essay about poor communication

Essay On Importance Of Communication

Table of Contents

Short Essay On Importance Of Communication

Communication is a vital aspect of our lives, and it plays a critical role in shaping who we are and how we interact with others. Effective communication skills are essential in both personal and professional settings, and its importance cannot be overstated. There are several reasons why communication is important.

First, communication helps us to build relationships. When we communicate effectively, we can establish trust, understanding, and mutual respect with others. Good communication skills help us to form and maintain meaningful relationships, both personally and professionally.

Second, communication helps us to express our thoughts and ideas. By communicating effectively, we can share our thoughts and opinions, and we can also listen to the thoughts and opinions of others. This allows us to exchange ideas, build consensus, and make informed decisions.

Third, communication helps us to understand others. Through effective communication, we can better understand the perspectives, feelings, and motivations of others. This helps us to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts, and it also helps us to build empathy and respect for others.

Fourth, communication is essential in the workplace. Effective communication skills are critical in the workplace, and they play a vital role in success. Good communication can improve teamwork, increase productivity, and enhance job satisfaction.

In conclusion, communication is an essential aspect of our lives, and it plays a critical role in shaping who we are and how we interact with others. Whether in personal or professional settings, effective communication skills are essential for success and for building meaningful relationships. By developing strong communication skills, we can improve our interactions with others and make the world a better place.

Long Essay On Importance Of Communication

Introduction.

In today’s world, communication is more important than ever. With the advent of the Internet and social media, we are now able to connect with people all over the globe. This has led to a more connected world, where we are able to share information and ideas instantaneously.

The importance of communication cannot be understated. It is essential in our personal lives, our professional lives, and in our relationships. It is how we connect with others and share our thoughts and feelings. It is how we build relationships and trust.

Without communication, we would be lost. We would not be able to express our needs or wants, or understand the needs and wants of others. We would not be able to resolve conflict or build rapport. We would not be able to communicate effectively.

The ability to communicate effectively is one of the most important skills that you can learn in life. It doesn’t matter what your occupation is, or what level you are in your career – if you cannot communicate effectively, you will struggle.

Whether you are communicating with your boss or a colleague, a client or a customer, your spouse or a friend, it is essential that you do so in a way that is clear, concise, and respectful. Only then can you hope to achieve the desired results.

Types of Communication

There are various types of communication, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Here are some common types of communication:

Verbal communication is the use of words to communicate. It can be used to communicate emotions, ideas, and information. The disadvantages of verbal communication include the possibility of misunderstandings and the difficulty of conveying non-verbal cues, such as tone of voice.

Written communication is the use of written words to communicate. It can be used to convey emotions, ideas, and information. The advantages of written communication include the ability to carefully craft messages and the ability to convey a lot of information in a relatively concise format. The disadvantages of written communication include the possibility of misinterpretation and the lack of immediate feedback.

Nonverbal communication is the use of body language, facial expressions, and gestures to communicate. It can be used to communicate emotions, ideas, and information. The advantages of nonverbal communication include the ability to communicate without words and the ability to convey more than one message at a time. The disadvantages of nonverbal communication include the possibility of misinterpretation and the difficulty of conveying complex messages.

Benefits of Good Communication

Good communication is important for a number of reasons:

1. It helps to build and maintain relationships.

2. It can help to resolve conflict.

3. It can help to improve team performance.

4. It can help to increase customer satisfaction.

5. It can help to reduce stress levels.

Impact of Poor Communication in Personal and Professional Life

Poor communication can have a negative impact on both your personal and professional life. Poor communication skills can make it difficult to express your needs and wants, which can lead to misunderstandings and conflict. In the workplace, poor communication can lead to miscommunication, which can result in lost productivity, missed deadlines, and errors. In your personal life, poor communication can lead to strained relationships and a lack of intimacy.

How to Improve Your Communication Skills

In order to improve your communication skills, you need to be aware of the different techniques that can be used to communicate effectively. You also need to practice these techniques in order to become better at using them.

Some of the different techniques that can be used to improve communication skills include: active listening, nonverbal communication, and assertiveness. Active listening is when you pay attention to what the other person is saying and try to understand their point of view. Nonverbal communication is when you use body language and facial expressions to convey your message. Assertiveness is when you express yourself in a clear and concise manner without being aggressive.

Practicing these techniques will help you become a better communicator. In addition, it is important to be open minded and willing to listen to others. This will help you understand their point of view and come up with creative solutions to problems.

In conclusion, communication is an essential part of everyday life and should be taken seriously. Without it, many relationships would break down, misunderstandings would occur more often, and we wouldn’t have the ability to effectively express our thoughts and emotions. Communication can help us build strong relationships with those around us by allowing us to better understand each other’s perspectives. It also enables us to make decisions quickly in difficult situations while still considering the opinions of others. Taking the time to learn how to communicate clearly and effectively will lead to a much happier life for everyone involved!

Manisha Dubey Jha is a skilled educational content writer with 5 years of experience. Specializing in essays and paragraphs, she’s dedicated to crafting engaging and informative content that enriches learning experiences.

