Effective Team Working and Communication: A Report

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Effective Team Working and Communication
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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................3
2.0 Types of Communication..........................................................................................................4
2.1 Verbal Communication..............................................................................................................5
2.2 Non-Verbal Communication.....................................................................................................6
3.0 Theories of Communication......................................................................................................7
3.1 Shannon-Weaver Model of Communication.............................................................................8
3.2 Berlo’s Model of Communication.............................................................................................9
3.3 Schramm’s Model of Communication.....................................................................................10
4.0 Conclusion...............................................................................................................................11
Reference list.................................................................................................................................12
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1.0 Introduction
When all associates collaborating with each other, each doing their own part but at the same time
coordinating with each other is called teamwork. A team cannot perform well without
cooperating with each other. Teamwork is important for a business to be successfully running. In
order to have a long and good professional life, one who should be working efficiently in a team.
In today’s world business requires new ideas. Teamwork helps employees exchange ideas with
each other which improves the efficiency of the organisation. The act of conveying information
for the purpose of creating a shared understanding is called communication (Galegher et al.,
2014). Communication is a key process in the workplace. A company cannot function without
communicating with each other.
No departments in a company work individually and all of them need to communicate with each
other to achieve a specific goal or task. Gordan Ramsay Holdings is a partnership business
between Gordan Ramsay and his father-in-law Chris Hutcheson. It was founded by Gordan
Ramsay in 2006 in London. A lot of restaurants are owned worldwide by Gordan Ramsay
Holdings. Communication at a restaurant is very important (Habermas, 2015). The waiter should
have good communication skills to successfully communicate with the customers.
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2.0 Types of Communication
Verbal Communication- This form of communication is done by the exchange of words
between two or more individuals. Proper use of words should be used by the sender for the
receiver in order to make the process complete. Verbal communication is incomplete without
feedback from the receiver. Oral communication is a form of verbal communication. A message
should have a meaning for the receiver to understand and to communicate back. Spoken
language is basically referred as verbal communication. The sender and the receiver should
speak the same language in order to communicate verbally with each other. Verbal
communication is also the most commonly used form of communication.
Non-Verbal Communication- Any form of communication which does not involve spoken
words is called non-verbal communication. It takes place through emails, text messages, fax,
reports, and pamphlets. It involves the use of eye contact, gestures, touching, and posture.
Negative body language by an individual creates a negative form communication. Folded arms,
clenched fists, rolling eyes, finger-pointing are the other forms of negative body language. Non-
verbal communication is used by infants to adults.
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2.1 Verbal Communication
Spoken words through mouths between a sender and receiver is called verbal communication.
Verbal communication usually happens face-to-face. Verbal communication can also take place
through a phone call or video calls. An individual should have good command over the language
in order to have good verbal communication. Making noise or screaming is not considered to be
a verbal form of communication. Words of appreciation from the management boost the level of
confidence of the employees. Hearing appreciating words from the manager seems more genuine
than impersonal emails and, therefore increases the productivity of the organisation (Lemonnier,
2016). Having regular group meetings with the employees, where verbal communication plays
an important role, is very important to generate teamwork and motivate the employees.
In order to sustain a successful business the higher officials should communicate effectively with
the employees and the employees in return should communicate with the management. In the
workplace, business meetings are the most common way of verbal communication. For a
Sommelier, communicating verbally becomes very important, as it is the one who tastes the wine
in fine dining restaurants and communicates to the staff verbally about the quality of it. If the
communication between the Sommelier and the hotel management fails then that would lead to
bad quality of wine being served in the restaurant. Gordan Ramsay Holdings has a huge number
of employees and should have effective communication strategies in order to function properly.
The waiters in the restaurant should communicate well with the Sommelier about the kind of
wine to be served to the customers. The communication gap between the two can lead to a
compromise on the quality of the wine or the food items.
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2.2 Non-Verbal Communication
It is also said that actions speak louder than words. It is often used while having verbal
communication. Body language, facial expressions are also considered to be non-verbal
communication. The two main aspects of it are as follows:-
 Posture- The way to sit or stand while having a conversation becomes very important.
The body and the face should be facing the person during a conversation or it would
create a negative impact on the receiver about the sender. If the sender is leaning towards
the receiver it is communicating with then it depicts that the sender is highly interested.
 Gestures- Opening your palm and nodding your head are simple gestures that add a
positive impact to a conversation. Moving the hand while having verbal communication
can explain the emotions of the sender more prominently (Phutela, 2015). Having eye
contact between the two persons is very much essential for proper communication.
Non-verbal communication at a workplace is also important as verbal communication. It is not
always possible for a Sommelier to communicate with the restaurant’s management verbally
about any issues regarding the quality of the wine or any problem related to the restaurant. It can
use emails, reports, fax, and memos to communicate with the management. The waiters serving
at the Gordan Ramsay Holdings Restaurant should have good body language. The customers are
attracted by nice and positive gestures and expressions (Cooke, 2016). A smile while serving the
waiters can prove to be very effective both for the waiter and the restaurant.
