Communicating and Collaborating

Helen Keller was the first deaf-blind person to earn a bachelor of arts degree and once said “ Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”. Helen truly knew what it was like to work together as a team. She accomplished so many things in her life that had never been done before by a deafblind person, but she could not have done it alone. Helen’s many teachers and followers allowed her to have a voice and contribute her thoughts to society. Sometimes teamwork means saving someone’s life, and for Helen Keller it did. One example I have witnessed communication at my mentorship was when my mentor was interacting with another specialized doctor to solve an issue discovered in the patient. My mentor and the cardiologist communicated in order to help diagnose the patient and create an effective health plan. It is imperative to set a goal to improve your own communication/collaboration skills. Effective communication skills are fundamental to success in many aspects of life. Many jobs require strong communication skills which is also fundamental to success in many aspects of life. I aspire to improve my listening skills. Listening is one of the most important skills you can have. How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness, and on the quality of your relationships with others. We listen to obtain information. We listen to understand. We listen for enjoyment. We listen to learn.The way to improve one’s listening skills is to practice "active listening." This is where you make a conscious effort to hear not only the words that another person is saying but, more importantly, the complete message being communicated.In order to do this you must pay attention to the other person very carefully. You cannot allow yourself to become distracted by whatever else may be going on around you, or by forming counter arguments while the other person is still speaking. Nor can you allow yourself to get bored, and lose focus on what the other person is saying. In conclusion, communication and collaboration are critical skills required in the workplace in order to be successful in your career.