Analyzing Communication Skills For Business Success: An Essay.

Communication Skills Assessment

Discuss About The Journal Business Social Review In Emerging?

The purpose of this report is to analyze different communication skills used by individuals and the ways in which such skills will result in improvement in communication. This report focuses on the particular communication skills which are essential for success of a business organization. This report further analyzes the tools of communication which are essential for developing a communication system. It is to be stated that the report aims to provide a concept of communication which is brief and also focuses on various models and issues which are related to communication. In addition this report also will also provide a reflection which is based on interpersonal communication skills of the researcher. Such reflection will take into account the results that are obtained by using the tools of communication. In this report five communication skills have been used to obtain the results.

It is to be mentioned that the tools of communication help individuals in figuring out the flaws and errors in their communication skills. It also assists people in finding out the qualities they lack. It is to be said that questionnaires which provide an insight into the confidence possessed by people while communicating with others and personality of people are used to understand and assess the personality of people (Shwom and Snyder, 2015).  The tools used to assess communication skills in this case are:

• People skills
• Non Verbal communication
• Presentation Skills
• Verbal communication
• Self Perceived Communication Competence scale(SPCC)

It can be mentioned that each of these skills test is essential as it helps me to assess the areas which need improvement and also the style of communication which has been adopted by me. Each of the communication tools uses a different set of questionnaires which aims to assess the different factors of communication skills and allows individuals to rectify their communication skills based on the results of such questionnaires.  

People skills test- The first test that has been undertaken by me to assess my communication skills is the people skills test. It is to be stated that in modern times the people skill test is one of the most important tools that helps to evaluate and assess how good people are in communicating with others. According to Shwom and Snyder(2015), it can be said that possessing a skill to converse with people effectively is essential in every profession. The people skill test is also known as the soft skills test. People skills are an important aspect in all professional environments. People skills or soft skills are essential when leading a group or applying for jobs at managerial levels. It is to be stated that the result of this test ranges from 16-80. However the result of the test undertaken by me came to be 57. This result indicates that I prefer to collaborate with groups. However this shows that I stay under a lot pressure in critical and tense situations. (Refer to appendix 1 for results)

People Skills Test

Non verbal Communication test- It is to be said that the individuals communicate more with others non-verbally. Sixty percent of human communication is done non-verbally. Non verbal communication includes the usage of facial expressions, gestures and body language. People consciously and unconsciously use the aforementioned gestures to attract the attention of the listeners. Using gestures and facial expressions while conversing with someone also helps in attracting the listener’s attention and make such listener feel strongly about what the speaker is saying. Non-verbal communication is of utmost importance in the professional field as much is lost between what is said and what is understood. The results of the nonverbal communication test ranges from 15 to 40 points. The result of the test undertaken by me lies between the range of 35-40 points. This indicates that I am an excellent communicator. (Refer to appendix 2) 

Presentation Skills test- This tool helps to assess the confidence level of individuals while making presentations. It can be said that this tool also assesses the level of relaxation and confidence possessed by people while giving a presentation. It can be said that presentation skills are important in the professional field as most of the business deals and meeting are done by making presentation. The result of this test ranges from 14-70. However, my result of this test falls in the range 52-70. Therefore, it can be said that I am excellent when it comes to giving presentations. The presentations demonstrated by me are very interesting and well suited for the audience. (Refer to appendix 3)

Verbal communication test- It is to be mentioned that the verbal communication test is conducted to assess how easily people carry out a particular task without anyone’s help. This test indicates to what extent an individual depends on others for getting a particular task done. The results of this test ranges from 20 to over 110. However my score in this test falls in the range of 81-110. Therefore, it can be said that I can and am willing to work with people but my skills are not as refined as my co workers. However, I need to work on accurately paraphrasing work, ability to remain calm in tense situations and non verbal cues. (Refer to appendix 4)

Self Perceived Communication Competence Scale (SPCC) test- This test is used to analyze the nature of individuals and the way they perceive others. It can also be used for assessing how people change their communicating style and react in different situations (Argenti, 2015). This test also analyzes the competency level which is required by people to communicate at different aspects of life. My overall score of this test came to be 87.5. This score is relatively high which indicates that I am competent to communicate freely with people. However, it is to be mentioned that competency to communicate varies in case of communicating with different people. It can be noted that a high value of competency level indicates that self perceived communication of an individual is strong. In my case it is clearly evident that I am more competent in communicating with friends and acquaintances.

