Making: communication effective or overcoming / gate ways to communication

1) Clarity and Completeness: In communication effectively, it is very essential to know the 'audience' for whom the message is meant. The message to be conveyed must be absolutely clear in the mind of the communicator because if you do not understand an idea, you can never express it to someone. The message should be adequate and appropriate to the purpose of communication. The purpose of communication, itself, should be clearly defined.

2)  Proper Language: To avoid semantic barriers, the message should be express in simple, brief and clear language. The words or symbols selected for conveying the message must be appropriate to the reference and understanding of the receiver.

3)  Sound Organization Structure: To make communication effective, the organization structure must be appropriate to the needs of the organization. Attempt must be made to shorten the distances to be traveled for conveying information.

4) Orientation of Employees: The employees should be oriented to understand the objectives, rules, authority relationships and operations of enterprise. It will help to understand each other, minimize conflicts and distortion of messages.

5) Emphatic Listening and Avoid Premature Evaluation: To communicate effectively, one should be a good listener. Superior should develop the habit of patient listening and avoid premature evaluation of communication from their subordinates. This will encourage free flow of upward communication.

6) Motivation and Mutual Confidence: The message to be communication should be so designed as to motivate the receiver to influence his behavior to take the desired action. A sense of mutual trust and confidence must be .generated to promote free flow of information.

7) Consistent Behavior: To avoid credibility gap, management must ensure that their actions and deeds are in accordance with their communication.

8) Use of Grapevine: Grapevine or the informal channels of communication help to improve managerial decisions and make communication more effective. Thus formal channels of communication must be supplemented with the use of grapevine.

9) Feedback: Communication is not completes unless the response or reaction of the receiver of the message is obtained by the communicator the effectiveness of communication can be judged from the feedback. Therefore, feedback must be encouraged and analysed.

10)Gestures and Tone: The way you say something is also very important along with the message for gestures such as a twinkle of an eye, a smile or a handshake, etc., Convey sometimes tone meaning then ever words spoken or written. Thus, one should have appropriate facial expressions, tone, gestures and mood etc., to make communication effective.

Barriers to communication and making 

Communication is the nerve system of an enterprise. It is said to be no. 1 management problem today. "It serves as the lubricant, fostering for the smooth operations of management process.

Barriers to communication

1)    Physical Barriers: A communication is two-way process, distance between the sender and the receiver of the message is an important barrier to communication. Noise and environmental factors also block communication.

2)    Personal Barriers: Personal factors like difference in judgement, social values, inferiority complex, bias, attitude, pressure of time, inability to communicate, etc. widen the psychological distance between the communicator and the communicate. Credibility gap, i.e., inconsistency between what one says and what one does, also, acts as a barrier to communication.

3)    Semantic or Language Barriers: Semantic is the science of meaning. The same work and symbols carry different meanings to different people. Difficulties in communication arise when the sender and the receiver of the message use words or symbols in different senses. The meaning intended by the sender may be quite different from the meaning followed by the receiver. People interpret the message in terms of their own behavior and experience. Sometimes, the language used by the sender may not at all be followed by the receiver.

4)    Status Barriers Superior-Subordinate Relationship: status or position in the hierarchy of an organization is one of the fundamental barriers that obstructs free flow of information. A superior may give only selected information to his subordinates so as to maintain status differences. Subordinates, usually, tend to convey only those things which the superiors would appreciate. This creates distortion in upwards communication. Such selective communication is also known as filtering sometimes, "the superior feels that he cannot fully admit to his subordinates those problems, conditions or results which may affect adversely on his ability judgement.

5)    Organizational Structure Barriers: Effective communication largely depends upon sound organizational structure. If the structure is complex involving several layers of management, the breakdown or distortion in communication will arise it is an established fact that every layer cuts off a bit of information.

6)    Barriers due to Inadequate Attention: Inadequate attention to the message makes communication less effective and the message is likely to be misunderstood. Inattention may arise because of over business of the communicatee or because of the message being contrary to his expectations and beliefs. The simple failure to read notices, minutes and reports also a con1ffion feature.

7)    Premature Evaluation: Some people have the tendency to form a judgement before listening to the entire message. This is known as premature evaluation. As discussed in the previous point, "half-listening is like racing your engine with the gears in neutral. You use gasoline but you get nowhere." Premature evaluation distorts understanding and acts as a barrier to effective communication.

9)    Emotional Attitude: Barriers may also arise due to emotional attitude because when emotions are strong, it is difficult to know, the frame of mind "of other person or group. Emotional attitudes of both, the" communicator as well as the communicatee, obstruct free flow of transmission and understanding of messages.

10)    Resistance to Change: It is general tendency of human beings to stick to old and customary patterns of life. 1bey may resist change to maintain status quo. Thus, when new ideas are being communicated to introduce a change, it is likely to be overlooked or even opposed. This resistance to change creates an important obstacle to effective communication.

11)    Barriers Due to Lack of Mutual Trust: Communication means sharing of ideas in common. "When we communicate, we are trying to establish a commonness." Thus, one will freely transfer information and understanding with another only when there is .mutual trust between the two. When there is a lack of mutual trust between the communicator and the communicatee, the message is not followed.

12)    Other Barriers: There may be many other barriers, such as unclarified assumptions, lack of ability to communicate, mirage of too much knowledge of closed minds, communication overload, shortage of time, etc., which cause distortion or obstruction in the free flow of communication and thus make it ineffective. Failure to retain or store information for future use becomes a barrier to communication when the information is needed in future.

Disadvantage Of Oral Communication

Oral communication has the following limitations or drawbacks:

1)    It is less reliable.

2)    It is influenced by self-interest and attitude of the people.

