Unit -1

Communication and communication process.

Origin of the word communication: -
The word communication has been derived from the French word ‘Communis’ and the
Latin word ‘communicare’ which means to share or to give to another.

Definition of Communication: -
Communication is the process of transmitting/exchanging our thoughts, emotions,
feelings, ideas, knowledge etc. from one person to another with the help of appropriate
channel.

"Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions, or emotions by two or more

persons." – W.H. Newman

"Communication is the transmission and reception of ideas, feelings and attitudes both
verbally and nonverbally eliciting a response. It is a dynamic concept underlying all kinds
of living systems." – Norman B. Sigband.

Process of Communication: -
The process of communication begins with the emergence of a thought or idea in one's
mind. However, the mere emergence of a thought or idea does not start the process of
communication. The concerned individual must intend to communicate it to somebody.
This intention to convey ideas or thoughts starts the process of communication.

A message moves through the following five stages of the process of communication:

Communication process is cyclical in case of a two-way oral interaction because it begins

from the sender and ends at the sender. There are five elements of communication cycle
which play very important role in effective communication.
[Link] :
Sender is a person who begins the communication process to convey or communicate his
thoughts or ideas before sending the message he knows the audience , encodes the
message , selects an appropriate channel and then sends the message after that he also
receives the feedback given by the receiver to him.

The effect of his message not only depends on the language he uses but also upon his
status and reputation. Status relates to authority, knowledge and prestige while
reputation relates to the kind of person he is known to be i.e. whether he is co-operative
or non-co-operative (hostile). For example, a message from a popular boss who is liked
will be appreciated or believed by the subordinates much more than the one received
from a boss who is not held in very high esteem by the subordinates.

2. Encoding:
Encoding is the next step in communication. Here, the sender converts the idea into a
message which can be non-verbal, verbal or written. This is called encoding. It involves
language selection in addition to the selection of the medium of communication. An
appropriate choice of language is necessary for effective encoding. A verbal message
requires a common language that can be understood by both the sender as well as the
receiver. For example, a receiver who does not understand English cannot decode a
message, encoded in English. That’s why we use our first language in informal situations
and an official language in professional, academic or business situations. The medium of
communication should be carefully chosen because the choice of the medium is the
beginning of effective communication. A written message should be clearly stated while
the choice of words, tone and style are significant in an oral message. The right encoding
leads to successful communication because a work, well begun is half done.

3) The Message :-

The need for communication exists because there is a requirement to transfer thoughts
and ideas. The thoughts and ideas exist in the mind of the sender and can be transferred
to the other person only through communication. These thoughts or ideas may comprise
orders, instructions, feelings, guidance or any such things. These are called 'messages'.
Although thoughts and ideas are abstract, they take a physical form like a letter, a picture
or an order on being communicated. When this physical form is received by the receiver,
he will interpret it based on his frame of mind and it will now become an abstract thing in
his mind. This conversion of a message from the abstract form to a physical form and
then again to the abstract form is called encoding and decoding respectively.
[Link] or sending of message :-

The next step is transmission of the message. Transmission is the flow of message through
a chosen channel— verbal, nonverbal, written, visual and audio-visual. A channel of
communication uses a medium such as telephone, e-mail, SMS, video conferencing,
Internet, letter and face-to-face conversation. The choice of the channel and the medium
depends upon the time and place of communication. Suppose you want to take a day’s
leave from your boss who normally loses his/ her temper on such issues. The best way
would be to decide whether you should request him/ her in the morning, afternoon or
evening in his/ her office or when he/ she is walking down to the waiting car. In such
situations one must make one’s choices with a cool mind.

5. Decoding:
Decoding is the next step in the process of communication. It is the stage when the
transmitted message is converted into thoughts so that the receiver may underst and its
meaning. It is to be noted that the receiver interprets the message by analysing it
according to his/ her understanding. A written message is decoded through reading, an
oral communication by listening and a non-verbal communication by interpreting signs
and symbols. However, all these types of communication have a common aim of grasping
the idea as formulated in the mind of the sender. An effective decoding leads to a
successful communication. To achieve this aim, the sender should possess good
communication skills (verbal mastery and coordinated body language) and the receiver
should be a good decoder who should possess the qualities such as Good listening, Verbal
mastery, Ability to read between the lines, Empathy, An absence of any of these skills may
lead to misinterpretation of the message and may cause confusion and misunderstanding.

6. Receiver’s Response or Feedback:

Response or feedback is the last stage in the process of communication. It incorporates
the reaction of the receiver to the message and assists the receiver in knowing whether
the message has been correctly interpreted, misunderstood or rejected. If encoding and
decoding match each other, that is, the sender and the receiver of the message are on a
common wavelength, transmission of the message is effective and efficient.
Communication in this way is perfectly successful. Newton’s Third Law of Motion, ‘every
action has an equal and opposite reaction’, seems to work in the case of communication
process also. Encoding is the action, whereas decoding is the reaction. If the action
(encoding) is effective, the reaction (decoding) will surely correspond to it. Effectiveness
or weakness of an action from the sender will generate a corresponding reaction from the
receiver. This reaction is always in the opposite direction, that is, the feedback of the
receiver goes back to the sender. The communication cycle gets over with the receiver’s
response.
7. Channels and Media of Communication: -
The various methods of communication have been changing with the passage of time. It
started with the non-verbal communication of the primitive man, drums, the use of
pigeons and horse messengers, to radio, telegram, telegraph, wireless, and finally has
evolved to the electronic media of the modern times. With the advent of technological
and management studies, channels and media of communication have changed from
simple to complex and slow to fast making it more and more effective. The choice of the
channel and the media largely depends on the sender– receiver relationship as well as the
need and purpose of communication. Communication may take place through any of
these channels and media.

Forms/Types of communication :-

1) Formal Communication:-
"The communication which follows established systems, rules, regulations, procedures or
any other prescribed ways and means is known as formal communication. Such
communication is also known as Official communication because it follows the official
rules, regulations, procedures and systems established for communication."

"Formal communication requires strict guidelines. It is a presentation or written piece of

work that adheres to rules, conventions, and is free of all common phrases."

This type of communication is a written type in nature. In an organization, there is

interaction through letters, reports, notice, circular, memo, e-mail, fax, which is written
communication and which is formal. Similarly interviews, meetings etc. which are oral
communication. Though it is oral, in nature, the formal communications is precise, rigid
which requires accuracy.
e.g.

1. Notices, memos, letters, reports, fax messages, telegram, circular and e -mail etc.

2. Upward, downward, vertical, horizontal, diagonal communication.

3. Meetings, seminars, conferences, lectures, speeches, orals, interviews, theory exams,

practical exams, team work etc.

4. Annual budget, government reports, commission report.

Types of Formal Communication

1)Vertical Communication:-
"Vertical Communication occurs when messages need to be communicated through the
chain of command, following an organizational chart both upward and downward."
Vertical communication is the communication between people on variant levels of
authority in an organization or company. The communication flows in order of hierar chy
from the most senior employer or employee, down to junior employees. It improves the
working relationship between managers and employees.

In an organization the vertical communication is between the employees or persons

working at different levels in the organization.

Vertical communication is made up of two factors, the upward and the downward.

1 Upward Communication

"Communication from employees to management OR Communication from lower

authority to higher authority is upward communication.

e.g.

General Manager

manager

Engineer

Supervisor

Worker
2 Downward Communication :-
Communication from the decision makers to the workers is called downward
communication OR The communication from higher authority to lower authority is called
downward communication.

e.g.

General Manager

Manager

Engineer

Supervisor

Worker

3) Horizontal Communication :-

"A conversation between two colleagues working in an organization at the same level is
known as horizontal communication".

e.g. Production Manager → Marketing Manager, Staff of Institute → Staff of Institute

Principal → Principal , Director→ Director

Diagonal Communication:-
"It flows in all directions so there is no protocol, it does not have any particular rigid
norms of communication".

There are no set pre-requisites. A worker can easily be accessible to his boss, likewise the
boss too interacts with the workers either through verbal or non-verbal communication.
This mode is extended beyond the working environment of a particular organization.

In this type of communication, there is no restriction to direction. It may be upward,

downward, vertical and horizontal as well. It is well oral in nature and it is informal. Any
information which needs immediate communication can take diagonal made of
communication.
Informal Communication/Grapevine Communication
"Communication which is a free flow of ideas as there are no certain rules, principles or
form is called an Informal communication".

Informal communication is also called as 'grapevine communication'. It is more it's

spreads gossips or rumours through friendly in nature and it allows the expression of
personal feelings. Informal communication is very much prevalent in every organization.
Terms like gossip, grapevine, rumours, hearsay etc. are very much in focus. It goes on
expanding. The informal communication is not authentic. It is practiced in the social
functions, work breaks, etc. "Informal communication is also referred to as grapevine in
the business environment."

e.g.

1. When two friends meet each other and communicate they speak about their families,
work, political or religious issues, sports, movies, career, financial matters etc.

2. The informal communication which take place during Lunch break, tea break. Get
together. Short recess. Off periods or free periods. etc.
On the method of basis of expression Forms/types of communication can be
divided into verbal and non-verbal communication.

1) Verbal communication :- Verbal communication is the communication in

which words and languages are used.
It is divided in to two types :-

1) Oral communication 2) Written communication.

1) Oral Communication:-
The oral communication is the communication which takes place orally and includes face
to face conversation, dialogues, interviews, telephonic conversation, meetings etc.

Skill in oral communication is an important asset. In face-to-face interaction, a person

does not communicate through words alone. The person's whole personality, his general
bearing, facial expressions, gestures etc. are involved in the process.

