A Passion for Communication

Today in this intensely competitive world, communication is critical in getting that extra edge. Communication is the key differentiator for interviews, appraisals and promotions alike.

Wherever you are, whatever role you have been assigned, communication plays a major role in your personal and professional success. Whether it is meetings or presentations, interviews or delegation, proper communication is the key to success.

Communication helps you in building and maintaining relationships. It helps you develop rapports and engage in constructive innovation through idea generation and on the feet thinking.

Communication is important because:

1. It helps you win
2. It helps in negotiations
3. It helps in survival
4. It helps in rapport building
5. It helps in Delegation

Communicating in interviews involves marketing yourself as a brand and selling the best qualities you have. The Company is only looking towards whether you fit the bill and how you can contribute to the company-personally and professionally. So, you should talk about your educational qualification, industry exposure and professional experience.

In negotiations, talk less-mean more, works the best. Listening is the key and short crisp sentences are required to get an advantage. In true dialog both parties are willing to change. So accommodation, adjustment is critical. Your language should be closed ended so as to focus on the key criticalities and not waste or lose time.

In your personal relationships you can be more open ended and you can use casual language or slang but you should avoid obscenities or touching upon sensitive topics like race, religion, nationality or gender.

Role playing is critical in professional success. Your communication should be apt to the situation and depend upon the level of employee you are dealing with. With seniors you should be submissive and cooperative speaking slowly and in a low volume and with colleagues you can be assertive. Your communication should be assertive not manipulative. Never shout. As someone beautifully put it, “you should raise your words and not your voice.”

By:

Siddharth Anand

Faculty, INLEAD