Organizational Communication

          The society where we live is an organized society. Here, people depend on each other for their existence. The lifeblood of organizations is communication. Without communication there can be no organization. It is proven by the researchers that the members in the organization called society spend 50 to 80 percent of their time engaged in communicating with each other. This holds testimony to the fact that communication is very important. Communication integrates knowledge, organization and power. It runs as a fine thread linking the earliest memory of man to his noblest aspiration through constant striving for a better life.

Communication in an organization 

           

          The organization is made up of people. People cannot interact with each other without communication. In the absence of communication, everything would grind to a halt.

            For example: when we consider an organization, effective communication should be the primary focus to run it effectively. If the subordinates are not communicated their duties by the supervisors or managers, they would not strive to achieve their objectives, to create a productive ambiance. If they are not aware of their objectives in the company, to maintain discipline, complete the assigned duties on time, they would not bother about communicating the arrangement and the rules to be followed in the work place. If the higher authorities do not follow the ‘be polite’ attitude with their low-cadre workers, they cannot expect the same behavior from them towards their clients. The list can go on… As communication is a two way process, it is interactive by its very nature. Hence, this concept of communication demands participation. it is through communication that members of a team work together influencing each other and reacting to each other, all for achieving the desired goals.

             Organizations cannot operate without communication. Communication can take various forms; but all forms involve the transfer of information from one party to the other. In order for the transfer of information to qualify as communication, the recipient must understand the meaning of the information transferred to him. if the recipient does not understand the meaning of the information conveyed to him, communication has not taken place. Depending upon the channels, ‘communication’ can be categorized as,

1.   Internal or organizational communication

2.   External communication

3.   Formal communication

4.   Informal communication

Type of organizational communication

1.  Internal communication:

           

          The communication that takes place between the members of an organization – within themselves, is internal communication. It takes place across the organization. In addition to the usual face-to-face, telephone, fax or mail; modern organizations may use technology to communicate internally. Internal communication system may be linked with the help of technology, such as the intranet – which is an internet system designed solely for use by those working for the organization.

2.  External communication:

                   

                 External communication is communication between the organization and those outside the organization. Modern organizations may design technological systems so that they can communicate with customers and undertake e-commerce. Alternatively, they communicate with other business through the internet or similar systems and undertake e-Business. The communication is carried out through letters, fax, direct mail, internet, video, telephone, advertising and websites.

3.  Formal communication:

             

                Formal communication is defined as communication, which occurs through the official channels. It is undertaken by an employee to do his job. Official meetings, letters, circular, memos and a manager asking an employee to carry out a particular task, are considered as formal communication.

4.  Informal communication:

            

                Informal communications is that which occurs outside the recognized communication networks such as talking in the canteens or hallways between employees. Informal communication can be productive or negative. Since the employees are in the relaxed atmosphere, the informal communication has the potential to build teams, improve working relationships and generate innovative ideas. Too much of informal communication in the work space may also prove negative. It may lead to negligence of work or disobedience.

Agenda of a Meeting

 

           The word ‘agenda’ is derived from Latin, meaning the actions to be taken. Note that it was a plural word. Originally the singular term was ‘agendum’. In modern days however, we accept ‘agenda’ to refer to the list as a whole and the plural is ‘agendas’. Every meeting should have an agenda. It is a document, which provides an advance outline of the business of the meeting, thereby allowing participants to prepare themselves. In other words, agenda refers to a list of points that needs to be discussed at a meeting.

            In business meetings of deliberative bodies, the agenda may also be known as the ‘orders of the day’. The agenda is usually distributed to the participants of a meeting prior to the meeting, so that they will be aware of the subjects to be discussed, and are able to prepare for the meeting accordingly.

             An secretary/minute taker to keep track of what is being discussed. It needs to include the most important items and be sent out in advance.agenda helps the chairperson to structure the meeting and the  This allows the participants to research agenda items before the meeting. An agenda can be a list of items to be discussed at the meeting or may include more information advising the members on action related to the topics.

