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Effective Business Communication Process

A.NAVEENKUMAR S1AB3A81149A SU0711

GREAT EASTERN MANAGEMENT SCHOOL BANGALORE

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CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project work Effective Business Communication Processis submitted to the college by the candidate A.NAVEENKUMAR Bearing Reg. S1AB3A81149Ais the product of bonafide research carried out by the candidate under my supervision in Effective Business Communication Process.

(Guide) BANGALORE, FEB,2012. Lect.Jaysree(BusinessComunication) Great Eastern Management School.

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CONTENTS Meaning and Importance of Communication3 Speaking with Figures..9 Evolution of Communication..11 Process of Communication..14 12 Secrets of Effective Business Communication..16 Objective of Communication...23 Types of Communication 27 Barriers to Communication..31 7 Cs of Effective Communication35
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Telecommunication ..39 Telepathy ..41

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The project work was carried out under the remarkable guidance of Jaysree Lecturer, Business comunication, Great Eastern Management School. I am grateful for her guidance, valuable suggestions and for the constant encouragement and co-operation. I also express my sincere gratitude and thanks to all the staffs who helped me to complete this project.

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Chapter 1 MEANING, IMPORTANCE AND EVOLUTION

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MEANING

Communication comes from a Latin word Communis is a two-way process where in the sender and the receiver of the message are both active participants interchanging facts and opinions.

Communication is a very important aspect of the human life. It is communication that helps human beings to connect with each other as individuals and as independent groups. Communication is the very basis, which drives the process of development in all fields. There are auditory (verbal) means, such as Speech Song tone of voice There are nonverbal means, such as Body language Sign language Paralanguage Touch eye contact, through media, i.e., pictures, graphics and sound, and writing. IMPORTANCE

Ability to connect all Living Beings


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Helps build relationship Express ones ideas Information Dissemination Education Entertainment Decision-making It ushers in progress Encourages action Adds meaning to human life Enriches knowledge Consequence of a powerful world order

Information Dissemination: It is owing to the process of communication that we are able to send and receive information. Various mass media are an important communication tool for information dissemination. Expressing Emotions/Ideas: Imagine a life without expressing yourself through words (spoken and written), expressions and even arts and craft or painting, music or dance. Communication helps people express their ideas and emotions. Education: Communication plays an important role in the process of imparting knowledge as well. Communication is instrumental in the process of education since it helps the educator and the students to interact with each other. Building Relationships: Communication facilitated dialogue, exchange of ideas
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as well as expression of human emotions between people. Thus, it helps to build and maintain relationships - be it business communication or interpersonal communication.

Entertainment: Movies, music, television shows, theater, or even anecdotes narrated by people are types of communication, which are a source of entertainment for us. Decision-making: Communication helps in the process of decision making, be it an individual decision or even group decision making. Ushers in progress: The development of varied and sophisticated means of communication has brought people across the globe closer making communicating speedy, effective. Encourages action: People across the Universe are able to act upon situations and help others with modern communication methods made easily available It connects people in every nook and corner of the world!

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CHAPTER 2 SPEAKING WITH FIGURES

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SPEAKING WITH FIGURES

50% to 80% of our waking hours is spent in communicating! Of this. About 45% is spent listening. About 15% is spent reading. About 30% is spent speaking. About 10% is spent writing.

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CHAPTER 3 EVOLUTION OF COMMUNICATION

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EVOLUTION OF COMMUNICATION The Art of communication is as old as mankind itself. People learnt to express themselves even before they got evolved to their current stage. From sounds, grunts, actions, signs, gestures and gesticulation to spoken words and thereafter the world of reading, writing and modern and sophisticated methods of communication, it has been a long and rewarding journey through time. It is not that those who cannot speak, read or write cannot communicate. A physically challenged or an illiterate person communicates orally or non-verbally. Communication is not unique to human beings alone. But all living beings like animals, birds, and insects communicate. It has also been proved that even plants communicate through one way or the other.