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How poor communication exacerbates health inequities – and what to do about it

Subscribe to the economic studies bulletin, stuart m. butler and stuart m. butler senior fellow - economic studies nehath sheriff nehath sheriff public health consultant - health management associates, former senior research analyst & project coordinator - economic studies.

February 22, 2021

• 14 min read

In the United States, we know that long-standing systemic health and social inequities increase the likelihood of poor outcomes or death for members of racial and ethnic minority groups. For example, Black babies are more likely to die before their first birthday , and Black women are more likely to die from childbirth-related causes than their white counterparts. The COVID-19 pandemic has also underscored the fact that economic and social circumstances , social determinants of health (SDOH), and maldistribution of resources contribute significantly to health inequity.

Many of the more tangible and measurable factors driving inequity could be addressed through a heightened national political commitment to achieving a better balance in health-related budgetary and organizational reforms . But some of the factors are less easy to see and measure – yet are perhaps just as challenging. Distrust and poor communication related to racial and cultural differences pervade the health system and frustrate many efforts to reach the goal of good and equitable care for all in America. All too often, Black patients and other minorities are spoken to rather than talked with; the result is less-effective interactions, less empathy and acknowledgment of concerns, and ultimately, worse outcomes.

Poor communication is a failing of the health system, not of patients. A good health system engages fairly and respectfully with everyone who seeks care, and it recognizes that its patients and plan enrollees come with a range of previous experiences with the health care system, as well as different literacy levels, language fluency, and cultural norms. It is the responsibility of system managers, and front-line providers, to ensure that everything from examination room interactions to provider training is guided by good communication techniques. But while health managers will usually say they recognize the importance of good communication, there remain profound barriers to introducing and implementing the techniques needed to achieve better outcomes and equity.

These barriers have deep roots.

Distrust of the medical system

The medical system has lost the trust of communities of color – and suspicion of this system is widespread in minority communities . A Kaiser Family Foundation survey conducted in the Fall of 2020, for instance, found that far fewer Black adults trust doctors and hospitals to do the right thing most of the time than is the case for white people.

There are grim historical reasons for this distrust , emanating from such episodes as the 1932-1972 Tuskegee Syphilis Study and the forcible sterilization of Native American women throughout the 1970s. Cases like these are widely known throughout and across communities of color and diminish their confidence in the health system.

This history contributes in many communities to a lack of trust in the recommendations and actions of health care providers they view as holding racial and cultural biases. It is reinforced by perceptions by some groups that they are routinely treated unfairly when they interact with the health system, with a much higher proportion of Blacks than whites , for instance, expressing the feeling that it is hard to find a doctor who treats them with dignity and respect. This combination of history and ongoing disrespect leads to many population groups being less likely to follow physician instructions, less likely to access available medical care, and less inclined to heed public health recommendations. In September 2020, a study on race and health conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, for instance, found that half of the surveyed Black adults were not planning to take a coronavirus vaccine, even if it is free and deemed safe by scientists.

Poor communication

Even when there is trust, simple difficulties in communication can pose a significant barrier to good outcomes, disproportionately affecting some population groups. Defining and measuring “good communication” is not easy. The success or value of the same pattern of interaction between a provider and patient can be perceived quite differently by different pairs of individuals. Nevertheless, in medicine, there are several common reasons for poor communications that can affect health outcomes.

Using a professional interpreter, for instance, can still lead to subtle but important information being lost during interactions between immigrant patients and health providers, and can also make it more difficult to establish the close relationship and empathy that aids good treatment and outcomes.

But good communication goes beyond just language. Being sensitive to cultural differences is important even in interactions with a common language – from understanding conventions regarding eye contact to physicians appreciating ways in which lifestyle and culture can influence the relative effectiveness of alternative treatment plans. For success, some experts argue the approach of health providers should be that of cultural “humility” rather than cultural “competence.” However it is viewed, the degree of cultural connection can have profound implications in health care.

For example, a recent study in Oakland , California, found that when Black men were randomly assigned to either Black or white physicians for a checkup, Black physicians were more than 50 percent more effective than non-Black physicians in encouraging Black men to agree to preventative tests and vaccinations. Although they did not offer policy or practice recommendations, the authors concluded that generally achieving that level of “increased screening could lead to a 19% reduction in the Black-white male cardiovascular mortality gap and an 8% decline in the Black-white male life expectancy gap.”

Perhaps not surprisingly, a 2017 review of multiple studies found that “Black patients consistently experienced poorer communication quality, information-giving, patient participation, and participatory decision-making than white patients.”

Medical training

Medical schools and hospitals have been criticized for not focusing enough on communications training, thereby contributing to distrust and poor communication being a common characteristic of medical services. In addition, medical schools have been faulted for doing too little to debunk health stereotypes about different races and cultures, such as pain tolerance and race-related risk measurements in assessing patient conditions – even perpetuating them. One study of medical students found on average that these students endorsed over ten percent of a series of false differences between Black and white patients regarding pain, including differences in skin thickness and sensitivity to pain. Added to this are widespread unconscious racial biases among both providers and patients.

