Communication is the process of sharing information, thoughts and feelings between people through speaking, writing or body language. Effective communication extends the concept to require that transmitted content is received and understood by someone in the way it was intended. The goals of effective communication include creating a common perception, changing behaviors and acquiring information. Effective communication begins with encoding, or the skill of relaying a message in a clear, direct way that allows the receiver to correctly decode your message, note the MindTools.com website. Decoding, another essential component of effective communication, is a skill as well as it requires the receiver to ensure that he heard properly and understood the message being sent. The MindTools.com website states that the key to properly encoding a message is knowing your audience, while active listening is required to correctly decode a sent message.