Effective Communication Assignment: Challenges At Workplace
Question
Task: Write a report on effective communication assignment analysing the different aspects of effective communication while examining the Gibbs reflective model.
Answer
Introduction
As per the investigation on effective communication assignment, in the working environment several messages are created for communicating with the employees and stakeholders. Effective communication is essential in the workplace. It helps in reducing miscommunications amongst the employees and stakeholders while also builds a healthy working environment (Mercer-Mapstone and Kuchel, 2017 P200). It is essential for understanding the communication process and the impacts of effective communications in organizations. It will help in reducing the challenges and barriers in the communication process. Additionally, communication skills are essential for the professionals for effectively communicating in different events and occasions at the workplace. This report on effective communication assignment will analyse different aspects of effective communication while also examining the Gibbs reflective model.
Analyzing Effective Communication
Impacts of Effective communications on organizations: As mentioned above within this effective communication assignment, professionals require effective communication skills for interacting with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders. Thus, effective communication helps in establishing clear expectations from the employees. Thus, by communicating about the goals, and company performance, the employees are indicated about expectations and their key performing areas (Alshawabkeh et al, 2018 p 73). In another way, healthy and frequent communication with employees helps in establishing a healthy working environment. It can be said in this effective communication assignment that effective communication helps in building trust and loyalty amongst the workforce. However, relationships with clients are maintained through brand communication and after-sales services.
Effective communication open channels through the employees can share their ideas and innovations. This helps the company in undertaking strategies that might build the competitive advantage of the firm. Opportunities for innovation and improvement can be obtained by opening efficient communication channels amongst the employee and customers as well (Cruell, 2012 P73).
The customers often interact with the ground employees thus, the workers have in-depth knowledge about the customer needs and requirements. Therefore, the management needs to communicate and educate the workforce about organizational goals and culture. Information sharing should two-way process between the management and workforce. Effective communication helps in reducing barriers that might impact the sustainability and existence of the companies.
Communication process
The communication process involves seven elements that include sender, message, encoding, channels, receiver, decoding, and feedback (Barbosa IA, KCCD Silva, VA Silva, MJP Silva, 2016 P723).
Sender- The communication process starts with the sender who designs and creates a message. The message can in the form of pictures, symbols, graphs, sketches, and texts.
Message- It is the essential part as it is referred to as the information that the sender wishes to send. It may be verbal (written or orally spoken) or non- verbal (pictures and graphs) (Geldard, 2017 P238).
Encoding- It is stated in the effective communication assignment that this refers to the chosen medium through which the message is sent to the receiver. It may be verbal or nonverbal depending on the occasions, events, time, and other factors (Ezeolisah, 2019, Chap 3).
Channel- This refers to the channel like radio, telephones, notice boards, and other modes through which the message is transmitted to the receiver (Ezeolisah, 2019, Chap 3).
Receiver- The target of the message by the sender. The receiver may be the reader, listener, or a spectator. The receiver should have active communication to accept the message by the sender (Geldard, 2017 P238).
Decoding- This refers to the interpretation of the message and understanding its content.
Feedback-This completes the communication process as the receiver asks queries or provides feedback which ensures that the message has been correctly sent, encoded, and comprehended (Barbosa IA, KCCD Silva, VA Silva, MJP Silva, 2016 P723).
Challenges/ Barriers of Communication
There are several challenges and barriers illustrated in the effective communication assignment to effective communication. The sender of the message should be aware of the audiences they will be targeting. This helps in reducing the lack of listening, attention, and irrelevant information in the communication process. Moreover, in a long meeting the employees or the listeners lack attention and active learning skills due to the length and content of the message (Lloyd, 2018 P 3). Thus, the message should design in a way that suits the language, mindset while also engages the audiences.
