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Communication skills
What is Communication?
Conveying information through
• Thoughts
• Knowledge
• Feelings
• Ideas
Meaning of communication
Communication process is complete once the receiver has understood the
message of the sender
Feedback is critical to effective communication between participants
According to Haimann, communication is a process of passing
information and understanding from one person to another. It is the
process of imparting ideas and making oneself understood by others
Purpose of Communication:
Management is getting the things done through others. The people working in
the organisation should therefore be informed how to do the work assigned to
them in the best possible manner. The communication is essential in any
organisation.
The purpose of the communication can be summed up into the following:
1. Flow of Information:
The relevant information must flow continuously from top to bottom and vice
versa. The staff at all levels must be kept informed about the organisational
objectives and other developments taking place in the organisation. A care
should be taken that no one should be misinformed. The information should
reach the incumbent in the language he or she can understand better. The use of
difficult words should be avoided. The right information should reach the right
person, at right time through the right person.
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2. Coordination:
It is through communication the efforts of all the staff working in the
organisation can be coordinated for the accomplishment of the organisational
goals. The coordination of all personnel’s and their efforts is the essence of
management which can be attained through effective communication.
3. Learning Management Skills:
The communication facilitates flow of information, ideas, beliefs, perception,
advice, opinion, orders and instructions etc. both ways which enable the
managers and other supervisory staff to learn managerial skills through
experience of others. The experience of the sender of the message gets reflected
in it which the person at the receiving end can learn by analyzing and
understanding it.
4. Preparing People to Accept Change:
The proper and effective communication is an important tool in the hands of
management of any organisation to bring about overall change in the
organisational policies, procedures and work style and make the staff to accept
and respond positively.
5. Developing Good Human Relations:
Managers and workers and other staff exchange their ideas, thoughts and
perceptions with each other through communication. This helps them to
understand each other better. They realize the difficulties faced by their
colleagues at the workplace. This leads to promotion of good human relations in
the organisation.
6. Ideas of Subordinates Encouraged:
The communication facilitates inviting and encouraging the ideas from
subordinates on certain occasions on any task. This will develop creative
thinking. Honouring subordinates’ ideas will further motivate them for hard
work and a sense of belonging to the organisation will be developed. It will
provide them with the encouragement to share information with their superiors
without hesitation. The managers must know the ideas, thoughts, comments,
reactions and attitudes of their subordinates and subordinates should know the
same from the lowest level staff of their respective departments.
Importance of Communication:
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Effective communication is vital for efficient management and to improve
industrial relations. In modern world the growth of telecommunication,
information technology and the growing competition and complexity in
production have increased importance of communication in organisations large
and small irrespective of their type and kind. A corporate executive must be in a
position to communicate effectively with his superiors, colleagues in other
departments and subordinates. This will make him perform well and enable him
to give his hundred percent to the organisation.
The following points can illustrate the importance of communication in human
resource management:
1. Base for Action:
Communication acts as a base for any action. Starting of any activity begins
with communication which brings information necessary to begin with.
2. Planning Becomes Easy:
Communication facilitates planning. Planning is made easy by communication.
Any type of information regarding the human resource requirement of each
department of the organisation with their qualifications, the type and kinds of
job etc. can be collected through communication which helps in human resource
planning. Policies and programmes for their acquisition can be prepared and
implemented. In the entire process communication plays a vital role, it also
facilitates managerial planning of the organisation.
3. Means of Coordination:
Communication is an important tool for coordinating the efforts of various
people at work in the organisation.
4. Aids in Decision-Making:
The information collected through communication aids in decision-making.
Communication facilitates access to the vital information required to take
decisions.
5. Provides Effective Leadership:
A communication skill bring manager near to his subordinates and exchange
ideas and submits appropriate proposals, knows their opinions, seeks advices
and make decisions. This enables a manager to win confidence of his
subordinates through constantly communicating with them and removing
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probable misunderstandings. In this way he leads his people to accomplish the
organisational goal.
6. Boosts Morale and Motivation:
An effective communication system instills confidence among subordinates and
workers ensuring change in their attitude and behaviour. The main cause of
conflict and dissatisfaction is misunderstanding which can be removed through
communication skills. The removal of misunderstanding makes manager and his
subordinates understand each other and create good industrial relations. This
boosts up the morale of the people and motivates them to work harder.
Principles of Communication:
Lack of effective communication renders an organisation handicapped. So to
have effective communication certain principles are to be followed.
They are as follows:
1. Clarity:
The principle of clarity means the communicator should use such a language
which is easy to understand. The message must be understood by the receiver.
The words used should be simple and unambiguous. The language should not
create any confusion or misunderstanding. Language is the medium of
communication; hence it should be clear and understandable.
