Калинина А.А.

аспирант

Кафедра Иностранные языки

Тамбовского Государственного

Технического Университета

Ул. Советская д. 106 г. Тамбов,

392620

Effective communication

In everyday life and at work we usually deal with communication. Communication is a tool of mutual influence of interlocutors on each other. It occurs when one person affects another person’s behaviour. This may happen even when they don’t talk, and here very important place belongs to feedback. That means that addressee should have the opportunity to answer the message of sender.

Nowadays the problem of effective communication is under investigation. What is effective communication? What makes communication effective? What should we perform to develop communication skills? These are the most popular questions people ask, because they spend over 75% of their time in an interpersonal situation; thus it is no surprise to find that the root of a large number of organizational problems is poor communications.

Although all of us have been communicating with others since our infancy, the process of transmitting information from an individual (or group) to another is a very complex process with many sources of potential error.

Example:

Mary: “I won't make it to work again tomorrow; this disease keeps me nervous and my doctor says I should probably be reduced to part time.”

Boss: “Mary, this is the third day you've missed and your appointments keep backing up; we have to cover for you and this is messing all of us up” [Leeds-Hurwitz, Wendy, 1989: p. 45].

In any communication at least some of the "meaning" lost in simple transmission of a message from the sender to the receiver. In many situations a lot of the true message is lost and the message that is heard is often far different than the one intended. This is most obvious in cross-cultural situations where language is an issue. But it is also common among people of the same culture.

Look at the example. Mary has what appears to be a simple message to convey-she won't make it to work today because of bad health. But she had to translate the thoughts into words and this is the first potential source of error. Was she just trying to convey that she would be late; was she trying to convey anything else. It turns out she was. She was upset because she perceived that her co-workers weren't as sympathetic to her situation as they should be. Her co-workers, however, were really being pressured by Mary’s continued absences, and her late calls. They wished she would just take a leave of absence, but Mary refuses because she would have to take it without pay.

Thus what appears to be a simple communication is, in reality, quite complex. Mary is communicating far more than that she would miss work; she is conveying a number of complex emotions, complicated by her own complex feelings about her health, work, and her future.

She sent a message but the message is more than the words; it includes the tone, the timing of the call, and the way she expressed herself.

Similarly, the boss goes through a complex communication process in "hearing" the message. The message that Mary sent had to be decoded and given meaning. There are many ways to decode the simple message that Mary gave and the way the message is heard will influence the response to Mary.

In this case the boss heard far more than a simple message that Mary won't be at work today. The boss "heard" hostility from Mary, indifference, lack of consideration, among other emotions. Mary may not have meant this, but this is what the boss heard.

Communications is so difficult because at each step in the process there’s major potential for error. Thus it is no surprise that social psychologists estimate that there is usually a 40-60% loss of meaning in the transmission of messages from sender to receiver.

It is critical to understand this process, understand and be aware of the potential sources of errors and constantly counteract these tendencies by making a conscientious effort to make sure there is a minimal loss of meaning in your conversation.

A major source of problem in communication is defensiveness. Effective communicators are aware that defensiveness is a typical response in a work situation especially when negative information or criticism is involved. Be aware that defensiveness is common, particularly with subordinates when you are dealing with a problem. Try to make adjustments to compensate for the likely defensiveness. Realize that when people feel threatened they will try to protect themselves; this is natural. This defensiveness can take the form of aggression, anger, competitiveness, avoidance among other responses. A skillful listener is aware of the potential for defensiveness and makes needed adjustment. He or she is aware that self-protection is necessary and avoids making the other person spend energy defending the self.

Constructive Feedback

Effective feedback is absolutely essential to organizational effectiveness. People must know where they are and where to go next in terms of expectations and goals-yours, their own, and the organization.

Feedback taps basic human needs-to improve, to compete, to be accurate; people want to be competent. Feedback can be reinforcing. If given properly, feedback is almost always appreciated and motivates people to improve. But for many people, daily work is like bowling with a curtain placed between them and the pins; they receive little information [Carey, James. W., 1989: 37].

Be aware of the many reasons why people are hesitant to give feedback, they include fear of causing embarrassment, discomfort, fear of an emotional reaction, and inability to handle the reaction.

It is crucial that we realize how critical feedback can be and overcome our difficulties; it is very important and can be very rewarding but it requires skill, understanding, courage, and respect for yourself and others.

Withholding constructive feedback is like sending people out on a dangerous hike without a compass. This is especially true in today's fast changing and demanding workplace.

Part of the feedback process involves understanding and predicting how the other person will react. Or in the case of our receiving feedback, we need to understand ways that we respond to feedback, especially threatening feedback.

In conclusion, we as communicators should realize that there are no details in it, every single point is important.

No matter how brilliant and invaluable your idea, it is worthless unless you can share it with others. For this reason, effective communication is crucial at every level of an organization. However, the ability to communicate effectively does not come easily to many people, and it is a skill that requires practice.

References

1. Arnold, Carroll C., and John Waite Bowers, eds. Handbook of Rhetorical and Communication Theory. Boston, 1984. Defines rhetoric as purposive communication. A functional approach with major review chapters on processing information, changing attitudes, pleasing, etc.

2. Barnouw, Erik, George Gerbner, Wilbur Schramm, Tobia L. Worth, and Larry Gross, eds. International Encyclopedia of Communications. 4 vols. New York and Oxford, 1989. Comprehensive reference emphasizing media, history, and multidisciplinary perspectives.

3. Carey, James. W. Communication as Culture: Essays on Media and Society. Winchester, Massachusetts, 1989. Media history and cultural studies based on a ritual model of communication.

4. Leeds-Hurwitz, Wendy. Communication in Everyday Life: A Social Interpretation. Norwood, New Jersey, 1989. Readable presentation of a sociocultural approach rooted in ethnography and micro-sociology.