Most people have experienced a misunderstanding or two (thousand) throughout their lifetimes.
After all, when communication relies on one person’s clear expression and another’s unbiased perception, getting the wires crossed is all too easy.
Still, taking the time to understand how verbal communication works and the skills that can help you become a more effective communicator should help you avoid those communication breakdowns.
With that in mind, let’s start our journey of enlightenment by answering a deceptively simple question: what is verbal communication, anyway?
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What is verbal communication?
Verbal communication is any exchange that uses spoken words to convey information.
However, some people also consider written messaging to be a part of verbal communication simply because it relies on words.
In this case, people would interpret the term “verbal” as signifying any communication using words.
However, for the purposes of our overview, we’ll go with the narrower definition of verbal communication, focusing only on spoken language.
That means that we see written and verbal communication as 2 distinct types of communication — though those aren’t the only ones we have at our disposal.
There are 2 more types of communication that can be used to further enhance and clarify our verbal exchanges:
- Visual communication, which includes any images or props we may use to convey information or ideas, and
- Nonverbal communication, which includes messages we send with our bodies (including but not limited to body language).
Having said that, let’s take a moment to consider the ways verbal and nonverbal communication influence each other.
The difference between verbal and nonverbal communication
As we have established, verbal and nonverbal communication are 2 of the 4 types of communication we use in our day-to-day lives.
You’ll often hear they are opposed concepts, as nonverbal communication is used to convey information without the use of words.
Instead, nonverbal communication relies on an individual’s physicality to transmit messages through:
- General appearance,
- Posture and gestures,
- Facial expressions and eye movements,
- Proximity to interlocutors and the use of physical space, as well as
- Vocal qualities such as volume, pitch, and tone of voice.
These aspects of a person’s physical presence can influence the way we perceive the words they are saying.
According to Erin Christie, Ph.D., Assistant Teaching Professor of Communication at Rutgers School of Communication and Information, verbal and nonverbal communication go hand in hand:
“Effective verbal communication is essential for success. However, nonverbal communication is a vital companion, since eye contact and body language can either reinforce or contradict verbal messages.”
In other words, people who don’t pay attention to the nonverbal cues they are using may put their primary message in jeopardy.
For example, a candidate might show up for a job interview after memorizing an embellished version of their career history and accomplishments. Yet, a discerning hiring manager would still be able to spot the inconsistencies by paying attention to their body language.
After the interview, the HR employees present might comment on those contradictory messages amongst themselves, as seen in the Pumble exchange below.
Examples of verbal communication in the workplace
According to the more narrow verbal communication definition we have provided, this type of communication requires interlocutors to be able to hear each other.
In the past, that would have meant that verbal communication was contained to in-person encounters.
However, in the past century, technological advances have facilitated mediated verbal communication, revolutionizing the way we speak to each other at work.
Today, we have the ability to talk to each other through various channels — phones, voice calls, and even through video messages and online conferencing.
Some examples of verbal communication in the workplace include:
- Face-to-face conversations,
- Phone calls,
- Group or one-on-one online meetings,
- Virtual presentations or workshops, and even
- Video or voice messages sent over the company’s employee communication app.
Of course, these 5 examples of verbal communication are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the types of verbal exchanges one can engage in.
Because of that, verbal communication is undeniably one of the most important types of communication we use at work.
But why is that the case? What are the benefits of practicing verbal communication in the workplace?
Let’s find out.
The importance of verbal communication in the workplace
Whether we focus on the more narrow definition of verbal communication or opt to include written exchanges into the mix, we can confidently state that verbal communication is one of the most frequently used types of communication in the workplace.
Because of that, it is widely recognized as the foundation of professional success, as noted by linguistic researcher Martina Cola:
“Verbal communication is a cornerstone of professional success and understanding its nuances can significantly enhance workplace interactions.”