Nonverbal Communication Test

Therefore after analyzing the results of these five tests I have been able to identify the areas of communication which needs improvement. I need to improve my soft skills and need to communicate with people I work with more freely to be a more successful manager in the future. I have to ensure that I remain calm in tense and challenging situations so that I can handle them smoothly. I also need to work on my verbal communication skills. I need to refine my verbal communication skills to work efficiently with my co workers and remain calm in challenging situations. It can be said that I have witnessed a few incidents where my communication skills were put to test and I had failed to perform. The reason for failure to demonstrate good communication skills in those situations can be attributed to a few issues.

One of the issues faced by me was the failure to understand non-verbal cues. During one incident I had failed to understand a gesture made by companion. He was using hand signals in order to communicate with me and ask me to move an object. He was using hand gestures as he was inaudible at the time. He had warned me about the presence of sharp object lying on the stage. However, my inability to understand the same resulted in sustaining severe injuries by one of the performers. This incident occurred about two months ago. It caused commotion and I was reprimanded for not understanding the hand gesture of my companion. It can be said that the occurrence of this unfortunate incident was an eye opener as it made me realize the importance of understanding non-verbal gestures in professional environment.

On another occasion I was presented with the challenge of giving a presentation of a business Idea to large group of people. Although I had put in a lot of time preparing the presentation, I was not be able to explain some of the key concepts and ideas of the presentation to the people. Although the presentation had covered all the relevant points, it failed to create a lasting impression in the minds of the people. In spite of the containing all the important information such presentation failed to attract the attention of the people. They looked disinterested and distracted which in turn adversely affected my confidence further. This incident made me realize the importance of having good people skills without which it is impossible to envision myself as a good manager or leader. 

Presentation Skills Test

According to McQuail and Windahl (2015), one of the easiest ways of conveying information, thoughts and feelings to others is communication. It is to be mentioned that people feel the need to communicate with others to discuss their thoughts with others and add purpose to their lives. Communication is done both verbally and non verbally.  Verbal communication is the most widely used mode of communication. However, it can be said that verbal communication is not possible in many instances, therefore individuals communicate with the others using non verbal methods of communication. Non verbal communication involves the use of gestures and facial expressions to communicate feelings, thoughts and information to others. On the other hand verbal communication involves the usage of words for communicating messages. It is to be stated that several tools have been developed to assess and evaluate the areas in which communication can be improved. As opined by Hampf and Müller-Pohl (2013), it is essential to understand the drawbacks that exist in the processes of communication in order to ensure that proper communication takes place on a global and regional level. According to Peleckien & Polajeva (2016), it can be stated that people often fail to understand and interpret sign languages correctly and this can be regarded as a general flaw in communication. It can be said that most people fail to decipher sign languages as they are not trained to do so. Verbal communication is not possible when the speaker and the listener is at a distance. In such a case, both the speaker and listener need to communicate using sign languages and it is important for both the speaker to make the right gestures and the person, to whom the gestures are made, to understand them.

Another important communication flaw which is noteworthy is the lack of confidence in people when communicating with others. As stated by Popp, Raneburger and Kaindl (2013), confidence is instrumental in making a proper and effective presentation and also addressing people in large group. It can be said that making a proper and descriptive presentation is also important describe the ideas and thoughts which cannot be clearly expressed in words. It can be said that confidently presenting ideas and thoughts to people in large groups using the pictorial medium is important as people understand the messages better when have access to visual presentation of the ideas. However, explaining the messages as displayed in the presentation to the people is important to attract the attention of the people, as people tend to feel bored and disinterested if they are not directly addressed while the presentation is being demonstrated. Therefore to sole this issue, it is important for to make the messages in the presentation very clear and bold and it is also important for the person giving the presentation to explain and interact with the audience while such presentation is going on.

