Effective Communication

Considering the past courses that I have taken here at Walden, I have had the opportunity to hear several professionals share through interviews their past experiences within their profession and I was impressed by the knowledge that they expressed in their areas of work. They were not only good communicators, but also were confident in what they shared. They did not give the impression that they were better than anyone else and always expressed the importance of sharing their knowledge with others, but also shared the importance of listening and learning from others as well. I remember reading an article about effective communication and about it being more than just an exchange of information. Effective communication is also about understanding the feelings behind the information being communicated. Through effective communication, we can improve relationships whether it is at home or work by strengthening connections to others and improving teamwork, decision-making, and problem solving.
One professional that I always enjoy hearing from is Louise Derman-Sparks. I love to hear her share her passion and love for learning and working with parents and their children. She demonstrates care and concern for the overall wellbeing for all involved. She also shows that she is a good listener when communicating with her parents and colleagues. I think that she models some very good behaviors that would be beneficial to all when considering effective communication skills.