Effective Communication

The development of effective interpersonal communication skills is an important endeavor for any individual who is seeking to become a stronger and more efficient communicator. Interpersonal communication skills play an integral role in establishing both a healthy home-life with loved ones, as well as a successful and rewarding academic or professional career. People use communication skills to maintain relationships, transfer information, and convey emotions. In many ways communication is the foundation, the backbone, of a well-functioning and healthy society. We use communication every day, whether it is in the kitchen with our family, at the store with the cashier, or in the boardroom during an office presentation. The development of well-honed and flawless communication skills will therefore have a tangible and positive impact on an individuals ability to create and maintain relationships, as well as navigate the complex interaction that is required in a modern society.

The purpose of developing effective communication skills at home, in school/college/university and in the workplace is not always immediately obvious to many people. Most individuals fail to understand the important role of communication in developing healthy relationships, and further fail to recognise their communication shortcomings. Many people would not know how to improve even if they did understand their communication weaknesses. The development of effective communication skills requires understanding the variety of ways that humans send and receive verbal or written messages.

Effective communication is an unavoidable and incredibly important component of both a successful career and academic-life. The development of effective communication skills has been seriously affected over recent years by the increased prevalence of technological advances, the result of which is a decreased level of direct verbal and non-verbal communication between individuals.

Universities and colleges throughout the U.K are ensuring that their students recognise and understand the importance of communication skills in their future careers and endeavors. In degree programs where communication skills are particularly important, such as teaching or business, colleges and universities are inviting communication experts and specialists into the classroom to discuss the techniques that can be used to enhance their public speaking, body language, and active listening skills of current students. These communication experts or lecturers are offering specially-designed communication classes and exercises that seek to make students think hard about the messages they are communicating, intentionally or not, and focus on conveying well-thought messages.