Effective Communication

We explain what effective communication is and what its characteristics and elements are. Also, its importance and some examples.

What is effective communication?

Effective communication is one in which the message is transmitted successfullybecause the receiver understands the meaning and intention of the sender. To achieve this, It is very important that whoever sends the message knows exactly what they want to convey.That is, you know the topic you are talking about and you can create a precise and clear message.

In addition, the characteristics of the receiver (who receives and must understand the message) must be taken into account to formulate the content in the most accurate way possible. In this way, communicative events are more likely to be effective, because misunderstandings or misinterpretations are less likely to occur.

Effective communication is very relevant in the workplace, as well as in the personal and educational spheres, as it allows people to express their ideas and understand those of others.

See also: Communication

Characteristics of effective communication

Effective communication is characterized by the following:

• It is easy to understand. The receiver can understand the message without problems and without doubting whether the information is correct or not.
• It is accurate. The message conveys specific and accurate information so that there are no misunderstandings.
• Contains true information. The message is consistent with reality.
• Convey relevant information. The message provides information that is important to the receiver in a given situation.
• Combine verbal and non-verbal language. The message is transmitted using words and other sounds, movements or gestures that complement verbal communication.
• It is reciprocal. Effective communicative exchanges usually occur in a dialogic manner, so that the participants change their roles when the receiver generates responses towards the sender.
• It is based on understanding and respect. The sender understands the ideas and feelings of the receiver, respects their beliefs and adapts the message to their characteristics so that the exchange of information is more fluid and effective.

Elements of effective communication

There are certain elements that make up any effective communication process:

• Transmitter. It is the person or group of people who produce and send the message.
• Receiver. It is the person or group of people who receive and interpret the message.
• Code. It is a set of rules and signs that the sender uses to produce his message, and which must also be known by the receiver to be able to interpret it (that is, they must speak the same language).
• Channel. It is the physical medium through which the message is transmitted.
• Message. It is the information that is communicated.
• Context. It is the situation in which the sender transmits his message and in which the receiver receives it.

In most communicative exchanges, feedback can occur, that is, the response that the receiver gives to the sender to demonstrate that they received and understood the message. When this phenomenon occurs, the receiver becomes the sender and vice versa, and it can be confirmed that a communicative event was effective.

What is noise? Noise refers to any type of interference that affects the elements involved in communication. Therefore, it impairs effective communication and should be avoided as much as possible.

See also: Elements of communication

Types of effective communication

In organizations such as institutions or companies, effective communication can be classified taking into account different criteria.

Depending on the level of formality, effective communication can be formal or informal.

• Formal communication. It usually deals with work issues and has specific rules, such as the use of courtesy. It can occur between people of the same or different hierarchy. For example: training for a project.
• Informal communication. It can be about work-related topics or not, and it does not have specific rules, because it is similar to everyday conversation. It usually occurs between people of equal hierarchy. For example: a conversation about a sporting event between colleagues.

Furthermore, taking into account the direction, effective communication can also be classified into vertical (upward or downward) and horizontal.

• Vertical communication. It happens between people of different hierarchy. It can be ascending (if the issuer occupies a lower-ranking position) or descending (if the issuer occupies a higher-ranking position). For example: when the head of an area informs employees about a change in the organization.
• Horizontal communication. It occurs between people who have the same hierarchy within a company or an institution. For example: when two coworkers organize a meeting.

Importance of effective communication

Effective communication is important in all areas of life, since in any type of information exchange it is necessary for the sender and the receiver to interpret the message in the same way. For example:

• Business field. It promotes productivity, since it helps people and teams work correctly and in a complementary way.
• Academic field. It serves to transmit information correctly in classes or in written texts, such as theses, essays and monographs.
• Political sphere. Formulating a clear and convincing message is the key to capturing votes and achieving consensus when carrying out a measure.
• Commercial scope. A well-crafted message can contribute to greater sales volume.
• personal sphere. It helps communicate what one feels and thinks and, therefore, allows people to have better bonds with others.

Examples of effective communication

Some examples of effective communication are:

1. The human resources manager of a company sends an email to all employees to communicate that a new code of conduct will be implemented.
2. The head of a specific department or area of ​​a company trains a new employee on how to do his or her job.
3. The person in charge of an area makes a summary of the most relevant points of a meeting and distributes copies to those who attended.
4. A sales agent tells a customer the details of a product and how to make the purchase through a slide presentation.
5. A candidate for governor of a state gives a speech in front of the citizens to inform the changes he will implement if elected.

