Basics of Communication Skills

Basics of Communication Skills. After reading this guide, you will understand different types of Communication skills and its importance in an individual life. Since communication happens around us all the time, the process is often taken for granted. While, Communication skills, tops the list of fundamental skills needed to succeed in the workplace

Meanwhile, Communication skills are a key component of executive leadership as well as success at all organizational levels. So whether you’re looking for career advancement or to improve your executive presence, your ability to communicate will make you stand out in the crowd!

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Therefore, Strong verbal and written communication skills are always in demand in the marketplace. A good communicator is easier to work with, a valuable team player and less likely to drop the ball on big projects.

Types of Communication

So, There are two types of Communication at basic level.

Verbal Communication

Verbal Communication happens by word of mouth or writing.

Meanwhile, Always remember KISS: Keep It Short & Simple.

Would he/she Understand the message? How it will it sound on the other side of the table?

a): Oral Communication

While, It includes face-to-face conversations, speech, telephonic conversation, video, radio, television, voice over internet. Hence, Examples of spoken communication include conversations, interviews, counseling/helping colleagues, meetings, conferences and so on.

Advantages of Oral communication

1): Immediate feedback, such as the opportunity to ask questions when the meaning is not entirely clear.

2): You are able to check if everything is all right or there is confusion.

3): Easily adaptable to many diverse situations.

b): Written Communication

Meanwhile, In written communication message is transmitted via, letter, report, memo, reports, bulletins, job descriptions, employee manuals, and electronic mail are the types of written communication used for internal communication.

Therefore, For communicating with external environment in writing, electronic mail, Internet Web sites, letters, proposals, telegrams, faxes, postcards, contracts, advertisements, brochures, and news releases are used.

Hence, in business written Communication has common usage.

Advantages of written communication

1): Written communication helps in laying down apparent principles, policies and rules for running of an organization.

2): While Written communication is more precise and explicit.

3): Messages can be edited and revised many time before it is actually sent.

Non-verbal Communication

Nonverbal communication is talking without speaking a word. Therefore, it includes facial expressions, body movements, and gestures.

However, much of the study of nonverbal communication has focused on face-to-face interaction, where it can be classified into three principal areas: environmental conditions where communication takes place, physical characteristics of the communicators, and behaviors of communicators during interaction.

Speech contains non-verbal elements known as paralanguage, including voice quality, rate, pitch,volume, and speaking style, as well prosodic features such as rhythm, intonation, and stress.

Written texts have non-verbal elements such as handwriting style, spatial arrangement of words, or the physical layout of a page.

Non-verbal communication has the following three elements:-

Appearance

Speaker: clothing, hairstyle, neatness, use of cosmetics.

Surrounding: room size, lighting, decorations, furnishings.

Body Language

Facial expressions, gestures, postures and how one stands is an important element of non-verbal communication. For example, leaning towards a speaker indicates intense interest. Frequently looking away from the speaker indicates disinterest or impatience.

Sounds

Voice Tone, Volume, Speech rate.

Five Primary Functions of Non-verbal Communication

There are five primary functions of nonverbal bodily behavior in human communication namely:-

i. Express emotions

ii. Express interpersonal attitudes

iii. To accompany speech in managing the cues of interaction between speakers and listeners

iv. Self-presentation of one’s personality

v. Rituals (greetings)

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Types of Communication Based on Purpose & Style

Based on style and purpose, there are two main categories of communication and they both bears their own characteristics. Communication types based on style and purpose are:

i. Formal Communication

ii. Informal Communication

Formal Communication

Formal communication occurs in formal and official style. Usually professional settings, corporate meetings, conferences undergo in formal pattern.

Informal Communication

It’s just a casual talk because It happens among friends and family.

Basic Principles of Communication

The principles of communication are those aspects that have to be taken into account when relaying any communication.

While They are called the seven C’s’’, they are completeness, conciseness, consideration, concreteness, clarity, courtesy and correctness.

Completeness

A message must be organized appropriately and must include all the important details.

Conciseness

Be as brief as possible. one should include only relevant facts, avoid repetition, avoid trite and wordy expressions and you organize your message well.

Consideration

While consideration means preparing every message with the receiver in mind, try to put yourself in their place.

Concreteness

Concreteness is an aspect of communication that means being specific, definite, and vivid rather than vague and general.

Clarity

It refers to clarity of thoughts and expressions. The communicator must be very clear about all the aspects of the idea in his mind and about the purpose for which it is to be communicated.

Meanwhile, Choose precise, concrete and familiar words-when meaning of words is in doubt, use more familiar words for the audience to understand them better.

Courtesy

It means politeness and decency.

Correctness

Communication must be correct in tone and style of expression, spelling, grammar, format, contents, statistical information; stress-unstressed, etc.

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