Business Communication Module (Repaired)

Administrative and Business Communication (Mgmt1063)
CHAPTER ONE
1. COMMUNICATION AN OVERVIEW
Learning Objectives
After you study this chapter, you will be able to:

- Define communication in general
- Describe the significance of communication
- Explain the role of communication in Management
Chapter outline
1.1 Meaning of Communication
.
1.2 Significance of Communication
.
1.3 Communication in Management
.
1.1. Meaning of Communication

Communication as an academic discipline relates to all the ways we communicate, so it embraces
a large body of study and knowledge. The communication discipline includes both verbal and
nonverbal messages. A body of scholarship all about communication is presented and explained
in textbooks, electronic publications, and academic journals. In the journals, researchers report
the results of studies that are the basis for an ever expanding understanding of how we all
communicate. Communication teachers and scholars, in 1995, developed a definition of the field
of communication to clarify it as a discipline for the public.
The field of communication focuses on how people use messages to generate meanings within
and across various contexts, cultures, channels, and media. The field promotes the effective and
ethical practice of human communication.
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Communication is the transfer of information from a sender to a receiver with the information
being understood by the receiver.
Communication is a learned skill. Most people are born with the physical ability to talk, but we
must learn to speak well and communicate effectively. Speaking, listening, and our ability to
understand verbal and nonverbal meanings are skills we develop in various ways. We learn basic
communication skills by observing other people and modeling our behaviors based on what we
see. We also are taught some communication skills directly through education, and by practicing
those skills and having them evaluated.
Definitions
The word Communication is derived from a Latin word “cummunicare” which means “to share”.
Therefore, the word communication means sharing of ideas, messages and words expressed
through a language, which is easily comprehensible to the listener. Communication starts with a
sender, who has a message to send to the receiver. The sender must encode the message and
select a communication channel that will deliver it to the receiver. In communicating facts, the
message may be encoded with words, numbers, or digital symbols; in communicating feelings; it
may be encoded as body language or tone of voice.
Some important definitions of communication given by prominent writers are as follows:-

1. “Communication is the means by which people are linked together in an organization to achieve a
common purpose.” Chestar I. Bernard
2. “Communication is the broad field of human interchange of facts and opinions and not the
technologies of telephone, radio and the like.”Charles E. Redfield
3. “Communication is the act or action of transmitting information.” Leslie W. Rue
4. “Communication is a process involving the transmission and accurate replication of ideas
reinforced by feedback purporting to stimulate actions to accomplish organizational goals.” Scott
5. “Communication is the transmission and reception of ideas, feelings and attitudes both verbally
and non-verbally eliciting a response. It is a dynamic concept underlying all kinds of living
system.” Sig bond
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Business communication is a specialized field and branch of general communication. It is hardly

possible to make a basic difference between the two. The process and the principles that regulate
them are similar. Their difference lies in their application to situations. General communication is
concerned with many roles at large. On the other hand business communication is concerned with
business activities like internal business activities: maintaining and improving the morale of
employees, giving order to workers, prescribing methods and procedures, announcing policies
and organizational changes, and etc… as well as external business activities: selling and buying
goods and services, reporting the government and shareholders on the financial condition of the
business operations and etc.
1.2. Significance of Communication

Oral communication has long been our main method for communicating with one another. It is
estimated that 75% of a person’s day is spent communicating in some way. A majority of your
communication time may be spent speaking and listening, while a minority of that time is spent
reading and writing. These communication actions reflect skills which foster personal, academic,
and professional success.
The purpose of communication is to get your message across to others clearly and
unambiguously. Doing this involves effort from both the sender of the message and the receiver.
And it's a process that can be filled with error, with messages often misinterpreted by the
recipient. When this isn't detected, it can cause tremendous confusion, wasted effort and missed
opportunity.
In fact communication is only successful when both the sender and the receiver understand the
same information as a result of the communication. By successfully getting your message across,
you convey your thoughts and ideas effectively. When not successful, the thoughts and ideas that
you send do not necessarily reflect your own, causing a communications breakdown and creating
roadblocks that stand in the way of your goals – both personally and professionally.
In spite of the increasing importance placed on communication skills, many individuals continue
to struggle, unable to communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively – whether in verbal or
written format. This inability makes it nearly impossible for them to compete effectively in the
workplace, and stands in the way of career progression.
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Getting your message across is paramount to progressing. To do this, you must understand what
your message is, what audience you are sending it to, and how it will be perceived. You must also
weigh-in the circumstances surrounding your communications, such as situational and cultural
context.
Many of the problems that occur in an organization are the direct result of people failing to
communicate. Faulty communication causes the most problems. It leads to confusion and can
cause a good plan to fail. Communication is the exchange and flow of information and ideas from
one person to another. It involves a sender transmitting an idea to a receiver. Effective
communication occurs only if the receiver understands the exact information or idea that the
sender intended to transmit.
Studying the communication process is important because you coach, coordinate, counsel,
evaluate, and supervise through this process. It is the chain of understanding that integrates the
members of an organization from top to bottom, bottom to top, and side-to-side.
The importance of communication in any managerial process can hardly be overemphasized. If

an organization is to operate as an integrated unit, it is necessary that the top management should
keep the lower level supervisors and employees well informed of its ultimate objectives and what
it wants each person to accomplish toward their realization.
The importance of a communication may be summarized as follows:-
1. Establish and disseminate goals of an enterprise.

2. Develop plans for their achievement.
3. Organize human and other resources in the most effective and efficient way.
4. Select, develop and apprise member of the organization.
5. Lead, direct, motivate and create a climate in which people want to contribute.
6. Control performances.
Activity: 3
List down the importance of communication from individual and organizational
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perspectives.
Activity: 4
Recall working days in your organization that you are currently employed. Remember an
incident or crisis which is brought about as a result of miscommunication and write the
reasons, the result of that incidence and the measures that were taken by the organization.
Write all this in your note book.
Activity: 5
List down some of the disadvantage of communication and that of business communication
specifically and the remedies to these problems from your own point of view.
1.3. Communication in Management
In today’s enterprise, information must flow faster than ever before. Even a short stoppage on a
fast moving production line can be very costly in lost out. It is therefore, essential that production
problems be communicated quickly for corrective action. Another important element is the
amount of information, which has greatly increased over the years frequently causing an
information overload. What often needed is not more information, but relevant information. It is
necessary to determine what kind of information the manager needs to have for effective decision
making. To obtain this information frequently requires getting information from managers’
supervisors and subordinates and also from departments and people elsewhere in an organization.
To be effective, a manager needs information necessary to carryout managerial functions and

activities. Yet even a causal glance at communication systems shows that managers often lack
vital information for decision-making, or they may get too much information, resulting in over
load. It is evident that managers must be discriminating in selecting information. A simple way
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for a manager to start is to ask, “What do I really need to know for my job?” or, “what would
happen if I did not get this information on a regular basis?” It is not maximum information that a
manager needs but pertinent information. Clearly, there is no universally applicable
communication system; rather, it must be tailored to the manger’s needs.
Communication is the lifeblood of an organization. If we could somehow remove communication

flows from an organization, we would not have an organization.
It is needed for :-
 Exchanging information
 Exchanging options
 Making plans and proposals
 Reaching agreement
 Executing decisions
 Sending and fulfilling orders
 Conducting sales
When communication stops, organized activity ceases to exist. Individual uncoordinated activity
returns in an organization. So, Communication in an organization is as vital as blood for life.
Basically, the two most important types of communication in an organization are formal and
informal communications.
Activity 6
Who are the participants in the process of communication within a business organization?
SUMMARY
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The word Communication is derived from a Latin word “cummunicare” which means “to share”.
Therefore, the word communication means sharing of ideas, messages and words expressed
through a language, which is easily comprehensible to the listener. Communication starts with a
sender, who has a message to send to the receiver. Different scholars give different definition for
communication. Some of the definitions focus on relationship that exists among different
individuals or groups. Others recognize it as a means of transmitting message or ideas or
anything that the sender likes to convey to the receiver.
Business communication is concerned with business activities like internal business activities:
maintaining and improving the morale of employees, giving order to workers, prescribing
methods and procedures, announcing policies and organizational changes, and etc… as well as
external business activities: selling and buying goods and services, reporting the government and
shareholders on the financial condition of the business operations and etc…
The importance of a communication may be summarized as follows:
- Establish and disseminate goals of an enterprise.

- Develop plans for their achievement.
- Organize human and other resources in the most effective and efficient way.
- Select, develop and appraise members of the organization.
- Lead, direct, motivate and create a climate in which people want to contribute.
- Control performances.
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CHAPTER TWO
2. THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS
Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter, you will be able to:
- Describe elements of communication

- Describe barriers of communication
- Discuss the groups and teams, interpersonal communication and team work.
Chapter outline
2.1. Elements of Communication Process

2.2. Barriers of Communication
2.3. Interpersonal Communications and Team Work
Introduction
The purpose of this chapter is to offer you comprehensive information about the elements of
communication process, barriers of communication and teams and groups.
This chapter includes activities and self assessment questions. So you are kindly requested to do
the activities and self assessment questions in order to successfully achieve the learning
objectives of the chapter.
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2.1. Elements of Communication Process

Communication is a process of sending and receiving verbal and nonverbal messages.
Communication is considered effective when it achieves the desired reaction or response from the
receiver. Communication is a two way process of exchanging ideas or information. Two-way
communication or feedback will help to know if the message is properly received. This feedback
tells the sender that the receiver understood the message, its level of importance, and what must
be done with it. Communication is an exchange, not just a give, as all parties must participate to
complete the information exchange.
Thought: First, information exists in the mind of the sender. This can be a concept, idea,
information, or feelings.
Encoding: Next, a message is sent to a receiver in words or other symbols.
Decoding: Lastly, the receiver translates the words or symbols into a concept or information that
he or she can understand.
To be an effective communicator and to get your point across without misunderstanding and
confusion, your goal should be to lessen the frequency of these problems at each stage of this
process with clear, concise, accurate, well-planned communications. We follow the process
through below:
The process of communication has six components: context, sender/encoder, message, medium,
receiver/decoder, and feedbacks.
Context
Every message, whether oral or written, begins with context. Context is a broad field that
includes country, culture, organization, and external and internal stimuli. Another aspect of
context is the external stimuli. Internal stimuli have effect on how you translate ideas into a
message. Your attitudes, opinions, emotions, past experiences, likes and dislikes, education, job
status and confidence in your communication skills, all influences the way you communicate
your ideas, especially important in your ability to analyze your receiver’s cultural,
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viewpoint ,needs ,skills, status, metal ability, experience and expectation. You must consider all
these aspects of context in order to communicate a message effectively.
Sender / Encoder
While sending a message, you are the “encoder”, the writer or speaker, depending on whether
your message is written or oral you choose symbols—words, graphic, pictures—that express
your message so that the receiver(s) will understand and react as you desire. You decide which
symbols best convey your message and which message channel will be most effective among the
oral and written media (letter, memo, telephone, etc)
Message
The message is the main idea that you wish to communicate; it is of both verbal (written or
spoken) symbols and nonverbal (unspoken) symbols. First decide exactly what your message is.
Also consider the receiver of your message. You must also consider your context and your
receiver’s as well. How your receiver will interpret your message and how it may affect your
relationship.
Medium/Channel
It means the way by which a message is communicated. You can choose electronic mail, the
printed word or sound etc. The choice of medium is affected by the relationship between the
sender and the receiver. The urgency of a message can also be a factor in whether to use the
written or spoken medium. You may also consider factors such as importance, number of
receivers, costs and amount of information; you must also consider which medium is preferred in
the receiver’s culture. Based on research, the following describe some of the characteristics found
in oral and written communication.
Oral Communication
- The oral communication brings back immediate feedback

- It has a conversational nature with shorter words and sentences
- It stresses on interpersonal relations
- This medium needs less technical details
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- Its sentence structures are simple
Written Communication
- This medium is more formal with focus on contents

- It can convey any amount of technical information
- It is best for permanent record
- This medium uses longer words and longer sentences
- It brings delayed feedback
Internal communication consists of sending messages inside your organization. External

communication consists of sending messages outside your organization.
For internal communication, written media may be:
- memos, reports, bulletins, job descriptions,

- posters, notes, employee manuals,
- electronic bulletin boards, even internal faxes
Oral communication may take the form of:
- staff meeting reports, face to face discussions,

- presentations, audio tapes, telephone chats,
- teleconferences, or videotapes
External written communication media may be:
- letters, reports, telegrams, cablegrams,
- mailgrams, faxes, telexes, postcards, contracts,
- ads, brochures, catalogs, news releases etc
Orally it may be:
- face to face discussions, telephone,

- or presentations in solo or panel situations
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Receiver / Decoder
The receiver / decoder of your message is your reader or listener. He may be influenced by the
context and by the external and internal stimuli. The receiver like sender receives messages
through the eyes and ears but is also influenced by nonverbal factors such as physical
environment, physical appearance, body movements, voice quality, touch, taste, and smell. All
factors of a message are filtered through the receiver’s view and experience in the work.
Therefore, miscommunication can occur when personal biases and individual values cause the
receiver to misinterpret the sender’s internal message.
Feedback
Feedback can be oral or written; it can also be an action, such as receiving in the mail or an item
you ordered. Sometimes silence is used as feedback, though it is not very useful. Senders need
feedback in order to determine the success or failure of the communication.
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Figure 2.1 The Communication Process
Your audience will provide you with feedback, verbal and nonverbal reactions to your
communicated message. Pay close attention to this feedback as it is the only thing that allows you
to be confident that your audience has understood your message. If you find that there has been a
misunderstanding, at least you have the opportunity to send the message a second time.
Unfortunately, communication is affected by "Noise" which is anything - whether in the sender,

the transmission, or the receiver - that hinders communication. For example,
a) Understanding can be obstructed by prejudices;
b) Inaccurate reception may be caused by inattention;
c) Encoding may be faulty because of the use of ambiguous symbols. Etc.
Activity: 4
Discuss the difference between content and context in the process of communication.
Activity: 5
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List down the communication process elements and define them by giving specific examples
from an ideal business enterprise.
2.2. Barriers of Communication
Personnel in a workplace communicate with peers, managers, and supervisors, members of the
public, suppliers and others. Barriers to communication can cause problems and
misunderstanding with effective communication.
Nothing is so simple that it cannot be misunderstood. - Freeman Teague, Jr.
Anything that prevents understanding of the message is a barrier to communication. Barriers can
exist in the sender, in the transmission of the message, in the receiver, or in the feedback.
People in the world are not exactly alike. Cultures or countries are not the same. These
differences, however, can cause problems in conveying your meanings. Each person’s mind is
different from others. As a result, message sender’s meanings and the receiver’s response are
affected by many factors, such as individual:
I. Semantic barriers (Convention of meaning)

II. Physical Barrier
III. Psychological barriers
o Emotional barriers
o Perceptual barriers
IV. Barriers involving values, attitudes etc
I. Semantic Barrier
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A basic principle of communication is that the symbols the sender uses to communicate messages
must have the same meaning in both the sender’s and receiver’s minds. You can never be sure
that the message in your mind will be clearly sent to your receiver. The world is full with errors,
as a result of differences in semantic (meaning) understanding.
A symbol is a sign for something that exits in reality. Thus your name really a symbol or word
represents you. Only through common experience in a connection made between the symbol or
word attached to you and the person you are in reality .Anyone with less common experience will
not easily relate the symbol (your name) with you. Besides, there are problems in convention of
meaning, so you must make yourself familiar with different types of meaning.
Denotation
A denotation is usually the dictionary definition of a word. Denotative meanings name objects,
people or events without indicating positive or negative qualities. Such words as car, desk, book,
house, and water convey denotative meanings. The receiver has a similar understanding of the
thing in which the word is used.
Connotation
A connotation is an implication of a word or a suggestion separate from the usual definition.

