Effective Communication 9789350432006, 9789350245217

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EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

URMILA RAI Former Principal, Narsee Monjee College, Vile Parle, Mumbai and Former Director Pillais' Institute of Management Studies New Panvel, Mumbai

S.M. RAI Former Principal Hinduja College of Commerce and Economics Mumbai

~ GJIimalaya GJlublishingGHouse MUMBAI' NEW DELHI' NAGPllR • BANGALORE 'IIYDERABAD • CHENNAI • PlNE. LUCKNOW' AmfEDABAD • ERNAKULAM

©

AUTHORS No part of this publication should be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording and/or otherwise without the prior written permission ofthe publisher.

ISBN Revised Edition

Published by

: 978-93-5024-521-7 2009

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CONTENTS 1.

Concept of Communication

2.

Objectives of Communication

3.

Non-verbal Communication

18 - 29

4.

Inward and Outward Mail

30 - 33

5.

Media and Modes of Communication

34 - 48

6.

Channels of Communication

49 - 56

7.

Barriers to Communication

57 - 67

8.

Listening and Improving Communication

68 - 76

9.

Speeches and Presentations

77 - 88

1-6 7 - 17

10.

Interviews

11.

Group Discussion

101 - 112

12.

Basics of Letter Writing

113 - 123

13.

Attributes of Effective Communication

124 - 133

14.

Layout of a Business Letter

131 - 149

]5.

Social and Goodwill Letters

lilO - 160

16.

Job Applications

1(il-178

17.

Personnel Letters

179 - 191

18.

Enquiries and Replies

192 - 205

19.

Orders and Replies

206 - 220

20.

Complaints and Claims

221- 227

21.

Adjustment Letters

228 - 237

22.

Sales Letters

238 - 252

23.

Credit Letters and Status Enquiries

253 - 264

24.

Collection Letters

265 - 273

25.

Bank Letters

274 - 288

26.

Insurance Letters

289 - 306

27.

Basics of Report Writing

307 - 321

28.

Writing Reports

322 - 329

29.

Case Studies

330 - 346

89 - 100

"This page is Intentionally Left Blank"

Chapter 1 CONCEPT OF COMMUNICATION The word communication is used in common talk, usually to mean speaking or writing or sending a message to another person. Communication is really much more than that. It involves ensuring that messages reach the persons to whom they are· sent, that the receivers understand and respond as we want them to; and that we ourselves are able to understand, interpret, and respond to messages that are sent to us. Communication is an important aspect of behaviour; human communication is complicated by all factors that influence human behaviour. In the last four or five decades, the study of human communication has been refined and strengthened by contribution from a variety of disciplines. Definitions, descriptions of the process, and analyses of the elements of communication have been developed by many scholars. Communication is central to everything that we do. We do things in organizations: our family, schooVcollege, office, hobby group, community group, our city/town are the organizations in which we live and act. Our activities succeed or fail, and our goals are achieved or not achieved, according to our ability to communicate effectively with other members. Every organization, whatever its business or its size, is.held together by communication. Without communication an organization cannot function at all. The primary element in the skills of management is competence in communication. It is the t001 with which we exercise influence on others, bring about changes in the attitudes and views of our associates, motivate them and establish and maintain relations with them. Obviously, we need to develop and improve our skills of communication in order to accomplish our goals.

Attributes of Communication Communication has four attributes or qualities; understanding these attributes helps us to improve our competence and skills in communication. Communication is unintentional as well as intentional. We do not always convey exactly what we want to; the targeted receiver may receive less or more than what we intended to convey. A casual observer (unintentional receiver) may receive information or ideas which we did not intend for him! her. Every aspect of our behaviour conveys something about us; and what we speak or write is accompanied by other related behaviour. We cannot "not

