Know Your Basics in Communication

(Part of this article was published in Toastmasters Area 52 Magazine issued in March 2009)

As Toastmasters we all strive to improve and maintain our communication and leadership skills at the highest possible level. In this article, I would like to refresh your knowledge about the communication process. Understanding the communication process, its objectives, and barriers to communication will help us to be effective communicators. This is exactly what we all are trying to achieve as Toastmasters.

What are the objectives of communication as a process? Let us review. In fact, there is only one objective in communication and that is to pass a signal or message to an individual or group of individuals that is understood and responded to the way desired by the communicator. Let us analyze the communication process further. The communication process has six stages and they are: i) Purpose, ii) Formation, iii) Transmission, iv) Reception, v) Perception, and vi) Action.

Purpose of communication can be varied. It is important for the communicator to determine the purpose of his or her communication in advance so that the communication can be tailored to suit the purpose. Some of the common purposes of communication are to: i) Inform, ii) Inspire, iii) Explain, iv) Instruct, v) Advise, vi) Persuade, vii) Sell, vii) Discuss, and viii) Question. Also, the communicator must ask and find answers to the following questions prior to proceeding with the formation of his or her message.

Who am I communicating with?
How do I want this person or these people to respond?
What do I want them to do on receiving my communication?
What do I want them to know on receiving my communication?

Knowledge of the answers to these questions will help the communicator in the formation of the communication or message.

Formation of the message involves the study of the following. First of all, the reason or the purpose of communication has to be identified. The communicator then needs to assess the capacity of the receiver(s) to receive his or her communication. This is also referred to as the communicator’s interpretation of the receiver’s “wave length”. It is also important to know at this stage the ways or modes of communications that the receiver can receive and interpret. These could be words, pictures, gestures, numbers, symbols, etc.

Transmission of the message is the next stage in the communication process. The most appropriate way to transmit the message should be selected depending on the circumstances under which the communication process takes place. Sometimes, the ideal choice may not be available due to technological, financial or other reasons. The selection of the method of transmission depends on many reasons. Some of them are: i) time, ii) distance, iii) impact the message needs to make, iv) purpose, v) circumstances, vi) means available, vii) technological, financial and social standing of the transmitter and the receiver.

Reception follows the transmission. Reception includes the actual receiving of the message, recognizing the message and its interpretation by the receiver. The message should reach the mind and senses of the receiver. Then the message should be recognized by the receiver and also the receiver should be capable of interpreting the message.

Action is the final stage of the communication process and is the ultimate objective of the whole effort. The receiver is expected to respond the way desired by the communicator. The response could be a simple and direct one or a complex one consisting of a series of actions. Success or failure of the communication process is reflected by the way the receiver responds.

Let us look at an example which identifies the stages of communication process explained above.

Consider a situation where a gunner is expected to fire a gun on hearing the word “fire” from someone nearby. Let us breakdown this scenario in to the various stages of the communication process. The following could be the different stages:

Purpose: To get the gunner to fire the gun.

Formation: The word ‘fire’

Transmission: The word ‘fire’ is shouted within the hearing of the gunner

Reception: The gunner hears the word ‘fire’

The gunner recognizes the word ‘fire’ and interprets it as the signal for ‘press firing mechanism’

Action: The gunner presses the firing mechanism (desired response)

As communicators, it is also important for us to know the ‘barriers’ to communication. The knowledge of these barriers will help the communicators minimize the deficiencies in their communication processes and make them more effective. Some of the common barriers to communication are: i) Language, ii) Vocabulary, iii) Attitude, iv) Personality and Character, v) Mood, vi) Knowledge of the subject, and vii) Communication needs.

Let me conclude this article with the following quotes from two well known American personalities:

“Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall” - Oliver Wendell Holmes (highly regarded American poet of the 19th century),

”You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can't get them across, your ideas won't get you anywhere” - Lee Iacocca (famous American industrialist who revived the Chrysler brand in 1980’s).
Communication is our bread and butter. We better know about it well.



Submitted by:

Dr. Gamini Padmaperuma
Saudi Electricity Company, Dammam
(VP-Public Relations, Energy Toastmasters Club, Dammam)
Email:gapadmaperuma@se.com.sa (Tel. 8586964)

Toastmasters' Speech Project # 5 (Your Body Speaks)

The event that transformed my life totally Do you remember any event that transformed your life totally? Dear Fellow Toastmasters and Distinguished Guests,

