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Notes by: Vishal – 98231 36404 1 Effective Communication Notes MCom – Ecommerce – Pune University
Notes by: Vishal – 98231 36404 1
Effective
Communication
Notes
MCom – Ecommerce – Pune University
Notes by: Vishal – 98231 36404 2
Contents Communication: ............................................................................................................................................ 5
Definitions by various famous people: ..................................................................................................... 5
Features of Communication: .................................................................................................................... 5
Importance Significance of Communication: ............................................................................................ 5
Principles of Communication .................................................................................................................... 6
Elements of Communication ..................................................................................................................... 7
Process of Communication: ...................................................................................................................... 7
Types of Communication .............................................................................................................................. 9
Oral Communication ..................................................................................................................................... 9
Types of Oral Communication: ................................................................................................................. 9
Advantages/ Merits of Oral Communication: ......................................................................................... 10
Disadvantages /Limitations of Oral Communication: ............................................................................. 10
Written Communication: ............................................................................................................................ 11
Types/Forms of Written Communication: .............................................................................................. 11
Advantages of Written Communication: ................................................................................................ 12
Disadvantages of Written Communication: ............................................................................................ 12
Formal Communication: ............................................................................................................................. 12
Informal Communication: ........................................................................................................................... 12
Non-verbal Communication: ....................................................................................................................... 12
Importance of Non-verbal Communication: ........................................................................................... 13
Methods of Non-Verbal Communication ................................................................................................ 13
Spaces/ Proximity in Non-Verbal Communication: ................................................................................ 13
Silence' in Communication ...................................................................................................................... 14
Importance of 'Silence' in Communication ............................................................................................. 14
Body Language Or Kinesics ......................................................................................................................... 14
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 14
Facial Expression ..................................................................................................................................... 15
Eye Contact ............................................................................................................................................. 15
Gestures: ................................................................................................................................................. 16
Head, Body Shape and Posture ............................................................................................................... 16
Appearance ............................................................................................................................................. 16
Effective Use of Body Language .............................................................................................................. 16
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Advantages of Body Language ................................................................................................................ 17
Limitation of Body Language .................................................................................................................. 17
Noises in Communication: .......................................................................................................................... 17
7C’s of Communication ............................................................................................................................... 17
Effective Listening: ...................................................................................................................................... 18
Rules of Effective listening ...................................................................................................................... 19
Barriers to Effective Listening: ................................................................................................................ 19
Importance to Listening .......................................................................................................................... 19
Self Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 19
Choosing the Communication Medium ...................................................................................................... 20
Public Speaking and Presentation Skills: ..................................................................................................... 20
Know your Audiences: ............................................................................................................................ 21
Practicing ................................................................................................................................................. 21
Dressing Appropriate .............................................................................................................................. 21
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 21
Start with Question?? ............................................................................................................................. 21
Telling a Story .......................................................................................................................................... 22
Using the right language ......................................................................................................................... 22
Talking with the right attitude ................................................................................................................ 22
Speed of delivery .................................................................................................................................... 22
Using your natural accent ....................................................................................................................... 22
Eye Contact ............................................................................................................................................. 22
Hand gestures ......................................................................................................................................... 23
Your Position and Movements ................................................................................................................ 23
Thanking .................................................................................................................................................. 23
Group Discussion ........................................................................................................................................ 23
How GD is conducted .............................................................................................................................. 23
Some pointers ......................................................................................................................................... 23
Resume’ Writing.......................................................................................................................................... 24
Report Writing ............................................................................................................................................ 24
Classification of Reports.......................................................................................................................... 25
Inter-cultural Communication .................................................................................................................... 26
Difficulties in Inter-Cultural Communication: ......................................................................................... 26
Notes by: Vishal – 98231 36404 4
Notes by: Vishal – 98231 36404 5
Communication:
The word Communication comes from the Latin word 'Communis” means Common. Communication is
the ongoing process by which people attempt to share meaning via the transmission of messages,
Communication provides a common 'Silken thread of all management process of planning, organising,
leading, controlling and coordinating. Communication is the best means by which, people are linked
together in an organisation to achieve a common objective or purpose.
Communication is the best means by which behaviour is modified, change in mind set is effected,
information and knowledge can be shared and objectives are realised Communication is the 'Life Blood
of organisation Communication is sharing (exchange) of messages, facts, opinions, ideas or attitudes and
emotions between a sender (manager) and receiver (employee) or between two or more people
Important Definitions of the term 'Communication
Definitions by various famous people: (a) “Communication is the process of meaningful interaction among human beings. More specially,
it is the process by which meanings are perceived and understandings are reached among
human beings.” – Dr. McFarland
(b) "Communication is the broad field of human interchange of facts and opinions and not to
technologies of telephone, telegraph, radio, and like" – Charles E. Redfield
(c) The word communication describes the process of conveying messages (Facts ,ideas, attitudes,
and opinions) from one person to another so that they are understood – Cumming M. W
(d) Communication is an intercourse of words, letters, symbols or messages and is a way that one
organisation member shares meaning and understanding with another – Koontz and O'donnel
(e) Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons
– Newman W. H
(f) Communication is the sum of all the things a 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' – Louis A, Allen
Features of Communication: (a) Communication can't take place till there are at least two persons, viz. receiver and Sender
(b) There are numerous medias of communication
(c) Communication is a continuous process
(d) Communication deals with the transmission of facts and feelings
(e) Through communication, only understandable information should be exchanged. However
understanding does not mean that receiver must agree to the information
Importance Significance of Communication: Communication is an important function of management. Communication and human behaviour have
reciprocal relationship. Communication process maintains mutual confidence and trust. Behaviour is the
most revealing mode of communication. In fact, the function of leading and motivating totally rely on
communication as an integral part of management in action.
