MODULE-2

Channels of communication
Listening
Group communication
 CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION

Communication is defined as exchange of information. Channel in

communication [communication channel] refers to all medium used to convey
information from a sender to a receiver. It can be thought as a vehicle that carries
messages from its originating point to its destination.
Eg: conversation between two is by face to face and the channel used is mouth.
Radios and mobiles use signals to transfer messages.
Mass media uses newspapers and magazines as its channels to convey messages to a
large number of people.
The communication process among humans can be defined as belonging to
different periods based on technological progress. There has been an enormous
developments made in the field of technology contributing to the faster communication
between people near and far away places. As in we can see earlier we just had telephone
which used to take a long time to get connected and would cost more and then came the
handy mobiles and also the network connections known as internets which not only
enabled quick passage of messages but also provided for instant exchange of messages
between two or more at the same time. Due to these changes the speed was accelerated.
Further inventions carried messages almost to the speed of light.

Types of communication channels:

1. Simplex communication:
Here the communication takes place only from one side i.e. it is like
one way traffic. The signals are sent from only the sender or may be from the receiver
there is no existence of two way communication between the sender and the receiver.
Eg television relays or broadcast.

2. Duplex communication:
Here unlike the simplex communication the communication or the
transfer of information takes place from both the sides i.e. from the sender and the
receiver; it is exchanged at the same time. This represents two way traffic as the
signals are passed from the sender and the receiver constantly at the same time and it
quick and clearer and less consumption of time and energy.
Eg: chatting over internet.

3. Internal communication:
All communications within the organization. It may be oral or
written, face to face or visual, one on one or in small groups. Internal communication
can be coordinated by HR, marketing, PR department. It helps employees to
understand the organization vision, value and culture. Also to the staff informed about
the important decisions taken by the management.

Importance:
  Its crucial in time of crisis as it provides facts and helps in quick solving
of the problem.
 It enables stronger relationship throughout all the levels of the
organization and forge sense of community.
 Internal communication should not be just implemented but it must be
ever changing and adaptable for success of the organization.

Features:
 Transparent and timely.
 Clear.
 Concise.
 Informative.
 Independent.

Internal communication takes place through:

 News letters.
 Print outs.
 Meetings.
 Intranet websites.
 Conferences.

Internal communication also include:

 Upward communication
 Downward communication
 Horizontal communication
 Vertical communication
 Diagonal communication

4. External communication:
It covers all interactions between the individuals of an organization
and the outsiders of their organization. It may be formal and informal both at times.
I.e. with the:
 Public
 Local authorities.
 Careers.
 Officers.
 Funding bodies.
 Training providers.

Channels of communication vary with regard to:

1. Speed with which they transmit signals.

2. The ability to separate their own signals from those of others.
 3. The accuracy with which the meaning is conveyed.
4. The effectiveness with which the channel can communicate facial and emotional
information’s.
5. Non verbal communication channels:
There is no speech used for communicating the information by the sender to
the receiver. This can be broadly classified into:
1. Sign language
2. Action language
3. Object language

Sign language: The way codifying meaning where words are replaced by gestures.
Eg language of deaf and dead
Braille language.
Signs: Since immemorial time human race has been using a primitive form of
communication. It has been enhanced, extended and refined and are still in use today in
all societies.
When we see a symbol we assess a special significance to it according to our
background and experiences. This language or communication has come from stone age
thus has enormous role in field of archaeology, anthropology and history. It’s all due to
the presence of signs and symbols we know our past better.

1. Action language: this is the most universal language. It’s the principle way in
which emotions are expressed. Closely related to action language is sign language
and gestures. “action speaks louder than words”.
Eg: 1. animals
2. friends hugging
3. avoiding eye contact when lying
4. ballet dances

2. Object language: object language takes a prime importance in situations where

words fail completely. This language because of its time enduring qualities plays
an enormous role in archeology and history. Even
though we lack the knowledge of verbal language of stone age we observe the
objects used and connect such subject to human activities at that time. It forms a
subject matter of branches of knowledge such as archeology.
Eg: 1. paintings
a. photographs
b. samples.

Non verbal communication can also be in the form of:

1. Postures: when standing, sitting and walking inherited by qualities can reveal
emotional or general state of being.
Eg: # arms crossed across chest
# hands inside pockets
# leaning against wall.
All the above indicate a lot to a speaker.
2. Gestures: speakers are sometimes known for their talking with their hands. Another
function being regulation or control. Gestures may accompany a spoken language merely
punctuating and emphasizing it, or they may take some of the content of message that
remains partly unarticulated in verbal form. All physical movements or postures to which
meaning is ascribed comprise the form of communication known as gestures.

Importance of non-verbal communication:-

1. Feelings and emotions are more accurately exchanged.
2. It conveys meanings and intentions that are relatively free of deception and
confusion.
3. It’s more efficient.
4. It’s the most suitable vehicle for suggestions.

Verbal communication:
This language can be defined as a system of orderly vocal sound manipulated by
one individual (sender) to form a message which will facilitate the creation of meaning in
the mind of receiver. We can use language to satisfy our high order needs thus making it
functional. We vocalize our views to others to gain some response or result. There are no
fixed rules or correct usage of this type of communication. Depending on the situation
and settings we implement appropriate usage. Sometimes we speak but fail to convey the
meaning of the same i.e. we fail to communicate our views to others.

Different channels of verbal communication are as follows:-

1. Visual media- We can share with many people any language or image form he\she
wishes through the reproduction of it by a printed or photographic process. It
enables people to receive new and valuable information through books,
newspapers, photographs and other visual materials.
2. Audio media sound- Here meaningful sound can be converted into electrical or
light waves and transmitted instantly.
Eg: Radio
Record player
Telephone
Record on tapes and discs
3. Audio visual media- [Sound and image] Converting both meaningful sound and
image into electrical or light waves, here people get to be seen and heard at the
same time.
Eg: Television
4. Mass Media- Mass media in form of television reaches every living room of
houses. Unpredictable coverage are got to us. In form of print media we cover a wide
spectrum of opinions etc. in the form of radio the information is spread through signals to
rural parts as well as the urban parts of the world. These are the channels of
communication that reach large number of people at once and are also easily accessed by
all people.
 FORMAL COMMUNICATION

An official communication having official backing and sanction. A precise

communication channel following a fixed pattern rather than occurring without are
control. Under the formal system of communication the messages flow according to a
fixed and prescribed way. Formal communication is both oral and written, but mostly
black and white. They originate from a formal organization structure. they are related to
the positions in the organization. As such they are related to all sorts of formalities, rules,
procedures etc; opposed to the grapevine or informal communication. When information
is transmitted by virtue of one’s status & placement in the organizations, it is termed as
FORMAL COMMUNICATION. It flows through an officially prescribed route.
In the route located are officially recognized position. For ex: when an executive
instructs his subordinates by virtue of his superior position to undertake a particular work,
it is a formal communication. A formal channel of communication recognizes superior
and subordinates positions & relationships. In a way it is a two way communication. It
describes in a prescribed manner, the employees to understand what the management
intends them to do. The written formal communication is generally expressed in the
organizational manuals, handbooks, bulletins etc. The object of the formal
communication is to make it circulate properly & in an orderly way towards
organizational efficiency. It also ensures flow of information in a planned route smoothly
& in a timely manner.

MERITS OF FORMAL COMMUNICATION

1. CORRECT INFORMATION: There is no place in formal communication for the

spread of incorrect information & rumors. The dangers which arise on account of
incorrect information would not take place.
2. OFFICIAL BACKING: The formal communication is always an official
communication having official support & sanction. This method may not lead to
distracted information because there is official sanction & may not even turn into
gossip & rumor.
3. EXISTENCE OF AUTHORITY: It maintains the authority of line officers. Under
this system there are officially recognized & fixed position associated with duties
& responsibilities. The superiors can command subordinates to get things done.
4. MESSAGE HANDLING: Though the management recognizes & gives
importance to the grapevine, it cannot handle the overload of work. A formal
channel of communication is adequate for handling all categories of messages
with clear understanding.
5. ABSENCE OF LEADERS: There is no place for any person as a key person or
communication leader to spread messages like in the grapevine. In Formal
communication everyone has to follow fixed rules & procedures. There is no
place for bias. This is the reason why formal communication is always orderly &
system.
 6. EFFICIENT COMMUNICATION: Prompt & accurate flow of information is the
function of sound communication. This can be achieved under a formal
communication method.
7. SUPPORT FROM TOP: There is always official support & backing for formal
communication.
8. UNIFORMITY IN TRANSMISSION: In a formal communication each position
transmits the message to another in the order of line. There is no place for wrong
interpretations, misunderstandings etc.
9. NO GRAPEVINE: In a formal communication there is always only an
organizational relationship.
10. OTHER ADVANTAGES: Besides there are many advantages. It identifies that
communication is a tool of management.

DEMERITS OF FORMAL COMMUNICATION

1. Delay: The formal network of communication takes more time to pass
information. Thus formal channel is not spontaneous & flexible. It takes more
time.
2. Internal means only: It represents the natural desire of management in the
organization to interact and communicate with each other. In this the superior
directs the subordinates. Hence not suitable for external communication.
3. Information overload: It represents an overload of work with heavy information.
Delay, omission, imperfection, and half execution of information are evils of
information overload.
4. Slow Transmission: Formal communication channel operates with slow
movement of transmission. Official channel information gets circulated but not in
a prompt way. It does not work with considerable speed & is often slower than
informal communication.
5. Absence of feedback: Feedback is necessary to understand an immediate reaction
which would help in a great way in the decision making process.