Verbal Communication Test

It is to be stated that effective communication between individuals helps remove flaws and gaps in understanding (Chaney and Martin, 2013). In order to ensure that effective communication takes place between individuals, it is essential to discuss certain models of communication that have been developed for the same purpose. Belo’s model is one such model of promoting effective communication. This model is commonly referred to as the SMCR model because the factors of this model are similar to those of the Belo’s model. Both the models state that the receiver and sender need to be alert while communicating so that they interpret the messages correctly. However, basic understanding of the messages is required for interpretation and transmission of the same.

According to Evans et al. (2017), it can be said that the channels used for communication will include the assistance provided by the basic senses of human beings. The basic senses include smell, taste, feel, hear and sight. It can be said that the functioning of all the five senses together is essential the development of a persona and the transmission of messages. Therefore, proper training of people needs to be given to individuals encoding and decoding messages in sign languages. It can be mentioned that Belo’s model provides that messages composed must be precise and consist. If the messages are clear and concise they can be easily understood. The responses of such messages can also be communicated through the aforementioned channels. This model also ensures that interpersonal communication skills are developed by individuals. This model can be applied to the individuals at the entry level who seek to improve their communication skills. The skill level of every individual is assessed and analyzed by this model which ensures the development of proper communication techniques. Such techniques are beneficial to the people as they help them to pursue a successful career in future. However contrary to the advantages of this model Thill & Bovée (2013), expressed that Schramm’s model could be used more effectively than the aforementioned model to enhance communication skills of individuals.

It is to be mentioned that in order to develop a communication system which is effective, it is essential to assess and identify a source of communication which is proper. According to Rentz and Lent (2013), a proper source of communication aims to ensure that the developments taking pace in the communication system happens in a orderly and systematic manner. The aforementioned model is effective in identifying different segments which are related to the components of communication. The components of the communication system ensure a steady flow of messages between sender and receiver. The sender encodes the messages in the form of cryptic ones so that the messages cannot be read and understood by anyone except the receiver. The receiver upon receiving such cryptic message decodes such messages. According to Fleisher and Bensoussan (2015), this model of communication is the ultimate model which is used for the purpose of communication. It can be mentioned that this form of communication style is effective in organizations which use internal facilities for sending and receiving messages.

Self Perceived Communication Competence Scale (SPCC) Test

However, according to Schramm perceived and believed communication to be a continuous process. It is one of tools which are quintessential for the survival of humankind. Schramm’s model ensures that communication between people is carried on in an effective manner. Schramm’s model ensures maintenance of effective communication in all the spheres of life. This model aims to develop the listening ability of the individuals as the messages transmitted by this model are mainly encrypted. It can therefore, be said that the individuals need to understand the messages properly in order to decode them in a proper manner. This model involves a flow of messages which is continuous from both ends. Both the sender and receiver need to posses abilities in order to be effective in business scenarios.

It can be said that individuals are required to apply practical and theoretical knowledge so that they can develop their communication skills. It is to be mentioned that theoretical aspect of a person’s knowledge helps such person in understanding the topic in details and in broader manner. A analysis which covers all the details of a particular subject helps individuals to gain in-depth knowledge about such topic. However, practical knowledge of individuals can help people gain experience. It can be said that in the today’s world individuals need to possess a wide range of experience in different fields so that they can apply for a wide range of jobs in different sectors (DiSanza and Legge, 2016). Individuals are required to assess the level of improvement needed by them in order to be successful in business.

It is to be mentioned that individuals are required to develop professional skills in order to assess the issues faced by them.  According to Argenti (2015), the lack in the skill set of the individuals can be identified by the different tools of communication as discussed above as well as the implications of the principles of various modes of communication. Misunderstandings in the workplace are to be avoided as they create a negative impact on the minds of the people. Misunderstandings often adversely affect the emotions of the individuals which inturn have negative impacts on them.