2. Adequacy and Consistency:
The communicator must carefully take into account that the information to be
communicated should be complete and adequate in all respect. Inadequate and
incomplete message creates confusion and delays the action to be taken. The
adequate information must be consistent with the organizational objectives,
plans, policies and procedures. The message which is inconsistent may play
havoc and distort the corporate interests.
3. Integration:
The principle of integration portrays that through communication the efforts of
human resources of the organisation should be integrated towards achievement
of corporate objectives. The very aim of communication is to achieve the set
target. The communication should aim at coordinating the activities of the
people at work to attain the corporate goals.
4. Economy:
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The unnecessary use of communication system will add to cost. The system of
communication must be used efficiently, timely i.e. at the appropriate time and
when it is necessary. The economy in use of communication system can be
achieved in this way.
5. Feedback:
The purpose of communication will be defeated if feedback is not taken from
the receiver. The confirmation of the receipt of the message in its right
perspective from its receiver fulfills the object of communication. The feedback
is essential only in case of written communication and messages sent through
messengers. In case of oral type of communication the feedback is immediately
known.
6. Need for Communication Network:
The route through which the communication passes from sender or
communicator to its receiver or communicate refers to communication network.
For effective communication this network is essential. The managerial
effectiveness will also depend upon the availability of adequate network.
7. Attention:
The message communicated must draw the attention of the receiver staff and
ensure action from him in the right perspective. The efficient, sincere and
prompt manager succeeds in drawing the attention of his subordinates to what
he is conveying.
It is the psychology of the people that they watch their superiors closely and
then respond to their orders or instructions. Lazy and insincere superiors fail to
garner support for themselves and their instructions usually are not taken
seriously by their subordinates. Adhering to the above principles shall make
communication effective, minimize the human relations problems and increase
the overall efficiency.
7 Major Elements of Communication
Process
Seven major elements of communication process are: (1) sender (2) ideas (3)
encoding (4) communication channel (5) receiver (6) decoding and (7)
feedback.
Communication may be defined as a process concerning exchange of facts or
ideas between persons holding different positions in an organisation to achieve
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mutual harmony. The communication process is dynamic in nature rather than a
static phenomenon.
Communication process as such must be considered a continuous and dynamic
inter-action, both affecting and being affected by many variables.
(1) Sender:
The person who intends to convey the message with the intention of passing
information and ideas to others is known as sender or communicator.
(2) Ideas:
This is the subject matter of the communication. This may be an opinion,
attitude, feelings, views, orders, or suggestions.
(3) Encoding:
Since the subject matter of communication is theoretical and intangible, its
further passing requires use of certain symbols such as words, actions or
pictures etc. Conversion of subject matter into these symbols is the process of
encoding.
(4) Communication Channel:
The person who is interested in communicating has to choose the channel for
sending the required information, ideas etc. This information is transmitted to
the receiver through certain channels which may be either formal or informal.
(5) Receiver:
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Receiver is the person who receives the message or for whom the message is
meant for. It is the receiver who tries to understand the message in the best
possible manner in achieving the desired objectives.
(6) Decoding:
The person who receives the message or symbol from the communicator tries to
convert the same in such a way so that he may extract its meaning to his
complete understanding.
(7) Feedback:
Feedback is the process of ensuring that the receiver has received the message
and understood in the same sense as sender meant it.
The Communication Models
The purpose of a “model” is to offer a visual representation of a concept with
the intent of facilitating the understanding of it. Traditionally speaking, there are
three standard models of the communication process: Linear, Interactive, and
Transactional, and each offers a slightly different perspective on the
communication process.
Linear Communication Model
There’s a bit of a debate about the Linear Communication model and how it
recognizes (or doesn’t recognize) the concept of feedback. The linear model’s
behaviour is belied by its name, where a sender encodes a message via a
channel and the message is decoded by the receiver. It is straight-line
communication found typically in mass communication; think television, radio,
newspapers, etc. According to this model, there is no means for immediate
feedback.
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The Linear Communication Model
Shannon and Weaver were the first to present the Linear Model of
Communication in 1949′s The Mathematical Theory of Communication. We’re
going to discuss more about these two in our imminent Theories of
Communication article. Suffice to say that this theory has become less relevant
in inverse proportion to the advances of communication technology, specifically
non-linear forms of electronic communication where it’s not always clear who
is the sender and who is the receiver.
Interactive Communication Model
Simply put, the Interactive Model takes the Linear Model and multiplies it times
two with a quick flip of the return message. It now allows for a feedback
element because after a message is encoded and sent to the decoding receiver,
the roles then reverse and the receiver encodes and sends a response to the
original sender who has now turned receiver. It sounds more confusing than it
is. Envision an exchange of text messages whereby your friend sends you a
message and you respond to it. The same thing happens during a telephone call,
or even an email exchange. A message is sent and received, then the roles
reverse. That is the Interactive Model.
