“Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.” -Buddha

Communication involves a combination of various skills and abilities that allow for fostering mutual understanding. While it is important to be able to effectively communicate your message both verbally and in writing, it is just as important to develop active listening skills, read and understand body language, and be able to look at situations in larger contexts.

I have a skill in being able to read a room and decipher the best way to communicate with the people present. When I enter a room, one of the first things that I do is try to understand how I will best communicate with those who are present. For example, if it is a group of my peers at an L-Team meeting, I tend to have a more laid-back and fun attitude. I will joke around with them and allow myself to let loose because it helps those members feel more comfortable and open up during meetings. However, if I walk into a room of professional staff members for a conference committee meeting, I know that I am representing the LEAD Office and must maintain a professional attitude(though that never means I can’t have some fun). Finally, if I enter a meeting with any higher administrator such as the dean of my college, I know that the meeting is highly professional and that I must communicate in that manner. Having this flexibility and awareness has helped me cultivate strong relationships with those that I encounter.

Public speaking continues to be an exciting but nerve-wracking experience for me, and I am not sure that I will ever lose the pre-speech nerves. However, I have been given many opportunities while at Mason to work on those skills and speak as a representative of organizations, student groups, or the larger community. At the beginning of my sophomore year, I was invited to speak at the New Student Convocation as the President of the Class of 2016. In attendance at this event was the President of George Mason University, Angel Cabrera, other high level administrators, many of my peers, and the nearly 3,000 freshmen who had just come to Mason the day before. Recently, I was also chosen as the student speaker at the George Mason University Campaign Kick-Off. I was asked to share my story with over 100 of Mason’s biggest donors and highest administrators. This event not only required me to have confidence in public speaking, but also challenged me to professionally navigate meeting these various administrators and donors one-on-one. I have also spoken during the Leadership Mason Conference, events run by the Office of Student Media, events for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, all student staff Housing Meetings, and other large-scale events. These opportunities have developed my courage when speaking in front of others and have given me the practice necessary to be a strong public speaker.

During my time in the LEAD Office, I have been able to develop my understanding of communication as much more than speaking. As someone who is often able to step up and speak out in a situation, I have been challenged to actively listen to my co-workers, supervisors, teammates, friends, etc. when discussing new ideas or planning events. I have found that it is important to be able to sit down and listen to the perspectives and opinions of others in order to decide the best course of action or to understand where someone may be coming from. Being able to communicate your feelings is important, but it is just as important to understand others.

There have been many opportunities for me to develop my communication skills during my time here at George Mason University. I feel comfortable in my ability to present myself effectively to many different people while also listening to the perspectives of others, but continue to take opportunities that allow me to grow in this manner.