Encouraging your coworkers to improve their verbal communication skills can have numerous benefits for the team, including:
- Increased job satisfaction — When a company advocates for open communication between its employees, no matter their rank or seniority, it helps the employees feel heard and valued.
- Fewer conflicts — Workplace conflicts are common, but when a company implements and advocates for open communication in the office, it is easier to resolve misunderstandings. Therefore, if we speak our minds in a clear and direct manner, it will ensure our coworkers understand where we are coming from.
- Stronger relationships — If a company’s goal is to have a healthy and productive collective, then practicing open communication is a necessity. Open communication helps employees connect with each other and ensures that the professional relationship is built on trust.
- Higher productivity — When miscommunication happens in the workplace, it usually affects productivity, resulting in unnecessary delays. This can be offset by practicing open communication, since it empowers employees to ask for clarification on their tasks. That way, they can keep misunderstandings to a minimum and productivity levels rising.
Naturally, not all forms of verbal communication will allow your team to reap these benefits.
To put it simply, some types and styles of verbal communication are more effective than others.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at how the different types of verbal communication may affect our workplace conversations.
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5 Types of verbal communication
Types and styles of verbal communication are two different things, though they may appear similar at first glance.
The key difference to remember is that styles explain how we use verbal communication and types explain where and with whom we are communicating.
As Martina Cola would put it, the 5 types of verbal communication can be a good jumping-off point for navigating various communication situations:
“The 5 types of verbal communication — intrapersonal, interpersonal, small group, public, and mass communication — provide a valuable framework for navigating various contexts. Tailoring verbal communication to fit these contexts ensures the message resonates with the intended audience.”
Let’s see how these verbal communication types change the way we speak.
Type #1: Intrapersonal verbal communication
Intrapersonal verbal communication only requires one person — yourself — and consists of the messages you tell yourself — or rather, your internal monologue.
Naturally, most people don’t actually vocalize these messages, so this type of verbal communication doesn’t really fit the narrow definition we have established previously.
However, since thoughts are often expressed through words and sentences, intrapersonal communication does fit into the broader definition of verbal communication.
In any case, since intrapersonal communication is a private experience for most people, it can be pretty introspective, as Martina Cola noted:
“Intrapersonal communication fosters self-awareness by helping individuals process their thoughts and emotions.”
So, the purpose of this type of communication is to deepen our understanding of ourselves.
Type #2: Interpersonal verbal communication
Dyadic or interpersonal communication is a type of verbal communication that happens between 2 parties.
Typically, this kind of one-on-one communication serves the purpose of sharing information between a message sender and a receiver, though 2 people can naturally switch between these roles throughout the conversation.
However, interpersonal communication can also be used to build trust in teams, as Martina Cola told us:
“Interpersonal communication builds strong one-on-one relationships, vital for professional rapport.”
As we have established, this type of communication can also be facilitated by technology, as in the example below, which shows a video call between 2 coworkers.
Type #3: Small group verbal communication
The main difference between interpersonal communication and group communication is in the number of people involved. Group verbal communication occurs when there are 3 or more individuals involved in an exchange.
The same rules apply, as participants still have to use clear communication and active listening skills to decode and convey information.
According to Martina Cola, the main purpose of small group communication in professional settings is to promote teamwork and collaboration:
“Small group communication, essential for collaboration and teamwork, ensures ideas flow effectively during meetings.”
Once again, this type of communication can take place in person or be mediated by technology.
On the internal communication app, Pumble, this type of communication can be enabled through group conferencing, which can either be scheduled ahead of time by using meeting links or initiated at the moment.
In the example below, we see that a group of managers has just finished an impromptu video call, which was started within their private channel.
Type #4: Public verbal communication
Unlike interpersonal and small group communication, where the senders and the receivers of messages can switch roles throughout the conversation, public verbal communication tends to be more one-way.
Typically, this type of verbal communication requires:
- One or more speakers or presenters,
- An audience assembled to receive information, and
- A medium through which the speakers’ message is delivered.
