Competent Communication Involves Communication Skills

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Having exemplary skills in one area does not make someone competent overall: your mechanic may work wonders on your car, but that doesn’t mean he can fix your computer. The same idea is true for great communicators: a politician who delivers a great speech may falter during a debate, a press conference, or an interview. A social worker who conveys instructions clearly to her staff may have trouble clarifying her points during a meeting with the hospital board.

Communication skills are behavioral routines used to achieve particular goals (such as asking for a raise, maintaining a relationship, or working on a team). People who are judged as incompetent in some situations often don’t know that they are unskilled; their inflated image of themselves seems to block their awareness (Dunning & Kruger, 1999). For example, suppose you see yourself as a great team player. During the evaluation at the end of a class project, you’re surprised to learn that your teammates see you as “bossy.” This feedback suggests that although you may be good at leading a team, you’re less adept at working alongside others as an equal. The lesson? You may need to master some new communication skills to be a competent group member. In fact, having a number of skills increases your behavioral options, thereby boosting your odds of success in communicating with others.