Analysis of Communication Skills

Personal Communication Assessment

In today’s fast paced society in which we are told to do more with less, the success of an endeavor hinges on the ability to communicate effectively. Communication is a crucial bridge between people. According to James S. O’Rourke, IV, communication is much more than sending messages, it is about the transfer of meaning (p. 25). In order to successfully transfer meaning to another, the opposite party must understand that every message received comes from a sender who encodes the details of the message’s content and selects a medium through which the message can be transmitted based on what he/she knows or feels. The message may be hindered by noise, primarily due to cultural context against which it will be delivered pertaining to the field of experience of the receiver. The effect of the message will vary on the frame of mind or emotions brought forth to the situation, along with ethics that govern communication in a given organization, industry, and society (O’Rourke, p. 26). Due to the many routes present for a message to be analyzed, it is safe to say that human communication is not only intricate, fragile and difficult, but also abundant with complexities. Remarkably, we engage in communication daily and more often than not, we get our messages across without conflict. Due to this subconscious satisfaction of having communicated a message, often times, communication along with communication skills are taken for granted. However, the ability to effectively communicate effects our daily interactions not only within organizations but also relationships. Apart from whether or not we can communicate, we must assess how we can go about improving communication. In terms of management this means: encouraging a disinclined employee to give a project his all versus the satisfaction of an employee doing what is asked of you. Analyzing present communication skills is the initial step forward in improving communication that will lead to...