Medical schools and nursing programs have also generally done an inadequate job in training future medical personnel to appreciate and inquire about non-clinical factors in health, such as housing conditions, stress, nutrition, and other SDOH. The health of all patients is affected to some degree by social determinants, but they are disproportionately important for some patients and in some under-resourced communities. While medical students generally learn about social determinants as content areas, too little weight is given to how they should be understood and factored into strategies to assess and address a patient’s needs. For example, among chronically homeless patients, just  finding a safe place  for the patient to stay is often crucial to both improving health and decreasing costly hospital admissions. Yet there is rarely training offered to physicians on how they can help facilitate steps to address such issues.

In practice, most SDOH education is acquired on the job through informal experiential learning in hospitals and clinics. Medical personnel rarely learn effective non-clinical procedures for dealing with social factors affecting the health of their patients.

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Addressing Communication and Cultural Competency in Healthcare

If we are to achieve a more equitable and efficient healthcare system, it will be important to address these communication barriers that impact the operation of this health system. Fortunately, there are strategies available and some progress being made in utilizing them.

1. Enhance medical training

Better training of medical personnel is essential for improving communication between providers and patients. Medical schools have been taking some important steps. One is to amend course material that may inaccurately suggest racial differences in data related to diagnoses and patient reactions to treatment and procedures. At the University of Washington, for instance, medical students successfully questioned race as a coefficient in measuring kidney function . Some schools, such as the University of California San Francisco , are introducing courses for clinicians on how to avoid unconscious racial stereotyping and provides cautions for researchers on how to avoid unintentional bias. In 2016, a University of Minnesota team undertook a lengthy and detailed set of conversations with a diverse group of community members to help reshape medical training to reflect racial factors.

Medical schools have also sought to increase diversity in medical school admissions so that minority patients can more easily find physicians that may connect better with their background and life experience. Diversity requirements were put into place in 2009 by the Liaison Commission on Medical Education and the results indicate some modest improvement . Between 2002 and 2017, for instance, the percentage of Black enrolled students rose from 6.8 percent to 7.3 percent; the proportion of Hispanic students rose from 5.4 percent to 8.9 percent. Much more still needs to be done. But some institutions show what is possible. For instance, 73 percent of the University of Houston College of Medicine inaugural class come from underrepresented minorities in medicine.

Another important step is to educate medical students more extensively on ways in which social factors can influence health conditions. In one example of trying to address this educational need, a group of clinicians and health educators at the University of Pittsburgh developed an SDOH “Fast Facts ” teaching tool: brief, evidence-based summaries of key SDOH topics commonly encountered by clinicians. Combining medical training with a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) that covers social determinants is another way of equipping physicians with valuable skills to address social health factors, but that does require a longer period in training.

Hospitals and health systems also play an important role in the later stages of physician training and continuing medical education. Indeed, given the classroom focus of medical schools, there is generally more opportunity for gaining experience and training in communication during residency. Fortunately, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education now requires residency programs to address factors that lead to health disparities. Johns Hopkins responded in 2011 with a program that, among other things, requires every resident to develop partnerships with neighborhood religious and community groups.

2. Reach out to people and local institutions

Well-trained medical interpreters are important in overcoming the most obvious communications obstacles when medical providers are working with limited-English patients, but that is only one step for some patients and there are several reasons why interpreters are often underutilized or not used effectively. Health systems that are looking seriously at communications barriers also know they must go much further, combining better and culturally sensitive translation services with improved ways to connect more broadly with patients. The nation’s experience with combatting HIV in marginalized communities underscored the importance of working closely with respected local institutions to build trust and a network of support. Learning from such efforts and recognizing its troubled history with the non-white community in Baltimore, Johns Hopkins hospital has organized teams to go into communities and build trust with residents and their leaders, working with senior centers, churches, mosques, and other neighborhood settings. Since 2013 the Mayo Clinic has developed a similar partnership with Black churches in Minnesota, focused on cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions. North Carolina and the Washington, D.C. area are among the places where community clinics are working closely with Black churches to build greater acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination. Trust-building approaches like these are urgently needed to increase the vaccination rate in non-white communities.

Community clinics have advantages over large hospital systems in tackling communications and trust issues because as primary health centers and neighborhood institutions, they are a more integral part of the neighborhood culture and community. Siloam Health in Nashville, Tennessee, has built on this inherent strength by training teams of community health workers to work closely with dozens of immigrant communities, enabling providers to work with patients in culturally sensitive ways. Meanwhile, Mary’s Center , a clinic system in the Washington, D.C. area, has formed over one hundred partnerships with service and cultural organizations to help address social determinants as well as language and cultural barriers faced by its mainly immigrant patients. A critical component of Mary’s Center’s service delivery model is building strong relationships with patients and key community stakeholders. 1

Such efforts to communicate directly to communities and individuals who may be distrustful or skeptical appears to be paying off in areas like COVID-19 vaccination. Thus, while the September Kaiser Family Foundation poll on race and health found that half of the surveyed Black adults were not planning to take a coronavirus vaccine. After concerted efforts using trusted spokespersons and Black medical personnel 62 percent of Black Americans said that will likely get vaccinated by December of 2020 (though still below the white percentage).

