Analysis of my Communication Skills - Essay Example

Assessment of my communication skills Communication skills are some of the most fundamental skills needed to excel in an organization in the contemporary age. Communication occurs between two or more than two people simultaneously. It is a process whereby they convey their ideas, opinions and beliefs to one another either verbally or else, using some means of non-verbal communication like email or text message. People are wired for communication. Humans start interacting right from the very first day after birth.

Babies interact with a smile on their face. They also have a message for others when they cry. “But, that is not to say there are not great differences in how effectively people communicate with others, and how good they are at interpreting the verbal and non-verbal communication of others” (Wainwright, 2010). In an organization, an individual is supposed to frequently read emails and reply to them right there and then. Besides, the mobile set is one of the most basic essentials of an employee or a businessman in the contemporary age because it is used throughout the day in order to coordinate with the boss or colleagues regarding the process of work.

Hence, it is extremely important for everybody to have sufficiently fair communication skills so that he/she may understand other’s message in true meanings and respond to it accordingly. In order for an individual to be expert at communication, it is imperative that he/she displays good competence in each and every aspect of the communication process. In addition to that, the individual must be comfortable using the various means of non-verbal communication that are in place today. For this assignment, I analyzed my communication skills by means of an online communication quiz that is directed at assessing my competence in each and every aspect of the verbal as well as non-verbal communication.

It was a fifteen statement communication quiz that took me about ten minutes to complete. For each statement, I was supposed to mark the column which best described my perception of my competence in that particular area. There were five columns in total titled left to right as “not at all”, “rarely”, “sometimes”, “often”, and “very often”. This quiz assessed my communication skills according to my own understanding of my competence in individual areas of communication since I was supposed to respond considering myself as I was rather than as I should have been.

After I was done filling in the columns for each statement, I pressed the “Calculate My Total” button at the end that gave me the final score. There were three score criteria listed below the quiz. One criterion applies on people that score between 56 and 75. Second criterion is for people scoring between 36 and 55, while the third criterion is for people scoring between 15 and 35. After completing the quiz, I scored 54. According to the description given on that page, I am a capable communicator.

My communication skills have been described in these words, “You're a capable communicator, but you sometimes experience communication problems. Take the time to think about your approach to communication, and focus on receiving messages effectively, as much as sending them” (Mind Tools, 2011). Apart from the result of this short online communication assessment quiz, I believe that I am generally a good and articulate speaker. I am able to make very good speech in front of large masses particularly if I have prepared the speech beforehand and have practiced it a number of times, but I experience communication gaps when I have to make impromptu speech.

I am also bad at making argument because I tend to win it without solid reasoning. I am able to make brief notes in non-verbal communication, but writing long sentences with complicated vocabulary seems difficult. I understand the power of non-verbal communication, but am working hard to observe it in others with a view to improving my own competence in it. I think I need training course in writing, making impromptu speech and argument. This would help me improve my current communication skills.

Compromise often leads to successful argumentation. “Instead of trying to ‘win’ the argument, look for solutions that meet everybody’s needs” (Scott, 2010). I may have to seek psychological counseling in order to achieve this. A lot of guidance is available on the internet as well. I may make use of websites like inc.com to enhance my impromptu speechmaking skills. On such websites, “[c]ommunication experts and CEOs share their strategies for smooth communications with employees, making winning presentations to investors, writing and delivering speeches that get standing ovations, and much more” (Inc., 2011). References: Inc. (2011). Better Communication with Employees and Peers.

Retrieved from http://www.inc.com/guides/growth/23032.html. Mind Tools. (2011). How Good Are Your Communication Skills?: Speaking, Listening, Writing, and Reading Effectively. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_99.htm. Scott, E. (2010, Dec. 10). Communicate: Improve Your Relationships With Effective Communication Skills. Retrieved from http://stress.about.com/od/relationships/ht/healthycomm.htm. Wainwright, N. (2010, Oct. 7). How to Analyze Verbal & Nonverbal Communication.

Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/how_7302016_analyze-verbal-nonverbal-communication.html.