COMMUNICATION

Derived from the Latin word, communis, which means common

It is the sharing of information between different individuals. It includes the
sharing of ideas, concepts, imaginations, behaviours and written content.
Communication is simply defined as the transfer of information from one
place to another. This transfer of information can be conducted in different
ways

Every communication involves (at least) one sender, a message and a

recipient.

COMMUNICATION PROCESS

Sender

The very foundation of communication process is laid by the person who

transmits or sends the message. He is the sender of the message which may
be a thought, idea, a picture, symbol, report or an order and postures and
gestures, even a momentary smile. The sender is therefore the initiator of the
message that need to be transmitted. After having generated the idea,
information etc. the sender encodes it in such a manner that can be well-
understood by the receiver.

Message

Message is referred to as the information conveyed by words as in speech

and write-ups, signs, pictures or symbols depending upon the situation and
the nature and importance of information desired to be sent. Message is the
heart of communication. It is the content the sender wants to covey to the
receiver. It can be verbal both written and spoken; or non-verbal i.e. pictorial
or symbolic, etc.

Encoding

Encoding is putting the targeted message into appropriate medium which

may be verbal or non-verbal depending upon the situation, time, space and
nature of the message to be sent. The sender puts the message into a series
of symbols, pictures or words which will be communicated to the intended
receiver. Encoding is an important step in the communication process as
wrong and inappropriate encoding may defeat the true intent of the
communication process.

Channel

Channel(s) refers to the way or mode the message flows or is transmitted

through. The message is transmitted over a channel that links the sender
with the receiver. The message may be oral or written and it may be
transmitted through a memorandum, a computer, telephone, cell phone,
apps or televisions.

Receiver

Receiver is the person or group who the message is meant for. He may be a
listener, a reader or a viewer. Any negligence on the part of the receiver may
make the communication ineffective. The receiver needs to comprehend the
message sent in the best possible manner such that the true intent of the
communication is attained. The extent to which the receiver decodes the
message depends on his/her knowledge of the subject matter of the
message, experience, trust and relationship with the sender.
The receiver is as significant a factor in communication process as the
sender is. It is the other end of the process. The receiver should be in fit
condition to receive the message, that is, he/she should have channel of
communication active and should not be preoccupied with other thoughts
that might cause him/her to pay insufficient attention to the message.
Decoding

Decoding refers to interpreting or converting the sent message into intelligible

language. It simply means comprehending the message. The receiver after
receiving the message interprets it and tries to understand it in the best
possible manner. 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.

Feedback

Feedback is the ultimate aspect of communication process. It refers to the

response of the receiver as to the message sent to him/her by the sender.
Feedback is necessary to ensure that the message has been effectively
encoded, sent, decoded and comprehended.

Tips for improving the communication process

Here are some tips to consider to improve your communication skills and the
communication process overall:

• Simplify your message: In order to ensure your message is properly

understood, you should keep your language simple and to the point.

• Know your audience: It's also important to consider the audience that
will receive your message as well as their needs and interests.

• Be a good listener: As a communicator, it's important to actively listen

to what those around you are saying. This will ensure that you're
sending the right message.

• Ask questions: It's also important to ask good questions to keep the
communication flowing. Make sure your questions are insightful and
engaging.

• Take the time to respond: When communicating, it's important to

consider how you might reply to a person to ensure you know what
you want to say.

• Consider your body language: If you're communicating through a

different medium, it's important to be mindful of your body language. In
 addition, be aware of the body language of the person you're
communicating with, as well.

• Maintain eye contact: It's also important to make contact with the
person or group you're communicating with. This will show that you're
actively listening to who you're communicating with.

• Clarify your message if needed: If the recipient of your message is

unclear about what you're trying to say, it's important to clarify your
message. This will help them to better understand you.

TYPES OF COMMMUNICATION

Verbal communication
Verbal communication is the sharing of information through speech. It includes the
information that people hear on radios, televisions, telephones, speeches and interviews.

Effective verbal communication incorporates the use of interpersonal skills. Factors that
contribute to the effectiveness of verbal communication are the clarity of voice and
perception and listening skills of the recipient.

Verbal communication, if it is conducted in a two-way loop, is usually based on immediate

responses. Verbal communication is also influenced by eye contact, gestures and facial
expressions. The hearing and understanding skills of recipient help him understand the
context of information and develops his responses accordingly. Linguistics and the way of
presenting information build the impact of communication on the recipient.

Eg- Sound, etc.

Non-verbal communication
Written or spoken words are not the only means for sharing a message. When there is no use
of words, and the recipient understands what the sender is asking, then it is known as non-
verbal communication. Non-verbal communication is conducted through eye contact,
postures, gestures, facial expressions, chronemics and haptics.
Visuals are also an excellent way to represent any information. Use of pictures, symbols and
graphs can help a person communicate effectively. Even hairstyles and clothing of a person
convey information regarding his nature, mood and intentions. People use architectures, and
different colours and textures for home and office surfaces to represent their interests and
preferences.

Eg- placards, pictures, signals.

Written communication
Written communication includes the kind of information transfer where the encoding of a
message is done in written form. The message may only be written in words, or it may
include different symbols, or sometimes even machine codes.

Written communication is influenced by writing and representation skills of an individual.

Written message is developed while taking the audience into consideration. Different
audiences have different levels of perceptive abilities. Different kinds of messages require
different techniques of writing. Like an analytical report is written in a way greatly different
to a CV or an essay.


LEVELS OF COMMUNICATIONS

1. Extrapersonal Communication:
Communication is a process that takes place with human . entities and non-human
entities as well. When communication is done with non-human entities it is called to be
extra personal communication.
The perfect coordination and understanding between human and non—human entities
results to extra personal communication. In this communication one participant of the
communication process uses sign language and the other is verbal.

For example, the bark of a pet dog when something happens to the master, wagging of
the tail when master shows bone to the pet dog, licking of cheek at the returning of
master from the work field, chirping of birds when a stranger is at the door, Parrot calling
the name of the master in the morning, etc.

2.Interpersonal Communication:
It involves two parties-a sender and a receiver who use common language to transit
message either through oral communication or written communication. Eg- Discussing a
topic with your friends.

2. lntrapersonal Communication:
Intrapersonal communication is all about talking to ourselves. We use phrase like, ‘telling
ourselves the truth’ or ‘admitting the truth to ourselves” reflects human self-awareness.

Prefix ‘intra’ means ‘within’ hence intrapersonal communication is ‘self talk’.

It is the active internal involvement of the individual in symbolic progressing of messages.
The internal thought process keeps on working even at the sleeping hour.

There are various example in our day-to-day life related to intrapersonal communication.
Like asking the solution for the problem, introspecting about any episode in which you
should not have done that particular act.

3. Organizational Communication:
In a team-based business organization, communication becomes its lifeblood where
people communicate with one another. The flow of communication inside an organization
may filter in up, down and horizontal directions. Besides internal communication.
companies depend on external communication also. Companies exchange messages
with people outside the organization through external communication.

4. Mass Communication:
Newspapers, magazines and periodicals, the means of mass conununication. are
frequently used for oral or written communication. Besides, technologies such as the
intemet, e-mail. voicemail, faxes, audiotape, teleconferencing,videoconferencing and
closed circuit televisions have increased options for internal and external communication.
These fast means help people from all parts of the world to work together.