What is Communication Skills?

What is Communication Skills

Definition:

      The term communication is derived from the latin word "communis" which means common. Thus          communication is rending common ideas, opinions, or information, i.e. sharing ideas opinions or           info.

      Robert Anderson has defined communication as the inter change of the thoughts,                                  opinions, info by speed, writing or signs.

      In the words of Peter Little "communication is the process by which info is transmitted                            between individuals or org. So that an understanding and response develop.

Characteristics:

     *  Communication involves at least two person. The sender and the receiver.
     *  It involves the transfer of ideas, facts, emotion, gesture, symbol & action from the sender to the             receiver.
     *  Understanding is an essential component of communication.
     *  Communication maybe intentional or unintentional.
     *  Communication is a dynamic process i.e. it grows and develop.
     *  Communication is systematic.

Process of Communication

Process of Communication

The Communication Process

Conscious or intended communication has a purpose, we communicate because we want to make someone, something, or take some action or think or feel in way.

Sender/Source:

1) Initiates the process of communication.
2) He/She has to be clear about the process of communication.
3) He/She has to be clear about target audience. The sender has to decide about putting the message content into words and symbols which can be easily understood by the receiver this process of putting ideas into symbols is called encoding.

Message:

Message is the content or the matter which the sender wants to send across to the receiver. He/She constructs the message according to the understanding level of the receiver.

Medium/Channel:

The choice of the medium is a function of the sender. It depends on several factor like

1) Urgency of the message.
2) Availability and effectiveness of the medium.
3) Relationship between the two communicants.

Receiver:

The receiver attends to the message and decodes the words or symbol into ideas. The process of decoding is the reverse of encoding. This means that the meaning a receiver gives to the words is influenced by his/her knowledge, intelligence, fast experience and relation with the sender. If the sender and the receiver have a common field of experience, the receiver understanding of a message will be closer to what the sender intended.

The receivers function are:

1) Attending to the message.
2) Interpreting.
3) Evaluating the message.
4) Storing.
5) Recalling.
6) Responding.

Feedback:

It is the knowledge of the receiver response to our communication. It can be use to modify the communication method to make it more effective.

For the communication to be complete, the sender must know whether the receiver has got the message, understand it in the way it was intended, and has receive it well . This is possible only on getting an change to see the reaction and response of the receiver.

When we receive and understand a message, we react and respond to it. We may reply, or behave in a particular way or takes some action as a result of a message. Feedback is useful for both the sender and the receiver.

Environment:

Communication take place in an environment or context. It includes elements like the situation, the place, the time, the circumstance of each communicant and the relationship between the. The context influences the sender's encoding and the receivers decoding. Each ones interpretation is influenced by it.

Objectives of a Communication

Objectives of a Communication

An objectives is something that we want to attend or accomplish by our effort, if is the purpose with which we undertake an activity.

Objectives of Business Communication are:

Objectives of a Communication

1) Information and Persuasion:

Information:  Consists of facts and figures and data arranged in patterns which are useful for different purpose.

Example:    Customer, Data, Data of the account department, etc.

Persuasion:    Persuasion needs a basic of information. It means making efforts to change or influence the attitude and behaviour of others. The element of persuasion has to be used when employees has to be motivated to put in better effort or to except a change; when the government needs the people services or taxes.

2) Instructions and Orders:

Instructions:    Instructions is information about processes and procedures.

Example:    Supervisors instruct their staff or tasks that are to be performed time to time.

Orders:    Order is formal. It is the assignment of a task. The supervisor must be clear and exact in giving instructions and orders.

3) Education and Training:

Education:  Education is a development of the general and special abilities of the mind.

Training:    Training is practice, usually under supervision in some skills.

4) Motivation:

Motivation means providing people with a motive, and incentive, and inner urge to make effort to do their best communication is the critical element in the motivation of the employee.

Managers use communication to improve employees' sense of self worth by showing recognition, appreciating good work, and providing a general sense of support. Most persons have a need for recognition, prestige, esteem, status, reputation, the need to show that they are "somebody". When people feel goods about themselves, they are motivated to their better efforts.

5) Raising Morale:

Morale is the individual and collective spirit and moral condition employees with regard to discipline and confidence.

Raising Morale cannot be done by a single communication. It can be maintained with an open communication climate.

Information about programs, policy and progress must be circulated. When morale is low the performance is poor, there is lack of discipline, absenteeism and general lack of interest in work.