COMMUNICATION FOR UNDESTANDING��

Oktober 2020

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European Comission not responsible for the content of the material

Creative Common Public License 4.0

COMMUNICATION FOR UNDESTANDING

OCTOBER 2020

How Do We Communicate?

Did you know that any time that you communicate with another person, you are using the Communications Process ?

• It stands to reason then that understanding this process will help you to become more aware of what is happening as you communicate, and the things you can do to ensure that your message gets received "loud and clear."

• To be an effective communicator, you need to make sure that your messages are clear, concise, accurate, and well planned . This will avoid misunderstanding and ensure that they get through each stage of the Communications Process without a hitch.

• Let's take a look at the seven stages of the process in more detail:

Source

• • The "source" is the sender of the message – in other words, you! And the "message" refers to the information and ideas that you want to deliver.
• • You need to be clear about what message you want to communicate, and why it's important – what's its main purpose? And, moreover, why should anyone care? You also need to be confident that the information that you impart is useful and accurate.

��Encoding

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• •This stage involves putting your message into a format that you can send, and that the receiver will be able to easily understand or "decode." Your success will depend on your ability to convey information clearly and simply, and to eliminate areas of confusion.
• •For example, be aware of any cultural mismatch between you and your recipient. Also, avoid making assumptions about the receiver's existing knowledge of the subject. You might know the "ins and outs" of what you're talking about, but he or she probably won't. Lastly, steer clear of gaps in the information that require a "mental leap."

�Channel

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• •There are countless different channels that you can use to send your message.
• •Verbal communications channels include face-to-face meetings, telephone and videoconferencing. While written communications include letters, reports, emails, instant messaging (IM), and social media posts. You might also want to include videos, photos, illustrations, or charts and graphs in your message to emphasize your main points.
• •Different channels have different strengths and weaknesses. For example, it's not particularly effective to give a long list of directions verbally, and you'll be better off delivering sensitive feedback in person, rather than via email.
• •So, choose the channel that you use carefully.

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�Decoding

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• •Successfully decoding a message is as much a skill as encoding it is. To accurately decode a message, you need to take the time to read through it carefully, or tolisten activelyto it.
• •Confusion will most likely occur at this stage of the Communications Process, though that doesn't mean it will always be the decoders fault. He might lack sufficient background knowledge to understand the message, or he might not understand the specificjargonor technical language that you are using. It's therefore essential that you tackle issues like these at the encoding stage

�Receiver

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• No doubt, you'll want your audience members to react in a certain way or take a specific action in response to your message. Remember, though, that each person is different, and will interpret it subjectively.
• •Every receiver who enters into the Communication Process brings with them their own ideas and feelings that influence their understanding of your message, and their response to it.
• •That means it's your job, as the sender, to take these ideas and feelings into consideration when drawing up your message. To do this effectively, brush up on youremotional intelligenceandempathyskills.

�Feedback

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• •Your audience will likelygive you feedbackas soon as it's seen or heard your message. This might include verbal ornonverbalreactions. Pay close attention to these, as they will reveal whether your audience truly understood your message.
• •If you find that there has been a misunderstanding, try to adapt the message. For instance, if you're talking about a complex subject, find a simpler way to communicate it. Could you break it down into steps, or remove technical jargon? This will make it easier for everyone in your audience to grasp the subject matter, no matter their background knowledge.

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Thanks for watching!

Puka School students Kelly Tamm and Katarina Oolo