SPEAKING OF COMMUNICAITONSusan Young
Top managers and business leaders are recognizing and acting on an upward trend in corporate America and society. Each year, corporations and growing businesses invest millions of dollars in training programs to improve work systems, technology and the employees who use them. The technology explosion in the past ten to fifteen years has led many managers to budget for these initiatives. They focused on the machines and how people can learn to interface with them. With that, and a new generation of young employees the so-called Generation Y, born after 1982 the obvious need for communications between human beings is now being recognized and is being taken more seriously. And rightfully so.
The shift is on.
Communication, specifically interpersonal communication, has long been regarded as a soft skill that has taken a back seat to the information technology boom and subsequent training projects.
More and more companies are seeing the value of skills such as listening, verbal and nonverbal communications, and building rapport. Many are feeling the repercussions of having turned their focus to other areas like IT with little left for low-tech people skills.
Earlier this year, I provided a full-day training program on communications and motivation for sales and marketing directors at a major hotel chain. Following the training, I followed up with the national manager who had hired my company. He said that listening skills, customer service and critical thinking are major concerns in the competitive hospitality industry as well as in many other industries and markets. They all impact the bottom line.
Somewhere along the line, someone took their eye off the ball.
In addition to the onslaught of technology, retiring Baby Boomers, and Gen Yers entering the workforce has brought significant gaps in communication. These communication gaps are just starting to be addressed.
A recent study conducted by Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University found that Gen Yers are more narcissistic and have a strong sense of entitlement; that they lack compassion and empathy. The study also found that Gen Yers, with an average age of around 25, favor self advancement over teamwork.
This noticeable disparity in the work ethics, values, beliefs and habits of the various generations that now make up the workforce requires that we enhance and educate employees and managers in communication skills.
The Gen Yers are very intelligent but they learn differently than people ten and twenty years older. This coupled with the "me" attitude" often results in challenging communications dynamics in basic day-to-day interactions and conversations. Bridging these gaps through training programs and educational opportunities is a much needed tool for success in today’s business world.
In the competitive business climate that we are a part of, the core communications skills of listening, connecting with people and being focused remain priorities for management and leaders. It’s nice to see that many more companies have gained an understanding of the intrinsic value of communications training and education. It’s all about the human factor.
Susan Young is the president of Susan Young Media Relations, Inc. and Get in Front Communications. The companies provide public relations, mass media and interpersonal communications services to businesses, non-profits and professional associations. Ms. Young is a member of the National Speakers Association and is a certified practitioner in Neurolinguistic Programming. She is a frequent presenter at professional meetings and conferences. Call (732) 613-4790 or visit www.sueyoungmedia.com. Send an email to admin@sueyoungmedia.com.