why effective communication is important in today's business?

The short answer to the title question is critically important. As an instructor of business
communications at the university level, I hear the question – and skepticism – about the
importance of effective communication skills every semester. Many students, as well as some
business professionals often express doubt about the need for good communication skills. Often
they feel that whatever communication skills they already possess should be adequate. Perhaps
that is true if the person’s skills are good, but not so much if the person’s skills are less so.
Having learned how to read and write in grade school and high school does not mean one has
nothing left to learn or upon which to improve.

Employer surveys consistently reveal and emphasize the critical nature of effective
communication skills for securing the job in the first place, job performance, career advancement
and success, and the success of the organization (Guffey). Managers are leaders. Leaders need
good communication skills. Take a few minutes to check out job postings for professional
positions (online or hard-copy newspapers, job posting Web sites, company Web sites, etc.). Do
you find that most of them require good communications skills? The answer is most likely “yes.”
The one consistent competency required for positions in a wide variety of businesses and jobs is
those good communication skills, both written and oral. Some postings specify excellent
communication skills.

Effective communication is essential to any business. A company whose employees are able to
express ideas and information clearly and accurately to customers, clients, co-workers,
managers, shareholders, the community, etc., creates trust, a professional image, better business
relationships, and thus a more successful business (Business Communication; Canavor). All
people in business – employees, managers, CEOs, owners – have an advantage with good
communication skills.

A great deal of business is conducted through exchange of information. That information must
be accurate, as well as easily and clearly understood by the reader or listener. Easily and clearly
means keeping the writing SIMPLE. This concept will be explored in other blogs. One of my
“rules of thumb” (or perhaps “dictates” may be more accurate) is that the writer’s job is to make
sure the reader understands the material clearly the first time he or she reads it. Avoid making the
reader go back to reread. Remember some of those textbooks that made us students reread each
paragraph three, four, five times or more to understand what the writer said? We’ve all
encountered those beasts at one time or another. When you are writing, always keep that
frustrating experience in mind. Be kind to your readers. Make reading what you’ve written easy
for your readers. Keep it clear. Keep it simple. Keep it to the point.

Before anyone panics, remember that good communications skills are learned. No one is born an
excellent communicator. Let me repeat: Effective communication is a learned skill. Anyone can
learn the skills to communicate well, in both written and oral messages. I learned; that fact means
you can do it, too.