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Business Communication (BAF 218)

1.1 Objective

Communication is neither transmission of message nor message itself. It is the mutual exchange of

understanding, originating with the receiver. Communication needs to be effective in business.

Communication is essence of management. The basic functions of management (Planning, Organizing,

Staffing, Directing and Controlling) cannot be performed well without effective communication. Business

communication involves constant flow of information. Feedback is integral part of business communication.

Organizations these days are very large. It involves number of people. There are various levels of hierarchy

in an organization. Greater the number of levels, the more difficult is the job of managing the organization.

Communication here plays a very important role in process of directing and controlling the people in the

organization. Immediate feedback can be obtained and misunderstandings if any can be avoided. There

should be effective communication between superiors and subordinated in an organization, between

organization and society at large (for example between management and trade unions). It is essential for

success and growth of an organization. Communication gaps should not occur in any organization.

Business Communication is goal oriented. The rules, regulations and policies of a company have to be

communicated to people within and outside the organization. Business Communication is regulated by certain

rules and norms. In early times, business communication was limited to paper-work, telephone calls etc. But

now with advent of technology, we have cell phones, video conferencing, emails, satellite communication to

support business communication. Effective business communication helps in building goodwill of an

organization.

1.2 Introduction:

Business communication skills are critical to the success of any organization despite its size, geographical

location, and its mission. Business communication is interlinked with internal culture and external image of

any organization. So it is the determining factor to communication inside the organization. Good Business

communication practices assist the organization in achieving its goal of informing, persuading, favorable
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relationship, and organizational goodwill. Organizations can only survive if they accept the rapidly changing

global challenges and the communication processes are structured and delivered. The present workforce is

dynamic in nature so communication is a challenge when executed against the backdrop of culture,

technology and competition. The success of any business to a large extent depends on efficient and

effective communication. It takes place among business entities, in market and market places, within

organizations and between various groups of employees, owners and employees, buyers and sellers, service

providers and customers, sales persons and prospects and also between people within the organization and

the press persons. All such communication impacts business. Done with care, such communication can

promote business interests. Otherwise, it will portray the organization in poor light and may adversely

affect the business interest. Communication is the life blood of any organization and its main purpose is to

effect change to influence action. In any organization the main problem is of maintaining effective

communication process. The management problem generally results in poor communication. Serious mistakes

are made because orders are misunderstood. The basic problem in communication is that the meaning which

is actually understood may not be what the other intended to send. It must be realised that the speaker

and the listener are two separate individuals having their own limitations and number of things may happen

to distort the message that pass between them. When people within the organization communicate with

each other, it is internal communication. They do so to work as a team and realise the common goals. It

could be official or unofficial. Modes of internal communication include face-to-face and written

communication. Memos, reports, office order, circular, fax, video conferencing, meeting etc. are the

examples of internal communication. When people in the organization communicate with anyone outside the

organization it is called external communication. These people may be clients or customers, dealers or

distributors, media, government, general public etc. are the examples of external communication.

1.2 Meaning of communication

The word communication has been derived from the Latin word 'communicare' that means ‘to share’.

Communication may be defined as interchange of thought or information between two or more persons to

bring about mutual understanding and desired action. It is the information exchange by words or symbols.

It is the exchange of facts, ideas and viewpoints which bring about commonness of interest, purpose and
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efforts. According to Keith Davis, ‘The process of passing information and understanding from one person

to another. "Communication is something so simple and difficult that we can never put it in simple words,"

says T.S. Mathews. But we do need a definition to understand the term.

In his book Communication in Business, Peter Little defines communication as follows: “Communication is the

process by which information is transmitted between individuals and / or organizations so that an

understanding response results.” Another very simple definition of 'communication' has been provided by

W.H. Newman and C.F. Summer Jr: “Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions, or emotions by

two or more persons.”

It is essentially a bridge of meaning between the people. By using the bridge a person can safely across the

river of misunderstanding’. It is the ability of mankind to communicate across barriers and beyond

boundaries that has ushered the progress of mankind. It is the ability of fostering speedy and effective

communication around the world that has shrunk the world and made ‘globalization’ a reality. Communication

had a vital role to play in ensuring that people belonging to a particular country or a culture or linguistic

group interact with and relate to people belonging to other countries or culture or linguistic group.

Communication adds meaning to human life. It helps to build relationship and fosters love and

understanding. It enriches our knowledge of the universe and makes living worthwhile.

However, communication incorporates, besides commonality, the concepts of transfer, meaning and

information. It implies that there must be a receiver if communication is to occur. The sender of message

must consider the receiver while structuring his message from a technical standpoint as well as in

delivering it. When the receiver is not considered, there is either no response or there is wrong response.

Sharing of understanding would be possible only when the person, to whom the message is meant,

understands it in the same sense in which the sender of the message wants him to understand. Thus,

communication involves something more than mere transmission of the message or transmission and physical

receipt thereof. The correct interpretation of the message is important from the point of view of

organizational efficiency. As such, the greater the degree of understanding presents in the communication,

the more the likelihood that human action will proceed in the direction of accomplishment of goals.
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1.3 Importance and purpose of communication

Just as communication is vital for our existence in civilizes society, so also it is essential for functioning of

organization. So without communication there would be no organization. Needless to say, communication is

the ingredient that makes organization possible. It is the vehicle through which the basic management

functions are carried out. Managers direct through communication; they coordinate through communication;

and they staff, plan, and control through communication. Virtually all actions taken in an organization are

preceded by communication.

Purpose of Communication

For instruction: The instructive function unvarying and importantly deals with the commanding nature. It is

more or less of directive nature. Under this, the communicator transmits with necessary directives and

guidance to the next level, so as to enable them to accomplish his particular tasks. In this, instructions

basically flow from top to the lower level.

For integration: It is consolidated function under which integration of activities is endeavored. The

integration function of communication mainly involves bringing about inter-relationship among the various

functions of the business organization. It helps in the unification of different management functions.

For information: The purposes or function of communication in an organization is to inform the individual

or group about the particular task or company policies and procedures etc. Top management informs policies

to the lower level through the middle level. In turn, the lower level informs the top level the reaction

through the middle level. Information can flow vertically, horizontally and diagonally across the

organization. Becoming informed or inform others is the main purpose of communication.

For evaluation: Examination of activities to form an idea or judgment of the worth of task is achieved

through communication. Communication is a tool to appraise the individual or team, their contribution to the

organization. Evaluating one’s own inputs or other’s outputs or some ideological scheme demands an

adequate and effective communication process.

For direction: Communication is necessary to issue directions by the top management or manager to the

lower level. Employee can perform better when he is directed by his senior. Directing others may be
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communicated either orally or in writing. An order may be common order, request order or implied order.