3. Use intermediaries

Respected and trained intermediaries can be crucial to building the relationships needed to assure trust, good communication, and often the connections to other social service needs. The frontline community health workers used by clinics and other parts of the health system are critical to this task. As an example, in Spanish-speaking communities, the promotores de salud model creates a link between members of the community and health care resources. While their primary role is linking vulnerable populations to the health care system, they also handle some aspects of case management, as well as language assistance and cultural competence support, advocacy, informal counseling, and building community capacity. The community health worker needs to operate as a member of the whole health team, with all team members sharing their insights and skills. But the cultural knowledge and shared experiences of these intermediaries allow them to deliver messages about available services in a way that community members can understand and trust and are more likely to follow.

Key establishments within communities, such as religious institutions, grocery stores, and even barbershops are effective ways to create trust and relationships to improve health and convey key public health messages. For instance, Health Advocates In-reach and Research (HAIR) partners with Black barbershops and beauty salons in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The shops and salons in effect credential health professionals with their clientele so that providers’ advice is more likely to be followed. Meanwhile, HAIR also trains barbers and stylists to be “Lay Health Advocates” to promote screening and help deliver public health and medical services to the Black community. Similarly, St. Louis University has for many years undertaken a “ Barbershop Tour ” program, in conjunction with the local chapter of 100 Black Men of America, a civic organization and service club, in which nursing and public health students screen barbershop patrons for blood pressure, smoking, nutrition, stress and other factors related to hypertension, and provide guidance on how to reduce health risks. Again, the role of the trusted, credentialing intermediary is critical to the program’s effectiveness.

Lay workers are critical intermediaries that improve communication between patients and the health system, which helps reduce the challenges and frustrations for both patient and provider. Harlem-based City Health Works , for example, imported a model from Africa and India to create a team of lay workers, known as “health coaches,” who go into the homes of patients. They help patients manage chronic conditions, such as diabetes, address social determinants (from housing problems to nutrition and transportation), and act as the patient’s agent with health providers. “They come from the community, with a different perspective,” says a senior local hospital official.  “They speak the language. And they can look in the refrigerator.”

Hospitals, physicians’ offices, and health plans should make greater use of such intermediaries. While an individual physician or hospital may lack the skills and resources to address issues that require trusted relationships, they can partner with organizations that do. Health Leads is a pathbreaking example of such a linking organization. For instance, a discharging hospital physician can write “prescriptions” for a patient’s social service as well as medical follow-up needs, and Health Leads can connect the patient with service programs and mobilize its networks of community-based organizations. Health plans and hospitals are also making more use of partnerships with trusted local community clinics. And COVID-19 vaccination efforts are also turning more to community clinics to address income and racial differences in take-up rates, thanks to their authoritative reputation close relationships with minority communities. Indeed, if we are to achieve an equitable health system, there will need to be strategic federal investments in community clinics and other community-based health services.

___________________

Achieving an equitable health care system requires action on several fronts. Much of the systemic inequity we see in the U.S. healthcare system today is the result of conscious decisions on the allocation of health resources. Those decisions need to be reassessed. In recent years we have become more conscious of “upstream” factors in health, such as housing, education, and other social determinants of health – and we have begun to consider steps to address these factors. It is important to recognize that person-to-person communication is also a critical component of equitable health; it is time for us to address that, too.

• Stuart Butler is an unpaid board member of Mary’s Center.

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Gabriel R. Sanchez

July 3, 2024

“Poor Communication” Is Often a Symptom of a Different Problem

by Art Markman

Do employees complain that your company suffers from a lack of communication? That the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing? Maybe the one doing the complaining is you. Or perhaps, as many companies do, you conducted an employee engagement survey and “lack of communication” emerged as a top gripe.

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Poor Communication Skills Can Lead to Loads of Stress—Here's What to Do

The good thing is that they can be improved

Nuttawan Jayawan / Getty Images

Half Listening, Listening to Respond, Or Not Listening At All

Passive-aggressive communication.

• Aggressive Communication Is Definitely Stress-Inducing"

Healthy relationships can feel so good and even bring us some much-needed stress relief. When communication is open and clear, small problems are dealt with quickly and easily, and the relationship moves on.

Sadly, toxic relationships are totally different. In fact, these relationships can be the biggest creators of stress. Often, toxic relationships (toxic friendships exist too), involve lots of poor communication. When communication is less healthy, stress ensues, small problems can become larger problems and resentment can grow.

At a Glance

Bettering our relationships often starts with working on our communication skills. There are some communication strategies (like tuning each other out) that should be avoided completely and others can make us feel more validated and heard. Implementing healthier communication strategies can improve our relationships and relieve stress.

There are several forms of poor listening, and they all wear away at relationships in one way or another.

