By: Mike
Duncan, Superintendent
“Communication
leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing.”
Rollo May
We are
communicating-for better or worse-exponentially more than ever before. Whether
we communicate through text message, social media, Email or Prezi, the ability
to leverage a wide array of communication tools purposefully and effectively is
increasingly more important in the workplace.
The data collected from regional employers was telling: They ranked communication
as one of the top 4 work skills and described it as deficient in the existing
work force!
We broadly
define communication as,
·
the
use of effective interpersonal skills during conversations and discussions to
build positive relationships;
·
delivering
clear, concise and accurate ideas through spoken and written words using appropriate
technologies and formats; and,
·
Listening
to decipher meaning including knowledge, values, attitudes and intentions.
The link
between communication and collaboration is evident. How does one collaborate if they do not
possess effective communication skills? Thomas
Friedman, in his book The World Is Flat,
reveals the essence of a “flat” world where traditional hierarchies are replaced
by global partnerships and collaboration.
These global partnerships redefine the workplace and the skills necessary
to succeed. Regional employers said the ability
to work with others was essential and sorely lacking in today’s workforce.
So, what do
we mean by collaboration? Students
skilled in collaboration can,
·
demonstrate
the ability to work effectively and respectfully across diverse teams;
·
exercise
flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to
accomplish a goal;
·
assume
shared responsibility for collaborative work, and value the individual
contributions made by each team member; and,
·
work
productively in teams for sustained periods of time to develop high quality
products.
Why are
communication and collaboration so important?
The McKinsey Global Institute published a study finding that increasing
communication and collaboration through internal and external social technology
platforms could potentially add over 1 trillion dollars of value by increasing
the productivity of high-skill knowledge workers. Student who can effectively
communicate and collaborate will be highly valuable
in the workplace of the 21st century.
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