I discovered that communication has many languages... and they all matter

When one has been involved in the world of communication for a long time, he ends up understanding that there is not a single type, not a single formula. In organizations - whether it's an NGO, a private company, a university or a public institution - communication is almost like the nervous system: if it doesn't flow, everything goes numb.

I remember my first years working on development projects; I thought that communicating was basically writing press releases or designing posters. Over time I understood that behind every message there was an intention: to inform, inspire, coordinate or simply keep the sense of purpose alive.

Internal communication was one of the ones that impressed me the most. It is the one that sustains the spirit and coordination within the team. In a company or an NGO, if people don't know where the organization is going or feel that they are not being listened to, everything falls apart. I had to live processes in which a simple internal bulletin or a well-considered meeting completely changed the energy of the group.

Then there is external communication, the one that shows the world who you are and what you do. In government it can mean transmitting credibility and transparency; in academia, making research known in an understandable way; and in companies, connecting with the public from authenticity. The challenge, in all cases, is the same: avoid sounding empty speech.

There is also institutional or corporate communication, which gives coherence to the whole. It's not just about having a logo or a brand manual, but about building your own voice, a narrative that reflects the identity of the organization. It is the way in which a university defends its prestige, an NGO its commitment, or a company its purpose.

Communication for social change taught me something essential: communicating is not "lowering information", but opening spaces for dialogue. In rural communities, a poster or a radio novel can be more powerful than a technical report, because they reach the heart.

Over the years I also discovered scientific communication, although not from the academy. I had to learn to translate those texts full of technical terms and complex figures into clear, useful and humane messages. It is an art to convert what seems reserved for experts into something that ordinary people can understand and apply. Translating knowledge is not simplifying it, it is making it accessible.

And there is the communication of knowledge, my favorite. It is the one that transforms what an organization learns into something that others can use. Documenting, sharing, learning from mistakes... all that is also communicating. When an institution manages to turn its experience into useful knowledge, there it is generating real impact.

I also learned that communication doesn't always happen calmly. There are times when everything falters, when a crisis arises and the organization needs to speak clearly, without ornaments. Crisis communication is that: the ability to respond with empathy and transparency when something threatens trust. It's not about making up mistakes, but about recognizing them, explaining what is being done and maintaining the connection with people. And, of course, in those moments public relations become key allies. They are the ones who have patiently woven ties with the media, allies and communities. Thanks to those relationships, the message finds echo even when the noise is loud.

Over time I understood that all these types of communication are intertwined. There are no clear boundaries between them. The important thing is not to know the theory, but to understand that communicating - well done - is to build meaning, inside and outside, with people and for people.