According to Sadia et al. (2016), it can be said that people who have good listening skills and those who are emotionally competent are the ones who gain success in business. This claim can be substantiated by the fact both of the aforementioned characteristics help individuals to realize the fullest of their potentials and help them be more successful in their careers. It can be said that managers and leaders and managers are required to deal with the problem of the employees therefore, a proper understanding of the needs of the employees is essential prior to taking any decisions. Therefore it can be mentioned that having proper people or soft skills are essential to ensure that employees are encouraged. It is to be mentioned that issues faced in the process of communication can be solved by being aware of the surroundings of the individuals and by being confident. Learning how to communicate with people non-verbally is not required for most people however, understanding sign languages can help the communication skills of individuals to improve. Therefore it can be mentioned that people develop their communication skills depending on the capabilities and qualities possessed by such persons. Communication skill tests help individuals assess their flaws and also identify the techniques required to rectify the flaws and improve.

Areas for Improvement

After doing a thorough analysis of the issues existent in my method of communication, an action plan has been developed by me to effectively improve my method of communication. The aforementioned action plan assesses the issues and suggests measures to rectify such issues. In order to develop my talents I have sought the help of the experienced teacher Violet Dhu. Mrs. Dhu has over 15 years of teaching experiences. She has a diploma in communication counselling. I have enrolled for a eight week counselling course with her.

It can be said that the professional advice Mrs Dhu is expected to help me identify the flaws in communication skills and also rectify such flaws and improve my overall communication skills. Apart from seeking professional expert advice I have also consulted some books to improve my skills in communication. Some of the books that have been consulted by me are:

• “Active listening 101: How to turn down your volume to turn up your communication skill” by Emilia Hardman, 2012
• “Communication Apprehension, Avoidance, and Effectiveness” by Richmond, Wrench and McCroskey
• "Power Listening: Mastering the most critical business skill" written by Bernard, T. Ferrari, 2012

It can be mentioned that by reading these books I have been able to assess how I can communicate effectively with others. For example I have been able to develop my people skills and verbal communication skills. I have been able to achieve remarkable progress in demonstrating presentations and addressing people in large groups. I have also enrolled in courses such as Diploma in communication management which will aim to improve my confidence while addressing large and small groups.

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Reference list

Argenti, P. A. (2015). Corporate communication. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Cardon, P. (2015). Business communication: Developing leaders for a networked world. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Chaney, L., & Martin, J. (2013). Intercultural business communication. Pearson Higher Ed.

DiSanza, J. R., & Legge, N. J. (2016). Business and professional communication: Plans, processes, and performance. Pearson.

Evans, D. R., Hearn, M. T., Uhlemann, M. R., & Ivey, A. E. (2017). Essential interviewing: A programmed approach to effective communication. Nelson Education.

Fleisher, C. S., & Bensoussan, B. E. (2015). Business and competitive analysis: effective application of new and classic methods. FT Press.

Hampf, M., & Müller-Pohl, S. (Eds.). (2013). Global communication electric: business, news and politics in the world of telegraphy. Campus Verlag.

McQuail, D., & Windahl, S. (2015). Communication models for the study of mass communications. Routledge.

PeleckienÄ, V., & Polajeva, T. (2016). Towards sustainable entrepreneurship: role of nonverbal communication in business negotiations. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 4(2), 228-239.

Popp, R., Raneburger, D., & Kaindl, H. (2013). Tool support for automated multi-device GUI generation from discourse-based communication models. In Proceedings of the 5th ACM SIGCHI symposium on Engineering interactive computing systems pp. 145-150

Rentz, K., & Lentz, P. (2013). Lesikars Business Communication: Connecting in a Digital World. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Sadia, A., Salleh, B. M., Kadir, Z. A., & Sanif, S. (2016). The Relationship between Organizational Communication and Employees Productivity with New Dimensions of Effective Communication Flow. Journal of Business and Social Review in Emerging Economies, 2(2), 93-100.

Shwom, B. G., & Snyder, L. G. (2015). Business communication: Polishing your professional presence. Pearson.

Thill, J. V., & Bovée, C. L. (2013). Excellence in business communication. Pearson.

Tuna, G., Gulez, K., & Gungor, V. C. (2013). The effects of exploration strategies and communication models on the performance of cooperative exploration. Ad Hoc Networks, 11(7), 1931-1941