Some words have connotative meanings, that is, qualitative judgment and personal reactions. The
word man is denotative, father, prophet, brother are connotative. Some words have positive
connotations in some contexts and negative meanings in others. For example, slim girl and slim
chances.
II. Physical Barriers
Communication does not consist of words alone. Another set of barriers is caused by your own
physical appearance, your audience, or the context of the document or the presentation. Your
ideas, however good and however skillfully imparted, are at the mercy of various potential
physical barriers.
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For Writing: There is a whole barrage of possible physical blocks, jammed or jagged margins,
fingerprints or smudges, unclear photocopies, unreadable word processor printout, water or
coffee, tea spots etc.
For Speaking: Mumbling, not enunciating, speaking too quickly, noises become of hissing
ventilation, blowing air conditioning, ringing telephones, slamming doors etc. are different
aspects of physical barriers.
III. Psychological Barriers
Because of the changing world, everyone has his own concept of reality. Also, human beings,
sensory perceptions – touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste are limited, and each person’s mental
filter is unique. In our daily interaction with others, we make various abstractions, inferences and
evaluations of the world around us.
o Emotional Barriers
One possible psychological block is emotional; you may emotionally block as you are
announcing a new policy that whether you may become popular or unpopular. Similarly, you
may have emotional barrier while making your first presentation or writing someone you dislike.
o Perception barriers
The perceptual problem is that people think differently so as a result their perception of reality is
different. The material world provides a special reality to teach individual. As human being’s
sensory perceptions—touch, sight hearing, smell, taste -- are similar, and each person’s mental
filter is unique. We make various abstractions, inferences and evaluations of the world around us.
Abstracting: Selecting some details and omitting others is a process called abstracting. On many
occasions abstracting is necessary. Differences in abstracting take place not only when persons
describe events but also when they describe people and objects. However, you should be cautious
about “slanted” statements. Slanting is unfair in factual reporting. When presenting some
particular facts, you include your own biased ideas into it, you make slanting statement. Try not
to let personal preferences affect your factual reporting of information.
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Inferring: Conclusions made by reasoning from evidence are called inferences. We make
assumptions and draw conclusions even though we are not able to immediately verify the
evidence. Some inferences are both necessary and desirable; others are risky, even dangerous.
Necessary Inferences:
When we reach a foreign country, we are sure that we will be treated politely. When we post a
letter, we infer that it will reach its destination. When we base our inferences on direct
observation or on reasonable evidence, they are likely to be quite dependable. Conclusion we
make about things we have not observed directly can often be untrue. As an intelligent
communicator, we must realize that inferences may be incorrect or unreliable and anticipate the
risks before acting on them. Be careful to distinguish clearly among verifiable facts, and mere
guess work.
IV. Barriers Involving Values, Attitudes etc…
Both personality and attitude are complex cognitive process. The difference is that personality
usually is thought of as the whole person whereas attitude may make up the personality. The term
attitude describes people and explains their behavior. More precisely an attitude can be defined as
a persistent tendency to feel and behave in a particular way towards some object. For example:
Mr. X does not like night shift, so his attitude is negative towards his work assignment. A
receiver’s attitude towards a message can determine whether it is accepted or rejected. The
effectiveness is influenced also by the values, attitudes, and opinions of the communicators.
People react favorably when they receive agreeable message. Receivers’ views of the information
will affect their response. This response could be what the sender desires or just the opposite.
Occasionally people react according to their attitudes toward a situation rather than to the facts.
These barriers can be thought of as filters, that is, the message leaves the sender, goes through the
above filters, and is then heard by the receiver. These filters muffle the message. And the way to
overcome filters is through active listening and feedback.
Activity: 6
List down some of the communication barriers that you encountered in your current
organization you are working for and the remedial taken to ensure effective communication
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between the source and receiver of the message.
Guidelines to Overcome Barriers to Communication
To deliver your messages effectively, you must commit to breaking down the barriers that exist
in each of these stages of the communication process. Let’s begin with the message itself. If your
message is too lengthy, disorganized, or contains errors, you can expect the message to be
misunderstood and misinterpreted. Use of poor verbal and body language can also confuse the
message.
Barriers in context tend to stem from senders offering too much information too fast. When in
doubt here, less is oftentimes more. It is best to be mindful of the demands on other people’s
time, especially in today’s ultra-busy society. Once you understand this, you need to work to
understand your audience’s culture, making sure you can converse and deliver your message to
people of different backgrounds and cultures within your own organization, in your country and
even abroad.
All personnel should be interested in overcoming barriers to effective work practices in an
organization.
The following list outlines points to consider in relation to overcoming communication barriers.
- Feedback - enables communication to become a two way process with both the sender and the
receiver trying to achieve mutual understanding
- Consider the words used - long complicated sentences and unfamiliar words confuse people.
Communication should be clear, complete, concise, concrete, correct and courteous.
- Use repetition - repeating messages several time using different examples can help others to
understand the messages being sent
- Use empathy - seeing a situation from another person's viewpoint and trying to understand others
opinions concerns and attitudes makes better communicators
- Timing - poor timing can result in messages not being received effectively
- Being positive rather than negative helps make communication more effective - what is wanted
not what isn't wanted
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- Select the best location - talk somewhere that will encourage open communication not a noisy
shop floor or a busy office
- Listening reduces communication
- Check written communication for spelling errors and ensure the sentences are clear, concise
and not ambiguous.
Activity: 7
Can you think for a while about the corrective actions to barriers or draw backs of
communication from your own experience and list down them afterwards.
2.3 Interpersonal Communications and Team Work
Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal communication is also referred to as dyadic communication, or communication

between two individuals. This type of communication can occur in both a one-on-one and a
group setting. This also means being able to handle different people in different situations and
making people feel at ease. Gestures such as eye contact, body movement, and hand gestures are
also part of interpersonal communication. The most common functions of interpersonal
communication are listening, talking and conflict resolution. Types of interpersonal
communication vary from verbal to non-verbal and from situation to situation. Interpersonal
communication involves face-to-face communication in a way that accomplishes the purpose and
is appropriate.
Small Group Communication

Small group communication is an interaction process that occurs among three or more people
interacting in an attempt to achieve commonly recognized goals either face-to-face or through
mediated forms. This is sometimes included in the interpersonal level- the most obvious
difference is the number of persons involved in the process. The small group may be a family of
three talking at supper, or a meeting of an organization with just a few members.
Activity: 8
Discuss briefly the difference between interpersonal communication and small group
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communication? Give some examples of the two types of communication.
Why Form Groups and Teams?
Businesses are constantly looking for ways to do jobs better at less cost. They are forming teams
for the following reasons:
 Better decisions. Decisions are generally more accurate and effective because group
members contribute different expertise and perspectives.
 Faster response. When action is necessary to respond to competition or to solve a
problem, small groups and teams can act rapidly.
 Increased productivity. Because they are often closer to the action and to the customer,
team members can see opportunities for improving efficiency.
 Greater buy-in. Decisions arrived at jointly are usually better received because members
are committed to the solution and are more willing to support it.
 Less resistance to change. People who have input into decisions are less hostile,
aggressive, and resistant to change.
 Improved employee morale. Personal satisfaction and job morale increase when teams
are successful.
 Reduced risks. Responsibility for a decision is diffused, thus carrying less risk for any
individual.
Four Phases of Team Development
Small groups and teams may be formed to complete single tasks or to function as permanent
ongoing bodies. Regardless of their purpose, successful teams normally go through predictable
phases as they develop. In this section we will discuss four phases of team development. You will
learn how team members can perform positively or negatively in achieving the group’s goals.
You will also study the role of conflict and how to apply a six-step plan for resolving conflict.
When groups are formed, they generally evolve through four phases, as identified by
psychologist B. A. Tuckman: forming, storming, norming, and performing. Some groups get
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lucky and move quickly from forming to performing. But most struggle through disruptive,
although ultimately constructive, team-building stages.
 Forming. During the first stage, individuals get to know each other. They often are overly
polite and feel a bit awkward. As they search for similarities and attempt to bond, they begin to
develop trust in each other. Members discuss fundamental topics such as why the team is
necessary, who “owns” the team, whether membership is mandatory, how large the team should
be, and what talents members can contribute. A leader functions primarily as a traffic director.
Groups and teams should resist the efforts of some members to dash through the first stages and
race to the performing stage. Moving slowly through the stages is necessary to build a cohesive,
productive unit.
 Storming. During the second phase, members define their roles and responsibilities,
decide how to reach their goals, and iron out the rules governing how they interact.
Unfortunately, this stage often produces conflict, resulting in storming. A good leader, however,
should step in to set limits, control the chaos, and offer suggestions. The leader will be most
successful if she or he acts like a coach rather than a cop. Teams composed of dissimilar
personality types may take longer to progress through the storming phase. Tempers may flare,
sleep may be lost, leaders may be deposed. But most often the storm passes, and a cohesive group
emerges.
 Norming. Once the sun returns to the sky, teams and groups enter the norming stage.
Tension subsides, roles are clarified, and information begins to flow among members. The group
periodically checks its agenda to remind itself of its progress toward its goals. People are careful
not to shake the hard-won camaraderie and formation of a single-minded purpose. Formal
leadership is unnecessary because everyone takes on leadership functions. Important data are
shared with the entire group, and mutual interdependence becomes typical. The group or team
begins to move smoothly in one direction. Members make sure that procedures are in place to
resolve future conflicts.
 Performing. In Tuckman’s team growth model, some groups never reach the final stage
of performing. Problems that may cause them to fail are shown in Figure 2.1. For those that
survive the first three phases, however, the final stage is gratifying. Group members have
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established routines and a shared language. They develop loyalty and a willingness to resolve all
problems.
Activity: 9
What are the importance of forming groups and teams?
Activity: 10
Discuss briefly the difference among the different phases of team development.
Summary
Communication is the transfer of information from the sender to the receiver, with the
information being understood by both the sender and the receiver. The communication process
begins with the sender, who encodes an idea, which is sent in oral, written, visual, or some other
form to the receiver. The receiver decodes the message and gains an understanding of what the
sender wants to communicate. This, in turn, may result in some change or action. But the
communication process may be interrupted by “Noise “that is by anything that hinders
communication. In an organization, managers should have the information necessary for doing a
first-class job. The information may flow not only downward or upward in the organization
structure but also horizontally or diagonally. Communication can be in written form, but more
information is communicated orally. In addition, people communicate through gestures and facial
expression.
The different reasons of forming teams are for better decisions, faster response, increased
productivity, greater buy-in, less resistance to change, improved employee morale and, reduced
risks.
CHAPTER THREE
3. PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION
Learning Objectives
At the end of this chapter you will be able to:
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- Define each principle of communication.
- Write a business letter which incorporates the 7c’s of communication.
Chapter outline
3.1. Principles of Communication (The
( 7 Cs of Communication)
Introduction
Think of how often you communicate with people during your day. You write emails, facilitate
meetings, participate in conference calls, create reports, and devise presentations, debate with
your colleagues. This is why the 7 Cs of Communication are helpful. The 7 Cs provide a
checklist for making sure that your meetings, emails, conference calls, reports, and
presentations are well constructed and clear – so your audience gets your message.
3.1. Principles of Communication
To compose effective messages you need to apply certain specific communication principles. The
basic business communication principles known as seven C’s of business communication provide
guidelines for choosing content and style of presentation.
The principles of communication used to achieve both specific and general objectives of a
message are collectively justified as the 7Cs. The commonly used principles are:
1. Correctness
2. Conciseness
3. Clarity
4. Completeness
5. Concreteness
6. Consideration
7. Courtesy
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1. Correctness: when your communication is correct, it fits your audience. And correct
communication is also error-free communication.
Communication is correct when it bears real information and uses formally appropriate
titles of persons, words etc to express matters.
To be correct in communication the following principles should be borne in mind.
 Use the correct level of language
1. There are three levels of language –formal, informal, and sub formal.
2. The formal level of language is used for scholarly dissertation, master and doctoral thesis,
government agreements, legal documents, etc.
The informal language refers to the language of business used for letters, memos, reports etc.
Example: Formal: Anticipated Procure Inventory
Informal: Expect get stock
3. The subs formal level of language is incorrect.
Say Don’t Say

- Isn’t, aren’t, amn’t - Ain’t
- Regardless - Irregardless
- I can hardly -I can’t hardly
 Include only facts, words and figures

 Maintain acceptable writing mechanics. This refers to:
- Spelling errors
- Punctuation marks
- Capitalization
- Grammatical accuracy
- Sentences and paragraph structures
- Format for memos, letters, reports etc

 Apply the following qualities
 Choose non-discriminatory expressions
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Example: - Equal treatment of sexes

- Use humankind rather than mankind
- Use chairperson rather than chairman
2. Conciseness: a concise message saves time and expenses for both sender and receiver.
Conciseness is saying what you have to say in the fewest possible words without sacrificing the
other C qualities. Conciseness contributes to emphasize by eliminating unnecessary words, you
help make important ideas stand out. Business executives are dead-busy. They don’t have time to
go through unnecessarily lengthy messages. The writer is also a loser if he writes wordy
messages because it involves more time and money to type and read.
Conciseness makes the message more understandable and comprehensible.
To make the message more concise, the following guide lines are important:
- Eliminate wordy Expressions eliminate words like "for instance," "you see," "definitely," "kind
of," "literally," "basically," or "I mean."
Example
Wordy Concise
Date of the policy policy date
Due to the fact that because
At this time now
In most cases usually
- Include only relevant material/statements: the effective concise message should omit not only
unnecessary wordy expressions but also irrelevant material. To be sure you include only relevant
facts, observe the following suggestions
i. Stick to the purpose of the message
ii. Prune irrelevant words and rambling/incoherent/ sentences
iii. Omit information obvious to the receiver, do not repeat at length what that
person has already told you
iv. Avoid long introductions, unnecessary explanations, excessive adjectives
and prepositions, pompous words, gushy politeness
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v. Get the important point tact fully and concisely.
Example
Wordy – we hereby wish to let you know that we fully appreciate the confidence you have reposed in
us.
Concise - we appreciate your confidence in us.
- Avoided unnecessary Repetition: sometimes repetition is necessary for emphasis. But when the
same thing is said two or three times without reasons the message become wordy and boring.
Here are three ways to eliminate unnecessary repetitions.
i. Use a shorter name after you have mentioned the long one once. Instead of Thompson
product manufacturing company, Thompson company.
ii. Use pronouns and initials rather than repeat long names: instead of citing “North central
auto insurance company, inc” again and again use “it”, “they” or “NCAI”
iii. Cut out all needless repetition of phrases and sentences for example the following letter
shows unnecessary repetition.
3. Clarity: means getting your message across so the receiver will understand what you are trying
to convey. You want that person to interpret your words with the same meaning you have in
mind. Accomplishing that goal is difficult because as you know individual experiences are never
identical and words may have different meanings to different persons. Clarity demands that the
business message should be correct concise complete concrete and with consideration. When
writing or speaking to someone, be clear about your goal or message. What is your purpose in
communicating with this person? If you're not sure, then your audience won't be sure either. To
be clear, try to minimize the number of ideas in each sentence. Make sure that it's easy for your
reader to understand your meaning. People shouldn't have to "read between the lines" and make
assumptions on their own to understand what you're trying to say. Here are some specific words
to help make your message clear
- Use the right level of language
- Proper punctuation makes the writing clear/ construct effective sentence and paragraphs
- Check Accuracy of fact figure & Word
- Choose short, familiar & conversational words
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- Achieve appropriate readability (listen ability) by using formal & informal language
- Include examples, illustrations & visual aids.
Clarity is getting your message understood by others. The receiver must interpret your
message with the same meaning in your (sender’s) mind.
Choose short, familiar, conventional words

