A Study on Enhancement of Communication Skills

Abstract

The process of conveying ideas, information, thoughts, knowledge, data, opinions, or messages from the sender to the recipient via a chosen method or channel with a clear goal in mind is defined as effective communication. Effective communication results in satisfaction for both the sender and the recipient. The process is cyclical in nature, commencing and concluding with the sender upon receiving a response or feedback from the recipient. In the workplace, communication skills are among the most used and in-demand. Leaders and individual contributors alike must practice these. Excellent communication skills are the difference between connected, agile teams and teams that are unable to collaborate; stay aligned, and accomplishes shared objectives in our increasingly remote and hybrid work environments. In this paper we study the communication style and how to improvise the communication skills.

Introduction

I. INTRODUCTION

The Latin word "communis," which meaning common, is where the term "communication" originated. Therefore, communicating ideas, facts, opinions, information, and understanding is referred to as communication. It is the communication of certain knowledge and comprehension from one individual to another. Despite the fact that the term "communication" is frequently used, communication specialists cannot agree on what it means. It is generally understood to mean the process by which people communicate information with one another. Gestures, spoken words, and written messages are all used in the process. It is generally understood to mean the process through which people communicate information with one another. Gestures, spoken words, and written messages are all used in the process. The process of conveying information, ideas, opinions, messages, facts, concepts, feelings, and comprehension from one person, place, or thing to another is known as communication. The study of organizational behavior looks at how employees behave within their organizations in relation to communication.

In light of this, communicators can master effective communication by following these five steps in the communication process.

1. Step 1: Idea formation: The first stage of idea formation is initiated by the sender when they want to share an idea. As a result, the sender needs to understand the idea's goal and content as precisely as feasible. Developing a precise idea can be aided by navigating questions like "What do you want to achieve?" and "How do you want the receiver to understand your idea?"
2. Step 2: Encoding the message: To transmit the idea, the sender must encode it into words, symbols, or gestures. When communicating through written, spoken, or nonverbal means, the sender must carefully consider the recipient's background and culture to minimize the chances of misinterpretation.
3. Step 3: Message transmission: In order to transmit the idea, the sender must select an appropriate communication channel. The communication channel that is selected should be accessible to the recipient and fit the idea's context.
4. Step 4: Decoding: In this stage, the message's original meaning is ascertained by the recipient. In order to comprehend the sender's message, the recipient will thus attempt to translate each word, symbol, and gesture that they have received. The receiver must, however, be acutely conscious of the detrimental effects of communication noises during this phase.
5. Step 5: Feedback: Following the communication message's sending and receiving, both the sender and the recipient should start the last feedback step, which verifies that the message was understood as intended.

II. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1. To study the communication style.
2. To study how to enhance communication skills.

A. Passive

When someone avoids directly communicating their needs and thoughts to others, they are using a passive communication style. It can also appear as putting other people's thoughts and feelings ahead of their own, allowing their needs to go unmet and fueling resentment in the process.

Here are a few indicators of a passive communication style:

Avoiding direct eye contact

Having bad alignment

Using a gentle voice

Having trouble staying still or fidgeting

Having a laid-back demeanor

Not being able to refuse

Passive communicators look for situations where they can speak up without feeling uncomfortable. Use private meetings or one-on-one conversations to practice expressing your ideas if you are uncomfortable in groups. Likewise, if you're a writer by nature, think about sending an email or a direct message to a team member instead of having a conference call.

B. Aggressive

Another communication style is aggressive communication, which is when someone dominates others to convey their needs and opinions. An aggressive communicator frequently uses language that incites conflict, interrupts others while they're speaking, and doesn't take into account the feelings or opinions of other team members.

Here are a few indicators of an aggressive communication style:

Violating someone else's personal space

Keeping too close of an eye contact

Making hostile gestures or expressions on your face

Posing in an imposing manner

It may be challenging to build trusting relationships with team members if your communication style is aggressive. Try your best to identify situations where you can maintain composure and assertiveness while guiding the conversation away from sensitive or personal topics. Realizing when to walk away from a discussion before leaning into aggressive behaviors is also crucial.

