Communication Practice

1. What is Communication ?

Communication can best be summarized as the transmission of a message from a sender to a receiver in an

understandable manner. The importance of effective communication is immeasurable in the world of business

and in personal life. From a business perspective, effective communication is an absolute must, because it

commonly accounts for the difference between success and failure or profit and loss. It has become clear that

effective business communication is critical to the successful operation of modern enterprise. Every business

person needs to understand the fundamentals of effective communication.

Currently, companies in the United States and abroad are working toward the realization of total quality

management. Effective communication is the most critical component of total quality management. The manner

in which individuals perceive and talk to each other at work about different issues is a major determinant of the

business success. It has proven been proven that poor communication reduces quality, weakens productivity, and

eventually leads to anger and a lack of trust among individuals within the organization.

The communication process is the guide toward realizing effective communication. It is through the

communication process that the sharing of a common meaning between the sender and the receiver takes place.

Individuals that follow the communication process will have the opportunity to become more productive in every

aspect of their profession. Effective communication leads to understanding.

The communication process is made up of four key components. Those components include encoding, medium

of transmission, decoding, and feedback. There are also two other factors in the process, and those two factors

are present in the form of the sender and the receiver. The communication process begins with the sender and

ends with the receiver.

The sender is an individual, group, or organization who initiates the communication. This source is initially

responsible for the success of the message. The sender's experiences, attitudes, knowledge, skill, perceptions, and
culture influence the message. "The written words, spoken words, and nonverbal language selected are paramount

in ensuring the receiver interprets the message as intended by the sender" (Burnett & Dollar, 1989). All

communication begins with the sender.

The first step the sender is faced with involves the encoding process. In order to convey meaning, the sender must

begin encoding, which means translating information into a message in the form of symbols that represent ideas

or concepts. This process translates the ideas or concepts into the coded message that will be communicated. The

symbols can take on numerous forms such as, languages, words, or gestures. These symbols are used to encode

ideas into messages that others can understand.

When encoding a message, the sender has to begin by deciding what he/she wants to transmit. This decision by

the sender is based on what he/she believes about the receivers knowledge and assumptions, along with what

additional information he/she wants the receiver to have. It is important for the sender to use symbols that are

familiar to the intended receiver. A good way for the sender to improve encoding their message, is to mentally

visualize the communication from the receiver's point of view.

To begin transmitting the message, the sender uses some kind of channel (also called a medium). The channel is

the means used to convey the message. Most channels are either oral or written, but currently visual channels are

becoming more common as technology expands. Common channels include the telephone and a variety of written

forms such as memos, letters, and reports. The effectiveness of the various channels fluctuates depending on the

characteristics of the communication. For example, when immediate feedback is necessary, oral communication

channels are more effective because any uncertainties can be cleared up on the spot. In a situation where the

message must be delivered to more than a small group of people, written channels are often more effective.

Although in many cases, both oral and written channels should be used because one supplements the other.

If a sender relays a message through an inappropriate channel, its message may not reach the right receivers. That

is why senders need to keep in mind that selecting the appropriate channel will greatly assist in the effectiveness

of the receiver's understanding. The sender's decision to utilize either an oral or a written channel for
communicating a message is influenced by several factors. The sender should ask him or herself different

questions, so that they can select the appropriate channel. Is the message urgent? Is immediate feedback needed?

Is documentation or a permanent record required? Is the content complicated, controversial, or private? Is the

message going to someone inside or outside the organization? What oral and written communication skills does

the receiver possess? Once the sender has answered all of these questions, they will be able to choose an effective

channel.

After the appropriate channel or channels are selected, the message enters the decoding stage of the

communication process. Decoding is conducted by the receiver. Once the message is received and examined, the

stimulus is sent to the brain for interpreting, in order to assign some type of meaning to it. It is this processing

stage that constitutes decoding. The receiver begins to interpret the symbols sent by the sender, translating the

message to their own set of experiences in order to make the symbols meaningful. Successful communication

takes place when the receiver correctly interprets the sender's message.

The receiver is the individual or individuals to whom the message is directed. The extent to which this person

comprehends the message will depend on a number of factors, which include the following: how much the

individual or individuals know about the topic, their receptivity to the message, and the relationship and trust that

exists between sender and receiver. All interpretations by the receiver are influenced by their experiences,

attitudes, knowledge, skills, perceptions, and culture. It is similar to the sender's relationship with encoding.

