COMMUNICATION SKILLS TRAINING MODULE

PREPARED FOR ICT PASHA CENTRES TRAINING PROGRAMME

PASHA MANAGERS TRAINING

30TH SEPTEMBER TO 4TH OCTOBER, 2013

Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 3
2.0 COMMUNICATION................................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Communication Process............................................................................................................... 4
2.2 Importance of communication in business .................................................................................... 6
2.3 Types of Communication ............................................................................................................. 6
2.4 Flow of communication in an organization................................................................................... 8
3.0 COMMUNICATION STYLES.................................................................................................. 10
4.0 DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS .................................................... 12
4.1 Good communication skills for a manager ................................................................................. 13
4.2 How to communicate effectivelly in different situations ............................................................. 13
5.0 BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION .................................................................. 15
6.0 BENEFITS OF GOOD COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE ...................................... 16
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................ 17

1.0 INTRODUCTION

This module is structure to provide an understanding of the key competencies in

communication and enables the trainee to appreciate the importance of effective
communication in business organizations.
1.1 General Objective
To equip the trainee with the necessary communication skills that will help in enhancing
effective communication in business.
1.2 Specific Objectives
After going through this unit you should be able to:
1. Understand the process of communication;
2. Appreciate the importance and role of effective communication in business;
3. Identify different styles of communication and use them in appropriate situations;
4. Develop your presentation skills and listening skills;
5. Improve your communication skills when you communicate with your peers,
colleagues, customers and social circle.

2.0 COMMUNICATION
In the biblical story of the Tower of Babel, the people of the world came together to build a
tower that would reach heaven. In a single stroke, their efforts came to naught because they
were besieged through communication, resulting in breakdown of coordination. Intended
message is frequently mis-communicated, misunderstood, mis-quoted or even missed
altogether because of ineffective interpersonal communication skills. The ability to
effectively communicate with other people is an important skill. Through communication,
people reach some understanding of each other, learn to like each other, influence one
another, build trust, and learn more about themselves and how people perceive them. People
who communicate effectively know how to interact with others flexibly, skillfully, and
responsibly, but without sacrificing their own needs and integrity.
Communication is the process of transferring information from one part of the business to
another that leads to some outcome, changed behaviour or changed practice. It is the social
glue that continues to keep the organization tied together. Communication is a transactional
process that involves an exchange of ideas, information, feelings, attitudes or beliefs and
impressions.
Communication is a significant part of a managers job. In todays team-oriented workplace,
the development of good interpersonal communication skills is an important key to success.
To build the competence and commitment of employees, a manager has to communicate
effectively. Through effective communication, a manager can mobilize the employees behind
an organizations vision and inspire a conscious and concerted team effort to attain the vision.
For communication to occur effectively, the ability and skills required are:
Must be able to communicate effectively with all levels of managements .
Must have substantial experiences, training in oral and written communication and
demonstrate good writing skills.
Be able to prepare special analysis, research reports, and proposals.
Must have ability to communicate and sell ideas, firm, and products.
Need ability to compare effective correspondence.
Must be able to cultivate and maintain good customer relationship.
Need skills in gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data and in writing analytical
reports.
2.1 Communication Process
The communication process for business organizations is much like the communication
process between other individuals and groups. Many of the fundamental processes involved
in successful communications in day-to-day life experiences are especially significant within
the business world.
The steps involved in this process are:
i.
Idea
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ii.
Encoding
iii.
The channel
iv.
Decoding
v.
2.1.1 Idea
Information exists in the mind of the sender (who is the source). This can be a concept, idea,
information, or feelings.

2.1.2 Encoding
The source initiates a message by encoding the idea (or a thought) in words or symbols and
sends it to a receiver. The message is the actual physical product from the source encoding.
When we speak, the speech is the message. When we write, the writing is the message. When
we gesture, the movements of our arms and the expressions of our faces are the message.
2.1.3 The Channel
The channel in the communication process is the medium that the sender uses to transmit the
message to the receiver. Care needs to be exercised in selecting the most effective channel for
each message. Even though both an oral and a written medium may be appropriate to transmit
a particular message, one medium may be more effective than the other.

