Communicating

Communication involves several factors:

• receiving information,
• storing information,
• retrieving information,
• giving information, and
• interpreting information.

Information is received through hearing, seeing, feeling, tasting, and smelling.

• The more ways we use to gather information, the better the information is received, understood. and put to use.

Information is stored in your memories.

• The memory can be supported with notes, sketches, and similar techniques.

Information is retrieved or recalled.

• Recall is very important.
• Recall can be helped by:
• memorizing using memory joggers,
• repeating the information as it is received, and
• taking notes.

Information is given.

• Giving information involves the same five senses used to receive it.
• Effective Giving involves
• speaking or writing clearly,
• using visual methods,
• watching and being sensitive to the group,
• asking for feedback, and
• summarizing what has been given.

Information is interpreted.

Information was given and received, but somehow communication did not result. Blocks to communication include:

 

• motivation (one of the two parties didn't think the information was important),
• conflict (two messages didn't agree),
• experience (your own back ground or prejudices cause you not to accept what isnsaid),
• personal dislike (you dislike the other person so you filter out what he or she says),
• distractions (you don't receive because something else is on your mind or something distracts you), and
• attitude (you think you already know all about the topic).

Most people learn about 11% of what they know by listening, but 83% of what they know by seeing (observing and reading). People recall 20% of what they heard but can recall 50 percent of what they both heard and saw.

Clear communication is essential.

• Members of a group must communicate freely with each other.
• Information is most often "exchanged" between members ("With one another")
• Talking at one another is not real communication and information is not exchanged.

The success of a group will depend on how well they communicate with each other and with others outside the group.