Formal communication is of two types:

1. UPWARD COMMUNICATION
2. DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION

1. UPWARD COMMUNICATION: A communication is said to be upward when it

moves from the bottom to the top. In the organizational structure from bottom to top
means the flow of communication from subordinates to superior. Whenever information
moves from a lower level to higher level in an organization it is termed as upward
communication. The upward communication may be transmitted either by oral media or
written media. Oral media consist of face-to-face conversation, informal communication,
social group, union channel of representation etc. upward written communication may
take from of complaints & suggestions, personal letters, explanations & clarification &
reply to memos etc.
Upward communication is adopted to submit reports, suggestions, complaints &
grievances. Though upward communication is common is common, in practice it is less
favored by the top management.
 But upward communication is a definite chain & formal. Like reports submission
to superior. It acts as a main source of motivation to employees to get things done easily.
Upward flow also facilitates the management to know the acceptance or rejection &
the extent to which something is accepted or rejected. Similarly executives must in turn
know the executives & progress achieved by their subordinates. This is possible only
through upward communication.

Advantages
1. It meets two-way communication
2. Feedback on information is possible
3. It acts as a check for individual achievement
4. Flat networks have sufficient messages from the bottom for onward
communication upward.

Disadvantages
1. The subordinate will be hesitant to say upward any messages that may result in
negative actions towards the subordinate by his superiors. The subordinate feels
his boss will not be happy about such messages and will tend to suppress them.
2. The subordinate who feels that his job is off little importance and the information
he posses is probably non vital will not be likely to communicate the messages to
his superiors.
3. The subordinates perception of his bosses attitude towards him and the open
mindedness of the boss will affect upward communication

Media of Upward communication

1. SUGGESTIONS: It ensures two way communication
2. COMPLAINTS
3. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
4. OPEN DOOR POLICY
5. MEETING
6. COLLECTIVE BARGINING

Ways to encourage upward communication

1. Be consistent and gracefully accept feedback even if its critical, to help build trust
2. Involve employees in decision making
By involving them you are more likely to win their support and they are more
likely to have the information and tools they need to do their jobs.
3. Offer options that allow for anonymous input, such as suggestion boxes,
anonymous surveys.
4. Invite employees from different areas to sit down for a discussion on certain
issues.
5. Hire a neutral party to gather feedback and provide for anonymity of employee
responses.

2. DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION
 Communication which flows from the superiors to subordinates is known as
downward communication. This implies the flow of information from persons occupying
higher positions to those at a lower level. 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. For Ex: - the managing director
communicating with the dept heads, a manager giving directions to an assistant manager.
Downward communication can be defined as “information flowing from the top
of the organizational management hierarchy & telling people in the organization what is
important (mission) & what is valued (policies). Downward communication can take
place in one or more of the following forms:
 Letters
 Orders
 Circulars
 Notices
 Instructions
 Bulletins

Downward communication is needed to get things done, to avoid 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 elements of downward communication are:
1. Directions to carry out a specific task
2. Job instructions
3. Information intended to create understanding of the task
4. Information about organizational processes & patterns
5. Response to the subordinate about his performance
6. To inculcate a sense of mission
7. Indoctrination of goals.

Advantages of downward communication

1. It explains policies & organizational procedures clearly.
2. It clearly conveys an assessment of performance to subordinates.
3. It passes on info about the significance of the job.
4. It gives specific directives about the job being entrusted to a subordinate.
5. It carries info on plans, policies, managerial decisions & programs from higher
levels to lower levels.
6. It is the basis of supervision, motivation & leadership.

Disadvantages of downward communication

1. It takes a long time in transmitting info to the lowest worker.
2. It often leads to either over-communication or under-communication.
3. It is not likely to be transmitted downwards in its eternity due to loss of
information.
4. It loses a little of its authenticity in long lines of communication.
 5. It smacks of too much authoritarianism.

HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION
The transmission of information between people at the same level of authority is
called horizontal communication. It refers to the flow of information taking place
between persons holding equal rank in the same or different Depts. It is also known as
lateral communication. For Ex: - production manager & sales manager may discuss
methods of improving the quality of products.
Horizontal communication helps managers to exchange information & co-
ordinate their activities without referring all matters to the higher levels of Mgmt. It
promotes mutual understanding between managers & also enables the managers to form
relationship with their peers.
Horizontal communication usually takes place between:-
a) Two subordinates of the same level
b) Two departmental managers
c) Any two or more who are bound to one another by a relationship of equality.

Advantages of horizontal communication

1. It is extremely important for promoting understanding & co-ordination among various
Depts.
2. It is helpful to resolve the inter-related problems of two or more Depts.
3. It speeds up information & promotes mutual understanding & trust.
4. It is required to make a co-ordinate effort in achieving organizational goals.
5. It enables managers to exchange information without referring all matters to the higher
authorities

Disadvantages of horizontal communication

1. persons at same level, giving social support to one another, may freely communicate
among themselves but fail to communicate upward or downward
2. it is potential for conflict and inter-group rivalry where differentiation of activities creates
a sub-unit orientation rather than an organizational perspective.
3. This kind of authoritarianism is likely to provoke bitterness and indignation among the
workers (inter-group rivalry is a source of potential conflicts).

MANAGING DIRECTOR

MAKETING WORKS FINANCE

MANAGER MANAGER MANAGER PERSONNEL
 Branch manager factory mgr accounts mgr training mgr

Sales officer factory mgr accounts officer training officer

Salesman worker accounts clerk

DIAGONAL COMMUNICATION
This refers to the communication that takes place between persons holding
different ranks in different Depts. It means the flow of information between persons who
are neither in the same Dept. nor at the same level of organizational hierarchy. It cuts
across departmental barriers & increases the organizational efficiency by speeding up
info. Such communication takes place only under special circumstances.

Advantages of diagonal communication:

a) It increases organizational efficiency by spending up info & cutting across departmental
barriers.
b) It is needed when line managers delegate authority to line or staff authority.
c) Shorter & more effective.

INFORMAL COMMUNICATION
Informal communication is also called as grapevine or bush telegraph. It
refers to flow of information and opinions through social interactions or interpersonal
relations among people working in the same organization.
It is unofficial and represents spontaneous expression of ideas and reactions.
There are no hierarchy of superiors and subordinates, no formalities, no procedures and
rules. It has no definite pattern or direction though it is largely horizontal.
In this channel, the talk is colored by ideas, prejudice and feelings of the persons
engaged in it.
Informal communication arises due to the natural desire of people to
communicate with each other. Therefore, it is built around the social relationships among
the members of the organization.
Informal communication may take place through a glance, a gesture, a smile, a
nod or even silence.
This is known as grapevine because, its origin and direction of flow of
information cannot be easily traced as in the case of vineyard.
The executives have to deal informally with subordinates personally to maintain
relations to get the things done.
 Informal communication is a situation wherein people carry on their non-
programmed activities within formal boundary of the system. Here the communication is
very fast, spontaneous and flexible.

Characteristic features of informal communication

1) Origin: Informal groups are formed out of personal and social needs, working at
same place with liking and disliking. There are no rules and regulations governing their
relationship with no official support.
Persons, who work close to one another, such as in same department doing
same type of work, are likely to develop social relationships and they form a group.
Common interest among persons provide another reason for the formation
i.e., same work, same background.
Ex: a group of engineers have had similar education and they are likely to
have had similar education and they are likely to have similar professional interests.
To achieve one or more mutually satisfying goals, individuals band
together and form a group that supports the goal.
Ex: workers may agree as a group to keep their production below certain
level because of fear that the management will raise output standards if they work up to
their capabilities.
2) Purpose: Informal groups are growing out because, formal groups are not
satisfying them in respect of certain social, psychological and personal needs.
3) Size: Groups may be small in size as they are created from formal organization.

4) Nature of groups: Informal groups are not stable because of change in job, leaving
organization. The value systems and likes and dislikes may change with change in
membership.
5) Conversion: An informal group can be converted into formal by structuring the
relationship and establishing inter-personal relations by formal rules and procedures.
6) Number of groups: Like formal groups, there may be number of informal groups,
with a member of one group as member of another.
7) Authority: there is no authority in this group and all members are equal.
8) Channels and media of communication: The channel includes intangible facts,
suggestions, rumors that can’t pass through formal channel. It does not follow a fixed
route or proper channel.
9) Abolition: There is no specific purpose for formation of group, so the groups
cannot be abolished. Any attempt to abolish informal groups may lead to formation of
other groups.

Structures of informal communication

1) Serial transmission
Here the message passes along a chain running from one person to the
other.

A B C D

2) Cluster transmission
Here, it is rumor. Here the message passes through different sorts of
structure.

