Understanding Communication Process in the Workplace - Essay Example

?Running head: communication process in the workplace 23rd January Section understanding communication process in the workplace AC 1.1 Effective communication in the workplace helps in building strong teams that are significant is attaining the objectives of an organization. Additionally, effective communication is vital in ensuring strong connection between the customer care department and internal as well as external customers. Based on the social needs of the employees, effective communication helps in motivating the workforce thus enhancing their productivity. In order to effectively deal with the managerial challenges that face their firms, managers emulates effective communication that is also essential in creation of a strong culture for example in aspects dealing with ethics (Laurie, 1989). AC 1.2 The communication cycle starts from the sender. This is the person who provides the first message that is coded in nature. For the sender to effectively send his or her message, he or she must select an appropriate medium or channel of communication. Through the medium, the message is directed to the receiver who then decodes the message in order to understand it. The receiver then sends a feedback to the sender, an indication that the receiver has understood the message. The communication cycle starts once more. AC 1.3 In their efforts to enhance communication in the work place, managers are faced with various barriers that affect their communication process. One of the major barriers to communication is omission of information by the sender. In case the sender omits a certain point during the communication it may affect all stages in the communication cycle making it difficult for the receiver to understand it. The second barrier is communication overload. This implies that by providing the recipient with piles of information to digest, he or she is not able to effectively understand the message (Baumeister and Vohs, 2004). Another key barrier is use of non-verbal signs including the gestures, posture and facial expressions that are not in line with what the sender is meaning. Thus the receiver does not understand the meaning of the message. Conflict and competition among senders of the messages may also affects their willingness to communicate effectively thus making it difficult for the receivers to understand the messages. AC 1.4 Thus, there is need to adopt various strategies to overcome the potential barriers to communication. For example, to overcome the barrier incurred due to use of contradicting signs, sender must use direct simple language that easily decoded by the receiver. Additionally, senders must emulate the culture of use of face-to-face communication that is known to be direct and easily understandable by the receivers (Laurie, 1989). Similarly, senders must reinforce their words with actions especially when communicating to large audience. Section 2: Understanding the methods of communication AC 2.1 One of the major methods of written communication is email. This entails use of internet sites such as Gmail and yahoo to send messages to the receivers. For effective communication through email, the sender and the receiver must have email addresses. Similarly, they should have an access to a computer with an internet connection. Emails are used to inform the applicants for example on the results of the interview. It can also be used by departmental managers to inform the employees on the date and venue of a meeting. Another example of a written communication is magazines. This entails writing a message on a booklet with the intention of informing the public or the consumers about the brands available in the market as well their prices and distribution centres. A good example of a method of oral communication is face to face. In a workplace, oral communication is used during the interviewing of new employees as well as during the training of the existing workers. AC 2.2 One of the main advantages of written methods of communication is that they provide a written record. This implies that the senders and the receivers can use them as references in future activities. Similarly, written communication is able to relay complex ideas. Thus the receiver can file them and keenly look at the message without being in a hurry. On the other hand, written communication has the disadvantage of taking a lot of time and high costs to produce. This is due to the paper work involved as well as other expenses such as electricity and internet data. Additionally, it is not possible to provide an instant feedback. This is based on the fact that the receiver must take his or her time to study the message before reacting on it. AC 2.3 Oral communication is advantageous in that it is possible to get instant feedback. Thus the sender is in a position to ensure that the sender has understood the message. Another advantage of oral communication is that it is easy to persuade the receiver (Knapp and Hall, 2007). This is based on the close connection between the sender and the receiver as well as lack of complex channel of communication. On the other hand, oral communication does not provide a written record. Thus, it cannot be used in future as evidence or for reference purposes. Similarly, it does not provide senders and receivers adequate time to think. This can result to giving unreliable information. AC 2.4 Through the use of non-verbal communication for example gestures and facial expressions it is easier for the senders using oral communication to make the receivers better understand the messages. Likewise, use of the gestures makes the communication process all involving since the emotions and the feelings of the senders and the receivers can be effectively transmitted. AC 2.5 Despite the speed at which a message is sent by the sender, the communication process cannot be effective if the receiver does not provide a prompt feedback. Being one of the major aspects of communication, feedback removes frustration within the process while at the same time it allows the sender to determine the efficacy of the message sent to the receiver. Once the sender sends a message to the receiver, it must be decoded in an effective way followed by a response from the receiver. Through such feedback, the sender is able to confirm that the decoder has done the right interpretation of the message. Feedback can be done in form of writing, verbally or in a non-verbal means such as sighs or smiles. Section 3: Assessment of effectiveness of own communication AC 3.1 In order to ensure proper communication process that entails a feedback from the receiver, it is fundamental that the sender is aware of the limitations that may affect his or her communication. In this way, the sender will have an opportunity that will ensure that the receiver is able to effectively and collectly decode the message. I am an individual with significant capability to communicate. However, I experience difficulties during the communication process. My assessment of effectiveness can be done by use 4 aspects of 7Cs of communication that includes clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete and courteous as indicated below. Being clear- During my written communication, I am not very clear an aspect that makes my audience to face difficulties in understanding my points. Being concise- My communication is not concise. As a result of grammar problems that I face, I sometimes use unnecessary sentences while writing a message. Being correct-My verbal communication is sometimes incorrect as the result of grammatical errors and wrong spellings. Being courteous- During communication either in meetings or through written means, I am honest and always ensure friendly communication as a way of motivating my audience. AC 3.2 In order to improve my communication, I need to take time and think about the approach that I will adopt. This means that I should take initiatives of ensuring that as far as I want to send a resourceful message, my audience should be able to decode my massage without any difficulty (Barnlund, 2008). On the problem of being unclear, I will ensure that before addressing the audience, my written message is counterchecked by my colleague. Additionally, I will undertake further training in the use of language to ensure that I am concise in my communication and I avoid grammatical errors. As a result, my verbal communication will be collect. References Barnlund, C. 2008. A transactional model of communication. New Jersey: Transaction. Baumeister, F and Vohs, D. 2004. Handbook of self-regulation: Research, theory, and applications. New York: Guilford Press. Knapp, L and Hall, A. 2007. Nonverbal Communication in Human Interaction. Wadsworth: Thomas Learning. Laurie, J. 1989. Management and Organizational Behaviour. London: Sage. Read More