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COMMUNICATION
ABSTRACT
The need for communication skills is important in
virtually every career, not just those that are
traditionally regarded as people-oriented. No matter
what the field, and no matter how much you know
about your job, specialized knowledge alone isn’t
enough to guarantee success; communicating skills are
so vital. Researches validate the importance of
communication-related skills including working on
teams, teaching others, serving customers, leading,
negotiating, working with cultural diversity,
interviewing, listening, conducting meetings ,and
resolving conflicts. Communication is the core activity
of the accounting profession, transmitting information
from one person to another, from one organization to
another – or a combination of both – and to the
shareholders and other stakeholders of the
organization. The function of communication is to
ensure that every member of the organization knows
what is expected. Good communication is critical in
ensuring coordination and control of individuals,
groups and departments. Good communication ensures
individuals know what is expected of them, that the
appropriate person receives the correct information
and that there is coordination within the organization.
It ensures control of the organization’s plans and
procedures and those instructions given to staff by
management are understood. Group and team
cohesiveness is encouraged and stress can be reduced.
KEYWORDS
Communication, Communicating in organizations,
Effective communication.
1. WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?
Communication is the process of transferring
information from one source to another.
Communication is commonly defined as "the imparting
or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by
speech, writing, or signs”. Communication is thus a
process by which we assign and convey meaning in an
attempt to create shared understanding. This process
requires listening, observing, speaking, questioning,
analyzing, and evaluating. If you use these processes, it
is developmental and transfers to all areas of life:
home, school, community, work and beyond.
Communication is also a vital part of the work done in
business. Much of the work done in business is
communicating. Communication enables workers to do
their work within the business and to relate to
customers and other businesses.
1.1. The Process of Communication
Sender: The person who transmits a message.
The message: Any signal that triggers the response of a
receiver.
Encoding: The activity in which the sender must choose
certain words or nonverbal methods to send an
intentional message.
Channel(The medium): The channel is the method used to
deliver message.(Writing as a letter or memo;
delivering by hand or send it via regular mail or use an
delivery service; sending a fax or e-mail;
communicating orally, either over the phone or in
person)
Receiver: Any person who notices and attaches some
meaning to a message.
Decoding: The point where attaching meaning to the
words or symbols is done by the receiver.
Feedback: The discernible response of a receiver to a
sender’s massage.
Noise: The term communication scholars use for factors
that interfere with the exchange of messages.
Context: The natural background which influences
communication in which it occurs.
1.2. Communication Principles
Communication is unavoidable: A fundamental axiom of
communication is “One cannot not communicate.”
Communication operates on two levels: First; content
messages (information about the topic under
discussion) Second; relational messages (signals
indicating how they feel about one another.)
Communication is irreversible: “People may forgive, but
they don’t forget.” We should weigh our words
carefully.
Communication is a process: Each message is part of a
process: It doesn’t occur in isolation.
Communication is not a panacea: Even effective
communication won’t solve all problems.
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Communication often presents ethical challenges: To be
sure, business is still measured by revenues and profits,
but today, shareholders, regulators, customers, the
financial press and - even employees - expect those
revenues and profits to be made in an ethical manner.
1.3. General Types of Communication
Dialogue or verbal communication: Verbal
communication is one way for people to communicate
by using words. Some of the key components of verbal
communication are sound, words, speaking, and
language.
Nonverbal communication: Nonverbal communication is
the process of communicating through sending and
receiving wordless messages. Such messages can be
communicated through gesture, body language or
posture; facial expression and eye contact, object
communication such as clothing, hairstyles or even
architecture, or symbols as well as through an
aggregate of the above, such as behavioral
communication.
Visual communication: Visual communication as the
name suggests is communication through visual aid. It
is the conveyance of ideas and information in forms
that can be read or looked upon. it includes: signs,
typography, drawing, graphic design, illustration, color
and electronic resources.
1.4. The importance of Communication
Ability to you
As soon as you move one step from the bottom, your
effectiveness depends on your ability to reach others
through the spoken or written word. And the further
away your job is from manual work, the larger the
organization of which you are an employee, the more
important it will be that you know how to convey your
thoughts in writing and speaking. In very large
organization, this ability to express oneself is perhaps
the most important of all skills a person can possess.
Thus, by improving your communication ability you
will improve your changes for advancement.
