Lesson 1:

Communication
Principles and
Ethics
Presented by : Alexis Faye D. Garcia
2nd Sem 2022-2023
Learning Outcomes

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to achieve the following:

1. Describe the nature, elements and functions of verbal and non-verbal

communication in various and multicultural contexts.
2. Explain how cultural and global issues affect communication, and why
ethical communication is essential.
3. Appreciate the impact of communication on society and the world.
 Processes and Principles of Effective
Communication

Effective communication is a key interpersonal skill and by learning how

you can improve your communication has many benefits. It sounds so
simple: say what you mean.
Communication is beyond simply putting words into thoughts and emotions.
Simply put, communication is the art of creating and sharing ideas for a
specific purpose. It comes in many forms:
 verbal communication, which includes the use of language, sounds, and tone of
voice
 non-verbal communication, which includes body language and facial
expressions
 written communication, such as through journals, emails, blogs, and text
messages
 visual communication, which involves signs, symbols, pictures, graphics, and
emojis
Effective communication is dependent on how rich those ideas are, and how
much of those ideas are retained in the process. In order to be an effective
communicator, a number of skills have to be utilized. Which skill one chooses
greatly varies and is dictated by the situation, the content or the actual
information a person needs or wants to convey, and the intended recipient of
that information.

DID YOU KNOW? Almost 91% of professionals from the world’s top 300
multinational companies said that communicating in English is important
for work success, but only 7% of them indicate that their current level of
English is sufficient for their jobs. This is based on “The Globalization of
English” research study conducted by the McKinsey Global Institute.
 Audience Analysis

A key element in effective communication is audience analysis. “Audience”

here does not only refer to the people listening to you in a public speech.
Knowing the audience, understanding their level and how they need to
receive the information – also known as skills on audience analysis – are
extremely important in “packaging” the message and sending it across.
Audience analysis is therefore one skill an effective communicator must have.
It is imperative that you find out who the audience is – who will actually
receive your ‘message’ – and what they need to know. Only in doing so can
you properly adjust all the other elements of communication, such as your
words or registers, your tone, and your expressions.
Another aspect that needs consideration in analyzing the audience is identifying
and trying to overcome possible communication barriers. These are not
confined to physical noise (cars passing by, someone pounding on the table) and
physiological issues (an upset stomach), but could also include cultural
difference, varying levels of expectations and experiences, and difference in
perspectives and communication styles.
 Principles of Effective Communication

Effective communication requires a certain level of connection between and

among people, allowing a series of exchanges of thoughts and emotions,
eventually leading to mutual understanding. In order for that to happen, the
following principles must be observed.

Clarity. This pertains to both the message and the purpose why the message has
to be sent. The message should be clear by using appropriate language and
communication channels.
Conciseness. The message should be as brief as may be required depending on
one’s purpose, especially in most modern contexts in the business and academic
fields where time is of the essence. It should be devoid of trivial details that
would hinder communication

Completeness. Despite its conciseness, the message should still be complete and
accurate. Whenever necessary, background information should be given to
provide better context; facts and observations may also be helpful.

Organization. Effective communication is usually planned in order to ensure

the systematic flow of ideas and transition from one point to another. There are
instances, however, when communication is impromptu, but this should not be
an excuse for an organized presentation of ideas.
Empathy. The sender of the message should be sensitive to the needs and
interests of the receiver. In case of face-to-face communication, the
speaker must always be conscious of the reaction of the listener and adjust
his/her communication strategy accordingly.

Flexibility. Different people have different communication styles, and

consequently, different expectations. Effective communicators know how
to adapt to the varying needs and expectations of their audience, and
modify the message or the way the message is sent to avoid
misunderstanding or misinterpretation.
COMMUNICATION AND GLOBALIZATION

Motive Question: The world has shrunk into a global village, but have we
become more of ‘neighbors’ or more of strangers to each other?

The notion of the world being a global village has been a hot topic ever since
the idea was brought up, especially in light of the rapid advances in
technology and digitization. Globalization has been regarded as the key to
the worldwide integration of humanity,
For our part, we Filipinos have increased our awareness and acceptance of the
notion that we belong to a diverse, global community. This is not confined to
communication with people from other countries, but is inclusive of
communication within our own societies, even with the minorities and the
indigenous peoples.
Communication in the modern world must be anchored on the concept of
diversity, since effective communication and the ability to understand cultural
differences are skills that have become requisites not only for a meaningful
social life but also for a successful professional career.
 Even professionals from the countries that are
traditionally known for sticking to their native
tongue (e.g. Japan, Korea, Vietnam) have
started to learn English, as the internationally-
recognized lingua franca, with the concept that
learning English does not make them less
Japanese, Koreans, or Viets.

