The Elements of Communication

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Communication consists of five elements:
  1. The sender
  2. The receiver
  3. The message
  4. The channel
  5. The feedback

The Sender

The Sender is perhaps the most important among the elements because he/she initiates the whole communication process.

Now to communicate effectively, the Sender must have the ability to use well the language the receiver understands.

Moreover, he/she should know how to deliver his/her message properly. Proper delivery includes good voice projection, the use of appropriate eye contact, proper articulation of words, and proper intonation, and emphasis on important words.

Take note that people will likely reject a message if the sender doesn’t know how to communicate properly or is unreliable.

The Receiver

For communication to be effective, the Receiver must have good listening and comprehension skills.

Good listening requires one to focus on what is conveyed and as much as possible eliminate all possible distractions or noises (i.e., physical, environmental, psychological, emotional, etc.) that would keep one from understanding the message well.

Keep in mind that even the receiver’s prejudice can possibly affect his/her receptiveness towards and interpretation of the message.

For communication to be effective, the Sender must have the ability to use well the language the listener understands, while the Receiver must have good listening and comprehension skills.

The Message

The third element of communication is the Message.

For the message to be positively received and understood, it should follow the 5 Cs of communication:
  1. Courtesy or politeness. The use of polite words and tone means one respects the receiver of the message.
  2. Clarity. This involves correct word usage, grammar, pronunciation, sentence construction, and delivery.
  3. Conciseness. Lengthy messages can result in information overload and overwhelm listeners/readers. Conciseness is saying what needs to be said in as few words as possible.
  4. Concreteness. This means being specific, providing examples whenever necessary in order to make a message more understandable.
  5. Completeness. To avoid ambiguity, messages should not leave out important details that a receiver expects to know, such as answers to who, what, where, when, why, and how questions.

The Channel

Channel refers to the medium used to communicate the message.

One’s choice of channel depends on the availability, practicality, and its impact on the receiver.

The 21st century has introduced communication technologies (smart phones, tablets, and computers) as popular channels in addition to the older forms, such as the traditional telephone, radio, television, and printed texts (books, magazines, newspapers, etc.).

The Feedback

The feedback is the element that completes the communication process.

Take note that messages will always have an effect on the receiver: some messages may trigger a positive reaction in him/her, while others a negative one.

This depends on the kind of message relayed, how it is communicated, and how it is interpreted.

It is therefore important to know the feedback of our audience/s (listener or reader) in order to make the necessary clarifications and revisions of our messages.

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