Effective communication skills are critical for career and personal success. Communication goals include changing behavior, getting action, ensuring understanding, and persuading others. The communication process involves a source encoding a message, sending it through a channel, where the receiver decodes and provides feedback in context. Communication languages include nonverbal cues conveyed through body language, facial expressions, and gestures, as well as verbal skills like listening, speaking, reading and writing. Basic interpersonal communication skills involve avoiding barriers, sending clear messages, active listening, using nonverbal signals, and adapting to different communication styles.