MMLS ONLINE NOTES

Chapter 1

Workplace Communication Today

 Communication skills
 Understanding the communication process
 Improving listening skills
 Mastering nonverbal communication skills
 Professionalism at Work: Business etiquette and
ethics
 Understanding cultural communication
 Learning intercultural workplace skills
COMMUNICATION SKILLS

What is Communication?
Communication is the process of transmitting and receiving of information through verbal or
nonverbal behavior. At the center of any definition of communication must be the intention
of conveying a message, even if the message is abstract (eg. modern poetry).

Why do we communicate?
The purpose of any given communication may be:
 To initiate some action
 To impart information, ideas, attitudes, beliefs or feelings
 To establish, acknowledge or maintain links or relations with other people.

UNDERSTANDING THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

The communication cycle

Effective communication is a two-way process, perhaps best expressed as a cycle. Signals or
‘messages’ are ‘sent’ by the communicator and ‘received’ by the other party. He ‘sends’ back
some form of confirmation that the ‘message’ has been received and understood: this is called
‘feedback’.

The Stages of Communication Process

SENDER’S ACTIVITY RECEIVER’S ACTIVITY

 Impulse to communicate  Decoding the Message
 Encoding the Message
 Feedback
 Relay of Message

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Impulse to communicate
 Deciding to communicate and deciding what to communicate is the first stage of the
process.
 Messages should ideally be reviewed and put into some working order in the brain
before mouth, body or machinery are used to articulate and present the idea for
someone else’s benefit.

Encoding the message

 At this stage, the sender puts his message into words, gestures and expressions in the
form that both sender and receiver understand.
 We have to bear in mind however, that a symbol that we use and understand may be
ambiguous (have more than one possible meaning) or mean something different to a
person of different age, nationality, experience or beliefs. Just because we understand
what we mean, it does not necessarily mean that someone else will.

Relaying the message

 Once the idea has been encoded as a message, the sender needs to choose how to
‘transmit’, or get it across to the receiver. The particular route or path, via which the
message is sent, connecting the sender and receiver, is called the channel of
communication. (eg. a notice board, newspaper column, online bulletin board).
 The tool which is used to communicate is called the medium which often takes the
form of;
i. Visual communication – eg. gesture, chart, picture or screen display;
ii. Written communication – eg. a letter, memorandum, note, report or list; or
iii. Oral communication which includes both face-to-face and remote communication –
eg. by telephone or television.

Choice of medium
The choice of medium will depend on such factors as:
 the Time, depending on its urgency.
 the Complexity, which medium will enable it to be most easily understood.
 the Distance, the message is required to travel and in what condition it must arrive.
 the need for a written record, eg. for legal documents.
 the need for interaction, immediate exchange or instant feedback.
 the need for confidentiality or conversely, the spreading of information widely and
quickly.
 Sensitivity to the effect of the message on the recipient: the need for personal
involvement, persuasive power or impersonality.
 Cost, for the best possible result at the least possible expense.

Decoding the message

The first step in communication from the receiver’s point of view is the ‘decoding’ of the
message i.e understanding what it says. The receiver must
 grasp the meaning of the words or symbols used by the sender.
 interpret the message as a whole. What it says is not necessarily what it means.
Reading between the lines or inferring may be necessary to establish the underlying
meaning of the message.

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Giving feedback
 Feedback is the reaction of the receiver which indicates to the sender that the message
has (or has not) been successfully received, understood and interpreted.
 There are 2 types of feedback – negative & positive.

Positive feedback
i. Action taken as requested
ii. A letter/memo/note sent confirming receipt of message, or replying to
question/invitation etc.
iii. Smile, nod, thumbs up.

Negative feedback
i. No action, or wrong action taken
ii. No written response at all or written request for more information, repetition etc.
iii. Silence, gesture, blank look, shrug.

 Feedback is vital to success in communication because there are so many potential

barriers and breakdowns to guard against.

Types of Communication

Intrapersonal communication: Communication with oneself eg. if you want to remind

yourself to do something,

Interpersonal communication: Communication between two individuals, or between a

number of individuals on a personal level.
a. individual to individual
b. individual to group – address the group as a whole.
c. group to individual – transmit message on behalf of an organization/ group etc.
The medium of interpersonal communication may be written, oral, visual, non-verbal or may
mix of them, through channels such as face-to-face discussion, telephone or postal systems,
notice boards and so on.

