MODULE 4

Communication in Management

Communication
Communications is fundamental to the existence and survival of
humans as well as to an organization.
It is a process of creating and sharing ideas, information, views,
facts, feelings, etc. among the people to reach a common
understanding.

Communication is the key to the Directing function of

management.
A manager may be highly qualified and skilled but if he does not
possess good communication skills, all his ability becomes
irrelevant. A manager must communicate his directions
effectively to the subordinates to get the work done from them
properly.

Importance of Communication

1. The Basis of Co-ordination

The manager explains to the employees the organizational goals,

modes of their achievement and also the interpersonal
relationships amongst them. This provides coordination between
various employees and also departments. Thus, communications
act as a basis for coordination in the organization.

2. Fluent Working

A manager coordinates the human and physical elements of an

organization to run it smoothly and efficiently. This coordination
is not possible without proper communication.

3. The Basis of Decision Making

Proper communication provides information to the manager that is

useful for decision making. No decisions could be taken in the
absence of information. Thus, communication is the basis for
taking the right decisions.

4. Increases Managerial Efficiency

The manager conveys the targets and issues instructions and

allocates jobs to the subordinates. All of these aspects involve
communication. Thus, communication is essential for the quick
and effective performance of the managers and the entire
organization.

5. Increases Cooperation and Organizational Peace

The two-way communication process promotes co-operation and

mutual understanding amongst the workers and also between
them and the management. This leads to less friction and thus
leads to industrial peace in the factory and efficient operations.

6. Boosts Morale of the Employees

Good communication helps the workers to adjust to the physical

and social aspect of work. It also improves good human relations
in the industry. An efficient system of communication enables the
management to motivate, influence and satisfy the subordinates
which in turn boosts their morale and keeps them motivated.

Types of Communication

1. Formal Communication

Formal communications are the one which flows through the

official channels designed in the organizational chart. It may take
place between a superior and a subordinate, a subordinate and a
superior or among the same cadre employees or managers.
These communications can be oral or in writing and are generally
recorded and filed in the office.
Formal communication may be further classified as Vertical
communication and Horizontal communication.

1. Vertical Communication
Vertical Communications as the name suggests flows vertically
upwards or downwards through formal channels. Upward
communication refers to the flow of communication from a
subordinate to a superior whereas downward communication flows
from a superior to a subordinate.

Application for grant of leave, submission of a progress report,

request for loans etc. are some of the examples of upward
communication. Sending notice to employees to attend a
meeting, delegating work to the subordinates, informing them
about the company policies, etc. are some examples of
downward communication.

2. Horizontal Communication
Horizontal or lateral communication takes place between one
division and another. For example, a production manager may
contact the finance manager to discuss the delivery of raw
material or its purchase.

Types of communication networks in formal

communication:

 Single chain: In this type of network communications flows

from every superior to his subordinate through a single
chain.
 Wheel: In this network, all subordinates under one superior
communicate through him only. They are not allowed to talk
among themselves.
 Circular: In this type of network, the communication
moves in a circle. Each person is able to communicate with
his adjoining two persons only.
 Free flow: In this network, each person can communicate
with any other person freely. There is no restriction.
 Inverted V: In this type of network, a subordinate is
allowed to communicate with his immediate superior as well
as his superior’s superior also. However, in the latter case,
only ordained communication takes place.
2. Informal Communication

Any communication that takes place without following the formal

channels of communication is said to be informal communication.
The Informal communication is often referred to as the
‘grapevine’ as it spreads throughout the organization and in all
directions without any regard to the levels of authority.

The informal communication spreads rapidly, often gets distorted

and it is very difficult to detect the source of such communication.
It also leads to rumors which are not true. People’s behavior is
often affected by the rumors and informal discussions which
sometimes may hamper the work environment.

However, sometimes these channels may be helpful as they carry

information rapidly and, therefore, may be useful to the manager
at times. Informal channels are also used by the managers to
transmit information in order to know the reactions of his/her
subordinates.

