Introduction to Effective Communication Skills

Introduction: –
“Your ability to communicate is an important tool in your pursuit of your goals, whether it is with your family, your co-workers or your clients and customers.” – Les Brown.
It is derived from the Latin word “Communicare” means to share. Communication is a process of transferring signals/ messages between a sender and a receiver. It can be done through various modes / methods which can be Oral (using words), Written (using printed or digital media such as books, magazines, websites or e-mails), Visual (using logos, maps, charts or graphs) even Non Verbal (using body language, gestures, tones and pitch of voice). Communication skills doesn’t only refer to the way in which we communicate with others, in fact, it includes various other elements like our body language, gesture, facial expression, posture, listening skills, pitch and tone of voice.
In today’s highly competitive world a good communication skill (whether oral or written) is a must. According to Robert Anderson, “Communication is an interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information, through speech, writing or signs”. Written Communication means communication by means of written symbols (either printed or handwritten).
It is a mechanism we use to establish and modify relationships not only in business world but in each and every aspect of your life. It helps the relationships to develop along good lines and helps to avoid insults, arguments and conflicts. Today, an effective communication skill has become a predominant factor even while recruiting and selecting any potential candidate. While interviewing any candidate many interviewers judge them on the basis of their communication skills.
Many experts believe that good communication skills can improve their efficiency, productivity and their interpersonal relationships not only within the department but with the entire organisation as well as with the external public. Even if you look at any job advertisement most of them mentions that candidate should have good communication skills.
In any interview a good communication skill helps to create an edge over others since technical qualifications are likely to be more or less the same for every candidate. It is often observed that promotions come easily to those who can communicate effectively irrespective of the nature of job, designation or department i.e. from senior level to lowest management level. In fact as career progresses, the importance of communication skills increases; the ability to speak, listen, question and write with clarity and conciseness are essential for every manager and leader. A good communicator identifies strengths as well as weaknesses in their communication that comes in their way of being able to convey their message effectively. They identify the reason for the same and try to find out suitable solutions for the same.
Good communication skills help any individual in not only his professional life but all aspects of their life. In modern business world the ability to be able to communicate information accurately and clearly is not only accepted by also expected in any organization and hence should not be overlooked. The ability to speak appropriately with a wide variety of people, maintaining eye contact, correct usage of vocabulary, customizing our language to suit the audience, active listening, presenting our ideas appropriately, writing concisely, being a team player are the most important criteria’s that must be considered by each and every individual for effective communication.