q.1 importance of effective communication skills in workplace.

The importance of communication skills in the workplace lies in the fact that you will be working with other people. Whether youre a paper-pusher, industrial worker, executive and everything in between communication is a part of your job. One person cant work alone in a vacuum and really be able to get things done within an organization. This is just impossible. Think about it: even if you have your own company, you will still need the help of others to promote it. You need to be able to communicate to other companies to acquire the things you will need in order to produce. At the very least, you need to communicate to other people in order to persuade them to support your business. Here are examples showing the importance of communication skills in the workplace: 1) Interoffice Communication This is the best example in showing the importance of communication skills in the workplace. In offices, people often receive memorandums, letters and other types of interoffice communication. These are used to coordinate the efforts of the people within the company. Fast and accurate communication is required to make a company more efficient. This means that the people who send messages should have effective communication skills. However, it also means that the people receiving the messages should be able to interpret them correctly. Whether you are a boss or an employee, this importance of communication skills in the workplace should be quite evident to you. People need to communicate inside the company. As a boss, you have to let your subordinates know what you want to accomplish. As an employee, you would want to understand what your boss wants in order for you to do it. 2) Social Interaction Despite the insistence of many companies to eliminate personal relationships within a workplace, attachments will be formed between workers. This is because of the fact that socialization is an inherent part of being human. A persons social ability often determines his or her professional success. 3) Company Communications Companies need other companies in order to help them out. This was mentioned on the first part of the article but let us elaborate on the subject. No company can survive on its own. Each company needs raw materials, equipment and other things that come from other people. The importance of communication skills in the workplace can be found in this fact. More people should understand the importance of communication skills in the workplace. Not many folks understand that their jobs often hang in the balance because of this skill. Your ability

to get your message across to other people does determine just how effective you are as a worker.

q.2 explain the different aspects of non verbal communication.

Nonverbal communication has received much attention in the areas of business presentation, sales and marketing, and the development of social skills. Little attention, however, has been given to its importance in general communication despite major differences in cultural use and interpretation of body language, expression, personal space and other nonverbal tools. It is estimated that less than ten percent of interpersonal communication involves words, the remainder being made up of voice tone, sounds and a variety of devices such as kinetics (movement), haptics (touch), oculesics (eye-contact), proxemics (space) and chronomics (time) as well as posture, sound symbols and silence, which either replace or accompany words. Different studies have identified a wide variety of types of nonverbal communication. The following is a relatively simple classification:

Kinesics

body motions (blushes, shrugs, eye movement, foottapping, drumming fingers) spatial separation (in relation both the social and physical environment) touch eye contact use of time, waiting, pausing smell tone of voice, timbre, volume, speed

Proxemics

Haptics Oculesics Chronemics Olfactics Vocalics

Sound Symbols Silence

grunting, mmm, er, ah, uhhuh, mumbling, absence of sound (muteness, stillness, secrecy) clothing, jewellery, hairstyle position of the body (characteristic or assumed) walking, running, staggering, limping frowns, grimaces, smirks, smiles, pouting

Adornment Posture Locomotion Expression

It is often assumed that nonverbal communication is a transferable skill. However, there are two major problematic factors: firstly that, like speech, it has both form and function, and, secondly, that it is not always directly translatable. It is the first of these factors which makes nonverbal communication difficult to teach, and the second which leads to breakdowns and misunderstandings in intercultural communication. Gestures, expressions and all other forms of nonverbal communication have functions, which, as with language, need to be taught along with their forms. In the same way as language items, some paralinguistic expressions have several functions, while nonverbal communication in general performs the three basic functions of managing identity, defining relationships, and conveying attitudes and feelings (but not ideas):

Form Nod (Yes) Shrug (I dont know) Scratch head, quizzical look Tone of voice,

Main Function (in some cultures) Repeating Substituting Complementing Accenting

pointing Hand raised Head shake Eye movements Staring/Looking down or away Raised fist Hand-shake Touching, kissing Over-adornment Regulating, turn taking Contradicting Deceiving Dominating/Submitting Aggression Socialising Arousal Boasting

