There are four main types of communication we use on a daily basis: verbal, nonverbal, written and visual.

Abstract: In today’s world, communication channels are important elements of administration activity in the organization. They provide abilities of power and control to superiors as well as satisfaction and performance to subordinates. This has always been connected with leadership management and its performance.

Communication Channels. Communication channels can be categorized into three principal channels: (1) verbal, (2) written, and (3) non-verbal. Each of these communications channels have different strengths and weaknesses, and oftentimes we can use more than one channel at the same time.

7 types of communication channels

• Face-to-face communication. The richest communication channel around, face-to-face meetings are often hailed as the most effective way for teams to interact.
• Video conferencing.
• Phone calls.
• Emails.
• Text messages.
• Online messaging platforms.
• Social media.

Types of formal communication

• Memos.
• Intranet.
• Meetings.
• Conferences.
• Formal One-on-Ones.
• Bulletin Boards.
• Handouts.
• Letters.

A formal communication channel transmits information such as the goals, policies and procedures of an organization. An example of a formal communication channel is a company’s newsletter, which gives employees as well as the clients a clear idea of a company’s goals and vision. …

Formal communication can be written, such as emails or posted notices. It can also be verbal, usually dispensed in departmental meeting. Formal communication is the information that flows upward, downward, or horizontally throughout the organization.

In the workplace, directives from managers to employees are the most basic form of downward communication. These can be written manuals, handbooks, memos, and policies, or oral presentations. Another example of downward communication is a board of directors instructing management to take a specific action.

Downward communication provides certain advantages to an organization:

• Organizational discipline.
• Efficiency.
• Effective communication of goals.
• Ease of delegation.
• Distortion.
• Slow feedback.
• Interpretative problems.
• Lowers morale.

Downward communication delivers information that helps to update the workforce about key organizational changes, new goals, or strategies; provide performance feedback at the organizational level; coordinate initiatives; present an official policy (public relations); or improve worker morale or consumer relations.

There are four main types of communication flow within a business: downward communication, upward communication, horizontal communication and multi-directional communication.

Patterns of Communication

• Circle.
• Chain.
• Y.
• Wheel.

Communication Flows. Communication within a business can involve different types of employees and different functional parts of an organization. These patterns of communication are called flows, and they are commonly classified according to the direction of interaction: downward, upward, horizontal, diagonal, external.

Communication can be thought of as a process or flow. This model has seven parts: (1) the communication source or sender, (2) encoding, (3) the message, (4) the channel, (5) decoding, (6) the receiver, and (7) feedback. The source initiates a message by encoding a thought.

To achieve effective business communication, both the senderOpens in new window and the receiverOpens in new window must be sensitively involved, but the sender must take responsibility for achieving the four basic goals of business communication: Receiver understanding. Receiver response. Favorable relationship.

The overarching purpose of any communications plan is to articulate your project’s intended goals in quantifiable, measurable ways. A common way to do this is through the clear goal setting.

Examples of oral communication goals include:

• Exercise self control by not responding immediately to an unfriendly comment.
• Avoid politically incorrect jargon in the workplace.
• Only say things I actually mean.
• Don’t let someone else’s tone dictate mine in a conversation.

You can gage the actual impact of your communications program on the stakeholder perception and behavior; how the program moved the needle for your business. Metrics include perception audits, social media sentiment analysis and, in some cases, lead generation.