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CHAPTER 4 PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION

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PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION Communication is a process that involves certain distinct process. A Process of Communication necessarily has 3 things in it: Sender, Medium, and Receiver. SENDER RECIEVER MEDIUM

Steps involved in communication are as follows: Step 1: Message is initiated. Step 2: Sender picks up the idea and encodes it for proper understanding. Step 3: The encoded message is then transmitted through a chosen medium or channel. Step 4: The receiver receives the message and decodes it. Step 5: The decoded message is the used or acted upon. Step 6: As a final step, feedback on use or action is sent back to the sender. Message Feedback Sender Idea-Encode User -Action Decode-Receiver

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CHAPTER 5 12 Secrets of Effective Business Communication

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12 Secrets of Effective Business Communication The ability to communicate, and communicate well, is one of the biggest factors in business success. You could be an excellent designer, but if youre unable to promote your services and communicate effectively with clients and colleagues, your potential is limited. The principal areas where communication is essential include:

Pitching potential clients, Client meetings, Customer service, Face-to-face networking, Marketing your business

Pitching Potential Clients When you freelance or own a business, your livelihood depends on your ability to sell your services. You need to be able to convince prospects that you are the best person for the job, and the communication secrets in this article will help you do this successfully. 1. Ask the Right Questions Part of selling your services is being able to understand the clients unique needs. One can do this only by asking questions that lets them understand the clients requirements. Once you have a clear understanding of the problem that the client needs to solve, you can pitch your services as the best possible option for the client, outlining how you will meet their needs. For example, when I am contacted by a prospective client, I have them fill out a website requirements document that poses various questions to help me better understand what they are looking for in a website. Some of the questions I ask are:

Describe the nature of your business. Who is your target audience?


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What is the background on the project? (Is it brand new? Has it already begun?) What are the goals and objectives of the project? What is the timeline for the project?

2. Communicate Professionally Your professionalism can win you contracts, and your communication skills add to the complete package. Take time to proofread all emails prior to sending; use a business email address with a proper signature; answer the phone professionally; and speak articulately and competently at all times. While an email signature has evolved over time, below is the general format many follow: Name Company | Website Email | Phone number Client Meetings Client meetings, even those that take place over the telephone, are an integral part of every successful business. Follow these tips to make your meetings as productive as possible. 3. Schedule and Prepare Thoroughly People are busy these days, so scheduling meetings in advance ensures that the person and his clients have an adequate amount of uninterrupted time to speak. Once the meeting is scheduled, take time to prepare an agenda that outlines focus points and sets a structure. Sharing the agenda for the meeting gives both you and the client an opportunity to fully prepare. Because he may not be using the same calendar or scheduling program as that of his client, confirming the date and time of the meetings in an email and sending a reminder and the agenda the day before is good practice. 4. Speak, Pause, Listen When a person has several topics to tackle, rushing through them to get all of his ideas out may be tempting. But this causes confusion and makes the client feel that their input is not important. Slow down, and remember that
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communication is a two-way street. Establish a give-and-take that allows both parties to have their say. One way to become a better listener is to limit or eliminate distractions during your conversations. That may mean closing your email, turning off the television and closing the door to your office. By doing these small things, one can ensure that the client has your full attention, and they will sense that, too. 5. Follow Up in Writing While one may be taking notes during phone or in-person meetings, the other party might not be, so follow up after the meeting with a written message, giving an overview of the discussion to make sure you are both on the same page. Summarize what was agreed, repeat questions that were raised and outline the next steps and responsibilities for both parties. In addition to sending your notes, invite the other party to give their feedback on what you have sent. This way, it becomes a collaborative document and not just one persons view. Customer Service A client wants to feel that they are prioritized. One can make them feel so by providing exemplary customer service. The below communication-focused actions can be used improve customer service. 6. Ask for Feedback One way to maintain long-term relationships with your clients is by keeping open lines of communication. This means asking them for their input on how things are going and how they feel about the service youre providing. This can be accomplished by inquiring at the end of a project, during day-to-day conversations or through formal surveys. The format matters less than the actual act of it, so work it into the business and fine tune as one go along. When conducting surveys, use an online service that tracks responses for the organization. There are several online services that should give enough functionality to conduct client surveys. 7. Address Problems