Misunderstandings occur because the functions of paralinguistic forms vary from culture to culture, although there are some universal nonverbals such as smiles, laughter and sour expressions. There are also differences according to gender and age. Nonverbal communication tends to be relatively ambiguous and open to interpretation while its influence often depends on the nature of the listener, particularly when it is unclear whether the messages conveyed are deliberate or unconscious. Nonverbal indicators are most common in polychronic cultures, in which an individual often performs several tasks simultaneously. The following are examples of common gestures which have different functions and meanings in different cultures:

Nonverbal and verbal communication are normally inseparable, which, for example, is why it may seem so difficult to use the telephone in a foreign language. It needs to be taught and practised situationally, in the right contexts, and with plenty of cultural input and awareness. Given its importance, there is a singular lack of material for the teacher which focuses on this aspect of communication, but here are a few techniques:

Learners discuss the meaning of gestures and expressions (either demonstrated by the teacher, from pictures, or from existing published materials. This is particularly effective with multilingual classes. Learners watch a video clip without sound, then discuss and write the dialogue.

Learners act out a dialogue using gesture and expression only:

A: Excuse me. Can you take a picture of me? B: Yeah, sure. A: Just press that button. B: Er, which one? A: The one on the top. B: OK, right. Er.... can you move back a bit. A: Is this OK? B: Fine, now smile. That's it. Very nice. A: Thanks. B: Not at all. You've got a lovely smile. Er... fancy a drink? A: OK, but I've got no money on me. B: That's OK. I'll pay.

Learners, in pairs, take turns in listening to each other for 30 seconds, using only nonverbal responses.

Nonverbal communication has implications for the teacher as well as the learner. It is often said that one can always recognise a language teacher by their use of gesture in normal conversation, while it is certainly true that a system of gestures has evolved which allows a teacher to perform aspects of classroom management quickly, quietly and efficiently. Gestures for 'work in pairs', 'open your books', 'listen' and 'write' are universal, while individual teachers have developed nonverbal repertoires involving the use of fingers to represent words, expressions to denote approval/disapproval and gestures to indicate time, tense and other linguistic features, and hence systems for instruction, correction and management which well-trained learners respond to immediately. The effective use of nonverbal cues assists in a wide range of classroom practices by adding an extra dimension to the language:

reducing unnecessary teacher talking time increasing learner participation

confidence building reducing fear of silence clear instructions efficient classroom management classroom atmosphere improving listening skills improving performance in pair and group activities self and peer correction avoiding misunderstandings improving intercultural competence

Teachers, however, should always remember that the meanings of gestures and other nonverbal cues need to be taught in the same way as the meaning of essential classroom language, also that a number of nonverbal techniques already exist in their repertoire, such as the use of cuisenaire rods, colours and charts, adapted from the Silent Way. Make sure that the learners understand your codes, and teach them to use them themselves.

q.3 write short notes on

a) upward communication.

Communication is an integral part of working in the business environment. Individuals communicate various pieces of information to internal and external business stakeholders. While much of the business communication in organizations flows from directors or managers to employees, upward communication channels also can exist. Upward communication channels are the methods that lower-level or front-line employees use to transfer messages to managers, supervisors and directors. These channels may face significant barriers for employees attempting to send feedback or other communication to higher-level management.

Communication Medium

Upward communication channels may be crippled by the communication mediums available to lower-level employees. Directors or managers often use multiple communication channels, such as telephones, letters, memos, meetings and other methods. However, employees may not have as many mediums at their disposal to send messages to directors or managers. Limited communication mediums can force employees to deliver messages using potentially ineffective methods. Inappropriate upward communication mediums can create confusion for individuals receiving the messages.

Filtering
Filtering occurs when messages pass through an intermediary in the communication channel. Filtering often can alter the original message, limit its effectiveness or render it incomprehensible. Upward communication filtering occurs when employees pass a message intended for upper-level management through an immediate supervisor. The employees immediate superior may change information in the message to reflect the supervisors opinion or understanding of the situation. Filtering also occurs when the message's recipient allows the message to pass through multiple individuals before reaching its final, intended party.

Education or Experience
Upward communication faces barriers when lower-level employees have different educational backgrounds than the individual requesting feedback. Lower-level employees also may lack the specific business experience to allow them to reply with terms that are readily understood by the receiving parties. Employees also may have misunderstood the original message from a lack of understanding, education or experience. Misinterpreting the original message allows incorrect or unnecessary information to flow through the upward communication channel.

