Strong communication skills are essential for advancement in your career. Almost all jobs you to require you to communicate with other make sales, work on internal projects as a team or complete other tasks. In this post we discuss the four different types of communication skills and how to use them effectively in your professional life.
Description
- What is communication?
- Why Is Communication Important?
- What Are The Different Types Of Communication?
- Verbal communication
- Non-verbal communication
- Written communication
- Visual communication
What is communication?
Communication is the act of sharing or transform information between two or more individuals or a group of peoples. Technically, each communication process requires a sender, a recipient, a message and a medium. The transform of a message often has emotions and cultural significance in perception and understood, the receiver at the end of the communication chain may not interpret the message in the same way as intended by the original sender. This is the reason why employers look for candidates with good communication skills who can convey ideas and messages accurately and effectively.
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Why is communication is important?
Whether you are preparing a business report, answering a phone call or just nodding your head in approval, you are communication in some form. Some jobs, such as those related to sales or service, may require strong interpersonal skills as a basic eligibility Criteria. Hence, good communication skills help you discharge your duties more effectively. They also help you build better relationship at workplace and increase chances of success in your career.
What are the different type of communication?
There are four type of communication: verbal, non-verbal, written and visual. While many situations use one singular type of communication, you may find that some communications involve a blend of several different type at once. For example, sending an email involves only using written communication, but giving a presentation can involve all four types of communication.
- Verbal communication
- Non-verbal communication
- Written communication
- Visual communication
1.) Verbal communication
- Verbal communication is the most common type of communication. It involves the use of Verbal communication
- Non-verbal communication
- Written communication
- Visual communication
spoken words or sign language to share information. Verbal communication can either happen face to face or through other channels, such as mobile phone, radio and videos conferencing. Thus, if your job involves conducting business meetings, giving presentation and making phone calls, your employer would expect you have good communication skills.
2.) Non-verbal communication
Non-verbal communication involves passive communication through the use of gesture, tone of voice, body language and facial expression to share your thoughts and feelings. You can even communicate non-verbally by the way you dress. Nonverbal communication often supports or adds to verbal communication. For example, the tone of your voice and your posture can reveal your mood or emotions to those around you.
3.) Written communication
Written communication includes communicating through writing, typing or printing. It is done through channels such as letters, text messages, emails, social media and books. Businesses may prefer written communication because it has fewer chances of distribution. For example, communicating a business plan in writing ensures that everyone gets the same message and can refer to it any time in the future.
4.) Visual communication
Visual communication uses photographs, graphs, charts, maps and logos to Share information. It is mostly used in combination with verbal or written communication in order to simplify the information. For example, using slides and flow charts during a presentation makes it easier for the audience to grasp complex data.
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Tips for effective communication
- Verbal communication
- Non-verbal communication
- Written communication
- Visual communication
- Common tips for all types of communication
Misunderstanding can occur in any type of communication. An effective communication seeks to minimize the chances of misunderstanding and the message in an impactful manner. Here are some actionable tips to help you communicate effectively.
Verbal Communication Tips
Use the following tips to enhance verbal communication
Speak confidently in a strong voice: Be loud and clear when you are speaking to a group of people so that everyone can here you properly. Your voice should exude confidence in the ideas you are trying to share. Support your oral communication with positive body language.
Be clear and concise: Choose your words according to the level of your audience. For example, you should convert technical jargon while speaking to a non-technical audience. If required, replace filler words like “um” and “ok” with a pause to take a breath, so that these words do not distract your audience.
Non-verbal Communication Tips
Here are some actional tips to help Make your non-verbal communication more effective:
Feel your emotions: Try to observe how different emotion have a physical impact on your body. For example, you may find that whether you feel confused, you begin picking at your fingernails without knowing it. Once you are aware of how your body reacts to your emotions, you can then take steps to modify the reaction or your behaviour.
Be conscious of your body language: Make deliberate efforts to correct negative posture and expression each time you are aware of them. For Example you may feel tired after a hectic day and tend to have hunched shoulders during the end-of-the-day meeting with your team. Try to straighten your posture as soon as you become aware of this. Over time, you may again mastery over the way your body communicate and feelings.
Learn from other’s body language: you come across certain gesture and expression that are working well for someone else, try to mimic them for yourself. For instance of answering it back, you may start using this technique for yourself in a similar setting.
Written Communication Tips
The following tips will enhance the effectiveness of your written communication
Keep it short and simple: This practice will avoid confusion and save time. Be clear in writing down your message. Keep things simple in order avoid a misunderstanding. Only include details that are necessary for the recipient to know. For example, you may include more details in a technical guide then you would marketing materials.
Be aware of potential misinterpretation: In verbal and non-verbal communication, you have several Communication, you have several other element, such as your tone, expression and body language to help the recipient understand what you are trying to convey. However, in written communication, your recipient doesn’t have access to your tone, so they may interpret your emotions in different ways. For example, the reader may not be able to tell the difference between a jock or a serious statement.
Proofread your writing: make sure you proofread your letters, emails and other written communication before sending them. You may also ask someone else to review your writing for you. This will help correct mistake and refine your communication.
Collect sample of good writing: Whether you find an email, pamphlet or document that’s well written, save it in a file. You can refer to it when you need to prepare a similar piece of communication in the future.
Visual Communication Tips
Here are some tips for effective visual communication:
Get feedback on the visuals you plan to include: Sometimes, the visuals you plan to add to communication may cause confusion instead of simplifying the concept. Getting another perspective is a good way to decide whether your visual is effective or not.
Keep your audience in mind: Only include visual that your audience can understand. If required, try explaining the visuals to them in as simple terms as possible.
Common Tips For All Types Of Communication
The following tips will help enhance all four types of communication:
Minimize the potential of misunderstanding: Identify the barriers in each stage of communication and try to remove them to the best extent possible. For instance, if your audience speaks a different language, consider seeking a translator.
Understand your audience: When you understand the demographic of your audience, you are able to share a message according to their level of understanding and knowledge.
Seek feedback from the recipient: Feedback helps you identify if your listener received your message correctly. You can then take corrective measures and fine-tune your future communication process accordingly to avoid misunderstanding and confusion.
Choose the right channel of communication: There are many different type of communication channels available today including phone calls, social media, TV, online broadcast and message etc. Each channel has its own strengths and weakness. Hence it is important to decide which channel would be most appropriate.
DISCLAIMER: This information on this site is provided as courtesy and for information purpose only. We are not a career or legal advisor and does not guarantee job interviews or offers.