Types of Grapevine network:

 Single strand: In this network, each person

communicates with the other in a sequence.
 Gossip network: In this type of network, each person
communicates with all other persons on a non-selective
basis.
 Probability network: In this network, the individual
communicates randomly with other individuals.
 Cluster Network: In this network, the individual
communicates with only those people whom he trusts. Out of
these four types of networks, the Cluster network is the most
popular in organizations.
Barriers to Communication

The communication barriers may prevent communication or carry

incorrect meaning due to which misunderstandings may be
created. Therefore, it is essential for a manager to identify such
barriers and take appropriate measures to overcome them. The
barriers to communication in organizations can be broadly
grouped as follows:

1. Semantic Barriers

These are concerned with the problems and obstructions in the

process of encoding and decoding of a message into words or
impressions. Normally, such barriers result due to use of wrong
words, faulty translations, different interpretations, etc.

For example, a manager has to communicate with workers who

have no knowledge of the English language and on the other
side, he is not well conversant with the Hindi language. Here,
language is a barrier to communication as the manager may not
be able to communicate properly with the workers.

2. Psychological Barriers

Emotional or psychological factors also act as barriers to

communication. The state of mind of both sender and receiver of
communication reflects in effective communication. A worried
person cannot communicate properly and an angry recipient
cannot understand the message properly.

Thus, at the time of communication, both the sender and the

receiver need to be psychologically sound. Also, they should trust
each other. If they do not believe each other, they cannot
understand each other’s message in its original sense.

3. Organizational Barriers

The factors related to organizational structure, rules and

regulations authority relationships, etc. may sometimes act as
barriers to effective communication. In an organization with a
highly centralized pattern, people may not be encouraged to
have free communication. Also, rigid rules and regulations and
cumbersome procedures may also become a hurdle to
communication.

4. Personal Barriers

The personal factors of both sender and receiver may act as a

barrier to effective communication. If a superior thinks that a
particular communication may adversely affect his authority, he
may suppress such communication.

Also, if the superiors do not have confidence in the competency of

their subordinates, they may not ask for their advice. The
subordinates may not be willing to offer useful suggestions in the
absence of any reward or appreciation for a good suggestion.

Communications Process

Communications is a continuous process which mainly involves

three elements viz. sender, message, and receiver. The elements
involved in the communication process are explained below in
detail:

1. Sender
The sender or the communicator generates the message and
conveys it to the receiver. He is the source and the one who starts
the communication

2. Message

It is the idea, information, view, fact, feeling, etc. that is

generated by the sender and is then intended to be communicated
further.
3. Encoding

The message generated by the sender is encoded symbolically

such as in the form of words, pictures, gestures, etc. before it is
being conveyed.

4. Media

It is the manner in which the encoded message is transmitted. The

message may be transmitted orally or in writing. The medium of
communication includes telephone, internet, post, fax, e-mail, etc.
The choice of medium is decided by the sender.

5. Decoding

It is the process of converting the symbols encoded by the sender.

After decoding the message is received by the receiver.

6. Receiver

He is the person who is last in the chain and for whom the
message was sent by the sender. Once the receiver receives the
message and understands it in proper perspective and acts
according to the message, only then the purpose of
communication is successful.

7. Feedback

Once the receiver confirms to the sender that he has received the
message and understood it, the process of communication is
complete.

8. Noise

It refers to any obstruction that is caused by the sender,

message or receiver during the process of communication. For
example, bad telephone connection, faulty encoding, faulty
decoding, inattentive receiver, poor understanding of message
due to prejudice or inappropriate gestures, etc.
SMCR/SCCR model of Communication

Source:
The source is situated where the message originates.
Communication skills – It is the skill of the individual to
communicate. For example, the ability to read, write, speak,
listen etc.

Attitudes – This includes attitudes towards the audience,

subject and towards oneself. For example, for the student, the
attitude is to learn more and for teachers, it is to help teach.

Knowledge– Communicating also means that the person needs

to be knowledgeable about the subject or topic. For e.g. a
teacher needs to know about the subject in detail that he or she
teaches so that they can communicate properly such that the
students understand here.

