Face-to-Face Communication - Essay Example

Table of Contents Introduction 02 Face to Face Communication 03 Dynamics of Face to face Communication 03 Effective Listening 04 Benefits of Listening 05 Benefits of Face to Face Communication 07 Barriers to Effective Listening 09 Conclusion 10 References 11 Introduction In this world of technological advancements the business organisations have numerous opportunities to get in contact and communicate with each other. Digital devices like the mobile phones, iPads, etc. and services like the internet, telephone and e-mails have taken over the traditional methods of communication. Face to face communication has been used over the years by all organisations for the process of communication and listening is the most integral part of it. Although being taken over by today’s inventions it still has a strong mark in the communication process as it has its own advantages and barriers which cannot be overcome by any form of communication today. In this assignment we come across the various types of face to face communication and how listening to the speaker is the most important aspect of all. We also study the dynamics of face to face communication and how effective listening benefits the organisation along with the benefits of face to face communication. Face to Face Communication Face to face communication is a process where a communicator transfers his message to the receiver either verbally or non-verbally. All face to face communication is oral in nature but not all oral communication may be face to face, like over telephone. It is a personal mode of communication and the communication can be directly responded to the signals of the counterpart (Begley, 2004). This form of communication is the richest channel of communication applied within an organisation. Physical presence of the individual leads to better interpretation of the message that the speaker intends. On the other hand it also helps the speaker to ensure that the recipient has clearly understood and received the correct message that he has intended. This process of communication has also facilitated immediate feedback, grabbing of audio and visual clues, perform as a personal source and use of natural body language. There are various types of face to face communication like interviews, meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops, stage-acting, etc. and listening is an integral part of all (Morgan, 2004). Dynamics of Face to face Communication Some of the dynamics of an effective face to face communication are: Need for two individuals who should be physically and mentally present at the point of communication (Winger, 2005). A clear encoding must take place and the sender must use the appropriate words in the process. Being direct in process the selection of words should be very polite. The receiver is further required to properly decode the message given by the sender. There should be a partial or complete response during the process. Effective Listening Listening is a very important skill and even then people tend to spend a lot of time and energy in considering what they shall say rather than what they listen or what the other person is intending to say (Janusik, 2005). There are a few essential points for effective and active listening which are important for effective verbal communication. Always be ready to listen. Creation of a comfortable environment suited for the purpose of communication. Be concentrated in the main direction of the message by the speaker. Try to avoid distractions. Be objective. Postpone judgement until hearing everything. Should not try to think of the next question while the other person is providing any information. Should not live on one or two points at the expense of others. On should not stereotype the speaker. Effective listening is very essential and can be used to obtain information, begin a conversation, test understanding, bring someone into a conversation, show signs of interest in an individual and seek support. There are many other factors in face to face communication and listening has an important place in the same. Listening has been considered as a method to process the message in a focussed manner and further respond in a way that encourages and improves further communication. Too much of saying has often acted as a hindrance in the communication process and so the listener should always focus on listening rather than speaking. Listening is a great conversation skill and it helps in building relationship and trust within an organisation. Benefits of Listening The benefits of listening can be are multiple in natures and is required to be understood in both the employee’s and employers perspective. a. Employee’s Perspective Expands capacity and knowledge: Good listening skills of an employee make him more competent and capable, irrespective of his position. An employee can be more efficient and be able to complete his task by gathering the maximum information out of the meeting, instructions and reports provided. By listening actively, the employee can catch the right amount of information required for fulfilling his task without committing genuine mistakes. It also increases the knowledge and know how the employees and turn out to be a progressive learning process. Intensifies successful conversation: It is advantageous for an employee to become a better team player. It ample time is provided towards listening to one another, the suggestions, warnings, advice and other informational inputs, the chances of avoiding misunderstandings, building coordination and development of profitable relationship among the workers take place. It minimises the risk of inter-personal conflicts creating an environment of peace, respect and success for the organisation. Saves time and money: With the reduction of risks of misunderstanding, listening also saves time and money through the formation of a collaborative workforce. With the avoidance of the trouble and inconvenience of restarting a same project, due to misunderstanding helps in serious saving of both time and money for the organisation, rather which could be further utilised in solving other issues. b. Employer’s or Managers perspective Helps detects and solve problems quickly: A leader is always required to be attentive to what the employees have to say, either it be regarding any mechanism concern or anything related to the project of a business. The employees are the first ones to detect any flaw in the workplace and report to the manager, then it depends on the manager to distinguish between required and unnecessary information. By keeping good ears the managers are in a better position to take better decision in favour of the organisation through solving problems more efficiently. Confers respect and truth: A leader shows great respect and care towards his employees by paying proper attention to whatever they say. By doing so he also gains trust and esteem of the employees which also helps them to open up and the manager is in a better position to collect useful information regarding them and their abilities. Enhances motivation and encouragement: Listening provides a leader with the ability and power to encourage and motivate his employees. For a leader who is able to listen to his employees is better able to stimulate them in drawing the maximum potential out of them on the path of organisational success. Sometimes just listening and delivering the feedback shows the level of understanding which encourages the workers to overcome certain difficulties during their task performance. Allows better negotiations