Communication Skills and Skill Gap in Communication - Essay Example

1) Skills Audit There is no formula for being a successful often successful do not translate to effective learners. I aspire to be both an ardent student and a successful learner. Fortunately, there are some qualities or skills that are common across successful students and I aspire to acquire those. The most important quality for a student and a learner is that of reading. Reading is a habit that helps one throughout one’s life and requires no age bracket. However, its importance increases for a student whose aim is to acquire knowledge. Not everyone is blessed with good reading abilities, and I believe this is a quality that I lack. We often taking reading for granted, without paying heed to its benefits. Amongst the fundamental benefit of reading to a student is that it helps develop the concentration skills of the reader, which in turn, leads to higher levels of attention and concentration while learning. Reading helps an individual to focus; to put aside all other thoughts and focus one’s attention on what is being conveyed by the author through the text. To add to it, reading develops the much needed comprehension skills of a student which help him/her for life (Krashen, 2004). Comprehension skills are quintessential to solving case studies, problems and other reading material. Most students score a low mark in their exams simply because they don’t read the question/rubric properly (Krashen, 2004). Most have the habit of skimming through the instructions, without paying heed to key words that should not be missed. As a result, their answer to the question is often unrelated or lacks the points required by the examiner (Krashen, 2004). This is what constitutes the problem of poor comprehension skills. By developing the habit of reading, one is able to increase one’s attention span and develop one’s ability to understand what is being conveyed by the author both literally and figuratively. Hence, reading enables students to read between the lines or develop the skills of mind application by correctly perceiving the author’s hidden message in the reading material (Rasinski, 2003). This is a crucial skill in today’s world as the world today thrives on successful interpretation of knowledge which in turn helps enhance knowledge outcomes in an information driven world. Besides, reading is a fundamental need in today’s knowledge driven world; a person who cannot read effectively cannot speak effectively as reading is quintessential to effective speech (Gallagher, 2004). Thus, reading broadens students’ horizon of knowledge by equipping them with the treasures of knowledge and enlightening them about various issues/ problems in the world so that they can speak effectively and voice their opinions. This leads us to the next advantage of reading to students; it helps students to form their opinions on various issues and subjects around the globe and helps develop thinking skills (Krashen, 2004). Thus, by reading, students learn not only to be active listeners but also active speakers; it enriches and enlarges the content of their speech which indirectly boosts their confidence as they know what they are speaking carries substance. Thus, reading enriches and enlightens student’s ability to effectively communicate which is an important skill in today’s communication age (Cain, 2010). Another reason why I believe reading is important for students is that it helps them question ; it gives shape to a questioning mind and helps them effectively argue and express their like/dislike about various topics (Cain, 2010). Furthermore, reading enhances one’s vocabulary and grammar (Smith, 2004). It leads to conscious and sub-conscious learning of an individual (Smith, 2004). Students cannot learn English grammar and language from any other medium as effectively as books. Even electronic sources require reading; thus, although there can be a substitute for books, there can be no substitute for reading. Hence, reading is a must have; a tool whose importance is unquestioned in today’s world and I believe every student and every individual must develop the habit of reading, including myself. Secondly, I believe that along with reading skills, writing skills are very important. It is not only important to have sufficient knowledge but also to be able to ink it down. Most students fail to effectively communicate their ideas in exams simply because they lack the ability to write properly. Such students are unable to express themselves suitably in writing and lack the ability to pen down their thoughts and what they have revised. The incorrect use of grammar, punctuation, spelling and sentence structure can make even the best ideas look ineffective and unappealing. Thus, most students fail to communicate effectively in writing and thus, fail to gain a higher mark in exams. A poorly written script almost always creates a negative impression of the student in the examiner’s eyes and results in a self-fulfilling prophecy – since the examiner is unable to understand what the student has written the student gets a lower grade than what he/she actually deserves (Bean, 2011). Thus, it is very important to know how to express oneself. Furthermore, students of today are professionals of tomorrow. They ought to have correct writing skills because majority of the communication in the corporate world is done in writing; for instance, letters, memos, emails, applications, resumes etc (Bean, 2011). Also, writing skills enable students to compete effectively when they are applying for a job or higher education- majority of the universities screen students on the basis of the quality of their admission letters and personal autobiographies (Bean, 2011). In some professions a person’s handwriting is also used to judge his personality. Another useful skill is that having the right attitude and motivation. I believe every student should have this skill because without having a