FUNDAMENTALS OF VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Effective Oral Communication

Verbal Communication: Oral communication is the most used form of communication done
with words. Verbal communication is nothing but words that come out of our mouth to
convey a message or idea via sound. The various modes of verbal communication are
face-to-face discussions, presentations, intercom, messages delivered on phones,
telephonic conversations, radio, transistor, skyping or video chatting, speeches, interviews,
etc.

Effective Oral Communication

Strong verbal communication skills are important for everyone to master. They are
extremely valuable in both your personal and professional life. When speaking clearly,
confidently, and with poise, you are much more likely to command the respect of others
and build rapport. This is particularly important in business interactions.

Conversation management skills are essential for small business owners

and managers who handle much of the burden in such areas as company/customer
presentations, employee interviews, giving speeches, and conducting meetings. For verbal
communication to be effective, it should be clear, relevant, tactful in forming phrases and
tone, concise, and informative.

Presentations or conversations that have these factors included usually bear good fruits.
Unclear, inaccurate, or inconsiderate business communication, on the other hand, can
waste valuable time, alienate employees or customers, and damage business reputation.

Nonverbal elements such as posture, gestures, and facial expressions are also important
factors in developing good verbal communication skills. Your outward appearance mirrors
your inner mood.

Thus good posture suggests poise and confidence; stand neither at rigid attention nor with
sloppy casualness draped over the podium, but upright with your weight about equally
distributed on each foot. Some movement may be helpful to hold listeners‟ attention or to
increase emphasis, but constant shifting or pacing should be avoided.

Likewise, hand and arm gestures can be used to point, describe, or emphasize, but they
should be varied, carefully timed, and adapted to the audience.

Ultimately, good speakers should make frequent eye contact with the audience, let their
facial expression show their interest in the ideas they are presenting, dress in a way that is
appropriate for the occasion and keep their energy levels high.
Here are the reasons why Oral Communication is great

 It saves time,

 It is more effective as emotions are well portrayed,

 The feedback loop is faster,

 Verbal communication is economical,

 The tone is easy to read

Factors of Effective Verbal communication:

1. Think before you speak

By organizing your thoughts in advance, you can eliminate many of the awkward pauses
that occur when speaking. It will also help you relay your information more concisely.

While writing down your thoughts is not always possible in impromptu discussions, it is still
effective to take a minute to organize your thoughts in your mind before you begin to
speak.

2. Speak with confidence

Speaking in a confident manner will help you build trust and command the respect of your
audience. There are several factors which can impact your ability to speak confidently,
including your command of the subject matter, your word choice, the tone of your voice,
your body language, and your ability to make direct eye contact with your audience.

3. Be clear and concise

The most effective way to get your point across is to make it in a clear and concise
manner. Avoid using complex, convoluted sentences, and try to state your argument in
direct language. Before speaking, ask yourself, “What is the clearest way I can make my
point?”

4. Be aware of your non-verbal communication cues

Your body language significantly impacts the way others interpret what you say. Pay
attention to the gestures you make, your facial expressions, and your body language to
ensure they align with the message you are trying to get across.
5. Be a good listener
Being a good listener is as important as being a good speaker, and it will improve the
quality of your verbal interactions. It shows the people you are speaking with that you
genuinely care about their ideas, and it helps ensure you understand their needs. This will
enable you to build trust and rapport much quicker.

6. Think about the perspective of your audience

Just because you have a strong command of a topic doesn‟t mean the people you are
speaking to have the same knowledge as you.

Try to think about how someone else will understand what you are trying to communicate,
particularly if they lack the technical knowledge about a subject that you possess.

7. Vary your vocal tone

Speaking in a monotone voice is a surefire way to bore your audience. Instead, use voice
inflection to add emphasis to important points, and vary the pitch of your voice to express
emotion. This will help keep your audience engaged in your message.

Strong verbal skills will help to encourage essential discussion while playing a major role in
bringing people together. Ask questions if you are wondering about a new concept in order
to become more knowledgeable about that topic. Explain why you are confused about a
certain policy to get the assistance required for a better understanding of that set of
guidelines.

Express what you experienced in a certain situation so you can work through what you are
feeling. Relaying this information will not only help yourself, but also those who you are
speaking with by solving problems, making connections, and avoiding conflicts.
Additionally, be prepared to serve as a good listener in return because lacking the ability to
give the same level of attention that you expect from somebody else when you are
speaking is not fair.

Effective verbal communication is an important skill to understand. Having the courage

and ability to convey your thoughts in a respectable way will help enhance mutual
understanding, trust, decision-making, and problem-solving between yourself and others,
making the act of properly speaking and listening to an imperative influence on how we
learn and think for ourselves.

Verbal Communication – Definition, Types, Advantages, Skills

Written by Rachit Agrawal, MBA
 Verbal communication refers to the utilization of words to express ourselves in front of
other people. Thus it is an inclusion of both spoken and written communication.
Although most people prefer verbal communication to describe only spoken
communication. The verbal part of communication refers to the words that we choose,
and how they are heard and interpreted.