terms and resistance overcoming: When a manger assumes the role of a negotiator he often faces problems due to incomplete listening as each part tries to impose and get approval for their idea. Thus effective listening not only helps in overcoming workplace flaws but also in making a deal more solid and appropriate. So it can be easily made clear that the benefits of listening directly reflect how it adds to the success of the organisation and improves the organisational environment. Benefits of Face to Face Communication With the advancing technology taking an edge over the traditional methods face to face communication is losing its importance in the modern era of emails, Skype, videoconferencing, etc. But there are still certain reasons that cannot be left behind for the traditional methods they add up to be the benefits of face to face communication, which are discussed further (Richman, 2012). Understanding reactions to information being presented: Face to face communication relies on words as it has the ability to observe both the body language and tone of voice. This provides additional communication cues which are critical in gaining understanding of others. Building of workplace relationship and team cohesiveness: face to face interactions increase the chances for developing relationships and team cohesiveness which can be built using the complete range of communication signals. Provide information on aspects like organisational changes: Initiating the upcoming changes provides opportunities for the management to provide an explanation of the rationale for decision-making; provide relevant information and receive proper feedback from the employees. When handled effectively and timely, help in reducing misinformation. The various means of communication are helpful in providing updates and ensure that the employees receive a consistent message. Prevent and resolve conflicts: Face to face communication helps in observing others reactions, adjust behaviours and clarify their intent. So they help in resulting in positive outcomes which in a way help in preventing and resolving conflicts. Without the use of verbal and non-verbal cues, the changes of miscommunication, misinterpretation and misunderstanding become high. Review a performance appraisal with an employee: A communication with an employee on issues of performance appraisal helps the management to get into a dialogue regarding past performances and future action plans. If the communication results in the creation of mutual understanding, it shall serve as a catalyst for improving self and organisational performance for attaining organisational goals. Inform an employee of discipline: This form of communication provides a chance to assist and influence those employees who are receiving discipline as such disciplinary meetings help in reducing such emotions and defensiveness which act as a roadblock in the path of positive changes. Protection against overreliance on e-mail: Over reliance on e-mails today due to advancing technology has become a primary source of communication, resulting in reduced interaction and feeling disconnected. So with the active participation in face to face communication the reliance on e-mails can certainly tend to reduce. Exchange of confidential information: Involving in discussions helps in establishing parameters and determination of appropriate process for sharing confidential information. This cannot be possible in styles like e-mail as the same can be forwarded again and again which results in loss of confidentiality. Reach negotiated agreements: Face to face communication enables the involved parties to observe the reactions which help in collection of key factors. This is only possible in this method of communication, whereas desired results can be attained through other methods but cannot make direct negotiation possible. Taking decisions based on complex information: This form of communication helps in improving the quality of decision which is based upon complex information. Meetings help in discussion more upon those complex data and examine them better to provide a right line of action and decision making. Barriers to Effective Listening Listening clearly and precisely is the main requirement of effective listening but still good listeners are found guilty of not listening completely and evaluating before completely listening and understanding the exact message that the speaker intends to deliver. This results in misunderstanding of what is being said and a breakdown in the communication process. Here are a few reasons which serve as the reasons or barriers towards effective communication. Trying to listen to more than one conversation at a time which is the basic cause of miscommunication. Paying attention to the speaker on the merit of finding him attractive or unattractive. When an individual is uninterested the topic being discussed upon. Then the focus of the listener is not the subject and the words of the speaker, distraction is a common result. When an employee feels unwell, tired, hungry and thirsty or need for using the toilet. When a listener just identifies and does not empathise on what the speaker is intending to say. It requires understanding by putting oneself in the shoes of the speaker. When the listeners are prejudiced or bias on the grounds of race, gender, age religion, etc. Effective listening required being open-minded and not just preconceiving ideas of what the speaker is saying. The previous experiences of the listeners, regarding the speakers also play an important role in paying attention as we all are prone to be influenced by previous experiences of life. When the mind of the employee is already preoccupied by the other loads of work in hand often fail to listen to what is being said. Although there are barriers towards effective listening but it still has a great importance in organisational communication as these barriers are not often applicable in all situations. Conclusion Communication is a very important factor in the functioning of any business enterprise and nothing can be attained without proper communication. Choosing the right channel for communication is similarly an important requirement in this regard. Face to face communication has always been the backbone and still is required to be carried on for better organisational environment. A good listener is always a better performer and so listening clearly and precisely is the ultimate need in communication process and especially for face to face communication. With effective listening the overall organisation performance can be improved as discussed in the assignment. Although it has some barriers towards it but still it is the most widely used process in the form of face to face communication. References Begley, K. (2004). Face-to-Face Communication. Making Human Connections in a Technology-Driven World. Crisp Learning (1st ed) Janusik, L. (2005). Conversational listening span: A prosposed measure of conversational listening. International Journal of Listening vol. 19(12–28) Morgan, N. (2004). The Truth behind the Smile and other Myths. In: Face-to-Face Communications for Clarity and Impact. Boston: Harvard Business School Press Richman, B. (2012). Face-to-face communication can help you accomplish business objectives. Retrieved on 14-11-14 http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/how-to/human-resources/2012/08/face-to-face-communication-can-help.html?page=all Winger, A. R. (2005). Face-to-Face Communication: Is it really necessary in a digitizing world? In: Business Horizons, Issue 3, 247-253 Read More