Sharing Effective Communication Skills With Ngee Ann Polytechnic Students

It’s good to be back at LT73C. Following the overwhelming response from last year’s talk on the same topic is the refreshed edition of ‘The Art of Conversation’ for the students of Ngee Ann Polytechnic from the different academic schools such as engineering, business and film & media studies. I call it the refreshed edition because the materials are updated, revised and even more interesting.

From the steady stream of students who entered the LT, it was evident that many had signed up with their friends or classmates. With the numbers coming in fast and furious, the seats were soon filled and some students who walked in after the communication talk had started had to resort to sitting on the stairs of the LT.

No man is an island. We do not live in isolation. Like it or not, we are always surrounded by people around us. And because of this, knowing what to say, how to say and when to say it are the key tenets of a good communicator.

Some people say they will never have the chance to stand on stage to train or speak in front of a group. But do you know communication is more than just this?

In the broader sense of the word, just take communication to mean a “conversation”. A conversation is between two or more people who are all stakeholders in the outcome. I call them stakeholders because if we talk, both you and I are responsible for the outcome. If all goes well, we will continue the conversation on a deeper level and it strengthens our relationship. If the outcome turns out not to be what we had expected it to be, then it’s time to reexamine the individual elements in the conversation.

Creating a shared reality is the fastest way to build rapport with others and ensure a meaningful conversation. This can be achieved by understanding and practising various communication styles, learning the right type of communication style for the occasion and creating win-win situations through effective communication.

Taking a leaf from the grooming world, one super useful tip I demonstrated to the Ngee Ann Poly students was for them to craft topics from the way one dresses. Incredulous as it seems, this is an art in itself. I have a gift of profiling people easily and accurately. Using this gift, I shared with the students how easy it was to create a decent conversation from observing how my target dresses.

If you would like to learn how to master the art of effective communication, drop me an email today.