Improving communication skills at the Lagos Business School

During my time at the Lagos Business School, I am learning to communicate, better.  My reading, writing, and speaking skills have improved considerably, over the last few weeks. I am also applying what I learnt in school at my place of work.

Learning to write better

We do a lot of written assignments as part of the EMBA programme. These assignments have helped me to develop my writing skills. For example, I now plan my writing before putting pen to paper. While writing, I know each piece of writing must have an introductory part. This is followed by the main body and the conclusion.

Good writing requires time, dedication, and attention to detail. I have experienced first-hand how careful editing elevates the quality of my writing. It is quite a humbling process, watching a piece of work evolve from a draft to the final piece of work. The weekly blogging exercise is another opportunity to improve my writing. I actually use it as a means of creative expression. This makes the exercise easier to accomplish.

Formal writing

With regards to formal writing, I am learning to be more concise. I avoid using the passive voice when writing. I also shy away from long, winding sentences. Writing is an important means of communication. Hence, written materials should be easy for the audience to read and understand. Using linking phrases helps to connect paragraphs with different ideas. This makes it easier to follow what has been written. Similarly, I am learning to pay attention to spelling, punctuation, and sentence construction. Learning to write better has been an interesting journey. However, there is always room for improvement.

Presentation skills

My presentation skills have also improved significantly. I have had several opportunities to make presentations. I have also learnt to prepare presentations at short notice. Previously, I thought presentation slides were the most valuable part of a presentation. Now, I know that the presenter is the most important part of the presentation. To have a successful presentation, my appearance and mode of delivery are very important. The content of my presentation is equally important.  Visual aids such as slides or charts help the presenter to communicate complex details to the audience. However, they do not diminish the role of the presenter in any way. Hence, the presenter needs to prepare well ahead of time. 

Transferrable skills

I am grateful for the skills I am learning at the Lagos Business School. I hope these skills will become second nature someday. Our lecturers encourage us to read widely to improve our writing. I hope to find a good book, fiction or non-fiction, to read. It would be refreshing to focus on something other than my course materials for a change.

Finally, I am learning to communicate well. I am grateful for this opportunity. Writing, speaking and presentation skills are valuable in the workplace and beyond. We will improve our writing, speaking, and presentation skills with practice. The opportunities for improvement are limitless. We will strive to get better with each passing day. #EMBA27

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