Daily News & Analysis: Global Head of Cognizant Academy Makes the Case for Communication as a Strategic Imperative

“Effective communication forms the cornerstone of successful businesses,” writes Hariraj Vijayakumar. “With businesses no longer defined or separated by geographical boundaries, the realm of business communication too has undergone a significant transformation. Today, it is not just about confidence, but also about credibility.”

He observes, “What add to the demands of effective business communication in modern-day enterprises are the challenges stemming from the global and ever-more complex nature of businesses: working virtually, overcoming cultural barriers to win and sustain client confidence, consuming and interpreting enormous volumes of information, driving negotiations and fostering agreements across disparate stakeholders, motivating teams, tiding over the diversity of languages and accents, and listening to verbal and non-verbal cues.”

Each of these challenges, he adds, takes on very complex dimensions when it comes to working with geographically dispersed—and often unseen—coworkers, partners and clients. This arrangement entails a new kind of work dynamic, where the real skill is not just communicating effectively, but also avoiding miscommunication.

“Developing business communication skills must be a broad-based activity,” he suggests. “Every individual has a unique style of communicating, which makes a one-size-fits-all approach ineffective. We should focus on grooming core skills in keeping with professional and personal aspirations of an individual. Effective business communication is no longer just a choice, but a strategic imperative.”

Click here to read more.