When you have a choice between a long word and a short one use the short, familiar word that
your reader or listener will quickly understand. Avoid technical and business jargon whenever
possible when you talk or write to a person who is not acquainted with such words. If you must
use those words, definite them, briefly and clearly. If you don’t you will confuse, embarrass or
irritate the reader.
Construct effective sentence and paragraph
Arranging your words in well constructed sentences and paragraphs is also an essential task that
requires adaptation to your reader. Important characteristics to consider are length, unity,
coherence and emphasis.
Generally short sentences are preferred on the average. If all sentences are short the result is
choppy and undesirable. A general rule in most business writing is to keep paragraphs as short as
possible. If well organized
- They can help to emphasize facts
- Add to a messages physical attractiveness and
- Improve readability
Unity to express main ideas
In a sentence-whether simple or compound or complex- unity means that you have one main idea
and any other ideas in a sentence must be closely related to it. In a paragraph, unity likewise
means you have one main idea or topic. Usually, a topic sentence is a good way to express the
main idea. The preferred position for the topic sentence in most paragraphs is at the beginning.
The sentences that follow it contain details to help develop the main idea.
Coherence for clear meanings
27
In a coherence sentence the words are correctly arranged so that the ideas clearly the intended
meaning. Place the correct modifier as close as possible to the word it is supposed to modify.
Emphasis for forceful clear expressions
Besides aiming for qualities of unity, coherence and emphasis you should adapt your business
messages. So that, their word and sentence level will be appropriate for your recipients general
education level.
Include examples, illustrations, and other visual aids when desirable
In addition to focusing on clarity of words, sentences and paragraphs, you can also sometimes use
various visual aids effectively.
4. Completeness: The message should be complete to bring desirable results. It should include
everything the reader needs for the reaction you desire. You must know what information our
reader wants or needs; you should be able to know the reader’s background viewpoint needs,
attitudes and emotions.
In a complete message, the audience has everything they need to be informed and, if applicable,
and take action. The following guide lines are important to make the message complete enough.
- Does your message include a "call to action", so that your audience clearly knows what you want
them to do?
- Have you included all relevant information – contact names, dates, times, locations, and so on?
- Does your message provide all necessary information, answer all questions asked, and give
something extra when desirable.
Activity: 1
The owner of XYZ Company wants to order merchandise from ABC trading company.
In order to make his message complete, how does owner of XYZ company authorize this
merchandise order? Think of the W’s and H’s questions.
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5. Concreteness: communicating concretely means being specific, definite and vivid rather than
vague and general. The following guidelines should help you to compose concrete and
convincing messages. So, The business writing should be specific, definite, unambiguous and
vivid rather than vague and general.
 Use specific facts and figures
 Put action in your verbs
 Choose vivid, image building words. (Comparison, figurative
language , Use more adjectives and adverbs)
Use specific facts
Whenever you can, substitute an exact statement or a figure for a general word to make your
message more concrete and convincing. Often vague, general words are opinion words, they may
have different messages to the sender and the receiver. The following words can also lead to
uncertainty, misunderstanding and confusion. Now, high, low, more, quick, soon, early, long,
many, slow, tall,
In some cases it is, of course, permissible and even desirable to use general expressions.
Exceptions to the facts and figures rule occur.
I. When it is not possible to be specific for you may not have be able to get definite facts
or figures.
II. When you want to be diplomatic. Thus, instead of saying ‘we have sent you four
notices of your overdue payment’ you may be more tactful (to a usually prompt
paying customer) saying “we have sent you several reminders of this.
III. When you want to allow the person to form his or own opinions or the exact figures
are unimportant as in “a few (or many) of our employees attended the parade.”
Choose Vivid (Image building words): among the devices you can use to make your message
forceful vivid and specific are comparisons, figurative languages, concrete instead of abstract
nouns, and well choose adjectives and adverbs.
Activity: 2
29
Re-write the following passive and vague sentences in to active and clear sentences?
1. Please send us the following items by the end of this month. The proposal was approved.
2.
6. Consideration: refers to you attitude, sympathy, the human touch and understanding of human
nature. The interrelationship of the message sender and receiver profoundly affects
communication effectiveness. Consideration means that you prepare every message with the
recipient in mind and try to put yourself in his or her place. You should try to visualize your
readers (listeners) with their desires, problems, emotions, circumstances and possible reaction to
your request. Then hand the matter from their point of view. This thoughtful consideration is also
called “you attitude”, empathy, the human touch and understanding of human nature. It does not
mean however that you should overlook the needs of your organization. In a broad but true sense,
consideration underlies the other six C’s of good business communication. You adopt your
language and message content to your receiver’s needs when you make your message complete,
concise, concrete, clear, courteous and correct. However, in all four specific ways you can
indicate you are considerate;
I. Show reader benefit & interest; whenever possible and true, show how your receivers will
benefit from whatever the message asks or announces. They will be more likely to react
favorably and do what you suggest if you show that benefits are worth the effort and cost. In
situations where the actual direct reader benefit is impossible or irrelevant to the subject matter,
the message should at least show interest in and concern for the reader’s needs or viewpoints.
II. Focus on YOU instead of I & WE: your receivers are usually more concerned about themselves
than about you or the company you represent. They are more likely to read your message when
they see their names and the pronoun “you” rather than “I”, “We” or “Us”. Usually it is desirable
to get your reader in to the first paragraph. If psychologically desirable to begin with “you” or
“your” and keep your reader in the message tactfully until you finish. The opposite of you
attitude is the “we” attitude, in which the writer views every matter from his or her own (the
organization’s) stand point rather than from the reader’s.
30
Examples:
- ‘We pay 8% interest’ is not preferred rather say ‘you earn 8% interest’
- Say ‘Congratulations on your successes’ rather than ‘I want to send my congratulation on your
successes.
III. Emphasize positive& pleasant: a third way to show consideration for your reader (listener) is to
accent the positive. This means stressing what can be done instead of what cannot be done and
focusing on words your recipient can consider favorably. For most people negative words like
no, impossible, I cannot etc. have unpleasant emotions. By making clear what you can or will do,
you (by implication) make clear what you cannot do without using a single negative word.
Examples:
Say-As soon as your signature card reaches us, we will gladly open an account for
you.
Don’t say-It is impossible to open an account for you today.
IV. Apply integrity & ethics: to be truly considerate, you need also to apply integrity- high moral
standards, personal honor, truthfulness and sincerity to your written or oral messages. Integrity is
indispensible in our jobs, in business transactions, in social and political activities, in everything
we do, without it business communication would prove worthless, and our confidence in people
would be shattered. Ethics on the other hand is concerned with what is right human conduct.
Codes of ethics provide standards enabling us to determine the fundamental distinction between
right and wrong human behavior.
Activity: 3
Can you write the following I’ or ‘We’ attitude: sentences in to “you” attitude.
We are delighted to announce….
7. Courtesy: A courteous message helps to strengthen present business friendship, as well as make
new friends. Courteously stems from sincere you activate. It is not merely politeness with
mechanical insertions of ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. To be courteous, consider communicators
should in addition to the four guidelines discussed under consideration. To make your message
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courtesy, be sincere, tactful, thoughtful and appreciative, Omit expressions that hurt, irritate, or
insult. Grant apologies graciously. Use expressions that show respect and answer your mail
promptly. Courtesy is more important and advantageous in business writing than it is in face to
face communication or conversation. Courteous message strengthen present relations and make
new friends. It is a goodwill building.
Activity: 4
Replace the following gender specific words by bias free words which show courtesy.
Businessman, manpower, newsman, salesman chairman.
Summary
You may say that communication is important and that you’ll be spending a lot of time doing it.
But you’re pretty good at communicating. After all you talk to people, write notes, read books,
get along with other people, and make myself understood already. Why should you study
principles of communication?” because, you study principles of communication in order to make
your communication more Correct (it bears real information and uses formally appropriate titles
of persons, words etc to express matters.), Concise (makes the message more understandable and
comprehensible.), Clear (The receiver must interpret your message with the same meaning in
your (sender’s) mind.), Complete (It should include everything the reader needs for the reaction
you desire.), Concrete (your message should be specific definite, unambiguous and vivid rather
than vague and general.), Consider (i.e., understanding of human nature and your attitude ), and
Courtesy (be sincere, tactful, thoughtful and appreciative, Omit expressions that hurt, irritate, or
insult.)
Self Assessment Questions
1. The owner of a mutual fund stock wrote to the investment department of your bank
that he wanted to sell his shares. He asked,” Just how does your bank want me to authorize this
sale?”
32
How would you reply to this query keeping the five Ws and one H guideline in mind?
2. You are the president of an industry association and have received the following
inquiry from an out of town member, “I think I would like to attend my first meeting of the
association, even though I am not acquainted with your city. Will you please tell me where the
next meeting is being held? How would you reply to this letter keeping in mind Completeness of
the message?
3. Write with a ‘you’ attitude, it shows consideration. May I take this opportunity to express my
thanks for the account you recently opened with our store. We are pleased to furnish a wide
variety of products for the home of the individual customer. We want you to take full advantage
of the store services, for we have the largest store in the city. Also we make deliveries for our
customer free of charge within a 30 miles radius of our store. We welcome you to Mizan Teferi.
If we can be of additional help please let us know.
4. Avoid negative – unpleasant words to show consideration.
a) It is impossible to open an account for you today.

b) We don’t refund if the returned item is soiled and unusable.
c) When you travel on company expense, you will not receive approval for first class
fare.
d) To avoid further delay and inconvenience, we are sending this report by express
mail.
5. Put an action in to the words by using active instead of passive voice.
a) Tests were made by us.

b) A full report will be sent to you by the supervisor.
c) The contract had a requirement ….
d) Mr. Singh will give consideration to the report ….
6. Use vivid image building words – adjectives and adverts, and use less of abstract nouns
The camera has a system that gives good pictures.
7. Show courtesy by avoiding tactless & blunt language.
a) Your letter is not clear at all:
33
b) Obviously, if you would read your policy carefully you will be able to answer
these questions yourself.
c) Apparently you already have forgotten what I wrote you two weeks ago.
8. Replace the following wordy expressions with short expressions
a) Due to the fact that d) Please don’t hesitate to

b) During the year of write.
c) In spite of the fact that
CHAPTER FOUR
4. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATION
Learning Objectives
- Describe internal and external communication

- Describe formal and informal communication.
- Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of downward, upward, and horizontal communication.
- Outline the external communication process.
- Explain non verbal communication.
Chapter outline
4.1. Internal Communication

4.2. External Communication
4.3 Nonverbal Communication
Introduction
The purpose of this chapter is to offer you comprehensive information about internal and external
communication. It focuses on formal and informal communications and non verbal
communications.
34
This chapter includes activities and self assessment questions. So you are kindly requested to do
the activities and self assessment questions in order to successfully achieve the learning
objectives of the chapter.
Dear learner, there are internal and external communications. Internal communication is a
communication among members of an organization. External communication is a communication
between the organization and external environment.
4.1. INTERNAL COMMUNICATION
Internal communication is the exchange of messages between employees inside the organization
(Angell, 2004). When you talk, send an e-mail message, or write a memo to co-workers,
supervisors, or managers about customer needs, supplier delivery schedules, or project progress,
you are communicating internally.
Businesses cannot function and employees cannot perform their jobs well without adequate
internal communication.
Communication between organizational members can be vertical or crosswise, formal or

informal.
4.1.1. Formal and Informal Communication
4.1.1. 1. Formal Communication
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Formal communication channels are established within the organization’s chain of command in
order to accomplish task objectives.
Activity: 1
Identify the types of formal communication. Which types of formal communication does
your organization use?
Dear learners, in an effective organization, communication flows in various directions:

downward, upward, and crosswise: horizontal and diagonal (Cook and Hunsaker, 2001).
Koontz and Weihrich (2004) also identify four kinds of information flows in the organization as
diagramed in figure 4.1.
In formal communication, transmission of messages is made as per the procedures specifically set
up for the purpose in the organization. Usually orders and instructions flow from the superiors to
the subordinates and reports, suggestions, and recommendations flow from the subordinates to
the superiors.
Horizontal
Diagonal
Upward
Downward
36
Figure 4.1 Information flow in an Organization
1. Downward Communication
Downward communication flows from people at higher levels to those at lower levels in the
organizational hierarchy (Koontz and Weihrich). The major purposes of downward
communication are to advise, inform, direct, instruct, and evaluate employees and, to provide
information for organization members about organizational goals and policies.
The kinds of media used for downward communication include instructions, speeches, meetings,
the telephone, loudspeakers, memorandum, letters, handbooks, pamphlets, policy statements,
procedures, and electronic news displays.
In fact, many downward directives are not understood or even read. Consequently, a feedback
system is essential for finding out whether information was perceived as intended by the sender.
Activity: 3
What are the advantages and disadvantages of downward communication?
The advantage of downward communication is that when messages are clear and
comprehensive, employees better understand (Angell):
- Their role in the company,

- What resources are available, and
- What is expected from them professionally
Disadvantages
- Angell described that one disadvantage of downward messages is noise. Downward noise
includes message filtering and distortion. Because message travel through people, their
37
perceptual differences may magnify, minimize, or alter a message as it moves down through the
ranks. People perceive messages differently, so they may add, delete, or change information
accordingly.
- Another disadvantage of downward messages is that employees may experience message

overload when they receive too much information at one time. Many messages reiterate what
employees already know and other messages do not affect certain employees at all.
- Downward flow of information through the different levels of the organization is time
consuming. Indeed, delays may be so frustrating that some top managers insist that information
be sent directly to the person or group requiring it.
- According to Stoner, Freeman, and Gilbert, Jr., 1995, problems in downward communication also
exist when managers do not provide employees with the information they need to carry out
their tasks effectively. In fact, they can fail to pass on important information such as a higher
level change in policy or to instruct employees adequately on how to perform their duties. This
lack of communication is sometimes deliberate, as when managers withhold information to keep
employees dependent on them. The net effect of incomplete downward communication is that
employees can feel confused, uninformed, or powerless and might fail to carry out their tasks
properly.
2. Upward Communication
Upward communication flows from individuals at lower levels of the organizational structure to
those at higher levels (Invancevich, Konopaske, and Matteson, 2005). In such situations, the
communicator is at lower level in the organization than the receiver.
Activity: 4
Identify the functions of upward communication.
38
Dear learners, the main function of upward communication is to supply information to the upper
levels about what is happening at the lower levels.
Organizational communication researcher Gary Kreps also identifies the following functions of
upward communication:
1. It provides managers with feedback about current organizational issues and problems, and
information about day-to-day operations that they need for making decisions about directing the
organization.
2. It is management’s primary source of feedback for determining the effectiveness of its downward
communication.
3. It relieves employees’ tensions by allowing lower-level organization members to share relevant
information with their superiors.
4. It encourages employees’ Participation and involvement, thereby enhancing organizational
cohesiveness.
Upward communication includes progress report, suggestions, explanations, and requests for aid
or decisions.
Activity: 5
In which kind of organizational environment do you think effective upward communication

exists? Is there effective upward communication in your organization? Explain.
Dear learners, effective upward communication is usually found in participative and democratic
organizational environments (Koontz and Weihrich). Effective upward communication requires
environment in which subordinates feel free to communicate.
39
So what can managers do to facilitate the free flow of information? Since most of the
responsibility for improving upward communication rests with managers, they must create an
informal climate that encourages upward communication. They should announce their
willingness to hear from subordinates, seek open-door policy, and utilize informal contacts such
as chats during breaks, in the elevator, or at social gatherings.
Like downward messages, upward messages may have the disadvantage of filtering and
distortion, generally because employees don’t want superiors to view them unfavorably. The
superior, not wanting to deal with bad news, may dismiss a negative message entirely (Angell).
In addition, middle managers may keep information that would reflect unfavorably on them from
reaching their managers.
3. Crosswise Communication
Since horizontal and diagonal communications have some common characteristics, they are
called crosswise communication (Koontz and Weihrich). Crosswise communication includes the
horizontal flow of information and the diagonal flow of information. This kind of communication
is used to speed information flow, to improve understanding, and to coordinate efforts for the
achievement of organizational objectives.
Modern organizations use many kinds of oral and written crosswise communication patterns to
supplement the vertical (downward and upward) flow of information.
Activity: 6
Define horizontal communication and diagonal communication.
a) Horizontal Communication
A dear learner, horizontal communication is the flow of information among people on the same
or similar organizational levels (Koontz and Weihrich).
40
Horizontal communication is necessary in an organization for the following purposes:
 To coordinate and integrate diverse organizational functions.

 To prepare plan.
 To solve problems: such as how to reduce waste, etc.
 To share information: such as an easier way to perform a task.
 To resolve conflict: such as disagreement between co-workers.
 To build relationship: group member’s interactions, to build understanding and friendship.
Examples:
- Communication between production and sales departments in a business organization.

- Communication among the different departments or colleges within a university.
Messages may be exchanged between members of the same department or members from
different departments or teams. When the head of accounting department communicates with the
head of management department concerning the course offerings in a College of Business and
Economics, the flow of communication is horizontal.
While the majority of information shared horizontally is work related, some messages involve
personal information.
Advantages and disadvantages of horizontal communication
Angell expressed the advantages and disadvantages of horizontal communication as follows:
Advantages
- It increases worker productivity through coordination of interpersonal working relationships.

