blog Communication | 3min Read
Published on April 13, 2021
We have this belief at the back of our mind, that because we’ve been uttering words since we were children, we know how to communicate well.
‘Because bro.. I speak.. and words come out.. and that’s communication…’
And in a way it’s correct. Communication is something we all do, which is throwing out information. But effective communication is when that info is actually received by the listener. You could be talking to a wall for all it matters. So you think and wonder that maybe you could just learn this along the way by making mistakes. Well, you could, or you could possibly join an effective communications workshop. Here’s why:
1. Nobody teaches you this. Sadly they just don’t teach this to high school students. You learn languages in school, sure. But most of our time is spent being told to shut up and bury our heads in the books. And then there is an expectation for you to have magically learned effective communication. How? This is truly a 21st-century skill that needs to be learned somewhere.
2. Talking to people you know is easy. Talking to strangers is tough. When we’re comfortable in a group setting with friendly faces, it’s easy to relax and talk. But when you’re in a room with unfamiliar people, that is when we tense up and our worst fears come crawling. Being in a course with strangers helps us get comfortable in our own skin.
3. Your workplace is now Global. Even if you have lived in multiple cities in your own country, today’s landscape has shifted drastically in terms of your job requirements. You’re going to interact with people from different countries and different cultures. One thing might mean something here and the complete opposite elsewhere. Most courses will help you learn how to navigate these choppy waters.
4. Communication mediums are changing rapidly. At one point in time, all you could do was write letters. Even if it was to a person in a different country. Today’s tech has thrown that out the window, and we’re constantly finding novel ways to communicate. With each of these platforms, there are new rules and new obstacles which come up. Do you really want to learn it the hard way?
5. Technology has destroyed in-person communication. Sounds a little extreme, but consider why we don’t pick up calls anymore and ask people to text us instead. We’ve become too comfortable hiding behind a screen, especially with this Zoom-obsessed world. It’s made us a lot more reliant on technology and reduced our readiness to interact in person. When you’re in a course you are literally forced to speak to each other, and cannot hide behind your phone.
6. You first need clarity in your head. The biggest myth of effective communication is that it’s all about external words. But how can we forget the communication in our head? If we don’t have clarity of our thoughts, the words that come out will always be jumbled. There are tricks and methods that you can learn, which help focus the mind first, then allows the thought out to the world.
7. Because why not? This isn’t school. You aren’t getting graded. You literally cannot fail. Even if it helps you a bit, isn’t it worth it? It could provide mentorship for high school students like you. To cut out the crap and help you connect with others in a straightforward and simple manner. Maybe in university. Maybe at your future job. Maybe with every person you meet. We communicate with everyone, and that is what makes us human.
There are many ways to learn effective communication. You could do a leadership workshop, you could go through tons of videos online, or you could just create your own rules and practice on random people. The point is about always trying to improve your communication, to help get your point across with the least effort.
Can you say ‘What?’ in 10 different ways? It’s a simple exercise to learn from. Your mind is probably already running and trying different versions. We know all these things at some level, but we just don’t pay attention to them. Wouldn’t it be great if we found more ways to improve ourselves? Think and see what other exercises come up in your mind, and share below.