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3.0 Theories of Communication
Shannon-Weaver Model of Communication- It is one of the most important models of
communication. It is basically a mathematical theory of communication developed by Shannon-
Weaver who was a US mathematician. This model is referred to as information theory in
engineering.
Berlo’s Model of Communication- This theory of communication has six stages which are the
communication source, decoding the message, message, method of delivery of the message,
decoding and receiving.
Schramm’s Model of Communication- This model of communication is composed of suitable
symbols and signs, which is the encoder, to be communicated to the receiver who will give
feedback to the sender.
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3.1 Shannon-Weaver Model of Communication
This model of communication shows the process of communication between the source and the
destination. Shanon wanted to transmit signal from source to destination through a transmitter
and receiver with a minimum amount of interference (Rogers and Valente, 2017). This model of
communication has 7 elements which are as follows:-
 The source of the information chooses a particular message which can be of any form.
 The Encoder changes the messages into a signal.
 The Message is the main part that is sent and received which defines the communication.
 The medium is also called the channel which reaches through the transmitter.
 The Decoder changes the signal back into the message.
 The place is the destination where the message is transmitted.
 The error is the unwanted noise that is added to the message.
Figure 1: Shannon-Weaver Model of Communication
(Source: Gillespie and Schiffman, 2018)
This model of communication takes place in the everyday life of the people. This model can be
applied in the restaurants of the Gordan Ramsay Holdings. The source of information which is
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transmitted from the customers is the order given to the Sommelier. The Sommelier who is the
receiver decodes the message of the customer and reaches the destination. The receiver acts
according to the message of the sender. When a customer orders a food it reaches the Sommelier
through a series of noise sources. The noise source can be in the form of ambiance sound or
music playing in the background. The message gets interrupted due to this kind of noise source.
When the message finally reaches the receiver after decoding, it gives feedback to the customer
(Watson and Hill, 2015). In a situation where the food is ordered and consumed by the
customers, the waiter comes with a bill and this case the source of the message and the
transmitter is the waiter and the message reaches the customer who is decoder and the receiver.

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3.2 Berlo’s Model of Communication
This model is also known as the SMCR model which stands for Source, Message, Channel, and
receiver. The creator of the message is called the source. The message is transmitted in the form
of symbolic code. The medium which brings the message to the receiver is called the Channel.
And it finally reaches its target which is the receiver. Element, content, structure, treatment,
content, and code defines the expansion of the message. The main advantage of this model of
communication is that it can reach public, mass communication, written communication, and
interpersonal. Thinking that communication is a static phenomenon is the weakness of this model
of communication (Greenberg and Salwen, 2014). This model does not have any feedback and
non-verbal communication is not considered.
Figure 2: Berlo’s Model of Communication
(Source: Watson and Hill, 2015)
In a restaurant of Gordan Ramsay Holdings, this model of communication can also be applied.
The same situation can be used to describe the application of Berlo’s Model of Communication
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in the restaurant. When a customer places an order in a restaurant, who is the source, should have
good communication skills in order to communicate its message to the Sommelier. The attitude,
knowledge, social system and the culture of the source are very important. The message encoded
by the customer to the waiter should have proper content and elements. The message can be
conducted verbally or non-verbally. When the waiter brings the food for the customer, it tastes
the food and gives feedback to the waiter. This model can also be used to define the
communication between the employees and the management of the restaurant. In case of a
meeting, the management becomes the source initially and the employees become the receiver.
The channel can be in the form of touch or see (McQuail and Windahl 2015). When the
employees give feedback to the management in a meeting, it becomes the source of the message
and the management becomes the receiver.
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3.3 Schramm’s Model of Communication
This model of communication is a cycle of communication having all the basic principles of
communication. This model has a definitive approach to and explanation of communication. The
exchange of information, attitudes, and ideas is determined by this model’s communication. This
cyclical model believes that communication is a two-way street. In order to complete
communication, there should be at least two recipients. The message is the other element, which
contains in a process of communication (Bonnema, 2014). When the sender and the receiver are
the same then it is called intra-personal communication.
Figure 3: Schramm’s Model of Communication
(Source: Finne and Grönroos, 2017)
In this model the recipients play an important role throughout the communication process. In a
workplace like a restaurant of Gordan Ramsay Holdings the recipients who are mostly the
Sommelier or the waiters need not only to absorb the message by the customers but also receive
the message and respond to it. The reply from the waiter to the customer after receiving the
message is the feedback. The feedback can be verbal or non-verbal like an appreciating word or
a smile which becomes a non-verbal communication. Good feedback by the waiter or vice-versa
can improve the efficiency of the sender. When food is served and consumed the waiter comes
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