Speech 321: Academic Journal Review
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April 1, 2014
Interpersonal Communication In the article titled “Succeeding as a CEO”, published May 2012 in Toastmasters Magazine, written by Dave Zielinski, he discusses the continued need to always improve on interpersonal communication skills. Many people often think that once they have learned a new skill they have mastered it. However, interpersonal communication is a life-long skill that takes practice to learn, practice to improve, practice to enhance, and practice to maintain. Author, Dave Zielinski interviewed CEO Milo Victoria of Omnitrans. Milo Victoria, CC, always considered himself to be a good communicator. So, as the CEO of Omnitrans, a public transit agency serving California’s San Bernardino Valley, he was surprised to find himself struggling at times when delivering presentations as he took the helm of the organization. When an Omnitrans board member suggested in an early job evaluation that he join Toastmasters, Victoria took him up on the advice. Victoria knew the ability to communicate in clear, confident and compelling ways –– both in formal group presentations and when interacting informally with co-workers –– would be essential to his success as a CEO. His work in Toastmasters eventually helped him eliminate “crutch” words when speaking. It also helped him craft a smoother delivery and become a more confident and polished presenter. However, Victoria did not anticipate was how sharpening his interpersonal communication skills through Toastmasters would help him hone other skills crucial to his job in leading an organization that employs 650 people and carries 15 million passengers each year. I agree that learning and developing interpersonal communication skills is a life-long learning process. Effective communication can improve relationships at home, work, and in social situations by deepening your connections to others and improving teamwork, decision-making, and