9 Approaches to Effective Communication

Ms. Sunita Jain

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Unit Structure:

 

8.1  Introduction

 

8.2  What is Communication?

 

8.3  What is Communication Process?

 

8.4  What is Effective Communication?

 

8.5  Approaches to develop Effective communication

 

8.6    Importance of Effective Communication

 

8.7      Let us sum up

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

 

After going through this module the learner will be able to:

  • Understand the meaning of Communication
  • Comprehend Communication Process
  • Understand the meaning of Effective Communication
  • Gain practical experience of using 7 ‘C’s of Communication
  • Comprehend the importance of Effective Communication

 

8.1 INTRODUCTION:

 

Man is a social animal. No individual can live in isolation. Each person needs to interact with others. The basic activity of every human being is to engage in communication with another. With every active interaction or passive transaction, we find ourselves communicating with other people. Even our silence has some meaning, which others may interpret according to their own judgment. So to maintain good relationships, we need to communicate well.

 

With the advancement of technology and new scientific inventions, communication has taken new shapes and forms. It has become rapid and dynamic. The digitalised way of communicating brings in more challenges for an individual. We need to keep pace with the fast digital age era. And this has made effective communication imperative.

 

Before understanding what is effective communication, let us find out the meaning of communication.

 

8.2 WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?

 

Communication (from Latin commūnicāre, meaning “to share”) is the activity of conveying information through the exchange of messages, thoughts or information, as by signals, written speech, visuals or behavior. It is the meaningful exchange of information between two or more living people.

 

Communication can be also defined as ‘any act by which one person gives to or receives from person information about that person’s knowledge, desires, needs, or affective states’.

 

Communication is a cycle which involves following elements:

  • Sender
  • Message
  • Medium
  • Receiver
  • Feedback

 

Do you know  ????????

 

55% of the meaning in our words is derived from facial expressions, 38% is in how the words are said and 7 % in the actual words spoken.

 

 

8.3 WHAT IS COMMUNICATION PROCESS?

 

Communication process involves three primary steps:

  • Thought: First, information exists in the mind of the sender. This can be information, concepts, feelings or ideas.
  • Encoding: Next, the message is framed in the form of words, images or symbols and sent to a receiver.
  • Decoding: Lastly, the receiver translates the words or symbols into information that he or she can understand.

 

During the delivering of the message, two elements will be received: content and context. Content refers to the symbols or actual words of the message that is known as language — the spoken and written words combined into phrases that make grammatical sense. There are chances of misinterpretation of words since few words have different meanings.

 

Context is the way the message is delivered and is known as paralanguage — it is the nonverbal elements in speech such as the tone of voice, body language, hand gestures, the look in the sender’s eyes and state of emotions that can be detected. Although paralanguage often causes messages to be misunderstood as we believe what we see more than what we hear; they are powerful communicators that help us to understand each other. Indeed, we often trust nonverbal behaviors more than verbal behaviors.

 

8.4 WHAT IS EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION?

 

Effective communication occurs when a desired effect is the result of intentional or unintentional sharing of information, which is interpreted by multiple people and acted on in a desired way. It should also ensure that messages are not distorted during the communication process. Effective communication should maintain and should have the potential to increase the effect of the message and serve the purpose for which it was designed.

 

In the digital information age, we have to receive, send and process huge numbers of messages every day. But effective communication is not only exchanging information but also understanding the emotion behind the information. Effective communication can improve relationships in social situations by deepening your connections to others and improving decision-making, teamwork, and problem solving. It enables you to communicate even difficult messages without destroying trust or creating conflict. Effective communication helps us better understand a person or situation, create environments where creative ideas, enables us to resolve differences, build trust and respect, affection and caring can flourish.

 

8.5 APPROACHES TO DEVELOP EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

 

Don’t we spend maximum of our time in communicating with people during our day!!!

 

We chat with friends, forward emails, make formal as well as informal calls, participate in conference calls, create reports, debate with your colleague and this list goes on. We can in fact spend almost our entire day communicating.

 

So it has become essential that we communicate in the most effective way possible.This is why the 7Cs of Communication are helpful. The 7Cs provide a checklist for making sure that our conference calls, reports, meetings, emails and presentations are well framed and clear.

 

 

7  C’s Of Effective Communication

 

1) Completeness

 

2)Conciseness

 

3) Consideration

 

4) Clarity

 

5) Concreteness

 

6) Courtesy

 

7) Correctness

 

These are 7 C’s of effective communication which are applicable to both written as well as oral communication. These are as follows:

 

1. Completeness- The communication must be complete. It should convey the actual message with all figures and facts required by the receiver. The sender of the message must consider the receiver’s mind set and accordingly convey the message. Following are the features of complete communication :

  • Complete communication serves the purpose of the message.
  • It develops the personality of the sender.
  • They are cost saving as no extra costs is incurred in conveying extra message since crucial message is sent in one go.
  • Overall it is complete.