Note: It refers, not to the general knowledge, but to the

knowledge of the subject that the person is communicating and
their familiarity with it.

Social system – The social system includes the various aspects

of society like values, beliefs, culture, religion and a general
understanding of society. It is where the communication takes
place.

For example, classrooms differ from country to country just like

people’s behaviours and how they communicate, etc.

Note: We can communicate only to the extent that the social

system allows. When we communicate, we take the social system
into account.

Culture: Culture of a particular society also comes under the

social system.
According to this model, people can communicate only if the
above requirements are met in the proper or adequate
proportion.

Encoder: The sender of the message, from where the

message originates, is referred to as the encoder. So the
source encodes the message here.

Message/Content

Content – The body of a message, from the beginning to the

end, comprises its content. For example, whatever the class
teacher teaches in the class, from beginning to end, is the
content of the message.

Elements – It includes various things like language, gestures,

body language, etc. They constitute all the elements of a
particular message. Any content is accompanied by some
elements.

Treatment – It refers to the packing of the message and the

way in which the message is conveyed or the way in which it is
passed on or delivered.
Note: When there is too much treatment, communication will not
go smoothly.
Structure– The structure of the message refers to how it is
arranged; the way people structure the message into various
parts.

Note: Message is the same, but if the structure is not properly

arranged then the receiver will not understand the message.
Code– The code of the message refers to the means through
which it is sent and in what form. It could be, for example,
language, body language, gestures, music, etc. Even culture is a
code. Through this, people give and receive messages and
communication takes place.
Note: Only when the code is clear, the message will be clear.
The wrong usage may lead to misinterpretation.

Channel

It refers to the five sense organs. The following are the five
senses:
 Hearing
 Seeing
 Touching
 Smelling
 Tasting
Communication occurs through one or more of these channels.

Hearing: The use of ears to receive the message. For example,

orally transmitted messages, interpersonal communication etc.
Seeing: Visual channels, for example, watching television so the
message is conveyed through the scene/film.
Touching: The sense of touch can be used as a channel to
communicate. For example, we touch, buy food, hugging our
loved ones, etc.
Smelling: Smell also can be a channel to communicate. For
example, perfumes, food, fragrances etc. Charred smell
communicates something is burning. People can deduct which
food is being cooked by its smell etc.
Tasting: The tongue is a muscular organ used in the act of eat
and taste food. For example, while a food is being shared, the
communication can happen regarding its taste.
Note: Despite not mentioning a medium, we need to assume
that as communication is taking place, channels can be any of
the 5 senses or combination.

Receiver:

The receiver needs to think all the contents and elements of the
source, so as to communicate/responds to sender effectively.;
Berlo’s model believes that for effective communication to take
place, the source and the receiver need to be on the same level.
Only then communication will happen or take place properly.
Hence, the source and the receiver should be similar.

For example, if the communication skill of the source is good,

then the receiver should have equally good listening skills.

It cannot be said that the receiver does not receive the whole
message because even though he may receive it, but may not be
able to interpret its meaning. For effective communication, the
source and the receiver need to be on the same level.

The difference between "communication" and

"information

Communication is different from information: communication is

active interaction while information is an isolated action.

In the case of 'information:

 It is the transmission of a message from a sender to a
receiver; the content of the message refers to
"objective" facts and it codified independently from the
human relationship between the informer and the
informed.
 The whole message is codified through a conventional
system of sign and composition rules.
  The message is sent intentionally by the sender who
expects an obtainable result.