Features of Oral Communication or Dos for the effective oral

communication:-

• Eye Contact:- It is one of the most immediate and effective means of establishing
rapport with the audience. A good speaker first looks at the audience and takes a pause
before beginning his speech. It helps to make a good impression on the audience. When a
speaker gives a break and puts his ideas into smaller units, rather than presenting them in
a lengthy narration, it may allow listeners some intervening time to grasp them. After the
pause, the speaker can proceed to explain the next point or idea. While speaking, it is
also necessary to maintain eye contact with the audience. If the listeners feel that the
speaker is ignoring them, reciprocally, they are also likely to ignore the speaker and what
he says. Through eye contact, the speaker gets an idea whether the channel of
communication is open or not. This sensing of signals itself works as feedback.

• Voice Modulation:- The speaker must know how to effectively use his own voice. A
good voice is a must for an effective speaker. A good voice is no doubt a natural gift; but
one can very well make efforts to improve the quality of one's own voice with skilful
training and practice. Proper attention to this aspect will help in acquiring confidence and
power.

➢ Variation in the pitch and tempo of the voice is essential to transmit a message
effectively.

➢ Fast delivery of speech indicates lack of confidence, therefore, betrays the objective of
the speech and the image of the speaker.

➢ The speed of delivery must be such that the audience can keep pace and understand
the matter properly. The speaker should not go beyond a speed of 125 to 150 words per
minute. This skill can be practiced by speaking within this range through proper practice.
➢ Pronunciation of the words used must be proper with due stress wherever required.

➢ Everyone, including the last man in the audience, should be able to hear the speech
clearly.

➢ Words like "You see", "I mean," "Do you understand," "is it clear" etc. must not be
used repeatedly. Such utterances hamper the smooth flow of speech.

• Audience Awareness:- Before choosing a speech topic, speakers should perform an

audience analysis or be aware of the audience to determine what topics might be
appropriate and of interest to this specific group. Sometimes this involves gathering new
information about an audience; sometimes it simply requires taking into account
information they already have as they plan and develop a presentation.

• Common aspects of audience analysis include typical age, gender, group affiliations,
education, type of employment, knowledge of the topic, attitudes about the speaker and
the topic, and personal or professional interests that might be relevant to the topic.

• Occasionally, a competitor will give a presentation intended for a general audience. This
is usually a problem. A general audience is an anonymous audience; it is not known who
the audience members are, what they care about, or how they relate to the topic. The
speaker has little information to decide what to cover and how to approach the audience;
the competition judge has little information to assess the likely effectiveness of the
effort. Speakers with specific audiences in mind generally present a clearer message.

• Before Starting the Speech, the Speaker Should:

➢ Size up the listeners.

➢ Consider the age, sex, background and interest of the listeners.

➢ Ascertain whether the audience is friendly or hostile etc.

➢ Make the listener feel that the speaker is talking to each member of the audience
individually.

➢ Make the audience feel the speaker’s sincere concern about their interests.

➢ While narrating a joke, narrate it in such a way that it should appear to be a part of
the speech and that the audience should receive it almost unprepared.

➢ Do not get disturbed if a listener smiles or whispers to a neighbour.

➢ Concentrate on ideas.
Characteristics of Oral Communication :-
• Instantaneous Two-Way Process:_
Oral communication is a speedy two-way process. The messages in oral communication
travel back and forth instantaneously without any loss of time, making it highly
interactive.

• One Off Exercise:-

Oral Communication is a one-off exercise. It is not repeated and there is no written
record to which any references can be made.

• Day to Day Language:-

The use of common, unconventional, day to day conversational language is considered to
be the most effective in oral communication.

• Presence of Sender and Receiver:-

The presence of both, the sender and receiver is required at the same time, for oral
communication to take place.

• Principles: -

Accuracy, clarity and brevity are the three principles of oral communication. This can be
achieved by using the right language, which the listener will understand and by
sequencing the speech in a logical manner.

• It Cannot be Erased or Mended:-

It is said, spoken words are like arrows, shot from a bow, which cannot be taken back.
While in written communication, it is possible to erase and or rectify the language, th e
same is not possible in oral communication.

Advantages of Oral Communication:-

Oral communication is the most frequently used means of sending messages because it
has certain distinct advantages like:

• Immediate Feedback: The greatest advantage of oral communication is that it

provides immediate feedback and clarification. People listening to the speaker can ask
questions, make comments, add to the information provided and so on. Both the speaker
and the listeners by turn can enter into a kind of short dialogue and make the whole
communication event purposeful.
• Better Relationships: Oral communication builds a healthy climate in the
organization by bringing the superior and the subordinate together and also building
close informal relations among employees, who indulge in oral conversations with each
other. This gives the subordinate a feeling of importance and the superior gets a better
understanding of his mind. Informal or planned meetings can greatly contribute to the
understanding of problems/issues in which they become partners.

• Time Saving: Oral communication is a time-saving device. While a letter which is

dictated and typed, entered in the diary, put in the envelope and carried to the person
addressed, will take a long time, oral transmission of the same message makes the
communication immediately effective. That is why many skilful managers cut down on
paper work and save time by calling up their juniors or walking up to their superiors and
taking up the issue that they feel needs immediate redressal.

• Effective Tool of Persuasion: Oral communication is the most effective tool of

persuasion as it lends a personal touch to the whole business. Resolving a conflict will
not be possible in the absence of oral communication. Unless a manager/ supervisor
'talks' to the workers in a persuasive tone, the conflict will remain there for no exchange
of letters can achieve what a real personalized meeting can.

• Effective Tool of Group Communication: Oral communication is very effective in

interacting with groups. The speaker can immediately, understand the group's reaction
and arrive at a satisfactory conclusion by putting his views across and exchanging points
of view. It would be difficult to achieve this, through written communication.

• Economical: Oral communication is economical, both in terms of money and time. It

saves the money, spent on stationery in organizations where managers insist on every
instruction and message being in writing.

• Allows to Measure Effectiveness Immediately: Oral communication allows

measuring effectiveness immediately and conveniently. The communicator can
determine instantaneously whether the receiver is following him or not. • It is the Only
Way out During an Emergency: At the time of exigencies, where immediate action is
required, it is not possible to rely on written communication alone. Here only oral
communication can serve the purpose by virtue of establishing sure contact.
Disadvantages of Oral Communication:-
Oral Communication has Some Disadvantages as Given Below:

• Lack of Retention/ Documentation: There is no documentary proof of oral

communication, so its impact is temporary. Human memory being what it is, oral
messages cannot be retained for a long time. It means that they must be acted upon
immediately. They cannot be found in record books and we cannot refer back to them
making it a serious limitation.

• Distortion in Passing the Message: While oral messages are transmitted from one
person to another, or in a chain, there is a possibility of distortion in the message, as the
hearing capability and perception level of different individuals may vary.

• No Legal Validity: In the absence of a taped or written record, oral messages do not
have any legal validity.

• Possibility of Misunderstanding: Oral messages lead to misunderstanding if the

speaker has not carefully organized his thought or the listener misses the message on
account of inattentiveness. While in a written message, he can read it again if he has
missed something, it is not possible in case of oral messages.

• Unsuitable for Long Messages: Much depends upon the length of the message. If it
is long, it is not suitable for oral transmission and it could lead to a vital piece of
information getting dropped or misconstrued.

• Difficulty in Assigning Responsibility: It is difficult to assign responsibility for

anything going amiss or any mistake occurring on account of an omission or commission
in oral communication.

• It is Constrained by Physical Barriers: Physical barriers like noise, environment,

seating arrangement, technical faults of mike, telephone, etc., negatively affect the flow
of oral communication.

• Not Effective when the Target Group is Spread Out: In case the target receivers
of the message are spread out to a large geographical area, it often becomes difficult to
address all of them together through oral communication.
2) Written Communication:-
When the message is expressed through written language symbols, it is written
communication and includes • Letters • Memoranda • Notices • Minutes • Circulars •
Agenda • Manuals • Handbooks • Reports • Orders • Enquiries • Complaints •
Quotations • Contracts • Forms .

Written communication has come to acquire great significance in the lines of individuals
as well as business organisations. It reaches out vast geographical areas and targets
readers around the world. Most business rely on records and written documents, rather
than on verbal contracts and oral commitments. Written communication is an essential
part of organizational life.

Characteristics of Written Communication:-

• Most Formal Type of Communication: Usually most of the informal, casual
conversation or friendly conversation is done orally. Whenever there is need for formal
communication, it is the written mode that is preferred.

• Used for Documentation: Written communication is mostly used for

documentation. In an organization, documentation of records and decisions made from
time to time are very important for which written communication comes handy.

• Used for Circulation of Information: This is used for circulation of information in

the organization. Written communication makes it possible to circulate information
without distortions and misrepresentations.

• Conventional by Nature: There are not many rules of grammar for oral
communication, as there are for written communication. Written communication is
conventional in the sense that it has to follow definite pattern as per rules laid down by
the language.

• Presence of Both Sender and Receiver is Not Necessary at the Same Time:
It is an important feature of written communication where the presence of just the
sender or the receiver is sufficient at a given point in time, to continue the process of
communication.

• A Creative Activity: Written communication is essentially a creative activity which

requires conscious and creative effort. The creativity of this effort comes from the stimuli
produced by the mind. The stimuli of oral communication are picked up from outside by
sensory receptors. In other words, written communication is more specifically, more
carefully thought out than oral communication that is based on spontaneous reaction to
signs picked up from outside.
• Time Factor: Another salient feature of written communication is the time factor it
involves. While in a face-to-face communication, situation, the sender's encoded
messages are instantaneously decided by the receiver in a written communications some
delay necessarily takes place. There is no fixed time limit to this delay. The sender or
encoder takes his own time in formulating the message which in turn takes quite
sometime to reach the receiver or decoder. The receiver will take his own time in filtering
it through his mind and responding to it.

