The Evolution and History of Communicating

January 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When one takes the time to go back and reflect upon the advancements that have been made over the past millennium in terms of society and the tools humans utilize to successfully perform their daily takes, it is truly remarkable. This concept pertains specifically to advancements that have been made through communicating over the past 100 years.

Not long ago in the early 1900s, humans were prone to using wires and horseback to transmit messages from one place to another. Telephones had recently been introduced and utilized telegraphic transmission to deliver sounds and voices from one apparatus to another. Additionally, the concept of wireless communications via the radio was still extremely new and not well known technology. Little did anyone living in the early 20th century have any inclination of thinking that such drastic advancements would be made in as little as 100 years.

Moving ahead to the year 2000, efficient communication is a way of life. Pilots of large aircraft that carry thousands of passengers around the globe on a daily basis wirelessly communicate clearly to air traffic controllers that give them the word to safely land on a runway. Additionally, computers have taken a front seat as one of the most prolific and widely used pieces of technology in the average American household. With hundreds and thousands of computers making their way into households on an annual basis, these versatile pieces of technology offer a wide range of options for people to communicate from anywhere to anyone in any place on the globe, and even beyond.

Additionally, the prized telegraph phone from the late 19th and early 20th century has been slightly tweaked and transformed into a miniature handheld device with vast capabilities and efficiency. Cell phones have become a staple in modern society not only providing a way to communicate, but leading the forefront of a new way of life and communications.

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Principles of Effective Communication

September 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The actual study of communication is very revealing on why there are so many conflicts in our interpersonal relationships. More often than not conflicts are rooted in parties’ inability to communicate effectively. There are a number of ways to improve upon your communication, making it more effective and increasing your ability to maximize your communication efforts.

There are three main principles of communication that govern both business and interpersonal communications. The first is connecting with your audience. Whether it is face to face or via written communication. In order to connect with your audience you need to be aware of certain details about them, where they are from, their ages, socio-economic status, etc. Your message should center on this information. The more connected your audience is the more likely they are to fully take in your communication.

Second, think about how your message could be interpreted by others. Non-verbal communication is a large part of how people interpret messages, but that involves face-to-face communication. When communication is done solely via machines like the telephone, computer, etc., then interpretations are easily misunderstood. Take time to think about the possible ways someone could interpret your message and make sure to amned it to clear up any discrpancies.

Third, engage the party to ensure that they understood. Don’t just assume that the receiver of your message clearly interpreted or understood your message. People can misunderstand a message and proceed on that misunderstanding without you even being aware. Engaging the party and getting feedback, if you will, on what your message meant to them or even feedback on their interpretation of the message is a great way to avoid conflict. This could be as simple as restating your message in a different way to ensure their understanding or even asking for their interpretation of your message.

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