With the semester coming to an end, I realized that I have learnt more about effective communication. It has been a valuable experience, and I am sure that the skills acquired will better prepare me as I step into the workplace. There have been several assignments to put our learning into use during the entire semester: the weekly blogging, in-class discussions, a survey report writing and not forgetting the oral presentation. It has been tough juggling this heavy workload that includes my Final Year Project, yet I am glad that I made this choice. It has certainly made me a more confident person!
In my first blog post, when I quoted Tom Peters, ‘if you’re confused, you’re paying attention,’ I thought that even if one is paying attention, effective communication can never take place due to the many barriers to effective communication. I was wrong! Effective communication, as I learnt, is a two-way exchange of information that occurs between the listener and speaker. After these weeks, I realized that he may be implying that if people only ‘hear’ the message, they would not digest the information and take the message as it is without thinking.
Figure: Effective Listening. Knowing the barriers and effective listening techniques.
http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/crosscuttings/listening_active.html
The road of a thousand miles has to start somewhere, sometime. I have already taken my first few steps during the registration of modules this July. But I know that my journey does not end here. What knowledge I have gained these weeks will seem insignificant if I continue on the never-ending path of learning. As Abraham Lincoln said, ‘I am a slow walker, but I never walk back.’ Effective communication is a life long journey of trial and error that requires constant effort, and my effort should not stop even after this semester. Grades will still open doors, but it really takes much more to walk through them and survive the path we choose. I believe that good communication skills would be an edge that allows me to succeed in whatever I do, be it in my career or personal life.
If we can all communicate effectively, we can all tear down the barriers and make the world a simple and pleasant one!
In my first blog post, when I quoted Tom Peters, ‘if you’re confused, you’re paying attention,’ I thought that even if one is paying attention, effective communication can never take place due to the many barriers to effective communication. I was wrong! Effective communication, as I learnt, is a two-way exchange of information that occurs between the listener and speaker. After these weeks, I realized that he may be implying that if people only ‘hear’ the message, they would not digest the information and take the message as it is without thinking.
Figure: SIER hierarchy of active listening. Useful information!
http://www.provenmodels.com/554/sier-hierarchy-of-active-listening/steil-barker-watson
http://www.provenmodels.com/554/sier-hierarchy-of-active-listening/steil-barker-watson
On the other hand, active listeners would be looking for details they would not be able to get if they were just ‘hearing’. Therefore, they would be able to sort out the correct message and response accordingly. This is the time when the listeners have to respond by asking questions and paragraphing the ideas to make sure that they have gotten the correct message, hence making the communication process more complicated. In addition, Tom Peters also mentioned that ‘communication is everyone's panacea for everything.’ How true indeed!
Figure: Effective Listening. Knowing the barriers and effective listening techniques.http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/crosscuttings/listening_active.html
The road of a thousand miles has to start somewhere, sometime. I have already taken my first few steps during the registration of modules this July. But I know that my journey does not end here. What knowledge I have gained these weeks will seem insignificant if I continue on the never-ending path of learning. As Abraham Lincoln said, ‘I am a slow walker, but I never walk back.’ Effective communication is a life long journey of trial and error that requires constant effort, and my effort should not stop even after this semester. Grades will still open doors, but it really takes much more to walk through them and survive the path we choose. I believe that good communication skills would be an edge that allows me to succeed in whatever I do, be it in my career or personal life.
If we can all communicate effectively, we can all tear down the barriers and make the world a simple and pleasant one!
