Factors Influencing Communication

Name: Factors Influencing Communication
Author: Sarit Levy

Learn how communication is affected by your skills, style, and surroundings.

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Course: On-Demand

(upbeat music) What factors have the greatest influence on communication? In these lessons, we'll look at different communication styles and influences, the importance of presentation skills, verbal and nonverbal cues, and practices for communicating with people remotely. There are various styles of communication depending on the number of people involved, as well as the setting. First, there is intrapersonal communication, which means privately communicating to yourself. For example, if you have an impending project deadline, you might say something to yourself like, "The deadline's coming in fact. I have to tell the team that they'll need to put in extra work hours to complete the project." Interpersonal communication takes place between two or more people. Examples of interpersonal communication may include client meetings and one-on-one performance reviews. Online communication, even in traditional environments is also an example of interpersonal communication. When you communicate one on one, it's important to be clear and concise. Make your point to the other person as clear as possible. That way you avoid miscommunication. Then there's speaking in front of a crowd, which at work will probably take the form of leading a meeting or delivering a company keynote presentation. For any of these, it's important to keep the message concise, the content objective and the tone neutral. Keeping things objective and non-opinionated promotes calm and can prevent people from getting too excited or irritated. And then there's small group communication, which mixes verbal and nonverbal cues. If the communication and dialogue isn't managed properly with specific topics and objectives, these meetings can become chaotic. It's important that the meeting's moderator establishes rules for engagement to keep things organized. There are multiple factors that can influence workplace communication. Individuals and groups come from different walks of life and will have different environmental, physical, and social characteristics. Here are several factors that affect business communication. Educational differences, prior experience, diversity and culture, misunderstood messages, company and staff positioning, the relationship between the messenger, their audience, and the receivers, and group affiliations. While each of these items can stand on their own, understanding each one can help with understanding business communication. If you can understand the way in which each person communicates, you can further become self-aware and self-regulating, which can boost your own emotional intelligence and leadership skills. Reviewing various communication styles is just as much about the audience as it is the messenger. When we speak or express ourselves, it's generally a good idea to anticipate how our message will be received, positively or negatively by the target audience. What's your audience seeking? And how do you ensure that your communication will reach them? For example, say you appeal to an analytical or technical thinker. In that case, you want to make sure that your message is backed by science or data because that may be in line with the way analytical individuals tend to think. Another method to ensure that the message meets the receiver in an understanding way is to essentially create a journey for the audience, build clarity, and create easy steps or messages for the audience to follow the journey. In this case, a journey is a visual guide that allows for employee or customer-facing touchpoints. Take, for example, an employee's onboarding experience, have positions or duties changed? Was the onboarding done electronically or in person? All of these contribute to the map of how they are doing. At each touchpoint, you can evaluate whether you are providing the right tools for the employee to achieve success at their position. Communication mapping is also integrated into the customer experience. Starting from when a customer puts an item in their virtual cart until their transaction is complete, what steps are taken along the way? Was there an easy transition to adding shipping or tax? Were other offers presented for upsell purposes? These factors are all part of the messaging you can send to the consumer, contributing to their journey. You can also be a visionary and listen to others' ideas. Communication is not simply about delivering your own message. It's also about a two or more way street where everyone needs to listen, accept feedback and brainstorm to cross the next hurdle towards success.

Intermediate Provider : Sarit Levy 5 Lessons · 18m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese

Course Description

What influences the way we talk with other people? In these lessons, we’ll examine the styles and influences that affect communication, important presentation skills, verbal and nonverbal cues, and how to best communicate online and over the phone.

What You'll Learn

Identify intrapersonal, interpersonal, presentational, and small-group communication
Recognize the factors that influence business communication
Apply important presentation skills
Interpret verbal and nonverbal cues in communication
Practice effective online and phone communication
Understand how a mixture of cues can create communication confusion through multi-signaling

Key Takeaways

Communication is shaped by different styles and influences that affect how we talk with other people.
Business communication is affected by specific influencing factors.
Verbal and nonverbal cues both play a role in how messages are understood.
A mixture of cues can create communication confusion through multi-signaling.
Communicating online and over the phone requires its own practices and skills.

Frequently Asked Questions

What topics does this course cover?

The course examines communication styles and influences, presentation skills, verbal and nonverbal cues, and how to best communicate online and over the phone.

What are the learning objectives of this course?

Learners learn about intrapersonal, interpersonal, presentational, and small-group communication, find out what factors influence business communication, and discover how a mixture of cues can create communication confusion via multi-signaling.

What lessons are included in this course?

The lessons are Communication Styles and Influences, Presentation Skills, Verbal and Nonverbal Cues, Online and Phone Communication Practices, and a Test Your Knowledge assessment.

What skills will I gain from this course?

The course builds skills in influencing, interpersonal communications, communication strategies, human communication, online communication, and understanding social influences.

Does this course include a knowledge check?

Yes, the course includes a Test Your Knowledge lesson.

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Professional Development Units (PDUs): 0.5

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