Impersonal communication/Mass communication: ‘mass’ communication, in which the

message is directed to large, diffuse audience, with no direct contact between source and
receiver. Like interpersonal communication, it can be oral, visual or non-verbal, using
written, pictorial, or simulated interpersonal messages.eg. someone ‘talking to’ the audience
in a TV or radio advertisement.

Public communication: Takes place when the organization communicates with a number of
receivers. For example: staff newsletter, reports, meetings etc.

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Potential Problems in Communication

Two technical terms used to describe problems or breakdowns, which occur in

communication, are:
i. Distortion
ii. Noise

Distortion
 Distortion refers to the way in which the meaning of a communication is lost in
‘handling’ i.e during the encoding and decoding stages of communication.

Noise
 Noise refers to distractions and interference in the environment in which communication
takes place, obstructing the process of communication by affecting the accuracy, clarity
or even the arrival of the message.
a. Physical noise, eg. other people talking, passing traffic.
b. Technical noise, eg. bad handwriting, crackle on a telephone line.
c. Social noise, eg. interference created by differences in personality/culture or outlook
of the sender and recipient.
d. Psychological noise, eg. excessive emotion (anger, fear), prejudice or nervousness
can also interfere with effective transmission of a message.

The problem of noise can be reduced by redundancy: using more than one channel of
communication so that if a message fails to get through one channel, it may succeed by
another.

Personal differences
There are many factors in an individual’s personality, mentality, experience and environment
which can cause distortion or noise in the communication process. For example,
 Racial, ethnic or regional origins
 Religious beliefs and traditions
 Social class and socio-economic
 Education and training
 Age; Sex; Occupation
 Personality traits and types- a wide range of characteristics which shape attitudes and
behaviour: introvert/ extrovert, stable/neurotic, active/passive etc.
 Intelligence- in terms of mental ability and understanding, linguistic or numerical
ability.

Perception: is the process by which the data gathered by the senses is selected, sorted,
organized and interpreted by the brain in order to form meaningful and coherent messages or
information.

Selective perception
 The sub-conscious mind ‘decides’ which stimuli/information are (subjectively) relevant
and which are irrelevant and can be safely ignored.
 When we focus on selected stimuli, we say we give them our attention.

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 This is important for the communicator:
1. as listener and reader, because of the need to minimize potential distractions and to be
aware that some parts of a message may be ignored thus, distorting the overall
meaning.
2. as creator and sender, because the need to attract and hold the recipient’s attention to
the key points and meaning of the message.

IMPROVING LISTENING SKILLS

An important part of the communication process is listening. However, most of us are not
very good listeners. To improve listening skills, we must first recognize barriers that prevent
effective listening. Then we need to focus on specific techniques that are effective in
improving listening skills.

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MASTERING NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS

What is non-verbal communication?

 Non-verbal communication is basically anything that conveys a message without using
words or symbols. It may be linked to words (eg. a tone of voice), or it may be
independent of any verbal message.

 Movement is highly communicative. Think what you can convey through, for example,
frowning or smiling, nodding, scratching your head, putting your head in your hands or
slamming a door.

 There are two broad categories of non-verbal communications: First, Non-verbal

communication linked to verbal communication, which adds meaning over and above
what the speaker is saying in the words themselves ‘between the lines’ of a message.

 Words Other factors Meaning ____

Really, I’m fine. Quivering lips, pale face, I’m upset, or ill, and either
curled up in chair, arms trying to be brave or not
folded around body. wanting your help.

Correct me if Sarcastic smile, patronising You and I both know I’m

I’m wrong. tone. right.

 Second, Non-verbal communication independent of any verbal message, so that meaning

is conveyed by non-verbal cues. If you forget a friend’s birthday, for example, this in
itself may be enough to communicate that you don’t care about them any more, or that
you are angry with them for some reason.