Feedback is the final link in the chain of the communication process. After receiving a message, the receiver

responds in some way and signals that response to the sender. The signal may take the form of a spoken comment,

a long sigh, a written message, a smile, or some other action. "Even a lack of response, is in a sense, a form of

response" (Bovee & Thill, 1992). Without feedback, the sender cannot confirm that the receiver has interpreted

the message correctly.

Feedback is a key component in the communication process because it allows the sender to evaluate the

effectiveness of the message. Feedback ultimately provides an opportunity for the sender to take corrective action
to clarify a misunderstood message. "Feedback plays an important role by indicating significant communication

barriers: differences in background, different interpretations of words, and differing emotional reactions" (Bovee

& Thill, 1992).

The communication process is the perfect guide toward achieving effective communication. When followed

properly, the process can usually assure that the sender's message will be understood by the receiver. Although

the communication process seems simple, it in essence is not. Certain barriers present themselves throughout the

process. Those barriers are factors that have a negative impact on the communication process. Some common

barriers include the use of an inappropriate medium (channel), incorrect grammar, inflammatory words, words

that conflict with body language, and technical jargon. Noise is also another common barrier. Noise can occur

during any stage of the process. Noise essentially is anything that distorts a message by interfering with the

communication process. Noise can take many forms, including a radio playing in the background, another person

trying to enter your conversation, and any other distractions that prevent the receiver from paying attention.

Successful and effective communication within an organization stems from the implementation of the

communication process. All members within an organization will improve their communication skills if they

follow the communication process, and stay away from the different barriers. It has been proven that individuals

that understand the communication process will blossom into more effective communicators, and effective

communicators have a greater opportunity for becoming a success.

2. Main types of communication:

1) Interpersonal communication

It is the process of exchange of information, ideas and feelings between two or more people through verbal or

non-verbal methods. If you want to achieve goals and get what you want, you have to work on your interpersonal

communication skills. Being able to convey your feelings and messages clearly and effectively can help people

like you more, and when people like you more, they’re much more likely to cooperate.
The 2017 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report surveyed 959 employers to learn what they were looking for when

recruiting among business master’s graduates. When asked to rank skill sets based on their importance when

hiring for mid-level positions, employers ranked communication skills as the most important.

The 4 types of interpersonal communication:

1. Oral Communication

Oral communication is anything involving speaking, from the words you choose to your tone of voice when you

say them. This type of interpersonal communication probably gets the most attention in the workplace.

Oral communication is vital to your work and can even make you more likeable. In one study, researchers Juliana

Schroeder and Nicholas Epley found that employers and recruiters were more likely to want to hire a job candidate

when they listened to an audio recording of the candidate’s pitch rather than when they read or watched it. This

suggests that voice alone has the power to persuade.

Examples of oral communication

Public speaking, Phone calls, Audio messages, Podcasts, Radio interviews, Meetings

How to improve oral communication

Pay attention to intonation. Intonation, also known as pitch, means the rising and falling of your voice. Generally

speaking, your voice falls at the end of a statement to indicate that you’re done talking, and it rises at the end of

a statement when you are asking a question. There is something known as uptalk or upspeak, though, and recent

research by Amanda Ritchart and Amalia Arvaniti suggests that it may be a way to hold the floor.

Omit or reduce verbal fillers. Verbal fillers are vocalizations such as “um,” “uh,” “you know” and “like.” They’re

useful in that they help others know that you’ve got more to say and are just trying to find the words. This is

particularly helpful when you’re on a phone call because, if you are silent for too long, people on the other line

may think that the call dropped. When verbal fillers are used too much, though, they can be a nuisance for the

listener. So, if you must use them, keep them to a minimum.

Change your speaking rate depending on the situation. How fast or slow you speak can have an effect on your

audience. Speaking fast could be more persuasive, according to the findings of one University of Southern

California study. Speaking slowly, on the other hand, could be seen as more kind. In a study published in the

Journal of Clinical Oncology, researchers Monica McHenry and colleagues found that oncologists who slowed

down their rate of speech when delivering bad news were rated by listeners as being “more caring and

sympathetic.”

2. Written Communication Written communication includes words and symbols (e.g., emojis and punctuation)

that are typed or marked with a pen, pencil or other writing instrument.

