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Communication SkillsThe importance of communication skills can not be understated.
• Why do some people seem to go through life effortlessly connecting with almost everyone they meet? • Why do they have great relationships with their parents, siblings, mates, children, co-workers and friends?
• Why do they seem to be in the right place to get bargains in their everyday transactions while others struggle to get a fair deal?
Are they just lucky? Do they have a special gift?
The answer is neither. People who connect effectively with others use simple, but effective and powerful communication techniques that help create better relationships. This produces better lives for themselves and the people they connect with.
Learning the importance of communication and developing these skills during your college years will give you a strong competitive advantage over others. Communication skills are a key element to becoming a successful student.
True communication is about connections. If I need something from you I need to connect with you so that you are persuaded to assist me. The same is true if you need something from me. Thus, it’s fair to say that the words “communication” and “connection” are frequently interchangeable words conceptually.
When we talk with someone it is common to think only of meeting our own needs. We are talking, but not necessarily connecting. Instead of focusing only on what we want, a paradigm shift needs to take place. When you change your paradigm, you change your life.
When the focus shifts from meeting our own needs to encompassing another person’s needs as well, the entire landscape of communication changes and something magical happens! The dialog between two people improves significantly. Both people buy in to each others needs and effective communication is the result.
Traveling to many different places teaches some simple truths. Although cultures, upbringings, economic opportunities, education and a myriad of other factors are different, most people want many of the same things out of life. We want to feel loved, respected, useful, self-expressive and live in a safe and comfortable environment in our ever-changing world.
Using this simple concept as a foundation for understanding we can break down the barriers of poor communication and personal isolation by working to meet the needs of others, while meeting our own needs as well.
In business school I learned quickly that the reason for any business was simple: “To make a profit.” The difficult part wasn’t understanding this concept; it was applying it in the real world. Learning and understanding business well enough to make a constant profit takes years of diligent work and study.
The same is true of the importance of communication skills with others. The concepts are straightforward. It’s the application that is challenging.
What works well for me won’t necessary work for you. And what works for you won’t necessarily work for someone else. This customization of communication may seem a bit difficult, but it is part of the beauty that makes us all different.
By learning some basics of human nature (such as the need to be feel important and heard) we create a solid foundation for great relationships where communication flourishes.
But, like business, the application takes time, diligence and a constant willingness to learn and apply the basics as well as all of the nuances of effective communication.
The web pages in this section address how to improve communication skills. Enjoy!
Types of Communication
Effective Listening
Reflective Listening
Non Verbal Communication
Communication Barriers
Conflict Theory
Effective Business Communication
Nonverbal Communication in Business
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