MEANING OF THE COMMUNICATION Communication in its simplest form is conveying of information from one person to another(Hudson) Communication is the

e sum of all things one person does when he wants to create understanding in the mind of others. It involves a systematic and creative process of telling, listening and understanding. OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION The main objective of the communication is to transmit the idea and opinions. And also to create understanding in the mind of the receiver. I) II) III) IV) V) VI) VII) VIII) IX) Information Advice Order Suggestion Persuasion Education Warning Raising Morale Motivation FEATURES OF COMMUNICATION Communication is Unintentional as well as Intentional. Communication is a Dynamic process. Communication is Systematic. Communication is both Interaction and Transaction. Coomunication should be Meaningful. Communication is a Two-Way process.

i) ii) iii) iv) v) vi)

ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION Following are the elements of communication i) ii) iii) iv) v) vi) Sender Receiver Purpose Message Medium Feedback

PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION Sender----message------Received message-----Receiver The process involves two persons the sender and the receiver. Medium here can be through air i.e face to face talk.as well as through:Emails Telephone etc.. The receivers response is know as FEEDBACK. Functions of Sender are:1. 2. 3. 4. Being clear about the communication. Encoding the message as to suit the receiver. Selecting the appropriate medium. Making efforts to get feedback.

Functions of Receiver:1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Attending the message carefully. Decoding the received message. Interpreting and Understanding the meaning. Responding to the message. Giving feedback.

NEED OF COMMUNICATION ( importance, uses, advantages, merits, functions) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Exchange of information To make request and appeal For application To Demand For Representation For complaints and grievances.

METHOD OF COMMUNICATION Two Methods:1. Verbal 2. Non Verbal 1.Verbal further includes:-

1. Oral 2. Written Oral Communication Channels of Oral communication a. b. c. d. e. f. g. Face to face conversation Telephone conversation Presentation Public speech Interview Group discussion Negotiation

Channels of Written Communication a. b. c. d. e. f. Letter Memo Notice Circular Report Minutes

1. Non Verbal Communication includes:a. Colour b. Pictures c. Graphs and Charts d. Maps e. Signs and Signals

Body Language This includes:i) ii) Conscious movements Unconscious movements Appearance Clothing and Accessories Posture Facial Expression Smile

Eye contact Gestures Space Time

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION Physical Barriers Psychological Barriers Semantic Barriers Organizational Barriers Interpersonal Barriers

Physical Barriers include:1. 2. 3. 4. Noise Time & Distance Invisibility ILL Health

Psychological Barriers include:1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Ego hang-ups Anxiety Hierarchial differences Disinterest Previous learning Rigidity of thought process

Semantic Barriers include:1. 2. 3. 4. Use of unsuitable words Ambiguous sentence Lack of clarity Use of jargons

Organisational Barriers include: 1. Delay in information 2. Distortion of messages 3. Too much dependence on written communication

Interpersonal Barriers include: Emotional feelings Positive n negative attitude of sender n receiver Partial listening Overcoming Barriers Physical Barriers Make suitable seating arrangements Ensure audibility & visibility Minimize visual distractions Provide environmental comfort

Psychological Barriers

Plan and clarify ideas and opinions Support decision making Motivate the listener Use feedback process Make it a purposeful communication Time your message carefully Catch up with the individual background

Semantic Barriers Use simple and precise language Use suitable language Avoid ambiguous words Avoid jargons

Organizational Barriers Make it a two way process Dissemination of information Establish feedback system. Use of grapevine Avoid unnecessary information

Interpersonal barriers

Explain the importance of message Prefer positive attitude Create a climate of trust and confidence Attentive listening with full concentration Attitude of sender and listener

7 Cs of Communication Clarity Completeness Conciseness Consideration Courtesy Correctness Credibility

Clarity :- clarity of thoughts, objective of communication, the specifications etc. Use simple words,single words & avoid double entry of words.e.g show instead of demonstrate although instead of despite the fact that 11.00 am instead of 11.00 a.m in the morning Experience instead of previous experience

Completeness :- e.g ordering of shirts takes place but all the details like size, colour, quantity,modeof payment, mode of dispatch, the delivery date etc. are missing. So its a problematic situation. Conciseness:- Time is important for both sender and receiver.so brevity is very important. The following four simple rules can be followed:1. 2. 3. 4. Consideration :1.Adopt the you attitude instead of we attitude. e.g I want to express my sincere thanks rather it should be Thank you for your kind words Include only relevant details n facts Avoid repetition. Avoid long sentences Organize the message well.

2.Avoid gender bias. 3. Emphasis on positive and pleasant facts Courtesy:- The following principles help to promote courtesy:1. Answer the letters promptly 2. Apologies sincerely 3.Usage of the words like sorry, thankyou Correctness:1.Give correct facts 2.Send message at the correct time Credibility:-This means the trust factor on the words spoken by the speaker. If he cant build credibility on his part then no one will be interested in listening him Ethical context of communication Various factors influence our perceptions are:People Culture Law & religion

UNIT-II LAYOUT OF A BUSINESS LETTER The appearance of a letter includes the following Stationery Typing Paragraphing Folding Address

A letter consists of the following essential elements. 1. Letter Heading: The name of the firm, its postal address, its telephone number and the Fax number (and also the nature of its business) should be in the letter-head. Mostly it is printed. In the heading, room is left forthe reference number and the date of the issue of the letter which should be invariably quoted in the reply and in subsequent correspondence. The name of the place and the date are written on the left top of the letter. 2. Name and Address of Addressee: This should be types close to the left hand margin. The addressee's name and address should be given in the manner it is types on the envelope. It is better to avoid use of the word 'Messrs' for a limited company, unless it forms a part of the registered name of the firm. However, it is common practice to use 'Messers' while addressing Companies with personal names. But, when the name is impersonal, use of 'Messers' should be avoided. Care should be taken to address an official (Secretary, General Manager, etc) while writing to professional societies, local bodies, charitable institutions etcGood Letter is the best tool to boost not only the image of your business house but also your personal image. 3. Salutations: This should come immediately beneath the recipient's address, close to the left-hand margin. 'Sir' should be used to all Government correspondence, and for very formal business letters.

