Communication process, its elements and stages

A communication process is the exchange of information between two or more people.

The main goal of the communication process is to ensure understanding of the information that is the subject of communication, i.e. messages. However, the fact of exchange of information does not guarantee the effectiveness of communication of the people participating in the exchange. To better understand the process of exchanging information and the conditions for its effectiveness, one should have an idea of ​​the stages of the process in which two or more people participate.

In the process of exchanging information, four basic elements can be distinguished.

1. Sender - a person generating ideas or collecting information and transmitting it.

2. The message, the actual information encoded with characters.

3. Channel, information transfer medium.

4. Recipient, the person to whom the information is intended and who interprets it.

When exchanging information, the sender and the recipient go through several interconnected steps. Their task is to compose a message and use the channel to transmit it in such a way that both parties understand and share the original idea. This is difficult, for each stage is at the same time a point at which the meaning can be distorted or completely lost. The indicated interconnected steps are as follows:

- The origin of the idea.

-Coding and channel selection.

-Broadcast.

-Decoding.

The origin of the idea.

The exchange of information begins with the formation of an idea or the selection of information. The sender decides which meaningful idea or message should be made subject to exchange. Unfortunately, many attempts to exchange information break at this first stage, since the sender does not spend enough time thinking about the idea. Keith Davis emphasizes the importance of this stage: “A failed message will not get better on glossy paper or from an increase in speaker power. The leitmotif of the stage is do not start talking without starting to think.”

It must be remembered that the idea has not yet been transformed into words or has not acquired another such form in which it will serve as an exchange of information. The sender only decided which concept he wants to make the subject of information exchange. To implement a process effectively, it must take into account many factors.

For example, a manager who wants to exchange information about evaluating work results should clearly understand that the idea is to give subordinates specific information about their strengths and weaknesses and how to improve their work results. The idea cannot be vague general praise or criticism of the behavior of subordinates.

This example also shows the connection between perception and communication. A manager who considers subordinates to be capable of development and improvement, and therefore needing information with an assessment of the results of their work, most likely will have sensible positive ideas for exchanging information on the subject on the merits. The manager, who perceives subordinates as children waiting to be corrected and guided, is likely to put in their ideas the criticism of the negative property inherent in such a way of thinking.

Another example of potential problems at the conception stage is given to us by the shop manager, who has just received a message from senior management that the company needs to increase video game production by 6% without increasing overtime payments. If the head of the workshop cannot figure out which way is best to exchange this information with subordinates and send them this message exactly as it was received, misunderstandings are possible, since the workers will only understand the fact that changes are necessary. If the leader, in fact, thinks through those ideas that require transfer, he can come to the following conclusions:

“Workers must understand exactly what changes are needed — an increase in production by 6% without additional overtime.”

- Workers must understand why these changes are needed, otherwise they can conclude that the company is trying to squeeze more out of them, and pay less, and rebel.

- Workers must understand how changes should be implemented - product quality and the level of rejects should not change due to an increase in production volume, otherwise efficiency may decrease, but not increase, as required by the top management in their communication.

Leaders who exchange information unsatisfactorily may fail to act, because top management acts in relation to them. The fact is that top managers often serve as a role model for the behavior of subordinates. If our leaders are prone to coercion or are not open in exchanging information with us, we may well behave in a similar way by exchanging information with our subordinates, but you are in a different position than your superiors. Therefore, it is not necessary to act in the same style, even if this style is effective. What is really necessary is to realize what ideas are intended to be transmitted before you send a message, and confidence in the adequacy and appropriateness of your ideas, taking into account the specific situation and purpose.

Coding and channel selection.

Before conveying an idea, the sender must use symbols to encode it using words, intonations, and gestures (body language) for this. Such coding turns an idea into a message.

The sender must also select a channel compatible with the type of characters used for encoding. Some well-known channels include the transmission of speech and written materials, as well as electronic communications, including computer networks, e-mail, video tapes and video conferencing.

If the channel is not suitable for the physical embodiment of characters, transmission is not possible. A picture is sometimes worthy of a thousand words, but not when transmitting a message by telephone. Similarly, concurrent conversation with all employees at once may not be feasible. Memo notes can be sent preceding the meetings of small groups to provide an understanding of the message and to familiarize yourself with the problem.

If the channel is not too consistent with the idea that arose at the first stage, the exchange of information will be less effective. For example, a manager wants to warn a subordinate about the inadmissibility of serious security breaches committed by the latter, and does this during an easy conversation over a cup of coffee or by sending him a note on the occasion. However, through these channels, it is likely that the idea of ​​the seriousness of the violation cannot be conveyed as effectively as through an official letter or at a meeting. Similarly, sending a subordinate note on the exceptional nature of its achievement will not convey the idea of ​​how important her contribution to the work is and will not be as effective as a direct conversation followed by an official letter of thanks and a bonus.

The choice of means of communication should not be limited to a single channel. It is often desirable to use two or more communications in combination. The process is complicated, because the sender has to establish the sequence of use of these tools and determine the time intervals in the sequence of information transfer. However, studies show that the simultaneous use of means of exchanging oral and written information is usually more effective than, say, just exchanging written information.

Orientation to both channels makes it more thorough to prepare and register the situation parameters in writing. However, in no way should each information exchange be written. In this case, the flow of securities becomes uncontrollable.

The stage will become more understandable if you imagine it as a packaging operation. Many really good products do not find sales until they find a package that the consumer considers understandable and attractive at the same time. Similarly, many people with great ideas are not able to pack them with symbols and put them into channels that are meaningful and attractive to the recipient. When this happens, the idea, even if it is beautiful, often does not find sales.

Broadcast.

In the third step, the sender uses the channel to deliver the message (encoded idea or set of ideas) to the recipient. We are talking about the physical transmission of messages, which many people mistakenly take for the communication process itself. At the same time, as we saw, the transfer is only one of the most important stages that you need to go through in order to convey the idea to another person.

Decoding.

After the sender sends the message, the receiver decodes it.

Decoding is the translation of the sender’s symbols into the recipient’s thoughts. If the characters chosen by the sender have exactly the same meaning for the recipient, the latter will know what exactly the sender had in mind when his idea was formulated.

If a reaction to the idea is not required, the process of exchanging information should end there.

The communication process can be considered successful only when the addressee received the message and understood exactly what the sender intended to tell him. If the sender clearly encoded the message and used the appropriate sending tool, then its decryption does not cause difficulties. If the recipient, having decrypted the message, understood something completely different, then his subsequent actions will be appropriate.

The source of information:

1. https://www.bestreferat.ru/referat-238346.html