The Communication Process PDF

Preview

Summary

The Communication Process (Book 1 in the Series ‘Fundamentals of Effective Communication’) Copyright 2014 Anil Pathak Published by Communication Analytics, Singapore This is a sample portion of the book. To buy the complete book, please visit https://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/13861 Table of ...

Description

The Communication Process (Book 1 in the Series ‘Fundamentals of Effective Communication’)

Copyright 2014 Anil Pathak Published by Communication Analytics, Singapore

This is a sample portion of the book. To buy the complete book, please visit https://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/13861

Table of Contents Chapter One: Concepts and Definitions Chapter Two: The Purpose of Communication Chapter Three: Avoiding Communication Breakdown Chapter Four: Analysing Communication Situation: An Example Chapter Five: Conclusion Chapter Six: Exercises and Group Tasks About the Author Other books in this series

Chapter One Concepts and Definitions A Communication Breakdown The purpose of communication is to get your message across to others. This is a process that involves two parties- the sender of the message and the receiver. We also observe in many situations that this process may leave room for error, with messages often misunderstood or misinterpreted by one or more of the parties involved. This causes unnecessary confusion and counter productivity. By successfully getting your message across, you convey your thoughts and ideas effectively. If the thoughts and ideas that you convey are received in an entirely different form, the result may be a communication breakdown. This can be frustrating both personally and professionally. Thus, we can say that a message is successful only when both the sender and the receiver perceive it in the same (or similar) way. ‘Communication’- The Terms As we begin the study of communication, it is relevant to think about the definition of the term ‘Communication’. The term ‘Communication’ comes from the Latin word communis, which means common. Based on this origin of the tern, researchers have defined communication in the following ways: Communication is the establishment of a commonness, or sharing of information, attitudes, ideas and understanding with the receivers of messages. Communication is the process of transmitting and receiving verbal and nonverbal messages that produce a response. We can see from these definitions that the idea of the nature of communication changes when we move from one definition to the other. While both of these definitions are good, it might be better for the purpose of this course to define human communication in simpler terms. So, we will define human communication as a dynamic process of creating meaning between two or more people. Although some scholars associate communication with language, much of communication can be non-verbal. We use body language (such as gestures or facial expressions), visuals (such as maps or slides), and extra-linguistic cues (such as white space in a document) to convey meaning. Model of Communication Process One way to understand this definition better is through the use of a communication model. Although a number of communication models exist, it is generally agreed that the following are main elements of human communication: 1. Sender (Encoder) 2. Receiver (decoder)

3. Input/ Message 4. Channel 5. Feedback 6. Noise We have identified Sender and Receiver as two distinct parties above. In real communication events, however, both persons involved in the communication event can also be sources of information. Each person creates and receives messages simultaneously, and both are influenced by the other's message. The model in Figure below involves two parties, the encoder (Sender) and the decoder (Receiver).

*

central thought processes

received acoustic signal

signal

thought

linguistic encoder

Sendor’s Context

Transmission Through a channel noise

received thought

linguistic decoder

central thought processes

Receiver’s Context

Feedback

Figure 1: The Communication Process In this model, the encoder initiates the communication process by creating a message. The message is then sent to the decoder by means of a variety of communication channels. The receiver then responds to the message through the use of feedback. In this model, transactions can be initiated by the sender as well as by the receiver.

Chapter Two The Purpose of Communication Goals of Communication The first goal of communication is receiver understanding. We say that communication is successful when we find that at the end of the communication process, the sender and the receiver share the same meaning or idea. The message must be so clear that it leaves no doubt in the mind of the receiver regarding the intention of the sender and the expected outcome. It is a challenge for the sender to formulate a message in such a manner that after receiving the message, both the receiver and the sender are on a common platform of understanding. The second goal of communication is to obtain a constructive response from the receiver. A constructive response can be positive or negative. However, it shows clearly that the receiver has received and understood the message. The receiver’s response can be in terms of words, signals, or actions. Let us take an example. A supervisor asks a worker to provide him with a troubleshooting report. The worker (receiver) might provide a constructive reply by 1. A Verbal Response: Giving an oral or written response to the supervisor that the report may be provided in due course of time. For instance, the worker calls the supervisor and says: “Hi Mr Chua, Just wanted to tell you that I am almost done with the report. I think I can e-mail it to you tomorrow.” The same message can also be conveyed in the form of an e-mail or a written note. 2. A Signal: Signals such as a smile, a nod accompanied by words such as “Sure”, “I see.” may indicate that the message has been received and the worker has no problem in providing the report. 3. An Action: The worker may complete the communication cycle by providing the report as requested accompanied by words such as “Here it is.” To achieve this second goal of communication, the sender must help the receiver by clearly indicating when a response is required. The sender should also indicate what type of response is required. The third goal of good communication is development and maintenance of good relationship. Whether you are communicating with your friend, or your client, your communication skills will decide whether the relationship will prosper or sour. Effective communication that leaves no doubt generally helps in fostering relationships, while negative or ineffective communication will generally damage relationships.

This is a sample portion of the book. To buy the complete book, please visit https://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/13861

About the Author Anil Pathak has taught Communication courses in universities in India, Bahrain, Singapore, and Brunei for over three decades. He has a doctorate in communication skills development, and is the author of ‘Communication Fundamentals’, ‘Communication and Leadership’, and ‘Eight Steps to Flexible Learning’.

Other books in this series Fundamentals of Effective Communication Series • Listening with Empathy • Perception • Self-Concept and Communication • Communication as a Transaction • Collaboration and Group Dynamics • Managing Conversations • Speaking in Public with Confidence To buy the complete series, please visit https://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/13861...