Effective Communications

Having worked in several jobs before, ranging from a service staff at an ice cream shop to a tax officer at one of the Big 4 and IRAS to a translator at a consulting firm, i would guarantee anyone that effective communications come into play without you even realising it. I first started out working in secondary school, where I definitely struggled when i interacted with senior staff. I found problems connecting with them as I lacked in work experience and maturity, as well as the fact that I had so much queries on my mind as well. However, with several trials and errors, not forgetting the fact that I was really young and hence quickly forgiven if i made mistakes, I managed to find my way to communicate with my mentors and colleagues well enough to maintain a friendly relationship with them.

What I'd like to say is that: Effective communications plays a big role in all of our lives, it is just about noticing it or not. However, I believe that at this age, most of us should have already noticed that effectively communicating with another party (be it your friends, an acquaintance, your lecturers, your employers, a stranger.) comes into your lives everyday.

For me, after taking several courses on communicating and presenting myself, I have come to realise that subconsciously, before I speak to someone, certain questions go through my head. Questions like 'how should i start this conversation?' 'Will the way I speak offend or please him/her?' 'Will he/she be interested in what I have to share?'

I believe that effectively communicating with another person comes with respect and knowledge, on top of the context of what either party is trying to bring across.

Respect: Being considerate in the way the person thinks, the background the person comes from. Whether the person is someone open-minded or someone more on the conservative side, it makes a difference. Whether the person comes from a strong religious background and family or whether he is a free thinker, makes a difference. Respecting every aspect of what he or she does is equivalent to respecting who he or she is.

Knowledge: To communicate well, it is best to know what to say and what not to say. Overlapping the points on respecting the other party, it is good to know what are the ‘to do’s and the ‘not to do’s towards certain people, cultures, religions and even occupations. Knowing what to do and how to behave in front of someone else, affects the way the message is brought across.

All in all, I believe that effective communication is a double-edged sword. It can help you gain connections and foster good relationships with anyone at anywhere, whereas if neglected at anytime, it can jeopardize relationships and reflect badly on oneself.

On a side note, I would strongly encourage everyone reading this to take up the courses held by NUS Career Centre. If you can, do take up the full package as early as possible before you do your job search in your final year. One of the courses involve communications, and it was a refreshing experience as we had to speak in front of the class and a video camera. This was definitely daunting and it gave me the jitters. However, it is a good way to find out how you look and sound to your audience! :)