Origin of Communication

Definition of Communication
Purpose of Communication
Types of Communication
Communication models
Communication Barriers
Communication:pronunciation

kuh-myoo-ni-key-shuhn
/kəmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/
Etymology / Origin
 Derived from the Latin word ‘communis’ meaning
‘common’— a natural activity to impart, to participate, to
share or to establish a common ground of understanding.

 It is an important aspect of human behaviour to convey

opinions, feelings, information and ideas through words,
body language and signs.

 In business communication, it may be interpreted as an

interchange of thought or information to bring about
understanding and confidence for good industrial relations.
Definitions:
For communication to be effective, there
has to be both information and meaning.
And meaning requires communication .
Peter Drucker
(Management Guru)
“Communication is an
 

intercourse by words, letters,

symbols or messages; and in a
way that one organisation
member shares meaning and
understanding with another.”
KOONTZ AND
O’DONNELL
 Communication is any
 ”

behaviour that result in an

exchange of meaning”.

THE AMERICAN  MANAGEMENT
ASSOCIATION
Nature of
communication
 1.Communication is
Purposeful
We communicate for a purpose; some motivation leads  us to
communicate. When we speak or write, we are  trying to send
some message and trying to accomplish some goal
five general purposes seem relatively common to all forms of
communication:
to learn: to acquire knowledge of others, the world, and ourself
to relate: to form relationships with others,
to interact with others as individuals
to help: to assist others by listening, offering solutions
to influence: to strengthen or change the attitudes or behaviors
of others
to entertain: to enjoy the experience of the moment
2. It is a process:

The term process has been defined as an identifiable flow of

interrelated events moving over time towards some goal or
an end. Accordingly, communication is a process in which
there are some identifiable inter-related events which starts
with the sender. Then it moves by encoding messages,
through some channel till the receiver receives the massage
and ends with the feedback.
 3. It is inevitable:

Communication is essential physically, socially and

psychologically. If an individual is provided all
physical comforts but is not allowed to read, write,
speak and listen, he may become mentally
imbalanced.
 4.Meaning based:
communication is meaning-
based.
As has been very succinctly said by a specialist, “The most
immediate need for communication is to be able to refer to
things in the real world, that is, to be able to name things,
states, events, attributes, using words”. In addition, we must
be able to link words together so as to make meaningful
sentences and language. Hence, there is a need to be
clearheaded about what we want to say.
5. Communication is intentional
as well as unintentional

While some communication is intended, that is, it

is purposely done, much of the communication
may be unintentional, that is, we might convey,
in many ways, even what we don’t wish to
communicate.
6. Communication is systematic:

Every component of Communication is affected by the

other. The one who sends the message, the message
itself as well as the receiver of the message; all are
interrelated and affected by each other.
7. A two-way traffic:
A significant aspect of communication is involvement of at least two people,
i.e., a sender and a receiver. In fact, one person cannot communicate to
himself. A receiver is must to complete the communication act. There is no
communication, until the massage sent by the sender is being received by the
receiver. The “two way” can be understood in many ways. It is not just the
sender is involved in communication, but the receiver, is also equally involved
in the process. In another way, Communication is both ways, upward as well
as downward, in an organization. Messages, directives, opinions, etc., are sent
to lower levels in the hierarchy of management. Likewise, grievances,
complaints, opinions feelings, points of view etc., are communicated upward
along the line, i.e., from workers (lower level) to management (higher level).
 8. Communication is a social
process:

Human being is a social animal. He cannot

live in isolation. Communication is a process
which helps the human being to interact
and socialize. Hence, it is a social process.
9. Communication is a dynamic
process:
Dynamic means “ever changing”.
Communication is not a constant, one time
event. It is a dynamic process, which is
changing all the time.
10. Communication is a
continuous process:
Communication is a continuous process. More
often than not, it is repeated to achieve the desired
results. It is an ongoing process, in which one
interaction is followed by the other.
11. Communication is both
interaction and transaction:
The participants of communication
exchange ideas and information and also
influence each other in the process. They
share and exchange both thoughts and
meanings.
12. It is a spiralling process:
Communication between the receiver and the
sender usually does not start as the same level or
grow at the same rate. It is due to difference at
abilities of the sender as well as the receiver.
Moreover, noise and time have an impact on it. As
a result, communication takes a spiral shape before
it is completed and reaches the receiver the same
level and space.
13. It is contextual:
Communication happens with reference to a
context. The same words would mean
different things if they are said in different
contexts. Hence, meaning may differ in
different situations.
14. Communication needs
proper understanding:
There may be numerous media of
communication but the main purpose of
conveying the message is to create a proper
understanding of the message in the mind
of the other party. For this purpose, it
should be clearly and concisely worded.
15. Communication leads to
achievement of the
organizational objectives:
Effective communication does this by
creating the sense of object orientation
in the organization.
16. Communication dispels
misunderstanding:
In this sense, it provides clear
understanding between persons and thus
builds a bridge of camaraderie among
people.
17. Communication is all
pervasive:
Irrespective of the type and size of the
organization, communication is
inevitable. It is important at all levels. It
exists everywhere in an organization.
With communication, it is possible to
delegate authority, to coordinate activities,
and to take managerial decisions.
18. Communication is the
lifeblood of the business:
No business organization and no civilized society can exist,
survive and grow without the existence of an effective
communication network. Through communication, people
working in an organization get activated and involved in
performing variety of roles for achieving organizational
goals. Various modes of communication are used for
people outside the organization to know the existence,
products, profit and progress of the organization.
Communication Goals
To change behavior

