Writing for Business Success/Introduction to Business Communication/Understanding communication

Communication is a ''&ldquo;two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants not only exchange (encode-decode) information, news, ideas and feelings but also create and share meaning. In general, communication is a means of connecting people or places. In business, it is a key function of management - an organization cannot operate without communication between levels, departments and employees.&rdquo;''

There's a lot to think about there. This video should help.

This video discusses why and how we communicate, and looks at effective ways to overcome various challenges. A simple communication model is used to highlight context in relation to other essential communication elements. We learn that context includes participant relationships, emotional states, backgrounds (e.g. culture and language), and timing, as well as the environment. The kind of feedback possible in different channels and environments also affects shared understanding. In closing, this video previews information you will encounter later in this course in a set of questions and strategies to help you design and deliver effective messages.

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