Communication

The term communication is freely used by everyone in modern society, including members of the general public, scholars and management practitioners. Communication is defined as the interaction, giving and taking of information,sending and receiving of messages through verbal and non verbal means.

Functions of communication varies as one must determine the function of the communication. Known as the primary function and in certain circumstances the situation or position may have one, two or three other secondary functions.For example,informing,controlling,persuading and co-ordinating.

Inform functions: 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.

Control functions: The management of any organization will always have plans with long, medium or long term objectives 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.

Persuading functions: Persuasion usually involves the 'selling' of an idea, product or services to a person or group. Persuasive words or actions, there is a better chance of the person or group accepting it. Will result in voluntary compliance.

Co-ordinating functions: Every employee plays a part in controlling inputs, outputs, job scope and head count. Has to be well-coordinated.

In Any form of communication, there is a sender and receiver of the message. The question of whether the message is sent and how the message is received is of vital importance in communication. Communication is successful only when the receiver receives the intended message of the sender.

SENDER ---> ENDCODING ---> MESSAGE ---> DECODE ---> RECEIVER ---> FEEDBACK

The above is the communication process which has to be repeated until both parties finish expressing themselves. First,the sender has an idea then he/she transforms the idea into a message.After which he/she transmits the message and he reciever gets the message.The receiver then interprets the message (decoding) which in turn reacts and sends feedback to the sender.

One thing we all have in common is that we must all communicate in one form or another. Everyone communicates even if they know it or not. Both verbal and nonverbal communication is used during conversations. Using both forms helps convey and support the message you are trying to send.

Up to 90% of all communication is nonverbal. Most communicators use body language, gestures, and facial expressions during conversations as well as using words. Nonverbal communication is more likely to be used than verbal. Most people perceive people by their first appearances without conversing. Communicating effectively requires technical proficiency, but all the technical skills in the world will not help you communicate effectively if you are not interested in other people and in the world around you, and if you are not prepared to share and participate in a give-and-take. Think about how you would like people to treat you. There are some key elements that go into being a good communicator. A great communicator focuses on the person with whom he is speaking. A good communicator knows that vocal quality is important in communicating attitude and in enhancing the effectiveness of a vocal message. Grammar and vocabulary alone will not help you if the sound of your voice puts a listener to sleep, assuming they can even hear you. No one wants to listen to someone who mumbles, drones on in a monotone, squeaks or speaks too slowly or too quickly. By working on your diction and the pitch, pacing, and modulation of your voice, you will become a much more interesting speaker. A good communicator is positive and polite. Whining, complaining, blaming and making excuses are detriments to good communication. So are criticism and insults. Work on eliminating the negatives from your conversation and watch what a positive effect that has on your ability to communicate. A good communicator listens as much or more than he talks. Listening is one of the most effective ways to show interest in another person. Effective listening involves more than remaining silent. Nod your head in agreement, make little response noises, use prompters like ``interesting'' or ``tell me more,'' or ask pertinent questions to show you are paying attention. Open-ended questions that require more than a yes or no answer encourage the other person to talk. Look at the speaker when you listen rather than letting your eyes wander. Beware, though, of letting your eyes glaze over. Good communicator practises. Reading aloud quality publications will help you develop a comfort level in saying words and sentences correctly, thereby helping you learn proper grammar. Reading aloud will also help develop your ear for the language. A good communicator gets help. Most professional speakers work with speech or presentation skills coaches. A good communicator masters the rules of etiquette and good manners since these are what grease the wheels of effective interpersonal relationships. Learn the proper way to make introductions and to greet people because that gets interactions started in a positive manner. A good communicator sparkles. Let your light shine through when you interact with others. Making others feel special is at the heart of communication success. When others feel validated and heard, they usually respond in kind. It's the old reciprocity idea: If you treat me well, I'll treat you well. Good communicators pick up on the little things that are important to others and remember important dates, events, and names.

Because work environments change on a continual basis, part of being a good communicator involves rolling with the punches. Your ability to make decisions that are well thought out and based on fact, not simply speculation or emotion, will be recognized as a valuable asset. If you need more information before you can move forward, ask for it. If you're confused by what you hear, ask for clarification. Make no assumption that asking for something makes you look foolish or stupid. Good communicators ask a lot of questions and then take action toward goals that will benefit both themselves and others. Remember: We are all works in progress. By taking incremental steps to improve your communication effectiveness, you'll reap long-term professional rewards.