To get action

To ensure understanding

To persuade

To get and give

information
Purpose of Communication
PURPOSE OF COMMUNICATION
 1. For instruction: The instructive function importantly deals with the
commanding nature. It is more or less of directive nature. Under this, the
communication transmits with necessary directives and guidance to the
next level, so as to enable them to accomplish his particular tasks. In
this, instructions basically flow from top to the lower level.
 2. For integration: It is a consolidated function under which integration
of activities is endeavoured. The integration function of communication
mainly involves to bring about inter-relationship among the various
functions of the business organization. It helps in the unification of
different management functions.
 3. For information: The purposes or function of communication in an
organization is to inform the individual or group about the particular
task or company policies and procedures etc. Top management informs
policies to the lower level through the middle level. In turn, the lower
level informs the top level the reaction through the middle level.
Information can flow vertically, horizontally and diagonally across the
organization. Becoming informed or inform others is the main purpose
of communication.
4. For evaluation: Examination of activities to form an idea or judgement of the
worth of task is achieved through communication. Communication is a tool to
appraise the individual or team, their contribution to the organization.
Evaluating one’s own inputs or others’ outputs or some ideological scheme
demands an adequate and effective communication process.
5. For direction: Communication is necessary to issue directions by the top
management or manager to the lower level. Employee can perform better when
he is directed by his senior. Directing others may be communicated either
orally or in writing. An order may be common order, request order or implied
order.
6. For teaching: The importance of personal safety on the job has been greatly
recognized. A complete communication process is required to teach and
educate workers about personal safety on the jobs. This communication helps
the workers to avert accidents, risk etc. and avoid cost, procedures etc.
7. For influencing: A complete communication process is necessary in
influencing others or being influenced. The individual having potential to
influence others can easily persuade others. It implies the provision of feedback
which tells the effect of communication.
8. For image building: A business enterprise cannot isolate from the
rest of the society. There is interrelationship and interdependence
between the society and an enterprise operating in the society.
Goodwill and confidence are necessarily created among the public. It
can be done by the communication with the different media, which has
to project the image of the company.
9. For employee orientation: When a new employee enter into the
organization at that time he or she will be unknown to the organization
programs, policies, culture etc. Communication helps to make people
acquainted with the co-employees, superior and with the policies,
objectives, rules and regulations of the organization.
10. Other: Effective decision-making is possible when required and
adequate information is supplied to the decision-maker. Effective
communication helps the process of decision making.
In general, everyone in the organization has to provide with necessary
information so as to enable to discharge tasks effectively and
efficiently.
Basic Communication Model
What are the most common channels of communication?

Electronic

Visu
al Im
Spok ages
en W or d

Bod
y Lan
Written Word g uag
e
Types of Communication
 On the basis of organizational relationship

 Formal
 Informal
Formal Network :Virtually vertical as per chain of
command within the hierarchy.

Informal Network :Free to move in any direction may skip

formal chain of command. Likely to satisfy social
and emotional needs and also can facilitate task
accomplishment.
On the basis of Flow
Vertical
Crosswise/Diagonal
Horizontal
Downwards Communication :Highly Directive, from Senior to subordinates, to assign duties,
give instructions, to inform to offer feed back, approval to highlight problems etc.
Eg.Organizational publications, circulars, letter to employees, group meetings etc are all
examples of downward communication.
Upwards Communications :It is non directive in nature from down below, to give feedback, to
inform about progress/problems, seeking approvals.
Eg. Grievance Redressal System, Complaint and Suggestion Box, Job Satisfaction surveys etc
Lateral or Horizontal Communication :Among colleagues, peers at same level for information
level for information sharing for coordination, to save time.

