DIGITAL FLUENCY MODULE 3

What Is Communication?

Points to be remember

Define communication and describe communication as a process.

Identify and describe the eight essential components of communication.

Identify and describe two models of communication.

Many theories have been proposed to describe, predict, and understand the behaviors and phenomena of which communication consists. When it comes to communicating in business, we are often less interested in theory than in making sure our communications generate the desired results. But in order to achieve results, it can be valuable to understand what communication is and how it works.

Defining Communication

The root of the word “communication” in Latin is communicare, which means to share, or to make common. Communication is defined as the process of understanding and sharing meaning.

At the center of our study of communication is the relationship that involves interaction between participants. This definition serves us well with its emphasis on the process, which we’ll examine in depth across this text, of coming to understand and share another’s point of view effectively.

The first key word in this definition is process. A process is a dynamic activity that is hard to describe because it changes. Imagine you are alone in your kitchen thinking. Someone you know (say, your mother) enters the kitchen and you talk briefly. What has changed? Now, imagine that your mother is joined by someone else, someone you haven’t met before—and this stranger listens intently as you speak, almost as if you were giving a speech. What has changed? Your perspective might change, and you might watch your words more closely. The feedback or response from your mother and the stranger (who are, in essence, your audience) may cause you to reevaluate what you are saying. When we interact, all these factors—and many more—influence the process of communication.

The second key word understands: “To understand is to perceive, to interpret, and to relate our perception and interpretation to what we already know. The basics of speech communication. Boston, If a friend tells you a story about falling off a bike, what image comes to mind? Now your friend points out the window and you see a motorcycle lying on the ground. Understanding the words and the concepts or objects they refer to is an important part of the communication process.

Next comes the word sharing. Sharing means doing something together with one or more people. You may share a joint activity, as when you share in compiling a report; or you may benefit jointly from a resource, as when you and several coworkers share a pizza. In communication, sharing occurs when you convey thoughts, feelings, ideas, or insights to others. You can also share with yourself (a process called intrapersonal communication) when you bring ideas to consciousness, ponder how you feel about something, or figure out the solution to a problem and have a classic “Aha!” moment when something becomes clear.

Finally, meaning is what we share through communication. The word “bike” represents both a bicycle and a short name for a motorcycle. By looking at the context the word is used in and by asking questions, we can discover the shared meaning of the word and understand the message.

Eight Essential Components of Communication

In order to better understand the communication process, we can break it down into a series of eight essential components:

1.     Source

2.     Message

3.     Channel

4.     Receiver

5.     Feedback

6.     Environment

7.     Context

8.     Interference

Each of these eight components serves an integral function in the overall process. Let’s explore them one by one.

Source

The source imagines, creates, and sends the message. In a public speaking situation, the source is the person giving the speech. He or she conveys the message by sharing new information with the audience. The speaker also conveys a message through his or her tone of voice, body language, and choice of clothing. The speaker begins by first determining the message—what to say and how to say it. The second step involves encoding the message by choosing just the right order or the perfect words to convey the intended meaning. The third step is to present or send the information to the receiver or audience. Finally, by watching for the audience’s reaction, the source perceives how well they received the message and responds with clarification or supporting information.

Message

“The message is the stimulus or meaning produced by the source for the receiver or audience. When you plan to give a speech or write a report, your message may seem to be only the words you choose that will convey your meaning. But that is just the beginning. The words are brought together with grammar and organization. You may choose to save your most important point for last. The message also consists of the way you say it—in a speech, with your tone of voice, your body language, and your appearance—and in a report, with your writing style, punctuation, and the headings and formatting you choose. In addition, part of the message may be the environment or context you present it in and the noise that might make your message hard to hear or see.

Imagine, for example, that you are addressing a large audience of sales reps and are aware there is a World Series game tonight. Your audience might have a hard time settling down, but you may choose to open with, “I understand there is an important game tonight.” In this way, by expressing verbally something that most people in your audience are aware of and interested in, you might grasp and focus their attention.

Channel

“The channel is the way in which a message or messages travel between source and receiver. For example, think of your television. How many channels do you have on your television? Each channel takes up some space, even in a digital world, in the cable or in the signal that brings the message of each channel to your home. Television combines an audio signal you hear with a visual signal you see. Together they convey the message to the receiver or audience. Turn off the volume on your television. Can you still understand what is happening? Many times you can, because the body language conveys part of the message of the show. Now turn up the volume but turn around so that you cannot see the television. You can still hear the dialogue and follow the story line.

Similarly, when you speak or write, you are using a channel to convey your message. Spoken channels include face-to-face conversations, speeches, telephone conversations and voice mail messages, radio, public address systems, and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). Written channels include letters, memorandums, purchase orders, invoices, newspaper and magazine articles, blogs, e-mail, text messages, tweets, and so forth.

Receiver

“The receiver receives the message from the source, analyzing and interpreting the message in ways both intended and unintended by the source. To better understand this component, think of a receiver on a football team. The quarterback throws the football (message) to a receiver, who must see and interpret where to catch the ball. The quarterback may intend for the receiver to “catch” his message in one way, but the receiver may see things differently and miss the football (the intended meaning) altogether.