A few types of poor listening include:

• Half listening (aka lazy listening) : This is the listening-but-not-really-listening style of someone who isn’t really paying attention but is politely saying, “Uh-huh…uh-huh.” This is only mildly detrimental, but it can damage a relationship when it's one-sided or chronic, and when one partner realizes that much of what they say isn’t really being heard or remembered. This can make a person feel less valued than they should feel.
• Listening to respond : More damaging than lazy listening is the type of listening where an important discussion is taking place and one person is merely waiting for their turn to talk rather than really hearing what their partner is saying. This creates a situation where listening isn’t really happening, therefore, understanding cannot take place. This wastes both people’s time and brings them no closer to one another when personal details are being shared, and no closer to a resolution when done in an important discussion.
• Not listening at all : Perhaps the most damaging form of poor listening is when one person simply refuses to listen or even tries to understand the other side. This happens all too often and creates a standoff situation more often than not.

Why These Types of Poor Listening Styles Stress Us Out

When we aren't listening well (or at all), one partner can easily feel that their time is wasted. Think of how stressful it is when you're venting to your friend but all they can do is keep looking at their phone while you're speaking. That feeling not only sucks, but it's also stressful. Instead of venting, you'll have to spend time asking your friend to put their phone away and listen. Or, you may just give up and not speak about your stress at all. Because what's the use right?

What to Try Instead

We've all been bad listeners at one point or another. But since you're here reading this article, it's clear you're looking to improve—kudos to you!

If you've been called out for half listening or not listening, try to be present, first and foremost, when you communicate.

Use active listening strategies like repeating back what you understand of what the other person has said. Try to validate feelings, and try to be sure you’re truly listening as much as you’d like to be heard. It’s more than worth the effort.

Sometimes, you'll even be stressed and won't have the bandwidth or patience to really listen to someone else. When this happens, it's better if we let the person know of another time we'll be able to chat.

This form of communication can show itself in many ways. One partner can undermine the other by agreeing to do something and then “forgetting,” or seeming to agree, but saying the opposite the next time the subject comes up.

Passive aggressiveness can also show itself through constant disagreement over small issues, particularly in front of others.

This Is Why Passive-Aggressiveness Makes Us So Mad and Stressed

It's been shown that passive-aggressive personality disorder (PAPD) leads to interpersonal stress and dysfunction.

Also, passive-aggressiveness can make us upset because it is hard to address. For instance, it can be easily denied, creating a “gaslighting” situation.

Moreover, when someone is being passive-aggressive with us, it feels as if we're communicating with someone who wants to make us feel bad or doesn't really care about us. Being on the receiving end of this kind of pettiness never ever feels good.

Again, active listening can help here. Assertive communication, where you directly discuss if you have a disagreement or an issue with someone, is also helpful. Using "I statements" (e.g., "I feel frustrated when...") can help others understand how you feel as well.

While this may seem like a conflict at the moment, it actually circumvents long-term conflict by resolving issues as they arise.

If you start to feel like someone is gaslighting you, it may be time to re-evaluate the relationship you have with them.

Hostile and Aggressive Communication Is Definitely Stress-Inducing

Aggressive communication involves overtly hostile communication, including criticism or even name-calling. It devalues the other person overtly, leaving people feeling defensive and leaving no veil over the overt conflict.

This is a form of verbal abuse and is something that no one should ever tolerate in a relationship.

If you or a loved one are a victim of domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential assistance from trained advocates.

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database .

Why Aggressive Communication Can Be So Hurtful and Stressful

 It never feels good to be attacked. Those using aggressive communication tactics are more interested in power and “winning” rather than coming to an understanding. This brings the conflict to a new level and makes mutual understanding elusive. 

If you find yourself on the receiving end of aggressiveness  and can’t get the person to understand your perspective, it may be time to distance yourself and use assertive communication techniques when necessary. Setting boundaries is a must.

If you're communicating with someone and feel as if you're about to say something mean, it's best to walk away and return to the conversation later.

What This Means For You

All of us can benefit from better communication skills and doing so will reduce so much unnecessary stress in our lives.

If you're struggling to communicate in a healthy way, reach out to a mental health professional.

Cohen D, Rollnick S, Smail S, Kinnersley P, Houston H, Edwards K. Communication, stress and distress: evolution of an individual support programme for medical students and doctors .  Med Educ . 2005;39(5):476-481. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2929.2005.02122.x

Laverdière O, Ogrodniczuk JS, Kealy D. Interpersonal Problems Associated With Passive-Aggressive Personality Disorder .  J Nerv Ment Dis . 2019;207(10):820-825. doi:10.1097/NMD.0000000000001044

By Elizabeth Scott, PhD Elizabeth Scott, PhD is an author, workshop leader, educator, and award-winning blogger on stress management, positive psychology, relationships, and emotional wellbeing.

Essay on Importance of Communication for Students and Children

500+ words essay on importance of communication:.

