Feedback and Evaluation of Communication

Feedback of Communication

Receivers are not just passive absorbers of messages; they receive the message and respond to them. This response of a receiver to sender’s message is called Feedback. Sometimes a feedback could be a non-verbal smiles, sighs etc. Sometimes it is oral, as when you react to a colleague’s ideas with questions or comments. Feedback can also be written like - replying to an e-mail, etc.

Feedback is your audience’s response; it enables you to evaluate the effectiveness of your message. If your audience doesn’t understand what you mean, you can tell by the response and then refine the message accordingly.

Giving your audience a chance to provide feedback is crucial for maintaining an open communication climate. People must create an environment that encourages feedback. For example after explaining the job to the subordinate, he must ask them whether they have understood it or not. He should ask questions like “Do you understand?”, “Do you have any doubts?” etc. At the same time he must allow his subordinate to express their views also.

Feedback is essential in communication so as to know whether the recipient has understood the message in the same terms as intended by the sender and whether he agrees to that message or not.

There are lot of ways in which feedbacks are taken from the people, such as : surveys, memos, emails, open-door policies, newsletter etc. People are not always willing to provide feedback. The organization has to work a lot to get the accurate feedback. The authorities encourage feedback by asking specific questions, allowing people to express general views, etc. The authority should be receptive to their employee’s feedback.

A manager or the authority should ensure that a feedback should:

1. Focus on a particular behaviour - It should be specific rather than being general.
2. Impersonal - Feedback should be topic related, the authority should not criticize anyone personally.
3. Goal oriented - If we have something negative to say about the person, we should always direct it to the recipients goal.
4. Well timed - Feedback is most effective when there is a short gap between the recipients behaviour and the receipt of that feedback.
5. Use “I” statements - Manager or authoritative person should make use of statements with the words like “I”, “However” etc. For example instead of saying ”You were absent from work yesterday”, manager should say ”I was annoyed when you missed your work yesterday”.
6. Ensure understanding - For feedback to be effective, the manager should make sure that the recipients understands the feedback properly.
7. While giving negative feedback to the recipient, the manager should not mention the factors which are not in control of the recipient.

Evaluation of communication

Meaning and Definition of Communication: Communication is a process, which involves organising, selecting and transmission of symbols in such a way as to help the listener perceive and recreate in his own mind the meaning contained in the mind of the communicator. Communication involves the creation of meaning in the listener, the transfer of information and thousands of potential stimuli. Communication enables us to do important things, to grow, to learn to be aware of ourselves and to accommodate to our environment. Communication is a two way process between two parties- the sender and the receiver. It involves an exchange and progression of thoughts, ideas, knowledge and information towards a mutually accepted goal or direction.

Importance of Communication: Communication is an important aspect of management. Its importance cannot be overlooked. The main cause of misunderstanding is dearth of effective communication. In an interdependent company, the importance of communication in management cannot be overemphasized. Its importance has been widely recognized in recent years. Group activities in the case of common goals cannot be accomplished without communication. The entire organisation control, coordination and motivation cannot be discharged without communication. Reasons behind significance:

• Coordination

• Smooth Working

• Effective Decision-Making

• Managerial Efficiency

• Co-operation

• Effective Leadership

• Job Satisfaction

• Increase Productivity

• Morale Building

• Achieving Managerial Role

Nature of Communication: The nature of communication can be explained by the following characteristics of communication:

• Two-way process

• Knowledge of language

• Meeting of minds necessary

• The message must have substance

• Communication may be made through gestures as well

• Communication is all-pervasive

• Communication is a continuous process

• Communication may be formal or informal

Principles of Communication: Whether one is speaking informally to a colleague, addressing a conference or meeting, writing a newsletter article or formal report, the following basic principles should be considered:

• Be direct and concise

• Be honest and genuine

• Be present and open

• Be confident but measured

Process of Communication: The main components of communication process are as follows:

• Context

• Sender / Encoder

• Message

• Medium

• Recipient / Decoder

• Feedback