Examples of public verbal communication in a professional setting may include press conferences and keynote speaking engagements.
For such occasions, clarity and confidence are the most important aspects of communication, as Martina Cola noted:
“Public communication requires clarity and confidence, making it crucial for presentations.”
However, if we consider the broader definition of verbal communication, even company-wide announcements like the one shown below can be considered an example of public communication.
Type #5: Mass verbal communication
As the name suggests, mass verbal communication uses a medium of mass communication to get a message across to a larger audience.
These mediums include:
- Television,
- Newspapers,
- Radio shows, and, more recently,
- Social media platforms.
According to Martina Cola, the primary goal of this type of verbal communication is to reach as many people as possible:
“Mass communication caters to broader audiences, a key for roles involving messaging at scale.”
As a result of this goal of mass communication, messages spread this way tend to be more difficult to retract.
That’s why this type of verbal communication tends to be more carefully thought out and is usually the result of a group of people coming together to communicate a shared message.
Advertisements like the one below are one example of mass verbal communication.
4 styles of verbal communication
Unlike the types of communication (which highlight the participants of an exchange), the style of communication we are using points to the way we are communicating.
According to one popular classification model, communication can be:
- Aggressive,
- Passive,
- Passive-aggressive, and
- Assertive.
Learning more about these 4 styles of communication can help us become more aware of the way we are speaking with (and getting spoken to by) others, according to Erin Christie:
“This is a good framework to use as a reference guide when interacting with others. In other words, once we become aware of this framework, we can learn to identify the specific type of communication style in a specific interaction and adapt for successful communication.”
Even so, it’s important to note that most people don’t only use one style of communication:
“Not to be overlooked here, however, is that individuals tend to use more than one communication style in interaction. So, while this is a helpful framework, individuals tend to be a combination of styles listed here.”
So, let’s take a deeper look into all 4 styles of communication.
Style #1: Aggressive style of verbal communication
Widely regarded as the least desirable style of communication in professional environments, aggressive verbal communication tends to put the speaker’s needs, emotions, and ideas ahead of those of others.
“You better have the report done by tomorrow. Bootstrap it, stay late, I don’t care.”
Because of that, people who use this style of communication are often perceived as lacking regard for other people’s emotions.
They can also be a bit too direct and oftentimes ruthless, expecting a certain level of obedience from the people around them.
Over time, using this style of communication tends to erode trust in the workplace, according to Martina Cola:
“Aggressive communication, while sometimes achieving immediate results, risks alienating colleagues and damaging trust.”
In the example below, we can see how people might hesitate to enter conversations with those who have shown a propensity towards this style of communication in the workplace.
Interestingly, different styles of verbal communication can also show up in people’s willingness to let others speak. For example, aggressive communicators may be more loath to pass the mic, as Erin Christie told us:
“These styles do play a role in how we show up as communicators, namely how much one demonstrates turn-taking while communicating — a more aggressive style would indicate less turn-taking in conversation, while a passive style means a person is more reluctant to interject and contribute in conversations.
Style #2: Passive style of verbal communication
On the opposite end of the spectrum from aggressive communication sits the passive style of verbal communication.
Rather than prioritizing their own needs, emotions, and ideas, passive communicators defer to others in hopes of avoiding conflict.
“I wanted to ask if you were on track to finish the report by tomorrow? No problem if not, I guess I could just do it myself.”
Because of that, people who use the passive style of verbal communication are often perceived as timid, introverted, and aloof.
They usually keep their opinions to themselves, and when asked to give them, they are vague.
However, employing this style of communication in professional settings has been known to lead to misunderstandings, according to Martina Cola:
“Passive communication often avoids conflict but may lead to misunderstandings and unmet expectations.”
Though this style of verbal communication is easy to recognize when you see it in person, due to the typically listless vocalizations of its users, it can be more difficult to detect in written communication, as evidenced by the Pumble exchange below.