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If a client is unhappy, dont ignore their complaints. Ask them why they are unhappy and what can be done to fix the situation. The longer they wait, the worse it will get. Addressing the issue and being accountable when appropriate puts one on the path to resolution. And the willingness to face the problem head-on tells the client that you care about the project and their satisfaction. If a client complains about the turnaround time or responsiveness, one may need to create a more formal project plan to clarify expectations. A working document like this can also eliminate some of the uncertainty regarding responsibilities and keep everyone on track. 8. Try a New Format If a problem with the client starts from miscommunication, try a different method of communication. If one has been handling everything via email, schedule a phone call to see if that clears things up. After the call, one can summarize the conversation in an email to the client, which will give one another opportunity to get both of them on the same page again. Today, so much communication is done via email that the opportunity for major miscommunication is almost unavoidable. A rule of thumb is to limit your email to one screen-full (i.e. above the fold); anything that requires more space than that should be handled by phone. This should help them avoid some of the pitfalls of relying on email alone. Face-to-Face Networking Networking events, conferences and other face-to-face opportunities can take ones business to a new level. These tips focus on helping one get the most from in-person networking activities. 9. Communicate Confidently Be confident and use body language to support that confidence. Shake hands firmly, smile and make eye contact while communicating at live networking events. Dont forget to bring business cards to hand out to everyone met, and remember to relax and be own self. Before heading out to a networking event, practice introducing yourself to new people to gain confidence. Working on ones introduction with someone you trust and asking for their feedback also helps.
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10. Prepare an Elevator Speech An elevator speech helps one to make the most of a first impression, while making networking situations easier and more productive. Be prepared with the speech and ready to answer common questions about the business and what you do. Practice the elevator speech ahead of time so that you are relaxed and comfortable with introducing yourself. The elevator speech should last no longer than 30 seconds and should convey how the product or service solves a problem for the target audience. An elevator speech could go something like: Have you ever gotten completely lost on a website because the navigation was inconsistent, confusing and disorganized? What I do is redesign websites for small-business owners who need a stronger, more coherent online presence. By learning as much as one can about the company, he create a strategic plan for reinventing an existing website to be more functional and user-friendly. Marketing Services Whether to market the business online, in person or through traditional advertising, communication is the key to brand awareness. Here are two secrets to magnify the impact of marketing across the board. 11. Be Responsive A big part of marketing is being available to your target audience and following up when necessary. If you market your business through social media outletsincluding Twitter, Facebook and bloggingwatch for and respond to comments, questions and especially complaints. And when contacted as a result of offline marketing activities, response should be quick and professionally. Plenty of recent examples on Twitter show how certain brands have been slow to respond to criticism, hoping it would die down, only to see it spin out of control. Also, when response is given on social media websites, keep it professional, and avoid confrontation because that would only spread the fire.

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12. Write Well One cannot successfully promote his business if the marketing copy is not clear, concise and action-provoking. If writing is not ones strong point, consider hiring someone to help craft copy that attracts potential clients, generates interest in the services and motivates potential clients to action. To strengthen the writing skills, one can start a swipe file of marketing copy that one likes and have found inspirational. Read through it and make notes of what one likes in particular and what pulls them in. By making this a frequent exercise, one should be able to learn what makes good copy good and bad copy bad. Your Turn to Weigh In Being a tolerable communicator and an effective communicator is the difference between being good and great at what one does. If ones design skills are up to par with their competitions, then strong communication skills can put him ahead. Strengthening the communication skills is worth the time and effort, and one may be surprised by how much he benefits from more polished and professional interaction.

