Why Communication Matters

Susan M. Kapusta, Ph.D

"You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can't get them across, your ideas won't get you

anywhere." Lee Iacocca

One of the distinguishing marks of a fine mind is the ability to communicate

effectively. It is an essential skill that can be your pathway to a successful career in any

field. The purpose of this chapter is to make you aware of communication strategies that

you can begin to develop now for application in the career that lies ahead. Solid

communication skills are critical for being an effective employee, and a commitment to

continuously improving those skills will help you grow and develop as you advance in

your professional life.

No matter what your major, college provides an excellent opportunity to practice

and develop your communication skills. These skills include verbal communication,

written communication, word processing skills, and communication through e-mail. The

purpose of communication through these mediums [oral, written, and electronic] is the

promotion of mutual understanding between two or more people. A mastery of the use

of all of these communication mediums is expected of new hires in the global

marketplace.

More than ever before, the ability to communicate well determines an employee's

ability to thrive in today's workplace. People with well-developed communication skills

are crucial to organizational success. These people are always in demand. "In fact,

excellent communication skills can do more to jump-start a promising career than almost

any other factor" (Bienvenue and Timm xix). According to a report from the National

Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers responding to NACE Job

Outlook 2007 named communication skills as a job seeker's most important skill.

"Communication skills have topped the list for eight years," says Marilyn Mackes, NACE

Executive Director.

Employers expect that, during their college years, students will acquire the

necessary education and training to meet the communication requirements of today's fast-

paced global workplace. Even before you start a new job, you will need a well-written

resume and effective interviewing skills to convince an employer to hire you. Therefore,

now is the time to ask yourself the following questions to assess your current skill level:

How proficient are you in your ability to devise and communicate strategy, write

effectively, prepare and deliver oral presentations and participate in meetings and

interviews? Can you analyze and synthesize enormous amounts of information to convey

your message? How adept are you at interpersonal communication -- can you establish

the productive relationships with supervisors, customers, colleagues, and other

stakeholders that are crucial to organizational success?

If your honest self-assessment indicates underdeveloped communication skills,

you can improve your skill level through the following methods: completing formal

coursework, studying and emulating persuasive communicators, seeking real-world

practice opportunities, attending to self-reflection and soliciting feedback from a mentor

and others.

Active listening and sticking to the point are essential to reaching mutual

understanding, which is the goal of both written and oral communication. You can

develop these verbal communication skills by taking formal courses in public speaking,

interpersonal skills-building, conflict resolution, interviewing, and communication ethics.

For public speaking, be sure to select courses that integrate the effective use of state-of-

the-art technology. The traditional classroom will provide the opportunity to practice

public speaking platform skills, as well as one-on-one communication with classmates

and professors.

Your written communication can be honed through basic writing courses. These

classes will help you fine tune your grammar, spelling, punctuation, proofreading and

editing skills. The goal is to finish college with the ability to write quickly, concisely and

accurately. Furthermore, you will be valuable to any employer if you are in the

professional habit of meeting deadlines and submitting assignments that are error free.

This means – don't wait until the last minute. Work carefully and allow ample time for

research and unexpected word processing and printer problems. As you move through

your college years, take advantage of the opportunity to broaden your horizons by

registering to present your academic papers at conferences. This is not only great

experience, but it is also an impressive line item to add to your resume.

Strategic thinking is the key to effective communication because there is no "one

size fits all" formula for effective communication. Therefore, you must analyze the

audience, purpose and media on a case-by-case basis to achieve the desired outcome.

Depending on the circumstances, a communicator needs to strategically decide whether it

is best to use a letter, phone call or electronic medium. As you grow in education and

experience, you will become increasingly more adept at choosing the best mediums for

the situation at hand. Regardless of the medium of choice, however, establish the

professional habit of responding to phone calls and letters promptly.

Bienvenue and Timm define strategic communication as functional

communication. It seeks to achieve results. It is different from other types of writing

such as personal letters, poetry or fiction (28-45). Employers expect employees to be

able to express ideas clearly and concisely to achieve desired results. In many workplace

situations, the ability to orally present your written work offers a valuable opportunity to

advance your ideas and your career. The visibility and exposure you can gain by making

effective group presentations will enhance your chances of rising to leadership. One way

to learn this skill is by studying the strategies of the masters before you.

Persuasion is a specialized form of strategic communication – one that calls for the

ability to sell yourself and your ideas. The success or failure of any business is often a

matter of persuasion. Convincing a boss, customer, colleague, shareholder or whomever

of the value of your idea, product, service, investment or a host of other things can

determine whether or not your endeavor succeeds. Direct and unambiguous

communication is important, but a simple presentation of facts without emotion is rarely

persuasive nor a prelude to action.

