Communication is transferring information to produce greater understanding.Communication is the 2 way process between speaker and listener that is, message flow from speaker to listener and back to the speaker as feedback. Communication skills allow you to understand and be understood by others.Communication is important aspect for both personal relations and in career related work place.
It can be done vocally (through verbal exchanges), through written media (books, websites, and magazines), visually (using graphs charts, and maps) or non-verbally (body language, gestures, pitch of voice, and tone). All of these means of communication are essential skills that are vital for a successful career. Being able to communicate effectively is one of the most important life skills to learn. Communication skills involve listening, speaking, observing and empathising.
Importance of Communication skills in life and career-
Having strong communication skills aids in all aspects of life – from professional to personal life and everything that falls in between.Good communication skills are essential to allow others and yourself to understand information more accurately and quickly.
In contrast, poor communication skills lead to frequent misunderstanding and frustration.Communication is the foundation of any organisation. Whether it’s issuing simple instructions at work, sorting out a tricky situation with a subordinate, lifting flagging morale, working out a better way to meet productivity targets, briefing your team on customer feedback after a product launch, or as CEO, getting your employees to buy into your company’s vision – communication is the pivot of any business venture, from start-up to global corporation.Better communication increases relationship built-up among all areas of generation.
Skills necessary for improving communication in career work place and personal life-
- Listening- Listening is one of the most important aspects of communication. To become a good communicator, it is important to be a good listener. pay close attention to what others are saying and clarify ambiguities by rephrasing their questions for greater understanding.Quite a lot of the time, we are not really listening to others in conversation, but thinking about what we plan to say next.Improve your listening skill to pay off improvement im your relationship both at home and work.
- Speaking straightforward – Conversation is the basis of communication, and one must not neglect its importance. Convey your message in as few words as possible. Never be diplomatic in business related work place.
- Understanding non-verbal communication- Much of any message is communicated non-verbally. Some estimates suggest that this may be as much as 80% of communication. Non-verbal signals are wordless communication, body position, facial expression, hand movements, gestures, eye contact, attitude and tone of your voice, muscle tension and the way you/we breathe.The way you look, listen, create, react, gesture, speaks far more about feelings than words will ever be able to.
- Confidence- Be confident in what you say and in your communication interactions with others. Being confident can be as easy as maintaining eye contact, maintaining a relaxed body stance, and talking with concision. Try not to make statements sound like questions and avoid trying to sound aggressive or demeaning.Eye contact is important in communication – look the person in the eye to indicate that you are focused on the conversation. But make sure to not stare at the person as it can make him or her uncomfortable.
- Open-mindedness- In situations where you disagree with what someone else has to say, whether it be with an employer, a co-worker, or a friend, it is important to sympathize with their point of view rather than simply try to get your message across. Respect the opinion of others and never resort to demeaning those who do not agree with you.
- Emotional awareness and management- In communication, feelings play an important role. Making decisions more often affects the way you feel than the way you think. Guided by emotions, your nonverbal behavior affects the understanding of other people and how others understand and perceive you. If you are not aware of your feelings you are guided, you will not be able to express your needs and experiences. This can result in frustration, misunderstanding and conflict.
Improving your communication skills will almost certainly ease and improve all your interpersonal relationships, both at home and at work. It is an investment of time that will very definitely pay off. This pandemic time is important time for enhancing your communication skills. Now, communicate your way to success.
International Journal of Research (IJR) 