Transactional Communication Model
The Transactional Model becomes more sophisticated yet. This model
depicts face-to-face interaction, or “trans-action” as a dynamic and
changeable process that is not limited to simple definition. In the
Transactional Model, receiver and sender can play the same roles
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simultaneously, as sometimes happens, as messages can be sent back
and forth simultaneously. It appears chaotic and ineffective, but
sometimes communication is just that. Throw in some noise, and it
would be a wonder whether any message is conveyed successfully in
this environment.
As mentioned, we’re going to touch upon these three models of
communication in a future article where we shall go further into
communication theory and some of the major influencers in the field
of communications over the past few decades.
Communication Model – Summary
Berlo’s Model:
The idea of “source” was flexible enough to include oral, written,
electronic, or any other kind of “symbolic” generator-of-messages.
The model recognized that receivers were important to
communication, for they were the targets
The notions of “encoding” and “decoding” emphasized the
problems we all have in translating our own thoughts into words or other
symbols and in deciphering the words or symbols of others into terms we
ourselves can understand.
It implies that human communication is like machine communication, like
signal-sending in telephone, television, computer, and radar systems.
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It even seems to stress that most problems in human
communication can be solved by technical accuracy-by choosing the “right”
symbols, preventing interference, and sending efficient messages.
But even with the “right” symbols, people misunderstand
each other.
Lass well formula
Useful but too simple.
It assumes the communicator wishes to influence the receiver and
therefore sees communication as a persuasive process.
It assumes that messages always have effects.
It exaggerates the effects of mass communication.
It omits feedback.
On the other hand, it was devised in an era of political propaganda
It remains a useful INTRODUCTORY model
Braddock (1958) modified it to include circumstances, purpose and effect
Shannon and Weaver
Highly influential and sometimes described as “the most important”
model (Johnson and Klare)
Communication is presented as a linear, one-way process
Shannon and Weaver make a distinction between source and transmitter,
and receiver and destination – ie there are two functions at the
transmitting end and two at the receiving end
Criticised for suggesting a definite start and finish to the communication
process, which in fact is often endless
Gerbner
Special feature of this model is that is can be given different shapes
depending on the situation it describes
There is a verbal as well as visual formula (like Lasswell):
someone
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perceives an event
and reacts
in a situation
through some means
to make available materials
in some form
and context
conveying content
with some consequence
The flexible nature of the model makes it useful.
It also allows an emphasis on perception
It could explain, for example, the perceptual problems of a witness in
court and, in the media, a model which helps us to explore the connection
between reality and the stories given on the news
Westley & MacLean
Another influential model
The authors were keen to create a model which showed the complexities
of mass communication - hence the emphasis on having to interpret a
mass of Xs (events which are communicated in the media)
It oversimplifies the relationships between participants by not showing
power relations between participants
It makes the media process seem more integrated than it may actually be
It doesn’t show the way different media may have different interests of
the state (eg difference between a state broadcaster and private one)
Osgood & Schramm
Circular communication gives opportunity to both parties to give their
opinion.
As it is dynamic and ever changing model, it is helpful in general
practice.
Sender and receiver interchanges and both are equally active.
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Feedback makes it easier to know if the message is interpreted by the
receiver as intended or not.
Concept of interpretation makes the communication effective.
Concept of context makes the environmental factor be included in
interpretation of message and brings change in the message value.
Disadvantages of Schramm's Model of
Communication
This model cannot deal with multiple levels of communication and
complex communication processes.
There can only be two sources communicating, many sources complicates
the process and the model cannot be implemented.
Message sent and received might be interpreted differently than intended.
Module 2
Levels of Communication
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Intrapersonal Communication
Intrapersonal communication takes place within one person. It is meant to
reflect oneself to clarify something.
There are three concept of intrapersonal communication namely as
following:
1. Self-conception
This determines how one sees himself and also in orientation
with others. It is also known as self-awareness. There are several factors
effecting the communication.
a) Belief: It is self-orientation to know what is true or false, good
or bad. Trust in one’s ability
b) Values: Values are integral part of belief to determine what is right or
wrong. It is a deep seated foundation lying within the person’s mind and
concept
c) Attitude: It is a learned idea of the person and it is generally consistent
with value. It is often emotional.
2. Perception
When the self-concept lies internally, perception focuses outward. It is
deep rooted in belief, values and attitude. It is related and closely intertwined
with self-concept to create better understanding of both within and outside
world.
3. Expectation
It is futuristic oriented message dealing with long term occurrence.
People form expectation on the base of the strength of ones learned ideas within
the society.
Intrapersonal communication may involve different levels of
communication activity:
Internal discourse,
Solo vocal communication,
And solo written communication.
Internal discourse relates to thinking, concentrating and analysing within
one self. It might of day dreaming, praying or meditating.
