On December 16, Schoolcraft College Police Chief Steve Kaufman, visited our Fundamentals of Speech class, taught by Dr. JuJuan Taylor, as a guest speaker. He informed us about how communication effectiveness is required within any professional arena. The Chief shared inspirational and honest advice about how to succeed with excellent communication skills, specifically, for that all-important (after earned degree is in hand) job interview.
Chief Kaufman also shared a few interesting stories about his own personal professional journey into law enforcement leadership, and made clear that communication plays a huge role in where he is today.
One example Chief Kaufman shared was about a professor he had while in college, who wore an outfit that looked like an old-fashioned sheriff one day to class and that he talked for a long time. He stated that the outfit was on purpose, but appearances can be deceiving. A strong impression was made in the first few minutes due solely to the outfit, but as time passed, Chief Kaufman and his classmates, started to lose interest in the professor’s lack of professional speech techniques in speech delivery (eye contact, voice colors, clear articulation, professional posture, voice projection, professional ‘smile sharing’). This story was particularly inspiring and an excellent reminder that effective communication skills cannot only happen, or be expressed, verbally, but physically as well.
Capturing the audience’s attention, and holding that attention, takes multiple skills. Dressing appropriately, showing up on time, doing research on the company you applied for requires the mastery of excellent communication skills (which in all reality, is the golden ticket into the ‘professional world’).
Chief Kaufman reminded us that in important job interviews, how you speak and what you wear, demonstrates that you take the interview opportunity, seriously, and you are prepared for professional responsibilities you might potentially have.
Overall, Chief Steve Kaufman was a brilliant and inspiring guest speaker to end our semester with. It was a great idea that our Communication Arts professor, Dr. JuJuan Taylor, invited Chief Kaufman, to wrap up the dynamics of communication excellence.
Thank you, Chief, for taking time within a very busy work schedule to inform us of advice that will be useful for our time in college, our first job interview, but also to our professional career in the future.