The importance of communication in any organization can be underlined by following points
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(a) Pours Life into Organisation: Communication makes an organization a dynamic or moving
structure. It sets enterprise into motion. It pours life into an organization
(b) Achievement of Enterprise Objectives: Effective communication makes people in the
organisation to behave logically, meaningfully and united towards the achievement of
enterprise objectives
(c) Facilitates Management: Efficiency and Performance: It can promote managerial efficiency and
performance. It serves as lubricant, fostering the smooth operation of the management process
(d) Essential for Managerial Functions: Communication is essential for making all managerial
functions effective. Leading, motivating and supervising are based communication.
Organisational behaviour, organisation development and management of change require
effective communication. In short, communication is the 'master-key' to the entire process of
management as well as organisational effectiveness
(e) Building a Good Employee Morale: Effective communication can build up good employee
morale and harmonious industrial relation between employee and management. In fact,
participative management rests on best communication Establishing Mutual Trust and
Confidence: Effective communication alone can establish mutual trust and confidence between
management and labour. This gives job satisfaction to workers
(f) Establishing Mutual Trust and Confidence: Effective communication alone can establish mutual
trust and confidence between management and labour. This gives job satisfaction to workers
(g) Systematic Implementation of Managerial Decisions: Communication is essential for top
administrators to come in close contact with each other and discuss the important problems
pertaining to the organisation. Thus, effective communication is essential for a quick and
systematic implementation of the managerial decisions
(h) Smooth Communication: Effective communication makes possible the smooth and unrestricted
running of an enterprise
(i) Co-operation: Communication helps to promote co-operation and industrial peace in the
organisation. It helps the management to communicate to the subordinates, the expectations of
the management from them. The workers can also present their grievances, reactions and
suggestions before the management
(j) Coordination: Communication is very good aid for planning and co-ordinating
Principles of Communication (a) Principle of Information: Commenting on the Communication Realism, the first principle of
effective communication is to inform yourself fully. It implies that first of all, the sender must be
clear in his mind what he wants to communicate. Communication would be effective if
understanding is better
(b) Principle of Clarity: Communication should always be in common and easily understandable
language. The ideas should be clear and unambiguous. It should be kept in mind that word do
not speak themselves but the speaker gives them a meaning
(c) Principle of Attention: The receiver should give full attention so that he or she can understand
the message correctly
(d) Principle of Consistency: This principle implies that communication should not be mutually
conflicting rather should be in line with the overall objectives, policies, programmes and
Notes by: Vishal – 98231 36404 7
procedures of the concern. Incomplete message always create chaos and confusion in
organization which is highly detrimental to the efficient running of the enterprise
(e) Principle of Adequacy: This principle demand that the information being sent should be
adequate and complete in all respects, as incomplete information turns out to be extremely
dangerous from the view point of the business
(f) Principle of Integrity and Sincerity: The primary object of every communication should be to
strengthen the enterprise so that it may enable itself to accomplish its goals within the set
framework. The executives should always attach due importance to the fact that
communication is a means to an end and not an end in itself.
(g) Principle of Integration: Ideas must be conveyed at the proper time, any delay in this respect
will make mere historical documents as the information loses its importance on account of delay
(h) Principle of Feedback: One way communication has zero feedback. Feedback naturally involves
two way communication, whether the message has been understood by the receiver in the
same sense in which the sender takes it for and also whether the recipient has agreed or
disagreed to the proposal of communicator makes it essential on the part of sender to confirm it
from the receiver. Feedback is very necessary for effective control
Elements of Communication The elements of communications are as follows:
Sender: Sender is one who sends the message
(a) The Message Information which the sender sends to the receiver
(b) Encoding: It means the actual contents of the message. The sender organizes the message with
the help of various symbols, words etc. so as it is understandable to the receiver
(c) Decoding : Receiver converts the message into the meaningful sentences and forms the
message
(d) Ideas: This means the theme of communication which includes views, opinions etc.
(e) Channel: It refers to the communication media through which the sender sends a message
(f) Feedback : This refers to the response, reaction/ reply to the communication
Receiver: The person to whom the message is directed
Process of Communication:
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(a) Encoding: The source initiates a message by encoding a thought. The sender puts the ideas and
thoughts into some form of a logical and coded message - which may be oral or written; it may be
by letter or email, in verbal talks or in physical or some other format of expression. As the sender
plans the issuance of his message, he considers the knowledge that the receiver has of the subject
matter to be communicated, the other related background information
(b) Despatch and Reception: For sending the message, some channel or medium has to be selected. It
may be sent directly or through a proper channel. It involves use of some media or, it may be a face
to face message, or it may be a conversation, or a may be typed or written or it may be in the form
of gestures. The channel bridges the gap between sources and the receiver.
(c) Decoding of the Message: The burden of interpretation lies on the receiver. He takes the message
and attempts to discover its meaning by analyzing the sender and his intent by looking at the
sender’s role, knowledge, experience and authority. He translates the symbols, ideas into a form
that can be understood by him. The process of retranslation or interpretation of the signals is called
Decoding.
(d) Receiver Response: When the message has been de-coded by the receiver, he responds to it. This
response is present in his mind in the form of ideas or emotions
(e) Feedback: A feedback determines whether understanding has been achieved. Feedback is the check
on how much successful one has been in transferring his message as originally intended. Feedback
is the response which is communicated back to the sender. Feedback once again involves the
process of encoding, despatch, reception and decoding. One round of the cycle of communication is
completed by the decoding of the feedback
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Types of Communication
• Verbal Oral Communication
– Face to Face
– Distance
– Visual
• Written Communication
– Formal
– Informal
• Non-Verbal Communication
– Body Language
– Appearance
– Sounds
Oral Communication
In this case of communication, everything is oral and nothing is on the paper. In our day to day life, we
come across many examples of oral communication, like telephonic talks, lectures, conferences,
interviews, etc
Types of Oral Communication: These are as follows:
(a) Face-to-face Conversation: Oral communication offers face-to-face conversation. Due to this,
there is immediate feedback, which makes clarification possible.