Communication is one of the important tools that aid us to connect with people. Either you are a student or a working professional, good communication is something that will connect you far ahead. Proper communication can help you to solve a number of issues and resolve problems. This is the reason that one must know how to communicate well. The skills of communication essential to be developed so that you are able to interact with people. And able to share your thoughts and reach out to them. All this needs the correct guidance and self-analysis as well.

Meaning of Communication

The word communication is basically a process of interaction with the people and their environment . Through such type of interactions, two or more individuals influence the ideas, beliefs, and attitudes of each other.

Such interactions happen through the exchange of information through words, gestures, signs, symbols, and expressions. In organizations, communication is an endless process of giving and receiving information and to build social relationships.

Importance of Communication

Communication is not merely essential but the need of the hour. It allows you to get the trust of the people and at the same time carry better opportunities before you. Some important points are as follows –

Help to Build Relationships 

No matter either you are studying or working, communication can aid you to build a relationship with the people. If you are studying you communicate with classmates and teachers to build a relationship with them. Likewise in offices and organizations too, you make relationships with the staff, your boss and other people around.

Improve the Working Environment 

There are a number of issues which can be handled through the right and effective communication. Even planning needs communication both written as well as verbal. Hence it is essential to be good in them so as to fill in the communication gap.

Foster strong team

Communication helps to build a strong team environment in the office and other places. Any work which requires to be done in a team. It is only possible if the head communicates everything well and in the right direction.

Find the right solutions

Through communication, anyone can find solutions to even serious problems. When we talk, we get ideas from people that aid us to solve the issues. This is where communication comes into play. Powerful communication is the strength of any organization and can help it in many ways.

Earns more respect

If your communication skills are admirable, people will love and give you respect. If there is any problem, you will be the first person to be contacted. Thus it will increase your importance. Hence you can say that communications skills can make a big change to your reputation in society.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Don’t Go Overboard With Your Point

The conversation is about to express your thoughts. And to let the other person know what you feel. It is not mean to prove that your point is correct and the other person is wrong. Don’t Overboard other With Your Point.

Watch Your Words

Before you say something to Watch Your Words. At times, out of anger or anxiousness, we say somethings that we must not say. Whenever you are in a professional meeting or in some formal place, where there is a necessity of communicating about your product or work then it is advised to practice the same beforehand

Communication is the greatest importance. It is important to sharing out one’s thoughts and feelings to live a fuller and happier life. The more we communicate the less we suffer and the better we feel about everything around. However, it is all the more necessary to learn the art of effective communication to put across ones point well.

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Lack of communication in the workplace: causes and effects

Workplace communication is the exchange of information and ideas within an organization. Effective workplace communication is essential for companies to work effectively and productively.

With great internal communication between employees and employers comes increased morale, productivity, and commitment, especially with employers who spend the time and energy to create open communication lines.

These types of managers quickly build trust among employees , resulting in increased productivity and performance. Employees who effectively communicate with their colleagues and bosses continue to be valuable assets to the company.

Why is communication so important in the workplace?

• It avoids confusion
• It provides purpose
• It fosters a transparent company culture
• It creates accountability
• It builds productivity and growth

Effective communication in the workplace is central to reaching all business goals, as it defines organizational goals and helps coworkers better collaborate with one another. However, not all communication in a business environment is created equal. Some companies suffer from poor communication, resulting in friction, frustration, and confusion.

Poor communication often creates a tense environment where people are not motivated to be productive and not inspired to collaborate. This lack of motivation then affects how employees relate to clients and potential customers, negatively affecting the bottom line. So what is poor communication, exactly, and what are some of the causes and effects of poor communication?

What is poor communication in the workplace?

Poor workplace communication might mean that lines of communication are entirely broken, but this is relatively rare. More often, communication issues occur when there is a discrepancy between what is said and what is heard, whether between colleagues or between an employee and a manager. More specifically, the understanding between two people is not mutual when the person being communicated with misunderstands what you’re trying to communicate.

Here’s an example. An employer sets a deadline for turning in data on Friday, and an employee readily agrees to get the data in on Friday. On the surface, this may seem like good communication. However, the employee might think they have until 5 p.m. to deliver the data when it is actually due on Friday at 10 a.m. This mismatch of deadlines stemmed from poor communication — the information communicated between the employer and employee was incomplete.

What are the causes of poor communication in the workplace?

Poor leadership.

Employees look to business owners and their managers for direction in the workplace. Good communication that starts from the top down motivates staff members to be more productive and innovative. These good leaders clearly communicate objectives, goals, and future visions.

Poor leaders, on the other hand, are often indecisive and unable to inspire their teams. They may be impatient in their communication style, conveying that impatience through their tone of voice, facial expressions, or other means of nonverbal communication.

Poor communication and bad leadership may also stem from managers who lack information themselves. These managers are unable to answer questions or clarify points, so their employees are left even more confused and frustrated than when they started.

Unclear Objectives

Goals and objectives are powerful in business, as they focus attention on achieving desirable outcomes, such as profitability. Profitability does not just happen magically. It requires attentive employees who know what management expects them to accomplish and transparent objectives provide that direction.

