The fourth session of the Communication for Society Training Seminars, organized by the Faculty of Communication at Üsküdar University with the aim of sharing academic knowledge with the public, was successfully held. Emphasizing that personal branding is shaped not only by appearance but also by an individual’s identity, values, behaviors, and communication style, Assoc. Prof. Özge Uğurlu Akbaş underlined that a personal brand is not limited to outward appearance or popularity alone.
Assoc. Prof. Akbaş stated: “Just as we, as consumers, trust certain brands blindly and remain loyal to them, a personal brand is also built on trust. What we say, the messages we convey, our communication design, and our behaviors are all part of our personal brand. A personal brand is not a single element, but a whole composed of identity, perception, action, and consistency.”
As part of its mission of social contribution and science communication, the Faculty of Communication at Üsküdar University held the fourth session of the Communication for Society Training Seminars. The online seminar, titled ‘Effective Communication: The Power of Communication in Daily Life’, attracted strong participation.
Communication is a conscious, strategic, and designed process
The speaker of the seminar was Assoc. Prof. Özge Uğurlu Akbaş, Head of the Department of Public Relations and Promotion at the Faculty of Communication, Üsküdar University. In her talk, she emphasized that effective communication is not limited to speaking, but is a conscious, strategic, and deliberately designed process.
Pointing out that viewing communication merely as message transmission is insufficient, she said: “We communicate, we speak, we try to express ourselves. However, communicating and communicating effectively are not the same thing. To communicate effectively, not only what we say matters, but also how we say it, when we say it, and which words we choose. In fact, communication itself needs to be designed.”
Healthy communication is based on being a good listener
Assoc. Prof. Akbaş emphasized that the core of effective and healthy communication lies in the ability to be a good listener, noting that common listening mistakes weaken communication and must be recognized.
Highlighting the importance of questioning whether we are truly good listeners, she described the most frequent listening mistakes as follows: “Do we interrupt others while they are speaking? If interrupting becomes a habit, it definitely needs to be addressed. Of course, intervention may be necessary in certain situations, but when it becomes routine, we can no longer speak of effective listening. Another widespread problem today is looking elsewhere during a conversation. In the digital age, most of us have a phone or a distracting screen at hand. Checking a phone, messaging someone else, or mentally not being present during a conversation are clear signs that we are not good listeners.”
Addressing the power of words, Assoc. Prof. Akbaş stated that language produces not only meaning but also emotion. She noted that negative language creates resistance in the listener and emphasized the importance of constructive and inclusive language: “Expressions containing negativity often generate resistance. Saying ‘Please do not talk’ instead of ‘Let’s please be quiet’ strengthens cooperation and compromise in communication. This is because words do not only convey meaning; they also generate emotion.”
Emphasizing that face-to-face communication remains the most effective form of communication despite all digital possibilities, Assoc. Prof. Akbaş also highlighted the critical role of timing. She stated that even the right words can lose their impact if delivered at the wrong time, and that effective communication requires considering the questions of “what,” “how,” and “when” together.
Feedback is essential to effective communication
Drawing attention to the importance of body language and feedback in the listening process, Assoc. Prof. Akbaş noted that speakers understand whether communication is progressing effectively through the feedback they receive. “The speaker understands whether their feelings and thoughts have been conveyed through the feedback they receive from the listener. This acts as a confirmation mechanism. When we provide reflective feedback through body language while listening, such as ‘Yes, I understand’ or ‘Is this what you mean?’, the speaker feels that their message has been accurately received. Feedback is indispensable for effective communication,” she said.
She also pointed out that hearing only what we want to hear is one of the main problems in the listening process: “Listening selectively and ignoring the rest is a very common mistake. In everyday language, we might call this ‘hearing only what suits us.’ This attitude is a significant indicator that we are not good listeners. Preparing to speak instead of listening, thinking about our own defense, or being mentally elsewhere does not reflect a healthy communication profile.”
Finally, Assoc. Prof. Akbaş emphasized the core components of healthy communication, highlighting the importance of an open and solution-oriented communication approach. She stated that closed communication blocks the process from the outset and added:
“To speak of healthy communication, openness is essential. If our body language and attitude signal that we are closed to communication, expecting healthy interaction becomes meaningless. Being solution-oriented, tolerant, unbiased, and flexible are also fundamental elements of healthy communication.”
Effective communication forms the foundation of personal branding
The fourth session of the Communication for Society Training Seminars, organized by the Faculty of Communication at Üsküdar University to share academic knowledge with the public, was successfully held. Emphasizing that personal branding is shaped not only by appearance but also by identity, values, behaviors, and communication style, Assoc. Prof. Özge Uğurlu Akbaş underlined that personal branding goes far beyond outward image or popularity.
Assoc. Prof. Akbaş stated: “Just as we, as consumers, trust certain brands and remain loyal to them, a personal brand is also built on trust. What we say, the messages we convey, our communication design, and our behaviors all form part of our personal brand. A personal brand is not a single element but a coherent whole composed of identity, perception, action, and consistency.” Held online under the title ‘Effective Communication: The Power of Communication in Daily Life,’ the seminar attracted strong participation and was organized as part of the Faculty’s mission of social contribution and science communication.
Communication is a conscious and strategic process
The seminar was delivered by Assoc. Prof. Özge Uğurlu Akbaş, Head of the Department of Public Relations and Promotion at Üsküdar University’s Faculty of Communication. In her talk, she emphasized that effective communication is not limited to speaking, but is a conscious, strategic, and deliberately designed process.
She noted that viewing communication merely as message transmission is insufficient, stating: “We communicate and try to express ourselves, but communicating and communicating effectively are not the same. Effective communication depends not only on what we say, but also on how we say it, when we say it, and which words we choose. Communication itself needs to be designed.”
Healthy communication begins with being a good listener
Assoc. Prof. Akbaş emphasized that the foundation of effective and healthy communication lies in the ability to be a good listener, noting that common listening mistakes significantly weaken communication. She highlighted frequent listening errors, such as interrupting speakers, becoming distracted during conversations, and focusing on mobile devices instead of the speaker. She stated that checking phones, messaging others, or being mentally disengaged during conversations are clear indicators of poor listening habits. Addressing the power of language, she noted that words produce not only meaning but also emotion. Negative language, she explained, often creates resistance, while constructive and inclusive language fosters cooperation and understanding. As an example, she emphasized that saying “Let’s please be quiet” instead of “Please do not talk” strengthens collaboration because words shape emotional responses as much as meaning. Assoc. Prof. Akbaş also stressed that face-to-face communication remains the most effective form of interaction despite digital advancements. She highlighted the importance of timing, noting that even the right message can lose its impact if delivered at the wrong moment, and that effective communication requires considering “what,” “how,” and “when” together.
Feedback as a cornerstone of effective communication
Drawing attention to the role of body language and feedback in communication, Assoc. Prof. Akbaş stated that speakers assess whether their message has been understood through the feedback they receive from listeners. Reflective feedback, such as verbal acknowledgment or supportive body language, functions as a confirmation mechanism and reassures the speaker that their message has been accurately conveyed. She emphasized that feedback is indispensable for effective communication. She also pointed out that selective listening, hearing only what aligns with one’s own perspective, is a common problem that undermines healthy communication. Preparing to respond instead of listening, focusing on self-defense, or being mentally elsewhere, she noted, prevents genuine understanding. Concluding her remarks, Assoc. Prof. Akbaş emphasized that healthy communication requires openness, a solution-oriented mindset, tolerance, flexibility, and freedom from prejudice. She stated that closed attitudes and defensive body language block communication from the outset, making meaningful interaction impossible.