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Chapter 6 OBJECTIVE OF COMMUNICATION

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OBJECTIVE OF COMMUNICATION To To To To To To To To To Inform Motivate Promote Entertain Integrate Educate Train Relate Facilitate Decision Making

To Inform: Information is power. Dissemination of information, both internal and external. People within the organization must be kept informed of the goals, objectives, processes, systems, plans, strategies of the organization. Effective external communication-to the organizations clients/customers/vendors/competitors about its products/ services/ plans/ events/ achievements and other relevant information. To Motivate: To disseminate knowledge and develop skills and attitude among people working within the organization. To familiarize employees about systems, procedures, processes. Customers may also need to be educated about some of these processes, procedures, systems. Communication maybe through product literature, presentations, demonstrations, publicity (advertising) To Promote: Any training program can be conducted effectively through good communication. This helps people achieve specific skills, working knowledge of the product/service. Training for different levels of employees needs to be conducted at the levels of communication that
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can be understood by them. These maybe done through presentations, discussion, teaching sessions etc. To Motivate: People at all levels in the organization need to be motivated to achieve their/and the organizations goals and better their performance. Morale needs to be kept high at all times, and this maybe done through various means of communication.films, talks, lectures, workshops, and sometimes non-verbal messages. To Integrate: Almost all businesses have different business units, departments and divisions pursuing different goals and objectives. Communication provides a means for an integrated approach in pursuing the organizational goals. Effective communication will prevent employees from working at cross purposes. It can help in team building and in working towards a common objective. To Relate: The success of a business organization does depend on the good business relationships it builds with its clients/customers/employees/suppliers/media and within the organization amongst different levels of employees in the hierarchy. Good communication can demonstrate that the organization cares about you. Again, this can be achieved through written/verbal communication in the form of internal newsletters, advertisements etc. To Promote: Effective promotional activity must be organized to inform, educate, persuade and actualize client/market. This maybe done through advertising/PR activities. The aim/objective of this communication is to progressively keep the client aware of the product, the need for the product, product preference and purchase the product. To Entertain: It is not imperative that communication should be of a serious nature all the time. It can be aimed to bring in
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humor and lighter moments at the work place. It fosters camaraderie and facilitates social bonding amongst employees. It can bring in a positive atmosphere. Communication can be through fun activities, posters at work areas, cafeteria. To Facilitate Decision Making: Written and oral communication within an organization facilitates decision making. Timely inputs from employees aids in this decision making. This can be in the form of reports/feedback. This input must come in from all levels of employees.

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Chapter 7 Types of Communication

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Types of Communication Communication can occur via various processes and methods and depending on the channel used and the style of communication there can be various types of communication. Based on the channels used for communicating, the process of communication can be broadly classified as verbal communication and non-verbal communication. Verbal communication includes written and oral communication whereas the non-verbal communication includes body language, facial expressions and visuals diagrams or pictures used for communication. Verbal Communication: Verbal communication is further divided into written and oral communication. The oral communication refers to the spoken words in the communication process. Oral communication can either be face-to-face communication or a conversation over the phone or on the voice chat over the Internet. Spoken conversations or dialogs are influenced by voice modulation, pitch, volume and even the speed and clarity of speaking. The other type of verbal communication is written communication. Written communication can be either via snail mail, or email. The effectiveness of written communication depends on the style of writing, vocabulary used, grammar, clarity and precision of language. Advantages of verbal communication: Receiver can ask questions asap. It adds a personal touch to the communication. It can be made more effective by using postures and gestures.
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Saves time, money and paperwork. It is a more flexible form of communication since it enables both the sender and receiver to clarify and be clear. It provides immediate feedback and clarification. Group interaction becomes more lively and effective. Builds a healthy rapport between colleagues/superior and subordinate. Oral communication can be made for effective by supporting it with gestures. A very effective tool of persuasion and resolving conflicts. Disadvantages of verbal Communication: Very often meetings can last for a long time without resulting in any conclusion thus wasting time, money and effort. Relies on human memory, retention is limited. In the absence of recorded messages, verbal messages are not legally valid. Communication may become difficult if the sender and receiver are located at long distances.