As a receiver you listen, see, touch, smell, and/or taste to receive a message. Your audience “sizes you up,” much as you might check them out long before you take the stage or open your mouth. The nonverbal responses of your listeners can serve as clues on how to adjust your opening. By imagining yourself in their place, you anticipate what you would look for if you were them. Just as a quarterback plans where the receiver will be in order to place the ball correctly, you too can recognize the interaction between source and receiver in a business communication context. All of this happens at the same time, illustrating why and how communication is always changing.

Feedback

When you respond to the source, intentionally or unintentionally, you are giving feedback. Feedback is composed of messages the receiver sends back to the source. Verbal or nonverbal, all these feedback signals allow the source to see how well, how accurately (or how poorly and inaccurately) the message was received. Feedback also provides an opportunity for the receiver or audience to ask for clarification, to agree or disagree, or to indicate that the source could make the message more interesting. As the amount of feedback increases, the accuracy of communication also increases.

For example, suppose you are a sales manager participating in a conference call with four sales reps. As the source, you want to tell the reps to take advantage of the fact that it is World Series season to close sales on baseball-related sports gear. You state your message, but you hear no replies from your listeners. You might assume that this means they understood and agreed with you, but later in the month you might be disappointed to find that very few sales were made. If you followed up your message with a request for feedback (“Does this make sense? Do any of you have any questions?”) you might have an opportunity to clarify your message, and to find out whether any of the sales reps believed your suggestion would not work with their customers.

Environment

“The environment is the atmosphere, physical and psychological, where you send and receive messages. The environment can include the tables, chairs, lighting, and sound equipment that are in the room. The room itself is an example of the environment. The environment can also include factors like formal dress, that may indicate whether a discussion is open and caring or more professional and formal. People may be more likely to have an intimate conversation when they are physically close to each other, and less likely when they can only see each other from across the room. In that case, they may text each other, itself an intimate form of communication. The choice to text is influenced by the environment. As a speaker, your environment will impact and play a role in your speech. It’s always a good idea to go check out where you’ll be speaking before the day of the actual presentation.

Context

“The context of the communication interaction involves the setting, scene, and expectations of the individuals involved. A professional communication context may involve business suits (environmental cues) that directly or indirectly influence expectations of language and behavior among the participants.

A presentation or discussion does not take place as an isolated event. When you came to class, you came from somewhere. So did the person seated next to you, as did the instructor. The degree to which the environment is formal or informal depends on the contextual expectations for communication held by the participants. The person sitting next to you may be used to informal communication with instructors, but this particular instructor may be used to verbal and nonverbal displays of respect in the academic environment. You may be used to formal interactions with instructors as well, and find your classmate’s question of “Hey Teacher, do we have homework today?” as rude and inconsiderate when they see it as normal. The nonverbal response from the instructor will certainly give you a clue about how they perceive the interaction, both the word choices and how they were said.

Context is all about what people expect from each other, and we often create those expectations out of environmental cues. Traditional gatherings like weddings or quinceañeras are often formal events. There is a time for quiet social greetings, a time for silence as the bride walks down the aisle, or the father may have the first dance with his daughter as she is transformed from a girl to womanhood in the eyes of her community. In either celebration there may come a time for rambunctious celebration and dancing. You may be called upon to give a toast, and the wedding or quinceañera context will influence your presentation, timing, and effectiveness.

In a business meeting, who speaks first? That probably has some relation to the position and role each person has outside the meeting. Context plays a very important role in communication, particularly across cultures.

Interference

Interference, also called noise, can come from any source. “Interference is anything that blocks or changes the source’s intended meaning of the message Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. For example, if you drove a car to work or school, chances are you were surrounded by noise. Car horns, billboards, or perhaps the radio in your car interrupted your thoughts, or your conversation with a passenger.

Psychological noise is what happens when your thoughts occupy your attention while you are hearing, or reading, a message. Imagine that it is 4:45 p.m. and your boss, who is at a meeting in another city, e-mails you asking for last month’s sales figures, an analysis of current sales projections, and the sales figures from the same month for the past five years. You may open the e-mail, start to read, and think, “Great—no problem—I have those figures and that analysis right here in my computer.” You fire off a reply with last month’s sales figures and the current projections attached. Then, at five o’clock, you turn off your computer and go home. The next morning, your boss calls on the phone to tell you he was inconvenienced because you neglected to include the sales figures from the previous years. What was the problem? Interference: by thinking about how you wanted to respond to your boss’s message, you prevented yourself from reading attentively enough to understand the whole message.

Interference can come from other sources, too. Perhaps you are hungry, and your attention to your current situation interferes with your ability to listen. Maybe the office is hot and stuffy. If you were a member of an audience listening to an executive speech, how could this impact your ability to listen and participate?

Noise interferes with normal encoding and decoding of the message carried by the channel between source and receiver. Not all noise is bad, but noise interferes with the communication process. For example, your cell phone ringtone may be a welcome noise to you, but it may interrupt the communication process in class and bother your classmates.