- It boosts morale.
- It allows employees to interact and learn from each other.
- It encourages teamwork and collaboration.
Activity: 7
41
Describe the disadvantage of horizontal communication. Has your organization ever

experienced such problem? If so, what were the reasons?
Dear learners, the most notable disadvantage of horizontal communication is professional

rivalry, which is competition between members of different departments. Sometimes employees
may be reluctant to share information or collaborate because they feel threatened or jealous. Stiff
competition over company resources, choice projects, or new positions can stifle horizontal
communication.
b) Diagonal Communication
Diagonal communication is the flow of information among persons at different levels who have
no direct reporting relationships with one another (Koontz and Weihrich).
Diagonal communication is important in situations where members cannot communicate

effectively through other channels. A diagonal channel would be the most efficient in terms of
time and effort for the organization (Invancevich et. al. 2005).
4.1.1.2. INFORMAL COMMUNICATION
An informal communication network operates independently from official channels and involves
messages that flow in all directions and through all levels of authority (Angell).
Informal communication channels exist to serve the interests of those people, who make them up,
regardless of their positions in the organization.
Activity: 8
42
Can you identify the types of informal communications in the organization?
Cook and Hunsaker (2001) identify the grapevine, social gatherings, management by wandering,
and informal one-to-one discussions as a typical informal channel.
The Grapevine
Grapevine is informal channel of communication within an organization. Grapevines develop

within organizations when employees share common hobbies, hometowns, lunch breaks, family
ties, and social relationships (Rue and Byars, 2005). The grapevine always exists within the
formal organizational structure. However, it does not follow the organizational hierarchy; it may
go from secretary to president or from engineer to clerk.
The information that travels through a grapevine typically takes the form of gossip (beliefs about
other people) and rumors (efforts to predict future events). For instance, gossip might describe an
incident in which a manager lost his temper, and a rumor might concern expectations that a new
sales office will open next year.
Messages travel extremely quickly on the grapevine, which is short-cut to formal channels
(Angell). Some employees feel that grapevine information is more detailed and more current or
relevant than messages received through formal channels.
The grapevine satisfies social needs, helps clarify orders and decisions, and serve as a way of
getting out information that can’t be expressed adequately through formal channels.
Managers must recognize that information in the grapevine travels more rapidly than information
in the formal channels of communication.
About 80 percent of grapevine communication is work related, and over 80 percent of the time
the grapevine is accurate (Cook and Hunsaker).
43
It is important that managers should recognize that grapevine will exist whether they want it to or
not. Additionally, managers can do little to control the direction, speed, and accuracy of
grapevines.
What managers can do, however, is diminish the amount of grapevine rumors with effective
communication. Management should use it to complement formal channels of communication. In
utilizing the grapevine, honesty is the best policy.
Activity: 9
Which chain of grapevine is most likely used in organizations?
Davis has identified four possible types of grapevine chains see figure 4.2. In single strand chain,
person A tells something to person B, who tells it to person C, and so on. This chain is least
accurate at passing on information. In the gossip chain, one person seeks out and tells everyone
the information he or she has obtained. This chain is often used when information of an
interesting non-job related nature is being conveyed. In the probability chain, individuals are
indifferent about whom they offer information to. They tell people at random, and those people
in turn tell others at random. This chain is likely to be used when the information is mildly
interesting but insignificant. In the cluster chain, person A conveys the information to a few
selected individuals, some of whom then inform a few selected others.
K E
E
K B I
G H
D K
44
C D D
F B
C F
B K
A A
A
Single Strand Administrative and Business Communication

Probability (Mgmt1063) Cluster
D E
G
C
H
B
Gossip
Figure 4.2 Types of grapevine chains
Davis believes that the cluster chain is the dominant grapevine pattern in organizations. Usually
few individuals, called “Liaison individuals,” pass on the information they have obtained, and
they are likely to do so only to people they trust or from whom they would like favors. They are
most likely to pass on information that is interesting to them, job –related, and above all, timely.
Advantages of the company grapevine include the speed at which messages can travel and the
opportunity for management to receive important employee feedback. The grapevine can also
explain on confirm confusing or complex formal messages (Angell, 2004).
The downside of the grapevine is that inaccurate rumors can spread that undermine morale or
project performance.
Social gathering
Social gathering is another informal communication. Social gathering for informal information
exchange can be created at office parties, company picnic, and luncheons.
Management by wandering around
45
Activity: 10
Do you think are there supervisors or managers who use management by wandering around
technique in your organization? How do they use it?
Managers can simply walk around their organizations and informally chat with all levels of
employee to learn about their concerns, ideas, and problems.
4.2. EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION
Dear learners, this section get acquainted you with the definition of external communication, the
importance of external communication for organizations, and the process of external
communication. The section also states the external communication programs.
External communication is the exchange of messages between the organization and the external
environment (Angell). The external communication links the organization with the outside world.
The survival of a business depends on the relationships established between members of

the organization and people outside the organization such as customers, stockholders,
community members, government agencies, and the media.
Organizations are involved in communicating externally to present products and services, to

develop a positive image, to attract employees, and to gain attention.
The channels used for external communication include annual reports, newsletters, brochures,
advertisements, press releases, conferences, and sponsorship of special community events. Many
external messages are viewed or created by company public relations professionals to ensure that
they are consistent with the organizations philosophy and policy.
Activity: 11
What are the three elements of external communication process? Describe them?
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According to Angell, external communication between the organization and the environment is a
process involving input, throughput, and output. The flow of external message is illustrated in
figure 4.3.
Input is all the information the organization receives from environment, such as customer
perceptions and expectations, product or service problems, economic trends, and new state or
federal regulations.
Throughput involves the organization’s analysis and evaluation of the input it receives and the
transformation of that input into outputs.
Output refers to messages the organization transmits to the environment in response to received
input.
Government
Output
Media
The Organization
Community
Input
Stockholders
Figure 4.3 External Communication Process

Customers
For example, an electronics manufacturer may receive information from consumers that its
product requires too much time to install. The manufacturer takes that input and decides to
redesign the product so that it is easier for customers to install. Then the organization
reintroduces the product and promotes the improved installation process to the public.
Activity: 12
Why is external communication important? Can you identify external organizations with
which your organization communicates?
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The most obvious advantage of external communication is feedback from the environment, which
can be vital to the survival of any organization. External information can also help the
organization plan, make decisions, avoid problems, and satisfy customer needs.
According to Invancevich et. al., the typical external communication program includes four
distinct programs:
- Public relations involve the communication of a positive image, exemplary organization
citizenship, and promotion of an identity as a contributor or society and the immediate
community.
- Advertising involves illustrating products or services in a positive manner. This form of
communication is designed to attract customers.
- Promoting the culture and opportunities available to prospective employees. This
communication is designed to attract employee talent to sustain and grow the organization.
- Customer surveys are used to gather feedback about the experience of external constituents with
the organization. This information is used to make modifications or changes in service, product,
or relationships.
Effective internal communication integrates and facilitates the managerial functions at all
levels; and effective external communication relates and integrates an organization
successfully to its external environment.
4.3. NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
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Dear learners, this section introduce you about the definition of nonverbal communication, types
of nonverbal communication, and channels of nonverbal communication. It also includes
guidelines and techniques of meeting, interview, and telephoning.
In either your role of speaker or listener in oral communication, you will need to be aware of the
nonverbal-nonword- part of your communication. Nonverbal communication means all
communication that occurs without words (Lesikar et. al). Usually, we use nonverbal
communication to supplement and reinforce our words. Sometimes, nonverbal communication
communicates by itself.
Activity: 13
Can you identify some types of nonverbal communication?
We often think of spoken and written language as the primary medium of communication, but the
messages we send and receive are strongly influenced by nonverbal factors such as body
movements, gestures, facial expressions, eye movements, and body contact (Stoner et. al., 1995).
Types of Nonverbal Communication
There are three types of nonverbal communication (Lesikar et. al.):

1. Body language
2. Space
3. Time
1.1.1. Body Language
Much of what we send to others without using words is sent through the physical movements of
our bodies.
The most common body languages are facial expression, gesture, and physical appearance.
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Activity: 14
Can you mention some feelings that we can detect by reading a person’s facial expression?
The face and eyes are by far the most important features of body language. For example,
happiness, surprise, fear, anger, and sadness usually require definite facial expressions and eye
patterns. By reading a person’s facial expression, we can detect these feelings. Thus, you should
be aware of these two aspects of body language as you speak and listen to others.
The same facial expression can mean different things in different cultures. For example,
agreement or approval is indicated by up-and-down head nods in American culture, but they are
expressed by side-to-side head movements in India (koontz and Weihrich).
Eye contact allows us to read and communicate a number of things. Direct eye contact, for
example, is generally perceived as a sign of honesty, interest, openness, and confidence. If eye
contact is avoided, we feel that the other is embarrassed, nervous, or hiding something. Lack of
eye contact can also communicate indifference or shyness.
In addition, gestures are another way we send nonword messages through our body parts.
Gestures are physical movements of our arms, legs, hands, torsos, and heads (Lesikar et. al.).
Through the movement of each of these body parts, we can accent and reinforce our verbal
messages. And we can observe how others punctuate their verbal efforts with gestures. For
example, observe the hand movements of another person while he or she is talking. As you
observe these gestures, you will get a good picture of the internal emotional state of the person.
Moreover, speaking and gestures appear to be linked. In general, the louder someone speaks the
grater the gestures used, and vise versa.
Another area of body language is physical appearance - our clothing, hair, and adornments:
jewelry, cosmetics and the like (Lesikar et. al.). The appearance of our bodies indicates how our
body movements are seem. Consider, for example, how you might perceive a speaker at a formal
banquet dressed in faded blue jeans. No doubt, the speaker’s gestures, facial expression, posture,
and such would be perceived in relation to attire. Accordingly, you want to make sure that your
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appearance fits the expectancies of the one situation. And you want to make sure that you know
that appearance is an important part of the body messages that are sent and received in oral
communication.
1.1.2. Space
Another type of nonverbal communication involves space and how it communicates meaning in
speaking and listening. Space is the distance that is maintained by the speaker and listener. How
we use space and what we do in certain spaces we create tell much about us. Thus, each of us has
a space language just as we do a body language. And this space language is crafted by our
culture.
According to Lesikar et. al., we create four different types of space: intimate (physical contact to
18 inches); personal (18 inches to 4 feet); social (4 to 12 feet); and public (12 feet to range of
seeing and hearing). In each of these spaces, our communication behaviors differ and convey
different meanings. For example, consider the volume of your voice when someone is 18 inches
from you. Do you shout? Whisper?
Activity: 15
Would you describe noncontact group and contact group concerning space? Under which
category can we classify our people? Why do people accept differences in cultures?
People can generally be classified into two major proxemic categories: noncontact group and
contact group. American and Northern Europeans typify the noncontact group due to the small
amount of touching and relatively large space between them during their transactions. Arabs and
Latinos are in the contact group who normally stand very close to each other and use a lot of
touching when they communicate (koontz and Weihrich, 2004).
Our behaviors in each type of space are learned from our cultures. When people do not appreciate
differences in personal zones, discomfort, distrust, and misunderstanding can occur. Thus, you
will need to be sensitive to the spaces of others- especially those from different cultures.
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1.1.3. Time
A third type of nonverbal communication involves time. Just as there is a body and space
language, there is also a time language (koontz and Weihrich). That is, how we give meaning or
value to time communicates to others. To illustrate, think about how you manage your daily
schedule. Do you arrive early for most appointments? Do you prioritize telephone calls? Do you
prepare agendas for meeting? How you respond to time communicates to others. It is not
uncommon for a manager to assume that a subordinate who is frequently late to department
meetings does not care about them.
Punctuality is the sign of respect.
And, of course, others’ use of time communicates to you. Time orientations become parts of
messages we send to and receive from one another.
In addition to body language, space and time, nonverbal communication also includes vocal cues,
body posture, and physical environment (things with our space).
- Vocal cues: the tone, pitch and general expression of speech (refers to how words are said i.e.,
calm/excited/upset/slow or fast).
- Body posture: the way in which we stand or sit such as sitting up straight or slouching, leaning
back or forward, crossing arms and/or legs
- Physical environment: the color, lighting, the neatness of an office, and so on.
Activity: 16
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How do things communicate?
The things with your space also communicate things to others. A clean desk communicates
efficiency versus the disorganization conveyed by a messy one. An attractive reception area
communicates that the organization cares about visitors. Expensive things communicate higher
status than do cheap ones.
Personal things in your space such as trophies, photographs, pictures, plants, and other
decorations also convey messages about you to others (koontz and Weihrich).
To make nonverbal communication effective:
 You should be aware of your nonverbal communication and make sure it is consistent with your
oral or written communication.
 Be aware of, or read, other people’s nonverbal communication because it tells you their feelings
and attitudes toward the communication and you as a person.
 Smile and use eye contact comfortable for all.
 Speak in a pleasant tone of voice.
 Do not cross your arms or legs (signs of being closed to communication).
Summary
In general, communication is categorized into internal and external communication. Internal

communication is the exchange of messages between employees inside the organization, whereas
external communication is the exchange of messages between the organization and the external
environment.
Internal communication includes formal and informal communication. Formal communication

channels are established within the organization’s chain of command in order to accomplish task
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objectives. Formal communication includes downward, upward, horizontal, and diagonal

communications.
An informal communication network operates independently from official channels and involves
messages that flow in all directions and through all levels of authority. It involves grapevine,
social gatherings, and management by wandering. Grapevine is the most common form of
informal communication. There are four chains of grapevine: single strand, gossip, probability,
and cluster. Managers can do little to control the direction, speed, and accuracy of grapevines.
The external communication links the organization with the outside world. Organizations are
involved in communicating externally to present products and services, to develop a positive
image, to attract employees, and to gain attention. The survival of an organization depends on the
relationships established between members of the organization and people outside the
organization.
External information can also help the organization plan, make decisions, avoid problems, and
satisfy customer needs. External communication between the organization and the environment is
a process involving input, throughput, and output.
The typical external communication program includes four distinct programs such as public
relations, advertizing, promoting the culture and opportunities available to prospective
employees, and customer surveys.
Nonverbal communication means all communication that occurs without words. Usually, we use
nonverbal communication to supplement and reinforce our words. The three types of nonverbal
communication are body language, space, and time.
Additionally, nonverbal communication includes vocal cues, body posture, and physical
environment.
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CHAPTER FIVE
5. PUBLIC RELATIONS
Learning Objectives
After you study this chapter, you will be able to:

- Define public relations
- Describe the significance of public relations
- Explain what media relation is
Chapter outline
5.1. The publics
5.2. Media relations
Introduction
It has often been said that the business of business is to make profits. However, behind making
profits, there lies a more fundamental function of business that is vital for the business of business. That
fundamental function of business is communication. Imagine if there was no communication in a
business organization; would there be any function at all? Therefore, it would not be out of place to
state that to accomplish the business of business communication is essential. Communication is
the very essence of business.
Communication is very closely associated with human behavior. Understanding of human behavior
enables us to apply its principles to communication psychology. Psychologists study individual
behavior; sociologists study group behavior; and anthropologists study cultural behavior. These
studies have provided us with theories that are useful in understanding human behavior.
Remember, all behavior is communicative; and communication is the index of our behavior. Therefore,
developing communication skills implies transformation of our behavioral pattern. This
transformation is not an easy task, but a conscious and a deliberate act.
Therefore, the way a corporation behaves is today a studied art of corporate communication
management. It monitors its relationships with all its public.
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5.1. The publics
Activity: 1
Define the term publics.
Let us now define the term Publics. These are the people on whom the success or failure of your
effort depends.
The Publics vary for every company or organization or even individual, but by and large in the
business context you have some broad categories of publics.
These are:
 Internal publics ,and