The ancient Greco-Roman tradition laid the foundation for strategic

communication. The advice and analysis of communication theorists such as Aristotle

and Cicero are so persuasive that they continue to be studied today. Aristotle (384-322

B.C.), preeminent Greek philosopher, grounded his communication ideas in ethics and

documented them in a book called the Nicomachean Ethics. He theorized that the three

elements needed to influence the audience to action are logos (logic), pathos (emotional

appeal) and ethos (credibility of the speaker). Anyone seeking to persuade an audience

must build understanding from values, beliefs or knowledge held in common by the

speaker and an audience. No effective communicator can ignore the beliefs, values and

concerns of an audience and hope to move them to action. No effective communicator in

the 21st Century can afford to ignore ethics.

The Roman, Marcus Tillius Cicero (106-43 B.C.), widely recognized as one of

the greatest statesmen and orators of all times, expanded and applied the philosophies of

Aristotle. To lead an audience to action, Cicero theorized that communicators must be

strategic and deliver messages that combine style and substance. In other words, the

speaker needs both wisdom and eloquence to be persuasive. Cicero also asserted that it

is not sufficient to simply have ideas, you must also be able to sell your ideas to others

and get things done. Though the story may sound like ancient history, effective

communication remains the top leadership skill.

You can rise to leadership in politics, business, academia, or any other field more

readily if you are a persuasive communicator. Cicero was convinced of the potential for

an ethical leader, equipped with sufficient natural ability and drive to shape the course of

society through the power of speech. Cicero applied his powers of persuasion for the

betterment of Rome.

Forceful leaders in the United States such as John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King,

Jr., Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, just to name a few, used their

considerable communication skills to unite and inspire people at both a national and

international level. The results … their words changed the nation and the world.

In academia, Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg, University of Pittsburgh, uses his

leadership skills to effectively communicate with Pitt alumni across the country through

his "On The Road" fundraising presentations. Launched in 2000, Pitt's $500 million

capital campaign has already exceeded that goal and raised more than $1.2 billion dollars

to advance the institution.

Nordenberg takes an Aristotelian approach to public speaking. His warm,

seemingly effortless communication style combines a comprehensive knowledge of the

institution with the emotional appeal of real-life stories that focus on people – the

students, faculty and alumni. Through a combination of his credibility (ethos), wisdom

(logos) and emotional appeal (pathos), Nordenberg inspires his supporters to help reach

the goals of the campaign for the University of Pittsburgh. His compelling use of

language stirs the heart, soul and mind in a way that moves alumni to take out their

checkbooks to support the continued growth and stature of their alma mater. This is just

one of the ways that Chancellor Nordenberg gets positive results for the University of

Pittsburgh.

Business is another area where leadership and communication go hand in hand. Lee

Iacocca, a famous American industrialist, is most commonly known for his role as a

communicator and spokesperson in turning around Chrysler in the '80s when he was the

Chief Executive Officer. Widely studied in communication literature, Iacocca went so

far as to say that "The most important thing I learned in school was how to

communicate." A self-made man and genuine folk hero, Iacocca exemplified the best of

the American dream. In a review, Time Magazine described him in larger than life terms

as "a big man (6 ft. 1 in., 194 lbs.), a driven man, an earthly, passionate, volatile, funny,

and profane man, a talkative man who tells it like it is, who grabs for gusto, who damns

the torpedoes, and plunges full-speed ahead" (Iacocca).

Iacocca takes a Ciceronian approach to public speaking. He combined his

compelling natural style with his intelligence and marketing knowledge and made

himself perhaps one of the most recognizable business leaders in history. He used his

powers of persuasive communication with Congress and the American people to reshape

the discourse surrounding Chrysler. As he grew in fame and stature, he was urged by

many to run for president, and he produced three New York Times bestsellers. He was

on the cover of Time Magazine no less than three times. Currently, he is selling his

leadership ideas in a book entitled, Where Have All the Leaders Gone. Not surprisingly,

his Nine C's of Leadership include the term - "Communicate."

In public speaking, great leaders use intelligence, diplomacy, vivid language,

loping repetitions, eye contact, appropriate humor, warmth and an invisible reliance on

visual aids to shape the thinking and actions of others. All of these leaders –

Nordenberg, Iacocca, Kennedy, King, Reagan, Clinton and Obama – learned to play at

the top of their "A" game due in no small part to their ability to get positive results

through effective communication skills.