C. Passive-Aggressive

The next type of behavior is passive-aggressive, which is when someone uses indirect language to convey their negative emotions or thoughts. A passive-aggressive communicator may use subtle facial expressions, sarcasm, backhanded remarks or compliments, or withholding information from others to convey their feelings.

Other indications of an aggressive-passive communication style include:

Muttering to themselves

Using a sardonic tone of voice

Pretending to be cheerful when they're irate or furious

Ignoring people or giving them the silent treatment

People who encounter passive-aggressive communication should learn how to express their wants and opinions in a more honest manner. Addressing these inclinations and reducing their frequency in the future can be accomplished by creating clear channels of communication that make you feel heard.

D. Assertive

In addition to understanding the ideas and opinions of those they collaborate with, assertive communicators are able to respectfully, confidently, and clearly express their opinions, thoughts, and needs. They are able to advocate for themselves without being aggressive or controlling, and they take into account the opinions of others.

Other indications of a strong communication approach include:

Speaking with clarity

Posing correctly

Keeping up cordial eye contact

Being cooperative and disclosing tendencies

Making broad gestures

Having a healthy means of expressing one's thoughts and emotions

This is a productive and well-functioning communication system. Individuals who wish to exhibit more assertive communication skills should begin by confidently expressing their needs and ideas through "I" statements, such as, "I feel like you interrupted me during the team meeting and undermined my experience working on this project," for example.

Developing emotional intelligence and being more receptive to criticism from others are also wise moves.

IV. THE EFFECTS OF YOUR COMMUNICATION STYLE

A. Functional

The functional effect comes first, usually entailing a step-by-step process of decision-making and detailed outlining of each project.

Here, the emphasis is on having an attention to detail, being dependable when managing extensive projects, and offering assistance in identifying the optimal course of action for success. The functional effect is also related to team members' desire to be fully informed about a project before committing to it.

B. Personal

The personal effect stresses human connection and favors emotive language. When debating ideas, those who are feeling this effect like to know what their teammates think of decisions.

One advantage of this communication effect is that it makes it simple to establish trusting relationships with team members. One drawback of this strategy is that it might be too sentimental for other communicators.

C. Intuitive

Additionally, there is the intuitive effect, which emphasizes the larger picture. People who are affected by this care a great deal about the overall concept of an idea, but they don't give much thought to the finer points or final details of a project or new initiative.

Additionally, there's a focus on rapidly grasping the big picture and arriving at the right decision with ease, which frequently yields insightful recommendations for how to finish a task. The intuitive effect has several advantages, including the ability to grasp concepts quickly and the readiness to come up with workable, occasionally unconventional solutions.

D. Analytical

The analytical effect is the last one and is thought to be the opposite of the personal effect. Complex numbers, facts, and data are the main topics of this effect. It is always preferable to use actual facts and figures in a conversation because people prefer measurable information. For example, you could say, "Our website traffic is up 37% year-over-year," rather than just, "Traffic is so much higher this year compared to last!"

Analytical conversations are those that are approached and discussed rationally, devoid of any emotional or sentimental interference.

E. Effective Communication

When there is a shared understanding, communication is effective. The communication that is sent and received is identical. The successful transmission of ideas or information requires mutual understanding between the sender and the recipient.

The following are some characteristics of effective communication: Using language appropriate to others' comprehension levels.

Ensure that the knowledge or information intended is shared with others.

Build connections with other people.

Coordinate with people in a way that encourages cooperation, openness, and honesty.

Deliver an evaluation.

