To Talk or Not To Talk

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Okay. Here goes- first article after starting second semester. To people of other colleges it would be nothing extraordinary, but for people of my college who have recently shifted campus to a completely different part of city, it has been a mind boggling task as we are still coming to terms with the fact that we have not a single clue about anything of this place.  As I sit wondering which issue to touch upon, my mind repeatedly keeps on going back to this new course we have this semester known as “Business and Managerial Communication”. Its basically about communication and communicating. Now, to an average person communication is probably interacting with another person, which is an apt definition except for the fact that the value of it is often downplayed immensely.

There is not a single field where communication is not used and where a lot of problems are created due to lack of or miscommunication.

The above statement is not typed just for the sake of it, there is much seriousness to it and if only we give it a thought we shall find that it is actually true. Think about it. But before you stack up examples against it, let us understand what communication actually encompasses. Communication is not just talking to another person in their language but is putting forth your ideas, intentions and thoughts to the other party using words, actions or even sometimes a look. Successful communication is when the other person understands exactly what you mean, which is easier said than done.

In today’s age of information technology, reaching out to people might have become easier with a plethora of apps and quick modes of conversation available out there in the market but effective communication is as elusive as ever. People are talking. They are constantly on their phones sending texts, making calls, snapchatting and what not but whether they are effectively conveying their thoughts is another matter altogether.

We are the gadget generation. We have seen everything from those bulky CRT TVs to 3D HD LED TVs, from huge stereo players to smart Bluetooth speakers. We are internet savvy; we are interacting with almost thousands of people through the World Wide Web and are constantly in touch with loved ones via Whatsapp, hike messenger and all that. But what are we communicating? Are we getting to know the other person better or knowing something about ourselves? (This was the role of effective communication in the first place) Isn’t our mind getting more distracted with the constant pings and alerts?

Yes, we can’t avoid technology and it will be foolish to even try to do so. But can we improve upon the quality which we are putting out? Most definitely.  Rapes would decrease if families are able to communicate the value of women in society to men. Nations would have better relations if they are able to convey the betterment of the world and their countries to each other. Relationships would improve if we just reach out to the other person.  If we just communicate.

Coming back to the point, we have the above mentioned course this semester which is supposed to teach us about good communication and related skills. Seeing that we are almost in a no network zone it will be interesting to see how this new course develops us to become better communicators and thus understand ourselves and the world better. Let’s hope for the best and see how it turns out.

About the Author 

sonakshiSonakshi Faujdar

Sonakshi is a first year law student at Symbiosis Law School, Pune. She completed  her schooling from CJM Convent St. Anthony’s Junior College, Agra, where she was  the Head Girl of the student council. Her interests include reading, writing and  debating and she enjoys good music, appreciates humour, thrives on sarcasm and  generally annoys the hell out of her friends (that last bit is unintentional, well most  times anyway). Currently, she is experiencing and surviving through the first year  of law school and is extremely excited about the opportunity to share her views on the platform provided by Model Governance Foundation.

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