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What Makes For Great Communication










We can communicate today at record speed with each other. We can video call, text, chat , email , call ..the plethora of communication mediums are endless. However, the question remains , as it has , for time immemorial  : What makes for great communication ? In order to answer this question , we first need to understand what communication entails. When we ask people what communication means to them , we often hear answers like these :

Communication serves a very integral purpose in our lives. It helps us to share our feelings and give meaning to shared experiences. Through art forms like poetry and music  , communication helps us to express our innermost feelings. Communication fulfills a very deep need to share our lives , to connect to others and form shared values. However  , when things go wrong , poor communication can also lead to conflict and misunderstandings. We all know how important communication is - since it plays such an integral purpose in our lives , it is important that we all communicate well. 

There has been a lot of research carried out in the field of communication . The most basic way of conceptualizing communication is to look at it as a transaction. (Griffin, 2016, p. 4). In this transaction there are several elements that are involved as shown by the image below :
When two people are communicating, they take turns to be both sender and receiver. When one sends a message and the other receives it through the communication channel , deciphers what the message means to them and then creates meaning for themselves. It is important to remember , that in any communication situation , the meaning is created by the receiver, meaning can never be communicated. Messages need a channel , this could be voice , telephone, email , SMS, or Facebook. Channels play a significant role in making a message great, rather the choice of channel can have an impact on the quality of the communication. Another thing that impacts the quality of communication is the "noise " surrounding the message. Noise is anything that can obstruct the proper sending and receiving of messages. For example , when you are in a noisy restaurant ,   the chatter of the surrounding guests can create so much noise , that it can obstruct your ability to hear your conversation partner properly. In communication theory , noise is anything that can obstruct the proper transmission of messages like : differences in languages of the speakers, external physical noise , stress level of the communicators etc.This model is extremely helpful and we can now see for ourselves , how fraught with danger the entire process of communication is. There are so many issues that could arise at every stage , that it is a wonder we manage to transfer messages at all! To get back to the question , what makes communication great ? Great communication has the following characteristics :

1. Communicators encode messages appropriately for other communicators i.e they use the right language, tone , gestures and symbols 
2. The encoded messages are sent via the right channel
3. The encoded messages are not troubled by too much noise , either from the psychological noise of the communicator or physical/external noises from the environment or channel
4. The Communicator that receives the messages decodes it appropriately. 
5. The Communicator that decodes the message, creates the meaning as intended by the encoder.
An effort to be great at communication can be done by anyone. Here is an example , of how you can plan your communications to be great :
Encode your message for your audience - know the person that is receiving your message  , pay attention to the language , tone of voice , vocabulary , length of the message.
Pick the time , place and channel with the least noise. Be aware that the channel you choose can affect the meaning the person will decode from your message. A meeting in a boardroom Vs A meeting in a pub, can send very different messages to the audience of your message.
When receiving messages ensure that you have decoded the message appropriately, have you kept in mind , the language and culture of the person sending the messages etc.
When creating meaning out of the messages , it is imperative to have a healthy sense of personality and self..as people with distorted sense of self , can see insults , where none was intended for example.
Off course, this applies only to intended and planned communication. As we can observe, communication is impacted not only by our environment , culture, language but also from our personalities , our sense of self. It is not just about public speaking , having a good vocabulary or writing well. An extremely well-written essay with a lot of complex words is poor communication if it is meant for 10 year olds. Great communication is an art , that cannot be described or penned down. We all know when we have had a great communication with someone - it validates us , it uplifts us , it gives us a sense of connection and self-worth. It gives meaning to our very existence. Great communication is at the heart of every great relationship. And great relationships are at the heart of every happy person. It is worth it , to study the art of great communication, so that we can live fuller , richer  and meaningful lives. Just the effort on your part to improve communication , can improve the world. Join me on this journey , as I explore all aspects of communication - from the small to the great. Let us make this world a better place, one lesson at a time!
Sources
Griffin, M. A. (2016). A survey of human communication. Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/book/383592657/A-Survey-of-Human-Communication
Barnlund, D. C. (2008). A transactional model of communication. In. C. D. Mortensen (Eds.), Communication theory (2nd Ed), pp. 47–57. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction.

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