Oral communication is the conveying of information through speech. Despite technological advancements that allow people to send written communications nearly instantly, oral communication remains the dominant means of communication in today’s corporate world.
From the interview room to the boardroom, oral communication persuades, cajoles, and convinces. In this post, we look at what oral communication is and why it’s vital.
What is oral communication?
Oral communication, often known as verbal communication, refers to the various ways humans communicate through spoken language. The evolution of oral communication is arguably what distinguishes humans from other creatures.
It enables you to exchange critical information and convey complicated thoughts and ideas. Conversations, interviews, and presentations all include oral communication.
What is oral communication comprised of?
There’s more to vocal communication than just the words we say. It includes:
Verbal communication
Verbal communication refers to the language we use to communicate. Our words determine how people view us, which can influence the result of a discussion. For example, if you are interviewing two candidates and candidate
A claims they were previously responsible for expenditure but candidate B says they were previously accountable for how much money was spent, you may believe candidate A is more educated.
Nonverbal communication
Nonverbal communication comprises nonverbal cues including facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, body language, and even looks. Each of these nonverbal cues has the ability to significantly alter how others perceive what you say.
For example, if you avoid making eye contact during a conversation, folks listening are less likely to believe what you are saying.
Paraverbal communication
Paraverbal communication refers to meaningful differences in the sound of the language we employ. Tone, pitch, and speed are the three key components of paraverbal communication. Tone of voice refers to how your voice sounds and frequently reflects your feelings about what you’re saying.
Someone’s tone can be serious, authoritative, or sarcastic. Pitch relates to how high or low your voice is during conversation, while pace is the speed at which you talk. Laughter, tone of voice, and stress on certain phrases are all examples of paraverbal communication.
Formal vs. informal oral communication:
Formal oral communication is structured and frequently occurs in formal situations such as presentations, speeches, and lectures. It utilizes more formal vocabulary, and speakers frequently prepare out what they will say ahead of time.
Informal oral communication occurs in relaxed environments and is mostly dependent on social ties. The language is more informal, and there is no standard format to follow. Phone chats and informal chatting among colleagues are two examples.
Modes of oral communication:
There are an increasing number of ways in which oral communication can take place. These include:
- face-to-face conversations
- phone calls
- in-person meetings
- teleconferencing and video conferencing
- conferences
- lectures
- debates
- workshops/training sessions
- presentations
- speeches
- interviews
Advantages of oral communication
Oral communication is typically the favored way of communication due to its numerous advantages. Some of these include:
- Speed: oral communication is far faster than written communication. It lets you to deliver a lot of information in a short amount of time, and for individuals receiving the information, it’s far faster than reading.
- Immediate feedback: Verbal communication eliminates the need to wait for someone to respond in writing before continuing the conversation. This saves time and, in some cases, permits the listener or audience to promptly request clarification.
- Adding a personal touch: Hearing someone’s voice is far more intimate than reading words on a paper or computer. Tone and tempo offer a personal touch to communication, while body language and facial expressions are extremely helpful at building connections and trust.
- Impact: Verbal communication has a greater effect than written communication due to its paraverbal and nonverbal aspects. This is notably visible in motivational speakers, who rely heavily on verbal communication to inspire and excite their audiences, as well as politicians, who painstakingly plan and perform speeches in order to be as convincing as possible.
- Flexibility: Verbal communication allows you to adapt to your audience. For example, if you notice that you are losing your audience’s focus during a speech, you may change what you’re saying or use nonverbal communication to restore their interest.
- Group communication: Verbal communication is very beneficial for groups and teams. It allows for more participatory surroundings, making communication between large groups of people easier.
- Confidentiality: Verbal communication is ideal for sharing sensitive and confidential information. Conversations may take place with confidence while no one is listening, which is lacking in written communication.
Challenges of Oral communication
Oral communication is not without challenges. Some of these are:
- Poor retention: People can only recall so much. Unless listeners take notes, they may rapidly forget what was stated.
- Difficult to document: Unless you record digitally, the audience may forget what you said.
- Requires attentive listeners: Understanding spoken information necessitates active listening. It’s easy to get sidetracked, and inattention can lead to misunderstanding.
- Time-consuming: Verbal communication is prone to drifting off subject. Meetings frequently go late or over time.
- Less precise: Verbal communication may be imprecise. Listeners are prone to misinterpreting what they hear, particularly if the speaker and listener have cultural or language disparities.
Elements of effective verbal communication
For effective verbal communication, it’s important to:
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- Know your audience. This includes ensuring sure your language and nonverbal cues are acceptable for people listening.
- Consider your purpose. It’s critical to examine the purpose of your message. For example, if you want to make your audience enthusiastic about a new product, instead of focusing on its technical specifications, discuss what it can accomplish for them.
- Follow this logical sequence: Present information in a logical sequence. This improves overall cohesiveness and helps keep your listeners interested.
- Speak clearly: To guarantee that the audience receives your message, pronounce your words properly and appropriately. Pace is also crucial. If you speak too rapidly, listeners may miss essential information, while speaking too slowly risks losing the audience’s attention.
- Be succinct: Use brief language to keep listeners interested and attentive. People rapidly lose attention when presenters use needless words, ramble, or go off subject.
- Choose the appropriate words: Choose phrases that explain your point clearly, simply, and without room for interpretation. Be mindful that certain words have several meanings, and take efforts to ensure that everyone understands your meaning the same way.
- Avoid clichés: Using cliches might come across as unimaginative and uninspired. Avoid using them until absolutely essential, and instead use your own words to communicate the same concept.
- Speak with conviction: Being confident in what you say may assist your audience believe in you and buy into the idea you’re conveying. Conviction may also be expressed through nonverbal and paraverbal communication.
- Summarize: If you’ve delivered a lot of information, summarize it so that people listening can recall the main points.
- Rehearse: Whether it’s a critical phone conversation or a presentation, practicing ahead reduces tension and makes it simpler to deliver a clear, succinct message.
Verbal communication in business
Effective verbal communication is a vital business tool and a fundamental ability in many professions. It’s the preferred way of communication at work because:
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- It’s powerful: Spoken language has the power to motivate, excite, persuade, and convince others. This makes it a very powerful tool for presenting ideas and marketing.
- It boosts visual aids: People frequently utilize visual aids to supplement presentations and emphasize important information. You could just provide this material as slides or an infographic, but integrating it with an oral presentation is considerably more powerful.
- It’s an excellent technique to convey information: verbal communication is quick and especially good at helping people grasp difficult topics. When communicating vocally, you may provide more explanations and examples, and alter as needed to ensure that your listeners comprehend.
- It’s efficient: Verbal communication is efficient because it often requires fewer resources than written communication. Technology that allows for face-to-face conferencing can save time by reducing miscommunications that are common in lengthy email discussions.