(b) Telephone: It is the most important office appliances. It is an important means of oral
communication. The telephone facility facilitates the prompt communication of the company
Notes by: Vishal – 98231 36404 10
with outside world. It is used to give and accept the orders, to make and receive inquiries. It
saves time and money.
(c) Presentation: A presentation is a formal, well prepared talk on a particular topic by people who
are interested or domain experts. The objective behind presentation is to give information or
share knowledge. The person giving presentation must have required knowledge and if possible
experience as well – since he would be required to answer various questions at the end of
presentation. Visual aids are often used to enhance the effectiveness of presentation.
(d) Public Speech: The basic objective of public speech may be to entertain, to encourage and to
inspire the audience. The effectiveness of public speech largely depends upon the speaker's skill
in using gestures, voice pitch, etc. There is not much feedback received from the audience in
public speech.
(e) Interview: An interview is a formal meeting in which a person or persons question, consult or
evaluate another person or persons. As mentioned by Murphy and Peak – An Interview is a
conversation with a purpose. An interview reveals the views, ideas and attitudes of the person
being interviewed as well as the skills of the interviewer. It is a medium of two-way
communication between people. An interview refers to a 'meeting of persons face-to-face.
There are various purposes of interviews.
(f) Meeting: The literal meaning of the word Meeting is "an assembly of two or more persons". A
company meeting has been defined by “Shaw” and "Smith' as "an assembly of two or more
persons connected with the company who have so gathered for the purpose of discussing
matters related to it. A company must hold meetings for its proper functioning.
Advantages/ Merits of Oral Communication: (a) Speedy Transmission of Information : In oral communication, message can be transmitted
speedily with immediate effect
(b) More Flexible: Oral communication is combination of body movements and other expressions.
It is very flexible.
(c) Clear Understanding of Issues: In oral communication, for example: there are formal and
informal meetings between the boss and subordinates. Therefore, subordinates understand the
business issues clearly
(d) Personal Touch: since the receiver is in front of you, a personal touch can be accommodated to
suit the receiver. This impacts the receiver’s perception and increases the probability of better
communication
(e) Better reception: usually there are not many barriers which impact reception of messages on
either ends. Also in case there are any barriers these are usually worked around depending on
the situation
(f) Quick delivery and response: Communication process is completed quickly and does not take
long to complete the discussion cycle. Both the receiver and sender may quickly react to
communication process
Disadvantages /Limitations of Oral Communication: (a) Time Consuming: Oral communication is very time consuming due to unnecessary discussions
between the sender and receiver
(b) Conflict Creating: There are chances of conflict between the sender and the receiver because of
oral communication. It creates circumstances that are responsible for conflicts.
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(c) Distortion of Message: In oral communication, messages are passed from several receivers to
each other which distort the message. Unnecessary words distorts the meaning of the message
(d) No Formal Record: In oral communication, keeping formal records is difficult. Subordinates may
not be able to pay attention to oral instructions. Thus, oral communication is less effective
(e) Unsuitable for lengthy matters: For lengthy matters Oral communication can loss both the
interest and focus on the core matter to be discussed
(f) Temporary impact: It may happen that the receiver and sender may tend to forget what they
had communicated and agreed upon
(g) Misunderstanding or misinterpretation: chances of misunderstanding and misinterpreting the
message is very high depending on factors of effective listening
(h) Lack of interest: Person who is not interested to listen may not receive the core message and
interpret differently to the original intent
Written Communication:
Written communication are always in black and white (printed or typed, written). Newspapers, bulletins,
notice, text books, magazine, letters, minutes of meeting, payroll, feedback, forms, etc. They are further
classified into Formal and Informal written communication.
Types/Forms of Written Communication: Below are few examples:
(a) Letter: Letters are most widely used form of written communication. They are used mostly for
external communication.
(b) Memo: Memo' is a reminder from one employee to another, from one department to another.
It is a mode of written correspondence within the office premises.
(c) Notice: A notice is used when many people in the organisation have to be given same
information. It is the most common method of mass communication within an organisation. A
notice should be short; its language should be simple and the type should be large and well
spaced for easy reading
(d) Circular: A circular is detailed document giving information, instructions or orders on a specified
matter. A circular has a number and date for reference. It is signed by the authorised signatory
of the issuing office. Circulars are generally issued by the government departments and other
official bodies like councils, universities and Head offices of organisations
(e) Report: Reports are considered as the back-bone of any communication system, it can be
described as a statement prepared to present facts relating to planning, co-ordinating,
performance and general state of business in an organisation. A report can be defined as "a
communication from someone who has some information to someone who wants to use that
information"
(f) Minutes: Minutes can be defined as a written record of the business transacted resolutions
passed and decisions taken at a meeting of a company or a corporate body. Minutes are
concise, accurate, factual and official record of the proceedings of a meeting. Minutes are a fair,
correct and specific summary of the proceedings of the meetings in the form of resolutions and
decisions. Minutes constitute legal evidence of the proceedings conducted in a meeting.
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Advantages of Written Communication: (a) Convenient For Long Distances: The written communication is the only means of
communication where the communicatory and recipient are at distant places. Even telephonic
conversation, in such a case can be inconvenient
(b) Future Reference: The written communication in the form of policy matters, secret orders,
instructions, etc. can be successfully preserved arid utilised for future references
(c) Helpful in Reducing Disputes: Written communication provide a permanent record and are
helpful in reducing disputes, jurisdictional frictions, back passing etc. as it can be referred as
evidence
(d) Time for Analysis and Decisions: Written communications give time to the recipient to think,
analyse and they decide their course of action.