For teaching: The importance of personal safety on the job has been greatly recognized. A complete

communication process is required to teach and educate workers about personal safety on the jobs. This

communication helps the workers to avert accidents, risk etc. and avoid cost, procedures etc.

For influencing: A complete communication process is necessary in influencing others or being influenced.

The individual having potential to influence others can easily persuade others. It implies the provision of

feedback which tells the effect of communication.

For image building: A business enterprise cannot isolate from the rest of the society. There is

interrelationship and interdependence between the society and an enterprise operating in the society.

Goodwill and confidence are necessarily created among the public. It can be done by the communication

with the different media, which has to project the image of the firm in the society. Through an effective

external communication system, an enterprise has to inform the society about its goals, activities, progress

and social responsibility.

For employees orientation: When a new employee enter into the organization at that time he or she will be

unknown to the organization programs, policies, culture etc. Communication helps to make people acquainted

with the co-employees, superior and with the policies, objectives, rules and regulations of the organization.

1.4 Dimensions of Communication

In an organization, communication flows in 5 main directions-

1.4.1 Downward

1.4.2 Upward

1.4.3 Horizontal /Lateral

1.4.4 Diagonal

1.4.5 Grapevine Communication

1.4.1 Downward Communication: Communication that flows from a higher level in an organization to a

lower level is a downward communication. In other words, communication from superiors to subordinates in

a chain of command is a downward communication. This communication flow is used by the managers to
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transmit work-related information to the employees at lower levels. Employees require this information for

performing their jobs and for meeting the expectations of their managers. Downward communication is

used by the managers for the following purposes –

 Providing feedback on employees’ performance.

 Giving job instructions.

 Providing a complete understanding of the employees’ job as well as to communicate them how their

job is related to other jobs in the organization.

 Communicating the organizations mission and vision to the employees.

 Highlighting the areas of attention.

Organizational publications, circulars, letter to employees, group meetings etc are all examples of

downward communication. In order to have effective and error-free downward communication, managers

must:

 Ensure that the message is accurate, specific and unambiguous.

 Utilize the best communication technique to convey the message to the receiver in right form

 Specify communication objective.

Upward Flow of Communication: Communication that flows to a higher level in an organization is called

upward communication. It provides feedback on how well the organization is functioning. The subordinates

use upward communication to convey their problems and performances to their superiors.

The subordinates also use upward communication to tell how well they have understood the downward

communication. It can also be used by the employees to share their views and ideas and to participate in

the decision-making process. Upward communication leads to a more committed and loyal workforce in an

organization because the employees are given a chance to raise and speak dissatisfaction issues to the

higher levels. The managers get to know about the employees’ feelings towards their jobs, peers, supervisor

and organization in general. Managers can thus accordingly take actions for improving things.

Grievance Redressal System, Complaint and Suggestion Box, Job Satisfaction surveys etc all help in

improving upward communication. Other examples of Upward Communication are -performance reports
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made by low level management for reviewing by higher level management, employee attitude surveys,

letters from employees, employee-manager discussions etc.

1.4.2 Lateral / Horizontal Communication: Communication that takes place at same levels of hierarchy in

an organization is called lateral communication, i.e., communication between peers, between managers at

same levels or between any horizontally equivalent organizational member. The advantages of horizontal

communication are as follows:

 It is time saving.

 It facilitates co-ordination of the task.

 It facilitates co-operation among team members.

 It provides emotional and social assistance to the organizational members.

 It helps in solving various organizational problems.

 It is a means of information sharing.

 It can also be used for resolving conflicts of a department with other department or conflicts

within a department.

1.4.3 Diagonal Communication or crosswise communication: Communication that takes place between a

manager and employees of other workgroups is called diagonal communication. It generally does not appear

on organizational chart. For instance - To design a training module a training manager interacts with

Operations personnel to enquire about the way they perform their task. The Accounts people of an

organization visiting different employees in various departments for their IT calculation, bonus for

workers etc. fall under diagonal communication.

1.5 Channels of communication

A breakdown in the communication channel leads to an inefficient flow of information. Employees are

unaware of what the company expects of them. They are uninformed of what is going on in the company.

This will cause them to become suspicious of motives and any changes in the company. Also without
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effective communication, employees become department minded rather than company minded, and this

affects their decision making and productivity in the workplace.

Eventually, this harms the overall organizational objectives as well. Hence, in order for an organization to

be run effectively, a good manager should be able to communicate to his/her employees what is expected

of them, make sure they are fully aware of company policies and any upcoming changes.

Therefore, an effective communication channel should be implemented by managers to optimize worker

productivity to ensure the smooth running of the organization.

1.5.1 Formal Channels of Communication

The messages which are circulating on regulated, preset channels, of an organization are creating the

formal communication. The content of the communication is related to the organization’s activity, to the

work and to anything which is related to those. The formal communication can consist in verbal messages,

nonverbal messages, written, under the shape of letters, telephone messages, radio messages, printed,

internal notes. Even some gestures can consist in formal communication. The messages are transmitted by

the authorized ones: on official channels, these arrive to the ones who need to react, to people or machines

which need to know the content of these messages.

Usually, all formal communications are recorded and kept in the organization’s evidence. Are retained copies

of these by the transmitter, by the receiver, by all of the desks from the organization which need to know

and keep the information. Examples of formal communications are given by work commands, reports and

financial evidence, reports over sells / inventory, statements referring to the company’s policies, post

descriptions, etc.

The formal communication network is formed out of formal channels, created by setting a formal system of

responsibilities according to the hierarchical structure of the organization. The perfect network is the one

which contains communication channel from bottom up, downwards and horizontally. Often the direction of

horizontal communication is missing or it is inefficient and in this way the accuracy of the information

decreases. The situation is appearing because of the lack of permanent circulation of the information

between departments, although this is vital for the organization in conditions of existent competition, or

the lack of specialists in organizational communication.

The number of communication channels available to a manager has increased over the last 20 odd years.

Video conferencing, mobile technology, electronic bulletin boards and fax machines are some of the new

possibilities. As organizations grow in size, managers cannot rely on face-to-face communication alone to

get their message across. A challenge the managers are faced with today is to determine what type of

communication channel they should opt for in order to carryout effective communication.

In order to make a manager's task easier, the types of communication channels are grouped into three main

groups: formal, informal and unofficial.

 A formal communication channel transmits information such as the goals, policies and procedures

of an organization. Messages in this type of communication channel follow a chain of command. This means

information flows from a manager to his subordinates and they in turn pass on the information to the next

level of staff.

 An example of a formal communication channel is a company's newsletter, which gives employees as

well as the clients a clear idea of a company's goals and vision. It also includes the transfer of information

with regard to memoranda, reports, directions, and scheduled meetings in the chain of command.

 A business plan, customer satisfaction survey, annual reports, employer's manual, review meetings

are all formal communication channels.