Meeting

                      In any organization, meeting is an important vehicle for human communication. In a meeting, two or more people come together for the purpose of discussing a predetermined topic, often in a formalized setting. In addition to coming together physically (in real life, face to face), communication lines and equipment can also be set up to have a discussion between people at different locations, for example, a conference call, teleconference or an e-meeting. Meeting are so common and pervasive in organization or institution, however, that many take them for granted.it is usually forgotten that, unless properly planned and executed, meetings can be a terrible waste of precious resources.

Styles of Meetings

   1. FORMAL MEETINGS

                    These are the meetings that are governed by a set of rules or standing orders, which are agreed earlier. These rules determine how the meetings should be conducted. If you have to participate in a formal meeting, you should find out about the set of rules and procedures that you have to follow and act in accordance. These rules which are formulated may vary from one organization to another. To conduct a formal meeting, one requires a ‘chairperson’, ‘secretary’ and a standard period of notice. The notice of the meeting also contains the ‘agenda’ of the meeting determining the sequence of items to be discussed. The formal meeting may also require the attendance of a minimum number of members, so that any valid agreement can be reached. This group of members, who attend a meeting, is called as a ‘quorum’ and the meeting is termed as ‘quorate’.

  2. SEMI FORMAL MEETINGS

                   Not all meetings require a formal setting.

                   Nevertheless, even semiformal meeting benefits from well-chosen surroundings and a basic structure or protocol. Small semiformal meetings are ideal for problem solving, brainstorming, discussion of local issues, giving feedback and appraisal workshops. They include mealtime meeting, such as breakfast, lunch or dinner meetings. The semi-formal meetings are usually held due to time constraints of the participants, if no other time can be found for a meeting.

   3. INFORMAL MEETINGS

                   Informal meetings are the meetings which mark the immediacy of the problem. These types of meetings are useful for resolving issues or problems quickly and easily. Informal meetings can take a range of difficult forms and can serve a variety of purposes like,

          1. Impromptu meetings, such as in the corridor, by the water cooler or in the canteen. They can be held without any preparation to provide immediate resolution of minor problems.

          2. Virtual meetings are a type of informal meeting which can take place via video conferencing, E-mail discussion groups or chartrooms. A face to face meeting might not be always necessary or possible because of the restraints of time and distance. Thanks to the new media technology, a virtual meeting can go on either in real time for an agreed time period as a digital version of a face to face meeting. It can also go on over several days or weeks where people can join in at any time to ‘chat’ to each other about agreed topics. it also allows them to leave messages on a bulletin board and gather opinion from across a range of participants. However, the limitations of this type of meeting are that it depends on restrictions of access. There may be a protocol imposed by the host server, regulating access and agreement of meeting topics in the chat rooms and bulletin boards.

One to One Communication

    In your day-today dealings to, you have to interact with people on a one-to one basis. It is central to developing positive working relationship with the clients as well as your co-workers and superiors. There are two ways in which we communicate orally:

    

     1)  Face to Face communication

 

     2)  Telephonic conversation

1.  Face-to-face Communication

       

          This normally takes place when sales executive deals with his/her clients or when the employee converses with the employer. When you have a face-to-face conversation with someone, you’re near them and you can see them. You can listen to them and speak to them by actually looking at them (noticing their facial expressions and gestures) and at the surroundings. When you have a face-to-face conversation with somebody, you don’t need to spell out everything in words. Many of the things you want to communicate would be clear to them by the gestures or the context itself.

