Effective communication

Communication has been defined as the transfer of information and meaning / understanding from person to person.

For a group to work effectively, members need to communicate their thoughts and feelings to one another: the more effective the communication, the greater the likelihood of group success.

All communication includes elements that are:

verbal - ie what we say, and the way we phrase it (eg statements, proposals, questions, suggestions)
non-verbal - ie facial expression, eye contact, gesture, positon, posture, body movement, tone of voice, appearance (clothes, accessories, etc).
The meaning of these may differ according to culture, eg the Greek tilting of the head for 'no' is very similar to the British nod meaning 'yes'.

For effective communication to take place, meetings should be organised so that people can see and hear one another, and speak when appropriate. Room layout, agenda, procedures, etc can all help with this, and should take account of any needs that individuals - eg students who are disabled or from other cultures - might have.

It's then up to each group member to develop:

skills in expressing thoughts and feelings
attention to the thoughts and feelings that others are trying to convey.

For further guidance, see:

Working in a group: effective talking
Working in a group: effective listening.

Effective communication

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