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And why is clear communication important?

Two kids talking through tin cans and wire

Communication occurs when two or more people share their thoughts and feelings. It is a two-way process that involves sending and receiving messages. Good communication skills make good relationships possible. When you express yourself clearly, you help others understand you. When you listen carefully, you show people that you value their thoughts and feelings.



You sometimes hear someone referred to as a “natural communicator.” That simply means that the person is at ease sharing thoughts and feelings with others. But the truth is that communication skills are just that—skills! Everyone can learn and practice them to improve communication and relationships.

 

A person’s culture plays a big role in how that person communicates.

  • For example, in some cultures people in conversation sit or stand close together. In other cultures, they stay further apart.
  • Culture also affects the gestures, or physical movements, a speaker makes. In some cultures, using many big gestures is normal. In others, gestures are smaller and less frequent.
  • Culture sometimes even affects the volume at which people speak; some speak quite loudly, others are more quiet.
  • Finally, culture and language may influence a speaker’s choice of words. In Spanish, for example, the words tú and usted are both singular forms of “you,” but they are used differently based on the speaker and listener’s social relationship.

 

Question

Miscommunication occurs often enough between people from the same culture. Why does the likelihood of miscommunication increase between people from different cultures?

Communication depends on more than words. People from different cultures can be distracted by one another’s style of communication. For example, a listener can be distracted from the message by the closeness or distance of the speaker, the volume of the speaker’s voice, or the gestures the speaker uses.