Diagonal communication takes place at different levels in the hierarchy of the managerial cadre
of an organization. Interactions two or more hierarchical levels apart or one hierarchal level apart
but outside the direct chain of command

In modern business environment communication extends beyond written or spoken words to

listened word. Visual dimension added by T.V., computers has given to new meaning to
communication.
HIERARCHY LEVEL

Executive Director
Manager

Vice President

A.G.M.
Supervisor 1 Supervisor 2 Supervisor 3

Manager

Supervisor
Horizontal Comm.
Forman
On the basis of the Receiver
Internal-operational: done to conduct work within a
business--- giving orders, assembling reports and
writing email

External – operational : work-related

communcation with people outside the business
---personal selling, telephoning, advertising and
writing messages.

Personal communication: non business related

exchanges of information and feelings among
people--the extent of personal communication
permitted affects employee attitudes.
 On the basis of Expression

 Oral
 Written
 Body Language
 On the basis of the reach/ number of
receivers
Intrapersonal communication : Communication with
oneself /in one’s own mind. Examples are monologues and
soliloquies in dramatic works.
Interpersonal communication : Exchanges of messages
between two persons. For example, a conversation, an
interview, even an author communicating with his
readers/silent audience, a blogger with fellow
bloggers/followers and so on.
Group communication : Held among small or large
groups like an organization or clubs, E forums, social
media etc.
Mass communication : Message sent to large groups of
people through news channels, social media network etc.
On the basis of the medium employed

Communication Involves three Components

 Verbal Messages - the words we choose

 Paraverbal Messages - how we say the
words
 Nonverbal Messages - our body language
These three Components are used to
 Send clear, concise messages
 Receive and correctly understand messages
sent to us.
 SENDING MESSAGES

Effective Verbal Messages

 Are brief, succinct, and organized

 Are free of jargon
 Do not create resistance in the listener
 Nonverbal Messages
Nonverbal messages are the primary way
that we communicate emotions

Facial Expression

Postures and Gestures

Paraverbal Messages
Paraverbal communication refers to the
messages that we transmit through the
tone, pitch, and pacing of our voices.
Some basic truths about communication:

Meanings sent are not always received.

Meaning is in the mind.
The symbols of communication are
imperfect.
GRAPEVINE -
Notes
Assignment : Take three different types of
organizations (MNC, NGO, educational
institutions etc. ) and examine the
channels through which communication
flows. Make flow diagrams/flow charts to
depict the difference in the flow of
communication in the three organizations.
Advantages of Grapevine
Communication
 Grapevine channels carry information rapidly. As soon as an
employee gets to know some confidential information, he becomes
inquisitive and passes the details then to his closest friend who in
turn passes it to other. Thus, it spreads hastily.
 The managers get to know the reactions of their subordinates on
their policies. Thus, the feedback obtained is quick compared to
formal channel of communication.
 The grapevine creates a sense of unity among the employees who
share and discuss their views with each other. Thus, grapevine helps
in developing group cohesiveness.
 The grapevine serves as an emotional supportive value.
 The grapevine is a supplement in those cases where formal
communication does not work.
Disadvantages of Grapevine
Communication
 The grapevine carries partial information at times as it is more
based on rumours. Thus, it does not clearly depict the complete
state of affairs.
 The grapevine is not trustworthy always as it does not follows
official path of communication and is spread more by gossips and
unconfirmed report.
 The productivity of employees may be hampered as they spend
more time talking rather than working.
 The grapevine leads to making hostility against the executives.
 The grapevine may hamper the goodwill of the organization as it
may carry false negative information about the high level people of
the organization.
Communication barriers
DEFINITION OF COMMUNICATION
BARRIERS
Aspects of or conditions in a
workplace that interfere with
effective exchange of ideas or
thoughts.
BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
 PYHISICAL BARRIERS
 ORGANISATIONAL BARRIERS
 CULTURAL BARRIERS
 LANGUAGE BARRIERS
 CHANNEL BARRIERS
 INTERPERSONAL BARRIERS
 INDIVIDUAL BARRIERS
 ATTITUDINAL BARRIERS
 LISTENING BARRIERS
 BARRIERS WHILE SPEAKING
PHYSICAL BARRIERS
 Physical barriers are often due to the nature of the
environment.
 Physical Organizational Barrier includes internal and external
environment like :
◦ large working areas physically separated from others
◦ poor lighting
◦ staff shortage
◦ outdated equipments
◦ background noise
ORGANIZATIONAL BARRIERS
 Poor organizational culture, climate
 Status and relationship
 Complexity
 Inadequate facilities/ opportunities of growth and
improvement
CULTURAL BARRIERS
 Age and gender
 Education and cultural background
 Social status and economic position
 Temperament
 Health and beauty
 Popularity
 Religion
 Political belief
 Ethics, values, motives
 Assumptions
 Aspirations
 Rules and regulations,
 Standards and priorities
LANGUAGE BARRIERS

 Different languages, vocabulary, accents, dialects represent

national/ regional barriers.