(e) Records: keep a record of the written communication is possible and helps in future references
and thus may also reduce conflicts
Disadvantages of Written Communication: (a) Lack of Immediate Feedback: In written communication, there is lack of immediate feedback
(b) Time Consuming: There is wastage of lot of time in written communication
(c) Lack of Proper Attention: Written communication does not attract proper attention of the
reader/ receiver. The receiver may be least interested in reading long written messages and
understand its meaning
(d) Expensive: it may involve printing or typing, circulation and broadcasting – this medium may
tend to become expensive as compared to Oral communication.
(e) Changes: difficult to accommodate last minute changes in the matter finalized and printed.
(f) Lack of personal touch: as there is no direct contact with the receiver, this lacks the important
aspect of personal touch and advantages associated to it.
Formal Communication:
Formal communication is mostly in black and white. Widely used within Organization from Management
to Employee and vice versa, Companies to Consumers and vice versa, between countries or even
families. These may include but not restrictive to Meetings, Legal and Commercial notices, documents,
Reports, Publications, Social media, Graphics, Messages, Public Speaking.
Informal Communication:
Informal Communication is free from all sorts of formalities. They are based on the informal relationship
between the parties. Informal communications may be conveyed by a simple, glance, gesture, nod,
smile and even a mere silence. It can be a talk or chat with your friends, family members, relative, and
office colleague or boss as well. Informal Communication is more indirect, less explicit, mostly unofficial,
spontaneous and flexible. Gossip and Rumour are also part of Informal Communication.
Non-verbal Communication:
Non-verbal communication consists of actions and body movements: Non-verbal communication speaks
louder than words. It occurs even when there is no verbal communication. Non-verbal communication
can be used along with both the written and oral communication. Pictures, maps, charts and graphs are
used for non-verbal communication.
Notes by: Vishal – 98231 36404 13
Importance of Non-verbal Communication: (a) Visual non-verbal methods of communication are extremely useful as an aid to verbal for
conveying communication. Maps, charts and graphs are absolutely necessary related to
geography, location, data and most of the science.
(b) For traffic signs and signals, non-verbal communication is absolutely essential because there
must be instant response from the driver as well as the pedestrian
(c) Non-verbal communication strengthen and reinforce the oral or personal communication
(d) Non-verbal communication can overcome the language barriers
Methods of Non-Verbal Communication These are as follows:
(a) Facial Expression: It is an obvious communicative factor, A cheerful face or a gloomy face
influences most people who see it. A happy smile, a displeased frown, a look of surprise, and
several other expressions of the face can convey, with or without words, the attitude and
reaction of the communicants. Expressions accompany the speaker's words and also indicate
the listener's reaction. An alert speaker can judge the listener's reaction by the facial expression
which acts as a constant feedback
(b) Gestures: Gestures' refers to movements of hands or head or body. They do not have specific or
definite meaning. Gestures are closely associated with personality. The occasion and the size
and nature of the audience affect the speaker’s gestures. Two persons may not use the same
gestures.
(c) Posture: Posture is the way we hold ourselves. Though difficult to interpret, it contributes to
communication significantly. The way we hold our body, the way we stand or sit indicates
something about our feelings and thoughts, attitudes and health. Sitting stiffly may show
tension; comfortably leaning back conveys a relaxed mood. Posture can indicate disregard or
disrespect for others who are present. Polite and well-bred persons are usually careful of how
they stand or sit in the presence of visitors and in formal situations. Graceful posture is a great
asset in any profession.
(d) Space: Space plays a subtle role in body language. The study of space as a communication
system is termed as Proxemics. Space is the study of the degree and the effect of spatial
separation that the individual naturally maintains in various social and interpersonal situations.
To create the positive impression of status, a manager can use the space
(e) Clothing: What we wear conveys something about us. It requires good taste and judgement to
make a subtle impression by what you wear. The colour, the design, the cut and fit, combine to
make-up the dress. Many organisations now-a-days, have a dress code for occasions in order to
ensure that its representatives convey the desired impression. Dressing and Grooming forms a
essential part of Non-verbal communication.
Spaces/ Proximity in Non-Verbal Communication: Every culture has different levels of physical closeness appropriate to different types of relationship, and
individuals learn these distances from the society in which they grew up. The Study of personal space is
called Proxemics.
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In today's multicultural society, it is important to consider the range of non-verbal codes as expressed in
different ethnic groups. When someone violates an ‘appropriate’ distance, people may feel
uncomfortable or defensive. Their actions may well be open to misinterpretation. Understanding these
distances allows us to approach others in non-threatening and appropriate ways. People can begin to
understand how others feel about them, how they view the relationship and, if appropriate, adjust their
behaviour accordingly
a. Intimate Distance (touching to 45cm): Intimate distance ranges from close contact (touching) to
the 'far' phase of 15-45cm. In British society, it tends to be seen as an inappropriate distance for
public behaviour and entering the intimate space of another person with whom you do not have
a close relationship can be extremely disturbing.
b. Personal Distance (45cm to 1.2m): The 'far' phase of personal distance is considered to be the
most appropriate for people holding a conversation. At this distance it is easy to see the other
person's expressions and eye movements, as well as their overall body language. Handshaking
can occur within the bounds of personal distance
c. Social Distance (1.2m to 3.6m): This is the normal distance for impersonal business, for example
working together in the same room or during social gatherings.
d. Public Distance (3.7m to 4.5m): Teachers and public speakers address groups at a public
distance. At such distances exaggerated non-verbal communication is necessary for
communication to be effective. Subtle facial expressions are lost at this distance, so clear hand
gestures are often used as a substitute. Larger head movements are also typical of an
experienced public speaker who is aware of changes in the way body language is perceived at
longer distances.