Because communication is so important, business
wants and needs people with good communication
abilities. Business promotes good communicators; and
it rewards them with pay. So if you want to succeed in
business, you would be wise to work at improving your
communication ability.
Organizations are concerned about what their managers
write and say because a manager’s communications can
initiate litigation and can also be used as evidence
against the organizations in legal proceedings.
In court, you are what you communicate.
2. COMMUNICATING IN ORGANIZATIONS
2.1. Why business needs to
communicate?
Communication enables people to do all the work that
must be done within the business. More specifically, it
enables business people to follow a plan of operations,
to avoid duplication, to coordinate effort, to share
knowledge, to report progress, to solve problems, and
such. Communication also enables workers to conduct
the necessary relations with those outside the business.
Primary among these are other businesses (such as
suppliers, service companies and business customers)
and individuals (such as customers and the public at
large.) Clearly without communication the business
organization could not function.
2.2. Communication Patterns
The following diagrams primarily apply to the
structured communication patterns within business,
through several also can be found in unstructured
communication settings
1)The Barbell: In this pattern, both partners to the
communication depend on the other’s confidence.
Typically, neither wants to stand alone as an isolate,
and so relies heavily on the communication partner.
When involved in a “barbell” pattern of
communication, recognize the importance of
discreation, confidence and trust.
2)The Triangle: Three people or work units joined in a
triangle pattern face the challenge of dealing with
different points of view without making any one party
to the triangle feel like “odd man out.” Communication
triangles work well in an atmosphere of mutual trust.
3) The Breakdown In The Triangle: In this case, two of the
parties have severed communication. With time, they
may also sever connection with the one party they have
in common. Usually it is difficult to remain the one
trusted associate of two enemies.
4)The Pyramid: In pyramidal communications, one party
usually assumes the “apex” or leadership role. In some
cases, this party generates much of the information
received by the group. In other cases, the leader acts as
a clearinghouse and distribution point for information
to be shared with members.
5)The Series: A chain of linked parties presents the
challenge familiar from the old party game called
“Rumor, Rumor.” In the game, one person whispers a
sentence or two to the next person, who then passes it
on down the chain. By the time it gets to the last person
in line, the message has usually changed-often with
hilarious result.
6)The Circle: This pattern also helps to avoid the
distortions possible from communication chains. This
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message is sent around the circle, but eventually finds
its way back to the initiator. He or she can alter the
message, if necessary, or start a new one on its way
around the circle.
7)Hub and Spokes: This pattern combines aspects of the
pyramid-the hub resembles the apex of the pyramid-and
the circle. The leader initiates a message that is then
disseminated throughout the business group. At any
point, however, individual parties can respond directly
to the leader (feedback) or to one another.
8)Legs: In this organizational communication pattern,
messages are communicated through levels of
responsibility to more and more workers. The legs
pattern has distinct advantages. It frees the time of the
central decision-maker; he or she needs only explain
the message once, instead of many times to many
parties. The pattern also puts mid-level managers in a
position of authority over the workers entrusted to
them. The legs pattern can isolate company leaders
from important feedback from lower levels within the
company.
9)The Crossfire: Freedom is the key word for this
pattern. Members can speak freely to anyone in the
group. The pattern works especially well for a
brainstorming session, in which the goal of the meeting
is to get a broad range of ideas out on the table. This
pattern has a danger, of course, of leading to
communication chaos.
2.3. Communication Networks:
When people communicate in all but the smallest
organizations, they need a system for managing the
flow of information. If each employee were free to
pass, send or receive information to every other person,
there would be a complexity. In this situation, there
must be a system for structuring who will communicate
with whom. These systems are called communication
networks.
1)Formal Communication Networks: These are the
systems designed by management to dictate who should
talk to whom to get a job done.
- Downward Communication: It occurs when whenever
superiors initiate messages to their subordinates. The
studies at the firms revealed that “clear communication
between boss and worker” was the most important
factor in job satisfaction for most people. The firms
were so impressed with the findings of this study that it
launched a program to encourage managers to
communicate more and more directly with their
employees, including holding informal meetings to
encourage interaction.
- Upward Communication: Messages flowing from
subordinates to superiors are labeled upward
communication. Businesses that really are open to
upward communication can profit from the opinions of
employees.
- Horizontal Communication (Lateral Communication): It
consists of messages between members of an
organization with equal power. The most obvious type
of horizontal communication goes on between
members of the same division of an organization: office
works in the same department, co-workers on a project,
and so on.