Two Models of Communication

Researchers have observed that when communication takes place, the source and the receiver may send messages at the same time, often overlapping. You, as the speaker, will often play both roles, as source and receiver. You’ll focus on the communication and the reception of your messages to the audience. The audience will respond in the form of feedback that will give you important clues. While there are many models of communication, here we will focus on two that offer perspectives and lessons for business communicators.

Rather than looking at the source sending a message and someone receiving it as two distinct acts, researchers often view communication as a transactional process (Figure 1.3 "Transactional Model of Communication"), with actions often happening at the same time. The distinction between source and receiver is blurred in conversational turn-taking, for example, where both participants play both roles simultaneously.

Transactional Model of Communication

Researchers have also examined the idea that we all construct our own interpretations of the message. As the State Department quote at the beginning of this chapter indicates, what I said and what you heard may be different. In the constructivist model (Figure 1.4 "Constructivist Model of Communication"), we focus on the negotiated meaning, or common ground, when trying to describe communication.

Imagine that you are visiting Atlanta, Georgia, and go to a restaurant for dinner. When asked if you want a “Coke,” you may reply, “sure.” The waiter may then ask you again, “what kind?” and you may reply, “Coke is fine.” The waiter then may ask a third time, “what kind of soft drink would you like?” The misunderstanding in this example is that in Atlanta, the home of the Coca-Cola Company, most soft drinks are generically referred to as “Coke.” When you order a soft drink, you need to specify what type, even if you wish to order a beverage that is not a cola or not even made by the Coca-Cola Company. To someone from other regions of the United States, the words “pop,” “soda pop,” or “soda” may be the familiar way to refer to a soft drink; not necessarily the brand “Coke.” In this example, both you and the waiter understand the word “Coke,” but you each understand it to mean something different. In order to communicate, you must each realize what the term means to the other person, and establish common ground, in order to fully understand the request and provide an answer.

Constructivist Model of Communication

Because we carry the multiple meanings of words, gestures, and ideas within us, we can use a dictionary to guide us, but we will still need to negotiate meaning.

KEY POINTS

The communication process involves understanding, sharing, and meaning, and it consists of eight essential elements: source, message, channel, receiver, feedback, environment, context, and interference. Among the models of communication are the transactional process, in which actions happen simultaneously, and the constructivist model, which focuses on shared meaning.

EXERCISES

Draw what you think communication looks like. Share your drawing with your classmates.

List three environmental cues and indicate how they influence your expectations for communication. Please share your results with your classmates.

How does context influence your communication? Consider the language and culture people grew up with, and the role these play in communication styles.

If you could design the perfect date, what activities, places, and/or environmental cues would you include setting the mood? Please share your results with your classmates.

Observe two people talking. Describe their communication. See if you can find all eight components and provide an example for each one.

What assumptions are present in transactional model of communication? Find an example of a model of communication in your workplace or classroom, and provide an example for all eight components.

Types of Communication

Communication Types: Interpersonal, Non Verbal, Written, Oral

The Importance of Effective Communication in the Workplace

Effective communication is fundamental in every aspect of life, but especially in the workplace here’s why it is so important to be a great communicator at the office!

Content Manager and Career Expert

Communication plays a fundamental role in our daily lives.

And yet the art of communication at work is somewhat of a mystery to certain people.

But if you fail to communicate effectively, you could end up missing your chance of securing your dream job, closing a life-changing deal or advancing in your career.

For some, good communication comes naturally, but for others, it can be hard to articulate their thoughts and feelings in conversation, often leading to conflict and fundamental errors.

So, whether you’re an effective communicator or not, it’s essential to understand the importance of good communication and how it can help you move forward in the working world.

What is effective workplace communication?

Effective communication in the workplace is an integral element of a business’s success; it enhances relationships within the company and with clients, and it increases employee engagement and the overall effectiveness of a team.

On the other hand, when teams fail to communicate effectively, the results are detrimental to the business. In fact, research by US firm Gartner shows a whopping 70% of business mistakes are due to poor communication. This statistic proves just how critical communication is to job training and why more emphasis should be put on clear instructions and conversations to prevent mistakes from happening within the workplace.

Why is good communication important in the workplace?

To demonstrate just how important good communication is at work, we’ve listed some of the benefits it can have on your professional life.

1. It improves team building

Honest and effective communication can create a strong team. When staff consult with each other, consider other opinions and discuss their progress, they will be more enthused to collaborate. As a result, the strong unit that they create makes the workplace more enjoyable, and they will be eager to perform well so they don’t let their teammates down.

Indeed, communication helps solve employee morale issues by keeping entire teams in the loop, making all team members feel useful within the workplace. This lack of secrecy not only boosts team spirit but it also has a positive effect on staff attitudes.

2. It boosts growth

Great communication contributes to the growth of the business, which goes hand in hand with your career. It eliminates uncertainties and speeds up the process of policies to ensure there is a smooth delivery of projects.

Take eCommerce website Zappos, for example; their ethos relies on great communication within the organisation and with their clients – something that earned them a spot on Fortune magazine’s 2015 list of the 100 best companies to work for.

3. It increases innovation

If employees are scared of communicating their thoughts and ideas out of fear of being rejected, then they are likely to become stagnant in their career and only contribute the bare minimum. However, if there is an open line of communication between supervisors and staff members, they are encouraged to be more creative and innovative within the workplace, and they are likely to put forth new and creative ideas.

