elements of professional communication

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ( F O R N O W )

Friday, October 05, 2012 SLH1013 - Professional English

Professional Communication

Quote, Unquote


You can’t give what you don’t have.” - Anonymous

By anonymous

It’s Not What You Say


Why this course is important What you may know: What you want to say. What you may not know: How to say it in the most effective way

Effectiveness 1: The attention that you want “Communication is about content and delivery, fifty-fifty. But

when it comes to leadership, it's all about the delivery. Of course what you say matters, but how you say it, how you relate to folks, is what differentiates great leaders from the pack.” (Tobak, 2011)

Effectiveness 2: The results that you want “That means you can have innovative ideas, indeed you must, but

if you can't deliver them in a way that connects with people and relates to them in a meaningful way, you won't get results.” (Ibid.)

Practical example and explanation are at www.cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-28247949/its-not-what-you-say-but-how-you-say-it/ . This is related to writing effectiveness ("The entire point of communication

is to communicate. This point seems frequently forgotten... Remember: Write for your audience.... the method that works is to be tactful about it, not blunt.) at www.critters.org/whathow.html .

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-28247949/its-not-what-you-say-but-how-you-say-it/























http://www.critters.org/whathow.html


THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION PROCESS

SENDER or SOURCE

MESSAGE or MEANING

MEDIUM

CHANNEL

RECEIVER

MEANING

ACTIVE PURPOSE:

MOTIVE, INTENTION

SYMBOLS CODES FORMATS

NUMBER: INTRAPERSONAL

INTER PERSONAL PUBLIC

MASS COMMUNICATION

ELEMENTS 8

LETTERS

NUMBERS

CHARACTERS

GRAPHICS

SPACES

LANGUAGE

VOCABULARY

SPELLING

GRAMMAR

PUNCTUATION

SYNTAX

PARTS

STRUCTURES

HIERARCHY

MARGINS

ALIGNMENT

INDENTIONS

CLARITY ACCEPTABILITY

STANDARDIZATION

ARE THE TARGET RECEIVER’S NEEDS POSITION or functions and EXPECTATIONS determiners or not?

STEPS 7

COMPONENTS 40

DETERMINERS 28

QUESTIONS 4

PRINT AUDIO

ELECTRONIC

MULTICHANNEL

ENCODE 2

DESIRE 1

SEND 3

RECEIVE 4

DECODE 5

FEEDBACK

RESPOND 6

CONFIRMATION

CONFIRM 7

1 3 4

NEED IMPORTANCE URGENCY

SPEED of TRANSFER PRESERVATION of CONTENT

TIMELINESS or TIMING CONFIRMATION of

TRANSFER CONFIDENTIALITY SECURITY

TRANSLATE CREATE

MEANING RELATE to NEEDS

PASSIVE CONTAINER:

DATA, INFORMATION

TARGET NON-TARGET

TEXT SUBTEX T CONTEXT

NOISE INTERVENING

VARIABLE INTERFERENCE

MOTION on FILM

UNI- or MULTIMEDIA on DATA STORAGE DEVICE

INK, on PAPER

SOUND on TAPE

SPOKEN PRINTED or

DRAWN PERFORMED or

ENACTED LIVE or RECORDED

• TO ENTERTAIN

• TO PERSUADE

• TO PRESERVE

• TO PUSH TO ACTION

• TO INFORM

• TO INFLUENCE

• TO EDUCATE

2

MINDSET ABILITY FORM ACCESS

ELEMENTS


The eight elements of professional communication are your guide to understanding the complete process.

Missing a required element can result in unprofessional communication, in miscommunication, or in partial or complete communication failure.

COMPONENTS


The forty components of professional communication determine whether the receiver understands and believes your message.

Missing a required component can result in misunderstanding, in non-belief, or in both, and therefore in communication failure.

STEPS


The seven steps of professional communication determine the success of transferring your message to your target receiver.

Missing a step can result in non-delivery, and therefore result in communication failure.

DETERMINERS


Determiners are elements that affect the elements, the components, and the steps of communication.

Determiners determine whether your communication is of an professional or unprofessional quality.

Failure to consider a determiner can affect the receiver’s decoding, thus resulting in miscommunication.

