Breaking down the communication process

We've spent the last few posts talking about the practice of communication. Let's step back for a minute and talk about the process.

Communication--especially dynamic communication, like a conversation or a speech before an audience--is a complicated operation. But we can break down its structure into three key steps, which hold true for conversations, for speeches, and for writing of all kinds.

1. Prepare the audience to receive your message
"I'm about to tell you something really important. Get ready! Here it comes!"

2. Communicate the message to the audience
"Here it is!"

3. Verify that the message has been received
"Did you get it? Yes? Good!"

The cycle can begin all over again then.

A colleague of mine likes to use an exercise in playing catch to make this point. You're getting ready to throw the ball. You establish eye contact to signal to one person that he or she should catch the ball when you throw it--preparing him or her to receive the message. You throw the ball--communicating the message. You verify that the ball has been caught--that the message has been received. This exercise is fun to do in groups--the last time I tried it in the classroom, I found out that a few of my participants were on the college's baseball teams!

Each one of these steps in the communication process can be improved through developing skills and strategies. You can learn how to pick out body language cues that signal that a silent person has or has not received the message, and then you can learn to respond accordingly. You can prepare an audience to receive your message in a wide variety of ways--sometimes you might want a simple review of the problem that you're going to suggest a solution to, while other times you might want an attention-getting device, like an anecdote or a stunt. If you're interested in particular aspects of this communication chain, just let me know! Send me an email, or leave a comment!