What are the principles of communication?

[munina]

"Management is like a two-way traffic; it is based upon an effective machinery of communication." Discuss

[bankdream]

In order to make the communication system effective, the following factors or principles must be followed:
1. Principle of clarity—The idea to be transmitted should always be in easily understandable language so that the receiver may understand the idea in the same spirit and sense, in which it is communicated. For this purpose the idea to be conveyed must be clear in the minds of communicator.
2. Principle of attention—Communication requires that the receiver of message should understand the message. It is possible only when the recipient pays attention to the message being communicated. For this, manager should arouse the interest of the receiver so that the receiver pays proper attention.
3. Principle of consistency-This principle implies that communication should always be consistent with the plan, objectives, policies and programmes of the enterprise. They should not be mutual conflicting. Inconsistent messages always create chaos and confusion in the organisation which is highly detrimental to the interest of the enterprise.
4. Principle of adequacy-This principle demands that the information being sent should be adequate and complete in all respects. Incomplete or inadequate information are more dangerous rather to give no communication. Inadequate information delays actions and destroys understanding and relations. Efficiency of both communicator and communicatee is also affected.
5. Principle of integration—The main objective of effective communication is to integrate the effort to make the organisation strengthen by achieving the common objectives of the organisation. Communication is a means to an end, not an end in itself. It should be geared towards achieving a genuine spirit of cooperativeness among the personnel towards achieving the organisational objectives.
6. Principle of timeliness—The information or ideas must be conveyed at the proper time. Any delay in this respect will serve no purpose except to make them (messages) mere historical documents as it loses its importance and effectiveness.
7. Principle of informality—Formal communication channels are very important and useful to the organisation but informal communication also plays a dominant role in spreading information. Managers should try to be informal in their behaviour with his subordinates. But in certain situations where manager is the best judge, informality should be avoided.
8. Principle of feedback—This is the most important principle of an effective communication system. The communicator must have feedback confirmation from the recipient whether the messages have been understood by the recipient in the same sense in which the sender takes it for, and also whether the recipient is agreed or disagreed to the proposal of the sender. In case of oral communications, there exist a number of opportunities to secure feedback in comparison to written communication.
9. Communication networks—Communication networks refer to the routes through which the communication flows to the destination person for whom it is intended. A number of such networks may exist in the organisation at a given point of time but management should consider the effectiveness of the communication and morale of the communicates before it should figure out such network.
10. Principle of economy—The communication system must be as economical as possible but not at the cost of the efficiency of the system. The cost of communication of any message should always be considered keeping the importance of the message in the mind. However the clarity, adequacy and timeliness should not be sacrificed to achieve the economy.