EFFECTIVE COl\ll\lUNICA TION

2

communicate"; even our non-communication in words communicates something; for example, that we wish to be left alone. Communication takes place even when it is not planned or conscious; we may communicate what we had not intended to communicate. Secondly, communication is a dynamic process. It grows and develops; even if the same two persons exchange the same ideas again, the communication is not exactly the same as it was the first time, because the two persons have grown and developed and changed since then. Every time we consciously engage in an act of communication, we bring to it all our previous experience, feelings, thoughts, attitudes which have been formed by other communication events. Unexpected responses and reactions, misinterpretations and misunderstandings occur because each one brings a different background to each communication event. . Thirdly, communication is systemic. Every component of the process is affected by every other component. If the audience is inattentive or uninterested, the source is not able to speak! convey effectively. The context! environment, the goal, the medium, the nature of the message, the feedback all affect one another. If a wrong medium is chosen, a particular message may fail to have the intended result; if the goal is not clear, the message will be confused. Disturbance at any stage in the communication process affects the entire process. Fourthly, communication is both interaction and transaction. The two participants, the source and the receiver, exchange ideas and information and influence each otJ;1er in the process. They also come to a shared and common meaning as a result of the communication. They share as well as exchange thoughts and meanings. PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION

In order to analyse the activity of communication, we must know the process and the elements involved in the process. Communication has been defined by many theorists; some of these definitions are quoted here.

* *

*

Communication is a process of passing information and understanding from one person to another.

- Keith Davis Communication is any behaviour that results in an exchange of meanin·g. -The American Management Association Communication may be broadly defined as the process of meaningful interaction among human beings. More specifically, it is the process by which meanings are perceived and understandings are reached among human beings. - D.E McFarland

CONCEl'T OF COMl\llJNrCA TION

*

3

Communication is the process by which information is passed between individuals and/or organiiations by means of previously agreed symbols.

-

Peter Little

These definitions show that communication involves exchange of thoughts between two parties. In order to transfer an idea, we must use symbols (words, signs, pictures, sounds) which stand for the idea. The symbols must be understood by the person or persons with whom we intend to communicate. Both must assign the same meaning to the symbols used; otherwise, there is mis-communication. Unless there is a common understanding of the symbols, it is not possible to communicate. Conscious or intended communication has a purpose. We communicate because we want to make someone do something or take some action, or think or feel in a certain way. The source (or sender or transmitter: Tx for short) initiates the process of communication. The source has to be clear about the purpose (or objective or goal) of the communication, and also about the intended audience (or receiver, Rx for short). The source has to put the message (or content) to be conveyed into words or other symbols which can be understood by the intended receiver; the process of putting the idea into symbols is called encoding; it requires the selection of suitable symbols which can represent the idea, be understood by the audience and be capable of transmission by the selected or available medium. The choice of the medium is a function of the source/transmitter. The choice depends on several factors like urgency of the message, availability and effectiveness of a medium, and the relationship between the two communicants. The sender's functions are clarifying the objective, encoding the message, choosing the medium and sending (transmitting) the message. They make up half the process of communication. The receiver attends to the message and decodes the words or symbols into ideas; the process of decoding is the reverse of the process of encoding. The meaning that a receiver gives to the words is influenced by hislher knowledge, intelligence, past experience and relation with the sender. If the two have a common field of experience, the receiver's understanding of the message will be closer to what the sender intended. The receiver's functions are attending to the message, interpreting and evaluating the message, storing, recalling, and responding. Communication takes place in an environment (or context). It includes such elements as the situation, the place, the time, the circumstances of each communicant, and the relationship between them. The context influences the sender's encoding and the receiver's decoding. Each one's interpretation is influenced by it. This is a description of a simplified, one-way process of communication. The following figure shows the steps in the process:

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

4

Tx

Rx

(TRANSMITIER)

(RECEIVER)

one-way communication process

This one-way routine is only a part of the communication process. For the communication to be complete, the sender must know whether the receiver has got the message, understood it in the way it was intended, and has received it well. The sender can find out this only on getting a chance to see the reaction and response of the receiver. The response may be in words (spoken or written), signs or behaviour, both conscious and unconscious. The response or return message is called feedback. When the feedback is got by the sender, the cycle of communication is complete. This may be represented roughly by the following diagram. FEEDBACK

MESSAGE

two-way cycle of communication

Communication is a much more compiex process than this. Each person's

interpretation of the received message plays an important part in the process. Each one's interpretation is influenced by past experience and attitudes _ formed by previous communication events. Besides, communication is affected by all its components. Misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and other failures of communication occur from a variety of causes which are explained in a subsequent chapter.

