#1 Effective Communication (Edited)
Effective communication to me is a key to all relationships. Whether on a professional or a personal level, we all need to be able to convey our message. At the same time, we need to ensure that the recipient can easily comprehend the intended message. This life-skill of communicating effectively as I would say, is something that I believe all of us should learn because we are constantly communicating. Communication comes in several forms. It can done face-to-face, via the world wide web in the forms of emails and instant messaging and even take up the form of body language or a picture! Well,as they say, a picture speaks thousands of words so don't underestimate what a picture can actually tell you.
As for me, effective communication comes in the form of working on laboratory experiments. The Faculty of Science is teeming with students and it is definitely impossible for us to know every single student hence when it comes to laboratory practicals, more often than not we are grouped with people whom we are not familiar with. We usually have more than ten samples to prepare for our experiments and in order to ensure that the experiment progresses smoothly, effective communication is a key aspect that will allow each group member to share the workload. Time is of the essence to a NUS student; hence, doing the job twice or even thrice would be a waste of time really. Even simple things such as labeling our samples and telling our lab partners that this is Sample X is a form of communication because you're telling that person 'Hey, I've already prepared this sample so you don't have to do this anymore. And this is where the sample will be so it'll be easy for you to locate it should you ever want to run the sample.' and etc.
Another way I'd say effective communication is important to me is being able to maintain a long distance relationship with my boyfriend who is currently residing in Taiwan. He is currently working there full-time and due to my school commitments, we are only able to meet each other once or twice a year at most. I'm not too sure how many of you have actually experienced a long-distance relationship before (No,going off to Pulau Tekong for a duration of 2 weeks doesn't count haha!) but it is really hard to maintain it without communication from both parties. Most of the time you can't really see what the other party is doing or feeling and if he/she is upset, it can only come in the form of words (emails,MSN,facebook etc). That's why when I want to convey something to my boyfriend, I have to not only say 'I'm feeling upset today' but also give reasons and examples of what had upset me because it is different as to telling him in person that I am upset because he can read my body language or see from my facial expressions that I am upset. But thank goodness for FaceTime and WhatsApp which allows both of us to still talk to each other daily and at a low cost too.
In a nutshell, effective communication is important to me because it is something that I have to carry for the rest of my life whether I'm using it for work or on a personal level. I hope that this module would really help me gain an insight on how to improve my communication skills. My father would always tell me that people judge you by the way you speak,how well you can carry yourself and if you are able to form good interpersonal relationships. Thus, bearing these words in mind I certainly hope I can master the 7Cs of communication and there is another C which I want to master: Confidence.
7 Comments:
Hi Paula! I really enjoyed reading your post! I truly agree with you that effective communication is a life-long skill that is essential for all of us! I find it interesting and enjoyable to read the part where you mentioned how effective communication plays a part in our daily lives and the example of lab work. we need to communicate well with people whom we do not know in the shortest possible time and work well with them. :)
Hey Paula!! This post is indeed a very enlightening read, especially on how you related the need for effective communication to the laboratory. Our science laboratory practical sessions are fast-paced and time is of the essence - and this leads to stress. Therefore, communicating effectively under stressed and unfamiliar conditions would require a significantly different set of communication skills as compared to a talk with a friend over a cup of tea.
Oh my! Paula you are really helping me put things into perspective now! All this time I’ve hardly thought of how effective communication can impact my life on a personal level, yet it shows so much relevance to your life and I’m really in awe with how you’re managing your relationship with your boyfriend! This is no mean feat and I’m really encouraged by the possibilities communication and its many forms can bring! =) One more C that you definitely already possess: Commitment =)
I really agree that communication can start from the smallest of levels! When I teach Sunday school in church, I always realize that I need to treat kids of age 5-8 differently to those from 9-12! The tone, eye contact, even content of the conversation varies differently! Ever notice that little kids tend to have a shorter attention span and can NEVER seem to sit still? Knowing who your audience here is the essence! So yes, understanding how communication works is VERY important as it applies to every aspect of our lives. The ability to differentiate this with the person you’re speaking to and use the appropriate tone of voice will prove the effectiveness of communication as well! It was really an enjoyable post and I wish to read more from you! =)
Hey paula! The lab struck me as a really good example as it is pretty much the only group work we have repeatedly but there is such an urgency to finish the experiment on time or to get it right that there isn't really much room for communication. Maybe if we were given more interactive projects with more time with groups, I'm sure we would all communicate more and I hope it's something the university does soon.
Oh and when it comes to the long distance relationship I know what you mean having been in one myself but that didn't work out and i really hope it works out for you :). Communication in relationships whether boyfriend or even family even if they are in the same house I think is very very important and without it we really cant have any relationships at all.
Thanks, Paula, for a very entertaining post. I feel that I learn a lot about you from this. What you don't achieve in the way of conciseness you do in clarity, completeness and rich detail. I especially like the way you explain your comm skill needs for your wrk in the lab and with your boyfriend.
There are a few areas where you might improve your language. Check out these sentences:
a) Effective communication to me is a key to all relationships, whether on a professional or a personal level, we all need to be able to convey our message and at the same time ensure that the recipient can easily comprehend the intended message. >>> Effective communication to me is a key to all relationships. Whether on a professional or a personal level, we all need to be able to convey our message. At the same time, we need to ensure that the recipient can easily comprehend the intended message.
b) tons of students >>> ?
c) Time is of the essence to a NUS student, hence doing the job twice or even thrice would be a waste of time really. >>> Time is of the essence to a NUS student; hence, doing the job twice or even thrice would be a waste of time really.
d) Another aspect I'd say effective communication is important to me is being able to maintain my long distance relationship with my boyfriend who is currently residing in Taiwan. >>> Another WAY I'd say effective communication is important to me is being able to maintain A long distance relationship with my boyfriend, who is currently residing in Taiwan.
In any case, I appreciate your effort!
Sup Paula,
Voila!!!!
This is the post that made me sit up and take notice. I've been waiting for a post with romantic content for so long now, and it had to found in yours Paula!!!!
That is truely admirable Paula; both the content and your resoluteness to make love work for you by way of effective communication. To such nobody could ever find a fault, Paula.
A long distance relationship is not exactly the most capable nor comfortable one; and depending on the make-up of the participants, some small or large degree of social dysfunction occurs inevitably.
But a girl like you Paula, with a conviction supplied by effectual love, a Brad with fabled credentials of communication, will hardly suffer the consequence that so often associates with such relationships.
May yours endure until the delight of matrimony Rousseau manages with only a brush and palette in A Wedding in the Country.
Cheers
My apologies for the late replies.
@Adeline & Ben: Yes,when we are in a situation such as being in the labratory,we often have to adopt other methods in maintaining effective communication. This once again boils down to how effective we manage to convey our message to our lab partners to ensure that no repeat work is done. Anyway,thanks for reading! :D
@Jac: I like your story about how you have to use different tone and content when dealing with different audiences. I believe with younger children we also need to have the patience to communicate effectively with them as they may find it hard to comprehend what we adults may want to tell them.
@Uttara: I'm sorry to hear your long distance relationship didn't work out Uttara,but don't give up on them! Sometimes it takes the participants to truly make this sort of relationship lasting but I pray hope you don't ever come into such a situation because it can be quite lonely at times haha!
@Brad: Thanks Brad, I have read through your suggestions and I will work on my sentence structure for further posts! *crosses fingers*
@Mark: Thanks for your comments, really appreciate it!
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