Importance of Verbal Communication

Importance of Verbal Communication

1. Unit 2 Verbal Communication

2. Verbal Communication Verbal Communication uses language to communicate messages. Language uses spoken and written words; therefore verbal communication includes oral and written communication.

3. Oral communication Oral communication is communication by means of the spoken word. It can take place as a face-to face meeting or over the telephone. It could be a personal and informal communication or a formal interview, business meeting, a conference or a speech before an audience.

4. Principles of effective oral communication Know your objective: You must know what you want your message to do you may need to inform, to entertain, to convince, to express an opinion or to explain. Know your audience: Consider carefully the nature of your audience – their age, level of understanding, their occupations and their level of interest in your message. Know your subject: Prepare your message thoroughly. See that you know your main ideas and key points. You must also know your facts and figures.

5. Know (how to use) your voice: Attention must be paid to volume, pitch, speed of speaking and correct pronunciation of words. Voice must be clear, pleasing; and varied in volume, pitch and speed, to be interesting. Know when to stop: The length of the oral message has a lot to do with its success. The message must aim for just the right length, neither too short nor too long. All points must be covered and yet there should be no repetitions or unnecessary elaboration.

6. Advantages of oral communication It is direct and time-saving. The listener understands the words as soon as they are spoken . 2. It saves money. It is economical as it does not require costly equipment or stationery. 3. It conveys the exact meaning of words. A great advantage of oral communication is its use of nonverbal elements like body language and paralanguage. Body language includes facial expressions and posture. Paralanguage includes features like voice volume, pitch and speed of speaking; it also includes the sounds we make while speaking, like sighing or clearing the throat. These non-verbal elements allow the speaker to express his/her meaning more accurately.

7. 4. It provides immediate feedback from the receiver. The sender gets the receiver‘s response immediately, even on the telephone. This also explains why oral communication is so effective in teaching and coaching. 5. It is more persuasive in nature. Oral communication is more useful when arguments and reasons have to be given to convince someone, as in sales and marketing, or in a court of law.

8. 6. On-the-spot additions and corrections are possible. The speaker has the scope to change, improve and add to her/his message as s/he is speaking. 7. Confidential messages can be communicated. When subjects of a delicate and confidential nature cannot be written, one can take recourse to oral communication. 8. It is informal and friendlier. It can build friendly relations with people and develop social contacts.

9. Disadvantages of oral communication 1. It lacks legal validity. Oral messages have no legal proof. 2. It lacks accountability. In oral messages, we cannot fix responsibility. The speaker can deny that he said something. 3. Possibility of misunderstanding. This happens when the listener is not attentive to the message.

10. 4. Problem of retention. People do not remember oral messages for a long time. Or they may retain only a part of the message. 5. Not always effective. Oral communication is not effective when the distances are great or when the message is very lengthy. 6. The need for good speaking skills. Oral communication cannot be effective, if the speaker does not have the necessary skills

11. Essentials of effective oral communication Think before you speak Speak with confidence Be clear and concise Be aware of your non-verbal communication cues Be a good listener Think about the perspective of your audience Vary your vocal tone

12. Types of Oral Communication Face to Face communication Using of Mechanical devices for oral communication

13. Face to Face Communication Presentations Meetings Group Discussions Interviews

14. Using of Mechanical devices Telephone Radiophones Computer

15. Speaking skills Speaking is an act of making vocal sounds. We can say that speaking means to converse, or expressing one's thoughts and feelings in spoken language. To speak often implies conveying information. It may be from an informal remark to a scholarly presentation to a formal address .

16. Speaking skills are the skills that give us the ability to communicate effectively. These skills allow the speaker, to convey his message in a passionate, thoughtful, and convincing manner. Speaking skills also help to assure that one won't be misunderstood by those who are listening.

17. Speaking is the productive skill in the oral mode. It, like the other skills, is more complicated than it seems at first and involves more than just pronouncing words. There are three kinds of speaking situations in which we find ourselves: 1 . Interactive 2 . Partially interactive 3 . Non-interactive.  

18. Interactive speaking :- Interactive speaking situations include face-to-face conversations and telephone calls, in which we are alternately listening and speaking, and in which we have a chance to ask for clarification, repetition, or slower speech from our conversation partner. Partially interactive:- Some speaking situations are partially interactive, such as when giving a speech to a live audience, where the convention is that the audience does not interrupt the speech. The speaker nevertheless can see the audience and judge from the expressions on their faces and body language whether or not he or she is being understood.

19. Non-interactive Few speaking situations may be totally non-interactive, such as when recording a speech for a radio broadcast.

20. Pre-requisites of Speaking Skills Be an active listener Be a quick organizer of thoughts Structure your speech in your mind a. Opening b. Body c. Conclusion

21. Some Speaking Skills Be prepared and practice Know your audience Pay attention to the old KISS principle that is Keep It Short and Simple Interact with your audience Speak with sincerity and passion Close your speech in a memorable way Fluency

22. Speaking skills required in meeting 1 . Talk to the entire group When speaking in groups moves your eyes around and talk to anyone who's listening to what you have to say. "When responding to a question, address the entire group, not just the person who asked the question.” 2 . Reach out and encourage feedback Actively encourage comment and feedback based on what you have to contribute.

23. 3 . Mirror the tenor of the meeting Another business meeting basic is establishing a comfortable atmosphere where everyone feels at ease. One effective way to achieve that is to establish a consistency in communication. If, for instance, most participants are keeping their remarks short, do the same. If their tone is low and reserved, follow their lead. 4 . Don’t be a time hog Be thorough, but don't take much time to get your message across that you lose others' attention .