Silence' in Communication Silence' in Communication: 'Silence' refers to positive withdrawal or suspension of speech. It is very
effective way of communication. Silence can be used deliberately to convey the certain feelings like
anger or displeasure. It is not understood as a negative absence of speech. Facial expressions and
postures may be used to indicate the feelings behind the silence. If it is not possible to interpret the
silence, it is very embarrassing
Importance of 'Silence' in Communication (a) Silence can be used deliberately to convey certain feelings like anger or displeasure
(b) Short silences are very effective in giving emphasis to words, a pause before or after certain
words make the words stand out from the rest
(c) A skilfully placed pause has the power to make the listener more alert
Body Language Or Kinesics
Introduction Man does not communicate through words alone, or only through writing, speaking and listening. There
is another aspect of communication - the non-verbal (no word) aspect. Depending on the situation it is
Notes by: Vishal – 98231 36404 15
necessary to make a more or less conscious effort in the use/choice of words. As compared verbal
communication is very much more subtle and instructive, while the non-verbal part of communication is
less deliberate and conscious. It also forms major part of the overall communication activity. On
scientific analysis it has been found that the different aspects of communication account for
percentages as:
Hence, nonverbal communication needs serious consideration. It can be defined as communication that
involves neither written nor spoken words but takes place without the use of words. In it we are
concerned with such things as body movements, space, time, voice tone/pitch, general characteristics of
the environment colour and layout/design, and any other kinds of visual and/or audio signals that the
communicator may devise. Since bodily movements, gestures etc. are very significant communications
they are being systematically studied as a subarea of nonverbal communication. It is called Kinesics' that
literally means 'body movements'. It stands for the way the body communicates without words, and
through various movements of its parts
Facial Expression “The face is the index of the heart". Whatever we feel deep within ourselves is at once reflected in the
face. It is very important in any face-to-face communication event One can convey such a lot without
speaking a word. For example, the facial expressions generally associated with happiness, surprise, fear,
anger, sadness, bewilderment, astonishment and contentment. A smile, different kinds of smile, a
frown, corners of lips, the position of the eye brows, the cheeks-whether drawn up or back or drooping,
the jaw, nose/ nostrils and the chin.
All the signals sent through these parts of the face by others and observe our own expressions by
looking at ourselves in a mirror.
Eye Contact Eye contact is very important in all face-to-face communication. When we look at somebody's face we
focus mainly on his eyes and try to understand what he means. The eyes, along with the eyebrows,
eyelid and the size of pupils convey our innermost feelings. Eyebrows and eyelids raised and combined
with dilated pupils tell us that the person is excited, surprised or frightened. While, eyebrows with upper
and lower eyelids closed and combined with constricted pupils tell us that the person is angry or in pain.
These are the most familiar eye patterns.
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Eye patterns, eye contact and eye movements are also useful. Observing somebody for a long time
indicates the intensity of our interest in him. If the eye contact is brief, or we take our eyes off the
person very soon, it indicates nervousness or embarrassment on our part. Eye contact and eye
movements convey-their meaning in combination with other facial expressions
Gestures: Gestures are the physical movements of arms, legs, hands, torso and head. They play a significant role in
conveying meaning without using words. For example, pounding fist on a table shows 'anger', a fore-
finger held high above the head shows Number 1' and a fore-finger and a thumb touching to form a
circle stands for 'OK. Similarly, arms spread apart convey the meaning of 'wide', shuffling from one leg to
another means 'nervous and a torso erect and extended, slightly forward, has been interpreted as
'intense.
Gestures are not individually but in relation to another person, and acquire meaning at particular times.
That particular time, in an interpersonal situation may be at the beginning, middle or end of a
communication event. Speaking, for example, seems to necessarily link with gesturing. Intensity of
speech is directly associated with the size of a gesture. The greater the gestures, the louder the speech.
Speech and gestures go together and, hence have to be properly co-ordinated. In the absence of speech
gesture co-ordination, there will be confusion and discomfort.
Head, Body Shape and Posture In any face-to-face communication or meeting or interview head is very important. It is a sign of honour
and self respect, confidence, integrity and interest in the person before us. A head bent low, depending
upon the situation, would show modesty, politeness or shyness. On the other extreme a head drawn too
far backwards or stiffly held straight up indicates pride or arrogance. Head jerks indicate disrespect,
rejection or agreement, depending upon the context and personality of the person concerned. Nodding
the head sideways or back and forth conveys the intended meanings more expressively than words.
Appearance Appearance includes clothing, hair, jewellery, cosmetics, etc. All these may seem unrelated to body
language. But on having a closer look we find that they are very meaningfully related to our face, eyes,
gestures, posture, etc. Every event has its own particular type of dress. It may be formal or informal. It is
normally a part of an organization's work rules to have a Formal Dress Code or Uniform Dress Code. It is
not just the dress or clothes that are important for any occasion but also shoes, hair style, perfume, etc
that convey 'meaning' in nonverbal form
Effective Use of Body Language Below are some useful tips in this regard
a) Mind the body talk
b) Establish Good Eye Contact
c) A careful handshake
d) Grace movements and confident body postures
e) Communicate as per the audience
f) Be yourself
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Advantages of Body Language 1. Easily visible: Body language is the most easily visible aspect of communication.
2. Improvement in the overall atmosphere
3. Helpful in establishing rapport
4. Adds intensity to the process of communication
Limitation of Body Language 1. Possibility of misinterpretation
2. Ineffective
3. Not effective for large gatherings
Noises in Communication:
The efficacy of communication is impacted by how much noise there is in the communication channel.
a) Environmental Noise: Environmental noise is noise that physically disrupts communication, such
as very loud speakers at a party or the sounds from a construction site next to a classroom.
