iNTRO TO cs

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Unit 1Communication skills
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Will learn about

• What is communication?
• The process of communication.
• Language as a tool of communication.
• Levels of communication.
• The flow of communication.
• Communication networks.
• The importance of technical communication.
• Test

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• HALF OF THE WORLD IS COMPOSED OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE
  SOMETHING TO SAY AND CANT AND THE OTHER HALF WHO
  HAVE NOTHING TO SAY AND KEEP SAYING IT
• ROBERT FROST

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What is communication?

• Good communication is determined not by how well
• we say things but by how well we have been
  understood.

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• In your academic environment, you encounter
  various situations involving speech or writing,
  conversation with your friends, professors, etc
  for various purposes seminars, GD, written
  tests, exams, project work, lab reports on
  diverse topics.
• Generally, the channel of communication involves
  letters, telephone, e-mails, face to face
  communication.
• All this acts have common denominator- THE
  SHARING OF INFORMATION.
• i.e. clarification of information from teachers.
• This process involving the transmission and
  interchange of ideas, facts, feelings, or a
  course of action is known as the process of
  communication, whether you communicate orally or
  in writing, this process essentially remains the
  same.

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• If you are a part of organization, you are not
  expected to communicate, but communicate
  effectively.
• It improves the chances of quick progress.
• Those who possess excellence communication skill,
  they reach to the pinnacle of their profession.
• Its a rapid rise up- the ladder of success.

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• LATIN WORD -COMMUNICARE, WHICH MEANS TO SHARE
  OR IMPART.
• Communication can be defined as the exchange of
  information, ideas and knowledge between sender
  and receiver through an accepted code of symbols.
• The process involving the transmission and
  interchange of ideas facts, feelings or courses
  of action is known as the process of
  communication.

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The process of communication
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The Communication Cycle
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STEPS of Effective Communication

• Step 1 The sender expresses the message.
• Step 2 The medium transmits the message.
• Step 3 The recipient interprets the message.
• Step 4 Feedback returns the interpretation of
  the recipient to the sender.

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• Sender- encodes the message through channel-
  usage of language, its a tool to communicate.
• Receiver decodes the message and acts on it.
• Response feedback is important to complete the
  channel.
• Feedback is a barometer of effective
  communication.
• Response is not always according to your
  expectation.
• i.e. students council meeting.
• Communication takes place in a well-defined
  set-up, its called communication environment.

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Requirement for effective communication

• A common communication environment.
• Corporation between the sender and the receiver.
• Selection of an appropriate channel.
• Correct encoding and decoding of the message.
• Receipt of the desired response and feedback.

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• Positive v/s Negative

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Develop effective feedback skill

• Focus on specific issues.
• Keep it impersonal.
• Keep it goal oriented
• Make it well timed.
• Assure the understanding.

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Barriers to effective communication

• Filtering
• Selective Perception
• Noise
• Language

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Noise a major barrier to communicate

• It is defined as any unplanned interference in
  the communication environment, which causes
  hindrance in the transmission of the message.
• Two types

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There are two types of communication

• General
• Technical
• As communication is an integral part of your life
  and it occurs everyday.
• Messages that are non-technical or informal in
  nature are categorized as general purpose
  communication.
• Messages pertaining to technical, industrial or
  business matters belong to technical
  communication.

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Characteristics of general and technical
communication

• Technical

• General

1. it contains general message.
2. Informal in style and approach.
3. No set pattern.
4. Mostly oral.
5. Not always for specific audience.
6. No use of technical words and graphics.

1. It contains technical message.
2. Mostly formal.
3. Follows a set of pattern.
4. Both in oral and written.
5. For only specific audience.
6. Frequently involves jargons and graphics.

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Language as a tool of communication

• Language employs a combination of words to
  communicate ideas in a meaningful way.
• By changing the word order in a sentences, you
  can change its meaning, even make it meaningless.
• Primitive man communicated with sign language and
  cries, much later human became more independent
  and complex, language came into being.
• Language is dependent on people and can not exist
  in isolation.
• Language is not exact, so leads to
  misunderstanding.