I completed high school and was waiting to enter University. I was having a good time as there were no exams nor were there any time tables. One evening, I was returning home from my friends… to find my parents and sisters were waiting for me. I was puzzled as it was a bit unusual. I looked at their faces but could not find any clue. Then I approached my father and asked him "Dear Father, what is going on?" After a little pause, he showed me a telegram. First I looked at them curiously and quietly opened it. After reading it, I became so thrilled; I jumped up and down. I was so happy and started embracing each one of my family members. I have won a scholarship to study Mechanical Engineering in Russia. Every one was looking at me and was sharing the joy with me. But this joy did not last long in their faces. Their faces became sad as they started thinking about my leaving them soon to go overseas. I had only a few weeks to prepare. I had to get a new passport, stitch new clothes, buy warm clothes, etc. I had to go to many offices to process various paper work. One of the major tasks was to get the passport. It was a very happy occasion to receive my first. I also had to collect the Airline ticket and the visa from the Russian Embassy. Now I am ready to fly. I was so elated… The house was full of visitors. All my classmates came home. There was a big dinner party. We all enjoyed together. They all wished me well. The departure date was fast approaching. I had to visit my grand parents, uncles, aunts and teachers. They all gave their blessings. My cousins looked at me as if they are looking at a hero and greeted me heartily. Finally, the departure date came. My father hired a bus to transport the relatives, friends and other well wishers to the airport and back. He also employed a professional photographer to cover the occasion. At the airport, I had to go to each one of them wish them good bye. The hardest was to part with the family members. I embraced my three sisters and kissed them good bye. They all were in tears. I knelt down and got permission from my parents to leave the country. This is one of saddest moments in my life. They kissed me profusely and were so sad to see their only son leave to an unknown country at such young age. I left them with tears still in my eyes and joined others who were also going to Russia. After the formalities and a long wait, we all walked to the plane. We were all asked to pose for a group photograph on the tarmac before boarding the plane. Can you recognize me in the photograph? I am the first one from the right. Then I looked for my family and friends who were eagerly waiting outside the fence. I waived at them profusely and climbed the steps that led me to the airplane. There too. I waived and entered the plane and also a complete new life. This marked the beginning of a big and eventful chapter of my life which transformed me from a schoolboy to a young professional with a mature outlook on life. Back to the Toastmaster of the Day.

Video of the speech - Part I

Video of the speech - Part II

Toastmasters International (TMI) Mission

A Mission in (Real) Action ….

(Submitted for publication in Toastmasters Division 79 Magazine to be issued in April 2009)

How many organizations or institutions do follow or do justice to their mission statements with their actual performance? We could see well written, beautifully engraved and impressive mission statements displayed in the front offices of many large organizations. How many of these mission statements are followed to the word?

On the contrary, what can you say about the mission statement of Toastmasters International (TMI)? Before answering this question, for which I know what your answer would be, let us review the TMI's mission statement once again.

The TMI mission statement is:

The mission of a Toastmasters club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every individual member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.

In order to make an assessment of how effectively this mission statement is followed and implemented, let us pick a few key phrases from the mission statement. I would pick up the following phrases from the mission statement for this purpose. i) Provide mutually supportive and positive learning environment, ii) Opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, and iii) Foster self-confidence and personal growth.

Provide mutually supportive and positive learning environment: As we all know toastmasters clubs provide a very warm environment in which everyone treats the other in a very friendly and supportive manner. There is mutual help and support in preparing for projects, assignments, etc. One can always seek help from others which is readily available. Some of the great qualities demonstrated in toastmasters meetings are that there is no unhealthy competition among the members (the speech contests are conducted in a very friendly manner and meant to determine the best speakers who have benefited for TM training), no one is embarrassed for mistakes or poor performance, there is a plenty of friendly and constructive feedback to members on their performances, excellent scaffolding and hand holding. All this is done in a very positive and encouraging atmosphere.

Opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills: The opportunities provided are enormous. In addition to the standard speech projects, there are plenty of opportunities for members to develop their communication and leadership skills. They include: roles of one-minute toastmaster, joke master, grammarian, general evaluator, speech evaluator, contest master, contest chair, leaderships in club, area, division and district managements, membership campaigns, etc. Each of the above and several other roles available through toastmasters club activities provide members with great opportunities to develop communication and leadership skills in a steady and progressive manner.

Foster self-confidence and personal growth: One of the paramount benefits derived from toastmasters activities is gaining self-confidence. Self-confidence is one of the most important attributes in any one's character which will serve as the prime moving force in their personal development. Acquisition of self-confidence is a result of the mutually supportive and positive learning environment, and opportunities for developing and practicing communication and leadership skills provided by toastmasters clubs. Self-confidence is achieved gradually through the participation of toastmasters' activities over time which will be accompanied with personal growth of members as a natural outcome.

I am sure you will now agree with me more than before that TMI's mission statement is not something written for the sake of it or for display in a beautiful plaque in a front office of an organization, it is something that is carefully written with real meaning to each word and phrase in it, standing for something real and motivating everyone to achieve.

I salute TMI's mission statement.


Dr. Gamini Padmaperuma
Past President, Energy Toastmasters Club
Saudi Electricity Company
Dammam