• It has Fewer Cycles: Written communication has fewer cycles than face-to-face oral
communication. In oral communication there is multiple exchanges of symbols, leading
to multiple cycles. Most written communication is a one-cycle event. Usually a message is
sent and received, and that is the end of the event. Of course, letters do lead to repeated
cycles or communication exchanges. But they cannot compare with the quick succession
of cycles involved in a dialogue or informal meeting.

Advantages of Written Communication :-

• Ready Reference: First and foremost, written communication has the advantage of
providing records, references, etc. In the absence of ready reference, great confusion
may be created and the working of the organization will virtually come to a halt.

• Legal Defence: Maintenance of proper records, letters, reports and memos builds up
legal defences of the organization. An organization is like a living organism. And like any
organism even an organisation is vulnerable to offence, both from within and outside.
Organizations usually have their legal advisors who cannot be of any help unless prop er
records are made available to them.

• Promotes Uniformity: Written communication promotes uniformity in policy and

procedure. It is the only means of laying down clear guidelines for the working of the
organization.

• Mass Access: Written communication gives access to a large audience through mass
mailing. It is a common practice on the part of a well-known organization to reach out to
people at large and win customers through wisely drafted 'mail shots' or unsolicited
circulars. For example, whenever a new brand of two-wheeler is introduced in the market
or a bank comes forward with some attractive deposit/ investment scheme, it succeeds
in getting the names and addresses of all the members of an institution/ organization
who are offering them their services on easy terms.

• Suitable for Distance Communication: Written communication is most suitable

when the receivers are spread over vast geographical distances and oral communication
is either not possible or will cause the message to lose its effectiveness.
• Image Building: Written communication builds up the organization's image. It is not
at all surprising, therefore, that the outgoing letters/messages of certain well-known
companies are cited as examples to be emulated.

• Accurate and Unambiguous: Written communication has the advantage of being

accurate and unambiguous. Great care has to be taken in drafting any letter, memo or
report so that the message is effectively conveyed. Oral communication may often give
rise to confusion because every speaker has his own way of putting himself across. While
speech is very personal written communication rises above the person, especially in a
business organization where precision is the norm.

• Permanent in Nature: Written communication is permanent. The growth of an

organization is promoted, to a large extent, by reference to its old, well-maintained
records and minutes of meetings.

• Facilitates in Order to Assign Responsibility: Written communication facilitates

proper assignation of responsibilities. One may sometimes go back on the spoken word,
but not on words which have been, put on paper. Moreover, the lower staff behaves with
more responsibility, and also feels secure, when communication is sent in writing. There
is greater pursuance and seriousness attached to something that is "in writing".

• Permits Substitution and Revision: While spoken words cannot be taken back or
erased, since they have to be instantaneously and thoughtfully planned out, the sender
of a written message gets time to conceive the idea and formulate his message after due
substitution and revision of his text.

Disadvantages of Written Communication :-

• Limited to Literate World: Written communication is limited to literate people,
who have the capability to read and write. Though, in spite of literacy levels rising across
the world, there still remains a great chunk of people who are still devoid of this skill.

• Time Consuming: Unlike oral communication, written communication takes time to

reach the target. Both encoding and transmission of the message take time, resulting in
delays. It is, therefore, a time-consuming process. Postal delays cause a lot of time to be
elapsed between dispatch of written message and its receipt by the target.

• Lot of Paper Work: Written communication creates mountains of paper cluttered

around the premises of an organization. It is a common sight in offices, and the staff has
a tough time trying to handle it. Very often valuable papers get lost. Managers, therefore,
have to be extra careful to keep sensitive or confidential material in their own custody.

• Needs Expertise in Expression: Written communication runs the risk of becoming

ineffective in the hands of people otherwise good in their job, but poor in expression.
That is why it is a serious concern of a modern organization to recruit people who are
very good in expression, especially in letter and report writing ability.
• Lack of Immediate Feedback: Written communication is mostly handicapped by its
inability to get immediate feedback. The receiver of the message takes his time to
understand and respond to the message.

• Costly: Written communication is a costly process in terms of stationery and the

number of people involved in typing and sending out letters.

• More Man Hours Needed: By the same logic, it is costly in terms of man-hours lost
in taking dictation, typing, entering in the diary, dispatching etc. The same job can be
done more efficiently and expeditiously by harnessing modern technology like video
conferencing, computers and e-mails.

• No Immediate Clarification: Written communication has another disadvantage. If

the receiver of a written message at a distance seeks some clarification, he cannot have
it, as quickly as he would like to. He will also have to write back and wait for the reply to
his query. Immediate clarification is also not possible in exchange of written
communication.

2) Non-Verbal Communication:-
When no words are used and only symbols, colours, signs, graphs, charts, pictures,
gestures, postures sounds or expressions help to express a message, it is termed as
non-verbal communication.

• The first scientific study of non-verbal communication was found in Charles Darwin's
book, 'The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals (1872)'.

• Visual methods of non-verbal communication are those which can be seen; for example,
signs, pictures, colours, graphs, charts etc. Auditory are those which can be heard; for
example, bells, horns, whistles, various sounds etc.

➢ Non–verbal methods of communication have an instant effect because they can be

quickly perceived by the receiver.

➢ Non–verbal methods of communication are less time-consuming to understand, like

seeing a picture, colour, or listening to a bell, horn than verbal methods of
communication.

➢ Non-verbal methods can present data in a compact form.

➢ Several pages of written material can be instantaneously conveyed through graphical,

pictorial, tabular or diagrammatic methods. For the purpose of comparison, such non-
verbal methods are more convenient.

➢ Pictorial symbols can be quickly understood and easily remembered; hence they are
more useful in semi-illiterate or illiterate population.

➢ Pictorial symbols can be more suitable.

➢ Graphs and charts of different kinds are nothing but a pictorial presentation of
statistical information, where special skill and technique is applied. Through them the
overall situation can be understood at a glance.

➢ Non–verbal communication is more effective in representing figures and tables. It

needs less space than what is required for a description.

➢ Maps are also a form of non-verbal communication. They are used for numerous
purposes like showing transport routes, climatic conditions, population distribution,
crops, vegetation etc.

➢ Many a time, visual signs and signals are used for communication if the sender and
receiver are not within hearing distance of each other. Such signs are made with hands,
lights, colour or any other means which is large enough and is easily visible.

➢ One part of non-verbal communication falls in the area of auditory symbols. Auditory
symbols are those which are heard by the ears i.e. sound. Tribals use drum-beats to
convey the messages to distant places in the forests. Its modern form is the siren which is
used in times of emergency situations like fire, accidents, war etc. Real (Real Objects,
People, Events etc.)

• A number of non-verbal clues play an important role in oral communication. Upon

meeting a stranger and interacting with him, a person observes the stranger’s physical
characteristics, body movements, facial expressions etc. Non–verbal communication is no
substitute for verbal communication. However, it supplements and reinforces what is
being said by the communicator. There are occasions when non-verbal clues may
contradict verbal communication. For example, a tiny, shabbily dressed person may
create a poor impression but he may later prove to be an interesting person/good
speaker.

Body Language :-

• There is a language beyond verbal, linguistic and visual ones which can be expressive
and loaded with denotative and connotative meanings. It has come to be known as
"Body Language". Non-verbal language can be classified as: Non-verbal Language Body
language or Kinesics (Gestures, body movements, facial expression, eye movement,
postures etc.) Paralanguage (Laughing, yawning). Skin sensitivity (touch and
temperature). Dress (Cosmetics and grooming). Proxemics (Perception of physical space)
Olfaction or body odour.

• Body language is a comprehensive term used for ability of living beings to communicate
without verbal communication, through different parts of the body; it includes gestures,
facial expressions, different body postures, miming, touch, dependence upon the
physical space between the communicators, dressing style/attire, as well as all sorts of
body movements. In certain cases, silence also functions as body language. Silence plays
an important role in certain exchanges. Body language, by and large, is unintentional and
more truthful than verbal messages.
• Gestures: In certain cases, gestures are used extensively when a person does not
know the local language. Deaf and dumb people mainly depend on gestures for
communication. In certain discussions, gestures of a person convey much more than what
he speaks, for e.g. enthusiasm, emotions, etc. A gesture like shaking hands displays
friendship and warmth. Other such examples are holding of hands, patting on the
shoulder, waving, etc.

• Facial Expressions: A smile expresses friendliness and affection. Raising of eyebrows

conveys surprise and furrowed forehead expresses worry and anxiety. Various parts of
the human face are significant in communicating information, especially the eyes. Eyes
are the most significant organs which communicate subtle messages. Eyes by themselves
do not show emotion;

but when associated with other parts of the face, they are the windows to the soul.
Squinting, winking, staring and gazing express a world of meaning. Looking at the eyes,
face and other verbal signals during conversation perform certain important functions:

➢ Looking helps the synchronising of utterances.

➢ It provides definite feedback.

➢ It provides additional non-verbal information which elaborates verbal messages.

