Transcript No Slide Title

Professional Skills (GE105)
Introduction to communication
Dr. Sean Doherty
Department of Electronic Engineering
[email protected]
phone 708 6198
27-Sept-2001
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The communication process
• Elements of the communication process
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intention to communicate
message encoding
medium
decoding
• a model
• perception and perception errors
• principles of effective communication for the sender and receiver
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The communication process
• Good communication is important at every level of a business
organisation.
• Effective communication is difficult. e.g. personal and business.
• The consequences of poor communication in business can be
disastrous.
• Communication is the process by which information (facts, opinions,
attitudes, feelings) are conveyed from one person to another.
• All communication requires a sender and a receiver. Most
communication is two-way i.e. each person is both a sender and a
receiver.
• Interpersonal communication.
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Intention to communicate
• The sender decides to send a message.
• Casual conversation
• Unintentional communication
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Message encoding
• Message is encoded into a set of symbols.
> written
> spoken
> non-verbal communication (NVC)
• dress, body language, use of space/territory, tonality, eye
contact
• communication is dynamic
• a message has ‘content’ and ‘feeling’
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Medium
• The means used to transmit the message
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written (letter, memo, report, company magazine …)
oral (face to face, phone, interview, meeting, presentation …)
visual (NVC, diagrams, charts, photographs ...)
electronic (video, telephone, fax, email, internet…)
mass (TV, radio, press, internet …)
• each medium has pros and cons as determined by :–
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purpose of communication
complexity of the message
need for a record
feedback timescale
distance between sender and receiver
personal touch?
cost
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Decoding the message
• The process of understanding the message is called “decoding” and the
communication is successful only if it is correctly decoded ie. The
receiver understands the sender’s intended message.
• Messages can be misunderstood, often with severe consequences, for
several reasons :–
–
–
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careless or inattentive receiver
sender uses specialist language which the receiver does not understand
the message is ambiguous
the receiver’s emotion or feelings towards the sender
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Shannon and Weaver Model
Message
Information
Source
Transmitter
Received
Signal
Signal
+
Message
Receiver
Destination
+
Noise
Source
• Limitations
– no feedback
– no context
– linear sequential model
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Other parts of the communication process
• Feedback. Allows the sender to access the impact on the receiver.
• Context. Time and place.
• Noise (Shannon and Weaver)
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Perception
• We perceive the world through our senses.
• Internal stimuli - physiological and mental
• “The process by which people become aware of internal and external
messages and interpret these messages into meanings”
• Perception is selective
– we must filter some stimuli to avoid overload
• Perception is unique to each individual
– our perception is influenced by our experience, age, gender, culture, job
etc.
• Shared perceptual framework. Beliefs and attitudes
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Perception errors
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Sensory limitations (e.g. previous page)
Strong emotions
Prejudice
Expectations
Cultural differences
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Person Perception
• A key communication skill is to understand our perception of ourselves
and others. It is important to develop this.
• Perceptions of ourselves
– self image is built up from your life experience
– we tend to welcome information that reinforces our self image and retreat
from conflicting information
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Perception of others
appearance - size, shape, looks, accent, clothes. Stereotypes.
role - we expect people to behave according to there role
attributions. Treat with caution!
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Effective communication : Sender
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What are your objectives?
Put yourself in the receiver’s shoes.
Choose the best medium.
Organise your ideas and express them carefully. Choose your language
carefully.
• Consider the context.
• Be positive.
• Obtain feedback
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Effective communication : Receiver
• Give the sender your full attention.
• Try to interpret the message correctly. Ask for clarification if
necessary.
• Don’t be prejudiced.
• Take notes.
• Respond appropriately.
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