2.1.4 Decoding
It is the act of understanding messages (words or symbols). This is known as Decoding.When
the sound waves are translated into ideas, we are taking them out of the code they are in,
hence decoding. Thus, listeners and readers are often regarded as Decoders. During the
transmitting of the message, two processes will be received by the receiver i.e. content and
Context. Content is the actual words or symbols of the message which is known as language
i.e. spoken and written words combined into phrases that make grammatical and semantic
(meaning) sense. We all use and interpret the meanings of words differently, so even simple
messages can be misunderstood (Are you going to give me or not?). And many words have
different meanings to confuse the issue even more (You are smart.). Context is the
environment in which communication takes place. It can be formal or informal. The
circumstances surrounding the communication also make up the context. Remember: A
message is never communicated unless it is understood by the receiver. Question arises then,
how do you know a message has been properly received?
2.1.5 Feedback
By two-way communication or feedback. This feedback will tell the sender that the receiver
understood the message, its level of importance, and what must be done with it. So the
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feedback loop is the final link in the communication process. Feedback is the check on how
successful we have been, in transferring our messages as originally intended. It determines
whether understanding has been achieved or not. The purpose of feedback is to change and
alter messages so the intention of the original communicator is understood by the second
communicator. It includes verbal and nonverbal responses to another person's message. There
are five main categories of feedback. They are listed in the order in which they occur most
frequently in daily conversations.
i.
Evaluation: Making a judgment about the worth, goodness, or appropriateness of the
sender's statement.
ii.
Interpretation: Paraphrasing - attempting to explain what the sender's statement
means.
iii.
Support: Attempting to assist or support the sender.
iv.
Probing: Attempting to gain additional information, continue the discussion, or
clarify a point.
v.
Understanding: Attempting to discover completely what the sender means by his/her
statement.
2.1.6 Noise
The presence of noise can result in fairly significant problems in the communication process.
Unfortunately, communication is effected by noise, which is anything whether in the
sender, the transmission, on the receiver that hinders communication. For example: A noisy
environment may hinder the development of a clear thought. Encoding may be faulty because
of the use of ambiguous symbols. Transmission may be interrupted by noise in the channel,
such as a poor telephone connection, misprinted text, or maybe a typographical mistake.
Inaccurate reception may be caused by inattention.
2.2 Importance of communication in business
Communication is important because it is about how information is sent and received within
firms. The way information is communicated is often governed by how firms are structured.
Communication enhances the ability to speak, listen, convince, negotiation and have
interactive writing skills. Communicating effectively will help in saving time because tasks
will be performed conclusively without repetition because the instructions and information
are well understood by all parties. Effective communication will also aid in effective
utilization of resources and effective coordination of tasks.
2.3 Types of Communication
Communication can be classified in the following different ways.
2.3.1 Intrapersonal Communication
When people talk to themselves, communication takes place within the brain. It embraces
their thoughts, experiences and perceptions during a communication event. Behavior
responses on all other levels of communication essentially begin on intrapersonal level. On
this level, the individual forms personal rules and patterns of communication.
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2.3.2 Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal communication is also referred to as dyadic communication, or communication
between two individuals. This type of communication can occur in both a one-on-one and a
group setting. This also means being able to handle different people in different situations
and making people feel at ease. Gestures such as eye contact, body movement, and hand
gestures are also part of interpersonal communication. The most common functions of
interpersonal communication are listening, talking and conflict resolution. Types of
interpersonal communication vary from verbal to non-verbal and from situation to situation.
Interpersonal communication involves face-to-face communication in a way that
accomplishes the purpose and is appropriate.
2.3.3 Small Group Communication
Small group communication is an interaction process that occurs among three or more people
interacting in an attempt to achieve commonly recognized goals either face-to-face or through
mediated forms. This is sometimes included in the interpersonal level the most obvious
difference is the number of persons involved in the process. The small group may be a family
of three talking at supper, or a meeting of an organization with just a few members.
2.3.4 Public Communication or Public Speaking
The speaker sends messages to an audience, which is not identified as individuals. Unlike the
previous levels, the speaker is doing most, if not all, of the talking.
2.3.5 Mass Communication
Mass communication occurs when a small number of people send messages to a large
anonymous and usually heterogeneous audience using specialized communication media. It
represents the creation and sending of a homogeneous message to a large heterogeneous
audience through the media.
2.3.6 Non-Verbal Communication
In non-verbal communication, people send messages to each other without talking. They
communicate through facial expressions, head positions, arm and hand movements, body
posture, and positioning of legs and feet. How people use space also transmits a message.
By being aware of non-verbal communication, one can interpret the signals of others, or send
signals to others.
Awareness of non-verbal communication helps people to:
Project an image of confidence and knowledge.
Demonstrate power or influence
Express sincerity, interest and cooperativeness.
Create trust.
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Recognize personal tension in self and others.

