Communication Theory

Mutiara Budi Azhar, Dr., SU., MMedSc

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Effective Communicator:

I. Introduction
Understands what needs to be communicated and the best way to deliver it; develops strategies to influence and build relationships to gain the respect and trust of others by adjusting the style and method of communication to specific audiences.
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Introduction
Definition-1

Communication is the process of exchanging information. Information is conveyed as words, tone of voice, and body language. Words account for 7 percent of the information communicated. Vocal tone accounts for 55 percent and body language accounts for 38 percent.

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Introduction - Definition-2

Interpersonal communication is the process that we use to communicate our ideas, thoughts, and feelings to another person. Intra-team communication is a process through which team members communicate with one another.

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Introduction

To be effective communicators, team members must be aware of these forms (words, vocal tone, and body language), how to use them effectively, and barriers to the communications process.
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Introduction (cont.)

People in organizations typically spend over 75% of their time in an interpersonal situation. Thus, it is no surprise to find that at the root of a large number of organizational problems is poor communications.

Effective communication is an essential component of organizational success whether it is at the interpersonal, inter-group, intra-group, organizational, or external levels.
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II THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

All of us have been communicating with others since our infancy.

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The sender-message-channelreceiver model

The SMCR model describes the communication process. The model is described pictorially below.

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Fig. SMCR Model

Sender

Message

Channel

Receiver

Feed forward and Feedback

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The Communication Process (cont.)-3

encoded Message decode by receiver message to be sent some error some error received likely likely

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SMCR- The Message

1.

The Message The message has three components: Content, Context, Treatment
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SMCR model The Message - content

Content is simply communicating what you desire to communicate. Don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements, would ask, Are you being impeccable with your words? Sometimes, in our enthusiasm to speak, we do not think about what we are saying.
Note: impeccable = cannot be faulted, excellent, perfect.

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SMCR model The Message - context

Context involves adapting your presentation of the content to your audience. If you are speaking to a linear thinker, do not add a lot of fluff to your dialogue. If you are speaking to a person who wants to understand the whole picture, add more detail to the context presentation.
Note: fluff: material
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SMCR model The Message - Treatment

Treatment

is the arrangement or ordering of the content by the speaker. The treatment directly supports the context and content of the message.

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2.

The Sender The sender has to be aware of six variables when communicating with another person: Senders communication skills Senders attitudes Senders knowledge level Senders social position Senders culture Feedback received by sender

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3.

The Channel

There are two types of channels: Sensory Channels and Institutional Channels. Sensory channels are based on the five senses of sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. Social scientists have found the sender is more likely to gain the receivers attention if the sender uses two or more sensory channels to send information.
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The Channel-cont.
.

Institutional channels are the chosen methods of disseminating information face-to-face conversation, printed materials, and electronic media.

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4. The Receiver

The receiver of the information has to use the same skill set as the sender (The six variables). The receiver has an additional variable: credibility of the speaker. If the receiver perceives the sender as credible, objective, and having expertise in the topic being discussed, then the receiver is more likely to accept the message being sent.

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The Receiver (Cont.)3

Remember the goal of communication is for the receiver to accept an accurate message from the sender. This does not mean the receiver will agree with the message, rather that the receiver accurately understands the message.

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The Receiver (Cont.4)

The receiver accepts a message through attention and comprehension. Attention is tuning in to the message being sent, and comprehension involves understanding the message and accepting or rejecting it. Accepting a message involves both a cognitive acceptance of the message and an affective acceptance of the message

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The Communication Process potential Errors

At each step in the communication process there is major potential for error. There is usually a 40-60% loss of meaning in the transmission of messages from sender to receiver. In many situations a lot of the true message is lost and the message that is heard is often far different than the one intended.

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The Communication Process (cont.)-5

This is most obvious in crosscultural situations where language is an issue. But it is also common among people of the same culture.
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III. Barriers to Effective Communication

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Barriers to Effective Communication

There are a wide number of sources of noise or interference that can enter into the communication process. The following suggests a number of sources of noise:

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Barriers to Effective language

1.

2.

3.

4.

Language defensiveness, distorted perceptions, guilt, project, transference, distortions from the past misreading of body language, tone and other non-verbal forms of communication (see section below) noisy transmission (unreliable messages, inconsistency)
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Barriers to Effective (cont)-6

5. 6. 7. 8.

receiver distortion: selective hearing, ignoring non-verbal cues power struggles self-fulfilling assumptions language-different levels of meaning

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Barriers to Effective (cont)-7

Assumptions - eg. assuming others see situation same as you, has same feelings as you 11. Distrusted source, erroneous translation, value judgment, state of mind of two people 12. Perceptual Biases: o People attend to stimuli in the environment in very different ways.
10.
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Barriers to Effective Interpersonal relationship (cont)-10

13.

14.

Interpersonal Relationships Cultural Differences

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Reading Nonverbal Communication Cues (cont.)-3

Nonverbal communication is made up of the following parts: Visual Tactile Vocal Use of time, space, and image
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Developing Communication Skills:

Listening Skills!!!

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Ten Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills

Develop your voice 2. Slow down 3. Animate your voice 4. Enunciate your words 5. Use appropriate volume 6. Pronounce your words correctly 7. Use the right words 8. Make eye contact 9. Use gestures 10. Dont send mixed messages
1.
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Thank you very much for your kind attention

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References
1. 2. 3. 4.

http://web.cba.neu.edu/~ewertheim/interper/commun.htm#introd, July 23, 2006 http://www.foundationcoalition.org, July 23, 2006. http://hwebbjr.typepad.com/openloops/2005/05/ten_ways_to_imp html Printed from the Technical Editor's Eyrie, http://www.jeanweber.com/

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