Question

In Chapter 1, we see the National Association of Colleges and Employers has found that employers desire good communication skills most in the college graduates they may hire. Moreover, research has shown that introductory communication courses provide important skills necessary for functioning in entry-level jobs, including listening, writing, motivating/persuading, interpersonal skills, informational interviewing, and small-group problem solving. Considering all the above, respond to the following questions:

• Do you think you are a good communicator?
• What have you learned in Chapter 1 that has led you to a better understanding of communication and will help you become a stronger communicator?

Remember to cite your text using either MLA or APA style. For help with citing sources, go to Content -> Citation Guides. If you have a hard copy of the Flat World book, cite using page numbers. If you use a digital copy, cite using chapter and section numbers.

• 
  

Answer 1

I feel I am a good communicator. I am able to convey my thoughts to others in a strategic manner. People listen to me and get influenced by me quite easily.

The primary things which I learnt from Chapter 1 are as follows:

• Use of simple language in any communication: Maintaining simple language in any kind of formal or informal communication helps in maintaining the comprehensibility as well as brevity of a message. The overall appeal and coverage of a message or information gets enhanced if it is kept simple.
• Encouraging the practice of active listening: Active listening helps in understanding the perspective of the sender of the message. Some of the ways in which the practice of active listening can be incorporated in one’s behavior are as follows:
  • Face the speaker and maintain an eye contact with him or her
  • Keep an open mind and don’t make perceptions
  • Try to analyze what the speaker is trying to say
  • Ask questions for clarity, when the speaker has paused or stopped speaking
  • Respond fairly to the speaker
• Avoiding information overload: Try to be ask crisp as possible in the communication. This helps in keeping the information level apt in the communication. Any kind of information overload will decrease the overall effectiveness in the communication