Communication Skills Methods of Communication Verbal Communication Non-verbal Communication Communication Cycle and Importance of Feedback Barriers to Effective Communication Writing Skills — Parts of Speech Writing Skills — Sentences
Communication The word ‘communication’ comes from the Latin word commūnicāre, meaning ‘to share’. Communication is a process that involves sending and receiving messages through the verbal and non-verbal methods. Communication has three important parts: 1. Transmitting—The sender transmits the message through one medium or another. 2. Listening— The receiver listens or understands the message. 3. Feedback—The receiver conveys their understanding of the message to the sender in the form of feedback to complete the communication cycle. Communication Process Elements of Communication
The various elements of a communication cycle are:
Sender: the person beginning the communication. Message: the information that the sender wants to convey. Channel: the means by which the information is sent. Receiver: the person to whom the message is sent. Feedback: the receiver’s acknowledgement and response to the message.
Methods of Communication Choosing the right method of communication depends on • target audience • costs • kind/type of information • urgency/priority
Verbal Communication Verbal communication includes sounds, words, language, and speech. Non-verbal Communication Non-verbal communication is the expression or exchange of information or messages without using any spoken or written word. Visual Communication Visual communication proves to be effective since it involves interchanging messages only through images or pictures. Communication Cycle and Importance of Feedback Communication Cycle
Feedback Feedback is an important part of the communication cycle. For effective communication, it is important that the sender receives an acknowledgement from the receiver about getting the message across. A good feedback is one that is: • Specific: Avoid general comments. Try to include examples to clarify your statement. Offering alternatives rather than just giving advice allows the receiver to decide what to do with your feedback. • Timely: Being prompt is the key, since feedback loses its impact if delayed for too long. • Polite: While it is important to share feedback, the recipient should not feel offended by the language of the feedback. • Offering continuing support: Feedback sharing should be a continuous process. After offering feedback, let recipients know you are available for support.
Importance of Feedback • It validates effective listening: The person providing the feedback knows they have been understood (or received) and that their feedback provides some value. • It motivates: Feedback can motivate people to build better work relationships and continue the good work that is being appreciated. • It is always there: Every time you speak to a person, we communicate feedback so it is impossible not to provide one. • It boosts learning: Feedback is important to remain focussed on goals, plan better and develop improved products and services. • It improves performance: Feedback can help to form better decisions to improve and increase performance. Effective Communication
Barriers to Effective Communication
Physical Barriers Physical barrier is the environmental and natural condition that act as a barrier in communication in sending message from sender to receiver. Linguistic Barriers The inability to communicate using a language is known as language barrier to communication. Interpersonal Barriers Barriers to interpersonal communication occur when the sender’s message is received differently from how it was intended. Organisational Barriers Organisations are designed on the basis of formal hierarchical structures that follow performance standards, rules and regulations, procedures, policies, behavioural norms, etc. Cultural Barriers Cultural barriers is when people of different cultures are unable to understand each other’s customs, resulting in inconveniences and difficulties.
Ways to Overcome Barriers to Effective Communication
• Use simple language • Do not form assumptions on culture, religion or geography • Try to communicate in person as much as possible • Use visuals • Take help of a translator to overcome differences in language • Be respectful of other’s opinions
Writing Skills — Parts of Speech
Supporting Parts of Speech Types
Writing Skills—Sentences Parts of a Sentence We all know that almost all English sentences have a subject and a verb while some also have an object. Subject: Person or thing that performs an action. Verb: Describes the action. Object: Person or thing that receives the action.
Types of Objects In a sentence, there can be two types of objects —Direct and Indirect.