H
C
D
G J

A
I
E
B

Advantage of Informal Communication

1. Morale uniting force: Grapevine acts as a driving force to unite the work force in
cases of common matters. The grapevine serves as a morale uniting force when
there is high interest in new policies, innovations in procedures or personnel and
sufficient data the organization without any value judgment.
2. Save time: The informal communication helps to save time in circulating
information. The grapevine is spontaneous and flexible; it will not take more time
in circulating a message.
3. Speed: An informal channel of communication operates with much greater speed.
As grapevine is a spontaneous growth, it can transmit information with
considerable speed. A formal communication network sometimes is not suitable
for sending a message quickly.
4. Immediate response: Response from informal communication can be interacted
upon immediately. Immediate response from given information transmitted to the
receiver is necessary for the management to take decisions.
5. Public relations: It is another important wing of management function which can
be effective because of informal relations. It fails because of lack of informal
relations and communication.
6. Feedback: It is very much necessary in all group activities irrespective of type of
organization. Management can use grapevine as testing tool. In a feedback,
immediate response and reaction can be gained which is more useful in process of
 decision making. Listening to feedback response is a good principle of
communication.
7. Creation of ideas: Informal communication generates ideas and offers appropriate
suggestions that are proved more helpful. This is not advantageous in case of
formal communication as interaction must take place according to rules,,
procedures prescribed by authorities.
8. Tool of management: Informal communication is a tool of management as it
influences the behavior and attitudes of others. Communication must make others
respond to decisions and it is because of this, the communication is considered a
valuable tool of management. It is the management’s responsibility to create an
informal environment conductive for effective communication.
9. Accurate information: Informal communication transmits accurate information
fast. The communication leader should know correct data, when and where to
pass the message, what to pass and even confidential matters and factual
information. This information is fed into grapevine to provide quick, easy access
to message.
10. Avoids misunderstanding: Mutual understanding is impossible without informal
relations. There are few problems in real life situations that formal
communication can’t resolve. In relationships, informal communication produces
harmony,, resolves problems and dissolve feelings of separateness.
11. Others: It indicates the pulse of work force. The message circulated is closely and
collectively interacted and understood. Informal communication are not static but
dynamic and non-stable.
Informal channel reduces or lightens the workload on management
because of common understanding between the employees and spirit of sharing
work or job problems.
It also helps the members to get work done by way of sharing and
supporting.
They also tend to encourage co-operation which would lead to better
communication and more productivity.
It helps to fill the gaps in manager’s ability if he is weak in decision
making process.
Sense if belonging and security can be obtained because of satisfaction
and stability in work which reduces the rate of labour turn over.
People can communicate openly and freely with each others without
boundaries to communication.

Disadvantages of Informal communication

1. Rumors: Informal communication sometimes spreads incorrect information as
well as rumors. Rumors lack evidence or fact. It may be damaging when
circulated and acted on. It spreads like a fire and cannot be put off soon.
2. Distorts: Grapevine distorts information without any official sanction. It is
dangerous to the organization.
 3. Inadequate: Informal channel is inadequate for handling all categories of
messages with understandings. It cannot shoulder entire communication load.
Only certain matters can be fed into grapevine to circulate.
4. Communication leaders: The key person must be trusty worthy and have
creditability. The great problem in the organization today is lack of trusty within
organization and lack effective informal communication.
5. No authority: Informal communication does not help in the maintenance of
authority of the line. There is no place for respect to the superiors by the
subordinates, thus it does not help to exercise effective control over subordinates.
6. Improper communication: Informal communication is unsound and improper
method of channelising information. There can be absence of superiors mingling
with subordinates with no direct contact and relationship.
7. No overload: Message load is less in an informal communication. In complex
organization structure, there is always a heavy load of work messages to be
communicated. So informal channel is not suitable to cope with the message load.
8. Overlooking superiors: This channel leads to overlooking the superiors,
sometimes, overlooked by line officers. Grapevine is not suitable for upward
communication.
9. Interpretation changes: In grapevine, key person tells the message to each person
in a particular group. The members in turn relay the message to someone else.
This process continues and results in wrong interpretation, change of meanings,
ideas. So there may be dilution of actual information.
10. Others: Disagreement, difference, rivalries are bound to arise which leads to
dysfunction of organization.
There is a great relationship between grapevine and the morale of employees.
When morale is high and employees are well motivated, the grapevine is thin and
slow. When morale drops, it becomes thick and fast.
Bad news and unpleasant stories cause excitement and they travel faster than good
news. A manager has to keep eyes and ears open and encourage upward
communication to find out what employees talk about and how they feel.
Management should not allow rumors to spread. In case, a rum or comes to the
knowledge of management, it should take steps to stop its spreading further and
inform people of real facts regarding the issue.

Difference between Formal and informal communication

FORMAL COMMUNICATION INFORMAL COMMUNICATION

Well planned, systematic, authorized. Unplanned, erratic, unauthorized.
Flow is through the chain of command. Flow is through unofficial channels.
Based on authority. Based on social interaction of people.
Not flexible, very rigid. Flexible.
 Slow. Fast.
Accurate Distorted.
Easy to fix responsibility Can’t fix responsibility.
Beginning and end of path is known and Beginning and end of path is variable
fixed. and unknown.
Predictable. Unpredictable.
Work related information. Personal views and feelings.
Serves purpose of organizational needs. Serves purpose of social needs.
Impersonal. Personal.
Source and direction can be easily Source and direction can’t be traced.
traced.

LISTENING
Listening is the receiver’s activity is communication. It is the speaker’s
responsibility to make effort to be understood, so the listener has the responsibility to
make effort to understand the meaning.
Listening is the most important activity is a communication process. The higher
the position is an organization the greater is the listening responsibility. & manager has
to spend more time listening to others than speaking.

The four steps in listening

1) Hearing - The listener simply attends to the speaker. If he is able to repeat the
speaker’s words he has heard the message.

2)Interpretation- If the listener fails to interpret the words correctly the message is
misunderstood. The message is misunderstood because of varying knowledge,
vocabulary used, body language, expression , Attitude, culture & background.

3)Evaluation - A crucial stage where the listeners decides what to do with the received
message, you may believe or not believe the message.

4)Response - Final step of listening where the listener responds to the message.
It may be vocal or visual.

Importance of Listening
Listening is not an easy job it takes a great deal of discipline to listen attentively.
It is accompanied by a slightly increased heartbeat, as it requires hard work.
The tone, voice, expressions, gestures and even silence have meaning. An angry
person may use sarcasm or frustration. The ability to listen to understand the feeling of
the other is called empathic listening, listening to poetry, music etc is called appreciative
listening, and the ability to listen to lectures, seminars etc is attentive listening and the
ability to listen to sales talks, judging of elocution etc is called critical listening.
Listening would help in the carrying out of the assigned task. Motivation, raising
morale of the employee can be achieved by listening rather than talking. Poor listening
could lead to problems in human relations. In conferences, committees and group
discussions, listening is very important as they would not repeat the same thing already
told buy the members.

Benefits of Listening
1. Finding out more information:- hen you listen carefully, you find out more
information and become aware of things.

2. Learning about people and low their mind works:- When listen to others we find
that they speak their mind.

3. Improving relations with people:- When we listen to people, they feel they are given
importance, thereby creating a bond between people.

4. Obtaining suggestions and new ideas: - An opinion can be formed by listening to

others. Innovative is shown when you listen.

5. Raising morale of employees / subordinates: - When you give an ear to the

employees with grievances.

6. Help solving problems: - When the problems are listened, we ****** in our opinion,
thereby taking measures to solve them.

7. In Conclusion:- Listening is an effective skill which on has to inculcate, when one

listens it shows that they are attentive and would carry out the assigned task carefully.

BLOCKS TO EFFECTIVE LISTENING

Most of us are unable to listen with full concentration for more than one minute at
a time; attention lags and returns. We do not receive specific training in listening and do
not fully realize the significance of the act of listening; when someone is distracted we
tend to say “will you stop talking…” when we ought to say “will you please listen …”not
talking is only the first step in listening; you have to go through further steps in order to
Listen
There are many reasons why people’s ability to listen is not as good as should be.
Some persons are self-centered and like to keep on talking themselves rather than share
A conversation with others .They wants others to listen to them, but are not willing to
listen to what others have to say. It may be possible to avoid such a person at a party or
function, but working with such a person as a senior in official life can be frustrating;
The juniors may develop feelings of resentment towards the person since the code of
behavior requires deference to the senior. It is difficult to learn from or to work with
such persons.
Some people listen selectively; they listen only to what interests them, and ignore
everything else.
 Some people listen only superficially to what they do not like to hear; a senior
who does not like to listen to other people’s ideas may seem to listen for a while, and may
even respond.
Apart from these shortcomings, there are other barriers to listening. Which are
your specific problems?

Distractions in your own mind

This is a great barrier to listening and must be firmly checked. If you allow your mind to
go on a joy ride, thinking of the next vacation or the last week-end’s party, there will be
no listening. It takes a great deal of self-control and discipline to stay tuned to another
person , particularly when your own mind is excited about something.

Wandering attention
This is one of the most difficult barriers to overcome; it arises from the natural difference
between speaking speed and listening speed. Average speaking speed is about 150 words
a minute; listening capacity is about 500 words a minute .this gives rise to something like
the tortoise-and-the-hare race, especially if the speech is long. The listener’s mind goes
off on various expeditions, returning now and then to check up on the speaker’s progress.
If the hare gets quite lost or falls asleep, the tortoise will get too far ahead for the hare to
catch up. While listening to a speaker, your mind has excess time and is likely to wander
off if you are not watchful.

Planning to present a good argument

Trying to plan a good answer is a nice distraction while you listen. If the speaker makes a
controversial statement which conflicts with your views, you may get much excited and
engage in mental argument. In preparing an argument or a good question to ask, you
might miss the rest of the speech
Lack of interest
Not being interested in the topic can cause faulty listening. It might make you reject the
speaker as dull or boring. Such an attitude to the speaker arises from narrow interests and
a closed mind. Very often uninteresting speakers communicate useful information and
ideas while interesting and amusing speakers may have very little useful matter .a
responsible person must make an effort to be interested in the communication

Avoiding the effort to understand what is difficult

This makes the listener switch off attention; if this becomes a habit it makes the mind
more and more lazy .if you are in the habit of avoiding discussion programs on the TV
you might be on the path of mental decay .A little daily effort to follow a serious
discussion on radio or TV is useful for improving listening ability

Tendency to criticize
Criticizing the speaker’s appearance manner, voice, and so on, is another cause of poor
listening. No doubt, style adds to the effectiveness of speech; but he content if always
more important than the appearance or the style of the speaker. There are many worthy
persons who do not cultivate style but have good matter to give; by paying too much
attention to the speaker’s style, you may loose the matter

Emotional blocks
Most people have “deaf spots”; this is a tendency not to catch certain ideas .some people
find it difficult to listen to figures or to descriptions surgical operations or stories of
horror. A deep seated inability to endure going through something which we find painful
causes us to block it out of the mind.