 Semantic gaps are words having similar pronunciation but
multiple meanings.
 Badly expressed message, wrong interpretation and
unqualified assumptions.
 The use of difficult or inappropriate words/ poorly explained
or misunderstood messages can result in confusion.
CHANNEL BARRIERS
 If the length of the communication is long, or the medium
selected is inappropriate, the communication might break up.
 It can also be a result of the inter-personal conflicts between
the sender and receiver.
 Lack of interest to communicate.
 Information sharing or access problems which can hamper the
channel and affect the clarity, accuracy and effectiveness.
INTERPERSONAL BARRIERS
 Lack of Trust
 Lack of knowledge of non-verbal communication
 Wish to capture authority
 Fear of losing power of control
 Lack of motivation
 Lack of co-operation, fear of penalty and poor
relationship
INDIVIDUAL BARRIERS
 Individual's perceptual and personal discomfort.
 Two individuals’ mental perception may/may not be identical
 Style
 Selective perception
 Poor attention and retention
 Defensiveness
 Close mindedness
 Insufficient filtration
ATTITUDINAL BARRIERS
 Itcomes about as a result of problems with staff in the
organization.
 Limitation in physical and mental ability, intelligence,
understanding, pre-conceived notions, and distrusted source
divides the attention and create a mechanical barrier which
affects the attitude and opinion.
LISTENING BARRIERS

 Interrupting the speaker.

 Not maintaining eye contact with the speaker.
 Rushing the speaker to complete what he/she has to say.
 Making the speaker feel as though he/she is wasting the
listener's time.
 Being distracted by something that is not part of the on-
going communication.
 Getting ahead of the speaker and completing his/her
thoughts.
 Ignoring the speaker's requests.
 Asking too many questions, for the sake of probing.
BARRIERS WHILE SPEAKING

 Unclear messages.
 Lack of consistency in the communication process
 Incomplete sentences.
 Not understanding the receiver.
 Not seeking clarifications while communicating.
Ways To Overcome Barriers to
Communication-
For Physical Barriers-
 Appropriate Seating Arrangement
 Ensure Visibility & Audibility
 Environmental Comfort
 Minimise Visual/Oral Distractions

For Semantic Barriers-

 Use of Simple Language
 Symbols & Charts
 Active Listening/ Constructive feedback
Contd..
For Socio-Psychological Barriers-
 Calling attention & motivation
 Assistance & sympathy

For Cross Cultural Barriers-

 Understanding of Traditions & Customs
 Information of all sides of Culture

For Organisational Barriers-

 Simple Organisational Structure
 Avoiding Information Overload
 Flexibility in Meeting Targets
Communication breakdown:
Seven cardinal mistakes that
managers make
1.Communicating without adequate preparation.
2.Underestimating the intelligence of the audience.
3.Using inappropriate channels of communication.
4.Believing that words speak louder than actions.
5.Listening only to good news.
6.Playing guessing games with employees.
7.Rarely talking to employees
COMMUNICATION MODELS
LINEAR MODEL/One way model- SHANNON-
WEAVER MODEL
The linear model of communication was defined in 1949 by
Shannon and Weaver who were working at the Bell
Laboratories. It was a technical model meant to be applied for
radio and telephone communication, but nevertheless
remained as the first major communication model. The graph
above describes the model, but here’s how an example would
look like. A musician (the source) has some feelings he wants
to share with the world (the message). In order to transmit
them he gives a live performance at the opera. By playing an
instrument (the transmitter) his feelings (the message) are
coded into sound (the signal). Sounds travel by air (the
channel) and reach the audience ears (the receiver). The
listeners (destination) decode the signals and interpret their
own message.
INTERACTIVE MODEL-two way model SCHRAMM
The Interactional Model (1954) developed by
Wilbur L Schramm goes one step further and
states that destination can become in turn a
source and notions as feedback come into
play. In our case, the audience who praises the
artist with applause at the end follows the
same process of communication only that in
the opposite direction.
TRANSACTIONAL MODEL- multiple way model-
Barnlund
Developed by Barnlund in 2008, the Transactional
Model states that people actively engage in
conversation as both senders and receivers of
information and they do so not only at verbal level,
but also at non-verbal and para-verbal levels. They
also come into the conversation carrying their
cultural background and education, but leave the
conversation influenced by the exchange. For
instance, members of the audience may not like or
understand a piece of national music or others may
leave the opera changed for life by the experience.
3 D model or the Empowering model
In the social media age of today, the transactional model
surely remains valid, as we continue to influence each other,
but a z axis is added to x and y as players start occupying a
place in space that allows them to interact in any way with all
other players and play all roles at the same time, depending
on the perspective. The individual is empowered by social
media to become an opinion leader, a gate-keeper of his own
and influence its own community. He/She becomes a source
of news for his community and sometimes for the traditional
media themselves. He/She is approached directly by
organisations and approaches them directly. The individual is
simultaneously consumer, producer, evaluator and influencer.
He/She has the power.
Principles of Business
Communication
Francis J Bergin advocates
7 C’s of Effective Business Communication
 Coherence
Courtesy

