THE

COMMUNICATION
PROCESS
What is the most important aspect of a successful company? Communication.
Communication is the key to a successful establishment; helping the people
within it understand one another and collaborate on new ideas effectively.

Shealy Cohan
JOHNSON CITY SCHOOLS | SCIENCE HILL HIGH SCHOOL/CLASS OF 2020
THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS 08/21/2017

Key Terminology
Term Definition/Examples
Audience Consists of assessing the audience to make sure the information
Analysis provided to them is at the appropriate level.
Business The sharing of information between people within an enterprise
Communication that is performed for the commercial benefit of the organization.
Channel The method of communication through which a message is sent
and received. Ex) Email, phone call, advertisement, etc.
Communication Specific items that can distort or prevent communication within
Barriers an organization. Ex) Talking over one another, phone ringing, etc.
Confidential Information which concerns or relates to the trade secrets,
Information processes, operations, and other important and private
company information.
External Communication barriers that is caused by an outside force such
Communication as noise and distractions, an unpleasant environment, or
Barriers problems with technology or equipment.
Feedback The receiver's basic response to the interpreted message.
Goodwill The established reputation of a business regarded as a
quantifiable asset.
Grapevine An informal, unofficial and personal communication channel or
system that takes place within the organization as a result of
rumor and gossip.
Internal Communication barriers caused by an inside force such as
Communication fatigue, disinterest, poor listening skills, past experiences, home or
Barriers work environments, etc.
Listening A particular communication technique that requires the listener
to provide feedback on what he or she hears to the speaker.
Message The information that is being conveying.
Nonverbal Communication without words. It includes apparent behaviors
Communication such as facial expressions, eyes, touching, and tone of voice, as
well as less obvious messages such as dress, posture and spatial
distance between two or more people.
Reading A complex "cognitive process" of decoding symbols in order to
Comprehension construct or derive meaning.
Receiver The listener, reader, or observerthat is, the individual (or the
group of individuals) to whom a message is directed.
Scanning A reading technique to be used when you want to find specific
information quickly. In scanning you have a question in your mind
and you read a passage only to find the answer, ignoring
unrelated information.
Sender The individual who initiates a message and is often called the
communicator or source of communication.
Verbal The use of sounds and words to express yourself, especially in
Communication contrast to using gestures or mannerisms.

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Review: Communication Process Chart

1) The original source of
the message.

Review
2) Sending the message.

1 2 3) The1way the message

3 4 5 2
is sent. EX) phone call,
letter, etc.

4) When the audience

7 interprets or understands
the message.

6 5) The person to whom

the message is directed.

6) The receivers response and/or 7) An interference in the Communication

opinion on the message from the Process; the communication barrier(s). EX)
sender. At this stage, information a ringing phone, stress, uncomfortable
is returned to the sender. environment, etc.

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Review: Internal and External Barriers

Communication barriers are specific things within a business or company that can
distort or prevent information from being communicated. These barriers can be internal
or external.

Internal communication barriers are caused by an inside force or one that is personal.
These barriers may include doubts, experience level, opinions, stress, fatigue, or
uncomfortable home or work environments.

External communication barriers are caused by an outside force. External barriers may
include noise or distractions, problems with technology, or an unpleasant environment.

How can someone overcome these communication barriers? There are several
different important ways to overcome, or at the least reduce, communication barriers.
One way is to work on having clarity in your thoughts. Having a clear mind and staying
calm under pressure is an important way to help overcome both external and internal
barriers. Another way is to organize information and check over it before expressing it.
This way, misunderstandings can be reduced or even eliminated in the audience thus
creating a clearer message. Feedback is another helpful tool for communicating
properly. With feedback, it is possible to proofread and fix a message before fully
releasing it. However, the feedback does not have to be just from the audience, it can
be from a colleague or coworker. Emotions are another communication barrier all on
their own. It is best to try to keep negative emotions, such as anger or irritation, under
control for it can have both a negative outcome on the effectiveness of your work and
on the people around you. If a communicator expresses their message in an angry way
or with an irritable tone, the audience may take this poorly, thus creating stress on the
company and poor feedback.

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Apply

When keeping the Communication Process in mind, it is important to consider

and recognize how it applies to everyday life. The following are responses to
how the Communication Process can be helpful on a more personal level and
the roles that certain people play within this process.

Who has the most responsibility (the sender or receiver) in the Communication
Process? This is an important question for it could go both ways. Most people
however say that the sender has the most responsibility for they are the one
conveying the message. It is their responsibility to organize information for the
audience and analyze the audience appropriately to meet their needs.
However, the receiver may also have some responsibility. It is their job to interpret
the message and give feedback to the sender.
Between listening, reading, writing, and speaking, listening is personally the most
effective for me because if a speaker communicates well and keeps me
engaged, then I can process information and form feedback on the message
expressed.
If feedback is not received, this could be for several reasons. One reason is that
the receiver did not receive or see the message, thus resulting in no feedback.
Another reason could be that the receiver did not like the message or found it
unsatisfactory. Many people who were asked this question stated that they
would interpret this no-feedback-response as a sign that they need to improve
their product or message to please the audience.
Reading skills are an important aspect to the Communication Process. Reading is
one of the most commonly used method of communication due to the
following: letters to colleagues, emails, text messages, text books and other
informative materials; any form of modern day technology has reading involved.
I would like a career in the art and animation design field. Reading skills would
help with a career such as this because I will need to be able to read materials
and information for an upcoming project. It will also be important when
communicating with a long-distance employer or collaborators.

