Types and Levels of
Communication
{
The levels of communication
1) INTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION- is
language use or thought internal to the
communicator. Intrapersonal communication is the
active internal involvement of the individual in
symbolic processing of messages. The individual
becomes his or her own sender and receiver,
providing feedback to him or herself in an ongoing
internal process. It can be useful to envision
intrapersonal communication occurring in the mind
of the individual in a model which contains a
sender, receiver, and feedback loop.
-Although successful communication is
generally defined as being between two or
more individuals, issues concerning the useful
nature of communicating with oneself and
problems concerning communication with
non-sentient entities such as computers have
made some argue that this definition is too
narrow.
-In Communication: The Social Matrix of
Psychiatry, Jurgen Ruesch and Gregory
Bateson argue that intrapersonal
communication is indeed a special case of
interpersonal communication, as "dialogue is
the foundation for all discourse."
2.)INTERPERSONAL
COMMUNICATION
Interpersonal communication is defined
by communication scholars in numerous
ways, though most definitions involve
participants who are interdependent on
one another, have a shared history.
Communication channels are the medium
chosen to convey the message from sender
to receiver. Communication channels can
be categorized into two main categories:
Direct and Indirect channels of
communication.
Direct channels are those that are obvious and
can be easily recognized by the receiver. They
are also under direct control of the sender. In
this category are the verbal and non-verbal
channels of communication. Verbal
communication channels are those that use
words in some manner, such as written
communication or spoken communication. Nonverbal communication channels are those that
do not require silly words, such as certain overt
facial expressions, controllable body movements
(such as that made by a traffic police to control
traffic at an intersection), color (red for danger,
green means go etc), sound (sirens, alarms etc.).
Indirect channels are those channels that are
usually recognized subliminally or
subconsciously by the receiver, and not
under direct control of the sender. This
includes kinesics or body language, that
reflects the inner emotions and motivations
rather than the actual delivered message. It
also includes such vague terms as "gut
feeling", "hunches" or "premonitions".
3.) GROUP COMMUNICATION- refers to the nature of
communication that occurs in groups that are between 3
and 12 individuals. Small group communication
generally takes place in a context that mixes
interpersonal communication interactions with social
clustering.
4.) PUBLIC COMMUNICATION- It's at the heart of our
economy, society, and politics. Studios use it to promote
their films. Politicians use it to get elected. Businesses
use it to burnish their image. Advocates use it to
promote social causes. It's a field built on ideas and
images, persuasion and information, strategy and tactics.
No policy or product can succeed without a smart
message targeted to the right audience in creative and
innovative ways.
The Five Levels of Communication
in a Connected World
by Scott Belsky
Consider the five levels of
communication:
Level 1: Message into the Ether
Snail mail and email have a few things in common:
They can be of any length, and they are not
conversational. Emails and letters are sent out, and
then new messages are composed and returned.
Sometimes it takes days or weeks before a response
arrives. Since emails and letters are not conversational
(they lump all points together rather than go point,
counterpoint, point, etc…), there is a HIGH LEVEL of
misunderstanding with this medium of
communication. As many of us know, little issues can
escalate over email.
Level 2: Back-and-Forth Messaging
Whether it is via instant message or text, the next level
of communication is conversational but still conducted
remotely. As points go back and forth, there is a more
casual exchange that is also more direct.
Misunderstandings are less likely because each message
is quick and each participant can detect if they were
misunderstood by the reply. However, the bite-size
quality of this form of messaging means it’s not wellsuited to discussing complex matters.
Level 3: A Verbal Dialog
In a verbal exchange, participants get to voice
their opinions and relay a whole new level of
data through their inflection. Inflection
reveals elements like frustration, annoyance,
and stress that are harder to detect in written
communication. One major drawback is that
verbal discussions often require scheduling.
But, as my colleagues can attest, when a
customer is upset I believe it is best to just
pick up the phone and discuss it!
Level 4: The In-Person Spontaneous
Discussion
When something important comes up, you might
decide to just drop by a colleague’s desk and start
talking. Such spontaneous discussions are often more
effective than messages and phone conversations.
The benefits of visually seeing each other will add a
whole new level of mutual understanding to the
discussion. Of course, there are numerous detriments
to this level of communication. The fact that others
are likely in the vicinity makes it less intimate, and
spontaneity doesn’t work for everyone.
Level 5: The In-Person Scheduled
Discussion
Planning an in-person discussion allows both
participants to think about the topic in advance. The
communication that ensues is the most dynamic
possible. Inflection and visual cues allow you to
gather non-verbal intelligence to ensure clarity.
Privacy ensures comfort. Of course, a scheduled
discussion doesn’t necessarily mean that it is formal.
I will often plan an important conversation to
address a concern over breakfast or lunch. What
makes this level of communication so sacred is the
mutually agreed upon time set aside for direct
discussion.