2)Informal Communication Networks: Alongside the
formal networks, every organization also has informal
communication networks – patterns of interaction
based on friendships, shared personal or career
interests, and proximity. And beyond any sort of
organizational connection, people are connected with
one another through informal personal networks—with
friends, neighbors, family members, and all sorts of
other relationships.
2.4. Choosing The Optimal
Communication Channel
1)Face-to-face communication: Face to face
communication comes in many forms. Some are onetoone meetings, either scheduled or spur of the
moment. Others involve small groups of people,
gathering spontaneously or in formal meetings. Still
other face to face communication occurs in large
groups, where one or more speakers make presentations
to an audience.
2)Teleconferencing: It’s billed by its promoters as the
next best thing to meeting in person after face to face
communication. This technology allows participants in
two or more locations to see and speak with each other.
3)Telephone and Voice mail: The telephone lets you
contact a receiver who would be impossible to reach in
person. You can touch base with someone halfway
around the world in less time than it takes to catch an
elevator to the next floor. It helps you get through to
busy people. A telephone conversation can change the
visual feedback that your massage would come up
against. But if you reach the caller at a bad time, your
chances of having a successful conversation will drop if
other person is hurried, angry or distract. Voice mail is
a high-tech version of the answering machine. It allows
you to leave a message at any time. And it can save you
from wasting time with other people you don’t want to
talk. On the other hand, some voice menus and
submenus can take time.
4)Written Communication: It comes in different forms;
letters, memos and reports are familiar ones.
Advantages: Permanent, easier to understand,
composed in advance, less prone to errors.
Disadvantages: Since e-mails can be stored and
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forwarded to any number of other recipients, people
never intend to see it.
Which to Use?
Oral communication is best way for messages that
require a personal dimension. Written communication
works best when you want to create a relatively formal
tone. Writing is almost always the best medium when
you must choose your words carefully. Writing is also
better than speaking when you want to convey
complicated ideas that require much study. Finally;
writing is the best way for any message if you want a
record to exist.
3. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
3.1. Qualities of an effective speaker
The members of the audience to which manager
speaks-in business, industry, and government-do expect
the speaker to be:
• Knowledgeable
• Prepared
• Well-organized
• Honest
In addition, the speaker will deliver his comments with
impressive gestures, careful enunciation, and excellent
inflection and remember to maintain good eye contact,
so much better.
Knowledgeable: The speaker should possess excellent
background knowledge of the audience and of the
topic.
Prepared: The speaker should be prepared in several
different ways. The presentation should include the
selection of the outline of the presentation, along with a
theme idea, a main idea, and supporting points.
Well-organized: One best way to retain the attention of
the audience is to make the presentation well-organized
and clear.
Honest: One’s personality, knowledge, truthfulness,
emotions and self are revealed when one speaks. And
because the speech is so revealing of ourselves, we
shouldn’t pretend to be something we aren’t. The
speaker should also respect the audience.
3.2. Delivering the speech
Choice of words and word use: Suggestions for selecting
words
• Use familiar words
• Choose the short words
• Use technical word with caution
• Select words with the right strength and vigor
• Use specific words
• Use the active voice
• Use the words with definite meanings
Pronunciation of Words: The speaker should care of the
announce of the words chosen.
Inflection: At times it is vital to give specific inflection
to ideas as we speak. That change in tone, emphasis ad
volume will often reflect better than the words, feelings
of emotion, anger, enthusiasm, humor or support.
Volume: It’s obvious that if the speaker wishes to have
his ideas accepted, the audience must be able to hear
him easily. On the other hand, if the speaker’s voice is
too loud, scratchy or pitched too high, the audience
may find that an irritation, and again the speaker will
lose.
Gestures and Posture: Effective nonverbal
communication by means of hands, head, face and eyes
help convey the speaker’s message, mood and attitude.
But gestures must be spontaneous and natural. It’s
important that they not look artificial.
Eye Contact: Eye contact, carefully and naturally
maintained, helps keep the audience involved with the
speaker.
There are three major parts in human face to face
communication which are body language, voice
tonality, and words. According to the research:
• 55%of impact is determined by body-language;
postures, gestures and eye contact
• 38%by the tone of voice
• 7% by the content or the words used in the
communication process.