[SOUND] Hi, welcome back. In this lesson we are going to look at different modes or channels of communication, the pros and cons of each of them, and how to go about choosing the right one for the context we are in. By the end of this lesson you should demonstrate an understanding of the different modes or channels of communication, as well as understand the pros and cons of each of these. And you should also be able to select the appropriate modes of communication for different contexts. Let us begin by looking at some of the common modes of communication available in a typical workplace. First of all, there is face-to-face communication, and examples of this include meetings, conversations and even chats along the corridor. Then we have video communication, for instance video conferencing, and this can be done over platforms like Skype or other social media. Next there is voice or audio communication. And this includes phone calls, the use of an answering machine and voice mail. Last but not least, various of calls, communication by text. This could come in a form of a phone text, an email, a fax, letters, newsletters, or posters. To help us better decide which mode to choose, we should first of all understand some of their pros and cons. Let us look at these one at a time, beginning with face-to-face communication. Face-to-face communication can range from a rather casual conversation between two people over lunch or coffee or even along a corridor, to the formal business meetings. Unless it requires one to fly from one part of the world to another, this may be the easiest and most efficient manner of communication. The sharing of information is instant, and this certainly facilitates the discussion of matters or issues. Also, with face-to-face communication, participants have the chance to observe both verbal and non-verbal cues. This last plus point about being able to observe the other party's verbal and non-verbal cues also means that we would need to be mindful of the signals we are sending to the other party, since it works both ways. Face-to-face communication can range from a rather casual conversation between two people over lunch or coffee, or even along the corridor to the formal business meetings. Unless it requires one to fly from one part of the world to another, this may be the easiest and most efficient manner of communication. The sharing of information is instant, and this certainly facilitates the discussion of matters or issues. Also, with face-to-face communication, participants have the chance to observe both verbal and non-verbal cues. Now in this last plus point about being able to observe the other party's verbal and non-verbal cues also means that we would need to be mindful of the signals we are sending to the other party, since it works both ways. The third form of communication we want to look at is the audio or voice one, which may include phone calls and voice mail. As is the case with most telephones, you need to first make sure that the other person is available. Communication is instant and efficient in this case, just like the video and face-to-face ones. Except that it does not allow you to benefit of observing the non-verbal cues. Also, it may be a little challenging in terms of logistics if you have more than two people for the discussion. Finally there is, of course, textual communication. This category includes email, SMS, which stands for Short Message Service, also commonly referred to as a text message, letters, newsletters, or posters. This form of communication is very useful if we need to disseminate information to a large group of people, and especially if there is no need for a discussion involving everyone. In addition, it also provides a record of communication for both parties. This mode of communication unfortunately lacks the benefits that its video and audio counterparts hold, and it does not allow the participants to observe the body language and other non-verbals. As a result, it is hard for communicators to assess the other party's reaction accurately. How then do we go about deciding which mode to use? We shall look at this in the next lecture. I'm Sarah Chong and I'll see you soon.
