Most people will relate to the forms of communication—talking or listening. But communication goes beyond that. Communication involves getting information from one person to the other person. Yet even this is not a complete definition because communicating effectively involves having that information relayed while retaining the same in content and context.

Communication is the sharing of ideas and information. Communication is the art and process of creating and sharing ideas. Effective communication depends on the richness of those ideas.

Communication skills are the tools that we use to remove the barriers to effective communication.

It is also defined as the following:

• The act of transmitting

• A giving or exchanging of information, signals, or messages as by talk, gestures, or writing

• The information, signals, or message

• A means of communicating; specifically a system for sending and receiving messages, as by telephone, telegraph, radio, etc.

• A system as of routes for moving troops and material

• A passage or way for getting from one place to another

• The art of expressing ideas, esp. in speech and writing

• The science of transmitting information, esp. in symbols

• Transmission of message via verbal and non-verbal cues

• Communication is a transaction in which the participants are mutually engaged in the process
  

Basic Functions of Communication

• For interaction

• For increasing the store of information

• For better understanding of our self and the world we live

• For changing people’s attitudes, beliefs, opinions and actions

• For making decisions

Two Categories of Communication

• Verbal - uses words, dialects, and languages

• Non- Verbal - transmitting data without the use of words

Components of Communication

• Context – setting or place the communication took place

• Climate – feeling or tone of the communication

• Source – sender of the message

• Message – can be verbal or non-verbal

• Channel – the means which message is sent

• Feedback loop – occurs when the sender invites responses to the message

• Receiver – decodes the message sent

• Interference – may occur from physiological or physical distractions

• Timing

Characteristics of Human Communication

• The process of communication is continuous, ongoing, and dynamic.

• Communication begins with the self.

• Communication is irreversible or unerasable.

• Communication is reciprocal.

• Communication is unrepeatable.

• Communication is transactional.

The Levels of Communication

1. Phatic Communication

• basic of daily communication

• generally done to everyone they meet in their lives

• makes use of conventional messages to

• establish rapport, to break the ice, or to end a conversation

• greetings like hello, how are you, thanks for your time, no worries, enjoy your day are samples of this level of communication

2. Factual Communication

• offers knowledge to others about anything under the sun

• can be in a form of small talk with the use of events and observations

• relatively safe level of communication and used by every individual

• biographical information is also an example of this

3. Evaluative Communication

• level of communication which offers opinions, ideas and judgments to others

• requires critical thinking since you have to give opinion based on the presented ideas

4. Gut- Level Communication

• opening up the content of our hearts to people

• it puts our emotional intelligence into action

• allows us to practice self-awareness, self-control, flexibility and empathy

5. Peak Communication

• highest and rarely achieved communication

• the point where two persons extraordinarily communicate beyond gut level and who share the same emotion

• this is usually seen between husband and wife and among family members