Verbal Communication

Verbal communication is perhaps the most obvious and understood mode of communication, and it is certainly a powerful tool in your communication toolbox. Put simply, verbal communication is the sharing of information between two individuals using words.

While we typically focus on speech while talking about verbal communication, it’s important to remember that writing is also a form of verbal communication. After all, writing uses words too!
Let’s look at three of the major differences between the two:

Formal versus Informal: We generally use spoken communication informally while we use written communication formally.

Synchronous versus Asynchronous: Synchronous communication is communication that takes place in real time, such as a conversation with a friend. In contrast, asynchronous communication is communication that is not immediate and occurs over longer periods of time, such as letters, email, or even text messages.

Recorded versus Unrecorded: Written communication is generally archived and recorded for later retrieval while spoken communication is generally not recorded.


Nonverbal Communication

We’ve already employed a little bit of nonverbal communication with the active listening skills we’ve previously discussed: nodding, facial expressions, leaning toward the speaker to show interest—all of those are forms of nonverbal communication. Body language can reinforce your spoken message or it can contradict it entirely.
Here are some types of nonverbal communication and the effects they can have on the success of your communication:

Facial expressions: Your teenage cousin we referred to at the beginning of this section might have told you he was happy, but his apathetic facial expression may have communicated different information. Facial expressions—happy, sad, angry—help you convey your message. Be aware of your facial expression when you talk and particularly when you listen, which is when it’s easy to forget.

Touch: Shaking an audience member’s hand, putting your hand on his shoulder: these are nonverbal cues that can affect the success of your message. Touch communicates affection, but it also communicates power. You can think about what kind of messages a job applicant may send through a weak handshake versus a firm one after having a job interview.

Eye contact: Making and maintaining eye contact with an audience when you’re verbally communicating or listening communicates to the other party that you’re interested and engaged in the conversation. Good eye contact often conveys the trait of honesty to the other party.

Appearance: Your clothing, hair, and jewelry are also a part of nonverbal communication. If you put a dachshund pin on your lapel each morning (because you have a pet dachshund), that says something about you as a person. Similarly, the quality and condition of your clothing, how it fits, if it’s appropriate for the season—all of these things speak nonverbally about you as a communicator.

Nonverbal communication reveals a lot about you as a communicator and how you relate to other people. It pays to be aware of the elements of your nonverbal communication so you can maximize the impact of your message.

People use verbal communication to express themselves in many ways possible during speeches or even in everyday conversations. The communication may vary depending on the receiver’s listening skills, that may include a number of verbal communication skills, such as the volume of your voice, the tone you use, and the clarity of your speech. You’ll probably get some idea of how effective your communication is through the feedback you receive. Verbal communications can be considered into both formal and informal communication.

You can improvise the effectiveness of your speech by considering your target audience ways of receiving messages and you can also adjust your messages so that they will pay attention and understand you more. The pros of verbal communication is that you have a lot of control over adapting your message if you feel it is not effective.


NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Non-verbal communication involves communicating without using words. Instead, individuals use non-verbal behaviors or signs to communicate. These types of nonverbal communication can emphasize into any spoken words, or to contradict them. Non-verbal communications are most likely to be considered as informal communication.

These are the main aspects of non-verbal communication which has an impact on how people receive your message.