Any successful organization must have effective communication as a fundamental component. For any communication to be effective there must be no obstacles. The following traits of successful communication are present:

1. Clarity of Purpose: The sender must be fully aware of the message they are trying to convey. Both the intended recipient and the message's purpose should be obvious.
2. Completeness: The conveyed message must be comprehensive. It ought to be backed up by observations and facts. It ought to be properly organized and planned. The recipient should not assume anything.
3. Conciseness: The content needs to be brief. It shouldn't contain any extraneous information. It must be succinct and comprehensive.
4. Feedback: The feedback obtained can be used to determine whether or not the recipient understood the sender's message in the same terms. The criticism ought to be brief and intimate. It ought to be precise as opposed to broad.
5. Empathy: Effective verbal communication requires empathy for the listeners. By putting themselves in the listener's position, the speaker can better understand their needs and feelings. In this manner, he can gain insight into their viewpoint and enhance communication.

How to get better at communicating

Simple messages are often the best ones.

If the message is not understood clearly, there is no point in communicating in any form—written, spoken, formal, or informal.

A high-level communication skill is being able to communicate succinctly while keeping your audience interested and covering everything your team needs to know.

Here are some tips for improving communication.

a. Consider your audience

When you customize your messages to your audience's interests, they will be more engaged and naturally more interested. Their desire to comprehend and engage with the information will naturally be piqued when you speak directly to their interests.

b. When one word will do, don't use ten

Eventually, even the most attentive and involved audience will grow disinterested. It will be simpler to comprehend and remember your message if it is clear and concise. Recall that although you already know what you're going to say, this is their first time hearing it. Make it easy.

c. Think about the most effective way to convey your message

If the information you're sharing isn't urgent, you might want to send a memo or an email. When expressing expectations, this is very crucial. When you communicate in writing, your audience will have more time to read it over, consider it, and ask further questions. They will also have a useful record to look back on.

d. Engage the group

If you have ever held a position as a manager, coach, trainer, or instructor, you are aware that teaching is one of the best ways to acquire new knowledge. Request their opinions or have them assist in educating their peers about new ideas and regulations.

e. When feasible, use in-person interactions for communication

Speaking with someone in person adds layers of information to any conversation, whether it is between two or two hundred. In-person communication frequently creates a synergy that is hard to duplicate elsewhere. To maximize in-person meetings with your team, consider the following advice.

f. Glance at each other

Few metrics provide you more insight into whether or not your message is being understood than eye contact. A lot of information is lost in digital communication, but you can tell if the person you're speaking to is understand you or is preoccupied, confused, or worried.

g. Request feedback

Unsure if they understood? Inquire! Asking them to repeat back what you just said is a very effective strategy. This can frequently enhance recall, facilitate understanding right away, and reduce misunderstandings later on. You can also ask them to get in touch with you with useful suggestions on how to deliver presentations and other types of communication more effectively.

h. Interpret nonverbal cues

Nonverbal cues come in many forms. It's usually obvious when someone is yawning, fidgeting, or scanning the room that they are not paying attention to what you are trying to say. Please don't take this personally if you notice it. Ask them to share what's on their minds, go over any points from earlier that they might have missed, or set a meeting time for later.

i. Reduce interruptions

When engaging in face-to-face conversation with someone or a group, avoid distractions by clearing the area of any superfluous electronics. Limit attendance to those who truly need to be there, and try to avoid scheduling during periods of time when people are more likely to be distracted by other things, such as right before the end of the day.

References

[1] Aswathappa K, Organizational Behavior, Himalaya Publishing House, Mumbai, 1997 [2] Mamoria C B, Personnel Management, Himalaya Publishing House,Bombay, 1997 [3] Moorhead Gregory and Griffin W. Rocky, Organizational Behavior, AITBS Publishers & Distributors, New Delhi, 1999 [4] Robbin P.Stephen, Organizational Behavior, Prentice Hall of India, New Delhi, 1998 [5] Block I – Communication, Course 102 Communication and Diffusion of Agricultural Innovations, Post Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Extension Management (PGDAEM), MANAGE, Hyderabad

Copyright

Copyright © 2023 Mr. Bhuvesh Rattan. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.