You too can learn to be at the top of your "A" game by studying the masters and

pursuing real-word opportunities to hone your own verbal and written communication

skills. Internships, summer jobs, student activities and volunteer work offer opportunities

wherein you need to write letters and reports while interacting with others one-on-one

and in groups. You can also join Toastmasters, which will give you the chance to

develop platform skills and confidence in speaking in front of groups. Opportunities such

as these help students to gain and polish the skills necessary for a successful career in any

field. Experience matters to employers, and these resume-building opportunities can

help you gain valuable real-world experience.

One final tip on strengthening your communication and career-building skills:

Choose a mentor in your field of interest who can coach you and provide input on job

opportunities, as well as feedback and contact information for your cover letter. Mentors

can help you maximize your potential. As an example, Aristotle emerged as a mentor to

Alexander the Great – who no doubt became 'the Great' partly because he understudied a

mentor of Aristotle's stature.

Mentors are role models. When someone has walked down a road you have not

traveled, their behaviors can help guide you on a more successful journey. Your own

mentor may emerge when you take advantage of internships, part-time summer jobs and

volunteer positions. Many non-profit board members hold high-ranking positions in the

marketplace, and volunteer work can offer great networking opportunities with these

experienced, influential people. You can also ask your school's career placement office

for mentoring leads and advice.

As you progress in your studies and your career, never assume that you "know it

all" when it comes to the art of communication. Use self-reflection and solicit feedback

from others to continuously improve. Feedback is a key to ongoing growth and

development of communication skills. Your mentor can be a great source of feedback.

You can also solicit feedback from professors and classmates.

In summary, here are some communication dos and don'ts that can help give you

a competitive edge to achieve career success.

Five Dos

Enroll in formal courses to learn and develop strategic communication skills.

Sell yourself and your ideas by modeling the communication strategies of influential

leaders.

Gain real-world communication experience by pursuing internships, part time summer

jobs and volunteer work.

Self-assess and build relationships with a mentor and others for guidance and feedback.

Set high goals and stretch beyond your communication comfort zone to meet them.

Five Don'ts

"Wing It." Research your subject matter thoroughly and prepare your messages

strategically and professionally.

Be a communication spectator. Get actively involved in classroom, conference and

networking activities.

Forget that you need both style and substance to advance your ideas and your career.

Create barriers to understanding through too much communication (rambling) or too

little communication (withholding ideas and feedback).

Compromise your credibility by missing deadlines or submitting work that contains

grammar, spelling, punctuation or typographical errors.

Susan M. Kapusta, Ph.D., is the President, United States Steel Foundation Inc. at United

States Steel Corporation. She has a Ph.D. in Corporate Communication from Duquesne

University.

Suggested Readings and Works Cited

Aristotle. The Nicomachean Ethics. Trans. David Ross. New York: Oxford UP, 1980.

Bienvenu, Sherron, and Paul R. Timm. Business Communication: Discovering Strategy,

Developing Skills: Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002.

Bizzell, Patricia, and Bruce Herzberg. The Rhetorical Tradition: Readings from

Classical Times. 2nd

ed. Boston: Bedford, 2001.

Carnegie, Dale. How to Win Friends and Influence People. New York: Simon &

Schuster, 2007.

Cicero. De Inventione. Trans. H. M. Hubbell. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1976.

---.De Oratore. Trans. E. W. Sutton and H. Rackham. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1976.

Covey, Stephen R. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. New York: Simon &

Schuster, 1989.

Goleman, Daniel. Emotional Intelligence. New York: Bantam, 1994.

Iacocca, Lee A. with William Novak. Iacocca: An autobiography. Boston: G. K. Hall,

1985.

Mackes, Marilyn. Job Outlook 2007 Survey. "Top Skills/Qualities in Job Candidates."

March 15, 2007. National Association of Colleges and Employers. 29 July 2009

www.nace.org/press.

Marsh, Charles, David W. Guth, and Bonnie Poovey Short. Strategic Writing:

Multimedia Writing for Public Relations, Advertising, Sales and Marketing, and

Business Communication. Boston: Pearson, 2005.

Nordenberg, Mark A. Interview. 27 March 2008.

Noonan, Peggy. Simply Speaking: How to Communicate Your Ideas with Style,

Substance, and Clarity. New York: HarperCollins, 1998.

Strunk, William, Jr., E. B. White, and Roger Angell. The Elements of Style. 4th

ed.

Needham Heights: Allyn and Bacon, 1999.

Yate, Martin. Cover Letters that Knock 'em Dead. 7th

ed. Avon: Adams Media, 2006.

---. Knock 'em Dead with Great Answers to Tough Interview Questions. 6th

ed.

United Kingdom: Kogan Page Limited, 2005.

---. The Ultimate Job Seeker's Guide: Resumes that Knock 'em Dead 2008

Avon: Adams Media, 2007.