The Importance Of Communication

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Communication is the building block that enables people to understand each other, and it is vital and necessary to communicate in order for tasks to be accomplished. The context of communication may vary depending on the circumstances, time, and place. There are five different contexts of communication: intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, mass, and public. It is important to have an understanding of all of them, so that you can use the correct means of communicating, depending on the place, audience, and circumstance. Intrapersonal conversation is the conversation one has inside his own head, or to himself. It can be positive or negative (McLean, 2010, p.23). For example, I was trying to get motivated to write this…show more content…
24). Intimate conversations with a family member are one form of interpersonal conversation, while a brief formal greeting with a supervisor is another. I usually discuss my plans for each day with my husband, and ask him if there are any additional errands he needs me to run, or tasks he needs me to work on. This is usually a quick conversation over breakfast before he leaves for work, but because it is a conversation between the two of us, it would be considered an interpersonal communication. A different more formal type of interpersonal communication would be the discussion I have about symptoms of an illness with my doctor at the clinic. My discussions with my husband are more candid, and I often mention that I dread doing this or look forward to doing that, while my conversations with the doctor are more formal, and more brief and to the point. Both intimate and formal conversations are considered aspects of interpersonal communication (McLean, 2010, p.…show more content…
There are definitely appropriate times and places for using or not using each of them, i.e. you would not want to have an interpersonal conversation where you ask for a raise, in front of everyone at the office. You also wouldn’t want to have to go around a large office and speak to each of your coworkers one on one to let them know about a fire drill next Tuesday; a public communication announcement or companywide email would get that message across much more easily. My favorite context of communication is interpersonal, just because I am a little shy, so in small groups I typically sit back and listen. I really don’t like having to speak in front of a group, so public communication, where I have to speak or address a group (especially a large group) would be my least favorite context of communication. I am much more comfortable speaking to someone one on one. I have really enjoyed learning about the many contexts of communication, and I look forward to becoming a better
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