Clarity
7 C’s
of
Correctness
Communi -
cation
Completeness

Concreteness
Conciseness
 Clarity
When writing or speaking to someone, be clear
about your goal or message. What is your
purpose in communicating with this person? If
you're not sure, then your audience won't be
sure either.

To be clear, try to minimize the number of ideas

in each sentence. Make sure that it's easy for
your reader to understand your meaning. People
should not have to "read between the lines" and
make assumptions on their own to understand
what you're trying to say.
Example

Hi John,
I wanted to write you a quick note
about Daniel, who's working in your
department. He's a great asset, and
I'd like to talk to you more about him
when you have time.
Best wishes,
Jessica
 What is this email about? Well, we're not
sure. First, if there are multiple Daniels in
John's department, John won't know who
Jessica is talking about.

 Next,what is Daniel doing, specifically, that's

so great? We don't know that either. It's so
vague that John will definitely have to write
back for more information.

 Last,what is the purpose of this email? Does

Jessica simply want to have an idle chat about
Daniel, or is there some more specific goal
here? There's no sense of purpose to this
message, so it's a bit confusing.
Let's see how we could change this email to make it clear .
Hi John,
I wanted to write you a quick note about Daniel Kedar, who's
working in your department. In recent weeks, he's helped the
IT department through several pressing deadlines on his own
time.
We've got a tough upgrade project due to run over the next
three months, and his knowledge and skills would prove
invaluable. Could we please have his help with this work?
I'd appreciate speaking with you about this. When is it best to
call you to discuss this further?
Best wishes,
Jessica

This second message is much clearer, because the reader has

the information he needs to take action.
Conciseness
 When you're concise in your communication, you
stick to the point and keep it brief. Your audience
doesn't want to read six sentences when you could
communicate your message in three.
 Are there any adjectives or "filler words" that you
can delete? You can often eliminate words like
"for instance," "you see," "definitely," "kind of,"
"literally," "basically," or "I mean."
 Are there any unnecessary sentences?
 Have you repeated the point several times, in
different ways?
 Hi Matt,
I wanted to touch base with you about the email
marketing campaign we kind of sketched out last
Thursday. I really think that our target market is
definitely going to want to see the company's
philanthropic efforts. I think that could make a big
impact, and it would stay in their minds longer than a
sales pitch.
For instance, if we talk about the company's efforts to
become sustainable, as well as the charity work we're
doing in local schools, then the people that we want to
attract are going to remember our message longer. The
impact will just be greater.
What do you think?
Jessica
This email is too long! There's
repetition, and there's plenty of "filler"
taking up space.
Watch what happens when we're concise and take out the
filler words:
Hi Matt,
I wanted to quickly discuss the email marketing
campaign that we analysed last Thursday. Our
target market will want to know about the
company's philanthropic efforts, especially our
goals to become sustainable and help local
schools.
This would make a far greater impact, and it would
stay in their minds longer than a traditional sales
pitch.
What do you think?
Jessica
Concreteness
When your message is concrete, then
your audience has a clear picture of
what you're telling them. There are
details (but not too many!) and vivid
facts, and there's laser like focus. Your
message is solid.
Consider this
advertising copy:
The Lunchbox Wizard will save you time
every day.
A statement like this probably won't sell
many of these products. There's no
passion, no vivid detail, nothing that
creates emotion, and nothing that tells
people in the audience why they should
care. This message isn't concrete enough
to make a difference.
How much time do you spend every day
packing your kids' lunches? No more! Just
take a complete Lunchbox Wizard from your
refrigerator each day to give your kids a
healthy lunch AND have more time to play or
read with them!
This copy is better because there are vivid
images. The audience can picture spending
quality time with their kids – and what parent
could argue with that? And mentioning that the
product is stored in the refrigerator explains how
the idea is practical. The message has come alive
through these details.
Correctness