In today’s fast-moving workplace, most ideas are likely to be pushed under the carpet due to a lack of communication. As Cisco managing director Alex Goryachev writes on Forbes: ‘People listen mostly to respond rather than to understand. However, digitisation demands active listening to the ecosystem in order to survive and develop collaborative strategies with startups, partners and customers around the world’.

4. It improves productivity

Being able to communicate effectively at work can help increase overall productivity. Managers can understand their employees’ talents and skills and will then give clear directions to the people that are best suited for the job, thus increasing the overall turnaround time of any given project.

For example, one colleague may be faster and better at using Excel than others; therefore, through communication, a manager can identify this and task them with managing the spreadsheets. If there was a lack of conversation, meanwhile, the project would suffer, and the entire process would slow down, negatively affecting the goal of the company, as a result.

5. It increases efficiency

Poor communication compromises efficiency, as well as the overall quality of work. When instructions aren’t provided clearly, mistakes are bound to happen. On the other hand, clear instructions eliminate the need to clarify and correct any issues.

Think back to a time where you didn’t communicate well with a colleague. It probably resulted in wasted time, effort and resources. So, if you happen to have a manager that doesn’t communicate effectively, make sure you ask the right questions to get the information that you need to successfully complete a project. Over time, they will understand what they should be supplying you with so you can start working on your tasks.

6. It increases loyalty

When you have a good line of communication with management, you’re naturally going to be more loyal to the organization. You will feel comfortable discussing any professional or personal issues, and you’ll be more committed to the company.

This free line of communication also builds trust between a manager and an employee, which results in a loyal relationship. A two-way line of respect ensures there’s no micromanagement involved and that an employee is trusted to get on with the job that they were hired to do.

7. It reduces mitigation conflict

Two people in the workplace may feel that they are communicating well, but because they both have different methods of communication, they are misunderstanding each other. Therefore, working with different personalities requires excellent communication skills to limit any conflict in the workplace.

If you are experiencing conflict at work, it’s important to look beyond the issue at hand and identify the other person’s thought process. You need to consider the communication pattern of the receiver to get a better understanding of what they are trying to say.

8. It increases employee engagement

Good communication goes far beyond talking; it’s more about connecting and engaging with others. When teams are engaged, they are more aligned with the company’s goals and are generally more motivated to work towards the set targets.

It’s also easier for managers to identify what makes a positive and satisfying working environment, allowing them to work towards achieving a balanced working life for their employees.

Wish to be a better team player? Enroll in University of Colorado Boulder’s Teamwork Skills: Communicating Effectively in Groups course.

9. It resolves problems

There’s bound to be characters that clash and opinions that differ within any working environment. And what’s the best way to solve those problems? Clear communication!

Effective communication isn’t about who’s right and wrong; it’s about having open, honest and positive discussions to ensure everyone’s needs are met! You’re not always going to see eye to eye with your work nemesis, but if you can find a way to work well with them, you’ll make the environment much more enjoyable for everyone around you!

10. It enhances skills

Managers can identify hidden talents when they communicate clearly with their employees. By doing so, they can tap into these skills and help enhance them, which will contribute to the overall success of the business.

For example, John may be hired as a customer service representative, but through conversation, his manager identifies that he has previous experience in marketing. John is then transferred to Marketing and is much better suited at the position. If the lack of communication were there, however, John would have become stagnant later down the line, and the business would have lost great talent.

Final thoughts

In every aspect of your job, you’ll be required to communicate in one way or other. It’s important to understand just how valuable effective communication is and what impact it can have on your relationships and your progression within the working world.

Importance of Listening in Communication

In our louder and louder world, says sound expert Julian Treasure, "We are losing our listening." In this short, fascinating talk, Treasure shares five ways to re-tune your ears for conscious listening -- to other people and the world around you.

The Secret to Successful Communication

What does it mean to be a good communicator? In today’s society, communication can mean anything from body language to talking to someone face-to-face to sending them a string of emojis.

Being a great communicator is one of the most important skills you can have , and is essential to forming strong relationships, within and outside of work.

There are so many ways to communicate, and so many ways to be good at it… but it all boils down to the one secret tool every good communicator understands and utilizes.

Empathy

Those who communicate well understand how to trigger emotions in their audience, and the audience in turn will feel more receptive to the message. Your audience can be a room full of people, or your coworkers, or even just your closest friend.

Empathy isn’t just about understanding where someone’s coming from, but also being able to share their feelings. It’s understandable why using this tool in communication makes your audience feel heard, and lets them connect to your message!

Empathy is difficult and nuanced… so how can you use it as a tool for effective communication? Here are a few things you can focus on to incorporate empathy into your communication, be it a casual one-on-one conversation or a speech to hundreds of people.

Trust

People have a tendency to open up to those they trust. If someone thinks you’re trustworthy, they’ll have an easier time speaking freely; meaning the lines of communication will be open and clear. Some ways you can build trust are keeping your word, staying consistent, and being open about any mistakes. A big part of empathy is trust. When trust exists, so does deeper understanding.