Guess what? That means grammar is a form of communication! And just what does your grammar say about

you? Well, it might mark you as a desirable employee. In 2013, Grammarly conducted a study analyzing 100

LinkedIn profiles in the consumer packaged goods industry. All of the professionals included in the study were

native English speakers. Here’s what Grammarly found: having fewer grammar errors in their profiles was linked

to achieving higher positions and more promotions.

When you work remotely, written communication is especially important because it will make up the vast

majority of your day-to-day communication, whether via Slack messages, Google Docs or emails.

Examples of written communication

Email, Slack messages, Text messages Reports, Proposals, Job descriptions, Performance evaluations

How to improve your written communication

Be careful with sarcasm. Sarcasm is among the most difficult things to convey in written communication.

Thankfully, scientists have found a way to make it easier. In a study published in The Quarterly Journal of

Experimental Psychology, researchers Ruth Filik and colleagues found that emoticons convey sarcasm better

than punctuation marks. In particular, the wink face ;-) and tongue face :-P help drive sarcasm home when the

statement is ambiguous.
Further, the researchers found that sarcasm blunts the emotional impact of written statements, making criticism

seem less negative and praise seem less positive. In particular, including a winking emoticon with literal praise

made it seem less positive, while including it with literal criticism made it seem less negative.

Enhance written messages with emojis and GIFs. As long as it’s part of your company culture, using emojis and

GIFs can be helpful when trying to convey the tone of your written message. This is especially true during casual

conversations, such as those between you and a work friend chatting on Slack. Emojis and GIFs can add humor

and emotion to otherwise stale communication. If you’re writing an email to a new client, however, that’s

probably not the time or place to include a GIF.

Know written communication’s limitations. We’re pretty bad at inferring people’s feelings from written text. If

emotion plays a large role in your message, then it’s best to get on the phone. The added ability to hear your voice

will greatly increase the chances that your conversation partner will pick up on the emotions you’re trying to

convey. And, as we saw earlier, hearing your voice could be more persuasive.

3. Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication includes any communication that does not use words: hand gestures, eye contact,

facial expressions, body posture, clothing and even the objects on your desk are conveying a message to your

audience.

In our workplace motivation research, we found that when it comes to communication, people fall on a range of

neutral to affective. Nonverbal communication is where affective communicators shine! They’re experts at

reading nonverbal cues, making them masters of reading the room during negotiations, and they tend to have high

emotional intelligence.

Examples of nonverbal communication Video, Handshake, Eye contact, Facial expressions, Clothing, Voice

pitch

How to improve your nonverbal communication

Incorporate video into your remote work meetings. While neutral communicators will do well with phone calls

or emails because they focus on words to understand a message, affective communicators could really suffer

without nonverbal cues like facial expressions. To accommodate both types, try to incorporate more video into

your meetings.

Use that firm handshake. Yes, that age-old advice about giving a firm handshake still holds. A University of

Alabama study by William Chaplin and colleagues found that people who had a firm handshake made more

favorable impressions. A 2012 study led by Florin Dolcos found that an initial handshake can enhance the positive

effects and reduce the negative effects of a social interaction.

Avoid slouching. Not only is slouching bad for your back, but it could also make you feel less confident. In a

2018 study from San Francisco State University, professor Erik Peper and colleagues had students take math tests

while sitting erect or slouched. After the math tests, 56% of the students said it was easier to perform the

calculations while sitting up straight versus slumped over. So, avoiding slouching could be a simple way to

communicate to yourself, “Hey, I’m feeling confident!” This could be particularly useful before doing a

presentation or giving a speech, as you’ll want to come across as confident to your audience.

4. Listening

I’ve saved the best for last! Listening is a form of communication because, without it, you don’t have true

communication. Plus, the act of listening, which is signaled through things like head nodding, eye contact and

saying “mhm,” sends a message to the speaker: “You have my attention, and your message matters to me.”

Listening goes beyond just hearing what someone is saying; it involves actively trying to understand and consider

what they’re saying. Another interesting thing, especially in this digital age, is that listening doesn’t necessarily

mean there is an audio component. If you’re chatting with someone via Slack messages, you’ll be “listening” to

them (i.e., paying attention to their words and trying to understand) without actually hearing them.