It is indeed crucial to learn that good oral communication cannot be fully ignored from
non-oral communication in the form of our body language, tone of the sound, and
expressions of the face. Speaking with clarity, being silent and focused, being well
behaved, and following some of the general rules of behavior altogether will help in the
process of oral or verbal communication.

In many personal meetings between people, the starting time of conversation is very
important because the first impression has an impact on further success and future
communication. Listening actively is also a crucial skill. But, when we communicate, we
are likely to spend much more energy on what we are going to say than what we are
going to listen to other people.

 Use of words to express ourselves.

 Includes both oral and written communication.
 Nonoral communication is also very important.
 Speaking with clarity and focus are add-on in verbal communication.
 Listening actively is also a crucial skill.

What is Verbal Communication?

In many personal meetings between people, the starting time of conversation is very
important because the first impression has an impact on further success and future
communication. Verbal Communication is indeed crucial to learn that good oral
communication cannot be fully ignored from non-oral communication in the form of our
body language, tone of the sound, and expressions of the face.

Speaking with clarity, being silent and focused, being well behaved, and following some
of the general rules of behavior altogether will help in the process of oral or verbal
communication. The verbal part of communication refers to the words that we choose,
and how they are heard and interpreted.

 Speaking with clarity and a good choice of words is beneficial.

 How we choose words and how they are interpreted is also important.
 Nonoral communication is equally as important as oral communication.
 The overall behavior is also important.
 Being silent and focused is equally important.
 Opening Communication

The opening few minutes of many interpersonal interactions are crucial. First
impressions heavily influence the success of subsequent and future communication.

At least in part, your future conversations are guided by this first impression.

When you meet someone and hear them talk, for example, you make assumptions
about their history and likely level of aptitude and comprehension. This might influence
what you say. For example, if you hear a foreign accent, you may feel that you need to
use simpler terminology. You may also realise that you‟ll have to pay more attention to
ensure that you comprehend what they‟re saying.

Of course, you may always change your mind afterwards. When you obtain new
knowledge about your contact or as you grow to know them better, you should
intentionally „update‟ your thinking.

Difference Between Verbal and Non-verbal Communication

Verbal communication uses oral or written words whereas non-verbal communication

will not use any kind of written words. Verbal communication is of only two types but,
non-verbal is of many types like audio, visual and silent, etc. Non-verbal is difficult to
understand whereas verbal is very easy to understand. In verbal communication, there
is less chance for confusion and misunderstanding than nonverbal as it is conveyed
through wordless cues. The degree of formality is very less in non-verbal
communication and verbal is more formal.

Verbal communication Non-verbal communication

Exchange of information by words Exchange of information by wordless clues

Has less chance of confusion Has high chance of confusion

It is easy to understand It is difficult to understand

It is highly structured and formal It lacks structure and highly informal

The presence of two persons is not necessary The presence of two persons are necessary
 Examples of Verbal Communication

Most of the jobs need employees to possess verbal communication skills. This is the
reason why communication skills are given high importance in the student evaluation
forms used by most of the job providers.

Employees who can express the data with clarity and effectiveness are given much
importance by employers. Workers who can effectively communicate with others have a
high chance of excelling at their jobs.

Example:

 Oral communication: which includes what we speak to others in the form of words?
 Written communication: which includes what we write in the form of words?
 Listening skills: This includes how we listen to others.
 Mediated communication: which includes the World Wide Web for searching data?
 Non-verbal communication: which includes body language, confidence, etc?

Basic Verbal Communication Skills: Effective Speaking and Listening

Effective speaking : Effective speaking requires careful consideration of the words

you choose, how you pronounce them, and how you reinforce them with nonverbal
gestures.

All of these variables influence how your message is conveyed and received by your
audience.

It‟s important to think about the words you use carefully. Even when describing the
same issue, you will most likely need to use various terms in different settings. What
you say to a close colleague, for example, will be considerably different from how you
present a topic at a large conference.

Listening : Listening actively is a valuable talent. When we communicate, though, we

tend to spend significantly more time planning what we will say than listening to the
other person.

For effective verbal communication, effective listening is essential. There are a lot of
things you may do to improve your listening skills.

Mentioned below are some of them :

 Be ready to pay attention. Concentrate on the speaker rather than how you will respond.
 Maintain an open mind and refrain from passing judgement on the speaker.
 Pay attention to the speaker‟s message‟s primary point. Try to grasp both the gist of
what they‟re trying to communicate and the specifics of the words they‟re using.
 If at all possible, stay away from distractions. If there is a lot of background noise, for
example, you can advise that you discuss somewhere else.
 Keep a level head.
 While the other person is providing information, do not try to think of your next question.

Types of Verbal communication

Words, sounds, and languages are only part of verbal communication. To communicate
effectively with your audience, you must first understand who they are. Remember to
use the Pyramid Principle and begin with your core argument before moving on to
supporting assertions. Based on your audience, you may divide verbal communication
into four categories.