1.5.2 Informal Channels of Communication

Informal communication arises out of all those channels that fall outside the formal channels and it is also

known as grapevine. It is established around the societal affiliation of members of the organization.

Informal communication does not follow authority lines as in the case of formal communication.

Informal communication takes place due to the individual needs of the members of an organization and

subsists in every organization. Normally, such communication is oral and may be expressed even by simple

glance, sign or silence. Informal communication, is implicit, spontaneous multidimensional and diverse. It

often works in group of people, i.e. when one person has some information of interest; he passes it on to his

informal group and so on.

An organization can make efficient use of informal channels to fortify the formal channels of

communication. It acts as a valuable purpose in expressing certain information that cannot be channeled via
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the official channels. It satisfies the people desires to identify what is happening in the organization and

offers an opportunity to express dreads, worries and complaints. Informal communication also facilitates to

ameliorate managerial decisions as more people are involved in the process of decision-making.

Inspite on many advantages, informal communication has certain disadvantages. Informal communication

contains facts, deceptions, rumors and unclear data. The informal channels of communication may transmit

completely imprecise information that may harm rather than help an organization. In addition, it is

impossible to fix the responsibility for its origin or flow of information. However, for the efficient working

of any organization both formal and informal communications are required. An example of an informal

communication channel is lunchtime at the organization's cafeteria/canteen. Here, in a relaxed atmosphere,

discussions among employees are encouraged. Also managers walking around, adopting a hands-on approach

to handling employee queries is an example of an informal communication channel. Quality circles, team

work, different training programs are outside of the chain of command and so, fall under the category of

informal communication channels.

1.5.3 Grapevine Communication (Informal Communication)

Grapevine is an informal channel of business communication. It is called so because it stretches

throughout the organization in all directions irrespective of the authority levels. Man as we know is a

social animal. Despite existence of formal channels in an organization, the informal channels tend to

develop when he interacts with other people in organization. It exists more at lower levels of organization.

Grapevine generally develops due to various reasons. One of them is that when an organization is facing

recession, the employees sense uncertainty. Also, at times employees do not have self-confidence due to

which they form unions. Sometimes the managers show preferential treatment and favour some employees

giving a segregated feeling to other employees. Thus, when employees sense a need to exchange their

views ,they go for grapevine network as they cannot use the formal channel of
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communication in that case. Generally during breaks in cafeteria, the subordinates talk about their

superior’s attitude and behaviour and exchange views with their peers. They discuss rumours about

promotion and transfer of other employees. Thus, grapevine spreads like fire and it is not easy to trace

the cause of such communication at times.

Example of Grapevine Network of Communication

1. Suppose the profit amount of a company is known. Rumour is spread that this much profit is there

and on that basis bonus is declared.

2. CEO may be in relation to the Production Manager. They may have friendly relations with each

other.

Advantages of Grapevine Communication

1. Grapevine channels carry information rapidly. As soon as an employee gets to know some

confidential information, he becomes inquisitive and passes the details then to his closest friend who in

turn passes it to other. Thus, it spreads hastily.

2. The managers get to know the reactions of their subordinates on their policies. Thus, the

feedback obtained is quick compared to formal channel of communication.

3. The grapevine creates a sense of unity among the employees who share and discuss their views

with each other. Thus, grapevine helps in developing group cohesiveness.

4. The grapevine serves as an emotional supportive value.

5. The grapevine is a supplement in those cases where formal communication does not work.

Disadvantages of Grapevine Communication

1. The grapevine carries partial information at times as it is more based on rumours. Thus, it does

not clearly depicts the complete state of affairs.

2. The grapevine is not trustworthy always as it does not follows official path of communication and

is spread more by gossips and unconfirmed report.

3. The productivity of employees may be hampered as they spend more time talking rather than

working.

4. The grapevine leads to making hostility against the executives.

5. The grapevine may hamper the goodwill of the organization as it may carry false negative

information about the high level people of the organization.

A smart manager should take care of all the disadvantages of the grapevine and try to minimize them. At

the same time, he should make best possible use of advantages of grapevine.

1.6 Functions of communication

The most basic functions of communication in an organization are to inform, control, motivate and

emotional expression.

1.6.1. Information

An organization needs a vast amount of information to function and operate a business. The top

management would require timely and accurate information for the various departments to make effective

decisions. Information is dispersed throughout an organization through written or verbal communication. A

human resources representative or business owner may send out a memo explaining a change in the

company's health plan. A business meeting may be used as a way to communicate a new office procedure. A

webinar allows a company to conduct a meeting over the Internet with employees or customers who cannot

attend in person. The idea of informing within an organization is to provide data and information so that

employees can effectively complete their job. Information ensures that an employee is aware of the rules

and procedures of an organization. It also eliminates job uncertainty for workers when they are fully

informed.

1.6.2 Control

The management of any organization will always have plans with long, medium or long termobjectives for

the months and years ahead. To achieve these objectives, the daily & monthly activities must proceed as

planned in order to achieve the objectives for the period.Communication acts to control member behavior

in several ways. Organizations have authority hierarchies and formal guidelines that employees are

required to follow. When employees, for instance for instances are required to first communicate any job

related grievance to their immediate boss, to follow their job description, or to comply with company

policies, communication is performing a control function. But informal communication also controls

behavior. When work groups tease or harass a member who produces too much (and makes the rest of the
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group look bad) they are informally communicating with, and controlling the member’s behavior. A company

uses communication as a way to maintain control over employees and their work environment. Written

human resources policies and procedures dictate how employees are permitted to act in the workplace.

Job descriptions outline the parameters of an employee's job functions. Performance reviews control

whether an employee receives a raise or attains a promotion.

1.6.3 Motivation

Managers use communication to motivate workers to achieve peak performance. By clarifying the

expectations of employees and providing incentives for meeting or exceeding expectations, communication

can help companies reach specific objectives. For example, by communicating to salespeople that they'll

receive a 10 percent bonus if they reach their annual sales goal, it helps the company reach its overall

sales goals. Communication fosters motivation by clarifying to employees what is to be done, how well they

are doing and what can be done to improve performance if it’s subpar. We saw his operating in our review

of goal-setting and reinforcement theories. The formation of specific goals, feedback on progress toward

the goals, and reinforcement of desired behavior all stimulate motivation and require communication.

1.6.4. Emotional Expression and Interdependence

Emotional appeal is when emotions or arguments are used to persuade others instead of facts or logic.

Organizations can use emotional appeals when delivering bad news. Last year, the CEO spoke to the entire

company at an emergency meeting. He explained how devastated he was over the need to have a corporate

downsizing. He used emotion to explain that it was better for the overall security of the company to

eliminate some positions. For many employees, their work group is a primary source for social interaction.