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Merits:
1. Self-Awareness
2. Self Confidence
3. Self-Management
4. Self-Motivation
5. Focused
6. Independence
7. Adaptability
Demerits:
1. Introverted
2. Wrong Assumptions
3. Incorrect Decisions
4. Arrogance
5. Categorical Thinking
Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal communication is the process by which people exchange
information, feelings, and meaning through verbal and non-verbal
messages: it is face-to-face communication.
Interpersonal communication is not just about what is actually said - the
language used - but how it is said and the non-verbal messages sent
through tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures and body language.
The elements of the interpersonal communication are same that of
elements of Shanon & Weaver model
Merits & Demerits
Irreversibility of communication
Merits:
Once when interpersonal communication has taken place, it could not be
hold back. When it has conveyed properly and in better way, there is
always good impact
Demerits:
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It is by contrast, when the communication was not properly flowed with
good impact, it is always bad impression.
Communication does not only be verbal communication
Merit:
When you are in good mood, you may convey to others in
better way.
Demerit:
The communication might be of body language and it is
really hard stop when something goes on emotionally, at that point of time, you
may resort to have violence interaction.
Situation
Merits:
The communication can also be depending on the situation,
when situation will be calm both in psychologically and sociologically then
communication would be flowed smoothly
Demerits:
It is by contrast, when the situation of discourse is in harsh
and not good, the communication might not be good flow
Types of Communication
Dyadic communication:
This type of communication lies within two people, for
instance discussion takes place between the Teacher and his student about
communication
Group communication
The group communication consists of participants more than
three; here proper group communication of interpersonal communication can be
resembled when lesser number of people will be involved. However, there is no
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distinctive number of exceeding participants to be involved in the group
communication when it limits more than three.
Public communication
This types of communication involves a larger participants
basically forming a one way style of communication process. The feedback of
the receiver is minimal. It takes place in larger audience and mostly takes place
for entertainment and persuasion.
Mass Communication
Mass communication is a process in which a person, group
of people, or an organization sends a message through a channel of
communication to a large group of anonymous and heterogeneous people. In
simple terms, delivery of messages to general public by utilizing mass media
such as press, radio, television and in recent time internet.
Module 3
Art of public speaking
The bottom line is, public speaking isn’t drilled into us at school the way it is in
west – and we only find ourselves in the spotlight as adults.
1. Be prepared
Do your homework – on the organisation/the person you’re
introducing/the event itself
2. Arrive early
3. Don’t make it up as you go along
Great speakers sound spontaneous – but know exactly what they’re
going to say.
4. Find your own unique voice: Don’t feel pressured into a particular
style of presenting, go with what feels comfortable for you. Say it like
it is and how it comes naturally.
5. Don’t just parrot your PowerPoint
6. Discover your style of presenting, whether that is standing up, sitting
down, or moving about.
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7. Maintain eye contact with your audience, whether it is to 500
people in a room or a boardroom table.
8. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse and prepare: The best comedians
have performed their acts hundreds of times in their heads as well as
on stage. practice makes one perfect
9. Perfect the art of the sound bite. A pithy one liner has more
impact than going all round the houses with a meaningless
analogy
9 Ways to Master the Art of Public Speaking
Being able to properly speak in front of an audience is a skill that can be
immensely important, whether you are an artist, running a business, or being a
student. At one point or another, you will need to make a speech or do a
presentation in front of a crowd. Having done a multitude of presentations in
my time, whether it be for school or for work, here are some useful tips that can
help you turn an otherwise stagnant performance into pure gold:
1. Tell stories
One of the best and most effective ways to make people connect to what
you are saying is through storytelling. It is much easier to remember the
lesson or the idea of the presentation if it was told in a way that makes the
audience listening to it visualize it easily, and experience it as if it was
them going through that situation.
2. Relate to your audience
When you are on stage, although you are not a part of the audience, you
have to relate to them as if you were among them. You have to put
yourself in the shoes of the people watching and ask yourself, how would
I like to be talked to? You see, you don’t want to lose your audience with
intellectual jargon that bypasses their head 90% of the time. You have to
use example and language that they will relate to.
3. Laugh at yourself
When you are on stage, in a position of authority, it is important not to
take it all too seriously. You don’t want to be sitting on your high horse
looking down at everyone else. This is why humor is the best method to
show a little humility. Being able to poke fun at your own expense will
convey the message to your audience that you are a fun-loving person
that doesn’t take this whole process so literally.
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4. Involve your audience
A solid presentation should always include the audience. There is
nothing more boring than just listening to someone talk without any
involvement. To get your audience involved mentally and emotionally,
you have to get them involved physically.
5. Tune into your daily life
When you can provide an insight into your day-to-day life while doing a
presentation, it can help you connect with your audience on a deeper
level. When an audience listens to a multi-millionaire, or a business
mogul, or the CEO of their company, it can be hard for them to imagine
this person as just another human being with the same daily struggles as
everyone else.
