What+is+communication?

What is communication? researched by Jc

Methods of Communication In an organisation there are various methods of communication. The following is a list of some methods of communication: · person to person - face to face, reading a letter, making a phone call · in a small group - planning, problem solving, decision making, written reports, memos, noticeboards · in a meeting - presenting, bargaining, negotiating agreements · using mass media - speaking in public, on radio or television, writing for print media such as newspapers and journals, books, advertising · others - training, teaching, entertaining. Communication breakdown occurs when the sender's message does not get through to the receiver or the receiver misunderstands the sender's message. The following are examples of communication breakdown. 1. Inattention : The receiver is not concentrating or is not interested in the sender's message. 2. Physical barriers : The message is not received due to noise, poor eyesight / hearing etc 3. Poor expression : <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; margin: 3pt 0cm 5pt 36pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;">The sender has expressed himself / herself poorly therefore the message has not been interpreted as intended. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; margin: 3pt 0cm 5pt 36pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;">4. Premature evaluation <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; margin: 3pt 0cm 5pt 36pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;">The receiver only hears part of the message, then jumps to a conclusion about the remainder of the message rather than listening to it. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">5. Emotions : <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; margin: 3pt 0cm 5pt 36pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;">When the message is expressed with strong emotions, whether it be angry, fearful etc, the meaning of the message may be misinterpreted <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">6. Gatekeeper : <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; margin: 3pt 0cm 5pt 36pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;">The sender/receiver’s message is communicated through a third party which may result in breakdown or misinterpretation of the message. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">7. Communication chain : <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; margin: 3pt 0cm 5pt 36pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;">The message is sent via a number of parties and relies on the message being unchanged by these parties, eg A sends message to B, which sends it to C, which sends it to D. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">8. Denial : <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; margin: 3pt 0cm 5pt 36pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;">The receiver does not want to hear the message, therefore there could be a barrier to the sender's message. The receiver may be fearful of change, they may not want to do a task etc. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">9. Lack of questioning : <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; margin: 3pt 0cm 5pt 36pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;">The receiver does not understand the message and does not ask the sender for clarification etc. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">There are numerous ideas, thoughts and feelings that are communicated without words. Only one third of a message is sent in a person-to-person exchange in words alone. People have the ability to read non-verbal cues. These cues are learnt from the environment and through culture and can therefore be misinterpreted. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The following are examples of non-verbal communication; · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">yawn · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">tears · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">frown · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">crossing arms · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">averting eyes <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Non-verbal communication is divided into six types. They are: · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">body language · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">physical characteristics and appearance · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">voice · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">space · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">environment · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">time **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Reading ** <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">In most workplaces there is a lot of reading required of personnel. The reading material may include minutes of meetings, Occupational, Health and Safety procedures and practices, work procedures, reports etc. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Due to the amount of reading required for many workers, reading skills need to be developed so that time spent reading is efficient and effective. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">When reading a workplace document, questions to ask before hand are: · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Why am I reading this? · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">What is the purpose of the document? · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">What do I expect to be able to know / do as a result? <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">It may be helpful to think in terms of the outcomes of the reading. The outcomes may be: · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">memorising the information · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">getting a broad overview · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">getting evidence · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">finding out what has happened · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">answering a question /topic · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">revising · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">getting a range of opinions · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">getting concrete facts **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Reading: ** <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Silen **Overcoming communication barriers** <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Personnel in a workplace communicate with peers, managers, supervisors, members of the public, suppliers and others. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Barriers to communication can cause problems and misunderstanding with effective communication. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Some barriers to communication are: · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">jargon · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">disabilities · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">age · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">status · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">lack of empathy · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">stereotyping · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">unclear or incomplete messages · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">distance · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">lack of time · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">poor spelling - inaccurate sentence structure. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Steps to overcome communication barriers should be put in place. **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Reading ** <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">ce can be a type of non-verbal communication. <span style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; display: block; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"> <span style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;">[] [|**COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS**]
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13.5pt;">Verbal communication breakdown **

Problems talking with and/or understanding people involved in the conflict (on your side and on other sides). []

