COMMUNICATION SKILLS

1. INRODUCTION:

Communication in simple words we can say that “just to convey the message”. If we go in
more detail we can say that “communication is the process of transmitting (A…. B) &
Receiving (B….. A) Messages. Communication is a paste that bonds all the elements, allows
structure to develop, coordinate activities, allows people to work together and accomplish
results. It is a process of exchange of thoughts, feelings, ideas, information and knowledge
between two or more people. No matter where you go, you need to be an expert at
communicating. The words that you say and how you say it are important, as they can be
misinterpreted if said in a different tone. So having good communication skill is very
important. Being able to communicate effectively is one of the most important life skills to
learn. All of these means of communication skills are essential Soft Skills that are vital for a
successful career.

2. DEFINATION:

1. Communication skill is the ability to convey and share ideas and feelings to others in an
effective way. Communication can make or break your relationship at home or work or with
your friends. If you have the skill then you can pass out your word across easily and precisely
without any confusion. You can communicate with your body, words, gestures expressions
and much more.

2. Communication skills are the abilities you use when giving and receiving different kinds of
information. Communication skills involve listening, speaking, observing and empathising.
It is also helpful to understand the differences in how to communicate through face-to-face
interactions, phone. Thus communication skills enable individuals to understand others and to
be understood themselves.

3. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS

There are different types of communication skills you can learn and practice to help you
become an effective communicator. Many of these skills work together making it important
to practice communication skills in different contexts whenever possible.

 ACTIVE LISTENING
Active listening means paying close attention to the person who is speaking to you. People
who are active listeners are well-regarded by their co-students because of the attention and
respect they offer others. While it seems simple, this is a skill that can be hard to develop and
improve.

 ADAPTING YOUR COMMUNICATION STYLE TO YOUR AUDIENCE

Different styles of communication are appropriate in different situations. To make the best
use of your communication skills, it's important to consider your audience and the most
effective format to communicate with them. Depending on the situation, you may even need
to send a formal, typed letter over other forms of communication.

 FRIENDLINESS

In friendships, characteristics such as honesty and kindness often foster trust and
understanding. The same characteristics are important in workplace relationships. When
you're working with others, approach your interactions with a positive attitude, keep an open
mind and ask questions to help you understand where they're coming from.

 CONFIDENCE

In the workplace, people are more likely to respond to ideas that are presented with
confidence. There are many ways to appear confident such as making eye contact when
you're addressing someone, sitting up straight with your shoulders open and preparing ahead
of time so your thoughts are polished.

 GIVING AND RECEIVING FEEDBACK

Strong communicators can accept critical feedback and provide constructive input to others.
Feedback should answer questions, provide solutions or help strengthen the project or topic at
hand.

 VOLUME AND CLARITY

When you're speaking, it's important to be clear and audible. Adjusting your speaking voice
so you can be heard in a variety of settings is a skill and it's critical to communicating
effectively. Speaking too loudly may be disrespectful or awkward in certain settings. If you're
unsure, read the room to see how others are communicating.
  EMPATHY

Empathy means that you can understand and share the emotions of others. This
communication skill is important in both team and one-on-one settings. In both cases, you
will need to understand other people's emotions and select an appropriate response.

 RESPECT

A key aspect of respect is knowing when to initiate communication and respond. In a team or
group setting, allowing others to speak without interruption is seen as a necessary
communication skill. Respectfully communicating also means using your time with someone
else wisely—staying on topic, asking clear questions and responding fully to any questions
you've been asked.

 RESPONSIVENESS

Whether you're returning a phone call or sending a reply to an email, fast communicators are
viewed as more effective than those who are slow to respond. One method is to consider how
long your response will take.

4. SOME ESSENTIAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Effective communication skills help you to receive and convey information, ideas and
messages in ways that are powerful and appropriate to the situation. Having strong
communication skills aids in all aspects of life – from professional life  to personal life and
everything that falls in between. From a business standpoint, all transactions result from
communication. Good communication skills are essential to allow others and yourself to
understand information more accurately and quickly.

 WRITTEN COMMUNICATION. Convey ideas and information through the use of

written language.

 ORAL COMMUNICATION. Convey ideas and information through the use of

spoken language.

