Communication is a “two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants not only exchange (encode-decode) information, news, ideas and feelings but also create and share meaning. In general, communication is a means of connecting people or places. In business, it is a key function of management – an organization cannot operate without communication between levels, departments and employees.” ^[1]

There’s a lot to think about there. This video should help.

This video discusses why and how we communicate, and looks at effective ways to overcome various challenges. A simple communication model is used to highlight context in relation to other essential communication elements. The speaker emphasises that context plays a central role in the success or failure of communication. We learn that context includes

• emotional states (how do participants feel at the time of the communication?),
• the environment and physical setting,
• the relationship between participants,
• participants’ backgrounds (e.g. culture and language), and
• timing.

The kind of feedback possible in different channels and environments also affects shared understanding.

In closing, this video previews information we will see again later in this course in a set of questions and strategies to help you design and deliver effective messages.

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References

1. ↑ businessdictionary.com