The primary means of communication is verbal, and in most cases, it’s the most effective. Examples of verbal communication can be a speech, a one-on-one meeting, or a group discussion.

A major advantage of verbal communication is speed, as the sender of the message encodes it into words, and a receiver immediately decodes it and offers feedback. Any errors can be corrected early before mistakes are made and productivity is hindered.

A primary disadvantage of verbal communication comes into play whenever the message has to be passed through many people. Did you ever play the game “telephone” with your friends as a child? If you did, you’ll remember that one player starts a message as a whisper at one end, and by the time it reached the other it was often changed, sometimes in a funny way. All laughs aside, that’s a real phenomenon and a real issue in organizations. When messages are verbally passed from person to person, there’s a potential for that message to become distorted.

Written communication includes newsletters, memos, emails, instant messaging, and anything that you type or write. They’re verifiable forms of communication, existing beyond the moment of transmission and something receivers can refer back to for clarification.

The primary advantage of written communications is exactly that—they are written. They exist beyond the moment of transmission and can be used as a reference later. Due to their ability to easily be referenced, written communications are particularly good for lengthy, complex communications. Additionally, the process of creating a written communication often requires that the sender be more thorough in his or her communication because there is often enough time to revise and review what’s been written and to be more careful about the information being transmitted.

A disadvantage of written communication is the lack of feedback. Oral communication allows a receiver to respond instantly to the sender with feedback. Written communication doesn’t have a built-in feedback mechanism, and because of that feedback can arrive too late for appropriate action. Another disadvantage of written communication is that it’s time-consuming. Due to the lack of immediate feedback, it’s often a good idea to be more thorough in your written communications, which inevitably takes more time to consider how your words might be unclear and preemptively write in additional context. If a message needs to be communicated quickly, written communication isn’t always the best solution.

It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it! There’s a myth that says communication is 35% verbal and 65% nonverbal. If that were true, people speaking a foreign language would be much easier to understand. However, it’s very true that nonverbal communication adds additional meaning to in-person conversations. Nonverbal communication includes all of those things that aren’t spoken but definitely transmit part of the message, including the following:

• facial expressions
• gestures
• proximity to receiver
• touch
• eye contact
• appearance

For instance, your friend may be telling you that she’s really excited about a party she’s planning to attend. But if she appears apathetic and listless, the communication doesn’t come across quite the same. Senders who stand too close to a receiver send a different message than those who keep a socially acceptable distance. Senders who make eye contact appear to be more confident than those who avoid it. And finally, a sender’s general appearance—choice of dress, hygiene, choice of delivery method, etc.—can also send a message that either supports or detracts from the verbal message.

Digital communication is the exchange of information and meaning using an election, digital medium. While understanding how to best use digital communication is important, as one would be hard-pressed to find an organization that does not use some sort of digital communication – it is also important to recognize that digital communication brings with it some challenges.

Instant messaging has become a standard means of communication in many businesses. While it provides users with an immediate communication method, the casual nature of instant messaging can lead to a lack of professionalism in communication.

Video meetings, facilitated by software such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet, have become a primary method of communication in businesses, especially in the context of remote work. This form of communication provides geographical flexibility and collaboration, enabling individuals to connect virtually around the world. It can also lead to Zoom Fatigue, a term coined to describe the tiredness or burnout associated with the overuse of virtual communication tools. Continuous virtual meetings can be mentally exhausting.

In the current digital age, social media has become an important channel for businesses to communicate, both internally and externally. Social media provides businesses with a platform to reach a vast, global audience – allowing for direct communication with customers and potential clients. It can, however, also require a high level of monitoring and response, especially since negative comments or reviews can quickly spread on social media and potentially damage a brand’s reputation.  Watch this video, Former FBI Agent Explains How to Read Body Language, for an interesting discussion on this topic.