QUESTIONS


The four questions can help you save time and effort.

These questions help you decide where to focus on your target audience.

Creating a message that focuses on a target receiver’s needs is not required in all of the seven steps.

1 . ORIGIN: S E N D E R S A N D S O U R C E S

2 . ACTIVE PURPOSE: M O T I V E , A N D I N T E N T I O N

3 . PASSIVE CONTAINER: D A T A , A N D I N F O R M A T IO N

4 . DETERMINERS : T H E S E V E N P U R P O S E S O F C O M M U N I C A T IO N

SLH1013 - Professional English Friday, October 05, 2012

Step One: DESIRE

SENDER SOURCE


Active

With intention

Sender sends

Sender makes meaning for receiver

Passive

Repository only

Receiver seeks

Receiver finds meaning for self

Origin of the Message

MOTIVE INTENTION


Hidden or implied purpose or reason

May be different from intention

Receiver may guess the hidden motive

Clearly stated purpose or reason

May be different from motive

Receiver can understand the stated intention

A Sender’s Active Purpose

DATA INFORMATION


Not structured

Needs to be translated

Not understood by receiver

Meaning created by receiver

Code is structured

No need for translation

Understood by receiver

Meaning created by sender

Types of Messages

THE SEVEN FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION

7 Reasons for Communicating

1. Entertaining To elicit a receiver’s willing suspension of disbelief; to help the receiver forget reality for a while

2. Persuasive - To convince a receiver to change a belief or mind-set

3. Preservative - To record an event, information, or data for posterity

4. Quantifying - To elicit and measure a receiver's reaction or output

5. Informative - To effectively transfer information to a receiver

6. Affective - To modify or change a receiver’s attitude, tendency, or feeling about something

7. Educative - To transfer information and skills, at the same time creating positive affect


Entertaining Not Entertaining


A dramatic movie

A soap opera on radio

A romantic novel

A joke about life on campus

A documentary film

A weather report on radio

A math textbook

A speech about campus safety

1. TO ENTERTAIN To elicit a receiver’s willing suspension of disbelief; to forget reality for a while

Persuasive Not Persuasive


Advertisement showing white teeth

Receiver’s mindset is different

Receiver’s belief is modified or changed

Advertisement showing toothpaste

Receiver’s mindset is the same

Receiver’s belief is the same

2. TO PERSUADE To convince a receiver to change a belief or mind-set

Preservative Not Preservative


Taking a picture of native costumes

The data is preserved for others to access in the future

Giving a lecture about native dress

The data is presented for access at present

3. TO PRESERVE To record an event, information, or data for posterity

Quantifying Non-quantifying


Asking a patient to open his mouth for a thermometer

The receiver must react

The output can be measured

Telling a patient to go to stop worrying

The receiver may or may not react

The output cannot be measured

4. TO MEASURE REACTION To elicit and measure a receiver's reaction or output

Informative function Non-informative


Telephone directory

News broadcast

Menu

Recipe

Road signs

Free samples

Fiction novel

Joke book

An abstract painting

A speech in an unknown language

5. TO INFORM To effectively transfer information to a receiver

Affective Non-affective


A low grade for a low quiz score

Improving the taste of food

Endlessly repeating an advertisement

Punishing a crime

Making a funny joke

Recording an event on camera

A series of tests with the same level of difficulty

6. TO MODIFY AFFECT To modify or change a receiver’s attitude, tendency, or feeling about something

Educative Non-educative


Teaching essay writing and praising a well-written final essay

Increasing the difficulty of succeeding lessons

Memorizing past historical events for a quiz

A series of tests with the same level of difficulty

7. TO EDUCATE To transfer information and skills, at the same time creating positive affect.

FINAL NOTE

A message that entertains while, at the same time, delivering information is more effective than a message that delivers only information.

Communication is more professional when a message can effectively deliver more functions.


