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• Defining Communication:

  • Communication is the art of transmitting information, ideas, and attitudes from one person to another
  • It is a process of meaningful interaction among human beings
  • Involves the transfer of information from one person or group to another through the use of a medium
  • It is the art of creating and sharing ideas for a specific purpose without changing the content and context of the message
• Forms of Communication:

  • Verbal: Language, Sound, Tone of Voice
  • Non-verbal: Written, Visual, Signs, Symbols, Pictures, Graphics, Emojis
  • Examples include Journals, Emails, Blogs, Text Messages, Body language, Facial expressions
• Audience Analysis:

  • A skill that an effective communicator must have to convey the message they want to relay
  • As a speaker, understanding the audience's level and how they need to receive the information is crucial
• Communication Barriers:

  • Hindrances to effective communication with other people
  • Includes physical and physiological noise, cultural differences, communication style, varying expectations and experiences, and differences in perspectives
• Principles of Effective Communication:

  • Clarity: Message and purpose should be clear
  • Conciseness: Message should be brief and devoid of trivial details
  • Completeness: Message should be accurate and provide necessary background information
  • Organization: Communication should be planned for systematic flow of ideas
  • Empathy: Sender should be sensitive to the needs and interests of the receiver
  • Flexibility: Adapt communication style to varying needs and expectations of the audience
• Context:

  • Refers to the specific situation of the communication setup and communicators
  • Involves the environment, culture, and relationship between sender and receiver
  • Determines tone, level of formality, style, and other elements of communication
• Message:

  • The information a person wants to communicate
  • Needs to be summarized and organized to fit a particular purpose
• Encoding:

  • Process of transferring the message into a format understood by the recipient
  • Requires knowing the audience, ensuring completeness and accuracy, and choosing the best form of communication
• Receiver:

  • Target recipient of the message
  • Decodes the message based on their perspective and experiences
  • Feedback from the receiver helps gauge the success of the communication process
• Communication and Globalization:

  • Globalization leads to increased economic, political, and cultural integration
  • Effective communication and understanding cultural differences are essential skills in a globalized world
• Multiculturalism:

  • Engaging with and respecting people from different cultures is important
  • Effective communication with diverse cultures is crucial in the modern world
• Gerber faced issues in cultures with low literacy rates, like Africa and the Middle East
• Women in these cultures use pictures to identify food products
• When Gerber started selling their product in these countries, women thought there was a baby in the jar because of the picture on the label
• Irish Mist is a brown whiskey from Dublin, Ireland, but in Germany, "Mist" translates to "crap"
• Joni (read as "Yoni") is a brand of skin product, but "Yoni" means 'uterus' or 'vagina' in Sanskrit
• Globalization has impacted communication and cultural sensitivity in business
• Cultural differences can lead to cultural insensitivity, especially in the business world
• McDonald's faced backlash in China for an ad depicting begging, which is considered shameful in Chinese culture
• McDonald's offended Muslims by printing an excerpt from the Koran on their hamburger bags
• African port workers threw boxes labeled "fragile" into the sea, mistaking the broken glass symbol for actual broken glasses
• The film "Hollywood Buddha" caused outrage in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Myanmar for showing the lead actor sitting on the Buddha's head
• Coors beer's slogan "Turn it loose" was mistranslated in Spanish to mean "Suffer from diarrhea"
• Different cultures have varying interpretations of gestures, like showing the sole of a shoe or crossing legs while seated
• In Taiwan, blinking rapidly while someone is talking is considered impolite
• Japanese view business cards as an extension of themselves, while Americans see them as a formality
• Effective communication is ethical when it is genuine, open, cooperative, and sensitive to cultural and social beliefs
• Communication is unethical if there is intent to conceal the truth or bring harm to any organization or individual
• Past experiences and prejudices can affect communication
• Prejudice occurs when people make assumptions based on past experiences, which can hinder effective communication
• Effective communicators should avoid prejudice and view individuals as separate from preconceived notions
• Ethical communication involves showing commitment in the communicative situation and respecting socio-cultural beliefs and practices of others
• Globalization requires respecting different norms, cultures, and belief systems in communication
• Ethical communication involves avoiding stereotypes and promoting a communicative environment of trust
• Students are encouraged to identify non-ethical advertisements and discuss why they are unethical and how they could be presented better
• Communication style refers to the choices people make and the strategies or tools they use in the process of communication
• A communication style may depend on the demands of the communicative situation and the needs of the target recipients of the information
• Developed by Dr. Eileen M. Russo, there are four main communication styles:

  • Spirited = High Expressiveness + High Assertiveness
  • Considerate = High Expressiveness + Low Assertiveness
  • Direct = Low Expressiveness + High Assertiveness
  • Systematic = Low Expressiveness + Low Assertiveness
• Each communication style has two dimensions: assertiveness level and expressiveness level
• Tips for People with a Direct Communication Style:

  • Make an effort to listen carefully to others
  • Allow time for 'chatting' at the beginning of a meeting
  • Recognize that others may also feel the need to express themselves
  • Recognize that brainstorming can be effective and is not a waste of time
  • Take some time to show appreciation for others' contributions