 External publics.
Internal publics are those people who work for your organization and are part of it, like the
proprietors, management and work force.
The external publics are those people outside your organization, who can affect the success or failure
of your efforts. Some of these are investors, government, media, suppliers, trade associations etc.
Let us take suppliers as a public for instance. Say you are a builder and one of your suppliers is
Derba Cement. There is a shortage of cement in the market and you know that if you do not get your
supply of cement your building project will be delayed. Now, if you have a good relationship with
Derba Cement they may continue to supply you while they have stopped supplying or reduced
supplies to their other customers.
On the other hand, if you do not have a good relationship with Derba Cement you will be the first
person that they would stop supplying to.
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Public Relations
Activity: 2
What is public relations?
Some of the many definitions of public relations are:
 Public Relations is a deliberate, planned and sustained effort to develop, establish and maintain
two-way communication between an organization and the public. It could be also described as a
management communication resource which uses communication techniques and tools to create
the right environment for a product, business or service.
 Public relations is the art and science of managing communication between an

organization and its key public constituents to build, manage, and sustain its positive image.
 Public relations is the process of aligning the perceptions of targeted audiences (or publics) with the
current realities and reasonable prospects of another entity.
 Public relations is about building public relationships.
 It is business of generating goodwill towards an individual, cause, company, or product.
 The act of communicating what you are to the public. This is not to be confused with
publicity, which is just one of the methods used in communicating the image.
 Any activity, communications, or press coverage that is designed to enhance the

prestige or goodwill of a company.
 Many activities or events that help promote a favorable relationship between a

company and its customers and prospects; activities used to influence the press to print stories that
promote a favorable image of a company and its products or services.
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 Communication with various sectors of the public to influence their attitudes and opinions in the
interest of promoting a person, product, or idea.
 Marketers engage in public relations to develop a favorable image of their

organizations in the eyes of public -public at large, customers, suppliers government,
media, competitors, shareholders, employees and the society.
Why PR?
Public image is important to all organizations and prominent personalities. PR workers put together information that
keeps the public aware of the organization’s accomplishments and keeps management aware of public attitudes.
Who does PR?
The PR function is carried out by:
 Independent PR agencies.
 Corporate communication/PR division of business firms, corporate sector, governmental and
nongovernmental organizations
Public relations involves
a. Evaluation of public attitudes and opinions.

b. Formulation and implementation of an organization’s procedures and policy regarding
communication with its publics.
c. Coordination of communications programs.
d. Developing rapport and goodwill through a two way communication process.
e. Fostering a positive relationship between an organization and its public constituents.
Activity: 3
Visit an organization and see how it is doing public relation and why?
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5.2. Media Relations
Media relations is one of the core disciplines in public relations and corporate and organizational
communication, and it is often one of the most visible. But it is also one of the most difficult for
senior management to understand.
Media relations consists of all the ways an organization interacts with the news media. These
include the ability to build long-term relationships with reporters whose area of responsibility,
often called a “beat,” includes covering the organization every day. Media relations also includes
managing ad hoc contact with reporters who may be calling the company for the first and only
time in their careers. Media relations also includes the processes of seeking media coverage and
of responding to reporters’ requests for interviews or information. And it includes developing
procedures to measure, monitor and manage the contact between an organization’s employees
and reporters.
Organizing the Media Relations Function
Activity: 4
What are the different configurations of media relations function?
Media relations typically resides within a corporate communications function, but it can also
reside in other corporate structures, including:
Marketing
Product divisions
Regional offices
Investor relations (in the case of the financial media)
In large companies, there is often a breakdown of responsibility, with different people responsible
for different kinds of media relations, including:
 Corporate media relations, for articles about the corporation as a whole, including governance
issues, industry trends, senior leadership, sales and earnings, and issues affecting the entire
corporation.
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 Product media relations, sometimes residing with a single person, sometimes with a different
person responsible for each product category. These individuals focus on inquiries about, or
stories featuring, individual products. These can include the general interest consumer media
(newspapers, magazines, television, electronic), or can include industry trade publications.
 Marketing public relations, focusing on initiating coverage of the company, its products, issues,
and people. This function often is responsible for creating special events, promotional campaigns,
and other opportunities to affirmatively show the company in a positive light.
 Financial media relations, usually coordinated carefully with the investor relations function,
responsible for distributing news of interest to the investment community, and in fulfillment of a
company’s securities law disclosure requirements.
 Regional media relations, usually a separate function in each geographic region, and often
reporting to the management of the region, with only a dotted-line reporting responsibility to
corporate media relations.
There are many other configurations of the media relations function. The most effective functions
are those that fit the strategic and operational needs of their organizations. But to succeed, the
function must be well coordinated, regardless of the structure or reporting responsibilities. Many
companies manage the coordination by having well-defined policies for who is responsible for
which relationships with which kinds of media; who is responsible for handling inquiries on
which topics, and the like. They also have frequent, often weekly conference calls with all media
relations staff to assure up-to-date understanding of pending stories and developments, and to
share insights, resources, or information.
Most companies also have clear policies directing all other employees to refer any press inquiries,
on any topic, to certain people in the media relations department.
Success in Media Relations
Activity: 5
How to achieve success in media relations?
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Everyone in media relations chants the same mantra: success in media relations depends upon
building solid relationships with the press. Of course knowing it and doing it are two different
things. How to do it? The formula is simple: success as a communicator will be in direct
proportion to one’s skills as a communicator, one’s conviction, the quality of the product,
position, or story one is selling to the press, and one’s preparedness.
Communication Skills
Communication is one of those things that most people think they are good at. After all, it
involves speaking, reading, and writing. Most people have been speaking from the first year or so
after they were born, and learned to read and write in first grade.
But true communication skill requires more than just speaking, reading, and writing. It involves
using those behaviors to influence the attitudes and behaviors of others. And like any other set of
skills, it can become stale and fall into disuse. Effective communicators regularly upgrade their
communication skills.
Conviction
Journalists are like kids and puppy dogs: if you do not mean what you say, they can smell it.
Quality of Product or Story
If the thing you are selling to the press is not a page-one story, do not try to get coverage there. If
your product or story is not what your organization says it is, the lie or omission will eventually
be uncovered. Do not lie. Sounds easy, but it is not. Be willing to stand up in your organization
and object to a story line that obscures, blurs, or distorts the truth. Let your uncompromising
position be known within the organization—you will not have to blurt it out, because the
opportunity to let people know how you feel will come.
Similarly, if you are trying to interest a reporter in a story, you need to package it in ways that get
the reporter’s attention and make it more likely that the reporter will become the story’s
champion. This usually requires doing much of the legwork for the reporter before even pitching
the story.
The general rule of thumb for a major story is that the media relations person needs to do 80
percent of the work on the story, and the reporter will be able to do the other 20 percent. Trying
to interest a reporter in a poorly planned, weak, or otherwise uninteresting story is a waste of the
reporter’s time as well as your own, and can prevent the reporter from seeing the media relations
person as a valuable resource.
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Preparedness
Be knowledgeable about your organization, and its products, services, and people. Otherwise,
you are just an obstacle to the press. Unfortunately, too many media relations people think their
job is simply to arrange interviews.
There is a time to call upon the experts in your organization to grant interviews, but the
communications people should be able to field a significant percentage of incoming calls and be
well enough informed to approach a journalist with the basics of a story. If you know what you
are talking about—that is, understand your industry, not only your company—journalists will
begin to rely on you. When they start calling you for guidance on a story that does not directly
involve your organization, you know you have accomplished something. If you have arranged for
someone in your organization to be interviewed, make sure he or she is prepared.
Best Practices in Media Relations

1. Be quick (but not foolhardy). Communication groups should have their own policy— for
example, “return 90 percent of press calls within one hour”—based on their resources and the
demands of the press reporting on their organizations.
2. Know the media. Understand the missions of the various print, broadcast, and electronic media.
3. Know the reporters. Of course you can only know a small number of journalists well. But media
directories have brief biographical sketches of journalists, and full bios are available.
4. Have a plethora of standby statements. Most companies know what is likely to become public
prematurely. The most enlightened companies have standby statements ready to distribute on
such topics well before a reporter calls. The statement should generally be ready for faxing or e-
mailing to a reporter. One way to avoid questions on a sensitive subject is to say “we have a
standby statement on that; should I e-mail it to you?” Invariably—literally—the answer will be
yes, thank you, and goodbye. This avoids the possibility of misspeaking or of being misquoted,
and the journalist has the precise words the organization wants to express.
5. Media training. Speaking with reporters is different from speaking with other people, because
they use your words differently than most people do. In particular, most conversations are
private, unstructured, and informal, while interviews are always public, and should be formal and
structured. Executives often behave with reporters the same way they behave with everyone else,
and often with adverse consequences.
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One way to prevent such negative outcomes is to prepare the executive not just on the subject
matter to be discussed, but also on the skills necessary to communicate that content most
effectively through the news media. The skills for effectiveness in print interviews are in some
ways different from those necessary for television, radio, or the Internet.
6. Prepare before and after interview memos. When possible, sketch in a preinterview memo the
objectives for the interview and other relevant information. The post interview memo can be a
way of preparing colleagues and bosses for the news report and of learning for the future.
7. Do everything you can to build your organization’s reputation. The media relations person
represents the organization as much as anyone and is in a position of great leverage in this regard.
8. Do not do anything that puts your organization’s reputation at risk.
9. Make it interesting. Given a choice between “interesting” and “informative,” the journalist will
choose “interesting” almost every time.
10. Keep a press log. There are two reasons. First, it can be circulated within your organization so
that others know what you are doing with the press and so that PR people in the organization are
not tripping over each other. Second, it will provide a record so that, in the future, you can reach
out to all journalists who, for example, have inquired about a particular product or issue.
11. Be available nights and weekends. It is the deadline, stupid. There is no other way to run press
relations. If there is more than one person in the press relations shop, spread the overtime work
around. If you are the only one, make sure your superiors know what overtime work is required.
12. Correct every mistake in the press about your organization. There are essentially three remedies:
a letter to the editor; a correction notice for publication or broadcast; and a letter or call to the
journalist to clarify the matter with him or her but not necessarily for publication or broadcast.
Qualities of a Good Media Relations Person
Activity:6
What are the qualities of a good media relations person?
The list is brief:
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 Good communication instincts (some people are simply not communicative by nature and should
not be in media relations).
 Good communication skills. The job interview can reveal much about speaking abilities. To
assess writing ability, always give a writing test.
 Toughness and an ability to withstand criticism.
 Honesty.
 Good research skills.
 An ability to shine when under intense deadline pressure.
 Teamwork skills.
Summary
It has often been said that the business of business is to make profits. However, behind making profits,
there lies a more fundamental function of business that is vital for the business of business.
The fundamental function of business is communication. Imagine if there was no communication

in a business organization; would there be any function at all?
People often talk about Public Relations without knowing exactly what it is.
To get a clearer picture of what Public Relations is, there are a number of definitions.
Public image is important to all organizations and prominent personalities. PR workers put together
information that keeps the public aware of an organization’s accomplishments and keeps management
aware of public attitudes.
Public relations involve evaluation of public attitudes and opinions, formulation and
implementation of an organization’s procedures and policy regarding communication with its publics,
coordination of communications programs, developing rapport and good-will through a two way
communication process, fostering a positive relationship between an organization and its public
constituents.
The PR function is carried out by independent PR agencies and corporate communication/ PR division of
business firms, corporate sector, governmental and nongovernmental organizations.
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CHAPTER SIX
6. MEDIA OF COMMUNICATION
Learning objectives
- Explain verbal communication and its different types.

- Format and use letters, memos, and faxes effectively.
- Explain how to conduct and participate in meeting.
- Familiar with guidelines of interview as interviewer and interviewee.
Chapter outline
6.1. Verbal communications

6.1.1. Written communication
6.1.2. Oral communication
Dear learners, verbal communication includes any oral or written method of transmitting meaning
through words. However, nonverbal communication is any part of communication that does not
use words. Words are the vessels that carry most of our ideas to others. Words may be either
spoken or written. Written and oral communications are verbal communication.
6.1. VERBAL COMMUNICATION
6.1.1. Written Communication
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Managers communicate in writing every day. They, write letters, draft reports, and send e-mails.
To communicate effectively managers must be able to write clearly, concisely, and persuasively.
Activity: 1
What should managers consider before writing any business documents?
Dear learner, before actually writing a business document, managers need to think about what
they want to achieve. They must identify the purpose of the document, the audience, and the main
point they want to convey (Rue and Byars). Using a form like that is shown below can help them
work through this stage of writing process.
Purpose
- Why am I writing this document?

- What action do I want the reader to take after reading it?
Audience
- Who will read this document?

- How much does the reader already know about the topic?
- How will the reader use the document?
- Are there any special sensitivities of which I should be aware?
Main Message
- What is the main message I want to convey in this document?
- How will I support that message?
Principles of Good writing
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Many business managers have difficulty writing well. To improve their writing, managers can
apply several basic principles (Rue and Byars):
1. Write as simply and clearly as possible. Avoid writing in a way that is difficult to understand.
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2. Be sure that the content and tone of the document are appropriate for audience. Do not waste
readers’ time communicating information they already know. However, do not assume they are
as familiar with the topic as you are. Always use polite tone, especially when writing to
customers.
3. Proofread the document. If you are using a computer, use the spell check function. If you are not
using a computer, use a dictionary to check the spelling of words you do not know. Always read
documents for incorrect grammar or usage.
Written communication has the advantages of providing records and references. A message can
be carefully prepared and then directed to a large audience through mass mailings. Written
communication can also promote uniformity in policy, rules, procedure, and so on. It can reduce
costs in some cases. It is cheaper when the parties to the communication are situated at distant
places. There is less flexibility. Once a message has been sent, it may not be possible to make
changes for incorrectness. It is also difficult to maintain secrecy in written communication.
The disadvantages are that written messages may create mountains of paper, may be poorly
expressed by ineffective writers, and may provide no immediate feedback. Consequently, it may
take a long time to know whether a message has been received and properly understood.
Activity: 2
Would you identify the communication channels of written communication?
Managers and employees can communicate internally and externally in writing with others
through letters, memorandums (memos), e-mails, faxes, and reports.
a) Business Letters
A business letter is a formal communication tool. Letters are used for formal communications
when the topic demands more attention than is possible with a phone call or an e-mail message.
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There are two common structures for business letters: full block style and modified block style
(Angell). In full block style, everything in the letter begins at the left margin. In modified block
style, the date and the closing lines begin in the middle, while the other components remain at
the left margin.
Indenting paragraphs is an option in the modified format but is not in the full block format. The
full block style uses a colon after the recipient’s name and comma after the close. Modified block
style uses no punctuation at all in those positions.
Activity: 3
Which letter style are you using? List the parts of a letter that are included in the letters of
your organization?
Basic Parts of Letters
Young identifies several parts of letters (with the block style) as follow:
- Letterhead: Letterhead contains the company’s name, address, phone number, and fax number.
Many letterheads also include a logo, an e-mail address and a web address. The letterhead helps
the reader know where the letter is coming from and where to reply to the letter.
- Dateline: The dateline appears below the letterhead. Date provides a reference point for future
correspondence.
- Reference: The code given to a letter for easy identification.
- Inside address: The inside address contains the name of the recipient, his or her title, the
company name and address.
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- Attention line (optional): If a letter is addressed to a company rather than an individual, direct
your letter by using an attention line. This line is generally underlined. Example, Attention:
General Manager.
- Salutation or greeting: The traditional greeting for letter starts with Dear. Thus, start your letter
with “Dear Mr. John” or “Dear Client Representative” (if you don’t know the addressee’s name).
After some contact, you can generally use the person’s name Dear John rather than title or last
name.
- Subject (optional): The subject usually appears below the salutation. If preferred, the subject can
appear above the salutation. The purpose of the subject is let the reader know immediately what
the message is about.
- Body: The main purpose of a letter is to convey a message. This is done mainly through the body
of the letter.
- Complementary closing: Business letters are formal and use complementary closing. The
complementary closing is typed a double space below the last line of the body. For business
letters, use sincerely or sincerely yours.
- Writer’s Name (required): Type the writer’s name below the closing. Leave enough space for a
handwritten signature.
- Writer’s title (optional): For formal correspondence, it is recommended to use a title. Type the
title on the line below the name.
- Reference initials (optional): If you type a letter for someone else, put your reference initials in
lowercase or caps a double space below the writer’s signature.
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- Enclosure notation (optional): The enclosure notation reminds the reader that material is
enclosed with the letter. If you are enclosing something with the letter, make reference to the
enclosure in the body of the letter and include an enclosure notation.
- File name notation (optional): documents created with word processing software sometimes
need a file name so that they can be retrieved from storage.
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- Copy notation (optional): A cc (courtesy copy) notation appears on all copies and indicates to
whom copies are being sent.
- Postscript (optional): Use a postscript (PS) for an afterthought. Position your postscript double
space below the last notation. Here are some examples:
PS. It was great to see you at the meeting!

