Business Communication | Oral Communication

ORAL COMMUINCATION

Communication is a composite of speaking and listening. Honing skills is both these areas is absolutely essential if the communicator wishes to impress the receiver. The initial impact is made by the speaking abilities of the sender. Equally important is the ability to listen carefully. If the overall effectiveness of these two components is considered, it would be seen that the ability to listen rather than to speak fluently impresses more.

The two activities, viz., speaking and listening, cannot be segregated. Both are closely intertwined and an overall impact is created if both these skills are used effectively. Let us use the word “IMPRESS” as an acronym to understand, would definitely help us to impress the other interactant.

I---- IDEA:

The first step in the process of communication is to decide on the idea, which needs to be communicated. There may be a host of  ideas passing through the mid of the sender. Depending on the situation and the receiver, the idea best suited to the occasion.

M---MESSAGE.

Once the idea has been selected, its needs to be clothed in a language that is comprehensible to the receiver. The encoding of the message has to be done keeping a number of factors in mind. What is the language that is going to be understood  by the receiver? Does the idea necessarily pertain to the interests of the interests of the receiver? What is that the receiver actually needs to know? Framing of the message, if done (keeping answer to these questions in the mind), would definitely make an impact on the receiver.

P---PAUSE/PARAGRAPHS.

The significance of pauses cannot be understand. Pause should juxtaposed at just the right  minute so that the receiver can assimilate the impact of the message. The use of pauses would be best understand in the context of a presentation. The presenter should, at the time of making a presentation, use this device suitably. Excessive usage of this can lead the presentation into being one that is pretty boring and monotonous. The right use of pauses actually simulates the audience. The impact is often so great and forceful that the receivers actually lean forward ion their chairs when the presenter pauses, as if urging him to resume the presentation. The device, in the course of the interaction, lasts for barely a few second. However, the impact is long and meaningful. In written communication pauses get translated into paragraphs. If the decision to use a certain number of paragraphs is right and the division of points in these paragraphs is also correct, then written communication becomes meaningful and creates a positive impression.

R---RECEIVER.

The receiver is the most important person in the process of communication who could, if he so desires, also prove to be the most difficult,. He is the one who is generally led into the interaction. In order to draw his attention , it is imperative that there be an extra plus that would retain him interest make him attentive to the ensuring communication. To satisfy this criterion the sender should address himself to the needs and expectations of the receiver. Formulating the statements according to a mutually accepted goal is a good way of proceeding and drawing his attention.

E---EMPATHY.

In communication empathy should be used to help us understand the other individual, the strategies that he adopts and the responses that he gives at a particular moment. It would be worth while to note that all communication is situation might use the same words but his attention might be totally different. Gauging the exact meaning of an utterance can only be done when we literally put ourselves in the shoes of the other person and try to understand the situation from the perspective of the sender.

Each individual, as a sender has, what we refer to as, a‘logic bubble’ that enables him to formulae his message in a particular fashion. The same holds true for the receiver or the listener. The greater the empathy between them, the higher the level of understanding and more the receptivity to message and ideas. Empathy needs to be distinguished from another word, namely “sympathy”. Which is different in connotation. Sympathy is placing the sender on a higher pedestal and viewing the order in a sympathetic light.

S---SENDER.

The communication process hinges on the sender. He initiates the interaction and comes up with ideas and concepts that he wishes to share with the receiver. His role is the most crucial. The success or failure of interaction depends on him and on the strategies he adopts to get his message across by securing the attention of the receiver. A cautious sender would understand that there is a difference between the mental frames of the interact ant  . Such a difference could be a result discrepancy in interpretations of words, perception of reality, and attitudes, opinions and emotions. Message, If formulated with awareness  along with these areas, is sure to brings success to the sender.

S---SECURITY CHECK.

Effective communication necessities  that the receiver listens carefully to the utterances of the sender so that the end results are positive. The primary rule is: never be in a rush to commence communication. Sufficient time and effort should be put in formulating the message. Suppose the sender wishes to communicate five points. The sequencing and necessary substantiation of points with facts and figures should be done prior to the actual beginning of the communication process. This would build confidence in the message and eliminate possibility of errors in the statements.

To sum up, the sender, in order to impress the receiver should, at he start, have an idea encoded in the form a message. At the time of encoding, the sender does a thorough security check to ascertain that all points have been dealt with in a desired order. The message is then transmitted to the receiver with the required voice articulations and pauses so as to heighten the impact. Finally, the response of the receiver should be viewed empathetically. Once all these factors have been understood, its proves easy to prevail upon the receiver.

There could , however be moments when in spite of efforts being made to make the interaction informative and meaningful, all communications links fall apart and he process ends in a meaningless rumble of words and sounds. This disturbing or distracting factor is what we refer to as noise. This may be on te part of the sender or the receiver: it can be voluntary or involuntary.

Posted in: Oral Communication