“U can’t talk to yr professor like this…”
Or else!
In a recent New York Times Sunday Review front page editorial, History Professor Molly Whorten of UNC Chapel Hill provided some interesting observations around our college generations’ communication patterns from an educator’s point of view.
It’s not great. As expected in the age of texting rather than talking, in the age of Instagram and Snapchat, and with a generation who has grown up fully immersed in the language of a digital age, students’ exchanges with her (and other professors) has become too casual.
And the kicker is that it is casual to the point of being rude. Professor Worthen posits that the “informality of social media” may play a part in a changing landscape of social interactions – particularly with regards to hierarchy and authority. Moreover, she does a wonderful job of bringing to light how communication style aligns with etiquette; how courtesy and respect go far beyond “please” and “thank you”.
So good communication is not just about giving a good speech. It is not just the key factor to ace-ing an important interview. Good communication positions us positively or negatively with people around us in so many ways. It is part of that critical first impression that matters so much in life.
TNT Communication Training workshops don’t just teach “speech”. All the workshops start with and continually emphasize how a student interacts personally with the surrounding world. That is why we emphasize “non-verbal” as strongly as verbal skill development. Many of the teaching moments in the courses include etiquette concepts – directly and indirectly. These concepts are taught directly with focus on behavior in public (Elevator Etiquette, Cell Phone Dos and Don’ts), and indirectly through a focus on body language and listening skills.
So why do I say “or else!”? Or else that visit to your professor may not be as productive as you may hope!
Click here to read Ms. Whorten’s article.
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