• Postures: Each movement or posture of the body has expressive and defensive
functions. The way in which one sits or stands, walks in or walks out, speaks a lot about
the person’s emotions and attitude. But no body movement itself has any exact meaning.
Just as gestures add to the meaning of spoken words, postures also make sense wh en
considered together with other verbal and non-verbal clues. For example, lowering of
the head indicates the end of a statement or raising of the head indicates the end of a
question. A large number of postural changes indicate end point in interactions; for
example, the end of a thought or the end of a statement. For example, when talking to
friends/peers, our body posture is relaxed and at ease. However, while talking to our
superiors, our body posture is more erect and formal. Standing with the arms folded
across the chest is a common posture that indicates hostility, disagreement or being
unresponsive to suggested ideas/thoughts. A shift in posture indicates dynamism. This
aspect of body language is known as "Proxemics."

• Dress and Appearance: The way one dresses and the way in which they groom
themselves shows the person’s status and attitude. Most people are influenced by how
people look and the clothes they wear. Physical attractiveness plays an important role in
one’s assessment of people. Attractive people are generally considered to be more
successful, more intelligent, and more competent than those who appear less attractive.
A person's physical appearance and dress convey a great deal of information about him,
for example his/her status, designation, qualification, etc. For many if not all the manner
in which a person is judged or evaluated depends greatly on his/her physical appearance.
A person’s attires hence exercises a definite impact on the communication process.
• Silence: "Speech is silver, but silence is golden". It means silence speaks louder than
words do; it is non– verbal language par excellence. It describes the relationship between
communicators and their attitudes towards one other. Silence – defined here as an
absence of speech or noise – has been generally ignored as a form of communication
because it represents inaction or non-behaviour. But it’s not necessarily inaction. Nor is
silence, as many believe, a failure to communicate. It can, in fact, be powerful form of
communication. It can mean someone is thinking or contemplating a response to a
question. It can mean a person is anxious and fearful of speaking. It can signal
agreement, dissent, frustration or anger. In case of public speaking, when the speaker
punctuates his remarks with periods of silence, it may mean that they are used to stress
the importance of his message, or it may indicate a momentary pause given for the
audience to grasp the meaning of what the speaker just said. In some cases, for example,
a worker maintains a generalised silence when he fails to complete his assigned job and
the supervisor makes enquiries about it. Failing to pay close attention to the silent
portion of a conversation can result in missing a vital part of the message. Astute
communicators watch for gaps, pauses, and hesitations. They hear and interpret silence.
They treat pauses, for instance, as analogous to a flashing yellow light at an intersection –
they pay attention to what comes next.

• Body Contact (Haptics): It may include intentional and unintentional touching. The
touch may differ by the culture or the gender. The way your father touches may pass on
some message to you which is an example of haptics. An elder person in the family or the
society may enjoy the right to touch other person.

Advantages/Merits of Non-verbal Communication

• To overcome language difficulty.

• Charts and graphs are easy to grasp and understand.

• Retention period of pictures and graphs is longer.

• Comparison can be easily made.

•To make publicity work more effective, for example in case of advertising and media,
charts and graphs are introduced.

•These are very effective in changing attitudes.

• Easy to comprehend and remember

Disadvantages/Demerits of Non-verbal Communication

• Charts, graphs etc. cannot be used for conveying all kinds of information.

• Not suitable for detail discussions or for giving instructions etc.

• They are not suitable for explaining ideas and their details.

. It cannot convey lengthy messages.

.Detailed instructions are impossible

Importance of communication /Functions of Communication: -
The Important Functions of Communication are:

• Information Sharing: The main purpose of communication is to transmit information

to individuals or groups. These could be in the form of policies and rules; changes and
development in the organization. There may be need for fast diffusion of some
information in the organization, e.g., special rewards and awards given, settlements with
the union, and major changes in the organization.

• Feedback: There is need to provide feedback to employees on their achievements, to

the department on their performance, and to the higher management on the fulfilment
of goals. Difficulties encountered in the process of communicating feedback helps in
taking corrective measures and making necessary adjustments. It also motivates people
in developing challenging and realistic plans.

• Influence: Information is power and a significant purpose of communication is to

influence people. The manager communicates to create a conducive environment, right
attitudes, and congenial working relationship.

• Problem Solving: In many cases communication helps in solving problems.

Communication between the management and unions on issues like to bring about
negotiation helps, find solutions and consensus.

• Assists in Decision Making: The most important function of every manager is to

take critical decisions. In order to make accurate and appropriate decisions, he needs to
obtain information that is available in various channels of communication. The way,
decision is communicated will have an impact upon the outcomes of the organization in
terms of co-operation and support of the people to achieve organizational goals. For
arriving at a decision, several kinds of communication are needed like exchange of
information, views, and available alternatives.

• Facilitating Change: The effectiveness of a change introduced in an organization

depends to a large extent on the clarity and spontaneity of the communication.
Communication between managers and employees helps in recognizing difficulties in the
planned change, and in taking corrective action.

• Group Building: Communication helps in building relationships. If communication

breaks down, the group may disintegrate. Communication provides the necessary
lubrication for the proper functioning of a group.

• Gate Keeping: Communication helps to build linkages of the organization with the
outside world. The organization can use its environment to increase its effectiveness.

• Conveying the Right Message: The main objective of communication is to convey

the right message to the right person. The message conveyed should be well understood
and accepted by the receiver in the right perspective. It should carry the same meaning
which has been conveyed, so that it may be translated into action effectively.
• Helps in Co-Ordination of Effort: Communication is an effective tool for co-
ordinating activities of different persons engaged in running a business. Co-ordination
without communication is a remote possibility. In organizations, there exist many
differences, which are often formally created by an organization through their
departments, divisions, delegation, decentralization, authority and power. Various
effective communication mechanisms like letters, circulars, meetings conferences,
telephone, cellular phones come into play. These differences are minimized and activities
are properly co-ordinated to achieve organizational goals.

• Good Industrial Relations: Communication develops good industrial relations as it

conveys feelings, ideas, opinions and viewpoints of different parties. The two parties
namely the management and the subordinates come closer through communication.
They understand each other and dispel any misunderstandings in order to promote
better co-operation and industrial relations.

• Development of Managerial Skills: Communication helps managers to understand

human behaviour at work. Facts, ideas, opinions, information and feelings add value to
the knowledge of managers about happenings, within the organization and the behaviour
of people. This happens by sharing and communicating. Communication is a process of
learning.

• Ensuring Effectiveness Policies: An organization formulates policies and

programmes to guide the work force. This should be conveyed properly to those who are
really responsible for the execution of work to achieve the organization's larger
objectives. Only effective communication can translate policies into action. Effectiveness
of policies can be judged from the success which depends upon an effective
communication system.

• Motivating People: If people working in organizations, are not regularly informed

about their management's expectations, plans and policies with respect to their future
career and growth, promotion and welfare measures, they feel frustrated and
demotivated. Through various communication devices, managers declare rewards and
incentives to motivate employees.

• Performance Feedback: People working in an organization need to know how well

they are performing and what needs to be done to achieve and exceed standards set by
the management? Through measures like letters of appreciation or suggestion,
subordinates are given feedback about their performance status.

• Job Instruction: Managers need to communicate to their subordinates’ job

instructions from time to time. Failure on the part of managers in communicating these
instructions may lead to confusion, wastage and inefficiency, affecting productivity and
bottom lines.
• Controlling People: Every organization has its own rules, regulations and procedures
framed by the management in order to perform various activities to regulate the
behaviour of its people. Therefore, an organization issues notices, circulars, letters etc., to
communicate the existing or changed rules, regulations and procedures. The
management information system is well-known as a control mechanism. Information is
transmitted to ensure that plans are being carried out according to the original design.
Communication helps in ensuring such control.

• Spreading Rumours: This is also referred to as informal communication or grapevine

in organizations. Usually, considered as the work of employees to create
misunderstandings, management responds by using this route to assess the impact and
reaction of their employees before introducing proposed policy changes.

• Emotive Function: Communication facilitates the expression of feelings and

satisfaction. It also enables people to express their dissatisfaction and unhappiness
through words or in writing in order to release tension and frustration. The grievance
resolution machinery along with managers and supervisors are often trained to handle
employees' emotional problems and complaints.
Barriers to Communication:-
Barriers are the obstacles which affect the effective communication.

Communication is a process through which you convey your idea to someone or a group
of people. It is said to be effective if the idea is conveyed clearly and unambiguously. In
such a case, the message should reach the receiver with little deformation.
Communication becomes successful only if the receiver understands what the sender is
trying to convey. If your message is not clearly interpreted or the receiver does not give
the desired feedback, you should understand that you are facing a communication barrier.
The process of communication may be blocked due to many reasons. Many socio-
psychologists believe that there is 50– 70% loss of meaning while conveying the message
from a sender to a receiver. You should understand these barriers as they can create
hurdles in your professional and personal life too.

The following are some of the major barriers:

1. Physical Barriers :-
One of the major barriers to communication is the physical barrier. Physical
barriers are the barriers which occur in communication due to sudden physical
appearance, noise, time, space , climate and affect the whole communication
process.

i) Sudden physical appearance :- e.g. If two persons are communicating on any

secret / confidential issue and if anybody enters suddenly ,the communication will
be affected.

ii) TIME:- A sender has to consider the time of his /her communication in order to
prepare the message otherwise the message will not get the desired feedback.

e.g.- Wish you happy birth day. this message send on particular day is fine but if you
send message on next day it will not get the desired effect.

iii) NOISE:- During the communication the communication may be disturbed due to
sound of loud music, traffic, lightening, mobile ringing.

e.g.- 1)Member of parliament arising question during budget speech.