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According to a eminent linguists Noam Chomsky,
Ferdinand de Saussure, language is

• Artificial
• Restricted
• Abstract
• Arbitrary
• Creative
• Redundant
• Recursive

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Language is Artificial

• It is created by human out of their need to
  express or shape their thoughts.
• Every symbol/word is attached to a object, called
  referent.
• i.e. AIDS(acquired immune deficiency syndrome).
• i.e. NICE Latin word means to be ignorant in
  Thirteenth century it meant, foolish or stupid
  but now the meaning has changed, today it means
  good.
• Humans attach meaning to word and modify with
  time and needs, thats why it is called
  artificial.

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Language is Restricted

• Language lost its original meaning in the
  process.
• Sometimes you feel of not having words to express
  your emotions, as it has limitation.
• i.e. your SCHOOL old new
• Use language as accurately, without your personal
  modification.
• Elaborate with alternatives, such as non-verbal
  cues, graphical element or audio-visual
  recordings.

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Language is Abstract

• It is an important feature of any language, it
  means to generalize ideas or thing.
• It takes many similar ideas under its umbrella,
  i.e. if I want few paper clips, pins, stapler..i
  can easily say give me a stationary box. i.e.
  FIRST AID BOX.
• A table we never say, go to a piece of
  furniture with four legs and a wooden plank used
  to keep things, as we get meaning through one
  word as it has a symbolic association in your
  mind.
• It has a block too as it leave out many details,
  i.e. uniform dont talk about color, size, etc

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Language is Arbitrary

• There is no direct relationship between a word
  and the idea or object it represents.
• Language has evolved as a cultural system of
  agreements.
• Its changeable to include new concept and words
  and passes to one generation to another.
• i.e. Food Early in India Bhojan but we are
  used to say breakfast, lunch, supper, high tea,
  and dinner.
• i.e. we used to say Namastey to greet someone
  but now we say hello, hi, good morning, good
  evening, etc.
• Sometimes it causes problems as a word undergoes
  a change that may not be universally accepted.

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Language is Creative

• It is indeed very creative and one can marvel at
  its ability to generate so many words everyday,
  added innumerable words are added to the
  dictionary.
• Different Process
• Borrowing alcohol from Arabic, boss from Dutch.
• Combining edutainment education
  entertainment.
• Back formation verb into adverb, adjective
  enter, entertainment.
• Expand of new invention, i.e. computer we get
  new vocabulary like keyboard, emoticons, mouse,
  virus, boot, etc.

Word Earlier meaning Current meaning
Egregious Outstandingly good Outstandingly bad
Maverick Unbranded cattle An outsider, car
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Language is Repetitive

• It has the capacity for redundancy or repetition,
  this may improve or impede effective
  communication.
• - i.e. bhatra became brother and
  matru became
• mother.
• Unnecessary repetition may lead to verbosity or
  wordiness ended without meaning.
• - All of you meet together to see me in the
  afternoon at
• 3 p.m. confusable
• - All meet me at 3 pm.

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Language is Recursive

• It enables you to generate any number of
  sentences using same basic grammatical templates
  and finite vocabulary.
• - This man who is wearing a suit, which he
  borrowed
• from me to wear for his interview, which
  was on
• Wednesday, which was the day of my 50th
  birthday..
• If we use our imagination, one can continue to
  any length.
• With the usage of various characteristics of
  language communication becomes more effective.

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Levels Of Communication

• EXTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
• INTRAPERSONAL COMMUNAICATION
• INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
• ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION
• MASS COMMUNICATION

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Extra personal communication

• Communication between human beings and non human
  entities is called as extra personal
  communication.
• For e.g. Your parrot responding your greeting .
• In this type of communication understanding is
  required between sender and receiver.
• Receiver responds in sign language

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Intrapersonal communication

• This takes place within the individual.
• Sender Our relevant organ.
• Receiver Our brain.
• Feed back by brain.
• i.e.- feeling hotturn on the cooler.
• Self motivation, self determination are take
  place at the intrapersonal level.
• Motivating yourself to consciously resolve to
  complete a certain task.