Nonverbal Communication: Non-verbal communication includes the overall body language of the person who is speaking, which will include the body posture, the hand gestures, and overall body movements. The facial expressions also play a major role while communication since the expressions on a persons face say a lot about his/her mood. On the other hand gestures like a handshake, a smile or a hug can independently convey emotions. Non verbal communication
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can also be in the form of pictorial representations, signboards, or even photographs, sketches and paintings. Advantages of Non-verbal Communication: You can communicate with someone who is hard of hearing or deaf. You can communicate at a place where you are supposed to maintain silence. You can communicate something which you don't want others to hear or listen to. You can communicate if you are far away from a person. The person can see but not hear you. Non-verbal communication makes conversation short and brief. You can save on time and use it as a tool to communicate with people who don't understand your language. Disadvantages of Non-Verbal Communication: You cannot have long conversations. Cannot discuss the particulars of your message Difficult to understand and requires a lot of repetitions. Cannot be used as a public tool for communication. Less influential and cannot be used everywhere. Not everybody prefers to communicate through nonverbal communication. Cannot create an impression upon people/listeners.

Apart from different methods and channels of communication, communication can be categorized into different types depending upon the level at which it takes place or by its very nature. I. Personal Communication
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II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV.

Business Communication Internal Communication External Communication Upward Communication Downward Communication Formal Communication Informal Communication Mass Communication Global Communication Lateral Communication Interactive Communication Social Communication Grapevine

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CHAPTER 8

Barriers to Communication

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Barriers to Communication Planning, preparation and practice of communication will be incomplete and unsuccessful unless one identifies and understands the barriers of communication. These barriers are physical, sociological and psychological obstacles that interfere with the planning, organization, transmission and understanding of the message. There are a number of such obstacles that can occur in the process of communication. The natural result of such obstacles or interfering factors is the misunderstanding of the message. These factors interfere with the self-confidence, self-disclosure and self-consciousness of the communication senders and receivers. The Barriers of communication are dangers to any organization if they are not removed on time. When the communicator transmits the idea in an unchanged and undistorted form to the receiver and the receiver responds to it, then, the process of the communication is supposed to have been perfect. But this process of perfect communication can never exist due to the number of factors, which stand in its way as the barriers. The communicator has to identify and understand the reasons for poor communication in order to communicate effectively. Understanding the process of communication is the first step towards improving the abilities and skills of communication, but understanding the factors that prevent us in transmitting the exact meaning is very essential for effective communication.
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Language Barrier: Language uses oral or written symbols to transmit meanings from one person to another. Every human language has its own vocal symbol system and its own grammatical structures. If the communicator and the receiver belong to different language groups, their ignorance of each others language or the lack of common language will be a barrier to communication between them.

A word may have a variety of meanings and the meaning attributed to a word by the communicator may not be the same as that of the receivers attributed meanings of that word. A word can have different meaning to different people at different occasions. Therefore, the sender and receiver are many a time likely to attribute different meaning to the same word.

