Formal vs Informal Communication - How They Differ
by Diane M. Hoffmann, ph.d./th.
Hoffmann-Rondeau Communications
A lot of people are looking for information on formal vs informal communication. They are particularly looking for the difference between the two.
Both informal communication and formal communication take place in any organization whether it be business or personal. But how does informal and formal communication differ? First, let's take a look at informal communication.
Informal communication:
Informal communication is casual and spontaneous. Informal communication comes from communication activities outside of those formally learned through discipline or at school through education, or in business through related experiences and formal training.
It comes from the social communication of home family culture, casual conversations and grapevines, rumors, inter-relational activities outside of the formal or public arenas.
We do not behave the same way at work as we do at home or at play. I always say that people are at their best at work. We really don't know someone until we've stayed with them outside of work for a few days -- or even a few hours with some people.
Informal communication may not be as reliant as formal communication. Informal communication may be vulnerable to being deceptive and imprecise in its casualness - -consciously or unconsciously.
In an informal setting, the quality of communication may be affected by the more relaxed or careless attitude or behaviour. Informal communication is what takes place without the formal addition of conventions and ceremonies.
In order to understand the difference between formal and informal communication, we need to look at both and compare some of the variances between the two. So let's now take a look at formal communication.
Formal communication:
Formal communication is more thought-out and prepared from learned experiences or organized training that present rules and conventions authoritated by business and formal etiquette.
With formal communication, more accountability is expected. In an organizational setting, such as business, corporations or associations and the like, communication is connected with official status-quo or protocols of the formal channels of structure and company culture which the line of manager/subordinate reporting system is expectedly accepted.
In business, the different forms of formal communication including departmental functionality, activities taking place within meeting and conference settings, verbal and written communication through telephone, memos, letters and bulletins, etc., all add up to the formality.
In a formal setting, people take the time to recognize the consequences of transmitting any wrong or incomplete information.
However, both formal and informal communication is found in an organization, depending on the level of business experience and training one possesses in his or her personal life. An organization can make efficient use of informal communication by confirming and affirming that which is being communicated by the less trained individual.
Both informal communication and formal communication can be expressed verbally or non-verbally by words, tone of voice, signs such as glances and gestures and even silence. For the purpose of effective communication, one needs to identify and affirm anything that may be communicated formally or informally, if and when unsure of the true meaning behind the communicator./dmh
Diane M. Hoffmann is the founder of Hoffmann-Rondeau Communications and the web site http://communicationverbalnonverbal.blogspot.com which is the home of her e-books "Improve Communication: Verbal and Nonverbal" and "Improve Communication: Organization and Training" as well as her 296-page printed book "Contextual Communication, Organization and Training". You may reprint this article making sure to include this bio with no changes.
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Showing posts with label informal communication. Show all posts
Showing posts with label informal communication. Show all posts
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Informal Communication – How It Differs From Formal Communication
by Diane M. Hoffmann, ph.d./th.
Both informal communication and formal communication take place in any organization whether it be business or our personal family lives. But we need to recognize the difference.
Informal communication is casual and spontaneous, whereas formal communication is more thought-out and prepared from learned experiences or organized training that present rules and conventions authoritated by business and formal etiquette.
Informal communication comes from communication activities outside of those formally learned at home through discipline, or at school through education, or in business through our own personal experiences and formal training.
It falls under the social communication of grapevines and rumours, casual conversations and inter-relational activities outside of the formal or public arenas.
We do not behave the same way at work as we do at home or at play. I always say that people are at their best at work. We really don’t know someone until we’ve stayed with them outside of work for a few days—or a few hours even, with some people.
Informal communication may not be as reliant as formal communication where more accountability is expected. In an organizational setting, such as business, or association and the like, communication is connected with official status-quo or protocols of the formal channels of structure and culture which the line of manager/subordinate reporting system is expectedly accepted.
In order to understand informal communication, we need to understand formal communication and then realize that informal communication is what takes place without the formal addition of convention and ceremonies.
