Importance of Communication cannot be denied in all sectors of life.We spend more time communicating than doing anything else. We talk, listen, have dialogues With ourselves, participate in group discussions, interview or are interviewed, and so forth. From birth to death, communication shapes our personal, professional, and social lives.
Personal Values And Importance of Communication.
George Herbert Mead said that humans are talked into He meant that we gain personal identity as we communicate with others. In the earliest years of our lives, our parents tell us who we are. “You’re smart.” “You’re so strong.” “You’re such a clown.” We first see ourselves through the eyes of other, so their messages form important foundations of our self- concepts.
Later we interact with teachers, friends, romantic partners, and co- workers Who communicate their views Of us. Thus, how we see ourselves reflects the views of us that others communicate. The profound connection between identity and is dramatically evident in children Who are deprived Of human contact. Case studies of children who were isolated from others reveal that they lack a firm self- concept, and their mental and psychological development is severely hindered by lack Of language.
Life-threatening medical problems are also affected by healthy interaction With others. Heart disease is more common among people Who lack strong interpersonal relationships. Heart patients who feel the least loved have more arterial damage than those who feel the most loved, and those who live alone are twice as likely to die within a year of having a heart attack. Women with metastatic breast cancer double their average survival time when they belong to support groups in which they talk with others.
Importance of Communication And Relationship Values.
Communication is also a key foundation Of relationships. We build connections with others by revealing our private identities, listening to learn about them, working out problems, remembering shared history, and planning a future. Marriage counselors have long emphasized the importance of communication for healthy, enduring relationships.
They point out the failure of some marriages is not caused primarily by troubles and problems or even the presence of conflict. All personal relationships encounter challenges and conflict. A major distinction between relationships that endure and those that collapse is effective Communication. Couples who learn how to express love and manage conflict tend to sustain intimacy over Lime.
Importance of Communication And Professional Values .
Communication skills affect professional success. The importance of communication is obvious in professions such as teaching, business, law, sales, and counseling, where talking and listening are primary. Many attorneys, coun- selors, business people, and teachers major or minor in communication before pursuing specialized training. In other fields, the importance of Communication is less obvious but nonetheless present. One survey found that 79% of New York City corporate executives ranked the ability to express ideas well verbally as the single most important qualification in hiring and promoting employees .
Health care professionals must communicate effectively to explain medical problems to patients, describe courses of treatment, and gain information and cooperation from patients and their families.
In other fields, the importance of Communication is less obvious but nonetheless present. One survey found that 79% of New York City corporate executives ranked the ability to express ideas well verbally as the single most important qualification in hiring and promoting employees.
Health care professionals must communicate effectively to explain medical problems to patients, describe courses of treatment, and gain information and cooperation from patients and their families. Seventy-one percent of 4,000 human resource professionals who were surveyed said good communication skills are critical to their on-the-job effectiveness . Even brightly technical jobs such as computer programming, accounting, and team design require a variety of communication skills. Specialists have to be able to get along with others, listen carefully, and explain technical ideas to people who lack their expert knowledge.
Importance of Communication And Cultural Values.
Communication skills are important for the health of our society. To be effective, citizens in a democracy must be able to express ideas and evaluate the ideas of others. A routine event in presidential elections is a debate between candidates. To make informed judgments, viewers need to listen critically to candidates’ arguments and responses to criticism and questions. We also need skills in listening to grasp and evaluate opposing points of view that are voiced on issues such as abortion, environmental policies, and health Care reform.
Good communication skills are necessary for effective participation in social lite. To be a good friend, you need to know how to listen sensitively, express empathy, and provide support. TO be a good neighbor, you need social skills that allow you to interact pleasantly. TO be a good member Of the community, you need skills in expressing your point of view and responding to those of others. In pluralistic cultures such as ours, we interact with people who differ from us,and we need to know how to understand and work with them.
Communication, then, is important for personal, relationship, professional, and cultural reasons. Because communication is a cornerstone of human life, your choice to study it will serve you well. To understand what’s involved in communication, let’s now define the process.
