COMMUNICATION

ESSENTIALS
Communication

 Communication is the imparting or exchanging of

information or news.

 All four elements must be in place for two-way

communication to occur:
 Sender (originator of the information)
 Message (information)
 Receiver (the receiver of the information)
 Feedback (response- written, oral, or nonverbal)
Communication

 Written
 Oral (spoken – face to face or via phone)
 Nonverbal (no words , just gestures, facial expressions,
posture, eye contact, and touch)
Written Communication
 The elements of good written communication include good grammar,
spelling, organization, and structure. Effective written communication
takes time and skill since your communication is contained in words alone;
you cannot use nonverbal cues to clarify your message. Most occupations
require written skills.

EFFECTIVE WRITING SKILLS

• Ask yourself: “What am I trying to achieve by this communication?”
• Use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Organize your communication logically.
• Get your point quickly. State your purpose in the first paragraph of your message.
• Make sure your message is clear, concise, courteous, complete, and correct.
• Present data to support your request, conclusions, or recommendations
• Avoid use of slang words.
• Be clear about the feedback you want.
• Choose an appropriate written communication method.
• Proofread your text even if the spelling checker says there are no errors.
• Ask others to review your work.
Oral Communication

Telephone conversation Face to face conversation

Video conferencing
 Oral Communication
Don’ts of good oral communication:
Do’s of good oral communication:
Speak clearly and courteously.
Avoid overusing the word “I”
State your main points first and
then elaborate.
Consider your audience and
empathize with your listeners.
Use positive language.
Use standard language and
enunciate properly.
Don’t use um or ah as fillers
between words.
Don’t be sarcastic, rude, or pushy.
Don’t make personal attacks.
Don’t jump from topic to topic
without a transition.
Don’t expect others to always agree
with you.
Don’t use informal words or
phrases known only to a select
group.
Barriers to Listening
 Distractions
 Do not allow yourself to be distracted by what is going on
around you. Distractions can steal your thoughts away
from the message.
 Thinking ahead to what you want to say
 In a conversation, people take turns speaking and
listening. Sometimes instead of listening, people think
about what they will say next.
 Mind Moving Too Fast
 People think faster than they speak. If you are listening to
a seminar or lecture, your thoughts can wander ahead of
the speaker while you are listening. You may begin to
daydream, or think about what you need to do later, or
wonder about friends.
Barriers to Listening
 Lack of attention
 Too often when someone is talking we don’t listen
attentively. Good listening requires keeping one’s thoughts
on what is being said.
 Selective listening
 It means hearing only what you want to hear.
Nonverbal Communication

 Gestures (point a finger, place hands on hips, etc.)

 Body language and posture (lean toward the listener, cross
arms across your chest, stand or sit erect or slouch, etc.)
 Facial expressions and eye contact (smile, frown, wink,
make a direct eye contact, glance down, etc.)
 Touch (high-five, pat someone on the back, touch a person’s
arm or shoulder, etc.)
Barriers to Communication
 Word choice (language barrier)
 Colloquialisms (word or phrase that is not formal or literary, typically one
used in ordinary or familiar conversation, ex. peanuts meaning no money,
lodi means idol, yorme means mayor, etc.)
 Jargons (special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession
or group and are difficult for others to understand, ex. mouse, pc, ups, usb,
etc. for computer specialists or debit, credit, balance, journal entry for
accountants)
 Confusing messages (the words are correct but the meaning is confusing, ex. No
entry, entrance only)
 Poor choice of communication channel (use a communication channel that is
appropriate for your receiver or audience)
 Interruptions, distractions, and distance (noise, a ringing phone, a person calling
your attention while you are communicating with others, and other distractions)
Barriers to Communication
 Information Overload (exposure to or provision of too much information or data)

Feeling overwhelmed by all the information coming your way? 

 Try these techniques for beating back information overload:

• Recognize that not all information can be examined when the volume of information
available is high.
• Develop an information management strategy that works for your.  Focus on the
quality (not the quantity) you receive.
• Try to control the volume of information that comes your way.  Keep up with the
topics that are interesting and useful to you, but don't feel that you must "know it all."
• Master online search techniques to avoid getting tangles in the Web.
• Reduce paper.  Handle each only once.  Either use it and file it or toss it.
Barriers to Communication
 False Assumptions or Stereotyping
False assumptions and stereotyping are major barriers to communication when people assume they
already know what is about to be said.  As a result, they don't listen carefully to the message and miss it. 
A stereotype is a generalized perception or first impression based on oversimplified beliefs or opinions
about a person, event, group, or object.  For example, tall men play basketball and cars made in Sweden
are better investments than cards made in the USA.  Stereotyping substitutes for thinking, analyzing, and
being open-minded in a new situation.  

Stereotyping can also work in reverse.  You may give people an unfair advantage by assigning them very
positive traits because of stereotyping.