The 7 components of communication

Each of these components of communication serves a different kind of purpose.

1. Context
The circumstances which formed the setting for an idea can be referred to as context. Various details
can be classified as context. The country or the language in which the communication is taking place
can definitely be classified as the context of the communication. The same goes for various cultural
differences, as well as your personal opinions and emotions.

Simply put, all external stimuli, which can influence how various ideas are communicated, are the
context of said communication.

2. Sender
A sender is a person sharing the message with the rest of the team. The sender will use different
methods of both verbal and nonverbal communication to transfer the information in such a way that it
can be easily understood by the receivers.

To achieve this, the sender may use words, pictures, symbols, numbers, body language, eye contact,
and so on – basically, anything goes, as long as the information can be easily decoded (understood) by
the people he is reaching out to.

For example, if you have ever given a presentation in front of the class, YOU were the sender (while
your classmates were the receivers – but we will be getting to that in a moment).

3. Ideas
The ideas, also called messages, are the information the sender is sharing with the receivers. More
precisely, they are the major points that the sender wants to communicate.

For communication to be quick and effective, the ideas need to be clear and easy to understand. This is
extremely important when it comes to written communication, as it can easily be misinterpreted when
no additional information (such as tone of voice or facial expression) is present.

4. Encoding
Encoding, simply put, is using any words or actions while sharing information. It can be text,  symbols
(such as “?” or “!”), emojis, or even photos – anything that will help you emphasize and illustrate your
point.

When you deliver a presentation and use photos or videos to make what you’re talking about easier to
understand – that is encoding. Every time you place a question mark after asking a question during the
live chat you’re also encoding; you indicate that you would like to receive a response and continue the
conversation.

5. Medium
There are three different kinds of medium – print, electronic and sound. This is how the message is
transmitted. You should know that the choice of medium will impact how the message is understood
by the receiver. That is why you should always carefully analyze the message you wish to send, its
context and urgency before picking the appropriate medium.

Written medium, for example, will be the best choice if you wish to share some highly technical ideas.
If, however, you have just some basic news about the project, it may be better to announce it to your
employees verbally.

6. Receiver
The receiver, also known as the decoder, is any person receiving any information from the sender. The
receiver will interpret the message as well as its context. Of course, this person is also influenced by
their own environment and background; it’s important to take this into account when sharing a
message.

7. Feedback
Feedback is, essentially, the response that the receiver returns to the sender after analyzing the
message. Keep in mind that both verbal and nonverbal communication might be used to send
feedback.

Furthermore, silence is also a valid form of feedback, especially if the receiver does not have any
questions or has nothing more to add. If you wish to receive a spoken or written message back from
the receiver, it’s important to indicate this when communicating with them.

Tips for more effective communication in the workplace

Now that we’ve explained the theory, let us move on to some tips that you’ll find useful if you wish to
establish better communication with your employees and coworkers. Remember that good internal
communication is the key to success, no matter how small or big your company is, so try and follow
these simple steps as effectively as possible.

 Your messages should have a clear purpose

Before sending a message, contemplate on what is the goal you wish to achieve. Is it to solve an urgent
issue or maybe to communicate more data? Or, perhaps, you wish to solve a customer issue? Every
message you send should have an intent that will make it easy for the receiver to interpret it in a
correct way.

 Always think twice about what you want to say

Even if you have the best intentions, sometimes your message may be taken the wrong way. It’s crucial
that you focus on the words you are about to use. Even if you plan to criticize someone, remember to
do so in a polite and friendly way. Connect your mouth to your brain before you decide to run it!

 There is often no need for complex details

Unless you wish to send information or a message that’s highly technical or incredibly critical to the
company, there may be no need to provide the receiver with unnecessary details. Remember –
messages don’t have to be long; but they should be easy to understand and precise.

 Always listen to the speaker

It’s important that the person you’re having a conversation with knows that you’re listening to what
they have to say just as actively as they’re listening to you. Maintain eye contact and try to follow up
with clarifying questions in order to ensure you understand what is actually said to you.

Active listening will definitely make the whole communication process a lot easier and considerably
more effective.

 Adjust to the reactions

Depending on what type of information you send, the receiver might react in different ways. Observe
their reactions and body language and learn from them.

Thanks to this, you will be able to send better messages and develop more effective communication
skills. Be warned, however, that the receiver’s reactions will not always match with the ones you were
expecting from them.

 Pay attention to your own body language

Regardless of whether you’re giving a presentation, participating in a discussion or just talking to
someone, your nonverbal communication can be off-putting. If you’re crossing your arms or legs,
showing irritable facial expressions, failing to maintain eye contact and similar, the whole
communication may be interpreted as you being close-minded and unreceptive, unwilling to take what
is being communicated to you into account.

Keep both arms and legs naturally outstretched and try to maintain positive facial expressions to
indicate that the conversation is interesting and you wish to continue.

 Criticize in a constructive way

If you are going to criticize someone, don’t be rude to them. Make sure that they know what mistakes
they made, but use positive reinforcement. You should also be free of emotion and any positive or
negative feelings you might hold towards the person you are criticizing.

Remember, criticism is a form of communication like any other. It should be respectful, easy to
understand and clear.

 Be empathetic and take responsibility for your words

Regardless of what you’re trying to communicate, remember the importance of being kind. It’s
paramount that the person you’re speaking with doesn’t feel threatened if your goal is to achieve
effective communication, especially in the workplace.

Weigh your words before you speak, and if you realize someone failed to interpret your message
correctly and feels personally offended, do your best to explain what you really meant.

Never try to shift further blame on them, so instead of saying something like “you misunderstood me”,
it would be better to say “I’m sorry, I didn’t express myself correctly”. Also, be ready to apologize if
your words hurt someone on a personal level.

 The result is what matters

Ultimately, the goal of each message you send is to achieve a certain result. Always keep the goal you
wish to accomplish in mind. It will help you construct the proper ways of communicating with your
employees and coworkers.