The U.S. Office of Special Education Programs published an article by Rod Windle and Suzanne Warren on communications skills that noted three components of effective verbal communication. The article confirms that all effective speaking is 1) brief, succinct and organized; 2) free of "jargon"; and 3) does not create resistance in the listener. Since communication can only be considered effective when it is heard and interpreted in the manner in which it was intended, the delivery of verbal messages must be conducive to listening.
Brevity
An effective verbal message should be as brief as possible. Experts agree that when a speaker rambles or drones on for a long time, the listener tunes out. There quickly appears to be no opportunity for discourse or interaction and therefore little incentive to continue receiving the message. Windle and Warren confirm that in "lengthy dissertations and circuitous explanations...message loses its concreteness, relevance and impact."
Commonality
Jargon can be described as any verbiage that is specific to a particular activity, profession or group. If some people who may not be familiar with your profession would be hard-pressed to understand the language used to express your ideas, it is not effective to communicate using that terminology. For the sake of absolute clarity, it is best to relay thoughts by using words and terms that are commonly understood. In this manner, the communication is both effectively understood and nonexclusive.
Comfortability
Using language that may be construed as judgmental, opinionated or accusatory creates immediate resistance in your listener. The choice of words ultimately has tremendous impact on the effectiveness of the message being sent. For a listener to remain open to considering your point of view, she must continue to feel comfortable and not defensive. Therefore, it is important that you choose words that do not incite the "defensive mindset" so likely to cause your message to be tuned out prematurely.
Identification
According to communications expert professor Albert Mehrabian, the tone, pitch and pacing of our voice is responsible for 38 percent of what a listener "hears" when we speak. The listener's hearing is actually his perception and understanding of the message being sent. Nonetheless, this shows that it is not only the words we choose, but the way we deliver those words. This element of communication is often referred to as paraverbal communication. To be aware of the impact of the tone, pitch and pacing of verbal communication can greatly increase effectiveness.
Expert Insight
Dr. Jeanne Segal and Dr. Jallene Jaffe concluded that the use of commonly understood sounds such as "aha, mmm hmm, ohhh" can be very effective in creating receptivity in listeners. The use of such sounds is an inherent part of verbal communication. They are invaluable to communicate understanding and emotional connections, according to these experts.
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