Communication is it Really That Important

I write on communication a few times a year in my personal blog posts. I do that for a lot of reasons mainly because I think it is what either makes us successful or becomes our downfall. It really doesn’t matter what job you do if it’s turf, equipment, golf, hospitality, or nursing how you communicate effects everyone around you in some way. So the short answer is “YES” communication is really that important.

Lets take the job interview right out of the gate. You will get the job or not get it based on how well you communicate in an interview. It is true that your resume has to get you in the door, that’s your “qualifier” so to speak, but after that it is all on you. People want to see how well you relate to the people you will work with, the members, how you might handle yourself in tough situations and how quick thinking you are. The other thing you need to realize is that communication isn’t just verbal. It’s also how you react, what you look like, and how fast you move. My Aunt told me when I was young that when you see people interviewing and they walk slow and move slow they will probably work slow. So while that is a perception could it also be true? No one knows so as an employer would you take the risk?

I think another key time is when we are at industry events and such. Being aware of your surroundings is important. I like to let loose just as much as the next guy but when I am at functions outside of work I am still representing myself, my employer, my organization and my profession. Maybe I tend to think to much but I don’t want the only impression someone gets of me to be being drunk and loud at an after event. I like to show self control and many times I want to remember the conversations I have had and the people I meet. You never know who you will run into and the only lasting impression I want to leave on someone is that they are impressed not disappointed.

Finally I think that people have the ability to set themselves up for success. We can talk about all the bad karma and the bad breaks that we all experience in life but your outlook on the future will determine how successful you will become. Your communication is a direct reflection on how you view each and every day. If I am thinking about all the bad things going on around me my communication will come out a lot different than if I look at everyday like a new one. You should always try to stay positive and keep moving forward. No matter how bad you feel your luck is, there is always someone out there with worse. If we all were professionals at communicating with each other how much better would we all have it? How much better would our life be? How much better would our relationships be? All the misunderstandings would go away and we would all realize how blessed we are to be here.

Take a minute to think about how you can improve your communication skills. One thing that I realized is that everyday won't be perfect. Most of us spend more time at work with our colleagues than we do at home with our family and we don't always get along at home. So we have to expect there to be issues at work. However just like home it's all in how we handle it and how well we continue to try and understand each others perspective.