Chapter III : Methods & Modes of Communication

Methods – Verbal & Non verbal

Media – Telephone, Fax, Computer, Internet.
Methods Modes
Verbal Non-verbal Electronics
Oral Written Body language Silence Fax
Face-to-face Letters Facial expressions Signs Computers
Telephone Memos Gestures Postures Internet
Notices Posters Colours E-mail
Circulars Dress & grooming Maps
Reports Proxemics Graphs &
Charts

Selection of methods should be based on –

1. Speed 2. Accuracy 3. Circumstances 4. Confidence and safety 5. Expenses 6.
Impression 7. Feedback

Oral Communication: Oral communication is communication by means of spoken words.

Principles of oral communications:
1. Know your objective
2. Know your audience
3. Know your subject
4. Know how to use your voice
5. Know how to use body language
6. Know when to stop
Advantages:
1. Its direct & time saving 2. It saves money
3. It conveys the exact meaning of words 4. It provides immediate feedback
5. It is more persuasive in nature 6. On-the-spot additions, deletions and
corrections are possible
7. Confidential messages can be 8. It is informal and friendlier
communicated
9. Develop relations 10. Motivates the speaker.

Disadvantages:
1. It lacks legal validity 2. Possibility of misunderstanding
3. It lacks accountability 4. Problem of retention
5. The need for good speaking skills 6. Not always effective
7. Lacks planning 8. Diversion of subject matter

Face-to-face communication
Advantages Disadvantages
 1. Combination of verbal & non-verbal 1. Difficult to practice in large organizations
factors
2. Immediate feedback possible 2. Not effective if the receiver does not pay
attention
3. Modifications while delivering the 3. Not effective in large gatherings
message is possible
4. Particularly suitable for discussions

Written communication: Written communication is the expression of language by means of visible

signs.
Advantages Disadvantage
1. Reference 1. Time, trouble & expenses
2. Permanent record 2. Feedback is slow
3. Legal validity 3. Problem of storage
4. Aids memory & retention 4. Lacks friendliness
5. Accurate & organized 5. Unsuited to countries where illiteracy rate is
high
6. Fixing responsibility 6. Problem of instant clarification
7. Wider reach 7. Problem of writers
8. Goodwill 8. Problem of communicating secret information
9. Less chances of misunderstanding
10. Suitable for lengthy messages
11. Corporate image

Non-verbal Communication:
Non-verbal communication is indirect, without words or without verbal messages. Non-verbal
communication constitutes 45% of the impact of message in oral communication.
The major elements of non-verbal communication can be divided into body language (Kinesics),
vocal tone, space & proxemics, dress & grooming etc.
1. Facial expression
2. Gestures: A gesture is an action of body, hand or head, which conveys a message. Eg: yes,
no, Namaste, wait.
a. Communicating information: eg: ‘V’ sign, pointing finger etc.
b. Communicating information: eg: clapping indicates appreciation, fist- clenching
shows aggression, face touching shows anxiety
c. Supports speech
d. Expressing self image
3. Posture: The way we stand or sit, the position of the hand & head, basically how we carry
ourselves. Eg. Hunched shoulders show low confidence, in emergency a person tends to sit
on the edge of a chair.

4. Dress & grooming

5. Proxemics: This means language of space

a. Intimate distance
b. Personal distance
c. Social distance
d. Public distance
 6. Paralanguage: Includes pitch, volume, intonation etc. The tone of voice, rate of speech,
pause, accent can not only communicate but alter the meaning significantly.
7. Silence
8. Visual & Auditory Signs & Signals: The word sign has been derived from the Latin word
signum which means mark. Signs eg. Plus, minus, multiplication, divisions, can be used in
chemistry, Maths, music, road signs etc. Auditory signs include door bell, college bell,
ambulance siren etc.
9. Posters: Posters are combination of verbal & non-verbal factors, because they consist of
pictures as well as words. Posters have three parts namely:
a. Headline: This is short but catchy slogan
b. Illustration: This is the visual part consisting of pictures or photographs.
c. Copy: This is the written matter, which gives necessary details.
10. Colours: eg. Traffic signals, Interpretation of different colours like red represents danger or is
considered as auspicious in wedding, white purity or peace etc.
11. Maps, Graphs & Charts:
a. Maps: A map is a drawing on paper that shows location, size & other features of
countries.
b. Line / Pie / Bar graph: present numerical or statistical data.
c. Charts: are used for mounting maps & graphs for better visual effects.

Modes of communication
1. Telephone – Telephone is a device that transmits speech at a distance through the medium of
electronic waves. In 1876 telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell.
Types of telephones:-
1. Landline or standard telephones
2. Cellular or Mobile phones: These are wireless devices that use radio waves to transmit sounds.
The two main cellular systems in operation are GSM – Global System for Mobile Communications,
and CDMA – Code Division Multiple Access.
3. Satellite phones: These are used in areas where communication links are absent or destroyed.
4. Ethernet phones: There are digital phones which connect directly to a computer network.
5. Multimedia phones: These are phones which add video facilities to the telephone network.

Telephone services: 1) Networking: – This works as a base for computer network and fax
transmission.
2) Teleconferencing and videoconferencing: - Sounds and video are transmitted via phone lines or
satellites, so that people in different places and different countries can be communicate with one
another at the same time.

Telephone etiquette:
1. Speak politely, precisely, clearly, confidently. Be positive & talk friendly with a smile in voice.
2. Avoid shouting or speaking too low.
3. Listen carefully and if a part of message is not clear, politely ask for repetition.
4. While answering telephone calls, introduce yourself, your company & greet the person.
5. Before making a call, one must be mentally prepared, if need be note down points.
6. Make sure you have delivered the message completely and is understood by the receiving
party.

Advantages Disadvantages
1. Time saving device. 1. Body language cannot be communicated.
2. Immediate feedback 2. It is sometimes not time saving
3. Legal validity 3. Call may be made at a wrong time.
4. Intercom facility
5. It provides a large range of services like STD
(Subscriber Trunk dialing), ISD (International
Subscriber dialing), call waiting, call forwarding
etc.

2. Fax: Fax is connected to telephone, can be used to send documents, photos, charts, graphs,
drawings, diagrams, certificates etc. It scans a printed page, converts it into signals & transmit this
signal over a telephone line to the receiving fax machine. Drawbacks – cost, time, quality.

3. Computer –
1. Parts of computers – input, output, storage, processing devices.
2. What is software & hardware?
3. Uses of computer.
4. LAN, WAN, Internet.
5. Uses of Internet – Search, distant learning, E-commerce, videoconferencing, E-mail, social
networking sites, cloud computing etc.