Identify discrepancies between what people are saying and what they are actually
thinking.
Change behavior and environment to encourage productive discussion

2.4 Flow of communication in an organization

In an organization, communication flows in 5 main directions1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Downward
Upward
Lateral
Diagonal
External

2.4.1 Downward Communication

Downward communication flows from people at higher levels to those at lower levels in the
organizational hierarchy.
This kind of communication exists especially in organizations with an authoritarian
atmosphere. The kinds of media used for downward oral communication include
instructions, speeches, meetings, the telephone, loudspeakers, and even the grapevine.
Examples of written downward communication are memoranda, letters, handbooks,
pamphlets, policy statements, procedures, and electronic news displays. It is done to pass on
the decisions and policies of the company to the cadres. Worst is the feedback about their
work. This performance assesment is the trickiest part of downward communication.
The skill needed here is to never to be harsh. You have no business if you give up under the
weight of the argument. In downward communicaton the last laugh should always be yours.
that happens when you are empathetic and friendly with your staff.

2.4.2 Upward 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
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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 made by low level management for
reviewing by higher level management, employee attitude surveys, letters from employees,
employee-manager discussions etc.
2.4.3 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 tasks
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 departments or
conflicts within a department.

2.4.4 Diagonal 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 an Operations
personnel to enquire about the way they perform their task.
2.4.5 External Communication
Communication that takes place between a manager and external groups such as - suppliers,
vendors, banks, financial institutes etc. For instance - To raise capital the Managing director
would interact with the Bank Manager.