Emotional excitement
You may get disturbed by the speaker’s use of certain words. Words and phrases acquire
different meanings and connotations in different cultures; a perfectly good word may
appear loaded with prejudice or ill-feeling to a person from another culture. It is
important to guard getting upset by words which have been used quite innocently by the
speaker.

Impatience
Lack of patience is the common most barriers to listening. We often have no patience to
wait until another has finished speaking. We want to answer or add own points to the
discussion, or narrate our own experience. This competitive desire to talk indicates lack
of maturity.

Poor health
Poor state of health reduces listening efficiency. No doubt, any physical pain demands all
your attention in coping with it, and you cannot be expected to pay attention to work. It is
better not to attend a meeting or a conference if you have a headache or some other
physical pain. Pain, poor state of general health makes a person impatient, inattentive and
unable to concentrate; it impairs listening ability.

Excessive note-taking
Trying to take down extensive notes is a sure way to disturb your listening and miss some
points. No matter how fast you write, you cannot write as fast as words are spoken unless
you write shorthand very fast.

Noise
If there is noise in the environment, it makes hearing difficult and distracts attention. If
noise cannot be avoided, seek the speaker’s cooperation in overcoming this problem.

IMPROVING LISTENING SKILLS

.
There is no easy technique by which we can improve your listening. The listening
reflects our basic attitude to people rather than just our skills. We must be willing share
their idea as and views of
People. Training for good listening is largely personal responsibility and can be done by
personal effort,

Some positive habits can be cultivated to improve our listening

1. We should pay attention to the speaker. This may need determination concentrate. If
are determined to concentrate, we can train our mind and body of getting into the mood
of listening.
2. We should use our eyes and ears to listen .A spoken message do not come only through
words. For clear and full understanding, non verbal signs must also be considered. The
speaker’s body language can tell a lot about the state of persons mind and convey
meanings.
3. Show the speaker that u are listening; your body posture, body language and eye
contact must indicate interest and sympathy and desire to understand. This non verbal
listening behavior cannot just be acted; the speaker can make it out if it is not genuine.

The following are the behaviors which tell us about good listening ability of a
person s.
- Makes and maintains good and comfortable eye contract
- Reflects feelings in facial expressions
- Sits/stands in an attentive posture.
- Uses empathic questioning technique .Asks open-ended questions seeking
information and clarification.

For an executive, the aim of good listening is not only to follow what the speaker
is saying but also to get at the problems of customer relations, employee relations
and motivation.

The following are the tips for good listening requiring practices
1) Stop talking. It is not possible to listen while talking.
2) Put the speaker in ease. An uneasy, uncomfortable person does not speak clearly.
And try to match speakers mood by
Appropriate response. Try to be in speaker’s position. This called as empathy. It
helps us to understand better if you imagine the speaker’s position
3) Show a desire to listen. Our non verbal behavior must show we are interested
;The speaker must see and feel that you are listening.

4) Write down the main points and get them checked for corrections , this makes the
Speaker more responsible and clear in what he/she says , because the speaker
realizes that there is serious attention by the listener.
5) Do not create or tolerate distractions . Calling or receiving or allowing others to
Interrupt or disturbs or irritates the speaker.
6) Be patient. The speaker may need time to say that he/she wants to say ; some
People are shy or nervous or cannot easily find words. If they interrupt or hurry
they get more nervous.
 7) keep your temper no matter how angrily the speaker speaks. Allow the speaker to
Let off the steam. Angry persons cannot speak clearly and cannot listen.
8) Keep an open mind do not jump on conclusions. Avoid making any judgment
until the speaker has completed speaking . Hence a proper evaluation can be made
only after getting full information and understanding it.
9) Listen between the lines . Concentrate on what is said and what is not been said
Many clues to the speakers meaning come from tone of voice, facial expressions
,posture and gestures. People do not say what they mean, but body language is
usually an accurate indication of the speakers attitude and emotional state.
10) Ask questions at suitable moments to get a clear understanding. If you are not
sure that what the speaker is saying ,ask. It’s better to repeat in our own words ,
what the speaker said in order to confirm that you have understood.

IMPORTANCE OF SILENCE IN COMMUNICATION

Unless we maintain silence, we cannot hear what another person is saying. It is difficult
to be silent if we are excited. Human beings have a need for self expression which causes
us to be eager to speak and to narrate our experiences, ideas and views; it requires
training & discipline & self control to listen silently when another person is speaking.

 In western countries, the social rule to take turn for conversation & to take be
attentive while other is speaking.
 I our country where people are always interpreted, have less listening skill.
 When we are listening it is not enough just to maintain empty silence, instead
must be filled with non-verbal indication of listening & attention.
 When we are in a communication, we have eye contact, and then the face will
automatically give the expression which will indicate the response to what is
being said.
 When a speaker is talking we should not engage our mind with argument or
making a judgment to what the speaker is saying, because we will not be able to
catch all that the speaker is saying. So, we should keep our mind silence too.
 Maintaining silence is not holding ones tongue but also self control & maturity of
mind to be silent.
 Controlling the thoughts going on in one’s mind is not easy, it needs lot of
practice & discipline.
 It is very good to practice meditation and train our mind in the Art of Silence
most of the managers do.

Listen to each other in the most important thing in communication, so if you are
listenning you have to keep the silence, sometime silent times are the movements for
people to think deeply into the subjects they had heard before and from that they will
receive lot information from the communication.

Silence, the lack of verbal communication, can indeed be a facilitator as people

mentioned above, because it can induce better listening and foster the idea that everyone
may be heard.

But it can also be an inhibitor in the sense that silence can indicate disapproval,
intimidation, or apathy. Silence is not only assent, a positive-feedback mechanism - it
may also used as a signal to discourage further communication. It is what you say, and
what you don't say, that factors into what is perceived.

One of the most important parts of any conversation is the silence. Silence can
serve many functions in a conversation and how you manage it determines your level of
sophistication. Here are some points to keep in mind about silence in communication.

1. Allowing silence in a conversation puts pressure on the other person.

It’s conventional in the US not to allow any sort of extended silence in a
conversation. Therefore, to allow one puts pressure on the other person to "fill air time".
Some interviewers, for instance, use this technique to see what will happen. Often the
person will “spill” – saying exactly the thing they didn’t want to say.

2. Silence can indicate hostility.

Withdrawing, “stonewalling,” and pouting in silence are ways some people
handle anger. Such a silence can be pulsating with bad feelings and elicit anger on the
part of the other person.

3. Silence can indicate disagreement.

While it’s almost never an indication of indifference, silence can indicate that the
other person is having negative emotions. When we experience anger, fear, or
embarrassment, our thinking brain shuts down. We sit there fuming, unable to speak;
enraged and unable to find words; afraid and scared speechless. Some people are
“flooded” with these emotions, and unable to respond.

4. Silence can indicate profoundness, such as awe or horror.

Sometimes when we’re listening to someone else, we hear something that leaves
us speechless because it really goes beyond words. Listening to someone talk about a
dreadful trauma they’ve endured, or a beautiful, almost-sacred interaction with another
human being, or a description of an awesome natural event such as a sunset or a volcano
eruption are examples. Somehow when we listen to such things, the ordinary “Oh” and
“Wow” and “That’s awesome” don’t seem enough, and so we fall silent.

5. Silence can indicate respect.

In some cultures more than others, silence indicates respect. A young person may
be expected to approach an older person or a person in authority and remain silent until
recognized, acknowledged and spoken to.

6.Silence can indicate contemplation.

The more introverted your communication partner, the more likely they will think
before they speak. Extraverts discover what they’re thinking and how they feel by
talking. Introverts figure it all out inside their own head and heart before giving voice to
it.

7.Silence can be intentional rudeness.

Because of the nature of normal conversation in the US, allowing an extended
silence can be perceived as rudeness. It can also be meant that way. Refusing to reply to
the other person is a way of ignoring them.

8.Silence can be the creation of a listening space.

When you are profoundly listening to someone, you create an open space for them
to talk into that’s almost palpable. Good listeners know how to do this, and it can be
learned. It’s an openness that you transmit through nonverbal means.

9. Silence can be an indication of empathy.

When we're really tuning in to how the other person feels, we're listening more to
the tone of their voice, cadence and speed rather than the actual words, so reply with
words may not be the most appropriate response. Sometimes sounds are more attuned …
a murmur, a sigh, sucking in the breath in shock, soothing sounds, clucking (tsk tsk), or
shaking the head and going uh, uh, uh.

10. How you manage silence in conversation is an important part of emotional

intelligence.
Excellent communicators can allow silence when it’s effective or called for; can
avoid being pressured into “spilling” when silence is used manipulatively; offer silence as
a gift or sign of respect; interpret the silence of others appropriately; understand how
other cultures use silence; mindfully regulate the use of silence; and are comfortable with
silence and understand its many uses.

GROUP COMMUNICATION
Group is defined as a number of persons engaged in interaction with one another,
it may be during a meeting or a series of meetings which may be formal or informal. In
this course of meeting each member receives some impression of every other member
and develops acquaintance.
A group has a common purpose and develops norms for interpersonal relations
and also develops leaders and followers. Eg: Relationships
 Communication reveals a lot of things about a person and by this people may
create impressions about a person and which further develops a relationship.
Leaders
Religious saints have many disciples who are attracted to him because of his speech
(communication).

Followers
Political leaders influence groups by their speeches.

