Analysis of the Communication Front - Essay Example

Analysis of the Communication Front “Silence is the sweetest sound on Earth”, said Mr. Boris Pasternak, the famous Russian author. No ordinary mind can understand and interpret this profound observation. That Mother Earth is a great listener and the author knew what he was communicating! In the communication front, listening is the first post. It is the common but important function, the base for the future course of actions and reactions by an individual placed in any position. Perhaps there is no job, which is not subject to the listening process. Ask the Public Relations Officer in any Organization, or the Clerk physically manning the Enquiry Counter at an important Railway Station, regarding the arrival and departure of the trains. He will tell you, what the process of active listening is all about. The same situation (problem) can be ideal or not ideal from the listening point of view. Let us take the Railway Station example again. The enquiry pertaining to the arrival of a particular train was made in the morning. You already knew the arrival timing of the train, having verified it from the official railway time table, yet you wish to confirm it. You ask, “What is the arrival time of ABC train? Your voice was clear and the listener heard it properly in the morning hours, when there was no rush of passengers at the station, when the noise-pollution was less. You got the reply, “The train is running as per schedule.” Later, the train was delayed by hours and you again enquired. This time the noise level has increased, you were not audible, or the reply was not audible to you because of the noise distraction. You hear the word ‘ten’ and you critically thought whether the train was late by ten minutes or ten hours? Being somewhat confused, you made the second telephone call, and detailed questioning. With the answer provided, you were able to gather the correct information that the train would arrive after one hour at platform number 10.You were able to clear the barrier that you created for yourself by not listening properly. Listening and hearing are quite different processes. Hearing is the functional aspect of the body mechanism. The brain transforms the sound waves into impulses. To hear with attention is listening. But the important aspect of listening is yet to follow. To understand what you have listened. In this area, you have many things to do. A fine sense of anticipation as to what the sender is up to, the explicit and the implicit meaning of his communications, intentions, expectations etc! Your familiarity with the subject of the talk and the person who is communicating also play the crucial role. The context of the instructions that you receive is important as well. Let us take an example to understand the barriers of listening. You are the Chief Marketing Manager of the Organization and you are the permanent special invitee to the annual meeting of the Board of Directors. The balance sheet reveals that the Company has suffered heavy financial losses. Now what are the barriers to listening that you are likely to face in such a situation? Firstly it is the physiological barrier that you will be taken to task for your marketing strategy that brought the company to red. Secondly, the deep worry about the forthcoming meeting and adverse effect on your health. You are unable to concentrate. Thirdly, you are seated in an uncomfortable position; the air-conditioning duct is right on your head. The Managing Director and three other Directors have already spoken about your n poor role; you are the target of many indirect taunts. Perhaps you have anticipated such a situation. You need to defend yourself with your cool presentation, how the global competition affected your products, and how the policy of the Company, over which you have no direct control affected the sales, how the Company is about to turn the corner etc. Try to pick up a couple of good points from the overall performance of the Company, and how in the past, all the Directors stood united like one man and brought the company to the profit-tracks again! “On occasion, a person will attempt to get you to speak by trying to "hook" you to react. Swearing is a way of hooking some people. A good listener will continue to just listen and not react. This will often cause the person to stop trying to hook you if you keep it up long enough.” (www.community4me.com, Jerry Hampton, article: Group Dynamics and Community Building.) Our History Professor was an expert connoisseur of the art of connotation. To make us under stand small words to big historical issues! I always recall how he made me remember the name and spelling of ‘Stephenson’. He dissected the name into three parts. Step---hen---son! The step was right, the hen hatched, and he son was pleased to eat the omelets! I can never forget the spelling of this word for life! On another occasion he said, ‘Winston Churchill, the war-time Prime Minister said during the Second World War, “It is better to have the world united than the world divided, but it is better to have the word divided than the world destroyed.” The connotation in the statement of Churchill was meant to be understood. In reality, he did wish for the destruction or division of the world, yet he was implicit in his intentions. On another occasion he said, “ That which is evident reuires, no elabraion, explanation or appreciation. Light is bright and it is evident. Milk is white and it is evident. Likewise, simply say Abraham Lincoln—and everything is evident. Obviously, he was referring g to the greatness of Abraham Lincoln from the historical perspective. Connotation is the paradise of the modern artists and the poets. As for understanding the meaning of the modern paintings, the best way is to take a course in ‘ art appreciation.’ Then only one can understand the brushstrokes of the artist. The poet’s way to employ connotation is unique. Look at the following two-liner. “Your words are like fresh honey from the bee-hive, They keep million hopes alive!” What are those million hopes? Their enumeration or counting is impossibility. Yet, a lover will understand its connotation “Tears! Just a few drop of water!” my poet-frien d once sad. I immediately knew he had composed on a topic of deep melancholy! It was the figurative meaning from his emotional baggage. Read More