Communication

Communication is transfer and understanding of meaning.

The Process of communication:
1. Sender: initiates a message by encoding a thought.
2. Message: actual physical product from the sender’
s encoding. When we
speak, the speech is the message.
3. Channel: medium through which the message travels.
a) Formal channel- established by the organization; follow the authority
chain within the organization.
b) Informal channel- personal or social messages; these are spontaneous
and emerge as a response to individual choices.
4. Receiver: the object to whom the message is directed.
5. Feedback: check on how successful we’
ve been in transferring our
messages as originally intended.
Direction of communication:
A. Downward- communication that flows from one level of a group to a
lower level is downward. Eg: managers communicating with
employees. Downward communication can be oral or face-to-face
contact or even written.
B. Upward- communication that flows to a higher level in the group is
upward. It is used to provide feedback to higher-ups, inform them of
progress toward goals, and relay current problems.
C. Lateral- communication that takes place among members of the same
work group, among managers at the same level, or any other
horizontally equivalent personnel is lateral communication.
 Types of communication:

Oral Written Nonverbal

Barriers to Effective Communication:

Following are the factors that can retard or distort effective communication:

1. Informational Overload- Individuals have a finite capacity for processing

data. When the information we have to work with exceeds our processing
capacity, the result is information overload.
2. Emotions- The way the receiver feels at the time of receipt of
communication influences how he or she interprets it. The same message
received when you are angry is often interpreted differently than when you
are happy.
3. Language- Even when we’ re communicating in the same language, words
mean different things to different people. Senders tend to assume that the
words and terms they use mean the same to the receiver as they do to them.
This assumption is often incorrect.
4. Communication Apprehension- Lots of people dread speaking in front of a
group. People with communication apprehension may find it extremely
difficult to talk face-to-face or may be extremely anxious when they have to
use the telephone.
5. Gender Difference- Research shows that men tend to use talk to emphasize
status, whereas women tend to use it to create connections. These tendencies,
of course, do not apply to every man and every woman.
6. “Politically Correct”communication- One must avoid using words that
can offend others. However, politically correct communication is so
concerned with being inoffensive that meaning and simplicity is lost or free
expression is hampered.