When your communication is correct, it fits

your audience. And correct communication is
also error-free communication.
Do the technical terms you use fit your
audience's level of education or knowledge?
Have you checked your writing for grammatical
errors? Remember, spell checkers won't catch
everything.
Are all names and titles spelled correctly?
 Hi Daniel,
Thanks so much for meeting me at
lunch today! I enjoyed our
conservation, and I'm looking forward
to moving ahead on our project. I'm
sure that the two-weak deadline won't
be an issue.
Thanks again, and I'll speak to you
soon!
Best wishes,
Jack Miller
If you read that example fast, then you might
not have caught any errors. But on closer
inspection, you'll find two. Can you see them?
The first error is that the writer accidentally
typed conservation instead of conversation.
This common error can happen when you're
typing too fast. The other error is using weak
instead of week.
Again, spell checkers won't catch word errors
like this, which is why it's so important to
proofread everything!
Coherence

When your communication is coherent,

it's logical. All points are connected and
relevant to the main topic, and the tone
and flow of the text is consistent.
 Traci,
I wanted to write you a quick note about
the report you finished last week. I gave it
to Michelle to proof, and she wanted to
make sure you knew about the
department meeting we're having this
Friday. We'll be creating an outline for
the new employee handbook.
Thanks,
Michelle
As you can see, this email doesn't
communicate its point very well.

Where is Michelle's feedback on

Traci's report?

She started to mention it, but then she

changed the topic to Friday's meeting.
 Hi Traci,
I wanted to write you a quick note about the report
you finished last week. I gave it to Michelle to
proof, and she let me know that there are a few
changes that you'll need to make. She'll email you
her detailed comments later this afternoon.
Thanks,
Michelle
 Notice that in the good example, Michelle does not
mention Friday's meeting. This is because the
meeting reminder should be an entirely separate
email. This way, Traci can delete the report feedback
email after she makes her changes, but save the
email about the meeting as her reminder to attend.
Each email has only one main topic.
Completeness
In a complete message, the audience
has everything they need to be
informed and, if applicable, take action.
Does your message include a "call to
action", so that your audience clearly
knows what you want them to do?
Have you included all relevant
information – contact names, dates,
times, locations, and so on?
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to send you all a
reminder about the meeting we're
having tomorrow!
See you then,
Chris
This message is not complete, for
obvious reasons. What meeting?
When is it? Where? Chris has left his
team without the necessary
information.
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to remind you about
tomorrow's meeting on the new
telecommuting policies. The
meeting will be at 10:00 a.m. in the
second-level conference room.
Please let me know if you can't
attend.
See you then,
Chris
Courteous
Courteous communication is friendly,
open, and honest. There are no hidden
insults or passive-aggressive tones. You
keep your reader's viewpoint in mind, and
you're empathetic to their needs.
 Jeff,
I wanted to let you know that I don't appreciate
how your team always monopolizes the
discussion at our weekly meetings. I have a lot
of projects, and I really need time to get my
team's progress discussed as well. So far,
thanks to your department, I haven't been able
to do that. Can you make sure they make time
for me and my team next week?
Thanks,
Phil
Well, that's hardly courteous! Messages
like this can potentially start office wide
fights. And this email does nothing but
create bad feelings, and lower
productivity and morale. A little bit of
courtesy, even in difficult situations, can
go a long way.
Hi Jeff,
I wanted to write you a quick note to ask a favor.
During our weekly meetings, your team does an
excellent job of highlighting their progress. But
this uses some of the time available for my team
to highlight theirs. I'd really appreciate it if you
could give my team a little extra time each week
to fully cover their progress reports.
Thanks so much, and please let me know if
there's anything I can do for you!
Best,
Phil
 What a difference! This email is courteous and
friendly, and it has little chance of spreading bad
feelings around the office.
There are a few variations of the 7 Cs of
Communication:
Credible – Does your message improve or
highlight your credibility? This is
especially important when communicating
with an audience that doesn't know much
about you.
Creative – Does your message
communicate creatively? Creative
communication helps keep your audience
engaged.
Use the 7 Cs of Communication as a
checklist for all of your communication.
By doing this, you'll stay clear, concise,
concrete, correct, coherent, complete, and
courteous.
NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION
What do these Gestures and Facial
Expressions show?
Lowered steeple Raised steeple
&
Sometimes indicates thinking hard
 Sign of the
tough-minded,
stubborn individual
NON VERBAL CUES IN BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
NON VERBAL – TYPES – COMMUNICATION
TERMINOLOGY

