Abstract

“Communication skills” is a term that is often used to cover everything communication-related: from miscommunication to strategies for clarity, verbal and nonverbal expression, online and face-to-face interaction, one-on-one exchanges and large audiences, vertical, horizontal and diagonal hierarchies, and abilities to read, write, speak, and listen. This broad usage has created frustration among managers seeking meaningful upskilling, employees who are unclear about what needs improvement, and consultants expected to deliver comprehensive training within a short timeframe. As one climbs up the leadership ladder, many of these skills appear to be too elementary, yet alternatives for higher level communication skills are few. The challenge in communication training is therefore not simply identifying what skills to teach, but understanding how these skills should be adapted and enacted across different contexts to signal competence. Simply following standard communication rules is insufficient, as competence requires the ability to exercise judgment in how communication is shaped to fit specific situations. Therefore, in this paper, I invite you to view this issue through the lens of professional communication competence, rather than communication skills, which entails three elements: pragmatics, sociolinguistics, and social positioning.