Communication Process

What exactly is the Communication cycle? Basically, it involves conveying and receiving messages in an easy-to - understand format between two persons or organizations. Talking and even listening are both communication tools.

We are distinct from all other species on earth because of our ability to attribute meanings to sounds, signs, and symbols. In his novel, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humanity, author, and professor Yuval Noah Harari stressed the value of language in making humans "the smartest creatures" on this planet. We are now able to do many things that were unthinkable to our cave-dwelling ancestors, thanks to contact. As a means of survival and flourishing, the language was created and that is true even in present times.

The communication process starts with the formation of ideas by the sender, who then transmits the message through a channel or medium to the receiver. The receiver gives the feedback in the form of a message or appropriate signal in the given time frame to continue the communication cycle. Recall any conversation you have had in your life—be it enquiring about a brand new computer your friend just bought or your relatives asking you about your examinations—and you will find that it follows this process.

There are seven important elements of the communication process. Here are the details:

 

1. Sender

The process of communication starts with the sender. This is the entity that will use the means of communication to share her thoughts. The sender starts the communication cycle by deciding to convey her thoughts and chooses the format to use.

The sender manages her thoughts, seeks clarity, and decides what exactly she wants to put forth. The sender needs to gather the required information and relevant ideas in order to communicate. For example, a writer begins with an idea and transforms it into a book.

 

 2. Encoding

Encoding is the step in the process of communication where the sender decides how she wants to convey her thoughts. Selecting the right words, associated symbols in verbal communication or gestures, tones, and sounds in non-verbal communication are ways of encoding a thought.

To make encoding easier, it is imperative to know who is the receiver. For example, Ruskin Bond writes clean and short sentences that invoke visuals to instill wonder among his readers, children.

3. Message

 A message is formed after the sender decides what she wants to put forth and how she wants to convey it. It’s also known as encoding. The nature of the message can change depending on the medium you use and the audience for which it is meant. Always remember that for a communication to be successful, it is important that the listener or reader understands the message.

4. Channel or medium

 In order to better explain the process of communication, one has to pay close attention to one crucial wheel of this cycle, which is the medium. This screen that you’re reading this article on, the newspaper that slides in every morning through your door, the television you watch your favorite movies on are all mediums. It’s imperative to consider the medium used for information transmission while encoding the message or it fails to reach the audience effectively. 

 

5. Receiver

 The process of communication is incomplete without a receiver to ‘lend an ear’. Whenever a sender writes, or says or sings or expresses anything, it’s meant to be read, or experienced. The receiver is a crucial part of this process.

 The receiver gathers the information presented or broadcasted by the sender and begins to understand it. We take turns between being a sender and being a receiver. You are a receiver when you watch a movie, and a sender when you tell your friends how the movie was.

 

6. Decoding

 No matter how well the message is crafted (or encoded), it will fail to make an impact if the receiver does not possess the tools to decode the message. For instance, a nine-year-old may not understand the point of Harari’s book. While growing up, we also build the ability to decode various messages. Even if the word ‘beautiful’ has one meaning in all the dictionaries, globally, it would undoubtedly mean something different to different people. We decode any message by our own mechanisms, thoughts, memories, and create our own meaning.

 

7. Feedback

The process of communication is a long one. Communication does not stop afterthought or idea is expressed or a sentence or a word is uttered. It creates ripples through time, like a stone slung in a peaceful lake. Feedback is one of the last stages of communication. After a message is encoded, sent over a medium received, and decoded, there is a need for the communication to keep moving. Through feedback, the receiver becomes the sender, broadcasting the views about the information received.

 

 Another important aspect that is present in this cycle is noise. This refers to the obstructions people face while following the entire communication process. This can mean actual physical noise, preoccupying thoughts of the sender or the receiver, and barriers such as language, comfort, and cognitive precision.

S.M.A.R.T. Goals

The system of SMART goals helps identify and prepare for realistic performance. The definition is to identify concrete and impactful objectives that are transparent and can be accomplished within the means available. The acronym's common meaning is:

You can undoubtedly extend the idea of SMART goals to every part of your life. However, organizations also use the SMART structure to define organizational priorities and organize personnel. The strategy helps to remove ambiguities and guesswork in the the setting of targets, making progress towards objectives a measurable process.

The SMART approach will help, whether for personal or workplace use. We'll look at SMART targets, specific examples, and how to implement SMART concepts in this article to make sure your goals are achievable.

The SMART Goals approach:

Here are the 5 factors to consider when creating SMART goals:

Specific:

Target a specific objective. Define exactly what it means to have reached a milestone. Create a holistic view of the goal in front of you. In practice, this can be achieved by answering the following aspects of defining a specific goal:

What needs to be accomplished? This could be a detailed description of the objective.

