Communication skills – In this post on the communication skills you will learn what communication skills are, their importance, and the procedure for acquiring them. After reading this unit you will be able to:
a)Understand the true nature of communication skills.
b)Use the opportunity in the environment to improve your communication skills on a daily basis.
Importance of acquiring communication skills
Communication skills, you all know, is very important for your survival in the modern world. It is necessary for the purpose of better study and education, getting good jobs and being successful in whatever be the job, winning social respect and for better relationship at home as well as at home and office.
You all know that company’s conduct tests and also interviews to test candidate’s communication skills in addition to the subject knowledge. Any entrance exam to a higher institute either in India or abroad contains tests in assessing your communication skills.
What are communication skills
Communication is defined many ways and no one definition is complete. Each definition conveys a particular point of view. But each of them can only contain a partial view of this dynamic process of communication. To acquire good communication skills, it is important to a complete and full picture of communication skills.
Read the following statements, which attempt to define ‘communication say if you would agree or disagree with each of the statements about communication. Write one or two sentences in support of your view whether you agree or disagree. As human beings each one of us has a particular view of communication skills. Think deeply and use your own thoughts and feelings to answer these questions.
How to learn communicate?
2.Reading newspapers, magazines
3.Listening to news channels
4.Listening to news on radio
7.Watching serials on TV
8.Speaking in the language in a variety of situations
10.Improving body language
11.Improving dressing styles
12.Logical thought process
13.Developing a sense of humors
14.Making use of a dictionary
15.Reading books on communication skills
Certain does to improve communication skills
This section aims at arriving at a checklist to follow while improving our communication skills. This will be very useful to improving communication skills in less time. It is certainly useful to follow a systematic procedure rather than all sorts of unplanned activities for developing communication skills without much of our time being wasted.
First of all you should develop a strong desire to improve your communication skills. For this purpose you should know why you need to improve and what kind of communication skills you need to improve.
Because there nothing as one kind of a communication skill for all. Hotel receptionists need communication skills different from that of an air hostess. This is true of each and every profession and walk of life.
Secondly you should know what to do to improving the kind of communication skills that you want to develop.
Thirdly, you should sincerely practice the different activities that you have thought useful for this purpose. Unlike other subjects communication skills cannot be directly learnt from a teacher, a dictionary or a book. This needs more practice than mere reading about it. You need to practice talking to people in many situations whenever there is an opportunity. Listening is also very important in communication. Analyze your own listening traits and try to improve your listening ability consciously. It will be a useful activity to take notes while listening to TV, radio or even lecture.
This is an effective way of improving your listening. In addition to speaking and listening you should also read any book or other materials including newspapers, magazines. Writing is also very important. In the world of IT revolution, writing is becoming more and more important. It is important to write short sentences, paragraphs etc., on a daily basis and improve gradually. Finally, Communication is a skill. It needs practice.