Truth

In the same vein of trust, honesty and truthfulness are crucial to successful communication. If someone can trust you to tell the truth, they’ll be more receptive to what you say. It fosters genuine interactions and sustains healthy, happy relationships.

And telling the truth can also benefit your health… studies show lying actually causes anxiety, sore throats, and headaches.

Respect

Giving respect is one of the best ways to diffuse tensions in communication, and show you’re empathetic to the other person. If someone feels respected, they’ll feel much more open to discussing their point of view, even if it doesn’t align with yours. Successful communication isn’t just about people agreeing on a point, but should also involve being able to communicate differing opinions. Respect lets the other person or people know it’s okay to feel differently from you, and that it’s also okay to talk about it!

Body language

Are you aware of how your body changes depending on what you’re thinking or saying? Studies show that most communication is actually nonverbal — 55%, in fact. 38% is through vocal intonation, and only 7% is through your actual words.

Pay attention to your body language, and that of others. Keep your arms and legs open, and try to make eye contact. If these nonverbal cues are being reciprocated, your messages are definitely getting across much better!

Trust, truth, respect, body language… all these are crucial components to empathy, and make you a better communicator. That’s why communicating via text can be difficult, and lends itself to misunderstandings. If you must, try this trick: use emojis! They convey tone much better than dry text alone. If you’re smiling when texting, use a smiley face! Make the interaction more human, and be rewarded with fewer misunderstandings and more colorful text messages!

The 7 Benefits of Effective Communication in Personal and Professional Settings

For today’s managers, good communication plays an essential role in their success in the workplace and in their personal life. Leaders who know how to communicate effectively with those around them will see better productivity and improved relationships in every aspect of their lives.

Effective communication involves knowing how to listen attentively. It’s the ability to offer empathy, open-mindedness, and helpful feedback based on what you hear. Also, a friendly demeanor, confidence, and quality nonverbal communication will also help you, as a manager, develop good relationships with the members of your team.

Let’s explore some benefits of effective communication you will see in- and outside your office when you take the time to nurture these skills.

1. Building trust

Effective communication fosters trust with others. Your ability to listen attentively and embrace different points of view helps others trust that you are making optimal decisions for everyone in the group. As you serve as a role model, this trust will extend to your team and they will feel as though they can trust their teammates to fulfill their duties and responsibilities. 

2. Preventing or resolving problems 

The ability to communicate effectively plays a large role in resolving conflicts and preventing potential ones from arising. The key is to remain calm, make sure all parties are heard and find a solution that is ideal for everyone involved.

3. Providing clarity and direction

With effective communication skills, you’re able to deliver clear expectations and objectives for your team. This involves finding constructive ways to point out when something isn’t working as well as providing helpful feedback to get people back on track. They will understand their specific tasks and responsibilities, as well as those of their teammates, which will help eliminate conflicts and confusion.

4. Creates better relationships

Good communication also improves relationships, both with employees and in your personal life with friends and family members. Listening carefully and offering quality feedback helps people to feel heard and understood. This, in turn, nurtures mutual respect.

5. Increases engagement

With people feeling more confident in their work and in their understanding of what they need to do, they become more engaged with their work as a whole. According to a recent study exploring the psychology of employee engagement, only 15% of adult employees are engaged with their employers. By prioritizing effective communication, you can increase engagement, and thus boost satisfaction, among your team members.

6. Improves productivity

When team members understand their roles, the roles of others and your expectations, they can focus more on their work and less on workplace issues. With effective communication, conflicts are resolved quickly, employees can better manage their workload and distractions are minimized. These benefits contribute to greater productivity for you and your team.

7. Promotes team building

With improved communication, team members will be better able to rely on each other. You will not have one team member feel as though they have to carry the entire group. This improved division of labor will encourage positive feelings and relationships between the team members, which leads to improved morale and work experiences.

Good communication skills can play an important role in nurturing positive work experiences for your entire team. As people feel listened to and understood by you, you naturally improve your work environment. If you want to learn more about how to improve your leadership skills, including your communication strategies, take a look at our Effective Communication workshop at PCC. This condensed workshop will demonstrate the impact communication skills have on other people, at work and in life.

Infographic: Using Communication to Bring about an Impact

The 7 Cs of Communication

EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Business communication can be broken down into five broad subjects.

1. COLLABORATION

Collaboration and teamwork are vital to business success. Being able to collaborate carries a number of benefits for an employer, from better marketing to increased employee satisfaction to a higher quality of product or service.

The art of collaboration isn’t just one thing, though; it’s a complex network of interrelated skills. In order to collaborate, you must be good at asking questions, respecting others’ contributions, generating their trust and considering their perspectives. These skills contribute to an employee’s ability to collaborate effectively, and there’s another important component of collaboration: emotional intelligence and awareness.

From a neurological perspective, people tend to make decisions based on emotion rather than logic, so understanding the emotions of others improves your ability to understand why they make decisions and how to turn that to the team’s advantage.

2. PUBLIC SPEAKING

Whether you’re speaking in front of colleagues at a meeting, in a crowded seminar hall or to your team before a big project, you must be able to clearly and concisely convey your ideas. Warren Buffet once told a class of business students that he’d pay any of them $100,000 for 10 percent of their future earnings. He then offered to increase that value by 50 percent if they were skilled at public speaking. Leaders in business must develop comfort speaking in front of others, both with authority and credibility.

