Oxford dictionary defines communication as the ability to impart or exchange information by speaking, writing or using any other medium. The flow of ideas is key to a conversation.
But The greatest illusion associated with communication is that it has taken place. So When exactly does communication take place ?
When thoughts are meaningfully conveyed, ' its effective communication'. The funny irony associated with communication is that though we use it in some form almost all the time, we tend to lack the basic characteristics of making it efficient and meaningful. The most interesting aspect is the various forms it can take. It is surprising to know that communication mediums range from the words we speak, to the clothes we wear, to our body language, the eye gaze and even the font we use to write the blogs communicates about us. Consciously or unconsciously these say a lot about our personality.
ES2007s will deal with an integral part of communication, focussing on professional communication, its practices and features. The course will start with the fundamentals of effective communication introducing its various forms.
For a person in a similar domain like me, communication can largely be categorized into two spheres, the social circle and the professional wheel! In the social arena, it focusses on my ability to forge new relationships and friendships with people from different parts of the world, having different languages and most importantly different ways of communication. I have communicated with people who don't even share a common language, like the cleaners in my hostel or simply the local vendors. I have managed to get my message across and fortunately the conversation has always ended in a smile. These instances make me realize how communication has crossed borders and semantics. I think the way we communicate also depends a lot on the listener. For example, for some friends, asking a mere 'How are you' always inspires a 'I'm fine thank you'; while for some others, it results in a full account of everything that went wrong in that day!
Professional Communication also plays an important role in one's life and I find it more challenging than the usual communication. It has to be formal, concise, accurate and the correct references need to be made. Perhaps I need to hone my skills and develop my personality in this area. While I cannot stop myself from speaking, having been part of debates and declamation competitions, sometimes I feel there is a need to regulate and filter certain things I say. I hope through this module I will learn the art of professional communication, which might not necessarily be verbal.
As I mentioned above, communication forms an integral part of human life, and also happens as we interact with nature and animals.
Communication is inevitable but it can also get complex when it takes unexpected forms; mis-communication results in conflicts. Well, researching about it, I have found that a simple thing like communication is quite intense.
Edited : September 1, 2012