Noise coming out of any other source apart from speaker/ sender.
b) Physiological Noise: Physical conditions such as deafness or blindness can impede effective
communication and interfere with messages being clearly and accurately received.
c) Semantic Noise: Semantic noise refers to when a speaker and a listener have different
interpretations of the meanings of certain words.
d) Syntactical Noise: Communication can be disrupted by mistakes in grammar, such as an abrupt
change in verb tense during a sentence. People accents can also become a part of noise wherein
the way they pronounce words may not be understood or misinterpreted by the receiver.
e) Organizational Noise: Poorly structured messages can also be a barrier. For example, a receiver
who is given unclear, badly worded directions may be unable to figure out how to reach their
destination.
f) Cultural Noise: Different cultures have different meaning of words, behaviours and gestures.
Culture also gives rise to prejudices, ethnocentrism, manners and opinions. It forms the way
people think and behave. Because of this, it is important that each side of a conversation
understands the culture of the other party.
g) Psychological Noise: Psychological noise results from preconceived notions we bring to
conversations, such as racial stereotypes, reputations, biases, and assumptions. When we come
into a conversation with ideas about what the other person is going to say and why, we can
easily become blinded to their original message. Moods, Anger, happiness can also become a
noise in communication.
7C’s of Communication
The 7C’s of communication are as below:
1. Complete
2. Concise
3. Clear
4. Concrete
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5. Correct
6. Courteous
7. Considerate
1. Complete: The complete message should contain all facts the reader or listener needs for the
reaction one desires. Message should contain full message, all facts, answer all questions, give extra
information. Should address the 5W1H – What, When, Who, Why, Where & How.
2. Concise: The message should include only facts relevant to its purpose. Be brief, yet complete. It is
humanly difficult to keep a longer span of attention and connect all aspects of long statements.
Avoid using repetition of words and or messages.
3. Clear: Make the message clear by using words that are familiar to the receiver. Use of clear
pronunciation and words to form sentences for people to understand. Construct effective
sentences and paragraphs which may include examples, figures and visual aids as applicable.
4. Concrete: Good concrete writing and speaking include specific facts and figures with examples,
Factual with numbers, gives a complete story. Facts and figures have derive more acceptability by
the listener.
5. Correct: Language should be correct for people to make sense out of your statements. Use the right
level of language, accuracy of Figures, facts and words or actions. Check whether what you are
saying/ writing is correct and does exist at this moment.
6. Courteous: subtle way of being assertive; slowly but surely. Give the message with a sincerity,
thoughtful and empathically. Being rude in communication adds to frustration of the listener rather
than achieving the desire results.
7. Considerate: Be considerate of the Receiver and try to put yourself in his/ her shoes before
communicating. Understanding that the receiver may not be in a position to action the message in
timely, emotionally or physically.
Effective Listening:
1. Hearing
2. Interpreting
3. Evaluating
4. Responding
1. Hearing: Physically hearing the message and taking note of it. Reception can be blocked by
interfering noises, impaired hearing or lack of concentration. One must tune distractions and focus
on registering the message.
2. Interpreting: Decoding and absorbing what one hears. The spreaker’s frame of reference may be
different from that of the listener, so one must try to determine the speakers intent. Pay attention
to non verbal cues often increases the accuracy of interpretation.
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3. Evaluating: Forming an opinion avout the message and sorting through the speaker’s view point.
4. Responding: Acknowledging the message by reacting to the speakers in some way or other.
Rules of Effective listening Listen for ideas, not facts – ask yourself what they mean
Judge content, not delivery, i.e. what they say and how they say it
Listen optimistically – don’t lose interest straight away
Do not jump to conclusions
Be flexible
Concentrate, don’t start day dreaming and keep eye contact
Do not think ahead of the speaker or else you will lose tract
Work at listening, be alert and alive
Keep emotions under control when listening
Open your mind, practice accepting new information
Breathe slowly and deeply
Relax and be comfortable
Barriers to Effective Listening: Wandering Mind
Emotional Intelligence
Lack of Motivation
Concluding quickly
False Listening, Selective Listening
Noise – surrounding, reception, speaker, physical ability, others
Rapport with the Speaker
I know everything
Jargons used
Distance
Importance to Listening Understand the matter
Build a Relation and Trust
Able to interpret the situation better
Encourages speaker to elaborate more
To arrive at a shared and agreed understanding and acceptance of both sides views
To gain a full and accurate understanding into the speakers point of view and ideas
Self Introduction
Introduction: crispy words, concise matter
Be confident
Clean Handshake
No… Uummmm, aaaaa, oooo?
Eye contact
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Lean slightly forward
Great with smile
Your professional background couple of lines
Purpose of meeting
Dressing (formal/ informal)
Choosing the Communication Medium
a. Nature of Message: The means of communication depends upon the nature of the message.
Urgent, confidential, private and important messages should be distinguished from ordinary,
routine, open and less important messages and the means of communication are to be chosen
accordingly.
b. Audience: The size of the Audience directly impacts on the reach and quality of your
Communication. Hence the most crucial factor when choosing a medium and should also be the
most heavily researched. Geographic and cultural difference also gets involved for choosing the
medium based on the audience. In case when feedback from the audience is involved, quality of
reach and return of feedback mechanism is important.
c. Cost involved: The cost of sending a message is also to be considered while selecting a mode of
communication. The result obtained should justify the expenditure.
d. Maintaining Record: If the record of the communication is important it should be written,
otherwise oral communication is sufficient. Also the cost of maintaining the archive is taken into
account.
e. Distance: Distance is another factor for consideration. The mode of communication to be
chosen depends on whether the message is to be sent to a nearby place or somewhere at a long
distance.
f. Scale of Organization: Means of communication in large-scale business is different from that in
the small-scale. In small business most communication is oral while in large business it is
written.
g. Urgency: Selection of the means of communication is to be made keeping in view the urgency of
the communication. Time available is the main factor here. Higher cost may be justified for
sending the message in time.
h. Secrecy: If the message to be communicated is secret or confidential, such means are required
to be adopted that can maintain secrecy. A telephone call can be overheard, an e-mail or fax
may not be appropriate, and an office memo may be less confidential. In such cases, face-to-
face talking may solve the problem.
i. Technology used: Both the sender and the receiver must have supporting technological
communication tool to make communication through a particular medium. Suppose, A sends an
e-mail to B. To get the e-mail B should have a personal computer.