2) Students are reading in library and the sound of loudspeaker disturbing

them.
 iv) Distance :- The distance between sender and receiver influences the smooth
communication between them. If the distance is long, you cannot properly listen
and not understand the exact meaning of communication. If the distance is too
short the receiver may feel awkward.
e.g. i) If Teacher teaches in low voice, the last bench students will not be listening
properly.
ii) The picture of Monalisa from the distance of 10 meter will not be visible
properly.

V) Surroundings:- If the surrounding environment of the listener and receiver is

not good or favourable then the communication will affect both.
e.g. In the rain, snowfall ,fog the visible communication cannot take place.

2. Physiological Barriers thus Include:

Physiological barriers which can be caused because of bodily dysfunction such as.

• Speaking: Stammering, fumbling, utterance of improper sounds due to defect in

speech, etc.

• Listening: Hearing impairment, deafness, etc.

• Writing: Illegible handwriting due to uncontrolled hand movements

like trembling, numbness, etc.

• Reading: Difficulty in reading due to poor eyesight, perceiving the

written words as hazy, unclear and overlapping, etc.

In case of any deficiency in any of these organs, the successful completion of

communication will be difficult to carry out (speaking can be negatively affected by
stammering, fumbling, utterance of improper sounds due to defective vocal organ/s, etc.)
listening can be ineffective as a result of defective hearing. Deafness - total or partial-
obstructs the absorption of sound signals. This leads to information loss and creates
communication barriers.
3. Psychological Barriers:
"Psychological or mental barriers are the barriers which we create in our minds, or
which we have learned from others, that prevent us from communicating
effectively."

Psychological barriers are caused because of human mind set, mentality and
attitude which interrupt the smooth communication. Feelings like fear, desire,
hopes, likes, dislikes, views, opinions are developed according to family
background, social environment, education etc. Every individual act in his/her own
way and it becomes psychological barrier.

1. Day dreaming. 2. Prejudice. 3. Emotions. 4. Blocked mind. 5. Generation gap.

6. Phobia. 7. Status in attractiveness. 8. Perception.

Day-Dreaming:-
"Daydreaming is a short-term detachment from one's immediate surroundings,
during which a person's contact with reality is blurred and partially substituted by
a visionary fantasy, especially one of happy, pleasant thoughts, hopes or
ambitions, imagined as coming to pass, and experienced while awake".

Day-dreaming is a state of mind thinking about something, which is not happening

at the time of listening and it may be irrelevant also distraction is a result of day-
dreaming. Day-dreaming seriously affects the smooth communication between
sender and receiver.

1. e.g. Teacher is teaching in the classroom, the student is day-dreaming.

2. Raj is looking towards his teacher but his concentration is not towards
teacher's teaching but in the garden.

Emotions:-
"A strong feeling deriving from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with
others is called as emotions".

Negative emotions are obstacles in smooth communication and acts as a strong

barrier to effective communication. Communicator is unable to organise his/her
message properly.
The communicator's state of mind does not allow him to think clearly, the person
may not be open to new ideas or suggestion if he is emotional about something.
Sorrow, or over joy is very difficult for person to be engaged smooth
communication. e.g.

1. "Alas! She is dead". Such statements are not used in marriage function.
2. We cannot joke or laugh at the time of someone funeral ceremony.
Blocked Mind:-
"An inability to remember or think of something you normally can do; often
caused by emotional tension".

A person may close his/her mind for accepting new ideas, facts, thoughts, novelties
etc. Blocked mind is always narrow mindedness, and reserved in thoughts, feelings
of superiority or inferiority is permanent in his/her mind.

e.g. 1. Yes! I am the correct and all are false.

2. John is not ready to listen what is said by all the members of his team.

Generation Gap:-
"A difference of attitudes between people of different generations, leading to a
lack of understanding is called Generation Gap."

"A lack of communication between one generation and another, esp. between
young people and their parents is called Generation Gap".

According to the age, maturity, educational background and the eras in which a
person grows, adopts make generation. Considering his age and maturity of an
individual apply different standards of judgement to judge the statements of the
speaker.

Sometimes generation gap causes conflict and poor communication because each
generation is not similar and prefers own mode of communication.

e.g.

1. John says, "My papa is typical traditional person".

2. Old people participated in religious functions and young generation enjoy in

party and pub culture.

3. John's father is not ready with the John's opinion.

Phobia :-
"Phobia is a strong feeling of fear and distrust about something in social
institutions." Extreme shy, self-consciousness and a growing fear of an
embarrassment or restrict personal action and expression and social phobia
therefore can have a long-standing negative effect that limits emotional and social
response the junior feelings awkward or pressurized to communicate freely with
the senior or superior.

e.g. 1. Mr. Patil hates cigarette smokers.

2. Raj is taking exam very seriously only one day before.
3. John always fears to talk with his teacher because the teacher is a very angry
person. Then communication will not be successful.
Status In attractiveness
Unfavourable information to the high-status people. Their own status consciousness is
harmful in the people at the lower status are usually afraid of communicating unpleasant
and the process of upward communication. People fear that the unpleasant fact
communicated to their superior might have unfavourable effects of juniors, so do not
show courage of offering suggestions and plans of improving the organization, to protect
dignity of status, avoid accepting suggestions from subordinates.

e.g.1) 'Ramu Kaka' is not talking freely to Mr. Patil's manager but he talks freely to his
friend'ShamuKaka'.

2. The language of CEO and the language of peon is totally different from each other.

3. The students of FYEE are not sharing their feelings with Principal but easily share with
Class teacher.

Perceptions:-
"The ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses." "The way in
which something is regarded, understood, or interpreted." acts of The brain filters the
message that is words, signs, symbols and assigns meaning to them. According to
individual perception difference in perception, difference in individuals respond to the
same words, signs, symbols based on their own understanding of the situation and assign
meaning, variation in the perception causes communication gap.
e.g.
1."Mery,I am leaving..."
Mr. Raj considers Mery is leaving college.
Mr. Ajit considers Mery is making joke.
[Link] considers it as casual.
One statement can be interpreted in different perceptions.

• Self-Image (Self Concept): The way a person looks at himself or at the picture he
has of himself is called ‘self-image’. It is this image which makes a person defend his point
of view. The mind only retains information that is pleasant, or information which pleases
the self-image, conveniently forgetting the information which is unpleasant, or which
belittles the self-image. Following are the Important Points in Respect to Psychological
Barriers of Communication:

• Wrong Assumptions: There are certain assumptions which become barriers in

communication. The speaker feels that he need not elaborate or explain certain points.
This becomes a barrier in communication. For example, an engineer takes it for granted
that workers understand various technical terms he uses. He may be wrong in his
assumption.
• Wrong Presumptions: Many a time, phrases like "It is well known" or "It goes
without saying" are used. These and other terms like these may support wrongly
presumed statements.

• Tendency of Generalisation: Some people have the tendency to generalise. For

example, someone may make a statement that 'Businessmen lack manners'. It is nothing
but prejudice against a particular group.

• Wrong Judgments: Sometimes, messages are interpreted in terms of the receiver’s

own frame of references. In that case, the receiver’ judgment acts as a barrier in
accepting facts.

• Snap Reactions: A listener or reader may have the tendency to quickly or

prematurely respond to the message. Such reactions are called as 'snap reactions.' They
may prove to be barriers in communication.

• Tendency to Evaluate: The main barrier in case of interpersonal communication is

the natural tendency of humans to judge, evaluate and disapprove the statements of
others.

• Group Identification: Opinions are formed due to the influence of various factors
such as a group, neighbours, colleagues, locality, city, religion, economic background etc.
to which one belongs. For example, a person participating in a strike feels that to be in a
group is more important for him, therefore she may not be willing to accept any
communication contrary to the interests of his group.

• Self-Image: When an image is created over years, it is difficult to accept any idea
which goes against it. For example, consider a person who has an image of being efficient
in performing his job. This person subsequently becomes an officer. As an officer, he
would be required to control his subordinates and get the work done rather than doing it
himself. However, if he fails to accept his shortfall in delegating work, it would affect his
image adversely. In such a case, the image itself may become a barrier in communication
between him and his subordinates.

• Closed Mind:- Intellectual background, narrow interest, failure in under-standing

human nature, may become barriers to communication. Counselling can help overcome
this difficulty.
 •Prejudice:- "Prejudice preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or
actual experience". People with deeply fixed opinions with something past are
very difficult to communicate. Such persons are not open to discussion or a new
idea, information, view point and opinions. Prejudice is false or wrong conception
about somebody or something.

e.g. 1. Father is the head of the house.

2. All girls are weak and cannot fight with boys.
3. John is naughty boy, he can tease his friends.
4. The statement: "Merry is sincere girl she can not make mistake".

Linguistic Barrier:-
"Absence of communication between people who speak different languages is
called as Language or Linguistic Barrier".

"Barrier to communication resulting from speaking different languages".

(i) Difference in language. (ii) Technical jargons.

(iii) Pronunciation. (iv) Allusions.

i) Difference in Language:-
"The language of sender and receiver does not match for understanding
appropriate message is called language barrier."

The main problem is concerned with (decoding) the particular language. Decoding
and interpretation of the message by the receiver creates barrier in
communication in some situation it is completely or sometimes partially different
which creates obstacles in understanding what is conveyed by the sender.

e.g. 1. A Maharashtra visitor visits a rural village in Tamil Nadu state, it creates
language barrier.

2. A foreigner came on tour and wants to discuss with rural villagers in

Maharashtra. The main problem is language barrier.
ii)Technical Jargons:-
"Technical terminology or term of Art is the specialized vocabulary of any field of
knowledge. Within each field, terms have one or more specific meanings that are not
necessarily the same as those in common use".

