What are usually used as medium in a business communication?

In the communication process, a medium is a channel or system of communication—the means by which information (the message) is transmitted between a speaker or writer (the sender) and an audience (the receiver). The plural form is media, and the term is also known as a channel.

The medium used to send a message may range from an individual's voice, writing, clothing, and body language to forms of mass communication such as newspapers, television, and the internet.

Before the printing press, mass communication didn't exist, as books were handwritten and literacy wasn't widespread throughout all social classes. The invention of moveable type was a major communication innovation for the world.

Author Paula S. Tompkins sums up the history of communication and change thusly:

"When a communication medium changes, our practices and experiences of communication also change. The technology of writing liberated human communication from the medium of face-to-face (f2f) interaction. This change affected both the process and experience of communication, as persons no longer needed to be physically present to communicate with one another. The technology of the printing press further promoted the medium of writing by mechanizing the creation and distribution of the written word. This began the new communication form of mass communication in pamphlets, newspapers, and cheap books, in contrast to the medium of handwritten documents and books. Most recently, the medium of digital technology is again changing the process and experience of human communication."

– "Practicing Communication Ethics: Development, Discernment, and Decision-Making." Routledge, 2016

Television mass media used to distill the news into a nightly news hour. With the advent of 24-hour news channels on cable, people could check in hourly or at any point in the hour to find out the latest news. Now, with social media platforms and the ubiquitous smartphones in our pockets, people can check news and happenings—or be alerted of them—constantly throughout the day.

This puts a lot more news upfront just because it's the most recent. News outlets and channels looking for people's eyeballs on their content (and their advertisers) have a lot of pressure to keep those updates coming to people's feeds. The outrageous, shocking, and easily digestible gets shared more widely than something that's complex and nuanced. Something short gets read more widely than something long.

Authors James W. Chesebro and Dale A. Bertelsen noted how modern messaging seems a lot more like marketing than discourse, and their observation has only been amplified with the advent of social media:

"[A] significant shift in the nature of communication has been reported for several decades. Increasingly, it has been noted that a shift from a content orientation—with its emphasis on the ideational or substantive dimension of discourse—to a concern for form or medium—with an emphasis on image, strategy, and patterns of discourse—has been identified as a central feature of the information age."

– "Analyzing Media: Communication Technologies as Symbolic and Cognitive Systems." Guilford Press, 1996

If the medium through which information is delivered affects what people get out of it, that could have big implications for today. As people move away from the in-depth coverage of an issue they can receive in print media to getting more information from social media, they consume increasing amounts of their information in soundbites, shared snippets of news that may be slanted, inaccurate, or completely fake. In the modern age of "people will remember it if you repeat it often enough—it doesn't matter if it's true," it takes deeper dives into the information by message receivers to find the real story and any hidden motives behind the headlines.

If the medium doesn't equate with the message, it's still true that different formats carry different versions of the same story, such as the depth of information or its emphasis.  

Modern technology provides business professionals with a variety of communication options to stay in touch and share information with colleagues. Different people respond better to different forms of communication. Assessing your colleagues and making a determination about the most mediums of business communication to use can help you streamline the flow of information and guard against potential miscommunications.

Some colleagues prefer to communicate face-to-face in a meeting, by telephone or in a conversational setting. People who are more verbal in their interpersonal interactions prefer this type of direct contact to electronic options. According to Fremont College, face-to-face interaction is most desirable as it builds trust.

While this is an effective means of communication, be sure to document key elements of conversations relating to work, agreements or project planning to ensure everyone is following the same directives and has the same set of information when communicating verbally. Summarize the main elements of a conversation in an email or memo and share it with your colleague to verify you have the information correct.

Electronic communication through email, instant messages and text messages is beneficial when communicating with telecommuters and work-at-home professionals, as well as with colleagues in different offices. Not only is it a quick and efficient means of communication, but you can copy other recipients, forward information, send attachments and have a time and date stamped “paper” trail to document the exchange of information. This ensures people are on the same page in regard to project planning and gives you a written account of exchanges in the event of a discrepancy.