For many, anxiety is a very real barrier to strong public speaking. Inc. has a number of tips to aid your public speaking abilities, taken from TED Talk speakers. You might consider creating contingency plans to address your two biggest fears associated with public speaking, or setting a backup goal in case your speech goes off the rails. Being open to questions through your speech helps involve the audience members and keep them engaged. It can also help you establish rapport and build comfort. People tend to respond to personal stories, so coming up with one or two stories beforehand to illustrate points you want to make can be a great way to connect with others.

3. LISTENING

A big part of effective communication is effective listening, according to Jimmy Lee of Dorsett Hospitality International. By developing good listening skills, you help create an environment where everyone feels heard and valued. You also train yourself to hear and retain important information. People can generally tell when you’re listening to them. Most people will respond better to good listeners. Remaining actively engaged with your conversation partners creates a sense of enthusiasm and respect in your work environment.

When you’re listening to others, pay as much attention to them as you can. Notice quirks in their body language. Listen to their words and, if you have trouble focusing on them, repeat their words in your head to help you retain focus and absorb the information. Avoid interrupting a person you’re listening to, but do show that you’re interested in what they’re saying by responding with short, encouraging comments like, “I see” or “Yes.”

In business, people often disagree. When this happens, avoid appearing judgmental of a person you disagree with. Difficult conversations can be uncomfortable, but they often lead to helpful breakthroughs if approached with an attitude of respect and collaboration.

4. NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

In addition, Lee stresses the importance of attending to nonverbal communication. People say a lot without uttering a word, and a facial expression or quirk of body language can communicate attitude and interest better than words can. Gestures, eye contact, tone of voice, posture, breathing and other factors contribute to nonverbal communication. People can pick up on these cues in conversation.

Being aware of your own body language and other nonverbal cues can put you in control of the image you put forth in the office. Body language is more important than you think. Researcher Amy Cuddy has done studies revealing that “body language shapes who you are.” Do you adopt a defensive posture around your boss? Are you slumped in your chair when you work? Do you avoid eye contact with your coworkers? Each of these cues can cause people around you to infer things about you, and being aware of them helps you not only to control how others perceive you but also to make you more aware of body language in others.

5. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

Email has become a standard way to communicate both in business and in our personal lives, and many people treat electronic communication as less formal than other forms of communication. In a business context, it’s important to treat your emails the same way you’d treat a written letter. It’s fine to be friendly with your coworkers but, when communicating through writing, err on the side of formality. When you write something down, you create a permanent record of that communication; make sure it’s a permanent record you don’t mind having to address again in the future.

In any form of written business communication, clarity is paramount. Once you’ve written something, look it over before you send it to anyone. Ensure that it says what you intend for it to say. Make sure your facts are accurate, and ensure that you’re being respectful. When in doubt, with any written communication, ask these three questions:

Is it true?

Is it respectful?

Is it necessary?

Communication skills are essential for business professionals. An online business degree, like the ones from Jefferson, can help provide you with the skills you need to be an effective communicator in your career.

3 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills

Did you know that by improving your effective listening skills you will become a more influential and Powerful conversationalist?

Want to communicate better?

These tips will help you avoid misunderstandings, grasp the real meaning of what’s being communicated, and greatly improve your work and personal relationships.

What is effective communication?

Effective communication is about more than just exchanging information. It’s about understanding the emotion and intentions behind the information. As well as being able to clearly convey a message, you need to also listen in a way that gains the full meaning of what’s being said and makes the other person feel heard and understood.

Effective communication sounds like it should be instinctive. But all too often, when we try to communicate with others something goes astray. We say one thing, the other person hears something else, and misunderstandings, frustration, and conflicts ensue. This can cause problems in your home, school, and work relationships.

For many of us, communicating more clearly and effectively requires learning some important skills. Whether you’re trying to improve communication with your spouse, kids, boss, or coworkers, learning these skills can deepen your connections to others, build greater trust and respect, and improve teamwork, problem solving, and your overall social and emotional health.

What’s stopping you from communicating effectively?

Common barriers to effective communication include:

Stress and out-of-control emotion. When you’re stressed or emotionally overwhelmed, you’re more likely to misread other people, send confusing or off-putting nonverbal signals, and lapse into unhealthy knee-jerk patterns of behavior. To avoid conflict and misunderstandings, you can learn how to quickly calm down before continuing a conversation.

Lack of focus. You can’t communicate effectively when you’re multitasking. If you’re checking your phone, planning what you’re going to say next, or daydreaming, you’re almost certain to miss nonverbal cues in the conversation. To communicate effectively, you need to avoid distractions and stay focused.

Inconsistent body language. Nonverbal communication should reinforce what is being said, not contradict it. If you say one thing, but your body language says something else, your listener will likely feel that you’re being dishonest. For example, you can’t say “yes” while shaking your head no.

