Understanding

Communication Skills
Applying the Seven Stages of the Communications
Process
 
Conveying a message to other people clearly might sound simple,
but it's a process that is often fraught with error.

Many people struggle to communicate effectively – verbally and in

writing. They impart thoughts and ideas that don't reflect their
intended meaning, and that their recipients misinterpret or
misunderstand.

This can result in confusion, frustration, wasted effort, and missed

opportunities. Communication breaks down, causing collaboration
and progress to become impossible.

Research shows that good communication is one of the top "soft"

skills that managers look for in employees. But communication will
only ever be successful when both the person sending the message
and the person receiving it understand the key messages being put
across.
In this article and in the video below, we look at how to make your
communications foolproof using a seven-step framework known as
the Communications Process.

How Do We Communicate?
Did you know that any time that you communicate with another
person, you are using the Communications Process (see figure 1,
below)?

It stands to reason then that understanding this process will help

you to become more aware of what is happening as you
communicate, and the things you can do to ensure that your
message gets received "loud and clear."

Figure 1. The Communications Process

From "The Mathematical Theory of Communication," Copyright 1949, 1998, by the Board of
Trustees of the University of Illinois. Used with the permission of the University of Illinois Press.
To be an effective communicator, you need to make sure that your
messages are clear, concise, accurate, and well planned   . This
will avoid misunderstanding and ensure that they get through each
stage of the Communications Process without a hitch.
Let's take a look at the seven stages of the process in more detail:

1. Source
The "source" is the sender of the message – in other words, you!
And the "message" refers to the information and ideas that you
want to deliver.

You need to be clear about what message you want to

communicate, and why it's important – what's its main purpose?
And, moreover, why should anyone care? You also need to be
confident that the information that you impart is useful and
accurate.

2. Encoding
This stage involves putting your message into a format that you can
send, and that the receiver will be able to easily understand or
"decode." Your success will depend on your ability to convey
information clearly and simply, and to eliminate areas of confusion.

For example, be aware of any cultural mismatch between you and

your recipient. Also, avoid making assumptions about the receiver's
existing knowledge of the subject. You might know the "ins and
outs" of what you're talking about, but he or she probably won't.
Lastly, steer clear of gaps in the information that require a "mental
leap."

A key part of being a successful encoder is knowing your audience.

Failure to understand and respect who it includes will likely result in
your message "falling flat," and being misunderstood, dismissed or
even ignored.

3. Channel
There are countless different channels that you can use to send your
message.

Verbal communications channels include face-to-face meetings,

telephone and videoconferencing. While written communications
include letters, reports, emails, instant messaging (IM), and social
media posts. You might also want to include videos, photos,
illustrations, or charts and graphs in your message to emphasize
your main points.

Different channels have different strengths and weaknesses. For

example, it's not particularly effective to give a long list of directions
verbally, and you'll be better off delivering sensitive feedback in
person, rather than via email.

So, choose the channel that you use carefully. Our article, Tune
Your Communication   , can help you to do this.

4. Decoding
Successfully decoding a message is as much a skill as encoding it is.
To accurately decode a message, you need to take the time to read
through it carefully, or to listen actively   to it.
Confusion will most likely occur at this stage of the Communications
Process, though that doesn't mean it will always be the decoders
fault. He might lack sufficient background knowledge to understand
the message, or he might not understand the specific jargon   or
technical language that you are using. It's therefore essential that
you tackle issues like these at the encoding stage.

5. Receiver
No doubt, you'll want your audience members to react in a certain
way or take a specific action in response to your message.
Remember, though, that each person is different, and will interpret
it subjectively.

Every receiver who enters into the Communication Process brings

with them their own ideas and feelings that influence their
understanding of your message, and their response to it.

That means it's your job, as the sender, to take these ideas and
feelings into consideration when drawing up your message. To do
this effectively, brush up on your emotional intelligence   and
empathy   skills.

6. Feedback
Your audience will likely give you feedback   as soon as it's seen
or heard your message. This might include verbal or nonverbal  
reactions. Pay close attention to these, as they will reveal whether
your audience truly understood your message.
If you find that there has been a misunderstanding, try to adapt the
message. For instance, if you're talking about a complex subject,
find a simpler way to communicate it. Could you break it down into
steps, or remove technical jargon? This will make it easier for
everyone in your audience to grasp the subject matter, no matter
their background knowledge.
7. Context
The "context" is the situation in which you deliver your message.
This may include the current political and social environment, or the
broader culture (for instance, the corporate culture or the national
culture.)

Tip:
For further tips on how to organize and present your messages
clearly and accurately, see our article, The Communication Cycle
.

How to Remove Barriers From the

Communication Process
Barriers to communication can pop up at any stage of the process.
So, to deliver your messages effectively, you must break these
down.

Let's begin with the message itself. If your message is too lengthy,
disorganized, or is full of jargon or errors, it'll likely be
misunderstood and misinterpreted – it might even make your
recipient confused or angry! Using poor verbal or body language can
also muddle the message that you're trying to send.

Contextual barriers tend to stem from offering too much

information, too fast. So, remember that often "less is more." Be
mindful of the demands on other people's time, especially given
today's ultra-busy society.

Finally, put your message into context. Make sure that you know
your audience's culture   . This will help you to converse with and
to deliver your message to people that have different backgrounds
and cultures than you.
Key Points
The ability to communicate clearly and effectively has become an
increasingly sought-after skill in the workplace. Despite this, it's one
that many people struggle with.
You can become a more capable communicator by gaining a better
understanding of the Communications Process – that is the process
we go through each time that we communicate with someone. It
includes seven stages:
1. Source.
2. Encoding.
3. Channel.
4. Decoding.
5. Receiver.
6. Feedback.
7. Context.