Feedback Feedback is knowledge- of the receiver's response to our communication. It can be used to modify the communication method to make it more effective. When we receive and understand a message we react and respond to it. We may reply, or behave in a particular way, or take some action as a result of the message. The sender needs to know whether the receiver has responded in the desired way or not; he/she can find this out only by perceiving the reaction/response of the receiver. Feedback is useful for both, the receiver and the sender. Sometimes we blame the other person for not doing a task according to our instructions; this

CONCEPT OF COMMUNICATION

5

is frustrating for both. It is better to check at once if our instruction was clear in the first place. Was it according to the understanding of the receiver? We can find this out only by getting the feedback at once. This also gives the receiver a chance to ensure understanding of the message. In face-to-face communication, there is immediate and continuous feedback; the facial expressions of the listener can tell the speaker whether the message is understood, accepted, liked or resented; the message can be modified according to the needs and understanding of the listener. The speaker can ask questions to find out if the message has been understood or not. The listener can ask questions to get clarifications. Feedback from the listener can influence the speaker in face-to-face communication. A positive non-verbal response like nodding the head, clapping or smiling at appropriate times can encourage the speaker; a negative response like looking confused or bored can discourage the speaker or make herlhim modify the speech to make it more suitable for the listener's needs and expectations. To a large extent, the listener can control the speaker through feedback on the spot. In written communication, feedback is slow; the writer cannot see the reader's facial expressions or immediate reaction on reading the message. There is no opportunity for finding out if the message has been understood, or for immediate clarification or modification. The feedback comes partly when the reply comes and partly when the receiver's action is seen by the sender; this may be very much delayed. In mass communication, that is, radio, Tv, film, newspaper and internet (visit to website) communication, feedback is so little and so delayed as to be almost negligible. Yet, feedback is important, and special efforts are made in the form of surveys to collect feedback from the mass audience. It is used for modifYing future programs and communication. Feedback is not only for checking the understanding of the message. It is also important to know how the message has been received. The emotional reaction of the receiver forms an important part of the success of communication. Getting feedback abollt the reader's emotional response and reaction is more difficult than finding out about the receiver's understanding. Feedback is a difficult part of the -communication process. Both the sender and the receiver need feedback skills. The following incident illustrates the need for feedback skills. On a Saturday afternoon, Mr. Gupta, the manager, told his subordinate, Mr. Doshi: "The report you submitted yesterday contains some mistakes. I want to talk to you about it. Please meet me on Monday at 3 o'clock." Mr. Doshi was sensitive, intelligent, and due for promotion. At 3 p.m. on Monday, Mr. Doshi entered the manager's office, a nervous wreck, with no records, in no position to discuss the report or correct the mistakes, though they were only minor errors. The manager had to spend valuable time reassuring Mr. Doshi, and had to set another time to discuss the report.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

6

Was the manager's feedback to Mr. Doshi about the report successful? How could the situation have been avoided if both had better feedback skill?

Feedback is the last step in a single cycle of communication. Communication usually has many cycles. As mentioned earlier, communication is really a dynamic process and does not end with one cycle. This description of the process is only for the purpose of understanding its elements and how it works. To review the process, the factors of communication may be listed as follows: (1)

Source/sender/transmitter of the message (Tx)

(2) Purpose/Goal/Objective (3) Message encoded in symbols which are within the receiver's knowledge

and experience (4)

Medium through which the encoded message is transmitted

(5)

Receiver who decodes and interprets the symbols

Environment/context in which the communication takes place (7) Feedback (6)

EXERCISES

1. Name the factors of communication.

2. Explain the terms encoding, decoding, channel, medium, Sender (Tx), Receiver (Rx), context, feedback as they are used in describing the process of communicati.on. 3. The four attributes of communication are: (i) (ii) (iii)

(iv) 4. Functions of the source are: - - - - 5. Functions of the receiver are: - - - - 6. Give three examples of unintentional communication. 7. Attempt a definition of communication. 8. Explain the process of communication. What is meant by "Communication is a two-way process"? 9. Discuss the importance of feedback in communication. 10. Explain the process of communication with the help of a diagram.

