You and I need to develop our communication skills. As aspiring professionals (thus, including students) and young professionals, this is a must.
‘Communication skills: top sought-after proficiencies in new hires,’ concludes the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) after they conducted the 2014 Corporate Recruiters Survey. It was conducted around the globe and employers were asked to evaluate not only which skill sets are most important when considering job candidates to hire, but the level of skill proficiency they require for placing candidates in mid-level job. GMAC found out that employers seek recent graduates who are highly proficient in communication skills, specifically oral communication, followed by listening and writing skills; and on average, employers ranked communication skills twice as important as managerial skills.
Truly, developing communication skills is necessary.
In my previous company, communication skills is part of the annual evaluation for employees. Aside from the goals we were being assessed at, there were basic competencies being looked at and communication skills is one of them.
Indeed, communication is a requirement at work and in everyday life.
Everyday, you communicate: when you enter the office, when you answer the phone, when you look at your crush and she looks at you, when you write an email, when you receive a memo, when you discuss in a meeting, when you court that person you love, when you walk on the street, and when you go home.
Hence, we are called to become effective communicators.
Effective communicators reap lots of benefits. I grouped them into three:
First, effective communicators promote goals.
Employers, organizations, or groups have organizational goals and they need people who can help them achieve these goals. In the furtherance of these goals, they need to inform parties, they need to persuade people, and they need to inspire teams to bring the goals into accomplishments. To be able to inform, persuade, and inspire, the people involved need to communicate effectively. And when they are able to do so, coupled with the other necessary technical works, they will be able to promote organizational goals. In other words, the goals of the organization will be achieved.
You and I also have our own personal goals. To promote or realize our personal goals, we need to communicate effectively. To land a job, you need to go through an interview. To sell your product, you need to talk about the benefits of the product and how the people could be helped by your goods and services. To invite people to your team and present them your project goals, you need to speak to them. To move them into action, you need to share with them the vision you have and enlist them to be part of it. To befriend a person, you need to initiate a conversation. To convey the help you want to give, you need to communicate.
When we are able to communicate effectively, we are able to promote goals.
Second, effective communicators promote themselves.
When you are able to help promote goals, you are able to help promote yourself. Accomplished goals could help build credibility and reputation, earn trust and respect, and gain support. And when you bring accomplishments to the table of your employer, you increase your chances of getting promoted as well. In the process, you also get to boost your confidence and competence catapulting you to a position you are aiming for.
Third, effective communicators promote others.
Effective communication skills is necessary to become an effective leader. Part of being an effective leader is by creating other leaders. To do this, leaders need to communicate well. Also, in the process of promoting their personal and organization goals, they are able to influence the people around them. When they succeed, they succeed together. And the people belonging to the team that succeeds together will also learn from the leader’s actions and words being communicated to them during the process of accomplishing those goals.
As a result, effective communicators do not just promote goals and promote themselves, they also promote others.
When effective communicators abound, there is promotion, there is progress. The employer, the organization, the environment, and the community we are part of will become even better.
Since we want promotion, progress, growth and better communities, let us exert the effort to become better communicators. Together, let us develop our communication skills.
(Chris Dao-anis/CPA, as an author and speaker, helps aspiring and young professionals become better communicators and leaders. His first book ‘The Gift of the Ordinary’ is available at Mt. Cloud Bookshop, Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road, Baguio City and in Central Bookstores in Cebu and Metro Manila. For seminars and resources, visit www.chrispoweracademy.com or email chrisdaoanis@ymail.com.)