However, 'Dear Sir' is the most widely used salutation in commercial correspondence. Forms of salutations: a. Dear Sir, b. Dear Madam, Both these forms address can be used when the letter is written officially. In case the letter is written informally or to friends & relatives, the following forms of address can be used. a. Dear Joseph, b. Dear Mary, 4. Introductory Paragraph: In case the current letter is reply to a previous letter, the reference number should be mentioned. In case of new correspondence, the brief introduction about the subject matter of the letter should be written. 5. Body of the letter: A business letter should be brief and precise. If it deals with one fact or item, one paragraph should suffice.If several points are required to be touched upon, a separate paragraph for every point should be used.But the paragraphs should be logically arranged.Good Letter is the best tool to boost not only the image of your business house but also your personal image. Nevertheless, the phrasing of the letter should confirm to the style of the salutation. Remember, Well-worded paragraphs are attractive in appearance and impressive in effect. 6. Closing Paragraph: It should be worded in a forceful and convincing style, because it is in this paragraph that the whole argument is summed up. Ordinarily, the letters should end with a courteous phrase expressing hope for a formal reply or

assuring the addressee of the best of attention.Good Letter is the best tool to boost not only the image of your business house but also your personal image. 7. Subscription: The salutation and subscription must always agree in style. You can not start a letter formally and end it informally. The most popular subscription is business letters is 'yours faithfully'. The other subscription 'Yours truly' is also used widely. But 'yours sincerely' is used in personal letter.Good Letter is the best tool to boost not only the image of your business house but also your personal image. Your sincerelyfor friends and relatives Yours faithfullyin formal letters Yours trulyvery close relatives Your obedientin a letter written by student to his teacher Your affectionate in letter written by father to his son/daughter A good letter must ensure: A. Clarity of thought: Arrange the words and the sentences in such a manner as to convey the exact meaning. You should be choosy in words and phrases, avoid all ambiguity. Redundant words are out place in business letters.Inconsistency of thoughts and illogical statements must be carefully avoided.Good Letter is the best tool to boost not only the image of your business house but also your personal image. B. Forcefulness : Forcefulness is as important as lucidity. A forceful and convincing statement makes an appeal to the emotions of the reader who makes more than a usual attempt to come to some understanding with the correspondent. One must learn the art of putting one's true intentions into a letter. We must learn to convey our annoyance, our joy and our desire to threaten and to what degree. Good Letter is the best tool to boost not only the image of your business house but also your personal image.

Indented or Semi-Block Business Letter Instructions 1Leave six to 10 lines after the letterhead or header. Enter the date at the center of the page. Use the American format, for example, March 12, 2011.

o o o o

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2Leave two to four lines between the date and inside address. Left justify the inside address. 3Leave two blank lines after the inside address and left justify the salutation. You can include a colon or comma after the salutation or omit any punctuation. 4Leave a blank line after the salutation and begin the body of the letter. Indent the first line of each paragraph five to 10 spaces. Leave a blank line between paragraphs. 5Leave two blank lines between the body of the letter and the complementary closing. Use an appropriate closing such as "Sincerely yours" or "Respectfully yours." Type the closing at the center of the page. Include a comma if you used a colon or comma after the salutation. 6Leave four to six lines for the handwritten signature. Enter the typewritten signature and business title at the center of the page. 7Leave a blank line and left justify the initials. 8Leave a blank line and left justify the enclosure(s).

Modified Block Style Letter Instructions

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1Create the header. To do this, tab to the center of the page. If you use a company letterhead, then your header will simply consist of the date. If you do not use a letterhead, type your name (optional), return address and the date. Once this is typed, follow it with four, blank, single lines. An example of a header is: Jane Doe 123 Main Street Anywhere, CA 12345 June 4, 2010 2Write the inside address. Type this section left-justified. It should contain the name of the individual to whom you are writing, his formal title, the company name and business address. If you do not know the name of the person or his title, then you can substitute the company name. Follow the section with two, blank single lines. An example for an inside address is: Mr. John Smith Human Resource Manager Company Name 123 Smith Lane Anywhere, CA 12345 3Create the salutation. Type the greeting to the recipient of the letter followed by a colon. Follow it with two, single, blank lines. A salutation example is: Dear Mr. Smith: 4Type the body of your letter in paragraph form. Do not indent the paragraphs. Single space the content in the paragraphs, and double-space between paragraphs. Leave two, blank, single lines when you are at the end of the body text. 5Write a complimentary close. To do this, tab to the center of the page. Type your closing phrase, such as "Sincerely," followed by a comma. Follow the complimentary close with four, blank, single lines. 6Type the signature line. Tab to the center of the page. Then type your name followed by your title on the next line. In the four blank spaces above the typed signature, you will sign your name with a pen in black or blue ink after printing the page.

