Communications Management Process Communication Process helps you to undertake Communications Management for your team.

It does this by taking you through the Communication Process, step-by-step. If you want to keep the right people informed with the right information, at the right time, then this process will help you. The Communication Process will help you to:

Identify the messages that need to be sent Determine your target audience for communication Decide on your message format and timing Draft your message and gain approval where required Communicate your message, through communications events Gather feedback and improve your communication processes By using this Communication Process, you can: Clearly identify your project stakeholders Identify your stakeholders communications needs Run any type of communications event to send out your message Ensure the right people receive the right information at the right time Keeping your stakeholders regularly informed is a critical activity for any team. Whether it's through status reports, regular meetings or informal email, you can ensure that the right messages are distributed about the progress of your project. This will help your project team and external stakeholders to remain focused on delivery and to provide you with all of the support you need to deliver your project successfully. What is a Communication Process? A Communication Process, or Communications Management Process, is a set of steps that are taken every time formal communications are undertaken in an organization. A Communications Process is undertaken as part of Communications Management and helps to ensure that your stakeholders are kept regularly informed. For example as part of the project life cycle, the team implement a Communication Process to make sure that the entire team is kept informed of the status of the project. When do I use a Communication Process?A Communication Process should be used when you wish to communicate formally within an organization. By using the Communication Process, you can ensure that no miscommunication occurs. As part of the Communication Process, you can also receive feedback on the communications which have taken place to date and ensure that future communications are improved. Communications Management is a fundamental part of any organization and needs to be treated with care. Using this Communications Process, you can communicate effectively at all times.

The Communication Process The goal of communication is to convey informationand the understanding of that informationfrom one person or group to another person or group. This communication process is divided into three basic components: A sender transmits a message through a channel to the receiver. (Figure 1 shows a more elaborate model.) The sender first develops an idea, which is composed into a message and then transmitted to the other party, who interprets the message and receives meaning. Information theorists have added somewhat more complicated language. Developing a message is known as encoding. Interpreting the message is referred to as decoding.

Figure 1 Communication model. The other important feature is the feedback cycle. When two people interact, communication is rarely one-way only. When a person receives a message, she responds to it by giving a reply. The feedback cycle is the same as the sender-receiver feedback noted in Figure 1 . Otherwise, the sender can't know whether the other parties properly interpreted the message or how they reacted to it. Feedback is especially significant in management because a supervisor has to know how subordinates respond to directives and plans. The manager also needs to know how work is progressing and how employees feel about the general work situation. The critical factor in measuring the effectiveness of communication is common understanding. Understanding exists when all parties involved have a mutual agreement as to not only the information, but also the meaning of the information. Effective communication, therefore, occurs when the intended message of the sender and the interpreted message of the receiver are one and the same. Although this should be the goal in any communication, it is not always achieved. The most efficient communication occurs at a minimum cost in terms of resources expended. Time, in particular, is an important resource in the communication process. For example, it would be virtually impossible for an instructor to take the time to communicate individually with each student in a class about every specific topic covered. Even if it were possible, it would be costly. This is why managers often leave voice mail messages and interact by e-mail rather than visit their subordinates personally.

However, efficient time-saving communications are not always effective. A low-cost approach such as an e-mail note to a distribution list may save time, but it does not always result in everyone getting the same meaning from the message. Without opportunities to ask questions and clarify the message, erroneous interpretations are possible. In addition to a poor choice of communication method, other barriers to effective communication include noise and other physical distractions, language problems, and failure to recognize nonverbal signals. Sometimes communication is effective, but not efficient. A work team leader visiting each team member individually to explain a new change in procedures may guarantee that everyone truly understands the change, but this method may be very costly on the leader's time. A team meeting would be more efficient. In these and other ways, potential tradeoffs between effectiveness and efficiency occur. The Role of Communication Communication plays a key role in the success of any workplace program or policy and serves as the foundation for all five types of psychologically healthy workplace practices. Communication about workplace practices helps achieve the desired outcomes for the employee and the organization in a variety of ways:

Bottom-up communication (from employees to management) provides information about employee needs, values, perceptions and opinions. This helps organizations select and tailor their programs and policies to meet the specific needs of their employees.

Top-down communication (from management to employees) can increase utilization of specific workplace programs by making employees aware of their availability, clearly explaining how to access and use the services, and demonstrating that management supports and values the programs.

Examples of communication strategies that can help make your workplace programs successful include:

Providing regular, on-going opportunities for employees to provide feedback to management. Communication vehicles may include employee surveys, suggestion boxes, town hall meetings, individual or small group meeting with managers, and an organizational culture that supports open, two-way communication.

