Some Principles of Communication
Posted on Wednesday 16 January 2013
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Some general principles which are useful as guidelines for all kinds of communication are stated below.
PRINCIPLE 1: Be aware of the importance of communication.
Communication is like breathing. Life is impossible if we stopped breathing, yet we pay little attention to this activity, taking it entirely for granted.
Communication is just as important for sustaining life as breathing, yet it too is something that we usually take for granted. However, the need for proper communication is so great in the modern world that we can no longer afford to take it for granted. Communication education has become as necessary as health education; in fact, the health of a society is, to a great extent, dependent on the quality of communication among its members.
Many people think that the ability to communicate is an inborn talent. However, it is possible to develop the skills of communication through effort and understanding of the principles involved.
PRINCIPLE 2: Be aware of the complexity of communication.
Good communication is a combination of personal qualities, insights, skills, values and attitudes - all of which can be developed if one has the desire and will to communicate. Several different kinds of insights are required for effective communication.
PRINCIPLE 1: Be aware of the importance of communication.
Communication is like breathing. Life is impossible if we stopped breathing, yet we pay little attention to this activity, taking it entirely for granted.
Communication is just as important for sustaining life as breathing, yet it too is something that we usually take for granted. However, the need for proper communication is so great in the modern world that we can no longer afford to take it for granted. Communication education has become as necessary as health education; in fact, the health of a society is, to a great extent, dependent on the quality of communication among its members.
Many people think that the ability to communicate is an inborn talent. However, it is possible to develop the skills of communication through effort and understanding of the principles involved.
PRINCIPLE 2: Be aware of the complexity of communication.
Good communication is a combination of personal qualities, insights, skills, values and attitudes - all of which can be developed if one has the desire and will to communicate. Several different kinds of insights are required for effective communication.
- psychological insights: An effective communicator should be a keen student of human nature - of how people behave in different situations and how behavior can be influenced and shaped through mutual interaction.
- sociological insights: Since communication always takes place in a social context, a good communicator should be able understand patterns of social organisation - the various elements of which society is made up, the influence of social circumstances on human behavior etc. An understanding of the channels of communication in a society, some of which may be hidden and invisible, is also necessary.
- linguistic insights: A good communicator needs thorough understanding of language and how it can be used as a tool in communication.
- cultural insights: A good communicator must have a sympathetic understanding of the prevailing culture of the society in which he/she is located.
PRINCIPLE 3: Communication should be purposeful and audience oriented.
- Purpose
Essentially, people communicate with each other in order to satisfy their physical, emotional and psychological needs. All communication is, or should be, purposeful.
The purpose of communication is decided, initially, by the sender. If the act of communication is not linked to the sender's needs and interests, he/she will not take the trouble to communicate. However, the purpose of communication is often decided by negotiation between the sender and the receiver(s).
The effectiveness of communication depends, to a large extent, on its purposefulness. Communication which lacks a purpose is rambling and difficult to follow. It is necessary for both the sender and the receiver to be sharply focused on the purpose of the communication.
The purpose of communication is generally to:
- inform
- instruct
- motivate
- entertain - Audience
As the human factor is most important in communication, all communication should be people-oriented.
In most cases, the sender begins the process of communication will the aim of securing the attention, sympathy, support, help etc of the receiver(s). Whatever the sender's purpose may be, communication will fail if the receiver is not receptive to the message. In order to secure the receiver's attention, the sender must focus prominently on the receiver. It is necessary for the sender to give due prominence to the receiver and to see things from the receivers point of view.
Communication is generally undertaken to fulfill immediate needs, but it can also serve long-term goals. In the business world, where communication becomes particularly important, people are trained to adopt a long term view of communication, as a means of building lasting relationships and creating greater understanding. A salesperson in a company, for example, may or may not be able to 'talk' a prospective client into buying a product, but if he/she has been able to communicate effectively, he/she should have won a friend for the company. Every business organisation considers it important to project an image of itself as being honest and dependable as well as friendly and efficient, and makes huge investments in setting up communication networks through which such an image can be projected.
PRINCIPLE 5: Communication should be positive.
The basic function of all communication is to build bridges between people. Communication should therefore be a positive activity. Although we are sometimes obliged to communicate messages to each other which are unpleasant or painful, we should try to communicate them in as painless a manner possible, showing respect for the feelings of the receiver.
PRINCIPLE 6: Communication should be a collaborative activity between the sender and the receiver.
Communication can succeed only if the sender and the receiver contribute jointly to the success. One might think that the sender is alone responsible for getting the message across, but the receiver should also want and try to maintain the communication link. Communication rests on the principle of cooperation between sender and receiver and each should be aware of his/her responsibility.
PRINCIPLE 7: Be aware of the barriers to communicate and be prepared to take positive action to overcome them.
Barriers can potentially bring about a breakdown of communication. Both the sender and the receiver should be aware of these barriers and cooperate in trying to overcome them.
PRINCIPLE 8: Communication should be strategized and not left entirely to chance.
Many kinds of communication can be planned in advance. A good communicator is seldom caught unprepared. The situations in which we are required to communicate with others are, to some extent, predictable - at least in broad outline, if not in their details, depending on the profession or occupation in which we are involved, the kinds of people we have to meet, the kinds of questions they are likely to ask etc.
To become an effective communicator, you should be able to 'think on your feet', reading every change in a situation intelligently. As said earlier, this requires a good understanding of human behavior and of social situations. Good communication does not 'happen'; it is made to happen.
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