Slide 1

Types of communicationBy Sir Haseeb Ur RehmanFor communication to be effective ,the communicator has to be very careful and judicious in the choice of media, which will depend on various factors like urgency of the message ,the time available ,expenditure involved and the intellectual and emotional level of the receivers.All the media available can be broadly classified into five groups:Written communication.Oral communication.(Face to Face communication)Audio-visual communication.Computer-based communication. Types of communicationWritten communication includes Letters , circulars , memos , telegrams , reports ,minutes , forms and questionnaires , manuals , etc.2. Oral communication includes face to face communication ,conversation over the telephone , radio broadcast ,interviews , group discussions , meetings ,conferences ,seminars and speeches.3. Visual communication encompasses gestures and facial expressions , tables and charts , graphs , diagrams , posters ,slides ,film strips ,etc .

Audio-visual communication includes television and cinema films that combine the visual impact with narration .Written communication: meritsIt is accurate and precise .It can be repeatedly referred to .It is a permanent record .It is a legal document .It facilitates the assignation of responsibility .It has a wide access.It is time consuming: a letter may take two or even three to four days to reach its destination , where as in oral communication message is instantly transmitted .It is costly written communication : Limitations Oral communication is not possible if the communicator and the receiver are far removed from each other and no mechanical devices are available to connect them.Lengthy messages are not suitable for oral transmission Oral messages cannot be retained for long timeOral messages do not have any legal validity unless they are taped and made a part of permanent record .Although oral communication offer greater opportunity for clarification ,there are also inherent in them greater chances of misunderstanding.

Oral communication :limitationsClear pronunciation.Brevity .Precision.Conviction.Logical sequence.Appropriate word choiceAvoiding hackneyed phrases and clichs.Natural voice

Essentials of oral communication Facial expressions and gestures help to communicate better. It reinforced with the help of tone ,pitch and intensity of the speaker s voice .The message being communicated gets assistance of facial expressions and gestures.Particularly suitable for discussion.There is a immediate feedback from the total personality of the listener .It provides the speaker with a much better opportunity for adjustment.

Face to face communication: mMerits and limitations Difficult to practice in a large sized organisations

Not effective in large gathering

Ineffective if the listener is not attentiveLimitations

Visual communication alone is not enough .it can be effective only in combination with other media.

It can be used to transmit very elementary and simple ideas ,orders ,warnings.

As we can easily interpolate the message given by a poster including two pieces of bone put in a cross- wise fashion and a skull placed in between.

Visual communication.It is a combination of sight and sound.Make use of written record also.

It facilitate interpretations and ensure that message is driven home.

Information transmitted through audio-visual retained much longer than any other means.

It is found most suitable for mass publicity ,mass propaganda and mass education. Audio-visual communicationWithin the organisation ,the workers can be educated by suitable demonstrations on the close-circuit televisions screen.

It is necessary to make the films and slides attractive and interesting.

The narration becomes clear ,precise ,lucid and easily understandable.

It is also advisable to keep the films short and to screen them at an appropriate time.Advantages of computer technology

The quickest means of communicationSpace no longer a barrier to communicationVideo conferencing can replace personal meetingsBetter means of keeping permanent record of valuable and bulky dataWorld wide web as a publishing platform.

Computer based communicationUncertain legal validity

Fear of undesirable leakage

The virus maladylimitationsVertical-(i)Downward (ii)Upward

Horizontal or lateral

Diagonal or crosswise

Grapevine.Dimensions/Flow of communicationAny organization has an inbuilt hierarchical system, and in that, in the first instances, communication invariably flows downwards.

Written: e.g. memoranda ,letters, handbooks, pamphlets, policy statements.

Oral: e.g. speeches, meetings, telephones etc.

Downward

Downward Communication

Used by most large schools that are hierarchical in nature. Flows from Superintendent to Assistant Superintendent to principal to Assistant Principals to Faculty to students. Necessary to clarify districts goals, provide a sense of mission, assist in indoctrinating new employees. Inform employees about educational changes that impact the district and to provide subordinates with data regarding their performance.Subordinates select and prioritize messages in accordance with their perception of their Bosss character, personality, and motivation.Sender does not devote enough time to learn whether messages have been received and understood.Those at the Top may shut off this channel at certain times and on certain subjects or withhold information on a need to know basis.Downward communication tends to be dominate in mechanistic organizations, as opposed to organic systems which are more open and unidirectional in flows of information.

PROBLEMS WITH DOWNWARD COMMUNICATIONAdopt training sessions for administrators to help them learn better ways to communicate.

