The elements of communication are really important for successful communication process. In the absence of any one of these elements, the process of communication remains incomplete.
- Sender/Encoder
- Message
- Channel/Medium
- Receiver/Decoder
- Feedback/Response
These elements are actually the basic fundamentals for communication and no communication occurs without the presence of any of these above-mentioned elements.
Basic Elements of Communication Process
Let’s discuss these elements of communication process in detail one by one to better understand the communication and their importance for business.
See Also: What is the Process of Communication
Sender / Encoder
The sender of a message is usually its writer. The main responsibility of the sender of a message is to communicate it in such a way that it is received by the receiver in its exact sense and meaning.
Equally important is the receiver’s attitude, culture and viewpoint, which the sender must consider while sending the message.
The role of sender is very important. He acts as an ‘encoder’, and picks up such words as he thinks will correctly communicate his message to the reader.
A business letter is always response-oriented. It is, therefore, imperative that the sender should encode his message aptly, properly, clearly, correctly and completely.
Nowhere he should be vague or open to any misunderstanding or misconception.
The most important part of the role of sender is that he must have the perception and consideration for the viewpoint of the receiver.
Therefore, it is the sender who has to decide which words and what sort of expression will convey his message best, and which of the media of communication will serve the purpose gainfully.
Message
Message is the idea which the sender conveys to the receiver. No message can serve its purpose unless its composition has the following three aspects:
- Unity of thought Writing
- Consistency in expression
- Emphasis on the main point
Before the sender transmits the messages, he must be satisfied that he has included all the important contents in and the receiver will easily and clearly understand and interpret it.
To meet this end, the sender must plan the message carefully and to the point, avoiding irrelevant details.
Channel/Medium
There are two main ways to communicate messages to others, one way is to convey the message in written form i.e. in the form of a letter, telegram, report, etc.
The other way for sending a message is the use of electronic media i.e. telephone, fax, e-mails, etc.
The sender has to decide what type of channel he should use to send the message.
The choice of channel, in fact, depends on the nature and state of situation and the nature of interrelationship of sender and receiver.
The choice of Channel is also influenced by the status and position of the receive Different oral and written channels may be used for different purposes and different receivers.
For an insider, the channel of communication may be rather less formal, whereas for an outsider greater amount of formality is required.
Receiver/Decoder
The receiver of the message is its reader or listener. Since the message is meant for him, he is termed as decoder also. Sometimes a message is sent to several readers.
On receipt of the message, they decode and interpret its contents according to their experiences.
Different people have different experiences, attitudes, abilities and opinions. As a result, misinterpretations may occur.
It is, therefore, very important that the sender, while drafting his message, takes into account all these factors so as to minimize the of its being misunderstood or misinterpreted.
Feedback/Responds
Feedback is the reply that is received by the sender. It is the reaction and response given by the receive It may be favorable or otherwise.
See Also: Forms of Business Communication
Sometimes, it may demand further clarification of the message sent by the sender. If a receiver fails to decode the message correctly, the sender may receive undesired feedback.
This shows that either the message was vague, unclear, or miscommunicated, or it was misinterpreted by the reader.
In fact, feedback is the indicator of the success or failure of communication in the business world.