The communication that takes place within the group is a fundamental mechanism by which members show

their frustration and feelings of satisfaction. Communication therefore provides release for the emotional

expression of feelings and for fulfillment of social needs.

1.7 Technology and Business Communication

Technology has changed business in many ways, but its effect on communication is arguably the most

significant. The use of technology in daily business operations is constantly evolving, and one such example

is the use of technology in business communication. Being in touch is very important to businesses, that is
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why it is no wonder why a lot of resources is spent in improving the communication procedures of various

businesses. The revolution of the Internet has allowed businesses to have more options as far as business

communication was concerned. It made the technologies of software, hardware, and network converge into

one cohesive and solid system, which made the optimization of various business procedures faster. Indeed,

the employees and the organizations as a whole greatly benefit from the use of technology in business.

With a feasible business plan, organizations can save a lot of money and raise the level of productivity of

the staff if the use of technology were well-planned and executed. Even medium-scale companies now have

a chance to participate in the fierce competition among larger businesses. This is just one proof that

technology in business communication is capable of increasing worker productivity. If you come to think

about, the advantages do not need an employee to undergo a radical adjustment. On the contrary, tasks

are made simpler and more convenient for the user.

Communication Is Faster

Whether you need to speak with an employee who is traveling in another state or country or you need to

communicate with your supplier half way around the world, technology allows you to do so instantaneously.

In fact, thanks to email and text messages, you can now send messages to people in other time zones

before you forget without worrying that you will wake them up. In fact, the Internet has allowed business

people to communicate easily regardless of time zone and language issues.

Expanded Communication Opportunities

Technology allows individuals to communicate and carry on a business relationship without ever meeting

face to face, so people in all parts of the world now have the chance to interact with a company in a rural

part of India. For example, technology allowed for the emergence of the virtual assistant, a worker who

completes tasks for her client online without having ever met him, in the 20th century.

Cost-Cutting Procedures

In addition to migrating to a digital means of communicating, a business can save a lot with technological

advances in business communication. Business software products that combine voice and data no longer

have the need for multiple lines that can add a bulky amount to communication expenses. In addition,

minimal technical support is needed since most of the installation, operations, and maintenance procedures
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can be done with little or no supervision at all.

Network Convenience

The use of modern technology in business communication eradicates the complexity that is involved in

monitoring network traffic. This is because all the communication data travels at the same stream.

Therefore, there is only one network that needs to be monitored, and this lessens the work of network

administrators, giving them more time to work on other tasks.

The benefits of technology in business communication are almost immeasurable, since its advantages are

long term and ell-encompassing. Businesses can use this to their advantage to increase productivity, to

raise revenues, to build better relationships with customers, and to survive longer in the business arena.

1.8 The Role of the Manager in effective business communication

Business communication is no longer about how to write a letter, email or use effective writing skills. It

has also extended to other areas in the business, for example, excellent relationships within the business.

A manager should not only concentrate on successful communication with its external clients, customers

and stakeholders. The employees of the business actually are internal clients and should also be treated

with care. Many scholars refer to this as internal marketing, a very important feature of good business

communication. Employees’ well-being and work satisfaction play a large role in their productivity and how

loyal they will be towards the business. The role of the manager is to ensure good relationships with and

among employees. A healthy working environment is equally important. Previous research has indicated

that employees also have other career aspirations than only a salary.

Unhappy employees as a result of poor communication processes in the business can negatively affect the

corporate image of the business and make the business less successful. The manager of the business

should also keep track with changes in society, especially the ever changing business environment.

Communication processes in the business should reflect these changes.

Anyone involved in management – whether it’s for a large or small company – knows well the relational

complexities involved. Sometimes you have to give criticisms on an employee’s performance, other times

you get the privilege of praising another employee’s performance. You’re often tasked with overseeing

projects both large and small, while directing a diverse group of individuals and personalities in the
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process. Needless to say, communication skills are essential for any management position.

While communication in management is not always easy, you may find yourself having to work with

difficult people, or with unmotivated people. But if you come to the table with the right tools to do the

job, you will have an effective team of individuals proud of the work they do for you, and you can feel your

own sense of pride in developing these key business relationships in the workplace.

Key Areas of Communication in Management

 Relationship Building

Relationship building is a key discipline to master. It helps you establish trust and friendship with your

employees. They will come to you with problems, and when the time comes that you must give negative

feedback they will actually be able to hear you out. On the flip side of that coin, when it comes time to

give positive feedback, your employees will take it to heart and it will motivate them to do better work. In

any work environment, as a manager is important to build these relationships early on.

 Employee Engagement

One aspect of the manager-employee relationship has to do with including employees in on project

management and development - allowing them to give their input. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you

have to accept every idea that comes across your desk, but the fact that you are sincerely listening to

concerns positions you as a respected and trusted leader within the company. In short, if employees truly

feel like they are a part of the process, they will connect to projects in a more meaningful way, and do

high-quality work.

 Employee Recognition

Every manager should learn how to properly recognize employees in the workplace. However, it’s not

enough to simply recognize and praise an employee in your office, you must make every effort to make

recognition a very public event. Recognizing an employee for their hard work shows that you value their

contributions to the organization. Again, this is another communication strategy that will motivate

employees to do better.
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 Employee Coaching

Finally, there is the discipline of employee coaching. Unfortunately, not every employee candidate is going

to walk into the office with a flawless performance record. They may fall down and make a mess a few

times before really grasping the tools needed to succeed in the workplace. You, as a manager, are an

instrumental part of that success. Successful managers should be having in-depth conversations with

employees about performance about once every quarter at least. It’s important that you keep these

conversations as informal as possible, so you can actually connect with the employee you’re trying to coach.

 Communication is Motivating

Communication is a life force. If employees know where they stand in the work place, and they feel

comfortable in that environment, they will be motivated to do good work. Solid communication skills are

not just good for the life of the company, but they help you understand how everything is going within the

company. It gives you some real-world “data,” so to speak.

1.8.1. Effectiveness in Managerial Communication

It is essential for employees to communicate effectively with each other for better understanding as well

as increased productivity at workplace. Employees doing everything on their own are generally

overburdened and eventually fail to deliver their best. Effective managerial communication enables the

flow of information and knowledge among employees in its desired form. Managers need to interact with

their team members to extract the best out of them. Problems remain unsolved if employees do not

communicate with each other. Discussions go a long way in reducing confusions and also improve the

relations among employees.

There are some tips for effective managerial communication at workplace:

 Remember a manager’s task is not only to sit in closed cabins and shout at subordinates. He needs

to interact with his team members on a regular basis. Speak to your colleagues more often. Find out what

they are upto? Treat all your team members as one. There is absolutely no harm in taking lunch with your

team members. This way you tend to discuss lot many things apart from routine work.
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 Promote the concept of morning meetings at workplace. Morning meetings help you interact with

your team members on an open platform where everyone has the liberty to express his/her views.

