The 5 principles of communication
Know the principles that are essential to practising good communication.
What is communication?
Communication is the essential vehicle for multi-professional exchanges and a permanent state of mind. It is not limited to words: it also comes through the absence of words, gestures and attitudes.
| The 5 principles | In one sentence |
|---|---|
| 1. You cannot not communicate | Even silence and inaction communicate. |
| 2. Every communication has 2 aspects | The content (the information) and the relationship (the bond). |
| 3. There are 3 types of communication | Verbal, para-verbal and non-verbal. |
| 4. Every communication is symmetrical or complementary | A relationship of equality or a high / low relationship. |
| 5. Managing the communication space | Territoriality, proxemics and exchange zones. |
1. You cannot not communicate
Communication is inseparable from behaviour. Since we cannot not behave, there is no such thing as "non-communication".
… is still communication.
… is still a behaviour.
Communication is permanent. Everything I do — or do not do — sends a message.
2. Every communication has 2 aspects
A message travels from a sender to a receiver, through a context, a vocabulary and a channel / medium.
SENDER ──► [ context · vocabulary · channel / medium ] ──► RECEIVER
Every communication therefore carries two inseparable aspects:
- The content → the information being transmitted.
- The relationship → the bond created between the people involved.
"Did my message get through?"
Between what we intend to say and what is actually perceived, part of the information is lost. The goal is to preserve the essentials despite this loss.
Progressive loss of the message between the sender and the receiver.
What matters is not what is said, but what is perceived.
To check that the message got through, we rely on feedback (the return): it closes the loop and maintains the bond between the people involved.
"Can someone remind me…?" → asking for feedback is a way of making sure you were understood.
3. There are 3 types of communication
| Type | What it is | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal | The substance, the words | Speech, writing, wording, semantics and conventions |
| Para-verbal | The way it is said | Volume, rhythm, tone, silences, articulation and pronunciation |
| Non-verbal | The body | Gestures, postures, gaze, attitudes |
The real weight of each channel
Contrary to intuition, words carry little weight compared with the voice and the body:
Volume · rhythm · tone · silences · articulation and pronunciation.
4. Every communication is symmetrical or complementary
The relationship between the people involved defines the type of exchange.
Symmetrical communication
A relationship of equality between the people involved (e.g. two colleagues of the same rank).
Complementary communication
A high / low relationship: one person is in a high position, the other in a low position (e.g. a front-desk exchange).
5. Managing the communication space
Three attitudes are possible depending on the context:
- Deferential attitude — I step back and respect the setting.
- Natural attitude — I stay myself, adapted to the situation.
- Free attitude — I am relaxed, in my personal space.
This management of space rests on three notions:
Territoriality
Making a space YOUR OWN: the territorial space is expressed through an attitude and a behaviour that mark the appropriation of a place.
Proxemics
The physical distance we set with the other person carries meaning:
| Distance | Use |
|---|---|
| Intimate | Close relations, close contact |
| Personal | Conversation between acquaintances |
| Social | Professional / formal exchanges |
| Public | Speaking in front of a group |
Exchange zones
Depending on the posture adopted, the exchange shifts into one of these three zones:
In summary
- You cannot not communicate — silence and inaction speak too.
- Two aspects — the content and the relationship.
- Three types — verbal (7%), para-verbal (38%), non-verbal (55%).
- Symmetrical or complementary — equality or a high / low relationship.
- Manage the space — territoriality, proxemics, exchange zones.
What matters is not what is said, but what is perceived.