For anyone, hearing someone state that strong communications skills are essential to success is not likely to present much of a shock. Neither will the claim that this is a characteristic common among successful people. This is why the topic needs to be discussed; often times since it is obvious and common, it can be often overlooked. On survey after survey, employers as well as employees consistently rank communication skills as highly important.
Transforming Communication
Whether in business or personal life, communication courses have repeatedly proven to be able to improve relationship skills, reduce stress, and increase productivity all while strengthening leadership potential. What’s more, these classes can transform the tentative to the persuasive, the unengaged to the fully committed, and the insecure to the confident. Communication training also has a demonstrated capacity to teach others how to appropriately mediate conflict and resolve dissension amicably. If this type of training can positively impact coworker interaction, imagine the effect it could have on customer satisfaction.
Interpreting the Interview
From the moment someone walks into the interview to the moment they leave, the potential employer is gauging the potential employee. While the internet is full of pages suggesting the best posture and most appropriate attire for the interview, the single most powerful contribution that the interviewee can make is to effectively articulate their training, education, and personality.
Once making it past the interview process and they are hired, communication skills remain necessary in retaining employment, and advancing within a company. After all, how can one succeed without the ability to succinctly outline potential problems, or effectively provide possible solutions? Whether orally or written, it is imperative that a successful person be able to prevail in a team environment. Without the ability to articulate ideas, however, such success can be difficult. It is for these reasons that many who have a difficulty with communication, whether oral or written, have found communication training highly beneficial. Communication training can be as simple as practicing before an interview to more intensive like taking courses and seminars that are specifically tailored to communication areas.
Lending an Ear
It is important to note that communication does not simply mean speaking or writing- it also involves listening intently to what others are saying. This is why communication courses will often devote substantial time to the development of active listening skills. As far as improving overall customer satisfaction is concerned, an ability to sincerely listen to the customer- to hear not only what they are say, but what they are not saying, is where it all begins. While technical expertise is what initially draws a customer in, well developed soft skills can help develop long lasting business relationships.