If you want one instant way to improve your likeability, it’s through listening. In one study, Harvard researchers

Karen Huang and colleagues found that asking questions, particularly follow-up questions, made the speaker
more liked by their conversation partner. This is because question-asking is linked to responsiveness, a

characteristic of which listening is a part.

How to improve your listening skills

Resist the urge to chime in. You know the situation: your teammate is describing a problem they’ve run into

during a project, and you’ve got something brilliant to add to the conversation. As tempting as it might be to blurt

it out—hold it. Wait until they’re finished talking and then take the floor.

Take notes. I have a friend who writes things down while I’m talking to her—such as when I mention a good

book I read or a movie I watched—and it always makes me feel good that what I say is so important that she

wants to take notes on it!

Note-taking has two benefits: it shows that you’re listening, and it ensures that you’ll remember the important

points later.

When you’re taking notes during video calls, usually the camera angle is so close that you can’t see pen and

paper. It simply looks like you’re looking off-screen, and perhaps not paying attention. In this case, make sure to

tell the participants that you’re writing down notes about what they’re saying so they don’t feel ignored.

Practice empathy. Cognitive empathy involves “perspective-taking,” where you imagine yourself in another

person’s shoes. It can help you feel a little bit of what that person is going through and withhold judgment. It

makes you a better listener because, instead of listening to correct or confront them, you’re listening to understand

them. You may not agree in the end, but you’ll have a much more fruitful conversation if you attempt to see

where they’re coming from.

Feel free to make the video chat a phone call instead. With remote work, listening becomes particularly tricky

when buffering video and spotty Internet connections come into play. If a poor connection is making it difficult

to listen during your video call, ask them if you can switch to a phone call instead.
 2) Mass communication

It is the process of imparting and exchanging information through mass media to large segments of the

population. It is usually understood for relating to various forms of media, as these technologies are used

for the dissemination of information, of which journalism and advertising are part. In Mass

Communication the receivers are unknown to each other.

The study of mass communication is chiefly concerned with how the content of mass communication persuades

or otherwise affects the behavior, the attitude, opinion, or emotion of the people receiving the information.

Normally, transmission of messages to many persons at a time is called mass communication. But in a complete

sense, mass communication can be understood as the process of extensive circulation of information within

regions and across the globe.

Mass communication (or communications) can be defined as the process of creating, sending, receiving, and

analyzing messages to large audiences via verbal and written media. It is an expansive field that considers not

only how and why a message is created, but the medium through which it is sent. These mediums are wide-

ranging, and include print, digital media and the internet, social media, radio, and television. Mass communication

is multi-disciplinary in nature, incorporating elements of related fields such as strategic communication, health

communication, political communication, integrated marketing communications, journalism, and more.

Almost forty years ago Osmo Wiio argued that mass communication does not accurately portray reality.

Interesting that all this time later we now have a large number of “reality tv” shows that continue to blur the lines

of reality and fiction. Are you always able to tell the difference between fiction and reality in mass

communication? Most people tend to rationalize that others are more affected by mass communication than they

are (Paul, Salwen, & Dupagne). However, we are all susceptible to the influence of mass communication.

“Mass communication theories are explanations and predictions of social phenomena that attempt to relate mass

communication to various aspects of our personal and cultural lives or social systems” (Baran 374). We need to
be discerning as we examine mass communication (Baran). “The beginning of the television age in the 1950s

brought in visual communication as well as stimulated the rise of an interdisciplinary theory of the media.

Contributions were made from economics, history, literature, art, political science, psychology, sociology and

anthropology, and led to the emergence of academic departments of communication and cultural studies” (Briggs

& Burke 2). Mass communication theories explore explanations for how we interact with mass communication,

its role in our lives, and the effects it has on us.

Let’s look at five fundamental theories of mass communication: 1) the magic bullet theory, 2) two-step flow

theory, 3) multi-step flow theory, 4) uses and gratification theory, and 5) cultivation theory.

