Effective Communication: Overview

UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN P. O. BOX 175, PORT-OF-SPAIN Research paper /speech Effective Communication Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Requirement for the Course COMM104-01 – COMMUNICATION SKILLS INSTURCTOR: Kendall Reid By Stephen Browne Date December 1st, 2010 Approval………………………. Effective Communication Good evening everyone, a special and cordial welcome to our invited guests Mr. Kendall Reid and all members of staff. Ladies and gentlemen, well-wishers, special invited guest, members of staff I say to welcome.

Communication-simple yet complex easy to do and easy to blunder . The ability to communicate effectively is essential for everyone but one must understand the complex process involved in communication, and become aware of the common barriers to effectively communicate. Let’s explore some of the dynamics to effectively communicate and also some of the elements. Communication is the process of sharing information, thoughts and feelings between people through speaking, writing or body language.

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This simply means between groups or two persons, thoughts and feelings at some point in time is expressed to each other and also even felt. Effective communication extends the concept to require that transmitted content is received and understood by someone in the way it was intended. The goals of effective communication include creating a common perception, changing behaviors and acquiring information. When the act of communication is initiated, internal processing about information or feelings you want to share with someone else is called encoding.

After encoding, the message is sent through either spoken or written words, which completes encoding process. At the other end of communication is receiving and interpreting what was sent is called decoding. The recipient can and should confirm receipt to the sender to close the communication loop. Speaking to an audience can be fun and exciting. However, lack of preparation or not clearly defining the presentation’s goals and its audience can make even the best-intended presentation a complete disaster.

Let’s take some time to consider the context of communication an element in effective communication actually it improves the effectiveness. Context takes into consideration the age, region, sex and intellectual abilities of the recipient. It is also useful to assess receptivity and the emotional state of the sender and receiver at the time of communication. For example, when speaking to an elementary school child about the importance of brushing teeth, you should choose different words and examples than you would when talking to a teenager or an adult.

Effective communication is really interesting, let’s take a turn and explore some of the barriers that prevent effective communication. The English language abounds in words that mean different things to different people. The lack of common experience between let’s say an instructor and student is probably the greatest single barrier to effective communication. Many people seem to believe that words transport meanings from speaker to listener in the same way that a truck carries bricks from one location to another.

Words, however, rarely carry precisely the same meaning from the mind of the instructor to the mind of the student. In fact, words, in themselves, do not transfer meanings at all. Whether spoken or written, they are merely stimuli used to arouse a response in the student. The student’s past experience with the words and the things to which they refer determines how the student responds to what the instructor says. A communicator’s words cannot communicate the desired meaning to another person unless the listener or reader has had some experience with the objects or concepts to which these words refer.

Since it is the students’ experience that forms vocabulary, it is also essential that instructors speak the same language as the students. If the syntax (terminology) is necessary to convey the idea, ample time needs to be spent making certain that the individuals that you are communicating with understand that terminology. Now let’s explore some of the nonverbal. This specifically speaks about one thing body language. Body language includes posture, position of hands and arms, eye contact and facial expression.

Children learn to read body language as a way to enhance understanding of the speaker’s intent. Body language that is consistent with the verbal content improves understanding. Body language that is inconsistent with content creates a question in the mind of the listener about the real message. For example, someone may be saying, “I really want to hear your opinion on this. ” However if the person is looking away, has his arms folded or is typing a text message at the same time, his body language communicates an entirely different message.

An element to consider is interference in other words, components that can interfere with effective communication. If the sender is angry, his ability to send effective messages may be negatively affected. In the same way, if the recipient is upset or disagrees with the message or the sender, he may hear something different than what was intended by the sender. Considering emotions, language and conceptual barriers is essential to effective communication. Effective communication is a reciprocal process that includes listening.

Successful listening requires eye contact, objective processing and feedback to the speaker. Active listening may involve asking clarifying questions or restating what was heard to ensure that the intent of the message sent was correctly received. Active listening becomes particularly important when the communication includes emotional content. In conclusion the basic element of the communicative process indicates the beginning of the understanding required for the successful communicator.

When a problem arises don’t waste your time and energy on the problem, focus on the solution. As a matter of fact, it will begin to seem bigger than it really is. I must say, effective communication also takes other good qualities such as patience, endurance, depending on who or what you are dealing with. Recognizing the various barriers to communication further enhances the flow of ideas in a group or one on one. The parties involved must develop communication skills in order to convey desired information and must recognize that communication is a two-way process.

In the end, the true test of whether successful communication has taken place is to determine if the desired results have been achieved. Take control of you and your surroundings by communicating more effectively. Be blessed and truly enjoy the journey! References http://www. communicationskillsinfo. com/ http://www. dynamicflight. com/avcfibook/communication/ How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Elaine Mazlishand and Adele Faber. The Handbook of Communication Skills by Owen Hargie Effective Communication for the Technical Professions by Jennifer MacLennan