7Include an enclosure or carbon copy line if necessary. Type two single lines below the signature line. These items will be left-justified.

ESSENTIALS OF A GOOD BUSINESS LETTER

Complete Information

An effective business letter has all of the information a reader needs to act appropriately. The letter states clearly who the letter is from and where and how to respond. It states what the letter is about, when action needs to be taken, where that action should be taken and why action should be taken now. The business letter is full of information and leaves nothing out. It has a clear call to action and tells the recipient how to perform that action. Brevity

The effective business letter is not flowery or ornate. It is spare and to the point. There are no wasted words. The language is concise in its delivery so that the reader is left with only the information needed. A business letter is not a place to show off big words or poetry. Effective business letters are short and to the point. Benefits, Not Features

Effective business letters focus on the benefits for the recipient, not the features of the product or information. It answers the question for the reader: "What's in it for me?" A business letter takes into consideration the time constraints put on the reader and the needs that reader is bringing to the table. It caters to them, making it easy for the reader to take the desired action. Business letters focus on how the letter writer can help the reader, not why the reader should help the writer. Specificity

Use specific language when writing business letters. Tell readers exactly what they can expect from products, services or businesses. Do not use vague language that may leave them guessing. Use examples, if necessary, to further clarify language to make the business letter clear to the reader. If a promise is made in a letter, be sure that the business can back it up. Also, use action verbs instead of passive verbs to give your sentences strength. Clarity

Avoid using jargon unless absolutely necessary in an effort to communicate clearly. It is important to clarify exactly what the letter is offering and what the letter is asking the reader to do. If not, the reader may not take the action requested, and the letter will not be effective. Use clear, strong language to emphasize what the reader should do after reading the business letter. Short sentences with strong, actionable verbs are recommended to encourage the reader to act. Etiquette

Be sure to follow proper etiquette in business letters. Make sure to find out the correct name and spelling of the person who will be receiving the letter. Address them appropriately. Respond to all letters that require a return reply. By following proper etiquette, a businessperson shows that he has proper respect for the person he is writing to. That respect can go a long way towards making the reader of the letter take up the call to action. Correctness

From the formatting of the letter to the appropriateness of the receiver, a business letter must hit many correct notes to be effective. Be sure that it is sent to the correct person, in the correct department, at the correct company. Be sure that the letter is going to the correct person to take the action that the letter asks him to take. Read over the letter and judge whether or not the language is correct for the person you are sending it to -neither too formal nor informal. When ready to send it out, double check the formatting one last time for errors.

E-MAIL COMMUNICATION
Message usually composed, transmitted and read on the computer screens. They have replace letters, telegrams,phones etc. Characteristics E-Mails are different from traditional forms of written business communication. E-mails are preferable than other modes Since,they are more informal so we need to take care of the language we use. Acronyms should be avoided One has to be cautious while sending emails since its a permanent record. PERSUASIVE WRITTEN COMMUNICATION Oral communication is generally based on spontaneous reactions written comm. can more carefully drafted and processed logically. Select words carefully. Different people have different styles of writing. PURPOSE OF WRITING 1. To inform. 2. To persuade. For the above purposes The subject should be focused

Offer complete and exact information. Information should be logical. It should be focused on reader. It should be convincing. Valid reasoning should be there.

Writing skills also has some features like:- simple words, short sentences,concreteness, avoid jargons,completeness, accuracy etc. WRITING PROCESS Five steps in writing process are:1. Planning : It should involve the purpose of the message, the kind of audience, contents and organizing the message. 2. Drafting: After planning, start writing the information. Concentrate more on the content part of the message. 3. Revising : After drafting, revise the writing. Revise it for content, style and correctness. All information should be included. 4. Formatting: An appealing appearance is essential. Formatting helps the reader to find certain information in a particular manner. 5. Proof-reading: The is the final step. It ensures the accuracy of the communication. Most of the content errors are taken care of in the revising stage. Other errors like spelling, punctuation, typing etc. are taken care of in this stage.

CIRCULARS,MEMOS AND D.O LETTERS

Circulars:- Generally addressed to a circle of persons etc. It may be notice, advertisements etc. Memo:- Abbreviation of Memorandum. It can also be a informal letter without a signature. Both can be general or sectional e.g in banks all instructions regarding deposits, advances, schemes etc. are part of circulars.

XYZ ENGG. WORKS. GHAZIABAD Circular No. 21/20 Dtd. Nov 3, 2011 Sub: Changes in Office Timings This is to inform all that from Nov 15,2011 the office timings will be as follows: 9.00 to 5.00 Morning Session 10.00 to 6.00 Evening Session Employees are expected to strictly adhere to these office hours. ABC Personnel Officer

D.O Letters: They are also used for internal communication.It means demi-official letters. Also called as departmental order & also sometimes referred as a Dear Officer Letters.

MEETINGS, AGENDA AND MINUTES

Meeting is a term to describe the process of people getting together to talk and share their opinions, knowledge etc. All meetings have a definite purpose. May be to inform, convince or discussion of certain matter.. May be to solve a problem. Planning a Meeting Meeting should be planned well in time which considers the following factors: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Size e.g no. of people Purpose i.e the reason of the meeting Timing i.e date, time and duration Location i.e physical arrangement, lightning,ventilation, seating etc Visual Aids Layout Layout of the Room 1. Class room Layout: The sitting arrangement is like this:-

2. U-shaped layout:

3. Committee layout:

4. Round Table Layout:

Visual Aids:- These are:Handouts White board Flip charts

AGENDA it is the list of items which are to be discussed during the meet meeting. An agenda communicates the imp. Information. An agenda includes the following items: Exact place and date. Time for starting the meeting. Names of expected attendees. Issues to be discussed. Any specific preparation.

