THE lack of communication skills is one of the attributes often associated with Malaysian graduates and this, in turn, affects their employability.
Recently, even athletes found themselves in the spotlight for not being able to carry themselves well due to their lack of communication skills.
Young doubles shuttlers Choong Hon Jian and Mohd Haikal Nazri, despite securing two consecutive titles at the end of last year, faced ridicule on social media for not taking the lead in speaking during a live television interview in India on Dec 10.
Weighing in on the topic of effective communication, two participants of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team share the challenges they have faced and their journey towards achieving progress.
For updates on the BRATs programme, go to facebook.com/niebrats.
‘Practical experience freed me’
“WOULD you like to share your thoughts?”
This question once haunted me, a reminder of my struggles to articulate my views effectively.
I would freeze up, uttering only a handful of words before taking my seat and wallowing in the pool of ideas that I failed to express.
Unless prompted, I had minimal participation in discussions because any form of presentation was panic-inducing to me.
I saw it as a debilitating result of my introversion, hindering even my ability to connect with my peers.
While I initially believed my introversion was unique, over the years, I have come to realise that most students face similar struggles.
As students, we are constantly reminded of the importance of communication; yet, the education system lacks emphasis on the practical aspects of honing our speaking skills.
At times, students are discouraged from speaking up due to the strong power dynamics within the system, depriving us of opportunities to express our thoughts.
Entering college marked a significant transition for me. Having to adapt to a Mandarin-speaking environment after being accustomed to English and Malay intensified my social anxiety.
My first physical presentation remains painfully memorable – despite countless practices, my anxiety showed in my shaky voice to the point that my classmates asked if I was crying.
Though it was a traumatic experience at the time, I can now share the story with a light heart.
What helped me move past that was taking the initiative to venture into business beyond my comfort zone, and immerse myself in an environment conducive to my personal development.
Venturing into the world of business as a student served as a stepping stone to gain practical experience and expand my interactions beyond my usual circle of peers.
In the presence of individuals with diverse backgrounds and professions, I was struck by the reality that my perspective had been so confined as a student.
The professional environment enriched my journey in developing effective speaking skills, filling the gap left by the education system, which lacks practical dimensions.
I learnt to articulate my ideas concisely, with the unwavering support of mentors and business partners who constantly encouraged me to speak up.
Through my trials and errors, I discovered that the core of developing effective speaking skills lies in critical thinking, which involves active listening, analysis and adaptability.
Prior to delivering a message, active listening shows our interest in fostering genuine connections. It is through a clear understanding of others that we can provide appropriate feedback to keep the conversation going.
Analytical skills come into play as we delve deeper into the topic at hand. This allows us to identify key elements within the conversation and understand the dynamics of the interaction. As analytical speakers, we can convey messages naturally, resonating with the audience’s needs.
In addition, adaptability is crucial as we must learn to navigate diverse contexts by adjusting our tone, language and level of formality. This flexibility enables us to tailor our messages to match our audience’s preferences, keeping them engaged and encouraging responsiveness.
Months after stepping out of my comfort zone, I have observed improvements in my speaking skills. I now exude confidence to the extent that people find it hard to believe I was once an introvert who shied away from social interactions.
My journey from a reluctant speaker to an effective communicator is a testament that our potential is often confined within the classroom walls.
To students who relate to my struggles, I highly encourage you to expand your experiences beyond the academic setting.
Be it through part-time jobs or extracurricular activities, you will find yourself exposed to more practical situations that sharpen your speaking and communication skills.
Not only will it enhance your resume, but your articulation skills will also become a defining aspect of your personal branding. – By CHARIS CHIANG EN-HUI, 21, Kuala Lumpur
Building self-confidence
“THEY’RE so cool!”
This thought popped up whenever I saw people expressing themselves well, be it on the television screen or in real life.
I admired people who had great communication skills – they always seemed to carry themselves well and had an alluring presence. They were also the type of people I wanted to become.
However, overthinking was my biggest hurdle in communicating effectively when I was younger. I had no problem holding a conversation with one or two people; it was in large groups that I faltered.
Despite my enthusiasm for talking before an audience, I would make wild assumptions about what people thought of me.
As a result, there were occasions where I became too anxious and blanked out if I slipped up or made a mistake. I tried too much to read the room and overanalyse the smallest reactions other people gave.
Despite this, I was still dead set on becoming like those people I admired.
I noticed that I learnt better by observing other speakers. Hence, I watched videos of speakers online and took note of how they carried themselves before an audience.
Different speakers had different ways of expressing themselves but over time, I observed one thing all of them had in common: huge confidence, even in the presence of a large crowd.
With that in mind, I focused on building my self-confidence.
I pushed myself out of my comfort zone by joining activities such as volunteering, storytelling competitions, and tutoring other students in subjects I was good at.
In group activities, I took the initiative to start conversations and break the ice.
Other than that, I talked to myself in front of the mirror, despite it being awkward at first, practising pronouncing my words clearly and pacing my speech right.
I also spent my time around people who encouraged and supported me in what I wanted to do.
As my self-confidence grew, so did my communication skills. I worried less about what people thought of me, and focused more on the topic or message I wanted to deliver.
Other habits and mannerisms for speaking developed along the way as I learnt to use the right tone, maintain eye contact, and use hand gestures to visualise my words.
Of course, I still slipped up on occasion when I talked. However, I learnt techniques to calm myself down and prevent a blank-out whenever I made a mistake.
For example, whenever I stuttered or misspoke a word, I would pause, take a deep breath, and count to three in my head before I continued.
It kept my anxious thoughts at bay and in that way, I could finish whatever I wanted to say without any further difficulties.
I would say my communication skills developed the most in college. During that time, I joined a student body that handled events, such as open days.
I took on various tasks alongside other members, which included giving campus tours to prospective students.
Conversing with families of various dynamics and personalities pushed me to find the best ways to interact with different types of people and keep them engaged in conversation.
I’m now comfortable striking up a conversation with strangers, speaking before a large audience and interacting with people from different backgrounds.
There’s still room for improvement, but I’m proud of the progress I have made.
One of the most important things in developing your communication skills is to first be comfortable with yourself.
It’s not about striving for perfection; it’s about having the courage to take the first step, learn, and try over and over again. – By NUR AISYA SHASMEEN, 20, Selangor
With the theme of the article in mind, carry out the following English language activities.
1 Create a poster featuring three tips for effective communication, drawing inspiration from the experiences of the two BRATs writers. Do this using words and pictures from today’s newspaper and then gift the poster to a friend for motivation
.2 Record a video message to one of the BRATs writers expressing how you relate to her journey in achieving effective communication. Have a friend assess your video and provide feedback.
The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) programme promotes the use of English language in primary and secondary schools nationwide.
For Star-NiE enquiries, email starnie@thestar.com.my.