6. Be prepared
This should be a no-brainer, but you wouldn’t believe how some people
show up unprepared to give speeches. I’ve seen people read off cue cards
without making any eye contacts, and some people stop dead in their
tracks and start over. There is no better way to lose your audience than
by doing this. For an audience to trust you and let whatever it is that you
are saying sink in, it needs the proof that you LIVE what you are
saying. It needs proofs that you are an expert in the field, and such an
expert does not stumble. You want the audience to look up to you and be
amazed. You don’t want people in the audience to say “I can do this
better than he can”. Zig Ziglar practices for his presentation for hours
and hours the day before. That’s on a presentation he’s been presenting
for over 20 years! In the world of public speaking, it’s best to never show
up than to show up unprepared.
7. Be creative
Bonus points are definitely in store for thinking outside the box and doing
things out of the ordinary. For example, if you are to give a presentation
among a bunch of other ones, do you really want it to be the same as
everyone else? Of course not, you want to stand out and be
memorable. You want to be the star that shines the brightest among all
other stars. This is where your creativity can come in handy. This was
one of my strongest points when I did presentations at University. I
would watch all others, and instead of saying “what can I borrow from
them?”, I would ask myself “what can I do to be different from
them?”. You can strike gold by being completely different than everyone
else.
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8. Surprise your audience
This follows the same logic and ideas as the point above about being
creative. However, a creative idea can also be stale. So you want to
surprise, shock, and entertain your audience! This will make sure that
your creativity is broadcasted throughout the audience under its best
form.
9. Have a good time
When you are up there on stage, you need to enjoy yourself. Nobody will
enjoy a speech or presentation if the person speaking looks uncomfortable
or looks like they don’t want to be there. This is your time to shine, so
make the most of it. Next thing you know, it will be over, so you really
want to be fully present into the moment, suck it all in, be yourself, and
just appreciate how wonderful it is that all these people are listening and
looking up to you. If your audience believes that you are having the time
of your life, they will have a great time being in your presence.
Public speaking and presentations are a necessity as you climb the ladder of
success. Hopefully these tips will help you along the way
What is Interpersonal Relationship
A strong bond between two or more people refers to interpersonal
relationship. Attraction between individuals brings them close to each other
and eventually results in a strong interpersonal relationship.
Forms of Interpersonal relationship
An interpersonal relationship can develop between any of the following:
Individuals working together in the same organization.
People working in the same team.
Relationship between a man and a woman (Love, Marriage).
Relationship with immediate family members and relatives.
Relationship of a child with his parents.
Relationship between friends.
Relationship can also develop in a group (Relationship of students with their
teacher, relationship of a religious guru with his disciples and so on)
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Interpersonal skills are the life skills we use every day to communicate and
interact with other people, both individually and in groups.
People who have worked on developing strong interpersonal skills are usually
more successful in both their professional and personal lives.
Employers often seek to hire staff with 'strong interpersonal skills' - they want
people who will work well in a team and be able to communicate effectively
with colleagues, customers and clients.
Art of Writing – Business Letter
Business writing has only two goals:
To make people understand you.
To get them to take some action.
Your readers take the proper action only when they know not just what
you say, but what you want. Whether it is :
Buy your product or service?
Confirm a decision?
Simply like you and think you're good to do business with?
All those things -- buying, confirming, even liking and thinking -- are
actions.
For your reader to understand what you want (and then do it), he or she
must first understand precisely what you mean in your writing.
People who read your letters, e-mails, faxes, reports, and memos have no
opportunity to interpret your body language or tone of voice, as they
would in a conversation. -- be more precise
To write effectively, to say what you mean, and to make sure your
readers understand you,
keep these ten rules in mind:
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1- Write Concisely
At every stage of writing your letter, look at it and decide what to
remove -- there will always be something. Avoid repeating anything, other than
for specific emphasis. Remove needless words from every sentence, needless
sentences from every paragraph, and needless paragraphs entirely.
2- Be Complete
Your letter should not read like a telegram, but should tell your
reader everything he or she needs to know, and then prod for action. Make
sure that you include enough background for your reader to get what you mean,
and that you come across as tactful and polite, not terse and unfeeling.
3- Use Nouns and Verbs
Adjectives and adverbs can enhance sturdy nouns and verbs, but
they can't rescue weak ones. Instead of "I definitely believe that the
performance will be a very successful one," write "I know the performance will
succeed." The second sentence is both stronger and shorter.
4- Write Actively
Good writers use the active voice whenever they can. In active
sentences, people do things -- they act and interact. The active voice is vigorous
and brief, showing who acts and how. So instead of "The report will be sent to
you" and "The source of your problem has been determined" (passive), write "I
will send you the report" and "Our technical team has found what caused your
problem" (active).