Get out of the office and walk around talk to employees on the firing line.

Conduct regular supervisory subordinate discussion sessions, which will help identify, analyze ,and solve problems in collaboration with subordinates.Ways to improve Downward CommunicationThe main functions of upward communication is to supply information to the upper levels about what is happening at the lower levels.

For example: suggestion systems, appeal and grievance procedures, complaint system , counseling sessions , joint setting of objectives , the grapevine, group meetings. etcUpward communicationUPWARD COMMUNICATION SUPERINTENDENTSASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS PRINCIPALS ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS FACULTYProvides feedback to Administrators from Downward Communication.

Helps monitor decision making effectiveness.

Helps gauge organizational climate.

Deals with problem areas quickly .

Provides needed information to Administrators. BENEFITSSubject to filtering and distortion because subordinates do not want superiors to gain information that could be damaging to the subordinates.Highly cohesive groups tend to withhold information that might be damaging to the group as a whole.Lower level subordinate show less openness to upward communication than those who are at higher levels in the organization. PROBLEMS WITH UPWARD COMMUNICATIONWAYS TO IMPROVE UPWARD COMMUNICATIONEmployee MeetingsOpen Door PolicyEmployee LettersSocial GroupsMeetings to probe job problems,and needs.Determine what administrative practices help or hinder subordinate job performance.Provide feedback to administrators and encourage subordinates to offer ideas.Help subordinates feel self worth and importance.Studies show these meetings reduce turnover and improve subordinates attitudes Employee Meetings Encourages subordinates to walk in and talk to administrators many levels up.They are encouraged to talk with immediate supervisors first to eliminate resentment among administrators who are bypassed.Some barriers exist such as subordinates who do not want to be identified as having a problem. OPEN DOOR POLICYSubordinates can submit letters to administrators or suggestions.All letters are anonymous.All submissions must be answered without delay.Replies can be delivered to the appropriate lower level administrator in cases where the communicator is anonymous. EMPLOYEE LETTERS Act as unplanned upward commnication .Examples are.Parties, Picnics, golf outings, cookouts, retreats, and other employer sponsored events.Main barrier can sometimes be a lack of attendanceParticipation in social groupsOccur between people at the same level.

When communication takes place between two or more persons who are subordinates working under the same person, or those who are working under the same person.

e.g. this variety of communication mostly takes place during committee meetings or conferences.Lateral or Horizontal CommunicationIt is carried on through:-Face to face discussionTelephonic talkPeriodical meetingsMemos.Important for promoting-Understanding & coordination among various people or department.HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATIONASSISTANT PRINCIPALASSISTANT PRINCIPALFACULTY MEMBERFACULTY MEMBEROFTEN OVERLOOKED AS UNIMPORTANTFACILLITATE COORDINATION BETWEEN UNITSACHIEVED THROUGH CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COMMITTEESFURNISHES EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AMONGPEERSIncludes the horizontal flow of information.

It is also among persons at different levels

who have no direct reporting relationships

Oral e.g. Informal meetings, lunch hours meeting

Written e.g. Magazines, Journals, Company newspapers

This Kind of communication is used to speed information flow to improve understanding.Diagonal or Crosswise CommunicationDIAGIONAL COMMUNICATIONUsed when employees feel the organizational forms of communication have failed.Exists in all organizations.Nearly five out of six messages are carried this way rather than formal methods of communication.This form of communication is very rapid.It has both positive and negative features.Positive features include.

I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINEKeeps subordinates informed about important organizational matters.Gives administrators insight about subordinates attitudes.Provides subordinates a relief valve to vent emotions.Provides a test of subordinates feelings about a new procedure or Policy without making formal commitments.Helps build moral by passing positive comments regarding the organisation.Rumor is the one item that gives the grapevine its bad reputation.GrapevineAn informal channel of communication.Can flow vertically,horizontally,diagonally.

Types of grapevine

(1) Single strand:flows like a chain(2) Gossip :one person tells everybody else(3) Probability(random) :information may move from anybody to anybody(4) cluster :moves through selected groups.

Importance of grapevineEmotional relief

Harmony & Cohesiveness in the organisation

Supplement to other channels

A fast channel

Provides feedbackDemits of grapevineDistortion of informationMay transmit incomplete informationTravels with destructive swiftnessTo use it effectivelyThe manager should-Keep an eye on rumor-mongers

Primarily for feedback

Contradict rumours promptly

Involve the workers in the decision making process.