PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION
Lesson 1: Communication Processes, Principles and Ethics
Communication (from the latin Communicare) – meaning to share or to make
ideas common.
Purposive Communication – is an intentional communication that happens within
the bounds of specific contexts.
Components of the Communication Process
1. Source – the sender carefully crafts the message. An author or public
speaker.
2. Encoding - The process of transferring the message.
3. Message - The message is the reason behind any interaction.
4. Channel - When we answer a phone call, the phone is the channel.
5. Decoding - The process of interpreting an encoded message.
6. Receiver - the person who receives the transmitted message.
7. Feedback - The reactions or responses of the receiver.
8. Noise - The factors affecting communication.
4 kinds of noise
1. Physiological noise is distraction caused by hunger, fatigue,
headaches, medication, and other factors that affect how we feel and
think.
2. Physical noise is interference in our environments.
3. Psychological noise refers to qualities in us that affect how we
communicate and interpret others.
4. Semantic noise exists when words themselves are not mutually
understood.
9 Principles of Effective Communication (Michael Osborn 2009)
1. Clarity makes speeches understandable.
2. Concreteness reduces misunderstandings.
3. Courtesy builds goodwill.
4. Correctness. Glaring mistakes in grammar obscures the meaning of a
sentence.
5. Consideration. Messages must be geared towards the audience.
6. Creativity in communication means having the ability to craft interesting
messages in terms of sentence structure and word choice.
7. Conciseness. Simplicity and directness.
8. Cultural Sensitivity
9. Captivating. You must strive to make messages interesting to command
more attention and better responses.
The term ethics comes from the Greek word ethos, which means custom, habit,
character or outlook.
Lesson 2: Communication Models
8 Major communication models
Linear Models of Communication - They only look at one-way
communication.
a. Aristotle’s communication model - primarily focuses on the sender
(public speaker, professor, etc.) who passes on their message to the receiver
(the audience). The sender is also the only active member in this model,
whereas the audience is passive. This makes Aristotle’s communication
model a foolproof way to excel in public speaking, seminars, and lectures.
Main elements of Aristotle’s communication model
1. Ethos - being an expert in a field of their choice.
2. Pathos - through different emotions
3. Logos - Signifies logic.
b. Lasswell’s communication model - communication as the transmission
of a
message with the effect as the result.
c. The Shannon-Weaver communication model - The noise appears in
the form of mishearing a conversation, misspelling an email, or static on a
radio broadcast.
d. Berlo’s S-M-C-R model of communication - This communication model
is unique in the sense that it gives a detailed account of the key elements in
each step.
Interactive models of communication - They analyze two-way
communication.
a. The Osgood-Schramm communication model - Both parties are
equally encoding and decoding the messages.
b. The Westley and Maclean communication model - This
communication model is primarily used for explaining mass communication.
Transactional models of communication - They illustrate two-way
communication
where the message gets more complex as the communication event
progresses.
a. Barnlund’s transactional communication model - explores
interpersonal, immediate-
feedback communication.
b. Dance’s Helical communication model - as a circular process that gets
more and more complex as communication progresses.
Lesson 3: Intercultural Communication
Culture - A set of characteristics, beliefs, values, and practices that are
common to a particular group of people.
Intercultural Communication - The process of communicating, interacting,
and working with people from different cultural backgrounds.
Cultural Intelligence (CQ) - The ability to relate to and work effectively
across cultures.
Components of CQ – Cognitive CQ, Motivational CQ, Behavioral CQ and
Metacognitive CQ
Communication Styles - Different cultures have distinct communication
styles.
a. High-Context Communication - much of the communication is implicit,
relying on context, non-verbal cues, and the relationship between the
communicators.
b. Low-Context Communication - communication is more explicit, with clear,
direct
c. verbal messages that rely less on situational factors.
Lesson 4: Public Speaking
Public speaking is a crucial skill in both education and business settings.
Purpose of Public Speaking
1. Informing
2. Persuading
3. Inspiring
4. Entertaining
Methods of Speech
1. Manuscript Speech
2. Memorized Speech
3. Impromptu Speech
4. Extemporaneous Speech
Lesson 6: Memorandum
Memorandum - The word “memo” is derived from Latin word “memorare”
changed to “memorandus” and means “to state” or “to tell”.
Parts of Memorandum
1. Heading: The heading section identifies key details about the memo, such as
the sender, recipient, date, and subject.
2. Opening (Introduction): This section introduces the purpose of the memo
in one or two sentences.
3. Body (Main Content): The body contains the detailed information or
message the sender wishes to convey.
4. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the memo or restates any
important actions or deadlines.
5. Closing/Signature (Optional): While memos do not require a formal
closing like letters, some organizations may include the sender’s name, title,
or contact information at the end.
6. Attachments (If Applicable): If the memo references additional documents
or data, a note about attachments can be included at the end of the memo.
Joe LoCicero (2007) offers a good example of when to use memos.
Affective memos must be according to Adelheid Thieme
1. Civilized. Memos should maintain a respectful and professional tone.
2. Concise. Brevity is essential in a memo.
3. Coherent. A coherent memo follows a logical structure, making it easy for
the reader to follow the argument or points being made.
4. Compelling. A memo should engage the reader by making the content
relevant and interesting.
5. Correct. Accuracy is crucial. Memos should be free from errors in grammar,
spelling, or facts.
Lesson 7: The Minutes of Meeting
Official written records of a meeting’s proceedings are called minutes.
Parts of the minutes (Henry Martyn Robert’s Rule of Order 2005)
1. Committee or organizational name
2. Kind of meeting
3. Date, location, and time of beginning and adjournment
4. Names of the chair and secretary or their substitutes
5. Names of all present members
6. Names of guests and their role in the meeting
7. Reference to approval of last meeting’s minutes
8. Motions Raised
9. Reports
10.Other special concerns from committees or individual members
11.The signature of the secretary upon the approval of the minutes
Excluded in the Minutes
1. Condemnation or honors
2. Discussion
3. Extended repeating of reports
4. Opinions or judgments