Techniques to achieve effective communication

There are different techniques, keys or tips that can be followed to achieve effective communication:

• Be clear. It is advisable to use simple words and sentences to explain the information in the simplest and most precise way possible. In addition, all necessary clarifications must be made and contradictory ideas, digressions and not very direct phrases must be avoided.
• Know the receiver. Some characteristics of the recipient must be taken into account, such as how much they know about the topic, their values ​​and their way of perceiving the world. Furthermore, it is advisable to allow listeners to ask questions, in order to make all the necessary clarifications.
• Adapt to the context. The characteristics of the context must be taken into account to adapt the message, since the situation determines the degree of formality and the way of approaching the topic so that it is interesting for the recipient.
• Organize information. What you intend to communicate must be organized. To achieve this, it is necessary to know the topic and organize the information in such a way that it goes from the best known to the new or from the general to the particular.
• Take into account non-verbal communication. It is necessary to pay attention to what is communicated with gestures, body postures, tone of voice, gaze, among other non-verbal elements, because they can help reinforce the verbal message.
• Practice active listening. The sender must pay attention to how the receiver perceives the message and how he or she feels.

Benefits of effective communication

Effective communication has a series of benefits:

• Transmits information better. It allows the exchange of ideas to be easier, because the message is clear and provides relevant information, there is no confusion, distance is not an obstacle, among other reasons.
• Improve business organization. It allows the organization of production, sales, training, meetings, among other communication events, to be developed in a simple and efficient way and to meet the established goals and objectives.
• Build better links. It allows you to build stronger relationships between people from different areas, such as work, family and academics.
• Economize the use of language. It allows you to transmit ideas, opinions and beliefs in a simple way, without detours and without wasting time or having to constantly make clarifications.

Barriers to effective communication

Barriers are any type of event that does not allow communication to be effective, that is, it is an interference in the communication process. There are different types of barriers:

• Physical or environmental. They are the barriers of physical space that do not allow communication to occur effectively or completely. For example: the noise of the subway when it covers what a person says.
• Semantic or verbal. They are the barriers that occur when the sender and the receiver do not share the same code or attribute different meanings to the same word. For example: when the receiver does not understand what the sender says because he does not know the meaning of a term.
• Psychological. They are the barriers that occur when the sender or receiver goes through states of mind that do not allow them to communicate properly. For example: when a person is nervous and cannot express their ideas clearly.
• Interpersonal or cultural. They are the barriers that occur because the sender and the receiver belong to cultures with very different forms of behavior. For example: when the sender does not use polite expressions in situations in which they are required from the receiver's point of view.

See also: Communication barriers

Effective communication at work

Effective communication is decisive in the workplace. The productivity and proper functioning of the staff and the different areas depend, to a large extent, on the correct transmission of messages.

This is because effective communication It helps to generate trust between individuals and also to clearly know what the goals and the objectives that guide the work of a company or an institution.

Furthermore, effective communication It is a key tool when it comes to motivating staff and make him feel part of the team. It also serves to generate more horizontal structures, in which all people can listen and be heard.

Now, in any organization, effective communication depends on its leaders, who must be the first to implement it. It is also important that they know which is the best channel for this, as well as the right time.

Effective and assertive communication

Effective and assertive communication have similarities, since in both the objective is to produce a clear message that is easy to understand by the sender. In fact, they usually occur together.

However, effective communication focuses on making the transmission and understanding of the message as simple and effective as possible. Instead, Assertive communication is the ability to transmit the ideas and thoughts you want, but respecting the opinions of the recipient.. That is, it is about communicating what one wants but balancing one's own needs with those of others.

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References

• Moreno Espinoza, L. Á. (2009). Effective communication to achieve a shared vision. CULCyT: Scientific and Technological Culture, 6(32), 5-19.
• Quero Romero, YM, Mendoza Monzant, FM and Torres Hernández, YDC (2014). Effective communication and job performance in Basic Education. Negotium, 9(27), 22-35.
• Valdez, JL, Abreu, JL and Badii, MH (2008). The relationship between formal and informal communication in organizations: a