If organizations lack clear strategic goals, or if managers are not informed of the tactical objectives their teams are expected to meet, employees will not receive the direction they need. This leads to confusion and frustration. Employees may end up underperforming even when trying their best.

Limited Feedback

Feedback is information that flows to a person who performed an action, informing that person of the results of that action. It is one of the most important forms of communication because it’s where real learning happens.

Effective employee feedback , both positive and negative, provides valuable information for making important decisions and improvements in the future. Top-performing companies recognize feedback as a key step in their continuous improvement cycles.

Without clear testing steps for each iteration and action, feedback will be limited. For example, does a new website form represent a significant improvement over the old one? Is a new product feature significantly easier to use? Without good feedback, employees will not have clear direction for improvement.

Demoralized Employees

When an employee loses interest in their work, they often become disengaged, creating communication problems for the company. Employees who feel demoralized often feel unvalued, unappreciated, and even disrespected despite their capacities and talents. This will often lead to the employee becoming unproductive and irritable, disregarding open lines of communication.

Restoring employee morale may involve reevaluating workplace culture to create an environment in which employees are personally invested enough to work—and communicate—with a good attitude.

Learn 5 Ways to Motivate Disengaged Employees

Cultural Diversity in the Workplace

Diverse work environments have been proven to help companies grow, as they bring in new ideas for greater creativity and innovation. However, one challenge of increasing diversity in the workplace is the potential for poor communication. Different people from different backgrounds relay messages in different ways, with varied nonverbal cues, and the way messages are interpreted will often be different.

What are the effects of poor communication in the workplace?

Unpredictable work environment.

Poor communication causes a lack of predictability and stability within the workplace, leading to an uneasy environment for employees to work in. Employees might not clearly understand their objectives for the week or might misunderstand the process for a project, leading to poor productivity and ineffectiveness at their job. Employees and employers have a responsibility to facilitate an active dialogue in order to create a stable work environment in which employees can do their best work.

Less Effective Collaboration

Collaboration and communication go hand in hand. If employees are unable to communicate effectively, collaboration is very likely to suffer as well. Collaboration in the workplace is important in many ways, from promoting self-analysis to efficient problem-solving. Without collaboration, teams end up working in isolated silos, unaware of the progress and learning that has been achieved in other areas.

Workplace Conflict

The effects of poor communication may cause tensions to rise, resulting in potential conflicts between employees. Although they might not be immediately obvious, these tensions can cause two-way communication to break down even more.

An unwillingness to communicate may cause employees to make the wrong assumptions, resulting in work that has to be repeated—sometimes over and over. Good communication prevents workplace tensions from arising in the first place.

With poor communication, employees may have a harder time meeting expectations and deadlines, resulting in them falling behind. This could leave them with a sense of guilt, embarrassment, or even low self-esteem. This, in turn, can lead to significant drops in job satisfaction and a significant rise in attrition.

Lack of communication between management and employees

Although the lack of effective communication between management and employees can lead to significant frustration, poor communication is rarely intentional. In most cases, breakdowns in communication can be traced back to poor communication skills or simply not having the right communication tools.

Tips for more effective communication in the workplace

Effective workplace communication starts with strong workplace communication skills. The following communication strategies and effective communication practices can significantly improve communication between coworkers.

Active Listening

Ineffective communication often begins when the desire to communicate information is so strong that it overpowers the impulse to listen. Effective teams employ strong two-way communication to ensure that messages are communicated well in both directions.

When a manager conveys information, for example, employees may raise concerns about what they are being asked to do. Managers need to listen actively to those concerns, repeating them to ensure understanding and addressing them directly.

Constructive Feedback

Constructive feedback is the art of conveying feedback that is clear, actionable, and positive. For example, a creative director might say something like this: “I love how you’ve incorporated our brand elements into this design. Let’s make this section here larger to really draw the eye to the focal point. Nice work.”

The first statement is positive, making sure the listener feels appreciated. The next statement provides clear, actionable direction that the artist can easily follow. It will improve the design while also conveying information the artist can learn from. The final statement returns to the overarching message of appreciation, recognizing the effort that the artist has put into the work.

Eye Contact

In oral communication, maintaining eye contact while listening will reassure the speaker that they are being heard. It is important, however, that facial expressions remain calm and open. Eye contact can be perceived as aggressive or derogatory when accompanied by negative emotional cues.

Nonverbal Communication

Eye contact is just one example of the nonverbal communication that makes up a huge portion of the information we take in during face-to-face communication. Effective workplace communication skills involve profound self-awareness of body language and facial expressions. The speaker must be aware not just of the words they’re choosing but of the way in which those words are delivered.

One common misconception is the idea that strong communication is delivered with a sense of force. In fact, remaining calm, even under pressure, conveys inner strength and is a far more effective communication method. A team leader who listens openly and addresses concerns with empathy is much more likely to foster active team collaboration and achieve operational results.

Frequent Communication

To combat poor communication, good team leaders write project descriptions clearly, assign individual tasks fairly, check in regularly to ask how things are, and set aside time each week to address workplace concerns. They also maintain an open-door policy to make sure grievances are addressed quickly and efficiently.