In the case of communication:

 it is a bi-directional sequence of transmission of

messages where the counterparts are both "senders
and receivers";
 the meaning of these messages can be understood only
in the context of the actual interaction of the
communicators.
 besides the message codified through a "conventional"
language the communicating actors send also a series
of message codified "naturally" (e.g. body language)
that clarify the relational content of the human
relationship between the counterparts: viz. the tone of
the voice, the rhythm of the sentence, the physical
postures, etc.
 not all messages are transmitted by written means
 the results of communication can be pre-planned by
the actors before the communication is undertaken,
because results depend on the other's choices; (e.g.
the voice can reveal anxiety and may prompt
unexpected results of hostility, etc.)
Verbal and Non-Verbal communication

Verbal Communication:

Verbal communication means communication through words. We

use words to share thoughts, feelings and ideas with others.
Words are meaningless unless the receiver understands them in
the same meaning as intended by the sender. Words can be oral
or written. When messages are sent through oral words, it is
known as oral communication and when they are sent through
written words, it is known as written communication.

Verbal communication can, thus, take two forms:

A. Oral communication and

B. Written communication.

A. Oral communication:
Oral communication means transmission of messages through
spoken words. Most of the communication takes place orally.
When people meet each other, they interact face-to- face and
share their thoughts. The way we talk reflects our personality,
educational background, emotional state and relationship with
the listener.

Oral communication is used:

1. By choice:
Managers transmit messages orally when they want speedy
transmission of ideas.

2. Nature of information:
Highly confidential information where evidence in writing is not to
be retained is generally transmitted orally.

3. Situation:
When receiver of information does not want to read long notices,
managers transmit information orally. Oral communication can
be formal and informal. Formal oral communication takes place
through formal presentations, group discussions, meetings,
interviews etc. Informal oral communication takes place through
face-to-face conversation or telephone. Informal communication
helps in maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships.

Merits of Oral communication:

1. Speed 2. Feedback 3. More ideas . Economical 4. Flexible

5. Personal touch

6. Secrecy 7. Better relationship.

B. Written Communication:
Written communication transmits messages, ideas and thoughts
in writing with documentary proof in the form of notices,
letters, circulars, hand-outs, manuals etc. In a large
organization, managers interact with various stakeholders, like
consumers, suppliers, Government, labor unions, shareholders
etc.

These stakeholders are separated by wide geographical

distances and, therefore, managers cannot communicate with
them orally. They adopt written means of communication for
smooth conduct of the organization.

It needs lot of deliberation, effort and thinking to put a message

in writing. Similar to oral communication, written communication
can be used in formal and informal channels. Fax, letters,
reports, notices, etc. are the usual means for transmitting
messages in writing.
Merits of written communication:

1. Documentary evidence:
Written communication is a record on paper. It, therefore, has
evidence for future reference. Reference to any point can be
made at any point of time if matters are put in writing.

2. Legal evidence:
If disputes arise that require judicial interpretations, written
information helps in maintaining legal defense.

3. Better understanding:
Messages in writing can be read as many times as the reader
wants to understand the message.

4. Well stated message:

The sender can think, analyse and take time to put the message
in writing. The message is more balanced than oral
communication.

5. Wider access:
It can reach a much larger audience and geographical coverage
than oral communication. In case of mass communication, letters
and newspapers can be read by a large number of people.

6. Responsibility:
Responsibility can be fixed in written communication as against
oral communication. People can be held liable for mistakes, errors
and omissions.

7. Uniformity:
It maintains uniformity of policies and procedures. Oral
communication is liable to different interpretations but written
facts clearly specify what is expected of whom.

8. Lasting impact:
What one reads is more lasting than what one hears. Reading
messages has a lasting impact on readers.
9. Noise free:
It is free from noise. One can write and read at
convenience. Internal (fans, people talking to each other)
and external (loudspeakers, telephone disconnection)
disturbances do not affect the efficiency of written
communication.

10. Suitable for lengthy messages:

Lengthy and complex messages can be better encoded and
decoded when put in writing.

Non-Verbal Communication:

‘Actions speak louder than words.’ Our gestures and facial

expressions can express what words cannot. We do not
communicate through words alone. A pat on the back or a word
of praise can motivate workers to do things that oral or written
instructions cannot. In fact, body movements, gestures, voice,
tones etc. account for about ninety-three per cent of our
communication. Only above seven per cent of communication is
done through words.

