Team Communication
Communication has been around in one form or another longer than any of us could possibly imagine, and in modern times communication has become a highly developed, technical skill that is used by companies, teams and individuals in both professional and personal settings. Communication has become a cornerstone in the building of success. In fact, communication is so important in today’s society that courses have been designed specifically to help overcome communication barriers, enhance communication skills, understand various styles of communication behaviors, learn how to listen actively, and communicate in teams (Niurka 2007). With all the different styles of communication and different types of communicators in a team environment there are likely to be team members that cover the spectrum of both. This is why effective communication is critical to success of a team.
What is Communication
The ability to speak clearly, eloquently and effectively has been synonymous with being educated. According to Niurka (2007), “Many people believe that communication is simply a matter of speaking and listening but that is not the case at all. Communication has more depth than that and it is something that must be learned” (¶1). Most people are born with the ability to talk but must be taught to speak well and communicate effectively. Speaking, listening, and our ability to understand verbal and non-verbal meanings are skills that we develop in various ways. Communication in the most simple of terms is being able to convey your thoughts effectively. According to the American Heritage Dictionary (2006), communication is defined as “The exchange of thoughts, messages, or info ...