We’ve learned that there are seven principles by which you should evaluate any communication, be it verbal or written. The seven principles are summarized in this list:
- Objective
- Understanding of Audience Knowledge
- Relevant
- Clear
- Concise
- Consistent
- Complete
If you adhere to these principles, you have a far better chance of being understood by your audience.
We’ve also learned about the social communication model. Through that, we learned that you create the message in your head and “encode it” into a message that can be understood, and then your audience “decodes” it to receive the message. In that process, there can be disruptive “noise” that distorts your message, but your audience can provide “feedback” that allows you additional chances to be understood.
We learned that there are types of communication—written, yes, but also spoken. And with spoken communication, verbal, listening and non-verbal communication are all taking place at the same time. Finding communication methods and tools that allow you to employ all three of those methods are the most efficient ways to good communication.
Finally, we considered ethical communication and how keeping these principles and laws of communication in mind can keep you on the straight and narrow path to ethical communication.
You’re on your way to being a great communicator!