Documents containing the imp. Information which needs to be circulated.

AGENDA GUIDELINES Agenda should not be vague. No ambiguity, it should be clear. All the items should be in a logical sequence. Put an approx. indication of the item for each item. Labels to be attached. Review the items to make sure that not too many items have been fixed for too short a time.

ADVANTAGES OF A GOOD AGENDA 1. All the issues are covered. 2. Proper sequence is followed. 3. All members prepare accordingly since they are aware of what is going to be discussed.

MINUTES OF THE MEETING Any member to whom the responsibility is delegated has to take down the notes for the minutes. Minutes are circulated after the meeting to the members for information as well as action.

2 kinds of minutes are:Narrative minutes:- when who said what & when Decision minutes:- It record the decision taken, name of the people who are given the responsibility and deadline for taking action.

Minutes include the following:1. Location, date and time of the meeting. 2. Name of people who attended the meeting. 3. Decisions taken and the responsibility delegated to the persons.

4. Name and signature of the person writing the minutes.

UNIT-IV ACTIVE LISTENING

The active process of receiving and responding to spoken (and sometimes unspoken) messages. LISTENING refers to process of receiving, comprehending and retaining the message coveyed by the sender.

"Listening is more complex than merely hearing. It is a process that consists of four stages: sensing and attending, understanding and interpreting, remembering, and responding . The stages occur in sequence but we are generally unaware of them."

There are four elements of good listening: 1. attention--the focused perception of both visual and verbal stimuli 2. hearing--the physiological act of 'opening the gates to your ears' 3. understanding--assigning meaning to the messages received 4. remembering--the storing of meaningful information In addition to the four elements, there are also four levels of listening: acknowledging, sympathizing, paraphrasing, and empathizing. The four levels of listening range from passive to interactive when considered separately. However, the most effective listeners are able to project all four levels at the same time. That is, they demonstrate that they are paying attention and making an effort to understand and evaluate what it is they are hearing, and they complete the process by demonstrating

through their responses their level of comprehension and interest in what the speaker is saying."

Keys to Effective Listening 1. Find areas of interest. 2. Judge content, not delivery. 3. Hold your fire. 4. Listen for ideas. 5. Be flexible. 6. Work at listening. 7. Resist distractions. 8. Exercise your mind. 9. Keep your mind open. 10. Anticipate, summarize, weigh the evidence, and look between the lines. "Active listening involves six skills: paying attention, holding judgment,

reflecting, clarifying, summarizing, and sharing. Each skill contributes to the active listening mind-set, and each skill includes various techniques or behaviors. These skills are not mutually exclusive. For example, paying attention isn't something you stop doing when you start holding judgment. Nor are the skills consistently weighed in importance. In one conversation, clarifying may take much effort and time; in another conversation, gaining clarity and understanding may be quick and easy."

IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING :

Listening is important to each of us because it enables us to:

be more effective in our interpersonal relationships gain important information gather data to make sound decisions respond appropriately to the messages that we hear.

When we listen to others we need to listen for total meaning, that is, both the content and the attitudes or feelings underlying the content. Therefore, even though listening may appear effortless - we have the cognitive (mental) ability to process information three to four times faster than people speak - we still require concentration and commitment to the listening process. Listening involves much more than hearing a message. Hearing is merely the physical component of listening: it is a relaxed, passive and physical occupation that requires little or no effort of mind or will. Thus, it is possible to hear sounds, for example, recorded music, while concentrating on other tasks. Three events take place if hearing is to occur properly.

The receiver isolates the sounds correctly. We place the sounds in a meaningful order so that they may be recognised as words. We recognise words in a pattern that constitutes a language, which then helps to convey the communicator's message to us.

Listening, on the other hand, is a mental and active process and thus it is virtually impossible to do other tasks effectively at the same time. Listening involves the three steps necessary for the hearing process but incorporates two additional steps. They are:

paying attention to the speaker trying to understand what the other person is saying.

Therefore, listening is the process of actively decoding and interpreting verbal messages; it requires cognitive attention and information processing

LISTENING PROCESS:
LISTENING refers to process of receiving, comprehending and retaining the message coveyed by the sender. The process of listening involves SENSING

DECODING

EVALUATION

RESPONSE

RETAINING THE MESSAGE

BARRIERS TO LISTENING (REFER BCS MADHUKAR) All elements of communication, including listening, may be affected by barriers that can impede the flow of conversation. Such barriers include distractions, trigger words, vocabulary, and limited attention span

Listening barriers may be psychological (e.g. emotions) or physical (e.g. noise and visual distraction). Cultural differences including speakers' accents, vocabulary, and misunderstandings due to cultural assumptions often obstruct the listening process. Frequently, the listener's personal interpretations, attitudes, biases, and prejudices lead to ineffective communication. Overcoming listening barriers To use the active listening technique to improve interpersonal communication, one puts personal emotions aside during the conversation, asks questions and paraphrases back to the speaker to clarify understanding, and one also tries to overcome all types of environment distractions. Don't judge or argue prematurely. Furthermore, the listener considers the speaker's background, both cultural and personal, to benefit as much as possible from the communication process. Eye contact and appropriate body languages are also helpful. It is important to focus on what the speaker is saying; at times you might come across certain key words which will certainly help you understand the speaker. The stress and intonation will also keep you active and away from distractions. Taking notes on the message will aid in retention

