Managing Communication Skills in the New
Millennium
Dear readers,
The need for effective communication
skills has surged and it ranks among the most important skills. Surveys and
research continue to cite soft skills above STEM skills. We, as educators and
learners are the ambassadors of our organization ought to develop
professionalism in communication. Let’s see how this requirement relates to the
changing trend and what measures can be taken to address this requirement.
The Changing Trend:
It is palpable how we have stepped into
a new daring decade, which is marked by advanced technology, stunning gadgets,
and break-through innovations. We have also been witnessing our presence in a
world where human minds work with robots. This significant change has made us
so comfortable with Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence and other
digital technologies that we have started giving the reigns of control to
machines. Though the change is positive, we have been experiencing a sense of
drift from our set goals because we are shrinking under the fear of joblessness
and loss of vision. However, to hide in fear and lose vision is against human
ingenuity. So how do we thrive in a mechanical world gripped by relentless
change? The answer to this lies in amplifying our human traits and bringing it
to the fore; these traits are far from being automated. Hence upskilling our
soft skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills and problem solving
skills, is the need of the hour.
The Human Touch:
As we stand in the sea of changing
trends, we have several challenges to face. One such challenge is managing our
communication skills in this new millennium. The changes in lifestyle and
business dealings have made communication skills and Interpersonal skills
imperative for success. This dawns upon us the fact that we have to embrace
changes with a human approach. Evidently, our human traits must complement
technology! We need to express ourselves and understand the expressions of
others. Our home and our workplace, is made up of people. So it is people
skills that we need to excel to complement our technical skills. This will help
us gain credibility and sustain us in the storm of change.
Credibility through Communication:
Credibility is the reputation we build
over the years with the integrity and honesty in everything that we do. To a
great extent, our credibility hinges on effective communication skills. Our
words must match our action. Exuding energy and enthusiasm while interacting at
work will attract committed followers. Unarguably, it is our commitment to
excellence and self-improvement that will strengthen our credibility.
Managing Communication Skills:
In today’s globalized workplace, English
has become the Lingua Frank in the domain of communication. To be able to communicate with a
multilingual, cross-cultural, and multi-generational team, managing our
communication skills is imperative. Failure to do so can result in jeopardizing
one’s career and the image of the organization. Therefore, it is imperative to
build professionalism in our communication.
Business English Certification:
To achieve professionalism in
communication, it is essential to build the four skills: Listening; genuinely
listening to a person who is speaking builds rapport, trust, and empathy;
Speaking: articulating the message and speaking clearly enhances interpersonal
skills; Reading: reading messages carefully before replying reflects
attentiveness and maturity; Writing: writing emails and reports with dexterity
avoiding rambling highlights the command over the language.
This can be addressed by Business
English Certification course. BEC is a high quality international English
language exam designed by Cambridge. Based on the Common European Framework of
Reference, the exam is set at three levels: Preliminary (B1), Vantage (B 2) and
Higher (C1). The assessment of English language ability in this certification
is done for all the four skills –Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. The
test is followed by an interview with an examiner. Unlike the courses like
‘Coursera’ or ‘LinkedIn’ Courses, the BEC certificate issued by Cambridge
University is valid for life and is accepted globally by Multinational
Companies.
The advantages in accelerating your
communication skills:
As educators and learners, you are the
ambassador of your organization. So by working towards your communication
skills:
·
You will not struggle
to get the message across
·
Your confidence will
not be misunderstood as arrogance
·
You will develop
problem solving and negotiation skills
·
Finally, your
communication skills will unlock the board room
But by stagnant skills, you may find
yourself being overshadowed though you may be brimming with knowledge. You may struggle to put forth your message
and never get a desired outcome. Your career growth and your personal
relationship will be impeded. Your future will be at stake.
Build your communication framework!
Ms Shashi Prabha
Assistant Professor
BNM Institute of Technology