1 . E N C O D I N G , D E C O D I N G , A N D S Y M B O L S

2 . S Y M B O L S : L E T T E R S , N U M B E R S , C H A R A C T E R S , A N D S P A C E S

3 . C O D E S : L A N G U A G E , V O C A B U L A R Y , S P E L L I N G , G R A M M A R , P U N C T U A T I O N , A N D S Y N T A X

4 . F O R M A T S : P A R T S , S T R U C T U R E S , H I E R A R C H Y , M A R G I N S , A L I G N M E N T , A N D I N D E N T I O N S

5 . M E D I A : P A P E R , T A P E , F I L M , D A T A S T O R A G E D E V I C E 6 . D E T E R M I N E R S : C L A R I T Y , A C C E P T A B I L I T Y ,

S T A N D A R D I Z A T I O N 7 . D E T E R M I N E R S : S P O K E N , P E R F O R M E D O R E N A C T E D ,

L I V E O R R E C O R D E D


Step Two: ENCODE

Encoding, Decoding, and Symbols


To encode is to translate an idea into a physical form while to decode is to translate symbols into meaningful ideas.

Symbols are characters that are used to record meaning; codes refer to the arrangement of symbols in order to create meaning

Symbols Codes


Characters

Letters (a, Z, y)

Numbers (3, 1, 0)

Signs ($, {}, =, !)

Spaces

Spelling

Grammar

Syntax

Punctuation

Spacing

Indention

ENCODING The use of symbols to translate an idea or concept into physical form

CODES


Language – Formal, informal Vocabulary - Academic, technical, business Spelling – The arrangement of letters to form

words that have meaning. Grammar - The arrangement of words to

form sentences that have meaning. Syntax - The correct arrangement of words to

create well-formed sentences. Punctuation – Signs and conventions to start,

end, pause, join, separate, or identify ideas.

FORMATS


To format is to arrange symbols in codes in order to clarify or emphasize meaning.

Formats are conventions that guide the arrangement of the parts of a message; the purpose is to clarify the meaning of the message.

The use of professional formats indicate the sender’s level of education.

Definitions: FORMATS


Alignment – Arranging the first letters of each line of text to form a straight line

Left-align – The first letter of each line are all in a straight line on the left side of the paper.

Justified – The first and last letters of each line are all in a straight line on both sides of the paper.

Indention – The number of spaces between the margin and the first line of the paragraph

BLOCK FORMAT

All lines are begin on the left side

All paragraphs are aligned on the left and right sides


MODIFIED BLOCK FORMAT

All lines are begin on the left side, except for date and signature.



INDENTED FORMAT

All lines are begin on the left side, except for date and signature, and the first line of each paragraph.



MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY


Media are materials on which symbols can be recorded (medium is singular while media is plural).

Another meaning of media: a technology that is used for transmitting messages.

Paper, for instance, is a medium that can be used for recording as well as a technology for transmitting messages.

Technology refers to any human invention that can be used for any practical purpose.

TYPES OF MEDIA


1. Paper medium – uses ink on paper to record ideas

2. Tape medium – records sound on sound tapes

3. Film medium - records motion, lights, shadows, and sound on video tape or movie film

4. Data storage device – records data, information, or multimedia in digital format on flash drives (USBs) or disk drives.

DETERMINERS


Determiners are elements that affect the elements of communication.

For instance, your choice of a medium depends if the message is live or recorded; spoken, performed or enacted.

Professionalism depends on how these determiners affect the effectiveness of a message.

For instance, the clarity, acceptability, and use of standard codes and formats in a letter make the message more effective.

Determiners of Media and Channel


Live presentation – electronic media, projector; speech on amplifier

Recorded presentation – voice or action on tape

Spoken message – voice on amplifier

Written message – ink on paper

Enacted or performed message – same as live presentation

Determiners of Professionalism


Clarity – simplicity, zero ambiguity, clear and understandable to the target receiver

Acceptability – codes and formats are acceptable according to the target reader’s culture, position or function

Standard codes and formats – codes and formats are standard in the profession, among people with formal education

1. CONFUSING: SEND, RECEIVE, TRANSFER

2. CONFUSING: CHANNEL, MEDIUM, AND MEDIA

3. MEDIA: PRINT MEDIA, AUDIO MEDIA, ELECTRONIC MEDIA

4. DETERMINERS : SPEED, CONTENT FIDELITY, TIMELINESS, CONFIRMATION OF DELIVERY, CONFIDENTIALITY, SECURITY


Step Three: SEND

SEND, TRANSMIT, and TRANSFER


To send is to move a message in physical format (letter, roll of film, or photos) from Point A to Point B.