Written communication is a good tool for disseminating mass amounts of information or detailed information that contains graphs, charts and statistics. This is especially useful when it comes to communicating information used for reference purposes, like directories or reports. Written communication is also an appropriate communication channel to use to distribute information used in presentations, meetings and seminars, so a speaker can reference page numbers, graphics and attachments for discussion.

Effective communication is the cornerstone of an effective and efficient workplace, according to HR Technologist. The communication mediums in the workplace you choose for collaborating with colleagues should be based not only on your co-workers’ preferences, but on the urgency of the matter at hand. Poor or ineffectual communication has the potential to result in miscommunication, misperception, late delivery of projects and missed opportunities.

As a project manager, being aware of the different types of communication medium available to you will help you communicate effectively. A communication medium is simply "how" your message is sent to the receiver. It is often referred to as the communication channel.

It's critical to realize that whenever you are communicating with a project stakeholder that the medium you use to communicate your message is just as important as the message itself. If you use the wrong medium, your message may never get through to the receiver or may be misunderstood.

When deciding which of the business communication media would be best for your message, you should take into consideration...

• The Purpose of the Communication
• The Receiver
• The Type of Information

Let's take a look at some of the different types of communication medium available to you...

Face-to-Face Communication

Face-to-face communication is any type of verbal or non-verbal communication where you are in the same physical location as the receiver.

Face-to-face communication is very powerful. You can communicate verbally with the words you speak as well as non-verbally through body language. It also allows you to get immediate feedback from the receiver so you can adjust how you are delivering your message if necessary.

Some examples of face-to-face communication include informal hallway chats, project meetings, annual performance reviews, and job interviews.

Two-Way Remote Communication

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Two-way remote communication is when you and the receiver are not in the same physical spaces but are able to receive real-time feedback from each other. Although you are able to receive immediate feedback from the receiver, the feedback is usually limited compared to face-to-face communication.

Some examples of two-way remote communication include video conferencing, teleconferencing, cell phone calls, sms (i.e. texting) and walkie-talkie conversations.

Written Communication

Written communication is any type of communication that involves the written word. This can involve both formal and informal communications. A key distinction between written communication and face-to-face communication is that feedback from the receiver may not be immediate.

Although most of us consider ourselves honest and ethical, we're all human and can forget things we've said or misunderstood things we've heard. One of the major benefits of written communication is that it can be used to document what has been said or agreed to. It also can be used to clarify ideas to avoid misunderstandings.

Some examples of written communication include letters, email, contracts, sms, reports and intranet content.

Social Media Communication

Social media has become a very common form of communication. It combines characteristics of some of the other forms of communication such as written communication and two-way remote communication. It allows for real-time feedback with a written record of what has been communicated. What makes social media so powerful for project managers is the way it enables team collaboration.

Examples of social media communication include instant messaging, Microsoft Sharepoint, Facebook, LinkedIn, wikis and Twitter. Many of the web-based project management tools are also considered to be social media tools since they enable better collaboration.

One-Way Audio and Video Communication

Another type of communication medium is one-way audio and video. With this type of communication you are recording your message to be listened to or viewed by your receiver at some time of their choosing.

Examples include voicemail, podcasts and YouTube videos. Podcasts and videos are excellent for sharing information, especially for teaching purposes. You can present a lot of information that the receiver can go over at their convenience and as many times as they like.

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Voicemail is a different creature. You usually leave a voicemail because the receiver wasn't able to take your phone call. It is what I call a "plan B" action. Because of this, a strategic communicator will have planned what he will say in the voicemail before making the call.

Choose Your Communication Medium Strategically

Strategically choosing the specific types of communication medium you use to get your messages across will help you successfully manage your projects. Always consider the purpose of your communication, the receiver of the message, and the type of information you are communicating when determining the best business communication media for your message.