Communication

- The word “communication” first appeared in the Late Middle English from the Old French word
“communicacion” from the Latin communis meaning “To share”.
- “A process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs,
or behavior”.
- Communication is “the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other
medium.”

Definition of Purposive Communication

- Purposive Communication is “a type of communication that takes place with a purpose in mind.
- Communications generally take place for serving five purposes such as informing, expressing feelings, imagining,
influencing, and meeting social expectations.”

Kinds of People We Communicate to:

INTERNAL - People whom you can communicate immediately

EXTERNAL- People whom you cannot communicate immediately and they usually require formal permission

Why do we communicate?
1. To inform
2. To persuade
3. To instruct
4. To document

7 Benefits of Effective Communication in Personal and Professional Settings

1. It lets you understand people way better and also be more understandable, not only verbally but also by your
facial expressions and other signals that you send while having nonverbal communication.
2. It shows you how to remain good relationships with people all the time, even during an argument.
3. It saves your time and energy that you would have wasted on poor communication followed by
misunderstandings, guilt, and anxiety.
4. It boosts your grades by making both your studies and your interactions with your professors [and classmates]
easier.
5. It helps with developing your leadership skills and getting a better position among your friends, co-workers, or
any other team members.
6. It increases your chances of getting the job you want on your terms.
7. It eases your pain while interacting with organizations and institutions, no matter which level of bureaucracy
they are at.

Types of Message Flow in Business Communication:

Upward communication - refers to the source of information originating from the lower levels of the pyramid, such as
employees, supervisors and team leaders.

Downward communication- refers to the flow of information from senior management and executives to
middle management and employees.
Lateral communication- is the transfer of information between individuals at the same hierarchal level.
External communication - is when a business and its workforce communicate with external stakeholders, such
as suppliers, customers and investors.
Business Communication depends on the audience and the flow of communication:
Formal communication
- It is structured and professional, often used in the workplace or any environment where clear and organized
communication is needed.
- It adheres to professional norms, procedures, standards, and regulations established by the company and has
a hierarchical command structure.
Informal communication
- It is more relaxed, open, and casual, and doesn't adhere to any predefined channel.
Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
Verbal Communication
- the words and other utterances we use to ourselves
Kinds of Verbal Communication:
1. Oral Communication- communicating with spoken words
2. Written Communication- communicating with written words
3. Mediated Communication- communicating using information technology
Nonverbal Communication
- how you look, your gestures, facial expressions, etc., and how you sound, tone, pacing, pauses, etc.
What are the kinds of nonverbal gestures?
1. Emblems the nonverbal cues that have a universal meaning within a specific culture
2. Illustrators the automatic nonverbal gestures and cues we use subconsciously to illuminate our words
we are speaking
Types of Nonverbal Communication "Judee Burgoon (1994) has identified seven different nonverbal
dimensions:"
1. Kinesics or body movements including facial expressions and eye contact;
2. Vocalics or paralanguage that includes volume, rate, pitch, and timbre;
3. Personal appearance;
4. Our physical environment and the artifacts or objects that compose it
5. Proxemics or personal space;
6. Haptics or touch;
7. Chronemics or time.
The different ways that verbal and nonverbal interact in real life
1. Repeating- When a nonverbal behavior reinforces a verbal message
2. Substituting- When we use a gesture or other nonverbal cue in place of a word
3. Turn-taking- Relying on nonverbal communication to signal turn-taking
4. Complementing- Enhancing a verbal message with nonverbal communication
5. Emphasizing- To accentuate a verbal message, especially in speech, presentation, meeting, or pitch
6. Contradicting- This occurs when your nonverbals contradict your spoken words
Nonverbal Leakage- Gestures blowing our cover when we’re attempting to conceal something
Microexpression - An emotion that flashes across a person’s face

Communication Barriers
Noise – an element in communication that interrupts or distorts the message sent by the sender to the
receiver
Barriers Between People
1. Physical Distractions- This is usually on the channel used by the sender and even by the receiver that
interrupts or distorts the message
Three kinds of Physical Distractions
a. Technical distractions – caused by the kind of technology we use. They include things such as slow
internet connections, distorted audio, unclear video, etc.
b. Human distractions – caused by people. They include shouting, table slamming, talking, and more.
c. Natural distractions - produced by nature and they are outside of human control. They include the
sound of rain, thunder, birds chirping, wind, etc.