3.0 COMMUNICATION STYLES

Every time a manager speaks, s/he chooses and uses one of four basic communication
styles: assertive, aggressive, passive and passive-aggressive. .
3.1 Passive Style
Passive communication is based on compliance and hopes to avoid confrontation at all costs.
In this mode, people do not talk much, question even less, and actually do very little.
Communicator put others rights before his and thus reduces his own self-worth. They
usually have a low sense of self-esteem, and have a difficult time recognizing their own needs
and knowing how to meet them more appropriately. They have an overly soft voice with an
apologetic demeanor. They internalize discomfort rather than risk, upsetting others. This style
tends to result in a lose-win situation, and results in feelings of victimization, resentment, and
a loss of a sense of control.
3.2 Aggressive Style
Aggressive communication always involves manipulation. Managers adopting the aggressive
style create a win-lose situation. They use intimidation and control to get their needs met, and
they are disrespectful and hurtful to others in communications. They always stand up for their
own rights, sometimes in violation of others rights. They ignore or dismiss the needs, wants
and opinions, feelings or beliefs of others. They have the underlying beliefs that power and
control are the only way to get needs met. They operate from a real sense of inadequacy and
may have a lack of empathy for others. They give the impression of being superior in attitude,
domineering and self-important. These types of communicators often face disrespect from
others.
3.3 Passive-aggressive Style
Aggressive communication always involves manipulation. A combination of styles, passiveaggressive avoids direct confrontation (passive), but attempts to get even through
manipulation (aggressive). The passiveaggressive people incorporate elements of both of the
previous styles. They try to use procrastination, forgetfulness, and intentional inefficiency
rather that being direct in their communications with others. This style of communication
often leads to office politics and rumour-mongering.
3.4 Assertive Style
The most effective and healthiest form of communication is the assertive style. Its how
people naturally express themselves when their self-esteem is intact, giving them the
confidence to communicate without games and manipulation. Communicator stands up for
owns rights while having respect for other peoples rights. They give equal importance to
both others as well as to their own rights. They deal with people on equal terms. They exude
confidence in whatever they do and always own up responsibility for their actions. These
people are positive with a high self-esteem. As they give respect to all they also get it back in
abundance.
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Understanding the four basic types of communication will help managers learn how to react
most effectively when confronted with a difficult person. It will also help them recognize
when they are using manipulative behavior to get their own needs met. They should
remember that they always have a choice as to which communication style to use. If they are
serious about taking control of their life, they should practice being more assertive. It will
help them diffuse anger, reduce guilt and build relationships-both personally and
professionally.

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4.0 DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS

4.1 Speaking and Listening Skills, Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

Consequently, developing good listening and effective speaking skills should be an integral
part of everyones personal development. Information cannot be effectively received,
transferred or exchanged without using good communication skills.
4.1.1 Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Skills
Individuals' communication skills are a basis for an effective dialogue, and involve both
verbal and nonverbal communication skills. While verbal communication helps to express
oneself, nonverbal enhances spoken ideas by means of bodily, voice, and eye behavior, facial
expression, etc. It reinforces the effect of spoken words. In addition, nonverbal
communication can be viewed as a reliable indicator of real feelings of an interlocutor.
Observed and paid attention to, it can help a person to understand another one better.

4.1.2 Effective Listening

Listening is probably the most used skill in everyday communication. It involves hearing and
paying attention to the speaker. However, hearing and effective listening are completely
different abilities. Hearing thousands of sounds every day is a normal thing for an individual.
Effective listening, on contrast, involves not only hearing, but also comprehending and
understanding the message.
Sounds simple. However, not everybody is a good listener - some people prefer to talk. But to
be a good communicator, what is important for an individual in both the personal sphere and
at the workplace is to be an effective listener.
Pay attention to the speaker, first of all, in order to show you are involved in
communication.
Respond both verbally and nonverbally, showing that the message is being
comprehended and followed. Eye contact, gestures, facial expression, short responses
or brief expressions of attitude, such as nodding, help the speaker to understand
whether a listener follows the conversation.
Do not interrupt the speaker in the middle of a speech. Wait till the idea is explained
completely, think the information over to understand the meaning, and only then
provide suggestions, comments, or ask questions.
Ask questions and confirm your understanding of the message. A brief summary of
what the speaker said might be the best idea. It shows that the speaker was listened
and paid attention to.
4.1.3 Effective Speaking
As a mean of communication, effective speaking plays a vital role in peoples lives. Though
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everybody speaks everyday and is able to express ideas, thoughts, or requests, not everybody
can do it well. Some people are difficult to follow, some explain their thoughts in a
complicated manner, and some are simply boring to listen to. Avoid these mistakes.
Use plain and simple words unless the audience is specialized in the subject area.
Use complete simple sentences for the message to be easier to comprehend.
Do not speak too fast. It is difficult to comprehend information if much of it is
presented in a short period of time.
Make pauses. Pauses between sentences and ideas will give a listener some space to
think the words over, to understand the message.
Structure and connect ideas. Major points should be presented in a logical manner.
Otherwise it is difficult to follow the speaker. So, make sure that each next thought
expressed expands on the subject and on the previous point.
Support ideas not only with words, but with intonation and nonverbal means of
communication as well. Proper intonation can stress certain ideas you want to draw
attention to. Nonverbal means of communication, such as gestures and facial
expression, establish a closer connection with the audience, and enhance the message
being communicated.
4.1 Good communication skills for a manager
Acknowledge others communicating with you verbally and non-verbally.
Give examples: Using personal experiences is a helpful way to communicate your
ideas.
Maintain a positive attitude: communicate with a positive attitude whenever you
speak. People will be more interested in what you say.
Listen actively: Listening is the key in developing any type of relationship.
Interpret: Read between the lines of what is being said. Some people have a hard time
expressing themselves. You can help them by trying to interpret what they mean.
4.2 How to communicate effectivelly in different situations
Face-to-face

