Incorporating Interpersonal Communication into Accounting - Case Study Example

Incorporating Interpersonal Communication into Accounting Introduction Interpersonal communication is virtually important in every professional field. Without effective communication, information cannot be passed from one unit to another. Interpersonal communication moves from just mere person-person or departmental exchange of information to the formation of relationships that can ensure that the process through which message transmitted is effective. According to Collins (2009: 59), communication is a contingent process that is dictated by various factors or circumstances. For instance, the nature of communication a mother would have with her daughter is different from that an employer would have with a staff. The nature of their relationship will determine what kind of communication they will have. Nevertheless, good communication skills are needed in every sector of the society if prosperity and peaceful coexistence are to be achieved. In the professional bodies such as accounting, interpersonal communication is certainly to ensure a good coordination and free-flow of information from one department to another and amongst individuals. However, there has been a puzzle on how best interpersonal communication can be incorporated into accounting. This essay seeks to explore some of the ways this can be best done. Interpersonal communication can facilitate efficiency in accounting if well incorporated. Accounts are professionals whose jobs are flexible and can operate in almost every cranny of the society. They are dynamic and elastic. Every sector of the economy needs an accountant to execute the tasks related to bookkeeping, auditing, cash-related activities among others. This implies that the environments in which the accountants will work vary depending where they found the job. It, thus, becomes essential they learn the skills and knowledge of how to adapt and live with the diverse challenges they are likely to face. The need to develop effective ways of communication and equip with sufficient skills of decision making rises if one is to succeed. Ballantine and McCourt (2009: 388) claim that besides the technical knowledge and skills that accountants acquire in their classes, they should be skilled on how to achieve better through their interactions. It may be accomplished if only they get armed with good tools of communication and relationship building. Evidentially, not many institutions have curriculums that have an integrated course on interpersonal communications offered to accounting students. DeVito (2009: 144) highlights that most of the contemporary education systems are particularly oriented toward equipping students with specific skills that relate to their areas while overlooking vital elements such as communication, decision-making and problem-solving and critical thinking. Most educators have focused on technically training accounting students with the expectation that they will meet the employer’s demands while ignoring communication. Whereas communications and other generic skills might not bring money directly to the students after graduation, the roles they play out in the fields in their daily activities are massive (Littlejohn & Foss 2009: 161). As a matter of fact, accountants need to communicate with one another and with the clients or customers to best transact their businesses. In cases where the accounting students are not taken through the vital aspects of effective interpersonal communication, they end up getting in troubles of miscommunications while in practice; something that can negatively affect their careers as well as their social lives (Littlejohn & Foss 2009: 121). There is rising need to integrate interpersonal communication studies or program as a mandatory course for accounting students will help improve communication in the accounting fraternity; from accounting students, instructors, researchers to the general population. Metts (2014: 451), proposes that since effective communication founded on a healthy interpersonal relationship has proved to be beneficial in the business arena, training students in colleges or even high schools would be the most effective way to provide a remedy to this issue. The accounting curriculum can be blended to incorporate teachings on communication skills so students may grasp the expertise needed to be a good communicator. This will certainly have profound impacts on academic performances, as well as their future career when they commence work (Sheldon 2010: 97). To make this practically possible, first, time should be created when the students can have interpersonal communications study session. It should be constituted and time-tabled as one of the classes offered. Once this is done, students should be alerted about the inclusion of this new program in their course. It is expected that probably some students are likely to be surprised how this ‘unrelated’ program will benefit them. However, the instructors should be able to inform them about the vitality of this in their future careers as accountants. It is necessary that the learners are introduced to the program reflectively and insightfully so they may get to understand why learning interpersonal communication is important to them. According to Metts (2014: 452), a good orientation to a course enables a student to develop positive attitudes towards the lessons. They are supposed to be shown that learning interpersonal communication is not necessarily meant for passing exams but to enable them acquire practical skills they can use in the field. This way, they will