Types of Communication in a Business
Verbal Communication:
Advantages Disadvantages
Verbal communication allows you as the speaker to receive Short period of longevity. Receivers may quickly forget the message and
immediate feedback from others. The individual or individuals to have difficulty attempting to recall the message. Speakers may need to
whom you are speaking can react instantly to what you are saying find a way to make their message more memorable; this may involve the
whether in a positive or negative manner. This is one way to make use of a secondary communication method. Using a second
certain that your message is being understood. People often use communication can require more time to send the message and ensure
verbal communication as the means to clarify what they are saying in that the receiving audience understands the message.
order to eliminate the potential for misunderstanding. When you
communicate verbally with others, you give them the opportunity to
express their opinions about your ideas or point of view to you
directly. Allowing for correct decisions to be made.
Verbal communication allows you as the speaker to fit your message Verbal communication is a two-way street; when one party talks, the
to a specific audience. Communicating verbally gives you the chance other needs to listen. However, listening is often a disadvantage to verbal
to choose your words and tone of delivery, which can differ communication. Individuals may not be active listeners. They may decide
depending on the mix of your listeners, and whether you are to focus on their response or not listen at all to the spoken message.
speaking to inform, persuade or inspire them. Sometimes with all the When this occurs, the effectiveness of verbal communication becomes
new technologies and different means of communication now weaker. While speakers may be unable to control the listening actions or
available, people tend to forget the value of face-to-face their audience, framing verbal communication through the use of certain
communication. However, direct person-to-person communication words or phrases can help transfer the message.
requires the ability to be able to think on your feet.
Dialogue is another method of verbal communication that allows The audience size is a disadvantage to verbal communication because
individuals to collaborate and exchange ideas with one another. The individuals can only speak to a limited number of people at a given time.
use of dialogue involves a free flow of ideas among individuals or While the size can change through the location of the speech or
within groups, and is particularly effective in business. The purpose of amplification systems, audience size constraints still exist. While basic or
dialogue is to get many different points of view. individual instructions are common uses of verbal communication,
attempting to send a large volume of information through a lengthy
speech may only reach a few individuals.
Non-Verbal:
Advantages Disadvantages
First, reading nonverbal signals gives you, as a presenter, the ability Difficult to understand: Difficult to understand and requires a lot of
to quickly adjust your presentation based on subtle expressions of repetitions in non-verbal communication. Since it uses gestures, facial
confusion or disagreement from your audience. expressions eye contact, touch etc. for communicating with others which
may not be understandable for the simple and foolish people.
Quick expression of message: Non-verbal cues of communication like Lack of formality: Non-verbal communication does not follow any rules,
sign and symbol can also communicate some messages very quickly formality or structure like other communication. Most of the cases people
than written or oral messages. unconsciously and habitually engaged in non-verbal communication by
moving the various parts of the body.
Reducing wastage of time: The message of non-verbal Multi-channel: while watching someone’s eyes, you may miss something
communication reached the receiver very fast. For this reason it significant in a hand gesture. Everything is happening at once and
reduces the wastage of valuable time of the communicator. therefore it may be confusing to try to keep up with everything. Most of
us simply do not do so, at least not consciously.
Written:
Advantages Disadvantages
It provides ready records and references. Another advantage is that If the receivers of the written message are separated by distance and if they
written communication provides a permanent record of the messages need to clear their doubts, the response is not spontaneous. Wherein
that have been sent and can be saved for later study. impressions and reactions are exchanged instantaneously, the sender of
written communication does not generally receive immediate feedback to his
or her message. This can be a source of frustration and uncertainty in business
situations in which a swift response is desired.
Written messages do not have to be delivered on the spur of the Written communication is time-consuming as the feedback is not immediate.
moment; instead, they can be edited and revised several times before The encoding and sending of message takes time. Also, it is less personal
they are sent so that the content can be shaped to maximum effect. compared to verbal communication you don’t get to know the person who you
are working with.
Since they are permanent, written forms of communication Effective written communication requires great skills and competencies in
also enable recipients to take more time in reviewing the message and language and vocabulary use. Poor writing skills and quality have a negative
providing appropriate feedback. impact on organization’s reputation.
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