Communication

Communication is the process of conveying information from a sender to a receiver with the use of a medium in which the communicated information is understood by both sender and receiver.

Basics of communication:
There are various factors involved in communication, of which some are listed below:
• The context in which the message is delivered.
The first and most important factor in communication is that the idea one want to share must be perceived in the same context by the receiver.
Communication only involves messages which have been intentionally given to recipients who also received them. In other words, only when the intended message has also been received correctly will communication take place.

• Cultural differences:
Nationality, age, education, social status, economic position, and religion are just some of the sources of cultural differences. If you share very little life experience with your co-communicator, successful communication may be difficult to achieve. The same difficulty may be experienced in the workplace: even the sight of your boss might create a certain distance that will make communication an agonizing experience. Much worse is when you do not know how to deal with the boss; this is because different cultures deal with power relations differently.
• Emotional interference:
Emotions affect the shape of communication. It is hard to be objective when you are very emotional. You may not be able to think more realistically and truthfully about the content of the message being sent or received.
• Physical distraction:
Of course, everything around may be cause for some distraction. They may result in loss of concentration and failure to understand what is being communicated by the other party.

Types of Communication:

*Verbal
*Nonverbal

Verbal Communication:

Verbal communication is further divided into written and oral communication. The oral communication refers to the spoken words in the communication process. Oral communication can either be face-to-face communication or a conversation over the phone or on the voice chat over the Internet. Spoken conversations or dialogs are influenced by voice modulation, pitch, volume and even the speed and clarity of speaking. The other type of verbal communication is written communication. Written communication can be either via snail mail, or email. The effectiveness of written communication depends on the style of writing, vocabulary used, grammar, clarity and precision of language.

Nonverbal Communication:

Non-verbal communication includes the overall body language of the person who is speaking, which will include the body posture, the hand gestures, and overall body movements. The facial expressions also play a major role while communication since the expressions on a person’s face say a lot about his/her mood. On the other hand gestures like a handshake, a smile or a hug can independently convey emotions. Non verbal communication can also be in the form of pictorial representations, signboards, or even photographs, sketches and paintings.

Types of Communication Based on Style and Purpose:

Based on the style of communication, there can be two broad categories of communication, which are formal and informal communication that have their own set of characteristic features.
Formal Communication:

Formal communication includes all the instances where communication has to occur in a set formal format. Typically this can include all sorts of business communication or corporate communication. The style of communication in this form is very formal and official. Official conferences, meetings and written memos and corporate letters are used for communication. Formal communication can also occur between two strangers when they meet for the first time. Hence formal communication is straightforward, official and always precise and has a stringent and rigid tone to it.

Informal Communication:

Informal communication includes instances of free unrestrained communication between people who share a casual rapport with each other. Informal communication requires two people to have a similar wavelength and hence occurs between friends and family. Informal communication does not have any rigid rules and guidelines. Informal conversations need not necessarily have boundaries of time, place or even subjects for that matter since we all know that friendly chats with our loved ones can simply go on and on.


Factors of Communication:
There are five distinct factors involved:
Information
From advertising campaigns to job interviews or brochures to newspaper TV listings, it’s all the same: someone needs to get a message across to someone else.
People
Could be your staff, your clients, your mum and dad. Whoever needs to be given the message, as long as the message is relevant.
Time
Timing is simply picking the best moment to pass on the message.
Format
Think about who you’re passing the message onto and then ask yourself what the best way is to tell them. An email or a letter? Or maybe a short video or radio ad?
Channel
Face to face or over the phone? Can it be done online? The channel is what delivers the message.