P ER S O N A L I TY

D EVE L OP M E N T
OM MUNIC A TIO N SK ILL S
MODULE 6 – C
 MEANING & DEFINITION OF COMMUNICATION

“Communication" is derived from "communis" (Latin), meaning" common".

 George Vardman defines effective communication as “purposive interchange, resulting in

workable understanding and agreement between the sender and receiver of a message.“

 Robert Anderson, in his concept of communication, adds the element of medium also. In
Professional Selling, he observes, "Communication is interchange of thoughts, opinions, or
information, by speech, writing, or signs".

 Allen Louis says, "Communication is the sum of all the things one person does when he
wants to create understanding in the mind of another; it involves a systematic and
continuous process of telling, listening, and understanding.

 "Keith Davis defines communication as “The transformation of information and understanding

from one person to another person. It is a way of reaching others with facts, ideas,
thoughts, and values. It is a bridge of meanings among people so that they can share
what they feel and know. By using this bridge, a person can cross safely the river of
misunderstanding that sometimes separates people".
 CLASSIFICATION OF
COMMUNICATION

 Intrapersonal Communication.  

 Interpersonal Communication.  

 Group Communication.
 Mass Communication.
 Verbal communication.
 Non-verbal communication.
 Metacommunication.
 PURPOSE OF
COMMUNICATION

Broadly speaking, in business we communicate to:

 

Inform
Communication to Inform. Communication to inform (expository communication) is directed by the
desire to expose, develop, and explain the subject. It focuses on the subject of the communication.

Persuade
Communication to Persuade. The communicator may seek primarily to persuade the reader. In such a
form of communication the focus is on the receiver and not the message.
THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS
 IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION
 Communication is the lifeblood of an organization.

 Effective interpersonal communication helps satisfy the psychological needs, motives, or feelings of

individuals within the organization.

 Good interpersonal communication requires empathy (putting oneself in another's shoes to understand

the other's point of view) and concern for others.
 
Effective communication is more than simply speaking and writing well. It means choosing
words carefully and knowing when to talk and when it is better to remain silent. 
 IMPROVING COMMUNICATION SKILLS
 

Listen to the other person. 

Do not try to get your ideas across in a hurry. 
Recognize different points of view. Not everyone thinks just like you. Different
opinions can make a discussion interesting. 
Avoid hurtful criticism and arguments. Do not use people's 'opening up’ as a
chance for you to put them down'. 
Look for the right words to express a feeling or an idea. 
Try out new words in conversations with friends. 
When necessary, repeat what was said so you know you understand each
other. 
 STARTING A CONVERSATION
 

Talk about the weather and make it interesting.

Find out the person's interests.
Tell an amusing and interesting story. Ask the person if she/he has
any pets.
Where he/she goes to school.
If he/she belongs to any organization or group.
Compliment the person's clothing or haircut.
Walk up to a group & politely introduce yourself.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION
Francis J Bergin advocates that there are 7 Cs to remember in verbal communication. These
are equally applicable to written communication.

Candidness
Clarity
Completeness
Conciseness
Concreteness
Correctness
Courtesy