Places where group communications take place:

1. Meetings- A meeting may be formal or informal, and it may be conducted in
different ways, depending upon purpose and the size of the group.
2. Statutory and conventional meetings- They are very formal and conducted at
equal intervals. They usually have fixed agenda and business to be conducted.
Eg: general body meetings, board of directors meetings.
3. Meeting of committees- They are assigned specific tasks. They are held
frequently as required by work. They may be formal or informal.
Eg: ladies clubs, other regional or caste meetings.
4. Conference meetings- It’s usually conducted between groups of people who are
connected with different aspects of a job. They have similar responsibilities and
they get together to discuss common problems of a particular plan.
Eg: labor union meetings, managers meet etc.

Advantages & Disadvantages:

Advantages of group communication are:-
1. Knowledge:- When there is group communication, there is sharing of
information, thereby an enormous amount of knowledge in exchanged. Activities
have become complex and it is difficult for one person to handle it. Therefore
there is work in a group activity and discuss.
2. Loyalty: Being involved in group activity and discuss provides emotional support
to the participants Employees or people in a group who allowed to participate
they tend to be loyal
3. Democracy : When we allow others to participate we give them a feel of pride &
sense of freedom to bring about their opinion & views in a group.
4. Technology :The advance of technology has been a boon to the organization
where in better and quick communication in possible The employees can respond
immediately for a subject.
5. Purposeful: a meeting /a group discussion is held for a reason or a purpose of up
gradation of a machinery expansion of business etc so it is always useful.

Disadvantages of Group communication are:-

1. Time and Money : Both formal & informal meetings are time consuming and
also very costly . Preparing for this communication is very tedious.
 2. No conclusion: a meeting may have no purpose if it has no conclusion. So if a
meeting has no conclusion there has been much misunderstanding between the
members.
3. Taken Lightly: A meeting is taken lightly by some employees, as they do not
come prepared. They just come to take some time out of their regular work. They
do not realize the purpose of the meeting.
4. Skill of Chair Person: The chair person must know to conduct the meeting. If he
is not able to control the group, there will be a lot of chaos and useless talk. It will
ultimately lead to frustration, If they do not get a chance to give their view or
opinion.

Group communication requires skill and training. Many barriers may arise in the
way of useful discussion and spoil the meeting.
As an organization needs people who have skill to make the best of a meeting, it
is essential for individuals to capture these skills of group communication. Effective
participation in a group communication is an important asset for every individual.

[Many companies select candidates in an interview after testing their ability in a

group discussion (GD).]

Problems:

1. Some are shy and get nervous to address the group, even though they have good
ideas and analytical ability they may not speak.
2. Some are aggressive and prevent others from speaking, they take up all the time
and insist on following their own agenda.
3. Some do not participate because they have not applied their mind on that
particular topic and would just relax listening to others, speak.
4. Even cohesive groups may have problems occasionally.
5. If leaders can’t control and guide the meeting in the right track then, it may go off
track resulting in waste of time and not arriving at a proper conclusion.
6. Not being able to come to a conclusion within a reasonable time.
7. Leader must have required skill to conduct a meeting effectively.
8. And members must have the commitment and skill to take part in the discussion.

Meetings

Definition of meeting

 The social art of joining together as one.

 A formally arranged gathering.
  A coming together, as assembling.

Meaning:

 In a meeting, two or more people come together for the purpose of discussing a
pre determined topic such as business or community event planning.
 Meeting are necessary for planning, and decision making. How well they work
influence whether people remain in a group. All meeting should be lively and as
much fun as possible.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Meeting:

Advantages
Likely to develop better solution than any
one individual could do.
Provide free interchange of ideas,
stimulates and clarify thinking.
Group discussions provide more effective
co-ordination of subsequent action plans.
Group is likely to take bigger risk than any
individual would.
Disadvantages
Many opted for first available solution.
May go on to long, lose track of main issue.
May be difficult to reach a decision.
May be to pin responsibility to any
individual.

TYPES OF MEETING:
Purpose /objection:

 To arrive at a consensus [meeting of mind].

 To solve a problem.
 To understand the situation.
 To inform and explain.
 To get feedback.
 To collect ideas.
 To learn and train.

Decision-making meeting:
These meeting are held by specially appointed bodies with powers to take
decision on behalf of the parent bodies.
The meeting bodies are comity members, board of direction.
Time must be spent on discussing the situation and defining the problem to ensure
you are dealing with the right problem.
Eg: launching of new products.
Executive Meeting:
Executive are people like CEO’s, board of directors, all top management people.
They have a meeting at which they pass orders and give instructions to carry out certain
work, they have the power to implement decision.
Eg: Processing of new process.

Constitution Meeting:

It is a meeting held by experts to discuss and advise other bodies. They have no power to
take decision or implement it.
Eg: Joint consultation between departments or sections.

Briefing Meeting:

In briefing meeting the subordinates hold briefing meeting in every department. Here
they don’t have any discussions they prepare a note of brief if the departments or ask
questions to clarify answers. The function of the meeting is to give information, They
also hold briefing meeting.

Problem-Solving Meeting:

This is a meeting held where all concerned with a particular activity are called for a
purpose of solving a particular problem. Here everyone contributes their suggestions &
ideas to overcome the problem.
Eg; Labour disputes.

Group Discussion:

Group discussions are held in all the organizations to come with the views of the
individual, to discuss the situation status of the company. Here we can also solve
problems as multiple ideas are brought together.
It involves participation of all members. They also watch the behavior and involvement
of individuals.
Eg: Team meeting on weekly basis.

Here are some of the most important personality facts that a candidate should posses to
do well at a GD:

 Team player
 Reasoning Ability
 Leadership
 Flexibility
 Assertiveness
 Initiative
 Creativity/Out of box thinking
  Inspiring Ability
 Listening
 Awareness

Negotiation Meeting:
When two competing people like buyer & seller, two organizations who want to
collaborate, employer & employee, all these people meet with an objective to settle
difference and arrive at an agreement.
This meeting can go on for series or can have a conclusion in a couple of meets. Each
sides brief their point and arguments.

Meeting Management:

Effective meeting management is an essential business communication goal.

Reasons for Meeting:

 What was the reason for meeting?

 Was it to make a decision?
 Was it for solving a problem?
 Was it for any other reason?

The 3M Meeting Management team has identified 11 of the most common reason for
calling a meeting. They are:

1. To accept reports from participants:

Many organizations schedule meetings on a weekly or monthly basis to

allow managers to report on the activities of their department or division,
including an account of positive or negative development.
Three communication functions are Upward, Downward & Horizontal.

2. To reach a group judgment or decision:

Some of the issues that may be discussed at a meeting of executives

decision makers.

 Unanimity – All participants agree on the decision

 By Consensus – All participants support the decision.
  By Majority – Decision is made on the support on majority, over 50% of
the participants agree.
 By a Plurality – Decision is supported by largest number of participants
and is adopted.
 By Fait – Boss makes the decision, other participants are expected to
endorse it.

3. To analyze or solve a problem:

Meeting allows the knowledge and experience of participants to be packed

and applied towards the analysis and solution of problems.
They follow the following well known approach:

 Define the problem.

 Assess the significance of the problem.
 Analyze the problem.
 Establish criteria for evaluating solutions.
 Generate possible solutions.
 Evaluate solutions.
 Select the best solution.

4. To achieve a training objective:

 All meetings have training objective.

 Meetings offer younger executives an opportunity to observe and learn
from more-experienced executives.
 Some meetings are called for more explicit training objective.

For Eg: Sales meeting is called to provide sales representative with some
information, suggestion, techniques, etc to sell new or current products.

5. To reconcile conflicting views:

 This meeting is held for both the side parties to compromise and work
together peacefully.
 These meetings are very effective if it is chaired by an outside consultant
specializing in conflict resolution techniques.
 For Eg: People working in same department, one group of people would
like to work with some background music and the other group in a quiet
atmosphere; they may disagree with the issue of music as it may cause
noise.

6. To communicate essential information to a group:

This is a group wherein a presentation is supported by a variety of

carefully prepared visual aids; this is followed by question answer session.
For Eg: Classroom.

7. To relieve tension or insecurity by providing, information & management

viewpoint:

 In this case, the organization faces a crisis or major change, employees are
knee about important information from management.
 A meeting with employees allows management to convey information
personally, directly & accurately.
 This meeting also allows employees to ask questions & express their
views.

8. To ensure that everyone one has same understanding of information:

 Organization may choose to complement an important written message

with face-to-face communication if the message is highly controversial or
complex.
 This meeting is held to have feedback from the intended audience for the
source of information.

9. To obtain a quick reaction:

 Managers have a meeting occasionally to solicit comments about

decisions or plans still being formulated
 This meeting will affect the management to possible reactions to the
decision or plan thus affecting implementation.

10. To reactive a stalled project:

  If a project is stalled for lack of administrative decision, a meeting is
called to implement the decision
 These meetings are highly political in nature.

11. To demonstrate a product or system :

 Meeting to demonstrate a product or service may be internal or

external.

For Eg: Internal – Carpet Cleaner

External – Automobile

Common Complaints about Meetings:

1. Complaints about planning:

When managers are not satisfied about the meeting being planned poorly, the
following are some of the complaints –

 Agenda was not prepared or sent prior to the meeting hence the
participants were not clear about the meeting purpose.
 Wrong people were invited to attend.
 The time was inconvenient for most participants.
 The room was too small for the no. of participants present.
 Audio Visual equipments were not ordered.
 The meeting was not set up correctly

2. Complaints about leadership:

Meetings are criticized for poor leadership.

 The leader was weak, speak infrequently and failing to control disruptive
participants.
 The leader did not facilitate communication among all participants of the
meeting.

3. Complaints about participants:

 In a meeting the participants also play a major role other than the leader in the
performance

 Participants were unprepared for the meeting.