Be simple and direct in your responses.

Match your non verbal cues with what you are saying. Use hand gestures or other
body language to give a positive impression about your intent.
Even if you disagree about something, say so in clear terms but use appropriate
language without getting too personal.
Stay focused on the topic, not on the person.

Public Speaking

Prepare, if you have the time, with good research and mentally organize your
thoughts.
Use audio-visual aids to support what you want to say.
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Make eye contact with different members of the audience but do not stay focused on
one person.
Avoid long winded sentences. If reading from a prepared speech, practice to get right
pause and modulate your voice. Underline the key points and emphasize them when
you read them out.
Do not show impatience even if the audience asks simple questions to issues that you
may have discussed in your speech.
Treat the audience with respect.

Meetings

Whether you are chairing a meeting or participating in it, follow certain protocol to
ensure that the meeting achieves its objective.
First you must understand the objective of the meeting.
If chairing, it is your responsibility to ensure that the objective is clearly articulated.
Explain why the participants are present and their role in the meeting. You will also
have to act as a moderator and ensure that everyone gets a fair chance to speak.
As a participant, you must use active listening skills and demonstrate your interest in
the topic with appropriate body language. Do not get too personal.

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5.0 BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Ability of the sender how much the sender understands of the message they are
trying to send
Content including technicalities and jargon
Method of communication including style and body language where appropriate
Skills and attitude of the receiver
Organisational factors complexity of the organisation, scope of the organisation
Perceptions, culture and stereotypes
Inappropriate target for the message
Technical capabilities ICT

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6.0 BENEFITS OF GOOD COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE

6.1 Communication Skills Improve Workplace Efficiency

Good communication in the workplace is essential and helps to improve morale, increase
efficiency and create healthy working relationships.
In any form of employment, good communication skills are a real asset and particularly in
today's difficult financial climate, it is more important than ever to be able to communicate
effectively whether this be with colleagues, employers, employees or customers. For those
who have been made redundant and are now facing job interviews or are having problems
with others within the workplace, effective communication skills will be an extremely useful
resource.
6.2 Understanding Good Communication Skills
When most people think about communication it is usually speaking that first springs to
mind, however, being able to listen well is a large part of effective communication. It is also
about being able to listen to what the other person is not actually saying but is communicating
through non-verbal behaviours. Examples of non-verbal communication include using
gestures, facial expressions, body language as well as using various props.

6.3 Good Workplace Communication Improves Morale

A major benefit of good communication within the workplace is that it may very likely lead
to an improvement in office morale. For example if employees never or rarely receive any
kind of positive feedback or idea as to how the company is performing then it is often quite
difficult to stay motivated. When very little is communicated back to employees this may
also trigger a sense of distrust leading to increased tension and conflict.

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REFERENCES
Daniels, B. D. (1994). Communicate With Confidence! - How to Say It Right the First Time
and Every Time. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Patti, H. (1998). Giving and Receiving Feedback: Building Constructive Communication.
Menlo Park: Crisp Learning, 1998.

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