Here are the Types of Verbal Communication:

Intrapersonal Communication :
This is your own route for vocal conversation. You converse with yourself and express
your ideas. You will get greater confidence and clarity in your thinking if you
communicate with yourself. It will assist you in making decisions, forming sentences,
finding appropriate words, and finding effective methods to communicate with others.
This will aid you in obtaining your coworkers‟ trust.

Interpersonal Communication :
This is also known as one-on-one verbal communication. This form of communication
takes place between two people. It allows you to see if you‟re communicating your ideas
clearly. The other person‟s reactions, comments, and verbal and nonverbal indicators
will assist you figure out if you‟re being understood or not. Make sure you‟re paying
attention to the individual on the other side of the table.You don‟t have to talk to
someone to communicate. It‟s also about being aware of what is happening on in your
immediate environment. Listen first, then think, and then answer. Take some time to
consider what you‟ll say and make sure you won‟t offend anyone.

Small group Communication :

In small-group communication, the number of persons grows. You progress from
speaking with only one person to a group of several people. Team meetings, board
meetings, and sales meetings are all examples of small gatherings. The group is small
enough that everyone can converse with one another. Prepare a subject for your small
group sessions so you don‟t get off course. Keep the discussion on track and give
everyone ample time to speak.

Public Communication :
This style is also known as „public speaking.‟ An individual speaks to a huge group of
individuals at the same time. Public communication includes speeches, political
campaigns, and presentations, to name a few examples. Because the number of
 persons in the audience is bigger in this sort of communication, make sure to use easy-
to-understand terms and phrases and organise your thoughts before speaking to them.
You‟ll feel more confidence as a public speaker if you‟re well-prepared.

Advantages of Verbal communication

Verbal communication is said to be something which is represented through words or

any other communicating medium. It is generally of two types- verbal and written
communication.

Verbal communication includes activities like telling, singing or question, and answering.
There are also many advantages of verbal communication however they limitations too.

Here the Advantages of Verbal Communication:

1. Saves a lot of time.

2. Saves money too.
3. Get feedback quickly.
4. Most convenient method.
5. Clarity of method.
6. Ease of preparation.

Verbal communication skills

There are basically two communication skills widely accepted. They are known as
Effective speaking and active listening. Effective speaking involves three major
areas,i.e., what words we choose, how we use those words, and how we connect it with
nonverbal communication.

All these factors affect the spread of our message, and how well it is received and
understood by our audience.

 Effective speaking involves how well we choose our words.

 Active listening involves how patiently we hear others.
 These factors affect the transmission of messages.
 Saves a lot of time and money.
 These skills bring a positive response.

Disadvantages of Verbal Communication

The most usual disadvantage to verbal communication is the regional differences

between the sender and receiver. These barriers may arise because they are speaking
a somewhat different language and their dialect is different.
 The audience size is also a barrier to oral communication because the speaker can only
address a few people at a time.

 Regional differences are the greatest barrier.

 Language difference and dialect is also a reason for the communication barrier.
 Large audience size is also an issue of communication barriers.
 Receivers may quickly forget what was said to them.
 All people cannot listen at the same pace.

How to Improve Verbal Communication Skills?

Strong skills in verbal communication are of high importance to everyone. They are very
crucial in both our personal and professional life.

When we speak with clarity and confidence, along with some stoppage, then we will be
able to get the respect of others and build a good image. This is of very high importance
in meetings of businessmen.

 Thinking before speaking what to say.

 Being clear and precise.
 Confidently speaking.
 Active listening.
 Taking care of nonverbal communication.

Characteristics of verbal communication

Verbal communication has some characteristics for the effective exchange of

information. Some of the characteristics of verbal communication are as follows:

 Language is governed by rules

 Meanings are in people not in words.
 Completeness in information
 Clearness in speaking
 Self-awareness of the content
 Information is most reliable in conversation

Barriers to verbal communication

There are many reasons for disturbances in communication verbally those are the
limitations for verbal communication. These are said to be barriers of verbal
communication that may cause messages get distorted and conveyed wrong. This may
occur at any stage of the communication process. For effective communication one
should overcome these barriers. Some of the general barriers in verbal communication
are:

 Physical barriers
 Emotional barriers
 Language differences
 Differences in perception and viewpoint
 Use of complicated words and technical terms.

Components of verbal communication

For effective communication, everyone should aware of the skills of verbal

communication and it has some components like the pitch of the voice, tone of the
voice, the cadence of the voice which is useful for correct message delivery to other
people. Some of the components of verbal communication are:

 Pitch of the voice

 Speed of the voice
 Tone
 Language
 Grammar

Uses of verbal communication

For interacting with one person to another one must use any kind of communication to
convey the message. Verbal communication is one that kind of communication system.
There are many uses of verbal communication. Some of the uses of verbal
communication are:

 Understanding of massage is accurate

 Saves time
 Helps in interviews
 Increases degree of formality
 Feedback comes quickly