Sometimes, they may use different words to communicate the same meaning. Poor vocabulary makes our message more difficult and less effective. Poor knowledge of grammar and punctuation is a barrier to verbal communication. Noise: It interferes with the transmission of the signals. It also refers to the unwanted signals of messages, which interferes and disturb the reception of the wanted signals. This disturbance is usually in the form of sounds. Time:
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The frequency of communication encounters affects the human relationships and the intensity of human relations is affected by the amount of time that passes between these encounters. If the employee does not communicate with their superiors for a long time, it may create a communication gap between them. Distance: The distance between the communicator and the receiver can be a strong barrier to communication, if the technical devices of communication such as telephone, telefax etc are not available to link them. Faulty sitting arrangement in the office can create a kind of communication gap, which can be eliminated by adjusting the distance. The age, maturity, educational background and the eras in which a person grows up make a generation, which inevitably comes in the way of human communication. Personal attitudes, values and opinions are the barriers to an effective communication. The individual experiences and their interpretations are never identical because their perceptions are different. The communication barrier arises as a result of different selective perceptions of the same object or idea by two or more people. Bad listening: Bad listening is one of the major communication problems. Misunderstanding and conflicts can be reduced if people would hear the message with enough attention. Most people do not listen very well due to various distractions, emotions,
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excitement, indifference, aggressiveness and wandering attention. Emotions: Emotions are obstacles in communication. An emotionally excited communicator is unable to organize his message properly. His excited or nervous state of mind does not allow him to think clearly.

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CHAPTER 9

7 Cs of Effective Communication

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7 Cs of Effective Communication Completeness Conciseness Consideration Concreteness (unambiguous) Clarity Courtesy Correctness

Completeness: Your business message is complete when it contains all the facts the reader or the listener needs for the reaction you desire. As you strive for completeness, keep the following guidelines in mind: Provide all necessary information Answer all the questions asked Give something extra when desirable Conciseness: Conciseness is saying what you have to say in the fewest possible words without sacrificing other C qualities. A concise message is complete without being word. To achieve conciseness, observe the following suggestions:
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Eliminate wordy expressions Include only relevant materials Avoid unnecessary repetition Consideration: Consideration means preparing every message with the message receivers in mind, try to put yourself in their place. 3 ways to indicate consideration are

Focus on YOU attitude, instead of I or WE.

Show audience benefit or interest in the receiver. Emphasize positive, pleasant facts. Concreteness: Communication concretely means being specific, definite and vivid rather than vague and general. Often it means using direct actions rather than ideas. The following guidelines should help you compose concrete and convincing messages: Use specific facts and figures Put action in your verbs Choose vivid, image-building words Clarity: Getting the meaning from your head to the head of the reader accurately is the purpose of clarity. Choose precise, concrete and familiar words. Construct effective sentences and paragraphs.
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Courtesy: Knowing your audience allows you to use the statement of courtesy; be aware of the message received. The following are the suggestions for generating a courteous tone: Be sincerely tactful, thoughtful and appreciative Use expressions that show respect Maintain acceptable writing mechanics

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CHAPTER 10 TELECOMMUNICATION

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Telecommunication

Telecommunication is the transmission of information, over significant distances, for the purpose of communication.

In earlier times, telecommunications involved the use of visual signals, such as beacons, smoke, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags, and optical heliographs, or audio messages via coded drumbeats, lung-blown horns, or sent by loud whistles, for example.

In the modern age of electricity and electronics, telecommunications now also includes the use of electrical devices such as telegraphs, telephones, and teletypes, the use of radio and microwave communications, as well as fiber optics and their associated electronics, plus the use of the orbiting satellites and the Internet.

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CHAPTER 11 TELEPATHY

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TELEPATHY Telepathy (from the Greek tele meaning "distant" and pathe meaning "affliction, experience") is the transfer of information on thoughts or feelings between individuals by means other than the "five classic senses". The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, specifically to replace the earlier expression thought-transference. A telepath would be a person with the paranormal ability to read others' thoughts and mental contents. Telepathy is one kind of extrasensory perception which, along with psychokinesis, forms the main topics of par psychological research. Many studies seeking to detect, understand, and utilize telepathy have been done within this field. This research has neither produced a replicable demonstration of telepathy, nor an accepted mechanism by which it might work. Hence the scientific community does not regard telepathy as a real phenomenon. It is hard to unambiguously distinguish telepathy from a number of other parapsychological hypotheses such as clairvoyance.

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THANK YOU

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