Learning does not stop once you have your diploma. It is a continuous process of evolving in gaining more knowledge or else you might be left behind. You need to keep yourself constantly updated since the competition out there is quite tough. You have to constantly re-assess your capability, your strength and weaknesses and do something about it. If you think, you’re lacking in some areas of your capability then, you better find time to improve on that part, such as your ability to communicate.
A good communicator have good grasp of his choice of words. Be it verbal or in written form. There are people who have great ideas but cannot convey their message clearly because they lack the necessary words to express them. Whereas, there are other people who are bold enough to use big words whenever they make conversations for want of being said that they are intelligent or smart when they don’t know the meaning of those words. What more the proper usage of those words that when put into context of a sentence could prove to be hilarious or disastrous.
So what to do?
1.Take stock what you have in store-make an inventory of the words familiar to you and you’ll find that you got only few words on your sleeves that’s why you are redundant at times. Make a list and find their synonyms and proper usage. Dictionary, particularly the new editions could show how and when to use those words. Even the proper diction when delivering it through conversation, be it in ordinary circumstances or otherwise.
2.Read anything that will help expand your vocabulary-I doubt if there are people out there who would have the patience and time to read the dictionary like the way they read their references or favorite book with much enthusiasm. In lieu of dictionary, read books with words you haven’t come across before. Even newspapers, especially the broadsheets could provide you of those words. Words that you usually hear in the business environment and read in official documents. Try to guess the meaning of those words based on the sentences where you found them. My favorite adviser and English teacher back in high school would instruct me to try deciphering the meaning of the words on how they were used in the sentences and paragraphs before letting me grab my dictionary. Deductions she said helps exercise brains.
3.Compare all the reading materials you have in-hand-or readily available to you. Analyze it, how and when they were used. You will notice that, for every field of studies there are words that specifically used only for them. Take for example, bull, to common people; once they saw this in the newspaper would think literally, it is an animal, even if they find it in the business section. When bull in stock exchange means the price of stocks is going up. Or bear for that matter means the price of stock is going down.
4. Make a list-of all the hard words you will meet along the way, once you start to really read. I mean, not skimming your books or journal but understanding the contents of the topics you may find in them. Find the definitions in the dictionary. You could post it in your cubicle at work, your organizer or bedroom. Parallel to this, my brother have this habit before whenever memorizing mathematical formulas to post it in every wall in the house so that whenever his eyes stray into another wall, he would still see the list thus it enable him to easily remember it. You could do the same with your own list of new words.
5. Practice-makes it perfect. Believe me; I heard this many times before. But the wisdom behind it never fails to amaze me. How would you learn if you’re not going to use those words? Incorporate it in your communications? Use it when writing to your friends and ask feedbacks from them. Ask those people who are good in communications, even your former English teachers to criticize your handy work. In this way, you’ll be reminded to use the words properly. I remember one of my favorite aunt’s attending physicians who said that it’s easy for him to absorb his patients’ cases and diagnostics and make his own, from mostly those who have been turn-over to him in short notice if it was discussed to him than just reading the patient’s chart and laboratory results and analysis.
6. Don’t hesitate to ask-anyone who you hear using words quite new to you. Or anyone who writes technical papers and documents in your office the meaning of those words and to what it was intended. Remember, Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman movie? Well, she learned more from asking and able to memorize it quickly when she didn’t hesitate to ask for help or wasn’t disheartened to ask the hotel’s corsage to repeat to her the terms he used to make it clearer for her.
7. Anyone who wishes to learn more-should be humble enough to accept criticisms and use the words to whence they were properly taught. Stubbornness will block your brains from expanding more and accommodating words that may improve your vocabulary. There are designated words and terms for every field of business and studies. What terms used in information technology could not be used in your daily and ordinary conversation with friends or family. There are rules to follow in using them to prevent confusing you, your reader or listener.
8. Sure, you’re excited to use your new words-but don’t use it in a hurry but succinctly. Do it step by step, one day at a time and don’t be complacent in just one list. Make it a habit. Be it a start of more reading and enhancing your vocabulary. You’ll see that it also gives you confidence and help boost self-esteem. You’ll no longer feel petrified and shrinking whenever you may find yourself in the midst of conversing with people in your office or people from the international community. You can now hold your end of the conversation without fear of not being understood or ridiculed.
9. Make reading a habit-believe me it’s worth it. If you develop this habit and it became a daily part of your day-to-day task, then you wouldn’t surely slack to continue what you already started. Like all my professors in English and Literature, as well all the guest speakers in the workshops I attended to would say, “read, read and read”.
You’re not out there just to leave an impression. But to make yourself more easily comprehensible, your message clearly understood by your listener or readers, it also an improvement and progress not only for your resume but in your personality as well. *****