READING SKILLS PAPER READING

Reading can be defined as the process of receiving the written words and interpreting the meaning for the read material. Reading is an act of communication. It is a type of intra communication, that is, it involves communication information of expanding knowledge and understanding of a subject. The fast reading style covers the techniques of scanning and skimming. PURPOSE OF READING: Pleasure and enjoyment Practical application To get an overview To identify the central idea of theme

To develop a detailed and critical understanding

APPROACHES TO READING STYLES: 1. Fast reading approach 2. Slow reading approach READING PROCESS: Survey

Question

Read

Recall

Review

ESSENTIAL OF EFFECTIVE READING: SELECTIVE READING:

It is important to be selective and thus choose only the material that is relevant to us. One of the strategies of selective reading is layered reading. It involves 4 stages: 1. 2. 3. 4. Overview Preview Read Review

READING RATE ADJUSTMENT One of the keys for gaining efficiency in reading is to adjust the rate of reading as you read along depending on the difficulty level of the material and the purpose. There are 2 kind of reading rate adjustments Overall adjustment to the article as a whole

Internal adjustment in the article Note making: Note taking is an important component of reading. The main purpose of taking notes while reading helps you to remember what you read.

TIPS FOR READING PAPER:

1. Become familiar with reading in English. 2. Practice skimming passages rather than spending valuable time reading the passage in detail. (Skimming is when you quickly glance through text rather than reading every single word 3. Highlight the main ideas of the passage. 4. Make quick notes after your first or second reading to save time 5. Do not worry if you are unfamiliar with the topic of the passage. 6. Do not spend too much time on a question you are completely unsure of. 7. Increase your vocabulary and understanding of idioms this will help your overall understanding of passages

Note Making
Note-Making Meaning: Note-making is a more intellectual task than note-taking as it involves selecting, analysing and summarising what you hear or read. It also involves being able to strike a balance between listening / reading actively and making a record of it. Note-making is therefore an active approach to study as it:

Forces you to think, because you have to make decisions about what to write Helps you to pay attention to what you are reading, or listening to Assists your understanding of new material if the notes are organised in your own way and in your own words

Helps you to concentrate

Helps you to remember more information Makes it easier to distinguish between important issues and detail Provides a permanent record. Facilitates learning; lectures or books can become clearer later upon reflection and reviewing of your notes.

Note-Making Techniques Anyone can make notes, but it is difficult to make good, concise, brief, accurate notes that may both reflect and comment on the nature of the information you are referring to and which you can use and understand at a later date. There are, however, a number of techniques that you can use for making effective notes. Sequential / Linear Note-Making This traditional approach typically involves making notes in the form of lists or phrases. Notes of this type can be made for different purposes and can include more or less detail, as required, or to highlight points. The main features of good sequential notes are:

Key words and phrases Headings Sub-headings Conciseness Underlined or highlighted key points Margins or written on every other line to allow space for comments or future additional notes

Inclusion of diagrams, flow charts and colours (if appropriate) Suitable layout

The following is an example of sequential note-making from the Introduction to Financial Services textbook which is studied at the Certificate / Diploma level. Defining Money (The Theory)

Exchange Function

Primary function Frees trade from barter constraints

Asset Function

People must be prepared to accept / hold it Must hold its value Must be held without cost Must be readily available as a medium of exchange

The notes are clear and eye-catching and notice the amount of white space on the page this allows the eye to see a pattern that the brain then finds easier to store in its long-term memory. The use of key ideas or words is crucial to sequential note-making. It is therefore important that you choose these carefully at the outset before compiling your notes. Any budding artists may find that your patterns are helped by cartoons and drawings to illustrate your ideas pictures are more easily memorised than words. Pattern Note-Making / Mind-Mapping This technique is a more visual method of note-making than a linear approach. This approach uses arrows and circles to connect key words/phrases and should lead to the creation of a spreading pattern in all directions, rather than just words which start at the top of the page and work down. In 1979, Tony Buzan advocated that we need to make more use of note-making forms that use the right side of our brain. The left side of the brain works in a linear way; it deals with lists and sequences. On the other hand, the right side builds and stores images and patterns. Buzan introduced the concept of mind-mapping which involves making notes with patterns and by using images. Buzan believes that these images and patterns can be important aspects of our learning processes and provide effective routes to understanding. The main features of pattern note-making / mind-mapping include:

Starting with a central heading / concept in the centre of the page

Noting key words, ideas and / or concepts which surround the central idea / concept Heading and subheadings highlighted with boxes / circles Underlined or highlighted key points Conciseness Use of symbols, images and colour as necessary Arrows / lines ('branches') to link key words, ideas and / or concepts and to show developments / process e.g. 'this leads to ...' - these branches should radiate from the central topic / idea

Semi-structured layout using a page sideways (landscape), and the notes are restricted to this page

f you haven't tried mind-mapping before, why not practice with an idea / topic which is not related to your studies? Choose something which you know a lot about or are very interested in, e.g. your hobby or special interest. Once you have done this, keep developing and practising your mind-mapping techniques until you can use this form of note-making for your studies. Using Shorthand or Abbreviations to Aid Note-Making If you are lucky, you may be trained in both writing and reading official shorthand languages the majority of us are not quite so fortunate! This does not stop you developing your own shorthand language for note-making. The most important thing is to be able to read them again later and make sense of them. It is easy to forget what you meant when you first used the abbreviation. Abbreviating may be particularly useful when making notes from speech, such as at a CIOBS Academy Revision Course where time is of the essence. Using Diagrams The use of diagrams will not only make your notes much easier to read and more presentable but will also help you to memorise the subject material. Using Mnemonics and Groupings From early schooldays most of us developed the use of mnemonics as a memory aid. Remember learning the key scales in music? E G B D F. Teachers told us to remember instead, Every Good

