The Three Main Objectives of Communication

Objective 1: Request an action or service

One of the most common and direct intentions in communication is to request a specific action on the part of the interlocutor.

This objective is fundamentally transactional and focuses on getting the other person to perform a specific task.

Clarity in this type of communication is essential to ensure that the request is understood and executed correctly.

For example, when you ask a colleague to review your presentation before an important meeting, you are asking for feedback.

Similarly, when a member of your team asks to be included in a relevant email chain, their goal is to gain access to information through an action by you.

In all these cases, the purpose is clear: communication is used as a tool to mobilize others and obtain a tangible and specific result.

Objective 2: To inform or to make people think

The second major purpose of communication is to inform or stimulate reflection in the receiver.

Unlike the request, this objective does not necessarily seek immediate action, but rather the transfer of knowledge or the provocation of an analysis.

When you present quarterly results to your team, your primary intention is to report on the performance and current status of projects.

Another example is when, after attending a training, you share what you have learned with your colleagues so that they also benefit from that knowledge.

This objective also applies when giving constructive feedback, where the goal is not to give an order, but to invite the other person to reflect on a specific behavior or action to further his or her professional development.

Objective 3: Change the emotional state of a person or group.

Finally, a powerful and often more subtle goal of communication is to influence or change the emotional state of one or more people.

This intent focuses on the affective impact of the message.

For example, a sales leader may give an energetic speech with the clear intention of motivating his team to achieve their monthly goals, transforming possible apathy into enthusiasm.

Similarly, this objective is present when intervening to dissipate tension between two co-workers or when initiating a difficult conversation in order to resolve a conflict and alleviate a hostile environment.

In these scenarios, the success of the communication is not measured by the action performed or the information transmitted, but by the emotional transformation achieved in the interlocutor.

Summary

One of the most common objectives is to request an action, a transactional communication that focuses on getting another to perform a task. Clarity in this type of communication is essential for proper execution.

A second major purpose is to inform or stimulate reflection in the receiver, seeking knowledge transfer without immediate action. This applies when presenting results or giving constructive feedback for development.

Finally, a powerful objective is to change the emotional state of a person or group, focusing on the affective impact of the message. Success is measured by the emotional transformation achieved in the listener.