Communication Process (2024)

By: Nick Sanchez

Communication can best be summarized as the transmission of a message from asender to a receiver in an understandable manner. The importance of effectivecommunication is immeasurable in the world of business and in personal life. From abusiness perspective, effective communication is an absolute must, because it commonlyaccounts for the difference between success and failure or profit and loss. It has becomeclear that effective business communication is critical to the successful operation ofmodern enterprise. Every business person needs to understand the fundamentals ofeffective communication.

Currently, companies in the United States and abroad are working toward therealization of total quality management. Effective communication is the most criticalcomponent of total quality management. The manner in which individuals perceive andtalk to each other at work about different issues is a major determinant of the businesssuccess. It has proven been proven that poor communication reduces quality, weakensproductivity, and eventually leads to anger and a lack of trust among individuals within theorganization.

The communication process is the guide toward realizing effective communication. It is through the communication process that the sharing of a common meaning betweenthe sender and the receiver takes place. Individuals that follow the communicationprocess will have the opportunity to become more productive in every aspect of theirprofession. Effective communication leads to understanding.

The communication process is made up of four key components. Thosecomponents include encoding, medium of transmission, decoding, and feedback. Thereare also two other factors in the process, and those two factors are present in the form ofthe sender and the receiver. The communication process begins with the sender and endswith the receiver.

The sender is an individual, group, or organization who initiates thecommunication. This source is initially responsible for the success of the message. Thesender's experiences, attitudes, knowledge, skill, perceptions, and culture influence themessage. "The written words, spoken words, and nonverbal language selected areparamount in ensuring the receiver interprets the message as intended by the sender"(Burnett & Dollar, 1989). All communication begins with the sender.

The first step the sender is faced with involves the encoding process. In order toconvey meaning, the sender must begin encoding, which means translating informationinto a message in the form of symbols that represent ideas or concepts. This processtranslates the ideas or concepts into the coded message that will be communicated. Thesymbols can take on numerous forms such as, languages, words, or gestures. Thesesymbols are used to encode ideas into messages that others can understand.

When encoding a message, the sender has to begin by deciding what he/she wantsto transmit. This decision by the sender is based on what he/she believes about thereceivers knowledge and assumptions, along with what additional information he/shewants the receiver to have. It is important for the sender to use symbols that are familiarto the intended receiver. A good way for the sender to improve encoding their message, isto mentally visualize the communication from the receiver's point of view.

To begin transmitting the message, the sender uses some kind of channel (alsocalled a medium). The channel is the means used to convey the message. Most channelsare either oral or written, but currently visual channels are becoming more common astechnology expands. Common channels include the telephone and a variety of writtenforms such as memos, letters, and reports. The effectiveness of the various channelsfluctuates depending on the characteristics of the communication. For example, whenimmediate feedback is necessary, oral communication channels are more effective becauseany uncertainties can be cleared up on the spot. In a situation where the message must bedelivered to more than a small group of people, written channels are often more effective. Although in many cases, both oral and written channels should be used because onesupplements the other.

If a sender relays a message through an inappropriate channel, its message may notreach the right receivers. That is why senders need to keep in mind that selecting theappropriate channel will greatly assist in the effectiveness of the receiver's understanding. The sender's decision to utilize either an oral or a written channel for communicating amessage is influenced by several factors. The sender should ask him or herself differentquestions, so that they can select the appropriate channel. Is the message urgent? Isimmediate feedback needed? Is documentation or a permanent record required? Is thecontent complicated, controversial, or private? Is the message going to someone inside oroutside the organization? What oral and written communication skills does the receiverpossess? Once the sender has answered all of these questions, they will be able to choosean effective channel.

After the appropriate channel or channels are selected, the message enters thedecoding stage of the communication process. Decoding is conducted by the receiver. Once the message is received and examined, the stimulus is sent to the brain forinterpreting, in order to assign some type of meaning to it. It is this processing stage thatconstitutes decoding. The receiver begins to interpret the symbols sent by the sender,translating the message to their own set of experiences in order to make the symbolsmeaningful. Successful communication takes place when the receiver correctly interpretsthe sender's message.

The receiver is the individual or individuals to whom the message is directed. Theextent to which this person comprehends the message will depend on a number of factors,which include the following: how much the individual or individuals know about thetopic, their receptivity to the message, and the relationship and trust that exists betweensender and receiver. All interpretations by the receiver are influenced by their experiences,attitudes, knowledge, skills, perceptions, and culture. It is similar to the sender'srelationship with encoding.

Feedback is the final link in the chain of the communication process. Afterreceiving a message, the receiver responds in some way and signals that response to thesender. The signal may take the form of a spoken comment, a long sigh, a writtenmessage, a smile, or some other action. "Even a lack of response, is in a sense, a form ofresponse" (Bovee & Thill, 1992). Without feedback, the sender cannot confirm that thereceiver has interpreted the message correctly.

Feedback is a key component in the communication process because it allows thesender to evaluate the effectiveness of the message. Feedback ultimately provides anopportunity for the sender to take corrective action to clarify a misunderstood message. "Feedback plays an important role by indicating significant communication barriers:differences in background, different interpretations of words, and differing emotionalreactions" (Bovee & Thill, 1992).

The communication process is the perfect guide toward achieving effectivecommunication. When followed properly, the process can usually assure that the sender'smessage will be understood by the receiver. Although the communication process seemssimple, it in essence is not. Certain barriers present themselves throughout the process. Those barriers are factors that have a negative impact on the communication process. Some common barriers include the use of an inappropriate medium (channel), incorrectgrammar, inflammatory words, words that conflict with body language, and technicaljargon. Noise is also another common barrier. Noise can occur during any stage of theprocess. Noise essentially is anything that distorts a message by interfering with thecommunication process. Noise can take many forms, including a radio playing in thebackground, another person trying to enter your conversation, and any other distractionsthat prevent the receiver from paying attention.

Successful and effective communication within an organization stems from theimplementation of the communication process. All members within an organization willimprove their communication skills if they follow the communication process, and stayaway from the different barriers. It has been proven that individuals that understand thecommunication process will blossom into more effective communicators, and effectivecommunicators have a greater opportunity for becoming a success.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Burnett, M.J., & Dollar, A. (1989). Business Communication: Strategies for Success. Houston, Texas: Dane.