Jargons are words or expression used in particular profession. Such words are not used
in common language and also understood by common people. Technical jargons are
always used in particular field, organization or institutes; it is not understood by non-
technical or common people.

If anyone wants to understand the technical jargons then special explanations or required.

1. Medical jargon used in medical profession. e.g. Calcurry, Metastatics, Abdominal.

2. Technical typing engineering jargons used in particular firm or enterprise or company.

e.g. Circuit, strength of wall, CAM, C language, Java, Computer, Oracle etc.

Pronunciation:-
"Pronunciation means the way in which a word is pronounced".

The pronunciation of a native speaker of a concerned language is different from foreign

language learner. Pronunciation also differs from person to person, region to region.
Education, gender, age, cultural background, geographical regions, environment affects on
pronunciation at the same time anger, shyness, fear, affection etc. influence on
pronunciation. Stress and tone, intonation, speech influences on pronunciation, if it
violates than pronunciation barrier will arise.

e.g. 1. Native U.K. language is different from Indian English.

2. American people uses lot weak forms on the other idea Indian speakers are not using
weak forms on "closed word category" in communication.

Allusions:-
"An expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an
indirect or passing reference."

Allusions are basically in character form of expression. Nicknames, pet-names or names

given out of sheer coincidence of nature, mannerism or profession. If such nick or pet
names are unfamiliar to the receiver than creates misunderstanding or barrier in
communication.

e.g.1. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam - 'Missile Man of India'.

2. Sachin Tendulkar - 'Master Blaster'."
3. Amitabh Bacchan - 'Big B'.
4. Karina Kapoor - 'Bebo'.
5. Charles Darwin - 'Second Shakespeare'.
Mechanical Barriers:-
"Mechanical communication barriers are technical sources of interference in the
communication process. A mechanical barrier stems from a problem in machinery
or instruments used to transmit the message."

Faults in machine equipment or defects in mechanical device or some technical

problem creates obstacle in smooth communication is called mechanical barrier. In
this barrier there is no fault in either the sender or the receiver.

A technical problem in public-address (loudspeaker), telephone set, telephone line,

absence of electricity, cross-talk, low network, one way communication, defective
handset, etc. are called mechanical barrier in verbal/oral communication.

On the other side that is in written communication, the spread of ink on a

newspaper, picture affects in reading newspaper.

e.g.

1. Faulty loudspeaker will not communicate between leader and audience.

2. Defective or dead phones or cross-talk, network problem creates incomplete

communication between two persons.

3. Spread of ink or newspaper cannot read properly.

4. Defective fax machine can not send or receive message.

5. Virus problem in laptop creates problem for sending e-mails.

(E) Cultural Barriers:

Any language is the expression of thoughts, feelings and experiences in terms of the
cultural environment. The same language when used in different cultures, takes a
different colour and conveys a different meaning. Sometimes, language is modified
according to the person with whom one is speaking. There is a difference in the use of
language for discussions, formal talks, informal talks, etc. Language influences the
behaviour of individuals and groups.

In certain cases, language itself becomes a barrier in communication.

Words are mere symbols and frequently convey more than one meaning, both in the mind
of a sender and that of a receiver.

Symbols represent subjective and objective meanings.

Favourable and unfavourable arrangement of words depends upon the context in which it
is used.
Communication difficulties arise when

One does not/cannot express what one means.

One uses language, idioms, phrases etc. one may not mean.

One speaks at the wrong moment.

Words carry different meanings for different people, i.e. contextual meaning.

How to Overcome Barriers :-

Successful communication needs to minimize barriers to communication. It is a need of
time, or demand of contemporary era. The role of sender and receiver plays significant
role for minimizing and overcome barriers to communication.

Steps to Overcome Barrier

1. Collect and organize information before sending message.

2. Select appropriate channel or medium according to the demand or situation.

3. Specific message accurate words without any jargons also understand to the receiver.

4. Follow co-operative principle and politeness principle in communication.

5. In complicated message need to send instructions or appropriate information.

6. Clarity, consistency, adequacy, technical jargon, confused words etc. in communication.

7. Avoid ambiguity, absurdity, technical jargon, confused words etc. in communication.

8. Do not use shortcuts too much short forms and immediate conclusion in
communication.

9. Concentrate on rules and object of communication.

10. Get proper feedback to sender.

11. Get proper feedback by receiver.

12. Active listener, eye contact ask questions if not understand, avoid day dreaming,
selective listener.

13. Do not interrupt in communication.

14. Send appropriate feedback.

How to Overcome

1. Physical barrier
(i) Understand environmental condition and send message.

(ii) Use appropriate medium from communication. e.g. Deaf person-body language.

(iii) Understand appropriate message from time.

(iv) Avoid noise at the time of communication.

(v) Understand distance and create message.

(vi) Do not concentrate on surroundings.

(vii) Avoid stammering in communication.

(viii) Maintain good health.

(ix) Stress free communication.

(x) Understand the medium.

(xi) Good handwriting.

2. Mechanical barrier
(i) Alternate channels is selected appropriate channels.

(ii) Device should be properly working.

(iii) Regular maintenance of instruments.

(iv) Do not use faulty instrument.

(v) Understand mechanism.

(vi) Understand signal for radio-mobile and electricity.

(vii) Virus free electronic device.

3. Psychological barrier
(i) Positive attitude.

(ii) Do not prejudice.

(iii) Avoid day-dreaming.

(iv) Emotion should be control.

(v) Open mindedness.

(vi) Free from generation gap.

(vii). Avoid phobia.

(viii) For co-operativeness principle to maintain

(ix) To understand the perception.

4. Language barrier

(i) Use appropriate language.

(ii) Avoid technical jargons.

(iii) Use correct pronunciation.

(iv) Avoid allusions.

(v) Use simple language.

(vi) Avoid cliche and technical

(vii) Use simple short sentences.

Reading Skills:-

1 INTRODUCTION

Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man.

Reading is probably the most crucial skill among Listening,Speaking,Reading and Writing.
It is so because a good reader can rise above the disadvantage of limited opportunity
received in terms of listening, speaking, and writing a language. By all means, effective
reading skills are vital to achieving success not only in one's academic but also
professional life. Usually, it is observed that only good readers are good communicators. It
is a skill that cannot be ignored. It is advisable to acquire efficient reading skills as early as
possible.

2 BENEFITS /NEED OF EFFECTIVE READING

1. Effective reading can provide you with a 'comprehensible input' from the book or
document that you read.
2. It can enhance your general ability to use other language skills such as listening,
speaking and writing.
3. It can enhance your vocabulary, that is, you can always learn new words, phrases, and
expressions.
4. Effective reading also helps you keep your mind focused on the material and prevents it
from unnecessary distractions.
5. Moreover, this enables you to extract useful information much more efficiently within
limited time.
6. It can help you consolidate both previously learned language and knowledge.

7. It helps in building confidence as you start reading longer, and later, voluminous texts.

8. It gives you pleasure and relaxation as books are the best and most reliable friends.

9. Effective reading facilitates the development of various other skills, such as making
predictions, comparing and contrasting facts, creating samples, hypothesizing,
reorganizing the message as transmitted by the text, improving your critical thinking,
and hence developing a sharp acumen with passage of time.
Types of Reading :-
There are four basic types of reading

1 Skimming
Skimming is used to quickly gather the most important information or 'gist' from the
document or novel that you read. For this, you should make your eyes run over the text,
noting important information. You may also go through the contents of the chapters
rapidly, picking out and understanding the key words and concepts. For example, while
reading the newspaper in the morning, you quickly try to get the general news of the day
and discover which articles you would like to read in more detail.

2 Scanning
Scanning is used to find a particular piece of information. In this type of reading, you allow
your eyes to run over the text, looking for the specific piece of information that you need.
You use scanning when you go through your schedule or meeting plans, look for specific
advertisements, or some specific information in a book, etc. This is the most effective way
of getting information from magazines, scan the table of contents or indexes and turn
directly to interesting articles to arrive at the specific information.

3 Extensive Reading
Extensive reading is used to obtain a general understanding of a subject. It includes
reading of the longer texts for pleasure, and business reports to know about the general
trends. In this type of reading, you should not worry if you do not understand each and
every word. You can use this type of reading to improve your general knowledge of
business procedures, or to know the latest marketing strategy. Also, while you read a
novel before going to bed, or magazine articles that interest you, you use your extensive
reading skills.

4 Intensive Reading
Intensive reading is used on shorter texts in order to extract detailed information. It
includes very close and accurate reading for details. You use this skill to grasp the details
of a specific situation. In this case, it is important for you to understand each word,
information, or fact. When you read your text book for understanding the concepts or
various theories, you have to read intensively. You also require to read every single detail
when you want to go for an insurance claim or want to sign a contract.

Intensive reading skills help you understand and interpret the text, infer its central idea,
observe the common thread that runs through it, and intuit its overall purpose and
significance.
Type of readers:-

1. The Casual Reader

Reads occasionally, mostly for relaxation or passing the time. They may enjoy light novels,
magazines, or trending books without diving too deep.

2. The Bookworm
Someone who’s always reading, perhaps with a book always by their side. They usually
have a long reading list and devour books regularly, enjoying various genres.

3. The Analytical Reader

This reader dissects the material, taking notes, analyzing themes, symbols, and often
making comparisons to other books. They may be students, critics, or simply curious
minds.

4. The Genre Enthusiast

Specializes in one or two genres, like fantasy, sci-fi, romance, or history. They enjoy deep-
diving into the tropes, trends, and nuances of their favourite categories.

5. The Re-reader
Loves revisiting favourite books multiple times, finding new meaning or comfort in each
read. For them, each reread feels like reconnecting with old friends.

