SBenegaL

Category: Interpersonal Process

  • Communication – Interpersonal Process 5

    In the last byte, we looked at understanding the importance of feedback and language in the context of an organization. In today’s byte, we look at understanding the terms – data, information and richness a bit clearer.


    Data refers to the un-interpreted, unanalyzed elements of any message (in the context of interpersonal communication here). If this data provides meaning to someone through interpretation or through analysis, then it transforms into information.

    All messages need a medium to be conveyed – this could be telephone or face to face or mail etc. Each of these medium differ in their ability to convey the meaning of the message for the receiver – the following table summarizes the comparison.

    [This is a modified representation of the Table 8.1 published in the reference book]
    The attributes of the communication medium affect the richness communicated and any influence seeking behavior that is generated.

  • Communication – Interpersonal Process 4

    In the last byte, we looked a set of definitions related to the interpersonal communications model. In today’s byte we attempt to understand some of these concepts in more detail.

    As described earlier, feedback refers to the information that is fed back to the communicator after the perceiver has received the message. This completes the two – ways of communication loop. The feedback may or may not be active inherently as part of the model itself. It occurs only when the receiver provides the communicator with a response to the message – the channel of response need not be extremely clear; however there could also be a combination of means through which the feedback could be gained. The challenge Intuit Corporation faced in 2003 regarding the customer uproar and the subsequent usage of internet to manage the impending loss of reputation is an interesting case study in how effective handling of the feedback mechanism could be very important to an organization.

    Companies today are operating in a global context. Language of communication is steadily increasing its relevance in this globalization of these firms – the multitude of these multinational organizations (MNC) poses the challenge of language. Language involves not just the words but the pronunciation and the methods of combining them to people around. Language thus could be looked as a possible barrier to communication in such MNC.

  • Communication – Interpersonal Process 3

    In the last byte, we began understanding the various components of the basic interpersonal communications model. In today’s byte, we continue this discussion to look into some definitions that would become more important as we proceed with the discussion further.

    Feedback: Is the information fed back that completes the two-way communication
    Language: Refers to the words, their pronunciation, and the methods of combining them used and understood by a group of people.
    Data: The un-interpreted and unanalyzed facts
    Information: Refers to the data that have been interpreted, analyzed and have meaning to some user
    Richness: Refers to the ability of a medium or channel to elicit or evoke meaning in the receiver

    Without overloading this further, we shall just limit today’s discussion to this point and continue understanding these concepts further in the next few bytes.

  • Communication – Interpersonal Process 2

    In the last byte, we looked at the interpersonal communication model and a few definitions. In today’s byte we begin looking at the model in a greater detail.

    As stated in the definition of perceptual screens, these are windows – windows of the mind. It is these perceptual screens that influence the quality, accuracy and clarity of the message. The screen gives its flavor to the message – it is the one which defines if the message sent and the message received are the same or any distortion has occurred.

    The perceptual screens are generally composed of personal factors – every individual gets into the communication his/her various influences – age, gender, values, and beliefs, past experiences, cultural influences, and individual needs. The extent to which these windows are open or closed significantly influence both the sent and the received messages.

    We have been using the terms message pretty heavily – message refers to the thoughts and the feelings that the communicator is attempting to elicit in the receiver. It has two primary components:

    1. its content
    2. its affect.
    The thought or conceptual component of the message is contained in the words, ideas, symbols and concepts chosen to relay the message. The feeling or emotional component of the message is contained in the intensity, force, demeanor, and sometimes the gesture of the communicator. The feeling component of message is important to give the complete meaning.

  • Communication – Interpersonal Process

    In the last byte, we set the context for the importance of interpersonal communication. In today’s byte, we look at understanding interpersonal communication in a bit more detail.

    Interpersonal communication is important in building and sustaining human relations when in an organizational working context. If one were to ask – with all the sophistication in the present world of information technology were to replace interpersonal communication, the simple answer is – No. Let us try to understand it using the model presented below. We shall subsequently define a few of the words use there but not explain it in the current byte.

    The image has been adopted form the reference book.

    Some Definitions:
    1. Communicator – the person originating a message
    2. Receiver – the person receiving a message
    3. Perceptual Screen – a window through which we interact with people that influences the quality, accuracy and clarity of the communication.