Nonverbal communication takes place without use of words. It

conveys messages through body movements and audio-visual
signals. It helps to understand the mental and emotional state of
the sender and receiver, form impressions about attitudes and
behaviour of people and, thus, helps to improve the
communication. It is a less deliberate and conscious form of
communication. Gestures and expressions come on their own and
reflect the effectiveness of communication.

Non-verbal communication can take the following forms:

Body language (kinesics) –
Body language is the language of body. It is the way our body
communicates through its parts. Our face, eyes, posture,
gesture etc. reflect our attitudes, emotions, mood, feelings
(positive or negative) etc. A nod of head, blinking of eyes,
waving of hands can indicate lot about our reflexes without
actually speaking
anything. ‘Face is the index of mind.’ Face can tell what we are
thinking without actually saying the same.

Para language, (voice modulation) -

Para means ‘like’ and para language means ‘like language’. It is

use of non-verbal communication, which is similar to language. It
is closest in meaning to verbal communication. Words convey
meaning through para language.

It indicates how a speaker speaks. ‘Thanks’ said with a sad face

and ‘sorry’ said with a happy face do not convey the right
meaning. Sarcasm, criticism, nervousness, calmness, joy, anger
etc. are reflected through tone and pitch of the voice.

Sign language -

No sentences are used, only signs are used to convey the

messages like “Silence of Nurse” , “pedestrian zebra crossing for
schools” “No horn”, “Temple, Church, Mosque” on Google maps,
“Red for stop”, “yellow for ready”, “green for go”

Space language -

i) Personal space language – 18 inches to 4 feet

(friends/relatives)

ii)Social space language- 4 feet-12 feet (professional

meetings)
 iii) Public space language – Above 12 feet (public meetings)

Conflict Resolution

What is conflict resolution?

Conflict, arguments, and change are natural parts of our lives, as

well as the lives of every agency, organization, and nation.
Conflict resolution is a way for two or more parties to find a
peaceful solution to a disagreement among them. The
disagreement may be personal, financial, political, or emotional.
When a dispute arises, often the best course of action is
negotiation to resolve the disagreement.
The goals of negotiation are:

 To produce a solution that all parties can agree to

 To work as quickly as possible to find this solution
 To improve, not hurt, the relationship between the groups
in conflict

Conflict resolution through negotiation can be good for all parties

involved. Often, each side will get more by participating in
negotiations than they would by walking away, and it can be a
way for your group to get resources that might otherwise be out
of reach.

WHY SHOULD YOU RESOL VE CONFLICT?

The main goal of negotiation with your opposition is to come to

an agreement that benefits all parties.
Some other good reasons to negotiate are:
 To understand more about those whose ideas, beliefs,
and backgrounds may be different from your own. In
order to resolve a conflict, you'll need to look at the
conflict from your opponent's point of view and learn
more about this person or group's perspective and
motivations.
 To ensure that your relationships with opponents
continue and grow. If you make peace with your
opponents, you increase your own allies in the
community. Successful negotiations pave the way for
smooth relationships in the future.
 To find peaceful solutions to difficult situations. Full-blown
battles use up resources -- time, energy, good
reputation, motivation. By negotiating, you avoid wasting
these resources, and you may actually make new allies
and find new resources!
WHEN SHOULD YOU RESOLVE CONFLICT?
Conflict resolution is appropriate for almost any disagreement.
Our daily lives offer plenty of opportunities for negotiation -
between parents and children, co-workers, friends, etc., and as a
result, you probably already have a variety of effective strategies
for resolving minor conflicts. But for more serious conflicts, and
conflicts between groups rather than individuals, you may need
some additional skills.
HOW SHOULD YOU RESOLVE CONFLICT?
There are seven steps to successfully negotiating the resolution of
a conflict:

1. Understand the conflict

2. Communicate with the opposition
3. Brainstorm possible resolutions
4. Choose the best resolution
5. Use a third-party mediator
6. Explore alternatives
7. Cope with stressful situations and pressure tactics