Cultural Differences
Business organizations face cultural differences when sending messages through the companys communication channels. Cultural differences can affect the language in messages flowing through upward channels to managers. This barrier can be more prevalent in companies with global operations, large international work forces or diverse local economic labor markets. Companies may need to employ managers who have an understanding of cultural differences and can translate messages through the upward communication channel to higher-level managers.

Down ward communication

Communication which flows from the superiors to subordinates is known as downward communication. In an organization structure, the superiors utilize their abilities to attain the desired targets which mean that they may be engaged in issuing commands, directions and policy directives to the persons working under them (at lower levels). Under downward communication, the superiors anticipate instant recital of a job thats why it is highly directive.

Downward communication can be defined as, Information flowing from the top of the organizational management hierarchy and telling people in the organization what is important (mission) and what is valued (policies). Some examples of downward communication include notice, circulars, instructions, orders, letters, memos, bulletins, handbooks, annual reports, loudspeaker announcements and group meetings. Communication from superior to subordinate can be face to face as well as through written memorandums, orders, job descriptions etc. The authority line flows from the top to the bottom according to the organizational structure (hierarchy). It is needed to get things done, to prepare for changes, to deject lack of understanding and doubt; and to allow the organizational members to develop feeling of pride of being well-informed about all organizational matters. The other elements of downward communication include: - Directions to carry out a specific task. - Job instructions. - Information intended to create understanding of the task and its relation to other organizational tasks. - Job principle. - Information about organizational processes and patterns. - Response to the subordinate about his performance. - Information of an ideological character to inculcate a sense of mission

c) horizontal communication

Information exchange between departments or functional units, as means of coordinating their activities. Communication between people at the same level in an organization, community or peer group, usually as a means of coordinating efforts. Its when the managers of the same level share ideas, suggestions and solutions to help bring the organization to a better level. The main objectives of horizontal communication are developing teamwork, and promoting group coordination within an organization. It takes place between professional peer groups or people working on the same level of hierarchy. Horizontal communication is less formal and structured than both downward communication and upward communication, and may be carried our through informal discussions, management gossip, telephone calls, teleconferencing, videoconferencing, memos, routine meetings and so on.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_horizontal_communication_mean#ixzz1mY6hW1uh

In organizations and organisms, lateral communication works in contrast to traditional top-down, bottom-up or hierarchic communication and involves the spreading of messages from individuals across the base of a pyramid.
Lateral communication in organism or animals can give rise to Collective intelligence, or the appearance of Collective intelligence. Examples of lateral communication in organisms include: A coordinated flock of birds or a shoal of fish all maintain their relative positions, or alter direction simultaneously due to lateral communication amongst members; this is achieved due to tiny pressure variations. An ants, termites, bees nest is not coordinated by messages sent by the queen ant / bee / termite but by the lateral communication, mediated by scent trails of the ants. Its physical structure is an emergent property of the individual entities. Bacterial colonies communicate with each other, coordinating for example an attack, or the production of slime using lateral communication based on chemical messengers so that as a group they can detect how many colleagues there are, and if they are likely to overwhelm a target. The pacemaker cells in the heart, Cardiac pacemaker is a very small group of cells, where lateral communications sweeps through the cells, much like a Mexican wave as a three dimensional circulating wave, which relays contraction signals to the whole heart. With Slime mold millions of individual amoeba like creatures can spread out and graze the surface of a leaf. When conditions change, the amoeba all concentrate and form a slug like creature which can actually move off somewhere else before forming a spore body and releasing millions of individual spores. The positions of human cells, and which type of cell is mediated by lateral communication.

Q4. Explain the different barriers to listening. List the differences between discriminative listening and comprehension listening.
Effective listening is arguably one of the most important skills to have nowadays. Personal relationships need effective listening skills to face complicated issues together.