 NON-VERBAL AND VISUAL COMMUNICATION

Convey ideas and information through the use of imagery or wordless cues.

 ACTIVE LISTENING
Communicate effectively by summarizing and restating what you hear in your own words in
order to confirm the understanding of all parties. Active listening helps people to open up,
avoid misunderstandings, resolve conflicts and build trust.

 CONTEXTUAL COMMUNICATION

. Communicate effectively in different contexts, including those pertaining to various

populations, persons, situations, environments or sets of behaviours. This includes such
contexts as professional, cross-cultural, online, and academic and crisis communication.

5. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS

While there are several communication skills you will use in different scenarios, there are
few ways you can be an effective communicator at work.

 BE CLEAR AND CONCISE.

Making your message as easy to consume as possible reduces the chance of

misunderstandings, speeds up projects and helps others quickly understand your goals.

 PRACTICE EMPATHY.

Understanding your colleague's feelings, ideas and goals can help you when communicating
with them.

 ASSERT YOURSELF.

At times, it is necessary to be assertive to reach your goals whether you are asking for a raise,
seeking project opportunities or resisting an idea you don't think will be beneficial.

 BE CALM AND CONSISTENT.

When there is a disagreement or conflict, it can be easy to bring emotion into your
communications.

 USE AND READ BODY LANGUAGE.

Body language is a key part of communications in the workplace. Pay close attention to the
messages people are sending with their facial expressions and movements.

6. HOW TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Here are some pointers to look out for when looking to improve your ability to effectively
communicate with others:

1. LISTENING

To become a good communicator, it is important to be a good listener. It is important to

practice active listening– pay close attention to what others are saying and clarify ambiguities
by rephrasing their questions for greater understanding.

2. CONCISENESS

Convey your message in as few words as possible. Do not use filler words and get straight to
the point. Rambling will cause the listener to tune out or be unsure of what you are talking
about. Avoid speaking excessively and do not use words that may confuse the audience.

3. BODY LANGUAGE

It is important to practice good body language, use eye contact, utilize hand gestures, and
watch the tone of the voice when communicating with others. A relaxed body stance with a
friendly tone will aid in making you look approachable to others.

Eye contact is important in communication – look the person in the eye to indicate that you
are focused on the conversation. But make sure to not stare at the person as it can make him
or her uncomfortable.

4. CONFIDENCE

Be confident in what you say and in your communication interactions with others. Being
confident can be as easy as maintaining eye contact, maintaining a relaxed body stance, and
talking with concision. Try not to make statements sound like questions and avoid trying to
sound aggressive or demeaning.

5. OPEN-MINDEDNESS

In situations where you disagree with what someone else has to say, whether it be with an
employer, a co-worker, or a friend, it is important to sympathize with their point of view
rather than simply try to get your message across. Respect the opinion of others and never
resort to demeaning those who do not agree with you.

6. RESPECT
Respecting what others have to say and acknowledging them is an important aspect of
communication. Being respectful can be as simple as paying attention to what they have to
say, using the person’s name, and not being distracted. By respecting others, the other person
will feel appreciated, which will lead to a more honest and productive conversation.

7. USING THE CORRECT MEDIUM

There are several different forms of communication to use – it is important to choose the right
one. For example, communicating in person about serious matters (layoffs, salary changes,
etc.) is more appropriate than sending an email regarding the matter.

8. ASK A CLOSE FRIEND OR COLLEAGUE FOR CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM.

It can be hard to know how you are perceived as a communicator. To get an objective
opinion, ask a trusted friend for their honest feedback.

9. PRACTICE IMPROVING COMMUNICATION HABITS

Many communication skills are habits you have developed over time. You can improve those
skills by practicing new habits that make you a better communicator.

10. ATTEND COMMUNICATION SKILLS WORKSHOPS OR CLASSES

There are several online and offline seminars, workshops and classes that can help you
become a better communicator.

11. SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMUNICATE.

Seek opportunities, on and off the job, that require you to use communication skills. With
experience and practice, you can learn and improve communication skills. Start by
identifying your strengths and then practice and develop those areas.