positive attitude towards studies, one cannot achieve favorable results. It is rightly pointed out by psychologists that attitude precedes behavior (Hogg & Terry, 2000). Thus, the right attitude in studies leads to a positive outcome; if students have the motivation to study and word hard, they will work hard and put the necessary effort required to achieve positive results. This, in turn, leads to good grades which further enhances their morale and increases their motivation to study. Thus, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Perhaps, the most important skill that successful students of today require is good presentation skills. Presentation skills are the formula for success in the corporate and academic world today- their importance cannot be underestimated. Knowledge is the first step towards becoming a successful student; however, it is by no means the only one. Today’s successful students require more than just an awareness of information- they should be able to communicate that information effectively. Good presentation skills are a part of good communication skills. It has been observed that a large chunk of communication is non-verbal in nature (McCarthy & Hatcher, 2002). Our perception of people is formed primarily by the presentation skills of that person. The importance of presentation skills can be estimated by the famous saying that a favorable first impression is the last impression. We judge individuals even before we hear them speak and that is primarily attributed to their presentation skills (McCarthy & Hatcher, 2002). Thus, presentation skills can either make or break our effectiveness as students and as individuals. Good presentation skills require recognition of the fact that the most important component of a presentation is the presenter himself/herself (McCarthy & Hatcher, 2002). Thus, to present an idea well in classroom or at a board meeting in future, it is imperative that the presenter dresses up and well and displays the right attitude. Non-verbal movements, body language and gestures all contribute and complement a student’s presentation and are the most important aspect of a presentation (McCarthy & Hatcher, 2002). Most people do not concentrate on what is being said; they rather concentrate on how well it is being presented (McCarthy & Hatcher, 2002). For instance, political leaders all use this strategy when persuading their audience- their personalities appear charismatic because they successfully present themselves. In order to convince the audience and convince your instructor on what you are saying during the presentation, it is extremely important to present yourself well. Not only should the dressing be appropriate (that is, not wearing bright colors, trimming your hair, wearing clean clothing), but also the presenter should carry himself/herself well (Siddons, 1999). A student maybe highly qualified and skilled, highly outstanding in all respects, but if he/she lacks presentation skills then he/she will lag behind in today’s competitive world. If the student lacks the basic presentation skills to effectively communicate his/her idea, he/she cannot effectively succeed specially in professions such as Marketing and Media. Furthermore, for students of any age aspiring to study further, effective presentation forms part of a very crucial area of their assessment, that is, interviews (McCarthy & Hatcher, 2002). Interviews (be it job interviews or college interviews) require effective presentation skills of the student. It is often believed that the interviewer/assessor already makes the decision within a fraction of seconds when the student walks in based on his/her non-verbal presentation skills. The verbal skills come into play later. Thus, the role of presentation skills in students’ life cannot be underestimated. Also, stress management skills are important because students of today are pressurized with a lot of projects and work because students of today are multitasking and require a work-life balance so as to balance their priorities while maintaining their mental health. 2) Gaps and Action Plan Skill Gap After conducting an honest skills audit, I discovered that I possess some of the skills required by successful students today including team working, socializing with friends, learning new skills, time management skills, career planning and development as well as listing and organizing skills. Team working and socializing go hand in hand and are amongst the key skills required by students of today as they interact and communicate in a globalized world (Ellis, 2009). Diversity management is a case in the point; students today have to go out of their comfort zones and mingle with students of other nationalities/ ethnicities/ communities and thus, socializing skills come at handy here (Worth, 2004). Students of today can no longer isolate themselves and bury themselves in just books- they have to be jack of all trades and learn to effectively communicate with other students. Hence, I believe these skills that I already possess are also amongst the most vital skills that students of today need to be equipped with. Time management skills are another crucial set of skills and are required by students when they are expected to come to school/college on time, be punctual, finish their exam timely and tackle problems within the time allotted. Keeping in view my goal to become a future manager in a corporation, I believe time management skills are the most important skills and loss of time translates to loss of value, money, resources and even customers for corporations (Mancini, 2007). Furthermore, my steady organizing abilities add value to my skill set; organizing objects, be it items on your desk, or files in a cupboard, is seen as quintessential to most managerial tasks. Organizing, I believe, helps reduce wastage of time and leads to effective time management. Finally, I believe I have sound skills at career planning and am already on the watch out for