Communicate with your team members and help them plan their day. Let them come out with their

problems. Walk up to their workstations once or twice in a day.

 Increase your listening skills. A good listener is always a good communicator. It is really

important to listen to the other person carefully before speaking. Interrupting a conversation breaks the

momentum and the message loses its impact.

 Working in a team leads to effective managerial communication. Employees working in isolation

hardly interact with their fellow workers and superiors. Make sure your team members discuss things

amongst themselves and work together. Instruct them to keep you in the loop as well. The employees must

mark a cc to their immediate reporting managers to keep them updated of the latest developments at the

workplace.

 Master the art of writing emails. Also train your team members how to write an official mail.

There is a huge difference between a personal and official mail. The subject line needs to be relevant for

people to open the mail.

 Do not call your team members one by one for any kind of communication. Address them together.

 Think before you speak. Make sure whatever you communicate is relevant. Avoid using

complicated words and terminologies in your speech. The message has to be clear and precise for

effective managerial communication. Be straightforward and communicate clearly as to what you expect

out of your team members.

 No communication is complete unless the message is understood clearly by the recipients.

There should be absolutely no room for confusion in effective communication. Once you are through with

your speech, give some time to your team members for them to ask whatever they have not understood.

1.9 Barriers in Business Communication

For any kind of communication to be successful, it is essential that the receiver attributes the same

meaning to the message as intended by the sender of the message. But all acts of communication are not
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perfect or successful. At times, some meaning is lost as the message encounters various barriers along its

passage between the sender and the receiver. Such barriers may arise at any of the stages through which

a message passes during the process of communication. This is also called miscommunication.

Some of the common problems that lead to the failure of communication are: noise, cultural differences,

complexity of subject matter, personal biases, semantic problems, socio-

psychological barriers, filtering, information overload, poor retention, poor listening, goal conflicts,

slanting, inferring, etc.

Types of barriers

Barriers to communication can be classified into the following broad categories: 1) Physical or

environmental barriers, 2) Physiological or biological barriers, 3) Semantic or language barriers, 4)

Personal barriers, 5) Emotional or perceptional barriers, 6) Socio-psychological barriers, 7) Cultural

barriers, and 8) Organizational barriers.

Physical or Environmental Barriers

Physical barriers are those barriers which are caused due to some technical defects in the media used for

communication and/or due to certain disturbances in the surrounding environment.

Often, the term ‘noise’ is used as a blanket term to refer to the physical barriers in general. But noise, in

its literal sense, is also one of the factors that give rise to the physical barriers during the process of

communication.

Besides noise, wrong selection of medium, lack of acoustics, poor lighting, frequent movements of hands,

fiddling with a pen, or even serving of tea during an important conversation- all of these are also

responsible for creating physical barriers in the communication process.

Noise

Noise is the first major barrier to communication. Communication is distorted by noise that crops up at

the transmission level.

The meaning attributed to the word ‘noise’ in the field of Communication is derived from the realm of

Physics. In Physics, noise refers to “a disturbance, especially a random and persistent disturbance, which

obscures or reduces the clarity of a signal”.

The modern-day connotation of the word ‘noise’ is “irrelevant or meaningless data” as is apparent from its

usage in the field of Computer Science.

For example, the noise of the traffic around a school obstructs the smooth flow of information between

the teacher and the students. It makes oral communication difficult. Similarly, poor signal or static while

talking over the cell phone or while using the public address system or while watching TV also distorts the
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sound signals and disrupts communication. Bad weather conditions may also sometimes interfere with the

transmission of signals and may lead to breakdown of the communication channels.

As discussed above, noise is not only the disruption of sound signals, but it also includes all the barriers

that may arise at any of the various stages of communication. In a broad sense, it denotes semantic

barriers, perceptional barriers as well as psychological barriers.

Time and Distance

Time and distance may also obstruct the smooth flow of information. Today, because of technological

advancements, we have faster means of communication available to us and this in turn has made the world

a smaller place. But at times, these means of communication may not be easily accessible because of

unavailability or due to technical/technological problems. This may lead not only to a physical but also a

communication gap between the transmitter and the receiver.

Time differences between people living in two different countries may affect communication between

them. Even people working in different shifts in the same organization may also face problems in

communicating effectively.

Improper seating arrangement in a classroom or in a conference hall may also act as a barrier to effective

communication as it is difficult to maintain eye contact with one’s audience.

Wrong Choice of Medium

This can also create a barrier to effective communication. For example, if an expert uses charts or graphs

or PowerPoint presentations to orient the illiterate workers or volunteers to a new method of working,

they are bound to be ill-equipped to infer any information or instructions from such sophisticated

presentations.

Surroundings

Adverse weather conditions affect not only the means of communication, but also have an impact on the

sender and the receiver of the message. When two people have to communicate with each other under

extreme weather conditions, whether too hot or too cold, their surroundings does have a direct

repercussion on the effectiveness of the exchange that takes place between them.
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Thus, environmental factors determine people’s mood and also influence their mental agility and thereby

their capacity to communicate effectively. Extreme heat and humidity make people either hyper or listless

and thus cause immense stress which in turn affects clear thinking and the attitude of the communicator;

whereas, extreme cold weather induces laziness and also impedes the ability to think clearly and respond

sharply, thereby causing communication failure.

Physiological Barriers

Physiological barriers are related to a person’s health and fitness. These may arise due to disabilities that

may affect the physical capability of the sender or the receiver. For example, poor eyesight, deafness,

uncontrolled body movements, etc.

Physical defects in one’s body may also disrupt communication. While communicating, a person uses – his

vocal (speech) organs to produce sound/speech, his hand and fingers to write, his ears to take in the

spoken words his eyes to absorb the written words

Flawless functioning of these body organs is inevitable for effective communication to take place. In case

of any defect in any of these organs, the successful completion of communication will be difficult to

accomplish.

Speaking can be adversely affected by stammering, fumbling, utterance of improper sounds due to

defective vocal organ/s, etc.

Semantic or Language Barriers

Semantics is the systematic study of the meaning of words. Thus, the semantic barriers are barriers

related to language. Such barriers are problems that arise during the process of encoding and/or decoding

the message into words and ideas respectively.

Both the oral and the written communication are based on words/symbols which are ambiguous in nature.

Words/symbols may be used in several ways and may have several meanings. Unless the receiver knows the

context, he may interpret the words/symbols according to his own level of understanding and may thus

misinterpret the message.

The most common semantic barriers are listed as under:

a. Misinterpretation of Words

Semantic problems often arise because of the gap between the meaning as intended by the sender and

that as understood by the receiver. This happens when the receiver does not assign the same meaning to

the word/symbol as the transmitter had intended.