Negative body language. If you disagree with or dislike what’s being said, you might use negative body language to rebuff the other person’s message, such as crossing your arms, avoiding eye contact, or tapping your feet. You don’t have to agree with, or even like what’s being said, but to communicate effectively and not put the other person on the defensive, it’s important to avoid sending negative signals.

Effective communication skill

1: Become an engaged listener

When communicating with others, we often focus on what we should say. However, effective communication is less about talking and more about listening. Listening well means not just understanding the words or the information being communicated, but also understanding the emotions the speaker is trying to convey.

There’s a big difference between engaged listening and simply hearing. When you really listen—when you’re engaged with what’s being said—you’ll hear the subtle intonations in someone’s voice that tell you how that person is feeling and the emotions they’re trying to communicate. When you’re an engaged listener, not only will you better understand the other person, you’ll also make that person feel heard and understood, which can help build a stronger, deeper connection between you.

By communicating in this way, you’ll also experience a process that lowers stress and supports physical and emotional well-being. If the person you’re talking to is calm, for example, listening in an engaged way will help to calm you, too. Similarly, if the person is agitated, you can help calm them by listening in an attentive way and making the person feel understood.

If your goal is to fully understand and connect with the other person, listening in an engaged way will often come naturally. If it doesn’t, try the following tips. The more you practice them, the more satisfying and rewarding your interactions with others will become.

Tips for becoming an engaged listener

Focus fully on the speaker. You can’t listen in an engaged way if you’re constantly checking your phone or thinking about something else. You need to stay focused on the moment-to-moment experience in order to pick up the subtle nuances and important nonverbal cues in a conversation. If you find it hard to concentrate on some speakers, try repeating their words over in your head—it’ll reinforce their message and help you stay focused.

Favor your right ear. As strange as it sounds, the left side of the brain contains the primary processing centers for both speech comprehension and emotions. Since the left side of the brain is connected to the right side of the body, favoring your right ear can help you better detect the emotional nuances of what someone is saying.

Avoid interrupting or trying to redirect the conversation to your concerns. By saying something like, “If you think that’s bad, let me tell you what happened to me.” Listening is not the same as waiting for your turn to talk. You can’t concentrate on what someone’s saying if you’re forming what you’re going to say next. Often, the speaker can read your facial expressions and know that your mind’s elsewhere.

Show your interest in what’s being said. Nod occasionally, smile at the person, and make sure your posture is open and inviting. Encourage the speaker to continue with small verbal comments like “yes” or “uh huh.”

Try to set aside judgment. In order to communicate effectively with someone, you don’t have to like them or agree with their ideas, values, or opinions. However, you do need to set aside your judgment and withhold blame and criticism in order to fully understand them. The most difficult communication, when successfully executed, can often lead to an unlikely connection with someone.

Provide feedback. If there seems to be a disconnect, reflect what has been said by paraphrasing. “What I’m hearing is,” or “Sounds like you are saying,” are great ways to reflect back. Don’t simply repeat what the speaker has said verbatim, though—you’ll sound insincere or unintelligent. Instead, express what the speaker’s words mean to you. Ask questions to clarify certain points: “What do you mean when you say…” or “Is this what you mean?”

Hear the emotion behind the words

It’s the higher frequencies of human speech that impart emotion. You can become more attuned to these frequencies—and thus better able to understand what others are really saying—by exercising the tiny muscles of your middle ear (the smallest in the body). You can do this by singing, playing a wind instrument, or listening to certain types of high-frequency music (a Mozart symphony or violin concerto, for example, rather than low-frequency rock, pop, or hip-hop).

Skill 2: Pay attention to nonverbal signals

The way you look, listen, move, and react to another person tells them more about how you’re feeling than words alone ever can. Nonverbal communication, or body language, includes facial expressions, body movement and gestures, eye contact, posture, the tone of your voice, and even your muscle tension and breathing.

Developing the ability to understand and use nonverbal communication can help you connect with others, express what you really mean, navigate challenging situations, and build better relationships at home and work.

You can enhance effective communication by using open body language—arms uncrossed, standing with an open stance or sitting on the edge of your seat, and maintaining eye contact with the person you’re talking to.

You can also use body language to emphasize or enhance your verbal message—patting a friend on the back while complimenting him on his success, for example, or pounding your fists to underline your message.

Improve how you read nonverbal communication

Be aware of individual differences. People from different countries and cultures tend to use different nonverbal communication gestures, so it’s important to take age, culture, religion, gender, and emotional state into account when reading body language signals. An American teen, a grieving widow, and an Asian businessman, for example, are likely to use nonverbal signals differently.

Look at nonverbal communication signals as a group. Don’t read too much into a single gesture or nonverbal cue. Consider all of the nonverbal signals you receive, from eye contact to tone of voice to body language. Anyone can slip up occasionally and let eye contact go, for example, or briefly cross their arms without meaning to. Consider the signals as a whole to get a better “read” on a person.

Improve how you deliver nonverbal communication

Use nonverbal signals that match up with your words rather than contradict them. If you say one thing, but your body language says something else, your listener will feel confused or suspect that you’re being dishonest. For example, sitting with your arms crossed and shaking your head doesn’t match words telling the other person that you agree with what they’re saying.