3)    Oral communication has the tendency of being distorted.

4)    It provides no record for future reference.

5)    It is not suitable for lengthy message.

6)    It does not provide sufficient time for thinking before conveying the          message.

7)    It has language problems, one may mean to convey something, but due    to his way of speaking, it may convey something else.

8)    It cannot be used to communicate with people scattered over distant        places.

Advantage Of Oral Communication

1)    It is less expensive or economical as compared to written                         communication.

2)   It is quicker and saves in time.

3)   It is more effective than written communication.

4)   It establishes a personal touch and leads to greater understanding.

5)   Misunderstanding or doubts can be removed than and there.

6)   Immediate reaction, motivation or response of the receiver can be             taken.

7)   It is more flexible and the messages can be changed to suit the needs       and response of the receiver.

8)   It provides as the only means of conveying messages in times of               emergencies

Disadvantage Of Written Communication

1)    It is expensive.

2)    It is time consumption.

3)    It becomes difficult to maintain secrecy about a written communication.

4)    It is rigid and does not provide any scope for making alteration for            inaccuracies that might have crept in.

5)    It is very formal and lacks personal touch.

6)    It is encourages red-tapism and involves so many formalities.

7)    It may be interpreted in different manner by different people.

8)    It oftenly becomes lengthy, when messages are conveyed in writing.

Merits Of Communication

1)    It ensures transmission of information in uniform manner, i.e. every one    concerned has the same information.

2)    It provides a permanent record of communication for future reference.

3)    It is an ideal way of transmitting length messages.

4)    It ensures little risk of unauthorized alteration in the messages.

5)    It is the only means of exchanging information at distant places even        beyond telephonic range.

6)     It tends to be complete, clear precise and correct.

7)    It can be quoted as a legal evidence in case of any disputes.

8)    It is suited to convey message to a large number of persons at one and    the same time.

Channels or Types of Communication:  

Communication may be classified into several categories on the following basis:

1.On the Basis of Organizational Structure or Relationship:

a.    Formal Communication

b.    Informal Communication or Grapevine.

2.On the Basis of Flow or Direction:

a.    Downward Communication  

b.    Upward Communication

c.    Horizontal or Lateral or Sideward Communication

d.    Diagonal Communication.

3.On the Basis of Methods or Media used or Expression:

a.    Written Communication

b.    Oral Communication

         c.    Gestural or Non-Verbal Communication.

(A)  On the Basis of Relationship or Organization Structure:

I)  Formal Communication: Formal communication is that which takes place through the formal channel of the organization structure deliberately and consciously established by the management. It implies the flow of the information along the lines of authority formally established in the enterprise. Members of the enterprise are expected to communicate with one another strictly as per channels laid down in the structure. Such communications are generally in writing and may take any of the following forms:

1.    Policy Manuals;

2.    Procedural and Rule Books;

3.    Memoranda Papers and Orders;

4.    Official Meeting;

5.  Interviews, etc

II) Informal Communication or Grapevine: Communication arising out of all those channels of communication that fall outside the formal channel is known as informal communication or the grapevine. It is built around the social relationship of members of the organization. Informal communication does not follow lines of authority as is the case of formal communication. It arises due to the personal needs of the members of an organization and exists in every organization. Such communication is usually oral and exists in even by simple glance ,gesture, smile or silence.

(B) On the Basis of Flow or Direction:

I) Downward Communication: Communication between a superior and subordinate is known as vertical communication. Vertical communication may be downward vertical communication or upward vertical communication. Downward communication means communication which flows from a superior to a subordinate.

The important examples of downward communication are:

1)    Notices

2)    Circulars

3)    Instructions

4)    Orders

5)    Letters

6)    Memos

II)Upward Communication: Upward communication means the flow of information from the lower levels of the organization to the higher levels of authority .It passes from subordinate to superior as that from worker to foreman, from foreman to manager, from manager to general manager and form general manager to the chief executive or the board of directors. It includes opinions, ideas, suggestions, complaints, grievances, appeals, reports, etc.

(III) Upward Communication is Needed:

1)    To create receptiveness of communication

2)    To create a sense of belongingness through active participation

3)    To evaluate the effectiveness of communication

4)    To increase morale of employees

5)    To make improvements in managerial decisions

6)    To co-ordinate efforts; and

7)    To know ideas of each individual in the organization.

(IV)The important examples of upward communication are:

1)    Reports

2)    Meeting

3)    Interview

4)    Conferences

5)    Letters

6)    Complaints.

(V) Horizontal, Lateral or Sideward Communication: The transmission of information and understanding between people on the same level of organization hierarchy is called the horizontal communication. This type of communication is also known as lateral or sideward or crosswise communication. Usually, it pertains to inter-departmental communication, i.e., the communication between two departmental managers working at the same level of organization or among subordinates working under one boss.

VI)     Diagonal Communication: The transfer of information between people who are neither in the same department nor on the same level of organization hierarchy is called diagonal communication. For example, when the assistant marketing manager communicates with the accounts clerk directly, it is the case of diagonal communication. This type of communication increases the organizational efficiency by speeding up information and cutting across departmental barriers.

C)   On the basis of media or expression:

The various media of communication have been studied as under:

1)    Written Communication;

2)    Oral Communication;

3)    Gestural or Non-verbal Communication.

1)    Written Communication: communication through words, may be in writing or oral. Written communication implies transmission of message in back and white it includes diagrams, pictures, graphs, etc. have to be transmitted in writing for efficient running of the organization. written communication ensures that everyone concerned has the same information. It may take the following forms:

1)    Reports

2)    Circulars

3)    Magazines

4)    Manuals

5)    Memoranda

6)    Newspapers

7)    Pictures, diagrams, graphs, etc.