Magic Bullet Theory. The magic bullet theory (also called the hypodermic needle theory) suggests that mass

communication is like a gun firing bullets of information at a passive audience. “Communication was seen as a

magic bullet that transferred ideas or feelings or knowledge or motivations almost automatically from one mind

to another” (Schramm 8). This theory has been largely discredited by academics because of its suggestion that all

members of an audience interpret messages in the same way, and are largely passive receptors of messages. This

theory does not take into account intervening cultural and demographic variables such as age, ethnicity, gender,

personality, or education that cause us to react differently to the media messages we encounter. However, many

people hold the assumption that media, like television news outlets, simply release information that doesn’t

encourage audience engagement and critical thinking. Rather than give a story with an unbiased message, that

would allow a consumer create an opinion for themselves, media news outlets present stories to audiences that

are attractive to them. Those who believe reality television shows actually portray reality hold some assumptions

of the magic bullet theory.

Two-Step Flow Theory. After World War II, researchers began noticing that not all audiences react in the same

ways to mass communication. Media had less power and relatively less affect than previously assumed (Klapper).

The two-step flow theory suggests that mass communication messages do not move directly from a sender to the

receiver (Katz & Lazarsfeld). Instead, a small group of people, gatekeepers, screen media messages, reshape

these messages, and control their transmission to the masses. Opinion leaders initially consume “media content
on topics of particular interest to them” and make sense of it based upon their own values and beliefs (Baran). In

the second step, the opinion leaders filter and interpret the messages before they pass them along to individuals

with shared ideologies who have less contact with the media, opinion followers. An example of this theory occurs

during political campaigns. Research has shown that during an election, media influence your voting preferences

(Lazarsfeld, Berelson, & Gaudet) through the information they choose to show about a candidate. This research

can still be applied to current political campaigns. Pope Francis has over 4 million followers on twitter and is one

of the most re-tweeted social leaders. He uses social media to engage and influence his followers about what’s

going on in the world. Also, President Obama’s use of social media is highly credit as a key factor in the 2008

election. Conservatives often argue that they are marginalized by the “liberal media,” while liberals argue that

they are marginalized because wealthy conservatives own and control the media. Either way, research reveals

that media dependency becomes increasingly important for the public especially during political campaigns

(Jeffries). You can watch a short video on the Two-Step Flow Theory.

Multi-step Flow Theory. This theory suggests that there is a reciprocal nature of sharing information and

influencing beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors (Troldahl; Troldahl & Van Dam). The idea is that opinion leaders

might create media messages, but opinion followers might be able to sway opinion leaders. Thus, the relationship

to media becomes much more complex. Some believe that the role of the opinion leader in our changing culture

is diminishing (Baran; Kang) particularly with the ability for average people to reach potentially millions of

people through social media. You’ve likely heard the term “going viral” which is something that could not have

happened even ten-fifteen years ago. This mediated diffusion de-bunks the notion of an all powerful media but

still recognizes that media have some effect on the audience.

Uses and Gratification Theory. The uses and gratification theory suggests that audience members actively pursue

particular media to satisfy their own needs. “Researchers focus their attention, then, on how audiences use the

media rather than how the media affect audiences” (Berger 127). The reciprocal nature of the mass

communication process no longer sees the media user as an inactive, unknowing participant but as an active,

sense-making participant that chooses content and makes informed media choices. We tend to avoid media that
do not agree with our values, attitudes, beliefs, or pocketbooks. Schramm argued that we make media choices by

determining how gratified we will be from consuming a particular media. Is it easier for you to read a newspaper

or would you rather watch television or listen to the radio? Even with all the information on the internet, there

are still some people who consider it too time consuming and complex. Yet, many of our students do not have

television sets, but instead watch all television, movies, and videos online. Streaming shows online helps us avoid

commercials and media content in which we choose not to participate. Netflix, for example, requires a monthly

fee in order for you to be commercial free during your shows, but usually you have to wait a season to watch

shows. Whereas, Hulu charges under $5 for their services and share 2-5 commercials per episode, but you can

watch the shows during the original season they are aired. These new ways of watching television have allowed

the consumer to make active choices about what media the use and consume.

Cultivation Theory. Cultivation theory questions how active we actually are when we consume mass

communication. For example, the average American views between three and five hours of television a day for

an average of 21 hours per week (Hinckly). According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, by age 18, the

average American child will have watched 200,000 acts of violence on television. This statistic does not even

take into account the violence a child has access through YouTube videos, Instagram, Facebook, music videos or

any other media distribution. When violence is shown on television, rarely are the negative consequences of it

acknowledged-47% of victims show no evidence of harm and 73% of perpetrators were not held accountable for

their violent actions (Huston et al.).

