Communication Skills - Definition, Importance & Types

Published in Human Resources Terms by MBA Skool Team

What is Communication Skills?

Communication skills in business is the method by which employees or partners interact & discuss. Communication skills is an essential component to share information like requirements, plans performances etc. with each other to ensure everyone works together. For a company to grow, it becomes imperative that employees, partners & customers communicate & interact effectively. Verbal, listening, written, body language & visual communication skills are important elements of interaction.


Importance of Communication in Business

For any business, it is critical for all employees, functions, vendors, partners and even customers to communicate effectively. Without effective communication, it would be difficult to understand & evaluate business requirements, processes, performances & areas of improvement. The most common methods to communicate are written, spoken, body language, visual representations & listening.

Effective Communication Skills

Some of the skills which help in enhancing communication effectiveness are:

1. Improve written communication.

2. Practice listening & understanding.

3. Good verbal language with clarity in speech.

4. Have a positive body language.

5. Prepare content with clarity of thought.

6. Give regular feedback.


Communcation skills

As a part of developing human resources in an organization, teaching effective communication skills is a part of training & development for every company.


Types of Communication

These can be classified based on different parameters:

1. Organizational relationship

 a. Formal

 b. Informal

2. Based on the flow

 a. Horizontal

 b. Vertical

 c. Diagonal

3. Expression

 a. Verbal

 b. Written

 c. Body language


Communication Skills Barriers

Some barriers or roadblocks to effective communication in an organization are:

1. Semantic- unclear language, wrong context, faulty content etc.

2. Psychological- lack of confidence, poor listening, low attention span of people.

3. Organizational- policies, regulations & complexities in a company.

4. Management- personal differences between seniors & subordinates.

All these roadblocks lead to poor communication skills in a company.

Hence, this concludes the definition of Communication Skills along with its overview.

This article has been researched & authored by the Business Concepts Team. It has been reviewed & published by the MBA Skool Team. The content on MBA Skool has been created for educational & academic purpose only.

Browse the definition and meaning of more similar terms. The Management Dictionary covers over 1800 business concepts from 5 categories.

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