METHODS OF

COMMUNICATION

“VERBAL AND NON-

VERBAL”
 Verbal Communication-
Oral and Written
ORAL COMMUNICATION-

1. Audience Analysis:

 Sender plans message- receiver access, comprehends

and responds.
 At organizational level- Employers, customers, suppliers,
financiers, shareholders, social service association, rival
company, government bodies (local and national) and
public.
 Express clearly is more important than to impress the
receiver.
 May be efficient but not affective.
 Questions to ponder on before facing audience-
 Who will form audience?
 What do I know about their education, culture, attitudes
and level in the organization?
 How much does the audience know about the subject?
 What kind of response can I expect from the audience?
 For a child- Story would attract (Joy and sorrow).
 For a High School college student- Treated like adults,
responsive to new ideas, appreciate an honest
straightforward approach, informative presentation.
 Young adults- Sophisticated audience, progressive
attitude and critical.
 Middle age adults- Conservative and do not accept new
ideas easily. Not enthusiastic about changes, listens with
interest but do not easily accept.
 Senior citizens- Interested in information about new
developments, what is going on in the world, likes to be
reminded of old days.
2. Presentation Plan:
 The Venue.
 The Organizer’s name, important persons in organization
 The occasion (whether business meeting/seminar etc.).
 Time available/allotted?
 Other speakers (Competing organization)- Not to make
unfavourable remarks about competitors whether present
or not.
 Provide subject topic (Impact within 10 seconds).
 Solicit introduction, rehearse, reinforce your presence
which helps people to remember you.
 Use visual aids, posters, flip charts, power point
presentations.
 Conclusion- Thank the audience for their time and
attention.
3. Face to face conversation:
 Richer communication experience- Owing to close
presence of living personality whose voice, tone,
expression, eye contact and movement adds
significance.
4. Telephone conversation:
 Clarity of speech and skilful use of voice. Similarly
sounding words confusion e.g. light, and like, clarify
spellings e.g. I for India.
5. Interviews:
 Interviewers ask question: structured, semi-structured,
unstructured, one on one, panel based, mutt and jeff.
6. Instructions:
 Given by authority/senior to subordinates.
6.Instructions: Given by the authority (senior) to subordinates.

7. Dictation: Employers dictate to secretary or by teacher to students.

8.Group Discussions: Preferred means of screening and evaluation.

Evaluated on-

*Your poise, appearance and body language.

*Self-confidence and assertiveness.
*Listening Skills.
*Communication skills.
*Leadership Skills.
*Role and group behaviour.
*Analytical and reasoning skills.
*Time Management.
Penalized on-

*Aggressive, domineering behaviour.

*Losing your temper.
*Impatience.
*Showing bias and prejudice.
*Being irrelevant.
*Poor listening skills.
*Poor communication skills.
*Non- participation.

Participation for GD involves-

Being well informed and knowledgeable.

Practising active and reflexive listening.
Learning to respect and appreciate different points of views.
Developing logical reasoning skills.
Practising English speaking skills.
9. Voice Modulation:

‘Vocalics’- Study of quality of voice in oral communication.

Modulation in voice can convey various meanings.
Loud Voice- Superior, Anger, Aggression.
Soft Voice- Feminine qualities of love, care, affection. Reflects
personality of speaker, Attractive person has a pleasant voice.

10. Seminar/ Conference: A meeting for an exchange of ideas

a. A meeting for consultation or discussion.
b. An exchange of views.

11. Public Speech: Given to large audience by microphone.

Face to face but distance is great. It is followed by applause from
audience. Purpose: To entertain, encourage, inspire and use
gestures and voice.
12. Negotiation:
Official discussion between representatives of opposing groups who are
trying to reach an agreement.

•Buyers and sellers-For price.

•Management and employers- To settle differences.
•Very difficult and requires skill.
•Both parties are supposed to be shrewd, intelligent, controlled and
skilled communicators.

13. Meeting:

•Involves many persons, chairman or leader who leads and guides

communicators and maintains proper order.
•Highly structured event- Fixed agenda (list of items).
•Before - Notice and agenda are circulated.
•During - Notes and meeting takes place.
•After - Minutes of the meeting.
•Small committee (2-4 persons to large conference or shareholders
meeting.
Written Communication-

1.Letters:

• Widely used form- Especially for external communication.