 

Bad Example:

 

Hi everyone,

 

I just wanted to send you all a reminder about the meeting we’re having tomorrow!

 

Regards,

 

Sunita

 

This message is not complete, for obvious reasons. What is the purpose of the meeting? When is it scheduled? Where is it? Sunita has left her team without the necessary information.

 

Good Example

 

Hi everyone,

 

I just wanted to remind you about the meeting on the educational project which is scheduled tomorrow. It will be at 10:00 a.m. in the conference room. Please revert if you can’t attend.

 

Regards,

 

Sunita

 

2. Conciseness – Conciseness means communicating what you want to convey in least possible words. But doing so one should not forgo the other C’s of communication. Conciseness is essential for effective communication. The features of Concise communication are as follows:

  • Concise message is both cost-saving as well as time-saving.
  • It is comprehensible and more appealing to the audience.
  • It is non-repetitive in nature.
  • It underlines and highlights the main message as it avoids using excessive and needless words. It avoids verbosity and verbatim.
  • It provides essential message in limited words to the sender.

 

Bad Example

 

I mean to say that I was not feeling well, basically , I mean , I had a bad throat and cough.

Literally I could not get up and you see that’s the reason I couldn’t attend yesterday’s meeting.

  • Are there any “filler words” or adjectives that you can remove? You can often edit words like “basically,” “you see,” “definitely,” “for instance,” “literally,” “kind of,” or “I mean.”
  • Are there any unnecessary or unimportant sentences?
  • Have you repeated the same meaning in different ways?

 

Good Example

 

I couldn’t attend yesterday’s meeting due to my ill health and bad throat.

 

3. Consideration – Consideration means “stepping into the shoes of others”. Effective communication must take the receiver into consideration, i.e., the receiver’s view points, education level, background, mind-set, etc. Always predict your receiver, emotions as well as problems and their requirements. Ensure that the dignity of the receiver is maintained and their emotions are not hurt at any point of time. Modify, reconstruct your words in message to suit the receiver’s needs while making your message complete. Features of considerate communication are as follows:

  • Emphasize on “you” approach.
  • Show optimism towards your receiver. Emphasize on “what is possible” rather than “what is impossible”. Lay stress on positive words such as thanks, warm, may I, jovial, committed, healthy, etc.
  • Empathize with the audience and exhibit interest in the audience will definitely stimulate a positive reaction from the receiver.

 

Bad Example

 

The task is difficult and cumbersome. Work on it.

 

Good Example

 

The task is challenging. I need wholehearted support from my committed colleagues.

 

4.Clarity – Clarity implies emphasizing on a specific message or goal at a time, rather than trying to achieve too much at once. The following features need to be highlighted:

  • It makes understanding of the concept easy.
  • It makes use of exact, concrete and appropriate words.
  • The meaning of message is enhanced as there is complete clarity of thoughts and ideas.

 

Bad Example

 

Hi Ravi,

 

I wanted to write you a quick note about David , who’s working in your department. He’s a great asset. I would like to talk to you more about him whenever you have time.

 

Best,

 

Sunita

 

What is this email about? Well, we’re not sure. First, if there are multiple David’s in Ravi’s department, Ravi won’t know who Sunita is talking about.

 

Next, what is David doing ? We don’t know that either. It’s so vague that Ravi will definitely have to write back for more information.

 

Last, what is the purpose of this email? Does Sunita simply want to have an idle chat about David, or is there some more specific goal here? There’s no sense of purpose to this message, so it’s a bit confusing.

 

Good Example

 

Hi Ravi,

 

I wanted to write you a quick note about David Kedar, who’s working in your department. In recent weeks, he’s helped the research cell.

 

We’ve got a new research project which needs to be planned urgently.

 

I’d appreciate speaking with you about this. When is it best to call you to discuss this further?

 

Best wishes,

 

Sunita

 

This second message is definitely much clearer, because the reader has clear information.

 

5. Concreteness – Concrete communication should not be fuzzy and general but implies being clear and particular. It strengthens the confidence. Concrete message has following features:

  • It makes use of words that are clear.
  • Concrete messages are not misunderstood and misinterpreted.
  • It is supported with clear and specific facts and figures.

 

Bad Example

 

Consider this advertising copy:

 

The Reference booklet will save your time every day.

 

A statement like this probably won’t sell many of these Reference booklet. There’s no vivid detail, no passion, nothing that creates emotion, and nothing that tells people in the audience why they should buy. This message isn’t concrete enough to make any difference.

 

Good Example

 

How much time do you spend every day searching for your reference material? No more! Just take a complete Reference booklet and everything is handy and easy to access. It’s offering knowledge at your doorsteps.