PS: Thank you for inviting Jorge to the meeting.
PS: You can reach me at the home number indicated on the new label copy.
Standard part of a business letter

Full Block Style
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The Writing Organization

180 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, lllinois 60611
312-555-1222
November, 2010 Date
Mr. Bob Allison

Global Communication Network Inside Address
333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60610
Salutation
Dear Mr. Allison:
The introduction connects you to your reader and connects your reader to the purpose of your letter.
The body tells the reader basic information that supports your purpose. In the body of a letter, include
details, descriptions, examples, and rationale. The body could be one paragraph for a short letter or
any number of paragraphs for longer letters. The body should be as long as necessary to make your
point, but no longer.
The last paragraph or conclusion defines action or next steps. Inform the reader of any action that you
will take or that you request the reader to take. Invite the reader to contact you for additional
information; if you choose, include your phone number and e-mail address.
Closing
Sincerely,
Writer’s Name
Reginald D. Piper
Title
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Modified Block Style

312-555-1222
November, 2010 Date
Mr. Bob Allison Inside Address

Global Communication Network
Chicago, IL 60610
Dear Mr. Allison Salutation
The introduction connects you to your reader and connects your reader to the purpose of your
letter.
The body tells the reader basic information that supports your purpose. In the body of a letter,
include details, descriptions, examples, and rationale. The body could be one paragraph for a
short letter or any number of paragraphs for longer letters. The body should be as long as
necessary to make your point, but no longer.
The last paragraph or conclusion defines action or next steps. Inform the reader of any action that
you will take or that you request the reader to take. Invite the reader to contact you for additional
information; if you choose, include your phone number and e-mail address.
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Sincerely Closing
Writer’s Name Reginald D. Piper

Title Designer
cc: Michael Jones cc stands for “courtesy copy”

Enclosure: A document enclosed with the letter
PS: Postscript
Indented Modified Block Style

312-555-1222
November, 2010 Date
Mr. Bob Allison Inside Address

Global Communication Network
Chicago, IL 60610
Dear Mr. Allison Salutation
The introduction connects you to your reader and connects your reader to the purpose of
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your letter.
The body tells the reader basic information that supports your purpose. In the body of a
letter, include details, descriptions, examples, and rationale. The body could be one paragraph for
a short letter or any number of paragraphs for longer letters. The body should be as long as
necessary to make your point, but no longer.
The last paragraph or conclusion defines action or next steps. Inform the reader of any
action that you will take or that you request the reader to take. Invite the reader to contact you for
additional information; if you choose, include your phone number and e-mail address.
Sincerely
Closing
Writer’s Name Reginald D. Piper

Title Designer
cc: Michael Jones cc stands for “courtesy copy”

Enclosure: A document enclosed with the letter
PS: Postscript
b) Memorandum (Memo)
A memo is a structured internal communication tool most often used to convey information,
announcements, and reminders (Young). When a writer sends a memo, the writer does not expect
a reply.
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Activity: 4
Are you using memo in your workplace? What are its basic parts?
The basic parts of memo
1. Heading: The necessary elements for a memo heading are To, From, Date, and Subject. Here are
the two most common headings:
To:
From:
Date:
Subject:
OR
TO: FROM:
SUBJECT: DATE:
2. Salutation: Memos do not require a salutation.

3. Body: Start the body of the memo 2 or 3 lines below the end of the heading.
4. Closing: Memos do not require a signature. But adding a writer’s handwritten initials next to the
name at the top (or at the bottom) also personalizes a memo.
However, some organizations ask employees to sign memos rather than simply initialing them.
The signature goes below the last line of the memo and prevents anyone adding unauthorized
information (Locker).
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Note that the first letters of the reader’s name, the writer’s name, and the subject phrase are lined
up vertically.
Sample of Memo
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MEMO
To: Philip
From: Carson
Date: October, 2010
Subject: Performing Credit Policy
It’s time to put our thinking caps. I have just spent an hour in my office having my ear chewed
off by a very irate customer in Idaho. It seems we have let things slip a little too far in certain
areas of customer service.
Let’s plan a meeting to talk about how we can do things better. Can everybody get back to me
with a time and a day next week when you have an open slot grueling afternoon gathering. If
you don’t have an afternoon free, please clear one.
I’ll let you know a time and place as soon as all your responses are in.
Carson
c) Electronic Mail (E-mail)
E-mail is much less formal than a letter. E-mail is best when the message is short. Start with the
most important information and get right to the point because the recipient may not read the
entire message if it is unusually long. If you need the reader to take action, put the relevant
information at the beginning of the message.
When used effectively, e-mail enhances a busy professional’s ability to communicate and solve
problems. Information can be exchanged at a moment’s notice.
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Do not rely on e-mail when personal contact is the only way to dissolve misunderstanding and
when your information has a critical time element. The recipient may not even read your message
before the deadline. When you need a fast response, you call to say that you are sending an
urgent message that needs an immediate response. When a phone call would be more efficient, do
not spend a great deal of time drafting an e-mail. Thus, an e-mail may not be your best option.
The purpose of communication is to build relationships. So don’t hide behind e-mail.
Start an e-mail with a salutation.
Using a salutation is the simplest way to connect. Many writers jump right into the message
without addressing the recipient by name (Young). This approach is not recommended, but it is
acceptable when writers exchange several messages with each other on a daily basis.
- Since e-mail is somewhat informal, the word dear does not need to be part of the salutation.
- If you choose to be somewhat formal, use Dear and follow the recipient’s name with a colon (for
example, Dear John:).
- If you chose to be less formal, omit Dear and follow the recipient’s name with a colon (for
example, John:).
- If you choose to be familiar, follow the recipient’s name with a comma (for example, John,).
- If you don’t know the recipient and your e-mail is your first communication with that person,
follow the most formal guideline: use the recipient’s last name preceded by dear (for example,
Dear Mr. John:).
Activity: 5
Can you list what you should take in to account before sending e-mail message?
Guidelines for E-mail
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Here are some basic guidelines of e-mail (Young):
1. Respond to e-mail within a day or two.

2. Use a salutation and a closing, even if the salutation consists of only the recipient’s name and the
closing consists of only your name.
3. Start messages with the most important information.
4. Use bulleted or numbered lists so that items stand out.
5. Use conventional rules for punctuation and capitalization: do not write in all uppercase or
lowercase.
6. Avoid jargon and abbreviations.
7. Use an accurate and updated subject line so that your recipient can refer to your message and file
it easily.
8. Avoid using “Read Now” and “Urgent” unless absolutely necessary.
9. Do not convey extremely sensitive or confidential information via e-mail; whenever possible, do
not convey bad news.
10. Keep an open mind about messages you receive.
11. Stay current about your company policy for e-mail.
12. If you have doubts about whether you should send a message, do not send it; save it as a draft
until you are sure. When in doubt, leave it out.
d) Faxes
In general, a fax is not originally created document. Documents that have been created for
various purposes are sent as faxes. A fax can be a letter, a memo, a proposal, a price list, or any
other type of business document.
Activity: 6
Do you have access of fax machine in your organization? If so, do you use cover sheet?
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What are its parts?
Format of a Fax
Usually, the only part of the fax you would specifically create for the fax transmission is the
cover sheet, which you should include with all transmittals (Young). Here is the format of a fax:
1. Prepare a cover sheet for the correspondence you are faxing. Include the following:
To: Fax No.:
From: Phone No.:
Date:
[Total number of pages faxed.]
2. You can include a brief message on the cover sheet explaining the material you are faxing and
what you expect from the recipient.
3. Number each page you send.
e) Report
Formal reports contain formal elements such as title page, a transmittal, a table of contents, and a
list of illustrations. Informal reports may be letters and memos or even computer printouts of
production or sales figures (Locker, 2006). But all reports, whatever their length or degree of
formality, provide the information that people in organizations need to make plans and solve
problems.
Activity: 7
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Why is report important? What are the types reports prepared in organizations?
While some reports are delivered orally, most are written. Written reports are a management tool
for both problem solving and decision making. They also provide a permanent record that can be
accessed, read, and revised over time (Angell). All reports should be grammatically correct, well
organized, clear, and interesting to read.
Reports can be called information reports, analytical reports, and recommendation reports
(Locker).
- Information reports collect data for the reader.

- Analytical reports present and interpret data.
- Recommendation reports recommend action or a solution.
Annual report (informational/analytical/persuasive): prepared every year and it is often an

attractive, bound document.
Periodic report (informational): prepared daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly that usually
moves up ward in an organization.
Activity: 8
Can you identify the characteristics of effective report?
Whatever its function, an effective report has the following characteristics. It is accurate,
objective, complete, logical, easy to read, well organized, free of writing errors, on time,
professional looking, and useful for the readers.
Practice Report Design
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Determine the report goal

- Pinpoint the reason you need to communicate.
- Consider the potential outcome of the report such as solution to a problem, an alternative option
for a decision, or information for a question, action, or investment.
- Identify goal intention: to provide information, analyze data, or persuade.
- Plan for decision by considering length and complexity.
Evaluate the audience

- Assess who will read the report.
- Determine whether you will be communicating to an internal or external audience (or both).
- Consider what your audience requires, needs, and already knows about the subject.
- Use empathy by ascertaining the viewpoints of your audience.
Write the report

- Develop the main ideas.
- Develop your argument using reasons that support your recommendations or call to action.
- Organize the information logically by introducing the subject, presenting the information,
describing the problem, justifying the action or identifying the issue, and then making the
recommendation, suggesting the action or providing potential advantages and disadvantages.
- Write messages to suit your audience’s level of understanding.
Check the design flaws

- Ensure that the information in the report is accurate.
- Revise sentences and paragraphs to make sure the writing is logical, clear, and objective.
- Look for missing or unnecessary information.
- Proofread the document to find grammatical, typographical, or spelling errors.
- Format the report according to a prescribed style or use appropriate and attractive page layouts.
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6.1.2. ORAL COMMUNICATION
Not all business communication is done in writing. Oral communication is a vital part of your
work. In fact, most business communication is done orally. That is, a great deal of information is
communicated orally.
Some oral communications are formal and take place at meeting or interviews. Most oral
communication is informal and takes place in offices, hallways, in cafeteria, and over the
telephone (Koontz and Weihrich).
Successful managers use their oral communication skills to give clear instructions, motivate their
employees, and persuade other people.
Activity: 9
What are the advantages and disadvantages of oral communication?
The principal advantage of oral communication is that it makes possible speedy interchange with
immediate feedback. Response to the message is available immediately, i.e., people can ask
questions and clarify points. In a face-to-face interaction, the effect can be noted. It is more
flexible as the words can be changed to suit the reaction the receiver. Furthermore, a meeting
with the superior may give the subordinate a feeling of importance (Koontz and Weihrich).
Clearly, informal or planned meetings can greatly contribute to the understanding of the issues.
However, oral communication also has disadvantages. It does not always save time, as any
manager knows who has attended meetings in which no results or agreements were achieved.
These meetings can be costly in terms of time and money. It doesn’t provide record unless the
conversation is recorded. It is also not possible when parties are at distant places and no
telephone service is available.
Oral communication takes place through listening and speaking.
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Listening
The importance of listening
Listening is important to us in our study of communication for at least three reasons. Foremost is
the fact that listening is the first of the verbal skills we acquire as we develop the ability to use
language, followed in sequence by speaking, reading, and writing. Second, listening accounts for
about 45 percent of our verbal communication time- more than any other skill area. Third,
listening is an important area to business. When workers are asked what they like about
supervisors, “They listen to me!” ranks atop or near the top of responses. But listening well
requires patience and hard work as we will see. It involves more than just hearing.
The receiver must first perceive the message, then decode it (that is, translate the symbols into
meaning), and then interpret it. In interpersonal communication, hearing denotes perceiving
sounds. Listening means decoding and interpreting sounds correctly (Locker).
Activity: 10
Identify the three activities of listening. Explain.
The nature of listening

When listening is mentioned, we think primarily of the act of sensing sounds. In human
communication, of course, the sounds are mainly spoken words. Viewed from a communication
standpoint, however, the listening process involves the additional activities of filtering and
remembering.
Lesikar et. al. identify three activities of listening. These activities are sensing, filtering, and
remembering.
Sensing. How well we sense the words spoken around us is determined by two factors. One
factor is our ability to sense sounds- how well our ears can pick them up. The other factor is our
attentiveness to listening. More specifically, this is our mental concentration- our will to listen.
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Filtering. Filtering is the process of giving symbols meanings through the unique contents of
each person’s mind. The filtering process enables you to give meanings to the symbols you
sense. In this process, the contents of your mind serve as a sort of filter through which you give
meaning to incoming messages. This filter is formed by the unique contents of your mind- your
knowledge, emotions, beliefs, biases, experiences, expectations, and such. Thus, you sometimes
give messages meanings different from the meanings that others give them.
Remembering. Remembering what we hear is the third activity involved in listening.

Unfortunately, we retain little of what we hear. We remember many of the comments we hear in
casual conversation for only a short time- perhaps for only a few minutes or hours. Some we
forget almost as we hear them. We even quickly forget most of the messages in formal
communication such as speeches, remembering only a forth after two days.
Activity: 11
What are the guidelines that help to improve listening?
John W. Newstorm and Keith Davis proposed the guides to improve listening. Follow these
practical guidelines.
1. Stop talking. Unfortunately, most of us prefer talking to listening. Even when we are not talking,
we are inclined to concentrate on what to say next rather than on listening to others. So you must
stop talking before you can listen.
2. Put the talker at ease. If you make the talker feel at ease, he or she will do a better job of
talking. Then you will have better input to work with.
3. Show the talker that you want to listen. If you can convince the taker that you are listening to
understand rather than oppose, you will help create a climate for information exchange. You
should look and act interested. Doing things like reading, looking at your watch, and looking
away distracts the talker.
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4. Remove distractions. The things you do can also distract the talker. So don’t doodle, tap with
your pencil, shuffle papers, or the like.
5. Empathize with the talker. If you place yourself in the talker’s position and look at things from
the talker’s point of view, you will help create a climate of understanding that can result in a true
exchange of information.
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6. Be patient. You will need to allow the talker plenty of time. Remember that not everyone can get
to the point as quickly and clearly as you. And do not interrupt. Interruptions are barriers to the
exchange of information.
7. Hold your temper. From our knowledge of the workings of our minds, we know that anger
impedes communication. Angry people build walls between each other. They harden their
positions and block their minds to the words of others.
8. Go easy on argument and criticism. Argument and criticism tend to put the talker on defensive.
He or she then tends to “calm up” or get angry. Thus, even if you win the argument, you lose.
Rarely does either party benefit from argument and criticism.
9. Ask questions. By frequently asking questions, you display an open mind and show that you are
listening. And you assist the talker in developing his or her message and in improving the
correctness of meaning.
10. Stop taking. The first and the last guidelines are the most important. People have to stop talking
before they can listen! All the other commandments depend on it.
Causes of Poor Listening
Good listening can improve quality, boost productivity, and save money. Of course, bad listening
can have the opposite effect.
People are not born with the ability to listen effectively; listening skills are learned.
Unfortunately, many of us have developed poor listening habits.
Activity: 12
What are the causes of poor listening?
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Dear learner, poor listening can be attributed to several causes, many of them involving bad
habits that can be broken:
 Physical Barriers
Some barriers to effective listening are not directly under our control e.g. a noisy typewriter,
someone's loud voice, or a nearby machine making noise could prevent us from hearing an
important message. Visual distractions also pose barriers to effective listening. Concentration is
the key to dealing with physical barriers to listening.
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 Personal Barriers
Our physical wellbeing affects the listening process. Illness, fatigue and discomfort make us
unable to concentrate.
Psychological distractions are another type of personal barrier. It could arise from almost any
source, such as problems of finances, social problems, family problems and even work-related
problems.
Attitudinal biases against the speaker are another type of psychological block to listening.
 Semantic Barriers
This is having differences of understanding of the meaning of words between the sender of
message and listener (receiver) e.g. the word red, and read.
 Bad listening habits

