We use verbal communication to teach, persuade, discuss, share information and demand action. The type of verbal communication selected depends on the subject matter and the intent of the communicator. Word choice, tone, eye contact and active listening improve the effectiveness of verbal communication in changing behavior of listeners. Alternatively, overly emotional verbal communication such as yelling or disrespecting the audience decreases verbal communication effectiveness.
Dialogue
Dialogue involves communication between two people who alternately speak and listen. The context of the verbal communication requires different styles, for example boss to employee, parent to child, workers standing around the break room or talking with a professional. Dialogue type verbal communication represents a non-linear process characterized by action-reaction and spontaneity.
In dialogue types of verbal communication--other than social chatting--it helps to organize your thoughts beforehand to identify the points you want to make or the outcome you want to achieve. Active listening and reactions occur in real time during a dialogue. To ensure that the give-and-take of a dialogue reaches your goal, listen closely and watch the listener’s body language for signals of agreement or disagreement and tailor your response accordingly.
Acknowledge comments of others through paraphrasing or non-verbal attention, eye contact and head-nodding. As the dialogue draws to a close, summarize what you said, what you understood and any future actions agreed on.
Presentation
Presentations offer one-way communication between a speaker and an audience. Presentation style is linear, with ideas following logically from one to the next. A presentation seeks to educate, inform, train or persuade with a more formal style than a dialogue. George Mason University suggests that a presentation have a clear purpose that includes identifying what you want the audience to know, believe or do at the completion of your presentation.
Presenters may use oral or written verbal communication or both. Effective presentations require logical organization and it helps to clue the audience in to the flow and key points using an introduction and a conclusion that reiterate important information.
Increase the interest and understanding of attendees by incorporating graphics, data, and anecdotes into a presentation. Professional presenters suggest establishing eye contact with audience members and moving around to help people focus and attend to your message.
Writing
Writing or written verbal communication challenges verbal communication skills because you do not have immediate checks on audience understanding. Therefore, written communication requires more consideration of organization and more careful word selection. A writer facilitates the reader’s ability to extract the most important information in written verbal communication by using short paragraphs, headings and simple sentences written in active voice.
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