Words are capable of expressing a variety of meanings depending upon their usage, i.e. in the context in

which they are used. The association between the word/symbol and the meaning assigned to it is of

arbitrary nature.

For example, the word 'yellow' when used as an adjective can have multiple connotations depending upon

its usage. Words have two levels of meaning- literal (descriptive) and metaphorical (qualitative). ‘Yellow’,

besides being a primary colour, also stands for ‘freshness’, ‘beauty’, ‘sickness’, ‘decay’, etc. Hence, the

receiver is free to interpret it in any of these ways based on his own imagination and experience.

But for communication to be perfect, it is essential that the receiver must assign to it the same meaning

which the sender had in his mind while encoding the message. Therefore, there is always a possibility of

misinterpretation of the messages. Mostly, such problems arise when the sender does not use simple and

clear words that can convey the exact meaning to the receiver.

b. Use of Technical Language

Technical or specialized language which is used by people or professionals who work in the same field is

known as jargon. Such technical language can be a barrier to communication if the receiver of the message

is not familiar with it. For example, in the computer jargon, 'to burn a CD' means 'to copy the data on a

CD'. To a layman, the word 'burn' may have a very different connotation.

c. Ambiguity

Ambiguity arises when the sender and the receiver of the message attribute different meanings to the

same words or use different words to convey the same meaning. Sometimes, wrong and speculative

assumptions also lead to ambiguity. A sender often assumes that his audience would perceive the situation

as he does or have the same opinion about an issue or understand the message as he understands it, and so

on. All such assumptions may turn out to be wrong and cause communication failure.
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Personal Barriers

Communication is interpersonal in nature. Thus, there are certain barriers that are directly linked to the

persons involved in the communication process, i.e. the sender and the receiver, which influence the

accurate transfer of the message. These are called personal barriers.

Personal barriers have to do with the age, education, interests and needs or intentions that differ from

person to person.

In any business organization, the attitude of the superiors and the subordinates play a vital role in

determining the success of communication. If the superiors have a hostile attitude, then there are

chances that they may filter the information or manipulate the message, sometimes intentionally, in order

to achieve certain selfish motives. Many superiors are not open to suggestions and feedback as they

presume that their subordinates are not capable of advising them. Also, they often tend to keep too busy

with work and do not pay much attention to communication. Due to this, the downward flow of information

within the organization is badly affected and this in turn leads to poor performance.

Emotional or Perceptional Barriers

Emotional or perceptional barriers are closely associated with personal barriers. Personal barriers arise

from motives and attitudes whereas emotional or perceptional barriers have an added dimension that

includes sentiments and emotions as well.

If the receiver does not evaluate the information with an open mind, i.e. objectively, his

judgment/evaluation would be colored with his biases and/or his emotions, thus inducing him to read too

much into a message. This would interfere with the exact transfer of information and cause

misinterpretation.

Such a barrier may also emerge at the time of encoding the message. Over enthusiasm on the part of the

sender may lead him to invest his message with meaning/s which he may actually not have intended to.
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Indolence, apathy, or the tendency to procrastinate, either on the part of the sender or the receiver, also

lead to withholding of important information thus creating a barrier. Extreme emotions like euphoria,

excitement, anger, stress, depression, etc. also get in the way of effective communication. All these

factors may create biases in the mind of the sender or the receiver.

Socio-Psychological Barriers

Socio-psychological barriers can also be considered as one of the offshoots of the personal barriers, akin

to the perceptional barriers. We need to study it as a subcategory of personal barriers because a person’s

attitude is shaped not only by his instincts and emotions, but also by his approach towards and his

interaction with the people around him, and hence the need for this fine distinction between the personal,

the perceptional and the socio-psychological barriers.

b. Difference in Perception

Moreover, in a communication situation, the communicators have to deal with two aspects of the reality-

the one as they see it and the other as they perceive it. The mind filters the message i.e. the

words/symbols/ signs and attributes meaning to them, according to individual perception.

Each individual has his own distinctive filter, formed by his/her experiences, emotional makeup,

knowledge, and mindset which s/he has attained over a period of time. Because of this difference in

perceptions, different individuals respond to the same word/symbol/sign based on their own

understanding of the situation and ascribe meaning to it on the basis of their unique filter.

At times, this difference in perception causes communication gap, i.e. distortion, in the message. In face-

to-face communication, this gap can be easily eliminated as there is immediate feedback. But in written

communication, the semantic gap between the intended meaning and the interpreted meaning remains

unidentified, as the feedback is delayed or sometimes there is no feedback at all.

c. Prejudices

Besides, a person with deeply ingrained prejudices is very difficult to communicate with. He is not

responsive to discussion or to new ideas, information, viewpoints and opinions. He has a closed mind and

tends to react antagonistically, thus ruling out all possibilities of communication. An unreceptive mind can,

hence, be a great barrier in communication. To overcome this barrier, people should be receptive of new
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ideas and must learn to listen considerately with an open mind.

e. Information Overload

Furthermore, information overload leads to poor retention and causes information loss. So, whenever

there is some important information to be conveyed, the communicators must use the written channel of

communication. On the basis of the above discussion, we may thus conclude that the socio-psychological

factors do have a profound impact on the effectiveness of communication.

Cultural Barriers

Cultural differences give rise to a great deal of complexity in the encoding and the decoding of messages

not only because of the difference in languages, but also because of plenty of culture-specific assumptions

at work in the mind of the sender as well as the receiver.People belonging to different cultures may

attach different meanings to words, symbols, gestures, and behaviour or they may perceive each others’

social values, body language, attitude to space distancing and time, social behaviour and manners, etc., i.e.

the entire culture in general, very differently depending upon their own standards, attitudes, customs,

prejudices, opinions, behavioral norms, etc., i.e. their own distinct culture.

Thus, cultural barriers arise when people belonging to different cultures insist on preserving their cultural

identities and at times, judge the other cultures as inferior to their own.

Organizational Barriers

Organizational structure greatly influences the flow of information within an organization. Some major

organizational barriers are as follows:

a. Goal Conflicts

There may be goal conflicts within the organization between the superiors and the subordinates, among

people working in the different departments, among the colleagues, etc. This may create a hostile

atmosphere within the organization and can lead to serious communication breakdown.

b. Organizational Policies

These are also to a great extent responsible for determining the kind of rapport that people working in

the same organization share with each other. If the organizational policy is such that it restricts the free

flow of information in all directions then communication would not be successful. In some organizations,
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there may be rules to restrict the flow of certain messages and this may deter employees from conveying

those messages, however important they may be.