//**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">For more information about any of these topics, click on the title. **//  **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Misinterpretation of Communication] ** Even in ordinary circumstances, people often say things that are not interpreted in the way the statement was intended. When people are angry with each other, the likelihood of misinterpreting communication is greatly increased--to the point where it is almost inevitable. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Failure to Understand an Opponent's Perspective] ** People often view conflicts from very different perspectives depending upon such things as cultural background, economic position, and religious beliefs. In order for the parties to communicate effectively, they need to understand (though not necessarily agree with) the perspectives of other parties to a conflict. //TOUR//**<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> [|Cultural Barriers to Effective Communication] ** Culture affects both the substance and style of communication. Culture influences how people express themselves, to whom they talk, and how. For example, while some people may feel comfortable talking openly about their feelings with anyone, others will only talk openly and honestly with very close friends, while others may not talk that way at all. Such differences can cause people from different cultures to misinterpret both what is said and what is left unsaid, leading to misunderstandings. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Language Differences] ** When conflicts involve people who speak different languages (or even different dialects), it is very easy for misunderstandings to arise. Even when skilled translators are used, it is difficult for translators to transmit complex feelings and emotions as clearly as they are originally spoken. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Misinterpreted Motives] ** Motives can be misinterpreted as easily as statements can be misunderstood. When parties are in conflict, there is a tendency to assume the opponent's motives are malign, even when they are not. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Inaccurate and Overly Hostile Stereotypes] ** Often, communication difficulties arise because people think they know all they need to know about their opponents and that further communication is unnecessary. Yet images of opponents tend to be overly hostile and exaggerated. Opponents are seen to be more extreme and outrageous than they really are. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Lack of Communication Channels/Avoided Communication] ** Often disputants do not have reliable methods for communicating with opposing parties. This may be because they do not want to communicate, or it may be because they are afraid to contact their opponents or have no way to do so. Sometimes the parties will break-off communication as a form of protest after a particularly disagreeable incident. However, the lack of communication can significantly increase the risk of future incidents. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Poor Listening Skills] ** Successful communication requires that the parties listen actively and carefully--asking questions and confirming interpretations to make sure they understand what the other person is meaning. People seldom work this hard at listening, however. Often in conflictual situations, they hardly listen at all Rather, while their opponent is talking, they are busy planning their own response. This frequently leads to misunderstandings. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Secrecy and Deception] ** Sometimes information which is critical to the accurate understanding of a situation is not available to all parties. This frequently occurs in business conflicts, when companies try to keep details about products and processes secret. It also occurs in international conflicts when governments keep secrets for "security" reasons. This can happen in interpersonal conflicts as well when people simply choose to keep particular facts to themselves. Poor communication also can arise when a party attempts to strengthen its position by deliberately providing opponents and other parties with misleading or inaccurate information. [|**Inflammatory Statements**] Sometimes communication can make matters worse rather than better. When communication is threatening, hostile, or inflammatory it can do more to escalate a conflict than it can to defuse it. [|**Inflammatory Media**] Negative and inflammatory publicity is a problem in conflicts--before, during, and after negotiations. Before negotiations, the media can intensify a controversy, making it harder to get people to work together, or even talk. In the early stages of negotiation, parties often advance tentative ideas which could easily backfire if publicized. The resulting outcry and complaints could easily undermine an otherwise promising negotiation effort. Even after negotiated solutions have been developed, negative publicity can rekindle conflicts, making implementation of agreements more difficult. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Inadequate Information Gathering/Time Constraints] ** Gathering the information needed to sensibly deal with conflict situations is time-consuming and expensive. In some cases, misunderstandings will arise because of the failure of the parties to invest the time and resources required to obtain important information. Sometimes adequate time is simply not available. When direct communication is cut off, it is easy to rely on unreliable third party sources--rumor and media stories especially. These are notoriously error-prone, and can lead to serious misunderstandings. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Crisis Communication] ** In crisis situations, normal communication channels are likely to be much less effective. They often operate too slowly to keep up with the rapid pace of events, or they may have been cut off entirely. They may also be unable to resist the increased hostility and distrust which crises are likely to create. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|New, Poorly Informed Participants] ** In protracted conflicts, the people involved continually change. Often those playing leadership roles give up their positions and other individuals take their place. These new leaders frequently have a very limited understanding of the conflict's history and the current situation. This lack of information can cause these people to take actions which they would not have taken, had they been better informed. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Constituent Communication Problems] ** When dialogue or negotiation occurs among a small group of people, they may develop communication skills and a level of interpersonal understanding that is not shared by others outside the immediate circle. If these small group processes are intended to have a wider effect, it is necessary to transfer the learning that takes place in the small group to the larger constituencies which the group represents. Often, however, communication between the small group members and their constituents is not adequate to expand the learning beyond the immediate circle of participants.