Public Speaking and Presentation Skills:
Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured deliberate manner
intended to inform, influence or entertain the listeners.
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Know your Audiences: To connect with your audience, you need to understand why your topic is important to them. What do
they expect to learn from the presentation? Don't assume the audience is like you. They may have
cultural or geographic biases and the more you understand them, the better you can express yourself to
them and avoid speaking gaps. It is also important to know the level of knowledge they have about your
topic, so you can present the information with the correct tone to keep people interested and engaged.
There is nothing more insulting than to present basic information to a highly knowledgeable audience,
and conversely, speak at too high a level for a novice audience.
Few questions:
a) How much do they already know about your topic?
b) What do they think about your topic?
c) What are their goals or objective?
d) What is their background or prior experience about your topic?
Practicing There's a good reason that we say, "Practice makes perfect!" You simply cannot be a confident,
compelling speaker without practice. To get practice, seek opportunities to speak in front of others. If
you're going to be delivering a presentation or prepared speech, create it as early as possible. The
earlier you put it together, the more time you'll have to practice. Practice it plenty of times alone, using
the resources you'll rely on at the event, and, as you practice, tweak your words until they flow
smoothly and easily.
Dressing Appropriate Different speaking situations call for different clothing styles, but you are usually pretty safe if you are
clean, tidy, and dressed as your audience is dressed – which normally is Formals! The key is that you
look professional and respectful. Once you start talking, they shouldn’t be noticing what you are wearing
anyway. But that first impression is very necessary to get attention for your presentation.
Introduction The common way in which many presenters start their talks — “My name is . . .” or “Today I’m going to
talk to you about . . .” The purpose of a good introduction in a formal presentation is to achieve three
goals:
a) Grasp the audience’s attention
b) Identify the topic and the purpose or core message of the talk
c) Provide a brief overview or agenda of what you will cover in the talk
Your name and purpose of your presentation has to be repeated over a periodic gap which helps
everyone to stay focussed on your topic.
Better way to start your introduction is with starting with a Question or Tell a Story!
Start with Question?? To start a presentation you can begin with direct questions to the audience. It’s a great way to wake up
their senses, get them engaged and get you more connected with them. A Question which makes your
Notes by: Vishal – 98231 36404 22
audience to think about the answer – this way they start paying attention to you. This also gets your
audience connected, open up and interact with you. Please note that your question has to be related or
an analogy to your core presentation – so that people can connect with you, from where-in they can be
guided into the core topic.
Telling a Story This is as basic is it gets, but story telling is the best way to connect with an audience. You can start a
start at the beginning of your presentation and then connect it to the purpose of why you’re there.
Many great presenters use this technique and it remains one of the most critical pieces to becoming an
effective presenter. Everyone loves to listen to a story – which interests them.
Using the right language a. Your English is Not Someone Else's English
b. Your organization has its own jargon that's specific to the company or industry. It's not
necessarily the same language that the end-users are used to
c. Hearing familiar words and understanding the message right away makes us feel comfortable
d. Keep it simple for everyone to understand
Talking with the right attitude There are a lot of different styles among world-class speakers, but one thing they all have in common is
that they give off the sense that they absolutely love speaking to the audience they are in front of and
that they are good at doing so. The ability to ‘connect’ with the audience at the audience’s level gets the
speakers connected with right attitude – Neither above nor below. Speaker needs to ensure that he or
she is not showing off too much of his knowledge and experience weight, nor under rating himself or
herself while presenting.
Speed of delivery The ultimate goal is to speak at a conversational pace. Do not attempt to speak in a completely steady
pace, measuring out every word evenly: this could come off as monotone and boring. The combination
of slow, fast, and medium speed makes your speech more engaging.
Using your natural accent Talk with your natural accent of the preferred language while presenting. As you speak in natural accent
the sentences would come out as they would normally. You would not require straining yourself to
convert into unnatural accent. At times it may lead to embarrassment as your audience may fail to
understand what you are speaking.
Eye Contact Making eye contact with individuals gives them a sense of involvement in your presentation and helps to
convey your objectives on a personal level. Make sure that you share eye contact with all members of a
small audience and all areas of a large audience. Regularly shift your focus around the room, not so that
you look nervous, but to help involve as many people as possible in your talk. Your lack of eye contact
makes audience feel they are ignored and tends to lose interest in your presentation.
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Hand gestures People use their arms and hands in every day conversation to add emphasis or to help describe events.
Presenters will therefore look rather awkward if they keep their hands in their pockets or rooted firmly
at their sides. Use gestures to welcome your audience, to add emphasis to your main points or to
indicate an ending. Try to use open gestures which move away from your body, extending them out to
your audience. This helps to break any audience/presenter divisions. Make sure that all gestures are
controlled and precise; too much movement will appear nervous and unfocussed
Your Position and Movements a. Using the entire space of the Stage
b. Hands open and with gestures
c. Eye contact with all the spaces of the audience
The above points demonstrate your comfort level for Presenting to the audience It also allows your
positive energy to be transmitted to the audience.
Thanking Ensure that you thank the host, special people, dignitaries and most importantly everyone in the
audience. You may also open the presentation for questions as applicable.
Group Discussion
A discussion involving a number of people who are connected by some shared activity, interest, or
quality
a) Conversation - is exchange of information, views or sentiments
b) Debate - can be heated expression of arguments for or against a motion or given topic
c) Discussion - lies at the core of all purposeful meeting or decision-making process
Group Discussion - Widely used as a Personality test for evaluating several candidates simultaneously. It
helps to short list candidates in recruitment process.
