12 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. E Q How does the way in which you communicate affect what you communicate? ssential uestion Section 1.2 Communicating Effectively Objectives After completing this section, you will be able to: • Describe types of communication. • Identify barriers to effective communication. Key Terms written communication Standard English visual communication verbal communication nonverbal communication context body language personal space paralanguage barrier sending barrier receiving barrier Types of Communication The communication process is taken for granted most of the time. You would not be able to get through the day if you stopped to plan and analyze the impact of every communication you have. On the other hand, there are many times when you do stop to think and prepare before you communicate. Most people have a natural sense for when planning and preparation are critical to what is said and how it is stated. Why do you communicate? In a typical day, you might: • write an e-mail explaining a new company policy • call a colleague to say congratulations on a job well done • create a sales message to persuade customers to buy your product • design a digital media presentation for a meeting • send a text message to a friend If you were to chart your daily activities, you would find that you spend most of your time communicating. Communication skills affect your basic ability to understand others, establish positive relationships, and perform in most situations. Written and Visual Communication Written communication is recording words through writing to communicate. Written communication is used to record and convey information of varying levels of importance. It can have an enormous impact on how a business functions. Business communication represents you and your company.