 Some participants contribute too much at the meeting.
 Some participants contribute too little in a meeting.
 Some participants were uncooperative, either intentionally or
unintentionally.

4. Complaints about the meetings outcome:

 Decisions are not implemented.

 Assignments agreed by participants are not done or not met the target.
 Recommendations are not passed on.
 Findings are often ignored.

Therefore let us do what is right. Let us consider effective techniques for

planning, meeting, leading and conducting meeting, participating in meeting and ensuring
desired outcome after meetings.
There are different types of meetings. Each type requires a different structure and
supports a different number of participants. For instance, a status (feed forward) meeting
has no limit to the number of participants while a decision-making meeting produces
results faster with a small number of participants.
If you want to help your teams have more effective meetings, set the participants
expectations about the meeting by stating in the agenda –

 the purpose of the meeting.

 the type of meeting.

The typical meeting types are:

 problem-solving
 decision-making
 planning
 feed forward (status reporting and new information presentations)
 feedback (reacting and evaluating )
 combination meetings

If you want to save yourself and your teammates time and effort, propose to
management that the purpose, type, and agenda of a meeting be clearly stated in the
scheduling request for every meeting.
General Guidelines
Three main things about meetings:

1. Decide if a meeting is necessary and, if so, what type should it be

2. Distribute the workload among members - Have multiple team members help
run meetings. This has the dual benefit of distributing the workload, helping
members learn how to effectively participate in groups, and keeping members
involved.
3. Meetings have 3 phases and members need to prepare for each
o Permeating
o During the meeting
o Follow-up after the meeting:

The type of meeting will have a big impact on how you structure it. The main types of
meetings and the aspects of the group process each type requires are listed below.

Important
Type of Meeting Goals of Meeting Process
Issues
Allow time
Ideas need to be stimulated by for members
getting people together (if to discuss
Information sharing you simply need to report ideas,
and feedback information, consider another structure
form of communication such discussion to
as email) ensure full
participation,
Identify
forces
working for
and against
the action,
Commitment Commitment to a course of
allow
building action needs to be built
members to
express ideas,
respond
thoughtfully
to concerns
Problem solving Complex tasks or complex Ensure
decisions (simple ones can members
 have
adequate
preparation
and decision
making
procedure
often be handled by email)
fosters
generating
multiple
decision
options and
alternatives

Information Meeting
 Disseminating/gathering information
 Self-awareness or conscious-raising
 Learning (topics or skills)

Action Meetings
 Creative thinking/generating ideas/brainstorming
 Analysis, goal setting, problem solving, decision-making
 Accomplishing tasks
 Staff meeting -- typically a meeting between a manager and those that report to
the manager (possibly indirectly).
 Team meeting -- a meeting among colleagues working on various aspects of a
team project.
 Staff meeting -- typically a meeting between a manager and those that report to
the manager (possibly indirectly).
 Management meeting -- a meeting among managers
 Board meeting -- a meeting of the Board of Directors of an organization
 One to one meeting -- a meeting between two individuals

 Regular Meetings
Regularly scheduled meetings of the board are bi-monthly on the first and third
Wednesday of each month. The Board may choose to set additional meetings
depending on the needs of the board. The agenda for regular meetings is set in
advance; reasonable public notice is posted with date, time, place and agenda in
the local newspaper. Open to the public. The Board shall give members of the
public an opportunity to address the Board under "Persons To Be Heard".

 Special Meetings
Called to discuss specific issue, usually where time is a factor in making
decisions. Discussion is confined to items listed on agenda. Public notice must be
 at least 24 hours and should include date, time, place, and agenda. Open to the
public.

 Public Hearings
Held to gather public input on a particular issue. No deliberation occurs on the
part of the board at a public hearing and no action is taken, but the issue under
discussion is usually calendared on an agenda of a regular or special meeting for
further discussion or action by the board. Reasonable public notice is given. The
Board shall give members of the public an opportunity to address the Board under
"Persons To Be Heard".

 Work Sessions
Because the Board has a responsibility to conduct business in an orderly and
efficient way, this type of meeting is held to allow the board to participate in
informal discussion on a particular topic as a means of gaining more in-depth
knowledge; also is the format most boards use when scheduling indistrict school
board training. Reasonable public notice should be given. Public may attend but
public participation is at the discretion of the board.

 Formal or informal i.e.,

o with agenda, rules of procedure, minutes or
o casual and relaxed - need a structure but nothing written or retained

 Personal
o With superiors - peers - or staff

 Planning
o to prepare a plan
o to evaluate a plan
o to seek information

 Reporting
o progress to date of a plan or project
o recommendations on completion of an investigation
 accident, new machinery or process
 proposal to change system or procedures
o giving information
 product launch
  company policy
 need for downsizing, out sourcing and other jargon!

 Administrative
o Regular Staff Meetings
 reports by heads of departments
 round the table for comments or new input
o To inform of special event
 special promotion of a product
 Christmas party
o Exchanging information
 methods analysis or review
 future directions
 customer relations

 Problem Solving
o Identify elements
o Propose solutions
o Select course of action

Types of Meetings

Managing meetings effectively is a core skill every manager should develop. Although
there's no mystery to what makes a meeting productive, it can take practice and attention
to detail to become an effective leader of meetings. It all starts with knowing when to
call a meeting, and why.

Is it a meeting?
How do you know it's time to call a meeting? What type of meeting is it? What's the
purpose of the meeting? Here are some typical situations when a meeting may be called
for.

 You're managing a project. Projects tend to require meetings at various stages: at

the beginning, as the project plan is coming together, and at regular intervals while
the work is being done. Toward the end of the project, depending on its size, daily
meetings could be necessary.
 You're managing people. Many bosses call weekly staff meetings in addition to
weekly one-on-one meetings with their direct reports. These standing meetings
 provide a chance to review the work accomplished in the previous week and look
ahead to what will be accomplished in the coming week. Weekly one-on-one
meetings also give the chance to provide feedback outside the performance
review process.
 You're managing a client. Many types of companies, especially professional
services firms, make presentations to clients - sales presentations, kickoff
meetings, interim status meetings, and final presentations. Ongoing relationships
also typically involve periodic meetings.
 Email is getting complicated. When an email conversation gets increasingly
complex, it can be time to call a meeting so that the conversation can take place
in spoken words - which can be quicker than a series of carefully crafted email
responses. A conference call or an in-person meeting may be necessary.

 Problems are arising. If a project is getting off course, interpersonal conflicts are
escalating, or any other emergency occurs, it's time to call a meeting. Groups are
great at some tasks, like weighing alternatives and generating ideas. But
sometimes a meeting is not the best or most efficient way to get something done.
Some types of work are best done in subcommittees - even subcommittees of one
- then presented to the larger group for review and approval.

What type of meeting is it?

The purpose of the meeting should help determine the appropriate format. If it's to get
clarification on something, a quick question at the water cooler or a visit to someone's
office may take the place of a meeting. The length and formality of the meeting will vary
depending on how many people are invited, how much notice is given, the size of the
company (larger companies often have more formal meeting protocols than smaller
ones), and who's leading the meeting. The basic types of meetings are as follows.

 Standing meeting. A regularly scheduled appointment, such as a weekly one-

on-one with a boss or a department; or a project meeting taking place at intervals
until the project is over. Since these meetings recur, their format and agenda
become relatively well established. Although it's important to hold these
meetings at routine intervals for convenience and consistency, at times they can
be rescheduled.
 Topical meeting. A gathering called to discuss one subject, such as a work
issue or a task related to a project.
 Presentation. A highly structured meeting where one or more people speak and
a moderator leads the proceedings. The purpose is usually to inform. Attendees
may have an opportunity to ask questions, but typically their participation is
 limited.
 Emergency meeting. A meeting called to address a crisis, whether internal or
external. Such meetings are often arranged with very little notice, but attendance
is mandatory. If the emergency meeting conflicts with another appointment, the
emergency meeting typically takes precedence.

 Seminar. A structured meeting with an educational purpose. Seminars are

usually led by people with expertise in the subject matter.
CONFERENCE
In simple words, conference is a pre arranged meeting for consultation or
exchange or discussion of ideas or information.
A live discussion online in which the topic has been pre determined, often
featuring a celebrity guest .Also called as “CO” or “live CO”.
Conference is a useful tool to bring experts, collaborations and other
students into the classroom. However the cost of equipment and software can be
expensive and complicated to set up and operate.

TYPES OF CONFERENCING
AUDIO CONFERENCING –The audio conferencing indicates an audio connection
via telephone or network connection. Having an audio connection is the minimum
requirement for meeting at a distance. It’s also called as “ Phone meeting” .
It’s most frequently used. most productive and inexpensive medium. It does not
require any other special equipment other than the ordinary telephone.

VIDEO CONFERENCING- It is the transmission of both audio and video over a

computer network for real time camera appears on the remote sites monitor .It connects
two locations interactively. The technologies required for video conference are digital
signals, camera, speakers, codec (compressor-decompressor), and equipment control pad
at each location to connect the locations.
Benefits of video conferencing are it builds in relationships in away that telephone
and email cannot do. It’s more like face to face communication. It makes the discussion
more meaningful. It saves time and cost of traveling to meet and al lows people to keep in
touch more frequently. It enriches communication in several ways.

DATA CONFERE NCING- With data conferencing, you can electronically share
applications and files with people in other locations. Everyone can see the same
document at the same time and instantly view any changes made.