In business the different forms of formal communication include departmental functionality, activities taking place within meeting and conference settings, verbal and written communication through telephone, memos and bulletins, etc.
It is safe to also recognize that informal communication may be vulnerable to being deceptive and imprecise in its casualness – conscious or unconscious. In a formal setting, people take the time to recognize the consequences of transmitting any wrong or incomplete information. But in an informal setting, the quality of communication may be affected by the more relaxed or careless attitude or behaviour.
However, both formal and informal communication is found in an organization, depending on the level of business experience and training one possesses in his or her personal life. An organization can make efficient use of informal communication by confirming and affirming that which is being communicated by the untrained or less trained individual.
Informal communication, like formal communication can be expressed verbally or non-verbally by words, tone of voice, signs such as glances and gestures and even silence. For the purpose of effective communication, one needs to identify and affirm anything that may be communicated, if unsure of the true meaning behind the communicator./dmh
Article Copyright(c)Diane M. Hoffmann. You may print this article making sure to include the following bio without any changes.
Diane M. Hoffmann is the founder of Hoffmann-Rondeau Communications and author of the 296-page printed book "Contextual Communication, Organization and Training". Diane also provides a 2-part e-book version of her printed book, "Improve Communication, Verbal and Nonverbal" and "Improve Communication, Organization and Training" as well as many free articles which can be seen at her blog at http://contextual-communication-hrd.blogspot.com/.
***Sign up for my weekly "TipSheet" on Communication Verbal-Nonverbal, Organization and Training...***
Both informal communication and formal communication take place in any organization whether it be business or our personal family lives. But we need to recognize the difference.
Informal communication is casual and spontaneous, whereas formal communication is more thought-out and prepared from learned experiences or organized training that present rules and conventions authoritated by business and formal etiquette.
Informal communication comes from communication activities outside of those formally learned at home through discipline, or at school through education, or in business through our own personal experiences and formal training.
It falls under the social communication of grapevines and rumours, casual conversations and inter-relational activities outside of the formal or public arenas.
We do not behave the same way at work as we do at home or at play. I always say that people are at their best at work. We really don’t know someone until we’ve stayed with them outside of work for a few days—or a few hours even, with some people.
Informal communication may not be as reliant as formal communication where more accountability is expected. In an organizational setting, such as business, or association and the like, communication is connected with official status-quo or protocols of the formal channels of structure and culture which the line of manager/subordinate reporting system is expectedly accepted.
In order to understand informal communication, we need to understand formal communication and then realize that informal communication is what takes place without the formal addition of convention and ceremonies.
In business the different forms of formal communication include departmental functionality, activities taking place within meeting and conference settings, verbal and written communication through telephone, memos and bulletins, etc.
It is safe to also recognize that informal communication may be vulnerable to being deceptive and imprecise in its casualness – conscious or unconscious. In a formal setting, people take the time to recognize the consequences of transmitting any wrong or incomplete information. But in an informal setting, the quality of communication may be affected by the more relaxed or careless attitude or behaviour.
However, both formal and informal communication is found in an organization, depending on the level of business experience and training one possesses in his or her personal life. An organization can make efficient use of informal communication by confirming and affirming that which is being communicated by the untrained or less trained individual.
Informal communication, like formal communication can be expressed verbally or non-verbally by words, tone of voice, signs such as glances and gestures and even silence. For the purpose of effective communication, one needs to identify and affirm anything that may be communicated, if unsure of the true meaning behind the communicator./dmh
Article Copyright(c)Diane M. Hoffmann. You may print this article making sure to include the following bio without any changes.
Diane M. Hoffmann is the founder of Hoffmann-Rondeau Communications and author of the 296-page printed book "Contextual Communication, Organization and Training". Diane also provides a 2-part e-book version of her printed book, "Improve Communication, Verbal and Nonverbal" and "Improve Communication, Organization and Training" as well as many free articles which can be seen at her blog at http://contextual-communication-hrd.blogspot.com/.
***Sign up for my weekly "TipSheet" on Communication Verbal-Nonverbal, Organization and Training...***
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