Is Commication a Skill or an Art?, Essay Example

In study, we often encounter words that seem initial difficult to categorize. A classic analogy is that of tomato. Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? The answer lies in its application. If you use it as a fruit, then it is a fruit. If you use it as a vegetable, then it is a vegetable. Similar questions are often raised about many other words. Here, we investigate whether the behavior we label communication is an art or a skill. It seems to be both.

An art is a method of manipulating resources such that they produce meaningful results (Hale 2011). In communication the resource is our voice, both literally and figuratively. Voice itself is a composite resource of many other resources such as our brain, mind, lungs, larynx, tongue, teeth and vocal cords. In the event words are written, the resources are other things like ink, hands, keyboards, paper, emails, and electrons. If the communication is visual instead of textual, then the medium which we use to create meaning can be anything from paint to metal to stone to textiles. This is not an exhaustive list. Art can create meaning from any number of mediums, but the one underlying medium in which all communication must consume is time.

Time is a limited resource. Each of us only has so much of it. In fact, some scientist believe Time itself is finite. When we take this into account, we see that time is the single-most necessary resource of communication in general. It takes time to think about what we want to say even if we seem to just blurt it out. The blurt itself takes some milliseconds to generate. Likewise, if we choose to communicate textually not only is the production of the words themselves time-consuming, but to acquire the resources to produce the writing takes time. When we buy a computer with which we may communicate electronically, we do so with the fruit of our labor, and for most people, that fruit is earned over time. In fact, even if we choose not to make the purchase and put your money in the bank instead, it tends to make at least some more of itself over time.

The importance of this one non-renewable, irreplaceable resource can hardly be over-stated with respect to anything but especially the art of communication since so much of our lives revolve around it. From the time of our first breath we learn to implement resources in such a way that meanings are understood by others – even if those resources are something as simple as a wail or a frown (Morgan 2011). So, communication is the art of creating meaningful symbols that are understood by others in such a way as to illicit a response (although the response could be to ignore you).

Here is where skill comes in. A skill is a behavior that is learned in such a way as to efficiently and effectively promote desired outcomes (Spearhead Training 2009). When we hone the art of communication into a skill, we are presumably more able to create meaning from verbal and non-verbal behavior in ways that reduce the amount of resources while increasing understandings and consequently responses. In other words, a person can produce a slew of images, symbols and behaviors aimed at creating meaning for others to understand and still fail to communicate when they mean (Watson 2011). (Incidentally, many people would see this as a waste of time). A skilled communicator is able to clearly and concisely produce meaningful artifacts that are readily understood by others. A skilled communicator may also do this in a way that increases the probability of a desired response.

Thus, communication is both an art and skill. It is an art because it is an attempt to produce meaning. It is a skill because we can learn to improve the way we do it to reduce the amount of time necessary to successfully reach our audiences.

References

Hale, J.R. (2011). Art of public speaking: Lessons from the greatest speeches in history. Retrieved from http://www.thegreatcourses.com/tgc/courses/course_detail.aspx?cid=2031

Morgan, N. (2011). The art of listening: Three ways to improve your leadership communication skills. Retrieved from http://www.publicwords.com/articles/the_art_of_listening_017.html

Spearhead Training. (2009). The art of communication. Retrieved from http://www.spearhead-training.co.uk/FreeTrainingMaterials/communication-skills.php

Watson, J.L. (2011). Communication. Retrieved from http://jlwatsonconsulting.typepad.com/my-blog/communication/