In a scenario of physical barriers depicted in the effective communication assignment, the effectiveness of the information is lost due to the absence of nonverbal communication like body language, postures, and gestures. Therefore, information shared through telecommunications lack face to face interaction, and hence the effectiveness of the message is reduced (Shitu, 2018 P2). There are other challenges like cultural and language differences that impact effective communication. The receiver might have issues in understanding the ascent or the language of the message. Additionally, messages may be presumed according to cultural beliefs and mindsets. In the written or pictorial message, the information may be misinterpreted according to differences in viewpoints (A. Mohanty and S. Mohanty, 2018 P5). By considering the information developed in the effective communication assignment, it can be said knowledge of the targeted audience is of utmost importance for designing the message according to the receiver’s comfort.
Effective communication skills
Active listening - Active listening is essential as it impacts the effectiveness of communications. Lack of listening skills may lead to miscommunication that further leads to incurring loss by the firms (Angelo, 2014 Chap 3).
Non- verbal communication- Visuals or face-to-face communications are highly impactful. The receiver connects the message with body language, gestures, expression, facial movements, and others (Thompson, 2018 chap 2).
Clearing queries- the receiver should clarify doubts, questions about the shared information. This helps in providing feedback and reducing miscommunications (Thompson, 2018 chap 2).
Summarising- At the end of every message there should summary so that receivers remember the key points of the message. It helps in longer retention of the message in the receiver’s mind (Angelo, 2014 Chap 3).
Empathetic- The speaker or sender needs to understand receivers’ comfort of language, mindset, time availability. This helps in passing information effectively to receivers.
Being clear and Concise -The message should be clear and concise so that it quickly grasped by the listener. If the message is too long, the summary should be given for passing the information effectively (Angelo, 2014, Chap 3).
Gibbs Model of Reflection
Description – This refers to the occurrence of activity or event in a detailed manner (Grant, McKimm and Murphy, 2017 P7). We had to submit a presentation on business communication aspects. Thus, while preparing the presentation, I learned about the challenges, processes, and impacts of effective communications. I would like to mention in this effective communication assignment that while presenting the PPT in the classroom my communication hesitations were also reduced. During the presentation, my teachers, my classmates were present and helped me to deliver my presentations.
Feelings- It refers to feelings that trigger during the event or any scenario (Grant, McKimm and Murphy, 2017 P7). At first, I was very nervous while presenting the PPT. In the initial explanations about my work, I staggered due to confidence. My teachers helped me in gaining my confidence due to which I delivered the rest of my slides with utmost patience and clarity.
Evaluation- It is an analysis of good and bad experiences during the conduct of the event (Grant, McKimm and Murphy, 2017 P7). As mentioned in the initial sages my message was not clear and I was unable to deliver the PPT due to my nervousness. After speaking for 3-4 minutes, I gained confidence and was also awarded for the best presentation in the class.
Analysis- This analysis presented in the effective communication assignment refers to the learnings from events that will help in the future. While presenting communication PPT, I learned that effective communication should be clear and concise. Due to my nervousness intimal slides could not be explained with clarity. I will try to more confident in future communication amongst a large audience.
Conclusion- This refers to analyzing and concluding with experience for future references (Grant, McKimm and Murphy, 2017 P7). I attend my classes regularly but the same classroom made me uncomfortable while delivering my speech. I was nervous looking at my classmates and teachers. However, I learned that confidence is essential for addressing the audience. It should be kept in mind that message has to reach the receiver while clarity.
ActionPlan- This refers to the actions that can be taken for reducing the negative experiences (Grant, McKimm and Murphy, 2017 P7). Thus, I have decided that for gaining confidence, I will participate more in public speaking and presenting PPT. Thus, any activity organized in the college during my semesters will be attended by me for improving my communication skills.
Conclusion
Effective communication is widely used by commercial units, teachers, and any other institutions. It can be said in the effective communication assignment that communication forms the basis of interaction and sharing of information between two or more people. Thus, it is essential for learning about the impacts, challenges, and processes of effective communication. This report on effective communication assignment has analysed all aspects of effective communications. Furthermore, Gibbs model of reflection is used to examine my reflection during the presentation of business communication in the classroom. The model has five aspects like description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action plan through negative and positive experiences that can be examined. It can be concluded that this report has helped me in gaining in-depth knowledge about effective communication.
Reference List
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