Business people and employees need effective listening skills to solve complex problems quickly and stay competitive. Students and professors need it to understand complex issues in their fields. Thus, it is beneficial if we can understand and eliminate listening barriers that blocks deep, harmonious and lasting relationships. For most people, we listen only to answer back or to have a reply, instead of listening to understand. Effective listening, on the other hand, is not about the words having delivered, it requires more than hearing the sounds transmitted. Effective listening encourages that we for understanding of what the other person talks about or feel. And we can do this by focusing on other the person, by thoughts and feelings and not only by words.

Barriers to Effective Listening

And to guide you on how to listen and communicate better, we have listed five (5) barriers for effective listening that we should consciously avoid or eliminate whenever we are engage in a conversation.

1. Environmental Distractions
Environmental distractions are any cause that divided attention of an individual or group from the chosen object of attention onto the source of distraction. It is the lack of ability to pay attention, lack of interest in the object of attention, or the great intensity, novelty or attractiveness of something other than the object of attention. sources. External distractions can include electronic gadgets like personal computers or laptops, cellular phones, music players, television, portable gaming consoles and etc. Internal distractions can be absent-mindedness, lack of interest, lack of attention, etc. These external and internal distractions are the common barriers for effective listening. They are basic, but most of us still forget these basic stuffs, that we can observe it is common at home, in school, at work or in the community. To eliminate this type of listening barriers, when conversing with people, put yourself in a good environmental position without external and internal distractions. Take time to stop and give your full attention to the person you are talking to. It will not only help you understand the other person better, but also, can create more meaningful and deeper relationship with them. Distractions come from both external sources, and internal

2. Pride
Another type of listening barrier is our pride or ego. Most often, we let our pride or ego to take over the conversation. We think that we are already smart enough to even listen from other people. We think that we are better from other people that we have nothing more to learn from them. When we close ourselves and stop listening to other people, we are doomed because we stop learning. To eliminate this listening barrier, be more open-minded to listen and learn from other people. You may learn more things if you open yourself and listen. But be mindful of selective listening.

Remember that you dont have to agree with everything, but its helpful if you at least consider listening.

3. Assumptions
Human mind is mysterious and it can process a lot of information, especially in between conversation, even while the other party is still talking. Which is why we have the tendency to interrupt, because we assume that we already know what the other is telling us. Such behavior is cause by another listening barrier called assumptions. Assumptions are statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn. Quiet often, when we make assumptions, we already create conclusion in our mind without even considering the thoughts and feelings of the other person. And as such, you create more gap and unresolved problems. To resolve and eliminate this listening barrier, practice keeping an open-mind and listen before you make any assumptions. You may try putting yourself in the shoe of another so you can fully

understand and feel the sentiments of the other person.

4. Close-Mindedness
Another listening barrier to effective conversation is close-mindedness. Close-mindedness is intolerant of the beliefs and opinions of others; stubbornly unreceptive to new ideas. When we think that we all have the answer, and that the things we know are always the right answers, then our mind will close for new ideas. In order to eliminate this listening barrier, strive to always keep an open mind for effective listening. You will learn and build deeper relationship if you stop being close-minded.

5. Defensiveness
Last type of listening barrier is defensiveness, an attitude or position of defense. Its when we constantly protect ourselves from criticism, exposure of ones shortcomings, or other real or perceived threats to the ego.

Defensiveness is a primal response to feeling attacked, threatened, misunderstood or disrespected. This will normally results to never ending argument, protest, denial and blaming. To eliminate this listening barrier, remember not to view comments and criticisms as personal attack. Instead use them as a tool for personal assessment, improvement and growth. Most of the barriers listed above give us the tendency to interfere with the speaker. Interfering the speaker also means that we dont value what they are saying

Difference between,

Developing effective listening skills requires the listener to understand the various types of listening. Discriminative listening forms the most basic type of listening. The other listening types build upon discriminative listening. Social situations may contain more than one or all of the listening types.
Discriminative Listening

Discriminative listening involves the basic function of hearing sound and distinguishing between different sounds. In human communication, this includes picking up on shifts in a speaker's voice such as speed, emphasis, and pitch. This listening skill allows the listener to recognize nuances in the speaker's message such as sarcasm or anger.

Comprehension Listening

Comprehension listening, also called informative listening, involves the understanding the information in a speaker's message. Business meetings and college lectures exemplify situations where comprehensive listening may be involved. This listening skill requires an understanding of the vocabulary being spoken. The listener should also possess enough concentration and memory to retain at least the basic information spoken.

q.5 discuss the principles of business writing.

