INTERVIEW WITH MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT LAURA KOSMERL
| April 23, 2018 | Written by: Torie Lynn | FaceTime Interview |
Recently, I had the opportunity to interview MSU alumna and management consultant, Laura Kosmerl. Laura is a Chicago resident who worked around 20 years in the healthcare field, then became a “selection consultant” at a different company for a number of years, and now works as a freelancer. The purpose of this interview (a class assignment) was to network, practice professional communication, and gain advice. I asked Laura a variety of questions ranging from her time at MSU to how uncertainty affects career decisions. Though each of her responses taught me a great deal, I was most intrigued by her thoughts on communication,
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I began by asking Laura: “On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being the highest) how important do you think effective communication is in the workplace?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, she responded back “10!” with a sense of enthusiasm I did not expect. When I asked why she rated it so highly she said that in order to explain her answer she’d first need to explain what her definition of communication was. Her definition of communication was best displayed through the following quote she cited:
“Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” -Steve Covey
Like Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Laura’s definition of communication is one based on knowing when it is time to listen silently, and when it is time to speak. This goes along with listening not only to words being spoken, but to the underlying message of these words.
Laura continued by saying that when working with others, it is important to understand their definitions of communication. This allows you to communicate with them in a way they are comfortable with. Then, it is important to figure out what the purpose and goals of your interaction with them are, so you may both work together to achieve those goals.
A Turning Point in Laura’s
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(according to Laura)
1. “Go to your professors’ office hours.”- Laura described the importance of trusting that professors are a resource there to help you. She also stressed the importance of building relationships with these professors. This can be done by not only asking them questions about their subject matter, but talking with them about your future, their experiences and letting the conversation take its course.
2. “Take advantage of career resource centers.”
3. “Reach out to professionals in your field.” – Talking with as many professionals as possible allows you to speak to others with real-life experiences. This allows you to see themes and patterns, which helps you put things into perspective and know what things really matter.
4. “Join professional organizations.”
5. “If possible, get a mentor.” -Although Laura reached out many times seeking a mentor/mentee relationship, she was never successful. But this disillusionment has not translated into discouragement. Laura is still a strong advocate for having a mentor and believes many things can be learned through this relationship.
Laura’s other large piece of advice revolves around
By knowing the purpose of communication, you’re able to understand each other and know how to respond. Effective communication also solves difficulties, while identifying solutions along the way. It also helps you to learn how to respond in certain discussions, whether you are talking with a prospective client or a company you need to gain specific information from, the purpose needs to remain clear so you can complete this task.
Why do people really need to have a mentor? People lose family members every day and it can be very heartbreaking. I think having a mentor will help you in life and help you get through anything. In the article, “We lost Mom this week, but not before she showed me how to live”, Sam Mellinger, the author, his mother guided him to become a better person and taught him so many things. This essay portrays a clear picture that the necessity of a mentor is the development of a person’s character.
When I communicate with individuals in my career field, it is important that communications are understood the first time to prevent the need for additional clarification due to any
I now understand the audience's perspective, needs, and intelligence is crucial for effective communication, fostering positive feelings towards oneself and the organization. Applying these concepts entails conducting a thorough audience analysis, tailoring messaging, putting the "you attitude" into practice in both content and structure, and utilizing inclusive language and positive emphasis. Overall I have fully grasped that putting the viewpoint and values of the audience first makes communication more relevant and engaging, which helps to foster goodwill and reputation-building in a variety of settings. Another key lesson from BUS100W is how to craft a comprehensive cover letter and resume. I learned a great deal about organizing and effectively presenting my professional experience, abilities, and successes through these components.
Communication is essential in education, training and everyday life. It's a means by which a thought is transferred from one person to another. Effective communication occurs when the intended meaning of the source and the perceived meaning of the receiver are virtually the same, Schemerhorn (2005).
Communication is something we all humans use. Communication “is the sharing of information between individuals by using speech”. People have ways of communicating some have their weaknesses in conversations and others have their strengths. When I communicate with others I feel that some things I say I do not verbalize right. I have two strengths and three weaknesses in my communicating. My three weakens in my communication are, check nonverbal feedback, to make people wrong and recognize that people understand information in different ways and my two strengths in my communication are being flexible, and take responsibility for the communication.
Communication is the process of conveying information to each another using words, actions, or by writing the information down to be read by another person. Communication is something that most people do at some point each day, and is an important part of life especially in a working environment. “The concept of communication is an essential part of every profession, and it is required to foster and maintain healthy relationships”( Jasmine, 2009, para. 1).
The first skill for managers to understand and practice is communications, because it is the foundation for all actions in the workplace and it allows the supervisor or manager an opportunity to build relationships with the overall workgroup without alienating anyone in the work environment (Roper, 2005). As a manager it is very important to be able to communicate effectively. As Robert Kent, former dean of Harvard Business School has said, “In business, communication is everything” (Blalock, 2005). The Wisconsin Business School Alumni Association recently reported that managers spend 75 percent to 80 percent of their time communicating (Blalock, 2005). Communication skills are critical for success in an organization. Successful managers communicate to where their targeted audience understands (Froschheiser, 2010). Managers need to give positive and negative feedback to their employees to let them know their strengths and weaknesses and where they n...
Communication is the key to partnership and humanity as a whole. As I work in a kindergarten through eigth grade school I come into contact with a lot pf people. I find communicating faily easy. As I had conversations with all personnel listed in the assignment I have realized that I enjoy talking with others.
One way to be a competent communicator is to be aware of things that can affect the way you communicate. For example, your environment. Personal experiences and your personal cultural background can affect the way you think about others, which can resultantly affect the way you communicate. While you might think something you do is right and ethical, while another person might find it wrong and unethical, or vice versa. This can make communication more of a challenge or impossible. One way to eliminate this problem is to try to be more understanding to someone’s background, to put yourself into their shoes and to understand that everyone has different backgrounds and different ways of perceiving what is right and wrong. It is important to remember that people from different backgrounds often can share enough common ground to make an effective relationship which can lead to effective communication.
Many young people just need to be motivated and given a fair chance at success. Young people need mentors to help them find their way and to help them stay focused. Mentors play an intricate roll in your lives and are sort of liaisons between your parents or guardians and your educators.
“Communication is defined as the giving or exchanging of information through oral, written or non-verbal means” (Blais & Hayes 2016), and
The effectiveness of one’s communication can significantly impact one’s ability to initiate, develop, and maintain personal, therapeutic, and interprofessional relationships. According to Casey and Wallis, “Without it, people cannot relate to those around them, make their needs and concerns known or make sense of what is happening to them,” (2011, p.35).
Nathan also commented that I was really good at articulating the responses to the questions. Therefore I was amazed by the comments I received from the interviewer and the observers. I felt like I could have been even better if I overcame my
One of the main aspects in communicating is listening. An effective listener is one who, not only comprehends how the speaker feels but, also understands what they are stating. Building a strong connection between the speaker and the listener is one of the first steps to become a good listener. By building this connection speakers should first be in an environment with open minded listeners, it makes them feel more comfortable to state their opinions, feelings and ideas. Listeners should avoid being judgmental. The individual does not have to agree with the ideas, values or opinions of the speaker; however, to fully understand them, one must put aside their criticism. Speakers will believe that they can trust the listeners with their information when they know that they will not be judged. Miscommunication happens frequently, listene...