In addition, digital technology has erased territorial boundaries among

countries and among people with varying cultures. The notion of being a
‘stranger’ has been revolutionized as the people whom we used to treat as
strangers are now our co-workers, classmates or friends – albeit some only in
social media.
 FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Are you ready to communicate in a global and multicultural environment?
Assess your readiness to communicate effectively with people having different
cultures. Simply write True or False after each statement.

1. I enjoy communicating with persons who are like me in terms of interests

and with the same socio-economic status, as much as I enjoy communicating
those who are not ‘like’ me. __________________

2. I am equally sensitive to the concerns of all groups of society, and I genuinely

care to the plight and issues surrounding them. ________________

3. I can tell when persons with different cultures do not understand me or are
confused by my actions. _________________
4. I am not afraid of interacting with members of minority groups nor with members
of a dominant culture. ______________

5. Persons from other cultures who do not actively participate in a conversation,

debate or any form of discussion act that way probably because of their culture’s
rules. ____________________

6. Persons from other cultures have the right to be angry at members of my own
culture. __________________

7. How I handle conflict or disagreements with persons from other cultures depends
on the situation and on the culture they are from. _______________
8. My culture is not superior to other cultures. _________________

9. I am knowledgeable of how to behave when communicating or interacting

with people having different cultures. _______________

10. I respect the communication rules of cultures other than my own.

______________

Discuss your answers with your professor or your classmates.

The greater the number of statements that are honestly true to you, the more prepared you
are to welcome the opportunity of communicating and interacting with people from different
cultures. This is a very important aspect in one’s personal life or professional careers, since
avoiding intercultural communication is virtually inevitable in any organization.
 This is especially true in business organizations, when products can go global
and the manner by which any product is communicated to the global market can
make or break the brand. Here are a few examples of business
miscommunication in a global setting:

In the past, Gerber dealt with issues in some cultures where

women have low literacy rates such as Africa and the Middle
East. The women in these cultures generally use pictures to
tell them what food they are buying. When Gerber started
selling their product in these countries, the women saw the
picture of the baby and believed that there was a baby or
part of one baby in the jar.
Irish Mist is a brown whiskey produced in Dublin,
Ireland. In Germany, however, “Mist” literally
translates to “crap”.
 Joni (read as “Yoni”) is a brand of skin product.
However, Yoni means ‘uterus’ or ‘vagina’ in
Sanskrit, and is an Indian representation of female
genitalia, especially pertaining to the Hindu
goddess Shakti.
Here are some instances when lack of cultural or linguistic sensitivity in global
communication severely affected companies or products.

McDonald’s spent thousands on a new TV ad to target the

Chinese consumers. This featured a Chinese man kneeling
before a McDonald’s vendor and begging him to accept his
expired discount coupon. The ad caused uproar over the
fact that begging is considered a shameful act in Chinese
culture.
Similarly, McDonald’s also unintentionally offended thousands of Muslims
when it printed an excerpt from the Koran on its throwaway (take-out)
hamburger bags. Muslims saw this as sacrilegious.
 Some staff at the African port of Stevadores saw the
supposedly internationally-recognized symbol for “fragile”
(i.e. broken wine glass). Since in their culture, they treat the
pictures printed on packages to be representation of what’s
inside, they thought it was a box of broken glasses and threw
all the boxes into the sea.

The film “Hollywood Buddha” caused outrage and protest on the streets of Sri Lanka,
Malaysia and Myanmar (Burma) when the designer of the film’s poster decided to
show the lead actor sitting on the Buddha’s head, which is an act of clear degradation
against something holy.

 Coors (beer) once had its slogan “Turn it loose.” translated to Spanish, but it became
to mean “Suffer from diarrhea.”
All of these examples are predominantly business-related, where companies failed
to regard cultural differences in packaging and communicating their product to the
global market. However, the cost of cultural insensitivity in global
communication can be felt in everyday communication, as cultural
misunderstandings often lead to misinterpretation and unnecessary tension
between people. Here are some examples demonstrating this in a global setting:

• Showing the sole of a shoe (by crossing one’s legs and pointing one’s shoes to the
speaker, for example) means nothing to observers in most Western and Asian
countries. In Muslim cultures (such as Saudi Arabia), however, the gesture is
perceived as insulting. Similarly, crossing one’s legs while seated is customary
for Westerners, but this is a social faux pas in Korea.
• Blinking rapidly while another person is talking is normal for most people,
especially during tense situations. For Taiwanese, this is considered impolite.
• The Japanese view the business card as an extension of their body, while
Americans view it simply as a business formality. Hence, when Japanese
hand over their business cards with two hands and with great care, they get
insulted when the person receiving just put it away with haste.
 ETHICS IN COMMUNICATION