Data conferencing allows remote groups to view, share and collaborate on prepared
documents, as well as to brainstorm ideas. For these reasons data conferencing is often
suitable to working meetings where established teams can collaborate distance acting as a
barrier.
 COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Meaning of committee
The word committee means a body, or a group, comprising a number of persons
or group constituted with a specific task assigned to deal with and report on the specific
matter so assigned. A committee is an organization device to take decisions by exchange
of information, discussion and deliberation. A committee has the potential to arrive at a
decision through communication. Therefore, a committee is a group of people pooled
together to perform some aspects of managerial functions like Finance, marketing,
production, personnel etc, and may be advisory or decision making.
Definition: according to hicks, “a committee is a group of people who meet by plan to
discuss to make a decision for a particular subject”.

Types of Committees
1. Ad-hoc Committee: a committee that is constituted for a particular purpose and is
dissolved soon after the accomplishment of the objectives. It gives its
recommendations or decisions.
2. Standing Committee: it is opposed to Ad-hoc committee. A standing committee is
a permanent body which is of an advisory nature.
3. Plural Executive: The most common example of a plural executive is a Board of
directors. A line committee to perform certain managerial functions. It enjoys
authority to make decisions and to manage.
4. Formal committee: it is a part of the organizational structure. It is officially
designated and has defined duties & authority. The committee is usually required
to follow rules & procedures, which are often written.
5. Informal committee: is generally organized temporarily without specific
delegation of authority. Such a committee is an informal committee. A special
meeting to seek advice from senior members of the staff or specialists outside
their Dept is an informal committee. An informal committee is usually temporary.

ADVANTAGES OF COMMITTEES
The most commonly cited advantages of committees are group decisions,
motivation & coordination. Besides these, there are many advantages, the following are
some of the most important advantages of committees:
1. Collective decisions: Two heads are better than one. A committee comprising a group of
people or more heads has diverse knowledge, experience & judgment. The solution
 arrived at to a problem is based on application of a wider range of experience, a greater
variety of opinion.
2. Motivation: the committee system allows greater representation to important interest
groups such as creditors, customers, labour unions & shareholders. When subordinates
participate in the decision making process, they feel the sense of belonging & show
enthusiasm in implementing decisions in which they are also participants.
3. Coordination: The task of coordination in any group activity is a more difficult task &
challenging. The committee system provides an opportunity to promote coordination,
plans & policies & various activities of an enterprise. Committees help in bringing
perfect coordination between departmental activities.
4. Creative ideas: A clearly defined problem requires creative ideas useful to practically
every organization function. Different members may have different skills & talents.
Through brain storming and other group creativity activities, committees can produce
creative ideas.
5. Cooperation: There is a stimulus towards cooperative action in a committee
organization. Similarly it encourages group cooperation & team spirit in the organization.
6. Communicating: A committee is a very useful medium for transmitting information. It
serves as an easy & useful device for exchange of ideas, facts, opinions etc. It is an
excellent means of oral communication for transmitting information.
7. Democratizing: In the committee form of organization by allowing subordinates to
participate in the decision-making process- is a democratic process.
8. Consolidating power and authority: No single person has concerned power &
authority. It eliminates too much authority & power in a single person.
9. Training ground: committees serve as a training ground for executives. They help in
executive training & development. Subordinates too have an opportunity to have an
insight into the problems facing the executives. Managers can teach them the techniques
to solve a problem.
10. Combining abilities: committee organization effectively leads to pooling of knowledge
& experience. Intricate problems can be effectively solved by the combined abilities of a
group of persons. A committee is a means whereby the knowledge & abilities of several
persons can be brought to bear on a problem.
11. Advising: A committee can better advice the mgmt. an executive may wish to have
advice & counsel before making a decision.

12. Morale support: There is always available morale support on all risky matters. A
collective or group decision has group support. No single person is blamed for any
wrong-doing, because the implementing authority acts on committee advice.
13. Other advantages: All sides of a question are given a hearing before a decision is made.
A committee is a forum where differences are resolved. It is interdepartmental network
all departments know better & have full knowledge of what is going on in the sections.
 DISADVANTAGES OF COMMITEE
1. Cost: Existence of committee is always expensive both in terms of time and cost.
Time, expense of travel, preparation activities involve money. So the financial cost of
committee meetings is very high.
2. Indecisive Action: In committee operations there exits usually difference of
opinions. It is due to conflicting view points of members or poor membership. A
committee is sometimes unable to reach a needed decision in time effectively. So delay in
decisions destroys the object of decision making.
3. Irresponsible nature: The decision of committee is a collective decision and all
the members are jointly responsible for the decision arrived at in a meeting. There is no
fixed individual responsibility. So the committee system is known as the breeding ground
of inefficiency and of evasion of real responsibility.
4. Domination: A strong member of the committee dominates the scene and the
decisions are influenced according to his own thinking. This is a real danger to group
decisions.
5. Divided Responsibility: Is a serious limitation of the committee form. Though
the responsibility is joint in practice members do not exhibit a sense of responsibility
expected of them. An individual member may evade decision making responsibility.
6. Suppression of Ideas: In a democratic process decision are taken by voting on
majority opinion. This leaves behind a legacy of bitterness discontent and frustration.
New ideas or minority ideas may be suppressed.
7. Absence of secrecy: The discussions are open in the house. It is a mode of plural
executive discussion and lacks secrecy. Maintaining secrecy in respect of certain matters
is necessary.

SUGGESTIONS FOR MAKING BETTER WORKING OF COMMITEES

1. Size of committee: Proper size of the committee ensures successful operation

of the committee. There should not be too many nor too few members. The number of
members should be minimum that will enable a committee to function effectively. The
size is largely influenced by factors like the nature of the committee, abilities of members
etc.
2. Definition of scope: The purpose and scope of the committee should be clear
and well defined. The members should know its authority, scope, functions, subject,
organizational relationship etc.

3. Selection of members: The members of a committee should be carefully

selected. The members should have personal abilities, participative skills, creative
thinking etc. They must be suitable representative of the interest they are intended to
serve. It is always desirable if the members of the same status are selected.
4. Selecting subject matter: Only matters relevant to a committee are to be
selected. Success of the committee device is based on selecting a limited subject matter
that can be effectively handled in group discussion.
5. Right Chairperson: The importance of a chairperson in the success of a
committee cannot be overlooked. A skillful chairman can avoid many of the wastes and
 drawbacks of a committee. He should have leadership qualities, be unbiased, and give
equal opportunities to all members to express themselves freely.
6. Conduct of meetings; Though a committee is a joint function of a group of
people it should be properly controlled and evaluated. The chairperson is responsible to
conduct the meeting properly, control behavior of members; maintain dignity and
decorum of the house.
7. Agenda: An agenda is a list of business to be transacted at a meeting. An
agenda should be prepared in advance and circulated among the interested members of
the committee.
8. Follow up: There should be follow-up of committee actions. The decisions or
recommendations should be strictly enforced and implemented. Mere passing of
resolutions is not sufficient.
9. Evaluation: The success of a committee is largely dependant on evaluation of
committee work. It should be in term of the success and quality of its decision.

PLANNING THE MEETING

1. IDENTIFYING YOUR PURPOSE:

The first step is always to determine your purpose. The first step is always to determine
our purpose. The more specific you can be the better results you will get. A purpose such
as “to discuss how to make our marketing representatives more efficient ‘is vague and
therefore not as helpful as “to decide to purchase cellular phones for our marketing
representatives”. The more focused your purpose, the easier it will be to select a means of
accomplishing that purpose.

2. DETERMINING WHETHER A MEETING IS NECESSARY:

Sometimes meetings are not the most efficient means of communication. For example, a
short memo or Email is more efficient than a face to face communicate routine
information. However, alternative means of conveying or securing information often
present their own problems. Some people don’t read written messages carefully or they
interpret them differently. Time is lost in transmitting and responding to written
messages. And information may be garbled as it moves from person to person from level
to level.

3. PREPARING AN AGENDA:
Once you’ve established your specific purpose, you need to consider in more detail what
topics the meetings will cover and in what order. This list of topics –agenda, will
accomplish two things. (1) It will help you run the meeting by keeping you focused on
your plan. (2) It will help you run the meeting by keeping you focused on your plan.
Knowing what topics will be discussed will also help those attending the meeting to plan
for the meeting more effectively.

4. DECIDING WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

If you must decide who will attend a particular meeting, your first concern is how the
participants relate to the purpose. On one hand, you want to include all who can
contribute to solving the problem; on the other hand you want to keep the meeting to a
manageable number of people.

5. DETERMINING LOGISTICS:
IT would be unwise to schedule a meeting that requires extensive discussion and creative
problem solving at the end of the workday, when members may be exhausted emotionally
and physically. Likewise it would be counterproductive to schedule a three hour meeting
in a room equipped with uncushioned fold up chairs, poor lighting and extreme
temperature. Another logistical consideration is whether to hold a face-to-face meeting or
a teleconference, meetings in which members in different locations are linked by
simultaneous electronic communications using camera, projection screens, microphones
and computer equipment.

Meeting is an opportunity to carry out many of the things you need to do to be

effective.Through meetings we can direct, inform and motivate employees,strengthen our
team, improve critical thinking, skills and solve problems. We can also demonstrate our
leadership skills.
It consumes time, of employees and managers. thus before meeting ask yourself:
 Will this meeting be a productive use of our time?
 Will it reap results?

Types of meetings:
1. Presented meeting
2. Participative meeting

1. Here communication is primarily one way from leader to those who attend.
a)Informational- Assuming you are leading you deliver message or call on others to
present information. Your other presenters have active role and attendances play a passive
role. Here they ask questions.

b)Motivational- Here the leader calls up on his team to motivate them. Here they are
listening and applaud.

