Vizier works with around 120 students yearly on their graduate school applications or on improving their communication skills. We work with civil servants, private workers, startup founders, and businesses. This allows us to understand more about people. Although Vizier did not initially plan to emphasize communication skills as a part of our class curriculum, it has become a significant aspect of our approach. Over the past two years, Vizier has gained traction not because we teach English or act solely as education consultants but because we excel at helping people communicate effectively.
In school applications, we assist students in articulating their visions and demonstrating how their backgrounds align with their goals. Additionally, we help them establish a common ground and a shared vision with the institutions to which they are applying. During mock interviews, we help our mentees build confidence in their applications and manifest this confidence to the panelists. In Fluency classes, we help learners shift their focus from grammar to effectively communicating their thoughts. In Study Abroad Program classes, we teach students to write effective academic papers, ensuring they can convey their meanings in a scholarly and formal style. On our business communication coaching, we help people to become proactive and assertive in their goals, fulfilling their aspiration to become better leaders. Our approach focuses on how to become a better super-communicator.
When I initially built Vizier’s mentorship program, I chose what many would consider the most inefficient way: one-on-one sessions. Despite opportunity to create a group mentorship program for efficiency and scalability, I followed my instinct and focused on private classes first. I wanted to deeply understand my mentees, their decisions to apply for schools, their obstacles, their needs, and especially how to connect with them. I want to become adept at enabling individuals to clearly understand and convey their identities, aspirations, inspirations, and ambitions. Come to think of it, getting them to their dream schools or scholarships has never been my main drive; getting them to understand their purpose and to communicate is. When this is achieved, schools and scholarships are easy to reach.
The same perspective applies to our business communication coaching program. I aim to move beyond addressing language barriers to focusing on communication barriers. I have come to understand that once someone identifies their communication barriers, language becomes a smaller fraction of their concerns.
Listening with Empathy: The Crucial First Step
The graduate school and scholarship application timeline can be described in one word: PACKED. Those who have been through this process understand that it is tedious and stressful. I never sugarcoat this process to my mentees; during their onboarding, I emphasize the importance of strict time and energy management. I work with amazing and ambitious individuals; however, during the process, I have noticed distinct characteristics that emerge in those who succeed in this grueling path.
It turns out that it is not someone’s achievements that become the biggest aspect of success, but their ability to listen. Those who can capture the nuances of application dynamics through conversations, networking, and research are the ones who listen carefully. When asking for timeline and application suggestions, they come prepared but are also ready to receive feedback and make dramatic changes if necessary. They understand that their enrollment in this mentorship program is to gain perspectives that sharpen their applications, not merely to seek justification for how they want to be seen.
Furthermore, I gradually combined my one-on-one mentorship with community involvement. We created an additional study group class as a bonus, allowing mentees to work on their applications together. Through this group activity, I can observe how people interact with one another. Those who are “super-listeners” are also willing to learn from others. They take notes, integrate feedback, and respond to others’ concerns with support and helpfulness.
Therefore, the most crucial skill for grad-school preparation is listening with empathy. By listening, we understand others, but by listening with compassion, we build stronger relationships. We can better perceive other’s pain points through stronger relationships, improved communication skills, and more personalized strategies. Furthermore, excelling in empathetic listening encourages curiosity about others’ perspectives, resulting in increased communication proactiveness. As they continue to be proactive, they also become more story-sensitive, understanding which parts of their profile need further highlighting in their applications. These characteristics lead to sharp applications that make them stand out in the application pool.
In Business Perspective
We live in a time where good communication skills are super crucial for personal success. Leaders who don’t use their communication abilities to their benefit miss important opportunities. On the other hand, leaders who communicate wisely and set the tone for discussions tend to succeed. For example, Barack Obama’s speech in Philadelphia will be remembered for a long time, and he will be remembered for delivering it. This speech addressed the issue of race in the United States and was given during his campaign; leaning toward the audience and crafting stories based on empathy is a good strategy.
In 2019, Brand Genetics released several insights on the importance of empathy in business. They found that empathy significantly impacts various aspects of business success. For instance, empathy boosts creativity by allowing individuals to see from multiple perspectives, which is crucial in product innovation.
Despite its importance, many business leaders have an empathy deficit, with only 40% possessing proficient empathy skills. The “80:8 rule” indicates a significant discrepancy between companies’ perceptions and consumers’ experiences. Specifically, 80% of companies believe they deliver a superior customer experience, while only 8% of their customers agree (Brand Genetics: 2019). This rule highlights the empathy deficit in many businesses, emphasizing the gap between brand intentions and consumer realities.
Final Takeaway (And A Note To Myself)
However important, active listening skills and empathy are aspects of communication that require time to develop. The journey to mastering these skills requires a dedication to ongoing self-improvement and a readiness to adjust based on feedback and new insights. Developing empathy and active listening demands both practice and patience. It entails being fully present in conversations, posing open-ended questions, and contemplating what is being said without rushing to judgment. It also involves being willing to alter one’s perspective when presented with new information. This method can foster deeper connections and more meaningful interactions, whether in personal, academic, or professional contexts.
A (V) in Writing: 