2. Poor Listening - Listening ability decreases when information is difficult to understand and when it has
a little meaning
3. Emotional interference- It is difficult if the sender or the receiver, or both of them are too emotional
especially with negative feelings such as anger, hostility or frustration. To the sender, his/her ideas and
feelings often get in the way of being objective To the receiver, he/she may ignore or distort the
message
 4. Differences in Perception and Language- Perception is people’s individual interpretation of the sensory
world around them. Your definition of words may differ dramatically from those of other people
5. Cultural Differences- Age, education, social status, economic position, religion, country of origin, and
life experience differ substantially between the sender and the receiver.
Barriers Within Organizations
1. Information Overload and Message Competition- Too many messages received that determining which
should be prioritized becomes a burden to both the administrators and subordinates
2. Incorrect Filtering - Filtering is screening out or abbreviating information before passing the message to
someone. One information theory states “every relay doubles the noise and cuts the message in half.”
3. Closed or Inadequate Communication Climate- A management style that is directive and authoritarian
blocks the free and open exchange of information. Having too few channels will block communication.
Having too many channels will distort messages

Basic Communication Models

1. Transmission Model of communication

- Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver based their Transmission Model of Communication on technological angle
reminiscent on phone system.
- This model is also called as the one-way or the linear model of communication
o Shannon and Weaver believe that:
A. Meanings are contained in words (Container Model).
B. Once the message is sent, communication already takes place.
C. There is no need for feedback from the

2. Transactional model of communication

- This model is also called as the two-way communication model comparable to a pair of dancers performing
together.
- The Transactional Model of Communication was popularized by Paul Watzlawick and Dean C. Barnland
 Watzlawick and Barnlund believe that:
A. Meaning is in people, not in words.
B. Communication creates shared meaning.
C. Communication involves both content and relationship dynamics.
D. Communicators generate social realities within social, relational, and cultural contexts or what they
call Fields of Experience. Fields of Experience are “life experiences, attitudes, values, and beliefs
that each communicator brings to an interaction and that shape how messages are sent and received
E. In this model, we don’t just communicate to exchange messages; we communicate to create
relationships, form intercultural alliances, shape our self-concepts, and engage with others in dialogue
to create communities.
- In short, we don’t communicate about our realities; communication helps to construct our realities.
F. In this model, we don’t just
communicate to exchange
messages; we communicate to
create relationships, form
intercultural alliances, shape our
self-concepts, and engage with
others in dialogue to create
communities.

- In short, we don’t communicate

about our realities; communication
helps to construct our realities.
G. In this model, we don’t just

communicate to exchange
messages; we communicate to
create relationships, form
intercultural alliances, shape our
self-concepts, and engage with
others in dialogue to create
communities.

- In short, we don’t communicate

about our realities; communication
helps to construct our realitiIn this model, we
don’t just communicate to exchange messages; we communicate to create relationships, form
intercultural alliances, shape our self-concepts, and engage with others in dialogue to create
commun

H. In this model, we don’t just

communicate to exchange
messages; we communicate to
 create relationships, form
intercultural alliances, shape our
self-concepts, and engage with
others in dialogue to create
communities.

- In short, we don’t communicate

about our realities; communication
helps to construct our realities.
3. Constitutive model of communication
- Communication creates.
- It produces our social world.
- It is the driving force in our lives and relationships.
- It is the central activity in our lives that creates all other social forces in the society.
- This model of communication was popularized by Robert T. Craig
“communication itself is the primary constitutive process that explains all of these factors.”

FIVE PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION

PRINCIPLE 1: COMMUNICATION CAN BE INTENTIONAL OR UNINTENTIONAL.
PRINCIPLE 2: YOU CANNOT NOT COMMUNICATE
PRINCIPLE 3: COMMUNICATION IS IRREVERSABLE
PRINCIPLE 4: COMMUNICATION IS UNREPEATABLE
PRINCIPLE 5: COMMUNICATION IS CONTEXTUAL

- We say communication is contextual because it occurs in particular situations or systems (aspects) that influence
what and how we communicate and what meanings we attach to the messages.
Psychological aspect - refers to who is having the conversation and what is it about
Relational aspect -entails one’s reaction and feedback
Situational aspect - refers to where the parties are communicating with respect to the psycho-social ‘situation’
Environmental aspect - refers to where the parties are communicating, however in a physical perspective such as the
physical location, temperature, time of day
Cultural aspect - refers to the parties’ behavior that is a variable as to the effect of textual

FIVE MISCONCEPTIONS OF COMMUNICATION

1. Meanings are in words
- Meanings are in people not words.
2. Communication can solve all problems- Communication is not a panacea
3. More communication is better communication
4. Communication is simple
5. Communication is a natural ability

I. In this model, we don’t just communicate to exchange messages; we communicate to create

relationships, form intercultural alliances, shape our self-concepts, and engage with others in dialogue
to create communities.

- In short, we don’t communicate about our realities; communication helps to construct our realities