6. The Skimmer
Goes through books quickly, skimming parts to get the gist. This reader may focus on
essential points, preferring to capture the overall message rather than every detail.

7. The Critical Reader

Reads with a focus on assessing quality, credibility, and impact. Often looks for logical
arguments, factual accuracy, and clear language, making them ideal for academic or non-
fiction content.

8. The Bedtime Reader

Reads as part of their nightly ritual, often to relax before sleeping. They prefer calming or
lighter reads rather than intense or suspenseful stories.
9. The Emotional Reader
Reads to connect emotionally, seeking stories that will evoke strong feelings. They enjoy
books that offer empathy and depth and may be drawn to poignant, moving narratives.

10. The Audiobook Listener

Prefers listening to audiobooks rather than reading physical or digital copies. This type of
reader may consume books while multitasking, like during commutes or workouts.

11. Social Readers: People who read to connect with others, join book clubs, or discuss
books online.

12. Escapist Readers: Readers seeking temporary escape from reality.

13. Reflective Readers: Those who reflect on their reading experience, analyzing themes
and personal connections.

Reading Habits

1. Serial Readers: Finishing one book before starting another.

2. Parallel Readers: Reading multiple books simultaneously.
3. Binge Readers: Consuming entire series or genres in quick succession.
4. Dip-In Readers: Sampling various books without finishing.

METHODS OF READING
1) Sub-vocalized reading :-
It combines sight reading with internal sounding of the words as if spoken. It is a bad habit
that slows down the pace of both reading and comprehension. However, some studies
show that it helps the readers better, particularly while reading complex texts.

2) Speed reading
It is a method for increasing reading speed without a reduction in comprehension or
retention. With effort, you can acquire a speed of as much as 1000 words per minute.
3)Photo Reading

Photo Reading is different from "regular reading" or "speed reading". It is a way to

process and understand information than to read it. It claims to process and store the
information merely by looking at the page by use, the whole mind rather than only the
left or right side of our brain.
In this method, we use speed reading techniques with an additional technique of photo
reading to increase your reading speed, comprehension, and retention.

4)Proofreading :-
It is a kind of reading for detecting typographical errors in a printed text. One can learn to
do it rapidly, and professional proofreaders typically acquire the ability to do so at high
rates, faster for some kinds of material than for others.

5)Structure-Proposition-Evaluation (SPE)
Mortimer Adler popularized this method in his book How to Read a Book, mainly for non-
fiction treatise, in which one reads a writing in three phases: (1) for the structure of the
work, (2) for the logical propositions or progression made, and (3) for evaluation of the
merits of the arguments and conclusions. This method demands suspended judgement of
the work or its arguments until they are fully understood.

6)Survey-Question-Read-Recite-Review (SQ3R)
This method involves immaculate and perfect reading, that is, you read so as to teach
what is read or be able to explain or apply the knowledge obtained in other domains. In
this method, the reader absorbs the information and uses it without having to refer to
notes or the book again.

7)Multiple intelligences-based method

This method draws upon the reader's diverse ways of thinking and knowing to enrich
his/her appreciation of the text. Reading is fundamentally a linguistic activity. Most
readers use several intelligences, such as auditory, visual, and logical intelligence, while
reading, and making a habit of doing so in a more disciplined manner, that is, constantly
or after every paragraph, which results in more vivid and memorable experience.
Barriers to Reading:-

1)Lack of Grammatical and Linguistic Competence :-

Many people cannot read effectively because they fail to decrypt grammatical and lexical
units of language in the text. They lack the ability to differentiate and recognize the
words, sentences, expressions, used in the text. It hampers the process of reading. The
reader may stop reading further if he fails to understand the text grammatically.

2) Lack of Motivation:-
Reading for information and knowledge requires motivation and discipline. Many people
think reading as boring and time consuming task. Lack of proper motivation and goal may
create barrier to reading.

3)Lack of Concentration:-
If the reader lacks concentration while reading, he just will turn pages after pages without
much comprehension. Reading is psycholinguistic process. It requires careful attention of
the reader.
4) Proper Light and Ventilation
A reader has to struggle a lot to read in dim light or dark rooms. If proper ventilation is not
there in the reading room, reader may feel suffocated or tired.

5) Size of the Book

Normally, people prefer reading small size articles and texts. If the book contains volumes
of pages, it decreases the interest of the reader.

6) Articulating the Words and Sentences Loudly

Many readers have habit to articulate loudly or murmur the words in the text. They buzz
each word which creates a barrier to speed reading.

7)Putting Finger, Pen or any Object on the Words and Sentences

While Reading Many people put their finger or pen on the text while reading. They move
the finger or object from word to word which lowers down the process of reading.

8)Narrow Eye Span

Many readers read the text into independent eye shift between each and every word.
They have narrow eye span. It not only decreases the speed of reading but also affects the
comprehension. Shorter the eye span, slower the speed and comprehension. Readers
require proper training and techniques to expand their eye span.
Overcoming Barriers
1. Preparing the Mind
First and foremost, practice some relaxation sequences, with slow but deep diaphragmatic
breathing routines, so as to help canter your mind from distracting thoughts, but more
importantly, to help create a resourceful and superior state of mind, with a physiologically
relaxed body to go along with it.

2. Beginning with the End in Mind

Decide on your ultimate application, and whether you want a global overview or detailed
information from your reading, as well as how much time you are prepared to invest, as
your decision will determine your reading pace.

3. Having an Attack Strategy

Learn and apply the seemingly popular SQ5R reading strategy. With an SQ5R, a quick scan
of the tapestry of contents, preface, index and appendix, and even the bibliography, all at
the back, and also the end-of-book summary, if available, will often give you some inklings
about the book's contents.

4. Knowing the Patterns

Learn to recognise all the Text Organisational Patterns and their Signal Words, often used
by authors in the more intellectually intensive reading materials. With pattern
recognition, your mind moves at warp speeds, since it knows where and what to focus on
within the book terrain.

5. Visual Pacing
Use a pen or pencil as a pacer, to control the visual sweep of the saccadic movement of
your eyeballs, as attested by most fast readers.

6. Going for the Jugular

Apply Pareto's Principle, to help you segregate "core material" from "elaborative
material".
➤ "Core Material" = concepts; theories; principles; definitions; terminologies;
nomenclatures; etc.
"Elaborative Material" illustrations; examples, anecdotes, etc.

It's always good to adopt the Index Card Strategy to help you learn and master "core
material" quickly.
[Link] Gems
Learn to spot Key Ideas, and salient points, One quick way to achieve productive results in
your reading navigation is constantly asking:
What is the author talking about here? or What is the essence here?
What the key ideas and salient points here? or What is important and relevant here, in
terms of my predefined objectives or desired outcomes?

8. Making Notes
Don't hesitate to make Marginal Annotations, or intellectual graffiti as we call it
sometimes, by making notes in the white spaces of text passages, with personal relevancy
to call-to-action. Always Express them in Terms of: AZT (Actions-to Take)/T2D (Things-to-
Do)/Q2P (Questions-to-Ponder). It will help you to stay physically engaged and
intellectually stimulated.

Strategies/Tips for effective Reading

Following are some important tips you must keep in mind about reading:
1. Get your eyes checked. Often, very slow reading is related to uncorrected eye defects.
Before embarking on speed reading, make sure that you don't have any correctable eye
defects.
2. Get rid of the habit of vocalizing words-if you have as you read. If you sound out words
in your throat or whisper them, your reading rate is slowed considerably. You should be
able to read most material at least two or three times faster when reading silently than
orally.
3. Find out what you want to know, and for that you need to cut through and assess what
is to be skipped from reading.
4. Your reading rate should vary according to your reading purpose. To understand the
information, for example, skim or scan at a rapid rate.
5. It is always important to stress on qualitative not quantitative reading.
6. Cultivate a positive attitude towards reading. The more you read the more love you
develop towards reading.
7. Even if you find reading to be tedious, try to give your task an extended stretch of an
hour or so. Don't give up reading in the first 10-15 minutes itself.
8. Learn to underline the key parts/words/concepts for further references.
9. While reading, new ideas and concepts will flash in the mind and the same may be
added in the margin of the page.
10. By using different coloured pencils, the importance level of the contents can be
underlined for future reading.
11. Try to convert the written information into pictorial format while reading for effective
com- prehension of contents.
12. Fix some amount of time daily, exclusively for reading, and over a period of time it will
become a practice.
COMPREHENSION
Comprehension is the ability to grasp something mentally and the capacity to understand
ideas and facts. Reading requires understanding, or comprehending the meaning of the
printed word. Readers must develop certain skills that will help them comprehend what
they read and use this as an aid to reading. Comprehension skills are the ability to use
context and prior knowledge to aid reading and to make sense of what one reads and
hears,
Comprehension is:-
•The essence of reading.
• Active and intentional thinking in which the meaning is constructed through interactions
between the text and the reader.

Techniques of Comprehension:-

• Reading comprehension is the process of constructing meaning from the text. The goal
of all reading instruction is ultimately targeted at helping a reader comprehend the text.
Comprehension is an important aspect of reading. When you read, strive to understand
and extract meaning for better overall awareness of what you are reading. By learning
and implementing reading strategies and changing how you read, you can improve your
reading comprehension abilities and make reading easier and more enjoyable.

•The process of comprehending involves decoding the writer's words and then using
background knowledge to construct an approximate understanding of the writer's
message.

•Different readers will interpret an author's message in different ways. Comprehension is

affected by the reader's knowledge of the topic, knowledge of language structures,
knowledge of text structures and genres, knowledge of cognitive and metacognitive
strategies, their reasoning abilities, their motivation, and their level of engagement.

