Just like a cake, communication can have many layers. Each layer of communication provides a deeper understanding of ourselves and our interactions with others. What are the five layers of the communication cake?

The first layer is cliche. In this layer, there’s no sharing of meaningful information, and lacks any kind of transparency. “How’s the weather?” “The sky is blue.”

The second layer is facts. With facts, you speak a little more about yourself. You’re speaking to what you know or maybe don’t know. Transparency can start to shine through in this layer. 

The third layer is opinion. Unlike facts, sharing opinions is sharing what you think. It’s slightly more transparent and allows us to think about just what our communication can mean. 

The fourth layer is emotion. When you share what you feel, you’re showing much transparency and trust with the person you’re interacting with, feeling comfortable taking a risk in letting them get to know you on a deeper level. 

The fifth and final layer is transparency itself. Transparency is showing who you are completely. It allows you to show complete trust in the person you’re interacting with and is typically only done with a few people, such as your spouse or very close friends. 

The cake of communication is layered, and the layers we show can vary depending on the person. Understanding the layers of communication can lead us to understand how to interact with those around us more deeply and genuinely will lead to healthy growth in ourselves and our relationships.