35 Impressive Communication Facts Revealed For Effective Communication

One of the most critical aspects of our existence is communication and, more importantly, effective communication.

Communication includes a sender, their message, and the intended recipient. Interestingly, communication does not necessarily mean one has to talk since it can also be carried out using non-verbal methods.

Communication skills are something that needs to be developed and polished over time. Success in exchanging information and ideas can only be carried out by focusing on how you speak, listen, or a combination of both.

Especially in today's times, with a plethora of information being shared constantly, it is indeed mandatory to pick up on the skills that help you convey your words.

To learn more communication facts and how you can polish your communication skills, keep reading!

What is communication?

Communication refers to the exchange of information that takes place between people. The three prime components of communication are the sender, the recipient, and the message. While communication is a very regular and everyday occurrence, there are a lot of factors that affect communication.

When we talk about the communication process, there are seven significant features: clarity, correctness, conciseness, courtesy, concreteness, consideration, and completeness.

One of the main factors affecting communication is clarity. It is pretty significant to establish conceptual clarity in order to interact with another person and establish good communication successfully.

An ill-conceived thought results in an inability to convey a message and can also create potential misunderstandings. So, before communicating, it is essential for the person concerned to chalk out their message and what they want to convey.

Cultural differences are also an essential part of communication. When two people who are communicating have a gap in culture, that can lead to ineffective communication.

The first language of two communicating people may not be the same. So, for verbal communication, it is of utmost importance that the one initiating the communication uses a language that the other person can understand.

In case of an inability of the sender to communicate using the language of the receiver, they might resort to using a translator in between.

The timing of communication is also a key factor in establishing effective communication. This is because a message is only relevant to a particular situation as long as that situation is still valid. Maintaining the timeline is key to effective communication, both in professional organizations and in personal fields.

In the case of face-to-face communication, apart from verbal language, non-verbal aspects like body language, facial expressions, eye contact, and hand gestures can also help get the message across.

Communication is not just talking. An essential part of communication is listening. It would not be possible to exchange information, ideas, or emotions without actively listening to the other side to respond appropriately.

On the importance of communication, the list is quite endless. Firstly, communication is used to relay important and emergency messages. Without communication, the world would descend into utter chaos.

Furthermore, humans are social creatures. So, without any communication, it may not have been possible for us to survive and make it this far.

Communication also aids in resolving conflicts. Effective communication can drastically make the situation better from conflicts between couples, in the workplace, or even conflicts in war zones.

Without communication, there would be no established structure within any business organization and even in society at large.

The History Of Communication

The history of communication is quite elaborate since communication had existed for centuries, even before humans learned how to speak to each other. However, through the years, the forms of communication have evolved significantly and have affected the human culture.

The development of human speech, which happened in 100,000 BC, set prehistoric humans apart from every other animal. This also led to the inception of communication.

One of the earliest forms of communication was through cave paintings, meaning the prehistoric men and women communicated by drawing symbols and images on walls. This was visual communication, and while it may be assumed that the prehistoric men and women were not as intelligent, the truth is, they needed significant creativity and intelligence to get their message across.

Subsequently, with the invention of the printing press, and the onset of print media, written communication became more widespread. This development took place in China, during the 1300s, under the rules of the Wang Chen and Bi Sheng dynasty. This was a huge matter of advancement in the Chinese culture and, later on, the world.

Years later, with the creation of Gutenberg's printing press, the printing revolution took place. This further strengthened how communication was expanded.

The 19th century was highlighted by the invention of a number of communication tools. The first among these was the invention of the telegraph in the year 1831.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the invention of the telephone at the hands of Alexander Graham Bell completely revolutionized the meaning of verbal communication and hence, established a brand new standard for effective communication.

The 20th century saw a massive jump in how communication evolved. From the trusty mobile phone to computers, all the essential tools of communication that we see today were invented during the 20th century.

Soon enough, it also became possible to share images, videos, and so on. All this further enhanced the people's experience of trying to communicate with each other.

Finally, the 21st century was the age of social media, with a long list of social media websites offering a unique vision into the world of communication. Social media has become the leading method to connect with someone, both in any business organization or workplace and personally.

Different Types Of Communication

Different types of communication are used by people on a day-to-day basis to communicate effectively. While communication may seemingly only encompass verbal methods, in reality, effective communication can be carried out in a variety of ways.

The first type of communication is one of the most common ones, which is verbal communication. In this case, language plays a significant role. In addition to language, which could be formal or informal, the tone and facial expressions also play important roles. In verbal communication, the relative social positions of the two people conversing are also significant factors.

Written communication is communication that has been carried out through writing. In modern times, emails and texts have become quite popular to get in touch with someone. All one has to do is type out their message and hit send to initiate a conversation.

In older times, letter writing was the only option in this department. However, many people of this generation still communicate using letters. Additionally, most formal activities are carried out through letters.

In both verbal and written communication, grammar plays an essential role.

A whole category of communication is carried out using non-verbal methods. People use non-verbal communication almost as much as verbal communication to get their feelings across. Non-verbal communication includes hand gestures, postures, facial expressions, and eye movements.

Sign language is one of the most prominent examples of non-verbal communication. The American Sign Language (ASL), which is widely practiced in the United States, is a fine example of how effective sign language can be.

Active listening is also an integral kind of communication because it helps establish an emotional connection. Additionally, this guides the course of the communication and ensures the right message is being passed across with the help of feedback.

There is also interpersonal communication, meaning communication that occurs face-to-face. Interpersonal communication can take place through both verbal and non-verbal methods. This form of communication includes a number of aspects.

One of the features of interpersonal communication is the Attribution Theory. This theory explores how people provide explanations for different situations and behaviors.

Another type of communication is family communication, which portrays communication among members of a family who are intimately related to each other. In a family setting, communication is aided by trust and varies based on the people in the family who are interacting with each other.

How To Improve Your Communication Skills

There are a number of ways which can be used to improve one's communication skills. With the ability to communicate properly, any person can easily get their feelings across, in addition to important information about any matter. Hence, improving communication skills is necessary for people to attend parties or achieve success in the workplace as a leader.

If you are the leader of a company or any kind of organization, it is important to maintain an open and clear line of communication with all your team members. Apart from maintaining an open channel, you should also focus on frequently keeping in touch to get your concerns across.

It is important for business leaders and those in positions of power to maintain eye contact while speaking or even listening so that you come across as confident. Additionally, a strong voice also conveys that you are leading with confidence.

When it comes to non-verbal communication, body language, hand gestures, facial expressions are quite integral. So, you should make sure that your non-verbal communication methods can relay your message easily, without any scope of misunderstanding.

It is essential to maintain accessible or open body language. This means the person on the other side should be able to feel comfortable approaching you and talking to you.

One of the easiest ways to establish effective communication is by being brief and to the point. It is often noticeable when a person is speaking and loses track of what they were trying to say in the first place. This can be problematic, especially in a professional organization.

The ability to communicate effectively comes from treating everyone with respect. When you show respect to the person you are speaking with, they would be much more interested in knowing what you have to say.

As already mentioned before, listening is necessary for effective communication. When someone is speaking to you, they should feel like they have your undivided attention and that you are present in the moment. That would encourage the person to keep speaking to you and further the interaction.

In the case of written communication, like text messages or emails, it is essential to maintain proper grammar and check whether you have used the correct words. It is also common for a misunderstanding to arise due to a grammatical or literary error.

Altogether, the ability to communicate successfully relies on a number of factors and situations. Effective communication varies depending on the context. For instance, successfully communicating with your employee will not look the same as successfully communicating with your parents or other loved ones.