•Reading comprehension is also affected by the quality of the reading material. The more
inconsiderate the text, the more work will be required of a reader to comprehend the
text.
•Skilled readers do not just read; they interact with the text.

Skilled Readers, for Instance:

1)Predict what will happen next in a story using clues presented in text.
2)Create questions about the main idea, message, or plot of the text.
3)Monitor understanding of the sequence, context, or characters.
4)Clarify parts of the text which have confused them.
5)Connect the events in the text to prior knowledge or experience.
The Important Points in Respect of the Technique of Comprehension are:
Good answers to the questions in the comprehension passage can be given when:

➤The reader understands the meaning of the passage.

➤The reader properly understands the questions asked.
➤He/She is able to express the meaning of the passage in his own simple and clear
words.
➤ He must use the skill of reading between the lines. All questions have to be answered
in context of the questions.
➤Ability to understand the content helps in determining reliability.
➤ It is necessary to read a passage several times till it is completely understood.
➤It is necessary to read the passage carefully at least three times.
➤It is necessary to understand the key ideas.
➤The reader must get the main theme of the passage i.e. what the author says about the
subject matter.
➤Prepare the answers to the questions.
➤Give attention to the punctuation, grammar.
➤Prepare a gist of the passage and try to understand what the author wants to tell about
the topic.
LISTENING
"Listening is a process of receiving, interpreting and reacting to the messages received from
the communication sender."

Lee Hopkins, an Australian expert on leadership, defines listening as "a process that consists
of five elements: hearing. attending understanding. responding, and remembering."
Listening is more than just hearing words, and requires skill and practice for greater
effectiveness.

Importance of Listening:-

Listening is one of the most vital aspects of effective communication. Successful listening
means not just understanding the words or the information being communicated, but also
to be aware of how the speaker feels about what they're communicating

In a business organisation, listening is key to successful working relationships among

employees and between management and staff. Listening skills also impact a company's
interaction with customers and other businesses.

Gain Information: Listening enables an individual to obtain facts so that she/he can make
decisions that help the business. By listening to a job applicant in an interview, for example,
you might discover his attitudes toward the job, performance in previous jobs and
information not detailed on his resume. This additional insight can help you decide whether
the applicant is a good fit for your A supervisor who listens company employee's complaint
about a health risk on the job might reduce injuries and enhance job performance

Develop Trust: Listening is crucial to building trust. If one member of a team doesn't listen
to instructions, the whole project might fail to develop trust an individual must pay
attention to verbal instructions and deadlines. For example, listening for statements a
coworker might make regarding his own strengths and weaknesses as it relates to a project
so that you can work together in a way that maximises each other's strengths.

Maintain Reputation:- The reputation of a business depends upon listening skills. If a worker
fails to listen to a customer, for example, the customer might not receive the service or
product she/he expected. When this occurs over and over again, it can destroy the
company's reputation. A company develops relationships with other businesses through
verbal communication, too. Talking on the phone and working on a task at the same time
can result in misunderstandings.

Reduce Conflict: Listening can lessen conflict. A conflict can arise when an individual feels
misunderstood or mistreated. For example, if an employee fails to listen to instructions and
his colleague does the task he was supposed to perform, the colleague might be unhappy
with him

Motivate Employees: A manager can improve morale and output by understanding what
motivates each employee. Listening to employees to discover what aspects of the job they
find most rewarding and challenging can help to motivate them. The manager should
continue to be an attentive listener so that the employee knows he or she is sincerely
interested in what he or she has to say.
TYPES OF LISTENING:-
Content listening

In this type of listening, the primary focus is on understanding the message sent by the
speaker, and to gather and understand the information. Therefore, it is also known as
informative listening. We listen to reports, briefings, instructions, speeches, and
conversations to obtain the desired information.

Empathetic listening

This is also known as therapeutic/relationship listening for the obvious reason that it is used
in times of crisis. This is mostly done by us when we allow a troubled friend to express her
feelings. It does not mean that empathetic listening is not employed by professionals. In
fact, all good leaders and managers always try to empathize with their Subordinates when
they approach them with some problem.

Counsellors, doctors, and psychiatrists also use this type of listening in their profession. In
this type of listening, the listener is required to empathize with the speaker and help
him/her get things off his/her chest. Since you try to understand the speaker's situation as
an empathetic listener, it helps in strengthening the relationship between you and the
speaker.

Appreciative listening

You do not employ content listening or empathetic listening when you listen to music or
watch a movie. In these situations, you use appreciative listening since you appreciate the
lyrics, direction, melody, style, or dialogue delivery. Thus, it is listening for pleasure or
enjoyment.

Analytical listening

The purpose of this listening is two-fold. On one hand, you try to absorb the message and on
the other, you attempt to analyse the ideas or facts and make critical judgement. In fact,
this type of listening helps you evaluate the strength of argument, accuracy of evidence or
facts, validity of inferences and reveals gaps in thinking.

INTENSIVE LISTENING VS EXTENSIVE LISTENING

Intensive listening is listening to a small amount of material a number of times. For example,
when you listen to a recorded lesson again and again, you may be able to acquire the
correct Pronunciation or intonation, or understand the hidden meaning of the text. When
you listen, you concentrate and keep your mind focused on the text. This is the perfect
technique to improve your listening comprehension. This helps you develop an intuitive feel
of the grammar, structure, and words of the language which you listen to in this type of
repeated listening. By regularly listening to news in English, audio articles, audio books,
movie scenes, speeches, etc., you can easily develop your intensive listening.
Extensive listening
It is essential to learn the language this technique gives you the opportunity to hear
different voices and different styles. Thus, it helps you get used to the natural flow of the
language. This also helps in developing effortless listening, since listeners listen to the ideas
and opinions on a wide range of topics. However, when listeners employ only extensive
listening, they passively pick up the erroneous expressions with the correct ones and make
the same errors when they themselves speak and write. That is why, we are required to
employ both intensive and extensive listening in our day-to-day interactions with others.

Active Listening (Listening)

It is the process of converting an idea or thought into message with complete involvement.

Listener encourages the speaker to express his ideas enthusiastically by showing interest in
the speech.

It is a two-way process where listener plays an active role.

An active listener never neglects the physical aspects of the speaker such as appearance,
expressions and bodily movements as they are very helpful to convey meaning to spoken
words.

To encourage the speaker an active listener responds non-verbally by rolling eyes. changing
facial expressions showing smile and, in this way, shows his keenness to listen.

Active listening leads to effective and sound listener- speaker relationship.

Active listener shows his thirst for knowledge and Information by asking relevant questions
frequently.

Passive Listening.(Hearing)

It is the process of just absorbing the message without any involvement.

The listener discourages the speaker by expressing boredom on his face.

It is a one-way process where the listener plays no role. A Passive listener has nothing to do
with these physical aspects as he wants to bring out no meaning from the spoken words.

A Passive listener also responds non-verbally by yawning and showing boredom on face and
discourages the speaker.

There is no scope for listener-speaker relationship and in fact the speaker wants to avoid
such listeners.

A Passive listener wants the speaker to conclude as early as possible and thus no chance of
building up rapport between them.
BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE LISTENING

1 Forged Attention
This is one of the most common barriers to effective listening. We usually find audiences
staring at the speaker but their minds are preoccupied with something else. They have a
very attentive listening posture with their hands below their chins and eyes wide open, but
they are not listening at that point of time, only faking it.

2 Premature Evaluation of the Subject Matter and Speaker

We often find that poor listeners convince themselves that the topic is uninteresting even
before listening to the speaker and the complete message, and thereby a chain of negative
thoughts start mushrooming. The next preconceived notion is that the speaker is dull and
boring, and finally they turn to the many other thoughts and concerns stored in their minds
for such an occasion. Such listeners tend to mentally criticize the speaker for not speaking
distinctly, for talking too softly, or for not looking at the audience. They often do the same
with the speaker's appearance. If speakers are not dressed as they should be, they probably
tend not to listen. On the other hand, good listeners try to get something good even out of a
dull discussion or talk.

3 Hard Listening

Poor listeners try very hard to listen to and absorb every word the speaker utters. Such type
of listening is called hard listening. By employing this, listeners lose sight of the main idea by
concentrating too hard on details. In such cases, the listeners pay more heed to the
individual words and expressions rather than concentrating on the actual essence of the
message. Thus, most of us who listen for facts may recall some isolated facts, but may miss
the primary thrust or idea the speaker was trying to convey. Remember that in order to
overcome this problem, we must listen to the speaker's primary points.

4 Poor Interpersonal Relations

Human beings base their reactions on the type of relationship they have with the other
person. They interpret the message according to their past or present relation with the
speaker. A lack of confidence, or a sense of superiority or inferiority, prevents them from
having proper involvement in the listening task. These prejudices affect the sense,
interpretation, and evaluation of the message.

5 Over Excitement

Whenever we hear something with which we happen to disagree, we get swayed by a chain
of thoughts related to that. We spend too much time on thinking about the counter
arguments and we tend to lose track of the speaker's ideas. In such cases, our listening
efficiency drops to nearly zero because of over-excitement.
6 Different Language Variety and Accent
When the speaker uses a different accent which the audience is unable to understand, it
becomes a great barrier to listening. For instance, the Indian audience can follow the British
accent easily, whereas when they listen to a speaker from California who has an American
accent, they find it difficult to follow him/her.

7 Distractions

Some listeners have very poor concentration while listening. They actually get distracted
even with the slightest sounds of opening and closing of doors, people whispering to each
other, or vehicles outside.