What kind of impact does all of this have? Is it possible to tell when the average viewer becomes desensitized to

violent content, or does it serve as an outlet for normal aggression? Why doesn’t all violent content affect every

viewer in the same manner? Does too much consumption of violent media cause violent behavior from viewers?

People who consume a lot of media see the world as a more violent and scary place because of the high levels of

violence they see (Gerbner).

The theory has been extended to address the more general influences of media on human social life and personal

beliefs (Lowery; DeFleur). Media present cultural realities such as fear of victimization (Sparks & Ogles), body
image, promiscuity, religion, families, attitudes toward racism (Allen & Hatchett), sex roles, and drug use.

Kilbourne states, “Advertising doesn’t cause eating problems, of course, any more than it causes alcoholism.

[However,] Advertising does promote abusive and abnormal attitudes about eating, drinking, and thinness” (261).

Gerbner developed the three B’s which state that media blurs people’s traditional distinctions of reality, blends

people’s realities into one common cultural mainstream, and bends the mainstream to fit its institutional interests

and the interests of its sponsors.

Mass communication theories are outlined into three categories:(1) theories about culture and society, (2) theories

of influence and persuasion and (3) media use theories (Littlejohn and Foss). Understanding a few of the theories

on mass communication, let’s look at some skills that will help you become a better and more critical consumer

of mass communication.

Functions of Mass communication

Surveillance of the Environment

Mass communication exists to observe and inform. Mass media keeps citizens informed of news and events. In

times of crisis, mass media announcements offer warnings and instructions.

For example, when natural disasters occur, such as hurricanes, blizzards and tsunamis, traditional and social

media outlets are the key communication tools to relay information about the path of an impending storm or to

inform people about school and business closures, and how to seek shelters and find evacuation routes. Media is

also used as tools of government authorities to protect citizens with important updates.

The Correlation Function

Traditional news outlets once were the only arbiters of what was selected as newsworthy and of how broadcasters

and journalists interpreted information. Alternatively, newspapers tapped experts in the field. Although publishers

and news stations may have had their biases, most organizations maintained the old, hard-formed principles of

journalism.
Today, social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook may indicate that often, no middleman exists, who

can correlate events in an objective, interpretative way. Users can be fed farfetched stories that look like "real

news," when, in fact, they are anything but. In particular, Facebook, has been the site of fake news stories that

has caused the platform more than a few headaches. Although the company is an important part of mass media,

it is not a news site.

The correlation function is not in the hands of Facebook executives, and Facebook doesn't claim it to be so. In

January, 2018, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg determined that users themselves could decide the difference

between real and fake news when he wrote, “We could try to make that decision ourselves, but that's not

something we're comfortable with.”

Cultural Transmission and Influencing Societal Norms

Although the first two functions are to provide and interpret news and information, the third allows media to

reflect and influence societal norms. The media serve as transmitters of cultural messages, letting the masses

understand what are considered acceptable forms of behavior. Cultural transmission, however, evolves. What

once was taboo can become the norm when enough people embrace it and when the media report on it.

The news may be what’s happening on TV or on social media but it can also be what’s happening on television

stations and on YouTube channels. In the 1950s, Lucy and Dezi slept in separate twin beds on "I Love Lucy" but

the show presented Lucy as pregnant. The Brady family shared a bed on "The Brady Bunch" long before any

other sitcom or television drama, and now "The Fosters" present foster kids raised by a lesbian couple. All three

shows reflected the culture of the times while also setting up and condoning new norms.

Education and Entertainment

Media also serves as cultural transmitters that educates and entertains. Long before the advent of mass media,

people were forced to entertain themselves. They may have participated in activities or attended live events. The

advent of mass communication enabled viewers and listeners to see and hear and learn in real time from wherever

they are.
Social media platforms take that entertainment factor even further. You no longer need to rely on radio

broadcasters or producers to provide your entertainment. Any kid with a smartphone can upload a silly video to

YouTube and make you laugh for hours.

Theories whose roots were at the dawn of mass communication are still relevant today, even though these forms

of communication continue to evolve.

3) Intrapersonal communication

This type can be defined as communication with one’s self, and that may include self-talk, acts of imagination

and visualization, and even recall and memory (McLean, 2005).

