Communication - “the lubricant of organizations…”

The art of being able to structure and transmit a message in a way that another can easily understand and/or accept

Types Of Communication

1. EXTERNAL 2.INTERNAL

Two types of communication are essential - external and internal.
External communication reaches out to the customer to make he or she aware of your product or service and to give the customer a reason to buy. This type of communication includes your brochures, various forms of advertising, contact letters, telephone calls, Web sites and anything else that makes the public aware of what you do.
Image is extremely important in external communication! Your logo should represent who you are; your letterhead should be a selling tool; your telephone message should reflect your professionalism.

Internal communication is essential to attracting and retaining a talented staff. You must provide the direction for the company by consistently communicating that message; you must motivate your staff through various forms of communication, which can include awards, newsletters, meetings, telephone calls and formal and informal discussions.

Communication can also be classified as

1.VERBAL

• Oral
  Written
  E-mail

2.NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION

• Expression
  Expressive behaviors
  Body language

Non verbal communication :We are often unaware of our nonverbal behaviour. We often process other people's nonverbals without conscious attention. It may be difficult (an not always useful) to make this conscious.
In understanding other people's feelings, however, there are some overall patterns which can be used. Large-silhouette postures, advancing gestures, threatening facial expression, loud volume, sustained eye contact together may indicate aggression. Small-silhouette postures, retiring gestures, troubled or masked facial expression, low volume, and avoidance of eye contact together may indicate appeasement or withdrawal.

One of the most common typology relates to the size of the social group or the number of people involved in the experience of communication. Such a typology ranges from the intrapersonal and interpersonal and transpersonal, to the group and the mass.

1.INTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION 2. INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION 3.GROUP COMMUNICATION 4.MASS COMMUNICATION

Intrapersonal communication : You can probably guess that this means communicating within yourself. When you think, daydream, solve problems, and image, you are in the realm of intrapersonal communication. Some investigators also include in this area all physical feedback mechanisms, such as the sensations of hunger, pain, and pleasure.Intrapersonal communication is individual reflection contemplation and meditation. Transcendental meditation, for instance, is an example of such communication. Conversing with the divine, with spirits and ancestors, may be termed “transpersonal” communication. This is a vital experience in the religious and monastic life, in ashrams and places of prayer, and among aboriginal and tribal communities.

Interpersonal communication : This form of communication describes the interactions of two or more people. The most significant setting for interpersonal communication is direct face-to face communication between two persons. An interview, a conversation, and intimate communications come under this heading. It is more persuasive and influential than any other type of communication, for it involves the interplay of words and gestures, the warmth of human closeness and in fact all the five senses. Feedback is the key word here. Feedback is instantaneous.

Group communication : Group communication shares all these qualities, though in a much less measure. The larger the group the less personal and intimate is the possibility of exchange. In fact, as the group grows in size communication tends to become more and more of monologue, for participation becomes problematic. The degree of directness and intimacy, therefore, depends upon the size of the group, the place where it meets, as also the relationship of the members of the group to one another, and to the group leader. Group communication requires the following conditions: leadership, equal sharing of ideas, peer pressure, roles and norms, and focus on a common goal.

Mass Communication : When a message needs help to get from its source to its destination, mass communication begins to function. Usually some form of medium- one meaning of which is ‘between’- is needed to connect the sender to receivers. These media may be print (newspapers or magazines) electrical (radio, TV or video), or even electronic (computer modems). Mass communication powerfully affects our attitudes and beliefs, as well as our perspective on social life. Today mass communication is a major source of information, companionship,and entertainment.