5- Be Specific
Use words to paint pictures in your reader's mind, not to ask him or
her to dissect abstract concepts. If you have numbers, use them. Don't discuss
ideas without examples. Avoid abbreviations not everyone knows. Everybody
understands words that apply to everyday life, so use everyday words and your
reader will understand you.
6- Write Interesting Sentences
Vary the length of your sentences to avoid lulling your reader to
sleep. Make some short and sharp. Draw others out by linking two or three
together: clip with commas, stitch with semicolons; even staple with dashes -- if
you like. Don't make all your sentences the same.
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7- Write to Your Readers, Not Down to Them
None treats its readers like children. Even if you are writing to tell
your readers something they know nothing about, think of them as intelligent
but uninformed, not dumb.
Avoid using "we" if you don't have to -- use it if you are really talking about a
group opinion, position, or action (such as a company policy or a decision voted
on at a meeting), but don't use it to replace "I" with something more pompous.
8- Use a Positive Tone
Use negatives such as "don't," "won't," and "not" only to deny, not to
evade or be indecisive. Instead of "We can't decide until tomorrow," write "We
should decide tomorrow," or, better yet, "We will decide tomorrow.”
9- Be Correct
Good writing is correct in two ways:
In technique.
In facts.
Keep your facts must be correct.
If you have relevant information, present it. If you are uncertain, say so. If you
merely suspect something, make the suspicion clear so your reader does not
think you know more than you do.
10- Be Clear
Good business writing is all about being clear. A letter is not a poem, a
mystery story, or a morality play. It should not be open to interpretation.
Every word should mean one thing, each sentence should say one thing, and
together they should create a tool for achieving your goal.
Art of Writing – Personal Letter
Letter should include
Heading
Inside address
Greetings
Body
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Close
Signature Line
A Personal letter is sent from one individual to another individual or
organisation in order to address matters of an informal nature.
Examples of these can include;
Apologies
Thank you's
Personal reference
Congratulations
Invitations
Condolences
They differ from formal types in that they can be used to express personal
feelings and depending on the relationship between the sender and
receiver do not require formal concise language.
Art of Writing – Journalistic writing
Newspaper articles are written using an inverted pyramid format. The
most important information is at the top (beginning of article) and the
least important information is at the bottom (end of article). Has the
ability to undergo cutoff test (removing last section(s) of story to quickly
shorten story).
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5 W’s and 1 H
Who- Who is involved
Where – Where the events happened
What – What has happened
When – When it has happened
Why – Why it happened
How – How it has happened
Group Dynamics
Group dynamics is a system of behaviors and psychological processes
occurring within a social group (intragroup dynamics), or between social
groups (intergroup dynamics).
The study of group dynamics can be useful in understanding decision-
making behavior, tracking the spread of diseases in society, creating
effective therapy techniques, and following the emergence and popularity
of new ideas and technologies.
Group dynamics are at the core of understanding racism, sexism, and
other forms of social prejudice and discrimination. These applications of
the field are studied in psychology, sociology, anthropology, political
science, social work, communication studies etc.
There are three main things that can affect a team's cohesion (the act of
working together well). They are: environmental factors, personal factors
and leadership factors.
As a field of study, group dynamics has roots in both psychology and
sociology.
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Wundt psychologist, used to study human language, customs, and
religion that could not be described through a study of the individual.
On the sociological side, Emile Durkheim recognized collective
phenomena, such as public knowledge.
Leadership
Leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act towards
achieving a common goal.
The process of encouraging and helping others to work enthusiastically
towards objectives.
Alan Keith stated that, Leadership is ultimately about creating a way for
people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen.
Leadership & management
Management - is a process of planning, organizing, coordinating,
directing, and controlling the activities of others.
Leadership - is the process of influencing for the purpose of achieving
shared goals.
John kotter distinction :
Management involves coping with complexity
Leadership involves - Coping with change
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Importance of leadership
Leadership transforms potential into reality.
Leadership is not mere using people and their potential for realising an
organization’s goals.
It has the ultimate aim of raising the level of human conduct and ethical
aspiration of both the leader and the led.
The leader should elevate, inspire, and evangelise his followers to higher
things in life.
Formal & informal leadership
Formal leadership
Occurs when a manager leads by exercising formal authority.
The exercise of formal authority through assigning duties derives, from
the managers official position within the organisation’s hierarchy of
authority.
Any employee who is assigned a managerial position has the opportunity
and responsibility to exercise formal leadership .
Informal leadership
Arises when a person without formal authority is influential in directing
the behavious of others.
Although not formally appointed or elected he becomes a leader through
his actions or personal attractions.
Leadership styles
Leadership style is the manner and approach of providing direction,
implementing plans, and motivating people.
