a beginning because it has a sender it goes through a media and then it reaches the receiver and
this process of sending and receiving is the communication process.

2. It is inevitable

Anything cannot survive without communication, they are communicating all the time - it’s like
breathing in any living atmosphere whether the plants, animals or human beings, we are communicating
all the way.

3. Meaning based

Every communication has a meaning even when we breathe we communicate that we are alive, when
we close our eyes we say we are asleep – taking rest, so whether verbal or non-verbal we are
communicating all the way.

4. Communication could be intentional and unintentional

Intentionally when it serves a particular purpose and we wanted to reach a certain audience the way we
want to send it and

Unintentional when we convey, when we may not want to convey what we want to convey, like when
we are stressed or we are nervous and those things are visible in a non-verbal gesture that we make.

5. Communication is systematic

Communication is a series and it’s a process.

6. A two-way traffic

There is a sender and there’s a receiver, so when the sender is giving information, the receiver is
accepting and giving feedback.

7. Communication is a social process

All social beings communicate and human beings are no exception.

8. A dynamic process

Communication is ever-changing – what we say today, we may not say tomorrow.

9. Continuous process

Communication keeps on going in one form or another – verbal, non-verbal, written, etc.

10. Communication involves interaction and transaction

When you convey something to someone, you’re interacting with that person, similarly when that
person says something to you, that person is interacting with you and in the process a transaction
happens.
 11. It is a spiraling process

When we start the communication process the levels at which two human beings are, are totally
different. There is a build up that keeps happening as the level of trust improves and it’s a spiral that
takes to the final output which is a proper understanding and a trust that is created.

12. It is contextual

Different things we say at different places have different meanings.

13. Needs proper understanding

The reason to have effective communication is that we convey what we want to convey and that is
extremely important from a business communication point of view.

14. Leads achievement of the organizational objective

Business communications objective is that it should lead to an achievement and that’s why it has to be
done in a proper fashion.

15. Dispels misunderstanding

If only communication was not there or if there was no proper communication in a business
environment there could only be misunderstandings and hence it’s important that there is a proper
channel of communication.

16. It has four specific skills

Reading, writing, speaking and listening.

17. It is all pervasive

It is there all the way.

18. It shares thoughts and ideas, which produce response

When we want to say something and we expect some feedback so that some action and reaction can
happen.

19. It is the life blood of the business

It’s the lifeblood of the social process itself and it plays a major role as far as business is concerned.
Anything that happens in business happens through communication and to an effective communication.

II. Verbal and Non-verbal communication

1. Verbal communication

When the whole thing is oral. It’s done very often in training, in politics when there’s a mass
communication happening.

2. Non-verbal communication
The usage of body language and other gestures are all part of non-verbal communication.

III. One-way Process and Two-Way Process communication

1. One-way Process communication

In one-way communication, information is transferred in one direction only, from the sender to the
receiver. There isn't any opportunity for the receiver to give feedback to the sender.

Bob is going out of town on a weekend business trip this morning. He wants his secretary to order lunch
for the executive board meeting next week. As Bob heads out the door, he jots down a note for his
secretary and leaves it on her desk.

The model of one-way communication looks like this:

Sender (Bob)-----------> Message (Order lunch) ---------> Receiver (Secretary)

One-way communication is frequently used when the sender wants to give factual information or when
they want to persuade or manipulate their audience and gain their cooperation.

2. Two-way Process communication

Many businesses and municipal services rely on two-way communication systems to stay in touch with
their employees on site and in the field. Some of the most common examples of two-way
communication systems are the radio, telephone, and computer-aided dispatch systems used by police,
fire, and emergency response personnel. These systems allow dispatchers and supervisors to keep in
touch with individuals and to coordinate the activities of groups of responders.

Two-way communications systems are also routinely used in the construction and building trades, public
transportation, the trucking industry, and aviation by commercial and non-commercial pilots, just to
name a few.

Two-way communication systems vary greatly in sophistication and special features. They range from
simple handheld two-way transceivers that use a single dedicated channel to more complex systems
that allow a large number of users to share several channels. The type of system chosen depends on
many factors, such as the intended use, the location, the number of users, the frequency band, and the
cost of the system. Regardless of the type of system chosen, the one common feature is that all of the
components must be compatible and work together to support a common purpose.

IV. Objectives/Purpose of business communication

For some professionals, the purpose of communication in business can sometimes seem like an excuse
for a boss or a customer to talk endlessly about their problems. Effective executives understand the
opportunity inherent in that kind of communication to uncover powerful solutions that can propel a
company to long-term success.
Features

Achieving real effectiveness requires executives to define the outcome they want to achieve from any
communication with a customer or with a colleague. Author and lecturer Asha Kaul writes that setting
an expected outcome helps communicators focus their energy on a specific, measurable goal. In
addition, Kaul notes that the most powerful business communication requires an interactive cycle
marked by speaking and listening. For instance, a salesperson and a prospect may volley
communications for days or weeks before arriving at the intended next action: a closed deal.

Effects

Viewing the purpose of communication as an opportunity to reach a defined goal helps professionals
refocus their efforts around cultivating strong relationships, inside and outside their organizations. The
effects of building a feedback cycle around engaged listening often include increased sales, earned trust,
and status as a key adviser for customers and executives. Using scenario planning and other conceptual
tools, professionals can review their progress along a longer-term path, reducing frustration over
perceived audience resistance.

Considerations

The cliché about the customer always being right haunts many executives. Retailer Marshall Field often
gets credit for coining the phrase, but modern professionals understand that a powerful communication
cycle can bridge the gap between parties until they see clear ways to meet each other’s’ needs. For
instance, in an engaged feedback cycle, a salesperson doesn’t have to bend his offering to match the
exact request of a customer. Instead, he can reframe or refocus the message to highlight that a
customer’s feedback has been heard and integrated into the ongoing conversation.

Misconceptions

Failing to acknowledge a prospect’s concerns can derail communication, often negating the original
purpose for engagement. For example, direct mail marketing companies often earn criticism for
blanketing prospects with multiple mail pieces while leaving no opportunity for audience feedback.
Novice marketers might mistakenly blame an audience for failing to understand the mass-produced
message. However, experienced communicators use alternative methods to learn why prospects ignore
advertising. Tailoring future campaigns to include their feedback results in more consistent success.

Benefits

When business professionals clarify the purpose of their communication, they often develop a
commitment to achieving goals. In his book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” author
Stephen Covey advises readers to “seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Matching up that
habit with the skill to measure success in small segments gives leaders the tools necessary to celebrate
consistent wins on the way to long-term achievement.