Just how important are effective communication skills? The answer is critically important, especially in the work world. (Keep in mind that these skills are also extremely useful in your personal life.) Many people, including business professionals, often express doubt about the need for good communication skills, believing that whatever communication skills they already possess will serve them well enough. Perhaps that is true if the person's skills are good, but not so much if the person's skills are less so. Having learned how to read and write in school does not necessarily mean that one has nothing left to learn or upon which to improve. Does having "good communication skills" mean you need to use big long words that few people understand? Absolutely not! Use simple words, but use them correctly. Employer surveys consistently reveal the importance of effective communication skills for securing a job, as well as for job performance, career advancement and the success of a business.  Keep it to the point.

Funded in part by a grant from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development administered by the Nebraska Rural Development Commission.