1. Strategic - Online content has to connect to your business goals and brand. Hire writers that understand marketing strategy, and how to deliver copy that integrates across web, search, social and public relations strategies. 2. Brand Centric - Your brand is a sum of experiences and perceptions. Words, images and actions define your brand everyday, and with inbound marketing, your website and content may often serve as the first (and possibly only) opportunity to make an impression. Business copywriting must convey core brand messages, tell your organizations story and create positive perceptions that motivate action. 3. Buyer Persona Focused - Great copywriting makes personal connections with readers. Copy needs to speak directly to buyer personas, address their pain points and bring value. Therefore, your copywriters whether internal or

outsourced must have a clear understanding of your organizations target audiences, and know how to engage them. 4. Optimized for Search Engines - Online content must be crafted for visitors, but optimized for search engines. Ideally, business copywriters will have core SEO knowledge and capabilities. 5. Technically Sound - Technically sound copy is concise and powerful. It uses proper grammar and is written at the appropriate reading level. It is also consistent in person, voice, tone and format. Copywriters need strong technical writing skills, and the ability to apply these skills whatever the task, medium or subject matter. 6. Creative - Never underestimate the value of quality creative writing. While many of the other elements weve discussed can be learned, business-savvy creative writers are in high demand and scarce supply, and can be an invaluable asset to your organization. 7. Results Driven - Copywriting needs to be tied to your organizations objectives, and should play a key role in delivering results (e.g. generating leads, educating key audiences, positioning as an industry leader, etc.). Copywriters should be invested in tracking the contents success through metrics such as: pageviews, content downloads, leads and social media reach. This enables future content to be strategized based on past performance, and can encourage the incorporation of new ideas and topics, to drive traffic and capture

Explain the advantages of oral communication with the help of suitable example.

Oral
communication constitutes the bulk of all communication . Most0 authorities agree that people on the job, including secretaries, spend an

average of about 75 percent of their communication time either speaking or listening. Most secretaries work in jobs demanding well-developed oral communication skills. Oral communication plays two important roles in business: 1. It establishes the procedures for accomplishi ng whatever needs to be done. People usually discuss problems and solutions before deciding on

a course of action. 2. Oral communication helps establish human relationships. Office conversations help people understand each other and make working together enjoyable.

Advantages of Oral Communication Oral communication has several advantages over written communication for most day-to-day, routine transactions: Oral communication is faster: Two or more people talking can deliver a message, discuss an issue, reach an agreement, or ask a question and receive an answer much more quickly than they could using written communication. Oral communication permits immediate feedback: When the receiver does not understand a message, he or she can ask for clarification right away. Oral communication a usually more effective for conveying messages with emotional content: When people communicate orally, the message consists of more than the spoken words. A nonverbal message accompanies every oral communication. Facial expressions, body movements, gestures, tone of voice, rate of speech, and voice inflection all add meaning to the words actually spoken. These nonverbal components help the receiver interpret the emotional significance of the message. Oral communication helps establish human relationships: Through oral communication, people working together are able to develop team spirit and a sense of mutual responsibility. By communicating with each other orally, people are able to improve each other's morale.

Example

oral communication directly related to organizational objectives. tends to be formal. That related to establishing human relationships tends to be informal. Compare, for example, a job interview with a typical morning conversation between a secretary and supervisor. In the job interview, interviewer and interviewee communicate

within a framework of well-established rules. The questioning-and-answer format of most interviews helps interviewer and interviewee achieve their objectives, but it affords little opportunity for establishing an interpersonal relationship. Because of the need to proceed carefully, interviewer and interviewee tend to be formal with each other. They select words carefully; they stick to the subject. They do not permit themselves to relax and simply enjoy each other's company. The morning conversation between supervisor and secretary may also proceed along predictable lines, but, under normal circumstances, neither worries about the results of the exchange or about what to say next. Business and personal matters are discussed interchangeably. In such an atmosphere, people can converse in a casual, comfortable way. As a secretary, you will need to distinguish between formal and informal communication situations. To be formal when informality is called for is to be considered uncaring; to be informal when formality is required is to be considered unprofessional