The first major study of leadership styles was performed in 1939 by Kurt
Lewin who led a group of researchers to identify different styles of
leadership.
This early study has remained quite influential as it established the three
major leadership styles:
authoritarian or autocratic - the leader tells his or her employees what to
do and how to do it, without getting their advice
all decision-making powers are centralized in the leader
do not entertain any suggestions or initiatives from subordinates.
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it permits quick decision-making , as only one person decides for
the whole group and keeps each decision to himself until he feels it
is needed to be shared with the rest of the group.
high degree of dependency on the leader
participative or democratic - the leader includes one or more employees
in the decision making process, but the leader normally maintains the
final decision making authority
favours decision-making by the group .
cooperation of their group and can motivate them effectively and
positively.
decisions of the democratic leader are not unilateral as with the
autocrat because they arise from consultation with the group
members and participation by them.
Consultative: process of consultation before decisions are taken
Persuasive: Leader takes decision and seeks to persuade others that the
decision is correct.
participative or democratic - the leader includes one or more employees
in the decision making process, but the leader normally maintains the
final decision making authority
favours decision-making by the group .
cooperation of their group and can motivate them effectively and
positively.
decisions of the democratic leader are not unilateral as with the
autocrat because they arise from consultation with the group
members and participation by them.
Consultative: process of consultation before decisions are taken
Persuasive: Leader takes decision and seeks to persuade others that
the decision is correct.
delegative or laissez-fair (free-rein) - the leader allows the employees to
make the decisions, however, the leader is still responsible for the
decisions that are made
A free rein leader does not lead, but leaves the group entirely to
itself such a leader allows maximum freedom to subordinates
Can be very useful in businesses where creative ideas are important
Can be highly motivational , as people have control over their
working life
Can make coordination and decision making time-consuming and
lacking in overall direction
Relies on good team work and good interpersonal relations.
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Daniel Goleman (2000) in his article "Leadership that Gets Results”
talks about six styles of leadership:
The Visionary Leader
The Visionary Leader moves people towards a shared vision,
telling them where to go but not how to get there - thus motivating
them to struggle forwards. They openly share information, hence
giving knowledge power to others.
They can fail when trying to motivate more experienced experts or
peers.
This style is best when a new direction is needed.
The Coaching Leader
The Coaching Leader connects wants to organizational goals, holding
long conversations that reach beyond the workplace, helping people find
strengths and weaknesses and tying these to career aspirations and
actions.
They are good at delegating challenging assignments, demonstrating faith
that demands justification and which leads to high levels of loyalty.
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It is best used when individuals need to build long-term capabilities.
The Affiliative Leader
The Affiliative Leader creates people connections and thus harmony
within the organization. It is a very collaborative style which focuses on
emotional needs over work needs.
It is best used for healing rifts and getting through stressful situations.
The Democratic Leader
The Democratic Leader acts to value inputs and commitment via
participation, listening to both the bad and the good news.
The Pace-setting Leader
The Pace-setting Leader builds challenge and exciting goals for people,
expecting excellence and often exemplifying it themselves.
They tend to be low on guidance, expecting people to know what to do.
They get short term results but over the long term this style can lead to
exhaustion and decline.
The Commanding Leader
The Commanding Leader soothes fears and gives clear directions by his
or her powerful stance, commanding and expecting full compliance
(agreement is not needed).
This approach is best in times of crisis when you need unquestioned rapid
action and with problem employees who do not respond to other methods.
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Module 4
Importance of good communication in one's life
Communication is a process of sending and receiving information among
people. Humans communicate with others not only by face-to-face
communication, but also by giving information via the Internet and printed
products such as books and newspapers. Many people believe that the
significance of communication is like the importance of breathing. Indeed,
communication facilitates the spread of knowledge and forms relationships
between people.
First of all, communication helps to spread knowledge and information among
people. For example, authors write books to impart knowledge to the World,
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and teachers share their experience with their students. Also, friends or co-
workers discuss their ideas with each other, and companies exchange
information with their subsidiaries and customers. Besides, the advent of the
Internet not only allows people to have better access to knowledge and
information in all fields, but also makes it easier and faster to contact with
people around the World. Undoubtedly, the sharing knowledge and information
process cannot function without communication. As a result, companies cannot
operate, and humanity will be drowned in the abyss of ignorance.
Communication helps to spread knowledge and information among people.
Moreover, communication is the foundation of all human relationship. At first,
strangers start talking and getting to know each other, and then the relationships
are formed when they have more interaction and communication.
Communicating helps people to express their ideas and feelings, and it, at the
same time, helps us to understand emotion and thoughts of the others. As a
result, we will develop affection or hatred toward other people, and positive or
negative relationships will be created.