Authority on listening, Ralph Nichols, have identified several bad habits that people develop in
their listening behavior some of them are: criticizing the speaker's delivery, mentally disagreeing
with speakers, faking attention to most speakers, day dreaming during delivery of presentations,
etc.
Speaking
Speaking in public is common organizational communication activity. Administrators, board

directors, executives, professional persons are called upon to speak.
The ability to communicate clearly, persuasively and confidently through speaking is one
key to success for both business and professional people.
Whether a manager, engineer, marketer, people need strong speaking skills to carry out their
tasks. Speaking opportunities allow these people to demonstrate their thinking and organizational
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skills. Such speaking opportunities occur both on the job and off the job in the form of
interviews, and participation in meetings.
Activity: 13
How to prepare for and effectively conduct speech or presentation in public?
Preparing to Speak
Since speeches and presentations are delivered orally under relative public circumstances, they
require a few special communication techniques. These techniques are discussed in the following.
Defining the Purpose
The first step in preparing to speak is to determine the purpose. The purpose helps to determine
content. Purpose also affects the amount of audience interaction. The purpose of a speech may be
to motivate or entertain, to inform or analyze, or to persuade or collaborate.
Analyzing the audience
The speaker has to have information about the characteristic of his/her audience. The following
are helpful in analyzing the audience:
- Audience size and composition

- Probable audience reaction
- Predict audience response
- Level of audience understanding
- Audience relationship with the speaker
Developing an outline
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Look for the most obvious and natural way to organize your ideas, using a direct order of
presentation whenever possible. Explain at the beginning how you have organized your material.
Be sure to include only the most useful, interesting, and relevant supporting evidence so
that you can keep the audience’s attention.
Reorient the audience at the end of each section by summarizing the point you have just made
and explaining how it fits in to your overall speech or presentation
Estimating the length of time required conducting a specific speech or presentation is also
important because time for this purpose is often strictly regulated. So, you should learn to tailor
your material to the available time. The outline can serve you to estimate how long your speech
or presentation will be.
Note development
Notes keep you on the track as far as they provide clues to the major ideas and verbal support
needed to flesh out the talk’s content. Suggestions for making helpful notes: use key phrases;
make notes easy to read, etc.
Practice presentation
Speakers practice to increase their sense of control and to enhance their self confidence. The
speaker will be able to deliver the talk with the major and minor points in the planned order with
his/ her eyes in the audience. The speaker can make the practice in front of a mirror, a small
group, and using a tape recorder.
Conducting the Speech
Presentation Structure
a) Opening (Introduction)
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An effective opening sets an appropriate tone and establishes good feelings between you and
your listeners.
One key objectives of the opining should be to capture the attention and interest of your
audience and make them want to listen.
Most people in your audience will be receptive or at least neutral, to you at first; they will be
willing to listen if you can capture and maintain their attention, and otherwise it will be harder for
you to hold their attention later.
Do not apologize about your speaking abilities or indicate you are not fully prepared on the
issues. Make your opening concise, clear, and relevant.
b) The Body
The body is the main part of the speech. It has to be organized in a logical pattern. Use linking
transitional elements to hold the presentation together. These linking transitional elements review
briefly what you have just presented and suggested what comes next.
Some transitions lead your listeners from fact to conclusion or inference: therefore, as a result,
thus, for this reason. Some transitions indicate a time progression: now, later, meanwhile, next,
finally. Others suggest certainty: obviously, surely, of course. Transitions may also suggest
comparison: likewise, similarly, or contrast: conversely, on the other hand, just for arguments
sake. Transition enhances the coherence and unity of your material (speech). It is telling your
listeners when you move to a new section.
c) Closing (conclusion)
The closing is as important as the opening. Listeners want a speech (presentation) to come to a
neat, tidy conclusion with all the loose ends tied up. Furthermore, people tend to remember most
what they hear last, you can take advantage of this by describing the main point of the end. So it
is important to concentrate on a powerful close for your talk. Thus, when closing your talk:
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- Summarize main points.

- Draw conclusions from facts presented in the body and make recommendations.
- Call for action or challenge the audience to act.
The Question and Answer Period
Along with the introduction, body and close, include in your speech or presentation an
opportunity for questions and answers.
Responding to questions and comments during the presentation interrupts the flow of your
argument and reduces your control of the situation. If you are addressing to a large group,
particularly a hostile or an unknown group, questions can be dangerous. So, request people to
hold their questions until the presentation is finished. However, in small group, it is possible to
encourage questions and comments while the presentation is going on.
Visual Aids
- Use visual aids to highlight important information and create interest

- Select appropriate visual aids for small groups.
- Use slides or films for large groups
- Make sure equipment works
Delivery Techniques
As you speak be natural, relaxed and personable manner. Your voice should exhibit
expressiveness and variety in pitch, rate and volume.
Maintain strong eye contact to establish a conversational, two way communication channel
with your listeners. Use the extended eye contact method and distribute your eye contact
over the entire audience.
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Keep yourself neatly, dress appropriately and move confidently. Use good speaker posture; stand
erect with feet slightly apart weight evenly distributed on both feet.
Meeting, Interview, and Telephoning
Usually managers and employees communicate orally with others through meeting, interview,
and telephone.
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1. Meeting
A meeting occurs anytime two or more people get together (face-to-face or through
telecommunication) to give and receive or gather information. In the professional arena, meetings
are common: informal gatherings, phone conferences, scheduled brainstorming sessions, and
formal presentations, to name a few.
Some meetings are well planned; others, impromptu. You may attend weekly, biweekly, or
monthly meetings as a routine part of your job. Different meetings have different purposes.
Activity: 14
What are the purposes of meeting? For what purposes do your organization mostly
conducts meetings?
Meeting can have any of the following purposes (Locker, 2006) and (Young, 2006):
- To share information.
- To plan
- To brainstorm ideas.
- To evaluate performance.
- To evaluate ideas.
- To make decisions.
- To solve problems.
- To create a document.
- To motivate members.
In addition, meetings enhance the social aspects of working in a group by giving participants an
opportunity to exchange small talk and share personal stories. In fact, some meetings focus
specifically on the social aspects of working together and celebrating accomplishments. Working
teams become stronger as members meet to solve problems and learn together.
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The meeting can be formal or informal. Formal meetings are run under strict rules, like the rules
of parliamentary procedure. Motion must be made before a topic can be debated. Each point is
settled by vote. Minutes record each motion and the vote on it. Formal rules help the meeting run
smoothly if the group is very large or if the agenda is very long. Informal meetings are much
more common in the workplace, are run more loosely. Votes may not be taken if most people
seem to agree. Minutes may not be kept. Informal meetings are better for team-building and
problem solving.
Activity: 15
When should you call and should not call a meeting?
Dear learner, you should call a meeting when you need:
- To reach a group judgment as the basis for a decision.

- To solve a problem.
- To gain acceptance from the group for an idea, program, or decision.
- To achieve a training objective.
- To reconcile conflicting views.
- To provide essential information for work guidance.
On the other hand, you should not call meeting:
- When other communication, such as telephone telegram, letter, or memo, will produce the
desired result.
- When there is not sufficient time for adequate preparation by participants or the meeting leader.
- When one or more key participants cannot be available.
- When the meeting is not likely to produce satisfactory results because of personality conflicts or
conflicts with overall management strategy.
- When expected results do not warrant spending the money it will cost to hold the meeting.
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Making Face-to-Face Meetings More Productive
Despite their regular occurrence, meetings are almost universally disliked. Typical comments
include, “We have too many of them,” “They don’t accomplish anything,” and “What a waste of
time!” One writer called them “the black holes of the workday.” In spite of their bad reputation,
meetings are not going away. Our task, then, as business communicators is to learn how to make
them more efficient, satisfying, and productive. The following suggestions will be especially
helpful in face-to-face meeting, but the advice frequently applies to virtual meetings as well.
Although meetings are disliked, they serve an important purpose for you. They represent
opportunities. Because meetings are a prime tool for developing staff, they are career-critical. “If
you can’t orchestrate a meeting, you’re of little use to the corporation,” said Morris Schechtman,
head of a leadership training firm. The Wall Street Journal concurred: “The inability to run
effective meetings can torpedo a career.” Why are meetings so important to your career? At
meetings, judgments are formed and careers are made. Therefore, instead of treating them as
thieves of your valuable time, try to see them as golden opportunities to demonstrate your
leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. So that you can make the most of these
opportunities, here are techniques for planning and conducting successful meetings.
 Deciding Whether a Meeting Is Necessary. No meeting should be called unless the topic is
important, can’t wait, and requires an exchange of ideas. If the flow of information is strictly one
way and no immediate feedback will result, then don’t schedule a meeting. For example, if
people are merely being advised or informed, send an e-mail, text message, memo, or letter.
Leave a telephone or voice mail message, but don’t call a costly meeting. Remember, the real
expense of a meeting is the lost productivity of all the people attending. To decide whether the
purpose of the meeting is valid, consult the key people who will be attending. Ask them what
outcomes are desired and how to achieve those goals. This consultation also sets a collaborative
tone and encourages full participation.
 Selecting Participants. The number of meeting participants is determined by the purpose of the
meeting. If the meeting purpose is motivational, such as an awards ceremony for sales reps of
cosmetics giant Avon, then the number of participants is unlimited. But to make decisions,
according to studies at 3M Corporation, the best number is five or fewer participants. Ideally,
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those attending should be people who will make the decision and people with information
necessary to make the decision. Also attending should be people who will be responsible for
implementing the decision and representatives of groups who will benefit from the decision.
Let’s say, for example, that the CEO of sportswear manufacturer Timberland is strongly
committed to community service. He wants his company to participate more fully in community
service. So he might meet with managers, employee representatives, and community leaders to
decide how his employees could volunteer to refurbish a school, build affordable housing, or
volunteer at a clinic.
 Distributing Advance Information. At least two days in advance of a meeting, distribute an
agenda of topics to be discussed. Also include any reports or materials that participants should
read in advance. For continuing groups, you might also include a copy of the minutes of the
previous meeting. To keep meetings productive, limit the number of agenda items. Remember,
the narrower the focus, the greater the chances for success. A good agenda covers the following
information:
- Date and place of meeting
- Start time and end time
- Brief description of each topic, in order of priority, including the names of individuals who are
responsible for performing some action
- Proposed allotment of time for each topic
- Any pre-meeting preparation expected of participants
 Using Digital Calendars to Schedule Meetings. Finding a time when everyone can meet
is often difficult. People have busy schedules, and ping-pong telephone conversations and e-mail
messages sent back and forth to find an open time can be frustrating.
Fortunately, digital calendars now make the task quicker and more efficient. Two of the most
popular digital calendaring programs are Google Calendar and Yahoo Calendar. Microsoft
Outlook also provides a calendar program. Online calendars enable you to make appointments,
schedule meetings, and keep track of daily activities. To schedule meetings, you enter a new
meeting request, add the names of attendees, and check the availability of each attendee on their
calendars. You select a date when all are available, enter a start and end time, and list the meeting
subject and location. Then the meeting request goes to each attendee. Later you check the
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attendee availability tab to see a list of all meeting attendees. As the meeting time approaches, the
program automatically sends reminders to attendees.
 Getting the Meeting Started. To avoid wasting time and irritating attendees, always start
meetings on time—even if some participants are missing. Waiting for latecomers causes
resentment and sets a bad precedent. For the same reasons, don’t give a quick recap to anyone
who arrives late. At the appointed time, open the meeting with a three- to five-minute
introduction that includes the following:
- Goal and length of the meeting
- Background of topics or problems
- Possible solutions and constraints
- Tentative agenda
- Ground rules to be followed
A typical set of ground rules might include arriving on time, communicating openly, being
supportive, listening carefully, participating fully, confronting conflict frankly, and following the
agenda. More formal groups follow parliamentary procedures based on Robert’s Rules. After
establishing basic ground rules, the leader should ask if participants agree thus far. The next step
is to assign one attendee to take minutes and one to act as a recorder. The recorder uses a
computer and projector or stands at a flipchart or whiteboard to list the main ideas being
discussed and agreements reached.
 Moving the Meeting Along. After the preliminaries, the leader should say as little as possible.
Like a talk show host, an effective leader makes “sure that each panel member gets some air time
while no one member steals the show.” Remember that the purpose of a meeting is to exchange
views, not to hear one person, even the leader, do all the talking. If the group has one member
who monopolizes, the leader might say, “Thanks, Michelle, for that perspective, but please hold
your next point while we hear how Ryan would respond to that.” This technique also encourages
quieter participants to speak up. To avoid allowing digressions to sidetrack the group, try
generating a “Parking Lot” list. Thism is a list of important but divergent issues that should be
discussed later. Another way to handle digressions is to say, “Folks, we’re drifting astray here.
Please forgive me for pressing on, but let’s return to the central issue of. . . . ” It is important to
adhere to the agenda and the time schedule. Equally important, when the group seems to have
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reached a consensus, is to summarize the group’s position and check to see whether everyone
agrees.
 Participating Actively and Productively. Meetings are an opportunity for you to showcase your
abilities and boost your career. To get the most out of the meetings you attend, try these
techniques:
- Arrive early. You show respect and look well organized by arriving a little early.
- Come prepared. Bring the agenda and any distributed materials. Study the topics and be ready
with questions, comments, and good ideas.
- Have a positive attitude. Use positive body language; speak energetically.
- Contribute respectfully. Wait your turn to speak; raise your hand to be recognized.
- Wait for others to finish. Show respect and good manners by not interrupting.
- Keep your voice calm and pleasant, yet energetic. Avoid showing anger as this focuses
attention on your behavior rather than on your ideas.
- Give credit to others. Gain allies and enhance your credibility by recognizing others in front of
peers and superiors.
- Put the cell phone and laptop away. Focus your attention on the meeting, not on answering e
mails or working on your computer.
- Help summarize. Assist the meeting leader by reviewing points you have noted.
- Express your views IN the meeting. Build trust by not holding postmeeting “sidebars” that
involve criticism and judgments.
- Follow up. Send the signal that you are efficient and caring by completing the actions assigned
to you.
 Handling Conflict in Meetings. In meetings, conflict typically develops when people feel
unheard or misunderstood. If two people are in conflict, the best approach is to encourage each to
make a complete case while group members give their full attention. Let each one question the
other. Then, the leader should summarize what was said, and the group should offer comments.
The group may modify a recommendation or suggest alternatives before reaching consensus on a
direction to follow.
 Ending and Following Up. End the meeting at the agreed time. The leader should summarize
what has been decided, who is going to do what, and by what time. It may be necessary to ask
people to volunteer to take responsibility for completing action items agreed to in the meeting.
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No one should leave the meeting without a full understanding of what was accomplished. One
effective technique that encourages full participation is “once around the table.” Even though the
table is merely symbolic, the image works. Everyone is asked to summarize briefly his or her
interpretation of what was decided and what happens next. Of course, this closure technique
works best with smaller groups. The leader should conclude by asking the group to set a time for
the next meeting. He or she should assure the group that a report will follow. Finally, the leader
should thank participants for attending. If minutes were taken, they should be distributed within a
couple of days after the meeting. Software programs enable you to follow a structured template
that includes brief meeting minutes, key points and decisions, and action items. It is up to the
leader to see that what was decided at the meeting is accomplished. The leader may need to call
people to remind them of their assignments and also to volunteer to help if necessary.
Conducting and Participating in Meetings
From time to time you participate in meetings. They will range from extreme formality to
extreme informality. On the formal end will be conferences and committee meetings. On the
informal end will be discussions with groups of fellow workers.
Activity: 16
As a leader or participant, can you identify the techniques that should be followed to
conduct and participate in a meeting?
Your role in the meeting will be that of either leader or participant. Of course, the leader’s role is
the primary one, but good participation is also vital. The following paragraphs review the
techniques of performing well in either role (Lesikar et. al.).
Techniques of Conducting Meetings
 Plan the meeting. A key to conducting a successful meeting is to plan it thoroughly.
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You should develop an agenda (a list of topics to be covered) by selecting the items that
need to be covered to achieve the goal of the meeting. Then arrange these items in the
most logical order.
After preparing the agenda, if the meeting is formal, make it available to those who will attend.
For informal meetings, you may find keeping the agenda in mind satisfactory.
 Follow the plan. You should follow the plan for the meeting item by item. In most meetings the
discussion tends to stray and new items tend to come up. As leader, you should keep the
discussion on track. If new items come up during the meeting, you can take them up at the end-
or perhaps postpone them to a future meeting.
 Move the discussion along. As leader, you should control the agenda. When one item has been
covered, bring up the next item.
You should not cut off discussion before all the important points have been made.
Your goal is to permit complete discussion on the one hand and to avoid repetition, excessive
details, and useless comments on the other.
 Control those who talk too much. Keeping certain people from taking too much is likely to be
one of your harder tasks. A few people usually tend to dominate the discussion. Your task as a
leader is to control them. Of course, you want the meeting to be democratic, so you will need to
let these people talk as long as they are contributing to the goals of the meeting. However, when
they begin to stray, duplicate, or bring in useless matter, you should step in. You can do this
tactfully by asking for other viewpoints or by summarizing the discussion and moving on to the
next topic.
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 Encourage participation from those who talk too little. Just as some people talk too much,
some talk too little. Your job as a leader is to encourage these people to participate by asking
them for their viewpoints and by showing respect for the comments they make, even though the
comments may be illogical.
 Control time. When your meeting time is limited, you need to determine in advance how much
time will be needed to cover each item. Then, at the appropriate times, you should end discussion
of the items. You may find it helpful to announce the time goals at the beginning of the meeting
and to remind the group members of the time status during the meeting.
You can respect people’s time in different ways (Young):
Invite only those individuals who really need to be there.