Boy Deserves Football (or Favour). Even tone deaf and musically illiterate students remember this mnemonic many years later! During your studies you should be able to develop a number of mnemonics to help you remember facts about the topic. A good example from Sales and Service is a mnemonic to remember the principle of giving information to customers - KISS or

K Keep I It S Short and S Simple

Alternatively you may wish to group ideas as a way of remembering them more efficiently. Marketing provides an excellent example of grouping. A product's marketing mix is often described as the 4P's, or

P Produce P Price P Promotion P Place Highlighting, Annotating and Underlining Underlining involves drawing lines under the print with a pen, or (coloured) pencil. Highlighting involves covering the print by using light-coloured felt markers or highlighting pens. Annotating involves making brief notes in the margins of the page in order to explain or comment upon the material. These note-making techniques can allow you to pick up the meaning of the text when you come back to it at a later date. Underlining, highlighting and annotations are a valuable way of focusing your attention on the text and making you pick out and think about the main ideas. They also force you to leave a trace on the page of the sense you have made of the text.

Use these methods as long as this is not where your note-making ends otherwise you may end up with most of the page coloured in fluorescent yellow or pink and covered in a scrawl of notes! If you tend to cover most of the text with highlighter, it may be wise not to have a pen in your hand for the first reading. If you decide to highlight the reading material, consider making notes in a separate notebook or index cards rather than on the text itself. This is because a textbook is a cumbersome place in which to store notes. Given that you will be using more than one source for any assignments, it would be difficult and impractical to carry around your all notes. Avoid trying to write first drafts of assignments from highlighted or underlined notes. It is usually necessary to take written notes as well just highlighting parts of a photocopy from an article or book is not enough. By summarising the relevant parts of what you have read you will begin to understand and remember the material. Summarising Bringing together notes you have already made to make a new, condensed version can be useful. This is called summarising. Summarising the material in your own words will actually save you time, since once you put the information in your own words you won't need to waste time working out the meaning of a passage you have highlighted, every time you re-read it. Putting the notes into your own words Storing your Notes Having spent a considerable amount of time making notes from various sources, it's worth spending a little more time developing your own system of organising them. This will save you time in the long run as you won't have to waste time searching for notes you made some months ago. Consider some of the following tips for storing and organising your notes:

Keep all notes on the same subject or topic (Academy lecture notes, photocopied articles etc.) together

Use colour coded files, one for each subject and use dividers / tabs to divide into sections Number the pages and create an index or contents page in your storage file Above all, keep the storage system simple if it takes a long time to negotiate your system, it is probably too complicated

If you are using a computer to record your notes (or do your assignments!), remember to always back-up your work keep a copy on a floppy disk, or a recordable CD (CDRW or CDR)

More Tips for Making Effective Notes :

Developing your note making techniques will mean that you don't need to waste time re-writing them.

Always review your notes fill in gaps, sort out misunderstandings, and make summaries of topics to enhance your understanding of the material. Making notes means that you do not have to write fully articulated sentences they must however be in your own words and clear enough for you to be able to read them when you come back to them.

Don't simply copy out of workbooks put the notes into your own words. To be able to do this, you will have to ensure full understanding of the topic. This understanding makes for effective learning.

Although you can transcribe direct quotations from the text, you should keep these fairly rare only where you feel a quotation is particularly apt, or where it expresses an idea so clearly that you could not put it better yourself, even in note form, should you quote verbatim.

Use lots of space this will let you add points later and will make it quicker and easier to re-read your notes.

Persuasive Speech
Speech means the act of uttering speech which is sensible and intelligent. Persuasive speaking aims at persuading or convincing our audience. The following are the tips for persuasive speaking. Persuasive speaking urges us to do something. Informative speaking, on the other hand, reveals and clarifies options. Informative speakers teach. Persuasive speakers lead, evoke emotions and ask for audience commitment. Sometimes persuasive speeches are aimed at earning passive agreement, as in persuading an audience of the importance of some policy, value, or service. At other times, persuasive speeches aim for personal action, as in getting people to join an organization, buy a product or service, or support a cause.

EXAMPLES OF PERSUASIVE SPEECH: Election speech Board meeting Presentation while launching a product etc TIPS FOR PERSUASIVE SPEECH:

Gain attention and interest. Try a quote? Try humor(see below)? Shock or startle? ("Before this speech is finish, 5 recent students will have lost jobs in the new depression.") Try a direct question? ("What sort of internet addict are you?") Stress a key word or symbol? (Get dialog going on the symbolic meaning of the logo?)

Try humor, depending on the overall purpose of the presentation. Old editions of Readers Digest are great sources since the material is clean and people will probably have forgotten the jokes.

Establish your credibility early Demonstrate audience analysis and understanding. Make relevant, direct contact with audience - why does it matter?