 

This copy is better because there are vivid and clear images. The audience can picture how it’s gone to help them. The details have brought the message come alive.

 

6.Courtesy – Courtesy in message implies the message should respect the receiver as well as show the sender’s expression. The sender of the message should be sincerely polite, enthusiastic, judicious and reflective. Courteous message has the following features:

  • Courtesy implies taking into consideration both viewpoints as well as feelings of the receiver of the message.
  • It is not at all partial.
  • Courteous message is positive and audience is the focus
  •  It makes use of words framed in such a manner that it shows respect for the receiver of message.

 

Bad Example

 

Dear Colleague,

 

I want to bring to your notice that I do not appreciate the way you conduct meetings. There is hardly scope to others to express their view points.

 

Well, that is hardly courteous! Messages like this can practically start conflicts and fights. And this email does nothing but create bad feelings which thereby lead to lowering of productivity and morale. A little bit of courtesy even in difficult situations can always be beneficial.

 

Good Example

 

Dear Colleague,

 

I would really appreciate the way you conduct meetings bringing up new and vibrant ideas. But a small request that next time when you conduct meetings please give little extra to others so that we too can add up to your expertise.

 

7.    Correctness – Correctness in communication implies that there are no grammatical and semantic errors in communication. Correct communication has following features:

  • The message is correct, exact and well-timed.
  • It checks for the exactness and precision of figures and facts used in the message.
  • It makes use of appropriate and correct language in the message.
  • If the communication is correct, it boosts up the confidence level.
  • Correct message has better impact on the audience/ readers.

 

Bad Example

 

Let’s eat Mummy!

 

Good Example

 

Let’s eat, Mummy!

 

Awareness of these 7 C’s of communication makes you an effective communicator..

 

8.6 IMPORTANCE OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

 

No matter how invaluable and brilliant is your idea, it is worthless unless you can share it with others. For this reason, effective communication is crucial at every level of an organization. However, the ability to communicate effectively does not come easily to many people, and it is a skill that requires practice.

 

Importance:

 

Foundation of motivation

 

Communication is a vital factor in motivating individuals. It helps in motivating in both intrinsic and extrinsic ways. A highly inspired person’s efficiency is increased multiple times which is then reflected in his life and work.

 

Decision making process

 

Decision-making is regarded as the cognitive process resulting in the selection of a course of action or a belief among several alternative possibilities. Every decision-making process produces a final choice that may or may not lead to action. When communication is systematic and accurate, decisions tend to be more effective and conversant. The more we are confident in our communication the better we can take decisions.

 

Building owns attitude

 

Attitude Building is highly dependent on the way we communicate with others. We create impressions on the others with our communication styles and personality. Our styles are unique and that defines us. So our healthy communication will lead to build up a positive attitude.

 

Helps in socializing.

 

Man is a social animal. It cannot remain isolated in the society. It needs to interact and socialize. Communication is the most important tool to keep ourselves connected. We express our views and ideas with the help of verbal or non verbal gestures. The more we are transparent in our communication the more we develop pro social behavior.

 

Raise the morale of an individual

 

Communication is a process with the help of which we can lent out our thinking and views . It is a voice to our opinion. It is very important to communicate. When an individual is successful in communicating he feels confident and it raises morale of an individual.

 

8.7 LET US SUM UP

 

Communication (from Latin commūnicāre, meaning “to share”) is the activity of conveying information through the exchange of messages, thoughts or information, as by signals, written speech, visuals, or behavior. It is the meaningful exchange of information between two or more living people.

 

Communicating with others involves three primary steps:

  • This can be a information, concept, idea, or feelings.
  • Encoding: Next, a message is sent to a receiver in words or other symbols.
  • Decoding: Lastly, the receiver translates the words or symbols into a concept or information that he or she can understand.

 

7 C’s Of Effective Communication

  • 1) Completeness
  • 2) Conciseness
  • 3) Consideration
  • 4) Clarity
  • 5) Concreteness
  • 6) Courtesy
  • 7) Correctness

 

Effective Communication is important for

  • 1) Foundation of motivation
  • 2) Decision making process
  • 3) Building owns attitude
  • 4) Helps in socializing
  • 5) Raise the morale of an individual
you can view video on Approaches to Effective Communication

REFERENCES:

 

1) http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcom.html

2) http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_85.htm

3) http://www.managementstudyguide.com/seven-cs-of-effective-communication.htm

4) http://www.slideshare.net/effectivecommunication/cs-final-ppt-11938630

5) https://www.co.weld.co.us/assets/AbAA09582c88bC418c86.pdf

6) http://nptel.ac.in/courses/109104031/

7) http://www.wikihow.com/Communicate-Effectively

8) http://www.img.kerala.gov.in/docs/downloads/communication.pdf