Communication means exchanging ideas, opinions, or information among people. People use different methods of communication to express themselves.
The choice of the method depends on various factors, such as the urgency of message, time availability, expenditure involved, and intellectual and emotional level of the sender and the receiver.
Methods of Communication
There are three basics methods of communication
- Verbal
- Non-Verbal
- Visual
Let us discuss these methods one by one.
Verbal Communication
Verbal Communication involves the use of words in delivering the intended message. Words are the most accurate and powerful tools to express and share ideas.
There are two primary forms of verbal communication.
1-Oral communication
2-Written communication
Oral Communication
The process of expressing information or ideas through spoken words is known as Oral Communication. Oral Communication is a more natural form of communication than the written form. The most significant advantage of oral communication is that it provides immediate feedback and clarification.
Both, the speaker and the listener, take turns to speak and enter into a kind of dialogue to make the whole communication process purposeful. It is a time saving and useful tool. It lends a personal touch to the entire interaction. Telephonic conversation, Video-conference voice mails, general conversation, speeches, meetings, seminars, group discussions, etc., come under category of oral communication.
The factors that determine the effectiveness of an oral communication are:1
1-Pace:- It means how fast or slow you speak. If the speaker talks too fast, the receiver may not be able absorb and interpret the message correctly. On the other hand, if the speaker talks too slow, the recei might lose interest.
2-Clarity in Pronunciation:- It refers to speaking words clearly and correctly, including the correct sounds of the letters with proper emphasis.
3-Volume/Pitch:- It means how loud or soft your voice is. If the speaker talks in loud volume with someone sitting across the table, he may sound dominating, and the receiver might feel threatened. On the other hand, speaking in a soft voice leads the receiver to think that the speaker is shy or not confident. So, you need to have a balanced tone.
4-Choice of Words:- It refers to choosing the appropriate words while communicating. Consider the following example, where a remark about someone’s shoes using two different words leads to entirely different interpretations by the receiver. The table given below lists the comments and the interpretations.
Therefore, while drafting your message, carefully choose words that communicate your meaning clearly and leave little to no scope for misinterpretation.
5-Fluency:- It refers to the ability to speak with ease and accuracy in a language. To talk with fluency means that your speech flows well and there are not many interruptions to that flow. It keeps the receiver engaged. For example, too many pauses and words like, um, ah, you know, etc., used by the speaker may distract the receiver and break the flow of communication.
6-Length of Communication:- The conversation should be simple, short, and to the point. If a speaker talks for a long duration of time about things which are not relevant to the topic, the listeners lose interest in the speech and the purpose of the speech is defeated. On the other hand, a conversation, which is short, conveys the message clearly and concisely and keeps the listeners engaged.
Advantages of Oral Communication
- It is interpersonal and helps in building relationships.
- It encourages involvement in team work and decision making process.
- Oral message provides immediate feedback.
- It is cost efficient.
- It is a preferred mode of communication for private or confidential matters.
Disadvantages of Oral Communication
- In this form of communication, emotions are visible and, hence, can lead to mi + It has no legal validity.
- It does not provide a permanent record and the message can easily be forgotten.
- It may be difficult for certain people to understand what is spoken due to various accents and pace used in oral communication.
- This form of communication is not suitable for lengthy messages.
Written Communication
It involves sending messages in the form of written words early to convey information. Written communication is the most formal form of communication. It is an innovative activity of the mind that involves a careful choice of words and their placement in the correct order. Examples of written communication include letters, reports, resumes, brochures, circulars, memorandums, contracts, notices, etc.
Nowadays, written communication has become shorter and faster. SMS and messengers like WhatsApp, e-mails, social media, etc., are some of the standard mediums of written communication. For effective written communication, the message should be meaningful, concise, and complete.
Advantages of Written Communication
- Written communication requires time for drafting the message.
- Written communication may involve postage cost.
