Communication
Communication is a process through which information, ideas, thoughts, feelings and emotions are exchanged from one party to the other . Communication is an important part of human life that facilitates interaction and give a sense of understanding To be effective in communication, the communicating parties must be aware of the various forms of communication like the words, vocal tones, and body language, how to use them effectively, and overcome the barriers to the communications process . However, while most people are born with the physical ability to talk, not everyone can communicate well unless they make extra efforts to develop and refine their communication skills further. Sometimes people get used to each other so much to the extent that they forget the complexity of communication. Therefore, communication is important since it helps in fostering control and giving instructions to individuals or groups. It motivates people by giving more definition and meaning to unclear matters, especially in the context of an organization.
Communication has six main components namely sender, message, medium, receiver and feedback. Sender is the party that sends a message to another party. Message is the information that is exchanged between sender and receiver. Medium is the channel through which a message is send from one party to another. Receiver is the person to whom the message is being sent to. Feedback is the response a receiver gives to a sender in relation to the message send.
The communication process is a two phase process; the Transmission phase and the feedback phase. This communication process is divided into three basic components: A sender sends a message through a communication channel to the receiver. Initially, the sender comes up with an idea, which is translated into a message that is then channeled to the receiver. The receiver does the interpretation of the message to get the actual meaning.
Developing a message is known as encoding. Interpreting the message is referred to as decoding. After the Transmission phase the feedback cycle now takes over. When two people are communicating, it is rarely one‐way only. In a conversation involving two people, it is seldom one way as there is a need for exchange of ideas from both parties. In other words, information should flow to and fro both parties. Feedback helps the sender of the message to ascertain whether or not his or her message was properly interpreted by the receiver depending on how they respond .
In the linear model, communication is viewed as a one-way or linear process through which each party talks one at a time. Laswell’s 1948 model was based on the five questions who, what, in what channel, to whom, with what effect. The transactional model is also limited in showing that communication is a dynamic process, which is subject to changes from time to time. In a conversation, each party is a speaker and a listener hence a greater need for role play. In such cases, sending and receiving of messages happens in a simultaneous manner and within shorter time (Sharma, 2010).
Communication among parties is done in a number of ways that depend on the message and the context in which it is being sent. The Choice of communication channel and style used in communicating also affects communication. There are various types of communication classified according to channel used and purpose and style used during the communication.
Types of communication based on channel are Verbal and non-verbal communication. In verbal communication, the message is transmitted by use of mouth and through written messages. It consists of oral and written communications as broader categories. Oral communication can be taken to refer to the form of communication in which only words are used. Some of the examples of this form of communication include face-to-face, public speaking, radio and television broadcasting, and internet voice communications. In this form of communication, communication is defined by the use of pitch, volume, speed, and clarity as the involved parties exchange ideas and express themselves. On the other hand, written communication uses letters and symbols in conveying their message. It can be handwritten or in printed form
Non-verbal communication uses gestures, body language, posture, tonal variation and facial expressions to convey the intended message between the sender and receiver. Some of the examples of this form of communication include dancing, signaling using the hand, and nodding of the head among other examples.
Types of communication based on purpose and style are Formal and informal communication. During Formal communication, a set of rules, conventions and principles are followed while communicating a message. Formal communication is normally found in professional settings, corporate meetings, conferences. In formal communication, the use of informal words and phrases are avoided for better understanding between the communicating parties. On the other hand, informal communication involves casual talks, which does not really need the use highly formal language as it is the case with formal communication.
- The use of jargon, over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms. The essence of effective communication is delivering the message in a simple and direct way to the receiver. The use of complicated or un-understandable phrases is not advisable because it hinders the receiver from getting the actual meaning of the message sent.
- Emotional barriers and taboos: it is sometimes more challenging for some people to express themselves, especially where the topic is a taboo.
- Lack of attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance to the receiver: the receiver must be willing to listen to the speaker or sender of the me
- Differences in perception and viewpoint
- Physical disabilities such as speech difficulties or hearing problems
- Physical barriers associated with non-verbal communication.
- Language differences and the difficulty in understanding different accents; Expectations which may lead to false assumptions or stereotyping, people often hear and understand what they expect to hear rather than what has actually been said and jump to incorrect conclusions.
- Cultural differences: The norms of social interaction vary greatly from one culture to the other. In addition, how these norms are expressed in communication also varies and therefore, the society has a greater role to play as far as communication is concerned. For instance, how personal space is interpreted in different cultures shows that there is a need to understanding the context of culture to understand their communication patterns .
Communication remains to be an essential component and skill in a person’s life, which helps them express themselves and build meaningful relationships with their friends and family. When everyone is aware of what communication constitutes of, we will be effective and successful in all form of communication for example ordering food or managing a company.
Works Cited
CliffsNotes. (2004, June 14). The Communication Process. Retrieved from Cliff notes: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/more-subjects/principles-of-management/communication-and-interpersonal-skills/the-communication-process
Notesdesk. (2009, March 8). types-of-communication. Retrieved from Notesdesk: http://www.notesdesk.com/notes/business-communications/types-of-communication/
Safer Health care, p. 1. (2001, February 1). Communication. Retrieved from Safer Health Care: http://www.saferhealthcare.com/high-reliability-topics/communication/
Sharma, S. (2010, September 17). Importance of communication. Retrieved from Slide Share: http://www.slideshare.net/sandeepsharmappt/importance-of-communication