2.  Telephonic conversation

        

          This communication is possible while responding to the calls of the customers or when you initiate the calls either to converse with an in-house individual or an outsider. When you have a telephone conversation ,the strongest point of oral communication ,body language as well as expressions, are absent and you’ve got to depend mainly on the actual words you use in order to convey your meaning so, you cannot rely on the extra-linguistic expressions to add meaning to the words that you use. At the same time, you cannot be explicit during a telephonic conversation because you speak under the pressure of time and you can only express yourself by composing and speaking at the same time, just as you do when you have a face-to-face conversation. Therefore, this puts more emphasis not only on the words that we choose, but also, on how we modulate our voice or tone

Oral communication

Communication through Words  

          When an infant cries, the mother rushes to her side to see if the baby is hurt or has soiled herself. If she feels that the baby cried because of hunger, she feeds the baby. The cry of the baby communicates the need of the baby to her mother. Although crying is not speaking, the mother can understand the baby’s need. This shows that speaking alone is not communication. We already know that we can also communicate by means of writing. Communication through speech is called ‘oral communication’. Communication by means of written material is called ‘written communication’. Your letter to your friend is an example of written communication.

Communication through spoken words and written material is called ‘verbal communication’ because it uses language as a means for communication. In the strict sense, the term ‘verbal’ means ‘of or concerned with words’ and it is not a synonym for ‘oral’ or ‘spoken’ communication.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Oral communication

    When you seek permission from your father to visit a nearby museum, he might say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Thus, in oral communication, there is a possibility of immediate response. This ensures speedy interaction and makes immediate feedback possible. This is the greatest advantage of oral communication.

Another advantage is that the speaker can observe the listener’s reaction to what is being stated. For instance, if someone brings to you your exam results and tells you that you have passed in first class; your reaction to the message will show that you are happy. Similarly, if someone tells you that your friend met with an accident and got injured, you will be shocked and the person who gave you the message will notice it.

         The disadvantage of oral communication is that it does not always save time. People have to meet each other all the time to communication orally, which is impossible. It may result in spending a considerable amount of money, time and other important resources.

Effective communication

Language & communication

      

        Modern organizations are complex social systems. This complexity calls for proper communication within the system. No social system functions effectively without meaningful interaction among it is participants. Thus communication serves as a means to link organizational participants. This article deals with various aspects of good communication.

Definitions of communication

        The term 'communication' is freely used by behavioral theorists, management scholars and the general Public. While the communication discipline has been varyingly defined over the years, recently, several definitions have been recognized and adopted to understand the meaning of communication. Read the definition that are given below which will help you understand the concept of communication.

• Newman and summer define communication as "an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons."
  
• Bellows Gilson and Odirone define communication as "a communication by words, letters, symbols, or messages, and as a way that one organization member shares meaning with the other."
  
• According to Hoben, "Communication is the verbal interchange of thought or idea."
  
• Anderson says, "Communication is the process, by which we understand others and in turn endeavor to be understood by them. it is dynamic, constantly changing and shifting in response to the total situation."
  
• Communication is “a process involving the selection, production, and transmission of signs in such a way as to help a receiver perceive a meaning similar to that in the mind of the communicator.” – Fotheringham

Function & purpose of communication

               Chester/ Barnard studied the communication process in organizations. He observed that communication linked people together in an organization to achieve a common purpose. In other words, communication aims at making people work together for the common good of the organization. Communication links people who believe in a common cause, together with a view to strengthen relationships. For example, Gandhigi’s messages brought all freedom fighters together. His messages linked him with other freedom fighters.

Communication serves the following purposes in an organization:

Ø  Helps establish and disseminate the goals of an organization.

Ø  Facilitates the development of plans for the achievement of goals.

Ø  Helps managers utilize manpower and other resources in the most effective and efficient manner.

Ø  Helps managers select, develop, and apprise the members of their organization.

Ø  Helps managers lead, direct and motivate employees and thereby create a climate in which everyone is willing to contribute.

Ø  Facilitates control and evaluation of performance.

Types of communication

               Can you think of some ways to communicate with your friends?

Surely, you can. You can talk to your friend or write letters to him. When you talk or write, you are using words to communicate. This is one type of communication. But is there any other way in which we communicate with other people?

Let us look at some of the ways in which we normally communicate with others, to understand different types of communication, their advantages and limitations.