[|**FACT-FINDING PROBLEMS**]

Problems obtaining information about facts and uncertainties. //**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">For more information about any of these topics, click on the title. **//

**<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Conflicts of Interest / Lack of Credibility] ** The believability of fact-finding efforts is sharply reduced when the experts doing the fact-finding work are likely to benefit personally by providing misleading information. In this case, opponents and the general public are likely to doubt the truthfulness or accuracy of the expert's conclusions--even if the expert is acting reasonably. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Contradictory Experts] ** Conflicts often involve different experts making contradictory statements about important facts. Because the general public lacks technical expertise, it has no way to determine who to believe. As a result, people tend to reject expert analysis and believe what they want to believe. When this happens, the potential benefits of objective fact finding are likely to be lost. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Understanding the Meaning of Facts] ** Fact-finding efforts often involve complex issues which are difficult for the general public to sensibly interpret. Bad decisions can result when the parties and key decision makers fail to understand what the facts really mean. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Inability to Deal with Uncertainty] ** Fact-finding efforts are also limited by the skills of the experts. In many cases, the best available technical analyses are unable to eliminate key uncertainties, and decisions must be made in the absence of firm information. Decision makers are often reluctant to act until they have more information, leading to a variety of problems such as "analysis paralysis" and delay-default. (see below) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Analysis Paralysis/Delay-Default] ** Often the parties attempt to avoid uncertainty by conducting study after study, in an effort to resolve an issue once and for all. Where irreducible uncertainties are involved, this search for certainty leads to endless delays. This is decision making by default-- deciding to continue the status quo -- which may not be the best choice, even given the uncertainties. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Complexity Muddle] ** Technical disputes can become so complex that the parties have trouble implementing a process capable of addressing the essential issues. The result can be a confusing muddle in which the issues are never effectively addressed.

[|**PROCEDURAL PROBLEMS**]

Problems with the formal (and informal) processes which the parties use to interact with one another. //**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">For more information about any of these topics, click on the title. **//

**<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Excluded Parties] ** Trust in the fairness of a dispute-resolution or decision-making process can quickly be lost if interested parties believe that their concerns are being ignored, or they are being excluded from the process. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Strategic Delays] ** Often democratic decision making processes designed to resolve short-term disputes can be deliberately delayed by parties wishing to avoid a potentially unfavorable decision. The resulting delays can allow people who oppose change to win without ever having to demonstrate the superiority of their position. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Rushed Decisions] ** Democratic decision making processes can be rushed by parties wishing to avoid addressing the hard issues. When the process is rushed, decisions are often made before facts are adequately considered or before all the parties have had an opportunity to present their case. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Lack of Clear Goals] ** Problems often develop when parties (either disputants or intermediaries) do not have clear goals. This tends to make their actions less effective than they might otherwise be and can lead to misunderstandings on the part of their opponents as well. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Meaningless Public Involvement] ** If the parties conclude that available opportunities for participation in dispute resolution processes are meaningless, then they are likely to withdraw their support for the overall process and pursue more confrontational strategies. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Complexity Muddle] ** Many conflicts involve so many overlapping issues that it is difficult to develop a process which addresses all of the important issues and allows the parties to participate effectively. The result is often a process which is so confused that it cannot make sensible decisions. This confusion can also result in seemingly endless delays in the dispute resolution process. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Vested Interests] ** Decision-making and dispute-resolution processes often favor small groups of individuals with an intense interest in the conflict over the much larger population of people with a more limited interest. They can result in decisions which favor individual and small group interests over the collective interests of the larger society. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Dictatorial Process] ** Especially troublesome are dictatorial processes in which an individual or small group is able to routinely make decisions which favor their interests over the larger interests of society. Often, this situation is perpetuated by the dictator's willingness to use violent force against opponents. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|Timing Problems] ** If timed poorly, good processes will not work. This is especially true for negotiation, mediation, and other consensus based processes which must be undertaken when the parties are all ready to participate.