Building Communication Skills!
A leading educational service provider and coaching institute recently asked me to conduct a couple of presentations / sessions for engineering college students who are about to pass out and appear for placements and job interviews. I conducted a session on “Communication Skills” and another one on “General Awareness” in addition to the “Trends and Oppurtunities in the IT Industry.” I quite enjoyed taking the sessions.. especially the one on Communication Skills.
The drive to Adisaptagram
The Problem
The reason I found it the most exciting was that there was NO syllabus and NO prescribed mode of conducting the class. – All I knew was that I had to hold the attention of a 100 twenty one-year olds and teach them how to “communicate” effectively! -On the way to the college (it was located on the outskirts of the city), I kept wondering WHAT I would do with the bunch! – The fact that it was a nice smooth drive (see Picture alongside) gave me the time and the atmosphere to think! 
The Excercise
In the end, I don’t think I fared too badly – I split them up into groups and got one of them to speak on a topic of their choice after the whole group discussed it. Each of the other groups had to ask questions and agree / disagree and these questions had to be answered by the remaining speakers of the group (apart from the one whom the group selected as their speaker).
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the excercise, WE (as in the group of students AND myself!) discovered the following:
- 1. The best speaker is not necessarily the best thinker.
- 2. Good listeners can often be better communicators AFTER they have heard / analysed an argument.
- 3. A good communicator is not only one who speakes / listens, but one who can also evaluate an arguement in real-time while thinking or listening!
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Pictures.. (Click to enlarge)
Here are some pictures of the college where I took these sessions – It’s a private engineering college called Academy Of Technology – located in Adisaptagram (near Bandel), – around 45 Kms from Kolkata.
Good work Amit. Those are good insights/lessons. I believe that great listening skills are more important for us to be a great communicator.
I agree too. Listening is something so many of us refuse to do. We don’t listen & don’t communicate. And we don’t even realise it. Communication is the foundation for all relationshops-professional and personal.
Your learning outcomes are indeed true.
A good communication skills is not only based on how well you speak but a combination of being a good listener and speaker. Communication is a two way process that is why you need to listen to the person you’re talking to. It is really important to have a good communication skills especially in job interviews. It is like presenting yourself to get hired.
Good post!
Great!!!
Have you ever noticed that generally people take good communicators as intelligent people, which might not be the case always.
When we deal with foreign clients, you can leave a much better experience if you keep on speaking one thing or the other.
@ Sukumar,
Thanks a lot. Also, analysing the discussion (real-time!) is I think as much of an asset to a good communicator as are listening and speaking.
@ dreamz,
True! – Ability to express freely helps people in maintaining personal relationships as well.. Something I had missed out in my analysis – Thanks!
@ Stella,
Totally agree with you – Thanks for dropping by!
@ Amit,
Correct – I can agree with you from experience.
Hi Amit.. Not able to leave comment on post.. I am working on achieving best level in area of communication skills…
Thank you so much for posting on the same.
Swapna
@ Swapna,
You’re welcome Swapna.. Glad t his could be of help! .. Do keep dropping by..
hello amit,
The good communicator first listen then speak. Really good communicator are practally s not good character. i dont know whether yes or no reply me.by pughal.