Communication or a lack thereof can make the difference between success and failure. One may have excellent technical expertise but if he is unable to communicate effectively, he may not be as successful. And therein lies the distinction between an excellent employee and an average one.
Research says that employers rate verbal communication skills as the most important. The very fact that companies seek candidates with strong communication skills point to the fact that the ability to effectively communicate is a virtue and an aptitude that is hard to find.
Here are some of the reasons why the ability to communicate is harder than solving a math problem and is a skill that many lack in-
- Language Acquisition vs Language Learning – Schools don’t teach “communication”. They teach the subject technically which may include grammar, sentence formation and the general workings of a subject. It is not necessary that a person who answers correctly to a fill in the blank preposition question will have a good hold of the language. And this is where it is important to highlight the distinction between language acquisition and language learning. Language learning is learning the rules and the structure. Language acquisition is applying the rules. Applying linguistic skills are not as straightforward as application of math or a science formula.
- ABC vs 123 – A formula in math can be applied to the question and you arrive at the right result. But that doesn’t work with languages Once you understand the way to approach a problem, using your logical skills you can get the right solution in Mathematics. Math has clearer rules which makes it easier to teach and to understand. There is no go to formula which will guarantee results when it comes to communication. Moreover, math can be self -learnt. Have you ever heard of someone trying to master communication skills sitting all by himself in a 12 by 12 room with a pen and paper. This brings us to the next point.
- Not having a Mentor – We have heard of people taking extra coaching classes when it comes to math. But little do people realize that communication, a very vital skill is more effective if there is an intervention at the right time. Someone to not only help learn the ropes of the language but also put together this complex body of knowledge in a way that it can be applied at the ground level. Experiential learning through interaction, perception, discussion, argument makes the learning more effective. Getting the right mentor, someone to coach you in the right direction is difficult to get. Moreover, not many realize that a mentor or a coach can make a difference not only in the way you express yourself but also to the whole approach on communication as a soft skill.
- Technical Challenges – Learning the nuances of the language can be tricky. The right pronunciation, the correct order of words, sentence formation, using appropriate synonyms, grammatical correctness – all of this can be overwhelming if you are not fluent with the language. If you lack in any of these areas, you come across as a poor communicator. Communication does not end with the verbal ability to converse. It also expands to reading and writing, each of these skills having their own technical complexity.
- Barriers to communication – Cultural differences, language differences, prejudices that people carry, the mindsets of people make communication all the challenging. The speaker has to be mindful about the general rules of conversations and ensure that it is line with the background of the audience he is interacting with.
- Communication, A skill hard to quantify – Rating communication skills is difficult. We cannot objectively measure effectiveness of communication. For example – A Software Engineer is asked to write a code to calculate the exponent of a number. The answer will be in absolutes. Either it will be a correct program or an incorrect one. Whereas a question directed to assess the communication skill may not be as simple. Not only is it difficult to assess, but no two interviewers may think alike.
- 7-38-55 Rule – As complex as it gets – According to this rule, when we communicate, only 7% consists of the words. 38% is attributed to use of one’s voice, like modulation, tone and volume. Body language consists of the larger 55% . Your gestures, hand movement, facial expression are called Non-verbal cues. So now along with speaking correctly and fluently, a speaker also needs to be conscious about his body language as well.
- Difficulty in achieving the right tenor and tone to suit the situation – This constitutes the 38%. Communication is effective if it has relevance and is based on context not just by choosing the right words but also achieving the appropriate tone . There are many such situations where communication is just not a regular conversation between 2 people. Unhappy client has to be convinced, having to apologize to someone, resolving a conflict , giving a sales pitch- each of these situations demand a particular tone that you have to adopt to sound convincing and compelling. Imagine that you are a juggler. The more number of balls he has in the air, the more difficult it is for him to switch between balls. The balls here signify the many elements of communication. The Content, Body Language, the tone is all up in the air at the same time. You have to calculate your every move to ensure it does not land plop on the floor. That is how complex communication can get.
- The human factor – Communication involves multiple parties –: the sender, the receiver(s). No two people have the same style or way of communicating. No wonder there is a high probability of misconstruing a message. Research shows that if a message can be understood in different ways, it is usually understood in a way that cause the maximum harm. Communication never happens in isolation. These various external and internal factors involved can cause many a hindrance to the communication process.
Communication is a skill that is needed in every walk of life. Whether it is between parents, siblings, family members or at workplace or a student. It is a bedrock for developing and establishing critical relationships , relationships that matter to you. A strong communicator has more chance of success in every aspect of his life.
This is an area where improvement never ends. It is not too late to revive this “hard to learn – but not impossible to master ” skill and head in the right direction.
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