The Technique. Active listening is really an
extension of the Golden Rule. To know how to
listen to someone else, think about how you
would want to be listened to.

While the ideas are largely intuitive, it might
take some practice to develop (or re-develop) the
skills. Here’s what good listeners know — and
you should, too:

1. Face the speaker. Sit up straight or lean forward
slightly to show your attentiveness through body
language.

2. Maintain eye contact, to the degree that you all
remain comfortable.

3. Minimize external distractions. Turn off the TV.
Put down your book or magazine, and ask the
speaker and other listeners to do the same.
4. Respond appropriately to show that you
understand. Murmur (“uh-huh” and “um-hmm”)
and nod. Raise your eyebrows. Say words such as
“Really,” “Interesting,” as well as more direct
prompts: “What did you do then?” and “What did
she say?”
 5. Focus solely on what the speaker is saying. Try
not to think about what you are going to say next.
The conversation will follow a logical flow after
the speaker makes her point.


6. Minimize internal distractions. If your own
thoughts keep horning in, simply let them go and
continuously re-focus your attention on the speaker,
much as you would during meditation.

7. Keep an open mind. Wait until the speaker is
finished before deciding that you disagree. Try not
to make assumptions about what the speaker is
thinking.

Have you tried and tried but your best is still not
good enough? Don’t know what to do next? Talk to a
mentor.

8. Avoid letting the speaker know how you handled
a similar situation. Unless they specifically ask for
advice, assume they just need to talk it out.

9. Even if the speaker is launching a complaint
against you, wait until they finish to defend
yourself. The speaker will feel as though their
point had been made. They won’t feel the need to
repeat it, and you’ll know the whole argument
before you respond. Research shows that, on
average, we can hear four times faster than we can
talk, so we have the ability to sort ideas as they
come in…and be ready for more.

10. Engage yourself. Ask questions for
clarification, but, once again, wait until
the speaker has finished. That way, you
won’t interrupt their train of thought.
After you ask questions, paraphrase
their point to make sure you didn’t
misunderstand. Start with: “So you’re
saying…”
The Three Basic Listening
Modes

Competitive or Combative Listening happens when
we are more interested in promoting our own point
of view than in understanding or exploring
someone else’s view. We either listen for openings
to take the floor, or for flaws or weak points we can
attack. As we pretend to pay attention we are
impatiently waiting for an opening, or internally
formulating our rebuttal and planning our
devastating comeback that will destroy their
argument and make us the victor.

In Passive or Attentive Listening we are
genuinely interested in hearing and
understanding the other person’s point of
view. We are attentive and passively listen.
We assume that we heard and understand
correctly. but stay passive and do not verify
it.

Active or Reflective Listening is the single most
useful and important listening skill. In active
listening we are also genuinely interested in
understanding what the other person is thinking,
feeling, wanting or what the message means, and
we are active in checking out our understanding
before we respond with our own new message. We
restate or paraphrase our understanding of their
message and reflect it back to the sender for
verification. This verification or feedback process
is what distinguishes active listening and makes it
effective.