Be flexible by allowing people to leave after they fulfill their role or to arrive late if they
do not need to be at the beginning.
 Summarize at appropriate places. After a key item has been discussed, you should summarize
what the group has covered and concluded. If a group decision is needed, the group’s vote will be
the conclusion. In any event, you should formally conclude each point and then move on to the
next one. At the end of the meeting, you can summarize the progress made.
Techniques for Participating In a Meeting
You should know something about the things that a participant should do. The following review
emphasizes them for you.
 Follow the agenda. When an agenda exists, you should follow it. Specifically, you should not
bring up items not on the agenda or comment on such items if others bring them up. When there
is no agenda, you should stay within the general limits of the goal for the meeting.
105
 Participate. The purpose of meetings is to get the input of everybody concerned. Thus, you
should participate. Your participation, however, should be meaningful.
You should talk only when you have something to contribute.
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 Cooperate. A meeting by its very nature requires cooperation from all the participants. So keep
this in mind as you participate. Respect the leader and her or his efforts to make progress.
Respect the other participants, and work with them in every practical way.
 Be courteous. Perhaps being courteous is a part of being cooperative. In any event, you should
be courteous to the other group members. Specifically, you should respect their rights and
opinions, and you should permit them to speak.
Physical Facilities
Once the participants have been selected and the agenda, along with any supporting material, has
been distributed, the next step is to consider the physical arrangement, i.e., to select the best place
to hold the meeting.
Activity: 17
What physical facilities should be fulfilled to make a meeting productive?
Hynes (2005) identifies a few simple guidelines will help to make a meeting productive:
- Use a room where the chairs and tables can be arranged to meet group needs.
- Match the size of the room with the size of the group.
- Check the comfortable chairs, ventilation, and lighting. Remember, though, that sofa, overly
comfortable chairs can affect concentration and even prolong the meeting.
- Make sure space exists for visual aids if they are to be used. If you know you will be needing
equipment, writing materials, and so on, be sure they are available.
- Above all, arrange to have the meeting in a meeting room rather than in a leader’s office. It will
create an environment that emphasizes the participants are coming together for specific purposes
at a specific time on neutral turf.
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2. Interview
Interview involves face to face interaction between two parties (interviewer and interviewee) who
take turns acting as sender and receiver.
Activity: 18
What are the types of interview that you experienced in your organization?
In your work in business, you may need to participate in a variety of types of interviews. Perhaps
the best known type is the employment interview. But there are others. When workers leave an
organization, they may be interviewed to determine their reasons for leaving (exit interview).
Interviews are sometimes conducted to gather information on such matters as worker attitudes,
working conditions, managerial effectiveness, and worker plans.
The interviews are purposeful, conducted to achieve some specific objective. They are more
structured i.e., it has some predetermined agenda that is followed during the conversations. They
are more carefully prepared than are informal conversations.
Activity: 19
Identify the guidelines that should be taken in to consideration for interviewer and
interviewee.
Dear learners, Lesikar et. al. clearly stated guidelines for interviewer and interviewee as
mentioned below:
Guidelines for the Interviewer
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As the interviewer is in charge, the success of the interview is in his or her hands. Thus, it is
especially important that the interviewer knows and follows these general guidelines.
- Plan the interview. As a starting point you should determine your information needs. You can
usually express these needs in a list of specific questions. You should make such a list and use it
as the outline for the interview.
- Put the interviewee at ease. The chances are that the interviewee will be nervous. You should
try to put the interviewee at ease by using your social skills. For example, you could begin with
some friendly talk on a point of common interest. Or you could begin with comments or
questions about the interviewee- hometown, sport interests, hobbies, and the like.
- Make the purpose clear. The interviewee should know the purpose of the interview from the
beginning. Of course, the interviewee sometimes knows the purpose from the nature of the
interview, as in an employment interview. But if she or he does not know the purpose, you should
explain it clearly and honestly.
- Let the interviewee do most of the taking. You can get the information you seek only when the
interviewee talks. Thus, you should let the interviewee do most of the talking. You should talk
only to guide the course of the interview- to carry the discussion through the specific questions
you want to cover. As some interviewees are reluctant to talk, you will sometimes need to work
to get them to talk. But you should never put words in their mouths.
- Guide the interview. Even though the interviewee does most of the talking, your task is to guide
the interview so as to obtain the needed information. That is, you follow the plan you set up in the
beginning. You ask specific questions, and you end answers when you have the information you
need.
- Listen. You should listen carefully to all that the interviewee says. The purpose of an interview is
to get certain information by listening. You will need to practice the techniques of good listening.
And you will need to be aware of the reinforcing role of nonverbal communication, too.
- Keep a record. As you conduct interviews to get information, you will need to make a record of
the information. How you record the information may vary with the situation. When you need
much detailed information, you may have to take notes during the interview. Because your
writing may be disturbing to the interviewee, you should explain at the beginning of the interview
why you must take notes. When you can remember the information you seek, you need not write
109
during the interview. But you should record that information soon after the interview is over. As
you know, not many of us remember such information for very long.
- End the interview. As you are in charge of the interview, you should end it. One good way of
ending interviews is to ask a finalizing question- one that tells the interviewee that the interview
is over.
This one does the job well: “Is there anything else you would like to tell me? If not,
thanks for giving me your time.”
Guidelines for the Interviewee

When you are the person being interviewed, you may have little control over the situation.
Nevertheless, you can help make the interview successful. The following guidelines tell you how:
- Prepare for the interview. When you know the nature of the interview, prepare for it. Your
presentation should consist mainly of thinking about the questions you are likely to be asked and
formulating answers to them. It may also include gathering additional information. In a job
interview, for example, you would be wise to learn what you can about the company- its history,
its current activities, its plans. By showing your knowledge of the organization during the
interview, you can impress the interviewer with your interest in it. Even if you prepare diligently,
you are not likely to cover all that will be asked. So be prepared for the unexpected.
- Make an appropriate appearance. What the interviewer sees is a part of the message that he or
she receives. So you should do what you can to make an appropriate appearance. As what is
appropriate varies with the situation, you should consider the situation. You will find that the
conventional standards of neatness and dress are desirable in most cases. In addition, you will
usually want your posture, facial expressions, and physical movements to give favorable
impressions. You will especially want to avoid the appearance of nervousness.
110
- Show interest. You can improve the impression you make in most interview situations by
showing interest. You always help your case by looking at the interviewer and by giving her or
him your undivided attention.
- Answer correctly and completely. If the interview serves a good purpose, it deserves correct
and complete answers. Dishonest answer benefits no one.
- Practice courtesy. You probably know very well the value of courtesy in business. You know
that it is a major part of the impression you make in every human contact. The interview is no
exception.
3. Telephoning
In reviewing good telephone techniques, keep in mind that a telephone conversation is a unique
form of oral communication.
Only voices are heard; the speakers are not seen. Impressions are received only from the
words and the quality of the voices.
Thus, when speaking by telephone, it is extremely important that you work to make your voice
sound cheerful and friendly.
One often suggested way of improving your telephone voice is to talk as if you were face to face
with the other person- even smiling and gesturing as you talk.
For really important calls, you should plan your call, even to the point of making notes of the
points to cover. Then you should follow your notes to make certain you cover them all.
You should listen when the other person is talking, refrain from interrupting, and avoid
dominating the conversation.
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And perhaps most important of all, you should try to cover your message quickly in order to save
time and money.
Planning Telephone Discussion
– Have positive attitude.

– Ensure telephone is the best means.
– Determine appropriate time.
– Outline the important points for discussion.
– Make sure you have the right number before you dial.
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Conversing In Telephone
– When the receiver responds identify yourself immediately.

– Ask whether it is convenient to talk.
– Be attentive and active in listening.
– Close your call courteously (say thanks).
Receiving Calls
– Be prepared to receive calls psychologically and get writing materials.

– Answer the call immediately when it rings.
– Identify yourself.
– Make every effort to get the message correctly.
– Explain any delays (if any).
Activity: 20
What guidelines should you follow when you use cell phone?
Ewuuk Lomo-David presented a list of guidelines for cell phone use. By following these
guidelines, you will remain professional in every situation. Here they are:
1. Adjust ringer to vibrate when in public places.

2. Avoid loud, sensational ring tones.
3. Lower your voice when speaking.
4. Wait until you are in a comfortable place to speak.
5. Do not frown when speaking; it indicates a trouble state of mind.
6. Do not answer and speak on the phone while in a line for services.
7. Step about 20 feet away from public when you must answer your phone.
113
8. Keep confidential information private.

9. Avoid multitasking when you are talking on a cell phone; it could be dangerous.
10. Don’t make and receive cell phone calls while in meetings, the classroom, or driving.
Summary
Communication also classified in to verbal and nonverbal communication. Verbal

communication includes any oral or written method of transmitting meaning through words.
However, nonverbal communication is any part of communication that does not use words.
Organization use written and oral communications as verbal communication. The most
commonly used channels of written communication are letters, memos, faxes, e-mail, and reports,
whereas organizations mostly use meeting, interview, and telephone as channels of oral
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communication. Successful managers use their oral communication skills to give clear
instructions, motivate their employees, and persuade other people.
Oral communication takes place through listening and speaking. The listening process involves
activities of sensing, filtering and remembering. Some causes of poor listening are Physical
Barriers, Personal Barriers, Semantic Barriers, and Bad listening habits
The ability to communicate clearly, persuasively and confidently through speaking is also one
key to success for both business and professional people.
Self Assessment Questions
1. Define internal and external communications.

2. Explain why employees are reluctant to send upward messages to higher ranking supervisors or
managers.
3. Why do organizations use the grapevine to convey information?
4. In writing to an external client, would you send a letter or a memo? Why?
5. List several ways people communicate information nonverbally?
115
6. State the difference between verbal and nonverbal communications.

7. Why are agendas helpful for meetings?
8. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of written communication.
9. Enumerate guidelines that should be followed for cell phone use will remain you professional in
every situation.
10. Which channels are used for oral and written communication, respectively?
References
- Adar, J. (1995). The effective Communication. Mumbai: Jiaco Publishing House.

- Aggrawal, R. (2003). Effective Communication Skills. New Delhi: New Delhisubline
Publication.
- Curtis, W., Cook and Philip, L., Hunsaker. (2001). Management and Organizational Behavior.
3rd ed. New York: McGraw Hill.
116
- Dona J. Young. (2006). Foundation of Business Communication: An Integrative Approach. New

York: McGraw Hill/Irwin.
- Harold koontz and Heinz Weihrich. (2004). Essentials of Management: An International
Perspective. 6th ed. New Delhi: McGraw Hill Publishing Company Limited.
- James A. F. Stoner, R. Edward Freeman, and Daniel R. Gilbert, Jr. (1995). Management. 6 th ed.
USA: Prentice-Hall, Inc. (Reprinted in New Delhi, 2005)
- John, M., Invancevich, Robert Konopaske, and Michael, T., Matteson. (2005). Organizational
Behavior and Management. 7th ed. New York: McGraw Hill/Irwin.
- Leslie, W., Rue and Lloyd, L., Byars. (2005). Management: Skills and Application. 11th ed. New
York: McGraw Hill/Irwin.
- Pamela Angell. (2004). Business Communication Design: Creativity, Strategies, Solutions. New
York: McGraw Hill Companies Inc.
- Raymond, V., Lesikar, John, D., Pettit, Jr., and Marie, E., Flatley. (1996). Lesikar’s Basic
Business Communication. 7th ed. USA: Richard D. Irwin.
- http://www.scribd.com/doc/23652703/7-Cs-of-communication
- http://www.mbanotesworld.in/2007/12/seven-cs-effective-communication.html
- Jane, Johnston. Media Relations: Issues and Strategies. 1st ed. Sydney, Australia: Allen &
Unwin Academic, 2008.
- http://advertising.about.com/od/mediarelations/Media_Relations.htm
- Adar, J.1995, The Effective communication, Mombai; Jaico publishing House.
- Aggrawal, R.2003,Effective communication, Skills.Newdelhi Subline publication.
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Administrative and Business Communication (Mgmt1063)

After you study this chapter, you will be able to:

1.1. Meaning of Communication

Some important definitions of communication given by prominent writers are as follows:-

Business communication is a specialized field and branch of general communication. It is hardly

1.2. Significance of Communication

The importance of communication in any managerial process can hardly be overemphasized. If

The importance of a communication may be summarized as follows:-

1. Establish and disseminate goals of an enterprise.

List down the importance of communication from individual and organizational

1.3. Communication in Management

To be effective, a manager needs information necessary to carryout managerial functions and

Communication is the lifeblood of an organization. If we could somehow remove communication

The importance of a communication may be summarized as follows:

- Establish and disseminate goals of an enterprise.

After completing this chapter, you will be able to:

- Describe elements of communication

2.1. Elements of Communication Process

2.1. Elements of Communication Process

Encoding: Next, a message is sent to a receiver in words or other symbols.

- The oral communication brings back immediate feedback

- Its sentence structures are simple

- This medium is more formal with focus on contents

Internal communication consists of sending messages inside your organization. External

For internal communication, written media may be:

- memos, reports, bulletins, job descriptions,

Oral communication may take the form of:

- staff meeting reports, face to face discussions,

Orally it may be:

- face to face discussions, telephone,

Figure 2.1 The Communication Process

Unfortunately, communication is affected by "Noise" which is anything - whether in the sender,

2.2. Barriers of Communication

Nothing is so simple that it cannot be misunderstood. - Freeman Teague, Jr.

I. Semantic barriers (Convention of meaning)

A connotation is an implication of a word or a suggestion separate from the usual definition.

II. Physical Barriers

III. Psychological Barriers

IV. Barriers Involving Values, Attitudes etc…

between the source and receiver of the message.

Guidelines to Overcome Barriers to Communication

2.3 Interpersonal Communications and Team Work

Interpersonal communication is also referred to as dyadic communication, or communication

Small Group Communication

communication? Give some examples of the two types of communication.

Why Form Groups and Teams?

At the end of this chapter you will be able to:

- Define each principle of communication.

- Write a business letter which incorporates the 7c’s of communication.

3.1. Principles of Communication

To be correct in communication the following principles should be borne in mind.

 Use the correct level of language

3. The subs formal level of language is incorrect.

Say Don’t Say

 Include only facts, words and figures

- Format for memos, letters, reports etc

Example: - Equal treatment of sexes

- Use chairperson rather than chairman

Conciseness makes the message more understandable and comprehensible.

v. Get the important point tact fully and concisely.

Concise - we appreciate your confidence in us.

Choose short, familiar, conventional words

Unity to express main ideas

Coherence for clear meanings