🧱 Foundation: Professionalism and Communication

Communication is a fundamental yet often overlooked skill—central to all human interaction.

It underpins every module in this Resource and has far-reaching impacts, from building trust and resolving conflict to job fulfillment and career growth. Poor professional communication can lead to job dissatisfaction and career dissonance or limitations.

What three key elements significantly shape communication other than the actual content of your message?

Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal cues—such as facial expressions, posture, gestures, eye contact, and personal space—play a powerful role in how messages are received.

While estimates vary, nonverbal communication is widely recognized as a significant component in how we interpret messages. 

Paraverbal Communication

How something is said matters as much as what is said. Tone, pitch, speed, and volume all shape the interpretation and impact of messages in professional interactions.

Human Elements

Communication becomes more complex when factoring in:

• Cultural norms, beliefs, values, and slang
• Neurodivergent approaches
• Personal values and upbringing
• Gender, emotions, perceptions, and personality
• Context (e.g., crisis vs. casual, manager vs. employee)
• Generational differences (e.g., Boomers to Gen Z)
• Distractions like noise or information overload

The following video summarizes what can negatively affect communication and some ways to prevent this from happening.

How miscommunication happens (and how to avoid it) - Katherine Hampsten (TED-Ed, 2016) (4:32)

Communication Essentials

Professional relationships are built through trust and respect. To strengthen your communication approaches:

• Avoid assumptions. Stay present, curious, respectful, and ask open-ended questions.
  
• Be consistent. Align your words, paraverbal cues, and nonverbal expressions to convey a consistent message, essential for collaboration and career growth.
  
• Practice radical listening (Heneghan, 2015). Listen with empathy and engage with open questions.

Zenger & Folkman  (2016, P. 4) identify six levels of effective listening:

• Create a safe space for open, emotional, or complex dialogue.
  
• Eliminate distractions and give full attention—this influences both perception and presence.
  
• Understand content by asking clarifying questions and paraphrasing.
  
• Read nonverbal cues—80% of communication is visual 
  
• Recognize emotions and respond with empathy and non-judgment.
  
• Challenge assumptions and offer perspective, without dominating the conversation.