Preview main points? (an arguments can be made that solutions shouldn't emerge until at least half way through your speech in order to avoid having your position pre-judged)

Create cognitive dissonance. Your audience must feel involved in the problem before they'll be moved to accept a solution

Make effective transitions between ideas Demonstrate enthusiasm and/or passion Provoke thought through questions Construct a logical case with evidence in support of what you're trying to sell Avoid verbal fillers/disfluency Close with a memorable summary, perhaps request a specific act or action from the audience . Be declarative, maybe firm and demanding in your close.

NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION BODY LANGUAGE

Nonverbal communication is behavior, other than spoken or written communication, that creates or represents meaning. In other words, it includes facial expressions, body movements, and gestures. Nonverbal communication is talking without speaking a word. It is very effective, maybe even more so than speech. Remember the saying, Actions speak louder than words. Body language is a form of mental and physical ability of human non-verbal communication, which consists of body posture, gestures, facial expressions, and eye movements. Humans send and interpret such signals almost entirely subconsciously. Body Language - technically known as kinesics (pronounced 'kineesicks') - is a significant aspect of modern communications and relationships. Body Language is therefore very relevant to management and leadership, and to all aspects of work and business where communications can be seen and physically observed among people. Types of body language: Some major areas of nonverbal behaviors to explore are:

Eye contact Facial expressions Gestures Posture and body orientation Proximity Paralinguistics Humor

Eye contact: Eye contact, an important channel of interpersonal communication, helps regulate the flow of communication. And it signals interest in others. Furthermore, eye contact with audiences increases the speaker's credibility. Teachers who make eye contact open the flow of communication and convey interest, concern, warmth and credibility. Facial expressions:

Smiling is a powerful cue that transmits:

Happiness Friendliness Warmth Liking Affiliation

Thus, if you smile frequently you will be perceived as more likable, friendly, warm and approachable. Smiling is often contagious and students will react favorably and learn more. Gestures: If you fail to gesture while speaking, you may be perceived as boring, stiff and unanimated. A lively and animated teaching style captures students' attention, makes the material more interesting, facilitates learning and provides a bit of entertainment. Head nods, a form of gestures, communicate positive reinforcement to students and indicate that you are listening. Posture and body orientation: You communicate numerous messages by the way you walk, talk, stand and sit. Standing erect, but not rigid, and leaning slightly forward communicates to students that you are approachable, receptive and friendly. Furthermore, interpersonal closeness results when you and your students face each other. Speaking with your back turned or looking at the floor or ceiling should be avoided; it communicates disinterest to your class. Proximity: Cultural norms dictate a comfortable distance for interaction with students. You should look for signals of discomfort caused by invading students' space. Some of these are:

Rocking Leg swinging Tapping

Typically, in large college classes space invasion is not a problem. In fact, there is usually too much distance. To counteract this, move around the classroom to increase interaction with your students. Increasing proximity enables you to make better eye contact and increases the opportunities for students to speak. Paralinguistics: This facet of nonverbal communication includes such vocal elements as:

Tone Pitch Rhythm Timbre Loudness Inflection

For maximum teaching effectiveness, learn to vary these six elements of your voice. One of the major criticisms is of instructors who speak in a monotone. Listeners perceive these instructors as boring and dull. Students report that they learn less and lose interest more quickly when listening to teachers who have not learned to modulate their voices. Silence Silence is also viewed as a part of non-verbal communication that depending on the situation and usage can influence conversation in a positive or negative way. On one hand silence may create tension and uneasiness, while on the other it may give another person time to collect his thoughts and calm down. Silence can also be an indicator of agreement or disagreement, depending on other non-verbal aspects such as facial expression, body language or eye contact. By learning to observe and understand the non-verbal communication process, you can noticeably improve your communication and persuasion skills. You will be able to immediately identify what another person really thinks and change their point of view if necessary.

Chronemics Chronemics is the study of the use of time in non-verbal communication. Time perception greatly affects our lifestyle, movements, speed of speech, and the amount of time set for listening. It is also closely linked to a persons social status. The higher the status, the more control the person has over his time. For example, a boss can talk to an employee whenever he chooses to do so, while the employee has to make an appointment to see the boss. In business communication it is very important to remember that various cultures have different perception of time. For example, in North America, Germany or Switzerland, you often hear statements such as, Time is money, Were running out of time, The deadline for the project is tomorrow. In South America or Arabian countries people believe that they have all the time in the world and the word deadline does not exist in their language

UNIT-III
REPORT WRITING Report is a logical presentation of facts and figures and information.it helps in reviewing and evaluating. The future course of action. Reports are written for various purposes. To review information. To plan for future needs. To survey the market. e.g survey report, progress report, analytical report etc. Importance of report To convey information. Helps in decision making. Promote understanding and better coordination. Act as tool for measuring the performance. Helps to make changes.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Characterstics of a good report

1. Information collected in the report must be relevant and focused to derive desired results. Pictorial and graphical presentation of data and related information help to understand the details easily. There is a possibility that the collected data in the report needs to be represented at many places in different formats to fulfill the report goals. The ultimate goal is to determine all the issue and make suitable strategies to cope up with these issue or problems. 2. Report should follow the exact predefined goals and objectives. If there is any sort of divergence of related information which does not match the goals then the results are of no use. In fact there is a probability of landing up in making negative or out of focus strategies, which will be very dangerous. 3. The report should always contain the executive summary of the work. This is generally kept before the actual report starts as it shows the summary of the desired business plan. 4. Apart from the actual analysis the report should also depict the reasons of making this report and what advantages and profit it can provide after successful implementation of business plans described inside the report. 5. It should also contain the methodology of the research which shows the overall process adopted to create the report. 6. It is important that the report contains the possibility of errors in any of the module or process so that immediate measures could be taken to cope up with these errors. 7. The report should contain the description of the questionnaires used in analysis and the way it has been prepared. 8. The methodology used in the interviews should also be elaborated and what was achieved in this should also be described. 9. If the information show that some aspects needs to predict the future trends then the reports should depict that prediction. This prediction should have scale of success so that the accuracy could be judged efficaciously. The report should also define each and every variable and element used in creating these predictive analyses. 10. The report should be flexible enough to be changed accordingly. The analytical information described inside the report should be maintained in such a way that there is no extra effort labored if any strategy or process it to be changed in future. It should necessarily mould the changes without changing the structure of the report.

