The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines communication as “the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else” (“Communication.” Communication – Definition for English-Language Learners from Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary). It is something that we do every day in order to survive. Nowadays, a lot of our communication is done behind a screen. Technology has given us many ways to communicate without physically being there to talk to others. Many people are able to work or even talk to family and friends from the comfort of their own home. The technology we have today gives us endless opportunities. The intent of this paper is to discuss why social skills are so important for today’s society which is surrounded by all types of online communication. While social media allows us to network, meet, and discuss with people online, it contributes to the lack of social skills that people need in today’s society such as non-verbal communication, face to face interaction, and expressing emotions which builds one’s character. This essay will show how these social skills cannot be shown genuinely in the online world. Firstly, the importance of non-verbal will be explained, then face to face interaction and lastly expressing emotions. All three of these arguments will be linked back to how they cannot be used or shown in the online world and why they build ones’ character.
Non-verbal communication also knows as body language, is a very important skill to have because it allows you to communicate without having to say anything, which is impossible to do online. When we talk to someone, we need to use body language to make the intent of your spoken message clear because sometimes we are unable to deliver a spoken message by itself without showing some kind of body language such as gesturing or showing a facial expression (Nashar, Khaled. “The Importance of the Body Language in Business.”). It is important to know that body language has different meanings in different cultures. For an example, “In the United States and Canada, INTERMITTENT eye contact is extremely important in conveying interest and attention. In many Middle Eastern cultures, INTENSE eye contact between the same genders is often a symbol of trust and sincerity however, between opposite genders” (Nashar, Khaled. “The Importance of the Body Language in Business.”). Some examples of non-verbal communication are posture, eye contact, gestures, facial expressions, and touching (YourDictionary. “Examples of Body Language.”). Non-verbal communication cannot be shown in the online world because there is no face to face interaction. Technology like Skype or FaceTime allows you to see someone on your device, but it is most likely that you and the other person can only see each other’s faces, not bodies. It is very unlikely that you someone would show their whole body while video chatting because it would be unnecessary. Since we cannot see what a person is doing when they type or say something online, it is hard to understand what they really mean. Emotions like sarcasm and anger cannot be shown online since these emotions are expressed through voice and appearance. This all ties into how non-verbal communication builds someone’s character. Body language brings out character because many people rely on their body language to send messages. For an example, you can tell that someone is normally a serious person if the always stand up straight and their arms are always crossed. The same thing goes for when you can tell if someone is an anxious person. They can have their fingers in their mouth and they could be pacing back and forth all the time.
Proper face to face interaction is something that people should excel at in order for people to get a better understanding of what you are trying to say, and so that you can understand what the other person is also saying. “…if you’re not physically in the workplace, you keep yourself locked away in your office, or you choose email to communicate over the phone and face-to-face interactions, you’re not going to be as connected with your colleagues as those who understand the importance of face time. A sense of community comes with the ability to interact and socialize, and this sets the foundation for trust, and ultimately better working relationships” (Baker, Megan. “The Importance of Face-To-Face Communication in the Digital Age, AIB Official Blog.”). Non-verbal communication also ties into face to face interaction because we look at body language when we communicate with someone. “Face-to-face communication also helps to build collaborative environments that inspire and energize employees to participate in meetings, brainstorming sessions and more” (Baker, Megan. “The Importance of Face-To-Face Communication in the Digital Age, AIB Official Blog.”). That means that being in a face to face environment can motivate you to participate in more social situations. “Whether you are providing specific feedback to a staff member or addressing an issue with a colleague, much can be misinterpreted or lost when communicating via technology. Focus on your desired outcome and prepare by considering the mindset and possible reactions of the one you will be communicating with. This can help to turn a challenging conversation into a trust-building interaction” (Baker, Megan. “The Importance of Face-To-Face Communication in the Digital Age, AIB Official Blog.”). It is much easier to talk with an employee about a sensitive issue face to face instead of online because the employee could mistake you for being rude instead of just trying to clear up an issue in a professional manner. Miscommunication is very common in the workplace nowadays, so it is always better to communicate in person. Talking to someone face to face online is possible, but it is not the same as talking to someone in person. When we talk online, it’s easy to get distracted and hide our emotions. When we communicate face to face, we can see what the person is doing and we can get a vibe from that person. We don’t get that sense of someone actually being there when we communicate online. It feels more like talking to a robot rather than an actual person. Face to face interaction helps build character because it allows you to express yourself in person, not online. If you communicate with someone via email, you cannot tell what kind of character the person has because you don’t get that sense of personality you would get if you spoke face to face.
Social media does not allow us to express our emotions which is an important thing to do since it can show how we are truly feeling. It is easy for people to hide their emotions on social media by the way they type, or even by covering up how they actually feel with emoticons. “When we choose to bury our feelings, we act differently. We may not make ourselves available to others and may withdraw, or just not be fully engaged when we do spend time with other people. When you express how you really feel (in an appropriate manner), problems get solved, relationship issues get resolved, and life is easier” (Goldsmith, Barton. “Don’t Bury Your Feelings.”). For an example, an employee could be really upset about an incident that happened at work and write an email to their manager about it. The manager may see the email as just a regular email, but in reality, the employee was really upset about the incidence but could not express it with just typing. “Other times we need to express our pain and sadness, and many people are afraid to do so because they fear that once they get started, they may not be able to stop” (Goldsmith, Barton. “Don’t Bury Your Feelings.”). An example of this can be when an employee is too scared to tell their manager about how they feel about something so they email instead of expressing how they feel. It is hard to express our emotions online since a lot of physical factors play a role in expressing how you feel. For an example, when we are upset, we cry, when we are angry, our faces turn red. There are a lot of other physical aspects connected with emotion. If someone is upset and they are texting another person, they can hide how they feel with an emoticon. They can put a smiley face to cover up that they are actually sad. Expressing our emotions is really important when it comes to building character because the emotions we feel contribute to the kind of people we are. For an example, a person that is always worried can be seen as an anxious person. If that person only communicates with email, other people may not even know what kind of personality the person actually has.
All in all, when it comes to building character, the main thing you would want to do is to show and express how you really feel. Non-verbal communication, face to face interaction, and expressing emotions not only help build one’s character, but they also help with the success of a business or company. “Entrepreneurs’ social skills—specific competencies that help them interact effectively with others—may also play a role in their success” (Baron, R. A., and G. D. Markman. “Beyond Social Capital: How Social Skills Can Enhance Entrepreneurs’ Success.”). The intent of this paper is to explain the importance of social skills. The importance of non-verbal communication and how it is needed to get a certain message through was explained; the importance of face to face communication and how it allows you to get a better understanding of what someone is trying to explain was explained; and the importance of expressing emotions and how it allows to show what we truly feel was explained. These three aspects all connect to building character because they allow you to see the qualities of a person. It is a hope for many that these social skills will still be practiced in the future. Although technology makes it easier for individuals to communicate, it does not give quality to what is said.