2. Participative meeting
a)Brainstorming –Everyone participates, no one person dominates. Communication
consists of exchange of ideas. Although this technique is also used in problem solving
meetings.
b)Problem solving meetings- To solve existing problems. The meeting is more serious,
more structured and approach more analytical. Aim is to decide about how to correct
situation and keep it from recurring. It always better to present before its happening.

MAKING PREPARATIONS FOR A MEETING

 A meeting needs the support of written communication in the form of notice of
the meeting, agenda of items to be discussed at the meeting and minutes which are a
record of the proceedings of the meeting .these are discussed in a later chapter.
The seating arrangements and the duration of the meeting depend upon the
number of participants, the subject of the meeting and objective of the meeting. It may be
a small committee meeting or a large conference meeting, or a group discussion meeting;
its success depends on the preparation and arrangements made by those in charge and
respons the meeting and conducting it.
The arrangement begins with the agenda, the list of participants and the date, time
and venue of the meeting.
Notice of the meeting, with the agenda, should be sent out to members
participants so as to reach at least a week before the meeting to enable them to prepare
themselves for a discussion. It is better to notify the complete program, with timing of
each item, if possible.

Making arrangements in the room is the next step.

 Proper ventilation/air-conditioning, lightning, and also microphones must be

ensured.
 Chairs and tables must be suitably arranged so as to provide face-to-face situation
for everyone’s far as possible.
 Place-cards or boards must be placed to indicate seating arrangements, if it is
necessary; otherwise, nameplates may be handed to each participant; it is
advisable that participants should know one another’s names
 All visual aid equipment like overhead projectors, slide projectors, etc. must be
checked, set up and focused and an operator should be attending. Pointers and
easels for flip charts must be provided. Blackboard, chalk and duster may be
enough for some meetings. It is useful to check with the chairmen as well as the
participants if any special material would be needed for their presentations.
 Stationary must be provided; this includes note-pads, pens, or pencils, paper-
weights, clips, pins, staplers, punches and files.
 It is very important to provide for drinking water and make sure that there are
enough glasses. If the meeting is to be of long duration, arrangements, must be
checked carefully on the day of meeting.
 If there are outstation participants or guest speakers, there must be a team of
persons to look after their accommodation, tickets, and other needs.

Keeping meeting on time and on track

Schedule meetings between 9:30-11:00 or 3:00-5:00

Start on time- If people are there or not. Thus late comers will get the message to come
on time.
a)People plan their schedules around meeting thus delay in meetings will vary their other
schedules too.
b)waiting to start till date comers arrive convey a lack of regard for those who were
present to start on time.
c)Delays will grow longer and longer-10minutes late to this month meeting will increase
to 15minutes in the next month and so on.

Check list for meeting arrangements

1. Sufficient number of chairs, properly arranged.
2. Name place for participants and name boards for seating arrangements.
3. Writing material(note-pads, pens, pencils) and pointers.
4. Pins, clips, paper-weights, paper-cutters, staplers, punctures.
5. Sound equipment to be tested.
6. Projection equipment.
a)Plugged in, tested.
b)focused and properly leveled.
c)Properly cleaned lenses
d)Spare lamps and fuses.
7. Facilities for display
8. Extension chords placed properly so that no one will trip over them.
9. Provision for darkening the room.
10.Exhibits,projection material, arranged in required sequence
11.Water and glasses.

CONDUCT OF A MEETING
A meeting of any kind is conducted by the convener or the chairman of the
meeting or by a leader. All the 3 have slightly different job description.
A convener- is one who calls and arranges for the meeting. He may conduct the meeting
personally or have someone else to conduct it.
A chairman- has statutory powers and duties. He must keep to the rules and regulations
of the conduct of meeting and maintain correct procedure. Many organizations have rules
book and the chairman has to see that they are followed.
A leader- is one who conducts a group discussion or a conference session.

Conditions for a meeting to be valid

A meeting is properly constituted and valid when following conditions are
satisfied:
1) The person calling the meeting is authorized to do so
2) Proper notice was given to every person entitled to attend the meeting
3) A quorum (minimum number of members) is present at start of meeting and remain
throughout.
4) Rules of organization are observed.
Leader’s or Chairman’s responsibility
A leader must be skillful whether he is appointed by statute or selected for the
occasion or elected from among the group.
Leader has to carry out the function of guiding the discussion, keeping it on track
and arriving at useful conclusion at the end of the given time.
He must work upon the agenda before the meeting and check that all requirements
are made available in the meeting room and that the needed staff is in attendance, to assist
at the meeting.
Meeting must be started at scheduled time and close with useful conclusions.
Leader should ensure that there is someone to take notes.

Opening the meeting

The meeting begins after the chairperson declares the meeting opened. It should
begin on time. Officer, particularly the chair, should respect the starting time. He should
be seen and heard by all participants.
The meeting is unable to begin until the chairperson declares a quorum. If quorum
is not present, the meeting must be adjourned.
If chairperson has not taken the chair 15 min after the meeting was due to begin,
the meeting should elect another chairperson from among the members present to act
temporarily.
A good leader begins on a positive note. He must outline the goal and objectives
of the meeting, explain the procedure to be followed in the discussion and time allowed.
He must state the names of those members who formally notified that they were
unable to attend meeting. His introductory remarks should be limited to 2-3 min and
discussion should be passes on to the participants.
Running the meeting
The secretary must read the minutes of previous meeting or members will have
been given the minutes to read when they receive the agenda.
The discussion can be passed on to the participants by putting a general question
to the group or by putting a specific question to a particular person.
The leader should talk as little as possible and should not take up more than 20%
of total meeting time. Leader should guide the discussion and see that it does not get out
of point, get struck or limited to just 2-3 points.
He must be able to deal with difficult participants like professional opposers, non
contributors, show stealers, complainers.
He must have the art of asking questions and art of interrupting without giving
offence or being discourteous. He needs patience, alertness, knowledge of subject.

If some members do not speak, leader must draw them into discussion by
addressing a question to them like:
Mr. Agarwal, how would your section be affected by this?
Or
What has been your experience in this, Mr. Agarwal?

If the discussion goes off the track, leader may have to interrupt by:
 That is an interesting side-light, Mr. Agarwal and we ought to discuss it
separately. Shall we return to this question of?

If one participant tends to talk too often or too long, or if the discussion gets limited
to 2 or 3 persons, the leader will have to intervene like:
You have brought up an interesting point Mr. Agarwal and I am sure other
members will want to discuss this. Ms. Mehta, I can see you want to say something.

If discussion seems to come to a stop, the chairman may put question to stimulate more
ideas or summarize the points brought out so far which may help in bringing out a few
more points or indicates satisfactory conclusions.

Closing the meeting

When the time allowed for meeting is over and meeting has arrived at a good
conclusion, the chairman should re-state the conclusion and ensure that it is noted down.
If for any reason, the meeting is not been satisfactory, the group must reconvene
and meeting must be adjourned by resolution and time and place of next meeting is
specified.
The leader must thank the participants for their contribution.

Post-meeting activities (follow-up)

Irrespective of the type of meeting, the conclusion must be recorded. The
chairman may write the report or get it written by the secretary.
In case of formal meeting, the secretary prepares the minutes in consultation with
the chairman. Copies of the report are sent to all participants, higher authority and to
press if required.
Responsibilities of participants
Every participant has a stable in meeting. Alert participant finds that a meeting is
an opportunity for continuing education in business management. He can also know
about total function of department or the organization and get an overall view of
company. A good participant generally becomes a good leader.
Some suggestions for effective participation:
1) Study every item on the agenda, collect information and gather points of view for
each item. Read thoroughly the agenda.
2) Be prepared to learn and correct any mistake in thinking or information.
3) Do not disturb other participant or yourself by talking on the side, shuffling
papers, tapping the pen.
4) Have a sportive spirit. Be graceful and thank others for helping you to clarify your
ideas if your idea is defeated.
5) Show appreciation even if it demolishes your point and show interest in what
others say.
6) Never personalize a difference of opinion. If you have to disagree, first re-state it
and then explain why you disagree.
7) Do not be carried away by emotions. Anger, jealousy can’t solve any problem.
8) Be a good listener.
9) Be courteous at all times. Meeting manners must be as good as social manners.
 MINUTES
Minutes constitute a written book or sheet, a record of the proceedings and
resolutions passed at a meeting. It contains the date, place, members present, proposals
and decisions taken by the way of resolution.
A minutes book must be bound book and signed by the concerned people to be
authentic minutes of proceedings. Minutes kept in a loose leaf form are generally not
desirable.

Use of minutes
Minutes form a record of business transacted at meetings. They serve as
permanent record of the decisions taken, members present, date, place, etc.
The notes taken at meeting along with duly signed serve as evidence or proof of
the proceedings in court of law.
It will be evidence as to a meeting duly called and validly held.

Types of minutes
There are 2 types:
1) Minutes of narration
They record simply statements of happenings and events which do not
require any formal resolution. These records of events or items of business which do
not require formal expression. They include narration of the introductory part of the
minutes, members present, and recordings of apologies fro absence and particulars of
proposers and seconders of motion
2) Minutes of resolution
In this type, minutes of resolutions record the formal decision of the
meetings. These are records of decisions or resolution. They do not contain narration of
the members present, apologies of absence, etc.

Methods of maintaining minutes

1) Bound book minutes
It is a traditional method. This book should be kept under safe custody.
Minutes are written in the bound book or typed sheets are affected in the bound book
minutes.

2) Loose-leaf minutes
The minutes of each meeting written or typed on sheets are inserted in the
loose-leaf minutes book which is a special binder with lock and key. It can be
unlocked for reference and new sheets can be inserted without disturbing earlier
minutes. This method is flexible, elastic and simple to operate.
But, care must be taken to prevent fraud or any falsification of minutes and to
ensure that no page of the book can be removed or replaced.
.