As name suggests informal report do not follow any form or procedure. They donot require any style, language but are prepared as per the convinence of the organization. Eg short reports, progress reports, staff reports, justification reports. But when a report is prepared in a prescribed format and procedure it is called as formal report.unlike informal report, they have specific style, language etc.

What is a proposal? It is a written document which is made to persuade the reader for some suggested plan of action. They are persuasive in nature. Generally written for an external audience. They vary in length and are made by individuals,organization etc.

UNIT-IV ACTIVE LISTENING

The active process of receiving and responding to spoken (and sometimes unspoken) messages. LISTENING refers to process of receiving, comprehending and retaining the message coveyed by the sender.

"Listening is more complex than merely hearing. It is a process that consists of four stages: sensing and attending, understanding and interpreting, remembering, and responding . The stages occur in sequence but we are generally unaware of them."

There are four elements of good listening: 11. 12. 13. 14. attention--the focused perception of both visual and verbal hearing--the physiological act of 'opening the gates to your ears' understanding--assigning meaning to the messages received remembering--the storing of meaningful information

stimuli

In addition to the four elements, there are also four levels of listening: acknowledging, sympathizing, paraphrasing, and empathizing. The four levels of listening range from passive to interactive when considered separately. However, the most effective listeners are able to project all four levels at the same time. That is, they demonstrate that they are paying attention and making an effort to understand and evaluate what it is they are hearing, and they complete the process by demonstrating through their responses their level of comprehension and interest in what the speaker is saying."

Keys to Effective Listening 1. Find areas of interest. 2. Judge content, not delivery. 3. Hold your fire. 4. Listen for ideas. 5. Be flexible. 6. Work at listening. 7. Resist distractions. 8. Exercise your mind. 9. Keep your mind open. 10. Anticipate, summarize, weigh the evidence, and look between the lines.

"Active listening involves six skills: paying attention, holding judgment, reflecting, clarifying, summarizing, and sharing. Each skill contributes to the active listening mind-set, and each skill includes various techniques or behaviors. These skills are not mutually exclusive. For example, paying attention isn't something you stop doing when you start holding judgment. Nor are the skills consistently weighed in importance. In one conversation, clarifying may take much effort and time; in another conversation, gaining clarity and understanding may be quick and easy."

IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING :

Listening is important to each of us because it enables us to:

be more effective in our interpersonal relationships gain important information gather data to make sound decisions respond appropriately to the messages that we hear.

When we listen to others we need to listen for total meaning, that is, both the content and the attitudes or feelings underlying the content. Therefore, even though listening may appear effortless - we have the cognitive (mental) ability to process information three to four times faster than people speak - we still require concentration and commitment to the listening process. Listening involves much more than hearing a message. Hearing is merely the physical component of listening: it is a relaxed, passive and physical occupation that requires little or no effort of mind or will. Thus, it is possible to hear sounds, for example, recorded music, while concentrating on other tasks. Three events take place if hearing is to occur properly.

The receiver isolates the sounds correctly. We place the sounds in a meaningful order so that they may be recognised as words. We recognise words in a pattern that constitutes a language, which then helps to convey the communicator's message to us.

Listening, on the other hand, is a mental and active process and thus it is virtually impossible to do other tasks effectively at the same time. Listening involves the three steps necessary for the hearing process but incorporates two additional steps. They are:

paying attention to the speaker trying to understand what the other person is saying.

Therefore, listening is the process of actively decoding and interpreting verbal messages; it requires cognitive attention and information processing

LISTENING PROCESS:
LISTENING refers to process of receiving, comprehending and retaining the message coveyed by the sender. The process of listening involves SENSING

DECODING

EVALUATION

RESPONSE

RETAINING THE MESSAGE

BARRIERS TO LISTENING (REFER BCS MADHUKAR) All elements of communication, including listening, may be affected by barriers that can impede the flow of conversation. Such barriers include distractions, trigger words, vocabulary, and limited attention span Listening barriers may be psychological (e.g. emotions) or physical (e.g. noise and visual distraction). Cultural differences including speakers' accents, vocabulary, and misunderstandings due to cultural assumptions often obstruct the listening process. Frequently, the listener's personal interpretations, attitudes, biases, and prejudices lead to ineffective communication. Overcoming listening barriers To use the active listening technique to improve interpersonal communication, one puts personal emotions aside during the conversation, asks questions and paraphrases back to the speaker to clarify understanding, and one also tries to overcome all types of environment distractions. Don't judge or argue prematurely. Furthermore, the listener considers the speaker's background, both cultural and personal, to benefit as much as possible from the communication process. Eye contact and appropriate body languages are also helpful. It is important to focus on what the speaker is saying; at times you might come across certain key words which will certainly help you understand the speaker. The stress and intonation will also keep you active and away from distractions. Taking notes on the message will aid in retention