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If you notice that a coworker or a subordinate has become overly reliant on the passive style of communication, try using some of the following conflict resolution phrases to get to the bottom of the issue:
Style #3: Passive-aggressive style of verbal communication
Since aggressive and passive communication styles are on opposite sides of the spectrum, you’d think that this style of verbal communication would represent the perfect balance between the two.
However, as we all know, passive-aggressive communication has certainly never been the solution to any problem.
“Man, I wish I had assigned this report to someone last week. My bad. I guess deadlines are just suggestions to some people.”
Passive-aggressive style speakers conceal their true emotions and displeasure when they are met with disagreement.
Though users of this style try to seem passive on the surface, their masked resentment only creates tension, according to Martina Cola:
“Passive-aggressive communication creates tension by masking discontent, which undermines professional relationships.”
Having an individual who tends to use the passive-aggressive style of verbal communication on your team can quickly sour all team interactions, as shown in the following example.
Style #4: Assertive style of verbal communication
Last but certainly not least, there’s the assertive style of verbal communication, which is generally considered the most effective style of communication for a professional setting.
Though this style is characterized by direct and honest expression of one’s thoughts, it also allows its users to demonstrate respect for the feelings, needs, and ideas of others.
“Are we on track to have that report done by tomorrow? Please let me know if you need any support.”
Because of these attributes, assertive communication is great for fostering open communication in the workplace, as noted by Martina Cola:
“Assertive communication stands out as the most effective style, striking a balance between expressing needs clearly and respecting others’ perspectives. Developing an assertive communication style helps foster an environment of mutual respect and open dialogue in the workplace.”
Despite the obvious benefits of this style of verbal communication, some people might find it difficult to make the most of it.
Namely, women and people of certain marginalized groups who have an unwarranted reputation for being aggressive may be perceived as combative by less-than-charitable coworkers.
So, if someone you work with seems too quick to describe another coworker as aggressive, take a moment to consider whether that reputation is deserved, and make an effort to correct their misconceptions — as seen in the example below.
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If you often find yourself believing the worst of your coworkers, you may be under the influence of a cognitive bias. To learn more about how biases may influence your perception of others in the workplace, check out this article:
What are verbal communication skills?
To be a good, assertive communicator, you will need to acquire some verbal communication skills.
After all, as Martina Cola noted, developing these skills is sure to benefit your career:
“Effective verbal communication is integral to professional environments, but its impact is maximized when complemented by strong nonverbal cues. By honing skills like clarity, adaptability, and active listening, professionals can:
- Navigate diverse interactions,
- Build trust, and
- Contribute to more collaborative and productive workplaces.”
So, what are some of the skills you should work on to improve your verbal communication?
Let’s find out.
Skill #1: Clarity
Arguably the most important communication skill you should focus on if you want to improve your verbal communication outcomes is the skill of clarity.
In other words, you need to be able to clearly communicate your ideas to your coworkers.
To achieve that, you should start by making sure the words you are using are the most appropriate ones you can choose to communicate your thoughts.
When in doubt, it’s best to avoid using unnecessary jargon and verbalize your thoughts in simple terms.
Striving for clarity in communication will also allow you to pay more attention to what others are saying.
If you realize that you’re not fully comprehending what someone is saying, focusing on the clarity of their message will allow you to ask the right questions and achieve mutual understanding.
Skill #2: Discernment
Choosing the right words to communicate your message is important for more than one reason.
In addition to providing clarity to your communication, word choice can also ensure that you’re being thoughtful of the way others perceive you.
According to Erin Christie, this is one of the basic skills for effective verbal communication:
“To start, the basic skills should be given extra attention, namely word choice, tone of voice, and nonverbal behavior. Since something like eye contact can either convey interest or disinterest, the goal is to become aware of the messages we send nonverbally with the ultimate goal of encouraging an open dialogue with coworkers.”
Generally, it’s important to remember the purpose of the communication we’re engaging in.