To transmit is to move a message in electronic (email, SMS) or sound (voice tape, voice mail) format from Point A to Point B.

To transfer is to move meaning or skill from sender to receiver.

RECEIVE and DECODE


To receive is to take, accept, experience (read, hear, see) or welcome something.

To decode is to create meaning by translating a set of symbols in codes.

In formal communication, the next step is to find relevance by relating to personal needs or context.

CHANNEL, MEDIUM, and MEDIA


Media are materials that can be use to record symbols or technology that can be used to transmit messages. The word medium is singular; media is plural

A channel is a person, procedure, or technology that can be used to move a message from Point A to Point B. Person: secretary, messenger, assistant Procedure: application procedure Technology: email, telephone, electronic

Print, Audio, & Electronic media


Media can refer to technology for recording and/or for transmitting messages.

Print media refers to books, magazines, and newspapers.

Audio or sound media refers to radio stations, telephones, sound recorders and players

Electronic media refers to electronic mail, SMS (short message service), and phone calls via computer (i.e., Skype)

1. SPEED, TIMELINESS, & CONFIRMATION

2. CONTENT FIDELITY AND SECURITY

3. CONFIDENTIALITY


Determiners of Professionalism:

DELIVERY

Speed and Timeliness


Speed of Delivery – When a message is time-sensitive, delayed delivery can result in communication failure.

Timeliness or timing – When a message arrives at a time when it brings the answer to a receiver’s need, then it is timely. When a message comes at a time when it is not needed, that is bad timing.

Confirmation and Content Fidelity


Confirmation of Delivery – When delivery is confirmed by the receiver or a representative, it serves as proof of delivery, although not of decoding by the target receiver.

Fidelity of Content – When the delivery process does not affect the message, then content fidelity is preserved.

Security and Confidentiality


Security of Content – When the message is delivered to the target receiver without being seen by non-target receivers, then the delivery is secure.

Confidentiality – When unwelcome effects can result from non-target receivers who see the message content, then the message should be kept confidential. (See security.)

1 . CONFUSING: R E C E I V E , U N D E R S T A N D

2 . RECEIVER: T A R G E T O R N O N - T A R G E T 3. NUMBER = TYPE: I N T R A P E R S O N AL ,

I N T E R P E R S O N A L , P U B L I C , O R M A S S C O M M U N I C A T IO N

4. DETERMINERS OF DELIVERY –P H Y S I C A L O R E L E C T R O N I C F O R M

5. DETERMINERS OF ACCESS – A V A I L A B I L I T Y O R C O N N E C T I V I T Y O F R E C E I V E R


Step Four: RECEIVE

RECEIVE and DECODE


To receive is to take, accept, experience (read, hear, see) or welcome something.

To decode is to create meaning by translating a set of symbols in codes.

In formal communication, the next step is to find relevance by relating to personal needs or context.

Target and Non-target Receivers


A target receiver is the person or group that the sender expects to see the message.

A non-target receiver is any person or group that the sender does not expect to see the message.

Types of Communication by Number


Intrapersonal Communication– when a person communicates with the self.

Interpersonal Communication– when a person communicates with a very small group.

Public Communication - when a person communicates with a larger group.

Mass Communication - when a person communicates with an extremely large group whose members are located in various places.

Determiners of Delivery


Physical Form Printed messages may be more secure than

electronic or voice messages. However, electronic messages can be

transmitted faster and cheaper than print messages.

Electronic Form Electronic and voice messages can be

transmitted faster printed messages. However, anyone with the appropriate skills

can access any electronic message.

Determiners of Receiver Access


Availability A receiver may be present but too busy to receive a

printed message, or to answer a phone or an email.

A receiver’s phone or computer may be connected, but the receiver is not available for communication.

Connectivity A receiver’s phone may be unreachable or the

receiver’s computer may not be connected.

• A professional communicator anticipates such problems to ensure successful message transfer.