Types of Non-verbal Communication

Because so much of human interaction is non-verbal, this system includes many kinds of
communication. There are 9 forms of non-verbal behaviour and each is used to establish
personal identity, relational messages and express personal identity and cultural values.

i. Kinesics refers to body position and body motions including facial expressions. Our
bodies communicate a great deal about how we see ourselves. For instance, someone who
walks briskly conveys determination; someone who moves without purpose (or ‘can
never sit still’) signals nervousness, impatience or distractions. Our faces also
communicate messages; we can indicate happiness (smiles), doubt (raised eyebrows) or
anger (stares). How we position ourselves relative to others also expresses our feelings
toward them - friends often sit together while competitors typically maintain distance.

ii. Haptics refers to physical touch. Touching or contact communicates closeness as well as
power and status. People with high status touch others and invade others’ spaces more
than those with low status. Between the two genders, women tend to engage in touch
while men more typically rely on touch to assert power and control.

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 iii. Physical Appearance is often given a high value. People form initial evaluations based
on individual’s appearance. We first notice physical qualities such as gender, skin colour
and features. Then we form judgements of how attractive others are and make inferences
about their personalities. For example, plump, rounded bodies are often associated with
laziness and weakness while thin, angular physiques are thought to reflect youthful,
stubborn personalities. Though these associations have no factual basis, they can affect
decisions about hiring, placement and promotion.

iv. Artifacts are personal objects we use to announce our identities and personalize our
environments. We craft our image by how we dress and what objects we carry and use.
For instance, doctors wear white and drape stethoscopes around their necks while the
military requires uniforms with stripes and medals to signify rank and accomplishments.
Artifacts communicate important relational meaning – we use them to perform our
identities and express how we perceive and feel about others.

v. Proxemics refers to space and how we use it. Space reflects intimacy – e.g. when we are
angry with someone, we tend to move away from him and resent it if he approaches us.
Space also announces status with greater space being assumed by those with higher
status. How people arrange space reflects how close they are and whether they want
interaction. E.g. Those who enjoy interaction arrange furniture to invite conversation and
eye contact. For less interaction, chairs may be far apart and face the television instead of
each other.

vi. Environmental factors are elements of settings that affect how we feel and act. We
respond to architecture, colours, temperature, sounds, smells and lighting. e.g. dimly-lit
room can enhance romantic feelings while dark rooms can be depressing. Rooms with
comfortable chairs invite relaxation while stiff chairs prompt formality. Thus,
environmental factors influence not only patterns of interaction but also feelings and
moods.

vii. Chronemics refers to how we perceive and use time to define identities and interaction.
E.g. cultural rule stipulates important people with high status can keep others waiting. It’s
standard practice to wait to see a doctor even if you have an appointment. Chronemics
also express cultural attitudes toward time. In western societies, for example, time is
valuable so, speed is highly valued but Malaysian have more relaxed attitudes toward
time and punctuality.

viii. Paralanguage refers to vocal sounds such as murmurs and gasps and vocal qualities such
as volume, rhythm, pitch and intonation. These vocal cues act as signals for others to
interpret what we say as a joke, threat, statement, question etc. Voices can also be used to
communicate feelings eg whispering indicates secrecy and intimacy while shouting
conveys anger.

ix. Silence can communicate powerful messages. It can communicate different meanings.
Eg. It can signal awkwardness or disconfirm others – we deliberately ignore others when
we’re angry with them.

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PROFESSIONALISM AT WORK: BUSINESS ETHICS
UNDERSTANDING CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

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LEARNING INTERCULTURAL WORKPLACE SKILLS

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References:

Bovee, C. & Thill, J. (2010) Business Communication Essentials (4th ed.). New Jersey, U.S:
Pearson

Crossman, J., Bordia, S. & Mills, C. (2011). Business Communication for the Global Age.
Sydney: McGrawHill

Guffey, M.E. & Loewy, D. (2010) Essentials of Business Communication (9th Ed). South-
Western Cengage Learning.

Guffey, M.E., Rhodes, K. & Rogin, P. (2005) Business Communication: Process & Product
(4th Ed). Thomson Nelson.

Krizan, A.C., Merrier, P., Logan, J. & Williams, K. (2008) Business Communication (7th Ed).
Thomson South-Western

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