Effective communication is ethical communication. Communication is ethical

only when it is genuine, open, cooperative and sensitive to one’s cultural and
social beliefs and practices. If there is an intent to conceal the truth, or bring
damage to any organization, group or individual person, communication is
considered unethical.
SIMPLE ACTIVITY: Reflective Analysis
Analyze the following print advertisements and
determine if these are ethical or not.
Consider the following guide questions in your
analysis.
1. What is the message of the ad?
2. How is the message underscored? What
semiotics are used (text? images? others?)
3. Is there any individual or group that may be
offended by the ad?
4. Is there another way of presenting or delivering
the message?
5. Do you think the ad is ethical?
 How Past Experience and Prejudice Affect
Communication

Most people bring their past experiences into a communication situation.

Sometimes, they pitch in existing information because they learned in the past that
adding information makes the communication more successful.

Past experiences inevitably affect people’s communication styles in the future.

When their audience responded positively to their message, chances of them
repeating the same style are relatively high.
Past Experience
• Your parents reacted negatively
when you opened up about your
interest for a certain craft.
• Your colleague has forgotten
some very important information
many times in the past.
• A subordinate in a group that you
lead disagreed twice in your
suggestions.
• Your professor ignored your inputs
last session .
• Your teammates reacted positively
to your strategy.
Effect to Communication
• You hesitate to discuss the topic
with them despite your rich
potential to that craft.
• You give him/her reminders every
now and then to avoid messing up
again.
• You don’t ask for your
subordinate’s opinion anymore,
even if he might agree with you
this time.
• You don’t provide inputs in class
anymore.
• You use the same strategy in a
similar situation.
 FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
To have an idea how this happens, complete the phrases below, and discuss it in
class. If you don’t have sufficient personal experience to complete a phrase,
think of a possible stereotype you might have heard from someone:
 Old teachers in school are…
 Male professors who speak good English are…
 The athletes and performers in school usually…
 Most supervisors in multinational companies are…
 The lowest form of job in the workplace is…
 Working with homosexuals usually…
 Muslims, Buddhists, or people with other beliefs are…
 Disabled people in the workplace should…
 Showing commitment and genuine interest

A key component of ethical communication is showing commitment in the

communicative situation. Being committed means giving sufficient time and
resources to any discussion or conversation, and being open about any issue
that may arise.
. Encouraging a communicative environment of trust can go a long way in
promoting ethical communication in any academic or business setting.
“Naval Language” or The Belly Button Psyche

It is clear that the two major elements affecting ethical communication are
the use of words or language, and one’s behavior or body language. The
second element – body language – may be enhanced through the ‘Belly
Button Psyche’, or the belly button rule, which is believed to communicate
true interest while engaging in face-to-face communication.
The origin of this “rule” dates back to the 1930s and since then, numerous
scientists and body language experts have honed the theory. Most notably,
Dr. Albert Mehrabian, professor of Psychology at UCLA said that the belly
button rule is the most important indicator of reading a person’s intention.
Simply put, the belly button rule means the direction of a person’s navel
reflects his/her true interest. Here is a basic explanation of the rule:
 When people are interested in you and what you
have to say, they will point their belly button
squarely at you as you talk. That shows they are
engaged and they are focused on what you have to
say. Although we do this without thinking, the fact
is that we can consider this rule when we are
having conversations with people who are special
to us.

If you are uncomfortable with a conversation and you may have to discuss something that is not easy
to discuss, start with sitting the listener in a way where your belly button is pointing directly toward
theirs. This shows you are focused on talking to them, and even though they may not be aware, the
listener will at least begin by being focused on you, as their body language and attention is directed
toward you. When we work to put our focus on listening and valuing what the other person has to say,
then secondly getting our message across, we can take big steps in a short amount of time at building
better communication.
Respecting socio-cultural beliefs and practices of others

The concept of globalization is not new, but people somehow fail to realize that this
is not confined to technology or bridging the world and making it a virtual
community. Globalization also entails changing the way people communicate to
others, especially those with different norms, cultures and belief systems. This
involves all types of communication, whether face-to-face, chatting via email, or
using various forms of mass media, such as the two ads shown on pages 16 and 17.
It is hoped that in the previous activity with the advertisements, you were able to
identify how both ads put women in a bad light, in a state where they are objectified
– that they are beautiful only when they have fair skin or an ‘hourglass’ body. Ethical
communication requires people to respect socio-cultural beliefs and practices of
others, while at the same time avoiding all kinds of stereotypes.