No matter what form of communication we use, it influences they way we think about each other and react to certain situations or people in a certain way. There is no single form of communication and it is not possible for everyone to communicate in a similar manner. It depends on your personal traits and well being that how you come across or how you interprets other people’s ideas. Edwards describes in his writings that “Human communication is the process through which individuals in relationships, groups, organizations and societies create and use information to relate with others” (p.18). This is so true because without a certain level of interaction the whole world would fall apart because no one would be able to understand what others have to say or what others think about a certain situation.
As a human being different forms of communication impacts us on every level of our lives whether it is social, personal, intellectual or occupational. The way an individual communicates with others forms the basis of the type of relationship he establishes with other members of the society. For instance, an introvert person who feels comfortable to express all his emotions in front of his intimate partner might not respond perfectly well within a group discussion. He may struggle to express his feelings or emotions in front of others who he doesn’t feel comfortable with. Therefore, it depends on the human nature how he interacts with different people at different levels.
It is a fact that communication can take up any form it is not restricted to only one type. It can be done orally, in a written manner, professionally or in a casual way. It reflects an individual’s or group’s true picture and helps in assessing thought process, reactions and feelings of other persons. Communication helps two or more individuals to share common ideas and join activities that interest one another. It can be said that one can clearly observe the personality of another person by noting the way he communicates with others. It is wrong to say that communication doesn’t affects the way individuals interact with each other because without this element you will not be able to identify what is the thought process of the other person. It forms the base of every single relationship that an individual holds throughout his professional and personal life.
An individual’s communication style reflects the way he interacts with others whether within his intimate relations, family, friends or acquaintances. The way a person organizes information using his knowledge and thought process reflects the way he communicates. It is quite interesting to acknowledge that an individual’s ability to interact with others establishes the core of his relationships on all levels. Those who do not possess good communication skills remain unable to build strong relationships whether they are on professional, personal or intimate level. Many people might not agree with this but it is true because without any form of interaction you cannot link to anyone.
As Ruben and Stewart describe that, “As individuals, communication is our link to the world our means of making impressions, expressing ourselves, influencing others and giving ourselves” (p.15). This statement can be justified perfectly because you would not be able to express yourself in front of others if you are ignorant about how to communicate with them. Moreover, you are able to share your ideas and respond to others ideas in an effective manner. It is also a mean of gathering information from different sources. Communication does affect us in both positive as well as negative manner. Positivity can be seen when we are able to gain knowledge, information and at the same time we build strong relation with the other individual or group of individuals. On the other hand, negative aspect is seen when you don’t gain anything out of the whole exercise.
There is no single way to communicate with each other it can be by talking, in writing, face to face or many other forms. In certain situations people are forced to interact with each other and forced interaction may not lead to positive outcomes. But most of the times we talk or interact with each other to express our ideas, thoughts or feelings. We talk to build relationships, get acquainted, share specific information and express our emotions to others. We want others to understand our views and ideologies but at the same time it is an essential part of perfect communication to be a good speaker and a listener at the same time because if we want to share our feelings and emotions, then others would want to do the same. We should be able to identify others feelings, emotions and ideas through the way they express.
It is very important to be able to express what you want to express in a proper way because if you are not familiar with principles of communication it is most likely that others would misinterpret your ideas and thoughts very easily. For instance, if you are interacting through written communication method then you should know exactly what words to use to describe your feelings, if you are interacting in person you should know how to build proper eye contact and respond to what other person has to say. Similarly, if you have to communicate within a group then you should be able to use your body language accordingly and able to express yourself in front of large number of audience.
As described in Groups Work Bulletin “Communicating effectively helps group members build trust and respect, foster learning and accomplish goals. Written, oral and body language are important tools for sharing ideas, feelings and commitment, and yet perhaps see things from a variety of perspectives”(p.1). Although, this statement is linked to communication at group levels but same can be implemented to personal or intimate levels. If an individual is unable to understand what other has to say he might not treat others respectfully.
Effective communication does lead to effective change because you are able to acknowledge ideas, thoughts and feelings of one another. The way you or the other person says it describes it all if you are unable to defend your ideas precisely it is most likely that the other person would remain unable to understand your though process. You need to be precise with your choice of communication, the words you use to describe your feelings and you are required to portray a certain level of clarity. At the same time pull together what the other person has to say, understand clearly and give your opinion just to let the other person know what you have interpreted.
There are certain blocks which you need to be aware of while communicating with others because you don’t want to demoralize, ignore or pass judgments to others way of thinking. It is very important to respect what others think or say no matter how badly you disagree with their thought process. As described in The Group Works Bulletin “Set aside the judgment so that you can listen” (p.3). This statement can be justified from the fact that if we become judgmental with regards to what others think or say then it will get difficult to understand and listen what they have to say.
In the end, it can be said that it does affects us in lots of different ways depending upon what tools of communication you are familiar with and what mode you have adapted to express yourself. You should be aware of your weak and strong points so that you know how to interact with others effectively. Communication impacts the way we treat others on personal, professional and social grounds. Those who are not familiar with the associated tools remain unable to treat others in a respective manner. Whereas effective form of communication helps us to understand and respect others ideas, though process, emotions and feelings. It forms a way of building strong relationships among individuals or group of individuals. Moreover, it also enables us to deal with each others negative aspects, like; anger or negative attitude.
References
Group Works. “Effective Communication.” Maine.edu. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Web. 12 April 2012. <http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/pdfpubs/6103.pdf>
Edwards, D. “Introduction to Communication Theory.” Mycoursepack.com. 2007. Web. 12 Arpil 2012.
Ruben, B.D,. & Stewart, L.P. “Communication and Human Behavior.” Pearson Education Inc. 2006.