•Complex layout- As each part has a purpose and is needed for
reference.
•Typed/ printed on company’s letterhead.
•May be sent as an mail, speed post, courier or hand delivery,
faxed, e-mail.

2.Memo:

•Short form of memorandum- Usually an informal message.

•Information and instructions are conveyed.
•Small and used for brief messages.
•It may or may not be signed.
3. Notice:

•Used when same information is to be given to many people of the

organisation.
• Most common method of mass communication.
•Is short, simple- Put up on notice board.

4. Circular:

•Detailed document giving information, instructions or orders on

specific matter.
• It has a number and a date of reference, and is signed by the
authorised signatory of the issuing office.
•Issued by: Government departments and other official bodies like
councils, universities and Head Offices of oraganisations.
•Sent- Mail, fax to various offices for giving information.
5. Report:

•Document prepared by an individual or a committee entrusted

with the task of collecting information on a given subject.
•Requires careful research, collection of data and presentation of
the findings, conclusions and recommendations.
•Varying length- Two pages to full book divided into chapters.

6. Minutes:

• Written record of decisions taken at a meeting.

• May be written by hand or typed and pasted in a minute book or
typed and filed in minute file.
•It is a legal document.
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION-

•Occurs mainly through visual symbols and auditory symbols.

•Senses like smell, taste and touch. E.g. Smell (Fragrance), Taste
(Coffee), Touch (Plush furniture) makes impressions.

Non-Verbal Codes-

a.Kinesics:

•Study of body movements contributing to communicate.

•Facial expressions, eyes, way we walk or sleep.
•Sigmund Freud renowned psychologist remarked- “He that has eyes to
see and ears to hear may convince himself that no mortal can keep a
secret.” (E.g. Postures, personal appearance, gestures, facial
expressions, eye contact, movement of different parts of body, sleep
or move).
b. Haptics/Tactitics:

Pertaining to sense of touch.

Positives-
• An infant-Touch of mother- conveys love, security and warmth.
• Two children- Hold hands- Sign of friendship.
• Boss Pats employee’s back-Happy with the performance.

Negatives-
• In the form of slap, push, holding collar of person.

c. Proxemics:

Study of space and distancing.

Between Boss and Employee-
• Gap is status.
• Nearness is friendship as bond of love.

d. Chronomics:
• Use of time in communication.
• Friends- Hours of chat
• Boss- Short speech, formal attitude, so orders or commands to do a
• Certain work.
e. Vocalics:

•Study of quality of voice in oral communication.

•Modulation of voice can convey various meanings.
•Loud voice- Superior, anger, aggression
•Soft voice- Feminine qualities (love, care and affection).
•Reflects personality of the speaker.
•Attractive person- Pleasant voice.

f. Artifacts:

•Objects involved during the process of communication.

•Objects such as Clothes, footwear, bags etc.
•Convey some message to observer- E.g. For detectives.
•E.g. Room décor tells nature of person occupying the room.

g. Occulesics:

•Science of movement of one’s eyes and facial expressions.

Staring Eyes-
•Too much shows superiority or lack of respect, threatening attitude or wish
to insult.
Too little eye contact-

•Multiple interpretations-The gestures indicates dishonesty, impoliteness,

insecurity, shyness.

Withdrawal of eye contact-

•Considered sign of submission (introvert behaviour).

•Frequently looking away at people from a distance (extrovert behaviour)-
Interested in knowing reactions or to dominate, influence or scrutinize.

Scarcely looking at a person when in close proximity-

•Introvert shows this kind of behaviour when discussing intimate or difficult

topics, dislike for the other person.

Aspects of Body language-

•Postures (sitting, standing); Gestures (hilarity, anger, waving,

togetherness/ unity, friendship); Facial expressions (happiness, jealousy,
horrified, sad, surprise, hatred, anger); Eye contact (come closer, cool,
mischievous, surprise, artistic looking, happy, staring, loving, mysterious).
Forms of Non-Verbal Communication-

Colour:

•Important and powerful means of communication.

•Matters of life and death as in traffic signals.
•Clothing, design, decoration and to enliven a dull environment.
•White with peace and purity, red with danger and black with death and
sorrow.

