Communication is simply defined as the act of exchanging information via mediums such as speaking, signaling, or writing. Effective communication makes use of verbal and nonverbal techniques and aids in the transfer of ideas, thoughts, and feelings between people. The word “communication” is derived from the Latin word “communicare,” which means to impart or to transmit. Given our nature as social beings, communication is one of the most critical aspects of our lives.
What are the different types of communication?
Depending on the medium or format used, communication may be of four types:
Verbal communication
Verbal communication occurs when we speak face-to-face with others. This can occur in person, over the phone, or via video calls. Verbal communication has three important components – pitch, tone, and content. Depending on the setting of the communication, these aspects tend to differ. For instance, catching up with a friend over a coffee is an example of informal communication, where one tends to use more personal language and leave room for relationship building. On the other hand, when making a presentation in front of colleagues, one may feel compelled to use more formal language and industry jargon to make their point.
Non-verbal communication
Whether intentional or unintentional, we use more than our words to communicate. Non-verbal communication encompasses one’s facial expressions, posture, proximity, gestures, physical touch, and eye contact during a conversation. For instance, angling oneself towards another person with a relaxed and open posture is considered an inviting stance, while leaning back, turning away, or sitting with arms crossed may be a sign of disinterest or displeasure.
Written communication
With most businesses and relationships moving online, written communication has become an important aspect of everyone’s daily schedules. Whether one communicates via emails or text messages, written communication is an important tool, which can breed misunderstandings if not used correctly. It has three important components – structure, clarity, and content. While aspects like structure may be ignored when sending an informal message, they are of key importance when writing an email to important stakeholders, or communicating with colleagues.
Visual communication
The popularity of social media has given rise to another form of communication, called visual communication. This involves photos, videos, charts, graphs, stickers, GIFs, emojis, and memes. Visual communication can help increase one’s understanding of complex ideas and simplify or condense paragraphs of text into one easy-to-consume photo or video.
What communication skills should one develop to be a good communicator?
Whether it is to secure a job or improve one’s interpersonal relationships, good communication is pertinent. The most important communication one should develop are:
- Active listening
Active listening means paying close attention to what the other person is saying to ensure that one understands the essence of the conversation. This means removing distractions and asking relevant questions to improve one’s understanding of the topic and communicate effectively. - Friendliness
A friendly tone helps foster trust and build a connection, professionally and personally. - Confidence
Others are more likely to respond to ideas that are presented with confidence. Common ways of appearing confident include making eye contact, sitting with one’s shoulders squared back, and mirroring one’s body language and tone of voice to match the others. - Empathy
Empathy is the ability to share another person’s emotions and feelings. It can help establish trust and nurture interpersonal relationships. - Respect
It is also important to communicate respectfully with others, whether in a personal or professional setting. The other person is more likely to be open to one’s ideas and thoughts when they feel respected and appreciated.
To improve one’s communication skills, it is important to practice listening actively and pick non-verbal cues. One can practice these interpersonal skills in their daily lives, or enroll in formal communication courses offered by various universities and MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) platforms across the country. This can help them prepare for careers and jobs in the field of communication, such as public relations experts, brand strategists, marketing coordinators, social media managers, and others.
Effective communication does not always require complex systems and equipment. However, in popular communication jobs, one may be expected to learn to use technology such as portable radios, repeaters, speaker microphones, walkie-talkies, cell phones, and laptops.