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Interpersonal communication

• Communication at this level refers to the sharing
  of information among people.
• It has a great advantage that direct and
  immediate feedback is possible.
• Interpersonal communication can be formal or
  informal.
• i.e. The interaction with family members ,
  friends and different kind of people.
• It depends upon variety of factors like ,
  psychology of two parties , relation between
  them, surrounding, culture context.

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Organizational communication

• Communication in an organization takes place at
  different hierarchical levels.
• It has great need as it involves pool of people
  engaged in to various tasks.
• With proper networking system, communication made
  it possible without direct contact of an
  employee.
• It can be divided into mainly three parts.

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Mass communication

• We require a mediator to transmit information.
• Communication through mass media like books ,
  journals , TV , newspapers, etc.
• This message is for the large audience, the
  approach is impersonal.
• i.e. Press interview, advertisement.
• This type of communication is more persuasive,
  requires at most care on the part of the sender.

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Characteristics of Mass communication

• Large reach
• This communication reach audience scattered
  over a wide geographical area.
• Impersonality
• Largely impersonal as the participants are
  unknown to each other.
• Presence of a gatekeeper
• Mass communication needs additional persons
  ,
• institutions to convey message from sender
  to receiver.

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FORMS OF COMMUNICATION
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• One way communication
• Information is always transferred in only one
  direction from the source to the target audience
• There is no direct interaction b/w the persons
  involved. The receiver has no chance to get
  clarification or to question the information
  received.
• The source has no way of finding out whether the
  message is understood- WHY?
• Radio, television, newspapers, advertisements and
  other mass media.

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• Two way communication
• It involves both the persons completely. In a
  normal two-way conversation, the persons
  alternately take turns as source and receiver.
  The receiver can ask for clarification or
  challenge the source or add ones own ideas and
  views to the conversation.
• So is it one-way or two-way in a lecture or a
  symposium? Give a reason.
• Both sender and receiver play an important role.
  Sometimes the receiver plays more important
  role-HOW?

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FORMAL COMMUNICATION
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• It is official and therefore it is likely to be
  obeyed. It is establishes responsibility b/w
  sender and receiver. The language is formal,
  mostly one-way and may not be an enriching
  experience.
• In an organization, formal communication is a
  means of controlling activities through
  circulation of authoritative policies and
  procedures stating what is to be done, when,
  where, how and by whom.
• It moves along the established channels of
  communication within the organization.

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• Informal communication
• Informal communication is unscheduled, with
  random participants, no preset agenda.
• It is usually more interactive and richer than
  formal communication.
• In short there is more conversation. Therefore it
  encourages the flow of new ideas. It is personal
  and carries enthusiasm of the rather than dry and
  boring logical conversations.
• It encourages harmonious relationships and
  cooperation based on shared concerns and
  interests.

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• Verbal communication
• Communication by the use of words and language is
  called verbal communication. Verbal communication
  can convey very complex ideas and is necessary
  for discussion and explanation of complicated
  ideas and concepts.
• It is more controlled the required skills can be
  learnt and practiced.

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• Non verbal communication
• It is instinctive inborn, largely unconscious
  and is difficult to control.
• Communication by using other symbols is called
  non-verbal communication. Non-verbal codes like
  colors, maps, graphs, music can be used to
  enhance verbal communication.
• Non-verbal everything that is around the speaker
  as well as the speakers personality and voice
  which is included in body language.
• It is important to cultivate it to make a good
  impression on the audience.

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Flow Of Communication
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Downward Communication
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• It is used to inform, instruct, advise or order
  their subordinates.
• To convey new policies or procedures, to seek
  clarification, ask for analysis, etc
• i.e. giving feedback, appraisal
• It takes in forms of memos, notice, face to face
  interview, telephonic conversation, etc.
• It is very formal in nature and approach and
  involves both oral and written forms of
  communication.