It is no doubt that communication plays a vital role in human life. It not only
helps to facilitate the process of sharing information and knowledge, but also
helps people to develop relationships with others. Therefore, the importance of
communication cannot be underestimated. Every day, we communicate with a
lot of people including our families, our friends, our colleagues, or even
strangers. We should learn how to communicate effectively to make our lives
better.
The steps for acquiring good communication skills:
1. Know what you want to say and why. Understand clearly the purpose
and intent of your message. Know to whom you are communicating and
why. Consider any barriers you may encounter such as cultural differences
or situational circumstances (gender, age, or economic biases). Ask
yourself what outcome you want to achieve and the impression you want
to leave.
2. How will you say it? We're all aware by now, that it's not always what
you say, but how you say it that counts. Begin by making eye contact. You
inspire trust and confidence when you look a person in the eyes when you
speak. Second, be aware of your body language since it can say as much,
or more, than your words. By standing with arms easily at your side you
tell others that you are approachable and open to hearing what they have to
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say. If instead, your arms are crossed and shoulders hunched, it suggests
disinterest or unwillingness to communicate. Good posture and an
approachable stance help make even difficult communication flow more
smoothly. Make sure you speak in a cooperative, non-adversarial tone. Be
non-judgmental.
3. Listen. Communication is a two way street. After you've said what you
have to say, stop, listen, and look for feedback and clues of
comprehension. While the person is responding avoid any impulses to cut
them off or listen only for the end of the sentence so that you can blurt out
more ideas or thoughts that come to your mind. Respectfully give them
your full attention. When they are finished, to ensure that your message
has been clearly and correctly understood, ask open questions and
encourage discussion. Fine-tune your message if necessary.
4. Reach understanding, agreement or consensus. Once you have had the
opportunity to discuss your message and the feedback to it, re-visit the
purpose of the interchange. Have you reached common ground, solved a
problem, or clarified your position? If the purpose was to teach or
instruct, have you accomplished your goal? To communicate well is to
understand and be understood. Make sure that your message has been
received as intended and that any questions or concerns have been
alleviated. You can even agree to disagree. There are no guarantees that
your communication efforts will be meet with total compliance and
agreement. As long as you understand each other, are cordial and
respectful, you can still have a successful exchange.
Improving your communication skills
1. Listen, listen, and listen. People want to know that they are being heard.
Really listen to what the other person is saying, instead of formulating your
response. Ask for clarification to avoid misunderstandings. At that moment,
the person speaking to you should be the most important person in your life.
Another important point is to have one conversation at a time. This means
that if you are speaking to someone on the phone, do not respond to an
email, or send a text at the same time. The other person will know that she
doesn’t have your undivided attention.
2. Who you are talking to matters. It is okay to use acronyms and
informal language when you are communicating with a buddy, but if you are
emailing or texting your boss, “Hey,” “TTYL” or any informal language, has
no place in your message. You cannot assume that the other person knows
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what the acronym means. Some acronyms have different meanings to
different people, do you want to be misunderstood? Effective communicators
target their message based on who they are speaking to, so try to keep the
other person in mind, when you are trying to get your message across.
3. Body language matters. This is important for face-to-face meetings and
video conferencing. Make sure that you appear accessible, so have open
body language. This means that you should not cross your arms. And keep
eye contact so that the other person knows that you are paying attention.
4. Check your message before you hit send. Spell and grammar checkers
are lifesavers, but they are not fool proof. Double check what you have
written, to make sure that your words are communicating the intended
message.
5. Be brief, yet specific. For written and verbal communication, practice
being brief yet specific enough, that you provide enough information for the
other person to understand what you are trying to say. And if you are
responding to an email, make sure that you read the entire email before
crafting your response. With enough practice, you will learn not to ramble,
or give way too much information.
6. Write things down. Take notes while you are talking to another person
or when you are in a meeting, and do not rely on your memory. Send a
follow-up email to make sure that you understand what was being said
during the conversation.
7. Sometimes it’s better to pick up the phone. If you find that you have a
lot to say, instead of sending an email, call the person instead. Email is great,
but sometimes it is easier to communicate what you have to say verbally.
8. Think before you speak. Always pause before you speak, not saying the
first thing that comes to mind. Take a moment and pay close attention to
what you say and how you say it. This one habit will allow you to avoid
embarrassments.
9. Treat everyone equally. Do not talk down to anyone, treating everyone
with respect. Treat others as your equal.
10. Maintain a positive attitude and smile. Even when you are speaking
on the phone, smile because your positive attitude will shine through and the
other person will know it. When you smile often and exude a positive
attitude, people will respond positively to you.
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Art of Writing – Technical writing
The Effective Technical Writing includes:
Accuracy
Usefulness
Conciseness
Completeness
Clearness
Consistency
Correct Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar
A Targeted Audience
Clear Organization
Interest.
Writing A CV/resume
Contents of a typical resume:
Contact details
Career objective
Employment History
Educational Qualifications
Special achievements
References