Who is responsible for the necessary tasks?

Where is it located? This could be an event or location that must be identified as a detailed specification of the goal.

When should the target be reached? Setting a timeframe is a critical component of SMART goals, covered further in the Time-Bound section, below.

Which requirements should be fulfilled? Account for all obstacles that must be addressed in achieving the goals.

Why is this goal important? Identifying and understanding the motivation behind a goal makes it more achievable.

Measurable:

Progress towards an objective must be quantifiable and associated with targets. It should be tracked using suitable KPIs and metrics on a measurable scale. Once you achieve your final goals, you might not rejoice, but each milestone takes you closer to completion.

You will analyse the past results after the finish line is reached and prepare for potential changes. This implies that it is important to identify correct metrics to track progress towards SMART objectives. In the area of enterprise IT, where all business practises are data-driven, it is difficult to get the metrics approach right; it can be expensive to select incorrect metrics.

 

Achievable:

Following a strategic and systematic approach can make goals achievable:

1. Identify the resources available to you

2. Define the problems and expectation

3. Plan the path that will lead you toward success most effectively

It's also necessary to remember that things change. A aim that is not achievable today, if the requisite  skills and instruments are learned, can be literally within your reach. It is also helpful to learn how you can push the limits and make the unthinkable realistic while determining objectives that are realistically achievable.

 

Relevant:

When resources are minimal, both in the short and long term, you must concentrate on priorities that are most impactful and need immediate attention. Many targets can still be reached, but all targets take resources and produce a different result.

In order to determine whether a goal is relevant, consider the following decision criteria for a goal:

Is it required? What’s the priority?

Is it the right time?

What’s the short and long-term impact of pursuing this goal?

What are the risks involved and how are circumstances expected to evolve over time?

 

Time-Bound:

Most objectives are achievable if sufficient time is allocated. However, if not done in due time, the findings can not be impactful. Adding a time limit allows you to give priority to activities in your daily routine. Long term priorities should not be influenced by everyday activities. Similarly, it will contribute to the backlog that will affect your scheduling plan in the future by ignoring regular tasks.Oriented objectives often allow progress to be tracked over the course of the task. Compared to time invested or time left, progress offers useful information on previous progress and how to adjust future plans in reaction to the current pace.

Please give your suggestions in comments

Evolution of Strategic Purchasing

        Twenty-first-century perspective for procurement as the world has changed it's way of working and procurement process. Let's see how it has changed from past to recent times.

The early years:

Charles Babbage documents the existence of a materials man who selects, purchases, receives and delivers all articles required(1832).

Textile Industry: A selling agent was responsible for all purchasing decisions.

Growth of American Railroad Systems(1850): Creation of a supplying department reporting directly to the president of the railroad.

The First book on purchasing: Handling of Railway supplies- Their purchase and Disposition.

Nascent growth: The first non-railroad book on purchasing gets published - The book on buying - a compilation by 18 different authors.

World War I: The first time when purchasing gain importance- especially for high-grade material used for war. Principles of purchasing get established.

World War II: Purchasing becomes an important function. Courses in purchasing get developed. National Association of Purchasing Agents membership swells up.

Development years: GE pioneers the Value Analysis Technique involving Design function in purchasing along with marketing and finance.

Growth: The quality revolution in Japan prompts the Japanese to establish long term relationships with their suppliers ushering a new era in purchasing. Seeds of the supply chain are sown.

Globalization: Working with different suppliers despite their geographical dispersion takes precedence. Logistics assumes center stage.

Procurement Today:

        The supply chain is no longer as simple as getting goods from point A to B, as it is about understanding and executing a complex set of variables. Global competition, changing economics, and new supply chain challenges, have brought into focus the need for procurement leaders to develop strategies that will yield sustainable competitive advantage.

        There has been a steady shift in strategy around low-cost country sourcing to best-cost country sourcing. Companies have understood that source choice should be based, not only on a static view of the total cost of ownership. But on future costs, alternate growth markets, and approaches to implementing lean supply chain.

Please put your suggestions in the comments.

 The Shanti Mantra

In my lastest Business Communication class, all of my classmates had an extensive discussion with T Prasad sir about "The Shanti Mantra".

The word Shanti means peace and mantra means a word or sound repeated to aid concentration.

Shanti Mantra is composed in 'Vedic Sanskrit' language and it is :

ॐ सह नाववतु |

सह नौ भुनक्तु |

सह वीर्यं करवावहै |

तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥

Meaning:

Om! May God protect and nourish us both together(student and teacher),

May we work conjointly with great energy, May our study be vigorous and effective,

May we not mutually dispute.

Om! Let there be peace in me!

Let there be peace in my environment!

Let there be peace in the forces that act on me.