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Upward Communication
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• In a highly authoritative environment this is a
  medium for the lower level employees to
  communicate to the superior stakeholder.
• It will keep managers aware of how employees feel
  about their jobs, colleagues and the organization
  in general.
• Managers rely on this for making certain
  decisions, solving organizational problems.
• But it is limited in approach.
• It is communicated in form of suggestion boxes,
  employee attitude survey, review reports,
  statistical analysis- but provide limited
  picture.

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Lateral/Horizontal Communication
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• This takes place among peer group or
  hierarchically equivalent employees.
• It is very vital for the growth of an
  organization as it builds corporation among the
  various branches.
• i.e. decentralized office
• It saves time, bridge the gap of comm. Among
  various departments.
• There is a disadvantage too, as sometime the in
  formation pass from one dept. to another without
  prior formal permission and may create some
  issues.

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Diagonal or Cross-wise Communication
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• It flows in all directions and cuts across
  functions and levels in an organization.
• i.e. a sales manager talks to the VP of
  production.
• It deviates from the normal chain of command, it
  is quick and efficient.
• E-mail highly used in the present scenario.
• It is also called as radial, circular
  communication.

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Communication Networks pattern
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Five types of formal network models

• Chain network
• Y - network
• Wheel network
• Circle network
• All channel network

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The Chain Network

• It represents a vertical hierarchy in which
  communication can flow only upward or downward.
• i.e. boss to employee
• employee to boss

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The Y- network

• It is in effect a multi-level hierarchy and a
  combination of horizontal and vertical flow of
  communication.
• If we turn Y figure upside down, it can be seen
  two subordinates reporting to one senior.

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The Wheel Network

• It refers to several subordinates reporting to a
  superior any interaction between themselves.
• This is a combination of horizontal and diagonal
  flow of communication

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The Circle Network

• This allows employees to interact with
  neighboring members.
• There is a vertical communication but employs at
  the lowest level.

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The All Channel Network
It is least structured, enables each employee to
communicate freely with each others. Here all
are equal, no employee formally or informally
assumes a leading role, everyones views are
openly shared and taken into consideration.
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Informal Network Models

• It is called grapevine gossip, it is very
  activated almost in every organization. It is
  used as a medium to develop HR and their
  productivity.
• i.e. Michael Eisner, the Chairman of Walt Disney,
  adopts MBWA management by walking around the
  company.
• There are mainly four types of informal network
  models, they are as follows
• Signal Strand
• Gossip
• Probability
• Cluster

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• The message is passes from one person to the
  another
• along single strand called as single strand
  informal communication network.

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• In this one person passes information to all
  others which is called Gossip network model.

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• In the probability type of network, each person
  tells others at random.

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• Cluster model, the most popular pattern of
  grapevine communication in which some people tell
  a selected few of others
• The message which is most interested to the
  employee, may stimulate him to tell to someone,
  whereas another message perceived to be of lesser
  interest may never be transmitted to others.

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Forms of oral and written communication
Oral Forms Written Forms
Face to face conversations Memos
Telephone conversation Letters
Meetings/Seminars/Conference E-mails/faxes/notices
Dictation Circulars/Newsletters
Instruction Reports/Proposals
GD Presentation Research Papers/Bulletins
Interview Brochures
Video Conferences Manuals
Voice Conferences In-house journals
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Conclusion

• Technical communication plays an important role
  in the industries, business organizations or
  academic institutions.
• It is the vehicle through which management
  performs all its functions.
• All managerial or administrative activities
  involve communication- planning, Implementation,
  coordinating, recruitment, and decision making.
• Communication serves as an instrument to measure
  successor growth of an organization.
• The more you participate in the communication
  process the better you develop your skills in
  collecting information, analyzing and evaluating
  facts, appreciating the difference between facts
  and inferences and communicating effectively.

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• Thank you