Pictures:

Used in brochures, posters and advertisements.

Universally understood, more easily remembered and make an immediate
impact as it is easier to “take in”.

Diagrams/Graphs and Charts:

Figure consisting of simple line drawing. Graphs and charts of different kinds
represent statistical information- E.g. Line graph, pie chart, Flow chart etc.
Maps:

•Geographical information like transport routes, climatic conditions, etc.

Signs and Signals:

Sign- A mark to represent. E.g. skull and cross bone for ‘danger’.
Having a fixed meaning.
Signal- Previously agreed movement which serves to warn, direct, or
command e.g. the firing of a gun salute signals the arrival of a VIP.

Auditory symbols:

•Used mainly for warning, like sirens of police vehicles, ambulance.

Body Language-

Appearance:

•Two important factors- Grooming and Personal hygiene.

•Care of skin, nails, feet and hair are expected standards.
•Person who neglects these aspects makes unpleasant/ negative
impression.

Clothing and accessories-

•Many organisation- Dress code for occasions.

•Appropriateness for occasion is essential- Formality, time of the day,
season, cultural background of the people.
• Careful selection- Tie, footwear, jewellery etc.

Posture-
•Way we hold ourselves.
•Expresses attitudes, feelings, moods.
Four types of posture-

1) Forward lean indicates attentiveness and interest.

2) Drawing back or turning away, expresses a negative or refusing.
3) Expansion suggests ‘proud’, ‘conceited’, ‘arrogant’.
4) Forward-leaning body, bowed head, drooping shoulders and sunken
chest usually convey ‘depressed’, ‘downcast’, ‘dejected’.

Facial Expression:

•A cheerful face or gloomy face influences most people.

•A displeased frown, a look of surprise etc. conveys with or without words.
•Eyebrows and eyes- Most mobile parts of the face.
•Eyebrows raised unconsciously- Disbelief and surprise.
•Frown- Displeasure or effort to concentrate.
•Pursed lips- Certainly doesn’t convey friendliness.
Smile:

•Universal gesture
•Useful non-committal gesture when it is better to be silent.
•One-sided smile (on your own or other’s face)- Sarcasm, not conducive to
good relationships.

Eye contact:

•Key part of facial behaviour, directing other’s attention or showing surprise

or happiness and other emotional displays.
• Oral presentation- Create rapport with the audience with eye contact.

Gestures:

•Movements of hands/ head/ body.

•One who doesn’t move- Stiff and mechanical.
•On formal occasions- Like employment interview/ conference, speakers
use fewer gestures (E.g. TV news readers).
•Relaxed situation- Gestures are used more freely.
Energy:

•Energy and enthusiasm as an aspect of body language.

•Some impress with high level of physical energy- Intellectual and
Emotional or Spiritual energy.

Space:

•While speaking-Indicates relationships.

•Slight acquaintances- Keep longer distance.
•Get closer to persons- Close relationship.
•Maintain a respectful distance from and allow more personal space to our
superiors.

Time:

•Given to listen or to speak- Sense of self-esteem in them. Just like care

and concern.
•One who uses own and other’s time wastefully- Inefficient and
disorganised.
Paralanguage- Voice, sound, speech form paralanguage.
•Voice has characteristics like tone, volume and pitch.

•Volume- Loudness or softness.

•Tone- Quality of the voice.

•Pitch- High or low note on the scale. High pitched voice is often
unpleasant, and suggest immaturity or emotional disturbance.

•Speed- Rapid speech: While excited, tell an interesting story.

Reduce speed: Difficulty in idea.

•Pronunciation- Accepted standard of the way in which a word is said.

Correct and clear pronunciation is highly important. Indicates that speaker
is careful and has consideration for the audience.

•Accent- The way a person pronounces the sounds of the language. More
important to speak with clarity.
•Intonation- Sound pattern of sentences; like accent.

•Stress- One word can change the meaning and implication. “Where
you there last night?”

•Silence- Effective way of communication. Short silences or pauses-

Give emphasis to words that stand out from the rest.
Sympathy with a person who has suffered loss.
Anger and displeasure.
Dead silence, stony silence, embarrassing silence.
On phone if silent- Very difficult to interpret.