Intrapersonal (“within the self”) skills are the internal abilities and behaviors that help you manage emotions,

cope with challenges, and learn new information

These skills, which relate to emotional intelligence, include things like:

self-confidence; resilience, self-discipline, persistence, openness to new ideas, the ability to overcome

distractions, time management

3. Leadership and communication

Leadership is a process of giving purpose (meaningful direction) to collective effort, and causing willing effort

to be expended to achieve purpose (Jacobs & Jaques,1990) Adeoye Mayowa defines leadership as the ability to

evaluate and or forecast a long term plan or policy and influence the followers towards the achievement of the

said strategy.

 leadership skills

There are many different leadership skills required in the workplace, but the most in-demand ones include:

 Active listening
  The ability to share clear messages and make complex ideas easy to understand for everyone
 Strategic thinking skills
 Creativity
 The ability to inspire and convince others
 Flexibility
 The ability to turn information into action
 Project planning
 Active listening
 The ability to assess employees’ strengths and weaknesses
 Time management
 The ability to build trust
 Strong communication skills
 Positivity
 Reliability
 Management skills
 The ability to align the employees with the company values and goals
 A strong leadership vision
 The ability to help employees find meaning at work
 Strong charisma

 Leadership styles:

Leadership often influences Communication. As we already know that communication has a great impact on

effective leadership precisely the same is the case with leadership styles. There exists a vice-a-versa relation

between the two (Benita Zulch, 2014). Following are the styles of leadership, which affects communication:

A. Style According to the Situation

The style of leadership is concerned with the practice and use of diverse leadership styles under unlike

situations according to the need of audiences and personal leadership qualities. Under every situation the

communication gets affected as some situations demand direct and strict communication and in other situation

leader has to opt for indirect ways of communication. This can even make communication an effective process

sometimes or may lead to mis-communication.

B. Goal Oriented Leadership Style

Every leader has a vision or goal for him and for his team. This vision or goals are synchronized with

organizational aims and objectives. The leaders have to communicate the vision and goals to his team so as
 to motivate them to achieve them with efficiency. He communicates in a way so that he will be able to make

others see what he is expecting from them. Team Involvement, effective listening, clear and timely

communication is the main feature of this style. This style of leadership makes communication an effective

communication.

C. Directive Leadership Style

In this style of leadership the leader helps his teams to achieve their personal work targets and team targets

by telling them the appropriate methods and showing the right directions to achieve those goals. He acts as a

director, who support and enables his team to follow the path which leads them to achieve their goals more

easily and perfectly by communicating effectively.

D. People Centric or Employee Orientated

According to this there are two types of employees working in a team: active and lazy. The active category

includes those employees who are self-motivated and enthusiastic to work hard for accomplishing the tasks

given to them. Another one is those who need regular motivation and encouragement to perform their duties.

Here the leadership style people centric as leader have to be in regular touch and communication with these

employees to get the work done. The leader has to make strategies in accordance to employees to make them

attached to their work. Communication is an important part of this leadership style.

E. Leadership Style According to the Intellectual Level

It is believed that a leader must adjust his leadership style by keeping in mind the intellectual level and

maturity of the employees. Here maturity does not refer to the sensitivity or age, but it means work stability,

tendency to handle complex situations, potential of achieving given target. Effective leaders always try to

maintain a good balance by adjusting the leadership method which further has an influence on

communication.

F. Behavioral Leadership Style

This style of leadership differentiates among two elementary ways of leadership; one is a work-orientated and

the other one is individual orientated. Accomplishment, inspiration, readiness and aptitude to take
 accountability, learnings and knowledge regulate the blend of this style. This leadership style does not depend

on so many ways, but it hinge on the situation, where and why it has to be used. The consequence of this style

is that during communication, associations must have sufficient consideration to make interaction a successful

one.

G. Action Based Leadership Style

This style recommends that the leader should give emphasis to three main duties; assignment, group and

individual. A leader must have to concentrate on the assignment given, the team working on that assignment and

individual issues of the team members and should try to meet the deadlines by focusing on each one at different

times. Here, the main drive of the team is to get the work done and the leader has to uphold the focus of the team

to Achieve objectives. It is essential for a leader to boost and increase the balance between the needs of the tasks,

team and individuals by regularly and effectively communicating with them.