Sharing ideas and listening to others is one of the best behaviours one should own. ‘Communication’ refers to the sharing of ideas with an individual or a community.
It becomes skilled communication when a message gets delivered with clarity and responsibility. Communication skills play an important role in day-to-day life, including the workplace. In the workplace, this skill set is becoming more demanding by the day. Organisations try their best to identify and reward employees with good communication skills. The corporate world has made communication skill an essential skill set for the job. Whether you are a job seeker, an employee, or a leader you must own an efficient communication skill set.
In the workplace, the audience follows the communicator only when ideas get delivered with clarity. That is how the communicator ends up as a go-to person in critical and important situations of work. He/she also becomes a dependable and trustworthy person in the workflow. This is why communication is mandatory in the current corporate world.
Effective communication doesn't always mean the delivery of ideas that others can follow. Instead, it is an art of good listening, apt body language, attitude, etc.
As said, "People may hear your words but they feel your attitude". In the workplace, people prefer meaningful conversation rather than loose talks. Hence it is important that the idea shared is efficient. For few, communication skills come naturally and for others, they can develop through various programs.
Verbal communication is a type of communication skill. Here, the transfer of information takes place through speaking or sign language. There are various other types of communication skills that need to get developed. Non-verbal communication involves body language, gestures, and facial expressions to convey information. Written communication conveys information visually using photographs, arts, sketches, charts, and graphs.
A person with the following skills is considered to be an effective communicator:
Adaptive to the audience:
The transmitter should sense the pulse of the audience and then adapt to the appropriate tone for communication. This makes the audience understand with more clarity.
Communication is the strongest tool to resolve conflicts. The communicator should be confident and unbiased about this. Effective communicators make great friends. The use of meaningful words will resolve conflicts that caused by miscommunication.
Decode the attitude of the receiver:
When you have good communication skills you will be able to decode the attitude of your receiver. From the non-verbal actions of your receiver, you can decipher their attitude and can redirect your delivery.
Gain co-worker’s trust:
Succeeding at work requires getting along with different types of people. Effective communication improves the trust account and builds good team coordination. This in turn inspires high performance thus enhancing the workplace culture.
Problem-solving skills and effective communication go hand in hand. When communication is clear it becomes easier for the audience to sort out the problems at work. This results in effective problem-solving.
Improve employee relations:
A good relationship starts with good communication. Effective communication among co-workers improves the relation between them without hurting self-esteem of anyone involved. Effective communication between managers and employees is a key requisite for a well-functioning workplace.
Gains in productivity:
Effective communication begins with mutual respect, leading to a good work culture. Here, the thoughts get transferred into meaningful words. Communication that inspires encourages others to do their best thus increasing productivity.
Developing excellent communication skills is necessary for effective leadership. The leader must be able to share knowledge and ideas to create a sense of urgency and enthusiasm in others. If a leader can’t get a message across clearly and motivate others to act on it, then sending a message does not make sense.
In every aspect of your job, you will have to communicate in one way or another. So, it is important to understand how valuable effective communication is. This should be imbibed in children during the early stages of education itself. Structuring the current education system to include this key skill will help children of today to carve a future in business, corporate or management roles effectively.
The huge impact it can have on relationships and progression within the working world are significant to growth, both as a professional and as a human. Employees who show an aptitude for verbal and written communication are also more likely to get ahead in the corporate ladder. Being able to clearly and concisely express ideas forms a powerful skill that one should own for career growth and progress.