Your Competitive Edge: The Art of Interpersonal Communication

Montgomery, Judy K., Communication Disorders Quarterly

In our professional lives in schools, hospitals, private practices, and universities, speech-language pathologists often pride ourselves on being communication experts--but are we? We may know how to diagnose and treat a wide range of communication disabilities, but can we effectively get our message across to our colleagues and families? Raymond H. Hull, PhD, a professor of communication sciences and disorders, audiology, and director of the Center for Research in Communicative Sciences and Disorders in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Wichita State University, has been concerned about this also. For some individuals it comes naturally, but for other persons, it must be formally taught in our university preparation programs. Unfortunately, it rarely is. Hull describes how important interpersonal communication is to persons who work with individuals who need not only education and health care but also to know what we are planning to provide and why. Interpersonal communication is the caring that enables our services to have the effect intended. Ray Hull describes how our universities could include this type of training, and how it might vastly improve our interventions with persons who have communication disorders.

Q: We pride ourselves on being communication experts--but are we really?

A: That is a very good question. I doubt if we are truly prepared to be communication experts. But, of course we are well prepared as specialists in the field of communication sciences and disorders, for example, speech-language pathology and audiology. However, how many of the professionals in our fields have been prepared in any manner in communication per se, perhaps as they were 50 years ago, when specialists in our field emerged (or evolved) out of departments of forensics, elocution, or public speaking? Here I am referring to such areas as public speaking, persuasive speaking, and interpersonal communication. In …

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Publication information: Article title: Your Competitive Edge: The Art of Interpersonal Communication. Contributors: Montgomery, Judy K. - Author. Journal title: Communication Disorders Quarterly. Volume: 28. Issue: 1 Publication date: Fall 2006. Page number: 56+. © 2007 Sage Publications, Inc. COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group.

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