MANAGING

COMMUNICATION
AGENDA
Introduction to Communication
Process of Communication
Issues in Communication
Non-verbal Communication
INTRODUCTION TO
COMMUNICATION
Section 1
INTRODUCTION
What is Communication?
How does communication happen?
What are the functions of communication?
What are the barriers to communication?
DEFINITION
 The transference and understanding of meaning.
(Stephen P. Robbins)
 The process of transmission of a message and
understanding of information between two or
more people; it involves at least two parties– a
sender and a receiver. (Kavita Singh)
 The way we share information, ideas, goals,
directions, expectations, feelings, and emotions
in the context of coordinated action.
(Schermerhorn, Hunt & Osborne)
 The evoking of a shared or common meaning in
another person. (Nelson & Quick)
 The process of sharing goal-oriented messages
between two or more sources through a medium
or media. (Pareek)
FUNCTIONS
Control
Motivation
Emotional expression
Information
PROCESS OF
COMMUNICATION
Section 2
COMMUNICATION PROCESS
FE

E
G
ED

A
SOURCE
BA

S
ES
CK

M
RECEIVER ENCODING

MESSAGE
ME
E SSA
G G E
S SA
ME CHANNEL
DECODING
FEEDBACK
What is feedback?
Functions of feedback
 Provide data about style of behaviour
 Culture of openness and interpersonal trust
 Better self-awareness
 Effective communication
How to give feedback
 The good news first
 Descriptive and Non-evaluative
 Focus on behaviour and not the person
 Reinforce new, positive behaviour
 Suggestive, not Prescriptive
 Well-timed
ACTIVE LISTENING
Difference between hearing and listening
Difference between listening and active
listening
Guidelines:
 Listen for content
 Listen for feelings
 Respond to feelings
 Note all cues
 Reflect back
CHANNELS
Media
Types: people, mechanical, written, oral,
computer, etc.
Characteristics
 Capacity
 Modifiability
 Duplication
 Speed
 Feedback
 Appropriateness
NETWORKS
 Define the channel
 Series of linkages between communicating entities
 Formal
 Chain
 ‘Y’
 Wheel
 Circle
 All-channel / Star
 Informal
 Grapevine
 Social gatherings
 Management by Wandering Around
DIRECTIONS
 Downward
 Assign goals and provide job instructions
 Inform of policies and procedures
 Point out problems
 Offer feedback about performance
 Upward
 Provide feedback to higher-ups
 Inform of progress towards goal
 Relay current problems
 Lateral
 Save time and facilitate coordination
 Short circuit vertical hierarchy and expedite action

ISSUES IN
COMMUNICATION
 Section 3
BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
 Filtering
 Selective perception
 Defensiveness
 Language
 Status differences
 Gender differences
 Cultural diversity
 Preconceived ideas
 Trust
 Organizational climate
 Sensitivity
 Non-verbal cues
 Channel effectiveness
CURRENT CHALLENGES IN
COMMUNICATION
Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus
“Politically Correct” communication
Cross-cultural communication
Electronic communication
NON-VERBAL
COMMUNICATION
Section 4
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Not involving words or language
Up to 93% of communication is non-verbal
(UCLA)
Types
 Proxemics- individual’s perception and use of
space
1.5 ft- intimate distance, 4 ft- personal
distance, 12 ft- social distance, above- public
distance
 Kinesics- posture, body language
 Facial and eye behaviour
 Paralanguage- pitch, loudness, tempo, tone,
duration, laughing, crying
REFERENCES
Organizational Behaviour- Stephen P. Robbins
Organizational Behaviour: Text and cases-
Kavita Singh
Organizational Behavior- Nelson and Quick
Organizational Behaviour- Schermerhorn, Hunt
and Osborn
Understanding Organizational Behaviour- Udai
Pareek
EXERCISE
In pairs (preferably 1 with work-
ex and 1 fresher), choose an
educational institution and
Map the various channels through
which upward, downward and
lateral communication takes
place in that organization
The barriers that are actually
experienced in communication in
that organization
 "The single biggest problem in
communication is the illusion that
it has taken place."

-- George Bernard Shaw