Adjust your nonverbal signals according to the context. The tone of your voice, for example, should be different when you’re addressing a child than when you’re addressing a group of adults. Similarly, take into account the emotional state and cultural background of the person you’re interacting with.

Avoid negative body language. Instead, use body language to convey positive feelings, even when you’re not actually experiencing them. If you’re nervous about a situation—a job interview, important presentation, or first date, for example—you can use positive body language to signal confidence, even though you’re not feeling it. Instead of tentatively entering a room with your head down, eyes averted, and sliding into a chair, try standing tall with your shoulders back, smiling and maintaining eye contact, and delivering a firm handshake. It will make you feel more self-confident and help to put the other person at ease.

Skill 3: Keep stress in check

How many times have you felt stressed during a disagreement with your spouse, kids, boss, friends, or coworkers and then said or done something you later regretted? If you can quickly relieve stress and return to a calm state, you’ll not only avoid such regrets, but in many cases you’ll also help to calm the other person as well. It’s only when you’re in a calm, relaxed state that you’ll be able to know whether the situation requires a response, or whether the other person’s signals indicate it would be better to remain silent.

In situations such as a job interview, business presentation, high-pressure meeting, or introduction to a loved one’s family, for example, it’s important to manage your emotions, think on your feet, and effectively communicate under pressure.

Communicate effectively by staying calm under pressure
Use stalling tactics to give yourself time to think. Ask for a question to be repeated or for clarification of a statement before you respond.
Pause to collect your thoughts. Silence isn’t necessarily a bad thing—pausing can make you seem more in control than rushing your response.
Make one point and provide an example or supporting piece of information. If your response is too long or you waffle about a number of points, you risk losing the listener’s interest. Follow one point with an example and then gauge the listener’s reaction to tell if you should make a second point.
Deliver your words clearly. In many cases, how you say something can be as important as what you say. Speak clearly, maintain an even tone, and make eye contact. Keep your body language relaxed and open.
Wrap up with a summary and then stop. Summarize your response and then stop talking, even if it leaves a silence in the room. You don’t have to fill the silence by continuing to talk.

Quick stress relief for effective communication

When a conversation starts to get heated, you need something quick and immediate to bring down the emotional intensity. By learning to quickly reduce stress in the moment, you can safely take stock of any strong emotions you’re experiencing, regulate your feelings, and behave appropriately.

Recognize when you’re becoming stressed. Your body will let you know if you’re stressed as you communicate.

Are your muscles or stomach tight? Are your hands clenched? Is your breath shallow? Are you “forgetting” to breathe?

Take a moment to calm down before deciding to continue a conversation or postpone it.

Bring your senses to the rescue. The best way to rapidly and reliably relieve stress is through the senses—sight, sound, touch, taste, smell—or movement. For example, you could pop a peppermint in your mouth, squeeze a stress ball in your pocket, take a few deep breaths, clench and relax your muscles, or simply recall a soothing, sensory-rich image. Each person responds differently to sensory input, so you need to find a coping mechanism that is soothing to you.

Look for humor in the situation. When used appropriately, humor is a great way to relieve stress when communicating. When you or those around you start taking things too seriously, find a way to lighten the mood by sharing a joke or an amusing story.

Be willing to compromise. Sometimes, if you can both bend a little, you’ll be able to find a happy middle ground that reduces the stress levels for everyone concerned. If you realize that the other person cares much more about an issue than you do, compromise may be easier for you and a good investment for the future of the relationship.

Agree to disagree, if necessary, and take time away from the situation so everyone can calm down. Go for a stroll outside if possible, or spend a few minutes meditating. Physical movement or finding a quiet place to regain your balance can quickly reduce stress.

Skill 4: Assert yourself

Direct, assertive expression makes for clear communication and can help boost your self-esteem and decision-making skills. Being assertive means expressing your thoughts, feelings, and needs in an open and honest way, while standing up for yourself and respecting others. It does NOT mean being hostile, aggressive, or demanding. Effective communication is always about understanding the other person, not about winning an argument or forcing your opinions on others.

To improve your assertiveness:
Value yourself and your options. They are as important as anyone else’s.
Know your needs and wants. Learn to express them without infringing on the rights of others
Express negative thoughts in a positive way. It’s okay to be angry, but you must remain respectful as well.
Receive feedback positively. Accept compliments graciously, learn from your mistakes, ask for help when needed.
Learn to say “no.” Know your limits and don’t let others take advantage of you. Look for alternatives so everyone feels good about the outcome.

Developing assertive communication techniques

Empathetic assertion conveys sensitivity to the other person. First, recognize the other person’s situation or feelings, then state your needs or opinion. “I know you’ve been very busy at work, but I want you to make time for us as well.”

Escalating assertion can be employed when your first attempts are not successful. You become increasingly firm as time progresses, which may include outlining consequences if your needs are not met. For example, “If you don’t abide by the contract, I’ll be forced to pursue legal action.”

Practice assertiveness in lower risk situations to help build up your confidence. Or ask friends or family if you can practice assertiveness techniques on them first.

6 Steps for Communications with Impact

This animation,

Produced by 1000 Lives Improvement,

Provides a simple,

Step-by-step guide to put communication at the heart of your improvement and change