shift their minds from mere of academic conceptions to practice (DeVito 2009: 120). Significantly, it is important that interpersonal skills be enhanced through group interactions. Sheldon (2010: 101) argues that interpersonal skills are practiced and not learned. This implies that putting the learners through activities that pragmatically promote their skills in communication and relationship building would see them gain desire and confidence in interpersonal communication. Both classroom communications and out-of-class interactions are important in facilitating the acquisition of these skills. The teacher or instructor in charge of this should be able to oversee this so that at least everyone in class interacts with one another including those whose personalities keep away from interaction. This can be attained by constructing a favourable environment that exposes the students to new experiences and people. For instance, bringing new instructors and allowing the students to interpersonally interact with them. At the end of it, students will gain massive trust in people and a sense of identity hence promoting their overall social wellbeing (Daff 2013: 568). It is also recommended that accountants at their workstations should be trained in interpersonal communications. To enact this, seminars as well as the conventions where staffs can be trained in how best to ensure interpersonal communications should be organised. According to Berger (2014: 130), seminars, conventions and training programs are, in most cases, construed by the employees as rewards and most would be willing to participate based on this attitude they have toward it. A good management that values its human resources should be able to organise at least some of these training programs to improve the relationship within the company. Issues to do with money are very critical in firms, and unless there is a good coordination between different departments, companies stand a great chance of making huge losses. If the executive board can effectively communicate with the accounts department, it becomes possible to ensure accountability and transparency in the company. The accountants’ morale and motivation for work also increase when they can discuss some of the personal issues affecting them with other colleagues or even their bosses. All these can only be brought about when the accountants have mastered the art of effective interpersonal communication (Ballantine & McCourt, 2009: 388). Consequently, to incorporate interpersonal communication in accounting requires a review of the work ethics of organisations that have accountants within their workforce. Interpersonal communication should be a value and a norm that describes the culture of an organisation. It is necessary that every organisation should focus on enhancing this through making it a core value that guides professional practice in organisations (Ballantine & McCourt, 2009: 389). For instance, in the code of ethics, professional relationships and healthy communications should be emphasised so that the workers can take it with the seriousness it deserves. The management should also be able to create an environment that promotes the spirit of brotherhood or sisterhood so that everyone may feel they have a responsibility for the other. This will make it easy for individuals to for strong bonds with each other thereby improving the quality of their communications. Eventually, a chain of interpersonal professional relationships that facilitate good communication will be created. Conclusion Interpersonal relationship is very essential in accounting because the specialty is profoundly dynamic and involves working in varied environment. Having accountants who can communicate with the diverse people they interact with on a daily basis more interpersonally would facilitate efficiency in their operations. As demonstrated, the best way to go about instil interpersonal communication skills amongst accountants is integrating the study in their accounting course. Students will be able to grasp these skills and by the time they go out, these abilities shall have been grounded on the deeply. Also, it is important that organisations, where accountants work, should recognise the significance of these skills and offer training. Moreover, including interpersonal communication in the code of ethics would further be advantageous in rooting these skills in this profession. References Arnold, E. & Boggs, K. (2011) Interpersonal relationships, St. Louis, Mo., Elsevier/Saunders. Ballantine, J. and McCourt, P. (2009) Accounting Undergraduates Perceptions of Cooperative Learning as a Model for Enhancing their Interpersonal and Communication Skills to Interface Successfully with Professional Accountancy Education and Training, Accounting Education, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 387-402. Berger, C. (2014) Interpersonal communication, Berlin, De Gruyter Mouton. Collins, S. (2009) Effective communication, London, Jessica Kingsley. Daff, L. (2013) Accounting Students Reflections on a Course to Enhance their Interpersonal Skills, Accounting Education, vol. 22, no. 6, pp. 563-581. Daly, J. & Knapp, M. (2010) Interpersonal communication, London, SAGE. DeVito, J. (2009) The interpersonal communication book Boston, MA, Pearson/Allyn and Bacon. Littlejohn, S. & Foss, K. (2009) Encyclopaedia of communication theory, Thousand Oaks, Calif, Sage. Metts, S. (2014) The Future of Teaching Interpersonal Communication, Communication Studies, vol. 65, no. 4, pp.451-455. Sheldon, B. (2010) Interpersonal skills, theory and practice, Santa Barbara, Calif, Libraries Unlimited. Read More