000

Chapter 2 OBJECTIVES' OF COMMUNICATION An objective is something that we want to attain or accomplish by our efforts; it is the purpose with which we undertake an activity. When we speak or write to our friends, we may not have a specific purpose, except to keep in touch, tu be friendly; when we chat with a group of friends, we simply want to socialize, be friendly, or express ourselves. But in an official or business situation, when we speak, listen or write to customers, or to our subordinates or our superiors, we have a specific purpose or objective; we want to accomplish something. Some of the common objectives of official communication are to get or give information, to ask for or give instructions or advice or suggestions, to make requests, to persuade other people to agree with us. Teachers, parents, members of study circles, training managers may communicate with the objective of educating and training. Sometimes we communicate with the intention of complaining, or warning; but unfortunately, we do this angrily and get into arguments. If we learn to complain and warn in an acceptable and constructive manner, our serious intention can be conveyed quite effectively without damaging relationships. Persons who are in leadership positions and have to hold a team together, often communicate to the members of their team with the objective of motivating them to make their best efforts. Formal and 'official communication is more effective when the objective of the particular message is clearly defined by the source and is conveyed to the receiver. There may be more than one simple objective in some messages; some of the information that an organization circulates to the public is aimed at creating a good public image for itself; the objective of subtle persuasion is present in the publication of facts and figures of sales and profits. In the day-to-day functioning of an organization, hundreds of messages are conveyed over the network of communication channels; the specific objective of a particular message may be to order, to request, to instruct, to motivate, to advise, to warn, to suggest, to complain and so on, depending on the nature of the relationship between the sender and the recipient. The specific objectives of downward communication, and of upward communication are usually different, though both have the broad objective or information and/o!' persuasion.

8

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

INFORMATION AND PERSUASION

The main objectives of communication are information and persuasion. Other objectives are aspects of these two broad objectives. Information consists of facts and figures and data arranged in patterns which are useful for different purposes; for example, a list of names, addresses and telephone numbers of customers who have not paid their dues is needed by the collections and accounts department; a list of customers who have not placed orders for a long time is useful for the sales department. Both lists are made from the organization's data base of customers. Each of these departments will communicate with the customers in its list with the objective of persuading them - to payor to place orders. Persuasion needs a basis of information; we cannot persuade customers to buy unless we give them information about the goods and services we offer. Information does not include emotion; persuasion is achieved by skilful appeal to emotions. The style and tone of informative communication is different from the style and tone of persuasive communication.

Information Messages which give information contain data on which the conduct of business is based. The syllabus for a course, a stoc~ market report, a user manual, a signboard which tells you the location of something, a news report, are examples of information. Information reduces our uncertainty about the situation or the environment in which we find ourselves. If we are in a new job, we need information about it in order to know what we have to do. If we are in a new environment or find ourselves in a new situation we need information in order to make sense of it and to know what to expect. Information moves in all directions in an organization. It moves downward from superiors to subordinates in the form of instructions about how to do a job, performance levels expected, time schedules, budgets, and all sorts of data about the organization's activities. Moving upward are progress reports, information and data which has been requested, accounts, minutes of committee meetings, etc. Horizontal or sideways sharing of information. is likely to be oral and informal. Written communication moves horizontally in the form of copies of reports and other documents. Information moving out of an organization to the public, and into the organization from the -environment is equally important. Admission notices, recruitment notices, annual reports, prospectus, brochures, price-lists, catalogues of products and so on, are examples of information going out to the public. An organization also receives and collects data from outside according to its needs; for example, railway/airlines time-tables, population figures, demographic details, catalogues and price-lists of products. Information may be given orally or in writing. Information needed for daily work is given orally. If large groups have to .Je given some infonnation, a meeting' may be called, and the information may be given from a platfor.m or a public address system.

OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION

9

A large amount of information is available and moves about in an organization and in the world. We need to develop the ability to take what we need and what we can handle. Modern managements believe in keeping employees well informed about the company's aims, plans, progress and prospects, and also about working and service conditions, training and promotion opportunities, and the benefits available to them. For this purpose, there are organized channels; the notice board is used for fresh information; manuals and instruction sheets give information about procedures and regulations; house organs, bulletins, pamphlets, are used for periodical and general information. Many companies also circulate news about employees, their achievements, marriages, births and deaths in their families, so as to create an atmosphere of social friendliness. Some companies use the mass media to keep the public informed about their progress, products, labour and other policies through press handouts and announcements. This type of information forms the basis of persuasion and motivation which is the other important objective of communication.

Persuasion Persuasion means making efforts to change or influence the attitudes and behaviour of others. A great deal of communication in an organization is persuasive. The element of persuasion is present when employees are to be motivated to put in better efforts or to accept a change; when goods have to be sold to customers and dues have to be collected from customers; when a company wants to get the public's goodwill and investment; when the government needs the people's services and taxes. Persuasion means using the best arguments to win over and convince others. It requires the skill and ability to use the symbols of communication in an effective manner; the persuader should be able to use words, both spoken and written, as well as non-verbal methods in such a way as to have the most influential effect on the target audience. There are three factors of persuasion: (i) The personal character and reputation of the persuader must be respected and accepted by others; people believe what is said or written by a respected and reputable person or organization. This is known as source credibility. (ii) The emotional appeal made by the persuader must be suitable and effective. All persons have three types of needs: physical needs, social needs and ego needs. Social and ego needs are the emotional needs; social needs are the need to belong to a group, to hflve friends, to meet others and have social interaction; ego needs are the need to win, to be successful, to do well, to be appreciated and recognized and to feel good about oneself If the persuader offers satisfaction of these emotional needs, people respond favourably. (iii) The logic of the presentation made by the persuader must be reasonable. People must be shown how they will benefit by accepting the proposed ideas, views, or actions. The persuader needs knowledge of the background and the present attitudes/views of the people in order to use the right appeals and reasons.

10

EFF'ECTIVE COMMUNICATION

OBJECTIVES OF DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION

Communication which moves from superiors to subordinates is known as downward communication. It has some specific objectives.

Instructions and Orders Instruction is information about processes and procedures. Supervisors instruct their staff on tasks that are to be performed from time to time. In most cases, this can be done orally, individually or in groups. Oral instruction may be supplemented with written material and visual material. User manuals which come with mechanical articles, are usually illustrated with diagrams and pictures. Demonstration is a method of instructing in procedures and in handling machines. Films are used to instruct the public on civic matters like how to cast a vote, how to ensure safety, and so on. This type of instruction is educational. "Instructions" means directions as in "The instructions (directions) are on the box." It also means orders as in "My instructions (orders) are to issue only two books at a time." Order is formal. It is the assignment of a task. It is in written form, and generally means that the matter mentioned in it, is formally and finally accepted. Simple orders to carry out certain tasks may be given orally. Subordinates who question or disobey orders are considered guilty of misconduct or insubordination. Superiors must be clear and exact is giving instructions and orders. Junior staff may not have sufficient understanding of matters to be able to function usefully unless there are clear and full instructions on their tasks. All communication must be in a style which the recipient understands; in downward communication, simplification and explanation is necessary. Office Order is a formal written statement of any change to be effected in office routine. It is a record and formal instruction to all concerned that the change is effected. It states the change and the date from which it comes into effect. Copies are filed in all the relevant files and sent to concerned persons who are expected to take action and who are affected by it.

