Communication

Communication

1. WHAT

   • Is used to effectively send and receive messages between two or more entities using appropriate channels and mediums while taking into consideration the audience and barriers

2. WHY - PURPOSE

   • To Inform
   • To Influence
   • To Initiate Action
   • To meet social expectations
   • all done to build and maintain relationships

3. TYPES

   • WRITTEN
     • Using written words to encode and decode the message
     • ADV
       • Permanent record
       • Emotion removed
       • Controlled expression
       • No meeting needed
     • DISA
       • Permanent record
       • No immediate feedback
       • Lacks personal touch
       • Misinterpretation
   • ORAL
     • Using spoken works
     • ADV
       • Feedback ensures comprehension
       • Use of body language
       • Immediacy
       • Courtesy or personal touch
     • DISA
       • No permanent record
       • Emotional ivolvement
       • Time consuming
   • NON VERBAL
     • Usings signs, symbols and logos

4. VIA

   • CHANNEL
     • how the message is transmitted. Printed letter, electronic email, interview, phone call
   • MEDIUM
     • the nature of the expression
     • Oral, Written or non verbal
   • When choosing a medium,ask yourself the nature of the message, the targeted audience, the ability of the receiver to decode and the urgency of the message

5. Relationships

   • How relationship affect communication
     • Not liking your manager
     • Manager favoring one staff over the other
     • Not liking colleagues or vice versa
   • Ensure successful communication by
     • Build a relationship with the person you want to communicate with
     • before sending a message, ask yourself how you would react if you received the message
     • Be proactive. Think of WHAT you want to communicate, WHO will receive it and HOW they might react.
   • Management Styles
     • AUTOCRATIC
       • I tell. Manger rule by fear. What they say goes. No consultation with staff, no delegation of responsibilities..
       • Good in making clear but not always the right decisions
       • Bad in making staff and members demotivated
       • ADV
         • Faster decision making
         • Lines of authority not blurred
       • DISA
         • Decision taken not always the right one
         • Staff demotivated
         • Formation of grapevine
     • DEMOCRATIC
       • I share. Manager lead staff rather than control. They involve staff in decision making and delegate responsibility.
       • ADV
         • Motivate staff
         • Staff free to approach manager
       • DISA
         • Staff may not respect manager
         • Staff may waste manager time with trivial matters
         • Discipline of staff may be difficult
   • Layout of the office
     • Open Plan
       • Good - Teamwork, motivates each other, easy supervision
       • Bad - Distraction, limited privacy, conflicts, time wasting
     • Cellular
       • Good - No distraction, Privacy, less time wasting
       • Bad - Isolation, Ineffective supervision
     • Comfortable chairs and tables
     • water cooler and storage

6. ELEMENTS

   • The message
   • The receiver's understanding
   • The feedback

7. SYSTEMS

   • FORMAL
     • Communication sent using the established office channel and mediums. Either Horizontal or vertical
   • INFORMAL
     • Used to pass information between individuals without using establised channels and mediums
   • VERTICAL
     • Communication between the level of authority of an organization
     • Allows top down and bottom up communication
   • HORIZONTAL
     • Communication between the same level
   • DIAGONAL
     • Communication between staff of different levels
   • EXTERNAL:
     • Communicating with suppliers and customers and is integrated with internal system