If an organization favors the open door policy, the subordinates would not feel shy or reluctant to

approach their superiors directly. But in the organizations where the formal channels of communication

have to be strictly adhered to, the superiors and the subordinates share an awkward relationship. They

experience a lot of discomfiture while interacting with each other. Because of this, the objective of

communication may never be accomplished.

c. Organizational Hierarchy

The hierarchical structure of the organization may also impede the flow of information and this can cause

delay in taking decisions. When the message passes along the chain of command in an organization, there

are chances of filtering and distortion of the message at almost every level before it reaches the

intended receiver. Thus, the hierarchical structure of the organization is also one of the important

factors that may create a barrier to effective communication.

1.9.1 Filters in Business Communication

What is Filtering?

Filtering is altering the interpretation of the message by applying certain influences or biases. The

receiver will filter the message according to their experience and as a result the interpretation of the

message can be very different from what was intended. The consequence of filtering is that there can be

misunderstanding which can lead to an unexpected response.

For example, the project manager may ask a team member if the document has been completed. The team

member may interpret this as asking whether it has been written, and not whether it has also been

reviewed and signed off.

Causes of Filtering

Some of the common areas that cause filtering are:

• Language: the receiver interprets the message based on their translation of the language to

thoughts and ideas.

• Culture: of the recipient and their understanding of the culture of the environment they are in
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(the workplace, the organisation, the industry, the local area and country).

• Semantics: the receiver interprets the message based on their understanding of the meaning of

the words used.

• Knowledge base: the receiver utilises a different knowledge base on which to interpret the

message.

• Implication: the interpretation of the message may be based on assumptions. An extreme example

of implication is sarcasm, where the opposite of what is meant to be interpreted is said

5 types of filters:

1. Distractions.

2. Emotional states.

3. Beliefs and expectations.

4. Differences in style.

5. Self-protection.

Distractions:

 When you say something to your partner do you have his/her attention?

 External things like noisy kids, a hearing problem, or background noise can be a problem.

 Internal factors are such things as preoccupation, feeling tired, planning what else is to be done

that day, etc.

 Make it easier to pay attention to your partner. Ask for their attention.

Emotional states:

 Moods greatly affect communication.

 Studies have shown that we tend to give people more benefit of the doubt when

we’re in a good mood and less when we’re in a bad mood.

 When we’re in a bad mood we are more likely to perceive whatever our partner says

or does more negatively no matter how positive he/she is trying to be.

 Don’t use a filter such as a bad mood as a reason to treat your partner badly.

 Talking about how you feel may be the best first step in starting a conversation,

especially if is about important matters.

Beliefs and expectations:

 Many studies have shown that we tend to see what we expect to see in others and in

situations.

 It takes humility to recognize and admit that you do this.

 It has been shown that expectations not only affect what we perceive but can

influence the actual behavior of those around us. For example, if you believe that someone is

an extrovert, he is more likely to sound like an extrovert when talking with you, even if that

person is normally introverted. We “pull” behavior from others consistent with what we

expect.

 This is one reason why old habits and feelings and patterns of communication come

back with full force during holidays when we are with the family we grew up in.

 We can easily get into “mind reading”, thinking that we know what someone else

means or wants.

Differences in style:

 One person may be more expressive and one more reserved.

 Styles are determined by many influences including culture, gender, and upbringing. For example, in
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one family it may be very normal to raise one’s voice when making a point and in another raising one’s voice

was never done. When people from these two varied backgrounds marry, for one to raise his/her voice may

be perceived by the other as threatening.

 In other families there may have been many conversations going on at once around the dinner table

while in other families to talk while someone else is talking is considered rude.

 All families develop spoken as well as unspoken rules for conversing, caring, making decisions, and

otherwise relating to each other. The key is to become aware of the unspoken and therefore assumed rules

that you have grown up with and learn to adapt them to living in your current family.

Self-protection:

 This filter comes from the fear of rejection we struggle with in marriage.

 Fear is the big enemy of secure and warm attachment. It will stop us from saying what we truly feel

or want. Even simple statements such as, “Would you like to go see that new movie?” can reflect a fear of

rejection. Instead of saying it directly, “I want to go see that new movie; want to go?” we often hide our

desire because speaking of it reveals more of who we are and increases the risk of rejection.

 Movies may not matter so much as do feelings, desires, expectations.

2.0 Listening Skills

A good listener will listen not only to what is being said, but also to what is left unsaid or

only partially said. Effective listening involves observing body language and noticing

inconsistencies between verbal and non-verbal messages. For example, if someone tells

you that they are happy with their life but through gritted teeth or with tears filling

their eyes, you should consider that the verbal and non-verbal messages are in conflict,

they maybe don't mean what they say.

Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the communication

process. Listening is key to all effective communication, without the ability to listen

effectively messages are easily misunderstood – communication breaks down and the

sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated. Listening is so

important that many top employers provide listening skills training for their employees.

This is not surprising when you consider that good listening skills can lead to: better

customer satisfaction, greater productivity with fewer mistakes, increased sharing of

information that in turn can lead to more creative and innovative work. Many successful

leaders and entrepreneurs credit their success to effective listening skills. Richard

Branson frequently quotes listening as one of the main factors behind the success of

Virgin. Effective listening is a skill that underpins all positive human relationships, spend
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some time thinking about and developing your listening skills – they are the building blocks

of success.

Listening is Not the Same as Hearing

Hearing refers to the sounds that you hear, whereas listening requires more than that: it

requires focus. Listening means paying attention not only to the story, but how it is told,

the use of language and voice, and how the other person uses his or her body. In other

words, it means being aware of both verbal and non-verbal messages. Your ability to listen

effectively depends on the degree to which you perceive and understand these messages.

2.1 Types of Listening

2.2 Active Listening

Active listening is a skill that can be acquired and developed with practice. However,

active listening can be difficult to master and will, therefore, take time and patience.

'Active listening' means, as its name suggests, actively listening. That is fully

concentrating on what is being said rather than just passively ‘hearing’ the message of

the speaker. Active listening involves listening with all senses. As well as giving full

attention to the speaker, it is important that the ‘active listener’ is also ‘seen’ to be

listening - otherwise the speaker may conclude that what they are talking about is

uninteresting to the listener.

Interest can be conveyed to the speaker by using both verbal and non-verbal messages

such as maintaining eye contact, nodding your head and smiling, agreeing by saying ‘Yes’ or

simply ‘Mmm hmm’ to encourage them to continue. By providing this 'feedback' the person

speaking will usually feel more at ease and therefore communicate more easily, openly and

honestly.

 Listening is the most fundamental component of interpersonal communication

skills. Listening is not something that just happens (that is hearing), listening is an

active process in which a conscious decision is made to listen to and understand the

messages of the speaker. Listeners should remain neutral and non-judgmental, this

means trying not to take sides or form opinions, especially early in the

conversation. Active listening is also about patience - pauses and short periods of

silence should be accepted. Listeners should not be tempted to jump in with

questions or comments every time there are a few seconds of silence. Active

listening involves giving the other person time to explore their thoughts and feelings,

they should, therefore, be given adequate time for that.

