While good communication skills are essential to success in today’s world, an argument can easily be made that their importance is more critical today than ever before. Those who possess the ability to communicate skillfully and effectively are greatly needed in a world that is dynamic and changing, challenging and unpredictable, and often confusing and dangerous.
Communication is the process whereby information is exchanged between individuals and groups. Communications skills such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening, enable people to communicate effectively with one another. These are essential skills in our personal and professional lives, and they are perishable. The skills must be consistently developed and honed.
Why, then, the elevated importance of, and the need for, those skills in our society of today?
• The competition. Competition today is global and fierce, and is not restricted to the business world. Nations are competing for regional and global dominance, and the competition there is no less cutthroat. Companies and governments who can effectively communicate their messages with clarity and persuasion, across boundaries and cultures, can gain an advantage in the marketplace of products, services, and ideas. Good communicators will play an important and growing role here as competition intensifies rather than slackens.
• The stakes. Companies are becoming ever more global, as much out of necessity as preference. International growth in sales and earnings is also becoming ever more important. Companies who fail to grow and prosper are doomed to the dustbins of commercial history. Individuals with well-developed communication skills are at significant advantage in the often high-stakes pursuit of offshore growth. Communications skills within the various agencies of government have never been more important. It could be fairly asserted that the attacks on September 11, 2001 resulted from an entire litany of communications failures on the part of U.S. intelligence and other officials. Clear, timely, non-ambiguous communications effectiveness has never been more important to our national security.
• The pace. The breakneck pace of today’s society, the sheer volume of information exchanged, and the plethora of electronic communication methodologies employed, increase the probability of error and misunderstanding. Again, skillful communicators have a major role in designing messages that can be seen or heard and understood quickly. How many times have you deleted an email you thought was inconsequential but to your total embarrassment turns out to have been important? Or you’ve blown off a voice message before the critical information was heard? We all have. The pace of life is requiring a refinement in one’s communications skills, in constructing and delivering messages, in being aware of the message receiver’s workload and absorption constraints, and those who find and develop that refinement will move ahead.
So, are communication skills as important as ever? You bet, now more than ever. Keep developing your own skills, and you’ll have a very good chance to grow and prosper.