1 . M E S S A G E V S M E A N I N G

2 . N E E D , I M P O R T A N C E A N D U R G E N C Y

3 . T R A N S L A T E , C R E A T E M E A N I N G , R E L A T E T O N E E D S

4 . N O I S E , I N T E R V E N I N G V A R I A B L E , & I N T E R F E R E N C E

5 . T E X T , S U B T E X T , A N D C O N T E X T


Step Five: DECODE

Message VS Meaning


Message – A message is a set symbols that is arranged into a code to record meaning on a medium.

Medium – A medium is used to carry meaning from sender to receiver

Meaning – The sense (ideas that are revealed) when the code is decoded (understood) by the receiver

Text, Subtext, and Context


Text – are the words that are used to create meaning.

Subtext – are meanings that are not stated but are implied enough to be understood by the reader.

Context – are elements around that affect any element of communication.

Noise


Noise – in communication, noise is anything that interferes with the transfer of information.

Intervening variable –any noise that is not deliberate. It can be distracting element in a context. Example: the speaker’s nationality prevents listeners from believing his speech.

Interference – any noise that is deliberately created to stop the transfer of information. Example: A boy sings loudly so that his sister cannot hear the radio.

The Decoding Process


Encode – to use symbols to record meaning

Decode – to translate symbols in order to create meaning

Translate – to change from one code (language) to another

Create meaning – to understand

Find relevance – to relate the meaning of a message to the needs of the receiver

Decoding Speed


Decoding – means understanding or making sense of a code

Perceived need – Decoding a message is faster when the decoder sees a strong need to do so

Perceived importance – Decoding a message is faster when the decoder sees the message as of high importance

Perceived urgency – Decoding a message is faster when the decoder sees the message as of high urgency

RESPONSE AND FEEDBACK

SPEED OF RESPONSE


Step Six: RESPOND

Response Feedback


Response and Feedback

A feedback is a verbal response to the sender, related to specific elements in the message

This may be spoken or written

A response is any reaction to a message

This may be verbal or nonverbal

This may or may not be expressed

Response Speed


The speed of a response depends on The time required to decode the message The receiver’s perception of urgency or non-

urgency of the message The receiver’s perception of importance or

non-importance of the message The receiver’s perception of need or non-need

to respond to the message The receiver’s ability to quickly respond to the

message

AGREEMENT

REPETITION

CORRECTION

ANSWERING A QUERY

PROVIDING DETAILS


Step Seven: CONFIRM

How to Confirm


Answer a query – That will be tonight at eleven p.m.

Repeat the information – Yes, the shoes are red, size 34.

Agree to a response – Yes, you are right; the president will attend.

Correct a response – The dress code is casual, not formal.

Provide details – Aside from that, all guests are free to use the mall facilities.

1. WHAT IS STRUCTURE?

2. WHAT IS HIERARCHY?

3. HOW IS THIS RELATED TO COMMUNICATION?


STRUCTURE & HIERARCHY

What is structure?


Structure is the way parts are arranged in order to function as a whole.

Hierarchy is the arrangement of parts according to importance.

Companies and organizations have structure and hierarchy.

Communication within a company is affected by structure, and by hierarchy

List of Resources

Types of business letters from

www.ehow.com/info_8252910_four-types-business-letters.html

http://www.ehow.com/list_6762210_different-types-business-letters_.html

http://www.ehow.com/info_8252910_four-types-business-letters.html

http://www.ehow.com/list_7438829_common-types-business-letters.html

http://www.ehow.com/info_7883179_various-types-business-letters.html

http://www.ehow.com/info_7883179_various-types-business-letters.html

http://www.ehow.com/list_6862771_types-business-letters-technical-

writing.html

http://www.ehow.com/about_5417482_types-letters.html

Parts of a letter from www.ehow.com/list_6758940_different-letters-

_amp_amp_-skeleton-parts.html

Letter layouts from http://bizcovering.com/employment/cover-letter-layouts-

amp-samples-for-reference/

http://bpc.digitalbrain.com/bpc/web/mock%20courses/L2%20COM%20RP/pag

e_07.htm

How to write letters for international purposes: http://ecpmlangues.u-

strasbg.fr/cover-letters-layout.html


You don’t miss

the water till

the well runs

dry.

elements of professional communication

Technology

steps of communication

unprofessional communication

complete communication

intention receiver

determiners determiners

motive receiver

entire point of communication

target audience