good careers. I take keen interest in attending career fairs and make it a point to ask my seniors (be it my relatives or teachers) for their career guidance. I have a strong vision of where I want to be; although at times this far-sightedness makes me overlook my current responsibilities as student. However, I the skills I do not possess are reading and writing effectively, presentation skills and having the right attitude and motivation. Action Plan I have generated the following action plan to address the skill gap: Firstly, I shall enhance my public speaking skills by giving at least 5 presentations to an audience of at least 7 people or more within the next 6 months. The goal is relevant and attainable because I intend to develop my career in a field whereby I’d require confidence and excellent public speaking skills to excel. Thus, I realize that not only do I have to be successful in my academic life but also in my professional career. I have the ambition and conviction to attain it and also have ample time before I enter into my professional life. The action I’d take is to book a hall for my presentations at a nearby Club in my neighborhood by 15th November, 2011. The resources required shall include around $300 for books, another $250 for online classes and Joe, my mentor. These resources shall pinpoint the areas of improvement for me. I might have to collect more pocket money from my parents and earn from a part-time job which is a challenge. If I do well, however, I shall reward myself by hosting an event at my school. Secondly, the action I’d take for reducing my stress is calling the Yoga centre to enroll for the Yoga classes by 13th November. I believe this shall not only help me release stress but also help me develop a positive attitude and motivation towards my studies. Research has proven that regular yoga and meditation reduces stress and helps increase concentration levels (Wase, 1921). Thus, yoga shall help me address multiple skill gaps not just stress management. The resources I shall require include a yoga mat costing around $30 and $300 for the Yoga classes. I’d do Yoga for 2 hours a day for 6 weeks and I’d also take along my friend Harry for the Yoga. I shall mark my attendance everyday and mark my stress each day on a scale of 10, a higher number indicating higher stress. If I succeed I shall reward myself by buying myself a videotape of the world’s best Yoga experts. As far as the action plan for reading is concerned, I shall make it a habit to read the newspaper everyday as well as one book each week. I shall mark my readings on a piece of paper till a period of 6 months and take note of the time for which I’ve read. I believe that reading is not enough; it is necessary to read the right material. Hence, I’d make it a point to avoid reading non-value adding information and try to read formal, published articles as they are an excellent source of research information as well as vocabulary. The resources I’d require are $300 for books and dictionary as well as at least 2 hours each day for the reading. To this end, I intend to save pocket money for buying my books and might even considering working part time in a manner where I’m able to earn enough to buy my books and pay for the Yoga classes. I shall also make a summary of whatever I’ve read towards the end of my reading. This shall enhance my organizing skills and writing skills as I shall learn to ink my thoughts on paper. Similarly, for development of my writing skills I shall buy books that contain guidelines on effective writing and start practicing at home. To this end, I shall devote at least an hour each day to write an essay. I would get my essays checked by my mentor and college teacher. Also I shall enroll in an online course for writing from a renowned, famous tutor so that he/she can monitor my progress and provide feedback as to what improvements have to be made. However, money would be a constraint here and I might not possess enough amount of money to devote to buying books, paying for yoga classes and enrolling in online writing tutorials at the same time. I shall thus have to prioritize. Perhaps I’d consider developing my reading skills first as effective reading contributes to effective writing. Hence, I may consider getting my essays checked by my family members or relatives who possess good writing skills and ask them to provide feedback. References: Bean, J.C., 2011. Engaging Ideas: The Professors Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking and Active Learning in the classroom. San Fransisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers Inc. Cain, K., 2010. Reading Development and Difficulties. Chichester: Blackwell Publishing. Ellis, R., 2009. Communication Skills: Stepladders to Success for the Professional. 2nd ed. Bristol: Intellect Books. Gallagher, K., 2004. Deeper reading: comprehending challenging texts. New York: Stenhouse Publishers. Hogg, M.A. & Terry, D.J., 2000. Attitudes, behavior, and social context: the role of norms and group membership. New Jersey: Taylor & Francis. Krashen, S.D., 2004. The power of reading: insights from the research. 2nd ed. CT: Libraries Unlimited. Mancini, M., 2007. Time Management: 24 Techniques to Make Each Minute Count at Work. New York: Mc Graw-Hill. McCarthy, P. & Hatcher, C., 2002. Presentation skills: the essential guide for students. London: Sage Publications. Rasinski, T.V., 2003. The fluent reader: oral reading strategies for building word recognition. New York: Scholastic Professional Books. Siddons, S., 1999. Presentation Skills. 2nd ed. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Professional Development. Smith, F., 2004. Understanding reading: a psycholinguistic analysis of reading and learning. 6th ed. New Jersey: Taylor & Francis. Wase, C., 1921. The inner teaching and Yoga. Philadelphia: Kessinger Publishing. Worth, R., 2004. Communication Skills. 2nd ed. New York: Richard Worth, J.G. Ferguson Publishing Company. Read More