Making the goals and actions of the organization and senior leadership clear to workers by communicating key activities, issues and developments to employees and developing policies that facilitate transparency and openness.

Assessing the needs of employees and involving them in the development and implementation of psychologically healthy workplace practices.

Using multiple channels (for example, print and electronic communications, orientation and trainings, staff meetings and public addresses) to communicate the importance of a psychologically healthy workplace to employees.

Leading by example, by encouraging key organizational leaders to regularly participate in psychologically healthy workplace activities in ways that are visible to employees. Communicating information about the outcomes and success of specific psychologically healthy workplace practices to all members of the organization.

Types of Communication Types Of Communication Each business house is concerned with two types of communication: External and Internal. Externally, it has to communicate with other business houses, banks, government offices, the press, customers and general public. Internal communication consists in transmitting information within the organization. Internal communication could be of two types: Formal and Informal. Staff Meetings, Union Management Meeting, Branch Managers Conferences Periodical Sales Review Meetings and Customer Meets fall under Formal Communication. Informal Communication takes place through chats, conversations, informal talks etc. Grapevine is the best example for informal communication. 1. VERTICAL 2. HORIZONTAL 3. GRAPEVINE 4. CONSENSUS VERTICAL COMMUNICATION 1. Downward 2. Upward Downward Communication Downward Communication moves from top to the bottom, i.e., from a superior to a subordinate .The Managing Director communicating with the departmental Heads, a

Manager giving a directive to an Assistant Manager or a Superior, a Foreman instructing a worker etc are engaged in the process of downward communication. Orders, Individual Instructions, Policy Statements, Job-Sheets, Circulars, etc fall under downward communication.

Upward Communication Any communication that moves from Employees to Supervisors, Supervisors to Managers, Managers to Executives, Regional Manager to General Manager and so on is known as the upward communication. It moves from bottom to top levels in the hierarchy. Employee suggestions, market reports, performance reports, feedback on new products and requests for facilities or instructions are all examples of upward communication. Channels of upward communications are; Superiors keep an open door complaints-and suggestions boxes, social gatherings, direct correspondence, reports and counseling.

HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION Communication between departments or people on the same level in the managerial hierarchy of an organization may be termed as Horizontal or Lateral Communication. It is both upward now downward but proceeds in a horizontal manner and takes place among equals and at peer level. It is carried on through face-to-face discussion, telephonic talk, periodical meetings and memos.

GRAPEVINE COMMUNICATION Grapevine is informal channel of communication. It doesnt follow any set lines or nay definite rules. It spreads like the grapevine, in any direction anywhere, and spreads fast. It spreads by way of gossip and rumors. Primarily grapevine is a channel of horizontal communication but it can flow even vertically and diagonally. Specialists in this field have identified four types of grapevine chains.

(1) Single Strand Chain: It flows like a chain, i.e., A tells something to B who tells it to C and so on.

(2) Gossip Chain: One person tells everybody else. This chain passes a message regarding a not-on-job nature.

(3) Probability Chain: here information may move from anybody to anybody. This chain is found when the information is somewhat interesting but not really significant.

(4) Cluster Chain: This move through selected groups. A tells something to a few selected individuals and then some of these individuals inform a few other selected individuals. Cluster chain is the dominant grapevine pattern in an organization. Most informal communication flows through this chain.

Importance of Grapevine It gives emotional relief. It transmits information very speedily. The managers or top bosses of an organization get feedback regarding their policies, decisions, memos etc. the feedback reaches them much faster through the informal channel than through the formal channel. The grapevine functions as a supplementary or parallel channel of communication. Whatever is deemed to be unsuitable for the formal channels can be successfully transmitted through the grapevine.

Demerits The information spread through grapevine is less credible than the one given by the formal channel. It doesnt always carry the complete information. It often misinforms as its origin lies in the rumor mill. It may spread any kind of stories about responsible people and thus may spoil the image of the organization.

Effective use of Grapevine The manager should organize fruitful group activities so as to enhance the self-worth of the employees and update their knowledge. The manager should keep an eye on rumormongers. He should tactfully identify the leaders and won their confidence. As far as possible, the employees, through their leaders, should be made partners in the decision making process. A tactful manager will keep the employees well informed so that they may not spread rumors. The manager should try to get feedback on his style of functioning and work for continuous improvement. A manager must be a good empathic listener. This way the employees or the leaders will feel free to talk to him rather than indulge in rumor mongering.

Consensus The consensus process is often used to bring about agreement between the managements and the trade unions. Consensus is the process of arriving at agreement through consultation. Here a majority of people subscribe to a particular view which all the members are willing to accept in the larger interest of the organization. Consensus decisions promote harmony. It checks conflicts and splits. One very obvious disadvantage of the consensus process is that a member is forced to subscribe to a view he does not hold. Dissent is often stifled in the name of consensus. It may degenerate into process of mutual accommodation. It may project a false image of the management.