7. HOW TO HIGHLIGHT COMMUNICATION SKILLS?

You will use your communication skills in every step of the job search and on the job.
Everything from your resume to the job interview and beyond will require different types of
communication skills. Here are a few ways you can highlight those skills at each step.
 8. COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR RESUME

A well-written resume is a demonstration of strong communication skills. Ensure that your

resume is structured appropriately and free of spelling and grammar errors. Additionally, you
may also want to include some positive communication skills in your resume skills section,
especially if the job post calls for specific communication skills in the job description.

9. COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR COVER LETTER

Your cover letter is a great opportunity to elaborate on your communication skills. While you
can talk more directly about how effectively you communicate here, your cover letter is one
of the employer's first impressions of your skills.

10. COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR THE JOB INTERVIEW

The first, most important way you can communicate in your interview is your presentation of
yourself. Show up for the interview 10–15 minutes early and dress appropriately for the job
you're applying for. The four skills of language (also known as the four skills of language
learning) are a set of four capabilities that allow an individual to comprehend and produce
spoken language for proper and effective communication. These skills are Listening,
Speaking, Reading, and Writing.

What is listening: Listening is the first language skill we acquire in our native language. It is
what is known as a receptive skill, or a passive skill, as it requires us to use our ears and our
brains to comprehend language as it is being spoken to us. It is the first of a natural language
skills, which are required by all natural spoken languages.

What is speaking: Speaking is the second language skill we acquire in our native language.
It is what is known as a productive skill, or an active skill, as it requires us to use our vocal
tract and our brains to correctly produce language through sound. It is the second of two
natural language skills.

What is Reading: Reading is the third language skill we may acquire in our native language.
As with listening, it is a receptive or passive skill, as it requires us to use our eyes and our
brains to comprehend the written equivalent of spoken language.
What is writing: Writing is the fourth language skill we may acquire in our native language.
As with speaking, it is a productive or active skill, as it requires us to use our hands and our
brains to produce the written symbols that represent our spoken language.

11. SKILL REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVE LISTENING

It is ability to pay attention to and effectively interpret what other people are saying. For
effective listening, the following important components are required.

 Accent
 Speech
 Sentence pattern
 Gesture
12. SKILLS REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVE SPEAKING:

Speaking and the art of communications is a productive skill. A good speaking skill is the act
of generating words that can be understood by listeners. A good speaker is clear and
informative. For effective speaking, the following points are important.

 Speak, speak, speak

 Reflect on your conversations
 Listen and read
 Prepare cheat sheets
 Pick up the phone
 Record your voice
 Learn phrases rather than single words
13. SKILLS REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVE READING

Reading is a method of communication that enables a person to turn writing into meaning. It
allows the reader to convert a written text into a meaningful language with independence,
comprehension, and fluency, and to interact with the message. Reading is a great habit that
can change human life significantly. It can entertain us; amuse us and enrich us with
knowledge and experiences narrated. The followings are seven styles/techniques of reading
used in different situations:

 Scanning.
  Skimming.
 Active Reading.
 Detailed.
 Speed.
 Structure-Proposition-Evaluation
 Survey-Question-Read-Recite-Review
14. SKILLS REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVE WRITING

Writing skills are those abilities where you take ideas and information and present them in a
nice written format for others to read. Depending upon the type of writing you are doing, you
present what you know in a format that conforms to the expectations of the reader.

 Reading Comprehension
 Transcription
 Sentence Construction
 Genre and Content Knowledge
 Planning, Revising and Editing
 Self-Regulation

CONCLUSION

As we have shown, communication skills are important if we are to build meaningful

relationships with services users, carers and others. It is especially important that we are able
to build these relationships as social practice moves towards more market-based and
managerialist policies and practices. The constructs and sub-constructs of communication
skills are skills that students should equip themselves with before they venture into the
working world. Students not only get to develop their communication skills through
discussions and presentations in class, but also get to familiarize with communication
situations in the real world. Therefore, we must all keep pushing and improving ourselves to
help our college students to develop and horn their communication skills that is essential
towards their future career development.
REFERENCES

1. F. S., Dereboy, C., & Ertekin, K. (2008). Communication skills training: Effects on
attitudes toward communication skills and empathic tendency. Education for Health:
Change in Learning and Practice, 21(2).
2. https://mu.ac.in.
3. https://www.researchgate.net
4. https://www.skillsyouneed.com