Education and Training Education and training both imply discipline and development by means of study and learning. Education is the development of the general and special abilities of the mind. Training is practical education or practice, usually under supervision, in some skill. These are the main objectives of educational institutions and Human Resource Development departments of companies. Communication to accomplish these objectives requires special skills; constant research is done in this field and many experiments are being made in the methods of achieving the objectives of edl.lcation and training. Oral communication in the form of lectures and discussions is most commonly used for this purpose. Handouts and notes are used for most kinds

OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION

11

of training. Demonstration and actual work experience are necessary for skilled jobs and technical work. Films are used extensively for demonstration of methods and processes. Training of employees is done through organized courses and programs. There are induction and orientation courses for new entrants, and refresher courses for the more experienced. Workshops for training in specific skills use the method of putting trainees through experience by mock-ups (artificially created imitations of real situations). Many companies undertake employee education at various levels from literacy classes to general education. Classroom teaching, visual material and films are used for this purpose. Subjects like hygiene, safety, road manners, civic behaviour, pollution, noise menace, environment preservation, and so on are of great importance and many organizations include them in their training programs. The cinema is a powerful medium of communication for educational purposes; films on such topics are available in libraries. This kind of training is used primarily for changing attitudes and developing a committed work force. It is not meant for giving job-related skills but is meant to create an emotional commitment to service and high quality of performance. Customer education has acquired importance lately. Customers who buy consumer durables need training in using them most effectively. Companies selling products like xerox machines, computers, sewing machines, cellular phones, etc., arrange for training of buyers. User manuals give instructions on using the product and some educative information about company policies and procedure. Some educational communication is done for the purpose of building up goodwill and public relations, and may be persuasive. Firms selling computer hardware and software hold seminars for potential users and educate them on the uses of their products.

On-the-job Training When a new employee takes up a job, he/she needs some instruction and training, even if he/she has had previous experience. Skill in the actual handling of the job work (especially if it involves handling a machine) has to be acquired, and an understanding of the routine has to be gained. When new employees are placed on the job, the supervisor, or another employee whose work is closely related watches, supervises, helps and corrects the new persons till they learn their job. A good deal of this is informal, and the amount of instruction needed for this purpose depends on the nature of the work as well as on the individual employee's capacity to learn. Impatience or lack of skill in instructing may become a barrier in such communication. A supervisor or mentor entrusted with the responsibility for on-the-job training must have the ability to instruct. Gradually, while on the job, the new employees learn new skills, the routine and the policies related to their particular field of operation; they also become

12

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ,

familiar with the company's general policies, plans, bits of history, and matters in the grapevine. Some companies have orientation courses to give information about the company, its policies, history, plans, etc., to the new employees. It is an effort to build up employees' loyalty to the company. Most on-the-job communication is oral and is supplemented by instruction booklets, policy statements, pamphlets and employee manuals. Training through apprenticeship is very effective as trainees are in the actual job under supervision of a senior and actually do the work over a perioe. of time; this gives the apprentice the opportunity to experience various situations which arise in the job.

Motiv'ltion Motivation means providing people with a motive, an incentive, an inner urge to make -:-ffnrt to do their best. Managers constantly try to improve performance in the workplace by motivating the staff Communication is the critical element in motivation of employees. Managers use communication to improve, employees' sense of self-worth by showing recognition, appreciating good work, and providing a general sense of support. Most persons have a need for recognition, prestige, esteem, status, reputation, the need to feel that one is "somebody." When people feel good about themselves, they are motivated to make better efforts. Subordinates and team mates can be motivated if managers, supervisors and leaders communicate in a way that makes them feel that they belong to the organization and fulfils their need for recognition. This can be done in several ways: (i.) Listening to them and respecting their views; people feel happy and ir Iportant when their ideas and opinions are heard and respected by their supervisors. (ii) Ensuring that credit is given where it is due; expressing appreciation for achievement and effort is a good way to make people feel that they are recognized. (iii) Avoiding criticism of persons even when opposing their ideas; persons must be shown respect and consideration even if specific ideas they express are faulty or not acceptable. Maintaining an open communication climate is very useful for motivation. People should feel free to voice their view even if they have complaints and criticism to express. The manner of instructing is an important factor; it should be cooperative and friendly. For example, after having explained an assignment, the manager might wish to check the understanding of the subordinate. He may say, "Please repeat what I said to make sure that you have understood" or he may say, in a more tactful way, "Let me make sure that I have not missed giving you information which you might need; will you summarize for me to make sure I've covered everything?" In this way, the senior takes the responsibility himself and encourages cooperation from the subordinate. It helps to meet the egoneeds of the juniors and establishes a cooperative climate. Another important factor in maintaining a high level of motivation is clear statement of expectations; the manager must set a reasonably high level of expectation from the employees, which is within their reach, but challenges them to make greater effort. The manager must give a clear idea of what is

OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION

13

expected so that they can set about achieving it. People generally desire and try to meet the expectations that others have of them. Motivation requires regular and careful communication which managers and supervisors need to do skilfully.

Raising Morale Morale is the individual and collective spirit and moral condition of employees with regard to discipline and confidence. Confidence in oneself and in the organization's management is an important factor which affects morale. People who feel good about themselves and are highly motivated have the courage to face problems and meet challenges. Similarly, people who feel confident that their organization will keep them informed about plans, progress, changes and problems which affect them have a high morale. It is also necessary that people should have confidence in their company's ability to meet outside challenges like competition or other threats. Raising morale cannot be done by a single communication; morale is affected by all communications, and by the manner and style of communications. The communication policy of an organization must be framed with this objective in mind. Morale can be maintained with an open communication climate. Information about programs, plans, policies and progress must be circulated; details of welfare schemes, and facilities must be publicized. Upward communication must be cultivated and encouraged. There must be consultations on proposed changes and assurances of job security before any major changes are made. When morale is low, the performance is poor, there is lack of discipline, absenteeism, and general lack of interest in work. The grapevine is likely to become fast and thick, and there are many rumours. At times, the morale of employees or a group of employees may begin to drop; there may be rumours of retrenchment, close-down of a department, a take-over, or some other worrying possibility, which create fear and anxiety. Morale can also be affected if there is poor management of a crisis or a threat from outside. Communications must be stepped up if the morale goes down or is likely to go down. Notices may be put up and circulars may be distributed giving the correct information in order to stop rumours. Informal tea meetings are a good channel for information to boost morale. In case of a difficult or critical situation, a meeting may be held to explain the correct position and clear the doubts and anxieties of employees. The special morale-boosting communications must be well-coordinated and carefully planned. Top managers may hold a conference or short meeting to work out a program of morale-boosting communications in case a crisis appears on the horizon.

Advice Advice may be given on matters related to work, or on personal matters if the relationship permits. A superior may find it necessary to advise a

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EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

troubled or confused employee, on how to be more efficient. Advice is most effective if it is oral, face-to-face, informal and confidential. It requires tact and skill and a sympathetic nature to be able to give advice, especially to a person who is in a high position, even if he/she is a subordinate. If the advice is on purely official matters, the senior can speak with authority; but if it is on personal matters, it is likely to be based on personal opinion and subjective judgement, and can only be offered as a suggestion. It is best to use oral communication for advice.

Counselling Counselling is an organized and specialized form of advice. Specialists in psychiatry, medicine and law, advise their clients on matters in their field of specialization. Companies which are concerned with employee welfare have counselling centres for their employees. Services of specialists are engaged for this purpose, and employees receive free medical advice, legal advice and career guidance. Maladjustment, tension and other emotional problems can be sorted out, treated and corrected at the health counselling centre or employee welfare centre of the company. Communication for counselling is mostly oral, but there may also be printed material for the purpose of giving the required information. Counselling can be successful only if there is a proper two-way communication because useful advice can be given only when the person needing the advice is willing to explain and discuss the problem.

Warning Warning means urging or advising someone to be careful; it is intended to caution someone of possible danger. A warning is also an authoritative or formal nQticf'; of something unfavourable. Warning is given in special circumstances. An employee who does not work properly is given a warning. It may be given orally or in writing; a written warning is often called a memo. Whether oral or written, a warning should be confidential. Groups may also be given a warning; for example, workers' union may be warned that their agitation or demands might lead to a closure of the factory, and therefore, a loss to all parties. When severe disciplinary action, like dismissal, is to be taken against an employee, a notice must be given in writing. The termination of any contract requires that one of the parties give a notice to the other party, in writing. Similarly, an employees' union that intends to go on strike has to give a written notice of strike. The purpose of a warning is not to sever relationship. It is an important requirement of communication skill to be able to give a warning without being insulting. Courtesy, even while warning, can maintain healthy relationships.

OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION

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Warning and legal notices are given only after milder methods have failed to achieve results. At first, an attempt is made by advice, request, instruction, or order; only if all these fail, a warning is given.

Appreciation Appreciation of good effort, work and achievements of employees by supervisors and managers is important for creating a good attitude among the staff. Appreciation can be expressed orally, in writing and by non-verbal methods. An achievement should be expressly appreciated as soon as possible after it is known; the person or group that has made the achievement may be called and told of the management's appreciation. It should be expressed again at the earliest possible public occasion like a meeting or a function; it may be mentioned at the time of introducing the person/group concerned to a visitor or guest. A letter of appreciation may be issued for some kinds of achievement; notices, mention in the minutes of a meeting, a report in the house magazine, are other methods of written appreciation. It may be expressed non-verbally by awarding a certificate at a function, by promotion, by invitation to a special meeting/ function, by giving opportunity for career development (such as training courses) and by assigning more important and responsible tasks. Appreciation always makes the recipient feel good and improves the motivation. OBJECTIVES OF UPWARD COMMUNICATION

Most of the objectives discussed so far are related to communication from superiors to subordinates. A good deal of communication also moves upward from subordinates to superiors; in fact, companies encourage such upward communication. Managers need to know what is going on in all parts of the organization; besides, it creates and maintains a good atmosphere if people are encouraged to express their views. Factual information moves upward by a system of periodical reporting.

Request Requests are made by staff for various kinds of permission or favours. There may be requests for leave, for permission to report late or leave early on a particular day, for permission to attend classes, a request to be sponsored for a special training course, or for an increase in salary. These are best done in two stages; first, orally with the immediate superior and then, through the immediate superior, a written request to a higher authority.

Application Application is a written request, giving full details of the matter and supported with reasons, whenever necessary, for example, an application for a job, or for leave.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

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Appeal An appeal is an earnest request for help or support or for something that does not fall within your privileges. Such special favours may be obtained by appealing to a higher authority with proper reasons. An appeal may be written or oral, by an individual or by a group. Power of persuasion is necessary for success in having an appeal granted.

Demand Demand is put up through an employee union; and it has to be supported by good arguments; demands are usually collective and in writing. Requests and appeals for better service conditions may turn into demands if the management is unsympathetic or the union is aggressive.

Representation A representation is always in writing. An employee who feels that he/she has not been given what he/she deserves, for example, a promotion, makes a representation. A representation must contain full explanation of the case; evidence in the form of documents like an appointment letter, rules in the service-conditions book, government circulars, etc., may be quoted or cited. A representation may be made by a group of persons; for example, a group of students may represent to the University Vice-Chancellor to get their grievances redressed; a group of citizens may represent to the city transport company to get bus services extended to their locality; a group of aggrieved employees may make a representation to top management to get their grievances redressed.

Complaint A complaint is made when there are faults or defects in the system or in the goods supplied or services rendered, so that they may be corrected. A complaint may be oral or written. Within an organization, minor complaints may be adjusted by oral communication. In commercial transactions, it is necessary to make complaints in writing. Customers can also make complaints by telephone. If an internal complaint is of a serious and complicated nature, and if its correction is likely to involve action over a wide area, a written statement is necessary for circulation as well as for constant reference. Otherwise, good managements do not need written complaints because they are alert in correcting faults as soon as they are pointed out. There should be courtesy in making a complaint. Courtesy is not contrary to firmness; talking or writing with courtesy and normal respect due to other human beings does not dilute the strength of a complaint or of a warning.

Suggestion Suggestions can be made by any employee or customer. Suggestions from employees at all levels are greatly welcomed by modern managements. Many

OBJECTIVES 01