In a nutshell, professional
communication is supposed to encompass the written, oral, visual and digital aspects
of communication within the workplace. It
strives to maximize the effectiveness of communication amongst the workforce
where the demand for skilled communicators is rising rapidly in an era of rapid
progression of technology. There naturally seems to be a concentrated emphasis
on the study of information alongside understanding how it is created by one
and consumed by another. This is especially so in the aspects of technical
communication where the various platforms on the internet are utilized to converse
with one another. With such a shift in the focus towards the technical aspect
of communication, there is a high probability the traditional aspect of verbal communication is consequentially going to be overlooked. This is especially relevant to our present youth population that are accustomed to short-handed
and casual form of communication with minimal oral communication in the face of
textings and emoticons. However, the workplace demands a much more formal appropriateness
where communication is concerned. The needs for such skills would range from dealing with customers,
marketing ideas to your team during presentations, co-existing harmoniously
with your fellow employees to maintaining healthy relations with your
superiors. The convenience that technology has provided with faster accessibility
has also dulled our communication skills in some ways, however paradoxically. But
if one were to realize the ever present relevance of the traditional aspect of
communication and the need to hone those skills in practice alongside its
technological aspect, it would probably pave a smoother way to effective communication
when the realm of workplace inevitably beckons.
Hi Sumi,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. The traditional aspect of verbal communication is often overlooked with increasing emphasis on technical communication. Many of us are capable of depicting our ideas through technical drawings but we fail to put across an idea clearly in words. I believe that we should engage in more activities to sharpen our verbal skills as these will be lifeskills that will come in handy anytime. Often, it is not the person with technical skills who stand out, it is the person with the ability to sell his idea who stands out.
Interestingly, in Singapore, I think the decline of verbal communication has created a "greater demand" for workers with the ability to speak up. Many employers seek employees who are able to communicate ideas effectively and confidently. This then proves that we should be equipped with the necessary verbal skills to suit the workplace. We can start off with baby steps in honing our verbal skills. Maybe, we should cut down on our usage of shorthands?
Saras
Give us more concrete examples like - what do you mean by "appropriateness" and whether a techno-savvy generation like yours would consider that as being important and why.
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