Do we want to simply share information, or are we looking to forge a professional relationship with someone? Perhaps we want to persuade them to perform a certain task for us.
In any case, depending on the purpose of the conversation and our relationship with the person we’re talking to, the language we use will be different — and we’ll need tact and discernment to strike the right tone.
Skill #3: Adaptability
Knowing how to quickly and accurately judge a situation will allow you to promptly adjust the tone and vocabulary you use to get your point across.
That, in turn, should help you become more relatable to different people, making you more likeable overall.
On top of that, being quick to adjust your approach should come in handy even if you make a conversational faux pas.
Ultimately, being self-aware enough to own and correct those kinds of mistakes is sure to win over your professional collaborators.
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Skill #4: Emotional regulation
As we have previously established, the aggressive style of verbal communication is pretty much the worst one anyone could opt for — though passive and passive-aggressive styles aren’t too far off, either.
With that in mind, good verbal communication should also require some level of emotional regulation from the speaker.
You need to be able to control your tone of voice and not show any negative emotions in both verbal and nonverbal expressions.
Taking the time to develop emotional intelligence should have a huge positive impact on this, so learn how to self-regulate by:
- Accepting that many things are out of your control,
- Not reacting impulsively to potentially triggering situations, and
- Finding stress-relieving activities to engage in outside of work.
Skill #5: Nonverbal communication
As the experts we’ve spoken to have told us, nonverbal expression is actually a crucial component of communication in general.
According to Martina Cola, elements of nonverbal communication can either reinforce or undermine the message we share through verbal communication:
“While verbal communication is crucial, nonverbal communication — including body language, tone, and facial expressions — plays an equally important role in reinforcing or undermining verbal messages. For example, maintaining eye contact and a calm tone enhances credibility, while defensive body language can unintentionally convey resistance.”
Because of that, we must use both verbal and nonverbal expressions to get our point across:
“A balanced integration of verbal and nonverbal communication is essential, as their relative importance varies by context. Verbal precision is indispensable in team meetings, while nonverbal cues may carry more weight in emotionally charged conversations, such as performance reviews.”
So, if you want to be a competent communicator, you should know how to analyze the nonverbal cues others are using and control your own nonverbal behaviors.
Skill #6: Active listening
Finally, though most of the previous skills we have mentioned focus on your role as a speaker, we should note that verbal communication requires participants to switch between the role of message sender and receiver.
That means that being a good verbal communicator will also require you to really listen to the people you’re talking to — all in the interest of achieving true mutual understanding.
One way to do so would be to practice active listening, as Erin Christie suggests:
“The key ingredient for success here, however, is active listening by both parties. Our goal is for the verbal and nonverbal components to work in alignment, mitigating misunderstandings in the workplace and therefore contributing to effective communication.”
If you want to learn how to listen more deeply, start by paying close attention to the people around you — both what they’re saying and how they’re saying it.
Once you get into the habit of actively listening, you’ll find yourself becoming more open-minded about the information that you are receiving, which will naturally have a beneficial effect on your professional relationships, according to Martina Cola:
“Active listening — paying full attention and responding thoughtfully — builds stronger connections.”
On top of that, working on any one of the skills we have listed here will undoubtedly lead to improvements in the others.
Use Pumble to harness the power of verbal communication
Verbal communication can be the key to your professional success — all you have to do is utilize the skill of self-expression.
Aside from picking the right style of verbal communication, the means by which you communicate are also important.
So, take your verbal communication to the next level by embracing digital means of communication such as Pumble, the team communication app.
Pumble allows you to clearly express yourself, foster relationships with your coworkers, and collaborate with your entire team by:
- Sending messages to individuals or groups,
- Communicating with coworkers in dedicated channels, and
- Scheduling audio and video calls.
Customizable, easy to use, and familiar — Pumble will prove to be a strong weapon in your communication arsenal!
Step into the future of workplace communication — try Pumble today.