Different Types of Communication

Let us now go through the various types of communication: Verbal communication Verbal communication is a type of communication where the information flows through verbal medium like words, speeches, presentations etc. In verbal communication the sender shares his/her thoughts in the form of words. In organizations, individuals communicate verbally among each other in the form of dialogues, speech, presentations, discussions to name a few. The tone of the speaker, the pitch and the quality of words play a crucial role in verbal communication. The speaker has to be loud and clear and the content has to be properly defined. Haphazard and unorganized thoughts only lead to confusions and misunderstandings among individuals. In verbal communication, an individual must understand the importance of words and how to put them across. While speaking the pitch ought to be high and clear for everyone to understand and the content must be designed keeping the target audience in mind. In verbal communication it is the responsibility of the sender to cross check with the receiver whether he has downloaded the correct information or not and the sender must give the required response. Sarah to ken - I want a glass of water is an example of verbal communication. Non verbal communication Imagine yourself in a situation, where you cant speak but have to communicate an urgent information to the other person or for that matter, you are sitting in an important meeting and you

want to express your displeasure or pleasure to your colleague without uttering even a word. Here non verbal mode of communication comes into picture. Facial expressions, gestures, hand and hair movements, body postures all constitute non verbal communication. Any communication made between two people without words and simply through facial movements, gestures or hand movements is called as non verbal communication. In other words, it is a speechless communication where content is not put into words but simply expressed through expressions If one has a headache, one would put his hand on his forehead to communicate his discomfort - a form of non verbal communication. Non verbal communications are vital in offices, meetings and even in romantic chats. What is the Definition Communication in management? Definition Communication in management William Scott: "It is a process which involves the transmission and accurate replication of ideas ensured by feedback for the purpose of eliciting actions which will accomplish organisational goals". Allen: "Communication is the sum of all the things one person does when wants to create understanding in the mind of other be. It is a bridge of meaning. It involves a systematic and continuous process of telling, listening and understanding". Keith Davis: 'The process of passing information and understanding from one person to another". Communication is a vital part of direction function. Through communication messages are sent and received. To communicate is to inform to show or to spread information. It is the means by which management gets its job done. Lawrence Apply points out the communication process as follows:1. Clarifying the idea or problem. 2. Getting participation in developing a solution to the problem. 3. Transmitting ideas or decisions. 4. Motivating others to take action agreed upon. 5. Measuring the effectiveness of communication.

Visual Communication Before planning any outing or tour, Sandra always refers to the map of that place. Through the map, she tries to find out more about the place, the route to reach that place, hotels, shopping joints etc. The map is actually passing information about the place to Sandra or communicating with Sandra. This mode of communication is called visual communication. In visual communication, the recipient receives information from signboards, displays, hoardings, banners, maps etc. The sign board of Mc Donalds or KFC indicates eating joints - a form of visual communication. The sign board of No Parking Zone communicates to the individuals that any vehicle must not be parked in the vicinity - again a mode of visual communication. Vision plays a very important role in visual communication and it depends on the recipient how to interpret the message. The Role of Communication Communication plays a key role in the success of any workplace program or policy and serves as the foundation for all five types of psychologically healthy workplace practices. Communication about workplace practices helps achieve the desired outcomes for the employee and the organization in a variety of ways:

Bottom-up communication (from employees to management) provides information about employee needs, values, perceptions and opinions. This helps organizations select and tailor their programs and policies to meet the specific needs of their employees.

Top-down communication (from management to employees) can increase utilization of specific workplace programs by making employees aware of their availability, clearly explaining how to access and use the services, and demonstrating that management supports and values the programs.

Examples of communication strategies that can help make your workplace programs successful include:

Providing regular, on-going opportunities for employees to provide feedback to management. Communication vehicles may include employee surveys, suggestion boxes, town hall meetings, individual or small group meeting with managers, and an organizational culture that supports open, two-way communication.

Making the goals and actions of the organization and senior leadership clear to workers by communicating key activities, issues and developments to employees and developing policies that facilitate transparency and openness.

Assessing the needs of employees and involving them in the development and implementation of psychologically healthy workplace practices. Using multiple channels (for example, print and electronic communications, orientation and trainings, staff meetings and public addresses) to communicate the importance of a

psychologically healthy workplace to employees.

Leading by example, by encouraging key organizational leaders to regularly participate in psychologically healthy workplace activities in ways that are visible to employees. Communicating information about the outcomes and success of specific psychologically healthy workplace practices to all members of the organization.