How GD is conducted a) Group – 8/10/ - Max. 15
b) Topics are announced
c) Group selects ONE
d) Three / Five Minutes to prepare
e) Discussion begins
f) Should last for about 15 – 30 minutes
Some pointers a) Respect other speakers and their views
b) Be Assertive in your contradictions
c) Support your facts with figures, wherever whenever possible
d) Do NOT use aggressive or harsh language
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e) Do NOT digress from the point
f) Disagree Politely
g) Control your Body Language
Resume’ Writing
Your resume is a tool with one specific purpose: to win an interview. Your resume is a marketing tool. It
needs to demonstrate:
a) That you are employable
b) How you meet the job and the organisation's requirements
c) That you have the right qualifications and education
d) That you have the right experience and skills
e) That you have the right level of professionalism for the job
Resume’ should be pleasing to the eye and the reader is enticed to pick it up and read it. It should
stimulate interest in meeting you and learning more about you. It inspires the prospective employer to
pick up the phone and ask you to come in for an interview
Few pointers:
a) Write it yourself
b) Make it error-free
c) Make it look good
d) Simple is best
e) Be brief, be relevant
f) Be honest
g) Be positive
h) Be specific
i) Update it as needed
Report Writing
In business and work situations there are many occasions when some form of "report' is required. A
report is a detailed examination of a situation or problem, of action taken, or of the findings of an
investigation. It is written in a clear, informative way, often drawing conclusions, making
recommendations and suggesting courses of action. As report writing is a very important & complex
activity, it requires special attention and some special points are to be kept in mind while writing a
report.
a) Report is a management tool for effective decision making
b) Report should be brief and to the point
c) Report should be very clear, precise & target the exact purpose of writing it
d) The language should be simple & clear
Notes by: Vishal – 98231 36404 25
e) The report writer must consider the recommendations and suggestions given by experts
f) Depending on the subject matter, information should be arranged either in logical sequence or
in chronological order
g) Statistical matter, photographs, financial statements, tabulated material, annexure, enclosures
and so on should be attached on separate sheets as their inclusion in the body of the text could
result in a confusing and lengthy amount of material difficult for the reader to follow
Classification of Reports INFORMATIONAL: reports are intended mainly to explain something or educate readers. They focus
data and facts without analysis or recommendations. They usually bring information to the attention of
Senior Management/ authorities/ stakeholders so that any decision regarding the matters under review
can be taken by them with full knowledge of the background, facts and circumstances. Common types of
informational reports include those for monitoring and controlling operations, statements of policies
and procedures, progress reports and compliance reports. Annual Report of a company is an example of
Informational report.
ANALYTICAL: reports are designed to convince the audience that the conclusions and recommendations
developed are valid. The Body of the report presents all the facts and ends by presenting a decision or a
solution to a problem. For example Technical Project report of engineering students.
The report is written under headings as given below:
1. Cover page
2. Abstract/synopsis
3. Table of contents
4. Introduction
5. Problem analysis and definition
6. Theoretical outline
7. Development of solution
8. Implementation
9. Results
10. Conclusion
11. References
12. Appendix
These are explained in detail in the following sections
1. Cover Page: The cover page must contain title of the project, group number, name of the
members of the group and name of the project supervisor(s). Additionally, pictures and
illustrations can also be part of the cover page.
2. Abstract: is a short summary describing the project. It should not exceed more than 20 lines
3. Table of Contents: The Table of Contents must list the chapters, sections, and subsections of
report by heading and beginning, number
4. Introduction: In the introduction chapter problem is described and previous research related to
the described
5. Problem Analysis and Definition: In this part of the report the problem is clearly stated and
defined in technical terms, if necessary
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6. Theoretical Outline: Here one explains and reports all the theoretical elements related to the
project. This can be the theory learnt during the lectures, or some theory learnt while working
on the project
7. Development of Solution: In this section the solution to be adopted to solve the problem is
stated in the project proposal
8. Implementation: In this part all implementation issues are reported
9. Results: It is important that the results of the project are reported. Are the required goals
achieved? If not, did you achieve any interesting result?
10. Conclusion: In this section goals and results of the project are summarised. Also future
developments are mentioned
11. References: All books, periodicals, reports, etc. quoted or referred to in the text should be
included in the list of references in alphabetical order, or numbered, at the end of the report,
for articles and books
a. For example: Brandt, J.С., 1970. Introduction to the solar wind, Freeman, San Francisco
12. Bibliography: The inclusion of a Bibliography is optional. It is a list of those works which one
found helpful during the preparation of your thesis, but which were not actually cited as
references. It should include publications that might benefit the reader of the report
13. Appendices: contain material that might clutter up the main text and interrupt the flow of the
report, such as derivations of formulas, detailed tables of numerical results, diagrams, etc.
Inter-cultural Communication
With the growing trend towards globalization and multinational business organizations, managers will
have to interact with people from other cultures. An awareness of inter-cultural differences can
significantly enhance their skill in communicating effectively in such type of interpersonal situations.
Manager’s awareness of intercultural differences is both useful and necessary in the present day world
of business.
Culture can be thought of as a system of shared symbols, beliefs, values, attitudes, expectations, and
norms for behaviour, thus, members belonging to a culture develop similar assumptions about how
people should think, behave, and communicate.
The encoding and decoding of messages into symbols is based on an individual's cultural background
and, as a result, is not the same for each person. The greater the differences in backgrounds between
sender and receiver, the greater the differences in meanings, attached to particular words or
behaviours. People from different cultures see, interpret and evaluate things differently and
consequently act upon them differently
Difficulties in Inter-Cultural Communication: Difficulties in Inter-Cultural communication arise because of difference in religion and value systems.
Different cultures work towards different objectives of life. Example: Gifting clock in China is considered
Bad luck for the recipient.
Accents, dialects and idioms can get into the way of communication for people from two different
cultural.