1.Proxemics--use of space & distance; environment

2. Kinesics--"body language," esp. facial movements and
gestures, but also posture, body type, orientation, etc.
3. Haptics --touch
4. Oculesics --eye behavior
5. Artifactual --object communication (can include clothing,
property, etc.)
6. Vocalics /paralanguage--use of voice; often includes
silence
7. Chronemics --use of time
 MEHRABIAN MODEL OF NON VERBAL
COMMUNICATION
 Mehrabian’s Studies asked participants

to judge the feelings of a speaker by

listening to a recording of a single word

spoken in different tones of voice. He

believed messages are delivered by:

 7% of message pertaining to feelings and
attitudes is in the words that are spoken.
 38% of message pertaining to feelings and
attitudes is paralinguistic (the way that the
words are said).
 55% of message pertaining to feelings and
attitudes is in facial expression.

Mehrabian's "7-38-55" Rule of

Communication. Digital image. Web. 8
May 2016.
MEHRABIAN MODEL – non verbal
communication
7% of message pertaining
to feelings and attitudes is
in the words that are
spoken.
38% of message
pertaining to feelings and
attitudes is paralinguistic
(the way that the words
are said).
55% of message
pertaining to feelings and
attitudes is in facial
expression.
 CRITIQUE OF THE MEHRABIAN “MYTH”
“It’s not what you say, it is how you say it.”???!!!
 Based on the judgment of the meaning of single tape-recorded
words, i.e. a very artificial context.

 The figures are obtained by combining results from two different

studies which potentially cannot be combined.

 Itrelates only to the communication of positive versus negative

emotions.

 It relates only to women, as men did not participate in the study.

CATEGORIES OF NON VERBAL
COMMUNICATION
 G. W. Porter divides non-verbal communication into four broad categories:
 Physical. This is the personal type of communication. It includes facial
expressions, tone of voice, sense of touch, sense of smell, and body
motions.
 Aesthetic. This is the type of communication that takes place through
creative expressions: playing instrumental music, dancing, painting and
sculpturing.
 Signs. This is the mechanical type of communication, which includes the
use of signal flags, the 21-gun salute, horns, and sirens.
 Symbolic. This is the type of communication that makes use of religious,
status, or ego-building symbols.
 Our concern here will be with what Porter has called the physical method of
non-verbal communication.
Types of nonverbal communication
and body language
TYPES OF NON VERBAL CUES IN COMMUNICATION

 Nonverbal cues include all the communication between people that do not
have a direct verbal translation.

 According to Lesikar and Pettit, “Nonverbal communication means all

communication that occurs without words (body movements, space, time,
touch, voice patterns, color, layout, design of surroundings.)”

 Broadly speaking, there are two basic categories of non-verbal language: 

  nonverbal messages produced by the body
  nonverbal messages produced by the broad setting
(time, space, silence).
Facial expressions
The human face is extremely expressive, able to
express countless emotions without saying a
word. And unlike some forms of nonverbal
communication, facial expressions are universal.
The facial expressions for happiness, sadness,
anger, surprise, fear, and disgust are the same
across cultures.
Body movements and posture

Consider how your perceptions of people are

affected by the way they sit, walk, stand up, or
hold their head. The way you move and carry
yourself communicates a wealth of information
to the world. This type of nonverbal
communication includes your posture, bearing,
stance, and subtle movements.
Gestures

Gestures are woven into the fabric of our daily

lives. We wave, point, beckon, and use our
hands when we’re arguing or speaking
animatedly—expressing ourselves with gestures
often without thinking. However, the meaning
of gestures can be very different across cultures
and regions, so it’s important to be careful to
avoid misinterpretation.
Eye contact
Since the visual sense is dominant for most people,
eye contact is an especially important type of
nonverbal communication. The way you look at
someone can communicate many things, including
interest, affection, hostility, or attraction. Eye contact
is also important in maintaining the flow of
conversation and for gauging the other person’s
response.
Touch

We communicate a great deal through touch.