For these leaders, informal conversations, casual interactions, and honest communication often play key roles in their effective communication skills.

How to address poor communication in the workplace

To open communication channels, break down communication barriers, and build more effective teams, conveying key communication skills may not be enough. Company goals and company policies need to be conveyed consistently, across multiple communication channels. Senior management depends on middle management to bridge the gap between strategy and tactics, fostering collaboration and strong communication across every human interaction.

This requires more than good communication skills—effective communication also requires the right communication tools. At the managerial level, this might include project management tools to keep everyone on the same page or video conferencing tools to include remote teams in face-to-face interactions. Effective teams need many types of workplace internal communication tools to foster and maintain employee satisfaction.

For enterprise organizations, company communications present an even bigger problem. Maintaining a strong, vibrant company culture across remote teams in different cities and even around the world requires communication tools that are designed to address these unique needs.

Improving company communications—how to solve poor communication in the workplace

From demoralized employees to workplace conflicts, poor communication detrimentally affects an organization’s productivity and overall workplace culture. Improving communications can prove valuable for any business, leading to increased productivity, higher morale, and a positive benefit to the bottom line.

Enterprise businesses in particular need to prioritize investment in communication for a strong, vibrant corporate culture —including new technologies that can promote and maintain open lines of communication across a widely distributed workforce.

Here at Simpplr, we devote our time to simplifying employee communication , making it easier to connect and align with your employees. Our modern intranet solution opens multiple lines of communication with your employees so you can reach them where they are—in the ways they want to communicate—fostering an open culture of growth and transparent communication.

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Related Resources

Key Communication Styles for Leaders

Enhancing Employee Communication Strategies

Key Insights on Internal Communication Statistics

Effective Communication Strategies in the Workplace

Common Communication Mistakes in the Workplace

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Communication Challenges and Effects Essay

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Communication is a complex process that has a tremendous effect on people’s life. Those who have difficulties with communicating are not fully integrated into the society as the ties in the society are based mainly on communication. Therefore, it is necessary to have communication skills to be a member of the community.

It is also important to understand what communication is and how people communicate. There are two major types of communication, verbal and nonverbal. Verbal communication is based on words. It is crucial to pay attention to the meaning as there can be explicit and implicit meanings. People should be able to decode the meanings to adequately react. For instance, when Ann says that she is going to watch a ‘dull’ movie, her friend, Lisa, can offer to go to the cinema or have a party as Lisa may know that Ann hates watching ‘dull’ movies and simply has nothing else to do. If Lisa did not understand the hidden meaning but simply accepted it as a fact, Lisa would have to stay home and their friendship would not be that strong.

As for nonverbal communication, it involves such signals as facial expressions, tone of the voice, body language and even distance between interlocutors. Nonverbal communication enriches people’s interactions and adds meaning. Thus, although a person can use decent words, it can be clear that he/she is angry if he/she is frowning. It is also important to remember about cultural nonverbal signal. In other words, these are signals used by people of similar cultural background. Thus, hugs reveal affection and Americans can give hugs to people they just met. In China, this is inappropriate as hugs are only for close people.

Admittedly, it is crucial to know all (or at least the majority of) signals especially when people of different backgrounds communicate. It is necessary to understand all the meanings and signals as this will enable a person to respond adequately and communicate effectively.

Admittedly, to communicate effectively, a person should be a good listener. I am an adequate listener. I am always focusing on the speaker’s message and I keep an eye contact and pay attention to nonverbal signals to elicit additional meanings. I always try not to judge the speaker. I believe these are good traits.

At the same time, I feel I restrain from giving enough nonverbal signals when listening. I think such kind of feedback is important for the speakers as he/she is able to see my reaction. To train my skills in nonverbal communication I can read some sources on the matter to learn more about signals and try to be more relaxed during communication. I believe this will help me be more responsive. I also feel I lack for skills in decoding different meanings (especially when it comes to nonverbal communication) when communicating with someone from another culture. Again, research will help me learn more about verbal and nonverbal signals in different cultures. Another weakness of my communication is that I sometimes focus on the major idea and ignore details. It turns out details are often what is the most important in a conversation. To overcome this issue, I simply need to be more attentive.

When I have worked on my weaknesses, I believe I will become a more effective listener. I will be able to elicit all meanings. People will also feel more comfortable when communicating with me as they will see my feedback and they will understand that I am interested in listening to them.

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IvyPanda. (2020, June 18). Communication Challenges and Effects. https://ivypanda.com/essays/communication-challenges-and-effects/

"Communication Challenges and Effects." IvyPanda , 18 June 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/communication-challenges-and-effects/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'Communication Challenges and Effects'. 18 June.

IvyPanda . 2020. "Communication Challenges and Effects." June 18, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/communication-challenges-and-effects/.

1. IvyPanda . "Communication Challenges and Effects." June 18, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/communication-challenges-and-effects/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Communication Challenges and Effects." June 18, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/communication-challenges-and-effects/.