 Active listening not only means focusing fully on the speaker but also actively

showing verbal and non-verbal signs of listening. Generally speakers want listeners to
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demonstrate ‘active listening’ by responding appropriately to what they are saying.

Appropriate responses to listening can be both verbal and non-verbal:

2.3 Passive Listening

Passive Listening occurs when a listener doesnot verbally respond to the speaker. The

listener may deliberately or unintentionally send non-verbal messages through eye

contact, smiles, yawns or nods. Sometimes passive listening is appropriate. If the speaker

wants to vent frustration or express an opinion he may listen passively. Passive listening is

mechanical and effortless. It does not require any special effort. You hear what your

teacher says and you might be able to tell the difference between major and minor points

of the lecture, but that is about it. Lack of enthusiasm and a "careless" attitude during

class characterize a student who is a passive listener. Active listeners on the other hand

really concentrate on the content of the lecture and not on the lecturer or any random

distractions in the room or their mind. They do more than focus on facts, figures, and

ideas and actively associate the material presented with their own experiences. The

content heard at every lecture is converted to something useful and meaningful for the

student. You must pay special attention in class because, unlike when reading a textbook,

you only get one chance to hear and understand the information presented to you.

2.4 Barriers to Listening

There are many things that get in the way of listening and you should

be aware of these barriers, many of which are bad habits, in order to

become a more effective listener. Barriers and bad habits to

effective listening can include:

Excessive Talking

Good conversational skills are an asset, and a person with this skill is

more likely to achieve professional success. However, talking more

than is necessary is a barrier to effective communication. People

hesitate to interact with a person who talks excessively without

listening to them. They may also get bored, and excessive talking may

be perceived as aggression.

Prejudice

Prejudice is a preconceived opinion of feeling, which is usually

irrational. Prejudice is very dangerous and has the potential to bring

animosity into the team and to break team spirit. The reason for a

prejudice may be the speaker's race, religion, age or appearance. A

prejudiced person will not make any effort to listen and understand.

Distractions
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The four main types of distractions are physical, mental, auditory and

visual. Here's how to avoid this common barrier:

It is fine to have personal beliefs and values, but an excessive

attachment to them will have a negative impact on your ability to

communicate effectively with others. Learn to appreciate the fact

that each and every person has his or her own set of beliefs and

values.

Misunderstanding

Inability to hear correctly is one of the many reasons for

misunderstanding of what the speaker is trying to communicate. This

inability to hear is often the result of prejudice. To avoid

misunderstanding, always clarify with the speaker to ensure that you

have understood correctly.

Interrupting

Interrupting a conversation with improper body language or

inappropriate words will have a negative impact in effective

communication.
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Bringing in Emotions

Emotions erect barriers to effective communication. A listener's

senses are not likely to be functioning at their optimum level when he

or she is angry. Likewise, it is not possible to understand or appreciate

what the speaker is saying if the listener is excessively sad.

Noise

Noise is "any unwanted sound. It is a great impediment to clear

communication. It is impossible to listen in a noisy environment. It

becomes a frustrating experience for both the speaker and the

listener.

Previous experiences

We are all influenced by previous experiences in life. We respond to people based on

personal appearances, how initial introductions or welcomes were received and/or

previous interpersonal encounters. If we stereotype a person we become less objective

and therefore less likely to listen effectively.

Having a Closed Mind

We all have ideals and values that we believe to be correct and it can be difficult to
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listen to the views of others that contradict our own opinions. The key to effective

listening and interpersonal skills more generally is the ability to have a truly open mind -

to understand why others think about things differently to you and use this information

to gain a better understanding of the speaker.

2.5 Traits of a good Listener

The following attributes of good listening are suggestive of the skills needed.

Concentration: Good listening is normally hard work. At every moment we are receiving

literally millions of sensory messages. Our ears are hearing the buzzing of the computer

fan, street sounds, music in the background and dozens of other sounds and thousands

more signals are knocking at the doors of our senses. We have to repress almost all of

these and concentrate on the verbal sounds (and visual clues) from one source - the

speaker. And this concentration, if something that most of us have not been thoroughly

trained in how to do. You should focus your attention on the words, ideas and feeling

related to the subject. Concentrate on the main ideas or points. Don't let examples or

fringe comments detract you. All of this takes a conscious effort.

Attention. Attention may be defined as the visual portion of concentration on the

speaker. Through eye contact and other body language, we communicate to the speaker
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that we are paying close attention to his/her messages. All the time we are reading the

verbal and nonverbal cues from the speaker, the speaker is reading ours. What messages

are we sending out? If we lean forward a little and focus our eyes on the person, the

message is we are paying close attention.

Eye contact. Good eye contact is essential for several reasons: First, by maintaining eye

contact, some of the competing visual inputs are eliminated. You are not as likely to be

distracted from the person talking to you. Second, most of us have learned to read lips,

often unconsciously, and the lip reading helps us to understand verbal messages. Third,

much of many messages are in non-verbal form and by watching the eyes and face of a

person we pick up clues as to the content. A squinting of the eyes may indicate close

attention. A slight nod indicates understanding or agreement. Most English language

messages can have several meanings depending upon voice inflection, voice modulation,

facial expression, etc. Finally, our eye contact with the speaker is feedback concerning

the message.

Receptive Body Language. Certain body postures and movements are culturally

interpreted with specific meanings. The crossing of arms and legs is perceived to mean a

closing of the mind and attention. The nodding of the head vertically is interpreted as
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agreement or assent. If seated, the leaning forward with the upper body communicates

attention. Standing or seated, the maintenance of an appropriate distance is important.

Too close and we appear to be pushy or aggressive and too far and we are seen as cold.

Objective: We should be open to the message the other person is sending. It is very

difficult to be completely open because each of us is strongly biased by the weight of our

past experiences. We give meaning to the messages based upon what we have been taught

the words and symbols mean by our parents, our peers and our teachers. Talk to someone

from a different culture and watch how they give meaning to words. Or another listening

challenge is to listen open and objectively to a person with very different political or

religious beliefs. Relatively a few people can listen, understand and appreciate such

messages which are very different from their own.

Questioning/Clarifying. Questions can serve the same purpose as restating the message.

If you are unclear about the intent of the message, ask for more information after

allowing sufficient time for explanations. Don't ask questions that will hurt, embarrass or

show up the other person. Only part of the responsibility is with the speaker. You have

an important and active role to play also. If the message does not get through, two

people have failed the speaker and you as an active listener.

Leave the Channel Open. A good listener always leaves open the possibility of additional

messages. A brief question or a nod will often encourage additional communications.