Communicating is about more than just talking. Every day we are communicating through our words, our actions, our emotions, our behavior and even through the things we don't say. Communication is how we let people around us know what we are thinking and how we are feeling, as well as how we get what we want and need.
Types
There are myriad ways to communicate. Whether it's through the written word, talking to someone or even reading someone's body language, communication is everywhere. Every single type of communication has its strengths as well as its weaknesses. Recognizing and limiting those weaknesses depending on the type of communication is a key to communicating effectively.
Significance
Effective communication is necessary to fulfilling our needs. Imagine how hard it would be to survive if you could not effectively communicate with anyone. Poor communication can lead to mix-ups, errors and even hurt feelings. Learning effective communication skills can help you not only see that your needs are met in a particular situation, but they can help you understand and fulfill the needs of others as well.
Limitations
All forms of communications have their limitations. We can't know for exactly sure what someone else is trying to communicate, so it is up to us to interpret the other party's communication to us. This can often lead to problems. The written word, for example, often fails to capture emotion, emphasis on certain words that can affect meaning and especially tone. Communicating face-to-face has its advantages, but conversations can often turn into arguments given the right circumstances and emotions. Capitalizing on the strengths of different forms of communication given the environment and circumstances can reduce limitations and make the communication more effective.
Identification
The easiest way to recognize effective methods of communication is to observe the results. If, for example, writing a letter to a family member to express your concerns, rather than talking on the phone, seems to resolve a conflict, that method is probably best. Each individual person responds differently to different types of communication.
Techniques
According to Marilyn Lesmeister, leadership and volunteer development specialist at North Dakota State University, communication consists of two basic skills: listening and feedback. Often, to satisfy our own needs, we focus mainly on giving feedback without using listening skills to identify the other party's needs. This, Lesmeister says, can cause conflict with the communication relationship. Good listening is essential to good communication. When parties feel like their needs are being listened to, they are more likely to work through conflict and help devise a solution.
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