Maximising the effect of information through effective verbal communication

1. Introduction

1.1 Effective Verbal communication

According to BusinessDictionary.com, verbal communication is simply a way in which information is shared using unspoken words. People communicate verbally in the corporate world, at taxi ranks, in relationships, in friendships, in music, in spoken poetry, at school, on the phone, within their families and sometimes with their pets and themselves. However, effective verbal communication is when the information being shared is understood not only by the receiver but also by the sender. When one communicates effectively they make their intentions clear and known to others (Oskamp & Granrose, 1997). Effective verbal communication allows people to express their emotions, thoughts, ideas and suggestions (Oskamp & Granrose, 1997). This type of communication can be complex especially if there are barriers which prevent mutual understanding (Team FME, 2013).

1.2 Barriers to effective communication

George Bernard Shaw once said, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” The illusion of communication occurs when the parties involved in the communication process think they understand the information being shared, but in actual fact have different ideas of what has been communicated. This illusion of communication arises when there is a barrier to communication which results in the information being distorted.