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Analyze

Do an honest evaluation of yourself as a communicator. Identify internal barriers

that are a challenge for you as you speak, write, listen, or read.

Response: I feel that I communicate well in that I take the time to explain if someone is
confused and I rely heavily on feedback to improve information. However, speaking is
the only form of communication that I struggle with. I organize my thoughts thoroughly
within my mind and put together an entire point and structure, only for it to be
expressed in the opposite manner. A lot of the time, I get very nervous when speaking
and my organization and calm manner gets thrown out the window. If I am with
someone I am comfortable talking to, however, my message may end up leaving my
mouth in the same way I had envisioned in my brain. I can try to overcome these
barriers by exercising and practicing speaking to others. If I try to keep the structure I
came up with in my head, then I may be able to express it more effectively.

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Decide

Certain scenarios within a company or business can be hard to confront. Here

are a few scenarios and the most popular response for confronting them:

As a sales representative with your company, you want to send a message to an

important customer. He is a good friend of the companys president and
regularly orders supplies from your company. In your opinion, the two of you
have a very good relationship. However, the last time you visited him, he
seemed impatient with you. You got the feeling that he was anxious to get back
to his work. Now, two days after your visit, your company launches a sales
campaign. Many of the products that the customer purchases from you are on
sale. The prices are good, but the sale will last only two weeks. Should you
contact him?

Response: A large majority of people chose to contact him but in a way that would not
irritate him. They chose either an email or phone call. Through an email, the customer
will receive word of the sale, but without the stress of pulling him from his work with a
face-to-face visit. With a phone call, you can directly inform him of the sale and their
end date but without bothering him with a face-to-face meeting either. This way, the
customer can find time in his busy schedule to take advantage of the sales without
feeling heavily pressured by meetings.

You work for a large, local company. You are an administrative assistant to the
director of the Human Resources Department, the person who hires new
employees. Many people come into your office every week. You love your work
and really admire the director. Recently, several men and women have come
into the office and interviewed for an area sales manager position. One of the
men who interviewed for the position was a person whom you knew from when
you worked for another company. Unfortunately, you know that this man was fire
because he provided false information to make himself and others within the
district look good. What should you do?

Response: Most people found it best that you contact the director and speak to him
directly on the matter. You may contact him through either an email or phone call to
schedule a time to talk face to face and come up with a solution for the sensitive
situation.

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Research- Communication Process Model: Understanding

how to master the process of communication

Article: http://www.educational-business-articles.com/communication-process-
model/

The article begins with a simple introduction to the Communication Process, saying that
it is one of the most vital theories to learn, as ultimately, successful management
culminates from the effective use of communication. They say that we need to
communicate constantly in order to express information, our feelings, and thoughts. The
two short paragraph introduction leads into an explanation of a simplified chart
explaining the Communication Process as show below:

The article explains that it is important to prevent as much noise as possible from
interrupting the conveying information. Noise can come from Physiological, Physical,
Psychological, and Semantic noise. Physiological noise refers to hunger, fatigue,
headaches, or medication. Physical refers to bright lights, pop-up ads, or crowded
conditions. Psychological noise refers to defensive feelings, unpleasant past
experiences, or personal opinions. Lastly, Semantic noise refers to when words
themselves are not understood.

Finally, the article ends by explaining how to put the Communication Process Model to
use. They provide a simple set of five steps:

1. Start with the end in mind

2. Identify the recipients of the communication
3. Choose the best method of communication
4. Match your communication to the recipients
5. Adjust your style to suit the feedback

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Definitions and Information Resources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audience_analysis

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/business-communication.html

http://study.com/academy/lesson/communication-channels-in-an-organization-types-
definition-examples.html

http://study.com/academy/lesson/barriers-to-effective-communication-definition-
examples.html

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/19/201.6

http://etraining.communitydoor.org.au/mod/page/view.php?id=5

http://bizcommunicationcoach.com/what-is-feedback-definition-of-feedback-in-
communication/

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/goodwill

http://bizcommunicationcoach.com/what-is-grapevine-communication-types-of-
grapevine/

https://www.boundless.com/communications/textbooks/boundless-communications-
textbook/learning-to-listen-and-helping-others-do-the-same-5/understanding-listening-
29/the-importance-of-listening-132-8285/

http://www.creducation.org/resources/nonverbal_communication/what_is_nonverbal_
communication.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading_(process)

https://www.thoughtco.com/receiver-communication-1691899

http://pioneer.netserv.chula.ac.th/~pkanchan/html/skim.htm

https://www.thoughtco.com/sender-communication-1691943

https://www.google.com/search?safe=strict&q=verbal+communication+definition&oq
=verbal+communication+definition&gs_l=psy-
ab.3..0i67k1j0i7i30k1l3.18625.24067.0.24364.8.8.0.0.0.0.277.1017.6j0j2.8.0....0...1.1.64.psy-
ab..0.8.1015...0j0i8i30k1.Dj2ckmVQcEw

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