Think about the messages given by the
following: a firm handshake, a timid tap on the
shoulder, a warm bear hug, a reassuring pat on
the back, a patronizing pat on the head, or a
controlling grip on your arm.
Space
Have you ever felt uncomfortable during a
conversation because the other person was
standing too close and invading your space? We
all have a need for physical space, although that
need differs depending on the culture, the
situation, and the closeness of the relationship.
You can use physical space to communicate
many different nonverbal messages, including
signals of intimacy, aggression, dominance, or
affection.
Voice

It’snot just what you say, it’s how you say it.

When we speak, other people “read” our voices
in addition to listening to our words. Things they
pay attention to include your timing and pace,
how loud you speak, your tone and inflection,
and sounds that convey understanding, such as
“ahh” and “uh-huh.” Think about how tone of
voice, for example, can indicate sarcasm, anger,
affection, or confidence.
“ I didn’t SAY you were funny.”
“ I didn’t say YOU were funny.”
“ I didn’t say you were FUNNY.”
Silence

It is also important form of non verbal

communication
It stands for some important work, sad
atmosphere or even peaceful surroundings.
Silence is also used to show anger, sadness or
wisdom
Nonverbal communication cues can play
five roles:  Repetition: they can repeat the
message the person is making
verbally
 Contradiction: they can
contradict a message the
individual is trying to convey
 Substitution: they can substitute
for a verbal message. For
example, a person's eyes can
often convey a far more vivid
message than words and often do
 Complementing: they may add
to or complement a verbal
message. A boss who pats a
person on the back in addition to
giving praise can increase the
impact of the message
 Accenting: they may accent or
underline a verbal message.
Pounding the table, for example,
can underline a message.
 1. The little boy who hides behind his mother as he says, “I’m not afraid
of the dog.”
 2. The woman who says, “I love you,” to her spouse while hugging him
and smothering him with kisses.
 3. The teacher who asks, “Any questions?” and fails to wait for a response
before moving on to the next point.
 4. The child whose eyes are downcast and shoulders are rounded as she
says, “I’m sorry for breaking the vase.”
 5. The supervisor who, when asked a question by an employee, leans
forward with a hand cupped behind one ear.
How can nonverbal communication
go wrong.
It takes more than words to create satisfying,
strong relationships. Nonverbal communication
has a huge impact on the quality of your personal
and professional relationships. What you
communicate through your body language and
nonverbal signals affects how others see you, how
well they like and respect you, and whether or not
they trust you.
Unfortunately, many people send confusing or
negative nonverbal signals without even knowing
it. When this happens, both connection and trust
are damaged.
Analysing non verbal
communication cues
Interpreting non verbal cues
 Context: The context involves the
environment the interaction is taking place
as well as the history between the people,
and the power structure.

 Clusters: Although identifying, or denoting,

individual nonverbal signs is important,
realizing they do occur in a vacuum and
exist in conjunction with other nonverbal
signs contributes to a proper analysis. 

 Congruence: to consider the nonverbal

actions and elements along with the words
being spoken. 
Evaluating nonverbal signals
 Eye contact
 Is eye contact being made? If so, is it overly intense or just right?
 Facial expression
 What is your their showing? Is it masklike and unexpressive, or emotionally present
and filled with interest?
 Tone of voice
 Does their voice project warmth, confidence, and interest, or is it strained and
blocked?
 Posture and gesture
 Are their bodies relaxed or stiff and immobile? Are shoulders tense and raised, or
slightly sloped?
 Touch
 Is there any physical contact? Is it appropriate to the situation? Does it make you feel
uncomfortable?
 Intensity
 Do they seem flat, cool, and disinterested, or over-the-top and melodramatic?
 Timing and pace
 Is there an easy flow of information back and forth? Do nonverbal responses come
too quickly or too slowly?
 Sounds
 Do you hear sounds that indicate caring or concern?
Reading Non verbal
communication in ‘Clusters’.
Crossing arms over chest is a self-defensive or controlling
action. Definitely, it's not a welcoming or open approach at
all. But crossing arms isn't a clue to self-defense only when
it is put in different clusters.  Look at these pictures and
find what each person is likely to express. Keenly observe
their facial expressions (especially eyebrows), postures
(especially neck) and gazes (how they make or don't make
eye contact). 
Warning or Criticizing (Left) Helpless, Sad & Fearful (Center)
Disagree or Disappointed (Right)
Reading non
verbal
communication
in ‘Context’.

Also, we need take physical environment or specific

situation into account while looking at a person with
arms crossed on its chest. This old lady wearing a
sweater is protecting herself from cold by crossing arms
so that maximum body heat would be retained.
https://www.scienceofpeople.com/
microexpressions/