- Written message provides delayed, feedback and consequently causes delay i one dispatched is difficult to mod
Disadvantages of Written Communication
- It is permanent vricord
- Written communication allows the sender to thoughtfully draft a clear and comprehensive message.
- Written content has legal validity.
Non-Verbal Communication
Non-verbal Communication means communicating without the use of words, either oral or written. It can be effectively used to enhance our verbal communication. It includes our body language, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, and use of fingers, etc.
Non-verbal signs can convey thoughts and feelings in the absence of verbal communication. How we say something is often more important than what we say. Research by Albert Mehrabian suggests that non-verbal communication has a more significant impact on the receiver than the speaker’s words.
The different elements of non-verbal communication are:
1- Facial Expression:- It is the most noticeable aspect of non-verbal communication. The look on a person’s face is often the first thing we see, even before we hear what he/she has to say.
2- Gestures:- Conscious hand and body movements and signals are an essential way to communicate without words. Some of the common gestures include waving, pointing, and using fingers to indicate numbers.
However, some unconscious gestures also convey one’s state of mind, for example, glancing at the watch is interpreted as a sign of disinterest or a desire to end discontinue the conversation. Additionally, different cultures recognise their gestures as specific to their cultures of example, in India,
3-Voice :- Non-verbal speech such as tone, pitch, volume, modulation, rhythm, and rate are essential elements of communication. When we speak, other people read our voices in addition to listening to our words. These non-verbal sounds provide subtle but powerful clues of our true feelings and what we actually mean.
For example, the tone of voice can indicate sarcasm, anger, affection, or confidence. A loud tone of voice might be interpreted as a sign of approval and enthusiasm, while a soft tone of voice may be construed as a sign of nervousness. A paucity of sound and silence can come across as a lack of interest or understanding or even hard feelings in a face-to-face discussion.
4-Body Language :- We communicate numerous messages through our body language. Body language includes facial expressions, eye movements, hand gestures, posture, etc. For example, standing erect and leaning forward communicates to listeners that you are approachable and friendly.
Using appropriate expressions and gestures strengthen your speech. For example, in a declamation contest, if your body language reflects confidence, your speech will have a greater impact on the audience as well as on the judges. determines if someone is being honest or not. Steady eye contact may be interpreted as the person being truthful and trustworthy.
5-Physical Contact:- Communicating through physical contact is another essential non-verbal behaviour. Sometimes, a touch may be able to express the feelings more effectively than the words. For example, a warm hug from a mother consoles a child, whereas, a firm grip of a mother shows her control to prevent the child from doing something wrong.
6-Dress and Appearance:- In oral forms of communication, the appearance of both the speaker and the surroundings play a vital role in creating an impact on the audience or receiver. For example, a well- dressed person gives an impression of position and power; thus, generating respect from others.
Advantages of Non-Verbal Communication
- Non-verbal communication complements a verbal message.
- Physical gestures greatly help differently abled people, especially
Disadvantages of Non-Verbal Communication
- It is difficult to analyse a non-verbal message; thus, leaving a greater possibility of distortion of information.
- In non-verbal communication, long conversation and necessary explanations are not possible.
Visual Communication
Other verbal and nonverbal communication Utilizing the sense of sight is known as visible communication Virtual communication skills involving the judicial use of visual aids to make a penetrative and lasting impact on the receiver’s mind.
Graphs, charts, maps, PowerPoint presentations, overhead projectors, smart-boards, white and black boards, models, paper handouts, etc., are different types of visual aids that help in conveying a message effectively. For example, an educator can impart knowledge on a particular topic to the students in an effective manner.
Advantages of Visual Communication
- Visual aids like graphs, diagrams, models, etc., make visual communication more meaningful.
- Use of visual aids makes complex data easy to comprehend.
- Visual aids make the communication more interesting.
Disadvantages of Visual Communication
- Some of the aids used in visual method of communication are costly.
- Sometimes visual presentation of information becomes complex.
- Sometimes visual techniques take much time to communicate