Shanti mantra helps to achieve peace. Rather than having self-centered goals, we are praying for the collective good. We pray for the growth of all components of society.

Shanti Mantra is motivating to adopt the concept of 'Unity in diversity' while making development.

Please put your suggestions in the comments. Be inclusive.

Business Communication in Consulting and Personal Brand Building - Guest Lecture by Nikhil Kulkarni

                 

        Mr. Nikhil with graduation in E&TC and PGDIM from NITIE Mumbai is currently working as Co-founder and Director at Darvin Travel Tech. Before taking this full time role, he worked in Consulting for 11 years with KPMG.

        Darvin Travel Tech focuses on the niche segment of holiday planning. It has recently been opened to the general public before it was catering only to the B2B clients. The website offers the integrated experience of planning a holiday, generating the itinerary and makes booking everything an easy experience.

        Coming to the session, we discussed how to effectively communicate our ideas to others. He told us that a massive 80% of the consultant’s work is based on effective communication and the remaining 5%  on Research and 15%  on Relationship.

    He explained how the business proposals are presented using PowerPoints and Word documents. The reports are also done in that medium. But for executive briefing, presentations are more suitable. For work papers, Excel sheets or Word is the right tool. So these Microsoft Office tools are our best friends for effective communication. 

        Use of the 'Pyramid Principle' is very helpful in structuring your content. MECE(Mutually Exclusive and Collectively Exhaustive) makes sure that all the points we are using are relevant and without repetition. The flow of information must be in sequence as 'Key Message'-'Supporting Argument'-'Summarizing statement or argument'

Making an impact using your presentation is less about content and more about how you present the content. 

 

        Personal branding builds credibility as a leader and helps in boosting your confidence. Building a personal brand makes people feel comfortable while working with you because they know your authenticity. A personal brand allows a person to self manage their life without having to depend on others.

A personal brand can be built through a blog, Youtube Channel, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

Please comment your views and suggestions.

 Swadeshi Mandi 2020

    As part of the 74^th Independence Day celebration, NITIE conducted 16th edition of 'Swadeshi Mandi 2020'. 

    Today we got to hear from Mr. Abhay Jere, Chief Innovation Officer, AICTE, and Mrs. Apeksha Haldiia, founder of 'Zyka ka tadka'. 

    Abhay Jere talked about the objective behind Aatmanirbahar Bharat. This crisis has taught us the value of local products, we need to be self-reliant and promote local products. Promoting local products will help in reviving the 'Indian Economy'.

We need to be Job creator instead of Jobseeker, start-ups are need of the hour. People always have good ideas but only a few of them get started. If we start doing today from the scrap then soon it will grow big by the dedication and hard work.

Madam Apeksha, a NITIE alumni later joined P&G. But she always wanted to do something of her own. She left the job and started the 'Zyka Ka Tadka' a cooking tutorial channel on youtube with her mother as a partner. Today 'Zyka Ka Tadka' has 4.38 lakh subscribers, most-watched video has 31 lakh views. 

Instead of Job Seekers, become the job provider.

For having a start-up we don’t need a big investment and super ideas, ideas are everywhere around us. Madam Apeksha started Zyka ka Tadka with only Rs 30,000, we need to give a start to our idea.

Pandemic has shown us that the job market is volatile, it can turn around anytime. On the other hand in your business, as the owner, you can decide the direction of it.

We need to start selling and promoting local products, and start-ups are the need of the hour.

#VocalForLocal  #SwadeshiMandi2020

Please share and comment on blog.

H_2005036 Business Communication

 

My Journey of Business Communication
                                         -Omkar Yadav

To celebrate the 74th Independence Day, the students of NITIE Mumbai are doing the #VocalForLocal campaign. With support from T Prasad Sir  #MandiSir, we have selected a local product that deserves to have the attention of the entire world.

        These are the swadeshi posters made by me and Ruturaj for 'Mahamandi 2020', with our goal to be "Vocal for Local".

        Business Communication is a Practice and Skill oriented course. Business communication can be learned through practice and can be perfected through real-life scenarios such as street sellers, fruit and vegetable sellers, etc. In the pre-COVID era students used to get an actual chance to go out on the streets of Mumbai and make the sale to customers. But, because of the pandemic, 'MahaMandi' is going online, pushing the "Vocal for Local".

Why 'Kandi Pedha'?

       You simply can not ask this question to a person from Satara. 'Kandi Pedha' relates to the people of Satara. It is always part of life. It is always a part of the success that people get after their Hard Work.
        Diwali, Ganeshotsav, and all other festivals have 'Kandi Pedha' to bring a smile on people's faces.

We are planning to run the digital promotion in order to take the 'Kandi Pedha' to the global Platform.

Please share this with others and you can give your suggestions in comments.